National Christian Leadership Conference for Israel
Tel. (248) 557-4540 · Fax. (248) 557-4527 · E-mail: NCLCI@MSN.COM

Speeches from the 2002 Pro Israeli Washington Rally 

Washington Mall, April 15, 2002

Sister rose thering

GOV. GEORGE PATAKI

Elie Wiesel

BILL BENNETT

Benjamin Netanyahu

MORTIMER ZUCKERMAN and REP. DICK GEPHARDT

Natan Sharansky

Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz

MARK SOKOLOW and other victims of terrorism

JANET PARSHALL, Robert Goldberg and Sen. Harry Reid

RABBI MICHAEL MELCHIOR

REP. DICK ARMEY

Rudolf Giuliani

SEN. ARLEN SPECTER

Senator Barbara Mikulski

MS. CARDIN: Good afternoon. I am Shoshanna Cardin, past chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. (Applause.)

MR. NAPARSTEK: Good afternoon. I'm Art Naparstek, United Jewish Communities, representing 189 federations throughout North America. (Applause. Cheers.)

MS. CARDIN: Let me say – (speaks Hebrew phrase) – May your strength continue. May you continue to be united. And may we all stand solidly with the president on the war against terrorism and the war against terrorists with Israel. (Applause. Cheers.)

It is my pleasure to introduce an outstanding leader of the U.S. Senate, a great granddaughter of Polish immigrants, the first woman to be elected to a statewide office in Maryland, the first woman to serve in the Democratic leadership of the Senate, and by longevity and wisdom – and wisdom – the dean of the 13 women of the United States Senate today. Senator Barbara Mikulski has been a passionate friend, both of Israel and the Jewish community. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Foreign Operations, she has been a consistent champion of foreign aid in general, and of aid to Israel and refugee resettlement in particular for which we thank you.

As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, she is intimately involved in the war on terrorism.

MR. NAPARSTEK: Please welcome our dear friend, Senator Barbara Mikulski, a great champion of democracy, and a friend of Israel and all of America! (Applause. Cheers.)

SEN. MIKULSKI: Thank you, and good afternoon. Hello! I know you're hot. I know you are tired. I know you made enormous sacrifices to be here, but boy are we glad to see you, and it's worth every single bit of it! (Applause. Cheers.)

I am so proud to join you today, to stand in solidarity with the people of Israel. The people of the United States and Israel must stand shoulder to shoulder against the war, against terrorism. And that war against terrorism must be tenacious, and it must be tireless. I know that we both suffered terrible losses, and we have absolutely decided to fight against those who will attack us. (Applause. Cheers.)

I k now how you feel when you turn to the morning papers, to hear of yet another homicide bombing on Israel, or yet another attack on a synagogue, in France, in Argentina. I know you feel full of grief and full of anger. Well that's us – we feel absolutely the same way. (Applause.)

But you know, terrorism just didn't happen. Young men and women decided to become homicide bombers because they were incited, and because they were encouraged and because they were funded by those who know better and should be doing better. (Applause. Cheers.)

Who is responsible? Arafat looks the other way when there are textbooks teaching children to hate, allowing there to be hate radio, and through speeches and demonstrations. But while Arafat is doing that, there are other Arab nations in the Middle East who institutionalize, legitimatize (sic) and fund homicide bombings. And we must say no – have them say no to what they are doing. (Applause. Cheers.)

I wish Secretary Powell well. I am glad that President Bush is actively engaged. It is late, but it is not too late. And we say to Secretary Powell, as you move around the Middle East, looking for a cease-fire, looking for a way to begin the negotiations, you must insist to the Arab nations that they stop the financial reward and the legitimizing of homicide bombing. (Applause. Cheers.)

I was on the other side of this Capitol on September 11th. We concluded that day with the members of Congress singing "God Bless America." Today I stand on this other side of the Capital with you, in saying God bless – God give us peace, God give us security – God, make sure that Israel retains itself as a only viable democracy in the Middle East. God bless you. God bless America! Thanks for being here!