Condemning Mideast TV Programming That Incites Violence

Floor Speech

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Mr. BILIRAKIS. I want to thank the gentleman from Texas for the time.

I rise in support of House Resolution 1069, and I urge swift passage.

Along with Mr. Crowley's original resolution, I introduced House Resolution 1308, condemning the broadcasting of incitement of violence against Americans and the United States in Middle Eastern-based media.

I am pleased to have worked with Mr. Crowley in combining our two resolutions to come up with the product we have today. I am grateful that my colleagues on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, led by Chairman Berman and Ranking Member ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, in a display of bipartisanship, unanimously voted for my amendment in the nature of a substitute to House Resolution 1069.

Anti-American incitement of violence is escalating in quality and quantity, fueled by the rapid growth of satellite television throughout the Arab world. In 2008, al-Manar TV broadcast over two dozen video clips of insurgent bombings against U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq, while one of its correspondents implicitly threatened the USS Cole with attack. Further, Iranian state-controlled TV channels repeatedly broadcast calls for ``Death to America,'' and, we have already heard al-Aqsa TV broadcast a puppet show depicting an Arab child stabbing the President of the United States.

Instead of denouncing and addressing such incitement, many countries in the region effectively provide financial, material, or technological support to purveyors of incitement. Al-Manar and al-Aqsa, among others, are transmitting on the satellite providers Nile-Sat, controlled by the Egyptian government, and Arabsat, controlled by the Arab League. Given the dangers such incitement poses to American service and civilian personnel in the region, it is long past time for the U.S. and other responsible nations to stop this growing threat. Support of House Resolution 1069 is, therefore, critical.

Among other things, this resolution condemns the broadcast of anti-American incitement to violence and hatred against the Americans, Israelis, and the West by Middle East-based media. It urges Middle Eastern governments, U.S. allies, and other responsible nations to officially and publicly repudiate purveyors of such incitement to violence against Americans and Israelis. It calls on the President to designate al-Aqsa as a specially designated global terrorist entity, and to designate those satellite providers that contract with purveyors of incitement to violence as such. It demands that Hamas recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce violence and terrorism, and accept all past peace agreements with Israel. Most importantly, it takes into consideration state sponsorship of anti-American incitement to violence when determining our aid to and relations with regional governments.

We must stop Middle East-based media from inciting violence against us.

Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank Mr. Crowley. I thank you for the time. This is an important resolution that will enhance our security and protect our soldiers and citizens overseas. I urge its passage.

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