Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 57th anniversary of Israel's independence.
Today we celebrate the realization of a two thousand year old Jewish dream to return to the ancient kingdom of Israel. Centuries of persecution and propaganda gave this dream a sense of urgency and, at the end of the Nineteenth Century, Theodor Herzl and other Jewish leaders throughout the world mobilized to establish a new Jewish state. Their dream inspired persecuted Jews throughout the world to courageously find refuge in Palestine in search of a better life for themselves and their children. Without their bravery and determination, the rebirth of Israel never would have been possible. The unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust further cemented the necessity of a Jewish state, and Israel was finally established as a sovereign and independent nation on May 14, 1948.
The State of Israel was founded on the ideals of pluralism, freedom, and human rights and has maintained these democratic ideals in the face of war, terrorism, and frequent diplomatic isolation. Israel has served as a beacon of democracy in the Middle East and its shared values with the United States has led to a natural kinship between the two nations. We have maintained a strong alliance with Israel based on friendship, principles, strategy, and a commitment to defeat terror.
Israel's determination to maintain its democratic principles in the face of relentless threats to its citizens has been admirable. We salute this accomplishment and we must work with Israel to defeat terrorist threats to the institutions that nurture democracy and prosperity in our two countries and throughout the world.
Since we celebrated this day a year ago, Israel has experienced an increased sense of optimism for the achievement of a full and lasting peace. The newly elected leader of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, has publicly denounced terrorism and has vowed to both crack down on militants and to root out corruption in the Palestinian Authority. Similarly, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has demonstrated his commitment to peace by preparing for the withdrawal of Israeli settlers from all 21 settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank. Although the realization of a full and lasting peace in Israel remains distant, we must embrace these developments as a reflection of the cautious optimism embodied in Israel's national anthem, Hatikvah, which means ``the hope.'' We hope that Israel will continue to serve as the ``light unto the nations'' that Herzl envisioned more than a century ago and that Israel's 58th year will be a time of peace throughout the region.