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“URGING ARAB GOVERNMENTS NOT TO CONTROL TELEVISION STATIONS TO BROADCAST PROGRAMS THAT LEND LEGITIMACY TO PROTOCOLS OF ELDERS OF ZION” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S11790-S11791 on Nov. 20, 2002.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
URGING ARAB GOVERNMENTS NOT TO CONTROL TELEVISION STATIONS TO BROADCAST
PROGRAMS THAT LEND LEGITIMACY TO PROTOCOLS OF ELDERS OF ZION
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to S. Res. 366 introduced earlier today by Senators Nelson of Florida and Smith of Oregon.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 366) urging the Government of Egypt and other Arab governments not to allow their government-controlled television stations to broadcast any program that lends legitimacy to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.
Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution and preamble be agreed to en bloc; the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 366) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution (S. Res. 366), with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 366
Whereas in November 2002, a number of government-controlled television stations in Egypt began broadcasting a multi-part series, ``Horseman Without a Horse'', based on the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and conspiracy myths about Jewish global domination;
Whereas the Protocols of the Elders of Zion are a notorious forgery, written by Russian anti-Semites in the early 20th century, which purport to reveal a plot for Jewish domination of the world;
Whereas the Protocols of the Elders of Zion have been a staple of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel propaganda for decades and have long since been discredited by all reputable scholars;
Whereas the broadcast of this series takes place in the context of a sustained pattern of vitriolic anti-Semitic commentary and depictions in the Egyptian government-sponsored press, which has gone unanswered by the Government of Egypt; and
Whereas the Department of State has urged Egypt and other Arab states not to broadcast this program, saying ``We don't think government TV stations should be broadcasting programs that we consider racist and untrue'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) condemns any publication or program that lends legitimacy to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion;
(2) believes the use of such heinous propaganda, especially in the Arab world, serves to incite popular sentiment against Jewish people and the State of Israel rather than promoting religious tolerance and preparing Arab populations for the prospect of peace with Israel;
(3) commends the Department of State for its denunciation of the ``Horseman Without a Horse'' television series and its efforts to discourage Arab states from broadcasting it; and
(4) urges the Government of Egypt and other Arab governments--
(A) not to allow their government-controlled television stations to broadcast this program or any other racist and untrue material; and
(B) to speak out against such incitement by vigorously and publicly condemning anti-Semitism as a form of bigotry.
Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I rise to introduce a resolution dealing with a problem we are facing in the Middle East--
that of resurgent anti-Semitism. I am joined by my friend and colleague from Oregon, Sen. Smith, in offering this resolution.
Right now, throughout this month, a multi-part series is being broadcast on Egyptian state television entitled, ``Horseman Without a Horse.'' This program is based on a notorious anti-Semitic document known as ``The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.''
``The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,'' written in the early 20th century by Russian anti-Semites, purports to be a record of secret meetings at which Jewish leaders hatched a plan for global Jewish domination. All reputable scholars have discredited the document, but it has proven tougher to stamp out than the most resilient weed.
Time and again, various anti-Semitic leaders have used the Protocols of the Elders of Zion to justify outrageous acts of persecution against the Jewish people. The perpetrators of pogroms in Russia cited it. Hitler used it. So did Stalin. It has become a staple of anti-Semitic propaganda.
The places these myths are most likely to surface nowadays are in the Arab world. With depressing regularity, we see Jews portrayed in the Arab media as bloodthirsty, conniving, and manipulative. The editorial cartoons of Jews that appear in Egyptian newspapers alone would be shocking to nearly any American who saw them.
Now comes a television program about Jewish plots to control the world, broadcast nationwide on Egyptian government-sponsored television stations. It is likely the series will air in other Arab countries as well.
Some would argue that this demonizations is an unavoidable hyproduct of the Arab-Israeli conflict. But perpetrating anti-Semitic myths is never acceptable. Arab governments can be expected to have their differences with Israel, and to seek to resolve those differences through negotiations. They can even be expected to criticize Israeli policies. But the gratuitous demonization of Jews serves on to incite popular sentiment against Jewish people, and by extension, the State of Israel. Instead, these governments should be seeking to promote religious tolerance, and to prepare their populations for peace with Israel.
Egypt is a friend and ally of the United States. It is a significant recipient of U.S. foreign assistance because successive administrations of both parties have found the alliance to serve our national interests. But we have a right to expect better from our friends. We have a right to expect that they will not intentionally promote false and racist views that incite religious intolerance. As the State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher, said recently, ``We don't think government TV stations should be broadcasting programs that we consider racist and untrue.''
Anti-Semitism is a form of racism, and we need to condemn it whenever it occurs. The resolution I am offering today with Sen. Smith condemns any effort that lends legitimacy to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, supports the State Department's criticism of the Egyptian television series ``Horseman Without a Horse'', and urges the Government of Egypt and other Arab governments to refrain from broadcasting racist and untrue material, and to speak out against such incitement.
I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this import resolution.
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