Open Letter to Senate and House from Head of PLO Mission to U.S.

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Written by Afif Safieh, Head of the PLO Mission to the United States Afif Safieh, Head of the PLO Mission to the United States
Published: 09 November 2006 09 November 2006
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I am not inviting America to sacrifice a traditional friend: Israel. I am offering America an additional one: Palestine.

November 8, 2006

Press Release

Open letter to the members of the Senate and of the House of Representatives.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I wish to congratulate you on your election/reelection and assure you that I will always be at your disposal for a constructive dialogue to enhance American- Palestinian relations and explore revitalizing the diplomatic avenue for peacemaking in the Middle East.



I have always found American society to be fascinating. America is a nation of nations. The world en miniature. Every possible country, continent, culture and civilization is represented in this great nation. In a unipolar world, it has been my belief that non-alignment and even-handedness should be what characterizes American foreign policy. In a monopolar world, if America aligns itself on one belligerent actor in a regional conflict, not only will it antagonize and alienate all the other players in this region but it will also offend and ghettoize a domestic component of its own national fabric. I am sure, Ladies and Gentlemen, that you are aware that it must not have been easy to be an Arab American or a Muslim American for many years.

I am writing to you on a tragic day when we had 25 Palestinians killed, 20 in the Gaza Strip and 5 in the West Bank. I know of no method to measure pain. I know of no mechanism to quantify suffering but I am sure you will agree with me that our people are not children of a lesser God.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, will be in Washington next week. Standing ovations result only in consolidating the status quo in the Middle East with its regular military conflagrations and uncontrolled escalations while a decent and frank discussion might be in the best enlightened interest of all concerned.

I am not inviting America to sacrifice a traditional friend: Israel. I am offering America an additional one: Palestine.

Yours Sincerely,

Afif Safieh

Head of the PLO Mission to the United States
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