September 1990, Page 78

Waging Peace

By Vicki Tamoush

Organizations

Act on Conscience (P.O. Box 21104, Washington, DC 20009; (202) 667-0924) reports that it initiated events in approximately 35 cities for last April 16th's tax-filing day activities, and is now planning nonviolent protests for Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, and a national speaking tour by Israeli and Palestinian human rights activists. The group is currently seeking office space and welcomes contributions toward its efforts.

The Middle East Fellowship of Southern California (P.O. Box 26801, Santa Ana, CA 92799-6801; (213) 695-6709, (818) 244-2333) has initiated a letter-writing campaign to keep continuous pressure on elected officials. Members of the steering committee have each taken one day per week to write Secretary of State Baker on one of a number of Middle East topics. Topics have included the plight of American hostages in Lebanon, oppressive measures used against Palestinians in the occupied territories, termination of the U.S.-PLO dialogue, and the U.S. role in the Middle East peace process.

Former Israeli soldier Hanich Livneh, a representative of Yesh Gvul (Friends of Yesh Gvul, 1678 Shattuck Avenue, Box No. 6, Berkeley, CA 94709; (405) 848-9391), at a program sponsored by the Los Angeles chapter of New Jewish Agenda, described his experiences in the Israeli Defense Forces. The change in Livneh's attitude toward army service was precipitated by a raid his unit was ordered to carry out on a Palestinian home in the occupied territories. His commanding officer chose a large family home so that they "could spend three or four hours ransacking it, since it was raining heavily outside." Livneh left the army after refusing to serve in a police unit in the Gaza Strip in November 1988, and was sentenced to 14 days in a military jail.

Publications

The Spring 1990 newsletter of American Near East Refugee Aid (1522 K Street NW, No. 202, Washington, DC 20005) is an overview of some Arab, Jewish, and non-Semitic organizations dedicated to peace in the Middle East. Each group's publications, accomplishments and overall mission are explained, along with a brief history of its formation.

Middle East Peace Notes, a publication of American Friends Service Committee (1535 High Street, 3rd floor, Denver, CO 80218; (303) 322-6353), devotes its June 1990 issue to a concise overview of contemporary Lebanese history. Written by Ms. Billie Marchik, International Affairs Program Director of the AFSC Des Moines office, the report includes maps delineating various factions' regions of control in Lebanon, as well as thorough footnotes citing further research. Information is included on religious, ethnic, geographic, economic, and political groupings since 1920.

The courageous work of the Lebanese Red Cross is reported by Marilyn Raschka, an American who has lived for many years in Lebanon, in the May-August issue of Red Cross/Red Crescent (P.O. Box 372, CH-1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland; 41 22 734 5580). Trained presenters meet with Lebanese militias in an attempt to reduce risk to Red Cross workers. "Our goal," Hassan Kabbani, Vice President of the Dissemination Department of the Lebanese Red Cross, told Raschka, "is to convince the militias not to fire at the Red Cross personnel, hospitals, civilians, or the injured-even if those injured are their enemies."

Vicki Tamoush is an Arab American based in Glendale, CA, where she is active in peace groups.