The Fromson File

With Friends Like This.. For years, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee has gotten a free ride, terrifying the political elite and gulling the media in Washington with the myth that it is the most powerful voice for Israel in the United States. Not quite. AIPAC may be the most uncritical voice for the Israeli government in the United States but that is quite a different matter. To describe it as an accurate barometer of public opinion among Jews, either in Israel or the United States would be like saying the rightwing Cuban-American Foundation speaks for all Cuban-Americans. What AIPAC implies by innuendo is that for anyone to be “pro-Israel” that individual or organization must also be “pro government.” Examine the well-heeled lobbying group’s record over the past 25 years. Its hardline position consistently has been critical of any accommodation with the Palestinians. The Fear Factor Ah, support from America! It is re-assuring to many Israelis, who not only live in fear every day and night because of Hamas’ terror tactics, but also feel so grossly misunderstood or maligned by the rest of the world. With nowhere else to turn and no other alternative leadership to the Sharon government in sight, it is not difficult to understand the dilemma facing most Israelis. An overwhelming number say they want peace, but… Seeing no Palestinian courageous enough to challenge Yasir Arafat, they are persuaded that Sharon’s get-tough policy is the only logical response to the suicide bombers. But instead of exploring alternatives, of being a non-government seeker of a solution, AIPAC members are cheer leaders for an in-your-face policy. They virtually suffer from indigestion over the thought of Israel quitting the West Bank and Gaza that ultimately is the key to peace. Meanwhile, its noisy allies like the Zionist Organization of America and a Boston media pest known as CAMERA have badgered critics tirelessly for years with calls and letters, suggesting they either are anti-Zionist, anti-Semitic or self-hating Jews. Worse, naieve or ill-informed members of Congress jump when AIPAC barks. The implications of this ideological bullying are depressing enough. Coupled with the congratulatory remarks that seem to leave President Bush’s lips every time Sharon cracks down on the Palestinians almost certainly rules out the United States as an honest broker in the one issue that unites and enflames the entire Middle East. Talk about a dead end.