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Church Bulletin Inserts Multimedia Teaching Resources Birth of a Nation… Rebirth of a Homeland
On May 14, 1948, the fifth day of the month of Iyar on the Jewish calendar, Jewish leaders gathered in Tel Aviv to sign the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel—Israel’s Declaration of Independence. This extraordinary document states, “By virtue of our natural and historic right and on the strength of the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, [we] hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz-Israel, to be known as the State of Israel.” With this bold declaration, the modern State of Israel was born. And so it is that every year at this time Israel Independence Day is observed. Yom HaAtzmaut, as it is known in Hebrew, is a day of jubilation—a day for Jews to mark the re-establishment of their sovereign nation after generations of exile, and to celebrate the history and accomplishments of the modern State of Israel. From the very beginning, Israel extended a hand of friendship to neighboring states, encouraging them, as Israel’s Declaration of Independence puts it, to “establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help with the sovereign Jewish people.” Despite this, most of Israel’s neighbors still do not recognize the Jewish state. Some, in fact, are preparing themselves for the day that they can, in the words of the Iranian president, “wipe Israel off the map.” Even in the West, with its values of democracy and personal liberty—values fully embraced by Israel—her legitimacy is routinely questioned in academic circles, on newspaper op-ed pages, and even in some churches. Sixty-plus years after its birth, it seems Israel is still the only nation on earth that is continually called on to justify its existence. For Israelis and friends of Israel—indeed, for any fair-minded person who values democracy and freedom—Israel Independence Day should be, first and foremost, a day for celebration. On this day, let’s thank God for a nation that stands as a beacon of democracy in the midst of authoritarian regimes… for a nation where every day scientific and technological advances are made that benefit the entire world… for a nation that, since its inception, has worked to fulfill the biblical promise, “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn” (Isaiah 60:3). U.S.Israel Relationship: Ties that Bind While Israel’s Arab neighbors reacted with hostility to the founding of the Jewish state, the U.S. became the first nation to recognize Israel. It is instructive to remember that the man primarily responsible for this was a devoted Christian—President Harry S. Truman. In Truman’s administration, there were those who spoke forcefully against U.S. recognition of the new Jewish state. One of these, Secretary of State James Forrestal, summed up this viewpoint by saying, “There are thirty million Arabs on one side and about six hundred thousand Jews on the other. It is clear that in any contest, the Arabs are going to overwhelm the Jews. Why don’t you face up to the realities? Just look at the numbers!” Harry Truman was not without his faults. He occasionally displayed in his private correspondence some of the anti-Semitic prejudices that were all too prevalent at that time. But, ultimately, it is to his everlasting credit that, as far as the right of Israel to exist was concerned, Truman was unimpressed by “the numbers.” In his memoirs, Clark Clifford, who was special counsel to Truman, remembers Truman’s strong counterpoint to Forrestal’s position: “From [Truman's] youth, he had detested intolerance and discrimination. He had been deeply moved by the plight of the millions of homeless of World War II, and felt that alone among the homeless, the Jews had no homeland of their own to which they could return.” As a Christian, Truman had other reasons to support the Jews’ return to their homeland. Clifford continues, “[Truman] was a student and believer in the Bible since his youth. From his reading of the Old Testament, he felt the Jews derived a legitimate historical right to Palestine, and he sometimes cited such biblical lines as Deuteronomy 1:8: “‘Behold, I have given up the land before you; go in and take possession of the land which the Lord hath sworn unto your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.’” Truman never regretted his decision to recognize the Jewish state—a move he took just eleven minutes after Israel declared its independence. “I had faith in Israel before it was established, I have faith in it now,” he said in 1952. “I believe it has a glorious future before it—not just another sovereign nation, but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization.” Call for Support In light of the threats today against Israel and the rise of anti-Semitism worldwide, it is time for friends of Israel and the Jewish people to speak out. One of the most important battles Israel must fight is the battle for public opinion. You and your congregation can help Israel win this battle through prayer, advocacy, and by spreading the truth about Israel’s ongoing struggle for peace and security. One easy first step you can take is to visit our Stand for Israel website (StandForIsrael.org) to see how you can become involved. With prayers for shalom, peace, |
Dear Pastor and Friend of The Fellowship,
Promoting understanding between Jews and Christians and broad support for other shared concerns.
A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, non-profit organization
© 2012 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
April 26, 2012
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Showing 1-40 of 49 comments
Greet Faayad, make him feel at home, some motherly love should do it
Back in May 2007, Dr. Izzat Atiya, head of Al Azhar University’s Department of Hadith, issued a fatwa, or Islamic legal decree, saying that female workers should “breastfeed” their male co-workers in order to work in each other’s company. According to the BBC:
He said that if a woman fed a male colleague “directly from her breast” at least five times they would establish a family bond and thus be allowed to be alone together at work. “Breast feeding an adult puts an end…
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With those preconditions what is left to negotiate, the flooding of Israel with 5 or 6 million refugees?? Also as Fayyad said without the Jordan River there is no Palestine. That about covers it.
The only fair elections these PA Arabs have ever held were under Israel auspice in January 2005. In those elections, Abbas won the presidency for a 4 year term. We are now in 2012. No new elections because the people at the top have stolen millions and are not interested in democracy.
Jordan is the Arab state in Palestine. It sits on 77% of the territory.
The PA was elected 7 years ago to 4-year terms.
Like the PA can have free or fair elections under occupation. The last elections were annulled.
Mark
Since you don’t approve, how about leaving home to supervise the next elections
Then, at long last, you will be able to say that you’ve seen what’s going on
PA isn’t occupied, the land never belonged to Arabs in the first place.
I’ve asked you before, show me a single citation from their Queeran that even mentions Palestine
MarkOfFraudiston, Fraudestinians can organize free election whenever they want.
If they believe occupation is a problem, they can move back to Arabia.
The last elections were held in Gaza and Hamas was elected. (Remember when the Hamas democrats threw the PA freedom-seekers off roofs?). The last elections held on the so-called West Bank were held under what you call “occupation”. Are you saying that these elections were not fair? If so, you are saying that Abbas and Fayyad have no standing whatsoever and you are agreeing with me.
Wrong. The PA elections were held in Gaza and the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Hamas won a plurality. The Bush admin sponsored an attempted coup by Fatah in Gaza, telegraphed it in advance and Fatah lost the coup attempt. Hence the Fatah flying.
But even before that, the US engineered a cut off and economic strangulation of the PA so that their sole source of funds was Iran, arranged by Hamas with the aid of the Bush Administration.
Once Hamas had taken over Gaza following the failed coup, the split Gaza from PA control was completed. …
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MOL
It doesn’t matter where the elections were held, losers were thrown off of high rise buildings or shot in the streets by the other side, knee capping gratis
It was in the news, try reading some instead of making it up by your lonesome
HEY FOLKS DONT’ ARGUE WITH MOL
He knows everything, sees everything, from behind the safety of his computer
His real problem is that his kids won’t give him an allowance to leave home to see
what’s going on in the real world
In his spare time he gives haircuts & pedicures, that is, after he stops pretending that he’s being important
Like usual, you obfuscate the obvious because your position is untenable. The point is that you said that elections cannot be held under what you call “occupation”. Based on what you said, the PA is unrepresentative. So, again I ask you, whom does the PA represent? On whose behalf are they negotiating? You will babble some sort of off-the-subject answer again, but the point remains that they are unelected (they are now in their 8th (not 7th as I wrote previously) year of their 4 year term).
Mr. Fayyad should be aware of the relevant international law and the September 1995 Interim Agreement between the PLO and Israel.
Legally, as specified by the decisions of the League of Nations and adopted by the United Nations in 1945 and etched into the UN Charter, Article 80, as an irrevocable act, the land between the Jordan River and the Med. Sea is designated to be the national home for the Jewish people, with Jews, and only Jews, entitled to settle there at will and set up their nation-state.
UN Security Council Resolution, 242, of 1967 is…
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Both the Abbas letter and the Netanyahu response should be released. The public on both sides have a right to know what is being said, threatened and promised in their name and by the other side.
That the PA thinks the Jordan Valley should be part of Palestine should be a no-brainer. An Israeli (IDF) presence there temporarily should be easy to negotiate, as long as it includes no settlements of other Israeli citizens. Israeli cameras for some surveillance into Jordan should be possible to arrange too. Since Jordan has already signed peace with Israel, IDF tank divisions…
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Markof Lewiston
Ask them for it !!
The Saudi made their own pre-condtions ten years ago, they too fell by the wayside,
since neither side is wiling to agree on anything
If the Jordanian/Israel “Peace Agreement” holds up the same as the Egyptian-Israel, that too will go bust at the first provocation by either side
Don’t set the pre-condtions yourself, nobody asked you for them, did they?
You’re like a blank cartridge in a weapon, all noise, no effect
MoL, per usual, does not know what he is talking about. He is ready to do all the negotiations for everybody without even a basic understanding of the issues.
Wrong. I refuse to negotiate. I only comment on negotiating conditions. I been there and done negotiating for too many years in a different field.
I can, however, recognize what might work and what won’t. The archipelago plan won’t work. It does not include long term sovereignty or independence for either side.
Forever control is poison to both sides.
(Edited by author 1 day ago)
MOL
You may not be “Negotiating”,
how it is for damn sure that you’re ‘TELLING” others what to do
You’re like an old mother-in-law,sticking her snoopy nose into matters which of none of your concern
“I been there” and done negotiating for too many years in a different field.
Been there”, certainly not to here
Other fields don’t count, we are only concerned with here & now
Let’s make a deal, if we need to have a few chickens plucked, we’ll call on your expertise to do it
Oh, Mark, do you refuse to negotiate? Do you represent anybody? Did anybody ever ask you to negotiate on behalf of the PA or Israel?
We in Israel have independence. We have a vibrant democracy. We have sovereignty.
All of these have been offered repeatedly to your Arab friends. They are not interested. Please read the Hamas charter. You know, Hamas, the democratically elected government of Gaza. It calls for the destruction of Israel as the focal point for the spread of jihad.
Okay, lesson is over. You may put your head back in the sand.
…
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You asked me if I was negotiating. I responded no. If you don’t want an answer, don’t ask the question.
MarkofLewiston
Don’t lie when the other fellow asks a legitimate question
Sure you have sovereignty and independence.
That is why you are building and deploying Iron Dome and have such a small army compared by population with France or the Swiss. And so long as you forcibly occupy others, you will be condemned by that to maintain and expand your control.
Eventually, the US and everybody else will abandon funding the PA and you will have to decide to have anarchy there or pay for it yourselves. The Abbas generation is dying of old age. Does anybody in your government think beyond besting Abbas this week? Doubtful.
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MOL
My own mother-in-law was an Angel, she never mixed in
Try to follow her exampe, become an Angel so that you won’t mix in to matters that are none of your concern
I know, I know, you know it all, you just can’t help it
Try a zipper on your lip
MOL
I’ll make it short & sweet, maybe it will sink in
Arabs already have Jordan, which consists of 77% of Mandate Palestine, there is nothing more to give, all of your hot air isn’t going to change it
If you want to give, make it parts of your own state, of wherever that happens to be
Must be a slow day for news when this unimportant BS becomes a headline.
Sure he has no intentions to dissolve PA with him o9n top and if he stops security cooperation the WB will be in complete chaos in no time!
The Farce continues. The Theatre of the Absurd funded by the UN, EU and USA. Write your elected representatives.
A ridiculous situation with a ridiculous Prime Minister who is a ridiculous Arab refugee with ridiculous Demands and calls himself a ridiculous ‘Palestinian’ ….. and ridiculously enough his name is either Abu Mazen or Mahmoud Abbas…..Enough.
Let’s play “Let’s Make A Deal”:
Abbas sends his list of whines
and
Bibi responds with “Yes, you’ve won the Grand Prize — a one-way, all expenses paid tour (moving expenses included) of the Arab Palestinian state, Jordan! Congratulations, Mahmoud.”
Kind of hard to dismantle the PA when Jordan has revoked your citizenship. That makes the PA tactically committed to negotiations. Had King Abdullah not revoked their citizenship it was possible to dismantle the PA leaving Jordan holding the bag. This amounts to $h!? or get off the pot.
“Fayyad Seeks Asylum in Israel.” Now that would be news. And a smart move for Fayyad.
Why even bother meeting with ANY of them? It’s a waste of time and breath.
Abbas should not be so negative. Not all Palestinian settlements are illegal. Those in Jordan for instance.
Build, Build, Build.
And keep building (I don’t see this happening).
The Fakies must understand that the more time they take to make an honest move towards peace, the smaller the available territories will be left for their “state”.
(Edited by author 1 day ago)
I would have agreed with you in the past on this and I often agree with you . You know that.
The Palestinian state to be is Jordan, not in Hebron or Bethlehem or Jericho. King Abdullah has no right to any part of Jordan. He must go. Yes, it’s sad because he hates Israel less than the Palestinians. But he does not belong in Jordan. His whole family was parachuted into Jordan by the British almost 100 years ago.
The tombs of The Patriarchs and the Matriarchs and of Rachel and of Joseph belong to us,…
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I do agree with you and those saying Jordan is in fact the Arab Palestinian State already.
Hebron, Bethlehem, Yerushalaim belong to the Jewish people and Judea-Shomron should not be negotiated. No land should be offered, less so for a fake fragile peace promise on piece of paper.
The most obvious, equitable, fair and workable viable solution would be to declare Jordan as what it really is: Arab-Palestine.
But that option is not on the table right now. Why not? Will it be there asan option in the future? Will the “rest of the world” come to understand and…
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this is prelude to iranian proxy attacks from both gaza and west bank i bet.
I am very dismayed with your Grand Mufti’s preaching to kill all Jews (but we will “not” be hiding behind rocks) and your statement concerning the “Jewish” prophets! Do you know “your” history concerning “Mohamed”, “your” prophet, the pedophile and murderer of innocents! Just because you “squatted” on Temple Mount with your mosques, it “does not” mean you have a claim for Jerusalem to be your capital! Any intelligent, educated person of Jerusalem’s history can clearly see this, unless you put a lot of money in their pockets! And I would guess that oil buys a lot of pockets!
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Unfortunateyl there are absolutely NO intelligent educated people among the Pals!