There is nothing like a deadline to focus the mind and for Israel the 20th January could be it! The change in the US administration may well close the “window of opportunity” for their equivalent of a fatwa on Hamas. The rain of rockets had to be halted. You cannot live in a bomb shelter for ever. With an election looming, Israel had to do what Israel had to do. Hamas, with a little help from Iran, has been increasing her rocket range, now reaching Ashkelon with Jerusalem next stop. The last Palestinian election saw Hamas elected signalling that the majority agreed with its 1988 charter. This states, among other things, “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it”. With such sentiments it must be difficult to “love your neighbour”! Territorial disputes and Israel have a long history. They go back four millennium! In fact Israel has been surrounded by enemies for as long as she has occupied the land. Outstanding among these were the Philistines whose territory ironically was in Gaza. It seems that the old adage applies here, that history repeats itself – it has to because nobody listens! The Bible looks forward to a day when there will be a turning of the Jews to Jesus Christ. St Paul writing his letter to the Church at Rome in the 11th chapter verse 26 says, “Israel has experienced a partial hardening until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; he will banish ungodliness…. The Deliverer will come from Zion (Jerusalem) not Washington and we need to pray that He will come soon.
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