Israel's Thirty-third Birthday

May 1981 marked the thirty-third anniversary of Israel's existence as an independent state. Two days were specially observed that month throughout the nation. "Memorial Day" was in honour of the dead of several wars since the creation of the state in 1948. At 11 a.m. a two minute signal by sirens was sounded across the whole country. All traffic came to a standstill; everywhere people stood in silent tribute. At sunset, Independence Day celebrations began, with widespread dancing and merriment far into the night.

Reviewing the thirty-three years, Israel has cause for some satisfaction. Her population has grown to almost four millions. She has known eight years' respite from major war since October 1973. A peace treaty has been signed with Egypt, her strongest Arab neighbour. Her economy has been diversified, as for example by a developing arms manufacturing industry, now the seventh largest in the world. Israel's arms sales to more than forty countries increased by 40% in the past year, and totalled $1.3 billion. The Israel Defence Force is formidable, having grown immensely since the October 1973 war. Strategic changes have been made to ensure that forces are permanently deployed on all her borders.

Yet the nation is overshadowed by fears of further war, tom by internal religious and ethnic rivalries, and is under economic stress. Every month some 2000 Israelis emigrate to other countries, indicating considerable dissatisfaction.

The danger of further war is inherent in Israel's situation with

unfriendly neighbours to the north and east. Rival factions in unstable Lebanon are supported by Syria and Israel, bringing constant danger of fresh outbreaks of violence despite a United Nations peace-keeping force. The problem of occupied areas in the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, the West Bank and Eastern Jerusalem remains unsolved, a source of passionate Arab hostility.

Religious problems within Israel centre on a group of approximately 250,000 Orthodox Jews. They have wielded political influence out of proportion to their numbers because their National Religious Party is in a position to command a balance of votes between other parties in the Knesset. They recently succeeded in sponsoring a law which severely restricts the performance of transplants and autopsies, which they believe desecrate the dead. Moreover in such matters as marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption, religious courts, not the secular ones, have jurisdiction. So to the secular minded, many restrictions seem irksome; while the orthodox resent any breach of traditional religious conventions.

Then there is a basic ethnic antagonism between the Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews. The Sephardim were regathered to Israel mainly from North Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean and Asia; the Ashkenazim from Germany, Eastern Europe and the U.S.S.R It was the Ashkenazim who founded modern political Zionism, and gave to Israel western political institutions, technology and way of life. They tend to look down on the Sephardim and the Sephardim on them. More than half of Israel's population are Sephardim, but they tend to be much the less prosperous section.

The strains on Israel's economy are largely due to immense spending on defence and the high cost of energy. In 1980 31% of her budget expenditure was absorbed by military requirements. Energy costs rose tenfold between 1973 and 1980. The economy has not been growing fast enough to maintain such commitments; in 1980 the rise in gross national product was only 0.9%, "a disaster for a nation that must pay ever higher import bills". So there has been a swelling national deficit and a steadily depreciating currency.

These are but some of the problems facing Israel after thirty-three years of renewed independence. How do we see her position today in the light of the prophetic Scriptures? There are some interesting pointers towards her situation at the time of the end. An article on "The Man of Sin" in this month's issue outlines certain features of that tragic period. As to the man of sin's dealings with Israel, he will be welcomed by the majority, who will accept his "firm covenant" for one week (seven years) - Dan. 9:27. Present harassment by hostile neighbouring countries and the stress of economic problems will all tend to condition Israel towards acceptance of an agreement with the world ruler of the end time. Strong maintenance of orthodox Judaism by an influential minority in Israel today may also be preparatory towards the re-establishment of "sacrifice and oblation"; and the depth of this religious conviction will be evident in the fanatical resistance to "the one that maketh desolate" who will come "upon the wing of abomination" (Dan. 9:27; 11:31-35).

Jeremiah 30:1-3 foretells the repossession by Israel of the land of their fathers: but there follows a serious message to the regathered people:

"We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace ... Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it" (vv. 5-7).

This solemn warning note sounds plaintively over Israel's thirty-third anniversary celebrations!

unknown | Sept 1981
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