May 2009

Dear friends of Israel:

When Benjamin Netanyahu was finally able to present his new government after a long struggle, the so-called G-20 countries met in London. At both events the threat posed by radical Islam was one of the main topics. However, there were different opinions of how to deal with that threat. The new Israeli government does no longer feel any obligation towards the resolutions that the former President Bush achieved in Annapolis between Israel, the Palestinians and the United States. Of course Netanyahu's government will make further attempts to come to an agreement with the Palestinians, albeit with a different approach to reach this goal.

It will be no later than during Netanyahu's first visit to the U.S. that it will become obvious whether he is able to convince President Obama and his administration that his approach is more realistic than the former one. However, one thing is already evident: Due to Israel's dependence on the United States the Israeli government can only pursue a policy that is accepted and supported by America. In this context President Obama has announced that unlike the Bush administration his government will not rely on unilateral actions, but rather focus on a consensus with the EU, Russia and the United Nations. This is why the direction of his policy is already foreseeable. It will be difficult for Netanyahu to convince Obama that the approach of his new government is more appropriate for solving the upcoming problems.

However, the common denominator of Netanyahu's government is the intention to choose a different way towards a peace with the Palestinians, most of all because of the never ending threat posed by radical Islam, be it through Hamas from within or through Iran and her supporters from without. Both threats were also much talked about at the G-20 summit in London. President Obama also is aware of the ever present threat through terror groups such as Al Qaida, the Taliban and their allies. This is why he has said that acting against these groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan should be one of NATO's top priorities for securing worldwide peace.

At least this subject provides common ground between the new governments in the United States and Israel. Of course the world economic and financial crisis is a further reason for a co-operation without provoking an additional crisis. Anyway, the question is whether the contradictory coalition of the new Israeli government will be around for a longer period of time, as it will doubtless come under enormous pressure from within and from abroad. Whether it is the G-20 summit in London or the summit of the Arab states in Doha, Qatar, the overall focus at such events will always be the demand for a solution of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians as well as the establishment of a Palestinian state.

However, we can be sure that Israel remains in the centre of world events until God will have achieved His purposes for His people. After all, in Isaiah 62:1 He proclaims: "For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn."

Sharing with you the assurance that God will fulfill His wonderful plans through the developments in this world, I am sending you a warm Shalom.

Fredi Winkler