[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 100 (Thursday, July 7, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1262-E1263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REAFFIRMING COMMITMENT TO NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT OF ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN 
                                CONFLICT

                                 ______
                                 

                               SPEECH OF

                            HON. LOIS CAPPS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 6, 2011

  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I will vote yes on this resolution because 
I oppose a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood in the U.N.
  We all know the status quo in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank is 
unsustainable. It's bad for Israelis, it's bad for Palestinians, and 
it's bad for the United States.
  I believe that a negotiated agreement between both the Israelis and 
Palestinians is the

[[Page E1263]]

only way to reach a just and lasting peace in the region. But peace 
will never be achieved with senseless terrorism or soaring speeches or 
military might. Only through direct, honest, and earnest negotiations 
will the dream of peace be realized.
  That is why I believe that both sides must put aside their 
preconditions and come to the table immediately.
  As former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert recently wrote, peace will only 
be achieved ``with the courage to take decisions that will change a 
reality which is increasingly creating a substantive threat on the 
State of Israel's stature, on the international support it receives, 
and on its future as a Jewish democratic state.''
  Yet, I'm concerned this resolution--instead of rising to Olmert's 
noble challenge--is yet another missed opportunity for the U.S. to 
advance peace in the region.
  Just last December this House passed unanimously a substantially 
similar resolution opposing the unilateral declaration of Palestinian 
statehood. What are we accomplishing by restating our opposition?
  Mr. Speaker, I worry that we have become too engrossed in the 
rhetorical debate of peace and are neglecting to fully pursue it. We 
could easily fill this Chamber with the words spoken over the years 
debating this conflict, but the room filled with actions taken to end 
it would sadly be much, much smaller.
  This is a pivotal moment--a moment that demands bold, courageous 
leadership from Prime Minister Netanyahu, from President Abbas, and 
from President Obama. It is a moment that requires everyone--Israeli 
and Palestinian, friend and foe--to come together and resolve this 
crisis once and for all.
  Congress can and should play a constructive role in this debate. But 
I'm concerned that repeatedly criticizing the Palestinians--and only 
the Palestinians--risks pushing Israelis and Palestinians further apart 
rather than bringing them closer together. Unfortunately, both Israelis 
and Palestinians are engaged in activities that are undermining peace 
efforts, and we must not ignore this mutual responsibility for the 
conflict.
  And I'm also concerned that this resolution further isolates the 
United States and Israel and undermines our credibility as a serious 
broker for peace. There is no denying that both Israel and the United 
States are growing increasingly isolated in the international 
community. As President Obama said, ``the international community is 
tired of an endless process that never procures an outcome.'' This 
resolution does nothing to change that.
  Rather than spending our time reiterating the already established 
position against a unilateral declaration of statehood, we should be 
focusing on concrete measures that advance peace.
  We should be looking for ways to help Israel adapt to the new 
realities of the Arab Spring rather than simply reinforcing the status 
quo.
  And we should be encouraging both the Palestinians and Israelis to 
negotiate rather than just criticizing the Palestinians for not doing 
so.
  At this critical juncture, with so much uncertainty and unrest 
throughout the Middle East, the U.S. needs to engage in constructive 
dialogue with all parties and help them bring this tragic conflict to 
an end. The U.S. cannot make peace in the region, only the parties can. 
But the U.S. has always been an indispensable agent in brokering peace.
  That is why it is imperative that we reclaim that constructive role 
and foster a negotiated settlement that ensures the security of Israel, 
recognizes the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, and 
promotes U.S. national security interests.

                          ____________________