Visit our Web site: www.bridgesforpeace.com | October 14, 2011 |
1. The Feast of Tabernacles Begins2. Gilad Shalit to Be Freed in Prisoner Swap with Hamas3. Gantz: Gilad to Return on Tuesday4. Jerusalem: Stones Hurled at Light Rail and Bus5. Fatah Youth Convict and Hang Netanyahu in Effigy6. PA: Israeli Prisons for Palestinians Worse than Auschwitz7. US Upset after UNESCO Recommends Admitting "Palestine"8. EU Representative: Quartet to Invite Israel, Palestinians to Meet9. Iranian Plot to Assassinate Saudi Ambassador on US Soil Stopped
1. The Feast of Tabernacles BeginsThe Feast of Tabernacles (or Sukkot), a week-long biblical feast, began Wednesday, October 12, in Israel and in Jewish homes and communities around the world. It is a happy holiday on the Jewish calendar. Literally, "sukkot" means "booths."
The holiday commemorates the 3,500-year-old journey of the Israelites with Moses from slavery in ancient Egypt to freedom in the Land of Israel. They wandered in the desert for 40 years living in temporary booths, and for generations now, it has been the custom to build a "sukkah," in accordance with Leviticus 23:33-43.
In Israel, most restaurants, coffee shops, and hotels set up sukkot for patrons to eat in. A huge sukkah is erected in downtown Jerusalem in a public plaza outside government offices, and families build sukkot on their patios. A myriad of small shops sell special decorations to hang in sukkot as happy hammering is heard all over the city. The booth is big enough to accommodate a table, as the family eats its meals in the booth during the seven days of the holiday. The Exodus story is also retold or read from the Bible.
The flimsiness of the dwelling equalizes all men because everyone is on the same level during this week. It also reminds those inside that they are but frail creatures in need of God's protection and provision. Sukkot, the third pilgrimage holiday, coincides with the end of the fruit harvest. In ancient Israel, farmers went up to Jerusalem and brought gifts of their crops to God at the Temple.
Bridges for Peace extends greetings to all our Jewish friends everywhere and our Christian supporters who love Israel for a joyous, safe, and memorable holiday.
(By Bridges for Peace, October 12, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the Jewish people the world over will have a joyous Sukkot. Pray that the Lord will protect His people from harm at this time and draw their hearts to Him.
Scripture
"For the LORD will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in it, thanksgiving and the voice of melody" (Isaiah 51:3).
2. Gilad Shalit to Be Freed in Prisoner Swap with HamasIn a deal more than five years in the making, Israel and Hamas have reached a prisoner exchange agreement that will free IDF [Israel Defense Force] soldier Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped by Gaza terrorists in a cross-border raid in June 2006.
The Al Jazeera report cited a televised address from Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, who said that of the 1,027 freed prisoners, hundreds of them had life sentences. Netanyahu's Twitter feed said the concluded negotiations with Hamas were"arduous," but no official Israeli figures were given on the number of Palestinian terrorists to be freed in the exchange as of Tuesday afternoon.
The Hamas military wing's website confirmed the deal as well, with a statement from the military wing saying, "An honorable exchange deal has accomplished, whereby Palestinian detainees will be freed." According to the website, Meshaal told a press conference that the deal will be split into two stages: one in a week and another after two months. It was unclear from his comments what those stages would involve.
The statement released by Netanyahu on the Prime Minister's Facebook page said, "There is an inbuilt tension between the desire to bring back an abducted soldier, or citizen, and the need to maintain the security of the citizens of Israel…The deal I am bringing to the government expresses the right balance between all of these considerations."
He also acknowledged the pain the deal will cause the families of terrorism victims. "I do not wish to hide the truth from you - it is a very difficult decision," said Netanyahu. "I feel for the families of victims of terror; I appreciate their suffering and distress; I am one of them. But leadership must be examined at moments such as this, being able to make difficult, but right, decisions."
Netanyahu's statement said he told the Israeli team to initial the deal last Thursday [October 6], and it was finalized before the Israeli cabinet on Tuesday. The Israeli leader included "a special thanks to the government of Egypt and the Egyptian Intelligence Services for providing much assistance in mediating and helping us reaching this agreement."
Netanyahu's statement said he had shared the news with Gilad's parents, Noam and Aviva Shalit, as well as Gilad's grandfather Zvi. "I told them that I am keeping my promise, and I'm bringing their son and grandson home. I told them, 'I'm bringing your boy back,'" said Netanyahu.
(Excerpts of an article by Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, October 11, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Praise the Lord for these negotiations! Pray that the prisoners that are being released will be kept from doing further harm to the nation of Israel.
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).
3. Gantz: Gilad to Return on TuesdayIDF [Israel Defense Force] Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen Benny Gantz officially informed Noam and Aviva Shait that their son, captive soldier Gilad Shalit, is set to return home next Tuesday [October 18] after five years in Hamas captivity. Gantz visited the Shalit family home in Mitzpe Hila on Thursday [October 13] ahead of the impending prisoner swap.
The IDF Chief briefed the family about the details of the deal, explaining that the first phase of the swap will take place on Tuesday. According to the agreement, Gilad will be flown to Egypt and from there to the Tel Nof Air Force base where his family will finally reunite with him. The IDF chief declined to speak to the media upon leaving the Shalits' home.
The deal will take place in two stages: The first stage, which is set to take place within a week, will see 450 prisoners released parallel to Shalit. Shalit will be transferred to Egypt and from there to Israel. The second stage, scheduled to take place in two-months time, will see 550 additional prisoners released.
Shimshon Libman, who heads the Shalit campaign, told reporters that "the chief of staff met with the family…He probably discussed the preparations being made ahead of Gilad's return. "I hope that we'll have Gilad back home by Simchat Torah night [Oct. 21, last night of festival season, "Rejoicing with the Law of God"], barring any problems."
Popular Resistance Committees' Spokesman Abu Mujahid said Thursday that Shalit's captures will release a video documenting his time in captivity after the prisoner exchange is completed. "The video will show that he was treated well and with respect, as demanded by the Islamic dogma," he said. [Go to www.bridgesforpeace.com for another Ynet article detailing how the negotiations took place.]
(Excerpts of an article by Ahiva Rayed, Ynetnews, October 13, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the Lord will shelter Gilad and his family as they are reunited. Pray that he will recover quickly from any physical or emotional ramifications from his imprisonment. Pray strength and comfort for the families of victims of those prisoners that are being released.
Scripture
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4).
4. Jerusalem: Stones Hurled at Light Rail and BusStones were hurled Monday [October 10] at the Light Rail in Jerusalem's Shufat neighborhood, near the Israel Police National Headquarters. A windowpane was smashed but no injuries were reported.
The Light Rail has been installed with stone-proof windows and therefore despite the smashing of a windowpane, a plastic shield managed to prevent any injuries. Almost at the same time, stones were hurled at a bus near Jaffa Gate in the Old City. The bus driver lost control of the vehicle, hit a wall, and consequently sustained light injuries. The passengers were not injured. Jerusalem police have launched a wide-scale search to trace the perpetrators.
(Excerpts of an article by Yair Altman, Ynetnews, October 10, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the perpetrators of these attacks will be apprehended and held accountable. Pray that the Lord will move to protect the people of Israel from these incidents that can be deadly.
Scripture
"Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; for the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught" (Proverbs 3:25-26).
5. Fatah Youth Convict and Hang Netanyahu in EffigyPalestinian Authority TV broadcast a news story about the trial and symbolic hanging of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, which took place during an event organized by Fatah for the youth of the village Kafar Qaddum in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria]. The symbolic trial tried and convicted Netanyahu of "war crimes against humanity" and sentenced him to death by hanging.
The following is from the PA TV main evening news story, which described the event but did not show any pictures of the symbolic hanging. The picture of the "hanging" was posted on the Israeli-Arab Web site panet.co.il.
PA TV reporter: "With these brief and concise words, the children of Kafar Qaddum commenced the trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - the symbolic trial which convicted him of carrying out war crimes against humanity in the Palestinian territories, confiscation and theft of land and building settlements on it - as a symbolic image of the end of the occupation...
"Thus the people and children of Kafar Qaddum managed to judge Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, after convicting him of carrying out war crimes against humanity, and to sentence him to death by hanging, meaning that the occupation is going to end, sooner or later." [PA TV (Fatah), Sept. 30, 2011]
(Excerpts of an article by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik, Palestinian Media Watch, October 10, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the eyes of Palestinian youth will somehow be opened to the truth regarding Israel and the horrific indoctrination that they have undergone at the hands of their own leaders.
Scripture
"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes" (Psalm 19:7-8).
6. PA: Israeli Prisons for Palestinians Worse than AuschwitzA Palestinian Authority [PA] deputy minister has accused Israel of having worse prison conditions than "the Auschwitzes of the Nazis." Ziad Abu Ein belittled the Holocaust by using the term "the Auschwitzes" three times in two sentences during his PA TV interview. The PA as policy repeatedly compares Israel to the Nazis, and continuously reiterates the libel that Israel performs medical experiments and tortures Palestinian prisoners.
Palestinian Media Watch reported in May that the PA accused Israel of doing Mengele-like experiments on imprisoned Palestinians. The following is PA Deputy Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Ziad Abu Ein's statement that Israeli prisons were worse than "the Auschwitzes of the Nazis":
"Israel forgets that we are now in the 21st century and that the conditions of our Palestinian prisoners are worse than the Auschwitzes of the Nazis, where Jewish detainees were held. If we return to the pictures of the Auschwitzes, how [Jews] were on beds and so on in the Auschwitzes - in our case, the beds were only introduced in the 1990s, and it was [only] a metal bed." [PA TV (Fatah), Oct. 6, 2011]
Contrary to this accusation, a released Palestinian prisoner stated last year that the prisoners in Israeli prisons "lack nothing," and the official PA daily likewise described in detail how Palestinian prisoners are allowed to study while serving time, reporting that "prisoners in occupation prisons complete university studies and obtain MA and Ph.D. degrees."
(Excerpts of an article by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques, The Palestinian Watch, October 10, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that this type of propaganda be exposed for the outrageous slander that it is. Pray that it will have no further negative impact on the thinking of the Palestinian people, particularly the youth.
Scripture
"LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may oppress no more" (Psalm 10:17-18).
7. US Upset after UNESCO Recommends Admitting "Palestine"The Palestinians got another symbolic boost recently from a United Nations cultural body, but they have yet to gain needed support from several key nations in the West or the UN itself. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Executive Board has voted to recommend admitting "Palestine" as a full member, even though it is not officially recognized as a full member state by the UN as a whole.
The UNESCO recommendation still requires a final vote for the bid to be approved. The United States, which voted against the measure, feels UN moves worsen Middle East tensions. International efforts are still underway to restart Israel-Palestinian peace talks. The Palestinian UN membership application is also still under consideration by the UN Security Council.
Spokesperson Victoria Nuland, speaking to reporters on Thursday [October 6], called the Palestinian UN state membership and UNESCO bids "noise and storm" that is taking people away from the US goal of an Israeli-Palestinian two-state deal and "causing a distraction and causing tensions to be exacerbated."
According to a transcript of her comments released by the State Department, Nuland said, "If all that effort was put by all these countries on to persuading the parties to get back to the table, maybe we'd be closer to the day when we have a Palestinian state."
The US was also not pleased that the UNESCO Executive Board would recommend approving the bid before the UN has given their own thoughts on the Palestinian membership application in the Security Council. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked what the parameters, such as borders, currently characterize the Palestinian state UNESCO is considering for membership - noting these matters still need to be resolved in negotiations.
In comments to reporters released by the State Department, Clinton said on Wednesday, "I have to state that I find it quite confusing and somewhat inexplicable that you would have organs of the UN making decisions about statehood or quasi-statehood status while the issue has been presented to the United Nations."
Several UNESCO members, including Japan, Germany and Switzerland, joined the organization prior to their joining the UN as a whole, although their circumstances differed from the Palestinian situation.
Amb. Alan Baker, former legal counsel of Israel's Foreign Ministry and a former Israeli ambassador to Canada, told The Mideast Update by email that while a Palestinian UNESCO membership approval "would have no legal significance, and would not turn the Palestinian Authority into a state, it would obviously have political implications in other UN specialized agencies that will see this as a precedent for them."
Perhaps the most significant concern to Israel is that the precedent could lead to the Palestinians gaining membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC). Amb. Baker, currently the director of the Institute for Contemporary Affairs at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, said that was possible. Such a scenario could lead to a legal assault against Israel, which has seen multiple frivolous criminal cases launched against its officials in Europe by pro-Palestinian activists.
"The prosecutor of that court [ICC] has discretion to determine if an entity claiming to be a state is indeed a state, for the purposes of initiating claims before the ICC," said Baker. "The present prosecutor, who is an international official serving the state that appointed him, has already indicated his tendency to favor enabling the Palestinians to be considered a state. But any such determination by him would be met by solid legal opposition."
Despite the long-term ramifications, Baker said the UNESCO decision is not a backdoor to recognizing Palestinian statehood. "It's just an irritant and another fictional achievement that the Palestinians will doubtless use to claim that the international community considers them worthy of statehood," said Baker.
Clinton encouraged UNESCO to "think again before proceeding with that vote." Beyond expressing verbal concern, Clinton said the US also has legislation that prevents it from funding organizations "that jump the gun, so to speak, in recognizing entities before they are fully ready for such recognition."
According to Nuland, the US provides 22% of UNESCO's budget. She said the US is still determining how the legislation affects UNESCO funding, although if triggered the legislation is a matter of US law and not policy. Nonetheless, the US was hoping that scenario could be avoided. Said Nuland, "We don't want to see a situation where US legislation might be triggered."
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, October 7, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that UNESCO and other UN organizations will not move ahead of the UN body in dealing with the issue of Palestinian statehood. Pray that the US and others will stand firm in opposing such actions.
Scripture
"Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, for I have seen violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go around it on its walls; iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it. Destruction is in its midst; oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets. As for me, I will call upon God, and the LORD shall save me…Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice"(Psalm 55:9-11, 16-17).
8. EU Representative: Quartet to Invite Israel, Palestinians to MeetWith less than two weeks to go before a quasi-deadline for the resumption of Israel-Palestinian negotiations, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Monday [October 9] the sides would be invited by the Mideast Quartet "to meet in the coming days."
Speaking in a press conference following a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council that was webcast on the Council of the European Union Web site, Ashton said she was set to speak with leaders of both sides later that day. The discussions come as the deadline for a preparatory meeting for the sides suggested by the Mideast Quartet - the US, the EU, the UN, and Russia - is less than two weeks away.
On September 23, the Quartet issued a timeline for resuming peace talks, in which they called for the preparatory meeting within a month's time for discussions on the framework of the new round of negotiations. It was unclear if that was the meeting to which Ashton was referring on Monday.
Ofir Gendelman, spokesperson to the Arab media for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said on his Twitter account later Monday that the Israeli leader had spoken with Ashton by phone and said he'll "be happy to meet" with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas "any time."
In addition to the EU Foreign Affairs Council discussion on the Middle East peace process, Ashton also participated in a meeting with envoys from the Quartet one day prior, on Sunday. Ashton, in her comments broadcast via webcast, said discussions have been on "how to move forward on the action points within the [Quartet] statement and how to continue to engage with the Israeli and Palestinian partners to resume substantive negotiations as soon as possible."
So far the Israelis have accepted the Quartet statement on resuming talks, with "some concerns" they plan to raise at the "appropriate time." They remain eager to return to talks.
The Palestinians continue to place preconditions on negotiations, calling upon Israel to halt settlement construction and accept the 1967 lines as the basis for talks on borders. Despite that, the Palestinians have apparently conveyed enough openness that both the US and the EU have tried to highlight it. In a press statement, the EU Foreign Affairs Council welcomed both sides' "positive statements" regarding the Quartet call to resume talks.
The 1967 lines were armistice lines between Israel and several Arab states, including Jordan and Egypt, prior to the Six-Day War. In this context, they would grant the Palestinians the entire West Bank [Judea and Samaria] and Gaza Strip, although land swaps are also generally expected.
Regarding the other precondition of a halt to settlement building, Israel had previously agreed to an unprecedented 10-month partial settlement construction freeze in 2009-10. However, the Palestinians waited until the freeze was nearing its end to upgrade negotiations with Israel to direct peace talks. The Palestinians then suspended talks after the freeze concluded.
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, October 10, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the Lord Himself will arrange, guide and direct all discussions regarding peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Pray that Israel's willingness to come to the table will finally be recognized and acknowledged by the international community.
Scripture
"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion. The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth. I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me" (Proverbs 8:12-17).
9. Iranian Plot to Assassinate Saudi Ambassador on US Soil StoppedAn Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States has been foiled by US law enforcement, it was revealed on Tuesday [October 11]. The US Justice Department said in a press release on their Web site that the plot was approved by the Iranian Qods Force, a special operations branch of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to the Justice Department press release, naturalized US citizen Manssor Arbabsiar and Gholam Shakuri, an Iran-based member of Iran's Qods Force, were accused of crimes in the plot to kill the Saudi ambassador with explosives inside US territory.
Arbabsiar was arrested on September 29 at the New York JFK International Airport, while Shakuri remains at large. "The criminal complaint unsealed today exposes a deadly plot directed by factions of the Iranian government to assassinate a foreign Ambassador on U.S. soil with explosives," said Attorney General Eric Holder in the press release.
"Through the diligent and coordinated efforts of our law enforcement and intelligence agencies, we were able to disrupt this plot before anyone was harmed. We will continue to investigate this matter vigorously and bring those who have violated any laws to justice."
According to the US press release, Arbabsiar allegedly confessed to arranging the murder-for-hire plan. He said he was originally contacted in early spring of this year by his cousin, whom he understood was a senior member of the Qods Force, regarding recruiting drug-traffickers to kidnap the ambassador.
He said Shakuri and another senior Qods Force officials later approved a plot to kill the ambassador with explosives in a US restaurant, despite the risk for additional casualties.
Iran denied involvement in the plot. The Iranian Fars News Agency quoted Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast as calling the allegations "prefabricated scenarios."
A statement released by Saudi Arabia's embassy to the US and posted on their website said, "The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia would like to express its appreciation to the responsible agencies of the United States government for preventing a criminal act from taking place. The attempted plot is a despicable violation of international norms, standards and conventions and is not in accord with the principles of humanity."
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, October 11, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Praise the Lord that this plot was uncovered and stopped. Pray that the international community will take action to stop Iran's attempts to create chaos and instability in the region, threatening Israel and eventually the world.
Scripture
"Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and Your glory above all the earth; that Your beloved may be delivered, save with Your right hand, and hear me" (Psalm 108:5-6).
Note: All Scripture is taken from the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.
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