The Great Gaffe of Lula Against Israel

The Great Gaffe of Lula Against Israel

Julio Severo

On May 2005, the whole world celebrated the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. Who could forget that awful event where millions perished? And it cannot be forgotten that the Jewish population in Europe, always discriminated against and persecuted, was almost exterminated by the killing obsession of Hitler. About 6 million Jews were killed.

The Jewish people, more than anyone, know that discrimination has a deadly cost. Brazil, under the Socialist administration of President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, whose main preoccupation is the issue of discrimination, could well have taken advantage of the occasion to remember the cost Jews paid for that irrational prejudice. Yet, the Lula administration chose to occupy itself and spend the contributions of the Brazilian taxpayers to implement the Summit of South American-Arab Countries, hosting Muslim government officials from countries rich in oil and rich in prejudices and hate against Israel. Nations at the summit included Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Algeria, Egypt, Qatar, Libya, Oman, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, and, of course, Brazil.

Foreign Affairs Minister Celso Amorim had declared that the conference would be an exclusively economic and cultural event and would not attack the traditional allies of Brazil. Nevertheless, the opposite happened: by the end of the conference, the South American leaders, including dictator Hugo Chavez, endorsed a declaration condemning the Israeli occupation of “Palestinian” territory. The declaration denounced terrorism, but it also asserted the right of people "to resist foreign occupation”, suggesting that “Palestinian” terrorist groups have the right to attack Israel.

Inconsistencies, insults and gaffes

The Lula administration’s boldness in the defense of human rights and in the fight against discrimination is so unwavering that Brazil has unashamedly and publicly defended homosexual behavior, becoming the first nation to introduce in the United Nations a resolution fighting “prejudice” against homosexuality. Yet, because of the Arab leaders invited to its meeting, Brazilian government was obliged to sacrifice briefly its international pro-homosexualism policy, giving up its pioneering resolution in the UN. Moreover, Lula could not make a public defense of democracy before the Arab attendees. The word democracy is offensive to Arabs, reminding them that they should be fair with women, Jews, Christians and with all groups suffering daily discrimination and even death in the Muslim countries.

Lula is internationally known for his ability to offend, using any word coming to his mind. With that “special” ability, he is an author of many gaffes, usually addressed to Bush and Americans. If he is not afraid to offend or make gaffes, then why not to talk about democracy and human rights before Arabs, who have so many problems with those issues?

In the Summit of South American-Arab Countries, Lula took utmost care not to use his “special” ability against Arab leaders, even dictators. Nevertheless, he eventually offended — but, of course, not the Arabs! He offended the most discriminated ethnic group in the History: the Jews.

In a historical time when everyone should remember the tragedies of World War II, where Jews suffered brutally, almost to extermination, the Brazilian government remembered only to cut Israel from the map used by the Foreign Affairs Ministry at the Summit. On the map, the whole region where Israel should be is marked Palestine, as if the Israeli territory were exclusively an Arab State[1]. Therefore, the map of the Lula administration cut Israel out geographically, as if the Jewish land did not exist! Whom did Lula want to please? Muslim terrorists? Did Lula want to draw their vast financial resources to Brazil?

Independence of ignorance or death

Today Brazil lives in a time of extreme ignorance. A people can be destroyed for not knowing and understanding reality. There is no better or greater independence than to be free from ignorance.

However, for this independence and liberty to exist, a Tiradentes[2] should raise up, fearless of consequences. The original Tiradentes came from the Minas Gerais State, fighting and dying for the independence of Brazil. From Minas also arose the cry against the evident and incomprehensible flattery from the Lula administration for the Muslim dictatorships in the Summit of South American-Arab Countries. From Minas came the cry against the prejudiced policy from the Socialist government of Brazil against Israel. From Minas came the cry against the Brazilian stand that defended astutely the “Palestinian” terrorism against Israel.

While the Brazilian government was busy flattering Hugo Chavez and the Muslim Arabs in Brasília, in Minas an event was taking place that addressed with legitimate fairness the Middle East issues. By initiative of the state representative João Leite, the Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais honored Israel for the anniversary of the foundation of its State in 1948 and denounced the prejudice of the Summit of South American-Arab Countries against Israel.

Israel, worthy of remembering, is the only real democracy in the Middle East. Therefore, João Leite did what the Brazilian government itself should do: praise the only democratic country in the Middle East and condemn the violations of human rights and women rights in all Muslim Arab nations around Israel.

After all, Lula and his Workers’ Party always claim to carry the flag of defense of democracy and human rights. If they are not able to demonstrate seriousness for this flag, they should not use the federal government to make alliances with Arab countries without democratic tradition and turn Brazil into a circus of international tragedies. If they want such a circus, only Lula and his Party should enter it, and they should leave the government of Brazil to honest people having genuine commitment to the flag of democracy and human rights.

Perpetuating the Philistine hate

At the Summit, Hugo Chavez, Muslim leaders and Lula condemned Israel. By doing so, Lula got involved in a war that has nothing to do with Brazil. Even worse, he chose the wrong side to support, because — as always — he ignores the facts. The so-called “Palestinians” are in reality the offspring of Arabs of the region around Israel. Yasser Arafat himself, the greatest “Palestinian” leader and considered one of the greatest terrorists of the 20th century, was born in Egypt. Arabs were able to invade and occupy the Jewish land only because Israel was unprotected and unoccupied for a long time — since the beginning of the Christian era, when the Roman Empire expelled the Jews from their own land, forbidding them from returning. This expulsion was so wrathfully carried out that Roma turned the land of Israel into the simple province of Syria, destroying its national identity and changing even its name, designating all the territory of Israel as Palestine, which is a variant of Philistine land. Therefore, the title Palestine is a total forgery, made up by Romans to cover, insult, assault and destroy the only legitimate denomination of all that land. Why did the Roman Empire decide to designate it by the name of those who were the worst enemies of Israel? For vengeance — for Jews had vigorously resisted the Roman military occupation.

By clear and tragic coincidence, today all who nurture the Philistine and Roman hate against the Jews keep alive the title Palestine. Even though the current “Palestinians” have no relation — religious or cultural — to the original Philistines, they sustain their same anti-Jewish hostility.

Unfortunately, Lula chose the side that is perpetuating the hate.

“Palestinians” are welcome in Israel

Who could blame Lula for such ignorance against the Jews? Even among Christians, there are those ignorant that support the “Palestinian” fight to create a country in the territory of Israel. A point misinterpreted and even abused by liberal Christians to harm the legitimate right of the Jews to their land promised by God is taken from the Bible passages that command the Jews to accept foreigners in their land.

However, the purpose of those passages is only to include in the nation of Israel the foreigners. This is not the case with the “Palestinians”. They do not want to be included in Israel. What they want is to tear off from Israel all or much of their territory and create another nation in a place where there already is a country.

In spite of all this, Israelis are ready to admit “Palestinians” in their land as Israeli citizens. Yet, during World War II, when millions of Jews wanted to flee for the land of Israel, the English prevented it, for the “Palestinians” — who were the Arab occupants of that land — did not want the Jews. The man most unwilling to see Jews escaping the Holocaust and fleeing to their God-given land was the Jerusalem-based Muslim leader of the “Palestinians” — who in that time was a strong ally of Adolf Hitler. In fact, no one wanted to accept the Jews as refugees in their countries, nor let them flee for their own land — leaving them completely without alternative and place to go. This tragedy is as scandalous as the Holocaust itself.

In spite of this, Israelis do not nurture vengeance against those who occupied their land and refused their entry to the territory of Israel while Hitler massacred millions of Jews.

If “Palestinians” wish to be included in Israel and become Israeli citizens, the nation of Israel is ready to admit them, and the Bible itself supports that option. However, in no place does God’s Word show that there will be more than one nation in the land God gave the Jews. Besides, the Arab countries around Israel, where the Arab ancestors of the “Palestinians” came from, have territories much larger for sheltering the “Palestinians” than the tiny land of Israel. Yet, will their Arab and Muslim brothers want them? This is what Lula and liberal Christians should consider and ask themselves.

Choice of blessing or curse

Lula is too smart to make gaffes and offend the Muslim Arabs. He knows very well whom he can disturb. Yet, if his goal is to get international visibility at the expense of Israel, he will need to know who the nation of Israel is and has been since ancient times, so that he may know what happens to a man or nation allying themselves with those spreading hatred against the Jews. If he has no nerve to antagonize the ruthless and dangerous Muslims, why provoke He who said that those who touch Israel touch the pupil of His eyes? For those who believe in the Bible account, there is the undeniable fact that God always takes care of the Jewish people. The return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel after a dispersion of almost two thousand years confirms God’s care of the Jews, for in Ezekiel 37 God promises to resurrect the nation of Israel after an apparently total national death. That divine promise was completely fulfilled in 1948, with the foundation of the modern State of Israel. For those who do not believe in God and the Bible, there is the account of history, which makes very clear that the enemies of the Jews do not have an end better than Hitler, who led a whole nation to its destruction and who committed suicide.

The hate of the Philistines and Romans against the Jews is growing into a worldwide hatred against Israel. While there is time, Lula should begin to read the Bible and abstain entirely from immersing Brazil in that sea of hatred — craftily masked as support to the “Palestinian” cause. If he wants to make a real difference in the Middle East issues, he should stop condemning the Jewish people, who for centuries and centuries suffered discrimination, persecution and death. If he is determined to condemn, there are many legitimate targets that deserve censure. He should focus his attention on the Arab peoples, who, to this day, commit violations of the rights of women, Jews, Christians and other minorities in their countries.

If he reads and believes in what the Bible says about Israel, he will have an excellent perspective set before him: God promises to bless those who bless Israel (Genesis 12:3).

Source: www.lastdayswatchman.blogspot.com

[1] According to the map of Itamaraty shown in the Brazilian paper Folha de S. Paulo in May 10, 2005, page A6.
[2] Tiradentes is a national hero in Brazil, who fought and died for the independence of Brazil in the century 16.

Other articles by Julio Severo

Targeted By Bias: Evangelicals Who Voted for Bush

The Great Gaffe of Lula Against Israel

The Mark of the Beast: The Tomorrow’s Education

Helping Take Care of the Social Health

Message to President Lula on Israel

Message to President Lula on homosexuality

Growth of divorce among Christians: a biblical perspective