Hoyer Statement on the 70th Anniversary of Israel's Independence Day
Press Types
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2018
Contact Info:
Mariel Saez 202-225-3130
WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement on the 70th anniversary of Israel's Independence Day, which begins at sundown this evening:
“Seventy years ago, the rebirth of the Jewish State of Israel ended two millennia of painful exile. Jews from the Land of Israel and every corner of the diaspora – from the mountains of Caucasus to the plains of Argentina, from the ancient villages of Iraq to the displaced persons camps of liberated Europe – joined to ensure that the fate of the Jewish people would never again rest solely in others’ hands. When President Truman made the United States the first nation to recognize the new State of Israel, he began what has grown into one of America’s strongest and most solid bilateral relationships, one based not only on common interests but on the shared principles of freedom of expression, rule of law, and a yearning for peace.
“Tonight, all of us who love Israel and work to defend it from threats and defamation will join in celebration. We must continue to stand up and defend the Jewish State from those who would do it harm, which is why bipartisan support for close U.S.-Israel security cooperation is essential. In marking this anniversary, we will honor not only seventy years of modern Israel, but the long and difficult history that led to its independence. We will reflect on the enormous contributions Israel has made to science, technology, the arts, and global humanitarian aid. We will wonder at the miracles of the absorption of millions of refugees and the flowering of a desert. And we will pay tribute to all those who gave their lives to defend Israel and its people.
“This will be the first Israel Independence Day without the late Shimon Peres, whom I was honored to know for more than forty years. He once said: ‘We should use our imagination more than memory.’ I can think of no better lesson for Israel at seventy years from the last of its founding generation. His words are a reminder that memory may have kept the idea of Israel alive for centuries, but it is imagination that will sustain the State of Israel and its future for generations to come. I join in wishing the people of Israel and all who cherish it a very happy Yom Ha’atzmaut as we continue to stand up for the Jewish State and its unbreakable bond with the United States.”
“Seventy years ago, the rebirth of the Jewish State of Israel ended two millennia of painful exile. Jews from the Land of Israel and every corner of the diaspora – from the mountains of Caucasus to the plains of Argentina, from the ancient villages of Iraq to the displaced persons camps of liberated Europe – joined to ensure that the fate of the Jewish people would never again rest solely in others’ hands. When President Truman made the United States the first nation to recognize the new State of Israel, he began what has grown into one of America’s strongest and most solid bilateral relationships, one based not only on common interests but on the shared principles of freedom of expression, rule of law, and a yearning for peace.
“Tonight, all of us who love Israel and work to defend it from threats and defamation will join in celebration. We must continue to stand up and defend the Jewish State from those who would do it harm, which is why bipartisan support for close U.S.-Israel security cooperation is essential. In marking this anniversary, we will honor not only seventy years of modern Israel, but the long and difficult history that led to its independence. We will reflect on the enormous contributions Israel has made to science, technology, the arts, and global humanitarian aid. We will wonder at the miracles of the absorption of millions of refugees and the flowering of a desert. And we will pay tribute to all those who gave their lives to defend Israel and its people.
“This will be the first Israel Independence Day without the late Shimon Peres, whom I was honored to know for more than forty years. He once said: ‘We should use our imagination more than memory.’ I can think of no better lesson for Israel at seventy years from the last of its founding generation. His words are a reminder that memory may have kept the idea of Israel alive for centuries, but it is imagination that will sustain the State of Israel and its future for generations to come. I join in wishing the people of Israel and all who cherish it a very happy Yom Ha’atzmaut as we continue to stand up for the Jewish State and its unbreakable bond with the United States.”