[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 81 (Monday, May 15, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E435-E436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CELEBRATING ISRAEL'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 15, 2023

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, Israel is a shining beacon 
of democracy in the Middle East. As she celebrates her 75th 
anniversary, I appreciate being joined by my colleagues to mark this 
important milestone of affirming our support for the U.S.-Israel 
relationship.
  As chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee on 
the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, I am grateful to mark 
the historic 75th anniversary of Israel with a strong commitment to the 
partnership of our two countries.
  Since its creation, the United States has supported the Jewish state 
with bipartisan support from Congress, working to build a strong 
security, intelligence, and defense relationship enshrined by shared 
values and mutually strategic interests.
  A strong and secure Israel is a vital pillar of the national security 
policy of America in the Middle East for mutual benefit of stability 
for all countries of the Middle East.
  Congress has continually worked to support Israel with annual 
security assistance, defense cooperation, and an emerging relationship 
in key areas, including agriculture, high tech, homeland security, 
cybersecurity, science, space, and health.
  Both of our countries are committed to democracy and justice, and we 
continue to look for new ways to integrate Israel into the region, such 
as expanding the historic Abraham Accords that were promoted by 
President Donald Trump that normalized ties between Israel and our Arab 
allies--the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.
  Instead of boycotts and isolation, I am encouraged that our Gulf 
allies see the future of Israel as working with the Middle East to 
tackle regional problems.
  Most importantly, Congress has marked the historic Abraham Accords by 
passing the Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2021 and encouraging 
more of our Middle East allies to deepen and expand their cooperation 
with Israel.
  Israel is the democratic anchor of the Middle East, and Congress will 
continue to support important regional cooperation through partnerships 
for peace and prosperity, including the Negev Forum.
  We support Israel's right to defend herself against terrorism, and we 
are inspired by the Israeli resistance in the face of mounting threats. 
The borders of Israel are continually threatened by Iranian-backed 
groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
  Congress reaffirms its support for Israel's security by annually 
funding $500 million for cooperative missile defense programs to help 
Israel meet these growing threats funded by the Iranian regime.
  Without lifesaving defensive systems like the Iron Dome, David's 
Sling, and Arrow 3, both Israelis and Arabs living in the region would 
be more endangered than ever.
  Israel is also threatened by continued efforts of the Iranian regime 
to get nuclear weapons. We are all concerned by the Iranian regime 
advancement of highly enriched uranium, advanced centrifuges, and its 
ballistic missile program, which it has never stopped despite every 
effort of the Iran nuclear deal, which was such a fraud.
  Sadly, the Iranians never stopped developing ICBMs to attack Israel 
and attack, ultimately, of course, sadly, the people of the United 
States.
  When the extremists chant ``death to America, death to Israel,'' they 
pledge to wipe Israel off the map by vaporization.
  We will continue to support efforts to enforce sanctions on the 
Iranian regime to cut off their resources and commitment to obtaining 
nuclear weapons.
  As we look to the growing challenges ahead and compete with the 
Chinese Communist Party, we must continue to work with our trusted and 
strategic ally to advance U.S. interests, as we also need to address 
war criminal Putin in his invasion, aggression, and mass murder being 
conducted, sadly, in Ukraine as we speak tonight.
  I am grateful to have authored H.R. 1777, the United States-Israel 
Future of Warfare Act, to meet increasing threats in areas of emerging 
technology by establishing a research and development fund to deepen 
defense collaboration with Israel.
  Having visited Israel on several occasions, including the opening of 
the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem in 2018, a highlight of my service has 
been to lead the House delegation to the U.S. Embassy May 14 opening in 
Jerusalem with Ambassador David Friedman, fulfilling promises made, 
promises kept by President Donald Trump.

[[Page E436]]

  I will always cherish the warmth of the people. I am grateful to 
partner with Israel and look forward to engaging with our ally under 
the valued leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the 
charge ahead to prepare and confront the challenges of the next 75 
years.
  May the U.S.-Israel relationship continue to flourish. May we 
continue to promote our shared interests in supporting democracy, 
peace, and cooperation throughout the region.
  Mr. Speaker, over the last week, I have had an extraordinary 
opportunity to truly appreciate the people of Jewish faith and what 
they have had to face. I visited Nuremburg in Germany, Courtroom 600, 
where the Nazi leadership anti-Semites were convicted of the Holocaust, 
murdering 6 million Jews. I was there to see the site of where these 
perpetrators, these Nazi murderers were ultimately executed.
  Additionally, I had the opportunity over the weekend to visit Warsaw, 
Poland, the extraordinary people today of Poland, where I witnessed the 
Museum of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, where Jews heroically resisted 
the mass murder by the Nazis as the Soviets, sadly, were adjacent, 
shamefully stood by within sight of the city of Warsaw and did not 
help.
  This really reminds us that the Russian people have been abused in 
the past by their leadership, whether it be Joseph Stalin or now-war 
criminal Putin. However, the people of Poland have resumed, they have 
the second fastest growing economy in the world, as they have escaped 
from Communist totalitarian oppression. So we know that ultimately good 
will prevail, as we see in the State of Israel today.
  Mr. Speaker, as we proceed, it should always be remembered that the 
United States and Israel have a long experience of a strong mutual 
beneficial relationship based on shared values and security interests, 
while also promoting peace and regional stability.
  The United States and Israel face many shared threats. It is critical 
that Israel and the United States are at the forefront of emerging 
technology.
  I was grateful to introduce the bipartisan U.S.-Israel Future of 
Warfare Act of 2023, which provides for collaboration between the two 
countries in the areas of defense, artificial intelligence, 
cybersecurity, and directed energy. This is done in a bipartisan manner 
with Congressmen Steve Cohen of Tennessee, David Cicilline of Rhode 
Island, and Dean Phillips of Minnesota. Over and over again, this is 
bipartisan, and I am grateful that we worked together to promote our 
shared mutual interests with the people of Israel.
  Israel's experience in combating terrorism is an invaluable resource 
in developing strategies to protect American families. The U.S.-Israel 
partnership supports over 255,000 American jobs. Bilateral trade has 
grown to over $49 billion annually.
  Israel is the leader in healthcare development. From cancer 
development to emergency response, Israel is a trusted partner to 
improve quality of life around the world.
  As we conclude, I would point out that my appreciation of the Jewish 
State of Israel is something that I was born with. I was very grateful 
to be born in the holy city of Charleston, South Carolina.
  As we claim holy, it is not to disparage Jerusalem. We just have a 
significant number of churches that legitimately it can be the holy 
city of Charleston.
  Growing up in Charleston, a very important fact is that at the time 
of the American Revolution the largest Jewish population in the New 
World was in Charleston, South Carolina.
  The first provincial constitution to recognize Judaism as a religion 
was the provincial constitution of the province of South Carolina.
  The first Jewish elected official was in the provincial assembly of 
South Carolina.
  Sadly, the first Jewish American patriot killed in the American 
Revolution was in Charleston, South Carolina.
  The people of South Carolina just cherish our relationship with the 
people of Jewish faith, and we are strong supporters of the State of 
Israel.

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