AMMAN The past four years have witnessed a dramatic increase in Arab-American involvement in U.S. politics, said an Arab-American delegate during a recent visit to Jordan. Dr. Mohammad Said, a delegate to both the 1984 and 1988 Democratic conventions, noted that the 1988 Democratic convention had 55 Arab-American Democrats, an increase of 50 Democrats from 1984. "These delegates were active in bringing the Palestinian issue to the convention floor," said the only Palestinian on the Democratic national platform committee. A medical doctor living in Washington State, Said said: "The intifada in the occupied territories has had a major impact on Americans. We would not have been able to achieve as much with out it." He pointed out that while in 1984 the Washington State de- legation was barely able to pass a broadly worded human rights re- solution on the Mideast, in 1988 a vote on the Arab-Israeli peace resolution passed unanimously. The resolution, which was drafted by Said, the representatives of the mainstream Jewish community in Washington State and Sarah Kaplan, a member of the Democratic national platform committee, called on the U.S. government to promote a comprehensive negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Arab and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts on the following basis: United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, mutual recognition of Israel's right to live in peace within safe and internationally recognized borders, and the right of the Palestinians to safety, self-determination and an independent state, the signing of treaties of peace between Israel, the Palestinians and their neighbors.

The resolution also called on the parties to the conflict to negotiate between themselves in an international conference that includes representatives designated by the Palestinian people and representatives of the Israeli government, Said said. However, Said was quick to add that although the resolution was passed by the 4,000 delegates of Washington State, "the resolution was not voted on the convention floor for political considerations."

"Unity among Jesse Jackson supporters was important to us as Arab-Americans," he said, explaining that despite Jackson's adamant stand in favor of the resolution, some of his supporters "threatened to quit" if the resolution was presented. In order not to create a split among the supporters, a compromise was reached to debate the resolution without a vote. "We (Arab-Americans) knew that the resolution would have been defeated anyway because of the Jewish pressure," he said.

According to Said, several Jewish groups pressured Michael Dukakis not to present the minority plan "which calls for the self-determination of Palestinians." He added that "Dukakis people" had been instructed to vote against certain amendments and refused to open mindedly listen to new comments. However, having the issue debated was considered a "victory" by Arab-Americans. In addition, having the resolution unanimously passed in Washington State would serve as a model for other states to present resolutions at the legislative level.

"It would be better at the congressional level," said Said, adding that one of Washington State's senators, Brooke Adam, has promised to present the resolution if "Adam can gain the support of another senator." To Said, both the Democratic and the Republican parties have the same policies when it comes to Middle East policies. "Both are influenced by the Jewish community and both fully support Israel," he said. Said believes when the Jewish community changes American foreign policy will change. "This change is taking place in the Jewish communities, thanks to the intifada," he said.

In addition to drafting the resolution with Kaplan, Said has worked with the new Jewish Agenda, a group of Jewish activists calling for a state solution, and has recently established the Arab Gentile Agenda (AJGA the Arabic word for "has arrived"). "We must work with Jews who have similar views," he said.

Arab-American groups such as the Arab-American Institute, the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee and the Arab- American University Graduates are coordinating their efforts. "It is important for us to work under one umbrella," said Said. Said stressed that it is equally important for Arab-Americans to join their local clubs and to work at the grassroots level, and for Arab-Americans to vote during the American primaries.

Attending the convention as delegates were Norman Murdock, Commissioner of Hamilton County, Ohio and Raymond Howar, a Washington, DC, businessman, Norman Murdock is a practicing attorney and certified public accountant. Long active in his community, Murdock has served as Commissioner of Hamilton County since 1979, following 12 years in the Ohio House of Representatives. In 1980 he co-chaired the Ohio Reagan-Bush campaign committee.

Howar, the son of Palestinians who emigrated to the United States after the turn of the century, is a real estate developer and vice chair of the District of Columbia Republican Central Committee. While Howar is a strong supporter of presidential candidate George Bush, he is critical of the Reagan Administration's handling of Middle East policy and advocates a more even-handed stance for the U.S. in the region. Another prominent Arab American who traveled to Atlanta is George Salem, the U.S. Solicitor of Labor. Salem, a board member of the Arab American Institute, is the highest ranking Palestinian American in the Reagan administration. Vocal in his support for Bush, Salem states that the current vice president would bring with him to office "a perspective of fairness, developed through his years of service in public policy positions, including his service as a Congressman, and later as the United States first ambassador to China. He is the most qualified person for president in this country." He points out that Bush has traveled extensively in the Middle East and has good personal relations with many government leaders in the region.

Salem also has words of praise for his own community: "Arab Americans are openly and visibly participating in the political process this year as never before. This is the next phase in the maturation of the community vis- a- vis its involvement in the political process. In 1984 we saw the first organized Arab American presence in U.S. campaign history. Now, we see Arab Americans participating as delegates and hosting their own gala convention at the Republican convention."

A number of other Arab Americans who have worked actively in support of the Bush campaign also attended the convention as observers. They included Virginia businessman Fuad Sahouri, regional campaign coordinator Bill Gunselman, NAAA chapter executive director George Aldridge, and Houston physician Adeeb Mikhail, all from Texas; campaign volunteer Suzanne Sareini of Michigan; and Republican party district leader Michele Forzley of New York.