Israel’s Independence Day is so crucial compared to any other nation. In this same period of time, India, Sri Lanka, and many other nations gained their independence. There are absolutely significant parts to all those stories. Many nations which were under the British Empire had smooth transitions into Independence. Their neighbors didn’t suddenly launch a war to wipe them off the map on the very day these nations gained their independence. But Israel’s situation is completely different. Even though Israel is the ancestral land of the Jewish people – Arabs, the Ottoman Empire back and many other states and non-state actors refused to accept the fact for centuries. When the UN Partition plan came, Arabs refused to accept even a tiny piece of it. The biggest enemy of the two-state solution was the Arab leaders back then. Then they launched an all-out war on the very day the State of Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948. Everybody thought Israel and the Jewish people would be wiped out. Instead, Israel and the Jewish people not only survived but prevailed victoriously. From that war against all odds to today, Israelis have faced several wars. Those were not just wars. Those were wars where you either win and remain as a nation or lose and end up extinct. There was no other choice. At the same time, massive international pressures, terrorist attacks, IRGC proxies, and rising antisemitism across the globe the challenges Israel faced during this entire period of time. The nation never had a time to breathe. Still, the State of Israel and the Jewish people were able to build one of the most advanced nations on earth. From agriculture to space tech, from defense industry to automobile, from medical sector to AI, from irrigation technology to maritime sector, from cybersecurity to biotechnology, from water desalination to high-tech innovation — Israel is not only successful in all these but has become a global leader in many sectors. A small land of just around 22,000 square kilometers, a small population, yet it built a complete tech superpower. When it comes to intelligence, defense, and military, the State of Israel has also become one of the best. Its air force, when it comes to training, skills, adaptability, technology, and experience, is undoubtedly the second greatest air force, second only to US air power and might, especially considering its size.
How can a nation not only survive but thrive despite all the challenges?
Israel is the modern-day example as well as a historical example. Israel today has one of the most advanced economies as well. It is now heading toward a one-trillion-dollar economy. Golda Meir once said, “Let me tell you something that we Israelis have against Moses. He took us 40 years through the desert in order to bring us to the one spot in the Middle East that has no oil.”
Land may not have oil but it is surely blessed, and its people are the major force behind this advanced economy. Israel is now surpassing many European nations in terms of per capita income, and in the happiness index, it consistently ranks among the top 10 for years. Despite the wars. Living standards at their highest.
Democracy
Another special part is democracy. The one and only democracy in the Middle East. Only three nations were able to have continuous multi-party democracy on earth despite all the wars and challenges — that was Israel, India, and Sri Lanka. Israel’s journey was much harder because of the amount of challenges they faced throughout its history. In their very first election in 1949, Israel had to hold the election during the war. Voter turnout was over 86%. Many parties entered the Knesset. This is something that some of the many old democracies have yet to experience. Till date, Israel has maintained continuous democracy. Also, freedom of worship, speech, expression, and equal rights to all its citizens regardless of religion or background.
Freedom
For centuries, Jerusalem’s religious freedom was limited. Until Israeli soldiers liberated the Western Wall and Jerusalem. The day they liberated it, Moshe Dayan said: “To our Christian and Muslim fellow citizens, we solemnly promise full religious freedom and rights. We did not come to Jerusalem for the sake of other peoples’ holy places, and not to interfere with the adherents of other faiths, but in order to safeguard its entirety, and to live there together with others, in unity.” Today, Israel is not just limited to Abrahamic religions but it is a safe haven to Buddhists and Hindus as well. Historically, Judaism never conquered or forced the religion. Instead, it lived with other religions, integrated into different cultures with core principles. The State of Israel to date upholds the same value.
They all tried and they all failed. Today, Israel stands taller than ever
From the ancient Pharaohs of Egypt to the mighty Roman Empire, from Middle Eastern despots to the Nazis, and even the terrorists of Hamas, every empire and regime that set out to destroy the Jewish people and the nation of Israel has crumbled into the dust of history. They all tried and they all failed. Today, Israel stands taller than ever, and the Jewish people continue to prosper, innovate, and thrive in their ancestral homeland.
The Iranian terror regime, once a menacing force across the region, is now weaker than it has been in decades, now crumbling alongside its failing terrorist proxies. While they plot in the shadows, Israel grows stronger, more united, and more determined to defend its right to exist.
Happy Yom Ha’atzmaut
To the people of Israel and to Jews everywhere: Am Yisrael Chai! The people of Israel live stronger, prouder, and more resilient than ever. May this 78th Independence Day bring them security, prosperity, unity, and true peace. From the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, from the Galilee to the Negev, one eternal truth remains:
Happy Yom Ha’atzmaut – Israel Independence Day!
Israel is here to stay — now and forever.
Chag Atzmaut Sameach! 
