American Arab Forum urges President Bush to aid the Palestinian Authority to restore order and build confidence.

Contact: Aref Assaf 973-960-2673; aref@americanarabforum.org
Paterson, NJ, October 18, 2005: The American Arab Forum urges President Bush to provide the Palestinian Authority with tangible financial and political assistance. As President Mahmoud Abbas is due in Washington, DC where he  will meet with President George Bush, we believe the United States must publicly prod both Israelis and Palestinians to conclude a fair and practical agreement on the Rafah border crossing (between Egypt and Gaza) that will protect Israel's security while providing free movement for Palestinians. Such an agreement would make a huge difference to the Palestinians as they struggle to rebuild their shattered society.
Equip the Palestinian security forces with light armaments and ammunition to effectively restore order in Gaza. The Palestinian Authority (PA) has often found itself outgunned by militants. The PA will not be able to sustain the progress made to date in reining in violence and lawlessness unless they get help from the outside — and the US has to take the lead on this.
Aref Assaf, President of American Arab Forum stated that “the PA has, since the death of Yasser Arafat, fulfilled a significant portion of its obligations under the Road Map, including a declaration of non-violence, the institution of a democratic government, the consolidation of official security agencies, and the establishment of a cease-fire on the part of Hamas and the Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigade. These measures are truly historic in the Palestinian context and the overall Palestine-Israel conflict. Mr. Assaf Added that these concrete steps must not only be acknowledged but also rewarded with direct American aid to the Palestinian Authority to sustain this momentum for peace.”
AAF reiterates its dire call upon the United States government to immediately appoint a high caliber diplomat as an envoy to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, to remain on the ground during the period leading up to the January elections. If the US is seriously committed to promoting and supporting moderates Palestinians, then it must deliver on its promise now. It remains in America’s best strategic interest to bring about a just and lasting peace between The Palestinian people and the Israelis.
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