Nachmanides, the medieval Jewish commentator, wrote that nowhere in the world would one find a land which is good and bountiful when settled by its people, but desolate when ruled by foreigners. This is exactly what Hashem (God) promised regarding the Land of Israel, as it says in Leviticus (26:32), “I will make the land desolate, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled by it.” This guarantees that throughout the ages, the Land of Israel will not accept its enemies; it will prosper only for the children of Israel. Today, one can see this blessing fulfilled, as her children have returned home. The land which lay desolate for centuries under foreign rule again flourishes and blooms, giving dignity and majesty to her people.