HERE IS THE LATEST "NEWS FROM ISRAEL" FROM MY GOOD FRIEND DAVID HOYLE.

News from Israel - June 2016

Israel's relationship with several Sunni Arab States is undergoing a revolution according to Israel's Ambassador to the UK & formally Mr Netanyahu's top advisor. Mr Regev indicated that talks are currently going on & whilst relations with Egypt & jordan have never been better, several other Sunni dominated states are now making explicit their support for Israeli - Palestinian reconciliation.  These countries include Saudi Arabia, the united Arab Emirates & Qatar.  There is new copoeration he went on.

The plan being discussed is that put forward in 2002 by Saudi Arabia in which Israel would withdraw from the “so called occupied territories” & a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem.  Relations between Israel & the Arab world would then be normalised.

With many Sunni states feeling let down by the nuclear deal with Iran, Israel is regarded as a necessary ally against a variety of common threats from ISIS (Daesh).

Mr Regev said “when we opposed the Iran deal last year, the US, UK, Germany, Russia & China said you alone oppose this dea.  Who agreed with Israel?  Almost all Israel’s neighbours!”  He went on, “The same forces that threaten them, threaten us, Daesh, Al Qaeda, Al Nusra & the Muslim Brotherhood, not to speak of Iran & Hezbollah.  These organisations are both Sunni & Shia & see Israel as a strong country on their side. The above cover extremists in both camps, both Sunni & Shia.”     

Mr Regev observed that in 2000 Mr Arafat had turned down an offer of 92% of Judea & Samaria. We shall see what becomes of this latest peace initiative but we are sure that God's will will prevail.  He is working out his purposes & we need to pray that Israel's leaders will not be beguiled into giving away land in order to foster a false peace.

France  As John Kerry, Francois Holland & Sergei Lavrov discussed a Peace Initiative with 28 foreign ministers with 2 empty chairs – Israel & the Palestinian Authority, France fell apart with floods, a national rail strike & a Metro workers strike.  Several newspapers reported that France was paralysed!  Mr Regev said any initiative that gives the Palestinians the idea that they don't have to negotiate with Israel is a bad initiative.  Laurent Fabius the French Foreign Minister announced that if this French initiative failed they would seek a UN Security Council resolution to create a Palestinian state & force it on Israel with a time date for implementation.  The possible consequences were not addressed.  “When they say 'peace, peace”!  The only peace in Israel will come when their Messiah destroys their enemies & establishes His kingdom.  Ruling the world in total peace for a 1000 years.  Roll on the day, but be certain you trust Christ because He is soon coming for His church. 

Maybe events in France as disruption continues is God making His views on this “peace deal” clear.

We need to read God's word & know that the prophecies in Ezekiel's later chapters 36 onwards are being daily fulfilled and God's Word is absolutely reliable, not the newscasts, newspapers & internet.  We speculate too much at our peril, God will fulfil all His word in His way & we will know when it happens.

Labour & anti Semitism  Jackie Walker, a hard left activist, was reinstated to the Labour Party after being suspended for claiming that Jews were “chief financiers of the sugar & slave trade.”  She claimed they were party to a “conspiracy” set up to attack her & all other Labour members currently suspended for alleged anti Semitism.  The organisers of the conference held lyric sheets of The Red Flag & some in the audience wore keffiyeh's (a headdress worn by Arab men).  A Jewish anti Zionist Tony Greenstein, suspended by Labour over alleged anti Semitism rose from his seat to lambast those who sought to undermine Mr. Corbyn.

North West Friends of Israel  invited Tom Watson to address a meeting at king David High School in Manchester.  He backed out at the last minute citing “child care problems”.  Many believe pressure from within the party had caused him to cancel.  No one in the audience of 200 would back the statement that “Jeremy Corbyn understands contemporary anti Semitism”.  Ivan Lewis, MP for Bury South, said “Mr Corbyn has spent large parts of his life being exceptionally hostile to the State of Israel”. George Osborne described anti-Semitism in Labour as a “cancer”.  Speaking at a World Jewish Relief charity dinner he said there was a “genuine problem” with anti-Semitism in the Labour Party.

America New York Mayor Andrew Cuomo has ordered state agencies to divest themselves of bodies that support the anti Israel Boycott, Sanctions & Divestment Movement.  He described the BDS movement as an economic attack on Israel.  He stated “If you boycott Israel, New York will boycott you.”  

Israel Coalition The appointment of Avigdor Lieberman as Israel's Defence Minister & thus bringing his party into government has caused a row.  Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the Jewish Home Party has attacked the new diplomatic initiative being talked up by Mr Lieberman & Mr Netanyahu.  In a speech for Jerusalem Day, Mr. Bennett said, “There are those at home and abroad who are joining an Arab initiative which includes dividing Israel, dividing Jerusalem and going back to the pre 1967 borders because the world is pressurising us”.  In a reference to Mr. Netanyahu he said, “You can't be for the land of Israel in Hebrew while founding a Palestinian state in English”.

Tel Aviv  4 people were killed & 5 injured in 2 shooting incidents this week.  One of the wounded is in critical condition.  The attackers were dressed as orthodox Jews & attacked the Sarone Market.  One terrorist was wounded & one 'neutralised'.

How sad that 200,000 people attended last Friday's Gay Parade.  God is not mocked & His word is explicit on the subject of homosexuality.

Gaza  has been described as an underground fortress.  It may be that the next major attack on Israel could come through those tunnels which run under the border & which are very sophisticated.  Israel's defence establishment plans to build a concrete wall that goes tens of yards underground as well as above ground along the Gaza Strip border.

Jerusalem  Rejoice that Israel as of this week is 68 years old.  The modern state was reborn in 1948 & God having taken them back to the land has preserved them & enlarged their borders. 43% of world Jewry now live in Israel.  The people of Israel live – Am YIsrael Chai.  Praise God.

United Nations  Mr. Netanyahu called into question the UN's knowledge of Jewish history & invited UN diplomats to visit Israel for a lesson on the Jewish connection to the Temple Mount.  Their reply, “Not interested”.  This was a response to UNESCO's expunging a Jewish connection to the mount.  Mr Netanyahu offered diplomats a seminar on Jewish history & addressed it to all UN  personnel in Israel.

Sweden  A long term Israeli expat was fired as a teacher for being Jewish.  Her principal said, “Most Swedish pupils are racist, they hate everybody especially Jews.  I suggest you seek employment elsewhere, far from schools”!.

Apology  Last month I quoted Scarlet Johanneson as supporting BDS, the reverse is true, Miss Johanneson worked with Soda Stream to help to save their workers jobs – not work for BDS.  Sorry for this 'Senior Moment'. 

God bless Israel & keep praying & studying the Word.

David Hoyle