III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 522 

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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 17, 2008 

Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. MCCONNELL, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. 

ALLARD, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. BAUCUS, Mr. BAYH, Mr. BENNETT, Mr. 

BIDEN, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mr. BOND, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. BROWN, Mr. 

BROWNBACK, Mr. BUNNING, Mr. BURR, Mr. BYRD, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. 

CARDIN, Mr. CARPER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mrs. CLINTON, Mr. 

COBURN, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. COLEMAN, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. CONRAD, Mr. 

CORKER, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. CRAIG, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. DEMINT, Mr. DODD, 

Mrs. DOLE, Mr. DOMENICI, Mr. DORGAN, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. ENSIGN, Mr. 

ENZI, Mr. FEINGOLD, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. GRASSLEY, 

Mr. GREGG, Mr. HAGEL, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. HATCH, Mrs. HUTCHISON, 

Mr. INHOFE, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. KENNEDY, 

Mr. KERRY, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. KOHL, Mr. KYL, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. 

LAUTENBERG, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mrs. LINCOLN, 

Mr. LUGAR, Mr. MARTINEZ, Mr. MCCAIN, Mrs. MCCASKILL, Mr. 

MENENDEZ, Ms. MIKULSKI, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. NELSON of Florida, Mr. NELSON of Nebraska, Mr. OBAMA, Mr. PRYOR, Mr. 

REED, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. SALAZAR, Mr. SANDERS, 

Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. SHELBY, Mr. SMITH, Ms. SNOWE, Mr. 

SPECTER, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. STEVENS, Mr. SUNUNU, Mr. TESTER, 

Mr. THUNE, Mr. VITTER, Mr. VOINOVICH, Mr. WARNER, Mr. WEBB, Mr. 

WHITEHOUSE, Mr. WICKER, and Mr. WYDEN) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

APRIL 22, 2008 

Committee discharged; considered and agreed to 


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SRES 522 ATS 

RESOLUTION 

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. 

Whereas on November 29, 1947, the United Nations General 

Assembly voted to partition the British Mandate of Palestine and create a Jewish state; 

Whereas on May 14, 1948, the people of Israel proclaimed 

the establishment of the sovereign and independent State 

of Israel, and the United States Government established 

full diplomatic relations with Israel; 

Whereas the desire of the Jewish people to establish an independent modern State of Israel is an outgrowth of the existence of the historic kingdom of Israel established in 

the Land of Israel 3,000 years ago, with the city of Jerusalem as its capital; 

Whereas for over 2,000 years, there has been continuous 

Jewish presence and residence in the land comprising the 

modern State of Israel; 

Whereas the establishment of the modern State of Israel as 

a homeland for the Jewish people followed the slaughter 

of more than 6,000,000 European Jews during the Holocaust; 

Whereas since its establishment 60 years ago, the modern 

State of Israel has rebuilt a nation, forged a new and dynamic democratic society, and created a thriving economic, political, cultural, and intellectual life despite the 

heavy costs of war, terrorism, and unjustified diplomatic 

and economic boycotts against the people of Israel; 


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SRES 522 ATS 

Whereas the people of Israel have established a vibrant, pluralistic, democratic political system, including freedom of 

speech, association, and religion; a vigorously free press; 

free, fair and open elections; the rule of law; a fully independent judiciary; and other democratic principles and 

practices; 

Whereas Israel has developed some of the leading universities 

in the world, and 8 Israeli citizens have been awarded the 

Nobel Prize; 

Whereas Israel has developed an advanced, entrepreneurial 

economy, is among the world’s leaders in the high-tech 

industry, and is at the forefront of research and development in the field of renewable energy sources; 

Whereas Israel regularly sends humanitarian aid, search-andrescue teams, mobile hospitals, and other emergency supplies, to help victims of disasters around the world, including the 1994 Rwandan civil war, the 1998 bombing 

of the United States Embassy in Kenya, the 1999 earthquakes in Turkey, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 

2005 hurricanes along the southern coast of the United 

States, and the 2007 fires in Greece; 

Whereas Israel has absorbed millions of Jews from countries 

throughout the world and fully integrated them into 

Israeli society; 

Whereas Israel has bravely defended itself from repeated terrorist and military attacks since its independence; 

Whereas successive leaders of Israel have sought to achieve 

peace with Israel’s Arab neighbors; 

Whereas Israel has established peaceful bilateral relations 

with neighboring Egypt and Jordan and has made its deVerDate Aug 31 2005 02:03 Apr 23, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR522.ATS SR522

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SRES 522 ATS 

sire to establish peaceful relations with all Arab states 

abundantly clear; 

Whereas for 6 decades, the United States and Israel have 

maintained a special relationship based on mutually 

shared democratic values, common strategic interests, 

and moral bonds of friendship and mutual respect; 

Whereas the American people feel a strong affinity for the 

Israeli people based on common values and shared cultural heritage; and 

Whereas the United States continues to regard Israel as a 

strong and trusted ally and an important strategic partner: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the historic significance of the 

3 60th anniversary of the reestablishment of the sov4 ereign and independent State of Israel as a home5 land for the Jewish people; 

6 (2) reaffirms the bonds of friendship and co7 operation which have existed between the United 

8 States and Israel for the past 60 years, and commits 

9 to strengthening those bonds; 

10 (3) commends the people of Israel for their re11 markable achievements in building a new state and 

12 a pluralistic, democratic society in the face of ter13 rorism, as well as hostility, ostracism, and bellig14 erence from many of their neighbors; 


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SRES 522 ATS 

1 (4) reaffirms its support for Israel’s right to de2 fend itself against threats to its security and exist3 ence; 

4 (5) reaffirms its enduring support for Israel as 

5 Israel pursues peace with its neighbors; and 

6 (6) extends the warmest congratulations and 

7 best wishes to the State of Israel and the Israeli 

8 people for a peaceful, prosperous, and successful fu9 ture. 

Æ 


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