SITUATION ANALYSIS -- 129

Jerusalem, Israel

June 2018 Prayer Update

Israel and the Nations

ISRAEL-GAZA CONFRONTATIONS:

The latest news is that “kite terrorism” from Gaza into Israel has burned thousands of acres of crops, causing millions of dollars in damage. Igniting kites with flammable material and sending them over the Gaza border into Israel is the latest means of how Hamas and other terrorist organizations are affecting Israeli society and the local border communities. Fires are starting in big fields with damage to fruits and vegetables. This needs to stop! 

While other ways of confronting Israel have diminished, there was a continued barrage of mortars fired into Israeli territory on May 29, 2018, one of which landed in an empty Israeli kindergarten. The Iron Dome intercepted some of the mortars. Sirens went off in Israeli communities on the border with Gaza, and residents spent time in bomb shelters. Previously, there was machine gun fire. Hamas and other terror groups like Islamic Jihad have been responsible for this escalation in tensions with Israel. Iran has been the antagonist behind the scenes. 

PRAYER POINTS:

·        Ezekiel 3:17: “Son of Man I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel, so hear the word I speak, and give them warning for me.”

·        Pray that the Lord sends angels on assignment, along with the watchmen, to be on alert on the borders of Israel. Pray for an extra measure of the Lord’s protection over Israeli southern border communities at this time.

ISRAEL-SYRIA-IRAN CONFRONTATIONS: 

The tensions continue to be high on Israel’s northern border with Syria. Currently, Israel has not struck new Iranian military assets in Syria. When the IDF allegedly struck these sights a few weeks ago, it included airport installations, intelligence bases, military transports, ammunition storage facilities, missile launchers, etc. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said many times that Israel will not allow Iran to have a military presence in Syria.

Recently, Netanyahu and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin reportedly made a deal to allow Syrian President Bashar Assad to have control over southern Syria. Assad must agree to keep Iran and Hezbollah away from the northern border of Israel. If this is accurate news, this is a dangerous agreement between Israel and Russia, because Assad has not kept his past promises, and he still has chemical weapons at his disposal that he could attempt to use against Israeli citizens on the Golan Heights and northern communities. Also, Assad is a proven enemy of Israel. And, Putin cannot be trusted, as his interests are in supplying advanced weapons systems to Syria and Iran, and keeping a permanent Russian military presence in Syria, including a naval base on the Syrian coast.

PRAYER POINTS:

·        Proverbs 22:24-25: “Make no friendship with a man given to anger; nor, go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”

Pray that Israel turns to God as He is the protector of His people. Pray that the Israeli government does not entangle itself in agreements that are not beneficial to the safety and security of Israel on its borders, especially for the long-term.

FALSE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ISRAEL:

Israel is being accused by the nations of killing innocent Palestinians in Gaza, as reported by the international media. The facts are that Hamas and Islamic Jihad are confronting Israel at the Gaza border in civilian clothes. They want to breach the border fence and attack Israeli southern communities. The “fake news” being disseminated is causing nations to use legal counsel against Israel. The United Nations Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court are considering criminal probes against Israel. This is set to undermine Israel’s own “checks and balances,” which is done through IDF investigations, and legal briefs submitted to Israel’s High Court of Justice. The High Court recently ruled that Israel’s use of force on the Gaza border to protect Israeli communities was legal. The so-called “protests” by Gazans are, in reality, acts of terror by Hamas and Islamic Jihad to provoke and incite Israel to violence. This results in Israel losing favor in both the media and diplomatic arenas.

A justice of the Israeli High Court recently used a biblical reference in describing what Hamas in doing in Gaza. He said Hamas was using trickery. (The definition of trickery is:  “The practice of crafty underhanded ingenuity to deceive or cheat.”) 

The justice of the High Court said:  “The voice was the voice of protest, the hands were the hands of terror.”  This was his way of describing what happened with Jacob, Esau and Isaac in Genesis 27:22-27.

PRAYER POINTS: 

·        Some diplomatic fall-out has already happened between Turkey and Israel over the Gaza riots at the border. This has included recalling of ambassadors. There is also increased anti-Semitism in Europe because of the allegations against Israel.  

Proclaim Psalm 37 over Israel, especially verse 6:  “He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.”  Another version of this scripture reference says:  “He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.”

TERRORISM THROUGH PALESTINIAN’S ACQUIRING ISRAELI CITIZENSHIP:

Some Palestinians marry Israelis to get citizenship. Also, Palestinians can receive citizenship because one of their parents are Israelis. The Jerusalem Post reports that since 2015, Palestinian-Israelis were involved in 26 terrorist attacks. This happened within six years. Since 2001, 21 Israelis were killed and 76 injured by Palestinians who have become Israeli citizens. A total of 155 people were involved in carrying out these attacks through this citizenship status. Of those, 47 obtained citizenship through marriage, and the rest became citizens by having an Israeli parent. Israel’s security services say that this “family re-union population” is dangerous because people receive permission to live in sovereign Israel with greater freedom of movement, and then are prone to carry out terrorist attacks. There is an extended ban for one year on certain Palestinians being able to automatically get citizenship in this particular way. 

PRAYER POINTS:

·        Pray that Israel would be protected from within its borders by “lone wolves” who use their citizenship and freedom of movement to carry out terrorist attacks against Israelis. Whoever touches Israel, touches the “apple of God’s eye”.                                                                                                        

Proclaim protection over Israel according to Psalm 17:8-9:  “Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me; from my mortal enemies who surround me.”  Another version says:  “Guard me as You would guard Your own eyes. Hide me in the shadow of Your wings. Protect me from wicked people who attack me, from murderous enemies who surround me.”

·        Psalm 121:2-5:  “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand.”

The Lord will keep Israel from all harm and watch over the life of Israelis! The Lord IS watching over the coming and going of Israelis both now and forevermore. Pray for Israelis who are going abroad for summer vacation. That there will be that added measure of protection over them as they travel in the nations.

Pray for Palestinians who have Israeli citizenship to gain a heart for the Israeli people… God’s heart. Pray for the salvation of Palestinians, especially through dreams and visions… as Moslems are coming to the Lord this way. Pray that God’s favor will be extended to Jews and Palestinians who live together, side-by-side, and that they will put their trust in the true Sar Shalom (Prince of Peace)… Yeshua!