A bill to make unlawful the establishment or maintenance within the United States of an office of thePalestine Liberation Organization, and for other purposes.
The Anti-Terrorism Act is an affiliate of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 1988 and 1989. The Foreign Relations Authorization Act was codified as Public Law 100-204 bound as statute 101 Stat.1331. The United States House billH.R. 1777 was authorized by the 100th United States Congress and enacted into law byRonald Reagan on December 22, 1987.[1][2]
No contributions by the United States shall be made to theUnited Nations Relief and Works Agency forPalestine Refugees in theNear East except on the condition that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency take all possible measures to assure that no part of the United States contribution shall be used to furnish assistance to any refugee who is receiving military training as a member of the so-calledPalestine Liberation Army or any otherguerrilla type organization or who has engaged in any act ofterrorism.[7]
Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987 was penned as five sections establishing reprehensible conditions with regards toPalestine Liberation Organization relations and conductinganarchist activities within the United States. Thepublic law is declared asTitle X - Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987.
Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987 as short title -101 Stat. 1406 § 1001
Determinations and Findings -101 Stat. 1406-1407 § 1002
United States Attorney General affirms thatvarious elements of the Palestine Liberation Organization and its allies and affiliates are in the thick of international terror
Determinations -101 Stat. 1407 § 1002
United States Congress determines the Palestine Liberation Organization and affiliates are a terrorist organization. The anarchist organization poses a peril threat to the interests of the United States, its allies, andinternational law. The Palestine Liberation Organization should not benefit from operating in the United States.
Prohibitions Regarding the PLO -101 Stat. 1407 § 1003
For the purpose of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987, it is unlawful to further the interests of the Palestine Liberation Organization, any constituent groups, any successor to any of those, and any agents thereof;
(1) To receive anything of value except informational material from the PLO or any of its constituent groups, any successor thereto, or any agents thereof;
(2) To expend funds from the PLO or any of its constituent groups, any successor thereto, or any agents thereof;
(3) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, to establish or maintain an office, headquarters, premises, or other facilities or establishments within the jurisdiction of the United States at the behest or direction of, or with funds provided by the Palestine Liberation Organization or any of its constituent groups, any successor to any of those, or any agents thereof.
Enforcement -101 Stat. 1407 § 1004
United States Attorney General shall institute the necessary legal action to effectuate the policies and provisions of this title
Any district court of the United States for a district in which a violation of this title occurs shall have authority, upon petition of relief by the United States Attorney General, to grant injunctive and such other equitable relief as it shall deem necessary to enforce the provisions of this title
Effective Date -101 Stat. 1407 § 1005
Provisions of this title shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act
Termination -101 Stat. 1407 § 1005
Provisions of this title shall cease to have effect if the President certifies in writing to the' President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House that the Palestine Liberation Organization, its agents, or constituent groups thereof no longer practice or support terrorist actions anywhere in the world
The Reagan Administration sought to negotiate with Congress to prevent closure of the PLO mission at the United Nations, in fear that doing so would spark worldwide criticism. Legal Advisor to the State Department,Abraham Sofaer, sent a memorandum to Secretary of State George Shultz, explaining that, although the PLO was not legally entitled to an office at the UN, the U.S. should prevent its closure.[13] More specifically, Sofaer’s memorandum explained that the legal status of permanent UN observers (like the PLO) was not clarified in the 1947 Headquarters Agreement, meaning that the US could argue it had no legal obligations to treat observer missions with any immunities. However, the memo concluded, closing the PLO mission would run contrary to 40 years of practice under the Agreement.
In a later interview with the New York Times, Sofaer, speaking on behalf of the Administration, said that closing the PLO UN office would violate the 1947 Headquarter Agreements and result in a suit against the United States in the International Court of Justice.[14] He added that the ongoing congressional debate “has the clear implication that Congress doesn’t care if it violates international law.”[15]
Ultimately, despite the Administration’s objections. Congress enforced closure of the PLO mission. The New York Times recognized Sofaer as someone who understood the foolishness of this decision:
"Abraham D. Sofaer, the State Department's legal adviser, has understood the serious implications of this political foolishness. He has urged that action be held up, pending a legal ruling, lest American peace efforts in the Middle East be undermined. He sees the risk of damage to the interests of the United States and Israel."[16]
^Sabasteanski, Anna."Patterns of Global Terrorism 1985-2005" [U.S. Department of State Reports with Supplementary Documents and Statistics].Patterns of Global Terrorism. Vol. 1. Great Barrington, Massachusetts: Berkshire Publishing Company.ISBN0974309133.OCLC61724353 – via Internet Archive.
^Sabasteanski, Anna."Patterns of Global Terrorism 1985-2005" [U.S. Department of State Reports with Supplementary Documents and Statistics].Patterns of Global Terrorism. Vol. 2. Great Barrington, Massachusetts: Berkshire Publishing Company.ISBN0974309133.OCLC61724353 – via Internet Archive.
"Palestine Arab Terrorist Organizations ~ Document 356" [Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XVIII, Arab-Israeli Dispute, 1964–1967].Office of the Historian ~ Foreign Service Institute. United States Department of State. December 2, 1966.
Text ofPalestine Information Office v. Shultz, 674 F. Supp. 910 (D.D.C. 1987) is available from: CourtListenerJustiaCasemine
Text ofConstitutionality of Closing the Palestine Information Office, an Affiliate of the Palestine Liberation Organization (Op. Att’y Gen. 1987) is available from: CourtListenerU.S. Department of Justice
Text ofUnited States v. Palestine Liberation Organization, 695 F. Supp. 1456 (S.D.N.Y. 1988) is available from: CourtListenerJustiaCasemine
Text ofMendelsohn v. Meese, 695 F. Supp. 1474 (S.D.N.Y. 1988) is available from: CourtListenerJustiaCasemine
Text ofPalestine Information Office v. George P. Shultz, Secretary of State, 853 F.2d 932 (D.C. Cir. 1988) is available from: CourtListenerJustiaCasemine
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