A Tale of Two Whys
If you sit back and watch what is happening in the world, it's actually quite amazing. Especially when you take it from the position of Israel vs. the nations.
On March 19, 2003 the United States of America led a military invasion into the sovereign nation of Iraq, with a coalition composed of US and UK troops supported by smaller contingents from Australia, Poland, and other nations. The reason given for the military invasion was that, as US President George W. Bush declared, Iraq possessed and was actively developing weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in violation of a 1991 agreement. In addition, it was also alleged that the leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, had been supporting the al-Qaeda terrorist organization, which is alleged to be responsible for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. However, even before plans were made for the invasion, intelligence reports from the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) proved, without a doubt, that these speculations were not true. Still, the invasion was carried out.
In a brazen arrogant speech given before the invasion, Bush declared that the United States had the right to invade any sovereign nation that the US felt was a threat to US security. This put all of the nations on earth on notice, as Bush declared, "You are either for us or against us" — there was no room for neutrality (although World War II had already proven that there was no such thing as neutrality). The US was already fighting at the time in Afghanistan in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks. They had been there since October 7, 2001.
So it's now five years after the beginning of the invasion and the US is bogged down in Iraq, much like it was in Vietnam. In its alleged efforts to wipe out terrorism, the Bush administration has, instead, created one of the greatest strongholds of terrorism in the world. In addition, the Iraqi government that was put in place by the US has opened diplomatic relations with the Islamic nation of Iran, a sworn enemy of the US.
In the midst of all this, even though many nations objected to the US invasion of Iraq, there has not been any major outcries against it by any leading nation (not counting the Muslims). The United Nations Security Council has never met to discuss passing resolutions against the US for its unwarranted invasion of Iraq. Although the number of innocent civilians killed in the Iraq war zone number into the tens of thousands, the mainstream media does not publish reports decrying the actions of the US-led invasion.
So what does all of this have to do with Israel? Everything!
In August of 2005, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), under direction of the Israeli government, forcibly removed over 9,000 Jews from their homes in 25 settlements in Gaza and northern Samaria. Since that time more than 4,000 mortars and rockets have fallen on Sderot and other towns in southern Israel, killing 14 civilians, and injuring hundreds of others. [See also the report by the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.]
Israel, mainly due to lack of leadership, has decided to ignore most of the attacks. There have been times, such as last weekend, when Israel has retaliated but they have been few in comparison to the number of attacks. When Israel does strike back, there is an outcry heard around the world. It seems that every nation — with the United States in the lead — condemns Israel for fighting back. Several United Nations resolutions have been passed condemning Israel and demanding that she stop retaliating for the rocket attacks. (Many times, when the IDF fights terrorists in Gaza, the terrorists are armed with US-supplied weapons.)
What the mainstream media shows is the destruction in Gaza from the IDF retaliation. What they fail to show, on a large scale, is the destruction in Israel — the destruction to property and to people's lives. Remember, this has been going on, almost daily, for two and a half years! As Noam Bedein, of the Sderot Media Center, recently said, "Imagine being a 9 year-old in a Sderot school, hearing the alarm go off, and running with 80 other children through the corridors to reach a safe area within 15 seconds." Now, imagine doing this on a daily basis, sometimes several times a day.
Israel is a sovereign nation, with a duty and a right to protect its citizens, just like the United States. The difference here is that this war is inside of Israel, not several thousand miles away. This is not a perceived enemy. This is real. However, these are enemies that the world keeps telling Israel that it needs to make peace with. (The world never told the US that it needed to make peace with Saddam Hussein or al-Qaeda.) Every time Israel tries to defend herself, the mainstream media, along with the world, condemns her actions. Remember, Israel is not fighting a foreign, sovereign nation; this is a terrorist organization. The same type of organization that the Bush administration alleged it was going to destroy the world over. But the Bush administration does not see it as a terrorist organization. (Yes, it does allegedly see Hamas as a terrorist organization, but it does not see the PLO as one, and these two organizations are actually working together for the destruction of Israel. The PLO is, in fact, responsible for many of the rocket attacks against Israel. In addition, the US has pressured Israel to release hundreds of terrorists from prison. These terrorist, in turn, join Hamas or the PLO and fight against Israel once again.)
So why is Israel not allowed to defend itself against a real enemy and the US is allowed to fight against a perceived enemy? I think the reason is obvious: because Israel might win and, in the end, survive. The nations, including the US, are scared to death that another Six-Day War-type Israeli victory will happen again. That was too close of a call for the nations to want to repeat it. God arose in an awesome way during those six days, and the nations do not want to see it again. Well, according to the prophet Zechariah, it will happen again:
"Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him! In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. For it will be a unique day which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light. And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter. And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one." (Zechariah 14.1-9)
The very fact that Israel exists is a witness to the nations that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — the Creator of all things — exists. Pray that godly leaders will arise in Israel and lead His people to victory. It doesn't need to be politicians; just those who have the heart of God, like King David. May it be soon!