[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 41 (Friday, April 15, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 15, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      TERRORIST ATTACKS IN ISRAEL

                                 ______


                         HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 14, 1994

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my outrage at the 
two recent terrorist attacks that occurred in Israel over the past 
week: The first massacre in Afula, which killed 7 and seriously wounded 
forty, and yesterday's incident in Hadera which killed six people and 
wounded 25. This blast in Hadera came about an hour before a nationwide 
2-minute siren for Memorial Day, which honors Israeli soldiers killed 
in the Mideast wars. Israel's Independence Day starts tonight, and 
Hamas has said a new bombing campaign will be tied to this observance.
  Mr. Speaker, if you recall, after the Hebron incident, the PLO 
refused to resume peace talks with Israel unless there was a U.N. 
Resolution condemning it. The Rabin government condemned the Hebron 
incident and offered compensation to the families of the victims. There 
was a lot of effort expended between the United States, Israel and the 
PLO to work out a compromise to condemn Hebron in order to satisfy PLO 
demands that action be taken. In addition, an international police 
force has been set up in Hebron to protect the Palestinians.
  Mr. Speaker, at this time, to my knowledge, Mr. Arafat has not 
condemned these acts at all. I find this double standard reprehensible 
and unacceptable. The Government of Israel is not threatening to cut 
off the peace talks, in fact, Prime Minister Rabin has insisted--
despite these horrendous terrorist acts--that the talks continue in 
order to complete the pullout from Gaza and Jericho as soon as 
possible.
  As a matter of fact, all Arafat was quoted in Strasbourg today as 
saying was that this incident ``strikes at the heart of the peace 
process.'' He said that he did not know who carried out the bombing. 
When Israeli President Ezer Weizman attacked Arafat for failing to 
condemn the Afula killing, Arafat said that ``Israeli counter-measures 
after Hebron had prompted regrettable reactions, which we reject, from 
Palestinian extremists against Israeli citizens, as happened in 
Afula.'' But, wary of losing support to Hamas as autonomy negotiations 
drag on with few tangible results, he also said ``Israel had created 
the conditions for such attacks.'' This is from a man that will be 
responsible for keeping Gaza and Jericho in control?
  Arafat also said that yesterday should have been the day for final 
withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and Jericho under the 
Declaration of Principles--as if to suggest that if Israel had pulled 
out on the original timetable, these incidents would not have occurred. 
Arafat also said ``it's the delay in implementing the decisions (of the 
automony talks) that causes these catastrophes because it gives the 
extremists the possibility to have a good reason to act.'' In his 
prepared text to the parliamentary assembly of the 32-nation Council 
today, which promotes democracy and human rights, Arafat made these 
tough remarks and his speech ran counter to a conciliatory note struck 
by PLO negotiator Nabil Shaath at the autonomy talks which were 
adjourned for at least four days in Cairo on Tuesday.
  Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely disgusted and appalled at the lack of 
response by Mr. Arafat. How can it be that the world condemns Hebron 
but there is no pressure to bear upon Arafat and the PLO to condemn the 
incidents in Afula and Hadera in the strongest terms! Why is it that 
there is a double standard applied here for the PLO, which has 
repeatedly engaged in terrorist activities and yet is not held 
accountable in condemning them. This peace process cannot go forward at 
any price, and the Israelis have been restrained after these two 
incidents by agreeing to continue the negotiations despite these 
murderous acts. But how much longer can this be allowed to continue?
  Mr. Speaker, I call upon the PLO to condemn these acts immediately as 
well as for the world community to speak out.

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