(Galilee, Israel) — Shalom from a land where there is no shalom. Our shalom (peace) was taken from us on October 7, when a terrorist army flooded over our border from Gaza and began indiscriminately murdering Israelis. You have heard the stories, and I have no wish to repeat them once again. Just know that in its sheer brutality, it surpassed the atrocities of the Holocaust. For the past week-and-a-half, I have been immersed in the details of the barbarism that was intentionally carried out by that evil horde, and each day I continue to find myself repeatedly stunned and heartbroken by some new story of the gruesome suffering of the innocents. It is appalling. It is unforgivable. And it must be avenged.
Thus far, Israel has been overwhelmed at the level of support from around the world. Offers of tangible help have come in from Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America. The United Kingdom and Germany have been particularly strong in their encouragement. But the greatest friend by far to Israel over these past days has been the United States.
Without the deterrence power of the U.S. military, it is very likely that we would already have a full-blown war raging in the north with Hezbollah in Lebanon. It is also probable that the Iranian-backed militias based in Iraq and Syria would have come across the Syrian border into Israel. But as soon as the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group sailed into the eastern Mediterranean, those terrorist plans were stalled. Weapons have been supplied to Israel from the U.S. Our Iron Dome anti-missile system has been replenished. And for the first time in history, a U.S. President came to Israel during wartime to consult with our Prime Minister and to give assurances of America’s steadfast friendship. I disagree with most of the policies of the current U.S. administration, and I strongly oppose the President’s support of a two-state solution. There is no possibility of that happening, especially not now. Still, there is much positive that America has done over this past week-and-a-half. We have seen throughout history God using unexpected sources to bless Israel. This is one of those times.
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While we have appreciated the support and encouragement of so many countries around the world, we recognize that it is destined to be short-lived. Even as governments and media are forced to say kind words to Israel because of the incredibly heinous nature of Hamas’s crimes, they will readily jump at the opportunity to turn the situation around so that Israel is once again in the default position of “evil perpetrator”.
This was evident Tuesday when reports rapidly circulated that Israel had purposely bombed the Al-Maamadani hospital in Gaza. The Palestinian Ministry of Health cried out that well over 1000 people were dead with hundreds more wounded as a result of this barbarous acted carried out by the IDF. Soon, the report had spread around the world. Protests were incited in city after city in Europe. The Israeli embassies in Ankara, Turkey, and Amman, Jordan, were attacked by mobs.
From the beginning, the IDF said, “We didn’t do this!” But no one believed them, because so many nations in the world default to “Jews are evil”, although they would never admit it. By the way, if you doubt me, look up how many resolutions the United Nations has passed against Israel, then compare that number to any other country – Russia, Iran, North Korea. Actually, let me save you the trouble. Since 2015, the UN has passed 140 resolutions against Israel compared to 68 for the rest of the world combined. Are your eyes now open to the blatant anti-Israel bias of the UN, and of the rest of the world?
We were frustrated but not surprised when the media and so many countries immediately condemned Israel without checking on facts. We fully expected them to take the word of the terrorist organization that had just brutally slaughtered more than 1300 people over the word of the victims of that butchery. But, even after incontrovertible proof was given that it was a failed Islamic Jihad rocket that caused the explosion and that the number of victims had been hugely exaggerated, media outlets continued to spread the false narrative. Am I right, New York Times?
Finally, governments began to accept the truth. The US, Germany, and other western nations said the tragedy at the hospital was not Israel’s doing. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the UAE agreed. Even Vladimir Putin, by no means our friend, kept silent on whom he thought was to blame when he spoke of the event.
But we know that the time will come when the world opinion will once again turn against us. Whether it is due to another false flag from Hamas or Hezbollah, or a military mistake like what inevitably happens during wartime, Israel will once again be vilified. It is then we will see who our true friends are, and which nations are coming alongside us simply because it would be seen as heartless not to do so due to the heinous nature of the October 7 attack.
As of now, we have a three-front war. The fighting is strong to the south in Gaza where the IDF is very busy ensuring that the terror groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are eradicated. The real war hasn’t started yet up in the north where there is a steady exchange of fire between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel’s military. It is just beginning in Syria, where Iranian-backed terrorist militias are prepared to attack if and when they are given the go-ahead from their Persian Islamist masters. It is likely that the ground maneuvers in Gaza will cause the north to increase the intensity of its attacks. These areas have been preparing for war with Israel for months. They are ready for action and are angry that Hamas has messed up the plan.
Here is why I say that Hamas blew Iran’s war strategy. Back in April I wrote about how Iran was planning a major attack on Israel using its terrorist proxies. I quoted from this article regarding a “Doomsday Scenario”, which is a fascinating read if you can get your browser to translate it from Hebrew. I was one of the few who saw the merit in this very real possibility and echoed it in my posts. Remember, in the Iranian Islamist mind, they don’t get their elite Persian hands dirty. They save that for their Arab underlings. The plan was to begin an attack on Israel from both the north and south using thousands of rockets. Once the Iron Dome was depleted and the rockets were falling on Israel, a joint ground attack would be made in the south by Hamas from Gaza and Hezbollah and other militias in the north from Lebanon and Syria. They would blow holes in the border fences and invade using motorcycles, trucks, ATVs, and other vehicles. It would take time for Israel to call up its reserves, and in that gap the terrorist packs would be able to wreak havoc on the Israeli population.
It was a horribly brilliant plan. What it didn’t account for was the attention-seeking nature of the Hamas leadership. They wanted the glory for themselves. So, they jumped the gun and launched their invasion on October 7. That is why there was no joint action from the north. Hezbollah and the others were shocked by what was taking place to the south – not by the violence, but by the timing.
If you are looking for God in all of this, it is here that you can see His hand. The Iranian plot was foiled. If this had been a simultaneous two-front attack, the Israeli casualties would have been so much higher. I am not downplaying any death that occurred that terrible day. I am just saying that it could have been a lot worse. And that ties in with another way to see God’s hand during the attack. With the number of terrorists who poured over the southern border and the number of weapons they had, the Israeli dead should have been closer to 10,000. But the restraining hand of God limited what this Satanic horde was able to pull off.
This war is far from over, and the battlefields are expanding beyond our borders. Pro-Hamas marches have been seen in many cities in the Middle East, Europe, and America. In places, those protests have become violent, and that violence will only increase. Yesterday, in France, eight airports had to be evacuated for security reasons. In Ankara and Amman, violent mobs once again tried to storm Israeli embassies. The Iranian regime and the Hezbollah leadership are regularly issuing threats against America and Israel.
This is a time for the church to pray. I don’t fear the destruction of Israel. I’ve read my Bible. I know how this story ends. Also, I know who my God is. I know that “He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4). He has brought Israel back to this land, and here we will remain. But I also know that Israel’s “soul has dwelt too long with one who hates peace. [We are] for peace; but when [we] speak, they are for war” (Psalm 120:6-7).
So, pray for wisdom for our leaders. Pray that the demonic plans of Satan’s forces are thwarted. Pray that shalom returns once again to the land of Israel.
