SITUATION ANALYSIS -- 123

Jerusalem, Israel

OCTOBER 15, 2017 PRAYER UPDATE

Israel and the Nations

***There has been quiet among Israeli government and military leaders about a recent conflagration with Syria. Israeli jet planes were flying a routine mission over Lebanon when the Syrians (for unknown reasons) were provoked. They launched a missile towards the Israeli Air Force, and Israel retaliated. Israel dropped four bombs on the Syrian anti-aircraft battery that had launched the missiles, destroying it. This was a strong message sent to the Syrian government. Apparently, a similar incident happened this past March.

ISIS also claims they launched a Grad rocket from the Sinai that hit Israeli territory this week. There were no injuries.  Israel retaliated by carrying out a drone strike which killed one person in the Sinai area of Rafah.

PRAYER POINTS:

Psalm 3:7-8: "Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah..."

Israelis have been revived during a month of celebrations of the biblical feasts, including a time of repentance and refreshing. This is when the new cycle of Torah readings has begun and Israelis are experiencing a new year of blessings. The rains came during Succot. The land is filled with His Presence… with the living waters from heaven. Pray for the watchmen on the walls to intercede for the borders of Israel at this time, especially for an extra measure of protection over the land in the north and the south. 

***Allegations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were near an indictment level this past summer. Also, there were rumors that his wife, Sara was going to be indicted. But, things quieted down, and there was no announcement of wrong-doing during the month of the high holy days. The on-going investigation is now in high-gear again, with criticism being launched against the Prime Minister and the Police. 

PRAYER POINTS:

Ecclesiastes 9:1: "For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it, that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him. It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear.…"

Pray for what is needed so the Israeli government can function normally…. a final end to the constant bickering about whether the prime minister is guilty or not; whether his wife is guilty or not. Let the truth be known once and for all; let anything illegal be exposed; let the case be solved and finished. Let justice prevail!

***There has been a partial agreement between Fatah (the Palestinian Authority that oversees Palestinian operations in the West Bank), and Hamas (the terrorist government that oversees Palestinian operations in Gaza). This agreement, which basically calls for all decisions regarding peace or war to be coordinated between the two groups, is dangerous for Israel.  Hamas has not agreed to give up its weapons against Israel, which includes some 25,000 armed troops in Gaza. It is expected that there will be increased international pressure for Netanyahu to resume negotiations with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the near future. 

PRAYER POINTS:

Declare over Israel:  Isaiah 54:14-15: "In righteousness you will be established; You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; And, from terror, for it will not come near you. If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me. Whoever assails you will fall because of you.”

***Recently, there was a meeting between Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin. They signed tentative agreements on security, energy, communications, and trade cooperation. The Saudis are planning to buy the S-400 anti-missile system from Russia, the same system that is, reportedly, in Syria; and, was given, in parts, to Iran. 

Russia has become a big player in the Middle East, mostly because of the continued lack of action by the United States… starting with the retreat from world leadership of former U.S. President Barack Obama, and continuing with an unclear foreign policy directive from current U.S. President Donald Trump. While Trump has been decisive on decertifying the Iran treaty, he has been less forthcoming about sustainable relationships with Arab countries. In fact, plans for an Arab coalition against Iranian aggression, which was expected to be developed by the Trump Administration after his May 2016 trip to the region, never really took place. 

Now, Russia is not only a diplomatic power to contend with, but it has increasingly becoming strong, militarily, in the Middle East. Russia has solidified its military presence in Syria in exchange for assuring the survival of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime. Moscow now has an operational naval and air force base in Syria, giving it a more permanent foothold in the region. It has used those bases to launch missiles against Syrian opposition forces. Putin has also used Iranian bases for Russia’s air force to take off and land from bombing missions in Syria.

Furthermore, Russia has become a cover for Iran to extend its regional powers. In Syria, Russia has helped Iran’s Shia militias that cooperate with Assad’s army. In helping Syria and Iran, Russia has paved the way for a strengthening of Hezbollah’s terrorist militias, which operate in Syria, and which have taken over the control of the Lebanese army. Hezbollah is Israel’s main enemy on its border with Lebanon and Syria. 

Russia has also increased its political, economic and military cooperation with Egypt.

The Middle East is still unstable. Not only with the civil war still raging in Syria, despite attempts at a Russian-U.S. cease fire, but also with the expectations of Kurdish independence. War is likely to be launched against the Kurds, if Turkey intervenes to try and stop Kurdistan from becoming an independent state in the region. This further instability provides another avenue for Russian expansion, especially if America continues to take a more passive role in the region. 

PRAYER POINTS:

Russia is becoming known as the slumbering bear that has woken up. Not only has Russia gained ground in the Middle East, European nations that are dependent on Russian gas, are less likely to confront Russian aggression over the Baltic States.

At present, Russia and Israel are continually having to make sure there is no conflict of forces over Syria, with clear channels of communications open between Israeli and Russian military leaders.

Please pray that this channel remains effective and that no mistakes are made about the intentions of both Israeli and Russian operatives.

Biblically, Russia could be part of the alliance of ungodly powers described in the eventual war mentioned in Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39. 

Pray that Israeli military and government leaders, at all times, will have open eyes to Russia’s intentions in the Middle East, and develop Godly strategies of how to overcome continued Russian aggression in the region. 

Declare, before God, that America will find its renewed and rightful place as a superpower in the world, especially when it comes to securing advantageous Middle East alliances. Pray that the Trump Administration will focus on a clear and thorough U.S. foreign policy that will raise the level of its involvement in diplomatic and military issues of strategic importance to Israel and its allies in the region. 

Pray for God’s supernatural peace to come over the Middle East… the peace that passes all understanding in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). He is the rock of Israel’s salvation, and the salvation of every nation on the earth!  

Psalm 18:2-3: "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my rock in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation; my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, And, I am saved from my enemies.”

SITUATION ANALYSIS -- 122

Jerusalem, Israel

SEPTEMBER 2017 PRAYER UPDATE 

Israel and the Nations

We are reminded that “He who dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High God will abide in the Shadow of the Almighty”. It is important to know His rest, while also fervently remembering others in prayer during a time when the people of Earth are experiencing intense and more frequent birth pangs. 

Read: Psalm 91, 1 Kings 19:11-12; Matthew 24.

America is in the midst of huge destructive hurricanes (Texas; the Caribbean, Florida and beyond), as well as massive wild fires (Montana, Oregon, and Washington state). Mexico has suffered the strongest earthquake in 85 years, and a hurricane is headed towards that country. People are reeling with the aftermath of these catastrophic events and others that are going on throughout the world.  

Please join us in prayer for friends and family… that they will be safe from harm during these great shakings, and that they will be able to reach out to others in their time of need. This is a moment for the Body of Messiah to not fear or shrink back, but arise!

Other events are taking place that have been sidelined by the news media because of the weather issues occurring in the United States.

North Korea continues to illegally test new nuclear weapons underground, ignoring the serious threats of possible military action by the U.S.  At the same time, America is distracted by its national weather crisis. This is resulting in an increase in North Korea’s defiance of international laws, and a refusal to contain its nuclear aspirations. This is setting a dangerous precedence.  

Pray for wisdom for the Trump Administration, and an ability to form a successful strategy, with the help of important international players, to deal with North Korea.

PRAYERS FOR ISRAEL:

In Israel, Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has reportedly been warned by Israel’s Attorney General, that he will be calling for her indictment soon. The accusation against her is that she used public funds for private use. Israel, which is built on socialism, sees any financial misbehavior that points to material excess and favor for politicians, as a grave criminal act. 

The Israeli Prime Minister leaves for an important mission to Latin America. Already, politicians who oppose him are calling for his resignation. Please pray for God’s mercy, grace, and intervention in this situation. 

Israel recently had its largest military exercise in the past 18 years which took place in the north of the country.  Then, on Thursday, September 7, Israel reportedly struck a northern Syrian complex where Iran was building a missile base and helping Syrian President Assad produce chemical and biological weapons. (Ten years ago on September 7, Israel destroyed a North Korean nuclear reactor in Syria). 

On Thursday, Syria acknowledged Israel’s missile strike and complained to the UN. As of this writing, Israel is on high alert as Syria, Iran, or Hezbollah could retaliate. Pray that the enemy be thwarted from its ability to respond in any harmful way towards Israel’s homeland!

Pray that all nations, including the United States, do nothing to pressure Israel into a regional Arab-Israeli peace agreement that would expect Israel to give up land for peace.  

After the last visit of Trump Administration officials to the Middle East, we were left with the impression that some U.S. deal was made with Arab states. At that point, Netanyahu began to proclaim certain settlement blocs as part of Israel; and, he mentioned Hebron as a new settlement bloc. When we hear these kind of declarations we know that something is going on behind the scenes to try and force Israel into land concessions. It was soon after this that storms began raging in America.

Read: Psalms Chapter 2.

SITUATION ANALYSIS -- 121

Jerusalem, Israel

THE TEMPLE MOUNT CRISIS AND ISRAEL’S CURRENT RELATIONS WITH JORDAN

It seems that during the long hot summer months, when Palestinian youth are on summer vacation with nothing to do; when the weather is boiling and tempers are too; that a conflagration with Israel can occur. Usually, something spurs it on, and the Palestinian Authority, headed up by President Mahmoud Abbas, exploits the incident and further encourages an uproar through incitement.

In this case, Abbas was not getting very far in moving the Palestinian cause forward on the international front. He had not accomplished much in his political relations with America’s new President Donald Trump. The U.S. Congress was focused on diminishing aid to the Palestinians because of the insistence on the part of Abbas to continue payments of salaries to convicted terrorists and their families. His diplomatic favor was also declining at the UN, with U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley in place to condemn all unfair Palestinian actions against Israel at UNESCO and other UN agencies. So, while he did not instigate the Temple Mount violence, Abbas also did not stop the escalations in tensions afterwards.

To understand the crisis and the complications that fueled it, a timeline helps for strategic analysis.

Friday, July 14, 2017, three Israeli Arab terrorists from the Islamic town of Um-El-Fahm made their way to Jerusalem and killed two Israeli Druze Border Policemen at the Temple Mount compound. Jerusalem, “the city of peace” became a city of terror and bloodshed. 

The terrorist attack which was supported by the Palestinian Authority and Israel’s Islamic Movement (though Abbas later condemned it), was meant to challenge Israel’s Jewish control of the holy site. The desire to erase any Jewish ties or sovereignty over the area where Israel’s two Holy Temples once stood, was meant to affirm Moslem control over the site.  The terrorist attack comes on the heels of a recent UNESCO decision, which left out the Israeli and Jewish connection to the holy places in Jerusalem. 

Violent incidents in Jerusalem around the Temple Mount have occurred before, used by the Palestinians to encourage incitement through terrorism. This recent attack further undermined the stability of Israel in its relations with Jordan, because the WAQF, Jordan’s Islamic Trust that manages the site, did nothing to prevent the terrorist attack. 

According to a set of rules referring to state affairs, Israel controls access to the Temple Mount compound, responsible for security along its perimeters. The Jordanian WAQF is responsible for the security situation inside the Temple Mount area. 

However, the WAQF, as well as most Palestinians, claim the site is under Israeli “occupation”, and that armed Israeli guards suppress their people from freely exercising their complete authority over the Temple Mount. They see the Israeli police and army as having no legitimacy over what the Moslems consider to be their sacred place of worship. There is almost a no tolerance policy for Jews visiting the site, most of whom have to be accompanied by special Israeli police guards to protect them from irate Moslems. No Jews can pray at the site. Neither can Christians.

After the attack, on Friday, the Israeli police closed off the Temple Mount compound until Sunday morning July 16, looking for weapons that had been used by the terrorists. Reportedly, they found knives in the area along with the Carl Gustav-style submachine guns and handguns that the terrorists killed the border guards with.

The Al-Aksa mosque has been used before as an armory, where Moslems stored weapons in preparation for future attacks against Israel. This time, the Israeli police were not forthcoming in how many weapons they saw and/or confiscated within the mosque or around the Temple Mount. But, Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said that security arrangements had to be changed because the terrorists crossed Israel’s “red line” once they decided to desecrate the site using automatic weapons. 

On Sunday, directed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the police put up metal detectors at the entrances to the Temple Mount to prevent more firearms from being smuggled into the compound. The WAQF saw this as an attempt to undermine their authority over activities at the site. As a result, they and other Islamic officials, refused to go up on the Mount and banned all Moslems worshippers from doing the same. The Chairman of the WAQF Trust, the Mufti of Jerusalem, and the Chairman of the Higher Islamic Council all claimed it was Israel’s attempt to severely violate the status quo, which Netanyahu profusely denied.

Monday, July 17 was the second day of demonstrations by Moslems in Jerusalem. They were, again, instructed by the WAQF to pray outside of the Temple Mount area. Jewish worshippers took advantage of the situation. They entered the compound and said the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer for the border police officers. This was a unique and unusual occurrence, as Jews are always banned from saying prayers at the site. Other Jews followed suit during the next few days, freely visiting the Temple Mount accompanied by police who guarded them on tour. Meanwhile the Moslems demonstrated in Old City riots and on the streets of Jerusalem.

As tensions continued to escalate, Abbas decided to cut all security ties with Israel until it dismantled the metal detectors. International efforts began, with the United States getting involved, sending its envoys to the Middle East to talk with authorities in Israel, Egypt and Jordan, in order to find a way to end the crisis. Israel’s cabinet met in late night sessions in an effort to provide Israeli citizens with security while, at the same time, figuring out a way to stop the increased violence.

Then, on Friday night, July 21, in the West Bank settlement of Halamish, a Palestinian terrorist entered the home of a Jewish family having a Shabbat dinner. He killed Yosef Salomon, his daughter Chaya, and his son Elad, and seriously wounded Yosef’s wife, Tova. The terrorist was shot by a neighbor, and while recovering from his injuries in an Israeli hospital, the attacker claimed he committed the act of terror because of the violence against Palestinians in the Temple Mount incident. This further escalated the crisis between the Palestinians and Israel, as Arabs celebrated in the streets after the hideous murders.

Escalating the tensions even further, on Sunday, July 23, an Israeli security guard in the Israeli Embassy in Jordan was attacked by a teenage terrorist with a screwdriver. In self-defense the security guard killed the terrorist, and accidently wounded a Jordanian passing by, who later died of his wounds. Jordan’s King Abdullah II was already engrossed in deep discussions with United States leaders in what he termed as efforts to stop the “Judaization of holy sites.”  Now, he wanted to keep the security guard in Jordan to stand trial. Israel’s Foreign Ministry entered into immediate negotiations with Jordan, declaring there were international laws of immunity for the security guard and the Israeli diplomatic staff, but Jordan refused to release them. 

In what appeared to be a late night agreement between Abdullah and Netanyahu, the King relented, released the Israeli embassy staff, and they were able to return home to Israel. While Israel has denied that there was any deal, it appears that the diplomatic agreement was in exchange for Netanyahu not only removing the metal detectors from the Temple Mount, but also cameras that had been installed there. Both countries denied any connection between the diplomatic incident and the concessions on Israel’s part.

On Monday, July 24, the Israeli embassy staff was embraced by a smiling Netanyahu, who greeted them warmly. This further angered the Jordanians who accused Netanyahu of treating the Israeli security guard as a “hero”. 

However, an embattled Netanyahu had to show some success in his critical negotiations with Jordan. He had no leverage and little choice in the diplomatic crisis. In order to get the Israeli embassy staff home safely, he had to agree to Jordan’s terms. But, a majority of Israelis felt he had conceded too quickly to Jordanian demands to remove the metal detectors and cameras. While facing sharp criticism on the home front, Netanyahu also continued to face sharp criticism in Jordan. 

The Jordanian Parliament, angered that two Jordanians were killed by an Israeli, threatened to bring the matter to an international court. King Abdullah demanded that the security guard stand trial in Israel or be extradited to Jordan. For the Jordanian government, saving face is of absolute importance, and Jordanians will resist and reject any attempts to humiliate and weaken their resolve as a nation. 

Today, Israel views the crisis with Jordan as a serious matter. The Israeli government sees Jordan as a strategic partner and wants to preserve the peace treaty. They work in close coordination with the Jordanian government when it comes to intelligence, security and military cooperation. Tactically, Jordan helps control terrorists from entering Israel’s Jordan Valley. Jordan’s airfields have been used by the United States to hit ISIS positions in Syria. A U.S. base remains in a Bedouin region of Jordan where radical Sunni Moslems have had an influence on tribes there. Jordan’s close proximity to Iraq is a problem, where radical Shiites are operating on Jordan’s eastern border.

The influence of ISIS to try and produce instability in Jordan presents another serious problem. The fundamentalist Moslem Brotherhood, which is the main political opposition in Jordan, could also contribute to instability in the country, especially when it comes to the delicate balance of power that King Abdullah’s monarchy carries within the local Jordanian population. The Brotherhood claims that handing over the Israeli security guard was an affront to national Jordanian sovereignty. Tribes that are now loyal to King Abdullah could eventually resist him and topple his government due to pressure from opposition forces operating inside the country. 

Arab nations that have developed warmer ties with Israel have been looking closely at the crisis in Jerusalem as they do not want to experience any backlash over the Temple Mount incident. Future angry reactions on Arab streets throughout the region could undermine the rule of Arab governments, and therefore cause greater instability. These governments have also taken notice of Israel’s declining relations with Jordan -- a country that maintains a peace treaty with Israel along with Egypt.

Furthermore, within six months, Israel will be looking to quietly incorporate security measures, based on advanced technologies, in place of metal detectors on the Mount. These will be implemented to insure the security of Israeli citizens, as well as visitors who want to go up on the Temple Mount. The new plan, which will cost approximately $29 million dollars, could further stir Palestinian aggressions once they see the new measures being implemented. 

The 9^th of Av in this calendar year has now ended. During the month of July, which coincided with the time of the Dire Straits, Israel experienced one violent event following on the heels of another. This time period comes with memories of some of the most disastrous events recorded in Jewish history, including the destruction of the First and Second Temples, the Babylonian exile, and other catastrophes that have happened to the Jewish People. 

But, Israel, itself, has also contributed to its own hardships, which now appear to have stirred up controversy for the Jewish State in terms of its sovereignty over Jerusalem.

In June 1967, Israel conquered Jerusalem and re-united the Old City, taking it out of the hands of Jordanian control. For one week, reports indicate that Israeli rabbis prayed on the Temple Mount before Israeli government leader Moshe Dayan ordered them to stop and remove themselves from the site. He then gave the keys back to the Jordanian WAQF to maintain control of the Temple Mount. 

That one act, which he did out of fear that there would be a Middle East holy war otherwise, has continued to be an open door for the Arabs to reject Israel’s sovereignty over Jerusalem. The Palestinians reject the historic and religious attachment of the Jewish People to the Temple Mount. In every forum possible, they deny that there was a Jewish Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Moslems, today, insist that the place is holy to them only. 

While Palestinian initiatives continue to undermine Israel’s security, Palestinians living in East Jerusalem have used the Temple Mount violence as a way to narrow the gap and build a closer relationship with Israeli Arabs living in the West Bank and in central Israel. Many of the Israeli Arabs in the town of Umm el-Fahm, known as a stronghold for the Islamic Movement, believe the Al-Aksa mosque is in danger of an Israeli takeover. Therefore, they easily engage in the stirring of Palestinian incitement.  This helps the Palestinians further strengthen Moslem ties to the Al-Aksa mosque, uniting all Arabs in their effort to free themselves from Israeli “occupation”. Along with Hamas, the Palestinians are trying to build a sense of Palestinian nationalism throughout Israel and surrounding areas, in what they see as their just cause in seizing Israeli land.  

More and more Israeli Jews, angered by the humiliation of conceding to the Moslems on Temple Mount matters of control, are religiously preparing to visit the holy site. In a new and unusual move, Israel’s rabbis are encouraging their participation. At least 1,500 Jews visited the Mount within days of the murder of the border guards… an increase of double the amount of visitors prior to the violence. Jewish visits to the Temple Mount had already increased by 15% this year. On the 9^th of Av, a record 1,300 Jewish people visited the Temple Mount. 

It’s a testimony of Jewish resolve in the face of hatred and murder, as the God of Israel stands by His people protecting and guarding their security and welfare in His holy city, Jerusalem.

“In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.”

Isaiah 2:2