Dianne Feinstein: “today a new government has been formed in Israel under the leadership of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, with Shimon Peres…”

“today a new government has been formed in Israel under the leadership of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, with Shimon Peres as Foreign Minister and the broad-based participation of many across Israel's political spectrum. I would like to take a few minutes today to share my assessment of the present situation, where things stand, and what this may mean for U.S. policy in the region. I rise today as one who has supported the peace process, believed that a peace agreement was possible, and who has worked in the Senate, along with many of my colleagues, to see that the United States played an active role in helping Israel and the Palestinians seek peace. Prime Minister Ehud Barak was elected two years ago to make peace and to bring about an ``end of the conflict'' with both Syria and the Palestinians. He was elected with a mandate to complete the Oslo process, a goal at the time supported by the majority of the people of Israel. Over the past two years Prime Minister Barak tried, heroically and energetically, to achieve a comprehensive peace with both parties.…”