,,iv  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #cj  ,,in ,,the       
,,house ,,of ,,representatives  ,april  
#aj1 #bjac ,mr4 ,radel 7for himself1    
,ms4 ,meng1 ,mr4 ,king of ,new ,york1   
and ,mr4 ,schneider7 submitted the      
following concurrent resolution2 which  
was referred to the ,committee on       
,foreign ,affairs  ,,concurrent         
,,resolution  ,recognizing the #feth    
anniversary of the independence of the  
,state of ,israel4  ,whereas1 on ,may   
#ad1 #aidh1 the ,state of ,israel       
declared its independence2 ,whereas the 
,united ,states was one of the first    
nations to recognize ,israel1 only #aa  
minutes after its creation2 ,whereas    
,israel has provided the opportunity for
 ,jews from all over the world to       
reestablish their ancient homeland2     
,whereas ,israel is home to many        
religious sites sacred to ,judaism1     
,christianity1 and ,islam2 ,whereas     
,israel provided a refuge to ,jews who  
survived the unprecedented horrors of   

the ,holocaust2 ,whereas the people of  
,israel have established a pluralistic  
democracy which includes the freedoms   
cherished by the people of the ,united  
,states1 including freedom of speech1   
freedom of religion1 freedom of         
association1 freedom of the press1 and  
government by the consent of the        
governed2 ,whereas ,israel continues to 
serve as a shining model of democratic  
values by regularly holding free and    
fair elections1 promoting the free      
exchange of ideas1 and vigorously       
exercising in its ,parliament1 the      
,knesset1 a democratic government that  
is fully representative of its citizens2
 ,whereas ,israel has bravely defended  
itself from terrorist and military      
attacks repeatedly since independence2  
,whereas the rocket attacks that have   
targeted ,israel in recent years have   
caused casualties and have destroyed    
homes1 schools1 buildings1 roads1 power 
lines1 and other significant            
infrastructure2 ,whereas ,israel has    

signed landmark peace treaties and      
successfully established peaceful       
bilateral relations with neighboring    
,egypt and ,jordan2 ,whereas it is      
imperative for all countries in the     
,middle ,east1 and for ,united ,states  
interests in the ,middle ,east1 that    
these peace treaties continue to be     
recognized and upheld by all involved   
parties2 ,whereas despite the violence  
perpetrated against innocent ,israelis  
over the last several years at the hands
 of terrorists1 the people of ,israel   
continue to seek peace with their       
,palestinian neighbors2 ,whereas ,iran1 
which rejects ,israel's right to exist  
as a nation1 is a continued threat to   
both ,israel's and the ,united ,states  
safety and security1 both through its   
support of terrorist groups like ,hamas 
and ,hezbollah and through its ongoing  
efforts to acquire nuclear weapons2     
,whereas the ,united ,states is         
committed to ensuring that ,israel      
maintains its qualitative military edge2

 ,whereas the ,united ,states and       
,israel enjoy a strategic partnership   
based on shared democratic values1      
friendship1 respect1 and justice2       
,whereas the people of the ,united      
,states share an affinity with the      
people of ,israel and view ,israel as a 
strong and trusted ally2 ,whereas       
,israel has turned barren desert into a 
thriving country that ranks among the   
world's leaders in economics1           
technology1 health care1 energy1 and    
humanitarianism2 ,whereas ,israel has   
made significant global contributions in
 the fields of science1 medicine1 and   
technology2 and ,whereas ,israel's      
,independence ,day on the ,jewish       
calendar coincides this year with ,april
 #af1 #bjac3 ,now1 therefore1 be it     
,that ,congress--  7#a7 recognizes the  
independence of the ,state of ,israel as
 a significant event in providing refuge
 and a national homeland for the ,jewish
 people and in establishing a democracy 
in the ,middle ,east2  7#b7 commends the

 bipartisan commitment of successive    
,united ,states administrations and     
,united ,states ,congresses since #aidh 
to stand by ,israel and work for its    
security and well-being2  7#c7 asserts  
its commitment to continue to stand with
 ,israel during times of uncertainty2   
7#d7 expresses support for ,israel's    
right to exist as a democratic1 ,jewish 
,state1 defend itself1 and protect the  
lives and safety of the ,israeli people2
  7#e7 congratulates the ,united ,states
 and ,israel for the strengthening of   
bilateral relations during the past     
decade in the fields of defense1        
diplomacy1 and homeland security1 and   
encourages both nations to continue     
their cooperation in resolving future   
mutual challenges2  7#f7 reaffirms its  
unequivocal1 enduring1 and bipartisan   
support for the alliance and friendship 
between the ,united ,states and ,israel2
 and  7#g7 extends warm congratulations 
and best wishes to the people of ,israel
 as they celebrate the #feth anniversary

 of ,israel's independence4