Israel and the so-called “Palestinian” Arabs have been locked in conflict for over 40 years now and in that time - especially over the last decade - it has become very clear that while one side is going to great and even exaggerated lengths to foster peace and coexistence, the other plainly is not.
The latest example of the Palestinians’ approach to their peace partners came last week, when a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip wounded 69 young Israeli soldiers. Rather than denounce the attack as a hindrance to peace and an unacceptable assault on their peace partners, the Palestinians erupted in rapturous celebration, which was enthusiastically covered by the Palestinian media.
Isn’t it telling that after 10 years of purported peace-making, the Palestinians still hate Israel so deeply that the maiming and wounding of so many young Jewish soldiers would bring them such joy? Can you imagine the world response if Israelis spontaneously exploded in demonstrations of triumph and jubilation whenever Palestinians were killed in Israeli military operations?
Of course, it is little wonder that the Palestinians can so enjoy the pain and suffering of others when they view those others as subhuman. This is how the speaker of the elected Palestinian parliament referred to the Jews of Israel during a public televised address last month:
The liberation of Jerusalem will not be achieved by means of glittering slogans, cheap arrogance, and degrading concessions. It will be achieved by realizing the divine path in the souls of the Muslims, and by raising the generation of the coming victory to lead the battle against the brothers of apes and pigs.
On the flip side of the coin, former Israeli army chief of staff Moshe Ya’alon recently noted the unbelievable and unprecedented situation whereby Israel is providing water, electrical and other infrastructure services to a Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip that is fully at war with the Jewish state.
Despite the wild accusations that are often leveled against Israel, the Jewish state actually fulfills Jesus’ command to “love your enemy” more dutifully than most Christians.
The services Israel provides to the Palestinian public, the medical care it give wounded Palestinian terrorists, etc are equal to what it does for its own citizens. Israel is in effect loving its enemy as it loves itself.
Often Israel even goes overboard and loves its enemy more than it loves itself. Consider that Arab terrorists jailed for murdering Jews in acts of brutal terrorism are often freed in gestures of goodwill, whereas an Israeli Jew in jail for committing a criminal murder would never have his or her sentence similarly commuted. Israel’s Arab enemies are afforded a degree of understanding for their murderous behavior that Jewish criminals do not even receive. That is overdoing the love a little bit.
What the hypocritical and god-less governments of the West refuse to take into consideration when formulating their next big “peace push” is that for decades now Israel has been treating its enemies in his human, even Christ-like manner and it has achieved nothing. In fact, the Arabs’ resolve to destroy Israel is arguably stronger today than it was 30 years ago. (I am not talking about the Arab leaders who say all the right things in order to receive US dollars. I am talking about the Arab masses whose venomous hatred of the Jewish state has certainly not waned.)
Further evidence that all the human efforts and goodwill in the world is not going to produce peace in the Middle East. Better to stick to God’s Word regarding control of the Land and Israel’s rights here, and wait for the one true peacemaker to arrive.
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4 comments so far ↓
1 Al // Sep 16, 2007 at 3:08 pm
Ryan,
Part of the problem is that the current Israeli government is not the one mandated by God in the scriptures. God’s plan for Israel is to have a descendant from King David to rule from Jerusalem and to enforce the instructions of the Torah. Everytime we see in the Tanach when the King of Israel observes what the Torah says, blessings are poured out on the nation, i.e. Hezekiah and Josiah. In both cases God uses them to restore the nation back to Him. Notice they both start by celebrating the Passover, which is the starting point of Israel as a nation, even though they were only in control of the Southern Kingdom of Judah at the time.
For Israel to overcome their enemies, there needs to a restoration to the true worship of the God of Israel. It will require faith on their part on the promises of God against tough opposition. Promises of Him giving them the Land of Israel as an inheritance, having a special relationship to Him as His covenant people through obedience to His Torah, and recognizing the Messiah God would send through the house of David(Yeshua).
As far as the “Palestinians” are concerned, they are pawns in the hands of their fellow Arabs who simply use them for propaganda against Israel. The Arabs who actually get to hear the gospel message have a choice to make just like the people had to make a choice in the days of Elijah. They must choose who they will follow: Baal(Allah) or YHVH(God). They must choose which prophet they will actually believe: Mohammed, the prophet of Islam or Yeshua the Prophet spoken of by Moses in the Torah.
It’s the same choice we all have to make at some point. As for me, I will side with Moses and Elijah: The Lord(YHVH), He is God! The Lord is One. and Yeshua is the promised Messiah who paid the price for my sins and will return one day to rule on the throne of His father David. Like you said “the true peacemaker”, the Prince of Peace.
2 Ryan // Sep 16, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Al, I am with you on this government being far from what the Lord desires or requires from the Israeli leadership. But it will happen one day, He has promised it. There will one day be righteous leadership in Jerusalem.
As for the Palestinians, you are absolutely right about them being pawns of Allah, and we should pray vigorously for them. They are born into devilish deception and raised to serve Allah. Even as we find ourselves forced to fight with them, they deserve our sympathy and fervent prayers.
3 Al // Sep 18, 2007 at 1:18 am
This is true.
Yeshua did say we should love our enemies, and bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate you and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you.
May God give us the grace to do this.
4 Marylin // Feb 8, 2008 at 5:08 am
God bless you Al, and all of you who support Israel!
i get the outmost comfort reading your words, thank you!
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