Israel was being comforted by friends last night after the rest of the Middle East forgot its Sixtieth Anniversary. “It’s like they just don’t care” said Israel. “This one was a special one and we were hoping that for one year they could remember and get it right without being prompted. We’d been dropping hints all week, but you know, sometimes I think they barely recognise we even exist.”

“That’s so not true” said the rest of the Middle East. “May 8th 1947 was such a very special day for us too. Like most young couples we found ourselves moving out of our homes into something much much smaller.”

“We were really hoping our sixtieth anniversary might go off with a bang,” said Israel. “We’d laid the table especially and prepared Coq au Vin. But what happens? The Rest of the Middle East turns up late with a bunch of cheap flowers bought at the local garage and a cubic zirconium ring from the Elizabeth Duke section at Argos.”

“In our defence” said the rest of the Middle East “we’re usually very good at remembering anniversaries. On our 10th, when it’s traditional to send something aluminium we sent 12 surface-to-air missiles; and our 30th was marked with the customary carriage clock – attached by wires to 300 pounds of high-grade acetone peroxide and nitroglycerin. We’re looking forward to the 75th anniversary, we’ve got our eye on some lovely plutonium rods.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” said a grieving Israeli.