[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 97 (Friday, July 21, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1476]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       CONDEMNING THE REPORT ATTACKS AGAINST THE STATE OF ISRAEL

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 19, 2006

  Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this Resolution 
which condemns Hezbollah and Hamas, the terrorist attacks against 
Israel and the full support of the U.S. for Israel to defend herself 
and live in peace among her neighbors.
  As I support this Resolution, I believe it is deficient in not 
expressing this body's strongest desire for all parties involved in the 
current conflict to exercise military restraint in order to spare the 
lives of innocent Israeli and Lebanese civilians.
  While the Lebanese people have been making laudable strides toward a 
more positive future and a peaceful coexistence in the region, 
terrorists have sought continuously to ignite conflict. The Government 
of Lebanon has paid a price for their stand against Hezbollah and 
Syria, enduring assassinations, political and social turmoil, and now 
the wide-scale destruction of civilian lives and critical 
infrastructure.
  As a result the people of Lebanon are alongside our friends in Israel 
in being victimized by Hezbollah and Hamas in the current crisis. Both 
sides are enduring extraordinary hardship from air and rocket attacks 
and hundreds of civilians have been killed during the current military 
campaign. The terrorists have succeeded in creating a humanitarian 
crisis which the international community, including the United States, 
has yet to respond to. The escalating conflict is nearing full-scale 
war and terrorists and their state sponsors are realizing their goal of 
scuttling the Roadmap to Peace and pushing regional leaders away from 
the negotiating table.
  I believe the United States has the responsibility and the power to 
be the voice of reason and put an end to brinkmanship. The region is 
desperate for restraint on the part of all parties. The Resolution is 
silent on this.
  It should be our goal today to protect the civilian lives and 
critical infrastructure that have been targeted in the current 
fighting, and work to bring about restraint to resolve the crisis 
without further bloodshed.
  We need a policy in the Middle East that does not begin and end with 
military force. A political solution must be structured and the U.S. 
can and should take a decisive role through diplomacy and negotiations 
to shape a solution to the conflict.
  It is regrettable that the above is not addressed in House Resolution 
921.

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