[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 412-433]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST ATTACKS FROM GAZA

  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 34) recognizing Israel's right to defend itself 
against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States' strong 
support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace 
process.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                               H. Res. 34

       Whereas Hamas was founded with the stated goal of 
     destroying the State of Israel;
       Whereas Hamas has been designated by the United States as a 
     Foreign Terrorist Organization;
       Whereas Hamas has refused to comply with the Quartet's (the 
     United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United 
     Nations) requirements that Hamas recognize Israel's right to 
     exist, renounce violence, and agree to accept previous 
     agreements between Israel and the Palestinians;
       Whereas in June 2006, Hamas illegally crossed into Israel, 
     attacked Israeli forces, and kidnaped Corporal Gilad Shalit, 
     whom they continue to hold today;
       Whereas Hamas has launched thousands of rockets and mortars 
     against Israeli population centers since 2001, and has 
     launched more than 6,000 such rockets and mortars since 
     Israel withdrew its civilian population and its military from 
     Gaza in 2005;
       Whereas Hamas has increased the range and payload of its 
     rockets, reportedly with support from Iran and others, 
     putting hundreds of thousands of Israelis in danger of rocket 
     attacks from Gaza;
       Whereas Hamas locates elements of its terrorist 
     infrastructure in civilian population centers, thus using 
     innocent civilians as human shields;
       Whereas Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a 
     statement on December 27, 2008, that ``We strongly condemn 
     the repeated rocket and mortar attacks against Israel and 
     hold Hamas responsible for breaking the cease-fire and for 
     the renewal of violence there'';
       Whereas on December 27, 2008, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud 
     Olmert said, ``For approximately seven years, hundreds of 
     thousands of Israeli citizens in the south have been 
     suffering from missiles being fired at them . . . In such a 
     situation we had no alternative but to respond. We do not 
     rejoice in battle but neither will we be deterred from it. . 
     . . The operation in the Gaza Strip is designed, first and 
     foremost, to bring about an improvement in the security 
     reality for the residents of the south of the country'';
       Whereas the humanitarian situation in Gaza, including 
     shortages of food, water, electricity, and adequate medical 
     care, is becoming more acute;
       Whereas Israel has facilitated humanitarian aid to Gaza 
     with hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian assistance and 
     numerous ambulances entering the Gaza Strip since the current 
     round of fighting began on December 27, 2008;
       Whereas on January 6, 2009, before the United Nations 
     Security Council, Secretary Rice stated that: ``The situation 
     before the current events in Gaza was clearly not 
     sustainable. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis lived under 
     the daily threat of rocket attack, and frankly, no country, 
     none of our countries, would have been willing to tolerate 
     such a circumstance. Moreover, the people of Gaza watched as 
     insecurity and lawlessness increased and as their living 
     conditions grew more dire because of Hamas's actions which 
     began with the illegal coup against the Palestinian Authority 
     in Gaza. . . . A cease-fire that returns to those 
     circumstances is unacceptable and it will not last''; and
       Whereas the ultimate goal of the United States is a 
     sustainable resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict 
     that will ensure the welfare, security, and survival of the 
     State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with secure 
     borders, and a viable, independent, and democratic 
     Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security 
     with the State of Israel: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) expresses vigorous support and unwavering commitment to 
     the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel as 
     a Jewish and democratic state with secure borders, and 
     recognizes its right to act in self-defense to protect its 
     citizens against Hamas's unceasing aggression, as enshrined 
     in the United Nations Charter;
       (2) reiterates that Hamas must end the rocket and mortar 
     attacks against Israel, recognize Israel's right to exist, 
     renounce violence, agree to accept previous agreements 
     between Israel and the Palestinians, and verifiably dismantle 
     its terrorist infrastructure;
       (3) encourages the Administration to work actively to 
     support a durable and sustainable cease-fire in Gaza, as soon 
     as possible, that prevents Hamas from retaining or rebuilding 
     its terrorist infrastructure, including the capability to 
     launch rockets and mortars against Israel, and thereby 
     allowing for the long-term improvement of daily living 
     conditions for the people of Gaza;
       (4) believes strongly that the lives of innocent civilians 
     must be protected to the maximum extent possible, expresses 
     condolences to innocent Palestinian and Israeli victims and 
     their families, and reiterates that humanitarian needs in 
     Gaza should be addressed promptly and responsibly;
       (5) calls on all nations--
       (A) to condemn Hamas for deliberately embedding its 
     fighters, leaders, and weapons in private homes, schools, 
     mosques, hospitals, and otherwise using Palestinian civilians 
     as human shields, while simultaneously targeting Israeli 
     civilians; and
       (B) to lay blame both for the breaking of the ``calm'' and 
     for subsequent civilian casualties in Gaza precisely where 
     blame belongs, that is, on Hamas;
       (6) supports and encourages efforts to diminish the appeal 
     and influence of extremists in the Palestinian territories, 
     and strengthen moderate Palestinians who are committed to a 
     secure and lasting peace with Israel;
       (7) calls on Egypt to intensify its efforts to halt 
     smuggling between Gaza and Egypt and affirms the willingness 
     of the United States to continue to assist Egypt in these 
     efforts;
       (8) calls for the immediate release of the kidnaped Israeli 
     soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been illegally held in Gaza 
     since June 2006; and
       (9) reiterates its strong support for a just and 
     sustainable resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict 
     achieved through negotiations between Israel and the 
     Palestinian Authority in order to ensure the welfare, 
     security, and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and 
     democratic state with secure borders, and a viable, 
     independent, and democratic Palestinian state living side by 
     side in peace and security with the State of Israel.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Berman) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BERMAN. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 
legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include 
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.
  When a nation's towns and villages are attacked without provocation 
by nearly 9,000 rockets over the span of 8 years, there could hardly be 
a more solid case for the use of force in self-defense. At least 
700,000 Israelis, 10 percent of that small nation, are now within range 
of missiles and rockets operated by an Islamist terrorist group 
committed to Israel's destruction.
  I have no trouble justifying the war Israel is undertaking, but I am 
deeply troubled by the suffering, destruction and loss of innocent life 
that war inevitably entails, in this case, a war forced upon Israel by 
a terrorist enemy that not only targets Israeli civilians but that also 
bases itself among Gazan Palestinian homes, schools, mosques, and 
hospitals in order to use innocent civilians as human shields and as 
tools of a propaganda war. It is imperative that a

[[Page 413]]

way be found to stop the killing on both sides but in a manner that 
will ensure that this round will be the last round.
  I know the U.S. and several other nations are working on developing 
such a plan. Our ally Egypt should be particularly commended for its 
serious efforts in this regard.
  What we need is not merely a cease-fire but a transformative cease-
fire. We need to ensure not just that Hamas stops firing rockets into 
Israel; we need to make sure that it stops receiving weapons and 
weapons parts and that it stops smuggling them into the Gaza Strip. We 
should support Egyptian efforts to prevent this illegal arms trade from 
crossing the Sinai toward the Gaza border.
  Madam Speaker, I commend the Speaker and the bipartisan leadership 
for authoring this important resolution. It provides a sensible way of 
understanding how we got to the current situation and of how we should 
move forward. This is why I support this resolution, and I urge my 
colleagues to do likewise.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in strong support of House Resolution 34, recognizing Israel's 
right to defend herself against attacks from Gaza and reaffirming the 
United States' strong support for Israel.
  Madam Speaker, the conflict between Israel and violent Palestinian 
extremist groups is not, to paraphrase Chamberlain, a quarrel in a 
faraway country between people of which we know nothing. This conflict 
is one part of a broader struggle that we're all engaged in, a struggle 
between liberty and tyranny, between democracy and violent Islamic 
extremism, between those who love life and those who preach death.
  It is a struggle Israel did not seek but one which she must, 
nonetheless, fight and win. For 8 years, while Israel has sought just 
and lasting peace and security, Hamas and other Islamic militants have 
launched thousands of rockets from Gaza against innocents in southern 
Israel. Israel, a democratic state, chose to exercise remarkable 
restraint.
  Finally, on December 19, Hamas unilaterally broke the calm, the so-
called calm, and began launching scores of rockets against Israel. 
Israel chose to protect itself and her people. Israel has made every 
effort to prevent civilian casualties and has provided significant 
humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians. Meanwhile, Hamas has 
again committed war crimes by placing its militants and its weapons in 
or at schools, in hospitals, in private homes, and in other civilian 
buildings.
  How has much of the world reacted? Too many states and too many 
officials in the United Nations have responded by blaming Israel and 
only Israel. The U.N. swung into action, holding four Security Council 
meetings in less than 2 weeks, including last night, when it passed a 
resolution that did not even mention rocket attacks against innocent 
Israeli civilians, that did not even mention Hamas and its war crimes, 
and it called for an immediate cease-fire, not a sustainable cease-
fire.
  Sadly, these officials do not recognize that only Israel would 
consider itself bound by such an agreement. Hamas would continue to 
pursue Israel's destruction, and such a devil's bargain without holding 
Hamas and its state sponsors of terror accountable will only embolden 
these Islamic extremists to intensify their destructive agenda.
  The desire to stop all violence now is understandable. We all desire 
peace. We all regret the loss of innocent lives on both sides of the 
conflict, but as the ancient rabbis have stated, those who are merciful 
to the cruel, as the U.N. has been, will end up being cruel to the 
merciful, in this case, Israel.
  The right way forward is not easy; it is not pleasant, but upon it 
rests the security of the Israelis, of the Palestinians, of the 
Americans, and of all freedom-loving people.
  The following is my full statement for the Record: Madam Speaker, I 
rise in strong support of House Resolution 34, recognizing Israel's 
right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza and reaffirming the 
United States's strong support for Israel.
  Madam Speaker, the conflict between Israel and violent Palestinian 
extremist groups is not, to paraphrase former British leader Neville 
Chamberlain, a quarrel in a faraway country, between people of which we 
know nothing.
  On the contrary, this conflict is one part of a broader struggle that 
we are all engaged in--a struggle between liberty and tyranny; between 
democracy and violent Islamist extremism; between those who love life 
and those who preach death.
  It is a struggle which the United States and Israel did not seek, but 
which we must, nonetheless, fight and win.
  On the outcome, rests our freedom, our security, and our very 
existence.
  Today, this House sends a strong and unequivocal signal that America 
stands with Israel in its fight to exist.
  To some of the ``high-minded'' who feel comfortably removed from this 
struggle, such language is old-fashioned, or out of style, or 
undiplomatic.
  In the United States, Madam Speaker, we prefer to call it the truth.
  For 8 years, while Israel has sought just and lasting peace and 
security, Hamas and other Islamist militants have launched over 8,000 
rockets from Gaza against innocents in southern Israel.
  Even after Israel took the risk of withdrawing from Gaza in 2005, 
Hamas rejected peace and chose to use its new sanctuary to plan and 
carry out more attacks against the Jewish state and its people.
  Six months ago, Hamas agreed to a so-called state of ``calm,'' then 
proceeded to break it repeatedly by using other groups to do its dirty 
work and fire rockets.
  Israel, a democratic state, chose to exercise remarkable restraint.
  Finally, on December 19, Hamas unilaterally broke the ``calm'' and 
began launching scores of rockets into Israel.
  Israel chose to protect its people and defend itself.
  Hamas and its fellow violent hate-mongers do not seek a few more 
square miles of land. They do not seek a Palestinian state.
  They seek to destroy Israel, impose an Islamist dictatorship in its 
place, and fight on throughout the world.
  Such an outcome is unacceptable to Israel.
  It is unacceptable to the United States.
  It must be unacceptable to all other responsible nations--because in 
a compromise between good and evil, only evil benefits.
  Israel has made every effort to prevent civilian casualties, and has 
provided significant humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians.
  Meanwhile, Hamas has again committed war crimes by placing its 
militants and weapons, in or near schools, hospitals, private homes, 
and other civilian buildings.
  In the real world, Hamas's use of civilians as human shields would 
provoke international condemnation and action to stop this menace.
  But how has much of the world reacted?
  Too many states, and too many officials at the United Nations, have 
responded by blaming Israel and only Israel.
  Let us remember that in the months and years before Israel started 
its defensive operation on December 27, the U.N. did not make any 
meaningful effort to stop the relentless attacks by Hamas or diminish 
the threat posed by its state sponsors.
  But once Israel rose to protect its citizens, the U.N. swung into 
action, holding four Security Council meetings in less than two weeks, 
including last night, when it passed a resolution--that did not even 
mention rocket attacks against Israeli civilians; that did not even 
mention Hamas and its war crimes; and that called for an immediate 
cease-fire, not a sustainable cease-fire.
  This Security Council resolution and other developments throughout 
the U.N. system, reflect the short-sightedness and bias that pervade 
that body.
  The so-called President of the U.N. General Assembly called Israel's 
behavior a ``monstrosity,'' and the Secretary-General called for an 
immediate cease-fire.
  Sadly, they do not recognize: that only Israel would consider itself 
bound by such an agreement; that Hamas would continue to pursue 
Israel's destruction; and that such a devil's bargain without holding 
Hamas and its state-sponsors accountable would only embolden these 
Islamist extremists to intensify their destructive agenda.
  The desire to stop all violence now is understandable.
  We all desire peace and regret the loss of innocent lives on both 
sides of the conflict.
  But as the ancient rabbis stated, those who are merciful to the cruel 
(as the U.N. has been) will end up being cruel to the merciful (in this 
case, Israel).
  If the U.N. wants to regain its credibility, it should advance peace 
and security by moving

[[Page 414]]

to compel Hamas and their state sponsors to: immediately stop their 
attacks, shut down their militant infrastructure, and recognize 
Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state.
  Madam Speaker, we've been here before.
  In 2006, the violent extremist group Hezbollah kidnapped Israeli 
soldiers and fired rockets relentlessly against northern Israel.
  In response, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution calling 
for a cease-fire between Israel and the violent extremist group 
Hezbollah, which would supposedly strengthen the ability of a U.N. 
force in Lebanon to prevent Hezbollah from rearming.
  In the last 2\1/2\ years, Israel has held up its end of the deal, 
while a legitimized Hezbollah has rapidly re-armed under the U.N.'s 
nose and has, along with its state-sponsors Iran and Syria, increased 
its control in Lebanon.
  As a result, U.S. interests in the region have been damaged.
  If we act the same way this time, we will get the same result or 
worse, and we are running out of second chances. Not again, Madam 
Speaker.
  We must support Israel's right to defend itself by rooting out the 
Islamist militant infrastructure in Gaza and by ending--not reducing, 
not postponing, but ending--the threat Hamas poses to Israel's 
existence; to regional stability; and to global peace and security.
  Then, and only then, Madam Speaker, can a cease-fire work.
  Consistent with the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, we should also 
tighten U.S. and international sanctions against Hamas.
  Additionally, the U.S. and our allies must seek to stop Iran and 
Syria from providing financial and other support to Hamas and other 
violent Islamist extremist groups.
  The right way forward is not easy or pleasant, but upon it rests the 
security of Israelis, Palestinians, Americans, and all other peoples.

  With that, Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of our time.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to recognize the chief 
sponsor and author of this resolution, the Speaker of the House, Ms. 
Pelosi, for 1 minute.
  Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I commend him, Mr. Berman, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs 
Committee, and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for bringing this 
resolution before us today. I am pleased to join Mr. Boehner and Mr. 
Hoyer in cosponsoring it.
  Today, we have reaffirmed with this resolution that Israel, like any 
nation, has a right to defend itself when under attack. Protecting the 
people of our country is the first responsibility any of us has, and so 
has Israel. The rocket and mortar attacks from Hamas in Gaza, which 
were increasing in frequency and in range, constituted an unacceptable 
security threat to which Israel had a responsibility to respond.
  Certainly, all of us regret the loss of life, injury and destruction 
of property of innocent civilians that has occurred on both sides of 
the conflict. When I spoke with Prime Minister Olmert last week, I 
conveyed the concerns of my constituents and of my colleagues about the 
loss of life among civilians. We must do all we can to relieve the pain 
of the innocents and to bring about a real peace that will avoid 
further loss of life on both sides.
  If we are to achieve a real peace, we must begin with a cease-fire to 
the current conflict. Hamas must stop the attacks, which is why this 
resolution calls for the Bush administration to work toward that end, 
but a cease-fire must do more than just end the current fighting. It 
must address some of the root causes of the conflict so we may attain a 
peace that is, in the words of this resolution, ``durable and 
sustainable.''
  Security for Israel and an improvement in the lives of the people of 
Gaza cannot be achieved as long as Hamas uses that impoverished land as 
a launching pad for attacks against Israelis. The goal of any cease-
fire must be more than a return to the status quo. It must be a 
positive and measurable step toward a final, just resolution of the 
differences between Palestinians and Israelis.
  Our goal must be to achieve an agreement between Palestinians and 
Israelis that results in a secure, democratic Israel, living side by 
side with a viable and independent Palestinian state and with both 
sides finding peace and prosperity. The cycle of violence that feeds 
the fury of despair must be broken. The hard work of negotiation must 
be done, and the difficult but necessary decisions must be made so that 
such an agreement can be achieved.
  The United States must be an active, constant and engaged partner in 
this conflict. With the new energy and fresh thinking of the new 
administration, we pray that an enduring settlement can be reached.
  On days like this, Madam Speaker, and with the resolution that we 
have before us, we are all reminded that for more than 60 years the 
commitment of the United States to the security of Israel has been a 
real one. From the moment in 1947 when President Harry S. Truman took 
the bold step of recognizing the State of Israel to this very day, 
America stands shoulder to shoulder with our democratic ally in the 
Middle East.
  We want, as I said, a two-state solution with a Jewish democratic 
Israel side by side with a secure Palestinian state. That can only 
occur if Hamas stops the exploitation of the impoverished people of 
Gaza for its own purposes as it continues its attacks on Israel.
  Again, I thank the chairman of the committee, Mr. Berman, and the 
ranking member, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, for their leadership in 
bringing this resolution to the floor.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 1 minute to 
the gentlewoman from North Carolina, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx.
  Ms. FOXX. The main goal of any democratic nation is to ensure the 
safety and prosperity of its people.
  As we all know, Israel has commenced defensive military actions in 
Gaza aimed at disrupting Hamas' weaponizing capabilities which are 
being used to terrorize Israeli civilians. Unlike the indiscriminate 
rocket attacks launched by Hamas, Israel's precision strikes are a 
defensive last resort necessary to protect her people.
  Considering that since Israel's 2005 withdrawal from Gaza Hamas, with 
the help of Iran, has openly fired more than 6,300 rockets and mortars 
at Israeli population centers with more than 1,000 of these having been 
fired within the past month, it's clear that the Israeli Government is 
taking a measured response that any other responsible country would 
expect to take in defending its sovereignty. I think that we have to do 
everything that we possibly can in this country to lend our support to 
Israel in her defense of the people of Israel, and I want to lend my 
support to this resolution.

                              {time}  0930

  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the chairman of the 
European Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Wexler).
  Mr. WEXLER. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
resolution which expresses Congress' unwavering support for Israel and 
its unequivocal right to self-defense in the face of an ongoing 
campaign of terror perpetrated by Hamas.
  The world must know that America stands shoulder-to-shoulder with 
Israel in its ongoing struggle for security and peace. All of us wish 
to see a stable, secure, and peaceful Middle East, and we mourn for the 
loss of innocent lives. But it is unconscionable to expect the Israeli 
Government or any government to sit idly by as deadly rockets rain down 
on its cities.
  The world must recognize how we came upon the deadly circumstances 
that exist in Gaza now. It was Hamas, not Israel, that abrogated the 
so-called truce by firing rockets into Israel. Instead of using 
violence to achieve its destructive goals, Hamas must adhere to the 
international principles established by the Quartet.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support this resolution and support 
Israel's right to self-defense so that we can move toward a more 
peaceful Middle East. But peace comes with strength and resolve; it 
does not come by avoiding the unfortunate circumstances that Hamas, not 
Israel, has placed this region in once again.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul).

[[Page 415]]


  Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this resolution, not 
because I am taking sides and picking who the bad guys are and who the 
good guys are, but I'm looking at this more from the angle of being a 
United States citizen, an American, and I think resolutions like this 
really do great harm to us.
  In many ways what is happening in the Middle East, and in particular 
with Gaza right now, we have some moral responsibility for both sides, 
because we provide help in funding for both Arab nations and Israel. 
And so we definitely have a moral responsibility. And especially now 
today, the weapons being used to kill so many Palestinians are American 
weapons and American funds essentially are being used for this.
  But there is a political liability which I think is something that we 
fail to look at because too often there is so much blowback from our 
intervention in areas that we shouldn't be involved in.
  Hamas, if you look at the history, you will find that Hamas was 
encouraged and actually started by Israel because they wanted Hamas to 
counteract Yasir Arafat. You say, Well, yeah, it was better then and 
served its purpose, but we didn't want Hamas to do this.
  So then we, as Americans, say, Well, we have such a good system; 
we're going to impose this on the world. We're going to invade Iraq and 
teach people how to be democrats. We want free elections. So we 
encouraged the Palestinians to have a free election. They do, and they 
elect Hamas.
  So we first, indirectly and directly through Israel, helped establish 
Hamas. Then we have an election where Hamas becomes dominant then we 
have to kill them. It just doesn't make sense.
  During the 1980s, we were allied with Osama bin Laden and we were 
contending with the Soviets. It was at that time our CIA thought it was 
good if we radicalize the Muslim world. So we finance the Madrassas 
school to radicalize the Muslims in order to compete with the Soviets.
  There is too much blowback. There are a lot of reasons why we should 
oppose this resolution. It's not in the interest of the United States, 
it is not in the interest of Israel either.
  I strongly oppose H. Res. 34, which was rushed to the floor with 
almost no prior notice and without consideration by the House Foreign 
Affairs Committee. The resolution clearly takes one side in a conflict 
that has nothing to do with the United States or U.S. interests. I am 
concerned that the weapons currently being used by Israel against the 
Palestinians in Gaza are made in America and paid for by American 
taxpayers. What will adopting this resolution do to the perception of 
the United States in the Muslim and Arab world? What kind of blowback 
might we see from this? What moral responsibility do we have for the 
violence in Israel and Gaza after having provided so much military 
support to one side?
  As an opponent of all violence, I am appalled by the practice of 
lobbing homemade rockets into Israel from Gaza. I am only grateful 
that, because of the primitive nature of these weapons, there have been 
so few casualties among innocent Israelis. But I am also appalled by 
the longstanding Israeli blockade of Gaza--a cruel act of war--and the 
tremendous loss of life that has resulted from the latest Israeli 
attack that started last month.
  There are now an estimated 700 dead Palestinians, most of whom are 
civilians. Many innocent children are among the dead. While the 
shooting of rockets into Israel is inexcusable, the violent actions of 
some people in Gaza does not justify killing Palestinians on this 
scale. Such collective punishment is immoral. At the very least, the 
U.S. Congress should not be loudly proclaiming its support for the 
Israeli government's actions in Gaza.
  Madam Speaker, this resolution will do nothing to reduce the fighting 
and bloodshed in the Middle East. The resolution in fact will lead the 
U.S. to become further involved in this conflict, promising ``vigorous 
support and unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, and 
survival of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.'' Is it really in 
the interest of the United States to guarantee the survival of any 
foreign country? I believe it would be better to focus on the security 
and survival of the United States, the Constitution of which my 
colleagues and I swore to defend just this week at the beginning of the 
111th Congress. I urge my colleagues to reject this resolution.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).
  Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my colleague for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I will vote for this resolution today, but I'm 
disappointed that we are doing, once again, what we've done so often. 
Of course we all condemn Hamas and support Israel, but we should be 
saying and doing so much more. I applaud the statements of the chairman 
and of our Speaker, and I wish they were part of the resolution.
  We must call for greater U.S. engagement to achieve a durable cease-
fire and to restart the Israel-Palestinian peace process. We all know 
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will never be settled militarily. My 
fear is that this action by Israel, justified as it is and provoked by 
Hamas, will not enhance Israel's security but only further endanger it.
  Achieving peace in the Middle East is in Israel's best interest, and 
it is in America's best interest; but the violence that now permeates 
Gaza only puts off the serious and difficult work of diplomacy that is 
a predicate to peace, and it obscures the remarkable progress that is 
even now being made in the West Bank. And in the meantime, the 
humanitarian crisis in Gaza has grown to unspeakable proportions, and 
millions of innocent Palestinians and Israelis are suffering.
  I urge my colleagues not only to make statements of support for 
Israel but to call for a cease-fire and to press for peace.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to 
the gentleman from Texas who says, ``That's just the way it is,'' Judge 
Poe.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentlelady for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, Hamas is a rogue group of outlaws that hibernate in 
Palestinian civilian areas of Gaza and fire Iranian missiles into 
Israel. Israel has received hundreds of these missile attacks in the 
last few days, thousands in the last few years.
  Israel has been patient, maybe overly patient. Make no mistake about 
it, Hamas is the aggressor. So Israel not only has the right but moral 
obligation to defend its people by fighting back.
  You see, Hamas is one of the two twin tribes of terror that operate 
in the Middle East. The other being Hezbollah. These bandits operate in 
the Middle East with the sole purpose to kill Israelis. Hamas murders 
in the name of religious hatred for Jews and Israel. Israel defends 
itself while some world leaders criticize Israel for doing so. These 
world leaders, especially those in the United Nations, are out of touch 
with the way the world really is. The Middle East is in turmoil because 
of terror groups like Hamas, and they are the aggressor.
  The recent aggression by Hamas is no doubt sponsored by the little 
fellow from Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He is the real world threat to 
peace in the Middle East. He has openly stated that Israel must be 
completely destroyed. And eventually, world leaders must deal with this 
issue. But people cry ``peace, peace--peace at any price'', but there 
can be no peace as long as Hamas continues to murder Israelis.
  Israel is our ally. The United States should stand by its allies. 
Israel is defending its people. It is obligated to do so, and I commend 
them for representing and defending their people.
  And that's just the way it is.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
gentlelady from California (Ms. Harman), who is very active on these 
issues.
  Ms. HARMAN. I thank the gentleman for yielding and commend him on 
bringing up this resolution so promptly.
  Madam Speaker, I've seen Israel up close and personal on almost two 
dozen trips. I've seen thousands of spent missiles stockpiled in 
Sderot, witnessed destruction of homes and buildings, and know a 
government official from Israel who was seriously wounded. I have also 
spent time on Israel's border with Lebanon, including a trip there 
during the 2006 Hezbollah war while rockets flew overhead.
  Israel, indeed any country, has a right to defend herself from 
attack. The U.S. must stand by our only democratic ally in the Middle 
East. Hamas'

[[Page 416]]

ability to strike Israeli cities is continuing evidence that it has 
been receiving illicit arms for use against Israel--no doubt with the 
complicity of its sponsors in Iran.
  However, Israelis are not the only victims. The Palestinian people in 
Gaza and the West Bank have paid a huge price, too. They have been held 
hostage by the Hamas leadership since its 2006 coup against the 
Palestinian authority. And they are being used as human shields.
  That said, Israel's effort must minimize civilian casualties and 
maximize Red Cross access. Measures to permit humanitarian aid must be 
sustained.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentlelady an additional 10 
seconds.
  Ms. HARMAN. As this resolution states, our President must work 
actively to support a durable, enforceable, and sustainable cease-fire, 
promote a two-state solution, and encourage and strengthen moderate 
Palestinian voices.
  This House is doing its part today. Following Senate action 
yesterday, we signal bipartisan, bicameral support for this effort.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I am so pleased to yield 5 minutes 
to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor), our distinguished 
Republican whip.
  Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentlelady.
  Madam Speaker, colleagues, I don't think there is any of us who would 
doubt a nation's right to defend its citizens and to defend its 
population. That's why I rise in support of this resolution. I thank 
the sponsors, the gentleman from California, the gentlelady from 
Florida, for bringing this forward.
  At this time it is very, very important for us in the United States 
to stand tall in defense of our democratic allies, Israel's right to 
defend its borders, to defend its people.
  I stand here in support of Israel because I have been there. I've 
seen Sderot. One of the most memorable visits to Israel that I've been 
on, I visited with a family, a family that lived in a town called Gush 
Katif. It was a town in the southern portion of the Gaza Strip. I 
visited with them almost 3\1/2\ years ago when it was just after 
Israel's unilateral pullout of the Gaza Strip.
  This family had two children, parents--professional parents--who had 
just gone through the wrenching process of uprooting their family, 
leaving their home, in hopes of a better life. The parents said to me 
one of the most difficult jobs was to explain to their children why 
they needed to leave their life and their home. These parents said they 
told their children they were going to leave because they needed to be 
sure that Israel had every chance imaginable for peace so they could 
leave in peace.
  I actually cannot imagine what those parents are going through now. 
Three-and-a-half years later they've settled in the area of Sderot, and 
life could not be any more frightening for them or their children.
  When they moved out of the Gaza Strip, they joined the group of 
citizens of Israel who have to live by the 15-second rule. They have to 
know, their children have to know, where a safe spot is within 15 
seconds of a siren going off. That's the unimaginable fear that they 
live in day in and day out. Even when these people take vacation and 
leave Israel, their children, immediately upon arriving at their 
destination, ask the question, Where is the safe place? Where do I need 
to run and hide from the rockets?
  That's the mentality. That's the culture that has bred because of the 
incessant, tireless firing of rockets by Hamas aimed at civilians.
  Madam Speaker, that is the issue. Israel has a foe on many of its 
borders, certainly to the south, that is determined to kill its 
civilians. I don't think any of us would want any of our population in 
this country to be subjected to that type of terror, nor would we sit 
here and allow it. That's why Israel has taken the action that it has.

                              {time}  0945

  After trying to stop the rockets through third-party negotiations, 
cease-fires, and even lodging complaints at the United Nations, Israel 
has taken defensive action. And today, we speak as one body in support 
of our democratic ally, Israel. We stand up to reaffirm the vibrant 
relationship that our two countries share, a relationship underpinned 
by shared values like respect for human life, democracy, and a 
relationship strengthened by our indispensable strategic interests.
  Mr. BERMAN. I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the chairman of the 
Democratic Caucus, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn).
  Mr. CLYBURN. I appreciate the gentleman yielding me the time.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support as an original cosponsor of 
H. Res. 34, which recognizes Israel's right to defend itself against 
attacks from Hamas terrorists in Gaza and reaffirms the United States' 
strong support for Israel.
  Since Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005, the Hamas 
terrorist organization has launched thousands of missile attacks 
against Israeli civilian targets.
  I mourn the loss of life on both sides of this conflict, including 
the innocent Palestinians who have cynically and deliberately been used 
by Hamas terrorists as human shields.
  In order to end the violence in Gaza, Hamas needs to recognize 
Israel's right to exist and renounce terror. As the only true democracy 
in the Middle East, the 111th Congress recognizes Israel's struggle to 
protect its people, maintain peace with its neighbors, and defend the 
freedoms of a democratic society.
  I encourage all of my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield 
3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), a senior member 
of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
  Mr. ROYCE. I thank the gentlelady.
  I would just like to quote for a minute from Hamas. They say Allah is 
the goal, the Prophet its model, the Quran its constitution, jihad its 
path, and death for the cause of Allah its most sublime belief. Now, 
that is the charter; that is the opening of the charter for Hamas 
itself. These are the words that drive these ideological jihadists. And 
it's an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was the Egyptian 
group whose ideology actually spawned al Qaeda. So Hamas, in this case, 
as we know, wants to replace Israel and wants to replace it with an 
Islamic state.
  Now, Israel withdrew its soldiers and all of its settlers from Gaza 
in 2005, and in return Hamas came to power in the Gaza Strip. Over 
6,000 rockets have been fired into southern Israel, leaving a quarter 
of a million Israelis just seconds away from a rocket attack. And I 
wonder how Americans would feel if citizens in San Diego or in Buffalo 
had a matter of 20 seconds to rush to a bomb shelter.
  I had an opportunity in August, a year and a half ago, back when 
rockets like these were being fired into Haifa, to see the results of 
that targeting of civilian neighbors. And I was in Rambam Hospital, and 
indeed on that very day there were attacks on the city; 80,000 ball 
bearings in each one of these rockets designed to inflict maximum 
casualties on the civilians, and this is what Israel faces. And of 
course Israel has been harshly criticized for its so-called 
disproportionate response. But what is proportional? Should Israel fire 
6,000 rockets into Gaza indiscriminately? Israel would not do that. On 
the contrary, it seems as though Israel has gone out of its way to even 
contact noncombatants who live next to the rocket launchers in advance 
to warn them of approaching danger.
  Hamas has been deliberate in the locating of its security forces in 
residential neighborhoods. They put these rocket launchers in areas 
that are intended both to deter Israel from attacking in the first 
place, as well as to turn world opinion against the democratic state 
when it does try to silence with counter-battery fire these rockets.
  Madam Speaker, no one wants to see human suffering. I would like to 
see

[[Page 417]]

this come to an end. And the longer this goes on with Hamas, the longer 
international attention will be taken away from the even more serious 
threat of Iran's nuclear program. More delays in terms of taking out 
Hamas only work in favor of the Islamic state over in Iran at this 
point, and they are helping provide the rockets.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
majority leader for the House of Representatives, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman from California and I thank the 
gentlelady from Florida for bringing this resolution to the floor.
  Today the House will stand in support of Israel as it faces enemies 
bent on its destruction.
  For 8 years, Hamas, aided by Iran and others, has sent deadly rockets 
and mortars into Israel; so many have already talked about that. In 
2005, Israel dismantled its settlements and withdrew its military from 
Gaza, and still the rockets came, more than 6,000, as has been related, 
since Israel's withdrawal.
  I was in Israel on August 15 of 2005 with a delegation, a meeting 
with Ariel Sharon. It was a courageous act that the Israelis took; it 
was a controversial act that the Israelis took. It took great political 
courage to do what the Israelis did. And there were many citizens in 
that democracy that demonstrated against that action because they 
feared what would happen is what is happening now. Each one of them, 
the rockets that have been sent, those 6,000--intended to kill the 
maximum number of civilians and falling indiscriminately on southern 
Israel cities and towns--was a war crime by any definition. Mr. Royce 
spoke of that, as to what our response would be if Mexico or Canada--
which obviously has not done so nor would they--but if they did that, 
what our own citizens would demand of us. Mexico would not exist, nor 
would Canada, quite simply put. We would not tolerate, and no amount of 
criticism leveled on us would in any way modify our response.
  The harm of these missiles is undeniable, I've seen it firsthand. 
When I traveled to the southern Israel town of Sderot, I met families 
whose children had lost the ability to speak, who no longer had control 
of their bodily functions. That is the profound and ever-present fear 
that covers much of Israel today.
  Let us be quick to intone, however, our sympathy for the children and 
for the families of the Palestinians living in Gaza. Let us not forget 
that the problem with these conflicts is that it is the innocent who 
suffer the most. How tragic it is, I believe, that for over six decades 
the Palestinian people have been led by those who rationalize the use 
of terror and rationalize the premise of the destruction of Israel, 
established by the United Nations of the world. How tragic it is that 
the Palestinians have not had among their number a Gandhi, a Mandela, a 
Martin Luther King, Jr., who said the way to solve this problem is not 
through terror and violence, but the way to solve this problem is 
through reason and an appeal to moral suasion in the world community. 
How tragic it is that the Palestinian children and the Israeli children 
and their families--men, women, older people--on both sides have been 
subjected to the terror sold by Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist 
organizations. But the reality exists today that Hamas is in control 
and is threatening, and that is the danger that Israel nor any nation 
could endure.
  As Secretary Rice said last week, and I quote, ``Hamas has held the 
people of Gaza hostage ever since their illegal coup against the 
legitimate President of the Palestinian people.'' To the Hamas 
terrorists, the ordinary people of Gaza are not fellow citizens, but 
all too often propaganda props.
  As reporter Jeffrey Goldberg writes, and I quote, ``Hamas terrorists 
unblinkingly and ostentatiously use their own civilians as human 
shields. I have seen this up close, and it's repulsive.''
  For Hamas, the lives of Palestinians are valued as cheaply as the 
lives of Israelis. How sad it is for both those people. Having 
exhausted diplomatic options and confronted with an enemy sworn to its 
destruction, Israel has been given no choice but to take military 
action in order to relieve the threat against its people.
  How sad it is, my fellow colleagues, that the international community 
responds strongly today, but has failed to respond strongly to the 
decades of terrorism visited on Israel--and yes, visited on the United 
States--by those who employ terror and destruction and murder against 
innocence.
  By offering this resolution, we recognize Israel's right to act in 
self-defense as we claim for ourselves and for every nation of the 
world--that same right claimed by America and any other sovereign 
nation when faced with a similar threat.
  We urge both sides to protect the lives of civilians. I believe the 
Israelis are trying to do that, and they have always tried to do that. 
It is demonstrably true that that is not true of Hamas or Hezbollah or 
other similar terrorist organizations.
  We urge the administration to work towards a durable--and that is the 
operative word, ``a durable,'' not a temporary cessation, not a 5-
minute or 5-day or even 5-month cessation from terror--but a durable, 
sustained cessation of the terror, a durable cease-fire that puts an 
end to the fighting and to its cause--Hamas' ability to threaten Israel 
and to produce the weapons of terror.
  Only when Israel's enemies forswear violence and recognize Israel's 
right to exist will we be any closer to a just and lasting peace, which 
the people need. And when I say the people need that, I don't mean the 
Palestinian people or the Israeli people, but the people need on both 
sides of the line, but which Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and other 
such terrorist groups have refused for decades now to take place, a 
peace in which the Palestinian and Israeli people can live in their own 
states side by side. That is our objective, that is the objective of 
this resolution. Let us stand with Israel's right to defend itself and 
its people and defeat terror.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I am proud to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence), our distinguished Republican 
Conference chairman.
  Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, for a millennia, Israel was a dream; in 
1948, it became a reality. But in recent days, the periphery of Gaza 
has become a nightmare for Israeli men, women and children.
  I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 34, a bipartisan measure 
which recognizes Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from 
Gaza and reaffirms the United States' strong support for our partner.

                              {time}  1000

  Time is of the essence. This very morning Hamas continues to fire 
rockets into Israel despite the United Nations cease-fire resolution 
passed last night. Israel has a right and Israel has a duty to defend 
her people against the attacks of a terrorist group that victimizes the 
people of Gaza and Israelis on her borders. In the face of those evil 
acts no nation could tolerate, I commend Israel for working to minimize 
civilian casualties.
  But in these dire circumstances, America must stand with Israel. We 
must show the resolve of our relationship as peaceful democracies, and 
we must show the resolve of a relationship borne of the intimate and 
deepest held values of both of our people, for the history of Israel is 
a history of struggle.
  Over 60 years ago, the State of Israel, under the leadership of a 
small band of courageous Zionists, declared independence in its ancient 
homeland. It was promptly recognized by the United States, and it was 
promptly attacked by its Arab neighbors. The more things change, the 
more they seem to stay the same.
  Israel prevailed against the long odds then, again in 1967 and in 
1973 and countless other times, and Israel will prevail again today; 
but she will not do so alone.
  We and all the freedom-loving nations of the world must stand with

[[Page 418]]

Israel and condemn the violence that's been perpetrated against her 
people. We cannot stand idly by while a gathering menace grows in the 
region and a menace perpetrates such acts of evil against our cherished 
allies.
  We must come together to rededicate ourselves to the preservation and 
protection of Israel as a Jewish state and of Jerusalem as her eternal 
capital, and I commend all of my colleagues for bringing this timely 
resolution to the floor.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, for a unanimous consent request, I yield 
to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy).
  Mr. KENNEDY. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of Israel's right to 
defend its citizens from the terrorism and extremism of Hamas.
  Our government has a responsibility to stand in solidarity with 
Israel as it endures a difficult moment in its history.
  Imagine if an American town or city was hit by a barrage of rocket 
and mortar attacks? How would we respond? How would we react?
  Just as America would not tolerate violence against its people, 
Israel should not have stand idly by and watch while rockets rain down 
on its citizens.
  Israel has correctly taken steps that will ensure that terrorism 
against its nation will be punished with the hope that one day its 
nation can live in peace.
  Fifteen Israelis have lost their lives since the beginning of Hamas's 
rocket and mortar attacks in late December.
  While I deplore the cowardly attacks from Hamas against the Israeli 
people, I am aware of the suffering of Palestinian people living in the 
Gaza Strip.
  Since the conflict began, hundreds of Palestinians civilians have 
lost their lives.
  But make no mistake about it, this conflict was created by Hamas's 
unwavering commitment to violence against both Israelis and 
Palestinians.
  Since coming to power in 2006, Hamas has done nothing but terrorize 
Israelis and intimidate the Palestinian people with its iron-fist 
militancy.
  This terrorist organization openly recruits suicide bombers to launch 
attacks in Israel but in Arab nations as well.
  Just last week, a female suicide bomber killed over 100 innocent 
Iraqi Muslims without causing the slightest outcry from Hamas.
  In Gaza, where Hamas has ruled for several years, Palestinians are 
without decent schools, affordable healthcare and any semblance of a 
bright economic future.
  This is because Hamas's mission is not to lift up Palestinians, it is 
to inflame passions and stir hatred against the State of Israel.
  Hamas represents a great threat to international peace and to the 
stability of Israel and will continue to do so as long as it remains a 
significant force in the Middle East.
  For too long Hamas has terrorized both Israelis and Palestinians 
alike. It falsely believes that it can use terrorism and intimidation 
to bully Israelis to the bargaining table.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall).
  Mr. RAHALL. I thank the distinguished chairman of the Foreign Affairs 
Committee for yielding me the time and certainly respect his work on 
this resolution. We have talked about this issue numerous times over 
our careers in this body.
  Madam Speaker, I am saddened by the recent escalation and fighting 
over the past few weeks in the Middle East. I condemn the Hamas attacks 
and recent air strikes in southern Lebanon into Israel. My hope is that 
all sides can take a step back, deescalate the fighting, and work 
together to renew the cease-fire agreement that expired on December 19. 
At the same time, humanitarian aid and assistance should be allowed to 
reach those in the region that need it the most, particularly civilian 
victims of the conflict.
  Military action alone is not going to be a solution to the problems 
in the Middle East; we all know that. Working towards a lasting, 
peaceful solution to these conflicts by addressing the root causes is 
in the best interests of the United States.
  The current fighting is not in the best interests of the United 
States. Only the extremists on both sides are the winners. Those 
moderates in the middle, both in Israel and on the Palestinian side, 
are the real losers in the current fighting.
  Make no mistake about it. This campaign was planned some time ago, 
not just at the expiration of the cease-fire in December. Recent events 
in Israel show that the prime minister election coming up in February 
certainly have been a major factor in these air strikes, witnessing 
meteoric rise of Defense Minister Ehud Barak from almost nothing in the 
polls to now leading for prime minister of Israel.
  So make no mistake about it, there are a variety of factors on all 
sides that come into play. There's no political will on the Palestinian 
side. There's no political side on the Israeli side to reach a real 
agreement in addressing the root causes.
  This resolution, while there's nothing in that it can be denied, is 
not in my opinion in the best interests of resolving this conflict. We 
applaud what happened in the United Nations last night, but we know 
that what happens in the United Nations is far different than what 
happens on the ground in the region.
  We urge the Egyptians, along with the Palestinian Authority, to reach 
an agreement in Cairo, as they are negotiating as we speak between 
Israel and Hamas, so that we can start addressing the smuggling of arms 
and the root causes of the conflict in the region.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 4 minutes to the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).
  Mr. KUCINICH. I thank the gentleman.
  I support Israel's security and its right to exist in peace, without 
the fear of rocket attacks from Hamas. And I abhor the violence which 
has been visited upon the people of Israel who are subject to such 
attacks. However, I would submit that the resolution, which this 
Congress will vote on, is in incomplete, that it doesn't sufficiently 
take sufficiently take notice of the Arms Exports Control Act, which 
the United States is governed by in terms of its transmittal of arms to 
Israel, nor does it take notice of the humanitarian conditions 
sufficiently, nor establish a true path towards peace. And for that 
reason, I will oppose this resolution.
  Israel is an established democracy and a firm U.S. ally. It's also 
signed agreements governing the use of U.S. military assistance. The 
Arms Export Control Act of 1976, which governs shipments of weapons 
from United States to foreign nations, requires that each Nation 
receiving a shipment of arms from the United States must certify that 
the weapons are used solely, solely for defensive purposes, not 
increase the escalation of conflict, nor prejudice the development of 
peace agreements. And I think in each case, the Israeli use of arms 
given by the U.S. has failed that test.
  Israel has had Gaza under a punishing blockade. A blockade is in 
itself an act of war, at which time Israel has had complete control of 
access to Gaza. The Israeli government even made a truce with Hamas in 
bad faith, because at the same time it was making the truce, it was 
preparing to attack Gaza, to pursue its policy of regime change, an 
all-out attack on Hamas to oust Hamas, without any regard to the law 
and to the consequences to the civilian population of Gaza.
  The people of Gaza have no army, no navy, no air force. Israel using 
F-16 jets and Apache helicopters acquired from the United States is 
engaged in a military offensive inside Gaza, escalating the conflict in 
Gaza, and prejudicing the development of peace agreements, contrary to 
the letter of the stated policies and purposes of U.S. military 
assistance to Israel.
  Now, we know from news reports that the United Nations gave the 
Israeli Army the coordinates of U.N. schools and that schools have been 
hit by Israeli tank fire, killing dozens. The U.N. put flags on 
emergency vehicles and coordinated the movements with the Israeli 
military, and those vehicles came under attack, killing at least one 
emergency worker.
  The Israeli Army evacuated 100 Palestinians to a house, and then 
bombed the house, killing 30 people. They don't have bomb shelters in 
Gaza. Emergency workers have been blocked by the Israeli Army from 
reaching hundreds of injured persons. Today's Washington Post headline 
documents that.
  We all want peace, but we're not going to get peace until we 
recognize

[[Page 419]]

that there are two parties to this dispute and that we have to also 
review Israel's conduct as well. That path to peace has to begin with 
stopping the war, having a cease-fire, constructing a truce, ending the 
blockade, getting humanitarian assistance through to all the people, 
rebuilding the infrastructure of the Palestinians, rebuilding their 
economic possibilities, bringing Hamas and Israel together for talks, 
using that as the basis to the path for peace in the Middle East.
  This resolution is, therefore, incomplete and I will oppose it, but I 
urge this Congress to take these concerns up again next week so that we 
can address the humanitarian issue and, by doing so, open up the 
possibility of this Congress playing a more constructive role in 
helping to achieve peace in the region by reaching out to all the 
parties, notwithstanding the devastating conflict that has been visited 
on both sides.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 30 seconds to 
the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).
  Mr. LAMBORN. Madam Speaker, Israel has a responsibility to protect 
its citizens. Hamas has blatantly ignored any cease-fire agreements by 
assailing Israel with thousands of rocket and mortar attacks during the 
last 8 years, nearly half during this last year, including the 6-month 
so-called cease-fire.
  Israel has the right to defend its people from terrorist attacks and 
is only taking the actions currently taken in direct response to Hamas 
policy.
  Madam Speaker, I support this resolution, H. Res. 34, and I urge its 
adoption.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
chairman of the subcommittee that covers the jurisdiction of terrorism 
and arms and human rights, the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman).
  Mr. SHERMAN. Hamas claims to be beleaguered, but it has rejected the 
U.N. Security Council cease-fire resolution passed last night. Hamas 
has done everything it can to increase civilian casualties, including 
the use of human shields. Yet even U.N. estimates say that over two-
thirds of the Palestinian casualties have been gun-toting militants, 
and, other estimates put that number at over three-quarters.
  When Hamas launches rockets from a neighborhood, an Israeli sergeant 
has seconds to decide whether to return fire, and there's always a 
pundit to vilify that decision. But moral culpability for civilian 
casualties does not lie at the feet of sergeants. Moral culpability for 
the horrors of war lies with politicians who seek extreme and unjust 
ends, through violent means.
  While Israel seeks to live in peace alongside a Palestinian state, 
Hamas seeks to kill or expel every Jew from the Middle East. Hamas 
proudly waves the banner of genocide and ethnic cleansing.
  Vote for the Resolution.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 1\1/2\ minutes 
to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), a senior member of 
the Foreign Affairs Committee.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. I rise in support of this motion, and let us note 
that those of us who are seriously saddened by the bloodshed and the 
carnage that is going on and the loss of innocent lives in Gaza, people 
being killed and bodies of children being torn apart, we see this 
horror story. But let us note and we don't have to be reminded that, 
yes, this is a fight and Israeli planes are dropping those bombs. But 
if we are serious about ending this tragedy, we must be brutally honest 
and not give in to ignoring the hard truths which our allies overseas 
seem to be doing.
  In this case, the hard truth is the real blame for this carnage is 
not Israel. It can be traced back to Hamas, to radical Islamists and 
those who supplied them their rockets and their weapons. The radical 
Islamists who ruthlessly and without remorse did what they knew would 
bring retaliation and slaughter on their own people, they are the ones 
to blame. The hatred in their hearts, the hatred of Israel, the 
irreconcilable hatred of those people obviously outweighs the 
commitment to the safety of their own women and children in Gaza. They 
are the ones who are to blame for the carnage that is going on right 
now, and we should not hesitate to condemn that if we really want to 
bring a peace in the Middle East.
  Yes, bloodshed is horrible, and yes, we must also recognize that 
Israel is doing no more in this case than what any sovereign nation 
would do if they were attacked. By protecting its own people from 
attack, this retaliation which has caused this loss of life in Gaza, we 
must recognize the real villains in this story are not the Israelis. 
The Israelis are open to peace. The real villains are those people who 
have ignored the opportunities for peace and, instead, shoot rockets 
into Israel, knowing there will be retaliation.
  Today we are saddened by the loss of innocent lives in Gaza; people 
being killed and wounded, bodies of children torn apart, all of this is 
a horror story. If we are serious about ending this tragedy we must be 
brutally honest, and not give in to ignoring hard truths. In this case 
the hard truth is that the real blame for this carnage in Gaza is 
traced to actions taken by Hamas, radical Islamists, and those who 
supply them with rockets and other weapons.
  There was a tremendous opportunity for peace when Israel withdrew its 
troops from Gaza in 2005. Instead of moving forward and building a 
Palestinian homeland, irreconcilables have launched nearly 7,000 
rockets and mortar rounds into Israel since Israeli troops left.
  The hate-filled radicals who launched missiles into Israel--Hamas 
triggermen, not Israeli pilots--are the ones who are really responsible 
for the horrible mayhem we are witnessing in Gaza.
  The radical Islamists ruthlessly and without any remorse did what 
they knew would bring retaliation and result in the slaughter of their 
own people. The hatred of Israel in the hearts of these Hamas radicals 
clearly outweighs their commitment to the safety and well being of 
their own people. That's a hard fact. And that after shooting rockets 
into Israel, they hide among and behind non-combatants--women, and 
children--makes their actions even more despicable.
  An honest assessment leads to the conclusion that Hamas doesn't want 
peace with Israel and has no desire for a two state solution. Hamas 
wants a war that will destroy Israel. This commitment is the real cause 
of the current bloodshed in Gaza. Once Israel left Gaza, Hamas should 
have used its resources, their money, our money, on health care, 
education, roads and economic development in Gaza. Instead they have 
chosen death and destruction.
  Recently China's representative to the U.N. Security Council voiced 
concern about, ``large-scale Israeli air attacks against Gaza.'' Now, 
that takes chutzpah! According to a January 1st report in the Jerusalem 
Post, many of the rockets fired into Israel ``were manufactured in 
China. These Chinese rockets were smuggled into Gaza after the Sinai 
border wall was blown up by Hamas in January.'' Making matters worse 
the State Department and the White House hasn't mentioned a word about 
the China connection to the turmoil in Gaza, just as they're mum about 
Chinese complicity in crimes elsewhere.
  Yes, the bloodshed is horrible, and yes, Israel is doing what any 
other sovereign nation would do. It is protecting its people by 
retaliation when attacked. Those who shoot rockets into Israel know 
there will be retaliation, thus they are the responsible party for the 
bloodshed we are now witnessing. It's the hard truth we can't ignore if 
we are to someday end this terrible heart-wrenching violence.
  Humanitarians do the cause of peace no favor by blaming Israel for 
retaliating, instead of fixing responsibility on those who initiated 
the violence by attacking Israel.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, at this time, I would like to ask 
unanimous consent that there be an additional 6 minutes of debate on 
the resolution under consideration and that it be equally divided 
between both sides.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Tauscher). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.

                              {time}  1015

  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, could I inquire about the time remaining 
on each side?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California has 7\1/4\ 
minutes and the gentlewoman from Florida has 3 minutes.

[[Page 420]]


  Mr. BERMAN. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
  I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York, the 
chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Mr. Engel.
  Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution. I support the 
right of democratic Israel to defend itself against terrorism by Hamas.
  We know that missiles have been raining down on Israel, more than 
7,000 in the past few years, and that the Palestinians, Hamas, are 
using its people as human shields. We say to Hamas you will not be 
allowed to use terrorism as a negotiating tool. The hypocrisy of the 
negotiating community and the U.N. and demonstrators around the world, 
we say to those people, you will not hold Israel to a different 
standard than any other country when it comes to protecting the safety 
of its citizens.
  To those who say that Israel is using disproportionate force, is it 
disproportionate to want to protect your citizens from terrorist 
attacks? We want to see two states, a Palestinian state and an Israeli 
state, living side by side, a Jewish-Israeli state, an Arab-Palestinian 
state. We want to see that. Hamas does not, Israel does.
  There are three things that Hamas needs to do before it is a player 
in the international community. It needs to recognize the right of 
Israel to exist. It needs to abide by previous agreements signed by the 
Palestinians, and it needs to reject terrorism as a negotiating tool.
  There is strong and bipartisan support in this Congress for the 
democratic State of Israel, and we stand by Israel when it has tried to 
defend its citizens from being attacked by terrorism. That is why we 
have bipartisan support, and that is why the United States will always 
stand with the democratic nation of Israel, the only democracy in the 
Middle East.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to make five simple points that get to 
the heart of what is happening right now.
  First, Israel is a democratic Jewish state that respects human rights 
and desires peace with its neighbors, innocent civilians, innocent 
Palestinians included. The jihadists in Gaza continue to terrify 
thousands of innocent Israelis with their attack, while Israel 
continues to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
  Second, Hamas is a hate filled, violent, Islamic militant group that 
is backed by Iran and Syria regimes and seeks Israel's destruction.
  Third, like any sovereign nation, Israel has the right to defend 
herself, her existence and to protect her citizens from attack, whether 
by Hamas or Hezbollah or other radical Islamists.
  I have been to Sderot, and I have watched as air raid warnings forced 
the entire population, including children, to hide from an incoming 
attack.
  Fourth, the actions and aims of violent Islamist extremists and their 
state sponsors is not just a threat to the Middle East peace and 
security, but to global peace and security. Today it's Hamas, tomorrow 
Hezbollah, the Taliban, al Qaeda, and so on.
  Fifth, the U.S. and Israel are in this together. We have a saying in 
Spanish about close alliances that describes the U.S. and Israel 
friendship perfectly, we are two wings of one bird.
  We depend on each other for our security and our existence. America 
and Israel are engaged in a broader conflict throughout the world, a 
struggle between liberty and tyranny, between those who love life and 
those who preach death. We did not seek this struggle, but we must win 
it.
  As we stand at this important day in our living history, let us 
remember the consequences of inaction in the face of evil. For many 
years, responsible nations turned the other way, refused to accept the 
reality of what Israel was subjected to.
  But no responsible nation could stand by and allow such attacks to 
continue, allow thousands and hundreds of its people to continue to 
live in constant fear of being murdered at any moment. No responsible 
nation could defer its security of its people to entrenched 
bureaucrats, the European Union, the United Nations, who constantly 
chastise Israel for taking all necessary actions to protect her own 
people.
  Despite the U.N.'s rhetoric, there is no moral or legal equivalent 
between militant Islamic extremists who target civilians and a 
democracy that responds by targeting them. This false moral equivalence 
only persuades militants to persist in the unlawful action against 
civilians.
  So, Madam Speaker, I hope that the House will carefully consider this 
resolution, will look at the actual language of the United Nations' 
resolution that points no finger at Hamas and its violent action and 
only points its finger at the democratic State of Israel. It's an 
unbalanced resolution. The United States was correct in not voting in 
favor of it.
  Israel must not abide by it. We all want peace, but Israel wants 
peace with security as well.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of making a unanimous 
consent request, I am pleased to yield to the chairman of the Energy 
and Commerce Committee, Mr. Waxman.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 34, a resolution 
that expresses solidarity with Israel in its efforts to defend itself 
from Hamas. The resolution also calls on the President to work for a 
durable and sustainable cease-fire, stresses the need to address the 
humanitarian situation in Gaza and emphasizes the importance of 
protecting innocent civilians to the maximum extent possible.
  The Hamas leadership has held the Palestinian people hostage to its 
terrorist aspirations. Peace negotiations have been stalled by its 
bloody coup against Fatah and Gaza is now in shambles because of its 
relentless rocket fire against Israel. If Israel is unable to stop 
Hamas from rearming again, hope will continue to fade for achieving an 
enduring two state solution with a democratic Jewish Israeli state 
living beside a viable, independent and democratic Palestinian state.
  In the summer of 2005 Israel disengaged from Gaza entirely, 
unilaterally removing settlements and military installations at a great 
financial and political cost. One year later Israel went to war with 
Hezbollah, despite the Israeli Army's complete disengagement from 
Southern Lebanon six years earlier.
  The Israeli people face a grim reality that Hamas and Hezbollah seek 
their destruction despite Israel's overtures of peace and tranquility. 
Although that does not mean Israel will not continue to take risks for 
peace, it is imperative that Israel and the United States continue to 
take all measures necessary to fight these terrorists and safeguard 
Israel's security.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
gentlelady from Nevada (Ms. Berkley).
  Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support for this resolution and 
for Israel's right to defend itself. No nation could be expected to 
stand idly by as its citizens are bombarded by missiles launched 20, 
30, 40 times a day by a terrorist organization on its orders.
  These daily attacks have caused death and inflicted enormous physical 
and emotional damage on the people of Israel. Their government, the 
Israeli government, has shown extraordinary restraint in not 
retaliating until now.
  For those of my colleagues who expressed concern or outrage for 
Israel's actions, where was their concern and outrage when Israeli 
children were killed by indiscriminate Hamas rockets? Where is their 
outrage when Israel asked Egypt to close the tunnels to stem the flow 
of weapons coming from Egypt to the Gaza? Where is their outrage then?
  Hamas is all too happy to fire their missiles from schools and 
mosques and houses, putting their own families at risk in order to 
maximize civilian casualties. Their own leaders cynically embrace a 
culture of death, not only for Israel, but their own people.
  I urge support for this resolution. We should be standing by the only 
democracy in the Middle East, Israel.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
gentlelady from California, Mrs. Susan Davis.

[[Page 421]]


  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of 
Israel's right to self-defense and a broader U.S. diplomatic role in 
the Middle East. The Israeli government has a right and a 
responsibility to defend Israeli citizens, and we have an obligation to 
support our ally in times of crisis.
  But this body also has an obligation to advance the dialogue beyond 
the conflict of today toward how we can achieve a stable peace in the 
future. This conflict shows that the United States cannot manage the 
situation from the sidelines.
  This approach only serves Iran and radical elements in the region. 
Rather, we must maintain a high diplomatic presence that allows 
responsible parties to capture every opportunity for peace.
  I believe that the new administration and the new Congress represent 
an opportunity to regain our position as an honest broker in the 
region. For this to happen, the tone coming from Washington must be in 
sharp contrast to the last 8 years.
  Congress helped set that tone, which is where I hope my colleagues 
will use this tragedy as an opportunity to call for an end to this 
conflict and a broader, American, diplomatic presence in the region.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to a member 
of the committee, the gentlelady from Texas, Ms. Sheila Jackson-Lee.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the distinguished chairman.
  Madam Speaker, I rise to support H. Res. 34. War is ugly. That is why 
it took more than 6,000 or so rockets before Israel decided to defend 
herself. There is no doubt that we, as Members of Congress, wrap 
ourselves around the need for humanitarian aid and relief. We too feel 
the pain of loss of life.
  But I think it is important to understand the resolution. It gives a 
wonderful roadmap for the decision of peace, a two-state solution, 
Israel and Palestine.
  But what it does say, and what all of us have to commit ourselves to, 
is that no nation can stand for the extinguishing of other people in 
another sovereign nation. All Hamas has to do is to stand for the 
dignity and integrity of the Palestinian people, to allow Israel to 
survive and stand, to commit to its existence and to promote the 
survival of its people.
  We must rally around people, women and children and families. But we 
cannot engage in peace unless all stand down.
  This resolution is a roadmap for that. It is to encourage Egypt to 
continue in the peace process. It is to close the tunnels. It is to 
make sure that we are supporting the dignity of all.
  I support this resolution. I beg the people of Palestine to stand up 
for dignity, peace, democracy and freedom for all.
  Madam Speaker, thank you for your leadership in bringing this timely 
resolution to the floor today. I want to also thank the minority 
leader, Congressman Boehner for working with us in a bipartisan manner 
on this important issue.
  Let me start off by saying that I support House Resolution 34--
recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, 
reaffirming the United States' strong support for Israel, and 
supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
  I support this bipartisan resolution because I believe that we must 
support a countries right to defend itself against terror attacks. I 
believe that we must not show support for Hamas, when it launches 
rockets indiscriminately, at civilians or when it incorporates elements 
of terrorists infrastructure into civilian population centers.
  This resolution promotes a durable and sustainable cease-fire in 
Gaza, which would not allow a reestablishment of the status quo ante 
where Hamas can continue to launch rockets out of Gaza. Moreover, a 
durable and lasting cease-fire would ensure that innocent Palestinians 
especially women and children are protected and humanitarian assistance 
is allowed to flow freely.
  We all want to see peace take place in this region. While diplomatic 
means should always be sought first, there comes a time when a nation 
must defend itself. Sadly, this defense often comes with many innocent 
civilian casualties for which we all extend our deepest condolences.
  I encourage our friends in Israel to take greater steps to protect 
the innocent Palestinians living in and along the Gaza strip and allow 
more humanitarian goods and services to enter the area to help the 
people of Gaza, especially elderly, women, and children. These are the 
victims on both sides of this conflict.
  John F. Kennedy said years ago that ``those who make peaceful 
revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.'' As the 
rockets have continued to be fired into Israel, we have seen Hamas 
refuse to comply with the urgings of the United States, the European 
Union, Russia, and even the United Nations requests for a cease-fire. I 
urge Hamas to reconsider for the sake of the Palestinian people.
  Although, violence begets violence and yet even in our great Nation 
we provide for defense of self. I do not support violence, however we 
would not expect a child to continue to be bullied, to continue to be 
beat up, to continue to have violence inflicted upon him without 
understanding when that child decides to fight back.
  As missiles have been fired into their homes, shops, and restaurants 
the people of Israel have finally decided to respond.
  I support the people of Israel and their right to be free from 
violence, free from terror, and free watching their friends and 
families die. I also support the innocent Palestinians right to be free 
from violence and have access to humanitarian relief. I am sad that the 
innocent Palestinians' have to suffer for the violent acts of Hamas. 
Along with many of my colleagues, I continue to call for a cease-fire 
and an opportunity for diplomatic negotiations to succeed that would 
include a two state solution of Palestine and Israel.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to 
the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).
  Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor today torn about this 
resolution. Though I welcome resolutions by the Congress to express 
support for the people of Israel and Gaza at this difficult time, this 
resolution does not do enough to move towards a stable and durable 
peace in the Middle East.
  I feel that I cannot vote against the resolution, because I believe 
every country has a right to defend itself. I have been to Sderot, and 
I have seen firsthand both the physical and emotional destruction 
caused by the rockets.
  Last fall I voted for a resolution specifically condemning the rocket 
attacks into Israel. However, I feel I cannot vote for this resolution 
either, because it does not sufficiently address the human suffering by 
Palestinians in Gaza. Over 750 people have been killed, 250 of them 
children, 50 of them women, with over 3,000 people injured.
  Mosques have been bombed, schools as well. Even before the recent 
military operation, life for the people in Gaza has become increasingly 
unlivable under a crushing blockade. The Red Cross has been obstructed, 
800,000 people without water, 1 million people without electricity.
  That is why I intend to vote ``present'' today. Hopefully we can urge 
this Congress to not simply declare its support of its ally, but will 
actually move its ally and the rest of the region toward a more 
durable, sustainable, final solution to this conflict.
  History has shown that ground troops and air strikes have not 
resolved conflict in the Middle East. If we try to resolve conflict 
with military might and nothing else, then we will be no safer than we 
were before. No one will be. Diplomacy is necessary to save lives and 
yield a lasting peace with security.
  The United States must play a more active role in pursuing real peace 
in the Middle East.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, to close the debate, I am pleased to yield 
to the chairman of the Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee of the 
House Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Ackerman).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York is recognized 
for 2\1/4\ minutes.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. I thank the chairman.
  Madam Speaker, my colleagues, I spent Sunday in Sderot with Mayor 
Bloomberg of New York. We were being briefed by some people on the 
Israeli side of the border with Gaza when suddenly, after 14 missiles 
had already

[[Page 422]]

fallen that morning before we got there, the sirens started screaming, 
and we were rushed and told we had 20 seconds to get into a fallout 
shelter before the missile hit, rather petrifying.
  I cannot imagine what I would have done had I children out on the 
street, as happens each and every day, sometimes hourly in that little 
town, trying to live peacefully across the border from its neighbor.

                              {time}  1030

  I listened very, very carefully to our colleagues, especially to the 
gentleman from Ohio, who has run twice on our side for the Presidency 
of the United States, and the gentleman from Texas, who ran twice for 
the Presidency of the United States on the other side of the aisle, and 
I was wondering, had they become President, either of them, and God 
forbid our country was struck by missiles, and they had taken the oath 
to defend our country, how many missiles would have had to have fallen 
before we struck back?
  Countries have rights to defend themselves. It is not just one 
missile or two missiles or three missiles. From the beginning of this 
decade, each year over 1,000 missiles have been launched from Gaza on 
Israel. Thousands of missiles. And yet they have held their strength, 
they have held their warnings that they issued, with the patience of 
Job. A country that was founded to protect the lives of Jews from 
destruction and annihilation after World War II held its calm, held 
itself together, until the missiles started falling 50 a day, 80 a day, 
100 a day. And they warned the Palestinians that they would strike 
back, and they have, as is their right, as is their responsibility to 
their citizens.
  We are all upset at the loss of innocent lives in this altercation 
and any altercation. But, you know, it reminds me of my two boys when 
they were growing up and they would get in a little hassle with each 
other, and I would separate them and say, Who started this? And Ari 
would say, Corey hit me back first.
  If you don't want to be hit back, don't hit. That is the message. 
Israel has the right to defend itself, and we stand with Israel as it 
exercises that right to live in peace with its neighbors.
  Mr. McMAHON. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 34, 
this bipartisan legislation sponsored by our Congressional leadership 
and to stand with Israel and its efforts to protect innocent Israeli 
civilians against attacks by Hamas.
  No country would permit attacks against innocent people, regardless 
of the political agenda or concerns that motivate such actions, and we 
in the international community cannot do so here.
  We all know Israel as a country of peace, and the only way Israel and 
its neighbors will be able to enjoy a true and lasting peace will be 
through the agreed upon process working toward a two-state solution. We 
cannot let a group of terrorist extremists derail the hard work that 
our President, Israel, and leaders throughout the region have worked so 
hard to achieve.
  In their oath of loyalty, members of Hamas declare that ``death in 
the cause of God is their supreme desire.'' And since Hamas 
unilaterally decided to breach its agreed upon truce and renew its 
attacks on Israel on December 24, we have seen the horrors that occur 
when this extreme ideology is put into effect against innocent people--
both Israeli and Palestinian alike.
  Residents of Israeli communities near Gaza have endured over 6,000 
rockets crossing into their borders, threatening their lives, and 
breaching a 6-month cease-fire.
  Hamas continues to concentrate its bases of operations close to 
Palestinian residential neighborhoods and humanitarian centers--
sometimes even firing rockets from rooftops of school buildings.
  And while there are some who say that Hamas is merely a problem just 
for Israel, Hamas' utter disregard of innocent human life ultimately 
affects us all here in the United States, and all peace-loving people 
around the world.
  In the face of increasing international terror, we in the United 
States must condemn the actions of Hamas. Hamas refuses to employ 
peaceful methods in dealing with Israel and refuses to acknowledge its 
right to exist.
  The unyielding disregard for human life that Hamas displays is not 
only a terrorist strategy against Israel, but an ideology that Hamas 
strives to spread to others in that region and to the global community 
as a whole.
  Israel has an absolute right to defend its citizens and borders. I 
therefore urge my colleagues to support House H. Res. 34, stand by our 
friend and ally Israel, and condemn Hamas for obstructing the basic 
human rights of both groups and the road to a peaceful coexistence 
between Israelis and Palestinians.
  Mr. CAPUANO. Madam Speaker, I voted in favor of H. Res. 34, 
Recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, 
because not to support that right would undermine Israel's rights as a 
sovereign state. That said, I continue to deplore the eagerness of this 
House to assign blame in a tragic and complicated historic conflict. It 
is true that Hamas began to fire rockets into Israel just days after 
the expiration of the 6-month cease-fire agreement. This properly 
elicited a reaction from Israel aimed at protecting its citizens. It is 
regrettable, however, that Israel was unable--in the 3 years after its 
unilateral withdrawal from Gaza--to work to strengthen those 
Palestinians who seek peace. I hope that a cease-fire observed by all 
parties, credibly verified and effectively monitored, will be followed 
by vigorous diplomacy. When calm is established, I urge the Government 
of Israel to engage in confidence-building measures to increase the 
likelihood of a negotiated settlement.
  I urge my colleagues in the House to address the human tragedy in 
Gaza and southern Israel rather than to choose sides among suffering 
people. We must not forget that there are innocent Palestinian 
civilians suffering along with Israeli civilians. We would do well to 
acknowledge the plight of those on both sides of Gaza's border and the 
need to address the humanitarian crisis in a manner that allows free 
access to the necessary staff, supplies, and resources.
  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I am voting for H. Res. 34, which expresses 
vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the welfare and security 
of the State of Israel. The indiscriminate rocket attacks by Hamas are 
an unacceptable assault on Israel's citizens and her sovereignty. Like 
all nations in the world, Israel has the right and responsibility to 
respond in self-defense. The United States has a responsibility to 
stand with Israel, our closest ally in the Middle East, during this 
crisis.
  At the same time, the United States has a responsibility to ensure 
that the humanitarian needs in Gaza are being addressed promptly and 
responsibly. The present resolution, H. Res. 34, is not so clear on 
that. The United States should have done more to ensure that they were 
being met even before the recent fighting, just as the United States 
should have done more to stop the mortars and rockets fired from Gaza 
over recent years. I am troubled deeply by reports that the 
humanitarian situation, bad as it has been, continues to deteriorate. 
Israel must make every effort to protect the innocent and prevent the 
destruction of civilian communities. All parties must work as quickly 
as possible to enact a durable and sustainable cease-fire that will 
allow for a lasting improvement of the humanitarian situation in Gaza 
and for the long-term security of Israel.
  It is critical to recognize that even a durable and sustainable 
cease-fire is only a temporary solution to the ongoing Israeli-
Palestinian conflict. We should remember that extremism incubates in 
societies afflicted with poverty, hopelessness, and humiliation. We 
must work tirelessly to diminish the appeal and influence of terrorists 
by lifting up all of those trapped in these conditions. It is equally 
necessary that we continue to assist moderate Palestinians and 
strengthen governments that are committed to securing a lasting peace 
with the State of Israel.
  I continue to believe that the United States has a vital role to play 
in brokering an enduring peace agreement. My thoughts and prayers are 
with all the innocent civilians suffering in Israel and Gaza. For their 
sake, the United States must recommit itself to bringing Israelis and 
Palestinians back to the negotiating table. This includes the need to 
create a viable representative of the Palestinians that can negotiate 
in good faith. And it includes the need to get the Israelis to make the 
daily welfare of ordinary Palestinians one of the principal criteria 
for any negotiations. The future security of the Middle East depends on 
negotiating a just, permanent, and peaceful settlement between Israelis 
and Palestinians that both guarantees Israel's security and establishes 
a Palestinian state.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 
34, legislation that not only recognizes Israel's legitimate right to 
defend itself from terrorist threats, but also expresses this body's 
steadfast commitment to a strong, vibrant, and long-lasting 
relationship between the United States and Israel, the only

[[Page 423]]

functioning democracy in the Middle East. While rockets, mortars, and 
homemade weapons continue to rain down on Israel from Lebanon and 
inside Palestinian controlled territory in Gaza, this resolution places 
the world on notice that the U.S. House will not waver during Israel's 
hour of need.
  The violence and terror inflicted on the people of Israel by agents 
of Hamas and their sympathizers represents a continuation of the 
organization's blood-stained history, and is little more than an 
extension of a decades-long campaign designed to destroy the State of 
Israel. It is a moral imperative to stand alongside the people of 
Israel while their government repels and quells the violence inflicted 
by Hamas, and today's consideration of H. Res. 34 provides much needed 
leadership that the international community would be wise to follow.
  Make no mistake: the violence, death, and destruction suffered by 
both the innocent citizens in Israel and the Palestinian people is a 
tragedy that no man, woman, or child should be forced to endure. Yet 
this tragedy suffocating the innocents on both sides is not born of a 
decision taken by the Israeli government, it is singularly the result 
of a long-planned paramilitary campaign of terror initiated by a 
terrorist organization.
  Madam Speaker, I rise not only to support this timely resolution, but 
also to join the chorus of voices in this chamber calling for the 
terrorists in Gaza to put an end to their campaign. Let the violence 
stop, and the healing process begin. Only then can the diplomatic 
process have a chance to work towards the international community's 
goal of a democratic, free, and vibrant State of Israel living side-by-
side a peaceful and stable Palestinian community.
  Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to applaud this House for 
standing with our friend, the nation of Israel.
  Madam Speaker, Israel has a right and a duty to defend herself from 
the savage attacks of Hamas launched from Gaza.
  The Israeli government continues to work for peace, but the 
relentless attacks have left her with little choice but to use military 
force to stop the Hamas militants hiding among innocent civilians in 
Gaza.
  Madam Speaker, Hamas must end its attacks on the people of Israel for 
peace to take root; I applaud this House for its strong support of our 
friend Israel.
  Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my comments on H. 
Res. 34, a resolution which reaffirms our commitment to Israel and its 
right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza and Hamas.
  I have always been a strong supporter of Israel, and consider myself 
a good friend to Israel. Israel's right to exist as a country is 
unquestionable in my mind, and I support its right to defend itself 
from those who would do harm to its people.
  I also strongly support a durable and sustainable cease-fire in Gaza, 
and support a resolution to the conflict through diplomacy and 
negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. I have 
consistently supported efforts to increase peacemaking efforts in the 
region, including asking the President to appoint a special envoy to 
the Middle East.
  For these important reasons, I voted in favor of H. Res. 34. This 
resolution rightly reiterates our support for the safety, security, and 
welfare of Israel. However, Madam Speaker, H. Res. 34 is not perfect, 
and my vote for it today is not unequivocal. The resolution does not 
adequately address the civilian casualties in Gaza, or the worsening 
humanitarian situation there. The world has a responsibility to join 
together to help solve this crisis. I also hope that the incoming 
Administration will turn this hope into reality.
  The human consequence of this violence has taken a tragic toll on 
Gaza civilians, where access to basic humanitarian needs is limited, 
and dangerous. Some reports by the International Committee of the Red 
Cross describe the movement of ambulances and aid workers as extremely 
difficult, and attribute that difficulty to Israel's restrictions. In 
addition to this challenge, existing hospitals are running out of fuel, 
power, and supplies to treat victims.
  We are right to support Israel's right to defend itself, but we must 
not forget that innocent Gaza civilians are living under harsh, even 
desperate, conditions right now. Both the Israeli and Palestinian 
people deserve to live a life free of the threat of attack or 
psychological fear. It has always been my hope that our involvement in 
the region may be used to improve the lives of the people affected by 
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
  Once again, Madam Speaker, my vote in favor of H. Res. 34 reflects my 
strong support for Israel, but the severe humanitarian plight of Gaza 
civilians is something we must not ignore.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the widespread concern 
for the crisis unfolding in Gaza since December 27. The recent conflict 
in between Palestinians and Israelis is as tragic as it was 
predictable. The fundamental lesson in the Middle East is clear: 
without political processes that strive continuously for peace, events 
and the acts of extremists can overpower the desire of people across 
the region to reject violence.
  I voted ``present'' because words matter and this resolution did not 
express adequately the scope of the humanitarian crisis. To that end I 
am joining other colleagues in urging the administration to work to 
meet the immediate humanitarian needs while we work for a cease-fire.
  Any country facing such attacks would wish to respond firmly and 
decisively, yet it is frustrating to witness the region locked into a 
downward spiral of conflict. This path will give neither side what it 
wants, but will continue to destabilize the situation and further 
impede efforts at a resolution.
  This cycle of violence must be broken. Yet, nearly a decade of failed 
Bush policies has left America in a weakened position at the table, 
less able to help deliver peace or improve the humanitarian situation 
on the ground. At least the administration declined to vote against a 
January 8 United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an 
immediate cease-fire in Gaza.
  Forceful U.S. diplomatic reengagement now is critical. Though a 
secure Israel and an independent Palestinian state living side by side 
seems remote today, I have high hopes that the new Obama administration 
will exhibit a strong reversal of course and reengage the region. Our 
efforts here today are inadequate to this task. We must not only work 
for a cease-fire that halts this backslide into chaos, but move forward 
toward an ultimate solution that recognizes the legitimate needs of 
both Israelis and Palestinians. We know where we need to go, we must 
have the will to achieve it.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong 
support of House Resolution 34, a resolution that recognizes Israel's 
right to defend itself from attacks by Hamas and reaffirms the United 
States's support of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. I was 
extremely pleased to join with Speaker Pelosi, Republican Leader 
Boehner, and other bipartisan leaders of the House in introducing this 
important legislation.
  Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005 in hopes of reducing 
violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Unfortunately, just the 
opposite has occurred. Since Israel's withdrawal, Hamas have terrorized 
Israel by firing more than 6,000 missiles from Gaza into Israel's 
southern region. Israel, thankfully, has shown a remarkable level of 
restraint throughout these attacks. It was not until December 2008, 
when Hamas brazenly refused to continue a cease-fire, instead choosing 
to ratchet up its attacks, that Israel used military force in response.
  The resolution before us today emphasizes the United States's belief 
that Israel has the right to self-defense. No other country in the 
world would or could have shown the level of restraint that Israel has 
over the past years. Moreover, none should ever be required to.
  House Resolution 34 also recognizes the burgeoning humanitarian 
situation in the Gaza Strip. While Israel has provided humanitarian 
assistance throughout this conflict, the situation will not be fully 
addressed until a stable and lasting peace can be achieved between the 
Israelis and Palestinians. For that reason, the resolution states the 
United States's full support of a cease-fire that ends rocket attacks 
by Hamas, prevents additional arms and explosives from entering Gaza, 
and jumpstarts a diplomatic initiative in the region.
  Madam Speaker, passage of this resolution will send the right message 
at the right time to our friends in Israel and our allies around the 
world. I urge its quick passage.
  Mr. BARROW. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 34, 
supporting Israel and its government's right to defend itself against 
attacks from Hamas.
  The relationship between the United States and Israel is based on a 
shared commitment to democratic values. Israel has stood on the front 
lines in confronting those who would use terror against civilians as a 
means of bringing about political change. During that time, the United 
States has stood for the political independence and physical security 
of Israel.
  A government's first responsibility is to defend its citizens, and 
Israel has the same right and obligation to protect her people. If our 
people were being terrorized daily by a barrage of rocket fire, we 
would certainly act to defend ourselves, and we would expect no less of 
our Government.

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  Those who truly value peace and democracy are united in the belief 
that the only remedy to this crisis is a successful peace process. 
Working for peace is not an alternative to security, but is part of 
security. Without a peace process, and ultimately without peace, Israel 
remains insecure. That's why I rise in support of H. Res 34, 
recognizing Israel's right to defend herself, and that's why I voice my 
continued support for peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas. I 
hope that we can all look forward to the day when our countries will be 
able to devote less of our national treasures to the vital work of 
survival and self defense, and be able, instead, to devote ourselves to 
more profitable enterprises.
  Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support House Resolution 34, 
a resolution to recognize Israel's right to defend itself against 
attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States' strong support for 
Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
  Israel continues to be the United States' strongest ally in the 
Middle East.
  Now Israel faces a tough situation with her neighbors.
  Since 2005, Israel attempted to promote peace with the Palestinians 
by withdrawing its civilians and soldiers from Gaza in hopes of 
lessening day to day conflicts.
  However, since then Israel has received over 6,000 attacks from the 
area of Gaza, including a flurry of attacks last month when Hamas 
abandoned a 6-month cease-fire.
  The Hamas leadership continues to hold Palestinian civilians as 
hostages to its terrorist agenda and Israelis now find themselves 
within range of Hamas rockets.
  The bloodshed and conflict of this situation will only lead to more 
devastation if nothing is done.
  The United States supports Israel and all efforts to promote a cease-
fire and a durable and sustainable resolution of the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict.
  I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H. Res. 34, and stand for 
justice and humanity.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, I am proud to be a cosponsor of 
this essential Resolution, recognizing Israel's right to defend itself 
against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States' strong 
support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace 
process.
  As Israel faces intense international criticism for exercising its 
legitimate right to self-defense, southern Israel is being repeatedly 
and consistently showered with Hamas rockets and northern Israel has 
been hit by rockets from Lebanon.
  Like all sovereign nations, Israel has not only a right, but 
moreover, an obligation, to ensure the safety and security of her 
citizens.
  Let me be very clear. Israel's response, her defense of her people, 
is in reaction to the hundreds of Hamas missiles that were targeted at 
Israeli citizens throughout the flimsy cease-fire of 2008.
  Hamas's leaders, choosing terror against Israel over the welfare of 
the Palestinian people, have chosen violence over peace.
  And while Hamas has been going out of its way to kill innocent 
Israelis, Israel has been going above and beyond--even putting itself 
at risk--to protect innocent Palestinians.
  Specifically, Israel drops leaflets and makes phone calls to targeted 
Palestinian areas to warn citizens they are in danger, even if this 
means losing the element of surprise and putting the lives of its own 
soldiers at risk.
  In contrast, Hamas deliberately attacks Israeli civilians and uses 
its own people as human shields.
  In addition, Israel has been facilitating the transfer of significant 
amounts of humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip; delivering 15,000 
tons of aid over the past week and a half.
  Hamas, on the other hand, has stolen some of those humanitarian 
medical supplies from civilians to give to their gunmen.
  Undeniably, the suffering is great in Israel and Gaza. Now is the 
time for us all to stand together in support of Israel and peace. I 
urge my colleagues to support this critical resolution, and pray that 
Hamas stops firing rockets into Israel, and starts working towards 
peace instead of terror.
  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
express my concerns regarding H. Res. 34. I do not think that this 
resolution provides a complete picture of the conflict in Gaza and as a 
result, I will be voting present on this resolution. I am particularly 
concerned that this resolution does not address the core cause of the 
crisis, and I am not confident that this resolution will be beneficial 
to improving the situation in Gaza.
  I have grave concerns about Hamas's alarming history of violence. 
However, in order to resolve this crisis it is imperative that we 
encourage both Israel and Hamas to pursue a peaceful resolution and 
come to a sustainable cease-fire.
  Today marks the 14th day of the Gaza war. Over 700 people have been 
killed by both Israeli and Hamas military actions. International aid 
workers are reporting that they are unable to access the Gaza civilians 
and the United Nations has suspended its aid operations following the 
death of a U.N. official. I believe that a bipartisan resolution should 
have more fully addressed these challenges and stressed the need for 
both parties to cease all fire and fulfill their obligations under the 
Road Map peace plans.
  This weekend I will be meeting with a number of relevant 
organizations and community leaders from my district to discuss the 
current crisis in Gaza. Through these meetings I hope to continue to 
learn more about the status of the ongoing situation and consider the 
ways in which the United States can develop a proactive plan that will 
both end this current conflict and bring long-term peace and stability 
to the region.
  Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, since 2001, thousands of rockets and 
mortar have been indiscriminately fired into southern Israel at 
innocent civilians. When Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, these 
rocket attacks continued. In December 2008, the negotiated cease-fire 
ended and Hamas responded by firing over 60 rockets into Israel in a 
single day. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis are terrorized daily by 
fear of attack while an extremist group who calls for Israel's 
destruction continues to operate.
  The Israeli government determined it had no choice but to respond to 
Hamas militarily. Sadly, the cost has been great. Since Israel began 
its two-week offensive on the Gaza strip, over 750 Palestinians have 
died. An UN-operated school was bombed and dozens of innocent children 
were killed. In an unusual move, the International Red Cross issued a 
statement that ``the Israeli military failed to meet its obligation 
under international humanitarian law to care for and evacuate the 
wounded.'' Gazans are trapped with little ability to seek shelter or 
help for the wounded.
  Does Israel have a right to defend itself? My answer is 
unequivocally, yes. I cannot argue with most of the statements 
contained in this resolution. I do not condone the tactics Hamas uses 
in its efforts to destroy Israel, nor is it acceptable that an elected 
government refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist and exploits 
its own citizens to further its extreme agenda. But I cannot also 
pretend this resolution, H. Res. 34, will help bring about a cease-fire 
in Gaza, resolve the extreme humanitarian crisis Gazans face, or bring 
us closer to a final resolution sought by the Quartet, Israel, the 
Palestinian Authority, and Middle Eastern nations.
  That a peaceful resolution and a two-state solution seem to grow more 
distant with each passing day is a very real consequence of the Bush 
Administration's inaction and failure of leadership. Eight years ago, 
President Bush came to office and pledged to negotiate a ``road map to 
peace.'' As we can clearly see, the few efforts President Bush made 
during his tenure have fallen far short.
  Last night, the United Nations passed a cease-fire resolution. Today, 
the crisis continues. In this ongoing battle, words and actions are 
very different things. That is why President-elect Obama must reengage 
the peace process immediately upon taking office. He has the support of 
many of the Middle Eastern nations, who have attempted to fill in as 
mediators while the Bush Administration was asleep at the wheel and who 
also have an interest in rallying against the growing threat of Iran. 
President-elect Obama faces many challenges when he enters office, but 
with the help of his capable appointed Secretary of State, and my dear 
friend, Hillary Clinton, I believe the United States can once again 
take the lead in achieving a peaceful two-state solution for the 
Israelis and Palestinians.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
House Resolution 34, which reaffirms our Nation's strong unwavering 
support for Israel and its right to defend itself against missile 
attacks from Gaza.
  As an ardent supporter of Israel and its fight against terrorism, I 
am well aware of the ongoing conflict between Israel and the 
Palestinians and am monitoring developments closely.
  As any nation, Israel has every right to protect itself from 
terrorist attacks within its borders and across its borders to ensure 
the safety of its citizens from the threat of terrorism. As a sovereign 
nation, Israel has the right to defend itself just as our Nation and 
any of our allies would.
  Throughout the past year, Hamas has launched an estimated 3,000 
rockets into Israel and during that time the range of these rockets has 
increased striking further and further into Israel. The ultimate goal 
is peace, security and prosperity for the people of this troubled 
region, but there can be no peace when terrorists attack the Israeli 
people.

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  Israel is carefully targeting the Hamas leadership and its rocket 
launching capability, but as long as Hamas hides and operates within 
civilian locations there will be civilian casualties. That is 
regrettable, but as long as Hamas launches rockets into Israel, there 
will also be civilian casualties there.
  Our Nation will continue to respond to terrorist attacks and threats 
on our Nation and our people and I would not expect the Israeli 
government to react any differently to these ongoing threats.
  Madam Speaker, Israel remains our staunchest friend and ally in the 
Middle East and we stand together with them as they endure this most 
recent assault against their freedom and liberty.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I am proud to be an original 
cosponsor and strong supporter of House Resolution (H. Res.) 34 which 
expresses the United States House of Representatives strong support for 
and commitment to Israel and recognizes that Israel has a fundamental 
right to defend its citizens against violent attacks.
  Back in 2005, I spoke to this House to express my profound concern 
about Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. I feared that Islamic 
radicals would exploit that opportunity to jump-start the peace process 
and instead use Gaza as a launching pad for attacks on Israel; 
undermining the peace process, exacerbating global and regional 
terrorism and moving the Middle East one step closer to all out war. I 
am sad to see that circumstances have proven that my concerns were 
justified.
  There can be no negotiations with--and no concession to--terrorists 
like Hamas; who refuse to even accept Israel's right to exist. If the 
world wants calm to return to the Middle East it must speak with one 
voice--as this House is speaking with one voice today--and tell the 
leaders of Hamas, and their handlers in Tehran--that blame for this 
bloodshed falls squarely on their shoulders. To end that bloodshed--and 
to bring humanitarian relief to the people living in Gaza, Hamas must 
immediately end the rocket and mortar attacks against Israel and 
verifiably dismantle its terrorist infrastructure.
  Israel and the United States have shared a special bond since the 
founding of the modern Jewish State in 1948. As a lone State fighting 
for freedom and democracy in a region dominated by authoritarian and 
military regimes, Israel is the only country in the Middle East that 
the United States can fully count on to stand firm against the 
terrorists and oppressors.
  As we continue to fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass 
destruction in the region by rogue regimes, and work to halt the States 
who continue to sponsor terrorism, Israel stands as a lone and vital 
ally. Similarly, Israel stands as an important strategic partner with 
regard to our joint efforts to stop the spread of Islamic radicalism.
  We all support the cause of peace; we all want to see the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict resolved but will we ever reach that goal if the 
rockets and mortars do not stop; that is the first step.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 34.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today as a proud cosponsor and 
strong supporter of H. Res. 34, a Resolution ``Recognizing Israel's 
right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the 
U.S.'s strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-
Palestinian peace process.''
  I believe unequivocally that Israel has the right and responsibility 
to defend itself and its citizens. I stand in support and solidarity 
with Israel's efforts to end Hamas' campaign of terror. For years, 
Hamas has fired thousands of rockets into Israel, murdering Israeli 
civilians and terrorizing peaceful communities. Earlier this year I 
traveled to the Western Negev and saw first-hand the trauma suffered by 
women and children who faced nearly daily rocket attacks from Gaza. 
While war is never a preferred option, after repeated calls to Hamas to 
end rocket attacks, Israel had no choice but to respond militarily to 
Hamas' breaking of the cease-fire.
  During its operation in Gaza, Israel has taken extraordinary steps to 
prevent civilian casualties, including providing advanced warning to 
civilians about pending attacks of Hamas targets. I am dismayed and 
disgusted with Hamas' tactics of co-locating their terrorist 
infrastructure amongst the civilian population. My heart goes out to 
the families of the innocent civilians killed and wounded on both sides 
of the conflict; however, Hamas bears the responsibility for the loss 
of life and the humanitarian situation of residents of Gaza.
  Hamas, which continues to deny Israel's right to exist, will stop at 
nothing to deny peace to the region, including exploiting and 
endangering Gaza civilians. I believe that Israel's operation to 
dismantle Hamas's terrorist infrastructure will provide space to 
reinvigorate support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. It is 
my hope that the Israeli operation will make it clear to Hamas that its 
attacks on Israeli communities must end so that negotiations toward a 
peaceful coexistence in the region can continue.
  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my 
strong support of the right of Israel to exist and to defend itself and 
to condemn unequivocally the rocket attacks launched by Hamas on 
Israel. I believe there can be no military solution to this conflict, 
only a political solution reached by the parties assisted by the United 
States acting as an honest broker. Seldom do I vote present but I will 
in this case. Let me explain why.
  First, the resolution ought to make it clear that the only way to 
remove the threat to Israel, and to the larger region, is to resolve 
these issues through an immediate cease-fire and commit the United 
States to high-level and sustained diplomacy in support of the Road Map 
and initiatives. This resolution does not address how to end the 
escalating violence.
  Second, the resolution should offer concrete steps to be taken 
immediately to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The 
resolution is silent on this point.
  The bottom line is there is absolutely no military resolution to the 
issues confronting this region--notwithstanding the acts of self-
defense to which Israel has resorted.
  That is why I renew my call for the administration to redouble its 
efforts in discharging its indispensable role as honest broker in the 
peace process needed to realize the two-state solution and secure 
Israel's right to peaceful co-existence and the right of the 
Palestinians to live in dignity.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my overwhelming 
support for Israel's right to defend her people against terrorist 
attacks.
  Over the past 6 months, we have seen a relative calm between Israelis 
and Palestinians due to an Egyptian brokered cease-fire.
  Unfortunately, however, this calm was used by Hamas to rearm 
themselves with more technologically-advanced rockets and weapons, 
which were smuggled through tunnels from Egypt and over the Syrian 
border.
  When the cease-fire expired on December 19, 2008, Hamas refused to 
extend it and began to fire its updated arsenal of rockets deep into 
Southern Israel.
  Sadly, rocket fire is nothing new to the Israelis, who have seen 6000 
rockets land in Southern Israel since unilaterally withdrawing from 
Gaza in 2005.
  Hamas had a choice this past December--extend the cease-fire or 
continue hostilities. They chose war over peace.
  Israel was forced by Hamas' action to make a choice too, either live 
with the threat of rocket fire against her people or take action to 
keep its people safe from harm. They made the choice any reasonable 
nation would make--to defend its citizens.
  It is time for the Palestinians in Gaza to have better 
representation--representation that puts the peoples' well-being before 
Hamas' unachievable goals.
  The U.S. Congress and the people of the United States will not allow 
a terrorist organization, like Hamas, to destroy the thriving democracy 
that is Israel.
  We stand with Israel and her goal of peace.
  Mr. PETERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 34, the 
Gaza Conflict Resolution.
  Israel has been under attack, and like any sovereign nation it has 
the right to defend itself. I steadfastly support Israel as it 
continues to undertake operations to ensure the security of its 
citizens. Israel is America's friend and ally and I support its pursuit 
of security and its objective of self defense in the face of continued 
attacks on its existence. Hamas is a terrorist organization and its 
actions undermine the hopes and aspirations of the Palestinian people.
  The U.S. must do everything it can to help reach a resolution that 
begins with an immediate end to Hamas rocket fire on Israel and 
includes efforts to provide for the humanitarian needs of all 
civilians. The U.S. should continue to be thoroughly involved in the 
region in order to ensure Israel's security and help achieve sustained 
peace.
  In support of these goals, I urge passage of this resolution.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, the resolution before the House today, 
H. Res. Israel's bombardment of the citizens of Gaza, sanctions the 
incursion of Israeli troops into Gaza to clear this occupied territory 
of Hamas fighters regardless of the human cost, and calls for 
``supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process'' while innocent 
Palestinian women and children are being killed in Gaza. This 
resolution strongly and justifiably condemns Hamas, but the 
resolution's intent and

[[Page 426]]

substance are void of any relation to the hellish reality that is being 
inflicted on the citizens of Gaza right now or the deprivation 
inflicted upon Gaza families by Israel's harsh denial of food, medicine 
and fuel over the past year.
  This is only the latest battle in a long war for respect and security 
between Israel and the Palestinian people. Israeli citizens have 
suffered for years under an intermittent but terrifying rocket 
bombardments launched by militants in the Gaza Strip. Since 2001, 20 
Israelis have been killed by these rockets, hundreds injured, and the 
lives of many thousands more disrupted by the constant fear of random 
and indiscriminate violence from the sky. When this summer's tenuous 
cease-fire broke down, the rocket attacks increased precipitously, 
prompting Israel's current military operation in Gaza.
  I recognize Israel's right to protect its citizens from the 
persistent and growing threat of rocket attacks. However, as an 
unwavering proponent of peace, and as an advocate for the rights and 
security of the Israeli and Palestinian people, I seriously question 
the proportionality of Israel's response and regretfully predict that 
Israel's military action will produce only short-term security gains 
while severely undermining the prospects of peace in the months and 
years ahead.
  Despite the fact too many Israeli citizens are under great stress 
from Hamas rockets, these weapons do not represent an existential 
threat to Israel. Rather than a serious military challenge, these 
rockets are like a drug gang that uses drive by shootings as a tactic 
to terrify a neighborhood. When is the solution to this type of terror 
for authorities to lay waste to the neighborhood?
  Recent weeks of Israeli air and ground assaults have resulted in 
nearly 800 deaths, half of these innocent civilians. A population of 
1.5 million Gazans, already weakened by previous months of economic 
blockade, are suffering from a lack of food, water, electricity and 
essential medicine. With border crossings closed, civilians are 
literally caught in the crossfire between Hamas militants and the 
Israeli army with no ability to escape. The difficult situation that 
existed in Gaza prior to Israel's attack has quickly deteriorated into 
a humanitarian disaster.
  The world is watching as Israel's bombardment in Gaza continues to 
escalate. Public opinion around the world is hardening against Israel 
as desperate images of destruction reach the media. For example, a 
high-ranking Vatican official has compared the conditions in Gaza to 
``a big concentration camp.'' An Israeli official condemned the 
comments and chastised the Catholic leader's words as ``far removed 
from truth and dignity.'' But after 13 days of warfare it is reported 
by officials in Gaza that more than 750 people are dead, of which 40 
percent are women and children.
  Last night, the United Nations Security Council voted and approved a 
resolution for ``an immediate, durable and fully respected cease-fire'' 
leading to a ``full withdrawal'' of Israeli forces from Gaza. The 
resolution also called for humanitarian aid to pass into Gaza and an 
end to trafficking of weapons into the occupied territory. The United 
States, represented by Secretary of State Rice, did not join the 14 
other nations approving the measure, our Government abstained.
  The Bush administration has failed to successfully work for an 
immediate cease-fire. And this resolution fails to call for an 
immediate cease-fire in Gaza. What this resolution does do is allow 
Israel to continue its efforts to eliminate the threat of Hamas, which 
will only lead to further civilian deaths. With nearly 800 Gazans 
already dead and Israel's international image equally bloodied, there 
is no victory left for either side to achieve, the present battle has 
become a competition for biggest loser.
  An immediate cease-fire is the only option. The current fighting must 
end before the foundations of the peace process are undermined any 
further and the prospects of a two state solution are dealt a final 
blow. The United States Government must recapture its role as an honest 
broker in the Israel-Palestinian conflict and urgently commit its full 
energy and resources to achieving a cease-fire and sustaining its 
engagement to ensure the causes of the present violence--arms 
smuggling, rocket fire, economic blockade--are resolved.
  The continued isolation of Gaza is an unacceptable option in light of 
the depravation and increasing desperation of the mothers, fathers and 
children of Gaza. If the humanitarian needs in Gaza are not quickly and 
comprehensively addressed, the world faces the prospect of a 
radicalized generation of Palestinian youth--over 56 percent Gazans are 
under the age of 16. America should lead an international effort, 
initiated immediately after declaration of a cease-fire, to heal and 
rebuild Gaza. The memory of the present conflict cannot be erased from 
the minds and hearts of Palestinian youth, but we can ensure those 
memories include a generous and meaningful response from the world.
  The goal of the United States, and the world, must be to work for 
peace. And the path to peace will never be forged through violence.
  For these reasons, it is my intention to vote present on H. Res. 34.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support 
of H. Res. 34, the Gaza Conflict Resolution. We must end the current 
violence and bloodshed among both Palestinians and Israelis. This 
resolution reaffirms our support for Israel but additionally reaffirms 
our commitment toward a continuing peace process.
  With this resolution, we call for an end to the rocket and missile 
attacks from Hamas and ask that they recognize previous cease-fire 
agreements between Israel and Palestine.
  In response to the attacks, however, Israel, as a sovereign nation, 
does maintain the right to defend its borders and citizens from 
aggression. This basic right to protect our people is not one that we 
should undermine. Our country knows too well that a response must be 
made when we are attacked and our way of life disrupted. However, there 
must be humanitarian considerations in any conflict, and there must be 
steps taken to protect civilians and prevent attacks on innocent school 
children.
  In both countries, as a result of the attacks and subsequent 
response, civilians are being killed, injured and witnesses to horrific 
tragedy. Humanitarian aid has only recently been allowed into Palestine 
and there is no doubt that there is terrible human suffering on all 
sides.
  It is my hope that this resolution will help offer a roadmap to a 
peaceful solution, and that there will soon be an end to the violence. 
We cannot forget that beneath the politics, there is great human 
tragedy.
  I will support this resolution, but believe that we must focus on 
ending this continuing violence and search for a peaceful solution for 
all parties involved.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Res. 34. While 
I fully support the right of Israel to defend itself and its citizens, 
the resolution before us today appears to endorse the failed strategies 
and policies of the Bush Administration in finding a peaceful 
resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Bush Administration 
quashed a real effort towards peace begun by the Clinton Administration 
and turned a blind eye towards 8 years of unnecessary and avoidable 
turmoil.
  The peace process lost many years of progress and the incoming Obama 
administration faces a great challenge to reconstruct the broken peace 
process. President-elect Obama and his designee for Secretary of State, 
Hillary Clinton, must take immediate steps to engage key international 
players in an attempt to restart talks towards a two-state solution to 
the conflict. This will be difficult and slow, but necessary to find 
long-term peace for a region strained by violence.
  The House resolution before us today does not reflect the 
complexities of the current conflict and would not help the incoming 
Obama administration in bringing about the necessary changes in U.S. 
foreign policy to promote a lasting peace in the region. The world is 
excited and hopeful with a new administration that has promised a 
return to a cooperative U.S. foreign policy. This resolution fails to 
reflect that hope. Therefore, I voted present on H. Res. 34.
  Mr. PUTNAM. Madam Speaker, no one can view the reports of innocent 
lives lost on both sides of the Israeli border without a sense of 
mourning and a strong desire to see the violence stop. Some criticize 
the degree to which Israel has responded to the most recent rocket 
attacks, but it is inconceivable that any nation would tolerate rockets 
or missiles being fired at it by another nation.
  Nations not only have the right to self-defense, but an obligation to 
protect their citizens. Recognizing this fundamental right, the Israeli 
government responded to the Hamas rocket fire in the only manner 
available to them--by attacking the buildings that house Hamas leaders 
and the sites where it is believed weapons have been stockpiled.
  Unfortunately, in addition to killing militants, civilians have also 
died as a result of Hamas' exploitation of hospitals, schools, and 
mosques to store weaponry and conceal terrorist activities. The loss of 
civilian lives during any military engagement is tragic, but it should 
not go unnoticed that Hamas selfishly relishes in martyrdom at the 
expense of the innocent Palestinians.
  The actions of Hamas are unacceptable and must come to a stop 
immediately. Hamas initiated the attacks and now cynically cries foul 
when Israel responds. Those who blame Israel are playing into the hands 
of the extremists who are opposed to substantive peace.
  I wholeheartedly believe that we must find a solution that brings 
peace to the region. Bear

[[Page 427]]

in mind that reaching an agreement in the Middle East has been a goal 
among peace-loving nations since the founding of Israel.
  The key point in the conflict, nonetheless, has been the refusal of a 
number of governments and militant organizations, including Hamas, to 
accept the fundamental premise that Israel has the right to exist. 
Without agreement on this point, peace will be impossible to achieve.
  The onus is on Hamas to suspend its attacks on Israel and to call for 
a renewed cease-fire. Perhaps, then serious negotiations can resume 
with the goal of bringing peaceful coexistence in the Middle East. As 
one of our closest allies, we should continue to support Israel in 
their quest for peace and endeavor to stop terrorism in the region.
  Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I strongly support Israel's right to defend 
itself against the Hamas terrorist attacks. Until Israeli citizens can 
live without fear of these attacks, Israel is justified in its effort 
to maintain national security for its citizens.
  While we all hope for peace in this region, it must not come at the 
expense of Israel's sovereignty or right to exist. The Gaza Strip, from 
which Israel unilaterally withdrew in 2005, poses a growing security 
threat to Israeli civilians. Over 10,000 rocket and mortar shells have 
been fired from Gaza since 2001, and this indiscriminate bombardment 
has escalated since Hamas seized power in their violent coup in 2007. 
About 860,000 Israeli civilians, or more than 12 percent of Israel's 
population, live in daily fear of a Hamas rocket attack.
  Hamas ended the 6-month cease-fire on December 19th by increasing its 
random rocket bombardment of Israeli civilians. Israel was compelled to 
take on the responsibility of defending its citizens against these 
terror tactics. In response to being attacked, it launched a defensive 
air attack against Hamas' terrorist rocket launchers and their 
terrorist infrastructure. Israel responded with a ground assault to 
minimize collateral losses in the civilian neighborhoods the Hamas 
terrorists hide in to launch these rockets.
  Critics of Israel demand it sit down with Hamas to negotiate a 
lasting peace. I ask them all, how do you find a diplomatic solution 
with an enemy that will not recognize your right to exist? What terms 
can you offer that will bring peace with such an enemy other than 
outright capitulation?
  Madam Speaker, let us stand together as an institution to show our 
Nation's support for Israel's right to defend itself against attacks 
from Gaza and pledge our continued commitment to Israel's right to 
defend itself as a free, independent and sovereign state.
  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, When a nation's towns and villages are 
attacked, without provocation, by nearly 9,000 rockets over the span of 
8 years, there could hardly be a more solid case for the use of force 
in self-defense. At least 700,000 Israelis--10 percent of that small 
nation--are now within range of missiles and rockets operated by an 
Islamist terrorist group committed to Israel's destruction.
  I have no trouble justifying the war Israel has undertaken. I am 
deeply troubled, however, by the suffering, destruction, and loss of 
innocent life that war inevitably entails--in this case, a war forced 
upon Israel by a terrorist enemy that not only targets Israeli 
civilians but also bases itself among Gazan Palestinian homes, schools, 
mosques, and hospitals in order to use innocent civilians as human 
shields and as tools of a propaganda war.
  It is imperative that a way be found to stop the killing on both 
sides--but in a manner that will ensure that this round will be the 
last round.
  I know the United States and several other nations are working on 
developing such a plan. Our ally Egypt should be particularly commended 
for its serious efforts in this regard.
  What we need is not merely a cease-fire but a transformative cease-
fire. We need to ensure not just that Hamas stops firing rockets into 
Israel; we need to make sure that it stops receiving weapons and 
weapons parts and stops smuggling them into the Gaza Strip. We should 
support Egyptian efforts to prevent this illegal arms trade from 
crossing the Sinai toward the Gaza border.
  Ideally, the legitimate Palestinian Authority under President Mahmoud 
Abbas should be restored to its role as the effective authority in Gaza 
in the aftermath of any cease-fire. The Palestinian Authority was 
illegally expelled from Gaza by Hamas in June 2007, and it should be 
restored to its rightful role.
  As for Hamas, it has no prospect of legitimization in the 
international community unless it renounces violence and disarms, 
recognizes Israel, and accepts the validity of all previous agreements 
between Israel and the Palestinians.
  Our resolution supports Israel's right to defend itself against 
unprovoked terror and re-affirms this body's unwavering commitment to 
Israel's security and survival as a democratic, Jewish state. It 
condemns Hamas for its 8-year artillery war against Israel and 
appropriately assigns Hamas responsibility for the destructive 
consequences of the ongoing war in Gaza. And it insists that a cease-
fire be established that is durable and sustainable and that prevents 
Hamas from acquiring more arms and provoking another round of fighting.
  I commend the Speaker and the bipartisan leadership for authoring 
this important resolution. It provides a sensible way of understanding 
how we got to the current situation and of how we should move forward. 
That is why I support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do 
likewise.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I will vote ``present'' on 
Resolution 34. While the intent of this resolution is to speak out 
against terrorism and to reiterate U.S. support for Israel's security, 
I am deeply concerned that the message it send may be contrary to the 
best interests of both Israel and the Palestinians. A solution to this 
crisis in the Middle East must be diplomatic; it will not be achieved 
by military force.
  The resolution contains many facts, but it omits others that are 
important. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of 
Humanitarian Affairs reported January 8 that since the Israeli military 
operation ``Cast Lead'' began, 758 Palestinians have been killed, 
including 60 women and 257 children. More than 3,000 Palestinians have 
been injured. Israeli media reported that 11 Israelis have been killed, 
most of them soldiers, 3 from ``friendly fire.'' Of paramount concern 
today is to stop the loss of life, to allow medical supplies and 
personnel to enter Gaza, and to provide emergency care to those who 
have been injured.
  The citizens of Gaza, most of whom are refugees, have nowhere to go. 
They are prevented from fleeing into Israel or Egypt and are cornered 
in one of the most populated areas in the world.
  This resolution emphasizes Israel's right to defend itself. Of course 
it has that right. But we also need to stand strongly in solidarity 
with both Israelis and Palestinians who want peace and an end to the 
horrific cycle of violence that manifests itself so horribly in Gaza 
today. I agree that the ultimate goal of the United States is a 
sustainable resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will 
ensure the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel as a 
Jewish and democratic state with secure borders, and a viable, 
independent, and democratic Palestinian state living side by side in 
peace and security with the State of Israel. Unfortunately, I do not 
believe this resolution moves us closer to this goal, and because of 
this, I vote present.
  Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, let me take this means to express my 
support for H. Res. 34. Israel, which has been our ally since President 
Truman recognized this country in 1948, could no longer tolerate 
relentless attacks on its citizens by Hamas and took military action to 
prevent future attacks. Israel must defend itself, as would any nation 
in the face of such provocation.
  The United States and the international community must work to 
support an enduring cease-fire that ends missile attacks by Hamas, 
prevents illegal arms and explosives from entering Gaza, and sets in 
motion a diplomatic solution that will allow Israelis and Palestinians 
to live in peace. Only when the cycle of violence in this troubled 
region is broken will Israelis and Palestinians be able to enjoy the 
peace and prosperity that people everywhere deserve.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I will vote in support of H. Res. 34, 
the Gaza Conflict Resolution. Certainly, everyone recognizes Israel's 
legitimate right to defend itself, the need for a cease-fire, and the 
demand that Hamas stop its rocket attacks against Israel, recognize the 
right of Israel to exist, and join the rest of the Palestinian people 
in negotiations with Israel to reach agreement on a two-state solution 
to the Middle East conflict and establish peace for all the peoples of 
the region. Earlier this month, I issued a statement outlining these 
same key concerns.
  However, I would like to clearly express my frustration and 
dissatisfaction with what has not been included in this resolution.
  I strongly believe the resolution should have included and expressed 
support for the concerns raised by the International Committee of the 
Red Cross, ICRC and United Nations field staff on the ground inside 
Gaza about potential violations of international humanitarian law, IHL 
by both parties. I am particularly concerned about potential violations 
of IHL by Israel because I am such a strong supporter of Israel.
  I am also disappointed that the resolution did not reference the 
resolution passed by the

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U.N. Security Council on January 8, calling for an immediate cease-
fire. While the UNSC resolution is flawed by its failure to condemn 
Hamas rocket attacks, it is an important call for a cessation of 
hostilities, which H. Res. 34 also demands.
  Finally, I am deeply saddened and disturbed by the increasing toll on 
Israeli and Gazan citizens as this most recent escalation in the 
conflict over Gaza continues. Military operations must stop; the rocket 
attacks must stop; and all regional and international actors must 
engage Hamas and Israel to agree to a durable and verifiable cessation 
of hostilities.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, the resolution before us 
correctly condemns the actions by Hamas to target innocent civilians in 
southern Israel and to thwart the cease-fire that had been in place for 
the previous 6 months. It correctly calls for a new, sustainable cease-
fire and affirms the U.S. commitment to a just and durable peace based 
on a two-state solution. But the resolution does not begin to do 
justice to the humanitarian disaster gripping Gaza, and it offers 
little more than lip service on behalf of a serious peace process. 
Focusing on affixing blame for the current crisis, it fails to 
emphasize the steps required to lead us toward a long-term solution.
  I recently wrote an article which appeared in the January 6 Charlotte 
Observer and Miami Herald in which I proposed immediate actions the 
U.S. must take to return us to a trajectory leading to a just and 
lasting peace. I ask permission that it be included in the Record. 
After the conflict ends and the dust settles, after all the 
recriminations and resentments have been aired, we will be left with 
the crucial question of whether and how to resume efforts toward a 
lasting peace, This is the only goal that can meet our and Israel's 
long-term security needs in the region. We must act urgently, knowing 
that the steps we take now will determine just how steep that future 
road to peace will be.

                       U.S. Must Act Now in Gaza

                    (By Representative David Price)

       For observers of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict committed 
     to a peaceful and lasting two-state resolution, the conflict 
     between Israel and Hamas in Gaza brings the temptation to 
     throw one's hands in the air in despair. Mistaken assumptions 
     and lessons left unlearned seem to guide each of the 
     protagonists down a course antithetical to the long-term 
     interests of both Israelis and Palestinians.
       We can't help but lament another cycle of retributive 
     violence--both for the terrible toll it takes on both sides 
     and because we know it is not the way forward. Yet 
     exasperation and passivity are indulgences that the United 
     States and the world can ill afford.


                         Fighting vs. governing

       For its part, Hamas has again proven that it would rather 
     fight than govern or tend to the needs of Gazans, making it 
     exceedingly difficult to envision it as a serious partner at 
     the negotiating table. Israel, while unquestionably justified 
     in its move to put an end to the daily barrage of rockets 
     falling upon its citizens, seems to have forgotten the 
     lessons of the 2006 Lebanon war, during which its use of 
     massive force alienated the Arab world and turned Hezbollah 
     into freedom fighters in the eyes of many Lebanese. And the 
     Bush administration once again offers little--only an 
     unconditional green light to follow the fight, now a full-
     scale ground war, wherever it leads.
       It is difficult to imagine how the current conflict might 
     ultimately lead to a just and lasting peace. Hamas, though 
     militarily debilitated, is not likely to disappear as a 
     political force or to suddenly prove more pliable in 
     negotiations. It may become more rather than less difficult 
     to bring Gaza under the authority of President Mahmoud Abbas 
     and Fatah, lest they be seen as capitalizing on the misery 
     wrought by the fighting.
       And Israel, while addressing a key short-term security 
     objective, risks far-reaching damage to the peace process 
     that is essential to its most critical long-term security 
     objective: a resolution to the conflict. Equally troubling, 
     the overwhelming force of its bombardment has buttressed 
     support for extremist elements, like Hezbollah and the 
     Iranian government, that threaten Israeli and regional 
     security.
       As ominous as the picture may be, it is strongly in the 
     interests of our own country to ensure that the architecture 
     of the peace process is not irreparably damaged. To do so, 
     the United States should take several immediate steps, even 
     as the Bush administration draws anemically to a close.


                       Humanitarian crisis looms

       First, the administration, working with the international 
     community, must take swift action to avert a massive 
     humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Gazans have been on the verge of 
     a humanitarian meltdown for months; the bombing of border 
     tunnels--which have been used to smuggle food and 
     humanitarian supplies, in addition to weapons--pushes Gaza 
     further toward collapse.
       Secondly, the administration should urgently engage Israel, 
     along with regional allies like Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi 
     Arabia, in putting together the framework for a sustainable 
     long-term cease-fire, not simply a temporary halt to 
     fighting. Such a framework must protect Israel from the 
     persistent rocket fire on Sderot and from Hamas's stockpiling 
     of deadly weapons. But it also must provide relief from the 
     devastating embargo on Gaza. To be effective, it must involve 
     Egypt and regional partners as mediators and monitors.


                        Collateral consequences

       Coming on the heels of the 2006 Lebanon war, Israel's 
     military actions in Gaza have had the unfortunate collateral 
     consequence of generating substantial domestic political 
     unrest for many of Israel's friendliest Arab neighbors, 
     particularly Egypt. The United States will need to walk a 
     fine diplomatic line, encouraging Arab nations to lead Hamas 
     toward a sustainable cease-fire while empowering them to 
     advocate for the just peace their citizens demand.
       Finally, both President Bush and, as soon as he takes 
     office, President-elect Obama should explicitly express the 
     United States' unwavering commitment to a viable peace 
     process and undertake diplomacy toward that end. How the 
     present conflict is waged, and on what terms it is halted, 
     will be especially consequential on the Palestinian side of 
     the equation.
       The U.S., Israel and moderate Sunni regimes have not done 
     enough to help President Abbas and Fatah gain credibility, 
     and that task is now even more urgent and challenging. As for 
     Hamas, while its military capabilities may be downgraded by 
     the conflict, its political stock may rise. The organization 
     and its constituency must be taken into account, directly and 
     indirectly, in any viable process. Regional mediations and 
     renewed Israeli-Syrian talks should figure prominently in 
     such efforts.
       These steps will not resolve the conflict. But they will 
     help preserve the possibility of a future peace, a 
     possibility that is now teetering on the brink.

  Mr. POSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 34 
which recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from 
Gaza, reaffirming the United States' strong support for Israel, and 
supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
  When Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, there was hope from many that 
this was an opportunity for peace. Sadly, this has not been the case. 
Since then more than 3 years have passed and approximately 6,400 
rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israeli civilian communities by 
Hamas and other pro-Palestinian organizations. Their goal: to kill, 
maim, terrorize and traumatize innocent Israeli civilians.
  My friends, this total disregard for human life must be condemned in 
the strongest possible terms. These terrorist groups, some of which we 
know are supported by Iran and Syria, have left the Israeli Government 
no choice but to defend the lives of their citizens.
  And to make matters worse, Hamas has been using its own people--
families and children--as human shields when launching their sinister 
rocket attacks. Hamas terrorists have chosen to launch missiles into 
Israel from civilian sites intentionally placing the lives of 
Palestinians at risk. This shows their total disregard not only for the 
lives of Israelis, but for the lives of Palestinians as well.
  The world must come together and condemn the use of these outrageous 
and cowardly tactics against civilian communities and recognize 
Israel's right as a sovereign and democratic nation to protect its 
citizens and borders from unprovoked terrorism. I urge my colleagues to 
stand up and support H. Res. 34 and recognize Israel's right to do 
whatever it takes to protect the lives of its citizens.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Israel's right to defend itself and to express my desire for a peaceful 
and lasting resolution to the current conflict.
  In September of 2005, the Israeli government completed an evacuation 
of all Israeli citizens from Gaza. This historic evacuation, ordered by 
then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, was not widely popular throughout 
Israel but Mr. Sharon felt it was an important and necessary step in 
the quest for a 2-state solution. Soon after the evacuation, in January 
2006, Hamas won 2/3 of the parliamentary elections in Gaza and took 
over as the democratically-elected government of the Palestinian 
people.
  Since their election, Hamas has ignored the conciliatory actions of 
Israel and they have seen their popularity plummet because of this and 
their steadfast refusal to recognize the existence of Israel. So much 
was expected of the new Palestinian leadership following the death of 
Yassir Arafat but the leadership of Hamas has failed its people, and 
continues to be corrupt. This failed leadership came to a head on 
December 19th when Hamas ended the six-month cease-fire with Israel and 
fired over 50 rockets into Israel.
  After continued rocket attacks into heavily populated areas, Israel 
had no choice but to

[[Page 429]]

retaliate with force against Hamas and protect Israeli citizens. Hamas 
leadership knew Israel would respond, but still may have been surprised 
by the forcefulness with which the Israelis defended their citizens. 
Once the Israelis made clear they would not tolerate the rocket 
attacks, Hamas leaders followed a time-honored terrorist tradition of 
hiding amongst and under the people they should have been leading and 
protecting.
  Following Israel's continued defense of its homeland, some have 
demanded Israel stop its targeted strikes into Gaza. This would only 
allow Hamas foot soldiers to continue resupplying their terrorist 
network and would offer little assurance that Hamas will refrain from 
targeting Israeli civilians. It is regrettable that Hamas continues 
firing rockets into Israel and as recently as Wednesday, rockets were 
fired into Israel from Lebanon.
  I will continue to support the right of Israel to defend itself and 
encourage the people of Gaza to demand that their elected leaders cease 
the unjustified rocket attacks and the conscious choice to act as 
terrorists. Furthermore, I commend Egypt on its continuing role as an 
evenhanded facilitator of peace negotiations and urge other Middle 
Eastern nations to follow suit.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of Israel's 
right to defend its citizens and H. Res. 34. Confronted with repeated, 
indiscriminate attacks on its citizens, Israel is engaged in an effort 
to ensure its people can live in peace and without fear of rocket and 
mortar attacks. As one of our strongest allies, it is critical Israel 
knows it has the support and backing of the United States in this 
effort. I support Israel's right to defend itself and encourage my 
colleagues to join me in sending a strong message of support to Israel 
by voting for this legislation.
  In addition to expressing vigorous support for the welfare, security 
and survival of Israel, the resolution also encourages the 
Administration to work actively to support a durable and sustainable 
cease-fire in Gaza that prevents Hamas from retaining or rebuilding its 
terrorist infrastructure. It is my hope that both groups will implement 
a swift end to this conflict that ensures future peace and stop 
unnecessary civilian casualties.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today 
regarding H. Res. 34, concerning the fighting now taking place in the 
Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas.
  Like every Member of the House, I support the right of Israel to 
defend itself and its people. I join my colleagues in strongly 
denouncing the ongoing, indiscriminate, and destabilizing rocket 
attacks being launched by Hamas against the civilian population of 
southern Israel, and in denouncing Hamas' clear intent to continue to 
terrorize the people of Israel.
  I call on Hamas to end its rocket attacks against Israel immediately.
  Like every one of my colleagues here, I am also deeply saddened and 
troubled by the latest round of fighting in the Middle East, the loss 
of life to children and their families, the vast destruction of homes, 
and the enormous suffering that is being caused by the escalation of 
this conflict.
  Today the House was asked to insert its voice into this latest 
conflict between Israel and Hamas. H. Res. 34 states, in part, that the 
House ``recognizes Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from 
Gaza, reaffirming the United States strong support for Israel, and 
supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.''
  I support much of the language in this resolution but I regret that 
H. Res. 34 in its entirety is not the correct statement for the House 
to make at this time.
  America's support for Israel and its right to exist is 
unquestionable.
  What is in question and what is the most important issue for the 
House and the international community to consider is how the Israeli 
people will be able to live in peace and without the constant threat of 
attack from Hamas or others, and how the United States and all other 
nations can assist in achieving that outcome.
  The resolution today does not adequately address that concern, nor 
does it adequately address the complex political facts on the ground in 
the Middle East. Therefore, I have chosen to vote ``present'' on this 
resolution. I do not oppose Israel's right to defend itself and 
therefore I will not vote against the resolution. But I do not believe 
this resolution helps to resolve the current conflict and therefore I 
cannot vote for it.
  What the House of Representatives should do at this moment in time is 
to throw its considerable weight behind the call for an immediate 
cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. A cease-fire is in the best 
interests of Israel and the United States and I call on Israel and 
Hamas to agree to an immediate cease-fire.
  The fact is that there has been a failure of political leadership 
that has led to this renewed and devastating fighting in Gaza. The Bush 
Administration has failed to adequately or successfully address the 
Middle East conflict, and the international community has failed to 
adequately address the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
  Experts on the Middle East had warned that a conflict of this nature 
would eventually come if conditions on the ground did not change. Their 
warnings went unheeded and now a new and costly war has broken out.
  Hamas' rocket attacks against Israel are indefensible. But neither 
can the disproportionate military response by Israel be defended. The 
latest fighting was preceded by a lengthy and crushing blockade by 
Israel of Gaza that caused a humanitarian crisis. Hamas chose to break 
the cease-fire and continue shelling Israel. And Israel chose to use 
the breaking of that cease-fire to launch an all out attack on Gaza.
  Lost in all of this is the answer to the question of how the Israeli 
people can be assured the protection they deserve. The rocket attacks 
against Israel continue despite the enormous firepower brought against 
Hamas by Israel. There is no clear answer as to how Israel will bring 
this conflict to an end in Gaza nor is it clear what are Israel's 
ultimate goals in this conflict.
  Only a cease-fire and a new international commitment to negotiate a 
cessation of hostilities between Hamas and Israel can protect the 
people of Israel. This is also in the best interest of the United 
States, which is so closely identified with Israel throughout the 
world.
  I urge my colleagues in the House, who clearly are concerned about 
the protection of the Israeli people, to use their voices to call for 
an immediate cease-fire and to urge all interested parties to make the 
cessation of hostilities between Hamas and Israel a priority.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Res. 34. This important resolution recognizes Israel's right to defend 
itself against attacks from Gaza, while at the same time supporting the 
Israeli-Palestinian peace process and recognizing that the humanitarian 
needs in Gaza should be promptly addressed.
  For fourteen days, now, Israel has launched airstrikes and now, a 
ground invasion in response to thousands of Hamas-sanctioned rocket 
attacks on Israeli towns from the Gaza Strip. The strikes began less 
than a week after the expiration of a six-month-long cease-fire deal 
with Hamas--during which time, Hamas continually violated the cease-
fire and shot rockets into southern Israel. Israel has a right to 
defend itself from these attacks and when Hamas announced that it was 
ending its ``period of calm,'' Israel began to do just that.
  I have visited Israel on several occasions, and have seen the 
struggles Israelis face daily. I have even been to Sderot, Israel and 
have seen how close these attacks are and how they affect the families 
that live there. During these visits, I have seen the Israelis' 
perseverance and determination to create a peaceful and prosperous 
state despite Hamas' continued refusal to work towards a peaceful 
resolution. Hamas must end this violence and commit itself to a real 
truce. Without this, I believe that there is little chance for peace in 
the region.
  Israel and the United States have been close friends and allies for 
the past sixty years. Our relations have evolved from an initial 
American policy of sympathy and support for the creation of a Jewish 
homeland in 1948 to a key partnership based on common economic 
interests, common security interests, and most of all common values. We 
must continue to cultivate this relationship and encourage peace in the 
region.
  Mr. MARKEY of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support 
for H. Res. 34, a resolution recognizing Israel's right to defend 
itself, reaffirming the United States support for Israel, and 
supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
  I am deeply concerned about the situation in Gaza, and I am deeply 
saddened by the loss of innocent life on both sides. Every innocent 
death or injury in this conflict is a tragedy.
  The United States must play a central role in bringing the parties 
together to stop the violence, and must forcefully engage to restart 
the peace process so that the dream of two states living side by side 
in peace finally can be made a reality. For too many years, the war in 
Iraq has distracted the United States from what should be its number 
one priority in the Middle East: bringing peace to the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict. Finding a just, lasting, and equitable solution 
to the conflict is not only vital for Israelis and Palestinians; it is 
also very much in our national interest. I am very hopeful that the 
incoming Obama administration will reengage the United States at the 
highest levels to complete the peace process.

[[Page 430]]

  The resolution we are considering today appropriately recognizes the 
fact that Hamas has been designated by the United States as a terrorist 
organization. Hamas continues to reject the very right of Israel to 
exist and refuses to renounce violence. Hamas has launched thousands of 
rockets and mortars against Israeli population centers since 2001. 
Instead of laying the foundation for an independent state following 
Israel's withdrawal from Gaza more than three years ago, Hamas turned 
Gaza into a launch pad for rockets targeting Israeli civilians. Hamas 
has launched more than 6,000 rockets and mortars at Israel since 
Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in 2005.
  Israel has the right and obligation to protect its citizens from the 
thousands of rockets that have rained down on its cities and towns 
since Israel's withdrawal from Gaza. These rocket attacks must stop.
  Hamas is not only indiscriminately firing rockets at Israeli 
civilians; it is also damaging the future for all Palestinians who seek 
a normal life for themselves and their families. Peace will only result 
from a political process of engagement and negotiation, not from 
volleys of rockets.
  The incoming Obama Administration has a golden opportunity to breathe 
new life into the peace process, and I am committed to working with 
President Obama to stop the violence, get the peace process back on 
track and establish the security that all residents of the region 
urgently need.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.
  Mrs. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my support for H. Res. 
34.
  The resolution places the blame for the situation in Gaza exactly 
where it belongs, squarely on the shoulders of Hamas.
  It makes clear that Israel has a right to defend itself and that the 
path to peace in the region lies in the recognition of Israel's right 
to exist, the dismantling of Hamas' terrorist infrastructure and the 
release of Gilad Shalit.
  For the last eight years, more than 10,000 missiles have fallen on 
Israel's civilian population centers, killing 28, injuring more than 
700 and traumatizing tens of thousands.
  Hamas violates international law by embedding its weapons in civilian 
centers and using its people as human shields.
  Its cynical choice to reap public relations success from the bodies 
of their own civilians is reprehensible.
  These are the irresponsible acts of madmen and cowards, not rulers 
who can hope to lead a nation.
  I hope that President-elect Obama will be willing to spend political 
capital in calling upon the international community to work together to 
prevent Hamas from rebuilding.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and to take a strong 
stand against the morally bankrupt actions of Hamas.
  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, Israel is a strong ally of our 
country and has a right to defend itself and I have voted on a number 
of times--along with a large majority of my colleagues in the House--to 
make clear our support of that right. According to one estimate, as 
many as one million Israelis live in range of rockets that have been 
fired from Gaza by militants. No one questions the responsibility or 
right of a sovereign nation to protect its people.
  However, the deaths of innocent civilians wherever they may occur 
concerns me. I join my colleagues in condemning all acts of violence 
and hostilities against civilians and acts of terrorism. While Hamas 
may be indifferent to the suffering of Palestinians and Israelis as a 
result of its actions, the rest of the world must not share that 
indifference.
  It is distressing to see this volatile region again paralyzed by a 
new chapter of a seemingly endless cycle of retributive violence in 
which no side really wins and innocent civilians lose the most. We must 
push to break this destructive cycle. The U.S. regional actors, and the 
international community all need to move quickly to defuse this 
situation and help to reach a cease-fire by all sides while addressing 
the security and humanitarian issues that cannot be allowed to continue 
to fester.
  The unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the firing of rockets 
into Israel do not serve the best interest of anyone truly concerned 
with securing permanent peace in the region. That is why it is even 
more important that this House take up a resolution that makes a 
serious call for and helps strongly support ongoing diplomatic efforts 
to bring an end to the violence, demands greater U.S. leadership and 
engagement in those efforts, and recognizes the great loss suffered by 
the Israeli and Palestinian people as a result of the violence and 
urges a swift end to that violence. Unfortunately, the bill before us 
today is not such a resolution.
  Hamas' own actions time and time again show that it is a threat to 
regional and international peace. This is not in dispute. The House has 
rightly condemned Hamas time and time again including passage last 
March of H. Res. 951--which I supported.
  However, I have several concerns about other aspects of the 
resolution before us today. At a time of increasing international 
concern about the situation in Gaza highlighted by diplomatic efforts 
under way at the UN, by the EU, and the Arab League--particularly a 
proposal put forth by Egypt and France--and the passage just last night 
by the UN Security Council of a resolution calling for an immediate 
cease-fire, I fear that his may be the wrong time for a resolution that 
does little to support efforts to halt the conflict.
  The Security Council resolution called urgently for an ``immediate, 
durable and fully respected cease-fire, leading to the full withdrawal 
of Israeli forces from Gaza.'' I am disappointed that the resolution 
before the House today does not support the UN's call for an immediate 
and verifiable cease-fire by both sides.
  When a clear international consensus and diplomatic efforts are 
beginning to coalesce and work towards a solution, why would the U.S. 
Congress want to consider a resolution that takes a sharply different 
tack?
  The resolution before us also differs in a number of ways even from a 
similar resolution that the Senate passed just yesterday. That Senate 
resolution takes a much more serious approach and puts a greater and 
much needed emphasis on the proactive role the U.S. needs to play to 
bring this latest crisis to a close. The U.S. has a vast array of 
diplomatic and other tools that are at the disposal of the President 
and his foreign policy advisers to help resolve international crises 
such as this. Now is the time to open that toolbox and actively use 
those tools.
  If anything has been clear from the last eight years it is that when 
U.S. does not lead and stay in engaged in regional diplomacy, the 
situation in the region will not get better.
  The EU, the UN, the Arab League all recognize that Israel's military 
operations must be supplemented and supplanted by a diplomatic 
resolution that will last. That is why the Egyptians and the French are 
expending considerable efforts--in the absence of U.S. leadership--to 
forge a cease-fire agreement that meets Israel's needs, namely ending 
the firing of rockets into Israel and preventing Hamas from rearming 
while also addressing the humanitarian needs of Gazans. Just yesterday, 
Secretary Rice expressed verbal support for this initiative, stating 
that these efforts ``should not just be applauded, but must be 
supported'' by the international community. But the resolution fails to 
even bring it up.
  The resolution before the House today also expresses support for 
``diminishing the appeal and influence of extremists in the Palestinian 
territories and strengthen moderate Palestinians who are committed to a 
secure and lasting peace.'' However, this resolution by its lack of a 
call for U.S. engagement and lack of recognition of the suffering of 
civilians actually undermines this goal--one that I have long advocated 
and supported--both in its tone and substance. The resolution ignores 
or fails to apprehend the tremendous damage that is being done to the 
efforts of moderates--either presently or in the future--by the ongoing 
conflict that according to one report has generated ``incredible 
bitterness and anger'' in the region. To expect our moderate friends in 
the Middle East to succeed in such an environment is foolhardy at best.
  A cease-fire does not diminish or hinder Israel's right to defend 
itself. It does help get us back on the path to finding a political and 
diplomatic solution that will address Israel's security needs and lead 
to long-term security and peace. A cease-fire is not an end itself but 
is desirable as a means to halt violence and chaos in the immediate 
term while creating room to assure humanitarian aid and for renewed and 
sustained multilateral negotiations for a sustainable peace.
  Congress must speak out to help stop this latest crisis in the Middle 
East but in a way that our message is fair, tough, and smart and that 
makes clear that the U.S.--while supporting Israel's right to self-
defense-- can be and is an honest broker in the region. I fear that 
this resolution fails to meet that standard.
  The best support that we can give our close friend and ally Israel is 
by being an impartial and honest broker that can work with all 
interested parties in the region, Israelis and Palestinians alike. I am 
wary about continuing to take actions that hinder the ability for the 
U.S. to be seen as such a mediator and which may throw more obstacles 
in the way of the incoming administration foreign policy aims.
  The ongoing military operations by Israel cannot and should not 
substitute for a credible long-term diplomatic solution reached with 
the

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help of the international agreement between the Israelis and 
Palestinians that meets the needs and aspirations of both sides that 
will prevent the return to an endless cycle of violence that guarantees 
that ``security'' and peace remains elusive.
  Innocent people on both sides want nothing more than to live normal 
lives with peace and dignity. While I cannot support this resolution in 
its current form, I strongly encourage the administration and the 
international community to undertake robust diplomacy to mediate a 
cross-border cease-fire and to continue to engage in constructive 
activities, statements, and resolutions will help bring peace to the 
region and address Israel's real security needs.
  Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, have a long record of supporting Israel and 
I have no intention of reversing course. My wish continues to be that 
Israel will one day soon enjoy a lasting peace with its neighbors.
  The resolution before the House today is not an easy vote for me. I 
refuse to vote nay because I continue to support Israel's right to 
exist and to defend itself. But I cannot vote yea because in the midst 
of a humanitarian nightmare in Gaza, this resolution is silent on the 
need for an immediate cease-fire and the need to actively relieve human 
suffering.
  The resolution is right to condemn the rocket attacks against 
Southern Israel. These attacks are crimes against humanity. The Hamas 
rockets endanger thousands of lives, terrorize the Israeli populace and 
deny the people of Israel and Gaza the peace they both deserve.
  However, to introduce a resolution in the midst of a raging war that 
has the impression of assigning blame does not measure up to the 
moment.
  We're watching another desperate episode in the cycle of Middle East 
violence, yet our call for a cease-fire is timid.
  We're watching human suffering at a stomach-turning scale, and our 
call to relieve suffering is weak.
  A spasm of violence is consuming lives and we're failing to do all 
that we can to be honest brokers of peace.
  I agree with almost all the language in this resolution, so I cannot 
vote against it. However, I cannot vote in favor of the resolution 
because it does not do enough to set the stage for lasting peace. My 
conscience dictates a vote of present, which is the only vote for 
peace.
  Mr. TIAHRT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 34, a 
resolution recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against attacks 
from Gaza, reaffirming the United States' strong support for Israel, 
and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. I applaud Speaker 
Pelosi and Leader Boehner for bringing this resolution to the floor.
  We stand in solidarity with those praying for real and lasting peace 
and an end to the terrorism brought upon the people of Israel. I am 
confident the acts of aggression carried out by those seeking the 
destruction of the State of Israel will not end in success. Peace will 
come to the land of Israel once again.
  Born out of genocide and conflict, the modern State of Israel has 
developed into a free, democratic and prosperous country. I have been 
to Israel several times and I have seen how they make the desert bloom. 
I have witnessed their corporate compassion to take care of people in 
need. I have heard their pleas for peace. An unfailing ally of the 
United States, Israel is a beacon of freedom and religious tolerance in 
the Middle East.
  Israel understands the dangers of terrorism all too well. From 
suicide bombers to thousands of incoming rockets and mortar shells, the 
people of Israel have experienced mass casualties of enormous and 
unacceptable proportions.
  As Israel currently undertakes military efforts in Gaza, I stand with 
the Israeli Government and the Jewish community as they seek to 
establish peace and protect its citizens from terrorism. Hamas and 
radical Islam must be defeated.
  No nation can sit idly by while its people are killed, its children 
are traumatized, and the daily life of its people is severely disrupted 
by terrorism. Ask yourself, would America tolerate more that 3,000 
rockets launched against our homeland in just 1 year? No, we would 
protect our people. Israel has the responsibility to protect its 
citizens, as well, and that is what it is doing in on-going operations 
in Gaza.
  Americans look forward to peace in Israel and the Middle East, but 
until Hamas and its terrorist allies relinquish its arms and renounce 
violence, the hope for peace can not be attained.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
resolution.
  Mr. GRAVES. Madam Speaker, I wish to express my strong support for 
House Resolution 34, recognizing Israel's universal and sovereign right 
to defend itself from acts of war and aggression, and reaffirming the 
United States' strong support for Israel in our mutual fight against 
terrorism.
  The cause of the present crisis is clear. Hamas, a terrorist 
organization committed to the destruction of Israel, has continually 
violated the territorial integrity of the State of Israel, a member of 
the United Nations, by launching thousands of rocket attacks from Gaza 
for the purpose of terrorizing and killing the citizens of Israel.
  Hamas has received substantial support in its campaign of terror from 
other rogue nations, most notably Iran, which has provided Hamas with 
the material and expertise to conduct their rocket attacks.
  In responding to these attacks, Israel is exercising its sovereign 
right to self defense, a legitimate right recognized by the 
international community.
  Unfortunately, rather than lay the blame for this crisis where it 
belongs, with Hamas and its leadership, too many of our international 
allies have instead criticized Israel.
  Blaming Israel for this present situation is akin to blaming the 
victim of a crime for the actions of a criminal. These criticisms of a 
sovereign state exercising its legitimate right to self defense will 
only embolden Hamas and terrorists everywhere.
  House Resolution 34 recognizes that it is Hamas that is responsible 
for this present crisis and expresses our nation's solidarity with our 
friends and allies in Israel during their time of great danger. It is 
for this reason that I wish to express my strong support for House 
Resolution 34.
  Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to 
support Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East, during her time 
of need. Israel's unstable situation continue to get worst. Since 2005, 
Israel has attempted to promote peace with the Palestinians by 
withdrawing its civilians and soldiers from Gaza in hopes of lessening 
day to day conflicts.
  Now for more than two weeks, the Hamas leadership in Gaza continues 
to hold Palestinian civilians as hostages to its terrorist agenda and 
Israelis now find themselves within range of Hamas rockets. The 
bloodshed and conflict of this situation will only lead to more 
devastation. Every day more innocent civilians on both sides of the 
Gazan border are suffering.
  The United States supports Israel and all efforts to promote a cease-
fire and a durable and sustainable resolution of the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict. I urge my colleagues to remember that our 
strongest ally in the Middle East is Israel and we must support her 
efforts towards peace during this time.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, when Israel unilaterally withdrew from 
Gaza in 2005, the Islamic group Hamas--which does not acknowledge 
Israel's right to exist--took control over the small strip of land. 
Since then, relations between Gaza and Israel have steadily 
deteriorated.
  On December 19, Hamas ended the 6-month cease-fire with Israel by 
launching dozens of rocket attacks into southern Israel, randomly 
targeting civilian neighborhoods. Eight days later, Israel began a 
counter defensive of large scale air strikes. Hamas has continually 
used Gaza as a launching pad for rockets against Israeli cities and has 
contributed deeply to a reduction in the quality of daily life and the 
deteriorating humanitarian situation.
  I deeply support Israel's right to defend themselves against Hamas 
attacks. I also hope to see a sustainable crease-fire brokered to save 
the innocent victims of Hamas' continual instigation of Israel's 
defensive power.
  A friend recently sent me this compelling Washington Post article 
which I would like to submit for the Record.

                [From the Washington Post, Jan. 4, 2009]

           As My Son Goes to War, I Am Fully Israeli At Last

                        (By Yossi Klein Halevi)

       Jerusalem.--``I just heard on the news that Gavriel's base 
     has been shelled,'' my wife, Sarah, said to me last Tuesday, 
     referring to our 19-year-old son, a member of an Israeli army 
     tank unit waiting on the Gaza border for the order to enter. 
     And, she added in a deliberately calm tone, ``A soldier was 
     killed.'' We texted Gavriel, and within five minutes he 
     called, safe. How, Sarah asked, did families survive war 
     before cellphones?
       For days we waited for a cabinet decision: Will there be a 
     land invasion or a new cease fire? The politicians began to 
     bicker while our soldiers waited on the border, in the rain 
     and the mud. Anything but this, I said to Sarah. Not another 
     Lebanon War, which, like Gaza, began with an impressive show 
     of Israeli air power but ended with Hezbollah leader Hassan 
     Nasrallah predicting the imminent end of ``the Zionist 
     entity.'' If we don't win this time--deliver an unambiguous 
     blow if not topple Hamas entirely--our deterrence will 
     further erode, inviting more

[[Page 432]]

     rocket attacks and encouraging the jihadist momentum 
     throughout the Middle East.
       And then I caught myself: How can I be hoping for an 
     outcome that will send my son into battle? This is my first 
     experience as the father of a soldier, and now, after 26 
     years of living in Israel, I finally understand the terrible 
     responsibility of being an Israeli. I had assumed that I'd 
     become initiated into Israeliness when I myself was drafted 
     into the army as a 34-year-old immigrant in 1989. But perhaps 
     only now have I become fully Israeli. Zionism promised to 
     empower the Jews by making them responsible for their fate; 
     the price for that achievement is to be prepared to make the 
     ultimate sacrifice for one's commitments.
       I know Gaza from a previous conflict. During the first 
     intifada of the late 1980s, when Palestinians revolted 
     against the occupation, I was part of a reservist unit that 
     patrolled Gaza's refugee camps. There I learned that there is 
     no such thing as a benign occupation, as Israelis had once 
     deceived themselves into believing. Our unit not only 
     arrested terrorist suspects but also dragged people out of 
     their beds in the middle of the night to paint over anti-
     Israel graffiti and rounded up innocents after a grenade 
     attack just to ``make a presence,'' in army terminology. At 
     night, in our tent, we argued about the wisdom of turning 
     soldiers into policemen of a hostile civilian population that 
     didn't want us there and which we didn't want as part of our 
     society.
       A majority of Israelis emerged from the first intifada 
     convinced that we need to do everything possible to end the 
     occupation and ensure that our children don't serve as 
     enforcers of Gaza's despair. That was why I initially 
     supported the 1993 Oslo peace process that took a terrible 
     gamble on Yasser Arafat's supposed transformation from 
     terrorist to peacemaker. And even after it became clear that 
     Arafat and other Palestinian leaders never intended to accept 
     Israel's legitimacy, I supported the unilateral withdrawal 
     from Gaza in 2005, simply to extricate us from that region, 
     knowing that we would not receive peace in return.
       And now my son is fighting in Gaza. The conflict he and his 
     friends confront is far worse than my generation's experience 
     in Gaza. In our time, we were confronted with mere rocks and 
     Molotov cocktails; my son faces Iranian-supplied anti-tank 
     weapons--one more price we will pay, along with the missile 
     attacks on our towns, for the Gaza withdrawal, just as the 
     Israeli right had warned.
       Still, I don't regret that withdrawal. If Israelis are 
     united today about our right to defend ourselves against 
     Gaza's genocidally minded regime, it is at least partly 
     because we are fighting from our international border. My son 
     and his friends have one crucial advantage over my 
     generation's experience in Gaza: They know, as we did not, 
     that Israel was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for 
     peace, uprooting thousands of its citizens from their homes 
     and endorsing a Palestinian state. My son confronts Gaza 
     knowing that its misery is now imposed by its leaders. He 
     knows that his country was even prepared to share its most 
     cherished national asset, Jerusalem, with its worst enemy, 
     Arafat, for the sake of preventing this war. That empowers 
     him with the moral self-confidence he will need to get 
     through the coming days. The face of my Gaza enemy was a 
     teenager throwing rocks; the face of Gavriel's Gaza enemy is 
     a suicide bomber.
       But we are hardly free of moral anxiety. Even as I pray for 
     Gavriel's physical safety, I pray too for his spiritual well-
     being: that his tank doesn't accidentally shell civilians, 
     that he isn't caught in some terrible mistake, which can so 
     easily happen in a war zone where terrorists hide behind 
     innocent people.
       For the past eight years, Israel has fought a single war 
     with shifting fronts, moving from suicide bombings in 
     Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to Katyusha attacks on Israeli towns 
     near the Lebanon border to Qassam missiles on Israeli towns 
     near the Gaza border. That war has targeted civilians, 
     turning the home front into the actual front. And it has 
     transformed the nature of the conflict from a nationalist 
     struggle over Palestinian statehood to a holy war against 
     Jewish statehood. Except for a left-wing fringe, most 
     Israelis recognize the conflict in Gaza as part of a larger 
     war that has been declared against our being and that we must 
     fight.
       But how? Even some right-wingers are saying that we should 
     have declared a unilateral cease-fire after the initial 
     airstrike and then dared Hamas to continue shelling our 
     towns, rather than risk another quagmire. And even some left-
     wingers are saying that we should now destroy the Hamas 
     regime and then offer to turn Gaza over to international 
     control or, if possible, an inter-Arab force led by Egypt. 
     Every option is potentially disastrous. Most Israelis agree 
     on two points: that we cannot live with a jihadist statelet 
     on our border, and that we cannot become occupiers of Gaza 
     again.
       The despair of Gaza is contagious. One friend, a Likud 
     supporter, said to me, ``I don't know what to hope for 
     anymore.''
       Meanwhile, I try to reassure myself about Gavriel's safety. 
     Growing up in Jerusalem during the suicide bombings in the 
     early 2000s, he has already known danger, intimacy with 
     death. A 13-year-old acquaintance was stoned to death, and 
     was so mutilated that he could be identified only by his DNA. 
     A friend lost the use of an eye in a bus bombing on his way 
     to school. At least now, Gavriel and his friends can defend 
     themselves. Perhaps one reason most of them volunteered for 
     combat units was because now the generation of the suicide 
     bombings can finally fight back.
       Just before the conflict in Gaza began, I happened to visit 
     Gavriel at his base. His unit's barracks had been turned into 
     what young Israelis call a ``zula''--a hangout. There were 
     muddy couches, chairs without backs, a darbuka drum, a TV 
     (Jay Leno was on). It could have been a teenage scene 
     anywhere in the West, except that hanging on the walls were 
     Hamas banners captured by the unit's veteran members in a 
     previous round of fighting in Gaza. In a corner of the room 
     hung a photograph of a fallen soldier. Across the bottom 
     someone had written, ``What was the rush, Shachar? Why did 
     you have to leave us so soon?''
       Even now, perhaps especially now, I feel that our family is 
     privileged to belong to the Israeli story. Gavriel, grandson 
     of a Holocaust survivor, is part of an army defending the 
     Jewish people in its land. This is one of those moments when 
     our old ideals are tested anew and found to be still vital. 
     That provides some comfort as Sarah and I wait for the next 
     text message.
       Yossi Klein Halevi is a senior fellow at the Adelson 
     Institute for Strategic Studies of the Shalem Center in 
     Jerusalem and the author of ``At the Entrance to the Garden 
     of Eden: A Jew's Search for God with Christians and Muslims 
     in the Holy Land.''

  Mr. KENNEDY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of Israel's right 
to defend its citizens from the terrorism and extremism of Hamas. The 
United States and this Congress have a responsibility to stand in 
solidarity with Israel as it endures a difficult moment in its history. 
We must understand that this conflict was created by Hamas's unwavering 
commitment to violence against both Israelis and Palestinians. Since 
2001, Hamas has fired over 7,500 rockets and mortars at villages and 
towns in Southern Israel. More alarmingly, Hamas has recently acquired 
rockets with an increased range that have the ability to levy even more 
destruction on Israeli society. As their rocket technology becomes more 
sophisticated, Hamas could potentially strike airports, major cities 
and nuclear power plants. Would we as Americans accept living under an 
incessant barrage of violent air attacks? We would expect our leaders 
to take the appropriate action against these perpetrators of violence. 
Israel has correctly taken steps that will ensure that terrorism 
against its nation will be eliminated with the hope that one day its 
nation can live in peace. I firmly believe that a two-state solution is 
the only way in which peace and stability can come to Israelis and 
Palestinians in the Middle East.
  Madam Speaker, for over 20 years, Palestinians have been subject to 
the terror, intimidation and militancy of Hamas. This terrorist 
organization openly recruits suicide bombers to launch attacks 
throughout the Middle East. Earlier this month, a female suicide bomber 
killed over 100 innocent Iraqis without causing the slightest outcry 
from Hamas. In Gaza, Hamas has committed a litany of human rights 
violations including the arrest, tortures and imprisonment of political 
opponents. In December 2008, Hamas terrorists refused to allow 
Palestinian pilgrims in Gaza to travel to Mecca, Islam's holy site. 
Hamas represents a great threat to international peace and will 
continue to do so as long as it remains a significant threat in the 
Middle East. I urge the swift passage of this resolution.
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Madam Speaker, I rise to support H. Res. 34 
recognizing the State of Israel's right to exist in the community of 
nations and reaffirming America's strong support for Israel.
  Paramount among any sovereign state's rights is the right to defend 
itself. I voted to affirm that right for our good friend, the State of 
Israel against attacks from Hamas. If the Hamas-led government truly 
wishes to be a member of the global community, it must acknowledge and 
abide by all the world's rules including severing all links to 
terrorism and acknowledging the right of Israel's peaceful existence.
  Madam Speaker, the Middle East has been plagued by chronic fighting 
long enough. I join my colleagues in supporting Israel and in calling 
on all parties to cease hostilities and focus their efforts on the 
Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Tauscher). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) that the 
House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 34.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.

[[Page 433]]


  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________