“The moon will be dismayed, the sun ashamed;
for the Lord Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
and before its elders - with great glory.” Isa. 24:23
 

AT LEAST 10 COUNTRIES DISCUSSING EMBASSY MOVE TO JERUSALEM: Since Guatemala’s announcement this week that it will follow the USA and move its embassy to Jerusalem, at least 10 more countries are in talks with the Israelis about doing the same, Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely told Israel Radio. She declined to say which countries were involved, but “noted that several of the talks are just beginning, while others are further along.” Guatemala’s decision to return its embassy to Jerusalem is “no less than the beginning of Israel’s victory,” a leading analyst and author said on 25 Dec.2017. “I believe many countries will follow, and not only Latin American ones,” said Dr. Gustavo D. Perednik, a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina and a well-known commentator on Latin American and Israeli affairs. “A few candidates: Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Czech Republic, Romania, Poland, Togo, Rwanda, Uganda, Canada, and then when one or two Western European countries will dare – dozens will follow.” Asked whether the move to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel had more than symbolic value – Perednik said, “Absolutely! Having foreign embassies in Jerusalem means recognition of Israel as the embodiment of Jewish history and serves to counterbalance the clepto-history perpetrated by the Palestinians over the past decades. (Koenig) 

“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations.” Isa.2:2-4

HAMAS FIRES ROCKETS AT ISRAEL, DAMAGES ONLY A UN SCHOOL: Palestinian terrorists operating out of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip fired four rockets at southern Israel on 13 Dec. 2017, but all they managed to damage was one of their own UN-run schools. Two of the rockets were identified as genuine threats and intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system. A third rocket landed in an open field, and the fourth fell short of clearing the Gaza security fence and instead impacted a United Nations-run public school in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun. Despite the lack of casualties or damage on the Israeli side, the IDF launched a fierce retaliation, striking three Hamas military installations. Israeli officials insisted that if there would be no quiet for the residents of southern Israel, then there would be no quiet for the residents of Gaza. (Israel Today) 

It can’t be emphasized enough how much your prayers make the difference between life and death as Israel’s enemies attempt to carry out terror attacks and to fire rockets at her southern border communities. Please continue to intercede against these acts of hatred.

MIKE PENCE ASKS TO BE TAKEN DIRECTLY TO WESTERN WALL: USA Vice President Mike Pence will visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem as his first stop during his upcoming visit to Israel this week. Pence's first official visit to Israel was delayed by several days in order to allow him to participate in the Senate's vote on a Republican tax bill on 17 Dec. 2017. He will arrive in Israel on Wed. afternoon 20 Dec. 2017, and, at his own request, drive straight to Jerusalem and pray at the Western Wall. The next day he will meet with PM Binyamin Netanyahu and then speak at a special session of the Knesset which will be held in his honor. On Friday 22 Dec. 2017 Pence will meet with President Reuven Rivlin and visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem before leaving for Germany. The Palestinian Authority announced that it will boycott Pence during his visit as an act of protest against USA President Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Joint Arab List, a Knesset faction representing Israel's Arab population, also pledged to boycott Pence's speech to the Knesset. (Arutz-7) 
   
Pray for the safety and well-being of VP Mike Pence on his travels to Israel and other destinations this month. May he be met with honor and those willing to listen closely, and to take seriously the words he has on his heart.

ONE OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS IN HISTORY’: USA senators and congressmen responded on 6 Dec. 2017,to USA President Trump's recognition of the fact that Jerusalem is Israel's capital city. USA Senator Ted Cruz said, "I enthusiastically commend President Trump for today’s courageous and heroic decision. Roughly 120 years since a pioneer of the Zionist movement, Theodore Herzl, convened the first Zionist Congress in Basel, 50 years since the reunification of Jerusalem during the Six Day War, and nearly 70 years after the United States was the first country to give recognition to the modern State of Israel, the President of the United States has for the first time formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This day will forever be etched in the history books as one of the great moments in history. The strongest and most prosperous country in the world has rectified what has been a historic injustice for far too long, recognizing the ancient and sacred city that has been the eternal capital of the Jewish people for over 3,000 years, and the capital of the one and only Jewish State since 1948. This sends a powerful message that rejects all those who wrongly seek to de-legitimize Israel through falsifying and erasing the profound ties that exist between the Jewish people and Jerusalem.” (Autz-7) 

“In that day they will say, ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.’" Isa 25:9

PALESTINIANS FURIOUS AFTER SAUDI ARABIA DOWNPLAYS IMPORTANCE OF JERUSALEM: Proponents of the Palestinian cause have tried to inflate the position of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount in Islam, and thereby paint Israel's sovereignty in this city as an affront to their religion. But, a couple years ago, renowned Egyptian scholar and novelist Youssef Ziedan acknowledged in a series of television interviews that Jerusalem holds no religious significance for Muslims. Today, it is common to hear that Jerusalem is Islam's third holiest city, being the location of the "Al Aqsa Mosque" referred to the in the Koran. Ziedan said the whole thing is nonsense: "The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem did not exist back then, and the city was not called Al-Quds. It was called Aelia, and it had no mosques." He is far from being alone in that position. Saudis have grown increasingly frustrated with what they see as the Palestinian intransigent and treachery. Palestinian rejection of Saudi efforts to bring the Israeli-Arab conflict to an equitable end has incensed many in Riyadh, as has Palestinian support for Iran's nuclear program and collaboration between Palestinian groups and Iran's Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah. Like Israel, Saudi Arabia views Iran as an existential threat. Alienating Saudi Arabia in this manner threatens to lose the Palestinians the support of the Arab world's top powers. And yet, we see their hearts continue to harden. (Israel Today)

ISRAEL THWARTS ATTEMPT TO SMUGGLE TONS OF EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL INTO GAZA: An attempt to smuggle tons of explosive material into the Gaza Strip was thwarted by the Israeli Ministry of Defense's Crossing Authority. The attempt was foiled thanks to a new, advanced chemistry laboratory that was set up in recent weeks at Israel's Kerem Shalom crossing with Gaza. The new laboratory is a joint project of the Ministry of Defense's Crossing Authority, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Israel Police. Advanced technology permits experts to precisely identify gases, liquids, powders, metals and other substances before they enter the Gaza Strip. The primary focus is to prevent substances which could benefit terror groups in the enclave. Crossing Authority head Brig.-Gen. (res.) Kamil Abu Rukun praised the greatly enhanced abilities granted to the crossing's security apparatus by the addition of the laboratory. “It greatly widens the security forces' toolkit in the daily, relentless battle against smuggling into the Gaza Strip," said Abu Rukun. (J.Post) 

REPORT: SAUDI CROWN PRINCE WILL ‘CRUSH’ HEZBOLLAH WITH ISRAEL: The King of Saudi Arabia plans to step down and announce his son as his successor next week, the British newspaper Daily Mail reported on 16 Nov. 2017, citing a source close to the country's royal family. The move is seen as the final step in 32-year-old Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's power grab, which began earlier this month with the arrests of more than 40 princes and government ministers in a corruption probe. The unnamed source said that King Salman will continue only as a ceremonial figurehead, handing over official leadership of the country to his son, often referred to as MBS. The high level source further said that once crowned king, the prince will shift his focus to Iran, Saudi Arabia's longtime regional rival. He will also enlist the help of the Israeli military to crush Hezbollah, Iran's proxy in Lebanon, according to the source. “MBS is convinced that he has to hit Iran and Hezbollah. MBS's plan is to start the fire in Lebanon, but he's hoping to count on Israeli military backing. He has already promised Israel billions of dollars in direct financial aid if they agree,” claimed the source. “MBS cannot confront Hezbollah in Lebanon without Israel. Plan B is to fight Hezbollah in Syria," added the source The 32-year-old crown prince portrays himself as a liberal reformer. He recently announced that the ultra-conservative kingdom would adopt a moderate and open Islam. As for Israel, there have been several recent reports that Saudi Arabia and Israel are getting closer. (Arutz-7)

AMID INCREASED TENSIONS, IRON DOME BATTERIES NOW DEPLOYED IN CENTRAL ISRAEL: Amid increased tension on both its northern and southern borders, Israel has deployed Iron Dome batteries in the Gush Dan region in central Israel; it was published on 14 Nov. 2017. The deployment of the batteries in an area that encompasses Tel Aviv and other central Israeli cities comes amid threats from Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) after Israel destroyed one of its cross-border attack tunnels earlier this month, killing 12 terrorists who were inside. While the army has not called up reservists, the IDF also has upped its readiness along the Gaza border, forbidding farmers and other civilians from approaching close to the Hamas-controlled enclave, and closing down three tourists sites along the Strip.

Amid rising tensions between the Gaza-based terror group Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Israel, PIJ has raised its level of readiness for conflict to the highest degree. The terror group is also closely monitoring the movements of Israeli citizens in the communities bordering Gaza, media sources reported on 14 Nov. 2017. Earlier this week, the IDF deployed Iron Dome missile defense batteries throughout central Israel and began military drills in the vicinity of Gaza. The Trump administration’s international negotiations representative, Jason Greenblatt called on the terror group to tone down its war rhetoric, tweeting, “Extremist statements & provocation vs. Israel by Islamic Jihad harm the people of Gaza & are very dangerous.” (Worthy News/Algemeiner) 

Intercessors: Pray for the safety of Israel’s southern and northern borders. “Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain!” Joel 2:1

PALESTINIAN TERROR GROUP THREATENS IDF, PROMISES WAR WITH ISRAEL: The organization, which has been classified as a terrorist entity by both the EU and the USA, boasts of preparing for a major conflict with Israel. The military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, an organization that orchestrated terrorist attacks that killed scores of Israelis over the years and has been classified by both the United States and the European Union as a terrorist entity, released on Tues. 7 Nov. 2017 a threatening video against the Jewish state and in particular its army. The video depicts IDF vehicles moving along the security barrier between Israel and the Gaza Strip, and as one vehicle emerges a text appears in Arabic and in Hebrew on the screen saying: "In the line of fire." The video also shows Palestinian snipers aiming their weapons at Israeli combat engineering units that operate in the area in order to ensure the safety of other military units as well as uncover terror tunnels being dug into Israeli territory with the intent of harming the country's population. "The weapon of resistance is a holy weapon, one we will not accept seeing damaged, and it will remain in the hands of the resistance which doubles its efforts to prepare for the next confrontation." (J.Post)

 “The king of Israel answered, ‘Tell him: One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off.'" 1Kings 20:11

FATAH CONDEMNS ISRAEL FOR DESTROYING TERROR TUNNELS: The Fatah movement, headed by Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, on 30 Oct. 2017, condemned what it called "the Israeli crime directed against our people in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of twelve terrorists and the wounding of several others." The statement was referring to the IDF destroying terror tunnels leading from Gaza into Israel, during which terrorists were killed, including two senior member of the Islamic Jihad. Fatah claimed that the destruction of the tunnel was “part of the policy of fleeing, adopted by successive Israeli governments, in an attempt to evade the corruption cases at the expense of the blood of the Palestinian people." Hamas' military wing also condemned Israel and said the destruction of the tunnel was "an attempt by the enemy to impose new rules by committing crimes and attacks against our land, our jihad fighters and our people." The IDF responded to the terrorist groups in Gaza on Monday evening, saying it did not set out to kill terrorists. IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Ronen Manelis stated, "The operation in which a terrorist tunnel network was bombed this afternoon was carried out in Israeli territory. The intention was for the explosion to knock the tunnels out of commission." (Arutz-7) 

IDF SEALS OFF 10 TUNNELS UNDER JUDEA & SAMARIA SECURITY FENCE: The IDF sealed off 10 tunnels under the security barrier in Judea & Samaria near the city of Hebron, after dozens of Palestinians reportedly managed to illegally cross into Israeli territory through the passages over the past few weeks. Each of the tunnels, which were built to serve as drain pipes, was about 1.5 meters (five feet) in diameter and about 20 meters (65 feet) in length, allowing for people to easily cross through them, Israel Radio reported on Friday, 27 Oct. 2017. Last week, at least 100 Palestinians who crossed into Israeli territory via the massive drainage pipes carried out a series of agricultural thefts near Moshav Shekaf, in the Lachish region, stealing dozens of tons of produce according to the radio report. (Times of Israel) One can only be grateful that these drain pipes, which enabled entry, exit, and acts of theft on the part of Palestinians, were not used to carry out acts of terror as well. Continue to pray against terrorist violence in Israel.

USA LAUNCHES WATER PROJECT IN JERICHO: The United States government on Sunday 15 Oct. 2017, launched a $10 million project to improve access to wastewater treatment and water for Palestinian Arab farmers in the Jericho area. Greenblatt has been among Trump's aides seeking to restart Israeli-Palestinian Arab negotiations. USA officials have spoken of improving the Palestinian Authority's economy and infrastructure as part of their efforts. The project announced Sunday aims to increase the number of homes connected to the Jericho area's wastewater treatment plant previously built with Japanese assistance by about 10,000 residents. That would leave some 70% of Jericho residents connected. Recycled wastewater would then be available to Palestinian Arab farmers in the area, it said. Palestinian Water Authority chairman Mazen Ghunaim said "this project will have a positive and direct impact on creating jobs and economic growth." (Arutz-7)

‘HEZBOLLAH DETERMINED TO GIVE ITSELF OPTION TO ATTACK AMERICA’: The United States on Tues.10 Oct. 2017, announced multi-million dollar rewards for two senior members of the Hezbollah terrorist group. Reports said the State Department would offer a reward of $12 million to anyone with information leading to the discovery, arrest, or charge of the two. The State Department's Counterterrorism Bureau said it would give $7 million and $5 million, respectively, for information leading to the capture of Talal Hamiyah and Fuad Shukr. An informational leaflet described Hamiyah as the head of the organization's External Security Organization, its "element responsible for the planning, coordination, and execution of terrorist attacks outside of Lebanon." Shukr was described as a senior operative who played a central role in planning and carrying out the 1983 bombing of a USA Marine Corps barracks in Beirut that killed 241 American service personnel. Nicholas J. Rasmussen, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said that the USA believes that Hezbollah is determined to give itself an option to carry out attacks inside the United States. Hezbollah is blacklisted as a terrorist organization in the United States, which regularly sanctions members of the group. (Arutz-7)

ABBAS SAYS ‘NO’ TO TRUMP: The Fatah Revolutionary Council, headed by Mahmoud Abbas, met at the Palestinian Authority presidential headquarters in Ramallah to discuss the latest developments in the efforts to achieve reconciliation with the Hamas terrorist organization. Fatah leader and PA Chairman Abbas said at the meeting that Jerusalem was "the eternal capital of the state of Palestine." He praised the 'victory' of the Arab residents of Jerusalem against the "tyranny of the occupation" after the thwarting of the installation of metal detectors at the entrance to the Temple Mount. He also called on the UN Human Rights Council to publish its blacklist of companies which do business in Jewish communities in Judea & Samaria, and reiterated that the payments made to terrorists in Israeli prisons would continue. Abbas called the payments to terrorists a national, moral, political and human duty. The terrorists paid by the PA include many murderers and attempted murderers. The harsher their sentence, the greater the salary they receive, effectively creating a situation where the more Jews a terrorist murders, the more money he receives from the PA government. Abbas also rejected the demand to recognize Israel as a Jewish State. USA President Trump has called on Abbas to work to end terrorism, including by cutting off funding for terrorists and by ending incitement to violence against Jews. Abbas has refused. (INN)

HAMAS NAMES 2014 KIDNAPPING MASTERMIND AS NEW DEPUTY POLITICAL CHIEF: Hamas has named as its new deputy political chief Saleh el-Arouri, a man best known for attacks against Israeli targets, including the 2014 abduction and murders of Israeli teenagers Gil-Ad Shaer, Eyal Yifrach and Naftali Frankel. El-Arouri is held responsible by Israel for a long list of terrorist attacks in Judea & Samaria. The move is seen as toughening the Islamist movement’s posture in advance of reconciliation talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement. A leading Gaza analyst, Naji Shurrab, noted that Arouri’s being tapped to become deputy to politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh comes at the height of Hamas reconciliation contacts with Fatah. In his opinion the move is meant to strengthen Hamas’ position in unity negotiations and to signal that the movement will not accept Abbas’ political program, including recognition of Israel and acceptance of agreements signed with it. “Abbas wants Hamas to support his political program, including recognition of Israel, respect for agreements, peaceful resistance and being against violence. But the message here is we can’t make more concessions on the political program.” Hamas and Fatah negotiators are due to meet under Egyptian auspices in Cairo this month in a bid to advance efforts to end a decade-long division stemming from Hamas’s seizure of the Gaza Strip from Fatah forces. (J.Post)

ISRAEL’S TRADE WITH RUSSIA LEAPS BY 25%: Trade between Israel and Russia has grown this year by 25%, officials from both countries revealed. The first six months of 2017 saw increased trade between the nations of about $380 million over the corresponding period last year. Ze’ev Elkin, the cabinet minister responsible for environmental protection and issues connected with Jerusalem said, “There is still great potential for increase in trade and there is much work ahead of us,” Elkin said in reference to ongoing talks since 2013 on signing a free trade agreement with Russia. Temur Ben Yehuda, chairman of the Israeli Russian Business Council said, “We are not only conducting dialogue on increasing trade, we are also signing major agreements between Israel and Russian firms, including Watergen, Assuta and many others,” he said. The increase comes amid tightening cooperation between Israel and Russia on security issues connected with Syria, where the Russian government is engaged in propping up the beleaguered regime of the country’s president, Bashar Assad. Russia’s relations with Israel, which has remained neutral on the Syrian issue, have noticeably improved, with PM Netanyahu traveling to Moscow at least five times in one year. (Times of Israel)

FATAH PRAISES HAR ADAR TERRORIST: Nimer Mahmoud Ahmed Aljamal, the terrorist who murdered three Israelis in an attack at the entrance to the Jewish town of Har Adar 26 Sept. 2017 was praised as a 'Martyr' by Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement on its official Facebook page. Fatah's Facebook page featured a picture of Aljamal with a caption praising him, glorifying him, and expressing its condolences to his family. The PA Ministry of Health claimed that Aljamal died because he was shot by 'occupation forces' neglecting to mention that he had killed three Israelis. "The Ministry of Health officially announces the martyrdom of a citizen after the Israeli occupation forces shot him, northwest of Jerusalem," the PA Health Ministry wrote on its Facebook page. Maor Zemach, chairman of the Lach Yerushalayim movement, who translated the post praising the terrorist, said: "The Fatah movement, headed by Abu Mazen, continues to incite and glorify terrorists. This is a reality that the State of Israel must fight against. It is insane to think that only this week the Palestinian Authority, which supports terrorist murderers, was allowed to join Interpol." (Arutz-7)

SHMULEY BOTEACH: TRUMP’S SPEECH ONE OF ‘MOST FORCEFUL’ AT THE UN: Popular American rabbi and author, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach spoketo Israeli media sources about USA President Trump and Israeli PM Netanyahu's speeches at the UN General Assembly. "President Trump's speech was one of the most forceful delivered at the UN podium," Boteach said. "It focused on good and evil and was morally unambiguous. It stated clearly that Iran, North Korea, Venezuela - these are rogue regimes, terrorist-sponsoring regimes, regimes that brutalize their people." Trump, Boteach added, said clearly what the nuclear agreement is: "It's an embarrassment to the United States, who has agreed to pay $150 billion to a terrorist-sponsoring regime, and to believe them about not building a nuclear arsenal," said Boteach. He also noted that Trump's speech is incredibly important to Israel. "The whole problem with the UN and its relationship with Israel is the UN has no morality. It's become a moral farce because it just focuses on condemning Israel while it overlooks the most egregious human rights violations all over the world," he explained. "The president is saying that the United States is going to demand that the UN be a moral body. That's what Israel needs. themore the UN stands up for morality and righteousness, the more Israel will be praised, the more Israel will be protected." (Arutz -7)

ARGENTINA TURNS OVER TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOLOCAUST DOCUMENTS TO ISRAEL: President Mauricio Macri of Argentina gave Israeli PM Netanyahu tens of thousands of documents about World War II, some of them related to Nazi war criminals. Digital copies of the documents were delivered 12 Sept. 2017, in a box with five discs totaling 5 terabytes of information. “I gave to the prime minister a historic Argentinean documentation digitalized about the Holocaust for the use of the State of Israel to investigate and spread the information. This is very important for us,” Macri said in Buenos Aires at the first-ever formal meeting between the leaders of both countries. The documents will clarify the help that Argentina, which stayed neutral for much of World War II before joining the Allies, provided to Nazi criminals. The country was a postwar refuge for Nazis: including Adolf Eichmann captured in 1960. Macri at the meeting with Netanyahu said Argentina will work “together with Israel and our allies against terrorism.” Netanyahu thanked “my friend Mauricio. Netanyahu also spoke of Iranian terrorism and the nuclear threat. “They have a terror machine that encompasses the entire world, operating terror cells in many continents, including in Latin America,” the Israeli leader said. Addressing the world powers’ 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, he said, “I’ll be straightforward. This is a bad deal … either fix it or cancel it. That’s the Israeli position,” he said. Next week, Netanyahu will meet President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. (J.Post)

REPORT: USA TO LET IRANIAN-BACKED FIGHTERS WITHIN 10 KM OF GOLAN HEIGHTS: USA officials have agreed to let Iranian-backed fighters take up positions in Syria less than ten kilometers from the Israeli Golan Heights. Russian media claims that Moscow has ignored pleas from Israel to prevent Iran from exploiting Syria’s ongoing civil war to expand its military influence into Syrian territory. Citing unnamed Western diplomatic sources, the report said a USA team that was holding talks with their Russian counterparts in Amman, Jordan, to discuss the nationality of observer forces overseeing a July 2017 truce, backed down on some of their initial demands. The report said the USA agreed that Iranian-backed militias could be positioned as close as 8-16 kilometers (five to ten miles) from the Jordanian border and the Golan Heights, less than half the originally sought 32 kilometers (20 miles) distance. In July 2017 the Times of London reported that Israel was pushing Russia and the USA for an agreement that would prevent “Hezbollah or other Iranian-backed militias” from operating in the area, which would extend some 30 miles (48 kilometers) beyond the Israeli-Syrian border on the Golan Heights. Hezbollah, the Lebanese terror group that acts as a proxy of Iran, has been fighting on behalf of the Syrian President BasharAssad in his efforts to suppress a six-year long insurgency. Russia, an ally of both Syria and Iran, has also provided military assistance in the war. The USA negotiators also agreed to let Russian observers police the truce zones, angering other USA officials and allies of America. In particular, Israeli officials are concerned that the Russian presence could limit its operations against targets in Syria, the report said. (Times of Israel) Continue to intercede that the escalating gathering of hostile forces in Syria - endangering Israel – will be contained and controlled.

“Let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thess. 5:6 VICTORY FOR ISRAEL IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL: Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, on Wed. 30 August 2017, welcomed the adoption of a new UN Security Council resolution regarding the mandate of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL). UNIFIL is now required to expand its reports to the Security Council and take deliberate action against Hezbollah’s violations. UNIFIL’s presence on the ground will increase significantly, and troops will be required to tour the Hezbollah-controlled areas of southern Lebanon. UNIFIL must also report all instances of Hezbollah’s violations and attempts to deny access immediately. "This is a significant diplomatic achievement that could change the situation in southern Lebanon and expose the terror infrastructure that Hezbollah set up on the border with Israel," Danon said on Wednesday. "The resolution requires UNIFIL to open its eyes, and forces it to act against Hezbollah's terror buildupin the area. Until now, and especially in the last few years, UNIFIL forces have rarely patrolled the area in southern Lebanon, refrained from entering villages widely agreed to be Hezbollah terrorist strongholds, and failed to report Hezbollah’s violations. As such, from now on, UN forces will be required to demonstrate a robust physical presence on the ground, to enter every village and to report, in real time, Hezbollah’s violations of Security Council Resolution 1701, negotiated by then Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to end the Second Lebanon War, and ignored by Hezbollah ever since. (Arutz-7)

IN WAKE OF HARVEY DEVASTATION, ISRAEL PLEDGES $1M. TO HOUSTON’S JEWISH COMMUNITY: Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett has pledged $1 million in relief aid for the Jewish community of Houston, saying, “The Jewish state is measured by its response when our brothers around the world are in crisis.” This aid will be used to help repair and restore the communal infrastructure – schools, synagogues and JCC – which are not funded or supported by the state. “The city of Houston has been hurt badly, and the Jewish community – 70% of which lived in the flooded neighborhoods – was hit hard,” said Bennett. “The old-age home and JCC were damaged, and hundreds of families will remain homeless. From talks we’ve had with the heads of the community and Israel’s Consul General, we learned the damage is vast, and the rehabilitation will take years. For years the Jewish communities stood by Israel when it needed their help; now it is our turn to stand by Houston’s Jewish community.” (J.Post)

POLL: 1 IN 3 BRITISH JEWS HAS CONSIDERED EMIGRATING DUE TO ANTI-SEMITISM: In interviews with thousands of British Jews, almost a third of them said they have considered leaving the United Kingdom over the past two years due to anti-Semitism. The findings are part of a report published Sunday 20 Aug. 2017, by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism watchdog group, which conducted since 2015 interviews with more than 10,000 British Jews. In interviews conducted in 2016 and 2017 with a combined sample population of 7,156 respondents, 37% of them said they have been concealing public signs that would indicate that they are Jewish. Only 59% of the respondents since 2015 said they feel welcome in the United Kingdom. Only 39% of respondents from 2015 onward said they trust justice authorities to prosecute perpetrators of anti-Semitic hate crimes. Three-quarters of the people interviewed said they feel that recent political events have resulted in increased hostility towards Jews. Since 2015, 80% of respondents said they believe that the Labour Party is harboring anti-Semites in its ranks. The survey’s respondents said they considered Islamist anti-Semitism “to be the threat that concerned them the most, and that rapidly rising hate crime targeting Jews was not being tackled by the authorities.” The Jewish community of the UK recorded 767 anti-Semitic attacks in the first half of 2017 - the highest figure recorded within six months since monitoring began in 1984. (J.Post) “The Lord has established Zion, and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.” Is 14:32

USA URGES UN NOT TO PUBLISH ANTI-ISRAEL BLACKLIST: The Trump administration is urging the United Nations not to publish a “blacklist” of international firms that do business in Israeli communities in Judea & Samaria, diplomats and others said. The UN Human Rights Council voted to approve the database of companies last year, despite objections from the United States and Israel. American companies on the list drawn up by the Geneva-based council include Caterpillar, TripAdvisor, Priceline.com, Airbnb and others. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the UN high commissioner for human rights, has told USA officials he plans to publish the list by the end of the year and has asked for comments by 1 Sept. 2017 from countries where affected firms are headquartered. When the announcement of the blacklist was first made public, PM Netanyahu condemned it and said that "the UNHRC has become an anti-Israeli circus with their attacks on the only democracy in the Middle East and their disregard for the gross violations in Iran, Syria and North Korea.” The prime minister called on “responsible governments” not to respect the UN resolution that discriminates against Israel. The UN is known for its anti-Israel bias, and regularly approves anti-Israel resolutions. The body's former Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, publicly admitted that the UN has an anti-Israel bias. (INN)

HAMAS CAMP TRAINS CHILDREN FOR ‘LIBERATION OF PALESTINE’: Hamas held a closing ceremony in Gaza on Friday 18 August 2017, for 120,000 boys and girls attending the terrorist group’s summer schools. The ceremony, for some 1,000 students who took part in the camps was framed as part of the group's plan to continue its armed conflict with Israel. Boys between 15 and 18 years of age were put through military drills, including shooting with live ammunition and training in scouting skills. Hamas official Ashraf Abu Zayed said the training came within the framework of "preparing for the liberation of Palestine. We are trying to invest the younger generation and guide them towards the liberation project," he told media sources, referring to armed struggle against Israel. Hamas’ so-called “military wing”, the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, regularly trains children at its camps on military skills, such as use of weapons, and also simulates the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. Hamas has previously launched a program to teach “resistance” to Israel in Gaza’s public school system. (Arutz-7) Pray for the children of Gaza to be rescued and released from this hellish agenda for their lives. Pray for God's better plan to come into place.

NEW TUNNEL SITES UNCOVERED IN GAZA: In addition to disclosing new information about the Israel’s southern border barrier, the military revealed that it found two Hamas tunnel sites buried beneath an apartment building and a family’s home in the northern Gaza Strip. Major General Eyal Zamir accused the Hamas terror group of purposefully building the tunnels under civilian structures to provide cover for its operations. That being the case, the general warned, “these sites are legitimate military targets. Anyone inside of one, should another conflict begin, endangers himself and endangers his family, and the responsibility is on the Hamas organization.” The work on Israel’s 37-mile barrier around Gaza began in earnest earlier this summer, and Zamir said it would be completed within two years. It will feature an advanced underground protection system that extends dozens of meters below the ground in order to detect and destroy tunnels that attempt to penetrate into Israeli territory, as well as an above-ground metal fence adorned with sensors. The Defense Ministry will also bulk up the defense along the Gaza coast, putting up breakwaters and other protective measures in order to prevent infiltration into Israel from the sea, as occurred during the 2014 Gaza war. (Times of Israel) Hamas continues to exploit its own Gaza Strip society - in need of a future and a hope - by using foreign aid money to build terrorist tunnels, buy weapons and invest in its next war against Israel.

NETANYAHU BACKS PUSH TO SHUT DOWN AL JAZEERA’S ISRAEL OFFICES: Security comes before freedom of expression, Communications Minister Ayoub Kara said Sunday 6 August 2017, laying out a five-point plan backed by PM Netanyahu to shut down Qatari cable network Al Jazeera. Kara said Al Jazeera should be banned from broadcasting from Israel on grounds of incitement. “I want to make clear: Our citizens’ security and welfare overcomes freedom of expression in times of terror, period. Freedom of expression is not freedom to incite,” Kara said at a press conference. Kara asked the Government Press Office to revoke Al Jazeera reporters’ press cards. He also spoke to the cable and satellite television companies in Israel, which he said expressed willingness to stop broadcasting Al Jazeera. In addition, Kara asked Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman to use his authority to close down the network’s Israeli offices, and asked for the channel’s broadcasts on open satellites, used by many Israeli Arabs, to be blocked. (J.Post) Pray that these types of demeaning cable networks will be banned and blocked in Israel and receive no further funding from Israel-hating sources to pollute - rather than to promote - materials that further reliable reporting and peace.

ISRAEL CANNOT RETURN TO THE PRE-1967 BORDERS: Israel cannot return to the pre-1967 borders. It would leave the center of the country a mere nine miles wide and its borders indefensible. The Jewish State could be cut in two by an Arab tank charge in just minutes. Arab forces would be positioned all along Israel’s eastern border, taking in the areas that contain the greatest concentration of Israel’s population, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. Israel would be stripped of its protective Judea-Samaria mountain ranges. USA Lieut.-General Thomas Kelly, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Gulf War, pointed out that Israel would be virtually indefensible without those mountainous areas. An Israeli retreat to the pre-1967 borders would also include the re-division of Jerusalem. The Arabs would gain control of the Old City section of Jerusalem (known as “east Jerusalem”), which includes the holiest sites in Judaism, the Temple Mount and the Western Wall. That area also includes the historic Jewish Quarter and the Mount of Olives cemetery, which is the oldest Jewish cemetery in the world. An Israeli retreat to the indefensible pre-1967 borders would encourage further Arab attacks and lead to an all-out war. (JNN)

UK REPORTS RECORD NUMBER OF ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS: There were 767 anti-Semitic attacks recorded in the UK in the first half of 2017 - the highest six-month figure since monitoring began in 1984 and an increase of 30% from the same period in 2016, British Jewry's Community Security Trust reported Thurs. 27 July 2017. CST Chief Executive David Delew said that it is "sadly clear that the overall situation has deteriorated. Anti-Semitism is having an increasing impact on the lives of British Jews." (JTA)

WHITE HOUSE: TRUMP SHARES ISRAEL’S GOAL TO PREVENT IRANIAN RUSH THROUGH SYRIA: Netanyahu seemed to question that commitment over the weekend in Paris, outlining to reporters his opposition to a ceasefire agreement negotiated among Russia, Jordan and the USA holding in southwestern Syria since 11 July 2017. Israel fears the agreement grants Tehran de facto freedom of movement in a region close to its border. It was a rare rebuke of Trump from Netanyahu, who considers the new president a strategic ally. "Both governments – the United States and Israel – are rightly concerned about Iran’s malign influence in the region," said a White House official. "A core goal of USA policy in Syria is to ensure that no vacuum is created which Iran can fill." Israeli diplomatic sources said that Iran is working to establish air, land and sea bases in Lebanon – a development which Jerusalem cannot tolerate. Their designs extend into southern Syria. Jerusalem maintains that Iran is not only interested in sending military advisers to Syria, but also is keen on establishing ground and air bases there, something that could radically change the situation in the region. He said that Israel would oppose any agreement in Syria that enables Iranian backed Hezbollah presence there. (J.Post) How vital is the need for ongoing prayer that the Syrian crisis with so many dangerous political factors vying for a stronghold in the Middle East - and on Israel’s northern borders – will be contained and brought under control. Intercede against the establishment of a permanent Iranian presence in Syria and Lebanon.

LEADING PRO-HEZBOLLAH NEWSPAPER WARNS ISRAELIS TO EXPECT: ‘RAIN OF ROCKETS’: A leading article published in a Beirut newspaper known for its close ties to Hezbollah has stated that the Lebanese terrorist organization is now being deployed by its Iranian paymasters across the Middle East, warning that Israel can expect “the rain of rockets that will fall in the midst of summer.” Ibrahim al-Amin, the editor-in-chief of the Hezbollah mouthpiece, Al-Akhbar, wrote, “In Syria, Hezbollah has become the ally of the Syrian army in waging its battles, while in Iraq Hezbollah’s experts are present in the biggest operations rooms.” Al-Amin asked whether “Israel can directly confront Hezbollah in Lebanon while it is fully aware that it doesn’t control what will happen the day after the beginning of hostilities.” He continued: “Israel perfectly knows that all the drills and maneuvers undertaken to protect the domestic front will be of no use in controlling traffic in the central coastal area of Israel hours after the beginning of a total confrontation? Will the leaders of Israel be candid enough to tell their public what will be the fate of the electric grid, transportation networks, airports, sea ports, state headquarters and its infrastructure? Does the enemy really grasp ‘the rain of rockets’ that will fall in the midst of summer?” (Algemeiner) Last week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot said, “Eleven years after the Second Lebanon War, stopping Hezbollah from improving the accuracy of its missiles and rockets is the “top priority” of Israel’s army. Eisenkot said the IDF has used the time since the Second Lebanon War to dramatically improve its abilities, and now has better intelligence and operational capabilities than ever before.

SATELLITE IMAGE SHOWS A STAR OF DAVID SHAPE TARGETED BY AN IRANIAN MISSILE TEST: In a document shared with members of the UN Security Council, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon revealed last week a startling photo showing that Iran recently used a Star of David (a Jewish symbol), as a target for a ballistic missile test. The Star of David was used as a target for a mid-range "Qiam" ballistic missile test in Dec. 2016. Alongside the Star of David, a round crater caused by the rocket can also be seen. "This missile test not only violates Security Council resolutions but also proves beyond doubt, once again, the true intentions of Iran to target Israel," said Danon in his message to Security Council member states. The Security Council must act immediately against this demonstration of hate and Iran's provocative violations that threaten the stability of the entire region," added Danon. Israel will test its Arrow 3 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) defense system in the United States next year. The news comes as concerns build over Iran's continued ballistic missile tests. The Arrow 3 system is considered one of the most technologically-advanced defense systems in the world, designed to intercept incoming missiles outside of the Earth's atmosphere. (J.Post) Pray Western nations will be unified with effective solutions to prevent Iran from continuing with its violations of existing UN sanctions, its ongoing support of terrorist organizations and violent threats aga

LIBERMAN: WE WILL NOT AGREE TO THE RETURN OF A SINGLE REFUGEE: Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman on Thur. 22 June 2017 spoke to participants at the Herzliya Conference, and addressed the renewal of negotiations with the PA. He emphasized that the return of refugees was a red line for Israel. “We will not agree to the return of a single refugee to ‘67 borders,” he said. “There will never be another prime minister who makes propositions to the Palestinians like Ehud Olmert did.” He noted that an agreement with the PA will not solve regional problems. “There shouldn’t be any delusions: An end to the conflict with the Palestinians will not solve the problems - it will make them worse. We must first reach a regional agreement with moderate Sunni states, and only then an agreement with the Palestinians,” he said. (Arutz-7) Right of Return: When Israel was created in 1948, Arab states and Arab Palestinians attacked the Jewish community in Palestine and the Jewish state, vowing to "drive the Jews into the sea." They lost the war however, and some 725,000 Arab Palestinians at the behest of Arab leaders voluntarily fled from the area. Palestinian Arabs claim any peace agreement with Israel must allow the descendants and families of these refugees, now numbering 6 million, to return to Israel. If Israel were to agree to this Jews would became a minority in their own state. Return of the refugees would put an end to the Jewish homeland.

TRUMP ADMIN: ASSAD PLANNING MASS CHEMICAL WEAPONS ATTACK: The Assad regime in Syria is preparing for a massive chemical weapons attack aimed at civilians, the Trump administration claimed USA intelligence agencies have evidence suggesting the Syrian government was preparing for a large-scale chemical attack, similar to the strike near the city of Idlib in April 2017 which left dozens dead and hundreds more with serious injuries. The White House strongly advised Assad that a new chemical weapons attack would not go unpunished. Days after the April 4th attack, two USA guided missile ships in the Mediterranean fired a barrage of 50 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian military facility used in the chemical weapons attack. USA Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley added that in addition to the Assad regime, the Russian government and Iran would also be held responsible for the mass murder of Syrian civilians. (Arutz-7) Intercede that another brutal chemical weapons attack will not take place against Syrian civilians, which will result in agonizing deaths and injuries for multitudes - and likely lead to further harsh discord between superpowers Russia and the USA.

WORLD’S DEMOCRACIES ABSENT AT ANNUAL ISRAEL-BASHING DEBATE: The world’s democracies collectively snubbed the UN Human Rights Council’s annual condemnation of Israel in Geneva on 19 June 2017 when none of their representatives attended the council’s presentation and debate on “Item 7” - a permanent agenda item focused on the “Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories.” The seats of all the democratic nations represented on the council were empty for the duration of the discussion, sparking protests from Arab countries. In an address to the council on 6 June 2017, USA Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley charged that “Item 7 is a scandalous provision that must be removed.” Hillel Neuer - executive director of the Geneva-based UN Watch NGO said, “The democracies are absent to protest prejudice - because this is the only agenda item that singles out one specific state, the Jewish state. Not Syria, Sudan or North Korea is treated this way.” Nonetheless, the absence of these countries did not prevent routine denunciations of Israel, with serial human rights abusers like Syria, Lebanon and Venezuela attacking Israel’s human rights record and depicting it as the “greatest threat to peace in the Middle East.” (Algemeiner) Continue to pray that UN anti-Israel bias will be confronted and overcome in all UN branches.

ISRAELI OFFICIAL ON BBC HEADLINE: ‘THESE MISTAKES HAPPEN WAY TOO OFTEN': While acknowledging the BBC's clarification of a badly misleading headline about the weekend terrorist attacks in Jerusalem, Foreign Ministry director-general Yuval Rotem warned BBC consumers to be aware, because these mistakes happen “way too often.” Following an outcry from everyone from the Foreign Ministry to USA President Donald Trump's son over an initial headline on Friday 16 June 2017 that read, “Three Palestinians killed after deadly stabbing in Jerusalem,” the news organization changed the headline to, “Israeli police woman stabbed to death in Jerusalem.” Rotem retweeted a tweet from the spokesman at the Israeli embassy that displayed the apology, and wrote this comment: “BBC World admits mistake, but such mistakes happen way too often. BBC consumers beware.”

Israel and its supporters have long complained about biased and misleading headlines on stories in the press abroad about terrorist attacks in Israel. For instance, in the attack at the Damascus Gate in Feb. 2016 that killed Hadar Cohen, the headline on the initial CBS story was “3 Palestinians killed as daily violence grinds on.” About 90 minutes later, and after numerous complaints, that headline was changed to this: “Israeli police kill 3 alleged Palestinian attackers.” And after further protests, it was again changed to “Palestinians kill Israeli officer, wound another before being killed.” And after last year's attack at the Sarona market in Tel Aviv that killed four people, CNN ran the following headline: “Two ‘Terrorists’ Captured,” putting the word terrorists in quotation marks. It later apologized, saying putting terrorists in quotation marks was “a mistake.” (Jerusalem Post) In the words of one blogger: “If they didn't flagrantly mislead they wouldn't have to be called out.” Pray against misleading media presentations against Israel that further bias and terrorism against the Jewish state.

“May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame. May they be like grass on the roof, which withers before it can grow,” Ps. 129:5-6
 

HAMAS TERRORIST TUNNEL DISCOVERED UNDER A SCHOOL RUN BY UNRWA IN THE GAZA STRIP: A Hamas terrorist tunnel was discovered under a school in Gaza run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA), Israeli media reported on Friday 9 June 2017. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, confirmed the discovery of the tunnel in a post on his Facebook page in Arabic. “The tunnel was discovered underneath a school for boys in Al-Maazi. It is clear that the entire Arab world understands that it is the Hamas terror organization that destroys Gaza and eliminates any chance of a good future for Gazans,” wrote Mordechai. Digging a tunnel underneath a building used as a school is nothing new for Hamas, which regularly uses civilians as human shields and hides rocket launchers in places such as schools and soccer fields. During Israel’s 2014 counterterrorism Operation Protective Edge, Hamas rockets were discovered inside an UNRWA school building. Likewise, a booby-trapped UNRWA clinic was detonated, killing three IDF soldiers. Aside from the massive amounts of explosives hidden in the walls of the clinic, it was revealed that it stood on top of dozens of terror tunnels, showing how UNRWA is closely embedded with Hamas. (Arutz-7)

UNRWA: A BRIEF REVIEW: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), with its $1.3 billion budget (30% of which comes from USA taxpayers), actually perpetuates the refugee problem it was created to solve, while promoting Palestinian rejectionism and Jew hatred. The original 700,000 Palestinians leaving Israel have now been magically transformed into over 5.6 million "refugees" registered with UNRWA, about half of all the Palestinians living in the world today. The "temporary" UN agency has developed into a bloated bureaucracy with a staff of 30,000, almost all of who are Palestinians (many are activists of Hamas, the Islamist terrorist group). Less than 5% of UNRWA's clients ever lived in Israel, but the agency's regulations state that all descendants of the original displaced persons shall retain their refugee rights in perpetuity. (JNN)

‘THE USA MUST STOP SUPPORTING THE PA’: Israel's Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan spoke Tues. 6 June 2017, at the World Leaders Plenary of the American Jewish Committee’s Forum in Washington DC. The forum saw the participation of heads of state, foreign ministers, senior USA officials, diplomats and Jewish leaders from 75 countries - and over 2,500 people. Minister Erdan presented his program for an international coalition in the war on terror which would include Israel, the West, “moderate” Arab states, Europe, and other countries. He emphasized that, even today, countries are interested in learning from the steps that Israel has taken against the “terror wave” of the last two years. Erdan called on the USA to stop funding the Palestinian Authority. “Abbas is sending a message to children growing up in the PA that terror pays. Not one cent of American taxpayer money should be going to fund terrorists.” He added that “Today, more and more leaders are coming to understand that terror is terror, whether it hits the USA, England, Egypt, or Israel. We have taken a number of steps that have led to a decrease in terror incidents: The fight against incitement on social media, the removal of legal status from inciting organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood, and the uncovering and drying up of sources of terror funding. The time has come to apply these steps to the whole world, and to establish an international coalition in the war on terror and the incitement driving terror. A global challenge requires a global response. Israel is ready to take a central role in leading the new coalition,” Erdan said. (Arutz-7) The Palestinian Authority spent some $322 million on payments to terrorists in 2016, a former Israeli Military Intelligence official revealed days ago. Pray that this vile use of foreign aid money from the USA and other Western nations will completely be cut off. Intercede that the issue will continue to be exposed and opposed until payments to Palestinian terrorist cease.

WE DON’T NEED EMBASSIES IN JERUSALEM – THE WORLD NEEDS THEM’: MK Yehuda Glick responded to President Trump’s decision to leave the USA Embassy in Israel at its present location in Tel Aviv, saying the move had little impact on Israel, but boded ill for efforts to forge a lasting peace in the region. Despite his disappointment with the decision, Glick nevertheless expressed appreciation for the president’s pledge to move the embassy, and said he was optimistic the shift would ultimately be made. Glick added that while he supported the embassy relocation, it had little direct bearing on Israel or the Jewish people and their connection with the city. "Jerusalem is the capital of the people of Israel and the State of Israel. It has been the capital of the people of Israel for 3,000 years. Jerusalem is the heart - three times a day in our prayer. Nobody can change that - Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. The question of whether the embassy will be moved to Jerusalem - we don't need the embassies in Jerusalem, the world needs it. If the world wants to be relevant and connected to reality, they should move their embassies to Jerusalem." (Arutz-7) “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” Isa 60:3

CULTURAL CENTER NAMED FOR TERRORIST MURDERER: Despite President Donald Trump's straight talk to PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas about the need to stop supporting and commending terror, another educational institution in the Palestinian Authority has been named for Dalal Mughrabi, who headed the brutal murder of no fewer than 37 people in the Coastal Highway massacre in 1978. The most lethal terror attack in Israel's history, it included the hijacking of a bus by Mughrabi and other Fatah terrorists, as well as random shootings at cars on the highway and passengers on the bus. The dead included 12 children, and over 70 people were wounded. The new center's inauguration ceremony was held last week in the PA town of Burqa, near Nablus. The sign on the new building includes logos of the PA's Ministry of Local Government, United Nations Women, and the Norwegian Representative Office to the PA. Ironically, the center's purpose is billed as "focusing especially on the history of the struggle of Martyr Dalal Mughrabi and on presenting it to the youth groups." Thus, this is yet another "show of admiration for terrorist murderers," in accordance with the Palestinian Authority's "policy of presenting them as role models for Palestinian youth." (Arutz-7) 

NETANYAHU ON JERUSALEM DAY: “WE DIDN’T OCCUPY, WE LIBERATED”: Speaking at celebrations on Sunday 21 May 2017, marking 50 years since the reunification of Jerusalem, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said, "Fifty years ago, we didn't occupy, we liberated. By the heroism of our warriors and the love of our people, Jerusalem was liberated. Jerusalem was and always will be the capital of Israel. The Temple Mount and the Western Wall will always remain under Israeli sovereignty." The event included an audiovisual show projected on the walls of the Old City and the Tower of David.(Ha'aretz) “I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the Lord your God.” Amos 9:15

“So the nations shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory. For the Lord shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory,” Ps. 102: 15-16 GUNMEN KILL AT LEAST 28 COPTIC CHRISTIANS IN CENTRAL EGYPT: Gunmen attacked a bus carrying Coptic Christians to mass in southern Egypt on Friday 26 May 2017, killing at least 28 people in the latest bloodshed targeting the country’s Christian minority. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but ISIS has both targeted and claimed responsibility for previous deadly attacks against Egypt’s Christians, which comprise about 10% of the population. A journalist said many of the victims appeared to be children. The ambulance authority said 40 people were riding in the bus on their way from the city of Beni Suef just south of Cairo to Minya, about 150 miles south of Egypt’s capital. Much of Egypt’s Christian population is concentrated around the center of the country near Minya and Assiut. Both places have several pilgrimage sites. Last month, twin bomb attacks rocked churches in the Mediterranean port Alexandria and the northern city of Tanta, leaving 44 dead and prompting Egypt’s President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi to declare a state of emergency. In December, a bomb hit the main cathedral in Cairo, killing 25 people as part of what is being described as a new strategy by the ISIS to target Christians. Egypt launched six air strikes on jihadist camps in Libya on Friday night, 26 May 2017 following the terrorist attack. Israel strongly condemned the terrorist assault in Egypt, in a statement from PM Binyamin Netanyahu’s office. “There is no difference between the terror of the attack in Egypt and that of attacks in other countries. Terror will be defeated more quickly if all countries work together against it,” said the statement. (Washington Post/Arutz-7) Pray for the injured and grieving Christians in Egypt - and for their desperately needed protection from ISIS-affiliated terror groups.