The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee weathered a brief but stormy incident today when its Chairman, MK David Magen (Center), strongly criticized the refusal of some soldiers and officers to serve in Yesha. Magen said that the publication of their letter encouraged the Palestinians to greatly escalate their terrorist attacks. Right-wing and Shas MKs agreed with Magen, while the Meretz MKs strongly objected.
In the Israeli legislature, over 200 members of the United States House of Representatives have so far signed a letter to US President George W. Bush, urging him to add Yasser Arafat\'s Fatah Tanzim, Force 17, and Al-Aqsa Brigades to the US list of foreign terrorist organizations. The letter, drafted by Reps. Henry Waxman (D-California), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida), and Tom Lantos (D-California) may be sent to the president as early as today. An excerpt from the letter:
\"Deadly terrorist attacks in Israel have escalated to a daily basis and it is time to formally designate the Palestinian terrorist groups responsible for these attacks on the U.S. list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. Doing so will demonstrate to these groups, those who direct them, and those who associate with or support them that the failure of these groups to conform their behavior to civilized norms has a price.\"
In the Israeli legislature, over 200 members of the United States House of Representatives have so far signed a letter to US President George W. Bush, urging him to add Yasser Arafat\'s Fatah Tanzim, Force 17, and Al-Aqsa Brigades to the US list of foreign terrorist organizations. The letter, drafted by Reps. Henry Waxman (D-California), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida), and Tom Lantos (D-California) may be sent to the president as early as today. An excerpt from the letter:
\"Deadly terrorist attacks in Israel have escalated to a daily basis and it is time to formally designate the Palestinian terrorist groups responsible for these attacks on the U.S. list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. Doing so will demonstrate to these groups, those who direct them, and those who associate with or support them that the failure of these groups to conform their behavior to civilized norms has a price.\"