H. Con. Res. 322 Agreed to April 24, 2008 

One Hundred Tenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and eight 

Concurrent Resolution 

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; 

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 
H. Con. Res. 322—2 

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 desire 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 

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress— 

(1) recognizes the historic significance of the 60th anniversary of the reestablishment of the sovereign and independent 

State of Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people; 

(2) reaffirms its enduring support for Israel as Israel pursues peace with its neighbors; 

(3) reaffirms its support for Israel’s right to defend itself 

against threats to its security and existence; 

(4) commends the people of Israel for their remarkable 

achievements in building a new state and a pluralistic, democratic society in the face of terrorism, as well as hostility, 

ostracism, and belligerence from many of their neighbors; 

(5) reaffirms the bonds of friendship and cooperation which 

have existed between the United States and Israel for the 

past 60 years, and commits to strengthening those bonds; and 
H. Con. Res. 322—3 

(6) extends the warmest congratulations and best wishes 

to the State of Israel and the Israeli people for a peaceful, 

prosperous, and successful future. 

Attest: 

Clerk of the House of Representatives. 

Attest: 

Secretary of the Senate.