Friday, August 9, 2024

Waiting for the Sirens to Start

by Ilse Strauss

Thursday, 8 August 2024 | We have a plan. When the sirens start, I grab our daughter, Lily, while my husband goes for the dogs. There are three of them, all a little skittish. So the stronger parent is saddled with getting the three squirmy canine bodies as opposed to one toddler body into the bomb shelter.

Our go-bag sits next to the front door. It’s weighty with water, snacks, toys, a first-aid kit and a power bank. More water and Lily’s bedding wait downstairs in the communal bomb shelter. Two pairs of sturdy sandals—the slip-on kind—are parked next to the go-bag. Nobody wants to be caught barefoot in an Iranian attack.

We aren’t the only ones with a plan. In fact, like everyone else in Israel, we are waiting for the sirens to start. And start they will. There’s too much egg on too many faces in Tehran and Beirut.

Yet more than a week after the targeted killing of two top terror chiefs in their own backyards, it’s still not clear how Iran and Hezbollah intend to “punish” Israel.

Make no mistake, both Iranian and Hezbollah top leadership has vowed “imminent” retribution for the death of Hezbollah’s second-in-command Fu’ad Shukr in a pinpoint strike in Beirut—which Israel claimed—and the demise of Hamas’s leader Ismail Haniyeh in a pinpoint attack in an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stronghold in the heart of Tehran—which Israel neither confirmed nor denied but is blamed for nonetheless.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that over the weekend, the United States observed signs that serve as harbingers of an imminent attack, including movement of Iran’s missile launchers and various military exercises.

But exactly how imminent is imminent? Days? Weeks? Hours? Also, will said punishment be meted out during the daytime when our children are at daycare or at night when they are conveniently close at hand? Will we have advance warning like last time or will the rumble of the missiles overhead and the scream of the siren tell us that the wait is over? Are we talking one barrage or many, which translates to hours in the bomb shelter or days? Will there be power outages or disruptions in the water supply? As the days following the targeted killings have now turned into a week and counting, the questions swirl.

Of course, the waiting game is part of Tehran’s psychological warfare. Knowing that something is coming, but not being entirely sure what that something is and when it will arrive is a whole lot worse than the actual something.

Then there are the rumors and the hints. Last night, an Egyptian official told Cairo’s al Qahera TV that Iranian authorities have advised civilian airlines to avoid its airspace for three hours on Thursday morning citing “military exercises.”

The report followed hot on the heels of Egyptian aviation authorities issuing an official Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, urging pilots to steer clear of the skies over Tehran between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. GMT (4 a.m. to 7 a.m., Israel time).

Yet 4 a.m. to 7 a.m., Israel time, came and went with no sign of Iranian aggression.

And then there’s Hezbollah, often described as a branch of the IRGC, thus a virtual extension of Tehran on Israel’s northern border. Citing unnamed officials in Jerusalem, Israel’s Channel 12 News said last night that the Jewish state believes Hezbollah—as opposed to Iran itself—will be first to strike “in the coming days.”

This is not to say that Hezbollah has been quiet in the eight days since Shukr’s death. On the contrary. The Iranian terror proxy has steadfastly continued raining down rockets, mortars, missiles and drones on the Jewish state, continuing the steady bombardment it started on October 8—apparently in solidarity with fellow Iranian terror proxy Hamas.

All this begs the question: why are we—the non-Israeli, non-Jewish Christians—choosing to stay? The answer is simple.

In the seven odd decades since the Holocaust, Christians have vowed, “Israel, we are right here with you. We’ve got your back. Never again!”

And now, when the chips are down and we wait for the sirens to start, that is exactly where we are: here, having Israel’s back.

In our being here, having Israel’s back, is a message, one that cannot be conveyed with words but that echoes louder than speech: “We love the God of Israel and therefore we love you, the people of Israel. We weren’t there during the Crusades, forcible expulsions, Spanish Inquisition, pogroms, Holocaust or wars of Israel’s infancy. But we’re here now. And as Christians who love the God and people of Israel, you will never be alone again. We are waiting with you.”

Photo Credit: Ilse Strauss/bridgesforpeace.com

Source: (Bridges for Peace, August 8, 2024)

Prayer Focus
Pray for all those in Israel who are “waiting for the sirens to start,” asking for the Lord’s presence to surround them, that they would rest in His love and protection. Give thanks also for the Christian volunteers and their families who have chosen to stand with Israel in the good times as well as the dangerous ones. We are your hands and feet to bless God’s chosen people and Land!

Scripture

Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.

- Psalm 27:3–4

Electing Sinwar, Hamas Seals its Fate

by Avi Issacharoff ~ Ynetnews

Wednesday, 7 August 2024 | Hamas has indicated its path forward in appointing Yahya Sinwar to replace slain politburo head Ismail Haniyeh. It is a one-man show with one vision.

Sinwar has told the other senior members of his terror group: “I will navigate, I will lead and anyone who disapproves will end up dead,” as did Mahmoud Ishtiwi who was executed in 2016 after he was accused of being gay.

Ishtiwi was a senior commander of the Hamas military wing and a battalion head in Zeitun. He was probably put to death under orders from Sinwar, who suspected that he had collaborated with Israel during the 2014 war and provided information that led to a failed assassination attempt on Mohammed Deif. Deif’s wife and two children were killed in the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] strike.

A few months after the war, an armed Hamas force, led by none other than Sinwar himself, broke into Ishtiwi’s home and took him away in front of his shocked family. No amount of pleading to Hamas leaders helped release him from prison and no accusations of his torture were answered. Nearly a year later, he was executed for “moral crimes.”

He was not the first Palestinian to be executed by Sinwar. During his incarceration in Israeli prison, the Hamas leader was dubbed Abu 12, the father of 12, after he was said to have murdered a dozen people suspected of collaborating with Israel. Sinwar was found guilty in the murder of five of them.

The Hamas leader proved how dangerous he could be—and how extreme in his views—before the October 7 massacre. He led Hamas into this brutal war knowing full well that he was about to sacrifice thousands of lives on the altar of his vision: to be the modern-day Palestinian Saladin.

Sinwar understood that Gaza’s 2.2 million Palestinians would pay the terrible price for his delusions, but that did not stop him from carrying out his plan.

Gaza is in ruins, the Hamas military wing is in tatters and now the terror group’s political wing has fallen into line with the man who has brought the greatest disaster since 1948 onto the population of Gaza.

By choosing Sinwar as the new politburo chief, any appearance of a division of authority or separation between the leadership abroad and the one in Gaza under Sinwar became a thing of the past.

Although Haniyeh’s leadership role was mostly symbolic since he left Gaza for Qatar, he maintained some political sway. Now no one will dare oppose the all-powerful Sinwar who will do all it takes to solidify his rule and will eliminate any threat to it, without hesitation.

Under his control, Hamas will become even more extreme, leaning closer to the position of the Muslim Brotherhood and their leader Sayyid Qutb.

Qutb succeeded the founder of the movement and took it farther to the extreme with an ideology that went on to become the basis of groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS. This is where Hamas will likely stand under Sinwar, ruthless leader who would not hesitate to harm Palestinians who dare challenge him and will certainly not hesitate to harm Israelis.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on August 7, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Federation Council/commons.wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Cry out on behalf of the citizens of Gaza who have suffered greatly under the hand of Sinwar and Hamas. Pray for the quick and complete defeat of Hamas, including the removal of Sinwar.

Scripture

Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.

- Psalm 146:3

Iranians Side with Israel, Even against Their Own Regime

by Emily Schrader ~ Ynetnews

Tuesday, 6 August 2024 | For 45 years, the Iranian people have been subjected to a dictatorial Islamic government that prioritizes support for terrorism and enables rampant levels of corruption, over the wellbeing of the people, the Iranian economy, and the future of the state itself.

The regime has faced several attempted popular uprisings but has repeatedly squashed them with appalling barbarity and violence against their own people. Now, instead of fixing problems at home, the Islamic regime in Iran is making every effort to launch a war against Israel.

Ynetnews spoke with Iranians in the aftermath of the historic assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Iranian soil to see their feelings and reactions regarding a potential war against Israel. As there are currently Iranians on death row for speaking to Israeli media, we cannot publish the names of the Iranians interviewed for their own protection.

Overall, the Iranian people are extremely pro-Israel and reject the regime’s warmongering, but multiple Iranians expressed concern about operating on Iranian soil. F., from Tehran, stated, “I was worryingly happy as he got what he deserved, but I’d rather he was dealt with someplace else.” He added after, “I also had a good feeling that potentially some Iranians were involved.”

When asked about the possibility of an all-out war between Israel and the Islamic Republic, most of the Iranians Ynetnews spoke with expressed more fear of the Islamic Republic than of the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]. “I personally am not scared of Israeli retaliation because I know that IDF and Israeli officials see us Iranian people on their side and would do whatever they deem necessary to minimize the collateral damage as they did with the case of Haniyeh.”

“However, what I’m definitely scared and worried about is the extent and nature of the regime’s avenging effort! After all, they are a lousy breed of ideologically driven individuals who barely know what they’re doing and that can inflict collateral damage on both sides…So I’m more worried about the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] than the IDF for sure,” said F.

A., from Ahvaz, who has previously been imprisoned for his activism against the regime, told Ynetnews that “all Iranians” were delighted by the assassination. “Iranians are really happy,” he said, adding “We are really against the regime of the Islamic Republic and Hamas, Hezbollah and the Taliban, who are all connected with the murderous regime of the Islamic Republic…We hope that all these people will be destroyed as soon as possible.”

A. also detailed how the Islamic Republic responds after major events such as the assassination of Haniyeh. “The regime is scared because every time one of the heads of the government like Qassem Soleimani and the rest of the IRGC members are killed, the regime is closer to its defeat, which fuels fear in the security forces, IRGC and Basij.”

When it comes to Israeli counterstrikes in Iran, A. said that he isn’t so concerned. “Iranians are not worried about Israel’s attack because we all know that the Israeli government has no problem with the Iranian people.” In fact, A. argues, “This is not just my opinion. We all wish to see the destruction of the Islamic Republic as soon as possible.”

In the initial hours after news broke of the assassination of Haniyeh, Persian social media was flooded with celebratory messages, with some even thanking the IDF. While the regime held memorial services inside of Iran, videos surfaced online from Iran showing Iranians celebrating with a sign in Arabic and Persian placed in public next to a platter of sweets, calling Haniyeh a terrorist.

S., also from Tehran, said she heard about the assassination from social media and in her words, “I was very happy and I wish this would happen to all of them soon.” However, S. also spoke candidly about the fear in Iran among the people who are concerned about escalation, even suggesting that Israel should not respond in the event of a strike from the regime.

“The Islamic Republic seeks to create chaos in the region, while Israel, unlike the Islamic Republic, does not want to start a war. If Iran’s attacks do not result in casualties for Israel, it might be better for Israel to leave Iran’s attacks unanswered,” she explained. This was in contrast to her compatriot, A., who argued, “One should never remain silent in the face of attacks by the Islamic Republic, Hezbollah and Hamas. All of them must be destroyed.”

While the Iranian people continue to face brutal repression at the hands of the regime, there’s no question that the majority not only have no problem with the Jewish state but have a deep love and desire for friendship in the future.

While Iranians inside Iran disagree on what steps should be taken regarding a war with Israel, no one wants to see a war on their soil. At the same time, they are strongly against terrorism from the regime or its proxies, and they have immense trust that Israel is significantly more responsible than their own government. Only time will tell if Israel is able to eliminate the threat from the Islamic Republic without damaging the relationship with the Iranian people.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on August 5, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Darafsh/commons.wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Give thanks and rejoice that there are many Iranians who understand the truth of what type of country Israel is when compared to their own repressive government. Pray for this groundswell of public support to grow in strength and that the participants would be protected from harm.

Scripture

And it shall be, if they will learn carefully the ways of My people, to swear by My name, “As the LORD lives,” as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be established in the midst of My people.

- Jeremiah 12:16

IDF Uncovers Gaza Tunnel Big Enough to Fit Vehicles under Egyptian Border

by Yoav Zitun ~ Ynetnews

Monday, 5 August 2024 | The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] said on Sunday that its troops uncovered a 3-meter (10-ft.) high tunnel at the Philadelphi Corridor, big enough for cars to travel through. The tunnel was discovered last week and will be destroyed by forces from the Engineering Corps once the military concludes an investigation of the tunnel and shafts leading to it as well as other underground infrastructure.

The military had claimed that at least 20 tunnels, some leading from the [Gaza] Strip into Egypt, were still in the area after initially saying that some 35 tunnels and 200 shafts were uncovered when the forces took control of the area.

Among Israel’s demands in negotiations for a cease-fire and hostage release is the continued Israeli presence along the Philadelphi Corridor where the tunnel was found, despite Egyptian claims that all tunnels leading from Gaza had been uncovered and blocked.

A similar tunnel was uncovered by troops in the northern part of the Gaza Strip late last year. it was in a depth of some 60 meters (nearly 200 ft.) underground, included shafts leading to areas near the Israel border and could accommodate thousands of Nukhba fighters.

The tunnel system was secretly dug under the command of Mohammed Sinwar, the brother of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. In the tunnel uncovered in the northern Strip troops found video documentation filmed over years including a clip showing Sinwar and his brother driving their jeep through the tunnel while a team of engineers brought in from Khan Younis briefed them on its components.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on August 4, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Marius Arnesen/commons.wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Pray that the IDF will continue its search until all the tunnels have been discovered and destroyed. Pray that Israel’s government and leaders will stand firm in the face of much international pressure to give back control over areas, like the Philadelphia Corridor, that could be used to resupply Hamas military forces.

Scripture

[The sun’s] rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

- Psalm 19:6

Iran’s Ongoing Effort to Destabilize Judea and Samaria

by Yaakov Lappin ~ JNS

Tuesday, 6 August 2024 | Iran is continuing its efforts to flood Judea and Samaria with weapons, IDF [Israel Defense Forces] Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari warned on Sunday, a day after the Israel Defense Forces eliminated two terrorist cells in the Tulkarem area.

One of the cells was en route to carry out an attack when the car it was traveling in was hit by an Israeli airstrike, according to the IDF. All five members of the cell were killed.

According to Hamas, one of the casualties was a commander of its Tulkarem brigade, while Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed the other casualties, according to Reuters.

Hours later, the IDF and Israel Security Agency jointly announced the elimination of a second cell via an airstrike in the Tulkarem area. Troops from the IDF’s elite Duvdevan unit directed the airstrike on four terrorists who were shooting at Israeli forces, according to the statement. Palestinian media reports later identified one of the casualties as a local Hamas commander.

Following the counterterror operations in the area, the IDF released images of ammunition seized, much of which, according to Hagari, arrives in Judea and Samaria from Iran.

“For years Iran has been arming terror organizations in Middle East, including [creating] smuggling infrastructure for bombs,” he added.

These efforts include the smuggling into Israel of anti-personnel mines for use in terror attacks, said Hagari, noting that the IDF and ISA [Israel Security Agency] had disrupted many such plots. “We are determined to act against Iranian terror in all places,” he stated.

Harel Chorev, head of the Doron Halpern Middle East Network Analysis Desk at the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, is a resident of one of the communities of Hefer Valley area, which is not far from Tulkarem.

His community had received a security warning prior to the cell’s elimination, he said.

Since Hamas’s October 7 invasion of southern Israel, the IDF has “taken off the gloves” with regard to Judea and Samaria, according to Chorev.

Several hundred terror operatives have been killed in Judea and Samaria since then, he said, and the Israeli Air Force has returned to operating in the area for the first time since the Second Intifada, which broke out in 2000. The first such airstrikes began in June 2023 in Jenin, but the majority occurred after October 7.

Until October 7, it was almost entirely up to ground forces to deal with terrorists in Judea and Samaria, “a much longer and more cumbersome process,” he said.

The terrorist battalions in the region are seemingly independent and devoid of factional affiliation, but in reality number among their member operatives of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Fatah, he explained.

“They work under the ‘national unity’ banner. The first example was Lions’ Den in Nablus. Northern Samaria saw other battalions set up. This is the main security challenge,” he added.

These battalions are being fueled by Iranian weapons smuggling via Jordan, as well as funding from Hamas, which is prepared to support them whether or not they formally affiliate with the Gaza-based terrorist group, he said.

“Hamas for years was prepared to work ‘behind the scenes,’” said Chorev. “In the past, this was at the media incitement level, but it has become more than that,” he added.

According to Joe Truzman, senior research analyst at Foundation for Defense of Democracy’s Long War Journal, the various terror factions have entrenched themselves in certain areas of Judea and Samaria to a dangerous degree.

“Tulkarem has emerged as a significant hotspot for terrorism, akin to Jenin and Nablus,” he said. “Groups such as Islamic Jihad, Hamas and the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades have firmly established their presence in the area,” he added.

These groups have established IED [Improvised explosive devices] laboratories, where they produce explosives in large quantities, capable of inflicting significant casualties, he continued. Moreover, disturbingly, even with near-daily Israeli counter-terrorism operations, these groups continue their assaults on both civilian and military targets.

“[For] more than three years after the surge in violence began in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria], Islamic Jihad and the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades have been the dominant forces behind attacks on Israeli troops and civilians,” he said. “However, in the past six months, there has been a notable increase in terrorism attributed to Hamas in the territory. This increase indicates that Hamas is shifting its focus toward the West Bank, as operating in Gaza has become increasingly challenging due to the ongoing war.”

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on August 5, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: IDF/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray for the safety of the Israeli residents of Judea and Samaria, the mountains of Israel and its biblical heartland—part of the Land God covenanted to give to Abraham ad his descendants forever. Pray that Israel’s security forces will uncover all plans to commit acts of terror before they can be carried out. Pray also that any supply of weapons from Iran will be cut off.

Scripture

But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come. For indeed I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown. I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.

- Ezekiel 36:8–10

Height of Hypocrisy: UNSC Meets at Iran’s Behest after Killing of Hamas Terror Chief

by Mike Wagenheim ~ JNS

Friday, 2 August 2024 | An Israeli envoy to the United Nations on Wednesday chided the “rank hypocrisy” of the Security Council [UNSC] calling an emergency session at Iran’s behest, given the body’s silence over the Islamic Republic’s deadly terror activities throughout the region.

The UNSC met at the request of members Russia, China and Algeria, on behalf of Tehran. The session came in the wake of the assassination earlier in the day of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. No one has yet claimed responsibility, though Israel is thought to be behind the action, which came just hours after Haniyeh, an arch terrorist, met with Iran’s new president.

Several council members called for increased diplomatic efforts in order to avoid an all-out regional war.

Prior to the elimination of Haniyeh, an Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed senior Hezbollah commander Fu’ad Shukr, who Israel said was responsible for Saturday’s rocket attack in the Golan Heights, which killed 12 Druze children playing on a soccer field.

“This operation sends a clear message: We will defend ourselves and respond with great force against those who harm us,” Jonathan Miller, Israel’s UN deputy ambassador, told the Security Council of Shukr’s killing.

Demanding that the council designate Iran as a terrorist entity, Miller said he felt compelled to “stress the rank hypocrisy on display here today. This meeting has been called for by the world’s number one sponsor of terrorism, responsible for the most horrifying barbarism across the region and the globe.”

Hezbollah, along with Hamas and the Houthis of Yemen, are all Iranian proxies, trained and financed by Tehran.

Miller chastised the council for its inaction following the attack on the Golan Heights. Predictably, the council did not call for an emergency session then.

“Where were the condemnations of Hezbollah and their Iranian suppliers for the butchery of these 12 children?” asked Miller. “Those who really want stability in the region should welcome the elimination of arch terrorists, not call on both sides to show restraint.”

Robert Wood, the US deputy ambassador to the UN, was quick to separate Washington from Israel’s operations, while justifying taking out Shukr, who the US holds responsible for the deadly 1983 bombing of a US Marine barracks in Beirut, killing 241 service members.

“I want to be very clear about this: Israel has a right to defend itself against attacks from Hezbollah and other terrorists,” said Wood on Wednesday. “That is precisely what it did” in the Beirut airstrike, he added.

Laying out Iran’s terror connections and backing for Hezbollah’s constant, deadly firing across the Israeli border since October 7, Wood said that unless Iran comes into compliance with previous council resolutions, the body “must consider additional measures to enforce its resolutions to hold Iran accountable and address repeated actions by its terrorist proxies and partners that threaten regional peace and security.”

Regarding ongoing diplomatic efforts by Washington, Wood said a “broader war is neither imminent nor inevitable,” but that the attacks by Iran and its proxies “have repeatedly brought us closer to a regional conflict.”

The United Kingdom and France also took Iran to task for its destabilizing activities throughout the Middle East.

Hadi Hachem, Lebanon’s UN chargé d’affaires, told the council that the victim of Israel’s Beirut airstrike “is your ceasefire resolution,” with the objective of the action to “drag Israel’s allies into a regional war with disastrous consequences on peoples and countries and on the future and the present.”

The Lebanese government and its armed forces have failed for decades to reel in Hezbollah, which was to be disbanded as part of a 2006 Security Council resolution following that year’s Lebanon War.

Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s UN envoy, attempted to turn the tables on Israel, urging the council to sanction Jerusalem.

“The Security Council should take immediate steps to hold Israel accountable for this act of aggression,” Iravani said regarding the assassination of Haniyeh. “This includes considering the imposition of sanctions and other measures that are necessary to prevent further violations and to signal that Israeli malevolent activities will not be tolerated by the international community,” he added.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on August 1, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Rick Bajornas/U.N. Photo/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray that the fear of the Lord would come upon this global body that was intended to promote peace and harmony among the nations, but today finds itself supporting terrorism. Pray that Iran’s leaders would be exposed as those who call evil good and good evil.

Scripture

When your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD.

- Proverbs 1:27–29

Israeli Diplomacy Doing Well Despite War

by Itamar Eichner ~ Ynetnews

Wednesday, 7 August 2024 | Israeli diplomatic relations are in good shape after 10 months of war, although envoys called home for consultation from South Africa, Turkey, Spain, Ireland and Norway have not returned to their posts.

Columbia remains the only country to downgrade its relationship with Israel from embassies to a consular level, and Jerusalem’s diplomatic relations continue behind the scenes, despite a cold shoulder from some countries.

In fact, compared to previous wars, Israel’s diplomatic situation is better. However, its standing in international institutions, including the UN, has suffered.

Several countries are standing by Israel, including the US and Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Argentina.

However, there is a worrying trend in the UK after the Labour Party came into power. In countries led by leftist governments, such as Spain, Ireland and Norway, Israel faces much criticism. In France, Israeli officials were concerned that far-left Jean-Luc Melenchon’s party would form a government, but although that has not happened, the risk of anti-Israel policies remains.

Spain, Norway and Ireland recognized a Palestinian state in May. The following day, Foreign Minister Israel Katz ordered the recall of the three ambassadors for consultations as a diplomatic protest and to send a sharp message. Although no ambassadors have been present there in the past months, diplomacy continued. The ties with the three nations were tense before the war. The Foreign Ministry said Israel had no intention of severing relations and closing embassies and is waiting for better days to send its diplomats back.

Turkey: Israel’s ambassador to Turkey, Irit Lillian, was recalled to Israel after October 7 due to security reasons. Following remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, former foreign minister Eli Cohen announced Lillian would be recalled for consultations.

Since then, only a diplomatic team has been sent to Turkey. The Turks recalled their ambassador to Israel for consultations, and he has been stationed in Ankara since. Both Lillian and the Turkish ambassador continue to manage relations behind the scenes and maintain contact.

Colombia: This country has likely taken the harshest action against Israel. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a former terrorist and extremist, unexpectedly decided to sever relations with Israel. The ban isn’t complete, however, as Colombia decided to maintain consular relations with Jerusalem.

Colombia asked the Israeli ambassador in Bogotá, Gali Dagan, to leave. The embassy has been operating at a reduced capacity since. Only a consular officer, a diplomatic liaison and an economic attaché remain. The Colombian ambassador to Israel was recalled to his country, and only a consular representative remains.

Bolivia: Severed relations, but no ambassadors had been appointed.

Chile: Chile’s leftist president Gabriel Boric recalled his country’s ambassador to Israel. Conversely, Israeli Ambassador Gil Artzieli remained in Chile and continues to work as usual.

Brazil: On February 9, Brazilian President Lula da Silva decided to recall his country’s ambassador to Israel, Frederico Meyer. The move took place just hours after Katz reprimanded the ambassador at the Yad Vashem Museum, following Lula’s comparison of Israel’s actions to those of Hitler and the Nazis.

Israel’s Ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Zonshine, remained in Brasília. The embassy and consulate continue to work with state governors and parliament, but their contact with Lula’s administration has been blocked.

Honduras: Recalled its ambassador. Israel has an ambassador in Honduras, and the embassy is operational.

South Africa: Israel recalled its ambassador to Pretoria, Eli Belotserkovsky, for consultations following statements supporting Hamas and severe condemnations, as well as a lawsuit against the country at the UN’s International Court of Justice in The Hague for alleged “genocide.”

South Africa, which didn’t have an ambassador in Israel previously, recalled its diplomats. Relations between the countries are very cold.

Arab countries: Since the outbreak of the war, Israel has recalled its ambassadors and diplomats from embassies in Jordan, Egypt, Morocco and Bahrain for security reasons. Israel’s Ambassador to the UAE [United Arab Emirates] Amir Hayek continued working as usual. Since October 7, most embassies in Arab countries have returned to normal operation under strict security guidelines.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on August 6, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Raya Sharbain/commons.wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Pray for Israel’s diplomats, especially those who are working in countries whose governments are opposed to the State of Israel. Pray for their security as well as continued open doors to communicate the truth about Israel to potentially hostile government representatives.

Scripture

A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are punished.

- Proverbs 27:12

Syrian Army Regroups and Rearms for Confrontation with Israel

by Lior Ben Ari ~ Ynetnews

Tuesday, 6 August 2024 | Historically considered a relentless enemy of Israel, the Syrian army’s status declined due to the country’s civil war. Materially and publicly, the army is no longer perceived as a national army, but as “Assad’s army.” Despite this, it is rearming and attempting to operate with the resources it has.

The Syrian army, initially formed from the French Army of the Levant in Lebanon and Syria, played an integral role in the combined Arab assault on the newly established State of Israel in 1948. “We couldn’t push it out of all the territory it occupied in Israel, and since has been a pesky and provocative enemy from the Golan Heights,” said Prof. Eyal Zisser, a modern Lebanese and Syrian history expert and vice-rector at Tel Aviv University.

Like many armies in the region, Syria’s military attempted coups, and in February 1966, a group of young officers from the leftist faction of the ruling Ba’ath party seized power. According to Prof. Zisser, this faction did not receive substantial public support and faced bitter internal conflicts, prompting them to unite the country with a familiar ideology—uniting everyone against Israel.

For this reason, the Syrians worked to divert the Jordan River’s water sources, initiated conflicts in demilitarized zones and sponsored Fatah terrorist attacks, which they helped establish in Damascus as early as 1965.

Despite their bold declarations and aggressive policies, Prof. Zisser explains that in the early days of the 1967 Six Day War, the Syrians tried to maintain a low profile. “Their military actions were likely intended to create an alibi for themselves in response to Egyptian pressure to uphold their part of the defense agreement.”

The defeat in the Six Day War profoundly affected Hafez al-Assad, then a young defense minister. Three years later, he seized power in a military coup and focused on rebuilding the nation’s military might. “These years saw a very significant increase in the power and strength of the Syrian army. Beyond the war with Israel, the army was always part of the defense of the regime, and its mission was a combination of both,” explained Prof. Zisser.

In the years following the Six Day War, the Syrian army led numerous incidents, sometimes directly and sometimes simply by allowing Palestinian terrorist organizations to operate from Syrian territory. The peak was the “Three Day War” in 1970, which began with a Syrian bombardment along the border, during which they attempted to attack IDF [Israel Defense Forces] infantry positions. In response, the IDF launched an operation that destroyed five Syrian frontline positions and struck military camps deep within the country.

At the beginning of 1973, there was relative calm on the front, but then the Yom Kippur War erupted. “They sought revenge in 1973. Although they were eventually repelled, they initially had significant successes—capturing Mount Hermon and taking control of parts of the Golan Heights,” said Prof. Zisser.

From a national army to Assad’s army

To understand the current Syrian army, it’s essential to look back at the start of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s tenure, the son of Hafez. “The Syrian Army of 2024 is the result of 24 years under Bashar al-Assad,” said Col. (Res.) Miri Eisin, a former senior intelligence officer and fellow at the ICT [Institute for Counter-Terrorism]. “The Syrian army has taken a very different approach compared to other regional armies. When the war against Assad began in Syria, he had a large regular army. The entire organizational structure is still intact on paper.”

According to CIA [Central Intelligence Agency] data, before the civil war in 2011, the Syrian armed forces consisted of approximately 300,000 soldiers, with 200,000–250,000 being Syrian army personnel. Additionally, the army had about 300,000 reservists. “This is an army based on corps, with a very Soviet–Russian integration. These corps are mixed units of tanks, infantry, artillery and engineering. Everything is integrated from the battalion level to the corps,” added Col. (Res.) Eisin.

The army’s corps are distributed across the country, with the border with Israel under the command of the 1st Corps, based in the Damascus area. The most critical division for future combat with Israel is the 7th Division, which is linked to Iran and Hezbollah and “is positioned closest to the border,” explained Dr. Carmit Valensi, head of the Northern Program at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).

The civil war that erupted in Syria in 2011 caused a significant crisis for the Syrian army, which had been strengthening in preparation for a potential future confrontation with Israel. “Certain commanders in the corps opposed Bashar and defected with their units to the Free Syrian Army, while others remained loyal. The army completely split, but on paper, the corps numbers remained, though without any real significance,” explained Col. (Res.) Eisin.

Millions of Syrian civilians either fled the country and became refugees or joined the ranks of the rebels, leading to a severe manpower shortage for the Syrian army. In response, the regime recruited anyone it could. The CIA reported that men in their late 40s and 50s, who were previously exempt from service, were conscripted without a discharge date.

The gaps in the Syrian army were filled by external actors who helped Assad maintain regime stability but also gained significant footholds in Syria. “Many Syrian officers deserted at the start of the war, and the Iranians and Russians somewhat filled the vacuum,” said Dr. Valensi.

Hezbollah also got involved and joined the forces of the 1st Corps stationed in the Golan Heights. “It wasn’t a Hezbollah unit, but Hezbollah was considered to have the best military capability and training compared to all the Shiites who joined the army,” explained Col. (Res.) Eisin.

In 2021, the IDF revealed that Naqib Bashar Al-Hussein, the commander of a reconnaissance company in the 90th Brigade of the Syrian army, assisted Hezbollah with observations and coordinated the repair of Iran’s and the terror organization’s observation posts. He was described as a liaison between Hezbollah’s southern headquarters and the 1st Corps of the Syrian army.

Foreign battles over control of the army

For years, until about 2018, there was a certain competition between the Russians and the Iranians for influence over the Syrian army. “Throughout the years of Russian involvement in Syria, the Syrian army has gradually become a somewhat different army,” said Col. (Res.) Eisin.

“They no longer brought in tanks but shifted to light infantry. Everything seen in the Russia–Ukraine war also affected Syria. The 1st Corps theoretically has three divisions —two mechanized and one armored—but in practice, it’s hard to say what they contain and if there are any weapons at all.”

“The war in Ukraine clearly diverted Russian attention from the competition, allowing Iran to further establish itself in the Syrian army,” said Dr. Valensi. “We see more Iranian presence following the war in Ukraine. We see how Russia reduces its investment in the 5th Corps—the body most identified with the Russians in the Syrian army. The Russians chose who would head it, and there have been many clashes with pro-Iranian forces. The Russian involvement in the Syrian army was one of the reasons why Israel initially refused to take a clear stance against Russia at the start of the war with Ukraine. Their presence on the ground and military assistance—which also included advanced air defense capabilities—were significant factors in Israel’s decision to remain on the fence. But it seems that Russian involvement in the Syrian army is diminishing.

“A few months ago, it was reported that the Russians are reducing the funding of the corps by 50%. They don’t have the time, attention or economic capability to maintain it at the same level as before,” added Dr. Valensi.

“Additionally, there are frictions between Syrian and Russian military elements who were somewhat part of the Syrian army. Suddenly, we hear Russian complaints about being excluded from intelligence materials and professional activities. There is a shake-up of Russian dominance, and Iran is exploiting the vacuum.”

The one filling Russia’s vacuum, and who’s been there longer before, is Iran. “I can say quite confidently today that the Iranians are very dominant in the Syrian army. Even if they do not directly send people, they know how to create allies or representatives who are identified and loyal to Iran—like Maher al-Assad, the president’s brother,” said Dr. Valensi.

Since late 2016, the Iranians have been establishing two main organizations on the border with Israel: The Southern Command and The Golan File—essentially a Hezbollah extension. A skilled combat force is stationed on the border and ready to attack Israel both on the ground and with missiles and rockets.

According to Dr. Valensi, they are not always easy to identify. “I hear that these Shiite militia operatives, Iranian proxies, sometimes wear Syrian army uniforms, making it very difficult to clearly distinguish between the army and the militias.”

The war against ISIS

In the later stages of the civil war, ISIS [Islamic State] emerged as one of the most significant groups the Syrian army had to confront. The Syrian army was not the only force fighting against the Islamic State, nor even the main one. According to reports, the coalition forces against ISIS, along with the Syrian Democratic Forces (the rebels), were the primary forces fighting ISIS in Syria.

Despite the official declaration that the organization was defeated in Syria and Iraq, it continues to function, adapting to the methods used against it. In recent years, it has started to resurface. Russia joined the fight only in 2015 when it became clear that ISIS posed a threat to the stability of the Assad regime in Syria. ISIS has not forgotten or forgiven the Russians for this, and to this day, Moscow pays the price.

In March, 145 people were killed and over 100 injured in a shooting and bomb attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in the city of Krasnogorsk in the Moscow region of Russia. Several hours after the attack began, the media quoted the Amaq News Agency associated with the Islamic State, and a security source told the agency that ISIS operatives “attacked a large concentration of Christians in the suburbs of the Russian capital, Moscow, killed and injured hundreds, and caused significant damage to the site before returning safely to their bases.”

Military buildup and fear

The Syrian civil war ended, Assad regained control over the Syrian Golan Heights by the summer of 2018, but the army is still not strong and powerful enough. It is an army facing numerous challenges, including budget constraints and a lack of quality personnel, while the entire country is in a severe economic crisis.

Despite the years that have passed, the country has not yet recovered. While civilian reconstruction is minimal and ranked low in the regime’s priorities, Assad is heavily investing in rebuilding the military. The Russians, understanding that keeping Assad in power requires military investment, are significantly aiding him. They assist in reorganizing military units and integrating the militias formed during the civil war into the army.

One of the most recent Israeli attacks in Syria occurred before the civil war, in 2007, when Israel attacked the Syrian reactor in Deir ez-Zor. The Syrians have not responded to this attack to this day. “Generally, our confrontations with the Syrians are not direct. We attack things in Syria related to Iran and Hezbollah, not really Syria itself,” noted Prof. Zisser. “They have never retaliated against these attacks. Why? Because of their worldview—’We are too weak to be dragged into war, it suits us to contain.'”

According to Col. (Res.) Eisin, “The Syrian Air Force exists only on paper; they haven’t built a new one. They are starting to do this now, but they don’t have planes. There is a Russian airbase in the Alawite region, not far from Tartus, but it belongs to Moscow. The Syrians currently have nowhere to train pilots.”

The new service plan

The Syrian army may be weaker than Israel’s, but the country’s military strength is not very weak. Syria is ranked 60th out of 145 countries on the GlobalFirepower website. Before the war, men aged 18 to 42 were required to serve up to 30 months of compulsory service, after which they were called up for reserve duty as needed by the army.

According to Dr. Valensi, it is estimated that the Syrian army currently includes about 250,000 active and reserve soldiers and officers. The Syrian Defense Ministry has recently announced a three-phase plan to reduce the number of reservists currently in active service—by the end of October 2025.

In an interview with Syrian television, the ministry’s director, Ahmad Yusuf Suleiman, said, “Tens of thousands will be released by the end of the year, and the same next year, while maintaining combat readiness and achieving the interests of the country’s residents.”

According to the Saudi network Al Arabiya, the Syrian army currently consists of three main groups—volunteers, conscripts and reservists. In the early years of the civil war, the army, according to various publications, lost half of its estimated 300,000 soldiers and officers.

During the civil war, young people in Syria served in the reserves for many years, sometimes up to six years consecutively. Syrian President Assad admitted in an interview in 2015 that “if the army did not have reserve forces, it would not have been able to withstand the very tough four and a half years of war.”

According to Suleiman’s new announcement, in the third phase of the plan, the maximum reserve service will be set at two years. He said that the goal of the Syrian army is to become an “advanced army primarily based on volunteers.”

How much should Israel fear the Syrian army on the border? “Since October 7, we have all been throwing around the term ‘terror army.’ We say this about Hamas and Hezbollah, but no one has defined what we mean by ‘terror army.’ I wonder if Assad’s army is not a ‘terror army,’ where the blending didn’t come from terror to the army, but from the army to terror,” said Col. (Res.) Eisin.

“My concern with the Syrian army is that just as Russia commits crimes against humanity in the war against Ukraine, using drone swarms, all the capabilities we see there are the concept of a ‘terror army.’ For example, targeting civilian objectives without calling them such,” added Col. (Res.) Eisin. “I am afraid they do not have conventional military capability, but what Assad’s terror army has built is unconventional asymmetrical capabilities, like terrorism.”

Source: (Excerpt from an article was originally published by Ynetnews on August 3, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Kremlin.ru/commons.wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Pray for confusion to come to Syria’s “terror army” as the Russians and Iranians both vie for control and influence. As in the days of Gideon, pray for the fear of the Lord to overcome the Syrians so they will not be able to lift a hand against Israel.

Scripture

Then his companion answered and said, “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.”

- Judges 7:14

UN Admits: UNRWA Staffers Participated in Massacre

by Mike Wagenheim ~ JNS

Thursday, 8 August 2024 | Several media outlets and critics of Israel noted that Monday’s release of results of an internal United Nations investigation stated that nine UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency] staffers “may” have participated in Hamas’s October 7 massacre.

But a spokesman for the head of the United Nations later clarified that the conclusions were more definitive in nature.

Chris Gunness, a virulent anti-Israel former communications director for the scandal-plagued UNRWA Palestinian-only aid and social services agency, tweeted on Monday that “the UN investigation has found Israel’s claims that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7/10 attack to be baseless. Allegations into more than half were rejected outright. Of the few remaining, the UN says there MAY have been involvement, not that there was.”

Gunness, like others, used the official language of “may” to sweep away the findings.

But, pressed at a journalists’s briefing on Monday, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, conceded it went further than that.

Asked whether those nine UNRWA workers “likely or highly likely were part of the attacks,” Haq responded, “I think that’s a good way of describing it.”

The investigators from the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) insisted that without fuller evidence sharing from Israeli officials, they could not independently verify or corroborate the allegations, leaving doubt in the language of their findings as to the veracity of the allegations.

Nevertheless, UNRWA announced it had terminated the nine staffers under question.

Haq said further steps would be taken regarding another nine accused staffers for whom insufficient evidence existed and one staff member for whom no evidence was delivered, according to OIOS. It is likely those staffers, if they are not deceased, will have their suspensions lifted.

Several Israeli officials and entities have insisted that the nine staffers who were “likely or very likely” to have participated in the massacre is the tip of the iceberg, with UNRWA-Hamas ties running deep.

Upon suspending funding for UNRWA in January in the wake of Israel’s allegations, the Biden administration announced it would wait until the OIOS investigation was concluded to announce whether it might restore its donations.

Since that time, Congress, in a bipartisan fashion, has passed legislation that would bar funding for UNRWA through at least March 2025, with additional bills potentially lengthening that time frame if passed through both houses and signed by Biden.

Fifteen other countries that also suspended funding have since restored it, largely after the release of a separate review of UNRWA’s neutrality and hiring practices. Critics say the review, conducted in part by European agencies that had previously absolved UNRWA of the criticisms against it, was a whitewash.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on August 7, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: YouTube/United Nations/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray for the continued exposure of all UNRWA–Hamas ties to be revealed in a way that cannot be denied or swept under the carpet. Give thanks that the US no longer funds this ungodly organization, and pray that nations who restored funding will reconsider their decisions.

Scripture

Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

- Psalm 51:6

Wikipedia Editors Conclude Israel Guilty of Genocide

by Daniel Edelson ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 8 August 2024 | The global editors of Wikipedia have officially renamed the entry “Allegations of genocide in the 2023 Israeli attack on Gaza” to “Gaza genocide.” This change followed a vote after months of debate, and the editors now consider this a settled fact.

Supporters of the new title argue that there is a broad consensus in academia on the matter, citing academic articles by Holocaust historians, genocide scholars, human rights professors and legal and political experts.

Prominent among these experts is Francesca Albanese, the United Nations [UN] Special Rapporteur on Palestinian Territories, a figure both the US and Israel have requested be removed from her position. Her statements are frequently cited in the entry.

International organizations and news sites used as sources, such as Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, are known for their anti-Zionist bent. The entry also references texts by journalist Gideon Levy, philosopher Ilan Pappé and Ynet. The casualty figures are sourced from Gaza’s Health Ministry.

“Various observers, including UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, have cited statements by Israeli officials that may indicate an ‘intent to destroy’ Gaza’s population, a necessary condition for meeting the legal threshold of genocide,” the entry states.

Most US-based Middle East scholars believe Israel’s actions in Gaza aim to render it uninhabitable for Palestinians, with 75% saying Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute “major war crimes akin to genocide” or “genocide.”

Statements from government officials as evidence

The entry also features statements from Israeli government members like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, MK [member of Knesset/Parliament] Tally Gotliv and President Isaac Herzog to support claims of “genocide.” It notes that on October 7, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Gaza residents would pay a “heavy price” and that Israel would turn parts of Gaza into ruins.

Genocide scholar Marc Levine has highlighted the increasing rhetoric of genocide and ethnic cleansing under previous Netanyahu governments, supported by AP News reporter Tia Goldenberg, who emphasized Smotrich’s statements as part of the growing genocide rhetoric under Netanyahu’s administration. Netanyahu’s reference to Palestinians as “Amalek” is frequently mentioned to support claims of justifying the killing of Palestinians.

The extensive entry is divided into subtopics analyzing the issue from various angles—academic, legal and cultural discourse on genocide, legal and anthropological definitions, statements from politicians in Israel and abroad, the legal process at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, and Israel’s actions on both local and international fronts. A significant portion is dedicated to American cooperation, particularly President Joe Biden’s, with the “genocide.” It also highlights Republican lawmakers, like Max Miller, a former aide to Donald Trump, who said Gaza would become a “parking lot.”

Criticism from progressive “Squad” members against White House policy, such as Jewish Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Rashida Tlaib, is included. Climate activist Greta Thunberg, rapper Macklemore and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai are also quoted: “When we see alarming signs of genocide, we cannot wait to take decisive action. We must work together to urge our leaders to stop these war crimes and hold the perpetrators accountable,” Yousafzai said last April.

Editors who supported the “Gaza genocide” title claimed that reliable sources show an academic consensus on the subject, citing quotes from studies in the Journal of Genocide Research, a Holocaust historian who says there is broad agreement among genocide scholars, and a human rights professor who asserts there is also a legal consensus.

They also cited a Brookings Institution survey showing that one-third of Middle East researchers view Israel’s military actions in Gaza as “genocide,” and 41% see them as “serious war crimes akin to genocide.” They argued that this title is most common among reliable sources and cited other Wikipedia entries like “Extraterrestrial life,” where the title doesn’t necessarily indicate a fact.

Conversely, editors opposed to the title argued that “Gaza genocide” violates Wikipedia’s policy on neutral titles and reflects a bias against Israel. They pointed out that other contentious topics on Wikipedia explicitly indicate such disputes and suggested adding terms like “allegations” to better reflect the debate. They accused Wikipedia of a double standard, citing entries like “Allegations of genocide in the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel,” which still use the term “allegations.” They argued that enough scholars oppose the genocide claims to prevent changing the title to “Gaza genocide.” One editor claimed the entry “waves anti-Israel flags” and uses unreliable sources for its statistics.

After the vote, the deciding editor, Joe Roe, noted a loose consensus for changing the title to “Gaza genocide.” Since the war began, Wikipedia has become a battleground for information warfare, with significant power struggles between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli editors. According to Israeli editors, many entries are written from anti-Israel perspectives by editors using the platform to echo Palestinian messages.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Ynetnews on August 5, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Morn/commons.wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Pray that there will be a significant outcry among the users of Wikipedia to reverse this biased decision. Call on the editors to add language which reflects the true nature of the information on the page, that the accusation of genocide is an unproved allegation.

Scripture

Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, and do not be still, O God! For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones.

- Psalm 83:1–3