Dozens of Questionably "Pro-Israel" Contributors

J Street's exec Jeremy Ben-Ami was recently asked in an interview about Arab-American and Iranian-American contributors to the organization.

“J Street does have some Arab and Muslim donors — about five,” Ben-Ami said. “These are individuals, not organizations, corporations or foreign countries. Well over 90 percent of our money comes from Jewish Americans and Christians.”

By Ben-Ami's admission, some ten percent of the funds for the purported "pro-Israel" organization comes from individuals who are certainly not "pro-Israel." Ten percent of J Street's annual budget comes to the very impressive amount of $300,000.

And there are many more than just "five." Below is a partial list taken from the U.S. Federal Elections Commission records of Arab and Muslim Americans and Iranian-Americans who contribute to J Street's Political Action Committee. There are dozens.

Ahmed Abdelsalam
Richard Abdoo, Leader of the Arab American Institute (AAI)
Rebecca Abou Chedid, Former Government Affairs director at the AAI
Wagih Abu-Rish, Arab American Community Coalition
Nidal Ayyat, from Dhahran Saudi Arabia
Theodore Kattouf, Former US ambassador, President of AMIDEAST
Ziad Khatib, Contributor to ANERA
Zahi Khouri Major Palestinian businessman, PADICO, Coca Cola franchise
Genevieve Lynch, Board member of NIAC, the Iranian lobby
Nabil Sater, Contributor to Arab American Leadership Council PAC
Magdi Badawy, “Stop the Occupation” activist
Farhan Bhatti, PR Director at an Islamic Center
Jerjis Alajaji, Graduate of American University of Beirut
Ali G. Adumaini, Saudi Arabia
Rajai Hakki, Syrian American. Blogs at “Arab-American Warrior Prince”
Ali Hasbani
Farhad Imam

Profile of J Street PAC Contributor, Ray Close

Ray Close

• Former CIA station chief in Saudi Arabia, serving over 20 years.


• Business partner of Kamal Adham, former head of Saudi intelligence.


• Father of Kenneth Close, registered foreign agent for the Saudis in Washington.


• Last contribution to J Street PAC, $50 June 9, 2009.


• Advocate for the "Saudi Peace Plan" for the Middle East.


• Defender of Chas Freeman. Claims a "neo-con cabal" is trying to control Washington.

Profile of J Street PAC Contributor and Advisory Board Member, Judith Barnett

Judith Barnett

• Director of the Barnett Group, a trade consulting company in Washington that she began in 2003.


• Registered with the U.S. Justice Department as a foreign agent for Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

• Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce in the Clinton Administration.


• Author of a Washington Post article in 2004, A Mind-Bending Venture Into Saudi Gender Politics, in which Barnett painted a rosy picture of the misogynist Saudi Arabia.


• One of the first contributors to the J Street PAC.

Profile of J Street PAC Contributor, Nancy Dutton

Nancy Dutton

• Lawyer for Dutton & Dutton, representing the Saudi Embassy in Washington (pictured with Saudi diplomat)


• Widow and law partner of Fred Dutton, registered foreign agent for Saudi Arabia for almost 30 years. "Filings with the Justice Department show that he earned millions of dollars from the Saudis over the years. [Obituary, 2005]"


• Amounts given to J Street PAC, according to the FEC:
  $125 6/26/08
  $100 10/27/08

Profile of J Street PAC Contributor, Zahi Khouri

Zahi Khouri

• Born in Jaffa, fled in 1948, raised in Lebanon


• Palestinian-American businessman and entrepreneur


• Resident of Florida and the West Bank


• Author of NY Times Op-Ed slamming Israel and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, September 8, 2009


• Director, Palestinian Development and Investment Company (PADICO)


• Chairman, Palestinian National Beverage Company (Coca-Cola franchise)


• CEO of Paltel, Palestinian telecommunications company and cellular service provider


• Signed 2002 petition against Palestinian suicide bombings


• "Khouri has been an outspoken critic of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.... He has published editorials in major U.S. newspapers condemning Israeli practices and calling for equal rights for Palestinians."-- Wikipedia


• Listed in FEC forms as "not employed"


• Amount given to J Street PAC, according to the FEC: $100 contribution 6/10/09

Muslim Activists Who Contribute to J Street PAC

Mehdi Alhassani

• President of Muslim Students Association at George Washington University 2005-2006


• Intern at the White House and Department of State


• Fulbright Fellow in Jordan


• Member, Arab American Institute


• Occupation listed on FEC forms: Obama Campaign Staff


• $40.00 Contribution 10/28/08

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Kasim Arshad

• Former President, Muslim Cultural Students Association, Northwestern University


• Cosigned letter to the editor with a Jewish student at Northwestern, calling for "respectful dialogue on campus regarding the Middle East. People from both sides must come together."


• Co-President, South Asian Law Student Association (SALSA) of Washington University in St. Louis, 2008-2009


• Listed in the FEC forms as "not employed"
• $30.00 contributed 10/28/08

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Dr. Nabil Bayakly

• Director, AnNoor Mosque and Muslim Community Center, TN


• Instructor Arabic and Islam, University of Memphis


• Originally from Lebanon


• Chairman of Muslims in Memphis Organization


• Arrested by Immigration Service and almost deported in 2003


• Occupation listed on FEC forms: Assistant Professor, LeMoyne Owen College


• $25.00 contribution 10/23/08
  

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Farhan Bhatti

• Public Relations Director, Islamic Society of Greater Lansing MI


• Chairman of "Malcolm X" Subcommittee on Lansing Mayor's Diversity Committee.


• Bhatti "said the purpose of memorializing Malcolm X is to spread the values of peace, unity and love he preached late in his life. 'We want to educate the public about Malcolm X's true life,' Bhatti said." (City Pulse, September 12, 2007)


• $30.00 Contribution, 6/17/08

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Mary El-Khatib

• Writes for "Muslim Link"
• Founder and teacher at the El-Iman Islamic Learning Center in Baileys Crossroads, Virginia
• Listed as a "teacher" on the FEC forms
• $20 contributed 10/05/08

Profiles of J Street PAC's Largest GiversGenevieve Lynch, leader of NIAC

Genevieve Lynch -- $11,000

• National Iranian American Council Board Member


• President of the Pluralism Fund, "a coalition of independent philanthropists and representatives of family foundations that does grant work around Iran and in Pakistan."


• President of the Kenbe Foundation, "whose mission is to support peace in the United States and internationally. The Kenbe Foundation does grant work in the United States, the Caribbean, South Asia, and the Middle East."


• J Street Finance Committee with minimum donation of $10,000

Amounts given to J Street PAC, according to the FEC:

$10,000 9/24/08
$1,000 6/09/09