In an unexpected move, S. 2370, the Senate version of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, was placed on the House suspension calendar, which provides for quick passage of the bill, yesterday morning, December 7th. At 12:33pm, the House passed S. 2370 by a voice vote, with three Members present. President Bush's signature is now necessary for the bill to become law. Presidents may sign a bill, veto it or allow the Congressional session to adjourn without signing the bill--a "pocket veto". This action by Congress is particularly disappointing at this time when the Iraq Study Group is recommending "renewed and sustained commitment by the United States to a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace".

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Call/Email the White House Comment Line: 202-456-1111/comments@whitehouse.gov. 

Your Message: Ask President Bush Not to Sign S. 2370 Into Law

Talking Points

Signing S. 2370, the Senate version of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, into law is unnecessary, untimely and potentially damaging to US national security interests and the Administration's ability to promote Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.

The bill is unnecessary because existing legislation and restrictions by the Administration already ensure that no US funding can reach foreign terrorist groups and place pressure on Hamas to change.

The bill is untimely given that Hamas' election is now almost a year ago and in light of new developments over the fall including the potential for a Palestinian national unity government and a tenuous but nonetheless encouraging ceasefire still in place in Gaza.

The bill is damaging because it sends a negative message to the Palestinian people and the international community at a time when progress toward Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking is crucial and when more, not less, flexibility for the Administration is needed.

Background

Churches for Middle East Peace worked hard, along with other collegial groups, to oppose the harsh House version of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, HR 4681, which passed in May. The counter-lobbying efforts in the House were thought to have contributed to the efforts to improve the Senate's version, S. 2370. The Senate passed their bill in June and CMEP welcomed its significant improvements, preferring its language if there was to be a House-Senate conference to negotiate the two bill's notable differences. It is positive that the more constructive Senate bill ended up passing Congress, rather than the House bill (details on the improvements of the Senate bill can be found at: http://www.cmep.org/Alerts/2006June26.htm); however, it was CMEP's preference that neither bill become law.

With existing legislation and restrictions by the Administration ensuring that no US funding can reach foreign terrorist groups and placing pressure on Hamas to change, the Palestinian Anti-Terror bills are in no way necessary. Moreover, the passage of the bill was untimely given that Hamas' election is now almost a year ago and given new developments over the fall. The potential for a Palestinian national unity government, a tenuous but nonetheless encouraging ceasefire still in place in Gaza and the Baker-Hamilton report's recommendation for renewed US attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict all seem to point to the need for more, not less, flexibility for the Administration. Indeed, earlier in the fall, when there were reports that Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) might try to include parts of S. 2370 in the FY07 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, the Administration intervened, with Secretary of State Rice placing a personal call to McConnell, asking him to reconsider moving the bill forward. A September Jerusalem Post article reporting on the incident asserted that, "the administration...does not feel the time is right for strengthening sanctions against the Palestinians."

If the President doesn't sign S. 2370 before Congress adjourns, it will automatically fail to become law. If the bill does become law, the question will then be how the Administration will interpret the legislation's requirements as the situation diplomatically and on the ground continues to fluctuate, and hopefully progress toward Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking is pursued. A September article in the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that "Elliott Abrams, the U.S. deputy national security adviser, made it clear that the Bush administration was ready to ignore pending congressional legislation that would place strict controls on money headed for the Palestinian Authority or for nongovernmental organizations that assist Palestinians."