[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 11, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
          CONGRESSMAN HORN APPLAUDS COURAGE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

                                 ______


                           HON. STEPHEN HORN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 1994

  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, with the historic signing of the agreement 
that will begin the withdrawal of Israel Defense Forces from the Gaza 
Strip and Jericho, the Middle East took one step closer to peace. 
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin stated, ``Without security for the 
Israelis and new hope for the Palestinians the objective of the 
agreement will not be achieved.''
  The agreement between Israel and the Palestine Liberation 
Organization marks the first withdrawal of Israeli forces from lands 
captured in 1967. This is also the first opportunity for Palestinians 
to prove they are capable of successfully governing their own affairs. 
In this agreement and in ones following, Israel is taking the lead with 
the Palestinian people to bring peace to their region.
  In taking over limited responsibility inside the areas of the Gaza 
strip and Jericho, the Palestinians can show how serious they are in 
furthering a peaceful transition to greater self-rule. The Palestinian 
people must prove they can resist and reduce the influence of radical 
anti-Israeli groups whose hatred cannot understand the hope these 
agreements offer the people these groups claim to defend.
  PLO chief Yasir Arafat stated, ``[a]fter many years of war and other 
violence, this step requires great courage. The coming steps will 
require more courage.'' The process toward peace did not take one giant 
leap on May 4. It did take one more important step toward bringing 
together two mutually suspect peoples.
  Until the other nations of the Middle East accept the rightful place 
of the State of Israel in the world community, peace will face painful 
setbacks. However, the courage of the Israeli and Palestinian people 
provides a strong sign of hope that all peoples of the Middle East can 
get on with the business of security and prosperity.

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