James Sensenbrenner, February 2, 2006

As I watched President Bush give the State of the Union address earlier this week, I was pleased to hear him call for greater fiscal restraint, new national energy solutions, and a firm commitment to deliver a message of peace across the broader Middle East. In the Palestinian Territories last month, steps were taken toward reform with its first election in a decade. Hamas, declared a terrorist group by the State Department, overwhelmingly won control of the majority in the Palestinian Parliament. As you may know, this terror group preaches the destruction of Israel, and relies on an armed militant wing to actively pursue that platform.

Elections are vital, but they are only the beginning. Growing up and maturing into a democracy requires the rule of law, protection of minorities, and strong, accountable institutions that last longer than a single vote. Hamas ran a campaign on curbing corruption and providing better services to the Palestinians. That is a positive message, because like most people, the Palestinians want better education, better healthcare, and clean government. However, President Bush made it clear: "the leaders of Hamas must recognize Israel, disarm, reject terrorism, and work for a lasting peace." These reforms won’t be easy, but are necessary -- Hamas must outgrow these archaic and hateful ideologies if it truly wants to govern.

I fully support President Bush and his roadmap to peace, which is the new two-state reality. So long as Hamas maintains its current militant, out-dated policy, the United States will never support the Palestinian government. That’s the doctrine President Bush laid out in the State of the Union, and one I have believed throughout my entire career. We must only engage with governments that are partners in peace, not a government committed to the destruction of its neighbor. I believe Congress needs to qualify the President’s stance, which is why I cosponsored H.R. 4668, a bill that will curtail U.S. assistance until President Bush certifies to Congress that the Palestinian Authority is no longer controlled by a terrorist organization. Even if our coffers were overflowing, and we had limitless resources, I could not support sending funds to the Palestinian Territories under its current government.

The Middle East peace process is at a significant crossroad. Fledgling democracies across the Middle East are all experiencing growing pains. America will be there to help along the way, but since we are actively fighting the War on Terror, the U.S. needs to provide some "tough love." We cannot justify supporting a government controlled by terrorists, yet at the same time ask our troops to bravely fight terrorists on foreign soil. The suggestion is reprehensible and adverse to the President’s message of peace.

I would like to see the rest of the world join together and send the newly elected Hamas government a unified message that if it wants a seat at the table, it will need to face reality, and make some fundamental changes.

Congressman James Sensenbrenner, a Republican, represents the Fifth Congressional District of Wisconsin. He serves as chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary. The Fifth District of Wisconsin forms an arc surrounding Milwaukee to the North and West, and includes parts of Jefferson, Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, and all of Ozaukee and Washington counties.