The Politically Incorrect Guide to Palestine

By Jim Fletcher
Prophecy Matters

Regnery’s terrific “PiG” book series, dedicated to subjects that get under the skin of liberals (The Politically Incorrect Guide to Hunting, etc.) should include The Politically Incorrect Guide to Palestine. Given the fact that the left keeps referring to a country that doesn’t exist, the book would no doubt be a bestseller.

Just one entry could deal with the Palestinians’ disingenuous international media campaign.

Everyone knows about the “flotilla fiasco” a couple weeks back, when Israeli commandos boarded a “humanitarian” ship bound for Gaza. Nine “activists” were killed after they attacked the soldiers.

The Arab media spin since then reminds me of the classic maneuvers by Uncle Yasser Arafat, who never missed an opportunity to lie so that others might die.

In 2000, when Ariel Sharon simply visited Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, the Palestinians rioted and people were killed in the riots. There was no reason for them, save Arafat’s desire to use the visit as a pretext for violence.

The same tactic is being used by his successor, Mahmoud Abbas, who works closely with other Arab groups to undermine Israel at every turn.

A recent editorial in The Economist blamed Israel, again. For 20 years, there has been an endless cycle of media blame of Israel, political blame of Israel, and cultural blame of Israel.

Yet the real facts surrounding the flotilla raid reveal that those aboard the ship had planned the deadly clash, in order to gain worldwide sympathy. As it has for 40 years, the tactic worked.

Crew members on the Mavi Marmara began preparing two hours before the confrontation with IDF troops. The Turkish Islamist group IHH, with full backing from the Turkish government, maintained control of the ship and helped arm the crew with weapons, including a section of the ship’s railing that was sawed into clubs.

About 40 members of the IHH controlled the ship’s crew and when Israeli naval commandos boarded, the mood on the ship was “tense.” Shortly, the melee ensued and the IHH had its international story.

It is important to remember that this type of action has far-reaching effects. Not only do international media figures condemn Israel, under the guise of news stories, editorials, and feature articles, such a story inflames Israel’s other enemies, including, for example, American mainline church officials.

In a story from the United Methodist News Service, we read this:

“WASHINGTON (UMNS) — The United Methodist Board of Church and Society has joined other church groups in condemning the May 31 interception of six vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, resulting in nine deaths. Jim Winkler, the board’s chief executive, called the Israeli troops’ boarding of the ‘Freedom Flotilla’ in international waters ‘symptomatic of a broader, hopelessly flawed policy by Israel to subjugate the Palestinian people, allegedly to protect its own security. Defending the action, the Israeli government has said its blockade was necessary to protect Israel against the infiltration into Gaza of weapons and fighters sponsored by Iran.

“The World Council of Churches, U.S. National Council of Churches, Churches for Middle East Peace and leaders of the Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) also expressed alarm over Israel’s actions against the flotilla.”

Winkler is a long-time foe of Israel, and from his well-funded perch, routinely condemns Israel — a curious agenda for an American church official facing severe denominational losses and the ever-important apportionments, which help fund such activities as Winkler’s personal grudge against the Jewish state.

One can see that an insidious outcome of the incident aboard the Mavi Marmara is that political and media fallout for Israel is made worse by the effects it has on the church world.

I was speaking this week with a friend who works for a major Bible prophecy ministry. He told me that in a recent conversation with one of his children, he discovered that the two don’t share the same view of the Arab-Israeli conflict, in that the child does not believe that the majority of Palestinians have an inbred hatred of Jews.

This is but one small story that illustrates my contention that support for Israel is eroding, even among American Christians. What will happen when the older generations — staunch friends of Israel — die off?

The truth is, a comprehensive group of international leftists lie constantly about Israel. This drip, drip, drip — extending over decades — has brought Israel to its present moment of peril.

A sign of hope for me these past weeks is that Benjamin Netanyahu did not back down from the global sharks, including the American president, who condemned his nation in the aftermath of the flotilla incident. The Israeli premier sent commandos right back to another attempt by the Arabs to smuggle into Gaza.

Let us hope this is an additional signal that a much higher-stakes decision regarding Iran will be buttressed with similar resolve, and soon.

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