| It appears as if reporting on the current impasse in Israel on the
Palestinian issue is suddenly in vogue. In addition to the FRONTLINE
show, I have seen detailed coverage of the subject in the Christian
Science Monitor, the local Sunday paper (meaning it was printed in
Sunday editions across the land) and on national news. In every story
the theme is basically the same - the political shift to the right,
especially amongst unemployed Sephardis and the occupants of settlements
in the occupied territories.
This sudden intense interest in the Israeli political scene has me curious -
is there some big diplomatic initiative underway, or is Israel being pressured
to give up the occupied territories (more so than usual, that is)?
/Mike
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| .1> This sudden intense interest in the Israeli political scene has me curious -
.1> is there some big diplomatic initiative underway, or is Israel being
.1> pressured to give up the occupied territories (more so than usual, that is)?
The fuss probably is due to the fact that this month is the 20th anniversary
of the Six Day War. There haven't been any recent developments that would
justify increased coverage.
In general, one should not assume that there any correlation between the
importance of what happens in the Middle East and the amount of press coverage.
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| The Jewish community, throughout the world, have a scheduled Bible reading
for each week, from the Torah (the first five books of Moses). In a recent
week the reading was from Genesis chapter 12, to Genesis chapter 17. The
Jewish synagogues around the world read the same passage each day.
In the days of Moses the Hebrew writing didn't have spaces between the
letters, the spaces were implied - inferred by the readers - the prophets
and priests, (they knew the passages by heart and had little need for
separation of the words). It wasn't until the days of Ezra (according to
tradition) that the spaces between the letters were included.
There is a passage in Genesis 15:17 - in the Hebrew - that reads in English:
"And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark,
behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those
pieces."
If you shift three of the spaces in Hebrew, the passage says: "An evil
fire, fire <twice> into Rabin is decreed by God."
THIS is the passage that was being read, by rabbis around the world, ON THE
DAY that Rabin was assassinated by TWO gun shots.
To those of you who have followed the "give up land for peace folly" being
practiced by Rabin and others... open your Bibles to Genesis 15:17 and read
it in English! God's promises to His people are forever!
IT IS NOT THE SIZE OF ISRAEL THAT IS THE PROBLEM....
IT IS THE EXISTENCE OF ISRAEL! (it always has been!)
Pray for Israel!
Mike
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