[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5655-5656]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               ISRAEL INDEPENDENCE DAY/DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is Yom Ha'atzmaut, the 
commemoration of the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948. This 
day of celebration is always immediately preceded by Yom Hazikaron, 
Israel's Memorial Day.
  This timing is no accident. The people of Israel know that their 
freedom comes at a high price. Today I am humbled to join them in 
remembering more than 23,000 soldiers and victims of terrorist attacks 
who have paid this price, including 68 soldiers and police officers and 
32 civilians over the past year alone.
  The strong relationship between the United States and Israel dates 
back more than six decades. On May 14, 1948, just 11 minutes after the 
provisional government of Israel, led by Prime Minister David Ben-
Gurion, proclaimed a new state, President Harry S. Truman announced: 
``This government has been informed that a Jewish state has been 
proclaimed in Palestine, and recognition has been requested by the 
provisional government thereof. The United States recognizes the 
provisional government as the de facto authority of the new State of 
Israel.''
  This year, Israelis will celebrate their independence as they always 
have, gathering for public shows, performing Israeli folk dances, 
singing Israeli songs, and spending the day with families at picnics or 
on hikes. The holiday will conclude with the awarding of the Israeli 
Prize to men and women who have made unique contributions to culture, 
science, the arts, and humanities.
  For American Jews, the celebration of Israel's independence has 
always been a way to express solidarity with the State of Israel. In 
many communities, it is a special occasion for Jewish organizations and 
synagogues of different denominations to come together for a single, 
united celebration of Israel's creation and existence, both of which 
have defied great odds.

[[Page 5656]]

  Just one day after President Truman recognized the new Jewish state's 
existence, five neighboring Arab countries amassed their armies and 
invaded, determined to remove the dream of Israel from the pages of 
history. But after months of fighting, Israel emerged stronger than it 
was before, with more territory under its control.
  Since then, the people of Israel have lived under the threat of 
violence for nearly seven decades. They survived the Six-Day War in 
1967, the Yom Kippur War in 1973, and insurgencies that targeted 
soldiers and civilians alike. Through it all, the friendship between 
the United States and Israel has remained strong. We stood together to 
oppose Soviet aggression during the cold war, and we continue to stand 
together today, united in the fight against terrorism and global 
extremism.
  This friendship is rooted in much more than strategic interests. The 
United States and Israel have always shared common values. As the most 
stable and successful democracy in the Middle East, Israel is committed 
to the values of equality and freedom, including a free press, freedom 
of religion, and the right to self-determination through democratic 
elections.
  Today, at a pivotal moment in the history of the world, it is more 
important than ever for the United States to stand with the people of 
Israel. I have been proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle on legislation to strengthen the ties between our two 
countries. The United States-Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Act, 
which I introduced earlier this year, will establish a joint 
Cybersecurity Center of Excellence where the leaders from our two 
countries can work together on cybersecurity and the protection of 
critical infrastructure. In the House Foreign Affairs Committee, we 
have worked to advance legislation that condemns efforts to inflame 
anti-Semitic sentiments by the Palestinian Authority. These are 
critical issues we must continue to work on in the pursuit of our 
common objectives and our shared values.
  I congratulate the State of Israel on the anniversary of its 
independence, and I look forward to continuing to work to strengthen 
the relationship between our two countries even further.

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