‘On this day of celebration, it is my fervent hope that Israel will soon celebrate its birth as a state that is recognized by all its Arab neighbors, safe from the threat of terror’



Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday honoring the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Modern State of Israel:



“More than a hundred years ago, the Hungarian journalist Theodore Herzl set into motion a political movement that would change the world. Herzl’s vision for a Jewish homeland would not be realized in his own lifetime, but the nation that would become the Modern State of Israel would have exceeded his dreams of a prosperous home for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.



“In the nearly 2,000 years that had passed since their exile, the Jewish people had remained faithful to their traditions, praying and hoping for their eventual return. That right was acknowledged in the Balfour Declaration of 1917 and reaffirmed by the Mandate of the League of Nations in 1922.



“The horrors of the Nazi Holocaust made Israel’s establishment all the more urgent, and created among the American people a deep sympathy for the aspirations of the Jewish people. And at the stroke of Midnight, on this day in 1948, the Modern State of Israel was born. Eleven minutes later, here in the U.S., President Truman recognized the new state, and solidified for all time the strong bond between our two countries.



“A deep friendship between America and Israel is natural, given the many political and moral values we share. But our strong diplomatic ties were far from inevitable. Historians tell us that recognition was strenuously opposed by Secretary of State George Marshall, a foreign policy realist who valued strategic interests over humanitarian concerns.



“In this case, Marshall was overridden by his Commander in Chief, who, following the Holocaust, saw the moral and humanitarian imperative of the Jewish people having their own state. Despite President Truman’s deep respect for Marshall, it was a decision Truman would never regret.



“The U.S. Congress, it should be noted, had spoken out on the issue long before recognition was sought. As far back as 1922, Congress expressed its sympathy for a sovereign homeland for the Jewish people. It would take two more decades for that state to come about, but when it did Congress and the American people were ready once again to express overwhelming support.



“In the decades since the birth of the Modern State of Israel, much has changed. This desert land has in many ways become ‘a land that floweth with milk and honey.’ In this, it reflects the ingenuity and the resourcefulness of the Israeli people.



“Over time, the U.S.- Israeli relationship has only grown stronger. A bond that was originally based largely on moral grounds and shared values has been fortified by shared strategic interests.



“While some Arab states recognize Israel, most do not. Israel faces numerous threats, including an existential threat from Iran. Yet on this day of celebration, it is my fervent hope that Israel will soon celebrate its birth as a state that is recognized by all its Arab neighbors, safe from the threat of terror.



“Until then, I know my colleagues and I will do everything in our power to ensure that the U.S.- Israeli relationship is robust, and that the Jewish state has all it needs to defend itself.



“On this anniversary, we send our best wishes and every expression of heartfelt goodwill and congratulations to the Jewish people.”



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