I’m greeting you from Jerusalem which is the undivided and eternal capital of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. I know that I’m speaking to a lot of friends, and I wish I could be there with you in person, but unfortunately, my schedule doesn’t permit it. Still, I’m delighted that Israel’s Minister of Tourism, my distinguished colleague, Stas Misejnikov is representing our Government.
Today we’re working together to strengthen Israel’s relationship with Christian communities throughout the world. We hope that more of you will visit our wonderful land. We think you’ll have the experience of a lifetime. I think you’ll feel something unbelievable as you stand on the shores of the Galilee, or when you wade in the waters of the Jordan, or when you pray in the city of Jerusalem. You will also hear firsthand from Israelis as they express the gratitude that we feel for the unwavering support that all of you have shown the State of Israel.
My friend John Hagee has shown that steadfast support. In a short time he and other Christian leaders have been able to build an impressive grassroots movement in support for Israel. And I think this shows how much support for Israel resonates throughout America’s Christian community. Now this is unusual because for centuries the relationship between Christians and Jews was marked by conflict rather than partnership and friendship. But this is changing. It’s changing in a new chapter in the relationship between us which is now being written. Today millions of Christians stand with Israel, because they stand for freedom. Millions of Christians stand with Israel because they stand for truth and millions of Christians stand with Israel because they want to see a genuine peace in the holy land. I think that the moral clarity of our supporters is more important today than ever before because Israel’s enemies are not idle.
I think you and all the citizens of the world saw the Iranian regime recently brutally repress its own people and the same regime continues its unimpeded march towards acquiring nuclear weapons while its call to annihilate Israel falls largely on deaf ears. And this same regime has terror proxies. It has Hizbullah and Hamas armed with thousands of missiles, threatening Israel from the North and from the South and they continue their efforts to delegitimize Israel in the courts of world public opinion.
So as always, I believe that the best way to defend Israel against lies is to speak the truth and this is what I did last month when I spoke about the desire of Israelis for a genuine and secure peace. And this is what I did when I spoke about the connection of the Jewish people to the land of Israel. Now I’m speaking here tonight – tonight here, afternoon your time – but the land is the same land. I’m speaking to you from the land walked by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I’m speaking to you from the land once ruled by King David and King Solomon and I’m speaking to you from the land where the Maccabees achieved their miraculous victory and this is the same land where 2000 years ago, Jesus preached a message of tolerance and love that is echoed throughout the ages, and in returning to Israel, the Jewish people have come home. And I have news for all of Israel’s enemies. We’re staying home. We are here to stay. We’re not going to go anywhere.
My friends, it’s time that our Palestinian neighbors have the courage to recognize the right of the Jews to a State of their own in the Jewish historical homeland. The refusals of the Palestinians to recognize that right was and remains the root of the conflict. Many of you may recall that in 1947 the United Nations proposed a solution of two states for two peoples – the Jewish state and an Arab state. At the time, there were no Palestinian refugees, no questions of disputed territories, no question of settlements. Only one issue was on the table – the right of the Jews to a nation-state in our historic homeland. Now the Arabs rejected this right and that rejection remains the reason why this conflict has persisted ever since. And those who will demand that Israel recognize the right of the Palestinians to a state should be equally clear about their demand that the Palestinians recognize the right of the Jews to a state of their own. I think that this is the key element to achieving peace. The Palestinians must recognize the right of the Jewish people to their own state. They still have not.
As the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel recognizes the rights and grants rights – equal rights to all non-Jewish citizens. In Israel, a Jew, a Muslim, a Christian or a Druze is equal before the law, but Israel is also the nation-state of the Jewish people, a fulfillment of a dream kept alive one hundred generations – by one hundred generations of Jews. This dream is realized in Israel everyday – everyday, when we ingather the exiles from the four corners of the earth; everyday when our engineers create the world’s most advanced technology; when our doctors work to cure disease and our scientists expand the boundaries of human knowledge and we realize that dream everyday when we rebuild our eternal undivided capital of Jerusalem.
My friends, I wish to thank you all for standing with Israel. Your unwavering friendship strengthens us, makes us more confident of our ability to meet the enormous challenges ahead. And by standing up for Israel, each and every one of you has blessed us, so on behalf of the people of Israel, let me say, may G-d bless you all, and may G-d continue to bless the United States of America.
