Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois would like to acknowledge the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel. This anniversary gives us an opportunity to celebrate Israel's entry into the community of nations, its many cultural, economic and scientific achievements as a free, democratic society, and the special relationship between the governments of Canada and Israel.
This is also a time to reaffirm Canadians' unwavering support for Israel's right to live peacefully and safely within secure, recognized borders, for the peace efforts undertaken by the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and for the creation of a future democratic Palestinian state living peacefully and safely next to its Israeli neighbour within secure, recognized borders.
We were pleased with the results of the Annapolis conference, where the two parties agreed to renew peace talks. We encourage Israelis and Palestinians to pursue these negotiations in order to achieve lasting peace.