Congressman Keith Self to Introduce Bill Exposing Fraudulent Palestinian Leadership Amidst Unilateral Calls for Statehood
Congressman Keith Self (TX-03), Chairman of the Europe Subcommittee and member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, will introduce a bill on Friday holding illegitimate Palestinian officials accountable as several countries inappropriately make unilateral calls recognizing a State of Palestine.
Recognition of a Palestinian State is a blatant denial of reality. Furthermore, these countries are sending a clear message to Palestinian terrorists—that their reward for the largest slaughter of Jews since World War II is statehood.
Neither the Palestinian Authority (PA) nor the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) can be trusted to lead a sovereign nation-state. Following the recent calls for statehood, the Department of State made the determination that the PA and PLO are not in compliance with their commitments under the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 (PLOCCA) and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002 (MEPCA). As such, the Department of State imposed visa prohibitions on these Palestinian officials for:
• Supporting international organizations that undermine and contradict prior commitments in support of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338.
• Taking actions to internationalize its conflict with Israel, such as through the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
• Continuing to support terrorism, including incitement and glorification of violence (especially in textbooks).
• Providing payments and benefits in support of terrorism to Palestinian terrorists and their families.
To prevent future administrations from rescinding the policy, Congressman Self’s Return to Palestinian Entities Accountability and Counterterrorism Enforcement Act (Return to PEACE Act) would codify the Trump Administration’s action and keep the visa ban in place until Palestinian officials comply with PLOCCA and MEPCA.
“Recognizing a so-called Palestinian state—lacking defined borders, a legitimate capital, or any legal basis—is not just delusional, it’s a slap in the face to the victims and families of October 7th,” Congressman Self said. “Moves by Australia, Canada, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, and others to endorse this fictitious state reward Hamas terrorists and their heinous acts. This reckless path demands severe consequences. My bill, the Return to PEACE Act, will ensure that illegitimate Palestinian officials face accountability for their deplorable actions and the chaos they fuel.”
This bill is supported by FDD Action.
“The Return to Palestinian Entities Accountability and Counterterrorism Enforcement Act rightly codifies visa bans on members of the PLO and PA and restricts their access to the United States. For decades, these entities have facilitated terrorism and violence that claimed American lives and inspired the rise of other designated terrorist groups. They continue to incentivize further violence by paying stipends to convicted terrorists and their families. Until the PLO and PA end these practices and stop fueling terrorism, it is common sense to deny their operatives the privilege of traveling to the United States. FDD Action strongly supports this effort to hold them accountable and to safeguard American security.” – FDD Action
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