[Radar]

Hatred of Jews, Israel goes back to the beginning

Dennis Campbell
April 21, 2004

Anyone who believes that a "Palestinian state" or a mutually agreeable peace treaty will end the hostilities between Israel and its enemies is abysmally ignorant, badly misinformed or plain duplicitous.

Those who have a worldview fashioned from a spiritual perspective know this conflict goes back thousands of years and will have no resolution until the prophesied Armageddon. In spite of public statements to the contrary, Arab leaders never waver from the necessity of Israel's destruction and the driving of the Jews "into the sea," in the words of master terrorist Yasser Arafat.

Those who demand an end to the "occupation" of a mythical land they call Palestine ignore the fact that before the Jews arrived in modern Israel there were no "Palestinians" — in fact, there was little of anything.

As industrious Jews transformed a barren land, "Palestinians" came to work and prosper, and are just displaced Arabs who are kept in a low estate by other Arabs to serve the aims of Middle East regimes whose primary purpose for existence, it is clear, is the annihilation of Israel.

But where does this consuming hatred originate?

Animosity toward Israel specifically and Jews in general goes back to the beginnings of the Jewish people. What we call Iraqis, Jordanians, Iranians and Saudis today were known as Babylonians, Philistines, Amalakites and Canaanites thousands of years ago.

They were the implacable enemies of the Jews then and are now, thus making themselves the enemies of God, Who said in Genesis that "I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Many in America believe that much our unparalleled prosperity is due in no small portion to our steadfast support of Israel. It also may be said that the desultory and miserable condition of the Arab states is due to their cursing of Israel.

God proclaimed through the prophet Malachi that "...I am the Lord, I do not change. Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob."

If He does not change, that means He has not changed, and the enemies of the Lord of yesterday remain His enemies today. To the eternal God, nothing today is different from 3,000 years ago.

And what was the opinion of the Lord toward these foes from antiquity? Listen to what He says of ancient adversary Amalek, who harassed the children of Israel as Moses led them from captivity in Egypt, speaking through the prophet Samuel:

"Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"

Throughout the days of His holy prophets, from Moses to Malachi, the Almighty proclaimed to Israel, "I am the Lord," and assured Israel of His love and protection:

"I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage...."

"...I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior...."

As the international community increasingly opposes Israel and anti-Semitism flares anew in Europe, the remaining staunch ally of Israel is America, but that friendship is in jeopardy as those on the left and in academia resolutely work to severe the bonds that have remained so strong for so many years.

In that light, consider the words of the prophet Zechariah, describing the final hour of Jerusalem when the armies of the nations amass against her:

"And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, and their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths."

The Lord will stand today against the enemies of Israel because they have made themselves His enemies, just as in the days of Joshua and David.

We know He will, for we have this promise: "On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying, 'I am the Lord your God.'"

These are words the foes of Israel would do well to heed.

Dennis Campbell is a freelance writer and reformed liberal ex-journalist living in New Mexico. He is a contributor to various Internet conservative forums.