Amidst ongoing warnings of additional terror attacks, a general closure has been imposed on Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. During the three days of the closure, Palestinians are barred from entering Israel and no merchandise is being permitted into the country. The Allenby Bridge and Rafah border crossings remain open, operating on a Shabbat schedule.

Sirens sounded throughout the country last night, signaling

"It is only due to our fallen and their comrades that we have come this far" - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon

the start of Remembrance Day. Citizens stood in silent tribute to the 19,312 servicemen and women who have fallen in defense of Israel since November 29, 1947. Additional sirens sounded this morning, just before the start of memorial services at military cemeteries throughout Israel.

President Moshe Katsav, speaking at Tuesday night's main Remembrance Day ceremony at the Western Wall, said that all Israelis vow "that our enemies will not break us until we reach peace and security."

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon added, "It is only due to our fallen and their comrades that we have come this far. Even though our enemies still refuse to recognize the right of the Jewish people to its land, they acknowledge our might and resolve," he said.

Tonight, Remembrance Day will give way to the start of Independence Day celebrations. At a national ceremony on Mt. Herzl, twelve citizens will light torches, underscoring the central theme of this year's Independence Day celebrations - "People Who Care: Volunteering as a Way of Life."

Little spirit to celebrate
But the tragic events of the past few weeks have left Israelis with little spirit to celebrate Independence Day. The mortar shells that fell on Sderot, the suicide bombing in Kfar Saba and the regular shootings on Jewish settlements are fresh in Israelis' minds, clearly painting a picture of a country still very much at war.

As Herb Keinon wrote in commentary published in the Jerusalem Post today, "Fifty-three years after [Israel's] founding, we woke this year to discover that we are, in a sense, still fighting our War of Independence."

Ha'aretz concurs that the Israel is still involved in an ongoing struggle that began 53 years ago. In its lead editorial today Ha'aretz writes "The past year has confirmed that not only do the results of the Six-Day War pose an obstacle to Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation, but also the remnants of the War of Independence."

The Jerusalem Post's lead editorial today points out the difference between Remembrance Day in Israel, and the Memorial Days marked in Western countries by store discounts and long weekends. "Israel is still a country at war, fighting for recognition and survival in a region increasingly hostile to its very presence."

Shifra Hoffman, founder and President of Victims of Arab Terror International, wonders whether Israel is really independent, or actually "dependent" on others. In an opinion piece posted on the Arutz 7 website, Hoffman asks "What other nation on the face of the globe...which is constantly under deadly attack by implacable enemies...feels compelled to "ask world permission" or to "explain its actions" in order to protect its people?"

While the Jerusalem Post states that "Israel's War of Independence endures to this day, continuing to sap enormous human and material resources," it also notes that Israel is a "vibrant democracy, a hi-tech powerhouse, and a magnet to immigrants around the globe."

Israelis, despite fighting a war of survival for 53 years, have accomplished much, and have every reason to be proud of their country. Faced with the past weeks' difficult and painful events, Israelis can still view the anniversary of their independence with heads held high, confident that the State of Israel will continue to meet the challenges of the future.

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