[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 11 (Tuesday, February 3, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H254]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1300
                 IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL'S SECURITY FENCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Renzi). Pursuant to the order of the 
House of January 20, 2004, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KING of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Israel's 
security fence. Next month the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at 
the Hague is scheduled to hold hearings on the international legality 
of Israel's security fence and it is my hope that the court will rule 
Israel's security fence a necessary measure to protect their people 
from the people who believe that their way to salvation is by killing 
Jewish women and children.
  The construction of the temporary and defensive barrier is a 
legitimate means of protection and the lawfulness or appropriateness of 
this measure is not the issue. At issue is simply the question of 
whether complex and contentious issues can and should be placed before 
the International Court of Justice. The United Nations should not be 
imposing their politics on the sovereign nation of Israel.
  The ICJ has been acting in an anti-Semitic, anti-capitalistic and 
anti-self-defensive manner. The court does not mention the fact that 
Israel is building the security fence to protect Israelis from over 
20,000 attacks and that they have the right of self-defense and the 
attacks are the result of the Palestinian leadership's failure to take 
measures to prevent terrorism. Furthermore, the Palestinian government 
glorifies homicide bombers as martyrs and Yasser Arafat, the agent of 
terror, is still calling the shots and is a clear obstacle to President 
Bush's road map to peace.
  Congress must send a powerful and clear signal to the U.N. and to the 
Palestinian Authority that the United States will not allow either to 
compromise the freedom and safety of the Jewish people.

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