UK stance on Israel
I only just realised, very recently, why the battle over Jerusalem, Israel, and with the Palestinians continues. Of course the battle is a Spiritual one. But there is a political aspect too, and in human terms, Britain did not expect, in 1947/48, for the nation of Israel to survive. It was a problem left to the Arabs to solve and in 1948, a day after Israel was born, the nation was expected to die. This month, on the 14th of May, Israel celebrates it’s 70th birthday and some of the surrounding Arab countries think of their own defeat of 15th of May, a defeat which was inevitable if miraculous.
Israel exceeded all expectations. It continues to do so today, as it thrives, it is miles ahead of other nations in technology, medicine, and agriculture, and related aspects of each.
To this day, many Western nations do not act as though they care if Israel survives, and so they do not side with it over Jerusalem as capitol, or over Palestinian issues.
Propaganda vs Apathy
I’ve naively thought the struggle was against the Palestinian propaganda machine and the fear of Europe to stand up to terrorism. But my eyes have been somewhat veiled until this week.
I live in the UK so I will focus on the UK viewpoint.
The Balfour Declaration of 1914 sought to give Israel a nation. It was introduced from England and for that, UK deserves credit.
But by the time Statehood was granted to Israel a lot of very cold water had run under the proverbial bridge.
Just as the Jewish people needed refuge most, during the rise of Hitler in Germany, Jewish immigration to Israel was severely limited under the British Mandate, whilst Arabs were given much more freedom to move into the territory.
After the end of World War II the idea for a Statehood for Israel was fulfilled.
I only just realised the real reason Britain abstained in the vote for Israels’ statehood, and did not and has not helped the State. There are political excuses of course but really… they simply don’t care.
They left it to the Arabs to dissolve the nation in 1948. It was born and when it died the British and other abstainers could say,
“Well, we tried.”
But did the UK government really try?
When Israel survived the onslaught of Arab attack against all adds, the UK policy was and has since been luke warm toward its ally in the Middle East.
Wow! My eyes have been opened. May others’ also.
President Abbas and Palestine
As to the Palestinian perspective, most recently here is what President Abbas has told his National Congress,
“From the 11th century until the Holocaust that took place in Germany, the Jews were subjected to a massacre every 10 to 15 years. But why did this happen? The Jewish issue that was widespread in all the countries was not because of their religion, but rather their social behaviour related to usury and banks.”
Historically, this is the response that was used against them, throughout centuries, but it was on the backs of Europeans calling the Jewish people “Christ-killers” so of course the prejudice was based on religion. Further, also due to prejudice, when the Jewish people were denied the right to merchant or agricultural work, the major industry left open to them was banking.
Abbas, in the same speech, referred to the founding of Israel as “a colonial project” and not as coming from the Jews, which contradicts the other prejudice against them, that of Zionism. Abbas cannot have it both ways: is Israel based on a Zionist principle, motivated by Jews? Or is it a result of the Holocaust and Allies from the War orchestrating a homeland for the Jewish people?
Who created the modern State of Israel?
Ultimately, it is a project from the Creator of the Universe who said he would deliver the Jews and one day a new nation would be born “in a day”.
And so it was, and so it has been, and so it will be until Jesus returns. The coming of their Messiah is near. May the UK side with it, before it is too late for Britain.
The British governments from modern history to today need to open their eyes, and like the US and Canada (present government excluded), and other countries who said “yes” to the formation of the State of Israel, or have encouraged it’s freedom to exist since, need to embrace and openly and diplomatically accept Israels’ sovereignty: its right to exist and right to determine its capital city.
They deny it at their spiritual peril.