Weiner introduces seven Middle East bills

A Jewish New York congressman introduced seven Middle East-related bills on the same day. One of the bills introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 10 by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) would ban Palestine Liberation Organization representation in the United States, and another would ban assistance to the Palestinian Authority until it meets conditions including recognition of Israel and a renunciation of terrorism. Both laws are already on the books; President Bush and his predecessor, President Clinton, have waived the ban on PLO representation since the early 1990s, citing national security. Two other bills ban assistance to Saudi Arabia, although such assistance has always been minimal and mostly promotes exposure to democracy for Saudis. Another bill, ending military assistance to Egypt, has been repeatedly rebuffed in previous congresses. A bill halting the issuance of visas to Saudi nationals until the U.S. president affirms that the Saudis do not discriminate in the issuance of visas appears related to practices that the Saudis have suspended in recent years. Weiner’s seventh bill relates to the Arab Bank.