Friday, February 14, 2025

Is Israel Poised to Strike Iran Nuclear Sites?

by JNS

Thursday, 13 February 2025 | Recent US intelligence reports indicate that Israel is likely to strike Iranian nuclear facilities in the coming months, potentially targeting the Fordow and Natanz sites.

According to reporting on Wednesday in the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, the attacks would aim to exploit Iran’s vulnerabilities following the degradation of its air defenses resulting from an Israeli bombing in late October 2024.

The strikes would delay Tehran’s nuclear program by weeks or months and significantly escalate tensions in the Middle East, according to the US intelligence assessments.

However, some Israeli officials dispute the American analysis, claiming that a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities could hinder Tehran’s progress significantly more than anticipated by the Americans.

Warnings of an Israeli strike on Iran are detailed in several intelligence reports from the latter part of President Joe Biden’s term and the start of President Donald Trump’s. The most detailed analysis comes from a report by the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Directorate for Intelligence and the Defense Intelligence Agency in early January.

US National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes told the Post that Trump “has made it clear: He will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.”

However, whether the Trump administration would support an Israeli strike remains unclear.

The president reiterated in an interview with the New York Post on Saturday that he would prefer to solve the Iran nuclear issue diplomatically.

“I would like a deal done with Iran on non-nuclear. I would prefer that to bombing the hell out of it,” the American president said. “They don’t want to die. Nobody wants to die. I hope they decide that they’re not going to do what they’re currently thinking of doing. And I think they’ll really be happy.”

On February 4, Trump expressed similar comments on his social media portal Truth Social, saying that wants Iran to “peacefully grow and prosper.”

“Reports that the United States, working in conjunction with Israel, is going to blow Iran into smithereens, ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED,” he posted.

“I want Iran to be a great and successful country, but one that cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he continued.

“I would much prefer a Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement, which will let Iran peacefully grow and prosper,” he wrote. “We should start working on it immediately, and have a big Middle East Celebration when it is signed and completed.”

Trump signed an executive order on February 4 to re-impose “maximum pressure” sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

The president said at the time that he was “torn” regarding the order. “It’s very tough on Iran,” Trump said. “Hopefully, we are not going to have to use it very much. … I’m unhappy to do it,” he added.

Source: (This article was published by the Jewish News Syndicate on February 13, 2025. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Hamed Saber/Wikimedia/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray that Israel’s decision makers, both military, political and diplomatic, will earnestly seek the Lord for direction regarding the decision whether or not to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities. Pray also that any decisions or plans will not be leaked to the media.

Scripture

Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.

- 1 Chronicles 16:11–12

Netanyahu, Trump Aligned on Israel’s Phase II Hostage Deal Terms, Hamas Expected to Reject

by Itamar Eichner ~ Ynetnews

Monday, 10 February 2025 | Prime Minister Benjamin plans to bring Israel’s demands for the second phase of the hostage deal to the decision-making Security Cabinet for approval on Tuesday.

According to Israeli assessments, Hamas is unlikely to accept the conditions, which include the exile of its leadership from Gaza, the disarmament of its military wing and the release of all remaining hostages. If met, these terms would mark the end of Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

Negotiations on the second phase will only begin after the Cabinet convenes. Meanwhile, the Israeli delegation currently in Doha, Qatar, is focused solely on implementing the first phase of the agreement. The delegation, which includes Hostage and Missing Persons Coordinator Gal Hirsch and a senior Shin Bet [Israeli internal security organization] official, is working to ensure the continuation of the first-phase releases while preventing further violations.

Israel expects three more male hostages to be released in the next exchange, though there is growing concern that, as seen on Saturday, some may return in severely deteriorated physical condition.

Netanyahu has already reached understandings on the second-phase principles with US President Donald Trump and his Middle East envoy, Steven Witkoff. However, given Hamas’s expected refusal, Israel will likely push to extend the first phase as long as possible to secure additional hostage releases and maintain the temporary ceasefire.

An Israeli official said that in response to Hamas’s strategy of starving the hostages, Israel has been taking countermeasures, primarily by delaying the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. However, the official emphasized that Netanyahu would not abandon the deal, though Hamas would “face consequences later.”

“We may be swallowing some bitter pills now, but Hamas will pay for this,” the official said. He added that Israel remains committed to freeing all hostages, whether through negotiations or by resuming military action. “The war is not the goal—it is a means to bring our hostages home, one way or another,” he said.

Post-war Plan

As negotiations for the second phase of the hostage deal progress, it is increasingly seen as the start of the “day after” in Gaza. Hamas’s demands for this phase have repeatedly crossed Israel’s red lines. The terror group’s primary condition for releasing the remaining 65 Israeli and foreign hostages—considered its last bargaining chip—is a complete and unconditional end to the war. Hamas is demanding a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the unrestricted transfer of billions of dollars from international donors for reconstruction.

If Hamas refuses to extend the current phase, and it concludes with the release of 33 hostages, Israel may face a difficult choice: resume military operations while 65 hostages remain in captivity under dire conditions, or move to the second phase under Hamas’s terms. Recent testimonies from released hostages have detailed severe mistreatment and torture in captivity, adding pressure on the Israeli government.

Accepting Hamas’s demands would also create political turmoil for Prime Minister Netanyahu. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and his far-right Religious Zionist Party have already warned that once the first phase ends, they will push for a full resumption of military operations and Hamas’s destruction.

Smotrich reiterated his opposition Sunday, calling Hamas’s conditions a dangerous precedent. “What happens next? Terror groups will kidnap more Israelis and demand a withdrawal from Judea and Samaria, the evacuation of settlements and a Palestinian state in return? This is a red line that must not be crossed,” he said.

Source: (Excerpt of an article originally published by Ynetnews on February 10, 2025. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv/Flickr/Wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu as he leads the country during this difficult time of decision regarding Phase Two of the ceasefire agreement with related hostage release terms. Pray that Hamas would not succeed in causing Israel to abandon its requirements for the exile of Hamas leadership from Gaza, its total military disarmament and the release of ALL the hostages before ending the war.

Scripture

Only may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the LORD your God.

- 1 Chronicles 22:12

The Rationale Behind Trump’s Plan

by Giora Eiland ~ Ynetnews

Friday, 7 February 2025 | US President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Gaza’s residents to other countries shocked the Arab world and was met with widespread opposition. Many international figures also dismissed it as unrealistic, yet an objective review suggests it’s entirely logical.

Imagine an educated alien diplomat arriving from another galaxy and being introduced to the “two-state solution.” He would be baffled: “Why cram 15 million Jews and Palestinians into a narrow strip between the Jordan River and the sea, splitting it into two states? To the east, there’s Jordan, a mostly uninhabited desert.

“To the southwest, the Sinai, three times Israel’s size with only 600,000 people. South of Eilat, there’s the vast Saudi desert. Why are Earth’s people obsessed with the ‘two-state solution’ and insist it’s not just the best but the only option?”

This solution rests on four assumptions accepted without scrutiny for 32 years: that the conflict must be resolved territorially in the narrow strip between the Jordan and the sea; that a sovereign Palestinian state is necessary; that Gaza and the West Bank must be part of the same state and that Israel’s border with a Palestinian state must be based on the 1967 borders, with minor adjustments. Every attempt to implement this plan has failed—it’s time to reassess these assumptions.

Trump’s proposal makes perfect sense when considering three factors: Firstly, we should look at the numbers. The Sinai is 167 times larger than Gaza, yet its population is only a third of Gaza’s. Gaza’s population density is 500 times that of Sinai. If the world truly wants to help Gazans, Trump is pointing in the right direction.

Secondly, 75% of Gaza’s residents hold UN refugee cards, meaning they claim to be living there temporarily. This contradicts Palestinian claims that Gaza is their land and that they will never leave. They must decide: are they refugees seeking relocation or people rooted in their homeland?

Third, during the Ukraine war, over two million civilians temporarily relocated to Poland and Moldova. Why is this approach considered logical in Europe but not in the Middle East? Throughout history, wars have displaced tens of millions, permanently reshaping borders. Israel should have annexed northern Gaza, from the Netzarim Corridor northward, when it had the chance in November 2023.

Regarding northern Gaza today, Hamas pushed hundreds of thousands of people northward into an area without tents or water infrastructure. Now, there’s pressure to provide them with shelters and bulldozers to rebuild. Israel must refuse. The war isn’t over and excessive generosity is unwarranted until all hostages are returned home. This is Israel’s only remaining leverage.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on February 7, 2025. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Rawanmurad2025/Wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Pray for God’s will to be done as world leaders are severely divided over what will happen in Gaza and to the nearly 2 million Gazans who have been displaced. Pray that believing leaders will seek wisdom from God.

Scripture

Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

- Matthew 6:10

Egypt Threatens Israel Peace Deal if US Aid Stops

by Lior Ben Ari ~ Ynetnews

Wednesday, 12 February 2025 | The Egyptian–Israeli peace treaty may be invalid if US President Donald Trump carries out his threats to end American aid to Egypt, diplomatic sources in Cairo were quoted as saying in an article to the Qatari Al Araby al-Jadeen newspaper on Tuesday.

The sources said the planned meeting in Washington between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Trump has been suspended indefinitely amid the worse crisis in US–Egypt relations in three decades and Cairo’s rejection of Trump’s plan to remove Palestinians from Gaza while he rebuilds the Strip and settle them in neighboring Arab countries.

US President Donald Trump’s remarks late Monday threatening to halt American aid to Egypt and Jordan if they refuse to accept Palestinian refugees, mark a turning point in the Palestinian issue, linking it to the longstanding relationships these countries have with the US.

In January, the Trump administration froze all international US aid for 85 days for “review,” but exempted Israel and Egypt due to the ongoing war.

Other sources told Saudi television network Al-Arabiya that “Egypt has decided to take precautions against any potential halt of US aid and has prepared emergency plans to deal with US pressure regarding the displacement issue.”

Egypt, the third-largest recipient of US aid after Israel and Jordan, would be heavily impacted if the aid is cut off. According to Al-Masry Al-Youm, US aid to Egypt is estimated at US $2.1 billion, including US $815 million in economic aid, with the rest allocated for military aid. The outlet also noted that the US has often used aid as leverage against Egypt.

The London-based Arab outlet Asharq Al-Awsat said in an article that Egypt’s exemption from the aid freeze “was tied to its central role in Middle East security and the peace agreement with Israel.” Experts cited by the paper affirmed that the exemption “would certainly be appreciated by Egyptian authorities, strengthening regional cooperation.” However, these assumptions are now in question after Trump’s recent remarks.

While Egypt and Israel were exempted from the freeze, US aid to Jordan, which heavily relies on foreign aid, was suspended. US assistance to Jordan, valued at US $1.4 billion, is crucial for the country’s economy, funding development programs and maintaining stability.

Prior to the freeze, Jordan was expected to receive US $2.1 billion in US aid by 2025. King Abdullah II of Jordan is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington later on Tuesday.

A few days after the announcement of the suspension of aid, King Abdullah visited Brussels, where he signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with the European Union. The agreement focuses on political, security, economic, trade, investment and refugee issues and includes efforts to combat drug and arms smuggling into Jordan.

Jordan and the US share a long-standing relationship based on mutual interests, including cooperation on Islamic terrorism and international security. Jordan is a key US ally, with American troops stationed there and US weapons stored in the country.

Around 3,000 American soldiers are based in Jordan, operating under a secret agreement allowing access to 12 key Jordanian military bases. Jordan, not a NATO member, also conducts joint military training with other countries, including Israel.

“There have been crises in the past, both between Israel and Jordan and between Jordan and the US,” Professor Ronen Yitzhak, head of the Middle East Studies department at the Western Galilee College and researcher at Tel Aviv University, said.

“After 1967, King Hussein claimed the US was pro-Israel and didn’t pressure Israel to withdraw from the West Bank [Judea and Samaria], but relations always remained behind the scenes.” Despite this, he stressed the strong anti-Western sentiment in Jordanian public opinion, which strongly supports Palestinians.

A recent Jordanian nationwide poll expressed support for King Abdullah’s stance against “the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza.” The king has backing from Arab states and popular support against Trump’s plan.

“Jordan sometimes pursues an independent policy, and Abdullah is not an American puppet,” Yitzhak added. “The relationship between Jordan and the US is not as it once was. There have been past tensions, such as after the Gulf War. What’s unclear now is Israel’s silence, as it should understand the implications of weakening Jordan’s government.” Yitzhak said he found it hard to believe Trump’s threat would lead to aid completely being cut off.

Both Egypt and Jordan have expressed opposition to the “expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza” due to concerns over displaced people crossing into their territories.

Egyptian officials said that “any displacement would end the Palestinian issue,” while both Cairo and Amman have voiced support for a two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

These countries view the issue as fundamental and economic threats are unlikely to change their position, but may lead to renewed preparations and alternative funding solutions. If Trump’s threats are carried out, they could lead to new alliances in the region that may not favor Israel.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a recent visit that “Arab countries support the Palestinians and reject Trump’s plan.” He stressed the importance of rebuilding Gaza while Palestinians remain there.

An official from another Arab state told CNN anonymously that “it’s still unclear” whether the US is actively working on the details of the plan to move Gaza’s residents, noting that Arab officials will discuss Gaza’s future with Trump.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on February 11, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Trump White House/Flickr.com

Photo License: Flickr

Prayer Focus
As the voices of leaders in the US and Egypt are raised in threats against each other, proclaim the Lord’s sovereignty over the whole earth. Pray for God’s solution—not man’s—to the thorny questions surrounding the Gaza Strip. Give thanks that He has not been caught off-guard by any of the events currently taking place in the region.

Scripture

For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.

- Psalm 47:7–8

Hamas Told Yardin Bibas His Wife, Sons Are Dead

by Hagar Kochavi ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 13 February 2025 | Ofri Bibas Levy was at a meeting when the IDF officer assigned to assist the family called her and cautiously alerted her that an unofficial list was circulating online with the names of the hostages expected to be released the next day, including the name of her younger brother, Yarden Bibas. An hour of rapid heartbeats passed before the phone rang again. It was the officer, and this time he announced to her: “Yarden is on the list. He’s coming home.”

The first thing she did was tell her children. “I told them that Uncle Dodgey was coming back,” she shares. There was great excitement and also a lot of concerns, which didn’t go away until the next day, when I saw him leave there and I began to understand what he had been through.”

Among the thousands of stories, footage and tragedies of the October 7 massacre, the Bibas family has become a symbol. Millions of Israelis have been following with concern, uncertainty and hope the fate of Yarden and Shiri Bibas, and their children Ariel and Kfir, the youngest in Hamas captivity. This cruel story remains open, since Shiri and the children have not yet returned, but the release of the father Yarden from the hands of Hamas terrorists is the beginning, perhaps, of the healing journey.

Nine days after he returned to Israel from captivity in Gaza, Bibas and his family are trying to complete the puzzle whose pieces have been scattered over the past 16 months. In an interview with Ynet, Ofri Bibas Levy, Yarden’s sister, who was released from the hospital on Monday, tries to explain as much as possible about his condition, his consciousness, the hell he experienced and the struggle that will continue as long as Shiri, Ariel and Kfir are still in the Gaza Strip.

“For us, nothing is over,” she clarifies. “We are at the height of the event.”

Ofri is indeed beginning to form a certain picture of what happened to her brother, but the details and gaps that need to be filled in are enormous. “Every day, Yarden discovers new things, good and bad,” she says. “There are 16 months that need to be bridged. Every day he finds out about a friend who was kidnapped or murdered. He mentions something and I fill in the details. We do everything slowly, at his own pace.

We surround him, protect him, with him all the time. And yes, there are times when he asks to be alone. He’s a modest and private man, and it’s hard for him to grasp and deal with the fact that he and his family are known to everyone. The photos, the details, the stories. “For someone who has come out of such a disconnection into all this, it’s a lot to absorb.”

You Are not Alone Anymore

 Bibas-Levy left her home in the north for the center that same Friday, after a phone call from the officer who told her that Yarden was returning. Early the next morning, she was already on her way to the meeting place with him in the Re’im camp.

As soon as she sat down in the family room at the Re’im base, she saw Ofer Calderon on the screen getting out of the terrorists’ vehicle to join the Red Cross teams. Two minutes later, Yarden also left.

“It took us a second to realize that it was him. Yarden is a relatively shy guy, and this is not a situation that was comfortable for him in any way. But he walked with his head held high, strong. Before he got on stage, they asked him to stop, take a picture and wave, but he didn’t listen to them and kept walking,” she said.

What did you say to each other in the first hug?

“I told him, ‘You’re not alone anymore.’ That’s what came out of me. The first thing Yarden said was actually a question, about Shiri and the children. I understood that he understood the situation as we understand it, that there is concern, but that we don’t know. We reassured him that there is no certainty, that we hope, and that despite the concerns, we are not giving up. It’s clear that, until his family arrives, he is still there, on October 7.”

What else remains with you from the hug?

“It was all so surreal. It still doesn’t sink in that he’s here. I still can’t believe he was there, and that Shiri and the children aren’t here,” she says.

“He also remembers in detail the day they told him they were supposedly not alive, before the video was released. Since then he’s tried to understand whether it’s true or not. Whether it’s psychological terrorism or if there’s truth to it. All this time he hasn’t stopped hoping. That’s what kept him going. We all still hope that it’s all lies and that they’ll come back to us. It’s a very complex struggle.”

A week after returning to Israel, Bibas sent a message through the media, in which he directly addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said: “Bring back my family, my friends, bring everyone home. As long as my light is still there, everything is dark here.”

Which Yarden did you get back?

“Yarden came back and it’s him, but it’s not him either. We’re not who we were either. First of all, he’s very thin. I saw it when he got out of the car. H After the first meeting, we laughed at him for asking for a Bamba.

“The truth is that I can sit down and talk to him. After a year and four months I send him a text message on the phone. I am not afraid for him at any given moment. I know that he has eaten and slept and that he is showering. These are basic things that we did not know. There is still a lot of uncertainty ahead of us, and we will still have a lot to deal with, but Yarden is here and he is strong.

Getting Along with the Kidnappers

Throughout the entire period of captivity, Yarden Bibas was held in tunnels and was barely exposed to the media. Yet, his family was amazed by the details he knew and how informed he was. He tells quite a bit, but there are still a lot of things that we don’t know about what happened to him,” according to his sister.

Yarden was held at the beginning of the captivity with Ofer Calderon, during the weeks in which the conditions that they were held in was described as extremely terrible, in cages, under unbearable psychological terror. Later, they were separated, and before the release they were held together again.

Bibas Levy talks about conditions when they were held in the tunnels. “They were held underground. He described to us the humidity and the mold and the darkness. Their lives were in the hands of those who were guarding them. One way to deal with this was to try to get closer to them and, indeed, he came out of there speaking fluent Arabic. They spent most of the day sleeping, they simply slept most of the time and only woke up for food, when it was available.

After being released from the hospital, Bibas moved to Kfar Maccabiah. He will not be able to return to his home in Nir Oz, at least until the reconstruction of the destroyed kibbutz is complete. “Kfar Maccabiah is an intermediate stage, short or long, we don’t know,” explains Bibas Levy. “The physical rehabilitation is obvious, but it is also the easier part. We see them smiling and laughing, but the rehabilitation will take a long time.”

Peak of Fragility, Peak of Struggle

Bibas Levy, herself a mother of three small children, carries the weight of the struggle to return all the hostages on her shoulders. From her home in northern Israel, she has been everywhere: demonstrations, rallies, meetings with ministers, discussions in Knesset committees, marches, speeches at various events and, of course, numerous interviews with the media. Even now, just a few days after her brother finally returned from hell, for her nothing has stopped:

“I’m trying to find the balance between home and the public campaign and my desire to be with Yarden. It’s not easy, it requires a lot of concessions from all kinds of directions, but the struggle is still ongoing. Nothing is over. Everything is fragile, and the risks are very high,” she says.

“This reality is difficult and cruel for the families, the public, and of course the hostages who are waiting. The urgency to get everyone out as quickly as possible is obvious. Why would three released hostages be released in such a terrible state? So we’ll be shocked and realize again that they don’t have time?

“In the first releases in this deal, the hostages seemed fine, but it’s clear that they are not okay. The gap between the physical and what they are going through mentally is like an abyss. We must get everyone out of there as quickly as possible, both the living and the dead. We must end this nightmare.”

“Let’s finish this and bring everyone back, and then we’ll deal with whatever comes our way. The war with our enemies will never end.

Source: (Excerpt of an article originally published by Ynetnews on February 12, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Nizzan Cohen/wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Cry out for the fulfillment of the prophecy given through Jeremiah thousands of years ago, for health and healing and a return of the captives. Ask the Lord to fulfill His word, not only for the hostages who have been released from Gaza and for those who are yet to be released, but for the entire nation of Israel, which has endured so much since the horrific massacre on October 7, 2023.

Scripture

Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places as at the first.

- Jeremiah 33:6–7

Trump Sanctions Hague Court over Israel Probe

by Andrew Bernard ~ JNS

Friday, 7 February 2025 | US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court [ICC] on Thursday over its investigation of Israel for alleged “war crimes” in Gaza and its decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The order includes a declaration of a national emergency to respond to what it describes as the court’s “unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”

“The ICC’s recent actions against Israel and the United States set a dangerous precedent, directly endangering current and former United States personnel, including active service members of the Armed Forces, by exposing them to harassment, abuse and possible arrest,” the order states.

Neither the United States nor Israel are members of the court, which is a stand-alone entity in The Hague and is not a part of the United Nations. Both Washington and Jerusalem have argued that they are outside the tribunal’s jurisdiction.

In November, the court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, then the Israeli defense minister.

The sanctions order imposes “tangible and significant consequences” on court personnel, including a block on property and assets, and a ban on entry into the United States for sanctioned individuals and their families.

The centrality of the US dollar in banking and the frequency with which foreign banks transact with their US counterparts means that the imposition of American sanctions typically freezes the accounts even of foreign nationals with foreign currency deposits held in foreign banks if those banks are connected to the global financial system.

Trump’s order does not list any individuals to be sanctioned, though it mentions a “person listed in the annex to this order.” The White House has not yet published that annex.

The order also calls on the US secretaries of treasury and state to provide a list of additional people to be sanctioned within 60 days.

“It’s unfortunate that Chuck Schumer decided to protect the ICC from sanctions as this kangaroo court targets US soldiers and does Hamas’s bidding. But I’m grateful that President Trump is acting,” said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). “Another promise made and kept by President Trump.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) stated that Trump’s “bold executive action” sanctions a court that “is a rogue organization with a corrupt prosecutor, who has violated the spirit of the law regarding prosecutions against Israel’s prime minister and former defense minister.”

“Israel is not a member of the court. The ICC has gone off the rails by exercising jurisdiction over a country that is not party to the Rome Statue. I fear they will not stop at Israel,” Graham added. “Under the legal theory being used against Israel, it is very conceivable the ICC will one day come after an American president and defense secretary for allegations of war crimes made by adversaries.

Trump’s executive order is “a necessary deterrent to protect American military personnel and others,” Graham stated. “These sanctions will be a strong signal to the world regarding the legitimacy of the court’s actions against Israel.

Yinam Cohen, the consul general of Israel to the Midwest, hosted a panel in Chicago about the Hague court on Thursday.

“This court has falsely equated Israel, a democratic state with its own robust legal system, with Hamas, a globally recognized terror organization,” Cohen stated. “We are pleased with the current administration’s support on these issues.”

Trump’s executive order is similar to the sanctions described in the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, which failed to pass the Senate in January after all but one Democrat voted against the measure.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) argued that the sanctions package was overly broad and could negatively impact American companies that contract with the Hague court.

A slew of long-standing emergency-power laws grants the president broad authority to impose sanctions without the need for new legislation, however.

In 2020, Trump sanctioned two ICC officials over the court’s investigation of alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan.

Former President Joe Biden removed those sanctions in 2021.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on February 6, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: OSeveno via Wikipedia/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray that the sanctions imposed by US President Donald Trump on the International Criminal Court (ICC) will be effective in putting an end to their biased actions against Israel. Pray that the arrest warrants issued against Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will be dismissed.

Scripture

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice.

- Proverbs 8:13–15

Seeking Legitimacy: Abbas Moves to End Stipends for Terrorists, Families

by Einav Halabi ~ Ynetnews

Tuesday, 11 February 2025 | Has the final curtain fallen on payments to terrorists and their families? Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas issued a presidential decree on Monday canceling laws that allowed financial payments to families of prisoners in Israeli jails or to families of terrorists killed during attacks. This decision quickly drew condemnation from terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

According to the previous Palestinian policy, anyone imprisoned or harmed due to their involvement in terrorism was entitled to a salary and a stipend for their family. Additionally, families of terrorists killed in attacks received monthly support. Under this system, the severity of the punishment imposed on the terrorist determined the amount of the salary—the harsher the punishment, the higher the payment.

Abbas’ presidential decree cancels provisions within the laws and regulations that governed these financial payments to the families of prisoners, deceased, and injured terrorists. According to the decree, “all families receiving payments under the previous legislation will now fall under the same guidelines as families benefiting from social welfare programs. The authorities for the social welfare programs in the PA have been transferred to the Palestinian Economic Empowerment Fund, which will take responsibility for providing social care to all Palestinian families without discrimination.”

The Palestinian Economic Empowerment Fund is an independent legal entity managed by a board of trustees appointed by Abbas. It operates in accordance with the law, with clearly defined tasks and transparent mechanisms, and is subject to administrative and financial oversight, including monitoring by international institutions to ensure transparency, proper procedures, and fair distribution of resources.

Under the new decree, the fund will strive to collect all necessary funds, grants, and allocations for its various distribution categories, particularly in light of the significant increase in families requiring social care, support, and empowerment following the recent war in Gaza and the West Bank [Judea and Samaria]. The goal, as stated, is to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian people and support the adoption of diverse social systems.

Officials in Ramallah noted that this move was made as part of efforts to bolster the PA’s standing and legal position at the United Nations and other international bodies, with the aim of achieving international recognition and full membership for the State of Palestine. This initiative is also part of broader efforts to protect key national interests.

According to the PA, “We must implement development and economic recovery plans, support reconstruction efforts, and work toward lifting the financial blockade and halting the illegal deductions imposed by Israeli occupation authorities on Palestinian taxpayers’ money, which amount to billions.”

Predictably, terror organizations are less than thrilled

Hamas condemned the move. “We denounce Abbas’ decision to cancel the financial stipends for the families of prisoners, martyrs, and the wounded, abandoning their national cause at a time when the people and resistance forces are working to protect the rights of released prisoners and to support their livelihoods,” the terrorist organization said. “This behavior is unpatriotic and represents a betrayal of one of the core national principles. We call for an immediate reversal of this decision and for resistance to Israeli and US pressure.”

Islamic Jihad also criticized the PA’s decision. “We condemn the decision by the Ramallah Authority to cancel financial stipends for the families of prisoners, martyrs, and the wounded. This decision is a clear abandonment of the prisoner issue and a blatant surrender to US and Zionist pressure. Halting stipends for prisoners, especially at a time when resistance forces have achieved victories over the enemy through prisoner exchanges, is an attempt to weaken our people’s morale and a betrayal of those who have sacrificed years of their lives behind bars.”

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on February 11, 2025. See original article at this link.)

Source: World Economic Forum/Flickr.org

Photo License: Flickr

Prayer Focus
Pray that this decision by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will lead to true transparency with regard to social welfare in the Palestinian Authority. Pray that those families facing poverty and in need of financial assistance will receive it based on their need and not because a family member is imprisoned for acts of terror or has been killed an Israeli while committing an attack.

Scripture

For He will deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also, and him who has no helper.

- Psalm 72:12

Israeli President Blasts BBC’s Israel–Hamas Equivalence

by JNS

Monday, 10 February 2025 | Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Sunday criticized the BBC for what he said was its false equivalence between the treatment of convicted Hamas terrorists by Israel and innocent Israeli hostages abducted into Gaza.

During an interview with the British broadcaster, Herzog called on it to end this narrative, emphasizing that Israel is a democracy beholden to the rule of law whereas Hamas engages in barbaric terrorist acts.

“I absolutely reject that, and I think that this equality that the BBC is always trying to make is outrageous and preposterous, absolutely not true. We are a democracy. We abide by the rule of law. All prisoners in Israel get whatever is necessary as prisoners under the law, under the supervision of the court,” Herzog told the BBC‘s “Sunday Morning News” with Laura Kuenssberg.

He recounted testimonies of hostages who had been kept in underground tunnels for months, deprived of adequate food and medical care and suffering severe physical and emotional trauma. “They were kept in tunnels throughout that period. They had no contact with the outside world. They hardly ate. They became totally emaciated,” said Herzog.

“There’s always this notion by the BBC, which is really outrageous in my mind, and I call upon all of you to stop that attitude and understand that this attack on October 7 [2023] was an attack on the entire free world, and what we are doing when we are catching terrorists who carried out these atrocities, we are simply preventing them from taking on further attacks against humanity,” Herzog added.

Herzog also commented on US President Donald Trump’s remarks in recent days about the need to relocate Gaza’s residents to rebuild the Strip.

Trump “basically came forward and said something which I read as follows: Going back to the same routine of getting to a ceasefire—an arrangement and Hamas attacks you, and then we go to war, and then terrible things happen—cannot go on. We have to look for new ideas.”

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on February 9, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Courtesy/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray for accountability in global news reporting rather than blatantly false views that portray Israel in the same light as Hamas or other terror organizations. Pray that readers will recognize the humanistic viewpoint of many news outlets and seek God-fearing, or at least unbiased, reporting instead.

Scripture

For I proclaim the name of the LORD: ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He.

- Deuteronomy 32:3–4

Australian Hospital Workers Gloating about Killing Israeli Patients

by Ynetnews

Wednesday, 12 February 2025 | Two health care workers in New South Wales, Australia, were suspended on Wednesday after a viral video showed them boasting about killing Israeli patients and refusing to treat them.

Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh were recorded in a video shared by Israeli content creator Max Veifer, confirming they worked at Bankstown Hospital in Sydney. When Veifer told Nadir he was from Israel, Nadir responded: “You’ll be killed and sent to Jahannam (hell).”

He added, “I’m so upset that you’re Israeli. Eventually you’re going to get killed and go to Jahannam, inshallah (God willing).” Abu Lebdeh joined in, saying, “It’s Palestine’s country, not your country, you piece of sh*t.”

Nadir hinted at his interactions with Israeli patients: “You have no idea how many Israeli dog[s] came to this hospital and I send them to Jahannam.” Abu Lebdeh then declared, “I won’t treat them. I’ll kill them.” Nadir agreed, waving his hand in a threatening manner.

Following the viral video on social media, New South Wales Health Minister Ryan Park announced the couple’s suspension, saying they “will not ever be working for New South Wales Health again.”

He condemned their antisemitic remarks as “vile, shocking and appalling,” assuring that Jewish community members “should be able to go to their local hospital when they need care and attention and get high-quality care that is safe and effective.” Park added, “There is no place in our hospital and health system for this sort of view to ever take place.”

While Park said there was no evidence that Jewish or Israeli patients were denied proper care at Bankstown Hospital, he promised an “ironclad investigation.” A police task force addressing recent antisemitic incidents in Sydney is expected to visit the hospital. “We’re working with law enforcement and will do everything to uncover the truth,” Park said.

Local Jewish community leaders accused Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government of allowing antisemitism to spiral out of control, emboldening figures like Nadir and Abu Lebdeh.

“This isn’t the first incident involving health care workers,” they said. “We’ve seen anti-Israel politics infiltrate hospitals, with doctors politicizing their work and signing anti-Israel petitions. There needs to be an inquiry into how many healthcare workers hold these murderous views.”

Australian media reported that Nadir is an Afghan refugee who arrived in Australia as a teenager. A Sydney clinic where he also worked previously listed him as having “a background in hospitals and emergency care, assisting doctors in a wide range of procedures.” Since the video surfaced, the clinic has removed his name from its website.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on February 12, 2025. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: fernandozhiminaicela/Pixabay.com

Photo License: Pixabay

Prayer Focus
Give thanks that this healthcare provider immediately terminated the two workers upon learning of their antisemitic threats. Pray that there will be a thorough investigation into the entire healthcare industry, whose workers are entrusted with saving lives, not to kill their patients. Offer praise to the Lord, who is the Giver of Life.

Scripture

You have granted me life and favor, and Your care has preserved my spirit.

- Job 10:12

Syrian Curriculum Changes Harbinger of Islamification Plans

by JNS

Tuesday, 11 February 2025 | A raft of planned changes to Syria’s educational curriculum reveals a trend toward Islamification, while antisemitic, anti-western, and terror-glorifying material from the Assad-era curriculum remains in place, a watchdog group said last week.

The proposed adjustments, which were first made public last month, have raised alarm bells in the West, especially after promises of reform and inclusiveness by the new Syrian government following the ouster of the decades-old Assad regime.

The study by the London-based NGO Impact SE finds that the directives issued by the new Syrian government at the start of the year call for the removal of secular scientific concepts from school textbooks, the erasure of depictions of women, and the addition of new content describing martyrdom as a godly endeavor.

Syrian Education Minister Nazir al-Qadiri had previously said that the proposed changes are limited to “inaccuracies” in Islamic education, but the 50-page report reveals that the planned revisions are far more extensive.

In a grade 1 science textbook, for example, the chapter entitled “The Gift(s) of Nature” is set to be Islamized by changing it to “The Gift(s) from Allah,” according to the review. An entire grade 8 biology textbook chapter on evolution, titled “The Origin of Life and its Development on Earth,” has been removed, the study finds, because it is perceived to be un-Islamic.

Martyrdom is reframed from a national to a religious perspective in a grade 9 lesson where “a person giving away his soul to defend his homeland” becomes “a person giving away his soul for the sake of Allah.”

The changes come after a shift in leadership following the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad with the new government having ties to Islamist factions, including one that formed an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria during the civil war.

At the same time, in a first-grade Islamic education exercise, an existing reference to “those who have gone astray from the path of goodness” is to be replaced with an explicit mention of Jews and Christians.

“This change introduces an overly negative portrayal of Jews and Christians to young, impressionable students,” the report states.

Moreover, a 12th-grade history textbook describes Zionism as a “racist and expansionist” worldview, which “believes that all the world’s resources must be employed to serve the Zionist Entity and protect it,” linking Zionism with control and the exploitation of global resources, evoking antisemitic conspiracy theories about Jewish world domination.

A grade 10 history textbook describes Jews as adhering to the “extremist idea” that they are “God’s chosen people,” presenting Judaism as “ethnically exclusive,” and self-referentially superior.

“The dramatic fall of the murderous Assad regime heralded the opportunity for a new beginning in Syria,” said IMPACT-se CEO Marcus Sheff. “However, the textbook reforms introduced by the new regime less than a month after assuming power, demonstrate an increasing Islamization—and are concerning.”

This shift in Syria stands in stark contrast to efforts by other Muslim nations, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which have sought to revise textbooks to remove negative portrayals of Jews, Christians and Israel, signaling a move toward more inclusive education.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on February 11, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Chris McGrath/Getty Images/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray that the planned changes in Syrian educational materials, opposite of promised reforms and inclusiveness, will alert the world’s leaders to the danger presented by further radicalization of a Middle Eastern nation. Pray for Syrian Christians who will face even more persecution than under the Assad regime as the country becomes more Islamified.

Scripture

If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams…

- Deuteronomy 13:1–3a