[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 43 (Wednesday, April 17, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E565-E566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CONGRATULATING ISRAEL ON ITS INDEPENDENCE DAY

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                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 17, 2002

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate Israel on its 
Independence Day, its

[[Page E566]]

54th anniversary. In 54 years, Israel has experienced more dangers and 
more triumphs, more success and more tragedy, more highs and lows than 
many far more venerable states. Throughout it all, Israel's indomitable 
spirit has conquered adversity.
  Israel has much for which to be grateful. First and foremost, Israel 
has so often been blessed with great leadership--wise and visionary 
leadership. This tradition goes back to Israel's modern origins. At the 
end of the nineteenth century, the founder of the modern Zionist 
movement Theodor Herzl made the most preposterous and prophetic 
prediction I know of, when he asserted that a Jewish state would be 
born within a half-century.
  In statehood, Israel's leaders have been practical, humane, bold, and 
peace-loving. It is a pity that Israel's neighbors have not been 
similarly blessed.
  David Ben-Gurion and the Zionist leadership were practical enough to 
accept the 1947 partition resolution, though they had hoped for much 
more. They were humane enough to treat their Arab citizens as equals 
when Arab leaders were threatening to drive the Jews into the sea. They 
and their successors were bold enough to do what is necessary to keep 
Israel and the Jewish people alive, regardless of what the rest of the 
world might think. Usually, the world learns later that Israel is 
right. Remember the bombing--the then much criticized bombing--of the 
Iraqi nuclear reactor Osirak in 1981? How universally scorned it was at 
the time; how grateful the civilized world is now.
  Israel has been blessed with the great friendship and unswerving 
support of the United States. It has earned this friendship because it 
has fashioned a society that embodies the same values as our own.
  It is important on this Independence Day that Israelis and their 
friends take time to reflect on all the wonderful, almost unthinkable 
achievements of the past 54 years. Against impossible odds, Israel has 
established a vibrant, open, prosperous, and free society; a 
pluralistic society built by people from virtually every country in the 
world; a society on a par with the best of the West. And Arabs in 
Israel enjoy incomparably more freedom and democratic rights than they 
have anywhere in the Arab world.
  Although this is a day for joy, it is no secret that this year's 
independence day occurs at one of the most dangerous times in Israel's 
history. I know everybody in this room understands the problems all too 
well. The scale of Israeli loss in the so-called intifada is 
staggering--almost incomprehensible. On a scale proportional to the 
U.S. population, Israel has lost over 20,000 people since September 
2000, close to half of them in suicide bombings.
  Israel's friends stand in solidarity with all Israelis. Israel should 
know that its fiiends in the United States will stick with it and 
defend its right to protect itself against terrorism and against the 
scourge of those who place no value on human life. Israel should know 
that its fiiends here won't be afraid to stand up to the unjustified 
and disturbingly persistent criticism coming from Europe, from those 
who have managed to misunderstand the lessons of their own history. We 
are outraged by the U.N. Human Rights Commission's resolution of two 
days ago that makes disgraceful accusations against Israel, while 
failing even to mention the terrorism to which Israel has been 
subjected. But our outrage is outweighed by our shock, sadness, and 
anger that it was supported by Western nations such as France, Austria, 
Belgium, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
  Israel should know that its friends here are deeply pained by its 
profound dilemma: Yearning for peace, Israel has no clear partner for 
peace. Israel should know that its friends won't let the world forget 
that the Yasser Arafat whose Palestinian Authority funds the al-Aqsa 
Martyrs' Brigade, the Yasir Arafat of the Karine-A, the Yasir Arafat 
who colludes with Iran and Hizballah--Yasir Arafat the terrorist--is, 
sadly, the real Yasir Arafat.
  And Israel should know that its friends here agree that the violence 
must end before negotiations begin. You cannot negotiate with terror; 
you can only defeat it. The people of Israel have the right to restore 
the security of their homes and families by taking the military 
measures necessary to defeat terror. Once that is achieved, we will do 
our best to create the conditions that will enable Israel to find 
reliable partners for peace and an end to the conflict. Only when Arabs 
learn that they cannot exhaust Israel through violence will they be 
ready for the kinds of political compromises necessary for a lasting 
peace. Israel's friends understand that.
  For Israel's friends, today is a day for joy, solidarity, and 
reflection. On a personal note, it is also a sad occasion, for it marks 
the eve of the departure of my dear friend, Israel's wonderful 
ambassador David Ivry. His has always been a voice of integrity, 
clarity, and insight, and we will sorely miss having it in our midst.




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