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P R E S S R E L E A S E
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| For Immediate Release: | July 3, 2008 |
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| Yesterday’s Attacks Demonstrate the Challenges Israel Has Always Faced |
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| Yesterday’s Attacks Demonstrate the Challenges Israel Has Always Faced (Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen) Yesterday’s incident illustrates the threats that engulf the State of Israel – from Hamas and other violent Islamist extremist groups in Gaza and the West Bank; to Hezbollah in Lebanon; to state-sponsors of terrorism such as Iran and Syria. Moreover, these attacks serve to illustrate the growing trend of Islamist extremist activity throughout the Middle East that imperils basic human rights, regional stability, and critical U.S. national security interests. Amidst this grim reality, Israel continues to flourish. In my visits yesterday to Sderot, where rockets launched from Gaza rain down daily upon homes and playgrounds, and to the Golan Heights, where I met with brave Israeli soldiers, I was reminded of the courage, integrity, and determination that define the Israeli people. When I met with Soviet dissident and author Natan Sharansky earlier this week, he underscored how the enemies of democratic nations have strongly-defined identities. There is perhaps no better testament to the power of liberty and democratic principles than the strong identity of the Israeli people, whose faith in freedom continues to sustain them against the forces of hatred. Today, as always, we stand together with the Israeli people in their struggle against Islamist extremism ### |
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