VIDEOS/PHOTOS: President Rivlin Holds Official Welcoming Of President Trump

(VIDEOS AND PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

Following is the brief address delivered at the official airport welcome ceremony for President Donald J. Trump and the First Lady on Monday, 26 Iyar 5777.

Mr. President and First Lady. Our dear friends. Welcome to Israel, it is a great pleasure to have you here. Your visit is a symbol of the unbreakable bond between Israel and America. You are the President of Israel’s greatest, most important ally. You are a true friend of Israel, and of the Jewish people.

Mr. President, the world needs a strong United States. The Middle East needs
a strong United States. Israel needs a strong United States. And – may I say – the United States also needs a strong Israel. In the Middle East – an area that suffers from terrorism, oppression, and madness the alliance between the United States and Israel shines like a beacon of liberty and progress. The bond between us is a bond between states, but also between people. We share common values, as we share the hope for peace. The people of Israel are excited by your arrival, and have great expectations from this visit. We thank you for your commitment to Israel’s ability to face the threats of today and of tomorrow.

Mr. President, today I will have the honor to host you in Jerusalem. We are honored to have you here with us, as we mark fifty years of ‘Jerusalem Day’, Yom Yerushalayim. It makes us very happy to know that Israel’s most important ally recognizes the significance of Jerusalem to the Jewish People. Jerusalem is the beating heart of the Jewish People: as it has been for 3000 years.

Mr. President. You came here to Israel from Saudi Arabia. In Jerusalem, you will be at the Western Wall, and visit the holy Church, and then you are going to the Vatican. In just one journey you will visit the three holiest places for Islam, Judaism and Christianity. We each have different beliefs – but we all worship the same God. We can work together towards a better future. We shall continue to do so, together. Welcome to Israel. God bless you. God bless America. God bless Israel.