[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 17986]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          CONDEMNING PALESTINIAN TERROR ATTACKS AGAINST ISRAEL

  Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, since the beginning of October, 
Palestinians armed with knives, meat cleavers, guns, and cars have 
carried out approximately 77 attacks, leaving 159 Israelis wounded and 
12 dead. Two Americans have been killed in these gruesome attacks, 
including Richard Lakin, who was a Glastonbury, CT, elementary school 
principal and civil rights activist before he moved to Israel in 1984. 
Connecticut grieves for our dear friend and colleague to our educators 
there, who perished while seeking peace. That was his goal. That was 
his mission.
  The Palestinian Authority must be held accountable for incitement, 
and it must work to stem this tide of visceral violence. Repeated, 
reprehensible attacks on innocent Israeli civilians follow President 
Abbas' dangerous disavowal of commitments made during the peace 
process. He has disavowed those commitments, and he has renounced them. 
These attacks must be stopped with leadership from the Palestinian 
Authority.
  That is why I have introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator 
Ayotte, and more than half the Senate has now joined with us to stand 
with Israel, to condemn these Palestinian terror attacks, and to 
reaffirm Israel's commitment to the continued maintenance of the status 
quo on the Temple Mount. I look forward to returning to the floor to 
have this resolution passed. It is time the Senate spoke out over this 
violence that has engulfed Israel and threatens everyday Israelis 
trying to live their normal lives in peace. It is time for America to 
speak out, as it is doing now, day in and day out.
  I have visited Jerusalem, Israel's capital, and seen how remarkable a 
place it is, both in terms of being home to three monotheistic faiths 
and in the remarkable way that Israel has maintained respect and proper 
access for all religions and for their practices.
  Israel stands alone as a nation committed to tolerance and respect 
for all faiths. This resolution serves as an expression of our support 
and our solidarity with Israel in bringing this violence to an end and 
as our resolve to help stabilize security for both Palestinians and 
Israelis.
  I have said before--and I feel more passionately and deeply now than 
ever before--that Palestinian political goals will never be achieved 
through violence. As efforts to deescalate this situation move 
forward--and I support them--this resolution calls on all parties to 
return to the negotiating table immediately and without preconditions. 
Israel is already committed to peace negotiations without 
preconditions. I continue to support a two-state solution that is 
acceptable to all parties, involving direct negotiations with the 
active and sustained support of the United States and the international 
community.
  My hope also is that the United States will continue to support 
Israel by reaffirming our unshakeable commitment to Israel's security. 
Today, President Obama met with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I hope that 
meeting will serve to bolster the bonds between our two great 
countries. I understand it went well. I certainly hope it did.
  I joined Senator Bennet, along with 14 other Senators, in writing to 
the President and urging him to prioritize discussing with Mr. 
Netanyahu the historic renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding on 
U.S. Military Assistance to help Israel prepare for, respond to, and 
defend against threats that are more pressing and dangerous than ever, 
and to ensure its qualitative military edge.
  I note that my wonderful friend and colleague from Illinois is 
waiting to speak, so I will end here and say that the current MOU 
provides $30 billion in assistance to Israel through fiscal year 2018.
  As threats in the region continue to evolve, including Iran's 
potentially malign influence, the administration must engage at the 
highest level to continue to develop a shared understanding of threats 
confronting Israel by strengthening the MOU that serves as the 
foundation of our bilateral security efforts.
  I will always fight to uphold Israel's security, and I am committed 
to opposing efforts to delegitimize Israel. We can stand together on a 
bipartisan basis, and this cause must always be bipartisan, must always 
be above politics. I will continue to work toward ensuring that the 
partnership in this body and the partnership between the United States 
and Israel is strengthened and enduring.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, first, let me thank my colleague from 
Connecticut, Senator Blumenthal. I join him in condemning the violence 
that is taking place in the streets of the Middle East and Jerusalem 
and other places. I also join him in calling for a two-state solution 
so that we can have both the Palestinian people and the people of 
Israel living safely and securely without fear of any kind of military 
action from one against the other. That should be our ultimate goal, 
and we should renew that goal regularly. I join him in what he had to 
say.

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