[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1099]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE ISRAELI BLOCKADE AND THE FLOTILLA

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                               speech of

                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 9, 2010

  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for our 
ally and friend Israel. Israel is a country that has always backed the 
United States in its efforts to combat extremism, and that has proven 
throughout its short history that democratic ideals can take root in 
the most challenging of international neighborhoods.
  Mr. Speaker, I, like so many of my colleagues here in the House of 
Representatives and like so many of my constituents in Sacramento, 
believe in Israel's right to defend itself. The people of Israel 
deserve to live without fear of being attacked by a terrorist 
organization--Hamas--that refuses both to recognize Israel's right to 
exist and to renounce the use of violence to achieve its objectives. 
For a number of years, both Israel and Egypt have enforced a blockade 
of Gaza to keep Hamas from acquiring material to launch rockets into 
Israel.
  The recent tragedy aboard the Mavi Marmara could have been avoided, 
and should serve as a reminder to us all that our Nation must lead the 
international community in efforts to forge a lasting peace in the 
Middle East. My heart goes out to the families of those whose lives 
were lost, and to those Israeli soldiers who were seriously injured.
  Prior to what took place on the Mavi Marmara, five previous ships in 
the flotilla bound for Gaza were redirected without incident. These 
five ships were sent to an Israeli port so that the goods they were 
carrying could be screened for material that could be used to make 
weapons. Much of their cargo has since been sent to Gaza.
  Israel redirected five of the flotilla ships because it has the 
right--and the responsibility--to prevent Hamas from acquiring 
materials it uses to fire rockets at Israeli towns. At the same time, 
Israel must continue doing what it can to ensure that the people of 
Gaza have access to food and supplies needed to live. Much of the 
humanitarian material the flotilla was carrying will make it into the 
hands of innocent civilians in Gaza, just as millions of tons of 
humanitarian aid have been delivered to Gaza through Israel since the 
start of the blockade.
  Mr. Speaker, what this incident demonstrates more than anything else 
is that a lasting Middle East peace is needed. For a peace settlement 
to be reached, the first step is for Hamas to meet a very simple set of 
preconditions established by the Quartet (the United Nations, the 
United States, the European Union, and Russia).
  The Quartet's demands are not complicated: Hamas must join the rest 
of the international community by recognizing Israel's right to exist, 
renounce the use of violence, and abide by previous agreements between 
Israel and the Palestinian people. If Hamas were to do so, the Gaza 
blockade would end, Israel's security would improve, and peace 
negotiations could begin in earnest.
  In the end, we should use this most recent tragedy as a catalyst to 
redouble our international efforts to achieve peace and security in the 
Middle East. Our objective must not change: we must create a peace that 
dismantles Hamas's terrorist infrastructure, improves the situation in 
Gaza, and guarantees the safety and security of innocent Israelis and 
Palestinians alike. The United States has been attempting to broker 
just such an agreement via proximity talks for months now.
  Furthermore, the United States' goodwill toward the people who live 
in Gaza is clear. The President's announcement of a $400 million 
initiative to improve Gazans' access to drinking water, create jobs, 
build schools, make affordable housing more accessible, and address 
critical health and infrastructure needs is just the kind of thing we 
need to change direction in the Middle East. I strongly support the 
President's initiative because I want the living conditions for the 
people of Gaza to improve just as I want living conditions for all 
people around the world to improve.
  As an international community, we all need to examine our various 
approaches to achieving peace in the Middle East, to see if any 
calibrations can be made in our strategies that will increase the 
chances of success. The tragedy on the Mavi Marmara only underscores 
how urgent it is for the international system to do everything it can 
to protect the security of Israelis, meet the humanitarian and economic 
needs of the people in Gaza, and create a permanent peace in this 
critical part of the world.
  I will continue to support Israel's right to defend itself and its 
citizens. At the same time, I long for the day when Israel and the 
Palestinians can live peacefully with one another, because that will 
mean that our efforts to achieve a viable peace agreement in the Middle 
East have been successful.

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