The Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 that ended the Thirty Years War, created the modern European nation state, and the rest is, as they rightly say, history. A history of science and music and art and military supremacy. The Middle East contains one Westphalian state, Israel, which is how they have single-handedly and repeatedly defeated the combined armies of their Arab neighbors. Threatened once again by its neighbors, who rain rockets down on the civilian population, the Israelis restrain themselves from eliminating the problem instantly and forever. But their patience and forbearance cannot last forever in the face of Arab attacks. One day, and very possibly soon, Israel will show the Arabs what a Westphalian nation state is all about.

A nation that’s Westphalian

Is much like unto Pygmalion

In that strength resides beneath the edges rough

It’s cohesive and resilient

In Israeli case it’s brilliant

They’re inventive and resolved and they are tough

While surrounded by the haters

Who are only imitators

And whose countries are behind a thousand years

Peopled with uneducated

Masses vastly overrated

As a military force that no one fears

So the tiny land of Zion

Seems to prosper and get by on

Wits and brains and work and pure Westphalian guts

While the Arabs cannot share it

They refuse to grin and bear it

And the Jewish state just laughs and drives them nuts