U.S. Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chair of the Middle East and Central Asia Subcommittee of the Committee on International Relations, and Tom Lantos (D-CA), Ranking Democrat on the Committee, joined by Representatives Eric Cantor (R-VA), Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Gary Ackerman (D-NY), have introduced H.R. 4681, the “Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006” to prevent any aid from being used to support Hamas or a government in which Hamas is a participant. The specific measures and the general spirit of this bipartisan initiative are consistent with United States policy regarding terrorism and the general promotion of the development of democratic institutions in areas under the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority. Here are the key provisions of the bill:

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Forbids the transfer of any U.S. taxpayer funds to the Palestinian Authority unless it can be certified that no ministry, agency or instrumentality of the PA. is controlled by a terrorist organization and no member of a terrorist organization serves in such ministry, agency or instrumentality. And it forbids such transfer until the P.A. publicly acknowledges Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish State, recommits itself to all prior agreements including the “Road Map,” purges its security services of terrorists, dismantles the infrastructure of terrorism, and halts all anti-Israel incitement;

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Calls on the President to direct the US Executive Director at each international financial institution of which the US is a member (IMF, World Bank, etc) to use the voice, vote, and influence of the US to prohibit assistance to the PA during any time that the above requirements for certification are not met;

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Declares that the PA shall be deemed a terrorist organization and that all territory under PA control shall be deemed a sanctuary for terrorists or terrorist organizations, until the above conditions are met. And it places constraints on US exports to such territory under the Export Administration Act of 1979; US Foreign Assistance Act, and the Foreign Relations Authorization Act (1988 and 1989);

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Bans assistance to any non-governmental organizations in such territory except for humanitarian aid and visas for any official of the PA to travel to the United States;

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Limits the travel of PA officials at the UN to a 25-mile radius;

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Calls for the closure of the all PA offices, other than its U.N offices;

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Bans diplomatic contact with any PA official that is a member of Hamas.

WE URGE YOU TO ENCOURAGE HOUSE MEMBERS TO SUPPORT AND SIGN ON TO THIS BIPARTISAN RESOLUTION.

PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AT 202-224-3121 AND EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR H.R. 4681, THE PALESTINIAN ANTI-TERRORISM ACT OF 2006.