Suicide bombers struck three cities across Saudi Arabia on 4 July 2016, in an apparently coordinated campaign of attacks as Saudis prepared to break their fast on the penultimate day of the month of Ramadan. The explosions targeting USA diplomats, Shi'ite worshippers and a security headquarters at a mosque in the Muslim holy city of Medina follow days of mass killings claimed by the ISIS terrorist group, in Turkey, Bangladesh and Iraq. The attacks all seem to have been timed to coincide with the approach of Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that celebrates the end of the fast. A Saudi security official said an attacker parked a car near the USA consulate in Jeddah before detonating the device. The official said the government was checking the reports of blasts in Qatif and Medina. In the only one of the three attacks that appeared to have caused many casualties, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb near the security headquarters of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, the second-holiest site in Islam. (J.Post) [Comment]

Israeli authorities investigating the Sarona Market terror shootings which left four people dead filed an indictment on 4 July 2016, revealing that the two terrorists involved in the attack were inspired by the Islamic terror group ISIS. Investigators also disclosed in the indictment that two terrorists had been planning to strike Israeli targets since January 2016. Originally the pair had intended on attacking train passengers. To that end, the terror cell assembled information regarding the schedules of train lines and the number of passengers during peak hours. After plans to assault an Israel Rail line were scrapped, the two killers selected the Sarona Market. The two terrorists Khalid and Mahmoud Mehamara, cousins from the village of Yatta in Judea, were assisted by a third Yatta resident, Yunis Zin, who helped plan the attack and procured the firearms used in the shootings. The three have been accused of four counts of murder, 41 counts of attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder. According to the indictment, Mahmoud Mehamara became radicalized while studying in Jordan. There he developed an interest in the ISIS terror organization. The report also revealed that the terror cell had also planned to stab Israelis, and had purchased knives and rat poison, which the knives were to be dipped in. (Arutz-7) [Comment]

Breaking the automatic majority against Israel in international forums is one of Jerusalem’s strategic goals, and the current inroads being made into Africa goes a long way in that direction, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday evening, 4 July 2016. Netanyahu made his comments aboard the plane flying him 50 minutes from Entebbe to Nairobi for the second day of his five day, four state east Africa swing. Before leaving Uganda, Netanyahu held a three-hour summit – which he characterized as historic – with the leaders of seven east African nations: Uganda, Kenya Rwanda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Zaire and Tanzania. These leaders came to the summit "on short notice” out of a respect for Israel, and also an appreciation that Israel is a strategic ally for them.

Netanyahu commented to African leaders that when he drove from Entebbe to the presidential palace some people lined the streets waving Israeli flags and cheering. One person held up a sign that read, "Uganda needs Israel.” Israel also needs Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, all the countries,” Netanyahu said. "We need that alliance, that alliance – it will take time - may change the automatic majority against Israel. Something that has not been possible in the past. Netanyahu noted that there is a trend among certain African states already to either vote with Israel or abstain on key international votes. According to Netanyahu, the African countries have two basic interests in ties with Israel. The first is security, fighting terrorism; and the second is Israeli technology in the field of agriculture, water energy and health. (J.Post) Pray for mutually beneficial strengthening ties between Israel and African nations. Intercede that anti-Israel bias will be broken down by visits and co-operation to and from the Jewish state. [Comment]

A Coptic Christian priest was killed in "a hail of bullets” outside The Church of the Martyr of St George in Sinai, Egypt on Sunday 3 July 2016. Raphael Moussa, 46, was shot dead by an unidentified gunman next to his car, having left the church in Arish where he attended a mass, according to Boulos Halim, a church spokesperson. Security officials said there was more than one gunman involved in the shooting. They said the priest had been followed and shot at when he emerged from his car. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but extremists in the Sinai have targeted Christians before, accusing them of working with the government. A branch of ISIS has been active in the Sinai region and reportedly killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers in the region. "The whole situation in El-Arish and North Sinai is under threat,” said Halim. "Many Christians have left.” (Christianity Today) Pray for the protection and faithful witness of the courageous Coptic Christians who often choose death and persecution from Islamists rather than deny their faith. [Comment]

Speaking on al-Quds Day, 1 July 2016, Iran's annual commemoration of the country’s solidarity with the Palestinian people, the Deputy Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard said that Lebanon has 100,000 missiles ready to annihilate Israel. Senior Iranian official, Hossein Salami, said: "The opportunity to destroy Israel is now better than ever, because tens of thousands of long-range missiles all over the Islamic world are ready to hit Israel immediately upon receiving the order." In addition, Salami accused Israel of serving as a proxy for American espionage in the Islamic world, stating that "the Palestinian revolution of stones is now turning into a revolution of missiles that will leave Israelis no time to breathe. Tens of thousands of Iranians took to the streets in Tehran and in 850 other cities in the Islamic Republic on Friday 1 July 2016 to mark the annual Quds Day, raising banners with anti-Israel slogans. (J.Post) [Comment]

Just what will it take to cut off USA funding for Palestinian terror? That question has taken center stage amid the wave of murderous "lone wolf” attacks against Israeli civilians, egged on by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Since September, the terror spree has left 40 dead and 430 injured. And every one of the terrorists - or their families - gets a hefty reward from Abbas’ PA. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions flow to the PA from the West, including America. This means USA tax dollars are, in effect, going to pay for terrorist acts. Congress may be finally moving to end the outrage. Both houses are considering legislation to cut USA aid to the PA by the amount given to Palestinian terrorists and their families. The key will be to make the bill loophole-proof, as the PA has skirted earlier attempts to curb its terror subsidies. Sending USA tax dollars to the PA, only to see them go to reward terror, is a moral obscenity. Congress should do all it can to curb the practice - pronto. (NY Post) Intercede that the outrageous use of USA tax dollars for the salaries and stipends of jailed terrorists and their families will be utterly cut off! [Comment]

 Israel intends to reduce monthly transfers of tax collected on behalf of the Palestinians in what aides to PM Netanyahu described as a response to the killing of two Israelis in Palestinian terrorist attacks last week. The amount deducted from about $130 million sent to the Palestinian Authority each month will be equal to stipends it pays terrorists in Israeli prisons and the families of jailed or slain terrorists. "Incitement and payouts to terrorists and their relatives constitute an incentive to murder," government sources said. Terrorists killed an Israeli and wounded three others in an attack on a family car on 1 July 2016. The previous day a Palestinian stabbed a 13-year-old girl to death while she was sleeping. (J.Post) [Comment]

Israel's Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan has launched a scathing attack on social media giant Facebook, saying the company and its CEO Mark Zuckerberg have blood on their hands and bear some responsibility for last week’s shocking murder of a 13-year-old Israeli girl. Hallel-Yaffa Ariel was stabbed to death as she slept in her bed in Kiryat Arba by a 17-year-old Palestinian terrorist, who had repeatedly incited violence and told of his desire to die killing Israelis on Facebook. A video of his mother praising his actions and calling for more attacks circulated on Facebook soon after and, shockingly, still has not been taken down. Erdan said that "part of the blood of those murdered are on the hands of Facebook," lamenting Facebook's notoriously liberal approach to deleting anti-Israel incitement. "The young generation's entire discourse is happening on the social media networks, all the incitement and lies occur on that platform," he added, and suggested Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg should engage in "some introspection." (Arutz-7) [Comment]

The seriously wounded victim of Friday's 1 July 2016, deadly drive-by shooting attack near Hebron regained consciousness early Sunday afternoon. Chava Mark was left in critical condition in the shooting, which killed her husband Michael and injured two of their children who were traveling with them. She had been in a medically-induced coma ever since, as doctors fought first to save her life, and then to stabilize her condition. She underwent a serious of major operations for multiple gunshot wounds to her upper body. Her 15-year-old daughter, who also sustained gunshot wounds in the attack, is hospitalized with her in moderate condition. Chava awoke from her coma as the funeral procession for her husband made its way from their hometown Otniel to Jerusalem's Har Hamenuchot cemetery. She is not yet aware of her husband's death. The attack occurred as the family was driving in the Hebron Hills region. The Arab terrorists who carried out the attack overtook them, raking their car with gunfire and causing it to flip, killing Michael and wounding all three passengers. Some 20 bullets were fired at the innocent family in the attack. (Arutz-7) Pray for Chava Mark and her tragedy-stricken children. Intercede for the injured members of the family to know complete physical recovery and emotional courage and comforting for the days ahead. "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” Isa 66:13 [Comment]

Chairman of the Lobby for Holocaust Survivors, MK Eliezer Stern, mourned the passing of Elie Wiesel: "I had the merit of knowing him personally. The conversations between us always focused on the connection between the Holocaust and recovery there from, as well as the challenges we face inside Israel and among Diaspora Jewry. Elie was the true mouthpiece for human values, combining Judaism with the Jewish people over history, especially the Holocaust. He was the Doomsday weapon against all Holocaust deniers, and a faithful ambassador of "Never Again" for the Jewish nation among generations of world leaders." (INN) [Comment]