People in most parts of the world stood at attention with eyes glued to television networks watching events as they unfolded in Washington on September 15, 2020 when the United States brought together the nations of Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to sign a peace deal in the White House.
It was part of the efforts of the President Donald Trump-led government of the United States to bring what it described as lasting peace in the Middle East.
That deal was not only historic but very significant in many ways. First, it marked the beginning of what President Trump described as a process towards ending the about 50 years of isolation of Israel by her Arab neighbours, as he hoped that more countries in the region would follow the path of Bahrain and the UAE. Secondly, it was aimed at sending a message to Iran that her ambition of becoming the foremost power in the Middle East was closely being monitored.
The decision by Bahrain and the UAE to make peace with Israel was more or less an acknowledgement of the fact that the process of opening up their countries to more economic development, driven by science and technology, would be fast-tracked by cooperating more with Israel and the U.S. Indeed, it can be said that economic and security considerations, rather than the love for peace, are the major factors driving the normalisation of relations between the Arab countries and Israel.
Perhaps, a bit of a background to the hostile relations between Israel and the Arab nations would provide a better perspective to appreciating the significance of the September 2020 peace deal in Washington.
The dispute between Israel and other countries in the Middle East can be traced to the conflicting claims of both parties to the piece of land that made up the British mandate territory of Palestine, which Israel considers to be her ancestral land and which the Arab nations regard as historically belonging to the Palestinians and sacred to the Islamic or Muslim world.
This disagreement reached its climax after the United Nations recognised Israel as a nation in 1947, resulting in three major wars – the 1948 Arab-Israeli War with the backing of Iraq, the 1967 Six-Day War championed by Egypt and Syria and backed by other Arab countries and Iraq, and Yom Kippur War of 1973.
Aside these, there had been minor conflicts between Israel and individual Arab countries, which were fuelled by the opposition of the countries to the rise of Zionism and their support for the Palestinian cause. However, following the routing of the Arab armies in the major conflicts in which thousands of soldiers and civilians were killed, three of the Arab nations normalised relations with Israel, first with Egypt in 1973, then followed by Lebanon in 1983, and then Jordan in 1994.
Therefore, the recent peace agreement between Israel on the one hand and Bahrain as well as UAE on the other, brings to five the number of Arab countries which have resolved to recognise Israel as a nation and restore diplomatic ties with the foremost democracy in the Middle East Region.
Many, especially those in the diplomatic community, have hailed the Israel-Bahrain/UAE deal as a major breakthrough and a feat capable of restoring peace to the troubled region, thereby engendering much desired development in the area. Indeed, more Arab countries may follow suit in signing the peace accord in the coming months and years, particularly in response to the reality of the shifting Middle East geo-politics.
But those conversant with Israel’s prophetic timeline may not be carried away by this event, historic as it seems. Reason is, the Palestinian question which is at the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict, remains unresolved. The peace process has largely been championed by the U.S. with many negotiated settlements concluded but the terms of the deals are mostly observed in breach by the parties involved.
Just as the latest peace agreement was being signed, some rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel, an action meant to send a message to Washington that the Palestinians were not in the same boat with Bahrain and the UAE on the steps being taken.
Paul, writing to the Thessalonians on the second coming of the Lord, said: “But of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” 1 Thess. 5:1-3.
The whole world is in its final moments as God continues to wrap up His agenda for this age, and Israel is the window through which Kingdom-minded believers must watch global events to understand the seasons and times we are in God’s end-time agenda.
The ongoing negotiated settlements and agreements between Israel and the Arab World may bring some respite to the warring nations and a sense of déjà vu for the deal makers, but all that will still turn sour in their mouths as the events of the end continue to unfold.
The war over Jerusalem is not over and the peace deals currently being reached will be short-lived. Jerusalem is the future capital of the Kingdom of God on earth and the devil will fight tooth and nail to prevent that already-accomplished event.
The height of it will be the Battle that will see all Arab nations and many other countries of the world gather at Armageddon with the aim of obliterating Israel. Zechariah 14:2 says: “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle: and the city shall be taken and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.”
Thankfully, God’s plan against that is revealed in Zechariah 12: 2-3, 9:
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it….And it shall come to pass that in that day that I will destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” (See Ezekiel 38 & 39 also).