A DAY ON THE NORTHERN BORDER OF ISRAEL, LEBANON, AND SYRIA

 

We began our stay in Israel with a visit to the northern borders of Lebanon and Syria. We met up with a Jewish believer in Yeshua who was in the IDF and is now in the security business.

Before we met up with him that day we went to a battle heritage site in Kibbutz Elrom near the Valley of Tears (Emek HaBacha). Here, a movie was screened, a fascinating film which tells the story of the battle of the Valley of Tears, when the Syrian Army tried to penetrate the Israeli frontline during the 1973 Yom Kippur War and was stopped by the Israeli Armored Corps’ 77th “Oz” Regiment of the 7th Armor Brigade together with soldiers from the 188th Armor Brigade.

In the film we heard testimonies and hair-raising recordings from the battle field. The commander of the “Oz” Regiment, Avigdor Kahalani, who received a decoration for his part in this bloody battle, describes how even with smaller numbers and difficult conditions, without night vision equipment and not much ammunition, being tired and even exhausted, the Israeli fighters managed to overcome the enemy, with only Zionism and determination on their side. The film’s length was approximately 20 minutes.

After the film we met up with our guide who took us to the Golan Heights area where the battle took place.

Here at this memorial site we saw the remains of tanks left there after the battle. We could see the border of Syria off in the distance.

During the Yom Kippur War, Syria launched an attack from a valley north of Kuneitra. From this point, they planned to take control of the central Golan Heights and then into Israel. In a day long battle, battalion commander Avigdor Kahalani led the Israelis to victory. Over 500 Syrian tanks and armored personnel carriers were left in Israel when the Syrians retreated. This battleground is known as the Valley of Tears.

Israel almost lost this four day battle as they were vastly outnumbered. They fought valiantly for those four days and only had a few remaining tanks. They had been messaging each other as if they had many more tanks

Israel survived the Yom Kippur war as Ariel Sharon was victorious on the Egyptian front in the Sinai desert.

After this visit we went to another border location near Metulla on the Israel, Lebanon, and Syria border. We drove along the border fence between Lebanon and Israel. From another location we saw the flag of Hezbollah flying from the mountain top. It was a sobering moment as we realized how Israel is surrounded on all sides by enemies sworn to destroy her.

This day, however, was a beautiful sunny and peaceful day. I felt a peace in my heart everywhere we went in Israel. Amazing to feel that way in an area where war could breakout at any time.

We also stopped at the Dado lookout vantage point where we could see Lebanon in the distance. It was an interesting day to say the least.

There are many who stand against Israel’s right to exist but in spite of them Israel is real. It is God’s protection over Israel that allows her to exist as a nation and thrive.

It is a very complicated situation with the Palestinian people. In 1947 the U.N. Mandate set aside land for both Israel and the Palestinians. The Jews accepted this land and the Arab/Palestinians rejected the mandate. The surrounding Arab nations told all Arabs in the Jewish territory to leave prior to them attacking the Israeli’s. These people were told they would be able to return to their land and the Jewish land after the Arabs won the war.

It didn’t turn out that way as Israel won the war. For 70 years this problem has not been peacefully solved.

From approximately 1500 AD until 1917 the area called Palestine was ruled and owned by the Turks. They had sovereign control over the area and all land had to be purchased through the Turkish government. When the early Zionists began settling in the area they purchased land legally from the Turkish government.

Jews and the people we call Palestinians lived side by side in this Turkish controlled area until General Allenby and the British Army took control in 1917. The British agreed to work with the Zionist’s to establish a home land for the Jews.

From 1917 until 1948 the British controlled the area. When they pulled out in 1948 Israel was born in a day and the 1948 Arab/Israeli war began. There has been no real peace since that time but Israel has grown and prospered because God has ordained it.

Palestinians are not satisfied to have Gaza and the West Bank as their sovereign territory. They refuse to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist. It is a very sad and difficult situation. The Bible says that God has given this land to the Jewish people—there will be no real peace until Yeshua returns and establishes peace.

All Biblical prophecy concerning Israel will be fulfilled in the appointed time whether the world likes it or not. Until that time Jerusalem will be a stumbling block to all nations:

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. Zechariah 12.2-3

As I pointed out in the previous post, the world cannot accept the borders of Israel, even though the nations of this world have been granted great areas of land. The nations continue to rage against Israel but the final end will be good for all nations.

It is a shame that so much blood has to be shed before real peace comes. God has a plan and all nations will be blessed in the end. God is allowing the nations to rage until they learn to submit to His wisdom—it will be a painful lesson.

We look forward to Micah’s prophecy:

And many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Then He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for strong nations far and wide. Then they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor will they train any more for war. And each man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, with no one to frighten him. For the mouth of the LORD of Hosts has spoken. Micah 4.2-4