[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13623-13624]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



      COURAGE OVER CAUTION--WE MUST HAVE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in less than 48 hours, one of 
the most historic and, I believe, one of the most important meetings 
will take place just a few miles away from the Capitol of the United 
States of America, and that is the gathering of President Clinton, 
Prime Minister Barak and President Arafat on deliberating on peace in 
the Mideast.
  Let me salute all three of these gentlemen and particularly let me 
applaud the leadership of President William Jefferson Clinton. Many 
might offer to say that there is nothing else that he could do. Why 
should he not hold this summit? It is a win-win situation for him in 
the short time that he has to lead this Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, peace is never easy. I think it is important to realize 
the leap of faith that is being taken by all three of these heads of 
nations. Camp David will be a very serious place; and, for many 
Americans, I believe it is important to focus our attention, our hearts 
and our minds on an effort to bring about peace to a region that has 
had 52 years of bloody conflicts. For more than half a century, there 
has been no peace in the Middle East.
  I want to applaud the Prime Minister of Israel who realizes that he 
is on very dangerous ground. Already, three of the six of his coalition 
members have broken away and resigned because of

[[Page 13624]]

its efforts to seek peace. Many have said he is fragilely kept in 
government, that no one will support him, and that there is no 
guarantee that he will remain as prime minister or head of government 
of the country of Israel. But I salute him for his words that he comes 
here with a profound sense of responsibility and, as well, to 
acknowledge that he has a mandate from the voters, the citizens of 
Israel to do all that he can to establish peace, not for those of us 
who live and those of us who are adults responsible for ourselves, but 
for the children and for those yet not born.
  He is willing to consider giving 90 percent of the West Bank to the 
Palestinians; he is willing to consider some answer to the problem of 
Jerusalem running some part thereof. The details are not all present, 
but he is willing to discuss the status of Jerusalem. He is willing as 
well to allow a small number of Palestinians, so it has been reported, 
to return to what is today Israel. Yes, we must answer the question of 
the Palestinians who continuously view parts of Jerusalem or Jerusalem 
as having a religious significance to them. Jerusalem has a religious 
significance to all of us of many faiths from around this world. We 
must find a way to solve the problem with a respect for all and dignity 
for all and peace for the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe it is important that once this peace agreement 
comes to fruition, that we look at an international peacekeeping 
contingent, as has been suggested by the Palestinians. Yes, as 
Secretary Albright has already stated, this is an effort of high 
stakes. It is an effort that hopefully will avoid the tragedy of death 
of a young Palestinian mother and child experiencing the wrong turn at 
the wrong time, and they met their death during some bloody conflict 
just a few days ago. Apologies were offered by the Government of 
Israel, but how many more will die? How many more mothers will lose 
their lives or babies or elderly? How many more Palestinians or how 
many more citizens of the State of Israel?
  So as has been offered, it is high stakes, but frankly, I believe it 
is life or death. It is life or death for this world order. It is life 
or death for those of us who believe that the Mideast offers one of the 
strongest opportunities for anchoring the understanding of people from 
different walks of life and religious beliefs.
  This is the time now to view this summit with all of the resources 
that we might offer as the United States of America to bolster the 
journey and travels of Prime Minister Barak, to acknowledge that he has 
lost his interior minister who has resigned, and his minister of 
foreign policy refuses to come. Yes, he is traveling a very difficult 
journey, but I believe that if the American people can offer to him 
their applause and congratulations along with our applause and respect 
for President Arafat, and to say to all three men and all that will be 
engaged in this discussion for peace, it is now time to select and to 
choose, Mr. Speaker, courage over caution. We must have peace.

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