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Messianic Jews in Mevasseret Zion, west Jerusalem, continue to be harassed for their faith by hostile flyers containing their names, addresses and phone numbers (and in some cases their photographs) being placed in public areas singling them out as members of Messianic congregations. The leader of the Ahavat Yeshua Congregation said the flyers are ‘an effort to drive us out of the neighbourhood’ by inciting others to harass or harm Messianic Jews. ‘Why else would you put the addresses on the flyers?’ he said. This is the second time recently a group has singled out Messianic Jews in Mevasseret Zion for ridicule. (see PA 27-2011) It is unclear who posts the flyers but they match a well-established pattern in Israel. According to Wikileaks, ‘Outing’ Messianic Jews and Evangelical Christians through the publication of names, photos and addresses alongside hysterical allegations about ‘soul stealing’ and ‘brainwashing’ is a favourite tactic of Yad L’Achim branches throughout the country.’
Pray: for God to strengthen feeble hands, steady weak knees and remove fear from communities of believers in Israel. (Is.35:10)
More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/israel/article_120307.html
The Shin Bet’s 2012 report on terror found terrorists switching focus to less heavily-guarded Israelis abroad; noting the bus bombing in Bulgaria killing five Israelis and one Bulgarian, a bombing in New Delhi in which a diplomat’s wife was wounded, and an attempted bombing targeting a Georgian embassy employee. 2012 also saw attacks on non-Israeli Jewish communities with the death of three children and a rabbi at the Otzar Hatorah School in France. The murderer said he targeted the school due to his hatred of Israel. The report noted an unprecedented number of arrests of Hizbullah terrorists and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, many arrested abroad while planning attacks against Israelis. Notably a Hizbullah terrorist in Bangkok plotting a mass attack on Israeli tourists in Thailand; a Hizbullah terrorist arrested in Cyprus while gathering information on tourist sites, ships and airplanes used by Israelis; and Revolutionary Guards' terrorists were arrested in Kenya for planning attacks on Israelis in the country.
Pray: for continued vigilance and wisdom by Israeli and international authorities as they work towards protecting Israelis at home and abroad. (Gen.28:15)
More: http://forzion.com/2013/01/25/terrorists-new-tactic-hit-israelis-jews-overseas/
A Christian of Jewish origin who has been attacked on the streets here four times because of his faith in Christ and is seeking police protection. Jerusalem resident Yossi Yomtov said police have been slow to investigate hate crimes against him by youths wearing kippahs, cloth skullcaps typically worn by observant Jews. In two of the attacks a youth plied him with pepper spray and stun gun shocks, he said. 'This young man cursed me for my belief in Christ,' Yomtov told Compass. ‘He used ugly curses and spoke in highly abusive language.’ Yomtov, who founded the social activist group Lemallah (‘Upward’) after moving to Israel from the United States in 1999, said he was last attacked on Dec. 19. On that occasion his group was holding a demonstration in downtown Jerusalem, he said, when a man chanting anti-Christian slogans and using foul language approached him and began striking him. Police never showed up in spite of many calls to the police station, he said. Pray: that Jewish believers would be given protection against persecution by non-believers. (Ps.5:11) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/israel/13055/
Security in Jerusalem was tightened on Thursday following large riots on Tuesday that erupted when Samar Sarchan a Palestinian from east Jerusalem was killed by an Israeli security guard. Jerusalem District Police Commander gave his backing to the guard. Whilst Succot holiday events were scheduled to proceed as planned, a large police presence was in place in the Old City and surrounding area due to fears of further clashes. Also riots broke out in east Jerusalem neighbourhood of Silwan before dawn on Thursday morning, ending a two-month period of calm. The disturbances broke out after members of a Jewish family that owns a pathway in the area sought to take down an illegally built gate placed on the path by Palestinian residents. The gate leads to a mosque in the neighbourhood. (See: http://www.jpost.com/Home/Article.aspx?id=186026 In Silwan, three Molotov cocktails were thrown at police and four Molotov cocktails were hurled at the Beit Orot Yeshiva near the a-Tur neighborhood in Jerusalem. Pray: for police to have prudence and discretion as they calm the situations and for residents to refrain from further reprisals. (Pr.8:12-14)
Israeli bulldozers demolished a Bedouin village in southern Israel for the 53rd time on Tuesday. Families in Araqib managed to re-build five of the sheds and Palestinian and Israeli activists are due to visit the village to help rebuild the rest of the structures. On Monday thousands demonstrated across Israel and Palestine against a plan to displace 40,000 Bedouins from land they had always lived in but for which they have no proof of ownership. The Israeli government plan addresses the matter of unrecognized Bedouin villages in southern Israel. The plan allows the Bedouin to own 45,000 acres of land that is registered in the name of the State of Israel and they will be eligible for 62.5% of land that they own. Last month the Knesset approved the first reading of the bill to legalise Bedouin settlement in the Negev, but not before a heated debate during which the Arab MKs tore up the bill. See: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169921#.UeZ2lW1lhGM
Pray: for the 90,000 Bedouins at risk to be able to retain their communal and social fabric peacefully and for the state to give communities access to basic services and infrastructure, such as electricity and running water.(Ex.22:21 & Lev.19:33)
More: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=614293
Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman said Iran was moving at a ‘crazy pace’ toward obtaining a nuclear weapon and he hoped Israel would be able to make the correct decisions. He also said there was no doubt Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had used chemical weapons and the international community had done nothing while 90,000 people were massacred. He noted Hezbollah has missiles that can reach anywhere in Israel and expressed concern about a situation in which any terrorist group could strike Israel. The Strategic Affairs Minister said Israel was not ruling out any scenario in the Syrian civil war, including a victory by the Assad regime and warned that the S-300 anti-aircraft system that Russia plans to sell to Syria could potentially be used to shoot down civilian aircraft over Tel Aviv. Israel has not publicly taken sides in the Syrian conflict but it has launched air strikes inside Syria to destroy weapons it believed were destined for Hezbollah, which is allied with Assad.
Pray: for those in authority to be God fearing and recognize that they are accountable to Him for each decision and action. (Pr.9:10)
More: http://www.worthynews.com/top/israelhayom-com-site-newsletter_article-php-id-9579/
Israel has announced it will ease its blockade of the Gaza Strip and allow more civilian goods to enter the Palestinian territory. It comes amid growing international pressure to end the embargo. An Israeli commando raid on an aid flotilla attempting to break the naval blockade of Gaza last month was widely condemned. Israel and Egypt tightened the blockade after the Islamist Hamas movement took control of Gaza in 2007. The decision to ease the land blockade, agreed by Israel's security cabinet after a two-day meeting, will see the expansion of the number of products Israel will allow into Gaza via border crossing points. The naval blockade will remain in place. The only item singled out in an Israeli government statement is a plan to allow in construction materials for civilian projects, but only under international supervision. Pray: for an easing of the tensions between the Palestinians and Israelis, and that Gazans would have all they need to rebuild their communities. (Pr.12:20) More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/10338199.stm
On Tuesday Mayoral candidates in Jerusalem started the morning with prayers at the Western Wall. In Tel Aviv flyers calling for replacement of the incumbent mayor referred to him as 'Don' Huldai. On Tuesday Israelis voted for mayors and other local officials in 191 cities, towns and local authorities. In some areas votes were cast not on how well their municipality will be run but on how to ‘save’ Jewish women from the clutches of Arab men. While the far-right rise in Israeli national politics has made headlines, less attention has been paid to how this has played out in day-to-day relations between Israeli Jews and the country's Palestinian-Arab minority that comprises a fifth of the population. Israel's local elections have brought a tide of ugly racism to the fore, especially in a handful of communities known as ‘mixed cities’, where Jewish and Palestinian citizens live in close proximity.
Pray: against racist language and fear-mongering in Nazareth, Karmiel, Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Galilee and wherever communities are segregated on an ethnic basis. (Is.9:1-3)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed direct peace talks every two weeks between himself and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas as ‘The only way to solve problems in the Middle East.’ The Palestinians intend boycotting the meetings if Israel fails to renew the freeze on settlements in the West Bank. The EU condemns Tel Aviv for jailing pro human rights activist Abdullah Abu Rahmeh for protesting against the West Bank wall. The proposal, drawn up by the premier and his men Wednesday night, will be submitted September 2, when peace talks begin in Washington. ‘In the Middle East, serious negotiations require direct discreet and consistent encounters, among the leaders on major issues’. The International Court of Justice declared the construction, begun in 2002, illegal in 2004. Israel has always maintained that the 'security barrier' is to prevent suicide attacks from taking place. Pray: for ongoing consistent communication that would enable each person to see things with different eyes. (Mal.4:2) More: http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Netanyahu-proposes-direct-peace-talks-every-two-weeks-19293.html
The Israel Air Force (IAF) struck two targets in the Gaza Strip overnight Wednesday, in response to Palestinian terrorists' violation of an informal cease-fire agreement. A fragile hours-long calm came after four days of violence with 200+ rockets fired from Gaza and 26 Palestinians killed in IAF strikes - 22 believed to be terrorists. Hostilities began Friday after the IDF killed two Islamic Jihad terrorists charged with plotting a cross-border terror attack from Sinai. Wednesday’s direct hits came in response to a Grad rocket fired into the southern town of Netivot. IDF Chief of Staff said that rocket attacks such as the one in Netivot would be met with Israeli air strikes. Schools were cancelled in towns and cities located between 7 km to 40 km from the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that ‘quiet will bring quiet’ but warned Israel would strike anybody trying to attack it.
Pray: God's protection for innocent lives caught up in this latest fracas and His wisdom in all decisions to be made. (Ps.16:1)
More: http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=261773