14-R241

2014 – S 2983

Enacted 05/07/14

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING AND COMMEMORATING THE 66TH ANNIVERSARY OF ISRAEL'S INDEPENDENCE DAY ON TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2014

Introduced By: Senators Goldin, Raptakis, Miller, Ruggerio, and Paiva Weed

Date Introduced: May 07, 2014

 

WHEREAS, May 6, 2014, the 5th day of Iyar, 5774, of the Hebrew calendar, marks the 66th Anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel; and

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; and

Whereas, On November 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly voted to partition the British Mandate of Palestine and, through that vote, to create the State of Israel; and

WHEREAS, Three years after the end of World War II and the death of six million Jews in the Holocaust, David Ben Gurion's Declaration of Independence for Israel, made on May 14, 1948, fulfilled a spiritual yearning that had remained unrealized for over two millennia; and

WHEREAS, On the day that the British formally ended its Mandate over Palestine, the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel was signed by members of the National Council gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum and went into effect at midnight. Thus, the State of Israel was proclaimed and the United States recognized and established full diplomatic relations with Israel that same day; and

WHEREAS, The United States has played a critical role in the development of Israel and has been steadfast in its commitment to helping the people of Israel develop their own economy and secure their own peace. President Harry S. Truman, the first head of state to grant Israel diplomatic recognition, expressed its special place in the hearts of Americans when he declared, "I had faith in Israel before it was established, and I have faith in it now. I believe it has a glorious future before it--not just another sovereign nation, but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization"; and

WHEREAS, In May of 1948, Israel had a tiny population of some 650,000 Jews. Today, with a population nearly ten times larger, the State of Israel has a stronger economy and military than its founders ever envisioned. It has built a thriving economy larger than the economies of all its immediate neighbors combined and it excels in science, technology, and culture; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Islanders have shared an affinity with the people of Israel and our partnership is steadfast. The bonds of friendship and cooperation which have existed between Israel and Rhode Island for the past sixty-six years have enriched the cultural diversity of our state's tapestry and they are eternal; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby applauds one of the most vibrant democracies in history on the 66th Anniversary of its founding and extends our warmest congratulations and best wishes to the State of Israel and her people for a peaceful, prosperous, and successful future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Marty Cooper, Community Relations Director of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

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LC005401
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