Two hundred forty-one U.S. state legislators from all 50 states visited the Knesset on Monday. The largest-ever delegation of lawmakers to visit the Knesset was welcomed at the Knesset plaza with American and Israeli flags flying high and the countries’ national anthems played by the israel police orchestra.
During a special ceremony held in Chagall Hall in honor of the bipartisan delegation, Speaker of the Knesset MK Amir Ohana (Likud) said “It is a profound honor to welcome you to Jerusalem — and to this house, the Knesset — the sovereign home of the people of Israel and the beating heart of our democracy. Tonight, we greet an extraordinary and historic delegation: five lawmakers from each of America’s 50 states, many of you visiting Israel for the first time. Welcome to the Knesset, welcome to Jerusalem, welcome to the holy land, welcome to Israel! Your presence here proves that the bonds between our peoples are beyond any individual or party, they are bipartisan based on values. They are personal. They are tangible. And they are unshakable.”
Speaker MK Ohana added, “Your presence here — a bipartisan delegation of two parties and fifty states — proclaims to the world that amid this siege against liberty, our nations also rise together. One of those liberties is the freedom of speech. The liberty to voice your opinions—no matter how controversial they may be—and to compete in the marketplace of ideas, without fearing that you will be threatened or lose your life as a result. That liberty, stands not only at the foundation of the American Constitution, but at the very core of the democratic idea itself. These are the foundations upon which the Knesset is built, as well as the parliaments in which you all serve.
“This idea took a bullet last week, with the assassination of Charlie Kirk, who more than many others represented the willingness to debate and confront opposing ideas. I agreed with Charlie on most issues, not all, but even if I hadn’t agreed with him on anything—I would still stand here before you shocked to my core expressing heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, followers and the American People. May this horrible tragedy serve as a turning point in political and media discourse, bringing even those who disagree to engage in dialogue with one another.”
Foreign Affairs and Defense committee chair MK Boaz Bismuth (Likud), who also chairs the Knesset-House Parliamentary Friendship Group, said Israel is not alone—if only for the simple reason that the United States, the number one global power, stands with it. America is a military superpower, an economic superpower, and a moral superpower, he said, adding that in the changing world we are experiencing today, the greatest concern is to ensure that at the end of this process, America continues to lead the world.
Rep. Drew Stokesbary, a Republican from Washington, said he was proud of the strong and special bond between Israel and the U.S., which he said was based on the countries’ identities as democratic nations.
Rep. Annie McDaniel, a Democrat from South Carolina, said “We are praying for the safe return of all the hostages. Keep believing. America stands with you.”
The U.S. lawmakers visited the memorial for victims of hostile acts and the monument honoring fallen IDF soldiers, both located at the entrance plaza of the Knesset. Later, they were given a detailed explanation about the photos of the remaining hostages, which are permanently displayed in the Knesset’s corridors, and about the harrowing images from the October 7 massacre sites, which are displayed as part of the Fragments of Memory exhibition in the parliament building.
Related Topics
