Your Voice in a World where Zionism, Steel, and Fire, have Turned Justice Mute

 

 

The *FREE ARAB VOICE*
November 15, 1997

In this issue of the Free Arab Voice we present:

1- Iraq and The Arabs versus the New World Order: an editorial.

2- Albright's New Terrorist List is a Violation of the U.S.
Constitution, and an Attempt to Stifle Arab-American Political Action:
An In-Depth Analysis by Nabila Martino.

3- A Palestinian Christian Perspective on the Bible: Did God give the
our land to 'Israel'?  by Musa J. Shihadeh.

4- An Invitation to the Annual Conference of the Islamic Association
for Palestine by Rafiq Jaber.

5- Action Alert: Please Sign this Appeal for Specific Steps to Help Lift
the Embargo off Iraq.  This Appeal is Directed to Dr. Hala Maksoud of
ADC.  Your Signature May Help the Children of Iraq..
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For back issues of the Free Arab Voice and relevant
articles, please go to:
*AL-MOHARER AL-AUSTRALI*  (Arabic/English)

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1)Iraq and The Arabs versus the New World Order: an editorial.

Between the Economic Conference of Ad-Doha, Qatar, the stalled 'peace
process' in Palestine, and the escalating crisis between Iraq and the
United States government are many linkages some of which are obvious and
some of which are not.

The stated reason why most Arab states shall boycott the fourth regional
conference for economic normalization with 'Israel' has been Netanyahu's
government tenacious refusal to make reciprocating concessions or to
honor political obligations:

Indeed, Jerusalem is being feverishly Judaized to establish facts on the
ground before negotiations on final status.  Settlements are being
energetically expanded to absorb as much of the West Bank as possible.
Previously agreed upon withdrawals from (redeployments in) some
miniscule Palestinian territories have come to a halt with no
breakthrough in sight.  All this is going on with Palestinians reeling
under a continuous state of siege, and no progress being made on the
Lebanese or Syrian political fronts; Netanyahu has pointed out more than
once that Arabs adapt to the facts that 'Israel' imposes. Yet why
shouldn't he think or even publicize that so long as 'Israel' proposes
and America disposes!?!

Some say 'Israel' is violating the Oslo Agreement, or that the agreement
has died already, and so the 'peace process' needs another.

But if we look at the history of the Zionist strategy in dealing with
Arabs, we'll realize that it has relied on:

1) Building up Israeli military, political, and technological elements
of strength while destroying those elements in Arab countries.

2) Depending on the support of the major Western superpower at the time,
first Britain then the U.S., for financial, diplomatic, logistical, and
military backing to achieve Zionist policy objectives.

3) Keeping the Arabs weak and divided, with the help of friendly
dictators and collaborators sometimes, and with sheer violence and
conspiracies some other times.

Thus what's happening now in Palestine, or Iraq and Qatar for that
matter, is not a deviation from Oslo.  IT IS OSLO.

Oslo meant giving up more than 80% of Palestine, recognizing 'Israel''s
right to exist, shutting off the only Palestinian source of negotiating
strength which is all forms of struggle against Zionists, and opening up
Arab markets and resources for the taking.

Hence, Iraq, Libya, and Sudan must stay under siege while economic
normalization proceeds with 'Israel'.  That is the spirit, if not the
letter, of Oslo.  And further progress in the so-called Middle East
'peace process' hinges upon weakening (and possibly breaking up) Syria,
Iraq, Egypt, and even Iran further.  The balance of power must be tilted
further in 'Israel''s favor so the next step in the 'peace process'
would make the Oslo Agreement look, even to those who rejected it, like
an unobtainable fantasy.

Iraq could have bent over backwards for the U.S. government and handed
over even kitchen knives to UNSCOM but that wouldn't have mattered.

Yet this time the confrontation is different in many ways:  Iraq is not
in Kuwait. Arab regimes and people saw clearly that seven years of
compliance with UNSCOM didn't bear fruitation.  Coupled with new
sanctions on Sudan and tightening the lid on Libya against the wishes of
the Arab League, the objectives are blatantly political, anti-Arab, and
pro-Israeli.  The participation of the U.S. in naval exercises with
'Israel' and Turkey in front of the Syrian shore just overexposed an
already scandalous adoption of Zionism as American foreign policy.
After about 1.4 million civilians dead, the Iraqi people, even political
exiles in Syria, themselves realize that Saddam is just the excuse, and
that the real target is Iraq, as well as Libya, Syria, Sudan, Palestine,
and Arab oil wherever.  This time even Kuwait and Saudi Arabia don't
seem enthusiastic, and many previously pliant Arab regimes have begun to
realize too that sanctions are only punishment for disobeying the
commands of Washington and Tel Aviv.

That was the background of the Iraqi move to expel American inspectors
in UNSCOM out, and as far as that goes it was a brilliant one, but only
for those who realize that we have nothing to lose, and that there's no
salvation but in resisting injustice.

                                        The Free Arab Voice

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2)Albright's New Terrorist List: An Analysis by Nabila Martino.

With the publication of a list of 30 foreign alleged 'terrorist'
organisations a few weeks ago, the U.S. government ushered in a new era
of intimidation for those who support causes that are unpopular with the
powers that be in this country.

The policy behind the McCarran-Walter Act, overturned by Congress in
1990, has been resurrected. Persons who are not citizens of the U.S. can
be refused entry solely because of humanitarian support of groups on a
political list. As far as U.S. citizens are concerned, they may be
imprisoned for up to 10 years and fined if they provide humanitarian
relief to institutions that are affiliated with the groups listed.

The list published by Secretary of State Albright was created pursuant
to a statute enacted in 1996 ostensibly in response to the Oklahoma City
bombing. One question that immediately comes to mind is: if this law was
enacted in response to that incident, why does it deal almost
exclusively with 'international terrorist organisations'? No foreign
'terrorist' groups were involved with the bombing!

Unfortunately, when the U.S. speaks of terrorists, it usually is
referring to various groups that are fighting for independence and
freedom in other countries, and once again, the U.S. is punishing the
wrong people for crimes committed by others.

What is the real purpose of this statute if not to combat terrorism?

Basically, whatever the law states, it is designed to punish individuals
who have the audacity to disagree with official U.S. interests abroad.
'National security' as defined in this statute is not only 'the national
defense' but 'foreign relations, or economic interests of the U.S.' as
well.

In other words, security is whatever the government wishes it to be, and
any organisation can be designated as a 'foreign terrorist organisation'
on this basis. It is clear that this is as arbitrary as the old laws of
treason, and the State here is declaring: 'you will be punished if I do
not agree with your aims, if your goals threaten my friends, or the
interests of my investors.'

The intent of this law is intimidation, pure and simple. "Here is a list
of our enemies, whom we intend to crush in any manner at our disposal,
whether open or covert, legal or illegal.' The statute does in fact
encourage the President to 'use all necessary means, including covert
action and military force' in pursuit of this goal.

There are echoes here of the official Israeli reaction to its botched
assassination attempt a few weeks ago, which was to override any
considerations of the sovereignty of other nations or international law
to state an intention to continue with such attempts. An attempted
murder on foreign soil: if this is not international terrorism, what is?

What are the practical implications of this law? Now, to use an example
given by the ADC, if a person were to donate blankets to a hospital
associated with Hamas or to an orphanage connected to Hezbollah, that
person could be sentenced to 10 years in prison. The offence is giving
'material support or resources' to any group on the list and 'material
support or resources' is defined as any 'physical assets' including,
inter alia, 'lodging, communications equipment, personnel and
transportation'.

Thus, support or resources could be as simple a matter as the loan of a
car, a telephone, a bed for the night, or the offer to perform any task,
however innocent, for some one connected to one of these groups.

Questions of proof, because secret evidence is allowed here, become
difficult to assess. This is different from cases involving the
Communist Party, as membership in organisations such as these is not a
matter of carrying a card.

As Greg Nojeim, counsel for the ACLU, stated, with respect to law's
application to immigration, 'By expanding the bar to admission to mere
membership in a group, the government now decides which ideas from
abroad Americans can hear, and which ideas it believes are too dangerous
for us to hear. These groups do not distribute membership cards.
Inevitably, the government will bar as 'members' of foreign terrorist
organisations individuals who give speeches in support of the political
goals of the group, not men or women who are actually dangerous.'

Above all, what is unconscionable here is the attempt by Congress to
prohibit all aid to the humanitarian organisations to which these groups
are connected. In many areas, particularly in some of the Palestinian
refugee camps, schools, medical clinics and orphanages are run by
members of these political groups. To deny humanitarian aid to these
institutions is an abomination. The spurious reasoning Congress gives is
this:

That 'foreign organisations that engage in terrorist activity are so
tainted by their criminal conduct that any contribution to such an
organisation facilitates that
conduct.'

Prohibition of humanitarian aid is an outrage; it may be
unconstitutional as well.

So far, there has been no direct challenge of this law, except for a
challenge by House Members as to the presence of the Iranian Mujahadeen
as a foreign terrorist organisation on the list. Those challenging its
inclusion called the Mujahadeen 'a legitimate resistance against one of
the most brutal dictatorships in modern history'.

There are those who would describe Hamas and Hezbollah in comparable
terms, as well as other organisations placed on this list. This call for
review on the part of House members only emphasises the arbitrary nature
of a list of this sort, which is solely based on policy rather than on
any real rule of law. When is armed struggle a legitimate means of
winning freedom? When is a movement legitimate and when is it a
'terrorist' organisation? The answer here is: when the U.S. says so.

Although there has been no challenge in constitutional terms as of yet,
this statute will be fought.

Human rights groups are determined not to allow this to go unchallenged.
Meanwhile, Arab-Americans and Muslims follow their consciences at their
own risk.

There will be more cases of deportation based on secret 'evidence' such
as that used to deport Ali Termos recently. Surveillance will increase,
and the U.S. government no doubt will continue to create the illusion
that terrorism flows naturally from the spring of Islam in the Arab
world.

It is an illusion that has served this State well, allowing it to
protect many of its sordid economic interests under the guise of
defending 'democracy' and other inspiring concepts, equally false.

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Speak out against the use of 'secret evidence'.  It's unfair and
unconstitutional.  If you keep silent before this injustice, *YOU* might
be the next person from Arab origin who goes to jail on 'secret
evidence'.  Speak out, write to editors, talk to friends and family
against it now.

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3) The Biblical Myths!  The Perspective of a Christian Palestinian by
Musa J. Shihadeh

Simply put, the Biblical claim centers around the Covenant that God made
with Abraham, according to which God promised to give to his seed the
land between the Nile in Egypt to the Euphrates in Iraq (Genesis 15:18).

Zionism has interpreted this to mean that the area should be given
exclusively to the Jews, even though in Genesis 21:13 God names Ishmael
also as his seed!

Otherwise no one can conceive the enormity of the created human tragedy
if all the land between the two rivers would be exclusively expropriated
for Israel's use!

This should include Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan,
Saudi Arabia , the Persian Gulf states and part of Iraq!!  We are
talking about over one hundred million people who would have to become
new refugees to satisfy the Covenant! Where would all these new refugees
be resettled?

How can Israeli Jews of 4.5 million populate this vast and huge area?

God also told Abraham that his seed will exceed the number of the sand
grains of the beach or the stars in the heavens (Genesis 15:5)!!!  One
can hardly compare 15 million Jews in the world to trillions and
trillions and trillions of stars or sand grains! The previous defies
simple logic and common sense. Yet Zionism was able to convince a large
majority of the Christians with this myth!

Could there be another interpretation to God's Covenant? I honestly
believe that the previous impossibilities make it imperative to seek
proper interpretation of the Bible. First and foremost there cannot be
Jewish exclusivity in interpreting the Covenant since God confirmed that
Ishmael was Abraham's seed. Secondly God's promise was conditional on
Jewish adherence to God's commandments, as in Psalms 103:18 where it
clearly states that the Promise was a two-way agreement!

Furthermore, as in Galatian 3:27-29, the covenant legacy had transferred
to the Christian church after the first coming of Christ, where it
clearly states that if one believes in Christ then he is the seed of
Abraham and his heirs according to the promise!!

As a matter of fact according Ephesians 2:12 the Jews were excluded from
the Promise as this verse clearly states that those without Christ are
strangers to the Covenant!

Many church scholars also believe that their return from Egypt and
Babylon had already fulfilled the promise twice. It is obviously for
this reason that God proclaims in Jeremiah 31:31 that HE will make a new
Covenant, since the old one had been fulfilled!

Even if the Palestinians were considered strangers in their own home as
Israel purports, its violation of simple human rights against the
Palestinians is not only a flagrant violation of International law, but
of the Bible itself.

In Leviticus 19:34 it clearly states that they have to love the
strangers who live amongst them as their own. The illegal expropriation
of Palestinian lands and homes, the eviction of the indigenous
inhabitants, the killing of innocent civilians can hardly be
considered an adherence to their Ten Commandments or the very strict
teachings of the Bible.

If we realize that many Palestinian Christians today could have
originated from Jews who converted to Christianity during Christ's
mission in Palestine, a bizarre and strange conclusion would evolve
from Zionist biblical claims. Those who accepted Christ are to be
"punished" by being evicted from Palestine while those who rejected
Christ and remained on the Jewish faith are to be "rewarded" by giving
them Palestine! Could this conform to Divine Justice? I doubt it!
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4) An Invitation from the Islamic Association for Palestine:

Assalamo Allaikom
The Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP) which is a national
organization that specializes in the Islamic cause of Palestine will
hold its annual convention in Hayat Regency Hotal, Chicago, Illinois.
The program includes speakers from all over the world and U.S.

Based on last year's attendance, a crowd of 4-5 thousand is expected to
show up. I would like to see you there. The convention will be held
Dec.25- Dec. 29th 1997.

For more info call (972)669-9595, or fax (972)669-9597,
email iapinfo@iap.org

sincerely
Rafiq Jaber
President of IAP

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5) The following is an appeal to Dr. Hala Maksoud of American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) to take specific steps to ease the
suffering of the people of Iraq.  It's because we have hope in them that
we are asking them..

Circulate it to friends.  Sign it please, then send it to Ibrahim Ebeid
at ebeid123@bellatlantic.net

We'll collect signatures and and forward them to Dr. Maksoud.

Thank you for practicing what you believe.

Arab-American Democratic Committee
& The Free Arab Voice
======================================================
Dear Dr. Maksoud,

As the ADC is our primary civil organization in the U.S., we look
towards you in this time of crisis to take the lead in action to ease
the suffering of the people of Iraq.

Dr. Maksoud, we cannot remain silent anymore, we must act now.

The U.S. State Department and Zionists are rallying allies and
neutralizing Arab governments to attack Iraq and impose sanctions
permanently, thus continuing with the reaping of innocent lives for the
sake of oil and geopolitical influence.

It is our moral obligation to stand up to that.  We suggest that the
following steps be seriously considered and implemented with your aid:

1 - Arab-American organizations, with ADC in the forefront, must come
out in the open and condemn the foreign policy of the U.S. government
and its allies for violating the human rights and committing genocide
against the people of Iraq.

2 - An ADC delegation and representatives of Arab-Americans and
Muslim-Americans should visit Arab and Muslim embassies in Washington
D.C., and demand that their countries act quickly to lift the criminal
sanctions imposed unjustly on Iraq.

3 - A similar delegation should be formed to go to Baghdad to relay
solidarity with the embattered people of Iraq.

4 - A similar delegation should visit Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, to demand
that enough Iraqi brothers and sisters have been killed already. These
countries should get their act together, and lead the rest of the Arab
and Muslims nations in lifting the blockade.  A gesture of
reconciliation now would be the best way to resolve and mend inter-Arab
fences, and guarantee peace in the future between Iraq and its
neighbors.

To issue a press release is not enough.  The ADC has the clout,
capability, and connections to achieve the four suggestions above, and
to rise to this momentous occasion and generate a gigantic salvation for
our brothers and sisters in Iraq.

Let's act now..Together we can do it.

LIFT THE SIEGE NOW.

NAME                                            Email
====                                            =====
Ibrahim Ebeid/
Arab-American Democratic Committee           ebeid123@bellatlantic.net

Ibrahim Alloush/Free Arab Voice              alloush@okstate.edu
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