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Floor Speech
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Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I think many watching the Senate from afar and even those of us privileged to serve in this body see us as simply talking past one another on a far too regular basis. So I want to start today remembering some wise words from my friend and former Senate colleague the Republican Senator from Nebraska and later Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel.
Chuck was an internationalist and knew the dangers, personalities, and difficult tradeoffs when dealing with overseas challenges. Several years ago, he said quite wisely:
Powerful nations must be the adults in world affairs. Anything less will result in disastrous, useless, preventable global conflict.
I couldn't agree with Senator Hagel more, and I want our Israeli allies to think carefully about his words when it comes to the horror of Gaza.
Quite simply, the humanitarian conditions in Gaza are appalling, unconscionable, and cruel. Last week, more than 100 NGOs--including Mercy Corps, Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, and Oxfam-- warned of mass starvation spreading across Gaza. Following Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's nearly 3-month blockade of humanitarian assistance, three-quarters of the population in Gaza is facing emergency or catastrophic levels of hunger. The tiniest of babies cannot even access formula and risk heartbreaking death.
Yes, Hamas started this conflict with a heinous attack on Israel. Yes, Hamas is still unconscionably holding hostages. And yes, Hamas cynically uses civilians as human shields and brutally represses brave Gazans who are protesting for an end of this despicable rule. But, as I have repeatedly appealed to Israel, learn from our mistakes in the United States after September 11, after the attack on our country and the loss of 3,000 innocent Americans. Be careful of decisions made in the fog of rage, pain, and loss. Recognize there is no solely military solution to defeating a terrorist group.
In fact, last September, the Israeli Defense Forces assessed that Hamas had been largely defeated militarily and that today, Hamas is effectively, in the words of the Israeli military, a guerrilla terror group.
Israel should have been planning how to restore order and thinking about a day-after plan in Gaza long ago when Hamas's military capabilities had largely been destroyed. Several noted Israeli leaders tried, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Director of the Israeli Security Agency Ronen Bar--both of whom were fired by Netanyahu.
Let me be clear. Continuing this war with no discernible end is not in Israel's national security interest, and a lack of a viable plan and the humanitarian fiasco have been glaring mistakes--getting worse by the day.
Last week, Senators Reed, Shaheen, Warner, Coons, Schatz, and I called for a drastic change of course in Gaza, including an end to the fighting, return of the hostages, a dramatic increase in humanitarian aid, and a viable path toward a two-state solution that brings in regional powers to help manage and rebuild Gaza.
You cannot watch these scenes on television of these children emaciated because of their starvation and other children begging with pans for just a little bit of food to survive and believe this is the right course of action. It has to end. The humanitarian aid has to start immediately. It is within Israel's capabilities to do that. There is no excuse if they don't.
There was some welcome news this weekend about reopened aid corridors, but the larger urgent steps just can't wait any longer. I know the dilemma. I believe I know the dilemma that Israel faces with the attacks on October 7 on Israelis. I saw the videotape. Hamas was outrageous in their conduct in this invasion of Israel. But it has reached a point now where Israel has to show some leadership.
I don't know what Prime Minister Netanyahu is waiting for, but if he witnessed what we do in the United States from organizations across the world begging us to do something, to join them in stopping this humanitarian disaster, perhaps his heart will soften somewhat. We have to, in the United States, show real leadership.
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