This week is the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel. Israel declared independence (mainly) from the British. I don't take much stock in what's written in the Bible, as far as burning bushes, big floods, stuff like that. It's pretty clear, however, that the Jewish religion started out there, and the followers of that religion are likely the first to have organized government there.
Did people live in the land of Israel (ancient Palestine) before the Jews? Of course. Neanderthals and various early human tribes lived there, but it would be tough to call that a civilization. Various tribes became more advanced, such as the Canaanites, but these were still polytheistic religions that were generally organized into city-states. These early tribes and their beliefs eventually evolved into Judaism, which would be the dominant monotheistic religion until Christianity broke away.
Enough with the religion. Bottom line: Israel was settled by the Jews, who formed the civilization, built the temples, etc. This fact, and not the Bible, is the strongest reason why the Jewish people should lay claim to the land, just as the Chinese and Japanese can lay claim to their land.
Besides the Jews, others have also controlled Israel, such as the Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, etc. But the Jews were the originals, so the Arab claim to Israel is about as valid as the Italian (Roman) claim. The only difference is that they live closer by. So maybe its like the French wanting a piece of Germany.
So 60 years ago, Israel achieved its independence from the British and many Jews who were displaced by WWII and holocaust survivors found a new place to call home.
The root of the current turmoil is that the British and United Nations were very weak and unable to keep the peace, so skirmishes broke out that continue to this day.
Since 1948, Israel has survived countless bombings, wars, and international condemnation. Israel remains the only truly civilized country in the Middle East. The fact that Israel has stood the test of time by not only surviving, but prospering in spite of being surrounded by hostile forces gives a legitimacy to the country that is even more persuasive than a religious text.
As with any other country, Israel is not perfect. Its form of government, the parliament system, is conducive to a revolving door of leaders. Israel has alternated between left and right wing governments 8 times since 1948. It would be going overboard to say that the government is unstable, but the styles of leadership can vary greatly, such as a switch from a Benjamin Netanyahu (think Dick Cheney) to Ehud Barak (think Jimmy Carter). These changes can make it difficult to broker peace agreements. Of course, the other side is much, much worse when it comes to its leaders.
Israel is now the only true democracy in the region and an important ally of the United States. We know that Israel would likely stop any threat (like Iran) before it got out of control. They are the night watchman of the Middle East. However, these close ties between the US and Israel can be problematic. When Israel kills Arab civilians, some of the anger gets directed at the US. Likewise, when we invaded Iraq, some of the anger got sent to Israel.
Israel should continue on its own course. We must remember that it is a young country, much younger than the United States and that perfection is something that no country will ever achieve.
Happy birthday Israel.
