[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 24, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1416-S1417]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HOLDING THE COURSE TOWARD MIDDLE EAST PEACE

  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, we all know that making peace has never 
been easy. It is hard to forget the pain of having lost loved ones. It 
is hard to abandon the image of an enemy as fundamentally evil and 
begin to recognize that same enemy as a fellow human being. It is hard 
all of a sudden to forget the vocabulary of hatred and recrimination 
and start using words like ``goodwill'' and ``trust'' and 
``cooperation.''
  It is even harder to lead others to do these things. The risks are 
enormous. The enemy leader may doublecross you, or his followers may 
try to do that. You may be branded as weak and gullible. In fact, 
extremists on each side may try to undermine the process. And then, if 
you are the peacemaker, extremists on your side may prevent you from 
keeping your promises or, worse yet, attack you. The chances are great 
that you will end up being blamed for any bloodshed rather than being 
praised for the bloodshed you prevented.
  Madam President, I wish to take a moment today to recognize one who, 
despite all the risks, embarked on the road to peace and who, despite 
all the efforts to derail him, remains on it. I am speaking of the 
Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin.
  Sunday, Israel was shaken by yet another bomb attack: 19 Israelis 
were killed and dozens injured. And once more, understandably, families 
are grieving. Once more, they are wondering what peace with the 
Palestinians means. And once more, the voices of those who oppose peace 
are raised high, many calling for Prime Minister Rabin's resignation.
  I hope he does not resign. Israel needs him. The Palestinians need 
him. We Americans need him. In fact, we all need leaders who are 
willing to take risks for peace wherever that might be in the world.
  We grieve, obviously, for the most recent victims of terrorism. A 
victim of terrorism is a victim of terrorism no matter who initiated 
it. How tragic that even now, a year after President Clinton brought 
Prime Minister Rabin and Chairman Arafat to the White House to shake 
hands, there are still people who cannot put the pain of past losses 
behind them, people who still fail to see that continuation of 
confrontation only brings more pain, people who are still not ready to 
work together for a better future for their children.
  Madam President, as we here in America grieve, I hope we do not lose 
our bearings. I hope we keep sharply focused on what is the goal, which 
is peace in the Middle East.
  Madam President, I say this because over the past several months, we 
have seen some interesting activity here on Capitol Hill. I know in my 
case, and in others, we have had a group of Israelis coming to our 
offices informing us what American national interests are. Not Israeli 
interests they would like us to support--in fact, no reference to 
Israel or the interests of the Israeli Government. They say they are 
doing us the service of helping us figure out what American interests 
are.
  Frankly, Madam President, I think that is what I was elected for; 
that is what I am paid for. And I will try to make that determination 
without someone from another country coming in and telling me what our 
interests are. I am referring here to those Israelis who are waging a 
campaign to have Congress in advance forbid American participation in 
any eventual peace monitoring force in the Golan Heights between Israel 
and Syria. Why are they doing this? Is there a peace agreement between 
Israel and Syria? No. Has the Israeli Government asked us to commit 
ourselves to participate? No. In fact, on the contrary, Madam 
President, Prime Minister Rabin and Israeli Ambassador to the United 
States Itaman Rabinovich have made clear that their Government is very 
anxious to have United States participation in a Golan Heights peace-
monitoring force, assuming that at some point possibly one is created, 
just as the United States has participated and continues to participate 
effectively in the Sinai force monitoring the peace between Israel and 
Egypt, something that we have done for years, since the time of the 
Camp David Accords.
  So, why, Madam President, would anyone want the U.S. Government to 
forbid American participation in a venture even before we know what the 
venture is? There will be time enough to make that determination once 
and if there is a peace agreement and we are asked to help. In fact, I 
ask why would Israelis be working in Washington to persuade the United 
States Government to act against the wishes of their own Government?
  I assume they are here to oppose their own Government, and they would 
like Americans to help bring down their Government. I am opposed to 
that. And I am opposed to those who come here who really want to stop 
the peace process.
  Madam President, I do not envy Prime Minister Rabin having to 
negotiate with Syrian President Assad. He is not a person to whom I 
take very kindly, President Assad, the same President Assad who has 
been responsible for terrorist attacks against the Israeli people for 
decades. This is the 
[[Page S1417]] same President Assad who aided the attack on the 
barracks in Beirut almost 15 years ago, when dozens and dozens and 
dozens and dozens of brave U.S. marines died needlessly. I am a father 
of a former marine myself. When I remember that, I have great 
difficulty in contemplating reaching engagement with such a person. I 
am sure, because of his own personal experiences, Prime Minister Rabin 
has even more difficulty.
  But Prime Minister Rabin has gone forward. He knows that continued 
confrontation with Syria will just bring more attacks, more deaths, 
more suffering. He knows that. In order to create a world in which 
Israeli children can grow up without guns all around them, without the 
prospect of new attacks, he swallows his anger.
  Madam President, as angry as I feel towards President Assad, I know 
that my anger is mild compared to that of Prime Minister Rabin. But in 
order to have peace, you do not negotiate with your friends, you 
negotiate with your enemies. It has always been that way. We Americans 
have always yearned for peace in the Middle East. Prime Minister Rabin 
is working for peace, and I for one applaud him.
  Madam President, I see others in the Chamber seeking recognition, so 
I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from Texas.
  

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