Volume 2 Issue
32 Volume 2 Issue
32Road To Peace Paved
By Politics
By Randy Loudenslager
Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres has been meeting with Palestinian legislator Ahmed Qureia, known better as Abu Ala, for several months now. They have worked out what they say is a plan to bring peace to both of their peoples. The plan calls for a ceasefire and then an immediate recognition of a Palestinian state and the recognition of the state of Israel. Once these steps are accomplished there would be one year to work out areas of dispute such as borders and control of Jerusalem.
It is reported that Yassar Arafat is adamantly opposed to the plan and Peres has found little support from the Israeli government. The government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has given up any negotiating with Arafat and is demanding that there be a one week cease in hostilities before taking steps toward a Palestinian state. Arafat for his part is talking peace in English and war in Arabic, leaving him little room to forge credibility in the eyes of the rest of the world.
Arafat is oblivious to the position his Arab allies are in. Iraq is in a political stranglehold and Iran is struggling to avoid a similar fate. Egypt and Jordan are working closely with the Bush administration and the rest of Arafat's would-be friends are becoming gun shy around the itchy trigger finger of a United States hunting for terrorists. President Bush has made it clear that he is willing to go it alone and has demonstrated his willingness to use American military power. Even China and Russia are careful now lest they become entangled with the U.S.
There is a fruit of sorts from the efforts of Peres and Qureia. We are now seeing other Palestinian leaders emerge who are making attempts to speak for the Palestinians and find a political rather than a violent solution.
A word . . .
A political solution will ultimately bring Israel's voluntary
break with her covenant with God. The God who is powerful enough
to conquer all attempts by Israel's enemies to drive her into
the sea, suddenly can not be relied on to subdue the Palestinians.
Israel will forge her own way to peace and will pay bitterly for
her rebellion. There will be those in Israel who will stay true
to their God and it will be these that he brings through the fire
into everlasting life.