The Story of Israel: Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster speech to the Celebrating Israel at 70 event
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, David Lidington, addressed the Platinum: Celebrating Israel at 70 event at the Royal Albert Hall.
Thank you Louise and Rob for that very kind introduction.
Your Royal Highness, Chief Rabbi, Your Excellencies, lords, ladies and gentlemen, good evening, Erev Tov.
It바카라 사이트檚 a privilege to be here in the Royal Albert Hall with you this evening and an honour to be addressing you as together we celebrate one of the most remarkable stories that men and women have ever told.
It바카라 사이트檚 the story of a people resolute in their struggle for a better future, but with a dream of peace one day in their land.
It is the story of Israel.
And at the heart of this story lies a simple idea, one which every person in this hall 바카라 사이트� no matter your faith, colour or creed 바카라 사이트� can believe in바카라 사이트�
And that is the dream of a place to call home바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트 place where communities are born, memories are created, and dreams can flourish.
Israel바카라 사이트檚 story has that truth at its core.
The beginning of the story
David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel, once remarked that 바카라 사이트渢o be a realist you must believe in miracles바카라 사이트�.
And it is fair to say that the story of Israel is one which has the belief in miracles at its heart.
Some two thousand years ago, the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans. Much of the Jewish community was enslaved or expelled from their land.
But the dream of a land to call home persisted through centuries of exile, and all too often, of persecution.
And then, a hundred years ago, the Balfour Declaration offered a hope that that dream might one day become a reality.
But barely two decades later however, the dream was almost extinguished by one of the greatest crimes in human history.
The evil of the Holocaust was something I learned about when I was still a boy 바카라 사이트� and not just from the history books or TV documentaries.
Two boys in my class at school had fathers who had, by some miracle, survived Auschwitz.
I still remember vividly how being invited to tea at one friend바카라 사이트檚 house, and how, during the conversation, his dad suddenly rolled up his shirt sleeve to show the death camp tattoo still scarred on his wrist.
The Holocaust, the Shoah, that darkest chapter in human history, serves as a reminder that all of us, wherever we are from, must stamp out hate and racial prejudice wherever we find it.
But despite all odds, the spirit of solidarity and endurance which sustained the Jewish people through centuries of exile바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트lso made possible the rise, out of the horror of the Holocaust, of the nation state of Israel.
The story today
And today, as our Prime Minister, Theresa May, has said, the United Kingdom is proud to stand side by side with Israel as an ally with mutual interests, and as a friend with shared values.
For Israel has grown into a thriving democracy and a prosperous economy바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트here the values of freedom, tolerance and the rule of law lie at its heart바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트here sexual, religious and racial equality is enshrined in law바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd where argument, disagreement and dissent are hard-wired into the Israeli character.
I바카라 사이트檓 sure you all know the story of the Jew marooned on a desert island, who showed his rescuers the two synagogues he had built.
바카라 사이트淭hat바카라 사이트檚 my synagogue바카라 사이트�, he said pointing, 바카라 사이트渁nd that바카라 사이트檚 the synagogue I don바카라 사이트檛 go to바카라 사이트�.
More seriously, whenever I바카라 사이트檝e visited Israel, and whoever has been the Israeli Prime Minister and whatever parties have been in government, I바카라 사이트檝e found their fiercest, their most ardent and relentless critics are there amongst Israelis themselves.
But this is not Israel바카라 사이트檚 only strength바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트srael is a global leader in upholding the rights of women and members of the LGBT community바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트 leading innovator in science and technology바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트ome to some of the world바카라 사이트檚 finest emergency relief teams바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트he proud producer of no fewer than twelve Nobel Peace Prize winners바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd, as hard as it is for someone coming from a country used to 바카라 사이트榥ul points바카라 사이트�, the triumphant winner of Eurovision an incredible four times!
And these strengths directly benefit the United Kingdom too.
We are Israel바카라 사이트檚 second largest trading partner바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd we are Israel바카라 사이트檚 number one destination for investment in Europe 바카라 사이트� with more than 300 Israeli companies operating here.
But our relationship is not simply one between governments 바카라 사이트� it is about those bonds between our peoples too.
Britain바카라 사이트檚 Jewish population here in Britain is one of the most dynamic and vibrant communities that make up the diverse mix that is our modern United Kingdom.
From business to arts; to health, education, industry and literature 바카라 사이트� your contribution benefits us all바카라 사이트�
Indeed, that is a message I am sure His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge will take to Israel when he visits in the very near future.
It is more than seventy years now since the horror of the genocide was revealed and we understood where antisemitic prejudice could lead.
It is shaming that our country is having to relearn that lesson today.
So let me be absolutely clear: antisemitism, in whatever form, has no place in our society and we will never, ever tolerate it.
It바카라 사이트檚 why the design for our National Memorial to the Holocaust has now been chosen, and why that Memorial will stand next to our Parliament together with an accompanying education centre바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트 reminder that the human tragedies of the past must never be lost from the present, and that we have a duty to teach each new generation the lessons of history.
It바카라 사이트檚 why Theresa May was the first leader to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance바카라 사이트檚 modern definition of antisemitism바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd it바카라 사이트檚 why, whatever the political disagreements between Israel and the United Kingdom have, antisemitism must never be allowed to survive by cloaking itself behind criticism of the policy of a particular Israeli government.
So as these challenges continue, be assured that we are proud to stand side by side with the British Jewish community every step of the way.
The story바카라 사이트檚 future
But it is the future of Israel바카라 사이트檚 story to which we must now focus 바카라 사이트� and on the next chapter which is to be written.
For if Israel is to truly fulfil that dream that Balfour set out a century ago, and build that home to which it is rightly entitled바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트hen it is best placed to do so in a state of peace, both with itself, and with its neighbours 바카라 사이트� for they are entitled to the dream of a home too.
We long and we pray for that future where, in the vision of the Prophet Isaiah, 바카라 사이트渢hey shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up swords against nations, neither shall they learn war anymore바카라 사이트�.
The United Kingdom will always support Israel바카라 사이트檚 right and obligation to defend itself and her citizens.
But we believe too that lasting security will come through peace, mutual respect and reconciliation between Israel and all her neighbours.
And it isn바카라 사이트檛 just politicians who want to see a confident and secure Israel able to prosper, and able to live in peace and security alongside an independent, peaceful Palestine state바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트t is young Palestinians from Ramallah and Hebron and Gaza바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd young Israelis from Sderot and Jerusalem and Tel Aviv바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트hey all want the same things as each other바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트o go to school and university together바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트o meet; talk; laugh; debate; learn from each other바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd ultimately love another.
Like all good friends, the United Kingdom will not shy away from asking difficult questions바카라 사이트�
But that is fundamentally why this vision for peace 바카라 사이트� this dream of a better future 바카라 사이트� cannot be written by the international community alone.
바카라 사이트t can only be written by the people of Israel and by the people of Israel바카라 사이트檚 neighbours as well.
So as you all do so바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트s you work towards fulfilling that dream born all those years ago바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트s you work towards that universal cause of a place and a community to call home바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd as you work towards a stronger, safer, more prosperous country that is at peace바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트e assured of this: the United Kingdom will be standing by your side as you write the next chapter not just of your story 바카라 사이트� but of history itself.
For as Theodor Herzl once said바카라 사이트�바카라 사이트渋f you will it, it is no dream; and if you do not will it, a dream it is and a dream it will stay.바카라 사이트�
Thank you very much바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트ave a wonderful evening바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd Yom Huledet Sameach, Le Yisrael.