Cal Thomas: Israel’s resilient diamond jubilee

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Today is Thursday, April 27th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Myrna Brown.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Israel recently celebrated its Independence Day. Back in 1948, the U.S. was the first country to publicly recognize the modern state of Israel–just 11 minutes after its creation.

WORLD commentator Cal Thomas now with a look back at those early days and what might be ahead for Israel.

CAL THOMAS, COMMENTATOR: The modern state of Israel has reached the 75th anniversary of its founding, and it endures with ever-increasing strength. This despite, or perhaps because of, the numerous attempts to eradicate it from the region and enemies who have tried without success to exterminate the Jewish people.

In a land of miracles, the survival and prosperity of the modern state of Israel may be among the most miraculous events of all.

In 1948, the land was anything but appealing from an ecological perspective. But as Jewish Zionists began a series of improvements, including the planting of Eucalyptus trees, they transformed this tiny place into what Scripture metaphorically calls a land of “milk and honey.”

What will happen in the next 75 years is anyone’s guess. The Abraham Accords between Israel and several Arab states establishing diplomatic relations after many years was a miraculous development of its own. But Iran remains a major threat to Israel’s existence as its development of a deliverable nuclear weapon moves ever closer.

Appearing on “Face the Nation” last Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—also known as “Bibi”—struck an optimistic tone: “…everybody sees things above the surface, they don’t see things below the surface. And the prime minister of Israel sees a lot of things below the surface. And I’m telling you now something that I said 10 years ago in the UN, I said, look, we’re going to move into things you haven’t seen in my lifetime. And that is Arab states will recognize that Israel is not their enemy, but their friend, even an indispensable friend…I think you’re going to be surprised and maybe sooner than you think.”

There is still a strong anti-Netanyahu coalition here, but that is nothing new. The Israeli left as well as Democratic administrations and liberal Jews in the U.S. have sought to depose “Bibi” during his two previous terms as prime minister. The latest effort includes charges of corruption he has denied.

While Israel’s survival is not dependent on Netanyahu’s political survival, his proclamation of the truth when it comes to the country’s adversaries has been and will continue to be essential for years to come.

In 1948, President Harry Truman became the first world leader to officially recognize modern Israel when he issued this statement: “This Government has been informed that a Jewish state has been proclaimed in Palestine, and recognition has been requested by the provisional government thereof. The United States recognizes the provisional government as the de facto authority of the new State of Israel.”

The return to the land has always been in the hearts of Jewish people everywhere. It is beautifully expressed in Psalm 137: “If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.”

Happy Anniversary to America’s closest ally in the Middle East. May she long endure.

I’m Cal Thomas.

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