Israel is seeking sped up production of Iron Dome batteries, Moshe Patel, Director of the Israel Missile Defense Organization, revealed this week. The statement comes as Hamas continues to produce thousands of rockets in Gaza, Hezbollah imports rockets and missiles from Iran and Syria, and as ISIS joins the list of threats to the Israeli home front. Patel said Israel is in talks with Iron Dome’s maker, Rafael, and co-producer, the USA defense company Raytheon, to see which company could increase production of Iron Dome batteries. "Our main activity is to add more Iron Dome batteries,” Patel said, "either in Rafael, or Raytheon, or both.” Iron Dome shot down some 1500 Gazan rockets fired at Israel since becoming operational. Recently, it held a trial in which interceptors shot down drones, Patel stated. The low cost of its interceptors make Iron Dome the air defense system of choice, he added. (J.Post) [Comment]

The New Jersey Legislature passed legislation that prohibits the state from investing pension and annuity funds in companies that boycott Israel or Israeli businesses. The bipartisan bill in response to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, or BDS, movement against Israel passed the state’s General Assembly this week by a vote of 69-3 with 2 abstentions. Gov. Chris Christie is expected to sign the bill into law. The state’s $71 billion pension fund provides coverage for about 800,000 current and retired public employees. Israel and New Jersey annually trade more than $1.3 billion in goods, according to the legislation. "It is important to the economic well-being of New Jersey that persons or entities conducting commercial trade and doing business in the State do not engage in boycotts of a legitimate and viable partner with whom New Jersey can enjoy open trade contracting,” according to the legislation. "Therefore, it is in the best interest of this State that a statutory prohibition be enacted to prohibit the investment of public employee retirement funds in companies boycotting Israel.” In total, 21 states have taken up anti-BDS legislation. (J. Post) This is yet another encouraging answer to prayer in the battle against the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel. Please intercede for a complete victory over these parasitic attempts to drain the economy of the Jewish state, wherever they lift their ugly heads. [Comment]

In any future war, Israel will be hit with the largest rocket salvos seen in its history – that was the stark warning issued by Brig.-Gen. Zvika Haimovich, commander of air defenses in the Israel Air Force on 27 June 2016. Speaking at the Israel Air Missile Defense Conference, he said that Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas were carrying out joint research and development of rockets, adding, "We can see a lot of live tests in Gaza with Hamas, and with Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. They have put in a lot of effort into increasing and improving their skills. In the future, we will meet and engage much bigger salvos,” he said. They will come from multiple directions, and a "regional war” is a more realistic scenario than a single-front escalation. Hezbollah can cover more than 75% of Israeli territory with its rockets and missiles. "If we are talking about the multi-directional threat, this is much more complicated than what we faced five to 10 years ago. Additionally, enemies will fire cruise missiles at Israel in the next war, he warned. "It’s not a nightmare. It’s a very realistic scenario."

In response to the mounting threats, the IAF’s air defense units are focused on creating flexibility, and updating their battle doctrine, to ensure they are dealing with future, rather than the past. The commander admitted that Israel has a lack of resources, and not enough interceptors to defend against the full range of aerial threat. He called for the acquisition of more air defense batteries and interceptors, but added, "This isn’t enough.” Integrating the various air defense systems, creating cross-branch IDF cooperation, and working with the USA are all needed. I really don’t know when next war will occur. Our challenge is to always be in front, and to be one step ahead of our enemies,” Haimovich said.(J.Post)

The crisis in Europe will most likely weaken the ability and impulse of EU member countries to deal with Middle East issues, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as Europe will be preoccupied with keeping the union together, though in recent years Britain was a force for moderation with respect to EU policy toward the conflict. On the other hand, Israel remains concerned about the increasing support for Muslim fundamentalist forces in Europe and growing anti-Semitism on the continent. While Israel will continue to function in the sub-bodies of the EU, its influence will be weakened following the British exit. (Institute for National Security Studies) [Comment]

Palestinians threw rocks at Jewish worshipers at the Western Wall on Tues. 28 June 2016, striking a woman of 73 in the head, on a third day of confrontations involving the adjacent Temple Mount. Paramedics treated the woman at the scene for a light head injury. It was the first case in several years of Palestinians throwing rocks from the Temple Mount at worshipers at the Western Wall, an incident which police see as a worrisome development. Police arrested 11 masked protesters they said were involved in the violence. Earlier police decided in consultation with government officials to shut the Temple Mount to visits by non-Muslims through the end of the holy month of Ramadan. (Ha’aretz) Please continue to intercede against spirits of violence and religious hatred over the city of Jerusalem. "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Jas 5:16 [Comment]

Tuesday morning 27 June 2016, started normally for Meir Amshik, a ranger (rescue personnel) for the Nature and Parks Authority. As he jogged along the coast, however, "I saw a few pottery shards had been washed up by the waves, and I stopped to pick them up. To my surprise, I saw that a new part of the cliff had crumbled. I went to check it out, and I saw a strange lamp resting there, whole.” Guy Pitosi, inspector for the Israel Antiquities Authority, rushed to the scene. "NPA rangers, and rangers in general, are our eyes on the coast. They don’t just save people, they save artifacts. Finds like this can be incredibly important for research, and for our understanding of history. Happily, more and more people are reporting ancient finds.” According to Saar Ganor, archaeologist for the Ashkelon Center for the Israel Antiquities Authority, "This ancient oil lamp, which was used a light source, dates back to the 12th century. The lamp demonstrates a part of the cultural wealth of the ancient city Ashkelon, which once was an important merchant city.” (Aurtz-7) [Comment]

The Jewish Agency has dispatched 84 full-time emissaries around the world, with the greater part of them in the USA and three in Paris. The majority of young Jews studying at French universities want to leave France, according to Eliav Geissmann, one of the Jewish Agency emissaries in Paris. "The situation of Jewish students in France is complicated,” Geissmann told media sources. "It is hard for those who have already started to study to leave their studies in the middle. But there is an overwhelming sense that the majority of students want to leave. Many talk about going to the USA, Canada and of course, Israel.” Asked how many French students were actually planning aliya, Geissmann said: "I can’t really say how many want to come to Israel, but I believe it is more than half.” He urged the Israeli government to "do more to encourage them,” including the introduction of a student exchange program with French universities. (J. Post) [Comment]

 Five months ago, a knife-wielding terrorist entered a clothing store in the town of Tekoa in Gush Etzion, and stabbed the pregnant Michal Froman in her upper body. She was evacuated to Jerusalem's Sha'arei Tzedek hospital in moderate condition. On Saturday 25 June 2016, she gave birth to a healthy baby daughter. In a media interview Froman said that every crisis brings with it the opportunity to find the positive and embark on a new journey. "I often think about what God was trying to tell me with this attack," she said. Froman's husband wrote a facebook post detailing his thoughts and feelings about the birth of his daughter. "For already four months since the stabbing I've been wondering if we'll have a 'hilltop youth' girl or an extreme Leftist. Turns out she's just a bundle of sweetness. Of sweetness and serenity. It seems it'll take us a while to convince her that there are conflicts in the world. In the meantime she and I are both filled with admiration for her mother, who once again surprised us with a show of strength from suffering, and finding the good in a crisis. I thank God for everything." (Arutz-7) "His favor is for life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Ps 30:5 [Comment]