Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 322 and join my colleagues in congratulating the people of the State of Israel on the 60th anniversary of their independence.    In its short 60 years as an independent nation, Israel has made remarkable achievements in all sectors of society.   Despite its tumultuous experiences, Israel is a vibrant democracy that embraces a free press and political dissent. 

Israel has also contributed remarkably through miraculous breakthroughs in medicine, revolutionary technological advancements, cultural icons and an agricultural system that is a model for the entire world.

Wouldn't the best way to celebrate Israel's 60th anniversary be a renewed commitment to peace?  We know that peace will only be achieved through a two-state solution. The Palestinian people's legitimate political aspirations must be realized in order for the people of Israel to live safely and securely.

I have spent time with Israelis and Palestinians and the message they convey is universal. They just want to live in peace knowing that the future for their children is brighter than the past they have experienced. It is time for us to focus on our common goals rather than our differences. It is time to foster the people-to-people programs that connect Israelis and Palestinians on more human levels.  Peace for Palestinians and Israelis is in the best interest of everyone in the region and also the United States.

The U.S. must be active participants in the peace process and direct more resources towards this goal. Again, the best way to celebrate Israel's anniversary is to secure a safer future for her citizens. I remain committed to this goal and urge my colleagues to do the same.

I wish Israel and all Israelis a ``Yom Huledet Sameach'' and look forward to the continued friendship enjoyed by the people of Israel and the United States.

Rep. Thomas Allen (D-ME)

Mr. Speaker, on this occasion, I would like to speak in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel. Israel is our most important and strongest ally in the Middle East, and all Americans should congratulate the Israeli people on this important milestone. From technological advances in the fields of agriculture and medicine to the acceptance of women as equals, Israel has managed to establish a modern democracy full of innovation. This achievement is only magnified by the fact that at 60, Israel is still a relatively young nation.

I support a two-state solution that provides for the existence of a self-governing Palestinian state with a separate national identity. However, Israel has the right to defend itself against attacks, and we must insist that the Palestinian Government recognize the State of Israel and act and speak out against suicide bombings and other acts of terror.

I believe that the United States should devote significant resources to promoting peace in the Middle East. History has shown that active and consistent U.S. diplomatic engagement can promote progress, while a passive U.S. role can lead to the opposite.

The pursuit of diplomacy with leaders in Israel, the Palestinian territories, and regional partner countries who recognize the inevitability and importance of coexistence and economic integration must continue to be a top U.S. foreign policy goal.

The active engagement of Congress in diplomacy with Israel and other countries in the Middle East is a welcome development. The international community must focus its energy on advancing prospects for a lasting, secure peace in the Middle East.

I congratulate the Israeli people on this important achievement. I am pleased to support this resolution and urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) 

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modem State of Israel.

Israel has been a constant friend of the American people and a strong proponent for the spread of democracy.

In my travels, I saw the future for Israel and for the region: The children. It is our moral obligation to current and future generations to support a true path to peace and reconciliation. We must work towards a time free from conflict. The children of Israel and the region deserve the right to hope and dream of a world that is secure and stable.

Today, I join my colleagues in recognition of this important anniversary and look forward to a peaceful role for the U.S. throughout the region.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)

Mr. Speaker, today I join my colleagues in Congress in celebrating Israel's accomplishments over the past 60 years. I am happy to be co-sponsor of this congratulatory resolution. However, like many Israelis and Palestinians, I have concerns about Israel's future, its stability, its security and the prospect for peaceful coexistence for both Palestinians and Israelis. One of those concerns relates to the ongoing lack of resolution on the dispossession of Palestinian property and the dislocation of Palestinians after Independence. It must be remembered that about 700,000 Palestinians became exiled. Much Arab property was appropriated. And about 500 Arab villages were destroyed. On December 11, 1948, the United Nations passed Resolution 194, affording Palestinian refugees the right to return to their homes in Israel, or to compensation for their property should they choose not to return. To this day, the mandate of U.N. Resolution 194 has not been fulfilled. Unfortunately, this failure remains as one of the most significant barriers to the realization of a two-state negotiated solution.

I am also concerned for those Palestinians who did not flee and who became Israeli citizens after Independence. According to the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, today there exist 20 Israeli laws which explicitly discriminate against the Palestinian minority in Israel, who constitute 20 percent of its population. In its 2005 Annual Report, the U.S. State Department said that ``[There is] institutionalized legal and societal discrimination against Israel's [Arab] Christian, Muslim and Druze citizens. The government does not provide Israeli Arabs with the same quality of education, housing, employment and social services as Jews.''

Finally, Israel has a right to security and a right to defend itself. Accordingly, I am concerned that the 40 year military occupation of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem has been and continues to be brutal and unjust and undermines the security of Israel. It is a fact that the government of Israel continues to support the construction of settlements on Palestinian land, perpetuating the consequences of dispossession and exile. Additionally, I am concerned that the government of Israel has increased the number of checkpoints which destroy a viable Palestinian economy and a vibrant civil society. I am concerned that the Israeli government has erected a wall, often on Palestinian land, that divides Palestinians from Palestinians, rather than divide Israel from the West Bank. As stated by Judge Elaraby of the International Court of Justice in his 2004 Advisory Opinion on the legality of Israel's separation barrier, ``The fact that occupation is met by armed resistance cannot be used as a pretext to disregard fundamental human rights in the occupied territory.'' This conundrum of a dialectic of conflict further separates Israelis and Palestinians alike from hopes for peace.

H . Con . Res . 322 eloquently states the many reasons why I celebrate Israel's accomplishments and I sincerely wish it a bright future. I only wish to add that, in my opinion, and in the opinion of many Israelis and Palestinians as well, Israel's future will be bright only if it includes an open dialogue with Palestinians, a respect for human rights and international law, and a society built on coexistence and tolerance. Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in peace with justice and I encourage the United States government to help Israel achieve that so the joy of future anniversaries will be unalloyed.

I support the resolution in the spirit of reconciliation to which we must all inevitably turn, to achieve peace and justice with our brothers and sisters from whom we may be estranged.

Rep. Michael Michaud (D-ME)

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H . Con . Res . 322 recognizing the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel and reaffirming the bonds of close friendship and cooperation between the United States and Israel.

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel. For the past six decades the United States and Israel have forged a special relationship based on our shared history of overcoming oppression, tyranny and hatred. This bond has strengthened over time through our common interest in peace, prosperity, and democracy.

As we commemorate this anniversary, we must also recognize the challenges that face Israel. Security and prosperity will only be reached when a resolution to the conflict between the Palestinian and Israeli peoples is achieved.

It is critical that we engage both Israel and the Palestinian leadership to find a way forward. It is also critical that we support initiatives that create greater dialogue, cooperation and economic development between Israelis and Palestinians. I have been a strong supporter of Seeds of Peace, which has a camp located in my district, which brings Arab and Israeli youth together to dispel stereotypes and build lasting trust within the regional leaders of tomorrow. I have also been a strong supporter of the Middle East Regional Cooperation program and other programs that create people-to-people reconciliation and coexistence in the Middle East.

Israel is friend and ally of the United States and it is my honor to recognize the 60th anniversary of its founding. True support for Israel lies in standing with our friend as its civilians face down indiscriminate rocket attacks and in pushing for a permanent peace that provides security and dignity to both Israelis and Palestinians.

On this special occasion it is important to commemorate the past, but also to look toward the future. As our two Nations enter our seventh decade as allies, we must continue to actively pursue our common dream of peace, freedom and security--a dream that I believe is shared by all peoples of the world.

Mr. Speaker, I reiterate my firm support of H . Con . Res . 322 .

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Israel and its people on the 60th anniversary of its founding and offer my sincere hope that the seventh decennial of its existence will usher in a period of lasting peace between it and its neighbors.

We all agree that Israel and the Israeli people have accomplished much during its 60 years. As this resolution points out, Israel has forged a politically diverse and dynamic society with a thriving economy and vibrant cultural and intellectual life. It has produced 8 Nobel Prize winners and has provided sanctuary for millions of Jews throughout the world.

I have visited Israel on more than one occasion and I was most impressed by its commitment to many of the democratic principles we cherish here in the United States. As the resolution points out, there are many common bonds between the United States and Israel.

So, Mr. Speaker, as a strong supporter of the Israeli people and Israel's right to exist, I agree we should take time to recognize Israel on this momentous occasion. I also believe, however, that we must take this opportunity to encourage Israel and all the parties involved to find a workable solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to redouble efforts on the path to peace.

For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I support H . Con . Res . 322 , which recognizes the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel.

Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD)

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 322, recognizing the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel and reaffirming the bonds of close friendship and cooperation between the United States and Israel.

Since its founding, Israel has been one of America's staunchest allies. As the only democracy in the Middle East, a close relationship between the United States and Israel helps ensure stability in that region.

The ongoing Palestinian/Israeli conflict is of great concern to me. The loss of innocent lives on both sides is troubling and tragic. The ultimate solution must come in the form of a true peace between these neighbors so they may live side-by-side. I support policies that promote a peaceful solution to the conflict. I have visited the region a half dozen times and met with leaders in several of the key countries. I am convinced that a path to peace is the only way to provide true security and prosperity for every nation.

Since Israel is our strongest ally in the Middle East, peace in this troubled area is of direct interest to our Nation. Our Nations' strong alliance will help create a lasting peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis and will diminish much of the tension and violence throughout the Middle East.

Born out of the tragedy of World War II and the Holocaust, Israel provides a safe and secure homeland for Jewish people from the entire world. I thank Israel for its friendship with the United States, and look forward to another 60 years of close cooperation between our Nations.

Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO)

Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H . Con . Res . 322 , I am glad to have the opportunity to vote for this important resolution today.

The United States recognized the State of Israel the day it was established on May 14, 1948. In the ensuing 60 years, the people of Israel have established a democratic society, developed an advanced economy, and created a thriving culture in the face of war, terrorism, and threats to its security.

H . Con . Res . 322 expresses ``enduring support for Israel as Israel pursues peace with its neighbors.'' The importance of peace in the region cannot be overstated. Without it there can be no regional stability and no security for Israel. Over the decades, the United States has played a special role in helping facilitate the peace process in the region, and I believe we must continue to play that role.

For 60 years, the United States and Israel have shared strong bonds of friendship, common values, and strategic interests. Our support for the people of Israel has been a fundamental part of American foreign policy and remains so today. In the post-9/11 world and with American soldiers engaged in two wars on Islamic soil, I believe our historic alliance with the State of Israel has even greater significance.

So again, Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Israel on its 60th birthday and send my best wishes to the Israeli people for a peaceful and prosperous future.