Israel Betrayed

The right to the land hidden in archives while propaganda flourished.

I continue to be amazed, though not surprised, at the way Old Testament prophecies speak with razor-sharpness into the 21st century political scene. Take, for example, the modern state of Israel, which has come to accept accusations of wickedness and opposition to building as a way of life. When you think of it, nothing has changed since the days of Ezra nearly 2,500 years ago. Just as now, with unlikely allies such as the United Arab Emirates, ancient Israel had friends in high places.

King Cyrus of Persia not only freed the Jews from captivity in Babylon but also permitted them to rebuild their Temple, even returning the rich furnishings confiscated by Nebuchadnezzar and bolstering their resources with lashings of gold and silver. But there were the inevitable vocal opponents of its reconstruction, just as there are today over plans to extend Jewish sovereignty in parts of Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley. Many even deny Israel’s right to any of the Holy Land.