January 7, 2024

As we mark the turn of the new year, it’s imperative to reflect on the cascade of events that rocked the very foundations of the geopolitical stage beginning just three months prior. The world witnessed the brink of cataclysmic change, the potential rewriting of nations’ fates, and perhaps most significantly, the astonishing reaffirmation of a nation’s right to exist against impossible odds.

The turmoil began without warning on the Jewish Holiday of Simchat Torah, celebrating the joy and the truth embodied in the Holy Book. It was an orchestrated chaos as 2,500 bloodthirsty terrorists launched a meticulously planned assault on Israel from the south. They savagely murdered, raped and burned innocent civilians. More than 1000 civilians, most Israeli but also citizens of 40 nations, were killed, many dismembered and decapitated. Some were so unrecognizable that they could not be buried in individual graves. The serenity of an early autumn morning was violently shattered as explosions and sirens filled the air, rockets and gunfire erupting within the communities of Israel, farms and festival, a stark shofar-blast that a period of unprecedented strife had begun.

Israel’s response was swift and unrelenting. The Israeli defense forces, though ignominiously taken by surprise, mobilized with remarkable speed and vigor, initiating a formidable counter-offensive within Gaza. Yet, every action in war has its price. The civilian casualties, a consequence of the densely populated combat zones, became a spark that lit a firestorm of global outrage, ironically against the Jewish victims of the unprecedented massacre and Jewish people worldwide.

Muslim and leftist protests erupted across cities worldwide, the scale and fervency of which had not been seen in decades. These were not confined to the Islamic world; they spread like wildfire through the West, even reaching the traditionally peaceful streets of Europe’s capitals. The ideological war in the court of public opinion was one Israel seemed destined to lose, as one-time allies, under internal and external pressures, distanced themselves from the Jewish state, voicing condemnations at the United Nations and other international forums.

In the physical realm, the conflict escalated at a staggering pace. Israel found itself not only diplomatically isolated but facing a tangible existential threat as surrounding nations formed a military coalition and thousands of devastating missiles rained on every corner of the country. Even its erstwhile ally had turned against it and declared itself neutral and “even-handed,” demanding a ceasefire and a UN-imposed peace settlement that would strip Israel of its sovereignty. The unified goal of Israel’s enemies, unambiguously voiced, was the utter destruction of the Jewish nation. This aggressive posturing alarmed global superpowers, destabilizing the precarious balance of international relations. The whole world watched and waited, with bated breath.

Within Israel, the atmosphere was a tense tempest of fear, defiance, and determination. The nation, so accustomed to its strength and the reliability of its defenses, encountered massive failures in its trusted systems. The Iron Dome, symbol of Israeli ingenuity and security, was compromised, leaving the population exposed to relentless enemy fire. Cities once thought impregnable fell under siege, key infrastructural points were obliterated, and every victory seemed pyrrhic as the enemy’s footprint expanded.

The world watched in horror, and nations braced for what was increasingly accepted as an inevitable tragedy. The United States, understanding the potential for unspeakable atrocities, launched a last-ditch evacuation operation. The scenes at Israeli ports, broadcast worldwide, became the haunting symbols of despair for a nation on the verge of annihilation. Every departing ship, desperately overcrowded with fleeing citizens, was a testament to the pervasive fear for the very fabric of Israeli society.

As the dark curtain of hopelessness descended, Israel and its people, surrounded and alone, faced the harrowing reality of their potential extinction. This moment, stark and desperate, would forever be etched into the annals of history, a poignant reminder of the fragility of peace, the haunting specter of annihilation, and the indomitable spirit of those facing the abyss.

It was at the world’s darkest hour, with the final vestiges of hope crumbling, that the tide of destiny turned. The coalition forces, their bloodthirsty cries echoing across the battlefield, readied for their conclusive strike, assured of their victory. Yet, the annals of history and future generations will remember what happened on that fateful day as nothing short of miraculous.

Without warning, on the Jewish holiday of Hannukah, the miraculous and inexplicable struck. The advancing armies, moments away from overrunning the last defenses, were suddenly and violently decimated. Soldiers, gripped by an unseen terror, collapsed where they stood; military hardware malfunctioned, and chaos spread like wildfire through the invaders’ ranks. Cities that had jubilantly celebrated the Jews’ impending downfall were obliterated. It was as if the hand of an avenging force had swept over the battlefield, leaving only ruin in its wake in the nations that surrounded Israel.

The world could hardly believe the reports emerging from the front lines. An event of biblical proportions was unfolding, defying all logic and understanding. Global intelligence services were at a loss, military analysts baffled. No one could explain what appeared to be divine intervention. The very forces that had thirsted for Israeli blood now found themselves fleeing in an unprecedented rout, their previous positions of power and authority crumbling around them.

In the conflict’s cataclysmic aftermath, the geopolitical landscape was irreversibly altered. Israel, under the protective wing of an inexplicable phenomenon, emerged not just unscathed but in a position of unexpected strength. The bloodthirsty terrorist forces and their supporters, those who had sworn the destruction of the Jewish state, were now compelled to flee for their lives from the land they had sought to conquer. It was a new catastrophe, dubbed Nakba 2.0, bringing ruin on those who sought to “liberate Palestine.” The Palestinians, famous for never missing a chance to miss a chance for peace, in their thirst for Jewish blood, had brought destruction on their own heads and contributed mightily to their wholesale exile at the very moment that annihilation of millions of Jews appeared within their reach.

Amidst this extraordinary turn of events, a dramatic transformation occurred within the very heart of Jerusalem. The Islamic holy sites on the Temple Mount, long a point of contention, were reduced to rubble under mysterious circumstances. In their place, the construction of the Third Temple began, a profound symbol of a new era and the fulfilment of ancient prophecies. Believing Jews and Christians rejoiced, many coming to believe that the Messiah had indeed returned, not as a man but as the resurrected nation of Israel. Believers rushed toward Israel, this time in love and appreciation for the tiny resilient nation fulfilling Biblical prophecy.

Today, three months after the surprise attack, and just weeks after the Hannukah miracle, as the dust settles on the ruins of conflict, the world is a different place. Israel stands sovereign and indisputable, a testament to survival against unimaginable odds. The events have reshaped diplomatic, military, and spiritual conversations around the globe. Nations, leaders, and everyday people now speak with reverence and awe of the miracle that preserved a country on the brink of destruction.

The road ahead remains uncertain, the scars of the near-apocalypse still fresh. However, one truth rises above all others — the existence of a force, whether divine or cosmic, that intervened at humanity’s darkest moment, altering the course of history. The world watches Israel, the miracle nation, with a renewed perspective, one of respect, wonder, and awe, for the unknown hand that shielded it from harm may yet stir again in the unpredictable theatre of human affairs.