Ha’aretz has a list of 10 Who Made Israel What it Is (The list is followed by comments/discussion.)

Ha’aretz special section Independence Day in Focus

Jerusalem Post web discussion of the question What’s Israeli?

YNet Opinion pieces
Israel & America – Two-Way Independence by Yoram Ettinger
The Article I Never Wrote by Yair Lapid

JTA
As Israel mourns and celebrates, a new immigrant looks at the swings by Jonathan Udren

Some bloggers on Yom HaAtzmeut
Blurry Mind (Not directly about Yom HaAtzmeut, but on what her family is going through with her brother’s recent death during his IDF service.)
Divrei Moshe
Dutchblog Israel has three posts on this Independence day
I Dream, Therefore I Am
Israel21c [A site with much about technology and life in Israel.]
Israelity: Life Beyond the Conflict
Jerusalem Wanderings
Normblog
The View From Here
This Normal Life & Brian’s Family Tiyul
Sha’s post and top 57 things about Israel

Background & Information
Hatikva – Israel’s National Anthem (Information, English text, Hebrew text, many music renditions…)
Israel’s Proclamation of Independence (English)
About Israel’s Proclamation of Independence
Palestine Post May 16, 1948 Commemorative Issue
Israel’s Flag
My Jewish Learning Israel Index to anything you want to know about Israel

An Issue or Two
AUT (UK Professor’s Union) Boycott and Consequences

Games
Israel Geography Game (Flash)

UPDATE
Another blog post: In Context

Today is Yom HaAtzmeut, Israel’s Independence Day! 57 years ago on the Jewish calendar, the British left their mandate-controlled Palestine and Israel embraced its independence.

Israel is a complex, beautiful, amazing, little country. Young as a modern political entity, but ancient – people have lived there for over 4000 years.

Celebrate!

Gilly of If I Forget Thee… has two posts on Yom HaZikaron which are worth your time:

Yom HaZikaron
Ein Li Eretz Acheret (There is no other country for me)

You can see some pictures of the day at this Jerusalem Post article.

All forms of entertainment – theater, movies, tv shows… are closed on Israel’s Memorial Day. A serious day – one which goes far beyond the bbqs and gatherings in the USA. We in the US could learn about memory from the Israelis.

Today was Yom HaZikaron in Israel.

[Want information about today? Get basic information at My Jewish Learning or Jewish Virtual Library.]

I am reminded of the Yom HaZikaron when I lived in Israel. As is still the custom, the sirens blew twice – once at the beginning of the commemoration and once at 11 am (just at the start of the national memorial ceremony at Har Hazikaron {Israel’s national cemetery}). The moment the siren begins its plaintive wail, all action ceases. Meetings, phone calls, cars, buses – everything. People get out of cars and buses, standing in the street, honoring and remembering those who have died. The sirens wail is accompanied by silence and tears cover the land, permeating thought, deed and emotion. About 7 million people live in Israel and about 22,000 have died in Israel’s wars. Nearly everyone knows someone who has died – parent, child, sibling, extended family member, friend….

I attended the national ceremony around 11 am the morning of Yom HaZikaron. A large crowd was gathered at the cemetery, and there too the silence permeated by the siren was all encompassing. After the siren, the ceremonial speeches began along with prayers and wreath-laying. When the official activities ended, families fanned out throughout the cemetery, visiting their loved one’s graves, crying, talking, placing stones and some lying on top of the graves. The way the cemetery is set up, one can tell which are the most recent graves. Walking by them was heartbreaking. Grief poured forth and strangers comforted one another. All in Israel, all of the Jewish people are family.

To my Israeli family, my thoughts are with you today. Your sacrifices have not been in vain and are not taken for granted by this (currently) diaspora Jew.