[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 21 (Wednesday, March 2, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: March 2, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
TO CONDEMN THE MASSACRE IN HEBRON
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I send a resolution to the desk for myself,
Senator Boxer, Senator Pell, and Senator Metzenbaum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 184) to condemn the massacre in
Hebron, and urge all parties in the Middle East peace process
to renew energy to achieve a just peace.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate
consideration of the resolution?
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, this resolution has now been cleared by all
Senators. In my remarks, I will state basically what the resolution
states because I think the words here are important to reflect the
sentiment, hopefully, of all Senators.
Immediately after Prime Minister Rabin and Chairman Arafat shook
hands on the White House lawn last September, extremists on both sides
vowed that the declaration of principles that were signed that day
would never come to fruition. That is what we say in our first
``whereas'' clause.
We then point out that since the signing of the declaration of
principles in September 1993, many innocent people have been the
victims of vicious acts of terrorism, and that the massacre that took
place on February 25, 1994, at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron was
an act of murderous terrorism directed at innocent persons at prayer.
We further point out that the purpose of these acts of terrorism,
both at Hebron and all of the other acts of terrorism which have taken
place, was to derail the Middle East peace talks.
Then we point out that as diplomats have inched their way toward
fulfilling each article of the declaration, extremists have just as
painstakingly plotted disruption, preyed on innocents and haphazardly
killed and mauled innocent people.
Then we say that if the chances for peace in the Middle East are
harmed by the act of terror in Hebron or other acts of terrorism, then
these acts of terrorism will have achieved their purpose; and that to
prevent terrorism from achieving its purpose, all parties must now
redouble their efforts to gain success in those peace talks.
The Senate resolution says the following:
We, the Senate, express our condemnation of the massacre perpetrated
in Hebron as violative of all standards of civilized human behavior,
and violative of the policies of the Government of Israel and every
other government that has spoken out against this atrocity.
And we further resolve that the Senate condemns all acts of terror
intended to disrupt the peace process or for any other purpose.
We further resolve that the Senate commends the Government of Israel
for its strong condemnation of the Hebron killings, for reaching out to
the victims' families, and for taking swift and appropriate action to
respond to the threat posed by extremists.
We finally resolve that the Senate urges all parties and others
involved in the Middle East peace talks to apply renewed energy to
achieve the prompt and just conclusion which is the only way--the only
way--to obtain long-term security for all people in the area and as the
best way in the short term to deny terror any measure of success.
Mr. President, the terrorist act at Hebron, as are all terrorist
acts, was an abomination. Such acts violate our very sense of what life
should be, and those acts are an affront to life and to hope itself.
The President of Israel, Ezer Weizman, insisted that the shooting at
Hebron was anti-Jewish and anti-Israel, and it was. It was also anti-
hope, antipeace, anticivilization. It was simply inhuman, and it must
not succeed, and other acts of terror must not succeed. In order to
deny any success to that act of terror, or to any other acts of terror,
now all parties to the Middle East peace talks must apply renewed
energy to achieve the prompt and just conclusion, which is, again, the
only way we are going to obtain long-term security for people of the
region.
Denying terrorism any measure of success is the only way we are going
to stamp out terrorism. Terrorism must not and cannot achieve its goal,
and to frustrate those acts in the Middle East, the peace talks now
must succeed.
So we in this resolution on behalf of the Senate call upon the
parties to redouble their efforts to reach a just conclusion to those
peace talks. That is the answer to the terrorists who would derail
those talks. It is the best answer, the most dramatic answer and,
obviously, it is also the best answer for all the peoples of the Middle
East.
In closing, Mr. President, I want to thank Senators on both sides of
the aisle, who have been involved in the drafting of this resolution. I
particularly want to thank Senator Boxer, who really thought of the
appropriateness of this resolution, that the Senate speak out on this
subject. It has been a real pleasure working with her on this matter.
I yield the floor.
Mrs. BOXER addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California is recognized..
Mrs. BOXER. It truly is an honor to have a chance to work with my
friend from Michigan, Senator Levin. When we learned of the massacre in
Hebron, we talked and shared our grief and our feelings and our concern
that this act could in fact derail the peace process, as would all acts
of terrorism. We decided it would be a good idea for the Senate to go
on record to express its outrage at this particular act of terrorism
and to point out that terrorism from every quarter must be condemned
and must be stopped.
We knew when we saw that wonderful moment in history at the White
House, when we saw Yasser Arafat and Rabin shake hands, we knew that
the Middle East peace process would be fought with hope, as well as
fear, and that it would be a dangerous time. But we also knew that, in
the end, people in the world want peace; people in the world want their
leaders to sit in those rooms and work it out.
Yes, there are minorities on all sides, minorities in the Arab
community, the Palestinian community and, unfortunately, as we saw in
Israel, who would want to derail this process. I think it is important
for us to stand up for this peace process and to go on record today
very clearly in support of this peace process, and in a fair and just
peace for Israel and the Palestinians and the Arab nations. No one
wants it more than they do--a fair and just peace. We urge them to not
let these acts, these individual acts of terrorism deter them from
their goal.
The peace talks are too important, not only to Arabs and Jews and
Palestinians, but to every one of us. We all hold our breath, and we
really pray that the tragedy in Hebron will galvanize us on all sides
to stand up for peace, to pray for peace, and with the passage of this
resolution, of which I am so proud to be a cosponsor, to say to the
world that the U.S. Senate stands against terrorism from every quarter
and for peace for all people of the Middle East.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate on the resolution?
The question is on agreeing to the resolution.
The resolution (S. Res. 184) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:
S. Res. 184
Whereas immediately after Prime Minister Rabin and Chairman
Arafat shook hands on the White House lawn last September,
extremists on both sides vowed that the Declaration of
Principles signed that day would never come to fruition, and
Whereas since the signing of the Declaration of Principles
on September 13, 1993, many innocent people have been the
victims of vicious acts of terrorism, and
Whereas the massacre that took place on February 25, 1994
at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron was an act of
murderous terrorism directed against innocent persons at
prayer, and
Whereas the purpose of these acts of terror was to derail
the Middle East peace talks, and
Whereas as diplomats have inched their way towards
fulfilling each article of the Declaration, extremists have
just as painstakingly plotted disruptions, preyed on
innocents and haphazardly killed and maimed people, and
Whereas if the chances for peace in the Middle East are
harmed by the act of terror in Hebron or other acts of
terrorism, then these acts will have achieved their purpose,
and
Whereas to prevent terrorism from achieving its purpose,
all parties must now redouble their efforts to gain success
in those talks: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate expresses its condemnation of the
massacre perpetrated in Hebron as violative of all standards
of civilized human behavior, and as violative of the policies
of the government of Israel and every other government that
has spoken on this atrocity, and
Be it further resolved, That the Senate condemns all acts
of terror intended to disrupt the peace process or for any
other purpose, and be it further
Resolved, That the Senate commends the government of Israel
for its strong condemnation of the Hebron killings, for
reaching out to the victims' families, and for taking swift
and appropriate action to respond to the threat posed by
extremists, and be it further
Resolved, That the Senate urges all parties and others
involved in the Middle East peace talks to apply renewed
energy to achieve the prompt and just conclusion which is the
only way to obtain long term security for all people in the
area and as the best way in the short term to deny terror any
measure of success.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
Mrs. BOXER. I move to lay that motion on the table.
The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, again I thank and commend Senator Boxer for
here leadership here. It is her expression of feelings and emotions as
to the events at Hebron that really led to this resolution.
I think the Senate and Nation is in her debt for getting the Senate
to express our feelings about the fact that terrorism must not succeed
and that peace must succeed.
Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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