II

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. J. RES. 102

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

APRIL 29, 1998

Received

JOINT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress on the occasion of

the 50th anniversary of the founding of the modern

State of Israel and reaffirming the bonds of 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 Pal-
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estine, and through that vote, to create the State of

Israel;

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 the outgrowth of the

existence of the historic Kingdom of Israel established

three thousand years ago in the city of Jerusalem and in

the land of Israel;

Whereas one century ago at the First Zionist Congress on

August 29 to 31, 1897, in Basel, Switzerland, participants under the leadership of Theodore Herzl affirmed

the desire to reestablish a Jewish homeland in the historic land of Israel;

Whereas the establishment of the modern State of Israel as

a homeland for the Jews followed the slaughter of more

than six million European Jews during the Holocaust;

Whereas since its establishment fifty years ago, the modern

State of Israel has rebuilt a nation, forged a new and dynamic society, and created a unique and vital economic,

political, cultural, and intellectual life despite the heavy

costs of six wars, terrorism, international ostracism, and

economic boycotts;

Whereas the people of Israel have established a vibrant and

functioning pluralistic democratic political system including freedom of speech, a free press, free and fair and

open elections, the rule of law, and other democratic principles and practices;
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Whereas, at great social and financial costs, Israel has absorbed hundreds of thousands of Jews from countries

throughout the world, many of them refugees from Arab

countries, and fully integrated them into Israeli society;

Whereas for half a century 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; and

Whereas the American people have shared an affinity with

the people of Israel and regard Israel as a strong and

trusted ally and an important strategic partner: Now,

therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 That the United States—

4 (1) recognizes the historic significance of the

5 fiftieth anniversary of the reestablishment of the

6 sovereign and independent modern State of Israel;

7 (2) commends the people of Israel for their re8 markable achievements in building a new state and

9 a pluralistic democratic society in the Middle East in

10 the face of terrorism, hostility and belligerence by

11 many of her neighbors;

12 (3) reaffirms the bonds of friendship and co13 operation which have existed between the United

14 States and Israel for the past half-century and

15 which have been significant for both countries; and
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1 (4) extends the warmest congratulations and

2 best wishes to the State of Israel and her people for

3 a peaceful and prosperous and successful future.

Passed the House of Representatives April 28, 1998.

Attest: ROBIN H. CARLE,

Clerk.