[House Document 104-103]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
104th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - House Document
104-103
DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO
ORGANIZATIONS THAT THREATEN TO DISRUPT THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS
__________
MESSAGE
FROM
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
A REPORT ON ACTIONS AND EXPENSES DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE EXERCISE OF
POWERS AND AUTHORITIES CONFERRED BY THE DECLARATION OF A NATIONAL
EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT DISRUPT THE MIDDLE EAST
PEACE PROCESS, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1641(c), 50 U.S.C. 1703(c), AND 22
U.S.C. 2349aa-9(c)
July 27, 1995.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the
Committee on International Relations and ordered to be printed
To the Congress of the United States:
I hereby report to the Congress on the developments
concerning the national emergency with respect to organizations
that threaten to disrupt the Middle East peace process that was
declared in Executive Order No. 12947 of January 23, 1995. This
report is submitted pursuant to section 401(c) of the National
Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1641(c); section 204(c) of the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), 50 U.S.C.
1703(c); and section 505(c) of the International Security and
Development Cooperation Act of 1985, 22 U.S.C. 2349aa-9(c).
1. On January 23, 1995, I signed Executive Order No. 12947,
``Prohibiting Transactions with Terrorists Who Threaten to
Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process'' (the ``order'') (60
Fed. Reg. 5079, January 25, 1995). The order blocks all
property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which there is any
interest of 12 terrorist organizations that threaten the Middle
East peace process as identified in an Annex to the order. The
order also blocks the property and interests in property
subject to U.S. jurisdiction of persons designated by the
Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of the
Treasury and the Attorney General, who are found (1) to have
committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, acts of
violence that have the purpose or effect of disrupting the
Middle East peace process, or (2) to assist in, sponsor, or
provide financial, material, or technological support for, or
services in support of, such acts of violence. In addition, the
order blocks all property and interests in property subject to
U.S. jurisdiction in which there is any interest of persons
determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination
with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, to be
owned or controlled by, or to act for or on behalf of, any
other person designated pursuant to the order (collectively
``Specially Designated Terrorists'' or ``SDTs'').
The order further prohibits any transaction or dealing by a
United States person or within the United States in property or
interests in property of SDTs, including the making or
receiving of any contribution of funds, goods, or services to
or for the benefit of such persons. This prohibition includes
donations that are intended to relieve human suffering.
Designations of persons blocked pursuant to the order are
effective upon the date of determination by the Secretary of
State or his delegate, or the Director of the Office of Foreign
Assets Control (FAC) acting under authority delegated by the
Secretary of the Treasury. Public notice of blocking is
effective upon the date of filing with the Federal Register, or
upon prior actual notice.
2. On January 25, 1995, FAC issued a notice listing persons
blocked pursuant to Executive Order No. 12947 who have been
designated by the President as terrorist organizations
threatening the Middle East peace process or who have been
found to be owned or controlled by, or to be acting for or on
behalf of, these terrorist organizations (60 Fed. Reg. 5084,
January 25, 1995). The notice identifies 31 entities that act
for or on behalf of the 12 Middle East terrorist organizations
listed in the Annex to Executive Order No. 12947, as well as 18
individuals who are leaders or representatives of these groups.
In addition the notice provides 9 name variations or pseudonyms
used by the 18 individuals identified. The FAC, in coordination
with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, will
continue to expand the list of terrorist organizations as
additional information is developed. A copy of the notice is
attached to this report.
3. The expenses incurred by the Federal Government in the
6-month period from January 23 through July 21, 1995, that are
directly attributable to the exercise of powers and authorities
conferred by the declaration of the national emergency with
respect to organizations that disrupt the Middle East peace
process are estimated at approximately $55,000. Personnel costs
were largely centered in the Department of the Treasury
(particularly in the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the
Office of the General Counsel, and the U.S. Customs Service),
the Department of State, and the Department of Justice.
4. Executive Order No. 12947 provides this Administration
with a new tool for combating fund raising in this country on
behalf of organizations that use terror to undermine the Middle
East peace process. The order makes it harder for such groups
to finance these criminal activities by cutting off their
access to sources of support in the United States and to U.S.
financial facilities. It is also intended to reach charitable
contributions to designated organizations to preclude diversion
of such donations to terrorist activities.
In addition, I have sent to the Congress new comprehensive
counterterrorism legislation that would strengthen our ability
to prevent terrorist acts, identify those who carry them out,
and bring them to justice. The combination of Executive Order
No. 12947 and the proposed legislation demonstrate the United
States' determination to confront and combat those who would
seek to destroy the Middle East peace process, and our
commitment to the global fight against terrorism.
I shall continue to exercise the powers at my disposal to
apply economic sanctions against extremists seeking to destroy
the hopes of peaceful coexistence between Arabs and Israelis as
long as these measures are appropriate, and will continue to
report periodically to the Congress on significant developments
pursuant to 50 U.S.C. 1703(c).
William J. Clinton.
The White House, July 27, 1995.