[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 5, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1510-S1511]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         MIDDLE EAST TERRORISM

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, apparently the White House press secretary 
made some statements this morning that I think probably he should not 
have made. I am not certain it helps the cause of counterterrorism to 
talk publicly about the type of equipment we are sending to help our 
allies. I support, and I am certain all of my colleagues support, 
United States efforts

[[Page S1511]]

to support Israel's fight against the killers of Hamas. I have pointed 
out that continued United States aid to the Palestinian authority is 
difficult to justify unless Arafat takes concrete action against 
terrorists who threaten the peace process. Congress has had many 
contentious delays in extending the Middle East Facilitation Act in the 
past. We could have a continuing resolution in the Chamber maybe next 
week or maybe even this week, sometime very soon, and unless and until 
Arafat does more to crack down on terrorism, I would assume--I am not 
suggesting I am going to plead it, but I assume there might be an 
effort by some to cut off aid to the Palestinian authority, and that is 
the point I made. It seems to me it is up to Mr. Arafat to take some 
decisive action. It is not enough to say that he regrets it and it is 
intolerable. I think we need action not only from Arafat but some 
action from Syria which has been a safe haven for terrorists the last 
decade or so.

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