kfb- The Land of Israel is inherently holy and it is our homeland. Some people show hakaras hatov to the State of Israel because since the founding of the State, there have been more Jews and Torah in EY since around the time of the destruction of the second Beis HaMikdash. They show this hakaras hatov by celebrating the day the State of Israel was founded.
Also, you can’t compare the ability to go to France with the ability to go to Israel. Israel is our homeland, France is not.