The Long-Term Problems Between Israel and Palestine

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with the Palestinian people as they face grave injustices, violence, and certainly abuse. I join the countless people around the world, Mr. Speaker, who are vehemently opposed to the planned, forced evictions of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah and saddened by the escalating violence that threatens Israelis and Palestinians alike.

We must condemn all forms of violence and mourn the loss of both Palestinian lives and Israeli lives.

I stand here today as one of the three Muslims serving in Congress on Eid day, heartbroken to see the attacks on the worshippers at the Al- Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest sites of Islam in our holiest month of the year by the Israeli Government.

For decades, Israel has violated international law and basic human rights through its systematic displacement of Palestinians. For too long, America has looked the other way as Israel has engaged in this horrific campaign against Palestinians.

Israel is our security partner. In fact, the U.S. alone gives Israel billions of dollars per year. But we must make sure that our taxpayer dollars are not being used to fund human rights violations.

Enough is enough.

America has a moral obligation to use our influence to protect the victims of human rights violations including the Palestinian people. We must work to strengthen our work to bring peace to this region. This is our moral responsibility to do the right thing. It is not about Jews versus Muslims or Israel versus its neighbors. It is about right versus wrong.

Let me be clear: Israel's decade of forced displacement is wrong. That is why we are working hard in Congress to make things right. Our American Government must enforce international law and our own foundational principles, and our allies, like Israel, must be held accountable for human rights violations.

Now, we are going to keep working hard in Congress to pass much- needed legislation that achieves accountability, equality, and justice for all.

America is great and powerful--probably the greatest nation in recorded history. But America is complex. It is a complicated work in progress. For centuries she has engaged in and enabled the mistreatment of countless people from the slavery enshrined in its Constitution against Africans to the taking of land from Native Americans, or the shameful support of dictators beyond our shores. But today we face an inflection point, a reckoning of whether we will stand up for the values we claim to cherish or if we will turn a blind eye to repeated violations of human rights.

We cannot turn our backs now. We must recognize that this is an international struggle and stick by the words of Dr. King when he said that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

I am thankful for Dr. King and for the long list of great Americans who have helped bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice. We stand on the shoulders and march in their footsteps as we advance their legacy and boldly stand up to protect the human rights of the Palestinian people. By working together, we can ensure that America uses her power for good in Palestine and around the world.

Let's keep up this momentum. Let's help secure justice for the Palestinian people. Let's work for peace. Let's never give up.

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