VFI News Friday, February 17 — More Austere Measures Needed | VFI News

Experience the timeless Jewish classic 'Oseh Shalom' by Barry and Batya Segal, set against stunning 4K drone footage of the land of the Bible.

Immerse yourself in the beauty of the land of the Bible and be inspired by the message of peace, unity, and hope in this beautiful lyric video for 'Oseh Shalom.'

The stunning visuals and the moving vocals of Barry and Batya Segal make this lyric video a must-watch.

Learn more about following God’s covenant with the land of Israel, how you can restore lives by spreading love and compassion, and by distributing humanitarian aid and disaster relief to those who need it most.

Vision for Israel co-founders, Barry and Batya Segal, work to affect the alarming rise of poverty in Israel and effectively reach people with the love of Yeshua by meeting their physical and emotional needs in practical ways.

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan sent an urgent letter Tuesday morning, February 14, to the members of the UN Security Council, ahead of the meeting that the Council will hold on Monday, February 20 on the Middle East.

In the letter, Ambassador Erdan called on the international community to condemn the recent Palestinian terror attacks that left 11 Israelis murdered, including children. The Ambassador also rebuked the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for his refusal to condemn the attacks and for the incitement that led to them.

In his letter, Erdan wrote: "I write to you with immense sorrow and distress to report on the latest wave of terrorist attacks that Israel has been facing over the past 19 days. "

"These include: the shooting attack at the entrance to a synagogue in Jerusalem on January 27th, in which seven civilians were murdered including a 14 year old, and three injured; the shooting attack in Jerusalem on January 28th, in which two civilians were injured by a thirteen-year-old terrorist; the ramming attack in Jerusalem on February 10th, in which three civilians were murdered, among them two children aged six and eight; the stabbing attack in Jerusalem yesterday, on February 13th, in which a civilian was injured; and the latest stabbing attack in Shuafat yesterday, in which a soldier was murdered."

"I call on the international community to condemn the latest terror attacks against Israeli civilians in the strongest and unequivocal terms. Those abhorrent crimes are being encouraged and applauded by the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian terror groups such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and PFLP among others."

In one of the latest attacks, a 17-year-old boy was stabbed at the Chain Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem. The police have determined that it was a terrorist stabbing attack and that the attacker has been arrested. The suspect has been identified as a 14-year-old resident of the Shuafat neighborhood of Jerusalem. (INN / VFI News)

“God, we ask for the support of the global community during the turbulent times that we are experiencing, as well as for the cessation of terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens. We continually pray for the recovery of any injured civilians and we offer our sincere condolences to the relatives of the deceased.”

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.

Israel’s Security Cabinet on Sunday, February 12, unanimously decided to legalize nine communities in Judea and Samaria, in response to the deadly terrorist attack that happened in Jerusalem two days earlier.

The communities to be authorized are Avigil, Bet Hogla, Givat Harel/Haroeh, Givat Arnon, Mitzpe Yehuda, Malachei Hashalom, Ashael, Sde Boaz and Shaharit.

To fully legalize the outposts, the government will have to prove that they were established on state land, and the High Court of Justice is liable to object to the move, resulting in a legal process that could take years.

The Security Cabinet also said that the Civil Administration Higher Planning Committee, the Defense Ministry body responsible for authorizing new construction in Judea and Samaria, would be convened in the coming days to approve new residential units in other existing communities beyond the Green Line.

For his part, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also holds the post of minister in the Defense Ministry and has been tasked by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with overseeing the Civil Administration, announced on Sunday that he would soon advance plans to construct some additional 10,000 homes in Judea and Samaria.

The Security Cabinet furthermore approved a series of additional counter-terrorism measures, including reinforcing Israel Police and Border Police units in Jerusalem, and expanding operations against inciters and supporters of terrorism. (I365N / VFI News)

“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will protect them from those who malign them.” - Psalm 12:5

In the wake of the recent terrorist attacks, requests to get firearms licenses have spiked by 400%, as revealed Tuesday, February 14, in a National Security Committee discussion on the National Security Ministry's Firearm Licensing Division.

The head of the division stated that "Until 2021, there were approximately 10,000 requests submitted annually. But in 2021, 20,000 applications were submitted following Operation Guardian of the Walls."

In addition: "42,000 applications were submitted following the March 2022 wave of terrorist attacks."

In response, committee chairman MK Zvika Fogel (Otzma Yehudit) said: "Give guns to those who live where the risk and danger are high. Don't give guns to anyone who asks."

Furthermore, a subcommittee for confidential and classified issues was also established. Members of this subcommittee include Fogel, Likud MK Moshe Saada and Yesh Atid MK Merav Ben-Ari. (JPost / VFI News)

“God, we ask that You protect Israeli citizens and establish safety and stability in our region. We hope that each and every one of us will be able to defend ourselves and our families, should the need arise.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Tuesday, February 14, that 35,418 people have died in Turkey as a result of last week’s earthquake, making it the deadliest such disaster since the country’s founding 100 years ago.

Confirmed deaths passed those recorded from the massive Erzincan earthquake in 1939 that killed around 33,000 people.

Erdogan said 105,505 people were injured as a result of the February 6 quake centered around Kahramanmaras and its aftershocks.

Almost 3,700 deaths have been confirmed in neighboring Syria, taking the combined toll in both countries to over 42,000.

The Turkish president, who has referred to the quakes as “the disaster of the century,” said more than 13,000 people were still being treated in hospital.

Speaking in Ankara following a five-hour Cabinet meeting held at the headquarters of disaster agency AFAD, Erdogan said 47,000 buildings, which contained 211,000 residences, had either been destroyed or were so badly damaged as to require demolition.

Aid agencies and governments have been stepping up efforts to bring help to devastated parts of Turkey and Syria, but a week after the disaster many of those left homeless are still struggling to meet basic needs, like finding shelter from the bitter cold. (TOI / VFI News)

“God, we pray for all the people that have been affected by the devastating earthquakes. We hope that everyone will be able to find appropriate shelter, permanent residence, and mourn the people that they lost in peace.”

During July and August, we held backpack distributions throughout the country. The children were excited to receive the beautiful school bags, and we were overjoyed to see their happy faces. The parents also expressed gratitude from the bottom of their hearts: “…This is a big help for us and great kindness. May you be blessed and may God give you strength, health, and joy to continue your blessed work."

The U.S. military announced Tuesday, February 14, that it shot down a drone believed to have been manufactured by Iran, as it was allegedly conducting surveillance over an oil site in northeastern Syria.

The drone was taken down at around 2:30 p.m. local time, according to U.S. Central Command.

"US forces in Syria engaged and shot down an Iranian-manufactured UAV attempting to conduct reconnaissance of Mission Support Site Conoco, a patrol base in northeast Syria," U.S. Central Command said in a statement.

The U.S. and Iran both carry out counterterrorism missions in Syria, although the two countries support different groups. The U.S. backs a Kurdish-led group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, which leads an autonomous government in northeastern Syria, and Iran supports the central government in Damascus.

Iran, the Syrian government and Russia have accused the U.S. of exploiting Syria's natural resources through a military presence the three countries say is illegitimate. And the U.S. says Iran has sought to expand its influence in Syria through support for militias that have targeted U.S. forces in the past. (FN / VFI News)

“But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.” - Proverbs 4:19

Senior Defense Ministry official Brig.-Gen. (res.) Danny Gold on Tuesday, February 14, said Israel’s air defense lasers, when fully deployed in the future, could shoot down the drones Iran has been sending against Ukraine.

Speaking at the Artificial Intelligence (AI) conference at Tel Aviv University, the Director of MAFAT [Directorate of Defense Research & Development] said his ministry is working on developing “the next generation of using lasers.”

He talked about multiple successful tests destroying rockets “with a very sophisticated laser weapons system… We have done the same for mortars, rockets and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), like the Iranian UAVs they are sending to Ukraine. The same concept of UAV, we can shoot them down.”

In February 2022, then prime minister Naftali Bennett proclaimed that Israel’s ability to use lasers had jumped forward and could be operational much sooner than people had expected.

Last month, Aviv Kohavi told Israeli media in an outgoing interview as IDF chief, “The laser defense system is truly great news. It will be both land- and air-based. I do want to be cautious regarding time frames. In another two years, we expect to deploy systems along the Gaza Strip border to test this tool’s effectiveness.” (JPost / VFI News)

“God, we thank You for giving us everything we need in order to defend ourselves and protect other nations. We are grateful for these blessings, as well as for our trained professionals and leaders that help materialize such aspiring plans.”

Forty-one percent of American Jews feel their status in America is less secure than it was a year earlier, according to a new survey by the American Jewish Committee.

According to the AJC survey, released Monday, that number grew from 31 percent the year before. A full 55 percent said their status was the same. Only four percent thought it was more secure.

Last year saw several high profile cases of anti-Semitism, including a hostage-taking at a Texas synagogue and anti-Jewish hatred shared by celebrities, chief among them rapper Kanye West. Former President Donald Trump dined with two openly anti-Semitic guests, drawing criticism from his own Jewish supporters.

Eighty-five percent of American Jews, ages 18-29, have experienced anti-Semitism online. More than a quarter of those – 26 percent – said they feel physically threatened by these incidents.

Four in five Jews said in the 2022 survey that anti-Semitism has grown in the past five years; nearly half said it’s taken less seriously than other forms of bigotry or hate.

A quarter of the respondents said they were directly targeted by anti-Semitic expressions, either in person or on social media, with three percent reporting a physical attack. Nearly four in 10 changed their behavior to lower risks to their safety. Similarly, nearly four in ten reported avoiding visible expressions of Jewishness in public, such as wearing a skullcap. Smaller percentages reported taking similar steps on campus or at work. (BB / VFI News)

“For their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.” - Proverbs 24:2

For the second time in one week, structural damage was reported at a Muslim structure on the Temple Mount. Though the damage seems minor and its cause is undetermined, the Muslim structures standing on Judaism’s holiest site have a long history of collapse due to the earthquakes that are common to the region.

The damage took place on Thursday, February 9, and the Arab officials blamed Israel: “Sheikh Najeh Bakirat, deputy head of the Islamic Awqaf Administration in Occupied Jerusalem, warned that the Israeli occupation authority’s (IOA) refusal to allow the Islamic Awqaf to carry out renovations to the Aqsa Mosque’s prayer buildings and premises constitutes a great danger to its existence,” media reported.

The reference points described in the articles were a bit confusing, as the Marwani Mosque and the al-Aqsa Mosque are separate locations.

Al Aqsa, also known as the Qibli Mosque, is the prayer hall with a dark gray dome located at the southern end of the Temple Mount. The al-Marwani Mosque is a different location, constructed under the Temple Mount Plaza in an underground vaulted space referred to as Solomon’s stables.

While the term ‘al-Aqsa Mosque’ (the further mosque) refers to a specific structure, the Palestinian media have, in recent years, begun to use it to refer to the entire Temple Mount (al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf in Arabic).

According to Dr. Mordechai Kedar, an expert Arabist, this is an intentional lie intended to allow the Palestinians to claim the entire Temple Mount. He suggested that the term will continue to be subverted with the intention of claiming the entire city of Jerusalem for Islam. (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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