WBFO: Commentary: Come to Israel, See Reality (2006-07-13)

Shalom from Jerusalem! My family and I are enjoying a rare, three-week stay, in this beautiful, historical and inspiring country. In our travels we've seen ancient ruins and modern skyscrapers. We've visited natural wonders and met wonderful people.

Here in Jerusalem, history comes alive, spirituality becomes reality and a connection with your religious origins is strengthened. The excavations in the old city have revealed the city's 3000 thousand year history, Jewish, Hellenist, Roman, Byzantine, Muslim, Crusader, and Muslim again until 1948 and 1967. Today we visited the Israel Museum, saw even more detailed archeological evidence of the stories of the old testament and read the words of the Dead Sea scrolls. We also took the Western Wall tunnel tour which reveals the full length of the remaining walls of the Jewish second temple built by Herod the Great. To describe all we've experienced would take far more than my allotted 4 minutes a month.

This is my third time here. Since my first stay in 1978, I've seen tremendous progress and economic development. Israel has become the most prosperous state in the Middle East without oil. It's done it with high technology, international commerce and as a fun and meaningful tourist destination. We feel perfectly safe here and the Israelis live their lives fully and without fear.

Unfortunately, in my discussions and debates about Israel with folks back home in the US, I've encountered a seething hatred and mythology about the only free society in the Middle East. Critics of Israel call this a Nazi like state, an apartied state, a terrorist entity and an aggressive, expansionist Jewish colony. I have no idea, nor evidence to support what they are talking about.

I'll take these on one at a time. Nazi like? The government and people of Israel have not marched off 10 million people off into slavery and death camps nor tried to conquer all of the Middle East. In fact, they are the only country in history to give back land too their enemies that was won in defensive wars, Apartheid? Israel's security barrier has reduced Islamist inspired suicide and terrorist attacks 99%. True, the barrier and checkpoints have caused inconveniences to the Arabs living in The West Bank, yet the their economic suffering has come not from Israel, but from their own corrupt leaders mafia like control by fear and their pilfering of billions of dollars in international economic aid. When they can create a country committed to peace, the elimination of terrorism and the equal rights of it's citizens, the barrier will come down. Yet the one million Israeli Arabs, who's families decided to stay in 1948 are equal citizens in all respects. They vote, serve in the Knesset or Parliament, hold government jobs, are a vibrant part of the Israeli economy and practice their religion without interference. We've driven through their villages, and stopped and eaten in their restaurants. We've seen with our own eyes that they live better than their brethren in Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen and certainly in Darfur. By the way, how many religions are practiced unmolested in those places?

Whenever I get challenged on these irrefutable facts, whenever the Israel bashing starts, I simply ask the question, "Have you been there?" That usually ends the debate. Most intellectual critics of Israel have never set foot here. Their claims are hollow and void of facts. Come and see for yourself and have the time of your life.

"Looking Outside the Box" with veteran broadcaster and professional narrator Dan Lenard is a monthly feature of WBFO News.