Source: Los Angeles Times
On July 9, 1999, the Los Angeles Times reported that House Democratic leader Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO.) withdrew the nomination of Salam Al-Marayati to a congressional commission on counter-terrorism. Gephardt claimed that Al-Marayati would not be able to gain security clearance in time for him to join the commission. Gephardt has been under fire from Jewish organizations ever since he made the appointment. Morton A. Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, accused Al-Marayati of excusing terrorist attacks against Israel. Al-Marayati has said that his statements draw a distinction between terrorist acts against Israeli civilians and military acts launched against Israeli troops in Lebanon. Although he denounces their terrorist activities, Al-Marayati has also said that he won't flatly condemn Hamas or Hezbollah because they carry out beneficial services, like building hospitals in Palestinian areas. Dr. Maher Hathout, senior advisor to the Muslim Public Affairs Council and head of the Islamic Center of Southern California, stated: "We feel that it is a very unfortunate decision, that Congressman Gephardt just responded to pressure from a very demagogic group that created noise without any proof of their allegations. It puts us in a very difficult situation."