On Thursday, December 5, 2013, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela passed away at the age of 95. It goes without saying that the world just lost an important figure, some will even say an iconic figure or a legend in his own time. To anyone who grew up in the latter part of the twentieth century, Mandela was a hero and a key player in the freedom of the South African people. Seldom do political figures spend over two decades in prison to end-up being released and become the leader of a nation–the opposite is more often the case.
It is not my intention to go on a posthumous witch hunt like some will choose to do. I personally take no satisfaction in this kind of behavior. So first and foremost, my condolences and prayers of comfort go out to the Mandela family for the loss of their loved one.
But by the same token, it is also not my intention to idolize Nelson Mandela and blindly place him in the pantheon of world peace next to Mahatma Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr. It seems that Mr. Mandela, who already was an icon the world around, almost got promoted to “sainthood” overnight. Again, while I do not wish to minimize the loss, I also want to have a balanced and unbiased view on a man who most likely will make the cover of Time magazine as “Man of the Year” amongst other accolades.
All important world figures like Mr. Mandela have a burden that can turn into a lifelong struggle. Each struggle has a cost and in the case of Mr. Mandela, it cost him 27 years of his life in prison from which he was released in 1990. It was only a few years, in 1993, later that he and F.W. de Klerk were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly, for their efforts at peace, reconciliation and non-violence. In 1994 he was elected as South Africa first black president.
Mandela and apartheid are two words that are almost impossible to separate. The late South African leader pioneered and championed the struggle against apartheid and racial injustice, a feat that will remain in history books for generations to come. This aspect of Mr. Mandela’s character garnered him a reputation of peacemaker that facilitated the furtherance of his cause.
I am afraid that beyond his well deserved reputation, Mr. Mandela might have also been used by other groups and even countries to further a similar cause, that was really only similar in appearance but not in substance. While Mr. Mandela was not a blatant enemy of Israel and the Jewish people, his allegiance to the cause of the Palestinians might have tipped the scale in favor of a cause and a people that had little to do with the struggle of South Africa.
A quick review of Mr. Mandela’s relationship with Israel and the worldwide Jewish community between 1985 and 2008 will show somewhat of a love/hate relationship. While I am certainly not willing to accuse Mr. Mandela of Anti-Semitism, I believe that at the very least he was blinded by his desire to extend the concept of apartheid to the Middle East crisis between Israel and the Palestinians. Was his involvement in Middle East policies and accusations of apartheid of his own volition or as a result of crafty Palestinian manipulation? This will remain hard to prove, but the results have already weighed heavily on Israel. The fact is that Mr. Mandela was no expert on the Middle East. In a short speech in 2004, he spoke of Yasir Arafat in terms that clearly show his lack of understanding of the man, and it is no secret that even though Mr. Mandela always tried to be balanced, he favored the Palestinians over Israel.
Today is not the day to scrutinize apartheid and compare the struggles between blacks and whites in South Africa with the struggles in the Middle East, yet there is nothing in Israel that compares to the ills of South African apartheid.
Mr. Mandela was like all of us, an imperfect man in a fallen world. His contribution to our world cannot and should not be ignored, and his legacy will live on for generations to come. This being said, Mr. Mandela’s admiration for Arafat and the Palestinian struggle leaves me with an uneasy feeling. Mr. Mandela’s background was Methodist, so it is very possible that he had a personal relationship with Yeshua. Only God knows our hearts. We mourn the loss of an important world figure who came yesterday before his maker.
Mr. Mandela’s was part of history in a very powerful way until yesterday, but as of now, He has entered eternity for a new chapter in his history. My prayer is that he spends that chapter on God’s side.
Once Upon a Time: A Canary, a Crocodile and an Eagle!
No, we are not embarking on a story-telling adventure from the animal kingdom. Nevertheless, I wish to tell you about an important event that just took place in Europe last weekend. Of course, I am referring to the nuclear agreement between the P5+1 and Iran that was announced in Geneva just a few days ago. It does involve many parties and I would like to feature the three key players: The canary, the crocodile and the Eagle.
• The Canary:
It was over eleven years ago that I first read a powerful article about the danger of anti-Semitism and its lethal ramifications. Columnist Jeff Jacoby was almost speaking prophetically when he wrote:
Jews, it is often said, are the canary in the coalmine of civilization. When they become the objects of savagery and hate, it means the air has been poisoned and an explosion is soon to come. If Europeans don’t rise up and turn against the Jew-haters, it is only a matter of time until the Jew-haters rise up and turn against them.
The idea about Jews being the canary in the coal mine of civilization is rather simple but terrifying. Back in the days of coal mining, miners would take caged canaries down the mine with them. The cage would be placed within the visual field of the workers who constantly kept an eye on it. If a gas leak would take place, it would kill the canary and would also give the miners the necessary heads-up, so that they could evacuate the mine before a likely explosion.
Back in 2002, Jews were being called the “canaries in the coal mine of civilization” because their mistreatment seemed to be a warning for all of us about how our world was changing, and how what happened to them could also happen to the rest of Western civilization.
Today, even more than ever, we see a global coalition of Jew haters from so many venues within so many countries that it would be a mistake to ignore the signs, because the enemies of the Jews will not stop at the eradication of Israel. The canary is still alive only by God’s grace (Jeremiah 31:35-37), but postmodern westerners are treading dangerously on the shaky grounds of the coal mine of civilization, and they do it without keeping an eye on the canary, putting the bird at risk within dangerous reach of the crocodile.
• The Crocodile:
We have to go back even further in history, to Europe in 1938 to learn about the crocodile. British Prime minister Neville Chamberlain was sent to meet with Hitler, and on September 30, 1938 in Munich they concluded what is known as the Munich Agreement. This would allow Nazi Germany to regroup, rearm and reorganize under the nose of the allies, fooled into thinking that they could use diplomacy with Hitler. History told us otherwise. Appeasement has since then become a synonym for weakness and even cowardice.
It was sir Winston Churchill who said: An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last. The implication is clear. Who would attempt to feed a crocodile and pretend that there was no danger in doing so or even worse, think that they could tame the ferocious beast in the process?
Seventy years ago, the crocodile was Nazi Germany and Hitler. Today the crocodile is Iran and its supreme leader Ayatollah Khameini. What took place in Geneva is crocodile feeding at its worst. The unilateral lifting of the sanctions on Iran by the P5+1 was a grave mistake and could soon lead to a tragedy in the Middle East. As it turns out, the “agreement” for a six months deal hasn’t even gone into effect yet. So currently, Iran is not bound by ANYTHING and could continue to enrich uranium, and we know they will. No matter how much time or room Iran is given, they will continue their program and will divulge only what a coalition of very naive countries will buy as good faith. In the meantime, they are inching their way towards obtaining the bomb. Israel knows it, France seems to know it as well (which is unusual to say the least) and even Saudi Arabia sees the crocodile on the not so distant horizon. New alliances are in the making; some of them might even surprise us.
Let’s face it, the crocodile is after the canary but that won’t satisfy its hunger. We know that the beast will go for more, and that leaves us with the eagle.
• The Eagle:
I have a beautiful painting of an eagle over an American flag in my office. I see it everyday and it reminds me how proud I am to be an American and live in what I still consider the greatest country in the world. The eagle is a symbol of power, endurance and majesty. It is both the national bird and national animal of the United States and has appeared on its seal since it was introduced by the Continental Congress in June of 1872. It also appears on the Seal of the President of the United Sates. I would have to agree that the bald eagle is a perfect symbol for America and what we stand for. At least for what America stood for until recently.
Sadly, I do not believe that America is the number one super power in the world anymore. I will not speculate about who has replaced us, but we are no longer leading the pack and at the very least, Iran knows it.
The talons of the American eagle have been filed down to nothing and the wings of the American eagle just got clipped. If you ask me, we are starting to look more and more like a lame duck and less like a bald eagle!
Yet, I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God continues to be in control. So even though it saddens me to see where our world is going and it saddens God as well, somehow it is part of His plan.
Looking at the current situation, I understand and I pray you do too, that we shouldn’t feed a crocodile, let alone try to tame a crocodile. Frankly we shouldn’t even trust a crocodile!
Unless of course you are looking at animals in God’s Messianic Millennial Kingdom to come, where tame and wild will get along with each other and with mankind. Until then, it is our responsibility to do all that we can to introduce those who hate us and who loathe Israel to the One who will give them life eternal and entrance into the Kingdom, that is Yeshua the Messiah!
Israel’s Crimes Against Humanity Revealed!
Crimes against humanity are a very serious matter. While we can trace the history of the laws enacted to protect us from such crimes back to the 1860s, the most famous event in history that placed these acts back on the global map was probably the “Nuremberg Trials” that took place as a result of World War Two and the Holocaust.
At he close of the war, in Article 6 of the “Nuremberg Trial Proceedings Charter of the International Military Tribunal”, in order to better define crimes against humanity, the allies added the following:
But of course, we also need to pay attention to Israel’s crimes against humanity, or do we?
If you tally up all the alleged reports of Israeli abuse, torture, killings, forced starvation inflicted on the Palestinian people, you would think that Israel is this big monster, like the new Nazis of the Middle East region on a mission to destroy the Palestinians. Oh, but wait, this is exactly what they are portrayed as, by their enemies, along with a very unscrupulous media and a largely ignorant global community.
While I would be dishonest to claim that all the Israeli settlements that we have seen come up over the last few years were all erected properly and without any mishaps, they are a far cry from qualifying as crimes against humanity. Additionally, my desire here is not to exonerate Israel of all responsibilities in the Middle East, but simply to assess and compare sides.
Israel continues to be showered with missiles shot indiscriminately at soldiers AND civilians from every corner of the country. The danger of terrorism is part of the fabric of Israeli societal behavior. Terrorism happens in Israel and it isn’t about to cease any time soon. I will be the first one to agree that Israel’s right to the land can be argued about, from both sides of the camp, even though I unequivocally see a biblical validation of Israel as belonging to the Jewish people by God’s decree. A dialogue should exist, simply because dialogue is healthy. This being said, disagreements shouldn’t lead to terror attacks on Israel.
Add to that, Israel’s self-controlled retaliatory attitude towards her enemies and you come up with anything but crimes against humanity, unless of course, the definitions are different for Israel and the rest of the world.
So maybe it is time to reveal some of Israel’s most recent “crimes against humanity”.
• DISASTER RELIEF: Last week, Israel sent a relief team of 148 people to the Philippines to help with the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, and this regardless of the fact that the Philippines voted in favor of the recognition of Palestine at the UN in 2012. The Israeli team was one of the first on the ground within 48 hours of the disaster, as many more joined the humanitarian effort. Jewish people continue to donate through “The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee”. We also remember the tremendous help Israel offered to Haiti as they were the FIRST to offer relief and put up a very instrumental makeshift hospital in 2010. Where was Palestine in the process? Nowhere to be found!
If accused of being very responsive and instrumental in saving many lives,
I FIND ISRAEL GUILTY!
• MEDICAL ASSISTANCE: Last week we also witnessed how the grand daughter of Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh was brought over the border to an Israeli hospital to be treated for a serious digestive infection. While everything possible was attempted, the latest news reports tell us that the one-year old girl was returned to Gaza “clinically dead”. It is a very sad and regrettable outcome for the girl and her family who all deserve our prayers. It was somewhat ironic that Palestinians would send her to a hospital that had to be fortified to survive regular rocket launches from Gaza. Over 200 Palestinian children are treated there every year. The girl’s grandfather has also recently called on the Palestinians to gather up for a Third Intifada.
If accused of trying to save a life, ANY LIFE even from Gaza, in one of their hospitals,
I FIND ISRAEL GUILTY!
• LIFE CHANGING INVENTIONS: Last August, Given Imaging, Israeli inventors of the PillCam received FDA approval for the use of an11mm pill that includes a camera, light, battery, radio and antenna. If things keep moving, the pill could soon replace the ordeal of a colonoscopy. I can guarantee you that when the PillCam hits the market, it will also be available for Palestinians and anybody else who might not be a friend of Israel. This is one of a myriad of inventions and innovations coming out of Israel to make the world a better place. I wonder if it will end-up being boycotted by the BDS movement?
If accused of unceasingly introducing new inventions to improve our global community,
I FIND ISRAEL GUILTY!
So here it is in a nutshell, the very country accused of crimes against humanity happens to be the only democracy in the Middle East. Unless we are dealing with two definitions of what a crime against humanity is, it is time to recognize the libelous picture painted of the Jewish people. Israel is inhabited by a unique people preserved by God, a people who happens to be very creative and uniquely talented to make our world a better place. That is of course until Messiah returns (and even in that they have a role to play as seen in Zechariah 12:10 and Matthew 23:39).
The Jewish people always had enemies and always will, but in closing, I want to concentrate on one of their many friends over the years who spoke very eloquently in favor of my people.
John Quincy Adams (1735-1826), the second President of the United States said:
“I will insist the Hebrews have [contributed] more to civilize men than any other nation. If I was an atheist and believed in blind eternal fate, I should still believe that fate had ordained the Jews to be the most essential instrument for civilizing the nations… They are the most glorious nation that ever inhabited this Earth.”
UNESCO: From Peace to Politics to Palestine!
Headquartered in Paris, UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) was born in 1946 out of a need for furthering world peace and security. As indicated in its name, the main goals of UNESCO are achieved through educational, scientific and cultural awareness. Their current motto is building peace in the hearts of men and women.
• There is no Palestinian language, all Palestinian speak Arabic
An agency founded on peace and justice for all is endorsing terrorism and violence and in the process is also helping to rewrite history. On their World Heritage List, UNESCO chooses to list the “Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route” as being in Palestine not Israel. But this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise when we see that since 1978, UNESCO has selected November 29th as “International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People”.
Many will claim that UNESCO isn’t to be taken too seriously, but I would venture to say that even if this is true, its choice of Palestine as a new member is not the problem but a symptom of a greater problem. With Israel and the United Sates deprived of their voting power, we are a step closer to more anti-Israel sentiment being craftily weaved into the fabric of the agency. Could it be that by helping to legitimize Palestine, UNESCO has become an accomplice to crimes against humanity?
The Islamist world domination agenda continues it slow progress towards a complete hatred of Israel and the Jewish people by more and more people, some of which have never even met a Jewish person in their lifetime. UNESCO is most likely the first of many more agencies that Mahmoud Abbas is targeting for the promotion of Palestine.
I AM AFRAID THAT IT WONT BE LONG BEFORE THE UNITED NATIONS RECOGNIZE PALESTINE AS A BONA FIDE VOTING MEMBER.
In the meantime I applaud the USA and Israel for standing their ground!
Is the Shadow of Kristallnacht Looming Over Jews Again?
Seventy-five years ago on November 9-10, 1938, an unprecedented event occurred throughout Nazi Germany and parts of Austria and Czechoslovakia. It continues to be remembered as Kristallnacht or “the Night of broken Glass”. It was a series of pogroms (organized riots) against Jewish communities during which over 260 synagogues and 7,000 Jewish businesses were destroyed and 91 Jewish people killed. Additionally, 30,000 Jews were arrested and sent to concentration camps.
This attack against the Jews of Europe was orchestrated by the paramilitary division of the Nazi Party known as the SA (Sturmabtellung) or “Stormtroopers”, originally under Herman Göring until Hitler took it over from 1930 to 1945. The chief instigator of the riots was Hitler’s propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels
Originally, the reason given for Kristallnacht was the assassination of German diplomat Ernst vom Rath by a young Polish Jew living in Paris at the time. The life of one German man precipitated the destruction of thousands of Jewish properties and the deportation and death of tens of thousands of Jews.
In reality the death of Ernst vom Rath was simply a pretext for pogroms and mass boycotts against the Jewish community. Most reputable historians see Kristallnacht as the inception of the “Final Solution to the Jewish Problem” and the Holocaust.
Within a few days, Kristallnacht will be remembered across Europe as well as many Jewish communities all over the world. In a world where the Holocaust keeps getting relegated to the edge of history or even pushed over into the abyss of mythical events, it is crucial for people to remember Kristallnacht and similar historical calamities.
In spite of all this, the European Union recently decided to cripple Israel with additional boycotts as well as forbidding all 28 member states from using any EU funding to help “illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine”. Additionally, various countries in Europe are playing their part in promoting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) movement started by Palestinians in 2005. They are also encouraged to do so by Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas who recently invited 80 different global governments to follow suit.
BDS groups in Ireland insist on applying “boycott Israel” stickers on product manufactured or originated in Israel. The stickers say: “for Justice in Palestine, boycott Israel”.
Another group known as BIN or Boycott Israel Network is very active in the UK where they spread propaganda against Israel the “occupier” in many different venues.
In Belgium, a similar group exists, known as BADIL or Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights. They claim that the reason why they are in favor of Israeli boycott is that they must persevere until Israel “respects and implements its obligations under international law.” I find it insulting to accuse Israel of breaking international law while totally ignoring the constant missile showers from Palestinians onto Israeli civilians, not to mention “homicide bombings” and snipper attacks. Many more countries have jumped on the BDS bandwagon and more are joining everyday.
As we remember Kristallnacht, we must accept the fact that events of history are not isolated. Nothing happens in a vacuum. The 30s saw Nazi Germany stigmatize and ostracize European Jews under the eyes of most of Europe. Kristallnacht and the following boycotts opened the door to the Final Solution and while many will remember the Night of Broken Glass in just a few days, many others will continue to demonize Israel, again under the apathetic witness of most people.
One thing leading to another, this new judeophobia from Europe continues to pave the way for a further alienation of 21st Century European Jews. A similar scenario was developing in the 30s under the indifference of most of Europe and many within the Church. Is the shadow of Kristallnacht looming over Jews again?
A question arose recently from some analysts about the growing BDS movement. They were wondering on which side of history the enemies of Israel truly wanted to find themselves seventy-five years after Kristallnacht?
The question I would rather ask is:” On which side of God do the enemies of Israel want to be?”
While we know that eventually the whole world will turn against Israel and the Jewish people, we also know that God will turn against those who touch the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8).
And in that day I will set about to destroy
all the nations who come against Jerusalem
(Zechariah 12:9).
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