[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 140 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1967-E1968]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           PROTECTING ISRAEL

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM DeLAY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 8, 1998

  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I worked with Mr. Saxton and Mr. Salmon to 
introduce a resolution calling on the President to clarify American 
policy with respect to a unilateral declaration of an independent 
Palestinian state. I did this because I feel the administration's 
policy regarding Israel and the Middle East process has been confusing 
and misleading not only for the American people, but for the 
international community at large, and especially for the parties to the 
peace process itself.
  The United States has never endorsed the creation of a Palestinian 
state. After the signing of Oslo accords, the United States made it 
clear that all questions of sovereignty and statehood were a matter of 
negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. However,

[[Page E1968]]

First Lady Hillary Clinton's public statement this May that ``it will 
be in the long-term interests of the Middle East for Palestine to be a 
state . . . and seen on the same footing as any other state'' put U.S. 
policy on this issue in severe and grave doubt.
  Despite official denials by the U.S. State Department and numerous 
other officials in the administration, the First Lady's remarks were 
interpreted by many around the world including Palestinian Authority 
President Yasser Arafat, as ``a very important and clear signal'' 
regarding the administration's position. He subsequently threatened to 
unilaterally declare an independent Palestinian state in May of 1999--
after the expiration of the scheduled date for completing the final 
status talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
  The United Nations then voted this past July 7th to elevate the 
Palestinian observer mission at the United Nations to the status of a 
full observer mission, a status just short of that accorded an 
independent state. Media reports in the Middle East indicate that the 
government of French Premier Lionel Jospin may be prepared to recognize 
an independent Palestinian state immediately after the end of the 
interim Oslo accords in May 1999. Just last week in speaking to the 
United Nations, Yasser Arafat called on world leaders to support an 
independent Palestinian state--though the State Department had to 
scramble mightily to prevent him from repeating his threat to declare 
such a state unilaterally.
  Mr. Speaker, what has been missing from this debate over the last 
several months has been a public--and unequivocal--statement from 
President Clinton himself that the United States will never recognize 
the unilateral declaration of an independent Palestinian state. No 
amount of denials, statements, or clarifications by Secretary of State 
Madeline Albright and other functionaries down at the State Department 
can dispel the confusion and uncertainty about U.S. policy occasioned 
by the First Lady's remarks. Rightly or wrongly, the reception of many 
around the world and even in this country is that only President 
Clinton has the clout to override the influence of the First Lady 
within his Administration.
  For the President to pretend otherwise is to hide his head, and 
America's in the sand. The need for the President to personally act to 
clarify the U.S. position was brought home when Yasser Arafat stated on 
July 15, 1998 that ``[t]here is a transition period of five years and 
after five years we have the right to declare an independent Palestine 
state. We are asking for an accurate implementation, an honest 
implementation of what has been signed in the White House under the 
supervision of President Clinton.''
  We must remember that Yasser Arafat demands the whole West Bank and 
has declared that there can be no permanent peace as long as the 
problem of Jerusalem remains ``unresolved.'' The Palestinian Cabinet, 
on Thursday, September 24, stated that ``at the end of the interim 
period, it (the Palestinian government) shall declare the establishment 
of a Palestinian state on all Palestinian land occupied since 1967, 
with Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Palestinian state.''
  It is way past time for the President to declare that the United 
States will never recognize a unilateral declaration of an independent 
Palestinian state; and that Israel, and Israel alone, can determine its 
security needs. This was made clear back in June, a month after the 
First Lady's remarks, when Palestinian National Council Speaker Salim 
al-Za'nun announced that, ``If following our declaration of state, 
Israel renews its occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the 
Gaza strip, the Palestinian people will struggle and resist the 
occupier with all means possible, including armed struggle.''
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and to expedite its 
consideration.

                          ____________________