Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God
is for Israel, that they may be saved. Rom. 10:1
Breaking headlines direct from Israel
General Prayer Concerns
The following news items are posted here as considerations for prayer to help you as you pray for Israel.
European envoys: Blacklist Israeli settlers
EU envoys draft harsh report aimed at pressing Israel to change West Bank policy, call for blacklisting violent settlers, dividing Jerusalem
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
US, Israel in open rift over Iran: Big joint military drill cancelled
US-Israeli discord over action against Iran went into overdrive Sunday, Jan. 15 when the White House called off Austere Challenge 12, the biggest joint war game the US and Israel have every staged, ready to go in spring, in reprisal for a comment by Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon in an early morning radio interview. He said the United States was hesitant over sanctions against Iran's central bank and oil for fear of a spike in oil prices.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
CTB issues Thailand travel advisory
Counter-Terrorism Bureau issues high-priority warning urging Israelis to avoid trips to Thailand, and especially Bangkok, over concrete terror threat
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
Israel's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon explains the historical facts relating to the Israeli Palestinian conflict. The video explains that the reason there is no successful peace process is because of decades of Palestinian and Arab recalcitrance and the main reason for the conflict is not Israel's presence in the West Bank, but successive Palestinian leaders resistance to Jewish sovereignty.
Israel's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon explains the historical facts relating to the Israeli Palestinian conflict. The video explains where the terms "West Bank", "occupied territories" and "67 Borders" originated and how they are incorrectly used and applied.
Iran plans one-kiloton underground nuclear test in 2012
According to debkafile's Iranian sources, Tehran is preparing an underground test of a one-kiloton nuclear device during 2012, much like the test carried out by North Korea in 2006. Underground facilities are under construction in great secrecy behind the noise and fury raised by the start of advanced uranium enrichment at Iran's fortified, subterranean Fordo site near Qom.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
Generals' early handover to Islamists wrecks hopes for New Egypt
Washington and Jerusalem were dismayed to discover last week that Egypt's transitional military rulers (SCAF) were preparing to drop the reins of government and hand them over - lock, stock and barrel, including the armed forces - to civilian rule, i.e., the Muslim Brotherhood, at the earliest opportunity. This decision upends the Obama administration's plans for post-Mubarak: The military rulers were to have stayed in place until a new, democratic constitution was drafted and a moderate president acceptable to the Egyptian people elected.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
West readies oil plan in case of Iran crisis
Western countries discuss tapping up to 14 million bdp of oil from emergency stockpiles if Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz; action would be five-times larger than any other release from reserves.
Full story [Jerusalem Post]
Thousands of US troops land in Israel. Aircraft carrier coming soon
Thousands of US troops began descending on Israel this week. Senior US military sources told debkafile Friday, Jan. 6 that many would be staying up to the end of the year as part of the US-IDF deployment in readiness for a military engagement with Iran and its possible escalation into a regional conflict. They will be joined by a US aircraft carrier. The warplanes on its decks will fly missions with Israeli Air Force jets. The 9,000 US servicemen gathering in Israel in the coming weeks are mostly airmen, missile interceptor teams, marines, seamen, technicians and intelligence officers.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
IDF: 8,000 rockets, missiles could hit Israel if war erupts
Based on enemy capabilities, IDF assesses hundreds Israelis could be killed if war breaks out this year; a war in 2017 would likely include 15,000 rockets, missiles fired into Israeli cities, greater devastation.
Full story [Jerusalem Post]
First Al Qaeda operational cell in Jerusalem area
Monday night, Jan. 2, Al Qaeda claimed to have established its first Jerusalem operational cell calling it the "Sunni Youth Movement Cell in Greater Jerusalem." Bulletin No. 1 with details of the organization and its targets was promised in the next few days. According to debkafile's counter-terror sources, Israeli intelligence has advised the government and security services to treat the announced appearance of al Qaeda, and its aim to reach out from Jerusalem to the West Bank, very seriously.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
Abbas primes West Bank for "Palestinian Resistance" (Third Intifada)
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas kicked off preparations for a fresh outbreak of anti-Israel "resistance" - which concerned US and Israeli security circles believe will develop into "Intifada No. 3" - Tuesday, Dec. 27, by suddenly firing, the West Bank's top security officer Maj. Gen. Diab el-Ali. He did not notify US Lt. Gen. Michael R. Moeller, the American Security Coordinator between Israel and the PA appointed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Israel's military coordinator, Maj. Gen. Eitan Dangot, of this step which caught them unawares.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
Hamas: If we join PLO, it's to keep it true to its mission
Islamists demand scrapping of two-state solution, Oslo Accords; senior Hamas official: "Anyone who thinks Hamas has changed its positions is living in an illusion."
Full story [Jerusalem Post]
Iran reports all its nuclear installations now underground
Iran announced on Wednesday, Dec. 14, that it had completed the transfer of its nuclear facilities underground, including its uranium enrichment centrifuges, and that the Iranian nuclear program was now safe from US and Israeli attack. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Passive Defense Division, Gholamreza Jalali, said: "Our vulnerability in the nuclear area has reached the minimum level." And if circumstances demand it, he said, uranium enrichment facilities would be placed in more secure locations.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
Nuclear knowhow, S300 are Iran's price for Russian, Chinese access to US drone
Iran is driving a hard bargain for granting access to the US stealth drone RQ-170 it captured undamaged last week, as Russian and Chinese military intelligence teams arriving in Tehran for a look at the secret aircraft soon found. debkafile's Moscow sources disclose that the price set by Revolutionary Guards commander Gen. Ali Jaafari includes advanced nuclear and missile technology, especially systems using solid fuel, the last word on centrifuges for enriching uranium and the S-300PMU-1 air defense system, which Moscow has consistently refused to sell Tehran.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
Government OKs plan against infiltrators
Ministers unanimously approve Netanyahu's $168 million plan to deal with overflow of illegal refugees, after agreeing to cut 2% from their budgets for project
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
Israeli air traffic to Eilat menaced by Hamas-Bedouin missiles from Sinai
Israel was merely going through the motions of fighting terror with its targeted killing of Ismail Batash, commander of the "Army of Believers" (a Hamas terrorist front group), Thursday Dec. 8 - an attack which triggered a hail of Palestinian missiles against Israel. DEBKAfile's military and counter-terror sources report that Israel's military hands are firmly tied against effective counter-terror action by the Netanyahu government and Washington, who are afraid of upending the Egyptian military caste's wobbly boat in Cairo.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
Iran flies Palestinian terrorists to Syria for raids into Israel
Under cover of a four-day military exercise starting Friday, Nov. 18, Iran is reported exclusively by debkafile's Iranian and counter-terror sources to be transferring Palestinian terrorist units into Syria after training them at IRGC Al Qods facilities for cross-border raids into the West Bank and Israel.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
After UNESCO win, PA to pursue Israel in int'l forums
As member of int'l organization, PA will take Israel to court for "destroying Arab, Islamic culture in J'lem" say PA officials; Palestinians to ask UNESCO to declare sites in J'lem, W.Bank as Palestine heritage sites.
Full story [Jerusalem Post]
Israel tests new nuclear-capable missile, ends joint air exercise with Italy, starts missile drill
Wednesday, Nov. 2, shortly after announcing the successful test launch from the Palmachim base of a new, intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, Israel disclosed in unusual detail a joint Israeli-Italian air exercise ending last Friday, Nov. 29, at Sardinia.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
Russia boosts Iran's armory with mobile radar-jammers against planes or missiles
Moscow has sold Iran the highly-advanced Avtobaza truck-mounted systems which are capable of jamming aircraft radar and the electronic guidance instruments of attacking missiles. This deal, announced in Moscow Tuesday, Oct. 25, substantially boosts Russian military assistance to the Islamic Republic.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
PA rewriting Jewish history
Special: Palestinian archeological revisionism aims to nullify Jewish connection to land
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
Europe: Palestinian statehood bid 'legitimate'
European Parliament endorses Palestinian quest for statehood, says it should be achieved via negotiations; 'Right of Palestinians to self-determination and to have their own state is unquestionable,' resolution says
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
Abbas says no to Jewish state
Ahead of UN speech, Palestinian leader says he will not cave in to global pressure
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
Opinion: Arab Spring myth exposed
Op-ed: West faces quickly radicalizing Mideast after foolishly lauding Arab uprisings
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
Turkey to challenge Gaza blockade at ICJ
Crisis with Turkey: FM Ahmet Davutoglu says Ankara doesn't recognize Gaza blockade, prepares to take matter to International Court of Justice; dismisses Palmer Report conclusion that siege is legal. Meanwhile, Turkish paper reports Turkey planning to boost naval presence in Mediterranean Sea
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
Israel, US worried over Syria's WMDs
Israel, US are closely monitoring Syria's suspected caches of chemical arms for fear that the weapons could fall into terror groups' hands as uprising against President Bashar Assad rages on, Wall Street Journal reports
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
U.S. Senator seeks to cut aid to elite IDF units operating in West Bank and Gaza
U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy is promoting a bill to suspend U.S. assistance to three elite Israel Defense Forces units, alleging they are involved in human rights violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Full story [HAARETZ.com]
Iranian Revolutionary Guards train new Hamas commando brigade in Gaza
A team of Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) officers has just finished setting up Hamas' first commando unit especially trained to combat any Israel military force entering the Gaza Strip, debkafile's military sources report. The new "Al Qods Brigades" unit of 400 men is to be the first of three. A week ago, July 23, the first unit held a passing-out parade and leave-taking ceremony from its two Iranian instructors.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
Syria steps up Hezbollah armament
Growing unrest in Syria seems to have no impact on Damascus' efforts to supply Shiite group with weapons. Recent deliveries said to include Scud D, M600 ballistic missiles which put Israel, Jordan, parts of Turkey in range
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
The churches against Israel
Christian blood libels revived, with Israel being painted as evil, having no right to exist
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
Libyan rebels sold Hizballah and Hamas chemical shells
Senior Libyan rebel "officers" sold Hizballah and Hamas thousands of chemical shells from the stocks of mustard and nerve gas that fell into rebel hands when they overran Muammar Qaddafi's military facilities in and around Benghazi, DEBKAfile's exclusive military and intelligence sources report.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
New Syrian, Hizballah's guided missiles defy Israel's aerial supremacy
Israeli Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin took his leave from the Israel cabinet Sunday, Nov. 21, with a stern warning: "Tel Aviv will be a front line in the next conflict," he said.
DEBKAfile's military sources report: Syria and Hizballah now possess thousands of surface missiles from Iran with enhanced ranges of up to 300 kilometers and they are being outfitted by Iranian engineers with guidance systems. The new guided Fateh-110, M-600 and Scud D missiles hardware can pinpoint any part of Israel within a 10-meter radius in defiance of Israel's aerial and anti-missile capabilities, say Israeli and Western missile experts. Hizballah and Syria have been furnished by Iran with the means for fighting a new, far more comprehensive war.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
Syria has 1,000 ballistic missiles zeroed on Israeli targets
A colossal Iran-funded and directed armament program has enabled Syria to field 1,000 ballistic missiles and Hizballah 1,000 rockets - all pointed at specific Israeli military and civilian locations, including the densely populated conurbation around Tel Aviv, debkafile's military sources reveal. Syria has smuggled most of its stock of liquid-fuel powered ballistic missiles over to Hizballah in Lebanon, while its own production lines have been working day and night for five months to upgrade its stock solid fuel-propelled missiles, so improving their accuracy. North Korean military engineers and technicians are employed on those production lines.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
EXCLUSIVE: US intelligence finds 5,000 Hizballah trained to seize Galilee towns
Jones was not talking out of the top of his head, but on the strength of solid US intelligence gathered over months on detailed war plans Iran, Syria, Hizballah and Hamas have drawn up to send five Hizballah brigades sweeping across the border to seize five sectors of Galilee, while also organizing a massive Israeli-Arab uprising against the Jewish state.
Hamas would open a second front in the south and in the east. Syria is expected to step in at some stage.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
Russia builds key naval HQ in Syria: Missile presence worries Israel
A high-ranking Russian navy source reported July 21 that the Soviet-era naval maintenance base near Tartus in Syria is to be expanded and modernized to become "fully operational." DEBKAfile's military sources report that Russian is building the facility up as its main sea base for operations in four seas: The Atlantic and Indian Oceans and the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The upgrade of Russian port facilities at Tartus, its only foothold in the Mediterranean, will automatically enhance Moscow's strategic interests in Syria and Bashar Assad's regime.
Full story [DEBKAfile]
Opinion: Dialogue to nowhere
Elyakim Haetzni's meeting with Arab students convinces him conflict can't be resolved
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
Opinion: Wrong approach to peace
US, Israel ignore leading scholar's insights about Muslim attitude to peace deals
Full story [Ynetnews.com]
Pray
We do not know what God has in store for Israel in the short term. We can only pray that it will be for the eventual salvation of the Jewish people.
So continue to pray for Israel, for the Jewish people and for the peace of Jerusalem and may God bless you as you lift up His nation and people before Him.
Lift up the cause of the Messianic believers in Israel and pray that the Lord would grant them more freedom to express their faith in Messiah.
Would you like to be kept informed of the prayer needs of Israel, the Body of Messiah in Israel and the Jewish people? Then perhaps you would consider subscribing to the Intercessors prayer letter.