Middle East Threats Escalate

It has been awhile since I have focused upon what is happening in the Middle East.  But an event that transpired today should not only draw our attention but cause us to be greatly alarmed.  It was reported today, by most of the major news organizations, that Iran launched two ballistic missiles with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written in Hebrew on the sides of each missile.  According to a report published by Fox News, Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami, a deputy commander of the Guards (Iranian Republican Guards) told Fars news agency, "The missiles fired today are the results of sanctions.  The sanctions helped Iran develop its missile program."   The Fox News report continued, "Fars quoted Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division, saying the test was aimed at showing Israel that Iran could hit it.  'The 1,240 mile range of our missiles is to confront the Zionist regime,' Hajizadeh said.  'Israel is surrounded by Islamic countries and it will not last long in a war.  It will collapse even before being hit by these missiles.'"

Now what made this act even more sinister is that it occurred while Vice President Joe Biden was visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  It was a warning, really, to both countries that Iran could do whatever it wanted to do and no one could really do anything about it.  The economic sanctions have all been lifted.  Iranian leadership has entered into several major trade agreements with partners in Europe.  They laugh at the threat of other imposed sanctions by anyone. 

Furthermore, also reported by Fox News today:"Iran on Tuesday again threatened to walk away from the nuclear agreement reached last year with global powers, hours after the country breached international agreements by test-firing ballistic missiles.  Iran's most recent ballistic missile test, which violates current U.N. Security Council resolutions, comes a day after the international community's nuclear watchdog organization disclosed that it is prohibited by the nuclear agreement from publicly reporting on potential violations by Iran.  Iranian leaders now say that they are poised to walk away from the deal if the United States and other global powers fail to advance the Islamic Republic's 'national interests.'  'If our interests are not met under the nuclear deal, there will be no reason for us to continue,' Abbas Araqchi, Iran's deputy foreign minister, warned during remarks delivered to a group of Iranian officials in Tehran.  'If other parties decide, they could easily violate the deal,' Araqchi was quoted as saying by Iran's state-controlled media.  'However, they know this will come with costs.'" 

This deal with Iran that was agreed to in Switzerland last year is becoming a political nightmare.  One wonders at the intelligence of those who crafted this agreement.  The more I hear of its implications - and they are all one-sided toward Iran, the more I remember that agreement that British Prime Minister Chamberlain signed with Adolph Hitler purporting to "bring peace to our time."  And we all know how that agreement turned out.  It seems that those entrusted with protecting "the chickens in the chicken coop" entered into an agreement that truly favored "the fox."  And now "the fox" is strutting his stuff. 

But the alarm concerning Israel and the Middle East does not come exclusively from Iran.  Yesterday I read the following from the israelnationalnews.com website.  "With about 10 months left in office, President Barack Obama is considering unprecedented moves to implement a two-state solution, according to a Wall Street Journal report.  Senior US officials revealed that the President is looking to initiate a final negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority using United Nations Security Council resolutions, a step that would obligate not only Israel and the Palestinian Authority, but effectively determine the direction of US policy for the president's successor as well. ... According to the plan described by senior US officials, Obama is considering reviving the dormant Middle East Quartet, a diplomatic body including the US, UN, EU, and Russia, to apply pressure to Israel and the Palestinian Authority to resume active negotiations.  The President is also considering use of a United Nations Security Council resolution to forcibly extract concessions from Israel and the PA.  The US has until now vetoed any such resolutions, though Mr. Obama has in the past threatened to allow them to pass.  A Security Council resolution would be binding upon all parties, unlike General Assembly measures which are non-obligatory recommendations.  Such a resolution would remain in force even after the president leaves office next January, effectively shaping the future of American policy in the region for Mr. Obama's successors.  The resolution would require Israel cease construction over the Green Line and would force Israel to recognize eastern Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.  At the same time, the Palestinian Authority would be obliged to officially recognize Israel as a Jewish state and would be pressured to give up the long-standing demand for a right of return."

Let's see:  Israel is faced with a very real nuclear threat on its eastern borders from Iran.  Israel is faced with the threat of the Islamic State radicals now camping out in parts of Syria and who are as vocal as are the Iranians in their intent to destroy Israel.  Israel is faced with the constant threat of Hamas on its southwestern border with its tunnels and rockets.  And Israel is faced with a very hostile political climate in Europe and in the United States.  Where can this little state, the only island of democracy in a sea of authoritarianism in the Middle East, turn?  Who can it trust? 

Now, as Bible-believing Christians, we know that Israel's only true source of help is found in God.  We know that God has not forgotten those people whom He called by His Name so many centuries ago.  We remember those promises that God gave to Abraham recorded for us in Genesis, promises that focused upon a piece of land given to Abraham and his descendants forever and promises of a people so great that they could not be counted and promises that it would be through the seed of Abraham that all the peoples on the earth would be blessed.  We remember the words from the ancient prophets of how God would bring His people back to that land He had promised to them.  He would rescue them when all others abandoned them.  Israel's strength is not in her military might - as powerful as that is right now.  Israel's strength is not in her technological wizardry - as ingenious as it truly is.  Israel's strength is found in its God!  He is the One in whom I daily put my trust.  He is the One in whose promises I rest.  I pray this for the people of Israel as well.