[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 5, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H5948-H5952]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RELATING TO THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REUNIFICATION OF JERUSALEM

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 152) relating to the 40th 
anniversary of the reunification of the City of Jerusalem, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 152

       Whereas June 2007 marks the 40th anniversary of the Six Day 
     War and the reunification of the city of Jerusalem;
       Whereas Israel has, since its founding, sought peace with 
     its Arab neighbors;
       Whereas in the weeks leading up to the Six Day War, 
     Israel's neighbors, without provocation, called for and 
     implemented a blockade of Israel's critical outlet to the Red 
     Sea, ordered United Nations peace-keeping forces out of the 
     Sinai desert, massed their forces with apparent hostile 
     intent in the Sinai and in the Golan Heights, and publicly 
     threatened to destroy Israel;
       Whereas in six days of war, Israel defeated those forces 
     seeking its destruction and reunited the city of Jerusalem 
     which had been artificially divided for 19 years;
       Whereas Jerusalem has been the focal point of Jewish 
     religious devotion and the site of a continuous Jewish 
     presence for over three millennia, with a Jewish majority 
     since at least 1896;
       Whereas Jerusalem is a holy city for the Christian and 
     Muslim faiths;
       Whereas the vibrant Jewish population of the historic Old 
     City of Jerusalem was driven out by force during the 1948 
     Arab-Israeli War;
       Whereas from 1948 to 1967 Jerusalem was a divided city, and 
     Israeli citizens of all faiths as well as Jews of all 
     nationalities were denied access to holy sites in eastern 
     Jerusalem, including the Old City, in which the Western Wall 
     and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre are located;
       Whereas this year marks the 40th year that Jerusalem has 
     been administered as a unified city in which the rights of 
     all faiths have been respected;
       Whereas the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-
     45), which became law on November 8, 1995, states as a matter 
     of United States policy that Jerusalem should remain the 
     undivided capital of Israel in which the rights of every 
     ethnic and religious group are protected; and
       Whereas it is the policy of the United States to support a 
     peaceful, two-state solution to end the conflict between 
     Israel and the Palestinians: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),  That Congress--
       (1) congratulates the citizens of Israel on the 40th 
     anniversary of the Six Day War in which Israel defeated 
     enemies aiming to destroy the Jewish State;
       (2) congratulates the residents of Jerusalem and the people 
     of Israel on the 40th anniversary of the reunification of 
     that historic city;
       (3) commends those former combatant states of the Six Day 
     War, Egypt and Jordan, who in subsequent years had the wisdom 
     and courage to embrace a vision of peace and coexistence with 
     Israel;
       (4) commends Israel for its administration of the undivided 
     city of Jerusalem for the past 40 years, during which Israel 
     has respected the rights of all religious groups;
       (5) reiterates its commitment to the provisions of the 
     Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and calls upon the President 
     and all United States officials   to abide by its provisions; 
     and
       (6) urges the Palestinians and Arab countries to join with 
     Israel in peace negotiations to resolve the Arab-Israeli 
     conflict, including realization of the vision of two 
     democratic states, Israeli and Palestinian, living side-by-
     side in peace and security.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Lantos) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
and yield myself such time as I might consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to join my good friend from Florida, the 
distinguished ranking member of our committee, in recognizing the 40th 
anniversary of one of the great military triumphs of the 20th century, 
the so-called Six Day War. Some of us remember and everybody has read 
about the attempt of the neighboring Arab countries to annihilate the 
State of Israel 40 years ago. In a brilliant preemptive move, the 
Israeli military moved ahead and destroyed the air forces and much of 
the military of the neighboring countries which were ready to destroy 
it.
  The Six Day War transformed the shape of the Middle East and brought 
about the unification of the city of Jerusalem. Prior to the Six Day 
War, Jerusalem was closed to Israelis. Following the Six Day War, 
members of all faiths have had full and free access to the city of 
Jerusalem, and places of worship, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, are 
available to all individuals who seek an opportunity for peaceful 
prayer.

[[Page H5949]]

  This body and the other body some years back called for the proper 
placement of the United States embassy in Israel's capital in 
Jerusalem. My good friend, the late Senator Patrick Moynihan, and I 
introduced this legislation which was strongly supported with 
significant majorities in both the House and the Senate. But 
administrations since that time have seen fit to postpone the move of 
our embassy to Jerusalem.
  I earnestly hope that with this commemorative resolution we again 
call the attention of this administration to its promise, clear and 
unequivocal, to move the embassy to Israel's capital, Jerusalem. Our 
embassy is in the capital of every single country with which we 
maintain diplomatic relations and the capital is designated by the 
country concerned. It is long overdue that this administration honor 
the President's personal commitment to move the United States embassy 
from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. I strongly urge all of my colleagues to 
support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1520

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 152, which 
congratulates the citizens of Israel on the 40th anniversary of that 
nation's victory over those who sought to destroy it in the Six Day War 
and commemorates the 40th anniversary of Jerusalem's reunification.
  Jerusalem has historically been a united city, one holy for Jews, 
Christians and Muslims alike. Last week I had the privilege to go on a 
congressional delegation to Israel with my distinguished colleague and 
friend from Florida, Mr. Wexler. There we visited the old city of 
Jerusalem and prayed at the ancient Temple's legendary Western Wall. At 
that site, and throughout the City of Jerusalem, people have freely 
beseeched God for centuries. But had Jerusalem still been divided, as 
it was from 1948 to 1967, the old city's holy places would have been 
off limits to us and to millions of others.
  Therefore, I stand here today with particular appreciation for the 
religious freedom that Jerusalem's unity entails. It is unfortunate, 
however, that much of the world continues to refuse to recognize 
Jerusalem's unity and specifically its status as Israel's capital, a 
status which is both appropriate and a fact of reality.
  The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 states that it is a matter of U.S. 
policy that Jerusalem should remain the undivided capital of Israel and 
that the United States should move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv 
to Jerusalem. The resolution before us, H. Con. Res. 152, reaffirms 
U.S. policy in this regard, and I hope that the administration and our 
allies worldwide will move swiftly to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's 
capital and to move their embassies to that city.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support this important resolution, 
to clearly articulate that Jerusalem must remain the undivided capital 
of Israel.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to my friend 
and colleague the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis).
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Con. Res. 152, and I take pride in joining my colleagues to 
congratulate the citizens of Israel on this important anniversary, as 
well as commending Jordan and Egypt for making peace with their 
neighbor.
  The anniversary marks the 40th year that the ancient and historic 
city has been administered as a unified city in which the rights of all 
faiths have been respected. I have to say, Mr. Speaker, that having 
worked in Jerusalem in 1965, I experienced that time when in fact 
people could not travel to all of Jerusalem, and in fact we know that 
that is very different today.
  It is also important that we use this anniversary to highlight the 
work that still needs to be done. The historic victory by the Israeli 
military greatly expanded Israel's territory, but with territorial 
gains came new problems. These unresolved issues have led to ever-
increasing tensions that today manifest themselves in the form of 
Qassam rocket attacks and military insurgents. As we debate this 
resolution today, the region, as we know, finds itself in dire 
conflict.
  Earlier this year, I introduced a resolution calling on President 
Bush to dispatch a new special envoy to the Middle East to capitalize 
on every opportunity for progress.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States must be the leader in promoting peace. 
The current situation is simply unsustainable. So as we look back 40 
years today, let us also look 40 years ahead. Let us look 40 years 
ahead and work toward a future, not fraught with conflict and strife, 
but coexistence, moderation and understanding.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and 
continue to push for peace.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to my good 
friend, the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Emanuel).
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the chairman and 
colleagues for this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, my father is from Israel, and every summer I spent a 
good portion of my childhood in Israel, 2 days after the 1967 war, 
every summer for 5 years, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1973, every 
summer going to Israel. I remember that moment, since the bulk of my 
childhood was spent there.
  The Six Day War was obviously not only an amazing military 
accomplishment, a lot of people think today in retrospect that it is a 
pyrrhic victory, that things would have been so much easier for Israel 
had that victory not occurred; that David became Goliath.
  Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of myths that I would like to address to 
the chairman, and also to the leader on the Republican side.
  One is it was not such a peaceful time pre the 1967 war. There were a 
lot of attacks on Israel because of indefensible boundaries. In fact, 
the peace with Jordan and Egypt could not have happened if it weren't 
for the 1967 war. There was no possibility, given the pan-Arabism that 
existed under Nasser, for any peace to have happened.
  In fact, one has to look at the 1967 war, that it created 
possibilities, as did the 1973 war, for peace to occur, and every 
nation that has decided to make peace with Israel, Egypt and Jordan, 
has had peace.
  The war in 1967, because of the changes to the boundaries to the 
south, to the immediate east and to the north, redefined Israel's 
security. Once those nations came to terms with Israel's status, which 
is what the 1967 war accomplished, they accomplished and received 
peace, and land-for-peace has been at the premise of America's foreign 
policy, Israel's foreign policy, and was possible because of the 
outcome and the results strategically on the ground and in the 
environment because of 1967.
  People remember the military accomplishment which was unique and 
stands out in the 20th century, but it also created an environment that 
allowed peace to happen, at least with the two countries that have 
chosen the road of peace with Israel.
  I would like to pick up on my colleague from California and her 
comments about the next 40 years. The next 40 years needs to be a 
period of time where America, and this may be a little bit of a 
criticism here, we were always and always will be the indispensable 
leader in that region. The moment we walk away from that role the 
parties lose interest in discussing among themselves.
  I would hope that immediately the President would again, and I echo 
what my colleague from California said, nominate somebody to be a 
Middle East envoy, to again create a dialogue between the Israelis and 
Palestinians, to find what the Jordanians and Egyptians have found with 
the Israelis, peace, based on the premise of land for peace.
  But everybody should not only look at the military peace of the 1967 
war, but it created an opportunity that today two countries that prior 
to that had fought in the 1967 war against Israel now recognize Israel 
and have economic, cultural and other types of trade, and that is only 
due to what happened in 1967.
  To those who think 1967 was a pyrrhic victory, wasted, we wouldn't 
have in fact the Israeli-Jordanian agreement

[[Page H5950]]

or the Israeli-Egyptian agreement if it weren't for the victories that 
happened there. There were also other things that happened to Israel.
  One does hope though that as we look forward to trying to find 
resolution and look at the region as a whole, everybody has always 
described that Israel and the Arab conflict was at the heart of the 
Mideast. That is not at the heart. It is a problem. It needs to be 
resolved.
  But the larger problem of the greater Gulf area is not one of the 
Israeli-Palestinian problem, although it is a significant problem; it 
is the radical philosophy that is dominating the young in the Arab 
world that we need to help resolve, because it is leading and feeding 
part of the terrorism, and that is the larger conflict. The 
Palestinian-Israeli problem is a problem, but it is not at the heart of 
the conflict in that region.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to compliment our two leaders today, the chairman 
and the leader on the Republican side, for this resolution, for 
recognizing an historic moment that in fact without which we would not 
see the peace between Israel and Jordan and Israel and Egypt.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, before yielding back my time, I would like to make a 
couple of observations. As my colleagues pointed out, two of Israel's 
neighbors, Jordan and Egypt, have signed historic peace agreements with 
the State of Israel. And while this peace is not a full-fledged, 
blossoming, all-encompassing peace agreement, it certainly has meant 
the end of hostilities and the beginning of commercial, cultural, 
educational, touristic and diplomatic relations.

                              {time}  1530

  The time is long overdue for Israel to be able to reach an agreement 
with both Lebanon and Syria, as well as the Palestinian people, so this 
long-suffering area, where all of the people have suffered for far too 
long and far too severely, at long last can be a region of peace and 
reconciliation.
  For this to come about, terrorism must end. You cannot make peace 
with people who are plotting daily to destroy your very existence. When 
Israel evacuated Gaza, it expected peace from that area. But, under 
Hamas, daily rocket attacks are unleashed on peaceful civilian Israeli 
border communities. Two women were killed just in recent weeks as a 
result of these monstrousattacks. Hezbollah in the north similarly is 
sworn to terrorism.
  This must be put to an end if this important region is to join much 
of the rest of the world in moving ahead with economic progress, social 
progress, and the reconciliation of people.
  I honestly hope that our resolution paying tribute to the victory 40 
years ago and reminding ourselves of our formal commitment to move the 
U.S. Embassy to its proper location in Jerusalem will serve as a 
reminder that the time is long overdue for normalizing the situation in 
this region.
  The end of terrorism, the move of our Embassy, will bring about a 
long prayed for and hoped for period of peace.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 152, 
which recognizes the 40th anniversary of the reunification of the City 
of Jerusalem.
  This week Israel is recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Six-Day 
War. On June 7, 1967, Israel reunified the city of Jerusalem, opening 
it to worshippers of all nationalities and religions.
  On that day Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan declared: ``This 
morning, the Israel Defense Forces liberated Jerusalem. We have united 
Jerusalem, the divided capital of Israel. We have returned to the 
holiest of our holy places, never to part from it again. To our Arab 
neighbors we extend, also at this hour--and with added emphasis at this 
hour--our hand in peace. And to our Christian and Muslim fellow 
citizens, we solemnly promise full religious freedom and rights. We did 
not come to Jerusalem for the sake of other peoples' holy places, and 
not to interfere with the adherents of other faiths, but in order to 
safeguard its entirety, and to live there together with others, in 
unity.''
  Mr. Speaker, even 40 years after Israel's overwhelming victory in the 
June 1967 War--a war fought to preserve Israel's very existence in the 
face of enemies determined to destroy it--Israel's stability is still 
threatened. At this critical time in Israel's history we must focus on 
what is of the utmost importance--furthering the Israeli-Palestinian 
peace process.
  Congress must fully analyze and consider the Arab League Peace 
Initiative which offers Israel full normalization of relations with the 
Arab world and is widely viewed in Israel and around the world as an 
important opportunity and a real basis for negotiations that could end 
the Israeli-Arab conflict. While not perfect, this plan sets the table 
for fruitful negotiations and a final resolution of the conflict.
  We must also consider negotiations with Syria. If successful, such 
negotiations could have significant positive impact with respect to 
limiting Iran's sphere of influence, calming the situation in Lebanon, 
weakening the support network for Hamas and Hezbollah, and delivering 
real security to Israel on its northern border.
  We must call on President Bush to invest in serious, sustained, and 
effective efforts to improve the security situation on the ground today 
and re-establish a viable peace process that can deliver peace and 
security to Israel, and international acceptance of Jerusalem as 
Israel's capital.
  Mr. Speaker, today I call on all of my colleagues to support H. Con. 
Res. 152, and I pledge to continue to work to maintain Jerusalem as 
Israel's indivisible capitol and to promote the policy of the United 
States to support a peaceful, two-state solution to end the conflict 
between Israel and the Palestinians.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, forty years ago this week, America's Israeli 
allies triumphed over the greatest threat to their nation's survival 
since it was founded in 1948. By emerging from the Six-Day War 
victorious, Israel demonstrated that a country devoted to liberty, 
equality and democracy could not only exist, but flourish, in one of 
the most volatile regions in the world.
  In the weeks leading up to June of 1967, Israel's Arab neighbors 
amassed an immense force along their shared borders with the Jewish 
state. Their goal--as Egyptian President Gamel Abdel Nasser then put 
it--was ``the destruction of Israel,'' and they assembled 465,000 
troops, 2,800 tanks, and 800 aircraft on Israel's doorstep to achieve 
this malicious goal.
  In the armed conflict that followed, Israel defended itself 
honorably, courageously, and effectively--winning the war in just six 
days and taking control of lands previously held by the invading 
nations. And in an unprecedented act of compromise, Israel offered to 
give back the captured lands in return for nothing more than a promise 
that Israel's neighbors would join them in pursuit of peaceful co-
existence.
  Furthermore, Israel stated that the City of Jerusalem, which was 
placed under Israel's control as a result of the war, would once again 
be open to peoples of all faiths and nationalities--a provision that 
allowed Jews, Christians and Muslims alike to freely worship in the 
holy city.
  These actions in defense of peace and equality--undertaken by Israel 
just weeks after being attacked--help to demonstrate why the U.S.-
Israeli relationship remains so strong to this day. The Israeli people 
have always worked hard to find common ground with their neighbors, 
even while facing profound threats to their safety and sovereignty. And 
just as Israel has never turned its back on the principles and values 
that all free nations share, America will never turn its back on her.
  It gives me great pride to support H. Con. Res. 152, commemorating 
the 40th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem and recognizing 
the preceding struggle--and I look forward to many more years of 
fruitful partnership between the United States and Israel.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong 
support of H. Con. Res. 152.
  When the 1947 U.N. Partition Plan created two separate states in 
Palestine--one Jewish, and one Arab--it was a milestone in world 
history. Jerusalem was from this point on to be an international city--
neither Jewish nor Arab, but shared by the two cultures.
  However, the excitement over this groundbreaking compromise was 
short-lived. Although Israel accepted the plan, the Arab world refused 
to sign on, and soon after attacked Israel, plunging the region into 
Arab-Israeli War of 1948. The result of this war was a division of 
Jerusalem in two, with one half being controlled by Israel and one half 
controlled by Jordan.
  In 1967, during the Six Day War, Israel retook control of the 
Jordanian half of Jerusalem. On June 7, 1967, a cease fire occurred, 
and Israel took full control over the entire city of Jerusalem. One 
year later, Israel declared a new holiday--Jerusalem Day--to 
commemorate the reunification of the city.

[[Page H5951]]

  This year, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the reunification, 
Israel held its Jerusalem Day with the slogan ``Something Special for 
Everyone.'' I commend Israel and all of the inhabitants of Jerusalem 
for embodying the inclusiveness of the phrase ``Something Special for 
Everyone.''
  I encourage my colleagues to support the resolution.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, if there's been any good news on the 
Middle East peace process over the last 7 years, it's that barriers to 
ending the conflict are less about final-status issues and more about 
the challenge of reaching the outcome that majorities on both sides 
know will be necessary: an independent Palestinian state, based on the 
1967 borders, living side by side with Israel in peace, with a shared 
Jerusalem and a negotiated solution to the Palestinian refugee problem. 
Against that backdrop, it is unclear to me what good comes from passing 
a resolution which would place Congress out of step with large parts of 
the Israeli political spectrum.
  This resolution is disconnected from the reality on the ground. At a 
time of rocket attacks in Sderot, retaliations in Gaza, and renewed 
fears of war between Israel and Syria, it is, at a minimum, 
inappropriate for either the United States Congress or the Bush 
administration to stand in the way of whatever moves for peace Israel 
may choose to make, yet that is exactly what this resolution does. We 
should be more engaged at promoting a return to a peace process, not 
less, and we should be encouraging compromise, not intransigence on the 
difficult issues.
  Jerusalem is Israel's capital and a city of unmatched significance 
for the Jewish people. I will never forget my first morning in Israel 
and what it was like to go on a run around the Old City. However, I 
must oppose a resolution that reaffirms the need to move the U.S. 
Embassy to Jerusalem prior to a peace agreement because, as both 
Presidents Clinton and Bush have recognized, this harms our efforts at 
diplomacy and, therefore, the security of Israel and the United States. 
Instead, we should keep faith with the Biblical injunction to ``pray 
for the peace of Jerusalem,'' reject this senseless resolution, and 
recommit our support for serious efforts at peace in the Middle East 
and security for Israel.
  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. 
Res. 152, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the reunification of the 
city of Jerusalem.
  The city of Jerusalem is a unique place in the world, steeped in 
history and faith, the eternal heart of three major world religions. 
Jerusalem has suffered war and conquest repeatedly throughout the ages, 
but I have faith that Jerusalem will never be fractured again.
  Jews, Muslims, and Christians all find a spiritual home in Jerusalem, 
and it is essential that Jerusalem remain open to worshippers of all 
faiths. Unfortunately, for too many years of its history, access to the 
holy sites in Jerusalem was denied to some. But for the last 40 years, 
Israel has guaranteed access to all faiths, and the world community has 
been able to visit Jerusalem freely. I applaud Israel for this 
principled and fair policy, which has surely not always been easy to 
maintain. It is an important affirmation of Israel's humane and 
democratic values that a country which finds itself under frequent 
attack would maintain a commitment to the openness of a site of such 
international importance as Jerusalem.
  Unfortunately, the great emotion people feel about the holy city of 
Jerusalem has frequently found a false outlet in violence against 
others. It is a great sadness to me, and a great injustice against the 
history and sanctity of Jerusalem, that the city has been a flashpoint 
for so much violence in my lifetime.
  I am deeply disappointed and frustrated that in the past several 
years the Middle East peace process has been derailed from the 
promising moments during the Clinton presidency. President Clinton was 
as deeply involved, at a personal as well as a political level, with 
the quest to find a permanent solution to the problems of the region as 
any world leader has ever been. While he was not quite able to attain 
the overarching peace agreement that he had worked so hard to achieve, 
President Clinton recognized that finding a lasting solution to the 
Israeli-Palestinian issue needed to be a foreign policy priority of the 
United States.
  Since President Clinton left office, the involvement of the United 
States in the Middle East peace process has been scattered, sporadic, 
and ineffectual. Instead of redoubling our efforts to find peace, the 
United States launched a disastrous war in Iraq. We have sparked a 
bloody civil war in that country, inflamed Islamic fundamentalism 
throughout the Middle East, empowered the dangerous regime in Iran, 
ignored the frustrations and economic despair of the Palestinians, and 
damaged the immediate security of our great ally in the region--Israel.
  On the 40th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, I view 
that city as a symbol of hope in the bleak landscape of the Middle 
East. Through Israel's commitment to the openness of Jerusalem, 
worshippers of all faiths can visit the holy Old City and see the 
beauty of its timeless stone buildings and ancient walls.
  The United States has always stood steadfast with its close ally 
Israel, and we must never cease doing so. We must recommit ourselves to 
the peace process in the Middle East, and lead the international 
community in forging a path to reconciliation and coexistence. We must 
dedicate ourselves to bringing about a new peaceful history in this 
divisive region, so that future generations may continue to find 
spiritual renewal in Jerusalem.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a strong supporter of Israel, of 
the Palestinian people, and of achieving a two-state solution where 
Israel and Palestine exist peacefully side by side. I have had the 
pleasure of visiting Jerusalem on more than one occasion, and am keenly 
aware of its importance to people of different faiths.
  I rise today, however, to voice my disappointment that H. Con. Res. 
152 conveys rather empty rhetoric instead of constructive observations 
and commitments. The United States has always served as the historical 
broker of peace agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbors and 
this is a role that we should continue to fulfill and I believe we 
should return to taking a much more active role in negotiations than we 
have under the Bush Administration's tenure. However, passage of a 
resolution by the United States Congress which fails to recognize the 
progress of past peace negotiations runs contrary to achieving our 
ultimate goal of a lasting peace in the region.
  Jerusalem is the rightful capital of Israel and will forever remain 
the capital of Israel. However, it has long been understood that a 
permanent agreement about the Palestinian areas of Jerusalem will be 
left to final-status negotiations. The sooner the United States returns 
to a more active participant in the peace negotiations, the sooner we 
can arrive to a solution for Jerusalem. But in the meantime, I think we 
tread on dangerous territory when Congress adopts positions that run 
counter to issues that have yet to be negotiated.
  Israel's victory in 1967 was necessary to shatter the idea that the 
State of Israel could ever be destroyed. Make no mistake that I am 
firmly committed to the viability and security of a Jewish state in 
Israel. However, it would be naive to ignore the unresolved 
consequences of the war and foolish to believe that continued 
occupation does not pose a real threat to Israel's well-being. I hope 
that we can use the anniversary of the Six-Day War to look forward and 
reaffirm a real commitment by the United States to achieve at last a 
workable two-state solution and a lasting peace.
  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, while I applaud the fact that H. Con. Res. 152 
recognizes and reinforces a two-state solution to end the conflict 
between Israel and the Palestinians, I urge Congress and the 
Administration to move away from rhetoric and actively engage in steps 
that will foster lasting peace in the Middle East. The Israeli-
Palestinian conflict not only grossly disrupts the lives of Israelis 
and Palestinians, it destabilizes the entire Middle East and enflames 
extremism, threatening U.S. national security.
  U.S. involvement in Iraq has consumed the Administration's attention, 
but resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict is an integral component 
for long-term peace in the region. Efforts to bring resolution to this 
conflict should not be put on the back burner because of the 
Administration's political fumbling in Iraq. I urge the Administration 
to reinvigorate its role as a fair and balanced broker and call on the 
U.S. Congress to recognize that securing peace in the volatile Middle 
East will require a sustained financial commitment. And, I urge our 
friends and allies in the region to recognize that peace in the Middle 
East is in their own countries' best national security interests and to 
become more actively engaged in the peace process.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise to address H. Con. 
Res. 152, recognizing the 40th anniversary of Israel's victory in the 
Six-Day War. This resolution will pass by a large majority, but I fear 
that it will become the latest in a series of missed opportunities for 
this body to support a viable peace process in the Middle East.
  This resolution has several positive features. It is appropriate to 
commemorate Israel's victory in the Six-Day War. Its overwhelming 
military victory helped to secure Israel's continuing existence as a 
sovereign nation, something that was very much in doubt on the eve of 
the conflict.
  I particularly support the third clause of the resolution, which 
commends Egypt and Jordan for their bold and brave decisions to reach 
peace with Israel. Their leadership has been a critical, if often 
underappreciated, guarantor of Israel's security and survival, and I 
continue to hope that other nations in the region will follow their 
lead.
  It is also important to affirm that Jerusalem is the rightful capital 
of Israel, while acknowledging that the Palestinian people also have a

[[Page H5952]]

claim to Jerusalem as a capital and as a sacred city.
  Nevertheless, I am concerned that this resolution, while calling for 
peace negotiations, actually undermines U.S. efforts to secure the 
trust of all sides in the search for peace. The resolution pursues an 
obsolete notion, put forth as if the last decade of peace negotiations 
simply had not occurred.
  The idea of an undivided Jerusalem under sole Israeli sovereignty has 
not been part of any serious peace proposal--proffered by Israelis, 
Palestinians, or the international community--in the last several 
years. Israel's 2000 Camp David proposal and the Clinton compromise 
proposal, the 2002 Road Map for Middle East Peace, the 2003 Geneva 
Initiative, the 2003 ``People's Voice'' Initiative offered by Ami 
Ayalon and Sari Nuseibeh: none of these plans envision an undivided 
Jerusalem under sole Israeli sovereignty.
  And this idea is not just outdated in theory; it fails to reflect the 
present reality in Jerusalem. Israel's security barrier is rapidly 
creating a physical barrier between already segregated neighborhoods of 
East and West Jerusalem.
  Recognizing Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel under sole 
Israeli sovereignty does not help to bring peace to Jerusalem or 
Israel, nor does it help achieve the vision the resolution espouses. In 
fact, the only thing likely to fully guarantee Jerusalem as the 
permanent capital of Israel is the official, international recognition 
of Israel's neighbors and the entire international community--and this 
recognition is unlikely so long as Palestinian claims to their own 
capital and sacred city are denied.
  As Christians, Jews, and Muslims, we can best honor our holy city by 
helping it become a model of peace, unity, and reconciliation. Doing so 
requires sustained, courageous, and open-minded efforts to promote 
negotiations, stand against violence, and find solutions. Congress and 
our Administration must play a much more effective role, returning our 
nation to active and sustained engagement in seeking peace.
  I just returned from a brief visit to Jerusalem, now divided, 
threatened, strained by the anxiety of constant conflict. It is my 
great hope to one day visit a revitalized Jerusalem, undivided and 
shared as the capital of Israel and an independent Palestinian state, 
where Jews, Muslims, and Christians live together in peace and mutually 
honor the sites sacred to all of us. I can only wish that the 
resolution before us more adequately expressed this aspiration.
  Mr. HALL of New York. Mr. Speaker, today the House recognizes the 
40th anniversary of the Six Day War and congratulates Israel on 
administering a unified Jerusalem as a city open to people of all 
faiths.
  I want to join in congratulating the people of Jerusalem on the 40th 
anniversary of the unification of this ancient city. Further, I wish to 
commend the State of Israel for opening this holy city to followers of 
all faiths. Jerusalem is the holiest city of the Jewish faith, the 
third holiest Islamic city, and is the site of many significant 
Christian sites. Because of its important status to all these 
religions, Jerusalem must remain an undivided city that protects the 
rights of all ethnic and religious groups. Israel has recognized this 
important reality and allows members of all faiths to visit and worship 
at their holy sites.
  It is my hope that all parties in the Middle East will use 
Jerusalem's example of religious coexistence to work towards a final 
negotiated peace in the region. A lasting peace between Israel and its 
neighbors is in the interests of all countries in the region and 
overall international stability.
  Finally, it is my belief that the United States should help to 
reaffirm its commitment to a strong relationship with Israel by placing 
its embassy and staff in its capital city of Jerusalem. Accordingly, I 
hope that the President will consider the relevant language in the 
legislation before the House today and abide by the provisions of the 
Jerusalem Embassy Act passed by Congress in 1995. This would be an 
important step in cementing the bond between the United States and 
Israel at this critical time in history.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 152, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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