Obama, Israel & the '67 Borders

Obama, Israel & the '67 Borders by Michael Sean Winters

My reaction:

It is more about trying to pander to Jewish voters, who seem out of the reach of the GOP. I suspect that the land swaps required to keep a Jewish state Jewish without resort to minority oppression will involve much more than nibbling around the edges of the 1967 borders. Major portions of Arab northern Israel will have to be joined with the West Bank to avoid the destiny of demography, with relocations to match where Jews have settled in those areas.

Of course, a two state solution is a cop out. One motivation for a united Israel is the re-establishment of the Temple, but I can not see the God of the Old Testament allowing this as long as the Palestinians are oppressed. Indeed, if there is anything to the belief of the Ethiopean Copts that they actually have the Ark of the Covenant, I can't see the Coptic Church allowing its return while the Jewish state represses anyone, particularly Christians.

The end times meme has an interesting twist, as the part of it that most don't get is the return of the lost tribes of the north, not just the return of the Jews (who come from Levi and Judah only). There are those in the Romany community who are coming to believe that we are the exiles of the Northern kingdom, having migrated from Assyria through Persia to India. The real irony is the fact that our legends clearly state that we were Christianized by the Apostle Thomas. Indeed, our tradition is older than Rome and as such is a "purer" Christianity - although most of us have assimilated into the Roman Church - with growing numbers becoming Evangelical as well.

We are related to the Samaritans, who are few - although it is likely that many of them were converts to Christianity in the early years or prior to that took up Judaism. Some undoubtedly are Palestinian Muslims, adopting Islam to get along. This is the sad tragedy of the entire situation - that those most persecuted by the state of Israel are most likely ethnically Jewish from generations in the past.

Going back to the Romany narrative, since we are already Christian, the end times prophesy on our conversion has already occurred. What is necessary is repatriation for the prophesy to be fulfilled. Given the low esteem we are held in by much of the world, it is unlikely the cause of Romany return will be taken up any time soon - although that is clearly what is required by the prophesy.