Israel: Two Voices
The Hadassah trio who penned a letter to the Advocate (Nov. 29) seeking support for Israel sound well-meaning, but they narrowly express concern for only Jewish victims in the decades-long Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
Behind what the authors call Israel’s recent restraint—presumably in not repeating its 2008 invasion of Gaza, in which it killed about 1,300 Palestinians—lies an enormous Zionist disinformation campaign.
These women write that Israel’s assassination of Hamas leader Ahmed Jabari prompted a violent response from Hamas. Left unsaid is that Jabari had promoted the existing cease-fire. The Israeli government regularly provokes conflict, using hostile response for propaganda purposes and to mask its opposition to peace talks.
Palestinian conditions for a lasting peace with Israel have long been the creation of an independent state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Israel ensures that plans for talks will fail through insistence upon there being “no prior conditions.” Why? Because the status quo allows increased Israeli settlement (now exceeding 600,000) in the West Bank, and pursuit of the Zionist objective of a greater Israel in all of historic Palestine.
President Barack Obama’s readily recognizable disrespect and contempt toward Benjamin Netanyahu upon Netanyahu’s recent visit to the White House is a reflection of President Obama’s contempt for the nation of Israel. However, in a recent jaw-dropping letter to the Advocate submitted by the Northampton-Amherst Chapter of Hadassah entitled “ Israel Seeks Support,” the letter writers actually expressed a belief that President Obama is committed to supporting Israel.
What is more, the letter writers stated that they “look to the world community for its understanding and support of peace for the people of Israel.” The “world community” that they refer to cannot be anything other than the United Nations, whose ultimate purpose for existing is to drive the Jews of Israel into the sea.
Discernment can be a very painful thing. Many discerning Jews in Israel are extremely upset over the fact that a majority of Jews in America (in their innocence) supported Barack Obama in his bid for reelection. The battle for the minds and soul of a people is another aspect of the overall conflict as we see the nations once again gathering in an attempt to destroy Israel.
From a Scriptural perspective, if you have a problem with Israel, your problem is not with Israel. Your problem is with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The foolish nations that conspire to destroy Israel are, in a sense, playing “king of the mountain” and do not understand the theme of Psalm 2: “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
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Cross That Bridge
No matter your opinion about the sculptures on the bridges crossing Northampton’s Main Street (“The Other Side of the Bridges,” November 22, 2012), there’s a new reason to draw attention to that section of the Manhan Rail-Trail (Pleasant St./Union Station to King St./Taco Bell): Mayor Narkewicz has just announced that the city will plow it starting this winter.
Please join me in extending a public thanks to the mayor, the City of Northampton, Smith College, the Business Improvement District, and the many people who spoke in favor of the collaboration that has made this possible. We now have a continuous stretch from the intersection of Grove Street and Earle Street all the way to Leeds that will be maintained during the winter, encouraging healthy recreation and commuting.
The wonderful and growing network of trails and greenways is one of the features that make the Pioneer Valley a great place to visit, work and live. Visit the Friends of Northampton Trails and Greenways at www.fntg.net to find out more.
