Israel's 60th Anniversary. May It Be Yet Happy

I look with a mixture of intense emotions at Israel's upcoming 60th anniversary. The refuge provided for Jews fleeing countries where they were in danger, the miraculous victories with G-d's help and against all odds are high points in the modern history of our Holy Land.
But I read with sadness of the expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif, and their horrible treatment of its former residents since then. These are people who had brought millions of shekels in taxes and foreign exchange into the Israeli economy. These are people who we now see in sad and bloody retrospect contributed immeasurably to security in the Holy Land.
I recoiled in horror from a headline in the Jewish Herald that Ehud Olmert has made progress , G-d forbid in reaching an agreement with Syria in which Israel would cede the Golan Heights to Syria.
In many synagogues, a prayer for the welfare of the State of Israel is said every Shabbos.
My prayer is this. May G-d protect our Holy Land. May He watch over its people and its soldiers who stand in its defense. May G-d watch over its Torah Scholars and those who defend our land with their prayers. We thank you G-d for the miracles that you have shown and through which you have defended us. We thank you for the righteous among the nations that have stood with us against vilification and treachery. Save us G-d from our enemies and from our government.May a day speedily come when such tearful prayers not be offered. May a day come that we stand not divided into our own foolish will by political party and level of piety. May the day speedily come when we stand divided according to your will behind tribal flags.
This prayer is said with love for You, G-d and for the land you have given us as well as each other. It is said with sadness that we have been forced to take lives in our defense and with greater sorrow that we face an enemy that sacrifices its own children.
May this day soon be a day of true joy. May we act in the future according to Your will so that we no longer need be rescued from ourselves as well as our enemies. We thank you for this anniversary and for every day in our Holy Land, which we see as a gift from You
Copyright 2008 by Magdeburger Joe