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Israel:
WhatmakesIsraelsuchasuccessfulcountry?

AlizaHayes
EricKaarla
IntrotoResearchMethods
11/08/2016

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TheBirthofIsrael
Israelisafairlynewdevelopedcountry.InoverhalfadecadeIsraelhasbecomeoneof
thepowerhousecountriesintheworld.Theyhaveastrongandsuccessfuldemocratic
government.Anextremelypowerfularmy.Theyhaveleadtheworldintechnologicalprototypes,
suchas,inventinginstantmessagingandaphonecapableofInternetconnect.Israelalsoisone
ofthemostsustainablecountriesintheworld.Throughadvancedtechnologyandresearchthey
havebeenabletorecycleeightypercentoftheirwatertoreuse,whichisverybeneficialbecause
theyarelocatedinadesert.Andlastly,theyreceiveasignificantamountofforeignaidfromthe
UnitedStateswhichhelpstofueltheirsuccessfuleconomy.
May14th1948,JewishPeoplescouncilgatheredattheTelAvivMuseuminPalestine.
ThishistoricdategoesdowninhistoryasthebirthofthestateofIsrael.Thissmallpieceofland,
notmuchbiggerthanNewJerseyintheUnitedStates,wasbeingf oughtoverbetweentwo
demographics,PalestiniansandIsraelites(www.ushmm.org).Theirstorydoesnotstarthere.
Therearemanyeventsthatleduptothisdecision.Thisstorystartsinthe1920swiththebirthof
Zionism.
TheBirthofZionism
TheodoreHerzl,founderoftheZionistmovement,felttheshockofantiSemitismaround
theworld.StartinginAustriawherehegrewup,antiSemitismledhimtoleaveoneschoolhe
wasattending,foranotherthathadmoreofaJewishpopulation.LaterhefeltantiSemitism
whenhewasinParisforbusinesswithhisfamily.HithertohehadregardedantiSemitismasa

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socialproblemthattheJewscouldovercomeonlybyabandoningtheirdistinctivewaysand
assimilatingtothepeopleamongwhomtheylived(www.palestineremembered.com).Through
workingasanewspaperboy,inParis,Herzlbecamewelleducatedonsocialandpoliticalaffairs.
HerealizedthattheanswertoantiSemitismwasnotconformingtotheirassignedrolesin
societyasJews,buttocometogetherasoneandhavecountereffortsfromtheJews.
TheDreyfusaffairinFrancealsohelpedcrystallizethisbelief.Theensuingpolitical
controversyproducedanoutburstofantiSemitismamongtheFrenchpublic.Herzlsaidinlater
yearsthatitwastheDreyfusaffairthathadmadeaZionistoutofhim.SolongasantiSemitism
existed,assimilationwouldbeimpossible,andtheonlysolutionforthemajorityofJewswould
beorganizedemigrationtoastateoftheirown(www.palestineremembered.com).Thiswasthe
birthofZionism.
EarlyPalestinewashometomanydifferentdemographicsofpeople.Zionistpioneers
werealmostcompletelyabsentasof1906,andrepresentedonlyonepercentofthetotalJewish
populationinPalestine(www.palestineremembered.com).TheJewsinPalestineweremostly
orthodoxJews,someonewhofollowstheTorah,whichconstituted7.8percentofthetotal
population(www.palestineremembered.com).ThemajorityofJewishpeoplethatcalled
Palestinehomeintheearly1900sweremostlyantiZionist.TheirhatredofZionismwasdueto
theimpendingfearofbeingdispossessedfromtheirhomesandcountry
(www.palestineremembered.com).
PalestineBeforebecomingIsrael
TheaftermathoftheHolocaustdisplacedmanyJewishfamiliesfromtheirlivesandhomes
throughoutEurope.Aftertheliberationoftheholocaustsurvivors,thefeelingofantiSemitism

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wasaforefrontissuestill.Manyfearedtogobacktotheirhomes,iftheyevenstillstood
(www.ushmm.org).In1946,aftertheHolocaustwasdeclaredover,Polishriotersinthetownof
Kielce,killedatleastfortytwoJews,andmanymorewereinjured(www.ushmm.org).There
weremanydisplacedpeoplescampsthroughoutEurope.TheUnitedNationsReliefand
RehabilitationAdministration(UNRRA),theUnitedStates,GreatBritain,France,andGermany
wereamongthecountriesthathadcamps(www.ushmm.org).Thegravityofpostwarfallouts
wereevenmoreterrifyingfortheserefugees.Theywerelookingforanewland,anewhome,
andmanydecidedthatnewhomewastheirforsakenlandinthebible,Israel.
Tobeclear,theHolocaustwasnottheonlyreasonIsraelbecomeitsownstate.Backin
the1800s,Herzl,andotherfoundingmembersofZionism,proposedtheestablishmentofthe
StateofIsrael,wellbeforetheHolocaustoccurred(Kleinman).Herzlstartedamovement
amongstJewishidealisttocreateahomelandforJewstobeabletocallhomebecauseheknew
thattheywouldalwaysbeinthecrosshairsofpersecutionsandantiSemitism(Kleinman).The
holocaust,andpostholocaustevents,specificallytheExodusof1947,broughtmoreattentionto
theoppressionoftheJews.
TheBritishsetinplacealawthatonlyfifteenhundredJewspermonthwerelegally
allowedtoenterPalestine.Theirreasoningwastheydidnotwanttocreateturmoilamongstthe
MuslimpopulationbylettingintoomanyJews.TheUnitedStatespushedtheBritishtoletin
onehundredthousandJewstoPalestine.Theresultwasillegalimmigration.Aliyahbetisthe
HebrewtermfortheillegalimmigrationofJewsintoPalestinebetween1920and1948.Seawas
themostpopularformoftravel.ManyBritishblockadesweresetuptodetertheshipscomingin
withillegalJewishimmigrantsonthem.AftertheHolocaustandWorldWarII,itbecame

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extremelydangeroustotravelbywater.Manydiedandwerelostatsea.Overninetypercentof
shipswereinterceptedbytheBritishnavy;by1948theBritishnavyheldoverfiftythousand
JewishRefugeesincampsonCyprus(www.ushmm.org).OnenotableshipwastheExodusof
1947;theBritishnavyforcedthisshipcarryingfortyfivehundredHolocaustsurvivorsheaded
forPalestine,toreturntoFrance.ThiswasunsettlingtotheJewsastheyrefusedtoembarkon
thatjourney.TheBritishnavythenforcedtheexodustoreturntoGermany,alsoknowntothe
Jewsasthedeathland(www.jewishhistory.org).Thissentashockaroundtheworld.People
realizedhowinhumanelytheJewswerebeingtreated,evenafterallthetraumatheyhadbeen
throughpostWorldWarIIandtheHolocaust.ThisresultedintheBritishPrimeMinister,Bevin,
givingupitsruleoverPalestineandturnedtheresponsibilityovertotheUnitedNations.

(CourtesyofGoogle)

Merely24hourslater,Egypt,Jordan,Syria,Lebanon,andIraqinvadedthenewIsraeli
country;forcingthemtodefendthelandtheyhadfoughtsohardfor,formanyyears.This

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fightinglastedfifteenmonths.TheIsraelDefenseForces(IDF)werenewlyandpoorlyformed,
andmostlyconsistedofvolunteersoliderfarmers(www.globalsecurity.org).But,whenforcedto
risetotheoccasionofbattle,theyfoughtlongandhard.Thisbattle,whichcametobeknownas
IsraelsWarofIndependence,claimedoversixthousandIsraeliLivesandconsistedforfifteen
gruesomemonths(www.britannica.com).Negotiationswerefinallymadeintheearlymonthsof
1949conductedbytheUnitedNations,resultinginarmisticeagreements;onlyIraqrefusedto
negotiatewithIsrael(www.britannica.com).
UnitedStatesrelationshipwithIsrael
IsraelhashadalongstandingalliancewiththeUnitedStates.Bothcountriesshare
similarvaluesjudiciallyandreligiously.Commitmenttodemocracy,theruleoflaw,freedomof
religionandspeechandhumanrightsareallcorevaluessharedbetweentheUnitedStatesand
Israel(www.aipac.org).Immigrationsandrefugeesarebothstaplesofthefoundingofboth
countries.Bothhavehadtofightfortheirindependenceagainstforeignpowersandarebothrun
onthedemocracythatrespectsrulesoflaw,thewillofvotersandtherightsofminorities
(www.apaic.org).Withsuchasuccessful,peacefulandpleasantrelationship,Israelhashelped
theUSwithtechnologicalinnovationstohelpmaintaineconomiccompetitiveness,address
militaryandnonmilitarysecuritychallenges,andstimulatesustainabledevelopment(Eisenstadt,
2).IsraelialliancewiththeUnitedStateshashelpedstrengthenoursecuritybecausetheyprovide
theUSwithintelligenceonterrorism,nuclearproliferation,andinsideinformationonMiddle
Easternpolitics(Eisenstadt,1).Thetableturnsbothways,astheUSprovidesIsraelwiththe
sameIntel.However,theirrelationshipisnonlinear,becausetheUnitedStateshasprovided
Israelwithmorethanonehundredandfifteenbilliondollarsinforeignaidsince1949.The

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UnitedStateshasbeenakeybenefactorinhelpingsustainIsraelwithindispensablefundsfor
theirdiplomatic,economicandmilitarysupport.Theirrelationshiphashelpedmoldthe
powerhousethatIsraelisandwillcontinuetobe.
TherelationshipbetweentheUSandIsraelisthatofapeacefulandhappyone.Most
IsraelisknowtheUSandfeelpositivefeelingstowardsit.Inthebusinessaspect,Israelhas
viewedUSasapartnerofchoice(Eisenstadt,2).Notonlydothetwocountriesshare
information,IsraelalsosuppliestheUnitedStateswiththeirmilitaryweaponry.Thetwo
governmentworktogethertodevelopsophisticatedmilitarytechnologyIsraelhasalso
emergedasanimportantnichedefensesuppliertotheU.S.military,withsalesgrowingfrom
$300millionperyearbeforeSeptember11th,toonepointone$1.1billionin2006,duetothe
warsinAfghanistanandIraq(Eisenstadt,2).
IsraeliMilitary
Israelreliesontheirpowerfulmilitarytosustaintheirexistence.Akeyfactorinwhat
makesIsraelsuchapowerhouseofacountryistheirmilitary,theyrelytheirmilitarytosustain
theirexistenceagainstadversity,hostileneighbors,andunresolvedconflictwiththePalestinians,
amongstmanyotherreasons.Theirmilitaryresearchiscuttingedge,withdevelopmentofmany
complexandsophisticatedweaponryandmilitarytactics.Israelmilitaryresearchand
developmentcomplexhaspioneeredmanycuttingedgetechnologiesthataretransformingthe
faceofmodernwar,includingcyberweapons,unmannedvehicles(suchaslandrobotsandaerial
drones),sensorsandelectronicwarfaresystems,andadvanceddefensesformilitaryvehicles
(Eisenstadt,2).However,thiswasnotalwaysthecase.WhentheIsraelDefenseForces(IDF),
wascalleduponforduty,lessthantwentyfourhoursafterbecomingitsownstate,itmainly

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consistedoffarmersthatvolunteeredtofightfortheirnewstate.Theyearnednowages,were
mostlyintheirearlytwenties,andlivedbygrowingtheirownfood(Pike,1).Sincetheir
desperatedaysoffindingresourcesandmilitaryweaponry,theIDFhasmoldedintoamilitary
powerhouse.
IsraelisuniqueintheirmilitarybecausemostoftheircitizenshavetoserveintheIDF
fromaperiodoftwotothreeyears(Pike,1).ThisdoesnotexemptfemalesmakingIsraelthe
onlycountryintheworldthatmakesmilitarydutyarequirementformalesandfemales.There
areexemptions.TheIDFgrantstheseexemptionsforstudentsthatareenrolledinreligious
studiesinanaccreditedJewishLawinstitute.Aswellaswomenthataremarried,pregnant,or
havechildren.Anotherexemptionisforwomenthatdeclarethattheyleadareligiousobservant
andchoosestopursuenationalservice(communityservice)(Pike,1).Alleligiblemenand
womenarethendraftedatageeighteen;womenservefortwentyonemonthsandmenservefor
threeyears(Pike,1).Thepoweroftheirmilitaryisofgreatmagnitude.Theycanassembleand
mobilizehundredsofthousandsofreserveswithinhoursandthefullstrengthoftheirarmyinthe
windowoffortyeighthours(Pike,2).Anotheruniquestrategicimplicationabouttheirmilitaryis
theIsraelgovernmentdoesnotdiscloseinformationontheactualsizeoftheIDFnorwillthey
discloseidentity,locationandstrengthofunits(Pike,2).ThisisonewayoftheIsrael
governmentprotectingtheirsoldiers.

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(CourtesyofGoogle)

Imageshowsthemilitary
comparisonbetweenIranandIsraelMilitary.ThischartshowshowmuchmoreadvancedIsrael
iscomparedtoanothercountryonallaspectsfromtanks,aircraftsarmoredpersonnelcarrier,
budget,tonuclearbombs.AlthoughIranisnotmentionedspecificallyinthispaper,isitjustto
showtheadvancementofIsraelimilitary.
Conclusion
Supremacyisavolatileaction.PeopleoftheJewishcommunityhavefeltoppressionlong
beforetheholocaust.Intheirbible,theOldTestament,alsoknownastheTorah,Godcreateda
promiselandforthem.Israelhappenstobethatpromiseland.ThestateofIsraelhasovercome
war,financialcrisis,andmanyotherhurdles(www.ushmm.org).Theirgovernmentissostrong
andsuccessfulbecausetheycametogetherasaunitedfront,inthefaceofadversityandbuilta
powerfularmy,apowerfulgovernmentsystem,andaverysuccessstate(Pike,2).Theyhave
becomeapowerhousebecauseoftheadversitytheyhavehadtoovercome.Ihopeonedaypeace
doescometotheMiddleEastandnotjusttoIsrael.IbelieveZionistandIsraelitesshouldbe
viewedasstrong,powerfulcommunitiesbecauseoftheextraordinarychallengestheyhavefaced
andstillarefightingthegoodfight.

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ThestateofIsraelhasovercomewar,financialcrisis,andmanyotherhurdles(Kleinman,
2).Theirgovernmentissuccessfulandthrivingbecausetheywereabletocometogether,inthe
faceofadversity,andbuiltapowerfularmy,apowerfulgovernment,andaverysuccessfulstate
(Pike,2).Theyhavebecomeapowerhousebecauseoftheadversitytheyhaveovercome.Ihope
onedaypeacedoescometotheMiddleEastandnotjusttoIsrael.IbelieveZionistandIsraelites
shouldbeviewedasastrong,powerfulcommunitybecauseoftheextraordinarychallengesthey
havefacesandstillarefightingthegoodfight.
Toovercomesomuchadversityinsuchashortperiodoftimeisarealaccomplishment.
MygoalinwritingthispaperwastodrivethemessagehomethattheHolocaustandallthe
eventsthatfollowedwasnotthatlongago.ManystudytheHolocaust,butthatiswhereitends.
Peopleneedtorealizethathistorycanrepeatitselfandweneedtobeawarethathumanityhas
turnedonareligionandagroupofhumanbeingsonce,whoistosaythiscannothappenagain.
Israelisaplacewherepeoplethatfeltasiftheyhadnohomeforyears,cannowfindsolace,
safe,andfinallysettledown.Thesepeoplehavespokenupfortheirrightsandwhattheybelieve
in.Itissomethingmanyofusshouldadmire.

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