Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu took the opportunity ahead of
Independence Day on Wednesday to acknowledge Israel's "millions of
friends," both Jewish and non-Jewish, and thank them for "their
unwavering support" of the Jewish state.
In a special YouTube
video posted on the eve of Israel's celebration of 64 years of
Independence, the prime minister said in English that Israel is "unique"
for having such "passionate friends... for whom the well-being,
security and future of our country are so important."
"This
passionate support, along with Israel’s strong army, free economy and
dynamic society, is the pillar of our national strength," he said.
The
prime minister spoke about Israel's other unique qualities, saying that
the Jewish state is unparalleled regionally for "having a vibrant,
liberal democracy where women are equal, minorities are free and where
all are subject to the rule of law."
And while the modern state
of Israel on Thursday commemorates less than a century of independence,
Netanyahu said the Jewish state can celebrate having restored
sovereignty and provided self-defense for the Jewish people, who lived
previously in the diaspora for 2,000 years, "stateless and powerless."
"Israel
is unique in in gathering to an ancestral homeland an exiled people who
had been scattered around the globe," the prime minister explained,
saying Independence Day is a "time for us to consider what makes Israel
truly unique."
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