Two Coptic Christians were found murdered Wed. 22 Feb. 2017, in Egypt's North Sinai, a stronghold of the terror group. They said the son had been burnt alive while the father, a man in his 60s, had been shot multiple times. Their bodies were discovered at dawn behind a school in the provincial capital of El-Arish. ISIS, which has mostly targeted Egypt's security forces, warned this week it would set its sights on the country's Christian minority. In a video released 20 Feb. 2017 by the terror group, a narrator encouraged jihadis to terrorize and kill Christians across the country. It was uploaded to YouTube under the title Kill The Kuffar, but it has subsequently been deleted. (UK Daily Mail) Continue to pray for the protection of Egypt’s Coptic Christians, especially those presently living in ISIS strongholds. Intercede that major action will be taken by Egypt’s security forces to root out and eradicate all ISIS influence and operators in Egypt. [Comment]

Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Yad Vashem’s director of the libraries has called on Amazon to remove Holocaust denial books from its online store, accusing the Internet retail giant of facilitating the spread of hate speech. In the letter penned by Dr. Robert Rozett, to the CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, he writes, "It has been clear for many years now that Holocaust denial literature is freely available for purchase over Amazon. Many of the items appear with glowing readers’ reviews and recommendations for further reading in the same vein.” Mentioning that Yad Vashem had – in vain – broached the issue with Amazon soon after the latter’s founding, Rozett said that in light of an unfortunate change in climate with more visible anti-Semitism, "maybe the time is a little more ripe for them to take up the idea that they need to be more careful in what they sell. Once again, given the presence of anti-Semitism around the globe, which has become more prevalent in recent years, we strongly urge you to remove books that deny, distort and trivialize the Holocaust from your store,” Rozett wrote to Bezos. "Holocaust denial and other forms of hate speech indisputably nurture prejudice and hate crimes,” he continued. "Facilitating the spread of such hate-filled ideas is irresponsible, to say the least. As a major agent for the dissemination of ideas, it is incumbent upon Amazon, as it is also incumbent upon Internet providers in general, to act to curb the spread of hatred.” He concluded by offering Yad Vashem’s assistance in identifying publications that foment Holocaust denial, distortion and trivialization. (J.Post) Continue to pray that lies and incitement against the Jewish people, including material that promotes Holocaust Denial will be removed from online stores and social media sites. [Comment]

Toronto Mayor John Tory and leaders in the city’s Jewish community on Wed. 22 Jan. 2017 condemned the recent discovery of anti-Semitic notes inside a condo building in the city’s Willowdale neighborhood. Post-it notes bearing a Swastika and reading "No Jews” were found on the front doors of several Jewish residences in the building, while a number of residents also reported the theft of a mezuzah from their front doors. "We are here today to say that there is no place for these acts of hatred, for these acts of discrimination and for these acts of anti-Semitism,” Tory told reporters. "This is inconsistent with who we are and the story of Toronto that has made us one of the most admired cities in the world.” Several representatives from the Jewish community also attended the news conference to express their dismay with the incident.

One of them, Rabbi Moshe Steiner, said he went to the Willowdale condo building after learning its residents had been targeted and was alarmed to hear from some of the victims who wanted to "lay low” and not immediately replace their stolen or vandalized mezuzahs. He said he was relieved to hear those same residents then change their tones after discussion. "The answer is absolutely not to say, ‘Let’s recede into the shadows,’” he said. "We dare not be marginalized. Whoever did this is trying to intimidate us trying to force us to cower into the shadows. We cannot do that.” Police are investigating the hate crime, but no suspects have been arrested. (Arutz-7) Pray that Toronto Jews terrorized by this incident will be comforted and kept from further fear.

The Deputy Director-General of the World Zionist Organization and the head of the department for Israel activity and combating anti-Semitism, Yaakov Hagoel, said that anti-Semitism is growing worldwide. Haguel responded in a media interview to the smashing of more than 150 tombstones in a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis. "This was a very serious incident. Unfortunately, this is part of a growing phenomenon occurring around the world in the last decade. Every year there are more anti-Semitic incidents than the previous year. I hope that President Trump's reference to the subject will lead to zero tolerance for anti-Semitism. Haguel declared that "there was always anti-Semitism in the USA and it is also consistently on the rise. I have no doubt that we are on a slippery slope and that if we don't stop the first incidents it will just increase. President Trump was correct to make a clear statement. If anti-Semitic incidents will increase, the president will have to legislate and act against the anti-Semitic rioters," concluded Haguel. (Arutz-7) [Comment]

USA Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has asked the Security Council why the UN obsesses over bashing Israel and has pledged to change UN treatment of the Jewish state. "I just put out to the members of the Security Council to help me understand: When we have so much going on in the world, why is it that every single month we’re going to sit down and have a hearing, where all they do is obsess over Israel?” She criticized the Security Council for focusing on Israel during its monthly meeting on the Middle East, to the complete exclusion of other issues, such as Hezbollah, ISIS, and the Syrian civil war. She also criticized the UN Department of Political Affairs for having "an entire division devoted to Palestinian affairs. There is no division devoted to illegal missile launches from North Korea. There is no division devoted to the world’s number one state-sponsor of terror, Iran," she observed. "The double standards are breathtaking.

Just a few days ago, the United States sought unsuccessfully to have the Security Council condemn a terrorist attack on Israel, where the terrorist opened fire on people waiting for a bus and then stabbed others. The Security Council would not hesitate to condemn an attack like that in any other country, but not for Israel. And that’s downright shameful. Haley pledged to work to end the UN's biased treatment of Israel. "I’m here to say the United States will not turn a blind eye to this anymore. I am here to underscore the ironclad support of the United States for Israel. I’m here to emphasize the United States is determined to stand up to the UN’s anti-Israel bias. We will never repeat the terrible mistake of Resolution 2334 and allow one-sided Security Council resolutions to condemn Israel. Instead, we will push for action on the real threats we face in the Middle East." (Arutz-7) Continue to intercede that major measures will be taken by the Trump administration and other Western governments to challenge and to penalize the UN Security Council for its obsessive and dangerous bias against Israel. [Comment]

At least 3,443 Palestinian Arabs have been killed in Syria since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, including 455 women, according to a report by the 'Action Group for Palestinians in Syria.' The disclosure also stated that 1,164 Palestinian Arab refugees, including 83 women, are currently incarcerated in Syrian government lock-ups. The report described conditions in Palestinian Arab refugee camps in Syria, such as the Yarmouk camp, which has been blockaded by the Syrian regime army for 1,339 straight days. According to the report, 190 Palestinians died of undernourishment and medical neglect in the Yarmouk camp. The Syrian government has barred residents of other refugee camps from returning to their homes for years. The report also notes that over 100,000 Palestinian Arabs have fled Syria since the beginning of the civil war in 2011, with more than 79,000 having fled to Europe and another 31,000 having fled to neighboring Lebanon. The report also notes that 1,000 Palestinian Arabs from Syria are currently being sheltered in the Gaza Strip, which is ruled by the Hamas terrorist organization and which is under partial blockade by Israel and Egypt to prevent the smuggling of weapons and the infiltration of terrorists. (Arutz-7) Pray for God’s mercy to be poured upon all people groups suffering tragedy and loss, torture and hunger in the Syrian conflict. It can only be noted that Israel would be torn to pieces by the UN the EU, and nations across the globe if such figures and responsibilities were laid at the feet the Jewish State. As it stands, scant mention is made in the media of what Syria is doing to the Palestinian people on its own soil. [Comment]

 Christians are the "favorite prey” of ISIS jihadis, according to a video released. 20 Feb. 2017 by an ISIS affiliate showing the suicide bomber who slaughtered nearly 30 people in a Coptic cathedral late last year. The masked man identified as Abu Abdallah al-Masri is seen promising jailed jihadists in Egypt that they will be freed soon when the group "liberates” Cairo. A narrator rails in the 20-minute clip against Egypt’s 9 million Christians, singling out figures like the Coptic pope and Christian businessmen as the terror group’s "favorite prey.” Al-Masri - which means "The Egyptian” - was the name that ISIS gave the terrorist behind the suicide bombing at St. Mark’s Cathedral that killed 29 people, mostly women and children. ISIS claimed responsibility for the bombing, its deadliest attack in Egypt outside the Sinai Peninsula, where it has been waging an insurgency since 2013. Orthodox Copts, who comprise about 10 percent of Egypt’s 90 million people, are the Middle East’s largest Christian community. The video contained a new logo reading "Islamic State in Egypt” - as opposed to "Sinai Province,” the original name for the ISIS presence in the country. (NY Post) Pray for the protection of Egyptian Christians against ISIS, the most brutal terrorist group on the earth. Intercede that ISIS and all of its affiliated branches will be utterly dismantled and defeated. [Comment]

The United States and Israel have a "grand mission” to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, the Jewish state’s leader told Fox News on 16 Feb. 2017. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu - fresh off his White House meeting with USA President Donald Trump - said, "Since the signing of the nuclear deal, Iran has become more aggressive, more deadly, sponsoring more terrorism and with more money, a lot more money. And people are saying, wait a minute, this roaring tiger, if it’s not stopped, will devour all of us. We’re all prey to this militant Islamic regime that will arm itself with nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that could reach you. They’ve killed Americans all over the place. They sponsor terrorism against Americans all over the place. Now they’re going to build ICBM that can reach the United States and have the multiple warheads to do that. It’s dangerous for America, dangerous for Israel, dangerous for the Arabs. Everyone now understands it, and there is an American president who understands it, and we are talking about what to do about this common threat.” The prime minister called his White House visit this week "historical” and described his encounter with Trump as "a meeting of the minds and a meeting of the hearts. (Algemeiner/Fox) In a past report , a media interviewer had this to say: "I recently asked one of his advisers to gauge for me the depth of Mr. Netanyahu’s anxiety about Iran. His answer was to think in terms of Amalek – a nation that wished to wipe out the Jews.” Amalek was the first to make war against Israel, attacking the rear guard of the Israelites on their deliverance from Egypt. Jewish tradition hold the Amalekites are the undying foe of the Jews. "Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. He said, ‘Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation’” Ex. 17: 15-16 [Comment]

 Israel’s economy had its strongest quarterly performance since 2013, the country’s Central Bureau of Statistics said on 16 Feb. 2017. The economy grew by an annualized 6.2 percent in the last quarter of 2016, 4.2% in the third quarter, and 5.3% in the second quarter. The increase in gross domestic product in the second half of 2016 reflected a 3.5-% increase in public consumption, and 2.9% growth in private consumption per capita. Israel’s exports of goods and services, excluding diamonds and start-ups, were up 4.5% in 2016, and investments in fixed assets climbed 10.2%. Imports of goods and services went up 10.6% in the second half of 2016, the report said. (Algemeiner) "Let the Lord be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” Ps. 35:27 [Comment]