Jerry Nadler: “I was impressed by looking at different facets of Israeli society and seeing a vibrant, free, democratic, modern…”

“I was impressed by looking at different facets of Israeli society and seeing a vibrant, free, democratic, modern country, so different from so many other countries in the Middle East. Reading the newspapers in Israel, you are struck by the debates on politics and on policy, on peace, you are struck on the political give and take, by the criticism in the newspapers of the government and its leaders, by the debate of the members of the various political parties, all of this so reminiscent of the democracy in our own country, in the United States. One could feel the palpable yearning for peace that Israel is so desperate for. One could not escape the fact that Israel is a country fighting a war on terrorism alongside the United States. One could never escape the fact that Israel is targeted by hostile neighbors, by hostile terrorists who have had over 100 suicide bombings, homicide bombings, really, targeted at civilians, men, women and children.”