It has been a year of explosions, war, runs to shelters and missile attacks—and it may continue. Today is still the continuation of two and a half years of continuous war: first with Hamas, twice with Hezbollah, and twice with the ultimate enemy, Iran.
Israel marks its 78th birthday with the feeling of waking on an unfamiliar planet: we have been strong, yet the danger remains real. Everything is possible. The level of alert is absolute—even as the desire to live has no limits.

After three years of extraordinary resilience, Israel is a country that rises and shakes its head. On one hand, it is exhausted and cries “enough,” yet it knows it must once again summon its inner strength. It has been a miraculous journey, but this Independence Day arrives balanced on the razor’s edge of negotiations in Islamabad.

At any moment, sirens could again send citizens running to shelters, yet Israelis strive to live fully. No one withdraws from the struggle for survival. Debate continues, democracy remains vibrant, civil society is active and culture persists.