E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION

Vol. 143 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1997 No. 118 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m., and was votes. It is hoped that all action on the for years, but in the last 6 months the called to order by the President pro bill will be completed today. situation has escalated. tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. As is customary on Tuesday, there On March 21 of this year, on July 30 will be a recess from 12:30 p.m. until of this year, and on September 4 of this PRAYER 2:15 for the weekly policy luncheons to year, there have been bombings, mur- The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John meet. Following disposition of the dering 21 Israelis and wounding over Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: pending legislation, S. 1061, the Senate 330 other Israelis. On August 27, Chair- Gracious Lord, the divine Potter of will begin consideration of S. 830, the man Yasser Arafat openly embraced our lives, our days are in Your hands. FDA reform bill. the Hamas leader, specifically Shape the clay as You have planned. (Mr. HUTCHINSON assumed the condoning and supporting the Hamas May the day work out exactly as You chair.) terrorism in a picture seen around the have arranged it for Your glory and our f world: The famous shot heard around growth. We say with the psalmist, ‘‘I the world. This is the famous picture U.S. FOREIGN POLICY IN THE seen around the world as depicted on delight to do Your will, O my God, and MIDDLE EAST Your law is within my heart.’’—Psalm the front page of the New York Times. 40:8. We long to know what is best for Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, in the And in this embrace and in this kiss our Nation. Now at the beginning of absence of any Senators in the Cham- facially, Yasser Arafat has thumbed his the day we commit to You the chal- ber to proceed with the legislation nose not only at the Israelis but at the lenges and decisions of this day. We de- pending, I will take this occasion for a United States and our allies and all sire to glorify You, so show us what few moments to discuss U.S. foreign others who have poured billions of dol- You desire. With inspired inten- policy in the Mideast. This is espe- lars into the Palestinian authority. tionality, we put our relationship with cially appropriate since today the Sec- My point is, simply stated, that it is You first and make our primary goal retary of State, Madeleine Albright, is time to stop that U.S. aid, and it is what is best for our Nation. In the traveling to the Mideast in an effort to time that the U.S. exert its maximum name of the way, the truth, and the promote the so-called peace process. influence to persuade our allies to stop life. Amen. My very strong view is that the time that aid because of what has in fact f has come for a fundamental reassess- happened. The Palestinians now have a ment of U.S. policy for the Mideast. police force of some 30,000. They have RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING The brutal fact of life is that there is highly sophisticated weapons which are MAJORITY LEADER no peace process. We talk of the peace really not designed for a police force. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The process, but there is a one-sided war Should Israel now turn over an airport able acting majority leader is recog- being waged today by the Palestinians, to the Palestinians so that they can de- nized. a war against Israel. velop air power as well? Mr. SPECTER. I thank the distin- Regrettably, terrorism has replaced The fundamental principle of the guished President pro tempore. warfare as a way of obtaining or seek- Camp David accord and the Oslo accord f ing to obtain political objectives. After was that there would be confidence the Israelis were successful in the wars measures established, that there would SCHEDULE of 1948, 1956, 1967, and 1973, there has no be assistance to the Palestinians in Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have longer been an effort to confront Israel Gaza and on the West Bank, that there been asked by the majority leader to militarily, but the insidious terrorist would be an improvement in the stand- announce that today the Senate will war continues. President Reagan said ard of living, that there would be an immediately resume consideration of that the Soviets liked the arms race as opportunity for Israel and the Palestin- S. 1061, the Labor-HHS, Education ap- long as they were the only ones in it, ians to live side by side. But the brutal propriations bill. As Members are and then with the change of United fact of life is that that has not hap- aware, under the order, all amend- States policy in the 1980’s we brought pened. And when the U.S. policy now ments had to be offered last evening to the Soviet Union to bankruptcy and suggests going to final status negotia- be in order. The Senate will continue ended that matter. And now I submit it tions, it seems totally inappropriate debating and voting on amendments is time for a change in U.S. foreign pol- when the confidence building measures throughout the day’s session. The first icy in the Mideast because, simply have not worked. rollcall vote will occur at 2:15 today. stated, the emperor is wearing no U.S. law now prohibits economic aid As always, Members will be notified as clothes. There is no peace process. We to the Palestinians on conditions im- to the scheduling of other rollcall have had continuing terrorist attacks posed in an amendment introduced by

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

S8937 S8938 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 9, 1997

Senator SHELBY and myself in 1994 summer Olympics in Munich in 1972. icy at the present time and it is coun- which became part of the foreign aid Many thought, including this Senator, terproductive and simply not sensible bill of 1995. That amendment provided that Chairman Arafat should have been to continue on the policy which is that further U.S. economic aid was prosecuted for the hijacking of the being undertaken at the present time, conditioned on two factors. No. 1, a Achille Lauro and the murder of Mr. to continue to have United States dol- maximum effort by the Palestinians to Leon Klinghoffer who was pushed over- lars and our allies’ dollars poured into stop the terrorism. Realistically there board in October 1985. the Palestinian Authority, which only cannot be guarantors. There is no such But in the world of real politics, re- increases the ability of some Palestin- thing as an absolute success require- markable, strange, bizarre things ians to conduct terrorism and also to ment. But there is a requirement of a occur, and I think such an occurrence prepare to wage an all-out war. 100 percent effort, and that certainly was presented at the White House lawn The thought about a Palestinian has not happened. The second require- back in September 1993 in conferring a state had been deferred, awaiting to see ment of the Specter-Shelby amend- joint Nobel Peace Prize on Chairman what confidence-building measures ment was that the PLO charter be Arafat. It seemed to me that when could arise, but when the DeConcini changed to eliminate the language Prime Minister Rabin shook Chairman delegation arrived in Jericho in De- calling for the destruction of Israel. Arafat’s hand and then Foreign Min- cember 1993, just a few months after That, too, has not been done, with ister Peres shook Chairman Arafat’s the signing of the accord on the White some excuses about the Palestinian hand, considering the fact that Israel House lawn on September 13, 1993, the legislative group not convening, some had borne the brunt of the PLO terror- Palestinian flags were already in full representation that the accord signed ism, I should shake his hand as well, evidence. As far as the Palestinians on September 13, 1993, in effect changed and I have on a number of occasions. were concerned, it was a de facto state. the charter, but that is legally incor- Senator DeConcini led a delegation of There had been concern that there rect. The charter has not been changed. which I was a member back in Decem- would be a Trojan horse within Israel. After the March 21 terrorist attack ber 1993. Senator Hank Brown and I vis- That has not happened because it on a Tel Aviv restaurant, Prime Min- ited Chairman Arafat in Gaza in 1995, hasn’t been a secret Trojan horse; it ister Netanyahu charged that Chair- August. Senator RICHARD SHELBY and I has been an army out in the open, some man Arafat had given a green light to visited Chairman Arafat in Gaza in 30,000 strong with sophisticated mili- the terrorists. When Secretary of State January 1996, and on each occasion we tary weapons and with the chief of po- Madeleine Albright appeared before the pressed him hard about stopping ter- lice being under indictment under Appropriations Subcommittee on For- rorism. And in August 1996 Senator charge of having worked with the ter- eign Operations, I asked whether in Brown and I had obtained a long list of rorists. fact it was true that the Secretary of terrorists from now Prime Minister It is my hope, Mr. President, that State knew the facts that Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu. At that time, President Clinton himself will become Arafat had given a green light. Sec- Mr. Netanyahu was the leader of the engaged in the Mideast peace process. I retary Albright replied that there had opposition. And one by one, we went think it is a very good move for Sec- not been a green light but there had over this list of terrorists with Chair- retary of State Albright to go to the not been a red light either. man Arafat, and we heard his excuses Mideast, and I compliment the Presi- Now, Mr. President, if there is not a one by one. But now Chairman Arafat dent for the decision to send our Sec- red light, then U.S. law requires an end has run out of excuses. retary of State there, notwithstanding to the economic aid. There is an abso- The U.S. policy appears to be con- the terrorist attack of last week. It is lute obligation on the part of Chairman tinuing to work with Chairman Arafat my hope that there will be a renewed Arafat and the Palestinian Authority because there is no one else to work effort by the United States to press to to make that maximum, 100 percent, with, but I suggest that if Chairman resume the Israeli-Syrian dialog. I be- effort and it was not made. Earlier this Arafat is the best we have to work lieve that the visit that President Clin- year, in March, Deputy Secretary of with, then the reality is we have no ton made to Damascus in 1994 was a Education Moshe Peled of Israel one to work with. From meetings that very fruitful visit. There have been re- charged that Chairman Arafat had I have had with Palestinian leaders ports that President Clinton was en- knowledge in 1993 before the bombing over the course of the past decade, it is gaged in negotiations as an of the World Trade Center. When I my view that there may well be some- intermediary between Prime Minister noted that accusation, I called upon one to succeed Chairman Arafat. We Rabin and President Assad which the Department of Justice to conduct know on this state of the record, with might have led to an accord between an investigation as to what had hap- what Chairman Arafat has done on re- Israel and Syria, depending on what pened there. I then pursued the matter peated pronouncements and this em- happened to the Golan Heights. That by calling Deputy Secretary Peled my- brace seen around the world, it is sim- matter might have been referred to Is- self. I could not talk to him because he ply not workable to continue to deal rael for a referendum, and there are spoke only Hebrew, and I spoke only with him. signs now that it would be fruitful to English. But my associate, David Brog, Now, it may be that the zebra can resume those discussions. who works with me on these issues, change its stripes, but on this state of I think it also might be helpful to the who speaks Hebrew, talked to Mr. the record my sense is that it is futile Israeli-Palestinian situation to take Peled, who stood by his earlier com- to continue to deal with Chairman the world’s spotlight and the glare of ments. And it is my understanding that Arafat. The terrorists whom Israel has the television cameras, so thoroughly the FBI has questioned Mr. Peled and tried to have extradited for trial, of enjoyed by Chairman Arafat, away that an investigation is ongoing, but as which 31 are now on the list, some 11 from the Israeli-Palestinian con- yet we have not heard what the results have either joined the Palestinian Au- troversy and focus some attention on of that investigation are. thority police force or are awaiting an Israeli-Syrian peace accord. If a It was a difficult day for me back on entry there. I have discussed with the peace could be brokered between Israel September 13, 1993, when Chairman distinguished Presiding Officer, Sen- and Syria to go along with the peace Arafat was honored at a ceremony on ator HUTCHINSON, who introduced a between Egypt and Israel from the the lawn of the White House. It was an sense-of-the-Senate resolution last Camp David accords and the more re- especially difficult day because many week, combining our efforts in seeking cent peace negotiations between Jor- of us felt that Chairman Arafat should hearings on this matter to go into dan and Israel, that would leave the have been prosecuted for his complic- some detail and hear from the Sec- Palestinian issue the odd man out. I ity in the murder of our American Am- retary of State after her return from believe that a direct involvement by bassador to the Sudan, Cleo A. Noble, the Mideast and to hear from the De- the President, which I had suggested Jr., and our Charge´, George C. Moore in partment of Justice what are the rami- last August after I returned from con- Khartoum back in 1973. Many thought fications of the inquiries conducted as versations with both Prime Minister Arafat should have been prosecuted for to Moshe Peled’s charges, because lead- Netanyahu and President Assad, would the murders of 11 Israeli athletes at the ership is necessary to our foreign pol- be very, very fruitful. September 9, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S8939 I have seen in my foreign travels in objectives by killing women, children, Some were concerned that the Oslo my capacity as Chairman of the Senate and any other available civilians by accords would create a Trojan horse—a Intelligence Committee and my work cowardly sneak attacks in restaurants, concealed military force within Israel. on the Foreign Operations Subcommit- shopping centers, and street corners. But it was not that way at all. It was tee of the Appropriations Committee Yet, we continue to talk of the peace not concealed, but it was a force. the enormous respect and admiration process while this one-sided war is We now find a Palestinian police that the United States is held in being waged. President Reagan cor- force—really an army. Although the around the world. We are the only su- rectly noted that the Soviets liked the Oslo accords limit the Palestinians to perpower, and we are greatly admired arms race as long as they were the only 24,000 policemen in the West Bank and for our tremendous economic success. ones in it. The United States changed Gaza, the Israeli Government reports We have the potential for enormous in- course in the 1980’s with military pre- that the PLO currently deploys over fluence. When the President of the paredness and brought the U.S.S.R. to 30,000 policemen. The Palestinian United States, when that office is in- its knees in bankruptcy. police have acquired sophisticated volved, regardless of who the President It is now time—really past time—to weapons typically used by armies, not is—President Reagan, President Bush, change U.S. policy in the Mid-East. police forces, such as LAU and RPG President Carter, President Clinton— This week’s visit by Secretary Mad- antitank missiles, antiaircraft mis- when the Presidency exerts that power, eleine Albright presents an occasion to siles, and Kayushas. there are enormous potential benefits do just that. Of the 31 suspected terrorists whose While the PLO makes a pretense at to be gained in bringing adversaries to- extradition is being sought by Israel, 11 peace, the United States and our allies gether. are either serving in the Palestinian are making the Palestinian Authority It is my hope that Secretary Albright police or are in the process of joining stronger by financing their buildup. its ranks. The Palestinian police chief, will make some progress. It is my hope The concept of the Camp David Ghazi Jabali, stands accused by Israel that the President will personally in- agreement and the Oslo accords was of planning terrorist attacks on Israeli tervene in these matters, because his sound. Give the Palestinians local au- civilians. The Israelis cited evidence participation in the past has been very, tonomy. Develop confidence building that General Jabali helped plot a July very productive, but it ought to be measures. Set the stage for the Pal- 1997 attack on Jewish settlers near very plain that on the current state of estinians to live side by side in peace the record, the United States will not, with Israel. Nablus. Israel has issued a warrant for should not, cannot, must not provide The problem is that it just has not his arrest and a formal order for his ex- further economic aid to the Palestinian worked. It’s time to acknowledge that tradition to Israel to face these Authority, that we should use our ut- the emperor is wearing no clothes. charges. The Washington Post reported most persuasive powers to get our al- I had long thought Chairman Arafat on August 7, 1997, that the Clinton ad- lies to follow the same course of not should be prosecuted for his complicity ministration has said it has proof that giving economic aid to the Palestinian in the murder of our Ambassador to Jabali helped organize this attack. Authority, because to do so is just to the Sudan, Cleo A. Noel, Jr., and our What next? Israel has resisted giving build up their military capacity, their Charge´ d’Affaires, George C. Moore, in the Palestinians their own airport. capacity for terrorism, the police force, Khartoum on March 2, 1973; for the Should a Palestinian air force be per- the army of some 30,000 and the sophis- murders of 11 Israeli athletes at the mitted? Will continued U.S. and allied ticated weapons they now have. The re- Summer Olympics in Munich in 1972; aid be funneled into such air power and ality is that the emperor has no and the murder of Mr. Leon Klinghoffer further military development? clothes. There is no peace process. on the Achille Lauro in October 1985. Assessing blame for the deterioration There is a war engaged, one side of the But I thought, if Prime Minister Rabin in the Israeli-Palestinian relationship war is terrorism, with the efforts of the and Foreign Minister Peres could is an endless and futile undertaking. Palestinians to use terrorism to re- shake Chairman Arafat’s hand—consid- Whatever blame is attached to Prime place warfare as a method of getting ering Israel had born the brunt of PLO Minister Netanyahu’s rhetoric and their political objectives. terrorism—then so could I. policies, that cannot be placed on the The time has come for a fundamental I have shaken his hand in meetings same scale as PLO terrorist murders. reassessment of U.S. policy for the with a delegation led by Senator Den- I strongly believe that the United Mid-East. nis DeConcini in Cairo in December States should now cut off any further The brutal fact of life is that there is 1993, with Senator Hank Brown in Gaza aid and persuade our allies to do the no peace process. in August 1995, and with Senator RICH- same unless and until the Palestinian It is time to acknowledge there is a ARD SHELBY in Gaza in January 1996. Authority demonstrates a 100-percent war going on. The PLO is at war with On each occasion, our delegation effort to stop terrorism. They cannot Israel. pressed him on stopping terrorism. In be guarantors, but they can and should There can be no other conclusion our August 1995 meeting, Senator be held to a 100-percent effort. from these facts: Brown and I had obtained from now- When PLO terrorism continued after First, the PLO/Hamas in three ter- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Oslo accords were signed, Senator rorist attacks in the past 6 months then the leader of the opposition, a list SHELBY and I introduced the Specter- have murdered 21 Israelis and wounded of PLO terrorists against whom Chair- Shelby amendment which became law over 330. man Arafat refused to act. One by one on August 23, 1994, as part of the fiscal Second, Chairman Arafat has lit- we listened to his excuses why nothing year 1995 foreign operations bill. That erally and figuratively embraced could be done. By now, he has run out amendment provided for a cutoff of Hamas openly. His front page kiss of of excuses. United States aid if: First, the PLO did the Hamas leader seen around the Following the Oslo accords, the Unit- not change its charter calling for the world tells the Arab world and cer- ed States took the lead with our allies destruction of Israel; and second, the tainly the Palestinians that the Pal- in providing financial aid in the bil- Palestinian Authority did not make a estinian Authority condones and sup- lions to the Palestinian Authority. Our 100-percent effort to stop terrorism. ports Hamas. calculation was that improving the In a report published in the Jerusa- Third, even after last week’s terror- lives of the Palestinians would provide lem Post on March 26, 1997, Deputy ist attack, Hamas threatens more vio- stability to the region and promote Education Minister Moshe Peled lence if its demands are not met. peace. charged that Chairman Arafat knew in Terrorism has replaced conventional The issue of a Palestinian state was advance about the plan to blow up the warfare in the Mid-East as the prime supposedly deferred. But not as far as Trade Center in New York in 1993. I method to obtain political objectives. the Palestinians were concerned. When then wrote to Attorney General Reno After losing the wars of 1948, 1956, 1967, the DeConcini delegation arrived in on April 1, 1997, asking for an inves- and 1973, the Arab world has not di- Jericho in December 1993, we found tigation on that matter. After receiv- rectly confronted Israel militarily. In- flags for the Palestinian state with the ing a reply from the Department of stead the PLO has sought to obtain its PLO taking it as a fait accompli. Justice legislative liaison that they S8940 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 9, 1997 knew of no evidence to support that Albright asking if that was true. Re- scale Israel’s policy to build settle- charge, I called Mr. Peled on May 2, ceiving no answer, I pursued that ques- ments on its own land with PLO’s ter- 1997. Since he did not speak English tion when the Secretary of State ap- rorist murders. and I do not speak Hebrew, I asked my peared before the Appropriations Sub- Somehow, we must reach the daily assistant, David Brog, who does speak committee on Foreign Operations on preaching of hatred against Jews by Hebrew, to talk to him. Mr. Peled May 22, 1997. the PLO and Moslem fundamentalists. stood by his charge, but declined to The Secretary of State responded It may well be that until we solve that elaborate. that Chairman Arafat had not given a underlying problem, the reach for On May 14, 1997, I again wrote to At- green light, but had not given a red peace in the Mid-East will be a con- torney General Reno with more spe- light either. That is totally unsatisfac- tinuing generation away. cific requests on what her Department tory. Under United States law, em- The record continues to demonstrate should do in its investigation. When I bodied in the Specter-Shelby amend- the spewing of hate by Chairman announced on June 13, 1997, that I in- ment, a red light is mandated if the Arafat and his ilk. Just weeks ago, on tended to put a hold—that is, hold up Palestinian Authority is to continue to August 25, 1997, a moderator on PLO on the confirmation of Deputy Attor- receive United States aid. controlled television declared that ney General Eric Holder, the Depart- The administration continues a pol- ‘‘the Jews exaggerate what the Nazis ment of Justice committed to under- icy of giving financial aid to the Pal- did to them’’ and that ‘‘no more than take an investigation. I have since estinian Authority to promote the so- 400,000’’ Jews were killed in the Holo- heard media reports that the FBI inter- called peace process and to deal with caust. Likewise, PLO officials includ- viewed Mr. Peled in his Tel Aviv office Chairman Arafat on the argument that ing their representative to the United for some 2 hours on June 26, 1997. On there is no one else with whom to deal. Nations in Geneva have embraced a June 4, 1997, and again on July 28, 1997, I emphatically disagree on both modern version of the age-old blood I asked FBI Director Louis Freeh about counts. liable by claiming that Israeli authori- the progress of the investigation dur- Further financial aid to the Palestin- ties injected hundreds of Palestinian ing Judiciary Committee hearings. ian authority only strengthens the children with the HIV virus. Both times, I was told he would let me PLO’s ability to carry out terrorist at- These messages of hatred are not di- know. To date, I have received no re- tacks and ultimately wage an all-out rected against Israel alone. On July 11, port on the progress of that investiga- war. 1997, the PLO-appointed Mufti of Jeru- tion. To continue to deal with Chairman salem, Sheikh Ikrama Sabri, said in a In light of Mr. Peled’s charge and the Arafat on this date of the record is sermon broadcast on the Palestinian March 21, 1997, terrorist attack on a counter-productive and foolish. How Authority’s official radio station: ‘‘Oh Tel Aviv restaurant, I proposed an can we deal with a man who openly em- Allah, destroy America for she is ruled amendment to the fiscal year 1998 for- braced the Hamas terrorist leader by Zionist Jews . . . Allah will paint eign operations bill providing that no which condones prior murder and en- the White House black . . . Allah shall aid shall be given to the Palestinian courages future mayhem. take revenge on behalf of his prophet Authority unless: If Chairman Arafat is the best we against the colonialist settlers who are First, the Palestinian Authority is using have to deal with, then their best is sons of monkeys and pigs.’’ its maximum efforts to combat terrorism not good enough. After extensive dia- Beyond the current visit by the Sec- and, in accordance with the Oslo accords, has logue with moderate Palestinians for retary of State, I continue to urge the ceased the use violence, threat of violence, more than a decade, I believe there are or incitement to violence as a tool of the personal involvement of the President. Palestinian Authority’s policy toward Israel; others who could to a better job than At the right moment, his personal Second, after a full investigation by the Chairman Arafat. None could do worse. touch on the Israeli-Palestinian prob- Department of Justice, the executive branch I would not categorically rule out lem could be powerful. of government concludes that Chairman further dealings with Chairman Arafat My foreign travels on behalf of the Arafat had no prior knowledge of the World if he again changes his stripes. Not to Senate Intelligence Committee and the Trade Center bombing, and discredit the zebra or to unduly mix Third, after a full inquiry by the Depart- Appropriations Foreign Operations metaphors, Chairman Arafat makes Subcommittee have shown me the ment of State, the executive branch of gov- the chameleon look constant. ernment concludes that Chairman Arafat did enormous impact the United States has not authorize and did not fail to use his au- The Chairman Arafat who embraced around the world. The United States is thority to prevent the Tel Aviv cafe bombing Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi— respected and admired. As the only re- of March 21, 1997. pictured on the front page of the New maining superpower, our power is ac- That amendment was adopted on York Times on August 21, 1997—is to- knowledged as awesome. July 16, 1997, as part of the Senate bill tally unacceptable as was the Chair- Bringing peace to the Mid-East is an and now awaits action in the forthcom- man Arafat who was implicated in the awesome task in the face of millennia ing Senate-House conference. murders of our Ambassador and Charge of strife in that region. By properly de- The subsequent terrorist attacks on d’Affairs in the Sudan in 1973, the mur- ploying our persuasion and power, we July 30 and September 4 require in- der of 11 Israeli athletes at Munich in may still be able to do it. creased sanctions of an unconditional 1972 and the highjack/murder of Leon I ask unanimous consent that all let- elimination of U.S. aid plus our efforts Klinghoffer on the Achille Lauro in 1985. ters and articles referred to be printed But, in the distasteful world of real to persuade our allies to do the same. in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD at the I support the President’s decision to politic, who knows? What will be the conclusion of this floor statement. send Secretary of State Madeleine future of Chairman Arafat and the Pal- There being no objection, the mate- Albright to the Mid-East notwithstand- estinian Authority? We know that rial was ordered to be printed in the ing the September 4 bombing and urge Chairman Arafat responds to pressure. RECORD, as follows: greater U.S. involvement including ac- If the United States applies the most U.S. SENATE, tion by the President himself. How- pressure, perhaps he will again be mini- COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, ever, I disagreed with the administra- mally acceptable. But on today’s Washington, DC, April 1, 1997. tion’s decision to continue United record, the cutoff of aid from the Unit- Hon. JANET RENO, States aid to the Palestinian Authority ed States and our allies and the rejec- Attorney General, Department of Justice, Wash- after the March 21 bombing and I op- tion of Chairman Arafat should be ab- ington, DC. pose the suggested administration pol- solute. DEAR ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO: Just yes- icy to move to final status negotia- The desperate situation in the Mid- terday I saw a news report that Israeli intel- tions promptly. East calls for more intense U.S. in- ligence has evidence that Palestinian Au- After the March 21 bombing, Prime volvement in new directions. We should thority Chairman Yasser Arafat had prior knowledge of the 1993 plot to bomb New York Minister Netanyahu accused Chairman continue to urge all the parties, includ- City’s World Trade Center which killed six Arafat of giving a green light to that ing Prime Minister Netanyahu, to im- people. terrorist attack. On March 24, 1997, I prove the climate for negotiation. How- The news report quoted Deputy Education wrote Secretary of State Madeleine ever, we should not place on the same Minister Moshe Peled stating: ‘‘More than September 9, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S8941 that, he [referring to Arafat] was part of the In my judgment, it is very important for Peled confirmed information relayed by in- discussions on the operation.’’ The news re- the State Department to make a factual de- telligence sources that, several days before port further said that Arafat was privy to termination as to whether Chairman Arafat the February 26, 1993 bombing, Arafat met the conspiracy and met with Sudanese and and the Palestinian authority did give a with Sudanese and Islamic terrorist leaders Islamic terrorist leaders. green light indirectly to the terrorists and who discussed the plot. With this letter, I am enclosing for you a whether there was a failure to detain known The sources said Arafat was privy to the photostatic copy of the news report from the terrorists and to confiscate weaponry. conspiracy because of his close personal ties Jerusalem Post on March 26. I would appreciate your advice, as prompt- to Sudanese leader Hassan Turabi, head of I would very much appreciate it if you ly as possible, on your Department’s conclu- the National Islamic Front. According to a would conduct the appropriate investigation sion as to whether Chairman Arafat and the U.S. State Department report on terrorism, to determine what evidence exists, if any, of Palestinian authority gave an indirect green Turabi is a leading advocate of closer ties be- Arafat’s complicity in this matter. light to the terrorists. tween terrorist groups and their government It appears to me that, if true, Arafat would As you know, an amendment offered by sponsors. He was also a leading figure in the be prosecutable under U.S. criminal laws. I Senator Shelby and myself to the Middle Fatah-Hamas dialogue in 1995. would appreciate your advice as to what in- East Peace Facilitation Act of 1995 condi- Two Sudanese diplomats were arrested and dictments could be brought as to Chairman tions the $500 million in U.S. aid to the Pal- later deported in July of 1993, after U.S. au- Arafat. estinian authority on presidential certifi- thorities directly linked them to the explo- Thank you for your consideration of this cation that the Palestinian authority is sion at the World Trade Center and a plot to report. complying with all of its commitments bomb the United Nations. Sincerely, under its peace accords with Israel, including Israeli government spokesmen refused to ARLEN SPECTER. its commitment to prevent acts of terrorism comment on the intelligence reports or on and undertake ‘‘legal measures against ter- Peled’s call for Prime Minister Binyamin U.S. SENATE, rorists, including the arrest and prosecution Netanyahu to release them to the U.S. ‘‘I COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, of individuals suspected of perpetrating acts don’t know anything about it,’’ said David Washington, DC, May 14, 1997. of violence and terror’’. Bar-Illan, director of communications and Hon. JANET RENO, The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee policy planning in the Prime Minister’s Of- Attorney General, Department of Justice, Wash- on Foreign Operations, on which I sit, will fice. ington, DC. soon be considering this issue for fiscal year A Defense Ministry spokesman also refused DEAR ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO: By letter 1998 so I would appreciate your prompt re- to comment. dated April 1, 1997, (copy enclosed) I wrote to sponse. But U.S. and Israeli intelligence sources you concerning Israeli Deputy Education In addition, I would appreciate your advis- agree that Arafat continues to maintain a Minister Moshe Peled’s statement that Pal- ing me as to whether there is any U.S. aid in large number of Fatah guerrillas in bases in estinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat the pipeline which has not yet been turned Sudan, 1,200 of whom arrived from that coun- had prior knowledge of the 1993 plot to bomb over to the Palestinian authority. If so, I re- try in 1994 and now serve in the Palestinian New York City’s World Trade Center. quest that such payments be withheld until security forces. One Israeli source said the By letter dated April 29 (copy enclosed) As- the determination as to whether the Pal- sistant Attorney General Andrew Fois re- number of Fatah guerrillas in Sudan is close estinian authority is complying with the to 3,000. sponded with a very generalized statement Specter-Shelby amendment. about having ‘‘queried the Israeli authori- ‘‘Arafat continues to maintain a training Sincerely, base in Sudan and the Fatah people there ties.’’ No mention was made whether the De- ARLEN SPECTER. partment of Justice talked to Deputy Edu- and work closely with the regime and with cation Minister Moshe Peled or did any real Iran,’’ said Yonah Alexander, a Pentagon U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, consultant and director of the terrorism pursuit on the matter. OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, Since I do not speak Hebrew, my assistant, studies program at George Washington Uni- Washington, DC, April 29, 1997. David Brog, Esquire, talked to Mr. Peled. versity. ‘‘If there hadn’t been an agreement Hon. ARLEN SPECTER, Mr. Peled said that he was not prepared to with Israel, then Fatah would definitely U.S. Senate, disclose any more information on Chairman have been on the U.S. list of terror organiza- Washington, DC. Arafat’s connection in the World Trade Cen- tions.’’ DEAR SENATOR SPECTER: This is in response ter bombing beyond what he told the Jerusa- But a U.S. counterterrorism official dis- to you letter to the Attorney General dated puted the claim and said Israeli officials lem Post. Mr. Brog said that Mr. Peled was April 1, 1997. Your letter encloses a news ar- not flexible on this point and that he (Mr. might be confusing Fatah with Abu Nidal’s ticle from The Jerusalem Post in which it is Fatah Revolutionary Council, which trains Brog) had the impression that Mr. Peled had reported that Yasser Arafat may have had gotten into some trouble for his previous dis- in Sudan. prior knowledge of the bombing of the World closure. ‘‘There’s no doubt there are terrorist Trade Center building on February 26, 1993. I am interested to know whether the De- groups training in Sudan, but (Fatah) isn’t Aside from the news report enclosed with partment of Justice talked to Mr. Peled be- one of them,’’ he said. you letter, the Department of Justice is un- fore Mr. Fois’s letter to me of April 29. If so, U.S. counterterrorism officials have ‘‘never aware of any information that Yasser Arafat what he said. If not, why wasn’t Mr. Peled heard any report of Fatah’’ training there, either had prior knowledge of the bombing of questioned. he said. He also stated that ‘‘there’s been no the World Trade Center or was in any way I consider this an extremely serious mat- indication of that kind of Sudan connection’’ involved in the conspiracy to bomb the ter. As you know, Chairman Arafat could be to the World Trade Center bombing. building. We have queried the Israeli au- extradited to the United States if there is At one of the Sudanese camps, Kadru north thorities about this information and they evidence to support Mr. Peled’s charge. of Khartoum, Iranian experts trained terror- I formally request the Department of Jus- deny the accuracy of the statements attrib- ists, including Fatah forces headed by Jaber tice to conduct a real investigation on this uted in the article to the Deputy Education Amer, as commanders, intelligence matter. Minister. operatives, and bombmakers, according to I hope this information is helpful. If we can Sincerely, the sources. be of further assistance with regard to this ARLEN SPECTER. A U.S. congressional investigator with or any other matter, please do not hesitate close ties to Israeli officials said Hamas and to contact this office. U.S. SENATE, Fatah have training camps in Sudan. ‘‘They Washington, DC, March 24, 1997. Sincerely, work together,’’ he said. ‘‘Arafat has strate- ANDREW FOIS, Hon. MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, gic ties with Turabi and he has exploited Secretary of State, Assistant Attorney General. them in order to forge cooperation with Washington, DC. Hamas.’’ But the investigator said although [From the Jerusalem Post, Mar. 26, 1997] DEAR SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: According to he has heard of reports that Arafat knew of the weekend press reports, Israeli Prime ARAFAT KNEW OF WORLD TRADE CENTER PLOT the World Trade Center bombing plot, and Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated (By Steven Rodan) was said to have even praised the idea, he is that Palestinian Chairman Yasir Arafat has Israeli intelligence has evidence that Pal- skeptical of the veracity of the information, indirectly given a green light to the terror- estinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat ‘‘I have yet to be convinced,’’ he said. ists resulting in the suicide bomb which had prior knowledge of the successful 1993 U.S. State Department officials said the killed and wounded many Israelis last Fri- plot to bomb New York City’s World Trade PLO has not authorized any terrorist at- day. Center, which killed six people. Deputy Edu- tacks since Arafat signed the Declaration of According to the news reports, Chairman cation Minister Moshe Peled said Tuesday Principles with Israel in September 1993. One Arafat and the Palestinian authority re- night. official who works on the State Depart- leased Ibrahim Maqadmeh. Prime Minister ‘‘More than that, he was part of the discus- ment’s report on global terrorism said he Netanyahu further stated that Chairman sions on the operation,’’ Peled said, ‘‘I call does not know of any Fatah bases in Sudan. Arafat and the Palestinian authority have on the prime minister to give the informa- In another development, Israeli officials failed to detain known terrorists and to con- tion to the Americans, so they’ll know who said the Clinton administration has quietly fiscate weaponry. they’re dealing with.’’ dropped its dispute of Israel’s assertion that S8942 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 9, 1997 Arafat has allowed the Islamic opposition were renouncing violence, as the Palestinian ‘‘In the name of our children,’’ he said, groups to resume terrorist attacks on Israel. leader did in reaching an accord with the Is- ‘‘the children of the uprising, I say: No one The officials said the CIA now shares Isra- raelis. The delegates said they remain im- can humiliate the Palestinian people, no one el’s assessment that Arafat gave Hamas and placably opposed to the agreement reached can defeat the Palestinian people, no one can Islamic Jihad a green light to carry out ter- in Oslo in 1993 between Israel and the Pal- make our Palestinian people bow!’’ rorist attacks, at least while he is abroad. estine Liberation Organization. ‘‘This is not a conference to support Oslo, f [From the New York Times, Aug. 21, 1997] but to support the stance of our people ORDER OF PROCEDURE against the American and Israeli pressures DEFYING ISRAEL, ARAFAT EMBRACES ISLAMIC Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, we MILITANTS on the Palestinian Authority to arrest and crack down on the Islamic movements,’’ said continue to await the arrival of Sen- (By Joel Greenberg) Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, a Hamas leader. ators on the floor to present amend- GAZA.—Defying Israeli and American de- The relationship between Mr. Arafat and ments. We have a very crowded sched- mands that he crack down on Islamic mili- the Israeli Government, which had been ule for the Senate with the FDA legis- tants, Yasir Arafat kissed and applauded strained, worsened considerably last month leaders of the Hamas and Islamic Holy War after a suicide bombing in a Jerusalem mar- lation and other appropriations mat- movements today and warned that Palestin- ket on July 30 in which 14 people and the two ters to follow. So I urge my colleagues ians were prepared to resume their violent attackers were killed. to come to the floor so we can continue revolt against Israel. Israel demanded that Mr. Arafat take ac- to move the Labor, Health and Human At a conference of Palestinian factions tion against Hamas and Islamic Holy War Services bill along. here, Mr. Arafat returned to the combative and it imposed economic sanctions and other In the absence of any other Senator punitive measures that the Palestinian lead- language of the seven-year uprising against on the floor, Mr. President, I suggest Israeli occupation, which ended in 1994 with er condemned as a declaration of war against the beginning of Palestinian self rule. his people. the absence of a quorum. ‘‘There was an uprising for seven years,’’ The measure included closing borders, de- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Mr. Arafat told the conference, which he molishing houses of Palestinians on the clerk will call the roll. called to protest the policies of Prime Min- grounds that they were built without per- The assistant legislative clerk pro- ister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. ‘‘Who mits, and freezing payments of taxes and ceeded to call the roll. did it? The lion cubs, our children—this glo- other money to the Palestinian Authority. Israel’s moves united Palestinians of all Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask rious uprising. Seven years. We can erase unanimous consent that the order for and do it again from the beginning. There is political stripes behind Mr. Arafat. Many nothing far from us. All options are open to perceive him as standing up to heavy Israeli the quorum call be rescinded. us.’’ and American pressures to suppress the mili- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ROB- As he has many times in his career, Mr. tants. ERTS). Without objection, it is so or- Arafat was fighting on several fronts at United States officials have backed the Is- dered. once. raeli demands, but they have also urged Is- Mr. DORGAN. I ask unanimous con- rael to rescind economic sanctions that are His remarks came just days after Dennis B. sent I be allowed to speak for 10 min- Ross, the American mediator, prodded him not directly linked to its security. To ease the economic pressure, President Hosni Mu- utes as in morning business. to renew security cooperation with the Israe- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without lis and take action against Hamas and other barak of Egypt pledged Tuesday to give the Palestinian Authority $10 million. hard-line Islamic groups that have carried objection, it is so ordered. Israeli officials criticized Mr. Arafat for in- out terrorist bombings in Israel. Mr. Arafat f viting Hamas and Islamic Holy War to the met Tuesday with the head of Shin Bet, the Gaza conference, asserting that his invita- NATIONAL TESTING Israeli domestic security agency, as he began tion of groups responsible for bombings that to comply with that request. killed scores of Israelis contradicted his Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I under- But at today’s session in Gaza, called the commitment to fight terrorism. Mr. Arafat stand we are not yet on the appropria- National Unity Conference to Confront the is ‘‘giving the terrorist organizations a tions bill today. It has not been for- Challenges, Mr. Arafat was lining up support stamp of approval,’’ said David Bar-Illan, mally called up. We have a number of from a broad array of factions, including the communications director for Prime Minister militant Islamic groups who favor a more issues in the appropriations bill that is Netanyahu. now before the Senate, and I know the confrontational stance toward the Israelis. Mr. Arafat and his aides might think that The Islamic groups said they saw the meet- ‘‘appeasing, pacifying and placating these or- majority leader and others would like ing as a means of resisting the crackdown by ganizations will do the trick,’’ Mr. Bar-Illan to complete it soon. I want to describe the Palestinian Authority that Israel and added, ‘‘but they already tried that, and we one of them that I think is very impor- the United States are demanding. found that all this dialog does is give these tant that I hope will get resolved [In Washington, senior American officials organizations the respectability and legit- today. That is the issue that was raised were dismayed by Mr. Arafat’s remarks. ‘‘It imacy which makes it easier for them to last week on the subject of national simply makes an already difficult situation continue their terrorist activity with impu- testing with respect to achievement more difficult,’’ one official said. ‘‘We have a nity.’’ crisis of confidence, so no party should do or But Tayeb Abdel Rahim, a close aide of Mr. levels at various grades in our schools. say things that undermine confidence about Arafat who was chairman of the conference, President Clinton has suggested, and a peaceful resolution of their differences.’’ rejected the Israeli criticism. ‘‘None of the others have called for some kind of na- [James P. Rubin, the State Department speakers advocated explosions or terrorism,’’ tional testing system by which we can spokesman, said the United States remained he said. ‘‘They all protested the Israeli pol- evaluate at the fourth grade level convinced that Mr. Arafat would carry out icy that disregards the peace process. They whether children are able to read suffi- his pledge to cooperate with the Israelis agreed on a common denominator of reject- ciently and at the eighth grade level against terrorism. ‘‘We are going to judge, in ing the policy of dictation.’’ the area of security cooperation and anti- The speakers, apparently following rules whether they have sufficient capabili- terrorist cooperation, Chairman Arafat by agreed upon in advance, did not call explic- ties in mathematics, because those are deeds,’’ he said. ‘‘Deeds are the coin of the itly for violence against Israel, but instead the benchmarks in the education sys- realm when it comes to fighting terrorism.’’] urging ‘‘resistance,’’ ‘‘confrontation’’ and tem that allow you to proceed and suc- Today’s conference in Gaza was significant ‘‘struggle’’ against the Israeli ‘‘enemy.’’ ceed. If you are not able to read suffi- because it marked the first time Islamic Many called on Mr. Arafat to stop security ciently in fourth grade, you are not Holy War, a militant group that operates cooperation and negotiations with the Israe- going to do well beyond that. If you primarily in Gaza, had joined a meeting of lis, and urged a boycott of Israeli products in don’t have a basic grasp of the concept Palestinian factions under Mr. Arafat’s lead- response to the Israeli border closures. They ership. Unlike Hamas, which has both social criticized American officials for what they of mathematics by the eighth grade, programs and a military wing, Islamic Holy described as a stance that favors Israel, and you are not going to do well beyond War has devoted itself almost exclusively to they urged Mr. Arafat to resist Israeli ‘‘dic- that. The question is, What are we get- attacks on Israel. tates’’ backed by the Americans to crack ting for our education dollars? We At the conference, representatives of down on militant groups. spend a substantial amount of money Hamas and Islamic Holy War, who are politi- Mr. Arafat has recently renewed security in this country on elementary and sec- cal leaders of their organizations, not mem- contacts at the urging of the Americans, and ondary education. What are we getting bers of their clandestine military wings, ex- he met on Tuesday with Ami Ayalon, the changed customary kisses with Mr. Arafat head of Shin Bet, the Israeli security serv- for it? after their speeches. ices. But before the conference delegates he The proposal is a proposal that says, They said later that their participation in vowed never to submit to Israeli economic let us measure that, let us evaluate Mr. Arafat’s conference did not mean they and political pressures. that, student to student, school to