[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E335]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 149

                                 ______


                               speech of

                            HON. RICK LAZIO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 12, 1996

  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly condemn 
the cowardly acts of wanton terrorism that have resulted in the deaths 
and wounding of innocent Israeli civilians in the past few weeks and to 
urge my colleagues to unanimously support House Concurrent Resolution 
149.
  Terrorism must not triumph. The terrorist groups responsible and 
those who support them must be held accountable. All civilized 
governments should assist Israel's efforts in its counterterrorist 
efforts, and I commend all the nations who are attending the 
antiterrorism conference this week in Egypt.
  As an ally, the United States must stand by Israel and strongly 
support Israel's decision to make its people's security its top 
priority. PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat must immediately eliminate Hamas 
as a political organization and the Palestinian Authority must stop the 
charade of Hamas masquerading as a charitable group. Legitimate 
charitable activities should be assumed by the Palestinian Authority.
  Terrorism threatens every country, including the United States and no 
country can afford to sit idly by. As we learned at the World Trade 
Center and Oklahoma City, what has happened in Israel can happen in our 
country as well.
  My heart goes out to all those affected by terrorism in the Middle 
East and I urge my colleagues to pass House Concurrent Resolution 149, 
of which I am an original cosponsor.

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