VFI News September 20, 2022

There is no other date in the history of the American people that is paired with sorrow. In the archives of our memory, we visit that terrifying pause that gripped the nations as we witnessed the world trade center collapse. As the smoke settled on the dawn of a new era, the American people awoke to a new reality. 2,977 people perished on that day. In the hearts of all Americans, the only words that were being uttered by young and old were ‘God Have Mercy.’ 21 years later, what have we learned? Join Barry Segal for this week’s VFI News.

#visionforisrael #history #911 #terorism #israel #america #worldtradecenter #news #breakingnews #newsupdate

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NOTIFIED! https://www.youtube.com/c/VisionforIsrael

Hamas and extremist Palestinian forces are trying to escalate the situation on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, with the aim of having it develop into an all-out conflict with Israel, Eyal Hulata, head of the National Security Council, said on Thursday, September 15.

“There are constant efforts by Hamas and others to escalate and create a narrative that al-Aqsa is in danger, and to turn Jerusalem into an explosive detonator,” Hulata said at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) in Herzliya.

“Israel has not changed its policy on the Temple Mount, and does not want to change its policy on the Temple Mount,” he said. “We are in a very sensitive time, before the holidays and the election. These things have a great influence.” His words referenced the status quo understanding, by which Jews may visit Judaism's holiest site, but only Muslims may pray at the al-Aksa mosque located on the historic hilltop which is the third holiest religious site in Islam.

Right-wing activists have pushed back at the status quo restrictions, with an increasing number of Jews unofficially heading to the site to pray. The right-wing NGO Beyadenu – Returning to the Temple Mount, reported on Thursday that there was a 95% increase in the number of Jewish worshippers praying there, from 25,582 in 2021 to 50,000 this year. (JPost / VFI News)

“Lord, we ask that you protect the Jewish worshippers from Islamic extremists as they go to pray at the temple mount.”

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.

The Israeli military has identified the withdrawal of some Iranian militia forces, as well as Iranian and Hezbollah operatives withdrawing from Syria.

Iran has been one of the main allies of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in the decade-long war that ravaged the country, sending thousands of militia fighters and equipment in an attempt to entrench itself there.

The withdrawal of the forces detected by the IDF comes after a Saudi-Arabian newspaper reported that Russian officials demanded the Iranians leave several sites in Syria, including its military headquarters in the western Hama province, which is situated next to the Syrian army’s Regiment 49 base.

According to the report, Moscow made the request in order to remove potential targets for Israel that are located near Russian military sites. Despite increased tension between Israel and Russia, the two militaries have a de-confliction mechanism in order to prevent unnecessary friction during IAF operations.

In an attempt to thwart Tehran’s regional hegemony aspirations and the smuggling of advanced weaponry to Hezbollah in Lebanon from Iran, Israel has been carrying out its war-between-the-wars campaign (known as MABAM in Hebrew) for close to a decade. The IDF believes that MABAM has led to a strategic change in the region and destroyed the vision of Qassem Soleimani, the former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander who was killed in an American airstrike in Baghdad in 2020. (JPost / VFI News)

The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the Lord will prosper. - Proverbs 28:25

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday, September 15, told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the cooperation among countries sanctioned by the United States will make them “stronger.”

“The relationship between countries that are sanctioned by the US, such as Iran, Russia or other countries, can overcome many problems and issues and make them stronger,” Raisi said in a meeting with Putin in Uzbekistan.

“The Americans think whichever country they impose sanctions on, it will be stopped. Their perception is a wrong one.”

Putin hailed growing ties with Tehran as he met Raisi on the sidelines of a regional summit. “On the bilateral level, cooperation is developing positively,” Putin said, as Moscow looks to use the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Uzbekistan to show it is not isolated internationally despite its invasion of Ukraine.

“We are doing everything to make Iran a full member of the SCO,” Putin added, in reference to Tehran’s application for full membership in the group, which brings together China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and four ex-Soviet Central Asian countries. (TOI / VFI News)

“God, we ask that you shield us from the nations that want to harm us, as well as their powerful allies, and we thank you for giving us the means to protect ourselves as needed.”

The FBI announced the indictment of three Iranian nationals for their part in multiple cyberattacks on hundreds of companies, organizations, and institutions.

The three Iranian nationals being charged are Mansour Ahmadi, Ahmad Khatibi Aghda, and Amir Hossein Nickaein Ravari. They were among a group of cybercriminals that were attacking critical infrastructures and public services that many people rely on. They were also attempting to steal information for their own personal gain, according to the FBI.

"They were looking to steal information, encrypt networks and sell private data, all in the hopes of persuading victims to pay sizeable ransoms," FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.

"In addition to targeting victims here in the US, the defendants also targeted companies and entities around the world, including in their own country of Iran, demonstrating that few targets were off-limits." (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

Holocaust survivors in Israel live off very small stipends, and the cost of living in Israel can be a heavy burden on them. In special events that we organized for the survivors, they were able to choose from thousands of clothing items and received money vouchers to help them with their needs.

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) has provided the CIA with new intelligence regarding Palestinian civil society organizations that Israel has accused of involvement in terrorism.

The information was provided to the CIA two weeks ago, but the agency has not discussed the issue publicly since the report was published. Israel is hoping to convince the US of its position on the NGOs after Washington, the European Union, and the United Nations heavily criticized Jerusalem’s moves against the groups.

The latest attempt to convince the Biden administration that the groups have ties to terrorism, apparently came last month when Israel closed several organizations it declared to be illegal last October.

The organizations have said Israel merely wants to silence them and their activities, which often involve political criticism and activism, including protests against Israeli control of Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel has said the organizations wear two hats – one helping with human rights issues and the other aiding the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. (JPost / VFI News)

“God, we ask that you enable other nations to realize the context of our actions and the true goals of certain organizations so that we are protected and our reputation becomes restored.”

Israel warned that Lebanon would pay the price for any Hezbollah attack on its offshore Karish gas field, even as it said it hoped a US-brokered deal to set a maritime boundary in the north was close to completion.

“If [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah wants to try and harm and to complicate this process, he is welcome to do so, the price is Lebanon,” Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Reichman University’s 21st World Summit on Counter-Terrorism on Thursday morning, September 15. “I hope for his sake that he won’t do this, we are prepared to defend our interests.”

Gantz’s words come as US envoy Amos Hochstein appears to be on the edge of concluding a deal between the Lebanese and Israeli governments to set a maritime border off the Mediterranean Sea. It would give Israel rights to the Karish gas field and Lebanon the right to the abutting Kana gas field.

Finalizing the deal has become increasingly urgent given that the Karish gas field is set to start production next month. Hezbollah has issued threats against the deal.

In the end, there will be two gas rigs, one that belongs to Israel and one that belongs to Lebanon, Gantz said, adding that the only question is whether there will be a violent outbreak in the middle, but that the final outcome will be the same. (JPost / VFI News)

Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy. - Proverbs 12:20

Germany’s public broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, has revised its code of conduct to require support for Israel’s right to exist, and employees who fail to do so may now be fired. The move announced on September 1 preceded a court order two weeks ago that DW reinstates a former employee after she was fired over comments about Israel, that could be construed as antisemitic.

In all, seven employees from the broadcaster’s Arabic service were let go last year on similar grounds, and so far two have successfully sued DW for reinstatement. The revised conduct code appears to be timed to strengthen the company’s hand in such cases in the future.

DW spokesperson Vera Tellmann told Jewish media in an email that the company “is awaiting the reasons for the verdict in one case and reserves the right to take further legal action.”

DW is not the only German media company to expressly endorse Israel’s right to exist. In 1967, the Axel Springer company, one of Germany’s biggest media conglomerates that now owns multiple other companies, established “corporate principles” that include “support [for] the Jewish people and the right of existence of the State of Israel.”

The DW code made public on September 1 declares that “Germany’s historical responsibility for the Holocaust is also a reason for which we support the right of Israel to exist.” It also adds that “discrimination of any kind, such as sexism, racism, and antisemitism… can have consequences in terms of labor law, including dismissal.” Tellmann told that labor law consequences would be applied “depending on the severity of the violations.” Denial of Israel’s right to exist would be such a violation, she added. (INN / VFI News)

“God, we thank you for defending Israel around the world, and for enabling other countries to offer reparations and justice to those who are wronged.”

A new study conducted by the University of Haifa has identified processes that may help prevent the spread of Parkinson’s disease. The study, published in the prestigious journal NJP Parkinson’s Disease, has for the first time identified neural processes that are common to various different types of the disease.

The processes are related to the ability of cells to connect to the extracellular matrix and their capacity to create new synapses. Thanks to the use of the innovative Sendai Reprogramming technique, the researchers were able to show for the first time that even in sporadic Parkinson's patients for which no animal model has yet been developed, these processes are also impaired.

Parkinson’s patients suffer from massive loss of nerve cells in the area of the brain known as the Substantia nigra, which is packed with dopaminergic neurons. Dopamine is required in the process of transfer of messages between brain cells and plays a key role in the ability to perform motor actions properly. One of the problems in the research – and development of drugs – is the fact that only 15 percent of Parkinson’s cases are caused by known genetic factors, while 85 percent are defined as “sporadic.” Accordingly, it is only possible to create a model for the disease in animals relating to those 15 percent of the cases.

“Most of the current studies were undertaken on a small number of familiar Parkinson’s mutations caused by genetic factors since it is not possible to create models for sporadic forms of the disease. Thanks to the ability to create induced pluripotent stem cells for patients with “sporadic” disease, we managed to show for the first time the presence of impaired neural and cellular mechanisms in a similar manner across all the types of disease we examined,” explained the study’s author Dr. Shani Stern, a senior lecturer at the University’s Sagol Department of Neurobiology. (INN / VFI News)

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

Want to see more from VFI? Follow us on Facebook! Our official Facebook name is Vision for Israel. Follow us there and please hit “like” if you like us.