JERUSALEM-ON-THE-LINE

Prayer Letter – December 12, 2006

JNN NEWS, P.O. Box 7411, Jerusalem 91073, Israel
 

"You who call on the Lord, do not keep silent, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem

and makes her the praise of the earth." Isaiah 62: 6, 7

MI OFFICER: SYRIA PREPARING FOR WAR WITH ISRAEL: The head of the research division of Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Yossi Baidatz, said Sunday that Syrian President Bashar Assad is preparing for a war with Israel. He warned that Assad has ordered increased production of long-range missiles and instructed the Syrian army to position its anti-tank missiles closer to the Syrian border with Israel, on the Golan Heights. He confirmed that Syria has been receiving advanced weaponry from Iran in preparation for a possible conflict with Israel. Assad claims that his military actions do not rule out the possibility of reaching a political settlement with Israel. The IDF has doubled its forces in the Golan Heights area in case of a conflict. (J. Post/Ha'aretz)

(read Isaiah 17)

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN BEIRUT FOR HEZBALLAH PROTESTS: Hundreds of thousands of Hezballah-led protesters swarmed downtown Beirut on Sunday, demanding Prime Minister Fuad Saniora cede power to the opposition or step down. The demonstration could be a tipping point in Lebanon's burgeoning political crisis, ten days after a coalition of largely pro-Syrian opposition groups launched a series of rallies against Saniora's anti-Syrian, US-backed government. Saniora has refused to quit and has received hundreds of supporters daily at his office complex to counter the opposition protests and sit-ins outside. (J.POST)
 

ISRAEL UNABLE TO RELY ON U.S. TO THWART IRANIAN NUKES: Incoming American Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, says the Iranian threat is clear and present but that the U.S. is not guaranteeing protection to Israel. Asked at his U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee nomination hearing whether he believed that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons capability, he answered: "Yes, sir, I do."  Gates said that there were more powerful forces in Iran than just its president and they are determined to achieve nuclear weapons. He said he is not certain that Iran would attack the Jewish state, since "the risks for them (Iran) are enormously high." He added, though, "I don't think anybody can provide that assurance to Israel that an attack won't occur." (Arutz-7)

IRAN TO COMPLETE NUCLEAR R&D BY MARCH: Iran claims it will complete its nuclear research and development work by March. 2007. Tehran says it will expand its atomic work by installing 3,000 centrifuges, devices used to enrich uranium. Experts say with 3,000 centrifuges in place, Tehran could make enough material for at least one warhead a year.(Reuters) "I appointed watchmen over you and said, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But you said, 'We will not listen.'" Jeremiah 6:17

HAMAS CHIEF PROMISES WAR EVEN IF PA STATE IS ESTABLISHED: Khaled Meshaal, the Damascus-based leader of the Hamas terrorist organization, makes no bones: "Either Israel leaves all of Judea, Samaria and Gaza and agrees to the 'right of return' - or war." Specifically, he threatened, "If within six months, the international community does not come up with a plan for the establishment of a Palestinian state in the 1967 borders and for the return of the refugees, the Palestinians will turn to an armed struggle against Israel." Israeli military men and analysts have said that Hamas is using the current truce in Gaza to rearm and regroup towards the next round of fighting. (Arutz-7) "...The powerful dictate what they desire. They all conspire together." Micah 7:3

HAMAS ATTEMPTS TO CONVINCE EUROPEANS THAT RECOGNITION OF ISRAEL NOT NECESSARY: Sources close to Hamas leaders have claimed that Hamas representatives recently held talks with officials from the U.S. Democratic Party at a secret location. Reportedly they have also been holding secret talks with European government officials, including Britain and France. According to the report, Hamas claims to have succeeded in convincing European officials to accept the Islamist movement's plan for a long-term hudna [truce] with Israel as a substitute for recognizing Israel's right to exist. (J.Post) Prayers are needed against this seductive trend to avoid acknowledging Israel's right to exist.

HEZBALLAH ACCUSED OF HIDING AMONG CIVILIANS: Hezballah operated during the second Lebanon war from within civilian structures and its operatives disguised themselves as civilians. It is therefore guilty of war crimes, according to a report authored by Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. The report also says that 650 out of the 1,084 people the Lebanese government has said were civilians killed in the conflict were in fact Hezballah militants. (Haaretz) "They band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death." Psalm 94:21

SOMALIAN TOWN THREATENS TO BEHEAD PEOPLE WHO DON'T PRAY 5 TIMES DAILY: "Residents of a southern Somalia town who do not pray five times a day will be beheaded," an official said Wednesday. He added that the edict will be implemented in three days. Sheik Hussein Barre Rage, the chairman of the town's Islamic court is backed by armed militiamen who have taken control of much of southern Somalia in recent months. They bring a strict interpretation of Islam that is alien to many Somalis. (Fox News)

PALESTINIAN CRIME UP 50 PERCENT: The anarchy and lawlessness in the West Bank and Gaza has claimed the lives of 332 Palestinians since the beginning of 2006, a 50 percent increase over the previous year. (J. Post)

ARAB, JEWISH BIRTHRATES IN JERUSALEM NOW EQUAL: For the first time ever, in 2005 the Arab and Jewish birthrates in Jerusalem were equivalent a t 3.9 children per woman. An American-Israeli research report found that the Arab fertility rate in Jerusalem has dropped in recent years, while the fertility rate among Jewish women in the capital has risen. (Haaretz)

U.S. DONALD TRUMP PRAISES ISRAEL'S ECONOMY: Donald Trump, who plans on building the tallest building in Ramat Gan, Israel, praised the country for its strong economic potential. "Israel is one of my favorite places in the world, it is a great country," Trump said in an interview at the Globes Israel Business Conference in Tel Aviv. "I am a good businessman and I have tremendous confidence in the strength and potential of the Israeli economy, although I know the country has had to go through a lot in recent months." (Israel Today) "Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be." Job 8:7

Apologies to our readers for the "Dec. 30th" error in the subject line of the previous JOL. It should have been Dec. 5th.

Visit our recently updated humanitarian aid website at: www.visionforisrael.com . We now provide an on-line donations service. Make your tax deductible donation by the end of 2006.

Review current events taking place in the Middle East, updated weekly, and summarized for your reading convenience at: www.jnnnews.com . The JOL is now posted also in Spanish at the home page.

Shop on-line for the holidays at: www.greetingsfromjerusalem.com.  Purchase high quality Messianic and Judaica gifts, a wide assortment of books, praise and worship music, videos, jewelry and study materials. This is a tangible way to show support and solidarity with our people in Israel.  (For N. America only at this time.)

Blessings from Jerusalem,
Barry Segal with the Editorial Staff