middle east

Dividing the Land, Dishonoring God’s Covenant

By Chris Mitchell
Middle East Bureau Chief

CBN.com – JERUSALEM - Israel today faces one of the most traumatic times in its history. The division within Israel over Ariel Sharon’s plan to evict Jews from Gaza has put Israel on the brink of a civil war. Many believing Jews and Christians say it also puts both Israel and the U.S. on the wrong side of the Bible.

On any given day in Israel, you are likely to see Israelis protesting. Opponents of Sharon’s Gaza Pullout Plan say he is giving up promised land, and making Israel dangerously vulnerable to its enemies. Protesters on the left applaud Sharon and hope he will pull Israel out of much more than Gaza.

Israeli Knesset member Yossi Beilin said, "I think that it is important that the world will know that we want not only to leave Gaza, but to go for a permanent solution after this withdrawal. This is why it is a kind of union of center-left to support the withdrawal, but to us it is only the first step."

Even opponents of the Gaza Pullout agree Gaza will be the first, not the last step in evicting Jews. The next place under consideration for evictions is the West Bank or the bibical heartland of Judea and Samaria.

The map for a possible Palestinian state has not yet been drawn. However, President Bush and Condoleezza Rice have both said it must be "contiguous." That means the Palestinian areas of the West Bank and Gaza would be connected by some kind of corridor, in effect cutting Israel in two.

Under any scenario, the plans would give the Palestinians nearly all of the land of Judea and Samaria, what the prophet Ezekiel called, "the mountains of Israel."

Israelis across the political spectrum warn that Jewish settlements, such as Ariel, a city of nearly 20,000, will likely be outside the final borders of Israel. This scenario leaves many believing Jews and Christians in Israel scratching their heads. They are thrilled by President Bush's efforts to spread democracy and hope through the Middle East, but they cannot understand how a Bible-believing Christian can divide the land of Israel, when the Bible says it belongs to the Jews.

Eliyahu Ben-Haim, the director of Intercessors for Israel, says the Scriptures contain a clear warning to the nations that divide God's land.

Ben-Haim said, "…if this succeeds, it will begin the dismemberment of Israel as we know it today. In Joel, chapters one and two, it says very clearly, ‘In the day and hour I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I'll gather all nations into the valley of Jehosophat and there I will enter into judgment with them. Judgment because you've scattered My people and divided up My Land."

Under these circumstances, many believing Jews and Christians are turning to prayer. Twelve thousand Jews attended a prayer meeting in the Gaza Strip last week.

Michael Freund has written a Jerusalem Post column entitled "Calling all Christians." He says the evangelical church in America plays a pivotal role in Israel’s unfolding drama.

Freund declared, "American Bible-believing Christians have an opportunity now. A unique opportunity to speak out and to try and persuade George W. Bush and his administration not to move ahead with the establishment of a Palestinian State. Not to move ahead and divide the Holy Land."

Freund, Ben-Haim and others believe that today's drama in Israel is not unlike the biblical drama being celebrated today. Today, Thursday, March 24th, Jews around the world will fast and pray to commemorate the beginning of Purim.

Purim is the biblical story when God used Esther to save the Jews from annihilation. On this day, some organizations plan to flood the White House with e-mails, pleading with President Bush to help save the Jews of Gaza, honor God's covenant with his people and stop the disengagement.

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