JERUSALEM, Jan. 22 -- U.S. Vice President Mike Pence addressed the Knesset, Israel's parliament, on Monday, giving a strong pro-Israeli speech and promising the controversial relocation of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would be completed in less than two years.
Lawmakers with the Arab-Jewish Joint List were escorted out of the plenum hall after they pulled out posters with a caption reading "Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine" and a photo of East Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound.
The Joint List, Israel's third largest faction, said in advance that it will boycott Pence's speech to protest the White House's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
The address, which took place on the second day of Pence's visit in Israel, was interrupted also by repeated standing ovations.
It marked the first time that a vice president has addressed the Knesset and was broadcast on all main television and radio channels in Israel.
"I am here to convey a simple message from the heart of the American people: The American people stand with Israel," Pence said, as lawmakers and hundred guests in the hall stood and applauded him.
"Thanks to the president's leadership, the alliance between our two countries has never been stronger," Pence said.
He reiterated U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and vowed that the controversial move of relocating the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem would be completed before the end of 2019.
He said Trump has already instructed the State Department to "immediately" start to carry out the needed arrangments.
He then recited a short Jewish blessing from the Bible in Hebrew, as the audience responded with another round of standing ovation.
Addressing the long-stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, whose leaders will not meet with Pence in the wake of the White House Jerusalem statement, Pence said the U.S. is "strongly urging the Palestinian leadership to return to the table."
"Peace can only come through dialogue," he said.
He noted that "the United States will never compromise the safety and security of the state of Israel," adding that any peace deal "must guarantee Israel's ability to defend itself."
He said he has arrived in Israel after visiting Egypt and Jordan over the weekend, where he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah a-Sisi and King Abdullah II.
He said he discussed with the Arab leaders "remarkable transformation that is taking place across the Middle East today," without elaborating.
Pence also addressed the nuclear deal with Iran, referring the 2017 deal between Iran and the six world powers, as "a disaster."
He reiterated the recently-adopted White House stance that Washington will no longer certify the deal. "Unless the Iran nuclear deal is fixed, President Trump has said the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal immediately," he said.
He accused Iran of supporting "terrorist groups on Israel's doorstep" and "the leading state sponsor of terror." He said that the U.S. will work "with Israel "to confront Iran" and "will never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon."
Turning his remarks to the "the proud and great people of Iran," Pence said their "day of liberation" is coming soon. He said that replacing the current regime would allow "the friendship between our peoples blossom once again."
Pence arrived in the region amidst heightened tensions in the wake of Trump's statement on December 6, which was denounced by the Palestinians and other countries.
Israel seized East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it shortly after, claiming it as part of its indivisible capital. The move, however, has never been recognized internationally.
专家指导:亲子阅读三步曲
幼升小政策变严 家长扎堆办暂住证
最伤害孩子自尊的批评用语
幼升小后看幼儿园时期的教育和选择
选择幼儿园的七个小细节
幼升小答疑:全面解释京籍家长的几个政策问题
幼升小面试:做集体游戏边玩边考察
别让“幼升小”的压力毁了孩子的童年
解密香港幼儿入园潜规则
家长必读:多讲故事可铸造聪明孩子
名师指导:教你十招搞定孩子
幼小衔接中孩子应适当学习哪些知识?
专家指导:别把英语当回事
韩国教育:礼貌教育无处不在
幼升小经验:四点确定高品质的好学校
新一年级班主任给新生家长的建议
2014年西城区奋斗小学寄宿招生工作实施方案
英国祖父母的育儿角色
英国教育:给孩子失败的机会
家长如何理性看待幼升小
父母需知:给孩子讲故事有益成长
2014年育才小学幼升小考试真题
丰台、海淀教委归来,幼升小情况汇报!
家长选择幼儿园的三点必要原则
为宝宝择园时必须要考虑家庭的因素
盘点三类父亲将妨碍孩子一生
幼升小孩子必须养成的七个习惯
三小三年级家长跟您谈谈幼升小
学前教育:如何选择理想的幼儿园
2014幼升小:什么样的孩子适合寄宿制学校?
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |