[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 18, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2429-H2430]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       UNREST IN THE MIDDLE EAST

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Burchett) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, what Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic 
Jihad are doing to Israel is nothing short of evil and barbaric. Even 
worse, some of my colleagues across the aisle and in the national media 
are excusing this violence against our closest ally in the Middle East.
  It is a fact that Hamas and the PIJ, if they were to lay down their 
weapons, there would be peace. But if the Israelis laid down theirs, 
they would be exterminated. This is no secret because these two 
terrorist groups explicitly say their goal is to wipe Israel off the 
face of the map, and their actions back up their words, Mr. Speaker.
  I think a history lesson and global current affairs update is in 
order for Members of Congress and media organizations taking the side 
of terrorists intent on exterminating Israel and the entire Jewish 
population.
  For starters, nobody should forget that, in 1997, it was President 
Bill Clinton's State Department that placed Hamas and the PIJ on the 
United States' list of foreign terrorist organizations. Both groups are 
still on the list today and for good reason.
  Israel removed their forces from the Gaza Strip in 2005, but in 2007, 
Hamas violently forced out Fatah, its rival Palestinian faction, and 
consolidated its control over the entire Gaza Strip. A terrorist 
organization controlling territory within mere miles of Jewish 
communities leaves Israeli civilians vulnerable to violent attacks, Mr. 
Speaker.
  Israel's military blockade protects its rightful homeland from 
infiltration by radical jihadi terrorists. The blockade is important 
for preventing the transfer of weapons from Iran's Revolutionary Guard, 
which gives support to Hamas and PIJ. God only knows the devastation 
recent missile attacks would have inflicted if the Iranians were able 
to smuggle guided missiles into the Gaza Strip.
  Despite the blockade, Hamas and PIJ still construct their terror 
tunnels and manufacture their rockets with dual-use materials like 
concrete, steel, chemicals, fuel, explosives, and many other things. 
These materials, which the Israelis allow to pass through their 
blockade, are meant for infrastructure in Gaza, only to wind up 
confiscated by the terrorists for their horrific attacks, Mr. Speaker.
  If anybody questions the existence of the tunnels or their use, I 
recommend they go on the next codel to Israel to

[[Page H2430]]

see for themselves. I have been there and stood in them. They are, in 
fact, 100 percent real.
  This is a dilemma for Israel. They want to improve civilian life in 
Gaza by letting these important materials pass through its blockade, 
but they also know their enemies will steal these materials and try to 
harm Israelis.
  The violence that began last week came as a result of protests 
regarding an ongoing Israeli court order to evict Palestinian families 
from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem. Palestinian Authority 
President Mahmoud Abbas, who is serving his 16th year of what is 
supposed to be a 4-year term, Mr. Speaker, called for unrest in the 
streets. Not to be outdone, Hamas and the PIJ recognized a political 
opportunity to assume the mantel as protectors of all Palestinian 
people.

                              {time}  1045

  These terrorist groups responded by gutlessly and indiscriminately 
firing over 3,000 missiles since last Monday at hospitals, schools, and 
other civilian population centers across central and southern Israel.
  Thankfully, the United States provides Israel with generous military 
assistance for the Iron Dome and other missile defenses. This system 
has intercepted 90 percent of the missiles. However, there have been 10 
Israelis killed, including two children.
  Israel has the right to defend itself from unprovoked terrorist 
attacks from Hamas, PIJ, and anybody else. The Israelis responded 
forcefully, actively trying to limit civilian casualties by calling 
residents in targeted buildings and deploying ``knock on the roof'' 
warnings. This is a courtesy that terror groups like Hamas and PIJ do 
not and will never return.
  Without these important measures, Mr. Speaker, hundreds more 
Palestinian civilians would be dead because Hamas and PIJ use 
commercial and residential buildings to house their military operations 
and ammunition depots. This disgusting tactic is the reason why the 
Palestinian death toll is higher and why the lives of dozens of 
innocent Palestinian children have been lost.
  These terror groups are more than willing to use their own people as 
human shields for the sake of vilifying Israel. Unfortunately, the most 
radical Members of Congress and the American mainstream media have 
bought this narrative hook, line, and sinker, Mr. Speaker.
  Hamas and the PIJ are no friends of ours and want the same fate for 
Israel that so many terrorists want for the United States: the complete 
and total destruction of democracy.
  If you are going to blame Israel alone for the recent violence, you 
are being nothing more than a useful idiot and a publicity tool for the 
two terrorist organizations.

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