Israeli President Reuven Rivlin accused the Hamas terrorist organization this week of turning hospitals and other civilian buildings in the Gaza Strip into terror bases. Rivlin visited the headquarters of the Gaza Regional Division of the IDF on 21 Jan. 2018. He then toured the new neighborhood being built at Kibbutz Nirim. Rivlin received a briefing on the current challenges in the sector from high ranking military and security officials. "I am coming to you now from meetings with the security forces and from operational surveys," Rivlin said. "We fought for the houses, the kindergartens and the schools, the paths and the fields. It was a war for our existence and daily life." The president said that Israel remains at war with the Hamas terrorist organization which rules the Gaza Strip. "The mission of the State of Israel has not been completed. We are fighting a terrorist organization that is cruel, extremist, and murderous. It is a terrorist organization that devotes no thought to the future and well-being of Israel, the people of Gaza, and for whom "reconciliation" of one kind or another is only a step towards advancing the war.

"Hamas is cultivating terror bases in hospitals, mosques and schools, and continues to invest its energy in military armament, tunnel construction, and planning attacks against the State of Israel. We are not complacent. We know that the next battle, if imposed on us, will be different and harder than the previous one. But we are determined that when it comes, we will be ready and trained. We will surprise and not be surprised, and we will strike the enemy with a hard and cutting blow," added Rivlin. "The entire world must know and understand that the ones preventing the rehabilitation [of Gaza] is Hamas. Israel is the only entity in the region that transfers - regardless of the situation - the minimal needs to the residents so that they can maintain their well-being. Unfortunately, Hamas is exploiting the plight of Gaza's citizens and using the materials - which are sent to the Gaza Strip for the benefit of the lives of the residents - for terror purposes instead. (Arutz-7) [Comment]

At the behest of Fatah, Palestinians in Jerusalem, Judea & Samaria kept their shops closed on Tues. 23 Jan. 2018 to protest the USA vice president's trip to Israel. Palestinians took part in a general strike, protesting Pence's time in Israel, and his Knesset speech in support of USA President Donald Trump's Dec. 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Shops in Palestinian cities and in east Jerusalem were locked and shuttered, and the streets were nearly entirely empty. On 22 Jan. 2018, Pence's speech to Israel's Knesset was briefly disrupted, at the outset, by Arab Israeli parliament members who held up protest signs in Arabic and English, reading "Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine." They were immediately ejected by ushers. Pence responded to the incident by saying with a smile: "It is deeply humbling for me to stand before this vibrant democracy." (J.Post) [Comment]

Pence rapped Iran as the world’s biggest state sponsor of terrorism, in his speech to Israel’s Knesset and used the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism” several times, saying it "respects no creed, stealing the lives of Jews, Christians and Muslims. Together with our allies we will continue to bring the full force of our might to drive radical Islamic terrorism from the face of the earth,” he said. During his speech, Pence waxed poetic about Israel and Jewish history. "As I stand in Abraham’s Promised Land, I believe that all who cherish freedom and seek a brighter future should cast their eyes here and marvel at what they behold. How unlikely is Israel’s birth; how more unlikely is her survival?” Pence said the Jewish people held on to the hope of returning to their homeland over a 2,000 year exile, "through the darkest and longest nights. Tomorrow, when I stand with my wife Karen at Yad Vashem to honor the six million Jewish martyrs of the Holocaust, we will marvel at the faith and resilience of your people, who just three years after walking in the shadow of death, rose up from the ashes to resurrect yourselves, to reclaim a Jewish future and rebuild the Jewish State.” Speaking on Israel’s upcoming 70th Independence Day, Pence said the Shehechiyanu ("who has granted us life”) blessing. Pence’s blessing was met with a standing ovation from nearly all of the MKs present, as were several other points in his speech. (J.Post) [Comment]

USA Vice President Mike Pence was met with one standing ovation after another in the Knesset, during his speech rife with Biblical references and expressions of support for Israel and the Jewish people. Pence said, "We stand with Israel, because we believe in right over wrong, in good over evil, and in liberty over tyranny. The people of the USA have always held a special affection and admiration for the People of the Book. In the story of the Jews, we’ve always seen the story of America. It is the story of Exodus, a journey from persecution to freedom, a story that shows the power of faith and the promise of hope,” he stated. Pence, the first USA Vice President to address the Knesset’s plenary, spoke to a packed room. A devout Evangelical Christian, Pence paraphrased Psalms: "The USA is proud to stand with Israel and her people, as allies and cherished friends. And so we will pray for the peace of Jerusalem, that those who love you will be secure, that there be peace within your walls and security in your citadels. And we will work and strive for that brighter future, so everyone who calls this ancient land home shall sit under their vine and fig tree, and none shall make them afraid.” Pence urged the Palestinians, who are boycotting his visit to the region, to come to the negotiating table. "We recognize that peace will require compromise, but you can be confident in this: The USA will never compromise on the safety and security of the State of Israel. The USA remains committed to peace,” Pence stated, saying that the USA will support a two-state solution if both sides want it. That comment was met by a standing ovation. The vice president announced that the USA embassy will move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by the end of next year, emphasizing that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. (J.Post) [Comment]

The USA will not provide $45 million in food aid for Palestinians that it pledged last month as part of the Judea & Samaria/ Gaza Emergency Appeal led by UNRWA - the USA State Department said on 18 Jan. 2018. The State Department said on 16 Jan. 2018 that Washington would withhold a separate $65 million from UNRWA, saying it needed to make reforms. "The United States plans to make this funding available to UNRWA in early 2018,”said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert. The United States had made clear to UNRWA that the $45 million was a pledge aimed at helping the agency, but it was not a guarantee, Nauert told reporters. "At this time, we will not be providing that, but that does not mean that it will not be provided in the future,” Nauert said. She repeated the USA view that UNRWA needs reform, saying there are a lot more refugees in the program than previously, and that "money coming in from other countries needs to increase as well to continue paying for all those refugees. So we’re asking countries to do more,” Nauert said. "Fundamentally, we just don’t believe that we have to be the chief donor to every organization around the world.” Despite the decision on the food aid pledge, she said: "We remain the most generous country on the planet.” (Reuters) [Comment]

 USA Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said that the USA should cut its funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) until the organization reforms. "We mentioned to UNRWA multiple times it needs to be reformed.” The ambassador said that UNRWA views all Palestinian Arabs as refugees regardless of where they live, where they were born, or whether or not they have citizenship in another country. "What we’re saying basically is that UNRWA considers every Palestinian as a refugee. What they’re teaching in schools is also not necessarily the right way to have things run, and the organization is very top heavy from an administration standpoint." She also said that the USA would not continue to reward the Palestinian Authority if it continues to reject USA mediation and refuses to engage in peace negotiations. "We’re not going to reward bad behavior. Here you’ve got the Palestinians who are basically saying they’re going to cut the USA out of the peace process. They’re saying they no longer want to have anything to do with us. They go and take us to the United Nations and are very hostile in what they say and what they do. We’re not going to pay to be abused. It doesn’t make sense." She accused the Palestinian Authority of being "not serious in truly getting to peace."

The USA slashed $65 million from a $125 million grant to UNRWA last week. The United States is the largest single donor to UNRWA, providing approximately a fourth of the organization's budget. For years, UNRWA has been a target for criticism in light of Hamas' activity in its educational institutions and the use of its facilities by Palestinian Arab terrorist organizations in Gaza. UNRWA was documented storing Hamas rockets and weapons "designed to kill Israeli citizens" in its schools, a fact which the UNRWA chief admitted himself. In addition, the organization has actively taken part in inciting anti-Semitic violence. It has perpetuated the status of Palestinian "refugees" for generations instead of working towards their absorption in host countries, continuing to call residents of camps located in the Palestinian Authority refugees. Audits have shown that the number of "refugees" in UNRWA lists is highly inflated. (Arutz-7) "Gaza will shave her head in mourning” Jer. 47:5

PM Netanyahu addressed at the opening of the cabinet meeting on Sun 21 Jan. 2018, the upcoming visit of USA Vice President Mike Pence, who landed in Israel later that evening. "Tonight, a great friend of the State of Israel will arrive - Mike Pence,” Netanyahu said. "We will receive him happily and will discuss efforts of the Trump administration to curb Iranian aggression and advance peace in the region.” Netanyahu attacked Arab MKs who announced they would boycott Pence’s speech in the Knesset. "It is a disgrace that MKs seek to boycott the speech. We will all be there, and will give the Vice President the honor due to him.” The Prime Minister also shared with the cabinet some of the positive experiences from his official visit to India last week. Israel’s Culture Minister Miri Regev hailed Netanyahu's trip to India, saying the premier was received "like a king". (Arutz-7) Pray for the safety of V.P. Mike Pence during his time in Israel and for the honor due him to be expressed wherever he travels in the Land. [Comment]

A day after USA President Donald Trump extended the waiver on Iran nuclear sanctions, thus keeping the nuclear deal signed in 2015 alive, a senior Iranian official stressed that the Islamic Republic will not step back from its ballistic missiles program. The chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, said, "Trump is the most hated president of the American history whose hatred has crossed USA geological boundaries and become a global phenomenon. While many European countries and the signatories of the nuclear deal have repeatedly protested to the irrational behavior of Trump, he is still considered as a serious violator of JCPOA,” said Boroujerdi, using the acronym for the Iran deal. In addition to extending the sanctions relief, Trump on 12 Jan. 2018 also slapped new sanctions on 14 Iranian corporations and individuals connected to Iran’s ballistic missile. In addition to its nuclear aspirations, Iran's ballistic missile program remains a concern as well. The Islamic Republic has several times test-fired ballistic missiles in recent months, raising the ire of the West. Iran said 13 Jan. 2018 it won't accept any changes to its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers after President Donald Trump vowed to pull out of the accord in a few months if European allies did not fix its "terrible flaws." (Arutz-7) Pray according to scripture: "O Lord our God, will you not judge them? We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." 2 Chron. 20:12 [Comment]

 Iran said on 14 Jan. 2018 it would retaliate against new sanctions imposed by the United States after President Donald Trump set an ultimatum to fix "disastrous flaws" in a deal curbing Tehran's nuclear program. Trump said this weekend he would waive nuclear sanctions on Iran for the last time to give the United States and European allies a final chance to amend the pact. Washington also imposed sanctions on the head of Iran's judiciary and others. Russia - one of the parties to the Iran pact alongside the United States, China, France, Britain, Germany and the European Union - called Trump's comments "extremely negative." The ultimatum puts pressure on Europeans, key backers of the 2015 nuclear deal, to satisfy Trump, who wants the pact strengthened with a separate agreement within 120 days. While approving the waiver on USA sanctions related to the nuclear deal, Washington announced other sanctions against 14 Iranian entities and people, including judiciary head Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, a close ally of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Describing sanctions against Larijani as "hostile action," Iran's Foreign Ministry said the move "crossed all red lines of conduct in the international community and is a violation of international law and will surely be answered by a serious reaction of the Islamic Republic." (J.Post) [Comment]

 Iran said on 14 Jan. 2018 it would retaliate against new sanctions imposed by the United States after President Donald Trump set an ultimatum to fix "disastrous flaws" in a deal curbing Tehran's nuclear program. Trump said this weekend he would waive nuclear sanctions on Iran for the last time to give the United States and European allies a final chance to amend the pact. Washington also imposed sanctions on the head of Iran's judiciary and others. Russia - one of the parties to the Iran pact alongside the United States, China, France, Britain, Germany and the European Union - called Trump's comments "extremely negative." The ultimatum puts pressure on Europeans, key backers of the 2015 nuclear deal, to satisfy Trump, who wants the pact strengthened with a separate agreement within 120 days. While approving the waiver on USA sanctions related to the nuclear deal, Washington announced other sanctions against 14 Iranian entities and people, including judiciary head Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, a close ally of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Describing sanctions against Larijani as "hostile action," Iran's Foreign Ministry said the move "crossed all red lines of conduct in the international community and is a violation of international law and will surely be answered by a serious reaction of the Islamic Republic." (J.Post) [Comment]