Why the Church's call for 'justice' in Israel ignores history

Faith leaders, churches, and Christian charities have formed a cross-denominational coalition calling for a just peace for all who call the Holy Land home. It is organized by the Just Peace Coalition.

Churches that have joined this initiative include the Methodist Church, Quakers in Britain, Churches Together in England, and the United Reformed Church.

This is an initiative that Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac from Bethlehem has also supported. He is the director of Christ at the Checkpoint.

It is a call for justice. But calling for justice could be dangerous, because God may administer justice.

On October 7, Israel was attacked in the most brutal way, and what came next was justice. Justice came upon Hamas in Gaza, which used its own people as human shields. Yet I am sure these churches would have been shouting, "Stop the war."

They only want one-sided justice.

This call for justice doesn't look at history.

Do they know that in 1948 the Palestinians were offered a state, yet they turned it down?

American President Bill Clinton offered the framework for a Palestinian state in December 2000. The proposal was to hand over 95% of the West Bank and 100% of Gaza. This was a significant offer. It would have given the Palestinians the state they have called for, yet Yasser Arafat turned it down.

In 2005, Israel withdrew its citizens from Gaza, handing 100% control of the territory to the Palestinians. This was very painful for Israelis, with people and families being pulled from their homes. But Israel made the painful choice.

Gaza could have been turned into a paradise.

Not far from Gaza are Ashkelon and Ashdod. A little farther up the coast is Tel Aviv, and farther still is Haifa—beautiful cities on the same coastline as Gaza.

Gaza could have become a thriving tourist destination, giving Palestinians jobs and hope. The tourism sector is a valuable industry. According to the CEIC Economic Database, Israel's international tourism sector generated $3.19 billion in revenue. Gaza could have had its share of that, but it chose terror instead. It armed itself with rockets and built a tunnel network that any city with an underground system would be proud of.

It is very easy to shout, "Justice! Justice! Israel needs to give Palestinians justice." But in reality, the Palestinians have been offered land on a plate, and now we are where we are today.

Maybe God wants justice. God's Word is faithful and true, and I would remind these churches and Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac of that fact.

The Bible lays out the foundation for the land more than once. Multiple times, God says to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, "I will give you this land."

He calls His covenant an eternal covenant.

If the world wants justice, then follow God's decree. Follow God's plan. But the world thinks it knows best. The nations think they know better than God. Nations are still clinging to a two-state solution, even though the Palestinians have been offered a two-state solution and turned it down.

Get on God's path. Think God's ways.

The Bible says in Isaiah 55:8:

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.