Israel Fights For Its Freedom

Fire of Liberty

Michael Medved, syndicated columnist and radio host, has a good column over at Townhall.com which points out why the state of Israel continues to strive amongst an ocean of enemies. In fact the US and Israel are very similar in nature because their citizens are willing to stand up to all aggressors who threaten to tear down the nation and the joys of freedom and liberty much like we see today with the US taking on Al-Qaeda and Israel taking on Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad. I'd say Medved put it best when he noted the following:

Except for the fact that Israel has already given back most of the land it gained in that conflict –– returning all of Sinai and Gaza to Arab adversaries, with the current Israeli government committed to still further (and very significant) concessions in the West Bank. These compromises (and potential compromises) reflect a fact that nearly all Jews understand, but that most Americans want to deny: that history is frequently, even generally, unfair. Whatever IsraelÂ’s claims to legitimacy –– no matter how ancient the connection with the land, or how definitive the recognition by international law and putative world governments – the nation exists only because of the ability and willingness of its people (past, present and future) to defend it against ruthless enemies. By the same token, it might be pleasant to assume that America remains secure and safe because a grateful world appreciates what our nation has done to introduce the concept of liberty to peoples around the world, or to save humanity from Hitlerism, Stalinism and now, Islamo-Nazism. But with unreasoning, fanatical anti-Americanism on the rise nearly everywhere, more citizens have come to realize that we survive on the same basis Israel survives: through determination, through strength of character and (not least) through military power.

Like Israel, the United States isn'’t a nation that grew up organically in one small corner of the earth, combining people who already spoke the same language and looked the same and shared common cultures. Both nations drew a dazzling array of dreamers and visionaries and crazies from around the world who made the choice to embrace the values and plans of the pioneers ("“Halutzim," in Hebrew). Of course, these national origins (involving acts of will, rather than accidents of birth) mean that Israel and America can'’t ever be as perfect, and blameless, and pure in our turbulent histories as, say, our old world counterparts like France, say, or Spain, or Belgium. But as long as people in Tulsa and Tel Aviv, Jefferson City and Jerusalem, remain ready to sacrifice and even die for the still stirring visions of the founders, the two dynamic Republics will continue to exist –– regardless of the world'’s acceptance of their "“right"” to do so.

Here, Here! So G-d's speed to the IDF forces in their fight against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. It might be a bloody and dangerous effort but such is necessary to ensure the viability of the state of Israel and the fight for freedom.