[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 92 (Friday, June 24, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PLANNED FLOTILLA TO GAZA

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                           HON. STEVE ISRAEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 24, 2011

  Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, in May, Representative Tom Cole and I led 34 
of our colleagues from the House of Representatives in sending a letter 
to the Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, urging his 
government to work to discourage the planned flotilla to Gaza. Earlier 
this month, the Turkish group IHH, one of the major organizers of the 
flotilla, announced that it was pulling out. This was a major victory, 
but other flotilla participants have opted to proceed with this 
provocative and unnecessary act.
  The government of Israel has a right and a responsibility to protect 
the Israeli people. Recent events, such as the seizing of the Victoria, 
which was carrying more than 50 tons of weapons destined for Hamas 
militants, clearly demonstrate Israel's legitimate security concerns 
regarding cargo heading to Gaza.
  The flotilla has nothing to do with providing aid to the people of 
Gaza. There are well-established avenues for getting humanitarian 
assistance to Gaza, but the flotilla participants' refusal to use those 
alternatives demonstrates that their true intention is to provoke 
Israel. I call on them to abandon their confrontational plans and work 
with Israel in allowing legitimate assistance, but not weapons, to 
enter Gaza.

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