Displaying items by tag: israel

Elections in Israel were yesterday.  This afternoon (Wednesday) with some 97% of votes counted, the Likud with Benjamin Netanyahu and the Blue and White party with Benny Gantz were tied, each having received 35 seats each in the new Knesset. 

However, because the two religious parties, the Sephardic Shas and the Ashkenazy United Torah Judaism, received an astounding eight seats each, and have vowed to join a Netanyahu government—and there are still several other right-wing parties expected to do the same,

Netanyahu is being seen as winner (President Rivlin will almost certainly give him the task of forming a coalition after the final military and write-in votes are counted tomorrow).  This will be Netanyahu’s fifth term.  It means that Israel will go into this next season with a proven, strong defense stance against the threat from Iran.  It will continue with a leader whose prowess as a statesman is respected (if not always loved) in the international community.  There should continue to be a government with strong feelings for Israel’s right to a presence in the Covenant Land of the Mountains of Israel—Judea & Samaria—the West Bank.  And, extremely important for the present time, the relationship forged between Prime Minister Netanyahu and U.S. President Trump continues in a realm of mutual favour no new Israeli leader could hope to imitate.

On the other hand, a coalition so strongly impressed with the religious parties means one which will likely continue with a “double standard” related to religious and civil responsibilities of citizens (most ultra-Orthodox demand to be allowed to study Biblical commentaries of rabbis rather than to fulfill those responsibilities).  And the Shas party will almost certainly demand to maintain control of the Ministry of the Interior and other offices related to immigration—thus deciding who is considered a “Jew”, and discriminating against Messianic Jews and others it considers not lining up with its narrow religious views. 

In general, a far-right government is far less concerned with civil rights of Israeli citizens.  Any overtures the government might wish to take, for example, towards allowing other streams of Judaism to have access to their own portion of the Western Wall, can (as happened two years ago) be nipped off at the bud by a threat from one of the religious parties to leave and bring down the government.

Another question mark relates to the “Deal of the Century” for solving the Israel/Palestinian questions, which President Trump is due to release within a few weeks after the new government is on its feet.  Will it “allow” Israel to annex portions of the Mountains of Israel, and for Jerusalem to remain undivided?  Will the present relationship with Mr. Trump and America be able to remain close if there are tenets of the plan which Israel finds impossible to accept?

The Prime Minister Elect will have a month to put together a coalition; if that fails, he may ask for one short extension.  That failing, the country goes again to new elections.

PLEASE PRAY:

• That the God of Israel will watch over and guard the building of the new government. That none will be allowed to be formed which would restrict His path of mercy for his covenant land and people during the coming season.
• That grace will rest upon Mr. Netanyahu—a grace which leads to humility, and to seeking heavenly counsel for his governance during this term.
• That no occult powers would be able to influence the forming of the new coalition.
• That the most recent Shas leader (a convicted felon) will not be allowed to again hold the office of Ministry of the Interior. That the anti-Messiah spirit would not be allowed to reign over that office.

Martin & Norma Sarvis

Jerusalem

Over 3,000 police will be deployed across Israel, with a focus on Jerusalem, in preparation for and during the Passover holiday, which begins on 19 April at sundown. A spokesman said that tens of thousands of people are expected to arrive in Jerusalem for the first day of the holiday, and another 100,000+ on the second day for the High Priest prayer service at the western wall. This mass priestly blessing only takes place twice a year, once during Sukkot and again on Passover. Attendees receive the historic blessing from hundreds of Jews of priestly lineage as they face the congregation, hands stretched forward, chanting in one voice. The increase in security, involving border police, undercover officers, and members of special patrol units, is necessary due to a history of increased risk during the holiday period.

On 10 April Benjamin Netanyahu emerged as the winner in Israel’s election, supported by right-wing and religious parties. However, one right-wing party, led by former education minister Naftali Bennett, seems not to have passed the electoral threshold; it demanded a recount, claiming ‘someone is cheating the right-wing out of votes’. The vote was split: Netanyahu's Likud and the Blue and White party, led by Benny Gantz, received 35 seats each. The prime minister, however, secured his path to re-election by having a clear right-wing majority bloc in the Knesset. Many believe the political storm created by soft-spoken Mr Gantz has not blown over. Netanyahu recently said he would declare Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank if he won the election. This would be fiercely opposed by the three million Palestinians living there, and by much of the Arab world. See

Israelis will vote in national elections on 9 April. The campaign has been divisive, confusing and ugly, yet our prayers can declare the fundamental truth that our God reigns. The Friday prayer points sent by Intercessors for Israel can inspire our prayers for God’s chosen leader for His nation at this time. ‘Lord of all, rule over these elections so that the government of Your choice will be chosen. May Your will be done in Israel as it is already done in heaven. Raise up righteous men and women to lead this nation. Remove all confusion and bring clarity to Your people. Let there be light to guide Israelis as they decide who to vote for. Overrule any plans of the enemy that are trying to manipulation these elections for his demonic schemes. Protect all Israel from manipulation and witchcraft. Move the Arab-Israelis to vote against Arab politicians who are more concerned with the Palestinians that with their own constituents.’

Following New Zealand’s terror attack, there have been six recorded incidents in just seven days. In Israel two rockets launched from Gaza terrorised residents around Tel Aviv; explosions and sirens were heard throughout the region. Palestinian terror group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. Two Israelis were killed in another terror attack, and two days later a shooting attack on an Israeli bus traumatised passengers. In the Netherlands a gunman opened fire inside a tram, killing three and injuring others. In Kashmir 44 soldiers were killed and dozens injured by Pakistan terrorists. In Stanwell, UK, a far-right terrorist was arrested for attempted murder and racially aggravated public order. American experts say white nationalist threats are growing. Prayer leader Brian Mills says, ‘Satan undermines truth, is full of self-importance, is vehemently anti-Jewish and anti-Christian, seeks to interrupt our communication with God, and is a terrorist! We see a spirit of violence, intrinsic within Islam, being turned outwards.’

Elections are on 9 April and a new poll, taken after the attorney general said he would indict prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges, shows that he could not form a right-wing government if elections were held today. 68% of the public want him to resign now or after he is formally indicted. Following the announcement of pending indictments for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust through receiving gifts from supporters, and alleged media collusion to give him favourable coverage in return for political and regulatory favours, Netanyahu’s response was a combative speech declaring the investigation a left-wing witch hunt to aid the election of his primary rivals - the Blue and White party The poll currently gives Blue and White 37 seats and Likud 29. Netanyahu holds the record for the longest sitting single term of any Israeli prime minister.

Tensions bubble on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount after the ‘Gate of Mercy’ structure near the Al-Aqsa mosque was certified as another mosque. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued an order to remove equipment from the site and disallow prayer there. The structure was recently fitted with rugs and other furnishings and renovations for it to be used as a permanent Muslim prayer area. The Waqf, which oversees Muslim holy sites, comprises officials from Fatah, the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood. Waqf breached the site two weeks ago and has appointed an imam for the ‘Gate of Mercy’ structure. Israeli police arrested its head and other leaders, following violent protests last week on the Temple Mount, but released them a short time later. After the Six-Day War there was just one mosque on the mount: if the trend continues there will soon be five mosques there. Before 2005 the compound didn’t function as a mosque, and people normally didn’t use it for worship.

Iran has built a new precision missile factory in the outskirts of Latakia, a port city in Syria near the Russian air force base. The Syrian government and Hezbollah reportedly assisted Iran in constructing the factory. Missile parts were ordered from Italy, China, and other Asian countries, through companies established by Syria’s scientific research centre. Meanwhile, Iran’s official news agency reported a new ballistic missile with a range of 1,000 kilometres to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. In September 2018 Israel Defence Forces issued a rare statement confirming they struck a Syrian military facility near Latakia ‘from which systems to manufacture accurate and lethal weapons were about to be transferred on behalf of Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon’.

Since 2012, Israel and Germany have worked together on policies to aid the development of African countries. Germany is providing 90% of the financial support, which enables the Israelis to bring their expertise into the latest agricultural developments. Large projects, which Israel cannot carry out alone, will grow with German provision. As Israel was forced within its own land to find solutions for the lack of water in desert areas, Israelis are now blessing many countries in Africa with their knowledge, fulfilling God’s word ‘and you will be a blessing’ (Genesis 12:2).

The Bishop of Southwark was one of fifteen bishops who visited the Holy Land for ‘2019 Holy Land Coordination’. A communiqué issued by this group said: ‘We have seen how there are Israeli citizens from many different backgrounds who coexist and work together for the common good of our society. Christians there make a vital contribution, especially through schools, hospitals, involvement in public life, and attempting to build bridges between different faiths. Yet it is clear that they also face profound difficulties across all aspects of their lives. Along with Palestinian Arab citizens and migrants, many Christians are systematically discriminated against and marginalised. Those we met expressed particular concern about the Nation State Law that was recently passed. They warn that this creates a constitutional and legal basis for discrimination against minorities, undermining the ideals of equality, justice and democracy. We stand with Israel’s Christians and all those challenging discrimination, in support of their call to protect the country’s pluralism.’