IV
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 163
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States should not
provide assistance to terrorist organizations affiliated with the Palestinian
Authority or to the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation (PBC).
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 1, 1997
Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. WELLER, Mr.
BRADY, Mr. SNOWBARGER, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania,
Mr. FORBES, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. HOSTETTLER, Mr. NEUMANN, Mr.
HORN, Mr. PAXON, Mr. QUINN, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr.
GREENWOOD, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. NADLER, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. FOLEY,
Mr. SAXTON, Mr. LINDER, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mrs. ROUKEMA, Mr. BONO,
Ms. HARMAN, Mr. CANNON, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. MANZULLO,
Mr. SOLOMON, and Mr. CARDIN) submitted the following concurrent reso-
lution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States
should not provide assistance to terrorist organizations
affiliated with the Palestinian Authority or to the Pal-
estinian Broadcasting Corporation (PBC).
Whereas the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation (hereafter
the ‘‘PBC’’), an official arm of the Palestinian Authority,
has been engaged in serious offenses of broadcasting hos-
tile propaganda against the United States and Israel;
Whereas the Palestinian Authority, via the PBC and its sub-
sidiary, the Voice of Palestine, on Friday, September 12,
•HCON 163 IH
1997, broadcast the speech of the Palestinian Authority
Mufti Ikrama Sabri who called on Muslims ‘‘to raise
[our] voices against America’’ and who referred to the
United States as the chief of the terrorists;
Whereas Mufti Sabri further advocated the destruction of the
United States by saying ‘‘Oh Allah, destroy America, her
agents and her allies! Cast them into their own traps,
and cover the White House with black!’’;
Whereas the Palestinian Authority, via the PBC and the
Voice of Palestine, on July 11, 1997, broadcast another
speech by Mufti Sabri when he called for the destruction
of the United States by saying ‘‘Oh Allah, destroy Amer-
ica . . . Allah will paint the White House black!’’;
Whereas the Palestinian Authority and PBC have also been
engaged in broadcasting hostile propaganda against the
State of Israel as demonstrated by the June 14, 1997,
broadcast of the Voice of Palestine in which the PBC
made statements calling the Palestinian people to vio-
lence, including stating that the Palestinian people have
the right to react to settlement terror via all means;
Whereas on May 22, 1997, the PBC, via the Voice of Pal-
estine, read a poem which referred to Israelis as wolves,
tormentors, and dogs;
Whereas the Palestinian Authority is engaged in restrictive
journalism as exemplified by their Press Law of 1995
which restricts free press and states that editors-in-chief
must be Palestinian or non-Palestinian nationals who
have worked with the Palestine Liberation Organization;
Whereas the Congress believes that the actions of the Pal-
estinian Authority, via its agency the PBC, threaten the
•HCON 163 IH
national interests of the United States and the security
of its citizens;
Whereas the Congress believes that the actions of the Pal-
estinian Authority, via the PBC, undermine the Middle
East peace process and incite hatred of, and fatal terror-
ist acts against, Israelis;
Whereas the Congress believes that the United States should
assist independent Palestinian journalists in their efforts
to provide the Palestinian people with a free and open
press; and
Whereas the Congress believes that the Palestinian Authority
and the PBC have failed to exercise journalistic integrity
and have engaged in actions that have harmed the pros-
pects for peace in the Middle East: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) the United States should not provide assist-
ance to any organization affiliated with the Palestin-
ian Authority that advocates the destruction of the
United States and supports acts of terrorism;
(2) the United States should not provide assist-
ance, either directly or indirectly, to the Palestinian
Broadcasting Corporation or any of its affiliated or
successor agencies; and
(3) the United States should support a system
of independent journalists in the Middle East who
•HCON 163 IH
observe a code of professional journalism similar to
the code adopted by the Voice of America.
Æ