AIPAC goes Far Right for Speakers in Bay Area

AIPAC held 3 events this past week in the San Francisco Bay Area, and surprisingly, it gave us two speakers whose views in regard to Israel are quite extreme, even just relative to AIPAC as a whole. The events were held in San Jose, Oakland, then San Francisco. With the exception of the San Francisco event, the speaker is Rep. Shelley Berkley of Las Vegas.

Here is aerHerHhhkjdkj brief look at Berkley’s record. Back in March of 2009, Berkley called for an end to all US aid to Gaza, as it was trying to rebuild from the brutal Israeli attack of just a few months earlier. That attack left thousands of homes and factories destroyed. Haaretz reports:

Berkley, a Jewish politician well-known in Congress for her support of Israel, backed the Israeli operation in Gaza during December and January, and even told Haaretz that maybe Israel had been too tolerant.

Too tolerant? Does that mean that Israel dropped too few Cluster Bombs, that “only” a few hundred Palestinian children were killed in the onslaught? That it is too much that still 5% of the water in Gaza is actually fit for human consumption?

Then there is Rep. Berkley’s attack on Obama’s mild and ultimately ineffective policy of pressuring Israel to stop settlement expansion. Berkley said in June of 2009:

“I think it would serve America’s interest better if we were pressuring the Iranians to eliminate the potential of a nuclear threat from Iran, and less time pressuring our allies and the only democracy in the Middle East to stop the natural growth of their settlements.”

In AIPAC’s original write-up of Berkley’s bio, (viewable here), she was described as a “strong proponent of the natural growth of settlements”. That sentence was deleted, for whatever reason, but it was an honest statement. Berkley does not believe in making way for a future Palestinian state.

Finally, there is the speaker chosen to keynote the San Francisco AIPAC event, Dr. DeeDee Coleman. An articulate and politically astute African-American Baptist preacher who also serves on the AIPAC National Council, she knows how to say the right things to the right audience. She is not always afraid to share her fundamentalist beliefs however, and she tells us that simply stated Israel, all of it, belongs to the Jews, and there is nothing anyone, including Jews, can do about that. In an interview that can be seen here, she throws out these bits:

“I do believe that you cannot give away what god has given to you. It cannot happen.” “If god has given you the land, you cannot give the land away.”

For Dr. Coleman, the deity has already apportioned the land based on ethnicity. Case closed.

Despite the extremism of AIPAC, we can expect that some “liberal” (we could not find any, however, more about that in my next post) Bay Area politicians will show up to pander to this lobby for war and occupation. They will be greeted in Oakland by a coalition braving the elements outside supporting peace and human rights, and demanding better uses of our resources, like funding for building homes in West Oakland, not demolishing homes in the West Bank. Some AIPAC attendees will also see ads calling for an end to military aid to Israel, if they use BART to get to the event. Now that’s sweet.

AIPAC's Festival of Organized Hate. Islamaphobiapalooza by the Potomac

AIPAC's Festival of Organized Hate, otherwise known as the AIPAC Policy Conference, is once again taking place in Washington DC in March, coinciding with the beginning of Spring on March 21st. In years past AIPAC has often featured the very worst of extremists of various walks of life. It has featured John Bolton who could not even get the support of a Republican Senate majority for his placement as US ambassador to the United Nations. (see his chilling statements on his hopes for war with Iran in a talk with AIPAC donors here) . Then there was the keynote address by Rev. Hagee, a fanatical exponent of war and opponent of human rights for Palestinians. This year will be no different. The policy conference will again be cheerleading for war and the repression of human rights.

The well-known will be there, including Prime Minister Netanyahu and Tony Blair. More about them later. I wish to highlight a lessor known participant, who of late has made quite a name for himself, Mr. Martin Kramer. Many of you have seen articles of Martin Kramer's call for steps be taken to limit the population of Gaza by greater restriction of aid, what amounts to calls for genocide. Electronic Intifada has covered it, Tikun Olam and MJ Rosenberg have been following the story. Juan Cole also has a excellent write up on it, as does Mondoweiss.

Make no mistake, Kramer's call for the end of aid to UNRWA to families, is not about ending "rewards" for having babies, this is about, given the context of Israel's military siege on the people of Gaza, preventing the means of physical and healthy survival of an entire population. It is a call for genocidal action against the people of Gaza. It is Kramer's contention that Gaza has a "superfluous" population, and that the world should deal with it by doing what it can to limit births.

It is our view at Stop AIPAC that no people are "superfluous".

So naturally, we are not surprised that AIPAC sees in Martin Kramer a source of wisdom. Kramer will be part of two panels at the AIPAC event. One takes place on Sunday, where he sits with noted anti-Muslim crusader Steve Emerson. (see aipac's schedule) and talks about "Terror in Our Backyard: Islamic Radicalism in the United States". On Monday Martin Kramer sits with a Democratic member of Congress and discusses "Iranian Interference: The Islamic Republic's Number One Export,: Terrorism" (schedule). That Congressman is Brad Sherman of California's San Fernando Valley. It is interesting to note that in fact this Congressman seems to be of like-mind with Kramer, as he was one of a relative few that co-sponsored a resolution H.Con.Res.29, attacking UNRWA, that provides aid for Palestinian refugees (in this fortunate and all-too rare instance, this anti-Palestinian resolution got no where, an aipac-supported initiative only garnered 31 co-sponsors since it was introduced a year ago).

Can we get Cong. Brad Sherman to make a statement affirming that the people of Gaza have a right to live, and disassociating himself from Kramer's extremist statements? It might be worth a try. Call and leave a firm but polite call to demand that Sherman disassociate himself with Martin Kramer's extremist statement, and to cancel his appearance with him at the aipac conference. Enough is enough. Starvation is not a valid foreign policy. Here is Sherman's contact numbers: In Washington DC (202) 225-5911, in San Fernando Valley it is (818) 501-9200. If you know of people in his district that would call his office, that would be most effective. Spread the word.

Protest AIPAC "National Summit" San Diego, Oct. 18

Below is the notice at the Activist San Diego Website. The National Summit is one of AIPAC's largest events, second only to the annual "Policy Conference" that takes place annually in Washington DC. If you or someone you know are in the San Diego Area, please join the protest.

PROTEST AIPAC's SUMMIT
with Al-Awda San Diego

Sunday, October 18, 2009
Time: 11:30am - 4:00pm
Location: La Costa Resort and Spa
Street: 2100 Costa Del Mar Road

Join San Diego community members,
activists, students, and social justice
movements to protest the AIPAC Summit to

TAKE BACK U.S. FOREIGN POLICY !

The U.S. is providing Israel with at least $7.0 million each day in military aid, and the US had already given Israel at least $2.55 billion ($2,500,000,000) in MILITARY aid for Fiscal Year 2009. And yet thousands or Americans are left JOBLESS and WITHOUT health care.

COME JOIN US AND PROTEST AIPAC'S SUMMIT!!!

Protest of Olmert, San Francisco, Oct. 22

On Thursday October 22, former Prime Minister Olmert will be in San Francisco, as a guest of the World Affairs Council. He will be in the St Francis Hotel, we will be gathered outside on Union Square. We want Israel and its leaders held accountable for their crimes against the people of Palestine and Lebanon.

We support the findings of the Goldstone Report, that detail the crimes committed by Israel during its war against the whole people of Gaza of last December/January, in "Operation Cast Lead". President Obama and most politicians have simply refused to take this report seriously, if not vocally rejecting it, or just ignoring it completely.

It is therefore up to us, civil society, to again do what politicians are just too afraid to do. Call for universal application of human rights and international law. This will be the message of our protest. We demand that Olmert, who initiated "Operation Cast Lead" and is directly responsible for the crimes that took place. Olmert is also responsible for the insane attack against Lebanon in the Summer of 2006. Olmert shares criminal responsibility for the siege on Gaza that leaves children hungry and 1.5 million people in desperate circumstances.

Please plan on being there. Please spread the word. We need to stand together to create a new reality. We will not accept that Israel may act with impunity and total disregard for human life. This protest is our opportunity to stand up and be counted.

AIPAC, the 752 lb Gorilla in the Room?

A commentary in Mother Jones by Robert Dreyfuss is well worth reading. It's basic premise is that AIPAC's power is fading, what was once the 800 lb, now is maybe the 400 lb Gorilla. He cites as evidence that Cong. Berman stopped a AIPAC resolution that tightens sanction on Iran from proceeding to a vote.

But this time, AIPAC was in for a surprise. Rep. Howard Berman, a dependable Israel backer who authored the legislation this past spring, put it on ice just weeks after it was introduced. "I have no intention of moving this bill through the legislative process in the near future," declared the California Democrat, who chairs the powerful House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
"Berman shocked everybody by not moving this bill forward," an official from the Israel lobby told me. "He's essentially put the kibosh on the bill. On his own bill! This is a major, major, major problem." ....
To be sure, it would be a mistake to count AIPAC out. It still has 100,000 members, a $60 million budget, and a $140 million endowment. Some 300 staffers, including an army of lobbyists, work out of 18 AIPAC offices spread across the country; they are tight with State Department and Pentagon bureaucrats, and can call on a vast network of political action committees, campaign contributors, and influentials. At its May conference—event slogan: "Relationships Matter"—AIPAC chose Lee Rosenberg, an Illinois businessman with close ties to Obama, as its next president. Its name notwithstanding, AIPAC is not a political action committee and does not contribute money directly to political campaigns. The Center for Responsive Politics, however, identifies 31 separate PACs as "pro-Israel" donors. And while independent of AIPAC, many of these organizations look to the mother ship for guidance on which candidates to support. During the 2008 election cycle, according to an analysis conducted for Mother Jones by the center, these 31 PACs and their individual donors funneled an eye-popping $22.5 million to various candidates.

Even more sobering is the fact that the bill mentioned above, the one Berman "put the kibosh on" is still very much alive. It was most likely delayed, not rejected. It now has 305 co-sponsors in the House. (out of 435 total members). The National Iranian American Council believes that during Berman's last trip to China:

(Berman) discussed his concerns about Iran’s nuclear program with Chinese leaders. Most likely, Berman is hoping to convince the Chinese to support another round of UN Security Council sanctions on Iran, modeled off of his bill, H.R. 2194, that seeks to impose a gasoline embargo on Iran.

Really, it seemed to be no more than a matter of timing. AIPAC and Berman are now on a synchronized beat. Just this last week, "National Jewish Leadership Advocacy Day on Iran." convened to push for a tougher line on Iran.

Speaking at the National Jewish Leadership Advocacy Day on Iran on Thursday in Washington, U.S. Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) said that next month he will mark up the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act and "begin the process of tightening the screws on Tehran" if Iran "does not reverse course."
The legislation would allow the sanctioning of companies that help Iran import or produce refined petroleum, which is seen as potentially having a large impact on Iran's economy because the country imports 40 percent of its refined petroleum.
Berman said that the clock has "almost run out" on Iran.

Seems that AIPAC is in pretty good form. At the same event, Dennis Ross (formerly of the aipac-related "think tank" WINEP, and now works in the White House) did not give any indication if the White House would support the passage of the Sanctions bill (so here, AIPAC may be running into some resistance- or not). AIPAC certainly seems to have Berman doing its bidding, from China to DC and next month in San Diego, where Berman is a guest speaker at the AIPAC "National Summit". Berman will be a guest speaker along with Victor Styrsky, West Coast director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI, Hagee's extremist cult) and Eliot Abrams, a convicted criminal from the Iran/Contra days (does it not seem even a little ironic to these people that Abrams was part of a criminal plot to sell weapons to Iran?), who, like CUFI, is opposed to any "Land for Peace" deal.

It is clear that the agenda of this political lobby still poses a threat. If Congress and the administration approach the issue of nuclear proliferation from the perspective "Israel can have nuclear weapons, in fact we will completely ignore its massive arsenal, but you can't enrich uranium for any reason.... and if you do you will be subject to military attack" rather than a rational approach of a universal application of international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and common sense, then it will not be successful in preventing a nuclear arms race in the Middle East that began when Israel introduced the inhuman weapons there more than 40 years ago. A rational approach would include a call for a nuclear-free Middle East, opposed by AIPAC. In fact, because of Israel's refusal to become part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, US aid to Israel violates the Symington Amendment passed by Congress in 1961. These double-standards undermine the goal of creating a safe, nuclear-free world.

Has AIPAC been reduced to half the gorilla it once was? In the last eight months, AIPAC pro-war/occupation events have been protested in five different cities. Last year, AIPAC lost a big fight when a resolution before congress regarding Iran was dropped after a popular outcry. This year, AIPAC is facing opposition among mainstream groups "pro-Israel" groups like J Street and Peace Now that are opposing the its anti-Iran sanctions bill, as well as an array of peace organizations like Peace Action (they have a "Can the Sanctions" campaign) and others. So AIPAC does seem a bit haggard and just a bit more battle-weary, just a tad more gaunt than we have seen it in a long while. Maybe it is now the 752 lb gorilla in the room. Getting more beleaguered by the day, but still very capable of causing major damage.

Protest of AIPAC in Minneapolis

About 40 peace activists demonstrated at the front and back doors to Temple Israel on Wednesday, Sept. 2, to protest the presentation of Ann Lewis, a former senior advisor to Bill and Hillary Clinton, that was sponsored by AIPAC.

The event was advertised by Temple Israel as a community program and dessert reception that was open to the public, but attendees were asked to RSVP to AIPAC. They denied access to Coalition for Palestinian Rights members Sarah Martin and Karen Redleaf and to Colleen Rowley, former FBI whistleblower and congressional candidate and current member of Women Against Military Madness.

Sarah Martin explained: “AIPAC wants people to support the close relationship between the U. S. and Israel unconditionally. But they know that Israel is illegally occupying the West Bank and Gaza and perpetrating numerous injustices against Palestinians. They’re afraid of the public finding out how our tax dollars are being used to fund Israeli war crimes, and they’re trying to hide from the criticism they deserve. The bombing of Gaza that killed 1,400 civilians early this year is just one of the many atrocities being carried out by the Israeli government.”

Colleen Rowley said, “All we want is a free and open discussion of the Israeli and Palestinian problem.”
Read more here. 

On August 12th Obama will Not Honor AIPAC.

AIPAC and its allies are getting hysterical. On August 12th President Obama will award the Presidential Medal of Honor to Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland along with 15 other people. Robinson also served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. In that capacity, she was critical of Israeli policies. In a statement released earlier this week, AIPAC wants President Obama to "firmly, fully and publicly repudiate her views on Israel and her long public record of hostility and one-sided bias against the Jewish state". It has not done so, only saying that she may have said things they did not agree with, as probably many of the other recipeints, and will go ahead to award her this honor.

Leading this fight in Congress is Shelly Berkley of Nevada. Berkeley, a Democrat, was recently a a speaker at the extremist CUFI, an outfit founded by religious cultist John Hagee.

Its difficult to understand why AIPAC has chosen this battle. It seems that they made the calculation that it would be helpful in the long-run to lose this battle, but they may see it as a way to discredit Obama, as he continues to insist that Israel freeze the growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. A battle that Obama continues to wage, though appears that he is losing. This last week saw the forced eviction of Palestinian residents in East Jerusalem, a move that Obama had specifically opposed.