[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12085-12086]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              SUPPORT FOR AMERICA'S DEMOCRATIC ALLY ISRAEL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 14, 2004

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, since its establishment 55 years 
ago, Israel has built a nation, forged a new and dynamic society, and 
created a unique and vital economic, political, cultural, and 
intellectual life despite the heavy costs of six wars, unrelenting 
terrorism, frequent international ostracism, and economic boycotts. The 
people of Israel have established a vibrant and functioning pluralistic 
and democratic political system that guarantees the freedoms of speech 
and of the press, free, fair, and open elections, and respect for the 
rule of law. For over half a century, the United States and Israel have 
maintained a special relationship based on mutually shared democratic 
values, common strategic interests, and moral bonds of friendship and 
mutual respect; most importantly, the people of the United States have 
an affinity for the people of Israel, and regard Israel as a strong and 
trusted ally and an important strategic partner.
  Because of the confluence of energy, money, weapons and ideology, 
stability in the Middle East is crucial to America's security and 
success in the global war on terror. Israel, with its technological 
capabilities and shared system of values, has a key role to play as the 
most vital U.S. ally in the region. Strengthening the U.S.-Israel 
strategic cooperation has been at the heart of the Jewish Institute for 
National Security Affairs (JINSA) mission since its inception in 1976. 
Founded as a result of the lessons learned from the 1973 Yom Kippur 
War, JINSA communicates with the national security establishment and 
the general public to explain the role Israel can and does play in 
bolstering American interests, as well as the link between American 
defense policy and the security of Israel. Over the years, JINSA has 
achieved a well-deserved reputation as a credible and independent 
resource.
  I recently met with my good friend Tom Neumann, JINSA's Executive 
Director, regarding the current situation in the Middle East, 
particularly Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's controversial plan 
to withdraw Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. During that meeting, 
Tom presented me with a copy of a

[[Page 12086]]

JINSA Board of Directors' Resolution stressing the importance of 
American support for the right of the duly-elected Government of Israel 
to make those decisions independently and not be pressured by friendly 
or unfriendly governments. As the Resolution says, ``the first 
obligation and chief priority of every sovereign government is to 
defend and protect its own citizens and territory; and the government 
of Israel, no less than that of the United States, acts upon that 
right.''
  I would like to have the text of this Resolution placed into the 
Congressional Record following my statement, and I urge my colleagues 
to read it in its entirety.

  Support for America's Democratic Allies In Their Internal Decision-
 making Processes--Resolution of the Board of Directors of JINSA, June 
                                6, 2004

       Whereas JINSA is an American non-profit association 
     concerned with American defense policy and the relationship 
     between the United States and our democratic allies, and 
     Israel is one of those allies;
       Whereas the first obligation and chief priority of every 
     sovereign government is to defend and protect its own 
     citizens and territory; and the government of Israel, no less 
     than that of the United States, acts upon that right;
       Whereas this right cannot be subjugated to demands of 
     foreign governments or entities, irrespective of a country's 
     ``best friend'' or most important trading partners; [In the 
     case of Israel, these would be the United States and the 
     European Union, respectively.]
       Whereas the chief priority of ``The Quartet'' [the US, the 
     UN, the EU and Russia] is movement on the Road Map toward the 
     establishment of Israeli-Palestinian peace through a 
     negotiated two-state settlement, and any unilateral action by 
     Israel might thus be considered interference with the Road 
     Map process, or more broadly with the ``peace process'';
       Whereas in the view of the Prime Minister of Israel there 
     is no Palestinian partner for steps in the Road Map and 
     instead of waiting for the Palestinians to produce one, he 
     has chosen to make unilateral decisions about how Israel can 
     best protect its citizens during the current war. There is in 
     this an implicit threat that if Israel takes enough 
     unilateral actions, the Palestinians might find themselves 
     with nothing left to decide;
       Whereas President Bush officially welcomed Prime Minister 
     Sharon's Gaza disengagement plan and reiterated the United 
     States' ``steadfast commitment to Israel's security, 
     including secure, defensible borders;'' and President Bush 
     specifically recognized the reality of Jews residing east of 
     the 1948 armistice line and rejected the claims of 
     Palestinians of a right to settle in Israel;
       And whereas Israel, being a democracy, has engaged both in 
     an intense national and governmental debate about the 
     parameters of the Prime Minister's plan; Therefore,
       The Board of Directors of JINSA resolves to commend 
     President Bush for his clear and forthright commitment (1) to 
     the legitimacy of Israel as a Jewish state, (2) to the right 
     of Israel to defensible borders, and (3) to a peaceful 
     settlement between Israel and the Palestinians subject to the 
     Palestinians making good their previous security and other 
     commitments;
       The Board specifically commends the President's recognition 
     of Israel's right to determine for itself what actions are 
     required to ensure the future safety and security of its 
     people.
       The Board strongly hopes that the nature of this 
     recognition is all-encompassing and not just limited to 
     decisions Israel might make with which the United States is 
     in agreement.
       Even if JINSA does not agree with some elements of any 
     proposed plan, the Board further resolves to support the 
     right of the duly elected Government of Israel to make those 
     decisions and not be pressured by friendly or unfriendly 
     governments,
       The Board strongly believes the President and the American 
     people should be encouraged to tell Israel, our ally in the 
     war against terrorists and the swamps that breed them, that 
     we will stand with it as its government determines what steps 
     are necessary to defend and protect it--as we ourselves have 
     done.
       The Board further urges the other members of the Road Map 
     ``Quartet,'' to recognize the right of a democratic country 
     to determine without outside pressure what actions serve the 
     goals of its security and meaningful progress towards peace.
       The Board urges Congress to make a similar declaration 
     without reservation.

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