Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and John Ensign (R-NV) have softened the language of a letter they circulated urging Secretary Rice to continue withholding aid to the new Palestinian government.
In its original form, the letter clearly asked for a ban on contact with any PA officials. The new version, changed in response to a widespread lobbying campaign by Americans for Peace Now and other progressive organizations, leaves room for interpretation.
The Bush Administration already said that it might allow contact with members of the government, according to a spokeswoman for the United States Consulate in Jerusalem.
Barring all contact would prevent diplomatic engagement with Palestinians who seek peace with Israel, such as President Mahmoud Abbas and Finance Minister Salam Fayyad, who won praise from President Bush (via spokesman Ari Fleischer) after a 2005 meeting:
“The President told the Finance Minister, one, that he viewed the Finance Minister as a real reformer. He is. He’s a man who has really worked hard for honesty and transparency, and fought corruption in the Palestinian Authority. And the President stressed his strong views that Prime Minister Mazen is also a reformer. He finds in each of them qualities that the United States can work with because they’re good leaders.”
