Will Seize Territory

Prime Minister Netanyahu signaled that they will take land back if the hostages aren’t released as we see in a report from The Jerusalem Post:

The pressure the IDF will play will be “more and more powerful,” and will include “seizing territory” and “doing other things” in Gaza if Hamas does not return the hostages, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in the Knesset on Wednesday.

Another leader in the government confirmed the statements as the Israel Defense Minister encouraged protesting Gazans to reject Hamas:

The prime minister did not elaborate further, but Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed the comments a few hours later. In a video encouraging Gazan protests against Hamas, Katz said, “Hamas is endangering your lives and will lead you to lose your homes and more and more territory.”

Here is a fuller account of Katz’s plea to the Gazans:

"The IDF will soon operate forcefully in additional areas in Gaza and you will be required to evacuate and lose more and more territory. The plans are already ready and approved. Learn from the residents of Beit Lahia: Demand the removal of Hamas from Gaza and the immediate release of all Israeli hostages - this is the only way to stop the war."

This appears to be a way for the Gazans to expose those citizens who are housing the hostages in their homes. Going back to Netanyahu, the PM’s answer was part of a political debate:

Netanyahu’s comments came during a debate known as the “40 Signatures Debate,” which is the Israeli version of the British “Prime Minister’s Questions.” The debate included a series of short speeches in the prime minister’s presence, after which the prime minister and opposition leader gave concluding speeches.

Other news reports tell us of more uprisings in Gaza against Hamas. It appears to be a good thing, but some aren’t sure if it is yet another terrorist-encouraged tactic to make it harder for the Israel Defense Force (IDF) to clear out Hamas while people are in the streets protesting.

Israel’s “Deep State”

Interestingly, Israel has a deep state of its own and exposing it isn’t putting democracy in danger:

In his speech, Netanyahu repeated conspiracy theories about a “deep state.”

“Democracy is not in danger; the bureaucracy is in danger, the deep state is in danger,” the prime minister said. “When I say ‘bureaucracy,’ I mean a small group of officials struggling to maintain the levers of power in the country.

If that sounds familiar, it should. Netanyahu elaborated on the comments:

“Democracy is, first and foremost, the rule of the people. It is not the rule of officials, not the rule of former leaders, and not the rule of media outlets. In a democracy, the people are sovereign, and they demand that their vote in the ballot box be reflected in policy. This does not mean the government has unlimited power. We do not have tyrannical rule, but it is [also] impossible to expect the government to have negligible power,” Netanyahu said.

As part of the debates, those who oppose Netanyahu gave speeches of their own:

Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid dedicated his speech to attacking the 2025 national budget, which passed into law on Tuesday.

Lapid said to Netanyahu, “You carried out yesterday the greatest theft in the history of the country. You exploit the Israeli middle class, squeeze it, all for one purpose: to survive politically,” he said.

It’s like the conservative and liberal banter seen in America is being recycled in Israel. It certainly sounds like that if you take out the references to Israel and replace them with America. Regardless, the same tactics to take out the Prime Minister were used to attack US President Trump so it makes one wonder if there is a coordinated effort globally to take down anyone who is against a one world government. Both Trump and Netanyahu have stated that along with Russian President Putin so if you are into conspiracies add that to your list. I could entertain those feelings if I wanted to, but I’d rather look at Bible prophecy since that, in my estimation, is more reliable for these podcasts. Getting back to the deep state in Israel, Netanyahu is only getting more popular and strangely Trump may be more popular in Israel then the PM. Could the two of them be uniquely used to fulfill end time prophecies? Biblical history certainly has seen less than Godly leaders be used to carry out His plans with King Cyrus coming to mind. And Israelis see Trump as a modern day Cyrus even going so far as to put him on coins after he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. I see Trump playing a part in Bible prophecy but your mileage may vary on that. In any event, keep praying for the peace of Jerusalem because I see things heating up quickly if military movements by Israel and the US are an indication.