[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 59 (Friday, May 10, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4185-S4186]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECENT EVENTS IN ISRAEL

  Mr. GREGG. Madam President, I want to speak on a couple of subjects 
this morning. First is what is happening in Israel.
  Obviously, it is good news that at the Church of the Nativity, which 
is a shrine of significant importance to all of us who are Christian--
obviously, it being the birthplace of Christ--that there has been a 
settlement. This is a step in the right direction. It is something we 
can take relief in because, clearly, the church itself was in physical 
risk, as were the people inside and outside of the church. It would 
have been a terrible tragedy in this conflict

[[Page S4186]]

between the parties in the Mideast if that shrine had been permanently 
damaged. So this is good news.
  At the same time, of course, we should not overstate it as an event. 
Clearly, there is much still happening in the Mideast. Israel, in 
exercising its rights, will probably proceed to take further action to 
try to find the people who are responsible for the terrible suicide 
bombing that occurred just a few days ago. There may be a military 
action in Gaza. At least that is what is being represented. I think we 
as a culture--our country--have to decide how we are going to deal with 
this situation.
  The President has made it very clear that as a result of the 
terrorist attacks on our Nation, we intend to track down terrorists 
wherever they are and we intend to bring them to justice. In addition, 
if there is a government that supports those terrorists, we intend to 
treat that government as an enemy and bring it to justice, as we did in 
Afghanistan. I believe this to be the absolutely appropriate authority. 
This is the Bush doctrine. This is the guideline that we must follow. 
We are in a fight, whether we like it or not, for our cultural 
survival, for our civilization and its survival.
  The purpose of our enemy is not to take real estate or take advantage 
of real estate or take advantage of economic gain, as has been the 
tradition of war over the centuries. The purpose of our enemy is to 
simply kill us because we are American. In fact, if you read the books 
of Osama bin Laden and of Mulla Muhammad Omar, you see this all the 
time. The quotes simply say they call on their followers to kill 
Americans because they are Americans, and for no other reason, and to 
destroy us. That is their goal.
  Well, if the Bush doctrine states clearly and appropriately that our 
purpose is to find terrorists and bring them to justice, and to treat 
terrorist governments as if they are our enemy and bring those 
governments down, then we cannot say to Israel that they should not 
follow that doctrine. Israel is equally under a terrorist attack--in 
fact, in many ways, more so because they are more threatened because of 
their physical situation.
  As the suicide bombers continue to kill innocent people and cause 
great personal injury and try to disrupt the Nation of Israel, which is 
a democracy and which is an ally, we as a nation must support Israel 
and say: You have the right, as we also believe we have the right, to 
pursue these terrorists and bring them to justice and pursue 
governments that support these terrorists and bring them to justice.
  It is very clear--I do not think there can be any question about it--
that the Palestinian Authority has been a source of support for 
terrorist activity. We need to support Israel at this time as we would 
expect our allies and have expected our allies to support us during our 
difficult time.
  It does mean there probably will be further confrontations, but it 
also means that at least we will be standing for a purpose which is 
clear and definable and which is true and correct, and that is we will 
not tolerate terrorism against our country or against our allies.

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