[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 177 (Thursday, October 26, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1017]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





  STANDING WITH ISRAEL AS IT DEFENDS ITSELF AGAINST THE BARBARIC WAR 
                 LAUNCHED BY HAMAS AND OTHER TERRORISTS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 25, 2023

  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr Speaker, I join my colleagues in 
condemning the horrific and heartbreaking terror attacks by Hamas as 
articulated in H. Res. 771.
  I have been horrified by and strongly condemn the terrorist attack 
that has unleashed another cycle of violence that has millions of 
innocent civilians in the region under threat.
  Let me be clear: Hamas is a terrorist organization that has shown 
time and again its disregard for innocent human life and does not 
represent the aspirations or speak for the Palestinians. Hamas--which 
has long been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. 
and subject to sanctions--has no regard for the lives it puts in 
danger, Israeli or Palestinian.
  My heart continues to be heavy as I mourn the innocent Israeli lives 
lost and those kidnapped and taken hostage, including Americans and 
other foreign nationals.
  I agree with many of my colleagues who have pointed out a glaring 
omission in this resolution: the lack of any real acknowledge of the 
hardships, suffering, and loss being imposed on innocent civilians in 
Gaza, including the children who have died, who hate Hamas as much as 
anyone in this chamber and simply want to live their lives in peace. We 
have to be clear that this body deplores the loss of all innocent 
lives.
  I refuse the narrative that you cannot condemn Hamas while also 
expressing concerns for the fate of innocent Palestinians whose lives, 
livelihoods, and homes, are now in turmoil and under threat.
  I reiterate the call from the Biden Administration, and others, that 
Israel's right to defend itself and its people, brings with it the 
responsibility to do so in accordance with international law, including 
the protection of civilian life. And this must include working to 
restore a supply of basic needs (food, water, medicines) to the 
civilians trapped in Gaza.
  Hamas' inhumanity and acts of terrorism should not induce the rest of 
us to abandon our principles and international law.
  You wouldn't know it from this resolution but there is an urgent 
humanitarian crisis that is being made worse every minute in Gaza. The 
longer the fighting goes, the worse I fear the impact will be for these 
civilians who did nothing to start this fight and have nowhere safe to 
go.
  How does another massive humanitarian crisis help Israel's security 
or the ability of civilians to live in peace? I was pleased to join a 
number of my colleagues on a recent letter urging President Biden to 
make humanitarian needs of innocent civilians in Gaza a priority. This 
must remain a priority for U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region, 
including directly by President Biden himself. I hope this chamber 
would have joined us in sharing that sense of urgency and decency.
  And lastly, even as Israeli forces are gathering for a devastating 
ground war in Gaza that will increase the suffering of innocent 
Palestinians, we all have to recognize that, at some point, the 
fighting will end.
  I hope it is much sooner rather than later for the sake of innocent 
civilians.
  The resolution is however conspicuously silent on what happens when 
the violence ends or on the two-state solution that I and others have 
pressed for over the years and which sadly, continues to be sidelined 
which is the goal of groups like Hamas.
  Let's be clear--to permanently end this cycle, we don't need more 
nonbinding resolutions and condemnations. Tough choices, Tough 
decision, Tough compromises have to be made. And those decisions will 
not be made here on the floor of the House of Representatives.
  What happens when the rocket fire stops is going to be the most 
important indicator of, if and when, we can break this cycle of 
violence or how soon we will once again have sirens going off in Israel 
and Palestinians in Gaza told to flee without any actual ability to 
flee.
  The need for greater political and diplomatic engagement will not end 
with the fighting. In fact, its need increases exponentially if you 
really want to protect innocent civilians.
  I can tell you there are Palestinian moms and dads huddling with 
their children in some awful place begging for peace right now.
  I also hear cries for peace from families, relatives, and friends of 
Israeli's who died or were wounded or who are being held hostages. I 
don't need thousands more innocent Israeli's and/or Palestinians under 
threat to know that they are hungry for anything that brings them 
closer to peace and farther from fearing for their lives at every 
moment.
  Security for Palestinians and Israelis are linked. So is prosperity 
and hope for a better future.
  I want this fighting to come to an end as soon as possible. Military 
means have never brought peace to this region.

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