Happy Birthday Israel! The World Hates You

This week Israel celebrates her 64th birthday as a nation. Some claim that Israel today is a Middle Eastern power that threatens its neighbors. Sadly, anti-Semitism is on the rise. 

When I visited Israel in 2003, I was shocked to find a front-age story in the Jerusalem Post reporting the results of a poll of Europeans. They were asked which was the most dangerous nation in the world? Now, realize that the respondents could have mentioned North Korea, Iran, Iraq (at the tiem), Russia,  China or Syria, right? Which nation would you say is the most dangerous nation in the world? Well, the 60% of European polled said that ISRAEL is the most dangerous nation to world peace and security.

This week on Israel's 64th birthday, Israel has more enemies than friends. Even our President is no friend of Israel. And in the interest of bi-partisanship, George W. Bush and Condi Rice (Sec. of State) were no great friends of Israel. George and Condi along with Obama would carve up Jerusalem and give away the West Bank to the Palestinians.

In 2005, Israel gave up the Gaza strip and forcibly removed Jewish settlers. Israel made this gesture to the Palestinians to further the peace process but instead of peace, Gaza is now host to 10,000 rockets which can hit Tel Aviv. Hezbollah in Lebanon has 50,000 missiles aimed at Israel.

Whether in Lebanon, the West Bank or Gaza, Israel has acted in self-defense after suffering thousands of rocket and suicide attacks against their people. No other country has had a clearer justification for self-defense and yet, Israel is viewed by many as the aggressor.

Israel is the only Democratic state in the Middle East. It is a country where Arabs and women are prominent in every facet of society. In fact, recently, the Supreme Court panel of two women and an Arab convicted a former Israeli president of sexual offenses. Where else in the Middle East could that have occurred?

In 1967, Israel offered to exchange newly captured territories for peace treaties with Egypt and Syrian but the Arab states refused. Later, Israel evacuated the Sinai (an area 3.5 times the size of Israel) for peace with Egypt and it conceded land and water resources for peace with Jordan.

Twice in 2000 and 2008, Israel offered the Palestinians a state in Gaza and virtually all of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. In both cases, the Palestinians refused.

Happy Birthday Israel! My wish and prayers for you are that God will continue to keep you safe in a world where everyone hates you. My prayer is that you will come to know and trust in the Messiah Yeshua who is truly your only Savior, Shield and Defender. He is the Holy One of Israel.

Jeremiah 23:8 (ESV)
⁸ but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.”

Isaiah 14:1 (ESV)
¹ For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob.