SENATE VOTES TO MOVE ISRAEL EMBASSY

In a major blow to Yasser Arafat and the Palestinians, the U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by May 31,1999. The House was expected to vote on the measure later Tuesday in order to complete the legislation before Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin visits Washington on Wednesday for a ceremony marking the 3,000th anniversary of King David's entry into Jerusalem. President Clinton opposed the move, arguing that it would upset the delicate peace process. Since Israel claims Jerusalem as its capital, and the Palestinians demand control of part of the city, the U.S. move will be seen as recognizing Israel's claim. During today's debate, Senator Bob Dole argued, "It's not about the peace process. It's about recognizing Israel's capital." TIME's Jamil Hamad reports from the West Bank: "This is extremely embarrassing for Arafat. He told his people that the Americans would help them, that they were friends of the Palestinian people. Now, he looks extremely naive. The American reputation among mainstream Palestinians was not very good to begin with, and now it is sure to get worse. This will strengthen the Palestinian opposition to Arafat, too." Except for Costa Rica and El Salvador, all other countries locate their Israel embassies in Tel Aviv.