April 1992 Personal Letter

Dear Friends,

I know that some of you feel that my letters are predictable these days — whatever happens in the world, Zola will always comment on Israel first. The fact is our newsletters, and especially our Levitt Letter Extra, our high-speed subscription commentary which follows big news events, cover highly varied topics — spiritual, prophetic, political, etc. But frankly, I do observe Paul’s dictum concerning the Gospel (“to the Jew first” [Rom. 1:16]), and without apologies. I am only reacting to a lopsided press that seems to always come down against the Holy Land, and to an administration that appears hellbent on the destruction of our most faithful ally.

With all of that said, let me present thoughts from a different commentator, New Jersey Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, who addressed the New York Times’ Letters Page as follows:

I would like to cast a different perspective on United States policy in the Middle East from “Lending for Peace in Israel” (editorial, Feb. 6). In endorsing the Administration’s policy on loan guarantees, which demands major concessions from Israel, you are very harsh on Israel. Israel is not the only party to the conflict.

When discussing loan guarantees to absorb refugees, those who advocate that the United States put pressure on Israel to resolve the issue of settlements in the West Bank focus on only part of the story.

The controversy over the settlements aside, it’s important to have a balanced perspective on our policy in the Middle East. The United States has deep-rooted disagreements with Arab policies and actions. The refusal of the Arabs to recognize Israel’s right to exist, to eradicate terrorism, to end the boycott of United States companies doing business with Israel to abandon their pursuit of dangerous and destabilizing weapons and the unwillingness of Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinians to participate in the multilateral phase of the peace talks are a few of those issues. These are real obstacles to peace, which we ought not gloss over.

To focus exclusively on Israeli settlement policy while ignoring our differences with Arab countries paints an unbalanced picture. We ought to be more forceful in pressuring Arab countries to resolved the differences.

Using loan guarantees as a club to pound Israel in the absence of concessions from enemies will not lead to peace, but instead increase Israel’s sense of isolation, embolden the Arab countries and make peace less possible.

I couldn’t have said it better myself. The good Senator bucks the popular tide against Israel. If we did things his way our nation just might prosper again (see Genesis 12:3).

Speaking of prosperity, I want to thank you all for your kind support of our upcoming Dead Sea Scrolls programming. The national prime time special, and a few regular programs as well, are now in production. We will have a fine new series with location footage from Israel which will be ready to air after our Unto the Gentiles programs. Please continue to send whatever support you can as we try to hold to our tradition of steadily bringing you new programs despite these difficult economic times. Actually, our economy seems to be taking a turn for the better, but that should affect nobody’s Christian giving, one way or another.

We’ll remain at our posts at the front; please send us some ammunition.

Your messenger,

P.S. We’re pleased to announce that we will be “Buying American” on our Summer tour of the Holy Land as we will be flying with Delta Airlines. Why not join our group as Zola teaches at the important biblical sites you have imagined as you read your Bible? Our Basic Tour of Israel will depart June 2 and return June 11. Those who choose the Grand Tour extension will cruise to the Greek Islands of Patmos, Rhodes and Myknonos, as well as tour Athens, Corinth and Ephesus. Then we will use Athens as our base while we explore additional ancient and modern sites in Greece until our return June 17. And good news — Delta is offering discounted add-on fares for our passengers’ domestic flights to and from JFK Airport in New York City, so your total price will be significantly less than our past tours! Write or call Cheryl today at (214) 690-1876 for our detailed brochure.