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“Ponzi and all of his successors tap into a fundamental part of human nature. One part of our brain tells us this is too good to be true. The other side tells us this is too good to miss. The key to any con is getting a mark to tip to the too-good-to-miss side.” ~Mitchell Zuckoff
The so-called ‘Jordan Option’ might be off the table for Trump’s ‘Deal of the Century,’ but it is very much alive in a court battle happening now in Jerusalem’s Magistrate Court.
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Supersessionism and replacement theology not only make anti-Semitism possible, they make it acceptable. The reality is that these same beliefs have been the foundation of Christian Jew-hatred for almost two thousand years and are now used by some Christians to deny Israel the right to exist.
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This is scandalous. Instead of preventing evil, God has chosen to use it against its will. He has chosen it to instruct us. His use of evil, and his method for defeating it, are shocking. And yet they are his means for bringing joy from sorrow, gain from loss, life from death. Why? It is all about the power he has given us to choose.
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It has been more than 20 years since Petra Heldt was nearly killed by a suicide bomber, but she can still tell you the exact time the bomb went off. “One point sixteen in the afternoon. I know because my watch stopped,” she says. Then she laughs.
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In the heart of Jerusalem's Old City, France is providing diplomatic cover for undercover anti-Israel activists. Infiltrating the Jewish State under the auspices of the World Council of Churches' EAPPI program, 'Ecumenical Accompaniers' are helping a terrorist movement to demonize Israel.
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7 Ways to Counter the Global Assault of ‘Christ at the Checkpoint’ Conferences ...by Brian Schrauger
Since 2010, the "Christ at the Checkpoint" conference has only been in Bethlehem. Last week organizers announced they are going global. What must Christians who stand with Israel know and do to counter "Christ at the Checkpoint" and its declaration of war against them?
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Because I am a Christian, many people assume it is my religious faith that is the primary motivation for my advocacy for Israel. But that is not the case. Like all true Zionists, my strongest motives are more visceral, more mysterious than any creed or pledge.
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Brown asked the Palestinian Christians to follow the example set by the Israelis and hold their leaders accountable. "The least you could do as followers of Jesus," he said, "is stand with me in denouncing your government’s celebration of terrorism." It is an offer that was immediately rejected.
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Frank Pfeiffer grew up with a terrible family secret. His grandfather was a Nazi SS officer who killed countless Jews. Today Pfeiffer, an evangelical Christian, openly confronts his family's past—and boldly stands with the Jewish state of Israel.
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Christians need to learn more about Islam—a lot more. The religion has more than 1.6 billion adherents. Some of them—but not all—have engaged in terrible acts of violence against Christians in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. The main perpetrators in the murder of more than 2 million Christians in the Anatolian Peninsula between 1915 and 1922 were Islamic. Muslim-majority countries have also been significant sources of anti-Jewish invective in the modern world. In fact, leaders of these countries have tried to destroy the Jewish state on a number of occasions since its creation in 1948.
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Has the World Council of Churches (WCC) been penetrated by Hamas or someone working on behalf of the PLO? Or is the organization simply whoring itself out in hopes of getting some sort of special treatment from the Caliph when Europe finally gives up the ghost and officially submits to dhimmitude after years of jihadist massacres and bombings?
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Jack Sara, the president of Bethlehem Bible College and a prominent organizer of the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference, has revealed himself for what he is—a Christian who is committed to sharing the gospel with Jews while at the same time ignoring the actions and rhetoric of his fellow Arabs who seek to murder and oppress them. Sara can’t even bring himself to offer to his fellow Palestinians the ambivalent message of St. Augustine to early Christians about the Jews: “Do Not Slay Them!”
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In late May, a few hundred Christians from North America and Europe will arrive in Bethlehem, the city of Christ’s birth, to take part in the fifth biennial Christ at the Checkpoint Conference (CATC). The conference is organized by Bethlehem Bible College, a school supported by evangelical Protestants from North America and Europe. In fact, the college is a center for anti-Zionist propaganda. The CATC conferences it organizes are a central plank in its campaign to de-legitimize and demonize the Jewish state—in the names of Jesus and peace.
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Like previous pro-Israel Christian speakers, Michael Brown might think he is introducing a discordant note to into the anti-Israel narrative of Christ at the Checkpoint, but once the conference comes to a close, his presence will actually serve it..
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Dr. Gary Burge, Professor of New Testament and prominent theologian for anti-Israel 'fulfillment theology,' is making a comeback.
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Under the control of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, the holiest place in all of Judaism—the Temple Mount—has been used as a tool to promote genocidal hostility toward the Jewish people, not just in Israel, but throughout the world.
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Paradoxically, the place where Jesus died is a death trap. Petty rivalries inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre are preventing a necessary solution. And When Israel moves to protect pilgrims on Christian holy days, anti-Israel Christians call it oppression. It's time for church leaders to grow up and fix this problem.
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Why does Bethlehem Pastor Mitri Raheb argue that today's Jews are "an invented people," then march on the Temple Mount implicitly celebrating the murder of two Israelis there?
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Mainstream media often alleges that Israel is inhospitable toward its Christian inhabitants resulting in a dramatic decline in their numbers. In fact, just the opposite is true.
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A small group of Palestinian Christians are actively promoting an anti-Israel narrative built on a re-definition of the gospel. Increasingly in the West, Christianity is embracing that narrative. The new church struggle is the challenge of saying yes to God by saying no to Islamic dhimmitude.
Last week and back-to-back, Netanyahu and Erdogan made day trips to the Russian capital for personal meetings with Vladimir Putin. Polite to both, he also dismissed the worries that brought his guests to Moscow. Why?
Like the setup for a volleyball slam, Putin launched an easy serve with greetings for the Jewish holiday of Purim. Netanyahu returned the volley by comparing today's would-be Persian empire to yesterday's enemy of biblical lore, Haman. With a smile on his face, that's when Putin spiked the ball. That happened "in the 5th century BC," he said. "We now live in a different world."
As the US sends B-52 nuclear bombers to South Korea, North Korea must decide whether or not it wants to go to war. Because of North Korea's close ties with Iran, supplying missile and nuclear technology, conflict there could light a short fuse to the Middle East.
The shortage of available water for Israel's needs is the largest the country has seen in 100 years.
Under the amended law, no visa or residency permit of any kind will be granted to persons who knowingly and publicly calls to boycott Israel or who participates in a boycott against Israel.
In two days, Netanyahu is making a day-trip to Moscow. Unaccompanied by the press corps, his biggest concerns center on Syria. Specifically...
In the middle of political attacks vis-a-vis Russia, US President Donald Trump has made his first military move in Syria. Two days before Netanyahu goes to Moscow, it is a direct challenge to Russian expansion in its Middle East stronghold.
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Unwilling to wait for Trump to deal with his political enemies, Moscow has scoffed and quickly moved to re-align with Iran in Syria. As a result, Tehran's military presence is solidifying across Israel's northern borders, both in Syria and, via its Hezbollah proxy, in Lebanon.
In spite of global efforts to hinder Israel's economy, especially via the Boycott-Sanctions-Divestment (BDS) campaign, guess what country has one of the strongest currencies in the world?
Hearing a suspicious noise, Shabtai Koshobalski opened his front door where he found himself face-to-face with Saad Muhammad Ali Qaisiya holding two knives, one in each hand. With his wife and baby in the next room, Koshobalski, unarmed, attacked his family's would-be murderer.
"Facebook believes it is allowed to make billions of dollars in profits every year without any obligation to demonstrate responsibility, supervise and remove content calling for the murder of Jews worldwide." ~Attorney, Nitzana Darshan-Leitner
According to the "Supreme Leader" of Iran, Israel is "another dirty page in history which will be closed." Clearly, the problem of bloodthirsty, genocidal evil is more than just a study of past; it is a matter of current events. What is the mental construct that justifies such evil? Why is it so virulent, so persistent throughout human history? Here are 10 constructs of evil thinking. They are also 10 reasons why it is so infectious.
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If Putin is able to persuade Saudi King Salman to accept Assad’s return to the Arab League summit — and calm the animus between Iran and Saudi Arabia — the Russian leader's reputation in the Arab world will soar.
ISIS looters of Jonah's tomb in Nineveh inadvertently made a whale of a discovery. Now that the terror group has been driven from the site, archaeologists in Iraq are confirming discovery of a palace that a notorious enemy of ancient Israel called his home.
Israel today is facing four menacing and imminent threats. In order to address them and protect its people, it must focus on the present, not the past. And it must determine to eliminate the threats, not contain them.
In a direct challenge to US President Donald J. Trump, Iran yesterday launched a major naval war game near the Strait of Hormuz, the same place where Trump has deployed the US Navy's massive Fifth Fleet. With surface ships and submarines, special forces and an array of high-tech systems, Iran says it is a "message of peace and friendship" to regional countries in the Middle East and "poses no threat to other countries."
Robotic warfare may be closer than many think. According to Israeli Minister Ayoob Kara, assassin robots could be a part of Jerusalem's arsenal in "two or three" years.
This morning another rocket was fired into Israel. It is the eighth missile shot at the Jewish State in thirty days. While collective damage has been negligible, the uptick signals a resurgence of hostilities, mostly by ISIS in the Sinai and its allies in Gaza.
It "depends on the person, but if you let him fall, help him up, and explain, eventually he won't fall; and even if he does, he will know how to get up." ~Guy Galboiz
Israel's Northern Kingdom was established after the death of King Solomon. According to the Bible, the 10 tribes of Israel in that Northern Kingdom were taken into captivity by Assyria in about 740 BCE. Ever since, they have been lost to history. Today they are being found; one of them in India.
In Australia, Netanyahu strengthens economic ties, and invites Australia's PM to visit, "to hike in the Golan Heights." And "by the way," he adds, "the Golan will never go back to Syria; it will always be a part of the State of Israel."
Apparently, the head of Saudi Arabia's General Intelligence Directorate has been in Israel this week, visiting Israeli and PA officials. What motivated his visit? And what were his objectives?
12 hours after it was posted on Facebook, a 4 minute clip of the US Ambassador to the UN went viral, with almost 4 milion views. Why? See for yourself.
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In the wake of Netanyahu's visit to the US, the rest of his away trip has slipped below the surface of international attention. In fact, his visits this week to Singapore and Australia, far away from a self-absorbed West, is a continuation of Israel's strategic alliances with nations to the East - and in the world's southern hemisphere.
"I know that you have committed yourselves to fight for social justice, to defend our Sister Mother Earth and to stand alongside migrants. I want to reaffirm your choice and share two reflections." Global warming is real, and "Muslim terrorism does not exist." ~Pope Francis, February 2017
Trump's enemies have almost destroyed his understanding with Putin regarding Syria. Now the question is whether or not Trump can break through his enemies' sabotage of his nascent Middle East policy. Governments in Tehran, Riyadh, Ankara, Damascus, Beirut, Abu Dhabi, Cairo and Jerusalem are bracing to jump either way.
Sifting through debris from illegal Islamic excavations on the Temple Mount has recently resulted in the discovery of a snail shell. The dye it was used to create was both priceless and holy, the ultimate royal blue - for priestly garments as commanded by the Bible.
During their joint press conference on Wednesday, both Trump and Netanyahu agreed that Iran's ambition for nuclear weapons poses a threat to Israel, the Middle East and the West. Lashing back, Tehran named Israel as the "biggest threat to regional and international peace and security." It was a message quickly followed up by the head of Hezbollah with a thinly veiled threat to strike Israel's nuclear power center with its vast arsenal of high-tech Iranian missiles.
The reality is that our world is becoming more religious and hateful every day – and almost all of this hate is driven by Islamists. But everywhere, our governments and media call them moderates. It is time to push back.
Arguably, the biggest news from the first meeting between PM Netanyahu and President Trump was not anything they said. Rather, it was the warmth between the men. Both are tough, and Trump remains unpredictable. Still, the camaraderie between the two bodes well for their ability to meaningfully negotiate. In this context, then, there are also a number of intriguing issues and policies that directly impact Israel's security: Iran, a regional peace deal, the Palestinians, settlements and more.
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While much of the world celebrates Valentine's Day, Israel remembers a love letter from the "father of modern Zionism," a missive published on this day in 1896, fifty-two years before the Jewish State was reborn.
The Palestinian Authority is pivoting toward Persia while its counterpart in Gaza, Hamas, is pivoting toward ISIS. Not only is the story important in its own right, the details it contains is testimony to the extent of Israeli intelligence. The methods by which it obtained the particulars of this report are an undisclosed but provocative tease. When Israel's enemies secretly meet, their meetings are no so secret as they think.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called the target in northern Israel his "atomic bomb." One year later, that target remained. Now, however, the company that owns it has been ordered by an Israeli court to empty the site in less than ten days. It must also find an alternate location to store the nation's supply of a chemical necessary for life that, undiluted and in large quantities, is also deadly.
Apparently, the larger framework of Trump's support for Israel is a coalition of armed forces to defeat ISIS throughout the region - and to push Iran back inside its borders. With "consequences that are unforeseen," the prospect of a long-term, international army is a Trump-Putin "earthquake" that is "sending tremors through Middle East."
What are Trump's positions regarding the Jewish State and the issues that it faces? What will Netanyahu encounter whe he meets with Trump on Wednesday? Three days before that meeting, an interview with the US President was published by Israel's largest daily paper, Israel Hayom. Based on things Trump said, and would not say, Jerusalem continues to adapt to a fast-moving US president whose support for Israel is in a context that is still coming into focus.
Wounded Syrian children and relatives who accompany them, often minors themselves, find themselves seeking help in an enemy country that, they have been told, is as bad as Satan. Instead, at the Ziv Medical Center, they are greeted by an Arab Israeli named Issa, Arabic for Jesus. Issa is their constant companion, beginning to end, as the children are treated by Israeli physicians. "I was afraid of the Jews," Jason (a pseudonym) says. "Now I'm not afraid at all."
Archeologists from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, along with faculty and students from a Christian university in the US, have found "one of the most exciting archaeological discoveries, and the most important in the last 60 years, in the caves of Qumran."
ISIS is not only to Israel's north, in Syria, and east, in Iraq; it is also just across the border to the south. In fact, the terror group has taken over a large swath of the Sinai peninsula. From its stronghold there, it launched four rockets into Israel last night. But this is not the only military activity that occurred during the evening. There were two more.
In an announcement that Jerusalem did not expect, Russia has signaled its intent to provide high-tech weapons to the armed forces of Syria. The problem is that Damascus remains the puppet of Iran and a sibling puppet with Lebanon's "Party of Allah." Their visceral commitment to Israel's destruction is at least as strong as their desire to defeat ISIS. Accordingly, Jerusalem wonders: will these high-tech weapons be added to Hezbollah's vast arsenal for use against the Jewish state?
Any notion of a united bloc of aligned countries standing as a wall against Iranian and Sunni Islamist advancement is little more than a mirage.
In his meeting with UK Prime Minister Theresa May, Israeli PM Netanyahu discussed three primary topics: Iran, Palestinian peace and economics.
What was it like to "go up" to the Temple, "the house of the God of Jacob"? Starting this week, pilgrims to Jerusalem can walk the same path worshippers took 2,000 years ago.
Sold in 45 countries around the world, Sodastream products are getting a new label. Bucking BDS, it boasts two things: the country where the products are made — and the Arabs and Jews, working side-by-side, who make them. "Our flag and our values are a source of pride."
Europe is not the only place where anti-semitism is on the rise. Incidents in the United States, Israel's closest ally, are becoming regular occurrences.
There are six reasons why Trump might find Yemen a compelling battlefield to engage Iran.
Among a number of new political winds, the UN may be inclined to treat Israel with a degree of respect it has not seen since the body granted full membership to the reborn state in on 11 May 1949 — if the new UN Secretary General has his way, that is. This week he reiterated, on the record, that the Temple Mount is the historical site of the original Temples of Judaism. And, he added, Israel is an equal member among the nations-states at the UN.
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Combined with last week's announcement, the decision authorizes a total of 5,500 new homes in Israel's biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria.
Apparently, the US is reasserting its presence in the Middle East - in partnership with Russia. The move effectively coronates Putin as the superpower sovereign of the Middle East. Putin, in turn, and for now, is shutting down Iran and its proxies in Syria.
Yesterday the world learned that Iran recently tested a missile with a payload comparable to a nuclear warhead. Taking to Twitter, Netanyahu called the test "a flagrant violation of the [UN] Security Council." Six thousand miles away, another Twitter user responded. Trump and his new ambassador to the UN have called for an emergency meeting of the Security Council. They are meeting today.
Ammonia, an essential ingredient for life, could kill thousands of Israelis. The reason: its ammonia supply in northern Israel is a sitting duck for an attack by Hezbollah. Less than a year ago, Hezbollah leader, Nasralla, threatened the Haifa facility, calling it his "atomic bomb." It remains an obvious target.
There are two huge markets, mostly undeveloped, that are opening up to Israel: China and India. While the Western world largely ignores them, Israel is pursuing these Asian countries in the East where, in general, there is a unique openness to the Jewish state.
As the US and Europe struggle with the growing phenomena of fundamentalist Islamic terror, most are failing to maintain both parts of a duel responsibility: protect citizens from terror — and from racism. Israel is keenly aware of these obligations and the tension between them. Its struggle to honor that tension, without denying or rejecting either part, is ongoing. From that conscious struggle, Europe and the US have a lot to learn.
It would be a mistake to think there is, or will be, smooth sailing between Jerusalem and Trump's new administration in Washington D.C. When Netanyahu meets with the new US president, he will have four pressing concerns.
Why is Trump sending mixed messages about moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem? Probably because Israel is asking him to take a different approach to regional peace. If so, it is likely Netanyahu is asking Trump to wait. There are bigger issues at stake.
During his first week at work, President Trump has not been idle regarding Israel and the Middle East. He is halting Obama's transfer of $221 million to the PA, working with Putin to oust Iran from Syria, and, in spite of reports to the contrary, still intends to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem.
Apparently, Trump and Putin have done more than greet one another on the phone. According to DEBKAfile, they have struck a deal regarding Syria. Under that deal, Iran and its proxies must depart, leaving the US in charge of security along Syria's border with Israel. On the other hand, it solidifies Russia's presence in the Middle East. Moscow is not about to leave.
Officially, Israel has been in a state of war with Syria since 1948. Regardless, it has provided birthing care to Syrian mothers, provided state-of-the-art surgery for crippled young people, and has rescued at least one Syrian fighter. Now it is giving refugee status to 100 orphans along with a path for permanent residency in the Jewish State.
Israel is preparing to build 2,500 homes in its communites in Judea and Samaria. It also plans a new Palestinian industrial park near Hebron, the ancient capital of King David and burial site of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekkah, Jacob and Leah. The PLO, under the leadership of President Mahmoud Abbas, is apoplectic, calling the collective move a "war crime."
Israel is in first place to win Google's $20 million prize for being the first to land a privately funded robotic vehicle on the moon. Israel's craft, designed to hop on the lunar surface, is set for launch before the end of this year. Read about it and see the video here.
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Using artificial intelligence, an Israeli company has developed a system to identify antisemitic Internet posts in real time.
"If China is required to play that [global] leadership role, then China will assume its responsibilities." Representing Moscow, another contender for global leadership, Russia Today reports the story.
According to Israel's Minister of Defense, a regional settlement is the only way to for Israel to achieve peace with the Palestinians. His suggestion was that the Trump administration take point to establish a broader plan for Middle East peace.
"Soon, I will also announce extensive construction in settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria. Under my vision, all the settlements will be under Israeli sovereignty." ~Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Two days after taking the office of the Unitied States presidency, Donald Trump was on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The PM asked to "work closely" with Trump, especially in matters that relate to Israel's security, including Iran, the Palestinians and "other issues." He also asked for restoration of the US policy, abandoned by Obama, of "no daylight" between Israel and the US.
While Donald Trump was being inaugruated as the 45th president of the United States, Pope Francis was giving a lengthy interview. Regarding Trump, Francis said, let's "wait and see." He then compared Trump's election to the populism that sought a "savior" and so elected Adolph Hitler.
Who needs fiction? This weekend, binge on the real "Game of Thrones." All the videos, including an embedded livestream, are here. Watch Trump's inauguration. Then put it in the context of Israel. Witness real cutthroat maneuvers by world governments to demonize Israel and dictate "peace" so they can move in to "supervise" Jerusalem. See Israel's Danny Danon boldly confront the nations, declaring that nothing and no one will ever remove Jews from Jerusalem. No need to surf the Internet. The Jerusalem Journal has done it for you. The videos are here. All you have to do is make the popcorn.
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Despite Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions (BDS) calls to boycott goods produced in Judea and Samaria, a recent report reveals that its goods are in demand more than ever before.
"Of course I remember what I told you about Jerusalem. Of course I didn't forget. And you know I'm not a person who breaks promises."
The Jewish State has issued a compelling challenge to the world as it moves into the year 2017. Delivered by Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon, the essence of that challenge is this: pursue genuine peace, not empty words, keeping in mind that nothing, and no one, will ever remove the Jewish people from Jerusalem.
Israel has not been idle while Iran has stockpiled weapons grade plutonium and upgraded its arsenal of high-tech rockets. This week, the IAF took delivery of a system designed to intercept intercontinental missiles outside the earth's atmosphere. Dubbed "Arrow 3," this is how it works.
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The United Nation's Security Council is meeting today in New York. The declared subject is, "Open Debate - Middle East." According to the Council's president, Olof Skoog, he hopes the meeting will "trigger action towards a two-state solution" between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Will it? Live-streamed here, see for yourself.
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While Jerusalem officials say the softened final declaration of the Paris conference is because of successful diplomacy, John Kerry has called Netanyahu telling him, in essence, don't worry.
Only days away from swearing in as the 45th president of the United States, Trump is not waiting to jump into international policy matters, including Israel and the nations in its neighborhood.
In the wake of yesterday's final declaration in Paris, the United Nations Security Council is set to meet tomorrow, on Wednesday, 17 January. Its goal, says Council President Olaf Skook, is to "trigger action towards a two-state solution" between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
With some of its harsher statements softened, the final declaration of the Paris Middle East Peace conference, released yesterday, is substantially the same as the leaked pre-conference draft. For the record, this is the full official text of the final declaration from Paris on 15 January 2017
Three days ago, while Abbas was on his way to Rome and world leaders were making their way to Paris, the Secretary-General of the PA was in Russia. While there, he confirmed that Abbas is "ready" for face-to-face negotiations — in Moscow. Russia's government-owned news agency, TASS, reports.
This weekend, while France attempted to rally the world to impose on Israel its solution for peace with Palestinians, the Palestinian president met with the pope in Rome. Abbas, named by the pope in 2015 as an "angel of peace," also opened a new Palestinian embassy to the Vatican. Are the events in Rome a greater threat to Israel's sovereignty than Paris?
Knowing that the government in Gaza is sworn to Israel's destruction, Jerusalem has decided that recent calm justifies an increase in humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians there. Before the war with Hamas in 2014, about 300 truckloads of materiel went into Gaza every day. Today some 1,000 truckloads make their way to Palestinians there.
Last night Damascus was hit by two explosions. One, a suicide bombing at an officers' club, killed at least ten. The other happened at the Mezzeh airport. Damascus blames Israel. But, for disturbing reasons revealed by this Israeli intelligence report from DEBKAfile, Israel is an unlikely candidate. Who then? And why?
This is a word-for-word reproduction of a leaked preliminary draft of the resolution the Paris Middle East Peace Conference aims to pass.
History is repeating itself. Similarities between Munich in 1938 and Paris in 2017 are uncanny. Today, as yesterday, the result of a peace conference could easily lead to another world war, this time in the Middle East. And this time centered around Israel.
What can Israel expect from the Paris conference of seventy nations that starts on Sunday? According to Anne Bayefsky, it should expect further diplomatic attacks under the guiding hand of President Barack Obama who "has gone rogue."
What are Russia's true intentions in Syria? Maintain the status quo, playing off its tensions? Or complete regime victory for Assad? If the latter, writes Jonathan Spyer, "there is trouble ahead."
Not only to Israel's north and east, but also to its south, ISIS is anything but defeated. In fact, in the Sinai Peninsula, it is taking over large swaths of territory - just across Israel's border. It is also winning converts inside Israel. The entrenchment and advances of Islamic State have a direct bearing on yesterday's vehicular terror attack in Jerusalem.
One father said, "We send them to the army and we know that maybe they won't come back. Did I ever think it would happen to me? Never."
It happened without warning and it only took seconds. ...As he plows his heavy lorry into the cluster of soldiers, Fadi crushes four young women and two young men. Others, glancing off the truck's side are wounded, but not mortally. Stunned, those who can hurry to the side of fallen friends. As they do so, Fadi brakes his lorry, turns it around, aiming for the bodies he has just mowed down...
Why is there such heated difference between America's intelligence community and President-elect Trump - about Russia? According to an Israeli intelligence news service, the brouhaha is being orchestrated by President Obama who plans to actively oppose Trump after he takes office on 20 January. The implications for fighting terror in the Middle East, and their attending risks for igniting a world war, are profound.
Before the end of June, Israel is expecting approximately six thousand Chinese nationals to arrive in the Jewish State. The purpose: build labor force for housing construction The unaddressed risk: spies from a country that has aligned itself with Russia and Iran.
Are more UN Security Council resolutions condemning Israel, and attempting to constrain its sovereignty, in the making? Could one or more pass before Trump takes office two weeks from today? Netanyahu thinks so and has put Israel's ambassadors on alert.
While visiting Jerusalem this week, former US presidential candidate Mike Huckabee told Israelis that "we are in a remarkable time right now." Asserting that the only explanation for Israel's rebirth and achievements is God, he said that a two state solution is a "diplomatic fantasy." What's more, he told legislators here, its insistence that Jerusalem be divided "is like asking Solomon to cut the baby in half."
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While caving during Hanukkah, Mickey, Sefi and Givoni made an astonishing discovery. Inside a cistern-cave, they found an array of carvings, including depictions of the Second Temple menorah and a Christian cross. Nearby, doves were raised for sacrifice in the Temple.
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Contrary to the world's assertion that Israel is responsible for failure of the two-state solution, Khaled Abu Toameh reports that the reality inside the Palestinian territories is a no-state solution. Abbas's own party is split in half, defecting to Hamas, and most Palestinians want him to go. As a result, there is no functional government to lead an independent Palestinian state.
Over the next week, and for the first time since the Second World War, no US Navy aircraft carriers will be carrying out missions - anyplace, including the Middle East. According to the US, thousands of Marines on board different American ships are prepared to respond to any threat that might surface.
Recognizing the new superpower in the Middle East, Israel continues close coordination of its unstated affairs in the Middle East. Meanwhile, as the Obama administration lashes out at Netanyahu in its final days, Donald Trump may be inviting Netanyahu to to his inauguration as the 45th President of the United States.
Calling Israel an occupier or "the occupation" rolls off tongues throughout the world. For many, even among those who stand with Israel, it has become a given - an unexamined assumption or presupposition. In fact, it is not true.
In addition to being way too long, John Kerry's speech was like a casserole of old ideas smothered in anecdotes and seasoned with patronizing smugness. The Swiss cheese toping was original, however. After surviving an hour and seventeen minutes of sermonizing tedium, Seth Frantzman and Brian Schrauger offer these ten takeaways.
While the US and the West have focused recent attention on condemning Israel, Russia's President Putin has been a busy boy. He has announced a peace process that might stop, if not resolve, the civil war in Syria. Elevating Russia's standing in the Middle East, it is a process in which the US and the West are excluded.
How has Israel replied to eight years of US arguments under the Obama administration? Now we know. Responding to John Kerry's shower of words explaining those arguments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they are "almost as unbalanced as the anti-Israel resolution passed at the UN last week." This is the complete transcript and video record of Netanyahu's 13 minute reply to yesterday's 73 minute speech by the US Secretary of State.
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Mostly behind closed doors and for eight years, the US Obama administration has relentlessly argued its solution to peace between Israel and the Palestinians. What are those arguments? Now we know. In almost 10,000 words, US Secretary of State John Kerry, revealed everything on 28 December 2016. This is a complete copy, and video record, of his words. Its official title, notably, is "Remarks on Middle East Peace."
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In reaction to UN Security Council Resolution 2334, Benjamin Netanyahu has decided it is time to implement a different kind of response. Call it his Genesis Policy. In essence, he has announced that those who stand with Israel will share in the blessings of Israel. Those who don't, won't.
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After the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2334 last Friday, 23 December 2016, Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon addressed the entire Council. Speaking plainly and with remarkable clarity, this is a video record and transcipt of what he said.
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Why is Israel in an uproar about UN Security Council Resolution 2334? As leaders throughout Israel condemn the resolution, passed on Friday, 23 December, the exact text of Resolution 2334 is a critically important touchpoint. Less than 1,000 words in length, this is the complete and undedited text of that resolution.
Vocativ, a deep-web intelligence gathering news service with offices in Tel Aviv and New York, has uncovered an ISIS hit list of US churches targeted for terror attacks during the holidays. The summons is consistent with recent events in Cairo and Berlin. It also fits Islamic State's recent issue of its English magazine titled, "Break the Cross."
In an unusual year when the first day of Hanukkah and Christmas fall on the same day, Rabbi Benjamin Blech reflects on convictions that, in spite of differences, are shared by Jews and Christians.
As Hanukkah and Christmas approach, the Prime Minister of Israel has a special message from the Jewish State for Christians around the world.
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According to this Israeli news intelligence analysis, the war against ISIS is a "colossal failure." As a result, Israel now has threats pressing in from every border.
In the name of Allah, terror attacks are striking targets in Arab countries with whom Israel has relationships. They are also erupting in Western nations that do business with the Jewish state. Is Israel an intentional connection or an accidental one?
This year Hanukkah, Christmas and New Years happen at the same time. One Jewish response is humor. Yingle Belz? The Little Drummer Boychick? See for yourself in the video below. Merry Crisismukkah!
In a sermon on the Temple Mount last Friday, the former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem announced in Allah's name that if the US moves its embassy to Israel's capital city, it will be a "declaration of war on all Muslims."
It is a remarkable admission and an implicit rebuke. Two days ago outgoing UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon told his agency's Security Council that their institutions has a long history of anti-Israel sentiment. "Decades of political maneuvering." he said, "have created a disproportionate number of resolutions, reports and committees against Israel."
According to the book of Exodus, God himself carved the Ten Commandments onto tablets of stone. That engraving is said to be inside the Ark of the Covenant, whereabouts unknown. Apart from these, the oldest known inscription of the Ten Commandments onto stone was, for several years, used as paving. This is that tablet's story.
Israeli analysts look at the fall of Aleppo and conclude that America "has no real say in the next chapter of [Syria's] horrific war." Instead, the US Democratic party is using Syrian bloodshed to delegitimize the President-elect. One purpose? To prevent a resolution in Syria that would trump Obama's failure.
It sometimes seems that Israelis are more concerned about persecuted Christians in the Middle East than Christians in the West. Instead of arguing about Christmas, Seth Frantzman, op-ed editor of the Jerusalem Post, wonders how the radically dwindled community of Christians in Iraq are going to celebrate it.
A researcher at Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv has been studying Judaism as it is practiced today by Ethiopian Jews in Africa. The way they honor Shabbat, practice purity laws and sex, he says, is almost identical to the way Judaism was expressed 2,000 years ago.
As Israel looks around the world today, what does it see? How does it regard Russia, Iran, the USA, neighboring Arab states and its stalled peace process with the Palestinians? In a wide-ranging interview broadcast two days in the United States, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed all of these issues and more.
Were there Jews in Israel 2000 years ago? Did Jewish zealots lead a revolt against Rome that led to the destruction of the Solomon's Second Temple in 70 CE? Is the biblical record about Israel and Jerusalem accurate? Once again, according to the archaeology, including its written record in Hebrew, it is.
With ISIS under attack by the Russian coalition in Syria and the US coalition in Iraq, it should be on the run. Instead it is on the offense, launching a terror attack in Cairo yesterday. That attack could be the first strike in Islamic State's promised holiday terror campaign throughout the Middle East - and beyond.
Russia's latest move is deployment of its largest-ever force of ground troops to Syria. With the possibility of more to come, 1,000 troops on their way are not common soldiers. They are special forces, and they come from Chechnya. Like the luminary that informed wise men two thousand years ago, Moscow's star is rising from the north. It is not the same star, however. And its message is quite different.
What was life like in Jerusalem one thousand years ago? Two thousand years ago? How did people do life? What did they look like? The ongoing Temple Mount Sifting Project, has uncovered thousands of clues. Among them are a wide variety of glass bracelets and finger rings worn by adults and children too. Life then, like now, included bling and color.
According to a new report, Israel is not prepared to adequately protect civilians in what most expect will be the nation's next war; namely, a war with Hezbollah in Lebanon in which 1,500 missiles are expected every day for ten days before the attack can be halted.
Although unacknowedged by Jersualem, everyone knows that Israel has recently engaged in an air raid campaign against targets in Syria. So far, it includes two bombing runs last week, and one yesterday morning. Why is Israel doing this, and why now? On Wednesday, without confirming the Israeli sorties, the nation's Defense Minister explained why they are taking place.
The US-led coalition to liberate Mosul from ISIS has petered out. ISIS leaders and troops are strolling back into town without a fight. Meanwhile in Aleppo, ISIS is on the run from a Moscow-Tehran coalition. Why has the US op failed? And when Trump inherits the problem, Jerusalem wonders, will he turn the entire fight against Islamic State over to Putin, and by default Iran?
In the 21st century, when threats develop over a period of years, the challenge is to keep the world from yawning. Speaking at the Saban Forum over the weekend, Israel's Prime Minister and Defense Minister emphasized ongoing threats to peace from Iran and the Palestinian Authority.
The war in Syria is moving south, toward Jerusalem, and with an international coalition of stunning strength. That coalition includes the the first-ever Shiite army which is also a foreign legion. Expected to number 50-70,000, it is shifting the focus of soldiers from political and tribal allegiances to a single religious identity.
In Israel, Ran Peker is a legend. During his military career, he fought in four of Israel's nation-changing wars. From the time he enlisted in 1954 until, as a Brigadier General, he left the IDF in 1984, Peker flew 350 missions - and shot down 7 enemy jets.
For almost two years, US President Obama has been toying with the idea of doing the very thing that former President Jimmy Carter advised in a New York Times op-ed last Monday: lead the way for the UN to step in and create a Palestinian State. According to an AP report published today, Obama has "nearly" ruled out taking action before leaving office seven weeks from today. Nearly.
On the coast of the Mediterranean in northern Israel, the city of Dor was once a Canaanite stronghold. Conquered by Israel's most famous general, Joshua, it became a city of Asher, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Hundreds of years later, it fell under Roman rule. This year the waters of Dor yielded up a stone with a Greek inscription. Naming a Roman procurator, it has resolved an almost one hundred year old debate.
In the aftermath of fires across Israel, many lit by pyro-terrorists, there is a renewed tendency to identify terrorists by their ethnicity. But terrorism against Jewish Israelis, like all anti-Semitism, is not an ethnic issue; it is an ideological one. Israeli citizens, Walid abu-Ahmed and Ziad Yunis, prove it.
Vis-a-vis Israel, Jimmy Carter's affable affectation is a thin velvet sheath cloaking a stiletto. The fabric is soft, but the blade beneath is rigid and sharp, all the more deadly for its deceptive attire.
Iran's vision for its future is vast. The "territory" it forsees as its own will require naval bases in Syria, Yemen, the Indian Ocean, and on manmade islands. Establishing these bases, it says, is "ten times more important than nuclear power."
Antisemitism, reaches back at least as far as Pharaohs in Egypt who murdered Jewish boys and refused to voluntarily release the Jews from slavery. It is a virus of the human soul that persists and, once again, is going viral. But what is its cause? Auschwitz survivor, former Mossad agent and sports journalist, Noah Klieger, gives one reason.
Libya's General is in Moscow seeking help in the fight against ISIS. For his part, Putin may be asking for a new military base on Europe's southern doorstep. The prize that everybody seeks? Libya's Mediterranean oil fields.
A week of wildfires throughout the country has destroyed whole communities and devastated huge swaths of Israel's natural reserves and wildlife. From drone footage over Israel, see for yourself.
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As multiple fires continue to burn and thousands of people are evacuated, Israelis across the country are coming together to help those in need. In many cases, Israeli Arabs are opening their doors to Israeli Jews.
As fires rage throughout Israel, nations are sending tangible support to extinguish the flames. Online, however, Islamists have ignited a prevailing narrative that celebrates the infernos, calling them Allah's judgment. Some see this rhetoric as a direct challenge to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Wildfires are erupting in widely separate locations across Israel and among Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Not one Palestinian community has been affected. As surveillance cameras capture an arsonist starting one blaze, officials here suspect a new form of Islamist terrorism is behind the flames.
As Israeli President Reuven Rivlin winds up his trip to India, his nonchalant courage and familiarity with issues that matter to his host, a nation of 1.3 billion is impressed by his chutzpah. Rivlin's nudge might be enough to adjust New Delhi's ship of state to sail with Jerusalem. Indian journalist, Kanchan Gupta reports.
As Israel and Egypt renew diplomatic ties, significant differences remain between the two states. As one ambassador arrives in Tel Aviv and the other in Ankara, both are walking on eggshells.
As President, will Trump have the authority to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish State of Israel. Julian Ku, a Distinguished Professor of Constitutional Law, says there is no doubt: he will have that authority; and that he just might use it.
For 24 years both Israel and Palestinian negotiators have been constrained to one model for peace: a two-state solution. As both sides reject this option, and as Donald J. Trump assumes the office of the US Presidency, there is a unique opportunity to consider other solutions, other paradigms for peace.
Unknown to most the world, there are thousands of Palestinians who are disgusted with their governments' anti-Israel rhetoric and glorification of terrorists who murder Israelis. It is not easy to speak out. But some do, including Sheikh Abdullah Tamimi from Hebron.
Knowing his life was coming to a close, Leonard Cohen wrote, performed and published a remarkable swansong called, "You Want it Darker." The "You" is God. How Cohen responds to this statement and the reality of evil in our world is a remarkable challenge to all who suffer and wonder why. Contemplating these things in a hotel room in New York, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks shared his thoughts in this video.
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Israel's Sayeret Matkal, "the Unit," has been called "the most effective counterterrorism force in the world." Famous for stiletto-like operations throughout Israel's modern history, it remains a key weapon in the Jewish State's military forces.
There is a much bigger plan afoot in the Middle East than dealing with Islamic State. If Moscow, Tehran and Beijing succeed, there will be a polar shift in global economics — and Jerusalem will find itself in the crosshairs.
According to Moscow, Russia's Air Force and Navy launched a “large-scale” operation against “terrorists” in the Syrian provinces of Idlib and Homs Tuesday, 15 November. In fact, the new offense is fairly low key. Israel's intelligence news service, DEBKAfile, explains.
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Yesterday and today, Russia lit a number of fuses in the complicated powder keg in Syria. Explosions, hopefully kept under control, are set for sometime tonight or early tomorrow. With assurances from Russia's PM Medvedev, Jerusalem is keeping a careful watch.
A high ranking Iranian official states that his country's missiles are being manufactured in several Middle East countries. Why? To address "the Israeli threat."
Right now, what US President-elect Donald Trump will actually do vis-a-vis Israel is blurry. But Israeli leaders expect it to come into focus before Trump is sworn into office on 20 January 2017.
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Political maneuverings in the international arena almost always means bloodshed. Rarely however, if ever, have internal US politics so openly competed with the blood of foreign combatants. But according to Israeli intelligence source, that is exactly what is happening today.
During his campaign, President-elect Trump promised to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. And if he does? The PA threatens to make America 'miserable.'
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All three credit ratings agencies have given Israel an A+ credit score; the risk-filled environment of the Middle east is one of the main impediments keeping from Israel being rated higher.
Genuine warmth between Israel's leaders and visiting Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev did not provoke Jerusalem to compromise the nation's mandate to defend itself. Just the opposite. "We are determined to do two things," Netanyahu told Mevedev.
In the opinion of Israeli officials, what does the election of Donald J. Trump mean for the Jewish State? The bottom line is that he is a mystery, and Israelis don't like mysteries or surprises.
Replete with smiles all around, along with symbolic visits to the Western Wall and Yad Vashem, Russia Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is in Israel. Why is he here? Ostensibly, the reason is to strengthen economic ties between Moscow and Jerusalem. But in Medvedev's own words to Russian journalists, the real focus has to do with other pressing matters.
Trump, his campaign and supporters have said a number of things that both encourage and discourage Israelis. Because he lacks a political track record, the consensus here is that what Trump will, in fact, do is unpredictable. As various leaders offered congratulations, their words indicated cautious optimism - and a hope to imprint the President-elect on key issues.
The Kuznetzov Group of Russian warships has arrived. Positioned between Crete and the Turkey-Syrian coast, it begins a "major aeronatics exercise" tomorrow. The transparent goals are to rattle like a snake in the face of NATO and, while the US transitions to a new President, maximize military operations in Syria. As Russia's Prime Minister comes to Jerusalem tomorrow, one message to the Jewish State has to be, "buckle up."
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Casting a somewhat jaundiced eye at the U.S. president election campaign, Israelis await news of today's election result with mixed feelings about the candidates, but confidence in the strength of Israel's relationship with the U.S. no matter who wins.
In the aftermath of last week's Israeli intelligence reports, US officials have placed parts of the US on high alert. The unspecified threat probably refers to terror attacks by al-Qaida, ISIS and cyber security attacks by any number of hacking entities - but with a special eye on Moscow.
Palestinians say that because the Qumran Caves, in the Judean Desert, are beyond the Green Line, Israel has taken possession of the ancient texts illegally. But according to Israel, this is one more attempt by the Palestinians to rewrite history.
Noah was a righteous agnostic? Who knew? Christian readers will be fascinated to learn about two agnostics in Genesis, one righteous, the other not. For Christians, Riskin's argument also evokes the unease deliberately provoked by the New Testament epistle of James and its emphatic assertion that "faith without works is dead."
Days before voters cast their ballots, Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the Presidency of the United States, has clarified his policies regarding a number of issues that are close to Israel's heart.
Al-Baghdadi's summons was probably a coded signal to dormant ISIS cells in the West, activating them for an international outburst of suicide terror attacks - including one on 8 November in the USA?
"We cannot trust in luck or in Divine mercy and must perform what is required. Israel is at high risk for an earthquake whose results could be deadly." ~Israeli MK Amir Peretz
Israeli analysts are carefully studying the US presidential race for is possible impact on the Middle East. There are very different expectations for that impact between a President Clinton and President Trump.
According to Russian President Vladamir Putin, the US has violated international law by attacking sovereign states; and in the aftermath of those attacks, terrorism has exploded. Instead, he said, the world needs to "learn from Israel. It never lets go. They fight until the end. That's why it exists."
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UNESCO recently passed resolutions that implicitly deny any connection between Jews and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City. Yes, it is an attempt to re-write history. But that is not the worst of it.
US President Barack Obama's term ends on 20 January 2017. According to the Wall Street Journal, it appears that, before leaving office, he is planning an unpleasant surprise for Israel; a parting shot, or stab, if you will, at the Jewish State. What might he do? And why?
Iran's agenda is to expand its borders, and it is openly saying so. Yesterday a high ranking general bragged that Iran is extending its boundaries "from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean." It is a boundary reminiscent of the First Syrian Empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BCE.
As Russia and NATO practice "war games" this week in eastern Europe, Moscow ups the ante by exposing three of its deadliest subs as they wrap their way around Great Britain en route to Syria.
Earlier this year, in the middle of the so-called Knife or Stabbing Intifada in which Israeli's were being randomly slaughtered by blade-wielding Islamist Palestinians, evangelical leaders in Bethlehem held a conference. Called "Christ at the Checkpoint," its message was in sync with the current intifada. It was a full, frontal assault. But the intended victim of the conference, instead of Israel, was the community of Christians who stand with Israel, who support the Jewish State.
Many evangelical Christians, probably most, are avid supporters of the Jewish State. But not all of them. There is a growing number of megachurch pastors and opinion shapers - like singing artists, professors and publishers - who are adopting and promoting an anti-Israel "Christian" narrative. It is a movement that is aimed at millennials with growing success. Why? Jim Fletcher explains.
Van Zile's new book exposes a devastating reality: Christian anti-Semitism has returned. Today it is an entrenched narrative in mainline Protestant churches. During the second world war, Van Zile writes, "respectable Christians marched two-thirds of Europe’s Jews and millions of other victims to their deaths." The preaching and teaching that justified such conduct has returned to synods, pulpits and Sunday Schools in the United States of America.
What makes Putin tick? How does he see himself? What does Russia think about him? How does the world look through his eyes? While something of a hagiography, this two and a-half hour Russia documentary, with English subtitles, is an eye-opener. If you must, watch it in segments. But by all means, watch it all. The insight it provides makes it well worth the effort.
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In the current battle for Mosul led by a US coalition of forces, there is a lot more at stake than defeating ISIS. Iran sees the city as a crucial part of its ambition for a resurrected Persian empire.
As Russia's Northern Fleet approaches Syria, and hence Israel, Putin and Netanyahu found time to talk by phone. Topics included birthday greetings to Netanyahu and 25 years of relations between the countries. According to the Kremlin, "they also discussed urgent international and regional issues."
Israel is a world leader in cyber warfare. With implied sources from its cyber community, Israel's intelligence news service, DEBKAfile, suggests that last week's cyber attack in the US might have been a "dry run" for 8 November: US election day.
Russia's huge Northern Fleet, including its massive aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, passed through the British Channel today. Almost certainly en route to Syria, it could be Moscow's "biggest military offensive since the Cold War."
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Two British warships are tracking a Russian fleet that is reportedly heading toward Syria. pic.twitter.com/QBvY3jfchY
— CNBC International (@CNBCi) October 20, 2016
When Muslims question or even deny the existence of the Temples on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, they willfully disregard their own holy book, the Quran, and Muslim tradition. By doing so, they cast doubt upon the very sources which underpin their own claim to the site.
Fatah is a two-faced hydra; one face tells the English-speaking world that it seeks a peaceful settlement with Israel, while the other face, in Arabic, tells the truth: it is committed to an armed struggle and the "liberation of Palestine" and is even preparing for war with Israel.
UNESCO denies any connection between the Temple Mount and Judaism, but the massive, and growing, archaeological record begs to differ. Here, with photos, are just a few of its proofs.
According to UNESCO's resolution, there is no connection between Jews and the Temple Mount, including its Western Wall, in Jerusalem's Old City. As seen in the video below, yesterday's gathering of thousands for Judaism's High Priestly blessing flaunted UNESCO's damning denial.
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This mornings prayers at the Western Wall. Tens of thousands of people gathered for the high priest blessing on the festival of Succot pic.twitter.com/k4P0hQC9um
— Micky Rosenfeld (@MickyRosenfeld) October 19, 2016
What is Putin's assessment of the US accusation that Russia is tampering in its presidential election and, in retaliation, its cyber, economic and military threats aimed at Moscow? According to Putin, it is an attempt to distract voters. As for sanctions, the US and its allies can "screw themselves."
According to the Bible, in Exodus 29:31, Judaism's High Priest was told to wear a robe with bells of gold on its skirt. Like knocking before entering a door, it announced the approach of the High Priest. What did it sound like? Now we know.
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Along with Jews around the world, Israel has begun its festive seven days of Sukkot. But not only Jews. Gentiles around the world have come to the Holy Land to join the celebration. What is Sukkot? And what is its deeper meaning? Read and watch...
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It is no secret that, at best, Russia and the United States are "competing" with one another. On the surface, the issues are Syria, oil, nuclear weapons, and superpower leadership in the Middle East. Who is winning? This Israeli perspective suggests an unlikely answer.
According to one assessment by Israeli intelligence, Russian President Vladamir Putin and Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan are scrambling to take advantage of the power vacuum left in the Middle East by US President Barack Obama. As Moscow soldifies it superpower presence there, it is already carving up a portion of Syria for shared control with Ankara.
PM Netanyahu says he hopes future UN Chief Antonio Guterres' term will see UN abandon anti-Israel bias. Meanwhile, Israel is suspending ties with UNESCO in the aftermath of its draft proposal that refuses to acknowledge any connection between the Jewish State and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City.
In today's world, "narrative thinking" is all the rage. Rightly used, it argues different perspectives about objective reality. Today however it has become rhetorical storytelling. Fiction is being sold as fact, regardless of the truth, and the world is buying it. It is an infection of perception that has become an epidemic.
Scornful of UNESCO's draft resolution failure to acknowledge the inextricable link between Jews and the Temple Mount, Israel is appealing to the Pope - and Bible believing Christians - to intervene before next week's vote.
Surprisingly, the open powder keg in Syria has not yet exploded into a regional or global war. But it still could. Unfortunately, another trigger for such a conflict is developing to Israel's southeast. Via Yemini rebels, Iran is making moves to block the chokepoint of international shipping off the southern coast of Yemen. Missiles have been fired at US vessels. This morning the US fired back.
Inclined to seek God with humility? Thousands have come to Israel to do this very thing on Yom Kippur 5777 - a.k.a. 2016. Via live webcams, you too can join worshippers with repentant hearts.
What does it look like when an entire country honors a day to seek God in humble penitence - including its non-religious citizens? Israel is about to do this very thing. This is a glimpse of a singular culture's Day of Repentance.
Last Sunday's shooting spree in Jerusalem is notably different than terror attacks that have plagued the capital for the last year. According to DEBKAfile, Israeli authorities have information of more attacks being planned during the remainder of Israel's High Holy Days.
As Yom Kippur approaches, the Western Wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City becomes the nation's epicenter. Thousands come to offer of Selichot (penitential) prayers.
Days before Israelis embrace Yom Kippur, the biblical Day of Repentance, an Islamic terrorist guns down a grandmother and young police officer before he is shot and killed. As Fatah calls for mourning the murderer, Hamas hands out candy celebrating him while Islamic Jihad pledges, "attacks will continue."
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#فيديو | اللحظات الأولى للاشتباك المسلح الذي وقع في مدينة #القدس قبل قليل#قناة_القدس pic.twitter.com/coc3oUXmCs
— Quds TV - قناة القدس (@QudsTvSat) October 9, 2016
Islamic State, or ISIS, like Iran, is driven by a visceral conviction that end times are imminent. According to Islamic prophecies, those times include the return of Jesus who will "break the cross" and herald the Muslim Mahdi as the world's true messiah.
One week from today, the UN Security Council is set to discuss Israel's "settlements as the obstacle to peace and a two-state solution." Israel rejects the premise while bracing for a resolution that, once again, condemns the Jewish State for Jewish communities in its biblical heartland.
According to Israel's former Minister of Defense, Moshe Ya'alon, Iran poses a much greater risk to the Middle East - and the rest of the world - than does ISIS.
Israeli scientists have found a way to correct the genetic flaw that causes Alzheimer's. Lab mice treated with the new therapy *recovered* from the illness.
Because he was the favorite son of Jacob, Joseph's brothers were furious with resentment. According to the Bible, they planned to murder him. Instead he was thrown into a pit, then sold into slavery. Is this the pit into which Joseph was thrown?
Upping the ante of superpower war in the Middle East, Russia is deploying two state-of-the art defense systems in Syria. One fires missiles called "Gladiator;" the other, "Giant." Israel's concern is that Russia might use the missiles to shoot down Israeli fighter jets.
A record number of babies are being born; 74.8% of the population is Jewish, 20.8% Arab; citizen clock an average of 7.4 hours per day on their smartphones. How else do Israeli's do life?
"Shanah tovah to all of you. God bless you." | Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has published a video greeting for Rosh Hashanah, the Hebrew New of 5777. But with apples from a year ago?
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New Year's in October? And this is the year 5777? In Israel and for Jews around the world, it is. Its celebration is joyous but with a focus on God's judgment, redemption and the sweetness of life.
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There is a growing sense that a military showdown between the US and Russia is inevitable. In Syria and throughout the Middle East, minor players are likely to step aside and run for cover.
Attended by leaders around the world, the funeral of Shimon Peres facilitated a number of encounters - including a handshake and words between PM Netanyahu and PA President Abbas.
Did you miss the live broadcast from Jerusalem of the funeral of Shimon Peres? No problem. Here is a video copy...
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At this link: a live video feed from Jerusalem of the funeral of Shimon Peres.
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When he was in Washington D.C. last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participated in an informal interview at the Hudson Institute. One of the questions he was asked is this: "What role did God play in the creation of Israel." This is a transcript, and video clip, of the entire question and Netanyahu's intriguing answer.
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Today Shimon Peres' lies in state at Israel's parliament, the Knesset. Leaders around the world are descending on Jerusalem to attend tomorrow's funeral, including US President Obama and the UK's Prince Charles. This a video clip and written report about the ceremonies.
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Beloved in Israel as a founding father, Shimon Peres's life was characterized by resilience, optimism and perseverance. The belief that informed his visions for peace was humanistic Judaism. It is a world view from which he constructed the Oslo Accords. And it was the basis for the swan song of his life: the dream to establish a United Nations of Religions.
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Israel regards the United States as its closest and most important ally in the world. Accordingly, it has a keen interest in this years Presidential campaign. Last night the candidates, Trump and Clinton, debated. This is one Israeli perspective on that debate and what the contest means.
What would it be like to sit down with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and, in dialogue, ask him about Israel's relations with Russia, the US, China, Africa, Latin America and more? Last Friday it happened. This a transcript, and video, of that exchange.
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At the kickoff of "Sacred Defense Week" in Iran, its military leaders announced mass production plans for three long-range missile systems, boasting that, collectively, they will provide Tehran with targets anywhere - and with any level of destructive power.
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Israel's Leviathan gas field has signed its first customer. One-tenth of Leviathan's reserves have been sold to Jordan. At $10 billion, it is a big deal.
PA President Abbas recently said that recent terror attacks in Israel spring from Palestinian despair. A spokesman for his partner party, Hamas in Gaza, scoffed. He tweeted, "Our young people of their own accord, not because of despair."
Israel's robust commitment to using social media was bolstered yesterday when the country's President, Reuven Rivlin, conducted a live Q&A on Twitter. How did it look and sound? And as Israel enters Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot, what is on the nation's heart?
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.@furkanduisbumm #askrivlin pic.twitter.com/f8PJpOeEm9
— Reuven Rivlin (@PresidentRuvi) September 25, 2016
At the United Nations of 22 September 2016, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke for 40 minutes. He made the case for Israel by presenting current realities in the context of a future hope. See here the official video of his remarks, including a transcript.
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At the world's podium for 40 minutes, Netanyahu's presentation at the UN was characterized by clarity, authority and optimism. It was a textbook case of speaking truth to power.
In his opening remarks to the current session of the UN General Assembly, its Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, characterized any growth of Israeli communities in the nation's biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria as "madness." Israel's ambassador to the UN begs to differ.
A coalition of Syrian, Iranian and Hezbollah forces has assembled only 5 miles (8 km) from Israel's northern border. Israel is not its immediate objective, but it is very much on the minds of Assad and his military partners.
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, has published a new nighttime photo from the International Space Station. Under the unseen eye of Russia's Soyuz capsule, currently docked at the ISS, Israel is clearly featured - but not mentioned in the photo's title.