Displaying items by tag: Middle East

In 2014 Abu Jaber's al-Shaitat tribe stood up to challenge IS in their oil-rich lands. IS hunted 700 - 1,000 men, shot some and beheaded others, filming their slaughter as a lesson for others. The 90,000 members of the al-Shaitat tribe in villages along the Syria-Iraq border were defeated. IS was at its peak, holding an area the size of Britain. Abu Jaber went on the run. Now is the moment that he has waited for - he wants revenge. IS’s defeat is of great global significance. However, for the sons, nephews and cousins of the al-Shaitat men who were massacred, it is an intimate affair. The victory has levelled towns and villages, leaving hundreds of civilians dead. We can pray for God to send mission workers to the area to help with rebuilding homes and transforming the lives of communities; giving hope, healing wounded souls and creating spaces for healthy rebirths.

Over 200 female Muslim refugees gathered in a highly restrictive Middle East country, where Hana, a Christian, addressed them. Four officers sat in the front row, watching her. ‘I had to be very careful,’ she said. ‘We had called this meeting without a permit.’ She said to her audience, ‘I know how devoted you are to Islam, how much you respect and love God, how honest you are in your worship. You fast and pray so faithfully. But on the other hand I feel sorry for you because you can never be sure of your salvation. You can never know if your destiny is heaven or hell.’ Then Hana boldly asked the officers, ‘Would you please leave the room? I need to speak to these women in private.’ The officers complied. God poured out His Spirit on the women. Hana recounted, ‘I asked those who wanted to follow Jesus to stand and pray. They all did, the entire group, every one of them!’ For the full story, click the ‘More’ button.

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’.

The US decision to remove 2,000 troops from Syria worries France, which has 200 special forces in areas wrested from IS by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). US forces ferried supplies to French commandos, and helped evacuate French wounded. But the great dilemma is what to do with the 130 French jihadists held by the SDF (along with 770 from other countries). The SDF complains of the burden of guarding so many foreign jihadists, and wants France to repatriate its 130 nationals. The numbers could swell. Another 250 French jihadists are held in Iraq. Many of the detainees are women and children deeply implicated in terrorism. The French prison systems cannot cope with a massive influx of returning jihadists. And if they are tried, it could be difficult to find evidence against them. There are already 150 returnees in the prisons, with thirty due to be freed this year. French intelligence has repeatedly been unable to prevent terrorists on watchlists from staging attacks.

An estimated 180,000 people attended mass with the Pope in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, close to the birthplace of Islam.  The crowds gathered to hear him just a day after he called on Christians and Muslim leaders to work together in the rejection of war. He spoke about how Christians should live, pointing out that Jesus came to serve and not be served. He went on to say Jesus lived in poverty in respect to things, but displayed wealth in love. He healed so many lives, but did not spare his own. In his speech to an audience consisting of Abu Dhabi's crown prince, hundreds of imams, muftis, ministers, and rabbis, the Pope warned that the future of humanity was at stake unless religions come together to resist the ‘logic of armed power.’ ‘We will either build the future together, or there will not be a future. God is with those who seek peace.’

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.’

At the UN Security Council’s Middle East monthly meeting, the Syrian ambassador threatened an airstrike on Israel’s international airport near Tel Aviv, in retaliation for Israeli air force attacks on military targets at Damascus and elsewhere in the country. When the Syrian war erupted, Israel stated it would stay out of the conflict unless actions were hostile to the Jewish state, including the transfer of arms to Iranian proxy Hezbollah. As indications grew that Iran was exploiting the void left by the Syrian turmoil to build its own presence there, Israel vowed to act against Tehran’s entrenchment, and has repeatedly attacked Iranian targets. After a daytime Israeli strike on Damascus airport, an Iranian-made surface-to-surface missile was fired from Syria into the Israeli side of the Golan Heights. IDF’s defence system intercepted the rocket. This escalation is seen as the most serious in many months.

When worship programme Keep on Singing broadcast a special episode from Jordan, God used it powerfully. The programme showed a new vision of Jordanian Christian identity, and featured worship songs by a band from Karak Evangelical Church. Band member Mawiyah Halasa said they received many calls and messages telling them how large numbers of brothers and sisters who used to come to church had returned to the Lord. Whilst most Christians have relative freedom to practise their faith, converts to Christianity can face serious opposition. Pray that God will protect and bless Jordanian Christians who are under pressure because of their faith. The video has been shared hundreds of times, and viewer comments came both from locals and from those further afield.

President Erdogan has snubbed US national security advisor John Bolton, who was visiting the region to discuss the withdrawal of US troops from Syria and future US involvement there. Bolton asked for assurances that Turkey would not harm Kurdish fighters in Syria in future. He held discussions with Turkish officials, but President Erdogan refused to meet him and described his comments as ‘a serious mistake’, adding: ‘We cannot make any concessions. Those involved in a Syrian terror corridor will receive the necessary punishment.’ A commentator said, ‘Everyone is jockeying for position in Syria because the war is winding down. There is concern over the US leaving Turkey in charge.’

On 26 December the Knesset disbanded and called elections for 9 April. The same day, Mahmoud Abbas disbanded the Palestinian legislature, with a view to 2019 elections. Many say it is hard to see how new parliamentary elections can take place in the West Bank and Gaza at the same time. ‘When Abbas dissolves the Palestinian parliament and the Knesset dissolves itself in the same week, Hamas smells trouble’. There is concern that Israel will block Qatari financial aid and seek an excuse to suspend the cease-fire deal. The Zionist Union, a joint list of the Israeli Labour party and the Hatnuah party, has broken up ahead of the Knesset elections. At the same time the Labour party, which has dominated Israeli politics for the past thirty years, is declining in popularity: see https://worldisraelnews.com/zionist-union-party-dissolves-ahead-of-elections/ An Israeli defence source told Al-Monitor that Israel assumes Hamas is gearing up for another round of widespread violence. The relative calm could end at any moment.