06 December 2000

Senate Majority Leader Condemns Terror Attacks in Israel

The Palestinian Authority and its leader Chairman Yasser Arafat have exhausted the world's patience by not dealing effectively with terror attacks, according to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (Democrat of South Dakota).

In a December 5 speech to fellow lawmakers, Daschle said terrorists have used territories under the control of the Palestinian Authority as a haven "to plan and organize their murderous assaults, to build their bombs and recruit their suicide bombers."

The suicide bombings in Jerusalem and in Haifa, Daschle said, "ended 26 innocent lives, but they also ended something else. They ended any patience the world has for excuses and inaction on the part of Chairman Arafat and the Palestinian Authority."

Instead of cracking down on such terrorist violence, Daschle said, "Chairman Arafat has seemed all too willing to use it as a negotiating tool."

The Senate Majority Leader called such a strategy "more than cynical," and warned that it was dangerous, and "stands in stark contrast to the Oslo process that brought the region so close to a comprehensive peace just one year ago."

Concrete steps to bring the planners of the weekend attacks to justice are "just a starting point," Daschle said.

"The world also expects -- in fact, the world demands -- that Chairman Arafat crack down on the organizations that harbor and support these terrorists," Daschle said.

Following is the text of Daschle's December 5 speech from the Congressional Record:

Terrorism in the Middle East

Senate December 05, 2001

Mr. DASCHLE. Madam President, when our country was attacked on September 11, countless countries came forth to express condolences, to condemn those heinous attacks and to make clear that they stood with America in our time of trouble. The statements were a welcome reassurance from the family of nations that we would not be standing alone in the campaign against terror.

I come to the floor today to send my condolences to the families of the 26 Israelis killed in this weekend's attacks in Jerusalem and Haifa, to send my prayers to the scores more who were injured, to condemn in the strongest terms those attacks--and the attack that occurred just this morning, and to reassure our friends in Israel that just as they stood with us, we stand with them.

Like people all over the world, I went to bed on Saturday deeply shaken by the horrifying images from Jerusalem.

Not only were the attacks timed to occur during busiest time of the week in an area frequented by young people, but a second bomb was intended to maim and kill emergency response workers trying to assist the victims. It is some small measure of consolation that the second bomb didn't kill anyone. Still, it is hard to imagine a more inhumane plan; hard to imagine, that is, until I woke up Sunday morning, and heard reports of the second attack--in Haifa. In this case, a suicide bomber boarded a bus full of innocent people just starting their work week.

These coordinated bombings marked the deadliest terrorist attacks in the history of the State of Israel.

For the past 15 months, the United States, Europe, and moderate Arab states have called on Chairman Arafat to use his authority to put an end to this violence. At times we have heard helpful words, but we have not yet seen decisive action. Even this morning, after 2 days of international pressure to stop such violence, we hear of another suicide bombing in Jerusalem.

Terrorists have used the territories as a haven to plan and organize their murderous assaults, to build their bombs and recruit their suicide bombers. Instead of cracking down on this violence, Chairman Arafat has seemed all too willing to use it as a negotiating tool.

Such a strategy is more than cynical. It is dangerous, and it stands in stark contrast to the Oslo process that brought the region so close to a comprehensive peace just one year ago.

After Jerusalem and Haifa, Chairman Arafat's words alone are not enough. Symbolic actions--rounding up the usual suspects only to let them go again--is not enough.

Concrete steps to bring the planners of this weekend's attacks to justice are just a starting point. The world also expects--in fact, the world demands--that Chairman Arafat crack down on the organizations that harbor and support these terrorists.

We have already begun to hear a litany of reasons why it is difficult for Chairman Arafat to do what has to be done.

He is not responsible for the attacks, we are told.

He is not capable of controlling the terrorists. No one is, we are told.

We are also told that Israel's response hinders the Palestinian Authority's ability to move against the terrorists.

None of these excuses will stop the violence. And none is acceptable.

Time has run out. We are at the point where Chairman Arafat's lack of action against terrorists is a question not of capability, but of will. Only if he chooses to act decisively can he put this perception to rest.

If not, he will confirm the worst fears of the international--community that he is unable and unwilling to confront terror.

Without concrete action, Israel will be left with no choice but continue to defend itself.

The suicide bombings in Jerusalem in Haifa ended 26 innocent lives, but they also ended something else.

They ended any patience the world has for excuses and inaction on the part of Chairman Arafat and the Palestinian Authority.

It is time for them to prove that they have both the ability and the will to stop the bloodshed. It is time for them to join the family of nations and work to end the specter of global terrorism.

(end text)

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