Calling for Release of Israeli Soldiers Held Captive by Hamas and Hezbollah

Floor Speech

CALLING FOR RELEASE OF ISRAELI SOLDIERS HELD CAPTIVE BY HAMAS AND HEZBOLLAH

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Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, last July Israel's sovereign border was violated by terrorists linked to Hamas who shot and killed two Israeli soldiers and kidnapped Corporal Gilad Shalit.

Days later, terrorists linked to Hezbollah crossed into Israel and killed three and wounded two, and kidnapped soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. All three have been held captive since without medical attention from humanitarian groups like the Red Cross. No information is known on the fate of these soldiers.

As proxies of the Iranian and Syrian regimes, Hezbollah and Hamas have continued to attack Israel despite Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000 and Gaza in 2005.

Rather than view Israel's withdrawal as an act of good faith to further the cause of peace, Hezbollah and Hamas viewed these measures as signs of weaknesses to exploit. Hamas and Hezbollah, which have representatives in the Palestinian and Lebanese cabinets, believe that terrorism, murder and kidnapping are appropriate means of achieving political objectives, and have proposed negotiations to exchange these hostages for convicted terrorists now serving time in Israeli jails.

I am proud to be a cosponsor of this resolution which declares that the House of Representatives stands with the State of Israel and its right to self-defense and against the barbarity perpetrated by Hezbollah, Hamas and other terrorist groups, and the rogue regimes that sponsor them.

This resolution demands that Hamas and Hezbollah immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Shalit, Mr. Goldwasser and Mr. Regev, and that they provide all three with access to medical attention.

The resolution also holds Iran and Syria accountable for making terrorist acts like these possible. We cannot afford to be complacent about those Islamist extremists who would seek to kill three people, violate borders with impunity and threaten the security of the Middle East and the world.

As Dr. Martin Luther King noted, ``Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.''

I thank Chairman Ackerman for introducing this resolution, his leadership in this area, and doing so much to advance the cause of the kidnapped Israeli soldiers. This resolution is about seeking what is needed most: Justice for the innocent and accountability for the guilty. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. BOOZMAN. Yes. Again, I reiterate how important to my colleagues it is that we pass this resolution and support it wholeheartedly, and I thank the gentleman for his leadership in this area.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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