Party Time in Israel

Israel’s “Young Turks” have created a new political party, and this week received an important new ally.

Caroline Glick, a long-time writer for the Jerusalem Post (and, of late, Breitbart), is running for a Knesset seat for the new Hayemin Hehadash (The New Right) Party. The party was founded by rising stars Naftali Bennett, Education Minister, and Ayelet Shaked, Israel’s Justice Minister. For what it’s worth, they are the new breed; both look like they could carry lead roles in a James Bond movie.

The pair have left Bayit Yehudi, in order to gain more seats in the Knesset.

For her part, Glick is a media savvy Zionist firebrand.

“’Caroline is a relentless Zionist fighter,’ party co-chairman Naftali Bennett said. ‘With her, we are building today the dream team of the Israeli Right in order to expand the right-wing block – so that Israel can be triumphant again.’

“Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, the party’s other leader, called Glick a ‘a courageous fighter symbolizing the real, pure, conservative Right. She will be a great addition to the Knesset from our side.’”

I met Glick in Jerusalem in 2002 and like anyone else who loves Israel, was impressed by her knowledge and passion for the country. She is a native of Chicago who made aliyah in the 90s and is a talented English-speaking advocate for her country. She is also a fierce Zionist.

(By the way, some of the fiercest Zionists I’ve ever met are women.)

When we talked in the lobby of the Mt. Zion Hotel, overlooking Jerusalem’s Old City and the Hinnom Valley, we were discussing a book deal. Her subsequent writings represent clear thinking on how to proceed with the Palestinians. Her views are somewhat in the same vein as other, rare, transcendent politicians, like Donald Trump. They deal with reality, not political and philosophical theories.

Bennett, Shaked, and now Glick must prove to their constituents that they will not buckle under ideologically and not budge on security issues. As popular as Benjamin Netanyahu is (it’s astonishing that he will be 70 this year!), he doesn’t go far enough for many on the Right, who want to see Hamas dismantled permanently, among other things.

I don’t disagree with them.

Bibi will probably be prime minister as long as he wants to be—hopefully he will be the one to deal with the Iranian threat in a lasting way—but Bennett and Shaked in particular are probably his successors.

This is all good news in my view. It shows that, unlike America, not all politicians are compromisers. Israel’s future is secure because of God alone.

But it appears He might be willing to use a group of Young Turks going forward.

Jim1fletcher@yahoo.com

Damascus Fever

President Trump’s abrupt announcement to pull our troops out of Syria has folks in a dither. General Mattis resigned as Defense Secretary, but as someone pointed out, he’s a globalist, anyway. He had previously advised Trump not to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, with the usual dire predictions of what would happen.

Personally, for what it’s worth, I think the Trump Doctrine of America First is wise and welcome. He’s already making other countries pay for their own wars, conflicts we have been funding.

Why not try this?

As to Israel and what that means on the northern border, does anyone seriously believe Israel is not prepared for any contingency?

The Israel Aerospace Industries just announced production of a new type of wing for the F-35, which will make it invisible to radar.

“The expansion of IAI’s collaboration with Lockheed Martin ‘is another proof of the deep partnership and trust’ the American manufacturer has with Israel’s leader in defense production, said Lockheed Martin Israel’s CEO, Joshua ‘Shiki’ Shani, adding that ‘The precision, technological components, personnel and manufacturing quality needed for the wings of the F-35s require the highest standards. IAI has proven its capabilities in the production line in the hundreds of wings produced so far, and we expect to commence operations in their coating field, which is another layer in the overall manufacturing process of the F-35 aircraft.’”

(And did you catch that, Joshua Shani? He is the pilot that flew the lead plane to Entebbe in 1976.)

This is an example of Israel’s capabilities, which far surpass Russia, Iran, etc.

I’m not minimizing the threat from Syria, which is still rotting in a stew of civil war and expansionism by some really bad players in the region.

It’s more likely the various bad players jockeying for position in Syria will pick each other off. And with “lesser” power plays, such as the Kurds fighting the Turks, there is plenty of drama for Russia, Iran, and Syria.

One last thing. I’d like to take another opportunity to caution people not to jump to conclusions about Syria and Israel, with regard to Isaiah 17. I know, I know. Damascus will be destroyed. I believe that.

But honestly? We hurt our witness with the outside world when we continually claim that the latest dust-up has us on the edge of the Final War.

What we know, because God’s Word tells us, is that one day, Damascus will cease to exist. That is still future.

What we can’t know is that the chess pieces being moved right now in the region are directly, soon, leading to a fulfillment of Isaiah 17.

Let’s leave the timing to God.

Our mandate is to share the Good News with the world until the end comes. Using predictive prophecy as an evangelism tool is a good way to do that.

God will take care of Israel.

Jim1fletcher@yahoo.com