INTERNATIONAL June 2021 ISRAEL Sivan - Tamuz 5781 & Christians Today Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective www.c4israel.org | [email protected] A long exposure photo showing the Iron Dome anti-missile system firing interception missiles at rockets fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel. | Photo: Flash90 The Fourth Gaza War Temple Mount without further delay. However, the Israel and the Gaza-based terror groups. There were n Yochanan Visser Christians for Israel Correspondent | Israel government in Jerusalem refused because it doesn’t take many direct hits in several Israeli cities, causing the death ultimatums from Hamas and considers itself the of at least ten people. Another number of rockets landed The Fourth Gaza War is now more than ten days old. legitimate power in Jerusalem. in parks, roads, and other places in these cities. Fighting continues unabated with Hamas continuing to pummel Israel with its rockets and the IDF conducting The Iranian-backed Sunni terror organisation then Another new tactic used by the two terror groups was an extensive campaign against Hamas’ military launched rockets at Jerusalem which triggered a harsh inciting the Arab Israeli population, resulting in massive infrastructure and its underground tunnel city. There’s Israeli response. In the ensuing hours, the Israeli air force and very violent protests against the Israeli security much speculation about an imminent cease-fire but both (IAF) started to bomb some Hamas facilities in Gaza. The forces and numerous brutal attacks on Jewish Israelis or sides deny that this could be the case anytime soon. Palestinian terror organisations in the coastal strip shot Jewish property. at least 200 rockets at southern Israel. The war started effectively after Israel refused to Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu recognised what withdraw its security forces from the Temple Mount and The Fourth Gaza War had begun, but this one would was going on and told the public that Israel was “fighting re-open the Damascus Gate Square in Jerusalem. The differ from the previous three ones. on two fronts”. square was closed after violent riots that lasted for days. First of all, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad appeared Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) also introduced On Monday morning, 10 May 2021, Palestinian Arabs to be in possession of ultra-modern weaponry and used new weapons such as a kamikaze drone. This unmanned again violently clashed with Israeli security forces and different tactics than they did in the past. aerial vehicle can carry a payload that explodes when it during the skirmishes, at least 395 of them were injured. For example, the two terror groups launched rockets in hits its target. The Israeli military intercepted one at the Hamas leaders reportedly watched the video footage of salvos, a tactic that apparently was meant to ‘mislead’ the beginning of the war. this bloody riot and then issued an ultimatum to Israel. Iron Dome anti-missile shield. Indeed, Iron Dome proved Israel had to withdraw its security forces from the to be far less effective than in the previous wars between Continued on page 14 2 67- 11 16 A Day of Fasting and Human Rights Watch The Land of Anatevka Emergency Situation Accuses Israel of War Crimes Commemoration in Israel Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 2 June 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Sivan - Tamuz 5781 Editorial Colophon Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel Human Rights Watch Mission Our mission is to bring Biblical understanding in the Church and among the nations concerning Accuses Israel of War Crimes God’s purposes for Israel and to promote comfort of Israel through prayer and action. n Andrew Tucker Editorial Team International Editor | Christians for Israel Andrew Tucker On 27 April, Human Rights Watch (HRW) International Editor-in-Chief released its report entitled A Threshold [email protected] Crossed - Israeli Authorities and the Crimes Cathy Coldicutt of Apartheid and Persecution. It is a 213- Managing Editor page litany of accusations and complaints. [email protected] It portrays the Jewish State of Israel as an inherent apartheid state whose sole Marloes van Westing International Communications Manager purpose is to persecute the Palestinians. [email protected] According to HRW, Israel is guilty of crimes against humanity – apartheid and Ian Worby, Bryce Turner, Rita Quartel, persecution. All Israeli laws showing Marie-Louise Weissenböck and Marijke Terlouw preference to Jews must be abolished. Scripture references: THE HOLY BIBLE, Israel’s leaders should be prosecuted by NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® the International Criminal Court, and Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Israel should be subject to international Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved condemnation, isolation and sanctions. worldwide. What clearly most offends the writers of C4I Offices this report is that Israel dares to be a Jewish State – a homeland for the Jewish people. Human Right Watch has long been a leader of the coalition of numerous powerful NGOs targeting Israel. | Photo: Shutterstock Christians for Israel International How dare the Jews claim a homeland of Leon Meijer, Chairman their own? How dare the Jews be Jews? states, the subsequent attempts to accuracy of founder Robert Bernstein’s Rev Willem J.J. Glashouwer, President The report comes as no surprise. For exterminate the Jewish State, the intifada’s condemnation, in the New York Times, of Rev Cornelis Kant, Executive Director decades, since the 1970’s the claim that P.O. Box 1100 | 3860 BC Nijkerk, or Arafat’s rejection of Barak’s offer in 2000. HRW for ‘issuing reports on the Israeli- The Netherlands | Tel: +31 33 422 0405 ‘Zionism = Racism’ has remained etched Tragically, the report also ignores the Arab conflict that are helping those who [email protected] | www.c4israel.org in the minds of many who refuse to many examples of Jewish/Arab wish to turn Israel into a pariah state.’” accept the existence of the Jewish people. cooperation in Israel, the Arab Israeli’s Germany was very quick to express its The English Edition of Israel & Christians Today The Palestinian leadership has made an who work hard to make Israel a success, rejection of the report. German is published by the following English speaking art form of rejectionism. Endless missed government spokesman Steffen Seibert branches: and those Palestinians who do not blame opportunities. It’s always Israel’s fault. Israel for their sufferings. said that the international human rights Christians for Israel - Australia Like many of its predecessors, which have Israeli-based NGO Monitor issued a watchdog’s assumption that “Israel is Ian Worby, National Leader relegated to the dustbin of history, this detailed analysis of the HRW report. It committing the international law crime of PO Box 1508, Springwood report is full of black-and-white concludes that: “HRW’s text is part of a apartheid is explicitly not endorsed by the Queensland, Australia 4127 generalisations, one-sided assertions, and a renewed NGO push over the past 18- federal government. We don’t think that Tel: +61 (7) 3088 6900, [email protected] broad smattering of blatant falsifications. is a correct assessment.” www.c4israel.com.au months, attaching the term ‘apartheid’ to But this reflects more the growing modern discourse on Israel. Capitalising on their Joshua Block wrote in Jerusalem Post: “To Christians for Israel - New Zealand trend that divides history into ‘victims’ and breakthrough in the International get a sense of HRW’s disturbing anti-Israel Bryce Turner, National Executive Director ‘perpetrators’, claims all suffering must be Criminal Court (ICC), the NGO network bias, consider this: over the past five years, PO Box 12 006, Penrose, the fault of the other, and demands justice. seeks to reinforce political narratives in the NGO has authored seven special Auckland, New Zealand 1642 There is not one word even suggesting the contrast to credible factual presentation reports on Israel. In comparison, the Tel: +64 9 525 7564, [email protected] slightest possibility that the Palestinians and legal analysis. In a broader context, organisation published none condemning www.c4israel.org.nz themselves, or their brothers and sisters in this report is another move in the North Korea, one of the worst criminal Christians for Israel - Korea the Arab world, share responsibility for decades-long series of obsessive attacks regimes in the world; and only three Rev Paul Wonil Jung, Director their dire situation. Nothing about the against Israel and its legitimacy as the reports addressed the human rights Suite 3, 37 Railway Parade, Eastwood NSW, Holocaust, the Grand Mufti’s alliance with nation-state of the Jewish people. The violations of the repressive, theocratic Australia 2122 Hitler, the 1948 attack on Israel by the Arab organisation has again demonstrated the regime in Iran. Tel: +61 410 430 677 email: [email protected] www.c4israelkorea.org Israel Israel & the Nations l Pray for the reduction and easing of the unrest in Israel and l Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Christians for Israel - USA Jewish-Arab tensions and violence. Pray for the people of Bahrain have discussed expanding cooperation in facing Fred J van Westing, CEO common enemies. All four believe a nuclear Iran would PO Box 2589, Manteca, CA 95336, USA Gaza, that they’ll be freed from the terror regime of be a major threat. The remarks came following an article Tel: +1 925 984 6671 Hamas and PIJ, that they will be spared unnecessary harm. [email protected] l Pray for Israel’s protection against rocket attacks from by World Jewish Congress president Ron Lauder in Arab www.c4israel.us Gaza. In recent years relatively quiet periods alternate with News calling for a ‘NATO of the Middle East.’ Pray for a periods of heavy fire.