US Campaign to End the Occupation – 2006-12-07 23:25:46
http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=1188
Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act in House Today
(December 7, 2006) — The US Campaign has just learned that the House of Representatives will vote today on S.2370, the Senate version of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act.
The Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act imposes draconian economic and diplomatic sanctions against the Palestinian people for exercising their right to vote in legislative elections earlier this year.
Call the House Switchboard NOW at 202-224-3121 or get contact info for your Representative by clicking here
Tell your Representative to vote NO today on the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act.
BACKGROUND:
H.R.4681, the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, introduced after the recent Palestinian legislative election which resulted in a Hamas victory, goes far beyond reiterating the current US ban on direct assistance to the Palestinian Authority; it also calls for many troubling provisions that would punish and isolate the Palestinian people for exercising their right to vote.
This unconstructive approach would only perpetuate the status quo of violence, military occupation, and human rights violations rather than promoting dialogue and a just, peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The provisions include
• restricting US humanitarian aid;
• designating Palestinian territory as a “terrorist sanctuary” thus triggering restrictions on US exports;
• prohibiting official Palestinian diplomacy or representation in the United States in a way counter-productive to promoting dialogue and a just peace;
• reducing US dues to the United Nations because some of its bodies were created by the UN to advocate for Palestinian human rights;
• and denying Palestinians the ability to receive assistance through international financial institutions.
The United States says that it is committed to promoting democracy. If that is indeed the case, it is inappropriate for Members of Congress to advance legislation that would punish and isolate people through draconian economic and diplomatic measures when the result of an election is not to the liking of the United States.
On May 23, the House passed a harsher version of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, H.R.4681. The Senate then passed its own version of the bill-S.2370 — one month later on June 23.
Since then, the bill has been stalled. A bill passed with different versions in the House and Senate must be reconciled by conference before it can be sent to the President for signature into law.
Instead of reconciling the bills in conference, the House will instead vote today to pass the Senate version of the bill so that it can be sent to the President for signature into law before the 109th Congress recesses.
You can help prevent this bill from becoming law by calling the House Switchboard NOW at 202-224-3121 or get contact info for your Representative by clicking here
Earlier this year, the US Campaign mobilized more than 340 US-based organizations against the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act.
• Click here http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=1188 for more details and talking points on the bill.
• The proceedings of the House can be viewed live on CSPAN.
