ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS

Close your eyes and imagine for one moment how radically different the entire world would be if Israel were at peace with its neighbours in the Middle East. In fact, consider the multitude of benefits to all of humanity and the thought becomes as exciting as it does overwhelming.

I am not merely talking about the preservation of human life that is tragically lost to deadly terrorist attacks and wars that are forced upon the Jewish state by neighbours who remain committed to its destruction.

I am also talking about the life-improving innovations that flow from Israel like the mighty streams that rush through the rugged landscape of the Holy Land.

If Israel received the gift of peace and security, then the entire world would receive even more remarkable benefits than it has already reaped from a tiny country no bigger than the state of New Jersey which fights to survive in one of the world’s most violent and destructive neighbourhoods.

During the past week I have travelled through Israel and the Palestinian territories with Dr Ben Carson and his wife Candy (SEE: WHO IS WILLIAMS, BELOW). We have seen first-hand the challenges that Israel faces and the incredible opportunities that this small dynamo is creating for its people and the larger global community.

So many Palestinians want to live in Israel

One of the most striking things about this visit is that several Palestinians have pulled me aside and whispered to me how much they would like to live in a country like Israel.

They dare not say this publicly out of fear, but so many Palestinian parents simply  desire what their counterparts on the Israeli side want: to live in peace and in a place that provides hope and promise for their children.

It’s such a shame that these aspirations are held hostage on the Palestinian side by terrorist groups and corrupt leaders who prefer bloodshed and bombing to peace and progress.

When you pause to consider what Israel has managed to give to the world, despite being under constant fire from its enemies, it is staggering. Innovations from instant messaging to ingestible pill cameras to aid doctors; from drip irrigation to lightning-fast computer processors and the USB flash drive. These are just a handful of the Israeli innovations that have forever altered our world for the better.

As we heard this week in Israel, the country spends around 20 per cent of its national budget on defence. Imagine if Israel’s neighbours were to accept its existence and sign peace accords with the Jewish state. The rate of innovation would surge forward, research and development could accelerate thanks to the infusion of much-needed funds. The world would not just improve, but it would do so faster.

What has made the nation so inventive?

The Arab and Muslim countries which spend so much time demonising Israel and indoctrinating their people to hate Jews would actually stand to benefit the most from ending their senseless crusades against Israel and stepping into the modern world. Arab children, and indeed children everywhere across the globe, would enjoy greater access to health-care innovations. They would have greater economic opportunities and chances to improve their societies.

What is it about Israel that has made the nation so inventive? It is a fascinating question to ponder. Ironically, perhaps life in the pressure cooker of the Middle East has motivated the Israelis to push harder, to produce more.

Historically, the Jewish people have always been threatened and unjustly targeted.

Yet somehow that may have instilled within this noble and learned people a desire to prove the naysayers wrong. Are Jewish successes in all realms – from law to science to business to scholarship and beyond – a form of rebellion and resistance to the haters and naysayers who have tried in vain to convince the world that Jewish lives and blood are worth nothing?

How is it that a group of people who represent just 0,2 per cent of the global population have won 22 per cent of the Nobel Prizes which are awarded to those whose work advances humanity?

As I prepare to depart from Israel and reflect on the remarkable events that took place here I remain hopeful that there are more great things to come. The grace of G-d is present here in this land, and what the Israeli people are continuing to share with the brotherhood of man across the globe is nothing short of a modern-day miracle.

Who is Armstrong Williams?

Armstrong Williams is a TV presenter and host, owner of media outlets in the US, columnist, political activist, Christian leader and entrepreneur. He was born on February 5, 1959 in Marion, South Carolina.

He authors a nationally syndicated conservative newspaper column, hosts a daily radio show and a nationally syndicated TV programme called “The Right Side with Armstrong Williams” (SEE ABOVE) and is the founder and CEO of the Graham Williams Group, an international marketing, advertising and media public relations consulting firm.

Williams was labelled by The Washington Post as “one of the most recognisable conservative voices in America”.

In early 2013 Williams began expanding his outreach by entering into media ownership with the purchase of two television stations from an NBC affiliate.

Last month, on December 4, the US FCC approved the transfer of three radio station licences to Williams’ Howard Stirk Holdings. Williams will operate the stations independently.

Armstrong Williams is also a National Board member of the Carson Scholars Fund, a non-profit charity that was founded in 1994 by Johns Hopkins Paediatric Neurosurgeon Dr Benjamin and Candy Carson.

He has also served on the boards of the President’s Commission on White House Fellows, under former President George W Bush, Independence Federal S&L Bank Board of Directors and NEWSMAX Advisory Board.

Williams is the Founder and CEO of the Graham Williams Group, an international marketing, advertising and media public relations consulting firm.

He also owns Armstrong Williams Productions LLC with David Modell from Baltimore, Maryland.

Armstrong Williams has also written three books:

• Reawakening Virtues: Restoring What Makes America Great, in 2011;
• Letters to a young victim: Hope and Healing in America’s Inner Cities in 1996; and
• Beyond Blame: How We Can Succeed by Breaking the Dependency Barrier in 1995