(applause)

Shalom.

(cheers and applause)

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Everybody, please have a seat.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Well, it is a great honor to be with you here in Jerusalem,

and I'm so grateful for the welcome that I've received

from the people of Israel.

Thank you.

(applause)

I bring with me the support of the American people --

(applause)

-- and the friendship that binds us together.

(applause)

Over the last two days, I've reaffirmed the bonds between our

countries with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Peres.

I've borne witness to the ancient history of

the Jewish people at the Shrine of the Book,

and I've seen Israel's shining future in your scientists and

your entrepreneurs.

This is a nation of museums and patents,

timeless holy sites and ground-breaking innovation.

Only in Israel could you see the Dead Sea Scrolls and the

place where the technology on board the Mars Rover originated

at the same time.

(applause)

But what I've most looked forward to is the ability to

speak directly to you, the Israeli people -- especially

so many young people who are here today --

(applause)

-- to talk about the history that brought us here today,

and the future that you will make in the years to come.

Now, I know that in Israel's vibrant democracy,

every word, every gesture is carefully scrutinized.

(laughter)

But I want to clear something up just so you know -- any drama

between me and my friend, Bibi, over the years was just a plot

to create material for Eretz Nehederet.

(applause)

That's the only thing that was going on.

(applause)

We just wanted to make sure the writers had good material.

(laughter)

I also know that I come to Israel on the eve of

a sacred holiday -- the celebration of Passover.

And that is where I would like to begin today.

Just a few days from now, Jews here in Israel and around the

world will sit with family and friends at the Seder table,

and celebrate with songs, wine and symbolic foods.

After enjoying Seders with family and friends in Chicago

and on the campaign trail, I'm proud that I've now brought this

tradition into the White House.

(applause)

I did so because I wanted my daughters to experience the

Haggadah, and the story at the center of Passover that makes

this time of year so powerful.

It's a story of centuries of slavery,

and years of wandering in the desert;

a story of perseverance amidst persecution,

and faith in God and the Torah.

It's a story about finding freedom in your own land.

And for the Jewish people, this story is central to

who you've become.

But it's also a story that holds within it the universal

human experience, with all of its suffering,

but also all of its salvation.

It's a part of the three great religions -- Judaism,

Christianity, and Islam -- that trace their origins to Abraham,

and see Jerusalem as sacred.

And it's a story that's inspired communities across the globe,

including me and my fellow Americans.

In the United States -- a nation made up of people who crossed

oceans to start anew -- we're naturally drawn to the idea of

finding freedom in our land.

To African Americans, the story of the Exodus was perhaps the

central story, the most powerful image about emerging from the

grip of bondage to reach for liberty and human dignity --

a tale that was carried from slavery through the Civil Rights

Movement into today.

For generations, this promise helped people weather poverty

and persecution, while holding on to the hope that a better day

was on the horizon.

For me, personally, growing up in far-flung parts of the world

and without firm roots, the story spoke to a yearning within

every human being for a home.

(applause)

Of course, even as we draw strength from the story of God's

will and His gift of freedom expressed on Passover,

we also know that here on Earth we must bear

our responsibilities in an imperfect world.

That means accepting our measure of sacrifice and struggle,

just like previous generations.

It means us working through generation after generation on

behalf of that ideal of freedom.

As Dr. Martin Luther King said on the day before he was killed,

"I may not get there with you.

But I want you to know that we, as a people,

will get to the promised land."

(applause)

So just as Joshua carried on after Moses,

the work goes on for all of you, the Joshua Generation,

for justice and dignity; for opportunity and freedom.

For the Jewish people, the journey to the promise of the

State of Israel wound through countless generations.

It involved centuries of suffering and exile,

prejudice and pogroms and even genocide.

Through it all, the Jewish people sustained their unique

identity and traditions, as well as a longing to return home.

And while Jews achieved extraordinary success in many

parts of the world, the dream of true freedom finally found its

full expression in the Zionist idea -- to be a free people in

your homeland.

That's why I believe that Israel is rooted not just in history

and tradition, but also in a simple and profound idea -- the

idea that people deserve to be free in a land of their own.

(applause)

Over the last 65 years, when Israel has been at its best,

Israelis have demonstrated that responsibility does not end when

you reach the promised land, it only begins.

And so Israel has been a refuge for the diaspora -- welcoming

Jews from Europe, from the former Soviet Union,

from Ethiopia, from North Africa.

(applause)

Israel has built a prosperous nation -- through kibbutzeem

that made the desert bloom, business that broadened the

middle class, innovators who reached new frontiers,

from the smallest microchip to the orbits of space.

Israel has established a thriving democracy,

with a spirited civil society and proud political parties,

and a tireless free press, and a lively public debate --

"lively" may even be an understatement.

(applause)

And Israel has achieved all this even as it's overcome relentless

threats to its security -- through the courage of the

Israel Defense Forces, and the citizenry that is so resilient

in the face of terror.

This is the story of Israel.

This is the work that has brought the dreams of so many

generations to life.

And every step of the way, Israel has built unbreakable

bonds of friendship with my country,

the United States of America.

(applause)

Those ties began only 11 minutes after Israeli independence,

when the United States was the first nation to recognize the

State of Israel.

(applause)

As President Truman said in explaining his decision to

recognize Israel, he said, "I believe it has a glorious

future before it not just as another sovereign nation,

but as an embodiment of the great ideals

of our civilization."

And since then, we've built a friendship that advances

our shared interests.

Together, we share a commitment to security for our citizens and

the stability of the Middle East and North Africa.

Together, we share a focus on advancing economic growth around

the globe, and strengthening the middle class within our

own countries.

Together, we share a stake in the success of democracy.

But the source of our friendship extends beyond mere interests,

just as it has transcended political parties and

individual leaders.

America is a nation of immigrants.

America is strengthened by diversity.

America is enriched by faith.

We are governed not simply by men and women, but by laws.

We're fueled by entrepreneurship and innovation,

and we are defined by a democratic discourse that allows

each generation to reimagine and renew our union once more.

So in Israel, we see values that we share,

even as we recognize what makes us different.

That is an essential part of our bond.

Now, I stand here today mindful that for both our nations,

these are some complicated times.

We have difficult issues to work through within our own

countries, and we face dangers and upheaval around the world.

And when I look at young people within the United States,

I think about the choices that they must make in their lives

to define who we'll be as a nation in this 21st century,

particularly as we emerge from two wars and the worst recession

since the Great Depression.

But part of the reason I like talking to young people is

because no matter how great the challenges are, their idealism,

their energy, their ambition always gives me hope.

(applause)

And I see the same spirit in the young people here today.

(applause)

I believe that you will shape our future.

And given the ties between our countries,

I believe your future is bound to ours.

Audience Member: (indiscernible)

Audience: (booing)

President Obama: No, no --

Audience Member: (indiscernible)

-- this is part of the lively debate that we talked about.

(applause)

This is good.

(applause)

You know, I have to say we actually arranged for that,

because it made me feel at home.

(laughter)

I wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't have at least

one heckler.

(laughter)

I'd like to focus on how we -- and when I say "we,"

in particular young people -- can work together to make

progress in three areas that will define our times --

security, peace and prosperity.

(applause)

Let me begin with security.

I'm proud that the security relationship between the

United States and Israel has never been stronger.

Never.

(applause)

More exercises between our militaries;

more exchanges among our political and military and

intelligence officials than ever before;

the largest program to date to help you retain your qualitative

military edge.

These are the facts.

These aren't my opinions, these are facts.

But, to me, this is not simply measured on a balance sheet.

I know that here, in Israel, security is something personal.

Here's what I think about when I consider these issues.

When I consider Israel's security,

I think about children like Osher Twito,

who I met in Sderot --

(applause)

-- children the same age as my own daughters who went to bed at

night fearful that a rocket would land in their bedroom

simply because of who they are and where they live.

(applause)

That reality is why we've invested in the Iron Dome system

to save countless lives -- because those children deserve

to sleep better at night.

(applause)

That's why we've made it clear, time and again,

that Israel cannot accept rocket attacks from Gaza,

and we have stood up for Israel's right to defend itself.

(applause)

And that's why Israel has a right to expect Hamas to

renounce violence and recognize Israel's right to exist.

(applause)

When I think about Israel's security,

I think about five Israelis who boarded a bus in Bulgaria,

who were blown up because of where they came from;

robbed of the ability to live, and love, and raise families.

That's why every country that values justice should call

Hizbollah what it truly is -- a terrorist organization.

(applause)