For Immediate Release: May 24, 2006

Contact: Kimberly Allen, (202) 226-8364; (202) 420-1524 [cell]

Statement on Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Address

(Washington, DC)—Following Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's address before a joint session of Congress, Representative Steve Rothman (D-NJ) met with Prime Minister Olmert and other legislators to further discuss the security situation in the Middle East, the looming threat of Iran's nuclear weapons program, and the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority's continued refusal to renounce terrorism.

Congressman Rothman, pictured with Prime Minister Olmert, said: "Prime Minister Olmert's address today was a sobering update about the growing threat of extremism in the Middle East—against Americans, Israelis, and our allies throughout the world. However, it was also a powerful reminder about the enduring, mutually beneficial relationship between our great democratic nations. Israel is the United States' number one ally in the global war on terror, with a friendship rooted in our moral values and our love of liberty and freedom. Together, our nations will continue to fight for a stable, secure Middle East that, in the words of Prime Minister Olmert, replaces the culture of hate with an outlook of hope."

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