What a shocking surprise when June 10, 2024, the Security Council, usually stymied by vetoes, approved a U.S.-sponsored cease-fire resolution calling on Israel and Hamas “to fully implement its terms without delay and without condition” (“UN Security Council adopts a cease-fire resolution-aimed at ending Israel-Hamas war in Gaza,” UNITED NATIONS (AP), June 10, 2024).
When President Joe Biden presented his comprehensive three-stage plan on May 31, he claimed it was actually proposed and accepted by Israel—now if only Hamas would accept.
The next day, June 11, a senior Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, said the terrorist group accepted.
So peace is at hand?
Amos 3:3 states the obvious fundamental issue: “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?”
What Hamas really said
Osama Hamdan, another senior Hamas leader, said “The resolution contains points we do not accept . . . The Security Council resolution will not take effect on the ground unless the occupation agrees to it . . . Attempts to pressure mediators will not succeed in changing Hamas’s stance.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was a “hopeful sign” that Hamas agreed to accept but it’s not official yet from Hamas leadership.
What Israel really said
Blinken was in Israel Monday pressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept the deal which Israel had supposedly proposed and accepted! Blinken said he has explicit assurance from Netanyahu (“Israel vows to press on in Gaza after UN Security Council approves ceasefire proposal,” CNN via Yahoo, June 11, 2024).
A short Israeli statement June 11, attributed only to an unnamed government official, indicated Israel was poised to formally sign, but started by asserting “Israel will not end the war before achieving all its war objectives: destroying Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, freeing all the hostages and ensuring Gaza doesn’t pose a threat to Israel in the future.”
Netanyahu has repeatedly and publicly vowed to press on until Israel’s three goals are achieved.
A senior Israeli diplomat, Minister Counselor Reut Shapir Ben Naftaly, told the Council, “Israel will not engage in meaningless and endless negotiations, which can be exploited by Hamas as a means to stall for time.”
Russia’s U.N. ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Russia abstained because “what specifically has Israel agreed to?”
It sounds clearly like Israel and Hamas have agreed not to negotiate!
Biden’s three-part plan is called comprehensive but the exact nature of its details unclear:
Phase 1: Initial six-month ceasefire. The release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Safe distribution of humanitarian assistance.
Phase 2: With the agreement of Israel and Hamas: “a permanent end to hostilities, in exchange for the release of all other hostages still in Gaza, and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.”
Phase 3: A major multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the remains of any deceased hostages. The Security Council’s “unwavering commitment to achieving the vision of a negotiated two-state solution where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders.”
Is that possible when the Hamas Charter, though dropping calls for Israel’s destruction on May 1, 2017, still does not accept Israel’s right to exist? Is that possible after Hamas terrorists violated Israel’s border and committed such unspeakable atrocities on Oct. 7, 2023?
How and when agreement will come
The Middle East is ground zero for Bible prophecy. Help yourself to a free booklet “The Middle East in Bible Prophecy” which you can read online, download or request a copy by mail.
Amazing as it is that the UNSC was able to even come up with a plan, Jerusalem (and the Middle East) are prophesied to become even more “a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces” (Zechariah 12:14). Inevitably, man’s solutions for the Middle East fall apart in the Blinken of an eye.
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem, the Middle East and the world is really praying for the return of Jesus Christ, the Prince of peace, when He will set up the Kingdom of God on earth so that “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:1-4).
You can be one of the saints ruling with Jesus Christ when all will walk together in agreement!
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20 FREE eBooks (pdfs) to read, download or print
I highly recommend you first read “Building the Family of God,” the first one on the list for a good reason. This one gives you the plan of God, your purpose for living, and understanding of the complete Bible. Yes, it’s 179 pages and we have such short attention spans now, and don’t read like we should, but could anything be more important than knowing—and living—this knowledge! Readers are leaders and you could be one of God’s!
- “Building the Family of God” (179 pages)
- “Christ, Our Passover Lamb Has Been Sacrificed for Us. So Let Us Celebrate the Festival” (26 pages)
- “The Days of Unleavened Bread” (32 pages)
- “The Feast of Pentecost—Jesus Christ is building His Church of firstfruits to live by the power of the Holy Spirit” (22 pages)
- “The Feast of Trumpets: A Turning Point for Human History & a Turning Point for Us” (25 pages)
- “How to Pray More Effectively” (27 pages)
- “What the Bible Teaches About How to Fast More Effectively” (19 pages)
- “What the Bible Teaches About How to Meditate More Effectively” (15 pages)
- “Yes, I Want to Be Aligned with God’s Will” (13 pages)
- “NAHUM: Justice for God’s Enemies, Comfort & Deliverance for His People, A Lesson for Us All” (19 pages)
- “Now Concerning Spiritual Gifts, Brethren, I Would Not Have You Be Ignorant” (12 pages)
- “The New Earth—with Its New Jerusalem and New Phase of the Kingdom of God” (16 pages)
- “Is Your Name Written in the Book of Life?” (11 pages)
- “MEEKNESS: For Those Who Want to Be Blessed & Have the Power of God” (12 pages)
- “What Is the Key of David?” (9 pages)
- “Leading Us to Our Glorious Destiny” (10 pages)
- “What the Book of Zechariah Means for Us Today” (14 pages)
- “Few Know God’s Complete Financial System & Are Being Blessed for Keeping It” (10 pages)
- “Lazarus & the Rich Man—What Does This Most-Misunderstood Parable Really Teach?” (13 pages)
- “How to Resist Temptation—and Overcome” (article will become eBook soon)
I hope you can’t resist the temptation to read all of these!
