Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who is held captive by Hamas, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1359) calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit held captive by Hamas, and for other purposes, as amended.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to thank my good friend, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, for his support for this resolution and for its consideration by the House today.

Madam Speaker, Gilad Shalit is not an American. He is an Israeli soldier who has been held captive by Hamas for 4 years.

His parents are not Americans. I don't know that he's ever even been to the United States. But I would contend that, nonetheless, he's one of us. Why? Most simply, because he is a soldier serving in the army of a fellow democracy, a long-standing ally that is fighting a war of survival against an Iranian-backed radical Islamist terror organization explicitly committed to the destruction of the Jewish State and the annihilation of all Jews in Israel.

Some may doubt that such shocking, vicious bigotry is really possible in the year 2010. It's not merely possible, and it's not an overstatement. It's reality. On June 11, not even 2 weeks ago, Hamas authorities in Gaza broadcast the following ceremony--and this is a quote directly from that sermon: ``Whoever believes that our battle with the Jews and the crusaders has subsided or is dormant is living in delusions. The Jews are convinced that their annihilation and the destruction of their State will never be accomplished by secular, reactionary, Pan-Arabic, or Baathist regimes. Their annihilation and the destruction of their State will only be achieved through Islam.'' It goes on. But that was the basis of the Hamas sermon. That's the Hamas world view. And they're not ashamed of it. We shouldn't hesitate to believe them when they say they hate Jews and they're trying to destroy Israel and they want to create an Islamic theocracy in Palestine. Just look at what they've done in Gaza.

For those who believe in universal human rights and religious rights and freedom, Hamas is your enemy. If you believe in peace and two states for two peoples, these are your foes. If you believe kidnapping and extortion are inexcusable and detonating a bomb full of nails and ball bearings inside a city bus or restaurant is barbaric, these are your adversaries. If you believe that firing rockets at homes and kindergartens filled with young kids is absolutely indefensible, and that teaching hate to children is monstrous, these are your opponents. If you support the Palestinian Authority and President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayad are Palestinian's best chance of statehood, Hamas is the opposition. If you support a democratic Jewish State of Israel and want to see Prime Minister Netanyahu take chances for peace, Hamas is the enemy desperate to ensure that he never will. If you want the United States to be active in helping Israelis and Palestinians to make peace, Hamas are the people working against our every effort.

Gilad Shalit is just one soldier, but his captivity tells you everything you need to know about Hamas. As the resolution makes clear, contrary to both international humanitarian law and the most basic standards of human conduct, Hamas has prevented all access to Gilad Shalit by competent medical personnel and the representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross. They've done this time and time again. And, Madam Speaker, they've just done it again today. They've denied him the humane treatment to which any captive is entitled; they've barred any communication by him with his family; and they've compelled him to appear on propaganda videos. Each of these unconscionable choices demonstrates the amoral and depraved character of Hamas.

These allegedly religious militants are nothing but thugs. Nothing more. They hold up all kinds of banners, and they champion all kinds of causes, and they claim all kinds of mandates. But their real goal is power and their true intention is a disruption of the State of Israel.

Against their enterprise of darkness and hatred and bloodshed, we need to stand up with both Palestinians and Israelis for a different vision and a different future--one where Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in peace; where the City of Jerusalem is a city of coexistence and tolerance; where the lost and the missing--all of them--all of them--are returned to their families and their people. It is this vision that motivates us, that mobilizes us to work so hard to achieve peace for others. And it is within this vision of a better future that we keep faith with

our allies in the State of Israel and with the Shalit family as they wait for the return of their lost son.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida, the distinguished ranking member of the committee, for her statement and for her support.

Madam Speaker, now it's my pleasure to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Nevada, Shelley Berkley, a distinguished and respected member of our committee.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution that is now under consideration.

I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Since its creation over 6 decades ago, our ally Israel has been under siege from those who seek its destruction. Israel's enemies, refusing to accept the existence of the Jewish State, have invaded Israel's borders and sought to wipe it off the map. They have launched missiles at Israeli civilians. They have sent homicide bombers to massacre innocent Israelis on buses, in schools, in synagogues, in restaurants, in hotels. They have desecrated wedding celebrations and Passover seders with acts of mass murder, turning days of joy into days of mourning. And they have killed or kidnapped Israeli soldiers.

These bloody acts were taken not to build a better life for the future of the Palestinians, but to wipe out any future for the Israelis and to destroy the Jewish State. Of course, at present, the greatest threats to Israel's security and its very existence are posed by the rogue regimes of Iran and Syria, as well as by their violent extremist proxies, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. This is the context for this important resolution before us today.

On June 25, 2006, as part of its longstanding war against the Jewish State, Hamas crossed into Israel and attacked an Israeli military post, killing two soldiers and kidnapping Gilad Shalit, who was then just 19 years old. For the last 4 years, Hamas has held Staff Sergeant Shalit hostage, denying him access to his family, access by competent medical personnel, as well as representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Hamas has forced young Shalit to appear in audio recordings and video recordings used to put pressure on Israel, and has mocked Shalit, mocked his family and his captivity in plays and cartoons and animated movies. Reports indicate that Shalit's health has declined as the result of his captivity.

Madam Speaker, Hamas, its fellow violent extremist group, Hezbollah, and their state sponsors not only are at war with Israel; they seek the destruction of the United States as well. Ahmadinejad has spoken of ``a world without America or Zionism,'' stating that ``you should know that this slogan, this goal, can certainly be achieved.'' And the Iranian regime is no stranger to taking hostages, including the 52 American hostages that Tehran held captive for 444 days. So when we consider Hamas's holding of Gilad Shalit in captivity, we must recognize this situation is part of the broader threat posed to both the United States and to Israel.

Madam Speaker, I have met with Staff Sergeant Shalit's father, who gave me his son's dog tags. And as a parent, I can only imagine the agony that the Shalit family is enduring. Indeed, anguish over Gilad Shalit's plight is felt by millions of Israelis who have parents, siblings, spouses, or children who are serving in the Israeli Defense Forces and who have spent many anxious nights hoping and praying for the safe return of their loved one. It resonates directly with many of us who have had children and other family members and friends who, in the service of our Nation, have been in harm's way.

As Israel continues to seek Gilad Shalit's freedom, we in the United States must continue to stand with our indispensable ally. For all of these reasons, Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 1359, which reaffirms our demand for Gilad Shalit's immediate and unconditional release.

I would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, Mr. Ackerman and Mr. Burton, for introducing this resolution. I ask that the House join us in voting in favor of this resolution and in support of further measures to address the comprehensive threat posed on our Nation and to our ally Israel by Iran, by Syria, and by their militant proxies.

Among the steps the United States should take is to stop the failed policies of engagement with the Syrian and Iranian regimes which have not advanced our interests but has lent those dictatorships undeserved legitimacy. We should also continue to stand unequivocally with our ally Israel and oppose all efforts to deny Israel its sovereign right to self-defense--the very right that Staff Sergeant Gilad Shalit was exercising when he was kidnapped by Hamas.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my very good and dear and cherished friend from New York for yielding and for bringing much- needed attention to this issue by introducing this resolution which I proudly cosponsored.

Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my colleagues to mark a very sad occasion: The fourth anniversary of the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. If the world needs evidence of Hamas' cruelty, they need look no further than the kidnapping of this young soldier serving on the Israeli side of the Gaza border. Defying any standards of human decency and international law, Hamas has held him prisoner without access to a doctor or to the Red Cross. They have denied him contact with any outside party or even his family, who have no idea where this young man is being held. Hamas has even forced him to appear in a video that was used to pressure the Israeli Government into making concessions in exchange for his release.

The conditions of his detainment are illegal, they are deplorable, and they are immoral. For some reason, though, the world bombards Israel with criticism for the simple act of defending its citizens, while Hamas continues to violate human rights day after day. It is unjust, and it ultimately puts all peace-loving people at risk. Where is the U.N. with its outrage? Where is the Arab world? Where are our European allies? The world leaps to condemn Israel whenever it is put in the untenable situation of defending itself against terrorism. Where is the outrage against the continuous inhuman behavior of Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization? Where is the outrage against Hamas as it continues to hold Gilad Shalit, a young man just doing his duty? Just this week, Israel took enormous risks by easing their necessary and legal blockade of Gaza. It is time--indeed, Madam Speaker, it is well past time--for Hamas to show some human decency and release Gilad Shalit back to his family.

I am the mother of a son named Sam who is the exact same age as Gilad Shalit. I can only imagine what that mother goes through day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year as she has absolutely no contact and no idea how her son is being treated, where he's being held, and what his condition is. Shame. The shame of it all. It's disgusting. I urge support for this resolution.

General Leave

Madam Speaker, I rise today to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. On June 25, 2006, exactly 4 years ago this Friday, Gilad was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists within Israeli territory, near the Karem Shalom crossing. This kidnapping was a part of an unprovoked and organized military operation by Hamas terrorists who continue to hold Gilad captive in Gaza.

Throughout Gilad's captivity, the International Red Cross has requested to send representatives to assess his conditions of detention and treatment, as well as to provide medical attention to Gilad. Just recently, Hamas once again refused to give the Red Cross access to check on Gilad's well being in accordance with international law. Pierre Dorbes, deputy head of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Israel and the Territories stated that, `` . . . we have been able to visit nearly everyone detained in connection to this conflict, with the exception of Gilad Shalit.''

As negotiations for his release continue, it is important to recognize the efforts of Gilad Shalit's family and friends, particularly his mother Aviva and his father Noam to secure his release. I can only imagine the heartache and frustration that they feel as they work to help secure their son's freedom.

Madam Speaker, I along with my colleagues continue to call for the unconditional release of Gilad Shalit. I urge President Obama to continue to make Gilad's release a priority for his administration as he works with all parties to resolve the ongoing conflict in the region.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1359, a resolution calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

I would like to thank Congressman Ackerman for introducing this important resolution, of which I am a cosponsor, and to commend him and Chairman Berman for their leadership on this critical issue.

On Friday, Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit will have spent 4 years in captivity. Since June 2006, Shalit has been held by Hamas and denied the humane treatment mandated by international law, including regular communication with his family and visits by the International Red Cross. He has been forced to appear in Hamas propaganda, intended to extort the Israeli government. Shalit was 19 years old at the time of his abduction.

Human beings should not be used as bargaining chips. Gilad Shalit must be immediately and unconditionally released, and all prisoners must be afforded the basic protections of international humanitarian law.

I am also proud to support this resolution because it expresses Congressional support for both the Jewish state of Israel, which must have recognized and secure borders, and a democratic, viable, and independent Palestinian state. I strongly believe that a negotiated, two-state solution offers Israelis and Palestinians alike the best prospect for long-term security and stability.

I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Gilad Shalit.