"Nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring
and tossing of the sea" (Luke 21:25)
| Update 1 November |
A weekly reflection on current global affairs concerning Israel and
the Jewish people from a Biblical perspective.
NEWS
The world is in turmoil. Peoples and national groups are protesting, many countries are in a political crisis, and governments around the world are facing increasing difficulties to govern peacefully.
The demonstrations in Lebanon have brought down the government, and the country heads into an uncertain and potentially very dangerous period.
Elections have been announced in the UK, where the government and Parliament are in a complex, tortuous and divisive struggle for the identity of the nation. Some argue these are the most important elections in Britain since WWII.
In Israel, Benny Gantz continues his desperate attempt to form a broad unity government. If he does not succeed, which seems likely, Israel will probably go again to the polls.
Massive political upheavals in many parts of South America.
According to Melanie Philips, the big issue facing many nations is “whether the independent Western nation-state based on democratic structures reflecting its own particular identity, history and cultural traditions deserves to survive.”
In the meantime, Jerusalem is becoming more and more a “stone of contention”, a “cup of reeling” for the nations.
Are these the signs of His coming that Jesus was speaking about in Luke 21? Are we reaching the time of the “fulness of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24)?
The Jews, Israel and the battle for Britain
UK commentator Melanie Philips writes: “In Britain, the crisis so long dreaded by many British Jews is finally upon them. The general election that has been called for December raises the possibility that hard-left Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn might come to power.” According to Philips, “This titanic three-year battle, however, is of critical importance far beyond British shores. It’s the outrider of the fundamental issue splitting apart the Western world from the Beltway to Budapest to Berlin. That issue is whether the independent Western nation-state based on democratic structures reflecting its own particular identity, history and cultural traditions deserves to survive. How this is finally resolved in Britain will affect the rest of the West.” Read more..
Anti-Semitism, Britain, Lebanon and other recent developments
In this podcast, Deborah Lipstadt, Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory University, discusses her new book focusing on the sources of antisemitism and what we can do to stop it. Dr. Matthew Levitt, Fromer-Wexler Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, speaks about the protests in Lebanon that led to Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s resignation earlier this week. Finally, Times of Israel Political Correspondent Raoul Wootliff gives a post-election update on coalition building efforts. Read more..
Democratic Presidential candidates threaten to cut aid to Israel
Prof. Eytan Gilboa writes at BESA: “Three leading Democratic presidential candidates recently threatened to use US military aid to Israel as leverage to force changes in Israeli relations with the Palestinians. Their statements were hypocritical and ignored both the value of military aid to the US military and defense industries and the realities of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The threats should be seen in the wider context of growing antagonism within the Democratic party toward Israel. The next Israeli government will have to address this challenge.” Read more..
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