Reading through the news today on the arms embargo Israel and the international community are trying to implement against Hizb’allah, it struck me how naive the world’s relations with the Arab Middle East remain to this day.
Germany has sent a team of border police and customs experts to advise the Lebanese on how to most effectively keep their borders shut to illegal terrorist arms shipments. The very misguided assumption is that Beirut wants to and will deny terrorists such as Hizb’allah the arms they need just as vigorously as Germany, Britain or the US would.
For some reason, the world continues to ignore the fact that a large portion of the Lebanese vote for Hizb’allah in national elections, the group has two ministers in the Cabinet, Lebanon’s president publicly praises Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah as a national hero, and the army openly admits that it views Hizb’allah as a strategic military asset.
Imagine if following the 9/11 attacks on the US the international community decided to take Taliban-controlled Afghanistan at its word that no more arms or funds would reach the Al Qaeda killers in its midst. I doubt that would have been acceptable to most Americans.
Now, Lebanon is a country deeply divided down religious lines, and some sects and religions truly do want Hizb’allah gone. Some even take Israel’s side and openly support the Jewish state.
But those who genuinly oppose terrorism, even against Israel, are most definitely the exception in the Middle East, and are not the majority in Lebanon. Though Hizb’allah is Shi’ite and most of the Arab world is dominated by Sunni Islam, the maxim “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” forms the basis of most relations in this region, and few could care less about a group’s background so long as it is killing Jews and advancing the greater Arab cause.
And so, while the world believes that Hizb’allah’s minority base of direct support in Lebanon will equal success for the embargo, we can expect the terror group to begin taking delivery of Syrian and Iranian arms again in the very near future.
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20 comments so far ↓
1 Charles Wesley // Sep 8, 2006 at 11:51 pm
It may turn out that the U.N. instead of preventing arm shipments to Hezbollah tries to slow arm shipments to Israel.
I was not surprised to see the alignment of countries on the side of Islam. Hezbolla could and will fire their rockets over the blue hats. How will Israel be able to respond? The U.N. does not have the resolve to impose an embargo against Syra and Iran. All they did was to bail out the Hezbolla that bit off more than they could chew!
2 Nathan // Sep 9, 2006 at 2:12 am
Netanyahu is the answer for Israel. He is a strong leader and a true soul. The blue helmets and the united nothingness will leave the minute the first rocket falls on Hafia. The united nothingness will continue to stand by and allow Iran to continue to build its holy weapons, Syria to will enjoy their fruits, as will Hizbullah. The only answer is to fight, and fight until it is over. There will not be a “second chance” in my opinion. G-d bless America, G-d bless Israel.
3 Marsha Carol Watson // Sep 9, 2006 at 10:59 pm
Ryan, Charles and Nathan: you have spelled it out in terms that is easily understood. I don’t understand why the news media around the world can’t present this to the masses. Surely, if they were told in these terms, they would not be like the ostrich, with their heads in the sand.
Thank you. marsha
4 Allyn // Sep 11, 2006 at 2:31 pm
Maybe Nathan believes Netanyahu is the answer for Israel, but if you are a Christian and therefore believe God’s Word, only Jesus is the answer. Does anyone honor God by not mentioning this? To deny His name is to deny God. Why do not the Christians so concerned over Israel never bring up His name in their presence? Please reconsider this and come to the conclusion that puts Christ in your messages.
5 Charles Wesley // Sep 12, 2006 at 12:06 am
Amen!
6 Bert // Sep 12, 2006 at 5:37 pm
Christ!
I think Zionism is about Isreal’s survival. Is a Christian’s intrest in this only due to Christ the being and leader Or is it his teachings? Islamists use the Khoran to justify their every action. I don’t need the Bible to know what is right - because Christ is in me.
However, what we are talking about is KILLING - bad guys bereft of any redemtion to be sure, but killing all the same. I do not know what Christ woud say. To invoke his name would presume that one does. I can only know what I know through him.
I know this. I love my enemy, and so I pity the Muslims who “love death more than life”. But I will not let him KILL my brother, no mater how screwed up he is.
God and Christ have done enough. They have left the rest up to us. All of the reminders we need are in the Tora and the Bible. What we do to battle Islam and protect Isreal we do without orders from on high, but from within.
7 AMorton // Sep 12, 2006 at 7:12 pm
So Bert, tell me, in all you said in your post-are you saying Isreal’s hope is in Christ or not? Unless you are a jew without Jesus, I was not specifying you. Are you saying that the unbelieving Jew is your brother? I doubt that that he is any more than the unbelieving muslim. You can pick and choose all you want but maybe if you try to answer my two questions I will understand you better.
8 Charles Wesley // Sep 12, 2006 at 10:36 pm
The world hates the Jew because they had Jesus crucified not considering the fact the world kills ( him) daily. The Jew is God’s chosen people and made his covenant with them . This covenant didn’t rely on the Jews integrity ,but on the everlasting word of GOD. The Christian has to equate this promise to the assurance of Christ return and the promise of salvation everlasting. As for the Muslim , they are the aggressors and there is nothing we can do about that, We have tried again and again.
9 Nathan // Sep 13, 2006 at 6:11 am
Allyn please explain”… but if you are a Christian and therefore believe God’s Word, only Jesus is the answer…”??? What does Jesus have to do with Netanyahu?
10 AMorton // Sep 13, 2006 at 2:47 pm
Nathan, I am sorry if I confused you. It is not what Jesus has to do with Netanyahu because Jesus is in all. The question is what does Netanyahu have to do with Jesus? You said “Netanyahu is the answer for Israel.” I beg to differ. Jesus is the answer for Israel. Will Netanyahu, in your estimation, bring in Jesus?
11 Chistrian dude // Sep 14, 2006 at 10:43 am
Forget the jewesh people. They are selfish people. They are using Chiristian to save thier country. They dont have sympothy on chiristian. They killed Jesus and now they want to prove that christian and jewish are from same religion. They have cheated thier own prophet Muses. They killed jesus. They have no right to live on earth. Can anybody give answer why Hitler killed tham. Why nazis hate them? They must be specific resion why nazis did hollocaust……
12 AMorton // Sep 14, 2006 at 1:53 pm
Actually, I believe your name should be anti-christian dude because what you are saying is not in the likeness of Christ. Would you admit to that?
If the jews living today did kill Christ, as you seem to be implying, then all of us are guilty of the sins of our fathers. That puts you in a serious position.
We know from history that the instruments to this violence were all who hated righteousness. That righteousness is only found in fellowship with our creator and when He told us, by His written Word, to come unto Him through His Son, Jesus, then not to do so is unrighteousness. Mr. Dude, you need to take a long and hard look at yourself first. Are you living a life God would say is righteous? In otherwords, are you doing and saying the things Jesus would say?
If not then you condemn yourself when you condemn others. Even Jesus Himself did not come to condemn but to save. Where do you stand in that position?
13 Charles Wesley // Sep 15, 2006 at 2:15 am
Islamic Dude or is it True christian, No body Killed JESUS!
JESUS clearly explained that nobody took his life ,but he laid it down freely. The Jews only followed God’s plan to bring salvation to the Gentiles. If you will put down the Koran and read the Bible you would see what really happened to JESUS. It is the Muslim denial of JESUS that is worse than killing him. JESUS is the son of GOD our Heavenly Father. He was long before Mohammed lived And will be no matter what upstart comes along in the future. And yes even your Knee will bend before the Son Of God soon.
14 Muhyddine // Sep 21, 2006 at 12:40 pm
To All Zionist,
I guess you read news as your Olmert. First of all, all lebanese nationals and patriots will always admire Hizbullah, because they are taking the lead in resistance against israel’s occupation (Christians & Muslims). in case you don’t know:
1. Communist party (mix of religons)
2. SSNP (mix of religions)
lot more.
Syrians & Israelis are the same, in fact they learn from each other. even your olmert today said he is the best leader (can you believe this joke).
You will see tomorrow, how many will gather to meet Nasrallah.
By the way, just for your info. country is divided because of the international court in connection with harriri assasination, but no one will support israelis
15 Muhyddine // Sep 21, 2006 at 12:48 pm
To all Christians:
Never think that Jews/zionist love you or admire you. go and read for “Antoine Saadeh”, a great lebanese philosopher who said:
“All of us are Muslims, one who gave his soul to God through Bible, and one who gave his soul through Quran, and one who gave his soul though knowledge, and there is no one who will fight us against our land and religion, and beliefs except the Jews.”
understand abobe statement and start re-thinking.
16 Charles Wesley // Sep 23, 2006 at 6:23 am
We Christians love GOD . We don’t dislike Muslims . WE do hate the radical terrorist. They don’t hit military targets they kill unarmed civilians, women and children.
If the radicals did not attack Israel then they would not take more land for buffer zones. Thus the occupations would not be necessary and subsequent attacks against Israel and on and on. Israel pulled out of areas only to be attacked from those areas.
17 Karen // Sep 27, 2006 at 7:54 pm
Yeah Charles,
And I have a bag of magic tricks to sell you for only 500 dollars a piece.
Seems to me, everything you just said is what is the reason the world is a mess, especially the Middle East.
Too bad you couldn’t have been there in Southern Lebanon in the months of July and August when the Israeli soldiers were looting and decimating churches.
Too bad you couldn’t have seen the Israeli soldiers peeing and crapping all over the churches, while using them for Military posts.
Too bad you couldn’t see these soldiers breaking statues of Jesus Christ and destroying the pictures of Jesus Christ.
Too bad you aren’t there today to see what the cluster bombs are doing to the Lebanese children - killing, maiming and crippling. These cluster bombs were thrown all over the Southern part of Lebanon. Many children have died.
What will you do, Charles, when the Zionist will never accept Jesus Christ as their Lord Saviour - and in fact - they despise Jesus Christ as well as yourself.
However, Zionists will never admit this. They can’t. Why bite the hand that feeds them, right?
After all, it’s awfully hard to say no to billions of dollars given to Israel by the good old Christian Right of the United States of America - isn’t it?
18 Charles Wesley // Sep 28, 2006 at 4:33 am
The Jew’s do not believe in Jesus because GOD blinded them to his coming as a lamb. They were looking for a deliverer of might. How they feel about Christians is irrelevant
to me. Jesus said he would deal with them.
As far as the children killed the Hezbollah fighters set that up to get an outcry of sympathizers to condemn Israel. Why else did they set up rocket launchers in places that endangered the U.N. post and populated areas. The rockets started first , the clusterbombs came in retaliation, WAR IS HELL if they can’t deal with the consequences don’t start one.
Christians honor the FATHER ,SON and HOLY SPIRIT and his will, not the temperament of the Jews. As I read it we will stay with Israel. I know you see it differently and as a Muslim that is the only way you could see it. No sale here !
19 ellendra // Sep 30, 2006 at 3:15 am
karen, some people are too blind to see what is before them.
What the “free press” doesn’t want North America to see and know about: Israeli Aggression in the Palestinian Territories.
You’re generalizing when you narrow-“mindedly” state that I hate Jews - I don’t, I never said that, and that all Jews are evil, I never said that, either. You put words in my mouth.
An obvious tactic used by People who have to hit below the belt and have nothing better to respond with.
Banned news – America is not a free press – Israel is spying on Americans
20 Charles Wesley // Oct 1, 2006 at 1:18 am
We sure hear enough about the suicide bombers and killing of innocence or soft targets. Those idiots kill with out reason.
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