Council for [Whose?] National Interest

Calling all bloggers. This story could use some traction.

Readers may or may not know that The Council for the National Interest Foundation ran a full-page anti-Israel ad in The New York Times on Christmas Eve: "Is Bethlehem Dying?"

Unfortunately, the only place I can find to look at the ad is on an anti-Israel blog called Sabbah's Blog. Click here to go there.

While others are working on the possibility of running a counter ad of some sort (a full page costs $100,000), I've been looking into the "Council."

A backgrounder at the ADL tells us that

The Council for the National Interest (CNI) is an anti-Israel organization which is opposed to U.S. aid to Israel and disseminates demonizing propaganda about Israel to academics, politicians, and other audiences.

In a December 2006 solicitation letter, CNI stated that "despite Congress's repeated attempts to characterize Hamas as an anti-Christian terrorist organization, the fact is that Hamas has just announced that they will give [money] for Bethlehem's Christmas celebration." It followed similar statements in support of the Palestinian terror organization and several meetings in the Middle East earlier in 2006 between CNI representatives and key leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, including Khaled Mishal and Hassan Nasrallah, as well as Syrian president Bashar Assad.

CNI has run inflammatory anti-Israel ads in major national newspapers since 2002. In an ad that it published in the New York Times on November 5, 2006, it blamed Israel for the war in Iraq and accused the "Israel Lobby" of trying to of push the U.S. into a new military confrontation with Iran. The ad included a cartoon in which the "Israel Lobby" is depicted as a crooked used cars salesman and the U.S. as its gullible customer....

This gets pretty gross. The ADL informs us further that CNI's chairman is Paul N. "Pete" McCloskey, who spoke at a conference of the IHR (Institute for Historical Review), which the ADL terms a "Holocaust-denial organization."

Especially distressing is the fact that CNI was founded

in 1989 by several former U.S. government officials, including Paul Findley and McCloskey (both former U.S. congressmen), Andrew Killgore (former U.S. ambassador to Qatar), Eugene H. Bird (formerly with the U.S. foreign service) and Richard Curtiss (former U.S. Information Agency chief). CNI is an offshoot of the Washington D.C.-based American Educational Trust (AET), an anti-Israel group that publishes the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.

DiscoverTheNetwork.org has a lot more on both CNI and its "sister" organization, the CNIF, which paid for the ad.

CNI enumerates its organizational goals as follows:

• Total withdrawal of Israel from all occupied territory ...
• A shared Jerusalem, the capital of two states, Israel and Palestine.
• An end to all acts of aggression, provocation, and retaliation by Israel and the end of all violence and attempts to solve the problem by military means. This includes terrorism committed against Israelis as well as the state terrorism committed by Israel against Palestinians.
• American recognition of a totally independent state of Palestine.
• An elimination of all unaudited U.S. aid to Israel.
• Normalized relations with Israel, her neighbors, and regional organizations such as the Arab League.
• A political atmosphere in which a fair and objective media covers the Middle East without fear of retaliation by advertisers and pro-Israeli groups; the American electorate is unafraid to debate the issues openly and frankly; and our elected officials vote their conscience.

CNI seeks to help achieve the foregoing objectives by coordinating its efforts with local and regional activist organizations; making use of "local and national full-page newspaper advertising and email lists to build the organization"; and sponsoring public hearings and seminars on Capitol Hill, for which it attracts big-name speakers such as Ralph Nader and Hanan Ashrawi.

The information at DiscoverTheNetwork is a tad dated, having been adapted from a 2004 article written by Stuart Wagner and Elon Granader, and published by Front Page Magazine: Council for Islamic Interests. There, the authors go right straight to the CNIF's associations with individuals who support and preach terror.

One such individual is Abdurahman Alamoudi. Alamoudi sits in a Virginia jail cell facing a 19-count indictment, including federal charges of money laundering and illegal financial transactions with Libya.

In addition, he has allegedly provided financial assistance to both Hamas and al-Qaeda and recently revealed his role in Moammar Gadhafi’s alleged plot to assassinate Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah. Yet, Mr. Alamoudi still serves as a member of the CNIF board of directors and has done so since 1998, according to the group’s website (www.rescuemideastpolicy.com).

CNIF had to have been aware of Alamoudi’s radical views, even before his arrest. Alamoudi made national news when he publicly praised Hamas and Hezbollah at an October 2000 rally in front of the White House: “I have been labeled by the media in New York to be a supporter of Hamas…Anybody support Hamas here? Hear that, Bill Clinton? We are all supporters of Hamas. I wish they added that I am also a supporter of Hezbollah.”

You can read a long and damning profile of Alamoudi here, which btw, is also quite damning (by association) of both former President Clinton and his wife.

While I go see what else I can find out, you might want to think about how we might best act to discredit the horrendous propaganda these organizations are putting in the enemedia, that is, The New York Times in particular.

I'll just leave you with this quote. On December 29, 1996, Alamoudi told a meeting of the Illinois-based Islamic Association of Palestine,

"I think if we were outside this country, we can say, 'Oh, Allah, destroy America,' but once we are here, our mission in this country is to change it. There is no way for Muslims to be violent in America, no way. We have other means to do it."

I'm calling Lenny in Cleveland, so if you see him, tell him to listen to his messages.

(Where's the Israel Lobby when you need them?)

Answer (update): Herzliya.

UPDATES / See Also

Marty Peretz: Exodus from Bethlehem

Soccer Dad: Council for the self-interest

Israel Matzav: Council for the whose? national interest

The Council for the National Interest is also in the bracelet business, wants you to sign a petition about holding Israel's "right-wing government" [don't I wish?] accountable for their "land-hungry policies," and wants AIPAC to be required to register as a Foreign Agent... in America... in order to "Contain the Israel Lobby." UFB.

Oh, and if you have a ton of time on your hands, you should check out CNI's FAQs on the Disengagment by Diana Buttu, though it sounds a bit dated to me:

The [poorpalestinian] Ministry of Planning is currently revising its regional plan for the evacuated areas and aims to build hospitals, schools and housing projects as well as tourist locations in the areas evacuated by Israel.

Name one, Ms. Buttu.

Comments

[Jack]

I'll pass this along.

[Jordan]

If you criticize England no one says you racist towards the church of england, why are you jews so special. Criticizing Israel is not racisim or anti-semitism. I am a 26 year old American whose father is from syria and mom from the U.S., I am a semite. Arabs are semites, most people who live in israel are european not semites. You pro-zionists are anti-semetic when it comes to the way you treat arabs. and what is so wrong with CNI's goals you list, they want israel to follow the U.N. partition of palestine plan, you know the one, your country uses it to justify it's existence in it's declaration of independence. but thats it you don't follow any other provisons it lists say not expanding borders through military action, don't take Jerusalam as your capital. You jews don't follow shit, your hyprocrits

[Jordan]

If you criticize England no one says you racist towards the church of england, why are you jews so special. Criticizing Israel is not racisim or anti-semitism. I am a 26 year old American whose father is from syria and mom from the U.S., I am a semite. Arabs are semites, most people who live in israel are european not semites. You pro-zionists are anti-semetic when it comes to the way you treat arabs. and what is so wrong with CNI's goals you list, they want israel to follow the U.N. partition of palestine plan, you know the one, your country uses it to justify it's existence in it's declaration of independence. but thats it you don't follow any other provisons it lists say not expanding borders through military action, don't take Jerusalam as your capital. You jews don't follow shit, your hyprocrits

[Jordan]

If you criticize England no one says you racist towards the church of england, why are you jews so special. Criticizing Israel is not racisim or anti-semitism. I am a 26 year old American whose father is from syria and mom from the U.S., I am a semite. Arabs are semites, most people who live in israel are european not semites. You pro-zionists are anti-semetic when it comes to the way you treat arabs. and what is so wrong with CNI's goals you list, they want israel to follow the U.N. partition of palestine plan, you know the one, your country uses it to justify it's existence in it's declaration of independence. but thats it you don't follow any other provisons it lists say not expanding borders through military action, don't take Jerusalam as your capital. You jews don't follow shit, your hyprocrits

[Jordan]

If you criticize England no one says you racist towards the church of england, why are you jews so special. Criticizing Israel is not racisim or anti-semitism. I am a 26 year old American whose father is from syria and mom from the U.S., I am a semite. Arabs are semites, most people who live in israel are european not semites. You pro-zionists are anti-semetic when it comes to the way you treat arabs. and what is so wrong with CNI's goals you list, they want israel to follow the U.N. partition of palestine plan, you know the one, your country uses it to justify it's existence in it's declaration of independence. but thats it you don't follow any other provisons it lists say not expanding borders through military action, don't take Jerusalam as your capital. You jews don't follow shit, your hyprocrits

[Melissa]

April 2, 2008 Boker Tov, Boulder! Cc: ADL Cc: Front Page Magazine To the Writer/Editor/Publisher: On behalf of the Council for the National Interest, I must state our collective concern at your description of our organization. The post dated Thursday, 28 December 2006 is misleading at best and in many places inaccurately incriminating. You cite the Anti-Defamation League and Front Page Magazine in the post, both will be receiving letters from us. On behalf of our board, staff and members, we demand that you remove the libelous material or print a retraction that will correct it with the following statements. First of all, the Council for the National Interest is not anti-Semitic or anti-Israeli. We call for accountability as a tenet of democracy. Criticism of Israel (or any democracy for that matter) is no more anti-Semitic than criticism of George W. Bush is un-patriotic. CNI calls for Israel to be held to the same standards as any other state receiving U.S. foreign aid. CNI in no way advocates violence against Israel or any other party. We are especially against the use of nuclear weapons and have been outspoken in our advocacy against proliferation. CNI does not associate with terrorists. Nor does it accept any form of funding from the U.S. or any foreign government. CNI is NOT an off-shoot of the American Educational Trust, nor are we affiliated with the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Pete McCloskey and Abdurahman Alamoudi are no longer associated with CNI. Alamoudi was removed from our Board and all ties with him were severed as soon as the Board learned of his indictment. Neither of these individuals speaks for CNI, and CNI does not presume to speak for them. CNI seeks to encourage and promote a U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East that is consistent with American values, protects our national interests, and is guided by the principles of justice, freedom and peace. Thank you, Melissa Fleissner Program Assistant The Council for the National Interest 1250 4th Street, SW Suite WG-1 Washington, DC 20024 [email protected]

[rachamim ben ami]

Ms. Fleissner, your organisation is in direct violation of US Laws (per the junket to meet with leaders of HAMAS, Hezbollah, et al), so, at the very least, before threatening legal action against anyone you need to look in the mirror. As for being "anti-Jewish," while claiming to not longer associate with "Pete" McCloskey, he was a co-founder of your org. as well as an avid supporter of the IHR. His public admiration for Holocaust Denial pretty much tells any rational person what it needs to know. Propgandaists and fantasists come a dime a dozen.

[Cheryl]

You Zionists, Jewish & Christian alike are encouraging & causing the increase in Anti Israel, Anti Zionists sentiments. You go on & on obsessing, looking out constantly for any little mention of your group so that you can go on the offense. Always playing the victim. Don't you realize that just as blacks contribute to the increase of racism towards them you are playing the same game? They never shut up about how they are/were the victims. I just found out that NAACP was started by Jews why? Rumor has it so as to increase racism & cause discord amongst the Gentiles. Yes Gentiles the ones your Torah recognizes as animals so I have read.Oh the internet what a great educator. I have learned so much and I do not support my country in their support of Israel. I want the financial support to end. Americans deserve & need that money not Israel. I do not support my country supporting any other country financially unless we have the money to spare & another country has a true need (to keep from starving etc.) The more you cram Israel & its support down the American peoples throats the more you will find resistance. Israel is wrong in the way it has taken land & has disregarded others human rights. I do not feel it is America's responsibility to help support people who are oppressors to other's. You have become more paranoid and rightly so because due to Israel's aggressive, barbaric behaviors more people have grown to dislike what Israel represents. Until you wake up & speak out against the oppressors you will not find peace. You will forever be out looking for & finding the discord you fight against.