U.S. HESITANT TO DECLARE TANZIM AND FORCE 17
TERRORIST GROUPS; INVITED BARGHOUTI TO JULY 4
PARTY AT  CONSULATE—(Jerusalem)

Marwan Barghouti, the Fatah leader whom Israel
accuses of directing Palestinian violence in the
West Bank, received an invitation to the American
Independence Day
celebration at the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem.
Barghouti said he was unable to attend because of
an IDF closure on Ramallah, where he lives. The
invitation highlighted an inconsistency in U.S.
policy towards Fatah and its military wing,
Tanzim, which
Barghouti leads. While American officials
acknowledged in the past that the groups have
participated and encouraged acts of violence
against Israeli targets, this week the State
Department expressed reservations about an Israeli
request to include the two organizations on its
list of terrorist organizations. (Jer. Post, July 17)

:~)

In Politics, Moderation Is The Best Policy