Cui bono?

Progressive Jewish Alliance Executive Director Daniel Sokatch questions the attacks on Dr. Maher Hathout and Salam Al-Marayati of MPAC:

What kind of message will discrediting MPAC and its leaders--seen as moderates in the Muslim community--send to millions of American Muslims about their place in our society? If MPAC's moderate agenda is thwarted, what do we think will take its place? Those in the Jewish community who desire MPAC's disappearance should be careful what they wish for.

For more context, see here and here for LA Times coverage. Unfortunately, the LA Times does not quote any of the Jewish leaders who criticized the attacks on Dr. Hathout; the stories leave the general impression that the entire organized Jewish community has mobilized against him, which simply is not the case.

I think it's a shame - and indeed counter-productive - for American Jewish organizations to be out in public criticizing the first-ever county human relations award to a Muslim. And it's horrible for LA interreligious work. Dr. Hathout may be a tough adversary in many respects, and he may say things that Jews and Israelis find hard to hear (though to be fair, he's said nothing that hasn't been said by a good number of Israeli and American Jews themselves). However, as Yitzchak Rabin said, one does not make peace with one's friends - we dialogue with our opponents, not our close allies. He is an honorable man who fights fair. Moreover, he has the courage to grow and change, and to shape and guide his community in the process. Why would anyone want to put barriers in the way of such a leader?