Union of Palestinian Women's Association in the United States

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Union of Palestinian Women's Association in the United States

Contents 1 Background 2 Union of Palestinian Women's Association in the United States 3 Fourth National Convention of the Union of Palestinian Women's Associations in the U.S.A 4 References

Background

There were (and still are) numerous pro-Palestinian organizations in the United States, some dating back to at least the 1970s if not earlier. SOme were strictly social, cultural, or site-oriented organizations for people who called themselves "Palestinians" (i.e. those who lived in the British Mandate of Palestine, the old Roman, then Turkish/Ottoman Empire lands that included what was ancient Israel/modern Israel, Transjordan/Jordan, and even parts of Lebanon, Syria, and the Arabian Peninsula). There was no country called "Palestine". The name "Palestine" originated with the conquering Romans who named this area "Palestina" or "Palestra".

When Yasser Arafat created the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the 1960s to wage guerrilla and terrorism warfare against the state of Israel, the term "Palestinian" was used to identity those who claimed to have been dispossed (driven out or left on their own) of the land that the United Nations created, Israel (and some of Transjordan, now modern Jordan). Since there never was a country called "Palestine" in both modern times as well as in ancient times (the Roman Palestine was one of their provinces, no longer an independent Jewish nation (with other minority ethnic nationalities and religions in it - Christians, Phoenicians, Moslems, Greeks, etc.).

Some of the modern pro-Palestinian groups were openly propaganda operations for the PLO, and a few were covertly created by the PLO and/or its supporters in the U.S. Since there were never any official U.S. Government/Congressional hearings into these fronts (though there were some on the terrorism of the PLO), most information about the PLO Lobby came from research organizations and individual journalists, many of whom were pro-Israel. These groups and individuals include Jews as well as Christians, academic research/studies centers, private research centers, and pro-Israel lobbying groups,especially AIPAC, the American-Israel Public Affairs Council.

Exposes on many of the pro-PLO organizations focused on naming names, telling the reader who the organizers and leaders of these groups were. Among these organizations (some of whom may have existed as legitimate organizations before the creation of the PLO in the 1960s) were the Arab-American University Graduates AAUG, Organization of Arab Students OAS, the Palestine Human Rights Campaign PHRC and its fronts, and others.

Later organizations that joined in the PLO Lobby included the multipurpose Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee ADC, which was reportedly created, in part, by the founders of the PHRC and former Senator James Abourezk, the openly marxist, pro-PLO Palestine Solidarity Committee PSC, the Ramallah Society, and SEARCH, among others.

Union of Palestinian Women's Association in the United States

Regarding the organization, Union of Palestinian Women's Association in the United States (UPWAUS), whatever their original purpose was, it later joined with American leftists, including hardcore marxists, in their activities, which began to change their original nature/purpose into active anti-Israel, pro-PLO activists/lobbyists. That is why the UPWAUS is written up here.

Fourth National Convention of the Union of Palestinian Women's Associations in the U.S.A

A press release dated May 26, 1989, gave details of the upcoming "Fourth National Convention of the Union of Palestinian Women's Associations in the U.S., to be held May 26-28, 1989 in Arlington, Virginia. This two-page long release is being reproduced in its entirety immediately below.

"Palestinian Women Hold Fourth National Convention: Palestinian Women Give Live Testimonies"

"Palestinian women will gather in Washington, D.C. on the weekend of May 26-28, 1989 to participate in the "Fourth National Convention of the Union of Palestinian Women's Associations (UPWA) (UPWAUS) in the U.S.A. at the Sheraton National Hotel (Columbia Pike & Washington Blvd) in Arlington, Va."

Featured speakers include two young Palestinian women from the occupied territories who will provide live testimonies about Israeli human rights abuses.

• Maysoon Salem - 18, was shot in the arm by Israeli soldiers, while trying to stop them from beating a thirteen-year-old Palestinian boy in the Dheishe refugee camp.
• Ferial Khatib - is a 19 year old widow, whose husband was beaten to death by Israeli interrogators at the Moscobiyya prison compound.

A press conference will be held on Friday, May 26, 1989 at 10:00 a.m. at the Zenger Room, National Press Club in Washington, DC. It will feature:

• Ms. Maysoon Salem
• Ms. Ferial Khatib - as well as
• Mrs. Abla Shamieh - president of UPWAUS (UPWAUS is being used because the abbreviation "UPWA" is that of an old U.S. labor union that fell under heavy Communist Party USA influence, if not control in the 1930s and 40s.)

"On Friday, may 26th, Convention participants from 25 American cities coast to coast will assemble for the weekend's opening session at 8 p.m."

"The Convention, entitled "The Women of Palestine: Courageous Steps Towards Freedom and Independence," will feature workshops and panel discussions on Saturday and Sunday. Sessions will address the role of Palestinian women in achieving national liberation and the issues facing Palestinian women in the United States."

"The Convention's highlight will be Saturday night's Gala Banquet, which begins at 7 p.m. Washington DC City Councilwoman Hilda Mason will present a proclamation welcoming Palestinian women to her district."

Banquet speakers include:

• Dr. Ilham Abu-Gazala - faculty member at Bir Zeit University, occupied West Bank
• Ms. Sahar Ahmad - representing the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees in the occupied territories
• Ms. Vivian Stromberg - co-chair of Madre MADRE, a national U.S. women's network in solidarity with women and children in Central America
• Mr. Hassan Abdul-Rahman - director of the Palestine Affairs Council
• Mr. James Zogby - Executive Director of the Arab-American Institute (AAI), as well as
• Ms. Khatib- as well as
• Ms. Salem

Entertainment will be provided by

• Al-Watan Musical Ensemble and
• Al-Watan Dabke Troupe - Dabke means "dance"

Various chapters will also perform at the banquet.

"A cultural exhibit will be on display throughout the convention. It will include artcrafts by Union members, as well as Palestinian prisoners paintings, reproduced by American women artists. A 30-foot-sheet will be strewn along the wall. Written on it are the names, ages, places and dates of death of Palestinians, killed in the first year of the Intifada."

There were two attachments to this press release, entitled "The Story of Ferial Khatib" by Rabab Hadi and "The Story of Maysoon Salem" by Mary Cook, reprinted with permission from PHRC newsletter.

For information:

• Rabab Hadi - 703 379-2091
• Nuha Khoury - 703 671-5364
• Lana Budieri - 718 680-2535

Observations: Of particular interest here is the presence of Vivian Stromberg, a supporter of the communist guerrilla movements in Central America, especially in El Salvador (plus some interest in marxist Nicaragua and terrorism-threatened Guatemala). She was one of the leaders of the communist-support lobby (i.e. "The Revolution Lobby")which consisted of several U.S. organizations supporting the FMLN in El Salvador, the Sandinista movement in Nicaragua, and the Army of the Poor in Guatemala. Included in these groups were CISPES Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador, the Nicaragua Network, and NISGUA Network in Solidarity with Guatemala, among others.^[1].

Also of extreme importance was the participation of James Zogby (aka Jim Zogby), one of the top propagandists for the PLO and its fronts and causes. He was a former college professor in Pennsylvania. (His brother, John Zogby, is a nationally known political pollster). Both were reportedly the brains behind the creation of the pro-PLO "Palestine Human Rights Campaign" (PHRC), with James later leaving it for the AAI, which is partially a "studies" organization, as well as part of the "PLO Lobby." He was also an official with the mixed Palestinian/Arab/Communist organization known as the ADC., and was a participant in the Jan. 25-27, 1978 World Peace Council (WPC) Bureau Meeting in Washington, D.C. (as a representative of the PHRC).^[2].

And equally as important was the presence of old-line marxist Hilda Mason at this event. She had a record of supporting all kinds of communist fronts from the CPUSA, the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), and the Workers World Party (WWP), as well as being an important member of the rising marxist organization, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). See her page at Keywiki for her detailed DSA record.

Her presence, and that of Stromberg, was another small link in the growing "convergence" of radical Arabism/Palestinian interests with those of various marxist groups and individuals.

References