I must confess that for the last several days my mind has been on very little else besides Israel. She continues to be attacked and bombed, and in turn she continues to blast away pieces and bits of Lebanon.
I was there two months ago. I met Islamics who had no problem living intermixed with Jews — they just wanted peace. I met Jews who had no problem living intermixed with Islamics — they just wanted peace. They wanted to be in peace in their shared Holy Land and raise the children and live their lives. Sadly, Islamic extremists in the south in Gaza and in the north in Lebanon do not want that peace to exist.
Now it is true that Israel sent the first bombs, damaging the very unstable infrastructure of Lebanon by hitting Beirut International Airport. However, Lebanon was the first aggressor, crossing into northern Israel unprovoked and killing then kidnapping Israeli soldiers. The question that many people are asking, and the question that I pondered for the first couple days, is “Has Israel over-reacted?”
My answer? No. Keep in mind, if the kidnapping was the first attack on Israel, then yes, the bombings of infrastructure and the hard stance of the Israeli Prime Minister would be overreaction, and unfortunately, many leaders of the world are looking at such things that way. Leaders in Greece, France, and Russia have condemned Israeli military action (nevermind the group stance at G8), and even Pope Benedict denounced the Jewish states reactions (nevermind that Pope Benedict, as a youth, bore the Nazi swastika quite willingly).
This one incident though, is not the whole story. After the UN declared that Palastine will be divided into an Arab and Jewish state, and even after the Six Day War and capture of Jerusalem (with the agreement to let Islamic leaders have full charge of Temple Mount affairs), the Islamic regimes demanded more of Israel. Lebanon demanded the withdrawl of the Israeli Defense Force from southern Lebanon, and in 2000, Israel agreed — even going so far as to fly in a United Nations rep to verify that the process had been complete. Israel then withdrew thousands of its own citizens from citizens in the West Bank and Gaza, freely giving the land back over to Palastine as requested. As part of the process, a portion of Gaza became a buffer zone between the two states — a buffer zone given to Gaza that Gaza had in turned filled with missles and tanks to attack Israel.
On top of that, hardly a week passes without a terrorist incident in Israel from the extreme Islamic side. These incidents have always been met with patience and an easy stride from the people of Israel under Sharon and Olmert’s Prime Minister terms, except the latest. Israel has been patient, attempting to work out almost any solution except the surrender of Jerusalem or an all-out end to their very existance; an event that would spell horror and disbursement for Jews equal to the events of the Holocaust.
When watching CNN continuously this weekend, all of the Islamic leaders told the press that the only way to end the conflict is for the Israeli settlers to end their “occupation” and war in “northern Palastine.” They refuse to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist even in passing vocabulary.
Based on the past several years of the terror and heartache that has been brought to a patient Israel, I can no longer say that she is overreacting; I can only watch and hope and pray that she makes the right choices as she pursues her enemies.
This war, this conflict, is a personal one. I am no longer watching the battles of some far away country that I have no connection with. I have flown over its skies, walked its streets, came to love its people; and have drank and cheered on the Tel Aviv basketball team with her soldiers. I have walked through Jeruslaem, sat on the side of the Sea of Gailee.
I see the news fotage of the bombings of apartment buildings in Haifa and I realize that is only a mile from a place that I stayed. I recognize the street corners. I see, broadcasted clear from the Middle East, the bloody platform of a train station in Haifa — the very platform I walked on and waited on so many times on my way to Tel Aviv — and the other bombings in Tiberias, Safed, and Nazareth — and know that I have walked on all those streets and have seen the faces of the people. I can still see the faces of the people.
Finally, there are friends over there that I love. People I have spent time with, shared meals with, stayed in hostels and homes with, and I can only pray for those people.
One of those people offered this description of how to pray for Israel, of which this is a sampling:
Pray for the protection of Israel:
At this moment wicked schemes and plans are being made for terrorism, murder, destruction and war -
Pray that these plans would not be fulfilled – that Israeli Intelligence, Police and Military forces would be alert, effective, sharp and quick to neutralize any plan by Israel’s enemies. Pray for their protection.
Pray that in battle our forces would not lose perspective of the “Image of God”, even in those who passionately desire to destroy Israel.
Pray that in all of Israel’s successes she would not grow proud through her own efforts, forces and power but would humbly see God’s merciful hand of protection.
Media is a powerfully influential tool – pray that as so much focus is on Israel, truth would be revealed and exposed.
Pray for the Believers serving in the Israeli forces, for their protection and effective testimony.Pray for Israel’s enemies:
First – Pray for the salvation of those in the: Hamas, Hizbulla, Al Qaeeda, Islamic Jihad, Palestine, Iran, Syria, etc, etc.
Second – pray that all their wicked schemes of death and destruction towards Israel and others would be thwarted.
Pray for the Arab Believers in these areas:
Protection
Courage
Boldness
Unity
Fruit
Growth
May we not watch the news and hear of the hardships of others with the calouseness we have chosen to layer on our skin. And even now not only for Israel, but also the victims in yet another tsunami in the Indian Ocean. World of mine.
Posted by sharoute 
