Israel's Isolation

Israel's Isolation
by Eddie Santoro
Zion's Glory Ministries

Prophecy Fulfilled  |  Zechariah 14 declares that in the time of the Lord's return, all the nations of the earth will be gathered together to fight against Jerusalem. In Revelation 19, we see the rider on a white horse and his armies of heaven who are coming down to make war against the kings of the earth who have gathered against him. The writers of these two books, although they lived over 600 years apart were seeing the same event; the uniting of the nations of the world against Israel in the last days.

In Joel 3, the prophet declares that God "will enter into judgment against the nations concerning my inheritance, my people Israel." And what had the nations done to bring God's final judgement against them? According to the prophet, their crime was that "they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land."

Amazingly, we are living in a day when that which was prophesied long ago is being fulfilled. From the rebirth of Israel 67 years ago to the increasing hostility of the nations against it, the history of the earth is unfolding according to God's Word.

The past weeks have seen an escalation of the attacks against Israel, both in the international diplomatic arena and also on the borders of this nation.

Unprovoked Attacks  |  Over the past months there has been a significant degeneration of Israel's security situation. The usually quiet border with Syria has erupted into violent and deadly escalations as Islamic Jihadist fighters who are warring against President Assad's government have taken advantage of their newly won proximity to Israel to launch unprovoked attacks against this nation.

To our south, the Sinai, which not too long ago was a popular vacation destination for thousands of Israelis has become a launching pad for unprovoked radical Islamic attacks against Israel.

Hezbollah in Lebanon has recently carried out unprovoked attacks against Israeli soldiers on the Lebanese border. Their leader, Nasrallah is threatening that this is just a prelude to the coming war that will annihilate the nation of Israel.

Hamas, our arch enemy that controls the Gaza Strip is continuing with its unprovoked missile attacks into southern Israel.

The common word in all of these situations is unprovoked. Israel has done nothing to bring the wrath of their enemies against them. From an Islamic mind set, Israel's very existence is the core issue. Finally, it is not Israel's foreign policy or supposed aggression that makes this nation the hateful target of the entire Islamic world. It is that the nation simply exists.

The United Nations Human Rights Council  |  The United Nations Human Rights Council led the diplomatic charge against Israel this past week. In their most recent session, the UNHRC passed five resolutions condemning Israel for its "occupation" of "Palestinian" lands and its treatment of Palestinians who live over the pre -1967 border. In a particularly  irrational vote, the council felt that it was important to raise concern over Israel's treatment of Syrian residents who live on the Golan Heights, while ignoring the fate of the Syrian people who live in Syria and of whom 150,000 have been killed since the civil war erupted there several years ago.

The council also felt it necessary to single out Israel by passing a resolution which mandates that every time the UNHRC meets, they MUST participate in a public discussion of Israel's treatment of the Palestinian people.

The passage of the resolutions condemning Israel was even more sobering when one considers that they were passed by a 46 - 1 majority and that Italy, France and Germany, the representative nations of the EU also voted in favor of the resolutions. Only the United States voted against, saying they were one sided and stating that the UNHRC was ignoring many of the world's worst human rights violations.

Growing International Isolation of Israel  |  It is impossible to separate these resolutions and the growing international BDI (Boycott and Disinvestment from Israel) from God's Word which states that in the Last Days all the nations of the earth will turn against Israel. The conflict between the Palestinians and Israel is the only item on the world's agenda that everyone seems to agree on. Resolutions against Iran and North Korea whose populations suffer far greater human rights violations were also passed but none of them received the same overwhelming support that was given to the anti-Israel resolutions.

The Peace Process  |  This one sided approach to the Israeli Palestinian conflict  empowers the Palestinians to remain intransigent in their negotiating stand.

The Palestinian position that refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish State, demands sovereign control over all of East Jerusalem, ignores Israel's very real security concerns and demands the "right of return" for millions of Palestinians and their descendants is a non starter for Israel.

Recently Palestinian Authority Religious Affairs Minister Mahmoud al-Habbash stated their official position that Israel has no historical claim to the land it now occupies, that Solomon's temple never existed and that the entire Biblical narrative concerning Israel and the Jewish people is nothing more than a myth.

I have been in East Jerusalem many times and have seen maps of their hoped for "Palestine". On those maps, not just East Jerusalem but Tel Aviv, Haifa and all of the land of Israel have been swallowed up in their vision of the final resolution of this conflict. The truth is not hidden and although the world has chosen to ignore it, Israel can not indulge in such a luxury. History has taught us that when our enemies speak of our destruction, they mean it.

As the Word says, these last days will be the most difficult the world has every known and the center of those "birth pains" that will herald the return of Yeshua and the establishment of his Kingdom will be in Israel.

Beyond a doubt the world's people will be divided into those who love the truth and those who are serving a lie. We praise God that in these days of escalating trials that we are connected with a people like you who love the truth. May each of us stand against the wave of darkness and deception that is sweeping the earth and may we be numbered among those who stood with Israel as a deceived world turned against her.

We thank you for your prayers. We are confident that even this mountain will be thrown into the sea. The end will be good. Our God has promised! 

 

Eddie Santoro leads the Love of Yeshua (Ahavat Yeshua) congregation in Jerusalem.  Along with his wife Jackie, the Santoro's lives are given to the establishment of the local Body of Messiah in Israel and raising up a generation of Israeli believers who will spearhead the coming revival that must sweep that nation.

They help lead a community that integrates all ages, discipling, counseling, providing hospitality and equipping many for the work of ministry. Eddie and Jackie also travel internationally, sharing and teaching on Israel and the kingdom of God.

Eddie Santoro is an astute discerner of the times in Israel and the Church.