Bush Rolls the Dice with Abu Mazen

July 19, 2007 - It is a very dangerous game played by every Commander-in-Chief who has walked the West Wing since Truman: rolling the dice for Middle East Peace. It seems each U.S. president wishes to be "that president" who was finally able to facilitate a lasting peace between the Israelis and her Arab neighbors. No U.S. president--from Truman to Bush--has come even remotely close to achieving such an objective. If past is prologue, no U.S. president ever will.

On paper, as well as record, the United States has become notorious, with few exceptions, for its support of Israel. We were, in fact, the first country to recognize the Jewish state only minutes after she came into "official" existence in May of 1948. However, our strategic interests in the Middle East--which, unfortunately, shape our foreign policy--have dictated that we are a nation predisposed to pursuing Israel's "best interests" only when they meet cohesively with our own. The result is an extremely capricious, U.S. foreign policy in the region, and one that often compromises the national security of the Jewish state.

Five years ago, President George W. Bush stood in the Rose Garden and affirmed his commitment to the establishment of a "Palestinian" state alongside Israel. He later would dedicate his second term to such an objective. In his speech, Bush stated the following:

"I call on the Palestinian people to elect new leaders, leaders not compromised by terror. I call upon them to build a practicing democracy, based on tolerance and liberty. If the Palestinian people actively pursue these goals, America and the world will actively support their efforts."

"...The Palestinian people are gifted and capable, and I am confident they can achieve a new birth for their nation. A Palestinian state will never be created by terror -- it will be built through reform."

This president insisted that a democratically-elected, "Palestinian" government alongside Israel would open the door to peace in the Middle East--and Gaza held the key that would unlock it. Of no secret is Bush's public praise of Ariel Sharon's complete disengagement from all 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip in August, 2005. After meeting with the Israeli PM at his Crawford ranch in April of 2005, President Bush labeled Sharon's disengagement proposal as "a bold step and a courageous step", and lauded Sharon for "..showing strong, visionary leadership by difficult steps to improve the lives of people across the Middle East." While praising the Israel PM publicly for his land concessions, Bush admonished Sharon for his proposals for land expansion in Judea and Samaria, stating, "I've been very clear about Israel has an obligation under the road map. That's no expansion of settlements."

History shows us instances in which U.S. foreign policy directly conflicted with Israel's national security. Hindsight shows us the results.

Bush got his wish. Following the complete, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in August of 2005, the "Palestinians", indeed, held new elections--democratic elections. Democracy in the Middle East showed signs of expanding beyond the government of Israel. Perhaps, Bush was onto something.

Or, was he?

Continue reading, Bush Rolls the Dice with Abu Mazen

Alive and Well: Arab Double Standard at Temple Mount

July 18, 2007 - Have you ever wondered why Arab "Palestinians" work themselves into such a frenzy when Israeli excavations take place in the vicinity of the Temple Mount?

Do you recall, earlier this year, when Israeli attempts to conduct repairs at the Temple Mount's Mugrabi Gate, met with an onslaught of violent, Arab protests and a U.N. admonishment? Shortly after the Mugrabi Gate repairs were underway, newswires across the globe ran the following snippet:

"U.N. ambassadors from the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference called on the U.N. Security Council "to take immediate and urgent action in order to bring an end to Israeli intransigence and violations against the blessed Al Aqsa mosque.'' UNESCO issued a statement calling on Israel "to suspend any action that could endanger the spirit of mutual respect until such time as the will to dialogue prevails once again."

Perhaps the Israeli work order to conduct said repairs on the bridge leading up to the Mugrabi has died a slow death in lieu of the subsequent, predictably-caustic response from the Arab community and United Nations?

Well, it's been quiet in Jerusalem's Old City, as of late. Ever since the Mugrabi Gate repairs ceased so abruptly, no violence has erupted on or around the Temple Mount. A mollified Muslim is, indeed, a happy Muslim.

Today, all seems well inside Israel's eternal capital. Indeed, the hills of Jerusalem "are alive, with the sound of ..."....tractors. As observed last week, the Waqf--the Muslim, religious police--have been using tractors to dig a ditch from the north side of the Temple Mount all the way to the Dome of the Rock. That's a hefty piece of real estate. The Muslim authority might want to be extremely careful during the "ditch-digging" process. Precious, Jewish artifacts--antiquities dating back thousands of years that prove the existence of a Jewish temple--could easily get destroyed in the process. I'm certain the Waqf have already taken this into consideration, aren't you?

And where is the U.N.? Since they wasted no time in slapping the Israeli government with one during the Mugrabi Gate ordeal, surely we can expect an imminent, Security Council admonishment condemning the Waqf's ditch-digging exploits across the Temple Mount as "endangering the spirit of mutual respect", right?

This was as predictable as it was pathetic.

"Jeremiah 3: To Divorce, or Not to Divorce"

Has God truly divorced Himself from the "apple of His eye"--the Jewish people? A cornerstone of Supersessionist doctrine is the assertion that states "the Old Testament nation [Israel] was divorced by God.", referring to the following passage found in the book of Jeremiah:

"Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce..." (Jer. 3:8)

Their assertion would have merit, if there were only eight verses in the third chapter of Jeremiah. Here we see yet another manifestation of biblical ignorance--the "picking and choosing" of Scriptural text so that its meaning conforms to an "agenda". Most unfortunately, false doctrines such as Supersessionism have been forged by this erroneous practice.

Actually, it could be considered somewhat "reassuring" to find the proponents of Replacement Theology delving into the third chapter of Jeremiah. Most disheartening is their insistence in stopping at verse 8. For it is in the third chapter of Jeremiah that we find yet another piece of biblical evidence showing God's faithfulness to the Jewish people--the people whom He foreknew. Moreover, this particular book is an example--one of many found in Scripture--of not only God's unconditional faithfulness and divine mercy toward the Jewish people, but of His command--His Biblical Mandate--for Gentiles to support and minister to them. As we see in Jeremiah 3:15, this was a truth foretold.

Even so, let us continue in Jeremiah 3, past verse 8, where we find that God has not "divorced" His people. In fact, we will soon find that the "marriage" remains very much alive. Forged by the perfect Will of God; excluded by the ignorant "will of man", Jeremiah 3 continues... Read To Divorce, or Not to Divorce