Washington -- "We gather today not just to celebrate Israel's independence, but to give thanks for the miracle of her survival, for the history of Israel and the Jewish people as the story of the redemption and freedom of all oppressed peoples everywhere," Vice President Al Gore said April 27 at the White House celebration of Israel's 50th anniversary of statehood.

The Vice President said Israel "survives not as an artifact or a monument. ... Israel is vital and is constantly renewed by its diversity and its creativity.... It is a land of poetry and culture and learning and life, of technology and science and commerce, of productivity and prosperity unrivaled virtually anywhere in the world."

"Our friendship with Israel is not merely with one or another of its political parties. Our ties are far deeper, forged by an iron-clad commitment to Israel's security and well-being, to combating terrorism, to stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and to achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace with security between Israelis and Palestinians, Egyptians, Jordanians, Syrians, Lebanese, and all who live in the region," he said.

Gore noted that in two days he and his wife Tipper will travel to Israel to represent the president and the American people at the celebration of Israel's 50th anniversary of independence. "This is, of course, a great honor and I know we will carry with us the yearnings of millions of Americans for peace, for a new season of joy and a new jubilee of hope," he said.


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VICE PRESIDENT GORE: (Applause.) Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you very much for those profound and moving words. The selections from Scripture and from history have been very well chosen. Weren't they lovely? (Applause.) It was a wonderful selection.

On behalf of the president, I would like to acknowledge and thank those who are taking part in this ceremony and the distinguished guests who are present. We have many, so bear with me for just a moment.

But I would like to begin by thanking Dr. Suleiman Neang (sp), Dr. Ismar Schorch (sp), Dr. James Dunn, Richard Dreyfuss and Linda Lavin.

And I would like to acknowledge the members of the president's Cabinet who are here; Secretary of HHS Donna Shalala, Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman and his wife Rhoda, Secretary of Commerce Bill Daley and his wife Loretta, the acting Director of OMB Jack Lew, the National Security Adviser Sandy Berger; vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joe Ralston.

And to the distinguished guests, on behalf of the president, welcome to all of you.

Among the diplomats here are Ambassador and Mrs. Eliahu Ben-Elissar. Welcome, sir -- and one of Israel's original founders, Ambassador and Mrs. Abba Eban. (Applause.) We are certainly honored to have you here. Thank you, sir.

We're honored as well to have Mr. and Mrs. Elie Wiesel, who are both here. (Applause.) Thank you very much. (Applause.)

And among those who are present with Hebrew University; Professor Menachem Magidor from Jerusalem and Professor Menathem Ben-Sasson; Ambassador and Mrs. Moshe Ahrad, Bob and Clarise Smith; Mr. and Mrs. Alex Grass, Mr. and Mrs. Keith Saxe.

And there are a number of members of Congress who are present. Again, please bear with me, because of the importance of this occasion. I want to acknowledge Senator and Mrs. Joe Lieberman, Senator Paul Wellstone, Congressman Gary Ackerman, Congressman and Mrs. Ben Cardin, Congressman Peter Deutsch, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Congressman David Obey, Congressman Bob Filner, Congressman Barney Frank, Congressman Marty Frost, Congressman and Mrs. Ben Gilman, Congressman and Mrs. Lee Hamilton, Congressman and Mrs. Tom Lantos, Congressman Sandy Levin, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Senator Charles Robb, Congressman and Mrs. Henry Waxman. And if I've missed some, forgive me.

New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is among the state officials and local officials and city officials who are present. Welcome to you all.

It is a great privilege to be able to share in this ceremony today. A half-century ago, on a morning bursting with the promise of spring, a small group of rabbis and statesmen, workers and kibbutzim, dreamers, soldiers, and survivors, gathered at the Tel Aviv museum under a portrait of Theodor Herzl and listened as the wise and brave David Ben-Gurion read the scroll of independence. "By virtue of our national and intrinsic right," he said, "we hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine, which shall be known as the state of Israel." Thus, quietly and triumphantly, a sovereign Israel at last had been born in the promised land. And, as noted earlier, only 11 minutes later, a daring Harry S. Truman became the very first among world leaders to recognize the newly proclaimed Jewish state.

Today, we gather as one nation to give thanks for the 50th anniversary of this remarkable moment of hope and history. But in a larger sense, we gather today not just to celebrate Israel's independence, but to give thanks for the miracle of her survival, for the history of Israel and the Jewish people as the story of the redemption and freedom of all oppressed peoples everywhere. For more than four millennia, Judaism has struggled over four continents and six civilizations. After enslavement by the pharaohs, wanderings in Canaan, destruction in Judah, captivity in Babylon, after the strife of the Maccabeans, oppression by the Romans, as children of the ghetto in the middle ages, as victims of the camps, Judaism has survived and Israel survives.

It survives because of the ingenuity and foresight of men and women with names like David Ben-Gurion and Chaim Weizmann and Golda Meir, Shimon Perez, Yitzhak and Leah Rabin, Yoni (sp) and Bibi Netanyahu. It survives and is nurtured every day by the morality of the Torah, the social justice of the prophets, and the eternal Jewish values of family and faith. It survives not as an artifact or a monument. No, Israel is vital and is constantly renewed by its diversity and its creativity. Israel has proven to be far more than the land of milk and honey. It is a land of poetry and culture and learning and life, of technology and science and commerce, of productivity and prosperity unrivaled virtually anywhere in the world.

So we gather here today not only to celebrate these achievements but also to proclaim for all to hear that the dream of an Israel free, secure and at peace, in a world where the echoes of antisemitism are heard no more, will be a reality for all time.

And I want you to know that Israel has never had a better friend in the White House than President Bill Clinton. (Applause.) That is what Israel's leaders will tell you, and that is what the historians and the history books will tell in the future as well.

Our friendship with Israel is not merely with one or another of its political parties. Our ties are far deeper, forged by an iron-clad commitment to Israel's security and well-being, to combating terrorism, to stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and to achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace with security between Israelis and Palestinians, Egyptians, Jordanians, Syrians, Lebanese, and all who live in the region.

In two days, on behalf of President Clinton, my wife Tipper and I will travel to Israel to represent the president and the American people at the celebration of Israel's 50th anniversary of independence on the 5th of Iyar, according to the Hebrew calendar. This is, of course, a great honor and I know we will carry with us the yearnings of millions of Americans for peace, for a new season of joy and a new jubilee of hope.

There is a wonderful song of Israel which is called "Alkol-Aleh (ph)" -- "For All These Things." Let me share with you some of its lyrics: For all these things, please watch over me, my good God. Please don't uproot that which is planted; don't forget the hope. Bring me back, and I shall return to the good land. El ha aretz, ha tovah (ph)."

As we prepare to begin our own journey to the good land, may we never forget the hope that God who makes peace in the heavens will grant peace here on earth among us, on Israel, and upon all the inhabitants of the world.

Thank you.

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