[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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