Prospects for Peace in the Middle East

Floor Speech

Mr. GARAMENDI. I was going to speak on a subject, and I will, but after listening to the previous speaker, I think a few comments are in order.

I think it was that great socialist, Richard Nixon, that happened to sign the Environmental Protection Act and the Clean Air Act. So maybe that's what you're talking about.

But to make the argument that somehow the environmental movement is responsible for the demise of American industries is just fallacious. It's a stretch of the imagination. In fact, there are many, many things involved, including free trade acts and international competition that's coming our way.

And if my colleague on the Republican side was so interested in this, he would have voted on the bill last week that would have brought back foreign earnings and closed the tax loopholes on those American corporations that have gone offshore--instead, bringing those back. I think, if I recall correctly, we didn't get one Republican vote on closing those loopholes that have allowed American corporations to offshore jobs. But I really wanted to take up another issue, and I will do so now.

I rise today to express my support for the right that all nations have to secure their borders in self-defense. Our close ally, Israel, shares a border with Gaza, a region controlled by the terrorist organization Hamas. Since 2001, thousands of rockets have been launched from Gaza into Israel, killing more than a dozen Israelis and wounding hundreds and terrifying that nation. We also know that Hamas receives material support from Iran, an international pariah that oppresses its own citizens while funding terrorist organizations throughout the region. For all these reasons, Israel has chosen to restrict imports to the Gaza Strip, insisting that all deliveries must be inspected to make sure that weapons are not smuggled into the territory.

Today, I call on Hamas leadership to reject their past support for terrorism, renounce violence, and embrace the two-state solution so that Israelis and Palestinians can live their lives freely, in peace, and security.

I also call on all powers in the Middle East to value human life and to do everything to avoid bloodshed. The loss of life in the flotilla incident was tragic, and I look forward to the findings of the recently formed Independent Public Commission, which will examine such issues as the naval blockade of Gaza, actions taken by the commandos during the flotilla incident, and the identities and conduct of the organizers and participants in the flotilla.

In the meantime, we must focus on avoiding escalation, preventing more violence, and continuing the peace process. The greatest tragedy would be to allow the flotilla incident to end the region's prospects for peace.

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