King Abdullah II of Jordan has remarked that the establishment of a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority constitutes a necessary step towards the defeat of Islamic extremist groups in the region. The king recently stepped up air strikes against the Islamic State following the barbaric slaying of a Jordanian pilot in January. Abdullah said he believed that 'injustice' towards the Palestinian Arabs had become a 'rallying cry' for extremist groups across the world, and that dismantling the ideology of ISIS could only be accomplished when the Middle East conflict is resolved...

Quote: ““This failure sends a dangerous message,” he said. “And it has given the extremists a powerful rallying cry. They exploit the injustices and the lingering conflict, to build legitimacy and recruit foreign fighters across Europe and the world.” He added: “How can we fight the ideological battle, if we do not chart the way forward towards Palestinian-Israeli peace?”

Similar statements on the Middle East conflict have been made in the past by other politicians. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair once stated that events in the Middle East affect life on the streets of Britain, because the Israeli-Palestinian Arab conflict was the 'cause most used or abused by those who try to rally support for extremism'.

There is a twist of logic that statement though. The assumption is that if we can remove the source of the tension, the hatred will also be removed. It's a bit like a school bully that picks on another child because they are different. But instead of reprimanding the bully, the teacher blames the victim, thinking that the bully wouldn't be persecuting him unless he had good reason. Similarly, Abdullah and Blair are making Israel the scapegoat for Islamic terrorism. 'If only Israel could give up enough land, then the Islamic terrorists in Gaza and the world would be happy'. Thus Israel is made the root cause of Islamic hatred, instead of it being the other way around.

There is a second problem with this statement. It ignores the religious nature of the conflict. According to the Qur'an, any land once occupied in the name of Islam becomes the property of Allah. Jewish people returning to their ancient homeland to establish an independent state contradicts what the Qur'an teaches. So there is no amount of territory that Israel could give back in order to appease these terrorist groups. And to prove that, Hamas and Fatah regularly broadcast propaganda, claiming the entire land of Israel belongs to them. How do you negotiate peace with a terrorist organization that refuses to recognize your right to exist?

Abdullah is right about one thing though, we do need to defeat the ideology that drives Islamic extremism. ISIS will not be defeated through war or through weapons. Only the Word of God is able to change hearts and minds. That's why it is important to get the gospel out, to tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ, and what He has done for them on the cross. We know that the conflict in the Middle East will continue right up until the return of Christ. Praise God that He will resolve it when He comes. As the Psalmist says, “In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth”, Psalm 72:7. The world longs for peace, but refuses to recognize the very one who can bring that peace, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6-7). Have you recognized Him? God loves you so much, He sent His only Son Jesus Christ into this world, so that your sins could be forgiven and that you could be with Him forever. He bore the penalty of your sin when He died upon the cross. And all who trust in Him for salvation have everlasting life. Turn away from your sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Source Times of Israel

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