Lois Capps: “the House is right to condemn the horrific and heartless suicide bombings, and to reaffirm our support for Israel; but…”

“the House is right to condemn the horrific and heartless suicide bombings, and to reaffirm our support for Israel; but it is not right simply to voice our personal emotions and not to advance our national interests. This resolution should be stronger. First, it should recognize the suffering of the Palestinian people. Many of the 1,500 Palestinians killed in this conflict are not terrorists or fighters, but innocent people. Second, Congress should forcefully support strong U.S. engagement in pursuit of a negotiated long-term settlement to the conflict. All suicide bombings cannot be stopped by the Palestinian authority alone, nor will they be ended by Palestinian incursions into the West Bank and Gaza. Terrorism was stopped before, and can be halted again only through joint Israel-Palestinian security cooperation. Beyond that, the dream of a secure Israel can be realized only alongside a politically and economically viable Palestine. Our own national interests demand that the U.S. serve as an honest, credible leader towards peace.”