2023 -- H 6337
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LC002396
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF ISRAEL'S ESTABLISHMENT ON APRIL
25-26, 2023, AND REAFFIRMING THE BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION
BETWEEN RHODE ISLAND , THE UNITED STATES, AND THE STATE OF ISRAEL
Introduced By: Representatives Ackerman, Finkelman, Abney, Kennedy, Boylan,
Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Shallcross Smith, Chippendale, and O'Brien
Date Introduced: April 27, 2023
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, On November 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly voted to 1
partition British Mandatory Palestine into a Jewish state and Arab state, a decision welcomed by 2
Jewish leadership and rejected by the Arab world; and 3
WHEREAS, On May 14, 1948, the people of Israel proclaimed the establishment of the 4
sovereign and independent State of Israel, and the United States government established full 5
diplomatic relations after Israel's first election in 1949; and 6
WHEREAS, The desire of the Jewish people to establish an independent modern State of 7
Israel is directly linked to the existence of the historic kingdom of Israel established in the land of 8
Israel more than 3,000 years ago, with the City of Jerusalem as its capital both then and now; and 9
WHEREAS, For over 2,000 years, Jews living in other parts of the world maintained a 10
profound spiritual and emotional connection to the Land of Israel, and there has been continuous 11
Jewish presence in the land comprising the modern State of Israel; and 12
WHEREAS, The establishment of the modern State of Israel as a homeland for the 13
Jewish people followed the destruction of much of European Jewry during the Holocaust; and 14
WHEREAS, Since its establishment 75 years ago, the modern State of Israel has rebuilt 15
the nation, forged a new and dynamic society, and created a thriving economic, political, cultural, 16
and intellectual life despite the heavy burdens of war, terrorism, and unjustified diplomatic and 17
economic boycotts against the people of Israel; and 18
WHEREAS, The people of Israel, in the spirit of Israel's Declaration of Independence, 19
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have established a vibrant, pluralistic, democratic political system, which includes freedom of 1
speech, association, and religion; a vigorously free press; free, fair and open elections; the rule of 2
law; a fully independent judiciary; and other democratic principles and practices; and 3
WHEREAS, Israel has developed some of the world's leading universities, has an 4
advanced, entrepreneurial economy, is among the world's leaders of the high-tech industry, and is 5
at the forefront of research and development in the fields of renewable energy sources and 6
medicine; and 7
WHEREAS, Israel regularly sends humanitarian aid, search and rescue teams, mobile 8
hospitals, and other emergency supplies, to help victims of disasters around the world; and 9
WHEREAS, Israel has taken in millions of Jews from countries throughout the world and 10
sought to fully integrate them into Israeli society; and 11
WHEREAS, Israel has established peaceful bilateral relations with Egypt and Jordan and 12
has sought to achieve a secure peace with the Palestinians and Israel's other Arab neighbors; and 13
WHEREAS, For more than seven decades, Rhode Island, the United States, and Israel 14
have maintained a special relationship based on mutually shared democratic and moral values, 15
common strategic interests, and bonds of friendship and mutual respect; and 16
WHEREAS, The American people and the people of Rhode Island feel a strong affinity 17
for the Israeli people based on common values and shared cultural heritage; and 18
WHEREAS, The United States and Rhode Island continue to regard Israel as a trusted 19
ally and vital strategic partner in the volatile Middle East; now, therefore be it 20
RESOLVED, That this House of Representative of the State of Rhode Island hereby 21
recognizes the historic significance of the 75th Anniversary of the reestablishment of the 22
sovereign and independent State of Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people; and be it further 23
RESOLVED, That this House hereby reaffirms the bonds of friendship and cooperation 24
which have existed between Rhode Island, the United States, and Israel for more than 70 years, 25
and commits to strengthening those bonds; and be it further 26
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 27
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Mr. Adam Greenman, President and CEO of 28
the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and Mr. Meron Reuben, Israeli Consulate 29
General in Boston. 30
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