Rockland Residents Join House Speaker McCarthy for His Historical Address in the Knesset Today

M.C. Millman

Rockland County residents were on hand today when House Speaker Kevin McCarthy delivered remarks before the Knesset, the highlight of the speaker's two-day trip to Eretz Yisroel.

Congressman Mike Lawler was included in the speaker's nineteen-person bipartisan congressional delegation to Eretz Yisroel. The group left on Sunday, April 30. The trip was first made public by McCarthy during his visit to Rockland in March, as reported by Rockland Daily here.

Rockland residents Hershel Margarten from Monsey and Avigdor Ostreicher from New Square were invited to attend today's address to the Knesset as representatives of Rockland County and guests of the congressman and speaker. 

"I was honored to be in Israel to celebrate the 75th anniversary of one of our strongest and closest allies in the world," Congressman Lawler shared exclusively with Rockland Daily. "It was a wonderful opportunity to visit Jerusalem, experience the Holy Land, and meet with leaders throughout the Israeli government. In addition, I was excited to see so many constituents who were in Israel to join the festivities."

McCarthy received a standing ovation after announcing the new House-Knesset parliamentary friendship group formed to allow the House to engage more directly with the Knesset, travel to Israel to strengthen existing relationships, and host Knesset members traveling to the U.S.

"My greatest hope is that our special relationship can serve as a foundation for greater peace across the Middle East," McCarthy said. "The progress towards peace in the past few years has simply been remarkable."

The House Speaker said Congress will work with Israel to achieve sustainable peace and will work to expand cooperation on economic, security, and civilian issues while working to expand the Abraham Accords to improve relations. 

The speaker also addressed the ever-present threat from the Iranian regime, which he called the main threat to peace in the Middle East.

"We cannot allow the Iranian regime's evil campaign to succeed," he said.

Congressman Mike Lawler with Rabbi Paysach Freedman, CEO of Chaim V'Chessed