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14. 4 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Political Perspetives on Israeli and World Politics Should We Ditch Our Support of Israel If We Don’t Like Their Policies? There’s a popular trend in today’s culture to identify as whatever you want to be. As Christians who have been working in Israel’s heartland for more than 16 years, we decided that it’s high time we identify as ‘The Israel Guys.’ Unfortunately for Christians who love Israel around the world, it’s easy to want to distance ourselves from the holy land due to closed borders and changing government and policies. Israel’s borders have been largely closed to non-citizens for the past year and a half. Even now, millions of Christians are wondering when, if ever, they will be able to visit again. Israel’s tourism industry that received millions of people every year and that employed thousands of Israelis, has nearly died, with many wondering if it will ever be revived. Israel has a new government, which some view as both good and bad. After four elections and no state budget over the last several years, many are hailing Naftali Bennett’s government as a good thing for Israel. The new coalition has broken the status quo that has been in place for many years. New players from the right and left of the political spectrum have joined forces to bring change to Israel. However, the new government has not come without a price. In a largely controversial move, Naftali Bennett’s tiny party who landed only seven seats in the last election formed a coalition that included the Raam Party. Even though Raam’s leader, Mansour Abbas, has maintained a peaceful and unifying voice since joining the government, many have their doubts as to his true intentions. In addition to being a member of the Islamist Movement in Israel, a recent investigation also brought to light Raam’s ties to Hamas in Gaza, including their transfer of funds there. Israeli government policies regarding Judea and Samaria have also sent mixed messages since Bennett came to power. Even though 3,000 new housing units were recently approved for Jewish settlements in the Biblical heartland, 1,300 housing units were also approved for Palestinian building in Area C of the West Bank (falsely so-called). While this might sound like it is only fair, the move was largely political. Palestinians are already allowed to build in Areas A and B while Jews are only allowed to build in Area C. Israel’s Defense Minister, Benny Gantz, has also made moves to pander to the Palestinian Authority and the international community. He recently met with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, a known terrorist supporter and head of the corrupt Palestinian government. Since then, he has not only approved Arab housing units in Area C, but also approved a massive loan to the PA, a move which circumvents laws that prohibit funds from going to the PA if they end up paying the salaries of convicted terrorists and their families. The US is now pushing to re-open the Palestinian Consulate in Jerusalem, rightly closed by Trump. With Israel’s new government having to maintain a balance of keeping both sides of politics satisfied as well as keep the international community happy, there is a concern they will allow the US to re-open the consulate, which would be seen as a huge victory for the anti-Israel community as well as the Palestinian Authority. It would be easy to criticize Israel and take our support for the land and people elsewhere due to their changing policies and fragile government that cannot seem to take a strong stand for anything. For example, a Christian leader who claimed to have the largest pro-Israel following in the world, threatened to take his 70 million followers (Facebook followers) and “go home” after Naftali Bennett formed the current government in Israel. He simply disagreed with Bennett’s formation of the new government, and was of the opinion that it would be a disaster for Israel. As a result, he threatened to pull his support for Israel. I use this as an example to ask the question: is our support for Israel based on who is in power and what their policies are? Or is it based on an everlasting covenant that God made with the land and people of Israel? Another thing we should remind ourselves of is that Israel is very influenced by the international community, and reasonably so. Being the only democratic country in the Middle East, and the only Jewish nation in the world (and a tiny one at that), they depend on the support of their allies around the world. Instead of criticizing Israel’s changing policies and governments, what if we used our support to encourage Israel to do the right thing? What if those 70 million Facebook followers stood squarely with Israel’s right to sovereignty in 100% of their land? There is another American pro-Israel organization who claims 10 million members. Together, these two organizations equal nearly 100 million people. I’m guessing you and I may be counted in at least one of these groups of Israel-lovers. Israel listens when nearly 100 million people encourage them to do the right thing. Instead of counting ourselves as simply a viewer as to what is happening in Israel, let’s rise up and take action to stand with, encourage, and support Israel to do what is right. Things like embracing Jerusalem as their sovereign capital, applying sovereignty over Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, standing strongly against terrorism in all its forms, and taking any steps necessary to defend themselves against their enemies. At ‘ The Israel Guys, ’ we are committed to standing unconditionally with Israel. Our mission is to tell the true and authentic stories of Israel through videos, articles and podcasts. From Youtube, social media, our website and now, our brand new “Israel Guys” social media app, we are cutting through the fog of biased media when it comes to Israel and telling the true stories of the land and people who call this place home. Push past the fake news and understand what is really happening in Israel so that you can stand unequivocally with the land that God gave to Abraham. God made a covenant with His land and people. No matter what happens, that covenant cannot be broken. Our decision is simply whether or not we will stand with that promise. We cannot sit on the fence, and I believe our place is to stand shoulder-to-should with Israel, no matter what. Where do you stand? —————————————————————— If you want to partner with Ha Yovel in this glorious work and be the Christian foreigner the prophets wrote about, please reach out to us at: deon@hayovel.com or www.serveisrael.com Luke Hilton The Israel Guys what if we used our support to encourage Israel to do the right thing?

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15. 5 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Political Analysis Dr Ron Weiser AM Hon Life Pres of the Zionist Council of NSW For the first time in three years the State of Israel has a budget. The budget promises sweeping changes to many areas of life including: in the cost of living; the breaking down of some monopolies; infrastructure building, particularly in the areas of transportation and hospitals; increasing the retirement age for women; kosher certification; a rationalisation of the standards and approvals mechanism in many areas of importing; housing costs; agricultural subsidies; raising the socioeconomic level of minorities; taxes on plastics; and so on. The passing of the budget saves Israel from an immediate election. It also presents Netanyahu with his biggest political defeat since going into opposition. He had consistently promised his party and the public, that he would pull a rabbit out of the hat and defeat the budget and hence force new elections. Netanyahu is definitely damaged politically—whether fatally or not remains to be seen. He continues to remain Likud leader because of the disconnect between two realities. Likud knesset members who are at the coal face of parliament understand very well that it is Netanyahu who now keeps them out of government. On the other hand, the Likud voter base will not currently tolerate any thought of a handover to a new leader. The prevailing opinion in Israel is that the Biden administration may have been playing it softly softly with the coalition government until the passing of the budget, so as not to endanger it. But that now, US pressure may mount. A potential flashpoint is around the US wanting to reopen its consulate in Jerusalem that, until closed by then President Trump, was for decades effectively the de facto US embassy to the Palestinians. At their first joint post budget media outing Prime Minster Bennett said: “there is no place for an American consulate that serves the Palestinians in Jerusalem... We are expressing our position consistently, quietly and without drama, and I hope it is understood. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel alone.” Demonstrating full agreement and a united front, Foreign Minister Lapid followed, saying: “If the Americans want to open a consulate in Ramallah, we have no problem with that. But sovereignty in Jerusalem belongs to one country, Israel.” Despite the focus on the inclusion of Mansour Abbas’ Israeli Arab party Ra’am in the government as a point of internal friction, there are also other serious divisions within the coalition. These differences are ironically, mostly between the other 7 largely Jewish Israeli parties and in the main centred on what to do about the Palestinians and the settlements. Mansour Abbas however, had all his coalition agreement conditions met, including the recognition of three previously unauthorised Bedouin towns in the Negev. In regards to Israeli Arab infrastructure and fighting inter Arab crime, a record US$10 billion was budgeted over the next five years. Whilst matters around the coalition’s survival may be important, of greater long-term significance to Israel, is just how Israeli Arabs will judge what Abbas has achieved. Will this weave them in closer to the fabric of the State of Israel, or not? Will real long-term improvements in their daily lives and a greater effort to equalise their socioeconomic situation, overcome ideological baggage? Abbas’ Ra’am, having broken away from the other Israeli Arab parties, sits precariously close to the election threshold. Will Israeli Arabs reward him for the gains no other Israeli Arab party has ever achieved, by voting in increased numbers for Ra’am—or will they reject him and leave him teetering on the edge of political oblivion? The Jerusalem Post said that the dentist turned politician, Mansour Abbas, “is amongst the most refreshing figures on the Israeli political scene” Having first been courted by Netanyahu, the price he demanded for joining Bennett and Lapid was focussed on practical rather than ideological matters. Netanyahu too, was very willing to give the same concessions, it must be noted. It is also worthwhile remembering that Abbas heads an Islamist party whose roots are the Moslem Brotherhood—ergo, sharing the same spiritual home as Hamas. Depending on which side of the equation one sits—Abbas is either the devil in disguise, or a model for moving from radicalism to coexistence. Despite meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah earlier in the month, Mansour Abbas has been “unable to find the time” to meet with Mahmoud Abbas. Said Mansour Abbas: “If I meet with Mahmoud Abbas, it’s a controversy, and if I don’t meet with him, it’s a controversy. Let’s let time do its thing.” Many similarities can be drawn between the Arab and Haredi sectors: lower socio- economic levels; larger families; and more fundamentalist elements when it comes to religion. Just to name a few. In a move not seen before, Mansour Abbas surprised everyone by promising Haredi leader Moshe Gafni MK approximately US$30 million from Abbas’ own budgetary allocations. That is, US$30 million that was earmarked for the Arab sector, is now to go, at the request of the Arab leadership, to assist the Haredi community. A Haredi community desperately struggling from opposition, for a greater share of the budgetary pie. Altruism by Abbas, or shrewd political move looking down the track to when they may find themselves wanting/having to sit together in government? Whichever, he is certainly clever and well understands the art of politics. Overall, if this budget ends up being properly and fully implemented, it will show us the future direction of the relationship between Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens—for better or for worse. How Israeli Arabs internally assess it and the struggles they will have in weighing up its benefits, as opposed to those who will accuse Abbas of selling out, will be of great importance to Israeli society’s long- term internal cohesion and security. A budget may not necessarily usually be all that exciting, but this one is. And it has multiple ramifications. _______________________________________________________ Dr Ron Weiser AM is a Life Member of the ZFA Executive, Past President of the ZFA and Hon Life Pres of the Zionist Council of NSW. The Future Direction of Israeli-Arab Relations—Looking Better or Worse? Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid, Yamina party leader Naftali Bennett and Ra’am head Mansour Abbas after signing an agreement for a new government, June 2, 2021. (Photo: Ra’am party Twitter feed) Abbas is either the devil in disguise, or a model for moving from radicalism to coexistence.

24. 14 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 A Brief Survey of Antisemitism This is an abridgement of a longer work. To view the full survey, along with comprehensive annotation, please download the Holocaust Foundation App via: www.holocaustfoundation.com “An antisemite is one who hates Jews more than absolutely necessary.” In many cultures, antisemitism is a given. This is exemplified by the above statement, believed to have originated in Hungary. The fact of antisemitism may be a constant. Its form, however, morphs and adapts from age to age and culture to culture. This brief article provides a survey of some of antisemitism’s current manifestations and some of the social groups in which antisemitism is prevalent. By most accounts, the term anti-Semitism was first coined by German journalist Wilhelm Marr in 1879 as a functional equivalent to Judenhass—Jew-hatred. While the term is modern, the hatred itself dates back more than 3000 years. The spelling antisemitism is to be preferred to anti-Semitism for at least two reasons: 1. there is no such thing as Semitism 2. to dull the impact of those who engage in the etymological fallacy by insisting that Arabs cannot be anti-Semites because they too are Semites Hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group is the definition provided by Merriam-Webster. IHRA’s working definition begins as follows: Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities. The non-binding definition is significantly strengthened by an accompanying set of examples considered to form part of the definition. The full text of the IHRA definition, along with its examples, appears in the full version of this survey. Antisemitism has proven to be remarkable in its persistence, pervasion, and versatility. It will reinvent itself as the need arises. Anti-Zionist Antisemitism To understand, anti-Zionism one must first define Zionism. While historically it is a broad and non-monolithic movement, Zionism can be seen as: The movement supporting the return of Jews to their ancestral indigenous homeland and their right of national self- determination in the now established State of Israel. Among modern antisemites of all stripes, the weapon of choice is frequently anti- Zionism. For that reason, it is mentioned first in this survey. With the 1948 advent of the modern state of Israel, antisemites were provided a new target for their antagonism. While Jewish individuals and Jewish communities have for centuries been marginalised (and worse), focusing instead on the Jewish state can now lend the ancient hatred the pretence of respectability in the West. It is somehow deemed acceptable to vilify the Jewish state, especially if one first claims to have Jewish friends. Of course, criticism of the Jewish state is not automatically antisemitic, and definitions such as IHRA’s correctly acknowledge this fact. But criticism of Israel that applies a standard that is applied to no other nation is usually antisemitic. Anti-Zionism often denies to one people group (the Jews) what it readily grants to others, and as such, is plainly antisemitic. A denial of the right of self-determination in one’s indigenous homeland, or the right of appropriate retaliation against a genocidal enemy, are but two examples that expose the antisemitic core of most anti-Zionism. Far-Right Antisemitism Today’s white supremacy and neo- Nazism stand in continuity to 1930-40s Nazism. Traditional Christian antisemitic ideas and xenophobic nationalism play an important role along with conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial. In the UK, Europe, and USA, far-right antisemites pose a significant threat to Jewish communities. A 2018 attack by a white supremacist on Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue saw eleven murdered. In the period since the massacre, the city has become a pilgrimage destination for white supremacists who view the perpetrator as an inspiration. Riding on a wave of anti-immigration sentiment, far-right political parties in France, Germany, Austria and elsewhere, have achieved significant gains and have contributed to a surge in antisemitism. The rise of ethnonationalism in Eastern and Central Europe has been accompanied by Holocaust distortion in which local perpetrators and collaborators have been recast as national heroes. Antisemitism has risen accordingly. Laws have been passed effectively exonerating nationals of complicity in the Holocaust and potentially making an accurate telling of Holocaust history a criminal offence. Progressive Leftist Antisemitism Amidst the identity politics, wokeness, victimhood olympics, and anti-liberal “liberalism” that mark the progressive left, antisemitism is readily apparent and too often gets a free pass. America’s academia and broader culture have been greatly influenced by Critical Race Theory, under which, according to Dr James Lindsay, Jews are represented as having “an intolerable privilege they need to check”. Ethnic Studies initiatives have promoted BDS and, in the words of one critic, “cleansed Jews from history”. The post- colonialist embrace of anti-Zionism similarly results in difficult conditions for Zionist Jews. Black Lives Matter protests have seen synagogues vandalised and crowds chanting “dirty Jews”. Certain leaders of the Women’s March have been reported as openly antisemitic. Intersectionality brings together disparate causes and has demonstrated great utility in advancing antisemitism. Hatred for “the Zionist entity” seems to function both as a ticket for admission and a glue that binds, as is evident in the red-green axis. Protests over police brutality have, in some cases, led to an upsurge in Jew-hatred. The uniqueness of Jewish history, culture and identity, resilience despite centuries of oppression, and national self-determination, ill-fit a progressive movement fixated on power structures, grievance, anti-nationalism and sameness of outcome. Among the many long-held ideals targeted by Critical Race Theory is a meritocracy. Perhaps because Jews have flourished in societies where they have been granted freedom, they are now assigned to the “white oppressor class” - despite the fact that the majority of Jews are non-white and that Jews are one of history’s most oppressed people groups. Islamic Antisemitism While all societies exhibit antisemitism to some degree, Jew-hatred is disproportionately evident within Islamic communities. In many nations with large Muslim populations, Jews are viewed “very unfavourably” by overwhelming majority. ADL reports antisemitic attitudes at 49% in Germany’s Muslim community as against 14% amongst Christians. Islamic antisemitism makes use of a full range of themes and tropes, including conspiracies, theological justifications, and racial slurs. Calls for the destruction of Israel and Holocaust denial can be heard in mosques, even in Western nations. Understanding and responding to antisemitic incidents is sometimes made more difficult by the reluctance of authorities to correctly apportion blame when the incidents are perpetrated by Moslems. Christian Antisemitism Traditional Christian antisemitism relied heavily on the deicide charge and the blood libel. While these may still be in use, the more “respectable” versions of Christian antisemitism will now use anti-Zionism and human rights concerns. Undergirding Christian antisemitism is replacement theology, or more formally, supersessionism. While it varies in its nomenclature and justification, it always Perry Trotter Holocaust and Antisemitism Foundation, Aotearoa New Zealand Photo: Perry Trotter Analysis While the term is modern, the hatred itself dates back more than 3000 years

12. 2 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Understanding on the Festival of Lights Keith Buxton Personal Challenges and Encouragements from the Story and Miracle of Hanukkah The eight-day festival of Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights , or Feast of Dedication , has become an integral part of the sequence of Jewish holidays celebrated annually, this year from sunset on 28 November to sunset on 6 December. As a Jew, Jesus would have celebrated Hanukkah regularly, thereby affirming His Jewish identity and continuity with His heritage. We read in John 10:22-23 that there was a feast of dedication during the winter: “Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the Temple, in Solomon’s porch.” Hanukkah is an inspiring story of incredible faithfulness to God and a story of awesome courage. This holiday is about a people who refused to give in and go against God’s Word. Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Temple for God’s people as well as their victory against a far mightier enemy, a victory that only God Himself could secure. In significant ways it is a holiday commemorating God’s miraculous care of His people. To help us understand this miraculous story, I have drawn on a wide variety of sources in summarising the important historical context of Hanukkah. In the 4th century BC the great military general Alexander the Great conquered the whole known world, and one of his overriding goals was to introduce the world to everything Greek: Greek education, language, thought, custom and philosophy; Greek theaters, chariot races, gymnasiums and stadiums. The land of Israel was no exception. Sad to say many Jews submitted to the lure of Hellenism and embraced the Greek culture. Alexander the Great died in 323 BC—but the Greek culture lived on, continuing to spread and to influence and control the minds of the people. After his death at just 32 years of age, Alexander’s empire split into four parts, his four generals dividing all his conquests among themselves. One of his generals took control of the area that later became Syria, where several generations later Antiochus IV came into power. Antiochus IV declared himself “Epiphanes”, which means “god manifest.” So he was stating that he was divine, he was god—hardly the most humble man of the year! In 167 BC Antiochus ordered Jerusalem to be destroyed. Houses were burned and the city walls broken down, and thousands were killed or sold into slavery—even including those who embraced Antiochus’ ways. All up he killed forty thousand inhabitants and sold forty thousand more as slaves. The Temple on Mount Zion was stripped of its golden vessels and treasures, and Antiochus defiled it by erecting an idol of Zeus on the holy altar and then sacrificing a pig on the altar and sprinkling its blood in the Holy of Holies. Only swine were thereafter permitted for sacrifice in the converted shrine. In further attempting to achieve his goal of abolishing every single trace of the Jewish religion, Antiochus issued orders forbidding circumcision, Sabbath observance, kosher diets and the study of the Torah. Any Jew who was discovered attempting to live out the Torah was immediately put to death. Sadly but not surprisingly many Jews gave in and in order to survive chose to comply with the new laws. There were others however who stood fast and refusing to yield paid with their lives. Jewish history records many courageous acts of faithful devotion. Hidden away in the mountains was a man named Mattathias along with his sons, a priestly family from the line of Aaron. From this family’s influence a small army soon formed. Before he died Mattathias passed on leadership of this small band to his son Judas. Judas and his freedom fighters came to be called the Maccabees. Maccabee was not his last name. Maccabee means “hammer”. When the men feared for their lives Judas encouraged them with some amazing words that we would do well to meditate on: “It is easy for many to be overcome by few; in the sight of heaven there is no difference between deliverance by many or by few; for victory in war does not depend upon size of the army, but on strength that comes from heaven. With great presumption and lawlessness they come against us to destroy us and our wives and children and to despoil us; but we are fighting for our lives and our Torah laws. He Himself will crush them before us; so do not be afraid of them.” In 164 BC this small group of faithful Jewish fighters won an incredible victory against the mighty Greek army, took back Jerusalem and cleansed the Temple, and then established an independent Judea, which remained independent for over 200 years until conquered by the Romans. The Maccabees knew of course that they were vastly outnumbered, but they trusted implicitly in God. Having regained control of the Temple the Maccabees began to purify it. The defiled altar was torn down and rebuilt and the Temple restored and reconsecrated. The rebuilt altar of incense and table were then brought back into the Temple. They burnt the incense on the altar and put the shewbread on Former National Director of Bridges for Peace Australia A massive lit Menorah during Hanukkah prayers at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Photographer RM / Shutterstock.com When I think of the oil miracle, I am reminded that little really is much when God is in it! A wooden dreidels collection (spinning top) used as part of the celebrations and festivities of Hanukkah. Coin depicting Antiochus IV, Greek inscription reads ‘King Antiochus, God manifest, bearer of victory.’ See Wikipedia and www.cngcoins.com

13. 3 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Article from Keith Buxton continued... the table and hung the curtains. In every way they could they prepared the house of God for His presence. Everything was ready—except one thing. They found only one small cruse of oil. Just enough to light the menorah lamps one day—but it would take eight days to prepare new oil in the proper way. They decided to light it anyway. Amazingly the menorah miraculously burned for eight days until new oil could be prepared! The dreidel game is a well-known Hanukkah tradition—a dreidel is a spinning top with a different Hebrew letter inscribed on each of its four sides. Jews play it as a way of celebrating their history and having fun with friends and family. On each of the dreidel’s four sides is a Hebrew letter which together stand for “a great miracle happened here.” It is a popular way of helping children to remember the great miracle. It was God who enabled and empowered the Maccabees to prevail and in so doing to preserve the Jewish heritage. Had it not been for our God of miracles, it is quite possible that there would have been no more Judaism and no more Jewish people or nation, and therefore no Christianity proclaiming the fully Jewish Jesus as the promised Messiah. All through history the Jews have faced battle after battle to maintain their very existence and have survived—in the face of persecution even from Christians. Truly we must be faithful in our calling as Christians to reach out to and bless the Jewish people. And as we are reminded this Hanukkah of God’s miraculous faithfulness to the Jewish people, let us rededicate ourselves anew to be faithful to Him as we reflect on some personal challenges and encouragements. Anything that has our attention more than God does is idolatry It has been said that Hellenism worshipped the holiness of beauty; Hebraism worshipped the beauty of holiness. Hellenists glorified the human body both in sport and in art. They were humanists worshipping man instead of God, in effect making men into gods. Judas Maccabeus and the people who saved Judaism opposed the enforcement of Hellenist worship, seeing it as a fundamental betrayal of Israel’s—and their—unique covenant with God. Unfortunately many Jews convinced themselves that they would be accepted if they compromised and became part of the crowd. We can learn much from the miracle of the oil. Have you ever seen pictures of oil spillages from tankers? Oil is unique in that it does not mix or blend with other liquids, like all other liquids do, but separates and rises to the top. The influence of Hellenism ceased with a miracle that involved oil, a powerful symbol of that which refuses to assimilate. And so the light burned in the Temple for eight days. The light that shines in our lives as followers of Jesus Christ does not come from us, it comes from our Father God. But we all know that sometimes we have things in our lives that hinder or dim that light. We are prone to set up idols in our temples, and so we need regularly to rededicate our lives to the One who has given us life. As believers in Jesus we must be a clear light in the darkness We cannot shut ourselves off from our increasingly godless world. The Maccabean rebellion really began only after the Greeks defiled the Holy Temple. There are times in life, and in the turmoil of social change, when the line has been crossed and we must resist. The knowing of where and when those moments have arisen is an ongoing challenge and drives us to seek God’s guidance and wisdom At Hanukkah Jews place the menorah by the window or door for others to see— in other words, it isn’t enough to not assimilate. Jews—just like Christians— must be willing to show that they aren’t ashamed of being who they are. Every believer should be an uncompromising and clear “light in the darkness.” As Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. ” We are living in days when our children and grandchildren will need to know how to stand and not back down. Also, during Hanukkah Jewish families light an additional candle each evening so that the light grows stronger and brighter through each of the eight nights. Let us be those who keep the light burning, not just for eight days or for a month, but throughout the year, every year. We are all called as followers of Jesus to bring light wherever and whenever there is darkness. Don’t let your light grow dim! No cause is hopeless, so don’t give up! The Maccabees did something that was seemingly hopeless—they had enough oil for one day and that was that. But they lit it anyway. Something amazing happened because the Maccabees took an action that seemingly had no hope of achieving its goal. The miracle of their victory is a message of hope to those who feel helpless. No cause is hopeless. The message? If you believe you are right, then persevere with all your strength to win your goals even though there is no evident hope of winning. Some day you may see the barriers fall. On a more personal level, many of us have experienced seemingly overwhelming difficulties of one kind or another. Financial worries, illness, depression, children in trouble, loneliness; each and all of these can seem unending and insurmountable. The encouragement of Hanukkah, of light in the midst of darkness, is: “Don’t give in to despair; don’t give up; never stop trying.” Carry on. Keep working. Keep dreaming. And even if nothing seems to change, the very fact that you keep on keeping on builds your dignity, and then.... who knows? Miracles may begin to occur, flow through us and light up the world. When we stand on God’s Word He gives the victory Because they were willing to stand and not compromise God gave the Maccabees victory. When we stand up for God’s Word and refuse to compromise, no matter how hard it seems at times, our faithful God will see us through. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” When you have done all to stand, continue to stand. The small army of Maccabean fighters trusted God and were able to regain Jerusalem. Hanukkah encourages us to stand and be of good courage. We can overcome with God. “If God is for us who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). The Maccabean fighters consisted of ordinary people: farmers, workers, servants. So often it is ordinary people who are willing to stand up for what is right. Many people, not all but many who have great prestige and wealth, are unwilling to lose what they have in this world—so they compromise God’s Word. When I think of the oil miracle, I am reminded that little really is much when God is in it! When we decide to take one small step of faith God can do miraculous things in our lives. At Hanukkah Jews all over the world proclaim to the world the faithfulness to His people of the one true God. May we as believers in Jesus be continually challenged and encouraged to let others know how great is our awesome God of miracles! —————————————————————— Keith Buxton is an ordained pastor. He currently serves on the C4I Australia management committee and is a liaison with C4I Oceania Island affiliates

19. 9 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 ‘those who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits...’ Dan 11:32 While this verse has been a source of encouragement to countless Christians down through the ages, few have considered its original prophetic context. This beautiful promise comes immediately after Daniel’s description of an anti-Christ like figure from the ‘kingdom of the north’ who puts an end to sacrifices in the Temple and erects the ‘abomination of desolation’. While I believe these verses ultimately are talking about the End Times, in this article we will see how it specifically applied to the Jewish heroes of Hanukkah and how it might apply to us today. In AD 175BC, 400 years after Daniel wrote down his prophecies, Antiochus Ephiphanes became ruler over the dominant and powerful Seleucid Empire based in Syria to the north of Israel. At this time, Hellenism was a powerful force in society, seducing many Israelites to the Greek materialistic, pleasure seeking and idol worshipping culture. The power- hungry Jason—a Hellenised and corrupt Levitical priest—entered into a treaty with Antiochus. The treaty granted Jason the coveted position of High Priest over Israel. In exchange for this favour, Jason erected an idol in Jerusalem and built a gymnasium in town—a place to openly promote obscene sexual activity. Jason’s actions split Israel—outraging those who remained faithful to the Torah, while many Hellenised Jews rallied to Jason’s side. Three years down the track, Antiochus— who called himself ‘Epiphanes’ or the “god man made flesh”—suffered a humiliating loss in battle against his Egyptian arch-rival. Returning from this stinging defeat, he heard of insurrection and trouble brewing in Israel and launched an enraged attack on the city of Jerusalem. When the dust had settled 80,000 Jews had been butchered. Antiochus proceeded to defile the Holy of Holies in the Temple—sacrificing a pig on the altar of God and pouring swine broth over the holy parchments. As foretold in Daniel 11:31, Antiochus then put an end to the daily sacrifices in the temple and erected an idol of Zeus in the Temple— bearing his own image on its face. The Jews at the time called it the ‘abomination of desolation’— drawing on the imagery of Daniel 11:31 . Truly it became an ‘abomination of desolation’, for as soon as the idol was erected, intense persecution broke out across the entire land of Israel. Meticulous house-to- house searches were performed, and those found keeping God’s laws were mercilessly tortured and killed. Daniel 11:33 predicted that many of the faithful would fall by the sword and the book of Maccabees tells many such stories. One such story is that of the elderly scribe Eleazer. Eleazer’s captors desired to treat him kindly due to his advanced age and implored him to only pretend to go along with their demands. Eleazer however refused to compromise and went willingly to a torturous death, setting an example that was to be followed by many—young and old, men, women and children in the perilous days to come. These precious Jewish heroes who paid such a high price for their faith could well be those that the writer of Hebrews refers to when he talks of those who ‘were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection’ (Heb 11:35). Antiochus’ plan to Hellenise Israel seemed to be slowly but surely working. Much was at stake, for if Antiochus’ diabolical plan were to succeed, then there would have been no nation of Israel, no books of the Law, no temple and no one keeping or knowing God’s commandments by the time Jesus was to be born 150 years later. But in these dark days of suffering, as Daniel had predicted, a small but brave minority who knew their God began to ‘carry out great exploits’. Under the command of the daring Judah Maccabee, the rebels gradually gained strength. Although they were hopelessly outnumbered and facing undoubtedly the greatest super-power of their day, Judah was undaunted through his firm faith in God. Antiochus sent wave after wave to crush the rebellion—yet time and again Judah emerged victorious. Finally, Antiochus sent 47,000 men to squash Judah’s rag-tag army of around 3000 men once and for all. Hearing of the impending onslaught, Judah and his men first spent a day in fasting and repentance, where Judah reminded his men of the great victories of Israel in the Bible. The next day the Maccabees launched a surprise attack of their own on the main enemy camp—against all odds delivering another crushing blow to their enemies. After 3 years of battles and stunning military wins, the brave Maccabees finally retook Jerusalem, cleansed the Temple and re-dedicated it to the God of Israel. As the Jewish people today commemorate this great victory with the feast of Hanukkah, they say to each other that ‘a great miracle happened here’. Truly this was an astounding miracle, and one which crucially set the stage for the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem some 150 years later. Hanukkah and the End Times We understand from Bible prophecy that in the End Times we will again see the rise of a new ‘Antiochus’ type leader who brokers some kind of 7-year treaty. He will ultimately break this treaty and demand worship from the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem, marking the beginning of a period of great persecution for true believers. To us as believers, the story of Hanukkah carries a powerful message of standing firm in the face of persecution. As it is becoming increasingly unpopular to stand for Biblical values, may we too count the cost, and be faithful to our Lord no matter what lies ahead. Let us also take courage from the Maccabees who stood against such insurmountable odds and were victorious. We too might feel like a tiny minority in our society, but truly those who know their God in these days, ‘shall be strong and carry out great exploits...’ Let us not give up on our nation or our world but keep praying and sharing the Gospel—believing that a ‘great miracle’ can happen here in our midst as well. but with faith and trust in Almighty God. —————————————————————— Ps. Enoch Lavender is the Pastoral leader of Shalom Israel and serves as Assistant Pastor at Living Way Christian Network . Hanukkah – A Picture of Bravery in the End Times As it is becoming increasingly unpopular to stand for Biblical values, may we too count the cost, and be faithful to our Lord Biblical Commentary Through Jewish Eyes Judah Maccabee in a woodcut for “Die Bibel in Bildern”, 1860. (photo credit: Public domain/Wikimedia Commons) Enoch Lavender Pastoral leader of Shalom Israel and Assistant Pastor at Living Way Christian Network.

5. News 3 Jacques Neriah n Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states have caught Hezbollah and its Iranian patron by surprise on an unexpected battlefield. Before he was appointed to his current post, Lebanese Information Minister Georges Kordahi granted an interview in which he criticised the Saudi and Emirati involvement in the war in Yemen and defended the Houthi fighters. After the interview aired, Saudi Arabia responded sharply, recalling its ambassador from Lebanon and directing the Lebanese ambassador to leave Saudi Arabia within 48 hours. In addition, the kingdom declared that it would bar all agricultural imports from Lebanon and accused Hezbollah of exploiting these exports to smuggle drugs into Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. (In one case, more than 5.2 million Captagon pills were hidden in a shipment of pomegranates.) The Saudis also froze the assets of the leading Iranian-Hezbollah financial institution and ‘benevolent society’, the Al-Qard al-Hassan, designating it as a terror organisation. Al-Qard al-Hassan has been under US sanctions since 2007. Moreover, Saudi officials have accused Hezbollah of trying to change Lebanon’s Arab identity by striving to expand Iranian hegemony and adopting the Iranian Shi’ite theocracy. The Saudi diplomatic moves were copied by Bahrain, Kuwait and the Emirates, who declared their full support for the Saudi démarche and asked the Lebanese ambassadors to leave while recalling their diplomatic representatives from Lebanon. Saudi customs in Jeddah Islamic Port foiled an attempt to smuggle 5.2 million pills of Captagon hidden in a consignment of pomegranates imported from Lebanon in April 2021. The fact that Kordahi’s interview was given before he became a government member was ignored by the Saudis, who took note of t he recent accusations by Hezbollah leaders that the kingdom maintains relations with the nationalist Christian Lebanese Forces and its chief commander, Samir Geagea . F u rthermore, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan accused Hezbollah and Iran of being behind Kordahi’s declarations. In addition, he pointed at Hezbollah’s involvement in the war in Yemen in tandem with the Houthis against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, under the instructions of Iran. “Lebanon needs a comprehensive reform that restores its sovereignty, strength and position in the Arab world,” Prince Faisal told A l A rabiya. “Hezbollah’s domination of the political system in Lebanon worries us and makes dealing with Lebanon useless.” The Saudi and Gulf States’ move has shaken the political establishment in Lebanon and divided it into: Ÿ Those who demand the immediate resignation of the information minister (Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and Maronite Archbishop Bechara al-Rahi); Ÿ Those who accuse Hezbollah of trying to draw Lebanon into Iran’s political hegemony (former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri); Ÿ Those who declare that Lebanon will not bow to Saudi Arabia at any cost (Suleiman Frangieh, head of the Marada Party, and members of Hezbollah). In the meantime, France and the US have intervened and asked Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati not to announce his government’s resignation, even though it has barely met since its establishment two months ago. It has been paralysed by Hezbollah, which threatened to leave the government if Judge Tariq Bitar’s investigation into the deadly Beirut port explosion of 4 August 2020, is not called off. According to the Lebanese press, the United States has even offered to mediate between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia to find a compromise that would solve the crisis. The Saudi move has serious implications for the Lebanese scene, which has witnessed three developments since October: 1. The gun battle that erupted in Beirut’s Tayouneh neighbourhood on 14 October 2021, followed by the demand by Hezbollah that Samir Geagea and his Lebanese Forces’ role in the bloody events be investigated (a demand that, in true Lebanese style, had no follow-up). 2. The withdrawal of Shi’ite ministers from the government as a protest, with the aim of pressuring the premier and the president to remove Judge Bitar from his investigation of the Beirut Port explosion. 3. The Saudi diplomatic move has become the centre of attention of Lebanon’s political establishment. The possible results of the Saudi move are such that it has eclipsed all earlier events; in Lebanon, it is considered a game-changer. Saudi Arabia and Hezbollah have a long history of feud, especially since Hezbollah’s battles against Saudi allies in the Syrian civil war. This animosity was increased by the Shi’ite militia’s involvement in subversive activities in Saudi Arabia. Local Hezbollah forces have also been involved in missile and drone attacks from Houthi- held strongholds against Saudi targets. The Saudi move, considered a blatant anti-Iranian act, ignores the ongoing détente discussions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, described as feckless by Saudi and Arab observers. The sanctioning of Lebanon by Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states has far-reaching significance. In Saudi Arabia alone, more than 350,000 Lebanese reside and send remittances to their families back home. This financial support is what enables those remaining in Lebanon to survive the catastrophic economic situation there. Moreover, freezing the assets of Qard al Hassan in Saudi Arabia and the decision of the UAE to prohibit the travel of Lebanese residents to and from Lebanon will prevent the transfer of funds to Shi’ite accounts in Lebanon designated to— among other things—assist Hezbollah. Banning the importation of all agricultural products from Lebanon is a far-reaching decision since these products represent 55.4 per cent of all agricultural exports from Lebanon. Lebanese exports to Saudi Arabia amounted to $282 million in 2019. The 600- plus Lebanese business entities present in Saudi Arabia, with a total value of $125 billion, are not affected by the Saudi decision —yet. If further punitive measures are adopted by the Gulf Cooperation Council and Saudi Arabia, the collapse of the financial system in Lebanon is inevitable. Saudi Arabia has chosen to compete in a field where it excels—diplomacy. Hezbollah has been concentrating on the internal scene in Lebanon, assessing that no other political force could derail its efforts to transform Lebanon into an Iranian province. With its surprise move, Saudi Arabia has injected a new element into the equation: an open challenge to Hezbollah and Iran on the Arab identity of Lebanon. If Lebanon accepts Kordahi’s resignation or even apologises to Saudi Arabia for the interview, it would be perceived as a Saudi victory. On the other hand, refusing to force the resignation of Kordahi would worsen the situation inside Lebanon and of those Lebanese in the Gulf states. It would signal a weakness Hezbollah cannot afford in the context of Lebanon’s power struggle. IDF Col. (ret.) Dr Jacques Neriah, a special analyst for the Middle East at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, was formerly a foreign-policy adviser to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and deputy head for assessment of Israeli Military Intelligence. This article was first published by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Republished with permission. Lebanon’s Arab Identity Battle Short News Tel Aviv’s Central Bus Station Closing The gigantic seven-story bus station in Tel Aviv, which opened in 1993, will be demolished. Construction began as early as 1967, but the work was prematurely halted due to financial difficulties. It took nearly 20 years to finally finish the bus station, and by then station’s neighbourhood had become peripheral and impoverished. The decision to shut down the building was announced in October by Transport Minister Merav Michaeli. Residents in southern Tel Aviv have been complaining for years about pollution, noise and crime in and around the bus station, nicknamed “the monster.” It’s not a pleasant destination for travellers either; inside the building, it doesn’t smell fresh, and it’s easy to get lost in there. The plan is to demolish the bus station by 2024. According to architects in Israel, it is virtually impossible to demolish the station’s massive concrete shell, and the building will have to be renovated to accommodate another use. | Photo: Roi Boshi, Wikimedia Commons Cooperation to New Heights Israel and UAE signed a historic space agreement in October at the World Space Week, which was part of the 2020 Expo Dubai. The countries will collaborate on a number of space projects, including a joint launch of the Beresheet 2 space mission to the moon. This will be Israel’s second attempt to land an unmanned spacecraft on the moon by 2024. Furthermore, the UAE Space Agency and the Israel Space Agency will enhance cooperation in scientific research, space exploration and knowledge transfer. SpaceIL’s chairman said: “We are proud to be the first project to pave the way for further historic moves as a result of the Abraham Accords.” Underground Data Centre Israel has a tough security reality, and this needs serious consideration. The impact of a missile or other calamity could hamper the digital network and disrupt business continuity. That is why an underground data centre was built in Israel, some nine floors deep underground. The place is designed to withstand missiles, rockets and car bombs, says Oracle, the American computer technology company that built the data centre in Jerusalem. A second data centre is being planned that will act as a backup disaster recovery site. The aftermath of a massive explosion that rocked the Beirut port on 4 August 2020. The blast, the cause of which is still under investigation, was apparently felt as far away as Cyprus. | Photo: Flash90 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782

20. 10 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Israel poised to lead the way with Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) Isaac Ben-Israel head of Security Studies and Tel Aviv University stated recently that Israel is developing a national strategy to make the country a world leader in A.I. A.I. based investments have been surging in recent years, 37% of the capital raised in recent years was reserved for A.I. companies, according to Science Business. This research into A.I. is not new to Israel, a couple of years ago I had the privilege of a guided tour of ‘Mobileye’ , a company that started well over 20 years ago using artificial intelligence to interpret camera images to provide vital driver aids. This technology is being used in many cars with safety aids like adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, collision avoidance to name a few. A.I. is the development of computer systems to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence. There is no doubt that A.I. has the potential to bring great benefit to our lives but it also can be used to bring greater control over our lives, and we have enough of that. A dire warning, ‘paradise or hell’: Another Israeli Professor, Yuval Harari, gives a dire warning about A.I. being used in all aspects of life. He made a chilling statement that this technology can bring ‘paradise or hell’. The problem revolves around the vast difference between the way A.I. and humans solve problems. The critical difference: Harari points out that the critical difference is that human beings have consciousness including a conscience, we can have empathy, show mercy and love in our decision making. A.I. just makes cold hard problem solving decisions. This is very concerning in the area of healthcare, as research shows that empathy and compassion are vital ingredients in advancing the recovery and well-being of patients. Of course, it needs to be stated that the diagnostic tools that this technology has provided doctors in aiding treatment, is a thing to be marvelled at and thank God for. Increasing vulnerability: Modern technology needs giant computers and elaborate satellite systems to function. What if a massive solar flare erupted such as that which hit the earth on September 1-2, 1859, severely damaging telegraph lines at the time. Scientist agree that this event known as the Carrington event would have brought devastation to our power grids and sensitive data systems of today. In short, we would be back to the “dark ages”, possibly for weeks if not years, or if an enemy rocket selectively knocked out certain satellites or an Electro Magnetic Pulse bomb was detonated in the atmosphere above a major city, a country would be brought to its knees. It has been estimated that one day in New York city without power would cost their economy 1 billion dollars. There is no known way of protecting ourselves against the former and difficult to protect ourselves completely against the latter. In the wrong hands: Currently A.I. is mainly “narrow A.I.” that is, it has a single task for example giving navigation directions while driving, but it is going beyond that. Harari points out that if you use search engines and social media on your laptop or smartphone, “they” already know to an increasingly larger degree, what you are wanting, what you are thinking, and using that data they can predict your choices and manipulate your desires. Already China is using A.I. to monitor every move their citizens make by issuing them with a credit score, credit scores below a certain amount greatly reduces their already limited freedom. “They” are designing computers that can “hack” our brains through neuro links. This may prove to be a breakthrough medical science that can cure mental illness and neurological disorders. Elon Musk referred to this technology as both “great and terrifying.” Pope Francis implored the church recently to pray that A.I. will not rebel against humankind, and we must not underestimate the power of prayer in this regard. It gets more serious with this development of “broad A.I.” as this development is designed to give us super intelligence and a creative capability far beyond our wildest imagination. Harari states that this advanced technology is happening at a “breath taking rate.” You don’t have to be much of a Biblical scholar to see where this might lead. Award winning journalist John Brandon has postulated that an A.I. god will emerge by 2042, based on these developments. I will be like the Most High (Isaiah 14.14-16) In the original primordial celestial conflict, Lucifer fell from the heavens because of his desire to be “as God”. Has the great adversary’s desire for supremacy waned? What is his strategy? Is it possible that those elites wanting global domination are nothing more than unwitting surrogates of the arch-enemy of God, and that the great final climax of history is not far from our time. —————————————————————— Barry Rodgers OAM, President of Beersheba Vision . Website: www.beershebavision.org Email: admin@beershebavision.org Barry Rodgers OAM President of Beersheba Vision Opinion Piece from Beersheba Vision “they” already know to an increasingly larger degree... can predict your choices and manipulate your desires

27. 9 C4I News Signs of Faith By Kees de Vreugd Circumcision In this series, ‘Signs of Faith’, objects that express Jewish faith are explained and discussed. Circumcision is the physical sign par excellence of God’s covenant with Israel. This is what God had commanded Abraham: “And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations” (Genesis 17:10-13). So there are two signs of God’s covenant with Israel: circumcision and the Sabbath (Exodus 31:13). On the eighth day after his birth, a Jewish boy is circumcised (unless there are compelling reasons to postpone it, e.g. health complications). So circumcision can also take place on a Sabbath. It is also the day on which a boy receives his name (Luke 2:21). Because it is about a covenant, the Hebrew term is brit milah, the ‘covenant of circumcision’. Just for the record: only boys are circumcised. Female circumcision is absolutely not Jewish. The instruments for the circumcision (a little clip and knife) are usually stored in an adorned box. The circumciser (mohel) is somebody with special training. Today, it is usually a (para)medic professional. Circumcision can take place at home, or in the synagogue, or – what I also have witnessed – in a festive hall. It is a festive happening with many guests and good food. The boy is lying on a circumcision pillow, preferably on his grandfather’s lap, who is sitting in a special chair. There is a symbolic empty chair for Eliah, who is believed to be present when a Jew is accepted into the covenant. After a blessing, the mohel cuts part of the foreskin of the penis so that the glans becomes bare. He also immediately sucks away the blood. The piece of foreskin is buried. On the eighth day, the operation is much less painful than it would be later. The wound quickly heals within three days. The ceremony is concluded by a blessing over a cup of wine: “Just as he has entered into the Covenant, so may he enter into Torah, into marriage, and into good deeds.” December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Christians for Israel Staff n On 4 November 2021, Mr Roger F.G. van Oordt was appointed honorary consul in the Netherlands for the State of Israel. Van Oordt was executive director of Christians for Israel Netherlands until 2020. He is the son of the founder of Christians for Israel, Karel van Oordt, and has been involved in the organisation and the Israel Products Center since its establishment in 1980. Van Oordt: “I consider this a special recognition of the deep bond that we as Christians for Israel have with Israel. Thousands of volunteers, staff and supporters worldwide have been committed to Israel for over forty years. By supporting all kinds of humanitarian projects for both Jews and Arabs, by organising trips to Israel with tourists, journalists, pastors and politicians, and by providing Biblical teaching in churches about God’s faithfulness to Israel.” Hila Stern, deputy Israeli ambassador in the Netherlands, described Roger during the ceremony as a true friend of Israel and the Jewish people, and someone who always stands up for the truth about Israel. The title honorary consul is a voluntary position in which trade and international relations between the Netherlands and Israel are promoted. The honorary consul also devotes himself to representing Israel in the Netherlands in all kinds of ways. The Netherlands now has four honorary consuls of Israel, whereas worldwide there are two hundred. Each honorary consul fulfils his role in his own way. The position fits in well with the current role of Van Oordt, who has handed over the role of Director of Christians for Israel to his younger brother Frank. Now, Roger van Oordt is the leader of the Business Club of Christians for Israel Netherlands, a growing group of hands-on entrepreneurs who support all kinds of humanitarian projects in Israel. Van Oordt: “For forty years, we have supported Israel in words and deeds, and at the same time, we are committed to combating antisemitism in the Netherlands. In this new role as honorary consul, I see it as my mission to continue to speak up for Israel with enthusiasm. My motivation comes from Isaiah 62:1: ‘For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.’ This is such a beautiful verse. This is my mission, and this is what we want to do. Not just me, but everyone who is a Christian for Israel. As watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem, until the glory of Jerusalem shall be complete." The honorary consulate will be located in the Israel Centre in Nijkerk, Netherlands. | Photos: Willem Jan de Bruin Photography Roger van Oordt Appointed Honorary Consul in the Netherlands Deputy Ambassador Hila Stern presents Roger van Oordt (right) with the official documents of his appointment as Honorary Consul. Following the swearing-in of Roger van Oordt as honorary consul, the Israel Centre (HQ of C4I) now also functions as the consula te of Israel.

17. 7 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 There are a lot of Christians who want to know what the will of God is for their lives, the problem is that they don’t really know or understand what the will of God is. In fact you can segment the will of God into four categories and these help us get a better handle on what this illusive concept really is. The four categories are: 1. God’s ‘decretive’ will 2. God’s ‘preceptive’ will 3. God’s ‘permissive’ will 4. God’s ‘sovereign’ will (whi ch is almost the same as His decretive will but more complex) God’s sovereign will is by far the most complex and brain straining concept to understand so we’ll leave it as the last one to look at. In this program we’ll take a look at God’s decretive will. God’s decretive will is when He alone decrees that something is determined to happen, for example, God decreed the universe and all that is in it would exist... and it does. God decreed that His Son would be born a human and would die for the sins of mankind... and He did. God’s decretive will is also known as His Sovereign will. He decreed He’d be born to a virgin in Bethlehem and betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. All these things and so many more all happened because God decreed that they would happen. God’s decretive will is entirely according to His heart and His purposes. Job 23:13, ‘He is unique and who can turn Him? What His soul desires, that He does.’ We can’t alter or thwart what God has decreed. Psalm 2:2-8, ‘This kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, (speaking of the Messiah) saying, “Let’s tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!” He (that is God) sits in the heavens and laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He’ll speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “As for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain. I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me and I’ll surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession.”’ The world wants to cast God away and undermine His plans and God’s response is to simply laugh at them and issue them a warning not to be so foolish. Nothing will prevent God’s plans. God also proves Himself through His decretive will, revealing the end from the beginning. Isaiah 46:10, ‘Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, “My purpose will be established, and I’ll accomplish all My good pleasure.”’ God rules over His creation ensuring the absolute unfolding of His decreed will. Acts 17:24-28, ‘The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people, life and breath and all things. He made from one man every nation, of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitations, that they’d seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He isn’t far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, “For we also are His children.”’ In many ways you can see God’s decretive will very clearly in Genesis 1 , where we see God speak His will and it comes into being. He said, “Let there be light” ...and there was light. In fact, you can’t have an alternative consequence to the decretive will of God, it will be exactly what God has decreed it will be and it doesn’t matter what our preferences, biases or delusions may be. We can’t change or alter God’s decretive will, no matter how much effort we might engage in to change it. That’s seen very clearly in Psalm 2 , where the leaders of the nations of the world engage in plotting and scheming to overthrow God, His Son and His decretive will for humanity. God’s response is to laugh and scoff at their efforts. God has made the decree for human history to unfold in a particular manner and as it unfolds, God’s plan of redemption comes to it’s complete fruition. Do we always understand why God decrees for things to happen the way they do? No. In many ways it’s beyond our comprehension, but we can look at history and see how God maneuvered humanity and events to bring about His decreed purposes and we ‘WOW’ over what He’s done. What that does for us, is give us assurance and confidence that since He’s brought humanity this far according to His divine decrees, He can certainly see us through our personal lives and lead humanity to our ultimate redemption when His Son returns. Shalom, Mandy. —————————————————————— Mandy Worby is an experienced Israel Tour leader and also the popular radio host of ‘Daytime’ featured on Australia’s national Vision Christian Radio network Monday to Friday 12am-3pm AEST . you can’t have an alternative consequence to the decretive will of God, it will be exactly what God has decreed it will be Hebrew Foundations of Our Faith Mandy Worby Isreal Tour Host & Radio Announcer for Vision Christian Media The Will Of God Part 1: ‘Decretive Will’

23. 13 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Stan Goodenough’s article continued Jerusalem—Gaza to the south-west, Judea to the south, Samaria to the north, and now the capital itself. Writes The Jerusalem Post reporter Khaled Abu Toameh, “Like many Palestinians... the predominantly Muslim residents of ... Jerusalem are part of a conservative and religious society that supports any group that is associated with Islam. The PA, by contrast, is loathed ... because it is regarded as a corrupt secular regime that operates in violation of Islamic teachings.” “When Palestinians are told on a daily basis that the Jews are ‘defiling’ the Aqsa Mosque and plotting to squeeze the Arabs out of Jerusalem, many rally around Hamas, and not the PA. The PA, in other words, is driving many Palestinians, including east Jerusalemites, into the open arms of its rivals in Hamas.” Which renders Bennett’s policy bankrupt. Hamas’s already overwhelming popularity skyrocketed following its May 2021 missile attacks on Jerusalem, which it claimed put an end to sovereign Israeli actions there. And most recently, Hamas showed that it can strike at will in the heart of the city. On November 21, a short distance from the Temple Mount, a senior member of Hamas’s so-called political wing who has openly engaged in anti-Israel violence, shot to death 26-year-old Eliyahu (Eli) Kay. Those who knew Eli described him as a warm and friendly young man whose life’s journey epitomised Zionism— his recent immigration from South Africa, his sacrificial commitment to his people—the Jews—and the deep love-tie that bound him to the land of Israel. Eli loved Jerusalem. His name, Eliyahu, means “YHWH is God”. The Bible calls the hilltop behind the Western Wall where he worked “The Mountain of YHWH.” It is the Jews’ holiest site. The man who killed Eli was Fadi Abu Shahidam. His name is tied to the word shahid—martyr. Muslim martyrs are those who die in the act of killing for Allah. Abu Shahidam lived in Jerusalem and taught Islamic studies at an Arab school for boys that—almost bizarrely—is run by Israel’s Ministry of Education. He was daily at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount where he led Muslim tours and instigated protests against visiting Jewish groups. He also participated in riots against the Israeli authorities in Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. And, as mentioned, Abu Shahidam was a high-grade representative of Hamas. The killer’s popularity was evidenced in mosque prayer services held in his honour after the attack, and the praise heaped upon him by the Hamas leadership in Gaza, where candy was distributed in celebration of his crime. The evening after the attack, Arabs marched brazenly in Jerusalem, waving Hamas flags and proclaiming their allegiance to the terrorist organisation and its Izzadin al-Khassam armed wing. Israel could do nothing to stop them. Or if it could, it didn’t. A twisted irony: while the political wing of Hamas is now beyond the pale in the UK, and soon, hopefully, in Australia—its members and leaders are pursuing their aims in Israel—and in Israel’s capital. Here’s the unvarnished truth: More ardently than most Christians hope in the Biblically-foretold destiny of Jerusalem; more fervidly than millions of Jews (including most Knesset members) believe that Jerusalem will indeed eternally be their undivided capital—the Muslim Palestinian Arabs know that Allah will give them Al Quds, and that the Jews are destined to burn. The Land of Israel and the City of the great King are in peril. Yet, by and large—as best as I can tell—the vast majority of Christians today are engaged in other matters. During the Second World War, most were caught up in other matters too— especially in the situation facing their own nations. This was natural enough. But the terrible result was that while the Church was thus occupied, the Jewish people came horrifyingly close to being wiped out. Many of us who were born after that war have wondered, ashamed, how Christendom could have been silent, and have asked ourselves what we would have done. Let us learn the lesson—and ask the Lord what He asks of us. If the Church was largely silent in the 1930s and ‘40s, let Christians who say they stand with Israel not be observers on the sidelines this time. The God of Israel intends to fight Allah with a far more devastating blaze. As He says: ‘In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place— Jerusalem.’ (Zechariah 12:6) And His holy hill? That small piece of real estate at the heart of the battle? His purpose for Moriah is locked-in: ‘Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of YHWH’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the Word of YHWH from Jerusalem.’ (Isaiah 2:2-3) Yes, He will assuredly do it, but there is a battle raging, and we who believe are not called to spectate; we are the Lord’s hands and feet and mouthpieces— He involves us in the performing, the outworking, of His Word. So may we be willing to have Him show us how right now, in His name, we are to take our stand on the walls of Jerusalem and make it clear to the world Whose side we are on. —————————————————————— Stan Goodenough is an Evangelical (Gentile) Israel-accredited tour guide who for 30 years called Jerusalem home. After Covid-19 collapsed tourism to Israel, he moved with his family to the Czech Republic from where he is closely following events tied to the unparalleled wonder of Israel’s unfolding rebirth. When the borders reopen, he plans to return to guiding God’s Land. www.jerusalemwatchman.org Until... Fourteen Prophetic Horizons By Rev. Willem J.J. Glashouwer $25 (includes p+h) PAPERBACK Until is just a little word but has a far-reaching prophetic meaning. All events, everything that happens in the world seem to continue endlessly. History seems to move forward in circles. Or continues as a long line without an end. However, it is a process... until! And then everything changes! Finally, a turn for the good, even for the better! Yes, there is hope! The Bible centions many of these divine, prophetic ‘untils’. In this book, Rev. Willem J.J. Glashouwer has closely examined fourteen of these prophetic horizons. The result is extremely encouraging. It shows that history is not a circle that endlessly keeps spinning round and constantly repeats itself. History is a line, with a beginning and an end. History is coming to a climax with a final goal. From creation to re-creation. From Paradise to the Kingdom of God. Where are we today on this timeline of history? How close are we at this moment that the divine liberation of planet earth and its mankind becomes true reality? NEW! To get your copy use the form on the back page or to place your order instantly go to: c4israel.com.au/store Eliyahu Kay (Photo: Twitter/@FarukOnalan)

31. 13 History Short News December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Ford to Install Israeli Water-From-Air System in Vehicles Ford has approached Israel-based Watergen, one of the world leaders in atmospheric water generation, to collaborate as facilitators for Ford off- grid adventure recreational vehicles. The project will result in Watergen’s Mobile Box, the world’s first vehicle on- board water generating system, to be pre-installed on Ford vehicles. Watergen’s innovative Mobile Box device is the world’s first vehicle on- board drinking system capable of effortlessly extracting clean water from ambient air. The Mobile Box can generate up to 25 litres per day of fresh drinking water, removing the need to carry bottled water and reducing plastic waste. The unit simply needs a 12V power supply and access to fresh air to produce the highest quality drinking water. Ford will mount the Mobile Box unit, which is fitted with sturdy wheels for ease of transport, on the flatbed of the Ranger, where it will occupy minimal space due to its compact dimensions. | INN/VFI News. Korean Investors Discover Israel’s Start-ups More and more Koreans want to invest in Israeli innovations. To this end, the Seoul Investors Club was founded in South Korea, a network of Korean investors and companies looking for investment opportunities in Israeli innovations. In October, a Zoom meeting between Koreans and Israeli start-ups was held for the first time. Emphasis was placed on the fields of digital medicine, information technologies and agriculture with Artificial Intelligence. Israel to Build a Cypriot Surveillance System Cyprus signed an agreement with Israel’s military to build an electronic surveillance system to monitor activity along the United Nations-patrolled Green Line across the divided Mediterranean island. The system can provide images around the clock. The 180-kilometre demilitarised Green Line has divided the island from east to west since 1974. It separates the European Union-recognised Republic of Cyprus from the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is recognised only by Ankara. The surveillance system will monitor activities such as smuggling and illegal migration and provide military intelligence. Kay Wilson n Israeli Tour Guide | Author | Cartoonist In July 2021, the ice cream company Ben and Jerry’s made a racist decision and informed their customers that they would be boycotting Judea and Samaria. With Israelis now checking other options for their sweet tooth, the less pretentious Häagen-Dazs unexpectedly leapt into the limelight. The murky Ben and Jerry scoop brought an astonishing act of kindness into the light. There is a link between Häagen-Dazs , competitors of Ben and Jerry’s and the rescue of Denmark’s Jews during the Holocaust. 78 years ago, in 1943, on the eve of the Jewish New Year, the people of Denmark carried out a unique national act of courage in support for the Jewish people throughout the whole of World War II. While every other nation overwhelmingly acted as bystanders, or worse, perpetrators, Denmark and her citizens refused to remain silent and executed a plan to save the country’s Jews. The universities closed for a few days to enable students to help with the daring operation overseen by the resistance. In addition, the Danish police also refused to cooperate with the Nazis, and Chief Rabbi Marcus Melchior was secretly informed of the imminent Nazi roundups. This meant that when the Jews gathered in the synagogue for the Jewish New Year, he cancelled the important service and ordered his people to leave their homes and flee for their lives. But not without the help of the Danish resistance, who had prepared hiding places and arranged for fishermen to transport 99% of the Jewish community in small fishing boats to nearby neutral Sweden. Danes and Jews financed the daring operation and this nationwide effort, which saw over 7,000 Jews evacuated to safety. Less than 500 Jews were unable to escape. These few elderly and sick were too frail to run and were caught by the Gestapo. They were sent to Theresienstadt, a ghetto and concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. Even while they were there, the Danish public continued to voice their objections and sent food via the Red Cross to their Jewish citizens. Now to the Ice Cream A decade before the outbreak of World War II, Reuben and Rose Mattus, two Polish immigrants, independently arrived in the USA, where they met, married and started making ice pops and ice cream bars. Years later, as the ice cream market flourished, Reuben began to make a new, richer and creamier kind of ice cream to outwit his competitors. 13 years after the Holocaust had ended, the couple were so successful that they had already started formed a new ice cream company. For the name of their enterprise, they chose the Danish-sounding name Häagen- Dazs as a tribute to Denmark’s exemplary treatment of its Jews during the war. They even added an umlaut (absent in Danish) and put a map of Denmark on the carton. And best of all, the name Häagen-Dazs actually means nothing. Reuben simply chose it as a thank you to the nation of Denmark for their exemplary courageous rescue of Jews. The Ben and Jerry’s racist scoop turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It has led more Israelis to become aware of the amazing deeds of Denmark. So whenever we lick our Häagen-Dazs ice cream, we will remember the courage of that nation and always be thankful for those amazing friends. | Photo: Shutterstock The Scoop of Blessing

33. 15 From Our Projects Part of our mission is to comfort Israel and the Jewish people through prayer and action. If you would like to support one of our projects you can complete the coupon on page 16 or make an online donation. Thank you very much for your support! Aliyah Aliyah is the Hebrew word for the return of the Jewish people to Israel. We support Aliyah mainly from Ukraine (and the former Soviet Union), but also from India and France. Furthermore, we help new immigrants (in Hebrew: olim ) to integrate into Israeli society. Hineni Soup Kitchen We help the poor of Israel, by providing them with food. We do this in partnership with the Hineni Center in Jerusalem, headed by Benjamin Philip. Your gift for the soup kitchen goes directly to the purchase of food. Holocaust Survivors We support impoverished Holocaust survivors in Israel and Ukraine through various projects which provide assistance to survivors of the Holocaust. Those survivors are elderly and will not be among us for long, and there is a growing demand for practical assistance. Christian Friends of Israeli Communities (CFOIC) You can support the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, the heart of Biblical Israel. The main purpose is to encourage the people in the Biblical Heartland and to show them that there are Christians throughout the world who support them and share the belief that the areas of Judea and Samaria are part of Israel’s inheritance. Food Parcel Campaign Ukraine We distribute food parcels amongst Jewish people in Ukraine. These parcels are handed out to Holocaust survivors, needy families, and the sick. Those food parcels are a sign of friendship that demonstrates your support for our Jewish brothers and sisters and that they are not alone. Arab Christians Life for Christians in Bethlehem is often not easy. Christians for Israel supports the First Baptist Church of Rev Naim Khoury in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The members of this church spread the gospel among Arabs and share their love and heart for Israel and the Jewish people. For country-specific or further information on our projects, go to our website, www.c4israel.com.au Overview of our projects December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 A Heartfelt Christmas Gift Christmas parcels for the less fortunate in Israel Various products that make up Christmas parcels for the less fortunate in Israel. | Photo: Saleem Shalash Christmas is the time of year when many people want to brighten someone else’s Christmas. This is also true for our Arab pastors, Rev Saleem Shalash (Nazareth) and Rev Naim Khoury (Bethlehem). Each year they distribute specially compiled Christmas parcels to the less fortunate in their cities. Nazareth “This year, we are distributing Christmas packages to around 200 Arab families,” explains Rev Shalash. “Each package contains various products like pasta and sauce, instant coffee and some sweets.” That’s not all this Christmas. “We are also handing out a surprise package to a thousand children, containing a colouring book, pencils, a present and chocolate. We do this on Christmas Eve, during a big celebration in Nazareth where many families come. By doing this, we reach many Arabs from Nazareth and surrounding towns, with the Gospel.” Bethlehem “We are approaching the yearly Christmas celebration, but again this year we will not observe the blessed occasion of the birth of our Saviour under normal conditions”, says Rev Naim Khoury. “We have been wondering what to do with the needs of the families in Bethlehem in this difficult time. Because of the pandemic and the restrictions in the Bethlehem area, and the uncertainty, many people are without jobs as they cannot go to Jerusalem to work. They need a special permit which is more difficult because of Covid-19. People have been struggling, and the situation is getting harder! We hope that you are able to sponsor some of the needs and be a blessing this coming Christmas.” Your support for the Christmas parcels in Nazareth and Bethlehem is greatly appreciated. The average cost of a Christmas parcel is AU $54 and a surprise parcel for the children costs AU $15. To donate, complete the coupon on the back page. Saleem Shalesh preparing one of the parcels. Rev Naim Khoury at a children’s meeting in Bethlehem. Rev Saleem Shalah in Nazareth.

30. 12 Arab Christians December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Marijke Terlouw n Christians for Israel Netherlands Can anything good come out of Nazareth? That is what Nathanael asked himself when Philip told him that the Messiah would come from this city. A moment later, Nathanael recognised Jesus as the Messiah: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.” (John 1:47-50) Almost two thousand years after the encounter between Nathanael and Jesus, something miraculous happens in the life of Saleem Shalash, an Arab resident of Nazarene. He grew up in a Roman Catholic family and is destined to become a priest. However, things turn out differently: Saleem wants to lead an ‘ordinary’ life and becomes a police officer. Until a friend of his dies at the age of 19. She was a Christian and often talked about Jesus. Saleem wondered why ‘her God’ had allowed this accident to happen. Then he heard a voice: “Someone has died, someone else is born again.” Although Saleem did not understand this at first, he began to read the Bible from then on. “I felt the desire to know more about God and started studying at Bethlehem Bible College,” says Saleem. Almost everyone there believed in replacement theology, and we only read from the New Testament. A friend of mine invited me to do my Master’s at the Israel College of the Bible in Netanya. I studied there together with Jewish and Arab pastors. We also read the Old Testament. There my eyes were opened to God’s plan for Israel.” Today, Saleem Shalash is the pastor of a Christian congregation in Nazareth, where Messianic Jews meet regularly with Arab Christians. Shalash likes to preach from the Old Testament and speak about God’s promises to Israel. For many people, it may sound remarkable that an Arab supports the State of Israel, but for Shalash, it is only natural: “Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, and it is a safe haven for the Jewish people, the growing Christian population and other minorities. Israel is the promised land of God, and He has a plan for His people.” An Arab with Love for Israel Saleem Shalash with his wife (left), and with his family. Yaakov Nof n Israeli Tour Guide Having not been to Bethlehem for years, we went to visit our ‘neighbours’ again in October 2021. We live in the south of Jerusalem, not far from Bethlehem. It was complicated to enter Bethlehem, as Israelis are not allowed to enter the city. We parked our car just outside the checkpoints, where friends from Bethlehem came to pick us up so that we could drive through the border control with a car displaying a Palestinian number plate. The city of Bethlehem is, of course, the birthplace of Jesus. That is the main reason for pilgrims to visit the city. Over the years, the city has not changed much. I met many old friends, who were happy to see me. The town looked deserted. The square in front of the Church of the Nativity was almost empty, except for a bored-looking policeman. The Church of the Nativity is in the centre of the city. Millions of tourists go there every year. Before the corona epidemic started, there were long queues of tourists wanting to enter the church. A lot of money has been invested in restoring the old medieval church with its mosaic floor and walls. Where people used to stand in long queues to catch a glimpse of the star indicating the place of birth, only two Franciscan monks stood. This scene was repeated at what is called Shepherds Field, which reminds us of the event in Luke 2:8: “Not far from here the shepherds spent the night in the field...”. We saw four nuns in habits walking out of the place; nobody else was to be seen. The area around Shepherds Field is being built up. The shepherds with their flocks, who pasture here after the first rains, cannot be seen very well. During our visit to Bethlehem, we visited an olive wood workshop. Attala Zachariah was working alone at his worktable. His workshop was under his house, where piles of olive wood stumps could be seen everywhere in the garden. “We used to sit here with five people working hard to keep up with the demand for olive wood sculptures for visitors to the city. But now I sit here on my own and hope for better times”. The people of Bethlehem make a living out of tourism, and olive wood carvings are something visitors like to take home as souvenirs. Most people associate Bethlehem with the New Testament and the birth of Jesus. But let us not forget that we read about Bethlehem much earlier in the Old Testament. Bethlehem in Hebrew means house of bread, and in Arabic, house of flesh. In the book of Joshua, we read about another Bethlehem, a city in the area of the tribe Zebulon. “Other cities are Kattat, Nahalal, Simron, Jidala, and Beit-Lechem” (Joshua 19:15). Nahalal and Simron are most likely found in the valley of Jezreel, and we assume that the Bethlehem spoken of by Joshua was on the border of low Galilee and the valley of Jezreel. Bethlehem in the area of the tribe of Judah, the Bethlehem we know today, is first mentioned in Genesis 35:19 and Genesis 48:7, where we read that Rachel was buried on the way to Ephrat, now Bethlehem. But when we then read Jeremiah 31:15 or 1 Samuel 10:2, archaeologists wonder if the grave is indeed in Bethlehem. Perhaps it is in Ramah, north of present-day Jerusalem, and Rachel weeps over the exile to Babylon? In early biblical times Jerusalem was a small, pagan city that lay north of the great and important Bethlehem. A famous story from the Old Testament that takes place in Bethlehem is the story of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz. Naomi was originally from Bethlehem, and when she returned with Ruth from Moab, they returned to Bethlehem. “So they went on, as far as Bethlehem” (Ruth 1:19). Here Ruth met Boaz. The marriage between Boaz and Ruth makes a connection to the New Testament because King David was born of that lineage, from which, according to the New Testament, Jesus was descended. “Solomon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth” (Matthew. 1:5). Bethlehem, a city with such a rich history, is definitely worth a visit. After all, this is the place where it all began. Bethlehem - Where it all Began A beautiful sunrise in Bethlehem. | Photo: Shutterstock Most people associate Bethlehem with the New Testament and the birth of Jesus. But let us not forget that we read about Bethlehem much earlier in the Old Testament.

18. 8 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Aliyah - Stories of Hope and Restoration On Wednesday morning, 17 November a few olim (immigrants) left Kiev airport and went to Israel permanently. We picked up families in Chmilnitsky, Vinnitsa the day before for an overnight stay in our shelter in Kiev. One of the olim, Iryna, had a particularly hard time saying goodbye to her brother, his wife and other family members. Iryna is a retired English teacher and was delighted to speak English with me. She spoke fluently (no surprise since she was a teacher) and as usual we asked why she decided to go to Israel. It was a long story but we had enough time during the six-hour drive to Kiev. Nine years ago, their only daughter had left for Israel, something Iryna objected to strongly. Their daughter was a clever woman and had a flourishing career as a lawyer and Iryna saw no point in leaving everything behind to start again from scratch in a foreign country. Her husband, on the contrary, said ‘dear daughter, follow the call of your heart and you have my blessing to go’. Iryna did not agree with this and it brought tension and stress to their marriage. About a year ago, Iryna’s husband became seriously ill and just before he passed away, he said to his wife: ‘Iryna you must promise me one thing. When I am gone do not stay in Ukraine but go to Israel, your country where our only daughter lives!’ With tearful eyes Iryna nodded yes, this I promise you! And now this promise was fulfilled on Wednesday morning, 17 November. Iryna’s daughter has married a Jewish man from Iran whose grandparents were expelled from Iran. The family is blessed with two sons now 3 years and 9 months old and live in Kiryat Ono, a small town founded in 1939 where there was once a reception camp for Jews fleeing from the surrounding Arab countries. Now it is part of greater Tel Aviv. Iryna and the other olim (below) were very glad that they did not have to travel all night but that they could spend the night in the shelter. At the airport, they thanked us all for the safe journey and our good care. It will be such a special reunion for Iryna and her daughter, son- in-law and her two small grandchildren. Next week there are flights scheduled for olim from three different airports. From Kiev the capital, Odessa in the south and Dnepr in the east of Ukraine. Koen Carlier Christian’s for Israel Ukraine ‘This I Promise You’ English teacher Iryna. | Photo: Christians for Israel Ukraine Please support our campaign ‘Bring the Jews Home’. It’s only through our generous supporters who give to causes like Aliyah and First Home in the Homeland , olim can find safety and security within their true homeland. If you’d like to participate in what God is doing around the world— bringing comfort to His people and returning them safely to the Holy Land —please prayerfully consider giving today! It costs $350 to assist one Ukrainian Jew, $1250 to assist 5 or $6250 to assist 25 to make aliyah. Any amount is of course welcome! See the back page or donate online at: myaccount.c4israel.com.au ‘Iryna you must promise me one thing. When I am gone do not stay in Ukraine but go to Israel, your country where our only daughter lives!’ Help the Jews Come Home! www.c4israel.com.au/videos/jewish-families-making-aliyah Every week Jewish families make aliyah to Israel. Watch this recent video to see their arrival at Kiev airport: 

25. 15 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Have you downloaded the FREE C4I app yet? • Read the latest editions of Israel & Christians Today, plus past editions. • Easily access all current and past topical articles. • Listen and watch teaching resources about Israel and the Church from a Biblical perspective. • Access current and past prayer calenders , so you know what and how to pray for our ministry. • Make secure online donations towards Israeli Projects, C4I Australia and teaching resources. • You can also stay in touch by sending secure messages via a simple form. DOWNLOAD TODAY! Inspiring and informative content, wherever you are. SEARCH: ‘C4I’ in your app store includes the concept that the church has in some way displaced, replaced, superseded, disenfranchised, or fulfilled Israel and Israel’s biblical status and national promises. Technically, such thinking does not inexorably generate antisemitism. In practice, however, over time, it has done so. Efroymson, commenting on the theology of Tertullian, observed: “The road from here to Auschwitz is long and may not be direct, but you can get there from here.” Antisemitic statements made by Luther in 1543 were used by Hitler to justify his mass murder of Europe’s Jews. Today’s most influential Christian antisemites muster theology, professed concern for Palestinians, and anti-Zionism, particularly to undermine evangelical support for Israel. Prominent examples are the Christian aid agency World Vision and Rev Dr Stephen Sizer, a UK cleric censured by his own Anglican Church for antisemitic activities, and endorsed by former UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, also accused of antisemitism. Human Rights Antisemitism Human rights organisations currently provide one of the most effective vehicles for antisemitism. The Boycott Divestment Sanctions movement (BDS) is transparent in its goal to see the elimination of the Jewish state. BDS critiques of Israel frequently compare her conduct to that of Nazi Germany, with the “apartheid Israel” charge being equally popular. BDS has been designated “antisemitic” by Germany, and numerous American states have passed anti-BDS resolutions or laws. The UN exhibits a severe bias against Israel and has a remarkable record of anti-Israel resolutions, in many cases issued under the pretext of human rights concern for the Palestinians. London based Amnesty International is another human rights body that has been shown to have a strong antisemitic record. Racial Antisemitism Most prevalent in Nazi and Muslim circles, racial antisemitism may now be less common in the West, having been displaced by other forms of Jew-hatred. References to Jews as “descendants of apes and pigs” remain common within Islamic rhetoric along with such descriptors as “the scum of the human race, the rats of the world”. The Darwinian theories of the time leant justification to the view that the Nazis must “exterminate” the Jews in the interests of Aryan racial purity. The Khazar theory remains popular. It attempts to sever the link between Jews of the biblical period and the present day by asserting that Ashkenazi Jews are largely descendants of Turkic peoples who converted to Judaism over a thousand years ago. Economic Antisemitism William Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice portrays Shylock “the Jew” as avaricious and cruel. Jewish stereotypes of this kind have persisted in literature and discourse to the present day and readily cross- pollinate other categories of antisemitism presented in this survey. Jews are held to be excessively wealthy (such wealth achieved by dishonest means and ignoring the many Jews of modest means), greedy and mean (despite Jews being disproportionately represented amongst philanthropists), and use their wealth to further expand their covert control of media, international politics, world opinion, et al. The incoherence of this form of antisemitism sees Jews accused of driving both capitalism and communism. Nation of Islam leader Farrakhan provides an example of economic antisemitism: “The Rothschilds financed both sides of all the European wars. They always wanted to get their hands on the Central Bank of America. And they finally did.” Conspiratorial Antisemitism Many conspiracy theories feature Jews front and centre. Accusations of Jewish control of media, orchestration of financial crises and wars, paedophilia rings, and more flourish on social media and in far-right groups. Twenty per cent of Britons apparently believe Jews concocted the Covid pandemic for financial gain. Throughout the world, many have blamed the Jews for 9/11. Jews have even been held responsible for the Holocaust. The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, 1903, set out a blueprint for global Jewish domination. Despite being demonstrated to be a fabrication in the 1920s, it has remained a key document in fuelling antisemitic conspiracy theories to this day. Henry Ford funded and distributed 500,000 copies in the USA, and translations of The Protocols continue as important texts for antisemites in Muslim nations. Universalist Antisemitism The uniqueness and distinction of the Jewish people, their sacred texts and history, longevity and non-assimilation, religious and social separateness, and especially their moral and ethical legacy, have long been a thorn in the side of universalism. A significant theme of 19th-century German philosophy was a determination to break the shackles of particularist religion: “... the hegemony of revelation had to be broken. Jews and Judaism were linked to that precise biblical revelation that the Enlightenment wanted to free itself of...” Most riling of all is the concept of Jewish chosenness. Despite the Hebrew Scriptures creating at the outset an inextricable link between Jewish chosenness and benefit to all nations, chosenness has been construed as elitism, supremacy and arrogance. The repudiation of uniqueness and particularity by some Jews has done little to alleviate antisemitism. Those Jews who became enamoured with German culture and embraced assimilation in early 20th century Germany, even converting to Christianity and de-Judaising their names, were no less likely to be found in the cattle trucks destined for Auschwitz. In the modern period, Israel and the Jews remain distinct. Even those who wholeheartedly embrace progressive leftist causes can find themselves ostracised if they retain a commitment to Israel. Jewish Antisemitism There is often a reflexive rejection of the assertion that Jews can be antisemitic. Examples, however, are not difficult to find. Karl Marx, one of the most influential individuals of the last two centuries, was both Jewish and transparently antisemitic. And Marx is but one in a long lineage of anti-Jewish Jews. “Non-Jewish Jews” or “self-hating Jews” serve an important role for non-Jewish antisemites. It is assumed, for example, that the hatred espoused for the Jewish state is somehow validated by the presence of Jews in the ranks of haters. In the present day, there are many Jewish individuals and groups who support the antisemitic BDS movement. Not all Gentiles are antisemites, and not all antisemites are Gentiles. —————————————————————— Perry Trotter cofounded the Holocaust and Antisemitism Foundation , Aotearoa New Zealand, a non-sectarian multidisciplinary work dedicated to Holocaust memory and fighting antisemitism. To find out more about Perry and his work: www.holocaustfoundation.com Perry Trotter’s article continued...

11. Dear Faithful readers and friends (Chavorim), Welcome to this December edition of our Newspaper, Israel & Christians Today. As I write this we are enjoying the first of the 8 days of Chanukah; the Jewish festival of lights which is mentioned in the Gospel of John 10:22 – “It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication.” So for those of us who follow Jesus (Yeshua) the messiah, we might want to consider also understanding the significance of this Jewish feast which goes back several hundred years before the the birth of Christ. There are several interesting articles in this edition to help you gain greater insight and understanding about this unique festival. We are also once again beginning to turn our thoughts to the meaning of Christmas and the big picture of God sending us His son as the ultimate gift for our redemption and salvation. We remember the Angel Gabriel said to Mary (Miriam) and later also to Joseph, that she (as a virgin) would conceive the promised Messiah and should call Him (Jesus) Yeshua, which literally means “salvation”—for He will save His people. Luke 2:21 – ‘When eight days had passed and the Child was circumcised, He was named JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.’ Just as it was prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures, we see in this text that eight days after His birth and circumcision, the fulfilment of God’s spoken Word through His Prophet and angel Gabriel concerning the name of the “Saviour” of the world has been given. Mary’s visitation by the angel Gabriel also confirms the name of the child in Luke 1:31 – ‘And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.’ We see in the New Testament Scriptures again where Joseph is told in a dream what He shall call the “Child” that Mary has conceived by way of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:21 - ‘She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name “Jesus”, because He will save His people from their sins.’ JESUS! IMMANUEL, WHICH IS GOD WITH US! It’s also quite profound to reflect on the significance of these shepherds watching over the new born lambs in the birthing caves of Bethlehem—the City of David—of whom the coming Messiah was prophesied to come in the small book of Micah 5:2 ‘But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.’ We also read of the Magi (King Makers) from the east who followed the star which was an astrological sign telling them a new King had been born, and they bought gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. (Matthew 2:11) This is where the tradition of giving gifts and showing charity to the poor and those less fortunate than ourselves originated. As we bring the THE GOOD NEWS, of PEACE and Joy and GOODWILL to ALL MEN, we emulate those same glad tidings the angles first gave to the hapless Shepherds. When my wife Mandy and I lead tours to Israel and we stop at the shepherds fields and retell the story, we explain why the Jews were breeding sheep for the purpose of sacrifice at the annual passover, and they needed many male lambs without spot or blemish, as instructed by the Torah because up to a million Jews would come from all around the world for this Passover festival. So, there were temple shepherds watching over the sheep on the hills outside Bethlehem which is only 6 kilometres form Jerusalem. So when angels appeared and told the shepherds that their Messiah was born as a child, lying in a Manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes—that was all they needed to know where He could be found. Lambs were all wrapped in bandages called swaddling, made from the torn worn-out priestly robes to bind lambs legs to ensure they would not have any broken bones or blemishes. Was it a coincidence Jesus (Yesuah) who John said was “the Lamb of God” was born in a lambing cave, and wrapped in swaddling clothes just like those lambs that were born for sacrifice to cover the sins of Israel? I like how Chuck Missler always put it— that the Rabbi’s would say ‘coincidence is not a kosher word!’ Let’s think and reflect on the significance of both Channukah and that first Christmas where Jesus, the lamb and also the Light of the World , came to restore our broken relationship with our Heavenly Father in such a lowly yet meaningful way. Nothing is by accident when we understand God’s plan of redemption has been ordained since before the foundation of the world. As it is written in Revelation 13:8 – “All the inhabitants of the earth will fall down and worship Him, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the Book of Life of the Lamb who has been slain as a willing sacrifice.” So with all of that in mind can I ask you to prayerfully consider making a special Christmas gift in bringing comfort to some of the Lord’s brethren who are feeling the cold and hunger in the diaspora of Ukraine and other locations? Inside this edition you will read about a number of humanitarian programs Christians for Israel operates all year round, but especially at this time and during the cold winter season— together, we can bring comfort, warmth and food to demonstrate the pratical Love of God for His people. See the back page or the cover sheet for details on how you can give. Please remember the promise from the author of Hebrews 6:10 as my prayer for you this Chrismtas season. “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” ____________________________________ Ian Worby National Leader & Regional Director for Christians for Israel Australia & Oceania. PS I am pleased to tell you we were successful in gaining official Charity Status as an Income exempt charity. We are still pursuing Deductible Gift Recipient status (DGR) to enable our donors to receive tax deductions for our approved benevolent projects, I hope to bring that good news to you in the 2022 February edition. We appreciate your continued prayers and faithful financial support. December 2021 Report From Our National Leader Comforts Informs Inspires Ian Worby C4I Australia National Leader and Regional Director for Oceania Ian at the Church of the Nativity at the shepherds fields in Bethlehem. Nothing is by accident when we understand God’s plan of redemption has been ordained since before the foundation of the world.

1. Please send mail-in donations to: Christians for Israel Australia PO Box 1508 Springwood QLD 4127 AUSTRALIAN EDITION EMAIL: info@c4israel.com.a u PHONE: 07 3088 6900 ABN: 79 941 819 693 Thanks for your financial sup port See over for credit card and other giving options My Gift Your latest edition of Israel & Christians Today is enclosed. We hope you enjoy and are greatly encouraged by the latest News articles and stories. Simple. Just visit myaccount.c4israel.com.au and login with your username and password. Haven’t setup your online account? Go to myaccount.c4israel.com.au/ web/signup and follow the instructions. Need to change your address or Newspaper order? 13 December 2021 continued over... LeN1221 Remembering ‘the least’ this Christmas! Dear friend, As we round out another year of disruption and uncertainty I’m reminded of our Lord’s encouraging words to His disciples: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” − John 16:33 NIV Worldly troubles are inevitable in a fallen world—yet still, we’re surprised when we experience them. The last two years in particular have revealed just how easy it is for chaos to ensue and, even in Australia, for our supposed freedoms to be taken away. I don’t know what troubles you’re facing right now. Perhaps its isolation from your loved ones? Maybe you’ve lost your job? Or It maybe family life has more tensions this year than in years past? What I am sure of is this—if your faith is in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel— the God who neither slumbers nor sleeps—He will “keep you from all evil; He will keep your life...from this time forth and forevermore.” (Psalm 121 ESV ) God gives us trials to test us and to refine us (James 1:2-4). T he question is, will we be overcome by them? Or instead, will we follow God through them in His strength? (Psalm 20:7) Remember the churches in Macedonia in Paul’s day—in their own affliction they were able to bless others in need—and w ith great joy (see 2 Corinthians 8:1-5). God wants us to look to Him for our provision, and to continually be cultivating a heart of generosity for His people. And in this spirit of trust and generosity I humbly ask those of you who are able, to consider giving towards our Food $ ____________ MY TOTAL DONATION TO: Christians for Israel Australia Inc. Name: ___________________________________________________ Member Number: ______________________________________ Yes Ian, I’d like to give a special one-off donation towards... $__________ Aliyah: $350=1 person $1250=5 people $6250=25 people $__________ Food Parcels ($15 per parcel–see over for what’s included) $__________ for Newspaper Printing & Postage *please don’t use staples*

16. 6 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Geopolitical Opinion Piece The Palestinian Cause – A State of Delusion Israel has seen multiple invasions over thousands of years. In 70C.E. most of the Jews were massacred by Romans, many of the survivors fled, but some stayed. In the last 2,000 years there have been Romans, Byzantines, Islamists, Crusaders, Turks and Brits ... all assuming control. Through it all, there has remained an indisputable Jewish presence and connection to the land. However, in fundamental Islamic belief, once control has been established over a territory—it belongs to them forever, even if they are subsequently conquered by another power—and despite irrefutable evidence proving perpetual connection to the land, of a different ethnic group. Arab Palestinian propaganda tries to deny the very real connection of Jews to Israel and the existence of Israel itself—appropriating as ‘Palestinian’, archaeological evidence that is clearly Hebrew in origin. And even claiming Jesus, as Palestinian. Geographically... The Arab League countries, almost exclusively Muslim, cover a total of 13.15 million Sq Km of land. Israel’s immediate Muslim neighbours— Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon have a combined area of 3,444,974 Sq Km. Israel is a tiny sliver of land comprising 22,145 Sq Km—smaller than the world’s largest cattle station which covers 24,000 Sq Km ... and is located in Australia. Yiddish poet Melech Ravitch lived in Australia for 2 years. He arrived in 1936, travelling the country looking for a suitable place to settle persecuted European Jews. The Freeland League for Jewish Territorial Colonists sent their leader Isaac Nathan Steinberg in 1939, to survey part of the fertile Kimberley region of Western Australia—7 million acres (28,000 Sq Km)—with the intention of buying land for resettling Jewish refugees from Europe, creating an interim Jewish homeland. The plan was championed by the premier of Western Australia, the mayor of Sydney and many others, but was brought to a halt by Prime Minister John Curtin in 1944, on the basis of the Australian Constitution not allowing large scale, group settlement. This prompts the question: If Australia could seriously contemplate making room for a Jewish state within Aussie borders, then why couldn’t a ‘half-brother’—Arabs with plenty of territory—welcome their exiled Jewish ‘relative’ back to a tiny portion of their historical homeland? But that would be an impossible altruism—when Muslim children are taught to hate Jews and are told ALL the land belongs to them—when death is revered more than life, in a culture that lauds martyrdom. Is it really about the land? ‘It was not anti- Semitism—it was about the land’. This comment was made by a pro-Israel Christian in reference to the hijacking carried out by sympathisers of the Palestinian Liberation Organization — targeting only Jewish and Israeli passengers, and holding them to ransom in ENTEBBE Uganda in 1976. Who owns the land? “...for all the earth is mine.” Exodus 19:5 After the first world W ar ended in 1918, and with the defeat of Muslim Turks, Britain controlled most of Ottoman Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and the southern part of Ottoman Syria (Palestine and Transjordan). The area was mandated to Britain in April 1920 (British Mandate Palestine). Out of this mandate, on 11th April 1921, Winston Churchill established the “Emirate of Trans-Jordan.” It achieved full independence on 17th June 1946— becoming the “Hashemite Kingdom of Trans-Jordan.” Home to many Arabs, Transjordan was situated across the Jordan River, to the east. Trans-Jordan (now called Jordan)—was land originally promised to the Jews. On 14th May 1948, the remaining part of the mandate became Israel—a separate state west of the Jordan River incorporating Judea and Samaria—a homeland for the Jewish Palestinians and others. Due to persecution resulting from the partitioning of Palestine, upwards of 850,000 Jews were forced to flee Arab and surrounding Muslim countries. Primarily of Sephardic and Mizrahi background, from North Africa and the Middle East, they settled in Israel during 1948 to 1970’s. They left homes, livelihoods and family history stretching back thousands of years, to adapt to a new culture and language. Approximately half that number of Arab Palestinians left Israel as refugees for Jordan—which had the same Arabic culture and language. Israel willingly accepted and settled their Jewish refugees ... Jordan could have done likewise for the Arab Palestinians—but many are still deemed ‘refugees’ today. The “West Bank” narrative began in 1967—Judea and Samaria are erased. Immediately after declaring independence from Britain in 1948, Israel faced attack by 5 hostile Muslim nations intent on destroying it. Judea and Samaria (including half Jerusalem) fell to Transjordan, while Gaza fell to Egypt. The First Arab-Israeli War lasted 10 months. To fit the new reality in 1949, the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan was constitutionally renamed the “Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.” Transjordan had annexed the area comprising Judea and Samaria, calling it the “West Bank”— occupying territory previously assigned to Israel, on the western bank of the Jordan River. Israel regained this territory in the 1967 Six-Day War—fighting another attempt at annihilation by its neighbours. But most reports or ‘historical’ accounts today erase Judea and Samaria—preferring to begin their “West Bank” narrative, in 1967— while accusing Israel of annexation. After the “West Bank” was regained by Israel, the Arab Palestinians living within this area remained Jordanian citizens until Jordan strategically renounced claims to the territory in 1988, severing administrative ties and rights to citizenship. The Jordanian Arab ‘Palestinians’ effectively became stateless! It is about land—but land is being used as a weapon in the hands of religion. The Arab ‘Palestinian’ land claim is a subterfuge, the public face of an ugly beast—with a heart full of senseless Jew hatred, a mind bent on eradication, it’s driving force a religion that glorifies death and destruction in the name of liberation. ‘Reclaiming’ the land is only a means to an end. If it were only about land, why are non- Israeli Jews targeted worldwide in anti- Semitic attacks that coincide with Israel defending itself against Arab Palestinian aggression? Israel is a land promised to the Jewish people by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob . “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable ” (Romans 11:29)—said of the Jews. “If My covenant is not with day and night and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth, then I will cast away the descendants of Jacob and David My servant ... For I will cause their captives to return, and will have mercy on them...” Jeremiah 33:25-26 They have a God-ordained place in modern history in the land of Israel. Any move against the land of Israel is a move against the Jewish people and is anti-Semitic. Only anti-God forces would attempt to separate them. To right the historical wrong and solve the current crisis, many historians agree that the only possible ‘two state’ solution would be: Jordan the Palestinian State and Israel the Jewish State. “And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples... in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsak e you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them...” – Deuteronomy 4:27 and 4:30-31 —————————————————————— Pamela Hecht is a freelance writer and occasional contributor to Israel & Christians Today. The Arab ‘Palestinian’ land claim is a subterfuge, the public face of an ugly beast Pamela Hecht Freelance Writer and Occasional Contributor to Israel & Christians Today

2. Informs • Inspires • Comforts / Other Easy Ways To Donate Name on card: My Donation Today: $ Exp Date The 3 digits of the reverse of your credit card. (4 digits if using Amex) Card No Visa Mastercard Amex (Payable to Christian’s for Israel Australia Inc) Cheque/Money Order Credit Card *CVC Cardholder’s signature: Over the Phone 07 3088 6900 (during office hours) Securely Online c4israel.com.au TEL. 07 3088 6900 EMAIL info@c4israel.com.au www.c4israel.com.au Visiting address: 3398 Pacific Highway Springwood QLD 4127 P .O. Box 1508 Springwood QLD 4127 Australia ABN: 79 941 819 693 Christians for Israel Australia Inc. Bank Transfer BSB: 014-279 ACC: 405318551 REF: Member Number Parcel campaign for poor Jewish Ukrainians. As you’ll read on the back page of your included Israel & Christians Today newspaper, there remain many isolated and truly desperate Jewish individuals and families who have very little—many of whom are still suffering as a result of the antisemetic aftermath of the Holocaust in WW2. Please consider giving a donation to purchase one or more food parcels this Christmas. Our goal is to gift a total of 40,000 food parcels to bring practical comfort and relief to “the least of these” (Matt 25:40)—God’s people, in the midst of the bitter winter they face right now, as they do every year. Even one food parcel is able to feed a poor Jewish person for at least one month, and for only $15! I’d also like to thank you all for your prayers and faithful support once again and to also thank our team of volunteers. The ministry impact achieved through Christians for Israel is truly a team-effort and I’m continually grateful for you all and your desire to see God’s people informed and inspired through the work that we do. May God bless you during this Christmas and Hanukkah season. Shalom. Ian Worby, National Leader And the Christians for Israel Australia team. P.S. You can watch food parcels being packed, ready to deliver to those Ukrainian Jews in need. Just scan the QR Code or go to: www. c4israel.com.au/videos/foodparcels-ukraine To donate to this years Food Parcel campaign use the form below or give online at c4israel.com.au/foodparcels One food parcel contains: 1 kg of sugar 2 kg of flour 1 kg of rice 1 kg of grits 1 kg of bulgur 2 kg of pasta 1 litre oil 500 gm oats 1 tin of peas 1 tin of corn 1 tin of condensed milk 1 tin of chicken 1 pack of Coffee 1 pack of Tea Aaron Needs Your Help!

10. 8 C4I News December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Marie-Louise Weissenböck n Christians for Israel Austria From 13 to 14 October, a historic prayer conference was organised in Rome by the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast in cooperation with Christians for Israel Italy, led by Edda Fogarollo and and Chiara Canciani. The Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast (JPB) is a global movement that calls together Christians and Jews, political and faith leaders, to pray for Israel and encourage the nations to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish people. JPB’s vision was endorsed by former Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. The first event was held in Jerusalem in 2017 - 50 years after the reunification of Jerusalem - and welcomed 570 delegates from 58 countries. Other JPB events have taken place in London, Accra, Orlando, Singapore, San Antonio, Kampala, Basel, The Hague, Helsinki, Canberra and Bloemfontein, South Africa. The JPB Rome started with a meeting in the Italian Senate, where several Italian senators spoke about the importance of supporting the right of the Jewish people to nationhood and equal treatment of the Jewish State of Israel. Some of the senators expressed their hope that Italy would move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in recognition that Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel. Amongst the other speakers were the founder of the JPB, Albert Veksler and the two co-founders Michelle Bachmann (former US Congresswoman) and Robert Ilatov (former Knesset member). Rev Willem JJ Glashouwer, the president of Christians for Israel International, reminded us of Balaam, who blessed Israel, although King Balak had ordered him to curse it. “How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?” (Numbers 23:8). He also quoted Proverbs 21:1, stating that God closely watches our decisions, also the political decisions, which he leads and blesses when the decision-makers depend on Him. Israeli Ambassador to Italy Dror Eydar, who was also present in the Senate, shared his dream “to see the Italian flag flying in the eternal city.” “Italy’s historic mission, which began at the San Remo conference, on the right of the Jewish people to their land, is not complete,” he said. “The Italian Embassy in Israel is not in the capital, in its natural place. The relocation of the Italian embassy to Jerusalem would be a closing of two circles, both in terms of modern Italy and in terms of this place, Rome, from which the troops of the Roman Empire left to plunder Jerusalem.” ‘Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast’ in Rome The Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast in Rome. | Photo: C4I Austria Rev Willem JJ Glashouwer speaking at the JPB. | Photo: C4I Austria Conrado D Lumahan n National Leader | Christians for Israel Philippines S.W.I.M stands for Standing With Israel Mandate/Mission. It is through the S.W.I.M teaching programme that the vision and mission of Christians for Israel is shared and spread in the Philippines. S.W.I.M has utilised the high-tech (YouTube) and not losing the high-touch (of God). The S.W.I.M programme explains WHY and HOW Christians should stand for and with Israel. There are 12 episodes on the reasons, and two episodes on the means and manner. Let me summarise the why and the how: 1. God gave Israel the Land forever. 2. Israel (and Jerusalem in particular) is the heart and soul of the Jewish people. 3. The Jews are given privileges not found in any nations or people for a divine purpose. 4. Salvation is from the Jews. 5. God blesses those who bless Israel. 6. Jews have priority over the Gentiles in the plans and purposes of God. 7. God hates anti-Semitism. 8. God’s gifts and calls to Israel have not been revoked. 9. God Almighty has preserved Israel and will judge nations that harm Israel. 10. God is bringing His people back to the Land of Israel! 11. The times of the Gentiles shall soon end. 12. God raises up intercessors! God forever stands with Israel because He made a promise that is forever. And as Christians, we have to stand for/with Israel biblically and practically. And how are we going to stand with Israel? 1. Pray for them. Why do we pray for the place (Israel) and the people (Jews)? Remember the Scriptures command it, the challenges of the God’s people demand it, and the blessings of the Lord require it. 2. Love them. Because of what happened in history, Jews are a bit suspicious of Christians. But if we love them their suspicions will slowly, but surely, be replaced with trust, and a positive relationship will develop. Love is the greatest strategy. 3. Support them. Support for Israel is based on God’s imperative to bless Israel and to love the Jewish people. Support for Israel is Biblical. Support for Israel is unconditional. Support for Israel is intentional. Christians, if not WE, who? If not NOW, when? Let’s S.W.I.M Subscribe for Free Prayer Points & Weekly Update Would you like to receive the Israel & Christians Today Weekly Update and/or the bi-monthly Prayer Points directly into your inbox? Email info@c4israel.com.au, include your full name and email address, and let us know which one (or both) you would like to subscribe to. www.c4israel.com.au info@c4israel.com.au Israel Prayer Calendar December 2021- January 2022 AUSTRALIA Conrado Lumahan | Photo: C4I Phillippines

21. 11 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Evidence of Prophetic Fulfilment in Israel Israel, a Light to the Gentiles At the very beginning of all recorded history the Bible states ‘in you (Abraham) all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). The Hebrew word barak means bless. To bless means to do or give something of value to others. The Bible follows saying, “I will give you (Israel) as a light to the gentiles. ” (Isaiah 49:6). To bring light is another description of blessing. Israel has delivered a hundred fold and then some. I often wonder how primitive the antisemites would have to live if they really banished all things Israel. Take for example, Covid 19. Ben Gurion University of the Negev honours those who make significant contributions to others. Dr Tal Zaks is a BGU graduate. Originally from Ra’anana, Israel he was the recipient of this award declared annually on Ben Gurian Day. “All eyes around the world are focused on the critical work that Ben-Gurion University alumnus Dr. Tal Zaks is overseeing at Moderna to eradicate this coronavirus pandemic,” says American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Chief Executive Officer Doug Seserman. “There is no better example of David Ben-Gurion’s vision to share Israel’s resources and brain power with the world than the success being achieved by Dr. Zaks at Moderna. We congratulate him and are proud he is a recipient of the prestigious Ben-Gurion Award.” Dr Zaks told the Axios news that he kept in mind his mother, a woman in her 80s now living in the Israeli city of Ra’anana. “I want these data out as soon as I humanely can possibly get them. We have been working days, nights, 24/7 . . . I don’t think this was humanely possible to do any sooner,” Zaks said. Unsurprisingly there is a very active participation by Jewish leaders in the Covid 19 pandemic crisis. The Pfizer vaccine has been created;, developed and distributed with a profound Jewish influence. The company CEO Albert Bourla was described as ‘The Vaccine King’ by the prestigious Financial Review. His family miraculously survived the Nazi blitz of Salonika, Greece. Only 2000 Jews survived from a Jewish community of 50,000. His mother survived dramatically. She and another lady was lined up to be shot. Two Nazi soldiers turned up with an order for her release. As they drove away, she heard the sound of machine gun fire. Apparently a wealthy brother-in-law found Gestapo senior officers open to negotiations. Boula was educated at a university in Salonika and joined Pfizer in Greece. He is credited with steering the company to their remarkable achievements. He attributed his zeal to his parents. They told him , “Look at us! We’re alive! We were almost dead and now we are alive. Life is wonderfu l!” The head scientist at Pfizer is Jewish immigrant Michael Dolsten. He commented on the vaccine saying, “This may turn out to be one of the biggest medical advances of the past 100 years.” He says his family escaped the direct trauma of the Holocaust. His mother escaped Austria in the early days of World War II. What better way for Israel to be “a Light to the Nations” than have Jewish experts blessing the world so practically during the Covid 19 war? As we pray for victory over the persistent pandemic, keep in mind the brilliant scientists fighting the good fight. There is a breathtaking list of achievements attributed to the Jewish people. The Flashlight The first flashlight was created in 1898 by Conrad Hubert. He was born Akiba Horowitz to Jewish parents in Minsk, Russia in 1856. The family fled to the United States during the Russian persecution of Jews. After trying his hand at numerous activities he came alive studying electrical items. He acquired the American Ever Ready Battery Compa ny and with the input of associates Joshua L. Cowan and David Misel, the flashlight was developed. As if to highlight the importance of being a blessing, his estate was shared through charitable, religious, medical and educational institutions. Pillcam Israel 21c is an outstanding website devoted to highlighting Israel in a positive, uplifting way. They featured Pillcam. This tiny camera was first used to guide missiles. The Israeli manufacturer Given Imaging developed the technology for civilian health care in 2001. It’s the size of a jelly bean, swallowed, it takes multiple photos of the small bowel. Israel 21c lists Pillcam Number One in “Israel’s top 45 Inventions of All Time. ” (israel21c.org ) How many children, big kids too, were enthralled by scale model electric trains, refrigerated rail cars, the adding machine, microphones, laser, cellular technology, the videotape recorder. Impressive! In the long list of Jewish inventions I smiled to see lipstick, the ballpoint pen and instant coffee. Throw in Google, valium, the artificial kidney dialysis machine, radiation, chemotherapy and oh! Yes! The shopping cart! The list is endless. The Moon In recent times Israel has made powerful alliances in the Arab world. In Dubai October 2021 an agreement was signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to launch into space. This breakthrough challenge came with an official statement: “This is the first scientific-technological project to create a common history for the two peoples: the flags of Israel and the Emirates on the Moon. It is about creating a model for cooperation between the two peoples in many aspects— technological, scientific and educational, which will deepen the connection between the countries and serve as inspiration for further cooperation between Israel and all Arab countries. ” The mission is called Beresheet 2. In Hebrew Beresheet means Genesis which is where I began. ______________________________________ Ron Ross worked as a newsman in Jerusalem, broadcasting Middle East reports internationally. He is the Middle East correspondent for Vision Christian Radio and a popular speaker. ronandyvonne@mac.com Ron Ross Author and Middle East correspondent and commentator There is a breathtaking list of achievements attributed to the Jewish people.

32. 14 Interview “In Israel, You Can Be Nothing But Hopeful” Rita Quartel n Christians for Israel International “I try to see Israel as a miracle every day.” For Danielle Mor, the existence of the State of Israel is much more than an isolated fact from a history book. Her own family story is amply intertwined with the age-old longing for a Jewish homeland. With roots in Iran, Belarus and America, she knows Jewish diversity. There is the grateful wonder of the scenario that so often unfolds before her very own eyes: the return of Jews from around the world to Israel. Danielle was four years old when she moved from America to Israel with her parents and older brother. By now, she has been working for the Jewish Agency for 21 years, where she is fully involved in Aliyah and other projects. Of the fifteen million Jews worldwide today, almost seven million live in Israel. And more are arriving daily. The motivations of people who return to Israel are diverse. “We hear more and more from Jews from Europe and America that they no longer want to live in a country where anti-Semitism is so strong and rampant. Faith is also a factor or the feeling that Jewish identity can be fully experienced in Israel. And sometimes, there are economic or security motives. So, it varies enormously. I am reminded of Isaiah 60:8, a Scripture that was often quoted by our previous Chief Rabbi: “Who are these who fly along like clouds, like doves to their nests?” Fortunate Danielle is aware that her homeland is not a string of coincidences but part of a larger plan. “I try to see Israel as a miracle every day. Some days that is hard, but then I’m reminded of the beautiful story of the Israelites during the Exodus walking through the parted sea. Each one of them could only see the bent back full of sweat of fear from the person walking before them. Sometimes, even when you are in the middle of a miracle, you cannot actually see it. Like when there are missile attacks, and we have to go into the shelter. Then I remind myself of what Psalm 23 says (‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil’) because we are living in a bigger plan and in a place where miracles have happened and are happening. We are fortunate to live in these times and do our best to fill whatever small role we can.” Trust According to Danielle, the newcomers (olim) are well prepared for their new life in Israel and thus the terror threat. “I am amazed sometimes by how new olim respond to this reality. When they arrive in Israel, they are often surprised to find that it is much quieter and safer than they thought. And even when there are times of sirens and tensions, life goes on. And that realisation gives them strength. They know that the Israeli government and army will do everything they can to protect the civilians. They feel that they are in a society where they can trust the people around them and where they can trust the government.” Uniqueness Like many other countries, Israel did not escape a lockdown. And that situation, too, according to Danielle, confirmed the miracle that is Israel. “Globally, so many countries were in lockdown, and thousands of flights were cancelled, but Aliyah did not stop. Of course, we have had all kinds of special Aliyah missions in the past, such as the Jews from Yemen, Operation Moses and Operation Solomon (Ethiopia), rescuing Jews from a besieged Kosovo or the Jews from Donetsk (Ukraine). I think the way Aliyah continued during COVID-19 will also become one of these stories in the future. We are too often in the position of seeing the sweaty back of the person in front of us to realise that this is special.” Yet, the lockdown also provided a uniqueness in another way. In the hitherto unbroken cadence of 73 years of Aliyah, for the first time since 1948, there was a period of four or five days when newcomers could not enter Israel. Something that had never happened in all those years. Even wars or other situations have never been able to stop Aliyah. And that does say something about the value Israel places on bringing the Jewish people home. Danielle: “It is a holy mission. This is part of the very essence of why Israel exists, and therefore Aliyah cannot stop.” Jewish Identity The Jewish Agency works closely with the Israeli government on many fronts. Still, much of the cost of Aliyah is co-funded through cooperation with organisations like Christians for Israel. Something for which Danielle is immensely grateful. Due to the many elections held in Israel over the past two years, the budget is still uncertain. And that has financial consequences for organisations that depend on the government for support. The Israeli government now consists of a coalition that includes an Arab party. Danielle: “It says something about the democratic system in Israel because this has never happened before, and therefore it is also a somewhat historic moment, regardless of how you look at it.” According to her, there are more challenges ahead for the government. In addition to the continuous terror threat from Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas, there is the spiral of violence within parts of the Arab community in Israel. “Also, Israel should do more to help Jews around the world to make them feel that Israel could be their home; that Jewish identity is something to embrace and to be proud of and to encourage people to take actual steps, whether Aliyah or something else.” Change Looking to the future, Danielle is hopeful. “In Israel, you can be nothing but hopeful. There is a difference between optimism and hope. Optimism is a state of mind. An optimist looks at everything with rose-coloured glasses, but that is not always realistic. A hopeful person knows that reality is challenging and is not yet as it should be, but you view it with hope because you believe that there are tools to address it, whether they come directly from above or whether they are man-created with guidance from above.” Danielle Mor is Director Christian riends of The $ewish gency and 0ice President Israel and !lobal Philanthropy. The family of her father made liyah from Iran in 4. "er motherës family Belarus ¼ed the pogroms at the beginning of the twentieth century. They were denied entry into Palestine and settled in the /-. | Photo: Danielle Mor December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, even with increased logistical challenges, strict health and safety guidelines and other restrictions in Israel and globally- Jews who had long dreamed of moving to the Jewish homeland, and Jews living in places that were not safe for Jewish people, were able to leave their native countries and settle in Israel. 21,817 people made Aliyah in 2020. Facts Speak Worldwide Aliyah Statistics for 2020 l USA 3,043 l Brazil 542 Argentina 587 l South Africa 360 l Britain 556 l Netherlands 44 l France 2,537 l Ukraine 2,993 l Russia 6,749 l Ethiopia 934 l l India 53 Philippines 8 l Australia 109 l New Zealand 5 l

4. December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Editorial 2 Colophon Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel Mission Our mission is to bring Biblical understanding in the Church and among the nations concerning God’s purposes for Israel and to promote comfort of Israel through prayer and action. Editorial Team Andrew Tucker International Editor-in-Chief atucker@c4israel.org Cathy Coldicutt Managing Editor newspaper@c4israel.org Marloes van Westing International Communications Manager international@c4israel.org Ian Worby, Bryce Turner, Rita Quartel, Marie-Louise Weissenböck and Marijke Terlouw Scripture references: THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. C4I Offices Christians for Israel International Leon Meijer, Chairman Rev Willem J.J. Glashouwer, President Rev Cornelis Kant, Executive Director P.O. Box 1100 | 3860 BC Nijkerk, The N etherlands | Tel: +31 33 422 0405 info@c4israel.org | www.c4israel.org The English Edition of Israel & Christians Today is published by the following English speaking branches: Christians for Israel - Australia Ian Worby, National Leader PO Box 1508, Springwood Queensland, Australia 4127 Tel: +61 (7) 3088 6900, info@c4israel.com.au www.c4israel.com.au Christians for Israel - New Zealand Bryce Turner, National Executive Director PO Box 12 006, Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand 1642 Tel: +64 9 525 7564, info@c4israel.org.nz www.c4israel.org.nz Christians for Israel - Korea Rev Paul Wonil Jung, Director Suite 3, 37 Railway Parade, Eastwood NSW, Australia 2122 Tel: +61 410 430 677 email: c4israelkorea@gmail.com www.c4israelkorea.org Christians for Israel - USA Tel: +1 925 984 6671 usa-info@c4israel.org www.c4israel.us DISCLAIMER - Articles printed in Israel & Christians Today express the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Editors or that of the Board of Christians for Israel. The printing of articles or advertising in Israel & Christians Today does not necessarily imply either endorsement or agreement. ©Christians for Israel International Reproduction, or storage in a retrieval system or in any o ther form, is prohibited without permission. Please contact the Managing Editor should you wish to syndicate or republish any articles or materials appearing in Israel & Christians Today. wwwGaceCooLcoNcisraelAUS A Nation that Dwells Alone Prayer Points By C4I Prayer Team Israel l The Israeli Minister of Interior and the Minister of Aliyah recently joined forces to facilitate the speedy return of some five thousand Jews from Ethiopia. A war is currently raging in Ethiopia, so it is urgent. Pray for a blessing on the plans and a smooth journey to Israel for these people. l Pray for the Israeli government. The government is made up of parties that usually do not get along but now have to work together anyway. Pray that they will lead the country with unanimity and decisiveness while looking to God for help and wisdom. l In a large-scale police operation in Arab areas, dozens of weapons were confiscated and dozens of arms dealers arrested. Give thanks that the Israeli police were able to carry out this action and pray that the Arab villages will become safer. Israel & the Nations l Israel is trying to strengthen its relationship with neighbouring Jordan by promoting trade between the two countries. Israel hopes that this will lead to more stability in the region. Pray for a fruitful cooperation. l Iran is involved in imperialistic advances in the Middle East. In many countries, it is attempting to expand its power and influence by supporting militant movements, especially in the countries surrounding Israel. Pray that Iran will be stopped. Christians for Israel l Pray for a blessing on all activities of Christians for Israel planned for the new year. Pray that these activities can take place and that they will lead to more solidarity with Israel. l Many elderly Jews in Ukraine are living in extreme poverty. Koen Carlier and his Christians for Israel team distribute food parcels to these Jews. Give thanks for the work that they do and pray that they will reach many people. For daily Prayer Points, go to our website www.c4israel.com.au Andrew TucLer n *nternational &ditor ] Christians Gor *srael The current conflict between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia (see pages 3-5) reflects major shifts in the balance of power in the Middle East. Moderate Sunni States in the region, led by Saudi Arabia, are fighting to prevent the hegemony of the radical Islamist powers in the region, represented primarily by Iran and Turkey. Lebanon, dominated by Hezbollah, which is a proxy of Iran, is the meat in the sandwich of this struggle. It is widely acknowledged that Iran is very close to producing nuclear weapons. This poses an immediate threat to all Western countries, especially Israel. The radical Shiite regime that came to power in Tehran in 1979 remains committed to its Islamist fundamental ideologically-driven goal of destroying the infidels, represented primarily by the Jewish State of Israel and the USA. Iran operates by establishing proxies in the region, which advance Iran’s interests. Two of these are Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza - both of which are dedicated to the destruction of Israel. Traditionally, Israel has been able to rely on the USA to protect it against hostile regimes in the region. Since WWII, a core part of the US policy towards the Middle East has been its commitment to defend Israel. But the US is no longer the global superpower it once was, and it has other priorities. There is a new wind in Washington. President Biden and his Secretary of State Anthony Blinken believe that China, not Iran, is the major global threat today. The Administration believes that diplomacy, not confrontation, is the best way to manage international conflicts. For decades Israel’s dependence on arms from the US has led its security establishment to subordinate Israel’s own interests to those of the US, on the assumption that it could rely on bipartisan political support in Washington to defend Israel. That assumption no longer holds true. As the US withdrawal from Afghanistan indicates, the US is scaling down its military presence in the Middle East. Reflecting the Biden Administration commitment to international diplomacy, multilateralism and conciliation, it is hoping for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian threat by re-opening talks in 0ienna designed to encourage Iran to rejoin the )bama-inspired 2015 JCP)A agreement (from which, under President Trump, the US withdrew in 2018). According to Iranian-born foreign policy analyst Shay %hatiri, this strategy is hopelessly unrealistic. Diplomacy will not deter the Iranian regime. The fact is that Iran will á unless prevented - achieve nuclear capability. That leaves three options: preparing for a nuclear Iran and learning to live with it a military operation that would dismantle Iran’s nuclear program and¾or regime change before Iran acquires nuclear weapons. It is not just the Iranian issue that shows that the US is no longer as committed to military and strategic defence of Israel’s security as it has traditionally been. Another sign is the Biden¾Blinken reversion to the )bama¾%erry policy of pressuring Israel to cooperate in the establishment of a Palestinian state run by the PL) with its capital in ìEast Jerusalem’. The Administration decided last May to recommence economic aid to Palestinian institutions. Recently, the Administration announced its intention to open a US consulate for Palestinians in East Jerusalem: a clear statement that the US opposes Israeli control and claims sovereignty over Jerusalem. Israel is resisting this vehemently. In mid-November, the US abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution granting support to the Palestinian refugee organisation UNRWA. This may seem insignificant, but it is yet another sign of the US change of direction on Israel. The US has always voted against these resolutions. In what has been described as a ìdangerous backslide’, the US refused to object to a resolution that supports the Palestinian claim to a ìright of return’ á a right enjoyed by no other refugees in the world. The PL) and its allies insist on this right because they know it will result in the destruction of the Jewish State of Israel. The bottom line is that, increasingly, Israel is standing alone on the world stage. It cannot assume that any other world power will guarantee its existence or protect its key interests. This is not to say that military confrontation is always the best strategy. But it may be necessary to ensure the survival of the Jewish nation. No other nation can be expected to fully understand the nature of the threats facing Israel. At the end of the day, Israel is the only one who can decide whether and when using force is necessary. Israel need not fear. The Bible says clearly that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is bringing His people home - not in order that they will be destroyed, but that His name will be glorified through them. He ìneither slumbers nor sleeps’ and will defend His people from their enemies. | Photo: Shutterstock

3. Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective December 2021 Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 6-7 The King of Israel 3 Lebanon’s Arab Identity Battle 9 Roger van Oordt Appointed Honorary Consul 15 A Heartfelt Christmas Gift | Photo: Shutterstock Rev Henk Poot n Christians for Israel Netherlands The words spoken by the prophet Isaiah to the house of David (Isaiah 7:14) have a deep significance for both Israel and Christians. The Fullness of God God is unimaginably great. He inhabits an inaccessible light; His majesty is so great that He is called a consuming fire, and no one can bear the intensity of His being. When God turns towards His creation and towards His people (Isaiah 43:7), He reveals Himself in the Son, the radiance of His glory and the imprint of His being (Hebrews 1). John writes that no one has ever seen God, but that the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has revealed Him to us. The Hidden One Jesus is the son of the house of David. He is the seed that the Lord promised to Abram (Genesis 12:3) and which was to come through the generations of Israel. He is the twig from the broken-off branch of Jesse. He is God and Jew. Mary, the virgin who gave birth to the Messiah, is the mother of the Lord but also represents her people. The Jewish people gave the world the Saviour. This means that Jesus is connected to the Jewish people in His very being. That has never changed. Even though the gospel of the Kingdom has gone around the world and has found an audience with us, Jesus has always remained present in the midst of His people as the Hidden One. In the wanderings and sufferings of Israel, He was and is still Immanuel. Servant of Israel This also means, however bewildering it may be to us, that a Jew has borne the sin of the world, that a Jew has been at the forefront of His people when the gospel went into the world, that Jesus will return as a Jew on the clouds of heaven and that the Lion of the tribe of Judah will ascend the throne of David to rule over the entire world. And that God has given the judgment to a Jew. Yes, He is God’s Son and what a privilege that we may live with Him, that He dwells in us by His Spirit, that we may praise Him in worship. Not only the cross but also the star of David belongs to Him. Jesus draws us, as it were, to Israel. Paul writes in Romans 15 that Jesus became a servant of Israel to confirm the promises of God to the fathers. With this, Paul encourages the new believers from Rome to treat His people with respect and love. But when he writes further, he shows that one of those promises is that the Gentiles will glorify the Lord together with Israel. That is what it is all about! The believers from the nations at the side of Israel in the praise of the Lord. King of Jacob In these days of Advent and Christmas, let us not forget how closely Christ is connected with Israel. Gabriel calls Him the King of Jacob, the angels sing of the joy that will fall upon all the people, Anna and Simeon speak of the consolation of Jerusalem, and Zechariah prophesies that His people will finally be delivered from their enemies. Jesus, the King of kings, was and is Immanuel. God With Us www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA | Photo by Ian Worby: Mural of the nativity inside the Shepherds’ Field Chapel in Bethlehem Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective December 2021 Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 6-7 The King of Israel 3 Lebanon’s Arab Identity Battle 9 Roger van Oordt Appointed Honorary Consul 15 A Heartfelt Christmas Gift | Photo: Shutterstock Rev Henk Poot n Christians for Israel Netherlands The words spoken by the prophet Isaiah to the house of David (Isaiah 7:14) have a deep significance for both Israel and Christians. The Fullness of God God is unimaginably great. He inhabits an inaccessible light; His majesty is so great that He is called a consuming fire, and no one can bear the intensity of His being. When God turns towards His creation and towards His people (Isaiah 43:7), He reveals Himself in the Son, the radiance of His glory and the imprint of His being (Hebrews 1). John writes that no one has ever seen God, but that the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has revealed Him to us. The Hidden One Jesus is the son of the house of David. He is the seed that the Lord promised to Abram (Genesis 12:3) and which was to come through the generations of Israel. He is the twig from the broken-off branch of Jesse. He is God and Jew. Mary, the virgin who gave birth to the Messiah, is the mother of the Lord but also represents her people. The Jewish people gave the world the Saviour. This means that Jesus is connected to the Jewish people in His very being. That has never changed. Even though the gospel of the Kingdom has gone around the world and has found an audience with us, Jesus has always remained present in the midst of His people as the Hidden One. In the wanderings and sufferings of Israel, He was and is still Immanuel. Servant of Israel This also means, however bewildering it may be to us, that a Jew has borne the sin of the world, that a Jew has been at the forefront of His people when the gospel went into the world, that Jesus will return as a Jew on the clouds of heaven and that the Lion of the tribe of Judah will ascend the throne of David to rule over the entire world. And that God has given the judgment to a Jew. Yes, He is God’s Son and what a privilege that we may live with Him, that He dwells in us by His Spirit, that we may praise Him in worship. Not only the cross but also the star of David belongs to Him. Jesus draws us, as it were, to Israel. Paul writes in Romans 15 that Jesus became a servant of Israel to confirm the promises of God to the fathers. With this, Paul encourages the new believers from Rome to treat His people with respect and love. But when he writes further, he shows that one of those promises is that the Gentiles will glorify the Lord together with Israel. That is what it is all about! The believers from the nations at the side of Israel in the praise of the Lord. King of Jacob In these days of Advent and Christmas, let us not forget how closely Christ is connected with Israel. Gabriel calls Him the King of Jacob, the angels sing of the joy that will fall upon all the people, Anna and Simeon speak of the consolation of Jerusalem, and Zechariah prophesies that His people will finally be delivered from their enemies. Jesus, the King of kings, was and is Immanuel. God With Us www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA

28. 10 Theology Recommended Reading Johannes Gerloff n Theologian, Journalist, Lecturer & Author This is the second article of a series of articles on Romans 9-11, based on the book Rejoice, You Gentiles, with His People by Johannes Gerloff, which is expected to be published in early 2022. Context is critical if we wish to understand any statement properly. We have to know the framework within which the author communicates. For that reason, to understand Paul’s discussion of Israel in Romans 9-11, we need to get an overview of the first eight chapters of his Epistle to the Romans. Romans 1-8 provide answers to the questions: Ÿ How can I be justified before God? Ÿ How do I enter into a relationship with my Creator? The starting point is his assessment in Romans 1:20-21: “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.” Thus, the Apostle reaches a conclusion: “So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” The Jewish people have an advantage over non-Jews because: “To them, the words of the [one and only] God were entrusted” (Romans 3:2). However, considering their way of life, Paul has to reproach his kinsmen: “You teach others, but you do not teach yourself... You boast in the law (Torah), while [at the same time] you disgrace the [one] God by transgressing the law. For the name of the [one] God is being ridiculed because of you among the Gentiles” (Romans 2:21-24). Paul, known among his contemporaries as Rabbi Sha’ul of Tarsus, knew that: “Circumcision is useful if you practice the law. But if you violate the law, your circumcision has become invalid” (Romans 2:25). He realised that, concerning the problem of sin, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile. “...for all have sinned. They lack the glorious presence of the [one, true] God” (Romans 3:23). The way out of this dilemma is the fact that a person is justified through a trust- relationship with God. “...since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith“. (Romans 3:30). Paul explains to his readers step by step how they are able to enter into peace with God. The outstanding example is Abraham, the Father of our faith (Romans 4). Today, our faith is in the sacrificial death and victorious resurrection of Messiah Yeshua – our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5). He has provided the way to a life with God through His victory over sin and death on the cross of Calvary (Romans 6). Paul, however, does not evade reality. He knows about the struggles in the life of a believer: “I do not understand my own actions. Not what I want I do, but what I hate is what I do” (Romans 7:15). To his disciple Timothy he writes, “Messiah Yeshua has come into the world to save sinners,” without forgetting: “of whom I am the first” (1 Timothy 1:15). He does not state that he once was a sinner. Even after his justification he does not emphasise his own righteousness, but points to the One who saved him. Paul is completely aware that there is nothing within himself that might qualify as ‘good’. “I do have the ambition to do good things”, he writes, “but I am not able to produce the good” (Romans 7:18). Despite this ‘catch-22 situation’ which Paul describes in chapter seven, he knows that: “There is no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua” (Romans 8:1). The decisive point is that: “Those who are led by God’s Spirit, they are God’s children” (Romans 8:14). Recognising that, he concludes; “The sufferings of this present time are nothing in comparison to the future glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). Summarising, we conclude: Romans 1-8 focuses on the individual human being, his helplessness, his separation from God, the work of Messiah Yeshua for man’s sake, God’s grace, and the way to salvation from sin and death. Chapters 12 to 16 describe how believers fit into their society - be it into the Church or into a secular environment. He addresses the following questions: Ÿ How does this newly found relationship with God fit into the social environment? Ÿ How should believers live together? Ÿ How can a child of God live responsibly in a secular society? These last five chapters of Romans describe everyday life as service to God. They also address topics like; life in the Church, spiritual gifts, love and serving one another ( R omans 12). Relating to governmental authority comes up (Romans 13), as do relations within the community of believers as they live in a secular world that does not want to know God (Romans 14). Paul summarises all these instructions with the words: “None of us lives to himself and none dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord. If we die, we die to the Lord. Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:7-8). Both the purpose and the objective of our salvation is; “that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah” (Romans 15:6). In Romans 1-8 Paul focuses on the salvation of the individual person, expressing the missionary or evangelistic concern. If we want to fit this into today’s church-political landscape we could simply say: He expresses the motivation and concern of most of evangelical Christianity, with the saving work of Jesus Christ being the central focus. In Romans 12-16 Paul discusses the question of the Church, the relationship of its members among themselves, and their stand as believers in society. In a caring way, he speaks as a church-builder. In summary we could say: Here the more “charismatic” aspects are being addressed, with life in the Holy Spirit being more central. Now that we know the context, in the next instalment, we will start our examination of Romans 9-11. | Photo: Shutterstock God’s Power Unto Salvation Eurabia — The Euro- Arab Axis by Bat Ye’or Farleigh Dickinson University Press (2005) This foundational book describes how, during the 20th century, Europe and the Western world evolved from a Judeo- Christian civilisation, with important post-enlightenment secular elements, into a “post-Judeo-Christian civilisation that is subservient to the ideology of jihad and the Islamic powers that propagate it.” The new European civilisation in the making can be called a civilisation of dhimmitude. The term dhimmitude comes from some the Arab word ‘dhimmi’. It refers to subjugated, non- Muslim individuals or people who accept the restrictive and humiliating subordination to an ascendant Islamic power to avoid enslavement or death.” Bat Ye’or is famous for her groundbreaking work in understanding the concept of ‘dhimmitude’ and its influence in the West, in her many books, including The Dhimmi – Jews and Christians under Islam (1985) and Islam and Dhimmitude: Where Civilisations Collide (2002). In Eurabia, Ye’or traces in detail how, since the 1970s, a Euro-Arab culture has permeated and overwhelmed all levels of western European society. Under the euphemism of ‘the peace process,’ the EU has made Israel the cornerstone of its relations with the Arab states and its own security - a quid pro quo against Islamic terror. Under Arab pressure, the EU has willingly made Israel hostage to its own pro-Arab policies in advance of its quest for security and global influence. In order to appease the Arab world, the European Economic Community entered into the Euro-Arab Dialogue (EAD) with the Arab countries in the 1970s. In late 1973, the Arabs had imposed an oil boycott on all European countries that supported Israel in the Yom Kippur War (1973). There was also a wave of terror attacks throughout Europe, instigated by the Palestine Liberation Organization under the leadership of Yasser Arafat. The EAD was a comprehensive, well- funded and well-organized programme approved by the highest European elite, some of whom had had ties with the Nazi regime. The deal was that the Arabs obtained access to universities and educational institutions in Europe (hence the many Islamic histories and religious schools in European universities today). The Arabs, in turn, promised to lift the boycott and persuade Arafat to stop the terror in Europe. Eurabia is an absolute classic and a must -r ead for anyone interested in understanding how the Western world has shifted, in the course of only one generation, from support of Zionism and the Jewish State of Israel in the mid-20th century to the almost fanatical support of the Palestinian cause. December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782

6. Alan Baker & Lea Bilke n The clear linkage between the six NGOs and the PFLP renders them eligible for criminalisation in accordance with provisions of the relevant UN Conventions and Resolutions. On 22 October, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz designated six Palestinian NGOs as terror organisations linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The PFLP is recognised as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the European Union, the United States and other countries. It was involved in aeroplane hijackings in the 1970s, attacks against Israelis in the Second Intifada, the 2014 murder of five Israeli worshippers at a synagogue in Jerusalem and many more attacks on Jews worldwide. The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the terror arm of the PFLP, maintains operational cooperation with Iran and Hezbollah. Furthermore, the PFLP is a principal partner in the Palestinian National and Islamic Forces (PNIF), the umbrella organisation for Palestinian terror groups. This article aims to explain the ties between the Palestinian NGOs and the PFLP and establish the legitimacy under international law of the groups’ designation as terrorist organisations. The Link Between the Six NGOs and the PFLP NGO Monitor has published a detailed report on the NGOs’ ties to the PFLP, documenting their support, financing and encouragement of the terror group: Al-Haq Ÿ Shawan Jabarin, Al-Haq’s general director, was convicted in 1985 for recruiting and arranging training for PFLP members. In 2008, he was referred to by Israel’s Supreme Court as a ‘senior activist’ in the PFLP. Ÿ Funding: European Union, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Italy, France and Spain. Addameer Ÿ Abdul-Latif Ghaith, Addameer’s founder and former chairperson, has been identified as a PFLP ‘activist’. Ÿ Khalida Jarrar, Addameer’s former vice president, was sentenced to two years in prison in March 2021 for membership in the PFLP. Ÿ Bashir al-Khairi, a member of Addameer’s board of directors, is a member of the PFLP’s National Council. Ÿ Funding: Ireland, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and the Heinrich Boll Foundation. Ddefence for Children International - Palestine (DCI-P) Ÿ Hashem Abu Maria, the former coordinator for DCI- P’s community mobilisation unit, was hailed by the PFLP as a ‘leader’. Ÿ Nassar Ibrahim, former president of DCI-Ps General Assembly, was a former editor of El Hadaf, the PFLP’s weekly publication. Ÿ Mary Rock, a former DCI-P board member, was a PFLP candidate for the Palestinian Legislative Council. Ÿ Funding: European Union, Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, Broederlijk Delen, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Save the Children and UNICEF. Bisan Center for Research and Development Ÿ Ubai Aboudi, Bisan’s executive director, was sentenced to 12 months in prison in 2020 for membership in the PFLP. Ÿ Itiraf Hajaj (Rimawi), former executive director of Bisan, was responsible for clandestine PFLP operations and was sentenced to 42 months in 2020. Ÿ Funding: European Union, European Commission, Belgium, Italy and Spain. Union of Palestine Women’s Committees (UPWC) Ÿ Suhair Khader, UPWC’s vice president, is a member of the PFLP Central Committee. Ÿ Smira Abdel-Alin, UPWC head in the Rafah area, is a member of the PFLP Central Committee. Ÿ Ismat Shakhshir, head of UPWC operations in the Nablus district, ran for the Palestinian Legislative Council representing the PFLP. Ÿ Funding: Basque Government, Norwegian People’s Aid and AECID. Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) Ÿ Identified by USAID as the ‘agricultural arm’ of the PFLP. Ÿ Abdul Razeq Farraj, former UAWC finance and administrative director was arrested in 2019 for recruiting members of the PFLP. Ÿ Samer Arbid, UAWC’s accountant, was arrested for commanding a PFLP terror cell that carried out a bombing in which an Israeli civilian was murdered. Ÿ Funding: France, Netherlands, Spain (AECID), Norwegian People’s Aid, Medico, Grassroots International, Oxfam Solidarité and UN OCHA. Relevant Provisions of International Resolutions and Conventions Relating to Terror Activities In Article 1 (1), the UN Charter sets out the Purposes of the United Nations as, inter alia, the maintenance of international peace and security. To that end, states are required to take effective measures to prevent threats to that peace and security. Accordingly, by designating the six Palestinian NGOs as terror organisations, Israel pursues its Charter-protected right to safeguard against an internationally recognised terrorist organisation. This conforms with the relevant United Nations resolutions and the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1373 (2001) In its most prominent resolution on terrorism, adopted in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks against the United States, the UN Security Council emphasised in the Preambular Clauses the “need to combat by all means, (...) threat to peace and security caused by terrorist acts.” The passage “by all means” has in the past been interpreted to allow self-defence measures against terrorist groups. The criminalisation of groups in order to protect the state is a more moderate approach. Consequently, criminalisation must be covered as well. In Operative Clause 1 b) of Res. 1373, the UNSC decided that states “shall criminalise the willful provision or collection, by any means, directly or indirectly, of funds by their nationals or in their territories with the intention that the funds should be used ... in order to carry out terrorist attacks.” The resolution thereby permits states to criminalise the funding of terrorist groups. Furthermore, Operative Clause 2 d) obliges states to “prevent those who finance, plan, facilitate, or commit terrorist attacks from using their respective territories for those purposes against other states or their citizens.” Israel, therefore, was allowed to protect itself against the supporters of the terrorist group PFLP. UNSC Resolution 2642 (2019) Even though Res. 1373 is the most cited resolution in terms of the prevention of terrorism; more recent ones reaffirm the principles of Res. 1373. Res. 2642, for example, reassures in its Preambular Clauses that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable. In Operative Clause 8, Res. 2642 further calls upon states to “more effectively investigate and prosecute cases of terrorist financing and to apply appropriate, effective and proportionate and dissuasive criminal sanctions to individuals and entities convicted of terrorist financing activities.” As a result of the criminal nature of terrorism, acts that support terrorist groups can and must be criminalised to ensure effective terrorism prevention, which the international community seeks. The International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (Financing Convention) (1999) and Israel’s counter-terror legislation According to Article 4 a) of the Financing Convention, each Party shall “adopt measures to establish criminal offences under its domestic law.” Israel adopted the Counter-Terrorism Law 5776-2016 to establish those criminal offences. Chapter Two of this Law, Article 3 a), enables the Ministry of Defense to designate a body of persons as a terrorist organisation. Even after a designation, Article 5 a) and 7 b) offer opportunities to submit written arguments or revoke the designation. Lastly, designated organisations have the option to petition Israel’s Supreme Court. Therefore, Israel established a domestic legal basis that is efficient and transparent and is in accordance with the Terror Financing Convention. The Jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Lastly, the highest court for international law, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), ruled in its infamous Nicaragua Judgement that the United States bore responsibility as a result of its training, arming, equipping, financing, and supplying or otherwise encouraging, supporting and aiding the Contra rebel forces. Even though this decision relates to actions by states, it nevertheless shows the line that international law draws with respect to providing support to terrorist groups. The idea of an absolute prohibition on providing support to terrorist groups, whether financially or by training (as members of Al-Haq and UAWC did), indicates the strictness of international law and thereby provides states with the opportunity to protect themselves against terror threats. This clearly must include criminalising NGOs that provide active and tangible support to such terrorist groups. Conclusion Israel’s designation of the six Palestinian NGOs was in full accordance with international legal norms and obligations. Moreover, by designating those organisations, Israel focused on their connection to the PFLP and the resulting active support of a terrorist group, which outweighs activities ostensibly carried out by these organisations as a cover for their terrorist activity. The linkage between the organisations and the PFLP renders them eligible for criminalisation in accordance with provisions of the relevant U.N. Conventions and Resolutions. As a protection against the PFLP’s active and ongoing actions to undermine Israel’s security and the safety of its citizens, Israel, therefore, is justified in designating PFLP-linked NGOs as terror groups, thereby protecting itself against prevailing threats to peace and security. mb. lan Baker is Director of the Institute for Contemporary ēairs at the $erusalem Center for Public ēairs and the head of the !lobal Law orum. "e participated in the negotiation and drafting of the )slo ccords with the Palestinians and agreements and peace treaties with Egypt, $ordan, and Lebanon. "e served as legal adviser and deputy director-general of Israelës Ministry of oreign ēairs and as Israelës ambassador to Canada. Lea Bilke is a law student at the ree /niversity of Berlin in !ermany, specialising in international and European law. This article was ”rst published by the $erusalem Center for Public ēairs. News 4 Israel Outlaws Palestinian NGO’s December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 The terrorism-linked NGOs. | Photo: YNET

7. 5 News Short News Digital Database Nuremberg Trial Expanded The 75th anniversary of the International Military Tribunal of Nuremberg is marked by Stanford University with a significant expansion of records from the historic trial. The trial came to a close on 1 October 1946, when a group of convicted Nazi leaders were sentenced by the tribunal for crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during World War II and the Holocaust. According to David Cohen, director of the Stanford Center for Human Rights and International Justice, preserving the records and making them digitally available is very important. “‘Never again’ doesn’t mean anything unless you know what has happened and why.” The additional collection contains over 5,000 trial records. Shekel Hits Yet Another 25-Year High The shekel-to-dollar exchange rate hit a new 25-year-high on 8 November, with US $1 briefly fetching just NIS 3.08 before closing for the day around NIS 3.11. The shekel has been gaining in strength against major currencies like the dollar and euro, thanks in large part to high levels of foreign direct investment and the strength of the tech sector. The currency’s strength is due to factors including Israel’s strong economy, foreign investments in Israeli companies moving capital into the country, Bank of Israel monetary policies, and strong global equities markets, which can cause Israeli financial institutions to sell foreign currency as their exposure rises. The shekel traded at around 3.6 to the US dollar for several years but more recently was in the 3.2 – 3.3 range. | TOI/VFI News. No Nikes in Israel Starting in June of next year, sportswear giant Nike will no longer sell its shoes in Israeli stores. Some people believe that by doing so, Nike is participating in the BDS movement. However, Nike explains that the decision is in line with its global plan to reduce the number of stores it works with and focus on its website and company-owned stores. If consumers buy directly from Nike, the profits increase. Regardless of Nike’s motives for this move, it deals a major blow to all sports stores in Israel. | Photo: Flash90 December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Wim Kortenoeven n The State of Israel was founded in 1948, but organised violence against the Jews in the region began as early as 1920 and is still continuing. During this past 100 years of recurring violence, the international community has made countless attempts to end the conflict. Not because there was so much sympathy for the Jews or the Arabs, but because political, economic, and sometimes even personal interests and/or anti-Semitic emotions were involved. A characteristic of all these international peace initiatives is that they seek to reduce Jewish territorial rights in the Promised Land. This not only undermines Israel’s security but also its legitimacy under international law. In order to place this in the right context, we have to go back to the final declaration of the San Remo Conference of 25 April 1920. In it, the world powers of the time endorsed the Balfour Declaration of 1917 that recognised the right of the Jewish people to establish their homeland in the east of the Jordan River. However, under pressure from Arab violence in the Mandate area, the Jewish territorial rights confirmed to the Jewish people as early as 1921 were steadily reversed. Palestine First, the Jewish right of establishment in ‘Transjordan’ was withdrawn. The area east of Jordan was then given to a Mecca- based ally of the British. In the decades that followed, Palestinian-Arab violence against the Jews and the British in the area escalated. This led to pragmatic British and internationally negotiated ‘peace proposals’ aimed at driving the Jews back into a yet-to-be-founded tiny and indefensible rump state in the coastal plain and Galilee. All proposals, however, were rejected by the Arabs and met with yet more violence. When the Jews declared independence in May 1948, they were also attacked by five neighbouring Arab states the following day. Miraculously, Israel managed to survive that and also gain territory. The same happened in the Arab war of aggression in 1967. It brought the Jews back to their cradle in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. The Legitimacy of Israel It has been a consistent feature of internationally-sponsored peace initiatives that they expect only Israel to make territorial concessions. This was true after 1948/49, after 1967 and is still true today, even though the Jewish state was and is systematically threatened with total destruction by Hamas, Hezbollah, Mahmoud Abbas’ PLO and Iran, among others. In the process, the peacemakers often suggest that Israel is ‘the strongest party’ after all and can, therefore, ‘afford’ to give up strategic territory in exchange for (a paper) peace. And in the process, Israel’s legitimacy as a Jewish state is invariably undermined, a legitimacy that is based on more than 3, 500 years of J ewish roots in the central part of the territory in question. Zionism without Zion Since 1921, the reduction of Jewish territorial rights ‘for the sake of peace’ or international interests has focused primarily on the cradle of Jewish civilisation: Jerusalem (Zion) and the regions of Judea and Samaria. It is precisely there that Jews are not allowed to settle. But a Zionism without Zion and without, for example, the graves of Israel’s patriarchs and mothers in Hebron, is of course, not Zionism. And a Jewish state without its historical territorial base is of course, not sustainable. Anchors and Prophecy Places like Jerusalem, Hebron, Silo and Shechem are the anchors of the Jewish claims to the Jewish homeland. And within those places are, respectively, the Temple Mount; the Machpelah; the place where the Tabernacle stood for 369 years; and the tomb of Joseph. The Jewish people can never - and will never - give up territorial claims to those and other places. For that would be the end of Judaism. After all, are not the prophecies, central to Judaism, that the Jewish people will return to these places and that they will not be driven out again? At this point, Jewish interests clash in an irreconcilable and even existential way with those of the rest of the world. Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism The EU, in particular, is adamantly and activistically opposed to Israel’s return to the cradle of Jewish civilisation. In that respect, it is downright macabre that European and also Dutch opponents of antisemitism are sometimes the worst enemies of Jewish rights in the Promised Land. This also applied to the Swedish diplomat Folke Bernadotte, who personally negotiated with SS chief Heinrich Himmler in the final days of the Second World War about the release of thousands of Jews. This may have given him the ‘moral right’, four years later (after the genocidal Arab invasion of the newly founded Israel) as a UN peace negotiator to ‘condemn to death’ that very Israel. Bernadotte arrived in Israel after the Arabs had suffered huge defeats. But he demanded that the Jews vacate most of the territories they had miraculously conquered. Bernadotte Liquidated Implementation of Bernadotte’s bizarre anti-Jewish ‘peace plan’ would have resulted in an indefensible Jewish mini- state in the coastal strip and Galilee. A state without Jerusalem, without the Negev, without its own port, without safe borders and without prospects of ever being able to accommodate the millions of Jewish exiles from the nations. What’s more, Bernadotte urged this little Jewish mini-state to offer access to the hundreds of thousands of Arabs who had left the area voluntarily or had fled the violence of the war started by the Arabs. Before he could submit his terrible plan to the UN, Bernadotte was liquidated by members of the Jewish Lehi militia. And with him, fortunately, his plan disappeared as well. The European Union The world is in total disarray because of Corona, and imminent wars with, among others, China, North Korea and Iran. But the EU and most of its member states still seem more concerned about ‘solving the Middle East conflict’. They want to push through the two-state solution at all costs. The EU, which likes to invoke international law, thereby grossly violates the Oslo Accords to which it is a party. Under those accords, Israel has exclusive jurisdiction in the so-called C areas in Judea and Samaria. But the EU undermines Israel’s authority there in every possible way. Ego and Ambition or Antisemitism? What drives all those dogged ‘peace activists’, past and present, and especially those of the EU? What is their business model? Is it altruism? Is it Nobel Prizes? Is it ego and ambition? Is it fame and the promise of history? Or is it antisemitism...? If antisemitism’s deepest aim is to make the Jewish people disappear, then, of course, anti-Semites would do well to try and destroy the very basis of Jewish identity: cutting the link between the Jews and the Land of Israel. But fortunately, Israel is not alone in fighting these colporteurs of a false peace. Wim Kortenoeven is a Dutch author, journalist and former politician. Peace as a Business Model Negev Judea Samaria Tel Aviv Jaffa Galilee Beersheba JERUSALEM Ashkelon Ashdod Haifa Nazareth Sinai Peninsula Eilat West Bank Jewish State Arab Territory Bernadotte’s partition plan. | Photo: ecg.org.il And a Jewish state without its historical territorial base is of course, not sustainable. Alan Baker & Lea Bilke n The clear linkage between the six NGOs and the PFLP renders them eligible for criminalisation in accordance with provisions of the relevant UN Conventions and Resolutions. On 22 October, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz designated six Palestinian NGOs as terror organisations linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The PFLP is recognised as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the European Union, the United States and other countries. It was involved in aeroplane hijackings in the 1970s, attacks against Israelis in the Second Intifada, the 2014 murder of five Israeli worshippers at a synagogue in Jerusalem and many more attacks on Jews worldwide. The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the terror arm of the PFLP, maintains operational cooperation with Iran and Hezbollah. Furthermore, the PFLP is a principal partner in the Palestinian National and Islamic Forces (PNIF), the umbrella organisation for Palestinian terror groups. This article aims to explain the ties between the Palestinian NGOs and the PFLP and establish the legitimacy under international law of the groups’ designation as terrorist organisations. The Link Between the Six NGOs and the PFLP NGO Monitor has published a detailed report on the NGOs’ ties to the PFLP, documenting their support, financing and encouragement of the terror group: Al-Haq Ÿ Shawan Jabarin, Al-Haq’s general director, was convicted in 1985 for recruiting and arranging training for PFLP members. In 2008, he was referred to by Israel’s Supreme Court as a ‘senior activist’ in the PFLP. Ÿ Funding: European Union, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Italy, France and Spain. Addameer Ÿ Abdul-Latif Ghaith, Addameer’s founder and former chairperson, has been identified as a PFLP ‘activist’. Ÿ Khalida Jarrar, Addameer’s former vice president, was sentenced to two years in prison in March 2021 for membership in the PFLP. Ÿ Bashir al-Khairi, a member of Addameer’s board of directors, is a member of the PFLP’s National Council. Ÿ Funding: Ireland, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and the Heinrich Boll Foundation. Ddefence for Children International - Palestine (DCI-P) Ÿ Hashem Abu Maria, the former coordinator for DCI- P’s community mobilisation unit, was hailed by the PFLP as a ‘leader’. Ÿ Nassar Ibrahim, former president of DCI-Ps General Assembly, was a former editor of El Hadaf, the PFLP’s weekly publication. Ÿ Mary Rock, a former DCI-P board member, was a PFLP candidate for the Palestinian Legislative Council. Ÿ Funding: European Union, Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, Broederlijk Delen, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Save the Children and UNICEF. Bisan Center for Research and Development Ÿ Ubai Aboudi, Bisan’s executive director, was sentenced to 12 months in prison in 2020 for membership in the PFLP. Ÿ Itiraf Hajaj (Rimawi), former executive director of Bisan, was responsible for clandestine PFLP operations and was sentenced to 42 months in 2020. Ÿ Funding: European Union, European Commission, Belgium, Italy and Spain. Union of Palestine Women’s Committees (UPWC) Ÿ Suhair Khader, UPWC’s vice president, is a member of the PFLP Central Committee. Ÿ Smira Abdel-Alin, UPWC head in the Rafah area, is a member of the PFLP Central Committee. Ÿ Ismat Shakhshir, head of UPWC operations in the Nablus district, ran for the Palestinian Legislative Council representing the PFLP. Ÿ Funding: Basque Government, Norwegian People’s Aid and AECID. Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) Ÿ Identified by USAID as the ‘agricultural arm’ of the PFLP. Ÿ Abdul Razeq Farraj, former UAWC finance and administrative director was arrested in 2019 for recruiting members of the PFLP. Ÿ Samer Arbid, UAWC’s accountant, was arrested for commanding a PFLP terror cell that carried out a bombing in which an Israeli civilian was murdered. Ÿ Funding: France, Netherlands, Spain (AECID), Norwegian People’s Aid, Medico, Grassroots International, Oxfam Solidarité and UN OCHA. Relevant Provisions of International Resolutions and Conventions Relating to Terror Activities In Article 1 (1), the UN Charter sets out the Purposes of the United Nations as, inter alia, the maintenance of international peace and security. To that end, states are required to take effective measures to prevent threats to that peace and security. Accordingly, by designating the six Palestinian NGOs as terror organisations, Israel pursues its Charter-protected right to safeguard against an internationally recognised terrorist organisation. This conforms with the relevant United Nations resolutions and the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1373 (2001) In its most prominent resolution on terrorism, adopted in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks against the United States, the UN Security Council emphasised in the Preambular Clauses the “need to combat by all means, (...) threat to peace and security caused by terrorist acts.” The passage “by all means” has in the past been interpreted to allow self-defence measures against terrorist groups. The criminalisation of groups in order to protect the state is a more moderate approach. Consequently, criminalisation must be covered as well. In Operative Clause 1 b) of Res. 1373, the UNSC decided that states “shall criminalise the willful provision or collection, by any means, directly or indirectly, of funds by their nationals or in their territories with the intention that the funds should be used ... in order to carry out terrorist attacks.” The resolution thereby permits states to criminalise the funding of terrorist groups. Furthermore, Operative Clause 2 d) obliges states to “prevent those who finance, plan, facilitate, or commit terrorist attacks from using their respective territories for those purposes against other states or their citizens.” Israel, therefore, was allowed to protect itself against the supporters of the terrorist group PFLP. UNSC Resolution 2642 (2019) Even though Res. 1373 is the most cited resolution in terms of the prevention of terrorism; more recent ones reaffirm the principles of Res. 1373. Res. 2642, for example, reassures in its Preambular Clauses that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable. In Operative Clause 8, Res. 2642 further calls upon states to “more effectively investigate and prosecute cases of terrorist financing and to apply appropriate, effective and proportionate and dissuasive criminal sanctions to individuals and entities convicted of terrorist financing activities.” As a result of the criminal nature of terrorism, acts that support terrorist groups can and must be criminalised to ensure effective terrorism prevention, which the international community seeks. The International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (Financing Convention) (1999) and Israel’s counter-terror legislation According to Article 4 a) of the Financing Convention, each Party shall “adopt measures to establish criminal offences under its domestic law.” Israel adopted the Counter-Terrorism Law 5776-2016 to establish those criminal offences. Chapter Two of this Law, Article 3 a), enables the Ministry of Defense to designate a body of persons as a terrorist organisation. Even after a designation, Article 5 a) and 7 b) offer opportunities to submit written arguments or revoke the designation. Lastly, designated organisations have the option to petition Israel’s Supreme Court. Therefore, Israel established a domestic legal basis that is efficient and transparent and is in accordance with the Terror Financing Convention. The Jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Lastly, the highest court for international law, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), ruled in its infamous Nicaragua Judgement that the United States bore responsibility as a result of its training, arming, equipping, financing, and supplying or otherwise encouraging, supporting and aiding the Contra rebel forces. Even though this decision relates to actions by states, it nevertheless shows the line that international law draws with respect to providing support to terrorist groups. The idea of an absolute prohibition on providing support to terrorist groups, whether financially or by training (as members of Al-Haq and UAWC did), indicates the strictness of international law and thereby provides states with the opportunity to protect themselves against terror threats. This clearly must include criminalising NGOs that provide active and tangible support to such terrorist groups. Conclusion Israel’s designation of the six Palestinian NGOs was in full accordance with international legal norms and obligations. Moreover, by designating those organisations, Israel focused on their connection to the PFLP and the resulting active support of a terrorist group, which outweighs activities ostensibly carried out by these organisations as a cover for their terrorist activity. The linkage between the organisations and the PFLP renders them eligible for criminalisation in accordance with provisions of the relevant U.N. Conventions and Resolutions. As a protection against the PFLP’s active and ongoing actions to undermine Israel’s security and the safety of its citizens, Israel, therefore, is justified in designating PFLP-linked NGOs as terror groups, thereby protecting itself against prevailing threats to peace and security. mb. lan Baker is Director of the Institute for Contemporary ēairs at the $erusalem Center for Public ēairs and the head of the !lobal Law orum. "e participated in the negotiation and drafting of the )slo ccords with the Palestinians and agreements and peace treaties with Egypt, $ordan, and Lebanon. "e served as legal adviser and deputy director-general of Israelës Ministry of oreign ēairs and as Israelës ambassador to Canada. Lea Bilke is a law student at the ree /niversity of Berlin in !ermany, specialising in international and European law. This article was ”rst published by the $erusalem Center for Public ēairs. News 4 Israel Outlaws Palestinian NGO’s December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 The terrorism-linked NGOs. | Photo: YNET

29. 11 Biblical Reflection Kameel Majdali n Director | Teach All Nations Inc. In our last article, we briefly discussed current events, particularly affecting Israel and the Middle East. We mentioned key Bible characters, Abraham and David, called ‘prophets’ in the Bible. In this article, we are going to see why they are referred to as prophets and how they are key to understanding Bible prophecy. The Lord uses ironies to convey His principles. For example, if you want to receive, learn to give; if you want to have friends, learn to be friendly; if you want a promotion, learn to be humble; if you want to be first, practice being last; if you want to save your life, lose it for the cause of Christ. Here is another irony: if you want to understand the future, learn from the past, particularly from the prophets and patriarchs. We learned that Abraham was a prophet (Genesis 20:7) and also a patriarch (Hebrews 7:4); David also was a prophet (Acts 2:30) and a patriarch (Acts 2:29). As prophets, they present keys to understanding the future; as patriarchs/fathers, they are the head(s) of the chosen people and Messianic lineage. Key to Understanding the Future? Covenant! One principle I learned in Dwight Pentecost’s seminal book on eschatology, entitled Things to Come, was the notion that to understand future prophecy, one needs a grasp of Biblical covenants. Bible books like Genesis, the rest of the Torah, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles 17, and Jeremiah all hold keys to comprehending the future and Bible prophecy. Which leads to the question: what is a covenant? It comes from the Hebrew word brit, used 280 times in the Old Testament and the Greek word diatheke, used 33 times in the New Testament. The Latin Vulgate word for covenant is testamentumxx, which is why our Bibles have two parts: an old covenant or testament and a new covenant or testament. A covenant is a strong binding treaty or agreement between two parties, normally with God and man, or God and a group of people. When the terms of the covenant are kept, there is great blessing; when violated or broken, it can be disastrous. When, in the key terms of a covenant, God says “You will”, the covenant is conditional, but when He says “I will”, then it is unconditional. Covenants were ratified by the shedding of blood, referred to in Hebrew as Karith ha Brith o r ‘ cutting of the covenant.’ The sight of blood demonstrates that the covenant is deadly serious. Today, in an age of falling standards of decency, morality, and ethics, the notion of a strong binding agreement is becoming increasingly foreign to many westerners. The closest thing to covenant is marriage, which is meant to be permanent and lifelong, but increasingly is not. Yet consider this: if we are rightly and wonderfully connected to the living God by the gospel and new birth, we are in covenant with Him. God does not operate in de facto relations but de jure. We are recipients and beneficiaries of the new covenant, not of the letter but the Spirit. Key Covenants Summarised Here is the link between the ancient covenants and the future last days: 1. God makes an unconditional promise through a Biblical covenant; 2. Some parts, but not all, of the promise have been fulfilled; 3. God’s promises are immutable and sure; 4. His character is beyond reproach; 5. Conclusion: The promises that are yet to be fulfilled will come to pass in the future last days prophecies. Ancient covenants become part of the doctrine of last things. Abrahamic Covenant Reference: Genesis 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-21; 22:15-18. It is the first and foundational of all Biblical covenants. This agreement between God and Abraham has ramifications that are still felt to this day. 1. Land: “Get out of your country... to the land that I will show you”. God is promising to give to Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan (12:1, 5-7; 13:14, 15, 17; 15:18-21; 17:8). Abraham’s land would have specific borders, such as the river of Egypt to the Euphrates river. The extent of that land has not yet come to pass. 2. Seed: “ I will make you a great nation” (12:2, also 13:16; 15:5; 17:1, 2, 7; 22:17). God promised an ageing, childless Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. It would take a miracle, but that’s what God is so adept at doing. 3. Universal Blessing: “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you, and in you, all the families o f the earth shall be blessed” (12:3; 22:18). Eventually, Abraham would become the father of Israel, but the blessing would be spread to all peoples and nations. Abraham is the great Old Testament prototype of two wonderful goals to which every believer should aspire: a man of faith and friend of God. If you want to grow in these areas, a study of Abraham’s life in the Bible is recommended. God truly did give him a son, Isaac, but it is the latter son Jesus by whom all nations of the earth have been blessed. Paul speaks of the Abrahamic covenant in Galatians 3:16- 17, 29. As the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul assures them that the blessings of Abraham belong to all the nations of the earth because Abraham’s seed, namely Jesus Christ, is the conduit of that blessing. If there is a literal and eternal fulfilment of this unconditional covenant, it will have major repercussions in the latter days. Davidic Covenant Reference: II Samuel 7:11-17; I Chronicles 17:10-15; Psalm 89:3-4; Jeremiah 33:22, 25-26 Key terms of the covenant included: 1. An Heir: Solomon, who was destined to be David’s heir apparent, would be established on his father’s throne (II Samuel 7:12; I Chronicles 17:11); 2. Everlasting throne: The throne of David would be established forever (verses 13 and 16; I Chronicles 17:12). 3. Son of God: Almighty God would be Father to the son of David (verse 14; I Chronicles 17:13); 4. Messiah: The Anointed of the anointed, the everlasting universal king will come from the House of David (1 Chronicles 17:11); 5 . Everlasting Kingdom: Messiah’s reign is everlasting (1 Chronicles 17:12-14). | Photo: Shutterstock December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Abraham & David: Keys to Understand Current Events & Prophecy Isreality By Peeber Koelewijn Paola (24) n Isreality Netherlands A Jewish celebration and a Christian celebration. Around the same time that we celebrate Advent and Christmas, Jews celebrate Hanukkah. Are the two related to each other? The Hope of Hanukkah Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. Jews light the menorah (eight-armed candelabra). It is a celebration of hope. Hope of the coming of Messiah, the Light of the world, Who will reign in Israel. When He comes, He will reunite the tribes of Israel, restore the Jews to the land of Israel, and rebuild the Temple and bring peace. A prisoner in a concentration camp said, “A person can live a long time without food. But a person cannot live a single day without hope. This menorah is the fire of hope. Don’t let it be extinguished!” Cosiness or Expectation? Christians at the moment are in the midst of Advent, the weeks leading up to Christmas. Advent means ‘expectation’. Many see it as preparation, a time to give special attention to the birth of Jesus. Christmas is often so filled with family, food, and cosiness that I also find it beautiful to think about and look forward to Jesus’ coming in advance. Christmas, Jesus, the Messiah, is born! Do we still reflect on the miracle that He was willing to humble Himself by coming to earth for sinners? That He gave up His divine glory to be born, grow up and live in a world where He was not welcome? When you realise that, we can’t help but be amazed. Hope of Christians vs Hope of Jews What about the hope and expectation Christians have? One day Jesus, the Messiah, will return. How often do we think about that? Are we actually thinking about it? Jesus instructs us in Mark 13 to be focused on His Second Coming. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. Mark 13:33 Jews firmly believe and hope in the coming of Messiah. I think we can learn a lot from that. Let us pay particular attention to this during Advent and pray for the coming of Messiah. Let us live in this hope and expectation, despite the hectic pace of life, which sometimes swallows us up completely. The day will come! Jews look forward to the coming of Messiah. How about you? What Advent and Hanukkah Have in Common 10 Theology Recommended Reading Johannes Gerloff n Theologian, Journalist, Lecturer & Author This is the second article of a series of articles on Romans 9-11, based on the book Rejoice, You Gentiles, with His People by Johannes Gerloff, which is expected to be published in early 2022. Context is critical if we wish to understand any statement properly. We have to know the framework within which the author communicates. For that reason, to understand Paul’s discussion of Israel in Romans 9-11, we need to get an overview of the first eight chapters of his Epistle to the Romans. Romans 1-8 provide answers to the questions: Ÿ How can I be justified before God? Ÿ How do I enter into a relationship with my Creator? The starting point is his assessment in Romans 1:20-21: “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.” Thus, the Apostle reaches a conclusion: “So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” The Jewish people have an advantage over non-Jews because: “To them, the words of the [one and only] God were entrusted” (Romans 3:2). However, considering their way of life, Paul has to reproach his kinsmen: “You teach others, but you do not teach yourself... You boast in the law (Torah), while [at the same time] you disgrace the [one] God by transgressing the law. For the name of the [one] God is being ridiculed because of you among the Gentiles” (Romans 2:21-24). Paul, known among his contemporaries as Rabbi Sha’ul of Tarsus, knew that: “Circumcision is useful if you practice the law. But if you violate the law, your circumcision has become invalid” (Romans 2:25). He realised that, concerning the problem of sin, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile. “...for all have sinned. They lack the glorious presence of the [one, true] God” (Romans 3:23). The way out of this dilemma is the fact that a person is justified through a trust- relationship with God. “...since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith“. (Romans 3:30). Paul explains to his readers step by step how they are able to enter into peace with God. The outstanding example is Abraham, the Father of our faith (Romans 4). Today, our faith is in the sacrificial death and victorious resurrection of Messiah Yeshua – our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5). He has provided the way to a life with God through His victory over sin and death on the cross of Calvary (Romans 6). Paul, however, does not evade reality. He knows about the struggles in the life of a believer: “I do not understand my own actions. Not what I want I do, but what I hate is what I do” (Romans 7:15). To his disciple Timothy he writes, “Messiah Yeshua has come into the world to save sinners,” without forgetting: “of whom I am the first” (1 Timothy 1:15). He does not state that he once was a sinner. Even after his justification he does not emphasise his own righteousness, but points to the One who saved him. Paul is completely aware that there is nothing within himself that might qualify as ‘good’. “I do have the ambition to do good things”, he writes, “but I am not able to produce the good” (Romans 7:18). Despite this ‘catch-22 situation’ which Paul describes in chapter seven, he knows that: “There is no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua” (Romans 8:1). The decisive point is that: “Those who are led by God’s Spirit, they are God’s children” (Romans 8:14). Recognising that, he concludes; “The sufferings of this present time are nothing in comparison to the future glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). Summarising, we conclude: Romans 1-8 focuses on the individual human being, his helplessness, his separation from God, the work of Messiah Yeshua for man’s sake, God’s grace, and the way to salvation from sin and death. Chapters 12 to 16 describe how believers fit into their society - be it into the Church or into a secular environment. He addresses the following questions: Ÿ How does this newly found relationship with God fit into the social environment? Ÿ How should believers live together? Ÿ How can a child of God live responsibly in a secular society? These last five chapters of Romans describe everyday life as service to God. They also address topics like; life in the Church, spiritual gifts, love and serving one another ( R omans 12). Relating to governmental authority comes up (Romans 13), as do relations within the community of believers as they live in a secular world that does not want to know God (Romans 14). Paul summarises all these instructions with the words: “None of us lives to himself and none dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord. If we die, we die to the Lord. Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:7-8). Both the purpose and the objective of our salvation is; “that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah” (Romans 15:6). In Romans 1-8 Paul focuses on the salvation of the individual person, expressing the missionary or evangelistic concern. If we want to fit this into today’s church-political landscape we could simply say: He expresses the motivation and concern of most of evangelical Christianity, with the saving work of Jesus Christ being the central focus. In Romans 12-16 Paul discusses the question of the Church, the relationship of its members among themselves, and their stand as believers in society. In a caring way, he speaks as a church-builder. In summary we could say: Here the more “charismatic” aspects are being addressed, with life in the Holy Spirit being more central. Now that we know the context, in the next instalment, we will start our examination of Romans 9-11. | Photo: Shutterstock God’s Power Unto Salvation Eurabia — The Euro- Arab Axis by Bat Ye’or Farleigh Dickinson University Press (2005) This foundational book describes how, during the 20th century, Europe and the Western world evolved from a Judeo- Christian civilisation, with important post-enlightenment secular elements, into a “post-Judeo-Christian civilisation that is subservient to the ideology of jihad and the Islamic powers that propagate it.” The new European civilisation in the making can be called a civilisation of dhimmitude. The term dhimmitude comes from some the Arab word ‘dhimmi’. It refers to subjugated, non- Muslim individuals or people who accept the restrictive and humiliating subordination to an ascendant Islamic power to avoid enslavement or death.” Bat Ye’or is famous for her groundbreaking work in understanding the concept of ‘dhimmitude’ and its influence in the West, in her many books, including The Dhimmi – Jews and Christians under Islam (1985) and Islam and Dhimmitude: Where Civilisations Collide (2002). In Eurabia, Ye’or traces in detail how, since the 1970s, a Euro-Arab culture has permeated and overwhelmed all levels of western European society. Under the euphemism of ‘the peace process,’ the EU has made Israel the cornerstone of its relations with the Arab states and its own security - a quid pro quo against Islamic terror. Under Arab pressure, the EU has willingly made Israel hostage to its own pro-Arab policies in advance of its quest for security and global influence. In order to appease the Arab world, the European Economic Community entered into the Euro-Arab Dialogue (EAD) with the Arab countries in the 1970s. In late 1973, the Arabs had imposed an oil boycott on all European countries that supported Israel in the Yom Kippur War (1973). There was also a wave of terror attacks throughout Europe, instigated by the Palestine Liberation Organization under the leadership of Yasser Arafat. The EAD was a comprehensive, well- funded and well-organized programme approved by the highest European elite, some of whom had had ties with the Nazi regime. The deal was that the Arabs obtained access to universities and educational institutions in Europe (hence the many Islamic histories and religious schools in European universities today). The Arabs, in turn, promised to lift the boycott and persuade Arafat to stop the terror in Europe. Eurabia is an absolute classic and a must -r ead for anyone interested in understanding how the Western world has shifted, in the course of only one generation, from support of Zionism and the Jewish State of Israel in the mid-20th century to the almost fanatical support of the Palestinian cause. December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782

34. “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink”. Matthew 25:35 16 From our Projects Winter Food Parcel Campaign December 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Dear friends of Israel and the Jewish people, The team of Christians for Israel Ukraine regularly visits 88-year-old Aaron in Krivog Rog, a heavily polluted industrial town in eastern Ukraine. Aaron was born in 1933, and when he was 8-years old, the Nazi’s invaded Ukraine. His father was drafted by the Soviet Red Army to defend the country. Aaron, his mother, and his younger brother were constantly on the move, trying to escape from the horrors of the war. Killing squads of the German SS, often assisted by local Ukrainian police, went town by town and forced Jewish families to l eave their homes and line up at previously dug out mass graves to be shot. An estimated 1,700,000 Ukrainian Jews were killed. Aaron, his mother and younger brother, were moving toward the east of the country together with thousands of panicking refugees. During this time, Aaron’s younger brother died, and so did his father while serving in the army. Aaron and his mother barely survived the war. Later in life, Aaron became a physics teacher. Like Aaron, there are many other poor Jewish elderly who have to survive on a small pension. We cannot erase what happened to them in the past, bu t we can show them love today. Every time Aaron receives a food parcel, it is a festive day for him. He is not forgotten! Greetings on behalf of the whole team in Ukraine, Will you join us (again) in making the food parcel campaign a great blessing this winter? We buy the products cheaply at a local wholesaler, who is aware of what we do for charity. You can complete the coupon on the back or make a donation online. Koen Carlier Aliyah Fieldworker Christians for Israel Ukraine Aaron needs your help! Thousands of Jewish elderly still live in great poverty in Ukraine. Like Aaron, who spends the winter alone. The food parcels provided by the Christians for Israel Ukraine team are very much necessary to make it through winter. This winter, we hope to spread 40,000 food parcels in Ukraine to poor Jewish families and survivors of the Holocaust. Will you please donate a much-needed gift towards these food parcels? 1 kg of sugar 2 kg of flour 1 kg of rice 1 kg of grits 1 kg of bulgur 2 kg of pasta 1-litre oil 500 gm oatmeal 1 tin of peas 1 tin of corn 1 tin of condensed milk 1 tin of chicken 1 pack of coffee 1 pack of tea One food parcel contains: Yes, I would like to make a donation towards... C4I MINISTRY 1 TEACHING RESOURCES & PREMIUM GIFTS DONATION PRICE inc GST SEE OUR FULL RANGE AT: C4ISRAEL.COM.AU/STORE QUANTITY SUB TOTAL $ _______ SUB TOTAL DONATION $___________ MY TOTAL $ ___________ $ ___________ $ ___________ My donation for general admin costs (inc print & post) Thinc. (countering anti Israel “lawfare” ) $30-$50 $_______ ____________ Israel and Christians Today Paper (free or by donation) ____________ ____________ ____________ $________ The End Times Through Jewish Eyes (DVD) by Ps Enoch Lavender The Final Countdown (DVD) by Ps Enoch Lavender Why Israel? $15 (BOOK) $30 (DVD) $35 (DVD + Study Guide) $5 (Study Guide) $5 (Facilitators Guide) by Willem Glashouwer $36 each ____________ Behold He Comes (BOOK: 800 pages) by Willem Glashouwer $_______ ____________ Israeli-made Hebrew dress watches male or female ($50 ea) + Living A Life In Victory (BOOK) by Willem Glashouwer $20 each ____________ $20 each $15 each NEW! Until... (BOOK) by Willem Glashouwer $25 each ____________ Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective December 2021 Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 6-7 The King of Israel 3 Lebanon’s Arab Identity Battle 9 Roger van Oordt Appointed Honorary Consul 15 A Heartfelt Christmas Gift | Photo: Shutterstock Rev Henk Poot n Christians for Israel Netherlands The words spoken by the prophet Isaiah to the house of David (Isaiah 7:14) have a deep significance for both Israel and Christians. The Fullness of God God is unimaginably great. He inhabits an inaccessible light; His majesty is so great that He is called a consuming fire, and no one can bear the intensity of His being. When God turns towards His creation and towards His people (Isaiah 43:7), He reveals Himself in the Son, the radiance of His glory and the imprint of His being (Hebrews 1). John writes that no one has ever seen God, but that the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has revealed Him to us. The Hidden One Jesus is the son of the house of David. He is the seed that the Lord promised to Abram (Genesis 12:3) and which was to come through the generations of Israel. He is the twig from the broken-off branch of Jesse. He is God and Jew. Mary, the virgin who gave birth to the Messiah, is the mother of the Lord but also represents her people. The Jewish people gave the world the Saviour. This means that Jesus is connected to the Jewish people in His very being. That has never changed. Even though the gospel of the Kingdom has gone around the world and has found an audience with us, Jesus has always remained present in the midst of His people as the Hidden One. In the wanderings and sufferings of Israel, He was and is still Immanuel. Servant of Israel This also means, however bewildering it may be to us, that a Jew has borne the sin of the world, that a Jew has been at the forefront of His people when the gospel went into the world, that Jesus will return as a Jew on the clouds of heaven and that the Lion of the tribe of Judah will ascend the throne of David to rule over the entire world. And that God has given the judgment to a Jew. Yes, He is God’s Son and what a privilege that we may live with Him, that He dwells in us by His Spirit, that we may praise Him in worship. Not only the cross but also the star of David belongs to Him. Jesus draws us, as it were, to Israel. Paul writes in Romans 15 that Jesus became a servant of Israel to confirm the promises of God to the fathers. With this, Paul encourages the new believers from Rome to treat His people with respect and love. But when he writes further, he shows that one of those promises is that the Gentiles will glorify the Lord together with Israel. That is what it is all about! The believers from the nations at the side of Israel in the praise of the Lord. King of Jacob In these days of Advent and Christmas, let us not forget how closely Christ is connected with Israel. Gabriel calls Him the King of Jacob, the angels sing of the joy that will fall upon all the people, Anna and Simeon speak of the consolation of Jerusalem, and Zechariah prophesies that His people will finally be delivered from their enemies. Jesus, the King of kings, was and is Immanuel. God With Us www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA | Photo by Ian Worby: Mural of the nativity inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective December 2021 Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 6-7 The King of Israel 3 Lebanon’s Arab Identity Battle 9 Roger van Oordt Appointed Honorary Consul 15 A Heartfelt Christmas Gift | Photo: Shutterstock Rev Henk Poot n Christians for Israel Netherlands The words spoken by the prophet Isaiah to the house of David (Isaiah 7:14) have a deep significance for both Israel and Christians. The Fullness of God God is unimaginably great. He inhabits an inaccessible light; His majesty is so great that He is called a consuming fire, and no one can bear the intensity of His being. When God turns towards His creation and towards His people (Isaiah 43:7), He reveals Himself in the Son, the radiance of His glory and the imprint of His being (Hebrews 1). John writes that no one has ever seen God, but that the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has revealed Him to us. The Hidden One Jesus is the son of the house of David. He is the seed that the Lord promised to Abram (Genesis 12:3) and which was to come through the generations of Israel. He is the twig from the broken-off branch of Jesse. He is God and Jew. Mary, the virgin who gave birth to the Messiah, is the mother of the Lord but also represents her people. The Jewish people gave the world the Saviour. This means that Jesus is connected to the Jewish people in His very being. That has never changed. Even though the gospel of the Kingdom has gone around the world and has found an audience with us, Jesus has always remained present in the midst of His people as the Hidden One. In the wanderings and sufferings of Israel, He was and is still Immanuel. Servant of Israel This also means, however bewildering it may be to us, that a Jew has borne the sin of the world, that a Jew has been at the forefront of His people when the gospel went into the world, that Jesus will return as a Jew on the clouds of heaven and that the Lion of the tribe of Judah will ascend the throne of David to rule over the entire world. And that God has given the judgment to a Jew. Yes, He is God’s Son and what a privilege that we may live with Him, that He dwells in us by His Spirit, that we may praise Him in worship. Not only the cross but also the star of David belongs to Him. Jesus draws us, as it were, to Israel. Paul writes in Romans 15 that Jesus became a servant of Israel to confirm the promises of God to the fathers. With this, Paul encourages the new believers from Rome to treat His people with respect and love. But when he writes further, he shows that one of those promises is that the Gentiles will glorify the Lord together with Israel. That is what it is all about! The believers from the nations at the side of Israel in the praise of the Lord. King of Jacob In these days of Advent and Christmas, let us not forget how closely Christ is connected with Israel. Gabriel calls Him the King of Jacob, the angels sing of the joy that will fall upon all the people, Anna and Simeon speak of the consolation of Jerusalem, and Zechariah prophesies that His people will finally be delivered from their enemies. Jesus, the King of kings, was and is Immanuel. God With Us www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA | Photo by Ian Worby: Mural of the nativity inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective December 2021 Tevet - Sh’vat 5782 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 6-7 The King of Israel 3 Lebanon’s Arab Identity Battle 9 Roger van Oordt Appointed Honorary Consul 15 A Heartfelt Christmas Gift | Photo: Shutterstock Rev Henk Poot n Christians for Israel Netherlands The words spoken by the prophet Isaiah to the house of David (Isaiah 7:14) have a deep significance for both Israel and Christians. The Fullness of God God is unimaginably great. He inhabits an inaccessible light; His majesty is so great that He is called a consuming fire, and no one can bear the intensity of His being. When God turns towards His creation and towards His people (Isaiah 43:7), He reveals Himself in the Son, the radiance of His glory and the imprint of His being (Hebrews 1). John writes that no one has ever seen God, but that the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has revealed Him to us. The Hidden One Jesus is the son of the house of David. He is the seed that the Lord promised to Abram (Genesis 12:3) and which was to come through the generations of Israel. He is the twig from the broken-off branch of Jesse. He is God and Jew. Mary, the virgin who gave birth to the Messiah, is the mother of the Lord but also represents her people. The Jewish people gave the world the Saviour. This means that Jesus is connected to the Jewish people in His very being. That has never changed. Even though the gospel of the Kingdom has gone around the world and has found an audience with us, Jesus has always remained present in the midst of His people as the Hidden One. In the wanderings and sufferings of Israel, He was and is still Immanuel. Servant of Israel This also means, however bewildering it may be to us, that a Jew has borne the sin of the world, that a Jew has been at the forefront of His people when the gospel went into the world, that Jesus will return as a Jew on the clouds of heaven and that the Lion of the tribe of Judah will ascend the throne of David to rule over the entire world. And that God has given the judgment to a Jew. Yes, He is God’s Son and what a privilege that we may live with Him, that He dwells in us by His Spirit, that we may praise Him in worship. Not only the cross but also the star of David belongs to Him. Jesus draws us, as it were, to Israel. Paul writes in Romans 15 that Jesus became a servant of Israel to confirm the promises of God to the fathers. With this, Paul encourages the new believers from Rome to treat His people with respect and love. But when he writes further, he shows that one of those promises is that the Gentiles will glorify the Lord together with Israel. That is what it is all about! The believers from the nations at the side of Israel in the praise of the Lord. King of Jacob In these days of Advent and Christmas, let us not forget how closely Christ is connected with Israel. Gabriel calls Him the King of Jacob, the angels sing of the joy that will fall upon all the people, Anna and Simeon speak of the consolation of Jerusalem, and Zechariah prophesies that His people will finally be delivered from their enemies. Jesus, the King of kings, was and is Immanuel. God With Us www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA | Photo by Ian Worby: Mural of the nativity inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem Please post cheque or money order to: Christians for Israel Australia Inc (don’t use staples) NEW INTERNET BANKING DETAILS: BSB: ANZ BANK— 014-279 Account No: 405318551 Ref: Your name & donation purpose. Please confirm by emailing info@c4israel.com.au MY DETAILS Name: _______________________________________ If you don’t know or have your Member ID please include: Address: ______________________________________ Phone: _______________________________________ Email: ________________________________________ Christians for Israel Australia ABN: 79 941 819 693 ICT1221 4 PLEASE COMPLETE FORM & RETURN TO: Christians for Israel Australia, PO Box 1508, Springwood, QLD 4127 or you can donate securely online c4israel.com.au/donate 3 SOCIAL WELFARE PROJECTS $ ___________ Hineni soup kitchen Jerusalem ($10 per cooked meal) $ ___________ Holocaust Survivor Comfort Ukraine ($50 or best gift) $ ___________ Meals on Wheels Ukraine ($10 per cooked meal) $ ___________ First Home in the Homeland in Israel ($350 pp) $ ___________ $ ___________ Food Parcels Ukraine ($15 per parcel for 1 month/pp) ADI (for children with disabilities) $30 or your best gift $ ___________ CFOIC (Judea and Samaria) Heartland ($30 or your best gift) 2 ALIYAH—BRING THE JEWS HOME $350 One Person from Ukraine* $6250 One Busload from Ukraine (25 persons)* $1460 Bnei Menashe—Asian exiles (1 person) $1250 One Family from Ukraine (5 persons)* *NOTE: Certificates for individuals and families from the Ukraine only. Office Phone Number: 07 3088 6900 Member ID (If Known) : C4IA NEW! + while stocks last