On a spring evening in Israel, as homes across the country hosted the traditional celebration of Pesach Sheni—a minor holiday commemorating second chances in Jewish tradition—one Israeli observer reflected on a truth both timeless and acutely relevant. While global headlines teem with uncertainty, diplomatic intrigue, and mounting threats, some residents see not chaos, but a deeper plan—a faith-driven narrative guiding Israel through the storms of modern history.
This conviction, rooted in thousands of years of Jewish survival and prophecy, has particular resonance today. The past year marked a watershed in Israel’s confrontation with Iranian-backed terror proxies, with the October 7 Hamas massacre standing as a brutal reminder of the existential dangers facing the Jewish state. In the aftermath, Israel’s military, political and civilian spheres have been on high alert. The memory of over a thousand men, women, and children slaughtered by Hamas terrorists—the deadliest antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust—haunts every policy decision, every community gathering, every prayer.
But the story of Israel since that black October morning is not merely one of trauma or defense. It is one of astonishing resilience: of a free people, battered by war and hemmed in by an emboldened alliance of Iranian-backed forces, yet refusing to surrender hope, identity, or faith in their national calling. That calling has always been, and remains, to ‘be a light unto the nations’ amidst overwhelming opposition.
A World in Upheaval: The Ancient Pattern Repeats
From the earliest days of the Jewish nation, Jewish texts have predicted that the 70 nations of the world would, at times, stand against Israel. Recent events have awakened a widespread sense among Israelis that ancient prophecies echo in today’s political realities. The United Nations, often a stage for anti-Israel resolutions and campaigns, continues to promote narratives that delegitimize Israel’s sovereignty and right to self-defense, while ignoring the crimes of terror groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and their Iranian patrons.
This hostile alignment is no abstraction. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has repeatedly called for Israel’s destruction, backing Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shiite militias in Syria and Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen. Each of these groups, collectively referred to as the ‘Axis of Resistance,’ receives training, funding, and strategic direction from Tehran. Their shared goal: to destabilize the region and, ultimately, erase the world’s only Jewish state from the map.
Israeli defense officials—led by Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir and Defense Minister Israel Katz—have emphasized that what is unfolding is not an isolated war with a local terror faction but a proxy campaign waged by Iran, employing brutal means and exploiting civilian populations for strategic cover. Recent IDF operations have uncovered weapons caches under hospitals in Gaza, cross-border tunnels running from Lebanon, and stockpiles of Iranian-made drones destined for use against Israeli cities.
‘The World Plans, but There Is a Greater Plan’
This reality is not lost on the Israeli public, whose sense of destiny, communal solidarity, and faith has been hardened by experience. The resilience on display is not limited to bomb shelters or the IDF’s cutting-edge defense systems, like the Iron Dome and David’s Sling; it is visible in the quiet confidence of citizens who, despite facing existential threats, continue to build, to celebrate, and, above all, to believe.
As one Israeli observed after a peaceful Pesach Sheni meal, global leaders make their plans—US President Donald Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Vladimir Putin and his proxies, even regional actors like Jordan’s King Abdullah or Qatar’s Emir—but, in the end, there is only one planner who truly determines destiny. This perspective, combining realism with faith, offers deep sources of hope and perseverance.
Israel has survived threats greater than those it currently faces, from ancient empires to modern genocidal regimes. The sense is growing, in homes and synagogues, that everything unfolding in the political and military spheres serves a greater purpose: to awaken, to unite, and to prepare Israel for ultimate redemption.
Gaza, the Hostage Tragedy, and the Fight for Historic Memory
The ongoing hostage crisis remains a physical and moral battleground. Over 120 Israeli and foreign hostages are believed to be held by Hamas and its affiliates in Gaza, their fate uncertain amid persistent calls for their unconditional release. The Israeli government continues to press internationally for their safe return, rejecting any equation of innocent victims with convicted terrorists released in past exchanges.
This distinction—between innocent abductees and those convicted of terror—remains a central tenet of Israel’s moral and legal approach. It is also emblematic of the broader struggle for narrative clarity: confronting attempts by international media, NGOs, and hostile diplomats to obscure the nature of Israel’s war as a defensive effort against genocidal terror, not an offensive campaign against civilians.
In parallel, the memory of the October 7th massacre—its systematic brutality, its undeniable antisemitic ideology, its resonance with the darkest chapters of Jewish history—has become a defining motif of Israel’s self-understanding. Israelis of all backgrounds, secular and religious, left and right, united in the conviction that the defense of their nation is the defense of humanity’s conscience.
Faith and Action: Israel’s Balance Between History and Destiny
What sets modern Israel apart is not only its technological prowess, or its commitment to democracy under fire, but its ability to draw strength from its spiritual heritage. While international forums debate, and adversaries plot, Israelis are reminded that their survival is both a miracle and a mandate—a story written across millennia, and one that will not be erased by the flash of a missile or the cynicism of diplomatic double-standards.
This conviction infuses national politics, inspires the Israeli Defense Forces, and sustains families through months of rocket alerts and complex mourning. It is the same conviction that, over three millennia ago, led Moses to lead a scrappy people out of Egypt, and that now sustains their descendants through the most fraught chapter in decades.
In the words of Israel’s leaders, Israel remains strong not only because of its unmatched military and intelligence capabilities, but because of its unity—a unity forged in adversity, sustained by faith.
Conclusion: The Global Crossroads and the Road Forward
As Israel stands at a crossroads, with the world’s attention fixed on the region and Iran’s proxies gathering strength, the stakes are not only military or political, but moral and civilizational. The outcomes of the coming months—the fate of hostages, the resilience of civilian communities, the assertiveness of Israeli deterrence—will shape not only Israel’s future, but that of the entire free world.
There is a growing recognition within Israeli society that history is not merely repeating itself, but insisting on decisive action and renewed faith. Against the designs of those who would erase it, Israel stands as a testament to survival, vision, and the belief that, despite the plans of men, destiny is guided by a higher hand. This is not merely a matter for theologians or poets; it is the lived reality of a nation determined to survive, thrive, and shine its light ever brighter—even as the nations gather against it, as foretold millennia ago.
For Israelis, this is the true story of the times: not one of despair, but of faith transformed into courage, and of a battered nation turning challenges into new chapters of hope and purpose.
