Inside View Jul/Aug 2025
The concept of a two-state solution—a Jewish state and an Arab state in the land of Israel, which the Roman Empire spitefully renamed Palestine—has existed for more than a century. Following the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement that divided the Middle East into political entities, the 1917 Balfour Declaration and the 1920 San Remo Resolution established Britain and France’s recognition of the right of a Jewish state in Palestine.
Each of these documents also respected the rights of Arabs living there. In 1937, the Peel Commission, led by Britain’s Lord Peel, met to address (1) the failure of the League of Nations’ Mandate for Palestine to establish a concrete plan for a Jewish home in the land and (2) the ensuing conflict between Arabs and Jewish people there. The Commission recommended the land be divided between them.
The modern Zionist movement that called for the return of the Jewish people and restoration of the nation of Israel in its God-given, ancestral homeland was bearing fruit. It began in earnest in the late 19th century and gained momentum in the Jewish community in the early 20th century through Austro-Hungarian journalist Theodor Herzl’s dedicated efforts.
Surprisingly, Zionism developed significantly in the Christian community through the efforts of men like evangelist William Blackstone years before Herzl popularized it. The movement opened men’s minds to recognize the Jewish people’s prerogative not only to live in the land God promised them but also to govern themselves. As Zionism grew, so did an endorsement of the Jewish right to return to the land and, eventually, to establish the State of Israel.
By 1937, Zionist statesman David Ben-Gurion had efficiently organized the Jewish community’s leadership in Palestine. The Jewish people’s representatives agreed to divide the land, part being Jewish and part Arab. Their nation’s rebirth and peace mattered more to them than battling for sovereignty over the entire territory.
Historically, Jewish leadership has agreed to every proposal for a two-state solution, including the 1937 Peel Commission Partition Plan; the 1947 UN Resolution 181 Partition Plan; and Israeli offers in 1967, 2000, and 2007 to exchange land for peace. The common denominator among the proposals is the Arab leaders’ refusal to accept a two-state solution and recognize Israel’s legitimacy.
Some people tell me, “Israel shouldn’t trade one inch of land for peace because it all belongs to them.” I remind them that it isn’t their children and grandchildren who die for Israel. We must remember that any loving parent would give up something valuable to protect his or her children.
Bafflingly, the Palestinians and their supporters blame Israel—the victim—for Hamas’s massacre on October 7, 2023. Yet, Israel has not prohibited the creation of a Palestinian state. The Palestinians have. They refuse to accept a deal unless they can eliminate Israel and possess all of its land. Instead of peace and coexistence, they pursue violence and evil.
In doing so, they seek to eliminate the nation that God promised will not cease to exist unless the sun, moon, and stars disappear (Jer. 31:35–36). The Lord incorporated this guarantee in the New Covenant He made with Israel, making all attempts to destroy the Jewish people an attack on Himself. Those who call for the Jewish state’s destruction speak not for God but for His adversary, the Devil.
As believers in the Jewish Messiah, we stand against Israel’s enemies and actively love God’s uniquely Chosen People.
