A s the state of Israel turns 60 years old today, it deserves to be celebrated both as one of the most remarkable national survival stories in world history and as a stalwart and admirably democratic ally of the United States. Besieged from all sides from its very inception — five of its neighbors launched military attacks against it at its formation by the United Nations in 1948 — Israel has not just survived. Israel has thrived, thanks to the fortitude and hard work of its citizens, as well as their wholehearted embrace of Western political and economic values.
It is worth noting that Israel has always asked only that it be left in peace. The original U.N. plan calledfor it to coexist side by side with a newly created Palestinian state, which would have been the first such country in world history. Meanwhile, Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, from the beginning pleaded with non-Jewish residents within Israel to remain in their homes and promised them full civil rights.
But Palestinians rejected both offers, voluntarily left their homes and denounced the U.N.’s two-state plan. Instead, the Palestinians chose permanent warfare aimed at grabbing every bit of the territory for themselves. How absurd, then, that Palestinians today demand a “right of return” to the place their forbears voluntarily left. And they still refuse to recognize the official existence of Israel.
Since its founding, Israel has been a democracy in a region otherwise violently hostile to the Western understanding of individual rights and government by consent of the governed. Israel has allied itself with the United States, ranking with Britain and Australia as this nation’s most dependable friends. During the Cold War, the Israelis stood firm against Soviet expansionism, and their military and their superb intelligence forces have worked in cooperation with ours in many ways that have been immensely beneficial to U.S. strategic interests. Israel also has engaged in numerous joint economic research and development projects that have benefited both nations. The Israeli economy thrives today despite the constant threat of terrorism, and its contributions to advances in high technology and medicine have been significant.
All of this is particularly impressive considering that Israel is a tiny nation barely 200 square miles smaller than New Jersey, and with a population 1 million less than that of New York City. Israel’s survival and prosperity are even more impressive considering that its natural resources are negligible. Today, on its 60th birthday, Israel deserves the applause of the world and the gratitude of all free peoples. Shalom.
