Ardmore,
May 31 -
Ambassador of Israel Daniel Ayalon was joined by U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach at Lower Merion High School last night to take part in a community conversation and town hall meeting. Gerlach has supported numerous pieces of legislation that support Israel and strengthen U.S.-Israel relations.
Ayalon addressed a crowd of several hundred and spoke of the inherently strong ties between Israel and the United States. In addition to shared values and similar political systems, he discussed the threat of terrorism that faces the two nations.
"Both countries were attacked by suicide bombers because of who we are and what we represent," he said. "Terrorism is designed to disintegrate the entire fabric of democracy," he added.
He credited the resilience of the Israeli population as the reason the government was able to create both defensive and offensive strategies to help stop the suicide bombers. Ayalon commended the U.S. response to Sept. 11 and said he admired America for leading the campaign against a global war on terror.
"Terror is not a plague which can't be overcome," he assured the audience. "It's a matter of courage, resolve, and leadership. Terrorists, like sharks, can smell fear. We won't let them win."