A Workshop on Middle East Advocacy

Saturday, September 15, 2007
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Parish Resource Center • 633 Community Way • Lancaster PA

This workshop helped participants become more effective advocates for peace and justice in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The perspective included:

• Advocacy for an end to the military and settler occupation, and advocacy for a just and peaceful settlement of the conflict in Palestine and Israel.
• Human rights for all – noting the violence of the hundreds of military orders that dominate the people of West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights and the violence of Palestinian elements against Israel.
• Advocacy for equal rights and mutual recognition
• Issues essential to a settlement for Israelis and Palestinians
• Balanced economic assistance for Israel and Palestine

The goal of the workshop was to give guidance to those who wish to address members of Congress, the Administration and the State Department, on peace and justice in concert with other organizations.

James Fine is Legislative Secretary for Foreign Policy of Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) based in Washington, D.C. He coordinates FCNL's Iraq Peace Campaign, which works with Congress to set a date for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, promote negotiations among parties within Iraq, participate in a regional peace process, and fund the reconstruction of Iraq. Jim has lived in Beirut, Jerusalem, Ramallah and, briefly, Baghdad. For over three decades he has traveled widely in the Middle East developing relationships of trust with regional political, social and religious leaders. He speaks and reads Arabic.

Adam Horowitz is Program Assistant in the Middle East Peace Building Program of American Friends Service Committee in Philadelphia. Adam is a founding member of Jews Against the Occupation and is active in Jewish Voice for Peace.

After this event, LIPW member, Urbane Peachey, explored with Mr. Fine what might be a useful initiative with our senators. What follows is Mr. Fine's response:

"You’re right on target, both longer-term and short-term to urge Casey and Specter to speak out in favor of diplomacy — direct negotiations with Iran without preconditions — as the action that can prevent war.

I think the specific legislative asks of folks in the Senate now, both of which could put speed bumps in the way of an administration drive to war with Iran, are the Webb bill (S. 759) requiring Congressional consent for an attack on Iran (see our information at http://www.fcnl.org/iran/index.htm) and the Casey bill on a diplomatic surge for Iraq, which implicitly calls on the U.S. to negotiate seriously with Iran (S. 2130; our new information at http://www.fcnl.org/issues/issue_id=35).

Things are not going well. Very few in Congress are refusing to go along with the campaign to take up more and more sticks against Iran. Senate approval of the Kyl-Lieberman bill certainly encouraged the administration to impose the sanctions it announced today.

But today’s news of the administration’s new sanctions against Iran is a good occasion to express alarm to Casey and Specter and ask them to speak out.

I’m grateful for everyone there who’s staying engaged with these dangerous and important issues."