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ALBRIGHT'S "SMALL STEPS" OVERTAKEN BY NETANYAHU'S HAMAS "BLUNDER"
The fallout from Israel's failed attempt to assassinate in Jordan a leader
of Hamas has spread volcanic ash on the Secretary's effort to revive the
failing peace process. The diplomatic crisis, with Jordan's King Hussein
outraged and Canada from Israel, may be short term compared to the impact
on the Islamist opposition in many Arab states to the normalization of
relations with Israel. Certainly the success of the next Arab-Israeli
regional economic meeting, scheduled for Doha in Qatar, later this month is
at risk.
FOREIGN AID AND STATE DEPT "REFORM" BILLS HELD HOSTAGE BY ABORTION ISSUE
The State Department Authorization bill is stuck in House-Senate conference
with antiabortion crusader Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ,4) saying he'll not
compromise with the Senate on this issue. The good news is that stuck with
it is the bill's provision to earmark funds to move the US embassy from Tel
Aviv to Jerusalem.
Abortion controversy is also holding up resolution by House-Senate
Appropriation conferees of the foreign aid bill. Both versions contain
language restricting aid to the Palestinian Authority. House Appropriations
Committee Chair Bob Livingston (R-LA,1) warned Secretary Albright that,
unless Maryland teenager Samuel Sheinbein is extradited from Israel to face
murder charges, he will raise the issue in the fiscal 98 spending bill
which includes $3 billion in military and economic aid to Israel. Sources
say he has the votes to hold back $50 million.
The Middle East Facilitation Act (MEPFA) expired on August 12 and the
Administration is searching for a way to resurrect it. MEPFA allows the
Administration to provide financial aid to the Palestinian Authority if the
Administration can certify that the Palestinian Authority is complying with
agreements with Israel. The bulk of U.S. aid to Palestinians, which goes to
NGOs from AID (Agency for International Development), continues but not
without problems. It is reported that AIPAC and the American Jewish
Committee are supportive of the "humanitarian aid" to the Palestinians, but
Congressional opposition is strong.
On another front, Rep. Michael Forbes (R-NY,1) threatened to take an
amendment to the floor that would block the State Department from using $10
million for a water project in Gaza. Wary of a vote, the Administration
agreed to redirect the money to a waste-water project in Jordan.
FREEDOM FROM RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION BILL MARKUP POSTPONED
A top priority of the Christian Coalition, the bill is generally know as
Wolf/Specter - the names of its cosponsors, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA,10) and
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA.) The broad support for the bill has weakened as
the practical results of its passage are considered. The bill would create
a new White House office, bypassing State's Human Rights bureau, that could
impose trade sanctions on offending countries. The legislation could give
priority among asylum seekers to those suffering religious persecution over
those suffering abuses for ethnicity or political reasons. The cases
described in Wolf/Specter are of the persecution of Christians, with little
notice of abuses of persons of other faiths. U.S. Muslim groups were
appalled at the omission of mention of the persecution of Muslims. A
substitute bill has only minimally broadened the bill's range of concern.
Among the many worries about the bill's impact is that it could actually
make Christians, in Egypt for example, more vulnerable if they are seen as
receiving special attention and somehow aligned with the U.S. The need for
increased U.S. attention to human rights and religious freedom generally
remains.
EGYPT IN TROUBLE WITH CONGRESS AND ADMINISTRATION
The revelation of Egypt's complicity in the execution by Libya of Mansour
Kikhia is the latest problem. Kikhia was a U.S. citizen and former Libyan
diplomat who disappeared in 1993. With the cold peace between Israel and
Egypt getting even chillier, Congress is growing increasingly critical of
Egypt's receipt of over $2 billion annually in foreign aid.
US POLICY ON IRAN CHALLENGED BY FRANCE AND RUSSIA
The Administration is trying to defer applying sanctions in response to the
$2 billion deal struck between Iran and a French oil company with Russian
and Malaysian partners. Expect to hear loud complaints from Sen. Al D'Amato
(R-NY), the champion of the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA.) Being
considered is a waiver for European companies if Europe demonstrates
support for other US efforts to "contain" Iran.
Clinton, Gore and Albright all have taken up with their Russian
counterparts U.S. concerns about reports of Russia's exports of technology
to Iran. Albright is resisting Congressional and AIPAC ideas of cutting
assistance to Russia, via the Missile Technology Control Regime, as
punishment. Speaking to the Council on Foreign Relations, she said that by
such actions "we would be cutting off our nose to spite our face."
Israeli intelligence reports that China, as well as Russia, is helping Iran
build long-range nuclear missiles brought a Senate effort, led by Sen.
Helms (R-NC), to impose broad sanctions on China. The Administration,
preparing for an October summit between Clinton and China's president,
calls the legislation "ill-timed."
Egypt's take on the fear of Iranian missiles is that its time for the whole
region to work collectively on banning weapons of mass destruction. The
Egyptian view is that no state should be excluded, including Israel.
Recently at a Washington think-tank gathering, Ephraim Sneh of Israel's
Labor party advanced the notion of "a dangerous new triangle - Syria, Iran
and Russia." A few days later, foreign affairs columnist Tom Friedman
created a stir by writing that "some U.S. officials believe the Israeli
Government is highlighting Iran now not only to derail its missile program
before it is too late, but to divert U.S. attention and energy from the
Palestinian-Israeli impasse."
INDYK MOVES TO STATE DEPARTMENT; PICKERING IN PROMINENT ROLE
At his Senate confirmation hearing to become assistant secretary of state
for Near East affairs, Martin Indyk spoke with passion in support of
continued U.S. aid to the Palestinians. Returning from a post as U.S.
ambassador to Israel, Indyk came under questioning from Senators Helms
(R-NC) and Lieberman (D-CT) about the Administration's "stonewalling
further progress toward recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel."
Indyk described the issue of Jerusalem as "inflammatory" and said "any
indication of a change in our position on the issue of Jerusalem could
complicate" the effort to get the peace process back on track.
Another former ambassador to Israel, and to Jordan, Thomas R. Pickering, is
emerging as a key member of Secretary Albright's team. He is now the
undersecretary for political affairs.
ADMINISTRATION RELEASES LIST OF TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS
Rep. Ben Gilman (R-NY,20th) took to the floor recently for a vote that
would withhold 2% or $7.3 million of State's salaries and expense budget
until it released a list of foreign terrorist organizations as directed in
the 1996 Anti-Terrorist Law. Gilman's amendment to the Commerce, Justice
and State Appropriation bill was adopted by 396 to 6. (The six nays were
from McKinney (D-GA,4), Minge (DFL-MN,2), Paul (R-TX,14), Rahall (D-WV,3),
Miller (D-CA,7) and Dellums (D-CA,9).) That got State's attention and the
list was released on October 8. Civil liberties groups call this "one of
the most significant assaults on the First Amendment in recent history."
Any funds, supplies or other humanitarian assistance (with the exception of
religious materials and medicine) that a person in the U.S. gives to
institutions, even schools and medical clinics, linked in any way with the
designated foreign groups will be a federal crime punishable by up to 10
years in prison. Over half of the 30 groups are from the Middle East
including PFLP, HAMAS, Kach, Kahane Chai, Hizballah, the Kurd's PKK and the
Iranian opposition group, the Mujahedin-e Khalq which has garnered support
among some members of Congress. The inclusion of the Mujahedin-e Khalq is a
positive signal to the Iranian regime of the possibility of improving
relations.
Corinne Whitlatch
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) | 
