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Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. (Proverbs 26:23-26 NIV) Pope John Paul II and Yassir Arafat recently signed an agreement that stated "unilateral decisions and actions altering the specific character and status of Jerusalem are morally and legally unacceptable." The Israeli government officially expressed its outrage at this agreement, and rightfully so. The words are couched in diplomatic terms, but what they mean is that the Catholic Church and the PLO are insisting that Israel does not have the sovereign prerogative and jurisdiction to make any decisions regarding the fate of Jerusalem. Consider how ludicrous it would be if any other religious group and any other para-government organization would sign an "agreement" insisting that a government does not have the right to govern its own capital. It would be regarded as so ridiculous as to not even merit consideration! But Jerusalem and Israel are a special situation, and the world has lost any semblance of sanity in its dealings with them. Arafat's spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaineh explained that the agreement means that "Jerusalem... cannot be ruled by Israel alone." The Vatican spokesman Joacqin Navarro-Valls said that the agreement "regulates the presence and activities of the Catholic Church on Palestinian Authority territory." Examine those statements carefully - what the Pope and the PLO are declaring is that Jerusalem is already Palestinian territory. These are two groups that have a long blood-inscribed history of anti-Semitism; in fact, their history has been characterized by nothing but hatred towards the Jews. Now they are officially joining hands to decide what is "morally and legally acceptable" for Israel. The Jerusalem Post published a picture of Arafat kissing the Pope's ring. Can you think of a more repulsive, foul, repugnant alliance? Two persistent enemies of Israel, enemies of the God of Israel, are conspiring to take control of Jerusalem, presuming to declare what is "morally and legally acceptable" for Israel. And it is not only the Pope who is enamored by Arafat; recently, Boris Yeltsin wept for joy at the sight of Arafat and lovingly called him "my brother." Why has this terrorist, this war criminal who, among other atrocities, has masterminded the slaughter of children in a school yard, suddenly become the world's darling? It is because they share a common passion: hatred for Israel. Though no nation can fully express it yet, the evidence for these clandestine hatreds is readily seen. It is not now politically acceptable for Western nations to overtly express contempt for Israel (although the Arab nations do this regularly). However, we know from numerous Biblical prophecies that there will come a day when the nations will gather together to attack Jerusalem. The Catholic church and the PLO are leading this charge in their mutual lust for Jerusalem, a city of which the God of Israel has said, "I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant." (2 Kings 19:34 NIV) A statement that the Pope made during his meeting with Arafat illustrates his twisted bias against the Jews. In a bizarre interpretation of Christian history, the Pope explained, after receiving a gift depicting the Nativity from Arafat, "The shepherds who came to Bethlehem were Palestinian, I suppose." I suppose? Any 7 year old would know from Sunday School classes that those men in the fields were Jews, not "Palestinians." There were, of course, no such people as the "Palestinians" at that point in history, nor were there for centuries later. Up until a few decades ago, they were called "Arabs;" the "Palestinian" identity is a relatively recent invention. The Pope is obviously pandering to Arafat by saying these incredibly stupid things, yet the world takes no notice of this blatant intellectual and spiritual dishonesty. You can be sure that Arafat will do his best to maximize the propaganda effect of the Pope's upcoming visit to Israel. Watch to see if he attempts to exploit the visit by cleverly manipulations, so that the opinion makers and policy makers will further accept his ruse regarding Jerusalem. His stratagem is to lead world opinion to the point of believing that this assertion is self-evident, axiomatic: "Jerusalem does not belong to Israel." Not that he needs much persuasion to do this - the political leaders and the false religious leaders are all too eager to buy into this sleight of mind. The European Union is already explicitly committed to it, the Catholic Church is already explicitly committed to it, the United Nations General Assembly is already explicitly committed to it. All that remains is their execution of the treachery. Our response and petition:
O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still. See how your enemies are astir, 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, that the name of Israel be remembered no more." With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you--the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre. Even Assyria has joined them to lend strength to the descendants of Lot. Do to them as you did to Midian, as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, who perished at Endor and became like refuse on the ground. Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said, "Let us take possession of the pasturelands of God." Make them like tumbleweed, O my God, like chaff before the wind. As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze, so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your storm. Cover their faces with shame so that men will seek your name, O LORD. May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace. Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD-- that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.
(Psalm 83 NIV)
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