On Monday Israel's Tazpit News Agency reported that hundreds of residents of the Gush Etzion area were ‘astounded’ to find a Nazi flag flying next to a mosque in the Palestinian town of Beit Ummar. The IDF were notified immediately. Local resident Uri Arnon said, ‘I felt we were going back 75 years, losing our hold on the land. The Arabs no longer feel the need to hide their murderous tendencies, announcing out loud that they wish to destroy us.’ Gush Etzion is a cluster of Israeli settlements of 70,000 people founded in the 1920’s south of Jerusalem. After the Six-Day War in 1967 many settlements, and a number of new ones, were rebuilt. There has been a history of Nazi sympathizers in the area among some Palestinians since the 1920’s when the Palestinian leader Haj Amin al Husseini (an outspoken Nazi collaborator) recruited Muslims to serve in the SS.
Pray: against violent sectarian incidences in the area. (Ps.46:9)
Israel: Security/Syria’s chemical weapons?
29 Apr 2013In 1997, CIA Director George Tenet told Congress that Syria had or was actively developing chemical and biological weapons. Syria is considered to have one of the most advanced chemical weapon programs in the Arab world. See: http://www.wisconsinproject.org/countries/syria/chem.html On Wednesday a senior Israeli official said ‘it is clear that chemical weapons were recently used in Syria’ and that the attack will be a main topic of conversation with visiting President Barack Obama at the end of this week. The statement conflicts with US assessments of ‘no evidence’ behind Tuesday's chemical weapons attack on a village in the north of Syria. However, a senior US defence official told the Associated Press that he concurred chemical weapons had been used. He spoke anonymously because he is not allowed to speak to the media. Israel is concerned that Syria's chemical arsenal could fall into the hands of anti-Israel militants like Lebanon's Hezbollah, an al-Assad ally, or an al-Qaida-linked group fighting with the Syrian rebels.
Pray: against the use of chemical weapons in the middle east, in the light of Obama’s declaration of military intervention should they be proven to be used. (Pr.2:10-12)
More: http://news.yahoo.com/israeli-official-chemical-weapons-used-syria-095543871.html
Israel: Rockets and bombs continue
17 Feb 2012Late on Friday rockets were fired from Gaza at a southern Israeli farming region landing between two residential homes. The rocket attack came after ‘an Islamic Jihad terrorist’ was wounded by Israel Defense Force fire in the northern Gaza Strip earlier that night. Last week at least eight rockets were fired from Gaza, exploding in open fields in the northern Negev region. In Thailand two Iranians were charged over a bomb plot against Israeli diplomats. Tehran is accused of mounting a terror campaign against Israel and tensions between the arch-foes have risen sharply following three bomb incidents in world capitals in less than 24 hours. On Monday bombers targeted Israeli Embassy staff in India and Georgia. In Bangkok two Iranians were detained over three blasts that rattled the Thai capital on Tuesday. Bangkok officials cannot say yet it’s terrorist activity but it's similar to the assassination attempt against India’s diplomat. It is believed an Iranian assassination team has targeted Israeli diplomats.
Pray: For God's protection to envelop the people of Israel and Gaza, and for the thwarting of all violent schemes. (Ps.5:11)
More: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/8419570/israel-blames-iran-for-bangkok-blast
Israel: Reconciliation
16 May 2013Many Christian ministries are working in Israel towards reconciliation in challenging situations. The following are just two.We are asked to partner in prayer with ‘Musalaha’ Ministryof Reconciliation as they prepare for their national women’s reconciliation training event. Palestinian and Israeli women from all over the country will be meeting for training, fellowship, and prayer between May 23rd and May 25th on the topic of Reclaiming Identity. Also on May 15th and May 31st their local women’s groups who have just begun training will be meeting in Nazareth and Haifa; and we have been asked to pray for the process and that a spirit of fear would be driven from them. Also, working towards reconciliation between communities is ‘Bridges for Peace’. An expanding body of individuals and groups with a desire to see Christians and Jews working side byside for better understanding of each other. Reconciliation for a more secure Israel. See: http://www.bridgesforpeace.com/
Pray: for a harvest of changed lives as God works through these a nd other reconciliation ministries in Israel. (Job 5:16-18)
More: http://www.musalaha.org/
Israel: Re-launching Israel-Palestinian talks
01 Aug 2013The following are a portions of Statements by US Sec Kerry, Palestinian negotiator Erekat and Justice Min Livni on 30 Jul 2013. - Sec of State Kerry said, ‘I know the path is difficult but with Minister Tzipi Livni and Dr Saeb Erekat, standing side by side and sharing an Iftar meal together I’m convinced that we can get there.’ Dr Erekat said, ‘Palestinians have suffered enough, and no one benefits from the success of this endeavour than Palestinians. I am delighted that all final status issues are on the table and will be resolved without any exceptions, and it’s time for the Palestinian people to have an independent, sovereign state of their own. It’s time for the Palestinians to live in peace, freedom, and dignity within their own independent, sovereign state. Justice Minister Livni repeated the statement ‘failure is not an option’ and ‘in these negotiations it’s not our intention to argue about the past but to create solutions and make decisions for the future.’
Pray: that these negotiations would continue to completion, for God to be present in every future meeting and for a political recognition of each people group's aims that will become real and lasting. (Deut.32:10 & Zec.2:8; Gen.12:2-3 & Ps.122:6)
Israel: Pressure on Messianic Jews
29 Apr 2011
Voice Of the Martyrs sources say Messianic Jews in Israel are facing increased pressure from groups opposed to freedom of religion. One group, Yad L’Achim, staged a demonstration against a Messianic congregation of 150 in Ashdod. ‘The speech against believers was slanderous and vicious,’ said a VOM source. An Israeli television station recently profiling Yad L’Achim described them as a militia that goes outside the law to carry out its agenda. Many Messianic Jews have had residency visas and even their citizenship revoked once their faith in Jesus was discovered. Others face constant harassment at their homes and businesses. ‘It is very important for you who pray for the Messianic body in Israel to understand the depth of the paranoia and the hatred for the name of the true Messiah of Israel,’ the Voice of the Martyrs source said. Pray: for God to strengthen and encourage the persecuted, blessing those proclaiming His truth. (Jn.17:3)
Israel: Prepare for War?
06 Apr 2011
In the wake of a terrorist attack in Jerusalem last Wednesday, Palestinian militants continued firing rockets into southern Israel. Israel launched new airstrikes in Gaza. Islamic Jihad, a Middle Eastern terrorist group, claimed responsibility for Thursday’s rocket fire. However, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said the nation holds Hamas responsible. Hamas said it wants to ‘restore calm’ and would not attack. Israeli’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that the nation will not be passive about terrorism. See: Yesterday CNN reported Israeli aircraft hitting a terrorist squad in the Southern Gaza Strip which had launched rockets towards Israeli communities. A Palestinian citizen was killed. A Hamas statement said Israel shelled a tunnel on the Palestinian-Egyptian border with no injures reported. There has been a week of heightened violence between the two sides. Pray: against an escalation of violence. (Pr.3:31) More: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/03/30/israel.airstrike/
Israel: Prayers for rain
30 Oct 2010
Israel is facing a water shortage. Although abundant rainfall in February brought the Lake Kinneret back over its ‘red line’ (the point at which water levels are dangerously low) the country is still recovering from five consecutive dry years. Thursday night was the seventh day of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan. Jews living in Israel began praying for rain and from that date they will change the phrase, ‘And give blessing’ to ‘And give dew and rain for a blessing,’ in their weekday prayers. Sephardi Jews request ‘dew and showers’. Jews living abroad will begin saying the blessing for rain in several weeks' time. The custom of adding the prayer for dew and rain on 7 Cheshvan dates back to the times of the First Temple and Second Temple. Prayers for rain will be recited until the Passover holiday in the spring. Pray: and join the cry for God to answer his people’s prayers for rain in Israel. (1Ki.8:36) More: http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=8312