I appreciate Marvin Fremerman’s positive references to the Unity Coalition for Israel in the June 3 edition of The Chronicle. UCI has long been outspoken on the issue pertaining to the radical Islamic threat to both the United States and Israel. It had become a matter of deep concern to us ever since 1994 when we first viewed “Jihad in America,” the PBS video directed by investigative reporter Steven Emerson.
Once this startling documentary film was aired on PBS, it was never shown again; nor was it available for purchase. One can only speculate as to why this was true. Possibly because it graphically depicted the radical Islamist threat that Emerson had discovered existed in the Midwest even then, and loomed as a potential danger elsewhere in the United States.
In 1995, months after the film was shown on PBS, UCI received a grant to distribute this alarming video to 535 members of Congress. We worked closely with Steve Emerson to accomplish this; but that was before Sept. 11, 2001, and no one at that time was paying much attention to the imminent danger. After 9-11 the film was in great demand by those seeking answers to explain the reasons for that surreal surprise attack on innocent Americans. I mention this only as background to explain the early awareness of members of UCI to what lay ahead.
This early knowledge of the Muslim incursion led to our rather intense inquiry into the nature of Islam, not only as a religion, but also as a structured culture that required a commitment to terrorism and jihad and adherence to a barbaric legal system built on Shariah law, one that completely controls every aspect of daily life.
In October, the month after 9-11, we held a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to reveal our findings. We featured Frank Gaffney of the Center for Security Policy, Elwood McQuaid of Friends of Israel, Itamar Marcus of Palestinian Media Watch, JoAnn Magnuson of Bridges for Peace and Dr. Labib Mikhail, a pastor, journalist and author of 60 books on Islam in Arabic and nine books in English.
Most of what we learned pertained to targeting the United States as the big Satan and Israel as the little Satan. This includes an Islamic goal of establishing a caliphate and eliminating both Christians and Jews who are required to forcibly accept Allah and Muhammad or suffer dire consequences of living as second class citizens (dhimmis) or, worse yet, be sentenced to torture or death.
Islam has proved itself to be an equal opportunity oppressor, not terribly concerned with whether its victims are Democrats or Republicans, as you have suggested might be an ulterior motive for UCI. They seem to follow a non-partisan approach. I can’t imagine them inquiring of a victim before a beheading to determine if they were murdering a liberal or a conservative. More likely they would want to know if you are a Christian or a Jew.
Israelis in Judea and Samaria building housing or adding extra baths or bedrooms in “the settlements” do not really qualify as “obstacles to peace.” The far bigger issue is the very existence of Israel as a Jewish state. Historically Israel is not “occupied territory.” Israel tried “land for peace” appeasement in Lebanon, in Sinai and again in Gaza and was rewarded with thousands of rocket attacks, and empowering Hezbolah and Hamas terror organizations.
I seriously dispute your inference that UCI perspectives are politically motivated. It is important to understand that UCI is a non-partisan coalition of autonomous organizations dedicated solely to the safety and security of Israel and the United States. To attribute a party-based political motivation is simply wrong. We are definitely concerned with the survival of democracy and the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution. We feel strongly that nothing less than western civilization is at stake.
I personally am confounded by the lack-luster support of the Jewish community for the state of Israel. To my thinking it represents the Stockholm syndrome. To reduce support of Israel to politics is disingenuous.
