@@ Steven Rosen, Keith Weissman - AIPAC terrorists @@
Arash
August 30, 2004
Used to working behind the scenes, AIPAC suddenly thrust into limelight
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By Matthew E. Berger
mbe...@jta.org
NEW YORK - In its outreach to potential supporters and to the media, the
American Israel Public Affairs Committee (www.aipac.org) touts its access to
the highest levels of government.
Now it's that very access that has thrust the pro-Israel lobby, accustomed
to working behind the scenes, into the limelight.
Accusations that AIPAC officials received classified information from
Pentagon staffer Larry Franklin and forwarded it on to Israel broke on the
eve of this week's Republican National Convention in New York, where AIPAC
is hosting several policy forums for Republican contributors.
Both Israel and AIPAC deny any impropriety in the case. Many U.S. Jews
believe, or hope, that no charges will be filed and that the issue will fade
from the headlines in coming days.
But the charges, and their prominent play in the media, have reopened
questions about the way AIPAC does business with the U.S. and Israeli
governments.
AIPAC's grassroots advocacy and political lobbying departments get most of
the attention, but the organization also has a thriving think tank that
works to influence Middle East policy at the highest levels of government.
To those who work with AIPAC in Washington, or have worked for the
organization itself, the idea of information being passed from government
officials to AIPAC staffers to Israelis seems almost commonplace.
After all, these people see each other on almost a daily basis, at
think-tank lunches and policy meetings throughout the capital. Information
is exchanged and each participant tries to show his importance by touting
what he knows and whom he has access to.
"The easiest thing to learn in Washington is that no one likes to be
surprised," said Jon Alterman, a former State Department official. "AIPAC
doesn't like to be surprised and nobody wants to be surprised by AIPAC."
In that sense, AIPAC is like any other policy organization in Washington.
"Information is the currency in Washington," said Morris Amitay, AIPAC's
executive director from 1974 to 1980. "AIPAC meets regularly with officials
at the State Department and Defense Department, trying to find out what's
going on."
It's unclear how much of the information AIPAC receives is forwarded to
Israeli officials, but the coordination between the Jewish state and its
advocates in Washington is considerable.
Most Israeli officials who travel to Washington meet with AIPAC and exchange
information. But Israeli officials also have strong ties to the Bush
administration, and receive much information directly from American
governmental sources, without need of intermediaries.
One congressional staffer said it was understood in Washington that AIPAC
had access to the highest sources in both the U.S. and Israeli governments,
and could get most information it wanted.
"They are very astute at knowing who will know what they would like to find
out," said the staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the FBI
investigation is ongoing. "It's simply understood, based on the success
they've
had."
But because of the issues AIPAC deals with, policy discussions can easily
cross into areas of national security, increasing the chances that
classified information will be passed.
"There's always a real possibility that in giving a briefing, certain
information that is classified could come out by the government briefers,"
said Neal Sher, who served as AIPAC's executive director from 1994 to 1996
and formerly worked in the U.S. Justice Department. "The lines are real
blurry."
But Sher said the briefer would be the one committing the illegal act, not
the one who gets the information.
"Anyone with half a brain, if someone is giving you a classified document,
would say, 'I don't want to look at it,' " Amitay said. "Because it could be
a sting."
According to Newsweek, that's what occurred in the current case. Franklin
reportedly tried to give documents to an AIPAC staffer, who wouldn't take
them but asked for the information to be summarized orally.
The Jerusalem Post reported that the AIPAC officials involved were Steven
Rosen and Keith Weissman, and that they have spoken to federal
investigators. AIPAC would not confirm or deny the reports.
When it comes to documents, federal officials with security clearances are
given little leniency. Most desks have two computers; one for classified
material and one for unclassified. The e-mail systems are separate and
diskettes are not allowed to be inserted into the classified system.
But there's a lot more leeway when government officials brief outsiders.
"How far you go in telling people what's going on in a classified
environment is a decision you have to make every day," Alterman said. "There
is a perception that you can trust the people you're talking to."
The congressional staffer added that much of what is classified already has
been reported by the media.
The recent focus on AIPAC's business practices is counter to the way the
organization likes to work. AIPAC likes to shift focus away from its own
professionals and onto the lay leaders and lawmakers publicly expressing
support for the Jewish state.
But that hasn't always been easy. Because Israel is such a heated topic in
Washington and around the world, and because AIPAC has been successful in
its mission, the group often is at the center of questions regarding U.S.
support for Israel.
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