[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 4 (Monday, January 30, 1995)]
[Pages 95-96]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Congress on Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the Middle 
East Peace Process

January 23, 1995

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 the 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.

[[Page 96]]

    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 
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.

Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
January 24.