Political Quotes

Peter Deutsch: “I think there has been a misplaced emphasis in many ways by this administration on calling Chairman Arafat the leader of…”

On the recordApril 9, 2002
I think there has been a misplaced emphasis in many ways by this administration on calling Chairman Arafat the leader of the Palestinians. Let us be very specific. I think most Americans need to really understand this, that Chairman Arafat was elected, but what he did was he refused to have a reelection. His term of office ended in 2000. All of us who are elected officials, we stand for election every 2 years, and in the Senate every 6 years, and the President every 4 years. I was an election observer. Some of us have participated in international election observation teams. I was an election observer this past year in Belarus, where the president of the country reelected himself. We do not recognize their government. Yet, our government says that Chairman Arafat is the chosen leader, when he chose not to have an election.
Said by
Peter Deutsch
Florida
Source
govinfo.gov

Editor's note · Context

Discussing the leadership of the Palestinians and Chairman Arafat's lack of reelection.

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