The Middle East - What Now?

After many weeks of delicate negotiations Dr Henry Kissinger, the U.S. Secretary of State, succeeded in persuading Israel and Syria to disengage their military forces on the Golan Heights. A treaty was signed in Geneva on May 31 and this was followed by an exchange of prisoners. As the exchange was carried out there were emotional scenes as crowds gathered to welcome the repatriated prisoners at Te Aviv and Damascus. Following this the Israelis pulled back tanks and heavy artillery from the bulge on the Golan Heights, and the first of 1,250 United Nations peace-keeping troops moved into the buffer zone. That is the position at the time of writing (June 10).

It is quite evident that the substantial concessions made by Israel were only secured by assurances of further aid from the U.S. It is equally clear that the Syrians could only come to terms with the agreement of their Soviet backers. As one observer put it, "If the two Super Powers had not willed disengagement, it could not have conceivably been agreed". Thus, once more, is demonstrated the inextricable involvement of the Great Powers in a settlement of Middle East affairs.

Reviewing the course of events since October last it will be observed that the Israelis have relinquished territory, both in the Golan and in Suez, not only held after the Yom Kippur war but also territory gained in the Six Day War of 1967. This meaningful change of policy reflects the heart searchings in Israeli government circles. But there is still considerable opposition in the Knesset to this manoeuvre. It remains to be seen if it will secure a more realistic approach to her problems. Mrs Golda Meir has now resigned, and her successor as Prime Minister, Mr Rabin, has had great difficulty in forming a government. With the Kissinger agreement signed, the Defence Minister, Mr Moshe Dayan, and the Foreign Minister, Mr Abba Eban, are no longer in the Israeli cabinet.

In the past the policy of Israel has been that territory would only be ceded after direct negotiations with her Arab neighbours. She now pins her hopes to the overall Mid-East peace conference to be held shortly in Geneva. In the meantime both Syria and Egypt have re-iterated their objective that the Israelis withdraw from all occupied Arab territories, and this is in accord with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 which will be the basis of the Geneva discussions. As recently as June 4 President Sadat said that Egypt would not rest until every foreign soldier had left Arab soil, and until "all the legitimate rights of the Palestinians have been restored".

What now? One question, not yet resolved is, Are the Israelis prepared to negotiate with the Palestinian guerrillas? The demands of the Palestine Liberation Organization go much further than those covered by U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 which has been rejected by them. They are threatening to boycott the Geneva conference, and they remain a formidable challenge to any agreement which may be reached there. A further disturbing Mid-East development is the recent agreement between Soviet Russia and Libya. This has not received prominent treatment in the Press but reports indicate a flow of sophisticated armaments is now reaching that region.

The foregoing is an outline, briefly stated, of the great problem of modern Israel. And Israel's problem is a world problem - a continuous threat to world peace. As we view it against the background of Biblical prophecy we cannot but be deeply impressed by these momentous developments. The struggle concentrates on the region which will be the focus of world history at the end-time. Here the great conflict of the ages will be resolved. Evil will reach its zenith during Antichrist's brief dominion; then, at long last, He will come whose right it is to reign. Messiah will establish "a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed" (Dan. 2:44). An abortive rebellion will occur at the close of His glorious millennial reign, and then, "new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Pet. 3:13).

Part of the ministry which the apostle Peter received from His Master was to put us in remembrance of these things. As he did so he posed the penetrating question:

What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness?" (2Pet.3:11).

Indeed! What manner of persons?

There to stay

Upon the golden seashore sand

I wrote my name one day;

The waves came in and when they left

My name had passed away.

Upon the shifting sands of time

Men write their names today,

But when eternal years roll in

Their names will pass away.

Upon the spotless Book of Life