Israel Allies to US: Recognize Jerusalem as Capital

By Erick Stakelbeck

CBN News Terrorism Analyst

Thursday, June 07, 2012

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WASHINGTON -- Members of the International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation met in Washington, D.C., this week and called on the United States to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel.

Several Jewish and Christian leaders, as well as pro-Israel lawmakers, attended the group's Jerusalem Day Prayer Breakfast on Wednesday.

Rep. Allen West, R-Fla.

"Jerusalem is the rightful capital of the Jewish people, and it should stay that way," Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., said. "It should always be unified under one simple flag, that star of David, because that is David's city."

Jerusalem's ties to the Jewish people date back at least 3,000 years, to King David's reign.

The city is mentioned 600 times in the Bible's Old Testament and another 160 times in the New Testament. It is never mentioned in the Koran.

Yet a battle continues to rage today over whether Jerusalem should remain Israel's undivided capital.

Palestinian leaders and their international backers want to split the city in two and make eastern Jerusalem the capital of a future Palestinian state

"We have to be Israel's friend, and I would implore this president, who I just believe in my heart is not Israel's friend, to have a change of heart," Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Ill.,told CBN News.

Legislation was passed on Capitol Hill in 1995 calling for the U.S. Embassy in Israel to be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Seventeen years later and that still has not happened.

In fact, successive administrations - from President Clinton to President Obama - have used a waiver to delay that decision and keep the Embassy in Tel Aviv.

The embassy issue was a major part of the agenda at the Jerusalem Day event.

"For us, the greatest country in the world, the United States of America, the greatest country the world has ever known, to be fearful of moving our embassy to Jerusalem, in my opinion, is a disgrace and we need to do that and do that right now," GOP Florida Senate candidate Dave Weldon said.

Rabbi Benny Elon, president of the Israel Allies Caucus Foundation, told CBN News that the Palestinian claim to Jerusalem was rooted not in history but hostility.

"They don't need Jerusalem," he said. "They just want to make sure that we, the Jews, shall not have it."

Elon called on all American believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to put pressure on decision-makers in Washington to remedy the problem.

For full video: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2012/June/Caucus-to-US-Acknowledge-Jerusalem-as-Israels-Capital/

Israel Discovers More OffShore Oil and Gas

CBN News

JERUSALEM, Israel -- An Israeli company announced the discovery of another sizable offshore oil and gas field on Sunday. Israel Opportunity Energy Resources LP estimated the newest field at about 1.4 billion barrels of oil and 6.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

"The quantity of gas discovered in the licenses -- and the high probabilities -- make it the third largest off-shore discovery to date," chairman Ronny Halman told Globes. "This quantity guarantees Israel's energy future for decades," he said, "and makes it possible to export Israeli gas and boost the State's revenues without worrying about gas reserves for domestic consumption."

The latest discovery follows last June's announcement of one of the world's largest offshore gas reserves estimated at more than 16 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 800 million barrels of oil.

In addition to the offshore gas and oil fields, another Israeli company has been exploring the country's shale oil reserves, which could equal Saudi Arabia's oil reserves.

Israel Energy Initiatives chief scientists Harold Vinegar told CBN News a conservative estimate was about 250 billion barrels of oil.

In February, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Cypriot President Demetris Christofias to talk about the discovery off the coast of Cyprus of natural gas deposits estimated at 8 trillion cubic feet. The two leaders discussed the possibility of a joint pipeline to export gas to Europe and Asia.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2012/June/Israel-Discovers-More-OffShore-Oil-and-Gas-/

Obama now unsure Palestinians even want peace

israel today Magazine

You've read the news. Now understand it.

Report: Obama now unsure Palestinians even want peace

Wednesday, June 06, 2012 | Ryan Jones

 

US President Barack Obama has come to realize what many Middle East observers have long known: that perhaps the Palestinian Authority leadership does not want genuine peace and coexistence with Israel.

Obama expressed that concern during a White House meeting with Orthodox Jewish leaders on Tuesday, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Over the past three years, Obama has seen the Palestinian leadership consistently refuse to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while at the same time trying to blame the impasse on Israel's rejection of far-reaching preconditions.

Washington's response to this frustrating situation has been increased pressure on Israel to make gestures toward the Palestinians, in particular by curbing Jewish construction in Jerusalem and the rest of Judea and Samaria. The apparent hope was that the Palestinians would soften up, but it also resulted in Israel feeling as though the Obama Administration was far less friendly to Israel than previous American governments.

In Tuesday's meeting, Obama insisted that was not the case, noting that all four previous American presidents had called for an end to Jewish "settlement activity." Obama said that in the overall scheme of things, his administration actually tilts in favor of Israel, a fact that has caused problems between Washington and the Palestinians.

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23247/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Our Friend Ephraim Shaul in Liberia, West Africa

Ephraim Shaul in Libeira, West Africa

Orphans in Liberia with Ephraim

We recently received these three pictures from our good friend Ephraim Shaul in Liberia, West Africa. He cares for the orphans also pictured.

Muslim Brotherhood must not control Egypt, warns presidential candidate

Muslim Brotherhood must not control Egypt, warns presidential candidate

Israel Today magazine

Monday, June 04, 2012 | Ryan Jones

As Egyptians wait to vote in the second round of their first truly democratic presidential election, secular candidate Ahmed Shafiq is loudly warning voters that choosing his Muslim Brotherhood rival will plunge Egypt into darkness and spark renewed conflict with Israel.

The Muslim Brotherhood already controls the Egyptian parliament, thanks to a very strong showing in legislative elections in December and January. In last week's presidential election, Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi took home the lion's share of the votes with 25 percent. But that wasn't enough for an outright victory, so a run-off will be held between Mursi and Shafiq, who received 24 percent of the votes, in two weeks.

In a press conference on Sunday, Shafiq cautioned that giving the Brotherhood both the parliament and the presidency will "return Egypt to the dark ages."

Shafiq insisted that despite its promises to the contrary, the Muslim Brotherhood will oppress Egyptian Christians, will try to impose Shariah Law, and will antagonize Israel by making "Palestine" the central issue for all Egyptians. Shafiq also said the Muslim Brotherhood would ignore the mounting lawlessness in the Sinai Peninsula, a situation that concerns Israel greatly as regional terror groups like Hizballah, Hamas and Al Qaeda set up base in the area.

"I represent progress and light, they represent backwardness and darkness," said Shafiq, who himself is a very divisive figure considering his past association with ousted former dictator Hosni Mubarak.

Road to Damascus: Arab Believers Risk Death for Faith

By Gary Lane

CBN News Sr. International Correspondent

Sunday, June 03, 2012

 

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What happens when a Muslim comes to Christ in the Middle East? Many fear persecution so they keep their Christian faith a secret. Others, like evangelist "Rasim," boldly profess their faith and suffer dire consequences as a result. There are dangers but also blessings of embracing and sharing the Gospel in a very distressed region of the world.

Signs and Wonders

Many Muslims throughout the Middle East are coming to Christ through signs and wonders like those performed by Paul and Barnabas in the Book of Acts. The road to Damascus is where the Apostle Paul walked and stopped at the home of Ananias where he was baptized. And that was the start of an incredible ministry that has changed the world. Today in Syria, other evangelists are following in his footsteps.

One evangelist named Rasim shares his faith in a mosque with the imam. He gave the Islamic priest a copy of the Bible and the Jesus film. "I told him if you read the Bible, you'll believe and your mind will be changed -- the Lord is God and he died for you," Rasim said. "He took the Bible and he said, 'maybe.'"

Several Christians joined Rasim in the mosque and prayed for an elderly Muslim man named Bakram. He could barely walk because he had broken his knee and it had not healed properly.

"Bakram was healed and he started dancing and was very happy," Rasim said. "Hallelujah! There's a miracle in the mosque!"

Safety is a Concern

Like the secret Muslim converts and other Christians, Rasim's safety is at risk. While he is often afraid when he approaches a mosque, he said he feels the peace of God once he steps through the door in faith. And because he courageously pushes forward, the knees of a Bedouin woman were also healed recently when Rasim paid a visit to her home.

"We have fear, but Jesus is with us -- Emmanuel is with us," Rasim said. "Jesus said, 'I am with you forever' and we need to go to the mosques and everywhere to tell people the truth about Him and His love."

Christians Killed in Egypt

Believers like Rasim have good cause to fear. It is hard to be a Christian in a Muslim-dominated society, especially in Egypt where Christians were murdered in the streets earlier this year near the city of Luxor. "In November 2008 there was actually an attack of 3,000 people on a church in Cairo where they had attempted to burn it," said Caroline Doss of the American Coptic Federation. "And the attack can actually be viewed online on You Tube. You haven't heard anything about an arrest or a prosecution...That's sending a clear message to the Egyptian population that this is acceptable behavior."

It is life-threatening behavior that mainly targets converts from Islam.

Egyptian Mohammed Hegazy his family are in hiding -- running for their lives. That is because he has several fatwas -- official Islamic pronouncements of death against him because he became a Christian and then fought a legal battle to gain the right to change his religion on his national ID card.

"If you don't have the right or freedom to choose your own belief, what rights do you have," Hegazy asked. "What freedom do you have? I am not afraid because I believe in Christ. Hegazy said he was jailed and tortured by Egyptian state security agents who wanted him to return to Islam.

"They hanged me upside down by my feet and beat me repeatedly," he said. "They used to torture us with electricity on many parts of our bodies and especially on the genitals."

Conversion Kept Secret

Hegazy suffered because he publicly professed his faith. Converts from Islam often try to keep their Christianity a secret in Muslim countries. But many are eventually found out by family members and others.

"I was very worried a rock would hit one of my children or my wife," said Asif, a former Palestinian Muslim who was attacked by militant Muslims. "Thank God the rock hit me instead."

Asif's leg was broken and surgery was required. A steel rod was placed in his shattered leg. He endures ongoing threats and pain, still Asif said he will never return to Islam.

"I can't play back and forth...faith is not a game," he said. "Honestly my life has changed. I am a happier person, a better person. I have a new life now."

Compelled to Share Their Faith

Despite the risks, some bold Middle Eastern Christians feel compelled to share their faith with Muslims and other people. Several years ago, an Iraqi Christian under the alias of Hassan, started a church in Mosul. The body of believers grew from several people to 60 in about five months. One day a gunman in a passing vehicle shot Hassan. Doctors said he suffered a spinal cord injury and would never walk again.

Hassan continues to share Christ with others, but today he does it from a wheelchair in Lebanon. His paralysis has caused many difficulties, but also opportunities.

"When I witness to people about Christ, they know that I really mean what I say unto death," Hassan said. "Of course living for Christ in Iraq is not easy for anybody...despite this difficult situation the salvation of souls is taking place in big numbers among masses in Iraq."

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/May/Middle-East-Christians-Share-Faith-Despite-Risks/

Israel Word - shared by Catharina Schouten

Catharina Schouten

TWICE NOW I COULD NOT CATCH MY BREATH! THE 1ST TIME IT HAPPENED ( SOME WEEKS AGO) THE LORD MADE IT CLEAR IT IS PROPHETICLY! ISRAEL IS IN DEEP TROUBLE. THE SECOND TIME WAS JUST A VIEW MINUTES BACK. OUT OF THE BLUE I FELT LIKE CHOKING! THE LORD TOLD ME:

IT WILL SEEM THAT ISRAEL WILL GET HELP BUT IT IS A FALSE THING! I AM WAITING SAITH THE LORD, I AM WAITING FOR MY PEOPLE TO CRY OUT TO ME! EVENTHOUGH THEY DO NOT RECOGNIZE ME AS THE SON AS THEIR JEWISH MESSIAH THEY CAN CRY OUT FOR ME.

THEY CAN NOT HIDE THEIR ROOTS. THEY CAN NOT HIDE FROM ME. I AM IS STILL HERE! I LOVE MY PEOPLE BUT THEY MUST EXPECT IT FROM ME! I WILL SHOW THE WORLD THAT I AM DOES NOT SLUMBER AND DOES NOT SLEEP.
LISTEN TO ME AND THEN PRAY PRAY PRAY AND AGAIN LISTEN TO ME SO YOU CAN PRAY PROPHETICLY! FOR MY WORDS WILL NEVER RETURN IN VAIN SAITH THE LORD.

I ALSO WARN THOSE WHO LOVE MY LAND IN A ROMANTIC WAY! AS SOON AS IT CAN COST YOU YOUR LIFE, YOU WONT SUPPORT MY LAND AND MY PEOPLE, SAITH THE LORD!

SO RETURN TO ME WITH ALL THAT YOU HAVE AND ALL THAT YOU ARE AND ALL OF YOUR HEART BEFORE YOU PRAY FOR MY LAND AND MY PEOPLE! I NEED THE PURE OF HEART WHO CAN BE MY VOICE! I WILL HONOUR THEIR PRAYERS CAUSE THEY ONLY REPEAT WHAT I AM SAYING AND MY WORD WILL NOT COME BACK IN VAIN! COMFORT MY PEOPLE NOT WITH YOUR OWN FIRE IT IS PROFANE FIRE IN MY EYES SAITH THE LORD! COME TO ME AND I WILL CIRCUMCIZE YOUR HEART ( DEEPER OR EVEN FOR THE SECOND TIME)

THEN I CAN SPEAK THROUGH YOUR MOUTH AND YOU CAN TRULY BE A WATCHMAN ON THE WALL! I NEED YOU MY PEOPLE I NEED YOU AND MY LAND NEEDS YOU SAITH THE LORD.

ONLY THOSE THAT LET ME BE THEIR ALL IN ALL, ONLY THOSE THAT LET ME CIRCUMSIZE THEIR HEART, ONLY THOSE WHO DEEPLY DIE TO SELF AND THEIR OWN AMBITION, CAN STAND IN THE DAYS TO COME! PEOPLE WHO I DO NOT SEND CRY OUT THERE IS PEACE, PEACE , WHERE THERE IS NO PEACE, THESE PEOPLE HONOUR ME WITH THEIR LIPS BUT NOT WITH THEIR HEARTS!

TURN BACK TO ME! TRUST ONLY ME! NOT YOUR PLANS NOT YOUR SOLUTIONS NOT YOUR POLITICIAN , NO, TURN YOUR HEARTS ON ME! FOR I AM WHO I AM, AND I NEVER CHANGED! SAITH THE LORD

Isaiah 29 13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men

Catharina Schouten, The Netherlands (repost out of 2011)

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/catharina-schouten/23/a28/848