LEST WE FORGET

 

Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
² Many are they who say of me,
“There is no help for him in God.” Selah

³ But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
⁴ I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

⁵ I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
⁶ I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.

⁷ Arise, O Lord;
Save me, O my God!
For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
⁸ Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

Psalm 3  

 

As I sit down to write the air is filled with the wailing of the muezzin calling the Muslim faithful to prayer, a reminder of the fact that the LORD's redemption of this, His Holy City, is not yet complete. Every time I hear the muezzin it prompts me to prayer, that soon they will be silenced, and only the voice of the God of Israel will be heard in this city.

 

YOM HASHOAH

A Holocaust survivor lighting the flame at Yad Vashem
http://www.blog.standforisrael.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/
YomHashoahYadVashem2015.jpg

It has been a solemn week here in Israel as we observed Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Flags fly at half-mast and all places of entertainment are closed. The sirens sounded at 10AM and all cars stop, and people everywhere stand in silence for two minutes as we remember those 6 million Jews who were murdered by the Nazi Regime during World War II. Every settlement, village and neighborhood has its own memorial ceremonies, and at the official national memorial ceremony, held at Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Museum), the names of the Jews who perished are read out, lest we forget that those 6 million ‘statistics’ were real, living people, with names and lives and families.  Survivors of the Holocaust, now elderly men and women, give testimony and light torches, lest we forget that in spite of the horrors they experienced, they not only survived but overcame all the odds and lived a full life, marrying and raising children, and grand-children and great grandchildren. This is the proof of victory. Hitler and his henchmen tried to destroy ‘Am Israel’ (the people of Israel) but not only did he fail, the Holocaust provided the motivation for the establishment of the State of Israel, and the survivors came and worked and struggled to make it the amazing, wonderful nation it is today. What a testimony!

MEMORIAL DAY

This coming week we will be commemorating the 23,320 soldiers and victims of terror who have fallen since the arrival of the first Zionists in the 19th Century, including the 116 who have perished in this last year, and the one killed just this week in yet another terror attack in Jerusalem*. It too is a solemn day.  Ceremonies are held at the Mt Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem and in every town, village and neighborhood. Sirens again sound and we all stand in silent contemplation and respect, remembering those who have given their lives in defense of us all. Immediately upon the end of Memorial Day, we switch gears and begin to celebrate Independence Day, our 67th. It is sometimes hard to make that switch but it is fitting, for our Independence has only been won through the shedding of much blood. Always our celebrations are underlain by sadness; that has long been the lot of the Jewish people and so it is still. Only when Messiah comes will he wipe away the tears and our joy be untarnished by grief.

* Before I even got to publish this news is coming in today (Sunday 19th) of yet another victim of a terror attack in the Sharon region, a cyclist run down by a car, bringing the number killed this year to 117

ANZAC DAY

And we are not alone. This week too, New Zealand and Australia commemorate ANZAC Day, which commemorates the landings of the Australian and New Zealand forces on the beaches of Gallipoli in Turkey during the First World War, exactly 100 years ago this year. During those landings, 5709 Australian and 2721 New Zealand soldiers were killed and many more wounded. This was a serious blow for those fledgling nations and awakened strong nationalistic feelings. This tragedy is credited with igniting the beginning of independent national identities in Australia and New Zealand.  This year, the centenary year, large public celebrations will be held in both nations on ANZAC Day which is the 25th April. 

Today news is coming in of a massive police operation in Melbourne, Australia, in which  they captured 5 Muslim young men who had been plotting a terrorist  attack during the ANZAC celebrations in that city. The Australian Federal Police Acting Deputy Commissioner, Neil Gaughan,  said  that they have evidence that has led them to believe it was ISIS inspired. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-18/five-arrested-in-melbourne-after-a-joint-terrorism-operation/6402810. This particular plot has been foiled but it raises fears that there may be other cells or individuals plotting other attacks. This all just underlines the seriousness of the Salafi Muslim threat, not just to the Middle East and Israel, but also to the whole free world.  Many are our enemies that rise up against us!!!

IRAN DEAL

In my last post I wrote of the deal signed between Obama and his allies and Iran regarding Iran's nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions. It now seems we have all been misinformed. It now is becoming apparent that no such deal was signed.

A well-known Israeli commentator, Shoula Romano Horing, an attorney, claims that,

 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was correct when he said on April 9 that the White House was lying about what the Americans call a framework agreement regarding the Iranian nuclear program.
 

Iran Agreement

The soft power of diplomacy actually works / Aviad Kleinberg Op-ed: American sanctions led to the rise of a pragmatic regime in Iran, which isholding talks to freeze its nuclear program and silently cooperating with US efforts to restrain radical Sunni forces. Full op-ed

Obama is untruthful when he repeatedly claims that Iran has agreed to a detailed and comprehensive nuclear framework agreement. Iran has never signed or agreed to the framework agreement. The framework agreement, with its many specific numbers, productions limits and specific deadlines, is an Obama and Kerry wish list of their own best case scenario of a futuristic agreement.

 
Two documents were produced in Switzerland on April 2. The first document is a detailed US fact sheet titled, "Parameters for a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Nuclear Program," which the Americans refer to as "The Framework Agreement," which Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry and the media have repeatedly discussed.

The second document is a thin, page and a half statement read jointly by European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, which lacked any of the details, numbers, and deadlines mentioned in the framework agreement. Those two documents contradict each other on many points and reveal Obama and Kerry's dangerous lies. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4647981,00.html

Horing is not alone in her belief. This week Senator McCain also accused Kerry and Obama of fabricating the 'agreement', saying  in a radio interview with radio host, Hugh Hewitt,

"I can't blame the ayatollah, because I don't think they ever agreed to it," McCain said. "And I think John Kerry tried to come back and sell a bill of goods, hoping maybe that the Iranians wouldn't say much about it."

In response to Senator McCain's accusations, Secretary of State, John Kerry responded thus," It's an unusual affirmation of our facts that come from Russia, but Russia has said that what we've set out is reliable and accurate". http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/04/12/john-kerry-so-far-iran-has-lived-up-to-its-end-of-nuclear-deal/ 

What has the USA come to when it has to rely on the witness of Russia to support its acts? Russia is no impartial observer in the situation. It has a strong stake in the lifting of sanctions against Iran, and it has wasted no time in taking advantage of the supposed lifting of sanctions, under the 'deal', to sell an advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missile system to Iran. Israel's Intelligence Minister, Yuval Steinitz, responded to this news thus:

 "Instead of demanding Iran put an end to the terrorism its instigates in the Mideast and around the world, it is being allowed to attain advanced arms which will only spur its aggressions...While Iran disregards article after article of the agreement reached last week, the international community is already begun to ease restrictions on it...
 
This is a direct result of the legitimacy that Iran obtained from the emerging nuclear deal...
 
This is proof that Iran will enjoy (an)economic surge in wake of the removal of sanctions which it will use for arming itself and not for the benefit of the Iranian people."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4646752,00.html


Russia is also standing behind Iran in its support of the Houthis insurgency in Yemen, and justifies its sale of the S-300 system in the belief  that "the conflict in Yemen will eventually lead to a direct clash between the Iranians and the Saudis, which will lead to a Saudi attack on the Iranian nuclear facilities".
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4646869,00.html
 
THE LATTER RAINS

This week Israel has been blessed with a drenching of later-than-usual latter rains. In the early hours of Wednesday morning we were all awakened by the crashing of thunder and the clatter of hail on our roofs. Over the several following hours around 40 mm of rain fell on the city, flooding dozens of homes and cars across the city. Several of my friends had their homes flooded. When I set off for work I was surprised to find the ground outside my building white like snow. It was a thick layer of hail.

Hail in Givat Ze'ev (Photo: Tehila Menachem)
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4647639,00.html

 

Flooding in Silwan (Photo: Jerusalem field researchers)
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4647639,00.html

Though most of the world has been enjoying warmer-than-usual April weather we have been having an extended winter. I cannot remember having such heavy rain in April. Usually by now it is easing off and the most we can expect is a few showers. Traditionally it always seems to rain on Independence Day when we are all outside enjoying our mangals (barbecues), and according to the weather forecasts, this year will be no exception. Nevertheless, whatever the weather, we will be celebrating the goodness of the Lord, in that we have survived one  more year, the 67th of the modern State of Israel. Please pray that we as a people will give the glory to God, who has preserved us and brought us back to the Chosen Land.

Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah
Psalm 3:8