Russ Feingold: “On September 13, 1993, the world watched with hope and fear when Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian…”

“On September 13, 1993, the world watched with hope and fear when Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat signed the Declaration of Principles on the White House lawn and began a new era in the Middle East. As much as we hoped there would be an end to terrorism, bloodshed, and occupation, I think just about everyone knew the road to peace would not be that simple. We had reason to cheer though because now the battle lines would be drawn differently. Rather than Arab versus Jew, the peace process created a new alliance, moderate versus extremism, where Israelis, Palestinians, and others were joined to pursue a peaceful and prosperous Middle East. While there were some very tenuous periods during 1994--continued terrorist attacks, such as the disastrous bombing in the center of Tel Aviv, and the bomb attack in Beit Leid where over 20 soldiers were killed, the massacre of 28 Palestinians in Hebron by an extremist Israeli named Baruch Goldstein--nonetheless, Mr. President, the peace process was progressing.”