Yesterday, March 6, an attack was made upon the people of Israel that should have caused the world to react with shame and unmitigated anger.  A Palestinian terrorist, armed with a multitude of weapons, including an assault rifle, entered the unguarded compound of a religious Jewish high school and seminary and opened fire.  In the attack eight young Jewish students were killed.  Their crime...being Jewish...but more specifically, being ultra-religious Jews.  And the location of this attack cannot be overlooked.  It was on the western outskirts of Jerusalem and the attacker was from a Palestinian village in East Jerusalem.  While Jerusalem and Israel mourned...the Hamas regime in Gaza celebrated as if it were the "Fourth of July."  I have yet to read of the responses within southern Lebanon of the followers of Hezbollah, but I am confident that they celebrated as well.  What should alarm us greatly is that this attack took place right under the nose of Secretary of State Rice who was in Jerusalem trying to get both sides back to the negotiating table so that a two-state settlement could be reached before year's end. 

Last night, as I was driving home, I happened to tune in to a talk-radio program.  What I heard from those calling into the program and discussing the attack caused me great distress.  According to the three callers that I heard...do you know who was to blame for the deaths of those young Jewish religious students?  If you were to say Hamas or Hezbollah or radical Islam you would be wrong.  No, every caller I heard for those 30 minutes stated that Israel had no one to blame but themselves.  The rationale?  Israel has mistreated the Palestinians and had held them captive for these 60 years.  If only the Israelis would feed these people...give them medical care...provide them with jobs...and take down the wall.  My response to these callers was much like those of the host - these people are incredulous.  In fact, the host challenged one caller to go to Israel, spend a year living near the Gaza border, then come back and tell how much Israel was to blame. 

Let's review the past few years briefly.  In August 2005, pressured by President Bush, then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made the decision to unilaterally remove all Israeli forces and Jewish settlements from the Gaza Strip.  The hoped result was to be the creation of a model Palestinian community that would reflect the potential for a two-state solution.  No sooner had the IDF forces left, than terror began.  All traces of Jewish influence were quickly destroyed...this by a religion that prides itself in respecting the worship centers of other religions (at least that is what the Koran says).  Soon the Kassam rockets began to fly into nearby Jewish communities, with Sderot being hard hit.  In January 2006, again pressured by President Bush, the Israeli government - this time under the leadership of Ehud Olmert, due to Sharon's severe stroke that incapacitated him - granted free elections in those areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority.  The big winner...Hamas.  That summer Hamas staged a revolt and took control of the Gaza Strip.  And, now with longer range Grad rockets, Jewish communities such as Ashkelon, Ashdod, and soon Tel Aviv will become targets.  But, according to the callers on that talk show last night...the problem is with Israel. 

I thought to myself - what if it had been a young Jewish man who had entered into a mosque where young Palestinians were studying the Koran and opened fire killing eight and wounding several others.  Would the world have stood by in near-silence?  No, by now the Arab world would have declared open war upon Israel.  The United Nations would have called an emergency Security Council session to denounce Israel and to impose sanctions upon her.  Security at Jewish centers around the world would be on high alert for retaliatory attacks. 

My friends, I am not against the Palestinians.  I have traveled in Israel and have witnessed what can happen when Palestinian Arab and Israeli Jews decide to live together in harmony.  Fields become fertile.  Economic success is experienced by all.  But, I have to be honest with you.  After years of studying the Middle East conflict and looking at it from all angles, I have come to the conclusion that the world community simply does not know what to do with the Jews.  The world community is quick to condemn Israel, but very slow to defend her rights as a member of the international community of nations. 

But I want to close on a strong note.  After spending eight weeks going through Isaiah verse-by-verse with a group of students, I am excited to know that God does have a plan and a future for His people Israel.  The land will blossom as a rose.  The fields will become productive.  Peace and righteousness will characterize those who live in the land of the King.  And the nations of the world will gather to Jerusalem, not to create havoc, not to kill Israelis, but to worship the living God of Israel.  While the world plots the destruction of Israel, God plans for her ascendancy.  While the world plans Israel's death, God prepares for her resurrection.  Israel is not a perfect nation...but it still is a nation of people who have been called by God's name. 

Well, thank you for listening to someone who probably became to impassioned about a event that occurred five thousand miles away.  Next week we will get back into the Gospel of John.  I would welcome any feedback you might have.  Please send it to info@vsb.net. God bless you all.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: History teaches us that when a barbarian race confronts a sleeping culture, the barbarian always wins.  (Arnold Toynbee)