Restraint in Lebanon

Remember the conflict that took place in Lebanon awhile back between the Israeli IDF and the forces of Hizbullah? Israel had invaded southern Lebanon in an effort to stop the terrorist organization from constantly firing rockets into the neighboring Israeli towns and subsequently killing civilians, damaging buildings and etc. After inflicting some damage, the IDF pulled back into Israeli territory leaving Hizbullah another opportunity to recover and grow strong again. Of course Israel pulled back! This is what the international community demands that it do - every time! BTW, the rockets are still coming.

So, it was with interest that I read a JPost article that addressed the possibility of future penetration into Lebanese territory whenever it was decided that Hizbullah had, once again, gone too far. The article was entitled We exercised restraint in Lebanon war.
The article is dated Aug. 19th. Here are some quotes:

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert sent a stern warning to Beirut on Tuesday, pledging that Israel would not restrain itself if Lebanon sanctioned a new Hizbullah offensive. “ In the Second Lebanon War we had much greater means and capabilities, which we avoided using since [during that war] we fought against a terror organization and not a country,” Olmert said. “In this context, if Lebanon, turns into a Hizbullah state, we won’t restrain our response.”

The article goes on to state, in so many terms, that, yes indeed, the Lebanese parliament has already given Hizbullah official status as part of the Lebanese state. The meaning is plain and not at all concealed. Olmert is saying that Israel will no longer consider Hizbullah as merely a terrorist organization, but rather, in the future, it will be considered as an integral part of the Lebanese state, and thus, any retaliation that would be generated toward terrorist activities that are being perpetrated against Israel will be directed against the government and territory of Lebanon itself. This is potentially explosive, and it could be biblical in its proportions!

Does Olmert have it in him to so-respond? It doesn’t matter. This is a thought process that is obviously subject-matter to many people who are high up in the Israeli society. Would Netanyahu so-respond? Would anyone respond this way if conditions get any more bizarre in the Middle East? One of these days the answer will be yes and then, it will happen. What, then, will be Russia’s response? They are politically in bed with Syria and Iran - the sponsors of Hizbullah.

Honestly, do you believe that anybody can stop this insanity? I don’t think so. As Christians, however, we need to be a little bit more intense with our walk, don’t you think? Let the dead bury their dead. Let us get more intense in our serving. We can start by getting back to those passages in Ezek. 36 thru 39.