Gov. Bill Lee signed a proclamation Thursday expressing support for Israel, in a ceremony held after the resolution was supported unanimously in the state Senate.
Lee held a proclamation ceremony in the Tennessee State Capitol, one of the first formal bill-signings of his administration. The General Assembly has passed similar resolutions in recent years, though with much less fanfare.
The resolution, sponsored by state Sen. Mark Pody, R-Lebanon, comes as the U.S. House of Representatives is debating controversial comments made by Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar about Israel.
The event featured a wide range of speakers, including musician Ricky Skaggs and actress Irlene Mandrell. Rabbi Joshua Kullock of Nashville’s West End Synagogue said a prayer for Israel at the ceremony. He called Israel the only real democracy in the Middle East.
“We hope that Israel will find the ways to keep moving forward, fostering innovation, granting equal rights to all it citizens, and achieving a lasting peace with all its neighbors,” Kollock said.
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