BiBi Throws A Grenade
Living in Jerusalem situates Devin and I in one of the most politically and spiritually charged places in the world. We can't help but to pay attention to current events and political processes. In some cases, we're even obedient to do so if we are to effectively live out the calling of watchmen on the wall.
The past few weeks have been loaded on the international scene. American President Barak Obama delivered a speech in Cairo, Egypt addressing peace in the Middle East; evidence emerged indicating that North Korea did in fact test a nuclear bomb; Iran presented the results of an election that might have been stolen, prompting revolutionaries to take a stand for their disapproval in the current government...
And then there's BiBi.
"Bibi" is short for Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, to be more specific. This is his second term as PM in Israel, his first running from 1996-99 (I know its weird to think about him taking office 10 years after his first term from an American perspective, but that's how they do it here!). Just a little fact about BiBi that I personally enjoy: He is a personal friend of Joel Rosenberg, who used to be his speech writer. Cool, huh?
So what did BiBi do?
He threw a grenade right in the center of all the talk on Peace in the Middle East and a "Two-State Solution" between Israel and the Palestinians. He spoke the hard truth about the situation over here, and he drew some hard lines about what Israel expects from the other side.
On the reason for the conflict, BiBi says:
On what Israel has tried:
And on what Israel expects:
Simple, clear, and concise. I hope it detonates!**
For the speech in its entirety go here.
*All bold text is my own emphasis.
**I don't mean detonate into a real war... just that BiBi's firm stance would scramble efforts from other nations that come against the Word of God granting the Land of Israel to the Jewish people.
Related Posts:
War Drills, Hamas, and Stuff.
Hosea 3
The past few weeks have been loaded on the international scene. American President Barak Obama delivered a speech in Cairo, Egypt addressing peace in the Middle East; evidence emerged indicating that North Korea did in fact test a nuclear bomb; Iran presented the results of an election that might have been stolen, prompting revolutionaries to take a stand for their disapproval in the current government...
And then there's BiBi.
"Bibi" is short for Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, to be more specific. This is his second term as PM in Israel, his first running from 1996-99 (I know its weird to think about him taking office 10 years after his first term from an American perspective, but that's how they do it here!). Just a little fact about BiBi that I personally enjoy: He is a personal friend of Joel Rosenberg, who used to be his speech writer. Cool, huh?
So what did BiBi do?
He threw a grenade right in the center of all the talk on Peace in the Middle East and a "Two-State Solution" between Israel and the Palestinians. He spoke the hard truth about the situation over here, and he drew some hard lines about what Israel expects from the other side.
On the reason for the conflict, BiBi says:
"In order to bring an end to the conflict, we must give an honest and forthright answer to the question: What is the root of the conflict?
... Even as we look toward the horizon, we must be firmly connected to reality, to the truth. And the simple truth is that the root of the conflict was, and remains, the refusal to recognize the right of the Jewish people to a state of their own,* in their historic homeland.
In 1947, when the United Nations proposed the partition plan of a Jewish state and an Arab state, the entire Arab world rejected the resolution. The Jewish community, by contrast, welcomed it by dancing and rejoicing.
The Arabs rejected any Jewish state, in any borders.
Those who think that the continued enmity toward Israel is a product of our presence in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, is confusing cause and consequence.
On what Israel has tried:
"Many good people have told us that withdrawal from territories is the key to peace with the Palestinians. Well, we withdrew. But the fact is that every withdrawal was met with massive waves of terror, by suicide bombers and thousands of missiles...
...Territorial withdrawals have not lessened the hatred, and to our regret, Palestinian moderates are not yet ready to say the simple words: Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people, and it will stay that way.
And on what Israel expects:
"The Palestinian leadership must arise and say: 'Enough of this conflict. We recognize the right of the Jewish people to a state of their own in this land, and we are prepared to live beside you in true peace...'
...Therefore, a fundamental prerequisite for ending the conflict is a public, binding and unequivocal Palestinian recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people.
...I have already stressed the first principle - recognition. Palestinians must clearly and unambiguously recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people. The second principle is: demilitarization. The territory under Palestinian control must be demilitarized with ironclad security provisions for Israel.
...Regarding the remaining important issues that will be discussed as part of the final settlement, my positions are known: Israel needs defensible borders, and Jerusalem must remain the united capital of Israel* with continued religious freedom for all faiths.
Simple, clear, and concise. I hope it detonates!**
For the speech in its entirety go here.
*All bold text is my own emphasis.
**I don't mean detonate into a real war... just that BiBi's firm stance would scramble efforts from other nations that come against the Word of God granting the Land of Israel to the Jewish people.
Related Posts:
War Drills, Hamas, and Stuff.
Hosea 3
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