Barney Kasdan Messianic Rabbi KEHILAT ARIEL MESSIANIC SYNAGOGUE NEWSLETTER Volume 22, Number 8, September/October 2006 Elul/Tishrei  5767 Email- ka@KehilatAriel.org Mail- P.O. Box 178755, San Diego, CA 92177 Phone- (858) 490-4355

    It has been a heart wrenching difficult month in the Middle East.  Regardless of your religious or political affiliation, we could not help but grieve over the war and loss of life both in Lebanon and Israel.  While viewing CNN or Fox News, it easy to forget the longer history to this recent flare up in the violence.   So often the rallying cry of Hamas and Hezbollah has been to drive the Israelis out of the "occupied territories."  Last summer, the Israelis put the Palestinians to the test when they chose to unilaterally withdraw from Gaza, even evicting and dismantling decades old Jewish settlements.  Did it bring peace to the southern region of Israel after the "occupied territories" were evacuated?  One year later the rockets and terrorists attacks continue to come from Gaza into the Jewish state.  What we have witnessed this summer is a similar repeat of the radical Islamic attitude towards Israel.  It was clearly not Israel that started the recent confrontation.  Quite the contrary when we remember that it was Israel that unilaterally withdrew from south Lebanon in 2000.  Over the last six years, hundreds of katusha rockets and terrorists attacks have taken place from the northern border, this culminating with over 3.000 rockets fired over the last 30 days.  So much for the claim that there would be peace if only Israel withdraws from Arab territory.  Many have complained about the Israeli "disproportional response" to the Hezbollah offensive.  Yet, I wonder what the USA would do if suddenly thousands of rockets came flying over from Tijuana into downtown San Diego?  Worse yet, if these militants were entrenched amid the civilian population of Mexico?  We all, including Israelis, mourn the loss of innocent civilians.  However, I don't recall the same international outcry as over 1.000 Israeli civilians were murdered over the last six years in terrorists attacks within Israel.

      Through all the emotions and political rhetoric of the last month, we would do well to reflect on some indisputable facts.  Fact #1:  Israel has proven (beyond mere words) that is it ready for peace with any Arab country that sincerely seeks it.  People have such short memories when it comes to the Middle East but we should remind ourselves that Israel has intact peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan.  It is noteworthy that it is these two Arab countries (along with Saudi Arabia) who expressed vocal opposition to Hezbollah in the current conflict.  After all, these moderate Sunni countries fear the sponsors of Hezbollah; namely, the Shiite strongholds of Syria and Iran.  Often forgotten in this political mix are the millions of Arab Christians who are caught in the middle.  While they may have mixed feelings about Israel, the great majority that I know are much more fearful of the prospects of a radical Shiite theocracy than the presence of a small Jewish state.   Fact #2:  The clearly stated agenda of both Hamas and Hezbollah is the destruction of the Jewish state in the Middle East.  With these radical wings of Islam there is no room for a non-Muslim state in that part of the world.  These radicals have publicly called Israel a cancer in the body of the Islamic world that must be removed.  I wonder, can one have a disproportionate response to such groups who are attacking your country with the stated objective for final destruction?  Sadly, Israel cannot afford to relax for one moment.  Not with the Palestinians electing Hamas as their majority government and Hezbollah amassing Iranian arms on the northern border.

    Now we have the start of a cease fire and (God willing) a truce in the north.  What is the prognosis for the near future?  I wish I could be optimistic but the root problems remain.  While we believers in Messiah hope and pray for true peace, we know that at best it will be short lived.  The Middle East is simply a microcosm of the state of humanity at large.  The world is fallen and no UN Resolution or even Peace Treaty will ultimately be the answer.  The Prophet Isaiah spoke long ago about the ultimate solution for the Middle East and other conflicts of the world:
"Violence will not be heard in your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders; but you will call your walls "Salvation" and thy gates "Praise" [Isaiah 60:18]. 
It is noteworthy that the Hebrew word (and Arabic) for violence is the word "hamas."  The Moslem terrorist group purposely chose this word to convey their vision of how they hope to establish their power.  The God of the Bible says that the hamas vision will ultimately be silenced.  How will this happen?  The Hebrew word for salvation in "yeshuah."  God's roadmap to peace will not be found in the UN or CNN but in His spiritual movement of salvation/yeshuah.  All this is ultimately found in the one whose personal name is Yeshua, the promised Messiah for Israel and all the nations.  In light of the recent war, we Messianic Jews and Christians should pray and work for peace as our God is the God of peace.  Someday (maybe soon) this Messiah will return to the Middle East to settle all the disputes.   It seems the greatest work we can do in the meantime is share with all people the blessings of truly knowing the Prince of Peace.