Since the Second Lebanese War between Israel and the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah in 2006, the Lebanese army has rearmed itself, strengthening its ability in the air as well as on the ground and sea, with the help of the United States, France and Saudi Arabia. In the past two years, a new challenge has risen on the northern front. Should Israel go to war with Hezbollah, the Lebanese army would fight on the Shi’ite terrorist organization’s side, Israeli security officials said on Friday, 3 March 2017. According to the officials, unlike Israel’s 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, a future war would feature the Lebanese Armed Forces on Hezbollah’s side. The army had originally rearmed itself in order to deal with internal terrorism, however they also strengthened their ability to fight an army such as the IDF. While the army may not have specifically advanced weaponry, they do currently have more ability than before to fight the IDF, including more precise anti-tank rockets. The strengthening came from the army’s rearming as well as its commander- in-chief, Michel Naim Aoun and Hezbollah.” Aoun, 82 years old, was once a Lebanese Armed Forces officer, and in the 1980s was an ally to Israel. He has since changed his views, winning wider support and taking Lebanon’s presidential office in October 2016. In an interview with Egyptian TV two weeks ago, Aoun hinted that Hezbollah and the Lebanese Armed Forces are working side-by-side. "The Lebanese army is not strong enough to fight Israel face-to-face,” he stated. "Because of that, Hezbollah is necessary. There is no contradiction between them." (J.Post) [Comment]

"The most important strategic issue we're currently facing is the strengthening of the Shiite axis led by Iran in Syria, especially after the fall of Aleppo," Hagai Tzuriel, director-general of Israel's Intelligence Ministry who served for 28 years in the Mossad, told media sources. Recent developments in Syria have created "a strong imbalance in the region to Iran's benefit. Yet at the same time, since Moscow decided to take a more engaged role in actively supporting the Assad regime, Iran's role as Damascus' main backer has been somewhat diminished. The Russians have managed to become the key player with only a few dozen aircraft. That's proof that political will and the readiness to use military force are key. For Israel, it is important to see the USA remaining active in Syria and the region," Tzuriel said. Continued USA involvement is crucial to Israel's interest in seeing Iran kept from extending hegemony to Syria, allowing the Islamic Republic to link Tehran and Beirut.

He said President Obama's decision, in 2013, to not use military force against Assad's regime despite its use of chemical weapons, "was a pivotal moment for the entire region. This moment changed everything. It showed Putin that the USA was not willing to use force. It opened the door for Russia to take center stage." For Israel, the most important issue is making sure Iran and its proxies aren't able to set up a base in Syria from which to attack Israel. "If Iran and Hezbollah manage to base themselves in Syria, it would be a permanent source of instability in the entire region," he said, referring specifically to the threat of an Iranian naval base on the Mediterranean. (Times of Israel)

 Israeli PM Netanyahu spoke on 5 March, 2017 about his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. At their discussion scheduled for Thurs. 9 March 2017, Netanyahu intends to speak with Putin about Israel's opposition to the Iranian attempts to establish a permanent military and naval presence in Syria. "On Thursday I will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. One of the most important issues we will discuss is Iran's attempt to make an agreement with Syria. With or without Syria's agreement, Iran will attempt to establish a permanent military presence in Syria, both on land and at sea. In fact, Iran is attempting to slowly open a front in the Golan Heights. I will tell President Putin about my extreme opposition to this plan, and about the possibility Israel will choose to attack. I hope we will be able to come to the understandings necessary to prevent confrontations between Russian and Israeli forces - just as we have been able to do until now." (Arutz-7) Be prayerfully alert to events taking place in countries adverse to the Jewish state on the other side of Israel’s northern borders. This region, most immediately, includes Syria and Lebanon, out of which terrorists groups rabidly hostile to Israel and supported by Iran, operate. Pray that Iran will not be allowed to establish a permanent military and naval presence in Syria. End time alliance of nations that will come against Israel include: Magog (southern portion of the former Soviet Union; (Rosh - Russia; Meshech and Tubal) - Turkey; Persia (Iran); Cush – (Sudan); Put- (Libya). Current headlines suggest many of these players are coming together in ways that will lead to a proactive invasion force against Israel. Intercede for Israel’s divine wisdom and discernment in its dealings with Russia, and for the safety of Israel’s northern border communities.
[Comment]

 Two Coptic Christians were found murdered Wed. 22 Feb. 2017, in Egypt's North Sinai, a stronghold of the terror group. They said the son had been burnt alive while the father, a man in his 60s, had been shot multiple times. Their bodies were discovered at dawn behind a school in the provincial capital of El-Arish. ISIS, which has mostly targeted Egypt's security forces, warned this week it would set its sights on the country's Christian minority. In a video released 20 Feb. 2017 by the terror group, a narrator encouraged jihadis to terrorize and kill Christians across the country. It was uploaded to YouTube under the title Kill The Kuffar, but it has subsequently been deleted. (UK Daily Mail) Continue to pray for the protection of Egypt’s Coptic Christians, especially those presently living in ISIS strongholds. Intercede that major action will be taken by Egypt’s security forces to root out and eradicate all ISIS influence and operators in Egypt. [Comment]

Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Yad Vashem’s director of the libraries has called on Amazon to remove Holocaust denial books from its online store, accusing the Internet retail giant of facilitating the spread of hate speech. In the letter penned by Dr. Robert Rozett, to the CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, he writes, "It has been clear for many years now that Holocaust denial literature is freely available for purchase over Amazon. Many of the items appear with glowing readers’ reviews and recommendations for further reading in the same vein.” Mentioning that Yad Vashem had – in vain – broached the issue with Amazon soon after the latter’s founding, Rozett said that in light of an unfortunate change in climate with more visible anti-Semitism, "maybe the time is a little more ripe for them to take up the idea that they need to be more careful in what they sell. Once again, given the presence of anti-Semitism around the globe, which has become more prevalent in recent years, we strongly urge you to remove books that deny, distort and trivialize the Holocaust from your store,” Rozett wrote to Bezos. "Holocaust denial and other forms of hate speech indisputably nurture prejudice and hate crimes,” he continued. "Facilitating the spread of such hate-filled ideas is irresponsible, to say the least. As a major agent for the dissemination of ideas, it is incumbent upon Amazon, as it is also incumbent upon Internet providers in general, to act to curb the spread of hatred.” He concluded by offering Yad Vashem’s assistance in identifying publications that foment Holocaust denial, distortion and trivialization. (J.Post) Continue to pray that lies and incitement against the Jewish people, including material that promotes Holocaust Denial will be removed from online stores and social media sites. [Comment]

Toronto Mayor John Tory and leaders in the city’s Jewish community on Wed. 22 Jan. 2017 condemned the recent discovery of anti-Semitic notes inside a condo building in the city’s Willowdale neighborhood. Post-it notes bearing a Swastika and reading "No Jews” were found on the front doors of several Jewish residences in the building, while a number of residents also reported the theft of a mezuzah from their front doors. "We are here today to say that there is no place for these acts of hatred, for these acts of discrimination and for these acts of anti-Semitism,” Tory told reporters. "This is inconsistent with who we are and the story of Toronto that has made us one of the most admired cities in the world.” Several representatives from the Jewish community also attended the news conference to express their dismay with the incident.

One of them, Rabbi Moshe Steiner, said he went to the Willowdale condo building after learning its residents had been targeted and was alarmed to hear from some of the victims who wanted to "lay low” and not immediately replace their stolen or vandalized mezuzahs. He said he was relieved to hear those same residents then change their tones after discussion. "The answer is absolutely not to say, ‘Let’s recede into the shadows,’” he said. "We dare not be marginalized. Whoever did this is trying to intimidate us trying to force us to cower into the shadows. We cannot do that.” Police are investigating the hate crime, but no suspects have been arrested. (Arutz-7) Pray that Toronto Jews terrorized by this incident will be comforted and kept from further fear.

The Deputy Director-General of the World Zionist Organization and the head of the department for Israel activity and combating anti-Semitism, Yaakov Hagoel, said that anti-Semitism is growing worldwide. Haguel responded in a media interview to the smashing of more than 150 tombstones in a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis. "This was a very serious incident. Unfortunately, this is part of a growing phenomenon occurring around the world in the last decade. Every year there are more anti-Semitic incidents than the previous year. I hope that President Trump's reference to the subject will lead to zero tolerance for anti-Semitism. Haguel declared that "there was always anti-Semitism in the USA and it is also consistently on the rise. I have no doubt that we are on a slippery slope and that if we don't stop the first incidents it will just increase. President Trump was correct to make a clear statement. If anti-Semitic incidents will increase, the president will have to legislate and act against the anti-Semitic rioters," concluded Haguel. (Arutz-7) [Comment]

USA Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has asked the Security Council why the UN obsesses over bashing Israel and has pledged to change UN treatment of the Jewish state. "I just put out to the members of the Security Council to help me understand: When we have so much going on in the world, why is it that every single month we’re going to sit down and have a hearing, where all they do is obsess over Israel?” She criticized the Security Council for focusing on Israel during its monthly meeting on the Middle East, to the complete exclusion of other issues, such as Hezbollah, ISIS, and the Syrian civil war. She also criticized the UN Department of Political Affairs for having "an entire division devoted to Palestinian affairs. There is no division devoted to illegal missile launches from North Korea. There is no division devoted to the world’s number one state-sponsor of terror, Iran," she observed. "The double standards are breathtaking.

Just a few days ago, the United States sought unsuccessfully to have the Security Council condemn a terrorist attack on Israel, where the terrorist opened fire on people waiting for a bus and then stabbed others. The Security Council would not hesitate to condemn an attack like that in any other country, but not for Israel. And that’s downright shameful. Haley pledged to work to end the UN's biased treatment of Israel. "I’m here to say the United States will not turn a blind eye to this anymore. I am here to underscore the ironclad support of the United States for Israel. I’m here to emphasize the United States is determined to stand up to the UN’s anti-Israel bias. We will never repeat the terrible mistake of Resolution 2334 and allow one-sided Security Council resolutions to condemn Israel. Instead, we will push for action on the real threats we face in the Middle East." (Arutz-7) Continue to intercede that major measures will be taken by the Trump administration and other Western governments to challenge and to penalize the UN Security Council for its obsessive and dangerous bias against Israel. [Comment]