Providing that Hamas and Other Terrorist Organizations Should Not Participate in Elections Held by Palestinian Authority

PROVIDING THAT HAMAS AND OTHER TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS
HELD BY PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY -- (House of Representatives - December 14, 2005)

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Mr. McCAUL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution to express the idea that democracy and terrorism are not compatible and that statesmen and terrorists cannot coexist. I want to thank Mr. Cantor and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen for their assistance and hard work in bringing this important resolution to the floor. I would also like to thank Mr. Menendez, Mr. Lantos, Ms. Berkley, and Mr. Wexler for their partnership on this issue.

We have come here today in a very bipartisan fashion in order to deliver a message to Mr. Abbas and to all other developing democracies in the rest of the world.

The future of Palestinian democracy cannot include terrorists and religious fanatics. The first step of President Bush's road map to peace calls for the disarming of Hamas and other terrorist organizations, as well as the dismantling of the terrorist infrastructure. The Palestinian people will have a future only if their leaders begin to take responsibility for the well-being of their citizens, and they must end their obsession with the destruction of the State of Israel.

Democratic parties cannot control armed militias. If the Palestinians wish to have a democratic country, Hamas must lay down its arms, and it must renounce the use of terrorism and violence, and it must recognize Israel's right to exist; or they must know that this Congress will not be a friend to their government. Terrorist organizations do not have a place in a peaceful political process.

It is not unprecedented in recent history for a terrorist organization to lay down its arms, to renounce its violent ways, and then to be accepted into a legitimate democratic government. The IRA has accomplished this, and Hamas has had the opportunity to do this. But instead, they have repeatedly vowed to continue bloody terrorist acts against innocent Israeli citizens and stated their intentions to seek the destruction of the State of Israel.

President Abbas himself has called for the Palestinian Authority to act with one authority, one law, and one gun. But actions speak louder than words, and this upcoming election is the test for him and for Palestinian democracy.

The Palestinian government has not taken the necessary steps to accomplish this goal, and President Abbas' apparent willingness to allow Hamas to participate without preconditions is disheartening.

The United States has a longstanding policy of not dealing with or making concessions to terrorists. We do not negotiate, we do not trade with, and we do not fund terrorists. Therefore, there is no diplomacy to be had with terrorists, and the Palestinian Authority will be a terrorist government if Hamas candidates are elected.

And what if members of terrorist organizations are elected? Should American taxpayers be forced to send foreign aid to the hands of these terrorists? Should we be giving them an opportunity to divert American foreign aid directly into the hands of terrorists who have pledged to kill innocent civilians? The answer is no.

This resolution is a message to President Abbas. If the Palestinian Authority is determined to continue and allow Hamas to participate as planned, then this government will have to take a new look at our relationship with the Palestinian government.

I urge my colleagues to support emerging democracies in the Middle East and to support this important resolution.

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Mr. McCAUL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

In closing, I would submit that we all would like to see a peaceful resolution to this. There are many ways to build a democracy. We encourage statesmen to explore all of them and to find the one that will benefit their people the most. However, to allow terrorists and murderers to participate and allowing political parties who control armed militias to gain phony legitimacy through elections is not productive and will ultimately lead their country off the path to democracy. Furthermore, it will force us to reassess our relationship with the Palestinian Authority.

I strongly urge President Abbas to heed this warning, and I strongly urge my colleagues to vote for this resolution.

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