This issue looks at the latest Iranian threat, more attacks on Israel, new elections in Israel, the upcoming joint Israeli-U.S. military exercises, enlistment notices to ultra-Orthodox, the arrest of more Christians in Iran, and a surprising revelation from Benghazi.
OUR ISRAELI CONNECTION
News from the Jerusalem Prayer Team
Highlighting his country’s hatred and destructive plans toward Israel, Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Shirazi, of the radical Quds (Jerusalem) Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, claimed that Iran needed “just 24 hours” to destroy Israel. The Quds Force is designed to operate outside the borders of Iran, and hundreds of their soldiers are in Syria trying to help prop up the brutal Assad regime in that bloody civil war. The very fact that Iran has an elite military unit named for Jerusalem shows that their words are not empty threats. They want to destroy the Jewish state and reclaim control of the Holy City for Islam.
This week has seen a huge increase in rocket and mortar attacks on Israel from Gaza. Day after day, Israeli families have scrambled to get their children and themselves into safe shelter in the fifteen seconds warning time they have when these attacks are launched. What a tragedy! And yet the world continues to blame Israel for the lack of peace.
News from One Jerusalem
This week, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, announced that his governing coalition will be terminated and new elections will be held in January. While internal politics are the primary driving force behind this decision to hold elections, the elections will serve Israel in another way. By Israeli standards this government has been one of the most stable and productive in Israel’s history. Despite world-wide economic problems, Israel is seen as one of the most economically sound economy’s in the world. These elections will allow the citizens of Israel the opportunity to show the world what they think about such pressing issues as a nuclear Iran.
Inspiring Video
For years, we have thought of Israel and the surrounding countries as places where people are afraid to leave their homes for fear of being bombed or shot – – instead, the opposite has become true – – here is a video of people enjoying life with the attitude: “If it is going to happen – – so be it” “Let’s enjoy what we can right now!” Watch video.
News from the Israel Project
The United States and Israel will conduct their largest joint military exercise ever, dubbed
Trucks transporting Patriot batteries (Photo: Avi Rokach)
Austere Challenge, later this month. More than 3,500 Americans and 1,000 Israelis will participate in a three-week drill tackling threat scenarios and focusing in part on the two allies’ coordinated air defense systems. In addition to testing anti-missile assets such as Israel’s Iron Dome against simulated missile, rocket, and mortar attacks, the exercise will test response and coordination against a hostile drone such as the one last week that penetrated Israeli airspace before being destroyed by the Israeli Air Force. This week Israel will also host a visiting delegation of American
A screenshot taken from video released by the IDF Spokesman, showing an unidentified drone being downed, October 6, 2012.
counter-terrorism experts, who are in the country to discuss counter-terrorism best practices and technology.
Picture of the Week
Dozens of deadly steel ball bearings from a Grad rocket fired from Gaza blasted like bullets into a child’s bedroom in the town of Netivot on Friday.
The Israeli army will send enlistment notices to 15,000 ultra-Orthodox youths currently attending religious schools in the coming weeks, part of an effort inside Israel to fully integrate all citizens into the state’s civil and military institutions. Existing ultra-orthodox army battalions will be expanded to accommodate the new enlistees, though they will not be formally drafted until January after the Israeli election. Integration efforts have also expanded into Israel’s higher education system, where a new program aims to double the number of ultra-orthodox students by 2017.
IT’S NEWS TO ME
Another Inspiring Video
Every so often, I receive a video that shakes my world and proclaims the greatness of God. We need this kind of reminder lest we become depressed over the world’s events. Thanks to my friend Phil Grubb for forwarding this. Click here to be amazed.
Christians Arrested in Iran
Israel National News reports: Iranian police, termed “Iran’s Gestapo” by a Christian news site, has arrested between 100 and 400 Christians and thrown them into prisons. Firouz Khandjani, a council member of the ‘Church of Iran’ house church movement, told the Christian BosNewsLife website, “We have learned that at least 100, but perhaps as many as 400 people, have been detained over the last 10 days.” He said massive arrests of men and women included the break-up of church services held by evangelical Christians in three cities, including Tehran. “We know that many have been forced to say they will no longer attend church services in exchange for freedom,” he said. “They are of several movements. But it has become clear that Protestant Christians are now viewed as enemy number one of the state,” according to Khandjani. “We need urgent prayers.” Read more.
Benghazi: Marines ‘supported’ by jihadists
WorldNetDaily reports: Video and documentary evidence shows that a Libyan-government-sponsored militia that reportedly provided support to American Marines on the night of the Sept. 11 Benghazi attacks is a radical Islamic militia that, like the presumed assailants, flies the black flag of jihad. Read more.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
Whose cruel idea was it for the word lisp to have s in it?
Leave A Comment