[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 9 (Thursday, January 15, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H373]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  END TO FIGHTING IN GAZA STRIP NEEDED

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
express my deep concern over the increasingly grave situation in the 
Gaza Strip and to express my disappointment that Congress has not 
spoken more clearly and forcibly in favor of a cease-fire. The latest 
fighting between Israel and Hamas has led to a humanitarian crisis. 
According to news reports, quoting various official sources on both 
sides of the battle, the impact on civilians in Gaza is severe and 
growing worse.
  Madam Speaker, like every Member of this House, I support the right 
of Israel to defend itself and its people, and, like my colleagues, I 
strongly denounce Hamas' ongoing indiscriminate destabilizing rocket 
attacks against civilian populations in southern Israel and Hamas' 
clear intent to terrorize the people of Israel. In no uncertain terms, 
I call on Hamas to end its rocket attacks against Israel immediately.
  But I also believe in no uncertain terms there must be a cease-fire 
between Hamas and Israel and it must commence immediately. The loss of 
life to children and their families, the vast destruction of homes and 
the enormous suffering in Gaza that is being caused by the escalation 
of this conflict must end.
  Last week, the House spoke out on this latest conflict in the Middle 
East by passing H. Res. 34 that ``recognizes Israel's right to defend 
itself against the attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States' 
strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace 
process.''
  I was disappointed that, as this body has done so often in the past, 
the House voted only to reiterate its support for Israel and its right 
to defend itself, rather than also to have used our considerable 
influence to pressure both sides to agree to a cease-fire in order to 
protect civilians on both sides caught in this conflict and in order to 
work toward a lasting resolution of this conflict that will lead to the 
protection and security of Israel.
  I support much of the language in the resolution, but I regret that 
H.R. 34 in its entirety was not a correct statement for the House to 
make at the time. The question for the House and the international 
community is how the Israeli people will be able to live in peace and 
security without the constant threat of attack from Hamas and others 
and how the United States and all other nations can assist in achieving 
that outcome in a lasting manner.
  The House has not weighed in on this question. The House of 
Representatives should throw its considerable weight behind the call 
for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. The cease-fire is 
in the best interests of Israel and the United States.
  The fact is that there has been a failure of political leadership 
that has led to this renewed and devastating fighting in Gaza. The Bush 
administration failed to adequately and successfully address the Middle 
East conflict during its time in office and during the time in which we 
knew the cease-fire was coming to an end, and conditions might have 
been changed so that it could have been extended.

                              {time}  1500

  The international community has failed to adequately address the 
conflict between Israel and Hamas. Experts in the Middle East had 
warned that a conflict of this nature would eventually come, and will 
continue to come in the future if conditions on the ground do not 
change. Their warning went unheeded, and now a new and costly war has 
broken out.
  Hamas rocket attacks against Israel are indefensible. But neither can 
the disproportionate military response by Israel be defended. The 
latest fighting was preceded by a lengthy and crushing blockade by 
Israel of Gaza that caused an humanitarian crisis. Hamas, 
unfortunately, chose to break the cease-fire and continue shelling of 
Israel. And Israel chose the breaking of the cease-fire to launch, as 
it should have, a defense of Israel, but unfortunately, with an all-out 
attack on Gaza.
  Lost in all of this is the answer to the question of how the Israeli 
people can be assured the protection they deserve. The rocket attacks 
against Israel continue, albeit lessened now, despite the enormous 
firepower brought against Hamas by Israel. There is no clear answer as 
to how Israel will bring this conflict to an end in Gaza or clear what 
Israel's ultimate goals are in this conflict.
  Only a cease-fire and a new international commitment to negotiate a 
cessation of hostilities between Hamas and Israel can protect the 
people of Israel.

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