and my cell phone, the black area, the trio, ipod, iphone, they would just be slow compared to one gigabyte. and this means you would download dvds in an instant, in seconds when you add onto that holograms and you add onto that all the apps that are coming out, it's going to be a revolution not those speeds at one gigabyte. so i think the plan is good because it seemed america, focus on broadband. make it on the present and make sure the government, the institution, the school and college i'll have it and i will be a long leap to make america preeminent and technology. >> host: commerce and cliff stearns, ranking member on the commerce subcommittee on technology. thank you for beyond indicators. >> guest: thank you for having me. >> host: if you'd like to read the broadband apostle proposed by the fcc, c-span.org/"the communicators."

>> secretary of state hillary clinton told the american israel public affairs committee that new israeli settlements are undermining the peace process and hindering efforts to impose more sanctions on iran. she spoke to the aipac annual conference for 45 minutes. ♪ [applause] ♪

♪ >> thank you. thank you for that warm welcome and it is wonderful to be back at aipac with so many good friends. i saw a number of them backstage before coming out and i can assure you that i received a lot of advice. i know i always do when i see my friends from aipac. and i want to thank lee rosenberg for that introduction and congratulations, rosie, you're going to be a terrific president. [applause] i also want to thank david victor and howard kohr and lonny kaplan nd j.b. pritzker and howard friedman and ester kurz and richard fishman and i better stop, but all at aipac's yours and staff for your leadership and hard work. and i'm very pleased that you

will be hearing from a good friend of mine, congressman jim langevin, a great champion for israel. [applause] let's hear it for jim. [applause] and to all of you, all at aipac members, thank you once again for your example of citizen activism, petitioning your governments, expressing your views, speaking up in the arena. this is what democracy is all about. [applause] and i am particularly pleased to see again that there's so many young people here. [cheers and applause] you recognize that your future and the future of our country are bound up with the future of israel.

[applause] and your engagement today will help to make that future more secure. given the shared challenges we face, the relationship between the united states and israel has never been more important. the united states -- [applause] has long recognized that a strong and secure israel is vital to our own strategic interest. [applause] and we know that the forces that threaten israel also threatened the united states of america. [applause] [applause]

and therefore, we firmly believe that when we strengthen israel's security, we strengthen america's security. [applause] so from its first day, the obama administration has worked to promote israel's security and long-term success. and if you ever doubt the resolve of president obama to stay with the job, look at what we got done for the united states last night when it came to pass in quality affordable health care for everyone. [cheers and applause] and we know that as vice president biden said in israel recently, to make progress in this region, there must be no

gap between the united states and israel on security. [applause] and let me assure you as i have assured you on previous occasions with large groups like this and small intimate setting, for president obama and for me and for this entire administration, our commitment to israel's security and israel's future is rock solid unwavering, injuring and forever. [cheers and applause] and why is that? why is that? is it because aipac campus 7500

people into a room in the convention center? i don't think so. is it because some of the most active american and politics who care about our government also care about israel? that's not the explanation. our country and our peopleare bound together by our shared values of freedom, equality, democracy, the right to live free from fear and our common aspiration for a future of peace, security and prosperity, where we can see our children and our children's children should we be so lucky end of the future mother of the bride and certainly hoping for that. [applause] to see those children, those

generations,, page and peace for the opportunity fulfill their own god-given potential. americans under israel as a homeland for a people to long oppressed and a democracy that has had to defend itself at every turn. adrian nurtured for generations and made real by men and women who refused to bow to the toughest about. and israel's story, we see our own. we see in fact the story of all peoples who struggle for freedom and the right to chart their own destinies. that's why it took president harry truman only about a minute to recognize the new nation of israel. not mac and ever since our two

countries have stood in solidarity, so guaranteeing israel's security is more than a policy position for me. it is a personal commitment that will never waiver. [applause] since my first visit to israel nearly 30 years ago, i have returned many times and made many friends. i've had the privilege of working with some of israel's great leaders and have benefited from their wise old. i have maybe even caused some of them consternation. i don't think yitzhak rabin ever

forgave me from banishing him to the white house now worry when he wanted to smoke. and over the years, i have shared your pride in seeing the desert blenheim, the economy thrive in the country flourish. but i've also seen the struggles and the sorrows. i is met with a big and the terrorism in their hospital rooms. i felt their hand, i've listened to the doctors describe how much shrapnel was last in a leg, an arm or a head. i sat there and listened to the heart rending words that prime minister rabin's daughter, noelle, spoke at her grandfather's funeral. i went to a bombed out pizzeria in jerusalem.

i seen the looks on the faces of israeli families who knew a rocket could fall at any moment. on one of my visits in 2002, i met a young mann named joe hae frerotte. he was only 26, but he was already a senior medic with mda and he oversaw probe and to train foreign volunteers as first responders in israel. i attended the program's graduation ceremony and i saw the pride in his face as yet another group of young people set off to do good and save lives. i was also a reservist with the idea. in and a week after we met, he was killed by a sniper near a

road block along with other soldiers and civilians. mda renamed the overseas volunteer program in his memory and it has continued to flourish. when i was there in 2005, i met with his family. his parents were committed to continuing support mda and its mission and suicide. that's why i spent years urging the international red cross, introducing legislation, rounding up votes to send a message to geneva to admit mda as a full voting member. and finally,h your help in 2006, we succeeded in writing that wrong. [applause] [cheers and applause] as a senator from new york, i

was proud to be a strong voice for israel and the congress and around the world. and i am proud that i can continue to be that strong voice as secretary of state. last fall, i stood next to prime minister netanyahu in jerusalem and praised his government's decision to place a moratorium on new residential construction in the west bank. and then, i praised it again in cairo and in marrakesh and in many places far from jerusalem to make clear that this was a first step, but it was an important first step. and yet, i underscored the long-standing american policy that does not accept the legitimacy of continued settlement. as israel's friend, it is our responsibility to give credit when it is due in to tell the truth when it is needed.

in 2008, i told this conference that barack obama would be a good friend to israel as president, that he would have a special appreciation of israel because of his own personal history, a grandfather who flout the nazis in patton's army. a great uncle who helped liberate buchenwald. president obama and his family who have lived the diaspora experience. and as he told you himself, he understands that there is always a homeland at the center of our story. as a senator, he visited israel and met families whose houses were destroyed by rocket. and as president, he has supported israel and word and in deed. under president obama's leadership, we have reinvigorated defense consultations, bedeviled our efforts to ensure israel's qualitative military edge and

provided nearly $3 billion in annual military assistance. in fact -- are [applause] as rosie told you, or maybe it was howard, that assistance increased in 2010 and we have requested another increase for 2011. [applause] and something else i want you to know, more than 1000 united states troops participated in juniper cobra ballistic missile defense exercises last fall, the largest such drill ever held. not [applause] president obama has made achieving peace and recognized secure borders for israel a top

administration priority. the united states has also led the fight in international and effusions against anti-semitism and efforts to challenge israel's legitimacy. we did break the boycott of the turbine conference and we repeatedly voted against the deeply flawed goldstone reports. [laughter] [applause] this administration will always stand up for israel's right to defend itself. [applause] and for israel, there is no greater strategic threat than

the prospect of a nuclear armed iran. [applause] elements and iran's government has become a menace both to their own people and in the region. iran's president soulman anti-semitism denies the holocaust, threatens to destroy israel, even denies that 9/11 was an attack. the iranian leadership funds and arms terrorists who had murdered americans, israelis and other innocent people alike. and it has waged a campaign of intimidation and persecution against the iranian people. last june, iranians marching silently were beaten with batons. political prisoners were rounded up and abused, absurd and false

allegations and accusations were leveled against the united states, israel and the west. people everywhere were horrified at the video of a young woman shot dead in the street. the iranian leadership denies its people rise that are universal to all human beings, including the right to speak freely, to assemble without fear, the right to the equal administration of justice, to express your views without facing retribution. in addition to threatening israel, a nuclear armed iran would embolden its terrorist clientele and would spark an arms race that could be stabilized the region. this is unacceptable. it is unacceptable to the united

states. it is unacceptable to israel. it is unacceptable to the region and the international community. so let me be very clear. the united states is determined to prevent iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. [applause] now, for most of the past decade, the united states, as you know, declined to engage with iran. and iran grew more, not less, dangerous. it built thousands of centrifuges and spurned the international community. but it faced few consequences. president obama has been trying a different course, designed to present iran's leaders with a

clear choice. we've made extensive efforts to reengage with iran, both through direct indication and working with other partners multilaterally, to send an unmistakable message: upload your international obligations. and if you do, you will read the of normal relations. if you do not, you will face increased isolation and painful consequences. we took this course with the understanding that the very effort of speaking engagement with strength and our hand if iran rejected our initiative. and over the last year, iran's leaders have been stripped of their usual excuses. the world has seen that it is iran, not the united states, responsible for the impasse. with its secret nuclear

facility, increasing violations of its obligations under the nonproliferation regime and an unjustified expansion of its enrichment activities, more and more nations are finally expressing deep concerns about iran's intentions. and there was a growing international consensus on taking steps to pressure iran's leaders to change course. europe is in agreement. russia, where he just returned from, has moved definitely in this direction. and although there is still work to be done, china has said it supports the dual track approach of applying pressure is engagement does not produce results. the stronger consensus has also led to increased cooperation on stopping arms shipments and financial transactions that a terrorist, threaten israel and

destabilize the region. we are now working with our partners in the united nation on new security council sanctions that will show iran's leaders that there are real consequences for their intransigence, debt they are choices to live up to their international obligation. our aim is not incremental sanctions, the sanctions that will bite. it is taking time to produce the sanctions, and we believe that time is a worthwhile investment for winning the broadest possible support or our efforts. though we will not compromise our commitment to preventing iran from acquiring these nuclear weapons. [applause]

but, iran is not the only threat on the horizon. israel today is confronting some of the toughest challenges in her history. the conflict with the palestinians and israel's arab neighbors is an obstacle to prosperity and opportunity for israelis, palestinians and people across the region. but it also threatens israel's long-term future as a secure and democratic jewish state. the status quo is unsustainable for all sides. it promises only more violent and unrealized aspirations. stan underscores means

continuing a conflict that carries tragic human cost. israeli and palestinian children a leg deserves to grow up free from fear and to have that same opportunity to live up to their full god-given potential. there is another path. a path that leads toward security and prosperity for israel, the palestinians, and all the people of the region. but it will require all parties, including israel, to make difficult but necessary choices. both sides must confront the reality that the status quo of the last decade has not produced long-term security or served their interests. nor has it served the interests of the united states. it is true that heightened security measures have reduced

the number of suicide bombings and given some protection and safety to those who worry every day when their child goes to school, there has been goes to work, their mother goes to market. and there is, i think, a belief among many that the status quo can be sustained, that the dynamics of demography, ideology and technology make this impossible. first, we cannot ignore the long-term population trends that result from the israeli occupation. as defense minister barak and others have observed, the the inexorable of demography are hastening the hour at which

israelis may have to choose between preserving their democracy in staying true to the dream of a jewish homeland. given this reality, these two state solution is the only viable path for israel to remain both a democracy and a jewish state. [applause] second, we cannot be blind to the political implication of continued conflict. there is today truly a struggle, maybe for the first time between those in the region who accept peace and joy distance with israel and those who reject it and seek only to continue

violent. the status quo strengthens the rejection of who claimed peace is impossible and it weakens those who would expect coexistence. that does not serve israel's interests are our own. those willing to negotiate me to be a lot to show results for their effort. and those who preach violence must be proven wrong. all of our regional challenges, confronting the threat posed by a brand, combating violent extremism, promoting democracy and economic opportunity become harder if the rejection is grow in power and influence. conversely, a two state solution would allows israel's contribution to the world into our greater humanity to get the recognition they deserve. it would also allow the palestinian to have to govern,

to realize their legitimate aspirations and it would undermine the appeal of extremism across the region. i was very privileged as first lady to travel the world on behalf of our country. i went from latin america to southeast asia. and during the 1990's, it was rare that people in places far from the middle east ever mentioned the israeli-palestinian conflict. now when i started traveling a secretary of state and i went to places that were so far from the middle east, it was the first, second or third issue that countries raised. we cannot escape the impact of mass communication. we cannot control the images and

the messages that are conveyed. we can only change the fact on the ground that refute the claims of the rejection if an extremist. and in doing so create the circumstances for a safe secure future for israel. and then finally, we must recognize that the ever evolving technology of war is making it harder to guarantee israel's security. for six decades, israelis have guarded their borders diligently , but advances in rocket technology mean that israeli families are now at risk far from those borders, despite efforts at containment, rockets with better guidance system, longer range and more destructive power are spreading across the region.

hezbollah has tens of thousands of rockets on israel's northern border. hamas has a substantial number in golf. and even if some of these are still crude, they all pose a serious danger as we saw again last week. ..

only by choosing a new path can israel make the progress it deserves to ensure that their children are able to see a future of these and only by

having a partner willing to participate with them will the palestinians be able to see the same future. now, there is for many of us, a clear goal, two states were two people living side-by-side in peace and security. with peace between israel and syria and israel and lebanon. and normal relations between israel and all the arab states. [applause] a comprehensive peace. [applause] that is real, not a slogan that is rooted in genuine recognition of israel's right to exist in peace and security and that offers the best way to ensure israel's enduring survival and well-being. that is the goal that the obama

administration is determined to help israel and the palestinians achieve. george mitchell has worked tirelessly with the parties to prepare the ground for the resumption of direct negotiations, beginning with the proximity talks, though the sides have accepted. these proximity talks are a hopeful first step and they should you serious and substantive. but ultimately of course, it will take direct negotiations between the parties to work through all the issues and end the conflict. the united states stand ready to play an active and sustained role in these talks, and to support the parties as they work to resolve permanent status issues, including security, borders, refugees and jerusalem. the united states knows we cannot force a solution. we cannot ordain or command the outcome. the parties themselves must

resolve their differences, but we believe-- [applause] we believe that through good faith negotiations, the parties can mutually agree to an outcome which ends the conflict and reconciles the palestinian goal of an independent and viable state based on the 67 lines with agreed swaps and israel's goal of a jewish state with the care and recognized borders that reflect subsequent developments and meet israel's security requirements. [applause] the united states recognizes that jerusalem, jerusalem is a deeply, profoundly important issue. for israelis and palestinians, for jewish, muslims and

christians. we believe that through good faith negotiations, the parties can mutually agree upon an outcome that realizes the aspirations of both parties for jerusalem and safeguards it status for people around the world. but for negotiations to be successful, they must be built on a foundation of mutual trust and confidence. that is why both israelis and palestinians must refrain from unilateral statements and actions that undermine the process or prejudice the outcome of talks. when a hamas controlled municipality glorifies violence and renames ace where after a terrorist who murdered innocent israelis, it insults the families on both sides who have lost loved ones over the years in this conflict. [applause] and, when instigators deliberately mischaracterized

the rededication of a synagogue in the jewish quarter of jerusalem's old city and call upon their brethren to defend nearby muslim holy sites from so-called attacks, it is purely and simply an active incitements. [applause] these provocations are wrong and must be condemned for needlessly inflaming tensions and imperiling prospects for a comprehensive peace. it is our devotion to this outcome, two states for two peoples, secure and at peace, that led us to condemn the announcement of plans for new construction in east jerusalem. this was not about wounded pride nor is it a judgment on the final status of jerusalem, which is an issue to be settled at the negotiating table. this is about getting to the table, creating and protecting

an atmosphere of trust around it and staying there until the job is finally done. [applause] new construction in east jerusalem or the west bank undermines that niche will trust and endangers the proximity talks that are the first step towards a full negotiations that those sides say they want and need. and it exposes daylight between israel and the united states that others in the region hope to exploit. it undermines america's unique ability to play a role, an essential role in the peace process. our credibility in this process depends in part on our willingness to praise both sides when they are courageous and when we don't agree to say so and say so unequivocally. we objected to this announcement because we are committed to israel and its security, which we believe depends on a comprehensive peace, because we

are determined to keep moving forward along the path that ensures israel's future as a secure and democratic jewish state living in peace with its palestinian and arab leaders. and, because we do not want to see the progress that has been made in any way endangered. prime minister netanyahu and i spoke, i suggested a number of concrete steps israel could take to improve the atmosphere and rebuild confidence. the prime minister responded with specific actions israel is prepared to take toward this end, and we discussed a range of other mutual confidence-building measures. senator mitchell continued this discussion in israel over the weekend and is meeting with president abbas today. we are making progress. we are working hard. we are making it possible for these proximity talks to move ahead. i will be meeting with prime minister netanyahu later today

and president obama will meet with him tomorrow. [applause] we will follow-up on these discussions and seek a common understanding about the most productive way forward. neither our commitment nor our goal has changed. the united states will encourage the parties to advance the prospects for peace. we commend the government of president abbas and prime minister fayyad for the reforms they have undertaken to strengthen law and order and the progress that they have made in improving the quality of life in the west bank. that we encourage them to redouble their efforts to put an end to incitement and violence, continue to ensure security and the rule of law and ingrain a culture of peace and tolerance among palestinians. [applause] we applaud israel's neighbors for their support of the arab

peace initiative and the proximity talks, but their rhetoric must now be backed up by action. they should make it easier to pursue negotiations and agreement. that is their responsibility. and we commend prime minister netanyahu for embracing the invasion and acting to lift road blocks and ease movement through the west bank and we continue to expect israel to take those concrete steps that will help turn that vision into a reality, build momentum, comprehensive peace by demonstrating respect for the legitimate aspirations of the palestinians, stopping settlement activity and addressing the humanitarian crisis in gaza. from the time of david ben-gurion, who accepted the u.n. proposal to divide the land into two nations, israel and palestine, leaders like begin and rabin and sharon and others have made difficult but clear

eyed choices to pursue peace in the name of israel's future. it was rabin who said for israel, there is no path that is without paying. but the path of peace is preferable to the path of war. and last june at our élan university prime minister netanyahu put his country on the path to peace. resident abbas has put the palestinians on that path as well. the challenge will be to keep moving forward, tuesday what will be a difficult course. piece does bring with it a future of promise and possibility. ultimately that is the vision that drives us in that has driven leaders of israel going back to the very beginning. a future free from the shackles of conflict, families no longer afraid of rockets in the night,

israelis traveling and trading freely in the region, palestinians able to chart their own futures, former adversaries working together on issues of common concern like water common infrastructure and development that builds broadly shared prosperity. and a global strategic partnership between israel and the united states to tap the talent and innovation of both of our societies, comes up with solutions to problems of the 21st century from addressing climate change and energy to hunger, poverty and disease. israel is already on the cutting edge. look at the spread of high-tech startups, the influx of venture capital, the number of nobel laureates. israel is already a force to be reckoned with. imagine what it's leadership could be on the world stage if the conflict would be behind it. we are already working as partners. there is so much more we could achieve together. we are entering a season of

passover. this story of moses resonates for people of all faiths. and it teaches us many lessons, including that we must take risks, even a leap of faith to reach the promised land. when moses urged they choose to follow him out of egypt, many objected. they said it was too dangerous, too hard, too risky. and later in the desert, some thought it would be better to return to egypt. it was too dangerous, too hard, too risky. in fact they formed a back to egypt committee to try to stir up support for that. and when they came to the very edge of the promised land, there were still some who refuse to enter because it was too dangerous, too hard and too risky. but, it israel's history is the

story of brave men and women, who took risks. they did the hard thing. because they believed they knew it was right. we know that this dream was championed by hurts all and others that many said was impossible. and then the pioneers, can you imagine the conversation, telling your mother and father i am going to go to the desert and people thinking, how could that ever happen? but it did. warriors, who were so gallant in battle, but then offered their adversaries a hand of peace because they thought it would make their beloved israel stronger. israel and the generations that have come have understood that

the strongest among us is often the one who turns an enemy into a friend. israel has shed more than its share of bitter tears. but, for that dream to survive, for the state to flourish, this generation of israelis must also take up the tradition and do what seems to dangerous, too hard and too risky. and of this, they can be absolutely sure, the united states and the american people will stand with you. we will share the risks and we will shoulder the burdens as we face the future together. god bless you, god less israel and god lest the united states of america. [applause] ♪

[applause] secretary of state hillary clinton earlier today at being american conference. we are going to go live to the conference. the pro-israel lobbyist group aipac is holding its conference in washington. >> it is about her best friend in the world, the state of israel. [applause] it is about those things that unite us. and i say that with no animosity to anyone else, any other group. i say that with no animosity to the palestinian people. i share your hopes and dreams. all i ask is you recognize that israel has a place on the planet.

[applause] now, some of you may have come here tonight because of a recent dustup. are not going to get political and i'm not going to overly dwell on the recent conflict we have had. but let's say this, and let's say it loud and let's say it clear. friends disagree. that is part of being friends. they call it marriage. [laughter] the one thing that will make a strong friendship and a good marriage is to disagree quietly. [applause] so that those who wish you ill, who do not have your common interest at heart, will not be empowered. ladies and gentlemen, howard said it best.

jerusalem is not a settlement. [applause] no government in israel will ever look at jerusalem as a settlement. no government in the united states should ever look at jerusalem as a settlement. [applause] it is the undivided capital of the state of israel. it is the eternal home of the jewish faith. [applause] it is now time to move on to other issues. i want to talk very quickly about the world as we wish it to be, as we celebrate tonight. let's embrace in our hearts the world that we all wish it to be. a world where there are no rockets from gaza, no hezbollah attacks from the north, where palestinian children go to school without being taught hate.

that is the world we wish it to be. and iran controlled by its people, not some theocracy. and iran governed by someone other than a holocaust denier. that is the world we wish it to be. and iran pursuing peaceful nuclear power, not a nuclear weapon. a world where moderate muslims are celebrated, not condemned and killed. [applause] and afghanistan where a young girl never fears the soccer stadium but can go to school and achieve her dreams. [applause] a free and independent iraq, where sunnis, shia's and kurds can settle their differences at the ballot talks into the world of law and be an inspiration to the middle east. a u.n., a united nations that can actually control thugs and dictators. [applause]

a united nations that would never issue the goldstone report that is the world as we wish it to be. [applause] this is the world as it is. and if you don't know the difference, then the world is a dangerous place. i know the difference between the world as we wish it to be and the world as it is. the world as it is is a divided palestinian people, a place that allows rockets to be launched from apartment buildings, a place where mosques are weapons storage sites, it a place where schoolchildren are taught hate. that is the world as it is. iran at a fiat or see that kills its own children. iran, a nation whose president questions whether or not the holocaust actually existed.

that is the world as it is ladies and gentlemen. i have got one simple idea. if you are a nation that wants to pursue nuclear power, there should be an application and if the president of that nation denies the existence of the holocaust, that should be the end of the application process. [applause] the world as it is, russia and china, are awol when it comes to iran. it is important to have a good relationship with russia and china but it is equally important that russia and china help the world deal with the threat of nuclear-armed iran. that is the world as it is. ladies and gentlemen, here is the world as it must be. we must never allow anyone to drive a wedge between the state of israel and the united states of america. [applause]

it must be so. israel's right to exist must be at knowledge by every group and every corner of the world. that is the way the world must be. to move forward. [applause] we must not allow this iranian theocracy to develop a nuclear weapon. [applause] it is not enough to be determined. we have to say without any hesitation, it will not happen. all options must be on the table. we know exactly what i'm talking about. [applause] the question is, do the people we are talking to understand what i am talking about? i have been in the military as a support person. i have never been in combat,

walking down the streets of iraq and afghanistan but i have into theater. i know that war is a terrible thing. it takes the lives of people at the prime of their life and when you talk about war you should never talk about it with a smile on your face, but i do know this. that sometimes it is better to go to war than it is to allow the holocaust to develop a second time. [applause] it is not lost upon me what would happen if military force had to be used against iran. i hope and pray that is not the option that we have to seek. i hope and pray that other options will work. but, as ari indicated, time is not on our side. here is the question for this group. is this the last aipac meeting before iran has ended we are weapon?

14 months from now we meet again. i don't know the answer to that question. but i do know this. time ladies and gentlemen is not on our side. it is not fair to put this ally of ours, the state of israel, its prime minister and its government on both sides of the aisle under the burden of having to deal with this issue alone. that is not good for the world. it is not good for israel. [applause] and i am often asked what a military strike as the last option be effective against the iranian nuclear threat? my belief is a military strike stopping the iranian government from having a nuclear weapon is more effective than trying to deal with the iranian government after they have one. [applause]

and, if military force is ever employed, it should be done in a decisive fashion. the iranian government's ability to wage conventional warfare against its neighbors and our troops in the region should not exist. they should not have one plane that can fly or one ship that can float. [applause] we have time, but time is not on our side. the u.n. security council has an opportunity to act and i hope and pray they do. russia and china have a chance to change the course of history. i hope they will understand a nuclear-armed iran is just as much a threat to them as it is to us or any other tolerant person or group. ladies and gentlemen these are consequential times. this is a time to show determination and resolve in the face of extremism. we are at war as a nation.

september 11, 2001 everything changed about our country. we are almost nine years down the road and some of us i think it got too short of a memory. we are at war and we have to fight this war within our values. khalid shake ahamed the mastermind of 9/11 should not in civilian court in new york city. [applause] if he is not an enemy combatant we are to millet terry commission trial who would be and i think a lot of democrats and republicans believe the pot. we are at war and we must win this war. we must be a true in iraq and we must get it right in afghanistan. president barack obama is my president. i am here to say tonight that i stand by him. i stood by him in afghanistan and i will stand by him as he draws troops down in iraq in a responsible way and if it becomes necessary to use military force or any strong engagement tactic against iran i

will stand by my president and i ask you to stand by him. [applause] i asked you to pray for him. i have a lot of differences with president obama that they can you imagine being president of the united states during these times? this man has a very hard job. we can have our fusses and we can have our fights and this week in health care we are going to have a hell of a fight. but when it comes to national security, no democrat in this room is my enemy. you are my opponent on the political battlefield, but you are my brother and you are my sister. we are all americans. [applause] [applause] i can promise you one thing. that the people we fight in faraway places with strange

sounding names can really care less the political differences between chuck schumer and lindsey graham. they hate us both equally. many of you may be that way. [laughter] but our enemy doesn't distinguish between our political differences. they hate us because we will accept differences. they hate us because we will allow in the streets of south carolina a mosque, a synagogue and a baptist church. that we will stand up for each other. [applause] they hate us more than they love life. ladies and gentlemen, people asked ronald reagan, how does the cold war and? he said, we win, they lose. [applause]

how does the war on terror and? we win, they lose. [applause] and, when i say we, i mean moderate muslims who have been slaughtered by al qaeda and islamic extremist. no group has suffered more than people in the muslim world trying to be tolerant, and by we i mean jewish and gentile's, buddhist, agnostic, vegetarians, you name it. i mean anybody that believes in tolerance and support for their fellow man. one last thought. this is 2010. and we are wondering what to do with a country whose president denies the holocaust. we do what we have to do to make

sure there is no second holocaust. [applause] ladies and gentlemen we gather tonight with one simple message. and never let it be misunderstood by the enemies that we commonly faced. our message tonight to the world , to the people in israel, to the young men and women serving overseas on our behalf, never again. [applause] god bless you, god lest the people of israel, god lets the united states, god bless all those who believe in peace and tolerance. ♪

>> ladies and gentlemen please welcome aipac national ward member, bob kohr. ♪ steve friends, take your seats. wherever congress can effect the u.s. israel relationship, the senior senator from new york is never far away. throughout his 11 year tenure in the senate, and before that in his 18 years as a house member from brooklyn, senator charles schumer has advanced the u.s. israel alliance in countless ways by introducing and passing

legislation, cosponsoring bills, drafting letters, soliciting votes, speaking on the senate floor and much, much more. navigating bills through the senate is no easy task these days, as everyone here knows. with senator schumer's leadership in the past year critical iran sanctions, legislation made it out of the senate banking committee where he sits. but he did not stop there. he insisted on adding an amendment that penalizes companies that provide the iranian government with internet jamming equipment. this provision makes it more difficult for the iranian regime to crack down on its citizens. then, as the number three democrat in the senate leadership, he worked closely with majority leader harry reid to get the iran sanctions bill

to the floor and secure its passage. as for u.s. security assistance to israel, senator schumer has consistently made sure that aid to israel passed the senate and became law. in addition, he has spoken out to both republican and democratic presidents, urging them to adhere to the negotiating principles that have led to arab-israeli peace treaties in the past. and, he has told saudi officials right here in washington that are or 62 years of isolating israel, now is the time to recognize the jewish state and welcome it as a neighbor in the middle east. [applause] and finally, senator schumer, along with republican senator lindsey graham, has taken the

lead and circulating a senate letter urging president obama to immediately impose tough, meaningful sanctions against iran. tomorrow, when we head to capitol hill, we will ask the rest of the senate to sign on. [applause] it is clear that senator schumer cares deeply about the issues that matter to us most, and is uniquely positioned to advance those issues in the u.s. congress. please join me in welcoming a longtime champion of the u.s. israel relationship, my friend, our friend, senator charles schumer. ♪ [applause]

>> thank you bob cohen. thank you for being here. you are all great friends of israel. and i am proud to add bob, you are a great friend of mine. i also want to thank howard kohr who i heard gave a great speech this morning. one of his many talents. mr. curds for the hard work that helps make aipac just about the most effective political organization in america. thank you. now it is an honor to be here tonight. i want to extend a warm welcome to everyone, but particularly the 700 new new yorkers and attendants. new york, thank you. [applause]

the 1200 students from 360 schools, 125 from new york and thank you for showing your support for the state of israel. i also want to acknowledge the next speaker. i am just sort of the warm-up act for the prime minister, bibi netanyahu. [applause] let me tell you a little story about vb. back, which shows his passion, shows him. back in the late 1980s when he was israeli ambassador and i was in the congress, he came to our place for dinner. my wife it together a wonderful spread for a local gathering. [inaudible] at one point in the dinner, somebody asked the ambassador,

can you explain to us the role of price control? so bibi says well, tell you what, i will show you. he then reaches over and picks up a two-liter bottle of pepsi. he takes off the cap, puts his thumb in the mouth of the bottle and start shaking it up. i mean he really, really shakes it. the israeli economy he said is like this bottle of pepsi. it looks quiescent, it looks stable, but once you take your thumb out, and sure enough, when he took his thumb out, the bottle exploded everywhere. two liters of pepsi on the ceiling, on all our guests, everywhere.

our drapes were soaked. there was soda everywhere. it cost us $1800 to cleanup the mess. [laughter] $1800, so bibi, as my wife is always reminding me, you os $1800. we will accept personal checks or shackles. now ladies and gentlemen, you are at a crucial time here in israel's history and you know we say that every year. but every year it is true. such is the nature of israel's constant struggle for survival. it shouldn't have to be after all these years, but it is. in just the past two weeks israel has seen an alarming violence arise over tensions in east jerusalem, rockets from gaza continuing to shower they wrote, another declaration of iran's aggressive nuclear ambitions, internal political

disagreements, criticism from the international community and that ladies and gentlemen is just two weeks in the life of israel. the only nation in the world whose every action, every statement, every policy is magnified, is sliced, is diced and held to a verified standard of perfection. israel we all know is not perfect, but is any elected official will tell you in this modern world, when you strive to do the right thing, you open yourself up too much more criticism than if you don't even consider doing the right thing in the first place. to many, far too many in the media would rather put-- criticize israel for the 5% it does wrong then turn its focus to the failings of the palestinian community and government. because expectations there are so low.

it is unfair, it is wrong, but as we know that is the world is real lives and we live in. we have to live with it. sure, like every other country israel has its imperfections that we all too often take are granted the fact that israel is in so many ways a remarkable and resilient country, a realization of the vision of isaiah, a light unto the nations. it is the light of democracy that has maintained its core principles in the face of 62 years of war, conflict and daily, daily aggression from its neighbors. like america, freedom of speech and assembly and press are embedded in the fabric of israel society and these are just a few of the values that hold our two countries so close. it is the light of a jewish homeland that is providing refugee to millions of immigrants huddled masses from

europe, north africa, the middle east, the former soviet union, ethiopia and beyond. it is the light of innovation, a nation whose 5 million citizens have given the world countless life-changing technological and medical advances and who have been awarded nine nobel prizes in the process. [applause] it is the light of humanitarianism, a nation that is provided 140 countries in the world, small little israel. whenever there is a crisis you see her men and women helping those who are afflicted. in haiti, row on the india, turkey el salvador, ethiopia and bosnia. it is the light of civil liberties, a nation where minorities are protected under the law by fair and independent judicial system, nations whose parliament the knesset sits on a hilltop is like america's capitol hill and has 13 current arab members.

it is a light of a nation desperately seeking peace that it has wanted and not found since its beginning. yes, israel is a remarkable and resilient country but of course it faces grave challenges every year. challenges it cannot and must not face alone. today the number one challenge as mentioned by my friend and colleague lindsey graham, the challenge of a nuclear iran. let me tell you a brief story. it is another one involving the prime minister. last september prime minister netanyahu came to capitol hill and met with the joint leadership, democrat and republican, senate and the house, to talk about iran. he described the existential threat posed by a nuclear iran to israel. he told us that the iranian government or bites the

training, the weapons come a day funds that sustain hezbollah and hamas. he showed us they wanted nothing less than to dominate the middle east. he told us that israel had a mortal fear of a nuclear-armed iran and that everything, everything must be done to prevent that from happening. a lot of people around the table understood the prime minister's concerns, but question his sense of urgency. well, what is the rush they said. let's be careful here. iran, they are just saber rattling. don't worry, nothing bad will happen. let's just continue these diplomatic talks. as the chorus grew louder i watch the look on the prime minister. as he grew more and more uneasy, his face tightened. so, i spoke up. i said to my colleagues, of course the vast majority who

were not jewish, why those of us who want to avoid a nuclear iran are so passionate about at the now. i told them that there were many in america in the 30s, and many of whom were in positions of influence, some of whom were in congress. hitler was a rising danger. his hatred of the jewish people was well-known. he had even detailed imprint his plan to annihilate the jewish people. but too many people in the american establishment said, be careful, hitler is just saber rattling. just rhetoric. don't worry, nothing bad will happen. unfortunately, to our shame, the american jewish community largely sat back in the 30s. the establishment's argument, don't worry, nothing bad will happen, one out. even saul bloom, a leading

jewish congressman, senior member of the house foreign affairs committee, helped tamp down the fears. and of course, we paid the worse price any people could pay. 6 million of our brethren, 1 million of our children murdered in cold blood. and ever since then, the jewish people have vowed never, never again. [applause] the current president of iran, his analogies, the analogies to the 30s are stunning. he too denies the very existence of the holocaust. co-he denies the murder of 6 million of our brethren. he wants nothing more than to see the homeland of the jewish people wiped off the planet. this is not just isolated, crazy talk.

this is venomous hate speech from a head of state who seeks to transform iran into the dominant, military force in the whole middle east. when there are fears and plausible scenarios with the jewish people could he in mortal danger, we must never repeat the complacency of the 30s. we must never, never again-- i told my colleagues, that is what motivates prime minister netanyahu. i told them it is what motivates me. and it the end of the speech, bibi came over and hugged me and said thank you. ladies and gentlemen, we cannot, we must not, we will not allow iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.

we cannot, we must not, we will not turn a blind eye as they ran builds clandestine nuclear reactors and rejects all deals to limit uranium enrichment and thumbs its nose at the iaea. can we really call this saber rattling? when they are on the edge of developing the most awesome and deadly weapons mankind has ever known? diplomatic efforts have failed. we are too close to simply continue those efforts. [applause] i believe that when it comes to iran we should never take the military option off the table but i have long argued that economic sanctions can write now be the best way to choke iran's nuclear ambitions. it is important to remember this about iran. at it is not a stable country. in many ways it is like a triangle, perched on a point.

it's people like democracy. they like america. they are western. do you know what the most popular television show is in iran and the young people get american and western television because they hide their antennas in their air-conditioner ducks and the regime can stop them. the most popular show is not al-jazeera. it is not even cnn. it is "american idol." no accounting for taste. [laughter] the iranian people crave economic advancement or than anything else. they are not a poor country but a middle-class country. the average income in iraq, $2600, average and i ran a thousand dollars. if the iranian people are prevented from seeing economic progress, they are far more like me to take to the streets in an

attempt to throw off the yoke of this oppressive, brutal governing regime. some sanctions should be imposed multilaterally. we have a better chance to do that. president sarkozy, who as you know was part jewish, chancellor merkel are much more focused on the iranian threat than the predecessor sure rock and schroeder who did nothing. but russia and china both unc dirty councils with veto power constantly drag their feet. china, one of the biggest investors in iran's energy your, $80 billion has a particularly strong interest in delaying sanctions. that is why once and for all the u.s. must hit iran first on our own with unilateral sanctions, no matter what the other nations of the world do, and we cannot

wait. we must push those sanctions now. there is no time to wait. iran is on the verge of becoming nuclear and we cannot and must not afford that. [applause] both the senate and the house have put together strong bipartisan sanction packages that will send a clear message to iran and the world community, that america means business. a centerpiece of this legislation is the iran refined petroleum sanctions act sponsored by senators lieberman, kyl, bayh and myself. although iran is replete with oil as you know, they have trouble refining it. they import 45% of their gasoline. the iranian people have a lot of cars. they want and need gasoline. our bill says that any country that exports gasoline to iran or helps them refine, helps them

refine their own is barred from doing any business with the united states, no gifts, and sort lutz. already, european oil companies that traffic with iran are beginning to pull out. even before legislation is passed. so several months ago we push to get this rod senate package which includes a petroleum bill and many tough provisions marked up by the banking committee. then we push to get it to the floor. things move very slowly in the senate these days. but, we told majority leader reid that the iranian threat is an issue that demands fast action and much to his credit he heeded the call. he moved this legislation to the floor and on january 28 of the comprehensive iran sanctions accountability and divestment act passed the senate unanimously. [applause] now we are in the process of reconciling the senate and house

versions of the legislation so we can get this bill under-- on the president's desk and the minute the president signed that we should not carry. he must put the sanctions into effect immediately. we cannot wait. [applause] now this week, senator graham who you just heard from, and i will send a bipartisan letter to president obama emerging immediate implementation of the comprehensive iran sanctions legislation when it becomes law, including the sanctions on countries that exports gasoline to iran. we cannot afford to wait for russia or china. when you meet with your senators tomorrow, which i know you are doing, please ask everyone every one of them to stand with israel , to stand with world peace, to stand against a nuclear iran ann signed our letter to the president. [applause]

now, i know that iran is israel's number one focus. but of course there are many other issues before us. like you, i am deeply concerned about the security of air it is real. a majority of israelis want peace and a two-state solution. prime minister netanyahu wants peace, and a two-state solution. aipac wants peace and a two-state solution. i want peace and they two-state solution. now there are a lot of people of goodwill in europe and here in the united states that have the attitude, g whiz, if only we could get the israelis and palestinians to the table. if only we could get them to sit down and discuss the matters rationally and calmly, of course

there would be peace. that unfortunately is wishful thinking. that unfortunately, is not the case. the gee whiz geewhiz people ignore sad but singular truth that we must constantly remind our friends, to this day, too many arabs and to many palestinians do not relieve there should be a jewish state in the middle east. let me repeat that are cut too many arabs and to many palestinians do not believe there should be any jewish state in the middle east. their view goes as follows. they say, western europeans treated the badly for centuries. all europeans treated the jewish badly for centuries. anti-semitism was a very real problem culminating in the

horror of the holocaust but it was europe's problem, not ours. and yet as we recompense the palestinians, and many of the arabs say the western europeans gave the jews our land. of course this view ignores the jewish people's long and continuing ties to the land of israel but that is their view and we have to remember it. they deny israel's legitimacy, but they know as long as the bond between the u.s. and israel is unbreakable, there will always be a strong secure jewish state in the middle east and so they work diligently and very cleverly at weakening that bond. they seek to drive a wedge between the u.s. and israel because doing so will delay that day when they have to sit down and talk seriously about peace. it is very important that we make clear, we as a nation, and

make clear to israel and indeed the entire world, that despite our differences, such as those to wade all to publicly last week, that nothing will ever divide israel and america. [applause] the bond, the bond between the u.s. and israel will be maintained, regardless of the ups and downs of the peace process. regardless of the internal israeli politics. the bond we must remind particularly the arab world. between the u.s. and israel is immutable and unbreakable. through good times and the bad, there is one other immutable. that his is you, aipac. aipac is stronger and more effective than ever. that is a very high are your to exceed that every year you exceeded just as this dinner has a record number of people. aipac knows what to do, and his

unrelenting and making sure israel is protected. for that, i thank you all 7800 of you and i applaud you. [applause] now let me close by telling you about my name. as some of you know, my name is a hebrew word. schumer comes from the hebrew word which means guardian. watchmen. my ancestors were guardians of the ghetto wall of alicia and when they came to ellis island bay said their name india dish. and it got written down as schumer. to you i say this. that name was given to me for a reason. for as long as i live, for as long as i have the privilege of

serving in the senate from new york, i will unflinchingly, unstintingly and with all of my strength beef show me her, a guardian of israel. ladies and gentlemen, in israel and america the jewish nation lives now and forever. thank you. [applause] ♪ ♪ ..

♪ ♪ ♪ >> we are so honored to have the prime minister of israel here with us tonight.

[applause] but before i introduce him, i want to first recognize a few very special guests from israel who joined us. defense minister, edhud barak. [applause] [applause] minister of national infrastructure. [applause] and the prime minister's wife, sarah netanyahu. [applause]

now, while sarah and the prime minister obviously have accomplished a great deal in their lives, perhaps the honor most part of this evening is the one recently bestowed upon their son. he one israel's prestigious national bible competition. [applause] this was quite an accomplishment and quite a distinction, so congratulations to him and to his proud parents. [applause] in his long and distinguished career, the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, has confronted the challenges

facing the jewish state with courage, with passion and with moral clarity. as u.n. ambassador, foreign minister, opposition leader, and now in his second term as prime minister, he has been pursuing peace, security and economic growth for his country throughout nearly 30 years of public life. for decades he has warned the world about the threat of terrorism and radical islam. he has long recognized the danger of a nuclear-armed iran not just to israel but to the entire world and he has been among the most prominent voices combating the international campaign that delegitimizes israel. today from the prime minister's office benjamin netanyahu is continuing to sound the alarm about all of these things.

yet even as he traveled the world warning of the threats facing israel, he has refused to abandon his quest for peace, and he has never relented from his desire to improve both the israeli and palestinian economies. it is with these goals of peace and prosperity in mind that he has taken a number of bold steps in the past year. last summer he declared support for a demilitarized palestinian state alongside the jewish state of israel. [applause] now i will quote him here. in my vision of peace in this small land of ours, to people live freely side by side in amity and mutual respect. a few months later, netanyahu took another bold and

unprecedented step. he declared a ten month moratorium on all is really construction in the bank's. and while the palestinian authority still refuses to enter into direct talks with him, he has nevertheless taken steps to make daily life easier for palestinians by removing nearly 200 checkpoints and roadblocks in the past year. [applause] insisting on security while pursuing durable peace this has been his goal in the past and remains his guiding principle as israel head of government today. mr. prime minister, on behalf of the 8,000 people in the room for tonight's aipac banquet i want to express my appreciation for the leadership you are demonstrating in the quest for peace and the we've consistently sounded the alarm about the

threat of iran's nuclear program. we want you to know that we will do everything we can to ensure that the u.s. israel alliance remains on breakable forever. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome -- please join me in welcoming the prime minister of israel, the honorable benjamin netanyahu. ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ [applause] thank you very much. i think it was woody allen who said that he spent a lifetime trying to arrive late at a jewish evened and never made it. [laughter] i came on time. [laughter] with my wife, sarah, and it's a very good to be with all of you members of the obama

administration, senators, members of congress, my colleagues, defense minister edhud barak, ambassador michael oren and the distinguished passengers from many countries, hard-core, david victor, all of the leaders and all of the members of aipac and the 1300 students who came from around this country. [cheers and applause] my friends, as the world faces monumental challenges, i know that america and israel will face them together. [applause] we stand together because we are

fired by the same ideals and inspired by the same dreams the dreams of achieving prosperity, security and peace for all. [applause] now this dream seemed an impossibility to most jews a century ago. you know this month my father celebrated his 100th birthday. [applause] that's not his only achievement, but when he was born, the czars ruled russia. the british empire spans the globe and the ottoman empire ruled the middle east. during his lifetime, all three of these empires fell. others rose and fell.

and the jewish destiny, the pendulum of jewish faith swung from the depths of despair to new hope and a new beginning, the rebirth of the jewish state. [applause] for the first time in 2,000 years, a sovereign jewish people could defend itself against attack, and before that, understand what transformation this was before that in our dispersion we were powerless, absolutely powerless to defend ourselves against an unremitting a barrage of savagery from the bloodletting in the middle ages, to the expulsion of the jews from england and then from spain and then from portugal to the innocence slaughter of jews in the ukraine to russia,

committing in the greatest horror of all, a holocaust. the founding of israel didn't stop the attack on the jews, but it merely -- well, it's more than merely. it gave the jews the power to defend against these attacks. i want to tell you about the day that i realized what this transformation was. it was the day i met him over 19 years ago he was in the same military unit and one dark night during the battle in 1969 he was killed in a burst of gunfire. at his funeral in the galilee i

learned something. i discovered that he had been born shortly after his mother and father had been freed from the death camps of europe. if heim had been born two years earlier, this daring young israeli officer would have been tossed into the oven light 1.5 million other jewish children. heim's mother told me that though she was in great anguish she was proud. at least, she told me -- and this is something i will never forget as long as i live -- at least, she said, my son fell wearing the uniform of a jewish soldier defending the jewish

state. [applause] and time and again, israel's soldiers were forced to recall the attacks of much larger enemy is committed to our destruction. yet, when egypt and jordan realized that we could not be defeated in battle, they embraced the path of peace, and we value the peace treaties we've achieved with both countries. yet there are those -- [applause] there are those who continue the assault against the jewish state. there are those who openly call for our destruction. they seek to achieve this goal from terrorism, missile attacks, and most recently, by developing

atomic weapons. it is instructive that the gathering of the jews to israel doesn't deter them. in fact, it when it's their appetite. iran's rulers say israel is a one bomb country. that is hezbollah says if all the jews gathered in israel it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide. my friends, these are unpleasant facts, but they are the facts. the greatest threat to any living organism, to any nation is not to recognize danger in time, not to recognize the facts. 75 years ago, many leaders

around the world put their heads in the sand. untold millions died in the war that followed. ultimately, to of history's greatest leaders helped turn the tide. franklin delauro roosevelt and winston churchill helped save the world. [applause] indeed, they deserve every applause. they helped save the world. but they were too late to save 6 million of my own people, the jewish people. the future of the jewish state can never depend on the good will of even the greatest of man. [applause] israel must always reserve the right to defend itself. [applause]

today an unprecedented threat to humanity looms large. a radical iranian regime -- [applause] [applause] thank you. thank you. [cheers and applause]

thank you. a radical iran and regime armed with nuclear weapons could bring the end to the era of nuclear peace that the world has enjoyed for the last 65 years. such a regime could provide nuclear weapons to terrorists. it might even be tempted to use them. in our world would never be the same. iran's praising bid to develop nuclear weapons is certainly first and foremost a threat to my country, to israel. but it's a threat to the entire region. it's a threat to the entire world. israel, thus, expects the international community to act swiftly and to act decisively, to thwart this danger. but we always reserve the right of self-defense. [applause]

and my friends, we have to defend ourselves also against lies and against the vilification. throughout history -- [applause] throughout our history the slander against the jewish people always preceded physical attacks against us. in fact, they were used to justify those attacks. the jews were called the poisoners of mankind, the fermenters of instability, the source of all evil under the sun. unfortunately, as in the case of the physical attacks, these libel attacks against the jews did not stop with the creation of the state of israel.

it's true that for a time overt anti-semitism was held in check by the shame and shock of the holocaust, but only for a time. in recent decades, the hatred of the jews has re-emerged with increasing force, but with an insidious twist. it is not merely directed at the jewish people. it's increasingly directed at the jewish state, and in its most pernicious form, it argues that if only israel did not accessed many of the world's problems would go away. now, i want to be clear. this doesn't mean israel is above criticism. of course not. israel, like any democracy, has

its imperfections. but we strive to correct them through open debate and through scrutiny. israel has independent courts and the rule of law, free press, and vigorous parliamentary debate. believe me, it's very vigorous. [laughter] you've just gone through a week of health care voting. in israel, every week is health care week. [laughter] it doesn't stop. [laughter] and i know in this city member of congress refer to each other as my distinguished colleague from wisconsin, the distinguished senator from california. in israel, members don't speak of their distinguished colleagues from both shivah -- we say well, you don't want to know what we say. [laughter] because in israel, self

criticism is a way of life. and we also accept that criticism is part and parcel of the conduct of international affairs. but israel should be judged by the same standards applied to other nations and to other democracies. [applause] sometimes i think there is -- sometimes i think there's a triple standard. one standard for the dictatorships, a second standard for the democracies, and a third standard is a standard for israel. we should be judged by one standard and allegations made against the state of israel must be grounded in fact. [applause]

one allegation that is not grounded in fact is the attempt to describe the jews as foreign colonialists in their own homeland. [applause] this is one of the great lies of modern times. in my office i have a rank loaned to me by israel's to part with antiquities. this ring was found right to next to the western wall, but it dates back 2800 years ago. 200 years after king david declared jerusalem as our peoples capital. this ring is a seal of a jewish official, and his name is inscribed on it in hebrew. the name is netanyahu.

now that's my last name. my first man, benjamin, dates back 1,000 years earlier to benjamin, the son of jacob. one of benjamin's brothers was named shimon, which also happens to be the name of my good friend, the president of israel. [applause] you see, nearly 4,000 years ago, benjamin, shimon, and there ten brothers roamed the hills of today and to. ladies and gentlemen, the connection between the jewish people and the land of israel cannot be denied. [applause]

the connection between the jewish people and your darussalam cannot be denied. [applause] the jewish people were killed in jerusalem 3,000 years ago, and the jewish people are building jerusalem today. [applause] jerusalem is not a settlement. it's our capital. [applause] [cheers and applause]

[cheers and applause] thank you. in jerusalem my government is maintained -- [cheers and applause] thank you. thank you. you're very kind. thank you. [cheers and applause] in jerusalem my government has maintained the policies of every single israeli government since 1967 including those led by goldamiere. today nearly a quarter of a

million jews, that almost half the city's jewish population, live in neighborhoods that are just beyond the 1949 armistice lines. [cheers and applause] all of these neighborhoods are within five minutes from the knesset's. they are an integral and inextricable part of modern jerusalem. everyone knows -- everyone, americans, europeans, israelis certainly, palestinians, everyone knows that these neighborhoods will be part of israel in every peace settlement. [applause] and therefore, building in them it no way precludes the possibility of a two-stage solution. [applause] and i want to say one more thing

about our policies in jerusalem. you know, nothing is rare in the middle east and tolerance for the belief of others. but it's only been under the israeli sovereignty in jerusalem that religious freedom for all faith has been guaranteed, and we shall continue to guarantee that religious freedom for everyone. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, while we cherish our homeland, we also recognize the palestinians live there as well. we don't want to govern them, we don't want to rule them, we want them as our neighbors living

securely in dignity and peace. [applause] yet, israel is unjustly accused of not wanting peace with the palestinians. nothing could be further from the truth. [applause] my government has consistently shown its commitment to peace in both word and deeds. from day one, i called on the palestinian authority to begin peace negotiations without delay. and i make the same call today. president abbas, come and negotiate peace. [applause] you know, that is so elementary and so obvious.

you'd think we don't have to say it because leaders who truly want peace should be able to sit face-to-face with each other and negotiate peace. you can't successfully in a negotiation for peace if you don't begin at. so i call on the palestinian leadership. come and negotiate peace. [applause] of course, the united states can help the parties resolve their problems, but it cannot solve the problems for the party's. [applause] peace cannot be imposed from the outside. it can only come through direct negotiations in which we develop mutual trust. that mutual trust that is necessary to forge a common future. last year i spoke of a vision of

peace in which a demilitarized palestinian state recognizes the jewish state just as the palestinians expect israel to recognize a palestinian state, we expect the palestinians to recognize the jewish state. [applause] my government is removed hundreds of roadblocks, barriers, france, checkpoints, and this is facilitated tremendous palestinian movement, and as a result we have helped spur actually an incredible boom in given today's world economy, an incredible boom in the palestinian economy. you have coffee shops, restaurants, businesses, shopping malls, even multiplex studios. just go to ramallah and that is not come about out of sheer

terror. we have made it possible. you cannot do this if you cannot move tracks, goods, people, customers. that's been our policy. and we added to that an unprecedented moratorium on new construction and to dan sumeria. this is what my government has done for peace. [applause] now i ask you what is the palestinian authority durham for peace? [applause] well, you can judge for yourself. they have placed preconditions on peace talks, wage relentless international campaign to undermine israel's's legitimacy and promote the maturing this goldstone report that falsely accuses israel of war crimes. in fact, they are doing that right now at the u.n. -- at the

grotesquely maimed u.n. human rights commission. [applause] and i want to use this opportunity to thank president obama and the concourse of the united states for their efforts to thwart this libel, and i ask for the continued effort this week to fight this lie. [applause] regrettably, the palestinian authority has also continued the unabated in sight against israel and the state-controlled media

and schools and other institutions that come directly under their control. and some others, too. a few days ago in a public square meter ramallah, the palestinians named this square after a terrorist who murdered 38 innocent israeli civilians, including 13 children, including an american citizen, the photographer, gale ruben. they named a public square after this murderer, and the palestinian authority did nothing. ladies and gentlemen, peace requires reciprocity. it cannot be a one-way street in which israel makes all the

concessions and the palestinian authority makes none. that's got to change. [applause] israel stands ready to make the compromises necessary for peace, but we expect the palestinians to compromise as well to do their part. [applause] but there's one thing i will never compromise on, and that one thing is israel's security. [applause] let me express to you the difficulty of trying to explain israel's security predicament to the citizens of the united states, a country that is 500

times the size of israel. so, i thought how why did this to bring it home. and i asked you to imagine that territory of the united states was compressed down to the size of new jersey. now i'm not speaking at new jersey because our ambassador michael comes from the new jersey. it happens to come from the right size. so, now you squeeze the united states down to the size of new jersey. next, put on the new jersey's northern border a terror proxy called hezbollah which fires 6,000 rockets into the small state. then imagine that this terror proxy amasses another 50,000 rockets to fire at you. now i'm not finished.

you take new jersey's southern border and put another iranian terror proxy on it and call it hamas. and it, too, fires 6,000 rockets into your territory while smuggling even more lethal weapons into its territory. you'd think you'd feel real vulnerable? you think you would expect some understanding from the international community when you have to defend yourself? i think any fair minded person would recognize that we face security problems and challenges unlike any other nation on earth. [applause] and therefore, therefore a peace agreement with the palestinians must have effective security

arrangements on the ground, not just a piece of paper, on the ground. [applause] we must make sure what happened in lebanon and gaza doesn't happen again in the west bank. [applause] now let me explain what our main security problem with lebanon is. it's not israel's border with lebanon. it's lebanon's border with syria through which iran and israel smuggled thousands of rockets and missiles to hezbollah. and our main security problem with gossip is not israel's border with gaza come adis gaza's border with egypt under which there are about a thousand tunnels dug through which hamas smuggles weapons to fire at us. my friends, experience has shown

that only israeli presence on the ground can prevent or limit within smuggling. this is why a peace agreement with the palestinians must include an israeli presence in the eastern border of a future palestinian state. [applause] if peace with the palestinians proves its stability over time, we can review security arrangements. we are prepared to take risks for peace. but we will not be reckless with the lives of our citizens and the one and only jewish state. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the people

of israel want a future in which our children no longer experience the horrors of war matt. we want a future in which israel realizes its full and great potential as a global center of technology anchored in its fall use living in peace with all of its neighbors. i envision an israel that can dedicate even more of its scientific and creative energies to help solve some of the great problems of our time. for most of which is finding a clean and affordable substitute for gasoline. [cheers and applause] and when we find that alternative we will stop transferring hundreds of billions of dollars to regime that would support tour worldwide. [applause]

i am confident that in pursuing these goals the of the enduring friendship of the united states of america, the greatest nation on earth. [applause] the american people have always shown courage, their generosity, their decency. from one president to the next, from one congress to the next, america's commitment to israel's security has been unwavering. [applause] in the last year, president obama and the u.s. congress have given meaning to that commitment by providing israel with military assistance, by enabling joint military exercise and working on joint missile defense

, so too is israel been a staunch and steadfast ally of the united states. as vice president biden has said, america has no better friend in the community of nations and israel. all i say that, too. [applause] for decades, israel served as a bulwark against soviet expansionism. today it is helping america stem the tide of militant islam. israel shares with america everything, and i mean everything. that we know about fighting a new kind of enemy. we share intelligence. we cooperate in so many countless ways which i'm not at liberty to divulge.

this cooperation is important for us, for israel, but it is also helping save american lives. [applause] our soldiers and your soldiers fight against fanatic enemy is that los our common values. in the eyes of these fanatics, we are you and you are us. to them, the only difference is you are big and we are small. you are the great satan and we are the small state in. now there's an important point here. this fanaticism hatred of western civilization predates the stubble shunned of modern islam by 1,000 years. militant islam does not hate the

west because of israel. it hates israel because of the west because it sees israel as an outpost of freedom and democracy that prevents them from overrunning them the least. that is why when israel's stance against its enemies, it stands against america's enemies. [applause] president truman, the first leader to recognize israel had this to say. i have faith in israel and i believe it has a glorious future not just as another sovereign nation but an embodiment of the greek ideals of our civilization my friends, we are gathered here today because we believe these common ideals of our great civilization and because these

ideals i'm certain israel and america will always stand together. [applause] thank you. thank you. ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ >> thank you so much, mr. pamela starr and senators for speaking with us tonight. we are most grateful to you and of all our distinguished guests that have joined us for this wonderful evening. please and gentlemen, in the morning we will hear from tony blair, the former british prime minister and current quartet representative. the words will open at 8:15. this concludes the banquet. please join us for coffee and dessert in the lobby on the first floor. so long for now. ♪

mr. president, the house of representatives deserves the appreciation of the entire nation for what it did last night. the clear majority of congressmen and women voted in favor of the bill to the super majority of senators passed on christmas eve a few months ago. tomorrow the senate will begin to the final touches on this effort. plus light of the vote took both courage and common sense. their votes for momentous. they were historic and they were right. after a century of working and waiting going back to the days

of theodore roosevelt reform will become the law of the land, not in a matter of years or months or weeks but in a matter of hours and in that near future in the parts of this bill will take effect and improve the lives of millions. soon insurance companies will no longer be able to refuse to cover children with pre-existing conditions. they will no longer be able to drop your coverage because you get sick. small businesses that today can't afford to cover employees will get tax credits and will eckert right that wrong. tens of thousands of small businesses will benefit, 24,000 to be exact. reform means if you have a pre-existing condition and no health insurance you will be able to find and afford the care you need to get and stay healthy. if you are one of the senior citizens' stock in the prescription drug doughnut hole you will soon get a check to pay for your medicine that will help seniors stay healthy while the

completely close the loophole once and for all for nearly 6,000 seniors and millions more across the country. also starting this year no insurance company will be to impose a lifetime limit on your benefits. those changes are just the tip of the iceberg. only some of the benefits that will kick in immediately or almost immediately. summit's three months, some six months, but none longer than that the time we talk about it. a fraction of this bill will do over the long term for the economy most important the citizens. when all was said and done more than 600,000 in the fattah will be about access to affordable coverage. more than 300,000 will get tax credits to help them buy health coverage in the private market. another 300,000 seniors in the state of nevada will get free preventive annual services like physicals and checkups. not bad answer by insurance on their own will also save money. because of this bill their

premiums will go down as much as 20% which means nevada families can save more than $2,000 a year. and this bill will also save our country money and lots of it. over the next ten years it will slice the deficit by $143 billion. the next ten years, $1.3 trillion deficit reduction. many senators deserve credit for getting us this far and many will helpless cross the finishing line this week. ai thank especially german bachus who oversaw the financial components of this bill and bringing down health care cost and vastly reducing the deficit. german doll who oversaw the parts of the reform but will ensure more healthy americans and indeed did that in the health committee. not only will allow people to stay healthy, it will allow them to stop being sick in the first place. our friend, ted kennedy must be proud of this work. chairman harkin who led the health committee down the

homestretch deserves thanks for the work he has done making college more affordable. and chairman conrad who as the head of the budget committee will continue to guide us through the budget reconciliation process to read a fiscally responsible final piece that will further reduce the deficit and insure more americans can afford health insurance and close the doughnut hole. i know the other side watched the house vote last night as we did. as they did i hope they learned that the strategy of delay, myth and fear might slow progress but it cannot stop it. i hope that this week when we to get the final revisions of what will soon be long overdue law republican friends will act on the interest of their constituents and not just the entrance of the insurance industry or political party. the other side made it clear they will try to stop progress based on a technicality. but with substance, mr. president, they are powerless. this budget process is all about simply making a good wall and we

passed on christmas eve even better. and they're still talking about the number of pages in the bill but we will stop talking about the number of flights it will save. >> mr. president. >> the republican leader. >> last night marked a turning point in our politics and in our nation. on a sunday night in march, with the nation howling and opposition, a bear majority of democrats and the people's house ignored the people to claim the land for their party. and then the celebrated. the american people watched all of this in utter disbelief. the american people watched all of this and utter disbelief. here's what the democrats voted

for last night. a vast expansion of the entitlement state that we can't afford. massive cuts to medicare. higher taxes. higher health care costs. worst care. taxpayer funded abortions. and don't believe this been. this wasn't a party line vote. yes, not a single republican voted for the bill, but a whole lot of democrats voted against it as well. the fact is the so-called senate version of the health care bill that passed the house last night couldn't even pass the senate

today. and why is that? because this bill is so deeply unpopular that the voters and the most liberal state in the country just elected a republican to the senate for the first time in nearly four decades in order to stop it. democrats want to pretend this didn't happen they want to pretend that new jersey and virginia and massachusetts simply didn't happen. they want to pretend the views of the people who sent us here really don't matter. they want to pretend we can afford the two and half trillion dollars in entitlement in the middle of a recession when we can't even meet the obligations that we already have. they want to pretend future generations won't have to bear the burden of their actions. they want to pretend that our

actions today won't affect the american dream tomorrow. well, mr. president, they are living in a fantasy and today that fantasy becomes even more of absurd. as of the building voted on yesterday wasn't bad enough, now they want to make it even worse. that's what's going to happen in the senate. that's what clinton had been in the senate this week. democratic leaders now want us to take the bill that passed the senate back in december and the house voted on last night it make the tax hikes even higher and the medicare cuts even deeper. and they want us to endorse new sweetheart deals struck behind closed doors just last week so this thing could limbo for the finish line last night. american said they didn't want

this bill. democrats passed it any way. they said they didn't like the deals and they didn't like the giveaways. democrats struck them any way. now, mr. president, they want to make this bill even worse. they want to add more deals on top of the other ones. i have a message for our space friends. enough is enough to read no more tax hikes, no more medicare cuts, no more dealmaking, no more backroom deals. democrats may have won the vote last night but they lost the argument, and they've lost the trust of the american people. now americans know you don't drive down the cost of health care by spending another

$2.5 trillion on health care. they know we can help people with pre-existing conditions without slashing medicare. they know we can do these things without crippling the economy or forcing taxpayers to pay for abortions. americans see through the false choices. they have been handed by the democrats here in washington. the democratic leaders may have gotten their votes. they may have gotten there win but today he is a new date. already we're seeing democrats in the senate distancing themselves from this effort to make a bad deal worse. so we already know that reconciliation is guaranteed to have bipartisan opposition. democrats were hoping they could silence the voices of the american people last night. but starting today -- starting

today those voices are going to be heard. senate republicans are going to make sure those voices are heard. mr. president, i yield the floor. >> i rise in opposition to the reconciliation legislation that the senate will shortly be considering. like many of my colleagues i first read this legislation ought filed in the house last week, and one of my first thoughts was what a difference 15 months makes. today the senate is debating legislation, or shortly we will be debating legislation, that will increase health care costs for working americans and wipe out a successful bipartisan 45 year old student loan program without a single committee hearing or even a markup. this bill is an attempt to fix what is perceived to be a problem with health reform legislation that the senate passed on