News Item 4...The Australian, January 28, 1997

Mr Benjamin Netanyahu has exhibited, as Prime Minister of Israel, a zest for a peace in the Middle East. Palestinians in Hebron, he says, can run their own affairs while Israel protects its own interests: here is a type that may become more typical.

What however are Israel's interests? Deliverance from ultra-national assault is one, so that a strong police presence, but no army is permitted to the Palestinians; no treaties with declared foes of Israel is another curb. More interesting is this: Mr Netanyahu was stylised as a man who "would never sign a Hebron deal that would hand to the Arabs land regarded by his Likud Party as Israel's biblical heritage". He has however had a career in New York as a diplomat, as well as being a trained paratrooper. Sudden action for immediate resolution is therefore not to be unexpected!

As to the Biblical heritage aspect noted, that is assuredly the case, whatever may be one's political colour. This has been shown intensively in The Shadow of a Mighty Rock, chapters 8-9 and Appendix A. Equally shown is this: that Israel will come to live in the end, with certain restored neighbours,

that she will be progressively assaulted first, will be victorious in this in proportions suggestive of one Israeli being like a thousand (already certainly this has happened in 1948, 1967),

and that Jerusalem will be a "burdensome stone" to the nations with hungry eyes.

In that political decision, it is interesting to observe a certain rigour, in accord with the Bible as to its direction, concerning Jerusalem: for we read in our articles from
The Australian this - the plan: "rejects the Palestinians' demand that Israel annexed east Jerusalem become their capital".

Religious concessions would be made, but no sovereignty leased out... How nearly the situation ended otherwise! This however was not on the books.

Daniel predicts a "palace" for Biblically judged evil powers between Jerusalem and the Mediterranean, something like the West Bank (11:41-45)? This is for the period anticipating the 'end' to come at the return of the crucified Christ: Daniel 2:45, that 'stone' (Daniel 2) which is to fill the whole earth (cf. Daniel 7:10-14, 9:24-27, Isaiah 52-3).

Also in store (Zechariah 12:10), is the vast turning to the Lord of a substantial part of the Jewish people in Jerusalem, in a time of imminent peril, and "they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced". That is the final liberation, one most productive, when such a populace will regain the greatest national heritage of all, people being awakened by 'the spirit of grace and of supplications' (Zechariah 12:11-14) to their Bethlehem born king (Micah 5:1-3).

Without doubt, one of the most famous of Jews was the Earl of Beaconsfield, Benjamin Disraeli, who though at first derided in Parliament, became a notable British Prime Minister in the heady days of Empire. His own realisation of heritage in this respect is striking, for his notable biographer, Brandes, relates Disraeli's view that 'if he dropped the supernatural origin of Jesus, he would be depriving his race of the nimbus which encircles it', in that the Redeemer for the world was born there. 'To him, Christianity was only Judaism completed: "He hate Christ! He is the fairest flower and eternal pride of the Jewish race." ' (Quotations from The Story of the Jews, James K. Hosmer, NY 1889.)

This however is a heritage which each individual must preserve in the heart; only then is the heartland secure (Zechariah 12:10-14:9, Luke 13:34-35, John 10:9-10).