Let me say from the beginning that I don’t hate anyone as a general rule. I look for and desire to see the good in every human being as I believe everyone else should do as well. If someone has been influenced by an evil mindset in ideology, then my first reaction is not to commence hating that person but rather to make an attempt to shake that person out of that destructive mindset by using logic and reason, along with a persuasive passion for what is spiritually right and true.However, because this is not always possible regardless of the amount of truth that is placed before certain individuals, and because there are those who will always love the evil inwardly more than righteousness, I believe that there can is righteous-based hatred regarding some humans. I don’t believe in living a life for the sole purpose of hating for any cause as do certain political, religious, and non-religious hate groups. But there are things in this life (including evil devoted people) of whom it's righteous to hate.
God judges hatred along with all motivations of the human heart by His law and not by man’s westernized liberal conceptions. There is a big difference between hating your personal enemy on a personal level for personal reasons, and hating an enemy of God on a spiritual level for spiritual reasons. Examine what the scripture states:
"Do not I hate them, O YHVH, that hate thee? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: They are become mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts; And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting." - Psalms 139:21-24. (also see II Chronicles 19:2)
In this segment from the book of Psalms, the psalmist was searching his heart before God in which he was making sure that his godly resistance towards his enemies - in the form of righteous hatred - was in check. In this passage Israel’s enemies are the ones who hates God. For the psalmist, his thought was that if he did not have a "perfect" hatred towards God’s enemies, then his thoughts of not hating God's enemy would be of a wicked way within his heart. From my point of view, the politically-correct secular world could learn volumes from the simple declaration that this psalmist proclaimed and of which the first and second Jewish Temple singers sang the psalm:1
“Do not I hate them, O YHVH that hate thee?” and "I hate them (God's enemies) with a perfect hatred"
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I have heard people say that they may hate the things evil people do but not the person themselves. I agree with that concept in general but not as an overall concept. An individual can sink so much into evil that they become “as one” with their wickedness. There is a place in the realms of evil where a person has sold out "soul" lock, stock and barrel in effect crossing the point of no return where their whole lives can only be devoted as an enemy against God. Such was the case with Pharaoh during the time of the Exodus whose heart become more hardened after each manifestation of the ten plagues of Egypt.
To bring this reality into modern times, I do not and cannot love any part of Adolph Hitler including his very soul. I not only hate the things that he did on earth but I also hate him spiritually as God's enemy as well. How about you? Are you a hater of Hitler's very soul?
Fact: There is no separation between Hitler's soul and his Holocaust deeds that he did on earth both now and forever.
Hitler made a choice to become the image of evil rather than expressing the image of God he was made in. I don’t believe God loves him but rather hates him insomuch that Hitler’s soul (and not just the things he did) is in a place of the eternally damned where he will be forever separated from the God of mercy, justice, and righteousness. So in trying to be like minded with God’s thinking towards Hitler, I hate the expressed devil that Hitler was and forever shall be known. I not only believe that it's a righteous act to hate Hitler, but in fact it would be evil of me or anyone else not to do so as the above Psalm of David plainly points out. Furthermore, the so-called do-gooders who actually love Hitler are the ones most likely to support him and his deeds.
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Hitler is not the only ambassador of evil to walk around in human form. I feel the same way with the likes of other such devils as Yassier Arafat, Louis Farrakhan, David Duke, and now Jimmy Carter who has devoted the rest of his evil life to the cause of Israel's murderous enemy. These men are not simply misguided fools that are followers of evil (a place where true repentance and the turning away from evil are still available to such a person) but they are in fact actual leaders and forgoers of evil for the sole purpose of leading others in their evil!
Since false prophets don’t repent, (no false prophet in the Bible ever did) I have no desire to pray for these men and others like them for a change of their evil ways. Rather, I choose to pray according to God’s promise to them which is for their destruction as God sees fit according to their relentless evil and unrepentant deeds upon this earth.
"And He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slow to repay him who hates Him. He will repay him to his face." - Deuteronomy 7:10 (See also Isaiah 59:18).
Therefore, my Bible-guided prayer is, "May YHVH according to His holy and righteous Torah promise, repay the Arab-Palestinians to their face, along with and all who support them in their terrorist-expressed hatred acts against YHVH's chosen people."
The Palestinians:
There isn't a greater enemy towards the nation of Israel in all the world today than the Palestinians! The Palestinians have taken the title from the German Nazis as "the greatest threat" to the Jewish nation. Mein Kamph gave way to Jihadi - both meaning "my struggles" in both German and Arabic. When Hitler's struggles expired the Islamic struggles picked up the banner. What now is at stake in the conflict between the Jews and the Palestinians that wasn't at stake during Hitler's Final Solution is the possibility of the most evil people in all the earth, worshiping the most evil god (their god Allah), in the most holiest place (Jerusalem and the Temple Mount) in all the world!
The rebirth of Israel as a nation has given rise to Allah (an Arabian deity) wanting to be worshiped by his subjects at the very place designed for the God of Israel to be worshiped (see Psalms 132:13,14). Just the possibility of this scenario alone should show the secularists that there is a God of Israel that holds an everlasting covenant with the Jewish people (see Psalms 105:8-10). For it is impossible to ask for better stage to be set from what we see in the Middle East today to begin an all out "end of the age" showdown between good and evil.
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There has never been of people in modern times besides the Palestinians whose paradigm is terrorism and whose ultimate goal as a people in the world is towards the annihilation of another people based upon their religion and spirituality. What makes this fact all the more significant is that the Palestinians are given the world's support (7.4 billion dollars worth of support recently > http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1207/west.php3) in their terrorist endeavors and annihilation aspirations, and this was after the Palestinians as a people overwhelmingly voted in the party of Hamas to run their government in January 2006!
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There has never been of people in modern times besides the Palestinians whose paradigm is terrorism and whose ultimate goal as a people in the world is towards the annihilation of another people based upon their religion and spirituality. What makes this fact all the more significant is that the Palestinians are given the world's support (7.4 billion dollars worth of support recently > http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1207/west.php3) in their terrorist endeavors and annihilation aspirations, and this was after the Palestinians as a people overwhelmingly voted in the party of Hamas to run their government in January 2006!
World actions of this nature adds a greater significance to the end-time war between good and evil (Ezekiel 38:16-23). Besides the 7.4 billion pledged the to Palestinians, billions of dollars more are added in the form of state of the art weaponry being sold to the enemies of Israel >http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/07/28/saudi.arms/.
Along with the billions of dollars that the UN is pledging to the Palestinians, the world's plan for tiny Israel becomes very clear! If the nations hadn't taken upon themselves to support Israel's greatest enemies there would not have been a need for Zechariah 12:9 to have been written: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem."
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To try and understand the depth of the very evil that lies within the Palestinian society, one must look at what they as a society are capable of. The following is a very small and incomplete list as to the kind of things that comes forth from out of the Palestinian people. While viewing this list ask yourself, "Why are the world nations (especially the United States lead by a conservative president) are so desperately seeking to grant these Palestinians (of all people) any kind of a political state?"
Remember, O YHVH , the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
The psalmist is not promoting that idea of killing innocent children for the sake of killing children. That would be what the enemies of the Bible and Israel would have you believe! This is the same mindset that the "Human Rights Watch" tried to sell the world (which the world willfully bought) when they accused Israel of killing 54 children in Qana, Lebanon during the 2006 Lebanon-Israeli War. Because of their spiritual state they didn't have the ability nor the will to considered the 4,000 rockets that was shot from civilian locations into Israel to start the war by which was indeed meant to kill as many Israeli citizens including children as possible!
When given over to dark forces the human mind can no longer judge between good and evil. This scripture in the book of Psalms is about God's judgment (of what He will allow to occur) in the form of reaping and sowing. Babylon had "dashed" Jewish babies against stones in their invasion against the Jewish people much like the Palestinians shoot rockets targeting Jewish school children. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6977346.stm The scripture of Psalms 137:7-9 is stating that what the Babylonians did against the Jews would divinely return back to them in the form of the coming Persian Empire. In fact, one could argue that Babylon is still reaping from their deeds of old in today's Iraq!
Likewise, the prophet Ezekiel has declared that Israel's enemies would reap what they have sown at the End of Days (Ezekiel. 35: 5-11). Keep in mind that Psalm 137 is one of the most Zionistic portions of scripture in the entire Bible. In it we find the great love for God's chosen people - the Jews, and for Zion - God's chosen place of worship. But also we find in it a bitter hatred for all those who hate and try to kill God's chosen and possess Zion for their own - kind of like what the Palestinians do.
So why do I hate the Palestinians? Simply put; because God does! Not that every single Palestinian is hated by God, for I know that God loves Palestinians such as Walid Shoebat - a Palestinian who has a deep devoted love for Israel and Israel's covenant with YHVH. But according to the Hebrew scriptures God hates all those who hate His covenant with Israel, which puts the Arab-Palestinians as a people first in line to be hated by God!
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To try and understand the depth of the very evil that lies within the Palestinian society, one must look at what they as a society are capable of. The following is a very small and incomplete list as to the kind of things that comes forth from out of the Palestinian people. While viewing this list ask yourself, "Why are the world nations (especially the United States lead by a conservative president) are so desperately seeking to grant these Palestinians (of all people) any kind of a political state?"
- Among the two great political parties that rule the Palestinians (Al-Fatah in the West Bank, and Hamas in the Gaza Strip) both covenants from both parties call for for an arms struggle and the destruction of the Jewish State of Israel. http://www.iris.org.il/plochart.htm http://www.palestinecenter.org/cpap/documents/charter.html
- The greatest forms of child abuse in all the world occur among the Palestinians. Children who are barely old enough to speak are taught to Jew-hate with words they don't even understand. http://www.youtube.com/watchv=ZL0C2QvqIlo This gives heed to the saying, "they drink the hatred with their mother's milk"! Just the picture alone (at the top of the article) speaks volumes of the Palestinian society.
- Children TV shows are shown in the name of Shahid (martyrdom). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi-c6lbFGC4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4zgURMOZ6k
- Shahid (martyrdom) for children is glorified of official PA and Hamas television. http://www.pmw.org.il/ASK%20FOR%20DEATH.htm
- An exhibition of glorifying and celebrating suicide / mass murder is displayed with Palestinian gleeful acceptance at Al Najah University in the West Bank town of Nablus in September, 2001. http://www.gamla.org.il/english/feature/sbarro.htm This exhibition included many displays of body parts one of which was a bloody set of blue-jean wearing legs with no torso connected, still sitting on a chair. The bombing of Sbarro pizza restaurant in Jerusalem in which the exhibition re-enacts hits a little close to home. My wife and I personally eat there three years before this massacre occurred.
- School text books promote anti-Israel and pro shahid-martyrdom. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/patext1.html http://www.edume.org/research/testimonies/2007-05-15.html http://www.pmw.org.il/getresults/political/index.html#i214759
- Women who sends their sons to Jew-murder are given high status in Palestinian society, even to run for a government office. http://www.amitiesquebec-israel.org/texts/mother.htm
- Suicide murderers are glorified all through Palestinian controlled areas, in the form of billboards, street names, names of soccer fields, trading cards, names of hospitals, new babies named after suicide bombers, and children's events, songs, chants, and poems during parades, ect. http://programs.ssrc.org/gsc/gsc_quarterly/newsletter5/content/allen/ http://www.zoa.org/2003/07/palestinian_aut_13.htm Even "Saddam Hussein" whose Scud missiles hitting Tel-Aviv civilian areas brought Palestinian cheers, is honored in the Palestinian city of Jenin> http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53882
- Suicide for the murder of Jews is an accepted norm and is a high form of religious devotion. Outside of martyrdom, there is no guarantee of reaching paradise for oneself and family members. This is one of the reasons candy is passed out in celebration at suicide / murderer's funeral. http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/013234.php
- One Hundred Thousand citizens of the would-be future State of Palestine attended the funeral of Yahya Ayyash (a.k.a. "the Engineer") not to mention the many funerals of other Palestinian terrorist and terrorist spiritual teachers like Sheikh Ahmed Yassin! I wonder how many of these one hundred thousand funeral attendees of Yahya Ayyash would consider themselves Palestinian moderates? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahya_Ayyash Moreover, this Palestinian hero has traffic squares named after him in both Jenin and Jericho with no Palestinian complaints. Imagine that! This issue of glorifying and mass murderer among the Palestinians even became part of "peace" negotiation with such a people. See "article 6" section "h" > http://www.israelmfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/Israeli+View+on+Palestinian+Security+Commitments.htm?DisplayMode=print
- Palestinians seek to destroy the God of Israel through a revised history of Holocaust and Temple denial, and stand as a barricade between God and His fulfillment of the covenant He has with His chosen people, the Jews. http://www.spme.net/cgi-bin/facultyforum.cgi?ID=1735
Muslim religious fervor has many different facets of Jew-murdering expressions that are fully exposed in the Palestinian society. From passing out candy at shahid funerals to eating flesh and drinking blood of Jewish victims as they did on October 12, 2000 in Ramallah> http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/014886.php Yet, the Muslim world has the audacity to vilify Israel as the blood-libel people and state. It is these Palestinians who are on the front lines (even occupying a huge portion of the ancient land of Israel) in the Islamic war against the God of Israel!
The 64,000 dollar question: Does the God of Israel "hate" the Palestinians?
The politically-correct answer would be, "God loves everybody". However, the Bible is never politically correct. The Bible states very clearly that God hated Esau, who like the Palestinians wished to destroy Jacob / Israel.
"I have loved you, saith YHVH. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith YHVH: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated (Hebrew: sanay-ti) Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Malachi 1:2,3
The New Testament correctly applies this scripture of God's hatred of an individual as also to the nation that proceeded from that individual (see Romans 9:12,13). The land that should be considered for a Palestinian state is all contained in the ancient writings of which the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is all about -the Bible. Aside from Mecca, the Palestinian spiritual base is that of Esau's - Mt. Seir in Jordan, which is why the prophecies of Ezekiel against Israel's most vicious enemy is not against the West Bank, for that is Israel's land and not the Palestinians! http://www.danielpipes.org/article/298
Take another look at the list above as to what the Palestinians are capable of and then see if you notice any similarities in the following scripture: "Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end...Because thou hast said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; [sound familiar? > http://inbrief.threatswatch.org/2006/02/palestine-from-the-river-to-th/ ] whereas YHVH was there: Therefore, as I live saith YHVH God, I will even do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make Myself known among them, when I have judged thee. - Ezekiel 35:5, 10-111
One of the hardest scriptures for most people to understand and one that I personally had an atheist use in trying to discredit the Bible, is Psalms 137:7-9 which reads:Remember, O YHVH , the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
The psalmist is not promoting that idea of killing innocent children for the sake of killing children. That would be what the enemies of the Bible and Israel would have you believe! This is the same mindset that the "Human Rights Watch" tried to sell the world (which the world willfully bought) when they accused Israel of killing 54 children in Qana, Lebanon during the 2006 Lebanon-Israeli War. Because of their spiritual state they didn't have the ability nor the will to considered the 4,000 rockets that was shot from civilian locations into Israel to start the war by which was indeed meant to kill as many Israeli citizens including children as possible!
When given over to dark forces the human mind can no longer judge between good and evil. This scripture in the book of Psalms is about God's judgment (of what He will allow to occur) in the form of reaping and sowing. Babylon had "dashed" Jewish babies against stones in their invasion against the Jewish people much like the Palestinians shoot rockets targeting Jewish school children. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6977346.stm The scripture of Psalms 137:7-9 is stating that what the Babylonians did against the Jews would divinely return back to them in the form of the coming Persian Empire. In fact, one could argue that Babylon is still reaping from their deeds of old in today's Iraq!
Likewise, the prophet Ezekiel has declared that Israel's enemies would reap what they have sown at the End of Days (Ezekiel. 35: 5-11). Keep in mind that Psalm 137 is one of the most Zionistic portions of scripture in the entire Bible. In it we find the great love for God's chosen people - the Jews, and for Zion - God's chosen place of worship. But also we find in it a bitter hatred for all those who hate and try to kill God's chosen and possess Zion for their own - kind of like what the Palestinians do.
So why do I hate the Palestinians? Simply put; because God does! Not that every single Palestinian is hated by God, for I know that God loves Palestinians such as Walid Shoebat - a Palestinian who has a deep devoted love for Israel and Israel's covenant with YHVH. But according to the Hebrew scriptures God hates all those who hate His covenant with Israel, which puts the Arab-Palestinians as a people first in line to be hated by God!
As God commanded Israel to hate Amalek that his name be blotted out from under heaven for his deeds in using cowardly acts against Israel in possessing her land of inheritance (Deuteronomy 25:17-19) the modern Amaleks of today should be hated for their cowardly terrorist attacks on Jewish civilians who claim their land of inheritance as well. May Arafat's name and the names of those who support his goal be blotted out from under heaven! Amen? Amen!
"The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity." - Psalms 5:5
"YHVH tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence [terrorist Palestinians] His soul hates." - Pslams 11:5
Do not I hate them, O YHVH, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. - Psalms 139: 21-24
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Notes:
1. Psalms chapters 107-150 (the fifth section of the Pslams in the Hebrew Bible) are mostly liturgical psalms for pilgrimages to the temple and festivals.
"The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity." - Psalms 5:5
"YHVH tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence [terrorist Palestinians] His soul hates." - Pslams 11:5
Do not I hate them, O YHVH, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. - Psalms 139: 21-24
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Notes:
1. Psalms chapters 107-150 (the fifth section of the Pslams in the Hebrew Bible) are mostly liturgical psalms for pilgrimages to the temple and festivals.
3,878 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 1601 – 1800 of 3878 Newer› Newest»From the website, thetower.org an article is titled
"How Israel is Solving the Global Water Crisis" The article is here,
http://www.thetower.org/article/how-israel-is-solving-the-global-water-crisis/
Israel is Saving the World as Usual !!!
Another Great Article, from the website, www.israel21c.org, the article is titled
"65 top ways Israel is saving our planet" the article is here,
https://www.israel21c.org/the-top-65-ways-israel-is-saving-our-planet/
On YouTube a video is titled
"The day Israel saved the world"
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•Published on Mar 22, 2018
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The Israel Project
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September 5, 2007. The day Israel saved the world.
Assad has murdered 500,000 Syrians. Can you imagine if he had a nuclear bomb. Thank you Israel for doing the right thing.
If you support Israel, don’t be silent. Send a message to anti-Israel haters and show the Israeli people you are behind them at ISupportIsrael.com
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If you’d like to join our fight, you can donate now at http://www.theisraelproject.org/donate
From YouTube a video is titled
"The UN Blames Israel...for Saving the World"
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•Published on Nov 30, 2016
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"The UN's World Health Organization just gave Israel its highest honor. So why did they also single out Israel for condemnation, while ignoring the whole rest of the world?"
From the website www.nbcnews.com an article with video is titled
"Despite political differences, these Israeli and Palestinian doctors work together to save lives at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem"
and it says
"While conflict affects daily life, these Israeli and Palestinian transplant surgeons at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem work together to save lives, with no regard to their political differences. We follow along on a live transplant from an Israeli donor to a Israeli Arab patient. April 3, 2018"
From the website of the New York Daily News, nydailynews.com an article is titled
"Combating anti-Semitism is our common American duty"
By Anthony Scaramucci
New York Daily News |
Sep 23, 2019 | 9:00 AM
Mourners visit the memorial outside the Tree of Life Synagogue on October 31, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Eleven people were killed in a mass shooting at the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood on October 27. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
the article says
"There is nothing our country needs more right now than unity. During the past three years, our nation’s rhetoric has grown increasingly turbulent and vitriolic. The soul of our country hangs in the balance and it looks as if the scale may break. In addition to increased xenophobia and racism, anti-Semitism has been rising exponentially. Too many of our Jewish neighbors no longer feel safe in this country, which was conceived as a safe haven of religious tolerance.
The United States has historically long been a refuge for the Jewish people and all others fleeing bigotry, poverty and violence. Jewish people have expressed to me that, prior to now, they had always felt safe and at home in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Even more so, their parents and grandparents — the generations who immigrated to America fleeing persecution and genocide — felt safe and at home here.
But beginning last fall, this changed for many people. For the first time on a national scale, Jews have been singled out and murdered in their houses of worship on both coasts — Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, and Chabad of Poway in California. In addition to great sadness, these attacks brought deep fear. Jewish congregations around the country have been forced to upscale their security, investing in sophisticated systems and even armed guards.
Growing up in a heavily Jewish neighborhood, I attended many Bar Mitzvah celebrations; back then at age 13, it never even occurred to me that I should have to worry for the safety of myself and others while in these houses of worship. It sickens me that today’s 13-year-olds do have these thoughts. The Jewish people have always embraced people of all races and religions; they deserve the same from the rest of America.
As such, Americans of all faiths should join together on Sept. 24 to celebrate the Day of Jewish Unity, an annual event organized by Acheinu, the outreach arm of the Jewish education organization Dirshu. This event has always been about tolerance, kindness and strength; this year there is the added dimension of us loudly uniting against anti-Semitism — because we have seen where anti-Semitism leads."
the article continues
"I have had the distinct pleasure of visiting Israel several times, probably more times than most American Jews can boast. In 2017, I visited Yad Vashem, the world Holocaust remembrance center, and the visit had a profound impact on me. It is one thing to learn about the Holocaust, but it is a different beast to be face-to-face with artifacts and first-person accounts that reveal the brutality and inhumanity of the Holocaust. This visit led me to truly stop and think about where unbridled prejudice can lead a once-civilized nation. Yet, even as I thought this back in 2017, it still never dawned on me that Jews would ever be murdered on U.S. soil for their faith.
But anti-Semitism has been rearing its ugly head more and more in our nation, from seemingly random attacks on the street to calculated comments in Congress. While there have been many Jewish congressmen over the years who supported Israel, it was never their platform’s main focus. Instead, these congressmen focused first on the needs of their constituents and the need to preserve democracy — our hallowed way of life — throughout the world. As Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, it is a no-brainer for Congress to support Israel; it is not about religion, but about freedom and human rights.
Why can’t we all play nicely in the sandbox? Why can’t we disagree politically without negating someone else’s right to exist? I admit that I have in past been guilty of not playing nicely, but in the coming year I intend to continue to work on restraining myself the best I can and behaving civilly with those with whom I disagree. I want our country to be unified, to be a place where, to quote George Washington, “which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.”
So on Sept. 24, let us all pray for peace, unity and an end to all anti-Semitism. It’s the American way.
Scaramucci is the managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investments firm and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum." Anthony Scaramucci is Italian American nicknamed "The Mooch" he was also briefly the White House Communications director in 2017 under President Donald Trump
From the website www.theguardian.com an article is titled
"Lying is cultural trait of Arabs, says Barak"
Brian Whitaker in Jerusalem
Wed 22 May 2002 21.26 EDT
the article says
"Palestinians have no compunction about telling lies and see truth as irrelevant, the former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak has claimed in an interview.
"They are products of a culture in which to tell a lie... creates no dissonance," Mr Barak says. "They don't suffer from the problem of telling lies that exists in Judaeo-Christian culture."
"Truth is seen as an irrelevant category," he says."There is only that which serves your purpose and that which doesn't. They see themselves as emissaries of a national movement for whom everything is permissible. There is no such thing as 'the truth'."
Interviewed by the Jewish historian Benny Morris for an article in the latest issue of the New York Review of Books, Mr Barak not only relates his comments about lying to Yasser Arafat in particular, but to Arab society in general.
He says: "The deputy director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation once told me that there are societies in which lie detectors don't work, societies in which lies do not create cognitive dissonance [on which the tests are based]."
As an example of Mr Arafat's alleged mendacity, Mr Barak cites an incident in October 2000, shortly after the start of the intifada. The Israeli and Palestinian leaders, together with Madeleine Albright, the US secretary of state at the time, were meeting in Paris to discuss a ceasefire.
Mr Arafat had agreed to call a number of his police commanders to implement a truce.
Mr Barak recalls protesting: "'But these are not the people organising the violence. If you are serious, then call Marwan Bargouti and Hussein al-Sheikh [two West Bank Fatah leaders].'
"Arafat looked at me, with an expression of blank innocence, as if I had mentioned the names of two polar bears, and said, 'Who? Who?'
"So I repeated the names, this time with a pronounced, clear Arabic inflection... and Arafat again said, 'Who? Who?'
"At this, some of his aides couldn't stop themselves and burst out laughing. And Arafat, forced to drop the pretence, agreed to call them later." Sadly Ehud Barak is telling the honest truth about Arabs, while not every Arab or "Palestinian" is a Liar or Evil, Many Are, and in rare occasions when Arabs admit the Truth, the very rare instances when Arabs tell the truth, it just goes to Show how Right and Correct Israel is and how wrong the Arabs and "Palestinians" Are , The sad reality is the so-called "Palestinian" People & Other Arabs have Mesmerized and Brainwashed the Whole World with their Propaganda & Lies , they have spellbound & stupefied into a trance countless people into believing their evil propaganda & lies about Israel, they are Masters of Deception, clever, but not smart enough to fool Pro-Israel People, I want Peace, but myself and countless other people ask why must it always be Israel that has to make all the Painful Concessions in the "Peace Process" In Other Peace Negotiations in Other Conflicts in the World, don't both sides or all the sides involved have to make Concessions ? Why the Double Standard ?
From the website honestreporting.com an article is titled
"How Israelis Near Gaza Cope With the Gaza Rocket Threat"
By Tracy Alexander September 24, 2019
Rockets fired from the Gaza Strip are intercepted by the Israeli Iron Dome missile defense system on November 13, 2018. Photo by Ilia Yefimovich/picture alliance via Getty Images
the article says
"Walking through the streets of any southern Israeli neighborhood, the untrained eye could be led to believe that life there is no different to any other city or community in the country. In fact, one might need to be alerted to the pieces of infrastructure unique to a region which, for almost two decades, has endured the threat of rockets being fired from Gaza, compelling residents to run for cover.
In Kibbutz Alumim, less than three kilometers from the coastal enclave, Israel’s well-known air defense system, the Iron Dome, can be seen sitting up on a hill pointing towards the sky, in full view, as residents mosey through their neighborhood.
Meantime, underground, Israel’s military is building a defensive wall against Hamas attack tunnels.
Life in the Sha’ar HaNegev region is anything but ordinary.
A thin barbed wire fence is all that blocks the view from Israel into Gaza, where now a thick cloud of smoke is all but permanent since those Great March of Return protests began in 2016.
One could mistakenly believe an Israeli child had neglected their kite in the garden, looking at it laying torn and deteriorating in a family’s back yard. In reality, this is the remnant of an arson device flown over the border fence into Israeli territory from Gaza.
While the first Palestinian rocket was fired from Gaza in 2001, the launches have increased after Israel withdrew from the Strip in 2005.
Since the disengagement, more than 13,000 rockets and mortars have been fired at Israel.
In the most intense barrage, Palestinians fired more than 600 rockets in one weekend in May 2019.
So, who are the people living on Israel’s most active military front; where ordinary life goes hand in hand with conditions unimaginable to those in the West?
How do these residents contend with the reality of witnessing the carnage of the ongoing conflict up close?
“Normally I sleep through everything”
Noga Dulst (center) with visitors to Kibbutz Mefalsim
1:00 a.m. Monday: Noga Gulst, 53, is asleep in her bed.
She lives with her husband, Shem, in the Kibbutz Mefalsim located about 1.5 kilometres from Israel’s border with the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
Mefalsim was quiet that night, until Israel’s Iron Dome defense system began shooting down rockets launched by terrorists from Gaza.
The sound of explosions are all too familiar to residents of the Sha’ar HaNegev region.
The safe room inside her modest home is not far from where Gulst ordinarily sleeps. A small home is, in fact, fortuitous for a family accustomed to dashing to safety. A mere few steps from her bedroom, through the kitchenette and living room, will take her to her son’s bedroom, which doubles as a bomb shelter. The bedroom window is fitted with shatter-proof glass and a metal blind which is swiftly shut when the code red alarm sounds, to seal off the area. Every home along the Gaza border is outfitted with a room that doubles as a bomb shelter. Entire families may sleep here, sometimes for nights on end, during flare-ups between Israel and Hamas when the rocket threat is even higher."
the article continues
"But since, this time, the chilling booms of the missile interceptions weren’t preceded by alert sirens, Gulst doesn’t run for shelter. Instead, she tucks herself in for a good night’s sleep. While risky, it was, after all, the fourth such incident in the past two weeks.
Meanwhile, a very different scene was unfolding at a festival in nearby Sderot. Sirens blared across the city, prompting 4,000 people attending an open-air concert to run for their lives.
Gulst, for her part, is soon jolted awake by the sound of larger explosions.
“Normally I sleep through everything. But this time, the bombing was so close to us, that I actually woke up from it,” she said, referring to the Israeli military’s retaliatory air strikes.
Gulst and her husband earlier the same week had a similar experience, bolting to their safe room to seek cover from incoming rocket fire.
“Hopefully the [incoming rocket threat alarm] application on the phone will give us half a second before the siren and we go into the safe room inside the house. We don’t take any chances. If we are told go to the safe room, we are there,” Gulst emphasized.
Residents say the chilling sound of red alert sirens are designed to give a 15-second warning before a rocket is set to strike, although that may be a generous estimation. Gulst says the true timing is closer to 10 seconds.
“Whenever we go outside of the house, even when the siren doesn’t go off, the first thing I’ll do is check where the closest bunker is… so if the alarm goes off, I know where to go.”
This has become routine for the Israelis who live on the front lines of the conflict with Gaza’s rulers. But it’s a situation that Gulst says never gets easier.
“It’s fear for life. There’s no other way to say it.”
Gulst has for five decades lived in the Sha’ar HaNegev region, where she raised her two children, both of whom have now moved to other Israeli cities.
“They love the area, they would love to stay here, but both of them are traumatized and the only way that they can continue and try to live a normal life is to do it outside of the area.”
Despite the rocket threat, Gulst is content with her decision to build a life in Israel’s volatile south.
“It’s not something that you do very easily and we are here because we decided to stay. Someone needs to stay here. It’s in Israel. It’s even in the borders of ’67. There’s no argument that this is part of Israel. So, for us, this is life.”
Gulst, like many other civilians here, remembers a time when Israelis and Palestinians lived and worked together in Gaza; a situation she hopes will one day again materialize.
“It’s important to understand that we live here with the hope for peace, with the hope for change, with the hope that something will change in both [the Israeli and Palestinian] governments.” The problem, she continued, “is that when we left Gaza [in 2005] it was one sided. We have to do something that will change the equation of the fight; they’re shooting at us and we’re shooting back. They say ‘oh, you killed a person here so, let’s shoot at you.’ We need to change that [cycle].”
& Continues
"Israelis prepare to spend the night in a bomb shelter in the southern Israeli city of Beersheva, on November 15, 2012. Photo by Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images
In order for things to change, Gulst said with a heavy heart, another large scale military operation will need to be carried out.
“Although [Gazans] are the underdogs, we are coming in less powerful than we should,” she contended. “If they were afraid of us, they wouldn’t shoot…. 5 to 10 missiles [at Israel weekly] and [the Israeli government would not] allow them to accept 15 million dollars [monthly in Qatari handouts]. So for them, every time they want money, they’ll shoot at us.”
In this respect, Gulst suggested that the ongoing “March of Return” Palestinian protests along the shared border were a sign of desperation.
“I think firstly, the people in Gaza are frightened of Hamas and [secondly] they see that the way to get paid and to get salaries and to get money is to work with Hamas,” Gulst laments.
Despite the violence, she believes that more needs to be done to improve the quality of life in Gaza, so as to empower its citizens.
Regarding the blockade on the Strip, Gulst assumes a more nuanced approach.
“Egypt is blockading more than [Israel], so why are they not against Egypt and just us?
Egypt can open [its borders] and let [the Palestinians] go freely back and forth. [Israel is already providing] solar [energy] and gasoline and they shoot at the truck driver that brings [it] and then we are to blame that [the citizens of Gaza] are not getting any [fuel].”
Gulst believes the reality of the conflict is misrepresented.
“There are two sides to the picture and we are trying to do our best, but a picture of a child killed in Gaza is easier to sell than a child sitting in a safe room in Sha’ar HaNegev.”
When it comes to the threat of living under sporadic rocket fire, Gulst believes her life is at higher risk driving on Israeli roads.
“’We always say it’s [bad] maybe five per cent of the time. Most of the time, it’s good,” Gulst says, while providing a caveat.
“What I want is that 100 percent of the time it will be good in Gaza and it will also be good here. But they [Hamas] want that 100 percent of the time it will be bad here and they don’t really care for [their own citizens]. They care for the fight.”
Turning shrapnel into necklaces
& Continues
"9:00 p.m. Sunday: Yedidya Harush, 31, is at the Sderot festival and witnesses the chaos unfold, which he described as “insane.”
The Qassam rocket threat has caused post-traumatic stress disorder in both children and adults. One-third of Sderot’s youth reportedly suffer from PTSD.
“When you are by yourself and you hear the red alert [siren], you just run and take cover inside a bomb shelter, next to a wall, underneath something. You feel some kind of a secure feeling, even though sometimes the object you’re hiding under might not be so safe. But when everybody sees such big crowds they [fear] that there is no place to really hide.”
Harush is a former Gaza resident, who was forced to abandon his home in Gush Katif along with nearly 10,000 other Israeli civilians when then-prime minister Ariel Sharon, in 2005, unilaterally withdrew from the territory.
Over 20 communities were uprooted, synagogues were left behind, schools and businesses were shuttered.
One year prior, Harush’s pregnant cousin, Tali Hatuel, 34, and her four young children were shot dead by Palestinians while traveling on a road leading to Gush Katif.
“When we [disengaged from Gaza] we thought there will be peace. It was an act of peace. And peace did not come. Only the opposite happened,” Harush says.
“It’s a shame and I feel bad to see [what’s become of the] place where I grew up. It was a jewel. I think the opportunity to grow and build the Gaza Strip is enormous… and I do, I feel bad to see how Hamas treats their people.”
Some of the once flourishing Israeli communities are now Hamas launching pads.
Harush is now raising his young daughters in the community of Shlomit, located about five kilometers away from the frontier. He chose to remain in the South out of a deep sense of purpose."
& continues
"“It’s not like every day there are rockets. It’s once every few weeks. Yes, it’s not pleasant. It’s not normal to have rockets flying towards you,” he says. “But hey, let’s look at our lives from a historical perspective… we are living in our own homeland after 2,000 years of dreaming about it and we are able to protect ourselves. And ‘never again,’ from the Holocaust can only be a reality if we have our own homeland and army.”
Harush considers himself fortunate to be living on the front lines and believes his children will grow up to be better people because of his example.
“We are doing good and even though they throw rockets, we are not going to hate the other side. We are not going to talk about the other side badly. If we put our energy towards hate and negativity it wouldn’t take us anywhere,” Harush explains.
Instead, he and his wife Shiran collect shrapnel from Qassam rockets fired at Israel and turn them into necklaces.
The delicate pieces which have been melded into the form of love hearts, the Star of David and perhaps the most complex, the State of Israel, are a far cry from the aggressive and bulky chunks of shrapnel from which they came.
“The point is to do something that is good and beautiful, to show that there is still hope in our world. We take the worst thing and make it into this gorgeous piece of jewelry,” Harush says. After one of his friend’s homes in Sderot suffered a direct hit from a rocket, Harush collected the heavy pieces of steel and began creating from the destruction. “Our prayer is that one day we will run out of materials,” he says."
& Continues
"Yedidya Harush’s jewelry made from the remains of Palestinian rockets
Until such time, Harush remains baffled that the Palestinians have repeatedly rejected Israeli peace overtures and instead continue to pursue violence.
“If we opened the borders of Gaza, we would be murdered! And who is the controlling body in Gaza? It’s Hamas. During [Operation Protective Edge, the 50-day war with Hamas in 2014], Israel was letting aid into Gaza from the {Kerem] Shalom and Erez crossings. You know, [Palestinians] were firing rockets at the crossings and they killed Israelis. They were firing rockets at the crossing!” Harush emphasized. “They fired rockets at the Ashkelon power plant! This is the power plant that supplies them with electricity. You know, these are things that don’t make sense.”
Harush believes that Israel could do more to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza that began when Hamas was elected to power in 2007, but only if Israel’s security is guaranteed. His qualm for now, is that other countries aren’t doing enough to pick up the slack.
“Look at what Egypt and other countries do for [the Gazans] and then look at what Israel does for them, while these are our enemies,” Harush noted, invoking the peculiar fact that the daughter of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh underwent treatment in a Tel Aviv hospital just weeks after the 2014 conflict.
Related reading: Focus on Hamas: A Brutal Terror Organization
Accordingly, Harush believes the anger of the Gazan population is misdirected.
“If their leadership was willing to do everything for them, was willing to give them welfare, willing to help sick people, was putting all the billions of dollars that they get… and really give it to the people because that’s where it’s really meant to be, and not go and build another tunnel or another rocket to kill other innocent people, then believe me, life would be a lot better for them. This is their government, not mine,” he asserts.
“When I pay too much tax, I don’t go and cry to the Palestinian government or the Jordanian government. I go to my own government. When I was kicked out of my home, I thought it was the stupidest idea… I pointed the finger at Ariel Sharon and said, you’re the one to blame. I blamed my prime minister.”
& continues
"“Why should I move?”
Beverly Jamil
9:45 p.m. Sunday: Beverly Jamil, 56, is at a local hospital on the night of the Sderot festival attack. She is a volunteer medic for Israel’s ambulance service.
“I saw people who came in and they were traumatized. Children, babies, parents, grandparents,” she recalls.
It has been only a few weeks since Jamil’s mother-in-law was killed by injuries sustained while running to a bomb shelter.
Jamil lives in Ashkelon, some 13 kilometers from the Gaza border. She moved there in 1982 from Manchester, UK. Because of the rocket threat, life in the city, where she raises twin daughters, has undergone a “180 degree switch” from when she first arrived at 18 years old, Jamil says.
“I feel like I’m a target. I always say when you go to these fairs and you have to shoot the ducks down to get a prize, well we are ducks. We are sitting ducks. Will the rocket come here? Is this a threat to us? Will Iron Dome intercept it? Even the Iron Dome is [not perfect], because [the shrapnel has] got to fall somewhere.”
Jamil remembers her first date with who is now her husband, Reuven. They went to Gaza.
“I wish I could go back to ’83. There was an open border and you used to go through and you used to sit there and do your shopping and come home and do you know what? You used to feel safe there,” Jamil waxed nostalgically.
While she acknowledges the panic and resulting trauma during an uptick in violence between Israel and Hamas, Jamil insists she would never leave Ashkelon.
“It’s my home. Why should I move? This is where my family is. This is where my children grew up,” she asserts. “I’m very patriotic. I love my country. Do I feel safe here? Yes. When the [alert siren] goes off, you go into a different mode. Listen, we’ve been having it for 10 years.”
& Lastly says
"Jamil refers to the safe room in her home as “the mad,” an abbreviated version of the Hebrew word for shelter, mamad. Her use of the slang word in a certain way highlights the regularity with which it has been used. In fact, the safe room in her apartment is also the bedroom of one of her 21 year old daughters. This, she explains, is due to the fact that she lives in a newer neighborhood, constructed in the past two decades. In this way, Jamil feels she is lucky. The older neighborhoods, she explains, have a communal shelter on the ground floor of the apartment buildings.
“When we have ‘Tzeva Adom’ [rocket threat sirens] you can’t reach them in time, so basically, you go into your staircase and pray,” she sighs. “In my first apartment where we had the communal shelters, the only time we had sirens was during the Iraqi war and then we went into rooms that were blocked off with plastic and towels, because we thought it was going to be chemical warfare.”
Related reading: Terror Victims: Every Day is Remembrance Day
Some parts of Ashkelon, however, are particularly vulnerable during upticks in violence.
“The oldest neighborhoods have the shelters that are scattered around the streets,” Jamil states.
Jamil says that while she has always been concerned for her family’s safety, people can cope with the flare-ups so long as one is prepared and knows how to react.
“[My kids are] not traumatized by the rockets because me and my husband try to convey that as long as you get to the safe room, as long as you follow what you’ve been told to do, then hopefully you should be okay. If you’re in the car, get out of the car and lie on the ground with your hands over your head,” she casually instructs.
“I hope that one day we won’t be running from rockets. I’d like my children to get married and have families and know they [don’t have to be] worried about [whether] there [are] going to be rockets and go through the same drills that I’ve drilled into them.”
But remember the fact is, Gazans and "Palestinians" are NOT the Underdogs, Israel is sadly the real underdogs and victims
Another article from honestreporting.com is titled
"The 1982 Lebanon War – Operation Peace For the Galilee"
By Dov Lipman September 24, 2019
An IDF troop carrier flying the Lebanese and Israeli flags passing a group of women welcoming the soldiers to their Lebanese village. Photo by Kantor Yoel, courtesy Israel GPO.
the article says
"The 1982 Lebanon War began when Israeli forces first entered Lebanon on June 6, in an operation named “Shalom Hagalil” – “Peace for the Galilee.” That name describes precisely what Israel sought to accomplish through this “invasion” – providing peace and quiet for Israeli citizens living in the Galilee, the region along the Israeli-Lebanese border.
Descriptions of Israel as “invading” Lebanon present Israel as seeking to conquer enemy territory. But once the full background is provided, a very different picture emerges.
Israel had lived in relative peace with Lebanon to its north, until 1968 when the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) began to take root in southern Lebanon, using the location as a launching pad for terror attacks inside Israel.
In 1976, Israel began to assist Lebanese Christian militias who fought against the PLO. This relationship peaked in 1978 when, in response to the Coastal Road Massacre in which PLO terrorists killed 38 Israeli civilians, including 13 children, and wounded 71, Israeli forces entered southern Lebanon in order to establish a security buffer zone to keep the terrorists away from the Israeli border. The zone’s residents were mostly Christians and Israel began to supply arms and provide training for them.
Bashir Gemayel
Israel’s primary partner in the effort to combat the PLO was the Maronite Phalange party led by Bashir Gemayel. Hundreds of Lebanese militia members began to receive training at the IDF Staff and Command College in Israel and Israeli leaders began to formulate a plan for the installation of a pro-Israel Christian government in Lebanon that would work to remove the PLO from the country. The UN Security Council passed Resolution 425 in March 1978 requiring all Israeli forces to leave southern Lebanon and established the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to assist the Lebanese government with taking control over the area, as opposed to the PLO.
Despite the presence of UNIFIL, the PLO terror attacks against Israel prompted Israel to respond, at times deeper into Lebanese territory. For example, on July 17, 1981, the Israeli air force launched a massive attack on PLO buildings in downtown Beirut, the Lebanese capital, in an attempt to prevent further terror attacks ordered and planned from those headquarters. Despite a US-brokered ceasefire following this robust Israeli reprisal attack, there were 270 attacks against Israel by the PLO from July 1981 to June 1982.
On June 3, 1982, Shlomo Argov, Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, was shot and seriously wounded in London by terrorists belonging to the Iraqi-backed Abu Nidal terrorist organization. Despite the PLO distancing itself from any involvement in the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin blamed the PLO and its worldwide terror campaign against Israel and Jews, and used the shooting as a justification to do what Israel felt necessary for some time – enter Lebanon to uproot the terror organization once and for all.
On June 4, the Israeli government voted in favor of a massive operation in Lebanon with Begin saying “this will prevent another Treblinka,” referencing the Nazi extermination camp which the PLO would want to set up if it ever could in order to eliminate Israelis."
the article continues
"The government set out four goals for the IDF going into Lebanon:
Destroying the PLO infrastructure in Lebanon, including the PLO headquarters in Beirut.
Driving Syrian forces out of Lebanon.
Installing a Christian-led government in Lebanon with Bachir Gemayel as president.
Signing a binding, long-lasting peace treaty with the new Lebanese government.
Quite remarkably, the operation accomplished nearly all of its objectives.
Israeli forces under the direction of defense minister and future prime minister Ariel Sharon, launched a three-pronged attack of southern Lebanon on June 6. Approximately 60,000 troops and more than 800 tanks, along with heavy support from fighter jets, attack helicopters, artillery, and missile boats, crossed the border into Lebanon in three areas. At the same time, Israeli armor, paratroopers and naval commandos sailed towards the Lebanese coast.
IDF soldiers advancing among abandoned terrorist homes in Southern Lebanon in 1982. Photo by Yaacov Saar, courtesy Israel GPO
Just to give a sense of the challenge facing the IDF in this operation, Israel had no choice but to attack three Palestinian refugee camps – Rashidieh, Burj al-Shamali, and al-Bass – that were used as PLO bases. Each of these camps was filled with networks of bunkers, trenches, and firing positions. Before attacking each camp, the IDF blasted warnings via loudspeakers, asking the civilians to leave before they started their air, artillery, and infantry assaults. Israeli soldiers had to engage in difficult urban combat in the narrow streets of these camps in order to ensure that no PLO leaders or fighters remained. The PLO terrorists fought vigorously but also used civilians as human shields, making the fight much more difficult for the IDF. It took Israel a full three days of fighting to secure Burj al-Shamali and al-Bass, and four days to secure Rashidieh.
Fighting took place in Ein al-Hilweh, another refugee camp used as a base by the PLO, where the fundamentalists shot any civilian who wanted to surrender when they heard the Israeli warnings over the loudspeakers. The PLO terrorists and other radical Muslims fought over every alley and house and it took the IDF eight days to secure the camp. The last terrorists fought from inside a mosque which the IDF had no choice but to destroy.
When, on June 14, the IDF reached the outskirts of Beirut, the Lebanese capital which housed the PLO leadership, Israel decided not to capture it by force since the heavy street fighting which would be required to do so would cause heavy casualties. The Syrians, who committed 30,000 soldiers to the war, joined together with PLO fighters to defend Beirut. So instead of trying to enter it, Israeli forces encircled and besieged the city while it bombed PLO targets, including trying to assassinate its leaders from the air. The siege continued until August when an agreement was reached in which more than 14,000 PLO fighters and 6,500 Fatah combatants left Lebanon under the supervision of peacekeeping troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Italy. These terrorists relocated in Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Yemen, Greece and Tunisia, which became the new headquarters for the PLO leadership."
& continues
"& continues
"An Israeli Air Force Phantom jet overflying Beirut in 1982. Photo by Eitan Haber, courtesy Israel GPO
Despite the success in expelling the PLO from Lebanon and the arrival of peacekeeping forces, smaller Islamist militant organizations, mostly back by Iran, began to launch guerrilla attacks against Israeli soldiers, including suicide bombings. The worst were two attacks against Israeli security headquarters in Tyre which killed 103 Israelis. These attacks forced the IDF to move further south within Lebanon and hold a smaller buffer zone. The various small Islamic militant groups began to consolidate into larger groups and Hezbollah eventually emerged as the leading radical Islamic organization in southern Lebanon.
Despite the setback of the continued attacks by these radical groups, Israel had succeeded in expelling the PLO from Lebanon, removing Syrian influence from Lebanon and installing Bachir Gemayel as president over a Christian government. The next step was to be a peace treaty between Israel and Lebanon. But President Gemayel was assassinated in September 1982 making it very difficult for Israel to remain deep inside Lebanon and preventing the possibility of the signing of a peace treaty.
IDF armored forces returning to Israel in 1985. Photo by Nati Harnik, courtesy Israel GPO.
Israel began to withdraw its troops in January 1985 and completed this process in June of that year, effectively ending the war. Israel did leave smaller numbers of soldiers in the buffer zone it felt it needed to prevent terror and rocket attacks against northern Israeli communities. Israel’s complete and total withdrawal from Lebanon would take place in May 2000.
It is interesting to note that despite the quiet which Operation Peace for the Galilee brought to the citizens of northern Israel, early in the war, a United Nations commission issued a report saying that by entering into Lebanon “the government of Israel has committed acts of aggression contrary to international law” and that the government of Israel had no valid reasons under international law for its invasion of Lebanon. In June of 2000, following the complete Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, the UN announced that Israel was in compliance with UN policy and resolutions regarding Lebanon.
The civil war between the Christian Lebanese and the Islamists would continue for five more years, ending with Syrian control over Lebanon. 850,000 Christians permanently fled Lebanon during the civil war. Syria eventually pulled its troops out of Lebanon in 2005.
The war took a terrible toll on both sides. Estimates range from 2,000-19,000 killed on the Lebanese side and tens of thousands injured while Israel lost 657 soldiers with 3,887 injured. Israel lost another 559 soldiers between June 1985 and its complete withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000. 10 Israeli civilians were killed and 248 wounded from PLO and other terrorist shelling of northern Israeli communities from June 1982 when Israel attacked to 2000 when Israel withdrew."
& continues
"In a horrific incident in September 1982, the Israeli-allied Lebanese Christian militia, known as the Phalangists, entered the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camp where an estimated 2,000-3,000 terrorists had remained, and massacred 700-800 civilians. Israel’s Kahan Commission concluded that the Gemayel Phalangists were directly responsible for the massacre and that no Israelis were deemed directly responsible. However, it did state that Ariel Sharon bore responsibility for allowing these Lebanese forces to enter the camps and not preventing the massacre, ultimately leading to his resignation as defense minister.
Operation Peace for the Galilee cleared the PLO out of Lebanon, providing Israel’s northern cities with a long-term respite from the horrific terror attacks which PLO terrorists had been carrying out and enabled them to live without fear of those attacks. But as often happens when the IDF agrees to withdraw from an area, the absence of an IDF presence in southern Lebanon allowed for the growth of a new terror organization, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, which would eventually begin to terrorize Israel with its rocket arsenal."
Related reading: The Hezbollah Threat to Israel
See the websites thelandofisrael.com where it says
"Broadcasting the Truth & Beauty of Israel to the World" & also the website
israelmedianetwork.com
From honestingreporting.com another article is titled
"The Yom Kippur War: A Turning Point"
By Dov Lipman September 12, 2019
the article states
"The Arab states attempted to destroy Israel before its very foundation by inciting their people to attack Jews. They tried to destroy Israel when they rejected the UN partition plan in 1947 and attacked Israel in the immediate aftermath of its independence in 1948. They tried to destroy Israel via terror attacks through the 1950s and 60s, and by closing off the Suez Canal in 1956. They tried to destroy Israel via a military assault from all sides in 1967. After failing to destroy Israel in all those attempts, and rejecting Israel’s overtures for peace in return for the land it took control of in the Six Day War, the Arabs came very close to achieving their goal in October 1973 in what became known as the Yom Kippur War.
Anwar Sadat
Egyptian president Nasser passed away in September 1970 and his successor, Anwar Sadat, who explored options for a long-term peace agreement with Israel, was under pressure from the Egyptian street to restore Egypt’s honor from its defeat in the Six Day War.
In addition, the Egyptian economy was in a shambles, but Sadat knew that the deep reforms that he felt were needed would be deeply unpopular among parts of the population. A military victory would give him the popularity he needed to make changes.
Towards the end of 1972, Egypt began to build up its armed forces. It obtained MiG-21 fighter jets and advanced anti-tank guided missiles from the Soviet Union. In addition, generals who failed in 1967 were replaced with more competent officers and the army focused on improving its military tactics based on the practices of the Soviet military. Sadat declared that he was prepared to “sacrifice one million soldiers” in order to regain the territory which Egypt lost in 1967.
Sadat worked hard to gain backing from other countries for the Egyptian effort to recapture the Sinai and by the Fall of 1973, he claimed to have more than 100 states supporting this initiative – mostly from the Arab League and African countries. He also reached out to European countries and aside from the massive military and diplomatic support of the Soviet Union, he gained the support of the United Kingdom and France in the UN Security Council.
Hafez al-Assad
Syrian president Hafez al-Assad also initiated a massive military buildup with a plan to reconquer the Golan Heights. He also had dreams of establishing Syria as the most dominant military among the Arab countries. King Hussein of Jordan was reluctant to engage in a new war. He feared the possibility of losing even more territory than the West Bank which he lost in 1967. He was also upset with Sadat’s promise to Yasser Arafat of the PLO that he would be given control over the West Bank once Israel was defeated. King Hussein viewed the West Bank as part of Jordan and wanted to see it restored to his control."
the article continues
"Furthermore, in 1970, a near civil war broke out between Jordan and the PLO leadership during which the PLO was expelled from Jordan. Syria sided with the PLO and even helped it militarily, so Jordan did not feel comfortable joining the Egyptian-Syrian alliance. Iraq refused to join in on an attack because of its strained relations with Iraq, and Lebanon did not want to get involved because its army was small and unstable.
Sadat was set on war. His secret planning began in 1971 – keeping even the higher-level commanders out of the planning. The plan to attack Israel in concert with Syria was code-named Operation Badr after the Battle of Badr, in which Muslims, led by Muhammad, defeated the Quraish tribe of Mecca. In October 1972, Sadat told his Supreme Council of the Armed Forces that he intended to go to war with Israel.
Sadat publicly threatened war with Israel in a Newsweek interview in April 1973. Several times during that year, the Arab armies conducted large-scale exercises and each time Israel went on the highest alert levels for a few days. But commanders were not told of the actual war plans until less than a week before the attack and the Egyptian soldiers only learned about it a few hours beforehand.
On the Israeli side, there were plenty of warning signs that were ignored. On September 25, Jordan’s King Hussein secretly visited Israel to warn Prime Minister Golda Meir that the Syrians were going to attack Israel and that Egypt would join in. This was one of eleven warnings about war that Israel received from legitimate sources.
In October, IDF intelligence saw Egyptian military movement near the Suez Canal but dismissed it as mere training exercises. Israel also saw Syrian troops moving towards the border alongside a call-up of reserves and the cancellation of all military leave. But Israel’s intelligence leadership did not see all of this as a threat and did not listen to any of the warnings. They assessed correctly that Syria would not attack alone and would only do so in consonance with Egypt. They assessed incorrectly that Egypt was not going to attack."
& continues
"Former President Nasser’s son-in-law, Ashraf Marwan, was a senior Mossad agent and told Israel that Egypt would not attack until the Soviet Union provided it with more MiG23 fighter jets and Scud missiles to fire at Israeli cities. Since the fighters had not yet arrived, and Egypt’s soldiers did not have enough time for the Scud training, Israel incorrectly assumed that Egypt was not ready to attack. Israel did send some reinforcement to the Golan Heights which proved to be a critical move.
On the day before the war, General Ariel Sharon, a future prime minister, saw intelligence information which showed a much larger concentration of Egyptian soldiers along the Suez Canal than would be used for training, along with equipment to be used for crossing the canal. He was certain that war was imminent and passed this information to his superiors.
Israeli intelligence saw Soviet advisers and their families leaving Egypt and Syria, Egyptian and Syrian tanks, infantry and missiles concentrated near the border at all-time highs, and transport planes filled with military equipment landing in the capital cities of Cairo, Egypt and Damascus, Syria.
Marwan, the Israeli spy at the highest of levels in the Egyptian government continued to warn of imminent attack but his warnings never made it from the intelligence arm to the prime minister. On the night between October 5-6, the head of the Mossad, Zvi Zamir, met with Marwan who told him that a joint Syrian-Egyptian attack would take place at sunset the next evening. Israel’s high command called for a partial call-up of reserves in response.
On the morning of October 6, Israel’s leadership considered a preemptive strike similar to its blow against the Egyptian air force before Egypt attacked in June 1967. But after hearing all the different opinions, Prime Minster Meir decided not to attack. She explained that Israel would need American military assistance to survive an Egyptian-Syrian attack and she feared that if Israel would attack first, it would be blamed for starting the war and would not receive that assistance. The prime minister’s fear was not unfounded. US President Richard Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger continuously warned Meir not to initiate the war. On October 6 itself, Kissinger reiterated to Israel that it should not initiate a preemptive strike."
& continues
"On Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, on which most Jews spend a large part of the day in synagogue, just six hours after Israel decided not to launch a preemptive strike, Egyptian and Syrian forces attacked Israel – crossing the 1967 ceasefire lines in the Sinai in the south and the Golan Heights in the north. Egypt attacked with 100,000 soldiers and 1,350 tanks. At the time of attack, Israel’s forces at the Canal numbered 450 soldiers and around 100 tanks. Israel’s lack of preparedness enabled the Egyptian army to move into the Sinai with relative ease. Syria also made great progress and took over a significant area of Israeli controlled territory in the Golan Heights.
Egyptian military trucks cross a bridge laid over the Suez Canal on October 7, 1973.
Israel found itself in a dire situation prompting the US to send an airlift of military equipment. This was also done to counter the massive supplies which the Soviet Union was sending to Egypt. The combination of the US airlift and Israel mobilizing most of its reserve forces enabled Israel to repel the assault.
Israel then launched an offensive attack to push Syrian forces out of the Golan Heights, which led the IDF deep into Syrian territory. When the Israeli army was within reach of the outskirts of the Syrian capital of Damascus, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, realizing that the failed Arab campaign would soon come to an end, ordered his forces to go on the attack. Israel not only fought off this Egyptian advance but pushed the Egyptian forces back to the point that the IDF crossed the Suez Canal into Egypt and began advancing towards Egyptian cities including Cairo. But that progress came to a halt when a UN-brokered and US-pressured ceasefire went into effect on October 25.
The Syrian and Egyptian borders were not the only fronts that Israel had to defend during the war. Palestinian militias fired Katyusha rockets and anti-tank missiles from Lebanon into Israeli cities near the Lebanon-Israel border. They managed to lightly injure some Israelis and there was damage to Israeli property. The Israeli leadership decided that they could not open another battlefront and chose not to send forces into southern Lebanon to clear out the source of the rocket fire.
(Egypt violated the ceasefire the very next morning and despite the agreement, fighting actually continued until mid-January 1974.)
Israel lost more than 2,500 soldiers in the war and around 8,000 were injured. 293 Israeli soldiers were taken captive. The Arab armies which were joined by Iraq, lost anywhere between 8,000 and 18,00 soldiers (Egypt and Syria never released official numbers) and between 18,000 and 35,000 wounded.
Israeli prisoners of war were tortured terribly by their Syrian and Egyptian captors. IDF soldiers were found dead, having been executed while blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs. Some were decapitated with axes, and high numbers were tortured with electric shocks all over their bodies including their genitals, burned with lit cigarettes, and had their fingernails ripped out. Many were held in captivity long after the war ended.
Aside from the horrific losses on both sides, the war had significant implications for both sides. The mistake of not acting on the intelligence warnings before the war led to Prime Minister Meir and Defense Minister Moshe Dayan resigning. Israel also eventually created a National Security Council to improve the communication and the coordination between the security/intelligence apparatus and the government.
But the war’s implications were far greater than that. The Arabs experienced conflicting emotions after the war, and both pushed them in the same direction. On the one hand the Arabs felt that while they failed in their goal of destroying Israel, they caused Israel significant damage and this restored their honor following their crushing defeat in the Six Day War, six years earlier. This gave them the ability to consider exploring peace with Israel “as equals.”
& continues
"On the other hand, the Arabs saw Israel’s military might as it withstood their initial losses and then went on the offensive, reaching deep into their own countries. This fear of Israel’s strength also nudged them towards exploring peace. The Israeli side suffered a deep psychological blow as it suddenly realized that it was not invincible and had no guarantee of always defeating its Arab neighbors in war. This shifted Israel to a stronger determination of working towards peace.
The Soviet Union and the United States invited Israel, Egypt, Syria and Jordan to meet for a peace conference in Geneva in December 1973. The effort failed due to Syria’s refusal to attend. Through the efforts of the United States, Israel and Egypt signed the Sinai I agreement on January 18, 1974, in which Israel pulled back from some of its more advanced positions while still maintaining almost the entire Sinai.
The Sinai II agreement was signed on September 4, 1975, in which Israel withdrew from more land in the Sinai with UN forces moving in to patrol the area between Israel and Egypt. Israel still controlled more than two-thirds of the Sinai which was critical for it to hold as both sides explored a long-term agreement, a process which ultimately culminated with the 1979 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt.
The Syrian front was more complicated with military activity continuing between the two sides until May 31, 1974 when the US brokered a “disengagement agreement” in which Israel withdrew from Syria back to the Golan Heights, Syria agreed to release its prisoners of war in a prisoner exchange, and the UN established the UN Disengagement and Observer Force keeping the peace in a buffer zone created between the two countries.
The Yom Kippur War marked the last time that the Arab countries neighboring with Israel joined together militarily to try to destroy the Jewish state." Richard Nixon was an anti-Semite, he withheld aid to Israel in the 1973 war until the very last moment,
From the website gotquestions.org
"Did God give Israel the Promised Land for all time (Deuteronomy 4:40)?
Question: "Did God give Israel the Promised Land for all time (Deuteronomy 4:40)?"
Answer: In Deuteronomy 4:40 the Lord gave the Israelites this command: “Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.” Does this mean God gave Israel the Promised Land in perpetuity?
This passage contains a conditional offer. Israel would have the Promised Land as they kept God’s “decrees and commands.” The Israelites had to obey God’s statutes in order to remain in the land. History reveals that the Israelites often disobeyed, resulting in temporary times of exile from their land.
However, the end of this passage notes that God is giving Israel the Promised Land “for all time.” The Hebrew phrase translated “for all time” is a general statement, likely in reference to God’s original promise of a land to Abraham in Genesis 12.
There are both a conditional and unconditional aspect to God’s promise. God offered blessings within the Promised Land conditionally, related to the Israelites’ obedience. Yet God also made an unconditional vow that Israel would have the Promised Land “for all time.”
How long is “for all time”? In the book of Revelation, we see Israel as a central focus. In the end times, Israel faces many difficulties, yet that tribulation concludes with the Messiah reigning from His throne in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. The book concludes with a new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem. The promise of Deuteronomy 4:40 is a far-seeing promise, extending to the end of this world’s existence and even into the time of the new earth.
Many other passages of Scripture support the fact that Israel will possess the Promised Land forever. For example, God spoke to Isaac in Genesis 26:3, saying, “Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.” The Lord also spoke to Jacob in Genesis 28:13–14 with similar words: “There above it stood the Lord, and he said: ‘I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.’” See also Psalm 132:14; Isaiah 14;1; and Zechariah 2:3–5, 10–13.
Some have suggested that, because of God’s promises to Israel concerning the Promised Land, Christians should support the modern nation of Israel without reservation. Christians have many reasons to support the people of Israel, but this does not mean Christians must agree with every political decision made by the modern Israeli government. Instead, the focus is on God’s spiritual restoration of Israel (Romans 11:26) and the enduring promise to His chosen people."
From the website www.Idolphin.org an article is titled
"12 Keys To Understanding Israel In The Bible"
by Clarence H. Wagner Jr.
the article says
"As I travel the world speaking on behalf of Bridges for Peace, I often hear many of the same questions over and over again. Whether it is in South Africa or Canada, Australia or Brazil, the UK or the USA, one thing that Christians want to have is a summary of the key Scriptures about Israel and the Jewish people. God has much to say about His Covenant people and His Land, Israel.
The Land of Israel is the only place on earth which God says He owns in terms of property ownership that can be transferred. (Of course, we know the whole world is His, yet this one parcel of land on the earth has a unique relationship to Him.) About Israel, He says, "The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine: for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me" (Leviticus 25:23).
Exactly what does the Bible say about God's parcel of land, and who has a right to it?
When we come to the modern-day Israel-Palestine issue, people often ask the question, "Just what right do Israel and the Jewish people have to this land?" Arguments are continually brought forth concerning the rights of the Palestinians and the rights of the Israelis that seem logical to the people who present them. But a basic question still remains in my mind as I listen to the many conflicting viewpoints concerning this parcel of land: "Who has the ultimate authority to determine rights concerning this special piece of real estate?"
The biblical answer to that question is that God alone determines the "rights" that any of us have. Something is right or wrong because of Divine decree, not human feeling or human reason. The existence of God previous to the creation of the universe and mankind gives Him the right to determine our "rights."
Morality exists because God exists. Authority exists because God exists. And, Almighty God has already determined the rights of Israel and the Jewish people to the land God owns and has deeded over to them.
Let's look together at what He has to say about the Land of Israel, the people He chose to possess it, and why:
Key #1: The Land of Canaan, renamed Israel by the Lord, was given by God to Abraham and his descendants as an everlasting possession.
In Genesis 12:7a, we read: "The Lord appeared to Abram and said, 'To your descendants I will give this land.'"
In Genesis 13:15, He repeated His promise when He said, "for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever." He said the same thing in Genesis 15:18, "To your descendants I have given this land."
the article continues
"Key #2: The gift of this Land to Abraham and his descendants was based on an unconditional covenant from God Himself.
Genesis 17:7-8 states: "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. And I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."
The sign of that covenant for Abraham and his descendants was circumcision. Twice in this passage, God mentions the everlasting nature of this covenant. There are some today who say that this covenant was conditional, that it was based on Israel's faithfulness to God. The Bible teaches otherwise.
In Psalm 89:30-37, we read: "If his sons forsake My law, and do not walk in My judgments, if they violate My statues, and do not keep My commandments, then I will visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. But I will not break off My loving kindness from him, nor deal falsely in My faithfulness. My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. His descendants shall endure forever like the moon, and the witness in the sky is faithful."
Jeremiah 31:35-36 declares: "This is what the Lord says, 'He who appoints the sun to shine by day, Who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar -- the Lord Almighty is His Name; Only if these ordinances vanish from My sight,' declares the Lord, 'will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before Me.'"
& continues
"We agree that God promised to judge His people if they disobeyed Him. That is true for all of us. However, we do not agree with those who say that Israel's disobedience would forfeit their gift of the land and their national status as a people. Deuteronomy 28 shows that God's pronouncement of blessing and cursing only affected the quality of life of the Israelites, which was conditional upon their faithfulness. However, the promise of the land was not based upon Israel's performance, but upon God's oath and character -- He will not lie.
Deuteronomy 30 shows that before they even entered the Promised Land, He knew they would violate His statutes and be evicted in a future day. Yet it also declares that He would bring them back into the land He had given their forefathers (see #8).
Key #3: The Land was given to Abraham and his descendants as part of God's redemptive blessing to the world.
In Genesis 12:1-3, we read, "The Lord has said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
Israel was located in the center of the ancient world, and all transportation and communication between the continents had to pass through this territory to reach the other. In doing so, the travelers, merchants and traders, and even the armies encountered the Children of Israel.
They were chosen for three purposes: to worship God in this land and show the world the blessing of serving the one true God of the Universe; to receive, record and transmit the Word of God (through them we have our Bible); and finally, to be the human channel for the Messiah from whom we have our salvation. In order for God to protect His purposes for the Children of Israel in the Land of Israel, He promised to bless those who blessed Abraham and his descendants and curse him who cursed them.
Key #4: This land was not given to the descendants of Ishmael (one ancestor of the Arab peoples), but rather to the descendants of Isaac.
I have no bitterness toward the descendants of Ishmael, nor do I wish to be unkind to our Arab friends. However, I must be faithful to what I know the Bible teaches. Abraham himself considered Ishmael as a possible descendant to whom God would give this land. In Genesis 17:18, Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before Thee." But God's answer was, and is, very clear. In Genesis 17:19, God answered Abraham, "No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him."
God promised to bless Ishmael and to make him a great nation: "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation" (Genesis 17:20). However, the bloodline of the covenant promise concerning the Land would go through Isaac, not Ishmael: "...In Isaac your descendants shall be called" (Hebrews 11:18).
Key #5: This Land was not given to the other sons of Abraham, but only to Isaac.
After Sarah died, Abraham had six more sons by Keturah, as well as others by his concubines, who are ancestors of many of the Arab peoples today. However, the covenant of the Land was not for them: "Now Abraham gave all he had to Isaac; but to the sons of his concubines, Abraham gave gifts while he was still living and sent them away from his son Isaac eastward, to the land of the east" (Genesis 25:5-6). Note that Abraham even sent these sons away from the Land of Canaan.
Key #6: This Land and covenant were given only to Isaac's son, Jacob, and his descendants, not Esau and his descendants.
& continues
"Jacob received the birthright from his father, Isaac. In Genesis 28:4, Isaac said to Jacob: "May He (God) also give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you: that you may possess the land of your sojourning, which God gave to Abraham."
But it wasn't simply the words of his father Isaac that guided the future of Jacob. It was a direct revelation from God Himself that convinced Jacob of his destiny. The Lord God revealed to Jacob His message about this land. In Genesis 28:13-15, we read:
"I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants shall also be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with you, and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
According to Genesis 36:6-9, Esau took his descendants and all his possessions and went to another land away from his brother Jacob. Esau lived in the hill country of Seir. The Bible tells us that Esau is Edom. It specifically tells us that the descendants of Esau are the Edomites, and Israel was not their land. The book of Obadiah is a proclamation of doom upon the sons of Esau (Edom) for their constant persecution of the descendants of Jacob (Israel): "Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever" (Obadiah 1:10)."
& continues
"Key #7: God told Israel to conquer the Land which He had given to them.
In Deuteronomy 1:8, we read: "See, I have placed the land before you; go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to them and their descendants after them." On the east side of the Jordan River as the Israelites were about to enter into the Promised land, the Lord said to Joshua: "Moses My servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan river into the land I am about to give to them -- to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert and from Lebanon to the great river, the Euphrates - all the Hittite country -- and to the Great Sea on the west. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them" (Joshua 1:2-4,6).
Joshua then told his people with these words: "This is how you will know that the living God is among you, and that He will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites"(Joshua 3:10). He then told them how the Lord would part the flood waters of the Jordan River so they could cross over to the other side. This is what happened and then the people knew that God was with them, and they conquered the land, region by region, starting with Jericho.
The reality of conflict over the land of Israel is nothing new and in no way indicates that God is not with the Jewish people concerning the land issue today. I have heard Christians say that Israel today could not be part of God's plan, because there is so much war and strife that it can't be of God. However, since when has it been any different? All through the Older Testament, nations rose up to fight against the Jewish people, the descendants of Abraham, in the Land of Israel. From the moment Joshua brought the Children of Israel into the Promised Land, it was a fight to possess the Land. King David was seemingly at constant war with his neighbors, the Philistines. Why should it be surprising that conflict is still happening today? The enemies of God have always fought against His plans.
The prophet Zechariah makes it quite clear that at the end of days, God Himself will make Jerusalem a stumbling block for the nations and will judge them by whether or not they understand and support God's plans for Jerusalem and Israel. If they do, they will be blessed; if they don't, they will be destroyed: "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. On that day, I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem" (Zechariah 12:1-2,9)."
& continues
"Key #8: Israel's sin and subsequent exile from the Land did not change their divine right to this Land given to them by the Lord in covenant.
Many people have said that God's promise to give Israel this land was based upon Israel's faithfulness to God's laws, and that when they were disobedient and sent into captivity, this nullified God's promise. The Bible teaches otherwise. In Leviticus 26:40-45, we read that God would punish Israel for its disobedience and send them into captivity. But, according to verses 44-45, God will bring them back:
"Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them; for I am the Lord their God. But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am the Lord." In Deuteronomy 30:3-5, God promises: "Then the Lord your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. And the Lord; your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers."
Amos 9:14-15 thunders forth these remarkable words: "'Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, and they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, and make gardens and eat their fruit. I will also plant them on their land, and they will not again be rooted out from their land which I have given them,' says the Lord your God."
Some opponents to Israel's right to the land say that these verses were fulfilled when the Jewish people returned from the Babylonian captivity. However, we know that there were other exiles and in-gatherings, as well. Yet, Amos speaks of a return to their ancient homeland, Israel, once and for all, when he says, "'. and they will not again be rooted out from their land which I have given them,' says the Lord your God" (Amos 9:15). That has never happened in history and many believe that this return to Israel is that final return that will culminate in the coming of Messiah."
& continues
"Key #9: The name of this Land is not Palestine, but Israel.
Twenty-five hundred years ago, the prophet Ezekiel spoke of the restoration of Israel to its land in the last days. Ezekiel spoke of dry bones coming to life. Never before in history has a nation been destroyed and scattered all over the world, and then been brought back to life. It is a miracle and a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. We read in Ezekiel 37:11-12:
"Then He said to me, 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.' Therefore prophesy, and say to them, 'thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of ISRAEL.'"
Notice that the name of that land is ISRAEL, the land that so often is called the "land of Canaan" in the Bible. God says that in the last days it will be called ISRAEL.
The name, Palestine, was a regional name that was imposed on the area by the Roman Emperor, Hadrian, who suppressed the Second Jewish Revolt in AD 135. He was so angry with the Jews that he wanted to humiliate them and emphasize that the Jewish nation had lost its right to a homeland under Roman rule. The name Palaestina was originally an adjective derived from Philistia, the arch-enemies of the Israelites 1000 years earlier. Hadrian also changed the name of Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina after his own family name, Aelia. He also forbade Jews from entering the city, except on the 9th of the Hebrew month, Av, to mourn its destruction. Since he was considered a god in the Roman Empire, this was his attempt to break God's covenant between the Jewish people and their land. This effectively declared his pagan authority over Jerusalem, which had been the place of the presence of the God of Israel. To this day, the name Palestine flies in the face of Israel and the entire issue can be boiled down to a religious (spiritual) battle over a land whose fate will be decided by the God of the Bible, since it is His land (Leviticus 25:23).
Yeshua (Jesus), in describing the signs of the end of the age, said: "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Luke 21:24b). From the time of Hadrian until 1967, Jerusalem was controlled by Gentiles. It is now back in the hands of the Jewish people, which is one sign that Messiah is soon to come to Zion."
& continues
"Key #10: The stranger (those outside the Covenant) will live among you and be treated with respect.
"They (God's covenant people) will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated: they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. The stranger will shepherd your flock; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards" (Isaiah 61:4,5). "If you (Israel) really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave to your forefathers for ever and ever" (Jeremiah 7:5-7).
The "alien" or "foreigner" in these verses would include the Palestinian Arabs and other non-Jewish people who live in the land. They would receive a blessing by living and working in the Land of Israel, not the Land of Palestine. On the one hand, Israel should treat them with respect. On the other hand, they have the responsibility to live at peace, abiding by the laws of the Land, recognizing under whose sovereignty it belongs.
This is what Moses taught: "The community (of Israel) is to have the same rules for you and for the alien living among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the alien shall be the same before the Lord; the same laws and regulations will apply to you and to the alien living among you"(Numbers 15:15,16).
When this relationship is broken, as has happened today, then crisis ensues. Scripture has much more to say about the Land in prophecy, including the fact that Israel will go through many more trials before Messiah comes to fully restore Israel as the head of all nations."
& continues
"Key #11: The return of the Jewish people at the end of days will be initiated by God, and their return will signal the restoration of a barren and broken land.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of God's plan to bring His people back to Israel, saying: "He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel, He will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth" (Isaiah 11:12).
When the Jews began to return from the nations of the world at the end of the last century, the land was barren and sparsely inhabited. In the 1860s, the author, Mark Twain, traveled in what was then a backward region of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, called Palestine and described the land, thusly: "Nowhere in all the waste around was there a foot of shade." He called the land a "blistering, naked, treeless land." Of the Galilee, he said, "There is no dew, nor flowers, nor birds, nor trees. There is a plain and an unshaded lake, and beyond them some barren mountains." His summary of Palestine: "Of all the lands there are for dismal scenery, I think Palestine must be the prince. The hills are barren, they are dull of color, they are unpicturesque in shape. It is a hopeless, dreary, heartbroken land."
This description matches the Ezekiel's prophecy of the "barren mountains of Israel" in Ezekiel 36:1-7. However, Ezekiel goes on to say, "But you, O mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for My people Israel, for they will soon come home. I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, and I will multiply the number of people upon you, even the whole house of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will increase the number of men and animals upon you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then, you will know that I am the Lord. I will cause people, My people Israel, to walk upon you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children" (Ezekiel 36: 8-12).
Truly, the return of the Jews from over 100 nations of the world is a modern-day miracle. Large waves of immigrants began to come in the 1880s. Since those early days, the deserts have been reforested, the rocky fields made fertile, the swamps drained and planted, the ancient terraces rebuilt, and the ruined cities of old re-established. Israel is now a nation of over six million people that is a food exporting nation that boasts high levels of literacy, health, education and welfare, high technology and agricultural development."
& lastly says
"Key #12: The nations will be part of the return of the people and the restoration of the land.
The prophet Isaiah of Israel said: "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. Surely the islands look to me; in the lead are the ships of Tarshish, bringing your sons from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the Lord your God. Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that men may bring you the wealth of the nations. For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined" (Isaiah 60:1,9-12).
In Romans 11:11-14, Paul teaches us Christians that we are grafted into the olive tree, which are the covenants, promises and hopes of Israel. We do not hold up the tree, but it holds us up, so we should not boast against His people, Israel. In verse 28, he tells us that they are beloved for the sake of the patriarchs. Without the faithfulness of the Jewish people in Israel, we would not have our example, our Bible, our Yeshua or our salvation. Therefore, he concludes that "by our mercy, they will receive [God's] mercy." (Romans 11:31).
Paul teaches us Christians that we have a debt to pay to the Jewish people, by blessing them in tangible ways.
Romans 15:27 clearly states: "For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings." How much more direct can God be regarding our Christian relationship to Israel and the Jewish people.
What Does This Mean To Us?
The day of Israel's full restoration is near. Messiah will make it possible and we shall all live in peace. Until He comes, we, who believe the Bible to be God's Word and that every promise of God will come to pass, must stand and support Israel's right to its land. It is a Divine right. We are patient with those who do not believe the Bible, nor accept Israel's right to the land. Yet, with love for all, we must strongly support Israel's right. We cannot do otherwise and have clear consciences. We cannot say on the one hand that we believe there is a God Who has revealed His perfect will in His Holy Scriptures, and on the other hand, deny Israel its right to the land God promised to her.
Our commitment to Israel was penned by the Psalmist so long ago in Psalm 102:13: "You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come." This is that day.
Again the Psalmist exhorts us: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may they prosper who love you. May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces. For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, 'May peace be within you.' For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good" (Psalm 122; 6-9).
Bridges for Peace: http://www.bridgesforpeace.com/"
Also from the website www.Idolphin.org an article is titled
"Modern Israel's Right To The Land"
Dr. Thomas Ice
Pre-Trib Research Center
the article says
"Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "Son of man, your brothers, your relatives, your fellow exiles, and the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, 'Go far from the Lord; this land has been given us as a possession.' Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord God, though I had removed them far away among the nations, and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where they had gone.'" Therefore say, "Thus says the Lord God, 'I shall gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries among which you have been scattered, and I shall give you the land of Israel. When they come there, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it.'" --- Ezekiel 11:14-18
The modern state of Israel is under attack like never before since her 1948 founding from all sides throughout the world. Recently a secular Israeli said shortly after this summer's war (2006) with Hezbollah, "Every year they hate us more." No matter what Israel does, whether good or bad, it is viewed by most of the world as a provocation that justifies the world's hatred toward God's covenant nation.
If that's not bad enough, you would think that people of the Book (Christians), would be unified in their support of contemporary Israel since God is bringing His people back to their land. Yet, an increasing number of many within Christendom are speaking out, and like the unbelieving world, they too are blaming Israel for the problems in the Middle East.
Land Verses Jesus?
Typical of those within the Evangelical orbit of those who deny Israel's clear prophetic future in the Bible is replacement theologian Gary DeMar, who said of a Christian and Jewish pro-Israel rally: "Those in attendance are more concerned about the land of Israel than the life-transforming gospel of Jesus Christ." So DeMar is able to judge the thoughts and intents of people's hearts? He continues by saying, "The only concern of these end-time advocates is Israel and their land." [1]
Rather than attempting to guess one's motives, as DeMar does, it is better to look at one's deeds in relation to this issue. It is patently clear that preterists such as DeMar are hardly known for their evangelistic efforts, let alone Jewish evangelism. However, as historian Timothy Weber notes concerning the rise of the dispensational viewpoint, "premillennialists were able to stress the evangelization of the Jews while at the same time they supported Jewish nationalistic aspirations." [2] In fact, the heightened interest in dispensational evangelization of the Jews has been documented in a study of the history of Jewish evangelism. Yaakov Ariel says,
The rise of the movement to evangelize the Jews in America also coincided with the rise of Zionism, the Jewish national movement that aimed at rebuilding Palestine as a Jewish center. The missionary community, like American dispensationalists in general, took a great deal of interest in the developments among the Jewish people. . . .
Perhaps not surprisingly, missionaries to the Jews were among the major propagators of the dispensationalist premillennialist belief. . . ."
& continues
"They condemned anti-Semitism and discrimination against Jews worldwide. [3]
The Bible and The Land
All throughout the Old Testament God says that the land we know as Israel is for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or the Jews. Every Old Testament prophet, except Jonah, speaks of a permanent return to the Land of Israel by the Jews. [4] Nowhere in the New Testament are these Old Testament promises ever changed or negated. [5] In fact, they are reinforced by some New Testament passages. Walter Kaiser notes that "the writer of Hebrews (6:13, 17-18), . . . swore by Himself when He made the promise: to show how immutable His purpose was." [6] Paul says of the promises to Israel: "for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable" (Rom. 11:29).
The only legitimate basis for the Jews to claim a right to the land of Israel comes from the Bible. In fact, if it were not for the biblical history of Israel who would even know to associate the Jewish people with the land of Israel? It is precisely because God associates the Jewish people with the land that He gave them-located in today's Middle East-that we could even have a movement today known as Zionism. (Zionism is the name most frequently used of anyone, Jew or Gentile, who desires the Jews to own the Land of Israel.) Detractors of Zionism must attempt to say that God's promise of the land of Israel to the Jews has somehow been invalidated. My how many have tried down though the years to prove just that! But God's Word speaks louder than their shrill voices combined.
The case for Zionism rises or falls upon what the Bible teaches about Israel and the land of Israel. It is true that a just case for Israel can be presented upon many grounds, but ultimately it boils down to what does God think about this matter as communicated through His inerrant and authoritative Word-the Bible."
& continues
"God's Promise of the Land
The Lord called Abram out of Ur of the Chaldeans and made an unconditional covenant, or contract, with him. This contract, known as the Abrahamic covenant, contained three major provisions: 1) a land to Abram and his descendants Israel, 2) a seed or physical descendants of Abraham, and 3) a worldwide blessing (Gen. 12:1-3).
In order to make His point clear, the Lord put Abram to sleep and made Himself the only signatory of the contract (Gen. 15:1-21). God told Abram, "To your descendants I have given this land" (verse 18). Even though the Lord was the only active signatory to the cutting of the covenant, as demonstrated in Genesis 15, nevertheless it is clear that Abraham obeyed the Lord during his lifetime: "Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws" (Gen. 26:5). "It is significant that the promise is related to Abraham's obedience, not to Isaac's, as the promise now becomes immutable and certain of fulfillment,"[7] observes John F. Walvoord. This covenant is repeated to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants a little over twenty times in the book of Genesis.[8] God's promise to the patriarchs is said to be an everlasting covenant (Gen. 17:7, 13, 19)."
T
& Continues
"he promise of the land covenant is passed from Abraham to Isaac, instead of Ishmael. The Lord told Isaac: "Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. And I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 26:3-4). Here we see a duplication of God's promise to Isaac's father (cf. Gen. 12:3; 15:18).
Number three in the patriarchal descent is Jacob, rather than Esau. Jacob's name is later changed to Israel, which becomes the primary name of the new nation. In Jacob's famous dream of a stairway from heaven to earth, the Lord said, "'I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants shall also be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed'" (Gen. 28:13-14). This statement also includes a repetition of the land promise made to Abraham and Isaac and would be passed on to Jacob's posterity, fulfilled in his twelve sons, the twelve tribes of Israel and their descendants. Walvoord notes:
A careful study of these passages makes clear that the promise of the land was intrinsic to the whole covenant given to Abraham. Inasmuch as Abraham became a great man, had a great posterity, and brought blessing to the whole world through Christ, it is reasonable to assume that the rest of the Abrahamic covenant will be fulfilled just as literally as these provisions. The nonliteral or conditional interpretation of these promises is not supported in Scripture.[9]
Genesis closes with Jacob, his twelve sons and their descendants sojourning in the land of Egypt. Exodus is the story of their deliverance from Egypt and preparation for entrance into the land of Canaan. Even though Israel wondered in the wilderness for forty years because of unbelief, it was there that Moses received the Law that would become the new nation's constitution by which she would be governed in the land.
The book of Deuteronomy says at least twenty-five times that the land is a gift to the people of Israel from the Lord (Deut. 1:20, 25; 2:29; 3:20; 4:40; 5:16, etc.). Old Testament scholar, Walter Kaiser notes that, "sixty-nine times the writer of Deuteronomy repeated the pledge that Israel would one day 'possess' and 'inherit' the land promised to her."[10]
Deuteronomy 28-30 lays out the conditions for Israel to experience blessing within the land. We must remember that while the land was given unconditionally to the people of Israel, the Mosaic Law provides sub-conditions for the nation to enjoy God's blessings in the land. The tribulation period will be a time of divine discipline on the nation, bringing about Israel's repentance obedience. And then, during those grand and golden days of the millennial kingdom, she will experience full occupation of her land, reaping the many blessings promised in the Old Testament."
& continues
"The Psalms, Israel's handbook of praise to the Lord, often lead the worshipper in thanksgiving to the Lord for His covenant promises and faithfulness. For example, Psalm 105 says, "He has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac. Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, 'To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance'" (Psalm 105:8-11). Elsewhere in the Psalms, the Lord declares: "For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. 'This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it'" (Psalm 123:13-14). God's choice of providing the land of Israel for the Jewish people has remained steadfast down through history.
Throughout the Old Testament the prophets convict Israel of her disobedience, but always with a view toward a future restoration, when ultimately Israel will dwell in peace and prosperity. Throughout the Old Testament the prophets provide promise after promise of this time of future restoration to the land (Isa. 11:1-9; 12:1-3; 27:12-13; 35:1-10; 43:1-8; 60:18-21; 66:20-22; Jer. 16:14-16; 30:10-18; 31:31-37; 32:37-40; Ezek. 11:17-21; 28:25-26; 34:11-16; 37:21-25; 39:25-29; Hosea 1:10-11; 3:4-5; Joel 3:17-21; Amos 9:11-15; Micah 4:4-7; Zeph. 3: 14-20; Zech. 8:4-8; 10:11-15). A specific example of a restoration passage can be found at the end of Amos: "'Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, and they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them, they will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, and make gardens and eat their fruit. I will also plant them on their land, and they will not again be rooted out from their land which I have given them,' Says the Lord your God" (Amos 9:14-15)."
& continues
"
It is important to note that Zechariah, following the return from the Babylonian captivity, speaks of a future restoration to the land, thus suggesting that Israel's past restorations did not ultimately fulfill the land promise given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Zechariah 9-14 lays out an end time plan of restoration of the nation to Jerusalem and the land of Israel. Kaiser notes: "Repeatedly, the prophets of the Old Testament had depicted an Israelite remnant returning to the land (e.g., Isa. 10:20-30) and becoming prominent among the nations (Mic. 4:1) in the end day. In fact, Zechariah 10:8-12 is still repeating this same promise in 518 b.c., well after the days when many in Israel had returned from their last and final exile, the Babylonian Exile." [11] Further, Israel has a future in their land since nowhere in the Bible has the Lord revoked any of His promises to His people Israel: "for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable" (Rom. 11:29).
Multiple End-Time Regatherings
To properly understand the end-time homecoming or regathering of the Jews to their promised land, we need to keep in mind that the Bible predicts that Israel will experience two worldwide, end-time regatherings to the Promised Land. The first regathering will be partial, gradual and in unbelief, while the second regathering will be full, instantaneous and when Israel enters into belief in Jesus as their personal and national Messiah.
Dozens of biblical passages predict this global event. It is a common mistake, however, to lump all of these passages into one fulfillment time frame, especially in relation to the current state of Israel. Modern Israel is prophetically significant and is fulfilling Bible prophecy. But when we read God's Word, we need to be careful to distinguish which verses are being fulfilled in our day and which await future fulfillment.
In short, there will be two end-time regatherings: one before the tribulation and one after the tribulation. The first worldwide regathering will be a return in unbelief, in preparation for the judgment of the tribulation. The second worldwide regathering will be a return in faith at the end of the tribulation, in preparation for the blessing of the millennium, or thousand-year reign of Christ. [12]"
& Continues
"One important passage that deals with Israel's two regatherings is Isaiah 11:11-12:
Then it will happen on that day that the Lord Will again recover the second time with His hand the remnant of His people, who will remain, from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And He will lift up a standard for the nations, and will assemble the banished ones of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (Italics added.)
The return in Isaiah 11 clearly refers to the final worldwide regathering of Israel in faith, at the climax of the tribulation, and in preparation for the millennial kingdom. Isaiah specifically says that this final regathering is the second one. That, of course, raises the obvious question: When did the first regathering occur?
Some maintain that the first return is the Babylonian return from the exile that began in about 536 b.c. But how could this return be described as worldwide, as set forth in Isaiah 11?[13]
Arnold Fruchtenbaum writes:
The entire context is Isaiah 11:11-12:6. In this context, he is speaking of the final worldwide regathering in faith in preparation for blessing. Isaiah number the final worldwide regathering in faith in preparation of the Messianic Kingdom as the second one. In other words, the last one is only the second one. If the last one is the second one, how many can there be before that? Only one. The first one could not have been the return from Babylon since that was not an international regathering from the four corners of the world, only a migration from one country (Babylonia) to another (Judea). The Bible does not allow for several worldwide regatherings in unbelief; it allows for one worldwide regatherings in unbelief; followed by the last one, the one in faith, which is the second one. This text only permits two worldwide regatherings from the four corners of the earth. Therefore, the present Jewish State is very relevant to Bible prophecy.[14]
This data below provides a quick visual comparison and contrast between Israel's two great regatherings.[15]
THE PRESENT (FIRST) REGATHERING
Worldwide
Return to part of the land
Return in unbelief
Restored to the land only
Man's work (secular)
Sets the stage for the tribulation (discipline)
THE PERMANENT (SECOND) REGATHERING
Worldwide
Return to all the land
Return in faith
Restored to the land and the Lord
God's work (spiritual
Sets the stage for the millennium (blessing)
Modern Israel Fulfills Prophecy
When the modern state of Israel was born in 1948, it not only became an important stage-setting development, but also began an actual fulfillment of specific Bible prophecies about an international regathering of the Jews in unbelief before the judgment of the tribulation. The following Old Testament passages predict this development: Ezekiel 20:33-38; 22:17-22; 36:22-24; 37:1-14; Isaiah 11:11-12; Zephaniah 2:1-2 and Ezekiel 38-39 presupposes such a setting."
& continues
"Before these things can happen, Jews from all over the world must return to the land, just like we see happening with the modern state of Israel. This, of course, does not mean that every Jew in the world has to be back in the land. But it does clearly mean that many of the Jewish people must have returned to their ancient homeland. End-time prophecy in Scripture is built upon the assumption that Israel is both regathered to her land and is functioning as a nation.
The implications of Daniel 9:24-27 are unmistakable. "And he [Antichrist] will make a firm covenant with the many for one week [one week of years or seven years]." In other words, the seven-year tribulation period will begin with the signing of a covenant between Antichrist and the leaders of Israel. Obviously, the signing of this treaty presupposes the presence of a Jewish leadership in a Jewish nation. This Jewish state must exist before a treaty can be signed.[16]
To summarize, then, the logic goes like this: The tribulation cannot begin until the seven-year covenant is made. The covenant cannot be put in place until a Jewish state exists. Therefore, a Jewish state must exist before the tribulation.
Conclusion
In view of all this, I believe that the main purpose for the regathering of Israel relates directly to the peace pact with Antichrist, as described in Daniel 9:24-27. For such a treaty to be viable, the Jews have to be present in the land and organized into a political state. And since 1948 they have been. It is this modern miracle-something unheard of in history-that we, our parents, and grandparents have witnessed unfolding before our eyes. An ancient and scattered people have returned to their ancestral homeland after almost two millennia, making the peace covenant of Daniel 9:24-27 possible for the first time since a.d. 70. [17]
As a result, the stage is set for the very event that will trigger the tribulation and usher in the final days of the world, as we know it. Much to the disappointment of those who are opposed to Zionist theology, the modern state of Israel is in just such a position. This truly indicates that we are near the end of days. Maranatha!"
Endnotes to the Thomas Ice article
"Endnotes
-------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Gary DeMar, "Land Over Jesus and The Gospel" Internet article from July 25. 2006, http://www.americanvision.org/articlearchive/07-25-06.asp.
[2] Timothy Webber, Living In The Shadow Of The Second Coming, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983), p. 141.
[3] Yaakov Ariel, Evangelizing the Chosen People: Missions to the Jews in America, 1880-2000 (Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press, 2000, pp. 12, 13, 14.
[4] Passages include: Gen. 12:7, 13:14-15; 15:18; 17:8; Lev. 26:33, 43; Deut. 26:9; 30:1-11; Josh. 24:20-28; 2 Sam. 7:11-16; Ezra 4:1-3; Psalm 102:13-20; Isa. 11:11-12; 18:7; 27:12-13; 29:1, 8; 44; 60:8-21; 66:18-22; Jer. 3:17-18; 7:7; 11:10-11; 23:3-6; 25:5; 29:14; 30:7, 10; 31:2, 10, 23, 31-34; 33:4-16; 50:19; Ezek. 11:17; 20:33-37; 22:19-22; 28:25; 36:23-24, 38; 37:21-22; 39:28; Dan. 12:1; Hosea 3:4-5; Joel 3:20-21; Amos 9:9, 14-15; Micah 2:12; 3:9-10; 4:7, 11-12; Zeph. 2:1-3; Zech. 7:7-8; 8:1-8; 10:6–-12; 12:2-10; 13:8-9; 14:1, 5, 9; Mal. 3:6.
[5] Passages include: Matt. 19:28; 23:37; Luke 21:24, 29-33, Acts 15:14-17; Rom. 11; Rev. 11:1-2; 12;
[6] Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. "The Land of Israel and The Future Return (Zechariah 10:6-12)," in H. Wayne House, editor, Israel: The Land and the People: An Evangelical Affirmation of God's Promises (Grand Rapids, Kregel, 1998), p. 211.
[7] John F. Walvoord, Major Bible Prophecies: 37 Crucial Prophecies That Affect You Today (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991), p. 77.
[8] Note the following references in Genesis: 12:1-3, 7-9; 13:14-18; 15:1-18; 17:1-27; 22:15-19; 26:2-6, 24-25; 27:28-29, 38-40; 28:1-4, 10-22; 31:3, 11-13; 32:22-32; 35:9-15; 48:3-4, 10-20; 49:1-28; 50:23-25
[9] Walvoord, Major Bible Prophecies, pp. 77-78.
[10] Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Toward an Old Testament Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978), pp. 124-25.
[11] Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., "An Assessment of 'Replacement Theology,'" Mishkan (No. 21; 1994), p. 17.
[12] Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Footsteps of the Messiah: A Study of the Sequence of Prophetic Events (Tustin, CA: Ariel Press, [1982] 2003), p. 99.
[13] Fruchtenbaum, Footsteps of the Messiah, pp. 102-03.
[14] Fruchtenbaum, Footsteps of the Messiah, pp. 102-03.
[15] Randall Price, Jerusalem in Prophecy: God's Final Stage for the Final Drama (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1998), p. 219.
[16] Fruchtenbaum, Footsteps of the Messiah, p. 105.
From the website www.oneforisrael.org an article is titled
"Is Jewish Possession of Israel Conditional on their Good Behavior?"
By ONE FOR ISRAEL
the article says
"Some Christians believe that the Modern State of Israel is not the work of God, but of man, because God says wrongdoers would be spit out of the Land of Israel…. and clearly, Israelis are not following God as a nation. They think that the Jewish people must clean up their act first, and only then can they inherit the land. But is that what the Bible says?
Why do some people think living in the land is conditional on behaviour?
There is a humdinger of a passage that God spoke to the people of Israel when he gave them the Mosaic Law:
“Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you.” (Leviticus 18:24-28)
That was the deal: stick to this covenant, and you can live in Israel. Break it, and you’re a gonner. Bad behaviour was what led to the judgement upon the Canaanites, and sure enough, God was true to His word with Israel too, who indeed were kicked out of the land in the exiles brought about by Assyria and Babylon respectively.
God is the true land owner – He calls the shots"
the article continues
"In Leviticus 25:23 God says,
“The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers.”
Israel were only ever tenants, there by invitation of the true owner: God. But because the Land clearly and decisively belongs to God, he can do what he likes with it.
The last century saw some very interesting developments in the Middle East – after 400 years of the huge Islamic Ottoman Empire, things suddenly changed. Under Muslim rule, Christians and Jews had been second class citizens, and subject to mistreatment and discrimination. Church bells were outlawed in the whole area, and in what was then Palestine, building synagogues and churches was forbidden. Extra taxes were imposed on non-Muslims, and violence and persecution was routinely overlooked. But shortly after the decision to eradicate all Christians from the Empire by extermination in 1915, the Ottoman Empire fell. The Armenian Genocide attacked not only the Christian Armenian population but other Christian groups too, such as the Assyrian people – an entirely Christian people group native to the Iraq area. Over 1.5 million Christians were slaughtered, and the details of the atrocities paved the way for the Holocaust. Which in turn led to the modern state of Israel in 1948. Two genocides slaughtering God’s people, first the Christians, and then the Jews… and Palestine is taken from Muslim hands, given to Christians after the Christian genocide, and then to the Jews after the Jewish genocide.
Back in 586 BC, God chose to expel Judah to Babylon, and he chose to bring them back again 70 years later – even though they still weren’t perfect even after the punishing exile. Then 586 years later, he chose to expel the Jews in 70 AD, and he chose to bring them back again 2000 years later, 70 years ago. The sins of idolatry, oppressing the poor and child sacrifice (abortion), by the way, are still ongoing problems. But God promised that He would regather Israel and that He would also purify them, and He is faithful to His word.
He has a plan.
And His plan involves all the nations of the world. But Israel is, and always has been, pretty pivotal in his plans. That’s just the way the Bible is.
God’s plan: First physical restoration, then spiritual restoration
God’s primary concern is for the glory of His name, and He is about to get a whole lot of glory as He sets up events in Israel to cause His precious people to turn back to him in repentance en masse – as a nation. When Pauls tells us in Romans 11:26 that “All of Israel will be saved”, he is not joking."
& Continues
"We also see this mass repentance foretold in Zechariah 12:10-14, where it says;
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives,the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, and all the rest of the clans and their wives.”
Yes, the whole nation of Israel will suddenly realise who Yeshua is, and repent in bitter grief. But notice the following points:
Clearly, this prophecy of Zechariah’s has not yet been fulfilled
It pertains to the people of Israel and all its various clans
They are living in the land of Israel when it happens
This shows us that God’s intention from long ago was to regather Israel and only then to reveal His son, Yeshua, to them.
Another passage that demonstrates the same thing is the vision of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37. This is a prophecy about the people of Israel, and is in the context of events of the latter days. It speaks of bringing back Judah AND Israel together (not just Judah, as was the case when they returned from Babylon). This is commonly understood to be a picture of the Jewish nation being restored after the Holocaust… the dry bones being regathered and becoming a people again. First they are physically resurrected (the bones, muscles and skin come back together), and then after that, the lifeless bodies need to receive the breath of life – the Spirit of God. Israel has been indeed been brought back from the dead and regathered together physically in the land, but it is interesting that the breath comes from the four corners of the earth to cause the people to come alive, and that it comes only after their physical restoration.
In Ezekiel 37 we see that the physical re-establishment of Israel must come first, and after that will come the promised spiritual revival.
God is gracious and keeps his promises
We are used to the idea that God is gracious to us and that we can count on him to keep his promises, so why do we think he would treat Israel any differently? His grace and faithfulness are part of his character, not earned by our good behaviour. So it is with Israel. God has promised to restore Israel to their land, and after that bring cleansing, and that is exactly what he will do. For the sake of his own name.
See what he promises in Ezekiel 36:24-26
“For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Chapter 36 spells out clearly God’s grief about the sins of Israel, defiling His name and His Land, but yet in the very same chapter, God confirms that He would regather them to their own land, and after that, He will cleanse them and make them spiritually new!
Ezekiel 20:40-44 also paints the same picture of Israel living back in the land when they finally are restored to their God."
the article lastly says
"The Spiritual restoration is underway!
Yeshua Himself agrees with this picture of the people of Israel being back in the land of Israel, ready to recognise him and welcome him from the city of Jerusalem when he comes again. Look at what He says in Matthew 23:37-39:
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Today in Israel we are seeing signs of a new outpouring of revival, with Jewish people coming to faith in numbers never seen before. We praise God, and encourage you to join with the mighty work that God is doing among us! Today you can go to any of the hundreds of Messianic congregation in the land, and sing along with the chosen people, “Baruch haba beShem Adonai”, or “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” But an even greater day is coming, as God promises in Ezekiel 20:40: “The WHOLE house of Israel, ALL OF THEM, will serve me in the Land”.
Another article from the website oneforisrael.org is titled
"Providence: Amazing Stories of How God Protects Israel"
By ONE FOR ISRAEL
the article says
"Behold, the Keeper of Israel
neither slumbers nor sleeps.
(Psalm 121:4)
Does God really look after Israel in supernatural ways? Or is it Israel’s strong military and razor sharp intelligence service that keep the country from peril? Or a bit of both? And what about those who perish? Israel is no stranger to tragedy but there are some stories of remarkable rescue by brave soldiers and masterful plans, and others that can only be explained by divine providence.
Close shaves, winning strategies, and pure providence
Israel recently had a very close call with Hezbollah, but came out of it unscathed and jubilant. This sort of thing happens from time to time in Israel, often thanks to a lot of planning, care and intelligence, but as many expressed, a lot of what is described as “luck” is involved.
Tensions between Iran and Israel have been increasing over the summer, and Iranian proxies had been successfully identified and taken out in several locations around the Middle East, such as Iraq, Lebanon and Syria. Plans to transport lethal weaponry to strategic positions against Israel, in particular with Hezbollah in Lebanon, were foiled. Of course, Israel’s enemies were intent on revenge. This prayer request was sent out by Israel Alliance International:
“Apart from sovereign intervention, this present course of escalation seems certain. From our base of operations inside Israel, we would ask our partners around the world to intercede with us for
1) The hidden plans of the enemy to come to light and be thwarted
2) The Lord to restrain the hostility of those who plot violence and
3) A divine hedge of protection around the nation of Israel and all those across the Middle East who live under the threat of the Iranian regime, including the Iranian people themselves.”
Does God really answer prayers like this?
Here’s what happened shortly after the request went out.
Israel’s operations were going well, but for reasons still unknown, an ambulance was ill-advisedly driving along an exposed road, vulnerable to Hezbollah attack. They should have gone a safer route, but they didn’t. Hezbollah missiles were shot, but this is what happened, according to Israeli media,1
“One missile missed the ambulance, which continued driving fast. The second missile hit the ambulance, but the five soldiers inside managed to escape and no one was hurt. This escalation almost happened due to a serious mistake by the IDF that by pure chance (“a lot of luck,” as several officers admitted on Sunday), ended with no casualties.”
It was not only loss of life that was avoided, but a full-scale escalation with Lebanon.2
“Had the ambulance suffered a direct, lethal hit with all the soldiers inside, Israel would have woken up on Monday to a very different kind of day, with none of the victory celebrations or the boasting.”
the article continues
"Israel tricked the terrorist group into believing they had done serious damage by sending helicopters to rescue the “wounded” and remove bodies. These were taken to hospital but ten minutes later, the soldiers snuck out the back door fighting fit. Convinced by the charade, Hezbollah reported their “strike” as a victory, and Israel then reported what had really happened with glee. Sure, there was some outsmarting done there and a full scale war was deftly avoided, but the failure of the missile to hit was pure providence.
Amos Harel reminds us, “A similar incident occurred on the border of the Gaza Strip… Hamas fired a Kornet missile at Israeli troops deployed near the Black Arrow Memorial on Gaza’s northern border. The missile hit a bus, which by pure luck was empty, but a soldier standing nearby was seriously wounded. It later turned out that a nearby checkpoint had failed to enforce divisional and brigade-level orders to prevent unarmored vehicles from entering areas vulnerable to Hamas fire.”
“Pure luck”, hey? Pure providence more like. And answered prayer! This kind of “luck” happens a lot to Israel… Similar to the school that “just happened” to be on a random day off when Hamas rockets hit,3 or the farmer who “just happened” to decide to harvest his wheat field early, ruining the expected cover for terrorists trying to infiltrate the country.4 And all the while, many people around the world are praying for Israel. "
& continues
"The thief who accidentally saved the day
An absolutely remarkable story happened when Motti Ashkenazi, who was supposed to be under house arrest in Tel Aviv, went out to steal in order to support his drug habit. He saw a whole bunch of backpacks on the beach belonging to a group of boys who were swimming in the sea, and picked one at random. He took it off to a building where he could inspect his booty, and found, to his horror, something quite unexpected. He saw wires, a clock, a cookie tin… He realised he had inadvertently picked up a bomb!
Despite the trouble he’d get into, called the police. Initially they disbelieved him, and were more focussed on the fact that he’d broken his house arrest, but eventually they sent a special unit to defuse the bomb. It was heavy – about six and a half pounds of explosives with many nails inside, and would have caused unthinkable tragedies.5 Motti became the hero of the hour.
Where was the building he had taken the bomb to? On Rehov Geulah, which literally means “Redemption Street”! Motti confessed to his crime, and not only were the police prepared to wipe his slate clean, but they offered him the chance to get clean from drugs. Today, Motti is drug-free, a married father of four, and a guard on that very beach from which he took the bag. He also now shares his story to encourage young people to stay away from drugs and crime.
What an extraordinary story of redemption and salvation! God used the most unlikely character to save many lives, and redeemed his life in the process. All while giving us a wink that maybe, just maybe, Providence had been at work on Redemption Street."
& Continues
"A Biblical perspective
While there is abundant evidence that God does indeed protect Israel in supernatural ways (type “Against all odds, Israel survives” into YouTube and you’ll see plenty), the fact remains that many thousands of Israelis have been killed and injured. This is true today in modern Israel, and can also be said of Israel throughout the millennia. However, as bad as things have got sometimes, God has always left a remnant. He has promised in His word that He will never allow the nation of Israel to be completely obliterated:
Thus says Adonai, who gives the sun as a light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars as a light by night, who stirs up the sea so its waves roar, Adonai-Tzva’ot is His Name:
“Only if this fixed order departs from before Me”—it is a declaration of Adonai— “then also might Israel’s offspring cease from being a nation before Me—for all time.”
Thus says Adonai:
“Only if heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then also I will cast off the offspring of Israel —for all they have done.” (Jeremiah 31:34-36)
Amir Tsarfati humorously advizes Israel’s enemies to shoot at the sun and the moon instead, if they really want to see an end to Israel! As long as they are in place, God promises that the nation of Israel will remain.
Israel may not be following God as a nation (yet!) but as God says here, He will not cast off the offspring of Israel off despite all the sin. That’s because God is a lot more gracious than you and I, and He keeps His covenants.
When thinking of how it can be true that God protects Israel yet many Israelis perish, I find it helpful to think about this parallel. There are repeated promises in the Bible that “All Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26, Zechariah 12:10 and Ezekiel 20:40, to give three examples). Does this mean every single Jewish person who ever lived will be eternally saved? No. But there will be a time at the end when the nation turns to God en masse and realizes the truth about Jesus. In a similar way, we can say that even though there are sadly fatalities and casualties along the way, God does indeed watch over Israel to protect her in supernatural ways. There would be many, many more tragedies if God were not involved. In fact, Israel would not be here today if it were not for God’s providence and miraculous protection.
God doesn’t love Israel more than her neighbors, but rather He is faithful to His promises to protect His people. Israel’s enemies would be well advized to spend their energy elsewhere. God has a heart for everyone, and a specific call and destiny for different nations, it’s just that, as Zechariah 12:2 notes, fighting against Israel will only lead to trouble. It’s always a good idea to work in line with God’s revealed heart and purposes, not against them.
Psalm 121 – A Song of Ascents.
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains—from where does my help come?
My help comes from Adonai, Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip. Your Keeper will not slumber.
Behold, the Keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.
Adonai is your Keeper. Adonai is your shadow at your right hand.
The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
Adonai will protect you from all evil. He will guard your life.
Adonai will watch over your coming and your going from this time forth and forevermore.
Amen."
A good video showing Proof The Land Belongs to Israel is on the website
thelivingword.org.au/featured/the-promised-land.php
the video is titled
"The Promised Land? Promised to who? and why?"
Download accompanying notes:
Promises of the Land Boundaries of the Promised Land Hebrew alphabet numerics More Hebrew phrases Isaiah 66:7‑9 Genesis 1:1 Genesis 12:7 Genesis 13:14‑15 Genesis 15:18 Genesis 17:19 Genesis 26:3‑4 Genesis 28:13 Genesis 35:11‑12 Hosea 1:10 Genesis 37:7,9b Genesis 1:1 more insights
From the website medium.com an article is titled
"Brave AF . How Anne Frank’s story is my story too."
by Sam Rubin
Dec 23, 2018 · 4 min read the article says
"THE acronym of the moment really means more.
Amsterdam — I am at the beginning of a rather intense trip, one that has the potential to unearth some deep spiritual feelings and revelations. Those potentially anticipated miracles are still a few days and a few cities away. In the meantime, I have an opportunity to take an increasingly common acronym with a rather vulgar connotation and bring it back to another more important and more personal meaning, at least for me.
AF
You know the current and common definition. I am as single AF. Direct translation, I am as single as f*ck. AF has spread like wildfire. This Ice cream is as yummy AF. My boss is as mean AF. You get the idea.
Here of course in one of the world’s most beautiful and workable cities, the trains run on time and so do the trams and other parts of a truly mutli-modal transportation system, AF has another much more important and poignant meaning. AF are the initials of Anne Frank. As in, “The Diary of Anne Frank,” a living breathing series of diary entries and other written observations that have propelled Anne Frank into that rarified air of the immortal. She died, an especially tragic victim of the Holocaust at the tender age of 15, but her words live on all over the globe forever. “The Diary of Anne Frank” was required reading when I went to school, it has been required reading for my children. Most recently my 12-year-old daughter read “The Diary of Anne Frank,” and yesterday I had the privilege to take her, my wife and her younger brother to the Anne Frank museum located in Amsterdam.
I think because I know the story of Anne Frank, everyone knows the story of Anne Frank; and of course that isn’t true. Anne tells her story far better than I could. A good life in Germany, until an increasing feeling of unease coupled with the rise of the Nazi party and its deeply rooted anti-Semitic beliefs, prompted Anne’s father Otto, to move his family to Amsterdam. Anne lived well here too, until she didn’t. As the Nazi’s quickly invaded and took over The Netherlands, Otto made the difficult decision to hide his family in plain sight. Anne, her mother, father and sister all moved into a series of very small rooms; along with a second family; into a secret annex hidden by a false bookcase at the rear of the home where Otto’s business was located. They were alive, but unable to go outside and lived almost entirely under self-imposed house arrest. Under incredible pressure, under incredible tension. Every single day for more than two years.
Every painful particular is part of Anne’s diary. “Dear Kitty,” she would write. Kitty is the name of her friend, the physical diary with a plaid cover, and then a series of notebooks as well.
Anne Frank’s own words bring her story to vivid life, but at the museum that bears her name, you see and experience the details. The actual notebook, the writing instruments, her penmanship, it is all there. And then you walk up steep narrow staircases and you are in the rooms where she lived. Where she thought and dreamed and wrote. Many people in Los Angeles and elsewhere have walk-in closets bigger than the complete quarters where Anne and seven others lived. At the murderous hands of the Nazi’s, all of Anne’s housemates and Anne herself died. The only survivor was her father. Otto returned to Amsterdam, returned to the secret annex, found all the diaries and other written materials, and Anne’s story became history.
Anne dreamed of becoming a famous journalist, a well known and well-regarded writer. She certainly exceeded her own expectations, but she didn’t live long enough to see any of her words become what they became. Millions have made the trek to the Anne Frank museum, and actually, you must book your visit a full two months in advance. It is likely the most important reservation you will ever make."
the article continues
"Oh, and who are the two woman in the photo here? Anne Frank, AF was born in 1929 in Germany. My mother Anne, her family name is Forchheimer, was born in 1928 in Germany. Another AF, and they both spell their first name, Anne, exactly the same way. As I have detailed here before, my mother and her immediate family of five also had to flee the Nazi’s. My Anne and her family all had the rare good fortune to be initially separated but they all were able to successfully immigrate to America. Where they each had healthy and productive and happy lives starting over in Columbus, Ohio.
Anne Frank words have been read by and moved millions of readers. Anne Forchheimer had a slightly smaller audience. She loved to write and was very proud of articles she had published in a variety of magazines and medical journals. Anne Frank wrote every word by hand. In America, my mother loved her typewriter, and one of my most vivid memories of her was her ability to keep typing away while not looking at the keyboard at all. Her son can do that too. In tribute to her, I am doing that right now.
Anne Frank’s story is remarkable, dare I say remarkable AF. In her own way, my mother’s story so easily could have been Anne Frank’s story too. By God’s grace and some remarkable circumstances, she was able to live out her own story. For that, and many other things, please consider me as grateful AF."
From the website of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum www.ushmm.org
an article is titled
"FBI Director James Comey’s Remarks at National Tribute Dinner"
April 15, 2015
Watch video of remarks. the article says
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. First, a word of congratulations to the remarkable people that you have honored here tonight. I am honored that you have invited me to share some thoughts with you this evening. I would like to explain to you why the FBI’s partnership with the Museum matters so very much. And I will be brief.
* * *
I believe that the Holocaust is the most significant event in human history. And I mean “significant” in two different ways.
It is, of course, significant because it was the most horrific display in world history of inhumanity—one that simply defies words and challenges meaning. I was born into an Irish Catholic family in the New York area in this great, wonderful, and safe country, but the Holocaust has always haunted me and it has long stood as a stumbling block to faith.
How could such a thing be? How is that consistent with the concept of a loving God? How is that in any way reconcilable with the notion of a God with a role in human history? How could there possibly be meaning in life, when so many lives were snuffed out in such a fashion?
I have asked those questions since I was a young teenager. I have asked them my entire life.
I asked the same questions standing in the pit at Ground Zero in early 2002.
I have asked those questions many times as I have confronted unimaginable suffering and loss.
And I know I am in good company asking such questions. Last month, on a flight home from Eastern Europe, I re-read Viktor Frankl’s wrenching Man’s Search for Meaning, in which he seeks to find meaning in suffering and loving, among other things.
And going much farther back, back before I was a religious studies major in college, I recalled the voice from the whirlwind in the Book of Job, rebuking us for even asking the question “Why?” “How dare you!” the voice seems to say. “It is not for you to ask, it is not for you to know.”
the article continues
"And yet I ask, as so many of us do. And I still don’t know.
But I do know this: I know it is our duty, our obligation, to make sure some good comes from unimaginable bad. Not so we can comfort ourselves by saying, “Oh, that was worth it then.” That’s nonsense. That would be perverse. It will never be “worth it.”
Instead, I believe it is simply our duty to do that, and I believe this is truth no matter where you come from on a philosophical or religious spectrum. Our obligation is to refuse to let bad win, to refuse to let evil hold the field. As Abraham Lincoln said on a field of unimaginable pain and loss, it is essential “... that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.” Our resolution does not justify the loss, but we simply cannot be alive and give up.
There are so many ways to fight evil to ensure it doesn’t hold the field. This room is full of people who have made that fight their life’s work—to ensure that evil does not hold the field. They have made that fight their entire life.
Some by public service that involved actual physical battles against evil; others by different kinds of service, including the service of teaching a world what happened, teaching a world what is true.
* * *
And part of what you have taught is the second reason I believe the Holocaust is the most significant event in world history.
It was, as I said, just a couple of minutes ago, the most horrific display in world history of inhumanity.
But it was also the most horrific display in world history of our humanity—of our capacity for evil and for moral surrender.
And that second significance is the reason I require every new FBI special agent and intelligence analyst go to the Museum. Naturally, I want them to learn about abuse of authority on a breathtaking scale. But I want them to confront something more painful and more dangerous: I want them to see humanity and what we are capable of.
I want them to see that although this slaughter was led by sick and evil people, those sick and evil leaders were joined by, and followed by, people who loved their families, took soup to a sick neighbor, went to church, and gave to charity.
Good people helped murder millions. And that’s the most frightening lesson of all—that our very humanity made us capable—even susceptible—of surrendering our individual moral authority to the group, where it can be hijacked by evil. Of being cowed by those in power of convincing ourselves of nearly anything.
In their minds, the murderers and accomplices of Germany, and Poland, and Hungary, and so many, many other places didn’t do something evil. They convinced themselves it was the right thing to do, the thing they had to do. That’s what people do. And that should truly frighten us.
That is why I send our agents and our analysts to the Museum. I want them to stare at us, and realize our capacity for rationalization and moral surrender. I want them to walk out of that great museum treasuring the constraint and oversight of divided government, the restriction of the rule of law, the binding of a free and vibrant press. I want them to understand that all of this is necessary as a check on us because of the way we are. We must build it, we must know it, and we must nurture it now, so that it can save us later. That is the only path to the responsible exercise of power.
* * *
So my thanks to this room full of people who have chosen to devote their lives to ensuring that evil does not hold the field. And, on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, thank you for making us better."
* * *
Read the Museum's statement on the German occupation of Poland and Hungary
From Gotquestions.org
"What is the land that God promised to Israel?
Question: "What is the land that God promised to Israel?"
Answer: In regards to the land that God has promised Israel, Genesis 15:18 declares to Abraham, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.” God later confirms this promise to Abraham’s son Isaac and Isaac’s son Jacob (whose name was later changed to Israel). When the Israelites were about to invade the Promised Land, God reiterated the land promise, as recorded in Joshua 1:4, “Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west.”
According to Genesis 15:18 and Joshua 1:4, the land God gave to Israel included everything from the Nile River in Egypt to Lebanon (south to north) and everything from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River (west to east). So, what land has God stated belongs to Israel? All of the land modern Israel currently possesses, plus all of the land of the Palestinians (the West Bank and Gaza), plus some of Egypt and Syria, plus all of Jordan, plus some of Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Israel currently possesses only a fraction of the land God has promised."
Also from GotQuestions.org
"Should Israel be building settlements in the occupied territories?
Question: "Should Israel be building settlements in the occupied territories, i.e., the West Bank and East Jerusalem?"
Answer: In December 2016 the Security Council of the United Nations passed a resolution that condemns Israel for its building of settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. However, the resolution was nothing but a formal statement of what most nations in the world already believed about the settlements. The United Nations has passed similar resolutions against Israel as far back as 1979. The difference is that these resolutions did not carry the authority of the Security Council. Prior to 2016, the United States had always vetoed any Security Council resolutions against Israel. Israel and its relationship to its neighbors and the West Bank (and Gaza) is a complicated issue. Here is a brief history:
Israel became a sovereign nation in 1948 when the United Nations officially recognized its existence. Immediately, Israel’s neighbors attacked the new nation, seeking to destroy it before it could be established. This conflict became known as the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, and Israel defeated the armies of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. After fighting ended, the nation of Israel stayed within the borders designated for it by the United Nations in 1948. Nineteen years later, in 1967, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq attacked again, with additional help from other Arab nations. In what became known as the Six-Day War, Israel again defeated the attackers. After this conflict, however, Israel seized control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem (from Jordan), the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza (from Egypt), and the Golan Heights (from Syria). Ever since, Israel’s occupation of those territories has been a matter of international debate. Israel gave the Sinai Peninsula back to Egypt in 1979 as part of the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, but it still retains control of the West Bank, Gaza, and the Golan Heights.
Israel has been building settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank since 1972, although the building of settlements has been greatly expanded in recent years. The Palestinians in the West Bank have protested loudly, claiming those lands belong to them. However, Israel was attacked by its neighboring countries at the behest of the Palestinians. There is a universally understood concept that, if you attack a nation and lose, there are consequences. The attacks on Israel in 1948 and 1967, the countless intifadas, the acts of terrorism, the kidnappings, etc., have all been unprovoked. Israel has never been the military aggressor against its neighbors. When a nation seizes territory from the nations that attacked it, the action is normally seen as a justifiable way for that nation to solidify its defense. In any situation not involving Israel, there would be universal recognition of the nation’s right to control the seized territories.
The GotQuestions.org article continues
"For some reason, when the situation involves Israel, the international community has always been on the side of the Palestinians and Israel’s Arab neighbors. Why is this? Latent and overt anti-Semitism? The tremendous influence of the Arab nations due to their control of the oil market? Compassion for the Palestinians? It is likely a combination of those and other factors. But none of those factors change the history. Israel suffered an unprovoked attack and occupied those territories in order to better defend itself from future attacks.
Biblically speaking, Israel has every right to possess, occupy, and build homes in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, Gaza, and far more. All of those territories are well within the borders of the land that God promised to the nation of Israel. Israel currently possesses a fraction of the land the Word of God declares belongs to it (see Genesis 15:18 and Joshua 1:4). Unless the Palestinians are descendants of the tribes of Israel (which is possible), they have absolutely no biblical claim to live on those lands. Whatever the case, they have no biblical basis for preventing the nation of Israel from occupying and building homes in those territories.
GotQuestions.org is decidedly and unashamedly pro-Israel. We do not claim Israel is entirely guiltless in the conflict with the Palestinians. However, whatever crimes Israel has committed are outweighed by the terrorism, crimes, and military attacks perpetuated against it by the Palestinians and its Arab neighbors. The failure or refusal of the United Nations to recognize this is amazing and distressing. There is no adequate explanation for the sheer blindness of the United Nations toward the reality of the Israel-Palestinian conflict other than satanic deception."
From Gotquestions.org it says
"Has Israel’s territory ever encompassed the promise in Joshua 1:4?"
Question: "Has Israel’s territory ever encompassed the promise in Joshua 1:4?"
Answer: In Joshua 1:4 God promised Joshua that the land of Israel would include territory extending “from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.” This territory would include the land from the southern tip of Israel along the Red Sea to the Euphrates River on the east, the border of Syria on the north (land of the Hittites), and the Mediterranean Sea (Great Sea) to the west. As of yet, Israel has not controlled this entire land area.
In Joshua’s time, much of the land of Canaan was brought under Israelite control. In the time of David and his son Solomon (approximately 1000 BC, or 400 years after Joshua), a wide area of land was under Israel’s control or influence. Yet the entire territory promised to Israel in Scripture, both in Joshua 1:4 and elsewhere, has yet to be fulfilled.
Some point to a passage later in the book of Joshua as contradicting the promise of Joshua 1:4. After the conquest of Canaan, the historical account says, “So the LORD gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:43–45). There is really no contradiction. At the time referred to in Joshua 21, all of Israel’s enemies were subdued. No one posed a threat to God’s people. God had given them a right to everything He had promised in Joshua 1:4, and they were authorized to take possession of the entire land—all the way to the Euphrates—as soon as they needed it and as soon as they called on the Lord for aid. The fact that they never did so does not negate the fact that God had kept His promise."
the GotQuestions.org article continues
"After Joshua’s death, the book of Judges teaches, the Israelites turned away from God. As punishment, God allowed their enemies to increase in power, and Israel lost territory that God had given earlier. Judges 2:14 says, “In his anger against Israel the LORD gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.”
Various judges arose during this period, and there was an ongoing battle for the control of Israel’s territory. Later, during the reigns of David and Solomon, Israel controlled the largest part of the Promised Land to date. After Solomon’s reign, the kingdom was divided into the Kingdom of Israel to the north and the Kingdom of Judah to the south. Both kingdoms eventually sinned to such a degree that God allowed outside nations to defeat them, and most of the Jews were exiled.
Yet God was not done with His people, and He restored Israel’s territory. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah document the return of the Jewish people from Babylon seventy years after their exile. The temple was rebuilt, and worship in Jerusalem was re-established. Israel continued in their land until AD 70 when the Romans destroyed the temple and overtook Jerusalem.
It would not be until 1948 that the modern nation of Israel was established following World War II. Now, more than sixty years later, Israel has become a thriving nation and the longest-established democracy in the Middle East. Yet many of its neighbors remain hostile, and a Palestinian movement seeks to develop its own nation within the borders of modern Israel’s territory.
The Bible teaches that God will eventually fulfill the promise to give Israel full control over the Promised Land. Israel’s full territory will ultimately be ruled by the Messiah during the Millennium (Revelation 20:1–6). God’s promises, partly fulfilled throughout history, will have complete, literal, fulfillment prior to God’s creation of new heavens and a new earth (Revelation 21—22; cf. Psalm 72:8)."
From the website endtime-prophets.com an article is titled
"Exposing the Flaws in Replacement Theology"
Most of the "prophets" critiqued on Endtime Prophets teach various forms of Replacement Theology, i.e., God is done with Israel and is now focused on the Church and the Church will receive all the promises originally meant for Isreal. This betrays a very serious misunderstanding of the whole plan of God for mankind from Genesis to Revelation.
If you will notice when you read their "thus sayeth the Lords" they often take Scriptures from the O.T. specifically meant for Israel and apply them to the Church rather than use Scriptures from the N.T. Why? Because the scriptures in the N.T. don't fit their theory and in fact speak against it (too much focus on Grace). Also Scriptures in the O.T. are often Works oriented---which is what these false prophets and false teachers are usually teaching to begin with.
The articles on this page will show that God's plan for Israel is still in force and how this theory can only lead to anit-semitism.
"For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody" (Isaiah 51:3).
Following is a video that lists pastors that are teaching Replacement Theology (Christian Palestinism), i.e. Bill Hybel, Rick Warren, John Stott, Steven Anderson (Marching to Zion), Texe Marrs, Martin Luther, John Calvin, those teaching Covenant Theology like Hank Hanegraaff, R.C. Sproul Jr., and many others. It also lists church fathers (most of whom were Pro-Roman Catholics) that were teaching that the Church had replaced Israel. Hitler got his anti-semitic Theology from the Roman Catholic Church.
God will never give up on Israel
"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy."
(Psalms 137:5,6)
"And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth" (Zechariah 14:12)."
From the website www.Idolphin.org an article is titled
"The Error of Replacement Theology}
by Clarence H. Wagner, Jr.
the article says
"Perhaps you have heard of the term Replacement Theology. However, if you look it up in a dictionary of Church history, you will not find it listed as a systematic study. Rather, it is a doctrinal teaching that originated in the early Church. It became the fertile soil from which Christian anti-Semitism grew and has infected the Church for nearly 1,900 years.
What Is Replacement Theology?
Replacement Theology was introduced to the Church shortly after Gentile leadership took over from Jewish leadership. What are its premises?
0. Israel (the Jewish people and the land) has been replaced by the Christian Church in the purposes of God, or, more precisely, the Church is the historic continuation of Israel to the exclusion of the former.
1. The Jewish people are now no longer a "chosen people." In fact, they are no different from any other group, such as the English, Spanish, or Africans.
2. Apart from repentance, the new birth, and incorporation into the Church, the Jewish people have no future, no hope, and no calling in the plan of God. The same is true for every other nation and group.
3. Since Pentecost of Acts 2, the term "Israel," as found in the Bible, now refers to the Church.
4. The promises, covenants and blessings ascribed to Israel in the Bible have been taken away from the Jews and given to the Church, which has superseded them. However, the Jews are subject to the curses found in the Bible, as a result of their rejection of Christ.
How Do Replacement Theologians Argue Their Case? They Say:
(Note: I have added my rebuttal to each point.)
0. To be a son of Abraham is to have faith in Jesus Christ. For them, Galatians 3:29 shows that sonship to Abraham is seen only in spiritual, not national terms: "And if you be Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
Rebuttal: While this is a wonderful inclusionary promise for Gentiles, this verse does not exclude the Jewish people from their original covenant, promise and blessing as the natural seed of Abraham. This verse simply joins us Gentile Christians to what God had already started with Israel.
1. The promise of the land of Canaan to Abraham was only a "starter." The real Promised Land is the whole world. They use Romans 4:13 to claim it will be the Church that inherits the world, not Israel. "For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith."
Rebuttal: Where does this verse exclude Abraham and His natural prodigy, the Jews? It simply says that through the law, they would not inherit the world, but this would be acquired through faith. This is also true of the Church.
2. The nation of Israel was only the seed of the future Church, which would arise and incorporate people of all nations (Mal. 1:11): "For from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, My Name shall be great among the nations, and in every place, incense shall be offered to My Name, and a pure offering for My Name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of Hosts."
Rebuttal: This is great, and shows that the Jewish people and Israel fulfilled one of their callings to be "a light to the nations," so that God's Word has gone around the world. It does not suggest God's dealing with Israel was negated because His Name spread around the world."
the article continues
"3. Jesus taught that the Jews would lose their spiritual privileges, and be replaced by another people (Matt. 21:43): "Therefore I am saying to you, 'The kingdom of God will be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits of it.'"
Rebuttal: In this passage, Jesus was talking about the priests and Pharisees, who failed as leaders of the people. This passage is not talking about the Jewish people or nation of Israel. See Teaching Letter #770008, "Did God Break His Covenant With the Jews?"
4. A true Jew is anyone born of the Spirit, whether he is racially Gentile or Jewish (Rom. 2:28-29): "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."
& continues
"Rebuttal: This argument does not support the notion that the Church replaced Israel. Rather, it simply reinforces what had been said throughout the Hebrew Scriptures [the Old Testament], and it certainly qualifies the spiritual qualifications for Jews or anyone who professes to be a follower of the God of Israel.
5. Paul shows that the Church is really the same "olive tree" as was Israel, and the Church is now the tree. Therefore, to distinguish between Israel and the Church is, strictly speaking, false. Indeed, people of Jewish origin need to be grafted back into the Church (Rom 11:17-23).
Rebuttal:This claim is the most outrageous because this passage clearly shows that we Gentiles are the "wild olive branches," who get our life from being grafted into the olive tree. The tree represents the covenants, promises and hopes of Israel (Eph. 2:12), rooted in the Messiah and fed by the sap, which represents the Holy Spirit, giving life to the Jews (the "natural branches") and Gentile alike. We Gentiles are told to remember that the olive tree holds us up and NOT to be arrogant or boast against the "natural branches" because they can be grafted in again. The olive tree is NOT the Church. We are simply grafted into God's plan that preceded us for over 2,000 years.
6. All the promises made to Israel in the Old Testament, unless they were historically fulfilled before the coming of Jesus Christ, are now the property of the Christian Church. These promises should not be interpreted literally or carnally, but spiritually and symbolically, so that references to Israel, Jerusalem, Zion and the Temple, when they are prophetic, really refer to the Church (II Cor. 1:20). "For all the promises of God in Him (Jesus) are Yea, and in Him, Amen, unto the glory of God by us." Therefore, they teach that the New Testament needs to be taught figuratively, not literally.
Rebuttal: Later, in this Teaching Letter, we will look at the fact that the New Testament references to Israel clearly pertain to Israel, not the Church. Therefore, no promise to Israel and the Jewish people in the Bible is figurative, nor can they be relegated to the Church alone. The promises and covenants are literal, many of them are everlasting, and we Christians can participate in them as part of our rebirth, not in that we took them over to the exclusion of Israel. The New Testament speaks of the Church's relationship to Israel and her covenants as being "grafted in" (Rom. 11:17), "brought near" (Eph. 2:13), "Abraham's offspring (by faith)" (Rom. 4:16), and "partakers" (Rom. 15:27), NOT as usurpers of the covenant and a replacer of physical Israel. We Gentile Christians joined into what God had been doing in Israel, and God did not break His covenant promises with Israel (Rom. 11:29)."
& continues
"How Did The Position Of The Early Church Fathers Affect The Church?
Let us look at a brief history of the first four centuries of Christianity, which established a "legacy of hatred" towards the Jewish people, which was against the clear teaching of the New Testament.
(For a complete history of Christian anti-Semitism, send the equivalent of US$1 to your nearest BFP National Office and ask for a copy of the Israel Teaching Letter (#779806), "Where Was Love and Mercy," or download a copy from our Bridges for Peace website, found under the Israel Teaching Letters button at www.bridgesforpeace.com This teaching is also a chapter of my book, Lessons From the Land of the Bible with 13 other great teachings including "Lessons from the Olive Tree," which can be ordered from your nearest BFP national office.)
In the first century AD, the church was well-connected to its Jewish roots, and Jesus did not intend for it to be any other way. After all, Jesus is Jewish and the basis of His teaching is consistent with the Hebrew Scriptures. In Matthew 5:17-18 He states: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." Before the First Jewish Revolt in AD 66, Christianity was basically a sect of Judaism, as were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.
Separation between Judaism and Christianity began as a result of religious and social differences. According to David Rausch in his book, A Legacy of Hatred, there were several contributing factors:
1) the Roman intrusion into Judea, and the widespread acceptance of Christianity by the Gentiles, complicated the history of Jewish Christianity;
2) the Roman wars against the Jews not only destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem, but also resulted in Jerusalem's relinquishing her position as a center of Christian faith in the Roman world; and,
3) the rapid acceptance of Christianity among the Gentiles led to an early conflict between the Church and Synagogue. Paul's missionary journeys brought the Christian faith to the Gentile world, and as their numbers grew, so did their influence, which ultimately disconnected Christianity from its Jewish roots.
Many Gentile Christians interpreted the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem as a sign that God had abandoned Judaism, and that He had provided the Gentiles freedom to develop their own Christian theology in a setting free from Jerusalem's influence. Could it be He was showing us that Temple worship was no longer necessary as His Holy Spirit now resides in us (I Cor. 6:19), not in the Holy of Holies?
After the Second Jewish Revolt (AD 133-135) put down by the Roman Emperor Hadrian, theological and political power moved from Jewish Christian leaders to centers of Gentile Christian leadership such as Alexandria, Rome, and Antioch. It is important to understand this change, because it influenced the early Church Fathers to make anti-Jewish statements as Christianity began to disconnect itself from its Jewish roots.
As the Church spread far and wide within the Roman Empire, and its membership grew increasingly non-Jewish, Greek and Roman thought began to creep in and completely change the orientation of Biblical interpretation through a Greek mindset, rather than a Jewish or Hebraic mindset. This would later result in many heresies, some of which the Church is still practicing today."
& continues
"Once Christianity and Judaism began to take separate paths, the chasm became wider and wider. Judaism was considered a legal religion under Roman law, while Christianity, a new religion, was illegal. As Christianity grew, the Romans tried to suppress it. In an attempt to alleviate this persecution, Christian apologists tried in vain to convince Rome that Christianity was an extension of Judaism. However, Rome was not convinced. The resulting persecutions and frustration of the Christians bred an animosity towards the Jewish community, which was free to worship without persecution. Later, when the Church became the religion of the state, it would pass laws against the Jews in retribution.
The antagonism of the early Christians towards the Jews was reflected in the writings of the early Church Fathers. For example, Justin Martyr (c. AD 160) in speaking to a Jew said: "The Scriptures are not yours, but ours." Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon (c. AD 177) declared: "Jews are disinherited from the grace of God." Tertullian (AD 160-230), in his treatise, "Against the Jews," announced that God had rejected the Jews in favor of the Christians.
In the early 4th century, Eusebius wrote that the promises of the Hebrew Scriptures were for Christians and not the Jews, and the curses were for the Jews. He argued that the Church was the continuation of the Old Testament and thus superseded Judaism. The young Church declared itself to be the true Israel, or "Israel according to the Spirit," heir to the divine promises. They found it essential to discredit the "Israel according to the flesh" to prove that God had cast away His people and transferred His love to the Christians.
At the beginning of the 4th century, a monumental event occurred for the Church, which placed "the Church Triumphant" over "Vanquished Israel." In AD 306, Constantine became the first Christian Roman Emperor. At first, he had a rather pluralistic view and accorded Jews the same religious rights as Christians. However, in AD 321, he made Christianity the official religion of the Empire to the exclusion of all other religions. This signaled the end of the persecution of Christians, but the beginning of discrimination and persecution of the Jewish people.
Already at the Church Council in Elvira (Spain) in AD 305, declarations were made to keep Jews and Christians apart, including ordering Christians not to share meals with Jews, not to marry Jews, not to use Jews to bless their fields, and not to observe the Jewish Sabbath.
Imperial Rome, in AD 313, issued the Edict of Milan, which granted favor to Christianity, while outlawing synagogues. Then, in AD 315, another edict allowed the burning of Jews if they were convicted of breaking the laws. As Christianity was becoming the religion of the state, further laws were passed against the Jews:
* The ancient privileges granted to the Jews were withdrawn.
* Rabbinical jurisdiction was abolished or severely curtailed.
* Proselytism to Judaism was prohibited and made punishable by death.
* Jews were excluded from holding high office or a military career."
& continues
"These and other restrictions were confirmed over and over again by various Church Councils for the next 1,000 years.
In AD 321, Constantine decreed all business should cease on "the honored day of the sun." By substituting Sunday for Saturday as the day for Christian worship, he further advanced the split. This Jewish Shabbat/Christian Sunday controversy also came up at the first real ecumenical Council of Nicea (AD 325), which concluded Sunday to be the Christian day of rest, although it was debated for long after that.
Overnight, Christianity was given the power of the Imperial State, and the emperors began to translate the concepts and claims of the Christian theologians against the Jews and Judaism into practice. Instead of the Church taking this opportunity to spread its Gospel message in love, it truly became the Church Triumphant, ready to vanquish its foes.
After 321, the writings of the Church Fathers changed in character. No longer was it on the defensive and apologetic, but aggressive, directing its venom at everyone "outside of the flock," in particular the Jewish people who could be found in almost every community and nation. During this period, we find more examples of anti-Jewish bias in Church literature written by church leaders:
* Hilary of Poitiers (AD 291-371) wrote: "Jews are a perverse people accursed by God forever."
* Gregory of Nyssa (died AD 394), Bishop of Cappadocia: "the Jews are a brood of vipers, haters of goodness..."
* St. Jerome (AD 347-407) describes the Jews as "... serpents, wearing the image of Judas, their psalms and prayers are the braying of donkeys."
At the end of the 4th century, the Bishop of Antioch, John Chrysostom (Golden Tongued), the great orator, wrote a series of eight sermons against the Jews. He had seen Christians talking with Jewish people, taking oaths in front of the Ark, and some were keeping the Jewish feasts. He wanted this to stop. In an effort to bring his people back to what he called, "the true faith," the Jews became the whipping boy for his sermon series. To quote him, "the synagogue is not only a brothel and a theater; it is also a den of robbers and a lodging for wild beasts. No Jew adores God... Jews are inveterate murderers, possessed by the devil, their debauchery and drunkenness gives them the manners of the pig. They kill and maim one another..."
& Continues
"One can easily see that a Judeo-Christian who wanted to hold on to his heritage, or a Gentile Christian who wanted to learn more about the parent faith of Christianity, would have found it extremely difficult under this pressure. Chrysostom further sought to separate Christianity totally from Judaism. He wrote in his 4th Discourse, "I have said enough against those who say they are on our side, but are eager to follow the Jewish rites... it is against the Jews that I wish to draw up my battle... Jews are abandoned by God and for the crime of deicide, there is no expiation possible."
Chrysostom was known for his fiery preaching against what he saw as threats to his flock, including wealth, entertainment, privilege and outward adornment. However, his preaching against the Jewish community, which he believed had a negative influence on Christians, is inexcusable and blatantly anti-Semitic in its content. Another unfortunate contribution Chrysostom made to Christian anti-Semitism was to hold the whole Jewish people culpable for the killing of Christ.
In the fifth century, the burning question was: If the Jews and Judaism were cursed by God, then how can you explain their existence?
Augustine tackled this issue in his "Sermon Against the Jews." He asserted that even though the Jews deserved the most severe punishment for having put Jesus to death, they have been kept alive by Divine Providence to serve, together with their Scriptures, as witnesses to the truth of Christianity. Their existence was further justified by the service they rendered to the Christian truth, in attesting through their humiliation, the triumph of the Church over the Synagogue. They were to be a "Witness people" - slaves and servants who should be humbled."
& continues
"The monarchs of the Holy Roman Empire thus regarded the Jews as serfs of the chamber (servi camerae), and utilized them as slave librarians to maintain Hebrew writings. They also utilized the services of Jews in another enterprise - usury, or money-lending. The loaning of money was necessary to a growing economy. However, usury was considered to endanger the eternal salvation of the Christian, and was thus forbidden. So, the church endorsed the practice of lending by Jews, for according to their reasoning, their Jewish souls were lost in any case. Much later, the Jewish people were utilized by the Western countries as trade agents in commerce, and thus we see how the Jewish people found their way into the fields of banking and commerce.
So, by the Middle Ages, the ideological arsenal of Christian anti-Semitism was completely established. This was further manifested in a variety of precedent-setting events within the Church, such as Patriarch Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, expelling the Jews and giving their property to a Christian mob. From a social standpoint, the deterioration of the Jewish position in society was only beginning its decline. During this early period, the virulent judeo- phobia was primarily limited to the clergy who were always trying to keep their flocks away from the Jews. However, later, the rank and file, growing middle class would be the main source of anti-Semitic activity.
The result of these anti-Jewish teachings continued onwards throughout Church history, manifesting itself in such events and actions as the Crusades, the accusation of communion host desecration and blood libel by the Jews, the forced wearing of distinguishing marks to ostracize them, the Inquisition, the displacement of whole Jewish communities by exile or separate ghettoes, the destruction of synagogues and Jewish books, physical persecution and execution, the Pogroms. Ultimately, the seeds of destruction grew to epic proportions, culminating in the Holocaust, which occurred in "Christian" Europe.
Had the Church understood the clear message of being grafted into the Olive Tree from the beginning, then the sad legacy of anti-Semitic hatred from the Church may have been avoided. The error of Replacement Theology is like a cancer in the Church that has not only caused it to violate God's Word concerning the Jewish people and Israel, but it made us into instruments of hate, not love in God's Name."
& continues
"Is the New Testament anti-Semitic? Was it Intended That the Church Treat the Jewish People with Contempt?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!
While the New Testament has been used by Gentile anti-Semites, even within the Church, the writers of the New Testament were Jewish, and therefore their arguments, even critical ones, were from the vantage point of being an intra-communal debate, not inter-communal accusation. Even where the criticism is harsh, it is directed towards a particular group or sect of Jews because of their practices, which needed correcting. For example, even though Yeshua spoke harshly to the Pharisees, He nevertheless said of them, "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach" (Matt: 23:2-3). He was distressed that they were "missing the mark" in their self-righteousness, which is something all of us need to be careful of doing.
The clear teaching of the New Testament is that the Church was and is to love and honour the Jewish people. In Ephesians 2:11-18, we are told that "by the blood of Messiah," we Gentiles are "made near" to the commonwealth of Israel, the covenants, promises and hopes given to Israel. In Romans 11:11-12, 25, we are told that "blindness in part" has come to the Jews so that the message would be forced out into the nations. Nevertheless, we are told that a time would come when "all Israel would be saved" (v. 26), because the gifts and callings of God towards Israel and the Jewish people were given without repentance (v. 29). God's relationship with Israel and the Jewish people is everlasting.
We Gentile Christians are told that the Jews are "beloved for the sake of the Patriarchs" (Rom. 11:28). They are a chosen people who fulfilled their calling and brought the Gospel to the world. They were chosen to:
1) Be obedient to God's Word and demonstrate to the world as "a light to the nations."
2) Hear God's Word and record it - the Bible.
3) Be the human channel for the Messiah.
The Jewish people have fulfilled their role. The promise to the world through Abraham was that, "in you will all the nations on the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:3). They were to be a light unto the nations and, while they made mistakes as we all do, they did demonstrate the power of God on earth, they did hear God's Word and record it so that we have the Bible, and they were the human channel for the Messiah, who was born, ministered, died, rose from the dead, ascended to heaven and will return to Jerusalem, Israel, in a day yet to come.
God made an everlasting covenant between the land of Israel and the Jewish people that must be fulfilled and completed or His Word, the Bible, will be proven a lie, which it is not. God will never forget or annul His ancient people. If God will not fulfil His promises to Israel, what guarantee do we have that He will fulfil His promises to the Church? (See Jeremiah 31:35-37).
Are Jews, Jews, and is Israel, Israel in the New Testament? Do They Still Have a Covenant with God?
ABSOLUTELY. THE BIBLE IS CLEAR ON THIS.
1) The Jews are Israelites, not Gentiles (Rom. 9:4).
2) To Israel still belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship and the promises (Rom. 9:4).
3) The gifts and calling of God for Israel are irrevocable (Rom. 11:29)."
& continues
"4) There are 77 references to Israel in the NT and none of them refer to the Church. Try replacing the words, "the Church," where Israel is mentioned and the passage is rendered unreadable and silly, e.g., Rom. 10:1, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." If you put "the Church" where Israel is mentioned, then it is redundant. The Church is the body of saved believers, so how could Paul's prayer be for the Church to be saved?
5) Psalm 105 has a seven-fold affirmation of God's promises of Canaan to Abraham. This is an everlasting promise, as was Genesis 12:1-3.
6) Jeremiah 31:35-37 speaks of the everlasting nature of God's promises to and for Israel, the Jewish people, which is as sure as the sun that shines by day and the moon and stars that glow in the night.
7) The end-time prophecies, which speak of the return of the House of Jacob to their land (Israel) and its restoration, have overwhelmingly been fulfilled in Israel and the Jewish people in the past 120 years. (See, Isa. 11:11-12; Eze. 37:1-14; Eze. 36; Eze. 35:1, Isa. 43:5,6; Jer. 16:14-16; Isa. 60:9-11; Isa. 49:22-23, etc.).
8) The Gospel and Yeshua came "to the Jews first, then the Greek" (Rom. 2:9,10; Matt:10:5-7;15:24). There is a distinction in roles between the two. Galatians 3:28 says: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." This is speaking of everyone's standing before God as equals, because we are all sinners saved by God's grace and the atoning work on the Cross. Nevertheless, our roles here on earth are definitely distinct; e.g., men and women, mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, etc. all have distinct roles to play. Likewise, Jews and Gentiles have distinct roles to play.
What is the Role of the Church?
1) "On this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it" (Matt. 16:18). The Church is built on the testimony and understanding of Peter, who is Jewish. Ephesians 2:11-14 indicates that Israel and the Jews (we) were chosen, but Gentiles (you) were also included. 2) The Church is related to Israel and partakers of the covenants, promises, and hopes, but we have not been called to usurp them. Our relationship is as "grafted in" (Rom. 11:17); "brought near" (Eph 2:13); "Abraham's offspring" (by faith) (Rom. 4:16); "heirs" to Abraham's promise as adopted sons (Gal. 3:29) and "partakers" (Rom 15:27).
3) To the world, the Church is called to preach the Gospel to all nations and make disciples (Matt. 28:19-20); to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength; and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Mk. 12:30-31).
4) To the Jewish people, we are called to show God's love "for the sake of the Patriarchs" (Rom. 11:28), for without them we would not have had God's Word or our Saviour who was a Jew from Israel. We are to show God's mercy (Rom. 11:31). We are to give our material gifts to help them (Rom. 15:27). We are to pray for them and for Israel (Ps. 122:6). We are to be watchman on the walls to protect them (Isa. 62:6,7). We are to help with the aliyah (immigration) to Israel and the building up of Zion (Isa. 60:9-11; Jer. 16:14-16; Isa. 49:22-23).
5) According to Romans 11, we are two distinct groups, both grafted into the same tree, which are the covenants and promises given to Israel; grounded in the same root, the Messiah; drinking of the same sap, God's Holy Spirit. We do not hold up the tree, but the tree us, and we are forbidden from boasting against or being arrogant to God's covenant people the Jews (Rom. 11:17-18)."
& Continues
"What Happens When the Church Replaces Israel?
1) The Church becomes arrogant and self-centred.
2) It boasts against the Jews and Israel.
3) It devalues the role of Israel or has no role for Israel at all.
4) These attitudes result in anti-Semitism in word and deed.
5) Without a place for Israel and the Jewish people today, you cannot explain the Bible prophecies, especially the very specific ones being fulfilled in Israel today.
6) Many New Testament passages do not make sense when the Jewish people are replaced by the Church.
7) You can lose the significance of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, for today. Many Christians boast of being a New Testament (NT) Christian or a NT Church as in the Book of Acts. However, the Bible of the early Church was not the New Testament, which did not get codified until the 4th century, but rather the Hebrew Scriptures.
8) You can lose the Hebraic/Judaic contextualization of the New Testament, which teaches us more about Yeshua and how to become better disciples.
9) The Church loses out on the opportunity to participate in God's plan and prophecy for the Church, Israel and the world today.
What Happens When the Church Relates to Israel?
1) The Church takes its proper role in God's redemptive plan for the world, appreciating God's ongoing covenant relationship and love for Israel and the Jewish people.
2) We can see the consistency of God's redemptive plan from Genesis to Revelation as an ongoing complementary process, not as disconnected snapshots.
3) We show love and honour for God's covenant people, not contempt.
4) We value the Old and New Testaments as equally inspired and significant for the Church today.
5) Bible prophecy makes sense for today and offers opportunities for involvement in God's plan for Israel."
& lastly says
"6) We become better disciples of Yeshua as we are able to appreciate the Hebraic/Judaic roots that fill in the definitions, concepts, words and events in the New Testament that are otherwise obscured. Why? Many were not explained by the Jewish writers of the New Testament, because they did not feel the need to fill in all the details that were already explained in the Old Testament.
Had the Church understood this very clear message from the beginning, then the sad legacy of anti-Semitic hatred from the Church may have been avoided. The error of Replacement Theology is like a cancer in the Church that has not only caused it to violate God's Word concerning the Jewish people and Israel, but it made us into instruments of hate, not love in God's Name. Yet, it is not too late to change our ways and rightly relate to the Jewish people and Israel today. Through Bridges for Peace you can read, study and learn more, and also give to demonstrate God's exhortation to us to bless His Covenant People, whom He still loves. Not only do we need to learn and do for ourselves, but we need to teach others so as to counteract the historical error that has been fostered in the Church for nearly 2,000 years.
Thank God, He is a God of mercy, redemption and second chances.
Bibliography
1) Gerhard Falk, The Jew in Christian Theology, (MacFarland: Jefferson, NC, 1992).
2) Leopold Lucas, The Conflict Between Christianity and Judaism, (Aris & Phillips, Warminster, UK: 1993).
3) The New International Study Bible, (The Zondervan Corporation: Grand Rapids, MI, 1985).
4) The New Scofield Reference Bible, Authorized King James Version, (Oxford University Press: New York, NY, 1967).
5) Keith Parker, Is the Church the "New Israel?, (Prayer for Israel: Golant, UK).
6) James Parkes, The Conflict of the Church and the Synagogue, (Athenaeum, New York, 1974).
7) David Rausch, The Legacy of Hatred, (Moody Press: Chicago, IL, 1984).
8) Marcel Simon, Verus Israel, (Oxford University Press: New York, NY, 1986).
9) Clarence H. Wagner, Jr., Lessons from the Land of the Bible, (Bridges for Peace: Jerusalem, Israel, 1998).
10) Eds. C. Roth and G. Wigoder, Encyclopaedia Judaica, (Keter Publishing House, Ltd.: Jerusalem, Israel, 1972).
11) A. Lukyn Williams, Adversus Judaeos, (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 1935).
12) Robert Louis Wilken, John Chrysostom and the Jews, (University of California Press: Berkeley, 1983)" that article was "The Error of Replacement Theology" by
Clarence H. Wagner Jr.
From the website www.wnd.com an article is titled
"To those Israel-rejecting Christians …"
Exclusive: Joseph Farah exposes 'evil doctrine' taking root in the church
Joseph Farah By Joseph Farah
Published April 1, 2012 at 2:45pm this article was posted on April 1, 2012, but is NOT an April Fools Joke, but a serious article by Joseph Farah
the article says
"I understand why Israel is increasingly hated by the rest of the world.
I really do.
I understand the growing anti-Semitism in America and around the globe.
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If you are a Bible-believing Jew or Christian, it's no mystery.
In fact, it is predicted.
What I don't get is why some professing Christians reject Israel. For to reject the Jews and their nation state is to reject the very foundation of Christianity. Even to be lukewarm when it comes to the Jews and Israel is to fundamentally reject the olive tree that to which we grafted in as a wild branch, as Romans 11:24 explains.
What many of today's Christians have witnessed with the rebirth of Israel in their own lifetimes is described in the Bible as a miracle surpassing the parting of the Red Sea, manna from heaven, the giving of the law on Mount Horeb and all the other works of God associated with the Exodus and the entering of the children of Israel into the Promised Land. That's what we learn in Jeremiah 23:7-8.
Yet an evil doctrine known as Replacement Theology, every bit as ugly as Liberation Theology, has taken root in the church. I'm sorry to say it, but you've got to discard or allegorize much of the Bible to adopt either one of these views and still call yourself a Christian.
Meanwhile, Jewish children are being executed in cold blood on videotape in France. Some of the most well-known "Christians" in America are trying to find common ground with Muslims, who they claim worship the same god. Boycotts of Israel are being organized by people who claim to be Christians. The United Nations continues to approve more resolutions against Israel than against all the rest of the world's nations combined. The world stands by as a nation sworn to annihilate Israel and the world's Jews prepares to deploy nuclear weapons and delivery systems. And you know the world will condemn Israel if it lifts a finger to protect itself."
the article continues
"I have a problem with all this.
I have a problem because I see too many Christians on the wrong side or standing on the sidelines.
Anti-Semitism is virulent in our world today. It's reaching proportions not seen since the Third Reich.
Where's the church?
Obviously not reading the Bible.
The Word of God not only predicted the return of the Jews to Israel, it also predicts the way Jerusalem would become a burdensome stone to the whole world (Zechariah 12:3).
But it also predicts Israel will triumph over all the adversity and that people and nations will be judged on how they treated Israel (Micah 4) – the apple of God's eye (Zechariah 2:8).
The world hates Israel because its prince hates Israel (John 16:11).
But what about the Christians?
Have they not read their Bible?
Nowhere in its pages does it suggest the "church" has replaced Israel's promises. In fact, it states unequivocally the opposite. God doesn't change His mind. He's the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Christians have their promise only because they have been adopted as the step-children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through faith in the Jewish Messiah.
This is a Bible study that easily could be book length. But let me conclude with Isaiah 62:
"For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth."
(That means God is never going to give up on Israel.)
"And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.
"Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.
"Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
"For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
"I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
"And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
"The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:
"But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.
"Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.
"Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
"And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken."
(By the way, Christians, this hasn't happened yet. And God doesn't go back on His promises.)"
From the website www.timesofisrael.com an article is titled
"'We’ll confront anti-Semitism,’ Trump vows at Holocaust event"
In remembrance speech, president says, ‘Those who deny the Holocaust are an accomplice to this horrible evil’
By Eric Cortellessa
25 April 2017, 8:04 pm
the article says
"President Donald Trump speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 25, 2017, during the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's National Days of Remembrance ceremony. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump delivered his strongest denunciation of anti-Semitism to date on Tuesday, calling Holocaust deniers “an accomplice to this horrible evil” and vowing to use his office to “confront anti-Semitism.”
In an address inside the US Capitol’s ornate rotunda at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s annual National Commemoration of the Days of Remembrance, Trump seemed to respond to concerns voiced by Jewish leaders in the early months of his administration that he was reluctant to tackle anti-Semitism head on.
“This is my pledge to you: We will confront anti-Semitism,” Trump said. “We will stamp out prejudice, we will condemn hatred, we will bear witness and we will act. As president of the United States, I will always stand with the Jewish people — and I will always stand with our great friend and partner, the State of Israel.”
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This year’s memorial was the first since the death last year of Elie Wiesel, and Trump paid tribute to the renowned writer and Holocaust survivor, saying the lessons of his life would guide his decisions to prevent atrocities like the Holocaust from recurring on his watch.
“I believe in Elie’s famous plea that ‘for the dead and the living we must bear witness,'” he said. “That is why we are here today, to bear witness. To make sure that humanity never, ever forgets that the Nazis massacred six million Jews. Two out of every three Jews in Europe were murdered in the genocide.”
This June 5, 2009 photo shows former US President Barack Obama (C), German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Holocaust survior Elie Wiesel making their way to pay their respects at a memorial during a visit to the former Buchenwald concentration camp near Weimar in Germany.
(AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN)
The president also castigated Holocaust deniers, in terms more strident than he has used in the past."
the article continues
"The president also castigated Holocaust deniers, in terms more strident than he has used in the past.
“Those who deny the Holocaust are an accomplice to this horrible evil. And we’ll never be silent — we just won’t — we will never, ever be silent in the face of evil again,” he said, a statue of Abraham Lincoln towering over him.
Holocaust denial, Trump added, is “only one of many forms of dangerous anti-Semitism that continues all around the world.”
He closed the speech by saying, “Today we mourn, we remember, we pray, and we pledge — never again.”
The event was first organized in 1979. The following year, Congress established the annual Week of Remembrance as the nation’s official commemoration of the Shoah.
Trump’s speech won praise from the Anti-Defamation League, an organization that was not reluctant to criticize the president — neither during his controversial campaign, nor during his nascent presidency.
“We welcome President Trump’s clear pledge today to confront anti-Semitism and we look forward to working with the president and his administration to put his pledge into action,” the group’s CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said.
Jonathan A. Greenblatt, the National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, speaking at the ADL Annual Meeting in Los Angeles on November 6, 2014. (Courtesy ADL)
Greenblatt was one of the loudest and most strident critics of the Trump White House’s January statement for International Holocaust Remembrance Day that omitted mention of Jews or anti-Semitism, which he called at the time “puzzling and troubling.”
On Tuesday, he gave the president credit for the specificity of his language.
“It deeply matters that President Trump used the power of his office to stand against anti-Semitism and hate and to honor the memory of the six million Jews and millions of others murdered in Europe,” he said.
“But this spirit should not be restricted to Holocaust Remembrance Day,” he added. “We very much hope the president will continue to use his bully pulpit to speak out against anti-Semitism, bigotry, and hatred in all forms. We urge the president and his administration to act to protect targeted communities against hate crime and discrimination.”
Several senior-level administration officials were in attendance for Trump’s speech, including Vice President Mike Pence, Press Secretary Sean Spicer and Jewish members of Trump’s team.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Director of the National Economic Council Gary Cohn and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is also a senior adviser to the president, were all there.
From left, Vice President Mike Pence, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin listen on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 25, 2017, as President Donald Trump speaks at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s National Days of Remembrance ceremony. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has repeatedly been forced to fend off claims of insensitivity to anti-Semitism and Holocaust-related matters.
Two weeks ago, Spicer drew intense criticism for falsely claiming Adolf Hitler never used chemical weapons.
He also referred to concentration camps and death camps as “Holocaust centers.”
While Spicer apologized for his remarks, the ADL offered to host a Holocaust education session for Spicer and other White House staffers.
Trump is the first president with immediate family members who are Jewish. His daughter Ivanka married Kushner, an Orthodox Jew, in 2009, and converted to Judaism.
The two — who observe Shabbat and keep kosher — have raised their three children, the youngest of whom was born last March, Jewish.
Members of his administration, however, have also been accused of links to anti-Semitic groups,including top adviser Stephen Bannon and policy adviser Sebastian Gorka."
God Bless President Trump for being a bigly Supporter of Israel !!!
From the website of Christians United For Israel, www.cufi.org an article from 2018 is titled
"READ: President Trump’s statement for Holocaust Remembrance Day"
Categories: US-Israel Relationship
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 11, 2018
Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust, 2018
– – – – – – –
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
On Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, and during this week of remembrance, we reflect on one of the darkest periods in the history of the world and honor the victims of Nazi persecution. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, when the imprisoned Polish Jews mounted a courageous and extraordinary act of armed resistance against their Nazi guards.
The Holocaust, known in Hebrew as “Shoah,” was the culmination of the Nazi regime’s “Final Solution to the Jewish Question,” an attempt to eradicate the Jewish population in Europe. Although spearheaded by one individual, this undertaking could not have happened without the participation of many others who recruited, persuaded, and coerced in their efforts to incite the worst of human nature and carry out the ugliest of depravity. The abject brutality of the Nazi regime, coupled with the failure of Western leaders to confront the Nazis early on, created an environment that encouraged and enflamed anti-Semitic sentiment and drove people to engage in depraved, dehumanizing conduct.
By the end, the Nazis and their conspirators had murdered 6 million men, women, and children, simply because they were Jews. They also persecuted and murdered millions of other Europeans, including Roma and Sinti Gypsies, persons with mental and physical disabilities, Slavs and other minorities, Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, gays, and political dissidents.
Let us continue to come together to remember all the innocent lives lost in the Holocaust, pay tribute to those intrepid individuals who resisted the Nazis in the Warsaw Ghetto, and recall those selfless heroes who risked their lives in order to help or save those of their persecuted neighbors. Their bravery inspires us to embrace all that is good about hope and resilience; their altruism reminds us of the importance of maintaining peace and unity, and of our civic duty never to remain silent or indifferent in the face of evil. We have a responsibility to convey the lessons of the Holocaust to future generations, and together as Americans, we have a moral obligation to combat antisemitism, confront hate, and prevent genocide. We must ensure that the history of the Holocaust remains forever relevant and that no people suffer these tragedies ever again.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, do hereby ask the people of the United States to observe the Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust, April 12 through April 19, 2018, and the solemn anniversary of the liberation of Nazi death camps, with appropriate study, prayers and commemoration, and to honor the memory of the victims of the Holocaust and Nazi persecution by internalizing the lessons of this atrocity so that it is never repeated.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-second.
DONALD J. TRUMP "
July 11th Tifton, GA Spanish Pastors Luncheon
July 13th St. Joseph, MI Pastors Breakfast
July 14th Charleston, SC Why Israel Event
July 15th La Puente, CA Why Israel- Pastors Meeting
July 16th Memphis, TN Pastors Meeting
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The purpose of Christians United For Israel (CUFI) is to provide a national association through which every pro-Israel church, parachurch organization, ministry or individual in America can speak and act with one voice in support of Israel in matters related to Biblical issues.
From the website of the New York Daily News Newspaper, nydailynews.com
a letter to the editor in the Voice of the People section is titled
"Readers sound off on Anne Frank, student debt and the Green Party"
By Voice of the People
New York Daily News |
Sep 28, 2019 | 3:00 AM
Her wise words. (AFP/Getty Images) the letter states:
Turn to Anne Frank in hard times
Brooklyn: If we are to survive these troubled times we live in, we need to respect the ways in which we differ from each other. One way of accomplishing that is by partaking of Anne Frank’s wisdom.
Frank, a Jewish girl who died in a concentration camp at age 15, wrote “The Diary of a Young Girl.” This phenomenal global bestseller offers not only a window into her psyche, but also into World War II and the Holocaust. In depicting the horrific years of Nazi occupation with maturity beyond her years, she shows that we can celebrate life through steely resolve, optimism, commitment to family, and humor.
She believed that we should be happy because of the beauty surrounding us; that no one became poor by helping another human being; and that the best remedy for those who are lonely, afraid or unhappy is to interact with nature and God in the great outdoors.
She thought that many of our problems stem from the fact that as grown-ups we often quarrel about trivial issues, which is puzzling because squabbling is something even children outgrow. Vasilios Vasilounis
From the website unitedwithisrael.org an article is titled
"How Israel Leads the Way in Sustainable Food Development"
Sep 27, 2019
Related:
Agritech
AgriVest
FoodTechIL
Israel innovation
Start Up Nation
Food production pioneers from across the globe recently visited Israel to learn about the country’s latest innovations in food, beverage and agriculture technology.
By United With Israel Staff
"This week, Israel hosted two big events that promoted “smart food” and united global food producers with Israeli innovations, FoodTechIL and AgriVest.
FoodTechIL, at the Tel Aviv port, provided a platform for the latest technologies in the food sector. Some 1,500 entrepreneurs, investors, food industry leaders, government officials, researchers and service providers from around the world were in attendance.
Participants connected with Israeli FoodTech innovators and international investors. Senior executives, investors and representatives from more than 50 startups took part in the exhibition.
The event, hosted by Strauss Group, one of Israel’s biggest food product companies, included presentations by Aleph Farms, producers of the world’s first lab-grown, slaughter-free steak, and Yofix, makers of plant-based, soy-free yogurts.
“Businesses today understand that we have a crucial role in using technology to make a positive impact on society, on people’s health and wellness and the environment,” Ofra Strauss, Chairperson of the Strauss Group, said in a statement. “Our responsibility is to make food in a sustainable way that goes beyond profits and revenue and focuses on people, society and the planet.”
Top Companies Come to Israel
Representatives from PepsiCo, Danone, and Mondelez International, the parent company of Oreo, Cadbury, and Toblerone, were present, to name a few, according to No Camels.
Strauss, who grew up in the food industry, said in her address at the event, that in order to meet global food challenges and feed growing world populations, “we cannot continue to do things the way we used to do. We must reimagine the whole food world, we must renew it, and we must reassure everyone around it that we know what we are going to do.”
In 2018, Israel’s food-agri tech firms drew about $103 million in equity investment, according to a newly published report by Start-Up Nation Central (SNC). This places Israel “on par with, and sometimes exceeding, much larger nations like Australia and India,” the report noted.
Israel’s food industry is set to raise $135 million in investments in 2019. This includes $22 million for the startup DouxMatok, that has developed a patented sugar reduction solution.
“As the world’s population rises and urbanizes, standard agricultural methods are not enough to supply it without depleting natural resources and causing severe environmental damage,” explained the report. “Climate change makes weather more volatile and less predictable, making growing food even more difficult.”
Even the US multinational manufacturer of food and snack products, Mars is backing Israeli innovative food startups. According to Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP), “The partnership will tackle major global sustainability issues by providing scalable solutions to the challenges of feeding humanity in a way that preserves and protects the environment.”
Israel’s Booming Food-Agri Startups
New data suggests that Israel presently has 350 food-agri startups, with 124 established since 2016. SNC claimed this is “driven by both the growing global demand for efficient and sustainable food production technologies and the strength of various technologies in Israel.”
These include Israeli innovations such as AI identification of inputs, algorithm-powered seed breeding, root-based non-GMO breeding, and cures for dairy cows, according to the report."
the article continues
"Other up-and-coming Israeli innovations include Zero Egg’s vegan egg substitute, Rilbite’s minced meat alternative, BactuSense’s and Inspecto’s contaminant detection technologies, Flying Spark’s inspect-based protein sources, and Better Juice’s reduced sugar natural fruit juice technologies, to name a few.
The annual AgriVest conference, held at Tel Aviv University, hosted about 750 international entrepreneurs, executives of some 200 multinationals, academics, industry leaders, and investors.
Part of the event included a contest for startups that brought some 60 competitors, with the top prize awarded to Israeli biotech startup eggXYT. The company developed technology that detects the gender of chicks before hatching. This innovation is a major breakthrough for conscious egg consumers who want to end the practice of culling male chicks, which don’t not produce eggs.
With Israel’s challenging climate and limited supply of fresh water, the country was forced to develop innovative ways to sustain its population as well as create food export opportunities to build its economy. Today, the world is benefiting from the Jewish state’s solutions for those challenges."
From Amazon.com it says about the 2004 Paperback edition of the superb Alan Dershowitz book
"The Case for Israel" that
"The Case for Israel is an ardent defense of Israel's rights, supported by indisputable evidence.
Presents a passionate look at what Israel's accusers and detractors are saying about this war-torn country.
Dershowitz accuses those who attack Israel of international bigotry and backs up his argument with hard facts.
Widely respected as a civil libertarian, legal educator, and defense attorney extraordinaire, Alan Dershowitz has also been a passionate though not uncritical supporter of Israel."
Another Superb book that can be purchased from Amazon.com is titled
"Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn" by Daniel Gordis, published in 2017
the description from Amazon.com says
"Winner of the Jewish Book of the Year Award
The first comprehensive yet accessible history of the state of Israel from its inception to present day, from Daniel Gordis, "one of the most respected Israel analysts" (The Forward) living and writing in Jerusalem.
Israel is a tiny state, and yet it has captured the world’s attention, aroused its imagination, and lately, been the object of its opprobrium. Why does such a small country speak to so many global concerns? More pressingly: Why does Israel make the decisions it does? And what lies in its future?
We cannot answer these questions until we understand Israel’s people and the questions and conflicts, the hopes and desires, that have animated their conversations and actions. Though Israel’s history is rife with conflict, these conflicts do not fully communicate the spirit of Israel and its people: they give short shrift to the dream that gave birth to the state, and to the vision for the Jewish people that was at its core. Guiding us through the milestones of Israeli history, Gordis relays the drama of the Jewish people’s story and the creation of the state. Clear-eyed and erudite, he illustrates how Israel became a cultural, economic and military powerhouse—but also explains where Israel made grave mistakes and traces the long history of Israel’s deepening isolation.
With Israel, public intellectual Daniel Gordis offers us a brief but thorough account of the cultural, economic, and political history of this complex nation, from its beginnings to the present. Accessible, levelheaded, and rigorous, Israel sheds light on the Israel’s past so we can understand its future. The result is a vivid portrait of a people, and a nation, reborn."
From Amazon.com Prime Video there is a Pro-Israel video titled
"Protecting the Promised Land: The Case for Israel"
(15)
1h 20min
2018
13+ and it states :
Terror attacks. Rising Anti-Semitism. Legal warfare. Israel is under attack. Protecting the Promised Land: A Case for Israel presents interviews with top diplomatic, military, and legal experts, and an in-depth discussion with leading authorities. Through this revealing ACLJ documentary, Jay Sekulow presents the definitive case for why Israel is vital to both America and the Middle East.
Genres
Special Interest, Documentary
Director
Aaron Hodges
Starring
Jay Sekulow, Jordan Sekulow, Ronen Bergman
Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48 hours to finish once started.
Watch for $0.00 with Prime
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HD $9.99
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Another book by Alan Dershowitz is titled
"The Case Against BDS: Why Singling Out Israel for Boycott Is Anti-Semitic and Anti-Peace"
Published in 2018, available to order from Amazon.com the Amazon description says :
""Professor Alan Dershowitz highlights the bigotry of a fringe group of extremists who apply a clear double standard to Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East. Fortunately, their hateful efforts have been a colossal failure. While they spread their lies, Israel has never been more welcomed by the nations of the world. Our economy is booming, our alliances are flourishing. While they scheme to destroy Israel, Israel goes from strength to strength. This is a quintessential example of truth overcoming lies."—Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, on The Case Against BDS
"Alan's book demonstrates not only how the BDS movement singles out one Member State of the international community-Israel-for selective and discriminatory indictment, but how the BDS movement is prejudicial to the cause of peace, to Palestinian right, to academic freedom and integrity, and to the search for truth in a post truth universe. It is a must-read for those who seek a lens into understanding the nature, ideology, and tactics of the BDS movement, and its discriminatory fallout."—Irwin Cotler, former Minister of Justice of Canada
"Using the scalpel of scholarship, Alan Dershowitz strips away the mask of hypocrisy of BDS and reveals its immorality. As the late Senator Patrick Moynihan once said, "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts" and facts are the material with which Professor Dershowitz builds his case. He is articulate and persuasive in exposing the abuses of BDS advocates engaged on colleges and universities campuses and demonstrates how the proponents of BDS take advantage of the vulnerability of students, faculty and administrators. Dershowitz provides a textbook illuminating dark places in the contemporary American university, as he endeavors to balance peace with justice in the heated Israeli/Palestinian debate."—Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, president emeritus and university professor at The George Washington University.
The world is a very dangerous place for the State of Israel. It is besieged by domestic terrorism, bordered by armies bent on its destruction, and targeted by Iranian missiles capable of raining chemical or nuclear destruction on its cities.
In a never-ending attempt to destroy Israel, Muslim countries, the international Left, and anti-Semites of all political stripes have joined forces to create a worldwide campaign aimed at the complete economic and cultural isolation of the Jewish State. BDS aims to de-legitimize Israel's very existence-barring it from international organizations, cultural exchanges, and global economic activity.
Based on the absurd notion that Israel is equivalent to South Africa under Apartheid, BDS activists portray Israel as a racist and genocidal nation. This fantastical notion is gaining traction, with the potential to cause serious damage to Israel's economy, reputation, and, eventually, security-clearly the aim of BDS proponents.
The Case Against BDS is a must-read for all people of goodwill who support Israel's right to exist. Only by shining sunlight on the shady origins and dishonest methods of BDS can we hope to defeat it."
Published by Bombardier Books, an imprint of Post Hill Press.
From Amazon.com a Book Published in 2015 by Dr. Michael Harris is titled
"Winning a Debate With an Israel-Hater: How to Effectively Challenge Anti-Israel Extremists in Your Neighborhood"
the Amazon.com description says
"It often happens in the middle of an otherwise pleasant day -- you’re shopping, or walking across a college campus, and you encounter them. They’re holding signs that claim Israel is an “apartheid state” and charge Israel with committing “genocide” against Palestinians. They’re calling for boycotts against Israeli products, and divestment from companies that do business with Israel.
You know supporting Israel is the right thing to do. And you’re not alone. For decades, polls have shown a large plurality, usually a majority, of Americans back Israel. But here’s the problem: you don’t know how to respond – or if you even should – to these Israel haters.
That’s where this book comes in. Imagine some of the key points from Alan Dershowitz’s authoritative volume, The Case For Israel-- as it might be delivered by Bill Maher. All the information you need in this street fight of words, but delivered in a light and accessible way, with satirical humor. So the next time you encounter a group of Israel-hating extremists, you’ll be armed with the facts – and the techniques to apply them with skill and confidence." Anti-Israel people are such Satanic retarded loser troublemakers , they should just get a life already
Yet another good book from Amazon.com Published in 2017 by Gerald R. McDermott
the book is titled
"Israel Matters: Why Christians Must Think Differently about the People and the Land"
the Amazon.com description says
"Widely respected theologian Gerald McDermott has spent two decades investigating the meaning of Israel and Judaism. What he has learned has required him to rethink many of his previous assumptions.
Israel Matters addresses the perennially important issue of the relationship between Christianity and the people and land of Israel, offering a unique and compelling "third way" between typical approaches and correcting common misunderstandings along the way. This book challenges the widespread Christian assumption that since Jesus came to earth, Jews are no longer special to God as a people, and the land of Israel is no longer theologically significant. It traces the author's journey from thinking those things to discovering that the New Testament authors believed the opposite of both. It also shows that contrary to what many Christians believe, the church is not the new Israel, and both the people and the land of Israel are important to God and the future of redemption.
McDermott offers an accessible but robust defense of a "New Christian Zionism" for pastors and laypeople interested in Israel and Christian-Jewish relations. His approach will also spark a conversation among theologians and biblical scholars." The book speaks about how Salvation is for the World through Israel, and how the people and Land of Israel does indeed have a Future
Also by Gerald R. McDermott a book published in 2016 is titled
"The New Christian Zionism: Fresh Perspectives on Israel and the Land"
The Amazon.com description of this book says
"Can a theological case be made from Scripture that Israel still has a claim to the Promised Land? Christian Zionism is often seen as the offspring of premillennial dispensationalism. But the historical roots of Christian Zionism came long before the rise of the Plymouth Brethren and John Nelson Darby. In fact, the authors of The New Christian Zionism contend that the biblical and theological connections between covenant and land are nearly as close in the New Testament as in the Old. Written with academic rigor by experts in the field, this book proposes that Zionism can be defended historically, theologically, politically and morally. While this does not sanctify every policy and practice of the current Israeli government, the authors include recommendations for how twenty-first-century Christian theology should rethink its understanding of both ancient and contemporary Israel, the Bible and Christian theology more broadly. This provocative volume proposes a place for Christian Zionism in an integrated biblical vision."
Also from Amazon.com prime video is another Pro-Israel Video titled
"The Case for Israel: Democracy's Outpost"
(15)
6.4
1h 17min
2009
7+ the Amazon.com description says:
Rising in vigorous defense of the nation-state of the Jewish people, distinguished Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz presents incisive evidence from leading experts across the political spectrum to assert Israel's basic right to exist.
Genres
Documentary
Director
Michael Yohay
Starring
Alan Dershowitz, Dennis Ross, Michael Oren
Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 24 hours to finish once started.
Watch
Trailer
Rent
HD $3.99
Buy
HD $9.99
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See also the 2007 book by John Hagee titled
"In Defense of Israel, Revised Edition, The Bible's Mandate for Supporting the Jewish State"
The Amazon.com description says
"Why is the Middle East in such turmoil?
Is the modern State of Israel in the plan of God?
Can and should Christians do more than pray for Israel?
Does God’s Word contain instructions to Christians regarding the treatment of Jewish people?
In the near-thirty years John Hagee has been a lover of Israel, he has grappled with each of these questions. Most Christians today don’t know much about the Jewish faith or the history of the Jewish nation. They don’t understand what is truly at stake in the Middle East conflict and why Christians need to do more than just pray for the peace of Jerusalem. They don’t know the role they’ve been called to play in relationship with Israel, and they aren’t sure how God feels about Israel today, either.
As Hagee guides readers through the scriptures that explain why Christians need to stand with Israel and the Jews today with as much fervor as God does, they will encounter a man deeply passionate about loving this historic people of God. They’ll be inspired to take up that same mantle of love and play a part in extending acceptance and favor to the people of Israel, just as God has called them to do."
Another good book is titled
"Standing With Israel: Why Christians Support Israel" by David Brog with a Foreword by
John Hagee, the Amazon.com description says
"Focusing on a subject that has been covered by various national media, including the Wall Street Journal, 60 Minutes, and Nightline, Standing With Israel goes beyond politics to:
•Profile leading Christian Zionists and detail the views and motives that drive their politics. •Spotlight Jews who have been at the forefront of forming a budding alliance with Israel’s Christian allies. •Explain why so many American Jews are deeply uncomfortable with this outpouring of Christian support."
A book by Jonathan Bernis is titled
"Unlocking the Prophetic Mysteries of Israel: 7 Keys to Understanding Israel's Role in the
End-Times" the Amazon.com description says
"We are witnessing things today that the prophets of Israel longed to see.
God is fulfilling His Word in our generation!
If you want to understand what God is doing in these last days, you must understand what He is doing with Israel. It is here that the Bible’s prophecies regarding the end of the age will all unfold.
Jonathan Bernis, host of the internationally popular television program Jewish Voice With Jonathan Bernis, with this fascinating book unlocks a greater knowledge about the last days. The book explores questions such as:
What crucial role does Israel play in the last days?
Why is anti-Semitism on the rise worldwide, and what is at its root?
What is the seed promise, and why is Satan so angry about it?
What profound promise did God make to Abraham that applies to you today?"
See also the 2009 book by Alan Dershowitz titled
"The Case Against Israel's Enemies" and also the book
"The Weapon Wizards: How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower" by
Yaakov Katz & Amir Bohbot
the Amazon.com description of "The Weapon Wizards" states
""A lively account of Israel's evolving military prowess...if The Weapon Wizards were a novel, it would be one written by Horatio Alger; if it were a biblical allegory, it would be the story of David and Goliath." ―The New York Times Book Review
From drones to satellites, missile defense systems to cyber warfare, Israel is leading the world when it comes to new technology being deployed on the modern battlefield. The Weapon Wizards shows how this tiny nation of 8 million learned to adapt to the changes in warfare and in the defense industry and become the new prototype of a 21st century superpower, not in size, but rather in innovation and efficiency―and as a result of its long war experience.
Sitting on the front lines of how wars are fought in the 21st century, Israel has developed in its arms trade new weapons and retrofitted old ones so they remain effective, relevant, and deadly on a constantly-changing battlefield. While other countries begin to prepare for these challenges, they are looking to Israel―and specifically its weapons―for guidance. Israel is, in effect, a laboratory for the rest of the world.
How did Israel do it? And what are the military and geopolitical implications of these developments? These are some of the key questions Yaakov Katz and Amir Bohbot address. Drawing on a vast amount of research, and unparalleled access to the Israeli defense establishment, this book is a report directly from the front lines"
Also from Amazon.com anyone can order the book titled
"I am Cyrus: Harry S. Truman and the Rebirth of Israel" by Dr. Craig von Buseck
publish in 2019, the Amazon.com description says
"Improbable, if not impossible. How could a people who’d been scattered for two millennia reestablish a homeland on their ancient soil?
Against all odds, an irresistible desire to return grew in courageous Jewish men and women who set out to rebuild their decimated homeland.
Help came first through Great Britain’s pledge to restore Palestine to the Jews. Britain, however, nearly reneged on that promise just as the Jews faced the Nazi Holocaust.
Near the end of WWII, an unlikely man rose to the presidency of the United States. Harry S. Truman, a farmer and failed business owner, would decide not only the fate of Jewish survivors but also the future of their homeland.
As a vote approached in the fledgling United Nations, pressure mounted. Truman slammed the White House doors shut to all who wanted to discuss Jewish statehood. Could anyone persuade the most powerful man in the world to reconsider?
I Am Cyrus tells the epic story of Israel’s rebirth—promises made, promises broken, and ultimately the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy that this people would indeed return to their Promised Land." The front cover of this book also has the words
"The epic story of prophecy fulfilled"
From brainyquote.com the wise words of JFK, President John F. Kennedy
"Israel was not created in order to disappear - Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy and it honors the sword of freedom." Yes,Indeed, JFK was Right !!!
John F. Kennedy
Biography
Author Profession: President
Nationality: American
Born: May 29, 1917
Died: November 22, 1963
The famous American Civil Rights Activist Martin Luther King Jr. was also a Proud
Supporter of Israel, he famously said in March 1968 shortly before his death that
"Peace for Israel means security, and we must stand with all of our might to protect its right to exist, its territorial integrity. I see Israel, and [I] never mind saying it, as one of the great outposts of democracy in the world, and a marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land almost can be transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy. Peace for Israel means security and that security must be a reality." Great Words of Wisdom
From the website www.independent.co.uk an article is titled
"Adolf Eichmann: Letter to Israeli president shows Nazi war criminal pleaded for his life before execution"
The handwritten note to Yitshak Ben-Zvi was released to coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Ben Lynfield Jerusalem
Wednesday 27 January 2016 21:06
A newly released request for pardon by Adolf Eichmann ( EPA ) the article says
"The Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann pleaded for his life in a letter to the Israeli President two days before his execution, newly released documents show. He wrote that he had been “forced” to serve as an instrument of more powerful leaders whom, he said, bore the real responsibility for the Holocaust.
The handwritten letter in German to President Yitshak Ben-Zvi, dated 29 May 1962, was released to coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 55th anniversary of the trial in Jerusalem.
Eichmann oversaw the concentration of millions of Eastern European Jews into ghettoes and their transport together with that of Jews from other parts of Europe to the death camps. Yet, in his letter, as in his trial, he insisted he bore no responsibility. “I detest as the greatest of crimes the horrors which were perpetrated against the Jews and think it right that the initiators... will stand trial,” he wrote.
“Notwithstanding, there is a need to draw a line between the leaders responsible and the people like me forced to serve as mere instruments in the hands of the leaders. I was not a responsible leader and as such do not feel myself guilty,” he added. Eichmann had been abducted by Israeli intelligence agents from Argentina in 1960, where he was living as a fugitive under an alias.
In his letter asking for clemency, among a number of other original documents released from the trial, Eichmann maintained that he was not of high enough rank to be considered “a persecutor in the pursuit of Jews” and that it was wrong to view him as “the driving, zealous force” in this respect. Had he been so, he argued, he would have been promoted and received other awards.
He even claimed that he had put in for a transfer from his job after he witnessed the “horror” being perpetrated."
the article continues
"“It is also incorrect that I was never influenced by human emotions. Specifically under the impression of the unspeakable horrors that I witnessed, I immediately requested a transfer to a different post,” he wrote. Eichmann added that he should be given credit for “revealing of my own will during the police investigation horrors which had been until then unknown in order to help establish the indisputable truth”.
Eichmann’s five siblings, Emil Eichmann, Irmgard Molnar, Otto Eichmann, Frederick Eichmann and Robert Eichmann also penned an appeal to President Ben-Zvi. ‘’Being acquainted with our brother’s nature, his education and the position of our family, we can say with conviction that the impulses of our brother do not conflict with the ethical principles of social order,” they wrote. “It is only out of an obligation to his oath as an officer that he felt obliged to follow the rule and regulations set out by the country’s leadership at the time, that forced him into a situation that was impossible to face.’’
Read more Pressure grows on Germany to open its files on Eichmann
Israel’s President, Reuven Rivlin, presented the batch of documents during an event at his official residence that was attended by Holocaust survivors and people who played a role in the Eichmann case. “Not a moment of kindness was given to those who suffered Eichmann’s evil,” Mr Rivlin said in a statement. “Eichmann’s application for amnesty revealed here today proves that Eichmann and his family recognised that in the state of Israel, a murderer such as Eichmann would be convicted and that justice would be done.”
Eichmann was hanged on 31 May 1962 and then cremated. He remains the only person judicially executed by the Jewish state." Adolf Eichmann made up Pathetic Lies to try to save his sorry ass , he killed Millions, yet he was afraid of being killed
The website washingtonexaminer.com has an article on February 19, 2007 titled
"Iran's Obsession with the Jews" by Matthias Kuntzel, the article is worth reading, anyone can look it up on Google, Bing or other Internet Search Engines ,
yet part of this article gives a sad classic example of Satanic Diabolical Arab Evil
it says
"In 1961, when the trial of Adolf Eichmann dominated the headlines, such enthusiasm became evident for the first time. The Jordanian Jerusalem Times published an "Open Letter to Eichmann," which stated: "By liquidating six million you have . . . conferred a real blessing on humanity. . . .
But the brave Eichmann can find solace in the fact that this trial will one day culminate in the liquidation of the remaining six million to avenge your blood." Arab writers such as Abdullah al-Tall eulogized "the martyr Eichmann," "who fell in the Holy War." In her book Eichmann in Jerusalem, Hannah Arendt summarized the mood in the Arab world:
The newspapers in Damascus and Beirut, in Cairo and Jordan did not conceal either their sympathy for Eichmann or their regret that he "did not finish the job"; a radio broadcast from Cairo on the opening day of the trial even included a little sideswipe at the Germans, reproaching them for the fact that "in the last war, no German plane had ever flown over and bombed a Jewish settlement."
This heartfelt desire to see all Jews exterminated was reiterated in the Egyptian daily Al-Akhbar in April 2001 by the columnist Ahmad Ragab: "[Give] thanks to Hitler. He took revenge on the Israelis in advance, on behalf of the Palestinians. Our one complaint against him was that his revenge was not complete enough." Such Demonic Evil, some Arabs support Israel, but they are in the Minority
From the website azquotes.com an actual quote by Nazi War Criminal Monster
Adolf Eichmann,
"I will leap into my grave laughing because the feeling that I have five million human beings on my conscience is for me a source of extraordinary satisfaction." Eichmann said that, the evil of Adolf Eichmann, 6 million Jews & 5 million Non-Jews perished in the Holocaust
- Another good quote is from the book "The Anguish of the Jews: Twenty-Three Centuries of
Anti-Semitism" by Edward H. Flannery
Flannery writes in the 1985 Edition of the book
"The vast majority of Christians, even well educated, are all but totally ignorant of what happened to Jews in history and of the culpable involvement of the Church... It is little exaggeration to state that those pages of history Jews have committed to memory are the very ones that have been torn from Christian(and secular) history books" It is very sad disturbing and tragic that Christians a people redeemed by a Jewish Messiah, and instructed by Jewish apostles, joint heirs of Israel's scriptures and grafted into
Israel's olive tree , are almost completely unaware of 2,000 years of Jewish Suffering at the hands of people calling themselves "Christians"
On YouTube some good Educational Pro-Israel videos are
1. "A Biblical Response to Stephen Sizer-Paul Wilkinson" on September 15, 2012
by SchoolofTyrannus
& 2. " Paul Wilkinson-Israel Betrayed: Christian Palestinianism's Crusade Against Premillennial Truth" on February 3, 2016 by InTheGripofTheLamb
From the website www.washingtonpost.com an article is titled
"Trump mentioned two Holocaust survivors during the State of the Union — including one who also survived the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting" this article is dated February 5, 2019
Trump honors Holocaust and Tree of Life attack survivor at State of the Union
A survivor of the Holocaust and the attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Judah Samet, attended President Trump's 2019 State of the Union Feb. 5. (Photo: Melina Mara/The Washington Post)
By Michelle Boorstein
February 5 the article says
"President Trump during Tuesday night’s State of the Union address introduced two Holocaust survivors, including a man who escaped death again this past fall — narrowly — at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Judah Samet, whose 81st birthday was Tuesday, was four minutes late for worship one Saturday in October, missing one of the deadliest attacks ever on American Jews.
The crowd in Congress serenaded Samet with “Happy Birthday” after Trump had introduced him Tuesday.
“Of course, I am very honored,” Samet on Monday told the Tribune-Review of the congressional appearance. “[Trump] invited me, I was told, because I represented two of the biggest tragedies for the Jewish people in the last hundred years.”
Joshua Kaufman, who is about 90, was a prisoner at Dachau concentration camp, the White House said. Kaufman, who lived in Israel before moving to Los Angeles, where he was a plumber, testified in Germany about the Nazis in 2016, ABC reported, because he wanted to communicate “how he removed bodies from gas chambers at the World War II death camp after victims had been killed with Zyklon B,” according to the television network.
The emphasis on the two men, and other comments about Israel and Iran, were presented to showcase what some Jews see as the president’s concern about anti-Semitism and Jewish survival. The vast majority of U.S. Jews — who lean Democratic — tell pollsters they disapprove of Trump’s policies on topics including immigration, taxes and health care.
Following Trump’s speech, the refugee resettlement agency singled out by the Pittsburgh shooter issued a statement rebuking the president’s policies.
“Stories of Holocaust survivors are reminders that we should welcome the stranger and protect the refugee. Making the U.S. great means upholding our commitment to international law and asylum seekers. Blocking people from applying at ports of entry and forcing asylum seekers at our southern border to remain in Mexico to await their hearing is illegal, dangerous and unprecedented in American history," said Melanie Nezer, a spokesperson for HIAS, a Jewish organization that resettles refugees."
the article continues
"Samet escaped death more than 70 years ago in Germany’s Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. As estimated 50,000 people, including the child diarist Anne Frank, died in the camp, according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Before the camp was liberated by the British forces in April 1945, Samet’s family boarded a train, along with about 2,500 others, intended for Theresienstadt concentration camp but liberated by American troops before it reached its destination. His family was from Hungary.
“I’m basically a very strong person, and I went through a lot, but nothing, nothing ever defeated me,” Samet said, The Washington Post’s Isaac Stanley-Becker reported in October. “In the camp, I was out all the time. I found a friend. My brothers were in the bunk. My mother couldn’t hold me in.”
Samet has been a member of the Conservative congregation for 54 years, he said. For four decades, he was a part-time cantor, chanting prayers and helping to lead worship.
On the Saturday morning of the shooting, he did what he always does on the Sabbath — he went to the synagogue. Services start at 9:45 a.m. Yet that morning, Samet was delayed.
“I was talking to my housekeeper here; she comes once a week,” he said in a phone conversation from his condominium, where he lives alone. He needs only a few minutes to drive the leafy streets to his synagogue in Squirrel Hill, the nucleus of Jewish Pittsburgh. “I was four minutes late. Instead of 9:45, I got there about 9:49, maybe 9:50.”
Those four minutes may have saved his life, Stanley-Becker reported.
He entered the parking lot and was pulling into a handicapped spot when someone knocked on his window. A man dressed in black advised him to back out carefully.
“He said there was an active shooting going on inside the synagogue,” Samet recalled then.
Having lived through the Holocaust, he said, “It’s almost like, ‘Here we go again.' We’re now more than 70 years away from it, and here it happens all over again.”
Trump also honored the visit Tuesday of Timothy Matson, a Pittsburgh police officer who suffered multiple gunshot wounds while responding to the shooting.
Kaufman told the History Channel that he remembers American soldiers liberating the camp in 1945. He was cooped in a cattle wagon outside the camp, not knowing if he was going to be killed at any minute.
“Through a little hole in the wall I saw American soldiers coming with their tanks and I saw the German running away. To me, the American soldiers were a proof that God exists and they were sent down from the sky," he said to History.
On Tuesday, Kaufman carefully stood and saluted an elderly American veteran beside him who had been involved in the Dachau liberation.
Some of the president’s supporters see him as a champion for Jewish safety through his policies supporting the Israeli government and his forceful critique of certain governments, including Iran.
“We will not avert our eyes from a regime that chants “Death to America” and threatens genocide against the Jewish people,” Trump said Tuesday night. He also drew some applause when he said he had “recognized the true capital [of Israel] and proudly recognized the embassy in Jerusalem.”
The president’s Jewish critics, however, believe his hesitance to speak out on white nationalism has led to a surge in hate crimes against religious minorities.
This story has been updated."
On Amazon.com another good book is titled
"Understanding Christian Zionism: Israel's Place in the Purposes of God" Published in 2013 by
Paul Wilkinson , the Amazon.com description says
"Christian Zionism has been described by Hamas as "the greatest danger to world truth, justice, and peace" and by the church as "a powerful force" that "fuels the Arab-Israeli conflict" and "encourages the destruction of millions of people" with its "Armageddon theology." It has also been denounced as "pernicious," "biblically untenable," "anathema to the Christian faith," and "one of the most dangerous and heretical movements in the world." How sustainable are these charges, and is there a case to answer?
By locating Christian Zionism firmly within the evangelical tradition, Paul Wilkinson takes issue with those who have portrayed it as a "totally unbiblical menace" and as the "road map to Armageddon." Charting in detail its origins and historical development, he argues that Christian Zionism lays the biblical foundation for Israel's restoration and Christ’s return.
No one has contributed more to this cause than its leading architect and patron, John Nelson Darby, an "uncompromising champion for Christ's glory and God's truth." This groundbreaking book challenges decades of misrepresentation and scholarship, exploding the myth that John Nelson Darby stole the doctrine of the pre-tribulation Rapture from his contemporaries. By revealing the man and his message, Paul Wilkinson vindicates Darby and spotlights the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ as the centerpiece of his theology" This book also has a section called "The Palestinian Hoax" which exposes the Myth & Lie of a "Palestine" and a "Palestinian" People
Also from Amazon.com, a book published in 2018 titled
"God's Country: Christian Zionism in America" by Samuel Goldman, the Amazon.com
description says
"The United States is Israel's closest ally in the world. The fact is undeniable, and undeniably controversial, not least because it so often inspires conspiracy theorizing among those who refuse to believe that the special relationship serves America's strategic interests or places the United States on the right side of Israel's enduring conflict with the Palestinians. Some point to the nefarious influence of a powerful "Israel lobby" within the halls of Congress. Others detect the hand of evangelical Protestants who fervently support Israel for their own theological reasons. The underlying assumption of all such accounts is that America's support for Israel must flow from a mixture of collusion, manipulation, and ideologically driven foolishness.
Samuel Goldman proposes another explanation. The political culture of the United States, he argues, has been marked from the very beginning by a Christian theology that views the American nation as deeply implicated in the historical fate of biblical Israel. God's Country is the first book to tell the complete story of Christian Zionism in American political and religious thought from the Puritans to 9/11. It identifies three sources of American Christian support for a Jewish state: covenant, or the idea of an ongoing relationship between God and the Jewish people; prophecy, or biblical predictions of return to The Promised Land; and cultural affinity, based on shared values and similar institutions. Combining original research with insights from the work of historians of American religion, Goldman crafts a provocative narrative that chronicles Americans' attachment to the State of Israel."
From the website www.barnesandnoble.com another good Pro-Israel book is listed
"Those That Bless You, I Will Bless: Christian Zionism in Historical Perspective"
by Paul Charles Merkley
The Overview of this book states
"Dr. Merkley explores one of the most contentious issues of modern Christian theology and politics - the issue of Christian attitudes to the Jewish homeland, Israel. For too long, this issue has escaped rigorous theological and historical treatment by scholars representing the pro-Israel side of Christianity. He takes readers back to the origins of Christian-Zionism in exegesis of Scripture and recalls the story of Christian attitudes towards the Jews over the two millennia since the destruction of the Second Temple.
Confronting the historical distortions of the anti-Zionists, he provides a calm, proud and scholarly defense of Christian Zionism. For readers seeking a deeper understanding of Christian attitudes towards Israel, this is a must read.
"The Lord said to Abram, "Leave your own country, your kinsmen, and your father's house, and go to a country I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name so great that it shall be used in blessings:
Those that bless you I will bless,
Those that curse you, I will execrate.
All the families on earth
Will pray to be blessed as you are blessed." (Genesis 12:1-5)"
From Amazon.com it says in the description of the book
"Those That Bless You, I Will Bless: Christian Zionism in Historical Perspective"
The Amazon.com description states
"From a Review written by David Parsons of the Jerusalem Post Christian Edition:
“(A) powerful account of the noble legacy and just aims of Israel's Christian friends... For more than two decades, Merkley has built a reputation for authoritative scholarship on the subject. In his latest work, he recounts the entire history of Christian Zionism as a respected and godly movement. As Merkley demonstrates, the Christian Zionist viewpoint actually has the most distinguished theological pedigree imaginable - the sure promises of God delivered by sworn oath in the Old Testament and clearly vouched for in the New. The book propounds that most Christians still believe the effort to restore Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel is among the most worthy projects ever undertaken, and that Israel's cause remains just (and) that the forces that sought to prevent Israel's emergence in 1948 and have tried ever since to destroy her, are immoral and will not prevail. (T)he book is based on many years of research in historical archives, and reflects Merkley's considerable experience in publicly advocating for Israel in a range of academic and media settings. Yet it is accessible to readers who have little acquaintance with the subject.”
From the website www.unitedwithisrael.org an article is titled
"Berlin: Capital of European Anti-Semitism"
Anti-Israel demonstrators in Berlin carry picture of arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat. (Boris Niehaus via Wikimedia Commons)
Oct 3, 2019
the article says
"Berlin has surpassed Malmö as Europe’s anti-Semitism capital, with a wide variety of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel attitudes on display. Dozens of physical attacks have taken place in recent years.
By Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld, BESA Center
For years, experts viewed Malmö, Sweden’s third-largest city, as the capital of anti-Semitism in Europe. Incidents of anti-Jewish hatred occurred there on a regular basis. Mayor Ilmar Reepalu, a former socialist, was an anti-Semite. A bomb was thrown at a local synagogue. Complaints filed by Jews were ignored by judges. The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) put out a travel warning concerning the town.
Anti-Semitism in Malmö has not weakened significantly, but even a superficial look at the scale of classic anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism in Berlin shows that it by far surpasses Malmö. There are so many facets to anti-Semitism in the German capital that any summary remains incomplete.
With 3.5 million inhabitants, Berlin is a much larger city than Malmö, the population of which is less than 350,000. Berlin contains 40,000 Jewish citizens to Malmö’s approximately 500. A report published by Berlin’s Research and Information Center on Anti-Semitism (RIAS) recorded 1,083 anti-Semitic incidents in 2018 compared to 951 during 2017. This is but a fraction of the total, as many incidents go unreported."
the article continues
"One much publicized case among many occurred in July 2019, when Berlin’s Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal was spat on and insulted by Arab speakers on his way home with his son from synagogue. In August, Rabbi Jan Aaron Hammel was aggressively shoved, spat upon, and verbally abused in Arabic. The attack sent him to the hospital, and after it he had to walk with crutches.
In 2012, Rabbi Daniel Alter was severely beaten on a Berlin street by four Arab-looking youngsters in the presence of his seven-year-old daughter. Berlin anti-Semitism commissioner Lorenz Korgel, who was appointed in May 2019, warned that Jews who wear a kippah in public could experience frequent attacks.
Gideon Joffe, chairman of Berlin’s Jewish community, said one-third of the pupils at the Berlin Jewish High School had suffered harassment at non-Jewish public schools. “In the year 2019 our high school is full of Jewish refugees,” he said. The alleged perpetrators are often the children of Muslim immigrants.
The most publicized case of such anti-Semitism occurred in 2017 at a public school. It concerned a Jewish boy whose first name was changed in the media to Oscar Michalski. His tormenters were pupils of Arab and Turkish descent. An older student shot at the child with a realistic-looking gun and choked him to the point of unconsciousness.
In August 2019, graves of Jewish soldiers killed in WWI were defaced at a large Jewish cemetery. In the same month, a Berlin Jewish woman received a letter containing ashes."
& continues
"On September 25, 2019, a pro-Palestinian demonstration took place at the Brandenburger Gate. Only a few hours before, the Berlin Senator of the Interior, Andreas Geisel (SPD), prohibited the participation of two rappers, Shadi al-Bourini and Shadi al-Najja, one of whose songs includes the lines: “Burn Tel Aviv down, we want to burn Tel Aviv down” and, about Jews: “I want to trample you under my feet.”
At a Berlin demonstration in 2017, placards were carried demanding the destruction of Israel and an Israeli flag was set on fire, an incident that attracted international attention.
These are only a few examples of the more severe incidents to date. The official – contested — assessment supported by RIAS is that the main perpetrators of anti-Semitic incidents in Berlin are German and do not come from the 300,000 large Muslim community. RIAS does, however, add that 49% of the perpetrators are “unknown.” Geisel (SPD) has promised to better scrutinize the motives behind antisemitic offenses, saying: “It is obviously unjustifiable to ascribe a motive of right-wing extremism to every one of these unsolved crimes.”
Israel-related Anti-Semitism Thrives
Anti-Semitic incidents are only part of Berlin’s anti-Semitism. The year 2019 marked the publication of the first Berlin Monitor, which provides insights into the views of city inhabitants on major themes. The Monitor found that Israel-related anti-Semitism is thriving in Berlin. Twenty-eight percent of inhabitants with no migrant background regard the establishment of Israel as a bad idea and 35% view the behavior of Israelis as comparable to that of the Nazis under Hitler. Of Berliners with a migrant background, up to 55% agree with these statements.
In this atmosphere, where hatred of Israel is widespread, the Jewish Museum in Berlin has been severely criticized for a number of anti-Israel programs over the years. Ultimately they led to the resignation of director Professor Peter Schäfer in June 2019. Though a renowned scholar, he evidently lacked the managerial capacities required to prevent multiple scandals."
& Continues
"In 2009, the Berlin University of Applied Science, founded in 1971, was renamed after Christian Peter Wilhelm Beuth (1781-1853), a Prussian statesman and virulent anti-Semite. He called for the murder of Jews and, inter alia, embraced blood libel accusations.
The march on Al-Quds Day, which calls for the destruction of Israel, is an annual event in Berlin. There is also a mosque of sympathizers with Hezbollah. The German government refuses to outlaw local branches of this genocidal terrorist organization.
Yet another issue is the attitude of the local government. Mayor Michael Müller (SPD) has declined to publicly oppose high-profile anti-Israel events in Berlin. He came under renewed criticism this summer when he received the Mayor of Tehran. Berlin State Secretary for Federal Affairs Sawan Chebli (SPD) is the initiator of the Berlin Senate’s Working Circle to combat anti-Semitism, yet in June 2019 she shared the podium with a Jewish pro-BDS supporter at an event in Berlin.
Two-faced Attitude of German Government
Finally, there is the two-faced attitude of the German government, which is housed in Berlin. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD) visited Rabbi Teichtal after he was attacked, but also congratulated the Iranian government, which speaks openly about genocide against Israel. Chancellor Angela Merkel, a Christian Democrat, regularly speaks out against anti-Semitism – but her asylum policy has brought hundreds of thousands of anti-Semites from Muslim countries into Germany. She has also expressed solidarity with anti-Semitic Democrat American Congress members Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.
FM Heiko Maas (SPD) attended a solidarity prayer service with Rabbi Teichtal at a synagogue in Berlin, yet on his authority, Germany supports a huge number of anti-Israel resolutions at the UN General Assembly. The anti-Israeli deputy FM Niels Annen (SPD) paid a congratulatory visit to the Iranian embassy in Berlin to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the revolution."
the article lastly says
"In Berlin, three anti-Semitism commissioners are active. There are detailed plans to combat anti-Semitism. Yet as long as two-facedness is prominent at the highest levels in the municipality and in government, one can only wonder at the prospects for the fight against Berlin and German anti-Semitism in either its classic or its anti-Israeli forms." this article titled "Berlin: Capital of European Anti-Semitism" is dated October 3, 2019 exactly 29 years after German Reunification on October 3, 1990, which saw East & West Germany united into one Germany, Now in 2019 many people wonder if allowing Germany to become Reunified was a Terrible Mistake, is this the beginning of a Fourth Reich ? The Anti-Semitism described in this article ?
From the Wikipedia article/entry titled "German Reunification" about the 1990 unification of
East & West Germany, if you scroll down to where it says
"Foreign support and opposition[edit]" it says
"For decades, West Germany's allies stated their support for reunification. Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, who speculated that a country that "decided to kill millions of Jewish people" in the Holocaust "will try to do it again", was one of the few world leaders to publicly oppose it. As reunification became a realistic possibility, however, significant NATO and European opposition emerged in private.[22]
A poll of four countries in January 1990 found that a majority of surveyed Americans and French supported reunification, while British and Poles were more divided. 69% of Poles and 50% of French and British stated that they worried about a reunified Germany becoming "the dominant power in Europe". Those surveyed stated several concerns, including Germany again attempting to expand its territory, a revival of Nazism, and the German economy becoming too powerful. While British, French, and Americans favored Germany remaining a member of NATO, a majority of Poles supported neutrality for the reunified nation.[23]
The key ally was the United States. Although some top American officials opposed quick unification, Secretary of State James A. Baker and President George H. W. Bush provided strong and decisive support to Kohl's proposals.[24][25][26]
Britain and France[edit]
Before the fall of the Berlin Wall, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher told Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev that neither the United Kingdom nor Western Europe wanted the reunification of Germany. Thatcher also clarified she wanted the Soviet leader to do what he could to stop it, telling Gorbachev "We do not want a united Germany".[27] Although she welcomed East German democracy, Thatcher worried that a rapid reunification might weaken Gorbachev,[28] and favored Soviet troops staying in East Germany as long as possible to act as a counterweight to a united Germany.[22]
“
We defeated the Germans twice! And now they're back!
”
— Margaret Thatcher, December 1989[29] "
the Wikipedia entry continues
"The Wikipedia entry continues
"Thatcher, who carried in her handbag a map of Germany's 1937 borders to show others the "German problem", feared that its "national character", size and central location in Europe would cause the nation to be a "destabilizing rather than a stabilizing force in Europe".[28] In December 1989, she warned fellow European Community leaders at a Strasbourg summit that Kohl attended, "We defeated the Germans twice! And now they're back!"[29][22] Although Thatcher had stated her support for German self-determination in 1985,[28] she now argued that Germany's allies only supported reunification because they did not believe it would ever happen.[22] Thatcher favored a transition period of five years for reunification, during which the two Germanys would remain separate states. Although she gradually softened her opposition, as late as March 1990 Thatcher summoned historians and diplomats to a seminar at Chequers[28] to ask "How dangerous are the Germans?"[29] and the French ambassador in London reported that Thatcher told him, "France and Great Britain should pull together today in the face of the German threat."[30][31]
The pace of events surprised the French, whose Foreign Ministry had concluded in October 1989 that reunification "does not appear realistic at this moment".[32] A representative of French President François Mitterrand reportedly told an aide to Gorbachev, "France by no means wants German reunification, although it realises that in the end, it is inevitable."[27] At the Strasbourg summit, Mitterrand and Thatcher discussed the fluidity of Germany's historical borders.[22] On 20 January 1990, Mitterrand told Thatcher that a unified Germany could "make more ground than even Hitler had".[30] He predicted that "bad" Germans would reemerge,[29] who might seek to regain former German territory lost after World War II[28] and would likely dominate Hungary, Poland, and Czechoslovakia, leaving "only Romania and Bulgaria for the rest of us". The two leaders saw no way to prevent reunification, however, as "None of us was going to declare war on Germany".[22] Mitterrand recognized before Thatcher that reunification was inevitable and adjusted his views accordingly; unlike her, he was hopeful that participation in a single currency[28] and other European institutions could control a united Germany. Mitterrand still wanted Thatcher to publicly oppose unification, however, to obtain more concessions from Germany.[29]"
the entry continues
"Rest of Europe[edit]
Ireland's Taoiseach, Charles Haughey supported German reunification and he took advantage of Ireland's presidency of the European Economic Community to call for an extraordinary European summit in Dublin in April 1990 to calm the fears held of fellow members of the EEC.[33][34][35] Haughey saw similarities between Ireland and Germany, and said, "I have expressed a personal view that coming as we do from a country which is also divided many of us would have sympathy with any wish of the people of the two German States for unification".[36] Der Spiegel later described other European leaders' opinion of reunification at the time as "icy". Italy's Giulio Andreotti warned against a revival of "pan-Germanism" and joked "I love Germany so much that I prefer to see two of them", and the Netherlands' Ruud Lubbers questioned the German right to self-determination. They shared Britain and France's concerns over a return to German militarism and the economic power of a reunified nation. The consensus opinion was that reunification, if it must occur, should not occur until at least 1995 and preferably much later.[22]
Four powers[edit]
“
The United States – and President George H. W. Bush – recognized that Germany went through a long democratic transition. It was a good friend, it was a member of NATO. Any issues that existed in 1945, it seemed perfectly reasonable to lay them to rest. For us, the question wasn't should Germany unify? It was how and under what circumstances? We had no concern about a resurgent Germany...
”
— Condoleezza Rice, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs[37]
The victors of World War II — France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States, comprising the Four-Power Authorities—retained authority over Berlin, such as control over air travel and its political status. From the onset, the Soviet Union sought to use reunification as a way to push Germany out of NATO into neutrality, removing nuclear weapons from its territory. However, West Germany misinterpreted a 21 November 1989 diplomatic message on the topic to mean that the Soviet leadership already anticipated reunification only two weeks after the Wall's collapse. This belief, and the worry that his rival Genscher might act first, encouraged Kohl on 28 November to announce a detailed "Ten Point Program for Overcoming the Division of Germany and Europe". While his speech was very popular within West Germany, it caused concern among other European governments, with whom he had not discussed the plan.[22][38]
The Americans did not share the Europeans' and Russians' historical fears over German expansionism; Condoleezza Rice later recalled, "Any issues that existed in 1945, it seemed perfectly reasonable to lay them to rest".[37] They wished to ensure, however, that Germany would stay within NATO. In December 1989, the administration of President George H. W. Bush made a united Germany's continued NATO membership a requirement for supporting reunification. Kohl agreed, although less than 20% of West Germans supported remaining within NATO. Kohl also wished to avoid a neutral Germany, as he believed that would destroy NATO, cause the United States and Canada to leave Europe, and cause Britain and France to form an anti-German alliance. The United States increased its support of Kohl's policies, as it feared that otherwise Oskar Lafontaine, a critic of NATO, might become Chancellor.[22] "
& continues
"Horst Teltschik, Kohl's foreign policy advisor, later recalled that Germany would have paid "100 billion deutschmarks" if the Soviets demanded it. The USSR did not make such great demands, however, with Gorbachev stating in February 1990 that "The Germans must decide for themselves what path they choose to follow". In May 1990 he repeated his remark in the context of NATO membership while meeting Bush, amazing both the Americans and Germans.[22] This removed the last significant roadblock to Germany being free to choose its international alignments, though Kohl made no secret that he intended for the reunified Germany to inherit West Germany's seats in NATO and the EC.
Conclusion[edit]
During a NATO–Warsaw Pact conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Genscher persuaded the four powers to treat the two Germanys as equals instead of defeated junior partners, and for the six nations to negotiate alone. Although the Dutch, Italians, Spanish, and other NATO powers opposed such a structure, which meant that the alliance's boundaries would change without their participation, the six nations began negotiations in March 1990. After Gorbachev's May agreement on German NATO membership, the Soviets further agreed that Germany would be treated as an ordinary NATO country, with the exception that former East German territory would not have foreign NATO troops or nuclear weapons. In exchange, Kohl agreed to reduce the sizes of the militaries of both West and East Germany, renounce weapons of mass destruction, and accept the postwar Oder–Neisse line as Germany's eastern border. In addition, Germany agreed to pay about 55 billion deutschmarks to the Soviet Union in gifts and loans, the equivalent of eight days of the West German GDP.[22]
The British insisted to the end, against Soviet opposition, that NATO be allowed to hold manoevres in the former East Germany. After the Americans intervened,[22] both the UK and France ratified the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany in September 1990, thus finalizing the reunification for purposes of international law. Thatcher later wrote that her opposition to reunification had been an "unambiguous failure".[28]"
From the website bbc.com an article in 2017 was titled
"Frankfurt to evacuate 70,000 after British WW2 bomb found"
1 September 2017
the article says
"The British bomb was found on Wismarer Strasse, which is close to the city centre
German police will evacuate about 70,000 people from their homes on Sunday after an unexploded World War Two bomb was discovered in Frankfurt.
It will be one of the biggest operations of its kind carried out in Germany since the war.
The 1.4 tonne British bomb, nicknamed "blockbuster" during the war for its ability to wipe out whole streets, was found near Goethe University Frankfurt.
The university, the central bank and hospitals will also be evacuated.
Police said the bomb was a HC 4000, a type used in air raids by British forces.
It was found on Wismarer Strasse, which is close to the city centre and 2.5km (1.5 miles) north of the main shopping area in the city.
How dangerous are unexploded bombs?
Officers are guarding the site and say there "is currently no danger".
Bomb disposal experts who examined the bomb said the massive evacuation could wait until the weekend.
"We are still working on the modalities of the evacuation plan," a spokeswoman for Frankfurt police said.
Unexploded bombs are regularly found buried in Germany.
More than 20,000 people will be evacuated in the western city of Koblenz on Saturday after a World War Two bomb was discovered.
In May, about 50,000 people in Hannover were forced to leave their homes while experts defused three British bombs.
The ruins of Hamburg after bombing by the RAF in 1945
How many unexploded bombs are there in Germany?
On average about 2,000 tonnes of unexploded ordnance is found each year in Germany. It's estimated that about half the 2.7 million tonnes of bombs dropped by Allied powers during World War Two landed on German soil (compared to about 74,000 tonnes of bombs dropped on the UK by Germany). Many of the bombs were equipped with malfunctioning time-delay fuses, and many never went off.
Adding to the problem are Russian artillery shells, German hand grenades and anti-tank mines, as well as Russian munitions from training facilities in post-war East Germany.
The problem is so widespread that Germany has a bomb-disposal unit, the Kampfmittelbeseitigungsdienst (KMBD), dedicated to the problem. Its technicians are among the busiest in the world, deactivating a bomb every two weeks or so - and they estimate their work will continue for decades to come."
the article continues
"Do the bombs pose a real threat?
Dozens of bomb-disposal technicians and hundreds of civilians died from uncontrolled explosions in the decades after the war. The rate of fatalities has slowed since, with 11 technicians said to have been killed in Germany since 2000.
But experts warn that the devices that remain could be getting more unstable, as the munitions age and their fuses grow more brittle, and as bombs are discovered in more built-up, harder-to-reach areas.
The problem is also worse in certain parts of Germany.
Oranienburg, just outside Berlin, has the dubious distinction of being the "most dangerous town in Germany". Under Adolf Hitler, it contained an armaments hub, aircraft plant, railway junction and a nuclear research facility - so it was a key target for the Allies, who gave it an aerial pounding. Almost 200 bombs have been defused in the town since the end of the war, and residents are well-drilled in the evacuation procedure. But with experts estimating that some 350-400 bombs remain buried, the task is far from complete.
Other WW2 bombs recently discovered in Germany
May 2017: 50,000 people were evacuated from Hannover while three British-made bombs were defused
December 2016: More than 50,000 evacuated in Augsburg over 1.8-tonne British explosive
May 2015: 20,000 people in Cologne forced to leave their homes after a one-tonne bomb was discovered
January 2012: A construction worker was killed when his digger hit an unexploded bomb in Euskirchen
December 2011: 45,000 people were evacuated from Koblenz - half the total population - after two bombs were found in the riverbed of the Rhine
June 2010: Three members of a bomb disposal squad were killed in Göttingen during an operation to defuse a bomb found on a building site" This just shows how Germany is still suffering the effects of it's aggression & Crimes during World War II
From the New York Post website, nypost.com an article is titled
"Why Poles and Jews should stand together to mark the start of World War II"
By Maciej Golubiewski and Shmuley Boteach
August 30, 2019 | 8:32pm | Updated
the article says
"It is difficult to avoid pathos on the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II, which sent to the grave some 70 million people. Poland is where the horrors of WWII in Europe began. But for many Poles, the war wasn’t over until the last Russian soldier left their homeland in 1993. Poland proportionally lost more citizens than any other country.
Six million Poles perished, mostly at the hands of the German Nazis. Among them were three million Polish Jews, half of all victims of the Holocaust, targeted for annihilation for no other reason than that they were Jewish. Before the war, Poland was where 20% of all Jews in the world lived. By war’s end 90% of its Jewish population had been exterminated.
In a painfully ironic twist, it was Rafael Lemkin, a Polish Jewish legal scholar, who coined the term “genocide” and presented it to the League of Nations five years before the war started.
Thus, the lessons of that war are best remembered, and taught, by Poles and Jews acting together, even though the tragic outcome of the German aggression put an end to our two peoples being intertwined geographically in Poland, as had been the case for more than 800 years.
For the Poles, the war was never only about being the first to openly resist Hitler militarily, which the Poles did in response to the savage Nazi blitzkrieg to dominate Europe. Few remember that the war started as a joint act of aggression by the Soviet Union and Germany that lasted for almost two years. Barely two weeks into the German invasion, the Soviets attacked Poland from the east in fulfillment of the secret annex to the German-Soviet Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact.
The climax was the 1940 massacre of more than 20,000 Polish soldiers in Katyń — half of them reserve officers, including hundreds of Jews and Poland’s chief rabbi — by the Soviets acting as allies of Hitler.
Then came Hitler’s inevitable betrayal of Stalin, an invasion that saw the Nazis take the rest of Poland then penetrate deep into Russia. Stalin, now as a full-fledged Western ally, fought the Germans all the way to Berlin at an excruciating cost of human life.
Yet Poland wasn’t liberated by the Allies, but occupied yet again. It was betrayed at the Yalta Conference, which solidified the Cold War borders in Europe for decades. “Sold to the Soviet Union” is how the Poles felt.
Imagine the feelings of Polish Gens. Władysław Anders and Stanisław Maczek and their men.
Anders had joined the Western front with his famed 2nd Corps, responsible for breaking open the southern front at Monte Casino in Italy. He had allowed Jews in his army, and some of those Jewish troops were eventually dispatched to mandatory Palestine as part of an Allied force. They included future Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, whom Anders afterward allowed, and even encouraged, to stay in Palestine to fight for the Zionist cause.
Maczek, meanwhile, led the Polish 1st Armored Division, remembered fondly to this day by so many French, Belgians and the Dutch for liberating their cities after his successful Falaise pocket campaign during the Battle of Normandy.
Despite these heroics, Poland found itself subjugated for half a century.
While the remaining scars still sting, it also makes the Poles naturally sympathetic to the world’s unfathomable betrayal of the Jews. It was Capt. Witold Pilecki, a Polish Army officer, who under the direction of the Polish underground state let himself be caught in a roundup to enter the Auschwitz concentration camp. Upon realizing the industrial-scale genocide of the Jews, he was the first to call on the free world through his smuggled reports to bomb the death camp — to no avail."
the article continues
"the article continues
"These images from the Holocaust are even more chilling in color
It was another Polish Army officer and resistance fighter, Jan Karski, who was among the first to report to the allies of the extermination camps in Europe and the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto. Yet amid the widespread reports of the mass slaughter of Europe’s Jews, the Allies refused to open their borders to Jewish refugees, refused to bomb the extermination camps or the railroads leading to them and refused to open the borders of British-mandated Palestine to allow Jews to escape Hitler to their Biblical homeland.
Of late we have grown accustomed to reading news reports of tensions between Poles and Jews, Poland and Israel. Yet on Sept. 1, Poles and Jews must be united in bearing witness to the atrocities of that world war as Hitler inflicted indescribable horror on the Polish nation in general, and on Polish Jews in particular, who bore the brunt of the largest genocide in human history.
It behooves us to jointly commit to historical memory and work together to remember Hitler’s victims, oppose every form of dictatorial oppression, condemn genocide wherever it rises and join together to fight growing anti-Semitism across the globe. Poles and Jews must together pledge to fight for and enforce the post-Holocaust cry of “Never Again.”
Maciej Golubiewski is the Polish consul-general in New York. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is the founder of the World Values Network."
Also from the New York Post website nypost.com another article is titled
"Warsaw Uprising’s heroes had no ‘safe spaces’"
By Marc Thiessen
August 12, 2019 | 8:08pm | Updated
Thousands gather in the center of Warsaw, Poland, on Aug. 1 to mark the 75th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising.
NurPhoto via Getty Images
More On:
poland
Tragic diary of 'Polish Anne Frank' will finally be published
the article says
"WARSAW — American millennials have a lot of complaints about their lot in life. So here’s a question for them: When is the last time you had to walk through a sewer, waist-high in human filth, choking on the toxic ammonia, yet unable to cough for fear of alerting the Nazi SS soldiers on the street above — knowing that if you did, they would open a manhole cover and toss in grenades or poison gas?
Here in Warsaw 75 years ago, teenagers did exactly that. Last week, surviving members of the resistance gathered in the Polish capital to mark the anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising, when the underground Home Army rose up, freed the city from Nazi occupation and held it for 63 days.
I came here with my 91-year-old mother, who fought in the uprising. Before the insurgency began, she served as an underground courier, carrying radios and messages across the city. She and her fellow girl scouts would sneak out of their homes after curfew — a crime punishable by death — to leave flowers at monuments to Polish heroes or paint anti-Nazi graffiti on walls. And during the uprising itself, she would dodge German sniper fire as she ran across barricades to carry orders and weapons to soldiers fighting on the front lines.
Only about a quarter of the Poles had weapons; many went into battle armed with little more than rocks. Kids as young as 10 or 11 would sneak up to German tanks and set them on fire using gasoline bombs. The Nazis responded with unbridled fury. In the city’s Wola district, they executed more than 50,000 civilians. By the time the Home Army was forced to surrender, nearly 200,000 civilians and 16,000 soldiers were dead, and 80% of the city destroyed.
In our colleges and universities, first millennials and now their Generation Z successors have demanded “emotional safety,” insisting on “safe spaces” and “trigger warnings” to protect them from ideas they don’t like, because they tell us that “words are violence.” No, they aren’t. Violence is SS officers using flamethrowers to clear buildings. Violence is defenseless civilians being put in front of Nazi Panzers as human shields.
During the Warsaw Uprising, there were no “safe spaces” — battles were literally fought house to house, room to room. There were no “trigger warnings” — only Germans pulling their triggers as they executed civilians and prisoners of war lined up on street corners."
the article continues
"In Poland, young people understand this. It was remarkable to watch how young Poles embraced the nonagenarian insurgents. More than 10,000 scouts and volunteers stepped forward to help with the commemorations, pushing the aged partisans in their wheelchairs, bringing them cups of water and soaking in their stories.
On Aug. 1, at exactly 5 p.m. — the “W” hour, when the uprising began — the entire city came to a halt. As air raid sirens wailed, people poured onto the streets, setting off flares and car alarms, honking their horns and chanting in unison: “Heroes, we will not forget you.”
I brought my teenage kids here to witness this. I wanted them to see what real adversity, sacrifice and heroism look like. I wanted them to put their fingers in the bullet holes that still mark the walls where the Nazis executed children their age. I wanted them to understand that they must never take for granted the freedom, peace and security they enjoy.
Most of all, I wanted them to realize that they are growing up in what is, quite literally, the greatest time in the history of man to be alive. At no time since human civilization began has there been more prosperity, more freedom, more upward mobility, better life expectancy and less poverty, disease, hunger, illiteracy or violent crime than there is today.
This unprecedented moment was purchased for them by the sacrifices of a generation before them — men, women and even children their ages, who took up arms, stood up to evil and gave their lives so that they could live in a world of peace, liberty and limitless opportunity.
Their job is to never forget that sacrifice, to uphold the values for which the heroes fought. And most of all, to be grateful they never had to trudge through a sewer to avoid Nazis." The Warsaw Uprising mentioned in this article took place between
August 1, 1944 to October 2, 1944 and should NOT be confused with the
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising that took place a year earlier from April 19,1943 to May 16,1943
From the website Middle East Forum, www.meforum.org an article is titled
"Israel’s Academic Extremists"
by Solomon Socrates
Middle East Quarterly
Fall 2001, pp. 5-14
the article says
"One day, when historians scratch their heads and wonder just how Israel could have adopted the policies it did in the the Oslo era of the 1990s, they will likely devote considerable attention to the role of the country’s academics. In amazement, they will look back on how a number of radicals actively legitimated the agenda of the country’s enemies, thereby doing much to demoralize their fellow nationals.
In the effort to lighten the burden of those future historians’ work, we helpfully provide an early take on the scholarly excesses of the present era.
Setting the Stage
As usual when criticizing academics, one has first to cover several ritual bases. First, we are not advocating censorship of political opinion on Israeli campuses (or any place else); we do not believe in restrictions on freedom of expression other than the standard legal restraints on libelous speech or incitement to criminality. The propagation of extremist leftist ideologies is not something to fight through censorship but through political argument. On the other hand, we disagree with the current dogma that open-handed financing of leftist extremism is an automatic entitlement due its practitioners.
Second, we distinguish between the extremists on Israeli campuses and the larger number of legitimate scholars and thinkers to be found there. Israeli academics include many first-rate talents who do fine scholarship. That said, these serious and intelligent people have less of an impact nationally than do the more boisterous radicals.1
Third, Israeli higher education is centered around what are sometimes called the Big Seven—the research universities that receive the lion’s share of the Israeli government budgets allotted to higher education. Other than these, there are teaching colleges (not research institutions), also state-owned, roughly comparable to community colleges in the United States, with lower budgets and lower entrance requirements for students.
Of the seven research universities, two are largely devoid of politics and political involvement because they are scientific and engineering institutions: the Technion in Haifa and the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot. They have only a few politicized professors but these tend to maintain a low public profile and are as likely to come from the Right as from the Left. Bar-Ilan University outside Tel Aviv, Israel’s only religious university, is relatively apolitical, in spite of its public image as a hotbed of extremism (due to the fact that Yigal Amir, Yitzhak Rabin’s assassin, was a law student there). Its mild religiosity is roughly analogous to that of Fordham, Georgetown, or similar Catholic institutions in the United States. That leaves four remaining institutions: the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, Haifa University, and Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheba. Traditionally, the first two have been regarded as the Ivy League of Israeli higher education, while the latter two are leading regional centers of higher education. The latter two are arguably also home to the most radically anti-Israel of Israeli academics. In any case, these four have become the main centers of campus extremism and academic anti-Israel radicalism."
the article continues
"Little Output, Poor Quality
As is the case most everywhere, the evaluation of faculty members’ academic performance in Israel is supposed to be made according to two main criteria: publishing (especially in internationally refereed journals) and teaching evaluations. In Israel, the latter in reality play no significant role at all when it comes time for hiring and promotion decisions. Scholarly papers in international academic journals that evaluate prospective articles and papers using a rigorous system of independent outside referees are the primary form of academic publication. Journals, not books, are the main and most important standard; while varying from discipline to discipline, book publishing is often regarded as less prestigious because books frequently do not undergo a similar form of evaluation by outside referees. For the same reason, journal publication is more important than contributing chapters to books. "In house" journals and publishing houses generally "do not count."
In most fields, publication in English is the only thing that counts, although occasionally French does as well. Hebrew publications generally do not rate, except in such topics as Talmud and law. (An Israeli quip has it that God was denied tenure because he published only in Hebrew and with no footnotes.)
Many of Israel’s extremists have dubious academic records, thin in serious academic publications, or even devoid of these altogether.2 Trouble is, a large number of professors who espouse extremist views have flourished despite a record of minimal academic publishing and performance. In some cases, they publish mainly or exclusively in politicized journals, such as those published by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and its affiliates, or in Marxist journals. Some anti-Zionist faculty members write primarily for the Journal of Palestine Studies, which is a PLO propaganda organ disguised as an academic journal; for example, it routinely refers to the creation of Israel as an-Nakba ("catastrophe" in Arabic)."
& continues
"In this connection, it is interesting to note the academic records of Ron Pundik and Yair Hirshfeld, the two main Israeli academics who did the ground work in Scandinavia with the PLO that led to the first Oslo agreement, then later negotiated the Beilin—Abu-Mazin document for a final settlement agreement. Pundik, who is the director for the Shimon Peres Peace Center, has authored a single book, The Struggle for Sovereignty,4 but—as shown by a rigorous search of academic publications—has not a single academic journal publication to his name. Hirshfeld, a tenured member of the Department of Middle East History at the University of Haifa, has published nothing other than his Ph.D. thesis,5 completed in 1976, except a popular (i.e., non-scholarly) book of memoirs recounting his role in the Oslo negotiations.6 The employment of such people makes sheds doubt on the claim by Israeli universities that they are maintaining serious academic and scholarly standards for their entire faculties.
The distortion of standards results in part from widespread on-campus politicization. In some cases, hiring and promotions cannot be explained other than as a result of the solidarity of leftists and facilitation of politically correct campus radicalism. The executive officers of Israeli universities have been in some cases themselves faculty members from the left, who have been known to use political opinion as a litmus test to decide the fate of academic careers. As a result, Israeli universities are increasingly politicized and extremists are gaining ground.
This said, a few extremists are serious scholars with impressive records of academic publications. For example, Hebrew University professor Baruch Kimmerling, a radical anti-Zionist professor active in the Hadash Party,7 has a highly respectable publication record in sociology. University of Haifa professor Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi is an internationally recognized authority on the psychology of religious cults. Hebrew University professor Shlomo Avineri, who has sympathies for Marxism and strong leanings towards Shimon Peres’s ideas, has a world-class publication record in political science. But these are exceptions to the rule."
& continues
"Time to get down to specifics and name names, conveniently provided in alphabetical order. Before beginning, it must be noted that Israeli university campuses are home to such a large and growing number of extremists that those described here are but a very partial sampling.
Israel’s Sinfulness
Dan Bar-On, a member of the department of human behavior (psychology) at Ben Gurion University, published an op-ed after the Palestinian violence began in late 2000 calling on the Israeli Left to organize mass refusals by Jews to serve in the Israeli military and advocating that international tribunals be established to conduct war crimes trials of Israeli military personnel.8
Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, a professor of psychology at the University of Haifa, has written a series of books and articles painting Israel as an evil imperialist militarist society. In one, The Israeli Connection: Who Israel Arms and Why,9 he develops a conspiracy theory in which Israel was allegedly selling arms to rightist states in Central America and South Africa, as well as to the shah’s Iran. Beit-Hallahmi believes that because Israel is an oppressive colonialist enterprise, it needs to fight decolonization everywhere in the world as a way to protect its own turf. (It never seems to have crossed his mind that Israel was selling arms to boost the finances of its own military production facilities, needed so that it could defend itself against Arab aggressors.) In Original Sins: Reflections on the History of Zionism and Israel, Beit-Hallahmi goes beyond the New Historians’ claims and denies that Jews can legitimately claim to be a nation. He denies Zionism from the root up, labeling it a Herrenvolk (master race) ideology (an allusion to the Nazis).10"
& continues
"Uri Ben-Eliezer, a sociologist at the University of Haifa, has spent much of his career trying to prove that Israel is a militarist society in which a military coup is perpetually imminent. A search of the sociology literature turns up a grand total of three academic journal articles (one of them an analysis of whether a military coup in Israel is imminent)11 plus an academic book, The Making of Israeli Militarism.12
Haim Gordon, a faculty member at Ben-Gurion University’s School of Education, was in the news because of a petition signed by thirty-five of his colleagues demanding that he be disciplined for violating articles of university academic rule. It seems that Gordon routinely uses language in class offensive to women, ethnic, and racial groups, especially about Oriental Jews and Russian Jews. He routinely insults his colleagues and involves politics in his classes. Gordon regularly invites parliamentary members from the Hadash Party to address his classes, with no one presenting another point of view. Students complain of being penalized by Gordon for disagreeing with his views. The story of Gordon’s reign of terror in the classroom hit the press when Gordon’s students made tapes of some of his more outrageous lectures. Gordon had given a television interview in which he said he would go out and celebrate if Ariel Sharon had a heart attack and that he considered Benjamin Netanyahu scum. He refers to settlers as children of whores.13
Neve Gordon, in political science and government at Ben Gurion University, has a publication record that consists largely of articles in Marxist journals, in the Journal of Palestine Studies, and in the pop far-leftist Z Magazine. He claims to be an expert on torture.14 His political orientation can be seen from a letter to the editor in Ha’aretz (co-signed by Yigal Brunner of Tel Aviv University political science) in which he says that Israel and Barak only understand violence and so the Arabs should engage in more of it.15 Though not a physician himself, Gordon has run "Israeli-Palestinian Physicians for Human Rights,"16 He has written a long piece singing the praises of Norman Finkelstein, the world's leading Jewish Holocaust denier.17"
& continues
"
Baruch Kimmerling is an anti-Zionist professor of sociology at the Hebrew University active in the Hadash party. Writing in Ha’aretz, he called on the Palestinians to use more violence in gaining concessions from Israel;18 within hours after the publication, a bomb went off next to a Jerusalem bus. Later, he explained how all Palestinian violence is Ehud Barak's fault for not being forthcoming enough with the PLO.19
Yossi Mart is a marine geologist at the University of Haifa with some interesting ideas. Mart argues that the entire Bible is disproved by geological evidence. (Perhaps one can tell from shale samplings that King David did not play the harp.) Mart then goes on to argue that the Land of Israel is not holy at all for Jews, and any attempts by rabbis to misrepresent it as such are downright criminal. He concludes: "It is now clear to what extent these rabbinic pronouncements regarding the holiness of the Land of Israel contributed to the murder of Yitzhak Rabin, even indirectly."20
Benny Morris of Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheba, quarterback of the Negev’s team of anti-Zionist academics, is best known for his insistence that in Israel’s 1948-49 War of Independence, it was the strong, over-armed Goliath fighting against the desperate and weak Arab David. He has been shown systematically to distort and resort to misrepresentation to make his case.21 In Morris's view, the Arabs are always peace-seeking and moderate, whereas the Jews are cruel, aggressive colonialists, doing everything to prevent peaceful relations from developing with the Arabs. In his many writings, Israel's history is a nonstop tale of unprovoked aggression.22"
& continues
"
Illan Pappé of the University of Haifa is perhaps the most tendentious of the New Historians. Unlike Morris, who purports to search archives and present facts, Pappé has been the most contemptuous of any necessity to base the charges against Israel on facts and insists that creating some sort of Palestinian narrative suffices.23 Almost all of Pappé’s publication record consists of Israel-bashing pieces in the Journal of Palestine Studies. An active member in the Hadash Party, he has run on its slate for parliament. Actually, he regards the official Hadash position (that Israel return to its 1949 borders and divide Jerusalem) as too moderate; he issued a call to Hadash to abandon its position of "two states for two peoples" and instead strive for the annihilation of Israel altogether and its replacement by a unitary Palestinian state.24 The Haifa weekly Kolbo featured a piece on Pappé screaming in unison with Arab student demonstrators that Ehud Barak was a murderer of children.25
Yoav Peled of the political science department at Tel Aviv University made news in 1997 after his niece was murdered in a suicide bombing by Palestinians; he flamboyantly invited a PLO spokesperson to the girl’s funeral and at the funeral he explained how her death was all the fault of then-prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Peled pronounced this view to the world in an op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times where he argued that Netanyahu was the cause of Palestinian terrorism.26
Gabriel Piterberg, a lecturer in history at Ben Gurion University, denounced a criticism of the New Historians’ scholarship as Stalinist and accused the writer of having "emotional problems."27 His name has appeared on petitions by Arabs trying to rally support for ‘Azmi Bashara after he went to Syria for the first anniversary of Hafiz al-Asad's death and there, in the presence of the Syrian president and Hizbullah leader, called for more "resistance" to Israel."
& continues
"Uri Ram, a New Historian in the sociology department at Ben Gurion University, is perhaps best known for his assertion that the Jews have no more right to live in Palestine than do the British in India.28
Israel Shahak, recently deceased, was professor emeritus of chemistry at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and was probably the most openly anti-Jewish of all Israel’s academic extremists. He spent most of his career promoting naked antisemitism and his writings appear on neo-Nazi and Holocaust denial websites around the world.29 (Jewish antisemite may sound like an oxymoron but Shahak proved it is not.) He went beyond the simple endorsement of Arab positions, something common among other Israeli academic leftists, and also well beyond mere chic anti-Zionism. He openly hated Judaism and Jews. His writings center around the theme that Judaism is the fountain of all evil and that most of the world’s problems can ultimately be traced back to Judaism.30 He propounded the thesis that Judaism is a racist form of irrational anti-Gentile hatred. Maimonides, for example, was a great hater of Gentiles, according to Shahak.31 Jews worship Satan daily.32 Shahak‘s Jewish History, Jewish Religion carries a foreword by Gore Vidal, who takes the opportunity there to bash American Jews for "hijacking" the American economy to serve Israel and to denounce "totalitarian Judaism."33 Shahak considered Israel a "terrorist state."34 Not surprisingly, the writings of Shahak are promoted on the websites of neo-Nazi organizations, crank Holocaust-deniers,35 and hate-spewing Islamist groups.36 Neo-Nazi websites featuring his writings, for example, include "Jew Watch," "The Historical Review Press," "The Campaign for Radical Truth in History."
& continues
"Oren Yiftachel, a geographer at Ben Gurion University, co-authored with Asad Ghanem, a political scientist from the University of Haifa, an op-ed piece in Ha’aretz proposing that Jews join Palestinians in celebrating "Land Day," a day at the end of March when Israeli Arabs march against Israel and denounce Zionism.37 Yiftachel has also suggested that proposals to get Israeli Jews to move to the Galilee are "pure racism."38 He thinks Israel should be viewed as a dictatorship as long as Palestinians outside Israel's borders are prevented from voting in Israeli elections.39 He also argues that any government that depends on the votes of Israelis living in the West Bank and Gaza is undemocratic and must be toppled (an action he does not further define).40
Moshe Zimmerman, a professor of German history at the Hebrew University, has become famous in Israel for his comments about Jews living beyond Israel’s Green Line, whom he calls Nazis (and their children he labeled "Hitlerjugend").41 Anti-Oslo dissidents he compares to Nazis.42 But when he termed some Knesset members "Nazi imitations," they sued him, and a Rehovot court in September 2000 convicted him of slander.43
"Massacre" at Tantura
Spurred by the so-called New Historians, a group of politicized scholars rewriting Middle East history along the lines of Arab anti-Zionism, many Israeli academics blame their own country for the Arab-Israeli conflict. Their message is simple: Israel represents the epitome of all that is evil and is the colonialist aggressor that started all the wars with the Arabs who wanted nothing more than to be left in peace. Benny Morris, Illan Pappé, and Avi Shlaim (the last of whom lives in the United Kingdom) are the best known of the New Historians. Efraim Karsh and others have shown how they engage in tendentious and intentional distortion of facts to confirm their political agenda.44"
& continues
"Perhaps the most talked about case of rogue scholarship in recent times was a work of "New History" that went beyond presenting the Arab version to concoct a massacre of Arab civilians by Jews. This was the work of a 1998 master’s student at the University of Haifa, Theodore ("Teddy") Katz,45 a middle-aged kibbutznik active in Meretz and other movements on the Israeli Left. Katz wrote his thesis under the supervision of Kais M. Firro, an extremist Druze professor in the Department of Middle East History. Pappé was also a thesis supervisor.
Under Firro and Pappé 's supervision, Katz collected evidence of a massacre of Arabs on May 23, 1948, just days after Israel declared its independence, at Tantura, a small Arab town south of Haifa. Tantura blocked a key road and the Haganah (Israeli military forces) sent the elite Alexandroni brigade to take the village and open the road. Fifty regular Syrian army soldiers fought on the side of the Arabs. Some Arab civilians were killed in the house-to-house battle, as were fourteen Jewish fighters.46
This much was long known. In his thesis, however, Katz claimed to discover an intentional massacre of Arab civilians by the Israelis after their surrender, in which some 200-250 civilians lost their lives at the hands of Israeli firing squads. Firro and his department awarded Katz the unheard-of grade of 97 for this thesis, and its conclusions became widely known when they were broadcast in the national Israeli press.47 No one at all, not even Arab propagandists, had ever raised accusations of a massacre during the battle for Tantura, so this news caused a minor sensation.
But how could legions of anti-Israel researchers have overlooked a massacre in Tantura for two generations? Had such a massacre occurred, it could not have remained secret. Arab spin doctors, especially in the PLO, would long ago have raised any reports of a massacre and nailed it high on the same flagpole from which it has always waved the banners of supposed massacres at Deir Yassin and the Kfar Qasim. The events at Deir Yassin—in sharp contrast—were not only covered by the press at the time and used to great propaganda effect by Arab leaders, but have been a permanent feature of the Arab-Israeli debate ever since. Indeed, in late 1999, after the Israeli press had written about the Katz thesis, the PLO Ministry of Information and other agencies issued statements and posted news items about the new study on their web pages.48"
& continues
"Why the fifty-year reticence about a massacre at Tantura?
Because there was absolutely no hard evidence at all produced by Katz and Firro or anyone else to show that a massacre had ever taken place at Tantura. No graves or other physical evidence have ever been seen or found. Contemporary Arab newspapers covered in exacting detail the evacuation of Arabs from the town after the battle but not one reported on a massacre at Tantura. Nor is there any mention of a massacre in any other Arab document or archive from the time. The Israeli press covered the battle in detail but knew of no massacre. Ha’aretz reported that forty Arabs were killed in the battle.49 Davar spoke of 200 Tantura men captured, with no mention of a massacre.50 The Israeli army openly and candidly documented those few cases where Arab civilians were in fact targeted, such as a reprisal raid east of Haifa after local Arabs butchered Jewish refinery workers in 1948; it categorically denies any such massacre ever took place at Tantura. The New Historians who sought out massacres to prove that Israel ruthlessly expelled the Palestinians in 1948-49 never mention any massacre at Tantura. Veterans of the Alexandroni Brigade are alive and agree that civilians were killed in the battle, which went house-to-house and involved firing into homes from which fire was directed at them, but they indignantly deny that Arabs were lined up in front of firing squads and massacred, as Katz claims.
Lacking evidence, Katz and Firro concocted a study based on oral histories, a method notoriously open to the power of suggestion and the potential for egregious distortion. Interviews with Arabs, many of whom were children in 1948, suddenly turned up restored memories of a forgotten massacre. The interviewees thus produced what Katz was seeking: lurid descriptions of mass killings.
Surviving members of the Alexandroni Brigade filed a libel suit against Theodore Katz and the University of Haifa for a quarter of a million dollars. Several of Israel's extreme leftists began to collect funds to help Katz with his defense.51 At the 2000 trial, Katz’s interview tapes were played and the Arabs interviewed turned out to be saying something quite different from what Katz had had them saying. Several of the Arab sources insisted there had been no massacre at all. Some Arabs cited by Katz confirmed that Katz had misquoted them. Katz ultimately signed a court "compromise" with his lawyer present in which he agreed to publish ads in the Israeli press at his own expense confirming that the entire massacre story had been a total fabrication and apologizing to the Palmach vets. (Later he tried to withdraw from this court ruling, claiming he had signed it while under emotional distress, but the court refused to accept his request to back out).52"
& continues
"The University of Haifa set up an internal committee of inquiry into the affair that found Katz had systematically misquoted the Arab witnesses he had interviewed for the thesis; and that he had otherwise falsified evidence.53 Nevertheless, the university took no disciplinary action against the professors involved, nor did it rescind Katz's degree. Nor has everyone in Israeli academia renounced the Katz research; Illan Pappé continues to insist that not only were Katz’s now-withdrawn allegations correct,54 but he has indicated that he himself intends to reiterate the allegations in his own writings.55 Baruch Kimmerling denounced the university for not standing fully behind the research.56
More surprising yet, the University of Haifa administration at first proffered its full backing to Katz and Firro when the suit was filed. The rector of the university57 at the time was Gad G. Gilbar,58 a professor of Middle East history who has taught Katz and who considered helping Katz cover his legal bills. When Gilbar was replaced as university rector in 2000, his successor distanced himself from Katz and Firro and refused to endorse their behavior or the thesis methods. He also ordered an internal campus inquiry into the whole matter.
Katz may have renounced his earlier allegations, but the fabricated massacre quickly acquired a momentum all its own, with real-world consequences. Many Arabs who lived in Tantura in 1948 and their descendents now live in the Arab town of Faradis not far away; following the "discovery" of the massacre, Faradis schools began to organize trips to visit the site of the supposed massacre. Faradis, which sits astride one of the two roads to Haifa from the south, had been spared by and large from the rioting and violence that characterized other Arab towns throughout the years of the first intifada. But in September 2000, the town residents rioted violently, blocking highways and battling police, and live ammunition was used. Could the University of Haifa have created a first in academic history—a violent riot produced by fabrications in a master’s thesis?"
& continues
"Fashionable Flakiness
As in other countries, campus extremism is often accompanied by the propagation of fashionably bizarre ideas and downright silliness. The humanities departments in Israel are filled with those espousing the newspeak of post-modernism and deconstructionist gibberish. Indeed, such ideas have overflowed from the campus and infiltrated the popular press in Israel, where it is common these days to find a discussion of the Arab-Israeli conflict insisting that the whole mess is a mere conflict of narratives. Marxism is popular in some humanities departments and in some of the softer social sciences, especially in sociology.
Yoav Ben-Dov teaches the philosophy of science at the Tel Aviv University and is the Israeli Timothy Leary, combining leftist politics with urging people to find contentment through ingesting illegal drugs. He is the head of a movement in Israel demanding legalization of drugs, currently calling itself Free Israel. He has organized on-campus "trance" parties and frequently lectures students on the benefits of using illegal drugs.59
Ilan Gur-Zeev, at the School of Education at the University of Haifa and one of Israel’s more bizarre figures, is a "philosopher of education." He goes well beyond the usual academic anti-Zionism and argues that Israel’s original sin lies in its trying to teach its children that the Holocaust somehow implies that Israel has the right to exist. He believes that the Holocaust was no greater a horror than that perpetrated by Zionists against the Palestinians. He looks upon school violence as something progressive and positive. Gur-Zeev says Israel was out of line when it objected to Jörg Haider’s inclusion in the Austrian government: "After all," he has been quoted as saying, "Haider is no more extreme than the Likud. Haider’s program is far better than that endorsed by many of those politicians on the Israeli Right. Haider’s statements on foreigners are more moderate than those of the Likud."60 Gur-Zeev is at his most erudite and scholarly when he writes in the Marxist Israeli journal Theory and Criticism that his own university’s 30-storey tower a top a hill is the phallus that expresses the oppression of Arabs.61
Michal Oren, a lecturer in history of the land of Israel at the University of Haifa, may win the crown for academic wackiness. She heads a political movement called New Israel, the subject of much media attention in Israel. The group advocates the establishment of colonies by Israelis around the world so that they can escape from the oppression of Israel’s religious parties, which attempt to keep the buses from running on the Sabbath and perpetrate similar atrocities.62"
& lastly says
"
Conclusions
Academic extremists maintain a very high profile in the Israeli, Arab, and world media and have had an impact far beyond their actual numbers. Examples of their influence are plentiful, from the negotiations cooked up by two academics that produced the Oslo accords to the rewriting of the textbooks used in Israeli schools to reflect the Arab point of view. Israeli journalists tend to follow their lead and take their clues from the tenured extremists (note, for example, how the media and then the PLO turned Katz’s otherwise obscure M.A. thesis into a cause celebre). Even more important, the extremists have an impact on events and emotions in the Middle East by encouraging those seeking to destroy Israel as well as demoralizing the Israeli public, thus weakening its ability to defend the country.
The most surprising thing about all this is that Israel’s academic extremists do all this damage while being funded by the Israeli taxpayer and by Jewish contributors from around the world, most notably in the United States. (University students pay only about 15 percent of the costs of their education, with the remainder coming from these taxpayers or donors.) Donors making philanthropic gifts to Israeli universities do so to assist with the Zionist enterprise; obviously, such persons will want think twice before permitting their funds to further promote anti-Israel extremism.
Solomon Socrates is the pen name for a watchdog team of researchers keeping an eye on Israel’s universities."
A Pro-Israel website suggesting Boycotting Arab Oil, it stated
"BOYCOTT
ARAB OIL!
Buy Hess!
Other companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:
Citgo
Sunoco
Conoco
Sinclair
BP/Phillips
Petro-Canada
BOYCOTT the Following Oil Companies Which Import Middle Eastern Oil
- Shell
- Exxon
- Esso
- Mobil
- Chevron
- Texaco
- Caltex
- Shamrock
There's alot of talk about "hybrid," solar cell and electric automobiles. But have you heard about hydrogen-powered vehicles? Some Arab states have and, in a joint effort with German engineering know-how, they may someday corner that energy market as well. American auto produces... WAKE UP and smell the hydrogen burning!"
A website Archive said the following about the Late Israeli "Professor" & Traitor
Israel Shahak who thankfully died in 2001
the archive said
" For every precious fighter for Israel there are, unfortunately, Jews who despise being Jewish and wish Israel harm. So-called academics, intellectuals and thinkers, though not the exclusive Israel-bashers, do seem to have cornered this market with their damaged identities.
Take for example the Weasel [Left Photo], Israel Shahak, former Hebrew University Professor of Chemistry turned self-proclainmed Prophet who presently serves as Chairman of the Israeli League of Human Civil Rights. Shahak once declared "the Jews of Israel, along with most of the Jews of the world, are at present undergoing a process of Nazification." Further, any Jew who "denies the Palestinians their humanity" is a "Jewish Nazi." Dr. Shahak wants Jews to "change their ways and stop the atrocities associated with Zionism." He concludes that Zionism and Peace cannot co-exist and that Israel's real aim is to be the regional bully. It is by no coincidence that Shahak, the Weasel, has been lionized in the Moslem Press (eg. Radio Islam) and countless other anti-Jewish/Isreal/Zionist bashers!
Israel Shahak was a young survivor of the Bergen-Belsen extermination camp which apparently explains his fascination with Nazis. Before escaping to Israel in 1945 at the age of 12, he witnessed countless heaps of naked Jewish corpses being dragged daily to the crematoria. The Nazis must have foreseen even back then that Shahak would be a greater threat to the Jewish people alive than dead!
UPDATE: July 2, 2001... Shakak FINALLY kicked the bucket. Yup, the old man is dead. This date should be made into a national holiday. We don't know as yet whether he died of natural causes of if the Devil simply sucked him back into Hell." Good that Shahak is dead, some have said there was plenty of Evidence to Charge Shahak with Treason
From the website jewishpress.com an article is titled
"Jew vs. Jew"
By Steven Plaut - 26 Shevat 5770 – February 10, 2010 0
the article says
"It sounds like a contradiction in terms. An oxymoron. If only it were.
Jewish anti-Semitism is a modern disease. The world is experiencing an explosion of it. Among the most malicious and venomous of all bigots, Jewish anti-Semites are at the forefront of just about every smear campaign against Israel and other Jews.
Such Jews are leaders in the campaigns to boycott and divest from Israel. A number of them make pilgrimages to the terrorist camps of Hamas and Hizbullah, with some even rationalizing or justifying terrorist atrocities against Jews. Such Jews pioneered the smear campaign painting Israel as an apartheid regime. Denouncing Israel as equivalent to Nazi Germany is their favorite pastime.
Western campuses are crawling with them. A Jewish judge chaired the UN commission that demonized Israel over Operation Cast Lead. A Jewish member of Britain’s Parliament compared Hamas terrorists to Jewish fighters in the Warsaw Ghetto and denounced Israel as a Nazi entity.
Israelis and ex-Israelis comprise a shockingly large number of this group.
Most Jews dismiss such people as “self-hating,” but that term is misleading. These rogues do not hate themselves. Indeed, they are masters of narcissism. They hate other Jews and wish them harm.
These are not assimilationists of Jewish descent who have simply lost interest in their Jewish heritage or are indifferent to Jewish history and Israel. No, these Jews often make a point out of waving their own Jewish “roots” as artillery support for their extremist positions.
In some extreme cases they collaborate with neo-Nazis, Islamist terrorists, and even Holocaust deniers. No, that is not a misprint; there are today in the world Jews who are Holocaust deniers or who ally themselves with Holocaust deniers.
* * *
Jewish anti-Semitism was once considered a bizarre irrelevance. Touched upon gingerly in the 1947 film “Gentleman’s Agreement,” the subject was long ignored by the organized Jewish community. Modern Zionists expected that the very creation of Israel would put an end to any neurotic self-hatred afflicting Diaspora communities.
The new sovereign Jewish state was expected to end not only Jewish physical insecurity but also spiritual pathology. Alas, history had a surprise up its sleeves: many of the worst examples of Jews with an anti-Jewish and/or anti-Israel agenda have emerged from the more radical fringes of the Israeli left, its academic institutions and its intelligentsia."
the article continues
"Take Professor Shlomo Sand, a hard-core leftist on the history faculty of Tel Aviv University. Sand last year published a book claiming to prove Jews are not and never have been a “people.” Recycling myths popularized by neo-Nazi websites, Sand’s book is a pseudo-analysis that claims most Jews today are frauds, converts from the Khazar Turkic tribe, impersonators of Jews.
All real Jews, according to the learned professor, became Palestinian Arabs centuries ago. Hence Israeli “Jews” are not Jews at all, and certainly have no right to their own state.
Sand is actually surpassed in his extremism by another Israeli professor, the now retired Ariel Toaff, who claimed to have evidence Jews use gentile blood in religious ritual.
(Other Israeli academics with anti-Jewish agendas are cataloged on the website Isracampus.org.il.)
Just what it is that makes such Jews tick is hard to explain. One of the few people to take a serious stab at doing so is Kenneth Levin, a psychiatrist at Harvard and an occasional op-ed contributor to The Jewish Press. He attributes Jewish anti-Semitism in part to attempts by some Jews to gain social acceptance in an environment that is hostile toward Jews.
He also says some of it can be compared with infantile attempts at self-blame resembling those common among abused small children. And he considers it a cousin to the notorious Stockholm Syndrome, whereby victims adopt the outlook and agenda of their victimizers.
* * *
Anti-Semitism is today the main common denominator that unites the far left with the neo-Nazi ultra-right in the United States and Europe. There are Jews to be found in both those wings on the political spectrum. Many serve as columnists for the extremist Counterpunch web magazine."
& continues
"It would be difficult to find Jewish writers for Counterpunch who do not make the de rigueur comparisons between Israel and Nazi Germany. For example, the University of Wisconsin’s Jennifer Loewenstein published there a screed titled “Gaza Holocaust” in which she wrote: “Israel and its U.S. Master have long since resided in the lowest circle of Hell for betraying the name of humanity.”
She added that Israel treats Palestinians as subhuman “Untermenschen,” a term bringing to mind German treatment of Jews during the Holocaust. In a quote that could easily have been published by the Nazi newspaper Der Sturmer in the 1930s, she added: “The Neo-Jewish Masters and their allies in the United States … have no intention of making a just peace with the lower forms of life in their midst.”
In Loewenstein’s take on reality, Israel engages in state terror while operating a cabal that enslaves the American government and dictates its policies. Even Yom Kippur for her is nothing more than a day to be exploited to help the terrorists and demonize the Jews.
Another Counterpunch regular is Richard Falk, a retired Princeton professor best known for serving on the UN commission that condemned Israel for genocidal war crimes even before it began its investigation of Israel’s Gaza operations.
Falk is not only one of the worst collaborators in the academic wars against Israel, he is also America’s leading practitioner of the Orwellian inversion.
For Falk, Israel is a terrorist aggressor while the Arab terrorist aggressors are innocent victims and peace-loving progressives. For him, Israel is a country essentially seeking to perpetrate genocide while the Islamofascists of Hamas and their backers are merely protesters against social inequality inside Israel; terrorist aggression against Jews is really the pursuit of peace, while self-defense by Israel is criminal, terrorist aggression and worse.
In 2007 Falk published “Slouching Toward a Palestinian Holocaust,” in which he wrote it was not an “irresponsible overstatement to associate the treatment of Palestinians [by Israel]” with the “criminalized Nazi record of collective atrocity.”
In it, he accuses Israel of mistreating Palestinians on a scale comparable to the Nazi extermination of Jews:"
& continues
"Is it an irresponsible overstatement to associate the treatment of Palestinians with this criminalized Nazi record of collective atrocity? I think not. The recent developments in Gaza are especially disturbing because they express so vividly a deliberate intention on the part of Israel and its allies to subject an entire human community to life-endangering conditions of utmost cruelty. The suggestion that this pattern of conduct is a holocaust-in-the-making represents a rather desperate appeal to the governments of the world and to international public opinion to act urgently to prevent these current genocidal tendencies from culminating in a collective tragedy.
One of the regular contributors to Counterpunch is an ex-Israeli named Gilad Atzmon. A saxophone player living in the UK, Atzmon is so openly extreme that even some staunchly anti-Israel groups refuse to have anything to do with him. The British writer Oliver Kamm has denounced Atzmon as a Holocaust denier.
Atzmon has not only called for Israel to be annihilated but has stated, “I’m not going to say whether it is right or not to burn down a synagogue, I can see that it is a rational act.”
He heads a small clique of followers, mainly in Italy, for whom he serves as something of a cult leader. Atzmon has asserted that the Protocols of the Elders of Zionis an accurate reflection of the state of modern-day America.
* * *
Paul Eisen, another Jewish extremist in the UK, has distributed an essay titled “Holocaust Wars” which claims, among other things, that the claim of gas chambers in Auschwitz is fraudulent and that they could not possibly have worked. Among the essay’s “sources” are the disgraced historian David Irving and the neo-Nazi crank Ernst Zundel, deported by Canada and now in prison in Germany."
& continues
"Perhaps the most venomous Jewish-born Jew-baiter of all is one “Israel Shamir.” An ?migr? from the Soviet Union, “Shamir” moved to Israel and later left for Sweden, where he changed his name to Adam Ermash and reportedly converted to Christianity.
As just one example of his poison, in an interview with the Islamist Mohamed Omar in August 2009, Shamir said:
“I think it is the duty of every Muslim and Christian to deny the Holocaust, to reject this belief, just like Abraham and Moses rejected idolatry.
“Every person who profess [sic] their [sic] faith to God should deny the Holocaust. I think it’s much more serious that people deny God, isn’t it?”
In other cases prominent Jews endorse Holocaust deniers while carefully tiptoeing around explicitly endorsing Holocaust denial itself. The best known of these is Noam Chomsky, an extremist anti-U.S. and anti-Israel professor of linguistics at MIT.
A long-term apologist for the Khmer Rouge, Chomsky seems to despise Israel almost as deeply as he hates America. He speaks of “points of similarity” between Nazi Germany and Israel and has campaigned on behalf of the French Holocaust denier Robert Faurisson and other European neo-Nazis. He not only demands that this hate be protected under freedom of speech but as Professor Werner Cohn has noted, Chomsky also endorses the contents of their speech:
“But in fact we saw that Chomsky justified Faurisson’s Holocaust-denial, we found Chomsky publishing his own books with neo-Nazi publishers, we saw him writing for a neo-Nazi journal, we saw that the neo-Nazis promote Chomsky’s books and tapes together with the works of Joseph Goebbels. It is this complex of anti-Semitic activities and neo-Nazi associations, not his professed ideas alone, that constitutes the Chomsky phenomenon.”
& continues
"Within Israel, one of the most openly anti-Semitic Jews was the late Professor Israel Shahak, who taught chemistry for decades at Hebrew University. He specialized in endorsing medieval anti-Jewish blood libels. He insisted that Judaism teaches Jews to worship Satan, to connive against non-Jews and to murder them. He stopped just millimeters short of saying Jews use gentile blood for ritual purposes.
Shahak claimed the Talmud is filled with calls to murder gentiles, and that Jews regard gentiles as subhuman. He collaborated with neo-Nazis all over the planet.
In an analysis of Shahak, the British writer Paul Bognador wrote:
“According to Shahak, the Jews think of nothing but making money for the benefit of the Jewish state (‘The force of Jewish devotion in assembling money is thought to be infinite’).
“According to Shahak, the Jews plan to dominate much of the world through an Israeli empire…. According to Shahak, the Jews facilitate the spread of vice in order to enslave the masses . Shahak also found excuses for the near-genocidal Chmielnicki pogroms, which he classified as a ‘revolt of the oppressed.’ ”
And then there’s Norman Finkelstein, who had been on the faculty of DePaul University until he was fired three years back (and has been unemployed ever since)."
& lastly says
"Finkelstein has built an entire career out of smearing Holocaust survivors as frauds and liars, and cheering on Islamofascist terrorism against Jews.
His personal website is a vulgar gutter of juvenile anti-Semitic catcalls. He claims Zionists exaggerate the dimensions of the Shoah to steal money and invent Holocaust survivors to exploit Germany. He has visited with Hizbullah terrorists and was denied entry into Israel on grounds that he associates with terrorists.
Finkelstein wrote a book titled The Holocaust Industry that fast became a favorite with neo-Nazis and Holocaust deniers. He considers David Irving a reliable historian.
While Finkelstein is dismissed by serious historians, he is nevertheless celebrated by Jews with an anti-Jewish and/or an anti-Israel agenda.
* * *
The creation of Israel was supposed to turn Jews into a “normal” people. But the psychosis of Jewish anti-Semitism has no comparable analogue among the nations, making the Jews a therapist’s sui generis.
The disease of Jewish anti-Semitism not only illustrates the absence of normality among 21st century Jewry, it threatens the very survival of Israel and of Jewish communities around the world."
Also from the website jewishpress.com another article is titled
"Jews Who Hate The Jewish State"
By Paul Bogdanor - 7 Elul 5766 – August 30, 2006
“If they [Jews] all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide.” – Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Hizbullah commander
“I say this without fear: for those who believe in freedom and dignity, we are all Hizbullah now.” – Norman Finkelstein, Jewish anti-Zionist
Advertisement
the article says
"That any human being could proclaim his support for a movement whose goal is to annihilate all the world’s Jews must be shocking to the normal observer. That a Jew could take this position seems all the more astounding.
Yet Norman Finkelstein, university professor and best-selling author, is by no means unique among Jews in his allegiances. His mentor, Noam Chomsky, has publicly embraced the murderous Sheikh Nasrallah. In fact, during the recent war, Chomsky was among several Jewish signatories to an open letter offering “solidarity and support” to the “resistance” in Lebanon and Palestine – meaning Hizbullah and Hamas. And these pledges of loyalty to genocidal fanatics have become quite common among Jews who distinguish themselves by their hatred for Israel.
How is it possible for any Jew to support those who seek the destruction of his fellow Jews? This is the question that intrigued Edward Alexander and myself as we compiled our book The Jewish Divide Over Israel.
Our contributors – including Cynthia Ozick, Alvin Rosenfeld, Menachem Kellner, Jacob Neusner and Efraim Karsh – were all too aware of the tragic history of Jewish anti-Semitism. We knew, for example, that Martin Luther’s program of terrorizing Jews originated with a Jewish convert, Johannes Pfefferkorn; and that the myth of the Jewish world-conspiracy, which culminated in the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, was assiduously promoted by a Russian Jewish author, Jacob Brafmann. We suspected that as the Pfefferkorns and the Brafmanns departed the stage, the Finkelsteins and the Chomskys made their entrance.
Today, as in the past, the conduct of Jews who despise their own people spans the full spectrum of political depravity. There are anti-Zionist Jews who peddle vicious libels about Israel. There are anti-Zionist Jews who compare the Jewish state with Nazi Germany. There are anti-Zionist Jews who support the PLO, Hamas or Hizbullah.
There are anti-Zionist Jews who collaborate with anti-Semites and Holocaust deniers. There are anti-Zionist Jews who defend suicide bombings, anti-Zionist Jews who support the destruction of Israel, and – incredibly – there are even anti-Zionist Jews who advocate measures against other Jews that could plausibly be described as genocidal.
It is tempting to dismiss these views as a fringe phenomenon. But not all of our targets identify with the radical left. The liberal Jewish “critique” of Zionism is exemplified by the historian Tony Judt. According to Judt’s now notorious outburst in The New York Review of Books, Israel’s ruling elite is “fascist” because it once considered killing the terrorist murderer Yasir Arafat, and its security fence (intended to forestall the entry of terrorists into a free country) bears comparison with the Berlin Wall (designed to prevent the escape of unarmed civilians from a communist dictatorship).
Worse still, Judt maintains, the nefarious Zionists have convinced America to destabilize the Middle East for the sole benefit of Israel, thus “alienating” its hitherto devoted allies in Syria and Iran. Such is the Jewish stranglehold on public opinion, says Judt, that Americans “censoriously rebuke” anyone who speaks out, shamelessly charging the dissidents with anti-Semitism. Fortunately for Judt, the international Zionist conspiracy was unable to prevent the publication of his thoughtful disquisition on the role of Israeli “fascists” in propelling America to war against the entire Middle East for the purpose of defending a Hebrew-speaking version of communist East Germany."
From the Superb Website of Pamela Geller, gellerreport.com
an article is titled
"Chilling: Nazi Party Representatives Attend 1933 Berlin Jewish Community Charity Drive Gathering"
By Pamela Geller - on December 18, 2011
the article says
"The more things change, the more they stay the same, eh? Foreign Confidential has this chilling post on the German Jewish community hosting Nazis before …..well, you know. Are we not witnessing the very same activity by leftist Jews in America?
This is the ultimate warning for the judenrat in this country “twinning” with mosques (over 80% teach, promote, advance jihad and Jew-hatred) and advancing the anti-Israel position of the left.
Nazi Party Representatives Attend 1933 Berlin Jewish Community Charity Drive Gathering
EDITOR’S NOTE: The archived article, republished below, was written in December 1933, nearly a year after the Nazi takeover of Germany on January 30, 1933, the day Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, and about two years before the passage of the Nuremberg Laws in September 1935, which deprived German Jews of civil rights. At the end of 1933, there were about 520,000 Jews in Germany, a community representing less than one percent of the country’s total population. About a third of German Jews lived in Berlin. Nazi persecution of the Jews had already begun, including violent street attacks, forced aryanization of Jewish businesses, and a boycott of Jewish stores. In response, many Jews fled Germany–most of the refugees who emigrated to neighboring European countries perished in the Holocaust following Hitler’s conquests–and many Jews committed suicide.
Today, of course, it is jarring to read about uniformed Nazis attending a Jewish communal gathering; and the hope expressed by Dr. Heinrich Stahl, the Berlin Jewish community leader–for a better Nazi understanding of the Jewish situation–seems pathetic as well as tragic. Click here for a Holocaust survivor’s account of Dr. Stahl’s subsequent meeting with Adolf Eichmann, and here for a brief history of the Berlin Jewish community and its destruction by the Nazis. Stahl was deported from Berlin with his wife Jenny on June 11, 1942. He died in Theresienstadt in November 1942 of a lung infection at the age of 75.
One wonders, in light of all that has happened, how some so-called American Jewish leaders can possibly support the reelection of the most anti-Israel President in American history–Barack Hussein Obama. Not that Obama is Hitler–God forbid if that was true. But Obama’s obsession with creating a “contiguous Palestinian state” and overall pro-Islamist foreign policy is helping new Hitlers come to power–and acquire atomic arms for use against Israel and the United States. The U.S. President who can claim credit for killing Osama Bin Laden and decimating Al Qaeda has effectively narrowed the definition of the Islamist enemy to that organization and “irreconcilable” Taliban. All other Islamists, with the exception of the present regime in Iran, which Obama appeased and tried to align with, are acceptable allies, according to Obama and those who advise him."
the article continues
"December 20, 1933 — Nazis, for First Time,
Take Official Part In German Jewish Meeting
Berlin, Dec. 19 (JTA) – The first official Jewish gathering in which uniformed Nazis participated, was held here when a mass meeting was arranged last night by the Berlin Jewish community to open the special campaign for winter relief. Three thousand Jews attended the meeting.
Representatives of the Nazi party sat on the platform with the Jewish leaders and applauded Dr. Heinrich Stahl, director of the Berlin Jewish community, when he urged the Jews to contribute to general winter relief. However, the Nazis on the platform did not applaud when Dr. Stahl expressed the hope that cooperation between the Jews and the Nazis would pave the way for a better understanding of the Jewish situation along other lines.
Uniformed storm troopers distributed subscription forms at the meeting, and succeeded in collecting several thousand marks in voluntary contributions.
The meeting last night marked the introduction of a house-to-house campaign among Jews, with part of the proceeds to go to the Jewish charities. One of the results of the meeting was the issuing of an order today enabling needy Jews to obtain kosher food when submitting their food orders to Jewish grocers. Another order, issued at the same time, enables foreign Jewish residents of Berlin to obtain relief. The distribution of cards to the needy has been entrusted to the charity department of the Berlin Jewish community.
The Frankische Volk, newspaper of Wuertzburg, sharply protested not only against Jews sharing in the winter relief but also against accepting contributions from Jews, since, the paper objects, the names of the Jewish contributors will have to be listed side by side with Aryans.
“We base our protest on public statements of our leaders that Jews are not part of the German nation, which is also shown in the Aryan clause,” the Frankische Volk declared.
“Nazis, for First Time, Take Official Part in German Jewish Meeting.” Jewish Telegraphic Agency 20 Dec 1933." gellerreport.com is an excellent website exposing Arab & Islamic Extremism ,Crimes & LIES
From the website stream.org an interesting article is titled
"The Lord Rebuked Globalism at the Tower of Babel"
By Arthur Goldberg Published on June 17, 2019 • 36 Comments the article says
"Since the end of World War II, many world leaders supported the rise of globalism. They idealized it as the post-war world order. However, as states became more interdependent and shared political power through international bureaucracies, some of us chafed. We rediscovered the idea of a government closer to the people. We revived the concepts of nationalism and decentralized power.
One can see the tension between globalism and nationalism foreshadowed in several parts of the Bible. In particular, the Tower of Babel. (Gen. 10-11) Here was the first, and failed attempt to impose a worldwide orthodoxy of speech and thought. Nimrod (Gen. 10: 8) is identified by Biblical commentators as the principal force behind building the Tower. He sought to impose a uniform political and cultural pattern in place of the structure then existing. This uniformity would be independent of G-d’s plan of creation and the moral values G-d established."
the article continues
"We find many parallels between today’s populist movements of nationalism and biblical support for independent nation-states.
The Post-War New World Order
In the 1940s the winners of World War II sought a new world order. The leaders of Western powers had a vision of “interdependence.” This meant linking one nation-state’s fate to the fates of the others. The Soviets imposed a different idea, an authoritarian structure. There, loyalty to a common political ideology reigned supreme within the nation-states they controlled.
Neither vision succeeded.
The ideal sought by this new ideology is clear. It’s a borderless world where everyone thinks (or at least expresses himself) the same way. This vision is reminiscent of Nimrod’s vision for the Tower of Babel."
& continues
"The European effort involved transnational bodies. And strong bureaucracies. See the European Union, International Criminal Court, and the United Nation’s Human Rights Council. These institutions, over time, stoked a populist backlash:
The vote of the British to withdraw from the European Union.
The Yellow Vests protests in France, begun over added gasoline taxes.
The recent success of Euro-skeptic political parties in European elections. These European parliament elections exposed major political and cultural upheavals. In Britain, after only five weeks of campaigning, Nigel Farange’s Brexit Party overwhelmed Britain’s Labour and Conservative parties.
Similarly, in national elections, the Netherland’s Thierry Baudet’s Forum for Democracy party gained 86 seats. It went from zero seats to becoming the largest single party in the Dutch Senate. This came in reaction to the support by mainstream European bureaucrats for open borders and elitists’ views of climate change.
The People of Many Nations Reject Globalism
Soviet Communism collapsed in summer 1991. So did its domestic empire. Several former Soviet Socialist Republics proclaimed their sovereignty. Many of the former autonomous republics restructured themselves into smaller nation-states based on geography and ethnicity. Likewise, the former Yugoslavia broke into seven different countries. Czechoslovakia split in two.
The United States elected Donald Trump, showing that such sentiments lived here too. Trump rejected or criticized some of the international postwar institutions. He cited the advice of President George Washington’s Farewell Address. It suggested that America be wary of entangling themselves in foreign alliances.
President Trump forcefully stated his case at the United Nations. He promised that “the U.S. will always choose independence and cooperation over global governance, control and domination.” In an early foreign policy address, he was clear that the USA “will no longer surrender this country or its people to the false song of globalism.” In doing so, he sought to strengthen “America’s greatness” and its sovereignty. In the process, he could better protect his political base of blue collar workers."
& continues
"Furthermore, President Trump pulled the USA out of several treaties that he believed might undermine U.S. authority. These included the Paris Climate Agreement and the International Arms Treaty.
The Old Guard Clings to Power
However, globalists such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel haven’t backed down. They continue to maintain that “nation-states must today be prepared to give up their sovereignty.” To keep on transferring power to international bodies such as the European Union. She is not alone in her thinking. Remember that the British voted to exit the European Union more than three years ago. But bureaucracies within the U.K and Europe continue to create barriers to their departure.
The Tower of Babel
Many of us look to the wisdom of the Bible for lessons to apply in our daily lives. Let’s think a little harder about the Tower of Babel. The biblical story does not reveal the motives of the conspirators who built the Tower. But significant biblical commentary explains them as sinister and idolatrous. The Bible itself informs us in Gen 10: 8 that Nimrod “was the first to amass power in the world.” The first century Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, agreed. “Now it was Nimrod,” he wrote, “who excited them [his followers] to such an affront and contempt of G-d.”
Biblical commentary states that Nimrod believed building the Tower would leave him independent of G-d’s plan for creation. The biblical sin of the generation of the Tower of Babel? An effort to impose a uniform political and cultural pattern upon the world. That’s the same goal as today’s globalists.
By attempting to reach Heaven, Nimrod and his followers tried to replace G-d and His moral values. They committed blasphemy against the Lord. Blasphemy violates a key element of the Noahide Laws. (These apply to all mankind.) The Ten Commandments would later reaffirm this divine law."
& continues
"The Lord Loves True Diversity
G-d rebuked these efforts of Nimrod and his followers. He scattered their whole generation. Prior to G-d’s action, “The entire earth had one language, and spoke the same words.” (Gen. 1 : 11) A revered Jewish Sage, Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, explained how important that is. This unitary language represented the ultimate expression of uniformity. It prevented individualism and true diversity. To wipe out the individuality with which G-d created us was a principal objective of the builders of the Tower of Babel.
The Lord encouraged individual expression and diversity. In fact, G-d split the population into 70 separate nations with distinct languages. Those who seek to bring back Nimrod’s regime today use methods that remind us of him. On today’s left, the dogma of political correctness gets imposed on those who dissent. A single, uniform, global ideology is held up as the sole legitimate one, worldwide.
Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream »
Globalism and Blasphemy
Rabbi Berlin makes clear that a uniformity of belief and action was never intended by G-d. Nimrod and his followers became the first “social engineers.” They advocated “groupthink.” The sin of attempting to build the Tower of Babel was the effort to consolidate all power within one governing human force. G-d responded to this blasphemy. He saw that it meant to make war upon Him and to arrogate His divine attributes of unity and harmony.
Rabbi Shimon Cowen further explains, “Instead of uniting in humility to accept G-d’s sovereignty, they united with one another [in an effort] … to direct Divine power… .” These men attempted to establish a single, supranational authority. One with the power to promulgate a uniform law applicable to all. This approach opposed the diverse model set forth in the Hebrew Bible of independent nation-states, each with its own culture and language."
& continues
"A Bounty of Many Nations
Out of the devastating ruins of the Tower of Babel comes hope. G-d explains to Abraham how he will be a blessing for all the nations of the earth. Note, rather than speaking of a singular imperialistic nation, G-d unequivocally uses the plural term “nations.” We see this in several places. In Gen 17: 5, G-d informs Abraham he shall become the leader of a multitude of nations. In Gen 18: 18, he explains that through Abraham, “all the nations shall be blessed.” And in Gen. 22: 18, through Abraham’s seed “all the nations of the earth [shall] be blessed.”
The theme that G-d intended mankind to be blessed with differences rather than by one supranational authority pervades the Bible. See the last of the Five Books of Moses. Here Moses revealed to the Children of Israel “all that G-d had commanded him for them.” (Deut. 1: 3). He reminds the Israelites they are not to occupy lands such as Edom, Mo’ab, and Ammon. Such lands are to be outside the control of the Israelites. Through such revelation, G-d reminds us of the importance of maintaining sovereign and independent states.
True Diversity: The Divine Plan
The world of the 21st century is vastly different than that of previous centuries. Advances in technology and communications are shrinking the distances between countries. Nation-state interdependence (globalism) has the power to destroy the heritage and culture of different ethnic groups. To homogenize the world. Such cultural imperialism against the cultural diversity existing within different nation-states violates basic Biblical lessons.
Today, the drive toward uniformity appears alike in Europe, the US, and Canada. See especially contentious issues such as race, class, gender, and sexual and group identities. Only one, “liberal” creed appears as legitimate in media. The idea of open borders is most controversial, especially as it draws significant resistance from ordinary citizens. However, many other areas of modern life are affected. They include:
Educational systems.
Political bureaucracies.
Affirmative action quotas.
Replacing the ideal of equal opportunity with equal outcomes.
New pronouns for invented genders.
“Safe spaces” cleared of free speech."
& lastly says
"A G-dless, Soulless Utopia
The ideal sought by this new ideology is clear. It’s a borderless world where everyone thinks (or at least expresses himself) the same way. This vision is reminiscent of Nimrod’s vision for the Tower of Babel.
Nimrod as leader desired a Utopian conformist society. One where all peoples would live and think as one. Since the minds of people are not identical, Nimrod and his followers were fearful that some of their subjects might change their ideology and adopt another. To enforce their philosophy, they made sure no one left their domain.
The process Nimrod envisioned would have radically altered the course of world history. It would have flattened the wonderful spectrum of humanity’s individual and national diversity. But G-d created that diversity and cherishes it. Nimrod’s proposed change in the purpose of creation would have destroyed the uniqueness of each soul, the variety of human spirits, and the beauty of different approaches to life.
The racial, cultural and national distinctions that characterize humanity are a divine stamp of approval on the kaleidoscopic potential of human creativity. They are also a stimulus to seek the G-dly spark in every person — starting with oneself." People have asked if there was ever a One World Government, a New World Order, what would it mean for Israel and it's Jewish Population, People have concluded it would be terrible for Israel and it's Jewish Population, since almost the whole World hates the Jews & Israel,
and Yes Free Speech & Freedom of Expression is indeed Important & College & University Campuses, but we need to Remember that Jewish & Christian & Other Pro-Israel students & Staff have a Right NOT to Endure a Hostile Threatening Abusive Traumatic Environment by Hate Filled Satanic Anti-Israel cowards who hide behind "Free Speech" to spew their Hate & Support for Terrorism, Jewish, Christian & Other Pro-Israel Students & Staff have a Right to Feel Safe from Abuse, Harassment, Hate Crimes, Violence, etc, A Safe Environment for Everyone
From the website www.barnesandnoble.com another good book worth reading is:
"Christian Zionism and English National Identity, 1600-1850"
by Andrew Crome
the description says
"This book explores why English Christians, from the early modern period onwards, believed that their nation had a special mission to restore the Jews to Palestine. It examines English support for Jewish restoration from the Whitehall Conference in 1655 through to public debates on the Jerusalem Bishopric in 1841. Rather than claiming to replace Israel as God’s “elect nation”, England was “chosen” to have a special, but inferior, relationship with the Jews. Believing that God “blessed those who bless” the Jewish people, this national role allowed England to atone for ill-treatment of Jews, read the confusing pathways of providence, and guarantee the nation’s survival until Christ’s return. This book analyses this mode of national identity construction and its implications for understanding Christian views of Jews, the self, and “the other”. It offers a new understanding of national election, and of the relationship between apocalyptic prophecy and political action."
Also from www.barnesandnoble.com another Pro-Israel book is titled
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ISBN-10:
1107631963
ISBN-13:
9781107631960
Pub. Date:
01/02/2014
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
"The Origins of Christian Zionism: Lord Shaftesbury and Evangelical Support for a Jewish Homeland"
by Donald M. Lewis
the description says
"In this study of Lord Shaftesbury - Victorian England's greatest humanitarian and most prominent Christian Zionist - Donald M. Lewis examines why British evangelicals became fascinated with the Jews and how they promoted a 'teaching of esteem" that countered a "teaching of contempt." Evangelicals militated for the restoration of Jews to Palestine by lobbying the British cabinet on foreign policy decisions. Professing their love for the Jews, they effectively reshaped the image of the Jew in conversionist literature, gave sacrificially to convert them to Christianity, and worked with German Pietists to create a joint Anglican-Lutheran bishopric in Jerusalem, the center (in their minds) of world Jewry. Evangelical identity evolved during this process and had an impact on Jewish identity, transforming Jewish-Christian relations. It also changed the course of world history by creating a climate of opinion in the United Kingdom in favor of the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which pledged British support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The movement also bequeathed a fascination with Christian Zionism to American evangelicals that still influences global politics."
Sorry, I messed up the most recent post of October 5, 2019 6:17 PM, and there is no "edit" feature on this blog,
Here is the book,
"The Origins of Christian Zionism: Lord Shaftesbury and Evangelical Support for a Jewish Homeland"
by Donald M. Lewis
the description says
"In this study of Lord Shaftesbury - Victorian England's greatest humanitarian and most prominent Christian Zionist - Donald M. Lewis examines why British evangelicals became fascinated with the Jews and how they promoted a 'teaching of esteem" that countered a "teaching of contempt." Evangelicals militated for the restoration of Jews to Palestine by lobbying the British cabinet on foreign policy decisions. Professing their love for the Jews, they effectively reshaped the image of the Jew in conversionist literature, gave sacrificially to convert them to Christianity, and worked with German Pietists to create a joint Anglican-Lutheran bishopric in Jerusalem, the center (in their minds) of world Jewry. Evangelical identity evolved during this process and had an impact on Jewish identity, transforming Jewish-Christian relations. It also changed the course of world history by creating a climate of opinion in the United Kingdom in favor of the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which pledged British support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The movement also bequeathed a fascination with Christian Zionism to American evangelicals that still influences global politics." And Remember the Famous Expression that goes
"Wherever I stand, I stand with Israel"
From The Interactive Bible website, www.bible.ca an article is titled
"Jehovah's Witnesses, Anti-semitism and the Third Reich" and it says
"While rank and file Jehovah's Witnesses were executed by Hitler, Watchtower leaders supported Hitler and the Nazi regime.
Jehovah's Witnesses, Anti-semitism and the Third Reich:
The Watch Tower Society's Attempted
Compromise with Nazism
By profession M. James Penton
University of Lethbridge
"Sometimes Truth makes Love hurt"
"You are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth" Jn 8:40
Tell us if you feel this material misrepresents facts
Jehovah's Witnesses, Anti-semitism and the Third Reich:
The Watch Tower Society's Attempted
Compromise with Nazism
By profession M. James Penton
University of Lethbridge
Konrad Frankes testamony
Declaration of Facts
Ärklärung the article says
"Since the Second World War, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society has taught Jehovah's Witnesses that while the German churches, both Catholic and Protestant, were guilty of compromise with Hitler and the Nazi Party, their German brethren, then commonly known as "Earnest Bible Students," stood solidly against the principles of the Third Reich. Because of the brave stand taken by most ordinary German Witnesses in the face of a terrible persecution that cost many of them their lives in Hitler's concentration camps, they have rightly been praised by secular historians-a fact which the Watch Tower Society has used to buttress its assertions.
For example, The Watchtower magazine of October 1, 1984 (p. 8), reported the findings of Christine E. King and Michael Kater to the effect that the number of Witness imprisonments and deaths brought about by Nazi persecution had been greatly underestimated. Quoting Dr. King, it stated:
"`Theological principles were adhered to; Witnesses remained "neutral," they were honest and completely trustworthy and as such, ironically, often found themselves employed as servants of the S.S.'"
What has not generally been known either by most Jehovah's Witnesses or many independent scholars, however, is that while ordinary German Witnesses did generally maintain their integrity and commitment to their principles, their leaders--the Watch Tower's second president, Judge Joseph F. Rutherford, and the man who succeeded him in office in 1942, Nathan H. Knorr, plus high German Watch Tower officials-did not.
Furthermore, Rutherford and his lieutenants tried to save the German arm of their movement by scapegoating the Jews and attacking Great Britain, the United States, and the League of Nations.
During the first half of their history, the Bible Student-Jehovah's Witnesses were notable for their sympathy to the Jews. Even more than most late nineteenth- and twentieth-century American Protestant premillennialists, the Watch Tower's first president, Charles T. Russell, was a thoroughgoing supporter of Zionist causes. He refused to attempt the conversion of the Jews, believed in the Jewish resettlement of Palestine, and in 1910, led a New York Jewish audience in singing the Zionist anthem, Hatikva. [1] For more than a decade after Russell's death in 1916, Judge Rutherford followed in his footsteps.
In 1925 he produced a small book entitled Restoration, based on a series of radio broadcasts he had given, and in 1926 he published a similar volume called Comfort for the Jews. In both, he proclaimed himself a friend of the Jewish people and asserted that Jewish migration to the ancient Holy Land was a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Identical Publisher's Forewords to Restoration and Comfort for the Jews stated:
THE rebuilding of Palestine is claiming the attention of Jews throughout the earth. Some of the Gentile world powers are outwardly favoring the movement but manifestly for selfish reasons."
the article continues
"JUDGE RUTHERFORD, known throughout the world as a friend of the Hebrew people, is vigorously supporting the claim of the Jews to the Holy Land. He is opposed to proselytizing the Jews, holding that such is not only wrong but contrary to the Scriptures. His lectures to large audiences, which have been broadcast throughout the world, on "JEWS RETURNING TO PALESTINE", have created an intense interest. There is a good demand for them in printed form. He has simplified these lectures and now presents them in book form. This volume will be of profound interest to Jews and Gentiles alike. It is the first unbiased presentation of the subject from the Scriptural viewpoint published.
The Publishers send forth this volume confident that it will do much good.
In 1930 Rutherford produced a larger volume on the same theme called Life.But suddenly he repudiated his beliefs respecting the Jews. Life was withdrawn from circulation,[2] and in 1932 Rutherford proclaimed that "fleshly Israel" had no specific role to play in salvation history. He wrote:
The Jews were evicted from Palestine and `their house left unto them desolate' because they rejected Christ Jesus, the beloved and anointed King of Jehovah. To this day the Jews have not repented of this wrongful act committed by their forefathers. Many of them have been returned to the land of Palestine, but they have been induced to go there because of selfishness and for sentimental reasons.
During the long period elapsing from the time of their expulsion to the present day the Jews have not "borne the shame of the heathen" for Jehovah's sake, nor for the name of Christ. During all this period of time, and particularly during the World War, the true followers of Christ Jesus devoted to God, and to his kingdom, have been bearing the shame of the heathen and have been hated by all the nations for Christ's sake and the sake of Jehovah's name. (Matt. 24: 9: Mark 13: 13)
In contrast to this, during the World War the Jews received recognition of the heathen nations. In 1917 the Balfour Declaration, sponsored by the heathen governments of Satan's organization, came forth, recognized the Jews, and bestowed upon them great favors. In this the seventh world power [the British Empire] took the lead. Now Big Business and other wings of Satan's organization place the Jews alongside of and in the same category as the Gentiles. Heretofore even God's people have overlooked the fact that the affairs of God's kingdom with reference to the things of the earth are of far greater importance than the rehabilitation of that little strip of land on the eastern side of the Mediterranean sea. The Jews have received more attention at their hands than they have really deserved. Therefore this prophecy [of Isaiah] must have its chief fulfillment upon the true people of God's kingdom which are now on earth.
[3]
Perhaps the judge was simply anxious to assert that Jehovah's Witnesses were the "true Israel of God," but it seems that he had other reasons for making such a dramatic doctrinal switch without any more detailed explanation. While he may formerly have proclaimed himself a pro-Zionist "friend of the Hebrew people" in the tradition of his predecessor, he occasionally manifested a streak of deep-seated anti-semitism.
For example, while giving a talk on biblical prophecies respecting the return of the Jews to Palestine at a Canadian Bible Student convention in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in the early 1920s, he interjected:
"I'm speaking of the Palestine Jew, not the hooked-nosed, stooped-shouldered little individual who stands on the street corner trying to gyp you out of every nickel you've got."
the article continues
"But there were no doubt other factors in 1932 which impelled him to abandon the Bible Students' long tradition of philo-Judaism besides simple personal bias. During the late 1920s and early 1930s anti-semitism was becoming rampant in the United States and Canada with the rise of a variety of movements both religious and political.[5] And with the start of the Depression in 1929, it began to appear possible that the violently anti-Jewish Nazis could come to power in Germany - something which happened on January 30, 1933. So it seems clear that Rutherford was anxious to dissociate the Witnesses from the Jewish community as definitively as possible. Yet these facts can in no way excuse what he and his aids were shortly to do during the first year of the Third Reich.
Early in April 1933 the Nazis moved against Jehovah's Witnesses. Their branch headquarters at Magdeburg were seized, and their religious activities were temporarily stopped. But on April 28, German authorities returned the properties to the Watch Tower Society to their American owners, no doubt to keep from offending the United States. [6] However, Witness leaders and Jehovah's Witnesses in general knew that they were not popular with the Nazis. So according to an official Witness account, Judge Rutherford and the German Witness community decided to take a bold stand against the Hitler dictatorship.
The book Jehovah's Witnesses in The Divine Purpose, published by the Watch Tower Society in 1957, states:
Judge Rutherford had been watching the German situation closely and was well acquainted with its development as it affected the witness work. With this serious turn of events he lost no time in going to Germany, accompanied by N. H. Knorr, to see what could be done. On June 25..., a convention was called in Berlin. There a Declaration of Facts was presented to the 7,000 in attendance in protest against the Hitler government for their highhanded interference with the witness work of the Society, and was unanimously adopted. The declaration was mailed to every high officer of the government from the president down to the members of the council, and 2,500,000 copies were given public distribution. Retaliation came quickly. Three days later, on June 28, for the second time the Society's property was seized and occupied, and by government decree its printing plant was closed.
[7]
But was the seizure of Watch Tower property by the German government on June 28, 1933 really because the Declaration of Facts was a bold protest against Nazi actions? No, quite the contrary. In a tape-recorded account of the history of Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany, former Watch Tower Society "branch servant" or "overseer" Konrad Franke tells that when he and another Jehovah's Witness arrived at the Berlin Sporthalle Wilmersdorf where the 1933 Witness convention was being held, they were shocked. The building was bedecked with Swastika flags - evidently to please the Nazis. Then during the convention itself, the Witness faithful were called on to sing a hymn that they had not sung in Germany for years. While they had no objection to the words, the music was the same as that of the German national anthem, "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles."[8]
& continues
"As for the Declaration and an accompanying letter sent to Adolf Hitler personally, they were nothing short of self-serving statements which attempted to ingratiate Jehovah's Witnesses with the Nazis. Under a sub-section entitled "Jews," the Declaration reads:
It is falsely charged by our enemies that we have received financial support for our work from the Jews. Nothing is farther from the truth. Up to this moment there never has been the slightest bit of money contributed to our work by Jews. We are the faithful followers of Christ Jesus and believe upon Him as the Savior of the world, whereas the Jews entirely reject Jesus Christ and emphatically deny that he is the Savior of the world sent of God for man's good. This of itself should be sufficient proof to show that we receive no support from Jews and therefore the charges against us are maliciously false and could only proceed from Satan, our great enemy.
The greatest and most oppressive empire on earth is the Anglo-American empire. By this is meant the British Empire, of which the United States of America forms a part. It has been the commercial Jews of the British-American Empire that have built up and carried on Big Business as a means of exploiting and oppressing the peoples of many nations. This fact particularly applies to the cities of London and New York, the stronghold of Big Business. This fact is so manifest in America that there is a proverb concerning the city of New York which says: "the Jews own it, the Irish Catholics rule it, and the Americans pay the bills." We have no fight with any of these persons mentioned but, as witnesses for Jehovah and in obedience to his commandment set forth in the Scriptures, we are compelled to call attention to the truth concerning the same in order that the people may be enlightened concerning God and his purpose.
[9]
That was not all. Besides damning the League of Nations, the Declaration said:
"The present government of Germany has declared against Big Business oppressors and in opposition to the wrongful religious influence in the political affairs of the nation. Such is exactly our position...." [10]
Then it proclaimed:
"Instead of being against the principles advocated by the government of Germany, we stand squarely for such principles, and point out that Jehovah God through Christ Jesus will bring about the full realization of these principles."
[11]
The letter sent to Hitler was equally compromising in nature. To ingratiate the Witnesses with the Nazi Führer, it claimed that the Watch Tower Society had been and was "outstandingly friendly to Germany." But more than that, it falsely asserted that Rutherford and seven members of the Board of Directors of the Watch Tower Society had been sentenced to eighty years in prison "because the [Watch Tower] president refused to use two magazines published by him in the United States for war propaganda against Germany."[12]
As Jehovah's Witnesses were soon to discover, the Nazis were not impressed by either their Declaration or the Society's letter to Hitler.
Many Germans were thoroughly aware that they had long been pro-Zionist, and Nazis officials were hardly so stupid as not to know that in many ways they stood in direct opposition to what the Hitler and his associates proclaimed and demanded. The Witnesses were internationalists in a religious sense and were generally quite tolerant of persons of other races; they regarded secular authority as of the devil; and, above all, they were openly anti-militaristic[13] - all factors which caused the nationalistic, racist, and militaristic Nazis to despise them. Thus the German government unleashed a wave of persecution against the Witnesses almost immediately. "
& Continues
"On June 27, 1933, one day after they begin sending copies of the Declaration by registered mail to German officials, the Prussian Land or state banned them, and the police began to carry out widespread raids on their homes and places of business. As has been noted above, the Society's Magdeburg offices were seized again on June 28.
Ultimately, between two and three million marks worth of Watch Tower property was confiscated and destroyed by the Nazis. [14] But it was then, and only then, that Rutherford and the Watch Tower Society decided to oppose Nazi policies in an uncompromising fashion. For some time thereafter, German Witnesses were divided over what they should do. [15]
Although after the Second World War most Jehovah's Witnesses and others were unaware of the compromising actions of Witness leaders in the Germany of 1933, there were some who still remembered the Berlin convention.
Furthermore, copies of both the Declaration and the Watch Tower letter to Hitler remained extant. So when the Watch Tower Society published a history of Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany in the 1974 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, it was necessary to deal with what were very embarrassing data in a way which would not make the Society's Brooklyn leaders look guilty of violating their own teachings. Thus the full responsibility for the attempted compromise with Hitler and the Nazis was placed on the shoulders of Paul Balzereit, the Society's German branch servant at the time.
Because of the importance of the Society's present official position on this matter, the 1974 Yearbook account of the 1933 Berlin convention is given in full. It reads:
By the summer of 1933 the work of Jehovah's Witnesses had been banned in the majority of German states. the brothers' homes were being searched regularly and many brothers had been arrested. The flow of spiritual food was partially hampered, although only for a time; still many brothers were asking how long it would be possible to continue the work. In this situation the congregations were invited on very short notice to a convention to be held in Berlin on June 25. Since it was expected that many would be unable to attend because of the various bans, the congregations were encouraged to send at least one or several delegates. But, as it turned out, 7,000 brothers got there. For many of them it took three days, some riding bicycles the entire distance, whereas others went by truck, since the bus companies refused to rent buses to a banned organization.
Brother Rutherford, who, together with Brother Knorr, had come to Germany just a few days before in order to see what could be done to ensure the safety of the Society's property, had prepared a declaration with Brother Balzereit to be presented to the convention delegates for adoption. It was a protest against the meddling of the Hitler government into the preaching work we were doing.
All high government officials, from the Reich's president on down, were to receive a copy of the declaration, if possible, by registered mail. Several days before the convention started Brother Rutherford returned to America.
Many in attendance were disappointed in the "declaration," since in many points it failed to be as strong as the brothers had hoped. Brother Mütze from Dreseden, who had worked closely with Brother Balzereit up until that time, accused him later of having weakened the original text. It was not the first time that Brother Balzereit had watered down the clear and unmistakable language of the Society's publications so as to avoid difficulties with governmental agencies.
A large number of brothers refused to adopt it just for this reason. In fact, a former pilgrim brother [traveling evangelist] by the name of Kipper refused to offer it for adoption and another brother substituted. It could not rightfully be said that the declaration was unanimously adopted, even though Brother Balzereit later notified Brother Rutherford that it had been."
& continues
"The conventioners returned home tired and many were disappointed. They took 2,100,000 copies of the "declaration" home with them, however, and made fast work of distributing them and sending them to numerous persons in positions of responsibility. The copy sent to Hitler was accompanied by a letter that, in part, read:
"The Brooklyn presidency of the Watch Tower Society is and always has been exceedingly friendly to Germany. In 1918 the president of the Society and seven members of the Board of Directors in America were sentenced to 80 years' imprisonment for the reason that the president refused to let two magazines in America, which he edited, be used in war propaganda against Germany."
Even though the declaration had been weakened and many brothers could not wholeheartedly agree to its adoption, yet the government was enraged and started a wave of persecution against those who had distributed it.
[16]
The question now arises, how well does this account stand up?
In the first place, it continues to assert wrongly in the tradition of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose that there were 7,000 present at the 1933 Berlin convention. The Declaration is clear in repeatedly asserting that there were only 5,000 delegates there. But that is a small matter.
What is more significant is that the 1974 Yearbook account assumes - apparently on no more authority than the unsubstantiated beliefs of a "Brother Mütze from Dreseden"-that Paul Balzereit was the one who "weakened" the Declaration.
Balzereit may well have been responsible for having the Declaration translated into German, and he may also have been responsible for drafting the letter to Hitler. Yet there is clear evidence to suggest that he did not tamper with the wording of the Declaration.
First, the Watch Tower Society published the English version of the Declaration - which is virtually identical to the German version - in the 1934 Year Book of Jehovah's Witnesses as its official statement to Hitler, the German government, and German officials, high and low; and this it would not have done without Rutherford's full approval.
Second, the English version of the Declaration is clearly written in the judge's own bombastic style.
Third, the statements directed against the Jews in the Declaration are more in keeping with what an American such as Rutherford would have written rather than a German. How, for example, would Balzereit know the "proverb," so called, concerning New York which says: "the Jews own it, the Irish Catholics rule it, and the Americans pay the bills"? Fourth, Rutherford had been guilty of a similar compromise with secular authority in the United States in 1918 in a vain attempt to escape imprisonment.[17]
Then finally, he was an autocrat supreme who would not have brooked the serious type of insubordination that Balzereit would have been guilty of had he "weakened" the Declaration.
While it must be admitted that this evidence, although strong, is circumstantial rather than direct, this makes little difference in the long run. Regardless of who wrote the Declaration, the fact is that it was published as an official document of the Watch Tower Society.
Thus the American leaders of the Society - and Judge J. F. Rutherford in particular - were directly responsible for what was outright anti-Semitism and a willingness to compromise their loudly trumpeted principle of "Christian neutrality" in order to continue their publishing and preaching work in Germany."
& continues
"So the leadership of Jehovah's Witnesses, like the those who led almost every other church, sect, and cult in the Third Reich were willing, under the circumstances of the times, to betray their most sacred values.
But that is not all.
The Watch Tower Society is guilty of an ongoing cover-up of its past concerning these matters. While the Society still boasts of the bravery of German Jehovah's Witnesses in their refusal to submit to the dictates of Nazism, it also continues to try to hide its leaders' attempt to compromise with the Nazis in 1933. Although The Watchtower of October 1, 1984 quoted from Christine King's The Nazi State and the New Religions, its publishers failed to note what Dr. King had written about the Society's 1933 Declaration of Facts.
For example, in a brief evaluation of that document, she makes what, from a Witness standpoint, is a rather damning remark. She says:
"The document is a master of its kind and worthy of the other four sects [the Christian Scientists, the Latter-day Saints, the Seventh-day Adventists and members of the New Apostolic Church] all of whom supported, in one way or another, the Nazi state."
[18]
In another paragraph, she remarks:
"Having attempted to assure the authorities by the Declaration of Facts, of their good citizenship, having interpreted and explained their teachings in a way, which given the preoccupations of the regime, was designed to allay fears and offer a hint of compromise, the Witnesses seemed to have expected little further harassment. Had the Declaration not condemned with the Nazis, the League of Nations, had it not described National Socialism as standing out against the injustices Germans had suffered since 1919 and had it not ended with a personal appeal to the Führer?"
[19]
So it is hardly possible that the present-day leadership of the Society can be ignorant of the Declaration and its compromising, anti-Semitic nature.
Despite such statements by Dr. King, however, the June 8, 1985 Awake! (p. 10) damned both the Catholic and the Protestant clergy for supporting Nazism and proclaimed: "However, there was one group in Germany that courageously championed Christian principles. That group was Jehovah's Witnesses. Unlike the clergy and their followers, the Witnesses refused to compromise with Hitler and the Nazis. They refused to violate God's commandments. They would not break their Christian neutrality in political affairs. (See Isaiah 2:2-4; John 17:16; James 4:4.) They did not attribute Heil, or salvation, to Hitler, as did the overwhelming majority of their flocks." And more recent issues of both Awake! and The Watchtower have taken much the same tack.
Awake! published several articles on the Holocaust in its April 8, 1989 issue in which it argued rightly that many others besides Jews had died as a result of Nazi extermination policies. Dealing with the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses from 1933 to the collapse of the Third Reich in 1945, one of these articles, "The Holocaust: Victims or Martyrs?", states on page 12:
"They [Jehovah's Witnesses] were of many nationalities but were misconstrued as a pacifist threat to Germany's National Socialist regime because of their Christian stand of neutrality and refusal to be incorporated into the war effort of any nation. Hitler called them a `brood to be exterminated.'"
Significantly, this article also quotes Christine King, but it makes no mention of either the Declaration of Facts or the Society's 1933 letter to Hitler. "
& continues
"Then, just after the publication of the April 8, 1989 Awake!, a series of articles appeared in the April 1 and 15 and May 1 and 15, 1989 issues of The Watchtower on the subject of "Babylon the Great." Referring to the great "whore" or "harlot" described at Revelation 17, these articles identified her as the world-wide empire of false religion which has "committed fornication with the kings of the earth." Accordingly, The Watchtower censured both Catholicism and Protestantism - which they regard as parts of Babylon the Great - in the harshest terms for having supported various European secular governments in past centuries and, especially, for having been in league with Nazism during the Second World War. But not once in these articles does the anonymous author admit that, from the standpoint of their own teachings, Watch Tower leaders were also were willing to commit "fornication" with the rulers of the Third Reich had the Nazis been willing to let them get into bed with them.
What is even more serious is that when confronted with the facts relating to the Watch Tower German Declaration of 1933, the Society's spokesmen have denied them categorically. In 1985, when I published a brief synopsis of the nature of the Declaration in my book Apocalypse Delayed,[20] Watch Tower officials attacked me in the strongest terms, practically calling me a liar.
The Society's public relations officer for Canada, Walter Graham, claimed "the declaration was neither to placate Hitler nor anti-Semitic," and he said respecting me:
"Penton does have an axe to grind. He has been trying to discredit the Jehovah's Witnesses ever since he was removed from the society."
Yet curiously, he admitted that he had not read the evidence that I had presented. He said: We aren't interested in reading it. We're not interested in what James Penton does, writes or thinks, because he has chosen not to be one of us."[21] In a similar vein, Eugene Rosam, a senior Watch Tower official of Jewish ancestry, refused to comment on Apocalypse Delayed."We have no comment on the publication," said Rosam. "Anybody can write a book and get it published. It's just surprising some people refer to it as if it were Gospel."[22]
It is not surprising that Jehovah's Witness leaders are reluctant to discuss the nature of the Declaration, the Watch Tower letter to Hitler, or the Berlin convention of June 1933 any more than is necessary. After all, no religious organization is anxious to broadcast its past sins. Yet the cover-up surrounding the nature of those events is hypocritical, especially since the Watch Tower Society is so uncharitable towards other religions over their collaboration with Nazism. None the less, the Watch Tower Society has no other real option than to attempt to continue that cover-up. Jehovah's Witnesses claim that the collective body of persons who have governed them since 1919 have been and are the "anointed footstep followers Jesus Christ, described as `the remaining ones of her [God's heavenly organization's] seed, who observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.'" [23]
Thus to admit that they had compromised with a regime such as that of Hitler would be contradictory to this claim. On the basis of their own teachings, it would make them just another part ofBabylon the Great! So in order to demonstrate clearly that the account given in this article is historically accurate and that the basic facts presented are irrefutable, we reprint full documentation in the pages that follow. "
& continues
"DOCUMENT A
KONRAD FRANKE'S TESTIMONY
Konrad Franke, later Watch Tower Society branch servant (director or overseer) for Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany, was present at the June 26, 1933 Witness convention in Berlin. In 1976 Franke gave a series of two part lectures (which lasted about three hours in all) in many places throughout West Germany. These lectures were entitled "The History of Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany." Significantly, they contained information on the 1933 Berlin convention which has never been published by the Watch Tower Society. Those lectures were tape recorded and have been transcribed in full. The statement which appears below is an English translation of remarks taken from them:
... At the last moment, therefore, we were invited to a special assembly in Prussia, thus Berlin, [to be held] in the Tennis Hall, where a "Declaration" was to be presented. Many were now unable to come [to the convention], but I had the privilege of traveling with Brother Albert Wandres from Wiesbaden to Berlin on a motorcycle through torrential rain. That did not bother us too much, but we were shocked when we arrived at the Tennis Hall the next morning and did not find that atmosphere which we ordinarily found at [Jehovah's Witness] conventions. When we entered, we found the hall bedecked with Swastika flags! But not only that: when the meeting started, it was preluded by a song which we had not sung for years, especially not in Germany, because of the melody. Though the lyrics were fine, the melody--well, the musicians who are here will recognize that the notes were [taken from the] the melody of "Deutschland, Deutschland, über alles"!
Can you imagine how we felt? Many could not join in the singing; it was just as though their throats were throttled. What kind of leaders did we have who brought us [into] such dangers--and the danger of faltering under these circumstances--instead of helping and supporting us, so that we could take a fearless stand [against Nazism]. May all elders who are here among us [listening to this lecture] learn something from these examples, and may they recognize their responsibilities in such matters in the near future.
Now the Declaration, which Brother Rutherford had prepared, was approved, and every person was instructed to take 250 copies home if he possibly could. If he then had the courage to do so, he was to send copies of it by registered mail to judges, lawyers, mayors, etc.
At the time, I sent fifty-two registered letters [with the Declaration], and the result was that a few days later I found myself in a concentration camp for the first time, when most people had no idea what a concentration camp was."
& Continues
"DOCUMENT B
Declaration of Facts
"This company of German people, who are peaceable and law-abiding citizens representing many others from every part of Germany, all of whom are earnestly laboring for the highest welfare of the people of this land, being now duely assembled at Berlin this 25th day of June, A.D. 1933, do joyfully declare our complete devotion to Jehovah, the Almighty God, and to his kingdom under Christ Jesus, whose shed blood bought the human race. We declare that the holy Scriptures set forth in the Bible constitute the Word of Jehovah God given to men for their guidance in righteousness, and that the Word of God is the truth, and that it is of greatest importance that man have a knowledge of his relationship to God. We ask to be judged by the standard of the Word of God."
"Christ Jesus is Jehovah God's great Witness to the truth, and as his faithful and devoted followers we are, by His grace, witnesses to the truth. The purpose of this Declaration is that we may present a true and faithful witness before rulers and the people as to the name and purpose of Jehovah God and our relation thereto.
"We are wrongfully charged before the ruling powers of this government and before the people of this nation; and in order that the name of Jehovah God may be exalted in the minds of the people, and that his benevolent purposes be better understood and our position fairly placed before the government, we do respectfully ask the rulers of the nation and the people to give a fair and impartial consideration to the statement of facts here made.
"The Scriptures plainly state that the chief opposer of Jehovah God and the greatest enemy of mankind is Satan the Devil, whose name is also that of Serpent and Dragon. It is written in the Scriptures that Satan, who has long been the invisible ruler of this world, deceives and blinds the people to the truth in order that the light of and concerning Jehovah God and Christ Jesus may not shine into the minds of men. (2 Corinthians 4: 3,4) Frequently by fraud, subtility [sic] and deception Satan has induced honest persons to war with each other, in order that he might turn them all away from God and destroy them. Above all things, the people need to know Jehovah God and his gracious provision for their general welfare. "
& continues
"Jews
"By the term `clergy', as used in our literature, reference is made to the class of professed religious teachers, priests and Jesuits who employ improper political means to accomplish their ends and join forces even with those who deny God and the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the same class to whom Jesus referred as his persecutors. We have no criticism of any honest religious teacher.
"When Jesus went to the Jews to tell them of the truth, it was the Jewish clergy, that is to say, the Pharisees and priests, that violently opposed him and persecuted him and caused him to be charged with all manner of crimes and offenses. They refused to hear the truth, and addressing them Jesus said: "Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.' (John 8: 43-45) Although the Pharisees and priests then claimed to represent Jehovah God Jesus told them that they were in fact the representatives of Satan the Devil.
"We have no fight with any persons or religious teachers, but we must call attention to the fact that it is generally those who claim to represent God and Christ Jesus who are in fact our persecutors and who misrepresent us before the governments and nations. As true followers of Christ Jesus we are to expect such opposition, and we mention it here in explanation of why we have been misrepresented before the rulers of this nation. To his faithful followers Jesus said: `Remember the word I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they [the false religious teachers] have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.' (John 15: 20) Furthermore, Jesus said that this same class of men would cause his true followers to be wrongfully charged before the ruling powers, his language being: `But take heed to yourselves: for they [false religious teachers] shall deliver you up to councils [police power]; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten; and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.' (Mark 13: 9) This explains why Jehovah God now permits his faithful witnesses to be misrepresented and persecuted, namely, that those of a wrong spirit may identify themselves as opponents of God and thus bear witness against themselves. The same materialistic spirit that caused the persecution of Jesus Christ now exists and is back of the persecution of us his faithful followers.
"It is falsely charged by our enemies that we have received financial support for our work from the Jews. Nothing is farther from the truth. Up to this hour there never has been the slightest bit of money contributed to our work by Jews. We are the faithful followers of Christ Jesus and believe upon Him as the Savior of the world, whereas the Jews entirely reject Jesus Christ and emphatically deny that he is the Savior of the world sent of God for man's good. This of itself should be sufficient proof to show that we receive no support from Jews and that therefore the charges against us are maliciously false and could proceed only from Satan, our great enemy."
& continues
""The greatest and most oppressive empire on earth is the Anglo-American empire. By that is meant the British Empire, of which the United States of America forms a part. It has been the commercial Jews of the British-American empire that have built up and carried on Big Business as a means of exploiting and oppressing the peoples of many nations. This fact particularly applies to the cities of London and New York, the stronghold of Big Business. This fact is so manifest in America that there is a proverb concerning the city of New York which says: `The Jews own it, the Irish Catholics rule it, and the Americans pay the bills.' We have no fight with any of these persons mentioned, but, as the witnesses for Jehovah and in obedience to his commandment set forth in the Scriptures, we are compelled to call attention to the truth concerning the same in order that the people may be enlightened concerning God and his purpose. "
& continues
"Our Literature
"It is said that our books and like literature, when circulated amongst the people, constitute a danger to the peace and safety of the nation. We are certain that his conclusion is due to the fact that our books and other literature have not been carefully examined by the rulers and hence are not properly understood. We respectfully call attention to the fact that these books and other literature were written originally in America and the language therein used has been adapted to the American style of plainness of speech and, when translated into German, the same appears to be harsh. We admit that the same truths might be stated in a less blunt and more pleasing phrase, and yet the language of these books follows closely the language of the Bible.
"It should be borne in mind that in the British Empire and in America the common people have suffered and are now suffering greatly because of the misrule of Big Business and conscienceless politicians, which misrule has been and is supported by political religionists, and hence the writers of our books or literature have endeavored to employ plain language to convey to the people the proper thought or understanding. The language used, however, is not as strong or emphatic as that used by Jesus Christ in denouncing the oppressors and false teachers of his time.
"The present government of Germany has declared emphatically against Big Business oppressors and in opposition to the wrongful religious influence in the political affairs of the nation. Such is exactly our position; and we further state in our literature the reason for the existence of oppressive Big Business and the wrongful political religious influence, because the Holy Scriptures plainly declare that these oppressive instruments proceed from the Devil, and that the complete relief therefrom is God's kingdom under Christ. It is therefore impossible for our literature or our work to in any wise be a danger or a menace to the peace and safety of the state.
"Our organization is not political in any sense. We only insist on teaching the Word of Jehovah God to the people, and that without hindrance. We do not object or try to hinder anyone's teaching or believing what he desires, but we only ask the freedom to believe and teach what we conceive the bible to teach, and then let the people decide which they wish to believe.
"To know Jehovah God and his gracious provision for mankind is of most vital importance to all persons, because God has declared in His Word that where there is no vision or understanding of his Word the people perish. (Proverbs 29: 18) We have devoted our lives and our material substance to the work of enabling the people to gain a vision or understanding of God's Word, and therefore it is impossible for our literature and our work to be a menace to the peace and safety of the nation. Instead of being against the principles advocated by the government of Germany, we stand squarely for such principles, and point out that Jehovah God through Christ Jesus will bring about the full realization of these principles and will give to the people peace and prosperity and the greatest desire of every honest heart."
& continues
""Our organization seeks neither money nor members, but we are a company or organized body of Christian people engaged solely in the benevolent work of teaching the Word of God to the people at the least possible cost to them. Our organization was originally incorporated in the United States of America in 1884 under the name of the WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY, and in 1914 incorporated under the laws of Great Britain by the name of the INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION. These are merely the corporate names of our organization for legally carrying forward its work. The Scriptural name by which we are known is `Jehovah's witnesses'. We are engaged solely in a benevolent work. The purpose of our organization is to aid the people to understand the Bible, which discloses the only possible way for the complete relief and blessing for mankind. Our organization has extended its work throughout the earth. The education, culture and upbuilding of the people must and will come through the agency of God's kingdom concerning which we teach as set forth in the Bible. The salvation of the people depends upon the true knowledge of and obedience to Jehovah God and his righteous ways. "
& continues
"
"The people are in great distress and in need of help to understand the reason for their unhappy condition and what is the means of relief. The Scriptures, when understood, make this matter clear. Instead of collecting money from the people and using the same to erect great buildings and to support men in luxury, we print the gospel message of God's kingdom and carry it to the homes of the people that they may, at the least inconvenience to themselves, gain a knowledge of God's purposes concerning them.
"A careful examination of our books and literature will disclose the fact that the very high ideals held and promulgated by the present national government are set forth in and endorsed and strongly emphasized in our publications, and show that Jehovah God will see to it that these high ideals in due time will be attained by all persons who love righteousness and who obey the Most High. Instead, therefore, of our literature and our work's being a menace to the principles of the present government we are the strongest supporters of such high ideals. For this reason Satan, the enemy of all men who desire righteousness, has sought to misrepresent our work and prevent us from carrying it on in this land.
"For many years our organization has put forth an unselfish and persistent effort to do good to the people. Our American brethren have greatly assisted in the work in Germany, and with money freely contributed, and that at a time when all Germany was in dire distress. Now because it appears that Germany may soon be free from oppression and that the people may be lifted up, Satan, the great enemy, puts forth his endeavors to destroy that benevolent work in this land.
League of Nations
"The language in our books or literature concerning the League of Nations has been seized upon as a reason for prohibiting our work and the distribution of our books. Let us remind the government and the people of Germany that it was the League of Nations compact that laid upon the shoulders of the German people the great unjust and unbearable burdens. That League of Nations compact was not brought forth by the friends of Germany. In America at one time the public press announced that 140,000 clergymen had set aside a certain period of time in which a concerted movement was to be made, and which was made, to induce the American people to fully endorse the League of Nations. It was the Federation of Churches in America that issued a manifesto stating that the `League of Nations is the political expression of God's kingdom on earth', and which by them was substituted in the place and stead of God's kingdom under Christ. It was in America that our organization under the visible leadership of its president pointed out emphatically that the League of Nations is not an institution of Jehovah God, because it is oppressive and unfair. It was that condition, existing at the time, which called forth language that appears in our books concerning the League of Nations and also calling attention to the fact that such League of Nations compact can never bring about the relief and blessing of the people, because such relief and blessing can come by adhering strictly to the principles laid down in God's Word and in the manner which Jehovah has pointed out.
"The endeavors of our organization being exclusively confined to bearing testimony to the name and Word of Jehovah God, it would be entirely inconsistent for us to attempt to exert any political influence in the governments of this world or to do anything that would endanger the peace and safety of the nation. We have no desire nor inclination to do anything except top carry out our divinely given commission to proclaim the Word of Jehovah God. "
& Continues
""In America, Canada and other parts of the British Empire the political clergy, priests and Jesuits have persistently persecuted and continue to persecute those of our organization, and without just cause or excuse; and we have every reason to believe that a like influence has been subtilly [sic] employed by the great enemy Satan to misrepresent us and our work in Germany. We remind you that in the years past the political clergymen have brought more sorrow upon the German people than probably any other class of men. We have no desire to fight with the clergymen, but we do ask that the ruling powers of the nation judge us not by the misrepresentation of such men, but that we be judged according to the Word of God and the work we are doing consistent therewith. Jehovah God persecutes no on, but permits each one to chose his own course, holding him responsible for his acts according to knowledge. Jehovah God has emphatically expressed his anger against those who do persecute others who are trying to serve him; and this proves that those who persecute us do so do not represent God, but that they are incited so to do by the enemy of God and man.--Psalm 72:4
Great Truths
"The Holy Scriptures, viewed in the light of present-day events which are in fulfilment of divine prophecy, disclose that: The time has arrived when Jehovah will make his name known to all creation and vindicate his name and clear it from the defamation which Satan has placed against that holy name. (Psalm 83: 18) When Jesus Christ, the Vindicator, ascended into heaven Jehovah commanded him to wait until his due time to put the enemy down. That period of waiting has now come to an end and God has sent forth his beloved Son to oust the enemy and rule in righteousness. (Psalm 110: 1-4; Hebrews 10: 12,13) The world, or uninterrupted rule, of Satan has ended, and this began to be evidenced by the World War in 1914, and since then until now is the time when the gospel of the Kingdom must be told to the people. (Matthew 24: 3,4) Satan has now been cast out of heaven and down to the earth and now confines his operations to the earth in an endeavor to blind the people to the truth and destroy them, and that is the reason for the present-day sufferings of humanity. The prophetic words of Jesus now apply: `Woe to the inhabiters [the rulers] of the earth, and of the sea [the people in general]! for the devil is come down unto you, having grat wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.'--Revelation 12: 12.
"The people of Germany have suffered great misery since 1914 and have been the victims of much injustice practiced upon them by others. The nationalists have declared themselves against all such unrighteousness and announced that `Our relationship to God is high and holy'. Since our organization fully endorses these righteous principles and is engaged solely in carrying forth the work of enlightening the people concerning the Word of Jehovah God, Satan by subtilty [sic] endeavors to set the government against our work and destroy it because we magnify the importance of knowing and serving God. Instead of our organization's being a menace to the peace and safety of the government, it is the one organization standing for the peace and safety of this land.
"The present government having declared adherence to the aforementioned high ideals, we are persuaded that the rulers do not desire to knowingly resist the progressive witness work to the name of Jehovah god and his kingdom which we are now carrying forward. If our work is merely that of men, it will fall of its own weight. If it is of Jehovah God and being carried forward in obedience to his commandment, then to resist it means to fight against God.--Acts 5: 39. "
& lastly says
"We therefore appeal to the high sense of justice of the government and nation and respectfully ask that the order of prohibition against our work and our literature be set aside, and the opportunity be given us to have a fair hearing before we are judged. We respectfully ask that the government a committee of impartial men to hold conference with a committee of our organization and that a fair and impartial examination of our literature and our work be made, to the end that all misunderstanding may be removed and that we may without hindrance obey Jehovah God's commandment now applying to us, to wit: `Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.'--Isaiah 62: 10.
"The peoples of Germany are a God-fearing people and should not be deprived of an opportunity to learn of Jehovah God and of his gracious provision to bring lasting peace, prosperity, liberty and everlasting life on earth to all those who know and obey him. Let all who love God work together to the honor and vindication of his name. All who take a contrary course must take responsibility before God; but as for us we will serve Jehovah forever.
"RESOLVED, That copies of this Declaration be respectfully delivered to high officials of the government and that the same be given wide publication to the people, that the name of Jehovah may be further known."
The German reprint which appears below was taken directly from a copy of the Erklärung or Declaration which was adopted by the 1933 Berlin Jehovah's Witness convention and sent to German officials from Adolf Hitler on down. An examination of it will show that it is virtually identical in substance to the English that appears above:" The rest of this
Bible.ca article is in German, at the Interactive Bible, Bible.ca they say
"We Speak the Truth in Love"
Please Understand I have nothing against Black People, and I realize there are indeed many Black Christians that support Israel, for that we are grateful, and I personally have many Black friends,
However, many people have said that the "Black Lives Matter" Movement is Racist, Dishonest, Distorts the truth and is a Terrorist Organization, and is basically a hate group,
the website mosaicmagazine.com has an article titled
"Black Lives Matter Has an Israel Problem"
June 1 2018
the article says
"Having coalesced in 2014 to protest shootings of unarmed black men by police officers, the Black Lives Matter movement now has a formal platform that includes opinions on a variety of political issues, including the Jewish state. This week, one of the movement’s leaders made clear on social media that he is unwilling to read, let alone engage, any criticism of his stance on Israel. Jason D. Hill writes that the Black Lives Matters’ attitude toward Israel is one of its “unpardonable sins.”
The leaders of Black Lives Matter have written a profoundly anti-Israel (and anti-American) manifesto in which they accuse Israel of “genocide” and “apartheid.” The manifesto endorses the “Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions” (BDS) movement and takes the view that the United States justifies and advances the global war on terror via its alliances with Israel. This, according to Black Lives Matter, makes the U.S. complicit in a supposed genocidal massacre of the Palestinian people. . . .
With its accusations against Israeli Jews, Black Lives Matter suggests that in their support of Israel, such Jews are complicit in the unproven [Israeli] crimes of genocide and apartheid. We must remember that even amid the daily onslaughts of war and terror that Palestinians inflict on Jews, the Israelis, in a spirit of almost irrational altruism, take great pains to limit civilian casualties and to ensure that those caught in a war they did not personally initiate are spared as much harm as possible.
Black Lives Matter is not only being unjust toward Israel; its anti-Israel stance betrays Jews in America, to whom blacks in this country are enormously indebted. If there are any unsung heroes of the civil-rights movement, it is those Jews who played an enormous but largely unacknowledged role in the liberation of blacks from racial oppression. American Jews undertook monumental efforts to found and fund some of the most important civil-rights organizations in the U.S. . . .
The anti-Israeli platform of Black Lives Matters has understandably alienated some progressive Jews in America who had initially aligned themselves with the movement. And it has alienated this black American as well. . . . Israel is good. So, too, is America. And the achievements of both countries demonstrate, above all, the virtues of self-realization and persistence." Most Black People are Decent People, but it's very sad & disturbing how certain Black "leaders", & some blacks have backstabbed the Jewish People who helped them so much during the American Civil Rights Movement , while Most Blacks are decent people, some of their "leaders" are hate mongers & Racists,& worthless losers
On YouTube there is a video titled
"Israel - Small but Outstanding" - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoizSL-TEJQ
6:00
Apr 29, 2012 · Israel, a small country of outstanding beauty, is so many different things: It is a bridge between Africa, Asia & Europe, It has pulsating urban life, breathtaking nature, an abundance of plant &...
Author: Israel
Views: 5M
God has Blessed Israel with Incredible Natural Wonders & Beauty
the website www.touristisrael.com has an article titled
"5 of the Most Beautiful Places in Israel"
the article says
"Israel is a beautiful country, there’s no denying that fact. With its diverse landscapes and scenery, ranging from desert in the south to lush green hills in the north, that beauty is incredibly varied, and whilst traveling in Israel you are almost certain to, very often, gasp in awe at the beauty this land has to offer. Here are five of the most beautiful places in Israel which you might like to include when deciding what to do in Israel.
Hula Valley
The beautiful Hula Valley by Flavio Grynszpan
The Hula Valley in the far north of Israel may appear very different to the sandy desert that many people consider Israel to be covered by, but this spot, which is one of the most important stop-off spots for migrating birds and as a result, one of the best bird watching sites in the world, was until recently a malarial swamp which was drained and rehabilitated. Today, people visit from around the world just to watch the birds, although the tranquil outlook and peaceful leisure activities make it a great place for all to visit.
Ramon Crater
The Ramon Crater in the Negev Desert was, for centuries a wonder to those who lived in the land. Thought to be the work of an asteroid which collided with the earth and created a huge crater-like landform (and a number of smaller ones nearby), it is now known that the Ramon Crater is actually the result of water erosion when the desert was, thousands of years ago, covered by oceans. With its incredible outlook, and the unique climate and wildlife within the crater itself, the Ramon Crater is definitely one of the most beautiful places in Israel. Many visitors to Israel miss the Negev but check our Negev Tours for ideas about how to visit.
The Golden City of Jerusalem
Beautiful Jerusalem of Gold by Or Hiltch, on Flickr
Jerusalem, the ‘City of Gold’ is beautiful. Whether you observe it from up close, walking through the narrow streets of the Old City, or step back and take in the panorama from one of the amazing outlook spots such as the Haas Promenade, the glistening stone which symbolizes this city, considered so holy and important by so many people, and the magical approach to the city through the lush Jerusalem Hills make it one of the most beautiful places to visit in Israel. There are many ways to visit Jerusalem, but check out our Jerusalem Tours for some great options for starting to explore this city.
The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth and whether you actually go in it or admire its beauty from further away, there is little doubt that this is one of the most beautiful places in Israel. Its saline bright blue waters combined with the bright sunlight of the surrounding Negev Desert, create magnificent sunrises and sunsets which people visiting Israel from around the world marvel at every day. Visit the Dead Sea on your own, or take a tour to Masada and the Dead Sea, or the Dead Sea alone.
Sunset over the Mediterranean Coast
Mediterranean Sunset by Or Hiltch, on Flickr
Israel’s Mediterranean Coast produces amazing sunsets! Whether you are walking along the promenade alongside Tel Aviv Beach, sitting at the beautiful archaeological site at Caesarea, or observing from high atop Mount Carmel, you will likely be blown away by the magnificent shades of red that the sky will turn as the sun falls beyond the horizon.
More beautiful places in Israel
Israel is a beautiful country and beauty is subjective! We’re sure you will have other places in Israel which you will consider to merit a place on this list… why not comment below and leave your favorites, and if you can get enough people to like it, we might just be able to add it on to this list!
Another Cool YouTube video
"The Best of Israel"
2,312,170 views •May 4, 2015
Rick Steves' Europe
712K subscribers
More info at https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read... We start in Jerusalem, alive with religious tradition and passion — Christian, Muslim, and Jewish. We then visit cosmopolitan Tel Aviv, with its in-love-with-life beaches; ponder the sad fortress of Masada; and join pilgrims at biblical sights around the Sea of Galilee. We'll also pay our respects at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, drop into an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood, and savor the local cuisine. | © 2014 Rick Steves' Europe
At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination. Years Ago, Rick Steves was superb in his TV show "Travels in Europe"
Another YouTube video, titled
"Outstanding Explanation Why Israel can't withdraw to its pre '67 borders line - Please Share!"
183,698 views •Sep 28, 2011
MrIlanKudlis
17.5K subscribers
Category
Education
2 Comments
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wanker2us
wanker2us
8 years ago
go isreal!
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ljackso typed as a comment
8 years ago
"Israel has a secret weapon that no military in the world can defeat. It is more powerful that all the nuclear weapons located around the world. Once Israel calls on this weapon its security will be assured. The name of the secret weapon: HaShem. "
The Full Description of the YouTube video Titled
"Israel - Small but Outstanding"
4,956,128 views •Apr 29, 2012
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Israel
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http://www.israel.org
Israel, a small country of outstanding beauty, is so many different things:
It is a bridge between Africa, Asia & Europe, It has pulsating urban life, breathtaking nature, an abundance of plant & animal species, Thousands of years of fascinating history, a rainbow of cultures and traditions.
Israel offers an energizing experience with a vibrant cultural scene, and is proud to be an innovative leader in science & High-Tech.
Sounds too much? you'll believe it when you see it.
Visit the MFA's Social Media Channels:
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/IsraelMFA http://www.facebook.com/IsraeliVibe
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Israel
http://www.twitter.com/IsraelMFA
Please credit the MFA and the creators of this clip for any use of this video.
Photographer and Editor: Eyal Bartov
Additional Photographs: Samuel Magal
After Effects: Gili Ittah
Original Music: Israel Kasif
Category
Travel & Events People have said Go Israel
Another YouTube video is titled
"ISRAEL is awesome, Small Country, Big Ideas"
10,984 views •Mar 13, 2017
ISRAEL Agriculture Technology
Thanks for watching Israel Agriculture Technology
Subscribe to watch more: https://goo.gl/8Uzhjj
More more information about the development of modern agriculture in Israel - International Training in Agriculture at the Hebrew University ( The International School of Agricultural Sciences):
The Hebrew University: http://www.agri.huji.ac.il/english/
The Ramat Negev International Center for Agricultural Training: https://www.facebook.com/The-Ramat-Ne...
http://www.rn-tp.com/
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, founded in 1918 and opened officially in 1925, is Israel’s premier university as well as its leading research institution. The Hebrew University is ranked internationally among the 100 leading universities in the world and first among Israeli universities. Learn the most efficient harvesting methods by using the newest and most up-to-date agricultural machinery and technology in our custom harvesting,business law school, online colleges,field, education online,aquaponic....
Start-up Nation - Israeli Superheroes - Small but Outstanding
Israel, a small country of outstanding beauty, is so many different things:
It is a bridge between Africa, Asia & Europe, It has pulsating urban life, breathtaking nature, an abundance of plant & animal species, Thousands of years of fascinating history, a rainbow of cultures and traditions.
Israel offers an energizing experience with a vibrant cultural scene, and is proud to be an innovative leader in science & High-Tech
Another Great YouTube video is titled
"What makes the Israeli soldier the best in the world?"
367,455 views •Nov 13, 2013
Caliber 3 - Counter Terror and Security Academy
14.9K subscribers
Colonel Sharon Gat answers this question.
Category
People & Blogs
Yet Another Great YouTube video is titled
"The MOST Important Video About Israel You'll Ever See!"
4,705,772 views •Oct 2, 2011
thelandofisrael
43.3K subscribers
Can ancient prophecies about Israel be true? Is the Bible true or relevant today?
This video will put those questions to rest!!
Category
Education
Music in this video
And Another Great YouTube video is titled
"John Hagee: "Israel: God’s Gateway to Blessing"
18,198 views •Premiered Sep 29, 2019
Hagee Ministries
80.6K subscribers
Pastor Hagee says that Israel isn’t a political issue, but a Bible issue. She was given to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by Almighty God. Christians need Judaism to exist. Find out why and how those who honor Israel and the Jewish people are continually blessed by God.
Category
Nonprofits & Activism
From the website www.foxnews.com an article is titled
"Elizabeth Pipko: Anniversary of Munich massacre reminds us of need to fight anti-Semitism and terrorism"
By Elizabeth Pipko | Fox News
Journalist Recalls the 1972 Munich massacre
This week marks 47 years since the Munich massacre – the appalling murder of 11 Israeli Olympic team members by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, West Germany.
Before the massacre, members of the Israeli Olympic delegation openly discussed their concerns about the lack of security assigned to them. Tragically, their concerns were mostly ignored.
During the early morning hours of Sept. 5, the members of Black September used stolen keys to break into the apartment where the Israeli team was staying. They had been scoping out the apartment and surrounding areas for weeks preparing for their attack.
ISRAELI'S NETANYAHU RIPS JEREMY CORBYN OVER IMAGES SHOWING POLITICIAN LAYING WREATH AT TERRORIST GRAVESITE
Two Israelis were murdered during the initial stage of the attack, and the remaining nine were taken hostage and later murdered during a failed rescue mission.
More from Opinion
Marc Thiessen: Anti-Semitism rising on left
Brooke Goldstein: Anti-Jewish and anti-Israel school curriculum on verge of approval in California
Tragedies like the Munich massacre cannot and must not be forgotten.
First, we must honor those who were killed. But we must also learn how to keep such attacks from happening again.
The attack on representatives of the Jewish state of Israel terrified the world, but didn’t generate the outrage it warranted. The Olympics at first continued but were eventually suspended for just 36 hours, under public pressure.
Nor did the massacre prompt sufficient tightening of security measures around the world to prevent other deadly terrorist attacks in the years ahead.
As has often happened in history, Jews and the state of Israel tend to become the targets of a “first try” to find out what kind of damage can be caused around the world. Even today this is seen with a global rise in anti-Semitism and a lack of leadership to take action to stop it.
We are also seeing this with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. This blatantly anti-Semitic movement has the goal of destroying Israel, a vibrant democracy and close U.S. ally."
the article continues
"Why should we pay attention to what is happening in Israel? Because if we don’t stand up for Israel when it faces these kinds of attacks today, America will be next.
The danger of complacency in the face of attacks on others was described by Martin Niemöller, who was a submarine officer in the German Navy in World War I and later became a Lutheran pastor. At first he supported Nazi leader Adolf Hitler but then became a fierce opponent and was imprisoned in concentration camps from 1938 to 1945, narrowly escaping death.
Blaming himself for not opposing Hitler sooner, he made remarks after World War II translated into several versions in English as a poem. The best-known translation states:
First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a communist / Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist / Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist / Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew / Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak out for me.
These moving words tell us how necessary it is to learn from one’s mistakes and to keep certain parts of history from ever repeating themselves.
This anniversary of the Munich massacre must remind us that we should be vigilant to the suffering of others. The massacre shows us that violence that may seem directed only at Israel and Jews will eventually come back to haunt all of us as well.
Take a look at our world today and the threats that we are facing.
Iran has made it clear that its immediate enemy is Israel, but that is never where it ends. Iran also demonizes the United States and calls for our destruction.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
We must protect Israel as our ally and a partner in the democratic values that our two countries share, and stay vigilant about the threats Israel faces every single day.
We must learn what we can from the acts of terrorism that we have been forced to witness in recent years – including the Sept. 11, 2001 mass murders here in the U.S. almost exactly 18 years ago – and stand up to those who proudly sponsor terrorism and wage war against our allies and ideals."
Elizabeth Pipko is a former model and 2016 Trump campaign staffer who is the founder and president of The Exodus Movement, which is committed to fighting the rising anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism of the far left, as well as promoting support for Israel.
From the website www.myjewishlearning.com an article is titled
"Jews and Arabs in British Mandate Palestine"
During the interwar period, the two populations struggled to lay claim to the land.
By Howard Sachar
The Yishuv (Jewish Settlement) During the Interwar Period
By the end of the British Mandate‘s first decade, more that 162,000 Jews lived in Palestine, making up 17 percent of the country’s inhabitants. Of these, 37,000 lived on the soil, in 11 agricultural settlements totaling 700,000 dunams [approximately 175,000 acres]; 13 other Zionist agricultural schools and experimental stations were also functioning. Improved farming techniques were continually being devised. Citrus crops were growing in size and quality.
The industrial development of the Yishuv showed similar promise. By 1930, 1,500 Jewish-operated factories and workshops were producing textiles, clothing, metal goods, lumber, chemicals, stone, and cement, with a total capital value of about PL 1 million.
The quality of life was improving, as well. The broad Kupat Cholim health network was partially responsible. So was Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America. Founded in 1912 by an American Jewish woman, Henrietta Szold, Hadassah’s dedicated mass membership by 1930 had established in Palestine four hospitals; a nurse’s training school; 50 clinics, laboratories, and pharmacies; and an excellent maternity and child hygiene service in most of the cities and in a number of the larger villages. The Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO) maintained three infant welfare centers in Tel Aviv.
It was as a result, then, of expanding medical care, of systematic Jewish efforts to drain marshes and swamps, to provide a reasonable diet and living standard for the Yishuv altogether, that marked reduction was achieved in the incidence of tuberculosis, malaria, trachoma, and typhoid, the historic scourges of the region. The Jewish mortality rate fell from 12.6 per thousand in 1924 to 9.6 per thousand in 1930; Jewish infant mortality dropped from 105 per thousand in 1924 to 69 per thousand in 1930. Progress in education was not less impressive. In the early years of the mandate, the Va’ad Le’umi [an executive committee of 36 men and women drawn from the 314-member National Assembly, the elected Jewish governmental body in the Yishuv] instituted compulsory school attendance on the elementary level. By 1930, there were 28,000 children attending Jewish schools."
the article continues
"This, in sum, was the measure of the Yishuv’s growth. It had developed its own quasi-government, its own largely autonomous agricultural and industrial economy, and its own public and social welfare institutions. Its schools were infusing children with a spirit of Jewish national pride unprecedented either in western Europe or among the most intensely Zionist communities in eastern Europe. These qualities of self-sufficiency and national loyalty ultimately would prove decisive — more crucial even than the expansion of landholdings, financial resource, and world Jewish support — in protecting the National Home against the mounting perils of Arab hostility and British diplomatic equivocation.
The Palestinian Arabs During the Interwar Period
As late as 1882, the Arab population of Palestine barely reached 260,000. Yet by 1914 this number had doubled, and by 1920 it had reached 600,000. Under the mandate, the figure grew even more dramatically, climbing to 840,000 by 1931, and representing 81 percent of the country’s inhabitants.
Approximately 75,000 of the Palestine Arabs were Christian, heavily impacted [that is, tightly packed] in the urban areas, comparatively literate, and widely employed at the middle and lower echelons of the mandatory administration. The Muslim Arabs — the majority — were [much less economically and institutionally developed]. Fully 70 percent of them lived on the soil, mainly in the hilly northern and central regions of the country, where they raised grains, vegetables, olive oil, and tobacco.
A 1922 census revealed that a third of the Arab farmers were fellahin — tenant sharecroppers — whose average plot rarely exceeded 100 dunams (25 acres). Endlessly indebted to their landlords, to whom they paid a rent of from 33 to 50 percent of their crops, they lived with their families of five or more children in mud‑brick huts, possessed virtually no sanitary facilities, and suffered chronically from amoebic dysentery and bilharziasis."
& continues
"Submarginal as these conditions were, they were immeasurably better than those of Muslim Arabs elsewhere in the Middle East. The statistics of Arab population growth were revealing: In Palestine, the increase between 1922 and 1946 was 118 percent, a rate of almost 5 percent annually, and the highest in the Arab world except for Egypt. It was not all natural increase. During those 24 years, approximately 100,000 Arabs entered the country from neighboring lands. The influx could be traced in some measure to the orderly government provided by the British, but far more, certainly, to the economic opportunities made possible by Jewish settlement.
The rise of the Yishuv benefited Arab life indirectly, by disproportionate Jewish contributions to government revenues, and thereby to increased mandatory expenditures in the Arab sector; and directly, by new markets for Arab produce and (until the civil war of 1936) employment opportunities for Arab labor. It was significant, for example, that the movement of Arabs within Palestine itself was largely to regions of Jewish concentration. Thus, Arab population increase during the 1930s was 87 percent in Haifa, 61 percent in Jaffa, 37 percent in Jerusalem. A similar growth was registered in Arab towns located near Jewish agricultural villages. The 25 percent rise of Arab participation in industry could be traced exclusively to the needs of the large Jewish immigration.
Under the Turks, Arab political life had been rudimentary and had consisted largely of maneuvers for civil office among rival effendi families [“effendi” is a Turkish title of respect, used most commonly for government officials or members of the aristocracy]. No organized nationalist movement whatever came into being until after the Armistice, when Muslim‑Christian Associations were founded in various Arab towns to protest the impending Jewish National Home. This opposition, too, was at first essentially a projection of Syrian nationalism. It followed the lead of Arab politicians in Damascus during the unsuccessful 1919‑1920 effort to establish an independent Syrian kingdom."
& lastly says
"Accordingly, the collapse of Feisal’s regime in the summer of 1920 and the transfer of nationalist headquarters from Damascus to Jerusalem played a critical role in the development of an authentic Palestine Arab nationalism. It did not escape the Arab leadership, especially those who formerly had devoted their energies to the Hashemite cause in Syria, that the Zionists, as a minority settlement, were surely more vulnerable to concerted resistance than were the French or British.
In December 1920, therefore, the Muslim‑Christian Associations sponsored a convention in Haifa, a gathering that subsequently transformed itself into a Palestine Arab Congress. Here at last the demand was expressly submitted that Britain institute a national — that is, Arab — government in Palestine. The Congress afterward proceeded to elect an Arab Executive, a body that from 1921 on implacably opposed the British mandate and the Jewish National Home.
While the Executive’s hostility to Zionism was rooted at least partly in suspicion of Jewish free labor and collective agriculture, and the ideas these innovations might plant in the minds of the fellahin, it reflected more basically a fear of the political consequences of Jewish immigration. Centuries of exile in Europe clearly had westernized Jews and enabled them to far exceed the Arab community in their intellectual and technological accomplishments. The Arab leaders were genuinely alarmed by the influx of these “overbearing and truculent” newcomers, and warned that the European Jews, with apparently limitless energy and financial backing, would someday engulf the whole of Palestine." It was the hardworking Jewish Zionist Pioneers in what was then called
"Palestine" that made Arabs want to move in from Neighboring lands, It was the Economic Opportunities, Better Jobs & Quality of Life created by Jewish Zionist Pioneers that made the Arabs want to Move in, Plus we cannot forget the term "Palestinian" & "Palestinians" was originally ONLY used to describe JEWS who lived in the Area, the "Palestinians" were JEWS !!!
From the website www.unitedwithisrael.org an article is titled
"Wikipedia’s ‘Longest-running Hoax’ About Fake Warsaw Death Camp Revealed"
Oct 6, 2019
The page was written in August 2004 by the late editor Krzysztof Machocki, a spokesperson for the Polish branch of Wikimedia.
By JNS , the article says
"Wikipedia had an entry for more than 15 years on its English-language website about a death camp in Warsaw during the years of the Holocaust that did not exist in real life, Haaretz reported on Friday.
The entry for the camp, also known as “Konzentrationslager Warschau,” said that the gas chamber there killed “well above 212,000, mainly Poles and several thousand of non-Polish.” Many in Poland have honored the memory of Poles believed to be murdered with ceremonies, monuments and plaques.
There is no historical evidence of German gas chambers ever existing in Warsaw, making KL Warschau arguably the longest-running hoax ever uncovered on the online encyclopedia. Even the Wikipedia entry “Extermination camp” had KL Warschau listed alongside Auschwitz for over 12 years.
The page was written in August 2004 by the late Wikipedia editor Krzysztof Machocki, a spokesperson for the Polish branch of Wikimedia, and was completely rewritten this August. The hoax was discovered by an Israeli editor with the username Icewhiz who rewrote the article to reflect the truth.
The false facts pertaining to the death-camp hoax included real facts associated with concentration camps.
Haaretz said that Icewhiz’s claims reveal the existence of what seems to be “a systematic effort by Polish nationalists to whitewash hundreds of Wikipedia articles relating to Poland and the Holocaust.”
Professor Havi Dreifuss, head of Yad Vashem’s Center for Research on the Holocaust in Poland, said “this baseless story … is sadly gaining traction today as part of a wider attempt in Poland to distort the history of the Holocaust. By pulling another 200,000 victims out of thin air, they’re trying to equate what happened to the Jews during the Holocaust to what happened to Poles during the Holocaust.”
From the website www.worldisraelnews.com an article is titled
"The secret lives of Hamas’ princes – cars, alcohol, and belly-dancers"
October 6, 2019
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and his son's new car. (Twitter/Screenshot)
While the Gazans are often depicted as suffering from harsh economic conditions, the sons of the senior Hamas leaders lead a life of luxury.
By Baruch Yedid, TPS the article says
"The people of the Gaza Strip are often portrayed in the international media as suffering from extremely severe economic distress, but while Gazans contend with unemployment and poor civil services, the “Princes of Hamas,” the sons of the senior Hamas leaders, lead a life of lavishness and splendor.
Recently, they have also been involved in several affairs that have stirred and excited public opinion in the Gaza Strip and the Arab world.
Earlier this year, Annas Radwan, son of senior Hamas official Ismail Radwan, went to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage but took advantage of his status to enter the limited list of pilgrims and used 5,000 dinars in special grant funds taken from the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization).
His photo on a bus in Saudi Arabia alongside the pilgrims was circulated on social networks and caused much anger in Gaza and throughout the Arab world. He was accused of taking advantage of the grant money and the right to go to Mecca at the expense of Gazans, who cannot afford the travel expenses.
Saudi Arabia grants annual quotas to various countries, including residents of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Judea and Samaria and the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, but many do not receive the desired permit to go to Mecca. Anas Radwan was arrested in Saudi Arabia for several hours when it became clear that he had joined the list of eligible pilgrims.
The embarrassing incident prompted Hamas to establish an investigative committee, which recommended fining Radwan 5000 dinars, as prescribed by Shari’a law. Radwan, one of the most famous “Hamas princes,” did not apologize and attacked Hamas’ conclusions because he was tried by a “field tribune.” "
the article continues
"The father, Ismail Radwan, goes to Mecca every year for free, at the expense of the quota allocated to Gaza’s residents. His photos on planes have been distributed over the years on social networks.
Gaza sources told TPS that the great embarrassment to Hamas comes as it is trying to suppress the protests that already erupted in the Gaza Strip months ago over the dire living conditions.
Muhammad Hamad, the son of senior Hamas official Fatahi Hamad is also considered a “prince” in the Gaza Strip.
The younger Hamad recently celebrated his 20th birthday, and videos circulated on social networks showed a lavish and huge party held in a Gazan hall, with tables laden with food and cakes. Hamad celebrated with his friends, all dressed in fine clothes while several musical bands entertained the celebrants, who even danced the traditional Dabke. A special tent was erected for the event.
The clips of the celebration provoked a storm in the Gaza Strip.
Gaza social networks slammed the party, writing that “Hamad is not ashamed of demonstrating his wealth, while more than 200 Palestinian injured, including some who have lost limbs, and only some of whom have wheelchairs, receive no support.”
Hamas ‘outdoes’ Fatah
Abdel Salam Haniya, son of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya, is the chairman of the Amoaj Sports Council in the Gaza Strip and a member of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sport. Social networks are replete with allegations that he exploits his role in football clubs and his father’s ties to steal the Palestinian people’s money. His relationship with Qatar, which will host the World Cup in 2022, has raised many questions.
Abdel Salam recently sparked some “scandals.” Photos from his tours of Western Europe, Turkey, and the Persian Gulf were circulated on networks, some even by him. Among other things, he was photographed with the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin in the background while he traveled on a luxurious yacht."
& continues
"
He was also photographed alongside his father, Ismail, as he presented his new luxurious car, one of Nissan’s advanced models, on the streets of Gaza. While driving the luxury car, Ismail Haniya is seen waving at his son.
A Gazan journalist, who has since moved to Egypt, wrote on social networks that “their land, their car, and we have become merely guests.”
The biggest uproar he caused was when he was photographed, accompanied by two more Hamas officials, in the presence of an exposed belly dancer at an entertainment club in El Salvador.
Social media users were upset by the presence of alcohol, which is banned by Islam, and one wrote that “instead of being on the front, they have decided to partake in a bloody battle against a belly dancer, while their weapons are bottles of wine, whiskey, and champagne.” Many referred to Islam’s prohibition on alcohol, to which the son of a Hamas leader was not adhering.
Sources in Gaza told TPS that there was no certainty that Abdel was, in fact, present at the event in question, but he had a reputation of being corrupt, like many of the Haniya family members.
Several years ago, Abdel was detained by the Egyptians at the Rafah crossing when his suitcase was found to be stuffed with $1 million. He was returned to the Gaza Strip after a short interrogation.
A few months ago, he underwent “cosmetic surgery” in Qatar to treat his obesity. According to sources in the Gaza Strip, he was awarded VIP hospitality for three months as a guest of Qatar’s ruler.
The Gazans were infuriated by these publications, as thousands of Gaza’s residents do not receive medical treatment, including many of the rioters who returned from the violent incidents on the border fence, initiated by Hamas. Following the criticism, young Haniya was quick to take pictures alongside handicapped individuals in wheelchairs in Gaza.
Sources in the Strip told TPS that Abdel Salam owns several assets his father bought, including a property in the luxury neighborhood of Rimal in Gaza worth $4 million, a bakery in the Shati refugee camp worth $300,000, a house there and more. Other assets owned by the Haniya family were registered, according to a source in the Gaza Strip, in the name of Haniya’s son-in-law and brother-in-law.
Abdul Razak Khaled Haniya, Ismail Haniya’s nephew, is chairman of the Gaza Charitable Association. Abed Razek was charged several months ago with embezzlement of $200,000 from donations for the rehabilitation of destroyed homes in the Gaza Strip. An investigation was closed following threats by Ismail Haniya against the charity’s leaders.
Khaled Mashaal, a former chairman of the Hamas political bureau, is often photographed at gyms in the Gulf and his fortune is estimated at $4 billion. He is allegedly involved in corruption, as well. Open sources say that he owns the Qatari real estate firm “Alfadeel,” which is managing a 27-dunam project in Qatar. The company is also registered in the name of his son and his wife.
“An entire generation of sons of Hamas members grew up in the Gaza Strip, just like the sons of senior Fatah members in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria]. Hamas learned the secrets of corruption and… outdoes Fatah,” a Palestinian journalist from the Gaza Strip and a sharp critic of Hamas, who would identify himself publicly only as P.A., told TPS."
If Arab "Palestinians" in the Gaza Strip & The West Bank suffer from Poverty, unemployment or poor quality of life, How is it Israel's fault,? It's Not Israel's fault, it's the Fault of the Corrupt Greedy Arab "leaders" who use money to fund Terrorism and use money for themselves without helping their people , Many Israeli Arabs have stated they would Prefer to stay Living in Israel as Opposed to a "Palestinian State" these Israeli Arabs realize they have a better quality of Life & More Freedoms in Israel
Also from the website www.worldisraelnews.com Another article is titled
"Australia: Jewish boy forced to kiss shoes of Muslim classmate; toddler was called ‘Jewish cockroach’"
October 4, 2019
Jewish boy forced to kiss the shoes of a Muslim classmate in Melbourne, Australia. (Instagram)
the article says
“Deeply disturbing instances of anti-Semitic intimidation and harassment have emerged in this city,” wrote the Melbourne-based paper.
By World Israel News Staff
In Melbourne, Australia, “a 12-year-old Jewish student was forced to kneel down and kiss the shoes of a Muslim classmate, while a five-year-old boy was allegedly called a ‘Jewish cockroach’ and repeatedly hounded in the school toilets by his young classmates,” reports The Age, a newspaper published in the Australian city.
“Both boys, whose parents have asked to remain anonymous, have since left the schools where the incidents occurred, with the five-year-old boy currently being home schooled,” says the daily.
The incident of the student forced to kneel and kiss the Muslim classmate’s shoes has appeared on social media. It was said to have taken place in July.
Because the incident happened in a public park and not on school grounds, the school and education officials have denied having responsibility for the incident and no disciplinary action has been taken, said the mother of the victim, according to The Age.
“I took such offense with the Education Department because there was nothing they did to protect my son at all, at any point in time,” she said, as quoted by the newspaper.
According to the report, the mother added that she contacted the parents of the Muslim student and they were horrified by their son’s actions.
One of the boys who watched the incident take place was later “suspended for five days for assaulting the Jewish student in the school locker room,” The Age reported.
The Jewish boy’s mother said her son “was punched in the face and left with a bruised back and had skin gouged out of his shoulder,” said the newspaper.
In the case of the five-year-old boy who suffered verbal abuse in the school toilets, his mother says he was “repeatedly taunted and laughed at” due to his circumcision, according to the daily.
Education officials “conceded last month in an apology letter to the parents that the boy had been laughed at in the toilets by other students on this day and said this was unacceptable,” said The Age, noting however that officials said that the taunts could not be “corroborated because they were not overheard by teachers.”
No date was given as to when the abuse occurred.
The mother charged that the school made “an error of judgment” in treating the incident as general bullying and not anti-Semitism, according to the report.
A day after it published these revelations in an article, The Age printed an editorial in its Friday edition.
“Deeply disturbing instances of anti-Semitic intimidation and harassment have emerged in this city, episodes that must be categorically condemned by political and community leaders,” wrote the Melbourne-based paper, indicating that there have been other acts of anti-Semitism, as well.
“These incidents portray a deliberately pointed form of religious bigotry, one that is intended to cause fear and ostracize a group of people for the sole reason that they follow the Jewish faith,” said the editorial, adding: “It must end.”
It said that “schools have a role. So do parents and friends, education systems, community groups and, especially, political leaders.” you would NEVER see a Jewish student bullying a Muslim classmate,
In 2011, Joel Osteen, the famous American pastor, televangelist & author based in
Houston, Texas expressed his support for Israel !!! Now Joel Osteen has many critics who claim he is a false prophet, heretic & fraud who preaches a "Prosperity Gospel"
And Only God can Judge his heart & Soul, but Joel Osteen realizes Supporting Israel is the right thing to do !!!
From the website jewishjournal.com an article is titled
"Joel Osteen, Israel and the Jews: an exclusive Q&A"
BY JEWISHJOURNAL.COM | JAN 19, 2011 | RELIGION
the article says
"Saying they want to “show solidarity with the nation of Israel and the Jewish people,” mega-pastors Joel and Victoria Osteen will bring their musical, charismatic brand of Christianity to Israel. The Osteens announced they will hold to hold “A Historic Night of Hope” at the Jerusalem Theater on Thursday, February 3 at 7:00 pm. The event will be broadcast around the world by the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). While in Israel, the Osteens will meet with President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as a tour of the Holy Land.
“As Christians, Victoria and I feel that it is important to stand in support of the nation of Israel and the Jewish people,” said Pastor Joel Osteen in a press release. “As always, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”
In April 2010, The Jewish Journal sat down with the Osteens for an exclusive interview, their first ever to appear in the Jewish media. Rabbi Naomi Levy conducted the interview which appears below.
Rabbi Naomi Levy: I watched an interview you did with Larry King. I was so amazed when you said Jews can indeed go to heaven, and then I saw that you later took heat for it, and you rephrased yourself. Is it wrong to believe that people who don’t believe in Jesus have a place with God and have a place in heaven?
Pastor Joel Osteen: Sure. You know, to me it’s up to every person. I mean, what the Scripture teaches is that Jesus came so that we could have salvation through him.
NL: Your Scripture.
JO: Yeah, that’s true. So that’s why I don’t judge anybody else. … You know, I don’t believe in telling one group who can and can’t go to heaven. I believe that’s up to God.
NL: So do you think it’s possible that our God, the God of the universe, might have an equal plan for all good people?
JO: I believe that any of that is possible.
NL: I saw another video where you spoke about how you’ve stopped eating pork, and I’m curious if you’ve taken on other aspects of being kosher.
JO: I just see that in the Scripture as well. I don’t always follow it 100 percent. But I appreciate the Jewish tradition and what’s in the Scripture, what it says about it.
NL: How do you respond to the person who says, ‘I’ve prayed, and it’s done me no good. I hear what you’re saying about what God can do for a person, and if you pray, look how this person was healed. But my child died, and I prayed with all my heart.’?
JO: You know, I try to encourage people to believe for the best, but that God will always give you the strength to make it through and faith is all about trust. … Yesterday I prayed for a family. They had a little girl that had cancer and she’s in a wheelchair. You know, our prayer is that she’s going to live every day that God’s planned out for her. I hope it’s until she’s 90 years old. I don’t know if it will be, but I also pray that God gives these parents strength, and they get to that place of trust to say, ‘OK, God, I believe you’re in control of my life, that you have a plan for my little girl and a plan for my life.’ I think when you come back to that place of trust to believe that there’s something bigger than yourself, that’s what gives you the faith and strength to move on."
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