1. Kassam Explodes near Kindergarten2. Hamas Rejects Holocaust Museum Trip3. Fayyad: No Plans for Unilateral Declaration; On-course for Statehood4. Report: Turkey Upset over Israel–Cyprus Deal5. Israeli Army Responds to Threat of Hamas Anti-Tank Missiles6. UN Urged to Vote Down Commemoration for Anti-Israel Conference7. Four Million Holocaust Victims Now Identified8. Israel Sends UN Complaint over Gaza Rockets9. More Immigrants among Entrepreneurs
1. Kassam Explodes near KindergartenMiracle south of Ashkelon: A Kassam rocket exploded near a kindergarten in a kibbutz within the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council on Tuesday morning [December 21] just as dozens of parents were bringing their children to school. A 14-year-old girl was lightly injured by shrapnel and glass fragments. Several people suffered from shock, including a young boy and a gas-truck driver.
The Kassam exploded at around 8 am on, just seconds after the "code red" siren was sounded. Residents rushed to take cover. The injured 14-year-old was in her home not far from the kindergarten and was preparing to leave for school.
Some of the children were already in the kindergarten when the rocket exploded nearby. Kindergarten teacher Ronit told Ynet, "I was on the path that leads to the kindergarten when I heard the siren. I ran towards the children in the building. The kindergarten itself is a bomb shelter, so there was no reason to move anyone. The children were relatively calm. Right after the explosion the children started coloring."
She said that the kids didn't seem to be affected by the blast. "The amazing thing was that the children were all drawing colorful and happy pieces of artwork. Not a black or dark color in sight. We are supposed to be getting a supporting wall for additional protection soon. Sadly, recently there have been quite a few "code red" sirens that mean that rockets have fallen within the area and that affects the children as well."
Tammy, a kibbutz resident, recalls the terrifying events: "We heard the 'code red' siren and went into the bomb shelter. The blast was very loud, and I immediately told my husband that the rocket fell in the kibbutz."
A defense establishment official said Tuesday morning that the recent escalation in the south was not random. "The terror organizations are trying to test the Israeli response to increased rocket fire." Military sources told Ynet that the escalation was the result of internal Palestinian processes and terror organizations' anniversaries.
The Israel Defense Forces [IDF] bombed seven targets in the Gaza Strip on Monday night in a bid to convey a firm message that Israel will not ignore the mortar and rocket fire. It was one of the most extensive attacks carried out by the Air Force since the end of Operation Cast Lead about two years ago.
Hamas, the IDF believes, is not taking an active part in the events, but is fully responsible for the escalation. According to estimates, its leaders are instructing the other organizations to test the Israeli response. Army officials are aware of the fact that the terror organizations act gradually—starting with mortar shells fired at communities near the border fence and moving on to rockets fired at populated areas in Sderot and Ashkelon.
"We have conveyed clear messages. We shall not accept this type of fire. We have many more ways to convey to the other side the message that such a reality will receive a proper response."
The kindergarten compound, where the rocket landed, is not fully fortified. The defense establishment decided to fortify the roof only, although sources in the Gaza vicinity kibbutzim said it would cost more than building a new kindergarten. "Now they've decided to fortify the side walls of all kindergartens in the Gaza vicinity as well, up to 1.30 meters [4.3 feet]. The work will begin in January, and the children will have to stay in an alternative structure for about half a year."
Home Front Command officials have been holding meetings with local council heads in recent days. "These are strong communities, which recognize the complex reality. They know how to act on days of escalation like this one," the military sources said.
(Excerpts of an article by Shmulik Hadad and Hanan Greenberg contributed to this report, Ynetnews, December 21, 2010)
Prayer Focus
Pray that Lord will protect Israel's children throughout the land but particularly in the south, as they are increasingly threatened with violence.
Scripture
"'And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; and they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you to save you and deliver you,' says the Lord. 'I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you from the grip of the terrible'" (Jeremiah 15:20–21).
2. Hamas Rejects Holocaust Museum TripHamas condemned on Saturday [December 18] the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees [UNRWA] for its intention to take excelling Gazan students on a visit to the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. The terror group called the plan "suspicious" and demanded that the initiative be dropped. It also called on the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria] to "take a national stand for halting the moral corruption of superior Palestinian youth.
The tours on human rights which UNRWA is organizing abroad, especially in New York, include visits to the Holocaust Museum and the site on which the Twin Towers stood," says a statement issued by Hamas.
"UNRWA clerks have offered explanations of the Holocaust and expressed in them empathy for the Jewish people for what it underwent. UNRWA must focus on materials regarding the rights of the Palestinian refugees without dealing with persecution in other areas of the world," the statement adds.
"The memory of the children of Gaza cannot withstand the suffering of all of the persecuted people around the world. The suffering caused by the Jewish occupiers is enough. Besides, the United States has no claim to human rights, as it violates them every day around the world and in its own territory."
(By Roee Nahmias, Ynetnews, December 18, 2010)
Prayer Focus
Pray that Palestinian children will be allowed to receive a balanced education without the incitement to hatred caused by historical revisionism.
Scripture
"Therefore hear me now, my children, and do not depart from the words of my mouth" (Proverbs 5:7).
3. Fayyad: No Plans for Unilateral Declaration; On-course for StatehoodPalestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad told Israeli television on Saturday [December 18] that plans for statehood by August 2011 are on course, and that there are no plans for a unilateral declaration before then. It was Fayyad who launched the plan for perfecting institutions and infrastructure necessary to support a state and then declare statehood—within a two-year time frame from the time the plan was launched.
As U.S.-brokered talks between Israel and the Palestinians stagnate, Palestinian leaders have been threatening to move to a "Plan B"—turning to the United Nations for international support for a Palestinian state.
Earlier this month, three South American nations extended recognition of the Palestinian state, causing both Washington and Jerusalem to charge that such actions harm rather than support peace-making efforts.
Fayyad said that without Israeli assent to statehood, the Palestinian entity would be a "Mickey Mouse state" because Israel would remain an occupying power.
(By The Media Line, December 19, 2010)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the Lord will intervene in this process at every level, preventing Israel's enemies from forcing decisions that would harm the nation and prevent Israel from existing as a Jewish state on the Land He promised to His people.
Scripture
"Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever" (Exodus 32:13).
4. Report: Turkey Upset over Israel–Cyprus DealAn agreement meant to prevent disputes over oil and gas fields may stir diplomatic crisis in Mediterranean: Turkish sources said Sunday [December 19] that [Turkish] Foreign Ministry officials had summoned Israel's Ambassador to Turkey Gabby Levy and expressed discontent over an agreement signed between Israel and Cyprus, which demarcates the exclusive economic zone within the territorial waters of the two countries and divides their rights to search for oil and gas reservoirs in the Mediterranean Sea.
According to a report published by a Turkish Web site, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan firmly opposes any maritime agreement between Cyprus and countries in the eastern Mediterranean, because it undermines the status of Turkish Cyprus [Northern Cyprus] and its stake of the territorial waters.
During the meeting with Levy, officials at the Turkish Foreign Ministry stressed that "Turkey opposes the agreement until a just and inclusive solution is reached in the Cyprus conflict." Turkey is the only country in the world that recognizes Turkish Cyprus [which is considered, by other nations, part of Cyprus].
The report also stated that Turkey would not hesitate sending its naval forces to the area in order to thwart any oil field exploration. According to the report, Turkey sees any such maritime agreement futile as long as there is no comprehensive peace agreement between Israel, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinians.
The [Israeli] Foreign Ministry issued a statement in response, saying the agreement "was not meant to harm other countries in the region." The ministry emphasized the importance of the agreement and stated it was "the first time Israel's western border was set."
On Friday [December 17], Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau and Cyprus' Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou signed an agreement that set the exclusive economic zone within the territorial waters of the two countries. The clarification of the borderline is essential in protecting Israel's rights to oil and underwater gas reservoirs in the future.
(By Roee Nahmias, Ronen Medzini contributed, Ynetnews, December 19, 2010)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the Lord will protect Israel's rights to oil and underwater gas reservoirs in the region, preventing Turkey's leadership from using military or diplomatic pressure to create a crisis.
Scripture
"There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless the LORD's counsel—that will stand" (Proverbs 19:21).
5. Israeli Army Responds to Threat of Hamas Anti-Tank MissilesResponding to threat assessments that warn of a Hamas arsenal of sophisticated anti-tank missiles, Israel's army announced on Sunday [December 19] that it will immediately deploy battle tanks fortified with advanced anti-missile protection. Tanks outfitted with the Windbreaker active armor protection system will be stationed along Israel's border with the Gaza Strip.
The system, designed and manufactured by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., was created in response to the heavy toll Israel's tank corps suffered in the 2006 war against Hizbullah in Lebanon. Intelligence believes that Hamas has upgraded both quality and quantity of its missiles.
An anti-tank missile was fired at an Israel tank two weeks ago, causing damage to the tank but no injuries to its crew.
(By The Media Line, December 20, 2010)
Prayer Focus
Pray for the effectiveness of all of Israel's military equipment particularly in light of growing threats from Hamas, but pray also that all Israel will look to the Lord their God as the source of their strength and security.
Scripture
"For I will not trust in my bow, nor shall my sword save me. But you have saved us from our enemies, and have put to shame those who hated us. In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever" (Psalm 44:6–8).
6. UN Urged to Vote Down Commemoration for Anti-Israel ConferenceThe World Jewish Congress has sent a letter to United Nations ambassadors in New York urging them to vote against a proposed resolution to commemorate in September 2011 the tenth anniversary of the infamous World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance (WCAR) held in Durban, South Africa in 2001.
The letter reminded the permanent representatives of all UN member states that this Durban I conference, originally meant to be a conference to combat racism, had deteriorated into a 'hate fest' against the United States, the West, and Israel, and that a commemoration of this travesty should not take place.
In the letter, the World Jewish Congress leaders said: "We all too acutely remember the shock of 9/11, and the irony of it following immediately after Durban I was not lost on New Yorkers. A so-called commemoration of Durban I at the United Nations in New York in September 2011 would echo the outrage and the pain…and would only serve to undermine the goals of the United Nations charter."
All United Nations ambassadors were urged to reject the resolution and, in the event of it coming to pass, not participate in what portends to be a glorification of a shameful United Nations failure.
(By World Jewish Congress, December 21, 2010)
Prayer Focus
Pray that UN ambassadors will stand against this resolution and prevent this travesty from taking place.
Scripture
"Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just; for the righteous God tests the hearts and minds" (Psalm 7:9).
7. Four Million Holocaust Victims Now IdentifiedTwo-thirds of the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust have now been identified, thanks in large part to efforts set up by the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Israel. A press release from Yad Vashem announcing the progress in identifying 4 million victims said that, in particular, the last five years have seen increases in the number of names identified in Eastern European nations and Greece.
Overall, the last decade has seen 1.5 million names added to the Names Database, an increase of some 60% in the information possessed by Yad Vashem, Avner Shalev, chairman of Yad Vashem, said in the press release:
"The Germans sought not only to destroy the Jews, but to obliterate any memory of them. One of Yad Vashem's central missions since its foundation, the recovery of each and every victim's name and personal story, has resulted in relentless efforts to restore the names and identities of as many of the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis and their accomplices as possible. We will continue our efforts to recover the unknown names, and by harnessing technology in the service of memory, we are able to share their names with the world."
A key aspect of the effort to identify those murdered by the Nazis are the Pages of Testimony, special forms filled out in memory of the victims by people who remember them. More than half of the names currently known (some 2.2 million out of 4 million) are from Pages of Testimony.
While the rest of the names have come from archival sources and postwar commemoration projects, the recovery process has been more difficult in some nations. Progress, however, is being made.
"During the last five years, we have concentrated our names-recovery efforts in areas where most of the names remain unknown," said Alexander Avraham, director of the Hall of Names at Yad Vashem, said in the press release. "We have made great progress. In 2005, we knew the names of some 20% of Jews murdered in Ukraine; today we know 35%; in Byelorussia [former Soviet region] the figure has risen from 23% to 37% today, Poland (1938 borders) from 35% to 46%, Hungary from 45% to 65%, and Greece from 35% to 70%."
Yad Vashem has also enabled people around the world to find online the names of the victims of the Holocaust, or Shoah in Hebrew. The entire Central Database of Shoah Victims' Names is available on www.yadvashem.org in three different languages: English, Hebrew and Russian.
(By Joshua Spurlock, BFP Israel Mosaic Radio, December 21, 2010)
Prayer Focus
Pray for the ongoing work of Yad Vashem as they attempt to honor victims of the Holocaust by sharing their names with the world. Pray that they will have increasing cooperation from nations where their work needs to continue.
Scripture
"They have said, 'Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more" (Psalm 83:4).
8. Israel Sends UN Complaint over Gaza RocketsIsrael is responding diplomatically to the rocket fire from Gaza, following an attack that landed near a kindergarten and injured a 14-year-old girl on Tuesday morning [December 21]. A letter of complaint about the Gaza attacks was sent to US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, the current president of the UN Security Council and posted on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web site.
In the letter, Israel Ambassador to the UN Meron Reuben pointed to the more than 20 rocket and mortar attacks since December 19, calling the attacks "part of an escalation of terrorist attacks emanating from Gaza that target Israeli civilians, towns, and military personnel.
"Israel holds the de facto authority in the Gaza Strip [Hamas] completely responsible for all of these incidents, which are carried out in clear violation of international law. In response to such attacks, Israel has exercised and will continue to exercise its right to self-defense."
A copy of the letter was also sent to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Reuben called upon the international community to "send a clear and resolute message that these attacks are unacceptable." The letter also called upon the Security Council to "give appropriate attention" to arms smuggling into Gaza, which "continues to fuel violence and instability in our region—in violation of numerous Security Council resolutions."
Meanwhile, Israel also responded militarily to the rocket-fire. According to a press release posted on the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Web site, the Israel Air Force bombed a "Hamas terror activity center" on Tuesday in response to the Gaza attacks. This followed Israeli air strikes the night before of seven Gaza "terror-related" sites.
Despite the increase in violence, IDF spokeswoman Lt. Col. Avital Leibovich dismissed concerns of further escalation. Speaking with Bridges for Peace, Leibovich said, "I believe that Hamas will understand the meaning of intensifying any attempts of terrorism against Israel and therefore will not rush into escalation."
Regardless of whether or not Hamas is the group firing the rockets, the IDF holds the terror organization responsible since they control what happens in the Gaza Strip. On Wednesday [December 22], the situation had calmed, with no reported attacks in Israeli media.
Leibovich said it appeared Hamas had received the message. "I believe so, in the last couple of days, we hit some terror targets, either arsenal of rockets or tunnels that were used to pass on rockets from one side to another, and I believe that our message was heard loud and clear."
While Leibovich said they are monitoring the situation, she did not think it would necessitate another operation in Gaza like the massive Operation Cast Lead of two years ago. She also noted things are nowhere near as bad as they were before Cast Lead.
"I'm hopeful that things will calm down," said Leibovich. "If you look at it in the perspective of two years since Operation Cast Lead, I remind you that the main goal of that operation was to minimize the rocket fire into Israel, and this we have achieved. We tend to have a short memory, but we have moved from 60, 80—even more—launchings a week before Operation Cast Lead, to just a few a month. So I think that we should treat this couple of days as the peak, and no more than that."
(By Joshua Spurlock, BFP Israel Mosaic Radio, December 22, 2010)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the international community will stand in outrage against these ongoing terror attacks perpetrated in the south of Israel. Pray that ALL such activity comes to an end.
Scripture
"Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloodthirsty men" (Psalm 59:1–2).
9. More Immigrants among Entrepreneurs"The number of entrepreneurs among immigrants is three times that of entrepreneurs in veteran Israeli society," Immigrant Absorption Minister Sofa Landver revealed during the Innovation 2010 convention, which was held last Thursday [December 16] in Tel Aviv. Director-General of Association of Entrepreneurs in Israel Irena Valdberg added that "during more than 20 years of aliyah [immigration] from the former Russian satellite states, 9,000 scientists were absorbed, including 4,500 in industry and high-tech."
The emphasis at this year's convention was on the activities of immigrant entrepreneurs in the fields of technology, scientific development, and their affect on high-tech development in Israel.
Some 30 senior researchers, university chiefs, technology center managers, and investors from throughout Russia took part in the convention. The technologies presented at the convention focused, among other things, on alternative energy sources, production of the next generation of electric engine batteries, and more.
"51% of total Israeli exports are technological exports" said Valdberg. "That is a very impressive figure that stands out in relation to other developed countries. Israeli high-tech constitutes half of Israel's industrial exports, and more than 20% of the employees in the sector are immigrants from former Soviet states.
"There are 111,000 engineers that made aliyah from former Soviet satellite states; two-thirds of them are employed as scientists or in other technical positions. This data obliges us as a service provider and sees to the welfare of the immigrants, so that they may continue to develop programs and knowledge. That is why this convention was born."
Vitaly Vishnepolsky, CEO of Israeli-Canadian Martal, a company which promotes Israeli entrepreneurs abroad said: "We know how to create economic value from technologies, and that is exactly what the Russians need today. We come into the picture at the advanced development stage and help young entrepreneurs turn the technology into a commercial idea with real marketable value [and] find business partners and investors. Russia is seeking new financial models."
(By Olga Gouresky, Ynetnews, December 21, 2010)
Prayer Focus
Thank God for Israel's remarkable status in the high-tech world. Pray that the Lord will continue to fulfill His word by using Israel to bless the nations.
Scripture
"Indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth'" (Isaiah 49:6).
Note: All Scripture is taken from the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.
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