Another difficult day in the north
I went on Saturday up to the north again, not looking for a particular story, just the overall feel of what is happening there. I stopped first in Tiberias and the streets were almost totally empty, except for the 5 or 6 ambulances staged at a building in the city center. Most of the businesses were closed, both because of the war and because of Shabbat, but there was one mini-market open and I talked with the owner, David.
He told me that he was born and raised in Tiberias and that although this is by far the most difficult situation he has faced there, he and his family weren’t leaving. David also said that the IDF needs to do more—attack further into Lebanon in order to end the Hizbullah threat once and for all. Another man there thanked me for being an American and being there in Israel. He was so proud and thankful for America’s support.
After a worship service at a small Messianic congregation and lunch with friends in Poriyya Illit, I headed north to Kiryat Shemona. It is the largest city in the upper Galilee, with about 35,000 residents. However, some estimate that more than half have fled south to safety, and the ones who remain are rarely seen outside of their bomb shelters. Just the day before I was there over 100 Katusha rockets fell on the city, and only the day after another rocket killed 11 reserve soldiers very close to there. I met a friend in Kiryat Shemona and we traveled together to Metulla, right on the border with Lebanon.
I had been to Metulla before with my mom during her visit here and we filmed overlooking into Lebanon. This time, I set up the cameras at an observation point overlooking the entire Hula Valley. The warning siren was sounding across Metulla about every 5 or 10 minutes, but all the rockets were landing in Kiryat Shemona only 8 kilometers away. I did see one rocket impact on the western slopes of Mt. Hermon, and heard reports later that day that several Hizbullah rockets flew over the Golan Heights and landed in Syria.
We kept our attention and cameras focused in the direction of Kiryat Shemona, and in about 20 minutes witnessed 2 rocket barrages against the city. There were also other rockets that missed and landed in open areas in the valley, causing no damage. There were also many rockets that landed short of the city, sparking fires along the hills above Kiryat Shemona. After the second round of rockets we left Metulla for Kiryat Shemona to see what damage had been caused.
In the town my friend took me to a spot where a rocket had fallen just the day before. Only 30 meters from an apartment building a Katusha had landed on a basketball court just under a goal, nearly scoring 2 points. Several cars parked nearby had been damaged, one overturned completely, from the force of the impact. As I take pictures some residents inform us about another rocket that had landed nearby only 15 minutes before.
We arrive there and find a familiar sight in Kiryat Shemona: the rocket had again landed near an apartment building, but not on it. Windows were shattered and some shrapnel thrown into the side of the building, but nobody hurt. I saw this repeatedly while driving around the city, holes in the roads or courtyards of apartment buildings, but the buildings and residents themselves had been spared. Just a couple of days ago they said on the radio that out of the more than 3,000 rockets that the Hizbullah has fired, only 5% have been direct hits on homes or other buildings—God’s hand protecting His people.
That’s not to say that there’s no damage caused by the misses. Kiryat Shemona was largely abandoned, with evidence of Katusha strikes everywhere: glass on the streets, unfilled holes from the impacts, smoke from the fires burning on the hills, and ash falling like snow. The smoke was at times so thick that it was like twilight at mid-afternoon.
Bottom line, it’s not a pretty picture in the north right now, but it’s also not as grim as it’s made to appear on the news. Strengthen the people there with your prayers, and pray for the soldiers and leaders as well. The Israeli Army is strong, but it is only through Him that we all can achieve the final victory.
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August 7th, 2006 at 11:05 am
Thank you dear Warrior’s of the Most High God for telling us and even with pictures and leading us through the valley of the SHADOW of death as you treked through Israel, as the LORD was there, not only over you but others as well, and HIS LAND. Praise YOU YESHUA for YOUR ALMIGHTY outstretched hand protecting YOUR land and YOUR people, protecting Sandra, her son and whoever else went with them! Praying for the precious blood of Yeshua to cover His land, His soldier’s as the battle is the Lord’s! Thanking God for using His Holy Angel’s to lead the rockets where they don’t harm, and for fighting along side the IDF to protect them. We are grateful for the Holy Spirit leading the soldier’s in the WAY, TRUTH, & LIFE and on the battle field to know where to go and what to do! Our God reign’s. We will watch and see the Salvation of our LORD, His deliverance in Israel. We have been watching your T.V. programs and they are A +’s! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
August 7th, 2006 at 12:09 pm
Please help me. I am totally confused. I simply do not know who to believe. Maoz says one thing, even Bridges for Peace for whom Will King works says something similar at times, but Sandra says no big deal regarding the situation in Israel. I am so confused I simply do not know what to believe or think and I always go to Jewish or messianic sources for my information. Is it really after all no big deal? I am sorry, but if it is in fact true that 12 reservists lost their lives, I do not call that no big deal. If Hezbollah is as strong as Olmert says and as Ron Ross said on Jerusalem Mosaic Radio today, the Israeli government doesn’t know what to do, that hardly sounds like no big deal to me. I realize the government and the people of Israel themselves need to call out to the Father and turn to Yeshua for help, because I am quite concerned that Iran is dead serious about wanting to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. Anyway, I would sure appreciate some clarification about what’s really going on over there. By the way, I really appreciate your letters, etc. I always look forward to them in anticipation, although I also try to keep abreast via the internet. Thanks for any assistance you can provide me in this manner.
August 7th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
To Mrs Davison:
Yes, the Hizbullah is a strong organization. They have several thousand fighters, many thousand rockets and guns, and the support of Syria and Iran. They pose an obvious and real threat to Israel, and the Israeli government is having a difficult time deciding on the best course of action. So, everything that you have heard in that regard is correct.
However, as I said from my first hand accounts, most of the rockets they shoot are missing major targets and landing in open areas. The 12 soldiers that were killed were not in any town, but in an open area preparing to go into Lebanon. It was a lucky shot by the Hizbullah that otherwise would have simply been another miss if the soldiers just hadn’t of happen to be there.
So, for all the weapons they have and threat they pose, the Hizbullah simply isn’t causing the amount of death and destruction that they would like to. So, not to say that the situation is no big deal, but its simply not as big a deal as it’s being portrayed on tv. That’s all we’re trying to say.
Hope this cleared it up for you.
August 9th, 2006 at 11:41 am
Will, I find your analysis and response to Mrs. Davison offensive. You may try looking a little deeper into what is happening here in Israel. The Hizballah may not have succeded in killing the number of people that they would have liked, but the damage done to property, the economy, and the emotional well being of people is devastating. This war is causing the utter collapse of businnesses and the livehood of a tremendous number of people here in the north of Israel. The majority of its citizens don’t yet know how to put their trust in G-d. Israel needes all the prayer that can be mustered for her at this time. All of those saints out there that know how to pray need to fight this battle out in the heavenlies, so as to loose the victory here on earth! So PRAY people. Give the Lord no rest in this matter!
August 10th, 2006 at 12:45 am
Daer Adi,
You are most certainly correct that the war has impacted businesses and damaged property, all of which I have reported on from my various trips to the north. I was simply responding to the false impressions that people outside of the country are getting due to the biased media coverage. Again, not to say that what’s happening is no big deal, but it is not the cataclysmic World War III scenario that is presented on the news. Thank God that most of the damage has been to businesses and property, these can be rebuilt. I’m sorry if you found my previous comments offensive, and I hope this clears it up for you. I join you in prayer.
August 17th, 2006 at 8:07 am
DEAREST SANDRA AND TO ALL OF ZOLA,S MINISTRY, IAM SO VERY VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU AND FOR ALL OF THE WORK YOU POUR OUT OF YOUR HEARTS FOR A GREAT SERVICE TO THE LORD. I COME TO YOUR WEB SIGHT AND IAM TRULEY ENCOURAGED BY THE LOVE I SEE IN YOU AND YOUR MINISTRY. I WANT SO MUCH TO GET OUT THE BEST WORDS TO YOU ALL AT ZOLA,S MINISTRY,HOW ABOUT I LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH WITH THE LOVE THAT CHRIST HAS PUT IN ME. THE DEVIL IS TRYING SO HARD TO GET BETWEEN THE CHURCH,HE KNOWS HIS TIME IS SHORT. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU AND SAY I LOVE YOU ALL AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU ARE ALL DOING FOR CHRIST JESUS. I ADMIRE YOU SANDRA SO VERY MUCH ,YOU GO FOR IT!!! THE HOPE I GET WHEN I READ WHAT YOUR DOING HONESTLY FILLS MY HEART WITH JOYOUS ANTICIPATION FOR THE SOON APPEARING OF OUR LORD FOR HIS OWN. IAM SO HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE SUCH A HEART FOR THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE GOD GAVE IT TO,AGAIN THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH,IN CHRIST BE ENCOURAGED, KIMBERLY WOOLMAKER,WEST VIRGINIA.
August 17th, 2006 at 11:18 am
I would like to thank Zola’s ministry for putting Mr. Shoebat on your show because he has absolutely opened a lot of eyes that had been blinded.
My heart goes out to you sandra and Will because I know that you would have loved for Zola to have been with you on your visit to Israel during hezbollah’s ignorance.
These people are simply evil and I never one time prayed for them. They used the news media to exploit the Israelies offensive when they are the baby and children killers. They probably used the same bodies over and over in the bombed buildings. I would put nothing passed these idiots who believe they should be in control.
Israel is a dream for me. I would love to visit there but my husband says it is too far away and we may get high-jacked. I have wanted to go to the Holy Land ever since I can remember how to say Israel. I am not jewish, but in my Christianity I know who is in control and Israel is in safe hands.
The news media is very biased when it comes to Israel. They do not want to put anything on there because they think it hurts Bush, but they are really the ones who got hurt because everyone watched Fox instead of CNN and CNBC.
Well thank you for all of the material you present for us to read and learn about the Middle East conflicts. Please know that our Christian churches are praying every day for Israel.
I’ll be reading more soon and may have some questions if you would care to elaborate on them.
Maddy