Henry Waxman: “Does it help us move toward peace in the Middle East for the United States to deny the reality of what is happening…”

“Does it help us move toward peace in the Middle East for the United States to deny the reality of what is happening today in the Middle East and to turn its back on our staunchest ally, the only democracy in the Middle East? I have to tell Members of this Chamber that we should not, in the earnest hope for peace, turn our backs on Israel. We ought to adopt this resolution and stand in solidarity with the people of Israel. Let us look at the events. A peace process brought, through our efforts, the head of the Palestinian Authority and the Prime Minister of Israel together to try to work out a settlement. Prime Minister Barak offered the most generous settlement that anyone ever imagined he would; and he was rejected by Arafat, the President of the Palestinian Authority. Chairman Arafat was unresponsive to this proposal and then went home and, either because he did not have the ability to stop it or the conviction to rein it in, permitted the paramilitary forces to engage in mob fury.”