Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
Foreign investment in Israel is on the rise despite BDS efforts. [Image: Shutterstock]
In a blow to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, foreign investments in Israel have been growing despite efforts to isolate the Jewish State internationally. According to Bloomberg,foreign investments have nearly tripled since 2005, when BDS was founded, reaching a record high of $285.12 billion last year.
Supporters of BDS range from those who disagree with Israel’s security policies to those who deny the Jewish State’s right to exist. These famously include Stephen Hawking, who refused to attend a a Jerusalem conference in 2013, and Lauryn Hill, who canceled her scheduled 2015 concert. The movement claims it is making inroads internationally, and Israel has acknowledged BDS as a “strategic threat”. However, the Israeli economy does not appear to have been harmed thus far.
“We don’t have a problem with foreign investment in Israel — on the contrary,” Yoel Naveh, chief economist at Israel’s finance ministry told Bloomberg in an interview.
While Israel’s economy is slowing, it is still growing more steadily that other countries’, at an expected rate of 2.8 percent to the US and EU’s 1.8 percent. According to the Israeli Export and International Cooperation Institute, Israel’s industrial high-tech exports rose 13 percent over the previous year to $23.7 billion in 2015. Meanwhile, the BlueStar Israel Global Index, a gauge of globally-listed Israeli companies, has doubled over the past decade.
In addition to Israeli startups raising $3.76 billion last year from foreign investors, another $5.89 billion poured in through foreign acquisitions of Israeli companies.
BDS members are not worried by Israel’s economic health. “BDS is not just working,” said Omar Barghouti, a co-founder of the campaign. “It is working far better and spreading into the mainstream much faster than we had anticipated.”
The impact of BDS, he added, is in the “indirect, palpable psychological impact on the mainstream Israeli psyche about the country becoming more ‘isolated’ from the world.”
Many investors, however, are more concerned with choosing assets which will turn a healthy profit within the confines of the law. If those assets are to be found in Israel, then that’s where they will invest.
Bones unearthed in Japan appear to be those of a Christian missionary from the 1700s who was killed for his faith.
Construction workers building a parking lot for a condominium complex found the skeletal remains of what anthropologists say is Italian missionary Giovanni Battista Sidotti, who was martyred. The condos sit on the site of a prison earmarked for Christians 300 years ago. Today, its only reminder is a stone marker commemorating the location.
Sidotti, who snuck into the island nation disguised as a samurai, was on a mission to spread the gospel of Christ to the Japanese people, who at the time were hostile to Christianity.
Sidotti was said to have had tremendous influence on the Japanese culture at that time. His general knowledge about Western things such as geography, language and global affairs were prized by Japanese scholars he encountered, who were fairly isolated from the rest of the world and who craved information from abroad.
However, it was Sidotti's refusal to renounce his Christian faith that turned those same leaders against him. He was thrown into a notorious prison for Christians where torture was routine. While the brutal conditions prompted many other Christian inmates to publicly forsake their beliefs, Sidotti held fast to his faith. He was even said to have converted and baptized the Japanese couple caring for him while he was in prison.
Historical accounts say Sidotti was afforded elevated respect compared to the other prisoners. That is backed up by the configuration of his skeletal remains.
"His body was laid flat in a casket, a luxurious one as far as I can tell by the brackets," Akio Tanigawa, professor of archaeology at Tokyo's Waseda University and lead researcher on the remains, told AFP, referring to coffin pieces discovered with the bones.
"People did not bury human bodies like this," Tanigawa stressed, suggesting Sidotti was likely given a burial "in the Christian way."
Two sets of bones found next to Sidotti's are said to belong to the Japanese couple.
(Above Photo: Official White House Photo/ Pete Souza)
US President Barack Obama once again displayed his anti-Israel sentiment on Wednesday after he renewed a presidential waiver that would delay the relocation of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for another six months, Haaretzreported.
“Pursuant to the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 7(a) of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995”, read the memorandum directed to US Secretary of State John Kerry. “I hereby determine that it is necessary, in order to protect the national security interests of the United States, to suspend for a period of 6 months the limitations set forth in sections 3(b) and 7(b) of the Act.”
Voted on by a supermajority, Congress passed The Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act in 1995. The bill stated that “the United States Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999.” But a woven caveat allows for a president to postpone the move, for six-monthly periods, in the interests of national security.
The U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv (Photo: Wiki Commons)
Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama have all issued such waivers at each possible interval ever since.
Obama’s most recent decision to delay the move brings with it yet another sigh of exasperation for many of his pro-Israel supporters who had no doubt been inspired by the president’s 2008 campaign during which Obama referred to Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, saying “Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided.”
The next time the waiver comes up for review, in December of this year, Obama will be weeks away from stepping down as President. The decision whether to employ the Act, however, will still be in his hands at that time.
Continuing the rhetoric employed by American politicians looking to secure the Jewish vote, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has gone on record expressing his intentions to follow through with the Jerusalem Embassy Act. During his address to AIPAC attendees in March, Trump assured his audience that he would meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “immediately” and “move the American embassy to the eternal capital of the Jewish people, Jerusalem” should he win the election.
Hillary Clinton, however, has displayed many mixed messages regarding her plans for the US Embassy over the last 20 years. In 1999, she said she “considers Jerusalem to be the eternal and indivisible capital of Israel” and she would advocated to “move the US embassy to Jerusalem” should she be elected to the senate, CNN reported at the time.
In 2008, Clinton’s campaign website – under the heading “Standing with Israel against terrorism” – stated, “Hillary Clinton believes that Israel’s right to exist in safety as a Jewish state, with defensible borders and an undivided Jerusalem as its capital, secure from violence and terrorism, must never be questioned.”
The page does not exist in her 2016 campaign site, contradicting her previous vocalized sentiments.
According to a recent Gallup poll, 24 percent of Americans support moving the embassy to Jerusalem while 20 percent strongly disagree.
“And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.” Exodus 1:7 (The Israel Bible™)
The fertility rate for Jewish women (4.3 children per mother) in Jerusalem has surpassed the fertility rate among the city’s Arab women (3.3 children), according to newly released data.
The 2016 fertility figures were provided by the Statistical Yearbook of Jerusalem, which is issued annually by the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies and the municipality. The overall fertility rate represents the number of children a woman is projected to give birth to in her life. Unsurprisingly, the high rate among Jewish women is heavily influenced by the city’s haredi and religious population.
Despite the fertility numbers, Jerusalem’s overall Arab population has continued to grow while the city’s Jewish majority shrinks. In 2014, the last year for which official figures are available, Jerusalem’s population of 849,000 residents comprised 533,900 Jews (63 percent) and 315,900 Arabs (37 percent). The Arab population growth rate that year stood at 2.7 percent, while the growth rate for the Jewish population was just 2.2 percent. Unofficial figures now show that the city’s Jewish majority has dropped to 61 percent of the population.
The Jewish majority has decreased not because of the fertility rate, but because more Jews are leaving Jerusalem than moving there. In 2014, 17,100 Jewish residents left the city, but only 10,400 new residents moved in. Research has attributed this trend to the shortage of available or accessible housing in Jerusalem. During the past decade, construction beyond the pre-1967 lines has fallen off due to political pressure. Construction in the western part of Jerusalem, over that same time period, has decreased due to pressure from environmental groups. Construction has been concentrated in the city’s central neighborhoods and primarily consists of high-rise buildings.
Jennifer LeClaire is now sharing her reflections and revelations through Walking in the Spirit. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
Rabbi Jonathan Cahn appeared on the Jim Bakker show, where he shared a prophecy that released by a 90-year-old woman in Norway recorded in 1988.
Here's the backstory: An evangelist named Emanuel Minos had been holding services in the woman's city and met her there. When he heard the prophetic words, he couldn't understand what they meant and put it away. Thirty years later, he published it in Norway. Now, many prophetic voices are paying attention.
In the video, Cahn shared parts of the prophecy, which mentions four waves. Check out the video to hear Cahn break it down.
Draw closer to God. Experience the presence of the Holy Spirit every month as you read Charisma magazine. Sign up now to get Charisma for as low as $1 per issue.
Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.
Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive it by email.
Within the Holy Ark that traveled with the Children of Israel to the Promised Land, were the Tablets of Law - the Torah, teaching us that just like the Ark was the focal point of the Israelites existence in the desert, so too, the Bible must always remain central in our lives. We are thrilled to announce that we surpassed our goal of raising $100,000 to publish the world's first-ever one volume Israel Bible! With Israel and God's words as our daily focus, may our verse ring true, and may God "reside tranquilly among the myriadthousands of Israel" and all the nations of the world.
Ron Dermer says it very clearly: The Jewish people have the oldest and deepest connection to Jerusalem, and the way to spread this verity is through education. Learn the history of Jerusalem, and tell everyone you know about it!
Ahead of this year’s celebration of Jerusalem Day on June 5, Netanyahu said this week that Israel’s historic ties to Jerusalem's holiest sites do not need justifications or apologies.
Great gift idea for Father's Day! The Nano Bible collection uses technology that prints the entire Bible onto a tiny chip, allowing you to carry the Bible with you at all times! Now in a lapel pin, this technology, spirituality and fashion fusion makes a great gift!
Israeli school boys wave their flags on Jerusalem Day last year. This Sunday we will commemorate Jerusalem Day anew, marking the anniversary of the Six Day War, when Jerusalem was reunified under Israeli sovereignty for the first time in over 2,000 years!
Hi! I am from Sweden and I appreciate the e-mails I get daily because they contain information about the Jewish people, Israel, prophecies and what is going on in general. - Joel T.
Shalom Rabbi, I visited Israel in May during the Empower21 conference. I have fallen in love with the Holy land. I am from Namibia , a country in the southwest of Africa- immediately north of South Africa. God bless- Christine Adams
Why are some believers barely getting by? (iStock photo )
Join us on our new podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
The Bible has a lot to say about money and prosperity. Although in the last 20 years there have arguably been wrong motives of some teachings on money, prosperity is biblically supported.
Some preachers and teachers have taught on money in order to manipulate people to give. These ministers have used Scriptures—sometimes out of context—as a means of twisting people's arms into raising big offerings. Because of these abuses, honest Bible teachers have shied away from teaching on prosperity, in fear of being accused of being a "money preacher." Yet we cannot throw away the baby with the bathwater. Just because there have been abuses by some preachers and teachers concerning prosperity does not mean we should stop preaching and teaching on biblical prosperity.
Most People Are Not Against Biblical Prosperity
Thanks to many pioneers in the faith who suffered resistance, ridicule and opposition from religious scoffers as they made gallant efforts to teach biblical prosperity, many people in the body of Christ do not have a problem with Christians being financially comfortable (or dare I say, rich). Many would agree that when God trusts someone with prosperity, that person is in a fantastic position to help others.
Why would God not want us to be able to comfortably provide for our families, live in nice houses, drive nice cars and enjoy ourselves? However, many saved, born-again believers are living by barley getting by. But why? If God has promised us that we will "eat the good of the land" (Is. 1:19) why are so many Christians broke? Although this is not an exhaustive list, I will share with you five reasons why some Christians are broke and how we can shift from poverty to prosperity.
1. Christians who do not tithe are broke. The Bible is pretty clear; if you do not tithe, you will suffer financial setbacks. "You are cursed with a curse, your whole nation, for you are robbing Me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this" (Mal. 3:9-10). I can already hear some of you saying, "Tithing was under the Old Testament law. We are no longer under the law."
There are two problems with this argument: 1) Tithing was established before the law. Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek around 2,000 years before Moses enacted the law (Gen. 14:20). 2) Tithing is mentioned in the New Testament also. Jesus said "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these (tithe) and not to have left the other undone (Matt. 23:22, emphasis mine). In this passage, Jesus was reprimanding the scribes and Pharisees because they were using tithes as a method for getting around taking care of the widows and orphans.
Interestingly though, Jesus didn't say stop tithing. He actually said that when you tithe,you must not neglect your other responsibilities. People will give you lots of excuses for why we are not required to tithe today. Tithing is really a heart issue, though. The Scriptures state that where a man's or woman's heart is, that is where there money is (Matt. 6:21). You can tell a lot about whom and what people love by looking at their checkbook and their debit card statement.
There are a lot of writings out now asking (and attempting to answer) the question of whether we are required to tithe today or not. I would argue that the question should not be "Do we have to tithe?" but rather "Where should we tithe"? Our hearts should be in a place where we want to tithe. And if you feel as though you are obligated to tithe out of force, you probably should not tithe until you can give with a heart of gratitude. Giving out of a heart of gratitude is the only way you will experience increase from your giving.
2. Christians who have participated in the occult are broke. People who consult psychics receive a curse of poverty. Isaiah 8:19-21 says: "When they say to you, 'Seek after the mediums and the wizards, who whisper and mutter,' should not a people seek after their God? Should they consult the dead for the living? To the law and to the testimony; if they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. They shall pass through the land hard-pressed and hungry; when they are hungry, they shall be furious and curse their king and their God as they look upward."
This Scripture clearly states that people who consult psychics and mediums (consulting the dead) suffer poverty and lack. If you have ever been to a psychic or consulted mediums, palm and/or tarot card readers, or played with Ouija boards, you are under a curse that includes poverty. You should have someone who is skilled in deliverance to lead you through cleansing prayers so that you can be set free.
Stay tuned Friday for three more reasons why Christians are broke.
Kyle T. Millerhas been called to the marketplace as a musician, play producer and educator. Kyle has been prophesying and interpreting dreams for almost 15 years. Kyle is also a scholar, obtaining a Masters of Arts in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). Kyle's theater production company, Positive Images in Christ, has directed and produced over a dozen shows since it was founded in 2004. Please visit his website at prophetkyle.com.
Draw closer to God. Experience the presence of the Holy Spirit every month as you read Charisma magazine. Sign up now to get Charisma for as low as $1 per issue.
Dare to go deeper in your faith. Our "Life in the Spirit" devotional takes you on a journey to explore who the Holy Spirit is, how to interact with Him, and how He works in your life. Are you ready to go deeper?
![Foreign investment in Israel is on the rise despite BDS efforts. [Image: Shutterstock]](http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Israeli-economy.jpg)
