The birth of a nation

By GIL TROY

The Montreal Gazette, Apr. 17, 2002, pg. B3

Fifty-four years ago today, Great Britain ended its three-decade mandate in Palestine. That morning in Jerusalem, the Jewish people's ancient capital, the Union Jack descended for the last time. That afternoon, in Tel Aviv, a new Jewish city built on a sand dune, David Ben-Gurion stood up and read the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel.

"The land of Israel was the birthplace of the Jewish people," Ben- Gurion affirmed. "Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was formed. Here they achieved independence and created a culture of national and universal significance. Here they wrote and gave the bible to the world."

Then, as now, the fledgling state's neighbours were calling for its destruction; calls for death to the Jews - not just the Zionists - rang throughout the Arab world . Then, as now, the Jews had accepted painful, internationally brokered compromises, hoping for peace, to no avail. Then, as now, Israel felt embattled, betrayed, alone.

Fortunately, this young democracy was blessed with visionary leadership. Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, was no diplomat. He would compromise when necessary, but he was determined to make the state viable. In 1947, the United Nations had tried to solve the conflict between the Palestinian Jews and the Arabs by partitioning Palestine into a Jewish area and an Arab area. (At the time the term "Palestinian" did not apply exclusively to Arabs). Many Jews objected. The area had already been partitioned a quarter of a century before, when the British Mandate began, with what is now Jordan closed to Jews. Furthermore, the Jewish state offered in 1947 was an indefensible "swiss cheese" entity, with huge gaps and long winding borders, for the partition plan followed the prevailing demographic patterns. And, most demoralizing of all, the UN plan deprived the Jews of their ancient capital, with Jerusalem slated to become an internationalized city.

Nevertheless, the Zionist establishment led by Ben-Gurion accepted the compromise. Ten years earlier, the 20th Zionist Congress had accepted the idea of partition. Chaim Weizmann, who would become Israel's first president said the Jews would be foolish not to compromise even for a state as small as a tablecloth. Unfortunately, the Jews' Arab neighbours rejected the UN's compromise and launched guerrilla attacks against the Jews that would culminate with an all-out war when the state emerged in 1948.

Ben-Gurion was willing to make tough internal decisions as well. By June 1948, Israel was trying to fend off seven Arab armies, including the mobilized Arab irregulars. The young state needed armaments, but much of the world would not help. The Etzel, one of three paramilitary groups from the pre-state struggle, secured a weapons shipment from France. Ben-Gurion worried that importing the cargo would violate a recently declared ceasefire and would keep the Etzel independent from the army. A tense standoff erupted in violence on a beach north of Tel Aviv. Twelve men died and the ship, the Altalena, burst into flames.

Ben-Gurion's decisions were extraordinarily controversial. Nevertheless, they did allow one Israeli government to take responsibility for Israel's destiny. The leader of the Etzel, Menachem Begin, submitted to Ben-Gurion and Etzel soon disbanded. In this, his own act of statesmanship, Begin put his loyalty to the state, and commitment to unity above his anger against Ben-Gurion's often heavy-handed Machiavellianism.

Israel benefitted from David Ben-Gurion's leadership. The country has thrived in the last half-century, even while repeatedly attacked by its Arab neighbours. Israel absorbed 850,000 Jewish refugees driven out from Arab lands while most Arab countries refused to absorb Palestinian Arab refugees. It constructed a working democracy that, while imperfect, does indeed allow Israeli Arabs to vote and be represented in the Israeli parliament.

Thus, this year, even as friends of Israel mourn the great losses - on both sides - suffered in this long war, Israel Independence Day is also an important moment to celebrate. Israelis continue to live well and do good. High tech and research revolutions continue. Hadassah Hospital and the Weizmann Institute have just developed a new vaccination to arrest juvenile diabetes. Israeli companies are taking the lead in voice recognition and other cyber technologies suddenly popular after Sept. 11. And Israel's first astronaut is training to fly with the shuttle in July.

Israel, of course, has erred over the years - as any nation has. But on balance, the credits far outweigh the debits - making the current level of vitriol directed at the state incomprehensible. This Independence Day, many Israelis will reread Ben-Gurion's words. Most will pause mournfully as they read: "We offer peace and unity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to co-operate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all." Let us hope - for the sake of all concerned - that next Independence Day, we will be able to celebrate an epidemic of statesmanship in the region, and be a lot closer than we are today to peace, unity, and that "common good for all."

- Gil Troy is professor of history at McGill University.