American Jewish Committee Supports President Bush Demands on Arafat to End Terror

American Jewish Committee
Sunday, 2 December 2001

In the wake of a weekend of despicable Palestinian terror attacks in Israel, the American Jewish Committee issued today the following statement:

"The American Jewish Committee condemns the horrendous terror outrages that have struck Israel in the past 24 hours – two suicide bombing attacks in central Jerusalem yesterday and a third suicide bombing attack in Haifa today. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and to the scores of wounded.

"We agree with President Bush that the Palestinian Authority and its leader Yasser Arafat, long on promises but murderously deficient in action, must make a 100 percent effort to end Palestinian terrorism against Israel. As President Bush said yesterday and repeated today, "Now more than ever, Chairman Arafat and the Palestinian Authority must demonstrate through their actions, and not merely their words, their commitment to fight terror."

"More than a year ago Israel made a historic offer to the Palestinians that would have led to a resolution of all outstanding issues. A permanent peace could have been achieved through bilateral negotiations. But in September 2000, the Palestinian leadership made a calculated decision to walk away from the peace process and to embark on a path of violence.

"The significant gains in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking made during the past decade have been effectively nullified by the daily terror attacks against Israelis since the Palestinians chose violence over negotiations more than 14 months ago. These attacks, incited and condoned by a Palestinian leadership that refuses to take consistent action against the individuals and organizations responsible, have left hundreds of Israelis dead and thousands wounded. And they have destroyed Israeli confidence in the Palestinian commitment to peace.

"For too long the international community has tolerated this continuing Palestinian terrorism against Israel. European leaders, apparently careful not to give offense to Chairman Arafat, have too often responded to terror outrages against Israelis with solemn calls for "both parties' to eschew violence. In fact, European Union and Arab League nations, among others, are scheduled to meet in Geneva later this week for the exclusive purpose of condemning Israel for supposedly violating the Fourth Geneva Convention. In 52 years, the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention have never been convened to discuss the action of any other country.

"We call on the democracies of Europe, as well as America's friends among moderate Arab states, to change course and join the United States in true solidarity with democratic Israel: to not only rhetorically condemn Palestinian terror against Israelis but to apply economic and political pressure on the Palestinian leadership – so that

Chairman Arafat will finally see that in the eyes of the world he has no choice but to act decisively against terror. Regrettably, European and Arab states' acquiescence to terror has sent the Palestinians a far different and misguided message, particularly over the past year – that if they wait long enough, Israel can be brought to heel.

"Now, with the United States making a new effort to achieve a cease-fire and bring about the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, Yasser Arafat must make a decision. He can continue to allow the terrorists to roam freely in territories in Gaza and the West Bank under his control, or he can arrest and prosecute them, breaking terror's grip and making a political solution possible.

"The Palestinian leadership cannot have it both ways – terrorism and diplomacy."

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org