[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5190]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                          PROSPECTS FOR PEACE

 Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, now that Secretary of State Colin 
Powell has concluded his recent diplomatic mission to Israel and the 
Middle East, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on recent 
events in the region. There are many opinions about the most effective 
approach to the current crisis, but I believe the Bush administration's 
renewed emphasis on ending the violence and reaching a negotiated 
settlement is a positive development.
  As America properly takes steps to defend our Nation's vital economic 
and security interests in the region, though, we must be mindful that 
Israel is a sovereign nation with a responsibility to defend the safety 
and security of its citizens. After suffering dozens of deadly attacks 
aimed at innocent civilians during the last 18 months, I believe Israel 
has every right to take steps, including military action, to neutralize 
Palestinian terrorists that Yasser Arafat and the PLO have been unable 
or unwilling to detain. I would expect no less from our Nation and it 
is unfair to ask any less from Israel. The United States endured some 
international criticism for our anti-terrorism campaign in Afghanistan 
and I would expect a special empathy by the U.S. Government toward 
Israel as it faces similar criticism today.
  I am optimistic that the current military operation in the West Bank 
will curb the violence so that the peace process can proceed in a 
meaningful way. To achieve a final settlement, all interested parties 
will be required to make painful and difficult choices in the weeks and 
months ahead. I believe Israel has demonstrated its willingness and 
ability over time to live up to its commitments and responsibilities to 
exist peacefully with its neighbors.
  Unfortunately, the lack of leadership and vision exhibited by the 
Palestinian Authority in recent years has, in my estimation, prevented 
the Palestinian people from achieving liberation and attaining the 
hopes and dreams they deserve. Let's hope Chairman Arafat fully 
appreciates the precarious nature of his current position and how the 
choices he makes in the immediate future will determine what role he 
will play in future peace negotiations.
  I want to conclude, by expressing my profound sadness for the tragic 
loss of life that has befallen both Israelis and Palestinians in this 
conflict. As a person of faith, I value the inherent dignity of every 
human being and believe all interested parties have a responsibility to 
actively pursue the benefits of peace and freedom. It is my sincere 
hope that through strong leadership and determination, the next 
generation of Israeli and Palestinian children will be able to focus on 
building a prosperous future instead of on the carnage and destruction 
of the past.

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