Israel

Floor Speech

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Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, on behalf of the Senate and House Abraham Accords Caucus co-chairs, it is with tremendous pride that I have the opportunity to welcome and honor my friend His Excellency Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel, ahead of his address to a Joint Meeting of Congress.

Nearly 3 years ago, we witnessed the historic signing of the Abraham Accords, and in that time, the Accords have transformed the Middle East, enhanced Israel's security, created economic opportunities for our partners and allies in the region, and advanced vital American security interests. On the 75th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, we recognize the profound possibilities the Accords offer to Israel and its Arab neighbors alike.

In 2022, Senators James Lankford, Cory Booker, Joni Ernst, and I launched the bipartisan Senate Abraham Accords Caucus, alongside the House Abraham Accords Caucus, founded by Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Brad Schneider, Ann Wagner, and David Trone. Together, we are working to build on the success of these historic agreements, help encourage and deepen partnerships among Israel and our Arab partners, and widen the circle of peace to new countries. We have advanced bipartisan legislation to deepen security cooperation between the United States, Israel, and our Arab partners and are developing initiatives to further cooperative and sustainable development partnerships in the areas of energy security, water infrastructure, trade, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.

In January, seven members of the Senate Abraham Accords Caucus traveled to Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Israel, the first-ever congressional delegation to visit these four nations since the signing of the Accords, where we saw firsthand how normalization is transforming the region. President Herzog believes in this vision, declaring: ``The Abraham Accords proved above all else how the courage of leaders and nations can open a window to a world that had previously seemed unattainable, and how much space there is for momentum and growth when we choose to change paradigms and learn about each other.'' As we celebrate 75 years of the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Israel, we are also committed to advancing Israel's integration into the Middle East in pursuit of a more peaceful region.

President Herzog, we welcome you on this historic occasion and reaffirm the unbreakable bond between our two nations.

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