Following
is an excerpt from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks (Wednesday
evening, 7 June 2017) at the Knesset, at the joint Knesset-US Congress event marking the 50th
anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem:
"It's
a pleasure to address you from Jerusalem, the eternal undivided capital of the
Jewish State of Israel.
Why
do I say Jerusalem will never be divided again? Because I remember what it was
like when it was divided.
The
first thing is we ensured that Jerusalem was a free city for all. That's the
first thing that we did. We made sure that the holy sites of Judaism, of
Christianity and Islam were available to all.
This
is something that can be appreciated in retrospect, because, look around us. Understand
what would happen to this, it's not even a square kilometer. What would happen
to this less-than-a-square-mile if we weren't here? It would descend into
horrible sectarian violence. It would descend into the worst barbarism that the
world has seen since the outrages of World War II. We've seen Mosques blown up,
churches blown up, synagogues blown up.
But
we don't see that. We see that in this great convulsion that is taking place
around us, there is one free city where Christians, Jews and Muslims are free
to worship undisturbed, and that's in the free united city of Jerusalem. And
that's how it will stay.
We
are deeply, deeply indebted to you, our American friends, for supporting us. We
know that you understand in substance and in spirit our quest for redemption.
We know that you understand that the story of Israel, in many ways, the rebirth
of Israel and our return to this land and to this city, I think you understand
in your hearts, that this is a parable for all humanity. Because if the Jews
can overcome the worst travails in history, that means there is hope for all
humanity.
I
want to thank you for this brilliant gesture and I want to tell you once again,
America has no better friend than Israel, and Israel surely has no better
friend than the United States of America."