TRUMP ADMIN: ASSAD PLANNING MASS CHEMICAL WEAPONS ATTACK: The Assad regime in Syria is preparing for a massive chemical weapons attack aimed at civilians, the Trump administration claimed USA intelligence agencies have evidence suggesting the Syrian government was preparing for a large-scale chemical attack, similar to the strike near the city of Idlib in April 2017 which left dozens dead and hundreds more with serious injuries. The White House strongly advised Assad that a new chemical weapons attack would not go unpunished. Days after the April 4th attack, two USA guided missile ships in the Mediterranean fired a barrage of 50 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian military facility used in the chemical weapons attack. USA Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley added that in addition to the Assad regime, the Russian government and Iran would also be held responsible for the mass murder of Syrian civilians. (Arutz-7) Intercede that another brutal chemical weapons attack will not take place against Syrian civilians, which will result in agonizing deaths and injuries for multitudes - and likely lead to further harsh discord between superpowers Russia and the USA.

WORLD’S DEMOCRACIES ABSENT AT ANNUAL ISRAEL-BASHING DEBATE: The world’s democracies collectively snubbed the UN Human Rights Council’s annual condemnation of Israel in Geneva on 19 June 2017 when none of their representatives attended the council’s presentation and debate on “Item 7” - a permanent agenda item focused on the “Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories.” The seats of all the democratic nations represented on the council were empty for the duration of the discussion, sparking protests from Arab countries. In an address to the council on 6 June 2017, USA Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley charged that “Item 7 is a scandalous provision that must be removed.” Hillel Neuer - executive director of the Geneva-based UN Watch NGO said, “The democracies are absent to protest prejudice - because this is the only agenda item that singles out one specific state, the Jewish state. Not Syria, Sudan or North Korea is treated this way.” Nonetheless, the absence of these countries did not prevent routine denunciations of Israel, with serial human rights abusers like Syria, Lebanon and Venezuela attacking Israel’s human rights record and depicting it as the “greatest threat to peace in the Middle East.” (Algemeiner) Continue to pray that UN anti-Israel bias will be confronted and overcome in all UN branches.

ISRAELI OFFICIAL ON BBC HEADLINE: ‘THESE MISTAKES HAPPEN WAY TOO OFTEN': While acknowledging the BBC's clarification of a badly misleading headline about the weekend terrorist attacks in Jerusalem, Foreign Ministry director-general Yuval Rotem warned BBC consumers to be aware, because these mistakes happen “way too often.” Following an outcry from everyone from the Foreign Ministry to USA President Donald Trump's son over an initial headline on Friday 16 June 2017 that read, “Three Palestinians killed after deadly stabbing in Jerusalem,” the news organization changed the headline to, “Israeli police woman stabbed to death in Jerusalem.” Rotem retweeted a tweet from the spokesman at the Israeli embassy that displayed the apology, and wrote this comment: “BBC World admits mistake, but such mistakes happen way too often. BBC consumers beware.”

Israel and its supporters have long complained about biased and misleading headlines on stories in the press abroad about terrorist attacks in Israel. For instance, in the attack at the Damascus Gate in Feb. 2016 that killed Hadar Cohen, the headline on the initial CBS story was “3 Palestinians killed as daily violence grinds on.” About 90 minutes later, and after numerous complaints, that headline was changed to this: “Israeli police kill 3 alleged Palestinian attackers.” And after further protests, it was again changed to “Palestinians kill Israeli officer, wound another before being killed.” And after last year's attack at the Sarona market in Tel Aviv that killed four people, CNN ran the following headline: “Two ‘Terrorists’ Captured,” putting the word terrorists in quotation marks. It later apologized, saying putting terrorists in quotation marks was “a mistake.” (Jerusalem Post) In the words of one blogger: “If they didn't flagrantly mislead they wouldn't have to be called out.” Pray against misleading media presentations against Israel that further bias and terrorism against the Jewish state.

“May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame. May they be like grass on the roof, which withers before it can grow,” Ps. 129:5-6
 

HAMAS TERRORIST TUNNEL DISCOVERED UNDER A SCHOOL RUN BY UNRWA IN THE GAZA STRIP: A Hamas terrorist tunnel was discovered under a school in Gaza run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA), Israeli media reported on Friday 9 June 2017. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, confirmed the discovery of the tunnel in a post on his Facebook page in Arabic. “The tunnel was discovered underneath a school for boys in Al-Maazi. It is clear that the entire Arab world understands that it is the Hamas terror organization that destroys Gaza and eliminates any chance of a good future for Gazans,” wrote Mordechai. Digging a tunnel underneath a building used as a school is nothing new for Hamas, which regularly uses civilians as human shields and hides rocket launchers in places such as schools and soccer fields. During Israel’s 2014 counterterrorism Operation Protective Edge, Hamas rockets were discovered inside an UNRWA school building. Likewise, a booby-trapped UNRWA clinic was detonated, killing three IDF soldiers. Aside from the massive amounts of explosives hidden in the walls of the clinic, it was revealed that it stood on top of dozens of terror tunnels, showing how UNRWA is closely embedded with Hamas. (Arutz-7)

UNRWA: A BRIEF REVIEW: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), with its $1.3 billion budget (30% of which comes from USA taxpayers), actually perpetuates the refugee problem it was created to solve, while promoting Palestinian rejectionism and Jew hatred. The original 700,000 Palestinians leaving Israel have now been magically transformed into over 5.6 million "refugees" registered with UNRWA, about half of all the Palestinians living in the world today. The "temporary" UN agency has developed into a bloated bureaucracy with a staff of 30,000, almost all of who are Palestinians (many are activists of Hamas, the Islamist terrorist group). Less than 5% of UNRWA's clients ever lived in Israel, but the agency's regulations state that all descendants of the original displaced persons shall retain their refugee rights in perpetuity. (JNN)

‘THE USA MUST STOP SUPPORTING THE PA’: Israel's Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan spoke Tues. 6 June 2017, at the World Leaders Plenary of the American Jewish Committee’s Forum in Washington DC. The forum saw the participation of heads of state, foreign ministers, senior USA officials, diplomats and Jewish leaders from 75 countries - and over 2,500 people. Minister Erdan presented his program for an international coalition in the war on terror which would include Israel, the West, “moderate” Arab states, Europe, and other countries. He emphasized that, even today, countries are interested in learning from the steps that Israel has taken against the “terror wave” of the last two years. Erdan called on the USA to stop funding the Palestinian Authority. “Abbas is sending a message to children growing up in the PA that terror pays. Not one cent of American taxpayer money should be going to fund terrorists.” He added that “Today, more and more leaders are coming to understand that terror is terror, whether it hits the USA, England, Egypt, or Israel. We have taken a number of steps that have led to a decrease in terror incidents: The fight against incitement on social media, the removal of legal status from inciting organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood, and the uncovering and drying up of sources of terror funding. The time has come to apply these steps to the whole world, and to establish an international coalition in the war on terror and the incitement driving terror. A global challenge requires a global response. Israel is ready to take a central role in leading the new coalition,” Erdan said. (Arutz-7) The Palestinian Authority spent some $322 million on payments to terrorists in 2016, a former Israeli Military Intelligence official revealed days ago. Pray that this vile use of foreign aid money from the USA and other Western nations will completely be cut off. Intercede that the issue will continue to be exposed and opposed until payments to Palestinian terrorist cease.

WE DON’T NEED EMBASSIES IN JERUSALEM – THE WORLD NEEDS THEM’: MK Yehuda Glick responded to President Trump’s decision to leave the USA Embassy in Israel at its present location in Tel Aviv, saying the move had little impact on Israel, but boded ill for efforts to forge a lasting peace in the region. Despite his disappointment with the decision, Glick nevertheless expressed appreciation for the president’s pledge to move the embassy, and said he was optimistic the shift would ultimately be made. Glick added that while he supported the embassy relocation, it had little direct bearing on Israel or the Jewish people and their connection with the city. "Jerusalem is the capital of the people of Israel and the State of Israel. It has been the capital of the people of Israel for 3,000 years. Jerusalem is the heart - three times a day in our prayer. Nobody can change that - Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. The question of whether the embassy will be moved to Jerusalem - we don't need the embassies in Jerusalem, the world needs it. If the world wants to be relevant and connected to reality, they should move their embassies to Jerusalem." (Arutz-7) “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” Isa 60:3