The Think Tank of the Arab League: The Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-Up (ZCCF)

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Antisemitic Events and Publications
3. September 11^th Conspiracy Theories
4. Cooperation with European Leaders
5. Cooperation with Arab Foreign Ministers, Ministers of Education, and Universities
6. Learning Jewish History
7. Speakers in Support of War and Martyrdom
8. Cooperation with U.S. Officials and Prominent Arab-Americans

Appendices:

1. The Zayed Centre Fabricates Agence France Presse (AFP) Story about MEMRI
   (Following MEMRI's Dispatch)
2. Dr. Umayma Al-Jalahma's Writings
3. The Zayed Centre Reacts to a Boston Globe Report that Harvard is Poised to Return a $2.5 Million Gift

 

I. Introduction

 

Since its founding in 1999, The Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-Up has hosted events and produced studies on a variety of issues. The Zayed Centre has dealt with the September 11^th attacks, arguing that they were perpetrated by Americans and Israelis. It has discussed "[The] Factual Protocols of the Elders of Zion," and has hosted Holocaust deniers. Dr. Umayma Al-Jalahma, known for her article explaining how Jews use the blood of non-Jews for pastries for the Jewish holiday of Purim, was a recent lecturer at the Centre. A report today suggested that the SARS virus could be a product of "an American war against the world."[1]

The Centre has also hosted and worked in conjunction with notable personalities such as former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, and French President Jacques Chirac. Its activities have been highly praised by former vice president Al Gore, as well as a wide range of former high-ranking State Department officials. This report reviews the Centre's activities, lecture series, research, and publications.

Notes on the report:

A. Quotes appearing in this analysis are taken from reports issued by the Zayed Centre in English. These quotes are often grammatically incorrect, and contain spelling mistakes. We have not revised them for grammatical structure nor spelling except in cases where they would otherwise be incomprehensible.

B. A number of reports previously posted on the Centre's website have since been removed; MEMRI possesses copies of all reports.

II. Antisemitic Events and Publications

Reports and lectures sponsored by the Zayed Centre are often based on antisemitic themes such as Holocaust denial, accusations of 'Zionist collusion with the Nazis,' 'Jewish control of the American government and media,' and 'Jewish world domination.'

On March 11, 2003, Michael Collins Piper, an American journalist, lectured at the Zayed Centre.[2] A summary of his speech on the Zayed Centre website states: "Regarding the book named 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,' he asserted that the Jewish conspiracy is not a mere theory but a real fact… Piper said that no American politician dares to cross the Israeli lines, otherwise he/she would lose his/her position and be subject to many problems, as was the case with President Kennedy and President Nixon. Kennedy's assassination, he said, has been a public message to curb any politician who would adopt independent attitudes… Piper added that America's 'New Elite' today are unquestionably the wealthy and powerful Jewish families who control all three of the major news magazines, daily newspapers, and major television networks, in addition to the significant Jewish presence within the editorial and news staffs of these media outlets. Describing the Jewish influence on American media, Piper said 'nothing in Jewish history equaled this degree of Jewish accession to power, wealth and prominence. Not in Muslim Spain, not in early 20th century Germany, not in Israel itself.'"

"He added: 'The Morgans, the Rockefellers, the Harrimans, the Roosevelts, the Kennedys, the titans of bygone eras, they have been superceded by the Jews as flawless achievers'… Piper went on saying that the three most talked about and most serious political convulsions that rocked the American system of government during the last half of the 20th century can all be traced most directly and definitively to the continuing conflict over Palestine and the aggressive imperial role of Israel in Middle East affairs: they are the assassination of John Kennedy, the Watergate scandal, and the Monica Lewinsky affair. Piper added that the Mossad role alongside certain Mossad-allied elements was the 'missing link that explained the entirety of the assassination conspiracy of John Kennedy.'"

In an August 25, 2002 press release titled "The Arab League to Participate in Symposium on 'Semitism' to be Held at ZCCF," the Zayed Centre reported:[3] "Israel has indulged in spreading lies and exaggerations about [the] Holocaust in order to squeeze out huge sums of money from European countries through [the] worst forms of blackmail, and to create false legends in support of the concept of Semitism and [the] establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine."

The forum on "Semitism" was held on August 28, 2002. According to the Zayed Centre's website: "To expose the fallacious claims and concocted legends of the Zionists and to counter their nefarious propaganda against Arabs and Muslims after September 11 events in particular, the ZCCF organized a seminar on 'Semitism' in which a number of top Arab scholars participated. In his opening speech Muhammad Khalifa Al Murar, the Executive Director of the Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-up, repudiated Israelis claims [that they are] 'the real Semites.[4] Paradoxically, they accuse Arabs who are Semites themselves, of anti-Semitism. They know the hollowness of their claims. They know very well that the descendants of Japheth have nothing to do with Semitism or Palestine. Yet, they churn out lies after lies till they make people believe that they are Semites and are being persecuted by others…' Expressing their true face, Al Murar said, 'Jews claim to be God's most preferred people but the truth is they are the enemies of all nations. Most philosophers like Zimmer consider Jews [to be] cheaters whose greed knows no bounds. Today, after having controlled print and electronic media, they distort facts to suit their objectives.'"

Also speaking at the forum, Dr. Ahmad Saleem Jarad, Head of Israeli Affairs of the Follow-up Desk in the Arab League, and Representative of the Secretary General of the Arab League,[5] talked about "the misleading concepts of anti-Semitism and terrorism exploited by Israel effectively after September 11 events to distort the image of Arabs and Muslims in general… Dr. Jarad… appreciated the efforts of ZCCF in publishing two valuable studies on Zionist terrorism [and]… called for work to highlight the fact that Semitism includes Arab people as well, and under no circumstances can it be restricted to Jews, whose majority is not of Semitic origin. [He also] called for revising the term 'Anti-Semitism' as a misnomer which is being exploited as a means to impose stringent restrictions on researchers and writers and journalists, depriving them the freedom of expression and research on account of political and racial considerations that prohibit all kinds of criticism of Israeli and international Zionist practices… [He also] urged European countries and organizations to reconsider the term 'Anti-Semitism' to include atrocities committed against all Semites including Arabs, and demanded [that] Arab organizations and associations form a front for Arab defence against all allegations of anti-Semitism."

On October 11, 2001, the Zayed Centre released a report titled "The Zionist Movement and Its Animosity to Jews."[6] A summary of the report stated: "This book deals with the activities of the Zionist Movement and its role during the Nazi regime in killing and terrorizing Jews in Europe to force them to immigrate to Israel. In the first chapter, the book enumerates the similarities between Nazism and Zionism. The second chapter discusses the cooperation between Nazism and Zionism… The third chapter deals with the role of Zionists in sending Jews to Nazi concentration camps. The fourth chapter explains that the killing of Jews is the passport to premiership in Israel. The fifth chapter proves that Zionists were the people who killed the Jews in Europe to lure them into immigrating to Israel."

"A Study on [the] Jews' Role in Shaping Negative Images of Arabs in the West" is the title of a Zayed Centre report released on July 6, 2002.[7] A summary of the report stated: "The most prominent Jewish historians who contributed greatly to distort[ing] the image of Arabs and substituted communism with Islam as the looming and impending danger that the West is bound to encounter, is Bernard Lewis… The study [was] comprised of three main parts, [and] deals at length with various aspects to highlight some Islamic notions like Jihad, the spread of Islam, and the problems of dealing with the West. It also reviews the image of the Arab Muslim in the minds of the Jews. Finally, it discusses the impact of Zionists' control of media (70% print media, 80% electronic media) in distorting our image… The Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-Up presents this publication hoping that its endeavor will contribute in shedding more light on the Zionists' designs in distorting history and twisting science and culture to suit their ulterior motives…"

"Zionist Literature and Holocaust Industry" by the Israeli author Ami Finegold is the title of another Zayed Centre report released on January 27, 2002.[8] The report stated: "On the internal Israeli level, the Holocaust propaganda aims to gain international financial rewards to finance building settlements, and expand the military industry to defend their state. It aims to spread the feeling of fear and horror among Jews, especially from Arab [countries], as they believe that Arabs will launch a genocidal war against them. Nevertheless, it aims to cover the daily Israeli massacres and savage assaults against Palestinians. The book [reviews] the means that [the] Zionists used in propagating the Holocaust industry especially [since] the Nazi genocide policy was applied against many other nationalities [such] as Slavs, Gypsies, Polish, and Russians. It [discussed] the spread of Holocaust literature and… European laws that [one] may sue anybody who doubts the Holocaust, as [in] the trial of the French Muslim author Roger Garaudy. Moreover, Jews sought to spread their literature in Western educational curricula, besides using films and [the] cinema industry, since many films were awarded many prizes. In fact, ZCCF's decision to translate the Jewish book led to many controversies. Yet translating the language of enemies and knowing the way they think is of great importance, especially [because] Jews themselves intended to translate all Arabian science books and literature through the last three decades to get closer to knowing the Arab mentality."

"Does Israel Rule the World" is the title of a report released by the Zayed Centre on August 18, 2001.[9] The report is described as being one in "a series of specialized political and intellectual studies, in contribution to the ongoing cultural battle fought by the Arab Nation for a brighter future."

III. September 11^th Conspiracy Theories

Within days of the September 11^th attacks, the Zayed Centre began issuing reports and sponsoring lectures about the terrorist attacks, including those that claimed that the U.S. government and Jews were responsible for them. The Zayed Centre's website explained its stance in a posting from the week of April 28, 2003: "[Regarding] September 11, [the] Zayed Centre has been keen to present different opinions, speculations, and trends of world personalities, [and] political and intellectual institutions well-reputed for their credibility and authenticity."[10]

Antoine Khammar, editor-in-chief of the Beirut Times, spoke at the Zayed Centre on November 10, 2001, about "Conditions of Arabs and Muslims in the U.S. after September 11."[11] A summary of his lecture on the Zayed Centre website quotes Khammar as stating: "Bin Laden's statement on the attacks is irresponsible," and that it is "unlikely that he perpetrated the attacks."

On April 8, 2002, French author Theirry Meyssan, who wrote the bestselling September 11^th revisionist book "The Appalling Fraud," gave a lecture titled "Who Masterminded the Attacks of the 11^th September:"[12] "We know that only four planes took part in the attacks. Earlier it was suggested that eleven planes were involved! The bombing of the White House Annex, known as the Old Executive Building of Eisenhower, was not mentioned. Yet, ABC transmitted live on 11th September, pictures of the fire which damaged the presidential headquarters. Nevertheless, if we only concentrate on the explosion of the Pentagon, we shall discover the 'Big Lie' that is the official story! If it could be considered the collapse of a third building in Manhattan quite independently from the collapse of the Twin Towers. That building was not subject to any air crash. Nevertheless, the said building collapsed after burning completely for no apparent reason… CBS, on 10th September, stated that Osama bin Laden had dialysis at Rasolbandi military hospital under the protection of the Pakistani army… He clarified there was an Israeli company named Odugo Co. which somehow, I don't know how, came to know of what was to come one hour before. Seemingly, the company tried to inform the American authorities. However, some believed those messages and others did not. Regarding France after [the] September 11 attacks he said, 'I am proud to declare that I am French.' He declared [that] France was the first country which tried to cool the United States… Nevertheless he did not ascertain that the planes were definitely remote controlled. He said that that was a possibility. Many factors bear the truth of such a possibility. For example, the echo of the wave of a homing device was recorded transmitting from and interfering with other transmissions from the 'Twin Towers' for two hours before the crashes. Such a guiding device could have been used to direct the airliners. What he said was that if the planes were controlled by remote, there would be no need for hijackers. He added that the passenger lists provided to use were fake." On July 3, 2002, the Zayed Centre published the Arabic version of the Meyssan's book.[13]

Regarding an August 28, 2002 forum on the subject of "Semitism,"[14] the Zayed Centre's website reported: "The debate on Semitism continued when Dr. Mohammed Khalifa Hassan, Director, the Center of Oriental Studies, Cairo University… asserted that September 11 events were concocted because we still do not possess solid proof of the real perpetrators and their true objectives."

The Zayed Centre released a report on January 25, 2003, titled "The Contemporary American Political Thought: [The] Clash of Civilizations and September 11 Events."[15] A summary of the report stated: "The study points out that [the] launching of [a] cultural and civilizational clash is nothing but a greater agenda for strategic hegemony imposed by one of the superpowers of the time in accordance with the historic stakes, international situation, and its current policies… The study also explicates the role of the Zionist writers and media-persons who have brainwashed the American minds and distorted the image of Muslims after September 11 events."

"Lectures on September 11 Events"[16] is the title of a Zayed Centre report released on September 12, 2002. A summary of the report stated: "[The] Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-Up has released a publication consisting of statements, explanations and analytical views of more than 50 Arab and foreign prominent figures including present and former presidents, heads of governments, ministers and members of parliaments. All these eminent leaders were hosted by ZCCF and they shed light on the events of September 11."

IV. Cooperation with European Leaders

European officials have also praised the Zayed Centre for its work. President of France Jacques Chirac, Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel, former Swiss foreign minister and current Minister of Economic Affairs Joseph Dies, Austrian right-wing politician Joerg Haider, former president of Austria and UN secretary-general Kurt Waldheim,[17] and multiple European ambassadors to the UAE, have all sent letters of thanks and congratulations to the Zayed Centre. Other notable Europeans with whom the Zayed Centre has collaborated include French Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy, English Holocaust denier David Irving, and French author and conspiracy theorist Theirry Meyssan.

The Zayed Centre released a report on February 9, 2001, titled "Those Who Challenged Israel."[18] A summary of the report stated: "This study is a historical document for all readers, in particular Arab readers. It sheds light on all the figures from around the world who have challenged Israel – Charles de Gaulle who imposed an arms ban on Israel; Kurt Waldheim who admitted the PLO to the United Nations; David Irving, the premier WWII historian, who denies the Holocaust; Joerg Haider, the leader of the right-wing, Austrian Freedom Party; and finally, prominent writer and thinker Roger Garaudy who has written well known books against Israel and global Zionism."

Kurt Waldheim, the former UN secretary-general and former president of Austria lectured at the Zayed Centre on October 15, 2001, about "The Role of International Organizations in Creating Peace in the Middle East."[19] A summary of his speech on the Zayed Centre website states: "About the call by some countries for an international conference to fight terrorism, and their rejection of a U.S.-led military action or an international coalition outside the UN, Waldheim said that the values threatened by terrorism did not belong to just one country." Kurt Waldheim also wrote to the Zayed Centre a November 27, 2001 letter in which he "hails continuous cooperation and exchange of views on the global and current issues… with Zayed Centre."[20] This followed the release of a report on September 25, 2001, titled "Kurt Waldheim."[21] A summary of the report stated: "The release of this study by Zayed Centre has been another link in the chain of studies on Arab and international figures who have had a positive and effective influence on the development of events and remarkable impressions in history. The book highlights the honest and just political standpoints of Waldheim during his two consecutive terms as UN Secretary General, which have earned him much respect and appreciation from many nations of the world, especially the Arabs who see Waldheim as a strong supporter of oppressed people in general and the Palestinian people in particular. The book also bears reference to the fierce campaign led by Israel and global Zionism against Waldheim, accusing him of the grossest offences. Such accusations were just a Zionist reaction to this man's honorable stances, as manifested in the issue of [a] UN historical resolution on considering Zionism a racist movement."

President Jacques Chirac of France participated in a lecture and book-signing on November 18, 2001, at the Zayed Centre.[22] A summary of the report stated that the "French Ambassador expressed his appreciation of the book released by the Centre under the title 'Jacques Chirac: The Statesman and the Man of Principles,' saying that it has been a happy surprise on the occasion of President Chirac's unexpected visit to the UAE." On November 2, 2001, President Chirac sent the Zayed Centre a correspondence in which he "highlights the need to resist the… clash of civilizations… It is wrong and risky to associate terrorism with misery, even if fanaticism and terrorism grow in the soil of ignorance, subservience and misery."[23]

The Foreign Minister of Belgium, Louis Michel, sent an August 12, 2002 letter of support to the Zayed Centre.[24] According to the Zayed Centre's website, "At the end of the conference [which Michel participated in] participants stressed the need for documentation of crimes against humanity committed by Israel in violation of international law… The conference had reaffirmed its support for Palestinian refugees' right to return to their home and their right to regain their land and property as well as compensation for their suffering caused by Israeli policies."

"U.S. Domination and Europe" is the title of a Zayed Centre report released on February 6, 2001.[25] A summary of the report stated: "This study discusses the creation of the United States with all its power that paved the way for its global domination on the wreckage of the colonialist empires. The study also analyzes the approach adopted by the U.S. to make Western Europe a spring board to the whole world, as well as the total domination of Washington over NATO. Highlighted in the study are the European trends that oppose U.S. domination over NATO and European security, particularly in France and Germany."

"Policy of Domination and Contemporary World Tensions" is the title of a March 24, 2003 Zayed Centre report.[26] A summary of the report stated: "The study demonstrated the U.S. expansionist tendency which has been clearly evident after the September 11 [attacks]. These events, the study points out, have created the so-called American empire which tries to achieve its goals by the use of force…"

V. Cooperation with Arab Foreign Ministers, Ministers of Education, and Universities

As the Arab League's think tank, the Zayed Centre works closely with Arab government ministers and universities. Arab foreign ministers routinely work in conjunction with the Zayed Centre. On July 30, 2002, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal wrote to the Zayed Centre to congratulate them on "rebutting the false accusations of international Zionism that sow the seeds of hatred in the hearts of Arabs, Muslims, and Jews."[27] He went on to express appreciation to the Zayed Centre for contributing to "a better present and more secure and prosperous future" for the Arab world.

In a September 28, 2002 letter, then Foreign Minister of Iraq Naji Sabri expressed his appreciation for the work of the Zayed Centre in serving "the Arab cause with the aim of achieving the Arab dream of a bright and prosperous future," and "bringing about a reconnaissance [sic] that [the] Arab nation has long dreamed of."[28] The Jordanian, Egyptian, Lebanese, and Yemeni foreign ministers have also praised the Zayed Centre's activities.

Arab ministers of education have also expressed appreciation to the Zayed Centre for its work. Within the past eight months, the ministers of education of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Yemen have all written to the Zayed Centre to praise its work.

Universities throughout the Arab and Muslim world have forged research and scholarship partnerships with the Zayed Centre. Among these are King Saud University (Saudi Arabia), American University of Cairo, The Naif Arab Academy for Security Sciences (Saudi Arabia), Al-Akhawayn University (Morocco), Al-Manufia University (Egypt), and the Islamic Universities Association, an umbrella group of Islamic institutes of higher education. Also notable is the Zayed Centre's collaboration with The Academy of Geopolitical Sciences (Russia) and The Navarra University - Pamplona (Spain).

University professors regularly give lectures at the Zayed Centre. On September 11, 2001, Dr. Muhammad Ahmad Hussain of Cairo University lectured at the Centre.[29] A summary of his speech on the Zayed Centre website states: "The lecturer explained that Zionists, with their media machinery, have been organizing a long-term orchestrated campaign aiming at the perpetuation [sic] of the 'persecution of Jews' or what they call the Holocaust…"

On May 1, 2003, Dr. Yussuf Abdulla Al Zamel, the dean of the College of Administration and Economics at King Saud University (Saudi Arabia), spoke at the Zayed Centre. He was introduced by Mohammad Khalifa Al Murar, the Zayed Centre's executive director.[30] Al Murar stated, "The Arab nation now is passing through a very hard time. Imperialist greeds are attacking it due to its weakness, to the extent that it has become an easy target. It is clear that the oppressive imperialism has come back again under the pretext of spreading democracy and human rights, and teaching us sources of modern life. The state of disunity and division we live in now motivates enemies to hunt its separate countries, one by one, and consequently put them all under their direct hegemony… The current crisis has to be tackled from a historical responsibility in order to deter enemies and stop their aggression against Arabs."

In his speech, according to the Zayed Centre's website, "Dr. Yussuf Abdulla Al Zamel, [an] expert on economic development, said that the American-led war on Iraq would leave serious impacts, both economic and political, on Arab countries, especially in the Gulf States. Suspicions in the states of the region are intensified regarding American intervention in their internal affairs, their sovereignty, and independence in the educational, cultural, moral, and political spheres… He explained that this war would not be restricted to economic interests alone. It rather aims at achieving visions and comprehensive plans in the area according to the objectives of certain radical Zionist and right-wing Christian powers planning behind the scenes to push the American government towards destructive wars… He also made reference to Israel's persistent efforts to extend its control on the area. On the spread of SARS, the lecturer said that the announcement of this disease could possibly coincide with the war on Iraq. He added that it could be the result of military experiments aimed at specific ambiguous purposes…"

Dr. Umayma Al-Jalahma briefed the Zayed Centre on April 9, 2003, and claimed that the U.S. war in Iraq was timed to coincide with the Jewish holiday Purim.[31] Dr. Al-Jalahma, a professor of Islamic Studies at Saudi Arabia's King Faysal University, made headlines last year when she claimed that Jews use human blood to make pastries for the Purim holiday. In an article published in the Saudi daily Al-Riyadh on March 12, 2002, Dr. Al-Jalahma wrote about "the Jewish holiday of Purim… for this holiday, the Jewish people must obtain human blood so that their clerics can prepare the holiday pastries… that affords the Jewish vampires great delight as they carefully monitor every detail of the blood-shedding with pleasure... After this barbaric display, the Jews take the spilled blood, in the bottle set in the bottom [of the needle-studded barrel in which they kill the victim], and the Jewish cleric makes his coreligionists completely happy on their holiday when he serves them the pastries in which human blood is mixed." Following MEMRI's release of a translation of this article,[32] Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, and White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer criticized the Saudi government and press. Subsequently, Dr. Al-Jalahma was prevented from writing for Al-Riyadh, but began writing for another Saudi daily, Al-Watan.

In her April 9, 2003 lecture at the Zayed Centre, "[Dr. Al-Jalahma] said that the American war on Iraq started in March to concur with [the] Purim feast, often celebrated in this month, which symbolizes the Jewish victory over Haman in Babylon [sic]." According to the Zayed Centre's website [Dr. Al-Jalahma] also said that "the Jewish woman is politically and socially oppressed… the Jewish woman lives in a miserable condition that requires the intervention of the international humanitarian organization[s] to protect her. The Jewish woman, she said, has been exploited and used for political purposes, and despite her noticeable contribution to the building of the Zionist society, she is still denied her rights as a human being. Injustice and oppression weigh heavily on her everywhere in society, particularly the kibbutz, or the collective farms, where she is even deprived of her children and extensively indoctrinated [in] the Zionist principles."

VI. Learning Jewish History

The Zayed Centre has issued numerous reports and held numerous seminars disputing the Jewish historical connection to the Holy Land. The following highlight what the Zayed Centre publishes and hosts about this subject:

In a November 18, 2002 lecture at the Zayed Centre, Alaa Oraibi, the assistant editor of the Egyptian weekly Al-Wafd, as well as a historian and researcher, talked about Joseph's Tomb.[33] According to a summary published on the Zayed Centre's website: "Mr. Oraibi surveyed the Jewish history thoroughly to prove the falsity of their claims in the light of their own teachings, writers and historians. He concluded that the Zionists knew everything about the Arabs, but unfortunately [Arabs] didn't know anything about their enemy. He called upon the Arabs to establish research centers where Jewish books could be translated for the sake of knowing the Jewish heritage and the Jewish character. 'By knowing their weak points, it becomes easier to deal with them,' he maintained."

"Arabism of Palestine and Jerusalem in the Ancient History" is the title of a report released by the Zayed Centre on November 25, 2002.[34] A summary explained that: "[The report] points to several Jewish religious documents based on Torah and the Old Testament that prove clearly that there hadn't been any real, permanent, and continuous existence for the children of Israel in the annals of history. Palestinians had defeated the Israelites several times and even enslaved them. The Jews remained dispersed, lost and displaced in areas of Egypt, Babylonia, and Assyria… Palestinians throughout history remained in Palestine without leaving it. This is what the Old Testament verifies, but [is] denied by the Zionist Jews."

On August 10, 2002, the Zayed Centre released a report titled "Chasing History: Israel and Palestinian Antiquities."[35] A summary of the report on the Zayed Centre's website states: "The study asserts that Israeli attempts to erase ancient Palestinian antiquities and [destroy] Palestinian heritage are preludes to spreading Israeli claims of reestablishing a Zionist state on the lands of Biblical Kingdom of David extending from the Nile in the West to the Euphrates in the East."

"Al Buraq Wall Not Wailing Wall" is the title of a report released by the Zayed Centre on December 20, 2001.[36] The Zayed Centre website's summary of the report states: "This study is released in line with the Centre's message to serve Arab causes and refute the false Zionist allegations in regard to Palestine… and shows the falsehood of the Zionist religious claims and anthropological fabrications. The study gives a historical account of the Jews from the days of the Temple of Solomon, which was destroyed in 586 B.C., through their persecution under Roman rule, to the occupation… The study also underlines that Al Aqsa Mosque was built more than a thousand years before Solomon, giving evidence that refutes the Zionist allegations that the Mosque was constructed on the ruins of Solomon's Temple… all of which demonstrate that the Zionist alleged rights to the [Wailing] Wall are simply baseless."

On January 27, 2002, Dr. Hassan Ali Khater, editor-in-chief of the Al Quds Al-Sharif Encyclopedia, spoke at the Zayed Centre.[37] A summary of his lecture on the Zayed Centre website states: "Dr. Hassan Ali Khater… added that Israelis are falsifying history by inscribing Jewish inscriptions on rocks [and] then calling international experts to re-discover [them] as Jewish monuments."

VII. Speakers in Support of War and Martyrdom

Events and reports at the Zayed Centre often focus on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Some speakers include in their speeches support or praise for war and martyrdom.

On October 12, 2002, Marshal Al-Gamasi, the former deputy prime minister of Egypt, as well as war minister and chief of staff of the Egyptian armed forces, lectured at the Zayed Centre.[38] A summary of his speech states: "He called on Arab countries to cooperate with one another politically and militarily as it would add strength to their position. He asserted that Israel wouldn't withdraw from any Arab territories without a war. Arabs must realize this stark truth and work earnestly to work together collectively to achieve their objective… He pointed out that the mission is not over yet. Large chunks of Arab territories are still occupied. The Arab rights have to be regained."

Mahmood Abdul Jawad Salamah, Acting Chief Justice of Palestine, lectured on October 31, 2001, at the Zayed Centre.[39] A quote from his speech on the Zayed Centre website states: "Palestinians today are proud of martyrdom and value their martyrs."

Sheik Ikrima Sabri, Mufti of Palestine and Jerusalem, and preacher of the Al Aqsa Mosque gave a December 5, 2001 lecture at the Zayed Centre.[40] A summary of his speech on the Zayed Centre website states: "Sabri… scorned some Fatwas (religious opinions) issued by some Islamic clerics, calling the killing of innocent civilians illegal according to Islamic teachings. These Fatwas are politically instigated," he said.

VIII. Cooperation with U.S. Officials and Prominent Arab-Americans

High-ranking U.S. government officials, former politicians, and other notable personalities have briefed the Zayed Centre or cooperated on projects. The list includes former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, former vice president Al Gore, and former secretary of state James Baker. Other notable personalities include former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for Middle East affairs Richard Murphy, former U.S. assistant secretary of state Edward Walker, former congressman Paul Findley, former assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs Edward Djerjian, former American ambassador to Saudi Arabia Chas Freeman, and controversial Democratic presidential candidate Lyndon Larouche. Prominent Arab-American leaders have also lectured at the Zayed Centre, including: Dr. James Zogby, President of the Arab-American Institute; Professor Shibley Telhami of the University of Maryland; and Khalil Jahshan, Vice President of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

Former president Bill Clinton sent a July 17, 2002 letter of admiration to the Zayed Centre.[41] The Zayed Centre website states: "In a letter sent to the ZCCF, President Bill Clinton expressed his appreciation of various efforts exerted by [the] Zayed Centre." The Zayed Centre also released a report on June 5, 2002, titled "Bill Clinton."

Former president Jimmy Carter sent a letter of appreciation to the Zayed Centre on October 27, 2002.[42] The Zayed Centre website states that he said that: "He appreciated [the] Zayed Centre's support for the Carter Center's work to promote peace, health, and human rights around the world." On April 23, 2001, former president Jimmy Carter lectured at the Zayed Centre. A summary of his speech on the Zayed Centre website states: "'We hope to establish a partnership between [the] Carter Center and [the] Zayed Centre."

Scott Ritter, a former UN weapons inspector in Iraq, gave a February 8, 2003 lecture at the Zayed Centre.[43] A summary of his speech on the Zayed Centre website states: "Mr. Ritter concluded his lecture, saying that what is happening now in the United Sates is due to the fact that this country is administered by extremists, after the elections of 2000, describing this as a kind of coup d'etat against the American values and principles."

Chas Freeman, the former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia and current President of the Middle East Policy Council, lectured at the Zayed Centre on March 13, 2002.[44] A summary of his speech on the Zayed Centre website states: "Chas W. Freeman the former American ambassador, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, President of the Middle East Policy Council, and who serves as Chairman of the Board of Projects International… believes that Palestinians are winning the struggle and the level of horror [is] unsustainable, since Sharon is leading Israel to a moral suicide… The former ambassador believed that American values believe in justice, and if they were well informed about what is going on in Palestine they would react differently."

Al Gore, the former American vice president, lectured at the Zayed Centre on January 19, 2002.[45] A transcript of his speech on the Zayed Centre website states: "I have admired the research done here… I compliment this centre for promoting a rare dialogue between the Arab world and the rest of the world. I think that the League of the Arab State is very wise to place this important Centre here in Abu Dhabi because it has been in good hands, it has been shepherded wisely and it has been making good contributions to the kind of understanding that is essential. If we are to build the kind of world all of us desire… I believe that the kind of communication and dialogue that you are fostering here in the Centre is in some way our best hope for mutual understanding to the extent we, as human beings are capable of reaching out, for it can flood the shadows of the past by the light of understanding."

James Baker, former U.S. secretary of state, lectured at the Zayed Centre on March 26, 2002, about American foreign policy post-September 11th.[46] The previous year, on June 17, 2001, Edward Djerjian, the former assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, also lectured at the Zayed Centre.[47] A summary of his speech on the Zayed Centre website states: "During his visit to [the] Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-Up, Djerjian discussed the scopes of cooperation in the field of studies and research between [the] James Baker Institute and [the] Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-Up."

Edward Walker, former U.S. assistant secretary of state, lectured at the Zayed Centre on May 27, 2001, about the American response to Iraq's pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.[48] Paul Findley, a former U.S. congressman, sent a letter of admiration to the Zayed Centre on January 16, 2002.[49] The Zayed Centre website states: "Paul Findley, former U.S. congressman, thinker, and author expressed his great admiration of [the] U.A.E. and its success in maintaining a continuous course of development." This letter was followed by a lecture Findley gave at the Zayed Centre on March 2, 2002.

Richard Murphy, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for Middle East affairs, lectured at the Zayed Centre on April 15, 2001,[50] and on September 29, 2001 spoke about the subject of terrorism and American-Arab relations after September 11th.[51] On March 23, 2002, Richard Murphy again lectured at the Zayed Centre.[52] A summary of his speech states: "Mr. Murphy added that Israeli Prime Minster Sharon believed that the Arabs hate Israel, and the only thing that they understand is force, but Sharon doesn't represent [all] Israelis, and they had elected him as a result of their fear."

On December 8, 2001, William Rugh, the former American ambassador to the UAE, lectured at the Zayed Centre.[53] A summary of his speech states: "He said that pro-Israeli groups have been more influential and effective in the U.S. due to the fact that they are well-established and well-funded to support Israel… Regarding [the] U.S. administration's warning to countries that host groups and organizations that are considered terrorist, such as Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine, he said that the U.S. is not going to target these countries, but the administration is willing to have a change in these countries behavior in the future."

Lyndon Larouche, the controversial Democratic presidential candidate, lectured on June 2, 2002, at the Zayed Centre about the future of the Middle East.[54]

Appendices

A. The Zayed Centre Fabricates Agence France Presse (AFP) Story about MEMRI (Following MEMRI's Dispatch)

On April 11, 2003 MEMRI released a report on a lecture given at the Zayed Centre by Dr. Umayma Al-Jalahma, a professor at Saudi Arabia's King Faysal University, in which she accused the United States of initiating a war in Iraq to coincide with the Jewish holiday Purim, claimed that Zionists have ambitions to "establish a world state," and stated that the Jewish woman is "denied her right as a human being… she is even deprived of her children." The Zayed Centre responded by issuing a press release in which it stated that MEMRI's report was one of a series of "libelous and defamatory campaigns, from various circles whose goals, for sure, are not to defend freedom and liberty."

On April 14, 2003 the Zayed Centre posted a press release on its website stating, "The Middle East Institute for Research and Information [sic], seated in Washington, waged a campaign against [the] Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-up for hosting some world notable figures to lecture in it… The Jewish Institute focuses, in particular, on a lecture delivered by Dr. Umayma Al-Jalahma at the Centre, April 9, in which she highlighted the conditions and states of the Israeli woman. The report of the Jewish Institute puts down some paragraphs which it claims were part of Al-Jalahma's lecture. Additionally the report brings forward details about the attitude of the Jewish Institute on the opinions and writings of the Saudi writer. This institute played a big role in instigating the American administration against this writer."

A day later, on April 15, the Zayed Centre posted articles on its website from the Arabic-language newspapers Al-Dustour (Jordan), Al-Liwa (Lebanon), and Al-Safeer (Lebanon), which reported on the Zayed Centre and MEMRI. It attributed the stories to an Agence France Presse (AFP) article, which allegedly stated "An official from Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-Up said… that the Centre has been targeted by a campaign waged by the Middle East Media Research Institute and Jewish institutions around the world. The reason behind this campaign is that the Centre has hosted some world notables considered by these institutions as 'anti-Semitism.' Also, an official from the French Press Agency said, on condition of anonymity, to this agency, that Zayed Centre received last Saturday a message from the Middle East Media Research Institute in which it fiercely criticized the Centre for hosting, in particular, Dr. Umayma Al-Jalahma, Professor of Islamic Studies at King Faysal University in Riyadh… The official said Dr. Al-Jalahma was a target [of] another campaign due to an essay written recently by her and published by a Saudi newspaper, in which she was labeled as 'anti-Semitic.' Her essay was delivered to American officials. For his part, Mohammed Khalifa Al Murar, Executive Director of Zayed Centre, said to the French Press Agency that the Centre, working under the Arab League, is an open and free forum for all views and opinions regardless of their backgrounds and away from personal tendencies, confirming that these campaigns would not affect the work and programs of the Centre."

According to Barry Parker, the chief of Agence France Presse's bureau in Dubai, no such article was released by AFP, and any such quotes attributed to AFP officials are fabricated.

Following criticism for hosting Dr. Al-Jalahma's event, on the week of April 20th the Zayed Centre posted on its website a document titled "Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-Up – An Intellectual Free Forum." The document states, "Working under the Arab League, the Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-Up is keen to provide all means of expression in total freedom, detachment, and objectivity, regardless of ideologies or intellectual, political backgrounds or tendencies. No doubt, the long list that encompasses the names of thinkers, politicians, and policy makers who have talked and lectured at the Centre's forum since its inception up to date has been a genuine evidence of the Centre's free orientation, embodied in this true democratic method which is rare to find in many famous centers around the world, which do not allow any voices or views other than their own to be heard. In accordance with these principles and goals, the Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-Up is very keen to choose speakers and lecturers who would ascend to its platform, with the same care and degree in which it insists on giving equal opportunity to other voices… The Centre has hosted many heads of state, ambassadors, policy makers, and thinkers, and organized many symposia, conferences, and meetings in which various political, intellectual, and scientific issues have been discussed. The Centre has collaborated and cooperated with many regional and international organizations… The Zayed Centre has also been so keen to bring up points of view regarding regional conflicts in various parts of the world. Conflicting parties have been given an equal chance to express their respective ideas."

The first two articles that appeared under the "Intellectual Free Forum," which according to the Zayed Centre's website seeks "to promote dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect among all nations with the aim of formulating a common ground for all trends away from any clashes which could yield nothing but hatred and prejudice," include translated articles by Dr. Al-Jalahma published in the Saudi government daily Al-Watan.

B. Dr. Umayma Al-Jalahma's Writings

On April 19, 2003, Dr. Umayma Al-Jalahma published an article in Al-Watan, which was reprinted on the Zayed Centre website, in response to the controversy. The article stated: "I was prompted by the hope that, by highlighting this issue, I could contribute, though little, to the uncovering of what could almost destroy a residue of woman's dignity, even if she is a Jew. By so doing I thought I could evoke the enthusiasm of international Western committees for human rights to do something to stop the oppression and humiliation against Jewish women… Those people have been provocatively enraged, not only by the facts uncovered in the lecture, which they tired to keep secret, but also by the discussion that followed the lecture where I have answered some questions. Some of these questions have been related to the lecture itself; others have been about the media campaigns waged against Saudi Arabia, those behind these campaigns, the West's ignorant outlook into Islam… I have explained that this war has been coincided with the Jews festival of the Purim, the occasion where they could kill 75,000 of their enemies."[55]

In an article tilted "Red Pencil Policy," published in Al-Watan on April 26, 2003, and also on the Zayed Centre's website, Dr. Al-Jalahma wrote, "American Jews have recently devised a new type of cultural conflict, a one-sided conflict! The conflict that was started by a group of people who have shared in the same goals and worked under the same cultural cover which bears nothing of its contents but the ink with which it has been written. This involves offices that point their arrows to what have been published by Middle East daily newspapers, or produced by intellectual institutes and centers or television channels in the region. They start translating from these articles what they claim to be against the American strategic interests in the region… There is no wonder in that. All they want is to defame the Arab and Muslim image, stirring the American public opinion against them. They do this in a way that suggests that there is daily hatred campaign launched by the Arab newspapers against the Americans and Europeans." The professor went on to attack MEMRI's research and staff, calling on the Arab world to open an institute in the United States to counter MEMRI.

Dr. Al-Jalahma had previously gained notoriety for an article she published on March 10, 2002 in the Saudi daily Al-Riyadh, in which she accused Jews of using the blood of non-Jewish children for holiday pastries, writing: "This holiday has some dangerous customs that will, no doubt, horrify you… The Jews' spilling human blood to prepare pastry for their holidays is a well-established fact, historically and legally, all throughout history. This was one of the main reasons for the persecution and exile that were their lot in Europe and Asia at various times… A needle-studded barrel is used; this is a kind of barrel, about the size of the human body, with extremely sharp needles set in it on all sides. [These needles] pierce the victim's body, from the moment he is placed in the barrel. These needles do the job, and the victim's blood drips from him very slowly. Thus, the victim suffers dreadful torment - torment that affords the Jewish vampires great delight as they carefully monitor every detail of the blood-shedding with pleasure and love that are difficult to comprehend. After this barbaric display, the Jews take the spilled blood, in the bottle set in the bottom [of the needle-studded barrel], and the Jewish cleric makes his coreligionists completely happy on their holiday when he serves them the pastries in which human blood is mixed. There is another way to spill the blood: The victim can be slaughtered as a sheep is slaughtered, and his blood collected in a container. Or, the victim's veins can be slit in several places, letting his blood drain from his body."

More examples of antisemitic writings by Professor Al-Jalahma include fabricated quotes falsely attributed to George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, which also appeared in the Saudi daily Al-Riyadh on March 2, 2002: "Perhaps my words will be presented as racist and antisemitic by some who forget that I myself am a Semite, a daughter of Arabia. Therefore, it would be prudent for me to intersperse in my column quotes from Westerners regarding our neighbor - a neighbor who settled next to us against our will, plundering our land, murdering our youth, deporting our children, and burning our homes. I will quote men who have earned the esteem of their peoples, and indeed, the esteem of other peoples as well…"

"First, George Washington, 'The Father of the Nation,' as the Americans call him. He said the following about the Jews: 'The destructive influence of the Jews over our lives and future is greater than the danger of all our enemies' armies combined. Indeed, this [Jewish] danger is hundreds of times more serious and more destructive to our liberty and to the cause to which we are dedicated. What sorrows and pains [me] is that considerable time has passed, but our states, or at least each state on its own, have not attempted to fight and annihilate the Jews - even though [the Jews] have proven to be a group of lethal insects who [pose] the gravest of dangers to the U.S. and its security.' This is frank and candid testimony that is not open to [different] interpretations. It was delivered by the first president of the U.S. I do not believe there is a single person in America who doubts the integrity of this man."

The quotes attributed to Benjamin Franklin are a forgery, which appeared initially in Nazi publications.[56] "Second, the statesman Benjamin Franklin. What did Franklin have to say about the Jews? I submit to you some of the things he said during the 1789 [sic] convention for the declaration of the American constitution: 'I fully support the positions of General Washington, whose aim is to protect this young nation from all the treacherous conspiracies being plotted against it by its only enemy - and I mean, gentlemen, the Jew. In every country in which the Jews have settled, moral values have completely deteriorated, and anarchy, irresponsibility, and deceit in commercial transactions have become widespread. The Jews have mocked the values of our Christian religion, upon which our country was founded, while ignoring our rules altogether. This way, they have succeeded in creating a country of their own within our country. They are notorious for employing all financial measures necessary to strangle a country in which the first signs of resistance [to the Jews] appear. If you do not expel them from our country, in 200 years our grandchildren will become slaves in their fields, while they, the Jews, will remain in their homes, gleefully rubbing their hands, awaiting their payment. I warn you, gentlemen, that if you do not make haste and expel the Jews from our country today and forever, your children will curse you in your graves. The Jews are a danger to this country, and I stress the need to deport them and prevent them from entering or staying, through an explicit clause in this constitution.'"

C. The Zayed Centre Reacts to a Boston Globe Report that Harvard is Poised to Return a $2.5 Million Gift

A May 11, 2003 article in the Boston Globe reported that Harvard Divinity School is poised to return a $2.5 million gift from the president of the United Arab Emirates after questions recently surfaced about his ties to "a controversial Arab think tank with alleged antisemitic and anti-American leanings." UAE president Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan gave the money three years ago to fund a new professorship in Islamic studies. The article credited MEMRI with reporting that Dr. Umayma Al-Jalahma, author of an article referencing the "Blood Libel" in a Saudi Arabian newspaper last year, spoke at the Zayed Centre on April 9, 2003.

The Zayed Centre responded in a May 13th press release on its website by stating: "It has become clear now that the successes of [the] Zayed Centre, on both Arab and international levels, have turned to be an obsession for those who are afraid of an Arab intellectual revival using scientific knowledge as its tool. Therefore, we have been witnessing these days writings and accusations, motivated by arrogant racism and coupled with Zionist fabrications and claims regarding the Centre's trends and policies which they consider as hostile to the West but without any testimony. This is, really, no more than turning facts upside down. One lucid example of these false accusations has appeared recently in [the] Boston Globe newspaper which claims without any foundation that Zayed Centre calls for Arab unity and shows anti-West and anti-Semitic sensations in an attempt to obstruct its illuminating message."[57]

*Steven Stalinsky is Executive Director of MEMRI.

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