Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, we are here today contemplating passage of this most necessary resolution because of the public pronouncements of Yasser Arafat. He has necessitated this action because in direct contravention of the Wye and Oslo agreements, he has put out there the notion that he may, in fact, declare unilaterally a Palestinian state. If there is ever an act that would sabotage the hopes for peace and security in the region, it would be that unilateral declaration. Yasser Arafat unquestionably remains, in fact, a professional terrorist. He has American, Israeli, European and Arab blood on his hands. There are many of his allies, the Hezbollah and the Hamas, who consider themselves close allies, who would like nothing better than a declaration of independence by Yasser Arafat sometime in May. It would give them the opportunity to have a state that is fully sovereign and inviolable; able to import and manufacture any weapon; turn a police force that in all reality is actually an army into what we know it to be; free to support terrorism and poised to attack Israel and possibly Jordan. From his past actions, we can only infer that a unilateral declaration by Yasser Arafat would be absolutely the matter that would destroy the process for peace and security in the region.”