December 12, 2001 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2261 On September 11, the USCP rose to the gle out and politically punish Israel, our only You must remember this. On Aug. 31, challenge. In the face of uncertainty and while democratic ally in the Middle East. Arafat, world’s senior terrorist, did a star our nation was under attack, the men and Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to read turn—at one point strolling with America’s George Will’s excellent and thought-provoking senior friend of terrorists, Jesse Jackson—in women of the Capitol Police remained behind Durban, South Africa, at a U.N. orgy of hate as the Capitol compound was evacuated, article, and I ask that the text be placed in the directed against Israel and the United States while working to ensure our safety. On that RECORD. and bearing an Orwellian title: World Con- day, every member of the House and Senate, [From the Washington Post, Dec. 4, 2001] ference Against Racism, Racial Discrimina- staff, and visitors witnessed the bravery and A PLAN FOR ARAFAT tion, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. It was the kind of sewer of ideas that prepares commitment of the Capitol Police. (By George F. Will) Today we mark three months since the ter- the climate for the sort of things that hap- Coming from the territory for which pened in America 11 days after the con- rorist attacks on the Pentagon and New York Yasser Arafat is responsible, terrorists last City. Since 9Ð11, twelve-hour days, six-day ference opened, and what happened last weekend killed 26 Israelis, a portion of weekend in Israel. weeks, overtime and cancelled vacations are Israel’s population that is equal to 1,240 Now Israel should be as bold in its self-de- Americans. America is projecting power the norm, not the exception for the Capitol Po- fense as America is being in its. In 1982, halfway around the world to collapse the lice. This resolution, H. Res. 309, is a small Israel drove Arafat and his thugs from Leb- Taliban regime because it harbors terrorists. token signifying that your dedication and per- anon to Tunisia. He and his thugocracy have It would be disgusting for America to call for sonal sacrifices have not gone unnoticed. I earned another expulsion from the eastern Israeli ‘‘restraint’’ and to disapprove if Israel end of the Mediterranean. If he cannot con- thank you for your service to us, to our com- cleanses its back yard of Arafat’s Pales- trol his territory, it is in anarchy and Israel munity and to our great nation and I urge all tinian Authority regime that welcomes ter- must subdue it. If he can control it but Members to vote in support of this important rorists except when, to distract America, it won’t, he has earned expulsion under the resolution. yet again promises to pass a few through the principle America cites in expelling the revolving doors of PA jails. f Taliban from power. It is time for a novel approach to the war GEORGE WILL ON ‘‘A PLAN FOR between Israel and Arafat’s Palestinian Au- If expulsion strikes the U.S. State Depart- ARAFAT’’ thority. The approach should begin with wis- ment as, well, immoderate, here is a mod- dom from a Donald Westlake crime novel erate version of the idea. When next the peri- mordantly titled ‘‘What’s The Worst That patetic Arafat flies off to visit world cap- HON. TOM LANTOS Could Happen?’’ Westlake’s amiable crooks itals, Israel should not let him come back: OF CALIFORNIA want to rob a Las Vegas Casino, but don’t He cannot land in PA territory if Israel does not let him. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES know how. One of them says he has a lot of That is more than an idea. It is a plan. Tuesday, December 11, 2001 ideas, but Westlake writes: ‘‘A whole lot of ideas isn’t a plan. . . . Ideas without a plan Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, last weekend is usually just enough boulders to get you f was a particularly horrible chapter in the on- into the deep part of the stream, and no way going strife in the Middle East. In a wave of to get back.’’ IN HONOR OF STEPHEN V. violence, Palestinian terrorist suicide bombers The latest U.S. idea is to send retired Ma- BARBARO rine Gen. Anthony Zinni to pick up the killed 25 innocent Israeli children, women, and shards of the last idea, which was to send men as they were going about their daily ac- CIA Director George Tenet to implement HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS tivities—walking in a pedestrian mall and former Senator George Mitchell’s idea for a OF NEW YORK riding a public bus. The terrorist organization, cease-fire followed by a cooling-off period Hamas, has taken ‘‘credit’’ for these deplor- followed by ‘‘confidence-building’’ measures. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES able acts. Their targeting civilians of all ages The idea of the Mitchell plan is that neither Tuesday, December 11, 2001 and walks of life is part of their cowardly and side is to blame—neither Israel, which wants vicious attempt to destroy the State of Israel. to exist, nor the Palestinians who do not Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of want it to; neither the Palestinians who Stephen V. Barbaro in recognition of his com- Such acts cannot be tolerated. want to plant nail bombs on buses, nor Mr. Speaker, George F. Will has written a mitment to his community. Israel, which would prefer the Palestinians Stephen V. Barbaro was born and raised in particularly insightful piece in the December not do that. Rather, a mutual lack of ‘‘con- 4th issue of the Washington Post. He spells fidence’’ is to blame. New York City. He went to Midwood High out the misguided and dangerous actions of There is this much truth in that idea: the School. After graduation he went on to receive Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority Palestinian Authority lacks confidence in his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s Univer- which have prevented peace from being at- Israel’s willingness to commit suicide, and sity. Following college, he received his Juris tained in that very volatile region of the world, Israel lacks confidence that the PA will stop Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School. He is insisting on suicide as part of a ‘‘peace’’ and he stresses the need for Israel aggres- married to Margaret L. Pecoraro. Margaret is agreement. also an attorney. They are the proud parents sively to protect herself. The idea behind dispatching Mitchell was Where hope for a peaceful Middle East set- to pick up where Dennis Ross left off. (Did of three wonderful children, Stephanie, Kath- tlement once existed after the Madrid Con- you know that Donald Rumsfeld was special erine, and Stephen Joseph. ference in 1991 and the Oslo Agreement in emissary to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Stephen has been a practicing attorney for 1993, we now find an environment of hate for in 1983–84? There were many emissaries be- almost twenty years. He is a partner in Alter Israel and the United States which has been fore him, and have been many since.) Ross’s & Barbaro, Esq., a well-known law firm with task, which he undertook with the energy fertilized and nourished by such debacles as offices in Canarsie and Brooklyn Heights. He and wisdom of a beaver, was to oversee the is engaged in a general practice, which in- the United Nations World Conference Against Oslo ‘‘peace process,’’ which turned on Ara- Racism, which was held in Durban, South Afri- fat’s renunciation of violence. That process clude real estate, landlord tenant law, and ca last summer. has required lots of overseeing, considering general litigation. Mr. Speaker, I was present at Durban for that terrorists have killed more Israelis in Together with his partner, Mitch Alter, Ste- this conference, and I fully concur with George the eight years since Oslo began in 1993 than phen has been involved in numerous commu- Will’s assessment that this was truly not a in the 45 years of Israel’s existence before nity activities and programs. They have a high conference against racism, but rather a racist that. school internship program; a minority scholar- The idea behind Oslo was for Israel to ship program; and a computer literacy pro- conference! I have rarely seen such anti-Se- ‘‘take a risk for peace’’—as though getting mitic and anti-Israel venom spewed as I did at on a bus, visiting a pizzeria or disco, and gram. Their voluntary activities are designed that conference. Because of the level of ha- walking down a street are not risky enough to provide young people with increased oppor- tred and the lack of fairness, the United States for Israelis. Israel would take a risk by yield- tunities as well as a chance to learn real world Government walked out of the conference. I ing something tangible, control of land, for skills. was greatly disappointed that we had no something intangible, Arafat’s promises of Mr. Speaker, Stephen V. Barbaro has been choice but to walk out because this was an peace. Israel did that. The current war re- a dedicated community businessman and ac- futes the Oslo idea. opportunity to deal meaningfully with the many The idea behind Oslo was to capitalize on tive volunteer during his twenty years of prac- problems of racism, discrimination, and xeno- the ‘‘spirit of Madrid,’’ an Israeli-Palestinian ticing law. As such, he is more than worthy of phobia which the world faces. Instead of ad- conference convened in 1991, in the after- receiving our recognition today. I urge my col- dressing these problems, the conference was math of the Gulf War. The idea behind Ma- leagues to join me in honoring this truly dedi- hijacked by Arab extremists determined to sin- drid was. . . . Does anyone remember? cated man.
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