52 SENATORS: CHENEY DON'T MEET WITH ARAFAT UNLESS HE ENDS VIOLENCE

(With thanks to American Israel Public Affairs Committee- AIPAC)

March 21, 2002

The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
Washington, D.C. 20500-0003

Dear Mr. President:

We write to express our profound concern and dismay at the news of yet
another suicide bombing in Jerusalem -- killing three and wounding more than
50
-- even as General Zinni is on the ground in the region trying to bring both
parties together for cease-fire negotiations.

Chairman Arafat made a commitment at Oslo to settle all differences
between
Palestinians and Israelis peacefully and to renounce the use of terrorism
and
other acts of violence. Yet even today the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the
military wing of Mr. Arafat's own Fatah movement, are engaged in acts of
violence and terrorism.

It is especially disappointing to us that this bombing -- the second in
two
days -- comes just at a time that Vice President Cheney had offered to meet
with
Mr. Arafat and that General Zinni had returned to the region to seek to
bring
both sides together to implement the Tenet Plan. Yet there is no evidence,
on
the ground, that Mr. Arafat is willing to do what is necessary to help bring
peace to Israel and his people. Mr. Arafat must live up to his pledge at
Oslo
and demonstrate that he is a genuine partner for peace.

We strongly believe that Chairman Arafat must take decisive and
concerted
action to rein in the terrorists and put and end to their brutal campaign --
and
must demonstrate, on the ground, that he is willing to take the steps
necessary
to bring the violence to an end. Until Mr. Arafat and the Palestinian
Authority
demonstrate a commitment, in word and deed, to control the violence and do
everything they can to stop it, we believe that Israel, a democratic state
and a
staunch friend and ally of the United States, is strongly within its rights
to
take necessary and appropriate measures to assure the security of its
people.

Until Mr. Arafat and the Palestinian Authority demonstrate their
commitment
to end the violence we would urge that the Vice President reconsider his
offer
to meet with Mr. Arafat. And although we believe that it is critical that
General Zinni remain in the region, we hope that he makes clear that the
United
States will not deal with those who do not live up to their commitments.

We look forward to your thoughts on this matter, and to working with you
on
this critical issue.

With warmest personal regards.

Sincerely,

Dianne Feinstein, Tom Daschle, Joseph Lieberman, Jon Kyl, Ron Wyden,
Mitch McConnell, Bob Graham, Ben Nighthorse Campbell,
Kay Bailey Hutchison, Jesse Helms, Kent Conrad, Richard Durbin,
Jon Corzine, Jim Jeffords, Harry Reid, John D. Rockefeller IV,
Christopher Dodd, Arlen Specter, Fritz Hollings, Daniel Inouye,
John Warner, Paul Wellstone, Hillary Clinton, James Inhofe,
Richard Shelby, Herb Kohl, Robert Torricelli, Carl Levin,
John Kerry, Chuck Schumer, Russell Feingold, Evan Bayh,
John Edwards, Orrin Hatch, Tim Hutchinson, Mike Crapo,
Christopher Bond, Bob Smith, Mary Landrieu, Charles Grassley,
Bill Nelson, Jim Bunning, Tim Johnson,Blanche Lincoln,
Susan Collins, John Breaux, Robert Bennet, Max Cleland,
Wayne Allard, Barbara Mikulski, George Allen, Frank Murkowski