Recognizing Israel's Right to Defend Itself Against Attacks from Gaza

Floor Speech

RECOGNIZING ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST ATTACKS FROM GAZA-- (House of Representatives - January 09, 2009)

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Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I commend him, Mr. Berman, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Congresswoman ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN for bringing this resolution before us today. I am pleased to join Mr. Boehner and Mr. Hoyer in cosponsoring it.

Today, we have reaffirmed with this resolution that Israel, like any nation, has a right to defend itself when under attack. Protecting the people of our country is the first responsibility any of us has, and so has Israel. The rocket and mortar attacks from Hamas in Gaza, which were increasing in frequency and in range, constituted an unacceptable security threat to which Israel had a responsibility to respond.

Certainly, all of us regret the loss of life, injury and destruction of property of innocent civilians that has occurred on both sides of the conflict. When I spoke with Prime Minister Olmert last week, I conveyed the concerns of my constituents and of my colleagues about the loss of life among civilians. We must do all we can to relieve the pain of the innocents and to bring about a real peace that will avoid further loss of life on both sides.

If we are to achieve a real peace, we must begin with a cease-fire to the current conflict. Hamas must stop the attacks, which is why this resolution calls for the Bush administration to work toward that end, but a cease-fire must do more than just end the current fighting. It must address some of the root causes of the conflict so we may attain a peace that is, in the words of this resolution, ``durable and sustainable.''

Security for Israel and an improvement in the lives of the people of Gaza cannot be achieved as long as Hamas uses that impoverished land as a launching pad for attacks against Israelis. The goal of any cease-fire must be more than a return to the status quo. It must be a positive and measurable step toward a final, just resolution of the differences between Palestinians and Israelis.

Our goal must be to achieve an agreement between Palestinians and Israelis that results in a secure, democratic Israel, living side by side with a viable and independent Palestinian state and with both sides finding peace and prosperity. The cycle of violence that feeds the fury of despair must be broken. The hard work of negotiation must be done, and the difficult but necessary decisions must be made so that such an agreement can be achieved.

The United States must be an active, constant and engaged partner in this conflict. With the new energy and fresh thinking of the new administration, we pray that an enduring settlement can be reached.

On days like this, Madam Speaker, and with the resolution that we have before us, we are all reminded that for more than 60 years the commitment of the United States to the security of Israel has been a real one. From the moment in 1947 when President Harry S. Truman took the bold step of recognizing the State of Israel to this very day, America stands shoulder to shoulder with our democratic ally in the Middle East.

We want, as I said, a two-state solution with a Jewish democratic Israel side by side with a secure Palestinian state. That can only occur if Hamas stops the exploitation of the impoverished people of Gaza for its own purposes as it continues its attacks on Israel.

Again, I thank the chairman of the committee, Mr. Berman, and the ranking member, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, for their leadership in bringing this resolution to the floor.

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