Israel Readies for Celebrations Marking 60th Anniversary of Independent State

Israeli citizens will be taking part in several celebrations over the next week to mark the 60^th anniversary of the founding of the independent state.

Declaring their independence on May 14, 1948, Israel has continued to struggle for peace with its neighbors. This struggle has led to a security lockdown on the West Bank as fears mount that Palestinians could use this time to launch an attack.

For the Palestinians, this time is marked by the somber al-Nakba, or “Catastrophe” that is recognized on May 15 to mark the Israeli state’s independence. That independence broke apart Palestine and separated it into Jewish and Arab states.

Shortly after independence Israel was invaded yet they managed to beat back the Arab attacks and as a result more than 700,000 Palestinians fled from the new state.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert took time to recognize the struggles, noting “Our conflict has been long indeed” but he followed by saying, “it is peace, not war that we aspire to and crave.”

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