“They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying Peace, peace When there is no peace” (Jer. 6:14)
Dear Intercessors for Israel:
After eleven days of intense conflict between Israel and the Iranian supported Gazan terror organization, Hamas, a ceasefire has been achieved. Intense political maneuvering and international pressure from the United Nations, the U.S. and Egypt as well as representatives from other nations has led to a temporary stoppage of warfare. Israel’s Security Cabinet met late Thursday night(May 20th) and approved a “mutual and unconditional “cessation of hostilities. However, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that, “reality on the ground will determine the continuation of the campaign,” implying that Israel’s leaders are keeping with the principle of “quiet would be met by quiet.” A Hamas official confirmed to Reuters that the ceasefire would be “mutual and simultaneous.”(www.jpost.com) Israel, then called off the IAF’s “final strike” on Hamas’ positions, while this Islamic terror group continued to launch volleys of missiles at Israel’s cities. Since this latest round of warfare began May 9th, Hamas has fired some 4,360 rockets at Israel, damaging houses, schools, hospitals, factories, pipelines, warehouses, and forcing its citizens continually into bomb shelters. Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system has knocked out close to 90% of the incoming rockets, while some 600 of these missiles which Hamas launched, fell short and exploded inside Gaza or dropped harmlessly into the sea. Even so, twelve people, both Jew and Arab perished in Israel, while an estimated 250 Hamas terrorists and civilians were killed.
A Canceled Election
Hamas assault against Israel had nothing to do with any Israeli action against it. Hamas’s leadership was frustrated and angry with the decision by the Palestinian Authority’s to cancel the general election of May 22. Hamas then sought to humiliate President Abbas and his Fatah Party among the Arab people of the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). By marginalizing Abbas, Hamas could increase its political influence there and in Jerusalem. By launching a war against Israel, Hamas has effectively delivered the “goods” and gained a greater measure of respect among those Arabs who were looking for someone to deliver them from “the Occupation” (Israel). But God who defends Israel, still stands in their way, and they will not succeed. In any of their plans. God has brought His Jewish people back to the land and no terrorist organization will stop His purposes from coming to pass.
Hamas in the beginning of these hostilities, announced that it was defending the Dome of the Rock and the Arab neighborhood of Sheik Jarrah from Jewish incursions. Israel was then surprised by nightly rioting by Arab supporters of Hamas within its own cities. Lod, Ramla, Acre, Haifa, Jaffa and even Jerusalem saw mobs of Arabs, throwing fire-bombs at Jewish businesses, Israeli drivers being pulled from their vehicles and beaten, and homes attacked. Israel’s leaders and the nation as a whole was shocked by this insurrection. The Border Police had to be called out to restore order in Lod and Ramle.
Despite the “ceasefire, crowds of young Muslim worshipers, rioted after this Friday’s prayers. Rocks and flaming “Molotov cocktails” were thrown at the Israeli police, who then responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. The area around Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate, also saw groups of rioters gather to protest, with the police again being called to disperse these unruly crowds.
Gaza City
Gaza City with a population of some, one and half million people gets 85% of its electrical power from Israel! There is a small electrical power station in Gaza but it needs fuel to run its generators, which is transferred from Israel. During this conflict, Hama’s rockets damaged five of the eight electrical lines running from Ashkelon to Gaza City, resulting in electricity to its citizens becoming limited to only three hours a day. This power stoppage also caused the local water pumping stations inside Gaza.to cease their activities. Of course, this “damage” was blamed on Israel, but in reality, the terrorists of Hamas desire is that the citizens of Gaza “suffer” so as to increase their hatred of all things Israel. U.S. President Biden in a speech May 20th pledged “to rebuild Gaza.” He has already pledged 250 million dollars to fund Palestine.
Israel also operates the Karem Shalom border crossing between itself and Gaza, where humanitarian aid, such as water, fuel, hospital supplies and food are regularly transferred. When this crossing was being re-opened on May 18th, Hamas deliberately mortared the area, damaging trucks, injuring people and causing the crossing to be closed again, preventing any help from reaching the Gazan citizens and thus possibly reducing their loyality.
Hamas as an enemy of Israel, uses human shields (adults and children), to protect its leaders from harm, knowing Israel will not fire on innocent families, or civilians. Rockets and missiles are stored in mosques, hospitals and in United Nations buildings. Hamas also possesses an extensive 650 miles network of advanced tunnels deep underground, which Israel made a concentrated effort to destroy.
Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Khaled Mashaal are, also safely hidden away in the nation of Qatar. Please pray that these wicked individuals would either repent and change their ways or if not then swiftly encounter the justice of God for all the evils they have committed.
A true and lasting Peace?
Will this “ceasefire” lead to a real peace in the Middle East? Hardly, a ceasefire is only an agreement to stop hostilities. Dennis Ross, a former United States Middle East envoy in an recent interview with the Jerusalem Post stated “a Gaza cease fire is impossible as long as Hamas is armed with rockets, So long as Hamas can have rockets, then the prospect of changing anything in Gaza will be very limited and any calm is basically a short term calm.” Hamas before this conflict had built up an arsenal of some 14,000 plus rockets as well as mortars, anti-tank missiles and long-range missiles.
Israel also finds its hands restricted, towards achieving a long-lasting victory over these terrorists. A ground operation by the Israeli Army would lead to unacceptable number of casualties, costs and worldwide condemnation. Already, the Palestinian Authority is making a case to prosecute Israel’s leaders and generals for “war crimes” before the International Criminal Court. The United Nations is also meeting to “condemn Israel” for its right to defend itself.
Israel’s Ambassador Gilad Erdan recently condemned this body for its hypocrisy. The UN did absolutely nothing during the Israeli-Hamas conflict. Erdan in a speech before the General Assembly said in part:
Let me remind you of what many of you unfortunately, ignore: Hamas is an internationally designated jihadi terrorist organization, that has fired more than four thousand rockets at Israeli cities over the last 11 days. Right now, as I speak to you Israeli civilians are running to find shelter from Hamas’s indiscriminate attacks.
Here is a quote from the Hamas charter, “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.” And it continues: “The Day of Judgment will not come until Muslims fight the Jews and kill them”
Sadly, in todays debate, we are not seeing a defense of the goals laid out for the UN, but rather an indifference to Hamas’s charter, which like the Nazis, is committed to the genocide of the Jewish people. We see an attempt to create a false moral equivalence, an immoral equivalence, between Israel, a democracy that seeks peace and abides by International law, and a murderous terrorist organization with an ideology similar to ISIS, that is carrying out the double war crime of firing Israeli civilians while hiding its weapons behind Palestinian civilians, using them as human shields. This is what todays’ debate should be about…..” (Israel national news)
Turkish Drums of War
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, since he has been in leadership has increasedly turned against Israel and the Jewish people. Among his most recent statements is a demand this week that Jerusalem be separated from Israel. Erdogan heads the Turkish religious and political AKP Party, which supports Hamas. This party is calling for Muslims worldwide to rise up and “liberate” the al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount as well as Jerusalem.
Yena Safak, a newspaper that is close to the Erdogan’s regime, has called for Turkey to lead an Islamic alliance to attack Israel. The alliance would include Turkey, Iran, Qatar, Malaysia and Pakistan, countries that either back Hamas or are close to the Muslim Brotherhood. Ankara had consulted with Tehran last week about how to confront Israel, and Turkey has called on the Pope and others to encourage sanctions against the Jewish state. Is this the beginning of the formation of the nations which assemble against Israel in the End-Times or the start of the Psalm 83/Isaiah 17 war? We could be closer to the final days than we know. Come Lord Jesus!
Israel’s Future
The way of Islam in its future days will be dark and slippery for there is no life in a religion which glorifies death. Long after the Al Aksa Mosque has crumbled into dust, and Islam is no more, the people of Israel will be seen rejoicing, for their Messiah King Yeshua will be among them. They will come forth as gold tried in the fire.
Let Ishmael Live
Abraham’s cry to God after hearing that Isaac was to be born, was “Let Ishmael live.” Please pray for the Islamic world, pray for the people of Gaza, pray for the leaders of Hamas to find salvation. Pray that Muslims encounter Christ
Pray for Israel and the Jewish people. Pray that the veil of blindness and rejection of their Messiah Yeshua be removed. Pray for hardened hearts to change, and that all Israel would know their Messiah.
Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, “May there be peace within your walls” (Ps. 122:6-8)
Shabbat Shalom Gene and Marylois/House of Peace