I just returned from leading a group of 43 of us around Israel on a 10 day trip. It was an amazing time, and for me, it marked a return I have wanted to make since my last trip 8 years ago (this was my sixth trip to the Holy Land). Much has changed--archaeological sites have been expanded, roads are improved, and tourism is rapidly growing again. Much, however, remains the same, from the inspiring sites and vistas to the sense that one is walking through both history and prophecy. I'll post later about the many highlights of the trip.
Because of friendships with Christian brothers and sisters in both Israel and the Palestinian territories, I have great sympathy and concern for the people of this region, and great interest in both the current situation and potential developments in the future. I did not find much to make me encouraged about the near term.
Politics made visiting Palestinian areas problematic. Israeli guides and drivers are not allowed to go there, apparently by order of their government. They speak as if it is unsafe to go there; not for tourists, only the Israelis, according to them. Our time in Bethlehem felt as safe as any place else, although some of our women did not enjoy the more boisterous attentions of the many male street vendors and loiterers around the Church of the Nativity.
Conversations with people with insider knowledge paint a bleak picture of life for the Christian Arab population in Bethlehem, which continues to shrink. It appears that many of them would wish Bethlehem was a part of Israel rather than the territories, but that is not likely with the majority Muslim Arabs in control of the town and the region. Frankly, life for all the Arabs in the West Bank is much worse economically and politically than that of Arab Israelis. The Palestinian government of Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank is seen as powerless, and many said that the only reason Hamas is not taking over is the Israeli presence in the region, as well as U.S. efforts to prop him up. Gaza is seething with unrest and barbaric treatment of its residents at the hands of the radical Hamas militia. Don't be surprised to see the PLO lose its grip in the West Bank completely if Israel withdraws as they did from Gaza. Israel should learn from both the Gaza result and their previous unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon that pulling out when there is no one to move in (as Egypt was able to do when it returned to the Sinai) is a disastrous strategy.
Israelis long for peace as few of us can imagine. They are discouraged by the caliber of their political leaders. Prime Minister Olmert is surrounded by scandals. The left wing Labor party's main leaders are people whose records of past failure do not comfort, and the rise of Netanyahu on the right is polarizing to many who remember his scandals and (some say) abrasive ways. One person told me they long for someone with character and vision to lead. Many would give more land, and probably part of Jerusalem itself, if they could be sure that it would lead to lasting peace and security. Such assurance is not, however, available, nor is it likely to be in the future.
Joel Rosenberg's post today, entitled After Annapolis: what now for Arab-Israeli peace? is an insightful evaluation of the recent Annapolis meetings and their potential results. Using "insightful" to describe Rosenberg is almost tautological, as his recent fiction about the Middle East over the last few years has been prescient on many levels. His non fiction best seller, Epicenter, is an excellent analysis of prophetic content related to this region's future. Today's post makes the following points:
1. Sacrificing land for peace is not likely a fruitful strategy.
2. Giving up any part of Jerusalem will not be seen as operating from strength but from fear or weakness, and will only embolden the radicals who will not stop until all of Israel is in their grasp.
3. Russia's Vladimir Putin is inserting himself into this situation with his own conference, and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is calling for a conference as well of those who wish to see Israel destroyed. Since Russia and Iran are moving closer, as Rosenberg has already documented, this only makes the plausibility of prophetic events being on the horizon more clear.
Because of friendships with Christian brothers and sisters in both Israel and the Palestinian territories, I have great sympathy and concern for the people of this region, and great interest in both the current situation and potential developments in the future. I did not find much to make me encouraged about the near term.
Politics made visiting Palestinian areas problematic. Israeli guides and drivers are not allowed to go there, apparently by order of their government. They speak as if it is unsafe to go there; not for tourists, only the Israelis, according to them. Our time in Bethlehem felt as safe as any place else, although some of our women did not enjoy the more boisterous attentions of the many male street vendors and loiterers around the Church of the Nativity.
Conversations with people with insider knowledge paint a bleak picture of life for the Christian Arab population in Bethlehem, which continues to shrink. It appears that many of them would wish Bethlehem was a part of Israel rather than the territories, but that is not likely with the majority Muslim Arabs in control of the town and the region. Frankly, life for all the Arabs in the West Bank is much worse economically and politically than that of Arab Israelis. The Palestinian government of Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank is seen as powerless, and many said that the only reason Hamas is not taking over is the Israeli presence in the region, as well as U.S. efforts to prop him up. Gaza is seething with unrest and barbaric treatment of its residents at the hands of the radical Hamas militia. Don't be surprised to see the PLO lose its grip in the West Bank completely if Israel withdraws as they did from Gaza. Israel should learn from both the Gaza result and their previous unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon that pulling out when there is no one to move in (as Egypt was able to do when it returned to the Sinai) is a disastrous strategy.
Israelis long for peace as few of us can imagine. They are discouraged by the caliber of their political leaders. Prime Minister Olmert is surrounded by scandals. The left wing Labor party's main leaders are people whose records of past failure do not comfort, and the rise of Netanyahu on the right is polarizing to many who remember his scandals and (some say) abrasive ways. One person told me they long for someone with character and vision to lead. Many would give more land, and probably part of Jerusalem itself, if they could be sure that it would lead to lasting peace and security. Such assurance is not, however, available, nor is it likely to be in the future.
Joel Rosenberg's post today, entitled After Annapolis: what now for Arab-Israeli peace? is an insightful evaluation of the recent Annapolis meetings and their potential results. Using "insightful" to describe Rosenberg is almost tautological, as his recent fiction about the Middle East over the last few years has been prescient on many levels. His non fiction best seller, Epicenter, is an excellent analysis of prophetic content related to this region's future. Today's post makes the following points:1. Sacrificing land for peace is not likely a fruitful strategy.
2. Giving up any part of Jerusalem will not be seen as operating from strength but from fear or weakness, and will only embolden the radicals who will not stop until all of Israel is in their grasp.
3. Russia's Vladimir Putin is inserting himself into this situation with his own conference, and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is calling for a conference as well of those who wish to see Israel destroyed. Since Russia and Iran are moving closer, as Rosenberg has already documented, this only makes the plausibility of prophetic events being on the horizon more clear.
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