I Prayed have prayed
Lord, please protect Israel from attacks. May America stand steadfast and strong with our friend.
Reading Time: 3 minutes

With international sports and war games making headlines, eyes around world may be more prone to pay attention to the global stage in the next couple weeks. So upon which country did a progressive human rights group choose to unleash fire? Israel.

Maybe this shouldn’t be a surprise. After all, the United Nations Human Rights Council never seems satisfied with the number of resolutions it aims at Israel, and activists on the far Left are so vehement that their leaders can find themselves at risk of expulsion just for dialoguing with Israeli leaders. So Amnesty International’s latest broadside could be dismissed by some as just one more offense.

But this one is striking all the same.

Amnesty International’s attack comes by way of a controversial new report  titled “Israel’s Apartheid Against Palestinians: Cruel System of Domination and Crime Against Humanity.” Notice the word “apartheid.” It conjures up memories of a dark time in South Africa’s history — a period of institutionalized racial discrimination.

Amnesty believes its 278-page report reveals “Israel enforces a system of oppression and domination against the Palestinian people,” and suggests that system fits the definition of apartheid as a crime against humanity. The group wants the International Criminal Court and nation-states to pursue these charges.

Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said, “Whether they live in Gaza, East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, or Israel itself, Palestinians are treated as an inferior racial group and systematically deprived of their rights. We found that Israel’s cruel policies of segregation, dispossession and exclusion across all territories under its control clearly amount to apartheid.”

“The international community has an obligation to act,” she added.

The apartheid accusation is alarming on its face. But even more concerning is the context offered by Amnesty. The group states it does not challenge Jews’ right to a homeland, but it couches its criticism all the way back to 1948 — the year of modern day Israel’s independence.

In a scathing editorial, the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board decried this brazen attack, stating, “The report treats Israel’s founding as the original sin from which all other offenses flow…. Amnesty’s message is that Israel was created as an apartheid state and continues as such today.”

While certain progressive voices clearly sympathize with Amnesty’s outrageous statements, thankfully a number of notable leaders across the political spectrum are speaking up against them.

For example, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) noted that the report neglects the importance of Israel’s democratic government with a governing coalition that includes Jews and Arabs — not to mention Israel’s vibrant judiciary. He also pointed out that the report’s authors “consciously dismiss the struggles that Israel has faced against terrorism and attacks by neighboring countries seeking its destruction and genocide against its people.”

Similarly, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said in a tweet that Amnesty’s claim “only seeks to delegitimize our strongest democratic ally in the Middle East.” He suggested more attention go to the human rights abuses of terrorist groups in the region like Hamas.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides simply said, “Come on, this is absurd. That is not language that we have used and will not use.”

These denunciations of the Amnesty report are important. But they need to be re-affirmed continuously and at the highest levels of the Biden Administration and Congressional leadership. Global leaders need to hear this refrain from our leaders in public and private settings both here in the U.S. and abroad. The world needs to know that America’s support for Israel is strong and steadfast.

Let’s pray our leaders continue to ensure that message is delivered loud and clear.

Aaron Mercer is a Contributing Writer with two decades of experience in Washington, D.C.s public policy arena.

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Comments (10) Print

Comments

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Frank
February 6, 2022

May the God of all peace, guard and protect Israel and those living there rejoice in His faithfulness.

4
Ruth A Butros
February 6, 2022

The truth is that Israel is practicing apartheid! Jews are not exempt from every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that JESUS Christ is Lord, and they are not exempt from God’s commandments. If you have been to Israel with a Christian tour group, you saw only what Israel wanted you to see. Christian Palestinians, like my family, who can trace their family’s faith to the 13th century, are oppressed, have no rights, have their olive orchards ruined and their income destroyed, their homes demolished arbitrarily and are attacked by settlers while soldiers watch. Even during “better” times, and as an American citizen, in 1999 we were forced to swim on a dirty, unkempt beach, separated from the pristine, life guarded beach, and were hollered at by the lifeguards intermittently and called names. Christians in the U.S. need to wake to this reality, and the fact that the few remaining Christians in Israel are hated and oppressed by the Israelis, and that they should be supporting their brothers and sisters in Christ, rather than a government that is slowly murdering them behind a wall. Christians in this country will never be taken seriously when they refuse to acknowledge this reality.

1
Becky
February 6, 2022

Thank you Lord for real leaders with courage and wisdom to speak the truth, to denounce these stupid, sulfurous lies about Israel. Open the eyes of those captive to the darkness, who spue the lies, who spread them and especially those who believe them with Your Light/Love. Wake us all up to be brave, wise and kind, like You Jesus.

6
Lori Meed
February 5, 2022

This slander against Israel is not new. When we had Niki Haley as our UN Ambassador., she powerfully fought against these wicked libels. This is nothing more than an anti-Christ spirit which manifests as antisemitism. Let us continue to pray that our nation does not fall farther into ‘goat nation’ status judged by Gen.12.3, Joel 3 and Matt.25:31-33. Grant boldness to those in the government who stand with Israel and who proclaim, “Those who curse her I will curse…”

8
Shonda
February 5, 2022

Lord bless these leaders for their boldness to stand with Israel, let there be more that speak up, and that are heard. Place the weight of Your anointing that destroys every yoke, and that their words would carry that weight throughout the earth. Thank you Lord for giving your church the boldness to stand against and expose the antichrist spirit attempting to operate in the earth. Lord even the using the mouths of secular influence, of people who not yet belong to you, just as you opened the mouth of a donkey in the old testament to reveal the truth of the spirit realm in operation. And Lord we pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

13
Karolyn
February 5, 2022

Isn’t it interesting that they are only interested in this small area of the middle east. How many Jewish people can find freedom to practice their faith in other middle east countries? Even Christians cannot find freedom to worship the true God in other middle east counties. This is in opposition to the truth. Jesus, help us to stand by your people who bring us so much of our spiritual heritage. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Bring the Jewish people into a saving knowledge of their Messiah Yeshua. Thank you for grafting us into your Kingdom.

19
    Ruth A Butros
    February 6, 2022

    Christians do not have freedom to worship Christ in Israel.

Barbara Janicki
February 5, 2022

Using the word “apartheid” is like using the word “insurrection” for January 6th – these words have strong emotional content -but do not truthfully represent the actual reality in either case. Why isn’t Amnesty calling out China for their myriad crimes against humanity such as the Uyghur Muslims, their own people or the world? Israel and the U.S. have a shared heritage and history in the Judeo-Christian faith and in being nations set apart by God for His purposes. Israel is the lone democracy in the Middle East, we must not abandon our ally. Prayers for God’s protection of His chosen people and for God to be glorified and lifted up in the process. http://www.mtothe5th.wordpress.com

18
Linda. D
February 5, 2022

Because GOD , the Creator of all had declared Israel is His Glory, that Salvation is of the Jews, the archenemies will continue to ridicule Israel. Jealous rage comes from them who can Never be more powerful or exhibit the extraordinary and outrageous Love of Elohim, the Most High. This Love offered to all regardless of ethnicity is free and available to all. We testify to the enemies, this Love changes all, cleanses broken, angry, hurting and oppressed. It heals all without discrimination!

22

Partner with Us

Intercessors for America is the trusted resource for millions of people across the United States committed to praying for our nation. If you have benefited from IFA's resources and community, please consider joining us as a monthly support partner. As a 501(c)3 organization, it's through your support that all this possible.

Dave Kubal
IFA President
Become a Monthly Partner

Share

Click below to share this with others

Log in to Join the Conversation

Log in to your IFA account to start a discussion, comment, pray, and interact with our community.