"PEACE" DEAL OR WAR?

 

Today, Sunday 24 May, 2026, we stand on the edge of a precipice, not just Israel but the whole world. We are waiting for President Trump and the Iranian regime (whoever they might be right now) to make a decision. War or a Deal? I read this morning Psalm 60 and it felt intensely relevant to our current situation. David in this Psalm cried out to God, saying,

¹You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us;
    you have been angry—now restore us!

 ²You have shaken the land and torn it open;
    mend its fractures, for it is quaking.

 ³You have shown your people desperate times;
    you have given us wine that makes us stagger.

On the 7 October, 2023, God lifted his hand of protection over Israel for a moment, permitting the massacre of over 1000 people and the capture of 251 by Hamas. He was angry with the people of Israel because of our many sins against him, and he ‘rejected us’ or ‘abandoned us’ for a moment. God rejects or abandons us it is not so much a punishment as it is a warning and a call to repentance given in love (see Leviticus 26: 14ff).

God’s anger against the people of Israel at this time is justified. We as a people have rebelled against him.  We are divided between the political ‘left’ and ‘right’, religious and secular, those who serve in the army and those who refuse to enlist, and as a nation we are being torn apart because we do not seek the true God of the Bible, the God of Israel, YHVH.

Many turn to New Age and Occult practices and in so doing often worship pagan idols or even demons, forbidden by God (see Leviticus 20:6). We cheat in the marketplace, we commit theft and adultery, practice widespread fornication and we even kill our unborn babies. Next week, June 4, the holy city Jerusalem will permit the Gay Pride Parade to pass through its streets, a detestable thing before the LORD (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13, Romans 1:26-27). The so-called ‘secular’ are obsessed with consumerism and hedonism, and the so-called ‘religious’ are blinded by their study of the Talmud, arguing over every ‘jot and tittle’, but failing to study the Tenach (Old Testament) and finding Truth. They reject Jesus as their Messiah and teach others to do the same.

As a people we have rejected the only one who can unite us, bring us true peace and salvation, our longed-for Messiah, and God’s only begotten son, Jesus. The land has certainly been shaken and our society torn apart by dissension, extremism and our lack of love for one another.

Why would God not be angry with us?

But God’s rejection of Israel is never final nor total.

For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life

Psalm 30:5

The prophet Jeremiah also said this,

For no one is cast off
    by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
    so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction
    or grief to anyone.

Lamentations 3:31-33

Even during the 2 ½ years of war we have so far endured, we have suffered and truly been shaken, but we have seen over and over again God’s divine protection even in the midst of enemy attacks from 7 fronts. Many in Israel have died, been injured or displaced, but without God’s divine intervention it would haven been very much worse. The nation of Israel would probably have been destroyed.

David understood that God’s rejection is never final and therefore he had the boldness to call out to God for restoration in his time. He asked God to mend the fractures. He knew that his only hope was in the LORD.

Nothing has changed. As we stand at this crossroads of history today, our only hope is in the LORD. David goes on to say,

⁴You have given a banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah
⁵ That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and hear me.

Verse 4 would perhaps be better translated as “You have given to those who fear you a banner to brandish before the bow, Selah”.

נָ֘תַ֤תָּה לִּירֵאֶ֣יךָ נֵּ֭ס לְהִתְנוֹסֵ֑ס מִ֝פְּנֵ֗י קֹ֣שֶׁט סֶֽלָה׃

In other words, we who fear God, have been given a banner proclaiming the Name of God, with which we can overcome and conquer the weapons brought against us. We need, at this time, to stand up, proclaim God and His Messiah, and appeal to His grace and mercy. This is the only weapon needed to defeat the foe. Selah – pause and meditate on this truth.

When God consecrated the Temple, he said to Solomon,

...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

The current war, in its essence, is a spiritual war, a war between God’s people, Israel and all those who stand with her, and Satan’s minions, the Iranian Ayatollah regime and its proxies. All the guns, missiles and drones aimed against us will have no power over us if we repent and call upon the name of our God.

What is more, if God’s name is lifted up and is shown to be more powerful than the god of Islam, many will turn away from their bankrupt and evil religion and find salvation in Jesus. This is already happening to some degree, so let’s pray that more and more people in the Middle East will find Truth in the God of Israel. Only then will there be peace in this war-torn part of the world.

David, in Psalm 60, continued and called upon the LORD for mercy and help and he recorded God’s reply:

⁶God has spoken from his sanctuary:
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
⁷ Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim is my helmet,
    Judah is my scepter.
⁸ Moab is my washbasin,
    on Edom I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

God has already conquered Israel’s enemies. The final victory is the LORD’s. We just have to claim that victory and walk in faith until it takes form and substance.

David continued,

⁹Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
¹⁰ Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?
¹¹ Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.

 

David acknowledges that human help is worthless. Today too we cannot trust or depend upon human help, whether it comes in the form of President Trump or any other ally. Only God can save us at this time, but

¹²With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down our enemies.

So what will it be Deal or War? It seems that both options have potentially horrendous consequences. It’s not surprising then that the voices we are hearing are confused and even self-contradictory. All I can say is, “May God’s will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven”, as Jesus taught us to pray.

Our hope then is this – that God will again have mercy and compassion upon Israel and will hear our prayers, as he has done so many times in the past and has promised for the future also. God spoke to the prophet Zechariah, prior to the Babylonian exile, and said,

“I will strengthen Judah
    and save the tribes of Joseph.
I will restore them
    because I have compassion on them.
They will be as though
    I had not rejected them,
for I am the Lord their God
    and I will answer them”.

Zechariah 10:6

Amen, may it be so today also.

 

 

 

WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS

 I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem;

    they will never be silent day or night.

You who call on the Lord,

    give yourselves no rest,

 

and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem

    and makes her the praise of the earth.

Isaiah 62:6-7

 

This morning, Sunday 22 February 2026, the world is teetering on the edge of a crucial moment of decision. The negotiations with Iran have clearly failed, and US President Donald Trump is poised to give the order to attack Iran.  A military intervention now seems inevitable, and the question remaining is "When?". The words 'imminent' and 'within days' are prominent in the media. 

 

The Iranian regime has again and again threatened to attack Israel with massive missile barrages should the U.S. or Israel strike. We know the regime will try, and they may even risk a pre-emptive strike. They are also likely to attack US bases and interests (oil) across the Middle East, threatening also to attack any country that will help the US-Israel attack by providing bases or air corridors for the passage of aircraft, for example.

 

We are used to hearing such bombastic rhetoric from Iran, but it remains to be seen whether it has sufficiently rebuilt its defensive and offensive military arsenal since the 12-Day War of June 2025 and has sufficient firepower to make good on its threats. Estimates are that Iran still possesses around 1500 long-range missiles and 200 launchers. They may also resort to using non-conventional weapons.

 

This is not only a pivotal moment for Israel and the Middle East, but potentially for the whole world. No one knows how an attack on Iran will play out. Will Iran succeed in a massive attack on Israel? Will Iran's remaining proxies, Hezbollah and the Houthis, join in the fray? Will Iran attack Europe and the US? Will Pakistan, Russia or China get involved supporting Iran? Is this the beginning of World War III? Or can the hostilities be contained in Iran only? Can the Ayatollah regime in Iran be toppled, and a workable alternative be established? That is the hope, but no one knows what the outcome will be. 

 

Here in Israel, we are collectively holding our breath for the moment the red alerts sound. There is no panic, no hysteria but there is concern. On the surface there is calm and people are just getting on with their lives, but there is some tension and trepidation. To some extent we are all suffering from the 'boy who cried wolf' syndrome. There have been so many warnings of imminent attack, and nothing has happened, that now many are failing to take such warnings seriously. However, in the fairy tale, the wolf does eventually arrive. I hope we will not be caught out. 

 

That said, we have been quietly preparing. The IDF is operating on the highest level of readiness both offensively and defensively. Our defensive array has been strengthened, updated and prepared. It has also been and augmented by the American military with the positioning of three naval aircraft carrier strike groups in the Middle East. Many U.S. fighter planes are also now sitting at the ready across Europe and in some Middle Eastern countries.

 

The Home Front in Israel has been running drills and hospitals are on 'war readiness', but the instruction to civilians so far is 'business as usual'.  Individuals are checking their food, water and medical supplies, and rechecking their 'grab bags' for use in case of evacuation. We know the drill. But that may be our weak point. It is easy to be a bit nonchalant. We have survived 2 years and 4 months of war so far, including the 12-Day War with Iran, Operation Rising Lion, as it was called here. I hope we are not being overconfident. 

 

I confess I have grown weary of the war, now into its 871st day, and guilty of ‘falling asleep’ from time to time.  Perhaps you feel the same? This morning however the LORD has prompted me to write this and is also challenging me to wake up and take prayer more seriously, even though there are many other things in my life clamouring for attention. 

 

If you are called to be an intercessor for Israel, and that includes “all who call upon the Lord” (see v. 6 above), NOW is our time to pray fervently, to stand on the walls of Jerusalem as watchmen.

 

In a week's time we will be celebrating Purim, the Feast of Esther. At the time of Esther, the Jews, the captives from the Kingdom of Judah, were in Persia and an edict went out for their total annihilation. They were saved because Esther, a Jewish member of the harem of King Xerxes, at the risk of her own life, dared to intercede on their behalf. Ester's uncle encouraged her to do so, saying, "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place,... And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Ester 4: 14). 

 

Are you here in this world, at this time, as part of the royal priesthood (I Peter 2:9), ‘for such a time as this’? If so, do not be silent.

 

King Xerxes reigned over the Medo-Persian Empire from the capital city, Susa.  Susa lies in the western region of modern-day Iran. In ancient times Susa was the capital of the empire of Elam. The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed this against Elam.

 

 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah:

 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“See, I will break the bow of Elam,

    the mainstay of their might.

I will bring against Elam the four winds

    from the four quarters of heaven;

I will scatter them to the four winds,

    and there will not be a nation

    where Elam’s exiles do not go.

I will shatter Elam before their foes,

    before those who want to kill them;

 

I will bring disaster on them,

    even my fierce anger,”

declares the Lord.

“I will pursue them with the sword

    until I have made an end of them.

 

I will set my throne in Elam

    and destroy her king and officials,”

declares the Lord.

 

“Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam

    in days to come,”

declares the Lord.

 

Jeremiah 49: 36-39

 

This prophecy has never been fulfilled historically. Is it now about to be fulfilled? In ancient times, the Persians were known for their skill with the bow and arrow (see v. 35), but what is the modern equivalent of an arrow, if not a missile?  Will nations from the 4 corners of the earth join in this attack? That remains to be seen, but already several nations are helping the US and Israel in this venture. Will the people of Elam be scattered to the 4 winds? Already around 3 million Iranians have fled and are scattered amongst almost all the nations of the world (v. 36). Will God shatter Elam and make an end of the leadership (v. 37)? Watch this space!  

 

Will God set up his throne in Elam? We know that when Messiah returns he will set up his throne in Jerusalem, not Susa or Teheran, so what can this mean? Simply that God will rule over Iran. Already we know there are at least 1 million Iranians who know Jesus and worship the God of Israel. This is perhaps the fastest growing 'church' in the world, and these new believers are strong and fearless in spite of much persecution.  Many Iranians are growing disillusioned with Islam. If a coalition of Christian and Jewish nations defeat Iran, the current 'god of Iran', Allah, will be shown to be weak. This may cause even more to turn away from Islam, and YHWH, the God of Israel will be enthroned on the hearts of many in Iran. 

 

Will the leadership of Iran be overthrown (v. 38)? This is one of the goals of this coming war. The people of Iran are already rebelling against the current ayatollah regime and demanding a new leadership. The economic and ecological situation in the country will inevitably destroy the regime, even if the military intervention does not. 

 

The ultimate hope for Iran is promised in v. 39, 

“’Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come’ declares the Lord.”

 

Many of the protestors in Iran are waving the pre-revolution Iranian flags together with the Israeli flag. Many, if not most, Iranian people are looking to Israel for rescue. Israel has no issue with the people of Iran, and historically we were friends. This can happen again. Genesis 12:3 states, “ I will bless those who bless you...”. Iran will yet come into a time of great blessing according to this prophecy.

 

In the meantime, are you willing to take up position on the walls of Jerusalem as a watchman?  Prior to the Babylonian conquest of Judah, Isaiah said this,

 

Israel’s watchmen are blind,
    they all lack knowledge;
they are all mute dogs,
    they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
    they love to sleep.
 They are dogs with mighty appetites;
    they never have enough.

 

Isaiah 56: 10-11

 

I feel convicted by these verses. Judah’s watchmen failed and Judah was overcome and taken into exile at that time. Will we fail again?

 

May we not be blind, lacking knowledge, mute, asleep and consumed with hedonistic appetites. Instead, may all of us who call upon the LORD, the God of Israel, be fervent in prayer and intercession, as never before. 

 

 

THE WAR IS OVER – OR NOT?

A few days ago one of my friends remarked, “Now that the war is over, we can get back to normal”. I was a little shocked. Is the war over? Yes, the missiles have stopped falling on our heads. The warning sirens haven’t sounded for a few weeks and yes, here in Israel, life has pretty much returned to ‘normal’, but it is, as we said during the Covid epidemic, a ‘new normal’, and one that is very fragile.

Our soldiers and airmen are still fighting in Gaza and Lebanon. Hamas still holds the bodies of 4 hostages in captivity. Israel has not officially declared the war over, nor have there been any public celebrations. I don’t feel any sense of jubilation on the streets and most people I have talked to are cautious and doubtful about any lasting peace with our enemies. Under the superficial normality, there is a heavy and solemn atmosphere.

It is true that Israel’s enemies, especially Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis have all taken a serious hit during this war, and they may have been weakened militarily, but in boxing terms, they are ‘down but not out’.

The Peace Plan, brokered by the President of the U.S. Donald Trump, is predicated on the surrender of Hamas in Gaza, its disarmament and its displacement as a governing power. Hamas agreed only to the first phase of this plan, the return of the 20 remaining hostages in exchange for around 2000 Hamas prisoners held by Israel.

Hamas has not signed on to the second or following phases of the Plan, which require it to disarm.  Hamas has neither surrendered nor disarmed and has made it clear that it has no intention of doing so. And why would it? Its whole raison d’etre is the destruction of Israel. Without its weapons, Hamas is nothing.

 On the northern front, Hezbollah is busy rearming and building new infrastructure, already preparing for a renewed round of fighting with Israel. Iran just gave Hezbollah $US 1 billion for rearmament purposes, even though Iran’s own economy is in dire straits and the people of Iran don’t even have enough water to drink or a regular supply of electricity.

Iran is also rebuilding its nuclear program and they claim to still have around 400kg of enriched, near-weapons grade uranium that was not destroyed in the US/Israel attacks. It is boasting that it will fire barrages of 2000 missiles per day at Israel should we dare to attack, even though it probably doesn’t have enough launchers to do so. Iran is given to bombastic threats, but we do know that it has acquired launchers and other military equipment from China and Russia. There is no way that Israel, or the world, can permit Iran to have a nuclear weapon. It seems another war with Iran is inevitable and necessary.

Trump, is proclaiming that the Middle East is ‘now at peace’, but it will take more than a proclamation to bring any meaningful or lasting peace in the Middle East. If the Islamists, Iran or its terrorist proxies, have made agreements or ‘deals’, it is only because it is somehow in the interest of their cause to do so. Their cause is global jihad, the spread of extreme Shiia Islam, the imposition of Sharia Law and the downfall of Western civilization. They have made no secret of their goals, nor that they are currently taking advantage of the negotiated ceasefires to regroup and rearm.

The Trump Peace Plan is also based on the assumption that the actors in the Middle East want peace and western-style democracy and capitalism above all. This is a quintessentially western value, but not one held high in the Muslim world. The drive for global Islamization carries a much greater value. For the jihadis death and martyrdom is held in greater esteem than life and peace. This is an impossible idea for westerners to get their heads around, but we need to understand what we are dealing with here.

The Plan also depends on the international community, particularly the ‘moderate’ Sunni Muslim states of the Middle East. But they are not rushing to send troops to disarm Hamas, nor are they showing interest in being part of the coalition for the rule of Gaza. They have even come up with at least two alternative plans in rejection of the Trump Plan.

Around 200 Hamas murderers, released by Israel in exchange for our hostages, are currently living in a luxury hotel in Egypt awaiting asylum in a third country. No country has volunteered to take them in, and Egypt does not want them either. Surprise!

Now another 200 Hamas terrorists are trapped inside the Israeli controlled part of the Gaza Strip. Israel has agreed to allow them to leave unarmed, but they must be expelled from Gaza. Perhaps your country would like to grant asylum to 200 fanatical, hate-filled terrorists?

The Plan envisions a rebuilt Gaza controlled, at least initially, by a coalition of states headed and overseen by the USA. The US has already established a headquarters in the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Gat to begin this process and it is reported that it will soon begin the construction of a large American base, housing at least 2000 US military and civilian personnel, in the Gaza envelope region within Israel. There are also reports of plans to establish a number of other US military installations along Israel’s other border areas. If true, these bases would contravene Israel’s long-standing policy of independence with regard to its security. Is this the first step of Israel becoming the US’s 51st state? The Gaza Strip is part of the God-given homeland of the people of Israel. Are the nations once more dividing the Holy Land? (Update: The US denies any plans to establish bases in Israeli territory)

The Trump Plan also involves the United Nations, which is extremely biased against Israel, and should not play any part in the reconstruction and control of Gaza. The UN UNWRA organization through its schools, from kindergarten upwards, has brainwashed at least two generations of Palestinians to mindlessly hate and murder Jews. Ask a Palestinian kindergarten student what he or she wants to be when they grow up, and they will tell you that they want to be a martyr and kill many Jews. It would take a totally purged education system and several generations to undo this atrocity. The UN should play no part whatsoever in the reconstruction of Gaza.

Trump also seems to want to involve Turkey and Qatar in the future governance of Gaza. The President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made it clear that he desires to restore the Turkish Empire. A foothold in Gaza would be a step towards such an eventuality. Israel will never agree to a Turkish presence there. Qatar is playing a double game and cannot be trusted.

Perhaps I am being overly critical but for all these reasons, and more, I cannot see the Trump Plan working. Already today, US leaders are admitting that the implementation of the second part of the Plan, the disarmament of Hamas, has stalled.

I am not sure if Trump is naïve, delusional or somehow complicit. He has met with many of the Islamist leaders, including the leaders of Turkey, Syria and Qatar, and declared them to be “nice people” - “people he can work with”.  I wonder if Hitler or Stalin were ‘nice’, charming people too? After all abrasive or obnoxious people are not likely to rise into positions of political power. The Bible even describes Satan as an angel of light: “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness” ( 2 Corinthians 11: 14-15).

The war between Hamas and Israel that began on October 7, 2023, is just one battle in the greater war, the global jihad. Israel may have had amazing success in this current battle, with the help of God, but jihad is not over and has merely entered into a new phase. This phase will not be waged primarily with guns but in the minds and institutions of the people of the West. It may sound like a fantastic, apocalyptic movie or an exaggeration, but what we are seeing is truly a clash of civilizations, a clash between Islam and the Judeo/Christian-based Western civilization.

At this point it seems to me that Islam is winning. The Islamists have brilliantly mastered the art of propaganda and are using it to win over Western minds. In nearly every major western nation we have seen thousands waving banners and chanting antisemitic and anti-Israel slogans on the streets, even though most of those protesters have no idea what those slogans actually mean, nor their implications. They demonstrate because it makes them feel good. It puts them on the ‘moral high ground’ to scapegoat Israel with albeit, unfounded accusations of genocide or apartheid. They do not understand that they are being manipulated by the Islamists who are working to undermine, and eventually destroy, the very civilization that gives them the freedom to demonstrate and speak freely. If the Islamists win, they will not tolerate free speech, free thought, freedom of religion, dissension or demonstrations. Women will be relegated to the status of chattels belonging to the men, with fewer rights than the animals. Members of the LGBTQ community will be thrown off high buildings or hung.  

Expressions of antisemitism and acts of violence against Jews have once again become socially acceptable all over the world. The night of the 9-10 November was the 87^th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of the Broken Glass, when Nazis carried out pogroms against the Jews of Germany and Austria in 1938. I grew up thinking the world had learned its lesson. We thought the Holocaust would never happen again. But it is happening again and on steroids – not just in one region but all over the world. Holocaust survivors claim the atmosphere today is just like it was in 1938, on the eve of World War II and the Holocaust.

Western nations have been infiltrated by Islamic jihadists, who mingled with genuine immigrants and refugees from Islamic nations. Once in our midst they have set up charities, institutions and educational centers which subvert others. (Note: I am not saying that all Muslims promote or support jihad). Many cities and nations in the west now have political leaders who are antisemitic and support the jihadi cause, whether they do so consciously or not. Terror organizations have hundreds, if not thousands, of ‘sleeper cells’ waiting in every nation, preparing to carry out terrorist attacks designed to sow fear, hatred and chaos. Universities have been subverted by the injection of large amounts of finance from sources such as Qatar. The education of our children is being corrupted by ‘political correctness’ and ‘woke philosophy’, preventing critical thinking and healthy discernment.  All of this is intended to bring down western civilization replacing it with Islamic rule and Sharia Law.

So what can we do? Is it too late to stop this process?

I don’t know, but we must try, especially if we believe in the Bible, in Truth and Righteousness. Here are some suggestions on how we as individuals can help turn the tide.

1.      First and foremost – pray. Call out to God. He hears and it matters.

2.      We all need to educate ourselves. Know your enemy. Listen to what the Islamic jihadis are saying and believe they mean it.  They are not keeping their plans secret, but many in the West are refusing to take them seriously. Identify the threat, name it and decide to take action.

3.      Study the whole Bible exegetically and understand what is happening from a Biblical perspective and encourage others to do the same. Start a Bible Study group or a prayer group and spread the word. Educate your children and young people regarding the role of Israel in God’s redemption plan, his love for and promises towards Israel. Resist replacement theology.  Spread the gospel of salvation to the Jew first, and also to the ‘Greek’ (meaning all gentiles including the Muslims). The gospel is the only hope for a true and lasting peace on earth.  

4.      Speak up. The silent majority needs to make its voice heard. Remember that silence in the face of evil is complicity. Write to your leaders. Write on social media. Write comments.  Make videos. Tell your friends. Demonstrate.

5.      Pray for your governments, that they will understand the threat, stand against it, resist Islamist takeovers, and support Israel which is fighting in the vanguard of the war against jihad.

We know that one day all the nations of the world will come against Israel. God through the prophet Zechariah proclaimed, “On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations” and “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling” (Zechariah 12: 3,2). We are not there yet, and much that has been prophesied is yet to be fulfilled, but it seems the stage is being set and we are hastening towards the day of the judgement of the nations.

In Joel 3 God declares, “In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel... (Joel 3:1-2).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEE WHAT THEY SPEW FROM THEIR MOUTHS

A few days ago, some of the leading nations of the West, including the UK, France, Canada and Australia declared their recognition of a ‘Palestinian State’.

It is absurd to recognize something that does not actually exist. There is no ‘Palestinian State’ to recognize. It is a fiction. It would even be funny were it not so dangerous.

In uttering these words these nations have essentially signed their own death warrant. They have violated the most fundamental principle governing the history of nations, according to the Bible. God said to Abraham and his descendants – the people of Israel,

I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse.

Genesis 12:3

Every nation or empire that has risen up against the people of Israel has been defeated. Where are the Empires of the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Greeks, the Romans and the Third Reich (Nazi Germany) today? Yet Israel has survived.

By declaring a ‘Palestinian State’, these nations have expressed an intention to divide up the land that God has clearly given to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the people of Israel, the Holy Land which God defined as stretching from the River (Euphrates) to the Sea (Mediterranean), and which includes the Gaza Strip (Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 11:24). For this the nations will be judged by the LORD God of Israel:

“In those days and at that time,
    when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,

 I will gather all nations
    and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
There I will put them on trial
    for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel,
because they scattered my people among the nations
    and divided up my land.

Joel 3:1-2

In giving recognition to the non-existent ‘Palestinian State’ these nations have given a prize to Hamas for their unprovoked attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Hamas leaders are openly hailing this recognition as a victory. The nations of the West, and indeed the whole world, need to decide whether they stand with God or against Him. The LORD (YHWH) is God, not Allah, and the LORD is the God of Israel.

King David was also surrounded by enemies intent upon his annihilation and this was his prayer:

Deliver me from evildoers
    and save me from those who are after my blood.

 See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.

 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!
 You, Lord God Almighty,
    you who are the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
    show no mercy to wicked traitors.

See what they spew from their mouths—
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”

 But you laugh at them, Lord;
    you scoff at all those nations...

For the sins of their mouths,
    for the words of their lips,
    let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,

     consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob (Another name for Israel).

Psalm 59: 1-8, 12-13

These words resonate in today’s world.  Many are spewing forth words of baseless libel and condemnation against Israel - words such as genocide and famine. They also accuse Israel of using disproportionate force against Hamas.

No nation in history has done more to prevent the killing of civilians in war, nor has any nation gone to such pains to provide food and other aid to an enemy population during wartime. It is sadly true that many civilians have been killed in Gaza, but it is hard to distinguish who are the civilians since many Hamas fighters wear civilian clothes. Many of the so-called ‘innocent’ civilians are avid supporters of Hamas, and even celebrated the atrocities of October 7.  It is however a sad fact that civilians, even children and babies, are killed in every war. It must also be remembered that Israel did not start this war, does not want it, and is fighting for its very survival against jihadi forces intent upon its destruction.

Israel does not deliberately target civilians, unlike its enemies who fire missiles and rockets at Israeli cities with the clearly stated intention of killing as many civilians as possible. Hamas also uses their own civilians as human shields, deliberately putting them into the line of fire. They deliberately place their command and communications centers, tunnels, rocket launchers and other military armaments in and under civilian residential buildings, hospitals, schools and mosques.

It should also be remembered that many innocent Israeli civilians have died too and many Israelis have been displaced and have lost their homes, businesses and livelihoods. We don’t hear the nations decrying that injustice!

What too is ‘disproportionate force’ when you are fighting for your very survival? If a murderous madman broke into your home and started killing your family with a knife, would you lay aside your gun and attack him with a knife, in order to be ‘proportionate’? The only way to win a war is to use ‘disproportionate force’.  If the Allies in World War II had not used disproportionate force against Nazi Germany and Japan, we would all be speaking German or Japanese today. What incredible hypocrisy!

Israel is not perfect, but it is the nation that God formed and chose for His purposes and which he has promised to protect. God has not rejected Israel and His promises still stand. Israel still has a role to play in God’s redemption plan. Woe to any nation or person who dares to stand against God!

Civilizations rise and civilizations fall. They fall primarily not because of external threats but because of internal degeneration. The West has been in serious decline for decades but I believe this moment marks a turning point from which there may be no return.

Western civilization was founded and based on the Biblical Judeo/Christian worldview, moral system and law. Even the atheists among us know that murder, rape and theft are wrong. They too have been brought up to have a Judeo/Christian conscience. They may not recognize its source, but if you have lived in another culture, one not based on the Bible, you will know that without the Judeo/Christian value system, these values are far from a ‘given’. In Palestinian society today martyrdom and the killing of Jews has a far greater value than peace or even life itself. Ask a child in a Palestinian kindergarten what he or she wants to be when they grow up, and they will say they want to kill Jews and be a martyr. Hamas and its supporters value killing Jews, and global jihad (the conquest of the world for Islam) is valued above peace and ‘human rights’. People of the West find this hard to comprehend and believe.

When I was a child nearly every child in my town attended ‘Sunday School’ in one of the churches even if their parents did not attend church. In primary (elementary) school we had weekly “Bible in Schools”. At high school we began each day with the singing of psalms, Bible readings and prayer, even though it was a government run, secular school. In this way a Biblical value system was instilled in our hearts.

Then all that stopped. Children in the west now grow up ignorant of the Bible and Biblical history, and without a sound moral compass. Western civilization has lost its anchor. Without God, and a consciousness of sin, there is no reason I shouldn’t kill, rape or steal. Why should I care about the ‘other’? I will focus on myself. “I” will become the center of the universe. I will care about my rights but have no thought of my duties and responsibilities. Of course I am overstating the situation as some tattered rags of the Judeo/Christian value system remain, but if we just look around, we will see that these are disappearing fast.

If we reject God and the Bible, then truth and falsehood become confused, good becomes evil and light becomes darkness.

Woe to those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.

Isaiah 5:20

Nowhere is this more evident than in relation to the current conflict in the Middle East. Many Westerners, especially the leaders of the nations, have confused good for evil, and are allowing darkness to overcome the light. Why has this happened?

When Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, brutally murdering, raping and burning alive, Israeli men, women and children, even babies, and taking 251 hostages into captivity, I thought “at last people will understand what these people (Hamas) are, what we here in Israel are having to deal with”. And so it was, for 3-4 days. But as soon as Israel began to fight back, all that sympathy was quickly replaced by censor and criticism. How could that happen?

One of the reasons is the “Underdog Principle”, the often unspoken, but very real idea that one should always support the underdog. This seems to be a fundamental attitude in Western Civilization. In many situations it is a good thing, for example supporting the poor and the disadvantaged of society. It is the outworking of God’s grace and love for mankind.

It appears to be reinforced by the Bible stories we grew up with, such as that of David and Goliath, in which Israel is the ‘underdog’, vastly outnumbered and out- armed, and God comes to its rescue. This however is a superficial understanding of these stories. The message is not that we should automatically support any ‘underdog’, but rather that God is unequivocally on the side of Israel and will ‘curse those who curse Israel’.

The underdog is not always in the right. Sometimes they are just evil. ISIS, for example, was vastly outnumbered, and out-gunned when a coalition of nations came against it and conquered it. I did not hear a great outcry against the attack on the poor ISIS ‘underdog’. Most in the West understood that ISIS was a ‘cancer’ that had to be cut out of the world.  So why do the Western nations not understand the same about Hamas? Instead they want to negotiate with them and make deals, and even give them a state, in spite of the fact they, Hamas, wants neither?

Hamas, and all radical Islamic jihadists, want only one thing – the destruction of Israel (which they call the Little Satan), and when that is accomplished, the destruction of the USA and Europe (the Great Satan). The war we are fighting is not about land or states, or even about the Palestinians, it is about world domination. The jihadist religion has the ultimate goal of world conquest in the name of Allah. Their rule will be ‘convert or die’. For this reason, giving the Palestinians a state of their own will not bring peace in the Middle East. Recognizing a fictional ‘Palestinian State’ is not a step towards peace but the opposite, an encouragement for jihad. Ultimately it will bring more violence and warfare.

The Jihadists, especially the Ayatollah regime in Iran, and their proxies Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, want to destroy Western Civilization and by buying into their lies and propaganda many in the West are helping them do just that.  

Woe to the West if we stand against God and His people. God will not be mocked and He will have the last word.

Why do the nations conspire
    and the peoples plot in vain?

 The kings of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,

 “Let us break their chains
    and throw off their shackles.”

 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
    the Lord scoffs at them.

 He rebukes them in his anger
    and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,

 “I have installed my king
    on Zion, my holy mountain.”

 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;
    today I have become your father.
Ask me,
    and I will make the nations your inheritance,
    the ends of the earth your possession.

 You will break them with a rod of iron^[b];
    you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”

 Therefore, you kings, be wise;
    be warned, you rulers of the earth.

 Serve the Lord with fear
    and celebrate his rule with trembling.

 Kiss his son, or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Psalm 2

 

Since I began writing this article a coalition of nations, including the USA, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Egypt, put forward a plan, known as Trump’s 20-point Plan, to end the Israel-Hamas war and begin the rebuilding of Gaza. Israel has stated its agreement to the Plan, but we are still awaiting Hamas’ official response.

Initial comments from Hamas representatives indicate that Hamas will not support the Plan, or that it will demand certain changes to it; a response which will clearly not be acceptable to Israel or the U.S. I am not surprised. The Plan is essentially calling for the complete surrender of Hamas, their disarmament and the formation of a new governing body in Gaza which will exclude Hamas.

The possibility of surrender is total anathema to a jihadist. In their mind, death and martyrdom is preferable. Hamas leaders have repeatedly said they will fight to the last man (though the leaders themselves are safely ensconced in Qatar and other countries where they live in luxury). Hamas will never agree to be disarmed because without their guns they have no reason to exist. Sadly, neither will they release the remaining hostages, their last card and ultimate human shield.

There is a very slim chance that Hamas may agree to the Plan if Qatar and the other Muslim states convince them to agree by promising that they could be rearmed and supported towards launching another attack on Israel in the future.  This is the pattern we have seen over and over again. In Jihadist ideology, negotiations and deals are only permissible as a temporary ceasefire in which to regroup and re-arm.

Yesterday, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, a jihadi terrorist attacked Jews praying at a synagogue in Manchester, UK, killing two and seriously injuring several others. Acts such as this should not come as a surprise. The inaction of the UK government against the growing antisemitism in that country, overt acts of discrimination and violence against Jews, and the endless pro-Palestinian demonstrations calling for the genocide of Jews and the eradication of the Jewish State, all encourage such acts. The recognition of the ‘State of Palestine’ further ignites antisemitism and encourages violence against Jews.

We have seen a huge increase in antisemitism in all Western nations since the October 7, 2023, massacre, and this inevitably has resulted in violence against Jews. It is a symptom of the breakdown of Western civilization. It signals an end of its moral rectitude and integrity, and as a result good is called evil, light is called darkness, the victims are called the aggressor, and the legal owners of the Holy Land are called ‘colonists’. Western civilization is sick and dying. The only hope is a return to its original foundations, based on a Biblical worldview and its legal and moral principles.

The Western nations need to repent and turn back to their God. On Yom Kippur the Book of Jonah is read in all synagogues. Jonah was sent to Nineveh, the most wicked city of the Assyrian Empire at the time.  The people of Nineveh listened to Jonah and repented. God relented and did not destroy Nineveh at that time. The Book of Jonah shows that God loves all the people and even the animals that He created. He does not want to kill them. He wants them to repent and turn to Him. It is not too late for the West. Perhaps if we repent, God will relent and have mercy.