The Honorable William Jefferson Clinton
President of the United States of America
The White House
Washington, DC

February 14, 2000

Dear President Clinton,

I would like to draw your attention to a matter of grave concern that threatens to cast a shadow over the special relationship between Israel and the United States, which we all hold so dear.

The following headline appeared in Yediot Aharonot, Israel’s most widely-read newspaper, on February 11: “U.S Embassy Tries to mobilize Arab support in the Referendum”.

According to the article, senior U.S. Embassy officials have of late conducted a series of meetings with Israeli Arab leaders. The express aim of these meetings, according to the report, is to pressure Arab leaders to produce a large turnout among their constituency in the event that a referendum is held regarding the future of the Golan Heights, as the Arab vote could prove decisive.

In addition, the report states that the U.S. diplomats promised to arrange financial assistance to back information campaigns that will be undertaken by Israeli Arab groups for this purpose. In response, the U.S. Embassy spokesman did not deny this information.

If the information in the article is accurate, this would constitute an unprecedented an intolerable act of gross interference in Israel’s internal affairs. I can not emphasize enough the severity of this act, which demonstrates blatant disregard for the most elementary norms of accepted international behavior between states and nations. For over fifty years, the U.S.-lsrael relationship has been based on intimate ties of friendship and mutual trust.

There can be no greater blow to a friendship, be it between two people or two nations, than a breach of faith. I pray this is not the case.

Accordingly, I request that you immediately instruct the American Ambassador to Israel and the U.S. Consul-General in Jerusalem, as well as all American diplomats posted to Israel, to investigate this matter, and if it turns out to be true, to refrain forthwith from any and all such activity. I would also like to request that the Secretary of State reiterate publicly America’s commitment to refrain from interfering in Israel’s internal decision-making process.

The people of Israel may have to face troubling and fateful decisions in the months and years ahead. We have the right to expect that our closest friends and allies will allow us to make such decisions by ourselves.

Sincerely,

Uzi Landau
Member of Knesset
Chairman
Knesset Controller Committee

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