A group of lawmakers in the U.S. Congress was expected on Wednesday to call for sanctions against the Palestine Liberation Organization.
A bipartisan group from the House of Representatives scheduled a news conference to announce a bill imposing a range of diplomatic sanctions on the PLO led by Yasser Arafat, who they said had supported “terrorism” against Israel.
According to Reuters, the legislation would freeze PLO assets, bar entry to the United States of Arafat and other PLO members, impose travel restrictions on its representatives to the United Nations, close its information office in the USA and impose other sanctions which could be waived by the president.
It also would require the president to report to Congress every 90 days on possible PLO “terrorist” activities, and determine whether the PLO should be designated a “terrorist” organization based on those findings.
The bill is nearly identical to a measure sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, and Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, that is being circulated among lawmakers to gather co-sponsors.
Despite President George W. Bush's call for Congress to hold off on Middle East legislation while the administration seeks an accord to cease the violence, Congress earlier this month passed a resolution backing Israel and supporting its military incursions into Palestinian lands.
The House Appropriations Committee voted last week to give Israel an extra $200 million in military aid as part of an emergency counter-terrorism bill, and the Senate was widely expected to follow suit. At the administration's urging, the House bill also includes $50 million in humanitarian aid to Palestinians. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
