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Source: http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Celebrating-Israel-437676
Celebrating Israel
(Jerusalem Post) Editorial - In large part due to slanted media reports, propaganda and downright lies, impressions of Israel worldwide tend to be negative - particularly among those who have never visited the country. But according to the UN Human Development Index released this week, things in the Jewish state are pretty good. The index, which takes into consideration income, life expectancy and education for a combined development score, ranks Israel 18 out of 188 countries. Not only did Israel surpass by far all of its neighbors, but it outscored the EU and OECD averages as well. Countries such as France, Spain, Italy and even Japan scored lower than Israel. Israel has the second lowest rate of maternal mortality in the world with just two deaths for every 100,000 births. And at 2.9 births per woman, the Jewish state has the highest fertility rate among the top 49 developed countries. With regard to overall life satisfaction, only the residents of Switzerland, Denmark and Iceland registered greater satisfaction with their lives than Israelis. What makes Israel's ranking so impressive is that it has managed to build a successful nation within an incredibly short time while waging wars, absorbing millions of immigrants, and incorporating a large Arab minority that is at best indifferent to the Zionist enterprise. Taking the time to appreciate all that has been accomplished provides the strength to face future challenges with courage and optimism.