GNITN – Special Edition One Hundred Eighty

Israel At War – Day 8
Things Are Heating Up

Hamas, Hezbollah Continue Their Attacks

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) reports that two rockets from Syria hitting open areas in the Golan Heights. No damage was done other than knowing that more are most likely on the way. The IDF says they launched a missile at a “suspicious target” inside Lebanon indicating that the theater of this war is now on three fronts with the prospects of more. If the goal is to eradicate all terrorism in their vicinity, something from the southern border is going to occur. While I beat the drum on the Psalm 83 war before, the various pieces of that conflict are coming together more and more. My concern is how long the fighting will draw out if the IDF have to not only protect all their borders while having to more than contain the attacks. Russia and Turkey are not actively engaged, but one could say the are they aiding and abetting the terrorists for reasons not yet known. I for one don’t see Israel playing it safe now. Even among the opposition parties in the Knesset the cries for a strong and decisive military response is universally being demanded.

Netanyahu In Constant Contact With Biden

This report from The Times Of Israel (see https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-october-14-2023/) gives us a brief account of those ongoing calls:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is holding his fifth phone call with US President Joe Biden since the war with Hamas in Gaza broke out a week ago.

Netanyahu’s office says the prime minister thanks Biden for the deep US support, as well as the visits of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in recent days.

The two agreed to continue to be in touch, his office adds.

Governments around the world are meeting or have plans to meet about the war, including the European Union (EU) which will hold a video summit next week. I turn again to the same web site, The Times Of Israel for information on this:

European Council chief Charles Michel calls a video summit of EU leaders for next week to discuss the Israel-Hamas war, as the conflict enters its second week.

“It is of utmost importance that the European Council, in line with the Treaties and our values, sets our common position and establishes a clear unified course of action that reflects the complexity of the unfolding situation,” he says in a statement.

He sets the meeting for Tuesday 5:30 p.m. (1530 GMT).

I might add that this war is not complex at all. Israel wants peace and Hamas wants Israel destroyed. You either get Hamas to lay down their arms, and if they don’t, you eliminate them. Nothing else to my thinking will work. The work of diplomats will come later if they are needed at all.

Rooting Out Terrorist Still In Israel

A location near where Hamas terrorists breached security a week ago is still seeing the perpetrators hunted down and either captured or killed according to a report from CBN.com (see https://www2.cbn.com/news/israel/hamas-terrorist-invaders-still-hiding-israel-idf-works-track-them-down):

Six days after Hamas terrorists conducted the barbaric attacks that targeted unarmed civilians inside Israel, Israeli police and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) units are still hunting terrorists who remain hidden in the town of Sderot and the surrounding areas.

Located near the border between Israel and Gaza, the town of around 30,000 was Ground Zero when the terror attacks began on Oct. 7. Sderot was one of the first towns Hamas terrorists entered, indiscriminately killing civilians, engaging in a firefight with police and killing several officers when they overpowered the town's police station. An IDF counter-terrorism unit arrived and eliminated the assailants in the station.

Now, almost a week later, IDF soldiers and police officers are still finding and killing terrorists cowering in basements and stores, hiding in abandoned houses, and even on rooftops, according to USA Today.

"Their food and water supply are running out," a sniper in an anti-terrorism police unit in Sderot told the outlet. "We're getting more of them now because they need to do something. Move from place to place."

The article goes on to let us know that those in the area still live in fear and the IDF’s counter-terrorism units are doing their best to respond to reports from the citizenry even though only about 1% of the calls turn out to be a real lead.

This War Could Last Longer Than Thought

When Prime Minister Netanyahu said that this war could take more than a week, many felt that he was just giving himself room if things took longer. However, he certainly has more inside intelligence than we do and, with the break down of information leading up to the attacks you have to believe they are stepping up their game now if only to get back some respectability. And, as I noted in my last podcast, the terror attacks may start being global after yesterdays day of rage call. Another article from CBN.com (see https://www2.cbn.com/news/world/day-rage-terror-hits-france-palestinian-supporters-shout-death-israel-death-america) tells us this about what happened in France:

So far in France, a man armed with a knife killed a teacher and wounded another teacher and a security guard at a high school in northern France, an attack being investigated as potential terrorism.

Sliman Hamzi, a police officer who was one of the first on the scene said the suspected attacker, a former student at the school, shouted "Allahu akbar," or "Allah is great" in Arabic.

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin imposed a ban on pro-Palestinian demonstrations Thursday to avoid widespread public disorder, The Washington Post reports.

France is estimated to have the world's third-largest Jewish population after Israel and the U.S., and the largest Muslim population in Western Europe.

French President Emmanuel Macron urged protection for the nation's Jews amid the rising Islamic threat.

"Our first duty is to ensure their security and that of all our fellow citizens on national soil and to not allow any antisemitic words, acts or stigmatization to flourish," Macron said during his speech. "I know the worry, sometimes the fear, that many of you have right now. I want to say it this evening, the Republic will be there to protect you and it will be ruthless with all the bearers of hatred."

Not Just France

Going back to the same CBN article we see the UK is seeing anti-Semitic hate crimes as well:

In the United Kingdom, antisemitic hate crimes have reportedly tripled in the past four days.

In the UK, which also is home to a large Islamic population, at least six Jewish schools were closed in London as a precaution amid fears that children could be targeted on the day of Muslim rage.

UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman warned demonstrators against waving the Palestinian flag. The Daily Mail reports Braverman also spoke against "medieval antisemitism" incited by Hamas, saying there's no excuse to target Jews in Britain.

Some UK Muslims still showed their rage by tearing down posters of the Israeli civilian hostages that were placed across London to raise awareness.

Across the world, in Jakarta, Pakistan, Baghdad, and many other locations, riots broke out with many of the rioters burning both Israeli and American flags and yelling strong words as seen in this quote from the same CBN article:

In Tehran, protestors burned Israeli and American flags, chanting: "Death to Israel," "Death to America," "Israel will be doomed," and "Palestine will be the conqueror."

Iran's hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi said in a speech in the country's southern Fars province, "The people of the world and Palestine will cause trouble for you."

In Pakistan's capital of Islamabad, Islamic worshippers trampled on American and Israeli flags.

And in Yemen, demonstrators crowded the streets waving Yemeni and Palestinian flags. The rebels' slogan long has been: "Allah is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; the curse of the Jews; victory to Islam."

What Should We Do?

The best thing we can do it to pray, but specifically ask God to give Israel and really leaders around the world that support Israel the anointing of the Sons of Issachar, one of the tribes that were part of the mighty men of David. Here is how the Bible describes them:

… of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do… (1 Chron 12:32, NKJV)

That anointing is needed for the political and military leaders of Israel as they design strategies for their offensive in this war. And leaders around the globe who might have to do more than support Israel with their words should ask God to help them as well. Good and wise advisors are always a good thing, not just in times of war. Pray for Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, and Benny Gantz and the others involved in the war planning who must navigate treacherous times where they don’t have a large margin of error. They are totally surrounded by people and nations who literally hate them and will do anything to annihilate them. Israel and its people have been in this situation before and, as in the past, only God can guide them now. As always, pray for the peace of Jersulem.