Netanyahu hails partnership with the United States
June 30, 2016Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday evening thanked the United States for its friendship with Israel and for its military support as well, but also for “making the world a much better place”.
Netanyahu’s comments were made at a Fourth of July event at U.S. Ambassador Daniel Shapiro’s residence.
Netanyahu began his remarks by mentioning the terrorist attack in Kiryat Arba, in which Hallel Yaffa Ariel, a citizen of the United States, was murdered.
“This night of celebrations comes after a day of tragedy. In Kiryat Arba, near Hevron, the city of our forefathers, young Hallel Yaffa Ariel, a 13 year old, was murdered lying in her bunk bed,” he said.
“What makes someone slit the throat of a child? It’s not the quest for peace. It’s the mind flooded with hate and incitement, an ideology that says this child is not a human being,” continued Netanyahu.
“And this ideology of hate was manifested again when another would be murderer knifed two Israelis in Netanya a few miles from here.”
“We will always fight the terrorists. We will fight their despatchers; we will fight the inciters; we will fight the sponsors. You do battle with terrorism by fighting the terrorists and those who back them,” he vowed.
“This is our position, this is the American position. And I repeat it here on this day, the Fourth of July, which also commemorates the fortieth anniversary of the rescue at Entebbe, in which we fought terrorism and we received much support,” said Netanyahu.
“I was in the United States at the time and learned of my brother’s death when he led the rescue party at the old terminal at Entebbe. But I remember the support of the American people. That hasn’t changed – it’s grown. And the support of successive governments. That’s grown.”
“And I want to use this opportunity as we celebrate the Fourth of July to thank President Obama, Vice President Biden, Secretary Kerry, with whom I just spent a fruitful day in Rome, to reaffirm again that our greatest alliance, our most basic alliance is with the United States of America,” stated Netanyahu.
“We have an increasing number of friends around the world. We do, and it’s heartening. But we never forget that the one true partnership is between the State of Israel and the United States. And I want to tell you why the U.S.-Israel alliance has weathered every storm and every difficulty and will continue to do so.”
“The answer is deceptively simple. It’s because when Americans look at Israel, they see themselves, and when Israelis look at America, they too see themselves.”
Netanyahu acknowledged that there are differences between Israelis and Americans but stressed that “the foundational ethos of our two nations is nearly identical. It’s the reason the American founders thought of putting Moses on the national seal.”
“Today, the United States and the Jewish state serve as beacons of progress and hope for people around the world. Both Israel and America respect individual rights. We respect individual rights while we cherish our collective identities. The two are intertwined,” the Prime Minister continued.
“And it’s no coincidence that we also share the same enemies. The values we hold most dear are anathema to terrorist groups like ISIS, Hezbollah, Hamas, and regimes like Iran. The last thing they want is our pluralism, our diversity, our belief in choice. They cannot stand the sight of men and women mingling together, of minorities enjoying full rights, of gays and lesbians marching proudly, of free people electing their leaders, sometimes pushing them out of office too by the way. That happens.”
“I’m deeply grateful for the political and military support America has given Israel over the years and indeed just now. We came from the air-force cadets, and we saw our magnificent young men and women flying those machines. They’re American machines,” stressed Netanyahu, who added, “I hope that we’ll conclude a new memorandum of understanding for the invaluable American support for Israel’s defenses for the next decade.”
“But,” he continued, “I’m even more grateful not only for what America gives Israel. I’m most grateful for what America is: the land of the free, the home of the brave; a nation which, to paraphrase Lincoln, has so often been the best last hope of humanity. It keeps reenergizing that hope. America has made this world a much better place. It has provided more opportunity for more people than any other country in the history of the world.”
“When America is denigrated by some abroad, I want each and every one of you to know that Israel stands with America, shoulder to shoulder, through thick and thin. We are here for you as you are here for us,” concluded Netanyahu.
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