"These

terrorists are non-uniformed personnel killing civilians," said Collins.

"It's not like they are attacking military troops or wearing an identifying

uniform. The only way for Israel to know who they are fighting is if they

have a gun in their hand or a bomb strapped to their waist. Israel has

the right to defend itself against these criminals. It is apparent the

Palestinian Authority hasn't done anything to try to stop it."

Collins went

on to express his doubts about Arafat.

"The man

is a terrorist. Until he is taken out, either put in a cell or a box,

there cannot be peace," Collins said. "Arafat is a dictator,

and just like Saddam Hussein he needs to go. He has rejected peace plans

from Prime Ministers Peres and Barak which would establish a Palestinian

state, and would give him control of half of Jerusalem, because Israel

was not willing to give up control of strategic military positions in

the Golan Heights. I don't believe Arafat really wants a peaceful resolution."

Replying to

charges that the United States is propping up the Israeli government,

Collins pointed out that Israel in an independent state and doesn't need

U.S. military assistance to survive.

"The Arab

nations need to realize that they have no hope of destroying Israel. Israel

has the guts, the firepower and the leadership to handle anything the

Arabs can throw at them," said Collins. "They have proven in

1948, 1967, and again in 1973 that they are a force to be reckoned with."

The Egyptians

argued that Sharon's incursions into the West Bank territories had provoked

much of the violence.

"Israel

is faced with criminal acts against private citizens and faced with a

national crisis, Sharon has imposed marshal law to try to bring and end

to the violence," Collins rebutted.

The Egyptians

claimed that all of the ideas Americans hold about the Middle East conflict

can be blamed on the slanted reporting of the American media.

"You want

to talk about slanted and biased media," Collins retorted. "W hat

do you call the outright lies of the Arab media? I don't rely on the media

to understand the region. I have been their twice and I have met with

many of the leaders, including your President Hosny Mubarak."

While not a

contentious exchange, both parties engaged in a constructive dialogue

about the issues. Later, the Egyptians expressed gratitude to Collins

for his straightforwardness, telling the Congressman that in all of their

meetings with American leaders only one other had been as forthright:

Vice President Dick Cheney.

"I'll

tell you another thing," Collins said. "If true peace is achieved,

and the Palestinian Authority ends this violence, the United States has

a proven record of helping nations in need. We rebuilt Europe under the

Marshall Plan, we rebuilt Japan, we will rebuild Afghanistan. If the objectives

are met, when the time comes, we will be there to provide assistance to

Palestine."

Collins is

a cosponsor of H.R. 392, to be considered today, which expresses the House

of Representatives' solidarity with Israel as it takes necessary steps

to provide security to its people by dismantling the terrorist infrastructure

in the Palestinian areas. The resolution remains committed to Israel's

right to self-defense and supports additional United States assistance

to help Israel defend itself. It also condemns the recent wave of Palestinian

suicide bombings. Additionally, the measure condemns the ongoing support

and coordination of terror by Yasser Arafat and other members of the Palestinian

leadership.

In addition,

the measure commends the President for his leadership in addressing the

Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly the efforts of the Administration

to engage countries throughout the region to condemn and prevent terrorism

and to prevent a widening of the conflict. Finally, the resolution urges

all parties in the region to pursue vigorously efforts to establish a

just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.