[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 250 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 250

Condemning the terrorist bombings in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Israel, 
urging strengthened efforts in the fight against terrorism, and calling 
    upon the Palestinian Authority to take effective action against 
                               terrorism.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 22, 2003

    Mr. Lantos (for himself and Mr. Blunt) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Condemning the terrorist bombings in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Israel, 
urging strengthened efforts in the fight against terrorism, and calling 
    upon the Palestinian Authority to take effective action against 
                               terrorism.

Whereas al-Qaeda and organized terrorism remain a primary threat to the 
        civilized world, as demonstrated by the 14 murderous attacks carried out 
        in little over a week by suicide bombers and car-bombers in the Middle 
        East that resulted in 87 dead, including at least 7 Americans, and 
        nearly 400 wounded;
Whereas these attacks demonstrate the deadly and evil persistence of organized 
        terrorism aimed at civilized values;
Whereas the May 12 attacks in Riyadh underscore once again the intimate 
        relationship between al-Qaeda and Saudi society, which continues to 
        incubate the hate and religious fanaticism that spawns terrorism;
Whereas Israel and Israelis were victimized by 5 Palestinian suicide bombings 
        within 48 hours, and this most recent wave of anti-Israeli suicide 
        bombings which began just before Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and 
        Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas held their first-ever 
        summit and continued thereafter, and this most recent wave of 
        Palestinian terrorism was clearly and perversely intended both to shed 
        innocent Israeli blood and to use these acts of murder to undermine 
        Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts and the fledgling Abbas government;
Whereas the coincidence of the suicide bombings and the Sharon-Abbas summit 
        demonstrate once again that there can be no serious peace effort until 
        Palestinian terrorism is ended;
Whereas the unconscionable rise of Palestinian terrorism since September 2000 
        has been, in significant part, a result of Yasir Arafat's cynical 
        manipulation, and he has opposed and continues to oppose all serious 
        efforts to combat violence and terrorism and to achieve internal 
        Palestinian reform, including reform of the Palestinian security 
        services; and
Whereas Arafat seeks international contacts and legitimacy for the sake of 
        undermining Palestinian efforts to reform, to fight violence and 
        terrorism, and to achieve peace with Israel: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns in the harshest terms the recent wave of 
        terrorism in the Middle East, including the bombings of May 12 
        in Saudi Arabia, May 17 in Morocco, and May 17-19 in Israel, 
        the West Bank, and Gaza;
            (2) expresses deepest condolences to the families, 
        relatives, and friends of the victims;
            (3) commits to strengthening United States efforts in the 
        global war against terrorism;
            (4) urges all states, including those in the Arab world, to 
        intensify their anti-terrorist efforts, especially their anti-
        terrorist cooperation with the United States;
            (5) declares that it is imperative that Saudi Arabia, in 
        particular, fully cooperate with all United States anti-
        terrorist investigations and other such efforts, that it cease 
        the preaching of anti-Western, anti-U.S., anti-Christian, anti-
        Semitic, and anti-Israeli hatred in its schools, media, and 
        mosques, and that it block all funding of Islamic terrorist 
        groups by Saudi nationals;
            (6) concludes that murderous attacks in Israel, the West 
        Bank, and Gaza, including suicide bombings, perpetrated by 
        Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, and 
        other terrorist organizations are fully part of a global 
        terrorist campaign;
            (7) affirms that there can be no progress toward Middle 
        East peace until the Palestinian Authority takes decisive 
        action against terrorism;
            (8) emphasizes that the recent suicide bombings in Israel, 
        the West Bank, and Gaza highlight the urgent need for 
        Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Abbas immediately to begin 
        to demonstrate his determination and ability effectively to 
        fight terrorism;
            (9) underscores that the peace process, as based on the 
        ``roadmap'' or any other conceivable document or methodology, 
        will only progress if it is performance-based without regard to 
        arbitrary timelines;
            (10) urges diplomats, officials, and other representatives 
        of ``the Quartet,'' meaning the European Union, Russia, and the 
        United Nations, as well as the United States, in order most 
        effectively to serve the causes of Palestinian internal reform, 
        anti-terrorism efforts, and peace with Israel, to direct its 
        official contacts with the Palestinians solely through the 
        Palestinian Authority prime minister and his authorized 
        representatives; and
            (11) further urges diplomats, officials, and other 
        representatives of the Quartet to avoid any further direct 
        communication or meetings with Yasir Arafat.
                                 <all>