Arab spring, Obamacare, Iranian nuke deal, executive orders, and many other irrational shenanigans have been forced on America by our president leaving us vulnerable to dire consequences. But, I would argue that last Friday’s abstention in the United Nation’s resolution against Israel could very well bring on the worst consequences of anything he’s done so far.
The UN Security Council consists of ambassadors of five permanent nations and ten non-permanent nations. The five permanent nations are the WWII principal victors: China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States. Each of these permanent nations has veto power over any resolution. For over 20 years, the US has vetoed any UN resolution in opposition to Israel. Last Friday, we betrayed our friend for the first time.
For over two centuries, America has been the staunchest ally of Jews around the world. For the last seven decades, we have supported the fledgling, relatively new nation of Israel, often in the face of global opposition. It was largely the influence of the Untied States that secured the UN vote to recognize the Nation of Israel in 1949 after their declaration of independence the year prior. Although the Palestinians still claimed certain territories within the new boundaries of Israel, the subsequent war of 1967 resulted in the new nation rightfully annexing those areas, but allowing the Palestinians to remain there. A 1993 agreement brokered by Washington after multiple skirmishes between Israel and the Palestinians established a separate “state” for the Palestinians on the West Bank of the Jordan River and the Gaza Strip (see map below).
The Palestinians, still not satisfied with Israel’s existence–period, began terrorist attacks including missile launches against the Israelis. In response, Israel began settlements of Jewish families and businesses within the West Bank in the late 1990s and have continued until present day. The UN vote last Friday was to demand that Israel cease all construction in the West Bank. The resolution essentially legitimized the area as a Palestinian state out of Israel’s control. Without the West Bank, Israel is indefensible. The US should have vetoed the resolution in keeping with normal, long-standing policy.
This very abbreviated history is only to provide a basic preface to a much greater consideration in this critical issue of global proportion. First we need to understand that the right of the Jewish people to the land of Israel goes back over 4,000 years according to a divine mandate that overrides any ethnic or political factor. Around 2100 BC, God began the process of establishing His special chosen people through Abraham promising him a large piece of land in the Middle East. The original boundaries of the promised land described in the Bible covered a much larger area than what is now recognized as Israel (see map below). Upon bestowing the land on Abraham and his future descendants forever, God included this statement, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you, I will curse.”
Throughout history, the Jews have been driven from their land by enemies only to return later. The last time, they were ousted by Rome in 70 AD not to return as a nation until 1948, a move that had been prophesied in the Bible for centuries. Through all of Jewish history, however, a remnant of their people constantly lived in Israel. The Jewish nation is the only nation ever to maintain its identity throughout its history even when it was without borders. The Palestinians, on the other hand, are not a nation. They are a hodgepodge of people from many Arab nations who have migrated over time to the land forcefully vacated by the Jews. They have never been recognized as a nation. There is no doubt that Israel has rightful claim to the territory of all of Israel and even more according to God’s promise.
America has been blessed in many wonderful ways. I believe that one of the main reasons for our blessings is that we have always supported Israel–blessed her–according to God’s promise. When we follow other nations in sanctioning this ally, we place ourselves in grave jeopardy. President Obama has just placed America on the wrong side of God according to His Word. I fully expect to see some kind of harsh consequence in the near future from this blatant act of defiance.
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