[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 23317-23318]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, on a separate issue, today, several of my 
Senate colleagues and I will be hosting Palestinian President Mahmoud 
Abbas and members of his Cabinet here in the United States Capitol.
  I have met with President Abbas on several occasions, most recently 
during my trip to the Middle East in May and his visit to Washington 
later that month a few weeks after our visit there.
  President Abbas is here to discuss ways to move the Middle East peace 
process forward, and how both sides can fulfill their obligations under 
the roadmap.
  Less than 2 months ago, Israel completed its disengagement of 
settlers and soldiers from all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and 
four settlements in the northern West Bank. The disengagement was 
conducted in a smooth and generally peaceful manner. This was a bold 
and courageous move by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
  Now President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority face the challenge 
of creating a secure and stable environment in Gaza. It is vital, it is 
critical that they succeed. The Palestinian people need to feel 
tangible improvements in their everyday lives, in their daily welfare, 
and they need to see that only peaceful dialog and negotiation can lead 
to a more prosperous future.
  While coordination between the Israelis and Palestinians during the 
disengagement was not ideal, it did exist. Prior to the withdrawal, 
Israeli and Palestinian security officials worked to ensure a peaceful 
disengagement and to establish a basis for returning to the roadmap.
  Recently, however, events in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have 
taken a turn for the worse. Rocket attacks on Israel continued to be 
launched from the Gaza Strip. In the last 9 months, 219 Palestinians 
have died in internecine clashes. In the West Bank city of Ramallah, 
Hamas has claimed responsibility for abducting and killing an Israeli 
settler after issuing demands for the release of Palestinian prisoners. 
This past weekend, three Jewish settlers were killed and five were 
wounded in shootings in the West Bank. The Al Aqsa Martyr's Brigade has 
claimed responsibility for these attacks.
  These events threaten to derail the peace process and to move both 
sides backward. We have reached a critical juncture in the Middle East 
peace process. The Israeli disengagement from Gaza offers a tremendous 
opportunity to get the peace process and the roadmap back on track. To 
succeed, both sides must fulfill their responsibilities, but this 
requires a secure environment in order to act.
  For the Palestinians, this means ending incitement, dismantling the 
terrorist groups, and disarming the militias. This is what I will 
impress on President Abbas when I meet with him later today. The 
violence must be renounced, and it must end. Making progress on these 
issues can set the stage for Israel to move forward on the release of 
Palestinian prisoners and relieving restrictions on travel.
  I commend President Abbas for his leadership. He has made measurable 
progress in advancing internal reforms in the Palestinian Authority. 
More is clearly needed, though, and more must be done.
  For example, the PA security forces must be reformed, unified, and 
given the mandate to enforce the rule of law and establish order in the 
West Bank and Gaza. President Abbas needs and

[[Page 23318]]

deserves our continued support, and the Congress has provided the 
funding to help the Palestinian people and make reform a reality.
  The United States remains committed to President Bush's vision of two 
democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace 
and security. We will continue to work with both parties to fulfill 
their obligations under the roadmap toward a true and lasting peace.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from New Hampshire.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to proceed as in 
morning business for 5 minutes.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I appreciate the courtesy of the Senator 
from Michigan.

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