RISING TIDE

It has been quite a while since I blogged on this site. Mostly I have posted small items of interest on Facebook, but recent events in Israel, especially those in Jerusalem, demand more than snippets of information. If you do not read the entire piece, please read the final section entitled, “RAY OF HOPE”.

Having just returned from the Holy Land in the last 24 hours adds additional poignancy to this article. These are the “happy holidays” of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). Sukkot is a time of great happiness for Jews everywhere, but especially when celebrated in Jerusalem. I was in Jerusalem as part of our Israel Allies Foundation's “Chairman’s Conference” held yearly during Feast of Tabernacles. In partnership with the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and the World Jewish Congress, we bring parliamentarian representatives from around the world for three days of education, dialogue and deliberation. This year, as always, a declaration was developed and signed by our attending parliamentarians, presented to Israeli Government leaders and taken back to the represented parliaments for action. This year's resolution was a powerful statement against BDS (Boycott, Divestment & Sanction-BDS is a global campaign attempting to increase economic and political pressure on Israel to comply with the stated goals of the anti-Israel movement).

As I stated earlier, this is the “Happy Holiday” for adherents of Judaism and those who join with them. But instead of happy hearts, singing and dancing in the streets and the smells of holiday meals, there is painful concern. Just this weekend, two terror attacks put the spotlight on growing violence against innocent holiday celebrants.

The first came this past Thursday night. From yesterday’s report in ALJAZEERA: “Eitam and Naama Henkin, both in their 30s, were shot dead while driving on Thursday night between the settlements of Itamar and Elon More, in the north of the Palestinian territory. Their four children, aged between four months and nine years, were found unharmed in the back of the car.”

The family attacked in this horrific incident lived in Neria, north of Ramallah. They leave behind six orphaned children, four of whom – aged 4 months, 4, 7 and 9 years-old, were in the vehicle at the time of the attack. Afterwards, the news of Israelis killed was cause for celebrations in Palestinian neighborhoods across the region, even in Jerusalem. Though I am sure many Palestinians silently sorrowed at the violence, crowds of adults and children alike shot off fireworks and sang in the streets.

In Sukkahs both in Israel and around the world there were quiet prayers, perplexed angst and deep sorrow for this loss of life; the normal happiness of the holiday was tainted with anguish. But there is more.

Yesterday, just as Shabbat was ending, two more Israelis were stabbed to death. The first incident occurred close to the Lion’s Gate in the Old City section of Jerusalem. Aharon Bennett a 21 year-old father visiting Jerusalem with his wife, two-year-old son and baby daughter, was stabbed to death. They were headed to the Western wall for prayer when they were attacked by a 19 year-old Palestinian. The second victim was Rabbi Nechamia Lavi, 41, a rabbi at the Ateret Cohanim Yeshiva in the Old City and a father of seven. He too, was killed trying to defend Mr. Bennett’s family. Mr. Bennett's wife was seriously wounded, while their son suffered minor injuries and their baby was unharmed.

The JEWISH TELEGRAPH AGENCY reports: The Islamic Jihad terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that the attacker — identified as Muhannad Shafeq Halabi, a law student at Al-Quds University — was a member of its movement. Halabi posted a message on his Facebook page on Friday saying that the third intifada has begun. Hamas applauded what it called the “heroic operation” in a statement, saying: “We support and welcome any resistance activity that harms Israeli soldiers and settlers. Our people in the West Bank are ready to die, to sacrifice themselves to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

Just a few hours later, another stabbing took place near where the first attack occurred. In this attack, a 15 year-old Israeli teenager was stabbed by another assailant who is also believed to be a Palestinian terrorist. The teenager was sent to the hospital with wounds to the chest and back. He is expected to recover.

These attacks underscore the rising hatred and violence we see against Jewish people in Israel and around the world. But let me be clear, it is a rising tide of hatred of “People of the Book”, the phrase used by Islamic Fundamentalists to describe Jews and Christians alike. When added to the rising tide of hatred of all things religious, as demonstrated this week in Oregon, it is a clarion call for us to pray as never before. The same hatred connects these two incidents that occurred hemispheres apart. Hatred, whether anti-Semitic or anti-religious, has no bounds. Now is the time for people of faith to stand together.

RAY OF HOPE

You likely remember the three Israeli teenagers kidnapped and killed in June of 2014. This event made worldwide headlines as the Israeli government furiously searched for them for 18 days, only to discover they had been killed the very same day they disappeared. One of the teenage boys was 16 year-old Gilad Shaer (also spelled Gil-ad Shaar).

Last week, I sat in the shade of a private sukkah in the Judean/Samarian region listening to Gilad’s mother and father speak about their tragic journey. Two young girls, two of their five remaining children, stood to the side as they spoke of their murdered son, their pain and their hopes for the future. They told of us Gilad’s love for Torah, music and adventure. They talked bout how his loss has impacted so many, especially his younger siblings. They talked about the overwhelming support and love expressed to them from around the world. They talked about their desire to live in the Land in peace. It was very poignant, inspirational and heartrending. However, what struck me most is what they did NOT talk about. They did not talk about Gilad’s murderers. They did not talk about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. They did not talk about hatred for anyone. They talked about life. They talked about humble courage and hope for the future.

This is not a time for people of faith to cower and fear. As with the Shaer family, it is not a time for our own version of circumstantially justified hatred or violence. It is instead, a time for us to give a voice to the martyrs and call upon spiritual, secular and governmental leaders everywhere to stand against this rising tide of hatred and violence.

Jerusalem is a moral test for the world. How we deal with it will either invite the blessing of God upon our lives, nations and world or bring the consequences of His judgment. Please pray for the Shaer family, the families who have just this week suffered so great a loss and for all families who have lost loved ones to religious hatred, whether in Israel, Oregon or anywhere else. And, as always, pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

HEARTBREAKING

It breaks my heart to hear that Jewish Israelis committed a terror attack against Palestinians today. A Palestinian toddler was killed and three members of his family injured in a deadly arson attack on their home by suspected Jewish, far-right extremists. The former ambassador to the U.S., and current Knesset Member Michael Oren stated earlier today: "The hate crime in Duma was an act of terror, The state of Israel is a country of law and works accordingly against anything that goes against our beliefs."

This act of terror will play into the hands of those who hate and vilify Israel. Shame on those who perpetrated this crime or support it in any way.

Jews in Israel are rightly frustrated by the constant Palestinian extremist attacks on their families, friends and citizens. However, to turn to the same evil tactics lowers the value of human life and is directly opposed to Jewish faith. The Jewish Nation is a political state, but above all it is Jewish in character. No army in the world is more careful than the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) to protect non-combatants from collateral damage. No nation gives medical care to more of those who call for its destruction than Israel. This terrorist attack, committed by far-right Israelis, is the antithesis of the Jewish State I know and love.

Please pray for the surviving Palestinian family members. Pray for a softening of the heart for the far-right Israelis. And as always, pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

A DAY TO REMEMBER

It is “Holocaust Remembrance Day” in Israel. While there are many “Remembrance Days” kept in memorial of the Holocaust, none is as poignant as “Yom HaShoah,” the official day of observance in Israel. Flags fly at half-mast, prayers are offered, candles burn, sirens sound across Zion for two minutes, people stand at attention, cars stop where they are; silent tribute to the dead is offered. Throughout the day speeches from the dwindling survivors recall the pain, the pride and the motivation for a motto that leaves no doubt for the future of a nation promised by God Himself: “NEVER AGAIN.”

A few years ago as we exited from a private meeting at the Knesset, the large hall at the entrance of Israel’s parliamentary building was filled with Holocaust survivors. It was Yom HaShoah. I have no words to describe the feelings I experienced as we quietly slipped through the crowded room. As a gentile, as a Christian, I felt I was violating something sacred. My presence was not appropriate as I maneuvered through these icons of horror. As I returned to my hotel I could not get their faces out of my mind. They are now mostly in their 80’s and 90’s; in a few short years they will all be gone. No one will be left who heard the cries. The Holocaust deniers will be emboldened as these living memorials slip away. A void will be left on this planet that never could nor ever should be again filled.

So, when in Israel I repeatedly walk the hallowed grounds of Yad Vashem (The Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem) and soak in the noble presence and quiet pain of those survivors still among us. I contemplate the connections between the Christian faith I hold so dear to the tragedies before, during and after the dark days of the Nazi regime. I must listen to the lessons of Jewish and Christian history and work for understanding between Christians and Jews today. I must stand with the Jewish people and take as my own the commitment to NEVER AGAIN.

In Exodus 3:7 we read: ” The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.” God does not ignore nor forget the cries. He will also enlighten those with a listening ear.

So I will remember…and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

HATRED ON FIRE

I am seated in the airport on my way to Washington, D.C. watching news reports coming out of Pakistan. At least 126 children dead at the hands of Islamic militants. Their spokesperson states this horrific attack is "revenge" for military actions taken by the Pakistani military against their soldiers. Rebel soldiers killed equals the right to murder innocent children in the minds of these Islamists. Please understand what is happening, knifings in Jerusalem, hostages and deaths in Sydney, Australia, children murdered in Pakistan...these are all the same people using the same tactics. Whether it is Boco Haram in Nigeria, Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, ISIS in Syria, Taliban in Pakistan or Hamas in Gaza, these are all the same people. They are driven by the same ideology, united in their hatred for the rest of us and committed to the same tactics. 

Today I will be with gathered my Israel Allies Foundation colleagues as we strategize how to raise awareness and activate Jews and Christians to stand with Israel against this onslaught. The U.S. Administration is putting constant pressure on the Israeli government to split Jerusalem into two capitals and to surrender more land to the control of the Palestinian Authority. Why do they believe the PA can be trusted at this time? Scores of attacks against innocent citizens have occurred over the last few weeks in Israel. An Arab leader in Jerusalem: "THERE IS A NEW TENSION IN THE AIR; ABBAS (Leader of the Palestinian Authority) WANTS EAST JERUSALEM BURNING". 

There is a growing threat around the world. Among the Islamists, hatred is on fire.

Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray for the leadership and people of nations where these attacks are happening (including America) and please pray for my colleagues as we strategize together this week.

TIME TO CONNECT THE DOTS

Sadly, there is no more chance to bring peace to Israel and Gaza than before. Hamas leaders now admit that they did kidnap and murder the 3 Israeli teenagers back in June. It was this act, along with the firing of thousands of missiles that initiated the recent conflict in Gaza.

Three weeks ago, a few of the thousands of rockets that have been fired from Gaza landed south of Jerusalem around Bethlehem and Gush Etzion. Shrapnel fell a short distance away from the bus stop from which the three teens were abducted in June.

Now NBC News has reported: "A senior Hamas leader has said the group carried out the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teens in the West Bank in June — the first time anyone from the Islamic militant group has said it was behind an attack that helped spark the current war in the Gaza Strip. Saleh Arouri told a conference in Turkey on Wednesday that Hamas's military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, carried out what he described as a ‘heroic operation’ with the broader goal of sparking a new Palestinian uprising. 'It was an operation by your brothers from the al-Qassam Brigades,' he said. "

“A heroic operation.” The abduction and murder of Eyal Yifrach,19, Gilad Shaar,16, and Naftali Fraenkel,16, is a “heroic operation”in the minds of these terrorists. Hamas does not want peace; they want to destroy Israel…men, women and children.

So, let’s try to connect some dots:

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the ones who beheaded American reporter Jim Foley this week and who are prepared to kill another, are the same people who have murdered hundreds of Christians and other religious minorities in the past few weeks. They have openly declared their intentions to wipe away Israel and the United States. This is real, war has been declared.

Boko Haram, the Islamic terrorist movement in Nigeria which killed so many Christians and kidnapped hundreds of little girls is growing. They have already killed over 4,000 people.

Last March, in Ain Shams, a suburb of Cairo, Muslim Brotherhood supporters attacked the Virgin Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church. They fired guns on the ancient church and set parked cars aflame. Four people died. One of the slain, a young Coptic woman, was savagely mauled and molested before being murdered-simply because her cross identified her as a Christian to the Brotherhood rioters.

Please understand; The Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS, Boko Haram, the al-Qassam Bridades, Al Qaeda and scores of other Islamic Jihadi organizations are all the same people with the same intentions. Hamas is one of them. Hamas IS them!

Just today REUTERS reports: “Hamas gunmen executed 11 Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel at an abandoned police station in Gaza earlier on Friday, Hamas security officials said. Shortly afterward Hamas killed seven more Palestinians  in a public execution in a central Gaza square on Friday, witnesses and a Hamas website said. The victims, their heads covered and hands tied, were shot dead by masked gunmen dressed in black in front of a crowd of worshipers outside a mosque after prayers, witnesses and al-Majd, a pro-Hamas website, said.”

Let me repeat, Hamas, both its goals and tactics are the same as all of the other Jihadists.

In today’s news cycle many reports are declaring that ISIS is a bigger threat than previously thought. Typically, the schizophrenic focus of the media has shifted away from Israel and Gaza to report the situation in Iraq. While the newest debate seems focused on the political optics of a golfing president, no connection is made to the fact that ISIS is but one battalion in a worldwide Islamic army filled with hatred for people of biblical faith, Jews and Christians alike. It frankly seems as if the worldwide media is incapable of connecting the dots. Or do they simply refuse to connect the dots?

Now is the hour for people of biblical conviction and faith to pray for our leaders, pray for truth to prevail, and above all, pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

DITTO, THE RETURN

Life often feels like another scene in the 1993 film Groundhog Day. Some things change, some things seem to never change.

I just finished a successful set of meetings with some of my Israel Allies Foundation colleagues. We gathered with State Legislators from around the U.S. at the annual American Legislative Exchange Council where we received broad support for our efforts to promote faith-based political advocacy for an undivided Jerusalem. We are fighting for Israel’s right to exist with Jerusalem as its eternal Capital at the legislative level to avoid the need to battle with military forces.

Still in the afterglow of progress made I'm headed home after ten days, listening to CNN's reporting as I await my plane in Dallas, Texas. This network, along with the majority of the worldwide media seems intent upon framing the current Israeli operation in Gaza as a conflict between two governments.

On the one hand, Israel is a sovereign nation, a member state of the United Nations and a country that is a world leader in technology, medicine, agriculture and manufacturing. It has a diverse culture, religious freedom and democratic rule.

Hamas on the other hand is a terrorist organization and is not a legitimate government in the traditional sense. They have violently broken every “humanitarian cease fire” brokered so far in this conflict. The so-called “governing leadership” of Hamas does not even reside in Gaza, their leader, Khaled Meshaal, lives in luxury in Qatar while the Gazans live under the tyrannical rule of multiple Islamic factions loosely governed by Hamas. Instead of building infrastructure that would improve Gazan life they build extensive tunnels from which to wage war against Israel.

While Arab leaders strangely remain mostly silent, protestors, fueled by unbalanced reporting in Europe are attacking Jews in the streets. Rather than addressing the realities of the situation, both the U.N. and the U.S. leadership seem fixed upon temporarily stopping the conflict without addressing the underlying issues.

All the while, the latest humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza that was agreed to last 72 hours only lasted less than 2. And “why?” you may ask. The answer is obvious, as has been the case in every other brokered cease-fire in this conflict, as soon as it began Hamas and its coalition of terrorists killed two Israeli soldiers and kidnapped another. This is what terrorists do. Why do we expect differently?

It is high time that the U.S. Administration quit pressuring the Israelis to accept cease-fires until they are finished dismantling Hamas’ capacity to fire missiles into the State of Israel and to slip terrorists into Israeli communities to murder and kidnap.

Sane people never want the devastation to families and individuals war brings. At its core, war is evil; its very nature is the antithesis of Judeo/Christian values. May this conflict end soon.

Please pray for peace in Gaza. Pray for the peace in all the Middle East. Pray especially for the peace of Jerusalem.