[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 13, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6208-S6209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, we are at a critical juncture in the 
Middle East. If words are followed by deeds, yesterday's acceptance by 
the Palestinians of a U.S. plan brokered by CIA Director Tenet--which 
Israel had previously signed off on--may open the door for an end to 
the violence of the past eight months, a cooling off period, and new 
peace talks.
  The violence in Israel following the collapse of the Camp David talks 
has been profoundly disturbing to those of us who are both friends of 
Israel and strong supporters of Arab-Israeli peacemaking.
  With a cease-fire now in effect, the Israeli and Palestinian people 
have an opportunity to start moving back in the right direction, 
towards peace and security for the region.
  If the peace process is to gain momentum, both sides must make a 
commitment to the right of the other to exist, in peace and security.
  If leaders on both sides are able to muster the political will 
necessary for this commitment, then I believe that it will be possible 
for the cease-fire to hold, for a cooling-off period to have effect, 
and for confidence building measures to once again give momentum to a 
new peace process.
  I was a supporter of the Oslo process when I first came to the 
Senate, and worked to build peace in the region in the years since, 
believing a commitment by both sides existed.
  I was thus saddened that the unprecedented concessions that former 
Prime Minister Barak offered last summer--which many felt met the needs 
and aspirations of the Palestinian people--was not accepted.
  Not only was the Palestinian response to that offer ``no,'' but PLO 
Chairman Yassar Arafat walked away from the negotiations and the 
Palestinians began a campaign of violence which, in turn, led to Israel 
resorting to violence to try to protect its security and safeguard the 
lives of its people.
  In walking away from negotiations, Mr. Arafat raised questions about 
his commitment to peace, and whether there are some in Palestinian 
society who are unwilling to accept the existence of Israel under any 
circumstances.
  With this cease-fire, these questions are again on the table.
  As I stated on the floor of the Senate earlier this year, the new 
Intifadah was characterized by a level of hate and violence that I did 
not believe possible in view of the nature of concessions Israel had 
offered to make.
  Particularly tragic--coming on top of over 400 Palestinian and 100 
Israeli deaths since last September--was the murder of 20 young 
Israelis at a night club in Tel Aviv on June 1. Israel's restraint in 
response to this bombing--looking for the path of peace, not continued 
bloodshed--has been nothing short of heroic.
  No one--Israeli or Palestinian--should have to worry about the 
possibility of attack as they put their child on a school bus, go to 
work, go shopping, sit at a cafe, or go to a night club.
  We can all remember the images from last Fall of the Palestinian 
child hiding behind his father, caught in the cross-fire--and, just a 
few days later, the pictures of the Israelis lynched by a Palestinian 
mob, their bloody bodies thrown from the second floor window of the 
police station.
  There are countless other such images that each side can point to in 
the 8 months since.
  It is easy to understand how passions can run high, and fear and 
frustration can drive violence in the current environment.
  It is also easy to see how these feelings can get out of control and 
lead to ever deeper, and never-ending, cycles of violence.
  The cease-fire and cooling off period that has been agreed to 
provides both parties the opportunity to end the provocation and 
reaction.
  Palestinian acceptance of the cease-fire agreement brokered by 
Director Tenet is a crucial step in the right direction, and carries 
with it an acknowledgment of the special responsibility incumbent on 
the Palestinian Authority to end the violence.
  Much more will need to be done, however, to show the international 
community that Mr. Arafat and the Palestinian people are committed to 
peace and willing to coexist with Israel.
  Mr. Arafat's call for a halt to the violence will only yield results 
if he follows his words with deeds.
  With the cease-fire now in effect, Mr. Arafat must follow-up on the 
agreed-to elements of the deal. He must re-arrest those terrorists he 
inexcusably released last fall, stop anti-Israel incitement in the 
Palestinian media, and make sure that the Palestinian police strictly 
enforce his cease-fire orders.
  He must also follow up on information supplied by Israel about 
imminent terrorist attacks. He must move to confiscate weapons that are 
being held by many in the West Bank and Gaza illegally. And he must 
take action to prevent his aides and other Palestinian officials from 
defending terrorists.
  Mr. Arafat must also understand that if he fails the test, again, 
that there will be very real consequences for him and for the 
Palestinian people.
  The Government of Israel, for its part, must continue to show its 
commitment to peace by exercising the admirable restraint it has shown 
in the wake of the June 1 tragedy.
  Israel must also take steps to ease the restrictions on Palestinians, 
including travel, and pull its forces back from Palestinian populations 
centers.
  The events of recent days also strengthen the case for more active 
American involvement in the Middle East.
  I applaud the recent stepped-up role of the Bush administration and 
urge the President and Secretary Powell to continue their engagement at 
this critical juncture in Israeli-Palestinian relations.
  I also extend my praise to Director Tenet and Assistant Secretary of 
State Burns, both of whom have been in the region for the past several 
days shuttling between Israeli and Palestinian offices.
  Director Tenet, in particular, has played an important role bridging 
Israeli and Palestinian security concerns, and I am confident that he 
will continue to do his utmost to bring the sides together--without 
jeopardizing Israel's security.
  Lastly, I believe that we owe a debt to our former colleague, Senator 
Mitchell, for his work in developing the Mitchell Commission report and 
recommendations.
  The administration's endorsement of the Mitchell Commission report as 
the basis for restoring peace to the Middle East is a sign it 
understands the role it must play in order for the violence in the 
region to subside and for the parties to eventually return to the 
negotiating table.

[[Page S6209]]

  If we have learned anything from the history of the Arab-Israeli 
conflict it is that only through diplomacy can the people of the Middle 
East achieve peace and stability.
  I also call on my colleagues in the Senate to support active American 
leadership in the region.
  This is not the time--or the issue--to be engaging in partisan 
politics. Democrats and Republicans alike must unite in supporting our 
friends in Israel as well as President Bush and Secretary Powell in 
their peace-building efforts.
  With this cease-fire, the United States must continue to be involved 
as a facilitator of peace and diplomacy in the Middle East.
  The administration also must continue to follow in the footsteps of 
previous Republican and Democratic administrations alike, whose 
involvement in Arab-Israeli peacemaking led to historic breakthroughs 
such as the Camp David Accords, the Madrid Conference and the Wye 
Agreement.
  Last year, by walking away from the negotiations, Mr. Arafat raised 
serious questions about whether he was truly committed to the cause of 
peace.
  We are at another critical juncture and Mr. Arafat, now, again, has 
the opportunity to show he is serious about peace. In the past few days 
he has said the right things--in both English and Arabic--and now he 
must do the right things as well.
  I believe that if the parties are committed to coexistence, and that 
if each continues to demonstrate the necessary leadership--with the 
United States playing an active and engaged role--we may soon see an 
end to the violence and a return to negotiations.
  The events of the last 8 months will make it difficult, but with this 
cease-fire paving the way for a cooling off period and the 
implementation of confidence building measures, I remain hopeful that 
peace for the peoples of the Middle East is still possible.

                          ____________________