Explaining Words that Impact Opinion on Israel’s Rights.
“You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue!” – Psalm 52:4
There are words used in media, in protests on the street and at universities, that are condemnatory, hatred inciting, and misleading. They are designed to turn opinion against the right of Israel to fight against a sadistic enemy and to doubt Israel’s claim to their historical Land.
Words can be used as weapons as Psalm 64:2-3 says. “They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.” The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem Team wants to ensure that all those who stand with Israel understand the meaning and the implications of these deadly arrows.
This is part two of a Two Part series. Part one was in the last issue. We start with a word used as an accusation against Israel, even in International Courts.
Genocide!
Genocide according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, is the deliberate and systematic destruction of a group of people because of their ethnicity, nationality, religion, or race. In the present UN Convention on the prevention and punishment of genocide, the term genocide means ‘the committing with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group’.
Nazi Germany’s systematic and intentional campaign to eradicate the entire Jewish population of Europe and North Africa, was a happening so horrifying that a word was needed to describe it. A term was coined by Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-born jurist who served as an adviser to the U.S. Department of War during World War II. It was derived from the Greek genos which can be translated as race, tribe, or nation, and the Latin cide meaning killing.
But, despite the repeated accusation, Israel is not committing genocide against the Gazan people according to the above definition. Its only aim is to rid Gaza of the terrorist group Hamas. While war always has terrible consequences for civilians, Israel and the IDF go to extreme measures to protect the civilians of Gaza. Measures that are neither applauded or believed and made hugely difficult by Hamas using civilians as human shields.
There is another word shouted, perhaps by many without understanding, but perhaps by others with full understanding of its sickening meaning.
Intifada!
Young protestors shout for a ‘Global Intifada’ as one of their battle cries. But what would that look like? What is an Intifada?
Intifada is an Arab word meaning uprising. There have been two intifadas in Israel, the first began in 1987, 20 years after the 1967 Six Day War which resulted in Israel’s occupation of Judea and Samaria, ‘the West Bank’. That intifada generally involved Arab civil disobedience, throwing stones and Molotov cocktails among other acts. It resulted in about 1,000 Arab deaths, 160 Israeli deaths and over 3,000 Israelis injured, and petered out in 1993.
The second Intifada was an event preplanned by PLO leader Yasser Arafat who was waiting for an opportunity to start it. This opportunity came when the Israel PM Ariel Sharon went up to the Temple Mount in September 2000. In the following four years, claimed by Arafat as a natural reaction to a ‘violation of the Al Aksa mosque’, over 1,000 Israelis were killed by Palestinians, mainly by suicide bombers entering cafes and busses, nightclubs and restaurants. Nowhere was safe in Israel during these years.
The security fence, now separating Judea and Samaria from the rest of Israel and the many checkpoints through which residents must pass to enter sovereign Israel is a result of this intifada, and its construction was largely responsible for its ending.
From this period most Israelis who had been enthusiastic about a Peace Plan, began to mistrust the Palestinians and much of the optimism for peace started to fade.
Therefore, the slogan ‘global intifada’ conveys to Israelis the painful imagery of deadly terror attacks that could happen anywhere at any time against civilians of all ages.
Our last word is a title that is borne proudly by many but hurled almost as a curse from the enemies of Israel, and Israel’s God.
Zionist!
“From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.” Psalm 50:2
Zion in the Scriptures has many layers. It refers to Jerusalem, a mountain, the Land itself, a people. Zion is a word that brings them all together, expressing the essence of the unique land and people, channels for God’s plan of redemption.
Therefore, a Zionist is someone who loves Zion in all its significance.
Politically, it is someone who belongs to or supports the Zionist movement which is generally considered to have been founded by Theodor Herzl in 1897 at the first Zionist congress he organised in Basel Switzerland, the aim being to create a home for the Jewish people in Eretz Israel (Land of Israel) secured by law. A Zionist is anyone who agrees that the land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people and believes in the right of Jewish national self-determination in that land. It is to be noted that being a Zionist does not mean you are anti-Arab.
This is the time for Christians who love Zion to stand up for her rights. Isaiah 40:1 says, “Speak comfort to Jerusalem.” If Israel was living in peace and security, words of comfort would not be required. But her people have suffered constant severe challenges and now, in a time of a bitter conflict, loss and heartache, they need comfort and tenderness even more. Church history has been anything but comforting, and even today words of criticism are issued from Chistian leaders, or, like the 1930’s, there is only silence.
Note these words from Dr Jack Hayford, (1934-1923) Founder of Kings University, USA. “If you are a believer, you cannot be consistent with the whole of scripture and take a position that is passive toward the Jews and Israel.”
You can be one of thousands of Christians Zionists this year in Jerusalem by attending this year’s Feast of Tabernacles celebration – 16th – 23rd October 2024
ICEJ’s Australia extends a special invitation, to join our Australian group to bless Israel with your presence in the land. It will have a deep impact during Succot this year on the people of Israel. Our Feast theme is a most appropriate truth to proclaim to Israel and the nations at this time, as victory is assured by the Spirit of the Lord! From Zechariah 4:6, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit’ says the Lord of hosts.“
Itinerary, package options, online participation and more details are all on our website: icej.org.au/feast2024
0 Comments