“‘The Land of Israel was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained statehood… “The State of Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture…’  

These are extracts from Israel’s Declaration of Independence, read out by David Ben-Gurion almost exactly 63 years ago, as the clouds of war gathered. The following day, the Arab world would unite in an attempt to strangle the Jewish State at birth. Israel won that war, and several since, but today, though physical threats to its security remain, there is another war to be fought; a war to defend the dreams of Israel’s founding fathers.”

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