By James Wilson
Israeli Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel blessed the Jewish New Year from Jerusalem’s Temple Mount in God’s Name. Palestinian Muslims rage at the thought of any God but Allah being named on that ground. They have launched a series of ever more deadly attacks on Israelis, blaming them for their misery. Counting all resources the Israelis have given and the Palestinians converted to violent use there is no explanation but their misery is self-inflicted and hatred their highest aspiration.
Although the mount is Israeli property the Israelis have – since the 1967 War – maintained what all parties call the Status Quo. That means Israel maintains security on the mount and Christians and Jews are allowed to visit; only Muslims are permitted to pray there. Following the visit of Minister Ariel rumors were spread by Palestinian leaders that Israel planned to “take over” the Temple Mount. Since Palestinian Muslims are animated and driven by their hatred of Jews and Christians there is no room to explore the illogic of such rumors. Only violence will make their poisoned spirits feel better because they are the children of a violent spirit.
Don’t get me wrong. Jesus – Yeshua – gave His life on the Cross for every Muslim and He desperately longs for their lives to prosper and bless others – in Him. He longs to heal their spirits as well as their minds and bodies. He is drawing many thousands to Himself and even amongst those not so drawn there are millions whose only longing is to be a blessing to their families and communities. But the religion Islam is birthed and nourished in the violence of the twenty-seven jihads launched by its founder. What is its fruit in the hands of the Palestinians?
We have the random stabbings – primarily carried out by children – in cities of the West Bank as well as in Jerusalem. There is the arson attack on the tomb of Patriarch Joseph in Nablus by people who riot and murder over a cartoon drawn of their patriarch; there have been no Jewish attacks on Muslim Holy sites…ever. We have the terrorist Hamas group sponsoring a Day of Rage and rioting all day long. We have Israeli authorities shooting back only when lives are endangered or taken, capturing the perpetrators alive when possible. We have the spectacle of Palestinian President Abbas lying to the world – claiming the Israelis executed thirteen-year-old murderer Achmed Mansara when this little terrorist is alive and recovering from wounds inflicted during capture in an Israeli hospital – calling international troops to invade the sovereign territory of Israel as observers. And we have our American President Obama declaring the actions of both sides – the one seeking a river of blood and the one seeking to stop it – morally equivalent.
Even Secretary of State John Kerry – no friend of Jews or Israel – says Israel has behaved appropriately and no observers are needed. Jordan, the nation responsible for monitoring the status quo, agrees with him.
What to do?
We can begin by recognizing the difference between civilized people and barbarians motivated by blind hatred. We can recall bullies are virtually always people wounded by other bullies – needing both compassion and healing – but the way to heal them is first neutralize their aggression and then tend their wounds – as a lifeguard prevents the drowning victim from dragging him down before making the rescue. That means stopping the terrorists in their tracks and letting their leaders know they are not sovereign on Israeli territory. Not even on the Temple Mount they falsely claim as their own. It means the international community growing courage for the people defending their homes coupled with a commitment to justice on those attacking them.
Jesus says He is the Way and the Truth and the Life – and the exclusive path to the Father. He claims those who remain by His side will know the truth and be free. Our choice is between the secular nonsense that says we let the bully have his way and we will all be safer – when has that ever worked – and the sacred truth that when we are in the company and service of God the closer we are to danger the further we are from real harm. I speak not to the world, which must remain clueless, but to the Church that needs to stand and speak and live the truth we know.
The one perspective leads to eventual death for all – or do we really imagine that when the last Jew is dead the hatred will stop? The other leads through dark places to authentic and abundant life for all.
James A. Wilson is the author of Living As Ambassadors of Relationships, The Holy Spirit and the End Times, and Kingdom in Pursuit – available at local bookstores or by e-mailing him at praynorthstate@charter.net
