Sudan signed a peace treaty with Israel.
This comes after the UAE and Bahrain recently peace treaties.
These countries join two other Arab nations that have long-standing peace treaties with Israel – Jordan, and Egypt.
These recent peace treaties prove that the belief that, without a treaty with the Palestinians, no Arab nation would make peace with Israel, was wrong.
Israel has lots to offer these countries, primarily in the areas of agriculture and science.
These are countries that are comprised primarily of desert terrain, and they want to utilize these large areas. The peace treaties mean that they’ll now have access to Israeli technologies and know-how, which will help them greatly.
Israel also benefits from these treaties, both politically, and in terms of security.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has indicated that other countries are expected to sign peace treaties with Israel in the near future.
Let’s look at the Hebrew word for peace – שָׁלוֹם (shalom).
This word comes from the root letters ש-ל-מ.
It refers to שְׁלֵמוּת (shleimut) completeness or wholeness, the opposite of war.
In the Bible, this word has a slightly different meaning – serenity, quiet, security (economic and military).
Today the word is also used as a greeting when meeting someone or taking leave of them.
There are also other greetings and blessings that use this word:
צֵאתְכֶם לְשָׁלוֹם
(tzetchem leshalom) – go in peace, travel safely
בּוֹאֲכֶם לְשָׁלוֹם
(bo’achem leshalom) – enter in peace, welcome
מָה שְׁלוֹמְכֶם?
(ma shlomchem) – how are you (pl)?
So let us end by wishing you
יְהִי שָׁלוֹם עָלֶיכֶם
(yehi shalom alechem) may peace be upon you (pl), which means: May you feel good, may your lives be quiet and calm.
Interesting to know: Temples and Holiness in the Hebrew Language
