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fences, security systems and check-
points; the administration will
have to exert genuine leadership,
not just press-release statesman-
ship, in convincing Congress that
such help is in our own best inter-
ests.
The prospect of separation is an
ugly one, but it palls in compari-
son to a complete collapse of the
peace process.
4.Do more to cut off money
to llamas.
T ast year, President Clinton is-
sued an executive order limiting
the ability of Hamas affiliates to
raise money in this country. Now,
with terrorism on the rise, the ad-
ministration needs to get tougher
with allies like Saudi Arabia, a pri-
mary supporter of Hamas terror,
and with our friends in Europe,
who continue to trade with the ex-
tremist leaders in Iran, a key
backer of the terrorists.
Admittedly, these actions will
not end the bombing campaign;
bombs are cheap, and money — as
the policy wonks like to say — is
fungible.
But reducing Hamas funding is
a critical way of cutting vital grass-
roots support for the extremist
group, thereby raising the price it
pays for continuing terrorism. And
it will make an important symbolic
statement about our concern for
Israel's security.
5. Start squeezing Syrian
President Hafez al-Assad.
Even though negotiations with
Syria have been in a holding pat-
tern for months, the administra-
tion wants to avoid any action
that might
chase Mr. As-
Israeli soldiers
sad away from
inspect the
the bargaining
wreckage of the
table altogeth-
bus destroyed in
er. But Mr. As-
downtown
sad remains Jerusalem Feb. 25.
even more
equivocal about peace with Israel
than Mr. Arafat. He continues to
support terrorist groups that
make their headquarters in Dam-
ascus, despite periodic complaints
from Washington; his condem-
nations of terrorist acts against
Israel have been grudging and
anemic.
American tolerance of Mr. As-
sad's two-faced behavior no longer
u) can be justified as essential to the
peace process. In the past, Mr. As-
sad has effectively played the
=
cr) Washington card; he has given
— only enough in negotiations with
Lu Israel to keep American officials
riding the shuttle to Damascus.
The administration needs to use
—
cc Mr. Assad's longing for the sym-
bols of friendship as a bludgeon,
not a tasty morsel offered as bait.
Mr. Assad can't stop anti-Israel
1— terrorism — but our winking at
his support for the extremists
sends exactly the wrong message
at the wrong time. ❑

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PHOTO BY AP

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