Vital Perspective

Bush Signs Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, Putting More Restrictions on Hamas

President Bush signed into law a bill meant to block U.S. aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government and ban contacts with Hamas until they renounce violence and recognize Israel. It also creates a $20 million fund to promote democracy, human rights, freedom of the press and peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), sponsor of the Senate bill with Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), said the legislation makes clear the Palestinian Authority can expect no U.S. help so long as it continues to be led by Hamas. "The Palestinian people are ill-served by a Hamas-led government that refuses to work toward the betterment of its citizens by failing to renounce terror and work toward peace with Israel," McConnell said.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) said she was pleased the president signed the bill she sponsored in the House. "By fixing his hand to this legislation today, President Bush has indicated that the U.S. will not, directly or indirectly, allow American taxpayer funds to be used to perpetuate the leadership of an Islamist jihadist entity like Hamas."

The White House said the legislation reflects the administration's concern over the current government's failure to renounce violence and terror, recognize Israel and respect previous agreements and obligations. Exceptions are made to provide financial support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has committed to a negotiated two-state solution with Israel.

Report: Bush Administration Has Plans to Topple Assad Regime in Damascus

Time magazine says it has obtained a secret document that outlines efforts by President Bush to topple the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The plan focuses on providing support for dissidents and groups opposing Assad with the aim of fomenting his downfall. The report sees elections set for March 2007 as "a potentially galvanizing issue" for critics of the regime.

Time reports that because the plan is ultimately a secret effort to influence a foreign government, critics inside the Beltway argue that it requires the White House to inform congressional intelligence committees. That, arguably, would call into question the use of publicly appropriated funds for a covert operation. A key element of the plan focuses on election monitoring. According to the document, "Any information regarding funding for domestic [Syrian] politicians for elections monitoring would have to be protected from public dissemination."

Bush Delays Move of U.S. Embassy in Israel to J'lem, Citing 'National Security'

President Bush has deferred by six months the process of moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the White House said. In a memo for Secretary Rice, dated Friday, Bush said the decision was "necessary to protect the national security interests of the United States."

"My administration remains committed to beginning the process of moving our Embassy to Jerusalem," said Bush, who had pledged during the 2000 campaign to support relocation.

Like former President Bill Clinton, Bush has always used the six-month waiver power provided under the 1995 law that calls for the move to postpone it.

On the First Night of Hanukkah, President Bush Sends His Holiday Greetings

I send greetings to all those celebrating Hanukkah, the festival of lights.

During Hanukkah, Jewish people everywhere honor the liberation of Jerusalem and the great miracle witnessed in the Holy Temple more than 2,000 years ago. After Jerusalem was conquered by an oppressive king and the Jews lost their right to worship in freedom, Judah Maccabee and his followers courageously set out to reclaim Jerusalem from foreign rule. Though their numbers were small, the Maccabees' dedication to their faith was strong, and they emerged victorious. When they returned to their Holy Temple for its rededication, the Maccabees discovered enough oil to burn for only one day. Yet the oil lit the Holy Temple for eight days, and the light of hope still shines bright in Jewish homes and synagogues throughout the world.

Each year, the glow of the menorah is a reminder of the blessings of a just and loving God and the sacrifices made over the centuries for faith and freedom. Laura and I pray that this holiday season will be a time of happiness in every home and a time of peace throughout the world.

Happy Hanukkah.

Bush Calls on Syria to Stop Using Hezbollah to Intimidate Siniora Government

President Bush has just released the following statement on Syria and Lebanon through the office of Tony Snow:

The United States supports the Syrian people's desire for democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression. Syrians deserve a government whose legitimacy is grounded in the consent of the people, not brute force.

The Syrian regime should immediately free all political prisoners, including Aref Dalila, Michel Kilo, Anwar al-Bunni, Mahmoud Issa, and Kamal Labwani. I am deeply troubled by reports that some ailing political prisoners are denied health care while others are held in cells with violent criminals.

Syria should disclose the fate and whereabouts of the many missing Lebanese citizens who "disappeared" following their arrest in Lebanon during the decades of Syrian military occupation. The Syrian regime should also cease its efforts to undermine Lebanese sovereignty by denying the Lebanese people their right to participate in the democratic process free of foreign intimidation and interference.

The people of Syria hope for a prosperous future with greater opportunities for their children, and for a government that fights corruption, respects the rule of law, guarantees the rights of all Syrians, and works toward achieving peace in the region.

The meat of this statement is the last sentence in paragraph three, where Bush says that "the Syrian regime should also cease its efforts to undermine Lebanese sovereignty by denying the Lebanese people their right to participate in the democratic process free of foreign intimidation and interference." Translation: Stop using Hezbollah, which has brought Beirut to a standstill for the past thirteen days, to try and overthrow the democratically elected Siniora government.

White House Condemns Holocaust Conference; Attendees Form Committee

This just in from the Office of the Press Secretary at The White House:

The United States condemns the conference on the Holocaust convoked by the Iranian regime on Monday in Tehran. While people around the world mark International Human Rights Week and renew the solemn pledges of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which was drafted in the wake of the atrocities of World War II, the Iranian regime perversely seeks to call the historical fact of those atrocities into question and provide a platform for hatred. The gathering of Holocaust deniers in Tehran is an affront to the entire civilized world, as well as to the traditional Iranian values of tolerance and mutual respect. The United States will continue to support those in Iran and elsewhere who seek to promote human rights and dignity, and will stand with them in their efforts to overcome oppression, injustice, and tyranny.

Meanwhile, the conference has agreed to form an international committee to study the Holocaust. Robert Faurisson, a French scholar who has described the Holocaust as a "historical lie", said the committee included members from the U.S., France, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Iran, Bahrain and Syria.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country would never accept such a conference and would "counter it in every way we can", adding: "It shows the danger of the situation Israel is in and in particular the threat that Israel lives under."

Congress Approves Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act; Sent to WH for Bush's OK

Yesterday, Congress approved the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, which bars U.S. aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority as long as they refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist and renounce violence. The legislation also calls on Hamas, which won control of the parliament in January elections, to recognize past peace agreements with Israel.

The bill also forbids visas for members of the Palestinian Authority as long as it is led by Hamas or as long as it refuses to accept the Congress's demands. The legislation, which now goes to President Bush for his signature, allows, however, the continuation of humanitarian assistance and other aid permitting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to continue his work.

The bill is a slightly different version from a text the House backed in May that was opposed by the Bush administration. The new text allows the administration to bypass the interdiction in the name of U.S. national security.

Soviet Dissident Natan Sharansky to Receive Medal of Freedom at White House

President Bush today announced the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civil award. Established by Executive Order 11085 in 1963, the Medal may be awarded by the President "to any person who has made an especially meritorious contribution to (1) the security or national interests of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."

Among those to be honored by President Bush at a White House ceremony on Friday, December 15, 2006: Natan Sharansky, who was imprisoned in the gulag by the Soviet regime for his work to advance religious liberty and human rights. He remained steadfast in his defiance of tyranny and has continued to champion the principles that all people deserve to live in freedom and that the advance of liberty is critical to peace and security around the world. Sharansky is also the author of "The Case for Democracy", which heavily influenced President Bush.

In a 2005 interview with Wesley Pruden of The Washington Times, Bush said, "If you want a glimpse of how I think about foreign policy read Natan Sharansky's book 'The Case for Democracy.' Anybody read it? Read it. It's a great book. And I think it will help - it will help explain a lot of the decisions that you'll see being made - you've seen made and will continue to see made. And it will help explain what's going to happen in the Palestinian territories as far as we're concerned. For government, particularly for opinion makers, I would put it on your recommended reading list. It's short and it's good. This guy is an heroic figure, as you know. It's a great book."

Bush Frustrated with Palestinian Terrorists Undermining Olmert's Overtures

Earlier today, President Bush participated in a joint press conference in Estonia with President Ilves. Following a question from the AP, Bush expressed his frustration and dissatisfaction with Palestinian terror groups in Gaza that undermine Israeli overtures to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas:

We're trying to help get a democracy started in the Palestinian Territory. Prime Minister Olmert has reached out at one point to Prime Minister Abbas -- President Abbas. And you know what happens as soon as he does that? Extremists attack, because they can't stand the thought of a democracy. And the same thing is happening in Iraq. And it's in our mutual interest that we help this government succeed.

Clearly, Bush is referring to the ongoing rocket attacks by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades among others. Just yesterday, Israeli PM Ehud Olmert delivered a very important speech in which he said that "the cessation of terrorism and violence will enable us to offer you a series of steps, which will be taken in joint coordination, in order to facilitate the improvement of the Palestinian population's quality of living, which was severely affected as a result of our need to take defensive measures against your terrorist actions."

Among these steps would be a significant reduction in the number of roadblocks, an increase in freedom of movement in the territories, facilitation of movement of people and goods in both directions, improvement in the operation of the border crossings to Gaza, and release of Palestinian funds for the purpose of alleviating the humanitarian hardship which many of you suffer.

Of course, there still remains the problem that the Palestinian Authority is led by Hamas, which refuses to abide by the demands of the Quartet to recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept all prior agreements. While there may be some diplomatic progress through the ceasefire, we should not get our hopes up for a lasting peace and the fulfillment of the two-state solution until those preconditions are met.

UPDATE 11/28 @ 12:22: Since Sunday's ceasefire took effect, terrorists have fired at least a dozen rockets into Israel.

Hadley: Maliki to Press Bush in Upcoming Meeting to Not Engage Iran, Syria

Here's an interesting change of course in the internal debate of whether the U.S. will engage Iran and Syria. Earlier today, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley briefed the press aboard Air Force One and made the argument that the Maliki government would rather the U.S. not get involved with Iran and Syria since they were already holding talks with them. This came on the same day the State Department did its best to distance itself from reports of pending diplomatic engagement with arguments that "we are working with forces for moderation and forces that are interested in resolving differences peacefully via a negotiating table" and that "Syria and Iran have not been forces for stability or moderation in the region."

Q Is President Bush going to bring up the idea of embracing talks with Iran and Syria, with Maliki?

MR. HADLEY: I think you're going to find that Prime Minister Maliki is going to bring that up with the President. He has some strong views on that subject. As you know, the Iraqis have been talking to the Syrians, the Iraqis have been talking to the Iranians. Their view is that the future of Iraq, if it is a subject of conversation with Syrian and Iran, ought to be a conversation by Iraqis, not by others on the outside.

So this is a discussion that Iraqis have taken the lead on with both Iran and Syria, and want to take the lead on. And so I think it's a subject, actually, that Prime Minister Maliki is likely to bring up with the President.

Q So he'll say, basically, let us do this, don't you convene direct talks?

MR. HADLEY: I've said what he has said, I think, publicly. We'll see what else he says when the President and he get together.

Q Are you holding out --

Q But his point is he doesn't want the U.S. meddling in --

MR. HADLEY: I said what I said, which is what he said. And he's talked publicly about this, and I'll let his words speak for themselves.