"Abdulrahim Fuqara’: Professor Abu Khalil, what do you think?
As’ad Abu Khalil: First, I have much to say.
Before answering your question and joining this important discussion, I’d like to respond to what Khalid Saffouri said. We have to avoid placing the focus on the Jewish role in anti-Arab racism in this country. I do not say this only because I am opposed to anti-Semitism per se. Instead, it is important for Arabs and Muslims to understand that both Jews and non-Jews work towards ardent Zionism; hostility to Arabs and Muslims; and support for Israel’s war crimes. That is, Christian Zionists, who play an incredible role in fueling anti-Arab, anti-Muslim racism in this country and globally.
Furthermore, as to what brother Ali said, the problem is not one of fragmentation. Instead, it has to do with … we could complain and call on Arabs and Muslims to avoid the political process and not vote. I mean, this is not easy. There are many who contributed financially and practically to Bush’s first electoral campaign and then ended up thrown in jail. That’s one example. Second…
Abdulrahim Fuqara’: Excuse me, Professor Abu Khalil. If I may, before you continue. With regard to financial contributions, all data indicates that the financial contributions of pro-Israeli Jews during electoral campaigns reach $40 million to $50 million while Muslims’ contributions are estimated at only a few thousand dollars.
As’ad Abu Khalil: There’s no doubt about that. You know very well, Abdulrahim, there are even some contributions that are donated to candidates that are then returned to the donors as tainted money. This happened during Hillary Clinton’s campaign in New York. This has occurred in several states. I’ll say this: this book’s timing is not groundbreaking or coincidental. There is a contemporary discourse put forth by the Zionist lobby to downplay its incredible influence by claiming there is an Arab lobby. For example, a book by a known Zionist, Steven Emerson, was published in the eighties, titled The American House of Saud. It included arguments similar to this book’s. Khalid’s claim is correct. This man is known to those of us who follow Zionist propaganda in this country. He’s part of this apparatus. He started his writing in the field of Zionist propaganda. He’s not in a position of objectivity or neutrality in this regard.
Abdulrahim Fuqara’: Please hurry, Professor, if you don’t mind.
As’ad Abu Khalil: A final word. We should discuss and closely examine the term “Arab lobby.” There are some crooks in this country who go to Arab countries and fundraise claiming that they would use it to influence American public opinion. We should make a distinction here. By “Arab lobby” do we mean those Arab organizations that depend on oil regimes that want to sell weapons and draw a clean slate with the US? If that’s what we’re referring to, then yes there is an Arab lobby that is attached to the oil and weapons industries in the US.
However, if we mean an Arab lobby that expresses the interests of Arab and Muslim peoples in this country, there is no such lobby. Arab regimes, let alone the US, would not allow the establishment of such a lobby. You could establish an organization to defend Israel’s war crimes. But if you were to establish an organization that defends Arabs, you’d stand accused of terrorism.
As usual, we hear about non-existing accomplishments from Arab and Muslim organizations. If making an imam available to Muslim troops (and there are a few of them, only 4,000 in the US Army) as they fight wars against Arab and Muslim interests and solidarity in this country – if that’s considered an accomplishment, then I hope we have fewer of those.
As for what Mr. Khalid said, let me say the following. He’s free to place trust in the Kuwaiti royal family’s intentions as he wishes. But the first Arab organization, which he referred to, was the most conservative. It was merely an arm of the Republican Party. It was part of the establishment that founded in the seventies to advocate for the ruling elite’s right to purchase weapons, to which the Zionist lobby objected.
As for the Kuwaiti ruling family, it spent in September alone more than it spent in its entire history on the Palestinian cause. That spending wasn’t for the Palestinian cause. I also reject…
Abdulrahim Fuqara’: Forgive me for the interruption. About these countries which try to influence the US establishment, we have to return to the question of fragmentation. It is only natural for these states to protect their state interests since there is no common Arab or common Islamic effort. So it is to be expected that Arab and Islamic activism in the US would be fragmented.
As’ad Abu Khalil: This is untrue. I interact with Arab and Muslim students in the US. I can rebut the idea of fragmentation. There is a base. Then there is an elite in Washington, embodied in Arab and Islamic organizations. There is consensus among the public with regard to opposition to Israel’s crimes, opposition to Arab regimes’ crimes towards their people, opposition to the Zionist lobby.
Abdulrahim Fuqara’: But when one Arab state’s interest conflicts with that of another Arab state, what we see here in the US is that communities follow their respective home countries’ interests.
As’ad Abu Khalil: I didn’t see fights between Egyptians and Algerians in this country over soccer. The main concern for Arabs and Muslims in this country is Palestine and occupations of our homelands, Afghanistan and Iraq and beloved Palestine. There is an artificial attempt to explain this state of paralysis and weakness as resulting from fragmentation among the community.
Something about the Arab and Muslim organizations has changed. I’ve lived in this country for 30 years. When I came here in the eighties, there was the American Arab Anti Discrimination Committee. It was a popular organization that enjoyed a wide base of support. It used to express Arabs’ and Muslims’ aspirations in this country. But today it has become an annual festival to honor Al-Walid Bin Talal. How did this happen over the years? Some things have changed, especially following the first US invasion of Iraq.
Second, Arab countries changed after the collapse of the Soviet Union and Saudi Arabia’s control of Arab official affairs. More changes took place after 9/11. The US and its allies refused to allow any Arab organization to truly express popular Arab sentiments, interests and opinions. Therefore, these organizations represent the US government and ruling families in our countries. You would be hard pressed to find an individual who truly supports them.
Abdulrahim Fuqara’: You’ve spoken about the issue of non-AIPAC support for Israel, which results in hostility to Arabs and Muslims in American society. Does this hostility result from lack of understanding among Arabs and Muslims of American society? Does it result from the lingering threat of terrorism accusations? Or does it result in a difference of values between Arabs and Muslims on one hand and the US and Israel on the other especially considering that Asheknazis run the show in Israel?
As’ad Abu Khalil: It’s a fair question. But before responding I’d like to comment on the issues mentioned. I agree with Khalid Saffouri about the despicable role played by rich Arabs and Muslims in this country. When a Jewish person reaches an elite position, they try to help the cause they identify with, which is Israel generally speaking. But when an Arab or a Muslim, generally speaking, reaches an elite position, he distances himself from all these issues and considers it unbecoming or economically damaging to support Arab causes.
Abdulrahim Fuqara’: Is this true generally or only in specific situations?
As’ad Abu Khalil: I’m generalizing and I underscore that. I do not believe that any congress members of Arab origin deserve any praise whatsoever. All voted in favor of Israel at one point or another.
Abdulrahim Fuqara’: What are the circumstances that lead to this? For example, they have no Arab or Muslim political support.
As’ad Abu Khalil: Brother Ali may sing praises for liberties. But I object due to respect for the viewers’ intelligence. There is one straightforward fact, which is that freedom is not applied equally in this country. A Jewish-American or Christian-American may demand, via any kind of media, that Israel strike Iran and that the US government strike Iran and eradicate the Iranian regime entirely. However, if I were to demand that the US wage war on Israel and eliminate Zionism…
Abdulrahim Fuqara’: That’s exactly my question. Does this result from the terrorism card? Is it a difference of values between US society and Arab and Muslim communities? Or something else?
As’ad Abu Khalil: I was explaining this last week to my students. I told them that claiming that US hostility towards Arabs and Muslims has to do with terrorism, is a fallacious claim. This is because expressions of hostility towards Arabs and Muslims in political and popular American culture preceded the appearance of Palestinian resistance groups in the sixties by decades. This has a long history. We can analyze it within the framework of American racism towards minorities. For example Catholics suffered discrimination and stereotypes at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Also, I recently read a survey that was published in 1940. It suggested that about 20% of Americans at the time viewed Jewish-Americans as a malignant presence in this country.
Abdulrahim Fuqara’: Professor Abu Khalil, how did the Jews manage to change their condition while Arabs and Muslims’ status has remained the same for decades. Until now they say “we are new to America.”
As’ad Abu Khalil: There are many reasons but we could say what happened during World War II led to a Christian, western reassessment of its view of Jews. Furthermore, Jews insisted on self-respect and securing their positions, taking advantage of laws in the US and elsewhere. Third, in western societies there is far more willingness to accept Jews than Arabs and Islam. Hostility to Islam is a disease that has permeated the west for many centuries that preceded the arrival of the Crusaders to our homelands."
