As we celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the miraculous rebirth of Jewish
nationhood, we should take pride in the extraordinary accomplishments achieved
over such a short time. Israel represents the greatest national success story of
the past century; there is no remotely comparable example of a people renewing
its nationhood after 2,000 years.
Yes, we are saddened that peace with
our neighbors remains a distant dream, and that much of the world has turned
against us. We also realize that far from advancing democracy or human rights,
the turmoil in the Arab world will almost certainly strengthen Islamic
fundamentalism and intensify hatred against us and the West.
And as many
of us predicted, our “peace partner” has united with Hamas, and in September
will endeavor to obtain global endorsement for a Palestinian state dominated by
genocidal terrorists.
But we must retain a sense of perspective and
reprimand those exaggerating our shortcomings and promoting doom and gloom
scenarios. We have overcome far greater threats in the past.
IN THE early
years of the state we were admired as the plucky underdogs warding off
barbarians. Alas, once we demonstrated our ability to defend ourselves, that
changed.
Yet most of us would concur that if warding off those seeking to
annihilate us obliges us to lose favor with confused bleeding-heart liberals, so
be it.
In 1948, 600,000 Jews created a people’s army which successfully
repulsed repeated unprovoked onslaughts by its Arab neighbors. And to this day
it remains on the front lines of the global battle against Islamic
terror.
The IDF has no easy solution for eliminating terrorist
groups.
But it has evolved into one of the most powerful military forces
in the world, capable of defeating the combined armies of all our Arab
adversaries. It represents a formidable deterrent which even the xenophobic
Iranians would hesitate to confront, with or without nuclear power. Besides, we
should bear in mind that the nuclear threat from terrorists is no less severe
for those living in New York, London or any major city.
One of our major
achievements was the in-gathering of Jewish exiles from all over the world:
Holocaust survivors from Europe, refugees from Arab persecution, Ethiopian Jews,
and the miraculous absorption of over a million Jews from the former Soviet
Union.
These Jews from different cultures and societies were integrated,
and emerged as a resilient nation – the largest Jewish community in the
world.
We are entitled to be proud of our vibrant social, cultural and
religious creativity, which flourishes despite the ongoing wars and terror. We
are the only country in the region guaranteeing genuine freedom of religion. We
remain a democratic oasis in a region of autocracies, dictatorships and Islamic
fundamentalist regimes. We provide the vote to all citizens, regardless of race,
religion or gender – including 1.4 million Arabs, who elect their own
representatives, many of whom openly promote subversive behavior.
Our
social welfare system, in particular our medical system, provides services for
all 7.7 million Israeli citizens without discrimination, even providing
amenities for Palestinians.
Economically, despite pockets of poverty, we
are a veritable powerhouse. We were one of the countries least affected by the
global economic meltdown. Our economy grew 7.8% in the last quarter of 2010;
hi-tech and startup facilities make this tiny country second in the world,
surpassed only by the United States; we are at the forefront of alternative
energy development.
And despite all the media complaints, in a recent
poll, 63% of Israelis described themselves as “thriving,” resulting in Israel
being ranked seventh out of 124 countries.
FURTHERMORE, I predict that
over the next few decades there will be a substantial aliya from Western
countries. Some will come because they despair about the future for their
children in an increasingly anti-Semitic Europe. Others, especially from North
America, will be attracted to a Jewish state in which their children are
automatically provided with a Jewish education and encouraged by our thriving
economy.
Regrettably, the conflict with our neighbors is
intensifying.
Yet the PA-Hamas merger is not necessarily a negative
development. Many of us were always convinced that the corrupt PA – which
murdered more Israeli civilians than Hamas - would never become a genuine
partner for peace because its primary objective has also always been the
elimination of Jewish sovereignty. The difference is that while Hamas speaks the
truth, and its charter unashamedly promotes genocide, the PA expresses
sentiments of peace and moderation to the West, but internally incites the
vilest forms of anti-Semitism.
The merger will clarify to our friends why
we could never sanction a state pledged to our destruction. Should the
Palestinians abort the Oslo Accords and gain recognition in lieu of negotiating
with us, it would provide grounds for us to annex at least the major settlement
blocs.
We harbor no illusions about achieving peace in our time, but must
remain strong and resilient until our neighbors accept us as a sovereign Jewish
state. We should exult that having overcome greater challenges in 1967 and 1973,
when we genuinely faced annihilation, today we are better able to defend
ourselves.
We are therefore entitled to take pride in our
achievements.
We must inculcate an historical understanding in our young
people, so they appreciate the limitations in Jewish life prior to the creation
of Israel. We must explain how the Holocaust may have been averted had a Jewish
state existed then. We must convey how their ancestors in the Nazi death camps
never dreamt their people would rise like a phoenix from the ashes and create
such an extraordinary nation. They should appreciate that they are the most
blessed Jewish generation in 2,000 years.
On Independence Day, we will
continue yearning for the peace that has eluded us. But we should also be
profoundly grateful for what we have achieved, and pray that with the help of
the Almighty we will continue to overcome the challenges facing us and maintain
a thriving and creative Jewish commonwealth.
ileibler@netvision.net.il