The US House of Representatives voted 380-24 in favor of the legislation following an 81-1 vote for a similar Bill in the Senate last week.

``We are putting you on notice,'' warned Mark Foley, a Florida Republican, referring to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. ``Declare statehood on May 4 and we will declare US support by Congress null and void.''

Arafat repeatedly has said he intends to declare an independent Palestinian state on May 4, which marks the end of a five-year period of autonomy set out in the Oslo accords signed with Israel in 1993.

``Save Arafat from the hot-heads in his own camp,'' said Tom Lantos, a Democrat from California. ``If he follows their advice the peace process is doomed.''

Arafat is currently touring Europe and the United States to rally support for Palestininanself-determination while the peace process with Israel shows no signs of progress.

Meanwhile, the US State Department came down on Israeli settlements in the West Bank Tuesday, describing them as ``serious impediments'' to peace.

``We are opposed to settlement activity because we believe it jeopardises the chances for reaching a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace,'' State Department spokesman James Rubin said.