Date: 2007-01-23
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. today in Lebanon. protesters are rioting. burning tires and cars. and crippling Beirut to oppose the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora. The majority of the opposition comes from Hezbollah andits supporters seeking more influence in Lebanons government. At the same time. one of our close allies is forced to watch these riots as a recurring threat is building on its borders. Last summer we watched as the terrorist group Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others and began firing missiles into Israeli cities intentionally targeting civilian populations and infrastructure. This group was supplied by Syria and Iran for years. and built up stockpiles of weapons after Israel completely withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000 in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 425. Israel responded in selfdefense and launched an offensive in southern. Lebanon to destroy the weapons caches and Hezbollahs bunkers. Fortunately. the Israeli Air Force was able to destroy many of the longer range rockets Hezbollah possessed. but thousands of shorterrange rockets were indiscriminately fired at Israeli towns and villages. After 2 months bf fighting. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 was passed. Among other things. 1701 called for a U.N. peacekeeping force of up to 50.000 troops to assist the Lebanese military to prevent Hezbollahs resurgence and rearmament in southern Lebanon. Unfortunately. these troops have not stopped Syria and Iran from rearming Hezbollah. and Israel must watch as this threat is reemerging just miles from its border. Mr. Speaker. I submit for the RECORD this recent article that appeared in Janes Defence Weekly. It details some of the problems Lebanese and U.N. forces are having stopping the - movement of weapons across the SyrianLebanese border. What is clear from this article. and numerous other reports. is that Hezbollah is rearming and gaining autonomy again in southern Lebanon. Just last week in an intervie.w. Hezbollahs leader. Hassan Nasrallah. promised that Hezbollah would intensify its campaign to bring down the Lebanese Government in the coming days and weeks. Israel and the United States cannot let this happen. and we must support Israels right to defend itself before its civilians are indiscriminately attacked once again. Over. the years. we have watched as Israel has made unilateral concessions. withdrawing from Lebanon in 2000 and withdrawing from Gaza in 2005. and each concession has resulted in growing threats on its borders and attacks on its soldiers and citizens. After entering southern Lebanon to battle Hezbollah militants last summer. Israel again withdrew under United Nations Resolution 1701. passed sending international troops to southern Lebanon with the promise that the international troops would assist Lebanons military to prevent Hezbollah from rearming. Again. the promises of security made to Israel by the international community have not been fulfilled and Hezbollah is getting stronger. Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues and the international community to join me in looking for a solution to this situation. As a close ally. we should ensure Israels hands are not tied while this threat builds on.its border. and we should address this growing problem before Hezbollah again decides to attack Israeli soldiers and civilians. (From Janes Defence Weekly. Jan. 3. 2007]