The 70th anniversary of the birth of the modern state of Israel was marked by  the opening of the United States embassy in Jerusalem.

The US embassy moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem today,  signalling the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, following the US President Donald J. Trump’s decision on 6/12/2017 to do so.  It was a good birthday present to the nation of Israel and came only two days after Israel’s entry won the Eurovision Song Contest in spite of the political voting and the BDS manoeuvring to influence the vote and to prevent the win.

The European Protestant Reformation has several contenders for its birthday; likewise with the modern state of Israel.   Like any birth, there is a period of gestation before the actual birth.  Some point to the Balfour Declaration 100 years ago on 31/10/1917 when the British War Cabinet in London took a final vote in favour of establishing a Jewish National Home for the Jewish people.  Others point to the San Remo Resolution of 25/4/1920, which incorporated the essence of the Balfour Declaration into international law and superceded all previous agreements.  It was ratified by 51 nations of the League of Nations, being the international community’s official recognition and legal basis for the Jewish homeland in the land of Israel.  It gave “international sanction to the historic connection between the Jewish people and Eretz-Israel and to the right of the Jewish people to rebuild its National Home”.  Others opt for 29/11/1947 when the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 (also known as the Partition Resolution) gave international legitimacy to the existence of the state of Israel.

However, the definitive contender is 14/5/1948 when the British Mandate came to an end and David Ben-Gurion the same day in Tel Aviv made the Proclamation of Independence and read The Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel.

14th May 2018 is the 70th anniversary of the rebirth of the nation of Israel –

‘Who has heard such a thing? who has seen such things?  Shall the Earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children’ Isaiah 66:8.

Happy 70th birthday to the state of Israel.

“Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.”  William Carey