Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the PA

Among the rationale for the resolution is the following statements: “the Palestinian people have a right to live in peace with the Israeli people in a free and independent Palestinian state;” “Chairman Arafat consistently refuses to accept a two-state solution to the violence between Israelis and Palestinians;” “the Palestinian people need a strong leader capable of controlling militant groups;” and “the Palestinian people need a strong leader committed to negotiating a peace for them and their neighbors.” Resolves that Chairman Arafat “is not an agent for peace” and the U.S. should no longer talk to him as well as the U.S. should reduce assistance to the PA if it cannot control “groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad whose goal is to destroy both Israel and the peace process.”