[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2356]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




PROTESTING THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S DECISION TO RULE ON THE LEGALITY 
                       OF ISRAEL'S SECURITY FENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JO ANN DAVIS

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 24, 2004

  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to protest 
the U.N. General Assembly's decision to rule on the legality of 
Israel's security fence.
  I have just recently returned from Israel, where I had the 
opportunity to see firsthand the issues surrounding the security fence. 
Simply stated, Mr. Speaker, the purpose behind this temporary fence is 
to protect the Israeli people from suicide bombers and terrorists in a 
region marked by violence and instability.
  However, the issue here today is not the lawfulness of Israel's 
security fence. It is the appropriateness of bringing such a 
complicated and political issue before the International Court of 
Justice (ICJ) in an unbalanced manner.
  I am encouraged by the administration's support for Israel before the 
court and agree that such proceedings could undermine the negotiations 
already under way between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. I 
encourage Congress to join the administration in sending a strong 
message to the U.N. opposing this anti-Israel decision.

                          ____________________