Oops, Was It A Mistake? Week of 9/24/2018
Last Monday (9/17/18) the Israeli Defense Ministry published a photo of Syrian President, Bashar Assad's palace that was taken by the Israeli spy satellite, Ofek 11 on its 30th anniversary. Some have suggested that the Israeli government may be trying to warn President Assad that to aid Israel's enemies is not a good idea—his home is well within reach of Israeli technology.
But President Assad may have other worries. Last Tuesday (9/18/18), a Russian spy plane (an Ilyushin Il-20) was shot downed by a Syrian S-200 missile. Apparently, (according to Russian news) the Syrians were trying to target Israeli F-16 fighter jets flying in Syrian air space. Russia put total blame for the incident upon Israel. In response, the Israeli government not only sent proof of their innocence, but in a rare action, sent their IAF (Israeli Air Force) chief, Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin, along with Israeli intelligence officials to Moscow.
The Israeli rebuttal to the accusations?
- Accusation: The Israelis gave less than a minute’s notice before the attack on Latakia and did not provide the location of their planes or the list of targets. Rebuttal: It was true that Israeli planes were in the location of Latakia, however, they did reveal their intentions to the Russian coordination room in the Khmeimim Air Base well over the one minute notice that they were accused. As for not giving the location of the planes and list of targets—they simply were not required to do such a thing. The only time they are to give location and targets is if they are at least 25 kilometers from the area where Russian military personnel are located.
- Accusation: The Israeli F-16's that approached the coast of Latakia were hidding behind the Russian spy plane as it was about to land in the Khmeimim Air Base. Rebuttal: As proved by photographic evidence, the F-16's were well into Israeli air space by the time the Russian spy plane was shot down.
- Accusation: The Russian Defense Ministry claims that the Russian coordination personnel at Khmeimim Air Base has given 310 notifications to Israel about Russian and Syrian planes approaching its airspace in order to prevent accidental confrontations. The Russians further sites that Israel has only given 25 warnings in the last year and a half even though it has launched 200 strikes on Syrian soil. Rebuttal: This appears to be true—to a point. There is an understanding between the Russians and the Israelis that if there are no Russian interest where the Israeli afronts are going to take place, there is no need to inform the Russian coordinator. This has been named, “friction prevention mechanism”.
Accusations 4, 5 and 6 deal with Israel's lack of thankfulness toward Russia for keeping the peace between the Arabs and Jews. The truth, according to Israeli and U.S. intelligence, is that the Syrian air defense, under Russian supervision, shot at the only target in the sky—the Russian plane. It was the only thing that the Russians and the Syrians would have seen on their radar. As for Israeli's lack of thankfulness toward Russia, Israel will probably ignore the accusations and Russia's intentional shunning of their evidence to keep peace. How will this effect troops in Syria? Iran, knowing that Israel will probably shun away from places where the Russian are located, will no doubt, make the transfer of their weapons to Hezbollah in areas populated by Russian military forces. Also, this whole interaction maybe giving Russia further insight on how the Israeli Intelligence coordinates between ground and air force.
It is written, Behold, the bridegroom cometh‐Mt 25:6. The Holy Spirit did not reveal the mysteries of the last day prophecies just to entertain us. We are commanded to watch—watch and be ready. Take heed that no man deceive you‐ref Mk 13:5. The only way you can escape the deception of the world is by being a hearer and a doer of the Word of God.
Sources: israeltoday.co.il; ynetnews.com; israeltoday.co.il.
The West Bank In The News Again Week of 9/17/2018
This week most news sources are focusing on the evil treatment the United States is levering against the Palestinians.
As most of you are aware, before there was any Syria, Lebanon or Iraq, the area known today by the world as the “West Bank” was controlled by the Turkish Ottoman Empire for 400 years. After the four year long war of WW1, the allied forces including France, Russia, Britain and later the United States won the victory against the Central Powers of Germany, Austria‐Hungary, and the Turkish Ottoman Empire. This enabled the French mandate (or order) to control the northern Ottoman Empire (including what today is known as Lebanon and Syria) and the British mandate to control the southern and eastern half of the Ottoman Empire (the landmass on the West Bank of the Jordan River all the way to the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the landmass on the East Bank of the Jordan River—later known as Trans‐Jordan). The British called this whole area “Palestine”. At that time, the people under the Ottoman rule lived in their tribal communities. Population of this area was approximately 600,000. Historians believe that 85,000 to 100,000 were Jews living in the area known in previous times as Israel. Most of the Arabs were nomadic moving here and there, some working for Jewish shop keepers.
As history records, the Jews were promised the return of their land by the British, but never received it—until that faithful day of May 14, 1948 (after WW2), when prophetically the UN voted (in one day) to create the state of Israel. Due to the Arab‐Israeli War of 1948, the land known today as the West Bank was captured by Jordan and years later annexed as theirs. The late 1960′s brought another Arab‐Israeli conflict and in 1967 (the Six‐Day War) Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem (previously in Jordanian control).
From 1967 until around 1999 the West Bank and Gaza were under Israeli sovereignty until they transferred the land to the Palestinian Authority (PA) around 1999. Note, the PA never had possession of this land before. The land was never originally set up for “Palestinians of Arab origin” because everybody that lived in Palestine (including Jews) were considered Palestinians. It may have been originally set aside by the UN as land for Arabs, but neither the West Bank nor Gaza was ever an independent Arab state—only the West Bank was annexed by Jordan. The transfer of land was a land for peace agreement between the PA and Israel; however, the deal never produced peace for Israel. By 2006, HAMAS won the Palestinian Legislative Council election and took control of the PA government. This only brought violent clashes between Fatah (PA) and HAMAS supporters—HAMAS seizing all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. Five years later in 2011 Fatah and HAMAS agreed to reunify the Gaza Strip and West Bank, but neither (to this day) has been able to agree on governance or security.
To try to get the PA back to the negotiating table with Israel, U.S. President Trump has cut all American funding to the U. N. entity called UNRWA set up to perpetuate the Palestinian refugee issue. What is the UNRWA? The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. According to their website, they collect funding for the 5 million registered Palestinians from their UN Member States. Due to these collections, it appears the leaders of the Palestinian movement feel they have no need to talk peace or make any agreements with Israel. They seem to believe they have leverage and world approval behind them to promote any kind of violence against Israel. Some consider the UNRWA a major hindrance for Palestinians to talk peace. Some have questioned how much of this money (or any finances) actually gets to the Palestinian people and instead is spent on terrorism.
Due to the lack of Palestinian participation in any peace talks with Israel, President Trump further slashed aid to Palestinian hospitals in East Jerusalem. Finally last week, the President ordered the closing of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) offices in Washington, DC. Having an embassy in another country is not a mandate for the host nation, but a courtesy. In a response from the West Bank, Palestinian officials lashed out at the U.S. President and made threats of more bloodshed for Israel—just because their embassy was closed? That does appear to be the case.
If you are interested in the unsolvable problem between the Arabs and Jews Check out this resource.
Sources: israeltoday.co.il; jewishvirtuallibrary.org; simpletoremember.com.
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Shanah Tovah—A Good Year Week of 9/10/2018
Jews around the world are celebrating one of the most important holidays on the Jewish calendar—Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year). It began at sundown on Sunday and ends at nightfall on Tuesday. This event is filled with good deeds (mitzvahs), special foods and listening for the blowing of the shofar (the horn of a kosher animal). Some have speculated that blowing the shofar heralds God as King of the world. Why listen for the shofar? The loud blast of the shofar may awaken slumbering souls that have grown complacent. It echoes the cries of the prophets who urged Israelis to mend their ways and return to God and His commandments—among other meanings. However, not everyone hears the shofars blow, or, if they do hear the horns they are void of its warnings.
It does not take a Rabbi to know that Israel has been flirting with sins that in the past have banished the Jewish nation from their homeland and caused many problems for the Jews. Most recall the events of Genesis 19 when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah by raining brimstone and fire out of heaven. But today, Israel holds one of the largest and most colorful gay prides in the world.
Speaking of pride, there is not only gay pride in Israel, but also the pride of Israeli inventions. As we have covered in past blogs, the advancements Israeli technology has provided to the world (ranging from household products to life saving devices, not to mention the advancements they have made in the world of security) when the nation begins to pride itself on these things (instead of looking to God and thanking Him for His protection) it formulates into an equation for disaster. God warned, But if ye will not hearken unto Me, and will not do all these commandments; And if ye shall despise My statutes, or if your soul abhor My judgments, so that ye will not do all My commandments, but that ye break my covenant…I will break the pride of your power‐Lev 26:14,15,19. It appears they (as a nation) have forgotten God's Word, Pr 8:13‐The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I (the Lord) hate.
God also promised the Jews that if they did not follow His commandments, they shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy‐Lev 26:25. An example of this is the Israeli Supreme Court that has taken itself from, “interpreting the law to one responsible for policy.” They call this, “Lawfare”—the use of law as a weapon of war. It is “the abuse of (Israeli) laws and judicial systems to achieve strategic military or political ends.” It is, “the negative manipulation of international and national human rights laws to accomplish purposes other than, or contrary to, those for which they were originally enacted.” The folks at thelawfareproject.org express a concern to protect the civil rights of Jews around the world litigating and “advance(ing) human rights by combating extremism”. Sounds really good on the surface, and they have accomplished some noteworthy achievements for the person that is Jewish. However, there are some (as explained above) who have taken this “lawfare” to undermine currant legal statutes that stand in their way for a political means. And it is going on all over the world—people in high political positions that work to create an atmosphere of chaos, mayhem and disorder.
Most in Israel desire to have Shanah tovah—a good year. They do not desire the constant war on all borders. Some, due to long continuances with war would make concussions that are not in the interest of the Israeli people. Because they want peace so badly, they have become deceived into believing, If only we gave the Palestinians what they want we will have peace. They say, If Israel would stop being the aggressors we would have peace. They no longer want truth; they no longer look to Adonai, their God to protect them. The sad reality is—they are deceived.
It is a command for every believer in Christ to pray for the peace of Jerusalem‐Ps 122:6. Those that bless Abraham′s seed, will God bless‐ref Gen 12:3. Prayer is a powerful weapon in the Christians armor. Unfortunately, most Christians don't know how to use this weapon which they should be utilizing continually. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds‐2 Cor 10:4. Not sure how to pray? Check out this resource.
Sources: chabad.org; chabad.org; touristmaker.com; israeltoday.co.il; israelhayom.com; thelawfareproject.org.
They Say They Want Peace, But Pay For Violence Week of 9/03/2018
As Jews around the world gather at the Wailing Wall to pray for forgiveness and ask for God′s mercy in the days leading up to the high Holy days (Rosh Hashana until the day before Yom Kippur), Hananya Naftali has a really interesting video. In this video he ask a question, Why doesn′t the Palestinian Authority condemn Palestinian terrorism against Israeli′s? Instead they have a terrorist budget that runs into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Click here to check out the video for yourself.
Sources: jpost.com; israeltoday.co.il.
Photo Design: End-Time.com