it great to see so mani friend from across the countri __PUNCT__
i want to congratul howard friedman __PUNCT__ david victor and howard kohr on a success confer __PUNCT__ and on the complet of a new headquart just a few block awai __PUNCT__
befor i begin __PUNCT__ i want to sai that i know some provoc email have been circul throughout jewish commun across the countri __PUNCT__
a few of you mai have gotten them __PUNCT__
thei fill with tall tale and dire warn about a certain candid for presid __PUNCT__
and all i want to sai is __PUNCT__ let me know if you see thi gui name barack obama __PUNCT__ becaus he sound pretti frighten __PUNCT__
but if anyon ha been confus by these email __PUNCT__ i want you to know that todai i be speak from my heart __PUNCT__ and as a true friend of israel __PUNCT__
and i know that when i visit with aipac __PUNCT__ i am among friend __PUNCT__
good friend __PUNCT__
friend who share my strong commit to make sure that the bond between the unit state and israel is unbreak todai __PUNCT__ tomorrow __PUNCT__ and forev __PUNCT__
on of the mani thing that i admir about aipac is that you fight for thi common caus from the bottom up __PUNCT__
the lifeblood of aipac is here in thi room __PUNCT__ grassroot activist of all ag __PUNCT__ from all part of the countri __PUNCT__ who come to washington year after year to make your voic heard __PUNCT__
noth reflect the face of aipac more than the __NUM__ student who have travel here to make it clear to the world that the bond between israel and the unit state is root in more than our share nation interest __PUNCT__ it root in the share valu and share stori of our peopl __PUNCT__
and as presid __PUNCT__ i will work with you to ensur that it thi bond strengthen __PUNCT__
i first becam familiar with the stori of israel when i wa eleven year old __PUNCT__
i learn of the long journei and steadi determin of the jewish peopl to preserv their ident through faith __PUNCT__ famili and cultur __PUNCT__
year after year __PUNCT__ centuri after centuri __PUNCT__ jew carri on their tradit __PUNCT__ and their dream of a homeland __PUNCT__ in the face of imposs odd __PUNCT__
the stori made a power impress on me __PUNCT__
i had grown up without a sens of root __PUNCT__
my father wa black __PUNCT__ he wa from kenya __PUNCT__ and he left us when i wa two __PUNCT__
my mother wa white __PUNCT__ she wa from kansa __PUNCT__ and i move with her to indonesia and then back to hawaii __PUNCT__
in mani wai __PUNCT__ i didn't know where i came from __PUNCT__
so i wa drawn to the belief that you could sustain a spiritu __PUNCT__ emot and cultur ident __PUNCT__
and i deepli understood the zionist idea __PUNCT__ that there is alwai a homeland at the center of our stori __PUNCT__
i also learn about the horror of the holocaust __PUNCT__ and the terribl urgenc it brought to the journei home to israel __PUNCT__
for much of my childhood __PUNCT__ i live with my grandpar __PUNCT__
my grandfath had serv in world war ii __PUNCT__ and so had my great uncl __PUNCT__
he wa a kansa boi __PUNCT__ who probabl never expect to see europ __PUNCT__ let alon the horror that await him there __PUNCT__
and for month after he came home from germani __PUNCT__ he remain in a state of shock __PUNCT__ alon with the pain memori that wouldn't leav hi head __PUNCT__
you see __PUNCT__ my great uncl had been a part of the __NUM__ infantri divis __PUNCT__ the first american to reach a nazi concentr camp __PUNCT__
thei liber ohrdruf __PUNCT__ part of buchenwald __PUNCT__ on an __DATE__ dai in __NUM__ __PUNCT__
the horror of that camp go beyond our capac to imagin __PUNCT__
ten of thousand di of hunger __PUNCT__ tortur __PUNCT__ diseas __PUNCT__ or plain murder __PUNCT__ part of the nazi kill machin that kill __NUM__ million peopl __PUNCT__
when the american march in __PUNCT__ thei discov huge pile of dead bodi and starv survivor __PUNCT__
gener eisenhow order german from the nearbi town to tour the camp __PUNCT__ so thei could see what wa be done in their name __PUNCT__
he order american troop to tour the camp __PUNCT__ so thei could see the evil thei were fight against __PUNCT__
he invit congressmen and journalist to bear wit __PUNCT__
and he order that photograph and film be made __PUNCT__
explain hi action __PUNCT__ eisenhow said that he want to produc __PUNCT__ first __PUNCT__ hand evid of these thing __PUNCT__ if ever __PUNCT__ in the futur __PUNCT__ there develop a tendenc to charg these alleg mere to propaganda __PUNCT__
i saw some of those veri imag at yad vashem __PUNCT__ and thei never leav you __PUNCT__
and those imag just hint at the stori that survivor of the shoah carri with them __PUNCT__
like eisenhow __PUNCT__ each of us bear wit to anyon and everyon who would deni these unspeak crime __PUNCT__ or ever speak of repeat them __PUNCT__
we must mean what we sai when we speak the word __PUNCT__ never again __PUNCT__
it wa just a few year after the liber of the camp that david ben __PUNCT__ gurion declar the found of the jewish state of israel __PUNCT__
we know that the establish of israel wa just and necessari __PUNCT__ root in centuri of struggl __PUNCT__ and decad of patient work __PUNCT__
but __NUM__ year later __PUNCT__ we know that we cannot relent __PUNCT__ we cannot yield __PUNCT__ and as presid i will never compromis when it come to israel secur __PUNCT__
not when there ar still voic that deni the holocaust __PUNCT__
not when there ar terrorist group and polit leader commit to israel destruct __PUNCT__
not when there ar map across the middl east that don't even acknowledg israel exist __PUNCT__ and govern __PUNCT__ fund textbook fill with hatr toward jew __PUNCT__
not when there ar rocket rain down on sderot __PUNCT__ and isra children have to take a deep breath and summon uncommon courag everi time thei board a bu or walk to school __PUNCT__
i have long understood israel quest for peac and need for secur __PUNCT__
but never more so than dure my travel there two year ago __PUNCT__
fly in an idf helicopt __PUNCT__ i saw a narrow and beauti strip of land nestl against the mediterranean __PUNCT__
on the ground __PUNCT__ i met a famili who saw their hous destroi by a katyusha rocket __PUNCT__
i spoke to isra troop who face daili threat as thei maintain secur near the blue line __PUNCT__
i talk to peopl who want noth more simpl __PUNCT__ or elus __PUNCT__ than a secur futur for their children __PUNCT__
i have been proud to be a part of a strong __PUNCT__ bi __PUNCT__ partisan consensu that ha stood by israel in the face of all threat __PUNCT__
that is a commit that both john mccain and i share __PUNCT__ becaus support for israel in thi countri goe beyond parti __PUNCT__
but part of our commit must be speak up when israel secur is at risk __PUNCT__ and i don't think ani of us can be satisfi that america recent foreign polici ha made israel more secur __PUNCT__
hama now control gaza __PUNCT__
hizbollah ha tighten it grip on southern lebanon __PUNCT__ and is flex it muscl in beirut __PUNCT__
becaus of the war in iraq __PUNCT__ iran __PUNCT__ which alwai pose a greater threat to israel than iraq __PUNCT__ is embolden __PUNCT__ and pose the greatest strateg challeng to the unit state and israel in the middl east in a gener __PUNCT__
iraq is unstabl __PUNCT__ and al qaeda ha step up it recruit __PUNCT__
israel quest for peac with it neighbor ha stall __PUNCT__ despit the heavi burden born by the isra peopl __PUNCT__
and america is more isol in the region __PUNCT__ reduc our strength and jeopard israel safeti __PUNCT__
the question is how to move forward __PUNCT__
there ar those who would continu and intensifi thi fail statu quo __PUNCT__ ignor eight year of accumul evid that our foreign polici is danger flaw __PUNCT__
and then there ar those who would lai all of the problem of the middl east at the doorstep of israel and it support __PUNCT__ as if the isra __PUNCT__ palestinian conflict is the root of all troubl in the region __PUNCT__
these voic blame the middl east onli democraci for the region extrem __PUNCT__
thei offer the fals promis that abandon a stalwart alli is somehow the path to strength __PUNCT__
it is not __PUNCT__ it never ha been __PUNCT__ and it never will be __PUNCT__
our allianc is base on share interest and share valu __PUNCT__
those who threaten israel threaten us __PUNCT__
israel ha alwai face these threat on the front line __PUNCT__
and i will bring to the white hous an unshak commit to israel secur __PUNCT__
that start with ensur israel qualit militari advantag __PUNCT__
i will ensur that israel can defend itself from ani threat __PUNCT__ from gaza to tehran __PUNCT__
defens cooper between the unit state and israel is a model of success __PUNCT__ and must be deepen __PUNCT__
as presid __PUNCT__ i will implement a memorandum of understand that provid __MONEY__ billion in assist to israel over the next decad __PUNCT__ invest to israel secur that will not be ti to ani other nation __PUNCT__
first __PUNCT__ we must approv the foreign aid request for __NUM__ __PUNCT__
go forward __PUNCT__ we can enhanc our cooper on missil defens __PUNCT__
we should export militari equip to our alli israel under the same guidelin as nato __PUNCT__
and i will alwai stand up for israel right to defend itself in the unit nation and around the world __PUNCT__
across the polit spectrum __PUNCT__ isra understand that real secur can onli come through last peac __PUNCT__
and that is why we __PUNCT__ as friend of israel __PUNCT__ must resolv to do all we can to help israel and it neighbor to achiev it __PUNCT__
becaus a secur __PUNCT__ last peac is in israel nation interest __PUNCT__
it is in america nation interest __PUNCT__
and it is in the interest of the palestinian peopl and the arab world __PUNCT__
as presid __PUNCT__ i will work to help israel achiev the goal of two state __PUNCT__ a jewish state of israel and a palestinian state __PUNCT__ live side by side in peac and secur __PUNCT__
and i won't wait until the wane dai of my presid __PUNCT__
i will take an activ role __PUNCT__ and make a person commit to do all i can to advanc the caus of peac from the start of my administr __PUNCT__
the long road to peac requir palestinian partner commit to make the journei __PUNCT__
we must isol hama unless and until thei renounc terror __PUNCT__ recogn israel right to exist __PUNCT__ and abid by past agreement __PUNCT__
there is no room at the negoti tabl for terrorist organ __PUNCT__
that is why i oppos hold elect in __NUM__ with hama on the ballot __PUNCT__
the isra and the palestinian author warn us at the time against hold these elect __PUNCT__
but thi administr press ahead __PUNCT__ and the result is a gaza control by hama __PUNCT__ with rocket rain down on israel __PUNCT__
the palestinian peopl must understand that progress will not come through the fals prophet of extrem or the corrupt us of foreign aid __PUNCT__
the unit state and the intern commun must stand by palestinian who ar commit to crack down on terror and carri the burden of peacemak __PUNCT__
i will strongli urg arab govern to take step to normal relat with israel __PUNCT__ and to fulfil their respons to pressur extremist and provid real support for presid abba and prime minist fayyad __PUNCT__
egypt must cut off the smuggl of weapon into gaza __PUNCT__
israel can also advanc the caus of peac by take appropri step __PUNCT__ consist with it secur __PUNCT__ to eas the freedom of movement for palestinian __PUNCT__ improv econom condit in the west bank __PUNCT__ and to refrain from build new settlement __PUNCT__ as it agre to with the bush administr at annapoli __PUNCT__
let me be clear __PUNCT__
israel secur is sacrosanct __PUNCT__
it is non __PUNCT__ negoti __PUNCT__
the palestinian need a state that is contigu and cohes __PUNCT__ and that allow them to prosper __PUNCT__ but ani agreement with the palestinian peopl must preserv israel ident as a jewish state __PUNCT__ with secur __PUNCT__ recogn and defens border __PUNCT__
jerusalem will remain the capit of israel __PUNCT__ and it must remain undivid __PUNCT__
i have no illus that thi will be easi __PUNCT__
it will requir difficult decis on both side __PUNCT__
but israel is strong enough to achiev peac __PUNCT__ if it ha partner who ar commit to the goal __PUNCT__
most isra and palestinian want peac __PUNCT__ and we must strengthen their hand __PUNCT__
the unit state must be a strong and consist partner in thi process __PUNCT__ not to forc concess __PUNCT__ but to help commit partner avoid stalem and the kind of vacuum that ar fill by violenc __PUNCT__
that what i commit to do as presid of the unit state __PUNCT__
the threat to israel start close to home __PUNCT__ but thei don't end there __PUNCT__
syria continu it support for terror and meddl in lebanon __PUNCT__
and syria ha taken danger step in pursuit of weapon of mass destruct __PUNCT__ which is why isra action wa justifi to end that threat __PUNCT__
i also believ that the unit state ha a respons to support israel effort to renew peac talk with the syrian __PUNCT__
we must never forc israel to the negoti tabl __PUNCT__ but neither should we ever block negoti when israel leader decid that thei mai serv isra interest __PUNCT__
as presid __PUNCT__ i will do whatev i can to help israel succe in these negoti __PUNCT__
and success will requir the full enforc of secur council resolut __NUM__ in lebanon __PUNCT__ and a stop to syria support for terror __PUNCT__
it is time for thi reckless behavior to come to an end __PUNCT__
there is no greater threat to israel __PUNCT__ or to the peac and stabil of the region __PUNCT__ than iran __PUNCT__
now thi audienc is made up of both republican and democrat __PUNCT__ and the enemi of israel should have no doubt that __PUNCT__ regardless of parti __PUNCT__ american stand shoulder __PUNCT__ to __PUNCT__ shoulder in our commit to israel secur __PUNCT__
so while i don't want to strike too partisan a note here todai __PUNCT__ i do want to address some will mischaracter of my posit __PUNCT__
the iranian regim support violent extremist and challeng us across the region __PUNCT__
it pursu a nuclear capabl that could spark a danger arm race __PUNCT__ and rais the prospect of a transfer of nuclear know __PUNCT__ how to terrorist __PUNCT__
it presid deni the holocaust and threaten to wipe israel off the map __PUNCT__
the danger from iran is grave __PUNCT__ it is real __PUNCT__ and my goal will be to elimin thi threat __PUNCT__
but just as we ar clear __PUNCT__ ei about the threat __PUNCT__ we must be clear about the failur of todai polici __PUNCT__
we knew __PUNCT__ in __NUM__ that iran support terror __PUNCT__
we knew iran had an illicit nuclear program __PUNCT__
we knew iran pose a grave threat to israel __PUNCT__
but instead of pursu a strategi to address thi threat __PUNCT__ we ignor it and instead invad and occupi iraq __PUNCT__
when i oppos the war __PUNCT__ i warn that it would fan the flame of extrem in the middl east __PUNCT__
that is precis what happen in iran __PUNCT__ the hardlin tighten their grip __PUNCT__ and mahmoud ahmadinejad wa elect presid in __NUM__ __PUNCT__
and the unit state and israel ar less secur __PUNCT__
i respect senat mccain __PUNCT__ and look forward to a substant debat with him these next five month __PUNCT__
but on thi point __PUNCT__ we have differ __PUNCT__ and we will differ __PUNCT__
senat mccain refus to understand or acknowledg the failur of the polici that he would continu __PUNCT__
he critic my willing to us strong diplomaci __PUNCT__ but offer onli an altern realiti __PUNCT__ on where the war in iraq ha somehow put iran on it heel __PUNCT__
the truth is the opposit __PUNCT__
iran ha strengthen it posit __PUNCT__
iran is now enrich uranium __PUNCT__ and ha reportedli stockpil __NUM__ kilo of low enrich uranium __PUNCT__
it support for terror and threat toward israel have increas __PUNCT__
those ar the fact __PUNCT__ thei cannot be deni __PUNCT__ and i refus to continu a polici that ha made the unit state and israel less secur __PUNCT__
senat mccain offer a fals choic __PUNCT__ stai the cours in iraq __PUNCT__ or cede the region to iran __PUNCT__
i reject thi logic becaus there is a better wai __PUNCT__
keep all of our troop ti down indefinit in iraq is not the wai to weaken iran __PUNCT__ it is precis what ha strengthen it __PUNCT__
it is a polici for stai __PUNCT__ not a plan for victori __PUNCT__
i have propos a respons __PUNCT__ phase redeploy of our troop from iraq __PUNCT__
we will get out as carefulli as we were careless get in __PUNCT__
we will final pressur iraq leader to take meaning respons for their own futur __PUNCT__
we will also us all element of american power to pressur iran __PUNCT__
i will do everyth in my power to prevent iran from obtain a nuclear weapon __PUNCT__
that start with aggress __PUNCT__ principl diplomaci without self __PUNCT__ defeat precondit __PUNCT__ but with a clear __PUNCT__ ei understand of our interest __PUNCT__
we have no time to wast __PUNCT__
we cannot uncondition rule out an approach that could prevent iran from obtain a nuclear weapon __PUNCT__
we have tri limit __PUNCT__ piecem talk while we outsourc the sustain work to our european alli __PUNCT__
it is time for the unit state to lead __PUNCT__
there will be care prepar __PUNCT__
we will open up line of commun __PUNCT__ build an agenda __PUNCT__ coordin close with our alli __PUNCT__ and evalu the potenti for progress __PUNCT__
contrari to the claim of some __PUNCT__ i have no interest in sit down with our adversari just for the sake of talk __PUNCT__
but as presid of the unit state __PUNCT__ i would be will to lead tough and principl diplomaci with the appropri iranian leader at a time and place of my choos __PUNCT__ if __PUNCT__ and onli if __PUNCT__ it can advanc the interest of the unit state __PUNCT__
onli recent have some come to think that diplomaci by definit cannot be tough __PUNCT__
thei forget the exampl of truman __PUNCT__ and kennedi and reagan __PUNCT__
these presid understood that diplomaci back by real leverag wa a fundament tool of statecraft __PUNCT__
and it is time to onc again make american diplomaci a tool to succe __PUNCT__ not just a mean of contain failur __PUNCT__
we will pursu thi diplomaci with no illus about the iranian regim __PUNCT__
instead __PUNCT__ we will present a clear choic __PUNCT__
if you abandon your danger nuclear program __PUNCT__ support for terror __PUNCT__ and threat to israel __PUNCT__ there will be meaning incent __PUNCT__ includ the lift of sanction __PUNCT__ and polit and econom integr with the intern commun __PUNCT__
if you refus __PUNCT__ we will ratchet up the pressur __PUNCT__
my presid will strengthen our hand as we restor our stand __PUNCT__
our willing to pursu diplomaci will make it easier to mobil other to join our caus __PUNCT__
if iran fail to chang cours when present with thi choic by the unit state __PUNCT__ it will be clear __PUNCT__ to the peopl of iran __PUNCT__ and to the world __PUNCT__ that the iranian regim is the author of it own isol __PUNCT__
that will strengthen our hand with russia and china as we insist on stronger sanction in the secur council __PUNCT__
and we should work with europ __PUNCT__ japan and the gulf state to find everi avenu outsid the un to isol the iranian regim __PUNCT__ from cut off loan guarante and expand financi sanction __PUNCT__ to ban the export of refin petroleum to iran __PUNCT__ to boycot firm associ with the iranian revolutionari guard __PUNCT__ whose qud forc ha rightli been label a terrorist organ __PUNCT__
i wa interest to see senat mccain propos divest as a sourc of leverag __PUNCT__ not the bigot divest that ha sought to punish isra scientist and academ __PUNCT__ but divest target at the iranian regim __PUNCT__
it a good concept __PUNCT__ but not a new on __PUNCT__
i introduc legisl over a year ago that would encourag state and the privat sector to divest from compani that do busi in iran __PUNCT__
thi bill ha bipartisan support __PUNCT__ but for reason that i let him explain __PUNCT__ senat mccain never sign on __PUNCT__
meanwhil __PUNCT__ an anonym senat is block the bill __PUNCT__
it is time to pass thi into law so that we can tighten the squeez on the iranian regim __PUNCT__
we should also pursu other unilater sanction that target iranian bank and asset __PUNCT__
and we must free ourselv from the tyranni of oil __PUNCT__
the price of a barrel of oil is on of the most danger weapon in the world __PUNCT__
petrodollar pai for weapon that kill american troop and isra citizen __PUNCT__
and the bush administr polici have driven up the price of oil __PUNCT__ while it energi polici ha made us more depend on foreign oil and ga __PUNCT__
it time for the unit state to take real step to end our addict to oil __PUNCT__
and we can join with israel __PUNCT__ build on last year us __PUNCT__ israel energi cooper act __PUNCT__ to deepen our partnership in develop altern sourc of energi by increas scientif collabor and joint research and develop __PUNCT__
the surest wai to increas our leverag in the long term is to stop bankrol the iranian regim __PUNCT__
final __PUNCT__ let there be no doubt __PUNCT__ i will alwai keep the threat of militari action on the tabl to defend our secur and our alli israel __PUNCT__
sometim there ar no altern to confront __PUNCT__
but that onli make diplomaci more import __PUNCT__
if we must us militari forc __PUNCT__ we ar more like to succe __PUNCT__ and will have far greater support at home and abroad __PUNCT__ if we have exhaust our diplomat effort __PUNCT__
that is the chang we need in our foreign polici __PUNCT__
chang that restor american power and influenc __PUNCT__
chang accompani by a pledg that i will make known to alli and adversari alik __PUNCT__ that america maintain an unwav friendship with israel __PUNCT__ and an unshak commit to it secur __PUNCT__
as member of aipac __PUNCT__ you have help advanc thi bipartisan consensu to support and defend our alli israel __PUNCT__
and i am sure that todai on capitol hill you will be meet with member of congress and spread the word __PUNCT__
but we ar here becaus of more than polici __PUNCT__
we ar here becaus the valu we hold dear ar deepli embed in the stori of israel __PUNCT__
just look at what israel ha accomplish in __NUM__ year __PUNCT__
from decad of struggl and the terribl wake of the holocaust __PUNCT__ a nation wa forg to provid a home for jew from all corner of the world __PUNCT__ from syria to ethiopia to the soviet union __PUNCT__
in the face of constant threat __PUNCT__ israel ha triumph __PUNCT__
in the face of constant peril __PUNCT__ israel ha prosper __PUNCT__
in a state of constant insecur __PUNCT__ israel ha maintain a vibrant and open discours __PUNCT__ and a resili commit to the rule of law __PUNCT__
as ani isra will tell you __PUNCT__ israel is not a perfect place __PUNCT__ but like the unit state it set an exampl for all when it seek a more perfect futur __PUNCT__
these same qualiti can be found among american jew __PUNCT__
it is why so mani jewish american have stood by israel __PUNCT__ while advanc the american stori __PUNCT__
becaus there is a commit embed in the jewish faith and tradit __PUNCT__ to freedom and fair __PUNCT__ to social justic and equal opportun __PUNCT__
to tikkun olam __PUNCT__ the oblig to repair thi world __PUNCT__
i will never forget that i would not be stand here todai if it weren't for that commit __PUNCT__
in the great social movement in our countri histori __PUNCT__ jewish and african american have stood shoulder to shoulder __PUNCT__
thei took buse down south togeth __PUNCT__
thei march togeth __PUNCT__
thei bled togeth __PUNCT__
and jewish american like andrew goodman and michael schwerner were will to die alongsid a black man __PUNCT__ jame chanei __PUNCT__ on behalf of freedom and equal __PUNCT__
their legaci is our inherit __PUNCT__
we must not allow the relationship between jew and african american to suffer __PUNCT__
thi is a bond that must be strengthen __PUNCT__
togeth __PUNCT__ we can reded ourselv to end prejudic and combat hatr in all of it form __PUNCT__
togeth __PUNCT__ we can renew our commit to justic __PUNCT__
togeth __PUNCT__ we can join our voic togeth __PUNCT__ and in do so make even the mightiest of wall fall down __PUNCT__
that work must includ our share commit to israel __PUNCT__
you and i know that we must do more than stand still __PUNCT__
now is the time to be vigil in face down everi foe __PUNCT__ just as we move forward in seek a futur of peac for the children of israel __PUNCT__ and for all children __PUNCT__
now is the time to stand by israel as it write the next chapter in it extraordinari journei __PUNCT__
now is the time to join togeth in the work of repair thi world __PUNCT__
