TERROR IN THE SYNAGOGUE
Early on Tuesday morning in Jerusalem this week the 'thub thub' of helicopters circling overhead announced trouble in the city once more. Turning on the TV I learned that two Palestinian terrorists had entered a synagogue in the west Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Nof, armed with axes, knives and a gun, and had set about hacking and shooting the men inside who were at their morning prayers. They killed four, three rabbis and another man, and injured 8 others. Security forces were quick to respond and were there within seconds. In the shoot-out that followed a Druze policeman was seriously injured, and later died, and an ambulance driver broke a leg while running for cover. The two terrorists were killed by police.
The scenes in the synagogue after the attack were not for the faint hearted. Five Israeli citizens were dead, 8 injured and 26 children made fatherless.
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The terror organization, Hamas, immediately claimed that the attack was revenge for the killing of an Arab bus driver found dead by hanging in a bus on Sunday. Even though the autopsy report ruled the death as suicide, the belief that it was a murder perpetrated by "Israeli settlers" persists among Palestinians and is igniting many riots and violent acts around the city. Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas had called for a "Day of Rage" on the Tuesday to avenge the bus-driver's death, which act makes his later condemnation of the synagogue massacre ring a little hollow.
Immediately after the attack, celebrations broke out in Palestinian areas, and especially in Gaza. The two terrorists were acclaimed as 'martyrs' and heroes, and sweets were thrown in the streets in celebration.
Celebrations in Gaza
Within minutes the social media were flooded with cartoons and other propaganda celebrating the massacre, such as those below:
The feeling amongst the Jewish population in Jerusalem is that, with this massacre in a place of prayer, a red line has been crossed. Although we have suffered months of rioting and terror attacks, this is a dangerous escalation, and has the potential of igniting the city in a whirlwind of religious war. On the night of the attack I received a recorded phone message calling me to participate in a protest at the Meitar Strings Bridge at the entrance to Jerusalem, near the central bus station. I didn't go of course but around 300 did and were calling for "revenge," and for Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich to be fired for failing to deal with the ongoing and escalating Arab violence. Scuffles broke out with the police and a number of protestors were arrested.
The city is tense and the streets emptier than normal. People are fearful and we all wonder what will happen next. The sad thing is that most of the people in this city, Jews and Arabs alike, just want to get on with our lives. There are 300,000 Arabs in this city of 1 million and mostly we all get along just fine. We live cheek by jowl, work together, shop together, travel on the same buses and streets and even eat at the same restaurants. Contrary to the opinions of many, there is no apartheid here. The Arab population is as fearful as the Jewish population. None of us know who will carry out the next attack. Arabs can be killed in these attacks just as easily as others. Perhaps the next terrorist will be the man sitting behind us in the bus, or in the car stopped next to us at the stop light, or the shop keeper from whom we buy our groceries. In many ways this sort of warfare is worse than a conventional war because you cannot identify your enemy. He is amongst us and looks just like anyone else. Someone you have worked with for years, and have come to like and trust, can suddenly turn and sink a knife into you. (The two terrorists who carried out the synagogue attack worked in a shop in the same street).
This fear prompted the mayor of Ashkelon to bar Arab construction workers at three kindergartens in his city, a move which was instantly criticized by government ministers and many others. However we all understand the fear. Even at my school we employ Arab cleaners and our school bus drivers are all Palestinians from East Jerusalem. This climate has led many Palestinians to fear for their jobs and this is only exacerbating tensions.
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So far the rioting has involved rock throwing, Molotov cocktails and the firing of fireworks. It may sound fairly harmless but even these so-called light weapons can cause serious injury or even death. This week, just two days after the synagogue massacre, Israeli police captured a large shipment of fireworks and other weapons from China disguised as Christmas decorations and destined for Palestinian interests in Beit Hanina, Jerusalem. Inside the containers confiscated police found 18,000 fireworks of the restricted 20mm variety, as well as 5,200 commando knives, 4,300 flashlights that can be modified into improvised Tasers, 5,500 Tasers, and 1,000 swords. http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Police-Massive-weapons-cache-uncovered-among-Christmas-decorations-382393
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Watching the police unpacking these boxes of 'Christmas decorations' was a horrifying experience. Just imagine what could be done with such weapons. I thank God they were discovered in time but one cannot help wondering if other shipments have somehow slipped through. The Palestinian terrorists of East Jerusalem may not have easy access to guns but they are very inventive and almost anything can be used as a weapon - including cars and JPG diggers (tractors) as we know only too well. Last night a group of Jewish students were attacked and injured on the Mount of Olives by a gang of Arabs armed with boards through which long nails had been driven.
The atmosphere of fear in the city is almost palpable. We are all aware of it. The problem with fear is that it easily breeds hatred and hatred breeds violence. And violence breeds revenge. It can all build in a vicious cycle and escalate out of control very easily. It is hard to know what can be done to break the cycle. For many months our security forces have taken a 'softly, softly' approach in the hope that things will calm down of their own accord, but the latest developments have raised an outcry against this policy and many are calling for stronger reprisals and a harsher response. A massive police presence in the hotspots, surveillance balloons overhead, concrete barriers and checkpoints have sprung up over the city.
The government has reinstituted the controversial policy of destroying terrorists' homes and the first such razing took place yesterday. Many see this as a humanitarian crime and a kind of group punishment. However terrorists do not grow out of a vacuum. They are formed and educated by their families, who very often support and celebrate their acts. Even so, the efficacy of such a policy was doubtful during the second intifada and only inflames passions more in my opinion.
Is there any solution? It seems likely that the situation will only deteriorate at least in the near future. So how can we pray? The Bible commands us to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" but conflict and warfare play a big part in the prophecies concerning Jerusalem and are apparently a necessary precursor to the ultimate redemption of the world. Nevertheless at the bottom line God does not want bloodshed, whether it be Jewish blood or Arab, or that of anyone else. We can and should pray for peace amongst all peoples and watch our own attitudes and beliefs, guarding our hearts against prejudice and hatred. As a child I was taught in Sunday school a song that I still remember, and it goes like this:
Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world....
Songwriters
WILLIAM BRADBURY, ANNA WARNER, TOM FETTKE
WILLIAM BRADBURY, ANNA WARNER, TOM FETTKE
Published by
Lyrics © ALFRED PUB CO INC
Lyrics © ALFRED PUB CO INC
I am grateful to my teachers who instilled that sentiment into my young heart. Would that more would do so for the present generation.
I believe that God grieves for all who die whether they be Jew or Arab or Gentile. He loves us all. This present violence is grievous to a loving God and he longs for a better world just as much as we do. It is hard for us to understand why he allows it, but we must trust his judgment in this and walk in faith that it is all ultimately for good, and as his Word promises, one day peace and goodwill will reign on Earth. In the meantime we must play our part in the process, praying and acting in love towards all. After all, Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies, as radical an idea in his time as it is in ours. I am learning what that means in reality - to pray for the salvation of those who want nothing more than to kill me. After all they can only destroy my body. My eternal soul is safe in Yeshua's hands, but they face Hell and judgment and are thus to be pitied. Muslim teachers promise Paradise and 70 virgins to all martyrs in the cause of 'holy' Jihad, but I often wonder what a shock these young, people must get when they die and are confronted the Holy God of Israel and his wrath. I feel sad for them. They are the real victims of Satan's deception.
So let's continue to pray for peace in Jerusalem, both in the material and in the spiritual realms and especially in our hearts and minds, and may we all know the 'perfect peace that passes all understanding' that can be found only in relationship with Yeshua (Jesus).
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:7
