“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem . . .”
Psalm 122:6 (NIV)
Shalom, my friend.
The crisis in the Middle East – the conflict, uncertainty and animosity against Israel and the Jewish people – continues to escalate.
And while there’s every reason to be concerned, I stand on the knowledge that God is in control of every situation. I believe He will intervene and work everything according to His own purposes. As the Scriptures declare, “God’s ways are not our own.”
But in the midst of it all, God has called us to pray. Our prayerful actions are what you and I are able to control today, tomorrow and in the days and weeks ahead. We can – and must – be obedient in this.
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is not an option.
Thank you for standing with us so faithfully. And for your love for God’s Chosen People.
Please continue to pray for the work and ministry we do together at Jewish Voice. And pray for God to open more doors to share the Good News of Yeshua (Jesus) with the Jewish people.
IRAN EXPANDS TERROR THREAT IN MIDDLE EAST AND ISRAEL THROUGH IRAQI MILITIAS
While negotiations continue with Tehran for their return to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), The Jerusalem Post reported last week that Iran has recently established even closer ties with Iraqi militias and is now using them to attack Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other states.
The Jerusalem Post indicates that Iran has been arming, mobilizing and advising militias in Iraq since the 1980s. But recent attacks demonstrate Iran’s larger expansion through Iraq and its greater threat.
The most recent attack being the drone strike in UAE. The news that a militia in Iraq may have been behind the attack on the UAE is an important new milestone in Iran’s role.
The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen attacked the UAE on January 17, 24 and 31. The expansion of attacks to include Iranian-backed ones from Iraq is being seen, according to The Jerusalem Post, as a new threat. The attack from Iraq reportedly involved up to four drones and was launched by a group tied to pro-Iran groups in Iraq.
Another significant indication is the May 2021 attacks in Israel.
While Iran had targeted Israel with drones for several years from Syria, The Jerusalem Post reports that Tehran upped its drone threats to Israel in May 2021 during Israeli clashes with Hamas in Gaza. Iran had already provided Hamas with drone technology just as it had done with Hezbollah and the Houthis.
But in May 2021, Iran was behind the drone threat to Israel from Iraq, with a drone apparently flying all the way from Iraq into Israel’s airspace before being shot down. The incident was reported at the time. Jerusalem said the drone was an Iranian UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) at the time and indicated it came from Syria or Iraq. Subsequent reporting said it came from Iraq.
GERMANY OFFICIALS REJECT “APARTHEID” LABEL FOR ISRAEL IN RECENT AMNESTY REPORT
According to Deutsche Welle (DW), one of Germany’s international news outlets, Germany’s Foreign Ministry gave a statement late last week in connection with the report published earlier in the week by the human rights organization Amnesty International regarding Israel's treatment of Palestinians . . .
The Amnesty report accused Israel of subjecting Palestinians to a system of “apartheid” founded on policies of “segregation, dispossession and exclusion.”
Germany, as reported by DW, disagrees with the use of the term “apartheid” in reference to Israel, the Foreign Ministry said.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christopher Burger said at a press conference, “We reject expressions like apartheid or a one-sided focusing of criticism on Israel. That is not helpful to solving the conflict in the Middle East.”
Germany is one of Israel's staunchest supporters and has pursued a special relationship with the country as well as with pro-Israeli Jewish groups in Germany.
The Central Council of Jews in Germany labeled Amnesty’s report “antisemitic” and called on Amnesty International's German chapter to distance itself from it.
Amnesty International Germany published the report on its website but noted that, in the current climate and historical context, an “objective, factual debate” on the report is difficult to achieve – and said it would not organize any activities around the publication to deter “misinterpretations of the report.”
According to DW, the report was no longer prominently placed on the Amnesty Germany website late last week, despite being at the top of the Amnesty International page.
ISRAEL’S DEFENSE MINISTER’S FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO BAHRAIN SENDS CLEAR MESSAGE TO IRAN
The Jerusalem Post reported last week that Israel’s Defense Minister, Benny Gantz, made his first official visit to Bahrain.
According to The Jerusalem Post, Defense Minister Gantz signed historic military agreements, met with King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa and met with the commander of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.
The public meetings, a year after the Abraham Accords were signed, come as tensions with the Islamic Republic of Iran are at an all-time high, and missile attacks by their proxies in Yemen and Iraq against the UAE have increased.
Bahrain, according to The Jerusalem Post, has been of strategic interest to Iran for years. The kingdom has previously seen several large attacks by the terror cells organized by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah – and continues to face threats posed by Sunni terror groups.
With the meetings a mere 200 kilometers away from Iran, Israel is sending a clear message to Iran: We are building bridges with your neighbors, and we are here to stay.
Let Us Pray Together
Please pray with me for:
- God to move in the hearts of world leaders and give wisdom to address the global threat of a nuclear Iran
- God’s protection to be upon His people in Israel who are constantly facing threats and violence from surrounding enemies
- Peace in the hearts and minds of the people of Israel and their enemies
- Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah
