Czech President Miloš Zeman addresses The Algemeiner’s 2017 gala. Photo: algemeiner.com

More than 600 guests at The Algemeiner‘s annual gala in New York City on Monday night sat enthralled by a speech from Czech President Miloš Zeman, in which he talked of his love for Israel and the Jewish people, and ridiculed what he called the “yes, but…” method of supporting Israel.

“I paraphrased the famous slogan of John F. Kennedy, ‘Ich bin ein Berliner,'” Zeman told the crowd, as he recalled a speech he’d made at a major international conference.

Said Zeman, “I told them, ‘I am a Jew.'”  He then added in Hebrew – to warm applause from the crowd – “ani yehudi.”

Zeman, who was accepting The Algemeiner‘s “Warrior for Truth” award, declared that words by themselves were not enough. He highlighted the global risks facing Israel and the democratic world, especially “Islamic terrorism,” and the need for “concrete action.”

Zeman was scathing towards those who accept Israel as a fact, but do not respect its legitimacy. He noted that there are those who, when asked if they support Israel, answer, “yes, but…”

Zeman cited international refusal to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as an example of this attitude.

He ended by repeating his impassioned call for “real solidarity, and not solidarity in words only.”

Watch Czech President Miloš Zeman’s address at The Algemeiner gala below: