Friday, December 23, 2011

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The CARMEL ALERT  Dec 23rd 2011
A compilation of news reports from the past week for the information of those committed to praying
for the Restoration of Israel & the Jewish People

David's Comment:  Celebrating the Miracle of the Light
John 10:22-23   2         Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.   And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch.  (NKJ)

This week the Jewish people in Israel and those still in the Nations, are celebration Chanukah or the Feast of Dedication.  Chanukah is also called the Festival of Light.  Chanukah is a celebration of a miracle.  About 180 years before Yeshua was born Israel was under Greek rule. The Greco-Syrian King, Antiochus Epiphanes, ruled over Israel and did all in his power to destroy the people of God by forcing Greek culture and practices on the Jews, while making it illegal for them to follow their own religion.  In an attempt to break the Abrahamic covenant  Antiochus banned circumcision.  His ultimate act of sacrilige was to sacrifice a pig on the altar in the Temple.  To save their lives, most of the Jews bowed down to the dictates of Antiochus.  Finally a small band of Jewish zealots led by the Maccabe family stood up to the regime of Antiochus and with the supernatural assistance of YHVH, the vastly outnumbered Jewish rebels routed the forces of Antiochus.  That was the first miracle of Chanukah. 

The second miracle occurred as the Temple was being cleansed in preparation to be rededicated to the Lord. (Chanukah means dedication). In the Temple an oil lamp was supposed to burn day and night above the altar to represent the Eternal Light of GOD.   The oil for the lamp was very special and took 8 days to prepare.  When the Jews rededicated the Temple they only had enough oil to keep the Eternal Flame burning for 1 day, but miraculously the Lamp burnt for the full 8 days, until the new oil was ready.  Once again, as always, the God of Israel came through for His people.  And the Jewish people have celebrated Chanukah ever since.

In the year 2011, Israel still has its "Antiochus" out there.  Whether it be the Pharaoh, Haman, Antiochus, Herod, Napoleon, Hitler, Arafat or Armedinejhad, there is always some power-crazed person empowered by the spirit of the Anti-Christ, whose life mission is to destroy the nation and the people of God.  In our time it is not just one person, but most of the world is opposing Israel's very existence. To be politically correct, they claim to be interested in the well-being of the so called but mythical  "Palestinian people" and a Two State Solution.  However if such a state was to ever become a reality, it would mean the end of the Jewish national homeland of Israel.

We dont celebrate Christmas in Israel as we believe Yeshua was born during the Biblical Fall Feast season, which is September or October. I dont know about you, but I like to celebrate my birthday on the right day, not 3 months later.  Yet in a way there is a connection in that if the Lord was born during the Fall Feasts, He must have been conceived at Chanukah in late December.  It makes sense to me that the Messiah who is the Light of the World would be conceived during the Feast of Lights.  Both events are connected to a miracle.

Whether you are celebrating Chanukah or Christmas this week, perhaps both,  please set aside some time to pray for Israel and the Jewish people.  Please pray that the LORD will continue to protect Israel from the sticky hands of the enemy, and that the Holy Spirit will continue to remove the veil over the eyes of His Jewish people.  He placed it there and only He can remove it.   As we say here in Israel at festival times .... "Hag Sameach"  -  "Happy Feast"  -  May the LORD bless you and your loved ones over the Festive season and  through the year ahead.

The Lord bless you as you bless Israel by standing in defense of her right to exist on the land given to the Jewish people by the God of Israel.  Lets pray that Israel will turn back to their God.  Do not be silent, but share this wth your fellow Christians, share it with your pastors, and with anyone you have a chance to speak to.   Lets also pray for that breakthrough to the Muslims,  and please remember to pray for all of the soldiers in the IDF -they are defending and fighting for the Kingdom of God.

Shabbat Shalom & Seasons Blessings .... David & Josie

THIS WEEKS NEWS REPORTS   

1.  Fatah Latest to Claim that Yeshua was a Palestinian     Israel Today News   Dec 19th
    
More than a billion Christians around the world are about to celebrate Christmas, commemorating the birth of Jesus, the promised Messiah. There is one thing the Palestinian Arabs hope you all remember during those celebrations - that Jesus was, in fact, a Palestinian (Arab).  It is nothing new for the Palestinians to claim that Jesus was a Palestinian. The Palestinian leadership gets in on the action all the time. Yasser Arafat used to openly declare as much as he kicked off Christmas from Bethlehem every year.   Arafat is gone, and current Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is a bit more subtle, but the media organs under his control are still being used to perpetuate this lie. Oh, and so is Abbas' Western-backed, so-called "moderate" prime minister, Salam Fayyad.   "Christmas is an opportunity to celebrate the Palestinian identity of Jesus Christ," declared Fayyad as he flipped the switch lighting a 50-foot Christmas tree in Manger Square last week.
    The lie has fully permeated Arab society in the region.  In a December 3, 2010 interview with Palestinian Authority TV, Samih Ghanadreh from Nazareth was asked about his new book "Christianity and its Connection to Islam."   Ghanadreh told the host that he remembers fondly how Arafat would label Jesus as "the first Palestinian Shahid (martyr)," to which the host matter-of-factly responded, "Jesus was a Palestinian; no one denies that." 
    Palestinian Media Watch, which provided translation of the above interview, reported that earlier in 2010, the Communications and Education Authority of the ruling Palestinian faction Fatah issued this statement on its official website:  "If we are proud of the holiness of our land, then we are proud and pride ourselves that the first and most important holy woman among the nations and peoples is from the holy land: The Virgin Mary - the woman of love and peace - is of the nation of Palestine…"   Among average Palestinians it is an ingrained belief that Jesus, the Messiah of Israel, was a Palestinian and even a pre-Islam Muslim. All historic or religious ties between Jesus and the Jews have been severed, just as they have severed all historic and religious ties between the Jews and this land.
Please pray that people will not believe this nonsensical claim

2.  Egypt - Israel Gas Pipeline Attacked for the 10th Time   ICEJ News  Dec 20th
      The attack was carried out using remote-controlled explosives by unidentified assailants who arrived at the scene using four-wheel-drive vehicles,"  the source said.   No group has claimed responsibility for the series of pipeline attacks since a popular uprising toppled Mubarak in February. One attack took place just before he was ousted.  The latest blast broke the pipe, but no flames were seen as gas pumping has been halted since the last attack.   The government said in November it would tighten security measures along thepipeline by installing alarm devices and recruiting security patrols from Bedouin tribesmen in the area.  Security in Sinai loosened after Mubarak's fall as the police presence thinned out across Egypt.   Sinai has long been a restive area, where Beduins complain of government neglect. It hosts several Red Sea resorts with five-star hotels, but Beduins say they do not see the benefits. Previous explosions have sometimes led to weeks-long shutdowns along the pipeline, run by Egypt's gas transport company Gasco, a subsidiary of the national gas company EGAS.
Please pray for Israel's own gas to come on stream so that Israel is not dependant on the gas pipeline any longer

3.  Incoming EU President: Europe to Block Deals with Israel Until Peace Process Moves Forward   Ha Aretz News   Dec 19th
  The 56-year-old Schulz will soon settle into the seat of the president of the European Parliament. He regards the appointment with awe, and has already adopted an official demeanour.   Germany's dominant position in Europe and the manner in which Chancellor Merkel is managing the crisis are provoking a sharp wave of Germanophobia on the Continent.   Some people are speaking about the founding of a "Fourth Reich."   The European Parliament, which represents the half-billion citizens of the EU, has in recent years amassed authorities and power. For instance, it is now blocking ratification of agreements to upgrade relations between the EU and Israel.    Haaretz asked Schulz; "Will the policy of exerting pressure on Israel continue during the period of your presidency?"  "Yes. The Parliament's decision to block the agreements with Israel stems from the lack of progress in the peace process and from our ambition to pressure the Israeli government to alter this situation". 
    "As long as the Netanyahu-Lieberman government is in power, even those who theoretically favour Israel's membership have no chance of persuading others to back the move".  "Israel cannot become a member of the EU,  but may certainly be granted maximal access to the European markets. The Europeans are aware of the fact that they must act in favour of its maximal integration in the framework of the Association Agreement, to which Israel is a signatory."   “We need a sort of Marshall Plan that will create a powerful momentum in the [Middle East] region. To my dismay, we are not doing so and since we are not doing so there is fear of the Islamisation of these states that are breaking free".   "If the only ones offering solutions to the people in the field are the Muslim Brotherhood and the like, then it should be no wonder that they are getting votes." 
Please pray for God's hand to be upon Schulz and the EU

4.  IDF Completes gilad Shalit Prisoner Transfer Deal   ICEJ News  Dec 20th
     Israel honored the second part of the Gilad Schalit prisoner exchange deal on Sunday, releasing 550 prisoners, mostly on buses headed for the West Bank city of Ramallah, although 41 also entered the Gaza Strip, as well as two who were sent to Jordan and two who were transported to an Arab neighborhood in eastern Jerusalem. The IDF was assisted by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN. Around 400 Palestinian residents of Ramallah celebrated the event by setting tires on fire and throwing Moletov cocktails and rocks at IDF troops.   Please pray that none of the released prisoners will ever succeed in carrying out terror attacks

5. Exclusive Report; Iran Starts Building a Nuclear Weapon: US and Israel Tighten Co-operation    DebkaFile   Dec 23rd
     Iran has embarked on "activities related to possible weaponisation," said American sources Wednesday, Dec. 22, thereby accounting for the dramatic reversal of the Obama administration's wait-and-see attitude on attacking Iran.   The change was articulated this week by US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint US Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey.  Washington sources report that the Islamic Republic crossed the red line President Barack Obama had set for the United States, i.e., when Tehran begins using the technologies and fissile materials (enriched uranium) it has amassed for assembling a bomb or missile warheads.  This marks the moment that Iran goes nuclear and only a short time remains before it has an operational nuclear weapon.  The US defence secretary put it into words when he said Tuesday, Dec.: “Despite the efforts to disrupt the Iranian nuclear program, the Iranians have reached a point where they can assemble a weapon in a year or potentially less.”    The next day, Gen. Dempsey said, “My biggest worry is they will miscalculate our resolve. Any miscalculation could mean that we are drawn into conflict, and that would be a tragedy for the region and the world.”
    Dennis Ross, until last month President Obama’s senior Middle East adviser, and key architect of White House policies on the Iranian nuclear program and understandings with Israel on this issue, said Israel has four causes for concern about uranium enrichment in the underground nuclear facility at Fordo near Qom and other developments:
  1. Iran’s accumulation of low-enriched uranium, its decision to enrich to nearly 20 percent “when there is no justification for it.”
  2. The "hardening" of Iranian nuclear sites, largely by moving facilities underground.
  3. Other activities related to possible weaponisation.
  4. Israel suspects that Fordo is not Iran's only buried facility and that nuclear "weaponisation" is ongoing surreptitiously at additional underground locations. “I would not isolate Qom and say this alone is the Israeli red line to spur a military response.”
      The White House has since accepted the Israeli assessment of Iran's nuclear weapon timetable and endorses the conviction that unless Iran retreats from its decision to build a nuclear weapon and steps back from the process it set in train this month, the only option remaining will be a military strike to disable its nuclear program.   Following the Maryland encounter, our sources report a procession of prominent US officials visiting Israel to tighten co-ordination between the US and Israel on their next moves. Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, commander of the US’s Third air Force, was one of those visitors.
Please pray that one way or another  Iran's nuclear ambitions will not be realised

6.  New Fortified  ER  Centre Dedicated in Haifa     ICEJ News  Dec 22nd
 
A new NIS 59 million emergency department – fortified to protect patients, staffers and visitors from rockets and missiles and even biological weapons from beyond the northern border, was dedicated on Wednesday at Carmel Medical Center in Haifa. During the Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah missiles struck a few meters from the hospital. This gave the final push to build a protected emergency room.   The Haifa facility was built with 40-centimeter-thick walls made of cement that can stand up to missiles and close hermetically to prevent chemical weapons affecting those inside. Patient care will be able to continue during any such attack, the hospital said.   Carmel administrators and physicians spent many months observing emergency departments in the rest of the country and leading departments abroad before they decided what to do. The Carmel emergency department covers almost three times the space the old one had – to 2,000 square meters from 700 square meters, said hospital engineer Moshe Berger. The number of beds, however, has not increased because the new triage technique separates walking patients from those who are brought in lying down. Thus, those occupying beds have more space. Up to 80 patients can be handled simultaneously.
      A triage nurse is on duty at the entrance to decide where to send each patient, and specialists treat the sick and injured inside. There is also an isolation room with negative air pressure where patients with infectious diseases can be treated without harming others.   Patients and their families will no longer have to wander from one place to another to undergo scans of various types, as all is in one department and available 24 hours a day. A computerized system using plasma screens keeps tabs on all who enter and their progress through treatment.  Intercoms are suited to the deaf, and there is a special telephone suited to the blind. Some counters have been lowered to accommodate those in wheelchairs.  
Please pray that this new  ER lcentre will be fully prepared for every eventuality

7. Dead Sea Scrolls’ 10 Commandments’ Reaches New York   Arutz 7   Dec 18th
    The Ten Commandments parchment of the Dead Sea Scrolls is on display in New York City's Times Square for 10 days for the first time ever. It is only the third time that Israel has allowed the scrolls to leave the country.   The leather parchment will return to Israel after the "Dead Sea Scrolls: Life and Faith in Biblical Times" display at Discovery Times Square, which began last Thursday. Most of the exhibition continues until March, but the parchment of the Ten Commandments will make its way back to Israel January 2. 
    The now-famous parchments were discovered in caves near the Dead Sea in 1952 and are part of a collection of 900 manuscripts found more than 50 years ago by Bedouin shepherds.   They date back 2,000 years and are kept in special climatic conditions to prevent any deterioration.   "The Ten Commandments scroll is actually in very good condition considering it is 2,000 years old," exhibit curator Risa Levitt Kohn told the Associated Press.  Anyone who can read modern Hebrew could understand the text, which is fragile and brittle, the curator added.It contains the Ten Commandments, as written in the fifth book of the Torah, known as Deuteronomy, a Greek translation of the Hebrew word Devarim, which literally means “words.”   The scroll, measuring 18 inches by three inches, consists of four complete columns and two others that are damaged.  The parchment previously has been on display outside of Israel in Australia and Toronto.
Please pray for anointing over the scrolls that  people who view them will be touched by the Holy Spirit

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                                         *  Recommended U-Tube Video Clips  *               

         An excellent 60 min expose on the Israel / Arab Conflict over the land  
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/blog/glenn/rumorsofwar/   
                
         For a concise look at Israel's right to the land   www.GivePeaceAChance.info

         For a clear exposition of the issue of the borders, FYI.    http://www.youtube.com/user/TheJerusalemCenter .
 
            
       
Jan Willem van der Hoeven speaking at  IRI 2011    http://youtu.be/Jt601Euxz8A

         Israels Great Financial Future   http://www.out-of-zion.com/audio/Hal%20Lindsay.wmv

         Glen Beck Encourages Christians to stand with Israel    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG6jPq1z97s&feature=player_embedded

         Glen Beck interview  FOX NEWS interview   http://www.out-of-zion.com/audio/Glenn%20Beck.wmv

         Avi Lipkin on Obama & Islam  http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=13603556&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline
        
         The Middle East Problem
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63hTOaRu7h4&feature=player_embedded#at=103

          Melanie Phillips Interview on Israel TV news   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4dksiRW-Yg
   
         The Identity of the Messiah in the Hebrew Scriptures
   http://www.youtube.com/user/israelmedia1#p/a/u/1/mQFWi6cCUtY

          Interesting info from an Arab perspective    http://www.shoebat.com/videos/speak2arab.php

          For those who want to boycott Israel
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbIQto3KPUM&eurl

         85 other YouTube videos about Israel at:     http://www.jr.co.il/videos/israel-videos.htm