Israel’s former Ambassador to the U.S., Yoram Ettinger said: Chanukah’s uniqueness. Chanukah is the only Jewish holiday which commemorates a Land-of-Israel national liberation struggle. … The Maccabees, responding to an ultimatum by the Syrian emperor, Antiochus said: “We have not occupied a foreign land; We have not ruled a foreign land; We have liberated the land of our forefathers from foreign occupation.” . Thus they responded to a super-powers ultimatum to end ‘occupation of Jaffa, Jerusalem, Gezer, Ekron and Gaza.’” (Read article)
God says: “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will most assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.” … “Now I have chosen Jerusalem for my name to be there forever.”… “You will live in the land I gave you forefathers; your will be my people, and I will be your God.” .
The Jerusalem Connection says: For modern Israel to stand against the enormous pressure of the Obama administration and the growing anti-Semitism world-wide, a new generation of Maccabees must arise. These modern-day Maccabees will likewise stand on the irrevocable covenant promises made to their “forefathers.” This is really the strongest argument Israel has for its existence. We know this because the Palestinians go apoplectic when Israel claims its Biblical heritage based on the promises of the God of Israel. That should be a clue to Israel – emphasize God’s promises because it is truth that the world can’t deny. The Arabs may claim that there was never a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and try to destroy any archeological evidence that proves otherwise. But the Biblical record is clear and unequivocal. And this is what a new generation of Maccabeans must emphasize. If and when they do this, you can be sure God will do His part to make it happen.