[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 72 (Thursday, May 13, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H3463]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE TALKS

  (Mr. ELLISON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor today to 
congratulate Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on their decision to start proximity 
talks. I believe the United States' national security interest is 
directly linked to the resolution of this long-standing conflict. I 
also believe that, like other seemingly intractable conflicts, the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be resolved, especially with the 
active and even-handed leadership of the United States. Congratulations 
to President Obama and Envoy Mitchell, who got right to work on Middle 
East peace right after the President's inauguration and, despite huge 
hurdles, have both been persistent.
  I hope the President continues to encourage all parties to negotiate 
seriously and in good faith and to move from proximity talks to direct 
negotiations to reach agreement on final and permanent status issues. 
The world needs a secure Israel and it needs an independent, viable 
Palestinian state. However, simply declaring support for one side or 
the other does not really help either side. Both sides benefit from 
peace. We need to build a constituency for peace, and that means 
support for each side to make the necessary concessions.

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