Anna Eshoo: “I rise to condemn the recent terrorist bombings carried out against innocent Israelis. At least 57 people have been…”

“I rise to condemn the recent terrorist bombings carried out against innocent Israelis. At least 57 people have been murdered in the past few weeks in Israel during a wave of suicide bombings carried out by Hamas. I am pleased to support H. Con. Res. 149 which calls upon Chairman Arafat, the Palestinian Authority, and the Palestinian Council to apprehend and punish the terrorists who planned these bloody attacks, and to prevent such acts in the future. It also calls for the elimination of the terrorist structures of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front of the Liberation of Palestine. In addition, the measure recognizes the role the United States must play by expressing our intent to reconsider United States assistance to the Palestinian Authority in light of steps that must be taken by the authority against terrorist infrastructures and operations. Mr. Speaker, these attacks were the work of cowards and common criminals. Now, it's up to both Israeli and Palestinian authorities to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice and redouble their efforts to guarantee Israel's security. Just as important, they must not let the terrorists achieve their political objective of derailing the Middle East peace process. The victims will truly have died in vain if terrorism succeeds in renewing the hideous cycle of violence that has plagued Israel since it became a state.”