Tougher American approach?
Photo: AP
U.S. bill: PA a terror haven
Congress members want to place constraints on fund transfers to Palestinian in wake of Hamas election victory
WASHINGTON - A new bill being formulated in the U.S. Congress in the wake of Hamas' election victory aims to designate the Palestinian Authority as a haven for terrorists.
The bill, which has not yet been drafted and is being formulated at this time, is designed to make the transfer of funds to the Palestinians, either directly or indirectly, more difficult.
Should the bill pass, it will enable the U.S. to place the Palestinians on a list of terror-supporting countries, resulting in severe sanctions on trade with the PA and the transfer of funds to it.
Since the first reports of the Hamas victory surfaced in the U.S., senior Congress members expressed unequivocal views on subject.
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican from Florida and Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East in Congress, is leading the legislation effort in an attempt to make it more difficult for the Bush administration to offer aid to the Palestinians and to isolate any Hamas-led government.
Ros-Lehtinen said the U.S. must ensure that tax payers' funds are not transferred directly or indirectly to those who carried out terror attacks.
Republican Eric Cantor said the Palestinians would not receive a penny.
Senators from both parties said during television appearances that aid to the Palestinians must cease.
The new bill is also supposed to demand the closing down of consulates and a reduction of diplomatic contacts with the Palestinians, and will also prevent the entry of Hamas leaders into the United States.
According to current laws, the U.S. cannot directly transfer funds to the PA without a signature by the president for reasons of "American national security."
