The Christianity Umbrella and

In this Christianity Umbrella article we seek to provide clarity concerning the link between the Holy Bible and Israel, God’s chosen people. As I write this in June, 2021, Israel is under attack by Hamas. Will the USA dedicate resources to the protection of Israel? Will there be great confusion and ambivalence about the role of America in these ongoing attacks on Israel? What are the implications of stalling in our defense of Israel? Again, anything that compromises the integrity of the Christian church and the integrity of the Holy Bible is serious business and must be dealt with straightforwardly by Christian and governmental leaders. We need to be crystal clear about Israel’s assets and defense resources, and have clarity about just who are their friends and foes, if indeed that is possible in this complex part of the world.

The Holy Bible

The phenomenon of a "chosen people" is well-known among the Israelites and Jews, where the term originally referred to the Israelites as being selected by Yahweh to worship only Him and to fulfill the mission of proclaiming his truth throughout the world. In "chosenness" is the belief that the Jewish people, via descent from the ancient Israelites, were singularly chosen to enter into a covenant with God. This idea has been a central one throughout the history of Jewish thought, is deeply rooted in biblical concepts and has been developed in Talmudic, philosophic, mystical and contemporary Judaism. This Biblical discussion is found most directly in the book of Deuteronomy. Much is written about these topics in rabbinical literature also. The three largest Jewish denominations – , and maintain the belief that the Jews have been chosen by God for a purpose -sometimes this choice is seen as charging the Jewish people with a specific mission – to be a light unto the nations and to exemplify the covenant with God as described in the Torah. Traditional proof for Jewish "chosenness" is found in the Torah, the Jewish bible, and in the Book of Deuteronomy (chapter 14) where it says: "For you are a holy people to Hashem your God, and God has chosen you to be his treasured people from all the nations that are on the face of the earth." In the Book of Genesis chapter 17 it is also written: "And I [G-d] will establish My covenant between Me and you [the Jewish people] and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.” And, in the 1930s, as the Nazis were tightening the noose around the necks of German Jews, George Bernard Shaw remarked that if the Nazis would only realize how Jewish their notion of Aryan superiority was, they would drop it immediately. In 1973, in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War, Yakov Malik, the Soviet Ambassador to the United Nations, said: "The Zionists have come forward with the theory of the Chosen People, an absurd ideology. That is religious racism." In light of these attacks, it is not surprising that some Jews have wanted to do away with the belief in Jewish “chosenness.” So, does Judaism believe that “chosenness” endows Jews with special rights in the way racist ideologies endow those born into the "right race"? Not at all. The most famous verse in the Bible on the subject of “chosenness” says the precise opposite: "You alone have I singled out of all the families of the earth. That is why I call you to account for all your iniquities: Amos 3:2

Speaking of the nation of Israel, Deuteronomy 7:7-9 tells us, “The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your forefathers that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.”

God chose the nation of Israel to be the people through whom Jesus Christ would be born—the Savior from sin and death (John 3:16). God first promised the Messiah after Adam and Eve’s fall into sin (Genesis chapter 3). God later confirmed that the Messiah would come from the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 12:1-3). Jesus Christ is the ultimate reason why God chose Israel to be His special people. God did not need to have a chosen people, but He decided to do it that way. Jesus had to come from some nation of people, and God chose Israel.

However, God’s reason for choosing the nation of Israel was not solely for the purpose of producing the Messiah. God’s desire for Israel was that they would go and teach others about Him. Israel was to be a nation of priests, prophets, and missionaries to the world. God’s intent was for Israel to be a distinct people, a nation who pointed others towards God and His promised provision of a Redeemer, Messiah, and Savior. For the most part, Israel failed in this task. However, God’s ultimate purpose for Israel—that of bringing the Messiah into the world—was fulfilled perfectly in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Charles Stanley: Luke 21:24, ESV “They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” The times of the Gentiles began when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC. And they will endure as long as the Gentiles rule Jerusalem. Although the Jews have had brief control over Jerusalem over the years, especially since the six-day war in 1967, they will not truly take possession of the city until the Messiah, our Lord Jesus, returns. God promised the land to his people and he will keep his covenant with them to the end.

Miscellaneous Terms

 Anti-Semitism: This means hostile to or prejudice against Jewish people. Anti-Semitism is still a threat today, embraced by far left, right, and Islamist groups.  Aramaic: Aramaic was the language of Jesus who spoke the Galilean dialect during his public ministry, as well as the language of several sections of the Hebrew Bible, including books of Daniel and Ezra, and also the language of the Targum, Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible.  Aryan: in the late 19th and early 20th century, some scholars and others transformed the Aryans into a mythical “race”: that they claimed was superior to other races. In Germany, the Nazis promoted this false notion that glorified the German people as members of the Aryan race, while denigrating Jews and Black people as "non-Aryans.”  Babylonians: inhabitantants of Babylon, which was known for Art and architecture which flourished throughout the Babylonian Empire; especially in the capital city of Babylon, which is also famous for its impenetrable walls. Hammurabi first encircled the city with walls.  Chosenness: In Judaism, "chosenness" is the belief that the Jews, via descent from the ancient Israelites, are the chosen people, i.e., chosen to be in a covenant with God.  G-d’s: The flow of being: now you have found G-d. In fact, in Hebrew, that's His name. G-d's name is a series of four letters that express all forms of the verb of all verbs, the verb to be: is, was, being, will be, about to be, causing to be, should be —all of these are in those four letters of G-d's name. As G-d told Moses when he asked for His name, "I will be that which I will be." Gentiles: persons who are not Jewish. The word stems from the Hebrew term goy, which means a “nation,” and was applied both to the Hebrews and to any other nation. The plural, goyim, especially with the definite article, ha-goyim, “the nations,” meant nations of the world that were not Hebrew.  Hamas: Hamas is the largest of several Palestinian militant Islamist groups. Its name is an Arabic acronym for the Islamic Resistance Movement, originating as it did in 1987 after the beginning of the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under its charter, it is committed to the destruction of Israel. Hamas originally had a dual purpose of carrying out an armed struggle against Israel - led by its military wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades - and delivering social welfare programs.  Hellenism: The national character or culture of Greece, especially ancient Greece.  Hezbollah: Hezbollah is a role model to Hamas in terms of its military, political, and media operations. The two groups share common tactics and common goals as well as close ties to Iran. According to an Israeli military source, Hezbollah assists Hamas with bomb production.  Houthis: The movement is known for its virulently anti-American and anti-Semitic rhetoric, including the group’s ubiquitous slogan: “God is great! Death to America! Death to Israel! Curse upon the Jews! Victory to Islam!” It is an Iranian-backed, Shiite Muslim military and political movement in Yemen. Its members, who subscribe to the minority Zaidi sect of Shiite Islam, advocate regional autonomy for Zaidis in northern Yemen.  Intifada: The Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, beginning in 1987.  Islamic Jihad: A 2003 decision by an American court named Islamic Jihad as the name used by Hezbollah for its attacks in Lebanon, and parts of the Middle East, and Europe.  ISIS: Sunni militants led by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, declared a caliphate that stretches across eastern Syria and much of northern and western Iraq.  Israel: Israel, the only Jewish nation in the world, is a small country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. For its relatively small size, the country has played a large role in global affairs. The country has a strong economy, landmarks of significance to several religions and strained relationships with many of its Arab neighbors.  Jerusalem: Capital of Israel  Jew: a member of the people and cultural community whose traditional religion is Judaism and who trace their origins through the ancient Hebrew people of Israel to Abraham.  Judaism: this is a religion and way of life of the people of Judah, the Jews. Paul contrasted his Christian calling from his previous life in Judaism. Galatians 1:13-14  Halakhah: (Hebrew: “the Way”) also spelled Halakha, Halakah, or Halacha, plural Halakhahs, Halakhot, Halakhoth, or Halachot, in Judaism, is the totality of laws and ordinances that have evolved since biblical times to regulate religious observances and the daily life and conduct of the Jewish people.  Knesset: is the supreme unicameral national legislature of Israel. As the supreme legislature of Israel, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government.  Mishnah: An authoritative collection of exegetical material embodying the oral tradition of Jewish law and forming the first part of the Talmud.  Palestine: Much of this land is now considered present-day Israel. Today, Palestine theoretically includes the West Bank (a territory that sits between modern-day Israel and Jordan) and the Gaza Strip (which borders modern-day Israel and Egypt). However, control over this region is a complex and evolving situation.  Pentateuch: Pentateuch means simply "five books.” In Greek, the Pentateuch (which Jews call the Torah) includes the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  Persia: Persia, is the historic region of southwestern Asia associated with the area that is now modern Iran.  The : The Promised Land in the Bible was that geographic area God the Father swore to give to his chosen people, the descendants of Abraham. God made this promise to Abraham and his descendants in Genesis 15:15–21. The territory was located in ancient Canaan, on the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea.  Septuagint: a Greek version of the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament), including the Apocrypha, made for Greek-speaking Jews in Egypt in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC and adopted by the early Christian Churches  Shia: One of the two main branches of Islam, followed especially in Iran, that rejects the first three Sunni caliphs and regards Ali, the fourth caliph, as Muhammad's first true successor.  Sunni: The larger of the two main branches of Islam, which differs from Shia in its understanding of the Sunna, its conception of religious leadership, and its acceptance of the first three caliphs.  Torah: The book of Jewish scripture on which religious law (Halakhah) is based. According to Jewish tradition the Torah was given by God himself to the Jewish people through the intermediary Moses. The first 5 books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) of the Tanakh, “Torah” means “law” or “instruction” in Hebrew, and accordingly, the Torah documents the laws given to Moses on Mt Sinai by G-d, for the Jewish people.  Yahweh: a form of the Hebrew name of God used in the Bible. The name came to be regarded by Jewish people ( c. 300 BC) as too sacred to be spoken, and the vowel sounds are uncertain.  : Isaiah 62. In the Hebrew Bible, the and the city of Jerusalem are both referred to as Zion. Other religions use the word Zion to mean "utopia" or "holy place."

Some Pro-Israel Organizations It can be intimidating to try to advocate for Israel by yourself. Well, guess what? You are not alone! Many organizations have made it their top priority to advocate for the State of Israel. These fantastic organizations constantly bend over backwards in their quest to strengthen Eretz Yisrael as well as getting others involved in sustaining Israel’s image. Below is a list of a few organizations that we consider to be some of the best advocates for Israel.

 ADL: Anti-Defamation League – This is an organization that fights the defamation of the Jewish people worldwide. Its ultimate principle is to secure the justice and fair treatment of all citizens and to stop unjust and unfair discrimination against all people.  AIPAC: The American Israel Public Affairs Committee – AIPAC works to make sure that the American- Israeli relationship remains strong so that both countries can effectively work together to overcome the challenges facing Israel and America today.  APN Americans for Peace Now: is one of the most prominent American advocacy groups for the State of Israel. They believe that the only hope for security within Eretz Yisrael is for peace to finally be achieved.  ARZA: the Association of Reform Zionists of America, is the Zionist arm and voice for the Reform Movement in the United States. They endeavor to make Israel fundamental to the sacred lives and of Reform Jews.  ARZA Canada: ARZA Canada is an affiliate of the and its Canadian Council. We are a member organization of ARZENU, the International Association of Reform Zionists, and the Canadian Zionist Federation. With over 6,000 members, their mandate is to connect with Reform communities throughout Canada, foster connections with and strengthen our ties to the Reform Movement in Israel, and work to realize the vision of Reform .  Brit Tzedek v'Shalom: The Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace – The goal of this organization is to educate Jews and to encourage the support of a negotiated and peaceful two- state solution.  CAMERA: Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America – This organization fights for truth in press in the reporting of what is happening in Middle East. In a time when people will believe almost anything they see on TV or read in the Newspaper, this organization works hard to promote the truth and educate Americans on the current events in the Middle East.  International Fellowship of Christians and Jews: The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is the leading non-profit bridge builder between Christians and Jews, blessing Israel and the Jewish people around the world with humanitarian care and life-saving aid.  : The Jewish National Fund appropriately calls themselves the “caretakers of the Land of Israel.” This organization has planted many trees, given aid to children and many other humanitarian activities.  Jewish Voice: Helps Poor Jews in Israel with The International Fellowship of Christian and Jews. Build Support for Israel. A history of helping in many areas.  The Simon Wiesenthal Center: is an international organization that confronts anti-Semitism, hate and terrorism by promoting human rights and dignity, standing with Israel, and defending the safety of the Jewish people. Israel’s Enemies

 Egypt: Egypt was the leading nation that fought against Israel in all of her past wars (1948, 1967, and 1973). However, after the 1978 Camp David meetings of U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Israeli Prime Minister , Egypt became the first Arab nation to recognize Israel’s existence, signing a peace treaty March 26, 1979. This treaty normalized relations between Israel and Egypt, and the two countries became economic and trade partners.  Syria: Syria has been another opponent of Israel in all her past wars and remains an enemy of Israel to this day. The revolution that spread from Tunisia to Egypt reached Syria in January 2011. In response, the government of Bashar al-Assad instituted a harsh military crackdown. It is believed that Syrian soldiers loyal to the regime in Damascus have already killed nearly one thousand protestors.  Iran: Iran is the greatest threat Israel currently faces. This radical Shi’ite theocracy that has ruled the country since the revolution in 1979 is dedicated to Israel’s utter destruction. Under their fanatical President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran has been on a fast track to produce nuclear capabilities while promising to “wipe Israel off the map.” Iran finances and trains Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists, equipping them with arms to use against Israel  Jordan: Jordan shares the longest border with Israel. The Hashemite Kingdom also shares the experience of suffering numerous terrorist attacks through its history, due to signing a peace treaty with Israel in 1994 and a generally perceived pro-Israel stance that is not shared by a significant portion of the largely Sunni Muslim country. Because of Jordan’s close proximity and the length of their shared border, continued good relations between Israel and Jordan are vital to Israel’s security. A breakdown of the current peace would be horrific. Yet, the same wave of unrest touching other Arab countries came to Jordan in early 2011. Protestors took to the streets, calling for the dismissal of the Prime Minister, and for Parliament to be dissolved. The government is widely viewed as corrupt and in the pockets of a few wealthy families with no regard for the common people, creating fertile ground for discontent.  Turkey: Turkey is now being watched closely. At the pinnacle of its power, the Ottoman Turks ruled over territory from Europe to Asia to North Africa. This powerful caliphate was the head of the Muslim world in the golden age of Islam. For decades, Turkey and Israel enjoyed a friendly relationship. However, Turkey has increasingly yielded to the growing influence of Islamic fundamentalism, a growing anti-Israel attitude, and has been a major player in the “aid flotillas” that have attempted to break the arms embargo on Gaza. Some speculate that Turkey will soon emerge as the leader of a revised Islamic empire. What we can say with certainty is that Turkey poses a growing threat to Israel as they move closer toward Muslim domination and Sharia law.  Radical Islam: While the nations of the Middle East present the visible threat to Israel’s existence, radical Islamic organizations are the ever-present force fomenting strife and bloodshed, and providing momentum to an increasingly hostile and unstable landscape.  The PLO: The PLO is the granddaddy of all other terrorist groups working against Israel today and has now been divided into two wings: the Palestinian Authority and Fatah. The bulk of the Palestinian Charter clearly describes the “sacred” responsibility of the Palestinian Arabs and the Arab world to engage in “armed struggle” toward the “elimination of Zionism” to “liberate Palestine.” This charter, which rejects the right of Israel to exist, has never been changed. In the Arab view, this is not about two states living side-by- side in peace. It is about one state only, and that state must be Palestine.  HAMAS: Hamas is a terrorist group operating within Israel’s Palestinian borders. The Arabic acronym for the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, and committed to eliminating Israel.  FATAH: Fatah is the other Palestinian political party governing within Israel, based in the West Bank. Although considered moderate, they are directly descended from Arafat’s terrorist PLO and remain closely aligned with his ideology. An entire generation has been brainwashed from childhood that Israel is illegitimate and that her destruction (and the murder of Jews) is their sacred duty.  Hezbollah: Hezbollah is the terrorist group that represents Israel’s direct threat on her northern border. Hezbollah is the Arabic word for “Party of God.” A Shi’ite militant group based in Lebanon, Hezbollah’s main objective is the annihilation of Israel. They gained political power and popularity by providing social services, schools, hospitals, and other essential services for thousands of Lebanese Shi’ites. Hezbollah is aligned with Syria and Iran, receiving military training, weapons, and financial support toward their mutual goal of Israel’s destruction and the establishment of global Islam. Hezbollah is armed with more missiles now than they had before the last war and have the capacity to now reach Israel’s main population centers with longer range Iranian- and Chinese produced missiles. …Jewish Voice

Israeli History

The Hamas and Iranian Connection: Expansion and Aggression in the Region So, where is Hamas getting the rockets it fires into Israel? A well- documented communication indicates that Hamas itself said that they were receiving support from Iran for the technology and construction of these missiles. The current conflict of May 2021, between Hamas and Israel, is almost exclusively seen as a conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. There is no doubt that this conflict is real. However, the current situation is also a result of Iranian expansion in the region. The fact that Iran provides Hamas with missiles, missile components, the technological knowledge and funding for the production of missiles, forces us to see the current conflict in a broader perspective. With the support of Iran, Hamas had already built up its stockpile of missiles over the past few years. Already in January 2019, a top Iranian regime official stated: “The precision missiles are in the hands of the resistance forces in Gaza Strip and Lebanon. This means that the current conflict is not caused by property issues in a neighborhood of Jerusalem, but according to Iran, the property brawl in Jerusalem has only been an excuse to carry out an already planned step of aggression. It also makes it clear that Hamas is just a proxy of Iran. There will be no peace between Israel and Palestinians as long as Iran controls Gaza. This fits into the wider picture in which Iran exploits local conflicts in order to expand its influence in the region through local affiliates and militias. Iran has clearly used the conflicts in Syria and Iraq to increase its influence. At the moment, large parts of Iraq and Syria are controlled by local militias backed and funded by Iran. According to Iran in its own media, Iran is providing the Houthis in Yemen with missile components and technology in the same way as it provides Hamas in Gaza. The relationship between Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon is well-known, and Hezbollah has also received missiles from Iran. The fact that Hamas and Iran both affirm this support also means that the “Shia” versus “Sunni” schism is irrelevant as long as Iran can expand its influence through the principle of a “common enemy,” especially if that enemy is Israel. What is happening now in Israel is part of a larger geopolitical clash in the region in which both Iran and Turkey want to increase their influence by manipulating local conflicts, and often at the expense of the local populations. Iran is using Gaza as a missile launch pad or another front against Israel, and Iran has confirmed this strategy. It is essential to see the current conflict from this angle in order to be able to end the conflict with Hamas and the Gaza Strip. This means that all intended normalization of relations with Iran by the EU and the return of the USA to the JCPOA, must be thoroughly reconsidered. Palestinians, Israelis and people across the region are victims of this Iranian aggression. This also means that EU member states, as well as the EU and the USA, must make serious efforts to stop the supply of rockets and rocket production and also remove rocket launchers in Gaza as a condition for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. After all, it cannot be that the EU and the USA are looking away as a totalitarian regime that makes life impossible for women, persecutes Christians, hangs gays and oppresses minorities, extends its influence through violence across the region. If we do look away, we tell the world that these victims are less valuable than our current policies. That would in essence be an untenable racist stance. Therefore, it is time to change direction of the western foreign policy in the region and end any appeasement of Iranian aggression. That is also the only way to achieve peace in Israel. So, here we have a classic example of the need for The Christianity Umbrella protective mechanism; we need to continue to monitor the status of aggression toward Israel and to advocate for Israel whenever possible. When all is said and done, the USA suffers from a pointedly left-wing political system. We must take whatever action is necessary to reinstall a more conservative politic that can take all necessary action in the defense of Israel.

This tiny island of democracy in the sea of an Arab-Islamic world sits at the center of constant religious and civil unrest, yet the battle is really not between Israeli and Palestinian, not even between Arab and Jew, but between Islam and all other world powers and religions.

Israel’s enemies can be divided into two groups: the surrounding Islamic nations that have historically been their opponents in past wars, and radical terrorist organizations, formed more recently, who are committed to Israel’s destruction, and who are working in Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza.

With misinformation, disinformation, and faulty premises prevalent in Mideast, there is plentiful blurring as we look at who is aligned with who.

Remember there is a blood feud within the Islamic Middle East. Islam is generally divided into two camps: Sunni and Shia Islam. These two camps hate each other and have been involved in horrific wars for 1,200 years. Each camp considers the other “infidels” and “apostates.” Saudi Arabia is the stronghold of the Sunnis and Iran the base of Shia Islam.

Syria, a client state of Shiite Muslim Iran, is wracked by a civil war, with Sunni terrorists supported by ISIS as its biggest challenge. The war has cost hundreds of thousands of lives and created a refugee crisis affecting nearly one million people—many of them Believers. There is no end in sight to the violence. Israel shares a border with Syria. Israel’s only real involvement in the conflict is protecting its territory and offering humanitarian relief to the victims of this carnage.

That war has spilled over to Lebanon, where Shiite Iran-sponsored Hezbollah controls the southern border with Israel. If Hezbollah wasn’t preoccupied with its battle with ISIS and propping up the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, it would probably be firing missiles into Israel as it has many times in the past.

Jordan, a stone’s throw across the river from Israel, is also on guard against ISIS and other terrorist threats. It is a Sunni-dominated state at relative peace with Israel. But the stability of the moderate regime of King Abdullah is always threatened by more extreme Sunni terrorism as well as expansionist Shia Islam.

How about Egypt? During Barack Obama’s administration, the president of Egypt was overthrown and replaced briefly by an extremist Muslim Brotherhood leader who sought to abrogate the nation’s peace treaty with Israel. But the military stepped in and installed a moderate general in power.

Because the forces of extremist Sunni Islam are powerful inside the country, another coup could turn Egypt into a dangerous, well-armed enemy of Israel at any time.

Another major player in the region is Iran, which is working hard toward developing nuclear weapons, exerting influence over Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, and is just as relentless in its existential threats to destroy Israel as her Arab neighbors have been.

If all of those challenges aren’t enough, we must also factor in Turkey, which had long been under the control of moderate, secular leadership. The country is now moving rapidly toward dictatorship under a leader who dreams of restoring a Sunni Islamic Caliphate and a new Ottoman- style empire in which it controls the entire Middle East including, of course, Israel.

The world has deluded itself into believing the only chance for peace in the Arab-Israeli stalemate is the roadmap laid out long ago for a two-state solution that involves carving up the peaceful, democratic state of Israel.

Israel, the only Jewish nation in the world, is a small country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. For its relatively small size, the country has played a large role in Global affairs. The country has a strong economy, landmarks of significance to several religions and strained relationships with many of its Arab neighbors. The founding of modern Israel can be traced back to World War I, when Zionists lobbied the British for recognition of a in Palestine. After World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the United Nations proposed dividing the area into Arab and Jewish states, an idea opposed by the Arabs. Nonetheless, Israelis declared independence in 1948 and the new country then defeated the Arabs in a series of wars. Seven decades later, boundaries are still hotly contested. The United Nations Security Council voted in 2016 to condemn Israeli settlements in the area, prompting Israel to suspend ties with many nations that voted in favor of the resolution. U.S.. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital at the end of 2017 stirred further unrest. Israel is a parliamentary democracy made up of six districts. Israel claims Jerusalem as its capital, though it hasn’t received wide international recognition. Most foreign countries keep their embassies in Tel Aviv. Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with cut diamonds, high-technology equipment and pharmaceuticals among its major exports. The country is very highly developed in terms of life expectancy, education, per capita income and other Human Development Index Indicators. However, the country also has one of the most unequal economies in the Western world with significant gaps between the rich and poor. While the culture of Jewish Israelis and the Arab minority have remained fairly separate, the country has been influenced by Jewish immigrants from all over the world, many of whom have gone on to make significant contributions to science, politics and the arts. The country is home to some of the world’s most holy sites, including the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque. Israel is persistently plagued by terrorism threats and the country occasionally erupts into violent conflict with the Israeli occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Human rights groups have accused Israel of abuses in its ongoing conflict with the Palestinians. Israel is a member of numerous international organizations, including the United Nations and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

References

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Eds: Chad Brand, Charles Draper, Archie England; Holman Bible Publishers, 1998.

Phillips, John: ‘Exploring the World of the Jew,’ The Moody Bible Institute, 1981.

Spurgeon, Charles: ‘The Spurgeon Study Bible, Christian Standard Bible, Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.

Stanley, Charles F: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible New American Standard Bible, the Lockman Foundation, 2009.

Joseph Telushkin: ‘Jewish literacy,’ NY: William Morrow and Co., 1991

William Zahler, MSW, MPA, Dip ACLM Website & Blog: lifestyle – interventions.com YouTube: William Zahler Email: [email protected]

June 2021