Standing with Israel As It Defends Itself Against the Barbaric War Launched By Hamas and Other Terrorists

Floor Speech

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Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr Speaker, I join my colleagues in condemning the horrific and heartbreaking terror attacks by Hamas as articulated in H. Res. 771.

I have been horrified by and strongly condemn the terrorist attack that has unleashed another cycle of violence that has millions of innocent civilians in the region under threat.

Let me be clear: Hamas is a terrorist organization that has shown time and again its disregard for innocent human life and does not represent the aspirations or speak for the Palestinians. Hamas--which has long been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. and subject to sanctions--has no regard for the lives it puts in danger, Israeli or Palestinian.

My heart continues to be heavy as I mourn the innocent Israeli lives lost and those kidnapped and taken hostage, including Americans and other foreign nationals.

I agree with many of my colleagues who have pointed out a glaring omission in this resolution: the lack of any real acknowledge of the hardships, suffering, and loss being imposed on innocent civilians in Gaza, including the children who have died, who hate Hamas as much as anyone in this chamber and simply want to live their lives in peace. We have to be clear that this body deplores the loss of all innocent lives.

I refuse the narrative that you cannot condemn Hamas while also expressing concerns for the fate of innocent Palestinians whose lives, livelihoods, and homes, are now in turmoil and under threat.

I reiterate the call from the Biden Administration, and others, that Israel's right to defend itself and its people, brings with it the responsibility to do so in accordance with international law, including the protection of civilian life. And this must include working to restore a supply of basic needs (food, water, medicines) to the civilians trapped in Gaza.

Hamas' inhumanity and acts of terrorism should not induce the rest of us to abandon our principles and international law.

You wouldn't know it from this resolution but there is an urgent humanitarian crisis that is being made worse every minute in Gaza. The longer the fighting goes, the worse I fear the impact will be for these civilians who did nothing to start this fight and have nowhere safe to go.

How does another massive humanitarian crisis help Israel's security or the ability of civilians to live in peace? I was pleased to join a number of my colleagues on a recent letter urging President Biden to make humanitarian needs of innocent civilians in Gaza a priority. This must remain a priority for U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region, including directly by President Biden himself. I hope this chamber would have joined us in sharing that sense of urgency and decency.

And lastly, even as Israeli forces are gathering for a devastating ground war in Gaza that will increase the suffering of innocent Palestinians, we all have to recognize that, at some point, the fighting will end.

I hope it is much sooner rather than later for the sake of innocent civilians.

The resolution is however conspicuously silent on what happens when the violence ends or on the two-state solution that I and others have pressed for over the years and which sadly, continues to be sidelined which is the goal of groups like Hamas.

Let's be clear--to permanently end this cycle, we don't need more nonbinding resolutions and condemnations. Tough choices, Tough decision, Tough compromises have to be made. And those decisions will not be made here on the floor of the House of Representatives.

What happens when the rocket fire stops is going to be the most important indicator of, if and when, we can break this cycle of violence or how soon we will once again have sirens going off in Israel and Palestinians in Gaza told to flee without any actual ability to flee.

The need for greater political and diplomatic engagement will not end with the fighting. In fact, its need increases exponentially if you really want to protect innocent civilians.

I can tell you there are Palestinian moms and dads huddling with their children in some awful place begging for peace right now.

I also hear cries for peace from families, relatives, and friends of Israeli's who died or were wounded or who are being held hostages. I don't need thousands more innocent Israeli's and/or Palestinians under threat to know that they are hungry for anything that brings them closer to peace and farther from fearing for their lives at every moment.

Security for Palestinians and Israelis are linked. So is prosperity and hope for a better future.

I want this fighting to come to an end as soon as possible. Military means have never brought peace to this region.

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