AAI Condemns Israeli Attack on Qana; Criticizes Bush Administration’s Tacit Green Light to Israel

‘Blame must also be laid at the foot of the Bush Administration’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 30, 2006 – The Arab American Institute (AAI) today criticized the Bush Administration, saying the Qana Massacre is the unfortunate result of its lack of forceful action in the aftermath of the outbreak of hostilities.

“Today’s attack on Qana, which took the lives of 57 civilians, including 37 children, was tragically not unexpected,” said AAI President James Zogby. “Not unlike a similar 1996 attack on Qana, massive and indiscriminate attacks on the south of Lebanon are bound to result in such massacres.”

AAI warned that U.S. behavior in the wake of the Qana Massacre will be interpreted in Israel and the Arab World as giving a tacit green light for Israel to continue its attacks on Lebanon.
“Not only is the Israeli government at fault, but blame also must be laid at the foot of the Bush Administration for its failure over the past two and half weeks to demand any serious restraint of Israel,” Zogby said.

Despite the Qana Massacre, Israeli attacks showed no sign of letting up Sunday. Indeed, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has stated that the attacks will continue for another 10 to 14 days.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, meanwhile, expressed regret at the loss of lives in the Qana Massacre, but failed to call for a ceasefire—as so many in the international community have done. Additionally, Secretary Rice’s abrupt departure from the region—coupled with Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns’ statement this morning of Israel’s right to defend itself and the failure of both to either condemn the attacks or call for a halt in the bombing—runs the risk of being seen as providing Olmert and Israel justification for continued attacks on highly-concentrated population centers.

  Founded in 1985, the Arab American Institute (AAI) is a nonprofit organization committed to the civic and political empowerment of Americans of Arab descent.  AAI provides policy, research and public affairs services to support a broad range of community activities. For more information on AAI, please visit http://www.aaiusa.org