[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12704]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PALESTINIAN UPHEAVAL

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, the pictures running with recent news 
reports tell the story: The Palestinians are in upheaval. Earlier this 
month, hundreds of supporters of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and 
his Fatah faction stormed parliament buildings in Ramallah, setting 
parts of them ablaze. This was in response to earlier Hamas-led attacks 
on Fatah security forces in Gaza.
  Madam Speaker, this escalating violence among rival Palestinian 
factions should teach the world a lesson. Elections alone do not make 
people democratic. The elections are important, but without the 
foundation of a civil society and certain values, they will not 
guarantee democratic freedom.
  The Palestinian people must also embrace basic democratic values and 
principles: the rule of law; freedom of speech; due process 
protections; respect for honest, civil debate; religious liberties. The 
list goes on.
  Continuing to choose extremism rather than fundamental civil reforms 
like these will only lead to further upheaval and hardship.

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