Letter to the Hon. John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State - Close the Palestinian Liberation Organization's Office in Washington, D.C.

Letter

Dear Secretary Kerry,

Palestinian incitement to violence is a serious and ongoing threat to peace. In recent months, Israel has seen a dramatic increase in deadly attacks carried out by Palestinians sympathetic to the message of hatred and intolerance proclaimed by leaders within the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). The spike in violence in Israel is directly connected to the Palestinian government's teaching of hate and glorification of terrorism.

Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) reported that the PLO funds terrorism by paying "salaries" to Palestinians who are put in Israeli jails as a way of rewarding and incentivizing terror attacks. The longer the term, the higher the salary. Each year, the PLO provides about $150 million to terrorists imprisoned in Israel and families of deceased terrorists.

Shockingly, despite being complicit in spreading hatred and terror, the PLO retains an office in Washington, D.C. In the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987, Congress forbade the PLO from establishing or maintaining an office in the United States. However, each year since 1994, a President has signed a waiver allowing the PLO office in Washington, D.C. to remain open.

This fall, both the House of Representatives and the Senate unanimously passed resolutions condemning Palestinian incitement. The United States government has an obligation to publicly denounce the PLO's actions and should immediately revoke its waiver. Allowing the PLO to maintain an office in Washington, D.C. provides no benefit to the United States or the peace process.

We ask that the State Department revoke the Palestinian Liberation Organization's waiver to maintain an office in the United States. Closing the PLO office in Washington, D.C. would send a clear statement that the kind of incitement to violence perpetrated by the PLO and its leaders will not be tolerated.

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