Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Ganging up against Israel

President Barack Obama and his secretary of state, Hillary Clinton have taken US-Israel relationship to an unprecedented level - the lowest ever. Since his inauguration, Barack Obama had made it clear he intends to be intensely pro-Arab. His famous historic speech at Cairo (see vol 12 no 4) was soon followed by the infamous un-American low bow to the Saudi monarch. Every action since, has not only been unabashedly pro-Arab, but maliciously anti-Israel - leaving previously pro-Israel Arabs nations like Egypt and Jordan little option but to follow the lead, repudiating long-term historic treaties. "There has never been anything like this in the history of U.S.-Israeli relations for 62 years" observes Jan Markell, founder and director of Olive Tree Ministries.

Interestingly, this unnecessarily aggressive policy by the US government is beginning to draw the sympathy of the American people, including the legislature. In a recent development, three-fourths of both the US House and Senate have sent a resounding message of pro-Israel support to the Obama administration. According to the Unity Coalition for Israel, strong letters of support for the Jewish state were sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The House letter was signed by 333 members, and 76 lawmakers added a signature to the Senate letter. They stressed the strong and enduring U.S.-Israel relationship and objected to the administration's shift in U.S. policy to Israel. (http://www.israelunitycoalition.org/). See also http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=132573.

The latest storm is the supposed “insult” to Obama that Israel announced new building plans for a Jewish quarter of Jerusalem while US Vice President Joe Biden was visiting. Unfortunately most presses in the world, including Nigeria, have blindly supported the American, (or rather the American Government) position. The facts are that 1,600 proposed new homes are proposed for an exclusively Jewish quarter (Ramat Shlomo) and according to Netanyahu, these locations “are an integral and inextricable part of modern Jerusalem. Everyone knows that these neighborhoods will be part of Israel in any peace settlement.” On another occasion, PM Netanyahu declared “Jerusalem is not a settlement, it is our capital”

No one could miss the point that the duo of Obama and Clinton were merely seeking to pick up fight with Israel (and as one has observed, had this issue not cropped up, there would have been others to exploit!). The net result is that Israelis are learning to take their fate in their hands. While Israelis had been battered into acquiescing to similar unhelpful situations in the past by the Bush administration, the sheer force and arrogance of the new administration is generating a revulsion in Israel; and the Jews are gradually coming to terms with the possibility of having the whole world (governments, that is) against them. That is exactly the scenario painted in the Scriptures, when at the climax of the rule of the antichrist, the UN, (oops, all the nations of the world) will organize an army against Jerusalem. The resulting battle at Armageddon will be settled when the Lord (with His already raptured saints on His entourage) comes back to destroy the antichrist with the flame from his eyes/mouth. (Zechariah 12:2-9; 14:2-4; 2 Thess 2:8-9 Rev 16:13-16). Current events are setting the stage. Serious Christians are looking upward. In which direction is your gaze?

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colosians 3:1-2)

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