May 15, 2008
New York, NY

The 60th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel is a moment for celebration and reflection.

As an American and a friend, I share the immense pride of Israelis that their long sought homeland arose out of the tragedy of the Holocaust; that it has endured all the challenges to its existence, always supported by the US; and that Israelis have built a strong democracy, a thriving economy, and an interestingly diverse, creative, and fascinating society.

As President, I was honored to work to protect Israel’s security and to achieve a just and lasting peace between Israel and its neighbors. I regret that we did not succeed, and that in the years since the matter has remained unresolved. As a result, Israel still faces challenges to its long-term security and Palestinians still struggle with economic recovery, recurrent violence, and dreams denied. On this historic occasion, I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity I had to work with your leaders in the search for peace, prosperity, security, and reconciliation. I remain convinced that celebrating your next sixty years in 2068 will require all of us to redouble our efforts to find a path to peace to give the children of Isaac and Ishmael both a place to call home and a future they can share.