An Orthodox Jewish writer Jonathan Feldstein is currently ‘praying for Gazans to get a little Jesus in 2024’.
Feldstein is president of the Genesis 123 Foundation, whose declared mission is to ‘build bridges between Jews and Christians with Israel in ways that are new, unique, and meaningful’. He made the call as he believes ‘the best and safest way to change the situation and bring peace [in Gaza] is for the masses of Gazans, and Palestinian Arabs in general, to convert to Christianity’.
Writing in Christian publication Heart, he continues ‘If it were up to me, the late Billy Graham would come back and hold months of crusades throughout Gaza. There are also many former Muslims who have become Christians, many speak Arabic and know the culture, who I would bring along as well. From day one, Gazans would be fed a diet of Christian faith to counteract the buffet of hate that they have ingested.
‘I would send along Billy Graham’s son Franklin with his aid organisation Samaritan’s Purse, and other ministries that can bring thousands of volunteers of all backgrounds and skills, charged with education, medical and spiritual well-being, and physical reconstruction. Ministries like these can bring masses of the most faithful and committed volunteers’.
Feldstein makes this somewhat surprising suggestion as he thinks the mainstream longer-term prospect for Gaza and Israel, the ‘two state solution’ being promulgated by the US, Europe and much of the Arab world, is doomed to failure. This is because it would leave terrorist group Hamas in control of Gaza whilst still vowing to eradicate Israel off the map.
Now Feldstein prays for ‘the swift and full eradication of Hamas, the safe return of all our soldiers including my son and son-in-law, and release of all the hostages’. But, beyond that, ‘If Gazans become real Christians, they will not just abandon Allah in favour of the God of Israel, but they will also come to love Israel: the land, the people, and the state, as a realisation of God’s promise to His people. Any Christian who understands the Biblical covenant between God and the Jewish people, that it’s eternal and unbreakable, will transform his or her heart. That’s how true peace can be achieved.
‘This is not a task for the Jewish people. Our covenant is unique. We are meant to be a light unto the nations. Nobody wants to live in peace more than the Jewish and Israeli people. But to really bring lasting peace, we need an army of Christians to restore Gaza’.
