In the ever-shifting landscape of global politics, one constant remains: the remarkable resilience of Israel and the Jewish people. And that's what Trump got wrong when he claimed that Israel will cease to exist if he is not elected as U.S. President in the upcoming elections.
This resilience is rooted in a history that stretches back over three millennia, demonstrating an extraordinary ability to persist and thrive in the face of pogroms, expulsions and even unspeakable atrocities of the Holocaust.
A Little History:
The story of Israel's resilience begins over 3,000 years ago, with archaeological evidence and historical records supporting the Jewish presence in the region. The First Temple period, beginning around 1000 BCE with the reign of King David and the construction of the First Temple by his son Solomon, marked a significant era in Jewish history. Even after the Babylonian exile in 586 BCE and the destruction of the First Temple, many Jews returned and rebuilt, constructing the Second Temple around 516 BCE.
Throughout subsequent centuries, despite periods of foreign rule and the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE, Jewish communities maintained a continuous presence in the land. The Jewish people preserved their distinct identity, religious practices, and cultural heritage through times of diaspora and persecution.
This enduring connection to their ancestral homeland played a critical role in the eventual establishment of the modern State of Israel in 1948, demonstrating a remarkable continuity of cultural and national identity spanning millennia.
Since 1948, and despite being surrounded by millions of hostile neighbors and multiple wars, Israel has not only survived but flourished. It has built a robust economy, a strong military, and become a leader in technology and innovation.
In fact, Israel's success story is unprecedented. From absorbing millions of immigrants to making the desert bloom, from defending itself against overwhelming odds to becoming a 'start-up nation' - Israel's achievements are a testament to its people's determination and ingenuity.
Doesn't Israel need the U.S.?
While international politics and alliances play a role in Israel's security, experts emphasize that Israel's survival is not contingent on any single foreign leader or administration. Israel has weathered changes in U.S. administrations and shifts in global politics for decades. While partnerships are important, Israel's security ultimately rests on its own capabilities, its people's resilience, and its deep-rooted determination to survive and thrive. llus, As Golda Meir so eruditely pointed out, "We have nowhere else to go."
And that's what Trump got wrong. Israel will survive with or without him, and if history is anything to go by, it will continue to thrive, to invent and create and inspire.
