Washington Report on Middle East Affairs
May 2016
Israel’s Influence: Good or Bad for America?
ON THE COVER: Haaretz columnist and keynote speaker Gideon Levy addresses the conference, “Israel’s Influence: Good or Bad for America?”
5 Introduction
6 Welcoming Remarks Dale Sprusansky
7 PANEL 1: Israel’s Influence on Congress and Government Agencies — Moderator Grant F. Smith
7 Ten Ways the Israel Lobby “Moves” America — Grant F. Smith
11 Did Israel Steal U.S. Weapons-Grade Uranium and Did It Have Help From U.S. Citizens? — Dr. Roger Mattson
15 How Congress Shapes Middle East Policy, and How the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Shapes Congress — Prof. Kirk J. Beattie
20 Questions & Answers
22 KEYNOTE ADDRESS: What I Would Tell a Visiting Congressional Delegation — Gideon Levy
27 Questions & Answers
30 PANEL 2: Israel’s Influence on U.S. Foreign Policy — Moderator Dale Sprusansky
30 A Diplomatic and Military Perspective — Col. Lawrence Wilkerson
35 American Neoconservatives: A History and Overview — Jim Lobe
39 Israel and Foreign Policy Issues in the Presidential Campaign — Justin Raimondo
42 Questions & Answers
44 PANEL 3: Responding to Israel’s Influence on Campus and in Court — Moderator Janet McMahon
44 The Birth of Palestine Solidarity Activism at George Mason University — Tareq Radi
49 Concerted Attempts to Silence Criticism of Israel in the U.S. — Maria LaHood
53 Why We’re Suing the U.S. Treasury Department — Susan Abulhawa
57 Holding Israel Accountable for the Gaza Flotilla Raid — Huwaida Arraf
62 KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Voices Prohibited by Mainstream Media and Its Role Spreading Islamophobia — Rula Jebreal
66 PANEL 4: Israel’s Influence on Mainstream Media — Moderator Delinda Hanley
66 Mainstream Media Coverage of Israel and Palestine — Philip Weiss
70 “Valentino’s Ghost: Why We Hate Arabs” — Catherine Jordan
72 Questions & Answers
74 CLOSING REMARKS
75 CONCLUSION
78 ELECTION WATCH: Party Loyalty, Party Schmoyalty — Israel Comes First — Janet McMahon
79 Pro-Israel PAC Contributions to 2016 Congressional Candidates — Compiled by Hugh Galford
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