Israel established by Jews in homeland

Contrary to Gail Coleman's Jan. 7 letter, Israel was established by the sweat and blood of hundreds of thousands of Jews who returned to their ancestral homeland as refugees fleeing persecution, or as pioneers determined to re-establish a national homeland after 2,000 years of forced exile marked by discrimination, persecution, expulsions, massacres and genocide. Jews are indigenous inhabitants of the Land of Israel, starting at least 3,300 years ago, and have maintained a continuous presence there. Islam appeared much later, some 1,400 years ago.

The United Nations did not establish Israel. In 1947, it voted to partition the area. The Jews accepted partition and continued building their country, Israel, while the Arabs rejected partition.

Palestinian suffering stems mostly from the intransigence of its extreme and corrupt leadership, which has deprived the Palestinians the opportunity to establish their own independent state alongside Israel. The Palestinian rejection of Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state is the main cause for the perpetuation of the conflict.

Our aid to Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East and one of our most reliable allies, is an excellent investment in our strategic interests.

Pnina Luban

Ames