THE QUESTION: Who is Israel\\u2019s greatest enemy?<\\/span><\\/h2>\\n A. Pro-Israel members of the US Government<\\/p>\\n B. Pro-Israel Evangelical Christians<\\/p>\\n C. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\\/p>\\n D. Hamas<\\/p>\\n Before you rush to answer, take a moment to peruse the following factual information (follow the links for details).<\\/p>\\n A. Is the answer \\u201cpro-Israel members of the US government\\u201d? <\\/strong>How could pro-Israel politicians be enemies of Israel? After all, they have the key to the coffers, and most of them have supported Israel unconditionally during the current war on Gaza. For example:<\\/p>\\n \\nPresident Biden has been famously tolerant of Israel\\u2019s efforts in Gaza, drawing<\\/a> and erasing<\\/a> \\u201cred lines<\\/a>\\u201d since the war on Gaza began.<\\/li>\\nThe Biden admin has fast-tracked two major weapons sales to Israel, one worth $106 million<\\/a> and the other worth $147.5 million<\\/a>, bypassing Congress<\\/a> by invoking an emergency authority. These transactions took place in spite of Americans\\u2019 objections<\\/a> to the war.<\\/li>\\nIn addition, the US has \\u201cquietly approved and delivered<\\/a> more than 100 separate foreign military sales to Israel\\u201d since October 7th.<\\/li>\\nBoth the president<\\/a> and Congress<\\/a> have condemned peaceful pro-Palestine demonstrations<\\/a> across the country; Congressional hearings have put pressure on university administrators to crack down on similar protests by characterizing them (inaccurately<\\/a>) as \\u201cantisemitic<\\/a>\\u201c; they have also denounced efforts by the International Court of Justice<\\/a><\\/span> and the International Criminal Court<\\/a> <\\/span>to hold Israel accountable.<\\/li>\\nPro-Israel Congress members<\\/span>\\u00a0have voted<\\/a> to protect the most violent Israeli settlers<\\/a> (who live illegally<\\/a> on Palestinian land), and to shield Israel from consequences<\\/a> when it uses our weapons to commit atrocities (which<\\/a> it already<\\/a> has done<\\/a>).<\\/li>\\nPro-Israel Congress members<\\/span>\\u00a0have voted to prohibit funding \\u201cfor the State Department to cite statistics<\\/a> obtained from the Gaza Health Ministry.\\u201d (That way, we can ignore the scale of the destruction in Gaza, subsidized by our tax dollars. The Gaza Health Ministry is the only official source of death toll statistics \\u2013 it is widely believed to be seriously under-estimating<\\/a> the casualty figures for the war, which currently stand at over 37,000 dead and 87,000 injured.)<\\/li>\\nPro-Israel Congress members<\\/span> have voted to block<\\/a> the US from funding the reconstruction of Gaza, although we financed its destruction.<\\/li>\\nAnother bill in Congress would extend<\\/a> some US military benefits to the estimated 20,000 Americans currently fighting as members of the Israeli military.<\\/li>\\nPro-Israel Congress members also de-funded UNRWA, the UN agency that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees, after Israel alleged that members of its staff had participated in the October 7th attacks. The de-funding came before<\\/a> any Israel provided evidence to back up its claims; in fact, investigations showed Israel\\u2019s claims to be unsubstantiated<\\/a>. But UNRWA remains de-funded<\\/a>.<\\/li>\\n<\\/ul>\\n** *\* **These are just a few of many pieces of legislation that, in one way or another, appear to support Israel and undermine the cause of the Palestinian people. Is this the work of an enemy, or a friend of Israel?<\\/p>\\n B. Is the answer \\u201cpro-Israel Evangelical Christians? <\\/strong>Certainly Evangelical Christians are a great friend of Israel, right? They have gone out of their way to support the Jewish State. Interestingly, Israel is the largest recipient<\\/a> of both American foreign aid and evangelical funding. Some have estimated<\\/a> that the evangelical community contributes $175-$200 million annually to Israel. For example:<\\/p>\\n \\nEvangelicals mobilized<\\/a> in support of Israel within hours of the October 7th attacks, holding fundraisers, calling for prayer, and keeping the plight of Israeli prisoners in the public eye \\u2013 often while ignoring<\\/a> Palestinian deaths. They claim to have raised millions of dollars in the first days of the war.<\\/li>\\nDonations have gone<\\/a> to paramilitary groups, the Israeli military, and illegal settlers, and have provided bomb shelters and surveillance drones<\\/a> for settlements \\u2013 settlements that are illegal<\\/a> under international law.<\\/li>\\nShortly after October 7th, thousands of pastors, theologians, and academics signed a statement<\\/a>, created by the Southern Baptist Convention, in support of Israel\\u2019s \\u201cright to defend itself.\\u201d<\\/li>\\nMany evangelical Christians believe<\\/a> that Israel has an open-ended right to respond to the events of October 7th, and that \\u201ccalls for a ceasefire are tantamount to forcing Israel to live with these heinous violations.\\u201d<\\/li>\\nIn evangelical circles, anyone who simply takes issue<\\/a> with Israel\\u2019s decades-long military occupation of the Palestinian territories (which contain many Palestinian Christians) or advocates for Palestinian rights is likely to be labeled as \\u201canti-Israel\\u201d or \\u201canti-Semitic.\\u201d<\\/li>\\n<\\/ul>\\n \\n \\n While young evangelical support for Israel is declining<\\/a>, overall the community is unreservedly pro-Israel. Is this the position of a friend, or a foe?<\\/p>\\n C. Is the answer \\u201cIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\\u201d? <\\/strong>While Israelis have been holding massive protests against PM Netanyahu, demanding that he step down, he has remained firmly entrenched as head of Israel\\u2019s government, and led his country in the fight for \\u201ctotal victory\\u201d over Hamas. For example:<\\/p>\\n \\nEven in the face of his own military leaders\\u2019 (and the Biden administration\\u2019s) insistence that Hamas can not be eradicated, and even with the possibility of losing all allies<\\/a>, he has remained unmoved in his resolve.<\\/li>\\nA recent rescue operation<\\/a> liberated four Israeli prisoners, but also caused the deaths of one Israeli officer, three prisoners, and at least 274 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and almost seven hundred injuries \\u2013 but the Prime Minister (and American<\\/a> leaders<\\/a>) stayed focused on the good news. Netanyahu promised<\\/a>, \\u201cWe\\u2019ll do whatever it takes to get \[all of the prisoners\] back home,\\u201d and commended the Israeli soldiers for \\u201cperforming in the most valiant and moral way to end this war with a victory.\\u201d<\\/li>\\n<\\/ul>\\n** *\* **He may not be perfect, but he is passionately committed to the survival of the State of Israel. Friend, or foe?<\\/p>\\n D. Is the answer \\u201cHamas\\u201d? <\\/strong>What can be said about Hamas? Hamas is the resistance group (some would say \\u201cterrorist group\\u201d \\u2013 but that is a political, not a fact-base choice)\\u00a0 that Israel created<\\/em> (yes, you read that right \\u2013 see this<\\/a>). In the words<\\/a> of truth-teller<\\/a> Mehdi Hasan, Hamas is \\u201can enemy that Israel spent more than twenty years helping to build up<\\/a>, and then spent the next twenty years \\u2013 the past twenty years, that is, trying to \\u00a0bomb<\\/a>,\\u00a0besiege, <\\/a>and blockade<\\/a> out of existence.\\u201d Hamas, the thorn in Israel\\u2019s side, of course led the offensive against Israel on October 7th.<\\/p>\\n Hamas is, many believe, a murderous, genocidal, antisemitic group of human garbage bent on destroying the only \\u201cJewish State\\u201d in the world. Is that really true, though?<\\/p>\\n Here is what Hamas says (paraphrased for brevity from the revised Hamas Charter<\\/a>, 2017):<\\/p>\\n \\nThe world has failed for decades to secure the rights and the land that were taken from the Palestinians, so the people have taken that work it upon themselves<\\/span> (they are right \\u2013 the global community has done little to restore what was taken from the Palestinians).<\\/li>\\nHamas is not in conflict with Jews, but with Zionists who occupy Palestinian land, \\u201cyet, it is the Zionists who constantly identify Judaism and the Jews with their own colonial project \[Israel\]\\u201d<\\/span> (so, \\u201cantisemitic?\\u201d \\u2013 nope; \\u201cbent on destroying the Jewish State \[ of which 20% of the residents are non-Jews\]? \\u2013 nope; \\u201cgenocidal\\u201d? \\u2013 nope \[see chart below\]).<\\/li>\\nThere can be no real peace while Palestinians are oppressed and exiled from their land \\u2013 Hamas will not let Israel rest until there is liberation. Their right to return \\u201cis confirmed by all divine laws as well as by the basic principles of human rights and international law\\u201d<\\/span> (again, they are right \\u2013 the right of return is enshrined in international law).<\\/li>\\nHamas as a group recognizes the duty to stand up to aggression and support the oppressed. The liberation of Palestine is \\u201ca legitimate activity, it is an act of self-defense, and it is the expression of the natural right of all peoples to self-determination\\u201d<\\/span> (right again \\u2013 Israel has been the aggressor since its creation, and even before; self-defense and self-determination are human rights).<\\/li>\\nHamas is willing to give up 78% of historic Palestine in order to establish of a fully sovereign and independent Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank, with Jerusalem; the PLO had already accepted this concept in 1989<\\/a> <\\/span>(that\\u2019s right \\u2013 a permanent peace plan has been on the table for a long, long time).<\\/li>\\n<\\/ul>\\n*** *\* In summary, Hamas is pursuing Palestinian human rights, not the genocide of Jews. Hamas demands the only kind of peace that is durable: a just peace \\u2013 a peace that the world should have demanded decades ago, but did not.<\\/p>\\n *\* ***Hamas\\u2019 methods may be worthy of critique, but their cause is rooted in international law. Their attack on October 7th was a response to Israel\\u2019s constant violations of Palestinian human rights.<\\/p>\\n Israel complains about Hamas rockets constantly \\u201craining down on Israel.\\u201d Hamas has been launching rockets toward Israel since 2000, killing an average of two Israelis per year<\\/a> \\u2013 the majority of them during times of war<\\/a>.<\\/p>\\n For those who cry, \\u201cbut the hostages!\\u201d keep in mind: only a few days after the attack, Hamas reportedly offered to release all of the hostages<\\/a>, if Israel would forego its planned ground invasion of Gaza. Israeli leaders refused.<\\/p>\\n As I have written elsewhere<\\/a>, Israel\\u2019s cause is indefensible. Israeli leaders may say they are defending their people, but as long as Israel withholds basic rights from Palestinians, Palestinians will likely never stop resisting, and Israel will not be safe.<\\/p>\\n Without further ado, who is Israel\\u2019s greatest enemy?<\\/span><\\/h2>\\n The correct answer is\\u2026<\\/h3>\\n***** *\* Trick question: there are several correct answers. They are:<\\/p>\\n *\* *****A. Pro-Israel members of the US Government: <\\/strong>for providing nearly unlimited weapons and diplomatic support for Israel as it perpetrates genocide on the Palestinian people; for failing to hold Israel to international laws and norms; for rejecting international bodies\\u2019 attempts to hold Israel accountable and cease its genocidal actions.<\\/p>\\n B. Pro-Israel Evangelical Christians<\\/strong>: for providing financial assistance to Israeli groups that are participating in the oppression of the Palestinian people; for failing to uphold the teachings of Jesus<\\/span><\\/a> to care for the needy.<\\/p>\\n C. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:<\\/strong> for recklessly advancing a war that has made his country a pariah; for perpetrating genocide in the name of Jews; for scorning even minor admonitions to exercise moderation.<\\/p>\\n D. Hamas is not the correct answer. Hamas is demanding no more and no less for the Palestinian people than Israel demands for its own people. Hamas is holding Israel accountable to international law and calling for a just peace \\u2013 the only kind of peace that will bring an end to the conflict.\\u00a0<\\/span><\\/strong><\\/p>\\n Hamas is the only party that is agitating for peace.<\\/strong><\\/span><\\/p>\\n \"Palestinians Palestinians killed by Israel before October 7th (from https:\\/\\/ifamericansknew.org\\/stat\\/deaths.html)<\\/figcaption><\\/figure>\\n Since October 7th, Israel has killed at least 37,900<\\/a> Palestinians in Gaza alone \\u2013 not including at least 10,000<\\/a> buried beneath the rubble and presumed dead.<\\/p>\\n Since October 7th, Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups have killed about 1,473 Israelis.<\\/p>\\n It behooves all of us, whether we adhere to a religious belief system or not, to interrogate our assumptions, fact-check our convictions, and act responsibly.<\\/p>\\n Extra credit opportunity:<\\/h3>\\n******* *\* *******Consider contacting the people in Washington DC who (allegedly) work for you and telling them, \\u201cENOUGH. CEASEFIRE NOW. NO MORE WEAPONS TO ISRAEL. STOP THE GENOCIDE. NOW \\u2013 OR YOU\\u2019RE FIRED.\\u201d<\\/i><\\/p>\\n Reach your Representative\\u00a0<\\/i>here<\\/i><\\/a>, and your Senator\\u00a0<\\/i>here<\\/i><\\/a>. Email President Biden\\u00a0<\\/i>here<\\/i><\\/a>.<\\/i><\\/strong><\\/p>\\n \\n \\n \\n \\n \\n \\n \\n \\n As I recently\\u00a0wrote<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span>,\\u00a0I have for the time being washed my hands of Christians who\\u00a0refuse to engage<\\/a>\\u00a0<\\/strong><\\/span>with the issue of Palestine, and for now (at least until the end of this horrific war) I will be writing about the significance of what is going on \\u201cover there\\u201d from a global and historic perspective.<\\/em><\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n \\n \\n******* *\* *******I\\u2019m here for anyone who cares to have an intelligent conversation about reality, instead of living in a silo of confirmation bias.<\\/em><\\/p>\\n I invite you to subscribe to my<\\/i>\\u00a0newsletter<\\/i><\\/b><\\/span><\\/a>. I write about the Palestine-Israel issue regularly, and other issues relevant to progressives or those considering becoming progressive. If you would like to comment on this post, please pop over to my<\\/i>\\u00a0Facebook page<\\/i><\\/b><\\/span><\\/a>.\\u00a0All of my posts are there and open to constructive comment. I welcome your thoughts.<\\/i><\\/p>\\n I also commend to you\\u00a0If Americans Knew<\\/a>\\u00a0<\\/span>(full disclosure: I am a writer and editor there), where you can get factual reporting on the Palestine-Israel issue. I can personally vouch for its accuracy.<\\/em><\\/p>\\n If you are interested, here are some of my earlier posts on the Palestine issue:<\\/p>\\n Further reading on the Palestine-Israel issue:<\\/strong><\\/p>\\n \\nThis is the truth about \\u201cthere is no famine in Gaza\\u201d<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nWhy as a Christian, I won\\u2019t be condemning Hamas anytime soon<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nNo surprise: US leaders have forgotten all about Gaza<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nIntroducing the Global Hall of Shame, Deflection & Denialism<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nThe Palestinians\\u2019 ironclad, inalienable right to resist<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nNetanyahu exposes his profound racism in one glorious tweet<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nRafah attack: Netanyahu\\u2019s lies expose the truth about Israel<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nA waking nightmare \\u2013 what just happened in Gaza?<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nIsrael, the ICC, and the disintegration of our species<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nThe truth about Gazans as human shields \\u2013you\\u2019ll be surprised<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nTHIS RIGHT HERE is happening RIGHT NOW. This is Israel.<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nUnlock the global and historic significance of this moment<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nWhat to say when you\\u2019ve run out of words<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nA 3-minute challenge to see whether you are alive<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nDid you know the US is complicit in genocide RIGHT NOW?<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\n5 tips for finding the best news reporting on Palestine<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nYou need to meet this little girl named Hind<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nDoes Israel really have \\u201cthe most moral army in the world\\u201d?<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nWestern \\u201ccivilization\\u201d exposed for its colossal ruthlessness<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nTo Biden, Palestinian genocide is already complete<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nThe lies we believe about Gazan Christians are killing them<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nCan followers of the Prince of Peace support a group that uses violence?<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nWhy support for Palestinian resistance is the right response for Christians<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nA Palestinian Pastor\\u2019s powerful message to us: \\u201cit\\u2019s time to stop praying\\u201d<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nChristians: Why do we skimp on compassion when it comes to Palestinians?<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nDon\\u2019t compromise truth on Israel and Palestine<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nWhat People Of Faith Need To Know About Gaza And Israel Right Now<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\n<\\/ul>\\n******* *\* *******Posts about my family in Gaza (in chronological order):<\\/strong><\\/p>\\n \\n \\n\\nFollow this refugee family\\u2019s quest for survival in Gaza<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nThe hardest decision our family in Gaza has ever made<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nThe unexpected one-word message coming out of Gaza today<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nThe new normal: eating during a famine in Gaza<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nThe truth about Gaza: \\u201cI swear, we don\\u2019t mind death\\u201d<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\nThe reality of survival in Gaza, on Spiritual Brewpub<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\n3 funerals and a wedding in Gaza<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\n\\u201cWe\\u2019re surrounded. Israelis are everywhere. We are dying.\\u201d<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\n\\u201cWe were surrounded by tanks. It\\u2019s a miracle we got out.\\u201d<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\n\\u201cIf I Should Die Before I Wake\\u201d<\\/a><\\/strong><\\/span><\\/li>\\n<\\/ul>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n \\n \\n \\n \\n FEATURED IMAGE: by Filip Andrejevic<\\/a> via Unsplash<\\/p>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/div>\\n<\\/body><\\/html>\\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sharpen your pencil for today\\u2019s one-question quiz. You may use the clues provided. There is an opportunity for extra credit at the bottom. THE QUESTION: Who is Israel\\u2019s greatest enemy? A. Pro-Israel members of the US Government B. Pro-Israel Evangelical Christians C. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu D. Hamas Before you rush to answer, take \[…\]<\\/p>\\n","protected":false},"author":4414,"featured\_media":9405,"comment\_status":"open","ping\_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":\[100,403\],"tags":\[1280,477,1343,1428\],"class\_list":\["post-9366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-injustice","category-palestine-and-israel","tag-forgiveness","tag-gaza","tag-hamas","tag-joy"\],"yoast\_head":"\\nA multiple-choice question: Who is Israel's greatest enemy?<\\/title>\\n<meta name=\\"description\\" content=\\"Sharpen your pencil for today's one-question quiz. You may use the clues provided. There is an opportunity for extra credit at the bottom. 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A curtain was pulled back on conservative Christianity, and instead of ignoring the ugliness I saw, I confronted it. I began to ask questions I never thought I'd ask, and found answers I'd never expected. Old things began to fall away, and \\u2013 behold! \\u2013 the new me has come. What a gift to be a new, still-evolving creation. I found out that it's better to look at the world through Progressive Lenses, with Grace-Colored Glasses. A little more about me: I've been happily married to my husband for 35 years, and we have 4 grown children. My husband, a Palestinian born in Gaza, has taught me a great deal about the world outside the little white, middle class bubble in which I grew up. I was privileged to live in the Middle East for ten years, where I learned even more about the world, thanks to diverse friendships and extensive travel. For years, I've worked in advocacy for Palestinian justice. 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{"id":9366,"date":"2024-07-02T11:59:09","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T15:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/gracecoloredglasses\/?p=9366"},"modified":"2024-07-02T11:59:09","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T15:59:09","slug":"a-multiple-choice-question-who-is-israels-greatest-enemy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/gracecoloredglasses\/2024\/07\/a-multiple-choice-question-who-is-israels-greatest-enemy\/","title":{"rendered":"A multiple-choice question: Who is Israel’s greatest enemy?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Sharpen your pencil for today\u2019s one-question quiz. You may use the clues provided. There is an opportunity for extra credit at the bottom.<\/p>\n

THE QUESTION: Who is Israel\u2019s greatest enemy?<\/span><\/h2>\n A. Pro-Israel members of the US Government<\/p>\n B. Pro-Israel Evangelical Christians<\/p>\n C. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/p>\n D. Hamas<\/p>\n Before you rush to answer, take a moment to peruse the following factual information (follow the links for details).<\/p>\n A. Is the answer \u201cpro-Israel members of the US government\u201d? <\/strong>How could pro-Israel politicians be enemies of Israel? After all, they have the key to the coffers, and most of them have supported Israel unconditionally during the current war on Gaza. For example:<\/p>\n \nPresident Biden has been famously tolerant of Israel\u2019s efforts in Gaza, drawing<\/a> and erasing<\/a> \u201cred lines<\/a>\u201d since the war on Gaza began.<\/li>\nThe Biden admin has fast-tracked two major weapons sales to Israel, one worth $106 million<\/a> and the other worth $147.5 million<\/a>, bypassing Congress<\/a> by invoking an emergency authority. These transactions took place in spite of Americans\u2019 objections<\/a> to the war.<\/li>\nIn addition, the US has \u201cquietly approved and delivered<\/a> more than 100 separate foreign military sales to Israel\u201d since October 7th.<\/li>\nBoth the president<\/a> and Congress<\/a> have condemned peaceful pro-Palestine demonstrations<\/a> across the country; Congressional hearings have put pressure on university administrators to crack down on similar protests by characterizing them (inaccurately<\/a>) as \u201cantisemitic<\/a>\u201c; they have also denounced efforts by the International Court of Justice<\/a><\/span> and the International Criminal Court<\/a> <\/span>to hold Israel accountable.<\/li>\nPro-Israel Congress members<\/span>\u00a0have voted<\/a> to protect the most violent Israeli settlers<\/a> (who live illegally<\/a> on Palestinian land), and to shield Israel from consequences<\/a> when it uses our weapons to commit atrocities (which<\/a> it already<\/a> has done<\/a>).<\/li>\nPro-Israel Congress members<\/span>\u00a0have voted to prohibit funding \u201cfor the State Department to cite statistics<\/a> obtained from the Gaza Health Ministry.\u201d (That way, we can ignore the scale of the destruction in Gaza, subsidized by our tax dollars. The Gaza Health Ministry is the only official source of death toll statistics \u2013 it is widely believed to be seriously under-estimating<\/a> the casualty figures for the war, which currently stand at over 37,000 dead and 87,000 injured.)<\/li>\nPro-Israel Congress members<\/span> have voted to block<\/a> the US from funding the reconstruction of Gaza, although we financed its destruction.<\/li>\nAnother bill in Congress would extend<\/a> some US military benefits to the estimated 20,000 Americans currently fighting as members of the Israeli military.<\/li>\nPro-Israel Congress members also de-funded UNRWA, the UN agency that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees, after Israel alleged that members of its staff had participated in the October 7th attacks. The de-funding came before<\/a> any Israel provided evidence to back up its claims; in fact, investigations showed Israel\u2019s claims to be unsubstantiated<\/a>. But UNRWA remains de-funded<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n These are just a few of many pieces of legislation that, in one way or another, appear to support Israel and undermine the cause of the Palestinian people. Is this the work of an enemy, or a friend of Israel?<\/p>\n B. Is the answer \u201cpro-Israel Evangelical Christians? <\/strong>Certainly Evangelical Christians are a great friend of Israel, right? They have gone out of their way to support the Jewish State. Interestingly, Israel is the largest recipient<\/a> of both American foreign aid and evangelical funding. Some have estimated<\/a> that the evangelical community contributes $175-$200 million annually to Israel. For example:<\/p>\n \nEvangelicals mobilized<\/a> in support of Israel within hours of the October 7th attacks, holding fundraisers, calling for prayer, and keeping the plight of Israeli prisoners in the public eye \u2013 often while ignoring<\/a> Palestinian deaths. They claim to have raised millions of dollars in the first days of the war.<\/li>\nDonations have gone<\/a> to paramilitary groups, the Israeli military, and illegal settlers, and have provided bomb shelters and surveillance drones<\/a> for settlements \u2013 settlements that are illegal<\/a> under international law.<\/li>\nShortly after October 7th, thousands of pastors, theologians, and academics signed a statement<\/a>, created by the Southern Baptist Convention, in support of Israel\u2019s \u201cright to defend itself.\u201d<\/li>\nMany evangelical Christians believe<\/a> that Israel has an open-ended right to respond to the events of October 7th, and that \u201ccalls for a ceasefire are tantamount to forcing Israel to live with these heinous violations.\u201d<\/li>\nIn evangelical circles, anyone who simply takes issue<\/a> with Israel\u2019s decades-long military occupation of the Palestinian territories (which contain many Palestinian Christians) or advocates for Palestinian rights is likely to be labeled as \u201canti-Israel\u201d or \u201canti-Semitic.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n \n \n While young evangelical support for Israel is declining<\/a>, overall the community is unreservedly pro-Israel. Is this the position of a friend, or a foe?<\/p>\n C. Is the answer \u201cIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u201d? <\/strong>While Israelis have been holding massive protests against PM Netanyahu, demanding that he step down, he has remained firmly entrenched as head of Israel\u2019s government, and led his country in the fight for \u201ctotal victory\u201d over Hamas. For example:<\/p>\n \nEven in the face of his own military leaders\u2019 (and the Biden administration\u2019s) insistence that Hamas can not be eradicated, and even with the possibility of losing all allies<\/a>, he has remained unmoved in his resolve.<\/li>\nA recent rescue operation<\/a> liberated four Israeli prisoners, but also caused the deaths of one Israeli officer, three prisoners, and at least 274 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and almost seven hundred injuries \u2013 but the Prime Minister (and American<\/a> leaders<\/a>) stayed focused on the good news. Netanyahu promised<\/a>, \u201cWe\u2019ll do whatever it takes to get [all of the prisoners] back home,\u201d and commended the Israeli soldiers for \u201cperforming in the most valiant and moral way to end this war with a victory.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n He may not be perfect, but he is passionately committed to the survival of the State of Israel. Friend, or foe?<\/p>\n D. Is the answer \u201cHamas\u201d? <\/strong>What can be said about Hamas? Hamas is the resistance group (some would say \u201cterrorist group\u201d \u2013 but that is a political, not a fact-base choice)\u00a0 that Israel created<\/em> (yes, you read that right \u2013 see this<\/a>). In the words<\/a> of truth-teller<\/a> Mehdi Hasan, Hamas is \u201can enemy that Israel spent more than twenty years helping to build up<\/a>, and then spent the next twenty years \u2013 the past twenty years, that is, trying to \u00a0bomb<\/a>,\u00a0besiege, <\/a>and blockade<\/a> out of existence.\u201d Hamas, the thorn in Israel\u2019s side, of course led the offensive against Israel on October 7th.<\/p>\n Hamas is, many believe, a murderous, genocidal, antisemitic group of human garbage bent on destroying the only \u201cJewish State\u201d in the world. Is that really true, though?<\/p>\n Here is what Hamas says (paraphrased for brevity from the revised Hamas Charter<\/a>, 2017):<\/p>\n \nThe world has failed for decades to secure the rights and the land that were taken from the Palestinians, so the people have taken that work it upon themselves<\/span> (they are right \u2013 the global community has done little to restore what was taken from the Palestinians).<\/li>\nHamas is not in conflict with Jews, but with Zionists who occupy Palestinian land, \u201cyet, it is the Zionists who constantly identify Judaism and the Jews with their own colonial project [Israel]\u201d<\/span> (so, \u201cantisemitic?\u201d \u2013 nope; \u201cbent on destroying the Jewish State [ of which 20% of the residents are non-Jews]? \u2013 nope; \u201cgenocidal\u201d? \u2013 nope [see chart below]).<\/li>\nThere can be no real peace while Palestinians are oppressed and exiled from their land \u2013 Hamas will not let Israel rest until there is liberation. Their right to return \u201cis confirmed by all divine laws as well as by the basic principles of human rights and international law\u201d<\/span> (again, they are right \u2013 the right of return is enshrined in international law).<\/li>\nHamas as a group recognizes the duty to stand up to aggression and support the oppressed. The liberation of Palestine is \u201ca legitimate activity, it is an act of self-defense, and it is the expression of the natural right of all peoples to self-determination\u201d<\/span> (right again \u2013 Israel has been the aggressor since its creation, and even before; self-defense and self-determination are human rights).<\/li>\nHamas is willing to give up 78% of historic Palestine in order to establish of a fully sovereign and independent Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank, with Jerusalem; the PLO had already accepted this concept in 1989<\/a> <\/span>(that\u2019s right \u2013 a permanent peace plan has been on the table for a long, long time).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n* In summary, Hamas is pursuing Palestinian human rights, not the genocide of Jews. Hamas demands the only kind of peace that is durable: a just peace \u2013 a peace that the world should have demanded decades ago, but did not.<\/p>\n *Hamas\u2019 methods may be worthy of critique, but their cause is rooted in international law. Their attack on October 7th was a response to Israel\u2019s constant violations of Palestinian human rights.<\/p>\n Israel complains about Hamas rockets constantly \u201craining down on Israel.\u201d Hamas has been launching rockets toward Israel since 2000, killing an average of two Israelis per year<\/a> \u2013 the majority of them during times of war<\/a>.<\/p>\n For those who cry, \u201cbut the hostages!\u201d keep in mind: only a few days after the attack, Hamas reportedly offered to release all of the hostages<\/a>, if Israel would forego its planned ground invasion of Gaza. Israeli leaders refused.<\/p>\n As I have written elsewhere<\/a>, Israel\u2019s cause is indefensible. Israeli leaders may say they are defending their people, but as long as Israel withholds basic rights from Palestinians, Palestinians will likely never stop resisting, and Israel will not be safe.<\/p>\n Without further ado, who is Israel\u2019s greatest enemy?<\/span><\/h2>\n The correct answer is\u2026<\/h3>\n*** Trick question: there are several correct answers. They are:<\/p>\n A. Pro-Israel members of the US Government: <\/strong>for providing nearly unlimited weapons and diplomatic support for Israel as it perpetrates genocide on the Palestinian people; for failing to hold Israel to international laws and norms; for rejecting international bodies\u2019 attempts to hold Israel accountable and cease its genocidal actions.<\/p>\n B. Pro-Israel Evangelical Christians<\/strong>: for providing financial assistance to Israeli groups that are participating in the oppression of the Palestinian people; for failing to uphold the teachings of Jesus<\/span><\/a> to care for the needy.<\/p>\n C. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:<\/strong> for recklessly advancing a war that has made his country a pariah; for perpetrating genocide in the name of Jews; for scorning even minor admonitions to exercise moderation.<\/p>\n D. Hamas is not the correct answer. Hamas is demanding no more and no less for the Palestinian people than Israel demands for its own people. Hamas is holding Israel accountable to international law and calling for a just peace \u2013 the only kind of peace that will bring an end to the conflict.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Hamas is the only party that is agitating for peace.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Palestinians killed by Israel before October 7th (from https:\/\/ifamericansknew.org\/stat\/deaths.html)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Since October 7th, Israel has killed at least 37,900<\/a> Palestinians in Gaza alone \u2013 not including at least 10,000<\/a> buried beneath the rubble and presumed dead.<\/p>\n Since October 7th, Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups have killed about 1,473 Israelis.<\/p>\n It behooves all of us, whether we adhere to a religious belief system or not, to interrogate our assumptions, fact-check our convictions, and act responsibly.<\/p>\n Extra credit opportunity:<\/h3>\n Consider contacting the people in Washington DC who (allegedly) work for you and telling them, \u201cENOUGH. CEASEFIRE NOW. NO MORE WEAPONS TO ISRAEL. STOP THE GENOCIDE. NOW \u2013 OR YOU\u2019RE FIRED.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n Reach your Representative\u00a0<\/i>here<\/i><\/a>, and your Senator\u00a0<\/i>here<\/i><\/a>. Email President Biden\u00a0<\/i>here<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As I recently\u00a0wrote<\/a><\/strong><\/span>,\u00a0I have for the time being washed my hands of Christians who\u00a0refuse to engage<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>with the issue of Palestine, and for now (at least until the end of this horrific war) I will be writing about the significance of what is going on \u201cover there\u201d from a global and historic perspective.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n \n I\u2019m here for anyone who cares to have an intelligent conversation about reality, instead of living in a silo of confirmation bias.<\/em><\/p>\n I invite you to subscribe to my<\/i>\u00a0newsletter<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a>. I write about the Palestine-Israel issue regularly, and other issues relevant to progressives or those considering becoming progressive. If you would like to comment on this post, please pop over to my<\/i>\u00a0Facebook page<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0All of my posts are there and open to constructive comment. I welcome your thoughts.<\/i><\/p>\n I also commend to you\u00a0If Americans Knew<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>(full disclosure: I am a writer and editor there), where you can get factual reporting on the Palestine-Israel issue. I can personally vouch for its accuracy.<\/em><\/p>\n If you are interested, here are some of my earlier posts on the Palestine issue:<\/p>\n Further reading on the Palestine-Israel issue:<\/strong><\/p>\n \nThis is the truth about \u201cthere is no famine in Gaza\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nWhy as a Christian, I won\u2019t be condemning Hamas anytime soon<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nNo surprise: US leaders have forgotten all about Gaza<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nIntroducing the Global Hall of Shame, Deflection & Denialism<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nThe Palestinians\u2019 ironclad, inalienable right to resist<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nNetanyahu exposes his profound racism in one glorious tweet<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nRafah attack: Netanyahu\u2019s lies expose the truth about Israel<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nA waking nightmare \u2013 what just happened in Gaza?<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nIsrael, the ICC, and the disintegration of our species<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nThe truth about Gazans as human shields \u2013you\u2019ll be surprised<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nTHIS RIGHT HERE is happening RIGHT NOW. This is Israel.<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nUnlock the global and historic significance of this moment<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nWhat to say when you\u2019ve run out of words<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nA 3-minute challenge to see whether you are alive<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nDid you know the US is complicit in genocide RIGHT NOW?<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n5 tips for finding the best news reporting on Palestine<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nYou need to meet this little girl named Hind<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nDoes Israel really have \u201cthe most moral army in the world\u201d?<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nWestern \u201ccivilization\u201d exposed for its colossal ruthlessness<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nTo Biden, Palestinian genocide is already complete<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nThe lies we believe about Gazan Christians are killing them<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nCan followers of the Prince of Peace support a group that uses violence?<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nWhy support for Palestinian resistance is the right response for Christians<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nA Palestinian Pastor\u2019s powerful message to us: \u201cit\u2019s time to stop praying\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nChristians: Why do we skimp on compassion when it comes to Palestinians?<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nDon\u2019t compromise truth on Israel and Palestine<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nWhat People Of Faith Need To Know About Gaza And Israel Right Now<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n *Posts about my family in Gaza (in chronological order):<\/strong><\/p>\n \n \n\nFollow this refugee family\u2019s quest for survival in Gaza<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nThe hardest decision our family in Gaza has ever made<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nThe unexpected one-word message coming out of Gaza today<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nThe new normal: eating during a famine in Gaza<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nThe truth about Gaza: \u201cI swear, we don\u2019t mind death\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nThe reality of survival in Gaza, on Spiritual Brewpub<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n3 funerals and a wedding in Gaza<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n\u201cWe\u2019re surrounded. Israelis are everywhere. We are dying.\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n\u201cWe were surrounded by tanks. It\u2019s a miracle we got out.\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n\u201cIf I Should Die Before I Wake\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n \n FEATURED IMAGE: by Filip Andrejevic<\/a> via Unsplash<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sharpen your pencil for today\u2019s one-question quiz. You may use the clues provided. There is an opportunity for extra credit at the bottom. THE QUESTION: Who is Israel\u2019s greatest enemy? A. Pro-Israel members of the US Government B. Pro-Israel Evangelical Christians C. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu D. Hamas Before you rush to answer, take […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4414,"featured_media":9405,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[100,403],"tags":[1280,477,1343,1428],"class_list":["post-9366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-injustice","category-palestine-and-israel","tag-forgiveness","tag-gaza","tag-hamas","tag-joy"],"yoast_head":"\nA multiple-choice question: Who is Israel's greatest enemy?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sharpen your pencil for today's one-question quiz. You may use the clues provided. There is an opportunity for extra credit at the bottom. THE QUESTION:\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/gracecoloredglasses\/2024\/07\/a-multiple-choice-question-who-is-israels-greatest-enemy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A multiple-choice question: Who is Israel's greatest enemy?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sharpen your pencil for today's one-question quiz. You may use the clues provided. There is an opportunity for extra credit at the bottom. THE QUESTION:\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/gracecoloredglasses\/2024\/07\/a-multiple-choice-question-who-is-israels-greatest-enemy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Grace-Colored Glasses\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gracecoloredglasses\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-07-02T15:59:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1358\/2024\/07\/7-2-a.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"540\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"540\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kathryn Shihadah\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@GlassesGrace\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kathryn Shihadah\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/gracecoloredglasses\/2024\/07\/a-multiple-choice-question-who-is-israels-greatest-enemy\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/gracecoloredglasses\/2024\/07\/a-multiple-choice-question-who-is-israels-greatest-enemy\/\",\"name\":\"A multiple-choice question: Who is Israel's greatest enemy?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/gracecoloredglasses\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2024-07-02T15:59:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-07-02T15:59:09+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/gracecoloredglasses\/#\/schema\/person\/02d5a7f676c8ddade2f3e7c9101f0003\"},\"description\":\"Sharpen your pencil for today's one-question quiz. 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