[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 135 (Monday, September 29, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12143-S12144]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
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SENATE RESOLUTION 236--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE BY YASSER ARAFAT IS A HINDRANCE TO
PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AND THAT SUCH PEACE DEPENDS ON INSTITUTIONS
FREE FROM THE TAINT OF TERRORISM
Mr. REID (for himself and Mr. Daschle) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:
S. Res. 236
Whereas unemployment among Palestinians has risen to 50
percent, and 59 percent of the Palestinian people live below
the poverty line;
Whereas a June 2003 independent poll indicated that the
Palestinian people do not see Yasser Arafat, the president of
the Palestinian Authority, contributing to an end to their
suffering;
Whereas the June 2003 poll found that 84 percent of
Palestinians believe corruption exists in the institutions of
the Palestinian Authority, and \2/3\ of those who believe
there is corruption also believe that corruption will
increase or remain the same in the future;
Whereas Yasser Arafat has steadfastly blocked attempts at
political, judicial, and economic reforms by using the Fatah
Central Committee and the Palestinian Legislative Council to
obstruct efforts to bring greater transparency and
accountability to the Palestinian Authority;
Whereas the international community has lost confidence in
the ability of the current Palestinian leadership to confront
terrorism;
Whereas Palestinian Security Forces have refused to
confront and dismantle Palestinian Islamic Jihad, whose
express goal is the elimination of the State of Israel, and
Hamas, both of which have been responsible for terrorist
attacks that have killed over 800 Israelis in the last 3
years;
Whereas Abu Mazen, the first ever Palestinian Prime
Minister, recently resigned because Yasser Arafat refused to
turn over full control of the Palestinian Authority's 53,000-
man security apparatus to the duly appointed government and
continued to wield power over the General Intelligence
Apparatus, the National Security Force, and the elite
bodyguard unit known as Force 17;
Whereas the dismantling of terrorist organizations is a
precondition to a comprehensive peace in the Middle East;
Whereas Yasser Arafat can no longer be trusted by the
international community or the 3,500,000 Palestinian people
living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to be an honest broker
for peace; and
Whereas Yasser Arafat has presided over a period of decay
in economic and security conditions affecting the Palestinian
people and has impeded any meaningful progress toward peace
in the Middle East: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
(1) the leadership of the Palestinian people by Yasser
Arafat, who has condoned terror and refused to dismantle
terror organizations, is a hindrance to efforts to reach a
comprehensive peace in the Middle East; and
(2) peace in the Middle East depends on the construction of
independent, transparent, and accountable institutions that
are free from the taint of terrorism.
Mr. REID. Madam President, the struggle to win peace in the Middle
East is at a critical juncture. In one direction lies more of the same:
Constant fear, the old hatreds, terrorist murders and retaliations that
too often claim innocent lives, as well.
Down the other road are lasting peace and security for Israel and a
self-ruled homeland for the people called Palestinians.
If we want to move in this direction, we must shed the baggage of the
past. If we stick with the same old formula, we will only repeat the
violent cycle that has persisted for far too long. I don't claim to
have all the answers about how to achieve peace in this very troubled
region. But there is one thing I do know: Yasser Arafat must go. He
must go now.
We look all over at his tracks. They are tracks he cannot cover.
In the Las Vegas Sun newspaper on September 28 there was an editorial
written by Michael O'Callaghan who has been in the newspaper business
since 1978. Prior to that he was Governor of the State of Nevada for
two terms, probably the most popular Governor ever elected in the State
of Nevada. But for many years he has been a newspaper man. He writes in
this column, among other things:
What peace lovers over the world have received from Arafat
is more bloodshed and the increased use of suicide bombers.
Arafat in return has become wealthy from funds provided by
the United States and other nations trying to encourage him
to practice good government to provide for his people. His
siphoning off of funds was exposed years ago . . .
This practice is not acceptable even though it is by some leaders in
that part of the world, he writes, in part.
[[Page S12144]]
He further states:
Ten days ago a new audit was released that shows that
Arafat has diverted at least another $900 million of public
money into his own special bank account. This is being done
while the Palestinian people continue to suffer from housing
shortages and high unemployment. Arafat makes sure they have
enough explosives and weapons to kill Israelis when they get
bored. The Palestinian people continue to live in misery
while Arafat's wife and daughter reside in France living in
luxury.
Michael O`Callaghan writes more, but I think we get the point.
Arafat must go. He is a man of hate. Arafat is a man of hate. Since
1948 he has resented the very existence of Israel. He might say his
views have changed, but as my mother used to say, actions speak louder
than words. And by his actions we know Arafat for what he is, a
bankrupt and corrupt leader of a badly suffering people, and someone
who is not serious about achieving lasting peace.
We know that elements with varying degrees of affiliation with the
PLO, including the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and Force 17, have
frequently been involved in violence against innocent Israelis.
We know that documents found at Arafat's compound, with his
signature, authorized cash payments to members of the Martyrs Brigade.
We know the leader of the Martyrs Brigade said he is ``following the
orders of Yasser Arafat.'' We know that former Palestinian Prime
Minister Mahmoud Abbas resigned because Arafat refused to surrender
security for Palestinian security forces.
Why did Arafat undermine Abbas? It is simple. He does not want peace
with Israel. Forget what he says, look at his actions.
Since the cease-fire in the Middle East was announced 3 months ago,
there have been at least 240 terrorist attacks on Israel. This happened
while Arafat stood by failing to engage security forces of the
Palestinians.
Since Arafat took control of the Palestinian Authority, hundreds of
Israelis have been murdered. But his stubborn refusal to accept peace
has made life miserable for the 3.35 million Palestinian people in the
west bank and the Gaza strip.
We know that Prime Minister Barak courageously gave Arafat everything
he asked, but Arafat could not take yes for an answer because he is a
terrorist and cannot get that out of his blood.
Today, half of all Palestinians are unemployed and 59 percent live in
poverty. This misery breeds desperation which suits the purposes of
Arafat and other terrorists. In the midst of this desperation he
controls personal war chests of tens of millions of dollars, if not
hundreds of millions, with investments across the world. He spends his
money as he pleases and is accountable to only one person: Yasser
Arafat, himself.
It is in this milieu that Arafat stands by as desperate young men and
women commit suicide murders in exchange for large sums of money for
their families and a promise of eternal paradise for themselves. They
waste their young lives and murder innocent Israelis.
It is now time to hold Yasser Arafat accountable. If he cares about
his people, there are other leaders there who could carry on and do a
good job for the Palestinian people. But he cares about Yasser Arafat.
It is time we hold this man accountable.
I am submitting this resolution right now, along with Senator
Daschle, calling upon Arafat to immediately resign his position as
President of the Palestinian National Authority because he is a
hindrance to peace in the Middle East and that such peace depends on
institutions that are free from the taint of terrorism. That is the
only way Palestinian people will ever achieve their dream of a free,
self-governed homeland.
Let me be clear, I support the people of Palestine. They have a right
to self-rule. They have a right to control it themselves. But I also
support strongly Israel's right to live in peace and to defend itself
against terrorism. Israel is at war against terrorism just as we are,
but even more amplified. We can never accept or tolerate terrorism in
any form at any time any place in the world.
In the name of peace in the middle East and in the world, in the name
of prosperity and self-rule for the Palestinian people, Yasser Arafat
must go.
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I come to the floor and rise in strong
support of the resolution submitted by the distinguished assistant
Democratic leader, Senator Reid, this afternoon.
It was 3 years ago that we had an opportunity to bring real peace to
the region. In September of 2000 there was a great deal of optimism, a
great deal of hope, a great promise that after months and months of
negotiation we could have finally found a peaceful resolution and move
to the next step in the peaceful coexistence of people in the Middle
East.
For reasons still unclear, Yasser Arafat walked away from that
agreement, disappointing, disillusioning, and, in so many ways,
undermining the peace process.
Over the course of the last 3 years, 800 Israelis have been killed,
2,400 Palestinians have died.
Where he has had an opportunity to renounce violence, he has condoned
it. Where he has had an opportunity to embrace peace, he has repelled
it. At virtually every turn, regardless of circumstance, Mr. Arafat
sends the wrong message about leadership, about commitment, about the
spirit that was so alive just 3 years ago.
In the creation of a new government, Mr. Arafat had yet another
opportunity to stand behind his new Prime Minister, Abu Mazen, and to
say, through him and through this new office: We will resolve our
differences. We will bring violence to an end. We will find ways with
which to establish a peaceful coexistence. Yet he chose once again to
walk away from that opportunity, if not undermine it in every way.
Now there is a new government, at least under consideration. Again,
Arafat sends all the wrong messages about what he expects from that new
government, its allegiance to him, not to the process, not to the
people, not to a commitment for a better future--it is to him.
Some of us want to use this occasion, through this resolution, to
make it clear that Mr. Arafat has been an impediment to peace. Mr.
Arafat has done virtually everything to thwart peace. As a result, we
find ourselves in a situation far worse than it was just 3 years ago.
It is a tragedy--a tragedy that has amounted to the loss of 3,200 lives
in 3 years.
I hope my colleagues will join us in sending a clear message that we
cannot have peace, we cannot have any expectation, any hope of
stability and the realization within our grasp that death can end,
without sending a clear message to those responsible: We cannot
tolerate this kind of leadership. We cannot tolerate this kind of
irresponsible and dangerous direction. We will speak out in every way,
shape, and form we can until this matter is resolved.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Fitzgerald). The Senator from Nevada is
recognized.
Mr. REID. I thank the Chair.
(The remarks of Mr. Reid and Mr. Daschle pertaining to the submission
of S. Res. 236 are located in today's Record under ``Submission of
Concurrent and Senate Resolutions.'')
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