LLX News

by JNS | Jul 8, 2022 | Middle East

Ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden’s planned visit to the Middle East mid-month, it appears that Saudi Arabia is setting the stage for closer relations with Israel.

According to a report by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), intellectuals, journalists and social-media activists in Saudi Arabia have begun openly expressing a more tolerant and even positive attitude towards Israel. They see peace with Jerusalem as inevitable and vital to halting threats to the region by Iran, including a nuclear one.

Many have also directly criticized the Palestinians for not adopting a realistic policy conducive to resolving the conflict with Israel.

cont’d…

https://israel365news.com/353985/saudi-jorunalists-slam-palestinians-call-for-religious-edict-approving-normalization-with-israel/

By: Ryan Jones – Israel Today; israeltoday.co.il

Evil flees before and is defeated by truth and light. But it is given free rein when we sit idly by and do nothing, or worse, cower in the corner.

The tepid response to Iran coming from America and Europe only serves to further embolden the ayatollahs in their demonic quest to put the entire region under the repressive thumb of Islam.

It’s been rightly compared to the initial response of Britain and France to Nazi aggression in the lead-up to World War II. Sure, they weren’t happy about it. But they also weren’t prepared to do anything about it.

Israel, on the other hand, has learned its lesson. At first similarly blind to what the Nazis were truly capable of, the Jews of Europe failed to fully grasp what was happening until it was too late.

The Jews of Israel won’t make that same mistake twice. Which is why on Sunday Israel’s dovish interim Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yair Lapid, uncharacteristically slammed his European Union counterpart, Josep Borrell, for once again trying to bring Iran back to the negotiating table despite recent overwhelming evidence that the Islamic Republic has continued its nuclear weapons program in defiance of all previous agreements.

cont’d…

https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/our-lukewarm-and-fearful-responses-to-iran-are-not-biblical/

CBN News; cbn.com

JERUSALEM, Israel —A baby formula shortage triggered by a global supply chain crisis has sent parents across the United States scouring supermarket shelves in search of nourishment for their babies. 

With many families still unable to get their hands on infant formula, Israelis are stepping up to help.

The Genesis 123 Foundation, a non-profit that seeks to build bridges between Christians and Jews, recently delivered 200 pounds of baby formula to two churches in Texas.

“I was troubled to hear about the major shortage of baby formula, and people turning to every means to get the precious powder that keeps their children nourished and even alive,” says Jonathan Feldstein, an orthodox Jew and president of the Genesis 123 Foundation. 

Initially, Feldstein planned on bringing a few cans of formula from Israel in his suitcase during a trip to the US. Then he decided to enact the help of a major Israeli grocery store and his neighbors to bring even more.

cont’d…

https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2022/june/lis-step-up-to-deliver-baby-formula-to-christians-in-texas

By: Julie Stahl – CBN News; cbn.com

A political earthquake is rocking Israel after Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid announced on Monday they are dissolving the Knesset, putting an end to their struggling coalition government. The move likely brings the country to its fifth national election in three and a half years.

The joint statement on national television pre-empted a Knesset vote scheduled for Wednesday that may have brought down the government anyway. 

“My friend, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and I, decided to work together, to dissolve the Knesset, and to hold elections at an agreed time, at the same time transferring the power in an orderly manner and ensuring the national interest of the State of Israel. Even during the transition period, the state continues,” Bennett said in the primetime address.

Over the last month, the coalition destabilized with the withdrawal of coalition members. Bennett said he had fought hard to maintain the coalition.

“In recent weeks we have done everything that could be done to preserve this government, which, in our eyes, its continued existence is in the national interest. Believe me, we have turned every stone upside down, not for our sake, but for the sake of our beautiful country, for you, citizens of the State of Israel,” Bennett said.

cont’d…

https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2022/june/israeli-government-collapses-calls-for-new-elections-could-it-lead-to-a-return-for-netanyahu

By: Yaakov Lappin – Jewish News Syndicate; jns.org

Maj. (res.) Tal Beeri of the Alma Center tells JNS that “the attacking party” behind a series of reported strikes on Damascus is sending a clear message to the Bashar Assad regime.

The Syrian regime led by President Bashar Assad risks losing its Damascus International Airport if Iran continues to use the site to smuggle advanced weapons to Hezbollah, the head of research at an Israeli defense research center has warned.

Speaking just days after international media reports said Israel struck its latest blow against Damascus International, Maj. (res.) Tal Beeri, head of the research department at the Alma Center, told JNS: “The message is clear. So long as Iran’s air corridor for smuggling weapons from Iran to Syria and Lebanon continues, the Syrian state will be seen as responsible by the attacking party. So long as Syria won’t act, the airport will continue to be a target.”

Future attacks could include a “roof knock”—dropping empty munitions to serve as a warning—on the airport’s control tower and destroying it after it is evacuated, assessed Beeri, or strikes on the airport’s radars.

“If the message isn’t received, attacks could escalate further, to the point that serious damage is caused to the airport, and it will take more than a few days to repair,” he said. “The messaging is not aimed at Iran—that is a lost cause. It is determined to continue trafficking arms to Hezbollah. It is aimed at Syria.”

cont’d…

https://www.jns.org/israeli-defense-expert-if-syria-continues-to-let-iranian-weapon-planes-land-it-risks-losing-airport/

By: Ian Giatti – The Christian Post; christianpost.com

Nearly half a century after his father visited the region, Rev. Franklin Graham held a historic outreach on the beaches of Brazil over the weekend, drawing thousands to hear the Gospel despite some rainy weather.

The Esperança Rio — or “Hope” Rio — event at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro resulted from years of prayer, planning and training. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) partnered with more than 4,000 churches to make it all come together.

Umbrellas in hand, almost 70,000 turned out to hear the 69-year-old Evangelical leader’s message of God’s love.

Graham told The Christian Post there’s a “great hunger for the Gospel, no question,” as evidenced by the commitment of the thousands who showed up in the rain.

cont’d…

https://www.christianpost.com/church-ministries/franklin-graham-preaches-hope-to-68k-on-brazilian-beach.html

By: Tamir Morag – Israel Hayom; israelhayom.com

“Scooper Series: Social Mission” series of videos include one by leading BDS activist Omar Shakir of Human Rights Watch, as well as videos about racism in the United States. Ben & Jerry’s parent company Unilever faces investor class action suit over ice cream giant’s boycott decision.

All new employees of ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s are now required to attend a series of four lectures by activists on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Jewish Insider reported this week.

This includes one by Omar Shakir of Human Rights Watch, a leading BDS activist expelled from Israel for supporting the boycott of the Jewish state.

Last year, Ben & Jerry’s caused an uproar when it announced it would no longer sell its products in the “occupied Palestinian Territories,” referring to Judea and Samaria and east Jerusalem.

Jewish Insider reported that the company makes new employees watch videos about racism in the United States and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict under the title “Scooper Series: Social Mission.”

cont’d…

https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/06/16/ben-jerrys-forces-new-hires-to-watch-videos-on-israeli-palestinian-conflict/

By: Shahar Klaiman and Tamir Morag – Israel Hayom; israelhayom.com

The Wall Street Journal claims Riyadh is engaging in “serious talks” with Jerusalem about establishing business ties, and bolstering security coordination.

Riyadh and Jerusalem do not maintain official diplomatic ties, the Gulf kingdom “is expanding secretive talks with Israeli leaders” and the move “could reshape Middle East politics and end decades of enmity between two of the region’s most influential nations,” the report said.

The Saudis have so far held out on joining the Abraham Accords, saying any such progress was dependent on progress in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, but according to the report, the administration of US President Joe Biden is actively mediating between the two with the aim of declaring bilateral steps that could facilitate normalization at a later stage.

According to the Wall Street Journal report, the conservative Islamic kingdom “senses a shift” in its public toward establishing official relations with the Jewish state.

cont’d…

https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/06/07/report-saudi-arabia-moves-closer-to-forging-ties-with-israel/

By: Times of Israel Staff; timesofisrael.com

Threat comes as Bennett touts Israel’s successes against the Islamic Republic over the past year and amid fears Tehran will try to retaliate for recent high-profile assassinations

Iran on Tuesday threatened to “raze” the cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa.

“For any mistake made by the enemy, we will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground by the order of the Supreme Leader,” the Islamic Republic’s ground forces commander, Kiumars Heydari, told the semi-official Iranian Tasnim news agency.

The threat came less than a day after a report on Monday said Thai security forces had thwarted several recent Iranian attempts to harm Western and Israeli targets in the Southeast Asian country — a popular tourist destination for Israelis.

Iran has reportedly been trying to retaliate for several high-profile assassinations and mysterious deaths in the Islamic Republic in recent months, including of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps colonel and a top scientist.

cont’d…

https://www.timesofisrael.com/iranian-general-threatens-to-raze-tel-aviv-and-haifa-to-the-ground/

By: Julie Stahl – CBN News; cbn.com

Dubbed the Lion of Judah, a bronze lion statue was dedicated in Jerusalem this week, in the presence of prominent Christian and Jewish guests, against the backdrop of Jerusalem’s Old City Walls.

“We thank you for this sculpture representing the Lion of Judah. We thank you Lord that you are the Lion. We thank you Lord that no weapon formed against us shall prosper,” prayed We thank you Lord that we are ambassadors of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and not even the gates of hell shall prevail,” prayed Nick Vujicic, Chief Executive Officer of Life Without Limbs.

The Lion of Judah sculpture was created by American Christian artist Max Greiner and was given to Israel as a gesture of friendship and U.S. Christian support of the Jewish people of Israel several years ago.  The 1,134-pound, 11-foot-long bronze lion was installed in one of Jerusalem’s largest parks.

https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2022/june/jerusalems-newly-dedicated-lion-of-judah-statue-celebrates-jewish-christian-ties