Displaying items by tag: israel

This week, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope for the possibility of a diplomatic resolution with the Palestinians, and with the Arab world in general, under Donald Trump’s tutelage. Speaking at a festive dinner at his residence in Jerusalem, Mr Netanyahu told Mr Trump that he looked forward to working closely with him to advance peace in the region - ‘because you have noted so succinctly that common dangers are turning former enemies into partners’. Mr Netanyahu was referring to the reported change in the stance of Sunni Arab states in the region, who are shifting away from animosity towards Israel towards a possible working relationship.

Arabs are blocking a main road leading to Israeli communities and stoning cars as they pass through. Cars are sustaining heavy damage. One motorist, fearing for his life when attacked with cinder blocks, opened fire at the rioters through his broken windscreen and killed a rioter. The head of Samaria Regional Council said he fully supported the resident who shot back while protecting himself and those around him, adding, ‘We must act with zero tolerance towards terrorists who want to stop our daily routines and to literally harm our residents.’ He said they mustn’t handle terrorists with kid gloves, saying it is unacceptable that a mother taking her son to the doctor should be attacked in broad daylight. Stoning incidents have happened three times this week, but the IDF has not confronted the perpetrators.

Justin Welby had a 'profound sense of grief and sorrow' after listening to Palestinian Christians’ testimonies of living with a concrete separation wall near Bethlehem. He said, 'You cannot come and hear the testimonies I heard, you cannot hear from the people who live here, without your heart becoming heavier and heavier, more and more burdened, with that sense of people whose history has led them to a place where all they have known is disintegrating.' He also commented on Donald Trump’s possible role when it comes to bringing peace between Israel and the Palestinians. He said, 'We know from history in this region that determined leadership by the president of the USA, together with patient working by lots of other people in the background, often unknown, can tip things very, very decisively - it has done so in the past.' See also:

It was announced last Saturday that Ismail Haniyeh had won the movement’s internal elections, and that he is the new head of its political bureau. Haniyeh, who lives in Gaza, is widely popular among the Palestinians. A political science professor in Nablus said that Haniyeh has an ability to address the Palestinians; most importantly, he will bring the movement closer to Iran through efforts by senior Hamas leaders. He will revive reconciliation with Hezbollah and Syria, working on resolving the negativity that harmed Hamas’ relationship with these parties in the past. Difficult challenges await Haniyeh, such as achieving reconciliation with Fatah, restoring Hamas' relations with countries such as Egypt and Iran, easing the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, and keeping the spectre of war out of Gaza.

Although perhaps millions have been affected by it, few in the Northern Hemisphere have heard of the South African revival. The current movement is drawing huge crowds, especially men, to Christ. It is that there is a correlation between this move of the Spirit and a general understanding and support of Israel, to whom many Christians are indelibly attached. Churches across South Africa (black, white, English- and Afrikaans-speaking) are bursting with new life in a counter-cultural provocation to secularists, humanists and a corrupt government opposed to Israel and virtually cutting off diplomatic ties with the Jewish state. Angus Buchan stands out among the many leaders of this movement: a humble farmer / evangelist whom God called to focus on men, inviting both young and old men to weekend camps for seven consecutive years.

Last week UNHRC issued five resolutions against Israel, including accusations against its activities in the Golan Heights. The British ambassador to the UN said, ‘Israel has a population of eight million, in a world of seven billion. Yet since its foundation UNHRC has adopted 135 country-specific resolutions; 68 of them have been against Israel. Justice is blind and impartial. The selective focus on Israel is neither. So today we put the Human Rights Council on notice. If things do not change, in future we will adopt a policy of voting against all resolutions concerning Israel’s conduct in the occupied Syrian and Palestinian territories.’ He added, ‘Peace is built through trust and goodwill on all sides. Human rights violations break down that trust. By continuing an unacceptable pattern of bias, the Council discredits its voice and hardens positions on both sides.’

Gush Etzion is a cluster of communities at the centre of the political controversy surrounding Jewish settlements. It supposedly consists only of right-wingers who consider all Arabs to be enemies, but there is a very different side to the community. Once a fortnight, trucks arrive to collect supplies donated by local residents. The supplies are taken north for the Amalia ‘buses of angels’ to distribute to Syrian children across the border. The activity looks like any other charity activity, but the teenagers organising it are Orthodox Jews and the recipients of the boxes are Arab refugees. The teenagers have also contacted Rabbi Shivi Froman, a resident of another Orthodox community and the founder of ‘Syrians on the Fences’ (SoF). SoF has collected over a million shekels to buy equipment for Syrian children, in collaboration with Israel Flying Aid (IFA). Froman’s late father was a leading Israeli voice for peace and reconciliation with the Arabs in the Palestinian Authority.

Ex-UKIP chief Nigel Farage has accused London mayor Sadiq Khan of hypocrisy for attacking US President Trump’s travel ban while inviting ambassadors from countries which refuse entry to Israeli citizens. At a meeting in City Hall on Tuesday night, Khan condemned Trump’s so-called ‘Muslim ban’ for being a ‘cruel, prejudiced and counterproductive’ policy. Also present at the reception were diplomatic representatives from eleven of the sixteen countries which do not allow entry to Israelis. Farage took to Twitter to call the London mayor a hypocrite. However, LSE professor and Middle East expert Fawaz A Gerges told the Independent that the two situations are totally different. ‘Trump’s ban is a Muslim ban, based on religious discrimination and racial discrimination. The relationship between Israel and its Arab neighbours is one of war since 1947 - for the last 70 years. By trying to force comparison, it just flies in the face of reality, it’s apples and oranges, sky and sea,’ he said. ‘What Trump has done has undermined America as a moral voice in the world.’

Britain has a key role in the peace of Jerusalem. 100 years ago in late 1917, the British Army commanded by General Allenby entered Jerusalem and liberated it from the occupying Turkish and German forces. This then enabled the Balfour declaration issued earlier in the year to be implemented leading after many years to the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948. Psalm 122 tells us “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem may those who love you be secure.” Having seen a significant change in the military struggles in Iraq and Syria in recent weeks, attention is now turning back to Israel.

President Trump is significantly more pro-Israel than his predecessor and is planning to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This would be highly symbolic as Jerusalem is in disputed territory whereas Tel Aviv is in the land allocated to Israel in 1948. Until 1967 the city was divided with East Jerusalem in Jordanian hands, but the city was reunited in the six day war. The UN and most nations do not recognise the legitimacy of Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem. For many Muslims the status of Jerusalem is more important than the issue of the Palestinians. Jerusalem is their holy city.

Jerusalem is an emotive and controversial issue. Any changes to its status will have consequences. There have been recent terrorist attacks on the city but with Muslim and US relations deteriorating, changes to Jerusalem could create many serious issues.

So we go back to the scripture - pray for Jerusalem. Pray for God’s sovereign purposes, for His will for this important city and pray for the city’s safety in these increasingly uncertain times.

Thursday night was storming, and in the hills of Samaria, a few miles north of Shilo, an Israeli bus traveling from a nearby settlement veered into a guardrail, broke through and plunged down the 230 foot embankment, coming to rest on its top.  This is in an area of the contested “Territories” with communities of both Jews and Palestinian Arabs, but which is patrolled and under the oversight of Israel.  A Palestinian family witnessed the crash from their home; they immediately called police, then tore out of their home, down the hill to render aid. When police, ambulances and troops arrived to help, there were the Arab family members down in the ravine in their pajamas in the pouring rain with flashlights trying to extract survivors and help those who were wounded.  Working together, all were pulled from the wreckage, and taken up to the road where a medical helicopter was waiting.  Two were dead, seven others wounded.   A Captain medical officer at the scene credited the quick work of the Palestinian family with saving lives.  One observer commented how the “complex reality” of the region was underscored by the arrival of troops to assist.  They had been part of a brigade a few kilometers away in hot pursuit of a Palestinian terrorist who during the previous 24 hours had carried out two shooting attacks.  When word of the accident reached them, they decided to split up so that some could come assist.  When they arrived at the bus, there were members of a Palestinian family working in the rain to administer aid to Jewish settlers trapped under the bus.

When word of the accident was written up in Israeli newspapers, it was with a kind of wonder at the grace shown by this family to Jews in distress.  “Palestinian Family was First to help Bus Crash Victims, Call Police”  read one headline; “Palestinian Family saves Israeli lives in Nighttime Bus Crash” read another.  There is great distrust and hostility between Arab and Jewish communities in this area. The name of the family wasn’t given—likely to protect them from reprisals by their own neighbors for daring to offer kindness to Israelis in distress. 

We are touched by the actions of this “Good Samaritan” family—in the heart of modern-day Samaria.  It is so essential that we realize, for all the contention and hatred roiling in this most-contested place on earth, that God’s merciful Spirit of grace is working, crossing through borders and ethnic and religious walls.  And “a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.”

PLEASE PRAY:

*  Blessing upon the “nameless” Palestinian family which came to the aid of the stricken Israeli bus.  Pray that the light of God’s Grace will shine into their lives, and illumine them on the path He has for them.

• A capacity in Israel to see one’s “neighbor” beyond ethnic lines, even, when possible, beyond the lines drawn  in active regional conflict.  That we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, whoever they are—because God does.  That we must not depersonalize the souls of those on “the other side.”
• For the Spirit of God in kindness to draw Palestinian Arabs into revelation and the salvation of the One who loves them, who is the Saviour of the World.  When this happens, may it not be they more than any others who will be able to provoke their Hebrew neighbors to the jealousy Paul speaks of in Romans 10 and 11.  So that All Israel shall be Saved!

Martin & Norma Sarvis,

Jerusalem