From the Editor

Do Not Be Confused

“Genetic analysis suggests that a majority of the Muslims of Palestine, inclusive of Arab citizens of Israel, are descendants of Christians, Jews and other earlier inhabitants of the southern Levant whose core may reach back to prehistoric times. A study of high-resolution haplotypes demonstrated that a substantial portion of Y chromosomes of Israeli Jews (70%) and of Palestinian Muslim Arabs (82%) belonged to the same chromosome pool.[31]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_people#cite_note-gibbons2000-32

I went to bed last night, with news of a new “ceasefire,” in the war between Israel and Hamas.  I woke up to the news that the “ceasefire” had once again been violated by Hamas, I suppose this is not actually news.

Several months ago, I was listening to a particular vitriol tirade about a woman, which I am certain I will never meet, from a woman whom I have known for thirty years.  I wanted to understand what the first woman, who apparently considered herself a friend, to the latter woman, had done to solicit such hatred.  Apparently, the first woman was happily married to a man she loved, had several children, who were always well kept, as was she, and she carried a Coach handbag; which by the way, the latter woman carries as well, at least on some occasions.

I was stymied; so I began to ask more questions.  But no matter what I asked, was the first woman rude or arrogant or mean or hurtful or boastful or proud, the answer always came back no, the issue was that this woman seemed happy, successful, and well-coiffed.

After a while, the only conclusion I could reach, regarding these two women, was that one was jealous of the other; while the other was too busy working hard and living her life, to realize that her “friend” was such a small minded and petty person.

Lately, as I watch coverage of the conflict in Israel, I keep thinking about the small minded, petty person, who is jealous of the hard working one, who seems to strive to make her life exactly as she wants it to be; and am wondering is anti-Semitism based in envy?  Are people simply just jealous of Israel and what the Jews, as God’s chosen people have accomplished?  What else could it be?  How can anyone explain anti-Semitism?

Wait – before we go any further, are you going to tell me that we hate Jews because they killed Jesus?   Let me share with you what Christ had to say about his own death:

“Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?  But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”  ~ Matthew 26: 53-54 ~

Christ speaks these words as he is about to be arrested, by the Romans, who had conquered Israel, will put Christ on trial, and ultimately execute him through crucifixion.

“The Roman Empire grew over a long period of time from basically a political unit in Italy to the entire Mediterranean basin  . . . So from economic and military activity spreading out from Italy, the empire spread through North Africa, through the West all the way through Great Britain, to the East all the way to eastern Syria, and that embraced all of Greece, all of Turkey, the Syral Palestinian area . . . For the ordinary people of the Jewish homeland, Rome was a kind of dominant political factor. Although they might not have seen Romans on a day-to-day basis, the imposition of Roman power was certainly there. In the case of the client kingdom, Judea, Herod’s rule and Herod’s forces would have been the political entity. But everyone knew that Rome was the power behind the throne.”

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/portrait/jews.html

While it may seem absurd to start this essay with such a simple statement of fact, it appears that there are still well meaning people who blame their anti-Semitic views on their belief that it was the Jews and not the Romans, who executed Christ.  Personally, I have never taken issue with who executed Christ; I have always believed that my salvation was only made possible through the shedding of His blood, and thus I am grateful for His sacrifice, which was willingly made – but I digress.

I heard a commentator ask what would the United States do, if Cuba suddenly began to launch missiles toward our nation?  An excellent question; and we do not actually have to guess about how the United States would respond, to such an act of aggression, after all, the threat of such a strike brought the world to the brink of nuclear warfare in October of 1962.

According to Wikipedia, in 2014 Hamas has launched 2,633 rockets and 33 mortars at Israel; since 2001, Hamas has launched 10,138 rockets and 4,890 mortars at Israel.  The Israel Defense Forces blog says that averages three attacks a day.  Can you imagine what it must be like to daily turn on the evening news, to be told that three rockets have been launched, yet again, at your country?  I cannot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Palestinian_rocket_attacks_on_Israel,_2014

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_rocket_attacks_on_Israel

http://www.idfblog.com/facts-figures/rocket-attacks-toward-israel/

How can anyone justify siding with Hamas, the aggressor, in this war?  It is Hamas which has continued to attack Israel; does Israel not have the right to defend itself?  I believe they do, and not simply based on the fact that they are trying to protect their citizens, as President Kennedy was, when heordered Cuba blockaded and told the Soviet Union to get the missiles out of Cuba – a whole ninety miles from the shores of the United States.  Israel has a historical right to live in the dessert which they have reclaimed and brought into bloom.

In discussing the Jewish-Palestinian issues regarding who belongs where, the issue of how long the parties have been present, on this swath of land, seems to matter a great deal.  Thus, if you will indulge me, a quick review:

Abraham, the father of both Ismael and Isaac, arrived in Canaan (Israel, Judea, Palestine . . .) in 1900 B.C., Moses brings the Israelites back to Canaan in 1200 B.C., and by 1000 B.C. King Saul sits on the Israeli throne.

In 587 B.C. Judah is destroyed by the Babylonians, marking the beginning of the Jewish Diaspora.  That is a Jewish nation, whose capital was Jerusalem, is conquered militarily, and many of its inhabitants are forced to leave their homeland.  The land, regardless of what you may call it, where Jerusalem exists is then conquered by the Persians in 538 B.C., which allows Jews to return to their homeland.  In 332 the Greeks will conquer the region, then the Romans in 63 B.C., by 70 A.D., the Temple is destroyed by the Romans, and in 135 A.D., they once again exile large portions of the population.

By 632 A.D., Islam has been established as a religion, and widely embraced in the Middle East, including Egypt, Arabia, Syria-Palestine, and Persia.  In 1099 A.D. the First Crusaders conquer Jerusalem, defeating Muslim rule, and once again forcing Jews into exile or killing them for being Jews, and will remain in power until 1187 A.D. when the Muslim’s, led by Saladin recapture Jerusalem.

With the exception of a few years during the Sixth and Seventh Crusades, the land known as Israel will remain under Muslim rule until World War I, when in 1917 it will become governed by Great Britain, which will promise a homeland to both the Jews and Arabs living in the land.

In November of 1947, the United Nations votes to partition Palestine; a move which the Jews agree to, extending an olive branch to the Palestinian’s, who along with the rest of the Arab world, reject the partition and Israel’s right to self-rule.  The Arab League also begins to encourage the Palestinian civilians to move toward Arab countries, as it prepares for war; the Jews are told not to give up an inch of land, which they are historically attached to, while the British plan their exodus.

On May 14, 1948, as the British leave Palestine, Israel declares its independence; and prepares to be invaded, the next day, by Egypt, Transjordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, which have assured the Palestinians that the Jews will be pushed into the sea, thus it is okay for the Palestinians to continue to abandon their homes and flea into other Arab nations, which they do in droves.

As for whom the Palestinians are and their attachment to this land, I have done a substantial amount of research, and find this statement accurately captures the conflict with their own identity: “The timing and causes behind the emergence of a distinctively Palestinian national consciousness among the Arabs of Palestine are matters of scholarly disagreement. Some argue that it can be traced as far back as the1834 Arab revolt in Palestine (or even as early as the 17th century), while others argue that it did not emerge until after the Mandatory Palestine period. According to legal historian Assaf Likhovski, the prevailing view is that Palestinian identity originated in the early decades of the 20th century.^”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_people

There are two very strong and accurate quotes being shared on facebook, which I believe bare reprinting:

“We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children. We cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children. We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us.”

~ Golda Meir ~

“The truth is that if Israel were to put down its arms there would be no more Israel. If the Arabs were to put down their arms there would be no more war.”

~ Benjamin Netanyahu ~

Both of these Israeli Prime Ministers have led their nations into war; and both tried repeatedly to live in peace with their Arab neighbors, who have repeatedly refused to accept a lasting peace.

As this war rages on, and the entire Middle East totters on the verge of catastrophic destruction, I do believe that we will each be accountable for the choices we now make.  With the vast amounts of information available to us today, no one will be able to say that they had no idea of what Hitler or Stalin or Hirohito was doing – the facts and the truth are out there; and we have a choice on how we impact history.

Nancy Pelosi recently said, regarding a peace process: “And we have to confer with the Qataris, who have told me over and over again that Hamas is a humanitarian organization”.  Does she really believe this?  I do not think so.

http://nation.foxnews.com/2014/07/28/pelosi-qataris-told-me-hamas-humanitarian-organization-0

“In 2014, however, Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, deputy chairman of Hamas’s political bureau, said: ‘Hamas will not recognize Israel … this is a red line that cannot be crossed’”.  How do you make peace with an entity which refuses to recognize you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas

Do not be confused, there is neither logical nor historical reason to support anyone other than Israel in this conflict.  If you do not stand with Israel it is only because you are an anti-Semite, and believe me, I do support your right to choose your own value system.  However, let us stop hiding behind people like the Qataris’, who are the Hamas’ largest supporters, and admit that you are just jealous.  Israel has done nothing to harm the Middle East or the World.  It is a nation born in blood and sacrifice, by a people who have repeatedly extended an olive branch to their enemies, only to have to rush their children into a bomb shelter.  If you want to make the desert flower, stop soaking it in blood and follow the example, that Israel has laid out for the world.  That is all for now.

This entry was posted on August 1, 2014 at 9:35 pm and is filed under From the Editor, LeftSide. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.