“Prime Minister Olmert’s visit has made clear that the Israeli people have chosen a strong and capable leader. He should be completely assured that the United States will continue its steadfast support for our close friend and ally as he guides Israel through these challenging times. Just as he said Israel will not let us down, we will not let Israel down.

“We share the Prime Minister’s grave concern over both Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its support of terrorism. We take the reprehensible rhetoric of the Iranian regime very seriously, and share the Prime Minister’s belief that the international community must stand united in preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons capability.

“We share Prime Minister Olmert’s hopes for a future in which the Jewish state of Israel can live side by side in peace and security with its neighbors, his desire to replace the culture of hate with an outlook of hope, and his determination to secure borders and eradicate the scourge of terrorism.

“We look forward to working closely together with Prime Minister Olmert and Israel as we continue to work to achieve our common goals.”

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