Friday, July 12, 2024

‘Iran Has all the Parts Ready, Now they Need to be Assembled’

by Shilo Freid ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 11 July 2024 | Israel Defense Forces [IDF] Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Amir Baram warned that Iran was closer than ever to obtaining nuclear arms, public broadcaster Kan News reported on Wednesday.

“The nuclear situation in Iran is like a car with all the parts ready—now they just need to be assembled,” he told the Knesset’s [parliament] Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee earlier this week. “We must be able to fight on two fronts simultaneously and understand that these will be long wars. We might face repeated and direct confrontations with Iran.”

The major general raised several security issues, adding, “Until now, the military has dealt with routine security questions, but today the discussion is centered on Israel’s existential questions.”

Baram’s unusual warning aligns with comments made by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during his visit to the US late last month, where he called on the American administration to fulfill its commitment to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. “This is the time to fulfill the commitment of all recent US administrations—to prevent a nuclear Iran, which poses a threat to the entire world,” Gallant said in his meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. “Time is running out on this issue.”

Israeli officials reportedly harbor concerns that Iran might exploit the US election season to break out and develop nuclear weapons. The US presidential election is scheduled for this November and Israel fears that Tehran understands Washington will be too preoccupied to address their actions, allowing Iran to rapidly advance its nuclear capabilities.

Additionally, Israel believes that the ongoing conflicts in the south and north might motivate the Iranians to seize this opportunity and Jerusalem believes that the current situation leaves no room for errors.

These concerns are compounded by reports of Iran expanding its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Last month, the Washington Post reported that Iran has embarked on a massive expansion of operations at its Fordow uranium enrichment facility, the most fortified of its nuclear sites.

Production of enriched uranium at Fordow could soon increase more than threefold, providing Iran with new capabilities to swiftly develop nuclear weapons if it chooses to do so. Meanwhile, Iran announced plans to expand production at its primary uranium enrichment facility near Natanz.

According to the Washington Post’s analysis of technical data, the expansion at Fordow alone could enable Iran to accumulate enough nuclear fuel for several atomic bombs each month. The report highlighted that although Fordow is smaller than Iran’s other two enrichment facilities, its underground location deep within a mountain makes it nearly impervious to airstrikes.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has amassed approximately 136 kilograms [299 lb.] of highly enriched uranium, which, according to US intelligence officials, could be converted into nuclear weapon fuel within days or weeks.

Additionally, it is believed that Iran has acquired most of the technical knowledge needed to assemble a basic nuclear weapon, though it would likely take another one to two years to develop a nuclear warhead capable of being mounted on a missile.

To develop a nuclear bomb, Iran requires other technological components. In March, Ynet and its sister publication Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Iran has been actively seeking several such components recently. These components are necessary for assembling a nuclear warhead and one senior official described these efforts as “very troubling.”

Producing a functional nuclear bomb requires technical capability, knowledge and physical components like precise and coordinated detonators. It is generally accepted that Iran is one to two years away from achieving such capabilities.

However, three senior Israeli officials—one from the defense sector, another from the political sphere and a third with access to classified information—indicated that there have been recent developments in this area.

The three officials said that Iran has been actively pursuing or “probing” to acquire components needed for the “weapon group” required to assemble a nuclear bomb.

Some expressed serious concern over these developments, while others noted that Iran might be continually engaged in such activities. None of them believed that Iran is currently breaking out to a nuclear bomb. Israel has reported these activities, as it perceives them, to its allies, particularly the US.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on July 10, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Hossein Ostovar/ Tasnim News Agency/Wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Continue to pray for the leaders of Israel, especially Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that they will be like the sons of Issachar who knew what Israel ought to do in regard to Iran’s increasingly aggressive pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Scripture

…the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do…

- 1 Chronicles 12:32a

Report: Framework for Cease-fire Deal Agreed

by Ynetnews

Thursday, 11 July 2024 | A framework for a cease-fire in exchange for the release of hostages has been agreed by both Israel and Hamas, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius wrote late on Wednesday, quoting US officials.

“Israel and Hamas have both signaled their acceptance of an interim governance plan that would begin with Phase 2, in which neither Hamas nor Israel would rule Gaza,” Ignatius said, adding that a force of some 2,500 supporters of the Palestinians Authority, vetted by Israel, would provide security.

But in his report, he noted that obstacles still exist and negotiations over the details in the agreement would take time. According to an official in DC, Hamas is low on ammunition and supplies, and under increasing pressure from civilians in the Strip, who are demanding a cease-fire.

According to the Post, the breakthrough came when Hamas backed down from its demand for a written guarantee that the war would end and agreed to rely on the UN Security Council resolution that accepted the outline of the agreement as it was presented by US President Joe Biden and specified that negotiations would continue past six weeks in the first of the three-phased deal, as long as talks were ongoing. The official also told Ignatius that Hamas indicated to mediators that it was “prepared to relinquish authority to the interim governance arrangement.” In effect, both sides agreed that interim governance would begin in phase 2 of the deal, with neither side ruling the Strip.

The official also said that Saudi Arabia has hinted it would agree to advance normalization of relations with Israel, which was another contributing factor. The Saudis want to see a path to a Palestinian state as part of a final deal.

In his column, Ignatius writes that Qatar has told Hamas that if negotiations failed and the deal was rejected, their senior officials would not be allowed to remain in Doha.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on July 10, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Ecrusized/Wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Pray that Israel will trust in her God completely, the One who sees perfectly. Pray that every part of this negotiated agreement will remain in the open and there will be no loopholes for Hamas to somehow retain control. Above all, pray for the families of the hostages and ask that their loved ones will be returned quickly. For the war-weary citizens of Gaza, pray that they will embrace this opportunity to free themselves from being used as human shields by the terrorist organization that has controlled their lives for so long.

Scripture

The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.”

- Daniel 2:47

The Israeli Spirit Is Unmatched Anywhere

by Amichai Attali ~ Ynetnews

Monday, 8 July 2024 | Last week, the conversation about emigration from Israel resurfaced. You see good, efficient, productive and caring people who simply can’t bear what’s happening here any longer. It’s understandable given what they are going through. However, it’s worth reminding them of the UN’s World Happiness Report, published in March. Astonishingly, Israel, even in the midst of war, still ranks in the second decile globally. Without the war’s impact, we’d be in the top five.

Researchers from the UN broke down the components of happiness and found that belonging, mutual responsibility, meaning and community are the most crucial elements. These feelings of belonging and community that we have here can’t be found anywhere else by those who choose to leave.

The mutual responsibility for which Israelis are known—which have reached new heights since October 7—is unmatched anywhere else.

One indicator examined is the willingness to help a stranger in need and the likelihood of receiving help if you are the one in trouble. The late Captain Elchanan Kalmanson and Shlomi Kalmanson are a definitive answer to this question.

Kalmanson went south on October 7 against every human instinct. While people worldwide flee disaster zones, Elchanan, his brother Menahem and nephew Shlomi jumped into the fire, rescuing one family after another from burning homes in Kibbutz Be’eri before Kalmanon was killed by the terrorists. This is the level of help given in times of need in Israel during this time.

The late Captain Adir Portugal is another example of why we stay here, why we will rebuild and why we will undoubtedly succeed. Portugal, a recently discharged officer from the Givati Brigade, was on a post-army trip on October 7. He moved heaven and earth to return. Because he was recently discharged, he didn’t even have a reserve unit assignment, so he joined a regular battalion and fell in combat in Gaza.

He wasn’t alone. While young men of draft age in Russia do everything possible to leave the country to avoid being forcibly sent to fight in Ukraine, countless Israelis caught abroad at the outbreak of the war returned on chartered planes to enlist. Only in Israel.

Adir, Elchanan and others like them are why we stay here. Not because we sanctify death, but because this is the human material that lives here and whom we want to be alongside. So many put everything aside, ready to sacrifice their businesses, livelihoods, family lives, vacations and holidays. They are willing to sacrifice their lives without hesitation for everyone else.

This means only one thing: We have the best people in the world here. Israel isn’t a perfect place, but no other place has such raw material for work and building. These months have taught us two main things about ourselves. On the one hand, our collective complacency led to an unprecedented disaster. On the other, we saw this pure Israeli spirit that lifts us even from such a calamity. The Israeli spirit that jumps in unconditionally, without asking questions, and does everything to lend a hand—in combat, helping evacuees, pampering soldiers, fundraising and countless other areas.

All of this compels us to take this enormous blow and turn it into rebuilding. A national vow to ourselves and our children that what was will never be again. The mission of rebuilding will be the foundation of our lives in the coming years. We will rebuild Israel as a nation of living heroes, not those revealed only after their heroic deaths in a national failure.

We need everyone for this.

Because a people with qualities found nowhere else in the world deserves to live in a country like no other. And it will happen. It must happen. We will make it happen.

Source: (Excerpt of an article originally published by Ynetnews on July 8, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: bridgesforpeace.com

Prayer Focus
Ask the Lord to encourage His people as they face challenges that draw them together as a community: the fighting continues in Gaza; the hostages are still in captivity; and violence is increasing on the northern border. Yet they still find the strength to continue and hope for a brighter future. Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

Scripture

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

- Psalm 33:12

IDF Uncovers Multi-level Tunnels from Gaza to Egypt

by Shirit Avitan Cohen ~ JNS via Israel Hayom

Wednesday, 10 July 2024 | During its operation in Rafah in southern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces [IDF] has uncovered an extensive network of tunnels running under the border with Egypt, some of which have three levels.

The existence of these multi-level tunnels has surprised the Israeli military and security establishments. They have been described as “Hamas’s oxygen pipeline,” and likely allowed the group to significantly enhance its capabilities since the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, an Israeli official told Israel Hayom.

The sophisticated infrastructure developed undetected not only by Israel but also apparently by Egypt.

The IDF is expanding its search perimeter around the Philadelphi Corridor, a strip of land running along the border on the Gaza side, operating under the assumption that more tunnels remain hidden.

Approximately three weeks ago, the Washington Post reported that Israel had identified 20 tunnels crossing into Egypt under the Philadelphi Corridor, with the IDF having destroyed 14 of them. The report suggested that an estimated 20 more tunnels may still be undiscovered.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate via Israel Hayom on July 8, 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 earnestly that all the tunnels between Gaza and Egypt will be discovered and made incapable of supplying Hamas with weapons with which to rearm. Give thanks that a good portion of the tunnels which have made up Hamas’s “oxygen pipeline” have already been exposed and are in the process of being destroyed.

Scripture

Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor who seek after my life; let those be turned back and brought to confusion who plot my hurt…For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit, which they have dug without cause for my life. Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly, and let his net that he has hidden catch himself; into that very destruction let him fall.

- Psalm 35:4, 7–8

One Woman and a Forgotten War Zone

by Nathan J. Minsberg ~ JNS

Friday, 5 July 2024 | The Israel’s northern front remains a volatile warzone, largely overlooked by international media. In the past week alone, Hezbollah has fired more than 300 rockets into Israeli territory, resulting in five civilian deaths and dozens of injuries. [This article does not include the roughly 200 projectiles launched by Hezbollah yesterday, in which a soldier was killed.]

The number of displaced Israelis from the north has now surpassed 70,000, with no clear timeline for their return. Despite diplomatic efforts, tensions continue to escalate, with the Israel Defense Force [IDF] reporting many thwarted infiltration attempts along the Lebanon border.

This latest escalation follows devastating wars between Israel and Hamas, with Hezbollah, backed by Iran, growing increasingly powerful.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has failed to prevent Hezbollah’s entrenchment along the border.

Kiryat Shmona, a city nestled in the awe-inspiring mountainous region of the western Hula Valley, now echoes with an eerie silence. For nine months, this once-thriving community has stood as a ghost town, its residents among those displaced by relentless attacks from Hezbollah in support of their Hamas terrorist comrades embroiled in the Gaza war.

Amid this chaos and uncertainty, one woman’s story of resilience and unwavering commitment to her community stands out: Dr. Aviva Zrihan Weitzman.

Weitzman is no stranger to the challenges faced by the residents of Kiryat Shmona. With a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Haifa, she has dedicated her career to serving the community as a social welfare worker, educator and researcher.

As head of the Field Studies Unit at Tel-Hai College, Weitzman coordinates volunteering efforts that have become a lifeline for the beleaguered northern region. Her research into domestic violence, stress, trauma and resiliency has taken on new urgency in the face of the current war.

For Weitzman, a mother of four, the past nine months have been a relentless struggle to maintain a semblance of normalcy for her family. The Weitzman family, like many others from Kiryat Shmona, now calls a Tel Aviv hotel room home—a far cry from the comfort of their northern abode.

In their cramped quarters, the absence of a kitchen means family meals are often hurried affairs in the hotel’s crowded dining room. The toll of this prolonged upheaval is etched on the faces of Weitzman’s children, their education disrupted, their routines shattered.

“Nevo, my eldest son, just finished his [military] service and saw some horrific things in Gaza,” Weitzman shares, her voice catching slightly. “He’s flying to a faraway destination to take his mind off it all.

“He’ll probably return to fight as a reservist, but the thought of him potentially fighting this time in his own backyard, in the north against Hezbollah…it’s almost too much for a mother to bear.”

A Cry for Recognition and Support

As tensions escalate along the Israel–Lebanon border, with over 7,400 rockets, kamikaze drones, missiles, artillery and ground infiltrations directed by Hezbollah at Israel since October 8, Weitzman fears that Kiryat Shmona teeters on the brink of an even greater catastrophe. The world’s attention has turned away from the suffering of northern Israel’s citizens.

“The attention was seldom there throughout this war. That’s the thing that is so shocking,” Weitzman laments. “The north doesn’t have a unified voice in the government or geographically. We’re a patchwork of communities—Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, Bedouin—spread across villages, kibbutzim [collective community], towns and cities. This diversity, which should be our strength, makes it hard to advocate for our collective needs.”

Weitzman stresses the importance of international support to end the conflict and allow northern residents to return home safely.

“Israeli leadership must bring security back and implement projects to bring young families to the north,” she states emphatically. “We need to push Hezbollah away from the border. A [border] breach in the north could be even more devastating than what happened in the south.”

Regarding the American government’s role, Weitzman is pragmatic.

“I don’t expect others, not even the Americans, to defend Israel. We must defend ourselves. But we do expect full backing from America for the process Israel is going through to ensure its security.”

Source: (Excerpt from an article originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on July 4, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Ayal Margolin/Flash90/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Lift up your voices to intercede for the Israeli residents of the northern border communities—Jews, Druze (Muslim) and Christian alike—who have been displaced from their homes. Pray that people like Dr. Weitzman will be strengthened as they work to bring healing and restoration, and that these Israelis will know they are not alone. Pray also for a defensible border between Israel and the forces of Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Scripture

Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.

- Psalm 61:1b–3

UK Labour to Drop Challenge to ICC Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu

by Erez Linn ~ JNS

Tuesday, 9 July 2024 | The newly-elected Labour government in the UK is expected to abandon a bid to delay the International Criminal Court‘s [ICC] ruling on whether to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza, according to a report in the Guardian newspaper.

The previous Conservative government had secretly filed a challenge on June 10, questioning the ICC’s jurisdiction over Israeli nationals concerning alleged war crimes in Gaza. However, Labour officials now say the party believes the ICC, based in the Hague, does have jurisdiction over Gaza.

This reversal could have far-reaching implications for the ICC‘s ongoing investigation, clearing the way for the court to issue arrest warrants. The ICC’s pre-trial chamber had given the UK until July 12 to submit its full claim, but sources indicate it is highly unlikely that the new government will proceed with the challenge.

The previous government under Rishi Sunak joined Israel in fighting against the chief prosecutor of the court, Karim Khan, after he submitted an application to have the court issue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the current Gaza war for alleged war crimes, along with Hamas leaders.

The new Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced plans to review several key issues, including future funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and the legal advice given to the previous government regarding arms sales to Israel.

Lammy stated, “We did raise issues about the funding…and did not want the situation where the UK was contributing to tremendous hardship already in Gaza.”

Addressing concerns about Labour’s position and its impact on Muslim voter support, he emphasized the party’s commitment to international humanitarian law.

“I have been crystal clear on the international humanitarian law. There will be no resiling from that, because it’s important that we are all seen to uphold the rules-based order at a time particularly when authoritarian states are discarding it,” Lammy said.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in a phone call with Palestinian Authority [PA] chief Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday, affirmed his belief in the Palestinians’ “undeniable right to a Palestinian state.”

Starmer discussed the “ongoing suffering and devastating loss of life” in Gaza with Abbas, signaling a possible shift in the UK’s approach to the Israel–Palestinian conflict.

In a separate call with Netanyahu, Starmer emphasized the “clear and urgent” need for a ceasefire in Gaza. He also stressed the importance of establishing long-term conditions for a two-state solution, including ensuring the PA has the necessary financial means to operate effectively.

The foreign secretary also expressed deep concerns about the future governance of Gaza, rejecting the possibility of Hamas playing a role.

“It’s hard to see how an organization that’s not committed to a two-state solution and is committed to terrorism, can be part of that solution,” Lammy said.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate via Israel Hayom on July 9, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images/jns.org

Prayer Focus
As the world governments take stands against Israel, such as the one the new UK government is planning, pray that some nations will pass the test and remain allies of God’s chosen people.

Scripture

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the hearts.

- Proverbs 17:3

Parents of Gaza Hostage Launch ‘Week of Goodness’

by Amelia Botbol ~ JNS

Wednesday, 10 July 2024 | The parents of American–Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin will launch on Sunday a “Week of Goodness” to bring global attention to the plight of the remaining 120 captives held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“The ‘Week of Goodness’ is universal. Our work and activities are broad enough that both Jews and non-Jews all over the world can join or do their own thing simultaneously and post about it,” father Jon Polin told JNS on Tuesday.

Hersh‘s left arm was blown off at the elbow by a grenade while trying to evade capture after fleeing the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im on October 7.

“We are saying that even if you are people who do good in the world, do more and do it with extra intention. There is something for everybody,” Jon Polin added.

The campaign, from July 14–21, will include an evening of communal singing at Tel Aviv’s “Hostages Square,” a Jewish Bible study session, accessible to the public via Zoom and various volunteer activities.

An effort will be made to stage 120 mini-events, each one focused on an individual hostage, featuring the Jewish ritual of Hafrashat Challah, in which portions of bread loaves are separated before being baked.

Jon and his wife, Rachel Goldberg-Polin, are also commissioning the writing of a new Torah [Gen.–Deut.] scroll and will participate in a Kabbalat Shabbat (ushering in the Sabbath) at the hostage families’ tent in Jerusalem on July 19.

“We live in such a fractured world, in such a dark chapter, that we thought now is the time to repair with goodness to try to improve the situation,” Hersh’s mother, Rachel, told JNS on Tuesday.

With Hamas holding citizens from 23 countries and five religions, Rachel said the initiative should remind interfaith leaders and global decision-makers to join their effort.

“They should feel positively motivated to join in the ‘Week of Goodness’ since it is not at all political,” she said.

On Monday, she took part in a march at the Knesset [Parliament] marking nine months since Hamas’s invasion and massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel.

“It’s not lost on any of us, especially mothers who have carried children, that nine months represents the time from conception to full-term pregnancy,” she told JNS.

“That symbol is excruciatingly painful for us mothers, culminating in the march. The agony was so palpable that it was like a thick layer of oozing pain that was shellacking each of us, it was so thick that it was hard to breathe and hard to walk,” she added.

The “Week of Goodness” campaign comes as mediators are working to revive the phased cease-fire outline presented by US President Joe Biden in May, which calls for an initial “full and complete” six-week truce during which dozens of Israeli hostages—women, the elderly and the ill—would be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian terrorists.

“So many people around us say something feels different, but until it’s done, until Hersh and all the other hostages are released, we’re not going to take our foot off the gas,” Jon Polin told JNS.

“Unfortunately, we’ve learned over the past 277 days that beyond everything else that can be said about our region, it is so fragile. While people feel like this time is different, in one second everything can fall apart for a million different reasons, so we are not resting,” he added.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu specified Jerusalem’s red lines in the cease-fire negotiations, including the ability to resume fighting until all war goals have been met; an end to arms smuggling into Gaza through Egypt; no return of “thousands” of terrorists to northern Gaza; and maximizing the number of living hostages released.

“Our message has not changed. Too much time has passed and the world should not be tolerating this,” said Jon Polin. “Where are the leaders of those 23 countries? How have we not seen them walk arm-in-arm on stages in Jerusalem, New York or Berlin saying this isn’t okay?

“Our message is to try to shake the world into action to get this deal done; get it to the finish line. Start to bring out these hostages who deserve to be home already,” he concluded.

Source: (Excerpt of an article originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on July 9, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Nathan Chicheportiche/Permanent Mission of Israel in Geneva/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray that this “Week of Goodness” will bring global awareness that the hostages are from many different countries and faith backgrounds, and that the international community will demand their immediate release. Pray especially for the mothers of the hostages as they endure the emotional pain of remembering that their loved ones have been in captivity for nine months—the same amount of time they were carried in the womb. Pray they will receive comfort from God, who sees each one.

Scripture

Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.

- Isaiah 49:15–16

Report: New Study Exposes UN’s Skewed Portrayal of ‘Intentional Starvation’ in Gaza

by Ariel Kahana, JNS Staff ~ JNS

Monday, 8 July 2024 | A new study has cast doubt on the United Nations’ [UN] portrayal of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, revealing substantial discrepancies in reported aid figures and challenging the narrative of widespread famine. The research, conducted by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and first published in Israel Hayom, exposes a pattern of selective data reporting that has potentially misled international opinion and legal proceedings against Israel.

The UN and its affiliated agencies operating in Gaza have come under scrutiny for presenting distorted and potentially biased reports on humanitarian aid entering the region since the onset of the conflict. This misrepresentation, according to a new study by the INSS, has played a significant role in fueling accusations of “intentional starvation” against Israel.

Tammy Caner, the lead researcher, conducted a comparative analysis of aid volume data published by Israel against figures released by UN agencies, including the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The investigation uncovered a startling discrepancy: Approximately 10,000 aid trucks that entered Gaza during the conflict months were omitted from UN reports. While UN figures cite about 28,000 trucks, the Israeli Defense Forces’ [IDF] District Coordination and Liaison (DCL) reports a significantly higher number of 38,000.

This substantial gap stems from several factors, according to the INSS study. UN representatives failed to account for trucks entering through the Erez Crossing, air shipments and deliveries via the US naval pier. Moreover, aid received by international organizations other than UNRWA and trucks delayed within Gaza due to internal issues were excluded from UN reports.

“The data omits considerable aid, including essential supplies like gas and fuel,” Caner noted. “In April alone, the UN reported a daily average of 169 aid trucks, while the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories cited 219. May’s records show UNRWA missing over 1,000 aid trucks from UN agencies compared to Israeli records.”

Turning a Blind Eye

The study further notes that the UN disregards the fact that Hamas attacks the crossings through which aid is brought in and forcibly takes control of convoys.

“The UN presents data on the delay of aid missions in a way that portrays Israel as solely responsible for the difficulties. The reports omit crucial facts about Hamas’s control over convoy routes and distribution points, which requires aid organizations in the Gaza Strip to coordinate their activities with it. They also fail to mention incidents of looting of aid trucks, storage facilities and distribution points by Hamas and criminal gangs. There is no mention of Hamas attacking civilian and humanitarian infrastructure, including aid convoys and routes, Hamas’s rocket fire on border crossings that necessitated their closure and the closure of the Rafah crossing by Egyptian orders,” the study states.

Additionally, Israel is accused of closing crossings following Hamas attacks, without mention of the fact that it opened three additional land border crossings to facilitate the entry of aid to the northern and central parts of the Strip.

“That there are hungry people in Gaza does not indicate that there is famine in Gaza”

Perhaps most alarmingly, the study questions the accuracy of UN agencies’ famine forecasts for Gaza.

“Predictions suggested over 20,000 starvation deaths by now, yet as of early June, only a few dozen such cases have been documented,” Caner reports. This discrepancy raises serious questions about the methodology and reliability of these projections.

The implications of these findings are far-reaching. The international community’s reliance on these potentially flawed UN reports has led to severe consequences for Israel, including legal actions and accusations of war crimes.

“The fact that there are hungry people in Gaza does not indicate that there is famine in Gaza, certainly not that there is intentional starvation of the population. The distorted picture created by the UN has fueled legal proceedings against Israel in international courts, including allegations of genocide,” Caner concludes. “It’s crucial that judicial bodies examine all available data, including Israel’s reports, to form a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the situation in Gaza.”

An overview of a late June IPC report states that 495,000 Gazans are “still facing” famine. Data from the same report, however, shows that 495,000 Gazans are projected to face famine in the coming months—not that they currently face famine.

The report’s release came just weeks after the IPC’s Famine Review Committee found that assessments of Gazan famine were not plausible, due to incorrect assumptions, a misreading of data and, notably, a glaring omission of substantial amount of food entering Gaza through the commercial and private sectors.

The UN point person on Gaza said on Tuesday that a “data gap” with Israel is leading to “different conclusions” where the Gaza Strip is concerned.

Sigrid Kaag, the UN senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, briefed the UN Security Council in an open setting before following members into closed consultations.

With respect to ongoing disputes between the UN and Israel regarding the amount of aid being screened by Israel and entering Gaza “and the ability of the UN actually to come and collect it and distribute it, you see a data gap there. And those are obviously different conclusions that we draw,” said Kaag during a later press briefing in answer to a JNS query.

However, she added, the mechanism created by the Security Council to enhance the flow of aid led to a single database, via which “you can see which types of goods go in, what’s approved, what’s denied, and where’s the follow up.”

That database, Kaag said, will “hopefully” provide “common ground in order to fix” any aid delivery issues.

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

Photo Credit: Abood Abusalama/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images/jns.org

Prayer Focus
The revelation that the UN’s selective data reporting has seriously misrepresented the situation and harmed Israel in international opinion brings the next step: removing blame. Pray that truth will prevail and Israel will be cleared of any false allegations of genocide and accusations that the nation has been guilty of intentionally starving Gazan civilians.

Scripture

He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth.

- Psalm 54:5

Hatred Exposed: Texts from Columbia Leaders Mocking Jew-hatred Event Released

by Andrew Bernard ~ JNS

Friday, 5 July 2024 | The House Committee on Education and the Workforce released the full chain of text messages from four Columbia University administrators who mocked concerns about anti-Semitism.

During a May 31 event titled “Jewish Life on Campus: Past, Present and Future,” three of the administrators traded jokes about Jewish campus leaders exploiting anti-Semitism to raise money and questioned the experiences of Jews and Israelis on the Ivy League school’s campus.

“He knows exactly what he’s doing and how to take full advantage of this moment,” wrote Matthew Patashnick, associate dean for student and family support. “Huge fundraising potential.”

Cristen Kromm, dean of undergraduate student life, “liked” the message.

“Amazing what $$$$ can do,” she added in response to the discussion of an opinion article penned by a campus rabbi.

“This panel is really making the administration look like jokers,” wrote Susan Chang-Kim, vice dean and chief administrative officer of Columbia College, at another place in the thread.

Chang-Kim also criticized the role that Columbia’s Kraft Center for Jewish Life on Campus played as a haven for Jewish students during anti-Israel protests.

“Comes from such a place of privilege,” she added. “Hard to hear the ‘Woe is me, we need to huddle at the Kraft center.’”

The university is investigating all three administrators, whom it has suspended.

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), chairwoman of the House committee who has been leading an investigation into Jew-hatred on campus, said that the texts were proof that Jews at Columbia are being undermined by their own administrators.

“Jewish students deserve better than to have harassment and threats against them dismissed as ‘privilege,’ and Jewish faculty members deserve better than to be mocked by their colleagues,” Foxx said. “These text messages once again confirm the need for serious accountability across Columbia’s campus.”

Portions of text messages were first reported by the Washington Free Beacon in June; the release is the first time that the full exchange has been shared. The inclusion of time stamps allows for an approximation of what the administrators were replying to and when.

On June 4, Columbia settled a lawsuit filed by a Jewish student who alleged that the university had created a hostile environment for Jews in violation of federal civil rights law.

The text messages released on Tuesday reveal that Columbia’s administrators were dismissive of allegations of Jew-hatred on campus only days earlier.

Orly Mishan, Columbia class of 1994, who described herself as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and an Arab Jew who had to leave his country, tearfully told the May 31 panel that her daughter, a rising junior at Columbia, had entirely retreated from Jewish life in response to her experiences on campus.

“After October 7, she stopped doing anything that was Jewish,” Mishan said. “She would say that she’s hiding in plain sight.”

“My daughter finally did break down towards the end of the semester and called me and said, ‘Mom, I can’t eat. I can’t focus. I have to get off campus,’” Mishan added. She added that her daughter did not return for a week and a half.

While Mishan talked about her daughter’s experience, Columbia administrators messaged each other.

“Omg,” Chang-Kim wrote. “What the h*ll is this?”

“This is crazy,” she added.

Source: (Excerpt from an article originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on July 2, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: terimakasih0/Pixabay/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Let’s echo the cry of King David (Psalm 109:3–5) on behalf of Jewish students in campuses across the world who are hated simply because they are Jewish. Pray that all voices of hatred will be exposed, as these Columbia administrators have been. Pray that a fear of the Lord would arise in the educational institutions which now mock His people.

Scripture

They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause. In return for my love they are my accusers, but I give myself to prayer. Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

- Psalm 109:3–5

‘Terrorist Organizations Using Gaza War as Catalyst to Expand European Influence’

by Ynetnews

Tuesday, 9 July 2024 | A senior American intelligence official has raised alarms about how the Gaza war is fueling global terrorist recruitment and inspiring individuals, particularly those angered by US support for Israel. Brett Holmgren, assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research, shared these concerns in an interview with the Washington Post.

Holmgren noted that this trend is already evident in Europe, referencing recent arrests in Germany and the Netherlands of terrorists planning attacks on Jewish sites. He emphasized that the Hamas attack on October 7 has become a generational event, exploited by terrorist organizations for recruitment.

As Holmgren prepares to take on the role of acting director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), he oversees the State Department’s intelligence bureau amidst multiple crises, including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and threats from powers like China and Russia, as well as terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS affiliates.

A report from Germany about two weeks ago highlighted the country’s decision to label the BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions] movement as “extremist” due to its activities against Israel. Since the onset of the Gaza war on October 7, there has been a significant spike in anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic violence from both the far right and the far left. German authorities report that Middle Eastern tensions are a major driver of extremism within the country, raising concerns about potential jihadist [fighters in the ‘struggle,” or war with unbelievers (in Islam)] attacks.

In October 2022, there were 208 recorded anti-Semitic incidents, but by October 2023, this number had soared to 1,342, with most incidents stemming from the extreme right and religious backgrounds. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and Federal Police Chief Thomas Haldenwang have warned of a significant jihadist threat from 27,000 activists linked to radical terrorist movements.

The main threat to Germany comes from small, dormant cells and “lone wolves,” but the country is also a key target for larger terrorist organizations. “Our democracy is strong, but it is under continuous and significant pressure. We must protect our country from those who seek to destabilize it,” Faeser said during the report’s presentation. “We must tackle both external and internal threats.”

In late May, an investigation by the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag revealed that Hamas had plotted attacks on the Israeli embassy in Berlin and a US military base in Rhineland–Palatinate, western Germany. The investigation, titled “The Military Arm of Hamas in Germany,” disclosed that one of the cell members arrested in December last year was involved in locating a Hamas weapons cache hidden in Europe.

The plan was to transfer these weapons to Berlin for potential attacks, based on orders from Hamas’s military leadership in Lebanon. German security officials revealed that the targets were uncovered through information found on the mobile phone of the arrested Hamas member, a Lebanese national. The phone contained maps of the Israeli embassy in Berlin and the US military base.

In December last year, four Hamas activists, all Lebanese nationals, were arrested. The newspaper’s investigation showed that the interactions between the Berlin-based activists and military elements in Lebanon were more extensive than previously thought, with connections traced back to Hamas strongholds in Tyre, southern Lebanon.

That same December, a raid led to the capture of seven suspects planning terrorist attacks against Jewish or Israeli targets. Ynet learned that the planned attack in Denmark was Israeli-targeted. The Mossad [Israeli intelligence agency] and Shin Bet [Israeli internal security organization] jointly thwarted this terror infrastructure.

Denmark reported the arrest of three suspects, the Netherlands detained one in Rotterdam and Germany apprehended three more in Berlin. According to German authorities, the detainees in Berlin and Rotterdam were Hamas activists operating within a joint cell searching for weapons.

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

Photo Credit: conceptphoto.info/Flickr/Wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Intercede for the safety of obviously Jewish sites in Europe—synagogues, schools and Israeli embassies—as organizations like Hamas become more active in recruiting terrorists. Pray that Israel’s security agencies with their European counterparts will continue to be effective in uncovering specific plans and stopping them before they can take place.

Scripture

For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit, which they have dug without cause for my life. Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly, and let his net that he has hidden catch himself; into that very destruction let him fall.

- Psalm 35:7–8