Washington Watch Articles From 2023
Can Biden Win Back Arab American Voters?
I’ve been organizing Arab Americans for almost a half century. For the past three decades, working with my brother, John Zogby, we've polled the community’s views on a range of political topics. I’ve learned to value polling because it opens a window and allows you to hear and understand what people are saying and what their views may portend for the future.
An Open Letter to President Joe Biden
Dear President Biden, I received a call on Tuesday night from a senior official in your administration giving me a heads-up that the next morning the US was going to formally announce that Israel was to be admitted into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). He knew I had been concerned with Israel’s application for membership because of its history of discriminatory treatment of Arab Americans, and so he said, “I know you are disappointed.” I replied, “I’m not disappointed. I’m insulted and angry.”
Thirty Years and Still Fighting
When I attend next month’s meeting of the Democratic National Committee, it will mark my 30th year as a member of that body. As an Arab American and one of the longest serving DNC members, I have a story to tell.
For Arab Americans, Blue is Not Blue
News last week that the US and Israel were about to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) advancing Israel’s entry into the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) shouldn’t have caught us by surprise. But it did. For months, we had been assured by various Biden Administration officials that Israel could not meet the requirements of the program. Concerns focused on the VWP’s statutory requirement that participant governments must guarantee full reciprocity to US citizens seeking entry - without regard to race, religion, or national origin.
Baffling and Insulting
That some Biden administration officials appear to be in a rush to admit Israel into the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which allows for mutual, short-term entry between participating countries and the U.S., is both baffling and insulting.
How Arab Americans Will Vote in 2024
Twenty years ago, in the lead-up to the 2004 elections, the Arab American Institute (AAI) hosted a Democratic presidential forum that was attended by the eight major candidates who were running that year.
End the Scourge of Profiling Arabs and Muslims
Twenty years ago, Americans were caught up in the drama of the early stages of the disastrous war on Iraq. While that was unfolding, Arabs and Muslims in the US were also reeling from George W. Bush’s assault on their civil liberties.
Rev. Jackson’s Role in Arab American Empowerment
Forty years ago, I was at an Arab American dinner event with Rev. Jesse Jackson when he leaned over and said to me, “I’m running for President and I want you to join my campaign staff.” My immediate reaction was to be honored, yet conflicted.
Celebrating Arab American Heritage Month
On March 31st, President Joseph Biden issued a formal proclamation designating April as Arab American Heritage Month. That Mr. Biden took this step is significant, marking a turning point in our decades-long effort to secure recognition and respect for our community.