Nine days ago the so-called ‘cease fire’ between Hamas and Israel came to an end. During the six-months of its duration, some 300 rockets and mortars were fired into civilian areas of sovereign Israeli territory from Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. After Hamas decided to end the cease fire, the following seven days last week saw over 200 rockets fired-on Christmas Day alone there were over 60.
Israel has repeatedly warned that there would be dire consequences if this were not stopped. For its warnings, it has received mockery and more missiles. The people of Sderot have had to live in constant fear for years-now there are longer-range rockets landing in Ashkelon. All in all, there are now over a million people living within range of the rockets. What other nation in the world would allow its civilians to be bombarded continually with impunity.
Israel has continued to be ‘baited’-and to wait. Hamas knows that since it has purposely buried its infrastructure (headquarters, weapons caches, outposts) in the midst of Gaza’s teaming masses of civilians, Israel is hesitant to retaliate for fear of certain civilian casualties and world condemnation.
Ironically, Israel is in charge of the electricity as well as the flow of humanitarian commodities into the Strip. When she shuts off these, in response to a barrage, the international condemnation is also immediate.
Our government has been accused at home of cowardice and indecision. But it has in fact been gathering intelligence and making plans.
Two days ago those plans went into affect. In the heaviest military strike on the Gaza Strip since it was taken from Egypt in 1967, Saturday morning the Israeli Air Force sent two waves of over 100 fighter planes and attack helicopters into action, hitting over 170 targets, concentrating on Hamas training camps, weapons storehouses, underground missile silos and command-and-control centers. All the Hamas operated police stations were destroyed.
Hamas responded with dozens of rockets-some reaching almost to the outskirts of Ashdod and Kiryat Gat. One made a direct hit on an apartment building, killing a 58 year old man and wounding a number of others. At present, tanks are being brought in from the Golan Heights, preparations are being made to facilitate the calling up of reserves, and a massive ground force is building outside the Strip, in preparation for a very possible ground offensive.
Of course, there were many casualties in the initial strikes, and quite a number of them civilian. And of course there followed cries of “slaughter” from Hamas and immediate condemnation from many nations-particularly the European Union. President Sarkozy of France, ostensibly a close friend of Israel, but who is walking a fine line in his courtship of nations in the Mediterranean region, went so far as to use the term “disproportionate force” for Israel’s actions. This expression has become loathsome here after the unrighteous way in which it was leveled against us during the summer war with Lebanon two years ago (as though war were a parlor game with polite, even-handed rules-and Israel’s efforts to stop an unprovoked rain of thousands of missiles reminiscent of the London Blitz into her northern cities broke those rules).
We are grateful that so far the governments of Britain and the United States have swum against the tide and officially leveled their criticism against Hamas and not Israel. In the Second Lebanon War, the U.S. sought to give Israel “space” to accomplish her objectives. At the time, our leadership was woefully inept and we were unprepared and came nowhere near accomplishing that goal. This time the goal is putting a stop to Hamas rocket attacks in our south. This simply must be accomplished.
PLEASE PRAY:
*That the LORD of Armies, the God who Arrays Israel for Battle (YHVH Tzeva’ot, Elohei-Ma’arhot Yisrael-I Samuel 17:45), will oversee the leaders of Israel’s army so as to array themselves in a way to bring a stop to the continual attacks against her people.
*That intelligence reports would be sharp and clear and accurate-that the perpetrators of this violence would be exposed and stopped with as few casualties as possible among innocent civilians.
*There has been intense and increased persecution against Arab Christians in the Strip in the past two years. Pray that Muslims in the Strip would realize that their god cannot save them and would cry out to the God of Heaven that He would send forth His angels to protect those ‘who will inherit salvation’ (Hebrews 1:14).
*That Believing Soldiers in the Israel Defense Force would be held near to their God and Leader during this conflict-showing themselves as good soldiers and a testimony to those around them of courage, efficiency, clarity of mind, and, whenever possible, showing mercy.
*That Israel’s leaders civilian and military will receive courage and insight from the Most High-that they will not be intimidated by the threats of world-opinion, but would do what is needed in carrying out their charge to oversee and protect their people.
*That there will be a good infrastructure of communication and accurate intelligence flow in Israel’s forces.
*That the communication of those who have risen up in violence against Israel to harass and destroy her would be thrown into confusion. Hamas has called for a “Third Intifada”. We sincerely believe that the last one (which resulted in the hundreds of deaths through suicide-bombings) came to an end because of a breakdown of communication in the spiritual realm brought about through the intercession of God’s people.
*That God would in His mercy release a Spirit of Truth into the mass of lies and errant religious posturing which blinds much of the Church to the Truth regarding Israel. There is coming a darkness when those who are not taught of God may find themselves on the side of that darkness because of the delusion they have accepted regarding this land and people.
Martin and Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem, Israel
Gw love banget nyanyi lagu hymne ini in prayer tower :
Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Lift up your gates and sing,
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna to your King!
(The Holy City – Lyrics: Frederick Weatherly, 1892)
Indonesia-NYA 