[captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2018] announcer: secretary of state mike pompeo talked about the president's proclamation recognizing israel's sovereignty over the golan heights in his remarks before the aipac annual conference. he also talked about the rise of anti-semitism. is remarks or 20 minutes -- his remarks are 20 minutes. ♪ [cheers and applause] sec. pompeo: thank you. thank you so much. thank you, everyone. it is truly wonderful to be here

tonight. aipac'so thank president for inviting me to be a speaker here tonight. thank you for that incredibly warm welcome. as some of you may have seen, my wife susan, who is here with me i just returned from a trip to israel. [applause] sec. pompeo: and we made a little news. [laughter] sec. pompeo: you know, i've been to israel many times, but it was the first time i had the privilege to visit our new embassy in the eternal capital of the jewish people and the jewish state in jerusalem. [applause] sec. pompeo: thank you. it was incredibly moving to be there. i also became the first american secretary of state to visit the western wall, and the first --

[applause] firstompeo: -- and the high-ranking american official to do that within israeli prime an israeli with prime minister. [applause] sec. pompeo: i then traveled to beirut to speak with lebanese leadership about a big problem, the iranian threat of hezbollah to israel, and we minced no words. [applause] course, it: and of was a great honor to be on israeli soil and to celebrate with prime minister netanyahu at the very moment president trump boldly recognize the golan heights for what it is, a part of israel. [cheers and applause]

sec. pompeo: as most of you would have seen a short while ago, president trump, alongside prime minister netanyahu, signed a decree affirming israel's golan.gnty over the [applause] sec. pompeo: what a truly great two days for two great nations. [applause] know, that: you recognition ties in with my own personal connection to israel, and more importantly, to america's connection with israel. as a former west point cadet and a former tank officer, i've had a chance -- all right, for all you tank officers in the audience. [applause] sec. pompeo: i was on active duty and got to study the great

battles that took place on those very heights. it was very lucky for my family on my first visit, i took them to the golan heights and got to feel exactly what it looked like to those soldiers on that day. my son reminds me it was muddy and wet, and his clothes were dirty, but he will never forget the walkabout we all took on the golan heights. i mentioned this in my press conference that night with prime minister netanyahu, that susan, nick and i had a chance to gaze out onto the valley of tears, named for the vicious fighting that took place there in 1973. we saw what those brave israeli soldiers would have seen on the morning of october 9. the seventh tank brigade had been fighting for three days. they were totally exhausted. they were totally outnumbered.

they didn't know what would happen next. syrian tanks were indeed on because of breaking through cusp lines, yet -- on the of breaking through their lines, yet they held strong. they swooped in, and the syrians were treated. [applause] sec. pompeo: as the dust settled, the voice of the general crackled through the radio. "you have saved the people of israel." how can you not be completely awed by these brave men, their defense of the golan heights, and their commitment to the country? [applause] sec. pompeo: and how can we also not be proud here in america to know that the relentless defense aided by, of zion, was

the united states of america? [applause] israel's hour of need, in support of these grave battles, america provided israel with tanks, artillery, munitions , and all of the other supplies that were needed to continue the defense of the homeland. israeli prime minister golda my , when would for generations, much will be told about what brought life to our people. [applause] sec. pompeo: without that valley battle and without the american support of israel, there would not have been in israel to recognize at the proper sovereign over the golan heights . [applause] sec. pompeo: in this

relationship, from truman to trump, is a tradition of supporting israel deeply. i think about that every day as i serve as america's secretary of state. [applause] i want to talkt to you tonight about something that i'm very worried about. indeed, i am deeply worried about an old threat that is reemerging to israel all around the world, the threat of anti-semitism. it is a cancer metastasizing in the middle east, in europe, and indeed, sadly, here in the united states as well. in britain, the labour party's tolerance of anti-semitism in its ranks is a national disgrace. and france's jews are under attack. of anti-semitism attacks in the u.k. are on the rise. attacks in this country have risen by 1/3 since 2017, and we

don't have to go far but to consider attacks on the orthodox jewish community in brooklyn this past year, and none of us will ever forget the 11 americans murdered while praying one shabbat morning at the tree of life synagogue. may their memories be a blessing to all of us. [applause] sec. pompeo: every decent human being has the responsibility to fight anti-semitism. it is an affront to religious liberty. it denies the rights of jews to worship their god. it attacks what it means to be jewish, ethnically and religiously. but americans have a special responsibility to combat this scourge because religious freedom sits at the core of our founding. it is in our bill of rights as the very first freedom. it is the essential freedom upon which all others that we enjoy

here in america are built. it is because i'm a champion of that religious freedom and because i'm an american that i'm here today to tell you united states stands with the jewish people and israel in the fight against the world's oldest bigotry. [cheers and applause] sec. pompeo: this bigotry is taking on an insidious new form in the guise of anti-zionism. it has invested college campuses. it is discussed in our media. it is supported by certain members of congress, i suspect none of whom are here tonight. [laughter] sec. pompeo: now, don't get me wrong. criticizing israel's policies is an acceptable thing to do in a democracy. it is what we do. but criticizing the very right to exist of israel is not

acceptable. [applause] sec. pompeo: anti-zionism denies the very legitimacy of the israeli state and of the jewish people. zionism reflects the determination of the jews to live as free people in their ancestral homeland. it grows out of the jewish faith. zionism was born in the old testament and crystallized under theodore herschel in the 19th century, and was realized in may with a declaration of independence are claiming the establishment of the modern state of israel. [applause] sec. pompeo: and yet today, only 192 united of nations has its right to exist

routinely questioned. so friends, let me go on record. anti-zionism is anti-semitism. [cheers and applause] sec. pompeo: the trump administration opposes it unequivocally, and we will fight for it relentlessly. [applause] sec. pompeo: i want to talk about why anti-semitism is on the rise. i have a few thoughts on the reasons. first, western civilization and our youth in particular are losing first-hand experience with the holocaust and its survivors as the postwar generation dies out. i saw that clearly and thought about it on my most recent trip to israel.

professors teach our children that israel is the up enemy of imperialism -- is the enemy of imperialism. third, journalists who don't take time to check facts and think critically, and i'm being polite. [applause] sec. pompeo: but frankly, worst of all, some politicians think anti-semitism can actually win the votes, and we have to correct the record. we all have an obligation to do so because israel should be admired, not attacked. [applause] sec. pompeo: embraced, not vilified. and emulated, not ostracized. [applause] president trump has made the fight against anti-semitism a top priority. you can see it in our actions.

we left the fever swamp of the u.n. human rights council, which made more resolutions condemning israel then all other nations combined. at the state department, i reinvigorated the position of ongoing -- of combating ongoing terrorism. [applause] sec. pompeo: last year, it was my honor to host the first ever religious freedom ministerial at the state department, and we will do it again in july. [applause] sec. pompeo: on march 15, just a few days past, i took action to deter the lawless international criminal court from targeting americans and israelis alike. [applause] he trumpeo: and administration and my team at the state department is confronting the world's number ,ne proponent of anti-semitism

iran. [applause] sec. pompeo: you seen it -- you've seen it. we pulled out of the incurably flawed iran nuclear deal, which funded the quest for regional domination. in its place we've enacted the strongest pressure campaign in history against iran and its proxies, and they are feeling the pain. [applause] sec. pompeo: as i said a bit earlier, i was in beirut less than 48 hours ago. below's -- has below --has bola [applause] we arempeo: meanwhile, supporting israel's right to defend itself with military

support to the tune of $38 billion a year, and more ralortantly, with the mo clarity that israel deserves and demands. [applause] sec. pompeo: the list is long. a few weeks ago, we deployed one of our most advanced missile systems to israel. we are hard at work to help israelis and palestinians find a just and lasting peace. [applause] sec. pompeo: importantly, my team is working to mobilize and rally nations all across the middle east to find common ground. polish friendsr partnered with the state department for a conference in warsaw. over 60 foreign ministers attended, and arab leaders from all around the world set with israel's leaders. it was truly historic. [applause] sec. pompeo: but uniquely,

frankly, in spite of its historic nature, it didn't feel historic. it simply felt right. [applause] muslims, andjews, christians working together to defeat islamist terrorist and anti-semitism was the right thing to do for each of those countries. [applause] sec. pompeo: we live in dangerous times. we have to speak the truth. anti-semitism should and must be rejected by all decent people. -- anti-zionism is anti-semitism. any nation that espouses anti-semitism like a ron must be confronted -- like iran must be confronted. we must defend the homeland of the jewish people. [applause] it. pompeo: we must see to that the old dreams of moses, of

erzel, the words of emma -- fade. indeed we are reminded of the consequences if we fall silent. towe close i want to turn that memorial. there is a list of people called the righteous among the nations. non-jews who risked their lives to save jews during the holocaust. ago this year a man was added to the list. he repeatedly risked life and limb to save 3000 jews in hungary during world war ii. to america.igrated

january atway this the age of 96. gun to hiscer held a head and said the following. heldo you, a christian, jews -- help jews? either silly or an idiot. because i am christian but i help the jews. confidence that the trump administration will not grow weary of the fight. to abandon it would mean to abandon our principles. and as secretary of state and as a christian i'm proud to lead american diplomacy to support israel's right to defend itself

and i am proud to stand with the jewish people and champion the inse of religious liberty israel and america. these are special times, amazing times. i want to thank each of you and may god less each of you, israel and the united states america. >> senate minority leader charles schumer spoke before aipac