Peace Talks and Global Anti-Semitism

Peace Talks and Global Anti-Semitism 

Commentary and Interview with Lance Lambert

by Sarah Ann Haves 

While Palestinian and Israeli leaders engage in proximity talks, the Palestinians are already planning a renewal of the armed struggle against Israel, if the talks fail within the next few months. The Fatah movement has also threatened to take the Palestinian cause, once again, to the United Nations, looking to isolate Israel, internationally. Furthermore, Fatah members are trying to prevent Israel from deepening ties with the European Union.

Earlier this month, the Palestinians attempted to keep Israel from being invited to join the OECD (the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). It was a failed sinister attempt by the Palestinians to exclude Israel from attaining an important financial level in an elite global organization. On May 10, 2010, all members of the OECD voted in favor of including Israel.

Now, a current Palestinian boycott against Israeli goods originating from the settlements has been designed to hurt Israel economically. However, this means that thousands of Palestinian workers, who had jobs in the territories, are facing unemployment because of the boycott.

The Palestinians have been trying to discredit Israel, diplomatically, for years. Yet, introducing new policies attempting to de-legitimize the Jewish State, in the midst of proximity talks, has been particularly offensive to the Israeli government. A majority of Israelis do not believe that the current indirect talks with the Palestinians will lead to direct talks, and even if they do, that a final peace agreement will be reached. This is because, while Palestinian leaders say they want peace, their actions continue to demonstrate that they want to do Israel harm.

The anti-Israel stance by the Palestinians is just the tip of the iceberg in a growing hatred of Israel that is increasing, globally. There are diplomatic initiatives being drawn up by international groups, intent on keeping Israel from being able to adequately defend itself. These groups claim that Israel uses disproportionate force against its enemies, with behavior that is too militant and too aggressive.

In addition, Islamic anti-Israel hatred has grown; coupled with classic anti-Semitism against the international Jewish community. This resulted in a peak in violent actions in 2009.

An escalation in hostilities toward the Jewish people began during Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza (December 2008 to January 2009). Mass demonstrations, along with verbal and physical attacks, including outrageous accusations of Jewish blood libels, became more common place after Operation Cast Lead. This was especially noticeable when the Goldstone report was released (a document which unfairly accused Israel of war crimes in its Gaza offensive). The number of violent and verbal incidents against Jews spiked within Moslem communities in Western Europe, particularly.

A famous synagogue in Worms, Germany, which this reporter visited years ago, was attacked by arsonists on May 17, 2010. Leaving a note blaming Israel for the continued conflict with the Palestinians, the vandals tried, unsuccessfully to torch the entire building. Those who committed the crime may have been influenced by Islamic anti-Semitism. However, local Jewish leaders still aren’t sure. They said the attack could also be from neo-Nazi’s or extreme leftists. What unites European Moslems with these other groups is one common enemy… Israel.  

The synagogue, built in 1034, destroyed by the Germans in 1938, was re-built in 1961. Behind the synagogue is a Jewish Cemetery believed to be the oldest in Europe. Now, local authorities will have to include a police presence, and build a protective barrier, in order to keep the building from incurring further attacks. Already, Jewish establishments across the world have been hiring security guards and creating barricades to protect their buildings and staff from violent anti-Semitic attacks.

Bible teacher and international speaker, Lance Lambert, spoke to this reporter about the current crisis, from his home in Jerusalem. “There’s always been anti-Semitism in the world. It is the most ancient hatred in world history. And, it has reached crescendo levels at times, in different points of history,” Lambert pointed out.

According to Lambert, approximately 40-70 million Moslems are living in Europe at this time, representing a significant minority. “While they are a minority, all is well. They don’t make a fuss. They only complain they are victimized. But, the minute they become a larger group, they begin to start exercising their muscle,” Lambert explained.

He cited that the violent trends against Jewish people in European nations can be directly attributed to an increase in Moslem populations that stir up trouble. “And, these nations, because of these Moslem minorities, are actually taking a stand against Jerusalem.”

Another factor that has contributed to a bias against Israel has been inaccurate reporting by major media outlets. While Israeli analysts do not think that an over emphasis on accusations against Israel is intentional on the part of Middle East reporters, negative headlines still make the daily news. The fact that Arab financiers hold substantial assets in global media conglomerates may explain why broadcast and print editors tend to release biased reports about Israel. Lambert believes that an emphasis on alleged Israeli war crimes, reported extensively in the European media, has kept certain high level Israeli officials from being able to travel to Belgium and Britain for fear of being arrested. “You have a world media that is energized by the powers of darkness and they produce lies….Now Israel is in a quandary; if she does anything, she could become a pariah to the nations.”

In speaking to a media advisor of a high level diplomat in the Israeli government, this reporter learned that the problem of bias against Israel in the media is exacerbated by the bureaucracy related to Israel’s democracy. When, for example, Israeli defense forces are accused of unfairly shooting a Palestinian, media outlets report the event as fact in their daily news feeds. But, while the IDF may say that they had no soldiers in the area at that time, the military still has to check out the incident and investigate it. By the time the military report is released, proving that the IDF was not the one that shot the Palestinian, it is considered old news by media outlets. And, Israel’s public image has already been damaged by the false information previously reported. This has happened on more than one occasion.

While Israel’s public diplomacy organizations are trying to get vital information to the global media as quickly as possible, the Palestinians, who do not operate in a democratic atmosphere, are content with bringing false accusations against Israel in “real time”. This is picked up, immediately, by media outlets hungry for news stories.

Currently, there is also a strain in global financial markets. According to Lambert, the nations have increased their national debt by billions, if not trillions, and he thinks there will be massive bankruptcy. “Most of the countries in Europe are in fearful condition economically; financially. There is a fear everywhere to not do anything that rocks the boat…. (Therefore), placate the Moslems, and don’t say too much that is nice about the Jews.”

At the same time, Lambert claims that the Arab nations, which lost wars and became stagnant and weak over the centuries, started gaining strength last century, because of oil money. “Oil put back wealth into the hands of the Moslems…With the money that came from oil, and the influence that came from oil, because it was to be the great energy force of the 20th century, it had an enormous effect.”

As the Jewish people face crisis after crisis in relationship to the nations, and as Israel continues to be portrayed as a bully occupier, Lambert says the key is to understand the spiritual forces behind Israel’s adversaries. ”History is only the expression of spiritual forces, basically… I think the powers of darkness are having a field day.”

Lambert thinks that the increase in anti-Semitism will be a catalyst to get the Jews to pack their bags and return to their homeland, Israel. “The Lord will use it to produce Aliyah; certainly with France, because the French Jewish community is the largest in Europe – 500,000 strong. It is not being broadcast, but there are a large number of French Jews beginning to come back because they see the writing on the wall.”

As proximity talks continue, and the Israelis and Palestinians try to resolve their differences, the global diplomatic push is for a two state solution. This would cause Israel to withdrawal from land that some, here, believe is the biblical heartland of the Jewish State. Lambert does not think that the Israeli government wants to divide the land, but there may be an attempt by the international community to force the government into an agreement. “I think it is possible that they will impose a solution; that imposition will arouse the fury of the Almighty.”

Pointing to other issues, like Iran’s attempt to develop a nuclear bomb, Lambert surmised that the nations are currently acting the way they did in Adolph Hitler’s time. “I don’t think that Iran will be stopped any more than Adolph Hitler was stopped. They will be judged in the end, as Hitler was. The nations are unbelievably imbecilic. We have gone right through the build-up of the Holocaust; the appeasement of Hitler. The nations did nothing… I believe that the present situation is exactly the same; the appeasement of the nations. The nations don’t really want to believe that Iran is doing this.”

Lambert points out that God has a controversy with the nations, and according to scripture, will defend Israel in the end. “I don’t think the Lord will sacrifice this people. He will fight for them; Zechariah 14. The nations will come against Jerusalem to battle, and the Lord will go forth to fight for them in that day.”

What bothers Lambert, and other Bible believers, is the constant declared intent by Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to annihilate Israel. Leaders in Jerusalem take these public proclamations seriously, and see Iran as an existential threat to the Jewish State.

During the Nazi era, Hitler tried to wipe out European Jewry. As Lambert explained, the powers of darkness tried to stop the re-creation of the nation of Israel, but the Holocaust became the catalyst for the modern state to be born in 1948. He believes Israel will come through a future war with Iran, even in the midst of great suffering. “Now, I wonder if this second phase would be the catalyst for the salvation of Israel. Iran’s attempt to annihilate us; liquidate us. Will it be that the Lord will, in some amazing way, deliver?”

Lambert acknowledged that the world has entered into a period of time where there will be more sanctions against Israel, along with more misrepresentation and alienation of the Jewish State, including more violent acts. He stated that there will be judgment on the nations for their acts against Israel, and the ultimate battle will be over Jerusalem. “The Lord will rise up to defend this little postage stamp of territory, and Jerusalem. He has always done it; and, He will do it again.”

The command in scripture to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” is essential in the face of increased hostilities towards Israel and the Jewish people. It’s a key element for those who want to see the Jewish State survive, and believe Israel is to be a “light to the nations”.

Noting how God gave intercessors in Europe scriptural promises to meditate on and proclaim during World War II, Lambert assessed that this new season of prayer is not sentimental or emotional. “The basis has to be the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The anointing of the Holy Spirit has to give you the scriptures that you can stand on. If you stand on it, it shall be done.”

“For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace; And, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest; Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns.”   Isaiah 62:1

Ms. Haves is a news analyst, reporting from Israel on political, diplomatic, military and spiritual issues affecting the nation.

(c) 2010 Messianic Vision all rights reserved. This article is not reproducible except with permisson from Messianic Vision. 

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright ©1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.