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WASHINGTON, May 24 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Democratic Leader
Nancy Pelosi addressed the
American Israel Public Affairs Committee at their 2005 Policy
Conference last night. Pelosi discussed the relationship
between the United States and Israel and the continued effort for
peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Below are her remarks:
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So Many Of The Beautiful People
"Thank you, Amy Friedkin, my dear friend for so many years.
Californians, North and South, are proud of your great leadership at
AIPAC. And to Bernice Manocherian, President of AIPAC, thank you.
All who care about peace in the Middle East are grateful for your
strength and wisdom in guiding AIPAC. As a native of Baltimore, I
take special pride of your incoming President, Howard Friedman, who
will continue in the tradition of outstanding leadership at AIPAC.
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Pelosi
Sees The Real Israel
"I also want to
acknowledge all of the students who are here. It is great to see so
many young people taking such an interest in public affairs,
especially on one of the critical issues of our time: peace in the
Middle East.
"This spring, I was in
Israel as part of a congressional trip that also took us to Egypt,
Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq. One of the most powerful experiences was
taking a helicopter toward Gaza, over the path of the security
fence. We set down in a field that belonged to a local kibbutz. It
was a cool but sunny day, and the field was starting to bloom with
mustard. Mustard is a crop that grows in California, and it felt at
that moment as if I were home.
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Good Jews
Protected Pelosi From Evil Arabs
"And then we were
told that the reason we had to land in that field, as opposed to our
actual destination, was because there had been an infiltration that
morning, and they weren't sure how secure the area was. And that
point alone brought us back to the daily reality of Israel: even
moments of peace and beauty are haunted by the specter of violence.
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Being
In The Presence Of Ariel Sharon
"While in Israel, we met
with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Vice Premier Shimon Perez. From
them and from other leaders, we heard something I had not heard in a
long time: cautious optimism. This was an attitude quite different
from the one that confronted us when I spoke to AIPAC two years ago.
"One thing, however is
unchanged: America's commitment to the safety and security of the
State of Israel is unwavering. America and Israel share an
unbreakable bond: in peace and war; and in prosperity and in
hardship.
"Prime Minister Sharon's
leadership of Israel at this crucial time has been remarkable. He
has brought Israel through an extremely challenging period, and now
he has made the difficult decision that it is in Israel's national
security interest to disengage from Gaza.
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The
Heartbreak Of Gaza Settlers
"In the next few months,
Israeli settlers will be evacuated entirely from Gaza and from four
settlements in the northern West Bank. This courageous decision is
gut-wrenching for Israel.
"Israel's decision can be
a decisive milestone on the road to peace. If the Palestinians agree
to coordinate with Israel on the evacuation, establish the rule of
law, and demonstrate a capacity to govern, the world may be
convinced that finally there is a real partner for peace.
"Any progress on the
Roadmap for Peace must be based on real change on the ground, as
evidenced by the establishment of an accountable, and reconstituted
Palestinian security force that prevents terrorism, not promotes it.
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Pelosi
Understands Israel's Fear Of Bad Men
"Fortunately, Palestinian
Authority President Abbas is no Yasir Arafat. He has condemned
terrorism in Arabic, stating that it prolongs the day that the
Palestinian goal of statehood can be achieved, and, at least as
significant, stating that terrorism is immoral. He has begun to
restructure the security services. All that is commendable.
"But he has not removed
Arafat's corrupt cronies from positions of power, nor has he moved
to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure. That is, I am sorry to
say, cause for concern. President Abbas has said his goal is to
establish the rule of law, but he has done nowhere near enough to
realize that vision, and now he is confronted with a huge challenge:
by the end of summer, Israel will be out of Gaza.
"Can Gaza become a pilot
case for self-government for a Palestinian state? Or will it become
a terrorist haven, a launching pad for rockets into Israel?
"President Abbas must
act, for his own good, against those he must know are his enemies
and are the enemies of the aspirations of the Palestinian people
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Wolfenshon To Help In Gaza
"The United States,
just as Israel, wants to see him succeed. That is why I was so
pleased when President Bush dispatched Jim Wolfensohn to help with
the Gaza withdrawal. It is why I supported additional aid to the
Palestinians in the Emergency Supplemental bill that recently
passed Congress.
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Israel
Is A Peaceful Country
"There are those who
contend that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is all about Israel's
occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. This is absolute nonsense. In
truth, the history of the conflict is not over occupation, and never
has been: it is over the fundamental right of Israel to exist.
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Iran - The
Monsters
"The greatest threat to
Israel's right to exist, with the prospect of devastating violence,
now comes from Iran. For too long, leaders of both political parties
in the United States have not done nearly enough to confront the
Russians and the Chinese, who have supplied Iran as it has plowed
ahead with its nuclear and missile technology.
"Proliferation represents
a clear threat to Israel and to America. It must be confronted by an
international coalition against proliferation, with a commitment and
a coalition every bit as strong as our commitment to the war against
terror.
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"The people of Israel long
for peace and are willing to make the sacrifices to achieve it. We hope
that peace and security come soon - and that this moment of opportunity
is not lost. As Israel continues to take risks for peace, she will have
no friend more steadfast that the United States.
"In the words of Isaiah, we
will make ourselves to Israel 'as hiding places from the winds and
shelters from the tempests; as rivers of water in dry places; as shadows
of a great rock in a weary land.'
"The United States will stand
with Israel now and forever. Now and forever."
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