WASHINGTON, 1 August - While violence in Jerusalem and the occupied territories continues, Congress is proposing new law that would impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority, including some laws that even Israel views as too heavy-handed.
The "Middle East Commitments Act," is the most broadly supported of the proposed laws, and is sponsored by Congressman Gary Ackerman, D-New York. The bill would, in effect, give President Bush the ability to declare the Palestinian Authority a "foreign terrorist organization."
Other proposals include a bill by Congressman Eric Cantor, D-Virginia, condemning excavations at the Dome of the Rock, and a resolution by Congressmen Eliot Engel, D-New York, criticizing, what he calls, "the Palestinian Authority's use of Palestinian children in the conflict."
As if those weren't enough, the hawkish Zionist Organization of America is backing another bill, sponsored by two New Jersey congressmen - Democrat Robert Andrews and Republican Jim Saxton - that would establish an office in the Justice Department that would focus entirely on monitoring Palestinian "terrorism."
In Congress, there appears to be no balance of justice. In addition, there are clear indications that the Israeli government supports the congressional sanctions efforts. Sources on Capitol Hill have told Arab News that these congressmen are carrying out what they believe to be Israeli's wishes.
"AIPAC (the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, a powerful lobbying group in Congress) is not going to do anything that would give the Israeli government heartburn - and nor should it," political consultant Douglas Bloomfield, a former AIPAC legislative director, told a pro-Israeli publication. "It's clear (the Israeli government) would not be disappointed to have someone beating up on the PA."
One indication of AIPAC's powerful influence on the bill is the momentum with which the Ackerman measure is moving toward passage. Many bills and resolutions - especially on foreign policy - are considered little more than public posturing and never pass into law.
Ackerman's measure, however, was attached by House supporters to the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, which passed the House this week by a wide margin. In the Senate, the measure was inserted into the authorization bill for the State Department, which many observers think President Bush will sign.
Out of all the bills aimed at the Palestinians, this bill - since it already passed in the House - has the best chance to end up on the president's desk.
In addition to the terrorist designation, the bill also threatens Palestinians with denial of visas to enter the United States, closing the PLO office in Washington, and cutting off foreign aid to the Palestinians.
Due to the deteriorating situation in Israel, traditional boundaries between hawkish and dovish Jewish members of Congress have dissolved, which strengthens the bills' momentum.
Some Washington observers are urging lawmakers not to stir up trouble. "The US should not be in the business of making it more difficult for both sides to get along," said retired US Foreign Service officer Philip Wilcox, now president of the Foundation for Middle East peace.
Hisham Sharabi, chairman of the Center of Policy Analysis, told Arab News the "wrong-headed behavior" in Congress will only "make things worse" for everybody. These measures will further isolate America from its Arabs allies, he added.
