When you approach a town to attack it, you shall offer it terms of peace.Deuteronomy 20:10 (The Israel Bible™)כִּי־תִקְרַב אֶל־עִיר לְהִלָּחֵם עָלֶיהָ וְקָרָאתָ אֵלֶיהָ לְשָׁלוֹםHear the verse in Hebrewkee tik-RAV el EER l’-hi-la-KHAYM a-LE-ha v’-ka-RA-ta ay-LE-ha l’-sha-LOM
Make Peace, Not War
Before going to war, the Children of Israel are commanded to first offer their enemies the opportunity to make peace. According to some commentators, this applies even to the nations living in the parts of the Land of Israel promised to the Children of Israel. Although the land was given the the People of Israel as an inheritance, they must first and foremost try to live in peace with their neighbors. The State of Israel has taken this Biblical verse very seriously. Israel has returned land captured in defensive wars and offered to give up even more of its land in exchange for peace with its neighbors.
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