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Israel helped 30 countries foil terrorist attacks in 2017. Israeli technology helped identify the terrorists on the overwhelming output of the surveillance cameras at the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. 90% of our wastewater is recycled. Spain is No. 2 with 20%. Some 93% of Israeli homes use solar energy for water heating, the highest percentage in the world. Israel has the largest percentage of vegans per capita in the world - 5% of the population. Over 500 million birds migrate through the skies of Israel twice a year, but a researcher, using radar, a motorized glider, drones and a network of birdwatchers, planned alternate commercial air routes, reducing bird-plane collisions by 76%. Israelis have more children than any other Western democracy. According to Startup Genome, Tel Aviv has more start-ups per capita than anywhere else, and it has 61 companies on NASDAQ. That's more than Europe, Japan, Korea and China combined. Israel has the highest percentage of start-ups in the world and is second only to the USA in absolute terms. (J. Post) "Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.” Isa. 27:6 [Comment]
Leaders around the world sent letters of congratulations to President Reuven Rivlin on Israel's 70th anniversary Thurs. 19 April, 2018. Among the leaders who greeted the president and the state were presidents of the United States, Russia, Germany and Croatia, as well as the Queen of England and the UN Secretary-General. USA President Donald Trump wrote to Rivlin, "President Harry Truman spoke a lot about the pride he felt when he supported the establishment of the State of Israel. As I have stated in the past, I announced the transfer of the USA Embassy to Jerusalem one of my proudest moments as President of the United States. Our commitment to the security of Israel is strong and unwavering, and we will continue to stand by you as we have done in the past seven decades. I hope to deepen our historic friendship and witness Israel's prosperity.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote to the President of Israel, "The United Nations is enriched by the diversity of its members and our mission is strengthened when we unite to strengthen the values that are the anchor of our foundation."
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a letter to the President's Residence: "Israel celebrates 70 years of independence and we celebrate with it. The reconciliation and partnership with Israel that bridges the abyss that opened up in our history is a wonderful thing. For us Germans, it is a gift on one hand and a responsibility on the other. We will not forget this and will do our fair share to ensure a good future to Israel and trust between Germans and Israelis. To you, Mr. President, your wife and all the citizens and citizens of Israel. I send my heartfelt greetings, also on behalf of my countrymen." The Queen of England wrote to President Rivlin, "It is my pleasure to congratulate you warmly on the occasion of the Independence Day celebrations, and warm wishes for the happiness and well-being of all the citizens of Israel in the coming year." Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote: "I wish to note the excellent relations that exist between our two countries, and I am confident that together we will continue to develop bilateral dialogue and fruitful cooperation in economics, science, technology and humanitarian assistance for the sake of our people, and in order to strengthen peace, stability and security in the Middle East." (Arutz-7)
Moscow lashed out at Washington, London and Paris in the wake of Allied airstrikes on military facilities connected to Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles. "We are being threatened,” said a statement from the Kremlin. "We warned that such actions will not be left without consequences. All responsibility for them rests with Washington, London and Paris.” The Kremlin took personal offense that President Trump called out Russian strongman Vladimir Putin for failing to control Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and his use of chemical weapons against his own people. "Insulting the President of Russia is unacceptable and inadmissible,” the Kremlin said. The USA didn’t notify Moscow of the 14 April 2018, Saturday morning attacks on Russia’s ally Syria. (J.Post) We continue to ask our readers and intercessors to pray against any retaliatory strikes from Russia, especially against American vessels in the area. Pray also for the safety of Israel during these times of intense conflict and multiple threats taking place across her northern borders. [Comment]
Both Saudi Arabia and Egypt have called on terrorist organization Hamas to end the annual weekly protests it is holding for the "Great March of Return," according to an Egyptian source. An Egyptian Foreign Ministry official was quoted as saying that, in exchange for halting the protests, Egypt would ensure that the Rafah border crossing, which Egypt controls, would be regularly opened. The source said that the agreement had come under the direction of the Saudis. "The situation in Gaza is nearing an explosion towards anyone blockading the Strip," the source said, "and therefore there is a fear that Palestinian anger will turn toward Egypt in the coming weeks." Last Friday's protests marked the second week of the "Great March of Return" in Gaza. Crowds of approximately 20,000 turned out to protest on the border between Gaza and Israel. Ten Gazans were killed in the clashes, while estimates of the number of protesters injured vary. The protests are expected to continue each Friday for the next several weeks. (J.Post) [Comment]
Israel’s military was put on high alert amid heightened tensions along the northern border and with Iran threatening to avenge an airstrike on a Syrian air base believed to have killed 14 people, including 7 Iranian military personnel. Russia, Syria and Iran have all said Israel carried out the Monday 9 April 2018 missile barrage on the T-4 Air Base near Palmyra in central Syria. American sources also confirmed that Israel had conducted the strike and that they were notified of it in advance. Israeli officials refused to comment on the strike. Following the assault a top adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened Israel: "The crimes will not remain unanswered,” Ali Akbar Velayati said during a visit to Syria. Iran’s Foreign Ministry also accused Israel of "flagrant” aggression in Syria following the attack. Israeli officials did not appear to be taking the threat of a retaliatory attack lightly — either by Iran, or its proxy, the Hezbollah terrorist group. On Tues.10 April 2018, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman appeared to allude to the strike, saying, "Accepting Iranian entrenchment in Syria would be to accept Iranians putting a chokehold on us. We cannot allow that”. (Times of Israel) The critical and growing possibility of war against Israel - being unleashed from the northern borders - is such that we continue to call on intercessors to pray that the nations who delight in war will be scattered. Ps. 68:30. Israel is bordered in the north by Syria and Lebanon, where some of Israel’s most vicious foes - including Iran and Hezbollah – are aligning, seeking to increase their military footholds, and have long-established goals to destroy the Jewish state. [Comment]