[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 30, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H7044]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Brooks) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BROOKS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak strongly 
and unequivocally in support of Israel's right to self-defense, the 
same right to self-defense we would assert if America were attacked and 
Americans killed by rockets and other weaponry.
  Israel launched Operation Protective Edge in response to relentless 
and unprovoked rocket attacks launched from Gaza by Hamas, a brutally 
ruthless terrorist organization. In just the last 3 weeks, more than 
2,500 rockets have rained down on Israel, and the targets of these 
rockets are not military but civilian.
  2,500 rockets fired at any country is a lot. It is an act of war that 
triggers self-defense military responses. But 2,500 rockets fired at a 
country as small as Israel is even worse. To put the size of Israel in 
perspective, Israel is smaller than the Tennessee Valley of north 
Alabama that I represent. If anyone dared to fire even a single rocket 
at the people of the Fifth District of Alabama, much less if 2,500 
rockets rained down on the Tennessee Valley, you can be darn sure that 
we would demand an overwhelming military response.
  In Israel, Hamas fires at communities, at schools, at daycare 
centers, all with the same goal: to invoke terror by injuring and 
killing as many innocent Israeli citizens as possible.
  Fully 80 percent of the Israeli population is living under the 
constant threat of missile attacks, having to run into the shelters 
constantly at a moment's notice, in the middle of the night, at all 
times of the day with mere seconds of warning. No country on Earth 
would tolerate such a situation.
  So that we are clear, Hamas consistently places and fires its rockets 
within heavily populated areas, including schools and hospitals. Hamas 
does this to use their own civilian population as human shields. This 
means that every time they fire a rocket, they are committing not one, 
but two, war crimes: targeting civilians in Israel while using human 
shields in Gaza.
  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it very well in 
describing the juxtaposition of Hamas firing from civilian areas in the 
hope of drawing fire and the use by Israel of the Iron Dome missile 
defense system: ``We use missiles to protect our people. Hamas uses 
their civilians to protect their missiles.''
  Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not emphasize how truly 
miraculous the Iron Dome missile and mortar defense system is. It is 
like hitting a bullet with a bullet.
  I thank the Tennessee Valley's incomparable defense workers who, 
working hand-in-hand with very bright Israeli engineers and scientists, 
made hitting a bullet with a bullet possible. Untold Israeli citizens' 
lives have been saved as a result of the Tennessee Valley's 
technological contributions to Israel and the Iron Dome defense system.
  Since the beginning of Operation Protective Edge, Israel has 
discovered more than 30 offensive Hamas terrorist tunnels dug from Gaza 
under the border and into Israel. These tunnels have 60 different 
access points, and the entrances have been found in houses and mosques.
  The purpose of the tunnels is to allow armed Hamas terrorists to 
emerge in Israeli communities to murder and kidnap civilians--
defenseless mothers, fathers, and children, it makes no difference to 
Hamas. Hamas kidnaps, tortures, and murders, and seemingly enjoys it.
  Israel's only solution, the only path to peace in the face of those 
who kill in the name of religion, is Israel's disarming of Hamas and 
the demilitarization of Gaza.
  Israel is the only democracy in the tumultuous and dangerous Middle 
East. Israel is unquestionably America's most reliable ally in the 
Middle East. The people of Israel are engaged in a fight to protect 
their home, a fight for survival, and America must stand with Israel 
without hesitation.

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