Mr. Speaker, Israelis must build with one hand while defending themselves with the other. That was the message of Chaim Weizzman, Israel's first president on the day the Jewish people re-established a homeland from which they were separated for thousands of years.
Tomorrow, by the Jewish calendar, the people of Israel will celebrate 50 years of statehood.
Today Israel is a diverse, vibrant and modern democracy. Israelis have transformed a tiny, barren land into an economic and technological power. Fewer than one million Israelis became six million. With all their differences they make the desert bloom and democracy work.
As Israel marks its 50th birthday, the PC Party of Canada extends its best wishes and its hope that the citizens of Israel will continue to move toward a just, comprehensive and lasting peace. Shalom, Israel.