VFI News Israel Prepares for War with Hezbollah, Deal with Hamas Seems Unlikely

Today, we delve into the concerning rise of antisemitism, fueled by radical Islam and terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas. The insidious spread of antisemitic rhetoric and violence threatens Jewish communities worldwide, prompting urgent calls for action and a deeper understanding of Biblical Prophecy, and how to pray for Israel, and the Jewish people in this pivotal time.

Through in-depth analysis, we uncover the roots of antisemitism, tracing its connection to extremist ideologies and the ongoing conflicts in the region. From attacks on synagogues to hate speech on social media, the scourge of antisemitism rears its ugly head, posing a grave threat to peace and stability.

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Israel Prepares for War with Hezbollah, Deal with Hamas Seems Unlikely - VFI News

The head of the IDF’s Northern Command met with security coordinators to discuss security along the northern border on Friday, March 8, as the IDF conducted operational strikes on Hezbollah targets on Saturday. The IDF announced on Saturday that it struck military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in Lebanon, including operational military headquarters.

Among the targets were buildings being used by Hezbollah terrorists in the Ayta ash Shab area, operational military headquarters in the Majdal Zoun and Kafra municipality, and additional infrastructure in Mhaibib. Further, the IDF announced that launches were detected crossing into northern Israel earlier in the day and that the military has returned fire to their points of origin.

Maj.-Gen. Ori Gordin met with security coordinators to discuss the security situation on Israel’s northern border on Friday. “We are constantly strengthening our readiness to launch an attack in Lebanon. Our commitment – my commitment – is to change the security situation to ensure residents return to their homes,” the commander told the security coordinators of the Western Galilee councils.

Last week, the IDF also conducted a drill practicing delivering supplies from the air and on the ground as part of the preparations for an operation on the northern front, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said on Sunday.

In the drill, forces from the Technological and Logistics Directorate, Northern Command, the Air Force, and ground forces practiced transferring equipment, water, fuel, and ammunition to forces on the ground in northern Israel. The drill included practicing loading and unloading equipment from Air Force aircraft and transporting equipment in vehicles on the ground. (JPost / VFI News)

“God, we pray for protection from the terrorist organization Hezbollah and we pray that another war will not outbreak. We pray for all Israeli civilians living in the north and we ask that You will keep them safe.”

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.

An American news outlet published an interview with senior Hamas official Husam Badran on Saturday, March 9, discussing Hamas’s hard-line stance of only agreeing to a permanent ceasefire and shedding light on details of the negotiation process that are lesser known to the public.

Badran begins the interview by claiming that Hamas is still willing to negotiate a ceasefire deal, saying claims of Hamas disinterest come from Israel and America. “We didn’t declare negotiations have been stopped. We are the party most keen to stop this war,” he said.

According to Egyptian and Hamas officials, Qatar has threatened to expel Hamas officially from their base in Doha if they don’t come to an agreement, but Badran denied this claim. That being said, he stated that Hamas’s official position is still a permanent ceasefire and allowing displaced Gazans to return to their homes.

As far as the negotiation process goes, he revealed that the discussion of swaps of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners has taken a back seat to relieving the humanitarian situation and ending the fighting.

Meanwhile, last week, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement in the name of the Mossad, stating that the Hamas terror group seems uninterested in a hostage swap deal. Further, in the absence of a deal, IDF is set to attack Rafah, where more than one million Gaza residents fled to escape the war.

“The world must know, and Hamas leaders must know, if by Ramadan our hostages are not home, the fighting will continue to the Rafah area,” War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz said. “We will do so in a coordinated manner, facilitating the evacuation of civilians in dialogue with our American and Egyptian partners to minimize civilian casualties.” (JPost / VFI News)

“Lord, we pray for the immediate release of all our hostages and a permanent end to all the hostilities. We ask that You guide our leaders into making the most beneficial decisions and fruitful negotiations to avoid the loss of more human lives and the further destabilization of our region. May You protect all innocent civilians and end this war once and for all.”

The US military has denied reports on Friday, March 8, that Gazans were killed when they were struck by their airdropped packages, Israeli media reported.

The United States Army said that they were aware of reports of Palestinians killed as a result of being hit by humanitarian aid packages dropped from the air. However, the army continued to say that contrary to reports, the death was not caused by American shipments.

The initial reports, according to Israeli media citing Gaza reports, said that at least five people in Gaza were reported dead Friday afternoon after being hit by aid packages airdropped by the US.

According to the reports, the parachutes on the humanitarian aid packages did not open. Aside from those killed, it has been reported that several others have been injured by the fall of the aid packages. (JPost / VFI News)

The Foreign Ministry on Saturday evening, March 9, responded to the decisions by Canada and Sweden to reinstate funding to UNRWA.

On Friday, Canada’s International Aid Minister Ahmed Hussen announced, "Canada will be lifting its temporary pause on funding to (UNRWA).” He added that “UNRWA plays a vital role in Gaza.”

“The decisions by Canada and Sweden to restore funding to UNRWA - after having received the intelligence-based information about the organization’s employees who participated in the 7 October massacre and prior to the completion of the work of the investigative bodies and the publication of their findings - is a serious mistake that constitutes tacit agreement and support by the governments of Canada and Sweden to continuing to ignore the involvement of UNRWA employees in terrorist activity,” Lior Haiat stated.

“The return to funding UNRWA will not change the fact that the organization is part of the problem and will not be part of the solution in the Gaza Strip.”

He also stressed, “Israel calls on the governments of Canada and Sweden to stop the funding and not to support an organization whose ranks include hundreds of members of the Hamas terrorist organization.” (INN / VFI News)

“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” - Proverbs 12:26

Join Vision for Israel in witnessing the heartwarming celebration of strength and resilience as survivors of terror attacks in Israel come of age through a Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremony. This highlight video captures the joy and hope that radiated throughout the event, as these young survivors embraced their Jewish identity and were surrounded by the love and support of their community. Through this event, we were able to show the love of Yeshua to these young Israelis, showing them that they are not alone in their journey toward healing and a bright future. Experience the spirit of determination and courage as these survivors embrace their identity and celebrate life.

London has become a “no-go area for Jews” following pro-Palestinian demonstrations over the previous weekend, said Robin Simcox, the British Home Office’s independent adviser on national security and terrorism last week.

According to a report by renowned British media, Simcox urged ministers to “be bolder and be prepared to take a higher legal risk” in dealing with extremism.

Two weeks ago Prime Minister Sunak warned against forces “trying to tear the country apart.” Simcox had written that Sunak was right to point to an increase in extremism. He said he now needed “policies to meet the scale of the challenge.” He said the creation of a new definition of extremism had a “clear purpose” and would be used “to guide future decisions about what the government does or does not do.”

He also said the government already has “more power to deal with extremism than it sometimes thinks.” According to him, “We have not betrayed democracy if extremists are no longer able to operate television channels and we will not be an authoritarian state if it is no longer allowed to make London a forbidden zone for Jews every weekend. All these things and more have become normal in Britain.”

However, John Rees, one of the participants of the demonstrations claimed that “there is no need” for Jewish people to be afraid of the demonstrations. He said he understood why some might feel intimidated, but accused the British prime minister of intimidating the Jewish community and called him “irresponsible.”(JPost / VFI News)

“Many have become my enemies without cause; those who hate me without reason are numerous.” - Psalm 38:19

The Netherlands’s National Holocaust Museum opened its doors on Sunday, March 10, in a ceremony presided over by the Dutch king as well as President Isaac Herzog, whose presence prompted protests calling for his arrest on war crimes charges due to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

“This museum shows us what devastating consequences antisemitism can have,” said Dutch King Willem-Alexander at a solemn gathering at the city’s famous nearby Portuguese Synagogue, attended also by Dutch Holocaust survivors as well as Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Herzog said the museum sent “a clear and powerful statement: remember, remember the horrors born of hatred, antisemitism, and racism and never again allow them to flourish. Unfortunately never again is now, right now. Because right now, hatred and antisemitism are flourishing worldwide and we must fight it together,” he added.

He called for the “immediate and safe return” of hostages taken by Hamas in the October 7 attacks and urged the congregation to “pray for peace.”

Hundreds gathered on Sunday waving Palestinian flags and banners and shouting “Never Again Is Now,” a reference to their belief Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. They booed, shouted slogans as the dignitaries arrived at the museum, and hung signs “Detour to International Criminal Court” on lamp posts along the route.

Also, another pro-Palestinian Dutch organization, The Rights Forum, called Herzog’s presence “a slap in the face of the Palestinians who can only helplessly watch how Israel murders their loved ones and destroys their land.” (TOI / VFI News)

A pro-Palestinian activist slashed a historic 1914 painting of British foreign minister Arthur James Balfour at Cambridge University on Friday, March 8, saying his 1917 declaration was the reason the Palestinians lost their homeland to Israel.

The Palestine Action protest group posted on social media a video of a woman spraying red paint over the life-size portrait before cutting it repeatedly with a knife.

The group wrote on their website that “Arthur Balfour, then-UK foreign secretary, issued a declaration which promised to build ‘a national home for the Jewish people’ in Palestine, where the majority of the indigenous population were not Jewish. He gave away the Palestinians’ homeland – a land that wasn’t his to give away.”

Palestine Action further claimed that “since 1948, the Zionist regime continued to ethnically cleanse the Palestinian people, which has now culminated in an intensified genocide in Gaza, which 20 United Nations experts refer to as the second Nakba [catastrophe].”

British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said he was “appalled by the moronic act of wanton vandalism,” adding in a post on X that “perpetrators should face the full force of the law.”

A spokesperson for Cambridge Police told media that “this afternoon we received an online report of criminal damage today to a painting at Trinity College, Cambridge. Officers are attending the scene to secure evidence and progress the investigation. No arrests have been made at this stage.” (JPost / VFI News)

The number of women holding research and development (R&D) roles in the hi-tech industry has soared by 130% over the past decade, according to a report published on Thursday, March 7, by the Israel Innovation Authority.

The report, prepared in collaboration with the Aaron Institute for Economic Policy at Reichman University, was released ahead of International Women’s Day. It showed that 38% of women in the tech industry held R&D positions in 2023, up from 28% in 2013.

Since 2014, 28,000 women have been added to the field of R&D. When looking at the gender segmentation of each position, women still lag behind men.

The relative share of women among all jobs in R&D increased by 0.3% from 23.1% in 2014 to 26.1% in 2023. This means that it would take until 2035 for women to fill around 30% of R&D positions and almost 50 years to achieve gender equality in R&D positions.

According to the criteria established by the Perlmutter Committee for Human Capital in High-Tech, there were about 561,000 female and male employees in hi-tech positions in Israel in 2023 – around a third of them women, mostly Jewish and non-ultra-Orthodox.

Finally, the IIA partnered with the Trump Foundation to examine gender wage gaps in hi-tech, releasing preliminary numbers for the first time. The study showed that women earn about 20% less than men in hi-tech roles. Even when looking at only R&D positions, women earn about 84% of men’s wages. (JPost / VFI News)

“She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.” - Proverbs 31:17-18

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

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