An irony
In last Sunday’s online edition of Israel Today a headline read “The Irony of Using the Palestinian Flag to Protest Israel’s Nation-State Law.” The article went on to say; “Those opposed to Israel’s new Nation-State Law were at it again on Saturday, gathering in Tel Aviv to protest what they insist is a “racist” piece of legislation. Many of those in Israel’s minority communities are troubled by the wording of the law, which in enshrining this as the “Jewish state” fails to mention at all the nation’s minorities or equality between all citizens, regardless of race or religion. When the Druze community demonstrated against the law last week, they waved both Druze and Israeli flags, and profusely confessed their undying love for and loyalty to the state. Saturday’s demonstration was different. Led by a large Arab contingent, the event was marked by a large number of Palestinian flags, and very few Israeli ones.
“Racist and religiously discriminatory?”
This aspect of the rally was rather ironic. What those waving the Palestinian flags seem to forget is that the Palestinian Authority already long ago passed its version of the Nation-State Law, and that piece of legislation is about as racist and religiously discriminatory as they come. The Palestinian Authority law in question defines a future Palestinian state as wholly Arab in identity, with no other official language than Arabic and no official religion beside Islam. What of the Jews, Samaritans or any other ethnic minority that might continue to live in that Palestinian state? What of the dwindling Christian community? And why did the world not rise up in protest on their behalf when the PA passed this law? Perhaps Israel’s new Nation-State Law is ill-conceived. Perhaps it could have been presented in way more inclusive of Israel’s minorities. What’s certain is that Israel is, once again, being subjected to a gross double standard when it comes to protecting its national identity.”
The real facts!
When one reads the articles set forth in the new Nation-State Law of Israel there is nothing in it that denigrates or minimizes Arab language and culture or describes a ‘racist state!’ The main purpose of this new State law is to re-affirm and establish what is already factual concerning Israel both historically and Biblically. What follows is a full translation of the final version of the bill approved by the Knesset plenary:”
The Basic Law: Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People.
# 1. Basic principles: A. The land of Israel is the historical homeland of the Jewish people, in which the State of Israel was established. B. The State of Israel is the national home of the Jewish people, in which it fulfils its natural, cultural, religious and historical right to self-determination. C. The right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people.
# 2. The symbols of the state: A. The name of the state is “Israel.” B. The state flag is white with two blue stripes near the edges and a blue Star of David in the centre. C. The state emblem is a seven-branched menorah with olive leaves on both sides and the word “Israel” beneath it. D. The state anthem is “Hatikvah.” E. Details regarding state symbols will be determined by the law.
# 3. The capital of the state: Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel.
# 4. Language: A. The state’s language is Hebrew. B. The Arabic language has a special status in the state; Regulating the use of Arabic in state institutions or by them will be set in law. C. This clause does not harm the status given to the Arabic language before this law came into effect.
# 5. Ingathering of the exiles: The state will be open for Jewish immigration and the ingathering of exiles
# 6. Connection to the Jewish people: A. The state will strive to ensure the safety of the members of the Jewish people in trouble or in captivity due to the fact of their Jewishness or their citizenship. B. The state shall act within the Diaspora to strengthen the affinity between the state and members of the Jewish people. C. The state shall act to preserve the cultural, historical and religious heritage of the Jewish people among Jews in the Diaspora.
# 7. Jewish settlement: The state views the development of Jewish settlement as a national value and will act to encourage and promote its establishment and consolidation.
# 8. Official calendar: The Hebrew calendar is the official calendar of the state and alongside it the Gregorian calendar will be used as an official calendar. Use of the Hebrew calendar and the Gregorian calendar will be determined by law.
# 9. Independence Day and memorial days: A. Independence Day is the official national holiday of the state. B. Memorial Day for the Fallen in Israel’s Wars and Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day are official memorial days of the State.
# 10. Days of rest and Sabbath: The Sabbath and the festivals of Israel are the established days of rest in the state; Non-Jews have a right to maintain days of rest on their Sabbaths and festivals; Details of this issue will be determined by law.
# 11. Immutability: This Basic Law shall not be amended, unless by another Basic Law passed by a majority of Knesset members.
Within its rights!
Every nation has the right to establish its own laws and governance and this includes Israel and even more so because they are the seed of Abraham and inheritors of the whole land of Israel and that according to God’s prophetic purposes and promises for them as His covenant people. There are many countries where the governments abuse their power and enforce draconian and unjust laws and perpetrate human rights abuses while the UN and even the EU look the other way as if nothing was happening. However, when it comes to Israel these ungodly and even antichrist organizations continue in their relentless pursuit of ‘Israel bashing’ and issuing one sanction after another against Israel! Added to this, even within Israel certain liberal Jewish politicians are ‘arcing up’ at this new State-Nation law that in reality defines Israel’s status as a nation both historically and Biblically with its own right to self-governance.
A Refuge for His People!
In Psalm 83 the Psalmist cries out to the LORD; “O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. See how Your enemies growl, how Your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against Your people; they plot against those You cherish. “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.” (Psalm 83:1-4) However, the prophet Joel writes; “The LORD will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.”(Joel 3:16)
Raving, ranting and roaring!
So let the nations rave, rant and roar against Israel and the people of God but when the Lion of the Tribe of Judah roars at His return to deliver Israel the nations and their leaders will tremble and totter at the sound of His voice as it roars from Zion, but Israel will be secure! As the prophet Isaiah cries out; “But you, O Jacob My servant, do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed, O Israel, for surely I will save you from a distant place, and your descendants from the land of their captivity! Jacob will return and be undisturbed and secure, with no one to make him afraid.” (Jeremiah 46:27) And again Isaiah prophesies concerning the Messiah our Lord Jesus; “He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips.” (Isaiah 11:4) And again it is written in the Psalms; “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath, saying, “I have installed My king on Zion, My holy mountain.” (Psalm 2:6)
But on Mt Zion there will be Deliverance!
The Lord Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and those who maliciously attack and malign Israel attack and malign the Lord Jesus. God is dealing with His people as it is His prerogative to do and He will use foreign nations to accomplish His prophetic plans and purposes for Israel as He had done in the past but let those nations He uses beware because a strike against Israel is a strike against God Himself and Israel’s Messiah our Lord Jesus, the one whom God will establish in Jerusalem and inaugurate His Messianic Kingdom. God will install His King on Mt Zion, His Holy Mountain in the City of David and in that day the Lord Jesus, Israel’s Messiah, will possess the nations and Israel possess their possession! As the prophet Obadiah writes: “But on Mount Zion there will be deliverance, and it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will possess their possession.”
