(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Foreign Media Adviser)
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, this evening (Wednesday, 4 May 2022), on the occasion of Israel's 74th Independence Day:
"The story of Israel is a story of hope, a story of human spirit, a story of surviving against all odds.
“It’s a story of a nation that built something from nothing, a scattered people returning to our ancient homeland.
“But what’s the secret to our strength?
“It’s our people, our passion, our spirit of Am Yisrael.
“No matter the horrors we faced, we never lost our hope; No matter who tries to dehumanize us, we never lost our humanity; No matter who tries to destroy us, we’ll never be defeated. We will always prevail, because ¬netzach Yisrael lo yeshaker
[I Samuel 15:29.]
‘Israel may be rooted in the history of this land, but our forward-looking vision has made us number one for start-ups per capita.
“Israel may be 60% desert, but we made it bloom and became the world leader in water technologies.
“Israel may be located in one of the toughest neighborhoods on earth, but just this year we were named the 9th happiest country on earth.
“And there is so much to be happy about:
“We've got a booming economy, a powerful military, and a vibrant democracy with the most diverse government in Israel’s history—Left and Right, religious and secular, Jews and Arabs.
“We’re united for a purpose, and that purpose is ensuring a strong future for the State of Israel.
“We continue building bridges, we continue providing solutions, and we’ll continue creating a better future for all our children.
“The State of Israel has given new life to the Jewish people, security to all of Israel’s citizens, and confidence that our best days are yet ahead of us.
“To every Israeli, every Jew in the world and every friend of Israel I say:
“Yom Atzma'ut same'ach!
“Happy Independence Day!"