Speech by His Excellency Sallai Meridor, Ambassador of Israel to the United States On the Occasion of Israel’s 60th Anniversary

MR. VICE PRESIDENT, [MADAME SPEAKER], MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS, FELLOW AMBASSADORS, COLLEAGUES, DEAR FRIENDS OF ISRAEL,

THE ANTHEMS OF OUR TWO NATIONS HIGHLIGHT THE VALUES AND IDEALS WE BOTH HOLD TRUE. ISRAELIS AND AMERICANS ALIKE UNDERSTAND THAT TO BE A LAND OF THE FREE, WE MUST BE A HOME OF THE BRAVE. IT IS IN THIS SPIRIT THAT I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE ISRAELI AND AMERICAN ARMED FORCES. IT IS THEIR BRAVERY THAT ALLOWS US ALL TO LIVE IN FREEDOM - THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!

ISRAEL'S NATIONAL ANTHEM IS ABOUT HOPE - HATIKVAH, AND IT IS HOPE THAT IS AT THE SPIRITUAL CORE OF BOTH OUR NATIONS. ISRAEL IS THE FULFILLMENT OF A 2,000 YEAR

OLD DREAM, TO ONCE AGAIN BE A FREE NATION AGAIN IN OUR LAND, ABLE TO DEFEND OURSELVES AND DETERMINE OUR FUTURE.

OLD DREAM, TO ONCE AGAIN BE A FREE NATION AGAIN IN OUR LAND, ABLE TO DEFEND OURSELVES AND DETERMINE OUR FUTURE.

SIXTY YEARS. SIXTY YEARS OF REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT IN THE FACE OF GREAT CHALLENGES AND ENORMOUS ODDS. SIXTY YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY, IN SCIENCE, IN MEDICINE, AND IN THE ARTS. SIXTY YEARS OF BUILDING A VIBRANT DEMOCRACY AND THRIVING ECONOMY. SIXTY YEARS OF FULFILLING THE ANCIENT DREAM - THE INGATHERING OF OUR EXILES. .

SIXTY YEARS. SIXTY YEARS OF REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT IN THE FACE OF GREAT CHALLENGES AND ENORMOUS ODDS. SIXTY YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY, IN SCIENCE, IN MEDICINE, AND IN THE ARTS. SIXTY YEARS OF BUILDING A VIBRANT DEMOCRACY AND THRIVING ECONOMY. SIXTY YEARS OF FULFILLING THE ANCIENT DREAM - THE INGATHERING OF OUR EXILES.

IN THIS HISTORIC JOURNEY, ISRAEL HAS NOT BEEN ALONE. SINCE ISRAEL'S FIRST MOMENTS, WE HAVE HAD NO BETTER FRIEND THAN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AMERICA WAS THE FIRST TO RECOGNIZE ISRAEL. AMERICA CAME TO ISRAEL'S AID DURING THE YOM KIPPUR WAR. AMERICA FOUGHT TO OPEN THE GATES AND HELPED ISRAEL ABSORB MILLIONS OF JEWS. IN

ISRAEL'S STRUGGLE TO DEFEND ITSELF AS WELL AS IN ITS PURSUIT OF PEACE, THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL KNOW THAT AMERICA STANDS WITH US. ISRAEL IS PROUD TO STAND WITH AMERICA AND IS GRATEFUL FOR AMERICA'S SUPPORT AND FRIENDSHIP.

IN THIS SPIRIT, IT GIVES ME MUCH PLEASURE TO WELCOME A GREAT FRIEND OF ISRAEL,VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY, WHO, TOGETHER WITH PRESIDENT BUSH AND BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IN CONGRESS, HAS STRENGTHENED AND ENHANCED THE U.S.-ISRAEL RELATIONSHIP. MR. VICE PRESIDENT, ALLOW ME TO RAISE A TOAST TO BOTH OUR COUNTRIES AND SAY, "GOD BLESS ISRAEL AND GOD BLESS AMERICA."

MR. VICE PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING TO CELEBRATE ISRAEL'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY...

Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C.

Press Release

60 Students from Sderot Visit the Embassy of Israel

***For Immediate Release*** July 23, 2008

WASHINGTON – Today, 60 students between the ages of 10 and 14 from the Israeli town of Sderot visited the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. The students were invited by the Chabad – Lubavitch Jewish community and are spending their summer at various Jewish – American camps throughout the Washington Metro area, hoping to expose young Americans to the challenges of life in Sderot.

While in Washington, the students visited various American landmarks such as the White House and the Capital building. While visiting the Embassy, the children were briefed on the contours of the US – Israeli relationship, the craft of diplomacy and the Embassy’s efforts to raise awareness of the Sderot community.

Under constant threat of rocket attacks from the neighboring Gaza Strip, life in Sderot has become a challenging, daily grind for its citizenry. Since June 2007, over 1500 rockets and approximately 1800 mortars have been fired from Gaza at the small town. Daily life is continuously threatened by the wail of sirens.

As a result of the daily rocket fire, many of the visiting students suffer various ailments and stress disorders. Two of the children that visited today had lost their fathers to rocket attacks, and a third child’s face was disfigured in an attack.

the Embassy of Israel was honored to host the Montgomery Village Rotary International Club* for an evening of Israeli culture.

On January 3, 2008

Minister-Counselor Rafael Harpaz, Director of Public Affairs, welcomed the Rotary and spoke to them about Israel’s foreign relations. Other speakers included Stuart Rutchik, President of the Montgomery Village Rotary Club, and Gina Michele Takemori, the president-elect. Following the presentations, Rotary members were treated to Israeli folk dance performances by “Yesodot,” a local dance troupe comprised of teenagers from the Washington, D.C. area. The event was a part of the Rotary International’s Embassy Series promoting fellowship and membership. * Rotary International is a service organization of nearly 1,200,000 business and professional leaders formed in 1905. Montgomery Village Rotary Club is part of Rotary International District 7620 and is one of 528 Districts worldwide. .