If I Were Israeli…

Fred Maroun

Dec 9, 2014

If I were Israeli in 1948 when Israel declared itself independent, how would I have felt about the Arab refusal to create an Arab state next to a Jewish state, and their threat to destroy us?

During the war of independence, would I have been a good soldier as my cherished Jerusalem was under siege, my fledgling state was encircled, and one percent of my fellow citizens were killed?

Would I have been a good farmer, teacher, entrepreneur, engineer, or pilot as my country was relentlessly attacked until 1967 when we surprised the world by handily beating much larger enemies?

Would I have left Israel in 1973 when my nation was almost lost and my people threatened with massacre yet again under another combined Arab attack?

If I were Israeli, would I have tolerated endless terrorist attacks from Lebanon, first by the PLO then by Hezbullah, or would I have responded with force, incurring the world’s contempt?

If I were Israeli, however, I would be proud. Proud that my people dared to resurrect a homeland from the still burning ashes of the past. Proud that we stood our ground and never allowed our many enemies to make us feel weak, small, or inadequate. Proud that despite the world’s disapproval, my nation is still here, still successful, still democratic, still egalitarian, and still ethical, even if no nation around us is any of those things.