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RSSNORPAC talks AIPAC
Mar 09
By Jeanette Friedman | Published 03/9/2006
According to its publicist and participants in the AIPAC conference in Washington last weekend, approximately 70 people were there from North Jersey. The Jewish Standard tracked down three of them, all officers of NORPAC, a pro-Israel political action committee based in Bergen County. Dr. Ben Chouake of Englewood is its president, David Schlussel of Teaneck its chairman emeritus, and Dr. Mort Fridman of Teaneck its vice president. NORPAC, which is not officially affiliated with AIPAC, shares its position on making sure that not one American aid dollar goes to Hamas.
Interviewed by telephone during the conference, they were asked about the dramatic drop in support for the current administration and the failure of the “roadmap” to produce hoped-for results.
Chouake told the Standard that stopping Hamas from coming to power and stopping Iran’s nuclear program are the two most pressing issues facing the pro-Israel community. He called the results of the Palestinian Authority’s January election a clear mandate for a terrorist organization to take control. “We had expectations that fell through,” Chouake said. “You try to make a plan to foster coexistence, but the Palestinian educational system created children who grew up with hate and are prepared to commit genocide.”
Fridman agreed. “The United States is on record that Hamas is a terrorist organization and that it won’t give them aid. We are making it clear that Jewish blood does not flow freely. We prefer the congressional bill because it’s a matter of degree, and the new bill is stronger than the alternative.” (See related story.)
Asked about two former AIPAC staffers on trial next month for receiving and disseminating classified information, Chouake said that AIPAC policy is not to discuss such matters with the press, but that “I feel awful about the former AIPAC staffers and what’s happening to them is wrong.”
Asked how this case — which has been considered a threat to investigative reporters and whistleblowers — was pressed so far in a “friendly” administration, Chouake said, “Sometimes when you have a massive administration things happen beyond your control. We ask if this prosecution is really a Bush initiative or was it a rogue element who put this prosecution forward?”
Asked why Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez hasn’t intervened, Chouake said, “That’s a good question. This whole prosecution is unprecedented and frankly it feels like entrapment. It’s one thing to move a document, and it’s another to absorb some hearsay. And that’s really all it is. I am really surprised that this hasn’t been examined more thoroughly.”
Fridman was more circumspect. “I am saddened that they were indicted and hope they will be found innocent. But that’s a legal matter that the AIPAC attorney will handle.”
Schlussel focused on the practicality of educating Congress. “There are 5,000 people here because AIPAC deals with Congress to enhance the U.S. relationship with Israel,” he said. “They do it by looking at the legislative agenda. We are also here to get ourselves more educated. We’ve got experts and panel discussions, for example, with Jane Harmon from the Select Intelligence Committee, who talked about Iraq, Iran, and Hamas. She let us know about non-conventional threats and gave us background information. Even lots of activists don’t know this material. We get different perspectives that help us express these things better when we carry the message back home.”
Chouake said that NORPAC support for candidates depends on his/her stance on key issues concerning Israel, more so than, say, issues like proselytizing in the armed forces, which are better left to defense organizations like the ADL. “All these things are important in terms of individual candidates, but if the incumbent is good on our priority issues, then we support the incumbent. There’s a loyalty factor involved, and if someone is good on your issues, they get your support.”
He noted that a NORPAC mission to Washington is scheduled for May 17. The delegation will meet with all members of Congress, with a focus on legislation including alternative energy policy, stopping aid to terrorist regimes like Hamas, and the Saudi Arabia Accountability Act.
