The two most commonly heard observations by Australians who visit Israel are firstly, that the country does not resemble the image of it created by the Australian and international media and secondly, how much they find they have in common with Israelis.

When we are talking about Israel we are dealing not with another despotic Middle Eastern state ruled by a potentate, a country with limited civil liberties, a subservient judiciary and widespread religious repression, but a modern society, a thriving economy, an independent judiciary, freedom of expression, guaranteed civil liberties and laws against discrimination; in other words a country with...