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U.S. President Trump’s Epic Fury -Where Is It Going?

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“אַרְיֵה שָׁאָג מִי לֹא יִירָא “

“The lion has roared, who will not fear?…” Amos 3:8a

The world is trying to understand President Trump’s intentions. So far, there are only speculations. Only Trump and Netanyahu know for sure. Their relationship is close-knit.

Trump’s sudden announcement of postponing the ultimatum to Iran for five more days surprised even the Iranian leaders, who were quick to announce that there were no talks between the two countries, and they were continuing full speed with their attacks. The war goes on.

With oil prices rising worldwide, Americans are worried about a serious oil crisis.

Trump’s announcement has caused an immediate drop in oil prices, with hopes that the war might end within these five days. This is exactly the illusion Trump intends to create.

Trump’s timing corresponds to the arrival of some thousands of American Marines as “boots on the ground” who will join the Air Force in battle. There are certain targets that are difficult for the Air Force to hit alone.

With his announcement, President Trump has gained more time to lower oil prices and play a guessing game with the world and the Iranians that, through negotiations, there could be a chance for peace.

Some countries desire to act as mediators. Qatar, which has good relations with the U.S., along with Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, is working behind the scenes to that end.

The Iranian regime strongly denies any direct talks or negotiations. While Trump is known to prefer negotiations, Iran blames him for having tricked them in the previous February talks when they believed he would not attack before they were able to prolong the talks. However, all along, Trump and Netanyahu had planned the February 28 surprise attack, ten days after he had given his 15-day ultimatum.

This time, the ultimatum affected most of the Gulf nations, which were very nervous and fearful about Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum.

Most were sure that Trump, known to carry out what he says, would act upon his ultimatum and attack Iran’s oil sites, causing an Iranian retaliation of missile attacks upon them as well. Now they can relax a little, at least for the next five days.

Trump is very familiar with the mindset of those countries. He is calming worries over the world oil market, even in the U.S., especially among Democrats and progressive liberals who oppose him. in a single tweet, he was able to lower oil prices. 

The supposed talks are being conducted under fire. The war has not stopped. Attacks by Israel’s air force and the American air force continue as we speak.

What will happen in these five days and after is anyone’s guess. There is much speculation in the media around the world, and in Israel, Most Israelis want the war to go on until total victory, aegnst the Iranian regime and Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

According to President Trump, there are “very good and productive” talks with Iran. He states:
     “Regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East…which will continue throughout the week, I have instructed the Department of War to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power and energy infrastructure for a five-day period, subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to President Trump’s announcement:
     “Earlier today, I spoke with our friend, President Trump. He believes there is an opportunity to capitalize upon the tremendous achievements of the IDF (Israeli army, the Israeli Defense Force) and the US military and achieve the objectives of the war through an agreement that will preserve our vital interests.”
     “At the same time, we continue to strike both in Iran and in Lebanon, dismantling the missile and nuclear program piece by piece and continuing to deal severe blows to Hezbollah. Just a few days ago, we eliminated two more nuclear scientists, and more actions are forthcoming. We will safeguard our vital interests under all circumstances.”

Prayers:

  • Achievement of all war goals
  • Elimination of all Iranian nuclear weapons
  • Elimination of all deadly missiles
  • Elimination of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard regime
  • Freedom for Iranian Christians
  • Increased revival in the nation
  • Cessation of murdering innocent civilians
  • Complete victory over the power of evil in Iran

[Image from LSE blogs – Source: Flickr, Haim Zach / GPO]

Israel at War with Iran – Operation Roaring Lion

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“אַרְיֵה שָׁאָג מִי לֹא יִירָא “

“The lion has roared, who will not fear?…” Amos 3:8a

Genesis 49:9, paraphrased from the original Hebrew: “Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my (Jacob/Israel’s) son (Judah), you have risen. As a lion having had his fill of the prey, crouched to the ground and lay down; and being a lion, who can arouse him?”

According to Matthew 1:21, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Yosheph/Joseph, betrothed to Miriam/Mary who had conceived by the Holy Spirit:
“She shall bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Yeshua, (SALVATION in Hebrew, Jesus in English), for He shall save His people (the Jews) from their sins.”
Judah/Israel (from whom came the Jews) is the lion cub and Yeshua is the Lion of Judah – King of kings, the King of the Jews, His people.

Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But let those who love You be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” Judges 5:31

The enemies of the Lord, God of Israel, are the enemies of Israel. A war is raging. Since satan, God’s enemy, was banned from the presence of God because he said in His heart, “I will be like the Most High,”  He has not relented from this quest. God’s plan to use His people, Israel, for world salvation is standing in satan’s way. This is why satan is determined to annihilate Israel and has used different people and nations to achieve his plan: Pharaoh, Haman, the Greeks, the Romans, Hitler, and the Nazis in the 20th  century and in this century, Islam. 

Today, the Jewish state refuses to be a victim of a nuclear holocaust perpetrated by the Iranian regime. Satan and his hosts are behind today’s Israel’s arch enemy – Iran. There is no other logical reason for Iran’s hatred of Israel and the Jews. 

History with Khomeini and Ali-Khamenei

The first supreme leader and founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran was Imam Ayatollah Khomeini, also known as “The Ayatollah,” who returned to Iran from exile in Paris in February 1979 and led the Islamic Revolution to overthrow Iran’s ruler, Shah Reza Pahlavi. “Ayatollah” Khomeini then transformed Iran into the Shia Islamic theocratic fanatic regime it is today. He was the first to refer to the United States as the “Great Satan” and Israel as the “Little Satan.” He didn’t hide his hatred of Israel or his hateful, antisemitic rhetoric, claiming that “Israel is a cancer tumor that must be removed from the region.” 

Khomeini has been criticized, among other things, for human rights violations, including the execution of thousands of Iranian political prisoners, and using child soldiers extensively during the Iran–Iraq War.

Since its very beginning, the Iranian Muslim regime has preached the destruction of Israel. Military parades have displayed missiles with slogans written on them that call for wiping Israel off the map. In 1979, the “Ayatollah” regime initiated Al-Quds Day (Day of Jerusalem), calling for an Islamic Jihad (holy war) to “liberate” Jerusalem.
Ali-Khamenei and Today’s War

After Khomeini’s death in June 1989, Ali Khamenei succeeded him. Khamenei continued the same anti-Israel, hateful rhetoric, calling for Israel’s destruction and even predicting that Israel would cease to exist within 25 years. Under the Islamic regime, Iran was no longer the same Iran as it was under the Shah’s rule, when Israel and Iran were allies and enjoyed mutual friendship.

On Friday, June 13, 2025, Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion”  (based on the scripture from Numbers 23:24 about Israel: “Look, a people rise like a lioness, and lifts itself up like a lion…”) Even though Iran is situated more than 1,500 kilometers from Israeli territory, Israeli planes carried out a surprise attack, destroying most of Iran’s air defense systems and gaining Israeli dominance over Tehran’s air space. Surface-to-air missile batteries were also destroyed. 

Israeli airplanes attacked and destroyed the homes of Iranian senior political and defense officials, eliminating top military leaders, arsenals were destroyed, and with American help, nuclear facilities were damaged at different sites. Iran had fired ballistic missiles mostly at Israel’s populated areas, causing some deaths, many injuries, and devastation to homes and apartment buildings. 

At the end of the 12-Day war in June, with the help of the US in the last few days, Israel had inflicted maximal damage on Iran’s nuclear program and prevented an expansion of its ballistic missile arsenal. Unfortunately, the Khamenei regime remained in power and hasn’t abandoned its aspirations to annihilate Israel and reconquer Jerusalem.

Although the war set back Iran’s nuclear program and missile production, it became clear to Israel that Iran hadn’t stopped its nuclear and long-range ballistic missile ambitions, even increased its momentum toward weaponization in the months following the ceasefire. 

Immediately after the June 2025 war ended, Iran began replenishing its stocks of long-range, deadly missile arsenal. According to Israeli assessments, “Iran’s arsenal shot back up to 2,500 missiles, and was increasing by dozens of missiles per month.”

Note that even one such missile can cause tremendous devastation and death. Thanks to advanced Israeli air defense systems, most of those deadly missiles are being intercepted in the air.

President Trump

U.S. President Trump held a series of indirect talks with Iran to stop its nuclear program, while at the same time mobilizing US aircraft and several guided-missile destroyers to the region. 

Meanwhile, anti-regime protests erupted in many cities in Iran, calling for regime change. The Iranian Islamic regime responded violently, as ordered by Khamenei, and tens of thousands of protesters were massacred while thousands more were imprisoned. President Trump called on Iranians to “keep protesting” and to “take over your institutions,” adding that “help is on its way.”

However, this help was postponed by Trump’s diplomatic efforts of indirect negotiations to come to an agreement with Iran, presenting Iran with three main demands: a permanent end to all uranium enrichment; strict limits on Iran’s ballistic missile program, and a complete halt of support for regional proxy groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

Iran replied that “enrichment would continue in accordance with needs…” There was no indication they were ready to give in. It was obvious that Iran would continue and even expand its capabilities and use every weapon and means it could, at any cost, in order to survive.

Escalation and Life in Israel Today

Last Saturday morning, February 28, we suddenly received an alarming message on the phone from the Home Front Command to go into the shelters. We immediately entered the reinforced safe room in our apartment, unsure of what was happening, suspecting that war with Iran had begun.

Pictured above: Simcha sitting in our safe room, with the iron window shut.

We, the Israeli citizens, follow the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) Home Front Command’s instructions which are updated as necessary. We must remain in the safe room until the media notify us that it is safe to return to our regular living quarters.

After President Trump, Prime Minister Netanyahu and their advisors considered that Iran had resumed its production of nuclear and long-range deadly missiles aimed at Israel’s destruction, they decided upon the timing of their attack. According to Israeli intelligence, the Iranians had learned from the last June war and were about to hide their missiles and nuclear facilities deep underground, out of view. It was clear to PM Netanyahu that the threat had to be eliminated before Iran succeeded with this plan.

Likewise, President Trump understood the threat aimed also at the United States’ security. Together, the leaders devised a plan to eliminate threats to their countries and to the world. This time the goal was to go all the way and also to topple the entire Iranian Islamic dangerous regime.

For the first time, Israel went to war together with the world’s greatest superpower against the common enemy. 

The Battle So Far

On the first attack, February 28, according to Israeli intelligence and with the go-ahead of President Trump, Israel destroyed the compound in Tehran where “Ayatollah” Khamenei was staying with his advisors. The supreme leader, along with about 40 other high-ranking Iranian officials were killed. The supreme leader of the enemy, the vicious “Ayatollah” Khamenei, can no longer spread his venom and hateful propaganda against Israel and America.  

Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, has warned the world for decades of the nuclear threat from Iran. Now, President Trump agrees and insists the US and Israel will never allow Iran to develop a nuclear bomb.

In the first wave of attacks, Israeli air force jets completed strikes on dozens of military targets in Iran, including surface-to-air missile systems.

The Lion keeps roaring as the war continues to rage. Also, the “Epic Furry” of the US army and air force keep attacking Iranian targets.

Hezbollah Joins

Hezbollah in Lebanon has joined Iran in launching missiles and drones into Israeli cities and villages, forcing us often to take shelter along with many Israelis, mainly in the north.

We will update you on the progress of the war shortly in our next newsletter.

  • Please pray with us for victory in this war over the vicious enemy who seeks to destroy God’s beloved people. Pray for the protection of Israel’s brave pilots and soldiers.
  • Pray for the protection of the brave US fighters and a fast end to this war.
  • Pray for the people of Iran and the perfect timing for the takeover of their government. Pray for the demise of the cruel Islamic Iranian regime.
  • Please pray with us as the Holy Spirit leads.

We continue to do spiritual warfare, claiming the victory we have over all the powers of the enemy of the body of Messiah. It is in the Name of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus that we storm the gates of the enemy, which cannot stand against God’s people with God’s authority over them. Satan and all of his demons must flee. He is a defeated foe.

Amen!

The Jewishness of Christmas

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The Good News (Luke 2:1-20)

When the angel appeared to the shepherds that night in the fields of Israel, surrounded by the glory of the Lord that shone around them, a great fear fell on them. The angel told them not to fear because they were chosen to be the first ones to receive the good news of the great joy of the Messiah’s birth. It would be for all people. (Luke 2:5-10) The good news (good tidings) is that God so loved all the people of the world that He gave His only begotten Son, to be born of a virgin in Beth Lehem, in the land of Judea, Israel, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish (a just sentence of death for their sins) but have everlasting (eternal) life.

The angel announced to them that the Savior of the world, the Lord Messiah (Christ) would be born that day. He is the fulfillment of the prophecies in the Hebrew bible about the redeemer, the Lamb of God, who came to take away the sins of the world that humanity inherited from the first man, Adam, who was cursed with the sentence of death because of his sin of disobedience against God, Who created him.

According to the apostle John’s account, the Word of Father God was with God in the very beginning. He was actually God (God the Son) Who became flesh and blood (Human), sent to dwell among men for this purpose, to die for the sins of humanity. He came first to His own, the people of Israel. He was born to a Jewish mother, Miriam (known as Mary), and an adoptive Jewish father, Yoseph (known as Joseph) in the land of Israel (the city of the Jewish King David, Beth Lehem, the house of bread in Hebrew).
 
Sadly, He was rejected as the Messiah by His own, even though many of His people did receive Him, believe in Him, and follow Him. His disciples were Jewish, He spoke to them in Hebrew.
 
He went around the Land of Israel, healed many of His own people, and did many miracles among them. He lived and died in the Promised Land, the Land of Israel.

After Messiah’s death and resurrection, His Jewish disciples went to the world to preach to the nations the “Good News” of salvation, the Gospel of Messiah Yeshua, known as Jesus Christ the Lord.

The Jewish shepherds who were the first to hear the good news of the Savior’s birth were amazed to see the host of angels who appeared after the announcement of His birth, praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”

It was truly good tidings of great joy for all people.

Our calling is to

“go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach (the good news of salvation,) saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” 
 

Jewish People Do Not Recognize the Jewishness of the Good News Because It is Dressed in a Foreign Religion

One of the most serious obstacles for Jews to believe in Messiah Yeshua is religion. They immediately associate faith in Yeshua with the Christian religion. Christianity, to them, is Roman Catholicism, created in the 3rd century, which completely denied any connection to the roots of biblical Judaism.
 
Most Jews in Israel and around the world reject the idea that Christmas has anything to do with the Jews. As far as they are concerned, Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of someone they don’t believe to be the Jewish Messiah and is in direct opposition to their Jewish faith. 
 
Many Holocaust survivors claim that Hitler and the Nazis were Christians and that the Christian church is anti-Semitic; that in the Name of Jesus, the Church persecuted Jews as “Christ-killers.”

Even non-Jews around the world who celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day do not realize that, as well as being the savior of the world, He is also the Messiah of Israel.

The prophet Isaiah in chapter 9:6 made this Messianic prophecy to Israel about the Jewish Messiah, Who also fulfilled God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, that through the Messiah all nations would be blessed. Therefore, the prophecies of the Messiah’s coming, His sacrifice for humanity, His resurrection, and return to earth apply to Israel as well as to all nations.

“The people living in darkness have seen a great light; upon those living in the land that lies in the shadow of death, light has dawned. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on His shoulders, and He will be given the name Pele-Yo‘etz (wonderful counselor,) El Gibbor (mighty God,) Avi-‘Ad (everlasting Father) Sar-Shalom (Prince of Peace)”. Isaiah 9:6

The world celebrates Christmas with cheer, decorated evergreen trees, flickering lights, manger scenes, and baby Jesus, all the while unaware of its Jewish roots and connection. That the story took place in Israel with Israelites and angels who spoke Hebrew seems far away.
 
But the fact is that Mary’s original name was Miriam, Joseph was Yoseph, and Jesus was Yeshua – all Hebrew names. Yeshua (baby Jesus) was born in Beth Lehem (the house of bread in Hebrew), fulfilling the Hebrew prophet Micah’s words as recorded in the Hebrew bible, Micah 5:1:

“But you, Beth Lehem Ephratah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting days.”

The Christmas story starts with God’s angel appearing to the priest Zecharya (Zechariah in English, which means in Hebrew God remembers), who was chosen by lot to enter the Temple of the God of Israel for the incense offering (Luke 1:9-11).
 
This was in accordance with God’s law given to Moses for the priests from the tribe of Levi. Exodus 30:7-8: 

“Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.”

The angel announced to Zecharya that his barren wife would conceive and bear a child to fulfill Malachi’s prophecy 

“to go as a forerunner before Him (the Messiah) in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children.” Luke 1:16 -17

The child’s name would be Yohanan, meaning God pardons (known as John the Baptist in English). A short time later, the angel Gavriel (Gabriel, meaning God is my strength) appeared to Miriam (Mary), announcing that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit of God. 
 
Miriam was a young Jewish virgin from the Jewish village of Natzeret, Israel, engaged to a Jewish man, Yoseph, of the house of David. 
 
The angel told her (in Hebrew):

“Do not be afraid, Miriam; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Yeshua” (meaning Salvation in Hebrew). (Jesus is the Hebrew letters of the name of Yeshua transliterated to English.)
 
“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and God will give Him the throne of His father David (the Jewish king.) And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
(Luke 1:26-33).

The Jewish connection is very clear in this account of the birth of Jesua/Yeshua. It is no coincidence that the Savior of the world would have a Hebrew name and would be born of a Jewish mother in a Jewish town near Jerusalem, the Jewish capital. He is Emmanuel (God with us in Hebrew), Who will sit on King David’s throne forever and rule from Jerusalem. All nations will come to hear the Word of the Lord from Zion (Jerusalem). (Isaiah 2:3.)

When Yoseph (Josheph) learned Miriam was pregnant, he feared she had been unfaithful to him. As a righteous man, he didn’t want to expose Miriam to public disgrace and planned to divorce her in secret. But the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said to him (in Hebrew:)

“Yoseph,, son of David, do not be afraid to take Miriam as your wife because what is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Yeshua (meaning Salvation) because He Yoshia (will save) his people (Israel) from their sins.“

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet Isaiah 7:14:

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel – which means (in Hebrew); God with us.”

We present this holiday to our Jewish people in this Jewish setting with Jewish characters, saying that Yeshua is our Jewish Messiah, as well as the Savior of the world, and that He didn’t come to start a new religion. As a matter of fact, Yeshua was against religion as well as man’s traditions.

Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of our Jewish friends, family, and neighbors to see that Christmas celebrates the birth of our Jewish Messiah Who came to the world in Israel.

From the first verses in the New Testament, we see how Jewish the New Testament is:

“This is the genealogy of Yeshua the Messiah (a Hebrew word,) the son of David, the son of Abraham” (the father of the Jewish nation). 

Yeshua’s birth and reincarnation WERE prophesied in the Hebrew bible, written in Hebrew, by Hebrew prophets. His Jewish parents took him to the Jewish Holy Temple when He was eight days to be circumcised; how more Jewish can you get?

We wish you a very Merry Holiday of Yeshua’s birth and a very Happy New Year in 2026.

Hamas in America

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Image from unsplash, by Luke Braswell

A Hamas network has been in operation nationwide in the USA since the 1980s, active in fundraising, education, and propaganda. Their propaganda is mainly against Israel, demonizing the Jews, portraying them as savages, racist, power hungry, and seeking world dominance.

In 1993 and mostly based in Chicago, Dallas, and Washington D.C., they established Islamic and pro-Palestinian committees and public organizations such as The Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), the financial arm represented by the Holy Land Foundation, HLF (previously the Occupied Land Foundation), and United Association for Studies and Research (UASR).

Throughout the years, fearing FBI investigations, they have used different tactics to hide their Hamas affiliation. According to leaks from secret meetings, they realized they needed to “deceive the enemy”, avoiding the use of Islamic and Hamas flags and violent language. They also understood the need to be “a front” in order to “camouflage” their Hamas association.

Since the 1960’s Palestinian members of Muslim Brotherhood networks in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (Hamas is one of their wings) have been immigrating to the US as American university students or as immigrant refugees.

Since Hamas’s official foundation in 1987, it has increasingly organized itself, creating a relatively large set of public organizations devoted to activities such as funding, lobbying, education, and disseminating propaganda.

In 1997, the US government designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization, and since then the US authorities have conducted several activities to expose and shut down some of their multiple front organizations. US authorities have been able to deport some members and prosecute Hamas operatives.

Some of the organization leaders were prosecuted in 2001 for funneling approximately $12.4 million to Hamas.

Nevertheless, these networks and members have recovered and resumed their pro-Palestinian activities in various forms, mainly by political means.

A subgroup of the MB (Muslim Brotherhood) in the US which is made up mostly of members of Palestinian origin, the Palestine Committee issued a memorandum expressing their vision of the Jihad to liberate the Holy Land from the “defilement of the Jews that will continue until the Day of Resurrection. It is a Jihad for victory or martyrdom.” 

The Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), the financial arm represented by the Occupied Land Fund (which later became the Holy Land Foundation, HLF), and the United Association for Studies and Research (UASR) are three US Muslim Brotherhood organizations, each operating in its individual fields but interconnected in their aim to aid Palestinian Hamas.

As internal Palestine Committee documents obtained by the FBI confirm, IAP and HLF constituted the main entities of the public-facing, pro-Hamas network. Musa Abu Marzook, a native of the Gaza Strip who obtained a doctorate in industrial engineering in Louisiana, was instrumental in the foundation and development of the Chicago-based IAP and was the head of the Hamas political wing in the US.

After being deported from the US for transferring $150,000 to HLF, Abu Marzook became one of Hamas’ most senior leaders.

Typical of the Muslim Brotherhood mode of operation, the Hamas network in the US, such as IAP, HLF, and other of their organizations, was founded and operated by a small group of Palestinians connected by kinship or business ties who shared the same MB and Hamas worldview. They were also connected to top Hamas leaders in the Middle East.

The organizations determined that fundraising was the most important activity in local Muslim communities. Most of the funds went to Hamas, with a small amount going to orphans and needy children. 

Hence, the HLF organization could maintain its image of being a charitable organization. However, it was shut down by US authorities at the end of 2001 after the prosecution of its members for funneling to Hamas more than 12 million dollars.

The pro-Palestinian anti-Zionist organizations that supported Hamas were against peace treaties with Israel and actively spread this message and the need to support Hamas among the American Muslim youth. 

They also stressed the need for their Committees to increase their “influence with Congress.” This could be achieved by infiltrating American media outlets, universities, and research centers, and also by working with organizations such as the American Muslim Alliance, the United Muslims of America, MPAC [Muslim Public Affairs Council].

“If American Muslims engage in political activism and public relations, we will have an entry point to pressure Congress and the American decision-makers.”

To this end, they developed a media strategy that would support Hamas without blatantly supporting violence. While supporting Hamas inwardly, a necessary tactic was to take a more moderate position outwardly for the American general public and policymakers.

They stressed the need for publishing messages in prominent American Newspapers in English geared to western audiences that differed from those they published in Arabic to Muslim audiences. 

According to Islam and therefore, American Muslims, “war is deception.” “We are fighting our enemy with a kind heart… Deceive, camouflage, pretend that you’re leaving while you’re walking that way. Deceive your enemy.” 

“Politics is a completion of war,” because of Hamas’ negative image, they realized the need for creating a new official US Islamic organization that would serve as a “cover for the existing Hamas-supporting organizations,” camouflaging extreme Islamic ideologies and avoiding use of Muslim terminology such as “Al Aqsa” or “Al Quds.” “It is hoped that it will become an official organization for political work. It’s headquarters will be in Washington D.C., as it represents the political aspect of the American front.”

That organization became the Washington D.C.-based Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR).

The reorganized US-Hamas network has become a large dynamic network functioning under the guise of a regular Islamic charity organization, dedicated to improve its American citizens’ conditions and fight so-called “Islamophobia.” Some network organizations focus on fundraising activities while others concentrate on political and educational activities.

Hamas in the Bible

The Hebrew word HAMAS, (which means violence, malicious, cruel) first appears in Genesis after the fall of Adam and Eve when sin entered the world and spread through all the earth.

Genesis 6:11: Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with HAMAS (violence).

Genesis 6:13: Then God said to Noah, “the end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with HAMAS.

In Ezekiel, Hamas appears in connection with the fall of Satan:

Ezekiel 28:16: By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with HAMAS (violence), and you sinned. Therefore, I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God, and I have destroyed you, O covering cherub.

More scriptures with the Hebrew word Hamas:

Exodus 23:1: You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a HAMAS (malicious) witness.

Isaiah 53:9: His grave was assigned with the rich…Because he had done no HAMAS (violence) nor was there any deceit in his mouth.

Isaiah 59:6b: Their works are works of iniquity, and acts of HAMAS (violence) are in their hands.

Psalm 11:5: the Lord tests the righteous, but the His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves HAMAS (violence).

Psalm 18:48: He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; from the HAMAS (violent) man.

Psalm 25:19: Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with HAMAS (cruel) hatred.

Psalm 74:20: for the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of HAMAS (cruelty).

Habakkuk 2:17: for the HAMAS (violence) done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the devastation of its beasts by which you terrified them, because of human bloodshed and HAMAS done to their land, to the town and all its inhabitants.

Zephaniah 1:9: In that same day I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with HAMAS (violence) and deceit.

Ezekiel 7: 23: Make the chain, for the land is full of bloody crimes and the city is full of HAMAS (violence).

Ezekiel 45:9: Thus says the Lord God, enough, you princes of Israel, put away HAMAS (violence and destruction), and practice justice and righteousness.

Amos 3:10: But they do not know how to do what is right,” declares the Lord, “these who hoard up HAMAS (violence) and devastation in their citadels.”

Isaiah 60:18: HAMAS will not be heard again in your land.

Other scriptures include:

Psalm 58:3, Proverbs 3:32, Prov. 8:36, Prov. 10:6, Micah 6:12

Image from Unsplash, by Luke Braswell

They Shall Come Back

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And they shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope in your future, says the Lord, your sons shall come back to their own border.  Jeremiah 21:16b-17

This happened today, Monday October 13.


Exactly two years ago, on the Holiday of Succot (booths), Hamas brutally attacked southern Israel from Gaza, murdering 1,200 Israelis and abducting 251 into Gaza. Israel declared war on Hamas and that has been fought since then.

Now, there is great joy in Israel as all the hostages are Home.

So, all who had returned from the captivity…sat under the booths… And there was very great joy and gladness. Nehemiah 8:17


Late on October 9, Israel’s cabinet formally approved plans for a ceasefire with Hamas, setting a Gaza peace process in motion.

Phase I

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that it constituted the “first phase” of his twenty-point peace plan that the White House had unveiled last week.

Qatar, a critical player in the mediation efforts, confirmed the developments, as did Israeli and Hamas officials. It has been a long and drawn out effort of negotiations between Israel and Hamas through the mediators, Egypt and Qatar, for the release of the remaining hostages still held in Hamas’ terra-dungeons in Gaza, because of Hamas’ unreasonable demands.

Israel’s military action in Gaza had reportedly intensified until right up to the ceasefire deadline. Since the truce, Palestinians have been returning in droves to Gaza City after an Israeli military spokesperson declared it safe to head back to the enclave’s previously most populous city.

The Israeli army, Israel Defense Forces (IDF), agreed to withdraw their troops up to a line that leaves it in control of 53 percent of the strip.

With the withdrawal complete, a seventy-two-hour window was given to Hamas to return the remaining hostages taken on October 7. Twenty were believed to be alive; another twenty-eight deceased. This is the first stage of the agreement.

Until now, out of the 251 hostages, 147 were released or exchanged in prior deals, eight of whom were dead, and the bodies of dozens more have been recovered by the IDF.

In this first phase, Hamas agreed to release the hostages safely and quietly, without victory demonstrations.

Israel agreed to release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israel, as well as 1,700 detainees from Gaza.

Israel published its official list of who would be freed on Friday; not including several high-profile political figures at the top of Hamas’s list. Israel also agreed to give back fifteen Palestinian bodies for the remains of each Israeli hostage it received.

Trump was very pleased with the progress, as he said that it was a “great day” for the Arab and Muslim world, Israel and all surrounding nations, as well as the US. “We thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” he posted.

As Israel anxiously awaited the return of the 20 live hostages and the bodies of twenty-eight hostages brutally murdered by Hamas, there was an extensive preparation underway to receive the bodies, honor the fallen, and support their bereaved families.

However, the exact number of the fallen hostages remains uncertain. There is also the danger that the bodies may be booby-trapped with grenades or explosives, as was the case in the past.

President Donald Trump arrived in Israel this morning for a very short visit. It coincided with the arrival of the hostages from Gaza.
 
President Trump’s visit lasted close to four hours. Air Force One landed at Ben Gurion Airport at 9:20 a.m. and due to the short visit, there was only a red carpet, flag bearers, honorary salutes and handshakes, but no speeches and no anthems. 

Phase II

The President visited the Israeli Knesset (parliament) where he delivered a speech. Then he flew to Egypt for a summit of Arab and world leaders on the topic of Gaza to raise support and finalize an agreement over the second phase of the president’s post-war Gaza plan. Israel was not invited to attend the summit.
 
During the summit, leaders are expected to sign the U.S.-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza. [Click here to read Trump’s 20 points of the Gaza peace proposal.]
 
Let’s thank the Lord that the 20 live hostages have returned. Please pray for their care and rehabilitation now that they are home. Please pray that all of the deceased will be returned. Pray that Israel will be able to eliminate Hamas’s military and political power in Gaza, as part of the second phase. (we will report on that in our next newsletter.)

Image by R.D. Smith, Unsplash