[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 52 (Monday, April 22, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S3772]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      SYMPATHY TO MICHIGAN FAMILY

  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to express my deep 
condolences to the entire Bitar family of Dearborn, MI, who lost their 
two sons due to the most recent violence in Lebanon that occurred last 
Thursday. Hadi, who was age 8, and his brother, Abdul Mohsin, age 9, 
were visiting their grandmother in their home village of Qana during 
their spring break from school when the fighting broke out last week. 
They sought refuge in the United Nations shelter, which was tragically 
bombed.
  The loss of civilian lives, Mr. President, no matter where it occurs, 
is always devastating, but it is especially tragic when children, in 
this case, 8-and 9-year-old children, are killed senselessly. When a 
loss such as this occurs so close to home, as it did in an important 
city in my State, many individuals in the Michigan community were 
affected. They feel this very deeply. I am here today to speak on their 
behalf.
  This occurrence highlights both the urgency and the necessity of 
bringing peace to the Middle East. I strongly urge the administration 
to persist in trying to negotiate a cease-fire in Lebanon and to bring 
an end to the hostilities immediately. I sincerely hope that no more 
tragedies such as this occur and that no more innocent lives are lost 
while these negotiations persist. Yesterday, I attended a special 
prayer service for the two boys who were killed last week. The ribbon I 
am wearing today, Mr. President, was given to me at that service as a 
tribute to the lives that have been lost. All I can say, Mr. President, 
is I intend to be on the floor every day to talk about what is going 
on, and these tragedies, until, hopefully, we will see a cease-fire and 
an end to the senseless killing and the bloodshed.

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