David Ben-Gurion declares the establishment of the State of Israel Israel's 60th Independence Day celebrations will commence on Wednesday evening, May 7, when the state flag is raised to full mast at a national ceremony on Mount Herzl, at which twelve torches are lit.

With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Jewish independence, lost two thousand years earlier, was restored

. Independence Day is a celebration of the renewal of the Jewish state in the Land of Israel, the birthplace of the Jewish people. In this land, the Jewish people began to develop its distinctive religion and culture some 4,000 years ago, and here it has preserved an unbroken physical presence, for centuries as a sovereign state, at other times under foreign domination. Throughout their long history, the yearning to return to the land has been the focus of Jewish life.

The events and projects for Israel's 60th anniversary reflect the Government resolution that they will center around the "strengthening of Israel's children".

The Israel at 60 events are designed to reach all the citizens of Israel wherever they may be, and a major proportion of the events shall be held in outlying regions. The events will showcase Israel's achievements over the 60 years since its founding. Special emphasis will be placed on Holocaust survivors and other sectors of the population.

The events and projects to mark 60 years of Israel's independence will focus on inculcating educational, cultural and artistic values among the youth. Emphasis shall also be placed on strengthening religious tolerance and civic awareness, strengthening the connection with the history of the State of Israel and the Jewish people, and strengthening awareness of nature, heritage, landscape and environmental values. Part of the budget for the Israel at 60 events shall be earmarked for infrastructure projects, that will bear fruit in the coming years.

* * * Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Message to the Diaspora Communities

It gives me great pleasure to send you warm greetings from Jerusalem - the vibrant and beating heart of the Jewish people and the eternal capital of the State of Israel - on the occasion of the State of Israel's 60th Yom Ha'atzmaut.

As we celebrate this milestone in the history of the State of Israel, this is an excellent time not only to look back at the tremendous accomplishments of the past 60 years, but also to look ahead to what the future holds in store for Israel and for the Jewish people.

Over the past 60 years, Israel has developed into a modern, vibrant country - one with a strong and stable economy; one which is a world leader in agriculture, science, hi-tech and medicine; one which welcomes and absorbs Jews from around the world and which embraces the diverse cultures from which they came.

Even with all these achievements, we still have much to accomplish. We must exhaust all possibilities for peace with our Arab neighbors, while always safeguarding the security of our citizens. We must work to ensure a more just and equal society; one which rejects all forms of discrimination and bias. We must ensure that the State of Israel fully embraces the challenges and wonders of the 21st century, to assure its status as a "light among nations".

Our greatest natural resource and our best chance to guarantee the future of the State of Israel and the Jewish people are our children. We must invest in Jewish-Zionist education, develop programs which strengthen the affinity of Diaspora youth for the State of Israel and work to strengthen Jewish identity and continuity.

To this end, we must strengthen the historic partnership between our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora and the State of Israel. For it is only together - striding forward shoulder-to-shoulder - that we can secure our common future, become stronger as a people and as a nation and fully realize the promise of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic country.

Chag Sameach.

PM Ehud Olmert's Message to Diaspora Children

Dear Children,

I am happy to send you my warm greetings from Jerusalem - the eternal and undivided capital of the State of Israel and the Jewish people - on the occasion of the State of Israel's 60th birthday.

Sixty years ago, brave Jews from all over the world fought for the independence and freedom of the State of Israel - and won. Since then, the State of Israel has become a modern and vibrant democracy.

Some of you may wonder why the State of Israel should be an important part of your lives. There are many reasons. The modern State of Israel ties us to our proud history in our Land - from the glorious days of the Kings of Israel, through the ancient height of our civilization and to the heroic stand of the Maccabees. The modern State of Israel serves as a safe haven for Jews across the world and embraces and absorbs their cultures - beginning with the Holocaust survivors of Europe, the Moroccans, Yemenites, Russians, Ethiopians, and Jews of every color and speaking 110 different languages. The Jewish people, wherever they may be, belong to each other - we are truly brothers and sisters - and we must ensure that we always have somewhere to come home to, even if we live in different places.

I invite you to become a part of Israel - learn our shared history and language and come visit us. We need each other to ensure our future as a people and as a country, and I call on youy to play a role in this important mission.

Chag Sameach.

Population of Israel: 7,282,000

On the eve of Independence Day 2007, the Central Bureau of Statistics announced that the population of Israel has reached 7,282,000- 132,000 more than last year.

Upon the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the population numbered just 806,000. - Jews 5,499,000 (75.5%) - Arabs - 1,461,000 (20.1%) - Others - 322,000 (4.4%)

Over three million people have immigrated to Israel since 1948, more than one million of them since 1990; approximately 18,000 immigrated in the past year.

Israeli the of 44% Today, 100,000. over of population a with Israel in city only the was Aviv Tel 1948, Inpopulation lives in cities numbering 100,000 or more residents. Five cities have a population exceeding 200,000 - Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Haifa, Rishon Lezion and Ashdod - with a total combined population of 1,810,300. * * * .