[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 27, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E669]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING ISRAELI INDEPENDENCE DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. KEITH ELLISON

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 21, 2010

  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, this week we witnessed the 62nd anniversary 
of the founding of the State of Israel. It is an occasion to celebrate 
the achievements of a country that, like the United States, aspires to 
be a land of peace, prosperity and the pursuit of happiness.
  The United States and Israel are bound by a common history forged by 
those who dared to dream of democracy and freedom; of civil and human 
rights; of laws and not wishes. President Harry Truman was the first 
world leader to recognize the Israeli declaration of independence in 
1948. Other countries soon followed. In this way, with the United 
States at its side, Israel entered the community of nations.
  We continue to share that sacred bond born in 1948. The bond carries 
with it a burden that all such undeniable relationships bring--the 
responsibility to celebrate our successes, and to address our 
challenges. We are both stronger nations because of this. To do 
otherwise would be to diminish that special bond.
  An anniversary is also an opportunity to think about the future and 
therefore this is a time for us to renew our commitment to work for 
peace. As former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin said, ``We must think 
differently, look at things in a different way. Peace requires a world 
of new concepts, new definitions.'' As a friend and ally of Israel, I 
look forward to the work of nurturing the seeds of peace that will 
sustain and protect Israel.

                          ____________________