
                Should Believers Support Israel?
                      by Michael Schiffman
     There is a great deal of talk these days in political
circles as well as in religious circles regarding the State of
Israel.  As the Palestinians wage loud protest against the Jewish
state, people are beginning to raise serious questions about the
Israeli's possession of the West Bank and the Gaza strip.  They
claim Israel is acting wrongly.
     There are several issues at stake here.  First, regarding
Israel's right to the occupied territories, It should be pointed
out that these lands were never part of a Palestinian state.
They were lands controlled by Jordan and Egypt prior to the 1967
war.  Why in that time did not these Arab states declare a
Palestinian state?  They could have done so freely.  Not until
Israel controlled these lands did there come the outcry for a
free Palestinian state.
     Secondly, these lands were part of the historic Judea and
Samaria, the Biblical Land of Israel.  In peace negotiations with
Egypt, Israel returned the Sinai peninsula because it was never
part of the historical Land of Israel.
     Thirdly, these lands were won in a war that was not started
by Israel, but by her Arab neighbors.  The territories taken
provide safe, defensible borders.  Israel has a right to this
land.
     Politically, people have questioned America's support for
Israel.  Israel has been, and has remained America's best friend
in the world today.  Israel's defense is strategic to a stable
middle east.  Were it not for the Israeli army, nothing would
stop the soviets from taking advantage of the middle east as they
have in other parts of the world.  The Israeli military presence
contributes to the  peace of the region, which in turn
contributes to our security.
     Politics is one thing, but a spiritual consideration of
Israel is something else.  How should believers view the modern
State of Israel, and who should we support in the Israeli-Arab
conflict?   Israel is a secular state.  It is this secularity
that provides for the tolerance of Christianity and Islam as well
as Judaism in Israel.  In Moslem countries this is oftentimes not
the case.  Iran furnishes a perfect example of a non-secular
state.  It is good that Israel is a secular state.  Israel's
detractors reason that because the State of Israel is secular,
it's existence can not be the work of G-d in fulfillment of
prophecy.  They say that if G-d were behind Israel, it would not
be secular.  The fact is, G-d did say in prophecy that He would
restore the Jewish people to the Land, which they themselves
would govern, which has indeed happened.  In Ezekiel 37, the
prophecy of the dry bones is a metaphor of the restoration of
Israel.  Chronologically, the bones came together, tendons
formed, and flesh appeared, but there was no breath in them
(vs.8). It was only later that breath entered them.  In the
spirit of this metaphor, breath can be understood as Spiritual
life.  Israel returns in unbelief, and only later believes.  This
fits well with Zechariah 12:10 and Romans 11.  The secularity of
Israel should pose no problem to her status as the work of G-d.
     People have argued that because Israel is secular, it's
government does not deserve our support as believers.  America
too is secular.  All our officials are not perfect.  We pray for
our leaders because Romans 13:1 tells us that "there is no
authority except that which God has established."  We support
America even if we disagree with the leadership.  And we pray for
the leadership.  It is no different with Israel.  We may not
agree with every government policy and action, but we should
still support Israel because G-d is behind it.  If the American
authorities are established by G-d, so are the Israeli.  Israel
should be supported by believers, not because they like the prime
minister, but because it is the work of G-d in fulfillment of His
Word.  As He has been faithful to Israel, so is He faithful in
all His promises to believers.  Israel's blessings are the
believer's encouragement.
     Others have pointed to the plight of the Palestinians in
refugee camps as reason to support the Palestinians and oppose
Israel.  Just because a group is "third world" does not mean they
are right.  The Palestinians are not a victimized peace-loving
people.  These people have bombed children's day care centers,
nursing homes, school busses, and market places in Israel.  They
do not recognize Israel's right to exist.  How can Israel treat
them any differently?  This land was not Palestinian in the first
place.  It was under the British from 1917 to 1948.  Prior to
1917, it was under the control of the Ottoman Turks for 500
years.  There was no preexisting Palestinian state.  If they
would recognize Israel's right to exist, and not seek the
complete destruction of the State of Israel, there would be
peace.   Israel has done what they have had to do to keep peace.
Believers who disagree with Israel's policies should still
recognize God's hand on Israel, and pray for the peace of
Jerusalem, and for the coming King of Israel, the Messiah Yeshua,
who will rule the world from Jerusalem and preside over 1000
years of peace.




