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Pro-Israel lobby flexes muscles, making
some U.S. legislators uneasy.
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MATTHEW E. BERGER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
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Washington
ro-Israel lawmakers, includ-
ing some Jewish members
of the U.S. House of
Representatives, are com-
plaining about the influence of Jewish
lobbying groups on Middle East
issues.
According to congressional staffers
and lobbyists, several pro-Israel con-
gressmen are agitated by the type of
influence'that Jewish organi-
zations are exerting, specifi-
cally their calls to support
the policies of Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon.
Following the defeat this year of
several incumbents deemed anti-Israel
— defeats attributed in part to the
influence of Jewish money — con-
gressmen who normally would speak
out on the Middle East are finding it
better - to stay quiet.
Most of the focus is on the
American Israel Public Affairs
Committee, the influential pro-Israel
lobbying organization. AIPAC stresses
that its mandate is to support the
policies of the current Israeli govern-
ment, but lawmakers say AIPAC has
little tolerance for more dovish
stances, such as calls for restraint dur-
ing Israeli military incursions into the
West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"There is a growing sense on the
Hill that" the Israeli-Palestinian con-
flict "is not so cut and dried,"•one
congressional staffer said. "Many
members feel uncomfortable buying
into AIPAC's line." Supporters of
AIPAC and other Jewish groups make
no apologies about their tactics, say-
ing they're simply playing by the rules
of politics. They compare the Jewish
lobby to other groups, like the
National Rifle Association — and
note that AIPAC essentially is being
criticized for doing its job effectively.
"I'm sure there are people out there
who are for gun control, but because
of the NRA don't say anything," said
- Morris Amitay, who served as
AIPAC's executive director from 1974
to 1980 and now is treasurer of the
pro-Israel Washington PAC. "If you're
a weak candidate to begin with," your
••■
record is "anti-Israel and you have a
credible opponent, your opponent
will be helped," he said.
In two highly publicized congres-
sional primaries this year, incumbents
who were considered anti-Israel lost to
challengers who received large
amounts of Jewish money. Both Reps.
Earl Hilliard, D-Ala., and Cynthia
McKinney, D-Ga., were targeted by
Jewish groups because of their anti-
Israel stances.
"It was designed to send the mes-
sage, 'Shut up,' and that message was
heard," one longtime Jewish
community activist said. "It
will have a chilling effect on
the Middle East debate."
Leaders of other Jewish
organizations also say the Hilliard and
McKinney races affected the way they
work.
-
While some say the outcome
strengthened the groups' ties with
lawmakers, others — including
groups that do not support all of
Sharon's policies in Israel — say they
are having trouble getting lawmakers
to buck the AIPAC line, even if legis-
lators privately indicate that they
favor more dovish views.
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Debate Squelched
Critics point to the May 2 debate in
the House on a resolution in support
of Israel. "Many of the members
thought that the resolution was
inflammatory, unbalanced and gave a
green light to Sharon's military
response to terrorism," a congressional
aide said.
Several lawmakers who eventually
voted for the bill first voted against
suspending'House rules to bring the
bill quickly to the floor, hoping that
additional debate might lead to a
more balanced resolution. They said
the bill should. recognize -ale suffering
of the Palestinian people and call for
increased U.S. engagement to resolve
the conflict.
The vote to suspend the rules
passed with 82 votes against it,
including three from Jewish legislators
and several others with strongly pro-
Israel voting records. In the vote on
the actual bill — which was more
closely watched by Jewish organiza-