April 22, 2004
National Commemoration of the Days of Remembrance, United States Capitol

Israel rose up from the ashes of the Holocaust - from the deadly Nazi camps - from the horror of the crematoriums. And the Jewish people regained their independence in their homeland, after 2000 years.

But what a price we paid for that. 6 million Jews - 1/3 of our people were the sacrifice.

Unrelenting hatred and anti-semitism laid the groundwork for the Holocaust. And the policy of appeasement, and the weakness shown by the free world, fueled the Nazi aggression to eliminate the Jewish people. We have questioned ourselves time and again, how could we have prevented the Holocaust.

We will never know how many families could have been saved, if the great democracies of the time had stood up to evil, bravely and decisively. We know many would have been saved had we had the state of Israel then.

Nazi atrocities didn't stop with the persecution of the Jewish people, but were also perpetrated on others. And today, this same hatred and anti-semitism that is manifested in terrorism, is a real and acute threat not only to Israel and the Jewish people, but to all peace-loving and freedom-seeking democracies. Terrorist organizations and anti-semites exploit the freedoms of democracy in order to destroy our civilization.

Together with other great democracies of our time, under the courageous and decisive leadership of the United States, we meet evil head-on.

Since the establishment of Israel, we have continued to pay a terrible price to preserve our independence in the face of violence, incitement and terror.

But Israel is strong - we benefit from experience - and we are not alone.

And we will achieve peace and security for our citizens, as democracy triumphs over dictatorship, liberty overcomes repression, and compassion is stronger than hatred.

In spite of adversity, throughout the years, Israel has grown and blossomed - with Jews from 102 nations, speaking over 80 languages - a true nation rebuilding.

As a democratic nation, Israel is a beacon of hope in the Middle East.

And We stand tall in Israel - proud to be Israelis - proud of our heritage - and proud to be the Jewish nation, where all people can live freely and with human dignity.

This is the legacy of our beloved people who perished in the Holocaust.