Nixon's Visit to Israel

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  U.S President Richard Nixon, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and U.S Secretary of State, Dr. Henry Kissinger, during a work session at King David Hotel in Jerusalem. Photo: Ya'acov Sa'ar, GPO​.​

  
  
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• The Visit

• ​President Nixon was the first US president to visit Israel while in office (June 16-17, 1974).
  

  
  

  From the joint statement following the discussions between Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and ​President Richard Nixon:

  
  

  "President Nixon and Prime Minister Rabin held extensive and cordial talks on matters of mutual interest to the United States and Israel and reviewed the excellent relations between their two countries. They discussed in a spirit of mutual understanding the efforts of both countries to achieve a just and lasting peace which will provide security for all States in the area and the need to build a structure of peace in the world. United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and members of the Israeli Cabinet participated in these talks. 

  
  

  Prime Minister Rabin expressed Israel's appreciation for the outstanding and effective role of the United States in the quest for peace under the leadership of President Nixon assisted by the tireless efforts of Secretary Kissinger and indicated Israel's intention to participate in further negotiations with a view to achieving peace treaties with its neighbors which will permit each State to pursue its legitimate rights in dignity and security"

  
  

  Read the full text on The American Presidency Project's website​​​​
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  U.S President Richard Nixon, inspecting the honour guard of flying cadets, following his arrival at Ben Gurion Airport. Photo: Ya'acov Sa'ar, GPO.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Presidents Richard Nixon and Efraim Katzir, with Mrs. Katzir and Dr. Henry Kissinger, at the reception hall of the president's residence in Jerusalem. Photo: Ya'acov Sa'ar, GPO.

  
  

  
  

  U.S. President Nixon speaking during the official banquet at The Knesset. Photo: GPO​.

  
  

  
  

  

  U.S President Richard Nixon and Israeli President Efraim Katzir, during his visit to Israel. Photo: GPO​.

  
  

  
  

  184 - Remarks on Arrival at Tel Aviv, Israel. June 16, 1974

  Richard Nixon 1974 Location: Foreign Country Israel Font Size:  Report Typo More Sharing ServicesShare Share on facebookShare on myspaceShare on googleShare on twitterShare on favorites The American Presidency Project Promote Your Page Too Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: It is for me, as I am sure all of you can imagine, a very great moment to be standing here, as the President has indicated, as the first American President to be here in Israel and, particularly so, because our two countries have been joined together in friendship from the time of Israel's birth as a nation in our modern times. We have been through, over these years, some difficult times. During the period that I have served as President of the United States, we have been through some difficult times together, and I can only say that the friendship that we have for this nation, the respect and the admiration we have for the people of this nation, their courage, their tenacity, their firmness in the face of very great odds, is one that makes us proud to stand with Israel, as we have in the past in times of trouble, and now to work with Israel in a better time, a time that we trust will be a time of peace. Reference has been made to the fact that this is the first visit of a President to Israel, a President of the United States. It is, of course, not my first trip to this land. I was here in 1966 and then at the very end of the June war in 1967. As I visited some of the troops, as I met for the first time the now Prime Minister, then commander, and also Mr. Dayan and others who were leaders of Israel at that time, and particularly as I visited the hospitals where some of the wounded were--the wounded on both sides--I realized, first, how much Israel had gone through to defend itself in war, how much war cost not only Israel but also those on the other side, and how the goal of peace was one that was in the interests of both sides, in the interest of Israel, this nation of enormous ability, enormous prospects, whatever the odds may be, but a people with the ability to go forward to heights undreamed of if the terrible danger of war could be reduced and even sometime removed. And that is why, at this time as I travel to nations that over the past few years have been Israel's traditional adversaries, 'that I have been glad to know that the people of this nation understand, that they appreciate the purpose of that journey. The people of Israel understand, appreciate the purpose of a journey I will take later to the Soviet Union for the third meeting with Soviet leaders. And that purpose is the purpose of peace for all the world and, in this area particularly, peace among the nations involved. It is not an easy goal to achieve. The road ahead is difficult, because the peace that we seek, that all nations in the area seek, must be one that is just and one that is equitable, one that provides the opportunity for each nation to maintain its independence and its security against all those who might threaten it. But we have taken the first steps down that long road and now, working with our traditional friends from Israel as well as with some of the other nations in the area who have indicated a similar desire to find a way to solve differences through peace rather than war, we believe the goal can be achieved. We are dedicated to it. We know that you, too, are dedicated to it. And I would say, finally, you are dedicated to it not because you have, as you look back over your history, any fear insofar as your ability to defend yourself is concerned, because you have demonstrated your courage over and over again, but you look forward to the achieving of this goal because you know how much more Israel--this great, proud people, small in numbers but high in intelligence and dedication and ability-how much more they could create for their own good and for the people of the world if they could turn their full attention to the works of peace. That is our goal. An impossible dream, one would have said when I was in Israel at the end of the June war in 1967. A possible dream now. What we want to do is to make that possible dream come true with your cooperation, with your help, and I am confident we can. Thank you. Note: The President spoke at approximately 3 p.m. at Ben-Gurion Airport in response to remarks of welcome by President Ephraim Katzir.The Prime Minister was Yitzhak Rabin. President Katzir's remarks were as follows: Mr. President, Mrs. Nixon, distinguished guests from the United States, ladies and gentlemen, blessed are you who come in the name of peace: You are the first President of the United States to visit the State of Israel, and we welcome you and Mrs. Nixon and the distinguished members of your party with a very warm shalom. Your visit to our country is an occasion of joy as well as of great significance for us. The United States has stood by the side of Israel from the day of her rebirth as a sovereign state. Throughout the years, the great American people have demonstrated their friendship. In hours of trial, we have enjoyed your sympathy and support just as we always have benefited from your Nation's generosity in helping us to advance our country and to bring a better life to our people. You, personally, Mr. President, have demonstrated in a singular manner your amity and your constant readiness to come to our assistance. We' shall never forget, Mr. President, that you stood with us in hours of grave perils as well as in days of opportunity and hope. And today our hopes are that our people, gathered from the four corners of the Earth after centuries of persecution and decades of wars, will be able to live as free men in peace and security. We are grateful to our great sister democracy and to you, Mr. President, for all that has been done and is being done to strengthen us in our national rebuilding. You will have some opportunity to observe for yourself what has been accomplished in transforming this once barren land into a fast developing and vibrant country. We welcome you, Mr. President, because your presence here epitomizes the mission of peace in our area which the American Administration, under your guidance and leadership, is pursuing. As a people whose supreme goal is peace, we applaud your efforts in which we wholeheartedly participate. We know that you, Mr. President, regard the mission of peace in this area as an essential ingredient of the wider endeavor to build a world structure of peace.On behalf of the Government of Israel and the people of Israel, and in the spirit of the profound friendship between our nations, I bid you Barukh Haba, blessed be he who comes.

President Carter in Israel (1979)

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  Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin addresses The Knesset during the visit of US President Carter to Israel. Photo: Ya'acov Sa'ar, GPO​.

  
  
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• The Visit

• ​​President Carter arrived in Israel on March 11th, 1979, in order to help promote the peace talks that followed the Camp David Accords. President Carter met with Prime Minister Menachem Begin, and spoke at the Knesset about the American commitment to achieving a long-lasting peace agreement.

  
  

  After his visit to Israel, President Carter visited Egypt, where he met with Egyptian President, Anwar Sadat, who agreed to the terms confirmed during Carter's visit to Israel.

  Two weeks after President Carter's visit to Israel, on March 26th, the historical Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty was signed in Washington D.C.​​

  
  

  Read the full text of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt​​​

  
  

  
  

  

  The official greeting ceremony for US President Carter at Ben Gurion Airport. Photo: GPO​

  
  

  

  Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin's welcome speech for US President Jimmy Carter at The Knesset. Photo: GPO​.

  
  

  

  US President Carter meets with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Photo: GPO.

  
  

  
  

  US President Jimmy Carter laying a wreath at the eternal flame monument outside The Knesset. Photo: GPO​

  
  

  

  The official dinner banquet at The Knesset, welcoming US President Carter. Photo: GPO​.

  
  

  Press conference with President Carter, 12 May 1977.

  Upon his return from London, Mr. Carter stated that Israel has a special relationship with the U.S. entitling it to special treatment in the arms sales policy he was developing. This assurance came after a series of negative decisions regarding arms sales to Israel that were viewed in Jerusalem with growing concern. In an effort to alleviate such fears, the President also said that there should not be any doubt about the U.S. commitment "to protect the right of Israel to exist, to exist permanently, and to exist in peace." Excerpts:

  Q: Mr. President, do you think that Israel should accept the Palestinian homeland if the Palestinians or PLO accept the fact of Israel? And also, as a result of your talks today, are you persuaded that we should share arms technology and co-production with Israel?
  A: The answer to both those questions is yes. I don't think that there can be any reasonable hope for a settlement of the Middle Eastern question, which has been extant now on a continuing basis now for more than 29 years, without a homeland for the Palestinians. The exact definition of what that homeland might be, the degree of independence of the Palestinian entity, its relationship with Jordan, or perhaps Syria and others, the geographical boundaries of it, all have to be worked out by the parties involved. But for the Palestinians to have a homeland and for the refugee question to be resolved, is obviously of crucial importance.
  We have a special relationship with Israel. It's absolutely crucial that no one in our country or around the world ever doubt that our number one commitment in the Middle East is to protect the right of Israel to exist, to exist in peace. It's a special relationship.
  Although I've met with the leaders of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and had long hours of discussion, I never found any of those Arab leaders who objected to that special commitment of ours to the protection of the integrity of Israel.
  And obviously, part of that is to make sure that Israel has adequate means to protect themselves without military involvement of the United States. I have no objection about this arrangement. I'm proud of it. And it will be permanent as long as I'm in office.
  Q: May I get back briefly to Helen's question? It seemed to us, traveling with you, that you and the people in your party were a bit more upbeat on the question of the Middle East this week than perhaps a couple weeks ago after the Hussein visit. I just wonder, do you have indications now that the Palestinians are ready to recognize the right of Israel to exist? And also, do you have - in reference to the question Helen brought up - do you have some indication that Israel is ready to recognize the need for a Palestinian homeland?
  A: We have had no contact with the Palestinians, with PLO. But I have concluded meetings with the Prime Minister of Israel, the President of Egypt, the President of Syria, and the King of Jordan. At the conclusion of this series of meetings, I feel better than I did before. At the end of the Hussein meeting my own hopes were improved.
  I don't want to mislead anyone. The chances for Middle Eastern peace are still very much in doubt. We have a long way to go. But I do believe that there's a chance that the Palestinians might make moves to recognize the right of Israel to exist. And if-so, this would remove one of the major obstacles toward further progress.
  Our Government, before I became President, promised the Israeli government that we would not recognize the PLO by direct conversations or negotiations, as long as the PLO continued to espouse the commitment that Israel had to be destroyed.
  I would like to see this resolved. There's a chance that it will be done. We are trying to add our efforts to bring this about. But I have no assurance that it will be accomplished.

President Clinton in Israel ('94, '95, '96, '98)

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  Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein of Jordan shake hands at the signing ceremony of the Peace treaty between Israel and Jordan. Photo: GPO.
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• The Visits

• President Clinton visited Israel four times during his two presidential terms:

  
  

  On October 26-27, 1994, President Clinton came to Israel to mark the signing of a peace agreement between Israel and Jordan, for which he was the principal mediator. The signing ceremony took place at the new border crossing north of Eilat with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, the King of Jordan and President Clinton in attendance.

  
  

  Read the full text of the Israel – Jordan Peace Treaty​

  
  

  On November 6, 1995, President Clinton arrived in Israel to attend the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's funeral. 

  
  

  Read President Clinton's eulogy for the late Prime Minister Rabin.​

  
  

  On March 13 - 14, 1996, President Clinton visited Israel to pay tribute to victims of recent terror attacks and their families. He also met with senior Israeli officials in order to discuss cooperation against terrorism.

  
  

  On December 12-15, 1998, President Clinton visited Israel in order to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials and reaffirm the strong bond between the two countries. 

  
  

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  U.S President Bill Clinton, and Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, during a meeting at King David hotel. Photo: GPO​

  
  

  

  U.S President Bill Clinton attends the signing ceremony of the Peace treaty between Israel and Jordan. Photo: GPO​

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  Israeli Prime Minister Rabin, U.S President Clinton, and King Hussein watch as Israeli and Jordanian soldiers shake hands during the signing ceremony of the Israeli-Jordanian Peace treaty. Photo: GPO

  
  

  
  

  

  U.S President Bill Clinton, with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, King Hussein of Jordan, Israeli President Ezer Weizman, at the signing ceremony of the Israel-Jordan Peace treaty.​ Photo: GPO

  
  

  
  

  

  U.S President Bill Clinton, during his speech at the signing ceremony of the Israel-Jordan Peace treaty. Photo: GPO​

  
  

  
  

  

  U.S President Bill Clinton, during his speech at the Knesset, while visiting Israel. Photo: GPO​.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  U.S President Bill Clinton, paying his last respects to the late Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin, who was killed at the end of peace rally, on November 4th, 1995. Photo: GPO​.

  
  

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  President Clinton, meeting with acting Prime Minister Shimon Peres, at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. Peres replaced the late Prime Minister Rabin. Photo: GPO​

  
  

  ddress of United States President William Jefferson Clinton to the Knesset, October 27, 1994

  
  Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Netanyahu, ladies and gentlemen of the Knesset, let me begin by thanking the Prime Minister and the people of Israel for welcoming me to your wonderful country and thanking all of you for giving me the opportunity to address this great democratic body where clearly people of all different views are welcome to express their convictions. I felt right at home. 
  
  Yesterday Israel took a great stride towards fulfilling the ancient dream of the jewish people, the patriarchs' dream of a strong and plentiful people living freely in their own land, enjoying the fruits of peace with their neighbours. 
  
  Nearly 17 years after President Sadat came to this chamber to seek peace and Prime Minister Begin reached out in reconciliation and just over a year after Israel and the PLO Declared a pathway to peace on the south lawn of the White House, Israel and Jordan have now written a new chapter. Tonight we praise the courage of the leaders who have given life to this treaty, Prime Minister Rabin and Foreign Minister Peres. They have shown the vision and the tenacity of other leaders of Israel's past whose names will be remembered always for their devotion to your cause and your people - Ben-Gurion, Meir, Begin. 
  
  In your life, Prime Minister, we see the life of your country. As a youth you wished to fulfil the commandment to farm the land of Israel but instead you had to answer the call to defend the people of Israel. You have devoted your life to cultivating strength so that others can till the soil in safety. You have fought many battles and won many victories in war. Now in strength you are fighting and winning battles for peace. 
  
  Indeed, you have shown your people that they can free themselves from the siege, that for the first time they can make real a peace for the generations. 
  
  For the American people too this peace is a blessing. For decades, as Israel has struggled to survive, we have rejoiced in your triumphs and shared in your agonies. In the years since Israel was founded, Americans of every faith have admired and supported you. Like your country, ours is a land that welcomes exiles, a nation of hope, a nation of refuge. From the Orient and Europe and now from the former Soviet Union, your people have come, Ashkenazim and Sefardim, Yemenites and Ethiopians, all of you committed to living free, to building a common home. 
  
  One in every four citizens of this country is an Arab, something very few people know beyond the borders. Even without the blessings of secure borders, you have secured for your own people the blessings of democracy. With all of its turmoil and debate, it is still the best of all systems. 
  
  In times of war and times of peace, every president of the United States since Harry Truman and every Congress has understood the importance of Israel. The survival of Israel is important not only to our interests but to every single value we hold dear as a people. Our role in war has been to help you to defend yourself by yourself. That is what you have asked. Now that you are taking risks for peace, our role is to help you to minimise the risks of peace. 
  
  I am committed to working with our congress to maintain the current levels of military and economic assistance. We have taken concrete steps to strengthen Israel's qualitative edge. The US-Israel Science and Technology Commission, unprecedented Israeli access to the US high technology market and acquisition of advanced computers - all these keep Israel in the forefront of global advances and competitive and global markets. 
  
  I have also taken steps to enhance Israel's military and your capacity to address possible threats not only to yourselves but to the region. F-15 aircrafts are being provided and F-16s transferred out of US stocks. We work closely with you to develop the Arrow missile, to protect against the threat of ballistic missiles. 
  
  As we help to overcome the risks of peace, we are also helping to build a peace that will bring with it the safety and security Israel deserves. 
  
  That peace must be real, based on treaty commitments arrived at directly by the parties, not imposed from outside. It must be secure. Israel must always be able to defend itself by itself. 
  
  And it must be comprehensive. We have worked hard to end the Arab boycott and we've had some success, but we will not stop until it is completely lifted. 
  
  There is a treaty with Jordan and an agreement with the PLO, but we must keep going until Syria and Lebanon close the circle of states entering into peace and the other nations of the Arab world normalise their relations with Israel. 
  
  This morning in Damascus I discussed peace with President Assad. He repeated at our press conference what he had earlier said to his own parliament. Syria has made a strategic choice for peace with Israel. He also explained that Syria is ready to commit itself to the requirements of peace through the establishment of normal peaceful relations with Israel. His hope, as he articulated it, is to transform the region from a state of war to a state of peace that enables both Arabs and Israelis to live in security, stability and prosperity. 
  
  We have been urging President Assad to speak to you in a language of peace that you can understand. Today we began to do so. Of course, it will take more than words, much more than words. Yet I believe something is changing in Syria. Its leaders understand that it is time to make peace. There will still be a good deal of hard bargaining before a breakthrough, but they are serious about proceeding. 
  
  Just as we have worked with you from Camp David to Wadi Arava to bring peace with security to your people, so too we will walk with you on the road to Damascus for peace with security. 
  
  There are those who see peace still as all too distant. Surely they include the families of those buried in the rubble of the community centre in Buenos Aires, those in the basement of New York's world Trade Center, the loved ones of the passengers on bus number 5 and, of course, two people who, as has been noted, are in this chamber with us tonight and we honour their presence, the parents of corporal Nachshon Wachsman, a son of your nation and I proudly say a citizen of ours. 
  
  We grieve with the families of those who are lost and with all the people of Israel. So long as Jews are murdered just because they are Jews or just because they are citizens of Israel, the plague of anti-semitism lives and we must stand against it. 
  
  We must stand against terror as strongly as we stand for peace. For without an end to terror there can be no peace. The forces of terror and extremism still threaten us all. Sometimes they pretend to act in the name of God and country, but their deeds violate their own religious faith and make a mockery of any notion of honourable patriotism. 
  
  As I said last night to the parliament in Jordan, we respect Islam. Millions of american citizens every day answer the Moslem call to prayer, but we know that the real fight is not about religion or culture. It is about a worldwide conflict between those who believe in peace and those who believe in terror, those who believe in hope and those who believe in fear. Those who stoke the fires of violence and seek to destroy the peace, make no mistake about it, have one great goal. Their goal is to make the people of Israel, who have defeated all odds on the field of battle, give up inside on the peace by giving in to the doubts that terror brings to every one of us. 
  
  But having come so far, you cannot give up or give in. Your future must lie in the words of a survivor of the carnage of bus number 5 who said, "I want the peace process to continue. I want to live in peace. I want my children to live in peace." 
  
  So let us say to the merchants of terror once again, you cannot succeed, you must not succeed, you will not succeed. You are the past, not the future. The peacemakers are the future. 
  
  I say to you, my friends, in spite of all the dangers and difficulties that still surround you, the circle of your enemies is shrinking. Their time has passed. Their increasing isolation is reflected in the desperation of their disgusting deeds. Once in this area you were shunned. Now more and more you are embraced. 
  
  As you share the waters of the river Jordan and work with your neighbours, new crops will emerge where the soil is now barren. As you join together to mine the Dead Sea for its minerals, you will bring prosperity to all your people. As you roll up the barbed wire and cross the desert of the Arava, the sands will yield new life to you. As you dock in each other's ports along the Gulf of Aqaba, more and more people will have the chance to experience the wonders of both your lands and more and more children will share the joys of youth and not the dread of war. 
  
  This is the great promise of peace. It is the promise of making sure that all those who have sacrificed their lives did not die in vain. The promise of a Sabbath afternoon not violated by gunfire, a drive across the plains to the mountains of Moab where Moses died and Ruth was born, a Yom Kippur of pure prayer without the rumble of tanks, voices of fear or rumours of war. After all the bloodshed and all your tears, you are now far closer to the day when the clash of arms is heard no more and all the children of Abraham, the children of Isaac and the children of Israel will live side by side in peace. 
  
  This was, after all, the message the prophet Mohammed himself brought to peoples of other faiths when he said, "there is no argument between us and you. God will bring us together and unto him is the homecoming." And this was the message that Moses spoke to the children of Israel when, for the last time, he spoke to them as they gathered to cross the river Jordan into the promised land, when he said, "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses; choose life so that you and your descendants may live". 
  
  This week once again the people of Israel made a homecoming. Once again you chose life. Once again america was proud to walk with you. 
  
  The Prime Minister mentioned a story in his remarks that he never asked me about. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if it weren't true? The truth is that the only time my wife and I ever came to Israel before today was thirteen years ago with my pastor on a religious mission. I was then out of office. I was the youngest former governor in the history of the United States. No one thought I would ever be here. Perhaps my mother. No one else. 
  
  We visited the holy sites. I relived the history of the Bible, of your scriptures and mine, and I formed a bond with my pastor. Later when he became desperately ill he said he thought I might one day become president and he said, more bluntly than the Prime Minister did, if you abandon Israel, God will never forgive you. He said that it is God's will that Israel, the biblical home of the people of Israel, continue for ever and ever. 
  
  So I say to you tonight, my friends, one of our presidents, John Kennedy, reminded us that here on earth God's will must truly be our own. It is for us to make the homecoming, for us to choose life, for us to work for peace. But until we achieve a comprehensive peace in the Middle East and then after we achieve a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, know this: 
  Your journey is our journey and America will stand with you now and always. 
  
  Thank you and God bless you. 

President Bush in Israel (2008)

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• The Visit

• US President George W. Bush visited Israel twice during his two terms:

  
  

  In January 9-11, 2008, President Bush's primary goal was to monitor and encourage peace talks between the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority. While in Israel, he met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

  
  

  
  

  In May 14-16, 2008, President Bush visited marking the 60th anniversary of the founding​ of the state of Israel. While in Israel, he addressed the Knesset and met with President Peres and Prime Minister Olmert .

  
  

  
  US President George W. Bush on the reception ceremony at the Ben Gurion Airport with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Shimon Peres.

  
  

  
  

  
  US President George W. Bush, His wife Laura Bush, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, his wife Aliza Olmert and President Shimon Peres on the reception ceremony at the Ben Gurion Airport.

  
  
  
  U.S. President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, First Lady Laura Bush and the Prime Minister's wife, Aliza Olmert,  during a tour of the historic desert fortress at Masada, Israel on May 15, 2008. Israel. ​

  
  

  
  
  US President George W. Bush rides an Israeli made bicycle he received from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during a private dinner at his residence on May 15, 2008 in Jerusalem, Israel.

  
  
  Then opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu greets US President George W. Bush in the Knesset.
  
  
  
  US President George W. Bush, Israeli President Shimon Peres and Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik (center​), at the Knesset.​

Address of US President George Bush to the Knesset, May 15, 2008

President Peres and Mr. Prime Minister, Madam Speaker, thank very much for hosting this special session. President Beinish, Leader of the Opposition Netanyahu, Ministers, members of the Knesset, distinguished guests: Shalom. Laura and I are thrilled to be back in Israel. We have been deeply moved by the celebrations of the past two days. And this afternoon, I am honored to stand before one of the world's great democratic assemblies and convey the wishes of the American people with these words: Yom Ha'atzmaut Sameach. (Applause.)

It is a rare privilege for the American President to speak to the Knesset. (Laughter.) Although the Prime Minister told me there is something even rarer -- to have just one person in this chamber speaking at a time. (Laughter.) My only regret is that one of Israel's greatest leaders is not here to share this moment. He is a warrior for the ages, a man of peace, a friend. The prayers of the American people are with Ariel Sharon. (Applause.)

We gather to mark a momentous occasion. Sixty years ago in Tel Aviv, David Ben-Gurion proclaimed Israel's independence, founded on the "natural right of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate." What followed was more than the establishment of a new country. It was the redemption of an ancient promise given to Abraham and Moses and David -- a homeland for the chosen people Eretz Yisrael.

Eleven minutes later, on the orders of President Harry Truman, the United States was proud to be the first nation to recognize Israel's independence. And on this landmark anniversary, America is proud to be Israel's closest ally and best friend in the world.

The alliance between our governments is unbreakable, yet the source of our friendship runs deeper than any treaty. It is grounded in the shared spirit of our people, the bonds of the Book, the ties of the soul. When William Bradford stepped off the Mayflower in 1620, he quoted the words of Jeremiah: "Come let us declare in Zion the word of God." The founders of my country saw a new promised land and bestowed upon their towns names like Bethlehem and New Canaan. And in time, many Americans became passionate advocates for a Jewish state.

Centuries of suffering and sacrifice would pass before the dream was fulfilled. The Jewish people endured the agony of the pogroms, the tragedy of the Great War, and the horror of the Holocaust -- what Elie Wiesel called "the kingdom of the night." Soulless men took away lives and broke apart families. Yet they could not take away the spirit of the Jewish people, and they could not break the promise of God. (Applause.) When news of Israel's freedom finally arrived, Golda Meir, a fearless woman raised in Wisconsin, could summon only tears. She later said: "For two thousand years we have waited for our deliverance. Now that it is here it is so great and wonderful that it surpasses human words."

The joy of independence was tempered by the outbreak of battle, a struggle that has continued for six decades. Yet in spite of the violence, in defiance of the threats, Israel has built a thriving democracy in the heart of the Holy Land. You have welcomed immigrants from the four corners of the Earth. You have forged a free and modern society based on the love of liberty, a passion for justice, and a respect for human dignity. You have worked tirelessly for peace. You have fought valiantly for freedom.

My country's admiration for Israel does not end there. When Americans look at Israel, we see a pioneer spirit that worked an agricultural miracle and now leads a high-tech revolution. We see world-class universities and a global leader in business and innovation and the arts. We see a resource more valuable than oil or gold: the talent and determination of a free people who refuse to let any obstacle stand in the way of their destiny.

I have been fortunate to see the character of Israel up close. I have touched the Western Wall, seen the sun reflected in the Sea of Galilee, I have prayed at Yad Vashem. And earlier today, I visited Masada, an inspiring monument to courage and sacrifice. At this historic site, Israeli soldiers swear an oath: "Masada shall never fall again." Citizens of Israel: Masada shall never fall again, and America will be at your side.

This anniversary is a time to reflect on the past. It's also an opportunity to look to the future. As we go forward, our alliance will be guided by clear principles -- shared convictions rooted in moral clarity and unswayed by popularity polls or the shifting opinions of international elites.

We believe in the matchless value of every man, woman, and child. So we insist that the people of Israel have the right to a decent, normal, and peaceful life, just like the citizens of every other nation. (Applause.)

We believe that democracy is the only way to ensure human rights. So we consider it a source of shame that the United Nations routinely passes more human rights resolutions against the freest democracy in the Middle East than any other nation in the world. (Applause.)

We believe that religious liberty is fundamental to a civilized society. So we condemn anti-Semitism in all forms -- whether by those who openly question Israel's right to exist, or by others who quietly excuse them.

We believe that free people should strive and sacrifice for peace. So we applaud the courageous choices Israeli's leaders have made. We also believe that nations have a right to defend themselves and that no nation should ever be forced to negotiate with killers pledged to its destruction. (Applause.)

We believe that targeting innocent lives to achieve political objectives is always and everywhere wrong. So we stand together against terror and extremism, and we will never let down our guard or lose our resolve. (Applause.)

The fight against terror and extremism is the defining challenge of our time. It is more than a clash of arms. It is a clash of visions, a great ideological struggle. On the one side are those who defend the ideals of justice and dignity with the power of reason and truth. On the other side are those who pursue a narrow vision of cruelty and control by committing murder, inciting fear, and spreading lies.

This struggle is waged with the technology of the 21st century, but at its core it is an ancient battle between good and evil. The killers claim the mantle of Islam, but they are not religious men. No one who prays to the God of Abraham could strap a suicide vest to an innocent child, or blow up guiltless guests at a Passover Seder, or fly planes into office buildings filled with unsuspecting workers. In truth, the men who carry out these savage acts serve no higher goal than their own desire for power. They accept no God before themselves. And they reserve a special hatred for the most ardent defenders of liberty, including Americans and Israelis.

And that is why the founding charter of Hamas calls for the "elimination" of Israel. And that is why the followers of Hezbollah chant "Death to Israel, Death to America!" That is why Osama bin Laden teaches that "the killing of Jews and Americans is one of the biggest duties." And that is why the President of Iran dreams of returning the Middle East to the Middle Ages and calls for Israel to be wiped off the map.

There are good and decent people who cannot fathom the darkness in these men and try to explain away their words. It's natural, but it is deadly wrong. As witnesses to evil in the past, we carry a solemn responsibility to take these words seriously. Jews and Americans have seen the consequences of disregarding the words of leaders who espouse hatred. And that is a mistake the world must not repeat in the 21st century.

Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: "Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided." We have an obligation to call this what it is -- the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history. (Applause.)

Some people suggest if the United States would just break ties with Israel, all our problems in the Middle East would go away. This is a tired argument that buys into the propaganda of the enemies of peace, and America utterly rejects it. Israel's population may be just over 7 million. But when you confront terror and evil, you are 307 million strong, because the United States of America stands with you. (Applause.)

America stands with you in breaking up terrorist networks and denying the extremists sanctuary. America stands with you in firmly opposing Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions. Permitting the world's leading sponsor of terror to possess the world's deadliest weapons would be an unforgivable betrayal for future generations. For the sake of peace, the world must not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. (Applause.)

Ultimately, to prevail in this struggle, we must offer an alternative to the ideology of the extremists by extending our vision of justice and tolerance and freedom and hope. These values are the self-evident right of all people, of all religions, in all the world because they are a gift from the Almighty God. Securing these rights is also the surest way to secure peace. Leaders who are accountable to their people will not pursue endless confrontation and bloodshed. Young people with a place in their society and a voice in their future are less likely to search for meaning in radicalism. Societies where citizens can express their conscience and worship their God will not export violence, they will be partners in peace.

The fundamental insight, that freedom yields peace, is the great lesson of the 20th century. Now our task is to apply it to the 21st. Nowhere is this work more urgent than here in the Middle East. We must stand with the reformers working to break the old patterns of tyranny and despair. We must give voice to millions of ordinary people who dream of a better life in a free society. We must confront the moral relativism that views all forms of government as equally acceptable and thereby consigns whole societies to slavery. Above all, we must have faith in our values and ourselves and confidently pursue the expansion of liberty as the path to a peaceful future.

That future will be a dramatic departure from the Middle East of today. So as we mark 60 years from Israel's founding, let us try to envision the region 60 years from now. This vision is not going to arrive easily or overnight; it will encounter violent resistance. But if we and future Presidents and future Knessets maintain our resolve and have faith in our ideals, here is the Middle East that we can see:

Israel will be celebrating the 120th anniversary as one of the world's great democracies, a secure and flourishing homeland for the Jewish people. The Palestinian people will have the homeland they have long dreamed of and deserved -- a democratic state that is governed by law, and respects human rights, and rejects terror. From Cairo to Riyadh to Baghdad and Beirut, people will live in free and independent societies, where a desire for peace is reinforced by ties of diplomacy and tourism and trade. Iran and Syria will be peaceful nations, with today's oppression a distant memory and where people are free to speak their minds and develop their God-given talents. Al Qaeda and Hezbollah and Hamas will be defeated, as Muslims across the region recognize the emptiness of the terrorists' vision and the injustice of their cause.

Overall, the Middle East will be characterized by a new period of tolerance and integration. And this doesn't mean that Israel and its neighbors will be best of friends. But when leaders across the region answer to their people, they will focus their energies on schools and jobs, not on rocket attacks and suicide bombings. With this change, Israel will open a new hopeful chapter in which its people can live a normal life, and the dream of Herzl and the founders of 1948 can be fully and finally realized.

This is a bold vision, and some will say it can never be achieved. But think about what we have witnessed in our own time. When Europe was destroying itself through total war and genocide, it was difficult to envision a continent that six decades later would be free and at peace. When Japanese pilots were flying suicide missions into American battleships, it seemed impossible that six decades later Japan would be a democracy, a lynchpin of security in Asia, and one of America's closest friends. And when waves of refugees arrived here in the desert with nothing, surrounded by hostile armies, it was almost unimaginable that Israel would grow into one of the freest and most successful nations on the earth.

Yet each one of these transformations took place. And a future of transformation is possible in the Middle East, so long as a new generation of leaders has the courage to defeat the enemies of freedom, to make the hard choices necessary for peace, and stand firm on the solid rock of universal values.

Sixty years ago, on the eve of Israel's independence, the last British soldiers departing Jerusalem stopped at a building in the Jewish quarter of the Old City. An officer knocked on the door and met a senior rabbi. The officer presented him with a short iron bar -- the key to the Zion Gate -- and said it was the first time in 18 centuries that a key to the gates of Jerusalem had belonged to a Jew. His hands trembling, the rabbi offered a prayer of thanksgiving to God, "Who had granted us life and permitted us to reach this day." Then he turned to the officer, and uttered the words Jews had awaited for so long: "I accept this key in the name of my people."

Over the past six decades, the Jewish people have established a state that would make that humble rabbi proud. You have raised a modern society in the Promised Land, a light unto the nations that preserves the legacy of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. And you have built a mighty democracy that will endure forever and can always count on the United States of America to be at your side. God bless. (Applause.)