Ted Poe: “From its beginning, Israel, the lone free and democratic country in the Middle East, has had to fight for its very…”

“From its beginning, Israel, the lone free and democratic country in the Middle East, has had to fight for its very existence against enemies on all sides. Historically, the only language its neighbors spoke was the voice of violence. In the war of independence, Israel fought Lebanon and Syria in the north, Iraq and Jordan in the east, Egypt to the south. Now, over 60 years later, not much has changed. Israel still is the target for annihilation by Hamas in the south and Hezbollah in the north. In the pathway to the east lies Israel's greatest threat, Iran, who celebrates an anti-Israel day every September. Israel's enemies are bent on the destruction of this nation and her values, such as democracy, freedom, justice, liberty. These are also American values. Those who kill innocent Israeli citizens also seek the murder of the American way of life. We should make it clear to the world that the beacon of democracy in the Middle East, Israel, is our friend and our ally, and together we two nations are a force to be reckoned with. And that's just the way it is.”