I feel almost like on my first solo flight. and to be quite honest I'm excited. When I took upon me to accept this great invitation I can assure you. I didn't know what I was facing, but I'm glad I did it. And I feel humbly honored in this great University and the great tribute that you have bestowed upon me and I feel that is I only represent the state of Israel. And the honor that I'm being given today is the honor for the citizens and the state of Israel. I've been trying to reflect. What are the similar? things lines effects on the lives of our two Nations small Israel big America two great countries and if I may proposed both our countries in the last hundred two hundred years have gone through. similar paths primarily and first of all, establishing tangible successes physical achievements in our own countries this great country so years. Of Conquering the Wilderness of establishing a new state of establishing a new state on basics of old civilizations and cultures on Old religions. Both the countries fought the Wilderness with the Bible. And both countries achieved great successes. This great University. I understand contributed more than any other school in the United States for the achievement of agricultural success in this area. We have fought for years the Wilderness the desert. We for years have been trying to rebuild and replant our old country of Eilat Israel. Along this we tried to keep and cherish our own cultures. We tried to develop science. We drive trying to develop art and these two great countries can claim now achievements in the scientific world and the cultural world and of the world of Art. Unfortunately, both countries had to fight both physically and politically for the establishment. The great United States went through battles internal battles internal political problems 200 years ago a hundred and fifty years ago. with unfortunate stripes and battles within the American people We the Jews had to go politically battling ourselves. Is it right? Or is it wrong to have a state of Israel? What is the solution for what we call our Jewish problem. Is it a solution in our own country or is it a solution else were we that are known as zionists and are proud of it have chosen the way our forefathers have chosen the way for us to some of us to establish our own state to establish our own Homeland to establish our own political entity in Old eretz Israel known commonly as Palestine. Along these two achievements parallel to the culture parallel to the science parallel to establishing nationhood in both countries. We had to fight outwardly to defend our country's to defend them physically to withstand Terror to withstand enemies. And this the United States fought to Great unfortunate World Wars the first one and the second one fought for what she believed she fought for freedom. She thought of Human Rights she fought for what you call your American way of living. We for the last 50 60 and especially 30 years her fought continuously to keep what we have achieved to keep our universities to keep our agriculture to keep our industry to keep our people in the land of Israel safe from unfortunate enemies surrounding us. Both countries succeeded and both countries had great successes and sometimes failures. But both countries especially in the spirit of Defending themselves couldn't have done it and couldn't have done it without the belief. In our way without the belief that what we're doing is right what we will what we do is right? based on the Bible based on our Charters based on our nationhood and what it represents needless to say that one of the greatest humanitarians and one of the greatest leaders of this country was the late Hubert Humphrey who contributed A lot and contributed primarily with spirit that I do hope and do pray for this country sake that this Spirit of mr. Humphrey prevails. It was a great friend of Israel because he was a great humanitarian. But along these years of achievement and defending our achievements and I could go on for hours telling you about the battles and the wars and the rights and the wrongs that we did and I'm not standing here trying to emphasize and try to say that we were always right. Sometimes we did some wrong things too. But alongside defending what we created those two countries the United States and Israel had to fight politically outwardly the United States had to fight for years to become whether she liked it or not. The leader of the Western World the leader of the Free World the leader of culture and civilization that we all cherish with various differences in various variations. And it's only the last 30 40 years since the second world war that this great United States is the most influential strong political force in this troubled world that we live in. We had to fight on two paths politically to be accepted by the world to be accepted by the nations of the world the beginning of which was in a charter known as the Balfour Declaration in 1917 were Great Britain, who was then one of the Prime political forces in the world understood and accepted the fact that the beginning of a Jewish homeland in Israel was a necessity for the Jewish people and for contribution to humanity and dignity in our world. After 30 years of a lot of creation and a lot of problems the United Nations accepted the fact that we're here to see a Jewish State admittedly. It also decided about the future of Palestinian Arabs. So I'll come to in a minute but the alongside the fighting for a political acceptance and a political understanding in the Big World which successes and would failures the one stumbling block and the one wall that surrounded us was the lack of acceptance by the Arab world, politically and definitely physically of the state of Israel. And four years and in past history all the leaders all the late leaders of Israel tried to find a way try to convince try to influence try to persuade and find a way to convince the Great Arab world with all its greatness and all its problems and the Arab world is a great world and the Islamic religion is a greatest religion and Arab culture is a great culture. To find a way to convince them that we're not there to be a foreign body that we are there to help develop that we there in Israel to be part of this region known as the near East the Middle East the Arab world. It was not successful for years and we went through Battles Through Sorrows through sufferings through casualties and probably per capita Israel has contributed to its own nationhood and safety more than many other countries. And after almost 30 years between 1947 to 1977 when we had the 48 war in the 56 one in the seventh 67 and 73 and everything in between an opening was found an opening that was a result of the wisdom of both sides of the sufferings of both sides of the internal problems of both sides. And thank God they were two great leaders both in our country and in Egypt the decided no more war. and in all my long years I have yet to meet an interesting unusual character like the president of Egypt Anwar Sadat. Why I've had the pleasure and great experience to enjoy his company and his thinking and sometimes arguments in the last two and a half years. If anyone expected our prime minister, and I am begging three years ago that he would leave the cabinet that he would lead a government. That would give up the whole of the Sinai including oil wells Fields settlements for the sake of full peace with Egypt with embassies open Canal open Straits communication between the two countries. I don't think anyone believed that we would do it. Definitely. I don't think anyone would have believed that begging would do it leading a cabinet that I am proud to be a member of But we did it because both these countries one thing that is characteristic of us in the last hundred years that we managed to do things that are difficult and if we have universities like this University the teaches you to look into problems to find out the unknown to find out the secrets of science to try and develop great things. Usually it is difficult. It is much easier when we understand it. It is much easier when you can really see what you're looking for. That you can find in the world of science in the world of politics tackle the problem and really solve it. And one thing that was common. Is to do this you need courage and this great country has courage and especially now in those days that Gloom has sat upon the United States. And it shouldn't be that way. I take off my hat to those who decided in Washington to do what they did regardless of what happened after that because this is a courageous act very identical of Courage. This country has shown to the world for many years. We also needed courage from time to time. We also needed to roll our sleeves and do things that are difficult. May I end by again? Thanking all of you for the great honor you gave me today? But may also end with the saying of my old Uncle president vitamin who was the first president of the state of Israel and he said to achieve difficult things. Takes a long time, but the impossible takes a little bit longer. May I propose to this country and to ourselves and to the whole free world? Let us tackle the difficult things and let us attack and win the impossible. Thank you.