More than two and a half years into war, Israeli leaders, rabbis, and advocates gathered in Jerusalem this week not simply to discuss military strategy or political maneuvering, but to ask a deeper question: what does it truly mean for Israel to win?

The Middle East Summit, The Path to Victory, sponsored by Israel365, brought together voices from across Israeli society who argued that the nation’s ultimate strength lies not in weapons or diplomacy alone, but in a return to its biblical identity and purpose.

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From CBN: 

Rabbi Tuly Weisz, founder of the summit’s sponsor, Israel365, told CBN News, “We believe that Israel is rising as a regional superpower. So we’re here to discuss the spiritual implications of that, that Israel is finally becoming a light unto the nations and earning the admiration and the respect of the nations of the world.”

“Faith and politics are both about how we run the world and how God runs the world and what our place is in it,” he stated. “If I understand my politics through a biblical lens, then I have a more accurate view of what God is actually doing in the world. And when I read the Bible, if I, if I take the real life world of wars and nations and issues out of it, I’m not understanding the Bible correctly.”

“The path to victory goes by us going back to our sources, to our roots, to our identity, realizing who we are, why God brought us back from the four corners of the world, back to our homeland. And I think when we will realize who we are, what is our purpose, what is our mission in this world, I think we will be able to achieve unimaginable victory on all the fronts.”

Weisz believes being “a light unto the nations” includes how Israel conducts war and treats minorities, arguing the country is waging a moral war while also welcoming immigrants from around the world. He pointed to Israel’s high birth rates and levels of satisfaction as evidence that the nation is thriving despite, or perhaps because of, the hostility and persecution it faces.

Israel365 Executive Director Rabbi Pesach Wolicki echoed the call to keep the nation’s biblical foundations central, even amid the demands of war and politics. He argued that those who believe faith and politics should remain separate are missing the point, since both are ultimately about how the world, and God’s purposes within it, actually operate.

Israeli Knesset member Ohad Tal reflected on how far the nation has come since October 7, 2023, when Hamas murdered roughly 1,200 people and kidnapped another 251, calling it one of the lowest points in Israel’s history. He said the country has since reshaped the Middle East entirely, proving itself one of the most resilient nations in the world through both its resolve and its capability to fight back against its enemies.

Tzvika Mor, whose son Eitan was held hostage by Hamas for just over two years after helping injured festival-goers escape the Nova Festival massacre, said the idea of negotiating with such violence has become unthinkable across the political spectrum in Israel, even among those on the left. He extended that conviction to the question of Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, arguing the land belongs to the Jewish people by biblical and historical right, and that the return of the Jewish people after 2,000 years was meant not for division, but for building the nation together.

Zionist advocate Hillel Fuld, whose brother died saving others during a 2018 terror attack, said Israel’s two greatest challenges are internal disunity and a failure to tell its own story. He argued that Israel’s enemies have mastered a false narrative of oppression, while the far more remarkable story of the Jewish people’s history and resilience too often goes untold. He urged Israelis to stop apologizing and instead to “own it” and let their light shine as a nation that punches above its weight.

Yishai Fleischer said Israel has grown into a far stronger and more unified fighting force since October 7, moving away from the failed assumptions of the Oslo Accords era and toward renewed conviction around family, faith, and national strength. He encouraged supporters of Israel to hold firm, teach their children the Bible, continue building relationships with the nation, and trust that its growth, from its birth rate to its spiritual renewal, cannot be stopped.

For believers watching Israel’s story unfold, these words are a reminder that the nation’s true strength has never rested in military might alone. as the psalmist wrote, “except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it” (Psalm 127:1). The call to return to biblical roots is not merely a political strategy but a spiritual invitation, one that echoes throughout scripture’s account of God’s covenant with his people.

Let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for wisdom for Israel’s leaders as they navigate war and diplomacy, and for the nation to walk in its biblical calling and identity. Let us also pray for healing for families who have lost loved ones or endured captivity, and for a deeper spiritual awakening across Israel and the nations who stand with her.

How are you praying about this issue? Share your prayers and scriptures in the comments below.

(Excerpt from CBN. Photo Credit: RasikaSekhara/Getty Images via Canva Teams).