LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION recognizing the 62nd Anniversary of the founding
of the modern state of Israel and reaffirming the bonds of close friend-
ship and cooperation between New York State and Israel

WHEREAS, On May 14, 1948 the Jewish people established the sovereign and
independent State of Israel and the United States immediately estab-
lished full diplomatic relations with Israel; and
WHEREAS, Established following the genocide of more than 6 million
Jews during the Holocaust, Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people;
and
WHEREAS, Israel has been a democratic society since its establishment
and has a thriving economy and culture despite the constant threat of
terrorism, war and unjust diplomatic and economic boycotts; and
WHEREAS, Israel has a pluralistic democratic political system that
includes freedom of speech, of press, and of religion; and
WHEREAS, Israel was one of the first countries to send humanitarian
aid, search-and-rescue teams, mobile hospitals and other emergency
supplies to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake; and
WHEREAS, For more than 60 years, the State of New York and Israel have
maintained a special relationship based on mutually shared democratic
values, common strategic interests and moral bonds of friendship and
mutual respect; and
WHEREAS, New York State and Israel engage in many scientific, educa-
tional and business initiatives; and
WHEREAS, Israel is New York's third leading trade partner; this year
New York State expects to export over five billion dollars worth of
manufactured goods to Israel; and
WHEREAS, In 1989, Governor Mario M. Cuomo created The New York-Israel
Economic Development Partnership to promote trade and a lasting strate-
gic alliance and, in 1998 Governor George E. Pataki led a delegation to
Israel to open a New York State trade office in Jerusalem; and
WHEREAS, In 2003, Cornell University and the U.S.-Israel Bi-national
Agricultural Research and Development fund (BARD) established a new
program to further joint agricultural research; and
WHEREAS, Most recently, in October 2009, Governor David A. Paterson
and the Israeli Minister of Industry and Trade signed a Memorandum of
Understanding relating to hi-tech research and design; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body appreciates the bonds of friendship and
cooperation which have existed between Israel and New York for over 60
years and looks forward to strengthening the relationship in the years
to come; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body, on behalf of the people of the State
of New York, recognizes the historic significance of the 62nd Anniver-
sary of the reestablishment of the sovereign and independent State of
Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people and commends the people of
Israel for their remarkable achievements in building a new state and a
pluralistic, democratic society in the face of great adversity; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 62nd Anniversary of the founding of the modern state of
Israel and to reaffirm the bonds of friendship and cooperation between
New York State and Israel.