Shalom, Salaam, Peace

The eyes of the world were focussed on the south lawn of the White House in Washington DC last September, when President Clinton staged a public function to mark the reconciliation between Yitzak Rabin and Yasser Arafat.

The two men shook hands before the cameras, a gesture indicating the Palestine Liberation Organisation' 5 recognition of the Israel nation's right to exist, and the Government of Israel's recognition of the P.L.O. as the representative of the Palestinian people.

All this derived from a dramatic change of attitude and policy on both sides. The disclosure was all the more sensational because the whole process had been kept a carefully guarded secret during negotiations in Norway; then the news was suddenly blazoned on the world's headlines. For decades Arafat had personified Palestinian hatreds towards Israel. Rabin was a key military figure in Israel's resounding Six-Day War victory (1967), and an advocate of a tough policy towards the intifadeh uprising in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Yet suddenly these two seemingly implacable foes were prepared publicly to announce a reconciliation.

It was Israel's foreign minister Shimon Peres and a senior P.L.O. Committee member who signed the Declaration of Principles for Palestinian self-rule. These principles will initially be applied only to the Gaza Strip and Jericho, a limited, experimental beginning. Everyone recognizes that this is only a first tentative step in a long, difficult process. For there are Palestinian extremists who oppose the concept of limited autonomy in such a small percentage of the territory they wish to see allocated to their people; and there are Jewish extremists who bitterly resent even this limited concession.

At the Washington ceremony the accent on peace pervaded all the speeches. Yitzak Rabin quoted from Ecclesiastes 3:8 that there is a time for war and a time for peace; also from Isaiah 57:19: "Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him"; and in a closing salutation he desired "shalom, salaam, peace" for all the parties concerned. Noble sentiments, yet to the instructed believer all so sadly reminiscent of the solemn warning twice given through Jeremiah to Judah: 'They have healed also the hurt of My people lightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace" (Jer.

6:14, 8:11).

For the basic facts remain, that having rejected the Prince of Peace, the Israel nation continues to suffer insecurity and the immense resulting burden of military preparedness. Hope of easing this burden has been a strong argument in favour of those advocating accommodation with the P.L.O. As one Hebrew University professor put it: "Our problem in the state of Israel is not to liberate the Palestinians, but to liberate the Israelis from this accursed domination through violence". A lady member of the Knesset expressed the point like this: "The end of the conflict will mean we can be comfortable in our own skin. We can stop being worriers, missionaries, occupiers. We can be Middle Eastern, Mediterranean; we can eat watermelon and sit under our fig tree, while also producing the best medical equipment and computers in the world".

Perhaps these hopes reflect the prophetic words of Micah 4:4 "But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and one shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it".

We know full well that such conditions will be assured to Israel only within the context of Messiah's future reign, of which Micah 4:1-4 gives such a glorious impression.

Thankfully as we welcome any respite for Palestinian and Jew from the conflict which has brought so much misery to both peoples, Scripture gives clear warning of fearful suffering at the time of the end. Only through unprecedented tribulation will the Israel nation eventually emerge to recognize in the Deliverer out of Zion the Jesus of Nazareth whom they crucified (Mat. 24:31; Rom. 11:26; Zech. 12:10). Then will be fulfilled the word through Isaiah about Jerusalem: "Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream" (Is. 66:12).

At the start of another year, we as believers in Christ must surely feel challenged by the astonishingly rapid pace of change. More unexpected developments may so quickly shape the Middle East situation further into line with the prophetic word. The signs of the times are unmistakable: significant backdrop to the mighty promise, "Behold, I come quickly". Our New Year motto - Maranatha!

unknown | Jan 1994
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