[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 380]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               THE ESCALATING VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

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                       HON. JESSE L. JACKSON, JR.

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 8, 2009

  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I have been closely following 
the troubling events and escalating violence in the Middle East. We in 
the United States must continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in 
support of our friend and ally Israel as it defends itself against 
Hamas' unrelenting rocket attacks from Gaza.
  I'm encouraged by the recent cease-fire negotiations underway in the 
region. The talks must seek to end the intolerable rain of rockets on 
southern Israel and stop the violence and killing of Israelis and 
Palestinians. Until a cease-fire agreement is reached, I hope that 
every effort and scrupulous care continue to be taken to avoid the 
death of innocent civilians.
  I've long believed that the only route to a sustainable peace in the 
Middle East is through diplomatic means, not military might. The United 
States must once again take a leadership role and actively engage in 
the multilateral effort to build a permanent path to peace between the 
Israeli and the Palestinian people.

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