Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. form letter to constituent, 2002?

FIELD(letterdate) FIELD(nameline) FIELD(title) FI ELD(organization 1 ) FIELD(organization2) FIELD(addressl) FIELD(address2) FIELD(address3) FIELD(address4) IFNOTBLANK(city)FIELD(city), FIELD(state) FIELD(zip9)ENDIF Dear FIELD(salutation2b): Thank you for contacting me regarding U.S. foreign policy towards Israel. I benefit by knowing your views on this important issue. Many concerned constituents have contacted me requesting that U.S. assistance to Israel be withheld due to dramatic increases in violence between Israeli Defense Forces and militant Palestinian factions. The towns Israel is presently searching for terrorists and weapons - Hebron, Ramallah, Jenin, Bethlehem, Gaza, Kalkilya, and Tulkarm - are territories the Israeli government turned over to Palestinian control during redeployments conducted between 1997 and 1999 in compliance with the Oslo Accords. It is important to point out that the 1994 Oslo Accords main principle was an exchange of Israeli controlled Palestinian land for security guarantees from the Palestinians to prevent terrorist activity and maintain public order through the creation of a Palestinian police force. The Israelis upheld their end of the bargain by turning over control of the Palestinian towns now being searched by removing their troops. Over the last year militant Palestinian groups, however, orchestrated weekly suicide bombings. Today, it is clear that the Palestinians are not providing the security measures agreed upon in the Oslo Accords. While I support an Israeli withdrawal from these towns, it is clear, however, that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat is not exercising control over Palestinian factions which allows suicide bombings to occur. In my view, Arafat must demonstrate that he is an effective leader capable of forging a peaceful settlement to hostilities and restraining radical terrorist groups from disrupting the peace process. Moreover, if Arafat does not restrain known terrorist groups, or he continues to prove incapable of this task, he constitutes an impediment to the peace process. Unfortunately, the reality of Arafat’s control of the Palestinian Liberation Organization is that there is no other leader prepared to succeed him, nor is there a process to replace him. This, I believe, is one of the Palestinian Authority’s most critical needs at this crucial juncture. The strength of the Palestinian people, which blossoms from commitment to family and work ethic, values they share with Americans and Israelis, will prove the ultimate asset in forging peace. Further, while I recognize Palestinians and other Arabs hold Israeli Prime