WATCH: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks at joint statements with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC.
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This is a historic day and it recalls another historic day. We remember May 14, 1948, because on that day President Truman became the first world leader to recognize the State of Israel after our first PM Ben-Gurion declared our independence. That day chartered a brilliant future
I believe that down the decades, and perhaps down the centuries, we'll also remember January 28, 2020. Because on this day, you became the first world leader to recognize Israel's sovereignty over areas in Judea & Samaria that are vital to our security and central to our heritage
Since the moment of its birth, Israel has yearned for peace with our Palestinian neighbors and for peace with the broader Arab world. For decades, that peace has proved elusive despite so many well-intentioned plans. One after the other they failed. Why did they fail?
They failed because they did not strike the right balance between Israel's vital security and national interests and the Palestinians' aspirations for self-determination. Too many plans tried to pressure Israel to withdraw from vital territory like the Jordan Valley.
Rather than pay easy lip service to Israel's security and simply shut your eyes and hope for the best, you recognized that Israel must have sovereignty in places that enable Israel to defend itself by itself.
And on this day, you too have chartered a brilliant future for Israelis, Palestinians and the region by presenting a realistic path to a durable peace. 
I share that commitment, and I look forward to working with you to achieve a peace that'll protect Israel's security, provide the Palestinians with dignity and their own national life and improve Israel's relations with the Arab world. Your peace plan advances all these goals.
Mr. President, Israel wants the Palestinians to have a better life. We want them to have a future of national dignity, prosperity and hope. Your peace plan offers the Palestinians such a future. Your peace plan offers the Palestinians a pathway to a future state.
I know there will be opposition. There is always opposition. I know there will be many obstacles along the way. Much criticism. But we have an old Jewish saying, "If not now, when? And if not us, who?"
Mr. President, your deal of the century is the opportunity of the century. And rest assured, Israel will not miss this opportunity.
Mr. President, Donald, Israel is blessed to have your friendship and your powerful leadership and Israel is blessed to have the friendship of the greatest power on earth, the United States of America.
May God bless America, may God bless Israel and may God bless us all with security, prosperity and peace.
