Why have israeli built up a strong military?

Answer 1

-- On theday after modern-Israel became a country, the armies of seven other

nearby countries rolled into Israel to make sure that it did not last long.

-- Ever since then, the governments and religious leaders in the countries

around Israel have told their people that the Jews stole their land and want

more of it, and that Israel must be wiped out. The people teach their children

to hate Jews, and the books in their schools are printed with maps on which

Israel is not there.

-- There is a large country near Israel, where nuclear (atomic) weapons

are being developed, and their president has said in public speeches that

Israel is a "cancer" that must be cut out of its place and destroyed.

-- There is a small piece of land right next to Israel where the constitution

of the government says that their job is to destroy Israel and kill the Jews.

If you lived in a neighborhood like that, and had neighbors like that, you'd

need to be strong too. You'd need to make sure that you could take care

of yourself, no matter what they might try to do, or when they might try it.