epa04716599 Israelis wearing Israeli flags watch fireworks during the 67th Israel Independence Day celebrations on Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, Israel, 22 April 2015. At the close of Remembrance Day for the country's Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror, Israel begins to celebrate its Independence Day and mark the 67th anniversary of the creation of the Jewish state in 1948. EPA/ABIR SULTAN

Israel’s 75th

Gareth Smith is right about one thing, yes, we along with Australian diplomats and politicians are celebrating the amazing country that is Israel. Allow me to give you some very, very basic facts about the region that was known as Palestine.

Never in history has there been an independent country or state known as Palestine, as it was simply the name given to the region by the Romans when they finally defeated the Jews in battle. 

Jordan was established on 78 per cent of mandatory Palestine, so why is there no mention of Jordan as ‘Palestine’ or a ‘Palestinian’ Jordanian identity?

In November 1947, the UN voted and agreed to partition the remaining part of the region of Palestine into two states, a Jewish state and an Arab state (up until this point in history, the people the Arabs referred to as Palestinians were the Jews of the land and the Arabs simply called themselves Arabs, as they found the title beneath them).

The Arabs completely rejected this resolution as they did not want one inch of the land to be shared with the indigenous Jews, whilst the Jews gladly agreed, and on 14 May 1948 Israel was declared an independent state. 

One day later, on 15 May, five mighty Arab armies from the surrounding countries invaded Israel and were intent on completely annihilating the newly-formed Jewish state.

Read the article by Danny Wakil, Billinudgel in Echo.