Sam Farr: “Hamas maintains and asserts a radical, violent ideology within its charter--the destruction of Israel. I believe that S.…”

“Hamas maintains and asserts a radical, violent ideology within its charter--the destruction of Israel. I believe that S. Con. Res. 79, which reaffirms that no U.S. funds should go to the Palestinian Authority if the majority party maintains a position calling for the destruction of Israel, is a good first step in creating a more peaceful region. Voting in support of this Resolution is not a hard choice. But harder choices and questions lay ahead. Should we choose a knee- jerk reaction that cuts off all communication, as well as all assistance to the Palestinian people? The alternative is taking a deep breath and reflecting on more constructive ways to bring about a long- term, sustainable peace within the region, while maintaining our opposition to a political party that supports the idea of the destruction of another nation. The reasons behind Hamas's victory are complicated. Polling data continues to show that the majority of Palestinians want peace and believe in a two-state solution. Palestinians are tired of a corrupt government and are exhausted by living in poverty. The U.S. Government's actions should not feed these root causes of Palestinian discontent. In fact, we should be supportive of efforts to mitigate these problems, including continued support for NGO-run humanitarian assistance. This path of moderation, I believe, will help bring more security to Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, and some day a Palestinian State.…”