Could Anti-Semitism Lead Europe to Another Tragic Defeat?
A commentary by
Carmelo Anastasi
Pastor of United Church of God congregations in Milan and Naples, Italy
We Europeans all sincerely want peace. But at times we have unwisely
supported policies that have prolonged and aggravated political conflicts.
So
we need to ask, is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East
linked in any way to the revival of anti-Semitism in Europe? It's
a question that needs to be faced honestly.
Consider our present approach
to the Israeli-Palestinian problem. Europe appears to be closing its
eyes to the possible long-term consequences of its current Middle Eastern
policy.
By catering to the Palestinian and Muslim segments of the European
population at the expense of the Jewish minority, isn't Europe
tacitly encouraging the current explosion of anti-Semitism on its own
soil? This seems especially true in France and Germany. For years these
two nations have downplayed the growth of anti-Semitism among Islamic
extremists and other fringe groups on both the right and the left of
the political center.
After the attack on New York and Washington D. C.
on September 11, 2001, Europe's governments have been paying more
attention to this situation. Greater resources and effort go into cooperating
with other nations in combating terrorism and anti-Semitism. But so far
a more even-handed policy toward the crises in the Middle East has not
been adopted.
So let's return to my original question. Is there a connection
between the revival of European anti-Semitism and Europe's position
on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Could Europe, through its one-sided
foreign policy, be nurturing—in the midst of crafting a new constitution
and making the Euro competitive in international trade—a return
to the anti-Semitism that shamed us before and during World War II?
Consider
our present approach. Except in Italy, all current governments in Europe
sympathize with Yasser Arafat's Palestinian position
at the expense of Israel's concerns. Since current public opinion
also supports this approach, governments find it politically unpopular
to consider a more balanced policy.
Other European governments are following
the example of France and Germany. These two nations openly take a
pro-Palestinian position and have done so for years. They hesitate to
take any positive action against anti-Semitism that would irritate Muslim
communities in their own countries. And they place an even higher priority
on not risking their relationship with those Arab countries that supply
their oil.
Is this trend of walking a political tightrope blinding all
of Europe to an even greater danger? Jesus Christ warned that a future
multinational military force will surround and invade Jerusalem shortly
before He returns (Luke 21:20).
Could Europe's one-sided support for the Palestinians be positioning
it to be a part of, or even maybe to lead, that military force at some
point in the future? It's a frightening prospect.
Yet, less than a
century ago, anti-Semitism played a major role in shaping one of the
most shameful epochs of European history. Are we again blindly sliding
in that direction?
Notice a prophecy revealing that Jerusalem again will
be the focus of multinational hostility. "I am going to make Jerusalem
a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged
as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth
are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for
all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves" (Zechariah
12:2-3, New International Version, emphasis added throughout).
How will
God respond to this multinational attempt to seize control of Jerusalem?
He answers, "For I will gather all the nations to
battle against Jerusalem…Then the LORD will go forth and fight
against those nations…" (Zechariah 14:2-3).
Will an
alliance of European nations lead that military force against Israel
in the future? Surely it will depend on the type of leaders who emerge
in the years ahead. In any case, the God of the Bible says that He
won't allow that multinational invasion of Jerusalem to be victorious.
Europe needs to beware of the ultimate consequences of being soft on
anti-Semitism and maintaining a one-sided prejudice against the nation
of Israel. Anti-Semitism shamed us once. Let's not let it happen
again.
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