Celebrating Hanukkah in Judea and Samaria Print E-mail
Written by Angus Wootten   
Monday, 10 December 2007

"We have patrolled the earth and behold today, all the earth is rumbling with wars and rumors of war."

Thousands of Israeli activists marched to barren hilltops across Judea and Samaria on Sunday to protest the government's intention to surrender the territory to the Palestinian Arabs.

Eight hilltops in all were targeted in the efforts. Israeli security forces declared all of the hilltops closed military zones, but ultimately did not interfere with the demonstrators. Police officials did, however, threaten to forcibly evacuate any of the marchers who tried to remain at the sites past Sunday night.

Settler leaders said they and those supporting their efforts draw inspiration from the Macabees, the Jewish revolutionaries whose victory over Greek occupiers and restoration of Jewish control over the land of Israel is commemorated in the week-long Hanukkah holiday now being celebrated.

Hanukkah candles were lit in joyous ceremonies atop at least three of the hilltops reached by the Israelis.

These Israeli activists are led by the grassroots right-wing umbrella group SOS Israel, which to avert another Gaza Strip experience, believes that the time has clearly come for the Jews of Judea and Samaria to prepare to secede from Israel and establish their own autonomous state.

Earlier in the week, to show that they were serious, SOS Israel launched a contest to choose a flag and national anthem for the new state.

There are some 275,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and even if all of them are in favor of seceding from the present secular state of Israel, they are going to need a lot of support. But in the end it is a matter of numbers. Six million Jews are having a difficult time trying to maintain a homeland in the Middle East. You can imagine the challenge that 275,000, 4.5% of that number, would have in establishing and maintaining a homeland. Yet the challenge to the MIA, or for any people, to support the settlers would be even greater.

Physical dominion is a matter of numbers, and fulfillment of the prophesied physical dominion of the people of Israel would require untold millions. It would surely require a number far more than the present 275,000 settlers. Or even the fourteen million Jews in the world. Money and prayers will help, but they at some point need to become physical people living in a physical land.

Where are these needed numbers? They are the lost sheep (probably most of them are Christians of one flavor or another) scattered throughout the world. For the most part they are lost to a physical affinity with the people of Israel and the land of Eretz-Israel. Rather their goal is a kingdom in heaven. This perspective of the lost sheep is unfortunately encouraged by the present Jewish state denying them any portion in Eretz-Israel. The first step in changing the perspective of these lost sheep is for them to realize that they are not second class citizens, and that they have an equal portion in the physical Commonwealth of Israel. The likelihood of opening the door to acceptance in Eretz-Israel by these found sheep, by the present state, or a new state that would be formed on the West Bank, will increase in direct proportion to the increasing numbers of found sheep.

Our challenge in the MIA is to turn lost sheep into found sheep. Increased numbers are a key to opening the door to meaningful negotiations with our brother Judah, and to our return to Eretz-Israel.

If the MIA is going to successfully meet this challenge of increasing our numbers, it is going to take a 100 percent effort. Everyone needs to participate. Like most ministries, the MIA has 5% of the people carry 100% of the load. That has brought us this far, but if we are to fulfill our destiny, the 95% who have been primarily spectators must get out of the stands, become a player, and join the 5% on the playing field who have been carrying the load.

For more insight, for both spectators and players, on ways to increase the numbers of found sheep, please see the following:
 
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