Defamation of Israel
Jews have faced a lot of reproaches and accusations over the centuries: they were said to have murdered Christ, poisoned the water wells, murdered Christian children to use their blood in the preparation of matzos, etc. As a result, a broadly negative sentiment grew around Jews. With that, a defamation has landed on their heads.
“Astonishing that our world’s highest judges ignore what was previously established in the San Remo Conference (1920) and in the Oslo Accords (1993), and ignore actual history”
Today, Israel, and thus effectively the Jews, are accused of apartheid, oppression, genocide, and illegally occupying other people’s land. The ancient Biblical territories of Judea, Samaria and the historic city of Jerusalem, are allegedly not Jewish heritage, and thus illegally occupied. These areas, from Hebron in the south, to the Golan and Hermon in the north, are also called ‘the mountains of Israel’ by the Biblical prophets. Jews who live there are said to be there illegally. This was reaffirmed on Friday 19 July by the International Court of Justice. It is astonishing that our world’s highest judges ignore what was previously established in the San Remo Conference (1920) and in the Oslo Accords (1993), as well as ignore actual history.
Over the centuries, Jews have always lived in these territories. Only in 1948 were they killed or expelled by the Jordanian army, and in 1967 Israel recaptured these territories. The prophet Ezekiel speaks about the situation of Israel in his time, but his prophecies always have a deeper connotation that takes on a new relevance even in our time. Very touchingly, Ezekiel speaks of the anger of the Lord God over the appropriation of these territories by gentile nations. God is angry because the gentile nations say of the mountains of Israel, ‘Aha’, and, the everlasting heights have become our possession’ (Ezekiel 36: 2). When others than the people of Israel declare these territories to be their possession, the Lord God declares that these territories have thereby ‘become a derision’ (verse 4). This means that these territories ‘have endured the insults of the nations’ (verse 6).
‘But you, O mountains of Israel, you will put forth your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel’ (vs 7,8). During the four centuries of Ottoman occupation, all trees had been removed from these territories. Very touching that the Lord God then promises that these territories will produce branches again. Today’s world leaders are again laying shame and derision on the people of Israel and the mountains of Israel by pushing for a Palestinian State and removal of Jews from these territories. The consequence is that by our attitude we ourselves will one day bear our shame. So we can wait for it.
“The disgrace that the world thus places on Israel will one day come back like a boomerang on its own head”
This cannot remain without consequences: ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘I have sworn that surely the nations which are around you will themselves endure their insults’ (verse 7). So the disgrace that the world thus places on Israel will one day come back like a boomerang on its own head. The Lord God also gives tremendous promises to His people Israel in this tumultuous time. He promises that one day the people of Israel will live there again: ‘I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, all of it’ (verse 10). Israel will one day repossess these territories. And to these territories, the mountains of Israel, He says: ‘you will become their inheritance’ (verse 12). Significantly, Ezekiel explicitly addresses the mountains themselves here. The prophet Isaiah even says that God will one day ‘remove the reproach of His people from all the earth’ (Isa 25:8).
Impressive prophetic statements that the world should take very seriously today.
