J Street Executive Director Jeremy Ben-Ami released the following statement as Israel celebrates Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day):
J Street proudly celebrates the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, joining with the Israeli people in honoring the country’s founders and marking its innumerable achievements and successes. We also invoke the incredible sense of joy that was felt in 1948 as the State of Israel was recognized by the world and specifically on behalf of the United States by President Harry Truman.
There has been so much to celebrate in the intervening 62 years as the people of Israel built a nation and stepped to the forefront in a wide range of fields, from technology and communication to culture and agriculture. Even as we celebrate, we also look forward to the next 62 years and beyond.
We know that much remains to be done in fulfillment of the vision of a secure, democratic Israel that is the home of the Jewish people, as envisioned by Israel’s founders. The work of the founders will only be complete when Israel has secure, internationally-recognized borders and achieves full acceptance by its neighbors in the region. We hope the year ahead sees substantial progress toward these goals and toward a peaceful, diplomatic resolution to Israel’s conflicts with its neighbors.
We will continue to stand with Israel as she faces the challenges ahead and pursues the two-state resolution necessary to securing the dream of true peace and security.