Page 248 - big friday
P. 248
The desire to be part of the family of nations
T he next section of the Scroll of Independence states that "The State of Israel is prepared
to cooperate with the agencies and representatives of the United Nations in implementing
the resolution of the General Assembly of November 29, 1947 [the resolution in favor of
the Partition Plan], and will take steps to bring about the economic union of the whole of
Eretz-Israel," in light of the commitment stated in the previous section that the state "will
be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations." The representatives of
the Yishuv and the Zionist Movement were willing to accept the division of the country
into two independent states, Jewish and Arab, sharing an economic union, in keeping
with the UN decision. But the reality was different. The Arabs of Palestine, resisting as
usual any peaceful compromise, rejected the resolution and immediately launched a
bloody assault on the Jewish community in the country. As the state was founded, the
Arab countries rose up to annihilate it, waging a war aimed at erasing it entirely. The small
Jewish community withstood courageously the waves of attack by local Arabs and the
Arab countries, and emerged victorious. The state's borders were now broader than those
that had been envisioned by the UN. At the same time, the new state managed, with the
help of the Jewish People in the Diaspora, to bring hundreds of thousands of Jews to the
country, bringing entire Diaspora communities in Arab countries almost to a complete
end. Within three years, the Jewish population of the country had doubled.
The founders regarded the State of Israel as part of the family of nations that
cooperated with them and with the international community through the United Nations
Organization, which had attended its foundation. Over the course of time the situation
was reversed. In light of the growing influence and numbers of independent Arab states,
all richly endowed with natural resources, as well as the Eastern Bloc countries led by
the Soviet Union and the Third World states of Africa and Asia, the UN and its various
institutions became increasingly hostile towards Israel's cause, and began promoting the
cause of its enemies.
The call for peace was answered with war
T he appeal by the founders of the state to the Arab residents of the state "to preserve
peace and participate in the building of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship
and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions" received no
positive response, just as the appeal to the neighboring Arab states to accept the hand
of peace and good neighborliness extended to them by the State of Israel was met with a
declaration of war, in an attempt to strangle the new state and destroy it. The founders of
the state were sincere and genuine in their appeals. They asked that the Jewish community
in the country and the Jewish People [worldwide] be permitted to establish and build
the Jewish state, with the cooperation and mutual assistance of the Arab residents of the
246 The Friday That Changed Destiny
T he next section of the Scroll of Independence states that "The State of Israel is prepared
to cooperate with the agencies and representatives of the United Nations in implementing
the resolution of the General Assembly of November 29, 1947 [the resolution in favor of
the Partition Plan], and will take steps to bring about the economic union of the whole of
Eretz-Israel," in light of the commitment stated in the previous section that the state "will
be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations." The representatives of
the Yishuv and the Zionist Movement were willing to accept the division of the country
into two independent states, Jewish and Arab, sharing an economic union, in keeping
with the UN decision. But the reality was different. The Arabs of Palestine, resisting as
usual any peaceful compromise, rejected the resolution and immediately launched a
bloody assault on the Jewish community in the country. As the state was founded, the
Arab countries rose up to annihilate it, waging a war aimed at erasing it entirely. The small
Jewish community withstood courageously the waves of attack by local Arabs and the
Arab countries, and emerged victorious. The state's borders were now broader than those
that had been envisioned by the UN. At the same time, the new state managed, with the
help of the Jewish People in the Diaspora, to bring hundreds of thousands of Jews to the
country, bringing entire Diaspora communities in Arab countries almost to a complete
end. Within three years, the Jewish population of the country had doubled.
The founders regarded the State of Israel as part of the family of nations that
cooperated with them and with the international community through the United Nations
Organization, which had attended its foundation. Over the course of time the situation
was reversed. In light of the growing influence and numbers of independent Arab states,
all richly endowed with natural resources, as well as the Eastern Bloc countries led by
the Soviet Union and the Third World states of Africa and Asia, the UN and its various
institutions became increasingly hostile towards Israel's cause, and began promoting the
cause of its enemies.
The call for peace was answered with war
T he appeal by the founders of the state to the Arab residents of the state "to preserve
peace and participate in the building of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship
and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions" received no
positive response, just as the appeal to the neighboring Arab states to accept the hand
of peace and good neighborliness extended to them by the State of Israel was met with a
declaration of war, in an attempt to strangle the new state and destroy it. The founders of
the state were sincere and genuine in their appeals. They asked that the Jewish community
in the country and the Jewish People [worldwide] be permitted to establish and build
the Jewish state, with the cooperation and mutual assistance of the Arab residents of the
246 The Friday That Changed Destiny
