Israel's Independence Day

ISRAEL'S INDEPENDENCE DAY -- (Extensions of Remarks - April 27, 2004)

SPEECH OF
HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2004

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 56th anniversary of Israel's independence.

The dream of a Jewish state stretches back two millennia to the destruction of the ancient Jewish kingdom of Israel. At the end of the Nineteenth Century, after the two thousand years of diaspora, persecution, and pogroms, Theodor Herzl and his fellow Zionists began the drive to revive the Jewish homeland. The unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust cemented the necessity of a Jewish state, and Israel was finally established as a sovereign and independent nation on May 14, 1948.

In the 56 years since its establishment, Israel has served as a beacon of democracy in the Middle East. In the face of war, terrorism, and frequent diplomatic isolation, Israeli society has flourished because of the pluralism, freedom, and human rights guaranteed by Israel's democracy. These democratic values have sustained a strong alliance between Israel and the United States, an alliance of friendship, principles, strategy, and a commitment to defeat terror.

Perhaps more than any other nation, Israel understands the dilemmas faced by a democratic society confronted with terror. Terrorism threatens the institutions that nurture Israel's prosperity-both through the bloodshed it engenders and through the sacrifices of civil liberties necessary to achieve security. Israel has admirably maintained an open, democratic society in spite of relentless threats to its citizens. We in America must salute this accomplishment and try to learn from the Israeli experience how to balance homeland security and a free society.

Much as its existence has been constantly challenged over its turbulent history, Israel currently faces critical threats to its well-being. The cycle of terrorist violence and reprisals shows no signs of ceasing, and the virulent specter of anti-Semitism remains a staple in the Middle East and is resurgent in Western Europe. However, we must embrace the cautious optimism embodied in Israel's national anthem, Hatikvah, which means "the hope." We hope that Israel will continue to serve as the "light unto the nations" that Herzl envisioned more than a century ago and that Israel's 57th year will be a time of peace throughout the region.

END