Palestinian statehood ?


(Psa 89:2 NKJV) For I have said, "Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens."

(Psa 89:3 NKJV) "I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David:

(Psa 89:4 NKJV) 'Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.' " Selah

On Aug 7, 2011, the New York Times had an editorial on "Palestinians and the UN" giving an update of the attempt to get a vote at the United Nations for Palestinian statehood. It is expected that US will veto any attempt for UN membership without a negotiated settlement of land swaps. East Jerusalem where the ancient Jerusalem of the bible resides remains the biggest issue of contention - a too difficult issue where negotiations haven't even started in earnest which has been stiffled by the issue of new Jewish settlements in the West Bank. 

The nation of Israel and the proposed Palestinian state consisting of West Bank and Gaza is very small and crowded with over 9 million population. From the coast of the Mediterranean sea to Jerusalem is only 50 km. Hence, there is literally very little room for compromise.  The city of Jerusalem has a historical and religious influence manifold its size.

It's a terrible predicament for those in Gaza and West Bank in their tiny walled off communities without jobs and hope. The unemployment rate in Gaza is 44% and in West Bank 25%. Foreign aid is the main driver of economic growth and employment in Palestine. Surprisingly, the majority of the 1.8 billion aid in 2009 came from the US/EU (80%), and only a small percentage from the Arab nations.

The situation is set to get worst in Palestine as the aid from US/EU starts to be scaled back due to the severe financial crisis in these countries.  

With the financial crisis in US and Europe casting a dark shadow, the attention will not be on the Palestinian aspirations. The vote at the UN is a desperate attempt by the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to gain credibility as his Fatah movement now controls only the Israeli occupied West Bank whereas his nemesis Hamas has full control of Gaza.  The increasing construction of Jewish homes in the West Bank erodes his control.

 In a pre-emptive move, the Israeli Interior Ministry has given approval for the new projects of 1600 homes in East Jerusalem at Ramat Shiomo, and an expected additional 2700 homes in the near future at Givat Hamatos and Pisgat Zeev. Last week, the final approval for construction to start was given for 900 homes at Har Homa in East Jerusalem.

This comes in the light of demonstration by the Jews of the high cost of living and availability of housing. In Tel Aviv alone more than 200,000 took part in the social justice movement protest. 

Condemnation came from the Europeans including what was called by Jerusalem Post as the "porgressive elite" in Norway whilst "soft" on religiously motivated terrorism against Israel. However, the response by Israel to the constant rockets attacks by a blockade of Gaza is not morally justifiable.  Hamas who controlled Gaza and backed by religious Mullahs in Iran is a major issue of authority and legitimacy for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas who controls Palestinian West Bank. 

We must recognise the suffering of the 3 million Palestinians in Gaza and West Bank who has been displaced as a result of the war and became a pawn for the Arab nations to come against Israel. However, in their pain they have become cruel and religious expecially towards the minority groups such as gays and Christians.

“Being gay in the P.A. is, quite simply, deadly,” Shaul Gonen of Agudah

“I escaped from Gaza and came to Israel to live…not to be returned to be killed. Please…where is someone to help me?” Tarek who faces deportation from Israel

In West Bank and Gaza, gays are being tortured and killed by the Palestinian Authorities and fellow kinsmen in the name of religion. Sodomy carries a jail sentence of upto 10 years. The runaway gays frequently escape to Tel Aviv.  If Palatestine become a nation, gays will be hanged from the streets just as they are doing in Iran.

The failure of people of faith in organizations such as Sojourners is to paint a rosy picture of the people on the ground in Gaza and Afganistan not seeing awful genocide of the GLBT peoples. They can't see lest it deconstucts their notion of some religion and people of faith.

In West Bank, when Hamas took control in 2007 of Gaza, they started killing Christians there, and banning Christianity. Before the British mandate ended in 1948, there were 20% Christians in Gaza, now there are far less than 2.5% with many fleeing for their lives. These people of faith are not that nice nor moral.

Is Israel occupying the West Bank?, when they had strong historical claims over the land. Furthermore, they didn't invade West bank, it was the trophy of 1967 war when the Arabs tried to push Israel back to the swim in the sea. The Romans (their descendants being the Europeans and the US) pushed Israel out of their land in a diaspora to Europe, Asia Minor, and Arabia. The Jews there suffered for more than 1900 years culminating with the Holocaust in Germany where 6 million died in the hands mostly of people of faith. They are now returning to homeland Israel which they owned previously, and now morally won back through the 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973 wars.  

God had hardened the hearts of the Arab nations to attack Israel in the 1967 whose war victory resulted in re-occupying Jerusalem and the West Bank. As a result, the Palestinian nation is split with 1 million in Gaza, 2 million in West Bank, and another 750K in Israel itself. There are also 100,000 Christians amongst the 750K Arab population in Israel who would never want the harsh religious rule in Palestine.

The Arabs didn't want to give Israel any part of Judea, and they raged wars against Israel in 1948, 56, 67, and 73. Each time they lost despite having far larger armed forces and were squeezed out. If they had allowed Israel to exist in 1948 and not go into wars, the Palestinians would have certaintly obtain nationhood.

Israel became a nation in 1948. The Palestinians was never a nation because Gaza was owned by Egypt, and West Bank by Jordon. In order to claim West Bank after 50 years of rule by Israel, the Palestinians had to seek nationhood with Gaza and West Bank as its territorry.

At the key of the quest for nationhood by Palestine is the claim old city of Jerusalem. This is the ancient and the most holiest site site of pilgrimage for Christians and Jews. When the Arabs conquered and invaded in 637 CE, they deliberately built a giant dome mosque at the most holiest Jewish site - the Second Temple of Jerusalem which has been destroyed earlier by the Romans in 70 CE.

Islam has their most holiest site in Mecca, and in the greatest irony they took over the most holiest Christian/Jewish site in 637 which has resulted in wars and tension with millions killed. The claim for nationhood by Palestine will fail because they have included of the Old City of Jeusalem.  The same players are there 1400 years later, the European Union/ Rusia (Romans), and Arabs. But the time of Gentiles in Jerusalem is over.

  (Luke 21:24 NKJV) "And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The moment the Palestinians present their claim of East Jerusalem to the United Nations for nationhood, will be the very day when the day of the Gentiles in Jerusalem will be over. By this audacious claim, they will loose their own rights for this city and for West Bank. Security guarantees are quite meaningless after 4 wars and the extremist religious people of faith in Gaza.

 

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