The Times of Israel reports today that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes Israel has only about one month to dismantle Hamas’ remaining operational battalions in Rafah (southern Gaza) due to increasing international pressure, and reportedly told his war cabinet that the operation in Rapha, where more than one million residents are sheltering, would need to be completed before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins during the second week of March.
Israel’s Office of the Prime Minister released a statement saying that “it is impossible to achieve the goal of the war of eliminating Hamas by leaving four Hamas battalions in Rafah.”
Both the United Nations and the Biden Administration continue to express concern that Israel may not have conducted sufficient pre-operational planning to assure that civilians in southern Gaza will not be sufficiently protected from the fighting.
The Times of Israel report may be read HERE.
American Family News is reporting about the concern that U.S. President Joe Biden’s support for the war effort by Israel has morphed into contempt, pointing out that the proposed U.S. ceasefire agreement would allow for the release of up to 500-1,000 Hamas terrorists – many of whom participated in Hamas’ October 7, 2023 massacre – from Israeli prisons.
Biden’s call for humanitarian aid for Gaza is viewed as another slight against Israel, according to Caroline Glick, Senior Contributing Editor, Jewish News Syndicate, who stated in her February 5, 2024 column that the director of Israel’s premiere investigative agency, Shin Bet, says that 60-70% of all aid provided to the Palestinians goes directly to, or is hijacked by, Hamas.
Glick believes that the Biden Administration’s goal is to “appease Iran at Israel’s expense.”
The American Family News report may be read HERE.
My brothers and sisters, war is an ugly business, even when it become necessary as a matter of self defense. The shortsightedness of those who simply “pick a cause” or “pick a side” without considering the wider implications, such as the predication for the war and its ramifications (e.g., civilian deaths, loss of territory, cultural and religious impacts, and the underpinning of morality) is concerning.
For example, saying things such as “free Palestine” or “from the river to the sea” or use of the term “occupied territories” denotes falsehoods or morally repugnant choices or standards, as is in the case of “from the river to the sea” – which means the destruction of Israel entirely – including the Jewish people (God’s chosen people)!
Israel has been attacked several times by it Arab neighbors. According to Britannica, Israel’s decisive victory during the “Six-Day War” of 1967 included Israel’s capture of the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, Old City of Jerusalem, and Golan Heights – which has become a matter of ongoing contention with Israel’s neighbors (e.g., Egypt, Syria and Jordan).
The question must be asked, if a sovereign country is attacked in an attempt to wipe it and its people from the face of the earth, would fighting back and securing some land from the attacking governments to assure future security be a reasonable and justified approach? The answer, based on common sense alone, is a resounding “yes,” but so many refuse to critically think in these terms, as the issues are so emotionally impacting. The loss of land was the direct result of the actions of the aggressor nations!
This is not a situation that will be resolved in a short article here at FGGAM(!), but what is undeniably true is that Israel is the land where Jesus walked, died and will return again in glory, and the Jewish people are God’s chosen people (see Deuteronomy 7:6, Psalm 132:13 and Zechariah 2:8-9). As Christians, we should pray in agreement with the word of God for the protection of the Jewish people and their land, including Jerusalem (see Psalm 122:6-7).
The evil one desires that the world would be deceived into believing that Israel does not deserve to exist. Despite this, let’s not forget that the bible commands us to love not only our neighbors, but also our enemies (see Matthew 5:43-45)!
What is also undeniably true is that Jesus loves EVERY ONE OF US, including every Palestinian, and desires that we ALL come to a saving knowledge of Jesus and live our lives in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (see 1 Timothy 2:4-6 and Romans 14:17). We were all made in the image and likeness of God (see Genesis 1:26), who is not simply loving, but HE IS LOVE (see 1 John 4:7-8)!
Here are the above-referenced scriptures:
Deuteronomy 7:6 (NKJV)
“For you [the Jews] are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.”
Psalm 132:13 (NKJV)
“For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place…”.
Zechariah 2:8-9 (NKJV)
“For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me.”
Psalm 122:6-7 (Amplified Bible)
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you [holy city]. May peace be within your walls [a]nd prosperity within your palaces.’”
Matthew 5:43-45 (NKJV)
Love Your Enemies
“You have heard that it was said, ‘[y]ou shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
1 Timothy 2:4-6 (NKJV)
God Desires All To Be Saved
“[God our Savior] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all…”.
Romans 14:17 (NKJV)
“…for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
Genesis 1:26 (NKJV)
“Then God said, ‘[l]et Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…”.
1 John 4:7-8 (NKJV)
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love [emphasis mine].”
Praise Jesus forevermore!