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IENICIVIT
Report On PLO
Sparks Controversy
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Jewish Vocational Service, (810) 559-5000.
Washington (JTA) — A second
State Department report certify-
ing Palestine liberation Organi-
zation compliance with its peace
agreements with Israel has
drawn sharp criticism from mem-
bers.of Congress and some pro-
Israel activists.
While citing PLO Chairman
Yassir Arafat's failure to root out
terrorism, confiscate weapons,
prosecute Palestinian terrorists
and amend the PLO covenant
calling for the destruction of Is-
rael, the report rules that the
PLO's "good faith" effort warrants
the determination.
The report, mandated every six
months according to legislation
passed by Congress, paves the
way for President Clinton to au-
thorize financial assistance to the
Palestinians.
White House officials say Pres-
ident Clinton plans to adopt the
reports recommendation and ask
Congress for an allocation of
up to $150 million for the Pales-
tinian Authority, which governs
the autonomous areas of Gaza
and the West Bank town of Jeri-
cho.
The administration has
pledged a total of $500 million
over five years to the Palestini-
ans.
At the same time, however, the
report — and the reaction it has
elicited — is expected to become
a weapon in the ongoing battle
on Capitol Hill over continuing
U.S. aid to the Palestinians.
The 13-page State Department
report details dozens of incidents
of PLO actions that contradict its
peace accord signed with Israel
last year. But it also seeks to ex-
plain some of the PLO actions.
For example, the report cites
PLO Chairman Yassir Arafat's
Nov. 15 comments at a Gaza ral-
ly, during which he called Israel
"the Zionist enemy."
"While this remark is remi-,
niscent of an earlier era before
the PLO acknowledged Israel's
right to exist, the broader pattern
of Arafat's actions and statements
demonstrates his acceptance of
Israel and commitment to the ne-
gotiations," the report states.
The report also praised Mr.
Arafat for turning over to Israeli
forces a murder suspect hiding in
Gaza.
The report's mild language and
conciliatory approach toward the
Palestinians prompted a flurry of
criticism, with some activists ac-
cusing the State Department of
adhering to a low standard and
a minimalist definition of com-
pliance.
Expressing "disappointment"
with the findings, Steve Gross-
man, president of the American
Israel Public Affairs Committee,
said, "The time has come for
Arafat to ratchet up his
compliance with his commit-
ments."
"If the Israeli people, the Amer-
ican people and Congress are go-
ing to have full faith in Arafat,
then he needs to be more assidu-
ous and steadfast in his efforts,"
Mr. Grossman said.
Although critical of the report
and of some of Mr. Arafat's ac-
tions, Mr. Grossman said that
AIPAC continues to support
American aid to the Palestinian
Authority.
In contrast, the Zionist Orga-
nization of America was not only
The Zionist
Organization of
America was sharply
critical of the
report.
sharply critical of the report, but
also plans to challenge continued
aid to the Palestinians.
`The State Department has ig-
nored, minimized and white-
washed the PLO's numerous and
serious violations," said ZOA
President Morton Klein.
"The report is simply a farce
that refuses to look truth in the
eye," Mr. Klein said.
State Department officials
have defended the report's find-
ings and its purpose.
"We need to weigh the need for
aid to the Palestinians against
a higher standard of compliance,"
a State Department official said,
referring to the report in a recent
interview.
"Any cutoff of American aid or
a perceived weakening of Amer-
ican support for the Palestinian
Authority could have catastrophic
effects for the Palestinians, Is-
raelis and the entire peace
process," the official said.
Israeli officials, from Prime
Minister Yitzhak Rabin on down,
have expressed similar views,
strongly lobbying in favor of U.S.
aid to the Palestinians, despite
reservations about compliance.
During a recent interview
here, Israeli Deputy Foreign Min-
ister Yossi Beilin said, "The peace
process would surely fail without
American aid to the Palestinian
Authority."
Because of this concern about