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March 19, 1999/2 Nisan 5759, Vol. 51, No. 25
Between the linesEditorialThe United States is sending Yasser Arafat a message.Just as the Palestinian Authority leader readies to meet with President Bill Clinton next week, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have passed a bipartisan resolution opposing a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood. Senators approved the measure 98-1 on March 11, and it was affirmed in the House by an impressive 380-24 margin five days later. The resolution has the unanimous support of Arizona's two U.S. senators and six representatives. Among its co-sponsors is Rep. Matt Salmon (R-Ariz.), who has argued persuasively in opposition to Arafat's threat to issue the statehood declaration as early as May 4. Such a move by the Palestinians would be in direct violation of the Oslo Accords, which Arafat signed and which require that final status issues, including statehood, be resolved through direct negotiations. Arafat is not the only one on the line. In the past year, Clinton has issued ambiguous statements regarding Palestinian statehood aspirations. During a December visit to Gaza, he spoke of the coming opportunity for the Palestinian people to "determine their own identity on their own land." Now, with what Arafat may construe as a "state" visit in the offing, it is incumbent on the president to stand firm on the terms agreed to at Oslo. The congressional resolution also sends a message to the American people. Its passage reflects the strong consensus of elected representatives of every state in the union, cutting across wide-ranging political and ideological beliefs. Such agreement may bolster public opinion should the U.S. need to move in opposition to a unilateral declaration. The president and members of Congress must make it crystal clear to Arafat that unilateral action on the matter of statehood would jeopardize millions of dollars in U.S. financial aid. The resolution is just one part of the message. The most critical piece is what is written between the lines. |
