Israel 2011

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As I write this column, I am sitting in a hotel room with a view of the wall of the old city of Jerusalem. This will be the first installment of several articles I will do about my trip to the Holy Land, the things we've done and seen and I will try to shed some light on what is going on in this very complex and volatile part of the world.

Trying to describe Israel and its six thousand year history in a series of columns is like trying to pour the contents of a swimming pool into a thimble. But I'll try to be concise and cover as much ground as I can.

First of all what you see on the surface of Israel is only man's latest effort, with millenniums of civilizations buried beneath it, stacked one on top of the other, layer upon layer of ancient societies beneath even the most recognizable landmarks that are so abundant here.

What is known for certain about this mysterious and intriguing place would fill many libraries full of thick volumes and what is not known for certain would fill just as many.

For instance, historians know where the Temple stood, where Jesus was tried and whipped by the Romans but the exact location of the crucifixion is not known for sure. Over the years it has basically boiled down to two major sites, one being covered by a Catholic church called the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the other on a hill with a scull shaped impression in the side of it, adjacent to an empty garden tomb carved out of solid rock.

There are many such Old and New Testament disputes about where certain biblical events took place.

Israel is a small country and their enemies live in their backyard - so to speak, and with the so-called Arab Spring all but guaranteeing that practically all Arab countries will be under the control of radical Muslims in a short while, the neighborhood just gets tougher and tougher.

In the coming articles we will explore some of the centuries old problems Israel faces, the people, the places and some of the events leading up to the present day situation Israel finds itself in.

I hope that I can help being some understanding about what's going on in this troubled part of the world.

You certainly won't learn about it in the media.

What do you think?
Pray for our troops, and for our country.

God Bless America

Charlie Daniels