Moderate Imam Speaks

“And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel” (Ezekiel 47:22).

This prophecy is quite exciting to read, for it give the answer to Israel’s conflict with the Arab Palestinians. These words of the prophet Ezekiel, written over 2,600 years ago, nullify the attempt to divide the Promised Land into two different identities: one Jewish and one Arab. Based on our understanding of this Scripture, it’s not going to happen. The “strangers” will receive an inheritance within the land of Israel.

When dealing with this subject, it is important for us to rely on Scripture. God is not dependent on, hindered, or incapacitated by what politicians do or don’t do. The counsel of the eternal One totally ignores geopolitical realities. The much-praised “Two State Solution” is simply voided by the Word of God: “…born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.”

Moderate Imam Speaks
In an article by TheMediaLine.org on 2 January 2023, Imam Hassen Chalghoumi, a Tunisian-born French citizen, notes “the silent majority” of Muslims stand in “opposition to Islamist tenets [but are] drowned out by the howls of extremists.” Furthermore, he states:

The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians […] must end in talks and treaties. “They have to negotiate in order to live together because it’s a fact and it’s not too late.” 

Message for the Palestinians: “For your stability, you need accords” with Israel. “We Muslims, we have the right to have peace and accords with Israel […] and we need peace with Israel.” 

“Al-Aqsa Mosque [in Jerusalem] is for all Muslims and not only for Palestinians. I don’t need the authorization of the Palestinian Authority to pray in Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

The Iman concludes: 

“We are not active enough on social media. We have to denounce every bad action and be present on social media. 

“With the economic crisis, someone has to be held responsible and that is the minorities, and so antisemitism and racism will grow in Europe. It is not very positive in Europe but that means there is a lot of work to do.” 

Recently, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague, Netherlands released their opinion on “Israel’s ‘annexation’ of territories and the ‘legal status’ of the occupation”:

The ICJ has the authority to interpret and apply international treaties and conventions, and its decisions are considered to be authoritative interpretations of international law. As such, ICJ rulings are primary sources of international law and are often used to support the development and evolution of international legal principles.

The resolution passed with 87 votes in favor to 26 against, with 53 abstentions. All the Arab states, including those that recently have normalized relations with Israel, voted in favor.

-themedialine.org, 1 January 2023

Of the 166 voting members of the United Nations, 87 agreed that Israel’s “annexation” is illegal. If one would take the time to view the borders of these 87 countries historically, some of them would barely be recognized on a modern map. What kind of international law determined the borders, not only of these 87 countries, but also the rest of the world? The answer is one word: war. The winner determined the loser’s boundaries. 

Another article from The Times of Israel on 3 January 2023, is headlined, “UN condemned Israel more than all other countries combined in 2022.” When we ask why, the simple answer is that all nations of the world will, in the end, be condemned by their own resolutions. Here an excerpt:

Russia was the focus of six resolutions condemning its invasion of Ukraine. North Korea, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, Iran and the US were hit with one resolution each.

Since 2015, the General Assembly has adopted 140 resolutions criticizing Israel, mainly over its treatment of the Palestinians, its relationships with neighboring countries and other alleged wrongdoings. Over the same period, it has passed 68 resolutions against all other countries, UN Watch said.

In summary, Israel is being falsely accused. Not once, but over and over again. For believers who read their Bible, this is not to be understood as a negative development but rather a positive one, confirming Israel’s uniqueness among the nations of the world. Rightly, the Gentile prophet Balaam proclaimed almost 3,500 years ago: “the people [Israel] shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations” (Numbers 23:9b).

We know that David was unjustly persecuted. He cried out to God: “They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty…” (Psalm 69:4). Later in the New Testament, Jesus confirms: “But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause” (John 15:25).

Midnight Call - 03/2023