In an article published in the London-based Saudi daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat on Jan. 19, columnist Walid Abu Murshid cites four reasons why Arabs should welcome the candidacy of Senator Joseph Lieberman for President of the United States. The following are excerpts from the article, as provided by MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute):
"The reserved reaction of the American Jews to the announcement of Joseph Lieberman, the orthodox Jew, of his candidacy for the presidency encourages the preference for the candidacy for more than one reason.
"Reason One: The Jews Will be Blamed for Everything... - this fear which could lead the Jewish president to offer the Palestinians what was not offered by the sole Catholic president (John Kennedy) and the heads of all the Protestant denominations who followed him to the White House...
"Reason Two: He Must Prove His Americanism over His Jewishness ... The most visible proof for this would be the settlement of the Middle East conflict away from the flagrant bias of his Jewishness and in keeping with American interests in the Middle East.
"Reason Three: Good for Ambitions of Non-Christian Minorities in the U.S. ... If the American openness is such that it would permit giving the management of its national affairs to a Jew, it would augur well for the ambitions of non-Christian minorities.
"Reason Four: Could Ignite Antisemitic Trends in the U.S. ... could ignite antisemitic trends which would force the Zionist organizations in America to launch a confrontation with the Protestant, Anglo-Saxon 'establishment' in America. Any 'side' struggle involving the Zionist organizations inside the United States would, in the long run, reduce the Zionist influence in Washington."
"The reserved reaction of the American Jews to the announcement of Joseph Lieberman, the orthodox Jew, of his candidacy for the presidency encourages the preference for the candidacy for more than one reason.
"Reason One: The Jews Will be Blamed for Everything... - this fear which could lead the Jewish president to offer the Palestinians what was not offered by the sole Catholic president (John Kennedy) and the heads of all the Protestant denominations who followed him to the White House...
"Reason Two: He Must Prove His Americanism over His Jewishness ... The most visible proof for this would be the settlement of the Middle East conflict away from the flagrant bias of his Jewishness and in keeping with American interests in the Middle East.
"Reason Three: Good for Ambitions of Non-Christian Minorities in the U.S. ... If the American openness is such that it would permit giving the management of its national affairs to a Jew, it would augur well for the ambitions of non-Christian minorities.
"Reason Four: Could Ignite Antisemitic Trends in the U.S. ... could ignite antisemitic trends which would force the Zionist organizations in America to launch a confrontation with the Protestant, Anglo-Saxon 'establishment' in America. Any 'side' struggle involving the Zionist organizations inside the United States would, in the long run, reduce the Zionist influence in Washington."