[Dallas Morning News] Editorial - The British Mandate in Palestine came to an end on May 14, 1948 - in Tel Aviv, Zionist leader David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the State of Israel in the territory the United Nations designated as the Jewish homeland. After nearly two millennia, the Jewish people had come home. Arab armies attacked within hours, with one leader promising to "sweep the Jews into the sea." Against unbelievable odds, Israel prevailed. After winning two more wars of survival - in 1967 and 1973 - the Jewish state would build a durable, prosperous democracy. Israel is not just a fortress against anti-Jewish killers. It is a raft of modernity and material progress in a regional sea of intolerance and militaristic sectarianism. Israel, one of the United States' strongest allies, has no oil reserves, but it has turned itself into a model of diverse economic development unmatched by its neighbors.
2008-05-14 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive