The pulse of the land at the uttermost parts of the earth
In the early hours of September 25, 1918, on the moonlit southern shore of the Sea of Galilee, white and aboriginal Australians executed the last horseback charge in military history to capture a small but fiercely-defended train station – Tzemach.
Weeks later, World War 1 was over, and for the first time in nearly seven centuries, the Jews’ ancient homeland was free from Muslim control.
As this article goes to press, the centennial of this little-known but critical Battle of Tzemach is being marked at the restored site, 11 months after the 100th anniversary of the famous victorious charge at Beersheba of the Australian 800 Light Horsemen.
Beersheba began the liberation of the Land of Israel; Tzemach secured that liberty.
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Last year—in the run up to Beersheba —I came to Australia to motivate for the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Multitudes of Aussies longed to see their country “lead the charge” as the first to move its embassy to this city.
My 2017 journey took me to every major center around Australia, and from Elcho Island in the north, through Alice Springs, to Tasmania way down south.
Aboriginal elders and their communities received me, as did numerous Christian leaders and—despite me not being Australian—a number of senators and MPs. An Australian-drafted petition calling on the Federal Parliament to move the embassy to Jerusalem was circulated at the meetings. Last December 5, Liberal Party Senator James Paterson tabled the petition, signed by thousands of citizens.
I have felt [Australia’s] strong, steady beat for Israel…
The following day, President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and declared his intent to move the US Embassy there. On May 14 this year—Israel’s 70th Anniversary of Independence—the American made good on his pledge.
It was after Trump’s Jerusalem announcement that I decided to travel Down Under once more—concerned that impetus toward moving the Australian embassy would wane now that that nation could no longer lead the way.
Under international law, every country has the right to designate its capital. All Australia’s embassies and high commissions are located in the chosen capitals of the world’s nations. The only exception is Israel.
I stress: Israel alone is discriminated against. This is, unequivocally, wrong.
In August and September I again circumnavigated that large and dramatically beautiful country, visiting places I have called at in the past, and getting to know some new ones.
Highlights included opportunities to address Jewish Australians in synagogues in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.
While welcomed at all three, my reception at the Central Shule Habad in Caulfield on August 24 was exceptional as I became the first Christian to address the congregation from the pulpit during a Shabbat evening service.
That moving meeting followed a dramatic previous day in Canberra’s Parliament House—when what imminently-to-be-ousted Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called “the madness” took hold of the governing Liberal Party. By Friday lunchtime Turnbull, and his foreign minister, Julie Bishop, had been “spilled” from power.
Both had rejected the embassy move: Turnbull emphatically declaring— following Trump’s announcement—that “Australia’s embassy will remain in Tel Aviv” and Bishop, this past June, defying a call by the Liberal Party Council in Sydney and insisting, “the Australian government will not be moving our embassy to Jerusalem.”
These roadblocks have now been removed.
Somewhat surprisingly, amidst the drama roiling Parliament on August 23, two senators nonetheless honoured appointments I had to meet with them: The Liberal Party’s Amanda Stoker assured me she would support the embassy move. One Nation Party leader Pauline Hanson agreed to consider it.
The following weekend I was graciously invited to meet Tasmania’s Liberal Party Senators Eric Abetz and Jonathon Duniam, who very much back relocating the embassy. I went on to speak with MPs and Federal Senate hopefuls in Western Australia and Darwin, and was further encouraged by their response.
Conversely to my concerns, then, momentum towards Australia’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is continuing to build. The matter will feature in the country’s already-underway federal election campaign, which by law must be held by May 18, 2019.
Worth noting is that, for the first time in its history, Australia has in new Prime Minister Scott Morrison an openly professing Christian; the duly-elected deputy of the Liberal Party and treasurer in the Morrison government is Josh Frydenburg, son of a Hungarian Holocaust survivor.
A troubling truth I learned on this most recent visit Down Under was from leaders of nation-wide Jewish organizations; they told me that Jews— in what was once considered one of the most philo-Semitic countries on earth —are increasingly anxious about their future in that land.
Intensifying anti-Semitism has led to, among other things, the new reality of armed guards stationed outside synagogues and Jewish schools. Some people are apprehensive about appearing in public in ways that can identify them as Jews.
Fueling these fears is the possible makeup of Australia’s next government. Members of the Labor Party—which current polls show leading the race— have openly stated that their ascension to power will immediately be followed by a call to recognise a State of Palestine in the Land of Israel. This state is aiming to have half of Jerusalem as its capital. Some of these politicians are openly hostile towards Israel, siding obsessively with those who call for the destruction of the Jewish state.
No one I spoke to believes that a Labor-led government will place its embassy in Jerusalem. A number are even holding open the possibility that they might have to leave Australia and move to Israel if the political landscape shifts that way.
In summary, this tour around the country has, I sense, given me an opportunity to take Australia’s pulse. And I have felt its strong, steady beat for Israel across sectors despite the forces working against it.
In Australia’s Jewish, Christian Zionist, indigenous and political streams I detected a momentum that has the very real potential of forging something united and powerful against the influences that seek to set Australia at odds with God’s End-Times purpose for Israel and the nations.
Like a multi-strand but single electrical cord this pulse can, I believe, plug Australia into the Light that is rising over Israel, bringing Australia in under God’s blessing in a way that could lead to the outbreak of national revival so many Christians have prayed and longed to see—believing their nation destined for this.
God-fearing Australian Christians and Jews will be praying, separately and, sometimes, together, as their nation heads towards the critical 2019 elections.
May the God of Israel—Who sees from heaven, and Who has not overlooked the sacrifices made by Aussies that have blessed the Jewish people in recent times—hear their prayers.
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