Israel Advocacy Talking Points

Israel is a modern democracy and America's ally in the Middle East. All Israeli citizens—Christians, Muslims, and Jews—have freedom of religion and the right to vote. Ten Arabs and 18 women are in Israel's parliament, and both men and women have access to education, modern health care and good jobs. Israel, like the U.S., is a democracy based on freedom and equality.

Israel made painful sacrifices and took risks to give peace a chance. In 2005 Israel gave up all of Gaza, voluntarily removing over 9,000 Israelis living in Gaza and parts of the West Bank. In the process, these Israelis abandoned their homes, schools, businesses and places of worship – all in the hope of renewing the peace process.
We look forward to a time when Palestinian children are raised to be doctors, teachers and business people—and not suicide bombers. We look forward to a time when Hezbollah can focus wholly on its charity missions – and not the destruction of Israel, which comes at a great cost to the people of Lebanon.
We ask the Palestinian leadership to end the culture of hate in Palestinian schools, 300 of which are named for suicide bombers. Palestinian leaders should take textbooks out of classrooms that show maps of the Middle East without Israel and that glorify terrorism.
Day after day, Palestinian authorities push a culture of hate that encourages even small children to become suicide bombers. The glorification of death and martyrdom permeates the very infrastructure of Palestinian society. Thousands of Palestinian children have been sent to more than 300 public schools that are named after terrorists. Palestinian public television uses Sesame Street–type programming to glorify suicide bombers. Even soccer fields, public squares and streets bear the names of suicide bombers.
Despite making an overture for peace by withdrawing from Lebanon six years ago and from Gaza last year, Israel continues to face terrorist attacks, including missile attacks, murders, kidnappings and drive-by shootings of innocent Israelis. Israel knows that for a lasting peace, it must be free from terrorism and live with defensible borders.
Despite Israel's overture for peace, Palestinian leaders refuse to disarm its terrorist groups. Hamas – one such terrorist organization – was elected to lead the Palestinians. Hamas has been allowed to re-arm for its goal to destroy Israel, and weapons are being smuggled into Gaza by the thousands. Sadly, the same is true with Hezbollah, as they its stock of weapons has been constantly replenished from Iran via Syria. It is critical for this new ceasefire in Lebanon to bring results – and not just lip service that leads to another war.
As a matter of principle, Israel is – and has been -- willing to sit down, negotiate and compromise with those who share the wish that all the peoples of the Middle East will live together in peaceful coexistence. Egypt made peace with Israel. Jordan made peace with Israel. And both agreements still live on today.
Israelis know what it is like to live their lives with the daily threat of terrorism. They know what it is like to send their children off to school one day and bury them the next. For them, terrorism isn't something they read about in the newspaper or watch on TV. It's something they are forced to witness first-hand, far too often.
Israelis don't want to sign a meaningless agreement that isn't worth the paper it is printed on. They want something real. If there is to be a just, fair and lasting peace, Israel needs a partner who rejects violence and values life more than death.
As a matter of principle, the world should not force Israelis to concede to those who publicly deny their right to exist and call for their annihilation.
At this very moment, there are still terrorist groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade that the Palestinian Authority has either been unable or unwilling to curb—and Israelis continue to die because of it.
Just as the American government has pledged to secure life, liberty and the chance to pursue happiness for its people, , so must Israel's government be allowed to guarantee that its citizens will be secure and free.

Israel Beyond the Conflict Talking Points

Every day, the life of every American is made safer, easier, more efficient and healthier by Israeli innovation and progress

Israeli systems and training make our cities and airports safer.
Israeli designs make our computers faster and our cell phones clearer.
Israeli innovations run our libraries and museums, our voice mail systems and our instant messages.
Israeli devices are diagnosing illness and Israeli medicines and technology are treating them.

Israel is the only democratic state in the Middle East

Of the 19 Middle Eastern and North African countries rated by "Freedom House's" recent press freedom survey, only one, Israel is rated Free.
Israel's Arab citizens comprise 20% of its population. All Israelis- Christians, Muslims and Jews-share the same freedoms of speech, press, religion and assembly.
In the 2003 elections, Arab women helped vote eight Arab politicians and three Arab political parties into Israel's parliament.
In Israel, positions of leadership and political office are open to all citizens, no matter their race, religion, or sexual orientation.
The Israeli Declaration of Independence guarantees all citizens freedom of religion, conscience, language, education, culture, and equal access to holy sites.
More than 50% of Israeli Jews are indigenous to the Middle East and Africa.

For more fascinating facts about Israel's democracy, society, culture, and technology click here or here