[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 16425]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 16425]]

     PALESTINIANS NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY

  (Mr. LANTOS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, as has happened so often before, the 
Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
  The President and the Secretary of State may be constrained by 
diplomatic protocol, but those of us in this House who follow these 
events are not. This summit collapsed because Yasir Arafat refused to 
budge. I pay high tribute to the President and his team. I pay high 
tribute to Prime Minister Barak, who has gone way beyond anything that 
anybody could rationally expect in terms of compromise and giving.
  I deplore that Egypt and Saudi Arabia again encourage the most 
intransigent position possible on Arafat.
  Today, I am introducing legislation that would terminate all aid to 
the Palestinian Authority if a unilateral declaration of independence 
should be forthcoming. Such a declaration would mean new violence, and 
we cannot be party to it. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me.

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