Isn’t it ironic that Israel’s capital means ‘city of peace’? Since Israel was reconstituted as a nation she has been plagued by bitter disputes. We are saddened by the escalation of bloodletting which has recently erupted again. This is a matter of urgency seeing that this conflict could have a polarizing effect on Christians and Muslims around the world. Therefore God-fearers ought to pray for the "peace of Jerusalem" as scripture says in Psalm 122.
The prospect for peace seems bleak considering many failed peace efforts and continued bitter fighting. Many Palestinians remember that they weren’t consulted when the UN partitioned Palestine in 1947. They struggle to come to terms with what seems to them an illegitimate act by the UN when it recognized the state of Israel. It is true that Israelis have committed many injustices which have fueled the conflict but so also have the Arabs. The deepening dispute with spiralling rage and vengeance causes many to lose hope that there will ever be a just settlement with lasting peace. As hopeless as it seems from a human viewpoint there are reasons to be encouraged and to believe Almighty God can do the impossible.
It will be helpful to begin by briefly reviewing some key events that have happened since the rebirth of the nation Israel. No sooner did the United Nations recognize Israel in 1948 then the Arabs launched "a war of elimination and massive massacre" against the Jews -- in the words of Azzam Pasha, then secretary general of the Arab League. Israel lost relatively little territory in this war. Then 19 years later the Arab League planned another full scale attack against Israel but again Israel survived virtually unscathed. Indeed, she acquired considerable new territory. The UN called on Israel to return all this new land but Israel has only given back a portion of it. (lca-south@bigfoot.com.)
The prospect for peace seems bleak considering many failed peace efforts and continued bitter fighting. Many Palestinians remember that they weren’t consulted when the UN partitioned Palestine in 1947. They struggle to come to terms with what seems to them an illegitimate act by the UN when it recognized the state of Israel. It is true that Israelis have committed many injustices which have fueled the conflict but so also have the Arabs. The deepening dispute with spiralling rage and vengeance causes many to lose hope that there will ever be a just settlement with lasting peace. As hopeless as it seems from a human viewpoint there are reasons to be encouraged and to believe Almighty God can do the impossible.
It will be helpful to begin by briefly reviewing some key events that have happened since the rebirth of the nation Israel. No sooner did the United Nations recognize Israel in 1948 then the Arabs launched "a war of elimination and massive massacre" against the Jews -- in the words of Azzam Pasha, then secretary general of the Arab League. Israel lost relatively little territory in this war. Then 19 years later the Arab League planned another full scale attack against Israel but again Israel survived virtually unscathed. Indeed, she acquired considerable new territory. The UN called on Israel to return all this new land but Israel has only given back a portion of it. (lca-south@bigfoot.com.)
loading...
