Washington Watch Articles From 2023
We Are on Precarious Ground
Several events that have occurred in the past few weeks should make us pay attention to the frightening reality we are in when it comes to freedom of speech regarding Israel/Palestine. We are on precarious ground.
Israel/Palestine Is Fracturing the Democratic Party
The war over Gaza has had an explosive and surprising impact on the cohesion of the Democratic coalition. For decades now, the American body politic has been fractured mainly over critical social and cultural issues ranging from race and gender to guns and immigration—more often than not with Republicans on one side and Democrats on the other. Only in rare instances have foreign policy concerns entered the equation and never in the way that Israel/Palestine has in recent weeks.
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.
Silencing Debate
In recent years, US pro-Israel groups have been pursuing a multi-pronged strategy designed to stifle discourse about Israeli policy and Palestinian rights. They have done so because for the past three decades there has been an erosion of support for Israel, coupled with growing support for Palestinians.
Debunking “All Palestinians are Hamas”
There have been too many comments from Israeli political, military, and religious leaders suggesting that all Palestinians are legitimate targets because they support Hamas or that they voted for them and are, therefore, guilty of that group’s many crimes.
What Israel, Hamas, and the US Should Have Known
Looking at the unfolding horror in Gaza, I am reminded of two important lessons that should have been heeded by Hamas, Israel, and the US.
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.”
How the US Failed Oslo
The breakthrough of the Oslo Accords wasn’t to be found in its details. Rather it was in the opening sentences, in which the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization recognized one another’s legitimacy as representatives of two separate peoples and as negotiating partners.
I Supported Oslo Because It Shattered a Taboo
As we approach the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Oslo Accords, there will be commentary galore about how the accords failed. There’ll be predictable finger-pointing. Some of it will ring true, but most will miss the point.
Questions Regarding the Moral Underpinnings of US Foreign Policy
Two recent and seemingly unrelated news stories raise serious questions about whether any consistent values undergird American foreign policy. One involves the US response to attacks by Israeli settlers on the Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya. The other is about the Biden administration’s considering shipping cluster bomb munitions to Ukraine.
Nakba Denial
It is deeply troubling to see the lengths to which Israel and its hardline supporters will go to snuff out any recognition of Palestinian humanity.
The Lesson of Aqaba: Half-Measures Won’t Work
If the February 26, 2023, Aqaba Summit accomplished anything, it was to demonstrate the inadequacy of US policy toward Israel/Palestine.
Our Message to Secretary Blinken
I was part of a small delegation of Arab Americans invited to meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken the day before his recent visit to Egypt, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority. Our meeting came on the heels of two tragic days in Israel/Palestine.
Hebron and Jerusalem: The Impact of Loss of Control
At its core, the struggle over the future of Jerusalem isn’t only about religion. Though it may sound sacrilegious to some, the core issue extends beyond historical claims to holy sites or who gets to pray where and when. It’s also about power. Specifically, it’s about Israel’s continuing penchant
Not So Much a New Year, as a Continuation of Last Year
As 2022 draws to a close, we go through the familiar ritual of celebrating the end of the old year, while heralding the new one. There’s the false promise of change and new beginnings. We make resolutions—to stop smoking, lose weight, find more time to relax—the same ones we’ve made before and failed to keep, hoping against hope that this time will be different. Unfortunately, it won’t be, because it takes more than a new page on the calendar to alter our behaviors. What’s true for people is also true for the world in which we live.