Israel’s Bright Future

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/02/opinion/israel-future.html

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To the Editor:

In “An Israel That Inspires Both Pride and Shame” (column, Dec. 30), Roger Cohen laments that Israel’s government is supposedly leading it nowhere.

Mr. Cohen’s pessimism would likely come as a surprise to Israelis, who are healthier and wealthier than ever before. It would likely come as a surprise to Israel’s Arab citizens, who are receiving the largest investment in their sector in the history of Israel — almost $4 billion for health, education and welfare.

It would likely come as a surprise to the many countries around the world flocking to Israel to deepen relations. It would likely come as a surprise to millions who heard Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations invite the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, to speak in Israel’s Parliament, another gesture of peace that was turned down.

Israel is a thriving democracy in the heart of the Middle East. Our hand will always be extended in peace.

Israel’s future has never been brighter. Mr. Cohen’s pessimism shouldn’t be wasted on the most successful, thriving and optimistic state in the Middle East.

DAVID KEYES, JERUSALEM

The writer is a spokesman for Prime Minister Netanyahu.