|
| Week ending Shabbat, November 18, 2006 |
27 Cheshvan, 5767 |
|
Hevron Area Residents Demand Security Against Road Attacks
Last Sunday the residents of the Hevron region protested the deteriorating security situation on their roads. The previous Friday the Levi family was shot at as they drove home. The Levis are still in mourning for their son Avichai, who was murdered in a shooting attack at the Beit Haggai Junction last June. The family was not injured in this attack.
Residents from Negohot, Otniel, Beit Haggai, Kiryat Arba and the Jewish community of Hevron took part in the protest march, along with Land of Israel activists and young people active with Land of Israel Youth. They marched from the community of Otniel to the site of Friday's shooting, beneath the Arab village of Kharama, north of Otniel. At the site they held a ceremony. Rabbi Matanya ben Gedalia, one of the founders of the Maginei Eretz (Defenders of the Land), the recently-established activist alternative to the Yesha Council, addressed the protestors. "We are asking that the IDF begin taking the situation seriously," he said. "We are citizens of the state and the IDF must provide us with security - which it is able to do. When we are shot at, it is due to the army's failure and it should apologize and do everything in its ability to prevent future shootings. We will not allow this situation to become the norm."
Ben Gedalia, together with Attorney Boaz HaEtzni of Kiryat Arba, called upon residents to establish and strengthen branches of the new grassroots activist network in their communities. One of the stated goals of the movement at its founding meeting two weeks ago was that it would ensure that roads in Judea and Samaria remain open to Jewish traffic and safe from terrorists.
IDF Eliminates Terrorist in Shechem
On Tuesday morning, Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers shot dead terrorist Baha Khatari, during a gun battle in Shechem’s Al-Ein Bayt Ilma slum neighborhood Tuesday morning. A Kassam rocket fired at a Kibbutz caused heavy damage. He was twenty-six years old and was a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). He had taken took part in an attempted ambush of IDF troops involving grenades followed by automatic gunfire. Also taking part in the ambush in Shechem (Nablus) were members of PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group. No IDF soldiers were injured in the exchanges of fire.
Palestinian terrorists fired a Kassam rocket at a Kibbutz in the western Negev early Tuesday, causing heavy damage to a children's nursery. No one was hurt.
A gag-order was lifted Tuesday on the arrest of a 43forty-three-year-old Gaza terrorist three months ago who was building a major terror cell in Judea and Samaria to carry out a mega-attack in an Israeli city. Overnight Tuesday the IDF carried out an aerial attack on a building used for weapons storage in Gaza. Prior to the attack, the IDF followed its custom of informing local residents to distance themselves from buildings used for such purposes.
IDF forces across Judea and Samaria arrested 16 wanted terrorists Monday night. Nine Hamas terrorists were arrested in Hevron alone, and six more in Bethlehem.
Within Israel's pre-1967 borders, police carried out a large-scale operation against various terrorist and criminal elements in the Israeli-Arab village of Jisr a-Zarka Tuesday morning. Police confiscated half a kilogram of heroin, 150 grams of cocaine, thousands of bullets, stolen cash and goods. 150 members of the security forces took part in the operation.
"We've Had enough!"
On Thursday an agitated [Labor!] Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer told Israeli Army Radio "We have had enough!" The retired IDF brigadier-general stated the time for tolerance and efforts towards dialogue is behind us. "We cannot continue to bury our children every day - no country in the world would tolerate rocket attacks into civilian population centers - the rocket attacks can be halted in a two-hour period if the IDF wishes to," stated Ben-Eliezer.
The senior Labor Party official and former defense minister stated that the army must take a more aggressive approach. He is calling for the IDF to step-up targeted "surgical" strikes, "not just against terrorists firing rockets, but against anyone playing any role in rocket fire, including a person who transports terrorists." The surgical strikes must be carried out "day and night, without stopping," he added, stating anyone who has a problem with the situation should visit Sderot, see the funerals, see the children trembling in fear, see the cessation of day-to-day life as a result of six years of rocket fire into the Sderot and western Negev areas.
Ben-Eliezer added that last week he met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who acknowledged he would not tolerate the indiscriminate rocket fire into civilian population centers.
Tens of Thousands Go Up to Hevron to Relive Biblical History
Literally thousands of Jews ascended to Hevron (Hebron) this weekend for the annual reading of Chayei Sarah, the Torah portion which records Abraham's purchase of the Cave of the Patriarchs. Every year tens of thousands arrive at the site where Judaism's founding fathers and mothers Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah are buried, for the annual reading to retell and relive Biblical history. According to the Torah (first five books of the bible), Abraham made the purchase in front of a large local community gathering, for an exorbitant price, to serve as the burial ground for his deceased wife Sarah and his Jewish descendants (see Genesis 23).
The Jewish community of Hevron is relatively small with only 1,000 residents and students living in the city currently populated by 150,000 Arabs. However, at certain times throughout the year, as many as 100,000 Jews arrive in Hevron to visit the celebrated Jewish monument located in the city. "We are expecting tens of thousands of Jews to arrive here in Hevron this Shabbat, just several weeks after the conclusion of Sukkot, in which over 100,000 Jews came to the city," according to Jewish community spokesman David Wilder. "It shows the tremendous support the Jewish people have for the residents of Hevron, and reaffirms our commitment to live in this Biblical city."
Yet with only permanent lodgings for 1,000 Jews, the yearly reading of Chayei Sarah (or the life of Sarah) stretches the limits of the small Jewish community’s hospitality, a trait for which the patriarch Abraham was renowned. "People sleep anywhere and everywhere," Wilder said. "The weather is nice, and there will be lots of tents. Plus, literally anyplace there is a space to put a mattress or sleeping bag will be used."
The annual Shabbat reading will feature many rabbis and lecturers addressing topics relating to the Torah and the Jewish people. In addition, this weekend is one of the few times during the year the large room memorializing Isaac in the Cave of the Patriarchs will be open to Jewish worshippers. "Isaac's room" houses the tunnels which lead several stories down to the underground burial caves. The room is used throughout the year by Muslims as a mosque. Still, the climax of the Shabbat will be the Torah reading itself, in the exact spot where Biblical history took place approximately 4,000 years ago. Wilder contends that Hevron is always open throughout the year to every Jew in the world, "Anyone that is still able to come for Shabbat is absolutely invited, and whoever cannot make it this year, should begin planning now to be in Hevron this time next year or sometime in between."
Second "Night to Honor Israel" in Orlando
Strang Communications once again teamed up Pastor John Hagee and sponsored Orlando's second annual "Night to Honor Israel". Some three thousands Christians attended the event on Tuesday and raised more than sixty-five thousand dollars to benefit northern Israel's community of Ma'alot, which was repeatedly bombed during the recent struggle against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The previous evening a first "Night to Honor Israel" was held in Jacksonville, Florida. These two events are among many others that have been held all over the US and Canada. They are patterned after Pastor Hagee's events that he has held annually since 1981 in San Antonio, Texas. Pastor Hagee and Steven Strang are also foundational in Christians United For Israel (CUFI), who rallied 3,500 Christians to Washington D.C. last July proclaiming solidarity with Israel. They plan to at least double that effort for July 2007.
Tour Israel for Hanukkah
It's still not too late to join us as we explore Israel from a genuine Biblical Zionists perspective. Meet the people who are continuing the Biblical narrative in the Land today. See for yourself how ancient prophesies are being fulfilled. Discover how you too can participate in the ongoing process of Biblical Redemption. Join us for an opportunity of a lifetime, to see the real Israel from the viewpoint of those who are living the Bible today. The experience will change your life. The tour has been coordinated and will be guided by Associate Pastor Jon Klein [pictured left].
More information | Questions
|
Tzemach News Service [TNS] is a ministry of: Tzemach Institute for Biblical Studies
This week's sources: Arutz Sheva, Christians United For Israel, Israel National News, Israel Today, John Hagee Ministries, Strang Communications, Ynet News.
| | |
