[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 53 (Thursday, May 5, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      ISRAEL-PLO SELF-RULE ACCORD

  Mr. SPECTER. Madam President, I have sought recognition to compliment 
the leaders who brought forward the accord between the Israelis and the 
PLO yesterday, ending some 30 decades of Israeli control and providing 
for certain self-government to the PLO. But simultaneously with my own 
thoughts and expression of congratulations I think it is very important 
that there be very active monitoring of what happens with the PLO in 
the days ahead to be sure that terrorism is a thing of the past and the 
PLO and its Chairman, Yasser Arafat, do everything in their control to 
stop the terrorism.
  This agreement is obviously historic, and there is going to be 
considerable funding which will come to the PLO, a result significantly 
of United States leadership. Those funds are very important to develop 
the infrastructure and to develop the areas over which the PLO will 
have jurisdiction. But the support, financial support, the support from 
the international community, I believe has to be very, very carefully 
conditioned upon the fulfillment by the PLO of its commitment to stop 
terrorism and to do its utmost to see to it that terrorism is condemned 
by others and take all active measures to stop terrorism by any of the 
terrorist groups in the area.
  When I saw Yasser Arafat honored on the White House lawn last 
September 13, it was something that I had very mixed emotions about, a 
scene that I thought I would never observe on the White House lawn. And 
when President Clinton performed the gesture of putting his left arm 
around Arafat and his right arm around Prime Minister Rabin, it was 
truly a historic mark of conciliation. It seemed to me that if the 
Israelis, led by Prime Minister Rabin and Foreign Minister Peres, were 
willing to have that kind of reconciliation with the PLO, since Israel 
had been the major object of the terrorism and of the brutality of the 
PLO over the years, the United States could be supportive of it.
  In that thought, I could not forget the activities of Arafat, 
personally, and the PLO, in the murder of the United States second in 
command in the Sudan in 1974, as well as the incident on the Achille 
Lauro with the murder of Mr. Klinghoffer, and the other enormous number 
of terrorist acts of the PLO. But when the Israelis decided to put that 
behind them and to move forward with the peace process, then it seemed 
to me we should be supportive.
  I had the opportunity, on a Senate delegation which landed in Cairo 
on December 12, to meet with Chairman Yasser Arafat, and I saw a man 
with enormous energy and with a stated commitment. Still, my skepticism 
remained. When we talked to Palestinians in Jericho, Jerusalem, and on 
the Gaza Strip and they said that Yasser Arafat was their leader, so be 
it.

  The photograph that appears on the front page of the Washington Post 
today and on newspapers all around the world is certainly a historic 
photograph. With the Secretary of State of the United States, the Prime 
Minister of Israel, the Foreign Minister of Israel, the Foreign 
Minister of Russia, the President of Egypt, and Chairman Yasser Arafat, 
it is an overwhelming scene. Right at the very last minute, as the 
media reports, there was a dispute as to what would happen with the 
maps, whether the maps were accurate. Yasser Arafat refused to initial 
the maps. Prime Minister Rabin assured him that the Prime Minister's 
word was good and that on the unresolved issues, they would be subject 
to further discussions.
  So it is a historic occurrence. It is one which we are all glad to 
see go forward. I know that there are many in Israel who have doubts 
about the peace accord. I am in constant touch with my own sister, 
Hilda Morgenstern, and my own brother-in-law, Arthur 
Morgenstern, who have expressed doubts to me about it. Those doubts are 
based principally on what the future is going to hold. But once the 
Israeli Government has made that decision, it seems to me we ought to 
be supportive of it.
  I compliment Members of the House who, on Tuesday of this week, 
announced the formation of a bipartisan group in the House--
Representative Eli Engel of New York and Representative Jim Saxton of 
New Jersey--to monitor the events which go on. There is currently an 
organizational process to find a group in the Senate to provide similar 
monitoring.
  I note the publication by the Zionist Organization of America about 
violations by the PLO and the statement that at least 22 terrorist 
attacks by PLO factions aside from Fatah occurred between September 13, 
1993 and April 13, 1994, killing 11 and wounding 8. This publication is 
prepared under the auspices of the Zionist Organization of America and 
its leader President Morton Klein, of Philadelphia, whom I know very 
well. I would ask unanimous consent that this one-page summary be 
printed in the Record at the end of my statement.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (See exhibit 1.)
  Mr. SPECTER. In summary, Madam President, I think it is a day for 
complimenting the participants, but a day also to be wary as to what 
the future will hold.
  I compliment President Clinton and Secretary of State Christopher for 
their contribution. The Congress has been enormously supportive of the 
peace process in the Mideast since the signing of the Camp David 
Accord. We have been very supportive of Egypt and the outstanding 
contribution made by President Mubarak of Egypt.
  I think it is up to the United States to monitor what happens very, 
very closely, and the group which has been organized in the House is on 
the right path. We will organize a similar group in the Senate. We will 
also put the PLO on notice that we expect the terrorism not to 
continue; we expect them to do everything in their power to stop it; 
and that our willingness to make a financial commitment depends upon 
complying with the terms of the agreement.
  Similarly, there are those in Israel, extremists who are dissatisfied 
with what has happened. I know Prime Minister Rabin has taken very firm 
steps to see to it that there is not violence by the Israelis to 
undercut the stability which this new peace accord will bring.
  So it is a happy occasion, but it is also an occasion where we have 
to be wary for what the future may bring.
  I thank the Chair. I yield the floor.

                               Exhibit 1

    Violations by Yasser Arafat and the PLO of the Israel-PLO Accord

               (From the Zionist Organization of America)

       Failure by Arafat and the PLO to prevent terrorism by his 
     own Fatah faction:
       In the Israel-PLO agreement that was signed at the White 
     House on September 13, 1993, Arafat pledged to stop using 
     terrorism. But his Fatah faction of the PLO carried out at 
     least 32 terrorist attacks between September 13, 1993 and 
     April 13, 1994, killing 14 people and wounding 22.
       Failure by Arafat and the PLO to prevent terrorism by other 
     PLO factions or punish them for their attacks:
       In the Israel-PLO agreement, Arafat pledged to ``assume 
     responsibility over all PLO elements and personnel in order 
     to assure their compliance'' with the agreement, and to 
     ``discipline'' those PLO factions that continue to engage in 
     terrorism. Other PLO factions (aside from Fatah) carried out 
     at least 22 terrorist attacks between September 13, 1993 and 
     April 13, 1994, killing 11 and wounding 8. Arafat has neither 
     prevented them from carrying out such attacks nor has he 
     ``disciplined'' them for doing so.
       Failure by Arafat and the PLO to condemn terrorism and to 
     call upon the Palestinian Arabs to reject violence:
       In the Israel-PLO agreement, Arafat pledged to condemn 
     terrorist attacks against Israelis and pledged to call upon 
     the Palestinian Arabs in the territories to reject violence 
     and terrorism. Between September 13, 1993 and April 13, 1994, 
     there were at least 212 terrorist attacks (killing 94 people 
     and wounding 213), of which Arafat condemned only one, in 
     October 1993, under enormous U.S. pressure. Arafat refused to 
     condemn the Arab terrorist massacre of 8 Israelis in Afula on 
     April 6, 1994 and he issued only a weak statement--not an 
     explicit condemnation--in response to the massacre of 6 
     Israelis in Hadera on April 13, 1994. On April 23, 1994, an 
     Israeli woman nursing her infant in the town of Neve Dekalim 
     was stabbed seven times by an Arab terrorist; Arafat failed 
     to condemn the attack. Instead of calling for Arabs to reject 
     violence, Arafat has praised the continuing intifada 
     violence, describing it as ``heroic.''
       Failure by Arafat and the PLO to change the PLO convenant:
       In the Israel-PLO agreement, Arafat pledged to ask the PLO 
     National Council to delete those clauses in the PLO's 
     National Covenant that call for the destruction of Israel. 
     But he still has not asked the Council to do so, and PLO 
     officials have indicated that he has no plans to ever do so.
       Arafat and the PLO continue to use anti-Israel rhetoric:
       In the Israel-PLO agreement, Arafat pledged to pursue 
     normal, peaceful relations with Israel. Instead, he has told 
     Arab audiences that the agreement is just one stage in his 
     ``Strategy of Stages'' for gradually destroying Israel. He 
     has supported the Arab economic boycott of Israel. He has 
     urged African nations to refrain from restoring their 
     diplomatic relations with Israel. He has urged foreign 
     airlines to boycott the Israeli airport near Jerusalem. Both 
     Arafat and other senior PLO officials have urged the 
     continued use of violence against Israelis.

  Mr. SPECTER. Madam President, in the absence of any other Senator 
seeking recognition, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator suggests the absence of a quorum. 
The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GRAMM. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Boxer). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. GRAMM. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to proceed for 15 
minutes, as if in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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