King of Morocco Congratulates Bennett; Putin Thanks Netanyahu

June 18, 2021

Biden Picks Thomas Nides as Ambassador to Israel

Shirley Pinto, the First-Ever Deaf MK, Sworn into Knesset Using Sign Language

Iran Says It Has 6.5 Kg of 60%-Enriched Uranium, Inching Closer to Weapons-Grade

A Joyful Song | Praise & Worship with Barry & Batya

Young Evangelical Support for Israel Drops by Half in 3 Years

Israeli’s New UK Passport Lists Birthplace as ‘Occupied Palestinian Territories’

Family of Murdered Iranian Wrestler Navid Afkari Beaten and Arrested

Ohio: 7 Coaches Fired after Allegedly Trying to Force Hebrew Israelite Teen to Eat Pepperoni Pizza

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King of Morocco Mohammed VI sent a letter of congratulations to new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in which he said the kingdom will continue to promote peace in the region, the Prime Minister’s Office announced on Wednesday.

In his letter, the monarch said that Morocco will “continue its efforts to promote peace, justice, and coexistence in the Middle East, which will ensure security, stability, and brotherhood for all peoples living side by side.”

The letter also sent Bennett “warm greetings and best wishes for great success” following his entry into office this week.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his appreciation for former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon his exit from office.

According to reports, the letter from Putin thanked Netanyahu for the “cooperation and mutual understanding between us for many years. I appreciate the great work you have invested in strengthening the ties between our nations in many areas,” he wrote. “Your capabilities and experience will always be an asset to Israel.” (TOI / VFI News)

“God, we ask that you bless the new administration with success and peace for the people of Israel and the region.”

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.

US President Joe Biden’s announcement on Tuesday that he intends to appoint Thomas Nides as the country’s next ambassador to Israel was met with a wave of approval from both liberal and conservative Israelis and Americans who have had previous dealings with him.

“I worked with him when he was undersecretary of state for Hillary Clinton,” Michael Oren, former Israeli Ambassador to Washington, said. “We’ve dealt extensively with a wide range of issues: peace process, security, Gaza,” Oren continued. 

“Tom is an excellent diplomat and a real statesman. He understands the issues; he’s passionate about Israel, understands it very well, he is committed to the relationship, committed to the alliance, and to Israel’s security. Ambassadors do not make policy, but he will be representing positions based on the two-state solution for the Palestinians and the renewal of the JCPOA.”

Nides is currently the managing director and vice-chairman of Morgan Stanley, working with global clients and external and governmental affairs issues. He previously served as deputy secretary of state for management and resources under Hillary Clinton from 2011 to 2013. He was also awarded the secretary of state’s Distinguished Service Award in January 2013. (JPost / VFI News)

Pinto, an MK from Yamina, entered the Israeli parliament following the resignation of one of the party’s ministers through the “Norwegian Law,” which allows any MK who is appointed to a cabinet post to step down temporarily from the Knesset, thereby permitting the next candidate on the party’s slate to enter parliament in their stead.

Knesset Secretary-General Yardena Meller-Horowitz called Pinto’s name in the plenum, and the lawmaker stood and, in both sign language and spoken Hebrew, swore her allegiance to the Knesset.

Pinto is a long-time activist for disability-related issues, particularly those dealing with the hearing-impaired, and serves as Yamina’s representative in the World Zionist Congress. (TOI / VFI News)

Iran said Tuesday that it has produced 6.5 kilograms (14.3 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity and 108 kilograms of uranium enriched to 20% purity in five months, far ahead of the schedule set by a law passed earlier this year by Tehran.

The move takes the Islamic Republic even closer to the nuclear weapons-grade level of 90% purity.

The development came amid talks between Iran and world powers in Vienna aimed at rebuilding the 2015 nuclear deal that put curbs on Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran has been increasingly violating the terms of the deal since the Trump administration withdrew the United States from it in 2018. (TOI / VFI News)

“God, we ask that you protect your people from the threat of nuclear war.”

Messianic praise & worship duo Barry & Batya Segal proclaim the word of God in their music. They are one of Israel's leading Messianic recording artists. Barry plays guitar for the duo, representing a style called Mizrahi, which mixes traditional Middle Eastern sounds with modern world music. Batya writes the songs and sings in both English and Hebrew. Subscribe to Barry and Batya’s music channel on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9Nj8CTAGFJZUVvSL-7iBBg

The rate of support for the State of Israel among Evangelicals between the ages of 18 and 29 has declined by more than half between 2018 and 2021 – from 69% to 33.6% – according to a study that will be presented Thursday at Tel Aviv University.

“It seems that the Israeli government’s decision to abandon large segments of the liberal, progressive Democratic public and gamble only on the Evangelicals might end up costing us dearly,” said Dr. Yoav Fromer, head of the Center for the Study of the United States at Tel Aviv University, in partnership with the Fulbright Program, in response to the study.

The research will be featured as part of a university conference called “The Americanization of the Israeli Right.” (JPost / VFI News)

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. - 1 Timothy 4:12

A Jerusalem-born Israeli woman with British citizenship said Wednesday she was shocked to discover that her new UK passport lists her birthplace as the “Occupied Palestinian Territories.”

The British Home Office later apologized, describing the listing as an “error” and saying it was urgently investigating the matter.

Ayelet Balaban, whose father is British, was born at Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital in Jerusalem.

The medical center sits within the territory that formed an Israeli exclave between the 1948 War of Independence and the 1967 Six-Day War, at which time Israeli forces captured the surrounding area from Jordan. The Mount Scopus site, which the hospital shares with Hebrew University, was never part of Jordanian-controlled East Jerusalem. (TOI / VFI News)

Iran’s regime on Saturday intensified its persecution of the family of the murdered champion wrestler, Navid Afkari, whose family members faced brutal beatings and arrests in the city of Shiraz for their protest against the reported wrongful imprisonment of Navid’s brothers, Vahid and Habib.  

Navid’s brother, Saeed, tweeted “Two female officers beat my mother so that her head was hit on the asphalt. 20 people beat Navid, 5 people [beat] Elham, and 2 people [beat] my mother, who is a 55-year-old woman. You give meaning to the word filth, you cowards.”

The clerical regime executed the champion Greco-Roman wrestler Navid Afkari in September 2020 for his role in 2018 protests against the worsening economic situation in the Islamic Republic. (JPost / VFI News)

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 5:10

An Ohio high school coach and six assistant coaches were fired Thursday over an incident in which they allegedly tried to force a football player to eat a pepperoni pizza despite his religious dietary restrictions forbidding pork. 

The Canton City School District Board of Education decided during a special meeting following an investigation. 

The family of a 17-year-old Canton McKinley High School boy, who is part of the Hebrew Israelite faith, claimed the student was threatened with extra drills for his teammates and being kicked off the team for not eating the pizza. 

Family attorney Edward Gilbert said the pork pizza was used as a punishment because the player had missed a nonmandatory practice for an injury. "What’s interesting is everyone on the team knows this child will not eat pork," he said. (Fox / VFI News)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? - Romans 8:35

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

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