For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12
This month, we’re sharing something different and deeply important. We want to take a closer look at the root causes behind Israel’s ongoing struggle for survival.
Barry recently recorded a special teaching exploring the official charters of three terror groups whose activities have shaped the conflict with Israel for generations: the PLO (and its largest faction, Fatah), Hamas, and Hezbollah. These groups differ in their makeup—some are nationalist, some are religious, and some are backed by foreign regimes. But at their core, they are united by one tragic goal: to see Israel wiped off the map.
We understand how overwhelming the details can be. That’s why we’ve prepared this blog to help you understand the truth in a clear, simple way—so you can pray with discernment, speak with wisdom, and support Israel in this critical hour.
Why Charters Matter
These are not just political documents. Charters declare what a group believes and what they’re prepared to do. They are blueprints for war—physical, ideological, and spiritual. And they reveal how these movements use all available tools: not only guns and bombs, but also propaganda, diplomacy, legal warfare (“lawfare”), and media manipulation.
The violence we see on the ground—rockets, kidnappings, stabbings—is only one part of the picture. These charters explain the ideology behind the attacks. And they help us understand why efforts toward peace are so often rejected or sabotaged.
The PLO & Fatah: A Secular Power Struggle with Conflicting Goals
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), formed in 1964, came long before the so-called “occupation” of Judea and Samaria (aka the West Bank ). In fact, when the PLO began, Judea and Samaria were under Jordanian control, not Israeli. The organization’s foundational aim was not to establish a Palestinian state beside Israel, but in place of Israel.
Its largest faction, Fatah, has dominated the Palestinian political scene for decades. Today, the head of Fatah also leads the PLO and the Palestinian Authority, which governs portions of Judea and Samaria.
But the ideologies inside the PLO were always mixed—nationalism, pan-Arabism, socialism, anti-imperialism, and secularism all jostling for dominance. These competing ideas have long made unity and peace difficult. While Palestinian nationalism promotes a unique Palestinian identity, pan-Arabism argues that all Arabs should unite under one larger state. At the same time, Arab socialism rejects Western influence, while secularism keeps religion out of governance entirely.
This confusing web of ideologies has produced more internal power struggles than progress. Tragically, violence against Israel became the one unifying cause among the factions.
It’s also important to note what the PLO doesn’t include: a belief that the land of Israel has a divine purpose, or that peace should be pursued with Israel as a neighbor. In fact, its founding documents call for the replacement of Israel. And while the PLO claims to have “softened” its language in recent years, the core goal remains unchanged.
Hamas: A Theological War Against Israel and the Jewish People
Unlike the secular PLO, Hamas is a radical Islamist group that grew out of the Muslim Brotherhood. It emerged in Gaza in the late 1980s, and its founding charter is explicit: the destruction of Israel through jihad and the establishment of an Islamic state ruled by Sharia law.
The Hamas charter doesn’t just call for the defeat of the Israeli army—it declares war against Jews as a people. Its language is overtly antisemitic, referencing Islamic end-time prophecies that glorify murdering Jewish people. These are not fringe opinions. They are central to the group’s identity.
According to Hamas’s worldview, once a piece of land has been under Islamic rule—as Jerusalem was for centuries—it must never fall into the hands of non-Muslims again. For them, Jewish sovereignty over Jerusalem is not just a political problem. It is a religious crisis.
Many in the West don’t understand how seriously this belief is taken. In the Muslim world, history is remembered with deep emotion. The Crusades, for example, are seen not as ancient history, but as yesterday. The same rhetoric used against the Crusaders is now used against Israel, seen by some as a new “foreign invader” that must eventually be driven out.
Even worse, Hamas presents itself not as a local Palestinian group, but as part of a global Islamic movement. One chilling line from their charter reads: “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam obliterates it.” Notice, it does not say Hamas will do it. It says Islam will.
At one time, some in Israeli leadership hoped Hamas could be used to counterbalance the secular PLO. But history has shown that empowering terror never leads to peace. Hamas is not interested in compromise. Its charter rejects Israel’s very right to exist.
Hezbollah: Iran’s Militant Arm on Israel’s Northern Border
Hezbollah may be less known to some in the West, but it poses one of the gravest threats to Israel’s safety. Unlike Hamas and the PLO, Hezbollah is not Palestinian. It is a Lebanese Shiite militia backed directly by Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terror.
After Israel entered Lebanon in 1982 to push out the PLO, Iran saw an opportunity. The new Islamic Republic sent military advisors, weapons, and funds—eventually forming Hezbollah into a fierce paramilitary force.
Its charter, known as the “Hizballah Program,” outlines its loyalty to Iran’s Ayatollahs, its vision of Islamic revolution, and its hatred of Western powers like the United States and France. It includes anti-imperialist rhetoric, pan-Islamist ideology, and a commitment to wage war on Israel in every form.
In the 2006 Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah launched over 4,000 rockets into northern Israel. At the time, Israel had no Iron Dome defense system. Many communities had little more than bomb shelters—many of which were crumbling from years of disuse.
That war marked a turning point.
Vision for Israel was among the first organisations to respond to the desperate calls from Israeli towns and villages. We began placing mobile bomb shelters across the country, protecting lives in the very communities that were once sitting defenseless. And even today, we continue to install these shelters—because the threat has only grown.
Three Enemies. One Goal.
Despite their differences, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the PLO share one deeply troubling common goal: the total destruction of Israel.
They may use different languages. They may wear different uniforms. But their ultimate vision is the same—an Israel that no longer exists.
Their tactics extend far beyond the battlefield. They manipulate the media. They target Israel with lawsuits in international courts. They mobilize global sympathy while hiding behind civilian populations. And they flood the airwaves with lies.
Friends, we are not simply witnessing a political conflict. This is a spiritual battle—a battle over God’s promises, His covenant, and His truth.
The nation of Israel is living proof that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is faithful to His Word. But the enemy hates that proof. And he uses every tool at his disposal—terror, propaganda, lawfare, and more—to try to destroy it.
That’s why we must pray—not just with passion, but with discernment.
How You Can Respond
1. Pray with Clarity.
- Pray for protection over Israeli families, soldiers, and first responders.
- Pray for the truth to break through lies and confusion in the media.
- Pray for the weakening of terror networks and their financial lifelines.
- Pray for healing for those traumatized by war.
- Pray for the light of God to pierce even the darkest places of hatred.
2. Give with Compassion.
The needs in Israel remain urgent. From bomb shelters to trauma support, from emergency supplies to food for families displaced by war—your gift can make a real difference.
Your support allows us to not only speak the truth, but to act in truth and love. Together, we can meet real needs and bring hope in the face of hatred.
Thank you for standing with us, for praying with discernment, and for being part of the answer in these perilous times.
