President Donald Trump, with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu standing by his side, introduced the long-awaited plan designed to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The specific details of the plan are still sketchy, but overall the plan: 1) Establishes a two-state solution that will eventually create a Palestinian state that would reject terrorism, 2) Allow an undivided Israeli capital in Jerusalem while allowing the Palestinian state capitol in eastern Jerusalem, 3) Recognizes Israeli sovereignty over major settlements in Judea and Samaria, and 4) Provide economic incentives for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. The Palestinian side has flat out rejected the plan.
While I am still unable to confirm a map, it would appear that Trump’s plan does not bisect Israel as have other plans, but rather puts the Palestinian state in the southern part of Israel and includes Gaza. Notwithstanding, it takes a great amount of faith that any Palestinian state can live side by side with Israel in peace. The objective of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, which was dressed up and reformed as the Palestinian Authority (PA), was to eliminate Israel from the face of the earth. Members of terrorist organizations are among those comprising the PA, and as Gaza proved with Hamas, deadly rockets are launched on a daily basis into Israeli civilian targets, such as schools.
Off hand, the concept, while much improved from the efforts of past presidents, still assumes that Palestinian leaders want peace with Israel. A false and deadly assumption at best. Psalm 83, a prayer against the enemies of God who are surrounding Israel comes to mind, “Keep not your silence, O God: hold not your peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, your enemies make a tumult: and they that hate you have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against your people, and consulted against your hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.” The writer prays that these enemies will be put to shame and perish.
There will be no peace until the return of the Lord. The so-called “Palestinians” are supported by anti-Israel groups, replacement churches and organizations, Iranian terrorists and armed forces, Turkish terrorists and the government there and their terrorist offshoots. Establishing a gathering place for Palestinians will only concentrate another enemy of Israel and position that enemy to continue pursuing cutting Israel off as a nation. This situation is more than any man can fix. It is informed by the prophets of old and will not be deterred from God’s plan. Trying isn’t doing, but as Christ said in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Notwithstanding, we see what it is to be heralding peace, peace, when there is no peace.
