HJ0092 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0092 LRB095 18882 GRL 45026 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In May of 1948, with recognition by the United Nations of the need for a Jewish homeland, the State of Israel was established as a sovereign and independent nation; and

WHEREAS, The new State of Israel was established in the ancient homeland of the Jewish people, the culmination of decades of efforts by the modern Zionist movement to resettle and reinvigorate the land; and

WHEREAS, The United States was one of the first nations to recognize Israel, only 11 minutes after its creation; and

WHEREAS, The State of Israel provided a refuge to Jews who survived the horrors of the Holocaust and the evil acts committed by the Nazis; and

WHEREAS, Israel has provided the opportunity for Jews from all over the world, including immigrants from Ethiopia, the former Soviet Union, and from the Arab lands to make new lives in their ancient homeland; and

WHEREAS, Israel, home to religious sites sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, is committed to the protection of these sites and to freedom of worship; and

WHEREAS, The people of Israel have established a pluralistic democracy which protects the freedoms cherished by the people of the State of Illinois, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association, freedom of the press, an independent judiciary, and government by the consent of its citizens; and

WHEREAS, Israel continues, in a region generally bereft of such practices, to serve as a shining model of democratic values maintaining gender equality, freedom of sexual orientation, and equal rights for all citizens; and

WHEREAS, Israel has a thriving culture and has made significant global contributions in the fields of science, medicine, and technology; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois and the State of Israel have developed mutually beneficial economic, cultural, educational, trade, and scientific partnerships; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we recognize the anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel as a significant event in providing refuge and a national homeland for the Jewish people; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we commend the bipartisan commitment of all United States presidential administrations and United States Congresses since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 to stand by Israel and work for its security and well-being; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we extend our warmest congratulations and best wishes to the people of Israel as they celebrate the 60th anniversary of their nation's independence.