VFI News Fri, March 31 — Approaching Stability | VFI News

Many Christian supporters of Israel offer unwavering support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, believing that he is the natural ally of Christians.

However, this unyielding backing often leads to the view that any opposition to Netanyahu is part of a sinister leftist plot, or even the work of demonic forces. But where does this blind support for Netanyahu end?

In this video, we dive deep into the latest updates concerning the proposed judicial reform and ongoing protests, as well as look back at history to teach us where this may all lead.

We ultimately believe that through prayer and a desire for unity, Israel can become united once again. Join us as we explore these critical issues and ask ourselves, where does it end?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an address to the nation Monday evening, March 27, on the government's planned judicial reforms.

"There is an extreme minority that is ready to tear our country into parts. It tends towards violence. It ignites fire. It threatens to harm elected officials. It talks about civil war. And it calls for insubordination, which is a terrible crime," Netanyahu said.

"The State of Israel cannot exist without the IDF, and the IDF cannot exist with insubordination. Insubordination by one side will bring about insubordination on the other side. Insubordination is the end of our state. Therefore I demand that our security forces and the IDF's commanders oppose the phenomenon of insubordination. Not to contain it, not to understand it. To stop it," he said.

"For three months, I have called for dialogue. I also said that I would leave no stone unturned in order to reach a solution. Because I remember, we remember, that we are not facing enemies: we are facing our brothers. I say here and now: we must not have a civil war.

"We are now on a path towards a very dangerous collision in Israeli society, which jeopardizes the basic unity between us, and such a crisis obligates all of us to act responsibly.” (INN / VFI News)

“God, we ask for long-term stability in Israel. We hope that all of us can display mutual respect and civility at all times so that we can decide about critical matters in unison, and subsequently prosper.”

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.

Ben-Gvir has said in regard to the judicial reform legislation: "I agreed to remove my veto on the postponement of the legislation, in exchange for a commitment from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the legislation will be brought to the Knesset for approval in the next session, if no agreements are reached during the recess."

At the same time, Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir have agreed that as a step to keep the peace in Israeli cities, the establishment of a National Guard under the auspices of the National Security Ministry will be approved at the next cabinet meeting.

The announcements come as tens of thousands of right-wing Israelis are converging on the Knesset from across the country to demonstrate in favor of the judicial reforms, and to demand that the government not freeze the legislation.

Prime Minister Netanyahu had reportedly planned to give a public address Monday morning, March 27, announcing the freezing of the judicial reform legislation, however, he decided to hold off on making a public statement after the Religious Zionist party issued a statement demanding the immediate passage of legislation altering the Judicial Selection Committee. (INN / VFI News)

“He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.” - Exodus 18:25

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won’t be invited to the White House in the “near term,” US President Joe Biden told reporters on Tuesday, March 28, as he urged Israel to drop its judicial reform plan.

"I hope he [Netanyhau] walks away from it," Biden said as he issued his most clear objections to date over Israel’s judicial overhaul process.

“Like many strong supporters of Israel, I am very concerned. I am concerned that they get this straight. They cannot continue down this road. I have sort of made that clear,” Biden said.

“Hopefully the prime minister will act in a way that he will try to work out some genuine compromise, but that remains to be seen.” When asked if he would invite Netanyahu to the White House, Biden quickly replied, “no, not in the near term.”

In a very public dispute that followed, Netanyahu said in response, “I have known President Biden for over 40 years and I appreciate his longstanding commitment to Israel. The alliance between Israel and the United States is unbreakable and always overcomes the occasional differences between us.” (JPost / VFI News)

“Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” - Proverbs 17:9

Greek police arrested two Pakistani nationals Tuesday, March 28, who were allegedly planning mass-casualty terrorist attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets in the country.

Israel’s Mossad spy agency, which aided the Greek investigation, said in a statement that the two were part of an Iranian terror network.

The two suspects, aged 27 and 29, both entered Greece illegally from neighboring Turkey and had been in the country for at least four months. A third man, who is not in Greece, was wanted for questioning and charged in absentia.

A government official told American media that one of the targets was a Jewish restaurant in central Athens. Reports indicated that the target was a Chabad House, which includes a Kosher restaurant and also hosts other religious services.

In a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, Mossad said it had helped Athens in the “grave affair,” including uncovering links to Iran. “After the investigation of the suspects began in Greece, Mossad assisted in unraveling intelligence of the infrastructure, the methods of operation, and the connection to Iran,” the spy agency said. (TOI / VFI News)

“God, we thank You for protecting your people, no matter where we reside. We are also grateful for the Israeli defense forces that are able to act quickly and eliminate any potential threats.”

This beautiful song is a reminder to all that giving thanks and praising God is essential at all times of the day. When we wake, we should praise God for a new day. When we go to sleep, we should thank God for His blessings, and ask Him to allow us to wake up tomorrow. May this song inspire you to focus on gratitude and faithfulness at all times.

Israel is facing multiple emerging threats, as well as the potential for Iran to shift support from Yemen to other fronts, as it positions itself for its latest challenge to Israel in the region.

These are among the issues that Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, focused on during a discussion this week with Israeli media about the region and threats to Israel.

Schanzer has been meeting with officials and experts and is looking at some of the broader trends that are impacting the region. This is important because Israel is engaged in a continuous struggle against Iran’s threats, and changes in the region could be pushing those issues to the foreground in different areas.

One area of interest is the “war between the wars” campaign, also called after its Hebrew acronym “mabam.” This is a conflict that is hard to define, but it basically boils down to Israel’s operations against Iran in Syria and other places during the last decade. This is an undeclared war with unclear frontlines.

“There are two main schools of thought; one is that it is focused on Syria and the other is that it includes Syria and cyber and assassinations, Iran and maritime incidents.”

This is what former prime minister Naftali Bennett called the “Octopus doctrine,” which means Israel is engaged in fighting many tentacles of the Iranian threat. For instance, Palestinian Islamic Jihad could be seen as one part of the octopus, and Hezbollah as another part. (JPost / VFI News)

“I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.” - Psalm 120:7

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft faced the camera during a video call, pointing to a small, sky-blue lapel pin on his blazer.

The pin is the symbol of a $25 million “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” campaign launched Monday, March 27, by the 81-year-old billionaire through his Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, aiming to raise awareness nationwide about soaring incidents of antisemitism online and in person.

“This little blue square represents the Jewish population in the United States – 2.4 percent,” said Kraft, who was raised in Brookline, Massachusetts, in an observant Orthodox Jewish family. “But we’re the victims of 55% of the hate crimes in this country.”

The campaign will feature emotive ads to be introduced by stars of top television shows. The ads are intended to tug at the heartstrings of non-Jewish Americans, said Matthew Berger, the foundation’s executive director.

One of the ads shows a non-Jewish neighbor painting over a garage door vandalized with the Nazi swastika and the words “No Jews,” concluding with the message: “Hate only wins if you let it.”

Another ad focuses on online hate: A Jewish teen is shown crestfallen as he is trolled after posting a video of his bar mitzvah. Soon after, he sees a Harlem choir tag him with their version of his worship song. He sings along with the choir as these words pop up on the screen: “Voices of support are louder than words of hate.” (TOI / VFI News)

“God, we are grateful for the support we receive in eliminating antisemitism and hate speech. We pray that no more Jewish people will suffer because of prejudice and discrimination and that everyone will be able to coexist in peace. ”

British multinational oil and gas firm BP plc and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (Adnoc) on Tuesday, March 28, announced a joint bid to buy 50% of Israel’s NewMed Energy in a deal valued at about $2 billion.

As part of the non-binding offer, the two energy firms will buy 45% of the free-floating shares the public holds in NewMed Energy, formerly Delek Drilling (part of Yitzhak Tshuva’s Delek Group), and about 5% of Delek Group’s stake to take the Israeli offshore natural gas producer private.

Shares in NewMed jumped almost 30% in early afternoon trading in Tel Aviv. The deal would give BP and Adnoc, the United Arab Emirates state-owned oil company, a foothold in Israel’s offshore natural gas fields and its growing energy export markets to pursue projects in the eastern Mediterranean.

Israel’s natural gas discoveries and operations in recent years have put the country on a path to energy independence and turned it into a gas exporter, while largely shielding it from the worst of the energy crisis sparked by the Russian war on Ukraine this year, in a region with few natural resources.

Currently, a maximum capacity of 12 billion cubic meters per year is piped up from the Leviathan reservoir for the supply and sale of gas to Israel, Egypt, and Jordan. (TOI / VFI News)

Researchers have known for some time about the DNA mutations that lead healthy pancreatic cells to turn cancerous. What was not understood is how pancreatic cancer cells metastasize and invade other organs.

On March 22, a peer-reviewed journal published a new study led by Israeli researchers at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem that explains the mechanism for metastasis.

The study was led by doctoral candidate Amina Jbara of the department of biochemistry and molecular biology and a member of Prof. Rotem Karni‘s lab. Colleagues from Sheba Medical Center and Bar-Ilan University, Cornell University, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in the United States, and the University of Toronto in Canada were also involved.

The research concluded that the spread of pancreatic cancer throughout the body is due to changes to the composition of the initial tumors’ RNA molecules, which translate instructions from DNA for protein synthesis in cells.

The good news is that at least one drug already exists that could potentially address the problems with the RNA and eventually help pancreatic cancer patients. The drug is called azathioprine (brand name Imuran), and it is approved for use as an immunosuppressant for organ transplant patients. (TOI / VFI News)

“The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.” - Proverbs 18:15

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

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