Israel

Doomsday Clock Moved to Closest Setting Since the End of World War 2

The world is closer to annihilation than it has ever been since the first nuclear bombs were released at the close of World War II, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said recently. The time on the Doomsday Clock moved forward from 100 seconds to midnight to 90 seconds to midnight. It’s a reset of what has come to be known as the Doomsday Clock, a decades long project of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists featuring a clock face where midnight represents Armageddon.

Between Russia's nuclear brinkmanship in its war on Ukraine, the real threats of climate change becoming increasingly dire and ongoing concerns about more possible pandemics caused by humans encroaching on formerly wild areas, the Bulletin chose to set the clock the closest to midnight yet. The world is facing a gathering storm of extinction-level consequences, exacerbated by the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia. This explains the latest advance of the clock, said Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. "The threats are even more acute, and the failures of leadership even more damning. We live today in a world of interlocking crises, each illustrating the unwillingness of leaders to act in the true long-term interests of their people," she said.

The Bulletin was founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein and University of Chicago scientists who helped develop the first atomic weapons at the Manhattan Project. Two years later they launched the clock as a way to warn humanity just how close to nuclear apocalypse the world was. "It's a way to remind people of issues that are so big they pose a threat to civilization as a whole," said Steve Fetter, a professor of public policy at the University of Maryland and member of the Bulletin's Science and Security Board, which sets the clock each year.

The clock has ticked minutes or seconds toward or away from catastrophe over the years. Wars bring it closer, treaties and cooperation further away. For the past two years, it has been at 100 seconds to midnight. The movement of the clock to just 90 seconds to midnight sends a message that the world's situation is urgent, with possible broad consequences and long-standing effects, said the Bulletin's president, Rachel Bronson. "What we're conveying with this clock move is things are not going in the right direction, and they haven't been going in the right direction. Those who are listening say 'The world doesn't feel safer today,' – they're not alone," she said.

Their hope is that this year's announcement will focus on world awareness and push people toward action and away from a business-as-usual mindset. Scientists are unequivocal, said Robinson. "Leaders, wake up! This is your responsibility. This is on your watch," she said. The clock ticked forward largely, though not exclusively, because of the nuclear dangers posed by the war in Ukraine, the Bulletin said in its statement. "Russia’s thinly veiled threats to use nuclear weapons remind the world that escalation of the conflict – by accident, intention, or miscalculation – is a terrible risk. The possibility that the conflict could spin out of anyone’s control remains high," the statement read.

Biblical Connection: Matthew 24:36 states, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” While no one knows the time of Jesus’ Return, the dramatic events of the last few years certainly seem to portray a dark future. How much longer the world can continue to move forward before all-out nuclear war seems to lessen every year.

PRAY: Pray that as many people as possible will hear the Gospel and be saved before the time finally comes for Jesus to return for His bride.

Israel, US Hold Air Drill Simulating Striking Iran Nuclear Program

The Israel Air Force held one of its largest drills in years with the United States Air Force simulating offensive strikes against Iran’s nuclear program. The drill took place over the Mediterranean Sea and Israel. It included long-range flights such as those that Israeli pilots might need to make in order to reach the Islamic Republic. The exercise included refuelers as well as fighter jets from both forces. Washington and Israel have signed an agreement that would see the US come to assist Israel with missile defense in times of war, and the two militaries have held numerous joint air defense exercises in recent years.

 These drills occurred at a time when tensions between Israel and Iran remain high. Iran, which possesses over 1,000 short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, continues to smuggle weapons to countries and non-state actors such as Hezbollah, which is estimated to have an arsenal of some 50,000 missiles on Israel’s northern border. With tensions high over Iran’s nuclear program and regional hostility, Israel and the Islamic Republic have been threatening each other with senior officers stating that their militaries are capable of striking the other. Israel has significantly increased its readiness level and has taken steps throughout the past year to prepare a credible military option against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

 The NIS 58 billion defense budget set for the IDF in the coming year is expected to allow the Israeli military to focus on the threats posed by Iran across the region, with some NIS 3.5b. designated specifically for this very task. The drill was discussed by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi during his visit to Washington recently. Kohavi, who returned to Israel a day earlier than planned following a deadly double bombing in Jerusalem, met with senior American officials including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, and CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Kurilla. In the last year, the IDF and CENTCOM forces have held several joint drills as well as operational missions.

 Kurilla was in Israel a week prior to Kohavi’s visit and toured the northern border as well as the IAF’s fleet of F-35 Adir stealth fighter jets. “We are operating together on all fronts to gather intelligence, neutralize threats, and prepare for various scenarios in either one or multiple arenas” Kohavi declared. His counterpart, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi, also stated, “We are operating together on all fronts to gather intelligence, neutralize threats, and prepare for various scenarios in either one or multiple arenas,” adding that the two countries were “developing joint military capabilities at an accelerated rate” against Iran and other threats in the Middle East.

 Outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz told reporters that while Israel has the capabilities to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu must consider the issue “carefully” before giving the order. “Israel has the ability to act in Iran. We have the readiness, development capabilities, and long-term plans we are managing. We need to prepare for this possibility, and we will also need to consider this issue very carefully before carrying it out,” he said.

 Biblical Connections: Ezekiel 38-39 has Israel being invaded in the future by a coalition in which Iran is a major player of in the battle of Gog and Magog. The fact that Iran and Israel continue to have major tension in the region should be a warning to followers of Biblical prophecy. In prophecy, Israel is attacked without allies and only through God’s intervention are they delivered. It will be interesting to see what role, if any, America would play in that future invasion.

PRAY: Pray for peace in the region and that the tension between Iran and Israel would not lead to a major war.

Netanyahu Wins Election as Israel’s Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu has once again become prime minister of Israel in the country’s fifth election in less than four years. Yair Lapid conceded defeat after nearly all the votes were counted, allowing the 73-year-old Netanyahu to claim victory in the election. “The State of Israel comes before any political consideration,” Lapid said. “I wish Netanyahu success, for the sake of the people of Israel and the State of Israel.”

Netanyahu’s return to the executive office came as his Likud Party formed a political alliance with two other political parties known as Jewish Power and Religious Zionism. Religious Zionism and its allies have weathered claims that they are extremists who will target the nation’s minority Arab community, and the LGBT community if they take power. “We’re not going to hammer anyone,” said MK Orit Strock, a member of Religious Zionism. “We will serve all citizens, including those who do not think like us and whose lifestyles are different.”

Strock did say that her party wants to “bring order to the public space,” apparently taking issue with lewd, vulgar and pornographic aspects of LGBT pride events. “Regardless of pride, there shouldn’t be marches of people walking down the street naked or half naked,” she added. “The problem is with years-long efforts, not just here but around the world, to force things on the public.”

The Jewish News Syndicate reported that the total number of seats for the coalition government had decreased from an expected 65 seats to 64. Nevertheless, the JNS added, Netanyahu only needed 61 seats to have a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. This gives the group a solid majority that, barring any major break, should allow them to remain in power for the foreseeable future, something that has not occurred in recent years in Israel.

The election news was not met with excitement in some circles due to Netanyahu’s past legal problems. In 2019, Netanyahu became the first sitting prime minister in the history of the modern state of Israel to be indicted, with various charges, including breach of trust, bribery and fraud. “This is a hard and sad day,” said Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in a speech given before the Justice Ministry at the time. “I am bringing an indictment on public corruption against the prime minister in three cases. It is sad for me personally and for the country.”

For his part, Netanyahu denied the allegations, labeling the indictment “a political coup” and “a contaminated process,” in which he felt the investigators “were after me personally.” In June 2021, Netanyahu lost his position as prime minister after 12 years in the role, being replaced by Naftali Bennett, who held on to power with a very slight majority in the Knesset.

However, because of the structure of the Jewish Knesset, holding power with slim majorities that can change quickly means that Israel, unable to gain a strong majority, has went through massive election changes for several years.

Netanyahu’s reelection is seen as a shift back to a more conservative stance for the nation. It is also seen as a potential powder keg for Israel and Iran, as Netanyahu has never been afraid to stand up to the Iranian regime, either political or even militarily when deemed necessary.

Biblical Connection: While Netanyahu is not without controversy, he does tend to offer a stronger front for Israel against their enemies. The Bible clearly identifies Israel as a major player in the end times and thus their continued perseverance is essential for end times prophecy.

PRAY: Pray for the leadership change in Israel and for America to continue to be an ally of Israel in the region.

Persecution Continues to Rise Against Jews in Academia

Recently, Law Students for Justice in Palestine (LSJP) at University of California, Berkeley, School of Law promoted a bylaw  that would create what critics have characterized as “no-go zones for Jews,” “LSJP is so excited to announce that multiple student affinity groups and clubs at Berkeley Law have adopted a pro-Palestine bylaw divesting all funds from institutions and companies complicit in the occupation of Palestine, and banning future use of funds towards such companies!” the group wrote in an Instagram post in August. “LSJP is calling ALL student organizations at Berkeley Law to take an anti-racist and anti-settler colonial stand and adopt the bylaw into their constitutions ASAP!”

 In addition to urging student groups to support the ongoing BDS campaign against Israel, the bylaw also included troubling language to expunge any speech by individuals who might be considered pro-Israel or pro-Zionist, especially speech meant to correct the many factual and historical inaccuracies in the pro-Palestinian bylaw. “In the interest of protecting the safety and welfare of Palestinian students on campus,” the suggested language read, groups who adopt this bylaw “will not invite speakers that have expressed and continued to hold views or host/sponsor/promote events in support of Zionism, the apartheid state of Israel, and the occupation of Palestine.”

 And in language which is Orwellian in its attempt to paint bigotry as virtue, cooperating student groups, the bylaw read, will proclaim that they are “publicly stipulating the organization’s position of anti-racism and anti-settler colonialism to speakers, ensuring that proposals for speakers emphasize the organization’s desire for equality and inclusion,” all of this for the purpose of creating “a safe and inclusive space for Palestinian students and students that are in the support of the liberation of Palestine.”

 The implementation of a litmus test of ideological allegiance — only targeted at Jews who support Israel — is part of a decades-old campaign to malign Israel and transform it into a pariah state. It excludes its supporters from progressive groups, by falsely alleging Israel is an apartheid, racist regime of white supremacy that continues to oppress innocent Arabs who were the actual indigenous residents of the land now called Israel.

 Imagine if a student government yanked accommodations for halal food on campus because Islam can be linked to terrorism, the same spurious linkage these social justice cretins have created for “apartheid” Israel, Zionism and kosher food from pro-Israel companies. The campus-wide howling about Islamophobia and bigotry would be deafening.

 The Berkeley situation is, of course, part of a broader effort to marginalize Jewish students, malign Israel and Zionism without debate or counter-argument, contort history and facts to elevate the Palestinian cause and denigrate the Jewish state, and promote hatred and hostility to any supporter of Israel. The real intention of pro-Palestinian radicals, now encompassing a large swathe of academia, is to exclude Israel and Zionism as reasonable topics of discussion and to prevent supporters of the Jewish state from even defending it or offering counterarguments. While Israel is not a perfect country and when they do make mistakes they should be called out on those mistakes. However, the immense hatred of the Jewish people that has arisen to almost pre-World War 2 levels is a sign that Satan is continuing his attacks.

 Biblical Connection: In Revelation 12, the nation of Israel, depicted symbolically by a woman figure, is attacked by both Satan and the forces of the Antichrist.

 PRAY: Pray that the Jewish people will be protected from these types of unjust attacks in the public square.

Red Heifers Sent to Israel in Possible Preparation for a Third Temple?

Five perfectly red heifers, required for the ritual purification of those who have touched a dead body, arrived in Israel from a ranch in Texas, as the Jewish Temple Institute continues preparations to lay the ground for the construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem.

 The heifers are all under one year old and if they remain 100% red and avoid any blemishes which would disqualify them, they will each be eligible to be used to create the ashes required by Jewish law to purify those who have been in contact with a dead body, explained the Temple Institute. This level of purification would be needed in order to allow the priests to carry out their work in a future Temple.

 The prized cattle were immediately transported to Haifa where they will sit in quarantine for no less than seven days, in accordance with the regulations of the Israel Veterinary Authority. After the quarantine, they will be released to two separate locations in Israel, one of which will eventually be opened to the public. The heifers will be fed and cared for at these locations until they can be slaughtered and rendered into ashes from their third year onwards.

 The heifers were greeted by a ceremony at Ben-Gurion Airport. Temple Institute officials Rabbi Chanan Kupietzky, Rabbi Tzachi Mamo, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel and Rabbi Azaria Ariel participated in the ceremony, alongside Stinson and Jerusalem and Heritage Ministry director-general Netanel Isaac.

 The Jewish Temple Institute has been working for years on creating all the necessary elements to rebuild the Jewish Temple. Their website states that their goal is to educate, research, promote activism and to even prepare for actual rebuilding and dedication.

 What is a red heifer? The red heifer is first mentioned in the Book of Numbers 19:3, when God tells Moses and Aaron “This is the ritual law that God has commanded: Instruct the Israelite people to bring you a red cow without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which no yoke has been laid.” The Bible goes on to explain how the heifer is processed and burnt and its ashes mixed into sanctified water. Those who became impure due to touching a human corpse would be purified by having the water mixed with the ashes sprinkled on them twice: once three days after they came in contact with the corpse and a second time seven days after contact. The Torah relates that a red heifer was brought to Elazar the Priest, the son of Aaron, and was processed for its ashes for the ritual.

 Biblical Connection: Why is the red heifer important to prophecy? 2 Thessalonians 2:4 says that the Antichrist will one day go the temple and claim to be God. Since the 2nd Jewish Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., this would require a 3rd temple to be built. Critics of eschatology have argued for centuries that this passage cannot be referring to a future time because there would be no temple for the Antichrist to go to or try to spiritualize the temple in some manner. However, these types of headlines show that it is clear that the orthodox Jews in Israel would not only like to rebuild the temple, but are actively creating elements and planning for a time when they can rebuild a future temple. Presumably, it will be this temple that will one day be rebuilt that the Antichrist will enter and declare himself God.

 PRAY: Pray that God’s timetable will continue to occur. While we as Christians should not necessarily cheer the construction of a temple, it does show that some of the prophetic elements that God promised could come to pass soon.

Iran is Becoming a World Leader in Drone Technology

Iran has made steady advances in the design and production of military drones in recent years and has stepped up their transfer to militant groups across the Middle East as it seeks to shift the dynamics of battlefields from Yemen to Gaza. Those efforts now extended far beyond the region.

 Iran is now seeking to build its global clout and sell increasingly sophisticated weapons-capable drones commercially to other nations, including those that have been subject to various sanctions in recent years, like Venezuela and Sudan, according to Iranian news media, satellite images and defense experts inside and outside Iran. That has provided an important source of funds and political influence for Iran, which is itself isolated and struggling under U.S. financial restrictions.

 “Iran is increasingly becoming a global player in terms of drone exports,” said Seth Frantzman, a Jerusalem-based defense analyst and drone expert. The fact that newer drones, such as the Mohajer-6, are now being seen in places like the Horn of Africa shows that countries see them as a potential game-changer,” he added, referring to an advanced Iranian drone claimed to have a range of about 125 miles and the ability to carry precision-guided munitions.

 Tehran began drone development in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war. Despite crippling sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear and missile programs in recent years, it has managed to produce and field a vast array of military drones, used for both surveillance and attack, according to experts.

That program has become a major concern for Israel and the United States in recent years. Israel has targeted drone production and storage sites in its escalating shadow war with Tehran. And the U.S. Department of Defense said in a statement on July 21 that “the Iran-proliferated network of attack unmanned aerial systems,” or drones, was a key topic of discussion at a recent regional security meeting in Qatar.

 A United Nations embargo aimed at preventing Iran from selling and buying weapons expired in 2020, despite protests from the United States, which wanted it extended, removing a significant legal obstacle, analysts said, for Iran to export its drones and carve out its status as a global player in drone technology.

 Hossein Dalirian, a military analyst with close ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, posted a video on his YouTube channel in January in which he said that Iran was exporting drones to Ethiopia and Venezuela. “The Islamic Republic has long reached mass production level in the production of various drones including military surveillance and suicide drones and now has a very large stock,” Mr. Dalirian said by direct message. “Because the drones are effective and some countries have been enthusiastic about the drones, in recent years Iran has been exporting drones such as New Mohajer-2 (M2-N) and Mohajer-6 (M6) and even Ababil (AB-2).”

 Iran has both political and financial incentives to sell drones to such countries, as well as supplying them to proxy groups as part of its regional policy in the Middle East. The sales allow Tehran to build international links in defiance of Western efforts to isolate it and provide an additional source of revenue alongside oil sold in contravention of sanctions. “They have created this viable drone capacity, so it is no surprise that other countries are interested in obtaining such technologies,” said Farzin Nadimi, a military analyst and associate fellow at the Washington Institute who specializes in Iran’s defense industry. “Iranian drones should be taken seriously as a weapon,” he said.

 PRAY: Pray that Iran’s continual sale of drones to people with bad intentions will be stopped and peace will reign in the region.

Western Response to War in Ukraine Pushing Russian-Iranian Relationship

It is no secret that Russia and Iran have formed a closer relationship over the previous decade. Russia has provided cover for Iran within the United Nations security council with their veto power and has been in Iran’s corner for much of the discussion of the nuclear deal between Iran and the West. Many believe that Russia wants to increase their influence in the region, as evidenced by their support in Syria, and see Iran as a potential ally, along with Turkey, in furthering their ambitions. 

 In a new development, Iran will start to supply aircraft parts and equipment to Russia and service Russian aircraft in a new agreement signed between the two countries. Western nations and their allies moved to isolate Moscow after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. While initially this looked like it may be effective since Russia trades significantly with the west, Russia looked to other rogue nations, including Iran, to help circumvent the sanctions and ride out the immediate economic impact. China and India purchased Russian energy in the run-up to the invasion, and China made some key trade deals with its northern neighbor. Iran has stepped in to sign an agreement that will provide Russia more flight options and airplane assistance in the near term, according to The Moscow Times, citing the Mehr agency.

 The agreement includes a pledge to increase flights between the two nations up to 35 per week – a significant boost when only about 19 countries or states provide direct flight access to Russia. Even those nations have advised that passengers face the risk of lawsuits in countries considered “friendly” with Russia. Western nations ordered the termination of Russian carrier contracts during the earliest phase of sanctions.

 The deal follows an agreement between Tehran and Moscow to supply Russian forces with drones so that the Kremlin can sustain its war offensive, which shifted from a broad attack and attempt to conquer the whole of Ukraine to focus only on the eastern Donbas region. Russia, which believed it would accomplish its goals in Ukraine quickly and easily, was not necessarily equipped to fight a drawn-out technological war and therefore needs significant investments. Iran has become known in recent years as a major player in the drove/UAV market. They have been using them in attacks themselves and also sell them along with training to other nations and terrorist groups.

 National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan disclosed that intelligence agencies had obtained information that indicated Tehran would supply Moscow with drones, as well as training the troops in their use. “Our information indicates that the Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline,” Sullivan told reporters in the White House briefing room. It’s unclear whether Iran has delivered any of these UAVs to Russia already,” Sullivan said, “but this is just one example of how Russia is looking to countries like Iran for capabilities.” As long as Russia can continue to maintain their economy and supplies through these types of deals with non-Western powers, it is unlikely that Western sanctions alone will bring Russia to the negotiating table.

 Biblical Connection: Many see the Gog-Magog War in Ezekiel 38-39 as an alliance between Russia, Turkey, Iran and several other nations against the nation of Israel that will occur in the end days, either prior to the Rapture, during the Tribulation or at the end of the Millennial Kingdom. A Russian-Iranian relationship should not shock anyone familiar with Bible prophecy.

 PRAY: Pray that plans of those who seek to do evil throughout the globe will be thwarted and peace will prevail.

Israeli Persecution in the Media

When President Joe Biden visited Israel and Saudi Arabia, the eyes of the global mainstream media were trained on the citizens and leaders of the epicenter as they covered the Biden trip every step of the way. Yet an exclusive new poll commissioned by ALL ISRAEL NEWS reveals that Americans have a staggeringly low degree of trust in the mainstream media, and a significant degree of outright anger at journalists and their editors for how they cover events and trends affecting the Jewish state.

 What’s more, the survey reveals that a large number of Americans describe themselves as downright “angry” at the mainstream media and want to find a new source of news and analysis to help them understand what’s happening in Israel and why it should matter to them. Among American Evangelicals, the survey revealed far lower trust in the mainstream media than the general population. That said, the survey also found there is a noteworthy gap between how Evangelicals of different races view the media. The term “mainstream media” generally refers to well-known news gathering corporations and organizations in the U.S. and around the world operating in the print, broadcast, cable, and/or digital spaces. These include The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, and the major broadcast news networks, among others.

 Here is the specific question that were asked in the survey: When it comes to media coverage of Israel, which statement best reflects your view? The results show that only 30% of Americans age 18 and old who were surveyed say they trust the mainstream media’s coverage of Israel. Half of all Americans (49%) say they do not trust the mainstream media’s coverage of Israel or are downright angry about the media and looking for an alternative source of news and information about Israel. Of these, nearly a third of all Americans (31%) say they do not trust the media’s coverage of Israel because they find such coverage is too often “unfair, dishonest, and biased against Israel.” Nearly 1-in-5 Americans (18%) say that they are angry at the media and looking for a news service covering Israel that they can trust.

 Particularly significant is the fact that 18% of Americans are so turned off by the mainstream media’s dishonesty and bias against Israel that they are interested in finding a news service covering Israel that they can trust. That means 46 million Americans of all religions, races and regions wish they could find a credible, honest, trustworthy alternative source of news and analysis regarding Israel and the Middle East. When it comes specifically to born again Evangelical Christians, the numbers are even more striking. Only 25.6% of American Evangelicals say they trust the mainstream media’s coverage of Israel. Almost 6-in-10 Evangelicals (57.4%) say they do not trust the mainstream media’s coverage of Israel or are downright angry about the media and looking for an alternative source of news and information about Israel. Of these, 38.7% say they do not trust the media’s coverage of Israel because they find such coverage is too often “unfair, dishonest, and biased against Israel.”

 Biblical Connection: While antisemitism in the media comes as no real surprise, it is significant that Israel consistently is treated unfairly in both the media and the United Nations. This type of mindset will make it very easy for the Antichrist to persecute the Jewish people during the Tribulation period (Revelation 12-13), just like Hitler was able to use a similar mindset during the events of the Holocaust.

 PRAY: Pray these antisemitic tendencies will continue to be called out and the media will treat Israel in a fairer manner.

Morocco Opening New Embassy in Israel

After a year of waiting, Israel announced the new opening of a Moroccan embassy in the country as confirmed by Yair Lapid, head of Israeli diplomacy. No exact details have yet been given as to when this new phase of good diplomatic relations will officially begin, but it will be available from this summer onwards. Lapid did say that Nasser Bourita, the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister, is expected to pay an official visit to the Hebrew state to welcome the embassy in September. Thus, the relationship between the two peoples, which is constantly developing, is again being consolidated.

The opening of the embassy has been on the table for a year now. Moreover, this coincided with the Kingdom’s decision to transform its liaison offices into official embassies. These changes corresponded with Yair Lapid’s visit to the Alawi kingdom in the summer of last year. This trip was a historic moment in Moroccan-Israeli relations, marking a turning point in ties between the two nations. “Following our visit to Morocco, we have decided, together with the Moroccan Foreign Ministry, to raise the level of diplomatic relations with the Kingdom and transform the two Liaison Offices into two Embassies,” Lapid said on his visit to the country.

The head of Israeli diplomacy stayed in Morocco for two days, where he took it upon himself to accentuate relations between the two sides. In addition to the announcement of the opening, Lapid also inaugurated the Israeli diplomatic mission in Rabat and was responsible first-hand for signing several cooperation agreements. This move is very groundbreaking, as Morocco is roughly 99% Muslim. Many foreign policy experts think that as more and more predominately Muslim nations continue to create international relationships with Israel, it will open the door for other nations to create these relationships as well. However, some do caution that if Israel continues to make new friends in the Middle East and Northern Africa, Iran could feel threatened to quicken their plans for any attack on Israel.

Although the opening of the embassy comes later than expected, the two countries began working on the next steps to establish the embassy last year. In October 2021, Israel announced that Morocco already had an ambassador on its territory. David Govrin accepted his new position as ambassador after moving from being the director of the Israel Liaison Office in Rabat.

The Abraham Accords pushed to establish relations between the two countries. The two countries jointly signed the normalization and restoration of their relations after years of tension and no contact. This new treaty, orchestrated under the administration of former US President Donald Trump, has allowed the Hebrew state to improve ties with some Arab nations and has developed new ties and forms of cooperation between all parties involved. Since that time, the two countries have not stopped establishing agreements and treaties in key sectors of their economies. These have been determining factors that have shown that Morocco and Israel have left the past behind and see a joint future of peace and stability.

In early July, there was hope in Israel that Saudi Arabia was warming to relations when they agreed to open their airspace to Israelite travel planes. However, Saudi Arabia’s decision to grant Israeli airlines the right to fly through its airspace is not a step in the direction of normalization, the country’s deputy ambassador to the UN Mohammed Al-Ateeq said. “The decision to allow the use of our airspace to all airlines is in line with our international obligations,” Ateeq told the UN Security Council on during its monthly meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “This step will not be a prelude to other steps,” he said.

Biblical Connections: Genesis 12:3 states, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

PRAY: Pray that more nations will continue to open relations with Israel and they will be able to create allies in their region.

Israeli’s Believe Ukraine is a Sign for Iran’s Future

For many years, Vladimir Putin has complained about the injustice of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the loss of Russia’s rightful hegemony of the former Soviet Republics. In 2005, he said “the demise of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century... Tens of millions of our citizens and fellow countrymen found themselves outside the Russian Federation.” The world watched him take northern Georgia (2008), Crimea and eastern Ukraine (2014), and did little about it. He took the measure of America during the Afghanistan retreat and read the polls of the American people’s appetite for foreign engagements. The dictators watched closely when the US did not respond to attacks on its soldiers in Syria near al Tanf.

 Putin watched, learned and acted. The authoritarian President Xi Jinping in China, the Revolutionary Shi’ite Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his Republican Guards henchmen, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, are all watching. They are now analyzing and strategizing the best time to invade Taiwan; attack the Gulf states; let loose proxies in Gaza, Yemen and Lebanon; confront India, and threaten the Far East.

 Authoritarian birds of a feather flock together, vocally supporting Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. During the unprovoked assault, Putin met with Pakistani Prime Minister Khan, while President Xi of China offered his support of Russia. The “Butcher of Tehran,” Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi told Putin, “The continued expansion of NATO is a serious threat against the stability and security of independent countries in various regions of the world.” The Iranians know that the US desperately wants to rejoin a weakened nuclear deal. It is an agreement that demands absolutely no restrictions on Iran’s expansionism; its support of aggressive proxies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen; or any limits on Iran’s terrorism, human rights abuses or missile development. The lesson of Ukraine for Iran is to hold out for more, as America under this administration is perceived not as a superpower but more of a 98-pound weakling.

 As Yoav Limor, writing in Israel Hayom, says, “The lesson for the world is broader: Without resolve, the familiar global security order will crack. The Russian invasion of Ukraine poses dangers that could extend beyond the immediate battlefield, potentially changing the world security order for the worse.”

 The Israelis are watching closely and know that their national security is in worse shape than just a month ago. The lesson of Ukraine for Israel is that it must rely on itself by itself, and that is the message most other nations will also take. With a new nuclear agreement whose feeble restrictions on nuclear development will evaporate in just a few years, it means that Israel will need to act sooner rather than later to strike Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

 Ukraine is the flashing signal telling Israel it has to go it alone regarding Iran. The weak western response to the naked Russian act of aggression has increased the chance for regional and global wars.

 Unlike the rest of the world, Israel believes what its adversaries say. Supreme leader Khamenei has called for the destruction of the Zionist entity on innumerable occasions: “Our stance against Israel is the same stance we have always taken. Israel is a malignant cancerous tumor… that has to be removed and eradicated: it is possible, and it will happen.”

 What is the Ukrainian connection to the Middle East? Russia is also the leading outside power in the region with the influence and desire to recreate the Soviet sphere of influence in the Levant and North Africa.

 Russia has solidified its military status with new naval facilities at Tartus and an upgraded airbase at Khmeimim, both in Syria. It now projects on-the-ground military power from its bases in Syria into the eastern Mediterranean, affecting Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Israel, the Gulf States and Egypt. Those Russian bases are close to the Black Sea and Crimea and in range of the Suez Canal, the Straits of Hormuz and Bab-el Mandeb – gateways and choke points of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

 Appeasing Iran with a weak nuclear agreement in 2015, forgetting about previous Russian hegemonic invasions in eastern Ukraine (2014) and Georgia (2008), and ignoring China’s moves in Hong Kong and the South China Sea, were signboards for the dictators to move now or in the near future.

 America’s poor leadership on the global stage, rhetoric with evaporating red lines, and an isolationist sentiment are a perfect storm to ignite regional wars in the Far East, Mideast, Eastern Europe and southern Asia. America is a nation that has lost its way, looking more like America in the 1930s, which ignored the rise of Hitler and Japan until there was no choice. When Emmanuel Macron is the most decisive leader in the West, you know that your adversaries will take notice and act.

 To avoid war, you need the means to fight and for your enemies to believe you have the will to use them. America has the former, albeit somewhat hollowed out in recent years, and lacks the latter.

 Unless things change, by 2030, Xi will be in Taipei. Israel will have struck Iranian nuclear facilities, and Hezbollah and Hamas will have sent tens of thousands of missiles into Israeli civilian areas.

 PRAY: Pray for the protection of Israel. Pray for the return of strong American leadership on the world stage.

Israel Could Take Unilateral Action Against Iran if Sanctions Lifted

Earlier this week, a message coming out of Iran expressed a willingness to engage directly with the United States over its nuclear deal if sanctions on Iran are lifted. During a live broadcast, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said, “If the parties are ready to lift the oppressive sanctions, it is quite possible any agreement can be reached.”

Yahoo News reports that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, indirectly gave the green light to the Iranian negotiation team to talk with the U.S. and said negotiating and interacting with the enemy does not mean surrender.

Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. However, lifting sanctions on Iran could lead to military action by Israel, officials in Jerusalem warned world powers.

Israel claims that if the US lifts sanctions – along with international sanctions soon to be lifted under the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal – Iran could reach the nuclear threshold within six months. At that point, Israel could find it necessary to take unilateral action.

In a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid called for the world to ramp up the threat to Iran in order to deter it from developing a nuclear weapon. Lapid emphasized that Israel views the talks as an attempt by Tehran to stall as it advances its nuclear program, and the world must have a plan B. “Sanctions must not be lifted from Iran,” Lapid said. “Sanctions must be tightened. A real military threat must be put before Iran because that is the only way to stop its race to become a nuclear power.” The meeting with Macron came a day after Lapid relayed a similar message in a meeting with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Israel opposes the JCPOA because it insufficiently limited Iran’s uranium enrichment, and, in fact, legitimizes further enrichment after the agreement expires, which paves the way for an eventual nuclear bomb. In addition, the JCPOA did not address Iran’s other malign actions in the region. But worse than the JCPOA, Israeli officials say, would be an interim deal that would barely restrict Iran’s nuclear program. Jerusalem has grown increasingly concerned that the U.S. is considering such an agreement, which some diplomats have called “less for less,” to have the U.S. lift some sanctions in exchange for Iran freezing – not rolling back – its nuclear program, which has advanced far beyond the JCPOA’s restrictions. Foreign Ministry Director-General Alon Ushpiz said in an interview with KAN that this should be called “more for less,” as Iran would be getting a cash influx while conceding almost nothing.

Israel’s diplomatic efforts are overwhelmingly focused on the US, in order to convince Washington not to lift sanctions. France, Germany and the UK have been sympathetic to Israel’s messages, a senior Israeli diplomatic source said, and Russia has been attentive. While there has been communication between China and Israel about the Iranian nuclear threat, Beijing has been less receptive. Diplomats from the E3 – France, Britain and Germany – in the Vienna talks told Reuters that there will be a problem if Iran does not show that it is taking the negotiations seriously. Reaching an agreement is urgent, the diplomats said, but they did not want to impose an artificial deadline.

Iranian officials continued to maintain that the talks are about lifting U.S. sanctions, as opposed to their country’s nuclear program, even though the Joint Comprehensive Plan of action, as the 2015 deal was called, limited uranium enrichment in addition to gradually lifting sanctions. Russia’s Ambassador to International Institutions in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said that the U.S. reaffirmed that it was willing to lift all post-JCPOA sanctions if Iran returns to full compliance with the agreement. In addition, Iran demands a “guarantee by America not to impose new sanctions...The talks are about the return of the U.S. to the deal, and they have to lift all sanctions and this should be in practice and verifiable,” Bagheri said. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said they will “not accept anything less than sanctions removal and we will not commit to anything more than what is in the JCPOA.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated that the talks with Iran are at a “decisive moment,” and warned that Washington and its allies may need to change tactics if a deal regarding its nuclear program isn’t reached soon.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Says Iran is Dedicated to Destroying Israel

This fall, the United Nations marked the 20th anniversary of the World Conference on Racism. It coincided with the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

Iran’s new foreign minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, said his nation’s “willpower is dedicated” to the elimination of Zionism at what was supposed to be a UN anti-racism conference. With the United States and 37 other nations boycotting a UN anti-racism conference due to its history of anti-Semitism, Abdollahian invoked the destruction of the Jewish state, perhaps giving the countries who boycotted the conference more reason to have stayed away.

The event, known as Durban IV, had the theme of “Reparations, racial justice and equality for people of African descent.” While the original purpose of the event was combating racism, critics say it has been hijacked by an anti-Israel agenda that turned it into an anti-Semitic hate fest leading the U.S. and Israel to walk out of the first conference.

Abdollahian, who was in New York for the UN General Assembly, said his country opposed all forms of racism while threatening the existence of Zionism.

“As the new foreign minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, I’m honored to announce that my nation’s willpower is dedicated to the total elimination of all forms of racial discrimination, including apartheid and Zionism,” he said. “These are crimes that constitute horrible atrocities such as child killing and the creeping occupation through settlements, which extends to the proximity of Al-Aqsa mosque.”

Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who focuses on Iran, told Fox News, “Abdollahian didn’t mince words: the Islamic Republic will use every opportunity afforded to it to seek ‘the total elimination’ of Zionism. That is code for working towards the destruction of the Jewish state.” Taleblu said the new foreign minister’s words should serve as a warning to the Biden administration about engaging with the regime in Tehran.

“Washington should understand that working zealously to engage Iran with the aims of reviving the flawed 2015 nuclear deal not only makes no strategic sense given Iran’s irreversible nuclear advances in 2021, but would result in yet another infusion of cash to the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism,” Taleblu said. “That would mean men like Abdollahian would be in a greater position to put their money where their mouth is.”

Of the sixty or so countries that had representatives speaking, only three came from the European Union: Belgium, Ireland and Portugal. Also speaking was the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, President of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid and the UN Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet.

Anne Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and president of Human Rights Voices, organized a counter-conference and told Fox News, “For the enemies of Israel who had high hopes that Durban IV would fast track Israel to political isolation and oblivion, the global gathering was instead a major setback. Not only did 34 states boycott, but they boycotted because the demonization of Israel was recognized as a form of modern anti-Semitism.”  She noted that 75% of the countries with leaders speaking at the conference were deemed “not fully free,” according to the definition by Freedom House, which ranks countries based on freedom.

Bayefsky also commented that “Durban IV proved to be an opportunity for the Iranian Foreign Minister to broadcast over UN WebTV around the world a call for the ‘elimination’ of the Jewish state, in effect backing another mass genocide for the one they claim never happened. And yet in the 21st century UN, it was just business as usual and nobody interrupted, cut the mic, or escorted him off the premises.”

This is yet another example of the United Nations’ complete bias against Israel.

Jews Gain International Recognition in Both London and Tokyo

Usually when the Jewish people are mentioned in the media, it is either to attack them or to mention Anti-Semitism. However, two positive stories about the Jewish people came out recently on the international stage. The British government approved plans to build a national Holocaust memorial beside Parliament, rejecting claims by campaigners that the location was unsuitable. The government said building the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens, a park in the shadow of Parliament, would send a “powerful associative message.”

The memorial was announced in 2016, but the choice of location has faced opposition. A group of campaigners argued that it would remove valuable green space in the heart of the city and would be better built elsewhere. After public inquiries last year, the government said the benefits of the location outweighed the “modest loss of open space” in the park.

The 100-million-pound ($140 million) memorial — designed by leading architects David Adjaye and Ron Arad — is scheduled to open in 2024 and will be free to visit. It is intended as the focal point for Britain’s national remembrance of the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and all other victims of Nazi persecution, and to provide a place for reflection on “subsequent genocides” in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. Marie van der Zyl, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said “there will be something uniquely powerful about locating a memorial to the Holocaust right next to the center of the U.K.’s democracy.”

Meanwhile, at the Opening Ceremony at the Tokyo Summer Olympics, an acknowledgment of the Israeli athletes killed by terrorists at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich was given, marking the first time the murders were mentioned in an opening ceremony.

“As we join together here in the Olympic Stadium, across Japan and around the world, let us all take a moment to remember all those friends and loved ones who are no longer with us, in particular because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the announcer said. A notice for a moment of silence appeared on screens at Olympic Stadium. “They will forever have a special place in our hearts. We, the Olympic community, also remember all the Olympians and members of our community who have so sadly left us. In particular, we remember those who lost their lives during the Olympic Games. One group still holds a strong place in all our memories and stand for all of those we have lost at the Games: the members of the Israeli delegation at the Olympic Games Munich 1972.”

The ceremony then shifted to a dancer’s performance during the creative portion of the event before the announcer continued. “For all those we have lost, we invite everyone around the world to respect a moment of silence, wherever you are,” he said. “And for all of us here in the stadium, we invite you to stand for this moment of silence.”

Members of the Palestinian terrorist group Black September stormed the Olympic Village during the Munich Games, killing two Israeli athletes and taking nine others as hostages. The hostages were later killed during an airport shootout. Five terrorists and a policeman from West Germany were also killed. Competition across all Olympic sports was postponed for 24 hours to hold services for those who died. Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency would later kill the Black September assassins. While both recognitions are somewhat limited, perhaps they will begin to turn the tide against the immense negative criticism and attack that constantly is portrayed against the Jewish people.

Pray- Pray that the Jewish people will continue to be recognize in a positive manner and the Anti-Semitic slant that constantly goes against them will decrease.

News from the United Nations

Iran’s Election to UN Women’s Body Draws Outrage From Rights Activists

Iran’s election to the U.N.’s top women’s empowerment body despite having a poor record has drawn outrage from rights activists who criticized the Islamic republic’s treatment of women. The result of the secret ballot also has been met with silence from the U.S. 43 of the 54 nations in the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) elected Iran to the Commission on the Status of Women for a four-year term beginning next year. The commission is the U.N.’s principal intergovernmental body dedicated to “the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.”

Iran received the smallest number of votes of the five nations elected to the body. Of the other four elected nations, China and Japan were already commission members while Lebanon and Pakistan will be new additions. Iran was not currently a member of the commission. Iran’s poor record on women’s rights was under fire at the world body earlier this year.

In his annual address to the U.N. Human Rights Council, U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, noted “some positive steps” for Iranian women and girls in education and in citizenship rights. But he also said, “egregious gender-based discrimination persists in law, practice and societal attitudes, disempowering women and girls from participating and contributing in society.”

Austria-based Iranian rights activist Sholeh Zamini denounced Iran’s election to the commission as “shameful.” She said Iran will be the only country in the 45-member commission to have not ratified the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. “Not only has Iran not done this, but it is acting quite systematically to violate women’s rights,” she said.

Other Iranian women’s rights activists expressed similar sentiments on social media. Hillel Neuer, the executive director of the Geneva-based group UN Watch, said in an online statement that while ECOSOC typically rubber-stamps regional groups’ nominations for the Commission on the Status of Women, the U.S. exercised its authority as an ECOSOC member to call for a vote.

“I commend the Biden administration for forcing the vote, but they should also speak out to condemn the obscene election of [Iranian Supreme Leader] Ayatollah Khamenei’s regime to a women’s rights body,” Neuer said.

Since only 11 of ECOSOC’s 54 members did not vote for Iran in Tuesday’s secret ballot, Neuer noted that at least four of the council’s 15 European Union (EU) and Western Group democracies voted in favor of Iran. The State Department did not respond to a request for comment on how the U.S. voted and what it thinks of votes by its allies. Neuer expressed disappointment in the U.S. “going silent” on the issue. “Those who believe in the founding values of the United Nations cannot be silent when they are subverted,” he wrote.

In the Biden administration’s first report on Iran’s human rights record published last month, the State Department highlighted multiple issues with women’s rights including a “lack of meaningful investigation of and accountability for violence against women” and “significant legal, religious, and cultural barriers to political participation” for women.

“I hope that the U.S. & EU states negotiating with the Iranian regime over its nuclear weapons program did not make a Faustian bargain to betray women in Iran who are subjugated, discriminated against in law and practice and criminalized if they sing, dance or show their hair,” Neuer said.

This is yet another display of the United Nations favoring Iran, even though they have blatant rights violations and constantly attacks Israel over every move that they make.

UN Opens Israeli War Crimes Probe, Calls For Embargo

The United Nations Human Rights Council voted 24-9 to launch an investigation against Israel for alleged war crimes, including during the recent war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and called for an arms embargo against the Jewish state. An additional 14 countries out of the 47-member body abstained. It marks the first time that the UNHRC created a permanent fact-finding mission with respect to any UN member state. Israel’s Foreign Ministry immediately stated that it had no intention of cooperating with the probe.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: “Today’s shameful decision is yet another example of the UN Human Rights Council’s blatant anti-Israel obsession. Once again, an immoral automatic majority at the Council whitewashes a genocidal terrorist organization that deliberately targets Israeli civilians while turning Gaza’s civilians into human shields. This while depicting as the ‘guilty party’ a democracy acting legitimately to protect its citizens from thousands of indiscriminate rocket attacks. This travesty makes a mockery of international law and encourages terrorists worldwide.”

In the debate that preceded the vote, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet warned that Israeli actions may already constitute “war crimes.” The “commission of inquiry” would examine incidents that occurred both before and after April 13, 2021 within sovereign Israel, including Jerusalem, as well as in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The decision to call for such a probe was submitted by the Palestinian Authority and Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The United States said it was “deeply unfortunate” that the vote occurred “while we and others have been working to uphold and strengthen the ceasefire, ensure humanitarian assistance to Gaza.” It’s Geneva mission added that creation of a probe “threatens to imperil the progress that has been made in recent weeks... We will continue to advocate for Israel to be treated fairly in the Human Rights Council.” Germany took issue with an “indefinite” commission of inquiry that would “far exceed” any past fact-finding probes.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva Meirav Eilon Shahar warned the council against making a moral equivalence between Israel and Hamas, noting that prior to the start of the Gaza war one of its leaders called to cut off the heads of Jews. “On May 7th, a senior Hamas leader, Fathi Hammad, said and I quote “cut off the heads of the Jews with knives.” Just three days later, Hamas launched an unprovoked, unjustified attack against the civilian population in Israel, while cynically hiding military infrastructure in the midst of Gaza’s civilian population. This constitutes a double war crime,” Eilon Shahar said. “We will make no apologies for defending our citizens. Israel has the capabilities to defend its people in accordance with international law and we will continue to do so,” she said. Earlier in the day, she said, those who support the Palestinians should condemn Hamas.

During the debate Bachelet agreed Hamas caused deaths and injuries in southern Israel and its “rockets are indiscriminate and fail to distinguish between military and civilian objects, and their use, thereby, constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law.” Such violations include Hamas launching rockets from civilian areas, she said. “However, the actions of one party do not absolve the other from its obligations under international law,” Bachelet explained, nor did she accuse Hamas of potential war crimes. This is yet another example of the United Nations blatant attacks on Israel while failure to hold other groups accountable.

Favorable View of Palestinian Authority on the Rise

Recently in Atlanta, as hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators rallied downtown, one sign stood out: “We can’t breathe since 1948,” it read – a nod to the social unrest of the past year after the death of George Floyd. Experts said it’s a reflection of the way American support for the Palestinian cause is growing. A recent Gallup poll showed it was on the rise even before the latest Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Results of Gallup’s annual World Affairs poll, released in March, show that although most Americans still sympathize with Israel, favorable views of Palestinians are on the rise. Roughly 30% of overall respondents said they had favorable views of the Palestinian Authority, up from 21% in 2018 and higher than the annual average of 19% since 2001. Such views are increasingly partisan: Republican support for Israel is at 85% compared with 77% of Independents and 64% of Democrats. The percentage of Republicans who view the Palestinian Authority favorably has risen to 19%, up from 9% in 2018.

Omar Baddar, communication director for the California-based Institute for Middle East Understanding, said that even before the recent conflict, liberals had been increasingly critical of Israel. Although more Americans say the United States should pressure Palestinians more than Israel to resolve the conflict, Gallup reports those saying the onus is on Israel represent a new high of 34%, up from 27% in 2018.

Celebrities are increasingly outspoken about Palestinian support. This has caused an increase in support in the younger generations that many times blindly follow their favorite celebrities. Thousands demonstrated from Boston to Los Angeles, supporting Palestinians in rallies and marches marking the 73rd anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. Among those marching in New York City’s Brooklyn borough was supermodel Bella Hadid whose father is Palestinian. Entertainers Rihanna, Zayn Malik and Rage Against the Machine posted Palestinian support on Instagram. Actors Mark Ruffalo, Susan Sarandon and Viola Davis took to Twitter to condemn Israel. Last year, actor Seth Rogen made waves when he said he was “fed a huge amount of lies about Israel” growing up as a Jewish boy, and his elders omitted information about Palestinian displacement.

The violence has also raised tensions with the United States. In Los Angeles, a brawl broke out outside a sushi restaurant between sidewalk diners and a group of men passing by in cars waving Palestinian flags. In Michigan, President Joe Biden’s visit to a Ford plant in heavily Arab American Dearborn was met with protest over U.S. support of Israel.

Some see similarities between struggles of Palestinians and Black community in U.S. When the most recent conflict began, the Black Lives Matter chapter in Paterson, New Jersey, issued a statement expressing Palestinian solidarity. “Our deep roots of solidarity are part of a rich tradition of mutual support and exchange between Palestine and U.S.-based liberation movements.”

Baddar said the link between the struggles of Palestinians and Black Americans – a concept scholars call Black-Palestinian transnational solidarity – dates to the 1980s, when Jesse Jackson ran for president on a platform that included demands for Palestinian human rights. The years since have produced other comparisons in terms of discriminations and militarized police response, he said.

Although most Americans still support Israel, one cannot downplay the significance of celebrity political activism to sway the younger generation. In the future, this could lead America away from supporting Israel.

Understanding the Results of the Israeli Election

On Sunday, June 13, after four elections, the Israeli Parliament approved a new coalition government ending Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12-year tenure as Prime Minister and two years of political gridlock.

Naftali Bennett, a religious conservative, and Yair Lapid, head of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, convinced eight parties across the political spectrum to work together. Bennett will serve as Prime Minister and Lapid as Foreign Minister. After two years, they will switch offices.

When asked to equate this to American politics, Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told World, “Yeah, the equivalent in Washington would be something along the lines of a party led by Donald Trump, a party led by Bernie Sanders, as well as a party led by Joe Biden, and maybe throw in Rand Paul there as well. This is really a cocktail of parties that really don’t agree with one another about almost anything. The one thing that really did seem to bind them was their desire to remove Benjamin Netanyahu from power.”

For the moment, evangelical Christians are cautiously optimistic towards Bennett’s leadership. Author and Israel expert, Joel C. Rosenberg explains, “Netanyahu is the only Israeli premier that almost any evangelical knows. He is certainly the most respected and trusted.” Even though evangelicals do not know much about Bennett or Lapid, trust can be developed “because above all, evangelicals love and support Israel unconditionally – they want the best for the Jewish state, regardless of who leads the country – but it will take time and a concerted effort.”

Rosenberg calls Bennett a protegee of Netanyahu, serving at different points in time as his chief of staff, Defense Minister, and Education Minister. They both served in the same IDF special forces unit and their ideology and policies are the same.

Yair Lapid was also close with Netanyahu, once serving as his Finance Minister. Rosenberg labels him a “centrist, not a radical left-winger.”

As Americans, we must continue to call for our representatives to support the nation of Israel and her people. To date, President Biden has stated he believes Israel has the right to exist and defend herself. Earlier this month he promised to secure funds to replenish Israel’s Iron Dome after recent rocket attacks led by Hamas in Gaza.

However, President Biden has said he would like to return to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. Should Iran be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, this would be a potentially dangerous situation for Israel considering that they have previously called for Israel to be “wiped off the face of the earth.”

It is notable that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is the stepson of a Holocaust survivor. “This guy understands how the Holocaust and anti-Semitism and [the] demonic hatred of the Jewish people can have an effect if it’s not confronted and contained,” said Rosenberg.

The fragility of this newly approved coalition remains to be seen. At risk could be the Abraham Accords, the peace deals signed with several Arab nations last year. Also, many believe it is just a matter of time before the new government is tested internationally.

As Christians, we must continue to follow the command in Psalm 122:6, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.”

Current News Update

Christian Adoption Agency Changes Policy

 Based in Michigan, Bethany Christian Services is the largest Christian adoption agency in the United States with operations in 32 states. They recently expanded their services to include “Christians with diverse beliefs,” now placing children with LGBT couples for foster care and adoption.

 Many evangelical and Christian leaders are disappointed in what is perceived as Bethany’s capitulation to the government rather than traditional Christian beliefs.

 Jim Daly, head of Focus on the Family, tweeted that “Bethany Christian Services should not have to choose between holding to their deeply held religious convictions and serving children and families. No government should tell any ministry how to run their ministry, let alone violate deeply held biblical principles.” 

Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote “Children need a dad and a mom in a healthy, biblical home. God’s Word is clear.”

 

Xavier Becerra Confirmed by Senate as Health Secretary

 In a 50-49 vote, last week the U.S. Senate voted to confirm California’s attorney general Xavier Becerra, head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). One Republican, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, joined Democrats in support of his confirmation (Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii did not vote).

 Becerra is radically pro-abortion. He sued Little Sisters of the Poor -- Catholic nuns – to force their health care plan to pay for contraception which goes against their deeply held religious beliefs. Along with Vice President Kamala Harris, Becerra prosecuted David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt for their investigation of Planned Parenthood and the sale of aborted babies’ body parts. He attacked pro-life pregnancy centers attempting to force them to promote government-mandated messaging on abortion inside their facilities and in their advertising. Becerra also “successfully” led the fight through appeals to reinstate California’s law legalizing assisted suicide.

 Last year, along with 15 other attorneys general, Becerra called on the Trump administration and the HHS to end its research ban on fetal tissue to aid the US’s medical response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not a stretch to believe that now he is head of the HHS, this will be reinstated as well. He is hardly the moderate nominee put forward by President Joe Biden.

  

Abortion and the Equality Act

 While it is noted that the Equality Act will expand LGBTQ+ protections at the expense of religious freedom, there are provisions in the act to boost the abortion industry. Refusing to participate in an abortion could qualify as sex discrimination because of the way the Equality Act has drafted a new definition to include abortion as a medical condition.

 The Equality Act would also eliminate protections for pro-life individuals and entities from participating in practices that violate their sincere moral, ethical, or religious convictions. This act considers disagreements about fundamental moral and religious beliefs to be discrimination. Health care providers, hospitals and health insurance plans could be discriminating on the basis of sex if they refused to perform, allow or cover abortions.

  

Catholic Clergy May Not Bless Same-Sex Unions

 Earlier this month, the Vatican responded to a question about whether Catholic clergy have the authority to bless same-sex unions by releasing a formal document stating God “does not and cannot bless sin.”

 Approved by Pope Francis, a written answer clarifies that any sexual activity outside of marriage – an indissoluble union of a man and a woman – goes against God’s design. Since gay unions are not intended to be a part of that plan, they cannot be blessed by the church.

 The article reinforced that the church would welcome and bless gay people, treating them with respect, compassion, sensitivity and without discrimination.

 

Israeli Elections

 At the time of this writing, Benjamin [Bibi] Netanyahu does not have enough support to form a right-wing majority government. The Israeli election consisted of 13 different parties passing a threshold to hold seats in the Knesset. Each party will join with others in forming coalitions.  

The pro-Netanyahu coalition needs 61 seats to form a government, but it looks like they will only have 52 solid seats. The anti-Netanyahu coalition has only 50 seats.  

Joel Rosenburg writes in the All Israel News that “all eyes are on an obscure Arab-Israeli political leader named Mansour Abbas and his Ra’am party.” Ra’am, an Islamist political party, is Israel’s equivalent of the Muslim Brotherhood. “Now Netanyahu has a huge decision to make – will he try to persuade Abbas to join his team? If he does, and is successful, that could, in theory, give Bibi 64 seats,” said Rosenburg.   

Continue to pray for the uncertain leadership and continued political gridlock in Israel.

Israeli Government Dissolves, New Elections on the Way

Israel’s divided government collapsed last year on December 23, thus triggering a need for the country’s fourth election in under two years. The next election will be held on March 23 and brings an unprecedented threat to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s lengthy stay as prime minister.

Netanyahu finds himself confronted by a trio of disgruntled former aides who share his hard-line ideology, led by a popular lawmaker who recently broke away from the prime minister’s Likud party. Whether Netanyahu can fend off these challengers or not, the country is almost certain to be led by a right-wing politician opposed to concessions to the Palestinians, complicating hopes of the Biden administration to restart peace talks.

The prospects of Israel’s center-left bloc appear worse than in previous contests because its leader, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, entered the ill-fated alliance with Netanyahu. Gantz has lost the support of much of his disappointed base and the bloc has been left leaderless.

Netanyahu and Gantz formed their coalition last May after battling to a stalemate in three consecutive elections. They said they were putting aside their personal rivalry to form an “emergency” government focused on guiding the country through the health and economic crises caused by the pandemic. Under the deal, Gantz assumed the new role of “alternate prime minister” and was assured he would trade places with Netanyahu next November in a rotation agreement halfway through their term.

The immediate cause of the collapse was their failure to pass a budget. That caused the parliament to automatically dissolve and set new elections for late March. In the previous three elections, Netanyahu was unable to put together a majority coalition with his traditional religious and nationalist allies. Yet he controlled enough seats to prevent his opponents from cobbling together an alternate coalition.

According to recent opinion polls, that equation may be changing, with several rivals poised to control a parliamentary majority without him. Those rivals are led by Gideon Saar, a stalwart in Netanyahu’s Likud party who announced this month that he was breaking away and forming a new party. Saar, who once served as Netanyahu’s Cabinet secretary, has accused the prime minister of turning the Likud into a “personality cult” focused on ensuring its leader’s political survival.

If elections were held today, Saar’s party would finish second behind the Likud, appearing to give him a veto over a Netanyahu-led government, according to polls. Saar has vowed he will not serve under Netanyahu.

Naftali Bennett, another former aide who had a falling out with Netanyahu, leads a religious right-wing party that also has surged in the polls. And Avigdor Lieberman, Netanyahu’s former chief of staff and a longtime Cabinet minister who now leads his own party, also says the prime minister is unfit to lead.

These rivalries are more personal than ideological, meaning Israel’s next government — led by Netanyahu or not — almost certainly will have a right-wing ideology that opposes Palestinian independence and supports continued Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank. The recent polls indicate that Gantz, who appealed to left-wing voters in previous elections, may not receive enough votes to even enter the next Knesset.

Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, appears to be gaining some of those voters, but not enough to lead the next government, according to the polls. The left-wing Labor Party -- which established Israel and led the country for its first 30 years -- is not expected to cross the threshold of votes needed. The far-left Meretz party is expected to barely cross the threshold.

PRAY: Pray this election will not lead to greater instability in the region and for ultimately God’s will to be accomplished through the election.

Historic Middle East Agreement

Last week, Israel and the United Arab Emirates agreed to normalize relations between the two nations and establish full diplomatic ties. In this agreement, led by the United States and brokered by President Donald Trump, the UAE became the first Arab country to formalize a relationship with Israel in more than 25 years. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed agreed to exchange ambassadors and open each country to tourism and trade.

A joint statement released by the United States, Israel and the UAE, expressed that “this historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East region and is a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of the three leaders and the courage of the United Arab Emirates and Israel to chart a new path that will unlock the great potential of the region. All three countries face many common challenges and will mutually benefit from today’s historic achievement.”

This agreement launched the Strategic Agenda for the Middle East working to expand diplomatic, trade, and security cooperation, thus leading to better lives for ALL peoples in these regions. It also led to immediate cooperation between the nations to develop a coronavirus vaccine to help save Muslim, Jewish, and Christian lives.

As for their part of the deal, Israel said it would halt annexation in the Jordan Valley and other parts of the occupied West Bank. Iran and Turkey have both denounce the agreement. However, Middle East expert Joel Rosenberg told CBN News that he believes Turkey’s reaction to the peace deal is revealing:

“Why is that interesting? Because Turkey has a relationship [with Israel]. They have full normalization with us here in Israel. So, the idea that the would-be ‘sultan’ of Turkey is condemning a Muslim state for creating a full normalization with Israel that he already has, it’s ridiculous and it’s hypocritical.

“It’s indicative of the fact that Erdogan [Turkey’s president] is taking his country out of the western moderate camp, into the Iranian, Islamism more radical camp. And that’s a long-term, very serious problem.”

The UAE is the third Arab country to have full diplomatic ties to Israel. Egypt and Jordan are the first two Arab countries to have such a relationship with Israel.

Pray: President Erdogan and the leaders of Iran have stated in the past that they want to conquer the Holy City. We must continue to pray for the ever-changing relationships in the Middle East and for the

peace of Jerusalem.

Turkey Continues to Stir Tension in Middle East

There are growing concerns about Turkey’s military operations in northern Iraq, after Ankara began bombing areas of the country claiming it was “fighting terrorists.” Turkey began operation “Claw-Tiger” on June 17 and it seems to come in the context of Turkey launching new military attacks every month in different countries to distract from failures at home by Ankara’s leading party. Turkey has had almost a year of near-constant new conflicts and militarist saber-rattling.

Last spring and summer it threatened to invade eastern Syria, threatening US troops and the Trump administration in the process. The US tried to appease Turkey by having its anti-ISIS partners on the ground remove obstacles to Turkey’s invasion. It wasn’t enough, in October Turkey told Washington it would begin bombing the region and US troops must move. After Ankara’s October offensive, in which some 200,000 people were forced to flee, Ankara signed a deal with the Tripoli-based government in Libya to help Tripoli fight opposition groups and secure Turkey’s energy demands in the Mediterranean.

Ankara then shipped thousands of Syrians to Libya to fight and sent drones to hammer the Benghazi-based Libyan National Army. In December and January, Turkey was busy heating up the Libya conflict, before moving on to stoke tensions with Russia and the Syrian regime in Idlib. Ankara threatened to send Syrian refugees to Europe during the Idlib crises of February and March.

In April and May, Turkey returned to fighting in Libya, capturing a key military base at Watiya. Then the Ankara regime decided to increase Turkey’s airstrikes in Iraq, claiming to begin fighting the “Kurdistan Workers Party,” known as the PKK. On June 17, Turkey launched airstrikes against Yazidi areas of Sinjar and near Christian villages along the border, forcing Kurds to flee the battles. Iraq has expressed increasing concern about the attacks, which appear to be coordinated with Iran.

Turkey has used the excuse of “fighting the PKK” to invade northern Iraq and Syria, taking over Afrin, Jarabulus and Tel Abyad, as well as to establish more than a dozen military bases. Turkey and the PKK once had a ceasefire before 2015, but it broke down. Since then, Turkey has claimed it has a right to bomb anywhere that members of groups linked to the PKK exist. This includes bombing unarmed people who are members of far-left groups that Turkey labels “PKK.” Turkey has produced no information that these groups are involved in armed attacks on Turkey this year.

The bombings in Iraq have created tensions with Arab states, including the Gulf which opposes Turkey’s actions. This is linked to the wider regional rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Ankara says it expects Iraq’s cooperation. Iraq has internal troubles with ISIS insurgents and disputes between the US and Iran, as well as Iranian-backed militias mobilized across the country. This means Iraq is so divided it has trouble opposing, even diplomatically, Turkey’s actions. A variety of Iraqi officials have nevertheless spoken up about the increasing war in northern Iraq.

While some US voices have expressed concern, including a tweet by the State Department after three women were killed in a Turkish air strike in Syria, most remain silent. Representative Jim Cooper from Nashville tweeted over the weekend that he was extremely disturbed by reports of “Turkish military attack on Kurdish people in Iraq.” Voices at the US Commission on International Religious Freedom have also expressed concern and called for an end to the attacks. Anytime that Turkey shows aggression in the region, Ezekiel 38-39 come to mind and it is possible that that event could happen in our lifetime.

Pray- Pray that the tensions will lessen in the Middle East and that the innocents in the region will be protected.