A message from Congress to Abbas: It's time to dismantle Hamas
Shmuel Rosner, Chief U.S. Correspondent
Haaretz
December 9, 2005; 19:00 EST
The four members of the House of Representatives said they were sending a clear massage to Mahmoud Abbas (whom they all referred to as Abu Mazen). It took them a while before they mentioned the big M, but finally they did: If you don't do what you have to do, no more money for the Palestinian Authority.
House Resolution 575 will probably pass before the Christmas recess. It states that Hamas and other terrorist groups should not be allowed to participate in the upcoming elections in the Palestinian Authority. It's a lost cause, as the politicians all know. But their intention is to make sure that Abbas understands he has no room to maneuver after the election. Either he deals with Hamas or he faces the American legislature.
The resolution is also "a message to the State Department," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla). The congressmen supporting the resolution are not prepared to compromise on Abbas' obligation to dismantle the terror groups. It seems as though the legislators do not fully trust the Bush administration professionals who deal with the Palestinians to be sufficiently persistent in making sure Hamas is dismantled.
The four (out of 86) co-signers of the resolution who came to present it to the press on Capitol Hill today also expressed real disappointment with Abu Mazen. His strategy is "absolutely absurd," said Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev). He is "less then convincing," said Rep. Eric Cantor, (R-Va), the chief deputy majority whip. "It is now a test" for him, said Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas).
The four congressmen said Hamas and other terrorist groups should be banned from the upcoming Palestinian Authority elections and from any future government unless they recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, cease all forms of incitement and violence, condemn terrorism and dismantle their terrorist infrastructures.
The resolution also says Hamas' inclusion in the governing structure of the PA "will inevitably raise serious policy considerations for the United States" and could "undermine the continued ability of the United States to provide financial assistance and conduct normal relations with the Palestinian Authority."
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel lobby, supports the resolution.
Haaretz
December 9, 2005; 19:00 EST
The four members of the House of Representatives said they were sending a clear massage to Mahmoud Abbas (whom they all referred to as Abu Mazen). It took them a while before they mentioned the big M, but finally they did: If you don't do what you have to do, no more money for the Palestinian Authority.
House Resolution 575 will probably pass before the Christmas recess. It states that Hamas and other terrorist groups should not be allowed to participate in the upcoming elections in the Palestinian Authority. It's a lost cause, as the politicians all know. But their intention is to make sure that Abbas understands he has no room to maneuver after the election. Either he deals with Hamas or he faces the American legislature.
The resolution is also "a message to the State Department," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla). The congressmen supporting the resolution are not prepared to compromise on Abbas' obligation to dismantle the terror groups. It seems as though the legislators do not fully trust the Bush administration professionals who deal with the Palestinians to be sufficiently persistent in making sure Hamas is dismantled.
The four (out of 86) co-signers of the resolution who came to present it to the press on Capitol Hill today also expressed real disappointment with Abu Mazen. His strategy is "absolutely absurd," said Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev). He is "less then convincing," said Rep. Eric Cantor, (R-Va), the chief deputy majority whip. "It is now a test" for him, said Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas).
The four congressmen said Hamas and other terrorist groups should be banned from the upcoming Palestinian Authority elections and from any future government unless they recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, cease all forms of incitement and violence, condemn terrorism and dismantle their terrorist infrastructures.
The resolution also says Hamas' inclusion in the governing structure of the PA "will inevitably raise serious policy considerations for the United States" and could "undermine the continued ability of the United States to provide financial assistance and conduct normal relations with the Palestinian Authority."
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel lobby, supports the resolution.
posted by Hanan Elbadry at 8:06 AM
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