[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 139 (Thursday, October 27, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CONDEMNING COMMENTS BY IRAN'S PRESIDENT

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                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 27, 2005

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the new president of lran, Mahmoud 
Ahmadinejad, told 4,000 hardline students in Tehran that ``Israel must 
be wiped off the map.'' Mr. Ahmadinejad's address was the highlight, if 
you want to call it that, of a forum called ``The World Without 
Zionism,'' that also saw chants of ``Death to America'' and ``Death to 
Israel.'' The Iranian President also attacked other Muslim nations for 
making peace with Israel and claimed that terrorist attacks by 
Palestinians could destroy the Jewish state.
  I completely and utterly condemn the comments by Iran's president. 
Peace will only come to the Middle East when all parties recognize 
Israel's right to exist and completely renounce support for terrorism. 
Unfortunately, Iran's new government is turning its back on peaceful 
coexistence and appears bent on confrontation with Israel, the United 
States, and the world community. Iran also continues to bankroll 
terrorists, like those who killed five innocent Israelis on Wednesday. 
Mr. Speaker, the world must unite to denounce the hate speech of Iran's 
president in the strongest terms possible.
  Tomorrow, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, and people of other faiths will 
come together to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the 
Catholic Church's landmark document that called from respect for other 
faiths, particularly Islam and Judaism. And four months ago, the three 
great Abrahamic religions came together to mourn the death of the great 
spiritual leader, Pope John Paul II. Because of their nations' 
alphabetical proximity, the then-presidents of Israel and Iran sat next 
to each other and even shook hands. But it seems the spirit of 
interfaith harmony, sadly, lasted little longer than the services for 
the Pope.
  Mr. Speaker, as long as Iran's president continues to rage hatefully 
against Israel and the West, there will be no peace in the Middle East. 
The world community will not tolerate these comments by Iran's 
president, and I condemn them as strongly as I can.

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