On the recordOctober 8, 2003
As the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel has been a strong and important ally to the United States for over 50 years. Maintaining that relationship is imperative to the strength and security of the United States. When I was approached several months ago about joining a congressional delegation to Israel, I welcomed the opportunity. Though I had been to Israel once before in the early 1990s, it was during a very different time, a time when peace seemed near. Given the events over the last several years in both Israel and the United States, I felt it was my duty as a Member of Congress to gain a better understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how it relates to the security of the United States. One of the most important aspects of this congressional delegation trip were our meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. We were greeted by both leaders with optimism regarding the peace process.
Source
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