[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 96 (Thursday, July 20, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1472]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CONDEMNING THE RECENT ATTACKS AGAINST THE STATE OF ISRAEL

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. SCOTT GARRETT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 19, 2006

  Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today with full and 
strong support of H. Res. 921 and stand by our good friend Israel. 
Israel is once again under attack from ruthless regimes residing within 
the borders of their Arab neighbors.
  At this very moment, Israel is engaged in defensive measures against 
the terrorist organizations Hezbollah and Hamas in response to their 
recent indefensible actions. These fanatical fringe associations have 
engaged in kidnapping and murdering Israeli soldiers and have sent over 
a thousand rockets into civilian Israeli neighborhoods. It is these 
terrorist groups that threaten peace in the Middle East and security 
for both Israeli and Arab peace-loving peoples.
  The actions taken by Israel are simply an effort to rescue their 
kidnapped citizens as well as take out as many of the 14,000 Katyusha 
rockets controlled by Hezbollah and the unknown number of Qassam 
rockets controlled by Hamas already aimed at Israel. In taking action 
against Hamas and Hezbollah, Israel is exercising their unquestionable 
right to self-defense against unprovoked attacks on its sovereign 
territory by terrorist groups.
  Israel exercised great restraint in not responding to the four 
separate rocket attacks on its people over the past year. Since 
Israel's handover of Gaza, the terrorists there have used that 
territory to launch more than 1,000 rocket attacks in the past 6 months 
alone. They act now because they must.

  Hezbollah is not only a significant aggressor and threat to Israel, 
but has also been a sworn enemy of the United States. Before 9/11, it 
had killed more Americans than any other terror group. It was in 1983 
that Hezbollah killed 257 Americans when they bombed the U.S. Embassy 
and U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut.
  Perhaps the most troubling scenario in all of this is who is actually 
pulling the strings in these attacks. Since its inception, Hezbollah 
has received active support from Iran and Syria, which provide the 
terrorist group with an estimated $100 million annually. Iran has also 
actively helped fund Hamas which has also claimed some responsibility 
for the kidnappings that precipitated this turmoil. Iran's leaders 
proudly declare that ``Israel should be wiped off the map.''
  I urge the nations of the Middle East to join with the State of 
Israel in condemning the horrific actions of these evil terrorists and 
in promoting real peace and stability for all people of the region.
  I wish the Israeli people safety and security and pray for a quick 
resolution in these troubling times.

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