Tom Lantos: “I rise today to condemn the outrageous and insane terrorist act which caused the death of dozens of innocent civilians…”

“I rise today to condemn the outrageous and insane terrorist act which caused the death of dozens of innocent civilians in the Mosque of Hebron last Friday. This deranged and mindless act is only the most spectacular attempt by religious fanatics on all sides to halt the most promising peace process in the region in half a century. It follows the mindless assassination of 31 Israeli civilians, including a pregnant woman, by Arab terrorists since the Israeli-Palestinian agreement was signed last September. And it precedes the outrageous bombing of a Catholic Church in Junieh, Lebanon, on Sunday in which nine worshipers lost their lives in an attempt by Islamic fundamentalists to prevent the visit by the Pope to the Roman Catholic community of Lebanon. I invite all my colleagues to join me in condemning these terrorist outrages in the Middle East and in calling on all responsible leaders to rededicate their efforts to the ongoing peace process with renewed determination.”