An Eternal Struggle?
Most Israeli and Palestinian millennials believe that the conflict between their people “will never end.” The International Committee of the Red Cross released a survey reporting that 65% of Israeli and 52% of Palestinian respondents expected their struggle to continue for years or decades, Israel Hayom reported. The global poll included 16,000 participants, and these figures from Israelis and Palestinians marked the most pessimistic attitude of all groups involved. With no active peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian leadership, a continued clash feels inevitable.
This poll confirms the sad reality we know. This contention that has simmered for many generations is not likely to end through human means. In modern history, Israel and the Palestinian people have discussed plans for peace many times. Control of the land of Israel is the keynote in their conversations. Though Israelis have in fact made generous offers of land to seek peace, no long-term solutions are ever established. But Scripture declares the Jewish people to be the true heirs of the Abrahamic Covenant, which includes the right to the land.
Genesis 12:6–7 says, “At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’” Three chapters later, God doubles down on the land promises to the Jewish people, Abraham’s descendants, saying, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it” (Gen. 15:7).
We here at The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry advocate for the right of the land of Israel for the Jewish people. At the same time, we pray as we see in Psalm 122:6–7:
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
‘May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels.’”
The concerns of the Israeli and Palestinian millennials are valid, unfortunately. It’s unlikely that the conflict will end anytime soon, if at all before Jesus returns. Though lasting peace won’t be possible until His Second Coming, we pray fervently that tensions would ease between Israelis and Palestinians. May Jerusalem see peace in the days to come!
