[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 25, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E851]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  COMMEMORATING ISRAEL'S 59TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ERIC CANTOR

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 24, 2007

  Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, today we commemorate Israel's 59th 
birthday. We all know some of the reasons why our 2 countries remain so 
close--an appreciation of democracy, human rights and peace, as well as 
a commitment to fighting terrorism and radicalism. But beyond the 
obvious lie a remarkably similar national narrative which has shaped 
our values and sense of national purpose.
  In his recent book ``Power, Faith and Fantasy: America in the Middle 
East,'' Michael Oren examines that narrative as well as the rich 
history of American support for a Jewish state in Israel. When William 
Bradford and the persecuted Puritans landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620, 
Bradford exclaimed ``Come, let us declare the word of God in Zion.'' 
That's because the Puritans saw themselves as the New Israelites. They 
believed that God had finally delivered them from bondage to their new 
promised land. There, in freedom, they could shine a glowing light for 
the rest of the world to see. During the American Revolution, Oren 
describes, our leaders drew strong parallels to the Jews' struggle for 
repatriation. Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin even proposed for the 
Great Seal an image of Moses leading the Children of Israel toward the 
Holy Land.
  This longing for freedom and tolerance in a new homeland also spawned 
the American democratic experiment. While our democracy remains 
imperfect, it has been our vision of a new, exceptional land that has 
motivated us to make America the greatest beacon of hope in the world. 
The Israelis are driven by similar desires.
  Fifty-nine years ago today, Jews declared a state of their own. 
Several thousand had been in Nazi concentration camps just a few years 
prior. In Israel, they saw a 2,000-year overdue opportunity to live 
free of persecution in their ancestral homeland. But before they could 
rejoice, five Arab armies attacked the nascent state on all fronts. 
Israel, despite long odds, emerged victorious and finally celebrated 
its victory. Still, it was bittersweet, since they had lost 6,000 
people, at least 1 percent of the population.
  Israel chose the song Hatikva, or ``The Hope,'' as its national 
anthem. Fittingly, in a small Democracy perpetually terrorized by 
hostile enemies surrounding its territory, hope has sustained it. 
Israel's territory, devoid of natural resources, has been transformed 
into a prosperous state. Just as the United States has represented hope 
to the rest of the world for years, so too does Israel represent the 
limitless possibilities of freedom and hope.

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