The U.S. Congress lives in a surreal world

U.S. public opinion is shifting, some members of Congress are developing a clearer understanding of Middle East realities, but extremist ideologies and fear of political pressures continue to hold sway on Capitol Hill.

Recent polls show real movement in public opinion. The public still has greater sympathy for Israelis, in large measure because five decades of negative stereotypes and biased news coverage have shaped attitudes toward the people of the Middle East. Opinion, however is turning against Israeli policy and Americans increasingly want their government to be balanced and fair to both parties.

Interestingly, polls show a widening partisan split in attitudes. A recent Zogby Intern-ational poll demonstrates this. When asked "should Israel end its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza", Americans said "yes" by a margin of 58 per cent to 29 per cent. Among Democrats, however, the margin was 69 per cent to 21 per cent, while for Republicans the margin was 48 per cent to 39 per cent, a gap in the margin of almost 40 per cent.

The reason, of course, were the attitudes of the religious right wing who only support an Israeli withdrawal by a margin of 49 per cent in favour to 38 per cent opposed. This group constitutes a substantial portion of the Republican Party's base vote.

On the other hand, two key Democratic party base vote groups, African Americans and Hispanics, support an end to Israel's occupation by a margin of 68 per cent to 24 per cent.

There is also a significant age gap reflected in this poll. Americans under 30 years old support Israel pulling out of the West Bank by a margin of 70 per cent to 22 per cent. Those over 50 years old, on the other hand, only support this by a 55 per cent to 29 per cent margin.

This same poll also shows that 71 per cent of the U.S. public now supports a Palestinian state, with the same partisan and age gaps also present.

Some of this was in evidence at the two competing demonstrations that occurred in Washington two weeks ago. The pro-Israel rally was estimated at between 25,000 to 40,000 persons. It was white, largely Jewish or conservative Christian. The larger pro-Palestinian march and rally was estimated at 75,000 and included large numbers of Arabs and Muslims and a significant number of students and minorities.

The evolution of the pro-Palestinian march was, itself, an interesting development. It began as a left-liberal anti-globalisation rally, without a Middle East component.

The rally evolved into a pro-Palestine event during the last month in response to the horrific developments in the Middle East. Significant credit must be given to pro-Palestine activists and a number of American Muslim groups who worked for weeks to build the event.

But even with all of this, now that the marches are over and the pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC, has ended its annual convention, politics in Washington have returned to normal.

While there are a few more voices urging a more balanced policy, for the most part, the scene is surreal. Many members of Congress, it appears, live in an alternate reality shaped by politics and not facts as they are. How else can one explain some of the bizarre statements some elected officials have made in the past week, or some of the equally strange letters and bills being circulated on Capitol Hill.

* Despite some initial concern from the State Department, a few members of Congress are pressing forward plans to add a supplemental $200 million to Israel's aid package to assist their "war on terrorism"

*Republican Congressional leader Tom DeLay has joined Democrat Tom Lantos to sponsor a resolution "in solidarity with Israel in its war against terrorism".The resolution is both provocative and blatantly one-sided. It has been opposed by the State Department, which fears that its passage will harm U.S. diplomacy. Nevertheless, the hard-line congressmen appear determined to go forward.

* Then there are the so-called "Arafat Accountability Act" and the "Syria Accountability Act". The anti-Palestine act seeks to reestablish the U.S. ban on the PLO and the Palestinian Authority by closing their U.S. offices and denying visas to their representatives. The anti-Syria bill, if passed, would freeze Syrian assets in the U.S. and impose tough new sanctions on that country.

* Not as dangerous as the bills, but equally troubling because of the messages they send, are the letters to the President organised by groups of Members of Congress. Because they require no vote and create no new policy, members can be quite extreme and irresponsible in drafting these missives. During the last month there have been a large number of these missives denouncing everything from Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the U.S., Prince Bandar bin Sultan.

Despite all of this extremist activity, even in Congress there are signs of positive movement. Some thoughtful members of Congress are deeply concerned with the cycle of violence in the Middle East and the damage that it poses to the region and to U.S. relations in the Arab world.

Many are deeply troubled by the Sharon government's excessive violence against the Palestinian people. One member of Congress sent a letter to the Israeli ambassador, decrying "the fact that Prime Minister Sharon is continuing this appalling wave of violence".

Dozens have signed other letters supporting Secretary of State Colin Powell's peace mission, urging that it be balanced and sustained. And a congressional resolution endorsing UN Security Council Resolutions 1397 and 1402 is continuing to gather support. (Note: at the last minute, congressional leaders have deferred to moderates and the Administration, and have agreed to withdraw the Israel solidarity resolution from the congressional calendar).

The next few weeks will be interesting, as moderate voices in Congress, supported by the State Department, go against their more hard-line colleagues. The contest will, on one hand, be between sober and thoughtful voices who see the dangers of the present course of events in the Middle East and those members of Congress whose views are shaped by extremist ideologies or simply fear of political pressure from organised lobbies.

The task now before us is to translate the shift in public opinion and the realities of the Middle East conflict into a new political force that can shake Congress out of its surreal world. The major Arab American organisations have agreed to host a national emergency mobilisation in Washington in mid-May. There is also significant organising going on around the U.S. to challenge individual members of Congress.

The fight for reality and justice will not be easy. But the effort must be made. It is an uphill battle. But it is a climb that must be made.

Dr. James J. Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute and a Democratic political lobbyist, hosts the weekly radio and television programme 'A Capital View' on the Arab Network of America which is also aired live in the Middle East on MBC. He also writes a weekly column that appears regularly in Gulf News.

As a Jew, I'm willing to say it. If Jews are to keep political support for Israel in the U.S., it can only come from the Republican Party - because the GOP so dominates Congress outside of the Northeast, urban Midwest, urban Kalifornia, and (generally-anti-Israel) black gerrymandered districts.

The number of congressional districts in which Jews can be a decisive vote are very low - near zilch outside Blue Nation.

The reason, of course, were the attitudes of the religious right wing who only support an Israeli withdrawal by a margin of 49 per cent in favour to 38 per cent opposed. This group constitutes a substantial portion of the Republican Party's base vote.

Read: Christian.

Zogby shows how "American" he is spewing this deceptive propaganda in the Arab world. The majority of Israelis support a "pull-out" from the West Bank. And the recent polls have to do with the latest incursions. Zogby misstates the meaning of the polls to serve his agenda, which probably has to do with money, and very little to representing Muslims in America.

"Extremist ideologies" - well, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black. Zogby is just an agitator, not an explainer.

two key Democratic party base vote groups, African Americans and Hispanics, support an end to Israel's occupation by a margin of 68 per cent to 24 per cent. If the upcoming muslim PR/political campaign causes muslims to start voting Democratic, then it's inevitable that Jewish money and votes start flowing to the GOP. Should be an interesting political dynamic.

"If the upcoming muslim PR/political campaign causes muslims to start voting Democratic, then it's inevitable that Jewish money and votes start flowing to the GOP."

I'll believe that when I see fellow American Jews more preoccupied with Israel's security than with every domestic leftist social agenda cause. So far, I just don't see it.

The next few weeks will be interesting, as moderate voices in Congress, supported by the State Department, go against their more hard-line colleagues.

Let me take a wild guess at some of those "moderate voices" in Congress: Bonior? Biden? McKinney? Torricelli? Tim Johnson? Jim Moran? Chuck Hagel?

Just wild guesses.

I'm seeing a shift (granted, anecdotal) from friends who would not even have dreamed of a GOP vote. However, the strong support shown by conservatives has started my friends thinking about it at least.

24-40 K for the pro-Israel rally?? That number is as accurate as his slanted polling. Even the Washington Post conceded greater than 100,000 showed up. He cooks his poll numbers to suit his agenda but you can't make up crowd figures that have already been established.

The reality here is that the only true friends Israel has are American Christians. The vaunted Jewish lobby sat home and ignored the atrocities of the palestinians against fellow Jews.

Last night a 5 year old girl, that looks no different than my own, was slautered as she tried to hide under her bed. Yet the Amefrican Jewsih community is still upset that Bush didnt loose in Florida. Talk about missplaced priorities. I guess its ok to kill Jews now. Even by Americvan Jewish standards.

I read the first two paragraphs. Something smelled. Went back, saw Zogby's name and the light came on.

Islamist propaganda from a master bullshitter.

I am still waiting for someone to slip up and tell the truth. People in this country are showing sympathy for Israel because they are being attacked by terrorist.Its real simple. Plo=terrorist.

five decades of negative stereotypes and biased news coverage...

Killing Olympic athletes, shooting wheelchair bound men & throwing their bodies overboard, flying jetliners into skyscrapers, blowing up pizza parlors.

D-mn that biased reporting!

As an American Christian conservative, I support Israel 100%. When America was attacked by terrorists we went after them with every gun we had. I'm tired of pollsters, politicians, pundits and the United Nations condemning Israel for defending herself. As an American I feel great pride in Israel for telling the United Nations not to come into Jenin. I wish all Americans would tell the UN the same thing and get rid of this useless, money-grubbing, dangerous organization.

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