In the United Kingdom where hundreds of thousands marched in support of Hamas sickening stories of Islamic grooming gangs are in the news for terrorizing young girls.  For years voices have been trying to warn the population and government, however, for fear of being seen as Islamaphobic and racist the government has been hesitant to deal with the problems.

European countries are struggling as well.  On September 17th the Hoover Institute ran an article entitled “Migration is Remaking Europe: Is There a Workable Path Forward for the Continent?”  In 2017 author Douglas Murray wrote “The Strange Death of Europe:  Immigration, Identity, Islam.  It’s not a new problem, but it’s increasingly getting worse.

Compounding the problems has been migration from Syria where the civil war raged and Assad turned against his own people, assisted by the Russians.  According to Politico there are 4.5 million Syrian refugees that have moved into Europe since 2015.  That number is staggering, and has real world consequences.  

JNS reported that “on Nov. 19, French officials urged a collective European Union response to what they described as “one of the worst explosions of antisemitism” in recent history. French European Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad convened an emergency meeting in Brussels with his E.U. counterparts to discuss the issue.”

Certainly Jews living in Europe can feel the change.  In Paris for example Jews no longer walk displaying their identity.  It hearkens to a very dark European past, and many Jews are now trying to leave.  Just this week Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called for a “national plan to prepare for mass Aliyah” from Britain and France.

Incredibly however, Europe and the United Kingdom dance around their Islamic problems, while at the same time according to Douglas Murray, “throwing Israel to the crocodiles”.  The UK for instance suspended sending certain armaments to Israel, and Labour Muslim councillors call for a complete ban.  Canada, Spain, and the Netherlands too imposed restrictions on arms shipments to Israel.

Author and Expert in Middle Eastern Strategic Political Affairs Amjad Taha, who lives in the UAE posted the following on January 3rd–

 “America and the UK are under threat. I’ve visited those countries and seen it firsthand: mosques run by Islamists and the Muslim Brotherhood preaching hate against your children and women. They are turning activists screaming “Free Palestine” into the next bombers attacking Jews in New York or Christians in England tomorrow. This isn’t about freedom of religion or speech; it’s about exploiting your rights to destroy you from within. In the UK, the Muslim Brotherhood hides behind charities, funneling aid to Hamas and Al-Qaeda forces in Syria.

Treat your country like your home. Would you let a killer or rapist live with your children? Then why allow extremists to thrive in your backyard?” 

This attitude is not rare in the UAE, and shows why the Abraham Accords were possible, and even held together through the Gaza war, and subsequent destruction of Hezbollah.  It also is a reminder that this is a new Middle East.

Beyond the countries signed up to the Abraham Accords is now the Syrian government.  What is most interesting since the overthrow of Assad has been the overtures from the new leader Abu Muhammad al-Jolani toward Israel, even though Israel is vary wary, and rightly so!

This week however, the Syrian government representative Mohammad Badarieh met with Bakhour Chamntoub, the leader of the Syrian Jewish community, that now only numbers nine.  Badarieh promised that the Jewish community would be safe, and further offered to approve the rebuilding of the synagogue, and provide security for it.

Along with Israel we watch with great interest to see if Syria could change its relationship with its Jewish neighbours.  We do after all expect a strange peace to develop in the land of Israel before the coming down of Gog as described in Ezekiel 38.

As for the rest of the world that has welcomed in Islamic extremists with open arms, you just may receive a taste of what the Jewish people have been living with since coming home. 

“God hath power to help, and to cast down.” (2 Chron. 25:8). For Israel, it seems he is helping.  And when God is working with you He may even turn the heart of your enemy – “When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7)  

As for the Gentiles surely this would be based on the promise made to Abraham – “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee” (Gen 12:3).

What an incredible irony it would be if the Muslims surrounding Israel turn to peace, while those in Europe, the UK, and elsewhere turn fanatical.

With God, all things are possible!

Come back next week for another edition of the Bible in the News.

This has been John Billington with you.