Who isn’t encouraged by hearing a story of unity in the midst of a crisis? Unity and restoration are happening in the Promised Land in the middle of the coronavirus crisis. One way we are seeing this is with Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection as the Israeli prime minister just days ago.
Back in September 2019, the results of the Israeli election were undecided. Shalom Lipner, a former Israel official who served in the prime minister’s office, tweeted in September… “He’s [Benjamin Netanyahu] down, but not out. He’s smarting over hemorrhaging votes, but his consolation is they didn’t give an obvious majority to his competitors.”
The competitor was Benny Gantz’ Blue and White Party.
After the first election in April 2020, two more elections have taken place. A decision was finally made on March 26, 2020, that Benjamin Netanyahu would resume the position of prime minister in Israel.
Unity in Israel
Benny Gantz has joined Benjamin Netanyahu in the Likud party as of March 26, 2020. Gantz’ decision to join forces along with the action taken by others to unite with the Likud party gave Benjamin Netanyahu 78 votes. He only needed 61 votes to win the majority. Therefore, you can see a strong coalition government was formed.
Benny Gantz will come into the Likud party as the foreign minister. He has also accepted the Head of the Knesset due to Edelstein’s resignation.
The Times of Israel reported on March 27…
“Gantz offered himself as the sole candidate for the Knesset speaker’s job — and was elected to the post on Thursday [March 26] afternoon — which he is set to hold only for a brief period while the terms of the unity coalition are finalized. He will then serve as foreign minister for the first 18 months of the emergency unity government, under the terms of the reported deal, before succeeding Netanyahu as prime minister.”i
Benjamin Netanyahu will remain as Israel’s prime minister until September 20, 2021. Benny Gantz will be working closely with him leading up to date. At that time, Gantz will step into role of the prime minister of Israel.
Why is Unity in Israel Great News?
There is a great balance in the unification of Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz. The two coming together is an answer to our prayers and yours.
As a supporter and sponsor of My Olive Tree, you have prayed with us for a resolution. God has been faithful as you have prayed for the peace of Israel and Jerusalem…
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.’ For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, ‘Peace be within you.’ Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.” —Psalm 122:6-9
Unity in Israel During the Coronavirus Crisis
Political Unity in Israel
In the midst of the reelection, we can’t forget that a global pandemic is also taking place.
“Yoav Kisch, a Likud MK, used the debate preceding the vote on a speaker to praise Gantz for his ‘courageous’ move in partnering with Netanyahu in this period of the coronavirus crisis.
“Netanyahu and Gantz had discussed the possibility of setting up an emergency government to tackle the coronavirus Wednesday, taking a rare actual step toward a much-touted unity coalition.”ii
Unity at the Border | An Agreement to Stay Home
Amazingly, God has placed it on the hearts of the authorities surrounding Israel to agree on keeping health and safety a priority. The agreement is to secure the borders, asking Israeli citizens to stay at home in efforts to control and minimize the coronavirus outbreak as much as possible. The Palestinians and the Israeli authorities are being unified in the message of social separation in this rare time.
The God of Israel is a God of Unity
As we pause for a moment to see how unity in Israel is taking place, we can also be reminded that God is faithful to His Word. He is a God who unifies people and nations for His glory and His purpose. We might not be able to see the entire purpose of the times we are living in right now, but we can trust that God is…
- In control
- Worthy of our honor
- Works all things out for the good of those who love Him
- Our protection
- Watching over our families, communities, states, and the nations
“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us…”—Acts 17:26-27
“And when the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.”—Ezra 3:1
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forevermore.”—Psalm 133:1-3
Because God is a God of unification and restoration, let us pray for the unity in Israel to continue. Let us stand with her and honor her in unity. This is God’s will and purpose. It is through this unification that you and Israel will prosper!
“I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
—Genesis 12:2-3