And the blood ran calf high in the streets of Jeruselem
I'm sorry that I haven't posted in eons. I usually only post when something is weighing on my heart and life has been sailing smoothly. Lately, however, I have had some pretty intense discussions about an issue that have been nagging me.
Let's take a look at the current state of Israel. Not the ancient Jewish nation, but the middle eastern nation formed in the late 1940's. As I read it, Israel was created by the UN in 1947. The nation of Palestine was divided by foreign powers to be 56% Jewish and 44% Palestinian. The actual population was divided much differently; only 32% of the population was Jewish. The UN plan also called for Jerusalem and Bethlehem to be international territory open to both Palestinians and Jews.
This is no longer the case. Fighting between Arabs and Jews led to brutal warfare. Armistice agreements left Palestine with only a tiny fraction of land and Israel controlled 77% of the former Palestinian territory including Jerusalem.
Current Arab terrorist organizations, such as the militant wings of Haamas and Hesbala, see Israel as an agressive, foriegn occupying force. They have evry right to. Palestinian land was taken first by the UN and then by Israel itself to form its current borders. I do not mean to say that I agree with their practice of intentionally targeting civilian targets. What they have done ammounts to murder. I simply wish to encourage you to consider fully their position and ask if you can't feel some small sense of understanding for them.
I also don't want anyone to think I support the actions of Israel. Militant Zionists took land from Palestine by force in direct defiance of the UN partitian resolution (resolution 181). In their recent conflict with Lebanon, Israel has, intentionally or by criminal neglegence, killed far more civilians than militants. Many of those civilians were actively trying to evacuate as Israel had warned them to do. They have also attacked unarmed UN observers with precision bombs. They have destroyed all highways which allowed passage of civilian relief aid. They are continuing to perform offensive military strikes into Lebanon in spite of the recently adopted cease fire.
This is not a nation that expresses the love of God. This is a nation that seems to serve only its own interests and has no intention of finding peace. I do not believe this nation we call Israel is truly the chosen nation of God, but reather a haven for angry Jews.
Just because we still call it Israel, they are not automatically God's chosen.
Let's take a look at the current state of Israel. Not the ancient Jewish nation, but the middle eastern nation formed in the late 1940's. As I read it, Israel was created by the UN in 1947. The nation of Palestine was divided by foreign powers to be 56% Jewish and 44% Palestinian. The actual population was divided much differently; only 32% of the population was Jewish. The UN plan also called for Jerusalem and Bethlehem to be international territory open to both Palestinians and Jews.
This is no longer the case. Fighting between Arabs and Jews led to brutal warfare. Armistice agreements left Palestine with only a tiny fraction of land and Israel controlled 77% of the former Palestinian territory including Jerusalem.
Current Arab terrorist organizations, such as the militant wings of Haamas and Hesbala, see Israel as an agressive, foriegn occupying force. They have evry right to. Palestinian land was taken first by the UN and then by Israel itself to form its current borders. I do not mean to say that I agree with their practice of intentionally targeting civilian targets. What they have done ammounts to murder. I simply wish to encourage you to consider fully their position and ask if you can't feel some small sense of understanding for them.
I also don't want anyone to think I support the actions of Israel. Militant Zionists took land from Palestine by force in direct defiance of the UN partitian resolution (resolution 181). In their recent conflict with Lebanon, Israel has, intentionally or by criminal neglegence, killed far more civilians than militants. Many of those civilians were actively trying to evacuate as Israel had warned them to do. They have also attacked unarmed UN observers with precision bombs. They have destroyed all highways which allowed passage of civilian relief aid. They are continuing to perform offensive military strikes into Lebanon in spite of the recently adopted cease fire.
This is not a nation that expresses the love of God. This is a nation that seems to serve only its own interests and has no intention of finding peace. I do not believe this nation we call Israel is truly the chosen nation of God, but reather a haven for angry Jews.
Just because we still call it Israel, they are not automatically God's chosen.
posted by Andrew at 12:55 PM
2 Comments:
Let us not forget that despite our Presidents denouncement of Hesbala and Hamas as terrorist orginisations and enemies of democracy, let us not forget that they were and are the democraticly elected representitives of their nation. Not excusing their gurilla activities but one connot uphold and condem democracy in the same breath because they do not like the choices of the process
I should point out that the comment left in my name was, in fact, my friend, Stevie.
It is not entirely unreasonable to tell Palestine, "Congratulations or a democratic election, but we now have a political conflict with your government." I do, however, wish that the United States seemed more eager to engage in diplomatic efforts with Palestine. Our response seemed to say, "Do what we want you to or you're screwed."
My biggest problems with Israel in this conflict are that they destroyed a UN facility occupied by unarmed observers after no fewer than six warnings that their attacks came dangerously close to those observers. Israel knowingly destroyed the last highway by which the Red Cross to move relief aid to displaced Lebonese civilians. Once again, the UN warned them about the highway. Deliberately obstructing relief aid is an internationally recognized war crime. Israel continues to attack Lebanon in spite of signing a cease fire agreement. That's just bad form.
I don't side with either of them. Israel has become a self serving bully. Lebanon is spineless and allows Iran and Syria to do their fighting. Palestine refuses to make any concesions toward peace. The world has seen millenia of senseless bloodshed over dirt and that isn't going to change. I only wish we could all look at the grander scale of the situation and stop absolving Israel of its faults.
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