[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 84 (Thursday, May 18, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H2432-H2433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         WE MUST MAINTAIN STRONG TIES WITH THE NATION OF ISRAEL

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, our ally in the Middle East, Israel, has 
suffered from even more rocket attacks from Hamas terrorists.
  Hamas, as usual, is launching rockets from civilian population 
centers and using those civilians as human shields.
  We hear a lot of talk these days about 15-minute cities. Israelis 
live 15-seconds from a shelter. That is how they have to live their 
life if they are

[[Page H2433]]

within the range of the rockets which are becoming more and more wide-
ranging over the territory of Israel.
  If a terror organization in Mexico, for example, were firing rockets 
into cities in Texas and Arizona, the United States would certainly be 
expected to retaliate with military force. This is the case with 
Israel, it must protect its citizens from indiscriminate rocket 
attacks. Israel is not to blame for the civilian casualties caused in 
this conflict.
  Indeed, the blame lies squarely at the feet of Hamas and other terror 
organizations who believe in the use of violence to achieve their 
goals.
  Israel, in good faith, gave over the Gaza in a land-for-peace deal. 
Yet, the ink wasn't even dry, and they started stacking rockets in Gaza 
and launching them at Israel.
  The United States must continue to support Israel's right to exist 
and defend itself from aggression. As our most powerful partner in the 
Middle East, we owe it to them.

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