[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 103 (Tuesday, June 13, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E555-E556]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   VOTE AGAINST H.R. 3099, THE SPECIAL ENVOY FOR ABRAHAM ACCORDS ACT

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                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 13, 2023

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to address my vote against H.R. 
3099, the Special Envoy for Abraham Accords Act.
  The Abraham Accords fails to address the plight of millions of 
Palestinians who are working to build a peaceful future and who have 
been abandoned by Congress and the broader international community. 
Peace in the region can only be achieved by respecting human rights, 
especially the rights of children. By turning a blind eye to the 
ongoing mistreatment of Palestinian children living under Israeli 
occupation, Congress only contributes to the continuation of in 
Justice.
  I include in the Record my June 2016 letter to then-President Obama 
urging him to appoint a Special Envoy for Palestinian Youth to 
encourage diplomatic engagement with the Government of Israel, the 
Palestinian Authority, and human rights groups in the region to address 
the serious human rights abuses that have been well documented against 
Palestinian children who are living under Israeli military occupation.
  I believe no U.S. military aid to Israel should be used to enable or 
support the military detention and torture of Palestinian children. the 
demolition of Palestinian homes, or the annexation of Palestinian 
lands. The American people expect that all children, including 
Palestinian children, are treated with dignity and have their human 
rights respected. If the United States is to play a role in ending the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we must end human rights abuses against 
Palestinian children.
  My calls for a Special Envoy for Palestinian Youth have gone 
unanswered.
  Enabling an ambassadorial level of U.S. representation for a Special 
Envoy for the Trump-era Abraham Accords, while ignoring the need for a 
Special Envoy for Palestinian Youth, is an affront to all those seeking 
to end the human rights abuses of Palestinian young people living under 
military occupation. Peace in the region will only be possible if we 
build a brighter future for Israelis and Palestinials alike.
  Therefore, I voted no on H.R. 3099.


                                Congress of the United States,

                                    Washington, DC, June 20, 2016.
     President Barack Obama,
     The White House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear President Obama: We are deeply appreciative of your 
     administration's efforts in

[[Page E556]]

     pursuit of a negotiated peace to end the violence and 
     settlement expansion that are the hallmarks of the Israeli-
     Palestinian conflict. While diplomatic efforts to resolve the 
     conflict will certainly continue to require American 
     leadership, for the foreseeable future any move to advance 
     the peace process is in the hands of Prime Minister 
     Netanyahu, President Abbas, and their respective governments.
       Regardless of the manner in which Israeli and Palestinian 
     political leaders decide to act upon their common future, a 
     reality that must be acknowledged is that forty-six percent 
     of the 4.68 million Palestinians living in the Occupied 
     Palestinian Territories are under 18 years of age. These 
     children deserve to grow up with dignity, human rights, and a 
     future free of repression.
       This enormous youth cohort represents another generation of 
     Palestinian children growing up under military occupation 
     with very few opportunities to improve their lives. These 
     children live under the constant fear of arrest, detention, 
     and violence at the hands of the Israeli military, as well as 
     the threat of recruitment or conscription into armed groups. 
     We view this as an unimaginably difficult and at times 
     hopeless environment for children that only fuels the 
     conflict.
       The recent attacks against Israelis, including those 
     perpetrated by Palestinian youth, are profoundly disturbing 
     and must be condemned. These attackers are often using crude 
     weapons knowing they will likely be killed by Israeli 
     security forces. Appropriate measures must be taken by 
     security forces to defend themselves and innocent civilians. 
     At the same time, the root cause of such violent acts must be 
     examined and understood within the context in which they are 
     taking place. Does a life of utter hopelessness and the 
     collective psychological trauma associated with the 
     Palestinian people living for decades under Israeli military 
     occupation directly contribute to the violence?
       The people of Israel have a right to security and we 
     support U.S. policies which advance Israel's security. We 
     also strongly believe that human rights--including the human 
     rights of Palestinian children--must be protected and 
     promoted, never ignored. As far as U.S. policy is concerned, 
     we should expect an Israeli child and a Palestinian child to 
     receive equal treatment from the authorities and the legal 
     system. If in fact we are truly seeking security for Israel 
     then it is in the interest of the American people to advance 
     the cause of security, human rights, equality, dignity, 
     justice, and opportunity for Palestinians, just as we do for 
     Israelis.
       We must raise our profound concern regarding a longstanding 
     policy of detaining, interrogating, and imprisoning 
     Palestinian children as young as 12 and 13 for up to a year, 
     sometimes longer, without a trial and in violation of 
     international standards. Recently, the Associated Press 
     reported that a 12-year-old Palestinian girl was imprisoned 
     by Israel's military justice system. UNICEF, Human Rights 
     Watch, B'Tselem, and other international NGOs have documented 
     these human rights abuses against Palestinian youth. A report 
     released in April by Defense for Children International-
     Palestine, based on the testimony of 429 Palestinian children 
     detained by the Israeli military or police, found that three-
     quarters endured some form of physical violence following 
     arrest. Israeli interrogators used position abuse, threats, 
     and even solitary confinement to coerce confessions from some 
     of these children. Such blatant abuses are unacceptable and 
     contrary to U.S. interests and values.
       The situation on the ground is rapidly deteriorating and we 
     must act now. At the end of February, there were 440 
     Palestinian children in Israeli military prisons. This is the 
     highest number since data became available from Israel Prison 
     Service in 2008. For the first time in nearly four years, 
     Israel has reintroduced the use of administrative detention 
     against children. This is a procedure whereby a child can be 
     detained without charge or trial, often renewable 
     indefinitely. According to the most recent data from the 
     Israeli Prison Service (February 2016), there were seven 
     Palestinian children being held under administrative 
     detention orders.
       Mr. President, we believe the U.S. has a critical role to 
     play in shaping the environment for peace between the people 
     of Israel and the Palestinian people. Palestinian youth is 
     one of the most critical demographic groups to building a 
     secure future. We must act now to send a clear signal that we 
     value their lives and well-being.
       Therefore, we urge you to appoint a ``Special Envoy for 
     Palestinian Youth'' to travel to the West Bank, East 
     Jerusalem, and Israel to hear directly from Palestinian 
     youth, human rights and legal experts, NGOs, Palestinian and 
     Israeli officials, including police and military leaders. 
     Such a fact finding mission will provide the Obama 
     Administration with vital information necessary to actively 
     promote human rights, but also establish a framework for the 
     next U.S. administration. Both Israel and the Palestinian 
     Authority have obligations under universal human rights norms 
     and international human rights instruments for which they are 
     accountable and a ``Special Envoy for Palestinian Youth'' 
     will serve the important role of highlighting their 
     respective successes and the shortcomings that demand action.
       We are also calling on the Department of State to elevate 
     the human rights of Palestinian children to a priority status 
     in our bilateral relations with Israel and our ongoing 
     engagement with the Palestinian Authority. The immediate 
     appointment of a ``Special Envoy for Palestinian Youth'' will 
     send a strong signal that truly reflects the spirit of your 
     administration's tenure in the White House. Conversely, 
     ignoring the trauma being inflicted on millions of 
     Palestinian children undermines our American values and will 
     ensure the perpetuation of a conflict and occupation we all 
     want to see ended peacefully.
           Sincerely,
       Betty McCollum, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Andre Carson, John 
     Conyers, Earl Blumenauer, Donald Beyer, Barbara Lee, Keith 
     Ellison, Henry ``Hank'' Johnson, Bobby Rush, Marcy Kaptur, 
     Chellie Pingree, Danny Davis, Peter DeFazio, Raul Grijalva, 
     Sam Farr, Luis V. Gutierrez, Jim McDermott, Yvette Clarke, 
     Mark Pacon, Members of Congress.

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