22 Americans Killed,
52 Wounded, Since ‘93

NEW YORK – Another American citizen has been murdered by Palestinian Arabs —the 22nd such American victim since the signing of the Oslo accords in 1993— and the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) is urging the Bush administration to publicly demand that Yasir Arafat hand over all Palestinian Arab killers of Americans for prosecution in the United States.

U.S. citizen Avi Boaz, age 72, was kidnapped and murdered by Palestinian Arab terrorists in Bethlehem on January 15, 2002. Yasir Arafat’s Fatah movement claimed responsibility for the killing; according to the Israeli Army, Palestinian Authority policemen witnessed the kidnapping but did not intervene. (Israel Radio, Jan.15, 2002)

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said: “We urge the Bush administration to demand that Arafat surrender all those involved in murders of Americans for prosecution in the United States, just as the U.S. demanded that the Taliban surrender Osama Bin Laden for prosecution in the United States.”

* 10 Americans have been murdered, and 27 wounded, since the current Palestinian Arab violence against Israel began in September 2000.

* 22 Americans have been murdered, and 52 wounded, by Palestinian Arab terrorists since the signing of the Oslo accords in 1993.

* At least 90 Americans have been murdered, and 95 wounded, by Palestinian Arab terrorists since 1968.

Arafat’s Forces Involved in Murders of Americans

Members of forces under Arafat’s direct command have been involved in some of the murders of Americans:

…Mahmoud Daglas, 30, a member of Arafat’s Force 17, who was captured by Israel in September 2001, was discovered to have assisted in the August 9 bombing of the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem, which killed 15 people, two of them Americans, Mrs. Shoshana Greenbaum and 15 year-old Malka Roth. Four other Americans were wounded in the attack, including Mrs. Chaya Nachenberg of Bronx, NY, who remains in a coma. Jamil Jadallah, a member of Arafat’s PA security forces, who was also involved in the Sbarro bombing, lived under PA protection in Hebron until he was killed on October 31, 2001, while making preparations for another terrorist attacks.

…Three terrorists from the Tanzim units of Arafat’s Fatah movement who were captured in March 2001 confessed to a series of terrorist attacks that killed eight people, three of whom were American citizens—Esh-Kodesh Gilmore, whose family was from Ohio and New Jersey; and Binyamin and Talia Kahane, formerly of New York. Five of the Kahanes’ children, also U.S. citizens, were wounded in that attack. (Jerusalem Post, March 16, 2001)

New Legislation to Help Capture Palestinian Arab Killers of Americans

In response to the Palestinian Arab murders of Americans, and the PA’s policy of sheltering the killers, the Zionist Organization of America strongy supports the Koby Mandell Act, which would create a special office within the Justice Department to gather evidence against Palestinian Arab killers of Americans; arrange for the terrorists to brought to the U.S. for trial; initiate negotiations with the Palestinian Authority for financial compensation for families of victims; and maintain a regular liaison with the families to update them on efforts to capture the killers.

The Koby Mandell Act, known as S.1377 in the Senate and H.R.2098 in the House of Representatives, is named after Jacob “Koby” Mandell, the 13 year-old boy from Maryland who was brutally murdered by Palestinian Arab terrorists in Israel last year.

It has been introduced in the U.S.Senate by Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR), Rick Santorum (R-PA), and Sam Brownback (R-KS). In the House of Representatives, has been introduced by Reps. Rob Andrews (D-NJ) and Jim Saxton (R-NJ), and co-sponsored by Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Steve LaTourette (R-OH), Connie Morella (R-MD), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Steve Rothman (D-NJ), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Ken Bentsen (D-TX), Eric Cantor (R-VA), Joseph Hoeffel (D-PA), and Chris Smith (R-NJ).