Hebrew: זוהי אדמתי (Zo hei adma’ti), Arabic: هذه أرضي (Hadhihi ardi) “This is my land.”
Week 1: Aug. 26-Sept.
Hebrew: זוהי אדמתי (Zo hei adma’ti), Arabic: هذه أرضي (Hadhihi ardi)
“This is my land.”
- What’s happening now.
- What happened before. (The book)
- Major Events since 2013.
- DIME + R, What the bible says, what the Koran says.
- The way ahead
- Epilogue
1.What’s happening now…
- Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah official, was targeted by Israeli airstrikes in the Hezbollah-controlled Dahieh district of Beirut. Shukr was a key figure in Hezbollah’s military strategy and had
a prominent role in missile development. ([Yahoo News](https://news.yahoo.com/news/israel-scored-major-intelligence-wins-153432559.html) - In Iran, the IDF carried out a covert operation to assassinate Ismail Haniyeh, a political leader of Hamas. This assassination, especially occurring within Iranian territory, provoked strong threats of retaliation from Iran, potentially leading to a larger conflict across the region. (Democracy Now!).
- Iran has recently issued new threats of retaliation against Israel in response to the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. Iranian officials, including former IRGC chief Mohsen Rezaei, have indicated that Iran is planning a calculated response, taking into account various geopolitical and military considerations. Iran aims to punish Israel without causing significant disruption to efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza (The Times of Israel) (The Jewish Press – JewishPress.com).
- Israel confirmed Wednesday that it killed Khalil al-Maqdah, a commander in the armed wing of the Palestinian Fatah movement, in Lebanon. The Israeli military described him as having worked for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and the attack comes a week after Israel killed a senior commander of Hezbollah. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/israel-kills-fatah-commander-in-lebanon-as-regional-tensions-escalate/ar-AA1pcMzj?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=724879a87c304defb347d81ff9797fce&ei=37
2.What happened before…
In his book, Martin Bunton[1], The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Very Short Introduction,[2] provides a concise historical view of Middle East history. From a Barnes and Noble review, we read, “Bunton explores the Palestinian-Israeli dispute in twenty-year segments, to highlight the historical complexity of the conflict throughout successive decades.”[3]
As mentioned, the book is divided into 20-year segments (see below), with an informative chronology on pages 151-157. The chapter references pages158-16, provide avenues for future background research. Chapter 1 Ottoman Palestine 1891-1917, Chapter 2 British Palestine, Chapter 3 Palestine partitioned 1937-1947.
In Chapter 4 Atzmaut and Nakba 1947-67, we read, “In his attitude towards the arab world, Ben Gurion adopted a highly activist approach, sometimes called ‘Ben Gurionsim’. Based on the belief that a constant show of Israel’s military superiority would eventually force the Arab world to accept Israel’s presence, this attitude ensured that no attack on Israel would go unpunished. Indeed, it was made clear that Israel would retaliate with disproportionate force. [4] This policy clearly represents current Israeli military responses.
Chapter 5 Occupation 1967-87 & Chapter 6 The rise and fall of the peace process 1987-2007. Bunton, does a good introduction on the complexity of the conflict, its historical roots, the impact of colonialism (especially British), the role of international diplomacy, and the necessity of dialogue. Unfortunately, his work ends in 2013.
While every media source has its biases, here are two video overviews that give us historical background and brings a Christian perspective.
- VOX media (liberal progressive slant) gives a quick overview of the Israel and Palestinian history, Gaza, explained, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv1SpwwJEW8&rco=1
- Security Cabinet Meets Underground in Tel Aviv to Plan Iran, Hezbollah Attack Response (CBN – Christian Perspective) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRLbgyTSPRE&list=RDNS8Bp3Z5mKCsI&index=2
3.Major events since 2013
Since 2013 (the publishing date of Bunton’s book), several significant events have shaped the Palestinian-Israeli conflict:
- 2014 Gaza War: Also known as Operation Protective Edge, this conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian factions in Gaza began in July 2014. The war resulted in substantial casualties, with over 2,000 Palestinians and 70 Israelis killed, and widespread destruction in Gaza.[5]
- 2017 Jerusalem Recognition: In December 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and announced plans to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This decision was met with widespread international criticism and sparked protests and clashes in the Palestinian territories. [6]
- 2018 Gaza Border Protests: Beginning in March 2018, a series of protests known as the “Great March of Return” took place along the Gaza-Israel border. The protests, which called for the right of return for Palestinian refugees and an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza, often turned violent, leading to significant casualties.[7]
- 2021 Escalation: In May 2021, heightened tensions in East Jerusalem, particularly around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, led to an 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas. The violence included rocket attacks on Israeli cities and Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, resulting in over 250 Palestinian and 13 Israeli deaths.[8]
- 2023 Hamas Attack: On October 7, 2023, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups launched a large-scale attack from Gaza into southern Israel, involving rocket fire, incursions, and the taking of hostages. This marked the first invasion of Israeli territory since 1948 and led to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The attack resulted in over 1,000 Israeli and 2,000 Palestinian deaths and intensified the conflict further. [9]
4.DIME + R, What the bible says, what the Koran says
A variety of theories are used to interpret and predict international relations: Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism, Marxism and critical theory, Feminism, Postcolonialism, Green and variants. I teach a master’s course in International Peace and Conflict and provide students a simpler way to evaluate and act upon current events, called “DIME,” standing for Diplomatic, Information, Military, Economic. This lens is used by the U.S. Military to view international events. By no means comprehensive it does provide a simplified look at complex situations that serve as a start point for strategic and operational planning. In addition, I added the dimension of Religion to this analysis (DIME + R). Religion is disregarded in more International Relations theory and Religion adds historical and personal motivations to the equation. For instance….
Jewish Perspective & Christian Perspective – Biblical Promises
Divine Covenant: According to the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), God made a covenant with Abraham, promising him and his descendants the land of Canaan (modern-day Israel and Palestinian territories).
Genesis 12:1-3: [God’s promise to Abram (Abraham) to make him a great nation and bless him] “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 15:18: [The covenant where God promises Abram’s descendants the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates.] On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,
Islamic Perspective
Though the question asks for a biblical view, it’s important to note the Islamic perspective as well, given the significant Muslim population among Palestinians.
“Allah the Almighty has not used the word “يَمْلِکھَا” [in the aforementioned verse] but in fact said “يَرِثُھَا”. This manifestly shows that the true heirs [of Palestine] will always be Muslims, and if it goes into the hands of some else at some point, such a possession would be similar to a scenario in which the mortgagor gives temporary control of their property to the mortgagee. This is the glory of Divine revelation, [and it shall surely come to pass].” (Al Hakam, 10 November 1902, p. 7)[10]
Quran 17:1: Reference to the Night Journey of the Prophet Muhammad to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.[11] [Holy Land: The Quran also recognizes the land as sacred and significant, particularly to the prophets who are also revered in Islam.]
5.The way ahead
What did you know about Israel before 7th October, and what was that based upon?
The Palestinian conflict has been the violent backdrop for me entire life. Newscasts, movies and documentaries peppered my life growing up. Islam versus Judaism/Christianity.
What does this book help you understand that you didn’t know before?
Missing from the book and the general approach by International Relations theorists is the absence of religion. The Abrahamic Covenant is a strong current that drives Jews and the grafted in Gentiles (the US) that supports them.
How do you navigate the Israel-Middle east conflict?
There will be no peace in the Middle East. It is the pot that when it boils over, will be called the “End of Times.” At best humanitarian efforts can ease pain, but the story of the end, began at the beginning, when the Jews failed to eliminate the tribes that plague them today.
On a lighter note, Audrey Kurth Cronin, writes in Foreign Affairs, How Hamas Ends, A Strategy for Letting the Group Defeat Itself.[12] She writes, “On Wednesday, Israel killed Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, in Tehran, where he had traveled for the inauguration of Iran’s new president. The assassination, which was carried out using a covertly planted bomb, comes as tensions between Israel and its adversaries, including Iran and Hezbollah, have once again threatened to spiral into a full-blown war.”[13]
Cronin criticizes the current Israel series of assassination, “Hamas is not a good candidate for a decapitation strategy,” wrote Audrey Kurth Cronin in a recent essay for Foreign Affairs on how to eliminate the group. “It is a highly networked organization that is almost 40 years old. If killing Hamas leaders could end the group, it would have happened long ago—and the Israelis have certainly tried.”[14]
Cronin writes, “I have assembled a dataset of 457 terrorist campaigns and organizations, stretching back 100 years, and have identified six primary ways in which terrorist groups end.”
- Success – a small number of groups cease to exist because they achieve their goals.
- Transforming into something else: a criminal network or an insurgency.
- A third way terrorist groups end is through successful military repression on the part of a state. That is the ending that Israel’s current campaign against Hamas hopes to bring about.
- A fourth way that terrorist groups end is through decapitation: the arrest or killing of leaders. A 2006 study by the scholars Mohammed Hafez and Joseph Hatfield examined rates of Hamas violence before and after such assassinations and concluded that their impact was negligible.
- Negotiation does represent a fifth way that terrorism can end. (Although at this point it seems unlikely).
- Most terrorist groups end in a sixth way: because they fail, either by collapsing in on themselves or by losing support. support for Hamas generally spikes during confrontations with Israel but then dissipates when the group fails to deliver positive change. To help Hamas fail, Israel should be doing everything in its power to give Palestinians in Gaza a sense that there is an alternative to Hamas and that a more hopeful future is possible. Instead of restricting humanitarian aid to a trickle, Israel should be providing it in massive quantities. Instead of merely destroying infrastructure and homes, Israel should also be sharing plans for rebuilding the territory in a post-Hamas future. Instead of carrying out collective punishment and hoping that Palestinians will eventually blame Hamas, Israel should be conveying that it sees a distinction between Hamas fighters and the vast majority of Gazans, who have nothing to do with the group and are themselves victims of its thuggish rule and reckless violence.[15]
6.Epilogue –Both Christianity and Islam have descriptions of the Armageddon or Al-Malhama Al-Kubra. Both religions see this as, Christianity -The End of Times or Islam – Ashrat al-Sa’ah. In the face of these titanic waves of change, what is our role in these perilous times? I take my example from the apostles who went out to call those into the kingdom. Their focus never failed, unto death, to share the good news of Christ. Our task has not changed, assured of our salvation, we are called to share our faith to those “in the foxholes.”
[1] Martin Bunton is an academic and historian specializing in Middle Eastern history and politics. He is a faculty member at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada, where he teaches courses in Middle Eastern and Islamic history.
[2] Bunton, Martin. The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013
[3] https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-palestinian-israeli-conflict-martin-bunton/1113852237
[4] Ibid. p.95
[5] https://theworld.org/stories/2023/10/20/timeline-israeli-palestinian-conflict
[6] Ibid
[7] Ibid
[8] Ibid
[9] Ibid
[10] What does the Quran say about Israel and Palestine? Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s analysis of the Quranic prophecy concerning the future of Palestine, as mentioned in Surah Bani Isra’il, chapter 17 and Surah al-Anbiya, chapter 21. 1st December 2023
[11] https://www.alhakam.org/what-does-the-quran-say-about-israel-and-palestine/
[12] How Hamas Ends, A Strategy for Letting the Group Defeat Itself, By Audrey Kurth Cronin, July/August 2024, Published on June 3, 2024, https://www.foreignaffairs.com/israel/how-hamas-ends-gaza?utm_medium=newsletters&utm_source=weekend_read&utm_content=20240803&utm_campaign=NEWS_FA%20Weekend%20Read_080324_How%20Hamas%20Ends&utm_term=FA%20Weekend%20Read-012320
[13] Ibid
[14] Ibid
[15] Ibid
About the Author
Russell Chun
interlinkt.org is now ready for your Refugee Resettlement needs. 15 tasks, languages ESL plans coming8 responses to “Hebrew: זוהי אדמתי (Zo hei adma’ti), Arabic: هذه أرضي (Hadhihi ardi) “This is my land.””
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Russell, you wrote “Missing from the book and the general approach by International Relations theorists is the absence of religion.” I noted that, too, and sometimes wonder why some (not all) authors leave the “religious” context out of the conversation. For Bunton, it seems that the conflict is 100% about land / territory. In fact, he admits as much.
On another note, you mentioned that Trump had declared Jerusalem to be Israel’s capital in 2017. Of course, the fact that this was met with a ton of criticism makes sense given the history Bunton unpacked in his book. Bunton’s historical overview of how Zionism and Britain’s alignment with Zionism (thus promoting/backing the push for 20th-century Jewish people to have their own geographic space) was pretty helpful for one who has never really studied how the modern day state of Israel came together in the 20th century — and why Jerusalem is not recognized by many to be the capital.
Hi Travis, thanks for responding.
One of the things I collect (PDFs and such) focus on adding religion to the international relations dialog, here is one. Religion and Mediation: The Role of Faith-Based Actors in International Conflict Resolution, Ayse Kadayifci, 2009, International Negotiation.
This is an older article that is the tip of the iceberg for adding religion and its “street cred” in speaking into conflict resolution.
On of the text I use in my class is “Peace on Earth, The role of Religion in Peace and Conflict Studies” edited by Thomas Matyok (a Hungarian).
He was also a US Army officer in the my Army specialty called civil affairs.
Especially in the Middle East, the are growing numbers of religious authors who are dusting off their paper’s and updating them to include current events.
Shalom…
Hi Russell,
Thank you for updating us on the significant events which have taken place since 2014. I appreciate how you included Cronin’s six primary ways in which terrorist groups are brought to an end. I was waiting for point six. She highlighted an alternative plan in which Israel could respond by rendering aid and offering hope. I have heard that humanitarian aid is restricted. I’m struggling to understand why that is the case.
I think Blind RAGE over October 7 dominates the feeling of the current administration and the Army.
Imagine if someone did this in Arizona. (I can’t imagine it happening in Texas since everyone there is packing a weapon).
We would start with a “Shock and Awe” carpet bombing of the enemy and then move troops in to occupy. We have done it before.
Humanitarian Aid only gets to come in as an after thought. This is what I did in the U.S. Army in Civil Affairs. We created a Civil Military Operations Center where NGO’s could come in to provide relief. This happened AFTER the military environment seemed secure. Such is NOT the case with Hamas still running around.
I would imagine that no serious aid will come from Israel until Hamas is killed (disproportionate response has always been the Israeli way). Ben Gurionism.
It is said that Arabs only understand violence, but we LOST the Afghan war. We lost Vietnam.
Violence is an easy response. Love and forgiveness is so much harder.
Sharlom…
Russell,
Thank you for giving another insight on the subject of how to handle a militant group like Hamas.
Cronin states “To help Hamas fail, Israel should be doing everything in its power to give Palestinians in Gaza a sense that there is an alternative to Hamas and that a more hopeful future is possible.” This would be the way to go, but I’m wondering how this could tangibly be carried out by Israel since there is no common ground regarding each side’s deep spiritual beliefs. Furthermore many Israelis do not accept Jesus as Messiah so their understanding of sacrifice and also the love and grace of Jesus is limited at best. It becomes more of a struggle for power than a struggle for peace.
Again, thank you for your insights!
Hi Esther,
I can share an experience that may be PART of a solution.
In the U.S. Army we develop Civil Military Operations Centers (CMOCS), where NGO’s gather to share resources and to respond to needs. As the name implies, it is a partnership where NGO’s can move into unsecure places with security and transportation (sometimes) from the military.
These CMOCs have a secondary purpose of creating relationship with the local populace. Many are employed to facilitate aid.
HOWEVER, there has to be a level of security before such CMOCs are deployed.
It is CLEAR to me that blind Rage dominates Israel’s response to October 7. They do not care if women and children suffer. Israel has always threatened a disproportionate response to its enemies (Ben Gurion). Until this blood rage clears, they will not start any Israeli directed Humanitarian Aid.
Sigh….what can we do? Pray (Cathy Glei ended her post there).
For the Ukrainian Conflict, I can be more active and impact children and wounded soldiers. Our guy(s) in Ukraine continue the work.
Shalom….
Thank you Russell for all of the extra information. I feel like I’m just scratching the surface, but you brought some structure to understanding. Thank you for all of this.
If you could pick one of the books on Leadership we’ve read, which one do you feel speaks to how Leadership could be part of the solution to this conflict?
Hi, I think we would need to revisit Fukuyama’s piece on Identity and how religion is a cored aspect of how people respond to conflict. I teach a Master’s course in International Peace and conflict
One of the texts I use is. Peace on Earth: The Role of Religion in Peace and Conflict Studies Kindle Edition
by Thomas Matyók.
He tries to take religious perspectives and applies them to conflict. In that way we see through the eyes of other faiths (in regards to war).
I don’t believe there is a peaceful solution in the middle east. As I wrote…There will be no peace in the Middle East. It is the pot that when it boils over, will be called the “End of Times.” At best humanitarian efforts can ease pain, but the story of the end, began at the beginning, when the Jews failed to eliminate the tribes that plague them today.
Of course this was all part of God’s plan…but wow…so painful. As man lives out their sinful desires for power and control.
Simple solution “beam up all the men” let the women take over.
Shalom.