Connection-+Andrew,+Jeslyn,+Jocquetta,+Kerianne



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according to a blog posted by Joe Whitehead titled //Biblically Resolving the Israeli - Palestinian Conflict// he uses a biblical scripture to explain how theGod of Israel commands Israel on to go about dealing with the Palestinians. It states, "And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shall smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them: Neither shall thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shall not give unto his son, nor his daughter shall thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. For thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth." - Deuteronomy 7:2-6. Joe truly believes that it is the Israelites duty to “drive out” the Palestinians and have nothing to do with them because they are not to make any covenants allowing enemies of Israel and their god(s) such as the Muslim Allah-god, the legal right to stay within the covenant land that the God of Israel set aside for His own place to be worshiped. Therefore, when Israel makes a covenant with the Palestinians they are making a covenant with the (wrong) Allah-god himself! However on the contrary (representing the Muslim Arabic countries) Muhammad founder of Islam, states: “The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews [not the Zionists] and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews [not the Zionists] would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim or servant of Allah, there is a Jew [not a Zionist] behind me; come and kill him”. So basically regardless of how either side feel, the conclusion seems that it is best for both sides to get rid of each other. So in all understanding, there will be no peace but only genocide. This is obvious that this is not what God intended. So until then there will be no peace only war.

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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.

_//Jocquetta//

One of the most surprising things to me is that the Zionist Jews treated the Palestinians like their own people had been treated by the Nazis. Even in Germany the Zionists used Nazism to achieve what they wanted (Chiappalone 26). As an American I had always been taught that the Jewish people were peaceful and the Arabs were all terrorists. But reading this book Chacour showed me that it should not be okay to pinpoint violence on one type of people because they are all capable of violence. I see in this reading that the Zionists bombed cities and framed it on the Palestinians. This behavior continues today and has a long time. All the things that have been used to try and bring peace have failed. From reading Chacour’s book I agree with him that we are all blood brothers because of Father Abraham and that we are called to love each other like Christ did. But this is a battle that has continued to go on throughout history and nothing will stop this besides the unification through Christ; and the majoritity of them do not believe Christ is their Messiah.

_//Jeslyn//

A common misconception of Muslims and Jews is that their religions are almost similar. What people don't realize is that even though both religions are from the same geographic regions and come from similar backgrounds doesn't mean they are the same. Granted, both religions have one god, share many prophets and the first 5 books of the Bible, but Islam is a twisted and changed version of Judaism. Jews and Muslims do not have the same the same god, contrary to common belief. Allah is a different god than the Lord of the Jews. Also, both religions strongly differ in their views on the afterlife. In Islamic religion, a Muslim can never be sure where their soul will end up after they die. The only way that a Muslim is guaranteed afterlife in a heaven like place is Jihad, which is suicidal cause for their religion. There are also many differences in culture and traditions between the two religions. These crucial differences between the religions is part of why relations between Palestinians and Israelites are tense and peace in the Middle East is highly unlikely.



_//Kerianne//

I grew up with a family that closely related to the jewish people. MY father was raised by a jewish man and spent 2 years in the Israel while attending college. He there learned a lot about the jewish culture. He witnessed things like prayer, a typical home life of a jew near gaza, and even how to cook ( which he continues to do at our house now, BIG thumbs up from me!), So if there was sides to be taken i would be on israels over Palestine's. But i have my own experiences to go off of as well. In 2009 I took reoccurring trips to places in Dearborn Michigan (the greatest gathering of Muslims in the united states by percentage). There we experienced the culture and we helped to the best of our ability. the people I met and the experience I had wil forever be in my heart and memories forever. The history of these people include this war that has waged for years, yet, out of every single jew and mulsim I have never once found a person who "hates" the other.

Truly we can see there are differences in the culture of both. But to try to make peace among these people who were once brothers and sons of Abraham might be beyond our mortal reach. In our chicago trip I could feel this more then ever. I am a christian visiting each respective place of worship, yet i could do nothing to unite these long lost brother sects. There is a valley between these two families now and currently it runs with blood. but i look to the day when jesus returns, builds a bridge to unite these people. I also believe God turned the river nile into blood, and i would not doubt that he could turn this river of blood red hated for brothers into a wellspring of living water that brings joy and unity to the land. Until that day I hope that we as christian brothers and sisters can come together to help this broken family.

//_Andrew//

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