What Are the Palestinians Up To?

While the focus of many Americans has been upon the healthcare reform bill and the awakening of the grassroots over what passage of this bill will mean, other events have been happening around the world that also have tremendous implications for our lives.

This past month, over 2000 Palestinian delegates from the Fatah Party met in Bethlehem for their 6th Convention. The last Convention was held 20 years ago. Now some of you may be asking "What is the Fatah Party?" Let me give you a brief background. Fatah is the arm of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO - you remember them) that was ruled by no lesser a person than Yassar Arafat. For decades he ruled the PLO-Fatah with an iron hand. He was able to carry both the olive branch in one hand and a pistol in the other. Yet the world granted him the Nobel Peace Prize (please don't ask me how that happened!). When Arafat died in November 2004, the reins of power were given to Mahmoud Abbas who, since 2004, has been the leader of the Palestinian Authority - a more attractive name given to the PLO. In the summer of 2007, just months after the Israeli Defense Forces removed all Jews from the Gaza Strip, that area was taken over by Hamas, who broke off from the Fatah-led PA. Today, Hamas still controls the Gaza Strip, while Fatah-led PA controls the West Bank.

The purpose of the Bethlehem Convention was to select new leadership for Fatah and to establish a renewed commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian State. So, what happened at the Convention? First, the Convention accused Israel of being responsible for the "assassination" of Yassar Arafat and demanded that an investigation be conducted into that "assassination." (It must be admitted that the details of Arafat's death are shrouded in secrecy. All we know is that he was in a French hospital when he died; some say of complications from a liver disease, others from the effects of AIDS. Nothing was officially said.)

Second, the Convention reaffirmed that Jerusalem would be the capitol of the Palestinian State. The PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said, "The future of the national project and the future of a comprehensive peace in the region are both dependent on protecting Jerusalem, its status, its history, and Palestinian rights in the city." He also went on to state that the presence of Israelis within the entire city of Jerusalem "threatens the viability of a two-state solution." (taken from Arutz Sheva August 3, 2009).

Third, the Convention stated that "controlled violence" against Israel was an option if dialogue was not successful. Could another Intifadah be on the horizon? Might there be an increase in acts of terror being directed toward Israeli citizens in order to force the creation of a Palestinian State? If those acts occur, what will be the response of the Obama Administration?

I was recently asked if I thought I would live to see a Palestinian State created. My response was "possibly." Historically, there has been several opportunities for the creation of two-states: Israel and Palestine. In 1936, the Peel Commission made such a recommendation to the British Government, who was in control of the area through the British Mandate given in 1920-22. But, the Arab world rejected that recommendation. In 1947, the United Nations resolution again divided the land into two states. Once again, the Arab world rejected it. During the Clinton years, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered Yassar Arafat 90% of the land that the Palestinians demanded; Arafat walked away from the table. I do not believe the Palestinians want two-states. They want one state - Palestine. Their maps prove that. Their text books prove that. Their dialogue proves that. They want Israel driven into the sea. That is their ultimate goal and purpose.

Let's say that tomorrow an agreement is reached that gives the entire West Bank along with East Jerusalem to the Palestinians. All Jewish residents are forced to leave - because no Jews will be allowed in a Palestinian controlled state. (Funny, Palestinians can live in a Jewish State, but Jews cannot live in a Palestinian State). Families are uprooted as they were from Gaza. What do you seriously think would happen? How soon before the rockets would be flying to Haifa and Tel Aviv, to Tiberius and Beersheba? We know this will happen...we have the Gaza Strip as proof. And the world has done nothing about the thousands of rockets that have been launched into Israeli communities from Gaza. Yet, the world strongly condemned Israel earlier this year when they launched a retaliatory operation into Gaza. And, when the rockets come from Ramallah and Tulkarem, you know they will be flying from Southern Lebanon as well.

Perhaps, it will be at this time that the war described in Psalm 83 will occur. There will be another "67 War", and this time the Israeli forces will not yield to any American sponsored ceasefire, but will completely drive out those who have opposed them and threatened to drive them into the sea.

Friends, healthcare is important. But don't forget that around the world God is preparing those events that will precede and then usher in His Kingdom.