Israel’s living hostages have now come home and are reuniting with family and friends. Undoubtedly, they are facing hardships after spending over two hellacious years in tunnels and dungeons, enduring who knows what sort of torture and torment. I am exceedingly thankful the hostages are home, and I rejoice with our Israeli friends.

I am also for peace and am glad the hostilities have subsided (at least temporarily). I greatly appreciate the efforts of the parties involved in negotiations. However, I am not a fan of the 20-Point Peace Plan, which seems to be a horrid deal for Israel. Have you read the 20 points? If not, take time to read it here. Enemies of Israel should be rejoicing…they are getting major concessions. Understand, Israel made those concessions to a terrorist group who has vowed and proven to continue trying to wipe Israel off the planet.

First, are you aware that Israel gave up over 2,000 imprisoned terrorists, at least 250 of them with lifetime sentences, in order to receive their 20 living hostages? If that is not enough, Israel is giving up 15 deceased Gazans for every dead Israeli hostage. The remains of over 15 dead Israeli hostages are still being held, despite the fact Hamas agreed to release them within 72 hours of the peace agreement. (Israel upheld their end of the agreement.)

I was absolutely sickened by CBS’s 60 Minutes on Sunday night. I never watch the super-woke joke of a news magazine, but I wanted to hear their twisted take on the deal. They did nothing but disparage Israel for breaking the ceasefire, killing dozens of “innocent” Palestinians, starving people (despite more food rotting in Gaza than is provided to other poor nations on earth), and thrusting Palestinians back into fear and hopelessness. Not a word was said about rockets fired from Gaza since the ceasefire, Hamas terrorists encroaching on the ceasefire line threatening the IDF or raiding aid trucks, killing of IDF soldiers, or Hamas shooting their own people in the streets of Gaza! (All of which violate multiple points of the ceasefire agreement.) Media outlets remain pawns and puppets of evil and refuse to report accurately.

Israel’s agreement to the 20-point plan also means:

• Israel gives up any potential of even temporarily governing the Gaza Strip or annexing it if Hamas refuses to disarm.
• Israel seems forced to once again concede entitlement to the Palestinian Authority, allowing them some potential governing authority in Gaza. Israel has worked for years to contain the PA’s threats from Judea and Samaria (West Bank) and had worked themselves into the preferred negotiating position with the PA. That appears to have been lost in the peace plan.
• The two-state solution has crept back into the political narrative. Woke nations have recognized a Palestinian state and the agreement seems to reopen that door. Neither the Palestinians nor the Israelis want a two-state solution. (The Palestinians want it all…from the river to the sea, and Israel wants no part of a recognized terrorist state inside their rightful national boundaries.)
• What’s to stop the Islamic negotiators such as Turkey, Qatar, Egypt from positioning themselves to take over Gaza (particularly after Trump leaves office)? Turkey’s PM wants to re-establish the Islamic caliphate in the region (including over Israel), Qatar is the primary protector of Hamas leaders and Hamas’ personal piggy bank, and despite Israel’s peace treaty with Egypt, they were responsible for allowing munitions through their border with Gaza to supply Hamas with weapons and ammunition. Do we really think they will govern Gaza with any sort of concern for Israel?

Now to address the 60-ton gorilla in the room. Make no mistake, this deal was a business deal, not a political one. Though I don’t have faith in political negotiations with terrorist states that vow to wipe Israel off the map, it beats a business deal. Notice who made the deal on behalf of the Trump administration. Not Secretary of State Marco Rubio (though he was a side player). But rather Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, both billionaires who have done considerable business dealings with Qatar. They were the real deal makers. Are we to believe there is no personal incentive in making deals with the very nation with whom they have earned billions in business deals? (Be reminded that it is Qatar that houses Hamas’ top leaders and funds terrorism to the teeth.) That is a legitimate conflict of interest.

Now, the caveat. There is NO WAY Hamas will ever live up to their end of the agreement. Their very charter calls for them to destroy Israel. That is the purpose of their existence. Meanwhile, President Trump has proven, via the Abraham Accords and other negotiations in the Middle East, that he is a supreme deal-maker.

This appears to be a very bad deal for Israel. But is Trump banking on Hamas’ inept foreign policy? How certain is he that Hamas will fail at all conditions? It is often said:

The Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity!

Indeed, they have had many opportunities to enter favorable agreements with Israel, yet they never have. But here is the secondary concern: How long will the Trump administration put pressure on Israel to uphold their end of the bargain before turning them loose to do what they need to do to eliminate Hamas? I’ll leave a door open for my mind to be changed about the peace agreement, but Trump must hold firm in allowing Israel to act if Hamas continues violating the agreement.

I’m willing to give some breathing room, but the 20-Point Plan itself just doesn’t line up with what I read in God’s Word. The agreement is filled with anti-Israel elements, and in essence, we bank on Hamas continuing to do as Hamas does…perpetrate evil. In that scenario, we hope for Hamas’ evil to continue! It just doesn’t seem right.

I choose to stand with Israel, even if that means refuting “good deals” put forth by people who say they stand with Israel. I pray for the Trump administration to prove me wrong! May the wisdom of God guide and direct their actions regarding Hamas.

Let’s finish on a high note: There will never be peace anywhere in the world unless and until the Prince of Peace reigns! Yes, I’m happy President Trump wants to be a peacemaker (though I disagree with some of his ways of going about it). I wish him success, and I pray for peace, as we should. But my prayer for peace has much more to do with the Holy Spirit bringing the peace that passes all understanding.

Dear friends, I urge you to press into the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. Evil in this world will never relent, and neither must we. Take a stand when the opportunity arises, but more than that, stand with the One who gives us life…the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 62 encourages us to never hold our peace, never be silent, and “give Him no rest till He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” (That a fantastic chapter to guide your prayer time for Israel.)

Stay strong friends, and put your trust in the Prince of Peace!