Although the United States wisely recognized the importance of remaining neutral through the course of the election process in Israel, today, as the new government in Jerusalem assumes power, it is vital that we help reinvigorate the commitment of all partners in the Middle East peace process. This is an important time for the United States ti serve again as a broker for peace among all our allies - remembering that we know no stronger ally in the Middle East than the State of Israel, and no people with deeper desire for peace than the Israelis.

Ehud Barak and his coalition government should know that the United States is committed to helping them revive the peace process; this is a time ti fortify our resolve as partners for peace and stability in the Middle East.

We must continue to be cognizant of emerging geopolitical issues - issues that will impact not just the security of the State of Israel and the peace process, but the security of the United States. As Israel and Jordan both make the transition to new governments, many threats to stability in this critical region remain: terrorism and violence by those who oppose progress in the peace process; an Iraqi regime that insists on maintaining its weapons of mass destruction capability; and the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology and ballistic missile technology. We must not ignore these questions; the security of Israel is indispensable to the security if the United States.

I learned long ago, in my first trip to Israel over ten years ago, what the narrow borders in the Middle East really mean. An Israeli pilot at Ovda airbase allowed me to fly an airforce jet. The warnings of my co-pilot, just minutes after taking off, were unforgettable: I was moments away from violating the airspace of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. From that moment on, I was intensely aware that all the countries of the Middle East are interconnected, not just by geography, but in a way that gives new meaning to the concept of regional interests.

It remains up to all of us in the United States to continue our best efforts to bring peace to the Middle East - to believe, as we have for more than fifty years, that the possibility of Jews and Arabs living together in peace is truly within reach. Herzl’s words - "if you will it, it is no dream" - signify the promise and the greatest power of Israel. We remain committed to the hope, after more than half a century, that a fair and secure peace must be the ultimate destiny for a nation that has ever been just a place on a map, but a vision of human dignity and purpose. This is a mission we must share in partnership with the new Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, the man who stood in Rabin Square surrounded by pictures of the martyred Rabin - fully aware of the sober challenges ahead, entirely prepared to embrace them. The United States, too, must embrace those challenges.