,,ii #aadth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #becg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #aj1 #bjaf,mr4 ,cruz introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,anti-,terrorism ,act of #aihg with respect to certain prohibitions regarding the ,palestine ,liberation ,organization under that ,act4 #a4 ,short title ,the ,act may be cited as the ,,plo ,accountability ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,palestine ,liberation ,organization 7,,plo7 ,mission office1 representing the ,,plo1 and by extension1 the ,palestinian ,authority1 in ,washington1 ,,dc1 was opened in #aiid in order to implement the ,oslo ,accords1 which initiated direct negotiations between the ,,plo and the ,government of ,israel4 7#b7 ,section #ajjc of the ,anti-,terrorism ,act of #aihg 7,public ,law #ajj-bjd2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ebjb71 makes it unlawful to establish or maintain an office1 headquarters1 premises1 or other facilities or establishments within the jurisdiction of the ,united ,states at the behest or direction of1 or with funds provided by the ,palestine ,liberation ,organization or any of its constituent groups1 any successor to any of those1 or any agents thereof4 7#c7 ,using various authorities1 the ,executive branch has waived the provisions of section #ajjc of the ,anti-,terrorism ,act of #aihg4 7#d7 ,article ,,xxxi1 clause #g1 of the ,israeli-,palestinian ,interim ,agreement on the ,status of the ,west ,bank and the ,gaza ,strip 7,september #bh1 #aiie7 states that ,neither side shall initiate or take any step that will change the status of the ,west ,bank and the ,gaza ,strip pending the outcome of the permanent status negotiations4 7#e7 ,in ,january #bjji1 the ,,plo sent a declaration to the ,international ,criminal ,court under ,article #ab7c7 of the ,rome ,statute of the ,international ,criminal ,court on behalf of the ,palestinian ,authority4 7#f7 ,on ,october #ca1 #bjaa1 the ,united ,nations ,educational1 ,scientific and ,cultural ,organization 7,,unesco7 voted to admit the ,state of ,palestine as its #aieth full member4 ,since being admitted1 the ,palestinians have used ,,unesco to pass anti-,israel rulings1 including a recent proposal to have the ,western ,wall classified as part of the ,aqsa compound4 7#g7 ,on ,november #bi1 #bjab1 the ,united ,nations ,general ,assembly voted to accord the ,state of ,palestine status as a nonmember observer state at the ,united ,nations4 7#h7 ,on ,april #b1 #bjad1 the ,,plo joined the ,geneva ,conventions as well as #ac other organizations4 7#i7 ,on ,january #b1 #bjae1 the ,,plo acceded to the ,rome ,statute1 and on ,january #af1 #bjae1 the ,prosecutor of the ,international ,criminal ,court opened a preliminary examination of the situation in ,palestine after accepting jurisdiction of the ,international ,criminal ,court over alleged crimes committed in the occupied ,palestinian territory1 including ,east ,jerusalem1 since ,june #ac1 #bjad4 7#aj7 ,the ,,plo's decision to accede to the ,rome ,statute as well as several international organizations is an attempt to change the status of the ,west ,bank and the ,gaza ,strip outside of direct negotiations between the ,israelis and ,palestinians4 7#aa7 ,on ,january #g1 #bjae1 the ,department of ,state's ,office of the ,spokesperson stated1 we have made clear our opposition to ,palestinian action in seeking to join the ,rome ,statute of the ,international ,criminal ,court4 ,this step is counter-productive1 will damage the atmosphere with the very people with whom ,palestinians ultimately need to make peace1 and will do nothing to further the aspirations of the ,palestinian people for a sovereign and independent state44 7#ab7 ,on ,february #bc1 #bjae1 a jury in a ,new ,york ,federal court found the ,,plo and the ,palestinian ,authority liable for six terrorist attacks in ,israel between #bjjb and #bjjd that killed #cc people and injured more than #dej others1 including ,united ,states citizens among the victims4 7#ac7 ,the ,federal jury ordered the ,,plo and the ,palestinian ,authority1 both of which are headed by ,mahmoud ,abbas1 to pay #bah1ejj1jjj in reparations to the victims and their families of these terror acts4 7#ad7 ,on ,april #a1 #bjae1 the ,state of ,palestine officially became a member of the ,international ,criminal ,court4 7#ae7 ,the ,,plo continues to reward terrorists and their families who commit terrorist attacks1 providing a higher reward to those with longer jail sentences4 7#af7 ,the ,,plo continues to refuse to disclose all of its financial assets1 including the multibillion-dollar ,palestinian ,national ,fund 7,,pnf7 belonging to ,mahmoud ,abbas4 ,the ,fund is estimated to have tens of billions of dollars1 though its exact amount is unknown4 ,it is allegedly used by ,abbas to fund everything from his international campaign against ,israel to compensation to the families of ,palestinian terrorists4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the ,palestine ,liberation ,organization 7,,plo7 has failed to live up to its commitment to a bilateral peace process with ,israel1 renounce violence1 accept ,israel's right to exist1 honor previous diplomatic agreements made by the ,palestinians1 and continues to circumvent a negotiated settlement with ,israel by seeking unilateral statehood at the ,united ,nations and from other countries1 and continues to actively endorse terror2 7#b7 ,mahmoud ,abbas has purposefully blurred the lines between the ,,plo and the ,palestinian ,authority in order to avoid responsibility for violating previous agreements with ,israel while continuing to receive ,united ,states aid2 7#c7 the ,palestinian initiation of an ,international ,criminal ,court investigation1 or active support for such an investigation1 that subjects ,israeli nationals to an investigation for alleged crimes against ,palestinians1 would violate the ,palestinians' commitment to not change the status of the ,west ,bank and ,gaza ,strip2 7#d7 only a solution negotiated directly between the ,israelis and ,palestinians can result in a lasting peace1 and the ,palestinians should not turn to outside parties1 including international organizations1 to impose or otherwise influence a solution between the parties2 7#e7 if the ,palestinian ,authority or any representation thereof initiates or supports an investigation at the ,international ,criminal ,court1 the ,secretary of ,state should close the ,palestine ,liberation ,organization ,mission office in the ,united ,states2 and 7#f7 it is in the national security interests of the ,united ,states to remove the ,,plo office from ,washington1 ,,dc4 #d4 ,prohibitions regarding the ,,plo under the ,anti-,terrorism ,act of #aihg ,section #ajjc of the ,anti-,terrorism ,act of #aihg 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ebjb7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,it shall be unlawful and inserting 7a7 ,in general4--,it shall be unlawful2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7b7 ,waiver ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 including section #fjd of the ,foreign ,relations ,authorization ,act1 ,fiscal ,year #bjjc 7,public ,law #ajg-bbh71 the ,president may waive for a period of not more than #f months the provisions of subsection 7a7 if the ,president determines and certifies in writing to ,congress1 no less than #de days before the waiver is to take effect1 that-- 7#a7 7,a7 the ,palestinians have not1 on or after ,april #a1 #bjae1 obtained in the ,united ,nations or any specialized agency thereof the same standing as member states or full membership as a state outside an agreement negotiated between ,israel and the ,palestinians2 7,b7 the ,palestinians have officially ceased to be members of the ,international ,criminal ,court 7,,icc7 and have withdrawn from the ,rome ,statute2 7,c7 any preliminary examination or ongoing investigation against ,israel1 the ,government of ,israel1 the ,israeli ,armed or ,security ,forces1 or any ,israeli national initiated by1 or on behalf of1 the ,palestinians1 or referred to the ,,icc by a state party1 the ,united ,nations ,security ,council1 or a ,pre-,trial ,chamber has been withdrawn and terminated2 7,d7 the ,,plo and the ,palestinian ,authority no longer provide any financial award1 payment1 or salary to ,palestinian terrorists imprisoned in ,israel who have committed terrorist attacks1 or their families2 and 7,e7 the ,,plo and the ,palestinian ,authority no longer engage in a pattern of incitement against the ,united ,states or ,israel2 or 7#b7 the ,palestinians have entered into a final negotiated peace agreement with1 and have ceased all hostilities against1 ,israel4 7c7 ,definition ,in subsection 7b77#a77;,e71 the term incitement means-- 7#a7 statements1 media1 communication1 or other activities against any religion1 ethnicity1 or nationality2 7#b7 advocacy1 endorsement1 or glorification of violence1 martyrdom1 or terrorism2 or 7#c7 endorsement1 glorification1 honor1 or other memorialization of any person or group that has advocated1 sponsored1 or committed acts of terrorism1 including the naming after or dedication to such person or group of any school1 community center1 camp1 stadium1 public square1 street1 land1 landmark1 waterway1 or other facility4 4