ambassador to the united nations, sent minority leader chuck schumer, and vice president mike pence address the american israel public affairs committee's annual conference. ♪ >> if you walked on many streets in the united states or in israel, you are likely to hear a story just like mine. i am an american of mexican --.ent, the daughter of [applause] >> my parents came to this country for the same reasons many others have come to the

united states of america -- for a chance at a better life, for democracy, for opportunity. they gave us everything they could. they prioritize education, they taught us to love our country, the united states of america. [applause] and theyr haley: else, us that above all no matter our situation, we must always work to make the world a better place. [applause] ambassador haley: my parents inspired me to run for political office and to help our community. at the age of 25, i was elected to my city council.

then i became mayor, and at the age of 28 i was elected the youngest woman ever to the california state legislature. [applause] as a little girl, i fell in love with israel. through the many biblical stories. but my production to aipac was like many of you here, through one of my best friends. israel, me if you love .ome to an aipac event at aipac, i have made many friends and have found incredible mentors. 2009, i traveled on one of aipac's first missions to israel for leaders in the latino community. [applause]

in israel, i felt at home. as one of six children, i understand passionate families. as a leader in my community, i understand that the jewish -latino alliance is so important. [applause] ms. montanez: today i am an andc capital club member congressional club member. i take an active role in thetifying and educating next generation of pro-israel latino leaders. for nearly 15 years, my work with aipac has been central to who i am as a person.

i have lobbied, i have fun race, i have made phone calls, i have had tough conversations. but this past summer, my work took on additional personal meeting. on september 19, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck central mexico. where my family lives. hundreds were presumed dead. thousands were homeless. mexico, its culture, it's that's its people, its beautiful have alwaysmages been intrinsic to who i am as a person. i have many friends and family members there. and as we scrambled to get in contact with our loved ones , the people of israel did what they have done for countless other nations in need.

within 48 hours, the israel defense forces had a team in mexico mexico. [applause] -- in mexico. [applause] ms. montanez: within days, multiple israeli disaster relief organizations were on the ground. i can't put into words both the relief and the pride that i felt . in that moment, i heard my mother sitting at our dinner table. once again, always, she told us, no matter your situation in life, work to make the world a better place. [applause]

ms. montanez: the idf brought more than 70 rescue workers to help assess the damage to buildings in mexico city. helping to free those trapped under collapsed buildings. organizations like israid provided services and clean up efforts in remote communities. after days of exhausting work, as the team from the idf walked the streets of mexico city, something remarkable happened. [applause]

ms. montanez: the people began to applaud. people standing in the streets waved mexican flags and cheered the israeli rescuers. they cheered the people who had come to help friends in need. in my heart -- [applause] ms. montanez: in my heart, i was standing there on that street waving a flag, thankful for friendship and thankful for those who work to make the world a better place. we love you, israel. thank you. [applause] ♪

>> please welcome u.s. ambassador to the united nations, nikki haley. [applause]

ambassador haley: thank you. [applause] ambassador haley: thank you. thank you so much. you guys are amazing. thank you so much. it is so good to see so many friends. and i am honored to be able to say that when i come to aipac, i am with friends. [applause] ambassador haley: at the united nations, we sometimes don't have many friends. [laughter] ambassador haley: i remember last year when we had to vote about america's opposition to

the castro dictatorship in cuba. they vote went against us. 191-2. the only two no votes were the united states and israel. [applause] ambassador haley: but i always say, quality is more than quantity. [laughter] ambassador haley: shortly after the 2016 election, president-elect donald trump called me to talk to me about serving in his administration. we had a meeting at trump tower and we had good discussions about a variety of issues. long story short, his team called me a couple of days later and said he would like me to serve as ambassador to the united nations. [applause] ambassador haley: i said, i'm a governor, i don't know anything about the united nations.

we went back and forth on a few things. the clincher was when i told the the president,- you know, i will not be a wallflower or a talking head. i have to be able to say what i think. [applause] ambassador haley: without any hesitation, president trump said, that's exactly why i want you to do this. [applause] ambassador haley: president trump has been true to his word, and i think i have, too. [applause] ambassador haley: some of you might have seen that the top palestinian negotiator recently had some advice for me. [laughter] ambassador haley: he told me to shut up.

sir, i will always be respectful, but i will never shut up. [applause] ambassador haley: when i spoke here last year, i had only been on the job a couple months. now i know a lot more than i knew a year ago. but as i have learned more about how the u.n. operates, something else has become clear. it is important to know as much as possible about every country. but that is not the most important part of the job. the most important thing is to not be afraid stick with -- to stick with the fundamental

principles, even when they go against entrenched customs. [applause] ambassador haley: some of those outdated customs have gone unquestioned for years. long before i got to the u.n., i knew a few things that has served me well. one of those principles is that standing up for your friends is critical. [applause] ambassador haley: so on my first day on the job, i chose to reach out to ambassadors from four countries. i called the british and french ambassadors because they are our closest allies on the security council. i called the ambassador from the ukraine they wanted to assure -- reassure him that america would not waver in standing up for the ukraine against russian aggression. [applause] ambassador haley: and my fourth call on that first day was to

the israeli ambassador. [applause] ambassador haley: just about a month before i arrived, the united states allowed resolution 2334 to pass. it was a shameful day for america. [applause] we refused to stand up for our friends when it was singled out for terrible mistreatment. on my first day, i assured the israeli ambassador that on my watch, that would never happen again. [applause] ambassador haley: and i'm proud to say it has not happened again.

>> we love you, nikki. ambassador haley: i love you too. standing up for your friends is very important in the united nations. another one of the principles i took with me into the job was that i had absolutely no patience for bullying. [applause] ambassador haley: when i grew up, we were the only indian family in a small southern town in south carolina. on the whole, it was a great and friendly community. my parents, my brother and sister and i were always grateful for the support that surrounded us. but that did not mean every day was great. my parents were immigrants. my father wore a turban. my mother wore a sari. there were times that we got bullied. when i was governor, i did something about it. i started an anti-bullying program.

every month, i went to schools throughout the state to talk about bullying. for me, it was just so fundamental. you don't pick on someone just because they look different than you. you don't pick on someone just because they think different than you, or because you can. [applause] ambassador haley: this idea has always been with me since i was a child. but i did not think it would come to play in the united nations. it turns out, bullying is a common practice in the united nations. [laughter] ambassador haley: in the real world, israel is a strong country with a vibrant economy and a first-class military. on the battlefield, israel does not get bullied. the iranians and syrians can vouch for that. [applause] ambassador haley: but the u.n. is a different story.

at the u.n., israel does get bullied. it gets bullied because the countries that don't like israel are used to being able to get away with it. well, just like when i was that little girl in south carolina, that just doesn't sit well with me. [applause] ambassador haley: one of the u.n. agencies with the worst track record of israel bias is unesco. among many other ridiculous things, unesco has the outrageous distinction of attempting to change ancient history. unesco recently declared one of judaism's holiest sites, the tomb of the patriarch, a palestinian heritage site in need of protection from israel. that was enough. 10 months into this administration, the united states withdrew from unesco.

[applause] ambassador haley: there are lots of other things we do, big and small, week after week, to fight back against the un's israel bullying. every month at the security council we have a session devoted to the middle east. and every month this becomes an israel bashing session. this has gone on for decades. this was news to me when i arrived. it was actually shocking. i came out of the first session and publicly said, if we want to talk about security in the middle east, we should talk about iran or syria.

hezbollah. hamas. isis -- isis. the famine in yemen. there are probably 10 major problems facing the middle east and israel doesn't have anything to do with any of them. [applause] ambassador haley: just about every month since then, i have spoken about something other than israel. i cannot say we have solved the problem, but i can say other countries have followed our lead. [applause] ambassador haley: what used to be monthly israel bashing chechens -- sessions now has more balance. we are never going to put up with bullying. [applause] ambassador haley: there is one more principle i knew before i arrived at the u.n..

like most americans, i knew what the capital of israel was. [applause] ambassador haley: to be more clear, i knew that jerusalem was, is, and will always be the capital of israel. [applause] ambassador haley: i love you, too. [laughter] ambassador haley: this was not something that was created by the location of an embassy. this was not something created

by an american decision. america did not make jerusalem israel's capital. [applause] ambassador haley: what president trump did, to his great credit, was recognize the reality that american presidents had denied for too long. [applause] ambassador haley: jerusalem is the capital of israel. that's a fact. and president trump had the courage to recognize that fact when others would not. [applause] ambassador haley: sometime in the future, the day will come when the whole world recognizes that fact.

[applause] ambassador haley: in the meantime, i hope to be there and join our great ambassador david freeman. [applause] ambassador haley: on the day when we open our brand-new american embassy in jerusalem. [applause] ambassador haley: our embassy decision caused a stir at the united nations. [laughter] ambassador haley: in the security council, almost exactly one year after the united states shamefully abstained would be -- when the council attacked israel with resolution 2334, i

had the great honor of casting my first american veto. [applause] ambassador haley: when i was governor i used my veto power dozens of times. at the u.n., i never got to use it. until the jerusalem vote. i have to say, it felt pretty good. [applause] ambassador haley: the next week the jerusalem issue was brought before the general assembly. we lost that. but to many people surprise, 65 countries refused to go against us. in the history of un's mistreatment of israel, that's a record. [applause] ambassador haley: we are not forgetting that vote. [applause]

ambassador haley: like i said at that time, we were taking names. [applause] ambassador haley: last week i took a trip to guatemala and honduras. [applause] ambassador haley: i thank them both for voting with us. [applause] ambassador haley: god bless guatemala. they even joined us in moving their embassy to jerusalem. [applause] ambassador haley: president trump and i are pushing to draw a closer connection between u.s.

foreign aid and how countries vote at the u.n.. [applause] ambassador haley: u.n. votes should never be the only factor in our foreign aid system. we have many interests that go beyond the u.n.. they should be one of the factors. we are determined to start making that connection. [applause] ambassador haley: some people accused us of favoritism towards israel. first of all, there is nothing wrong with favoritism toward an ally. [applause] ambassador haley: that's what being an ally is all about. this is not about favoritism. whether it is the embassy decision or unesco, or what we are doing with -- don't even get me started on that one. [applause] ambassador haley: our approach on israel is tied together by

one major idea. the idea that run through all of it is the simple concept that israel must be treated like any other country. [applause] ambassador haley: we will continue to demand that israel not be treated like some sort of provisional entity. it cannot be the case that only one country in the world doesn't get to choose its capital city. [applause] ambassador haley: it cannot be the case that the un's human rights council has a standing agenda item for only one country. [applause] ambassador haley: it cannot be the case that only one set of refugees throughout the world is

counted in a way that causes the number to grow forever. [applause] ambassador haley: it cannot be the case that in an organization with 193 countries the united nations spends half its time attacking only one country. we will not accept it anymore. [applause] ambassador haley: that demand is a demand for peace. the un's bias against israel has long undermined peace by encouraging an illusion that

israel will go away. israel is not going away. [applause] ambassador haley: when the world recognizes that, peace becomes possible. [applause] ambassador haley: it becomes possible because all sides will be dealing with reality, not fantasy. and when we deal with reality, then reasonable, negotiated compromises can prevail over absolutist demands. thank you so much for the support you have continued to show. [applause] ambassador haley: there is nothing better than americans who use the power of their voices for good causes. that is what aipac is all about.

it has been great being with all of you. god bless you. thank you very much. [applause] ♪ announcer: please welcome chuck schumer. ♪ senator schumer: hello everybody. it is great to be here tonight.

i want to thank all of you for being here. great leadership of aipac, my friends, ambassador haley, vice president pence, and all of you. now you know, i always start off with a story. this is dedicated to my father, who is 94. my father struggled his whole life. he had a small exterminating business. he paced the floor because he hated going to work. but when he retired, my brother, the financially successful schumer, but them a house in -- bought them a house in florida. every winter, they drive from brooklyn down to florida. my father never played golf. he took up golf. they would see their friends who moved there. but as they got older, they ran out of things to do. he could not play golf anymore, his legs went bad. their friends were passing on. those of you from florida know that florida atlantic university -- hello florida. way down there in itself part of

-- in the south part of the convention center. anyway, florida atlantic university lets every senior citizen enroll in any course for free. my dad and mom would roll up to florida atlantic university every thursday at 4:00 p.m. because they enrolled in a course called humor. now what was the horse called humor? -- course called humor? some erstwhile comedian who never made it in the catskills would get up and tell jokes for 45 minutes. a different comedian each week. my dad never went to college, he said, gee, college is easy, i should have gone. [laughter] but each week they would call me back with my favorite joke. -- their favorite jokes. here is one of the favorites. mrs. goldfarb is brought before the judge. the judge rolls her eyes -- rolled his eyes and says, mrs. goldfarb, you are back. yes, your honor, i am back. what did you steal this time? i stole a can of peaches from the supermarket down the road. the judge is exasperated.

he says look, i know you are a kleptomaniac, i know this is an illness, you could easily afford a can of peaches. but for the lord's sake, this is the 17th time you have been brought before me for shoplifting this year and it's only march. i have no choice. i have got to sentence you to some time in jail. how many peaches were in the can? your honor, there were four peaches in the can. and i have no choice. i'm going to sentence you to four nights in jail, one night for each page. to bang the gavel when a man gets agitated. your honor, may it please the court, he says, i'm her husband. she also stole a can of peas. [laughter] senator schumer: so when you retire you can go to delray --ch, in role -- and role enroll in a course called humor,

and call the kids back home with your favorite joke. seriously. tonight i want to address the cause that brings us together. the cause of israel. her security, prosperity, and prospects for peace. these issues are all related. but let me begin by addressing the issue of peace. many wonder, why don't we still have peace in the middle east? a majority of israelis want peace like i do and most of you do. there should be two states, a jewish state and a palestinian state. [applause] senator schumer: some say, some who argue that settlements are the reason we do not have peace, but we know what happens in gaza. israeli soldiers dragged the sellers out in three weeks later the palestinians through the rockets. it is not the settlements that are the blockage to peace. [applause] senator schumer: some say it is

the borders. israel wants different borders. but they forget. during the negotiations in 2000, huge territorial concessions were being made that most israelis did not like. it was arafat rejected the settlement. it's not the borders. [applause] senator schumer: and it is certainly not because we have moved the embassy to where it should belong in jerusalem. not that either. [applause] senator schumer: now, let me tell you why -- let me tell you why, my view why we don't have peace. because the fact of the matter is that too many palestinians and too many arabs do not want any jewish state in the middle east. the view of palestinians is simple. the europeans treated the jews

badly, culminating in the holocaust, and they gave them our land as compensation. of course, we say it is our land. the torah says it. but they don't believe in the torah. so that's the reason there is not peace. they invent other reasons but they do not believe in a jewish state. that is why we in america must stand strong with israel through thick and thin. we must. because that is the reason -- not any of these other reasons why there is not peace in the middle east. too many people do not understand that in america. the rest of my speech, i want to address to you one of the great problems that israel faces in the future. not immediately, but the future. we have to worry about it. i will be having lunch with the prime minister tomorrow. and i intend to talk to about -- talk to him about this and what we can do about it. the fact of the matter is that too many of our younger

generations don't share the devotion to israel that our generation has. that's a problem. we have to face it and deal with it. now, it is certainly not true in aipac. we have thousands of students here who go home and spread the word of israel. students, stand up. we want to applaud you. [applause] senator schumer: 3500 students here at aipac. god bless you. but we all know the problem. americans, too many younger americans don't know the history. as a result, they tend to say, well, both guys are to blame. many americans, younger americans did not grow up knowing israel was attacked time after time. they think israel has always been strong. they do not realize that if

israel were weak, our enemies would immediately seek her destruction. i remember being in high school, james madison high school in brooklyn, new york, 1967. i carried a transistor radio to my ear. you young people will not know what that is. i would not let it go from my ear. because it was during the 1967 1967.une oof and i was worried israel would be pushed into the scene. -- pushed into the sea by the onslaught. we were praying, please save israel. the younger generation never experienced this. they have not lived through a time when israel's existence was balanced on the edge of a knife. fortunately, these days have passed. but israel faces challenges that no other nation must base. while putin enables assad's atrocities in syria, while a humanitarian crisis unfolds in

yemen, while human rights abuses happen every day to so many in iran, somehow, israel receives the blame for a chaotic middle east. the world celebrates the most incremental progress by israel's neighbors and ignores the generous cooperation between israel and her fellow nations, including our former enemies. the world draws a false moral equivalence between israel's actions to defend itself in the actions of terrorists who use children as human shields in their evil campaign to push israel into the sea. the unfairness springs from a deep well of bias that is always existed. unfortunately. if only the younger generation knew more about this unfairness. i believe it would affect them powerfully.

we canre are two things do immediately that will help rectify this situation. first we must pass and highlight the taylor force act, which will bring an end to american dollars that directly benefit a palestinian authority until it ceases making payments to the families of terrorists. [applause] senator schumer: stop calling them martyrs, giving them parades. [applause] senator schumer: my friends, this is not just about the funding to the palestinian authority. too many believe this palestinian authority is moderate and really want peace. the taylor force act will confront the world -- will force the world to confront the dark truth that the palestinian

authority everyday actively aid -- abetst's terrorism. we will show the world with this palestinian authority is actually doing. while israel justifiably defend its borders, the pa celebrates and compensates terrorists. second, we must continue to stand firm against the profoundly biased campaign to delegitimize the state of israel through boycotts, divestment, and sanctions. [applause] sen. schumer: while iran publicly executes its citizens, turkey jails its journalists, scores of arab nations punish homosexuality with imprisonment and torture, why single israel out a loan for condemnation?

-- alone for condemnation? when there is such a double standard, when the world treats everybody one way and the jewish state another way, there is only one word for it. anti-semitism. let us call out the bds movement for what it is. [applause] senator schumer: let us delegitimize the delegitimize rs by letting the world know when there is a double standard. whether they know it or not, they are actively participating in an anti-semitic movement. [applause] senator schumer: and finally, my friends, finally, we must highlight the danger israel faces from a newly resurgent iran. now so active in syria. a few weeks ago, as you know, an

iranian drone came into israeli airspace. iran and its proxies are gaining a foothold in syria, near israel's northern borders. last summer, congress, democrats and republicans together, granted the administration new authority to counter iran's maligned activity. now it must use it, not only to combat iran, but to push russia to repel proxies in syria. we can never be complacent about any threat near israel's borders. and iran is a threat right now. [applause] senator schumer: so we must do these things and more to ensure israel's security, to educate the younger generations about the true nature of the situation in the middle east. the cause of israel is too important, to you and to me.

as a boy, i grew up hearing stories about my great-grandmother in 1941. the nazis invaded. they told my great-grandmother to gather her whole family on the front porch of their house, from elderly people to little babies. there were more than 17 of them. they said you all have to leave. my grandmother said no. the nazis brutally machine-gunned down every single one of them. my great-grandmother, my friends, could not have imagined that one day there would be a country for jews. the idea seemed like an absurdity in that world. jews had been scattered to the winds, foreigners in their own country, derided by their neighbors. we were scapegoats.

forbidden to farm or become academics. second-class citizens throughout our history. just imagine. just imagine. if you could go back and tell the jews that one day there would be a jewish state of israel. imagine if you could tell the russian jew chased from town to town by angry mobs and burning torches that one day we would have a state he could seek refuge and live like anybody else. imagine if you could whisper to the polish jew who they came for one day and loaded on a train, separated from his family, forced to labor day after day and watch those wreaths of smoke rising under a silent blue sky. imagine if you could tell him one night that someday soon there would be israel.

that after two millennia of wandering desert, the jewish -- the desert, the jewish people would return home, where we could live in freedom and raise families in peace, if only we could tell them. my friends, we must never forget what israel and its freedom means to the jewish people and what the friendship of the united states means in securing that freedom. as long as hashem breathes arens -- air into my lungs, i will not forget. i know you will not forget, and together, we will forever fight to protect the jewish people and the jewish state of israel. [applause] ♪

>> in every district of america, we see benefits as a consequence of the u.s.-israel relationship. when you see that impact, you can see that atmosphere of innovation and cooperation. >> we call israel the startup nation, and i see a lot of economic activity. businesses establishing, all of which add to better life for not only israelis and americans, but also for the entire world. >> israel is becoming a superpower. in terms of agriculture, technology, dealing with water, they have some very innovative technology. that partnership and that space is going to be more and more. >> we learned about the startup tech industry there and about how so many advances there are happening. we continue not to maintain that

bond, but to grow it. >> israel, which was basically a desert, has gone from a shortage of water now to managing the world's best drip irrigation and crop management. >> they have advanced technologies that make it more cost-effective, using less energy and also making sure they are environmentally friendly. that is something i think the united states could learn from israel. >> it is important for the technologies and ideas to come from israel here, and it is also really important for israel's economic development for self-sufficiency. >> when you look at israel, you think, how do they succeed? they find any solution to a challenge and they make the world better. >> i believe we can solve any problem as long as we do it together and we continue to work together. >> part of what makes this work goods,free movement of free movement of people, free movement of ideas. you put it all together and we have the magic happen.

announcer: please welcome the aipac president. ♪ >> our next guest has a deep and personal relationship with israel. and i am proud to say he has a long relationship with aipac as well. decades, and throughout his career in public service, vice president mike pence.

[applause] mr. fridman: has demonstrated a profound love for the jewish state. he has proudly supported efforts to enhance israel's security, to counter the threats from iran and terrorist groups near israel's borders and to ensure that america's special bond with our ally endures. just a few weeks ago vice , president pence stood in and the lizard -- delivered a historic address to the people of israel and to the world.

[applause] here is what he said. "how unlikely was israel's birth? how more unlikely has been her survival? and how confounding and against thriving?as been her the miracle of israel is an inspiration to the world. and the united states of america is proud to stand with israel and her people as allies and cherished friends." [applause] mr. fridman: mr. vice president, on behalf of aipac and its leadership, let me say thank you.

[applause] thank you and thank president trump. [applause] mr. fridman: for working to keep israel safe, and for recognizing jerusalem as israel's capital city. [applause] mr. fridman: ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming back to the aipac policy conference the vice president of the united states, mike pence. [applause] ♪

vice president pence: thank you, fridman. thank you to ambassador david friedman. [applause] vice president pence: members of

the united states congress, israeli ministers, members of the knesset, distinguished guests who have come from near and far, it is great to be back at aipac, the largest and most influential gathering of the friends of israel in the united states of america. [applause] vice president pence: and tonight, i bring greetings from a friend of mine. and a great friend of the state of israel, the most pro-life president, the most pro-israel president in american history, i bring greetings from president donald trump. [applause]

vice president pence: you know, thanks to the president's leadership, the alliance between america and israel has never been stronger. friendship between our peoples has never been deeper. around i stand before you today -- and i stand before you today on his behalf to convey a simple message. america stands with israel. today, tomorrow, and always. [applause] vice president pence: during his historic visit to jerusalem, president trump declared the bond between our peoples are "woven together in the hearts of both nations," and so it is. we stand with israel because that is what the american people have always done. the people of the united states have always had a special admiration for the people of the book. we stand with israel because her

cause is our cause. her values are our values. and her fight is our fight. we stand with israel because we believe in right over wrong and good over evil, and liberty over tyranny. when i stood before you left -- last march, i told you that president trump would keep the promises he made to all of you and to our most cherished ally. and so he has. [applause] vice president pence: president trump promised to ensure israel would have the resources and

tools to defend itself by itself. today, american support for the security of the state of israel is greater than ever before. the president promised to take the fight to radical islamic terrorists on our terms, on their soil. thanks to the courage of our armed forces, isis is on the run. their caliphate has crumbled and we will not relent until we drive this menace from the face of the earth. [applause] vice president pence: he promised to stand up to the leading state sponsor of terror. president trump announced last year the united states of america will no longer certified -- certify the disastrous iran nuclear deal. [applause]

vice president pence: and president trump promised to stand up for the state of israel and against anti-semitism on the world stage. and with ambassador nikki haley on the job, the days of israel bashing at the united nations are over. [applause] vice president pence: and while every president for the past two decades promised to recognize the capital of israel, president trump did more than promise. he delivered. [applause] vice president pence: and it was my great honor in january of this year to be the first vice president of the united states

to address the knesset in jerusalem, the capital of the state of israel. [applause] the president pence: earth president said, by recognizing jerusalem as israel's capital, we finally knowledge the obvious. state of israel has called jerusalem the seat of its government since its three birth 70 years ago. -- its rebirth 70 years ago. the united states was proud to be the first to recognize the state of israel in 1948. and just as harry truman made history, president trump will make history again. thanks to the strong efforts of ambassador friedman, in may of this year, we will open the american embassy in jerusalem. [applause]

vice president pence: now, president trump made his decision, as he said, in the best interest of the united states. but he also made it clear we believe this is in the best interest of peace. by finally recognizing jerusalem as israel's capital, the united states has chosen fact over fiction. and fact is the only true foundation for a just and lasting peace. under president trump -- [applause] vice president pence: under president trump, the united states remains fully committed to achieving lasting peace between israelis and palestinians. in announcing his decision, the president also called, in his words, on all parties to maintain the status quo of jerusalem's holy sites and made it clear we were not taking any position on final status issues

or specific boundaries for the resolution of contested borders. and as the president reaffirmed, if both sides agree, the united states of america will support a two state solution. [applause] as weresident pence: gather here, our team of jared kushner, jason greenblatt, and our ambassador are hard at work crafting are the ministry's vision for peace. and while any peace will undoubtedly require compromise, know this. the united states of america will never compromise the safety and security of the jewish state of israel. [applause] vice president pence: and we know that peace is possible. because history records that israel has made the very difficult decisions to achieve

peace with its neighbors in the past. over the last few months, i have had the privilege to travel to egypt and jordan, two nations with whom israel has long enjoyed the fruits of peace. i spoke to america's friends , the king of egypt and the king of jordan about the courage of their presidents who supported an end to conflict with israel. president trump convened an unprecedented gathering of leaders from more than 50 nations that the arab-islamic american summit. as we saw, the winds of change are blowing across the middle east. long-standing enemies are becoming partners. old foes are finding new ground for cooperation. and the descendents of isaac and ishmael are coming together in common cause to meet history's great test and conquer extremism and vanquish the forces of terrorism. and we will meet that test

together. [applause] vice president pence: radical islamic terrorism knows no borders. targeting america, israel, nations across the middle east and the wider world. it respects no creed, stealing the lives of jews, christians, and especially muslims. and radical islamic terrorism understands no reality other than brute force. together with our allies, we will continue to bring the full force of our might to defeat this enemy in our time. [applause] vice president pence: as i said, we have made great progress in the fight against isis. we have liberated nearly all the territory once held by those barbarians and defeated them on the battlefield time and again. but as the enemy retreats, we must be vigilant.we must be vigt others from taking his place.

-- taking its place. we will not allow the defeat of isis to become a free for iran. [applause] iran hopes to re-create the ancient persian empire under the modern dictatorship. that regime seeks to carve out a corridor of influence running through iraq, syria, lebanon, creating a number of can passage -- creating a number such. hour, aids and the best theorist groups sit -- mounting iranian masses laid there for all to see. the drones there breached israel's quarters was an act of aggression. israel's swift and strong response sent a warning to you

ran across -- i ran across the region that dangerous provocation will not go unchecked by israel, america, or our allies. [applause] the danger posed by iran extends further. that regime continues to develop advanced ballistic missiles that can threaten every square inch of israeli soil, and the lives of all of their citizens. the nuclear deals signed by the last administration did not prevent them from obtaining a nuclear weapon, it delayed the day that the regime could gain access to it. president trump was called on to congress to enact real and lasting restraints on iran's nuclear and ballistic missile ambitions. the president waved sanctions to

give lawmakers and allies time to act. make no mistake, this is their last chance. unless the nuclear deal is fixed in the coming months, the united states of america will withdraw from the iran nuclear deal immediately. [applause] whatever the outcome of those discussions today, i have a solemn promise to you. to israel and the wider world. the united states of america will never allow iran to acquire nuclear weapons. [applause]

470 years, israel -- for 70 years, israel has overcome every challenge it has faced. this year, celebration as we commemorate the miracle of history. i say with confidence that the jewish state and the jewish people will continue to inspire and awe the world for generations to come. how unlikely was israel's rebirth, how more unlikely it has been their survival and prosperity. how confounding and against all odds has been the thriving. they have turned the desert into a garden, scarcity into plenty, sickness into health. they have turned hope into the future of security and prosperity. the tiny people in a tiny land, a land with no natural resources, no rushing rivers or valleys, a nation that despite not knowing a day of true peace

has become one of the world's most vibrant and successful nations as a marvel to the world. [applause] the worldael is leader in science and technology. the couldn't have happened without america's help. now america's great and long investment in the statement of israel -- state of israel is paying dividends. israel may be one of the smallest countries in the world. thanks to the nobel prize-winning scientist, discoveries and innovations can be found in america's hospitals, doctors offices, grocery stores. is on ournovation microprocessors, flash drives, smartphones, so much more. in 70 years, they have transformed themselves into the proud head of innovation and entrepreneurship.

creating astounding technical logical advances in nearly all fields of endeavor. roots in thedeep soil of its forefathers. as it grows it reaches closer to the heavens. a living testament to the power power.dom and the [applause] the story of israel is a story of faith. the jewish people held fast to a promise of all -- through all the ages, written so long ago. even if you had been banished to the most distant lands under the he willfrom there, gather you and bring you back. [applause] through a 2000 year exile, the longest of any people anywhere,

through conquest and expulsions, inquisitions, the jewish people held on to this agent promise. they held onto it through the longest and darkest of nights. night seven times sealed. the night that transformed the small faces of children into smoke under silence skies. and night that consumed the faith of so many. and the challenges faced by so many. to this day we grieve the loss of 6 million martyrs in the holocaust. to this day, we marvel at the faith and resilience of a sacred and broken people once scattered, who just three years after walking through the valley of the shadow of death rose up to reclaim a jewish future and rebuild a jewish state.

[applause] in this 70th anniversary year of israel's rebirth, i'd say along with jewish people everywhere, thanks to the lord our god who has kept us alive and sustained us and brought us to this day. [applause]

the miracle of israel is an inspiration to the world. the united states of america is proud to stand with israel as allies and terrorist friends. -- cherished friends. i close with faith tonight. faith in the people of israel and america. and in the immutable bonds of friendship between us. faith in the alliance between our nations nurtured by president trump and leaders throughout the congress in both parties. this alliance is stronger now than ever before. god, that he will yet forge a brighter future were each can sit under their own think street and none -- fig

tree and none shall make them afraid in the promised land. [applause] with the unwavering support of all of you, and all who call these two great nations home, with the leadership of president donald trump, and with god's help, i say with confidence. israel and theor united states of america are yet to come. israel,s you, god bless and god bless the united states of america. [applause]