IDF Chief of Staff Reveals 3rd Country Was Attacked During Breaking Dawn

August 23, 2022

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IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi has said the military attacked a third country while operating in Gaza during Operation Breaking Dawn, Israeli media reported. 

“Ten days ago, the IDF struck with great precision Tayseer Jabari, who is an arch-terrorist, and at the same time carried out a wave of arrests in the West Bank and... attacked a third country, and defended the rest of [Israel’s] borders,” Kohavi told a conference of Education Ministry department heads. 

“If there is no operation, then there is defense,” he said. “This is a very complex task that we must not take for granted. You saw the thwarting of Jabari, an arch-murderer, in a 14-story building. And we carried out the task with 20 Givati soldiers, who have to be very precise and take a very high level of risk.”

Jabari, the top Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander killed in the Israeli bombing of an apartment in the Gaza Strip during Operation Breaking Dawn, was in charge of the terrorist group’s rocket arsenal and was its primary coordinator with Hamas. (JPost / VFI News)

“God, we ask that you help us live peacefully and strengthen our international  relations, so that we can assist others in need”

The articles included in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Vision for Israel. We try to provide accurate reporting on news pertinent to Israel, the Middle East, the diaspora, and Jewish issues around the world—and we hope that you find it both informative and useful for intercessory prayer.

Hours after Sunday morning’s, August 14, terrorist attack near the Western Wall, Israeli policemen again visited the home of Adnan Gheith, the Palestinian Authority “governor” of Jerusalem, in the village of Silwan. 

This time, however, the police officers did not come to arrest Gheith, who had been released from detention days earlier. The purpose of the visit was to check whether the “governor” was complying with the terms of the house arrest imposed on him by the authorities due to his alleged illegal activities on behalf of the PA in the city. 

Since his appointment to the top job in 2018, Gheith, a senior official with the Palestinian ruling Fatah faction headed by PA President Mahmoud Abbas, has been detained at least 34 times by the Jerusalem Police. Gheith has also been served with a military order banning him from entering the West Bank or contacting senior representatives of the PA and Fatah. 

This means that the “governor,” who holds an Israeli-issued ID card in his capacity as a permanent resident of Jerusalem, is not able to report to work at the headquarters of the Jerusalem Governorate in the town of A-Ram, which is located outside the boundaries of the Jerusalem Municipality, north of the city. 

The crackdown on Gheith and the terrorist attack – which was carried out by another resident of Silwan, Amir Sidawii who allegedly shot eight people on a bus near King David’s Tomb – are seen by Palestinians in the context of the ongoing battle over Jerusalem with Israel. It is hard to find a resident of east Jerusalem who does not want to continue living under Israeli rule. Yet many feel that Israel does not want them in the city, while the PA is not doing enough to help them stay there. (JPost / VFI News)

“God, we ask that you keep the citizens of Israel protected, and that you ensure everyone abides by the law.”

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas may not be welcome in Germany for some time, following a provocative statement trivializing the Holocaust that he made during a news conference in Berlin, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. 

Abbas on August 16 accused Israel of committing “50 holocausts” against the Palestinian people; the following day he amended his statement, saying he was speaking about Israeli “crimes.” Israel’s ambassador in Berlin, Ron Prosor, told a media outlet that German politicians are “furious with (Abbas) for exploiting the stage he got.” 

“From what I see, I doubt Abu Mazen will be invited here again any time soon,” Prosor said, using Abbas’ nom de guerre. Prosor, who served in several senior positions in Israel’s foreign ministry, is considered one of the country’s most senior diplomats. He emphasized how wide the consensus is among German politicians against Abbas’ statement. 

Scholz did not comment on Abbas’ statement while standing on stage next to him, but on August 17 tweeted: “I am disgusted by the outrageous remarks made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. For us Germans in particular, any trivialization of the singularity of the Holocaust is intolerable and unacceptable. I condemn any attempt to deny the crimes of the Holocaust.” (JPost/ VFI News)

Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended. - Proverbs 22:10

The stabbing of author Salman Rushdie has laid bare divisions in Lebanon’s Shiite Muslim community, pitting a few denouncing the violence against fervent followers of the Iran-backed Shiite terrorist Hezbollah group who have praised the attack. One Rushdie defender received death threats. 

The attack struck close to home among Lebanon’s Shiites. The assailant, 24-year-old Hadi Matar, is a dual Lebanese-US citizen, and his father lives in a village in Hezbollah-dominated southern Lebanon. Matar’s mother has said she believes her son’s visit to the village of Yaroun in 2018 turned him into a religious zealot. 

The religious edict, or fatwa, urging Muslims to kill Rushdie was issued in 1989 by Iran’s then-spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who accused the author of blasphemy for his portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad in the novel “The Satanic Verses.” 

Iran, a close Hezbollah ally, has praised the attack, but denied direct involvement. Hezbollah officials have been tight-lipped since the attack on the 75-year-old Rushdie as he was about to give a lecture in western New York. A Hezbollah official declined to comment when contacted by a media outlet. (TOI / VFI News)

“I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants— but let them not turn to folly.” - Psalm 85:8

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. - Psalm 136:1

Hodu La'Adonai (Psalm 136:1) by Barry & Batya Segal

A very senior Israeli political official said on August 20 that Israel is holding a very intensive dialogue with Western powers regarding the nuclear talks with Iran and is sending a clear message on the matter. 

According to the official, the message conveyed to the leaders of the countries is that the Europeans have sent Iran a final offer, which does not meet the principles to which the Americans committed themselves, and stated that this offer would be a matter of "take it or leave it". 

The source noted that "Iran refused the offer, so it's time to get up and leave. Anything else sends a strong message of weakness." 

He added that "now is the time to sit down and talk about what to do next to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. The IAEA report from the end of May claims that Iran does not provide reliable explanations on the open cases, something that should turn on a bright red light in the international community." (INN / VFI News)

Israel and Turkey announced a full renewal of diplomatic ties on Wednesday, August 17, following a recent phone conversation between Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

Lapid hailed the development in a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office as “an important asset for regional stability and very important economic news for the citizens of Israel,” adding, “We will continue to strengthen Israel’s standing in the world.” 

As part of the upgrade in ties, both countries are slated to soon exchange ambassadors and consuls general, though no timeline was provided. 

“This restoration of diplomatic relations is a continuation of the positive direction in the development of relations over the past year, since President [Isaac] Herzog’s diplomatic visit to Ankara, and the reciprocal visits of the foreign ministers to Jerusalem and Ankara,” the statement said. (TOI / VFI News)

“God, we thank you for giving us opportunities to strengthen our relationships with other countries and create allies that we can depend on.”

Israel’s Iron Dome rocket defense system is set to be purchased for the Cypriot National Guard after its Defense Ministry’s approval, the Cyprus edition of Greek media has reported. 

According to the report on Friday, August 19, the agreement has been signed by both Israeli and Cypriot officials. The Israeli Defense Ministry did not respond to an inquiry about the reported deal. 

The National Guard is reportedly eager to add the Iron Dome system to its arsenal, as its range would fully cover the areas needed by Cyprus. In particular, the media outlet notes that the system is considered ideal for both air defense and countering the threat of Turkish drones. The report described Iron Dome as the best system of its type available, as seen in its effectiveness recently against rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.

Head of the Cyprus National Guard Lt.-Gen. Demokritos Zervakis toured Israel as a guest of IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi in early March. During the visit, Zervakis toured the Lebanese border and visited an Iron Dome battery. (JPost / VFI News)

One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend. - Proverbs 22:11

With war and conflict being so much a part of everyday life, an Israeli company has developed a free real-time and on-demand sign language interpretation app for members of the deaf community to use on smartphones. 

With a team of interpreters available and speaking and signing in various sign languages, the video call service is available anywhere, anytime. 

During the last round of violence earlier this month between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, the company Sign Now conducted its first pilot tests with Gaza residents. 

"We don't get involved in politics. We're here to lead a social revolution," said Tomer Levy, Sign Now's founder and CEO. 

Additionally, he said that 20 Gazans have used the app during this pilot, communicating with Arab-speaking interpreters. They were able to get updates on the situation in and outside of Gaza, communicate with doctors and, most importantly, share their feelings with their colleagues. (FN / VFI News)

“‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. - Leviticus 25:35

The suggestions, opinions, and scripture references made by VFI News writers and editors are based on the best information received.
 
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