[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 112 (Friday, August 1, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1602-E1603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      JERUSALEM BOMBING ABHORRENT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 31, 1997

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am in shock over the 
terrorist suicide bombings that abruptly shattered the lives of over 
150 innocent people and murdered 13 unsuspecting shoppers in a 
Jerusalem market

[[Page E1603]]

yesterday. The militant Islamic organization Hamas that has brazenly 
taken responsibility for this sinister act and demands that Israel free 
Palestinian prisoners must be dealt with appropriately as any other 
terrorist organization would be.
  The agony and carnage that is now becoming an almost familiar scene 
on our television screens is a frightening reminder of the fragile 
peace that remains following the Oslo accord. The scenes of hell with 
bodies, blood, and horror strewn about in the old Mahane Yehud market 
in western Jerusalem surely wears on the souls of the Israeli people. 
The pictures of sobbing mothers and grief stricken children are once 
again trying to be used to shatter the forces of peace in the Middle 
East. Many Israelis in their anguish may even want to link the bombings 
with the peace process.
  True tragedy like this strikes at the heart of the politics of peace 
that we have tried to forge since former President Jimmy Carter brought 
the parties to the table at Camp David. We Americans are separated from 
the terror and horror that has become a way of life in Israel. It is 
difficult to comprehend what Houstonians would feel like had this 
happened there.
  But, somehow the shreds of peace need to be put back together. The 
peace process cannot evaporate in the blood of terrorist attacks. We 
cannot let these forces of evil gain the upper hand. We must keep the 
faith that the forces of good and the forces for peace can be revived. 
While the attention of the moment is focused on evil and death, peace 
and security needs to fill the void created by this nightmare.
  I agree with President Clinton that, ``There is no excuse and there 
must be no tolerance for this kind of inhumanity. The slaughter was 
aimed directly at innocent Israelis. And make no mistake, it was aimed 
at the majority of Israelis, Palestinians, and Arabs who want a lasting 
and just peace.'' The Clinton administration has certainly done a very 
credible job of trying to break the gridlock of the peace process.
  In order to find security which is the underpinning of peace in the 
area, there has to be sustained cooperation by the Palestinians. There 
can be no revolving door policy when it comes to the capture and 
detainment of terrorists. Trust must be regained on both sides. To 
prevent the peace talks from collapsing we must begin to help to 
rebuild the trust that was exploded in the outdoor marketplace 
yesterday.

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