THE LATEST "NEWS FROM ISRAEL" BULLETIN BY MY GOOD FRIEND DAVID HOYLE, AND FELLOW COLLEAGUE IN THE BIBLE PROPHECY FOUNDATION.

BIBLE PROPHECY FOUNDATION

News from Israel - David Hoyle July 25^th 2012

There is much argument in the press on an ongoing basis about the legality, or otherwise, of Israel’s settlements in the so called “West Bank” (Biblical Judea and Samaria).

The United Nations and European Community are not surprisingly opposed to all settlement building and regard it as illegal.  Both Barack Obama and William Hague among others are vociferous in their condemnation of Israel on a regular basis.

A committee appointed by Mr Netanyahu to examine the legality of Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria issued the following statement on July 4^th 2012.  “Israeli’s have a legal right to settle that region”.   The committee head, retired Israeli Supreme Court Justice Edmond Levy declared “According to international law Israeli’s have a legal right to settle all of Judea and Samaria, at the very least the lands that Israel controls under agreement with the Palestinian Authority.  Therefore the establishment of Jewish settlements (in Judea and Samaria) is, in itself, not illegal.”    

The detailed report went on to say ”The fourth Geneva Convention on the transfer of populations does not apply, and was not intended to apply to communities such as those established in Judea and Samaria.” 

Israel can now cast off the bonds of false accusations that it “occupies” Judea and Samaria!

America  

Perhaps in the light of this edict we may anticipate the USA moving its embassy to Jerusalem, a move already passed by both houses of Congress.

A Two State Solution?  

In the home of the UK ambassador to Israel Dhud Ehud Ya´ari who works for Israeli television with a mandate to liaise with the Arab Community said, ‘There has been an explosion in the Middle East and Islamic dust is falling.  We do not know the outcome’. He went on to say that in his discussions with Israel’s Arab Community he has found that 99% want a one state solution with no Israel.  He further said that in the countries that have freed themselves from dictatorships the people are no longer subject to a regime but are citizens of a country!

Mr Abbass has, of course, often reported Mr Arafat’s desire for a Palestinian state from “the river to the sea.”  A biblical study of God’s promise of the land to Abraham through Isaac and the apportionment of the land to the different tribes leaves no doubt to the ultimate outcome.  All the land from the Mediterranean to the river Jordan and an area including much land “occupied” by Arabs will one day belong to Israel. 

God keeps His covenant with the Jewish people, if He doesn’t our salvation would be in doubt as He will also break His promises to us!  Believers in Replacement Theology take note!

Anti Semitism 

Takes many forms but on all fronts it is rampant today.  In its more violent form it took the form at last week’s bomb attack on Israeli tourists in the Bulgarian resort of Burgas.   Seven people died and thirty five of the injured were flown to Tel Aviv for treatment.  There have been other attempts in India, Thailand, Azerbaijan and Georgia.  Many of these attacks and attempted attacks are blamed on Hezbollah a proxy of Iran, and by the time you read this you may well have heard of Israel’s retaliation.

In another form Anti Semitism was evident in the Anglican Church’s vote to send monitors to investigate Palestinian human rights.  As always, no consideration of Israel’s position.  This vote led to the Mayor of Hendon, Melvyn Benjamin calling for a severing of relations between Jewish organisations and the Anglican Church.  Vivian Wiseman chairman of the Jewish Board of Deputies said “we shall not cut links but it will not be business as usual.”

Elsewhere the BBC refused to identify Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on its Olympic website.  The Palestinian team was listed as having East Jerusalem as its capital.  After protests the BBC listed Jerusalem as Israel’s “seat of government although most foreign embassies are in Tel Aviv.”   The Palestinian page was changed to East Jerusalem, intended seat of Government, Ramallah its administrative capital.

Amnesty International

Has defended a senior officer accused of coordinating campaigns against Israel.  He claims that “Israel should be listed alongside North Korea and Iran as a stupid, dictatorial regime.”   He threatened to assault an Israeli supporter at an Amnesty event.  On another occasion he said that Israel had the same wanton attitude to human beings as Sudan and Burma!   Anti-Semitism is alive and well at Amnesty International.

Israel Government 

Just 70 days after Shaul Mofaz took Kadima into the coalition he resigned because of the failure of Mr Netanyahu to honour the coalition agreement to pass a bill removing the exemption from the IDF draft for the ultra orthodox.  This now leaves Mr Netanyahu as leader of a right wing government dominated by nationalist and religious hard liners and brings the possibility of an election nearer. 

Having been found not guilty of corruption Ehud Olmert may now return to politics and seek to take over as leader of Kadima.

 Arab Spring (so called)

With the imminent fall of the Assad regime 30 000 refugees have crossed into Lebanon and the situation grows ever more dangerous.  It is reported that many border posts between Syria and Turkey also Syria and Lebanon are now in rebel hands.   Most people are fleeing the fighting but should the regime fall the Alawites would have to fight to the death or flee, most probably over the Golan Heights to Israel’s border.  There has been and argument in Israel as to whether to open the border or not, but the decision has been taken and this week Ehud Barak, Israel’s Defence Minister  said “ Israel will stop Syrian refugees entering the Golan Heights if they try to flee there.”   Apart from Lebanon many refugees have fled to turkey but the Christian community who were protected and well treated by Mr Assad will be in grave danger of a massacre if the regime fell as they declined to take part in the uprising!  Please pray for them as they wait with anxiety. 

Hamas

Speaking at a conference in Tunisia Khaled Mashaal said “We shall continue to resist Israel and seek the recovery of occupied Palestinian territory.”   He said Palestinian lands had been looted!  Since the revolution in Tunisia unemployment has risen, the country is racked by strikes, and the economy is shrinking.

On every front the Arab Spring is bringing problems not improvements. 

Interesting and Good News

    

Parts of ancient Acre’s (Ptolemais) ancient harbour, 2300 years old, have been uncovered. Akko in Hebrew was the most important port in the Hellenistic period (3^rd and 4^th century BC).

Researchers from Tel Aviv University have recently discovered a collection of gold and silver jewellery from around 1100 BC hidden in a vessel at Tel Megiddo.  One piece is a gold ear ring decorated with ibexes which is described as “without parallel.” 

Scientists from the Wieizmann Institute in Rehovot have designed a robot that can be controlled using brainwaves!  The team who designed it hope it can be used to help the paralysed, people who had strokes and those with locked in syndrome.

Labour’s Baroness Blackstone

Has attacked the sale of products from Israeli West Bank settlements.   She also said that if Israel struck at Iran with American backing the base at Diego Garcia should not be used.

Olympics

With the possible threat of an attack on Israel’s athletes, the Israeli secret service Shin Bet has been flown in to aid their security.  Security on the athletes’ arrival was felt to be insufficient.

Keep praying for Israel and the Jewish people as the Lord’s return grows ever more imminent.

You can still book for our Israel Tour in October, but move fast!  Tel. 01423 881803 for brochure.

Breaking News

Writing in today’s Times the former prime minister of Spain Josē Maria Aznar states Israel was excluded from the first meeting of the Global Terrorist Forum so as to not offend its host Recep Erdoğon of Turkey.  Worse still, a meeting of the victims of terror also excluded Israel.   This on the event of the anniversary of the attack on the Olympic village when 11 Israeli is despicable. Mr Aznar was himself a victim of a terrorist attack!

Israel Radio have reported that at least six of the 28 members of the Kadima party in the Israeli parliament say they will leave the party to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. It is reported that Netanyahu has offered them senior government posts. The expected defections mean that Netanyahu would have a solid majority of 71 members in the 120 seat parliament, making early elections less likely.

Party activists say party leader Shaul Mofaz must quit as leader, citing low numbers in the polls.

David Hoyle.

David Hoyle from the Bible Prophecy Foundation.