The Nation - News from July 26, 1988

A member of Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign staff asked the Palestine Liberation Organization to help stall the release of 52 Americans held hostage by Iran until after the November election, a PLO official claimed. The White House quickly denied the allegation. “We were told that if the hostages were held, the PLO would be given recognition . . . and the White House door would be open for us,” said Bassam Abu Sharif, identified as chief adviser to PLO chairman Yasser Arafat, in an interview published in the September issue of Playboy magazine. Arafat, who was also interviewed by the magazine, did not mention the alleged contact with the Reagan staff member but said the PLO had been instrumental in winning the release of some hostages.