TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (ANS) -- It is hard to remember a bleaker day in Israel. The early morning news was dominated by the impending prisoner exchange that was to occur that evening. Through German mediation, Israel had negotiated a prisoner exchange deal with Hezbollah, one of Israel’s most hated enemies. In exchange for the release of 500 prisoners, among them over 400 Palestinians and some Lebanese and Arab nationals, Israel was to receive the bodies of three soldiers that had been kidnapped and murdered by Hezbollah and one Israeli man, kidnapped and kept alive in captivity in Lebanon for the last three years. All of the prisoners being released by Israel are security prisoners who had been arrested for actions against the state. As has happened in the past, it can be expected that some of these same people will soon be involved again in terrorist attacks against this nation.The exchange was all the more painful as it had been engineered by the terrorist group, Hezbollah, whose openly stated goal is the destruction of the Jewish State. Needless to say, opinions were deeply divided about the terms of this agreement. This was not a joyous day in Israel.
And then at 9:00 am, the dark cloud that was already hanging over the nation turned black when a 25-year-old Palestinian police officer who was on Arafat’s pay roll blew himself up on Bus 19, only meters away from the Prime Minister’s home in Jerusalem. The huge bomb tore apart the bus scattering body parts of the victims over a large area. Ten civilians were murdered, 10 more are in very critical condition and another 50 are wounded.
As the day unfolded, a traumatized nation suffered seemingly unendurable pain as these two stories played out simultaneously. We watched the news as the deadly scene of the attack was cleared away and the story of what happened was told so many times over. The pictures of the dead and wounded were flashed on Israeli TV and the times of the funerals began to be announced. At the very same moment, a large hall at Ben Gurion Airport was being prepared to receive home the bodies of three more of her dead war heroes. Like so many others before them, these young men’s lives had been poured out in the endless struggle to make the dream of the Jewish homeland an enduring reality.
In grim contrast, there were scenes of joy and gladness in Lebanon and the West Bank as murderous men were welcomed home as heroes. Mothers wept with joy, fathers hugged their sons, and the people cheered and celebrated their victory against the Zionist enemy.
And in Israel, the grieving families each received their son back home to be buried in their land that they had died defending. It is impossible to describe the depth of this grief and despair that the nation endured as these two discordant pictures resonated against each other. Three dead bodies and one man who may have been involved in criminal activity with the Arabs in exchange for 500 living prisoners. It was a heavy price to pay.
Although the Israeli military had reported them dead a year ago, Hezbollah sadistically refused to admit that the soldiers were dead thus increasing the trauma of the families as they hoped against all hope that by some miracle their sons were still alive. When the coffins were put on the plane, the speck of hope finally died in their hearts and the grieving began.
Today, the sun rose on a suffering nation. No one knows when the next terrorist will attack. It is impossible to predict but with all certainty we know that it will happen. Another Palestinian child that was raised on a diet of hatred and Islamic fanaticism will put on his explosives and walk across Israel’s open border. And in a tragic moment that he will perceive as the glorious culmination of his young life, he will explode himself killing more innocent Israelis, victims of an evil that knows no bounds.
Yesterday’s attack on Bus 19 was the 109th suicide attack carried out in Israel over the past three years. ONE HUNDRED AND NINE TIMES men and women have crossed over from the West Bank wearing explosives on their bodies filled with the crazed desire to kill Israeli men, women and children. This is not a war but the massacre of innocent people.
The UN Security Council refused to pass an amendment condemning this latest suicide attack. And next month in The Hague, another bizarre perversion of reality will be played out as Israel is condemned for building a wall that will hopefully keep these murderers out.
Please pray for this nation and its people. You, as true believers, are Israel’s only friends. Raise your voice and be heard. Be the voice of morality and honesty in a world that has lost sight of the truth. And pray that the Gospel, the only source of hope in the midst of these dark times, will break forth in incredible power bringing true peace to this nation.
Eddie Santoro and his wife Jackie are part of the three couple leadership team Congregation Tifferet Yeshua in Tel Aviv. They are both American born and are now Israeli citizens. You can subscribe to Eddie's prayer update at