Bill Clinton: “Israel in Jerusalem December 13, 1998 Thank you very much. Mr. Prime Minister, Mrs. Netanyahu, leaders and citizens of…”

“Israel in Jerusalem December 13, 1998 Thank you very much. Mr. Prime Minister, Mrs. Netanyahu, leaders and citizens of Israel, my fellow Americans: Let me begin by thanking the Prime Minister, his family, and his administration for the warm welcome accorded to me and Hillary and Chelsea and our entire group. This is, as I have said many times today, my fourth visit to Israel since I became President. Perhaps that fact alone says something about the unique relationship between our two nations. Last spring I walked out onto the South Lawn at the White House to lead my fellow Americans in our celebration of your 50th birthday as a nation. And as I did that, I thought about how that great old house-- where every President since our second President has lived, for almost 200 years now--and how for the last 50 years it has been and now will forever be linked to Israel's destiny. It was in the White House that Harry Truman recognized the State of Israel only 11 minutes after you had declared your independence. And, I might add, he did so over the objection of some of his most senior advisers. It was in the White House a year later that President Truman wept when Israel's Chief Rabbi told him, ``God put you in your mother's womb so you would be the instrument to bring the rebirth of Israel after 2,000 years.'' Mr. Prime Minister, every President since Harry Truman has been strongly committed to the State of Israel and to Israel's security.…”