VFI News Tues., March 28 — Internal Turmoil | VFI News

In this episode of VFI News, we examine the proposed legislation by Israeli lawmakers to ban the preaching of the gospel and proselytizing. We delve into the implications of this controversial move for religious freedom in Israel.

Additionally, we bring you the latest developments in Israel's foreign relations, including the country's strengthening ties with Poland, as well as the growing diplomatic strain with strategic regional powers such as the UAE and Jordan.

Tune in to stay up-to-date on these critical issues.

There were chaotic scenes in Israel on Sunday night, March 26, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly fired his Defense Minister just a day after he had called for an end to the PM's controversial judicial overhaul.

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv and blocked a main highway in front of the Ministry of Defense following the announcement before water cannons were deployed in Jerusalem against crowds.

The protesters transformed the Ayalon highway into a sea of blue-and-white Israeli flags and lit a large bonfire in the middle of the road. Demonstrations took place in Beersheba, Haifa, and Jerusalem.

The dismissal of the Defense Minister signaled that Netanyahu will move ahead this week with his judicial plan, which has sparked mass protests, angered military and business leaders, and raised concerns among Israel's allies.

The judicial plans include increasing sitting governments' and PMs' powers to overrule the Supreme Court and reduce the review of new laws - as well as giving the government ultimate control over all judiciary appointments. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had been the first senior member of the ruling Likud party to speak out against the plan.

Hours after the defense minister’s removal, a White House National Security spokesperson told Israeli media, “We are deeply concerned by the ongoing developments in Israel, which further underscore the urgent need for compromise.” (DM / VFI News)

“God, we ask that Israel will be a peaceful and safe country at all times. We pray that Israelis will always be willing to treat each other with respect and that our leadership will put Israel’s citizens’ wellbeing as the top priority.”

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.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to postpone the judicial reform legislation to the summer, Otzma Yehudit announced in a statement released on Monday, March 27.

"Stopping the legislation is the right thing," wrote President Isaac Herzog in a statement following Netanyahu's announcement.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also released a statement on Monday night in support of Netanyahu's postponement of the judicial reform legislation.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin said on Monday that he would respect a decision by Netanyahu to freeze legislation of the government's bill proposal to alter the makeup of Israel's Judicial Appointments Committee.

Finance Minster Bezalel Smotrich called his supporters to action in a statement on Monday afternoon. "Friends, under no circumstances should we stop the judicial reform [which will] strengthen Israeli democracy. We are the majority, we must not give in to violence, anarchy...and wild strikes. Let's make our voice heard," he said.

The government will approve at its next meeting a decision to form a National Guard and subjugate it to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, in exchange for Ben-Gvir's party, Otzma Yehudit, promising not to leave the government over Netanyahu's intention to postpone the legislation of the first judicial reform bill. (JPost / VFI News)

“Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.” - Deuteronomy 16:20

A senior defense official said on Sunday, March 26, that Israel’s enemies view the Jewish state as weak, due to the ongoing controversy over the government’s judicial overhaul.

“Our enemies see Israel as weak and limited in its retaliation, especially in light of the weakening of international support,” the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The internal situation has become a central element, all the players point to the fact that Israel is in a serious crisis that, in their view, could lead to the collapse of Israel. They recognize an opportunity. There is damage to [our] deterrence and there are attacks being planned based on their assumption that Israel is paralyzed,” he said.

The official said his view was shared by military chief Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, and Mossad chief David Barnea.

The official said the IDF was “at full competency,” despite hundreds of reservist officers threatening to boycott volunteer duty over the overhaul. “But continuing the legislative process without an agreement will result in competence being damaged.” (TOI / VFI News)

“Lord, we pray for stability in our country. We pray that this problem be solved quickly and that we will be able to defend ourselves against enemies that wish to harm our country.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Friday afternoon, March 24, during a press briefing in London, to the announcement by pilots in the reserves that they will not be attending training flights this week, in protest of the government’s judicial reform plan.

"Surrendering to refusal to serve is a terrible danger for Israel. Surrendering to refusal to serve will lead to refusal on the other side as well. The state cannot exist without the IDF," said Netanyahu.

"People who were responsible for the security of the country suddenly crossed all lines with such cynicism. I'm waiting to see one 'former' [top commander] who will stand up and say no," he added.

Netanyahu’s comments came after about 200 senior pilots announced they would no longer be participating in reserve duty, until further notice. The group said they made their decision after Netanyahu’s televised address Thursday night,

During this speech, Netanyahu vowed to get directly involved in the judicial reform, following the passage of the Incapacitation Law, which limits the ability of the Attorney General to declare a Prime Minister unfit for office only to situations in which the premier suffers from physical or mental incapacitation. (INN / VFI News)

“All of them wearing the sword, all experienced in battle, each with his sword at his side, prepared for the terrors of the night.” - Song of Songs 3:8

This beautiful hymn is a prayer from Deuteronomy 26:15, expressing a great desire that God would look upon us with an eye of love, complacency, and delight—and to grant the promises that He has made to us for abundance and prosperity. Enjoy this warm, personal communication with God, set to serene scenes and timeless tones from the Land.

Iran-backed militants launched another rocket attack on a US military base in Syria on Friday, March 24, in a tit-for-tat retaliatory exchange after President Biden ordered “precision airstrikes” on their positions.

Three missiles on Friday morning narrowly missed a US base in northeast Syria, with two falling in the nearby Al-Omar oil field and another striking a civilian house, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

No casualties were reported from the strike. Three of the wounded troops — who serve as part of a coalition to beat back Islamic State militia groups — had to be medically evacuated to Iraq, according to the Pentagon.

The missile attack occurred hours after Biden ordered US Central Command to launch “precision airstrikes” from F-15 fighter jets on groups linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), killing at least 11, including six confirmed pro-Iran militants and two Syrians.

Biden’s airstrikes came after an Iranian suicide drone killed a US contractor and injured five US military service members and another contractor at a coalition base near al-Hasakah.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the airstrikes had targeted the IRGC, which the US designates as a terrorist group. He also said the unmanned drone was of Iranian origin. (NYP / VFI News)

New figures released Wednesday, March 22, by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) show that there were nearly 3,700 known antisemitic incidents in 2022 in the U.S., 111 of them violent.

The ADL said: In 2022, ADL tabulated 3,697 antisemitic incidents throughout the United States. This is a 36% increase from the 2,717 incidents tabulated in 2021 and the highest number on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979.

This is the third time in the past five years that the year-end total has been the highest number ever recorded.

Incidents increased in each of the major Audit categories: antisemitic harassment increased 29% to 2,298; antisemitic vandalism increased 51% to 1,288, and antisemitic assaults increased 26% to 111.

The vast majority of antisemitic assaults (107 out of 111) were perpetrated without the use of a deadly weapon. There was one fatality. Notably, visibly Orthodox Jews were targeted in 53% of the assault incidents nationally.

This year, no assaults perpetrated against the Jewish community resulted in mass casualties.

Antisemitic incidents were highest in New York and California, where there are large Jewish communities — and which are governed by left-wing Democrats who pride themselves on their commitments to tolerance. (BB / VFI News)

“God, we pray that antisemitic attacks worldwide will cease. We pray for your divine protection over all Jewish people, that we will be able to live peacefully, without the fear of being harassed, assaulted, or even murdered because of our identity and beliefs. ”

After a bill punishing Christian missionaries with prison time for any type of proselytization caused a furor among pro-Israel Evangelicals on Sunday, March 19, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly assured that the State of Israel would not pass legislation targeting Christians.

"We will not advance any law against the Christian community," Netanyahu wrote on Twitter in both English and Hebrew on Wednesday.

United Torah Judaism leader Moshe Gafni also released a statement on Wednesday, noting that the bill would not be advanced at this stage.

US Christian leaders and political actors welcomed Netanyahu's response to their concerns. "Prime Minister Netanyahu is an amazing leader of courage," said Sam Brownback, ex-Kansas governor and former US ambassador for International Religious Freedom.

"I applaud his quick and decisive addressing of what could have been a major issue." Evangelist Pastor Greg Laurie said on Wednesday that Gafni and Netanyahu's comments were "great news."

Penny Nance, head of Christian Evangelical nonprofit Concerned Women for America, also thanked Netanyahu for "standing up for Christians," after she had warned of the repercussions of the bill if it passed. "If this became law, Evangelicals on tour from the US if led by the Holy Spirit to share the Gospel with their tour guide would risk imprisonment." (JPost / VFI News)

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” - Psalm 133:1

Jordan on Monday, March 20, accused Israel of violating the countries’ 1994 peace agreement after Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich denied the existence of a Palestinian people.

Speaking on Sunday in Paris at an event honoring the late Likud activist Jacques Kupfer, the leader of the Religious Zionist Party said, “Jacques’ truth must be told with all our might and without confusion: He said there is no such thing as Palestinians—because there is no such thing as a Palestinian people.”

Smotrich continued: “We need to tell the truth without bowing to the lies and distortions of history, and without succumbing to the hypocrisy of BDS and the pro-Palestinian organizations.”

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned Israel’s ambassador in Amman over the comments, and also to protest a map of “Greater Israel” displayed during Smotrich’s speech, which showed Jordan and Judea and Samaria within the borders of the Jewish state.

“We condemn the racist, inciting, and extremist statements by the extremist Israeli minister against the Palestinian people and its right to exist,” a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

On Monday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry reaffirmed in a Twitter post its commitment to the peace treaty. “Israel is committed to the 1994 peace agreement with Jordan. There has been no change in the position of the State of Israel, which recognizes the territorial integrity of the Hashemite Kingdom,” the tweet read.

Israel’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi also did diplomatic damage control, tweeting that he had spoken with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and assured him “of the commitment the Government of Israel has to uphold the peace treaty between our two countries which has strengthened the stability and the security of our region for nearly 30 years.” (I365N / VFI News)

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

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