The Relentless Islamic Strategy to Destroy Israel

It’s not enough for Arab and Islamic non-Arab political, military, and religious leaders such as Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei to repeatedly threatened Israel with extinction. Or for Palestinians to continuously murder and maim Jews at the incitement of their leaders and with the active or passive approval of mainstream Palestinians.

This ancient irrational Arabic hatred (going back nearly 3,800 years) and Muslim loathing (when Muhammad invented Islam some 1,400 years ago) of the Jews has no geographical, political, social, or educational boundaries. It also includes—indeed, is even led by—Islamic academia and intelligentsia.

In the online Prophecy News Watch, the title of an article posted on November 14, 2017 reads: Islamic Scholars Gather To Discuss Destroying Israel. It begins with:

“A large group of Islamic leaders recently held a conference that the liberal press has quietly buried. Its theme was the total destruction of Israel. The City of Beirut, Lebanon played host to the second meeting of a group that calls itself the International Union of Resistance Scholars… comprised of approximately 700 Islamic scholars hailing from 80 countries … and their stated goal to wipe Israel off the map forever.”

The article contains a couple of quotes from Muslim spokesmen at the conference including an excerpt from a letter written to/for the conference by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.

I decided to also look up this information directly from the primary online source that published a review of this conference. It can be found on an Iranian news site, en.mehrnews.com, which is an affiliate of Tehran, Iran’s main newspaper. The title of that article in English posted on the same day of the conference (11-1-17): 2^nd meeting of Intl. Union of Resistance Scholars kicks off.

Here is a more complete excerpt from Khamenei’s letter to the conference: “…the heavy and unforgettable responsibility for Palestine rests upon the shoulders of the entire Muslim world… I recommend that all individuals, who feel the importance of this great responsibility, continue to fight against the usurping Zionist regime using diversified tactics.”

It’s all too abhorrently clear: what Khamenei means by diversified is anything and everything (whatever it takes) to rid the world of Israel and the Jews.

(Assembly of the “Resistance Scholars” in Beirut … Just as Menacing and Deadly as Any Physical Attacks on Jews)

The Iranian article states, “The conference is being held under the banner of ‘True Promise: Palestine between Balfour Declaration and Divine Promise,’ gathering together religious clerics who highlight the role of Palestine in the World of Islam and voice their readiness to side with the Palestinian nation against the Israeli regime and its allies in and out of the region.” (That includes the United States, the most obvious ally of Israel).

A Brief Commentary: The role of Palestine in the World of Islam is merely another excuse for Islam to seek Israel’s annihilation. If there was no such thing as Palestinians or Palestine, Muslims would find another “cause” or reason to drive the Jews into the sea and eliminate the sovereign state of Israel from the face of the map.

Which begs the question: Is there, in fact, any such thing as a Palestinian or Palestine? Stay tuned.

Another quote in the Iranian news article came at the opening of the conference from its chairman, one of the leaders of the Resistance Scholars Union, Sunni Sheikh Maher Hammoud, who said: “…the Israelis believe in the certainty of their collapse more than the Muslims.”

Which is a blatant lie, but one that is believed (or at least hoped for) by Muslims all over the Middle East. I have read hundreds of articles by Israeli correspondents. I have listened to and read hundreds of quotes from Israel’s religious, military, educational, and political leaders, not the least of which is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Although Israel faces the same kind of internal disagreements that any democracy experiences, by and large they are optimistically united when it comes to the matter of Israel’s survival. But also Israel’s marvelous achievements and their sharing of those accomplishments with the world in the fields of medicine, education, agriculture, computer technology, transportation, disaster relief, and a host of other modern-day advances.

Another report on this conference comes from writer Rachel Frommer as posted in the online site, (Washington) Free Beacon. Her article entitled, Islamic Scholars Gather to Discuss Destroying Israel, posted on 11-3-17, includes information that the Lebanese (terrorist group) Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, attended the conference; as did Ismail Haniyeh, a senior leader of the Gaza terrorist organization, Hamas.

Question: Are Nasrallah and Haniyeh scholars? Evidently they are, or they wouldn’t have been invited by the International Union of Resistance Scholars, would they?!

It’s also crystal clear that all of the “scholars” study one thing above all else. How to destroy Israel … the sooner the better.

How Soon is Sooner?

As I had learned some time ago, brought to recall by part of the aforementioned Prophecy News Watch article, we read:

“The year 2022 has become an obsession over the past half-decade for Islamic leaders. Hassan Rahimpour Azghadi of Iran’s Supreme Court for the Revolution declared in 2015 that Israel would be destroyed in 2022. In that same year, another Iranian cleric published a book that drew from the occult and calculations based on the Koran to predict Israel’s defeat and annihilation in the year 2022. The Islamic State, not to be left out, has also called for the war to be brought to Israel in 2022.”

What’s that saying? Be careful what you wish for…

Scripture predicts that nations hostile to Israel will unite together not once but twice in the last days (during the Tribulation). God himself will arrange it! The Lord will allow these arrogant nations and peoples to try to fulfill their diabolical desire to finish Hitler’s devious and detestable “final solution” for the Jews. Only this time the final solution (potion) will be swallowed by Israel’s enemies. Says the Sovereign Lord:

“Just as you swallowed up my people on my holy mountain, so you and the surrounding nations will swallow the punishment I pour out on you. Yes, all you nations will drink and stagger and disappear from history” (Obadiah 1:16).

First, will be the Gog/Magog alliance, consisting of Russia and several diehard Muslim nations like Iran and Turkey and Libya. Says the Lord, “I will turn you around and drive you toward the mountains of Israel, bringing you from the distant north… You and your army and your allies will all die on the mountains … You will fall in the open fields … In this way, I will make known my holy name among my people of Israel. I will not let anyone bring shame on it. And the nations, too, will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. That day of judgment will come, says the Sovereign Lord. Everything will happen just as I have declared it” (Ezekiel 39:2-8).

As documented in previous Eye of Prophecy articles concerning the Gog/Magog invasion, I’m convinced this attack will take place within the first two years of the Tribulation.

God is an equal opportunity God, regarding both salvation and judgment. In the last part of the Tribulation, he also will grant Antichrist Nero and his ten-nation confederation the chance (wish) to conquer Israel.

Read with me: “At the time of those events, says the Lord, when I restore the prosperity of Judah and Jerusalem (which began and has increased exponentially since 1948), I will gather the armies of the world into the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will judge them for harming my people, my special possession, for scattering my people among the nations, and for dividing up my land” (Joel 3:1-2, parenthesis mine).

Then later in that chapter: “Let the nations be called to arms. Let them march to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There, I the Lord, will sit to pronounce judgment on them all” (Verse 12).

The valley of Jehoshaphat is another designation of the valley of Megiddo, where the final battle of Armageddon will take place (Revelation 16:16).

And, “Thousands upon thousands are waiting in the valley of decision. There the day of the Lord will soon arrive” (Joel 3:14).

Here’s another prophecy about the nations of today’s world: “I will make Jerusalem like an intoxicating drink that makes the nearby nations stagger when they send their armies to besiege Jerusalem and Judah. On that day I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock. All the nations will gather against it to try to move it, but they will only hurt themselves” (Zechariah 12:2-3).

“For on that day I will begin to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem” (Verse 9).

Several times in Old Testament and New Testament prophecy we see that these last days events will happen “soon” or “soon arrive” as we just read in Joel. Jesus, himself, said in the last chapter of the Bible, “Look, I am coming soon…” (Revelation 22:12).

Your first impulse might be: “How can that be when Joel’s prophecy was written so long ago (some 2,800 years); or Zechariah’s about 2,500 years ago; or Jesus’s words spoken nearly 2,000 years ago?”

Answer: Often Scripture will identify end times events with the phrase, “Day of the Lord” or, “in those days,” or “on that day.” When the term “soon” is connected to “that day” or something similar, it is in the collective context of all Biblical last day’s prophecies. Specifically, from the time they begin to unfold during the “birth pains” as described by Messiah Jesus; then intensify, culminating at the end of the final (Omega) generation specified by Jesus. With the Day of the Lord beginning with the Rapture of believers from the earth, followed soon by the Great Tribulation. Soon means abruptly, and is also equivalent to and expressed by what Jesus said:

In other words, soon applies to the accumulative peak (fulfillment) of end-times prophetic events in the context of the final generation specified by Jesus. It does not necessarily mean “just around the corner” in terms of the lapse of time from when the predictions were made.

When the Lord gave the amazingly detailed prophecy to Ezekiel concerning the Gog/Magog invasion of Israel, he announces that it will be a long time in coming. God declares in the form of a warning and also a taunting challenge for Gog and his allies to be ready when God says it’s time for him to, “…turn you around and put hooks in your jaws to lead you out with your whole army…” (Ezekiel 38:4).

It’s like saying to someone who is so ready they can hardly stand it, “Are you ready?”

Then get on with it.

“Get ready; be prepared! Keep all the armies around you mobilized, and take command of them. A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will sweep down on the land of Israel, which will be enjoying peace after recovering from war and after its people have returned from many lands to the mountains of Israel. You and all your allies—a vast and awesome army—will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud” (Ezekiel 38:7-9).

Are they ready in our generation? You bet they are. In just the last 18 months or so, both Russia and Iran have established military bases in Syria. And Turkey (by today’s small world standards) is geographically a stone’s throw away from Israel. All three nations have missiles that can easily reach Israel. Just last week, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President Hassan Rouhani of Iran, and President Erdogan of Turkey met in Syria with its President Bashar al-Assad. Purpose of which was to essentially declare victory over the rebel fighters (supported by the United States) who have waged a war of independence from Assad for several years now.

(Russian Fighter Jets and Helicopter Stationed at Hemeimeem Air Base in Syria)

However, Scripture is clear: It is the Lord who will decide when to bring the two massive coalitions against Israel (Gog/Magog and then Antichrist and his confederacy). These two campaigns are part of God’s end-times plan for the human race. Which is to establish the Jews in Israel forever in the mighty Kingdom of God on earth with Jewish and Gentile believers alike reigning and ruling with Messiah Jesus.

What if God allows the Gog/Magog league or the Antichrist coalition to begin their respective campaigns against Israel in 2022 or thereabouts? Or sooner than that?! We are near the end of the final generation as indicated in several Eye of Prophecy articles, the most recent of which was Just How Imminent is Messiah’s Imminent Return? Posted 11-18-17.

The Need to Define Terms

Let’s return to the conference of the International Union of Resistance Scholars. What is it they are resisting, which is the reason for their union? The answer is glaringly gruesome: They are denying the very existence of the sovereign State of Israel. They are resisting the notion of a single Jew living in Israel.

They seldom refer to Israel as Israel. It’s almost always: Palestine. Nor do they refer to Arabs living in “Palestine” as Arabs. They are Palestinians. They don’t even like to call Arab citizens of Israel (some 1.8 million of them) by the term that precisely fits them and their citizenship rights in Israel … Israeli Arabs. Instead these scholars and much of the Islamic world also refer to Israeli Arabs as Palestinians.

That is the rub. Therein is the problem. It is a matter of semantics. It is an issue of definitions.

Although many people don’t want to be bothered with semantics (even using the sometimes cop-out phrase of, “it’s just a matter of semantics” to throttle any further discussion), it’s sometimes necessary to define certain terms. Otherwise people and groups with different views or agendas can apply their own meaning to terms that can be ambiguous unless defined. For example, nearly all contracts (insurance policies, lease agreements, purchase agreements, warranties, loans) will define terms within and parties to the contract.

Webster’s definition of definition is: “a word or phrase expressing the essential nature of a person or thing.” (Note: since some nouns in particular—as opposed to adjectives or adverbs which have synonyms—merit definition, I would add “places” to people and things). Also, definition is: “the action or the power of describing, explaining, or making definite and clear.”

Are you, by definition, an American citizen—either born in the United States or through naturalized citizenship? If you are, it’s because the United States of America has been geographically defined by the borders of the forty-eight contiguous (actual contact along established boundaries) Continental States. Plus, the addition of two non-contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii, which received statehood status in January and August, 1959, respectively … our 49^th and 50^th states. Both of these states were American territories (like many of the continental states were at one time), with Hawaii initially annexed by the United States and Alaska originally purchased (1867) from Russia.

Whether British, French, German, Canadian, Brazilian, Norwegian, Australian, or Chinese, virtually all citizens of any nation in the world are acknowledged as such because their country is defined and recognized by established geographical borders. Many indigenous ethnic groups have split from a larger country in the 20^th & 21^st centuries, resulting in an explosion of smaller countries or city-states all over the world. Nevertheless, all of them have some system of government that defines citizen membership requirements.

(An Example of an Island Country: Nauru Became an Independent Nation in 1968, Formerly A German Colony, Then Under Trusteeship of Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. Population of Nauru Through 2016–10,100, Smaller Than Thousands of Cities in the World)

(Nauru, a Polynesian Island in the Pacific. On a Personal Note, One of 173 Nations That Have Visited Eye of Prophecy Website To Date)

Let’s pause here to examine one of the two most definitive statements ever made in the history of the world. The other one is: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). It is a declaration that leaves no doubt whatsoever as to who and what is the source of redemption for the human race. An unambiguous authoritative assertion that—depending on whether we believe and receive the one who defined in no uncertain terms who and what he is—will determine the eternal destiny of every person on earth.

Messiah Jesus stated: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

He begins by declaring that, “I am…” Thus, defining exactly who he was, is, and always will be: The Son of God and God the Son. “I AM” is the very name of God, the name that he first uttered during the miracle of the burning bush.

“God replied to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.’ God also said to Moses, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations” (Exodus 3:14-15).

Read with me Jesus’s astonishing response to the religious leaders of Israel:

“Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming, He saw it and was glad.

“The people said, ‘You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?’

“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!’” (John 8:56-58).

Jesus declared (defined) himself as: The (only) Way—that anyone can come to God the Father for salvation and forgiveness of sin. Jesus is Truth—absolute, universal, objective truth as opposed to subjective relative truth that says, “I’ll determine what is true (for me).” Jesus is Life itself—he gives (created) us life on this earth and gives us life again in heaven; if we only will believe and receive him as our Personal Savior.

Jesus is the only definitive Way to God, Truth of/from God, and Everlasting Life with God.

Palestine and Palestinians?

If we’re going to grasp the essence of the Middle East conflict between Jew and Arab and who actually has Biblical (which is really the only authority needed) but also man-made national rights to the land of Israel, then it is crucial that we define Palestine and Palestinian.

Who is a Palestinian?

Answer: No one, not really. There is no such thing as a Palestinian. I realize that practically the whole world (including me) uses that designation to refer to the Arabs living in (occupying) the West Bank—a term invented not so long ago to identify that part of Israel called Judea/Samaria—or to Arabs living in the Gaza. But we use the term only out of necessity; to distinguish between citizens of Israel (Jews and Israeli Arabs) and non-citizens of Israel. If someone did use the term Palestinian (before 1948), they were invariably identifying the Jews, not the Arabs.

What is Palestine?

Answer: there is no such thing as Palestine, not really. Certainly not after May 14, 1948 when Israel became a Sovereign State, less than six months after the United Nations Resolution granted statehood rights to the Jews, and also to the Arabs who flatly rejected any idea of a state alongside a Jewish state. Instead, five Arab nations attacked Israel the very next day, confident that they would kill infant Israel in its national crib.

Actually, a better question would be: Where is Palestine? With an equally legitimate response: Nowhere. Even when it was called Palestine, it was not a country or a nation. At the most, it was a territory with disputed borders. Nor was there or has there ever been a Palestinian language. Hebrew, yes. Arabic, yes. But no one speaks Palestinian. Along with established borders, it is language that most plainly defines nations and ethnic groups (such as Arabs in Israel) within nations.

A Summary Analysis of “Palestine” and “Palestinians”

Here is an excerpt from Eye of Prophecy article, Israeli Occupation … Fact or Myth? Posted 5-16-16 (in italics):

It’s one thing for the White House to pull out all the stops in this misguided and uniformed effort to create a Palestinian State. It’s quite another to base this objective on the absolutely groundless and erroneous (false) premise that Israelis are “occupying” the West Bank which includes East Jerusalem. I repeat for emphasis: Jewish settlements in the West Bank are not occupation of land that doesn’t belong to them. In fact, it’s just the opposite: the land does belong to them, thus, if anyone is (wrongfully) occupying the land, it’s the Palestinians.

The term “occupation” has been grammatically and politically reversed in its meaning, because that is the only way for those opposed to Israel’s historically rightful claim to the land to justify their assertion that the Palestinian Arabs have exclusive ownership rights.

The Israeli government continues to recognize the right of Palestinian Arabs to build houses and apartments in East Jerusalem which, in fact, have been legally purchased by and deeded to them. But the Palestinians do not acknowledge, whatsoever, the same right for Jews to build on land that they have purchased; simply because this land is within the parameters of the so-called West Bank. In fact, there is no such thing as a national or state boundary without a nation or state to set those boundaries and neighboring nations to agree on where those boundaries are set. The only TRUE and LEGAL boundaries of Israel are between Israel and surrounding nations (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt), not the West Bank or Gaza.

But as periodically mentioned in past Eye of Prophecy articles, it’s not just all of East Jerusalem (there is no legal distinction between West and East Jerusalem) that the Arabs want; it’s all of Jerusalem, all of Israel that they lay claim to….

Then later in that article:

But it’s more, much more, than international recognition of Israel’s rights to what was once called Palestine, which was long before that called Israel. Had not one country on earth, including the United States of America, acknowledged the right of Jews already living in Israel and the right of Jews all over the world to return to Israel, the fact remains that the true and living God promised the land of Israel (borders of which were much broader than currently exists) to the Jews—the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That is reason enough!

Next are a couple of excerpts from a recent article (11-20-17) written by Jean Patrick Grumberg, posted in the online op-ed source of Gatestone Institute. Much of what he wrote has been covered in prior Eye of Prophecy articles. The reason that this author (and a few others like him) and I are on the same page is because we’ve studied extensively the real definable history of the Middle East. The main difference is that my articles are in the context of Scripture, as the Bible is the definitive God-breathed source of humanity’s history pertaining to God’s plans for Israel and Gentile nations.

The all-encompassing purpose for and existence of Eye of Prophecy website is to give a clear witness for Messiah Jesus who is the essence of Biblical prophecy, its proclamations and predictions. Within that purpose, to correlate proclamations and prophecies to each other in the whole context and counsel of Scripture, history, and current events. And, when necessary, to clarify and even correct misunderstandings or misapplication of certain prophecies and terms. This is just another way of defining people, places, events, and the enduring truths and principles found in Scripture.

(Jesus Is The Living Word of God)

Wrote Grumberg: “All people born in the British Mandatory Palestine between 1923-1948 had “Palestine” stamped on their passports at the time. (Thereafter and to this date the majority of “Palestinians” have Jordanian passports). But when they were called Palestinians, the Arabs were offended. They complained: ‘We are not Palestinians, we are Arabs. The Palestinians are the Jews’” (parenthesis mine).

Grumberg quotes Palestinian Liberation Organization leader Zuheir Mohsen who articulated in 1977: “The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality, today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians, and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct Palestinian people to oppose Zionism.”

*Note: I couldn’t have said it better myself, let alone relay this information from a prominent Muslim Arab (“Palestinian”) leader. Since this leader spoke those words in 1977, that definitive statement on Palestine and Palestinians was subsequently suppressed by PLO founder Yasser Arafat and now by the Palestinian Authority (name change from the PLO) President Mahmoud Abbas. They and other leaders of the PA and the Arabs living in the West Bank and Gaza conspicuously refer to themselves as Palestinians. This to give the impression that their “cause” is all about Palestine and Palestinians who allegedly are the only lawful residents of a nation that should never have been called Israel, and the Jews who are illegitimate “settlers.”

Jean Patrick Grumberg goes on to say: “Prior to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, there were no ‘Palestinians.’”

Actually, Arabs didn’t begin to refer to themselves as Palestinians on a regular basis and for ulterior motives until the PLO was established in 1964; even more so after the Six-Day War of 1967 and the following cease-fire orchestrated primarily by the United States and western nations.

Here is another excerpt concerning the prevailing Israeli Arab view on a Palestinian State, from Eye of Prophecy Article: A Palestinian State (No, Say Many Arabs). Published 1-11-14 (still true today):

And as Palestinian journalist, Khaled Abu Toameh writes in his article for Gatestone Institute, “It was hard this week to find even one Israeli Arab who publicly supported the proposal.” Khaled goes on to say, “Arab Knesset members … do not want to wake up in the morning and discover that they are citizens of a Palestinian state. It is much easier for them to accuse Israel of racism than to admit that they do not want to be part of a Palestinian state.”

At face value that seems and sounds incredible—that Palestinians wouldn’t want to be governed by their own people. But after further review, it’s all too practical and easy to grasp. Pretty much ever since Israel became a nation, and especially since 1967 when hundreds of thousands more Arabs suddenly became citizens of Israel, those Israeli Arabs have been far better off than their Palestinian brothers living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Although there’s still a lot of hostility emanating from Israeli Arabs toward Israel, they understand that Israeli citizenship affords them much more freedom, democracy, a higher standard of living, movement throughout Israel, more places to shop for and buy the things they want and need; in short, a better way of life. The last thing they want is an abruptly changed life in a Palestinian State, controlled by a Palestinian government that could just as quickly take away many of the privileges they currently enjoy as Israeli citizens.

The Palestinian journalist goes on to say, “The Palestinians have their own parliament in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. But this parliament, known as the Palestinian Legislative Council, has been paralyzed since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007. In most Arab countries, parliament members who dare to criticize their rulers often find themselves sitting at home or behind bars.” And I might add to Khaled’s astute observations: An Israeli Arab Knesset member is free to criticize his/her own government (and often does) without fear of any reprisal. They can return to their home after a hard day at the Knesset, and start all over again the following morning.

(Ahmed Tibi, Recently Slammed Israel at the United Nations Regarding Some Nations Attending the 70th Anniversary Of UN Resolution of Nov. 29th, 1947, Granting Israel Statehood Rights. And He Is an Arab Member of the Israeli Knesset no less!)

Concerning Jewish “settlements” in Israel, here is an excerpt from Eye of Prophecy article, United Nations Downsizing of Israel (Resolution 2334). Posted 1-7-17. This reprehensible resolution was drafted by several Arab/Muslim nations and nations hostile toward Israel.

In gleeful reaction to Resolution 2334, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas presumptuously said, “We are calling for 2017 to be the year of international recognition of the State of Palestine because more recognitions will strengthen the possibility of achieving a two-state solution and real peace.”

As though Palestine was already a state, Abbas continued, “I say to you that settlements on the land of the occupied State of Palestine are on their way out. We secured a historic UN Security Council resolution, which said that any changes since 1967 to the demographic composition or land of the State of Palestine including East Jerusalem are unacceptable.”

By prematurely referring to Palestine as a state, which has never legally or legislatively or nationally existed in the first place … an impression is made on both the informed and uninformed that Jews don’t belong anywhere in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. When, in fact, much of the land in Judea and Samaria on which some 600,000 Jews reside was purchased by the Jews … even land won from the Arabs in the Six-Day War.

Does the United States and the United Nations actually believe that any portion of land within the sovereign borders of any nation on earth could be (illegally) “occupied” by citizens of that country? With the resulting conclusion that no citizen of that country has any right to purchase and own land in select areas of their nation that are indwelt mostly by a certain ethnic group of people….

A slight exception to what I just said would be Native American Reservations or Tribal Lands in the United States. But in that case, the United States intentionally set aside certain areas of land just for the Indians. Even so, some 1.5 of the 2.5 million Native Americans in this country live outside of the Reservations … just like Israel has permitted Arabs (some 1.8 million to date) to become citizens of Israel. But that doesn’t give the Palestinian Arabs who don’t want to be citizens of Israel the right to deny living quarters to Jews in “Palestinian territory” that is not an official state or nation.

I (in a few previous Eye of Prophecy articles) and several others have said it before, but it needs to be said again and again, else the world at large will never grasp the true hidden agenda of the Palestinians in particular and Islam in general.

That is: The so-called Jewish “settlement occupation” is neither (1) illegal, nor, (2) the main obstacle to peace in Israel. Nor is a Palestinian State the solution. Certainly not one that is unilaterally imposed on Israelis with little or no input from them, especially relating to their national security and survival. Which means that imposition of the pre-1967 truce boundaries (lines) cannot be accepted by Israel. Some concessions could be made (through negotiation), but at least two demands cannot be met: (1) Jerusalem as a divided capital, or (2) Israeli departure from the Golan Heights.

(Note How Much of Israel The Arab Palestinians Occupy in the West Bank and Gaza. There Are Also Many Arab Community Settlements Outside of the West Bank Throughout Israel. There are no Jews Allowed to Live in Gaza & the Palestinians Far Outnumber the Jews in the West Bank, Yet the Arabs Want All Jews Removed from the West Bank)

In conclusion, here is an excerpt from an article written by an astute scholar of the Middle East, Bassam Tawil, also posted in Gatestone Institute on 11-21-17:

“Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist terror group controlling the Gaza Strip, maintains that it will never accept the presence of Israel on ‘Muslim-owned’ land. Hamas wants all the land Israel supposedly ‘took’ in 1948…”

My comment: If ever there was a need to define a term (Muslim-owned land … in Israel) this would be it. Neither Hamas nor its rival Palestinian Authority would be able to even come close to defining legally or proving politically that there is such land within and certainly not in place of the Sovereign State of Israel.

Things to Ponder

Though mentioned in a few prior Eye of Prophecy articles, it bears repeating: God has designed two majestic plans for humanity, as so magnificently contained in Scripture and demonstrated throughout history. (1) Selection and separation of the Jews and Israel as a people and nation through whom God’s plan of redemption would come. Specifically through the Jewish Messiah. Although this included discipline of Israel, herself, and entails punishment of peoples and nations who seek to thwart God’s plan for the return of Jews to Israel, the light of God’s salvation has shown on both Jew and Gentile.

Said God the Father about His Son (Messiah Jesus): “…You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6).

The end result, which will begin during the millennial reign of Messiah Jesus, is exquisitely expressed in several Bible passages such as the following:

“Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm. God reigns above the nations, sitting on his holy throne. The rulers of the world have gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham. For all the kings of the earth belong to God. He is highly honored everywhere” (Psalm 47:6-9).

Just this past Wednesday (November 29^th), US Vice President Mike Pence was the keynote speaker to representatives of 33 nations (those countries which voted for Israel) celebrating the 70^th anniversary of United Nations Resolution 181, which conveyed statehood rights to Israel.

(2) Salvation for all Jews and Gentiles who agree with God; who place their personal trust in God’s Messiah.

Concerning Jesus of Nazareth: “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God” (John 1:12-13).

Jesus asked the question of his disciples. This question applies to all people.

“…But who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God’” (Matthew 16:15-16).

Who do you say that Jesus is? The answer to this question will determine your eternal destiny.

Is he the everlasting Alpha and Omega, beginning and end of all things?

Is he the ultimate definitive reference point to this life and the one to come?

Is he, the great I AM?