Connections+TJ-Austin-Jocquetta


 * CONNECTIONS**



**CONNECTION 1 **

I have connected to the Israeli-Palestinian to a degree that I did not expect. I know that the Jews are God's chosen people, and as such they should be treated with respect. This makes me partial to Zionism because I believe the Jews are entitled to all of their biblical land. However, I do believe that if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues as it is then both sides will face dire consequences even worse than they already do. I do not always agree with how both the Israelis and Palestinians pursue relations with each other. I believe what is essential for them is to strike a mutual accord of peace, whether it’s of the democratic or deterrence variety. Despite that, I only believe that the peace of deterrence is possible in the Middle East. The peace of democracies has only been around as long as modern democracy has; otherwise the peace of deterrence was the only type of peace. I believe Israel needs to immigrate many more Jews into the country and build up their military strength to a point where it deters the other Arab nations from attacking. This is mentioned in Benjamin Netanyahu's book Durable Peace. This is not the entire story, before that is to happen the Israeli government needs to give the Palestinians in the country a better living-situation. By doing this the Palestinians will be more grateful for living within Israel as opposed to Palestine. They may also gain more respect from other Arab nations to a certain extent. These measures are imperative to having peace between the Jewish state of Israel and other Arab nations.

**CONNECTION 2 ** I discovered a lot of new things in reading the articles and other sources of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. So much has came to my attention to see how divided these two nations are but paradoxically they are really similar in so many ways. In getting to know more about each side on whether I should take a stand, lend both sides a helping hand, or just stand back and watch how the two nations destroy themselves, I realize that we can only help those who can help themselves. I read articles on where yes they do want to establish peace, but the other nation has to be willing to do it first. In other articles, the two nations are too prideful to the point where peace isn’t an option anymore, or it never was. There are so many small issues between the two nations that are causing a huge tension between them as well. For some reason I don’t agree with any of it. The little disputes over land and territory on what nation should get what, is petty and ignorant. We are all the same people and share the same blood regardless of religion, nationality, and ethnic backgrounds. We are all the seeds of Abraham. It’s a shame for the Israelites to want to cast out so many people that are not like them because they feel like they are the “chosen people”. Don’t get me wrong, indeed they are. They were chosen by God to be an example of how God wants all his people (Palestinians, Gentiles, Jews, Americans, Germans, etc.) to act according to his will. Everything we do should be to the Glory of God, but the Israeli’s are to blind and stubborn to see that. Maybe taking another 40 years of wondering in the dessert will get them to see clearer. The Palestinians aren’t any better; always trying to play the victim and the guilt trip. They should make up their minds on whether they want peace or not. There are so many Christians amongst both groups but are they willing to step up for what’s right. Now I do understand both groups had a past that’s humiliating and undeserving. However, in order for them to move on with their lives and go on living a content life with no animosity, they have to learn to forgive: having compassion, mercy, and grace for one another. I’m very sure that is what God wants from both nations. He expressed all these things in the Old Testament Pentateuch. It states,” In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now." The LORD replied, "I have forgiven them, as you asked” Numbers 14:19-21. Two other scriptures would be “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him” Daniel 9:9; and Isaiah 54:10 which states “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you”. We as a people are witnesses to these scriptures. Just like God forgives and has mercy on us, we should follow in his footsteps and do the same. We ought to be more like Him because he is our guide and our role model. We have to be able to embrace the love he shared with us. I truly believe that deep down side the two nations want to come together and be one nation all together in unity being the blood brothers they are known to be. But this cannot happen if the hatred and tension continues.

**CONNECTION 3 ** At the begging of this section I had more Zionist viewpoint thinking that Jews were entitled to the land that God had given them in the Bible. Now I think differently. I still believe that Jews should be respected, not only because they are God's chosen people, but also because, as a Christian, I should love and respect everyone, no matter who they are or what the beliefs they have are. Before this section, I saw the Palestinians as terrorist, and totally against the Jewish people. Now, however, I see things a little differently. I no longer view Palestinians as a people who hate Jews and want to just take back land. Now I see that the Palestinians are people who have been uprooted from their own homes and forced to leave. I have been told in the past that Palestinians had the chance to take some of the land, but decided that they wanted all or nothing and chose to fight instead of taking what they were offered and settling in a part of the land they were offered. I do not believe this as much anymore. I see now that not only have the Jew been a people without a homeland, but now they have pushed out the Palestinians and have made them the people without a home. Although I do believe that Jews have some divine claim to the land in Israel, I now think that it is wrong for them to take it by force. I feel that going in and destroying a people group is not what God wants humanity to do in general, and especially not his chosen people. Even in the Old Testament you can find passages talking about loving one another. In fact, when Jesus said to love your neighbors as yourself, he was quoting Leviticus 19:18. I feel as though taking Israel by force is like Abraham and Sarah attempting to have a son on their own terms, instead of trusting God to bring them one. If God is going to give the Jews the promise land, he is going to do it his way, not theirs. I also do not want to blame either side for the conflict that is going on. I realize now that both sides have been hurt, and both probably feel the need to do whatever is necessary to obtain what they feel is rightfully theirs. I don't know if there will ever be peace in the Middle East. I don't know how it will come about if it does come, through democracy or deterrence, but if peace is to come, I know that it has to start with forgiveness, forgiveness and the willing to love one another even when times are hard.

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