Israel will celebrate its 77th Independence Day this week. Jewish communities around the world will also mark the day with festive prayer services, parades, and the consumption of traditional Israeli foods such as falafel. So will some Evangelical Christians, who have a religious motivation to support a Jewish state in the lands of the Bible.
Others should celebrate, too. Any individual, community, or nation that values democracy should recognize this day, regardless of religion or faith. The existence of Israel, declared in 1948 by David Ben-Gurion and the Jewish leadership in the area set aside by the United Nations for a Jewish state, is a continuing quest for democracy and freedom in the Middle East that has global implications.
Israel’s Declaration of Independence read that May day in Tel Aviv states that the country “will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”
This aspirational language has come to life. Today, millions of Jews live a life in Israel that no one could have imagined possible back in 1948. More than 20% of Israel’s population consists of other religious and cultural minorities, and it is the only place in the region where members of the LGBT community can live openly and honestly. The state actively seeks to protect minorities in the region, in other countries, from issuing permits to Druze from Syria to work in northern Israel, to treating injured Syrians from the civil war. Israel continues to treat West Bank Palestinians in its hospitals and has facilitated the evacuation of some injured and sick people from Gaza for medical treatment abroad.
To protect this way of life, Israel continues to defend and fight against repressive and violent terrorist groups and states that threaten not just Jews or Israelis, but civilians and democracies everywhere. Chief among these is Iran, which grows closer by the day to having the ability to build a nuclear weapon that could threaten the United States, Europe, and other countries that oppose its tyrannical regime.
It is Iran that is behind other terrorist groups, including Hamas, which led the invasion into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking more than 240 captive, including fellow Muslims and those holding citizenship of the U.S., England, France, and dozens of other countries. In Jordan, Iraq, and Syria, Iranian-backed militants, who have increased their attacks since Oct. 7, have also targeted, injured, and killed U.S. service members, a phenomenon also seen prior to October 2023.
Contrary to what many would like to believe, Hamas is not fighting for the freedom of Palestinians. It is starving them by hoarding food and other supplies, erasing any chance of peace and prosperity by continuing to attack Israel from civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and schools, and killing those in Gaza who speak out against it as growing numbers of people are risking their lives to do, which a series of recent protests showed.
Israel has also led the fight against the Houthi terrorist group in Yemen, which continues to threaten global trade routes by targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea. Israel continues to spend its resources and risk lives to combat the buildup of weapons by Hezbollah in Lebanon and groups in Syria that threaten not just Israel but the lives and stability of Syrians trying to build a future after the recent fall of the Assad regime. With extremism growing in the region, the role of Israel is crucial.
Israel’s values and actions benefit the entire region as well as allies. The U.S., with financial aid as well as actual military actions — U.S. pilots are carrying out attacks against the Houthis in Yemen and have helped to defend against Iranian missile attacks — is a critical partner.
The U.S. has also been a leader in defending Israel’s actions in front of the U.N., which unfortunately has abandoned many of the values that it was founded on, values that ultimately led to the 1947 resolution that earmarked land for a future Jewish state alongside land that would be dedicated to a future state for Palestinian Arabs. That state, unfortunately, never materialized because the Palestinian cause was hijacked by terrorism and hate against Israel. This unproductive path continues today, with too many pro-Palestinian advocates relying on false claims of genocide against Israel, rather than a focus on building a democratic society and functioning economy in the West Bank and Gaza.
There is no question that Israel, like most other democracies, has its share of serious domestic challenges, including the role that Judaism should play in the government, the growth of right-wing extremism, and domestic corruption. However, recognizing Israel, with all its challenges, achievements, and continued commitment to fight for democracy, does not mean one is abandoning the Palestinians or anyone else.
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Equal rights for minority populations in Israel are seen through their complete access to education, medical care, and employment opportunities, including playing roles in the government and serving as judges in Israel’s highest courts. Many in Israel, whose sons and daughters serve in the Israel Defense Forces, pray for peace and the rights of the Palestinians. In fact, recognizing Israel’s pursuit of peace, freedom, and democracy is key to being able to focus on the real challenges and atrocities in the region. No longer distracted by the false accusations of genocide and other lies about Israel or the misleading narrative of Hamas leading a fight for freedom, nations and other players can support Israel’s efforts to promote democracy and human rights, including by standing up to terrorist groups and extremism.
May this year’s Israeli Independence Day inspire anyone who is committed to freedom, peace, and democracy.
Rabbi Kenneth Brander, Ph.D., is the president of Ohr Torah Stone, an international network of 32 religious educational, leadership, and social action programs.