January 19, 2009

Dena Gewanter, M.D., Israel

While the media in the West are lambasting Israel for killing women and children, and are saturating their viewers with horrific photos of bloodied corpses, Israel as a nation is undergoing an astonishing spiritual awakening as a result of this conflict. It is a pity that the world is unable to be witness to the miracles that are occurring here daily. Even the most jaded person would be amazed at the transformation of the people in this country. After many years of feeling the underdog and fearful of the approbation of he outside world, Israel is undergoing an absolute renaissance on a personal and national level.

First and foremost, Israel as a nation has finally decided to throw aside the fear of being rejected by the nations and embrace its sovereign right to defend it’s citizens from terrorist attacks. What is so astonishing, for those who know Jews and particularly Israelis, is that a whopping 92% of Jewish Israelis actually AGREE that the war is necessary and just. The adage of 2 Jews, 3 opinions and 4 political parties has vaporized in the face of the national crisis we are in. Not only is there agreement among the populace, but also the left wing and the right wing of the political spheres agree.

Even more amazing is the concordance among the various religious
factions: Ashkenazi, Sephardic, reform and conservative, Zionists
-are all joining together in prayer and supplication to the Almighty for salvation, protection and victory over our enemies. There are calls to prayer everywhere, regardless of denomination or ethnic background, everyone is united in looking towards the God of Israel to keep our soldiers safe and help us win against an evil enemy who has sworn never to stop until Israel as a nation is destroyed.

The soldiers themselves seem to have a huge spiritual hunger, and are united in not only asking for prayer but also praying themselves,
wearing tzitzit (prayer tassles) into battle and carrying the book of Psalms with them. The Rabbis are calling the tzitzit “heavenly flak jackets!” Tent synagogues on the battlefield have no less than 10 sessions every morning, and it is reported that soldiers who never attended synagogue are now praying with tefillim.

They have reason to cry out to God, since everyone is aware of the
years of preparation of the bloodthirsty Hamas militants, their
desire to kill, maim or kidnap Israeli soldiers is greater than their
desire to live; they have been financed by Iran and supported by
Syria and Hezbollah. Yet, we are defeating them, and there are
reports daily of amazing miracles of protection and Divine direction
during the battle.

The following are just a few examples: A Hamas map was found, with
booby-traps, landmines and sniper positions clearly spelled out. The
IDF was able to counter each installation due to the information
given. A large platoon of soldiers not realizing they were resting in
a school that was booby-trapped, (discovered by a soldier relieving
himself in the night), disarmed the bombs with no one hurt. A single
soldier successfully fought off several Hamas terrorists trying to
drag him into a tunnel, and all were captured. Hundreds of tunnels,
hidden in homes under beds and kitchen cabinets, all full of live
explosives and ammunition, yet none have exploded with IDF soldiers
inside.

While there have been soldiers wounded, there are miracles there as
well. A young man who moved here alone from England less than 2
years ago to serve in the army was in an explosion, and thrown into the air. After being carried off the field by other soldiers and
transported on a tractor to helicopter and then to hospital, the
doctors were utterly stunned when they saw that a piece of shrapnel
that went completely through his neck, missed the carotid artery, the
jugular vein and the spinal cord by millimeters. After they removed
it, he needed only stitches. Another soldier was shot through the
back but the bullet missed his spinal cord and exited from the front.
A young newlywed, in grave condition, inexplicably turned for the
better and will recover to go home to his wife.

On the ground level, bombs continue to fall, but here again, miracle
after miracle is reported even on the local news. One hears the word
“nes” (miracle) over and over by the reporters and the bystanders. A
bomb heading toward 4 apartment buildings goes into a sewer pipe and
explodes underground, damaging nothing above ground. An elderly woman caught in an apartment completely demolished by a bomb, walks out with scratches on her ankle. The mayor of Beersheva felt he should cancel school one day, and a rocket completely destroys an empty kindergarten. The elder housing complex that was hit in Nahariya had the sleeping quarters destroyed, but everyone had just gone to breakfast, so no one injured. A man leaves his car with his young daughter, and the car is blown up moments later after they entered a bomb shelter. If they had taken a few more seconds, he and his daughter would have been burned to a crisp. He was televised saying again and again it was a miracle.

Similar stories like these were heard during the second Lebanon war,
reported on Israeli radio and television, but no one in the west ever
heard; only negative propaganda from the terrorists was reported,
whose aim was to malign Israel and make us look like a nation of
bloodthirsty killers.

One has to grieve over the terrible destruction of the cities in Gaza and the horrific human tragedy going on there, but the responsibility for the suffering and death is directly on the doorstep of the Hamas leadership. These deluded people think that their god, Allah, will give them victory, and have entered into a battle with the true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We are literally living in times like those of the Scriptures, when the Lord told Elisha all the plans of the enemy, until the enemy began to wonder if there was a spy in their ranks.

There is hope here and unity of resolve, not despair. Even the parents of Yoni Natanel, killed by friendly fire, were quoted as saying that their son died “for the sanctification of God’s name,” and forgave and blessed those who accidently fired at his unit.

There is such heroism and courage here, one wishes that the world
could see it, but as one of our journalists said, the media have left
their brains at the door of Ben Gurion Airport. They are many miles away from the actual battle, wear flak jackets and helmets for the cameras, and then take them off to have cappuccino at the local restaurant!

Fortunately, Israelis are accustomed to being misunderstood and
maligned by the outside world. At this point, everyone knows we have
a job to do, and we are becoming more and more aware that there is a
greater Power than us is on our side.

If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and
pray and seek My Face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I
hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land
(2 Chron 7:14).

Dena Gewanter, M.D.
Kiriat Yam, Israel