Mitt Romney

thank you for that kind introduct __PUNCT__ mayor barkat __PUNCT__ and thank you all for that warm welcom __PUNCT__

it a pleasur and a privileg to be in israel again __PUNCT__

to step foot into israel is to step foot into a nation that began with an ancient promis made in thi land __PUNCT__

the jewish_peopl persist through on of the most monstrou crime in human_histori __PUNCT__ and now thi nation ha come to take it place among the most impress democraci on earth __PUNCT__

israel achiev ar a wonder of the modern_world __PUNCT__

these achiev ar a tribut to the resili of the isra peopl __PUNCT__

you have manag __PUNCT__ against all odd __PUNCT__ time and again throughout your histori __PUNCT__ to persever __PUNCT__ to rise up __PUNCT__ and to emerg stronger __PUNCT__

the historian paul johnson __PUNCT__ write on the __NUM___anniversari of the creation of the jewish_state __PUNCT__ said that over the cours of israel life __PUNCT__ __NUM__ complet new independ_state had come into exist __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ israel is the onli on whose creation can fairli be call a miracl __PUNCT__ johnson wrote __PUNCT__

it is a deepli move experi to be in jerusalem __PUNCT__ the capit of israel __PUNCT__

our two nation ar separ by more than __NUM___mile __PUNCT__

but for an american abroad __PUNCT__ you can't get much closer to the ideal and convict of my own countri than you do in israel __PUNCT__

we part of the great fellowship of democraci __PUNCT__

we speak the same_languag of freedom and justic __PUNCT__ and the right of everi person to live in peac __PUNCT__

we serv the same caus and provok the same hatr in the same enemi of civil __PUNCT__

it is my firm convict that the secur of israel is in the vital nation_secur interest of the unit_state __PUNCT__

and our is an allianc base not onli on share interest but also on endur share valu __PUNCT__

in those share valu __PUNCT__ on of the strongest voic is that of your prime_minist __PUNCT__ my friend benjamin_netanyahu __PUNCT__

i met with him earlier thi morn and i look forward to my famili join hi thi even as thei observ the close of thi fast dai of tisha b'av __PUNCT__

it remark to consid how much advers __PUNCT__ over so great a span of time __PUNCT__ is recal by just on dai on the calendar __PUNCT__

thi is a dai of remembr and mourn __PUNCT__ but like other such occas __PUNCT__ it also call forth clariti and resolv __PUNCT__

at thi time __PUNCT__ we also rememb the __NUM__ isra athlet and coach who were massacr at the munich olymp forti_year year_ago __PUNCT__

ten_year_ago thi week __PUNCT__ __NUM__ isra and american_student were murder in the terrorist_attack at hebrew_univers __PUNCT__

and tragedi like these ar not reserv to the past __PUNCT__

thei ar a constant remind of the realiti of hate __PUNCT__ and the will with which it is execut upon the innoc __PUNCT__

it wa menachem begin who said thi about the ninth of the month of av __PUNCT__ we rememb that dai __PUNCT__ he said __PUNCT__ and now have the respons to make sure that never again will our independ be destroi and never again will the jew becom homeless or defenseless __PUNCT__ thi __PUNCT__ prime_minist begin ad __PUNCT__ is the crux of the problem_face us in the futur __PUNCT__

so it is todai __PUNCT__ as israel face enemi who deni past crime against the jewish_peopl and seek to commit new on __PUNCT__

when iran leader deni the holocaust or speak of wipe thi nation off the map __PUNCT__ onli the naïv __PUNCT__ or wors __PUNCT__ will dismiss it as an excess of rhetor __PUNCT__

make no mistak __PUNCT__ the ayatollah in tehran ar test our moral defens __PUNCT__

thei want to know who will object __PUNCT__ and who will look the other wai __PUNCT__

my messag to the peopl of israel and the leader of iran is on and the same __PUNCT__ i will not look awai __PUNCT__ and neither will my countri __PUNCT__

as prime_minist begin put it __PUNCT__ in vivid and haunt word __PUNCT__ if an enemi of __PUNCT__ the jewish __PUNCT__ peopl sai he seek to destroi us __PUNCT__ believ him __PUNCT__

we have seen the horror of histori __PUNCT__

we will not stand by __PUNCT__

we will not watch them plai out again __PUNCT__

it would be foolish not to take iran leader at their word __PUNCT__

thei ar __PUNCT__ after all __PUNCT__ the product of a radic theocraci __PUNCT__

over the year iran ha amass a bloodi and brutal record __PUNCT__

it ha seiz embassi __PUNCT__ target diplomat __PUNCT__ and kill it own peopl __PUNCT__

it support the ruthless assad_regim in syria __PUNCT__

thei have provid weapon that have kill american_soldier in afghanistan and iraq __PUNCT__

it ha plot to assassin diplomat on american_soil __PUNCT__

it is iran that is the lead state_sponsor of terror and the most destabil nation in the world __PUNCT__

we have a solemn duti and a moral_imper to deni iran leader the mean to follow through on their malevol intent __PUNCT__

we should stand with all who would join our effort to prevent a nuclear __PUNCT__ arm iran __PUNCT__ and that includ iranian dissid __PUNCT__

do not eras from your memori the scene from three year_ago __PUNCT__ when that regim brought death to it own peopl as thei rose up __PUNCT__

the threat we face doe not come from the iranian peopl __PUNCT__ but from the regim that oppress them __PUNCT__

five year ago __PUNCT__ at the herzliya confer __PUNCT__ i state my view that iran pursuit of nuclear_weapon capabl present an intoler threat to israel __PUNCT__ to america __PUNCT__ and to the world __PUNCT__

that threat ha onli becom wors __PUNCT__

now as then __PUNCT__ the regim claim that it seek to enrich nuclear materi for peac purpos ar beli by year of malign decept __PUNCT__

now as then __PUNCT__ the conduct of iran leader give us no reason to trust them with nuclear materi __PUNCT__

but todai __PUNCT__ the regim in iran is five year closer to develop nuclear weapon capabl __PUNCT__

prevent that outcom must be our highest nation_secur prioriti __PUNCT__

i want to paus on thi last point __PUNCT__

it is sometim said that those who ar the most commit to stop the iranian_regim from secur nuclear_weapon ar reckless and provoc and invit war __PUNCT__

the opposit is true __PUNCT__

we ar the true peacemak __PUNCT__

histori_teach with forc and clariti that when the world most despot regim secur the world most destruct weapon __PUNCT__ peac often give wai to oppress __PUNCT__ to violenc __PUNCT__ or to devast war __PUNCT__

we must not delud ourselv into think that contain is an option __PUNCT__

we must lead the effort to prevent iran from build and possess nuclear_weapon capabl __PUNCT__

we should emploi ani and all measur to dissuad the iranian_regim from it nuclear cours __PUNCT__ and it is our fervent hope that diplomat and econom measur will do so __PUNCT__

in the final analysi __PUNCT__ of cours __PUNCT__ no option should be exclud __PUNCT__

we recogn israel right to defend itself __PUNCT__ and that it is right for america to stand with you __PUNCT__

these ar some of the principl i first outlin five year_ago __PUNCT__

what wa time then ha becom urgent todai __PUNCT__

let me turn from iran to other nation in the middl_east __PUNCT__ where we have seen rise tumult and chao __PUNCT__

to the north __PUNCT__ syria is on the brink of a civil_war __PUNCT__

the dictat in damascu __PUNCT__ no friend to israel and no friend to america __PUNCT__ slaughter hi own peopl as he desper cling to power __PUNCT__

your other neighbor to the north __PUNCT__ lebanon __PUNCT__ is under the grow and danger influenc of hezbollah __PUNCT__

after a year of upheav and unrest __PUNCT__ egypt now ha an islamist presid __PUNCT__ chosen in a democrat_elect __PUNCT__

hopefulli __PUNCT__ thi new govern understand that on true measur of democraci is how those elect by the major respect the right of those in the minor __PUNCT__

the intern_commun must us it consider influenc to ensur that the new govern honor the peac agreement with israel that wa sign by the govern of anwar sadat __PUNCT__

as you know onli too well __PUNCT__ sinc hama took control of the gaza_strip in __NUM__ thousand of rocket have rain on isra home and citi __PUNCT__

i have walk on the street of sderot __PUNCT__ and honor the resolv of it peopl __PUNCT__

and now __PUNCT__ new attack have been launch from the sinai peninsula __PUNCT__

with hezbollah rocket aim at israel from the north __PUNCT__ and hama rocket aim from the south __PUNCT__ with much of the middl_east in tumult __PUNCT__ and with iran bent on nuclear arm __PUNCT__ america vocal and demonstr commit to the defens of israel is even more critic __PUNCT__

whenev the secur of israel is most in doubt __PUNCT__ america commit to israel must be most secur __PUNCT__

when the decis wa befor him in __NUM___presid harri_truman decid without hesit that the unit_state would be the first countri to recogn the state of israel __PUNCT__

from that moment to thi __PUNCT__ we have been the most natur of alli __PUNCT__ but our allianc run_deeper than the design of strategi or the weigh of interest __PUNCT__

the stori of how america __PUNCT__ a nation still so new to the world by the standard of thi ancient region __PUNCT__ rose up to becom the dear friend of the peopl of israel is among the finest and most hope in our nation_histori __PUNCT__

differ as our path have been __PUNCT__ we see the same qualiti in on anoth __PUNCT__

israel and america ar in mani respect reflect of on anoth __PUNCT__

we both believ in democraci __PUNCT__ in the right of everi peopl to select their leader and choos their nation cours __PUNCT__

we both believ in the rule of law __PUNCT__ know that in it absenc __PUNCT__ will men mai inclin to oppress the weak __PUNCT__

we both believ that our right ar univers __PUNCT__ grant not by govern but by our creator __PUNCT__

we both believ in free_enterpris __PUNCT__ becaus it is the onli econom_system that ha lift peopl from poverti __PUNCT__ creat a larg and endur middl_class __PUNCT__ and inaugur incompar achiev and human_flourish __PUNCT__

as someon who ha spent most of hi life in busi __PUNCT__ i am particularli impress with israel cut edg technolog and thrive economi __PUNCT__

we recogn your as the __PUNCT__ start __PUNCT__ up nation __PUNCT__ and the evid is all around us __PUNCT__

you have embrac econom_liberti __PUNCT__

you export technolog __PUNCT__ not tyranni or terror __PUNCT__

and todai __PUNCT__ your innov and entrepreneur have made the desert bloom and have made for a better world __PUNCT__

the citizen of our countri ar fortun to share in the reward of econom_freedom and in the creativ of our entrepreneur __PUNCT__

what you have built here __PUNCT__ with your own hand __PUNCT__ is a tribut to your peopl __PUNCT__ and a model for other __PUNCT__

final __PUNCT__ we both believ in freedom of express __PUNCT__ becaus we ar confid in our idea and in the abil of men and women to think for themselv __PUNCT__

we do not fear open debat __PUNCT__

if you want to hear some veri sharp critic of israel and it polici __PUNCT__ you don't have to cross ani border __PUNCT__

all you have to do is walk down the street and into a café __PUNCT__ where you hear peopl reason __PUNCT__ argu __PUNCT__ and speak their mind __PUNCT__

or pick up an isra newspap __PUNCT__ you find some of the toughest critic of israel you read anywher __PUNCT__

your nation __PUNCT__ like our __PUNCT__ is stronger for thi energet exchang of idea and opinion __PUNCT__

that is the wai it is in a free_societi __PUNCT__

there ar mani million of peopl in the middl_east who would cherish the opportun to do the same __PUNCT__

these decent men and women desir noth more than to live in peac and freedom and to have the opportun to not onli choos their govern but to critic it openli __PUNCT__ without fear of repress or repercuss __PUNCT__

i believ that those who oppos these fundament right ar on the wrong_side of histori __PUNCT__

but histori march can be ponder and painfulli slow __PUNCT__

we have a duti to speed and shape histori by be unapologet ambassador for the valu we share __PUNCT__

the unit_state and israel have shown that we can build strong economi and strong militari __PUNCT__

but we must also build strong argument that advanc our valu and promot peac __PUNCT__

we must work togeth to chang heart and awaken mind through the power of freedom __PUNCT__ free_enterpris and human right __PUNCT__

i believ that the endur allianc between the state of israel and the unit_state of america is more than a strateg_allianc __PUNCT__ it is a forc for good in the world __PUNCT__

america support of israel should make everi american proud __PUNCT__

we should not allow the inevit complex of modern geopolit to obscur fundament touchston __PUNCT__

no countri or organ or individu should ever doubt thi basic truth __PUNCT__ a free and strong america will alwai stand with a free and strong israel __PUNCT__

and stand by israel doe not mean with militari and intellig cooper alon __PUNCT__

we cannot stand silent as those who seek to undermin israel __PUNCT__ voic their critic __PUNCT__

and we certainli should not join in that critic __PUNCT__

diplomat distanc in public between our nation embolden israel adversari __PUNCT__

by histori and by convict __PUNCT__ our two countri ar bound togeth __PUNCT__

no individu __PUNCT__ no nation __PUNCT__ no world organ __PUNCT__ will pry us apart __PUNCT__

and as long as we stai togeth and stand togeth __PUNCT__ there is no threat we cannot overcom and veri littl that we cannot achiev __PUNCT__

thank you all __PUNCT__

mai god_bless_america __PUNCT__ and mai he bless and protect the nation of israel __PUNCT__