Apartheid?! In Israel?!!

This is the time of year when "Israel Apartheid Week" takes place. "Israel Apartheid Week" is an annual series of university lectures and rallies. The series is held in February or March. According to the organization, "the aim of IAW is to educate people about the nature of Israel as an apartheid system and to build Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns as part of a growing global BDS movement."

So is the State of Israel an apartheid state? The very use of the word conjures up pictures, in the minds of some of us, of South Africa, and the total segregation of the black population from those of Caucasian descent. We may think, also, of the southern states of the USoA in the 1950s and 60s, and the segragation that led to the Civil Rights Movement. If this is what is happening in the State of Israel, today, then that State deserves all of the condemnation that it receives.

"If this is happening ..."! Permit me to share some factual information about life in modern Israel - and then judge for yourself whether, or not, the accusation of apartheid holds any water. Here are just seven reasons that give the lie to any such claim - there are many more!

1. Voting. Israel is a multi-ethnic democracy. All citizens vote in elections on an equal basis. Israel's Arab minority participates fully in the political process.

2. Equal Rights. Minorities in Israel are guaranteed equal rights. Discrimination based on ethnicity is against the law, and the Courts are effective in countering unfair discrimination.

3. Integration. This is, of course, the total opposite of segregation!  Unlike apartheid South Africa, and the segregated southern states in the USoA, there is no segregation on public transport in Israel. Universties in Israel are fully integrated. Jews and Arabs work together; eat together; and live, side-by-side, in the same areas.

4. Economic gaps. Since the report of a Commission in 2000, Israel has been steadily closing economic gaps between Jews and Arabs; opening up the civil serice to Arab citizens; equalising welfare; introducing Arabic as a language to be learned, into Jewish schools; and improving access to higher education for all.

5. Arabic. Arabic is, in fact, Israel's second official language, and there is a thriving Arabic-language mass media, literature, and theatre scene.

6. Politics. There are twelve Members (MKs - the equivalent of UK MPs) in the current Knesset (Parliament). Arabs have also held Cabinet posts in the Government; and have served in the civil service, and the Supreme Court! Perhaps someone will remind me of any Arab country in which Jews are able to hold such high office! Oh, wait a minute! There aren't any!  On the contrary, those travelling on an Israeli passport are banned from Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen - even if they only wanted to enter for a brief holiday!

7. Popularity. In research done through Harvard University, 77% of the Arab citizens of Israel said that they prefer living in Israel to living in any other country in the world - and many of them back up that claim be serving in the IDF (Israeli Defence Force).

I have a very dear Jewish friend from the UK who has family living in Israel, and who visits the country frequently. When he does, I always receive a collection of photographs that he has taken during his visit. Many of those photographs provide, themselves, adequate proof that Israel is NOT an apartheid state. It is, in fact, as Nikki Haley, the new US Ambassador to the United Nations emphasised in her first news conference since taking up her post, "the one true democracy in the Middle East".

Let all who value truth be no longer fooled by the anti-Israel rhetoric that emanates from bodies such as the UN; by the attempts, by the UN and the strong Muslim lobby within its fold, to re-write history by denying the Jewish connection with the historic city of Jerusalem; by the false claims made by organisations such as the BDS (see the link above). Rather, let us be purveyors of truth that, by God's grace, it may triumph.

If we are praying people, let us pray regularly for the state, and the nation, of Israel. If we are disciples of Jesus, let us remember that He was born, in the flesh, into a Jewish family; that He was raised as a Jewish boy; that He lived and worked as a Jew; that He taught as a Jew; that He was crucified as a Jew.

And let us oppose anti-semitism wherever it raises its ugly head, by any means open to us.

Apartheid Israel!

It was a Facebook post by a friend of one of my former pupils, who had been on my own "Friends" list for a number of years.  It was, basically, a 'tongue-in-cheek' comment on the late Fidel Castro, using a reported quote from this former President of Cuba.

However, some of the following comments that appeared to be praising this "great humanitarian" led me to give some of "the other side" of the story!  This, in turn, led to the former pupil informing me that I am a "pro-Zionist" who supports the bombing of innocent civilians, including children, by apartheid Israel!

That probably wasn't a wise move on his part!  My response was as follows - in case any of my blog readers think as he does!  I typed:

If that is directed at me (I was absolutely certain that it had been - but one must be careful!), you need to do some serious research on the State of Israel - and not be hoodwinked by the pro-'palestinian' propaganda that is spouted by the MSM (main stream media, in case you are unfamiliar with the abbreviation).

Just to get you started - If Palestinians were to lay down their guns tomorrow, there would be no war. If Israel were to lay down its arms, there would be no Israel.  It would be so very helpful if the 'Palestinians' were to stop firing rockets at Israel; stop digging tunnels that are intended to enable their 'soldiers' to infiltrate Israel; and stop teaching their children to "kill the Jews" (that, of course, is not confined to 'Palestinian' authorities).

There is NO apartheid in Israel!  Have you ever been there? Have you seen, for yourself, this apartheid to which you refer? Do you know how many Arabs are Members of the Knesset (the Israeli Parliament)? By the way, do you know how many Jews are involved in the political leadership of any Arab state?! (The answer to that question is easy - less than 1!!) Do you know how many Arabs are members of the IDF (the Israeli Defence Force)?  Do you know how many Arabs hold top positions in the Police, the Military, in Institutes of Higher Education (and as teachers in primary and secondary education - teaching Jewish children!), in Medical Institutions and Hospitals?

Do you know how many 'Palestinians' work in Israel - because the wages and conditions are better than anything they can obtain in 'Palestine'?  Do you know how many 'Palestinians' bring their children, and other relatives, to Israeli hospitals for treatment - free of charge? Can you provide a figure for these "innocent men, women, and children being bombed and daily harrasses or being evicted out of their homes"? Do you know how many rockets, bombs, sidearms, etc were found in 'Palestinian' hospitals and other public buildings? Are you aware of the 'Palestinian' strategy of firing their rockets, indiscriminately, at Israel - from areas of civilian population?  Do you really understand the definition of "apartheid"?  Indeed, do you know the meaning of "Zionist"?  You really should go beyond the Daily Record (a Scottish tabloid newspaper that caters for the less educated in Scottish society!) for your information about the world!

I then pointed out that, so far, 37 Arab Muslims (at least some of whom, and probably all of whom, are 'Palestinian' Arabs) have been arrested over the arson attacks that have destroyed hectares of forest in Israel.  I suggested, from another perspective, that he check out the Arab countries that do practice apartheid towards Jews!  For example, Jews are not even allowed to permanently reside in Saudi Arabia, Libya, or Jordan - and I suspect that any Jew would be refused entry to Iran!

If there ever was to be a "State of Palestine" (for the first time in the history of the world!), it has already been made clear that it would be "ethnically cleansed" of any Jews!

Well, I could have gone on - and could go on.  However, I do hope that anyone who has bought into this hype about Israel being a modern South Africa will begin to realise that nothing could be further from the truth.  There are no "Jews only" forms of transport. There are no "Jews only" beaches. There are no "Jews only" cafés or restaurants.  There are no "Jews only" washrooms.  Indeed, according to Kenneth Meshoe, a South African politician, any attempt to compare Palestinians’ experience in Israel with the former racist regime is offensive to individuals who suffered under the system of racial separation.  He said that, on a trip to Israel, "I deliberately looked for anything that looked like apartheid. I took a bus to the center of Jerusalem, but blacks, Jews, Arabs and everybody else all sat together. Swimming at the Dead Sea was mixed. I looked for the ‘black only’ beaches, but there were none. Arab school teachers stood in front of Jewish classes! That would never have happened under apartheid."

Apartheid Israel? - it simply doesn't exist!

Nelson Mandela

The major news item, all day today, has been the death of Nelson Mandela.  Mr Mandela has been a very significant figure on the world stage since his release from prison in 1990.  He was instrumental in bringing apartheid to an end, and was the first indigenous President of South Africa.

Tributes have been flowing in from all over the world, as well as from within South Africa, and one would not deny that many of them are well-deserved.  However ... ... ...!!

As news of Mr Mandela's death broke, hundreds of South Africans filled the streets around his home in the upmarket Johannesburg suburb of Houghton, many singing songs of tribute, and dancing.  One, reportedly, carried a sign saying: "He will rule the universe with God." .    Others have spoken of him as having been "the saviour of South Africa", and many have commented on his capacity to forgive.

In just a couple of weeks' time, much of the world will celebrate Christmas.  For many, that celebration will be more of a 'winterfest' than anything else.  However, there will be those who will remember that, over 2,000 years ago, Almighty God, the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists, entered our time-space continuum as a human child, in an obscure little country on the edge of the Roman empire.  "Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail! the incarnate Deity."   And that was not the end of the story.  Because that Child grew to manhood and, after a public ministry of about three years, was crucified by the Roman authorities, at the instigation of the Jewish hierarchy.

This was, of course, the Man known as Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Messiah.  It is He, and He alone, Who will rule the universe with the Father (see Rev.5:13, inter al); He, and He alone, is the Saviour of South Africa - and of the whole world (John 3:16-17); He was able to say - as He hung on that cross, aware that He had only to say the word, and the Father would send more than twelve legions of angels to rescue Him (Matt.26:53) - "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34).

Some, who have not been caught up in the adulation of the late Mr Mandela, have pointed out that he had been a terrorist (remembering that one man's terrorist is another man's 'freedom fighter'!), and that we should be remembering those for whose deaths he was, directly or indirectly, responsible.  However, when it comes to Jesus, He alone was able to ask even His enemies: "Which of you convicts me of sin?" (John 8:46).  Even one of those crucified alongside Him recognised this: "One of the criminals who were hanged railed at Him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"  But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."  And he said, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."  And He said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:39-43; emphasis added).

Two other things need to be emphasised.  The first is that death could not hold Jesus.  He rose from the dead, victorious over it, and hell, and the grave.  The second is that He is coming again.  There will be a second advent - perhaps much sooner than many expect - when He will come, not as a human infant, but as King of kings, and Lord of lords.

May all who access this blog "... abide in Him, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming." (I John 2:28).