South Africa, Churches Call Israel ‘Apartheid’ State -

churches call Israel apartheid:

CHURCHES CALL ISRAEL APARTHEID. (Photo is IDF image of a Hamas rocket barrage launched from a densely populated area during the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis. By IDF Spokesperson’s Unit / CC BY-SA 3.0.)

Jimmy Carter sold millions of books calling Israel an apartheid state in 2006. But now Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor of South Africa—a formerly apartheid state—does so too. And she Is urging the whole UN General Assembly to brand Israel as apartheid.

At the same time Islamic Jihad is fighting an air war from Gaza with Israel. Islamic Jihad—an extreme Hamas ally—repeatedly vows the destruction of Israel. So who can blame Israel for putting up a stiff resistance and fighting back?

Yet the elected head of the World Council of Churches, Jerry Pillay, also called Israel apartheid. So did the entire Presbyterian Church USA on June 28. Pillay, a Presbyterian of a different stripe, is also South African.

Pillay has called on Christians to “resist the empirical ambitions of Israeli Jews.” But in all their history, Jews have never tried to build an empire. Instead, Jews have suffered in Israel under many empires since the 8^th century BC. They include the Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and British empires.

The more nomadic Palestinian Arabs suffered in Israel only under the last two of those eight empires. British rule ended in 1948 when Israel declared independence. Arab countries nearby immediately attacked Israel.

That war created about 700,000 Palestinian Arab refugees. The nearby Arab countries put many of them into refugee camps instead of integrating them. So why does no one accuse Arab countries of apartheid against Arab refugees?

South African apartheid vs. Israeli Defense Force

During the South African apartheid era, 1948-1991, the government denied voting rights to blacks. But in Israel, Arabs not only vote but hold office and have their own political parties. The South African apartheid state sponsored death squads to kill dissidents and activists. But the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) only targets known terrorists.

Palestinian terrorists endanger their own people by putting weapons bases by schools and hospitals. The Islamic Jihad continues that treacherous practice today. Because they know that the IDF won’t strike where innocent people may be killed.

Apartheid policy discriminated against black for the sake of whites. Israeli policy discriminates against criminals and terrorists for the sake of innocent Jews and Arabs alike. So calling Israel apartheid does injustice to the real victims of discrimination.

It also brings judgment on nations that curse Israel (Gen. 12:1-3). Pray that God will use events like the Abraham Accords move them to bless Israel instead. Then they in turn will receive God’s blessings.