...And we will continue to build it up forever - by Amb. Danny Danon

...Looking back from where we are today, in a strong, thriving and independent Israel, it might be hard to fathom the tense atmosphere that preceded the vote, how momentous it was or the herculean efforts on the part of the Jewish leadership, which realized that the fate of their people rested on their shoulders.

Amb. Danny Danon..
Israel Hayom..
27 November '17..
Link: http://www.israelhayom.com/opinions/we-fulfilled-the-dream/?redirected=205251

Seventy years have passed since the moment that will forever be engraved in the history of our people, and since then, every one of us can picture themselves listening to the radio, tense with anticipation, during that historic vote on Nov. 29, 1947.

Every time we watch or listen to the long minutes of the vote, which seemed to last as long as our 2,000 years in the Diaspora, we get chills.

In 1897, Zionist visionary Theodor Herzl imagined the unimaginable when he wrote, "At Basel, I founded the Jewish State. If I said this out loud today l would be greeted by universal laughter. In five years perhaps, and certainly in fifty years, everyone will perceive it."

Fifty years later, the Zionist dream came true. Reality eclipsed anything we could have imagined and the U.N. recognized the establishment of the Jewish state in the land of Israel. Today, 70 years after the vote, we stand with our heads held high, proud of our extraordinary achievements, and continue to believe and dream.

Looking back from where we are today, in a strong, thriving and independent Israel, it might be hard to fathom the tense atmosphere that preceded the vote, how momentous it was or the herculean efforts on the part of the Jewish leadership, which realized that the fate of their people rested on their shoulders.

Today, we are grateful to the 33 nations that voted in favor of founding the Jewish state, thereby changing history.


Seventy years on, Israel's foreign relations are blossoming like never before. Israel maintains diplomatic relations with 159 countries and international institutions; our relations with the U.S., which was the first to recognize Israel, are stronger than ever; we are forging new cooperative ventures as new opportunities arise, and more is yet to come. Seventy years after it was established, Israel is indeed an oasis of stability and success in a stormy Middle East – democratic, innovative, groundbreaking.

Many challenges lie ahead. Even today, many of our neighbors still refuse to recognize our right to exist in this land. The U.N., which back then made the landmark decision, has over the years veered away from its original purpose and today, often serves as a platform from which to attack Israel. We battle these attempts daily. It's a fierce battle, but we've racked up a lot of victories.

This week, when we stand in the U.N. general assembly where the deciding vote was held, in the presence of dozens of ambassadors and representatives from all over the world who will come to support Israel and celebrate its independence, we will lift our heads in pride and say loud and clear: We have fulfilled our people's dream. We established a glorious Jewish state in the land of Israel, and we will continue to build it up forever.

Danny Danon is Israel's ambassador to the United Nations.

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