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Squeezing a Land for Milk and Honey
North Miami Beach, FL July 6, 2001 Aaron H.
Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then, Opinions pro or con are welcome.
SQUEEZING A LAND FOR MILK AND HONEY
I have been asked to lead a Bible study class next month. The weekly
portion has to do with the death of Moses. If my understanding is correct,
Moses was not allowed to die in the "Promised Land" because he was unable to
control his need to hit a rock with his staff and, on another occasion, he
again did not do as he was instructed. Whatever his lack of eligibility to
die in a good place after his service in becoming a legend, the LAND is
central to the story, so too the Bible (THE WORD OF GOD), and the
present-day lands of Israel and Palestine.
Have you ever wondered why there was so much contention over this piece of
Middle-Eastern real estate? I suspect it is the MILK AND HONEY aspect that
the wandering tribes of desert Jews stumbled over in their quest for a
PROMISED LAND. "Investigators" (spies) were sent out to survey the land
beyond the Jordan. They came back with reports of tremendous crops of edible
foods. In contrast to the bland "manna" provided by God there was an
overabundance of huge grapes, other fruits and rather peaceful farmers
living in walled cities to keep out the giants who lurked outside.
Then there was a contest between these desert tramps who were transformed
into an army and the current residents of the land. It is reported that the
Hebrew forces defeated a large number of little kingdoms and eventually
prevailed. The Biblical story is one of conquest by a people who once were
slaves in Egypt and who were able to invade and overwhelm original settlers
to create two kingdoms, Judah and Israel.
In modern times the Jews, who considered the land theirs because of the
ancient account in their Testament, returned to the land and bought up all
of it from absentee Turkish landlords. They turned it once again into a milk
and honey producing land. They drained swamps, planted trees, produced
oranges, experimented with eliminating salty earth by raising fish in ponds,
drip irrigation and began to unearth the ancient secrets in dry mounds where
their history was buried.
In its wisdom, the United Nations at the end of World War II created two
nations of the ancient lands of Palestine and Israel. The Jews shouted
Hosanna while the neighboring Arab nations prepared for war and invaded and
almost drove the Jews into the sea. The Palestinians were told by their
neighbors to get out so that the job could get done. Somehow, the
non-militaristic modern Hebrews defended themselves and saved their nation
and began to build a country. The Palestinians began a diaspora. Most did
not return because the Islamic rulers in neighboring countries could not
accept defeat and promised to return to finish the job. Palestinian
"refugees" were kept and are being kept to this day in "camps" where they
fester and plot retribution for losing several wars against the Jews. The
Palestinian lands were not exploited for what could become productive lands
of Milk and Honey. They remained fallow until the job of eradicating Jews
was finished.
This is not made up. It is the real story. The Jews, now Israelis, built
a military defense force. To this day all aid by Islamic neighbors to
Palestine is not used for economic development. The Palestine "Authority"
fosters military preparedness, has established schools where distorted
history is taught, favors martyrdom by young children in the "Intifada" and
refuse to recognize the right of the Jewish state to exist. There are no
industries and businesses in Palestine except those directed to the
destruction of Israel.
The initial problem is how to squeeze peace out of this land of Milk and
Honey. Unfortunately, peace cannot be seen in glasses of milk or in the
honey used to sweeten cups of tea. I fear for the future of the new-old
land that the Jews bought, fought for and created out of their ancient
Promised Land. Peace cannot be imposed. It requires equal partners willing
to compromise. Carol's Evaluation:10 out of 10.
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