(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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