10 reasons to feel hopeful about Israel

Some might say that it is hard to be optimistic about Israel’s fate. On its 78th Independence Day, the headlines are still crowded with war, diplomatic isolation, domestic division and the small inconvenience of 450 kilograms of enriched uranium that are still in the hand of the Iranian regime, for whom the words “death to Israel” are an overarching aim rather than a mere slogan. All in all, not ideal conditions for cheerful reflection.

And yet, Israel has always been a country that confounds grim predictions. Beneath the headlines, there are still plenty of reasons to think that its future may be brighter than it looks. Here are ten of them.

1. Apparently, Jews can be sporty.

Not to diminish the achievements of Jewish athletes around the world, but for years many Israelis half-accepted the idea that their country simply was not built to hoover up medals or lift major trophies. Every Olympic medal was greeted with delight and a hint of disbelief. In a country under constant security pressure, some argued, a serious sporting culture could never quite thrive; others blamed everything from mentality to the grass itself — which, well, could perhaps be greener.

And yet, in recent years, that stereotype has begun to collapse. Nowadays, Israeli children wake up at absurd hours of the night to watch Deni Avdija, who this season became the first Israeli basketballer ever named to the NBA All-Star Game. Artem Dolgopyat, an artistic gymnast and Israel’s most decorated Olympian, added another gold at the World Cup this month. Raz Hershko, one of the most consistent and successful judokas, has just won gold in the women’s over-78kg category at the 2026 European Judo Championships. Even football has offered grounds for cheer: goalkeeper Daniel Peretz is now on loan at Southampton and has become a fan favourite by gaining momentum for his team in the Championship.

2. Despite the regional instability, Israel preserves its status as a Start Up nation

Its tech industry remains a world leader in cybersecurity, AI, fintech, and defence technology, continuing to attract significant foreign investment. In 2025, high-tech investment experienced a dramatic resurgence, reaching record levels despite the ongoing conflict. Israeli tech companies raised between $15.6 billion and $16.7 billion in private funding, ranking among the first five the European sphere. This is great news, as high-tech accounts for approximately 20% of Israel’s total GDP.

While PitchBook’s University Rankings for unicorn founders are dominated by American institutions, Israel remains a global leader outside America. Tel Aviv University (#7) and the Technion (#10) place Israel at the forefront of per-capita unicorn production. Global tech giants have taken note; this past March, Google completed the largest acquisition in its history, purchasing the Israeli cloud security unicorn, Wiz, for $32 billion.

3. Israel is safer than it was on 6 October

The Hamas attack of 7 October exposed a catastrophic strategic misjudgement by Israel’s leadership and grave failures by the IDF. It cost around 1,200 lives in the deadliest massacre in Israel’s history and left deep, multiplying trauma across Israeli society. But it also triggered a direct confrontation with Iran and its other proxies, forcing Israel to break through a long-standing wall of fear and face the suffocating “ring of fire” around it.

These military and diplomatic campaigns are far from over. Yet a cold comparison of military capability, economic resilience and leadership cohesion suggests that Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas have all suffered serious losses, harming their ability to attack Israelis and Jews worldwide. Israelis know their fight was not in vain.

4. A proactive geopolitical regional approach

Israeli foreign policy has often looked more reactive than visionary, but since 7 October and the wars that followed, it has become noticeably more proactive, seeking to shape its strategic environment rather than merely respond to events. Pre-emptive strikes on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic-missile programmes, alongside closer operational coordination with Washington, are the more obvious examples.

More unexpectedly, Israel’s decision in December 2025 to become the first country to recognise Somaliland — the breakaway territory in the Horn of Africa, which is internationally recognised as part of Somalia, yet has operated as a self-governing, independent state since 1991. It is strategically located opposite Houthi-threatened Red Sea shipping lanes and opened a potential new foothold in a region of growing importance. Last year in Syria, driven by a “covenant of blood” with Israel’s own Druze minority, Israel intervene to protect the Druze community in Suwayda that was massacred by both the new Syrian government forces and extremist local militias. It is early to estimate if its new proactivity will pay off, but at least on a local level, Somalilanders and Syrian Druze have been parsing the new cooperation with the Jewish state.

5. Israel’s eclectic music scene is still banging

Despite the war, the boycotts and the hostility, a good melody can still slip past the barricades — even when, God forbid, it comes from an Israeli musician. The annual hate-fueled Eurovision dramas did not stop Eden Golan and Yuval Raphael from storming into the top five, while artists such as Noga Erez have torn up stages from Tel Aviv to Coachella, overcoming death threats and the besieging BDS mob.

From world music in Arabic and Persian to the rise of eccentric pop stars and Hebrew-singing rappers, the past decade has been a remarkable one for Israeli music.

Israelis still remember that Bruno Mars was not exactly prepared to “catch a grenade” for them, as he cancelled his concert on 7 October and flew out without ever publicly commenting on the war, bringing the brief renaissance of major international concerts in Israel to an abrupt end. Into that void stepped Israeli musicians, who kept the show going even under ballistic missile fire.

6. The upcoming October 2026 elections offer a measure of hope

The current government’s judicial overhaul triggered an unprecedented internal rupture, soon followed by war on multiple fronts. But these years of upheaval also brought out the best in Israeli civil society, which has produced a new crop of grassroots leaders, some now preparing to enter politics and bring fresh blood with them. They include young Israelis shaped by the cost of war, alongside accomplished technocrats who proved themselves in ministerial reform and are now stepping into the political arena. For all the damage of recent years, they may yet leave behind one unexpected gift: a new generation ready to lead.

7. Believe it or not, but there is a chance for peace

Peace between Israelis and Palestinians currently seems impossible for people on both side of the conflict. Nonetheless, the regional dove of peace still flies above the rocket-pierced sky. The peace with Egypt and Jordan has held despite the shocks of wars and adverse public opinion. When those peace agreements were signed, a very few Israelis could imagine that Jordan would one day actively intercept drones and rockets from Iran, or that the main exodus out of Israel during the wars with Iran would be through, of all places, Egypt.

The newer Abraham Accords from 2020 also have managed to last and changed the outlook of the region: open cooperation with Israel is no longer unthinkable. The relationship with UAE is close and stretching beyond cold strategic calculations, with mutual tourism and even relocation of Israelis to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Israel has become a major defence partner for Morocco. In early 2026, the two countries signed a joint military work plan that deepened an already expanding relationship spanning security dialogue, arms procurement, defence-industry cooperation and military exchanges.

Meanwhile, the fall of Bashar al Assad in Syria, the shaken Iranian regime, and the weakening of Hezbollah in Lebanon, open new opportunities for a dialogue, and, eventually, peace. After years of hostility, seeing Israeli and Lebanese flags openly presented along each other during the US-backed ceasefire negotiations this month moved many and sparked hope for peace.

8. Israel is still the only secure haven for the LGBTQ community in the Middle East

Surveys show that the war brought Israelis, practically the young ones, closer to tradition and God, but they also show steady cross-social vast support for LGBTQ rights in Israel. Over the years, acceptance has begun to permeate religious and traditional circles, evidenced by TV journalists wearing kippahs and Mizrahi traditional singers who have publicly come out of the closet.

While the LGBTQ community in Israel still has a journey ahead of it, the country’s laws and judicial precedents are pushing toward full equality. For instance, in 2023, the court unanimously ruled that same-sex couples are permitted to adopt children, reinterpreting the 1981 adoption law to emphasize that adoption is based on the child’s welfare rather than being reserved solely for heterosexual couples.

9. Israel consistently ranks among the happiest countries in the world

Despite the security challenges and the profound trauma of recent years, the World Happiness Report continues to rank Israel among the top ten countries. Psychologists note that in times of crisis, Israeli social cohesion strengthens – the high level of volunteerism, national unity, and mutual responsibility provides individuals with a deep sense of purpose and belonging. Another important driver of overall happiness is being a highly family-oriented country, particularly compared to other Western developed countries. Strong multi-generational family ties and close-knit social circles provide a safety net that buffers individuals against stress and loneliness.

10. The majority of Jews remain Zionists and feel a deep connection to Israel

This is encouraging news for the State, as it ensures the continued strength of its ties with the Diaspora. Since 7 October, the global Jewish community has stepped up remarkably by gathering donations for devastated border communities and advocating tirelessly for the hostages and for fairer media coverage of Israel.

As antisemitism continues to rise globally, Israel remains what it has been since its inception: a steadfast refuge and a home for Jews everywhere.