#read up on jewish people who are anti-israel. please. i beg of you

[sidneyfestive]

yeah so any asks like this are immediately getting deleted. I am pro palestine, and just because you see someone mention that theyre jewish and their family has a military background that doesn't mean they're a zionist israeli. and yes i am posting this because its relevant, much of this project is based off of the current political climate and me venting my frustrations of my heritage being used to propagate the death of a people.

[matan4il]

In today's edition of "The UN is complicit," we now have proof that this "respectable" organization has been sweeping under the rug a crucial report on the situation in Gaza.

On Jun 5 this year, headlines based on false statements from the UN released on that day were still being published, claiming that by mid Jul over 1 million people (about half the Gazan population) could be facing the highest level of starvation if the war continues. This was when we've been going through 8 months of war, in which the UN constantly made claims of imminent genocidal starvation, now, right now, truly, any moment now, if the war doesn't stop.

Except, it turns out that on Jun 4 already (a day earlier than the UN's starvation claims were being made and published), the IPC (an organization made up of several NGOs and UN bodies) has had to admit that there is no reliable evidence of starvation in Gaza, or that its existence is even plausible. This is particularly significant because it was actually the IPC's own Mar 2024 report that many of the claims regarding starvation relied on!

(please read the linked article if you can, it also links to researchers like Mark Zlochkin, quoting the findings of the Famine Review Committee, which are compelling in showing that there is no starvation in Gaza)

This means the UN has known for two weeks at this point (in an official capacity) that there is no starvation, but proceeded to ignore and even contradict its own people on this.

It means Israel has been slandered by false accusations of causing intentional starvation when there is no evidence that there even is one for EIGHT AND A HALF MONTHS, it means that the "clearest piece of evidence" of the supposed genocide in Gaza has never been substantiated, it means every Israel supporter accused of being pro-genocide has been deeply wronged, it means every antisemitic abuse of a Jewish person attacked over the situation in Gaza has been based on an antisemitic libel, it means countless anti-Jewish crimes have been justified using a lie that the UN has been actively enabling for two weeks (if we only count the time they've known about this on an official level, but since the UN has 13,000 employees on the ground in Gaza, it surely knew even before the Jun 4 report)...

And I find it particularly gruesome that I found out about the IPC report on the same day I learnt a 12 years old Jewish girl in France was gang raped as an antisemitic hate crime. This is the second time a Jewish female has been raped in France due to antisemitic motivation in recent months, when during the first rape (that we know of) the rapist was clear about his anti-Israel motivation. And we all know where the inspiration came from, to rape women just because they're Jewish, and knowing they will be victims who will not be listened to, or worse, whose rape will be justified as "resistance"...

IDK how anyone can have a conscience and not be bothered by this. All of it.

The UN is complicit.

The international NGOs are complicit.

The news sources that have not published the report are complicit.

The people who didn't believe rape reports from Oct 7 just because they came from Jews are complicit.

They all prove that Jews are NOT protected, or even just treated with basic human decency, as we should be.

My heart breaks for this girl. I wish I could do something for her, but there is nothing, except to scream here over this abhorrent injustice, and to beg people to raise their voice. Our sister's blood is calling out to us from the ground, and we CANNOT be silent.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[pocinperioddramas]

Some of the things you said in reference to Wonder Woman - Gal Godot specifically - really rubbed me the wrong way. I'm not Jewish, but it's my understanding - re a post by a Jewish person on the way antisemitism crops up in discussions of Israel and how to avoid it - that 'Zionism' is just the belief that Israel should EXIST, not something that has any connection to support/lack thereof of Israeli politics/military action. (1/2)

Unless you really do think Israel shouldn’t exist - in which case, please be clear on that so I can unfollow. If it was a case of mistaken terminology (I’ve been there too!) please clarify or edit. I’d be happy to send you a link to the post in the messaging or something if you’re interested, or reblog it and tag you! (Also, it might be good to look into the Godot thing a little - she may be problematic, but a lot of the criticism I’ve seen of her is actually anti-Semetic dogwhistling.) (2/2)

Hello there! I am finally getting around to answering your question, after around 2 weeks of being absent from this blog. As you said that you don’t mind me posting my response publicly, I will do so in order for people to be clarified about my views regarding the issues on the table.

I understand your reservations. You linked me to the post you were referring to in your response to my own ask to you (the link did go through BTW). I actually saw that post a few years ago, I believe, and while the OP’s concerns about anti-Semitism cropping up in the process of defending Palestine are definitely valid (and they have every right to be concerned, as there have been some infamous figures who were pro-Palestine but also turned to be very anti-Semitic - there were at least 2 people I remember reading about, but I can’t remember their names at the moment), not every Jewish person shares their particular view about Israel/Zionism. There is, in fact, a website known as the New Jewish Resistance founded and run by anti-Zionist Jews (and they explicitly identify as such) through whom I learned a lot about anti-Semitism and Zionism and how to fight both forms of oppression (in this article, they discuss about what they stand for and in this other article, they tackle about how being anti-Zionist isn’t equivalent to being anti-Semitic). But understand that this definitely shouldn’t excuse from any possible anti-Semitism (as citing that could make me sound like one of those “I’m not racist, I have [insert race/ethnicity being discussed] friends” or in this case, “I’m not anti-Semitic, I have Jewish friends” and I definitely don’t want to be like that), so please do call me out if I have been anti-Semitic, whether subtle or explicit.

But you do bring up the issue of whether Zionism can be considered a legitimate ideology that started out with good intentions (a la how communism and socialism can be interpreted by many people too), which is the view held by the OP of the post you shared, or if it is an inherently flawed or oppressive ideology. To be honest, I’m still very conflicted about that. The important thing here has always been to center both Jewish and Palestinian voices speaking out on the issue, and while most Palestinians identify as anti-Zionist and anti-Israel, Jewish people are divided on it. Of course I definitely think that people who actively support the policies and actions of the Israeli government and Israel Defense Forces are reinforcing oppression, but Jewish people who bring up the point about Zionism being interpreted as an ideology with good intentions should be taken into account too, as people do think that Jewish people, despite centuries and even millennia of being in the diaspora, have an ancestral claim to their homeland in the Middle East.

But that also begs the question: if you support the ideology of Zionism while opposing the oppression of Palestine, do you think the two can be brought to life (i.e. Israel - or at least a Jewish state - and Palestine coexisting peacefully) in a way that do not contradict each other? Because as far as I know, Zionism is founded on the belief that the Jewish people have the right to a state of their own in the region of Palestine, where millions of Palestinians have lived for centuries too. Could a Jewish state exist where it does not have to oust these Palestinians from their own lands and it does not have to be a colonizer, and how can it be (realistically) put into practice? Or does Zionism and the right of Palestine to exist as a state directly contradict each other and thus you cannot actually support both? I would in fact hope for a two-state solution, but I do not know how it could be truly brought to life without involving any oppression or bloodshed. (Most of these questions are actually brought up too in the post you shared, but I am still curious about them and now that you asked me about it, it’s made me realize how sorely lacking my knowledge is on the issues and has made me want to learn more now actually. This is actually a good wake-up call for me, so I thank you for that, as your criticism has made me realize it’s important to evaluate my knowledge about issues in social justice - Zionism included - before speaking out.)

Now, with regards to Gal Gadot, most of the criticism I’ve read about her - from the people I follow on social media who have been vocal about being anti-Gal - with regards to her support of the IDF seems valid to me, but as it is said, anti-Semitism can still insidiously seep into conversations where people are defending Palestine, so maybe there truly was anti-Semitism there but I didn’t notice it. I did recently read an article from a Palestinian woman that discussed Gal’s Zionism/support of the IDF that might have had anti-Semitic undertones, though the author did make very good points about other aspects like the cruelties inflicted by the Israeli government and the IDF and the oppression that the Palestinians face from them, so maybe that’s an example of criticism that has anti-Semitic dog-whistling. What other examples have you seen of such criticism with anti-Semitic undertones?

But my point about Gal still stands: she may be a good actress and apparently progressive in other aspects, but her active support of the IDF and her praise of Shimon Peres alone are enough for me not to want to support her in any of her work, even “Wonder Woman”, despite my admiration of the character, her importance as a strong female superhero presence in pop culture and media, and the appeal of the movie due to the rave reviews it received, and I firmly believe that she wasn’t the one best suited to the role as there are plenty of other female actors who are even more progressive and whose personality, behavior, and views embody Wonder Woman and what she stands for more than someone who is an IDF supporter. I hope you understand.

Maybe you know more about these subjects, so if you have any more information, you can share with me so that I can learn too and if I am wrong in my views, I can rectify them and become more understanding and careful on these topics.

I am in no way an expert on Zionism, Israel’s oppression of Palestine, anti-Semitism, and Jewish and Palestinian experiences, as I am neither Jewish nor Palestinian. In fact, I only heard about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict relatively recently (I might have heard about it earlier had I been living in the West, but I don’t and I learned about it entirely through social media - that’s no excuse for me though, and I’m trying to catch up). I have conflicted feelings about Zionism and Israel in general, as I am not always certain about all the information I learn about these topics. But in recent years, I have tended to think along the lines of ‘Zionism is oppressive’ and ‘Israel (at least the way it was created and the state in its present form) is a colonizer/colonial state’, thanks to the articles I have been reading and whose views make sense to me. However I do get that I may have unconsciously appeared to be making assumptions with regards to the issues of Zionism and Israel, despite not being super knowledgeable about it as I’d want to be (although I definitely do think that what the Israeli government is doing to Palestinians is wrong). So I apologize for that, and please do not be afraid to criticize me for any faulty information or stances that I hold, when I air such information and stances. I actually encourage my followers and even non-followers to do so, so that I may continue to learn too (but that doesn’t mean I should rely entirely on other people to call me out - I am trying to educate myself as well by reading up on more articles, thinkpieces, and books discussing such issues as well as listening to the voices of the people at the center of such issues - I’m simply saying that it’s perfectly fine to call me out too in addition to me calling out myself while I am learning in my own way).

(Now, I will tread more carefully and be more specific when referring to Zionism and Israeli colonialism and make less assumptions as well.)

You are still free to unfollow me if you want, of course. I do hope we can reach an understanding, and thank you once again for your thoughtful ask. I really appreciate it.

-Admin Dawn

[kidsviral-blog]

Gaza defenders, Hamas supporters call for Iran, others to bomb, nuke Israel

New Post has been published on https://kidsviral.info/gaza-defenders-hamas-supporters-call-for-iran-others-to-bomb-nuke-israel/

Gaza defenders, Hamas supporters call for Iran, others to bomb, nuke Israel

http://twitter.com/#!/MSLFC22/status/269451412168126464

The battle being waged between Israel and Hamas has shone a spotlight on vicious anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism. The dregs of society are continuing to crawl out from under their filthy rocks, calling on Iran to bomb Israel and nuke the Jewish State off the map:

#iran please bomb israel

— Hashim Rolay (@HashimRolay) November 14, 2012

IRAN should hurry up nd finish thr Nuclear Bomb nd throw it in Israel!

— The Humble One (@daldino) November 14, 2012

Iran please fucking go bomb the fuck out of Israel.

— Shoayb Ajmal – شعيب (@shoayb786) November 15, 2012

Dear Iran, please push a button and bomb Israel. Yours sincerely, The world.

— P (@Peaks94) November 16, 2012

@hirschys hope and pray Iran will nuke Israel the Evil murdering filthy devils

— honey (@MSLFC22) November 16, 2012

Can Iran accidentally nuke #Israel now? I mean it’s about time! #gaza

— Gaza(@adhee17) November 15, 2012

israel…. if I were Iran,I’d nuke that…. #gaza #prayforgaza

— A’ishaa Shariff (@Aish_25) November 15, 2012

I wish iran would nuke Israel . Dont provoke someone then get mad when they kill your people like you did to theres

— Đam!r (@El_Nubee) November 15, 2012

can’t wait for Iran to nuke Israel #unpopularopinions

— dwayne (@philiplovesyou) November 16, 2012

I hope Iran bomb the shit out of Israel

— Toby Clements (@Tobias_Sullivan) November 15, 2012

@kolisraelorg Iran will strike Israel, Russia will support Iran and america will do fuck all… Israel nuke power station goes BOOM…

— NovaCygni (@Nova_Cygni) November 15, 2012

@seanofkelly I hope they blowup the nuke power station and finish Israel of once and for all, Israel is a disrace, land stealing warmonger!

— NovaCygni (@Nova_Cygni) November 15, 2012

I beg iran just drop an atomic bomb on israel…

— 80’s Baby (@80sWeWorking) November 15, 2012

Israel can suck my dick…Iran should bomb ya’ll ASAP!!!

— Mr.GranDaddySaveaHoe (@ThatFunkyBoii) November 16, 2012

Others don’t care who pushes the button, as long as the button gets pushed:

All we can do is #prayforGaza .If you want to make a different, study hard, become the minister of defence, and then nuke the zionist israel

— Khairul Nazlee (@ThisIsNotKerol) November 15, 2012

I say we nuke Israel. Or atleast find a way to bring all their leaders to some place and send them to fucking oblivion.

— basil bashier (@babl0bicass0) November 15, 2012

Israel are the victims? They’ve been bombing Gaza for years and they have the gall to say they’re under attack! Just nuke them already.

— Qasim Lugia Mahmood (@ToastQ) November 15, 2012

why don’t we just bomb that Israel Laknatullah ?? they are so inhumanity

— NA ツ (@yunhuha) November 16, 2012

fuck israel! wankers!!! nuke the bastards

— pete(@pete1488) November 15, 2012

Someone please go and bomb Israel!!!

— ADRIANA ♚ (@adrianahanafi) November 15, 2012

@carouselcarouse Time to nuke Israel.

— Michael Carrillo (@diz1776) November 15, 2012

Fuck Israel !! Nuke Israel !!!

— Jung Gehr (@Madbugginbutt) November 16, 2012

Nuke em RT @loopyloo305 Americans Stand with Israel: BREAKING: @idfspokesman: We Are Ready to Invade, Gaza Will Not … tmi.me/zeeVA

— Youxia88 (@Youxia88) November 15, 2012

Tbh the only way to stop israel is to nuke em or resurrect Hitler..they don’t giv a fuck about petitions or RT’s!

— Shay (@Shy_Man86) November 15, 2012

Any #jewish person in #israel that thinks god will reward then for killing jesus and #genocide in #gaza will see a light, light from a nuke

— Pete James (@Wake_U_UP) November 15, 2012

These people want to do the deed themselves:

I wish I was rich so I can have my own army and nuke the fuck out of israel

— Biggie (@biggiesafa17) November 15, 2012

#IfItWasUpToMe I would blow israel off the world map. #nuke the fuckers

— Wazza (@bajman212) November 16, 2012

I wanna wipe Israel off the map. Literally nuke the whole country. Maybe not the innocents but the majority Zionists #pray4Gaza

— Karmelle (@OmarHashi) November 15, 2012

Horrifying.

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2012/11/16/gaza-defenders-hamas-supporters-call-for-iran-others-to-bomb-nuke-israel/

[cfijerusalem]

March 16, 2017 Update

THE WORD

"You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendour."  …This is what the LORD says-- the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel-- to him who was despised and abhorred by the nations, to the servant of rulers: "Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."  …I will restore the land and reassign its desolate inheritances." (Isaiah 49:3-8)

The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing …For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water… (Isaiah 35:1-7)

POINTERS FOR PRAYER

As we look into the events bringing potential chaos and instability within the Middle East, please pray for discernment and spiritual guidance as to how we should be interceding over these issues.  

Do continue to pray for protection around the borders of Israel, and pray for the current leaders in Israel, including the Prime Minister Netanyahu.  I firmly believe God is calling Christians to come alongside Israel and cry out to God on Israel's behalf, to take the deep heart cry of the nation into our own hearts; to intercede against her enemies, and to believe in the promises of God for Israel.  Please continue to pray that the Lord God would indeed shelter Israel in the shadow of His wings. (Psalm 17:7–9)

As I have mentioned over the past few reports, do also pray for the Arab world. While tens of millions of Arabs have been suffering for decades from brutal oppression from their own Arab leaders, and many have been tortured and imprisoned and women humiliated and dissidents killed, the world has become obsessed with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as if the Arab Palestinians (who have rejected one peace offer after another) were the only victims in the Middle East.  Please cry out for the Arab people struggling under the heavy restraints of Islamic oppression.   

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS OR 20/20?

In my report land week, I attempted to bring a balanced argument against those who, through their ‘Israel Apartheid Week(s)’ give a very poor case against the Jewish nation.  To all those who wrote in with your appreciation and encouragement, I’d like to say a huge “thank you.”  One reader stated, “Fantastically accurate and detailed article to arm Israel supporters with the information to present to those who claim Israel to be an apartheid state. A big thanks to David Soakell for providing this wealth of information to share!”  I’m not so sure if it was that good, but thank you all the same. However, I even created a similar report taking out all the Biblical and prayer issues so that I could use it in one of my personal blog posts (which can be read here).  This was purely for advocacy purposes, and I tweeted some on the #IsraeliApartheidWeek Twitter feeds.  I expected a flood of abuse, negative reactions, or at least some questions back, but did I get any?  Not a jot… not a murmuring.   Now of course that’s fine with me as it keeps the old blood pressure down and saves me needing to respond, but it begs the question, do these anti-Israel people even bother to look at the ‘other side’?

As I mentioned last week, the Scriptures declare that Israel is the land of milk and honey.  When God spoke to Moses at the burning bush, He informed Moses that He would redeem the Israelis and bring them to a "good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey..." (Exodus 3:8).  This is the Land of the Bible; the land God gave to the Jewish people as an everlasting covenant (Genesis 17:8; 26:3 4; 35:12; Psalm 105:8- 11). Israel is also the only true democracy within the Middle East, with Jews, Arabs and Christians living in this tiny area of land – a land the size of Wales.  And let’s not forget that Israel has nearly 2 million Arabs living in complete safety. When one considers that in the rest of the Middle East (which is 99.9% of the land mass) there is turmoil and genocide going on in various Islamic nations, the Arabs of Israel should know that they are far better off living under Israeli sovereignty rather than under Islamic Sharia law.

Some time ago, I remember being laid upon my bed in a darkened room with a migraine as I watched an explosion of lights in my eyes which caused my vision to be blared.  At the same time, I was thinking about a report I’d read on the troubled Middle East, and I thought, “that’s it… that’s the problem… the world’s media, politicians, many University students, ‘#IsraelApartheidWeek supporters’ and sadly much of the church must suffer with migraine!   They see the troubles in the Middle East but only through distorted eyes.  They see Israel, but not with clear vision, and generally blame them for everything whether it’s their fault or not.”  

To anyone observing the turmoil and upheaval in the Islamic Middle East, there is little doubt that unless the Jewish State is determined to commit suicide, Israel must make some ‘politically incorrect’ decisions that will, no doubt, bring further condemnation from the rest of the world.   Egypt, one of the few Arab nations once willing to be at peace with Israel, isn’t the ‘friendly neighbour’ we thought.  In many areas of Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has a strong say and they are closely aligned with the Hamas rulers in Gaza.  Many today are wondering if there is another revolution brewing in Egypt?  Six years after the Arab Spring, analysts say the conditions are in place for yet more conflict in Egypt.  The Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who came to power in a coup that, in its aftermath, resulted in the massacre of more than one thousand Arab supporters of his predecessor, might have a reputation for speaking very softly. This quality often disarms foreigners. Some say “When you talk to him, unlike most Arab generals, he listens.”  But is he dangerous?  Well just look at what happened when he came to power.

To the north of Israel, Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah, has all but taken over Lebanon, and it is armed to the teeth with scores of thousands of rockets and missiles with Israel in its sights.  On Tuesday March 14, 2017, Geologist and former adviser to the Israel Defence Force (IDF), Chief of Staff Yossi Langotsky, stated that it is very likely that Hezbollah have now dug tunnels into Israel.  Langotsky has warned of northern border terrorist tunnel threats and told Israeli News Media that he is very worried about the possibility of a new front in northern Israel which, he says, may include tunnels that Israel’s enemies intend to use to infiltrate Israel and carry out terror attacks against Israelis.  I remember reporting about this in 2016 and am surprised that Israel appears to have done little about it.  Langotsky told the Israel media, “As I warned in the past, there is a high probability that Hezbollah has dug tunnels into our borders. Unfortunately, despite all that I said in the past, nothing was done about this. The rock in the north is supposed to be hard, but believe me that it’s not harder than the granite in North Korea, and the North Koreans, who are involved here in the Middle East, have dug four attack tunnels into South Korea. Every tunnel they dug was two by two metres, big enough to pass through any military vehicle short of a tank. Tunnels like that from southern Lebanon to Israel can be very unpleasant for us.”

While the situation in Syria remains deadly turbulent, regardless of who prevails, Israel loses out there as well. The most powerful opposition forces in Syria are, as within Egypt and elsewhere, the radical Islamic machine.  And then of course there is Iran!  No one seems to be talking about Iran at the moment… all appears to be quiet.  Could it be that they are keeping their heads down while happily building nuclear weapons with all the recent cash the former US President Obama blessed them with?  

This is the reality confronting Israel today... and all the while, Arab members of the Knesset (Parliament) can argue with their Jewish members of Parliament; Arab justices in the Israeli High Courts can do their work with Jewish lawyers; Arab university students can study the same subjects as their Israeli peers in Israeli universities; Jewish doctors can continue treating Arab patients and Arab doctors can treat Jewish patients… and Jews and Arabs CAN walk down the same streets and get on the same buses – despite the lies that come from the lips of the BDS supporters… and all the while the Israel Apartheid Week/Months campaigns blind the eyes of more innocent young people, who although spend all their time glued to What’s App, Facebook, Twitter and other Social Media sites, appear to be unable to ‘google’ the truth.  Meanwhile, Arabs elsewhere in the vast 99.9% Islamic land mass of the oil rich Middle East, long for the freedom that Israel's own Arab citizens have...not to mention the scores of millions of non-Arabs in the rest of the Middle East who exist under various degrees of deadly subjugation at the hands of their Arab rulers.  

With Iran, Syria, Hezbollah’s Lebanon, Egypt, Hamas’ Gaza and Abbas’ Palestinian controlled areas all causing dust clouds due to the uproar in the Middle East, how long we wonder before the dust clouds are caused by the stirrings of armies and tank manoeuvres? Then of course there is the whole problem with the “West Bank”.  While it will be under continuous pressure to act against its bare minimal security needs, Israel must hold its ground and insist on not becoming some newly resurrected ‘Neville Chamberlain's offering’ for “peace in our time a la Munich 1938.”  With its unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 and the battle they have had since, Israel must insist there is no compromise in Judea and Samaria.  To rip out the heart and lungs, the body dies… and so too will Israel, if she gives up the Biblical Mountains of Israel.  The nation of Israel must never become the nine to fifteen mile wide sub-state, practically begging to be destroyed, that the armistice lines - not borders - of 1949 left it as after surviving the combined invasion of a five Arab nations armies upon its rebirth in 1948. After the renewed Arab attempt on its life in 1967, Israel was promised more defensible and more secure borders. No amount of arm twisting and PLO tirades can erase the basic justice of this. And any future deal with Syria cannot include the giving up of the very strategic Golan Heights.  Whatever ill-focused views the world may peer at Israel with, one thing is for certain – without the clear vision that Israel had upon her rebirth in 1948, anything but the strong resolute spirit of the Jewish people – may result in something far more serious than a nagging headache.

REASON TO BE CHEERFUL

Having written what I have above, it does sound as if I should be wearing a placard with the words ‘the end of the world is nigh’ upon it.  Is it really that bad you might well ask?  Sadly, it could get a lot worse.  With anti-Semitism being at its highest for 70 plus years, which means it’s as high now, if not higher, than in the 1930s, we can expect many battles ahead, and many more Jewish people deciding that the safest place is actually within Israel.  However, as 70s pop star Ian Dury & The Blockheads once sang (of a sort) there are still many ‘reason to be cheerful’.  On each occasion when travelling to Israel, as soon as my feet touch the ground, I feel I’m home.  What is it about this place that I love?  How can this troubled land of Israel bring me such joy and peace, yet cause me to grieve too? Has it got something to do with my Jewish roots?  Maybe! Yet I know many Christians feel the same way. Without doubt, God has chosen the land of Israel for His purposes, promises and Covenant people.  It might be a political minefield, yet it is truly an amazing place.  

These past few weeks one of our friends from Israel has been back in the UK at our fellowship. Julie and her husband Marc made Aliyah to Israel over three years ago, and now live in Korazim in Northern Israel. It was funny listening to her stating that it was “so cold in the UK”.  Well it was the north east of England after all!  Of course in Israel, spring started many weeks ago, but even in the UK, we have seen spring starting to ‘lift our spirits up’.

In the scripture I use at the top of this report - of Isaiah 35 - we read of a time when the Israeli wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose! It even states it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice!  I know I have painted a dark picture in the above article, and without doubt, we need to soak Israel in our intercession… however, I like to think that Israel is not just a disturbing item on the news, mostly wrongly biased in favour of the Arab world, showing them as the victims of Israeli oppression (as in the ‘#IsraelApartheidWeek supporters propaganda). It is not the tragic place of apartheid and hatred of the Arab Palestinian (as I proved in last week’s report).  Yes, the situation is very complex, with both sides suffering at times, and these two different societies and cultures claiming the same piece of land. However, this precious land is also a very beautiful country, not just holy to many religions, but spectacular in its diversity of natural scenes and culture.  And what’s more, when we look at the season of spring, man really has no excuse to proclaim there is no God!  For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-- his eternal power and divine nature-- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:20).

Every year around February/March time, flowers start to blossom all around Israel until the end of June, in waves and cycles.  I’ve travelled many times towards the Galilee, and the sight of wild red poppies certainly gladdened the heart.  As one approaches Jerusalem, one can see how it is spread over many hills, and all around it are mountains, and of course there are plenty of Almond trees scattered around the city.  The Jewish people of course carry almond boughs on festival days. Aaron, in the days of Moses, cut his staff from the almond. The Jewish menorah is said to represent the staff of Aaron and its branches are fashioned to resemble almond fruits. According to the Bible (Numbers 17:1), Moses put twelve rods/staffs ~ representing the twelve tribes of Israel ~ into the tabernacle in order to choose from among them which tribe should furnish the high priest. Next day, the almond rod, representing the tribe of Levi, was found to be covered with leaves and blossoms. As we watch the wilderness bloom, and the Almond trees blossom, not only can we hope and pray for better times for the Nation of Israel, we can look to the faithfulness of the LORD, who despite what we see amidst the troubles, keeps His promises, and will remain faithful ~ both to us – His Church, and His people Israel ("I see the branch of an almond tree…" The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled." Jeremiah 1:11-12).  

For those who are blessed to be in Israel during the peak wildflower season of mid-February to late March, Israel offers the most amazing places to see beauty growing wild.  Down in the north-western Negev, one can enjoy the red carpets of anemones in the Reim Recreation Area and the Ruhama Forest, and there is still plenty of colour to see in late March and April.  On the road just south of Beit Shemesh in the Elah Valley, more anemones appear to grow everywhere along with Givat Hatourmasim (Lupine Hill) where purple lupine (along with many other species) are in full bloom.  Along with this, the Judean plains are awash with colourful wildflowers - you’ll even see almond trees and cactus flowers in bloom, and in Misgav in northern Israel, anemone’s bring wonderful colour to the land. To see some beautiful photos of the flowers of Israel click here: http://www.flowersinisrael.com/Anemonecoronaria_page.htm.  However, did you know that even around the Dead Sea, life is far from ‘dead’?  In a wonderful short film called ‘Treasures of the Dead Sea’ one can view some amazing wildlife.  The surface and shores of the Dead Sea are 423 metres (1,388 foot) below sea level, making it Earth’s lowest elevation on land.  Yet even here there is life in abundance from Desert Tawney Owls to the Arabian fox.  In the following film, you’ll be amazed as you watch the gazelle, striped Hyena, wolves, Nubian Ibex, Golden Eagles, Mourning Wheatear birds, the gorgeous Little Green Bee Eaters, White storks, Honey Buzzards and much more.  As birds migrate along the Dead Sea shores, be amazed, and see the splendour of how the Lord God indeed upholds all His promises to the Land of Israel.  Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WYd8O_5wLc

Compiled by David Soakell (CFI Church Liaison Officer (UK) & WoZ News Report Correspondent)

E-mail: david@cfi.org.uk Website: www.cfi.org.uk