The largest number of Jewish lives killedin one day since the Holocaust, with the terrorist organisation Hamas launching an all-out assault on innocent Israel over the weekend, on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. Things are fluid and rapidly changing, but we already have some 1000 dead Israelis or those taken hostage.
We know Iran has been behind this as well – you know, the nation that Biden recently unfroze $6 billion in funds for. So Israel will have to go into Gaza and seek to neutralise Hamas, although they as always embed themselves in and behind civilian locations.
Israel is now at war, and has to go to deal with is ever-present enemies in Gaza. Indeed, the Israeli Cabinet has just made a declaration of war – the first time since 1973. This will be a long and costly operation – but a necessary one. The leftist politicians and others insisting that Israel should just sit back and do nothing are utterly mad.
It was Golda Meir who long ago rightly said: “You cannot negotiate peace with someone who has come to kill you.” Or as she put it in a 1957 speech: “Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.” Exactly.
Terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah do NOT want to live at peace with Israel – they want Israel completely obliterated. There is absolutely no moral equivalence here. Hamas and Israel have nothing in common. As I wrote some years ago:
-Israel is simply trying to exist and defend itself, while it is surrounded by nations (as well as Hamas in Gaza) who want to see it driven into the sea. The Hamas Charter for example specifically says Israel must be destroyed.
-Israel since its inception in 1948 has always been willing to make great compromises with its neighbours, while Arab leadership has always demanded the expulsion of the Jews.
-Israel has a number of times now traded land for peace, but generally to no avail.
-Israel is a nation of 8 million people surrounded by over 300 million hostile people.
-Israel would disappear if she were to lay down her arms, but if the Arabs laid down their arms, there would be peace in the Middle East.
-Israel is the last bulwark against Islamist imperialism in the region.
-Israel has a million plus Arabs living in its midst, while Gaza has no Jews living there.
-Israel uses weapons to defend its children, while Hamas uses children to defend its weapons.
-Israel does all it can to protect innocent civilians both in Gaza and Israel, while Hamas deliberately targets innocent civilians both in Gaza and Israel. Setting up command and control centres in or near hospitals, schools and mosques is standard Hamas practice. Israel is not doing this at all.
-Israel is shipping tonnes of food, water, medical and humanitarian supplies into Gaza, and even treats wounded Hamas terrorists, while Hamas would never dream of doing this.
-Israel has kept every single cease fire until Hamas has violated them – and they have violated every single truce in this conflict thus far.
-Israel even has women leading the country, while they are mere chattel in the surrounding Arab world.
-Israel is the only genuinely free, democratic and pluralistic nation in the region.
-Israel is an outpost of civilisation in a place of barbarism. https://billmuehlenberg.com/2014/08/13/israel-and-the-myth-of-moral-equivalence/
As to the current assault on Israel, several more things must be said. The utter savagery and barbarism of the terrorists is of course the stuff of war crime trials. These are Hamas Nazis. Their rape, torture and slaughter of civilians and soldiers alike is shocking. Says one report:
Photographic evidence has emerged of civilians shot dead at bus stops, on roads, and in their cars, while numerous videos have shown Israeli civilians, including mothers, elderly women, and children being abducted and taken captive to Gaza.
Two videos in particular have raised concerns of sexual assault against women, one of which shows a woman apparently bleeding into her shorts being taken out of a vehicle in Gaza; the woman is alive. The other video shows a woman stripped down to her underwear lying face down in a truck.
A large number of civilians are thought to be among the at least 700 dead in the surprise onslaught, which saw Hamas terrorists infiltrate several communities and a large outdoor rave. Legal and security experts say the group’s actions constitute war crimes, and likely crimes against humanity, since the assault against civilians was so broad and deliberate. https://www.timesofisrael.com/footage-of-hamas-assault-on-civilians-shows-likely-war-crimes-experts-say/
And given the Iranian backing of this, they too are culpable – as is the Biden Administration which has long cozied up to Iran. The Republican Senator Tom Cotton made it clear that he believes Biden is responsible for this latest attack:
“For three years, the president has appeased Iran, the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism. It’s not just the $6 billion that was released from sanctions controls last month. It’s $10 billion that was released from Iraq into Iran. It’s looking the other way on more than 80 attacks against American troops in Israel, in the Middle East, or allowing Iran to threaten shipping in the Persian Gulf. Allowing Iran, without serious consequence, to arm Russia to kill more Ukrainians, releasing hundreds of millions of dollars to the Palestinian Authority since the very beginning of this administration,” he told FOX News’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday.
And Iran may also need to be targeted, at least by Israel. Says one commentator:
There is one clear winner: Iran. There can be no doubt about who instigated the attack. Hamas and Hezbollah are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Iranian mullahs, who call the shots. Iran’s primary goals are obvious: to prevent a deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel and to sow disarray throughout the region. The regime may well succeed….
Deterrence only works when the decision-makers themselves understand they will be severely hurt, not helped, if they take the actions we want deterred. The only way to stop Hamas’ and Hezbollah’s recurring attacks against Israel is to treat Iran as the attacker and punish it more than its puppet organizations. This will not be easy to do, but there are several options… https://nypost.com/2023/10/08/iran-is-behind-the-terror-attacks-punish-it-by-taking-out-its-nuclear-program/
Now, are the Palestinian people oppressed? Yes, but they are oppressed by Hamas, the real rulers in the area. They care nothing about their own people – they only live to hate and kill Israelis. Hamas is the real enemy of the Palestinians, not Israel.
And of course we need to share a few inconvenient truths: here in Australia we had Muslims and imams shouting for joy, celebrating the terrorist attacks:
A prominent Muslim preacher was filmed declaring “it’s a day of victory” to a roaring crowd in Sydney’s south west on Sunday night amid violent scenes between Hamas and Israel. Wild scenes broke out in Lakemba and surrounding neighbourhoods as hundreds of Palestinian supporters gathered outside the train station to celebrate the terror attacks on Israel….
Lastly, we have the typically clueless and useless Pope Francis weigh in on this (and extremely devout Catholic friends of mine have called him a “heretic”). In his commentary on this he said: “War is always a defeat! Every war is a defeat!”. Um, jaw jaw is normally better than war war, but sometimes there is no other option but war. Try telling Jews, European, concentration camp inmates and others that the Allied war to stop Hitler and the Nazis was a waste of time, a defeat, and a failure.
Prayer points
Scripture tells us to ‘pray for the peace of Jerusalem’ (Psalm 122:6). One friend, Kym Farnik, offered this list which is worth running with concerning this conflict:
Israel Key Prayer Points
. We stand against a premature WWIII trigger
. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem and Israel
. We declare Hamas etc actions will be nullified
. We pray for the people taken hostage, especially the children, that they be rescued safely
. We pray the IDF will prevail over all Israel’s enemies
. We pray that the Ekklesia will stand together for Israel and that Israelis recognises the love we have for the Jewish people
. We pray the ultra orthodox will stop hating Christians and receive the love of Yeshua
. We pray for unity and oneness for the Messianic congregations in the land
. We pray all Israel will be saved
. We pray the nations will see that the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob reigns
In the name of Yeshua Hamaschiach
AMEN
Amazing Prayer Points, Kym – thankyou (copying and pasting for many others)
Ps: You’re too kind when it come to Pope Francis, Bill – he’s dangerous….May God have Mercy on his poor, deceived and deluded soul.
Bill,
Here are some further prayer points, issued by Rahel Landrum, with International Mission to Jewish People.
Shalom,
Neil
Dear Neil and Barbara,
You will no doubt be aware of the recent attacks upon the nation of Israel.
At the time of writing, over 700 Israelis have been killed, over 2000 injured, some of them severely, and an unknown number kidnapped from their homes and taken into Gaza by terrorists who infiltrated Israel on Saturday, the last day of the feast of Tabernacles. Since then, thousands of rockets have been fired into Israel from Gaza.
Given our love for the Jewish people and our concern that they find salvation in Jesus, their Messiah, can we encourage you to lift Israel up to God in your prayers at this time:
Please pray for the protection for Israelis, especially those living in the towns bordering Gaza.
Ask the Lord to comfort those who are mourning lost loved ones, as well as the families of those who have been kidnapped, whose safety and location is unknown.
Please pray for the Israelis to turn to God for help and recognise their need to trust the Lord, their Maker, who neither slumber nor sleeps (Ps 121).
Please pray for the protection of our ministry colleagues and other Messianic believers in Israel, especially that they might be able to boldly and lovingly share the gospel in these tragic times.
Please pray that Israel’s leadership might be given wisdom in dealing with this conflict.
Blessings,
Rahel Landrum
Missionary
International Mission To Jewish People
Hi, it was obvious given the comdemmation against HAMAS by generally Anti Zionist World Governments and the total failure of the Israeli Military that this was a set up. The question is, Who was the Target? I predict Netanyahu, the Globalists want him gone. As well as prayimg for Israel pray for Netanyahu
What scares me is the amount of anti semitism today. Much of it coming from so called “christians”
I hear the same mantra spouted out ” Zionist jews are responsible for all the evils in our world etc”
Israel is not without its sins (as is the rest of humanity) but I can’t believe so many people are joining the hate band wagon.
Don’t these so called “christians” even read their bibles?
Regarding those who seek to destroy the Jewish people and their land, I think it’s appropriate to pray Isaiah 41:11-12.
Although these verses have a similar tone to the imprecatory psalms, remember that these are God’s words, not man’s (see verses 10 and 13).
As a grandmother, I would also add that we should pray for the innocent children, elderly and vulnerable disabled on both sides of this conflict, Israeli and Palestinian. In the latter case, they are not to blame for the actions of the Hamas leadership and should not be punished for it. And exactly the same applies to Israeli civilians- executing hostages taken prisoner is monstrous and completely out of step with mainstream Muslim values- Hamas’ actions are deplorable and I am sure they sicken most mainstream Muslims. While the IDF is entitled to defend Israel in this instance, given that Hamas’ actions precipitated this attack, I hope that it restricts its reprisals to Hamas combatants only as far as possible. And remember, some Palestinians are Christian.
As I said in my new article Rhona:
Hamas specialises in embedding itself in civilian populations, using hospitals, schools and residential areas as their base of operations and munitions manufacturing – it is their hiding place. Sadly therefore there will be civilian casualties in any Israeli incursion – which is exactly what Hamas wants. They do not care one iota about the people there, they only exist to see Israel fully driven into the sea. And if they can get the brainless media to focus exclusively on collateral damage, the more the better….
Unlike Hamas and the other diabolical terrorists, Israel seeks to abide by the principles of international law when it engages in armed conflict. Thus it does not routinely take civilians as hostages, use human shields, decapitate babies, rape and torture women, and kill grandmothers – all of which and more Hamas has done and is doing.
Amen Hallelujah!
Amazing Prayer Points, Kym – thankyou (copying and pasting for many others)
Ps: You’re too kind when it come to Pope Francis, Bill – he’s dangerous….May God have Mercy on his poor, deceived and deluded soul.
Bill,
Here are some further prayer points, issued by Rahel Landrum, with International Mission to Jewish People.
Shalom,
Neil
Dear Neil and Barbara,
You will no doubt be aware of the recent attacks upon the nation of Israel.
At the time of writing, over 700 Israelis have been killed, over 2000 injured, some of them severely, and an unknown number kidnapped from their homes and taken into Gaza by terrorists who infiltrated Israel on Saturday, the last day of the feast of Tabernacles. Since then, thousands of rockets have been fired into Israel from Gaza.
Given our love for the Jewish people and our concern that they find salvation in Jesus, their Messiah, can we encourage you to lift Israel up to God in your prayers at this time:
Please pray for the protection for Israelis, especially those living in the towns bordering Gaza.
Ask the Lord to comfort those who are mourning lost loved ones, as well as the families of those who have been kidnapped, whose safety and location is unknown.
Please pray for the Israelis to turn to God for help and recognise their need to trust the Lord, their Maker, who neither slumber nor sleeps (Ps 121).
Please pray for the protection of our ministry colleagues and other Messianic believers in Israel, especially that they might be able to boldly and lovingly share the gospel in these tragic times.
Please pray that Israel’s leadership might be given wisdom in dealing with this conflict.
Blessings,
Rahel Landrum
Missionary
International Mission To Jewish People
Hi, it was obvious given the comdemmation against HAMAS by generally Anti Zionist World Governments and the total failure of the Israeli Military that this was a set up. The question is, Who was the Target? I predict Netanyahu, the Globalists want him gone. As well as prayimg for Israel pray for Netanyahu
What scares me is the amount of anti semitism today. Much of it coming from so called “christians”
I hear the same mantra spouted out ” Zionist jews are responsible for all the evils in our world etc”
Israel is not without its sins (as is the rest of humanity) but I can’t believe so many people are joining the hate band wagon.
Don’t these so called “christians” even read their bibles?
Regarding those who seek to destroy the Jewish people and their land, I think it’s appropriate to pray Isaiah 41:11-12.
Although these verses have a similar tone to the imprecatory psalms, remember that these are God’s words, not man’s (see verses 10 and 13).
As a grandmother, I would also add that we should pray for the innocent children, elderly and vulnerable disabled on both sides of this conflict, Israeli and Palestinian. In the latter case, they are not to blame for the actions of the Hamas leadership and should not be punished for it. And exactly the same applies to Israeli civilians- executing hostages taken prisoner is monstrous and completely out of step with mainstream Muslim values- Hamas’ actions are deplorable and I am sure they sicken most mainstream Muslims. While the IDF is entitled to defend Israel in this instance, given that Hamas’ actions precipitated this attack, I hope that it restricts its reprisals to Hamas combatants only as far as possible. And remember, some Palestinians are Christian.
As I said in my new article Rhona:
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2023/10/11/on-israel-hamas-and-the-left/
I’m on Israels’ side.