00Enrolled HJR 38                                                                                                         
01 Recognizing the State of Israel on the 60th anniversary of its founding.                                                
02                                         _______________                                                                 
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                             
04      WHEREAS, on May 14, 1948, the people of Israel proclaimed the establishment of                                   
05 the sovereign and independent State of Israel; and                                                                      
06      WHEREAS the United States was the first nation to recognize the new state; and                                   
07      WHEREAS the desire of the Jewish people to establish an independent modern State                                 
08 of Israel was the outgrowth of the existence of the historic Kingdom of Israel established                              
09 3,000 years ago in the city of Jerusalem and in the land of Israel; and                                                 
10      WHEREAS, in 1897, at the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, participants,                             
11 under the leadership of Theodor Herzl, affirmed the desire to establish a Jewish homeland in                            
12 the historic land of Israel; and                                                                                        
13      WHEREAS the establishment of the modern State of Israel as a Jewish homeland                                     
14 followed the slaughter during World War II of more than 6,000,000 Jews in what is now                                   
15 known as the Holocaust; and                                                                                             
16      WHEREAS, since its establishment 60 years ago, the modern State of Israel has                                    
17 forged a new and dynamic society and created a unique and vital economic, political, cultural,                          

01 and intellectual life despite the heavy costs of wars, terrorism, international ostracism, and                          
02 economic boycotts; and                                                                                                  
03      WHEREAS the people of Israel have established a vibrant, pluralistic democratic                                  
04 political system that embraces freedom of speech; a free press; free, fair, and open elections;                         
05 the rule of law; and other democratic principles and practices; and                                                     
06      WHEREAS, at great social and financial costs, Israel has absorbed hundreds of                                    
07 thousands of Jewish refugees from around the world and integrated them into Israeli society;                            
08 and                                                                                                                     
09      WHEREAS Alaska shares a special connection to Israel because Alaska Airlines                                     
10 participated in the rescue of 40,000 Yemenite Jews by flying thousands of them from Yemen                               
11 to Tel Aviv during 1948 and 1949; and                                                                                   
12      WHEREAS, for 60 years, the United States and Israel have maintained a strong and                                 
13 special relationship based on mutually shared democratic values, common strategic interests,                            
14 and moral bonds of friendship and mutual respect; and                                                                   
15      WHEREAS the American people share an affinity with the people of Israel and                                      
16 regard Israel as a strong and trusted ally;                                                                             
17      BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the historic                                         
18 significance of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the sovereign and independent                              
19 modern State of Israel; and be it                                                                                       
20      FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature commends the people of                                        
21 Israel for their remarkable achievements in building a new state and a pluralistic democratic                           
22 society in the Middle East in the face of war, terrorism, isolation, and hostility from beyond                          
23 and within their borders; and be it                                                                                     
24      FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature reaffirms the strong bonds                                    
25 of friendship and cooperation that have existed between the United States and Israel for more                           
26 than a half-century; and be it                                                                                          
27      FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature extends the warmest                                           
28 congratulations and best wishes to the State of Israel and her people for a peaceful,                                   
29 prosperous, and successful future.                                                                                      
30      COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Condoleezza Rice, United                                
31 States Secretary of State; the Honorable David Akov, Consul General of Israel to the Pacific                            

01 Northwest; and the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Lisa Murkowski, U.S.                                         
02 Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska                                       
03 delegation in Congress.