| History: Founded in 1971
by Americans who believed that a peaceful settlement of the
Arab-Israel conflict would only occur by reducing Palestinians
to permanent serf status. According to the organization's
website peace was achievable: "when the Arabs realized
once and for all that Israel could not be defeated militarily
or in any other way."
Ideology: Removing Arabs from Israel and Israel
retaining possession of the Palestinian territories it occupied
in 1967.
Noted For: Opposing the current peace process for
the Middle East and even coming up with its own controversial
road map which would have all Palestinians relocated.
Key Leaders: Eric Isaac, Herbert Zweibon
Money from Moskowitz's Bingo: $585,036 between 1987
and 2001.
More Information:
The Northern California Jewish Bulletin reported in 1994
that Herbert Zweibon, AFSI's national chair, so completely
rejects the terms of the current Mideast peace process that
he cannot even fathom Israel surviving alongside a Palestinian
state. "I don't see a best-case scenario. It's not
possible," he said.
Helene Klein, president of the Northern California chapter,
said in 1995, "The peace process isn't going to lead
to peace. It's leading to more and more murder."
The group has circulated its own "2 state solution,"
which calls for Palestinian refugees and the residents of
territory occupied by Israel to be declared Jordanian citizens
and relocated at international expense. If Palestinians
refuse to resettle, the flier stated, they should be "declared
citizens of Jordan with the appropriate legal steps taken
so that they remain within Israel and loyal to Israel (sic)
law." This is according to a 2003 article in Mother
Jones.
In their own words:
The founders of Americans for a Safe Israel were convinced
that Israel must retain possession and control of the Palestinian
territories it occupied in 1967 - the West Bank and Gaza
and the Syrian Golan Heights. The group's website says:
"To abandon territory won in wars forced on it would
make [Israel] vulnerable once again to renewed subversion
and attack, not only by hostile Arabs in Judea and Samaria
[anti-peace rhetoric for the West Bank] but unstable Arab
regimes. AFSI believes that a strong Israel is essential
to U.S. security and that the Jewish towns in these areas
are the best guarantee against strategic vulnerability.
Most importantly, the pioneering efforts of the residents
in these areas have the potential of rejuvenating a dormant
Zionism and igniting a second Zionist revolution."
Rabbi Julian White, a close associate of Mozkowitz's and
regional president of Americans for a Safe Israel, has made
public statements against a two-state solution and in support
of Moskowtiz's actions in Jerusalem. White wrote about a
Palestinian state on the Pro Israel website in 2003: "A
two-state solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict would be
no solution at all…. It is time that PM Ariel Sharon
(and President George W. Bush) realize that the real fact
is that any consideration today of giving up land for a
22nd Arab state is not only moot but suicidal!"
On OurJerusalem.com (a website maintained by Moskowitz)
White negatively depicted Arabs, writing: "Let us look
now at the Arab Americans, growing in number and influence,
who are exploiting every opportunity to promote their cause
in America, their cause seemingly being the depreciation
and dismantling of Israel. They project themselves into
U.S. prisons, into high school curricula (particularly since
9/11), and onto college campuses where their efforts to
downgrade Israel have achieved frightening results."
Read articles about Americans for a Safe Israel:
Daniel Pipes, Peacemaker?
Two-state solution ominous
for Israel, says conservative
Americans for a Safe Israel
panel denounces accords
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