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Visit our Web site: www.bridgesforpeace.com | August 19, 2011 |
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1. Southern Israel Hit by Rocket Fire
2. Israel Prepares as Palestinians Move Closer to UN Move
3. IDF Bombs Gaza, One Dead
4. Democrats Show Strong Support for Israel
5. IDF Recommends Release of Fatah Prisoners
6. US Presses Israel to Apologize to Turkey
7. Palestinian Factions Reconsider Relations with Assad
8. Skits in Palestinian Kindergarten
1. Southern Israel Hit by Rocket FireAt least eight rockets were fired at Israel's southern communities overnight on Friday [August 19], less than a day after eight Israelis were killed in multiple terror attacks near Eilat. A siren was sounded in Beersheba at around 5:50 am and shortly thereafter a blast was heard as a rocket hit an open field near the city. A rocket also exploded south of Gedera. Rockets were also fired at the Eshkol and Shaar Hanegev regional councils. Sirens were sounded in Ashkelon and Ashdod. There were no reports of injuries or damage. Beersheba Mayor Rubik Danilovitch called on residents to adhere to instructions by the defense establishments. An Iron Dome battery was deployed in the city.
Also Friday morning, a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip at Gan Yavne and landed in an open field. Thirty minutes later an additional rocket landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council. There were no reports of injuries or damage in both cases. Earlier, a Color Red alarm was sounded three times across southern communities. In two cases, rockets hit open areas in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council, and in one case in an open field in the Sdot Negev Regional Council.
A total of four rockets were fired at Ashkelon on Thursday, two of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome system. The rockets had been aimed at residential areas. The other two rockets exploded in open areas. Security forces scanned the area. No injuries or damage were reported.
Meanwhile, Israel's Air Force launched extensive strikes in the Gaza Strip. The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] Spokesperson's Unit confirmed that IAF [Israel Air Force] jets attacked seven targets in the Gaza Strip in response to Thursday's terror attacks and the firing of rockets at southern communities.
According to the statement, two terror centers and an arms manufacturing warehouse were attacked in the northern Strip, while two smuggling tunnels, a terrorist tunnel and a terror center were attacked in southern Gaza. Palestinians reported that a fire had broken out in one targeted area which left one teen dead and dozens injured.
(By Shmulik Hadad with contributions by Ilana Curiel and Tova Dadon, Ynetnews, August 19, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray for the injured and the families of the casualties of this horrific attack. Pray that the Lord will intervene to keep the situation from escalating and that Israel will respond with appropriate force to all the violence being unleashed in the south at this time. Pray that the Lord will protect the borders, the people of the south and the Israeli Defense Forces from any further aggression as the perpetrators are brought to justice.
Scripture
"Arise, O LORD, confront him, cast him down; deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword" (Psalm 17:13).
2. Israel Prepares as Palestinians Move Closer to UN MoveSPECIAL REPORT: JERUSALEM - Palestinian plans to go to the United Nations for unilateral statehood recognition continue to move forward, even as Israel continues to call for a renewal of peace talks and prepares in case the Palestinians follow-through with the UN. Arab nations are also continuing their prep work. An urgent meeting of the Arab League's Arab peace initiative follow-up committee, at the foreign minister level, is now planned for next Tuesday (August 23) to discuss plans related to the UN approach. According to the WAFA Palestinian news agency, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to be in attendance at the Arab meeting.
The event comes in the context of preparatory work for the UN appeal, as well as what WAFA characterized as "intensive Arab talks" with foreign capitals for international support of Palestinian statehood recognition.
The meeting is set to be held less than a month before the annual UN meeting where the Palestinians are expected to make their statehood request. The UN Security Council is capable of issuing a legally-binding resolution on statehood recognition, but the US is expected to veto the move. In light of that, WAFA has reported in the past that the Palestinians are planning to turn to the UN General Assembly - which cannot issue legally binding edicts on the statehood matter - for an upgrade to nonmember UN status, which would enable them to join a number of UN organizations.
Meanwhile, with the Palestinians and Arabs moving towards the oncoming UN event, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made yet another appeal for Abbas to restart peace talks. Prime Minister's Office spokesman Mark Regev, speaking with The Mideast Update by phone, said the Israeli leader on Monday again invited Abbas to come to Jerusalem to negotiate.
Said Regev of Netanyahu, "He's said he's willing to go to Ramallah to negotiate, he's said the only way to move forward in peace, the only way to overcome the problems, is through negotiations. But unfortunately the Palestinians have stubbornly refused to engage in peace talks, and I would ask them: How do you expect to make peace without talking?"
"Our message is clear: Israel wants peace, and we think the international community should do what it can to encourage the Palestinians not to walk away from peace talks," said Regev. "Everything else is a mirage, there's no other way to solve the issues that are on the table - only through negotiations. And so we think the international community should be sending a message to the Palestinians: It's time to negotiate."
That's significant since the battle doesn't end with the UN. Following the expected Palestinian UN step, an international legal onslaught against Israel could be forthcoming. Without going into details, Regev said Israel is also considering "the day after" for a prospective Palestinian UN move. "We're looking at all sorts of different scenarios, diplomatic and other, that's the job of the government," said Regev.
As for potential concerns, such as the potential for violence or international legal attacks on Israel, he said Israel is "looking at all the different implications and different scenarios and looking at our options."
Looking ahead, it looks like the situation's emotional intensity could only increase. The status of Jerusalem, Israel's capital and yet also claimed by the Palestinians, is among the matters on which the Arabs are seeking to get global comment. WAFA said that the Arabs are seeking "to gain an international recognition of the state of Palestine within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital."
The so-called 1967 borders were actually armistice lines between Israel and multiple Arab states, including Jordan in the West Bank and Egypt in Gaza, prior to the 1967 Six-Day War. While commonly referred to as borders, they have never been formal borders.
Regev said that Israel believes that all the core issues of the conflict, including Jerusalem, borders, legitimacy, refugees, settlements and security, should be "on the table for negotiations." He noted that for the peace process to work both sides are going to have show leadership, creativity and flexibility, saying that Netanyahu is willing to do so.
Abbas has claimed that a UN move can work alongside peace negotiations, but the US, Germany and other nations are opposed to a UN approach. Israel sees it as hurting the peace process - both now and in the future.
Said Regev, "This Palestinian attempt to try to detour around negotiations is at the very best unhelpful and at the worst it could actually set peace back by putting extremist Palestinian positions into UN resolutions, making it much more difficult for any future Palestinian leadership to show flexibility in peace talks."
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, August 17, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the Palestinian leadership will realize the importance of the negotiating table and give up on the idea of a unilateral declaration of statehood. Pray that the nations of the world will stand with Israel and block any such declaration.
Scripture
"Arise, O LORD, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your sight" (Psalm 9:19).
3. IDF Bombs Gaza, One DeadThe Air Force bombed four targets and a terror cell preparing to fire rockets at Israel following the Grad rocket attack on Beersheba, the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] said before dawn on Tuesday [August 16], stressing that the strikes were retaliatory. The army says all targets were hit, and that while carrying out the strikes, the terror cell was identified and hit just before firing the rockets in their possession. Palestinian sources in Gaza say one was killed and two others injured. According to medical sources affiliated with Hamas, two other Palestinians were wounded during the strikes.
Among them was a youth injured when a smuggling tunnel was bombed. "The army will not tolerate any attempt at harming the citizens of Israel and IDF soldiers and will continue to act with determination and power against any agent using terror against the State of Israel. The Hamas terror organization is the address and holds the responsibility," the IDF stated.
Late Monday night a grad rocket fired from the Gaza Strip exploded in open spaces outside Beersheba. No injuries or damage were reported. Many residents rushed to shelters as a siren sounded throughout the city.
The rocket exploded as members of the Trachtenberg Committee were visiting Beersheba's social protest tent site. Protesters were forced to flee the site in order to take cover at a nearby educational center as the siren blared. Following the explosion, Beersheba Mayor Rubik Danilovitch said he plans to ask Defense Minister Ehud Barak to redeploy an Iron Dome battery in the city.
(By Ynetnews, August 16)
Prayer Focus
Pray that these rocket attacks from Gaza will cease. Pray that any weapons aimed against Israel will simply fail to function and that the Israel Defense Forces will have wisdom from the Lord in dealing with all attacks against the nation.
Scripture
"The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways" (Deuteronomy 28:7).
4. Democrats Show Strong Support for IsraelPresident Shimon Peres hosted a working meeting today [July 12] with 26 Democratic Members of Congress. The delegation, led by Democratic Party Whip Steny Hoyer, is the first of several cross party Congressional delegations who are coming to Israel this summer. The delegation is sponsored by the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, and is the first of several delegations from both major US parties that will visit Israel in the course of the month. The visits are part of what AIPAC says is a tradition designed to strengthen friendship between Israel and Congress. Steny Hoyer presented President Peres with a parchment copy of House Resolution 268 which was adopted on May 13, 2011.
Rep. Hoyer said when presenting it, "As you know we have a lot of partisan differences in our Congress today, but there is real value and centrality on the policies of the United States towards Israel and there is little if any partisan difference in the Congress on the issue of Israel. Eric Cantor (Republican) and I introduced a resolution that was passed by the Congress, just a few weeks ago.
That resolution articulated, once again, and reaffirmed our unyielding support for Israel, and our opposition to the Palestinians declaring independence. We believe the Palestinians would be making an error seeking UN recognition now before negotiations. We urge the Palestinians and the Israelis to return to the table without preconditions."
President Peres responded by saying, "Thank you very much from the depth of my heart. You are always so generous and friendly to our people and our nation. For us your visit here is a real event. We never forget your bipartisan support of Israel which is an expression of the people of the United States."
"It is a well known fact that Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. disagree about many things," Hoyer told Peres, "but there are central values about which there are no disagreements between the parties, and this is the case with Israel."
Hoyer presented Peres with a copy of a recent House decision that expresses opposition to a unilateral Palestinian Authority declaration of statehood in September. In case of such a declaration, the resolution states, cash aid to the PA will be cut off.
(By Isranet, August 12, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Praise the Lord for the strong support Israel is receiving from the US Congress and for the stance they have taken on a unilateral Palestinian Authority declaration of statehood.
Scripture
"And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God" (Nehemiah 6:16).
5. IDF Recommends Release of Fatah PrisonersIn anticipation of the UN vote over the recognition of a Palestinian state the defense establishment has recommended that the political echelon make a number of unusual gestures towards the Palestinians in a bid to prevent violence. The gestures include releasing prisoners, returning the remains of terrorists and removing checkpoints. The plan was meant to convey to the Palestinians what they stand to lose in efforts to maintain stability and prevent escalation and radicalization in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] believes that the time remaining before September 20 should be used for confidence building measures.
The army has recommended that the plan be implemented in a step-by-step fashion, subject to status evaluations, while addressing the state of mind in the Palestinian and international arenas.
Moreover they recommend taking reversible steps while examining whether such steps are effective and avoiding moves that could minimize Israel's maneuvering space in negotiations.
The defense establishment also recommends that settlement blocs receive support and reinforcements while initiating measures against extremist groups in order to prevent 'price tag' activities that could lead to escalation. The Foreign Ministry and IDF spokesman will have an integral role in implementing the plan.
Additional steps recommended by the IDF include the release of Fatah prisoners, change of address for Gaza Strip residents living in the West Bank and an increase in Palestinian labor quotas in Israel in the construction and agriculture sectors.
(By Attila Somfalvi , Ynet news, August 16)
Prayer Focus
Pray that Israel will move with extreme caution and wisdom in implementing any "confidence building measures" between now and September 20, taking only those measures that will be constructive in the current climate.
Scripture
"'At the same time,' says the LORD, 'I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.' Thus says the LORD: 'The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness - Israel, when I went to give him rest'" (Jeremiah 31:1-2).
6. US Presses Israel to Apologize to TurkeyThe US administration is applying heavy pressure on Israel to apologize to the Turkish government over events surrounding the May 2010 takeover of the Mavi Marmara. The Americans wish to stabilize Israeli-Turkish relations as soon as possible. Israeli diplomats in the US have recently delivered a communiqué from the State Department and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stating that the deterioration in Jerusalem's ties with Ankara is harming American interests in the region, Yedioth Aharonoth reported. The US is seeking to strengthen its ties with the Turkish government in wake of the violent crackdown in Syria.
Both the US and Turkey have common goals: to end Bashar Assad's reign and replace him with a more moderate leader, to stabilize Syria and prevent its collapse. On its part, Washington wants to bring to the table an Israeli agreement to apologize over the flotilla incident.
The American demand was also voiced by Clinton during talks she held with Defense Minister Ehud Barak during the latter's visit to the US three weeks ago. In their meeting, she urged Barak that Israel do all that it can to end the crisis, including apologizing to the Turks.
Three days before the submission of the Palmer Report on events surrounding the flotilla to Gaza, the American pressure is increasing. According to Israeli diplomats in Washington, US officials had even implied that it would be difficult for the US to persuade other nations to reject the Palestinians' UN statehood bid in September if Jerusalem refuses to apologize to Ankara.
Meanwhile, Turkey - which is aware of the American pressure on Israel - is applying its own pressure on the UN to scrap or postpone the submission of the Palmer Report until Israel issues an apology.
Senior cabinet ministers who met over the weekend to discuss the matter did not reach any decision, which could point to the fact that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would rather have the report published without an Israeli response and only after its publication would Israel weigh its steps.
By Alex Fishman, Ynetnews, August 17)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the Lord will have His way in this situation, directing Israeli leadership to do that which is ultimately best for the nation and not what other nations would pressure Israel into doing.
Scripture
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye" (Psalm 32:8).
7. Palestinian Factions Reconsider Relations with AssadA fierce attack by the Syrians on a Palestinian refugee camp has led Palestinian factions, both Islamist and staunchly secular, to reexamine their traditionally close ties with Damascus. Headquartered in the Syrian capital as the Bashar Al-Assad regime falters, Palestinians were cautious not to badmouth the Syrian president personally as they condemned Sunday's naval bombardment of the Raml Palestinian refugee camp. Navy gunships struck at the camp located in the port city of Latakia, killing an unknown number of residents and sparking 10,000 refugees to flee.
Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) official Yasser Abed Rabbo condemned the attack as "a crime against humanity", while the United Nation's Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) demanded access to the camp, to survey the scope of damage.
Before the attack on Raml, the Palestinian leadership had been circumspect in speaking out against Al-Assad's regime, which has fiercely oppressed a domestic mass protest movement since March. But the most recent surge of violence, directed for the first time against the country's Palestinian population, may be a turning point in Palestinian policy.
In April, the London-based Arab daily Al-Hayat reported that Hamas' political leadership was ordered to leave Syria following its neutral stance towards the country's popular unrest. According to the report, Qatar agreed to host political bureau chief Khaled Mashal, who has operated in Damascus since 1999. At the time, Hamas denied the report, and its leadership remained in the country.
A Hamas spokesman refused the Media Line's request on Wednesday to comment on matters concerning Syria. But Basem Ezbidi, a political scientist at Bir Zeit University in Ramallah, said Hamas was facing the greatest dilemma of all Palestinian groups.
Ayman Shaheen, a political scientist at Gaza's Al-Azhar University, said that the Palestinian Islamic Jihad organization, also led from Damascus, maintained stronger links with Iran than with Syria, making it relatively independent of Al-Assad's regime. However, Hamas, he said, likely would show flexibility in adapting to the new political reality in the region.
"Hamas is wise. It will create a new set of alliances to replace the Teheran-Damascus-Gaza axis," Shaheen told The Media Line. "Qatar is always open to Hamas and there is rapprochement with Egypt as well."
But Taisir Khaled of DFLP said most Syria-based Palestinian movements, including his own, were not considering relocation. "We will remain in Syria as long as Palestinians reside there," he told The Media Line, noting that between 350-400,000 Palestinians currently live in Syria. "We are not there because of the regime but because of our ties with the Syrian people."
(By David E. Miller, The Media Line, August 17, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the Lord will move to protect the innocent people of Syria from such horrific attacks. Pray that international pressure will be placed on Syria to effectively stop such violence.
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).
8. Skits in Palestinian KindergartenA Palestinian kindergarten ceremony included a play performed by children named "The Martyr's Wedding" alongside a play from the story of "Little Red Riding Hood." Palestinian Media Watch has documented the frequent use by Palestinians of the term "wedding" to refer to the death and funeral of "martyrs," in keeping with the Islamic tradition that the martyr for Allah marries 72 dark-eyed virgins of Paradise: "'The Birds of Paradise' kindergarten held a nice graduation party...The ceremony included beautiful performances…One of the most outstanding was a play from the story of Little Red Riding Hood…
"…Another performance named 'The Martyr's Wedding', delighted the audience by the role-play of the children, whose acting depicted the reality of roadblocks, children, occupation soldiers, and the children's death as martyrs. This charm caused the audience to cry, as the children's performance was accompanied by the playing of nationalistic songs." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, June 2, 2011]
Promoting the Islamic value of shahada - martyrdom for Allah - for children was very common during the PA terror campaign (the Intifada). From 2000-2005, PA TV broadcast numerous video clips describing martyrdom death as sweet and encouraging children to aspire to die as martyrs.
The Palestinian Authority received significant international criticism for this and most of the shahada promotion for children was removed from TV. Occasionally, PA TV still broadcasts children singing songs about the importance of martyrdom even for children.
Recently, PA TV broadcast a girl dedicating a song to her terrorist uncle about aspiring to shahada.
It is not surprising that Palestinian children today sing about shahada and becoming martyrs. It is a direct outcome of the many years of Palestinian Authority shahada promotion aimed at adults and especially children during the Intifada.
Recently, a girl on PA TV chose to sing the following song, which praises the ideal of sacrificing oneself as a martyr for "Palestine." Interestingly, the PA TV host later asked her to sing a song with different content - one about life, not death.
Girl: "I am the voice of the Intifada,
and no voice is louder than mine;
I am the last will of the Martyr
who loved death
upon the soil of the homeland.
My voice refuses to be silent.
I am the sister of the one
who adorned herself
and girded herself with death.
I am the voice of the stone and the tree, the bleeding wounded."
PA TV host: "Bravo, our friend Bara'a; that was a beautiful song.
Having interviewed other children, the host turned to the girl a second time and asked her to sing another song.
PA TV host: "We want to hear a song full of life and vitality, because we want to live. We want a beautiful life, we want always to call for all that adorns our life. We want to forget about death for a little while and distance ourselves far from death." [PA TV (Fatah), July 25, 2011]
(Excerpts of an article by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik, Ynetnews)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the indoctrination Palestinian children have received that promotes martyrdom and exalts death will be replaced by a sincere respect for life and desire for peace.
Scripture
"The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers; He who struck the people in wrath with a continual stroke, He who ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted and no one hinders. The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing" (Isaiah 14:5-7).
Note: All Scripture is taken from the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.
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Also Friday morning, a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip at Gan Yavne and landed in an open field. Thirty minutes later an additional rocket landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council. There were no reports of injuries or damage in both cases. Earlier, a Color Red alarm was sounded three times across southern communities. In two cases, rockets hit open areas in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council, and in one case in an open field in the Sdot Negev Regional Council.
A total of four rockets were fired at Ashkelon on Thursday, two of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome system. The rockets had been aimed at residential areas. The other two rockets exploded in open areas. Security forces scanned the area. No injuries or damage were reported.
Meanwhile, Israel's Air Force launched extensive strikes in the Gaza Strip. The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] Spokesperson's Unit confirmed that IAF [Israel Air Force] jets attacked seven targets in the Gaza Strip in response to Thursday's terror attacks and the firing of rockets at southern communities.
According to the statement, two terror centers and an arms manufacturing warehouse were attacked in the northern Strip, while two smuggling tunnels, a terrorist tunnel and a terror center were attacked in southern Gaza. Palestinians reported that a fire had broken out in one targeted area which left one teen dead and dozens injured.
(By Shmulik Hadad with contributions by Ilana Curiel and Tova Dadon, Ynetnews, August 19, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray for the injured and the families of the casualties of this horrific attack. Pray that the Lord will intervene to keep the situation from escalating and that Israel will respond with appropriate force to all the violence being unleashed in the south at this time. Pray that the Lord will protect the borders, the people of the south and the Israeli Defense Forces from any further aggression as the perpetrators are brought to justice.
Scripture
"Arise, O LORD, confront him, cast him down; deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword" (Psalm 17:13).
2. Israel Prepares as Palestinians Move Closer to UN MoveSPECIAL REPORT: JERUSALEM - Palestinian plans to go to the United Nations for unilateral statehood recognition continue to move forward, even as Israel continues to call for a renewal of peace talks and prepares in case the Palestinians follow-through with the UN. Arab nations are also continuing their prep work. An urgent meeting of the Arab League's Arab peace initiative follow-up committee, at the foreign minister level, is now planned for next Tuesday (August 23) to discuss plans related to the UN approach. According to the WAFA Palestinian news agency, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to be in attendance at the Arab meeting.
The event comes in the context of preparatory work for the UN appeal, as well as what WAFA characterized as "intensive Arab talks" with foreign capitals for international support of Palestinian statehood recognition.
The meeting is set to be held less than a month before the annual UN meeting where the Palestinians are expected to make their statehood request. The UN Security Council is capable of issuing a legally-binding resolution on statehood recognition, but the US is expected to veto the move. In light of that, WAFA has reported in the past that the Palestinians are planning to turn to the UN General Assembly - which cannot issue legally binding edicts on the statehood matter - for an upgrade to nonmember UN status, which would enable them to join a number of UN organizations.
Meanwhile, with the Palestinians and Arabs moving towards the oncoming UN event, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made yet another appeal for Abbas to restart peace talks. Prime Minister's Office spokesman Mark Regev, speaking with The Mideast Update by phone, said the Israeli leader on Monday again invited Abbas to come to Jerusalem to negotiate.
Said Regev of Netanyahu, "He's said he's willing to go to Ramallah to negotiate, he's said the only way to move forward in peace, the only way to overcome the problems, is through negotiations. But unfortunately the Palestinians have stubbornly refused to engage in peace talks, and I would ask them: How do you expect to make peace without talking?"
"Our message is clear: Israel wants peace, and we think the international community should do what it can to encourage the Palestinians not to walk away from peace talks," said Regev. "Everything else is a mirage, there's no other way to solve the issues that are on the table - only through negotiations. And so we think the international community should be sending a message to the Palestinians: It's time to negotiate."
That's significant since the battle doesn't end with the UN. Following the expected Palestinian UN step, an international legal onslaught against Israel could be forthcoming. Without going into details, Regev said Israel is also considering "the day after" for a prospective Palestinian UN move. "We're looking at all sorts of different scenarios, diplomatic and other, that's the job of the government," said Regev.
As for potential concerns, such as the potential for violence or international legal attacks on Israel, he said Israel is "looking at all the different implications and different scenarios and looking at our options."
Looking ahead, it looks like the situation's emotional intensity could only increase. The status of Jerusalem, Israel's capital and yet also claimed by the Palestinians, is among the matters on which the Arabs are seeking to get global comment. WAFA said that the Arabs are seeking "to gain an international recognition of the state of Palestine within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital."
The so-called 1967 borders were actually armistice lines between Israel and multiple Arab states, including Jordan in the West Bank and Egypt in Gaza, prior to the 1967 Six-Day War. While commonly referred to as borders, they have never been formal borders.
Regev said that Israel believes that all the core issues of the conflict, including Jerusalem, borders, legitimacy, refugees, settlements and security, should be "on the table for negotiations." He noted that for the peace process to work both sides are going to have show leadership, creativity and flexibility, saying that Netanyahu is willing to do so.
Abbas has claimed that a UN move can work alongside peace negotiations, but the US, Germany and other nations are opposed to a UN approach. Israel sees it as hurting the peace process - both now and in the future.
Said Regev, "This Palestinian attempt to try to detour around negotiations is at the very best unhelpful and at the worst it could actually set peace back by putting extremist Palestinian positions into UN resolutions, making it much more difficult for any future Palestinian leadership to show flexibility in peace talks."
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, August 17, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the Palestinian leadership will realize the importance of the negotiating table and give up on the idea of a unilateral declaration of statehood. Pray that the nations of the world will stand with Israel and block any such declaration.
Scripture
"Arise, O LORD, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your sight" (Psalm 9:19).
3. IDF Bombs Gaza, One DeadThe Air Force bombed four targets and a terror cell preparing to fire rockets at Israel following the Grad rocket attack on Beersheba, the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] said before dawn on Tuesday [August 16], stressing that the strikes were retaliatory. The army says all targets were hit, and that while carrying out the strikes, the terror cell was identified and hit just before firing the rockets in their possession. Palestinian sources in Gaza say one was killed and two others injured. According to medical sources affiliated with Hamas, two other Palestinians were wounded during the strikes.
Among them was a youth injured when a smuggling tunnel was bombed. "The army will not tolerate any attempt at harming the citizens of Israel and IDF soldiers and will continue to act with determination and power against any agent using terror against the State of Israel. The Hamas terror organization is the address and holds the responsibility," the IDF stated.
Late Monday night a grad rocket fired from the Gaza Strip exploded in open spaces outside Beersheba. No injuries or damage were reported. Many residents rushed to shelters as a siren sounded throughout the city.
The rocket exploded as members of the Trachtenberg Committee were visiting Beersheba's social protest tent site. Protesters were forced to flee the site in order to take cover at a nearby educational center as the siren blared. Following the explosion, Beersheba Mayor Rubik Danilovitch said he plans to ask Defense Minister Ehud Barak to redeploy an Iron Dome battery in the city.
(By Ynetnews, August 16)
Prayer Focus
Pray that these rocket attacks from Gaza will cease. Pray that any weapons aimed against Israel will simply fail to function and that the Israel Defense Forces will have wisdom from the Lord in dealing with all attacks against the nation.
Scripture
"The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways" (Deuteronomy 28:7).
4. Democrats Show Strong Support for IsraelPresident Shimon Peres hosted a working meeting today [July 12] with 26 Democratic Members of Congress. The delegation, led by Democratic Party Whip Steny Hoyer, is the first of several cross party Congressional delegations who are coming to Israel this summer. The delegation is sponsored by the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, and is the first of several delegations from both major US parties that will visit Israel in the course of the month. The visits are part of what AIPAC says is a tradition designed to strengthen friendship between Israel and Congress. Steny Hoyer presented President Peres with a parchment copy of House Resolution 268 which was adopted on May 13, 2011.
Rep. Hoyer said when presenting it, "As you know we have a lot of partisan differences in our Congress today, but there is real value and centrality on the policies of the United States towards Israel and there is little if any partisan difference in the Congress on the issue of Israel. Eric Cantor (Republican) and I introduced a resolution that was passed by the Congress, just a few weeks ago.
That resolution articulated, once again, and reaffirmed our unyielding support for Israel, and our opposition to the Palestinians declaring independence. We believe the Palestinians would be making an error seeking UN recognition now before negotiations. We urge the Palestinians and the Israelis to return to the table without preconditions."
President Peres responded by saying, "Thank you very much from the depth of my heart. You are always so generous and friendly to our people and our nation. For us your visit here is a real event. We never forget your bipartisan support of Israel which is an expression of the people of the United States."
"It is a well known fact that Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. disagree about many things," Hoyer told Peres, "but there are central values about which there are no disagreements between the parties, and this is the case with Israel."
Hoyer presented Peres with a copy of a recent House decision that expresses opposition to a unilateral Palestinian Authority declaration of statehood in September. In case of such a declaration, the resolution states, cash aid to the PA will be cut off.
(By Isranet, August 12, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Praise the Lord for the strong support Israel is receiving from the US Congress and for the stance they have taken on a unilateral Palestinian Authority declaration of statehood.
Scripture
"And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God" (Nehemiah 6:16).
5. IDF Recommends Release of Fatah PrisonersIn anticipation of the UN vote over the recognition of a Palestinian state the defense establishment has recommended that the political echelon make a number of unusual gestures towards the Palestinians in a bid to prevent violence. The gestures include releasing prisoners, returning the remains of terrorists and removing checkpoints. The plan was meant to convey to the Palestinians what they stand to lose in efforts to maintain stability and prevent escalation and radicalization in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] believes that the time remaining before September 20 should be used for confidence building measures.
The army has recommended that the plan be implemented in a step-by-step fashion, subject to status evaluations, while addressing the state of mind in the Palestinian and international arenas.
Moreover they recommend taking reversible steps while examining whether such steps are effective and avoiding moves that could minimize Israel's maneuvering space in negotiations.
The defense establishment also recommends that settlement blocs receive support and reinforcements while initiating measures against extremist groups in order to prevent 'price tag' activities that could lead to escalation. The Foreign Ministry and IDF spokesman will have an integral role in implementing the plan.
Additional steps recommended by the IDF include the release of Fatah prisoners, change of address for Gaza Strip residents living in the West Bank and an increase in Palestinian labor quotas in Israel in the construction and agriculture sectors.
(By Attila Somfalvi , Ynet news, August 16)
Prayer Focus
Pray that Israel will move with extreme caution and wisdom in implementing any "confidence building measures" between now and September 20, taking only those measures that will be constructive in the current climate.
Scripture
"'At the same time,' says the LORD, 'I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.' Thus says the LORD: 'The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness - Israel, when I went to give him rest'" (Jeremiah 31:1-2).
6. US Presses Israel to Apologize to TurkeyThe US administration is applying heavy pressure on Israel to apologize to the Turkish government over events surrounding the May 2010 takeover of the Mavi Marmara. The Americans wish to stabilize Israeli-Turkish relations as soon as possible. Israeli diplomats in the US have recently delivered a communiqué from the State Department and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stating that the deterioration in Jerusalem's ties with Ankara is harming American interests in the region, Yedioth Aharonoth reported. The US is seeking to strengthen its ties with the Turkish government in wake of the violent crackdown in Syria.
Both the US and Turkey have common goals: to end Bashar Assad's reign and replace him with a more moderate leader, to stabilize Syria and prevent its collapse. On its part, Washington wants to bring to the table an Israeli agreement to apologize over the flotilla incident.
The American demand was also voiced by Clinton during talks she held with Defense Minister Ehud Barak during the latter's visit to the US three weeks ago. In their meeting, she urged Barak that Israel do all that it can to end the crisis, including apologizing to the Turks.
Three days before the submission of the Palmer Report on events surrounding the flotilla to Gaza, the American pressure is increasing. According to Israeli diplomats in Washington, US officials had even implied that it would be difficult for the US to persuade other nations to reject the Palestinians' UN statehood bid in September if Jerusalem refuses to apologize to Ankara.
Meanwhile, Turkey - which is aware of the American pressure on Israel - is applying its own pressure on the UN to scrap or postpone the submission of the Palmer Report until Israel issues an apology.
Senior cabinet ministers who met over the weekend to discuss the matter did not reach any decision, which could point to the fact that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would rather have the report published without an Israeli response and only after its publication would Israel weigh its steps.
By Alex Fishman, Ynetnews, August 17)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the Lord will have His way in this situation, directing Israeli leadership to do that which is ultimately best for the nation and not what other nations would pressure Israel into doing.
Scripture
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye" (Psalm 32:8).
7. Palestinian Factions Reconsider Relations with AssadA fierce attack by the Syrians on a Palestinian refugee camp has led Palestinian factions, both Islamist and staunchly secular, to reexamine their traditionally close ties with Damascus. Headquartered in the Syrian capital as the Bashar Al-Assad regime falters, Palestinians were cautious not to badmouth the Syrian president personally as they condemned Sunday's naval bombardment of the Raml Palestinian refugee camp. Navy gunships struck at the camp located in the port city of Latakia, killing an unknown number of residents and sparking 10,000 refugees to flee.
Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) official Yasser Abed Rabbo condemned the attack as "a crime against humanity", while the United Nation's Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) demanded access to the camp, to survey the scope of damage.
Before the attack on Raml, the Palestinian leadership had been circumspect in speaking out against Al-Assad's regime, which has fiercely oppressed a domestic mass protest movement since March. But the most recent surge of violence, directed for the first time against the country's Palestinian population, may be a turning point in Palestinian policy.
In April, the London-based Arab daily Al-Hayat reported that Hamas' political leadership was ordered to leave Syria following its neutral stance towards the country's popular unrest. According to the report, Qatar agreed to host political bureau chief Khaled Mashal, who has operated in Damascus since 1999. At the time, Hamas denied the report, and its leadership remained in the country.
A Hamas spokesman refused the Media Line's request on Wednesday to comment on matters concerning Syria. But Basem Ezbidi, a political scientist at Bir Zeit University in Ramallah, said Hamas was facing the greatest dilemma of all Palestinian groups.
Ayman Shaheen, a political scientist at Gaza's Al-Azhar University, said that the Palestinian Islamic Jihad organization, also led from Damascus, maintained stronger links with Iran than with Syria, making it relatively independent of Al-Assad's regime. However, Hamas, he said, likely would show flexibility in adapting to the new political reality in the region.
"Hamas is wise. It will create a new set of alliances to replace the Teheran-Damascus-Gaza axis," Shaheen told The Media Line. "Qatar is always open to Hamas and there is rapprochement with Egypt as well."
But Taisir Khaled of DFLP said most Syria-based Palestinian movements, including his own, were not considering relocation. "We will remain in Syria as long as Palestinians reside there," he told The Media Line, noting that between 350-400,000 Palestinians currently live in Syria. "We are not there because of the regime but because of our ties with the Syrian people."
(By David E. Miller, The Media Line, August 17, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the Lord will move to protect the innocent people of Syria from such horrific attacks. Pray that international pressure will be placed on Syria to effectively stop such violence.
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).
8. Skits in Palestinian KindergartenA Palestinian kindergarten ceremony included a play performed by children named "The Martyr's Wedding" alongside a play from the story of "Little Red Riding Hood." Palestinian Media Watch has documented the frequent use by Palestinians of the term "wedding" to refer to the death and funeral of "martyrs," in keeping with the Islamic tradition that the martyr for Allah marries 72 dark-eyed virgins of Paradise: "'The Birds of Paradise' kindergarten held a nice graduation party...The ceremony included beautiful performances…One of the most outstanding was a play from the story of Little Red Riding Hood…
"…Another performance named 'The Martyr's Wedding', delighted the audience by the role-play of the children, whose acting depicted the reality of roadblocks, children, occupation soldiers, and the children's death as martyrs. This charm caused the audience to cry, as the children's performance was accompanied by the playing of nationalistic songs." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, June 2, 2011]
Promoting the Islamic value of shahada - martyrdom for Allah - for children was very common during the PA terror campaign (the Intifada). From 2000-2005, PA TV broadcast numerous video clips describing martyrdom death as sweet and encouraging children to aspire to die as martyrs.
The Palestinian Authority received significant international criticism for this and most of the shahada promotion for children was removed from TV. Occasionally, PA TV still broadcasts children singing songs about the importance of martyrdom even for children.
Recently, PA TV broadcast a girl dedicating a song to her terrorist uncle about aspiring to shahada.
It is not surprising that Palestinian children today sing about shahada and becoming martyrs. It is a direct outcome of the many years of Palestinian Authority shahada promotion aimed at adults and especially children during the Intifada.
Recently, a girl on PA TV chose to sing the following song, which praises the ideal of sacrificing oneself as a martyr for "Palestine." Interestingly, the PA TV host later asked her to sing a song with different content - one about life, not death.
Girl: "I am the voice of the Intifada,
and no voice is louder than mine;
I am the last will of the Martyr
who loved death
upon the soil of the homeland.
My voice refuses to be silent.
I am the sister of the one
who adorned herself
and girded herself with death.
I am the voice of the stone and the tree, the bleeding wounded."
PA TV host: "Bravo, our friend Bara'a; that was a beautiful song.
Having interviewed other children, the host turned to the girl a second time and asked her to sing another song.
PA TV host: "We want to hear a song full of life and vitality, because we want to live. We want a beautiful life, we want always to call for all that adorns our life. We want to forget about death for a little while and distance ourselves far from death." [PA TV (Fatah), July 25, 2011]
(Excerpts of an article by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik, Ynetnews)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the indoctrination Palestinian children have received that promotes martyrdom and exalts death will be replaced by a sincere respect for life and desire for peace.
Scripture
"The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers; He who struck the people in wrath with a continual stroke, He who ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted and no one hinders. The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing" (Isaiah 14:5-7).
Note: All Scripture is taken from the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.
Bridges for Peace - 24 Hour Prayer Calendar Free registration - Signup today ! Isaiah 62:6-7 - I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [which] shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. |
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