[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 169 (Friday, December 7, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2221-E2222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY WITH ISRAEL IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. KEN BENTSEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 5, 2001

  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
resolution, which expresses solidarity with Israel in the fight against 
terrorism, and as introduced by my colleagues, House International 
Relations Chairman Hyde and Ranking Member Lantos.
  Last week, Israel faced another series of terrorist against innocent 
civilians, many of them children and teenagers. An orchestrated attack 
on Saturday night in Jerusalem and two bus attacks in Haifa and near 
Afula in the north of Israel caused the deaths of 32 Israelis and 
injured more than 200. These attacks have focused the world's attention 
on the Palestinian leadership's failure and unwillingness to fight 
terrorism. As we have seen time and again since the launching of the 
September 2000 intifada, the Palestinian leadership continues to 
encourage violence through incitement, and through institutional 
cooperation among the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. 
Additionally, the Palestinian leadership has shown a disturbing 
proclivity to release terrorists from jails and to allow them to 
operate freely in the territory under their control. These actions are 
direct violations of the agreements the Palestinians have signed with 
Israel and the United States.
  H. Con. Res. 280 clearly outlines the steps PA Chairman Yasir Arafat 
and the Palestinian leadership must take--dismantle and destroy their 
terrorist infrastructure; arrest and prosecute the terrorists or turn 
them over to the Israeli government. If the Palestinians do not comply, 
then as provided under this bill, the President should suspend all 
relations with Yasir Arafat and the Palestinian Authority. The

[[Page E2222]]

U.S. relationship with the Palestinian leadership has been based on a 
commitment to renounce violence and terrorism, and to pursue a 
negotiated settlement with Israel. The violence carried out by suicide 
terrorists this past weekend comes less than 18 months after the 
generous compromises offered by Israel at July 2000 Camp David Summit. 
These compromises included a Palestinian state in all of Gaza and over 
95 percent of the West bank, additional land exchanges from inside 
Israel and a capital in Jerusalem. The response from the Palestinian 
leadership has been 15 months of murder and terror.
  I believe passage of this legislation is a critical step to show our 
nation's unity with Israeli government and the Israeli people. As a 
democratic nation, the government of Israel is entrusted with the 
responsibility to provide security for its citizens. This is nothing 
less than what Americans expect from their own government. Indeed, 
Article 51 of United Nations Charter guarantees the inherent right of 
all member states to self defense. The United States must stand 
steadfastly with the Israeli government in its fight against 
Palestinian terror, and I urge my colleagues to support passage of this 
important legislation.

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