Islamic front groups in the US are seething over the United States’ support for Israel: American Muslims angry at US stance on Mideast conflict.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - American Muslims chafe at the US government’s hands-off approach to Israeli reprisals and worry about countless relatives and friends trapped by violence in Lebanon.

US officials say Israel “has the right to defend itself,” since its incursion into Gaza three weeks ago and air raids on Lebanon, but President George W. Bush’s stance offends Americans who are Muslims or of Arab descent.

Early last week, a coalition of 11 major Muslim organizations publicly called on Bush to forcefully condemn the attacks on Gaza and to designate as “war crimes” the destruction of Palestinian civilian infrastructure.

After the Israeli bombing of Lebanon, the appeals for denouncing Israel have multiplied.

“Once again America’s image and interests worldwide are being harmed by one-sided support for Israeli actions,” said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest US Muslim rights group.

“We’re urging Muslims in America and other people of conscience to contact their elected officials to tell them that we have to have balanced foreign policy for the Middle East, one that is driven by American interests, not Israeli interests.”

American Islamic Congress director Zainab Al-Suwaij had an even more immediate goal, urging the US to actively lobby for an end to violence.

“The policy for the US should be stopping the violence, period, and starting to solve the problem through negotiations.”

The American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee announced a rally outside the White House Tuesday to “protest Israeli military action in Lebanon and Gaza.”

The committee, founded in 1980 by former US senator of Arab descent James Abourezk, calls itself the largest Arab civil rights group in the United States.