It’s the usual story being played out. The artificially created Palestinian people engage in violence. Israel responds….and is condemned for their response. It was the start of the Passover Holy Day – and Hamas had scheduled a demonstration march for Land Day. Thirty thousand demonstrators respond. But this is no peaceful march. This has all the markings of a calculated violent assault on the IDF troops defending the border fence. At the end of the day, 15 Palestinians are killed and hundreds wounded as the Israeli forces responded to the attacks with tear gas, rubber bullets and in some instances live fire. The Times of Israel reported that: “Rioters threw firebombs and stones at troops, tried to bomb and breach the security fence, and burned tires.” The Palestinians resorted to their tactic of putting civilians out front, daring the Israelis to create martyrs which will galvanize world opinion to support their cause. It is a tactic practiced many times over recent years whether in street clashes in Israel or in Lebanon, where they would often fire rocket or artillery from schools or hospitals. In this case too, “organizers of the protests were deliberately trying to place civilians in harm’s way, and cited an incident in which it said a seven-year-old girl was sent to the security fence in an apparent cynical attempt to draw Israeli fire, but was spotted by troops who realized what was happening and ensured she was not hurt.” Several Hamas paramilitary gunman also unleashed live fire at IDF units. Hamas admitted that at least five of their gunman were among the Palestinians who perished in the fighting.[i] Israel responded to the live fire attacks with tank and jet attacks against Hamas sites. The terror organization warned of more violence to come including rocket attacks from Gaza.[ii] An IDF spokesman gave the bottom line. They just would not allow their borders to be compromised. So we know where the violence is coming from. Our Enemy just cannot countenance the existence of Israel. It means God’s promises are true, His prophecies of the reestablishment of Israel as a nation are fulfilled. And that signals the end of Satan’s semi-autonomous power – with the soon return of Christ. So as Christians we are in a tough spot. We must identify and recognize the ploys of the Enemy – yet understand that the Jews are God’s people – and they have an eternal purpose to serve….just as Israel as a purpose and a destiny to fulfill in the light of Last Days prophecy. Yet it is our duty to pray for and preach the Gospel to Muslims and opponents of Israel’s existence. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12) It is our duty to reach out to the lost and be a light of witness that some might be saved.
[i]Hamas says 5 killed in Gaza border clashes were its members, YNet News, March 31, 2018
[ii]15 Gazans said killed, 1,100 hurt in clashes at massive border protest, Times of Israel, March 30, 2018
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