Israeli media reported this week that Israel is expected to soon announce the approval of more than 4,000 new homes in the biblical heartland. Unsurprisingly, the media pounced on the development, and rushed to condemn Israel for advancing what the White House calls “an obstacle to peace and the advancement of the two-state solution.”
As Christians, any time new homes are built in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, we should celebrate and show our public support of Israel’s sovereignty over her homeland. After all, Israeli communities expanding in the land of Israel just makes sense.
Think about this: Jews are building homes so that they can live in Judea. Where does the word “Jew” come from? Judea! David lived in Judea and even reigned there (in Hebron) for seven years before Israel’s capital was moved and set up in Jerusalem. With more than 300 olive oil and wine presses embedded in the rocks of Judea and Samaria, archaeology that is uncovering ancient artifacts that point to Israel’s settlement in these areas over the last 4,000 years, and historical and biblical tradition all pointing to the civilization of Israel here, it’s impossible to argue that this land should belong to someone else.
Unless of course, one ascribes to what I would call the opposite of all things common sense. Which most of the world’s governments do.
On a regular basis, aerial photographs are taken of the landscape in Judea and Samaria. These photos are then analyzed and if there is even so much as a porch addition or a chicken coop being built in the backyard of a Jewish home, that photo will land on the desk of a senior US Administration official, and Bibi Netanyahu will then receive a phone call asking why his country is once again blocking the obstacle to Middle East peace by “expanding the settlements in the West Bank.”
What I just described may sound a bit far-fetched and even a stretch of the truth. I wish it were. I’ve seen these aerial photographs myself.
Palestinian Authority Builds Illegal Structures Freely
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority continues to build illegally in Area C (much of the time on Israeli state-owned land), at the rate of fifteen new structures every single day. There are currently more than 100,000 illegal Arab houses in Judea and Samaria. I would venture to bet that there is not one single mainstream media story that has reported this astonishing takeover of Israeli land. Even more astonishing, however, is that world governments are funding this illegal construction work, to the tune of billions of dollars.
Two-Thirds of Palestinians Believe Israel Will Not Celebrate 100th Anniversary
In a recent article, Israel365 News published the results of a Palestinian poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, taken on the 75th anniversary of the founding of Israel (which the Palestinians call the “Nakba,” an Arabic word which means catastrophe).
The results found that while only 28% of the Palestinian population support the idea of a two-state solution, 52% believe that violent struggle with Israel is the solution to the so-called “occupation” and the only solution to ultimately creating their own independent state. Sixty-six percent of Palestinians said they believe that Israel will not survive to celebrate their 100th anniversary.
Jews Living in Judea and Samaria – the Solution to Middle East Peace
To put things in perspective, the world rushes to condemn Israel for their plans to announce the approval of permits to build new homes in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. The White House even goes so far as to say that settlements are an obstacle to Middle East peace, and their expansion hinders the advancement of a two-state solution.
At the same time, the US funds terrorism by refusing to cut off aid to the Palestinians even though they continue to funnel hundreds of millions of dollars to terrorists and their families as a reward for murdering and injuring Jews. The EU continues to fund the Palestinian Authority to illegally build tens of thousands of houses, specifically in Area C of Judea and Samaria (not in areas designated for the PA), and the White House stays silent.
Jews are from Judea. They are from Jerusalem. They are from Samaria. History, tradition, the Bible, and archaeology all tell us this story. You would have to come to the heartland with a blindfold on your eyes and earplugs in your ears to ignore this fact.
Far from being an obstacle to peace in the Middle East, new Jewish homes in Israel’s biblical heartland are ultimately the solution to peace in this region. That is a fact that eventually, the world will not be able to ignore.
Dear Luke, I am an 86 yr old who is so proud to wear the Star of David with a Gold cross ( from a part of my wedding band). I had it made after my husband’s death. I pray daily for Isreal and am so thankful for the privilege of being “grafted in”. God Bless you
God is still on the Throne and always will be. The enemy knows his days are numbered so he is causing as much angst as possible. I have read the end of the book and guess who wins!