[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 24, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1435-S1436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REPORT OF EXECUTIVE ORDER RELATIVE TO THE MIDDLE EAST--MESSAGE FROM THE 
                            PRESIDENT--PM 3

  The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 
from the President of the United States, together with an accompanying 
report; which was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs.

To the Congress of the United States:
  Pursuant to section 204(b) of the International Emergency Economic 
Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1703(b) and section 301 of the National 
Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1631, I hereby report that I have exercised 
my statutory authority to declare a national emergency with respect to 
the grave acts of violence committed by foreign terrorists that 
threaten to disrupt the Middle East peace process and to issue an 
Executive order that:
  --Blocks all property, including bank deposits, of foreign persons or 
    organizations designated in the Executive order or pursuant 
    thereto, which is in United States or in the control of United 
    States persons, including their overseas branches; and
  --Prohibits any transaction or dealing by United States persons in 
    such property, including the making or receiving of any 
    contribution of funds, goods, or services to or for the benefit of 
    such designated persons.
  I have designated in the Executive order 12 foreign organizations 
that threaten to use violence to disrupt the Middle East peace process. 
I have authorized the Secretary of State to designate additional 
foreign persons who have committed, or pose a significant risk of 
committing, acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of 
disrupting the Middle East peace process, or who assist in, sponsor, or 
provide financial, material or technological support for, or services 
in support of, such acts of violence. Such designations are to be made 
in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney 
General.
  The Secretary of the Treasury is further authorized to designate 
persons or entities that he determines, in coordination with the 
Secretary of State and the Attorney General, are owned or controlled 
by, or acting for or on behalf of, any of the foreign persons 
designated under this order. The Secretary of the Treasury is also 
authorized to issue regulations in exercise of my authorities under the 
International Emergency Economic Powers Act to implement these measures 
in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General 
and to coordinate such implementation with the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation. All Federal agencies are directed to take actions within 
their authority to carry out the provisions of the Executive order.
  I am enclosing a copy of the Executive order that I have issued. The 
order was effective at 12:01 a.m., eastern standard time on January 24, 
1995.
  I have authorized these measures in response to recurrent acts of 
international terrorism that threaten to disrupt the Middle East peace 
process. They include such acts as the bomb attacks in Israel this past 
weekend and other recent attacks in Israel, attacks on government 
authorities in Egypt, threats against Palestinian authorities in the 
autonomous regions, and the bombing of the Jewish Mutual Association 
building in Buenos Aires, as well as the car bomb at the Israeli 
Embassy in London.
  Achieving peace between Israel and its neighbors has long been a 
principal goal of American foreign policy. Resolving this conflict 
would eliminate a major source of instability in a part of the world in 
which we have critical interests, contribute to the security and well-
being of Israel, and strengthen important bilateral relationships in 
the Arab world.
  Attempts to disrupt the Middle East peace process through terrorism 
by groups opposed to peace have threatened and continue to threaten 
vital interests of the United States, thus constituting an unusual and 
extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and 
economy of the United States.
  Terrorist groups engaging in such terrorist acts receive financial 
and material support for their efforts from persons in the Middle East 
and elsewhere who oppose that process. Individuals and groups in the 
United States, too, have been targets of fundraising efforts on behalf 
of terrorist organizations.
  Fundraising for terrorism and use of the U.S. banking system for 
transfers on behalf of such organizations are inimical to American 
interests. Further, failure to take effective action against similar 
fundraising and transfers in foreign countries indicate the need for 
[[Page S1436]] leadership by the United States on this subject. Thus, 
it is necessary to provide the tools to combat any financial support 
from the United States for such terrorist activities. The United States 
will use these actions on our part to impress on our allies in Europe 
and elsewhere the seriousness of the danger of terrorist funding 
threatening the Middle East peace process, and to encourage them to 
adopt appropriate and effective measures to cut off terrorist 
fundraising and the harboring of terrorist assets in their territories 
and by their nationals.
  The measures we are taking demonstrate our determination to thwart 
acts of terrorism that threaten to disrupt the Middle East peace 
process by attacking any material or financial support for such acts 
that may emanate from the United States.
                                                    William J. Clinton.
  The White House, January 23, 1995.
  

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