This past Monday marked an historic day. First, it marked the 70th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel. And second, it was the day that the United States opened its embassy in Jerusalem, having moved it from Tel Aviv. The majority of the world condemned the Trump Administration for moving the embassy, although appropriations for such a move were approved by a bipartisan act of Congress back in 1995. Our European Allies were highly critical and representatives from those nations did not attend the dedicatory service on Monday.
The main stream media's focus was upon the strife within the Gaza Strip that day. The headlines of the Minneapolis "Star Tribune" stated: "Carnage in Gaza as U.S. moves embassy." That paper joined with dozens of other major papers across America in denigrating the embassy move. What should have been recognized as acknowledging that Jerusalem is Israel's capital city, instead became another picture of the self-imposed carnage that is the Gaza Strip.
Yes, there were deaths along the Israeli-Gazan border. As of this morning 60 Palestinians were killed by IDF soldiers who were protecting that border. For the past six weeks, the Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, at the behest of their Hamas leadership, threatened to break through the security fence with the objectives of killing Israelis, burning their fields, and hoping to kidnap an Israeli soldier. Tunnels were dug under the fence; fortunately the Israeli military discovered those tunnels and they were destroyed. It seemed that almost everyday, for the past six weeks, forays were made by the Palestinians against the fence, but those attempts were stopped by the IDF. On Monday, huge stacks of tires were set on fire creating an intense black smoke that shielded the attackers from the IDF security forces. Several thousands of Palestinians rushed the security fence in several locations with wire cutters in hand as well as torches, weapons, knives, etc. In the melee which followed, Palestinians were killed - many of them were Hamas members.
Almost immediately the main stream media began to declare the injustice of Israel's response to the encroachment of their border. Here was the response by Rupert Colville, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: "The mere fact of approaching a fence is not a lethal, life-threatening act, so that does not warrant being shot. Lethal force may only be used as a measure of last, not first, resort. It is not acceptable to say that 'this is Hamas and therefore this is OK.'" (www.israelnationalnews.com). Yet what other nation would just stand idly by and let their security be breached and allow their citizens to be terrorized? Friends, this was not a peaceful demonstration on the part of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. It was never intended to be peaceful. The Hamas leadership encouraged the people to create acts of violence saying that it would be through violence that the land of Palestine would be fully returned to the Palestinian people.
The world's press and leaders would have us believe that the people living in the Gaza Strip are living in a virtual prison created by the Israeli government. When the Israelis, under the leadership of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, disengaged from the Gaza Strip back in 2005, it was with the hopes that the people living in the Gaza Strip would become productive members of society. But what happened? Almost as soon as the last Israeli had been removed - many of them forcefully by the IDF - every vestige of Jewish life was destroyed, including Jewish hospitals, clinics, and synagogues. Almost immediately the leaders of Hamas led the people in anti-Israeli demonstrations. Rockets have consistently been launched from Gaza into Israel. The leadership of Hamas have consistently declared that there can be no peace while Israel occupies their lands. It is through the humanitarian aspects of Israel's government that food, medical supplies, electricity, natural gas and other necessities for life are brought into the Gaza Strip; this is a fact that the world's media often overlooks. Friends, it is no wonder that Israel is building a security wall - most of it underground - around the Gaza Strip for purposes of protecting its own people.
Yesterday marked the Palestinian day of "nakba" which means "destruction." It is a commemoration of the fleeing of Arabs from the British Mandate after Israel's declaration of Independence on May 14, 1948. Nearly 700,000 Arabs fled their homes at the request of Arab leaders. They were told that the war would be short and Arab victory was inevitable. Many left their homes with dishes still on the table, fleeing into Jordan and Lebanon. Of course, the outcome of the War of Independence was not exactly what they had hoped. Following the war, Israel offered the "rite of return" to tens of thousands of Arabs, but that offer was rejected. Thus those people became refugees - many of them by choice. To this day, the descendants of those refugees lay claim to homes and lands they abandoned in 1948, demanding that the Israeli government grant them a full return.
But, here is what the world's press will not tell you. When the War of Independence broke out in 1948, over 600,000 Jews were expelled from Arab nations in the Middle East. Many of them left with only the clothes they had on their back. Yet, when was the last time you heard their stories? Answer - you have never heard their stories unless you have done incredible research on that period of time. Did they become refugees? No they did not. Many of them immigrated to the United States. Many of them chose to live in the new land called Israel.
Friends, I would urge you to not believe everything you read in the main stream media when it comes to matters of Israel and the Palestinians. They are hardly objective in their reporting of the facts. No matter what happens, Israel is always the antagonist. Israel is always the bad guy. Will real peace ever come to the Middle East? The answer is "absolutely, but not until Jesus returns." What a day that will be!
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