Countries are not made over night and its Jews like you who hurt Israel. Yes, security is a massive issue, but there is a lot of venture capital in Israel as well. No, Israel isn't where I would want it to be, but when you sit literally in the farthest place away from Israel, its so easy to be pessemistic. What about optimism? I am optimistic. I am making aliyah. Long careful thought went into this decision. I know there are Israelis chomping at the bit to get out, but I think its a case of grass seeming greener. Israel will live only if the world Jewry commits 1000% to Israel. No one wants to get into the nitty gritty of Israel but us. Yes there is inept leadership, corruption, scandels etc, but what country doesn't have? We have to hold ourselves to a higher standard and not lose sight of what is important. Israel is the dream and yes, there is a lot to do, so let's stop whining and do it!

Ynet, this pointless inarticulate mess would be poor journalism on any date, but publishing this on Israel Independence Day is truly in the worst possible taste. Your editors should truly be ashamed of this one. The writer of this article is obviously dealing with many inner conflicts and also feels guilty for having left. He has given up on the dream of Israel and a home for the Jewish people, but still uses the word "we" throughout. It seems to me that he is desperately seeking company to validate his personal decision. Fortunately, every year, more and more people place their bets on Israel, warts and all, than on fast-Islamizing Australia or on France, or on the UK, or on......... and on and on. Am Yisrael Chai.

Dear Author, Those who have been here in Israel before us have been through harder times, and prevailed. We will also. This place is on 59 years old and has developed like no other. It might not always be roses, but this is where we are supposed to be...That overrules everything. If I can see not only the potential, but also the importance, then so should you...otherwise, ynet, let me write the articles ;-)

I could not be more glad that this virus has left Israel. Yes, Israel has problems, but as opposed to running away and living an anonymous life in Australia (hope you don't run into a bus of footie fans) why not work to create a better state? As I prepare aliya, I'll think of your life in gulut and how you are missing the point of the Jewish State.

''But any good poker player knows that a point comes where we need to give up, put the cards on the table, and say goodbye. A really good player knows how to do it when he still has money left for another round on another day'' AND THIS AUTHOR TALKS OF PLAYING POKER WHEN THE DEALER (Israelis) ARE PLAYING TIDDLYWINKS AND THE PLAYERS (terrorist) ARE PLAYING FOOTBALL.

Poor Baby..Could be you don'y deserve a country. You served?? Try a real war. My company (G,US 1st Armored Regt) lost all it's tank in an hour on Feb 14th 1943, was back in action in weeks, founght to the end of WW2 Italy (Anzio, Appenines,etc), mud , snow, mountains, slept on the ground for 2 & half years, had many, many casualties. NOBODY WHINED.Lots of Brits,Russians (Germans too) had it far worse.Endured much more. Israel is a very young country, an infant country...It'll be a great country--without you.

Because they know that extreme use of Halacha CAN'T FIX IT. Why? Two fold; 1)EXTREME JEWISH LAW does away with individualism. 2)You CANNOT COMBINE Jewish Halachic law and Liberal jurisprudence in ISRAEL (Individualism) in a nice tidy package. In fact NO WHERE IN THE WORLD can this be done. Thats why there was or is supposed to be a seperation of Church and State in the US. Sure we got our problems, but FREE WILL isn't manifest under extreme law, but neither is LIFE. Like the result or not.

I dont understand the author at all. Life may not be perfect, but in 59 years Israel has absorbed tremendous immigration, tremendous technology, balanced religion vs secularism. Exports are increasing. Fertility of Jews is increasing slightly and decreasing for Arabs. Arabs are becoming more integrated into Israeli society (not all, but enough to measure). Israel has absorbed the Russian immigrants, Ethiopian immigrants. Israel is a modern miracle. No Arab army has ever defeated Israel militarily and never will. In fact, Arabs are now more scared of the rift in Sunni-Shiites, Arab vs Iranian, Al-Queda. Even with the terrible disengagement from Gaza and part of Samaria and the war in Lebanon, the economy was barely affected and it caused an increase in patriotism and increase in Jewish fertility. Life isnt perfect: Corruption, terrorism, unemployment, but Israel is something to be proud of. The hard work is done. Its finetuning the future that is needed, not building the foundation. I am VERY proud of my Israeli brothers and sisters. Am Yisrael Chai!

It was a refuge for G-ds people. Not a discriminator against Jews.

Please follow Idan's example. Do not stay here. Idan is right. This is not a good place for you.

a shamed of yourself.

The exact same IDF that has bee pulverizing Hamas and Hizbullah for 20 years now – and look how nicely pulverized they are.

Idan you should read the history of the world and the history of the jewish people and you will find that there was no people struggled to restore their countries after 2000 years of occuption except jews so we can't ignore 2000 years from fighting because of some problems but we should face our problems and not leave our counrty because of them, country isn't a hotel we can leave it if we don't like the service but country is a home and if you have a problem in your home you will fix it and you won't leave your home

you are out of Knesset now, go live in Syria, don't bother us with your articles...

"Abroad," America, looks good only because you do not really care about America. To those of us who live here, the U.S. is a mess. Let's do the list: a lost war, VA Tech, inept and corrupt leadership, terrible gap between the haves and the have nots, religious nuts everywhere, a country literally for sale to corporate interests. So I think we should all leave America for someplace else. You do not notice any of this because you are tourist wherever you are. It is not really your country, unlike Israel.

Until Israel gets straightened out by the real Jews. Its not the promised land of the Tanach, and you have to put up with the peoples from many nations, and all the crime and filt that goes along with mans free will. But we are looking for a few some "good imigrants".

Maybe some of the rejected Jews of Israel can move up my way, and stasrt an open door tolerant synagogue, where peoples from all over can study the tanach?

We have already Israelis spoiling New Zeland. Don't encourage more to come.

1) Accept this land is Arab (Palestine) 2) Accept to return to wherever your fathers, or grandfathers, come from. 3) Accept that this is an existential struggle, and it's either us (the natives) or you (the Jews hiding behind biblical excuses to colonize and steal land). And my felicitations to the author of this marvelous article. For once, and Israeli sees the light. If only more Israelis in Palestine had this mindset, perhaps Zionism could be reversed, and Muslims, Christians, and the earlier Jewish settlers, could coexist within Arab rule.

all this article did was make me cry. and made me ashamed to think there are people like him around

Tsafuf po - Idan, tov she-azavta. Yesh yoter makom ve-hanaya.

Some one doesn't want to be here? Fine. Go away. I love it here. Problems and all!

write? He is filth and should be declared personna non grata in Israel. People with more education than him left their countries and made allyah. He is a coward that wants others to join him. We are not afraid of the arabs and one day we will have a gov't that will let us punish them severely for all the terror and hate they use against us.

Most all are fair points and real criticisms. Too many things are bad in this country. Surely, the Arab/leftist plague is the worst, but there is no reason why other things shouldn't be dealt with. Especially corruption and lowering living standards.

Finally YNet has the nads to print something honest like this. Thank you for that! As for all the rabid denialists- what realistic plans do you have besides remaining in denial? Fortress Israel (re: open ghetto) is hardly a way for am yisrael to live, much less thrive. I keep reading pathetic and disturbing comments about smashing the arab states...with what exactly? Even if it happened, the entire world would turn on Israel and finish it off for good. It's time for some really tough decisions for Jews. Medinat yisrael has become an evangelical pawn unworthy of respect or consideration; whereas I know that am yisrael is tougher than ever and will flourish in the proper conditions; that is, not permanently under siege. Face the facts: secular Zionism has failed spectacularly and no honor attaches itself to waiting around for the next generation of terrorism to incinerate us. We love you all in America- help Judaism thrive and LEAVE ISRAEL.

secular yordim have gentile progeny at a faster rate than American reform. Perhaps this is the way of sifting out our Quislings.

Israelis live in Israel not as a gamble or because they expect to make money. They are there because they belong there and because they want to stay, no matter what, in good times and tough times. Many of those who have helped build Israel sacrificed comfortable lives abroad in order to live in their ancestral home and to create a safe refuge for Jews. It seems that the author made a special effort to find everything that is wrong with the country. We could do the same with just about any Western country (and let's not even talk about the rest of them). What he does not take into account is that modern Israel is very young, and it's made up of such a variety of people that have almost nothing in common except their ancestral historical link and their love for the land. Those who don't value the land, those are the ones who are ready to give it up easily. They are the ones who side with the Arabs and are eager to hand over Judea and Samaria and the Golan. Or maybe they just move abroad and criticize. It takes a lot of courage to live in Israel and to fight every day to protect the land and to make it prosper. Those who do are heroes. There is so much that is good about Israel and every accomplishment is even more admirable because it happens in a country under siege. We should all be so proud of Israel and its people. Politicians have been, unfortunately, not the ideal choice, but the country is learning. It has reached bottom in this regard but it's bound to be more selective, less trusting, and more demanding of what they expect of their politicians in the future. Only the Loony Left continues on their defeatist road to nowhere. Many of us have full confidence in G-d and in the Jews of Israel. They will prevail and they will continue to live there and to work and create wonderful things for Israel and for the rest of the world.