Originally published 29 October 1999
in general release
Press Release
For Immediate Release
October 29, 1999
Contact: Lewis Roth
(202) 728-1893
National Office
1835 K Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20006
Washington,
D.C. -- Americans for Peace Now (APN) today revealed that Dr. Irving Moskowitz
is working to undermine U.S. security aid for Israel. A Moskowitz-developed
web site, called Our Jerusalem, has posted two "Action for Israel" alerts
asking his supporters to call their Members of Congress in opposition to
Wye implementation funding, including $1.2 billion in security aid for Israel.
Moskowitz has also funded two of the hard-line American Jewish groups that
are actively fighting the Wye appropriations package. APN's mission is to
enhance Israel's security through the peace process and to support the Israeli
Peace Now movement.
"Dr. Irving Moskowitz continues to find creative
ways to try to perpetuate conflict in the Middle East," said Debra DeLee,
President and CEO of Americans for Peace Now. "It's bad enough that he has
bankrolled the development of controversial Jewish housing in an Arab neighborhood
of East Jerusalem. Now he's openly campaigning against $1.2 billion in American
security aid that the U.S. has pledged to Israel as part of the peace process.
Congress should respond by placing Israeli security above Moskowitz's misguided
ideology and provide full funding for Wye implementation as soon as possible."
An
Our Jerusalem "Action for Israel" alert posted on October 28th states, "As
a Member of Congress, the primary consideration on how to vote on Wye funding
must be what is in the best interest of the United States of America, and
not what is in the best interest of Israel. By that sole criterion, voting
for Wye funding in any amount is a cardinal sin -- Clinton's present foreign
policy on Wye is against America's own self-interest. No Senator or Congressman
can, in good conscience, vote the huge amount of the funds necessary to implement
Wye" -- Readers are encouraged to reach their Members of Congress through
the Capitol switchboard. A similar message was posted to the Our Jerusalem
site on October 5th. It contained a statement from Herbert Zweibon, Chairman
of Americans For a Safe Israel (AFSI), asking readers to call their Congressmen
to oppose the Wye aid package.
Our Jerusalem is described as a site
developed by Dr. Irving Moskowitz to provide "the news uncensored and from
Jerusalem -- about American Zionism, Jewish Extremism, also about the Zionism
Racism charge against Israel." Moskowitz's biography on the site refers to
him as "a veteran Jewish activist and philanthropist who has served as a
leader of many major Jewish organizations." He is best known for building
Jewish housing at Ras al-Amud in East Jerusalem. According to federal tax
forms filed for the Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation, Moskowitz donated $25,000
to AFSI and $50,000 to the Zionist Organization of America (another hard-line
Jewish group opposing Wye aid) in 1997. |
