Israeli Declaration of Independence
Harry Zvi Davidowitz and the Rock of Israel.
Like its American counterpart, it affirms that fundamental freedoms are inseparable from our humanity.
Antecedents both American and biblical.
David Ben-Gurion was inspired by the Hebrew Bible. How true to it was he?
Olim bring skills and capital—and fulfill the Jewish state’s purpose.
Israel’s declaration was never intended to function as domestic law. There’s no reason it should have been transformed into the quasi-constitution it is today.
On May 14, 1948, Israel’s founders wanted to emphasize to the world that while the Jewish people had been born in the Land of Israel, its state was the adopted child of the United Nations.
The declaration came together so hurriedly that if the drafters had argued for even a few hours more it would have read much differently.
The beginning of a new series investigating how the Israeli Declaration of Independence came about, and what the text reveals about the country it brought into being.
Ever? Judea? Zion?
Declaring Israel’s independence.
On the eve of Israel’s statehood in 1948, with the massed forces of five Arab nations threatening invasion, David Ben-Gurion picked a fight with his own army. Why?
And the recent dispute over who owns that draft.
A bulwark against judicial activism.