(National Post-Canada) Avi Benlolo - Israel's story didn't begin in 1948. Its true birth stretches back more than 3,500 years, rooted deeply in a land where the Jewish people first built their Temple in Jerusalem around the year 957 BCE. From the Western Wall, the only remaining vestige of that holy sanctuary, to the fortress of Masada, and the ruins of King David's palace, Israel is the very soil of Jewish history and civilization. In Canada or much of Europe today, mobs chant in the streets not for peace, but for the erasure of Israel. It's been a devastating 18 months. Hamas, Hizbullah, the Houthis, and their puppet master Iran launched a war not of Israel's choosing. It was barbarism against civilization. Yet Israel has fought back, not just with might, but with a heart of courage. This is a war for survival, and it is one Israel will finish on its own terms. There are 57 Muslim-majority countries across the globe, representing 24% of the world's population and covering 25 million square km. of territory. In contrast, there is only one Jewish country - Israel - encompassing just 21,937 square km., a fraction of the world's map and population. Since its founding in 1948, Israel has lost over 25,000 soldiers in defense of its people - brave men and women who stood between their homes and annihilation. Despite this, Israel's population has reached more than 10 million - a teardrop in a world of 8.2 billion but a great achievement for a people who have had to rebuild after the murder of the six million in the Holocaust. But Israel is not just surviving - it is thriving. It is the beating heart of hope. Despite war and trauma, Israelis were recently ranked the 8th happiest people on earth. Why? Because Israelis live with purpose. Out of 196 countries, Israel now ranks 28th in global GDP, a mere six places behind Canada. The atrocities of Oct. 7 have only solidified Israel's national spirit. Israel is still the most magical place on earth. The writer is founder and CEO of the Abraham Global Peace Initiative, a Canadian think-tank.
2025-05-11 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive