From the Newsletter

Democracies

December 7, 2022 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

US Democracy/Republic

Unlike the ancient Greek democracy, the US system is at its core, not a pure democracy, but a constitutional republic with democratic elections, as clearly stated in the U.S. Constitution: “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican form of Government.” This differs from the original ancient Greek democracy, which the American founders believed to be a corrupt form of government. There are fundamental differences between pure democracy and constitutional republic forms of government.

The Difference between a Democracy and a Republic

The key difference between a democracy and a republic lies in the limits placed on government by the law, which has implications for minority rights. Both forms of government use a representational system, where citizens vote to elect politicians to represent their interests and form the government.

In a republic, a constitution, or charter of rights, protects certain inalienable rights that cannot be taken away by the government, even if it has been elected by a majority of voters.

In a so-called pure democracy, the majority is not restrained in this way. It can impose its will on the minority. It also differs from a representative democracy in which constituents choose leaders to govern according to their interests.

The US is a democratic republic that guarantees fundamental rights and liberties and features an electoral system combining direct elections for legislators and indirect voting (through an electoral college) for the President.

Other Nations

Given that the US is a republic with democratic elections, Americans may not understand how it compares with other forms of government.

For example, unlike the United States, the United Kingdom has a constitutional monarchy that has democratic elections. Although the UK has a legislative system, its Parliament’s historical foundations are not entirely democratic. Whereas the House of Commons is an elected body, the House of Lords is hereditary, though its authority to originate legislation has been curtailed over the years. Yet, unlike Israel, its government is rarely delegitimized.

Some Muslim countries, like Malaysia, enshrine Islam as the national faith; citizens must be Muslim to be considered ethnic Malaysians. Even though they have constitutions and legislative bodies, certain rights and freedoms are subservient to Islamic law as applied by Sharia courts, and there is no separation between religion and state (which is seen as a purely western invention).

Israel

Israel is a parliamentary democracy, consisting of legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Its institutions are the Presidency, the Knesset (parliament), the Government (cabinet), and the Judiciary.

The system is based on the principle of separation of powers, with checks and balances, in which the executive branch (the government) is subject to the confidence of the legislative branch (the Knesset) and the law guarantees the independence of the judiciary.

The President in this system has just a few symbolic duties, with no political power. Defined by law, his duties are mostly ceremonial and formal, such as ceremonially opening the first session of a new Knesset; accepting the credentials of foreign envoys; signing treaties and laws adopted by the Knesset; appointing judges, the governor of the Bank of Israel and heads of Israel’s diplomatic missions abroad. He can pardon prisoners and commute sentences, on the advice of the minister of justice.

The President is elected once in seven years by a simple majority of the Knesset from among candidates, nominated based on their personal stature and contribution to the state.

The Israeli parliament, The Knesset is the legislative authority elected in a general election.

The Knesset, through its committees, conducts general debates on government policy and activity, as well as on legislation. Debates are conducted in Hebrew, but members may speak Arabic, as both are official languages; simultaneous translation is available.

Every citizen is eligible to vote for the Knesset from age 18 and to be elected to the Knesset from age 21. Knesset elections, for a tenure of four years, are general, national, direct, equal, secret, and proportional, with the entire country constituting a single electoral constituency. The Knesset may dissolve itself or be dissolved by the Prime Minister before the end of its term. Until a new Knesset is formally constituted following elections, full authority remains with the outgoing one.

Knesset elections are based on a vote for a party rather than for individuals, and the many political parties, which compete for election to the Knesset, reflect a wide range of outlooks and beliefs. Knesset seats are assigned in proportion to each party’s percentage of the total national vote.

The Government (cabinet of ministers) is the executive authority of the state, charged with administering internal and foreign affairs, including security matters. Its policy-making powers are very wide and it is authorized to take action on any issue, which is not delegated by law to another authority. Like the Knesset, the government usually serves for four years, but its tenure may be shortened if the Prime Minister is unable to continue in office due to death, resignation, or impeachment when the government appoints one of its members (who is a Knesset member) as acting Prime Minister.

In the case of a vote of no confidence, the government and the Prime Minister remain in their positions until a new government is formed. All the ministers must be Israeli citizens and residents of Israel; they need not be Knesset members, but a majority usually are. Ministers, with the approval of the Prime Minister and the government, may appoint a deputy minister in their ministry; all deputy ministers must be Knesset members.

To date, all governments have been based on coalitions of several parties, since no party has received enough Knesset seats to be able to form a government by itself.

The Judiciary – Israeli law guarantees the absolute independence of the judiciary. Judges are appointed by the President, upon recommendation of a special nominations committee, comprised of Supreme Court judges, members of the bar, and public figures. Judges’ appointments are for life, with a mandatory retirement age of 70.

The Override Law

November 18, 2022 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

God’s kingdom is not a democracy. He is the Supreme Judge and we must abide by His rules and law. We affirm, “the world is filled with His glory.” We appropriate the concept of His divine sovereignty. Until Lord Yeshua returns and establishes His Kingdom on earth, ungodly dictatorships rule many nations. Although there are democracies elected by the people, these are also ungodly, but at least they are not dictatorships.

In a democracy, there must be a separation of powers, in which the essential tasks of governance are divided among the three branches of government in accordance with the perceived strengths of each.

The coalition: the Legislative branch, which in almost every democracy is the main, most important power. It is first because it is elected by the people, and represents most of the people.
The second is the Executive branch, ensuring the state is doing what it legislated. This is equally important.
The third ruling power is the Judicial branch, which is appointed (not elected) to oversee that the government acts according to the law it legislated.

In every democracy, the Judicial branch is independent of the other branches. They cannot force the judges in their rulings.

According to Israel’s state law, only the law is above any judge. The Judicial branch is the lesser of the three branches since it is not elected by the people. Its authority is not from the people, who are sovereign in a democracy. This was the condition of the ruling powers in Israel until the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s.

Early in the 80s, a gradual change in the balance of powers occurred when the Judicial branch slowly became the most important branch imposing its power on the other two branches.

How did it happen?

In all democracies, the Judicial branch is the third in power. Even when it supervises the actions of the government according to its authority, it is limited in the scope of supervision it allows itself over the Executive branch, and especially the Legislative branch, which in Israel is the Knesset. The Judicial branch must restrain itself as the law permits since it is not an elected body. Judicial doctrines were developed to give substance to that restraint.

Judicial Restraints Removed

The first doctrine is the separation between the elected government, the ruling power, from the appointed Judicial branch.

This separation discourages courts from intervening in political questions best left to more representative branches of government. The Supreme Court’s role is to safeguard the rule of law and protect individual rights, ensuring that government action violates no explicit law while reviewing the activities of the Executive and Legislative branches. The Judicial branch has no right to abolish government laws or make up new laws that were not voted on and approved by the government. However, such is the case now in Israel wherein exists a sort of Supreme Court dictatorship.

In recent years, the State of Israel has undergone a constitutional revolution, especially with the 1992 passage of the Basic Law: ‘Human Dignity and Liberty.’ This law has only 6 conditions, not including freedom of speech or the right for the Supreme Court to abolish or add laws.

Nevertheless, the Supreme Court gave itself rights and the power to abolish Knesset legislation that in the Supreme Court’s opinion violates normative human rights guarantees.

The result is that today virtually every controversy in Israeli public life ends up, sooner or later, in a courtroom.

Justice Aharon Barak

The Supreme Court’s unprecedented power to shape the ideological debate in Israel started and is now dependent on Aharon Barak’s judicial worldview, which is mainly left-wing progressive liberal, with the excuse that the views serve the values of Israel as a “Jewish and democratic” state.

A brilliant and accomplished lawyer and judge, Aharon Barak was Attorney-General in 1975, and in 1995 became the Supreme Court president, a post he held until he retired in 2006.

Barak’s legal philosophy is that the law always has its say, on everything, and that every human behavior is subject to a legal norm, including politics, by keeping the actions of the government under his view of the law.

However, in a democracy, the court’s capacity to protect the rule of law is limited by the judge’s inherently passive role in politics. No matter how much a government action may offend his sensibilities, a judge can only review a case that comes before him in court, and even then only if the plaintiff has a sufficiently direct interest in the case, and if the issue at hand is of the kind that courts are allowed to adjudicate.

There are principles that limit the power of the judges:

The principle of “standing” dictates that only a party or someone who has suffered an injury to a right or personal interest can be heard (stand before a judge.) This restriction is important for courts to protect themselves from being overwhelmed by what the legal literature calls “unnecessary” litigation cases that do not require a judicial remedy, whose adjudication only distracts the court from properly being used. In other countries, there are laws concerning the principle of standing and the desired scope of limitation. The higher the level of limitations, the less involvement of judges in the ruling of government cases. So, the first thing that Aharon Barak did was to eliminate this requirement for the right of standing from the Israeli Judicial system. Now everyone can petition the Supreme Court in any case and matter, and the government has to be subject to the Judicial branch, meaning his view of the law.

The second principle Aharon Barak canceled was the principle of non-judgment or “justifiability;” determining which issue the court will hear. Because it is the third branch, subject to the other two elected branches, the court should exclude itself from being involved in political matters such as the conduct of foreign affairs best left in the hands of the Executive or Legislative Branches.

However, now, the Supreme Court can rule in any case and matter presented, without exception, especially in political matters.

Aharon Barak cannot stand the prospect of restricting the Supreme Court, therefore it must intervene even in government, which is an elected legislative power that in a democracy must stay separated from the appointed judiciary power.

Thirdly, Aharon Barak added to the Supreme Court the principle of reasonableness. The Supreme Court decides what is reasonable and what isn’t. Now the Supreme Court can cancel any decision made by the government without exception just because it isn’t reasonable in the judges’ opinion.

Therefore, from now on the name should be: “The Supreme Court of Reasonableness” – the “authority” without authority the Supreme Court gave itself to cancel and add laws.

These are some of the foundations Aharon Barak formed that made the Supreme Court the supreme and only ruler in the State of Israel, not in order to enforce the law, but to make the Supreme Court the ruler of law enforcement, which is contrary to real law enforcement.

The Supreme Court is now the body that decides in any matter, big or small.

Just two examples:

1. Lately, opposing the office of finances’ opinion, the Supreme Court ordered that loose tobacco be taxed.

2. When Netanyahu was PM last time and legally held several portfolios, the Supreme Court ordered Netanyahu to give up some of them.

To get rid of, not the original Supreme Court, but this Supreme Court dictatorship, there needs to be a Basic Law that will be called, “the law of separation of the ruling powers”, separating the authority of the courts in public law enforcement. This Basic Law will destroy the foundations of the Supreme Court dictatorship formed by Aharon Barak by re-establishing the laws that the Supreme Court abolished without authority. The Supreme Court would be once again the way it is supposed to be.

In recent years, former Supreme Court President Barak and his fellow justices have overruled a number of governmental decisions and actions.

Today any government official in Israel can be brought before the Supreme Court. Indeed, a sizeable number of government moves have already been stopped by the Supreme Court with the excuse of enforcement of the “rule of law.” It has become an ever-expanding empire ruled by judges. As a result, there are serious difficulties for Israel’s democratic political system, and society as a whole. The new government intends to do something about it.

Terror Attacks Since 2015 – a History

September 18, 2022 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

We ask for prayer against terror attacks especially during the holidays. Here is a partial history. So far this year (2022) 312 significant terror attacks were foiled and 2,110 arrests have been made. Operation Break the Wave has been instrumental in this effort.

The following is a list of major terror attacks against Israelis since September 13, 2015, the eve of Rosh Hashanah. This is a partial list that does not include most of the daily instances of riots, rock-throwing and Molotov cocktails in which no one was hurt.

2022

July 2022
135 terror attacks. Of these, 113 attacks took place in Judea and Samaria, 120 in Jerusalem and the Green Line and 2 in the Gaza Strip.

Three Israeli citizens were injured in the attacks, there were no fatalities:

July 5^th, an Israeli man was stabbed in Givat Shaul.
July 15^th, a Jewish woman was injured in a stone-throwing attack in Samaria.
July 19^th, an Israeli man was wounded in a stabbing attack in Jerusalem.

The attacks included 1 stone-throwing incident, 75 firebomb attacks, 27 pipe bomb attacks and 15 incidents of small-arms fire. There were also 12 arson attacks and 2 assaults.

June 2022
189 terror attacks. 147 attacks took place in Judea and Samaria, 41 in Jerusalem and the Green Line and 1 from the Gaza Strip. The attacks included 2 assaults with knives, 117 firebomb attacks and 42 pipe bomb attacks. There were also 11 incidents of small-arms fire and 16 arson attacks.

Three civilians were injured in a shooting attack at Joseph’s Tomb on June 30th.

May 2022
208 terror attacks. Of these, 171 originated in Judea and Samaria and 37 in Jerusalem and the Green Line area. No terrorist attacks originated in the Gaza Strip.

Four people were killed in the May attacks; an additional six were injured:

May 5^th, Three people were killed and two others wounded in a stabbing assault in Elad.
May 13^th, an Israeli security force officer was killed in a shooting in Burqin (Palestinian town in north Samaria).
May 8^th, an Israeli security force officer was injured in a stabbing attack at the Damascus Gate in E. Jerusalem.
May 24^th, Three Israelis were wounded (two moderately, another sustained minor injuries) from stone-throwing near Huwara, a Palestinian town in north Samaria.

April 2022
268 terror attacks. Of these, 217 originated in Judea and Samaria, 42 in Jerusalem and the Green Line area and 9 in the Gaza Strip.

April 7^th, three Israeli civilians were killed and six injured in a shooting attack in Tel Aviv.
April 29^th, an Israeli civilian was killed in a shooting attack in Ariel.
April 10^th, an Israeli security forces officer was injured in a stabbing attack at the Tomb of the Patriarchs.
April 11^th, two Israeli civilians were injured in a shooting attack at Joseph’s Tomb.
April 12^th, an Israeli security forces officer was injured in a stabbing attack in Ashkelon.
April 15^th, an Israeli civilian was injured in a stabbing attack in Haifa.

The attacks in April included 187 firebomb attacks, 35 pipe bomb attacks, 17 attacks using small firearms, 11 arson attacks and 2 assaults.

March 2022:
190 terror attacks. 11 people were killed (two young Israel Border Police officers, 2 Ukrainian nationalist and 7 Israeli citizens) 27 were injured.

February 2022:
187 terror attacks. An Israeli civilian and a member of the security forces were injured.

January 2022:
141 terror attacks. An Israeli civilian and a member of the security forces were injured.

2015-2021 Attacks

Since the beginning of the wave of Palestinian terrorism that started in October 2015, there were 620 attacks (483 in the form of firebombs) in one month. Eleven people (one foreign national and 10 Israelis) were killed that month and 80 were injured, 37 of them moderately or more severely (one foreign national, 18 Israeli civilians, and 18 members of the security forces).

2015

November 2015, 10 people (one Palestinian and 9 Israelis) were killed in terrorist attacks. Among the non-fatal casualties, 22 were wounded in stabbings (including 5 in Jerusalem and 10 within Israel), 24 in vehicle attacks, and 12 in shootings.

December 2015, 3 civilians were killed. All three of the fatalities were caused by stabbings.

2016

January 2016, 5 Israelis were killed in terrorist attacks. In the major shooting attack in Tel Aviv two civilians were killed in stabbing attack.

February 2016, 3 Israelis were killed in Arab terrorist attacks. In March 2016, terrorists killed one foreign national in a stabbing attack in Jaffa and injured 26, 9 of which were injured in the abovementioned stabbing attack.( Among the non-fatal casualties, 13 civilians and 13 security forces personnel were wounded.

April 2016, Arab terrorist attacks caused 18 non-fatal casualties, most of which (16) were injured in an IED (Improvised Explosive Devices) attack in Jerusalem on 18 April. In addition, on 3 April, one civilian was injured in a stabbing attack in Rosh HaAyin and one border-police member was injured in a firebomb attack in Isawiya (Jerusalem neighborhood).

May 2016, terrorist attacks did not result in any fatalities. However, 12 Israelis – 4 civilians and 8 security personnel – were injured.

June 2016, five Israelis were killed and 21 injured. Most of the fatalities were registered during the shooting in Tel Aviv on 8 June that left four dead and 15 wounded. An Israeli teenager was stabbed to death on 30 June in the Jewish neighborhood in Hebron, and another civilian was moderately injured. On June 24, 2 civilians were injured in a vehicle-ramming attack near Hebron; a member of the security forces in a firebomb attack in north Jerusalem, (29 June); 2 civilians in a stabbing attack in the Israeli city of Netanya on 30 June.

July 2016: 316 terrorist attacks; 1 person murdered and 17 injured. There were 6 stabbings or attempted stabbings, 6 shooting attacks, 1 ramming attack, 8 pipe/roadside bombs, 231 stone-throwing incidents, 51 petrol bombs. Several attacks occurred in Jerusalem; the rest in Judea and Samaria.

August 2016: 414 total attacks caused by an increase of stone-throwing (339 in number) 5 stabbings, 3 shooting, 9 pipe/roadside bombs, 34 Molotov cocktails bombs.

September 2016: 480 total attacks: 14 stabbings or attempted stabbings; 3 shootings; 1 ramming attack, 11 roadside bombs/grenades; 365 stone-throwing attacks, 63 Molotov cocktails.

October 2016: 410 total attacks: 6 stabbings or attempted stabbings; 10 shootings; 1 ramming attack, 10 roadside bombs/grenades; 265 stone-throwing attacks, 71 Molotov cocktails.

November 2016: 423 total attacks (mostly stone-throwing): 5 stabbings or attempted stabbings; 2 shootings; 0 ramming attacks, 12 roadside bombs/grenades; 346 stone-throwing attacks, 41 Molotov cocktails.

December 2016: 258 total attacks; 6 stabbings or attempted stabbings; 8 shootings; 1 ramming attack, 5 roadside bombs/grenades; 199 stone-throwing attacks, 27 Molotov cocktails.

2017

January 2017: 3 stabbings or attempted stabbings; 9 shootings; 2 ramming attacks, 9 roadside bombs/grenades; 293 stone-throwing attacks, 44 Molotov cocktails.

February 2017: 1 stabbing or attempted stabbing; 5 shootings; 1 ramming attack, 7 roadside bombs/grenades; 260 stone-throwing attacks, 53 Molotov cocktails.

March 2017: 10 stabbings or attempted stabbings; 3 shootings; 1 ramming attack, 2 roadside bombs/grenades; 243 stone-throwing attacks, 62 Molotov cocktails.

April 2017: 7 stabbings or attempted stabbings; 5 shootings; 2 ramming attacks, 4 roadside bombs/grenades; 218 stone-throwing attacks, 40 Molotov cocktails.

May 2017: 9 stabbings or attempted stabbings; 6 roadside bombs/grenades; 284 stone-throwing attacks, 63 Molotov cocktails; no shootings or ramming attacks.

June 2017: 5 stabbings or attempted stabbings; 6 roadside bombs/grenades; 131 stone-throwing attacks, 27 Molotov cocktails; 4 shootings; no ramming attacks.

July 2017: 5 stabbings or attempted stabbings; 14 roadside bombs/grenades; 210 stone-throwing attacks, 61 Molotov cocktails; 6 shootings; 2 ramming attacks.

August 2017: 3 stabbings/attempted stabbings; 7 roadside bombs/grenades; 128 stone-throwing attacks, 23 Molotov cocktails; 1 shooting; no ramming attacks.

September 2017: 1 stabbing/attempted stabbing; 5 roadside bombs/grenades; 135 stone-throwing attacks, 27 Molotov cocktails; 1 shooting; no ramming attacks.

October 2017: 3 stabbing/attempted stabbings; 4 roadside bombs/grenades; 170 stone-throwing attacks, 32 Molotov cocktails; 2 shootings; no ramming attacks.

November 2017: 2 stabbing/attempted stabbings; 1 roadside bomb/grenade; 207 stone-throwing attacks, 25 Molotov cocktails; 1 shooting; no ramming attacks.

December 2017: 3 stabbings/attempted stabbings; 9 roadside bomb/grenade; 478 stone-throwing attacks, 111 Molotov cocktails; 3 shooting; no ramming attacks.

2018

January 2018: Terrorist events –Total 332: resulting in one murder and 16 injured. The incidents included 2 stabbings/attempted stabbings; 2 shootings; 1 ramming attack; 4 roadside bombs; 251 stone-throwing attacks; 45 Molotov cocktails.

February 2018: Terrorist events –Total 384: 4 stabbings/attempted stabbings; 2 shootings; 4 roadside bombs; 283 stone-throwing; 49 Molotov cocktails.

March 2018: Terrorist events –Total 300: 2 stabbings/attempted stabbings; 6 shootings; 3 roadside bombs; 240 stone-throwing; 24 Molotov cocktails, 2 ramming attacks.

April 2018: Terrorist events –Total 386: 1 stabbing/attempted stabbing; 4 shootings; 17 roadside bombs; 216 stone-throwing; 33 Molotov cocktails, 0 ramming attacks.

May 2018: Terrorist events – Total 684 (including 190 rockets/mortar bombs): 10 shooting attacks, 2 attempted ramming attacks, 15 roadside bombs, 251 stone-throwing events; 134 fire kites.

June 2018: In Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria – Total 94 attacks: 14 IEDs; two small-arms shootings; 77 firebomb attacks; and one vehicular attack.
Gaza: 29 rocket-launching* attacks (with 76 launches).

July 2018: Terrorist events – 2 killed, 17 injured; 1 stabbing/attempted stabbing; 5 shooting attacks, 0 ramming attacks, 9 roadside bombs, 118 stone-throwing events; 202 arson terror events.

August 2018: Terrorist events: 24 injured; 1 stabbing/attempted stabbing; 2 shooting attacks, 0 ramming attacks, 10 roadside bombs, 125 stone-throwing events; 99 arson terror events (includes petrol bombs and incendiary kites/balloons).

September 2018: Terrorist events: 1 killed, 10 injured; 4 stabbing/attempted stabbing; 2 shooting attacks, 0 ramming attacks, 17 roadside bombs, 128 stone-throwing; 120 arson terror and petrol bombs.

October 2018: Terrorist events: 2 killed, 18 injured; 4 stabbing/attempted stabbing; 1 shooting attack, 0 ramming attacks, 19 roadside bombs, 138 stone-throwing; 139 arson terror and petrol bombs.

November 2018: Terrorist events: 2 killed, 12 injured; 4 stabbing/attempted stabbing; 5 shooting attacks, 1 ramming attack, 8 roadside bombs, 178 stone-throwing; 42 arson terror and petrol bombs.

December 2018: Terrorist events: 3 killed, 28 injured; 3 stabbing/attempted stabbing; 3 shooting attacks, 4 ramming attack, 8 roadside bombs, 270 stone-throwing; 30 arson terror and petrol bombs.

2019

January 2019: Terrorist events: 13 injured; 3 stabbings/attempted stabbings; 4 shooting attacks; 19 roadside bombs; 145 stone-throwings; 30 arson terror events.

February 2019: Terrorist events: 1 killed, 6 injured; 1 stabbing/attempted stabbing; 20 roadside bombs; 129 stone-throwing events; 35 arson terror events.

March 2019: Terrorist events: 2 killed, 24 injured; 2 stabbing/attempted stabbings; 1 shooting (together with stabbing); 1 ramming attack; 36 IEDs; 126 stone-throwing events; 55 arson terror events.

April 2019: April 2019 saw a significant drop in the number of terrorist attacks, compared to March: 126, as opposed to 308.

In Judea and Samaria, 88 attacks were executed in April, compared to 110 in March. 12 attacks took place in Jerusalem, as opposed to 15 in the preceding month.

No attacks were executed within the Green Line in April, similarly to March. Finally, 26 attacks originated from the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula in April, down dramatically from 181 in March.

There were no casualties from terrorist activity in April 2019.

May 2019: May 2019 saw a dramatic increase in the number of terrorist attacks, compared to April: 449, as opposed to 126. Out of these 449 attacks, 362 were instances of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip in the latest round of fighting.

389 attacks originated from the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula in May, up from 26 in April. In Judea and Samaria, 50 attacks were executed in May, compared to 88 in April. 10 attacks took place in Jerusalem, as opposed to 12 in the preceding month. Finally, no attacks were executed within the Green Line in May, similarly to April.

Four people were killed and ten were injured due to terrorist activity in May 2019.

June 2019: June 2019 saw a significant drop in the number of terrorist attacks, compared to May: 123, as opposed to 449.

42 attacks originated from the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula in June, down dramatically from 389 in May. In Judea and Samaria, 63 attacks were executed, compared to 50 in May. 18 attacks took place in Jerusalem, as opposed to ten in the preceding month. Finally, no attacks were executed within the Green Line (Israel prober,) similarly to May.

There were no casualties from terrorist activity in June 2019.

July 2019: Five non-fatal casualties and no fatalities from terror attacks in July.

Five members of the security forces were wounded in a vehicle attack at the Hizme checkpoint in Binyamin (Judea.)

August 2019: Two people were killed and eight injured in terrorist attacks in August 2019.

September 2019: Seven people were injured (no fatalities) in terrorist attack.

October 2019: Two non-fatal civilian casualties and no fatalities from terror There were 108 attacks in Judea and Samaria.

November 2019: Eleven non-fatal casualties, no fatalities. Overall, there were 159 attacks in Judea and Samaria.)

December 2019: There were 106 attacks in Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem. There were no casualties.

2020

January 2020: There were 225 terror attacks. There were three non-fatal casualties and no fatalities.

February 2020: There were 161 terror attacks from the Gaza Strip including 127 instances of shelling (rockets and mortars). 171 terror attacks were carried out in Jerusalem and the West Bank. There were 16 non-fatal casualties and no fatalities.

March 2020: There were two rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip during March. 87 terror attacks were carried out in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Of these, 79 were bomb attacks (Firebombs and pipe bombs.) There were 5 non-fatal casualties and no fatalities.

April 2020: There was a single incident of small-arms fire from the Gaza Strip. 71 terror attacks were carried out in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Of these, 66 were bomb attacks (Firebombs and pipe bombs.) There were 4 non-fatal casualties and no fatalities.

May 2020: A single rocket was launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel. 80 terrorist attacks were carried out in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Of these, 66 were firebombs. There were also two knifing attacks. There were two casualties, one of which was a fatality.

June 2020: Four rockets and one mortar were launched from the Gaza Strip. 91 Terror attacks took place in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria. Of these, 70 were firebomb attacks. There were also 12 cases of arson and two stabbings. Three people were injured in the terror attacks; there were no fatalities.

July 2020: Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip and a total of 92 terror attacks took place in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Of these, 61 were firebomb attacks and 14 were pipe bomb attacks. There were no casualties or fatalities in July.

August 2020: 120 terror attacks, compared to 94 in the previous month. A civilian was killed in a stabbing attack in Petah Tikva (a city in Israel), 6 others were wounded. 106 terror attacks took place in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria.) Of these, 85 were firebomb attacks, 6 pipe bomb attacks. There were also two terror attacks using firearms. 25 rockets were launched at Israel from the Gaza Strip, 5 incidents of small arms fire and one IED.

September 2020: 100 terror attacks. There were no fatalities, although five people were injured, including two members of the security forces. The three civilians were injured by rocket fire from Gaza into Ashdod.

86 terror attacks took place in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria. Of these, 70 were firebomb attacks. There was one stabbing attack, one vehicular attack and eight arson attacks. Six rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel; there were also seven firebomb attacks.

October 2020: 124 terror attacks. No fatalities resulted from these attacks, but two members of the security forces were injured in a pipe bomb explosion in Nablus. 117 attacks took place in Jerusalem and the West Bank in October. Of these, there were 95 incidents of firebombing, 14 of pipe bombing and six arson attempts. Of the seven attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip, four were rocket attacks.

November 2020: 83 terror attacks. There were no fatalities or casualties.

December 2020: 98 terror attacks. There was one fatality: An Israeli citizen was killed in an assault near the settlement Tal Menashe in Judea on December 20^th. In addition, a member of the security forces sustained slight injuries in a firebomb attack in Issawiya on December 15^th.

2021

January 2021: 131 terror attacks, with one person injured and no fatalities

February 2021: 92 terror attacks. One person was injured and there were no fatalities.

March 2021: 89 terror attacks, resulting in 5 non-fatal casualties and no fatalities.

April 2021: 130 terror attacks took place in April; there were no fatalities or casualties.

May 2021: Approximately 4500 rockets were launched from Gaza, targeting Israeli civilian facilities in cities, towns and villages. Major cities were also targeted, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. A total of fifteen people were killed in terror-related incidents during May; of these, thirteen were directly related to the rocket arracks from Gaza. In addition, there were 168 non-fatal injuries during the round of fighting and other terror incidents.

June 2021: 185 terror attacks. Of these, 37 originated in the Gaza Strip. The attacks resulted in one non-fatal casualty.

July 2021: 142 terror attacks. These resulted in two non-fatal casualties; there were no fatalities.

August 2021: 142 terror attacks. One member of the security forces was killed in a shooting attack from the Gaza Strip on August 30th, a civilian was moderately injured in a stone-throwing attack in Binyamin on August 31^st.

September 2021: 251 terror attacks. These resulted in no fatalities and six non-fatal casualties.

October 2021: 159 terror attacks. One person was injured, there were no fatalities.

November 2021: 142 terror attacks. One Israeli and eight others were injured.

December 2021: 137 terror attacks. One Israeli civilian was killed and six others were injured.

August 5-7, 2022: Israel Under Attack

August 22, 2022 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

On August 1st, Israel arrested the senior leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Judea and Samaria; his name is Bassam al-Saadi.

Israel then learned from its intelligence agency that the PIJ in the Gaza Strip was planning a retaliatory terror attack with anti-tank (AT) missiles and snipers against Israeli civilians near the Gaza border.

Thousands of Israeli residents who live near the Gaza Strip border were instructed to stay in their homes and remain close to secure rooms. Social gatherings were canceled and roads and railways were closed for fear of rocket attacks. Two crossings that allow civilians and goods to enter the Gaza Strip were also closed by Israel.

On August 3rd, Khaled al-Batsh, head of the political wing of the PIJ in Gaza said: “We have every right to bomb Israel with our most advanced weapons and make the occupier (meaning Israel) pay a heavy price. We will not settle for [only] attacking around Gaza, but we will bomb the center of the so-called State of Israel.”

The PIJ claims to be the indigenous people of the land of Israel that they call Palestine and aims to continue the “armed struggle” until Israel’s defeat. They do not accept the “Two State Solution,” and refuse to accept the existence of the state of Israel under any conditions. (Click here to read more about the PIJ)

Operation Breaking Dawn – Surgical Strikes

Thanks to precise intelligence, the Israeli Defense Air Force (IAF) launched a surprise operation named “Operation Breaking Dawn” on the afternoon of August 5th to eliminate the threat against Israeli citizens.

*Rockets fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel (Photo: AFP)*

In a surgical strike on August 5th, the IAF killed Tayseer Jabari, the PIJ northern Gaza division commanding officer who initiated the AT attack. Al Jabari was staying in a hideout apartment along with his anti-tank missile expert and the PIJ head of observation posts.

These three senior officers who posed a clear and immediate danger of terrorism were eliminated by the surgical strike of the IAF. No other resident of the building was killed or injured.

On August 6th, the PIJ commander of Gaza’s Southern area, Khaled Mansour, was also targeted and killed by an IDF strike.

At the same time, the IAF destroyed PIJ military infrastructure, bombing terrorist posts, manufacturing facilities, tunnels, and weapon stashes.

In response, the PIJ began rocket fire into Israel, beginning with the villages and city closest to the Gaza Strip, called Gaza Envelope, and then to the cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod, and around the Tel Aviv area.

The PIJ even attacked the Jerusalem vicinity. The Iron Dome intercepted three rockets while thousands of Jews were permitted to enter the Temple Mount compound for the 9th of Av observance of Tisha B’Av (9th of Av.)

The Israeli army, “Israel Defense Force” (IDF) is the only army that has the word Defense in its name since it repeatedly faces deadly enemies all about, therefore must defend itself constantly to survive.

Hamas and the PIJ have a long history of hiding behind civilians while firing missiles indiscriminately from Gazan residences at Israeli civilians. Hence, they use their civilians as human shields knowing that Israel avoids killing the innocent as much as possible.

To this effect, the IAF practices “roof knocking” which is dropping non-explosive warning shots onto the rooftops of Gaza residential buildings so uninvolved residents can flee before the bombing begins.

Ironically, two hundred PIJ rockets (about 15%) aimed at Israel fell inside the Gaza Strip or into the sea. Sadly for innocent Gazans, one such rocket, fired from within the civilian population, fell short on a home in the center of northern Gaza city, killing 4 children. The Palestinian media immediately blamed Israel, but the Israeli army quickly issued a video providing proof that this was not an Israeli strike.

Throughout that weekend, Israel also arrested 20 Palestinians in the West Bank, 19 of whom were members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

1,175 Missiles from Gaza

After a 3-day barrage consisting of 1,175 missiles fired by the PIJ at Israeli civilians (96% were intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system, thereby no Israeli was killed. Some were injured and there was some property damage.) Egypt brokered a ceasefire that went into effect at 11:30 pm on Sunday, August 7th.

Although Hamas’ military and security capabilities are superior to those of the PIJ, Hamas did not participate in this operation to prevent escalation.

Hamas is still in the process of renewing its capabilities after last year’s war. Hamas did, however, issue some statements in support of the PIJ and encouraged the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, including Israeli Arabs to take part in the resistance.

Yet, even while negotiations were ongoing for a ceasefire, fighting between the two sides continued. The PIJ even increased rocket firing at nearby Israeli residents, and Israel continued aerial strikes at PIJ targets.

On August 7th at 23:30, The PIJ announced a ceasefire. Within 10 minutes, Israel agreed and stopped the attacks, while PIJ continued firing rockets. Israel did not retaliate. Currently, the ceasefire is holding without violations from either side.

Demands and Threats

On its website, on August 8th, 2022, the PIJ announced that it reserved the right to respond to every act of “Zionist aggression.” The PIJ claims that the ceasefire is conditional upon Israel releasing prisoners from Israeli jails soon and that Egypt guarantees this claim.

Additionally, according to the PIJ, a certain prisoner on a hunger strike was to be released to a hospital on August 8th, 2022, and from there sent home. Egypt requested the date be left open, and they agreed.

The PIJ announced that it considers the ceasefire agreement as null and void and will renew attacks should “The Enemy” –Israel – not meet their demands.

According to Israel, the release of prisoners was not part of the agreement.

Restrictions Lifted

Since the implementation of the ceasefire, all security restrictions on Israeli residents in the Gaza Envelope have been lifted and roads have been reopened.

The Gaza crossings have reopened, resuming the entry of goods to Gaza and the exit of about 14,000 Gazans who hold permits to work in Israel.

For now, life in Israel is back to “normal.”
The question is, “How long?”

Please pray …

The Some Facts of Tisha B’Av
(“the Ninth of Av”)

August 4, 2022 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

According to the Bible, the First Temple’s destruction began on the 7th of Av (2 Kings 25:8) and continued until the 10th (Jeremiah 52:12). According to the Talmud (Rabbinical Oral Law,) the actual destruction of the Temple began on the Ninth of Av, and the temple continued to burn all night and day throughout the Tenth of Av. Official Rabbinical Judaism combines the dates of the first and second temples destruction so as to observe both on the 9th of Av – Tisha B’Av.

Antique images of Jews at the Western Wall (AKA the Wailing Wall).
*Images by Felix Bonfils.*

Tisha B’Av marks the end of the three weeks called “between dire straits” and is regarded as the saddest day in the Jewish calendar.

This year Tisha B’Av falls on August 7th in the Gregorian calendar. Jews fast for about 25 hours, beginning just before sunset on the eve of Tisha B’Av and ending at nightfall the following day. Although the fast ends at nightfall, according to tradition the First Temple continued burning throughout the night and for most of the following day of the tenth of Av.

Depending on the piety of the different religious sects, in addition to fasting, other pleasurable activities are also forbidden, such as no washing or bathing, no application of creams or oils, and no marital relations.

This year Tisha B’Av falls on a Saturday, and since Jews are not supposed to fast or mourn on a Saturday, Tisha B’Av is being observed on Sunday and restrictions end Monday morning. Religious Jews refrain from involvement in activities that would be considered joyous until Monday morning, such as eating meat, drinking wine, and listening to music.

In Israel, all restaurants and places of entertainment are legally closed from sundown of Tisha B’Av until sundown the next day. Establishments that break the law are subject to fines. In the diaspora, however, secular Jews do not observe Tisha B’Av as in Israel, or as they do observe Yom Kippur.

On the 9th of Av, the following passage of Isaiah 1:1-18 is being red in the synagogues:

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me…They have forsaken the Lord, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward. Why should you be stricken again?…Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence; And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city.”

Nevertheless, the Lord, the God of Israel has also promised to bring back His beloved people, the Jewish people from the diaspora, back to the land of Israel, the Land of Promise. And we are now witnessing the fulfillment of His promises. Israel is back physically. Now God wants to bring Israel back to Him spiritually, through faith in Messiah Yeshua.