[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 51 (Thursday, April 30, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S3956]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ISRAEL REACHES ITS 50TH YEAR RISING OUT OF THE ASHES OF WORLD WAR II

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, like the Phoenix, the nation of 
Israel rose out of the ashes of the Holocaust 50 years ago and the 2000 
year search for a Jewish homeland ended. But, the birth of Israel was 
far from easy on that day. Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion made his 
first radio broadcast from an air raid shelter as the precarious new 
nation came under immediate attack.
  Israel's founding father took the time to remind the first citizens 
of Israel what had been accomplished and what it would take to defend 
their dream. Ben-Gurion said, ``whatever we have achieved is the result 
of the efforts of earlier generations no less than our own. It is also 
the result of an unwavering fidelity to our precious heritage, the 
heritage of a small nation that has suffered much, but at the same time 
has won for itself a special place in the history of mankind because of 
its spirit, faith, and vision.''
  In January of this year, I went to Israel for an international 
conference of Jewish legislators from around the world. In our 
discussions of the faith that we shared and Israel's 50th anniversary, 
I saw and heard the achievements of the ``spirit, faith and vision'' of 
which David Ben-Gurion spoke. That same ethos that was also embraced by 
such visionary leaders as Moshe Dyan, Golda Meir, Menachem Begin and 
Yitzhak Rabin has helped Israel become a dynamic democracy with a 
thriving economy. I came away from the conference secure in the 
knowledge that Israel's faith and fortitude remain as strong today as 
they were when the dream was realized five decades ago.
  I believe it is also important to acknowledge the role the United 
States has played in the development of Israel over the past 50 years. 
President Harry S. Truman, the first head of state to grant Israel 
diplomatic recognition, expressed its special place in the hearts of 
Americans as he declared, ``I had faith in Israel before it was 
established, I have faith in it now. I believe it has a glorious future 
before it-not just another sovereign nation, but as an embodiment of 
the great ideals of our civilization.''
  This special partnership which began with Israel's creation has been 
repeatedly tested since 1948. The United States has been unwavering in 
our commitment to helping the people of Israel develop their own 
economy and secure their own peace. We have helped give them the time 
that their founding fathers knew would work in their favor. Mr. 
President, it is for these reasons that I was delighted to be a 
cosponsor of House Joint Resolution 102, which the Senate unanimously 
passed last night. The resolution acknowledges the 50th Anniversary of 
the founding of the State of Israel and reaffirms the bonds of 
friendship and cooperation between the United States and Israel. This 
is a fitting tribute to the history of Israel and I am proud that today 
we can celebrate this special, half century milestone together. 


                          ____________________