Israel is under attack from within. Since June of this year, when Operation “Shovo Achim (Return of Brothers) began, we have witnessed a sharp increase in violence by Arab people against Jewish people throughout Israel, especially in Jerusalem. After the bodies of the three young Jewish boys were found, an outburst of anger erupted among the people of Israel; demonstrations in Jerusalem, in particular, turned violent but only lasted a few days. Sadly, a few young senseless fanatic Jewish youth stooped to the same level as the Palestinian terrorists and murdered a young Arab boy from East Jerusalem. This event was the catalyst for a huge outburst of violence among the Arab youth in Jerusalem.
Five months later, the violence continues and is steadily growing throughout Israel. Unfortunately, instead of quieting the violence, the Palestinian leadership has joined the Hamas terror group in its encouragement of more violence. The results are tragic and people from both sides are dying.
In the past two weeks alone, there were two terror attacks in Jerusalem, both involving Palestinians using their cars as murder weapons. One terrorist drove his car full-speed into a crowded train stop during evening rush hour. The other intentionally ran over people walking near the road. In both events, Jewish women, children, and elderly people died. Police killed the terrorists, and the Arab world condemned Israel! In Turkey, the media reported that a young Palestinian was shot and killed in Jerusalem, not reporting that he had intentionally run over and killed people. What cowards these terrorists are to attack old people, women, and children!
The Palestinian leadership, led by Mahmoud Abbas, continues to flame the fire by encouraging this Palestinian “armed resistance”. A few days ago, a young Arab boy was shot and killed by an Israeli police officer as he was trying to stab the officer in an Arab village in northern Israel. These events once again sparked violent riots throughout Israel; those behind the riots don’t care about the truth of what happened, but only seek to increase the violence.
On Monday, Nov 11th, there were three separate terror attacks against Israelis in Tel Aviv (a soldier was stabbed to death at the train station) and in two different places within the Judea and Samira region. In one of the attacks, a 26-year-old woman was stabbed to death, and in the other, a 14-year-old girl was wounded from a stabbing attempt. Once again, it is hard for me to understand how anyone could justify and hail such cowardly acts.
It’s amazing to me that all of these things are happening as I am writing my blog series on Psalm 122. I do not write to spark up anger or hatred against any sides, but rather for us to understand the depth of the hatred and anger that each side has for the other.
Jerusalem was, is, and will always be the center of the conflict and no manmade efforts to bring peace will succeed. Only the Prince of Peace can solve this, which He will do once and for all when He returns to reign from Jerusalem. Until then, it is important for all of us who follow the one and only living God, to take the time to really intercede for Jerusalem in these days.
Shabbat Shalom,
Moran