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This reflection by Abbotsford-based musician Merv Watson was written at the
height of the recent Gaza conflict.
IN LIGHT of the battle in Gaza, between Israel’s
armed forces and Hamas, I believe it is very important to put things in
perspective.
Our family has lived in Jerusalem, off and on, for 20
years in total. We originally went there to be an encouragement to
the Jewish people after the Yom Kippur war of 1973. Having just
returned from a three month concert tour in Europe, we were struck with the
results of that war.
Some 3,000 young people had been killed in 10 days.
That would be like 75,000 in the U.S. and about 30,000 in Canada, given
their relative populations. The media did not give much notice to
this, but carried on as they do now – focusing on the needs of those
armies that attacked Israel.
Holocaust silence
I was immediately gripped with the realization that, to
be silent at a time like this, would be to follow in the footsteps of those
who were silent about the Holocaust tragedy during World War II.
I did not want to be accused of doing nothing, and
perpetuating the indifference of the generation before us.
Our family was small, but we resolved to go to Israel
and do what we could to help the Israelis. We wanted them to know that we
were not indifferent to their terrible plight. It was 1976 before we could
go, but then we went after obtaining some support for the endeavour.
Over the years, many things came out of our decision.
Many new supporting works were created, that have lasted until the present.
It was our hope that our generation would begin to change the impression
that Christians had made on the Jewish people down through the centuries.
There had to be a new beginning, replacing the age-old,
profound distrust between Christians and Jews.
There was also a possibility that a new day might dawn
between Israel and her Arab neighbours, if the Jewish state was seen
as gaining support from the millions of Christians who believed in
Israel’s future, as outlined in the Bible.
Visionary hope
What has happened since the mid-1970s, regarding this
visionary hope, is nothing short of a miracle.
The sacrificial support and contributions of such
organizations as the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, Bridges for
Peace, Christian Friends of Israel and dozens of other smaller
undertakings, bear testimony to the success of the original vision.
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It is the ambition of these groups to be a blessing to
both peoples, Arabs and Jews, living in the high tension of the Middle
East.
And this is exactly what is happening. Even though
there is a terrible war going on between the Israelis and those blinded by
envious hatred of Israel, gigantic strides are being made by Christians who
are devoted to ministering to whomever is in need.
These people, volunteering and contributing such
stupendous amounts of time, goods and care, are our representatives --
doing what we may not be able to do.
What they are accomplishing, in overcoming the stigma
of centuries of fear and suspicion, is truly spectacular.
Huge numbers of people are dedicating themselves to
hours of intercession for the present situation. Don’t hesitate to
join a group in your area. There is a good-sized one in Abbotsford.
Meanwhile, as I write this, the war in Gaza still
rages. To clarify what I believe is behind it, I will conclude with a quote
from Farid Ghadry, president of the U.S.-based Reform Party of Syria, one
of the leading political groups opposed to the rule of Syrian leader Bashar
al-Assad.
Ghadry states: “For Arabs to save themselves from
the doom of ignorance and ineptitude, we must fight for the freedom of our
masses to liberate them from extremism. Saving Iraq from Saddam, while
keeping her sandwiched between Assad and Ahmadinejad, is an irony of
gargantuan proportions.
“Undeniably, oppression is the conduit through
which extremism flourishes. Unless we resolve the oxymoronic doctrine in
which stability comes with dictatorial rule, [while] the dictators
themselves deliberately foster extremism, the Arab civilization is
doomed.”
February 2009
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