[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 97 (Friday, July 21, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1490-E1491]
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. SUSAN A. DAVIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 19, 2006

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I share your concern about 
the grave nature of the ongoing violence in the Middle East.
  It's good we are here talking about these very serious issues. I am 
pleased to see honest debate about the nature of this conflict and the 
need to stand with Israel. But what else should this Congress be doing?
  It is vital that we engage one another in these critical days. With 
American military assets already deployed to the region for the 
evacuation effort, and the risk of escalation high, we must work 
together to get this right.
  Passing this resolution, however, is only the first step.
  After expressing our will, Congress must insist that the White House 
take our resolution and use it to encourage the international community 
to condemn Hamas and Hezbollah and expose them for what they really 
are--terrorist groups openly operating within the borders of 
democratically elected regimes.
  The recent events in the Middle East have troubled us all. The 
campaign by Hamas and Hezbollah to kidnap Israeli soldiers and launch 
rocket attacks in Israel has the potential to destabilize the entire 
region and invite an expanded conflict.
  Israel's ongoing incursions into Lebanon should rightly be viewed as 
retaliations against Hezbollah--and not against the people of Lebanon.
  Like many of my colleagues, I have traveled to Lebanon and seen first 
hand the potential that country has. Like Israelis, the Lebanese want 
nothing more than to live in peace and prosperity.
  But as fast as a rocket flying across the Israel border, the dreams 
of the Lebanese have been put on hold. Once again, their population is 
held hostage by foreign interests. And once again, the threat to 
Israeli sovereignty has forced an armed response.

  I agree with Secretary Rice that Israel has a right and obligation to 
defend its people. That is exactly what Article 51 of the U.N. Charter 
guarantees to all sovereign nations.
  As justified as their response may be, Israel must continue to be 
mindful of the effects, both physical and psychological, that their 
actions have on civilians in the region.
  There is substantial evidence that Israel has taken several measures 
to minimize harm to the civilian population in Lebanon.

[[Page E1491]]

  This includes the dropping of warning pamphlets in advance of Israeli 
missions in civilian areas.
  It also includes the use of advanced weaponry that targets a military 
objective without harming civilians or civilian infrastructure.
  But we must be honest. When engaged in armed conflict it is difficult 
to ensure the safety of civilians.
  In fact, Hezbollah and Hamas purposefully operate in populated areas, 
often putting civilians between heavily armed terrorists and the 
Israeli military.
  The effects of this type of warfare is also painful to Israel.
  As Golda Meir so poignantly stated,'' When peace comes we will 
perhaps in time be able to forgive Arabs for killing our sons, but it 
will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill 
their sons.''
  As dire as events on the ground appear, there is room for U.S. 
leadership. The question now is what form that leadership should take.
  The administration must swiftly do what it can to create conditions 
in the region that will open the doors to diplomacy.
  This Congress expects the President to work toward achieving this 
goal. Once more favorable conditions are created, it should be the 
administration's priority to dispatch our senior diplomatic leaders, 
led by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to the region as soon as 
possible.
  I urge my colleagues to vote for this resolution.

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