God Help Palestine.
Palestinian children sit in a car with its rear window broken after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Sunday.
As I am currently writing a paper on Zionism / dispensationalism, bombs have been raining on Palestine for the past few days. How timely.
It is a complex issue that burns deeper than geo-politics – it goes into “divinely bestowed” land claims; and issues of humanitarianism. I cannot claim to be an expert on the delicate subject of Middle East politics but I cannot help but wince as I know that distant cousins in the religious right are cheering for Israel as bombs rain down on the Gaza strip. To be fair Hamas is contributing its fair share of violence but I can’t help but get the feeling one is bullying the other here. I may not be an expert on geopolitics but I think I know a thing or two about religious motivation – and there is nothing religious about this conflict at all. It’s misguided.
If you are a person of faith, may I ask where you stand on this issue?
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yes, you can ask where i stand. To get the big picture, you have to realize that the tiny land of Israel is surrounded by 2 billion Arabs, and they ALL want Israel destroyed. Arabs have been attacking Israelis since 1948 – both from without the country in multi- national attacks, and from within, like the Palestinians. Hamas is fed by Syria and Iran and other radical anti-semitic countries.
The root of the conflict is not land…it is antisemitism. This root goes back thousands of years, and no diplomacy is going to fix it. If you read the bible, the conflicts were going on then, and even then, Israel was outnumbered. This is a conflict based on race, and religion. Governments around the world cannot stop it. Only God Himself will stop it when the time is right.
Here are some studies I did. This will present my point of view.
http://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/anti-zionism-ancient-arab-roots/
http://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/anti-zionism-roman-and-christian-western-roots/
http://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/anti-zionism-%E2%80%93-jewish-self%E2%80%93betrayal/
http://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/zionism-man%E2%80%99s-idea-or-god%E2%80%99s-plan/
The difference in deaths that you see is due to the Israelis will provide protection for its people, and the HAmas group will not. Many deaths have been due to Palestinians engaging in suicide (genocide) bombings, and causing their own deaths.
thank you
marianne
http://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/
God only will help the Palestinians. Not secreataty Rice, Clinton, the world. Palestine is on its own, with few rockets, few stones and hope that someone will come to its rescue. I have seen the destruction on the news that Israel inflicted on the palestinians. But so far I couldn’t see any destruction from Hamas into Israel. That leaves me to doudt the Israelis, the US government that Hamas is at fault. And if the US government can only realize that israel is only using the Palestinians for political purposes, to test the new administration in regards to its own policy against the Palestinians. Undoubtly the Obama administration will back Israel, and Israel again will have its way with more money and more weapons.
“…one is bullying the other here…” What an uninformed comment.
Are you not aware of the number of rockets that were fired into Israel within 4 hours of the so-called Hamas/Israel cease fire ending? Israel dropped leaflets and sent text and e-mail messages prior to taking action in order to try and prevent civilian casualties, something Hamas most certainly would never do. Does Israel not have the right and obligation to defend itself? You students need to educate yourselves a bit better.
Very simple terms…ISRAEL = Nazi Germany.
This is exactly what the Germans did to Jews and somehow Israeli State Terrorism is returning the favor. Obama is impotent, he has his mouth shut by the the AIPAC. This is exactaly why we need a Nuclear Iran even more so not then before. Because as long as Israeli state terrorism goes on unchallenged there will be more innocent blood shed. There needs to be a balance in power and Iran getting Nuclear is the only solution to peace in the Middle East. Otherwise bully Israel will carpet bomb defenseless palestine.
Randall: why don’t you tell us the number of rockets. And why don’t you tell us the number of casualties caused by those rockets.
I can tell you there’s +200 Palestinians dead already. What about Israelis?
It’s always the same story, Palestinians have had their land stolen, have been reduced to live in refugee camps, and have been murdered by the thousands and yet somehow Israel is the victim.
How can people be so dishonest?
Martin is right .The palestinians are not getting their fair share of Israeli casualties Perhaps he expects them to let themselves get killed so that his numbers will add up better and then all the palestinians children will get candy for each murder, and the innocent women of Gaza will be able to dance in the street Not one palestinian would be killed if not for Hamas,Only the people of Gaza can demand they stop firing at Israel. Hamas is responsibility for each death in Gaza They wanted Gaza ,Israel withdrew, What did Israel they get in return? Rockets . Israel has obsorbed a million refugees from arab lands and other countries jews have nowhere to go. The arabs have 22 countries to choose from ,But it is their so called brothers that wont let them in or help them They would rather spend Billions on guns and rockets ,than to help make life livable for palestinians
I do not feel sorry for the Palestinians, they are a hateful people, who want to kill any Israeli they meet. Israel has been patient, has given up land and money to help the Palestinians and still Hamas is not happy. Hamas and all others who hate Israel will never be happy until Israel no long exists, which will never happen. Israel has a right to survive and live in peace. You people who think the Palestinians are victims, are crazy and very ill informed. Why is it Israel turned their cities into booming Oasis’s, but the Palestinians have not. Hatred does bad things to people, we have only to look at the Palestinians to see how hatred can destroy from within.. God Bless Israel and may they succeed against these terrorists..
Leaflets were dropped why are these people putting there kids in harms ways. It is not Israels fault if these kids end of dead it is their parents and hamas. When Israels drops leaflets saying get the hell out of town and you stay, then dear that is your problem.. They are not casualties but rather idiots…
If someone is attacking you, you defend yourself. It’s pretty basic. Unfortunately Hamas has set up its operations within the civilian population. They are a bunch of cowards that hide behind women and children. Of course Israel will kill civilians. The Palestinians need to get rid of Hamas.
Why does the U.S. Administration supports Israel? Why does the world is in a worst place today than it was 50 years ago? Why is the U.S. Policy is so unfairly in favor of Zionist at all the time? Why Jews always get a free pass at everything, here in U.S. if you’re a jew you’ll get into a better law school, medical school and there is better opportunity for jew than other religions? This is a fact. I don’t hate jews, I feel there is duble standard toward israel and jews. Israel currently is committing geniocide and we all know this, however, the U.S administration looks the other way and calls it self defense. This a joke. I hope the whole world would condemn violence and stop this chaso.
I also don’t know much about the middle East except what I read, but Hamas continues to fire rockets into Isreal, even as I’m writing this (according to the news). Before and since Hamas came into power, they were violent. Isreal will continue to defend herself and, I believe, has that right. Hamas seems to, like most terroist want the attention, and has shows little value for the lives that are destroyed by it’s assults and Isreals expected response. If they wanted peace, they would stop the shelling.
here’s a great place to redirect the convo especially if you are religiously inclined:
http://eugenecho.wordpress.com/2008/12/31/another-perspective-on-israel-and-palestine/
While it may not be wrong to say that Hamas had a large part in inciting this latest round of aggrssion and shelling – there is a long history of underlying oppression going on here – of which Palestine legitimately feels victimized. I don’t think we can write that off too easily. There’s a reason why someone fires off rockets in the first place – what is that reason?
Some say what the Palestinians are experiencing is comparable to the Native Indian population in the Americas circa 16 – 1700′s. And there’s a flip side to this – a darker side that involves a contortion of religion called “Christian ZIonism” which believes in all kinds of literal fulfillment of Biblical prophecy as part of an end-game scenario. It is a COMPLETE misreading of the Bible:
“To embrace (Christian Zionism / dispensationalism) one must believe that the Temple will be literally rebuilt and the sacrifices reinstituted, as if this were a good thing — but this is a step backwards in redemptive history, and sternly warned against in the book of Hebrews. The Temple is what pointed to Christ, the True Temple and we are united to Him.”
http://www.reformationtheology.com/2008/10/esv_study_bible_covenant_vs_di.php
from what I’ve read the Hamas bears a pretty significant share of the responsibility here. according to an article in today’s LA Times, they have written into their charter the aim of Israel’s destruction and their are voices within the Arab world (Egypt was one named in the article) that suggested Hamas was being supported by Iran. it is also worth noting that – if I have my facts correct – it was Hamas who broke the ceasefire agreement with Israel with their attacks.
from what I understand, we should be extremely careful to equate Hamas with the Palestinian people as a whole – this is a small, radical Islamic group that lives among the Palestinian people but is more concerned with its own aims than those of the Palestinians. in fact, this seems to be one of the main aims in their attacks – in addition to physically reducing the number of Hamas members, the hope is that the attacks will finally force the Palestinians to part ways with Hamas.
I’ll grant that the Israeli government has probably done plenty to warrant their hatred, but in my opinion this seems to be more a matter of racial hatred than of redressing previous wrongs.
so how do I look at this as a Christian? I pray that peace would be restored to the region; that a new cease-fire would be agreed upon quickly; and that Hamas would cease to exist as an organization, not simply as a result of being defeated on the battlefield, but as a result of the efforts of Arabs banding together against them.
that may be true, but the question remains; how do we address the Palestinian cause?
Hamas chose rockets and that’s their own mistake, but the historical record is still there; Palestinians were ousted from their land by bigger, stronger, Western powers – I just don’t see the justice in that. One blogger goes so far as to recognize this as an apartheid.
Indeed, as religious people how do we respond? With forgiveness? With acts of liberation? With some kind of social redress? Placing ourselves in the shoes of Palestinian Christians, what then would be the response?
Whatever your position, this conflict is heartwrenching to see, as any war is.
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/12/israel_and_gaza.html
not sure what forgiveness or “acts of liberation” or social redress would look like in this situation…do you have something in mind?
what I find particularly interesting about your questions is the concept of ownership of land. on what basis does the land belong to the Palestinians or anybody for that matter? is it because they were the previous inhabitants? like it or not, when hasn’t a nation or people come into possession of land without taking it by force? and how does the biblical understand that everything ultimately belongs to and is distributed by God play into this?
one more thing, if we do have an obligation as Christians to come to the defense of the dispossessed, are we willing to take on other cases as well…like the white landholders in Zimbabwe? like the Native Americans in the US and Canada? where do we draw the line?
as far as helping Palestinian Christians, there must be some way that we can somehow get aid to churches within Gaza…I’d be surprised if there weren’t groups already at work on that even as we blog and comment; in fact, I’d be interested to know if there are.
by the aforementioned I have no agenda but am only listing some of the options. Without much recourse people do desperate things – hence Hamas seeking “acts of liberation” which I don’t fully concur with.
As re: “land” – I think we’re abstracting it too much here. Land is simply a place we come to identify with “home” – of which the Palestinians were uprooted – a verse comes to mind – Micah 2:1 – 5. I don’t think the God of our faith would legitimate this “seizing of fields and houses, oppressing a man and his inheritance” and by no means do I believe there is a biblical mandate to do so.
Unfortunately it is our cause to stand with the dispossessed. I say ‘unfortunately’ because there is so much of it going on, meaning our work looms over us as a monumental task. But this is much better than the social naivete of most Christians who fail to see that any injustice has taken place anywhere at all. We are a “politically correct” society, are we not?
As regards our acts of compassion; why should they be limited to Palestinian Christians?
Hi Wayne – I’d love to see your paper.
The answer is clear. Let Iran back up Palestine with weapons and fighting planes and let them go to war “fairly”. Whoever survives, stays.
Amal’s perspective is frighteningly cogent.
Isn’t that exactly what it’s about? Who was there first and who gets to stay? It’s not so simple as “they shot at us first”…
And furthermore the inequity of military might in this situation – how one nation can justify its actions due to its strength of arms and Western backing – dare I say there is nothing “religious” about this.
The Palestinian land was given to the Jewish people in the year 1948 by the Great Britain. There was a letter stating the Queen of Great Britain granted a part of the Palestinian land to the Jewish people after the World War I so that the Jews have their own land. This move was approved by the United States who was an ally to Great Britain. The BIG question is why does the United States and Great Britain give the Palestinian land to them? Why don’t they give their land instead? What right do they have to give a piece of land that is not theirs to other people?
Try to imagine if a powerful country, say Russia and German have an agreement to give a piece of the United States land to a nation, and that nation is constantly trying to have control, building massive walls to separate the country killing the United State’s people in the process? This is what is happening to the people of Palestine. And not only that, Israel also has the political and economical support of a major world power, the United States.
To put you in perspective for the Hamas people, Palestine has been invaded since the 1930s, think about all the Palestinian children from that time, they grew up in fear, poverty, oppression and anger. They do not understand why their land is given to somebody else, and sadly, they couldn’t do anything. They are traumatized with the killing and so on. This band of children who survived will have hatred deep in their hearts. And sadly, although it is not the right thing to do, when they grew up they will do anything they can to take revenge.
So who do we blame here?
@Khairullah – thank u for this perspective.
It is exactly what I am driving at. While we cannot legitimate what Hamas is doing we have to admit we (the West) had a part in creating our own demise; by our acts of imperialistic aggression we create our own enemies. From a religious standpoint I can say there is nothing redeeming about taking the land away from another man and evicting his wife and killing his children in order to get it.
I don’t know why the international community is not saying more about some of the war crimes already taking place in Gaza, perhaps it is because we have the power to ignore it.
HI I THINK ISREAL IS A KILLER COUNRTY, MAKING PALESTINIANS LIFE HELL, EVEN BEFORE THE WAR STARTED. THEY KEEP TAKING AWAY MORE OF THE LAND, KNOCKING DOWN PEOPLES HOUSES WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE IT PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED THERE ALL THERE LIFE, NOT LETTING PEOPLE CROSS AT CHECK POINTS, AND DONT TELL ME IT DOESNT HAPPEN I KNOW MANY OF PALESTINIANS WITH VERY SCARY STORIES THAT THE SOLIDERS HAVE DONE. THEY DEPRIVE THEM OF FOOD ELECTRICTY, IMAGINE LIVING LIKE THAT NOT BEING ABLE TO FEED YOUR CHILDREN, GOING ACROSS THE CITY AND IT TAKING HOURS BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL THESE CHECK POINTS AND WHEN THEY FEEL THEY WILL LET YOU CROSS THEY WILL, I RECOMMEND EVEYONE TO WATCH OCCUPATION101 ON U-TUBE TO SEE THE TRUTH AND IT IS NOT THERE COUNTRY IT IS PALESTINE. WAKE UP AMERICA WAKE UP WORLD AND SEE THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON. FREE PALESTINE
the chosen people are not only making the palestine people life a hell it it is done all over the world…….