Brace for Impact

By Todd Strandberg

For over 60 years, the United States and Israel have had one the strongest relationships of two nations on earth. The ties that bind these two countries are cultural, military, economic, political, and ideological. Strongest among these are the political and military ties.

The United States has had interests in the Middle East dating back to the 1920s. As the U.S. economy became more reliant on oil from the Gulf states, maintaining stability in the region became one of our top concerns.

Another factor that has unified the U.S. and Israel is a common enemy: the Muslim world. There are dozens of Arab terrorist organizations, but they all sing the same chant: "Death to America; Death to Israel."

Last November, the citizenry of our nation went to the polls and elected a president who lacked a strong commitment to Israel. Many of Barack Obama’s friends were known for their hatred of Israel. The first call he made to a foreign leader was to Palestinian President Abbas.

I expected that there would be a honeymoon period before things turned sour. Every new president tries to please everyone before finally choosing sides. We are now starting to see signs that the true Obama is starting to emerge.

Several major news stories about the Obama administration have signaled that it’s taking a tougher approach towards Israel. One key issue is getting Israel to endorse the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

The White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel caused a stir when he said the Iran nuclear conflict is linked to the Palestinian issue. Emanuel told members at a pre-Israel lobby meeting that thwarting Iran's nuclear program is conditional on progress in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had already warned Israel that it risks losing Arab support for combating threats from Iran if it rejects peace negotiations with the Palestinians. Clinton said Arab nations had considered helping Israel counter Iran on Jerusalem's commitment to the peace process.

It is amazing how quickly the world has forgotten about the Gaza disaster. As soon as the Israeli military pulled out of the Gaza strip, the Palestinians began firing rockets into southern Israel. A repeat of the same scenario in the West Bank would be ten times worse.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to back Palestinian statehood since he took office on March 31. He has also publicly pledged that Israel will never give back the Golan Heights to Syria. Having been burned in the past by failed Palestinian promises, Netanyahu is in no mood to agree to any preconditions.

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich blasted the Obama administration for setting itself on a collision course with Israel and endangering the Jewish state. He called Obama's program of engagement on Iran a "fantasy," and his Middle East policies "very dangerous for Israel." He summed up Obama's approach as "the clearest adoption of weakness since Jimmy Carter."

I believe a key reason America has long been the most powerful nation on earth is because of our friendship with Israel. God said to Abraham, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee" (Genesis 12:3). After receiving the blessings for many decades, it appears we are about to receive the curse portion of that promise by forcing Israel to trade land for peace.

A natural enmity exists between the followers of Mohammad and the Jewish state. Satan has been using the Arabs as a tool in his plot to destroy Israel. Because of the demonic connection, there is no way any world leader is going to solve this conflict that has raged since Israel was founded.

Next month, Obama plans to make a major speech to the Muslim world in Egypt. He can make all the friends he wants in Middle East, but it’s not going to do any good. Because the president is oblivious to the spiritual angle, the only thing his peace effort will produce is future conflict.

The disintegration of the alliance between the U.S. and Israel is a key factor in prophecy. The Bible says Israel will someday stand alone against its enemies. Until America was removed from the equation, it didn’t seem possible for Russia to attempt an invasion of the Jewish state. The rapture has long been blamed as a key reason for Uncle Sam not being able to prevent the Gog war. We now have indication that it may also be a simple case of our nation’s leaders choosing to sit on their hands.

"So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" (Matthew 24:33-34).

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