The US Vice President, Mr Al Gore used Israel's 50th anniversary celebrations to urge it to move forward with long-stalled peace efforts or risk endangering gains already achieved.
Mr Gore, who met the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, briefly yesterday and is due to have more extensive talks with him today, stressed that the United States would always support the Jewish state.
During an address to several hundred Jewish-American leaders, Mr Gore defended the latest US bid to revive stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. "Israelis should be proud of the progress that has been made on the road to peace with security," Mr Gore said. "They should not be satisfied, our journey is not yet over."
Mr Gore will also visit Saudi Arabia and Egypt.