The United States and Israel celebrated the one-year anniversary of the relocation of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem last night. In a celebratory event that marked the historic occasion, the American Ambassador to the country, David Friedman, took the opportunity to reject multiple statements by persons that termed Washington’s decision to move the Embassy as ‘merely symbolic’. In his words: “When people say: “you know this is just symbolic, you know, what’s the big deal? you moved the building from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem? – it’s just symbolic” – that just could not be further from the truth. The move of the embassy was a validation by the strongest nation in the world, not just strong militarily, not just strong economically but strong morally, strong ethically with a bedrock of Judeo-Christian values that govern every citizens attachment to this country. That country (the U.S.) recognized the unbreakable, historical truthful connection between the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem. That is not symbolic, that is the furthest thing from symbolic.”
Ambassador Friedman also insisted that despite the growing regional threats that Israel faces, Jerusalem’s ever-growing relationship with Washington allows it to overwhelm those challenges. And beyond the strength that resonates from the U.S.-Israel alliance; he pointed to Israel’s most significant source of power, which the United States does not underestimate. Friedman said: “There’s much more to do to strengthen the relationship with Israel, some say our most important ally in the region, I would take out the word ‘region;’ to bring new and bold ideas of cooperation to just make this relationship stronger and stronger and stronger. Someone asked me today ‘Is Israel getting stronger or are the threats potentially making Israel weaker?’ And I said, ‘Look, Israel is growing stronger for two reasons. Number 1: the objective metric by which Israel measures itself, the most important one, is how strong is its relationship with the United States, and how many levels. And that, it just keeps growing and growing and getting stronger and stronger and stronger. And the second is Israel has one secret weapon that not too many countries have. Israel is on the side of God and we (U.S.) don’t underestimate that.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who attended the ceremony together with his wife Sarah, once again reiterated that despite manifestation of multiple alliances between Israel and countries throughout the International Community, Jerusalem will never forget the indispensable alliance that precedes all else and is important like no other. The Israeli Prime Minister said: “The countries of the world are coming, some have opened offices here on route to recognizing Jerusalem fully, but they are all coming to Jerusalem and they are all coming to Israel – because they know that we are seizing the future in technology, in security, in cyber, in defenses – in everything, in agriculture, in medicine -you know all that. It’s happening. And its hanging the perception of Israel, not of the anti-Semites, they will never change, but for many many millions, I would even say billions of people around the world- Israel is becoming something else, its becoming a focal point of strength, of ingenuity, of creativity – and that is helping us build alliances, and all countries need alliances, super-powers need alliances. So, obviously a small country – small in territory, giant in spirit- a country like Israel needs alliances, too. And as we make those alliances, with the Arab world, in Asia, in Africa, in Latin America, as we make those alliances we never forget the indispensable alliance, the alliance with the United States, that precedes all else and is important like nothing else.”
The Israeli leader also took the opportunity to hail the growing relations between the Jewish State and its Arab neighbors – while underlining the cause of the emerging relations with the Arab world as a partnership that stems from a united desire to stop Iran’s regional aggression. According to Netanyahu: “There is a new efflorescence, a new renaissance of relations between us and many of our Arab neighbors, and many non-Arab Muslim countries. Many more than you can think. And it’s true that we are united in our desire to stop Iranian aggression, and I believe that Israel and all the countries of the region and all the countries who seek peace in the world should stand together with the United States against Iranian aggression.”