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were charged with plotting to blow up
landmarks and tourist attractions,
Hamad protested again."
In an interview with the Jewish News
this week, Schlussel, who stands by her
research, said, "I think nominating him
[Hamad] for this award is political cor-
rectness and pandering run amok."
In her Sept. 18 column, Schlussel
called on readers to contact the FBI to
oppose Hamad's nomination for the
award, which is given to one or two
civilians each year.
The Zionist Organization of America
responded to Schlussel's appeal with a
letter-writing campaign to FBI Director
Robert Mueller.
The ZOA Web site quotes a Sept. 25
letter from the organization's national
president, Morton A. Klein, board
chairman Dr. Alan Mazurek and
national executive committee chairman
Dr. Michael Goldblatt, who wrote:
"Extremists who sympathize with
Hezbollah should not be given awards.
It makes a mockery of America's war
against terrorism, and sends a message
to terrorists and their supporters that
the United States is not fully commit-
ted to fighting terror."
On the Web site, Klein is quoted as
commending the decision to cancel
the award.
"The FBI deserves the highest praise
for rescinding the award and establish-
ing an important new ground rule: no
awards for those who praise terrorist
groups," he said. "It is a crucial part of
the war against terrorism to send a mes-
sage that those who praise terrorists
should be treated as pariahs."
In Response
Hamad said he had been subjected to
"a smear campaign."
"I have no problem with someone
criticizing my opinions," he said.
"but, at the same time, debates have
to have ethics. I'm not afraid of free-
dom of speech; what I'm afraid of is
wacko voices, voices that come before
a hate crime.
"In 1985, a regional director of the
ADC was assassinated. Today, you are
talking to me live. Tomorrow, you
might be writing about 'the late Imad
Hamad.'
"I truly admire and respect my fellow
citizens who are Jewish, in their sup-
port of Israel and the interests of the
Israeli people. I expect the Jewish com-
munity will respect me and my support
for the Palestinian cause."
Howard Wallach, board chair of the
Michigan Region of the Anti-
Defamation League, wrote a column
on the FBI award for the regional
ADL newsletter. "As a lawyer," he
wrote, "I know even people who are
accused of the most heinous crimes
are innocent until proven guilty. In the
case of Mr. Hamad, apparently the
McCarthy-era theory of guilt by asso-
ciation, which hurt many Jews, may
be rearing its ugly head because he has
not been charged, but may have been
convicted."
In a telephone conversation, Wallach
said he didn't have the information to
determine "if Hamad should get this
award or not, but, whatever, he
deserves his day in court."
Wallach said he met Hamad once at
a meeting but never worked with him.
"Whether I would work with him
depends on the issues," he said. "I don't
know him well enough to answer that
question intelligently."
Hamad served with David Gad-
Had, executive director of the Jewish
Community Council of Metropolitan
Detroit, on a task force under the aus-
pices of New Detroit. Aside from that,
the two met only "on television inter-
views, where he took one side and I
took another," Gad-Harf said.
"His organization isn't a group we
g ravitate to in Detroit's Arab American
community," said Gad-Harf, calling
him and the ADC "strident and vocal
critics of Israel and, above all, strident
and vocal defenders of the
Palestinians."
Gad-Harf said he wasn't in a position
to "second-guess" why the award was
given or rescinded.
"It is most strange that he would be
receiving the award along with one of
the heroes of 9-11," he said.
The issue posed several dilemmas for
the JCCouncil, he said.
"We didn't want the perception that
the only reason Hamad didn't get the
award was because of Jewish opposi-
tion," he said. "At the same time, we
didn't want to question the FBI deci-
sion. The situation is further compli-
cated by our generally adversarial rela-
tionship with Hamad."
In a written statement, Collins said
BRIDGES, the organization he and
Hamad co-founded, "is working
extremely well. It's been a model for
the country."
Collins said that he has a very good
working relationship with Hamad, call-
ing him "a healer, a bridge-builder."
"I have never heard him make any
anti-Semitic comments, nor have I
ever heard him make any anti-
American comments. He has never
said anything that would support vio-
lence or terrorism." ❑
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*Armual Percenta:& Rate is effective as of August 25, 2003.
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