23 July, 2023, Samaria, Israel: The protests continue and have intensified. Last night police estimate between 30,000 and 40,000 people were on the streets:
Jerusalem Post, 23 July 2023, pg 1.
The editors of the Jpost have shared an opinion column, which includes a reference to a prescient comedy tv show that described this “near civil war” situation in advance by several years:
Jerusalem Post, 23 July 2023, pg 9.
New report: Prime Minister Netanyahu will undergo tonight a medical procedure to install a pacemaker. He will be released tomorrow just in time to get to the parliament for the vote on the judiciary reform legislation.
Please pray for peace and wisdom in all levels of Israeli society.
10 July 2023 News update: The Jenin operation is done, (Operation Home and Garden) while setting a new world record: zero non-combatants killed.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/373909
Col. Richard Kemp on Jenin op: ‘Remarkable achievement unprecedented in modern warfare’
Former commander of British forces in Afghanistan lauds IDF for avoiding killing any civilians in Jenin operation.
4 July 2023, Samaria: While Operation Break the Wave (in Jenin, Samaria, aka West Bank) still continues for more than a year since March 2022, Operation Home and Garden is quite different and began just yesterday. And yet Op Home and Garden is also quite different from the routine raids and arrests the IDF conducts as well as those of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Border Police.Article “Jenin operation unlikely to end terrorism wave,” Jerusalem Post, 4 July 2023 pg 1.Jerusalem Post, 4 July 2023 pg 1.Jerusalem Post, 4 July 2023 pg 1.
28 June 2023, Samaria: In May 2021, exactly 2 years before now, Israel suddenly came under Islamic missile attack from armed forces in Gaza, who are funded, supplied, and commanded by Iran. Here’s a series of videos as a recap of Shavuot Season ‘21.
Before I share the first-hand accounts thru video, and news interviews, I quickly want to add: That war in 2021 was unusual not only for the “overwhelm” strategy used by the Gazan rocketeers, but also that Israeli Arabs got into hand-to-hand combat against Israeli Jews in the streets of the mixed cities. What I mean is – Israeli citizens, who are Arabs, who pay taxes to Israel and vote for Parliament (Knesset) Members, and having Arab Israeli representatives occupying seats in the Knesset, and even at that moment in the Coalition not only the Opposition, Israeli Arabs who have lived side by side with Jews for generations, were suddenly, as soon as rockets were raining down from Gaza (Gazans are not citizens) these Arab Israelis went door to door marking the Jewish apartments with paint for the gangs to break in and violate the Jewish families. This had not really happened before, and it was a shock to society. Never before had the Israeli Arab citizens taken sides with the Gazans (who are non-Israelis) in such a blatant, violent, and cruel way. Previously they had done other things such as using cars to mow down Jews standing at the bus stops, which is already cruel, but the street fights and the door-to-door combat among mixed Arab-Jewish neighbors was unprecedented, and used in addition to the car rammings and such. It led to the downfall of the government which was historical in that the Arab Knesset members had joined the coalition for the first time.
To be clear: There were no reports of Jewish neighbors attacking Arabs door-to-door. There were gangs of Jewish young men joining together to defend fellow Jews. I interviewed firsthand one Jewish young man who said that he joined with eighty friends every day (80) to form automobile convoys and drive to the mixed cities in order to fight and defend the Jewish residents of those cities. The Jewish Israeli government of course rebuked such actions and called on Jews to calm themselves and trust in the Army and Police to defend them. However, the only words from the Arab Muslim Knesset Members were to incite the Arab Israelis to continue the street violence.
My first-hand reports of the overhead missiles are below. But first, Sky News Australia interviewed Colonel Richard Kemp, battlefield expert, on Gaza’s attacks and Israel’s responses, and a “fake out” move by which the IDF goaded the armies of Gaza into attacking Israel, which was a clever trap:
At first, the long-range missiles from Gaza were reaching the Jerusalem area, and that was quite a shock, since Iran has difficulty smuggling those into Gaza thru the tunnels in Egypt, and so Jerusalem doesn’t often come under fire for that reason:
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Suddenly, Tel Aviv and surrounding areas were also under missile fire, and I was caught out on the street when six of them exploded overhead:
What it felt like for me holed up in a bomb shelter with a cat in Bat Yam near Tel Aviv:
One Shabbat, I was caught outside walking when 23 missiles were simultaneously launched at Bat Yam, Rishon Lezion, Cholon and Tel Aviv. The Gazans were for the first time making a pointed effort to overwhelm the Iron Dome batteries that can only fire 20 anti-missile defenses at a time before reloading:
The day after that was Shavuot Pentecost 2021, and I retraced my steps where I had been under the 23 missiles the day before:
Thanks to all Partners and Intercessors who help me continue the work under difficult circumstances. Pray about our Work.
22 June 2023 Update: All 4 names released for publication:
Four victims of terrorism kost their lives in the Samaria town of Eli on June 19, 2023.
21 June 2023 Samaria & Judea: Below is the map of the attack in Eli * (pinpointed) in relation to my location in Rosh haAyin which is to the west:
The names of three of the four victims of Tuesday’s terrorist shooting attack near Eli have been cleared for publication.
One victim was identified as Harel Masoud, a 21-year-old resident of Yad Binyamin. Another was named as Elisha Antman, a 17-year-old resident of Eli. A third was identified as Ofer Fairman, a 60-year-old resident of Eli.
Dear Reader, please join me in Prayer:
Amen Abba, in Y’shua Messiah’s name, comfort the families in their sorrow as they most likely will be gathering to bury the bodies this morning or this afternoon. And bring Your Shalom to all Israel including Samaria and Judea.
Please Pray to help our work in the Land amidst dangers and persecutions.
“Demands that the government launch an operation in Samaria,” Israel HaYom, 31 May 2023 front page.
Headline: “Demands that the government launch an operation in Samaria,” Israel HaYom, 31 May 2023 front page.
Subtitle: “The hunt continues for the terrorists who murdered the resident of Hermesh – this is the second shooting attack in two days – Eliyahu Raviv, resident of Samaria: ‘Our lives are worth less than those of the residents of Tel Aviv.'”
Upper right corner of the photo: Meir Tamri, resident of Hermesh, a civilian noncombatant, cut down in terror attack.
Please pray: we work in difficult areas of Samaria.
18 May, 2023, Chomesh, Israel: Lead politicians Gallant and Smotrich have reached an agreement to officially confirm the village of Chomesh:
“Green light for Jews to stay in Chomesh,” Israel HaYom 18 May 2023, front cover.
It’s always a blessing when the government of modern Israel officially affirms a Jewish village in Judea and Samaria.
Without going into the specifics about every village, here’s an overview of the complexity:
Some Jewish villages were built on parcels of land that was bought and paid for, to an Arab family that had claimed ownership.
Some were authorized by an prior Israeli government – and trouble may come if a subsequent government chooses to not uphold their agreements with Jewish citizens.
Generally, land in Judea and Samaria was won in defensive military conflicts, in which International Law states that the defender keeps land that they win, while following strict rules to establish who is the aggressor and who is the defender.
Please pray, as we seek to accomplish our work in troubled times and places.
Update 11 May 2023, Tel Aviv: Second rash of missiles just fired this afternoon:
Second day of Attacks: Red Alert phone app reported rockets launched at Israeli towns and cities before sunset on May 11, 2023
10 May 2023, Tel Aviv: Israel Defense Forces recently surgically killed three top leaders of Iran-backed Islamic Jihad, an organization in Gaza that competes against Hamas for warfare and governance. Rather than respond against Israeli military targets, as is permissible by law, Gaza armies have instead fired missiles at civilian “soft targets” in population centers such as Ashkelon, Tel Aviv, Rishon Lezion, and Bat Yam.
At left, Gaza fires many missiles simultaneously at Israeli civilians in an attempt to overwhelm the Iron Dome. At right, Iron Dome Israeli defense system launches and strikes Gaza missiles in mid-air. Photo: Israel Today, 11 May 2023, front page.
5 May 2023, Israel: In Nablus, about 20 minutes from here, the terrorist who murdered members of the Dee family while driving to their Pessach (Passover) vacation site, was apprehended by Israeli security forces. He resisted arrest, initiated combat against the Israelis, and was eliminated in the process.
Palestinians in Nablus claim that these (pictured below) are Israeli undercover agents who apprehended the terrorist in the PA-controlled town of Nablus (aka Shechem, the burial place of Joseph):
“The undercover [agents who found the terrorist -ed.], according to the Palestinians’ claim.” Israel Today – 5 May 2023 pg 1.
The front-page headline: “In the heart of the terrorist nest: The account is closed.”
“The elimination in Nablus is a testament to the ability of security forces – and so the situation in Judea and Samaria has been the most explosive for 20 years.” Israel Today – 5 May 2023 pg 1.
Pictured below: This terrorist had killed these women who were driving north on Highway 90. The Dee family, who are dual British-Israeli citizens, was in a 2-car convoy towards their Pessach vacation spot in the north:
“Killer was eliminated. The late Di family members.” Israel Today – 5 May 2023 pg 1.
Father in Heaven, we pray in Y’shua’s name that You comfort and provide for the Dee family in their time of mourning.
