Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease for a loved one to have. I know, because my father died from complications related to Alzheimer’s. It is often called a “death without burial” … because the family must watch their loved one’s body and mind deteriorate very slowly until they finally die of complications.
A similar thing can be said for the Oslo Peace Process. The Oslo Peace Process has failed! It was stillborn actually, but put on a respirator to force it to breath! Why? Because while some Palestinians wanted the land part of the deal, they refused to crack down on the “extremists” within their society who disallow the Israelis to have the peace part of the deal. In a recent poll, it was reported that 64 percent of the Palestinians support the suicide bombings of Israelis – a climate that’s now been called a “peace of the grave.”
Chairman Arafat himself speaks with a forked tongue. His speech last Sunday had portions that (seemingly) had asked the Palestinians to cease the violence (terrorism) and abide by the cease-fire agreements. But then, by Wednesday, Chairman Arafat was calling for more martyrs in saying that he is willing “to sacrifice 70 to die to kill one Israeli.”
Some Palestinians are now even starting to admit to this duplicity. According to the Islamic Association for Palestine’s website of Dec. 19, “A prominent PA official and close confident of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has admitted that the latest PA campaign against Islamic-run charitable societies and educational and athletic centers was carried out ‘under duress.’ … The official, who demanded that his name not be mentioned, said the PA was facing an exceptional situation due to unprecedented American pressure. … Asked if the closure would lead to the ending of resistance attacks on the Israeli occupation, the PA official said ‘by no means.'”
This PA duplicity is not lost on some of the Israelis. According to Memri.org, “Nathan Sharansky, Israel’s Minister of Housing and Construction and leader of the Russian immigrants party ‘Yisrael Ba’aliyah’ compares Israeli leaders who still adhere to the Oslo Accords to those in Russia who refuse to bury Lenin. Sharansky argues that the path to peace must change since the current one has proven both erroneous and damaging.”
The Israeli people may concur: “A survey of the Jewish population found that 80 percent of the population believe that Aliyah [Jewish immigration to Israel] must be encouraged even during these times.”
The path to peace must include a return of Jewish people to the land, and a return of the people (in the land) to justice and righteousness … just as it says in the Prophets. Isaiah had a vision about Judah and Jerusalem (1:1) – a city that is later called Zion. The most pertinent part concerns the redemption (deliverance) of Zion:
And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and with people who return with righteousness.
– Isaiah 1:26-27
With the economic upheaval in Argentina, Israel is expecting more Argentineans to immigrate to Israel. If the economic crisis continues around the world, and with anti-Semitism on the rise, perhaps this climate will provoke the great and final ingathering of the Jews from around the world. (Jeremiah 16:15; Isaiah 43:6)
All of this relates to the story of Joseph and his family in Egypt. We can see from this week’s Torah reading, which concludes the story of Joseph, that he was a very wise and a just ruler. Joseph also had a death without burial (presumed), but it turned out to be for the preservation of the family. His brothers had wanted to sell Joseph into slavery in Egypt to be rid of him, but God had other plans. And Joseph eloquently acknowledges this to his brothers when he says “… for God did send me before you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:5 KJV)
We certainly need wise judges and rulers, as in the days of old, who will finally put a stop to the futility of any attempts to revive a “dead process.” This is also related to the prophecy of Daniel, which speaks of things which are thought to precede the coming of the King Messiah:
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time, and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt [i.e., the resurrection]. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.
– Daniel 12:1-3
May this prophecy be fulfilled in our days!
