Displaying items by tag: israel

On 24 July Shin Bet (the Israeli security agency) reported that Iran has been trying to recruit a wide network of agents in Israel via social networking sites. A joint Shin Bet / police / IDF statement said that their counter-terrorism operation has ‘foiled a recruiting network across Israel and the West Bank for the benefit of Iranian intelligence’. The recruits were asked to gather information on military bases, sensitive security installations, personnel, police stations, hospitals, and more intended targets for terrorist attacks by Iran. While the network was directed by Iran, it operated from Syria and was led by an individual known as Abu-Jihad, who contacted people by creating fictitious Facebook profiles and then speaking with them through messaging applications. In recent months, several other similar operations by Hezbollah and Hamas have been foiled by Israeli security agencies.

When Sajid Javid visited the Western Wall on 1 July, it was the first time a senior British government official had visited the holy site in 19 years. He grew up in a Muslim home, and said his father taught him the deep connection that both Jews and Muslims have to Jerusalem. The director of the Western Wall Foundation explained the wall's spiritual and historic significance to the Jewish people. Javid said he was very excited to be there, and could feel the spiritual power of the holy site. He recited Psalm 121 with a leading rabbi, and took time to place a note between the wall's stones. The rabbi said, ‘Your visit is evidence that it’s possible for Jews and Muslims to live together in this small place without harming one another.’ Javid agreed: ‘We love Jewish heritage very much and appreciate it.’ His wife, Laura, is a church-going Christian. See

Former defence minister Avigdor Liberman whose party draws support from Israel’s largely secular Russian immigrant community, refused to join the government unless a military draft bill, crafted in the last Knesset, would be passed unaltered. The ultra-Orthodox parties dismissed this outright. Netanyahu needed 61 seats to form a governing coalition, but disagreements between secular and Halachic parties meant he was five seats short to form a coalition government by a 30 May deadline. A Halachic party is founded on Jewish law based on the Talmud, which is law passed down orally, not written. The deadline has passed, so the State of Israel is going to the elections again. In his comments following the dissolution, Netanyahu declared that Likud ‘will run a sharp and clear election campaign, and we will win.’

In Algeria and Sudan, peaceful protesters are continuing to demand genuine change, but the military - the most powerful institution in both countries - resist the calls. Both countries know that ousting an authoritarian leader is no guarantee of reform. In each case, Christian communities have added their voices to the calls for greater democracy and transparency. In the Holy Land, recent violence saw Islamic militants from Gaza launch 600+ rockets into Israel, and Israel responding with a heavy bombardment. Both sides eventually agreed a ceasefire, which is currently holding, but the UN envoy to the Middle East warned on 13 May that the risk of another war ‘remains imminent’. Half the Christian population has returned to Iraq following the collapse of IS, but they are returning to broken towns and Iran-backed militias in the Nineveh area. The search for peace, good governance, fairness, justice and dignity continues.

Donald Trump’s ‘Peace to Prosperity’ summit in Bahrain will mark the first phase of the roll-out of US plans for solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But a Palestinian Authority spokesman has said that they will not be sending a representative. Some reports indicate that private Palestinian representatives will attend. Bahrain and the United States are hosting the economic leadership ‘workshop’ to share ideas, discuss strategies, and galvanise support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by the upcoming US peace agreement. Although the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are sending delegations to participate, the spokesman said that any Palestinian who takes part will be nothing but a collaborator for the Americans and Israel.

A leading Palestinian businessman, Sheikh Ashraf Jabari, served a kosher spread to his Israeli guests at a traditional fast-breaking ‘Iftar’ meal, which Muslims eat during the holy month of Ramadan. He hosted several key Israeli leaders including the Samaria regional council head, a Jewish community leader, and Heather Johnston of the Israel-US Friendship Association, as well as members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Jabari said, ‘This meal is a reinforcement, in the sense that economic-business relationships and the strengthening of relations and friendship lead us all to a more positive place. Breaking the fast together at a joint meal in Hebron clearly symbolises our ability to bridge all gaps.’ The meal is an example of Palestinian business leaders choosing to set aside political issues to focus on improving economic prospects for the Arab sector.

Many participating groups in 2019’s Eurovision Song Contest are already in Tel Aviv, with more arriving daily. The finale will be on 18 May, in the same week as Palestinians commemorate Nakba. This was 71 years ago, when 700,000 people left their homes at the time when Israel was born. Activists say the venue for the competition was built on land of a former Arab village which emptied in 1948. As anxiety mounts, the foreign ministry spokesman, Emmanuel Nahshon, said, ‘This is going to be a huge party with thousands of people participating, but we will remain extremely vigilant in order to make sure that no-one comes here to disturb and destroy,’ The event, watched by a global TV audience, will also become a focus for protests against the country’s treatment of Palestinians. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to hold Eurovision in Jerusalem, to add weight to Israel’s campaign for global recognition of the holy city as Israel’s capital.

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