[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 30, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E774-E775]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE MODERN STATE OF 
                                 ISRAEL

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 22, 2008

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
the contribution of the State of Israel as it celebrates its 60th 
anniversary as a vibrant and open democratic society.
  Madam Speaker, my colleagues have already gone into detail about the 
accomplishments of the State of Israel, and how Israel has gone through 
an astonishing evolution since 1948. I echo many of their remarks.
  I had the great privilege to live and work in Israel in the mid-1960s 
and celebrated Israel's 22nd anniversary by taking part in a 3-day walk 
from the shores of Tel Aviv to the hills of Jerusalem. Now I marvel 
with every visit at the extraordinary changes that have taken place.
  With every visit to Israel and each article I read about events on 
the ground, I am reminded of the enormous complexities and challenges 
Israel faces--internal as well as external. So we must ask ourselves, 
what will the future bring for Israel? How can Israel reconcile the 
great contradictions that its victories from the 1967 war delivered and 
address the occupation of Palestinian territories that now threatens 
Israel's very existence as a democratic state with a Jewish majority?
  Israel has sought peace with its neighbors and made some progress 
toward peace with neighboring Arab states. Today, with Gaza controlled 
by HAMAS and the West Bank by the Palestinian Authority, Israel still 
lacks a real partner for peace. However, this does not mean efforts for 
peace should not continue. . . . and this does not mean that the United 
States should not play an active leadership role in the region.
  We must continue our strong support for Israel's very right to exist 
while continuing to bring life to the peace process between Israel and 
its neighbors. Our assistance must be a sustained diplomatic effort, on 
the ground in both Israel and the territories, so we can maximize every 
effort for dialogue and concrete negotiations.

[[Page E775]]

  Addressing these concerns will not be easy, but I remain hopeful that 
Israel, her neighbors, and the U.S. can get the peace process back on 
track and that Israel will continue to thrive as a vibrant and open 
democratic society.
  I join my colleagues in recognizing Israel's 60th Anniversary.

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