Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 36 of the War.
My thanks to all who wrote and expressed concern when they did not receive the Update for Day 35. Despite my intention to send it out, for various reasons it was not possible to do so.

Urgent Prayer is requested for Amitai Argaman. “He and his team have been fighting inside the Gaza Strip for the past two weeks. Today the vehicle they were traveling in hit an explosive device and he was seriously injured. Both his legs were amputated. He is currently sedated and ventilated and the family was called to come to the hospital to be with him. He is in critical condition [and] the doctors are working to get him stabilized. The family has asked to share and to pray!” Amitai comes from a Believing family, whom we have known for many years. Please keep the rest of his family in your prayers as well.

The IDF reached the western shore of Gaza, planted an Israeli flag on the beach and sang “Hatikva” (“The Hope”), Israel’s national anthem <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AAgizFZoTk>.

According to The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting (“CAMERA”), one of the “freelance” reporters present with the invading Hamas terrorists on 7th October “openly identifies with Hamas’s political platform and is a rabid antisemite, who praises terrorists and expresses joy over the murder of innocent and unarmed Israelis.” CAMERA further noted that since the murderous onslaught on Black Saturday by Hamas, Hassan Eslaiah, who also is/was a supposed “freelancer” for CNN and AP, among others, has referred to “the beautiful thing about storming the settlements” and “Settlers hide inside a garbage container in fear of the warriors of al-Qassam battalions”, as well as “a rocket of the resistance directly hits a building in Ashkelon”. <https://www.jns.org/hassan-eslaiah-freelancer-for-cnn-ap-referred-to-beautiful-thing-about-storming-the-settlements/?_se=bWpwb2xvQGJib3guZnI%3D&utm> AP reported that since 7th November, it is no longer working with Eslaiah. I wonder whether the other media outlets that worked with Eslaiah and/or the other photo-“journalists”, who were present at the time of the Hamas incursion into Israeli territory, will follow suit and stop working with them. Those who live abroad would undoubtedly have a louder voice to oppose such “employment” than those who live in Israel. A short notice to media outlets such as CNN, The New York Times and Reuters, might cause them to rethink their policies regarding the “hiring” of people who refer to themselves as “freelance photo-journalists” (emphasis mine).

With the IDF deep inside Gaza, how is it possible after five weeks of fighting that Hamas is still able to fire rockets into Israel? This is a valid question, but the answer requires an understanding of the type of warfare conducted by Hamas for over 20 years and how Israel has responded to it. In short, Hamas continues to be able to launch rockets for five main reasons <see: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b12jpkrm6?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=referral&utm>: location of the rockets; its rocket arsenal that is not dependent upon the functionality of Hamas’s command centers; the policy of Hamas in the use of its fire power, which is designed to maximize the period of its use, while inflicting as much damage as possible to Israel; saving “face” in front of Arab countries by showing “strength” of resistance – as long as Hamas can fire rockets, it gives the appearance of being able to resist the military gains of the IDF; and the priorities of the IDF. In this last regard, the rocket attacks can be met by Israel’s Iron Dome and other anti-missile defenses. So, Israel wants to accomplish its military goals in the shortest time possible, while utilizing the least amount of resources. One of those goals is to find and “eliminate” Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas, which once accomplished, would undoubtedly bring about a speedy conclusion to this war with the return of all of the hostages. 

“Bearing Witness to the October 7th Massacre”  The Israeli government screened video footage of the Oct. 7 Hamas atrocities for approximately 200 people at the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, while demonstrations – for and against Israel – took place outside, necessitating the massive police presence and the deployment of a police helicopter overhead. Among the speakers at the event was Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, who, because of the film’s importance, flew in from New York. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Erdan said, among other things: “It will change the way you view the Middle East and the way you view the war in Gaza…Hamas, just like the Nazis and ISIS, view Jews as insects to be exterminated”, adding that the present war in Gaza is “only about ensuring that such atrocities never happen again…Hamas must be eradicated. This is the only way to prevent another massacre… If Israel doesn’t eradicate this evil, mark my words: The West is next.” <https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/hollywood-screening-bearing-witness-hamas-israel-attack-1235642773/> This is the essence of the message that Israel is trying to communicate to a world that lives in a fantasy land, that thinks that “evil” is far from them on some distant shore. If they don’t wake up soon, when they finally do wake up, it may be too late.The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit denied on Thursday that a leaked version of the film was circulating online, noting: “The film is screened in a limited manner to decision-makers, media and influencers in Israel and the world, subject to strict conditions and accompanied by an IDF representative or an authorized person on its behalf…The participants in the screening undertake to comply with the viewing conditions and sign a document in which they undertake not to photograph or distribute any part of the film. We ask the public to refrain from spreading false rumors and from forwarding and opening links that claim to contain the film.” <https://www.jns.org/hamas-horrors-of-oct-7-screened-in-hollywood/?> Efforts to release the film for viewing by the general public is facing opposition opposition here, primarily because of the mental and emotional consequences of being exposed to unfathamable violence and brutality.

An extraordinary, joint Islamic-Arab Summit is scheduled to take place today (Saturday, 11/11/2023), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, discuss the present Israel-Gaza war. It is expected that the goal of the summit will be to press the United States and Israel for an end to hostilities in Gaza. The list of attendees should be of interest to any following events in the Middle East, as well as the threats to destroy Israel, the false reporting about the war and the shift from the devastating atrocities committed by Hamas to the misunderstood efforts of Israel to protect itself by pursuing the elimination of Hamas. Attendees are expected to include, among other: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (remember: Qatar is leading the negotiations for the exchange of hostages being held by Hamas) and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (who was welcomed back into the Arab League this year, notwithstanding his governments killing of tens of thousands of Syrians, including the use of chemical weapons, during the Syrian uprising that began in 2011). Iran’s Raisi wants action, not words, regarding the Gaza war, while Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is accusing the IDF of targeting civilians. Just a reminder: The present war put a “hold” on the negotiations to “normalize” relations with Saudi Arabia – another potential “fair-weather” friend.

The Saudi Foreign ministry said that the joint summit “will be held in response to the exceptional circumstances taking place in the Palestinian Gaza Strip as countries feel the need to unify efforts and come out with a unified collective position.”

Interestingly, there is a lack of unity regarding whether all diplomatic ties with Israel should be cut off, or whether open channels of communication should continue with the present Israeli government. 

<https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-host-extraordinary-joint-islamic-arab-summit-riyadh-saturday-2023-11-10/>

“God, do not remain quiet; Do not be silent and, God, do not be still. For behold, Your enemies make an uproar and those who hate You have exalted themselves. They make shrewd plans against Your people and conspire together against Your treasured ones. They have said, ‘Come, and let’s wipe them out as a nation, so that the name of Israel will no longer be remembered.’ For they have conspired together with one mind; They make a covenant against You.” (Psalm 83:1-5 – emphasis mine) There is no overall agreement regarding who the modern-day nations are that are referred to in Asaph’s Psalm. Nevertheless, the reality is that there are some Arab countries that would rejoice in seeing Israel destroyed. But, when they’re plans will be frustrated, they will be “ashamed and dismayed forever…humiliated and perish, so that they will know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth” (Psalm 83:17-18).

Last note for now: Negotiations are ongoing for the release of some – NOT ALL – of the hostages (certainly not members of the IDF), in exchange for an extended cease fire, possibly up to 3 days. That would be disastrous!! To keep it simple, an extended “pause” in the fighting will allow Hamas to regroup, reorganize, restock items necessary for an extended stay in the vast network of tunnels, repair tunnels, reload rocket launchers and repair destroyed communication systems. But, more than anything else, it will allow Hamas operatives to move the hostages to other locations via its vast tunnel network. It would also demonstrate to the broader Arab community that Hamas is still “in charge” and is calling the shots. Despite all of the pressure in Israel to release the hostages, we must not allow for a piece-meal release. The effect of members of the IDF remaining as hostages of Hamas could have a devastating effect upon the morale and motivation of those presently following in Gaza. As this was about to be sent, there was a “breaking news” on Israeli television about a deal that was made for the release of 100 hostages. It is not yet clear exactly what we agreed to do for that release. More to follow after clarification.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” Moses built an altar and named it The LORD is My Banner; and he said, ‘The LORD has sworn; the LORD will have war against Amalek from generation to generation’.” (Exodus 17: 14-16). No matter how you want to look at it, THIS is a spiritual war being fought out in the flesh.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin