Israel's New Friends

​My postings on this blog may not be as regular as they have been. For one year, they were out every week, but my wife, Shirley, and I are looking for a residence close to our son and family in the Dallas Area. After all these years she is going to get permanent relief from meal-making three times a day and cleaning the house. Yes, it would be independent living in a community of the old and wise. Ahem! 

​In addition, if things work out as they should, my book, Israel the Chosen, will be published the second time with a company that does marketing. I’m now at work on editing it once again.

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For now, I return to the supposedly “great” event in the Middle East--the breaking down of barriers between Israel and two nations in the Middle East—The United Arab Republics and Bahrain with the possibility of even more on the way.

Is this all it’s cracked up to be? I wonder.

First, Bahrain is an island nation in the Persian Gulf—population 1.7 million, and less than half of those are citizens. O. K.?

Then, there is the United Arab Emirates with a population of 9.8 million, the great majority of which are migrants.
So what you have is a pair of extra-small nations.

QUESTION: Though small, do they have any influence?
ANSWER: No, not on their own. But they have the backing of America.  

But aren’t the Americans trying to diminish their presence in the Middle East? Yes they are. For instance, a few thousand soldiers positioned in Iraq have just been issued their “go home” notices.

The border of these two tiny nations are with Saudi Arabia. BUT, right across the Persian Gulf lies the big, bad Islamicist nation of Iran.

So….the strength of these two nations has lain with their friend, the U. S. BUT….their new friend, Israel, is a newly powerful nation. 

QUESTION: Therefore, who is really gaining here—the two tiny Islamic nations….or Israel? ANSWER: Both, of course, to a degree. Israeli intelligence will be enhanced. And just the fact that they are Arabic and Islamic is truly significant.

WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING HERE? America wants out of the Middle East.  America is retrenching—pulling back. We’re spending ourselves silly.  And we are committing ourselves to staving off the Chinese in the South China Sea. We’re now even pulling back from Europe. 

​Yes, America is retrenching, but Israel is reaching out. They are small, yes, but they have awe-inspiring intelligence.  
Israel is a power who is willing to be a friend in time of need. It has shone that ever since it has become a viable nation. And it is in need of friends in the Middle East. 
It is showing that it will ACT as a friend. It is not like Egypt and Jordan who technically recognize Israel but whose citizens still disdain Israel and will not mix. In those cases, the Jews are still seen as descendants of pigs and monkey. I kid you not.  

CAUTION TO ISRAELIS: Don’t give up your Jewishness in order to be friends with the peoples surrounding you. Don’t intermarry with the Arabs. Let your children be, like you, the descendants of Abraham and Sarah.

ANOTHER CAUTION TO ISRAELIS: Don’t neglect the status of the Jews in the West Bank—Judea and Samaria. In order to establish relations with the United Arab Republic and Bahrain, you had to agree that there would be no “annexation” of any part of Area C of the West Bank for, it is said, about four years. Jewish law needs to be in force there.

Be friendly.....but know that Yahweh is the source of your life.   

                                                                        "Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.
                                                                         Sing to his name, for it is pleasant.
                                                                  For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
                                                                              Israel as his own possession.”
                                                                                   -- Psalms 135:3-4 (ESV)

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