WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- President Bush Thursday renewed restrictions on the Palestinian Authority for violating a pledge not to engage in terrorism, but he decided against sanctions.
In a Thursday evening memo to Secretary of State Colin Powell, the president said he was downgrading the status of the PLO office in the United States under the Foreign Relations Authorization Act.
The action is valid for 180 days.
But Bush said he also determined it was in the national security interest of the United States to waive any sanctions required under the same act.
The first such determination came in December 2002, after months of discussion about how to respond to certain actions taken by the Palestinian Authority that were considered inconsistent with the U.S.-backed Middle East peace initiatives.
U.S. officials said last year's decision was also influenced by information Israel gave the United States concerning the PA's activities.
The documents claimed the PA was funding several groups that attacked Israeli civilians and were opposed to U.S. peace objectives.
Government officials said they determined the PA has not changed its policy of supporting terrorist groups and, therefore, recommended maintaining the downgrading of the PLO office in the United States.
