[UFPJ] Oppose Anti-Palestinian Legislation

["US Campaign Advocacy" <congress at endtheoccupation.org>]

<http://www.endtheoccupation.org/index.php>

UFPJ Urges Member Groups to Oppose Anti-Palestinian Legislation

United for Peace and Justice has signed on to a letter to Members of
Congress opposing HR4681, the
<http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:h4681ih.txt.pdf>Palestinian
Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006.  This letter, organized by UFPJ member group
the <http://www.endtheoccupation.org/>US Campaign to End the Israeli
Occupation , currently has more than 135 organizational endorsers.  UFPJ
urges it member groups to endorse this letter as well, by
<http://www.endtheoccupation.org/modinput4.php?modin=92>clicking here.  See
below for the text of the letter, as well as talking points and background
information.

Since its inception, UFPJ has taken a strong and consistent stand against
US support for Israel's military occupation of Palestinian territories.
<http://unitedforpeace.org/article.php?type=73&list=type>Click here to
learn more about UFPJ's Palestine/Israel Just Peace Campaign.

In the aftermath of the Palestinian legislative election which was won by
Hamas, the United States has reassessed its relations with the Palestinian
Authority (PA).  On Friday, the
<http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2006/61543.htm>State Department
confirmed that the United States has asked the Palestinian Authority (PA)
to return $50 million in previously disbursed assistance for infrastructure
projects in Gaza. Last Wednesday, the House passed a
<http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:sc79rfh.txt.pdf>concurrent
resolution reiterating a US ban on direct assistance to the PA.

Some Members of Congress have urged that the United States go further than
this and adopt draconian economic and diplomatic measures against the
Palestinian people. Of the several anti-Palestinian resolutions introduced
by Members of Congress in the aftermath of the legislative election, the
most far-reaching is H.R.4681, the
<http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:h4681ih.txt.pdf>Palestinian
Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006 , introduced by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
on February 1.  The resolution currently has
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR04681:@@@P>68 cosponsors.

Take action this week and join the US Campaign to End the Israeli
Occupation to oppose this anti-Palestinian resolution (details and talking
points are below).  You can:

1) Meet with your Members of Congress during the President's Day week
recess.  Members of Congress are in their home districts for a work period
Feb. 20-24.  Assemble a delegation and call your Member of Congress for an
appointment today.  Contact information for your Members' of Congress
district offices can be found at our
<http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?list=type&type=89>Congressional
Report Card.

2) Send a letter to your Members of Congress about this resolution.
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/uscampaign/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2536>Take
action here.

3) Get your organization to endorse a sign-on letter to Members of Congress
(see below).  To date, more than 135 organizations have signed this letter.
The deadline for signing on to this letter is Monday, Feb. 27.

4) Participate in a national call-in day, Tuesday, Feb. 28.  Save the date!

ORGANIZATIONAL SIGN-ON LETTER AGAINST HR4681, THE PALESTINIAN
ANTI-TERRORISM ACT OF 2006
<http://www.endtheoccupation.org/modinput4.php?modin=92>Click here to add
your organization to the sign-on letter.
TO: House International Relations Committee, Judiciary Committee, and
Financial Services Committee
CC: Congressional Representatives
DATE: February 27, 2006
The following organizations strongly oppose H.R.4681, the Palestinian
Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, and urge Members of Congress to oppose it as
well.
This resolution, 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.
Signed by,
1.       14 Friends of Palestine, San Rafael, CA
2.       Afrikan Amerikan Institute for Policy Studies, Greenville, SC
3.       Albany Peace Seekers, Albany, OR
4.       American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Washington, DC
5.       American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee-Philadelphia Chapter,
Philadelphia, PA
6.       American Arab Forum, Denville, NJ
7.       American Council on Middle East Policy, New York, NY
8.       American Friends Service Committee, Philadelphia, PA
9.       Americans Committed to Justice and Truth, Sagle, ID
10.   Americans for a Just Peace in the Middle East, Santa Barbara, CA
11.   Americans for a Palestinian State, Oakland, CA
12.   Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights, Portland, OR
13.   Ann Arbor Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East, Ann
Arbor, MI
14.   Arab/Jewish Peace Alliance, Albuquerque, NM
15.   Arab Student Union, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI
16.   Atlanta Palestine Solidarity, Atlanta, GA
17.   A Touch of the Holy Land, Amery, WI
18.   Benedictine Sisters, Mount St. Scholastica, Atchison, KS
19.   Bethlehem Association, Media, PA
20.   Bosnia Support Committee, Washington, DC
21.   Boston Coalition for Palestinian Rights, Boston, MA
22.   Boveri Workgroup, Bethesda, MD
23.   Break the Silence, Berkeley, CA
24.   Bubbes & Zaydes (Grandparents) for Peace in the Middle East,
Philadelphia, PA
25.   Catholic Peace Fellowship, Philadelphia, PA
26.   Children of Abraham, Birmingham, AL
27.   Citizens for Fair Legislation, Alameda, CA
28.   Citizens for Just Democracy, Amarillo, TX
29.   Citizens for Justice in the Middle East, Kansas City, MO
30.   Coalition for Peace with Justice, Chapel Hill, NC
31.   Committee for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine, Oak Park, IL
32.   Committee for Peace in Israel and Palestine, Wainscott, NY
33.   Council for the National Interest, Washington, DC
34.   Council on American-Islamic Relations-Ohio, Columbus, OH
35.   Deir Yassin Remembered, Geneva, NY
36.   Dollars and Sins, Princeton, NJ
37.   Don Quixote Society, Sherwood, OR
38.   Duval Greens Party, Jacksonville, FL
39.   Ecumenical Peace Institute, Berkeley, CA
40.   El-Bireh Palestine Society, Cleveland, OH
41.   Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Chicago, IL
42.   Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Southwest Washington, Vancouver, WA
43.   Florida Palestine Solidarity Network, Pensacola, FL
44.   Friends of Deir Ibzi'a, Berkeley, CA
45.   Friends of Middle East Peace, Corvallis, OR
46.   Friends of Sabeel-North America, Portland, OR
47.   Ghost Ranch, Santa Fe, NM
48.   Global Exchange, San Francisco, CA
49.   Grassroots International, Boston, MA
50.   Green Party of the United States, Washington, DC
51.   Helena Peace Seekers, Helena, MT
52.   Home for Peace and Justice, Saginaw, MI
53.   Home Perfection Contracting, Springfield, VA
54.   Imagine-Life, Washington, DC
55.   Institute for Palestine Studies, Washington, DC
56.   Interfaith Community for Palestinian Rights, Austin, TX
57.   International Solidarity Movement-Chicago Chapter, Chicago, IL
58.   Islamic Education and Information Center, Milpitas, CA
59.   Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions-USA, Chapel Hill, NC
60.   Jewish Voice for Peace, Oakland, CA
61.   Jewish Women for Justice in Israel/Palestine, Boston, MA
62.   Jews for Global Justice, Portland, OR
63.   Joining Hands Against Hunger, Atlanta/Palestine, Atlanta, GA
64.   Justice Committee, Congregation of St. Joseph, Cleveland, OH
65.   Justice First Foundation, West Kingston, RI
66.   Lakeshore Peacemakers, Manitowoc, WI
67.   LA Petrophysics, La Habra Heights, CA
68.   Latinos Por Mumia, Bronx, NY
69.   Louisville Committee for Israeli/Palestinian States, Louisville, KY
70.   Louisville Committee for Peace in the Middle East, Louisville, KY
71.   Madison-Rafah Sister City Project, Madison, WI
72.   Maine Peace and Justice in Israel/Palestine, Portland, ME
73.   Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Washington, DC
74.   Middle East Children's Alliance, Berkeley, CA
75.   Middle East Fellowship, Pasadena, CA
76.   Middle East Peace Now of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
77.   Middle East Policy Advisory Council, Oakland, CA
78.   Middle East Research and Information Project, Washington, DC
79.   Middle Eastern Center for Cultural and Religious Affairs, Baton Rouge, LA
80.   MidEast: Just Peace, Cedar, MI
81.   Monterey County Citizens for Middle East Peace, Monterey, CA
82.   Monterey Peace and Justice Center, Monterey, CA
83.   Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
84.   Muslim Voters of America, Oak Park, IL
85.   Naka '48, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
86.   National Association of Muslim American Women, Columbus, OH
87.   Northern Detroit Society for Peace and Justice, Sterling Heights, MI
88.   Not in My Name, Evanston, IL
89.   Olympia Friends Meeting, Olympia, WA
90.   Olympia-Rafah Sister City Project, Olympia, WA
91.   Palestine Children's Relief Fund, Kent, OH
92.   Palestine-Israel Action Group, Ann Arbor Friends Meeting, Ann Arbor, MI
93.   Palestine/Israel Justice Project of the United Methodist Church,
Minnesota Annual Conference, Paynesville, MN
94.   Palestinian American Congress, Astoria, NY
95.   Palestinian American Congress-CT Chapter, South Windsor, CT
96.   Palestinian Concern Group, Seattle, WA
97.   Palestinian National Initiative (Al-Mubadara), Anaheim, CA
98.   Palestinians for Peace and Democracy, San Antonio, TX
99.   Pakistan Weekly, Berkeley, CA
100.                        Partners for Peace, Washington, DC
101.                        Pax Christi USA: National Catholic Peace
Movement, Washington, DC
102.                        Peace Action, Silver Spring, MD
103.                        Peace Action Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
104.                        Peace and Social Justice Center of South
Central Kansas, Wichita, KS
105.                        Peace Mark, Valley Center, CA
106.                        People of Faith CT, West Hartford, CT
107.                        Peoria Area Peace Network, Peoria, IL
108.                        Progressive Democrats of America, Phoenix, AZ
109.                        Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice,
Olympia, WA
110.                        Rebuilding Alliance, Palo Alto, CA
111.                        Red Wing Alliance for Peace, Red Wing, MN
112.                        Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center,
Boulder, CO
113.                        September 11 Action, Piedmont, CA
114.                        Sisters of Mercy, Regional Community of
Detroit, Detroit Leadership Team, Farmington, MI
115.                        Soft Sound, St. Louis, MO
116.                        Southern Vermont Tikkun Community, East
Dummerston, VT
117.                        South Kingstown Justice, Peace and Action
Group, Narragansett, RI
118.                        Strength Through Peace, Fort Collins, CO
119.                        Talking Drum Collective, Stone Mountain, GA
120.                        Tikkun, Berkeley, CA
121.                        Tri-City Peace and Justice, Fremont, CA
122.                        Tucson Women in Black, Tucson, AZ
123.                        United for Peace and Justice, New York, NY
124.                        United for Peace and Justice, Irving, TX
125.                        Ursulines of Tildonk for Justice and Peace, New
York, NY
126.                        US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation,
Washington, DC
127.                        Veterans for Peace, Pensacola Chapter,
Pensacola, FL
128.                        Veterans for Peace, Rachel Corrie Chapter #109,
Olympia, WA
129.                        Voices of Palestine, Seattle, WA
130.                        We Are Wide Awake, Clermont, FL
131.                        WESPAC Foundation, White Plains, NY
132.                        Western New York Peace Center, Buffalo, NY
133.                        Western New York Veterans for Peace, Buffalo, NY
134.                        Women Against Military Madness, Middle East
Committee, Minneapolis, MN
135.                        Women in Black, Los Angeles, CA
136.                        Young Korean American Service and Education
Center, Flushing, NY
137.                        Youth for Justice in Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
<http://www.endtheoccupation.org/modinput4.php?modin=92>Click here to add
your organization to the sign-on letter.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON HR4681, THE PALESTINIAN ANTI-TERRORISM ACT OF 2006
Of the several anti-Palestinian resolutions introduced by Members of
Congress in the aftermath of the legislative election, the most
far-reaching is H.R.4681, the
<http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:h4681ih.txt.pdf>Palestinian
Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, introduced by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
on February 1.
<http://www.endtheoccupation.org/modinput4.php?modin=92>Click here to get
your organization involved in opposing this resolution.
The central provision of this resolution would prohibit the United States
from providing direct assistance to the PA unless the President certifies
that it has fulfilled a long list of subjective and ambiguous conditions.
Current law already prohibits the United States from providing direct
assistance to the PA unless the President signs a national security waiver,
and in fact the United States provides no direct assistance to the PA.
However, this resolution goes far beyond reiterating the current US ban on
direct assistance to the PA; it also calls for many troubling provisions
that would punish and isolate the Palestinian people for exercising their
right to vote, including:
* Restricting humanitarian aid.  Through its military occupation of the
West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel has de-developed the Palestinian economy
by destroying infrastructure and agricultural lands; by inhibiting the
development of internal trade through walls, checkpoints, roadblocks,
closures, and curfews; and by preventing external trade through border
closings.  US humanitarian assistance, overseen by USAID and implemented by
certified non-governmental organizations (NGO's), is not only essential to
preventing the complete collapse of the Palestinian economy under these
difficult conditions imposed by Israel; it is also morally necessary since
the United States supports these Israeli policies through $3 billion of
direct military and economic assistance every year.  Even though it
contains a waiver for certain humanitarian aid categories, this resolution
threatens US assistance to NGO's in Palestinian territories by putting it
in the same category as aid to the PA.
* Designating Palestinian territory as a "terrorist sanctuary".  Under the
terms of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, this
designation would trigger restrictions on US exports to Palestinian
territories, effectively gutting the free trade agreement between the
United States and the West Bank and Gaza Strip and further crippling the
Palestinian economy.
* Prohibiting official Palestinian diplomacy or representation in the
United States.  Restricting Palestinian diplomacy in the United States
would be counter-productive to efforts to promote dialogue and a just
peace, further eroding the claim of the United States to be an "honest
broker". This resolution would deny visas to PA representatives; restrict
the movement of Palestinian diplomats at the UN; and shut down the PLO
information office in Washington.
* Targeting the UN for supporting Palestinian human rights.  The
Palestinians have been denied their human rights through Israeli
dispossession and military occupation.  The United Nations has voted by
overwhelming majorities to create bodies like the Committee on the
Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People to advocate for the
realization of unmet Palestinian human rights.  This resolution seeks to
defund these bodies by calling on the United States to withhold UN dues in
proportion to the percentage of the UN budget that funds these bodies.
* Denying Palestinians the ability to receive assistance through
international financial institutions.  The World Bank has been working with
the PA to rehabilitate the Gaza Strip since Israel's unilateral
"disengagement" from it in 2005.  Funds are needed urgently to rebuild
thousands of homes that Israel destroyed there.  The reconstruction of the
Gaza Strip could be in jeopardy if this bill is passed.  It contains a
provision instructing the United States, which has a controlling vote at
the World Bank, to vote against such funding.
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.
That is why the following organizations-the American Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee, the American Friends Service Committee, the
Council for the National Interest, Global Exchange, Jewish Voice for Peace,
Middle East Children's Alliance, Partners for Peace, Pax Christi USA, Peace
Action Wisconsin, Progressive Democrats of America, Tikkun, and the US
Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation-are joining together in a
coordinated national campaign to oppose H.R.4681, the Palestinian
Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006.
<http://www.endtheoccupation.org/modinput4.php?modin=92>Click here to
endorse this campaign to oppose H.R.4681.

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