Hundreds of rockets were fired into Israel this week. As of Friday afternoon, Palestinian Islamic Jihad had fired over 850 rockets.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Praise the Lord that Israel didn’t experience more casualties. Praise the Lord for all that Israel does to protect its citizens, including the effectiveness of the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system, which intercepted 91% of the rockets, and also for the David Sling defense system, Israel’s new medium range system, that successfully intercepted two rockets for the first time ever. One was headed for Tel Aviv and the other was targeting Jerusalem area.
One Israeli man was killed when a rocket struck his home. Pray for his family and for all those affected by the attacks. Over 1.5 million Israelis took shelter during the rocket attacks – continue to pray for all the people of Israel.
One in five rockets didn’t reach Israel, falling inside Gaza and causing Palestinian casualties. We’re aware of four Palestinian civilians killed after rockets fired towards Israel instead landed on Palestinian homes. One was Layan, a 10-year-old Gazan child. It is a tragedy that the world is silent to condemn the terrorists who murder children. The world must stand with Israel as it deals with these terrorists. Here again is an example of the difference between Israel and the Palestinian terrorists. Israel does its best to protect its citizens, but the Palestinian terrorists do not care about the people of Gaza.
Pray for Israel’s counter-terrorism campaign, Operation Shield and Arrow. The campaign began on Tuesday when Israel killed three high-ranking commanders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in a precision strikes in Gaza. One was responsible for the 100 rockets fired into Israel last week. Another was responsible for trying to get missile launching equipment into Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). Again, we see another example of the difference between Israel and the Palestinian terrorists. Israel does its best to minimise Palestinian civilian casualties, but Palestinian terrorists deliberately target Israeli civilians.
The Palestinian leadership commits a double war crime by targeting Israeli civilians and using Palestinian civilians as human shields. Defending Israel therefore is not only the right thing to do for the welfare of the Jewish people, but it is the best outcome for the people of Gaza and for peace in the region. Continue to pray for all those defending Israel. Pray for Israel’s leaders. Pray for the IDF.
May Israel witness the words of Psalm 91 that describes the protection of the Lord as a shield and buckler – a confident reason not to be afraid of the terror of the night or the arrow that flies by day. ‘Truth shall be your shield and buckler’, the Psalm says. Indeed, may our defense of Israel be based on truth, and may truth be Israel’s shield in fending off the malicious lies and slander against it.
Tunisia
Pray for the victims of the shooting attack outside a synagogue in Djerba, Tunisia, this week. Two Jewish cousins were killed and three police and security personnel. Pray for their families. Thousands of pilgrims are visiting the synagogue, the oldest in Africa. Pray for this small Jewish community and all those visiting at this time.
Shoshana
We close with a request to pray for 21-year-old, IDF soldier Shoshana Degani. She is part of the Jordanian Lions Battalion and was critically injured this week during a counter-terror operation in the Jordan Valley. She sustained a serious head injury from grenade shrapnel during a shoot-out with Palestinian terrorists. Her parents have made a public appeal for people to pray for her. Shoshana is said to be awake, but her condition is serious. We therefore cry out to Almighty God and pray for the sustaining of her life and for healing from this head injury. May her memory be restored and may she recover from any other effects of the injury. May her parents experience God’s strength and comfort at this time.
Thank you for praying with us. By praying for Israel you are joining us in the front-line of Israel’s defense. Our praying is not in vain. We’re standing on the truth of God’s Word and pray with confidence:
“But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill.” (Psalm 3:3-4)
This year, we want to do more to bless Israel and the Jewish people.
We know that as we bless Israel this year, God will bless us, just as He promised in Genesis 12:3, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Now is the time to bless Israel and the Jewish people.
