Daniel Juster, Ph. D. and Senior Shaliach
The War with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon
Israel still fights the long war in Gaza and soon may fight an all-out war in Lebanon against the Iran proxy, Hezbollah. However, the overall situation in the Middle East is much more dangerous than we may imagine. Israel’s liturgical narrative history recounts the depths of despair and defeat in the 9th of Av, the destruction of both Temples, the expulsion from Spain, and the Holocaust. However, Israel’s narrative also celebrates the extraordinary victories of Passover-Exodus, Purim during Persian rule and Queen Esther, and Chanukah in the war against the Syria Hellenist Seleucids. This Chanukah we again remember the great victories to save Israel under the leadership of the Maccabees, 167-160 B. C. Will the present wars lead to another tragedy or an amazing victory?
What We Are Really Up Against
In the short term, it does not look like another 9th Av. Israel will ultimately stay in Gaza even if there is a six-week truce. This truce is very unlikely since Hezbollah has no motive to give up the hostages without a total end to the war. Israel cannot do that, so we face a grievous and sad reality. Also, if Israel fully goes to war against Hezbollah in the north to enforce U. N. resolution 1701, that Hezbollah has to remain behind the Litani River in Lebanon and give up its arms so there is one Lebanese army, it will be a very bad situation. The number of Hezbollah missiles means that there will be devastation in Israel and many deaths, but Hezbollah will be defeated. If Iran enters the war, we hope the U. S. defends Israel. Iran was not ready for war and wanted its nuclear bomb first. This is what we are up against in the short term.
However, let us note what is not usually described. Israel is up against many other terrorist entities.
Explicit Enemies of Israel
- First, there are the Houthis in Yemen who rule much of Yemen. The weak U. S. government has let them shut down the international sea lanes. Thomas Jefferson went to war for open seas! The Biden administration seems pathetically weak. The Houthis would be easy to defeat by air power. Israel faces the Houthis, who now send some troops to fight Israel.
- Secondly, Syria allows its country to be a base for Hezbollah and the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corp.
- Then there are the Hezbollah-aligned Shiites of Iraq.
- Iran seeks to destroy Israel and leaders have professed that they should use the nuclear bomb against Israel. This is what Donald Trump meant when he said if Harris is elected, Israel will cease to exist. He defunded Iran but the Biden administration reversed this and provided hundreds of billions of dollars to Iran that financed her terrorist proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and more. The biggest gain for changing the Middle East would be regime change in Iran.
Dangerous Countries at Peace with Israel
- First is Egypt. It is called a cold peace. Why? Egypt’s education system still fosters hatred for Israel. Egypt’s population is overwhelmingly anti-Israel. Can the cold peace survive? Egypt allowed the Rapha crossings and border tunnels to be used to arm Hamas to the hilt.
- Second is Jordan. The situation in Jordan is very much like Egypt. However, the majority of Jordan is Palestinian and Hamas wants to overthrow the monarchy. Can Jordan remain at peace? Will the monarchy long survive?
- Third is Qatar, which is supposedly an ally of the United States but fosters Hamas and provides refuge for their billionaire leader Mashal and did for their late leader Ismael Haniyeh. They also foster the Al Jazeera anti-Israel and pro-Hamas Newspaper.
- Fourth is Turkey which now is more and more belligerent against Israel and is pro-Hamas. Erdogan, Turkey’s leader, says he wants Turkey to lead a world Muslim anti-Israel coalition. Their Islamist semi-dictator is still allowed to be part of NATO, a travesty. A regime change in Turkey would be very beneficial to the Middle East and for stemming Islamic fascist terrorism.
- Fifth is Pakistan whose secret service and government allows ISIS connections and pro-Taliban policies.
Terrorist Populations
The West cannot get its arms around the fact that the so-called innocent populations are actually terrorist-supporting populations. Fighting a war against a terrorist-supporting population is a whole different order and there is no way to fight it without significant civilian deaths, especially when they allow themselves to be human shields. This was somewhat the situation in Germany in World War II, but it is much worse with Islamic Fascism.
The Feckless West
The feckless West more and more aligns with Israel’s enemies and makes Israel’s defense effort the crime. The West has imported a fifth column of Islamic Fascists which amazingly ally with the useful idiot leftist. They take over the streets and campuses and require ending investments in Israel. Weak college administrators and leftist city councils are likely to give in.
China and Russia as Allies of Iran
For their own purposes for world domination Russia and China now ally with Iran.
Conclusions
Well, you get the picture. It is as if the biblical picture of all nations coming against Israel is beginning to happen. Credible prophecy teachers see the last wars as Islamic-led. It is foolish for the Prime Minister to profess his faith in the Israel Defense Forces to save us. We will need the salvation that only comes from Yeshua. In God we must trust.
The last word is presented in the Bible. It will be the Feasts of victory and Chanukah that will prevail. Joel 3, Zechariah 12, and14 Ezekiel 38,39, and many more passages show us the end of the story. This is a time for much prayer, revival, and a great harvest in Israel.