בס”ד
Parashat Re’eh (Look) Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17
Haftarah: Isaiah 54:11-55:5
This week “peace” talks between Israel and the terrorists are being renewed. I know that there will be those who feel my labeling of the Palestinians as terrorists is improper. I am not against those who call themselves Palestinian on a personal level, but one should understand that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is indeed a terrorist organization. Hamas, who rules in Gaza, is acknowledged by the United States as a terrorist organization, and the PA has a signed “reconciliation” agreement with Hamas. Hence, why is it improper to call the PA terrorists? And their actions warrant such a description.
When it is necessary to release Palestinian prisoners who committed murder in order to sit down to talk “peace”, I think there is a serious problem. Imagine how the Americans would feel if a pre-condition for these talks would be for the American government to set free Nidal Malik Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter, who killed 13 Americans? Yet, the Obama administration has no qualms in pressuring Israel to release more than 104 terrorists who took part in deadly attacks on Israeli citizens.
Where are the civil rights leaders who recently took to the streets in the name of justice? Where is the outrage for an administration which ignores Israeli families’ sorrow for the sake of creating a State which still maintains the written goal of Israel’s destruction? Why is America so committed to the establishment of a Palestinian State? If you are naïve, then you probably answer “for the sake of peace”. Every concession which Israel has made has in the end caused more Israeli blood to be shed. Truthfully, I am not surprised that politicians see things from such an unbiblical perspective; but what does disappoint me is how a greater number of “Christians” are supporting such a policy.
What is the reason for this? It is most common for the Church to site justice, fairness, and civil rights as the basis for supporting a Palestinian State. There is a misguided theological perspective that believes Yeshua always stands with the poor and afflicted. This is not the case. Yeshua stands on the side of truth. The truth is that G-d has promised the Land to the sons of Jacob. This is not a matter of favoritism, but of calling. In other words, it is not because HaShem likes Jewish people more than Gentiles that He gave this Land to the Jewish people. Rather it is because of purpose. G-d is sovereign and He can choose whomever He desires to use. Likewise, He can choose whatever method He wants to accomplish His purpose of establishing His Kingdom.
In this week’s Torah portion, HaShem promises to cut off the Gentiles from the Land so that Israel may dwell there (See Deuteronomy 12:29). Is this unfair, unjust, and against the nature of a loving G-d? By no means! One must pay attention to the context in order to learn that those Gentiles were idol worshippers and even burned up their children in fire in observance to their “gods” (See Deuteronomy 12:31).
It must be pointed out that when Israel committed the same acts (See Jeremiah 7:30-31) what was the outcome? The results were the destruction of the Temple and the Babylonian Exile. In fact, Scripture says that HaShem punished Israel twice as much as the Gentiles for their sins (See Isaiah 40:2). Although Israel has gone into Exile several times, make no mistake that in order for the Kingdom to be established, Israel must return to the Land.
For more than twenty years there have been efforts by the world to bring peace to the Middle East by pressuring Israel to give up land. The United States has led the way in this endeavor. Personally, I strongly believe that America has not been blessed by such a course; in fact, I think a most convincing case could be made that the opposite has been the outcome.
Shabbat Shalom