(Washington Times) Mitchell Bard - Everyone has heard of the powerful Israel lobby, but few are aware that there is an equally powerful Arab lobby that has historically acted to frustrate U.S. efforts to make peace. The Arab lobby today is comprised of two main constituencies: the oil lobby comprised of Saudi Arabia, State Department Arabists, and oil and defense companies; and a domestic lobby focused on the Palestinian issue represented by Arab- and Muslim-Americans, non-evangelical Christians, academics and Arabists. The Arabists see Israel as a major irritant in relations with the Arab world, one that must be pressured to make concessions to satisfy the demands not only of the Palestinians but, more importantly, the Saudis. The Saudis have historically been spoilers. After giving personal assurances to President Carter that they would support the Camp David Accords, the Saudis betrayed him and opposed the negotiations, ostracized Egypt, and financed the most radical parties acting to sabotage the agreement. During George W. Bush's terms, Saudi backing for Hamas helped weaken PA President Mahmoud Abbas. With the additional support of Iran, Hamas now has control of Gaza and rejects any peace agreement with Israel. The writer is the author of The Arab Lobby: The Invisible Alliance that Undermines America's Interests in the Middle East (HarperCollins, 2010).
2010-09-24 09:40:48Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive