Israel's Independence Day is a celebration of democracy

Israel will celebrate its 77th Independence Day this week. Jewish communities around the world will also mark the day with festive prayer services, parades, and the consumption of traditional Israeli foods such as falafel. So will some Evangelical Christians, who have a religious motivation to support a Jewish state in the lands of the Bible.

Others should celebrate, too. Any individual, community, or nation that values democracy should recognize this day, regardless of religion or faith. The existence of Israel, declared in 1948 by David Ben-Gurion and the Jewish leadership in the area set aside by the United Nations for a Jewish state, is a continuing quest for democracy and freedom in the Middle East that has global implications.