[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 14458-14459]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                 ISRAEL

  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I rise again today to discuss the situation 
in the Middle East where our Israeli allies are fighting unprovoked 
aggression by a terrorist army on their border. To date, over 1,000 
rockets and missiles have been fired into Israel, killing more than a 
dozen civilians. It was especially disturbing to hear that the missile 
which collapsed a three-story building in Haifa earlier today was a 
Syrian model, loaded with ball bearings to cause maximum civilian 
casualties.
  At a time when one of our closest allies is threatened by 
indiscriminate attacks on its population centers and our President and 
Secretary of State are overseas, it is incumbent on this body to remain 
united in standing behind Israel. I am pleased that the leadership is 
drafting a resolution expressing bipartisan condemnation of Hezbollah's 
attacks and in support of Israel's right to respond in the name of 
self-defense.
  I am pleased that our allies, too, understand the grave nature of 
this crisis and its origins. The joint statement released over the 
weekend by the G8 states unequivocally that this violence:

       Results from efforts by extremist forces to destabilize the 
     region and to frustrate the aspirations of the Palestinian, 
     Israeli, and Lebanese people for democracy and peace. These 
     extremist elements and those that support them cannot be 
     allowed to plunge the Middle East into chaos, and a wider 
     conflict.

  Even some Arab governments, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and 
Jordan, took the commendable step of chastising Hezbollah for its 
``unexpected, inappropriate, and irresponsible acts.''
  In light of the chaos being precipitated by Hezbollah's rocket and 
missile capability--a capability being provided directly to Hezbollah 
by the governments of Syria and Iran--I thought it would be appropriate 
to take a moment today to talk about how that threat can be addressed. 
The estimated 13,000 missiles currently in Hezbollah's arsenal are 
hidden throughout Southern Lebanon, in private homes, caves, and 
factories. At present, the only way to destroy these systems is to 
search them out on foot--a risky and potentially provocative solution. 
Alternatively, Israeli forces can strike at missile launchers after 
they have fired, meaning that at least one salvo will already be en 
route. It would be a vast improvement if Israel had the option of 
neutralizing the Hezbollah threat through defensive, rather than 
offensive means.
  Israel currently has access to Patriot and Arrow missile defense 
technologies, great systems which are critical for defending against 
longer-range missiles, but poorly suited to defend Israeli territory 
from the types of rockets and missiles currently being fired by 
Hezbollah.
  It is for this reason that I support the U.S. Missile Defense Agency 
efforts--in cooperation with the Israeli Missile Defense Organization--
to develop a system for short-range missile defense. Aimed at 
projectiles with a range of less than 200 kilometers, this system would 
provide Israel with another way to defend itself, rather than having to 
rely exclusively on offensive action. It is propitious that the Defense 
Appropriations Committee is marking up its bill this week. For more 
than a year, I have worked with Senators Stevens and Inouye to support 
the short-range missile defense program. Under their leadership, I 
believe that the committee will provide the investment necessary to 
accelerate fielding of the system. Unfortunately, the need for a 
redoubled effort is now clearer than ever.
  We still do not know how the current crisis is going to end. What we 
can and should say, however, is that Israel has the full support of 
this body in its ongoing efforts to fight terrorists, protect its 
citizens, and create the circumstances for peaceful coexistence with 
Lebanon, and all of its neighbors.

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