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Arabs in Israel maintain a higher quality of life than their brethren in most other places in the Middle East, yet a significant number continue to support the Palestinian-Arab struggle against the Jewish state.
One of the latest incidents occurred in the Arab city of Nazareth, where the municipality, headed by Mayor Ali Salam, held a recent event that ended up glorifying terrorist murderer Baha Alyan, who along with an accomplice murdered three Israelis on a bus in Jerusalem last year.
"Hundreds of elementary and high school students and young men and women of all ages arranged themselves in rows" holding books in their laps, a formation they called a "chain of readers," in the event organized by the Nazareth municipality and the Inma'a Association for Democracy and Capacity Building, the Jerusalem-based Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds reported last month, according to Palestinian Media Watch.
Itamar Marcus, founder and director of Palestinian Media Watch, told jns.org that when Nazareth officials were notified about the report, they insisted that they never knew about the event's intention to glorify terrorism.
"They said that in spite of what the press reported, the municipality only approved the readers chain" and did not have prior knowledge about the praise for Alyan, Marcus said.
Indeed, it appears likely that Mayor Salam had no prior knowledge of the plans to glorify a terrorist, since he has been waging an ongoing public battle against Arab politicians whom he accuses of radicalism.
Many Israeli Arabs strongly back the Palestinian narrative in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but decide not to act on those beliefs, perhaps because they see Israel as too strong; they continue to work and interact with Israeli Jews on a daily basis.
Yet some Arabs, like Member of Knesset (MK) Basel Ghattas (Joint Arab List), have decided to work against the state through political means and even by supporting terrorists. Ghattas is under investigation for allegedly smuggling cellphones and SIM cards to Palestinian Fatah security prisoners in Israel.
Arab Knesset members like Ghattas have been increasing their visits to Palestinian terrorist and security prisoners, a new report by Israel's Shin Bet security agency revealed last week. The report found that in 2016, Arab lawmakers submitted 13 requests to visit arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti and 14 requests to visit Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the outlawed northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel.
At the same time, the Arab community is divided on the issue of relations with the state, with many Druze, Christians, Bedouin and a growing number of Muslims rejecting the violent and non-violent struggle against Israel.
Dr. Mordechai Zaken, head of minority affairs in the Israeli Public Security Ministry, told JNS.org that Israel's Arab public can be divided into various parts and should not be generalized. Arabs can be grouped according to location, religion, sect, professional affiliation and other factors, he said.
For example, in the "triangle"—a cluster of Israeli-Arab towns located near the 1967 lines, including Umm al-Fahm and Kafr Qasem—"there is a greater likelihood of [Arab] support for the Palestinian cause because many families have relatives in the West Bank," said Zaken.
On the other hand, in northern Israel's Galilee region, most local Bedouins do not have family members in the West Bank and are less focused on what is going on in the disputed territories.
Asked about Arab politicians' ability to mobilize Arab citizens against the state, Zaken replied that "they use the land issue because this has been traditionally one of the major unresolved problems of Arabs in Israel, and it has been a cause easier to unite behind. The War of Independence and later acts of land-expropriation throughout the years has roused opposition against the government."
Regarding the Bedouin living in the southern Negev, Zaken explained that they have long rebelled against whatever regime ruled their territory, going as far back as the Ottoman Empire.
"Rebellion is in their nature and the nomad culture still affects them, as they have for generations lived in constant tension with the sedentary communities," Zaken said, adding that "Arab politicians use these feelings to try to get them directed against the state, as if they are not receiving all of their rights."
Arab Christians' quality of life in Israel continues to improve, and Muslims are catching up to the traditionally high Christian levels of income, education and mobility, said the government official.
"The Christians have led in trying to integrate into Israel society, moving out of their towns and into the big cities. Now many Muslim professionals are following in their footsteps," said Zaken, who in 2013 initiated Israel's "Government-Christian Forum," which attempts to address Israeli Christians' concerns with the state.
The actions of MK Ghattas, according to Zaken, have sparked significant criticism among Israeli Arabs, with many acknowledging that the lawmaker crossed a line in his support of Palestinian prisoners. "This sentiment is present even among Arabs that support the establishment of a Palestinian state," Zaken said.
Father Gabriel Naddaf, a Greek Orthodox priest who works to increase Christians' voluntary enlistment in the Israel Defense Forces and their integration into Israeli society, told jns.org that since the so-called "Arab Spring" uprisings began in the region in late 2010, "the killing of Christians in the Middle East was a shock for the Christians in Israel."
Christians living in Arab states, he said, "were not saved from massacres and destruction, and the radicals want to force Christians to change their religion. This is what caused me to talk about the identity of the Christians in Israel."
Naddaf, whose pro-Israel views have been sharply criticized by many Muslims and Christian Arabs who identify with the Palestinian narrative, recalled that when he began speaking about Arab Christians integrating into Israeli society, his approach was not widely accepted. But with time, he has seen progress. In 2014, the first Israeli-Christian children were registered as "Aramean" instead of "Arab" on their national identification cards. Previously, all minorities in Israel were treated as one group—Arabs.
Some Arabs aggressively oppose Israeli Christians' increasing desire to identify as Aramean, seeing it as an effort to divide the Arab community.
MK Ghattas and his Christian supporters "are people (who) don't identify themselves as Christians first, but instead as Arabs first," said Naddaf, describing them as people who value ideologies such as nationalism over religion.
Naddaf said most Arab Christians oppose Ghattas and that "his way is not leading anywhere but to hate. He hurts the security of us all."
"Most of the Christians are moving in my direction" of increasing their integration into Israeli society, asserted Naddaf, adding that many politicians—including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself—are showing support for his cause.
"We must help the state and overcome all of the problems," Naddaf said, "and not let its enemies and the terrorists that surround us weaken the country."
This article was originally published at jns.org. Used with permission.
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CHARISMA NEWS
When I was driving to Orlando for Christmas, I heard the Lord say, "Next." I started meditating on that word "next." I looked it up on the dictionary. In other words, I pressed into what the Lord ways saying. The Lord showed me next-level assignments, next-level warfare and next-level blessings. Our cry this year is going to be "Next!"
Here's what the Lord spoke to my heart: "Those who are seeing first the kingdom of God this year are going to see an acceleration. You are going to advance faster than you've ever advanced. You will find angelic assistance on your journey, and you will need it. One assignment will come after another. At times, you'll have more than one assignment at the same time. The warfare will also be next level but you will defeat one enemy after another after another after another. And the blessings will come in rapid succession. Each time you finish an assignment, each time you conquer your spiritual foe, you will see new-level blessings in your life. You will see it as you stand your ground, as you obey My leading and as you seek My heart."
It's time to step out of the ordinary into the extraordinary. It's time to step out of our comfort zones and into the abundance zone. It's time to step out of the past and into the next! Let's unpack this "next" word so we can cooperate with the grace of God as the Lord releases the angels of abundant harvest.
1. Next-level assignments, David is a great example of next-level assignments. As a teenager, David's first assignment was to tend to sheep in the field. As he tells the story, "Your servant was a shepherd for my father's flock, and the lion came and the bear, and took a lamb out of the flock. And I went out after him, and struck him, and delivered it out of his mouth. And when he arose against me, I took hold of his beard, struck him, and killed him. Your servant slew both the lion and the bear" (1 Sam. 17:34-36).
When David heard there was a giant opposing the armies of the living God, I can imagine him saying, "Next!" He didn't hesitate to step into his next-level assignment. The Bible says he ran to the battle line after prophesying Goliath's defeat (1 Sam. 17:45-51). David struck down Goliath with a sling and a stone. As you step into the next-level assignments, there will be next-level warfare, but your Goliaths will fall.
This is the time to ask the Lord, "What is my next assignment? What's next?" People are going to be jealous of you, like Saul was jealous of David. But you will bless and curse not. You will move in the opposite spirit and maintain your authority in the spirit.
2. Next-level warfare. Paul said, "For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries" (1 Cor. 16:9) The Message translation says, "A huge door of opportunity for good work has opened up here. (There is also mushrooming opposition)." In other words, new level, new devil. Sometimes you fight the new devil before you get to the new level.
In the spirit, you are like one of David's mighty men—even greater! Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). You are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. If one of David's mighty men, Josheb-Basshebeth, could slay 800 in one occasion, what can you do? One can put 1,000 to flight and two can put 10,000 to flight (Deut. 32:30).
3. Next-level blessings. When we're obedient to accept the assignments of the Lord and we refuse to grow weary in well-doing until the assignment is complete, we're going to tap into next-level blessings. We must finish the assignment to tap into the blessing! If you have half-completed assignments, if you are procrastinating, unlock your blessing by crossing the finish line and start decreeing the blessings in Deuteronomy 28 over your life now with a "next" in your heart.
Matthew 6:33 Is Key
Matthew 6:33 is the key Scripture here to stepping into this prophecy: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you." The Amplified translation expands on this: "But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides."
Make a decision today to seek the Lord first and foremost and listen to His voice. Discipline yourself to rise up early in the morning or cut out unprofitable activities in exchange for eternal rewards. Feed yourself a steady diet of the Word of God, pray, fast and believe. This is the year of the next level. Let's soar like eagles for the glory of God!
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The effect of the shameful anti-Israel resolution at the UN has, it seems, been quite literally earthshaking.
I reported last week on how, after Britain voted for the motion, a leading UK journalist accused our government of anti-Semitism in an open letter to Prime Minister Theresa May.
Now I learn from New Zealand friends that the November 14 earthquake – one of the most powerful ever to strike the Pacific nation – came just minutes after a closed meeting at which a draft of the resolution was allegedly discussed between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Prime Minister John Key.[1]
The Obama administration is widely believed to have been behind the motion, which condemned all Israeli settlement activity as illegal and even delegitimized Jewish claims to Jerusalem’s Old City, which has an unbroken link to Judaism over thousands of years.
And we know that it was New Zealand who co-sponsored the resolution (with Senegal), which saw 14 out of the 15 Security Council members vote in favour, with the U.S. abstaining rather than casting its veto as it usually does on issues relating to borders, thereby giving it added credence.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called for ambassadors of those countries voting in favour to be reprimanded, and called home envoys to the sponsoring states. And it seems that the Judge of all the earth has sent tremors to the proposers as a warning to those who would touch the ‘apple of his eye’ or divide up his land (Zechariah 2.8, Joel 3.2).
My friend described it as ‘Genesis 12.3 in action’ – the Bible verse reading: “I will bless those who bless you (the seed of Abraham), and whoever curses you I will curse…”
Another friend, from north of Auckland, pointed out that New Zealand were given the “ignominious honour” of fronting the resolution when Egypt (once an enemy of Israel) stepped back from doing so. The Bible does teach that, in the last days, Egypt will become a friend of Israel (see Isaiah 19).[2]
The resolution effectively legitimizes the Palestinian narrative that Israel has no entitlement to land that is historically theirs – the same line taken by the butchers of Islamic State and similar terror groups who have caused such mayhem over Christmas in Cairo, Berlin and Istanbul.
Israel’s Education Minister Naftali Bennett issued a defiant response to the UN action from a snowy Mt Hermon in the Golan Heights: “Five minutes from here, the Syrian government and ISIS have butchered over half-a-million men, women and children. The UN resolution suggests that this is occupied territory and should be handed over to those enemies… You have Israel thriving and a terror state five minutes from here in an abyss of murder. We will prevail.”[3]
Christians in Egypt, meanwhile, have followed their Saviour’s example by responding to the bombing of a Cairo church, which left 25 dead, with forgiveness for the perpetrators.
Arabic TV host Mona Roman is quoted as saying: “We had a lot of phone calls from Muslims saying, ‘We are killing you; we are destroying your churches, and you are saying we forgive you, we are praying for you.’ In fact, two Muslim men called in after the attack to give their lives to Christ. They said, ‘All that we see from you is love and forgiveness. You never answer us with explosions or weapons or hate speech. You are very strong people in love. We are the ones who are weak.’”
Witnesses said that, when the bomb went off, the priest was presiding over communion, repeating the words of Jesus, ‘This is my body, broken for you’. The women (separated from the men in the Coptic Church) were standing with arms lifted in worship of Jesus when, a moment later, they would have been standing in front of Him in heaven.[4]
PHOTO: Prime Minister Netanyahu meets with New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully (Haim Zach / GPO)
This quake, of a 7.8 magnitude causing extensive structural damage, struck just after midnight on November 14 near Christchurch, which suffered a devastating tremor five years ago. Just a week later, a second quake struck central New Zealand, with the epicenter some 200km north-east of Wellington, the capital. Although this measured 5.6 on the Richter scale, my sister Penny, who lives over 100 miles away on the west coast, felt the earth shaking – a truly frightening experience. ↩
To be fair, many New Zealanders have protested their country’s role in this debacle and the nation has become a favourite destination for young Israeli tourists. ↩
Jerusalem News Network, December 30 2016, quoting Arutz–7 ↩
Egypt’s tragedy…and a story of forgiveness by Bonnie Brown of ASSIST News Service ↩
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Three prominent US senators have introduced legislation to push President-elect Donald Trump to keep his promise to move America’s embassy to Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act officially recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and obligates the White House to return the US Embassy to the Holy City.
The US, like most other nations, moved its embassy to Tel Aviv in the early 1980s to protest Israel’s annexation of the eastern half of Jerusalem.
The 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, which the new legislation closely echoes, also obligated the US government to return its embassy to the Israeli capital. But successive presidents have cited “national security interests” in order to indefinitely delay its implementation.
Trump vowed he would break with that policy and finally move the embassy.
But there is concern that once in office, pressure from various quarters will cause Trump, like some of his predecessors, to change his mind.
Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Dean Heller (R-NV) introduced the new legislation to insure that doesn’t happen.
Moving the embassy would “honor an important promise America made more than two decades ago but has yet to fulfill,” Heller stated.
Rubio added:
“It’s time for Congress and the President-Elect to eliminate the loophole that has allowed presidents in both parties to ignore US law and delay our embassy’s rightful relocation to Jerusalem for over two decades.”
PHOTO: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with US Senator Marco Rubio in Jerusalem in 2013 (Amos Ben Gershom/GPO/FLASH90)
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Watch What Happens When Carrie Underwood Crashes a Christian Conference in Atlanta
CBN News 01-04-2017
Country music superstar Carrie Underwood made a surprise appearance at Passion Conference in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome on Monday. She showed up during David Crowder's set and led worship.
After the performance Underwood tweeted, "What an incredible night @passion268 ! Thanks for letting me be a small part of it! & thanks @crowdermusic for letting me crash your set!"
The Passion Conference is an annual Christian event that draws students from around the world seeking to grow in their faith.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Vice President-elect Mike Pence at the USA Thank You Tour event at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa. (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)
Donald Trump Was Born Exactly 700 Days Before Israel Became a Nation
Jan. 4, 2017 MICHAEL SNYDER CHARISMA NEWS
Do you want to see something amazing?
If you go to any of the major search engines and ask when Donald Trump was born, you will be told that it happened on June 14, 1946. And then if you go to any of the major search engines and ask when Israel became a nation, you will be told that it happened on May 14, 1948. If you take both of those dates and plug them into the handy calculator provided by timeanddate.com, you will discover that Donald Trump was born exactly 700 days before Israel became a nation.
I was first alerted to this incredible fact by Daily Crow. Here are some other incredible numbers that link Trump and Israel from that same source.
Israel was 77 days old exactly 777 days after Donald Trump was born.
Israel's 70th birthday will come exactly 700 days after Trump's 70th birthday.
Donald Trump won the election on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's seventh year, seventh month and seventh day in office.
On top of everything else, Donald Trump will be 70 years, seven months and seven days old on his first full day in the White House.
As I noted above, Donald Trump was born on June 14, 1946. Moving forward exactly 70 years from that date brings you to June 14, 2016. Moving forward exactly seven months from that date brings you to Jan. 14, 2017, and if you add another seven days that brings you to Jan. 21, 2017.
Donald Trump will be inaugurated on Jan. 20 and will be president for part of that day, but his first full day in office will be on Jan. 21.
And as incredible as this may sound, this will happen during year 5777 on the Hebrew calendar.
In addition, it turns out that there are some very strange "coincidences" surrounding Mike Pence as well. Here is more great stuff from Daily Crow:
He is 57 years old and will take office in the Hebrew year 5777. The last minute of Mike Pence's 57th year will take place one minute before the 50th anniversary of Jerusalem (Pence was 50th governor of Indiana), 6/7 of 2017.
Pence was born in Columbus. Trump Tower is located .7 miles down 57th street from Columbus Circle, Trump's Vice President, Pence the 57 year old from Columbus.
Could it be possible that Donald Trump and Mike Pence both have special destinies ahead of them?
They are going to take office at a critical time for America. Barack Obama appears determined to cause as much chaos as possible on his way out the door, and we just witnessed the greatest betrayal of Israel in all of American history.
And in addition to U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334, we are also finding out that the U.N. has appropriated money for a database of Israeli companies that do business in the West Bank. According to former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, the only purpose of such a database would be to punish those companies.
Lost amid the angry words that followed the Dec. 23 UN Security Council vote that critics called an American betrayal of Israel was a Christmas Eve appropriation of $138,700 to fund a database of companies doing business in the West Bank. The measure puts UN prestige behind the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, say critics.
"The types of data they are talking about acquiring would be to form the basis for future sanctions against companies that did business on the West Bank," Fox News contributor and former U.S. Ambassador to the UN John Bolton told FoxNews.com. "That's the only purpose of it that I can see."
Fortunately, some members of Congress are already working hard to try to repair the damage that Barack Obama has been doing. For example, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz wants to withhold funding from the U.S. State Department until the U.S. embassy is moved to Jerusalem.
Sen. Ted Cruz and two fellow Republicans are pressing the State Department to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Congress passed legislation in 1995 that called for moving the embassy to Jerusalem, but Democratic and Republican administrations alike have declined to enact the change, citing security concerns. The latest measure, introduced Tuesday as the new Congress convened, would withhold funding from the State Department until it makes the move.
Moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem is one of the 10 steps I detailed yesterday that I believe Donald Trump should take as soon as possible after becoming president.
Donald Trump has the opportunity to be the most pro-Israel president that we have ever had. But that is going to take more than just good intentions.
We live in a time when global events are accelerating. Donald Trump and Mike Pence are going to have to deal with some great challenges that they cannot even imagine at this moment, and it will be critical for them to be strong and resolute in the face of a rapidly changing global environment.
Michael Snyderis the founder and publisher of End Of The American Dream. Michael’s controversial new book about Bible prophecy entitled "The Rapture Verdict" is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.
3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!
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.
