Throwing A Party

A modest budget of $28 million, set aside by a government, to celebrate its 60th anniversary, as Israel has done, is most certainly not outrageous as a symbol of frivolity in the name of national self-congratulations.

Most particularly since much of that funding will be producing enhanced education and health services. Laudably, plans include the creation of 60 picnic areas with access for the disabled. As well as a footpath around the Sea of Galilee, and the inauguration of a trans-Israel bicycle trail. All to enhance the social and public well-being of the populace.

A sensible, sensitive and very practically useful agenda as a means by which the nation can celebrate its status as a nation over its 60-year period of existence. Yet many disillusioned Israelis grumble that money spent on celebrations will be wasted, because the primary purpose of those celebrations is to highlight the presence of the country's politicians.

Thus speaks an understandably cynical population.

One that has seen too many of its high-profile and high-stationed politicians accused of profiteering, graft, and in some instances, sexual assault. All this, in a background of national insecurity, where the population is never able to count on its safety from the deadly incursions of Palestinian terrorists whose cult of death-delivery ensures an atmosphere of hushed awareness and fear.

As a country of immigrants, Israel has also become a severely factionalized society. Not only culturally but also including the clash of the secular state being oppressed by its orthodox component. The country's array of political parties with opposing agendas, its dangerously inclusive and adversarial Arab-Israeli parliamentarians, create an ongoing atmosphere of political tenterhooks.

The country's outstanding adeptness at mercantilism, scientific enquiry, technological advances, entrepreneurship and trade is not enough to heal the national drift from social responsiveness toward upper-middle-class aspirations, while the unfortunate are left to their own devices of desperate survival.

The original, secular pioneer spirit that was exemplified in the country's Kibbutzim has succumbed to the practicality of an ordinary social and business framework. This is a fractionated, society, one vaguely resembling an amalgam between Sweden and Lebanon. Optimism has succumbed to cynicism, anticipation to joylessness, hope to hapless bitterness.

From boasting of becoming a light unto the nations, a gradual descent has resulted to attaining the status of just another state struggling to represent a multitude of increasingly diverse and disaffected citizens, with an especial caveat: to contain the viper at its breast, alongside those slavering for its downfall from without.

National integrity and aspirations damped and poisoned by the socially uncouth anomie of neighbours threatening hostilities beyond the ability of any state to defeat ad infinitum. If there is a solution, it is slow in coming, threatening to drown the hopes of millions of people.

Yet human beings are never without hope. And may they not be without reason to hope. Witnessing the eventual success of the century point, "next year in Jerusalem" may become an ancient, forgotten mantra.