,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ajfj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #d1 #bjag,mr4 ,cruz introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to strengthen prohibitions regarding the ,palestine ,liberation ,organization1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,plo ,accountability ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,palestine ,liberation ,organization 7,,plo7 ,mission office1 representing the ,,plo1 and by extension1 the ,palestinian ,authority 7,,pa71 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 7title ,x of ,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 resolutions1 including a recent effort to deny the historical connection of the ,jewish people to holy sites including the ,temple ,mount and ,western ,wall in ,jerusalem4 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 7#ab7 ,on ,april #a1 #bjae1 the ,state of ,palestine officially became a member of the ,international ,criminal ,court4 7#ac7 ,the ,,plo and ,,pa continue to engage in incitement and glorify terrorism1 and reward terrorists1 their families1 and the families of those who died committing terrorist attacks with roughly #cjj1jjj1jjj annually in salaries and benefits1 providing a higher reward to those with longer jail sentences4 7#ad7 ,on ,august #cj1 #bjaf1 ,deputy ,secretary of ,state1 ,anthony ,j4 ,blinken1 submitted to ,congress a report as required under section #hjd7;b7 of the ,foreign ,relations ,authorization ,act1 ,fiscal ,years #aiij and #aiia 7,public ,law #aja-bdf71 sections #fjc and #fjd of the ,middle ,east ,peace ,commitments ,act of #bjjb 7subtitle ,a of title ,,vi of ,public ,law #ajg-bbh71 and section #fii of the ,foreign ,relations ,authorization ,act1 ,fiscal ,year #bjjc 7,public ,law #ajg-bbh74 7#ae7 ,in this report1 ,deputy ,secretary of ,state ,blinken1 acting under authority delegated to him as ,deputy ,secretary pursuant to the ,president's ,delegation of ,functions on ,april #cj1 #bjji1 made the determination that the ,,plo and ,,pa are not in compliance with certain commitments to prevent violations1 discipline violators1 and assume responsibility over all ,,plo elements ''' thus the sanction specified in section #fjd7;a77#b7 of ,public ,law #ajg-bbh1 calling for a downgrade in status of the ,,plo office in ,washington1 ,,dc1 has been imposed4 7#af7 ,on ,january #ca1 #bjag1 then ,acting ,secretary of ,state1 ,thomas ,shannon1 pursuant to the ,president's ,delegation of ,functions dated ,april #cj1 #bjji1 submitted to ,congress a similar report to ,congress as required under section #hjd7;b7 of the ,foreign ,relations ,authorization ,act1 ,fiscal ,years #aiij and #aiia1 sections #fjc and #fjd of the ,middle ,east ,peace ,commitments ,act of #bjjb1 and section #fii of the ,foreign ,relations ,authorization ,act1 ,fiscal ,year #bjjc1 in which the same determination was made that the ,,plo and ,,pa are not in compliance with their commitments1 and imposed the same sanction of a downgrade in the status of the ,,plo office in ,washington1 ,,dc4 7#ag7 ,in both the ,august #cj1 #bjaf1 and ,january #ca1 #bjag1 reports1 the sanctions were immediately waived4 7#ah7 ,section #fjd7;a7 of the ,middle ,east ,peace ,commitments ,act of #bjjb 7subtitle ,a of title ,,vi of ,public ,law #ajg-bbh7 requires that if the ,president determines that the ,,plo or the ,palestinian ,authority has not complied with each of the commitments specified in such section1 the ,president shall impose one or more of the following sanctions3 7,a7 ,the denial of visas to ,,plo and ,,pa officials4 7,b7 ,the downgrade in status of the ,,plo office in the ,united ,states4 7,c7 ,the designation as a foreign terrorist organization of the ,,plo1 or one or more of its constituent groups 7including ,fatah74 7,d7 ,the prohibition on ,united ,states assistance to the ,west ,bank and ,gaza 7except humanitarian assistance74 #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 and 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 actively endorsing terror1 and supporting boycotts1 divestments1 and sanctions 7,,bds7 against ,israel2 7#b7 the ,palestinian initiation of an ,international ,criminal ,court preliminary examination1 investigation1 or active support for such an investigation1 that subjects ,israeli nationals to an investigation for alleged crimes against ,palestinians1 is part of a deliberate effort to engage in diplomatic1 legal warfare against ,israel and would violate the ,palestinians' commitment to not change the status of the ,west ,bank and ,gaza ,strip2 7#c7 the only path towards solving the conflict is through direct negotiations between ,israel and the ,palestinians2 7#d7 the ,palestinians should not turn to outside parties1 including international organizations1 to impose or otherwise influence a solution2 7#e7 it is in the national security interests of the ,united ,states to close down the ,,plo office in ,washington1 ,,dc2 and 7#f7 the executive branch should avail itself of the range of sanctions as allowed under the authority to impose sanctions under section #fjd of the ,middle ,east ,peace ,commitments ,act of #bjjb 7subtitle ,a of title ,,vi of ,public ,law #ajg-bbh7 in order to hold the ,palestinian leadership accountable4 #d4 ,prohibitions regarding the ,palestine ,liberation ,organization 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 following new subsection3 7b7 ,waiver ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 including section #fjd of the ,middle ,east ,peace ,commitments ,act of #bjjb 7subtitle ,a of title ,,vi of ,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 not later than #de days before the waiver is to take effect1 that-- 7#a7 7,a7 the ,palestinians have not1 on or after ,january #a1 #bjag1 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 ,statute of the ,international ,criminal ,court2 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 salary1 or benefit to ,palestinians who have committed terrorist attacks1 their families1 or the families of those who died committing acts of terrorism2 7,e7 the ,,plo and the ,palestinian ,authority have ceased to engage in a pattern of incitement against or with respect to 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 to advocate1 endorse1 or express support for violence1 martyrdom1 or terrorism1 or glorify1 honor1 or otherwise memorialize 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 sports team1 stadium1 public square1 street1 land1 landmark1 waterway1 or other facility4 4