[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 19 (Monday, February 28, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                           ON THE MIDDLE EAST

  (Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I want to add my voice to 
these who condemn in the most absolute terms possible the savage murder 
by a Jewish Fundamentalist, Baruch Goldstein, of dozens of innocent 
people at prayer. That was an outrageous act.
  Those who seek in any way to justify it or explain it away are guilty 
of a terrible, terrible moral mistake.
  It is essential, particularly those of us who have supported and 
continue to support the State of Israel, to make clear how abhorrent we 
found that act. I commend the Government of Israel, Prime Minister 
Rabin, Prime Minister Peres, and others, for the steps they are now 
taking to insure that this does not happen again. It is important that 
the Government of Israel carry out its responsibilities, legal and 
moral, to protect individuals of all faiths against this small minority 
of terrorists.

                              {time}  1210

  Finally, it would be a terrible mistake for governments of all sorts 
and political movements of all sorts to give that murderer his final 
victory, because efforts to undermine the peace process now going 
forward in the Middle East, taken because of revulsion at that murder, 
would have the terrible ironic effect of giving the murderer what he 
sought to achieve.
  It is essential that the Israeli Government continue with its steps 
to make sure this does not happen again and to protect people. It is 
essential that all make clear our absolute unmitigated condemnation of 
this act, and any who would defend it or explain it away.
  It is also essential that people of good will not allow this act to 
succeed ultimately and derail the peace process, but to go forward with 
the peace process, precisely so acts like this are much less likely in 
the future.

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