Shalom.
President Peres, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and most of all, to the people of Israel, thank you for this incredibly warm welcome. This is my third visit to Israel so let me just say tov lihiyot shuv ba’aretz.
I’m so honored to be here as you prepare to celebrate the 65th anniversary of a free and independent State of Israel. Yet I know that in stepping foot on this land, I walk with you on the historic homeland of the Jewish people.
More than 3,000 years ago, the Jewish people lived here, tended the land here, prayed to God here. And after centuries of exile and persecution, unparalleled in the history of man, the founding of the Jewish State of Israel was a rebirth, a redemption unlike any in history.
Today, the sons of Abraham and the daughters of Sarah are fulfilling the dream of the ages — to be “masters of their own fate” in “their own sovereign state.” And just as we have for these past 65 years, the United States is proud to stand with you as your strongest ally and your greatest friend.
As I begin my second term as President, Israel is the first stop on my first foreign trip. This is no accident. Across this region the winds of change bring both promise and peril. So I see this visit as an opportunity to reaffirm the unbreakable bonds between our nations, to restate America’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security, and to speak directly to the people of Israel and to your neighbors.
I want to begin right now, by answering a question that is sometimes asked about our relationship — why? Why does the United States stand so strongly, so firmly with the State of Israel? And the answer is simple. We stand together because we share a common story — patriots determined “to be a free people in our land,” pioneers who forged a nation, heroes who sacrificed to preserve our freedom, and immigrants from every corner of the world who renew constantly our diverse societies.
We stand together because we are democracies. For as noisy and messy as it may be, we know that democracy is the greatest form of government ever devised by man.
We stand together because it makes us more prosperous. Our trade and investment create jobs for both our peoples. Our partnerships in science and medicine and health bring us closer to new cures, harness new energy and have helped transform us into high-tech hubs of our global economy.
We stand together because we share a commitment to helping our fellow human beings around the world. When the earth shakes and the floods come, our doctors and rescuers reach out to help. When people are suffering, from Africa to Asia, we partner to fight disease and overcome hunger.
And we stand together because peace must come to the Holy Land. For even as we are clear-eyed about the difficulty, we will never lose sight of the vision of an Israel at peace with its neighbors.
So as I begin this visit, let me say as clearly as I can –the United States of America stands with the State of Israel because it is in our fundamental national security interest to stand with Israel. It makes us both stronger. It makes us both more prosperous. And it makes the world a better place.
That’s why the United States was the very first nation to recognize the State of Israel 65 years ago. That’s why the Star of David and the Stars and Stripes fly together today. And that is why I’m confident in declaring that our alliance is eternal, it is forever – lanetzach.
Thank you very much.
@ yamit82:
BenD Over Roads aka Rhodes wrote the speech, the same JINO with a “Jewish Mommy” who wrote Ovomit’s Cairo speech equating the Holocaust with the rights of the poor, suffering Palestinians. A typical Dick. As in Dickhead.
@ yamit82:
Were you discusing manure? South Texas is booming Especially in Karnes County, just north of the King Ranch with acompaning crime.
Ted my comment was blocked by spammer.
@ NormanF:
When playing poker sometimes the guy who always loses gets a winning hand or calls the other guys bluff. It seems like a risky if not stupid reason to count on what has been always being so in the future.
Second reason is by agreeing to 2 states, Israel is telling the world that Y&S are not ours and we are really occupiers. Israel might demand security arrangements or some other demands but those territories have been in fact ceded to our enemies. It’s like the proverbial Hooker and her John arguing over the price. That gives Obama and EU every legitimate right for Israel to accede to their demands and pressure.
I was always critical of our Leaders from BenGurion thru Begin for not Claiming Y&S and Gaza as ours and for real peace we might be willing to share OUR lands with others. I don’t agree with those principles either but at least we maintain the principle of ownership and the right to share or not as our prerogative and no one else.
You never concede principles upon which your own national identity and interests are based upon.
@ Not Ovenready:
That correct,weed, just the crop to spread Obama’s manure upon.
@ Aaron Gaven:
You mean like the ‘sicko’ who died jumping on a grenade so that his platoon would be saved? Or the sickos who were murdered while they slept?
@ yamit82:
Actually, Obama has consistently detached himself from any ‘hard’ foreign policy that cannot be addressed with a soundbite, a cool factor invoking some celeb, and a solution derived from good weed.
@ yamit82:
I was a great speech,just in time for planting season,we shall spread it all over the fields. C”boy says it will ready be good, he can tell by the smell.
Invasion of the Obamabots.
Let’s hope that some sicko settler or Baruch Goldstein wackaroo doesn’t try and harm Obama. I imagine the security arrangements are unparalled in their severity. Ever since the Rabin slaying, there are more nuts than squirrels in Israel.
RaymondF Said:
I should add that the difference between Israel and the Arabs is that Jews take note of reality and try to work within its limitations. Arabs on the other hand refuse to accept it and they want everything now and don’t acknowledge that you can’t always have it your way in life. The Jews behave like responsible adults when they smile, give in on minor things and try to keep an American President happy. On the other hand, the Arabs act like three year old children throwing a temper tantrum and being full of seething resentment against the world, they don’t want to help someone who seeks to help them, they’re unwilling to make compromises and just act like a pleasant host. The Arabs do more to harm their own cause than the Jews ever could. If they don’t have a state, that is not Israel’s fault. I’m not a fan of Obama but Israel knows how to make the most of what it has and the Arabs as is always their wont, will show the world again that they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. How have the Jews overcome nearly impossible odds? The Jews understand win-win solutions exist and they see that even less than what is offered to them is a starting point on which to build for tomorrow. Arabs on the other hand, look at life as a zero sum game – if they don’t get all of it, they would rather have nothing. That’s where they are today and that’s where they’ll be in the future.
@ NormanF:
Good analysis! Netanyahu was clever in his choice of words, and the optics are great, with Israel a good host and the Arabs “in a surly mood and staging protests against his visit.”
yamit82 Said:
No – he didn’t! If you look at the phrasing, Netanyahu said he was fully committed to a 2 states for 2 peoples solution. The Arabs will never accept it. And of course an Arab state will never come into existence. It doesn’t hurt Israel to be nice to Obama while the Arabs are in a surly mood and stage protests against his visit. I can live with a formula that doesn’t lead anywhere.
@ yamit82:
Why is he in Israel? maybe Bibi threatened to send Sara as the next Israeli Ambassador to the U.N.?
My serious guess is Saban, but y’all do know that Kerry is coming back to re-launch the Saudi2002 plan?
and, of course, there is the hummus…
Obama is an honest, fair and true friend of Israel. I used to be a doubter, even a hater like many of you. He came from nothing. Romney was a snotnose brat who picked on weak kids because his papa was Governor. He would have sold out Israel for a pickle and a song. If anyone’s the Jew hater – it’s that oily Mormon with the phony baloney smile.
Compared to Reagan, Obama is a mensch. Reagan never visited Israel, refused to speak at AIPAC, sold more weaponry to the Saudis than anyone, and brought flowers to the SS cemetery in Germany. And, yet, Obama is cursed and spit upon. Why?
FULL President Obama – Israel PM Netanyahu News Conference – Mar. 20, 20
BB looked very much under pressure; stressed out in fact, at the joint press conference. The positions of America and Israel have not converged and are as they were before the Obama visit. Obama wants to stall till the Iranians have a bomb and is a fait accompli and BB has months at most to act he he ever is going to. Whether Obama said so in private conversations or through aids Obama will not attack or stop Iran and the pressure seems to keep BB from acting independently.
Syria is second area of concern and here Obama will not act. He would I believe prefer to farm it out to Jordan Turkey and Israel together or otherwise.
The Pali situation was paid due lip service and nothing more. Obama didn’t come here to jump start negotiations and there is no real pressure on either Israel or America side to do so.
Obama is gradually detaching America from the ME partly because it’s estimated in 7 years America will be totally independent from Middle east oil, because of oil extraction in Dakota, Texas and Louisiana. I think he is willing for the Europeans to fill the power vacuum.
I am a repeater but I can’t help myself.
So I shall repeat. Ovomit can not be trusted. He is the father of all lies. I am sure each and everyone of us tells a lie now and then and I am sure it falls in the White Lie category. Having said that this person tells more lies then all of us combined and his are beyond the White Lie category.
He is not a friend of Israel and he sides with those of your neighbors.
I stated before the Pals (Hamas controlled) are not interested in peace, they stated their intentions over the years as they don’t intent to recognize the Sovereign Jewish Nation of Israel. They want Israel for their own and they can’t have it. G-d did not intend for them to have it.
Israel is in my daily prayers and she should be in yours and Israel can begin by allowing the Jews to pray at their Temple.
BTW I don’t know about you but I am watching both Ovmit and BB praise each other and I want to vomit.
As it is stated on this site: THERE IS NO DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION
BB Just blew it by committing Israel to a 2 state solution.
yamit82 Said:
Good question! Israel is one of several countries Obama intends to visit on this Middle East tour. American Presidents come and go and Israelis have seen them all.
In reviewing the speech, Obama devoted only one sentence to the “peace process.”
For those divining political auguries, it means that he expects no real progress towards peace to be made in his second term. He’s not going to invest a great deal of time and effort on it.
It could be worse and on the upside – Obama is not much liked in Israel and this speech won’t do much to boost his popularity there.
Best speech he ever read!!! He certainly didn’t write it himself.
Why is he here?