How Could This Happen In Israel?

Updated October 12, 2023 at 6:40pm (PDST)

The number of Israelis murdered by Hamas rose to 1,300 on Thursday.

According to the Times of Israel, the “IDF said Thursday evening that it had so far carried out strikes against some 3,600 targets in the Gaza Strip, using more than 6,000 munitions. The Hamas-run health ministry said 1,417 Palestinians have been killed and another 6,268 wounded in Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.”

The White House confirmed that 27 Americans were killed and at least 14 Americans are still missing. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby admitted the U.S. does not know the whereabouts of the U.S. hostages. Hamas has threatened to execute hostages and post their executions online in response to any future IDF attacks on Gaza.

Breitbart reports that Ali Baraka, a senior Hamas official, told Russia Today on Sunday, that “Hamas had been secretly planning the invasion of southern Israel for two years.” He also stated that Iran assisted Hamas and that Hamas wanted to “carry out a prisoner swap with the U.S., as the Biden administration recently did with Iran – releasing $6 billion and five Iranians held in the U.S.” In a separate interview with the Associated Press, Baraka said he was surprised by the success of the Hamas terrorists, stating, “We were surprised by this great collapse. We were planning to make some gains and take prisoners to exchange them. This army was a paper tiger.”

In a separate article, Breitbart also noted that first responders discovered a manual dating to October 2022 and was reportedly used by the Hamas terrorists on Saturday. The manual “includes plans for a raid on Israeli towns near Gaza, including details about breaching the border fence, and about expected Israeli defenses. The plan also called for taking ‘prisoner soldiers, residents, and … hostages for negotiations.’”

Israel Hayom reports that, according to Israeli intelligence sources, “The signal for the Saturday morning attack was given secretly to preserve the element of surprise, but the planning took place over a period of about ten months in secret trilateral meetings in Beirut, involving members of Hamas, Hezbollah, and senior Iranians. . . . Iran gave the command. This fact is already known to all and is responsible for over a thousand fatalities and thousands of wounded.”

Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff, acknowledged, “The IDF is responsible for the security of the country and its citizens, and on Saturday morning in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip, we did not handle it,” he said. “We will learn, we will investigate, but now is the time for war.”

In the same article, the Times of Israel also reported “that Halevi and a series of IDF generals held a phone consultation on the situation in Gaza just hours ahead of the Hamas onslaught, due to some warnings and irregularities. However, the generals involved, including IDF Southern Command chief Yaron Finkelman and Military Intelligence Directorate chief Aharon Haliva, reportedly decided to wait until morning in order to respond. The Hamas assault began around 6 a.m.”

Hamas has called for Muslims around the world to stage a “Day of Jihad” this Friday, October 13th, urging Muslims to “display their anger not just in Muslim countries but also in diaspora communities around the world.”

MSN.com reports, “The New York Police Department has ordered all officers to report in uniform on Friday in anticipation of a threatened “global day of rage” in support of Palestinians in Gaza.”

Pray for the peace of Israel.

“We have not seen this level of Chinese intelligence and influence activity in and around the U.S. homeland ever.” Those are the words of an anonymous FBI official in a recent report published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and cited by Robert Williams in his article, “China’s Influence Activity in the US Is Unprecedented.”

The report warns that China is working on multiple levels and using sophisticated espionage activities “to expand the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and weaken the United States and its partners.” China is “a grave threat to the economic well-being and democratic values of the United States” according to the FBI, and confronting this threat is “the FBI’s top counterintelligence priority.” 

Williams notes that for more than two and a half decades, China has stolen U.S. intellectual property, trade secrets and technology, causing the U.S. a cumulative loss that has been estimated to be at least $600 billion. As a consequence, China now leads in 37 out of 44 crucial technologies in the technology race with the United States. A 2022 U.S. Senate report states China has sought to “supplant the U.S. as the global economic leader and end the U.S. dollar’s status as the world’s primary reserve currency.”

The Center for Strategic and International Studies report also sheds light on the CCP’s strategy against the U.S., stating, “[A] close analysis of Chinese activity indicates that Beijing has conducted a broad political warfare campaign against the United States and its partners across the globe. To conduct these actions, Beijing invests substantial resources in understanding the United States, including in translating documents and exploring the contours of U.S. culture and politics. The China International Communications Group, which is owned and operated by the CCP’s Central Propaganda Department, distributes the CCP line on numerous issues to overseas audiences, directs research on foreign media, and conducts language training programs.”

Surprisingly, in February of 2022, the U.S. Justice Department ended a program known as the “China Initiative” enacted in 2018 under the Trump Administration to protect U.S. national security against Chinese spying on U.S. intellectual property and in academia. According to Fox News, the DOJ’s website said the initiative aimed at “identifying and prosecuting those engaged in trade secret theft, hacking, and economic espionage,” as well as “protecting our critical infrastructure against external threats through foreign direct investment and supply chain compromises.” 

The Biden Administration claims they ended the program because it “unfairly painted Chinese Americans and U.S. residents of Chinese origin as disloyal.” But Williams correctly cautions that “while the Biden administration worries about political correctness, the Chinese Communist Party is successfully using every means at its disposal to weaken the U.S. in all fields.”

Ironically, today it was reported that the U.S. is warning Israel about its ties to China. In an article titled, “A word of caution: China-Israel ties and Beijing’s Middle East role,” the Jerusalem Post reports, “The US has expressed concerns about any China mega-business deals in Israel that might touch on strategic infrastructure, such as the Haifa Port.” While Washington does not want Israel to “decouple from China,” it wants Israel “to secure things that might be important” such as “Israel’s hi-tech sector” or its intellectual advancements in “artificial intelligence.”

Why would the Biden Administration caution Israel about its relationship with the CCP but throw caution to the wind when it comes to its own domestic policies towards China?


The Blessors’ Bottom Line

The U.S. would be wise to heed its warning to Israel. Through unrestricted warfare, China seeks to weaken and ultimately dominate the U.S. and its allies without ever firing a shot. To achieve its goal of global domination by 2049, China has forged alliances with nations like Russia and Iran (an avowed enemy of the U.S. and Israel). Yet through these alliances, it appears China might be setting the stage for the prophetic events recorded in Ezekiel 38-39, in what has been called “The Battle of Gog and Magog.”

According to Ezekiel 38-39, Russia (Rosh) will lead a coalition of nations and attack Israel prior to the Great Tribulation, Iran (Persia) will be part of that alliance. These nations will “devise an evil plan” against Israel and with overwhelming force “come like a storm. . . like a cloud covering the land” (Ezek. 38:9-10). But God will pour out His “blazing wrath” upon Israel’s foes and deliver her from certain destruction through a series of four cataclysmic judgments (Ezek. 38:18-23). This divine deliverance will be in keeping with God’s promise to Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse” (Gen. 12:3).

The prophet Ezekiel prophesied these events 2,600 years ago because God knows the beginning and the end. Through the events of the latter days, God will reveal Himself to Israel and the nations so that all will know He is the Lord of all (Ezek. 38:23).

By Dr. Matthew Dodd and Geoff Hetrick

One of the latest official statements from the U.S. State Department regarding Iran is that “The United States is committed to countering Iran’s destabilizing influence in the region and around the world.”

Does the U.S.’s commitment include countering Iran’s deadly hostilities against Israel? It is an appropriate question when one considers the Biden administration’s stance towards official Iranian statements against Israel (and the U.S.), Iran’s funding of terror groups on Israel’s border, and Iran’s repeated threats to annihilate Israel.

Majid Rafizadeh recently reported the many ways the Biden administration is working against Israel’s interests in favor of Iran’s interests even though the U.S. officially designates the Iranian regime as the “top state sponsor of terrorism.”

According to Brigadier General (res.) Amir Avivi, a former deputy commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ Gaza Division, “for the last year and a half, Iran stated clearly that its main strategy is to make the Samaria region another Gaza,” adding that Iran is “pouring money and smuggling weapons into the region. They are supporting Hamas and the PIJ [Palestinian Islamic Jihad] and other factions within the Palestinian Authority.”

Rafizadeh notes that because of the Biden administration’s reluctance to enforce U.S. sanctions against Iran, the Iranian regime is likely using the extra revenues to fund and arm terror groups across the Middle East. He also references a recent article from the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board that asks “Why does President Biden go out of his way to snub, criticize and give marching orders to the government of Israel?” stating:

“At least rhetorically, the President and his Administration treat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his governing coalition worse than they do the ruling mullahs in Iran. The effect of this piling on is for Israelis to see that the U.S. sides with their opposition parties. This is no way to treat a democratic ally and no way to pursue U.S. interests while Mr. Netanyahu’s Likud Party is in power, as it has been for most of the past 25 years.”

According to Joe Truzman, more than 19 Iranian regime-backed groups targeting Israel and U.S. interests in the region meet the U.S.’s “terror designation criteria,” but the Biden administration has not added them to the list of foreign terror groups.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant recently confirmed that the ongoing terror wave was being directed by Iran. Netanyahu observed, “We are in the midst of a terrorist onslaught that is being encouraged, directed, and financed by Iran and its proxies.” Gallant warned, “Iran is looking for any way to harm the citizens of Israel. We will take various actions that will restore security to the citizens of Israel,” adding that “all options are on the table.”

In the same article, the Times of Israel reported the “Palestinian shooting, stabbing, and car-ramming attacks in Israel and the West Bank have left 29 people dead and several others seriously wounded since the beginning of the year. Also this year, rocket fire from the Gaza Strip killed two people during a round of hostilities in May, and an attack by an Egyptian policeman on the border in June left three soldiers dead.”

Last year, 27 Israeli civilians and foreigners were killed in terror attacks committed by Palestinian or Arab Israeli terrorists in Israel or the West Bank. Another three soldiers were killed in attacks directed against troops, and one police commando was killed during clashes with Palestinian gunmen in a West Bank operation.

Netanyahu warned Iran and its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah of Israel’s “red lines” on the buildup of militant forces or weapons to its north, as the Israel Defense Forces prepare to hold an artillery drill on a contested hill on the border with Lebanon and Syria. Netanyahu said, “We are determined to fight Iran’s attempts to develop a nuclear arsenal. We are determined to fight any attempt by Iran to entrench itself on our northern military frontier in Syria. We are determined to fight all attempts by Hezbollah to show aggression against us from Lebanon.” He added “Those who need to be given a reminder of our red lines in this matter will receive it.”

Rafizadeh says the Islamist regime of Iran has repeatedly made its policy clear: it wants Israel to be wiped off the map. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who enjoys the final say in all of Iran’s domestic and foreign policies, proclaimed to the youths of Iran that they will soon witness the demise of Israel and all of American civilization.

The Commander-In-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Major General Hossein Salami, also made the strategy of the Iranian government clear, stating “Our strategy is to erase Israel from the global political map. And, it seems that, considering the evil that Israel is doing, it is bringing itself closer to that.”

Unfortunately, as the Gatestone Institute observed, the U.S.’s recent move to give Iran access to at least $16 billion, including $6 billion held in South Korea, as part of a prisoner exchange deal, will undoubtedly benefit Tehran’s Palestinian terror proxies: Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The two terror groups, which seek the destruction of Israel, have long been receiving financial and military aid from Iran’s mullahs.

Rafizadeh believes the recent prisoner swap between the U.S. and Iran will only serve to weaken the U.S.’s position against future terrorism. In another article for Gatestone Institute, Rafizadeh writes, “Appeasing terrorists, as we all know, only incentivizes them, and breeds more terrorism and hostage-taking; it seems to be an endless, deliciously profitable jobs and extortion program for the Iranian regime and all terrorists.”

Ironically, Iran is a member of the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages, but the regime has taken foreign hostages as pawns to extract economic concessions and achieve geopolitical and financial gains, possibly more than any other country in the modern era, as reported by Rafizadeh. The Obama administration shipped $400 million in an unmarked plane to Iran for the release of four Iranian-American prisoners. “Predictably,” as former White House Security Official Richard Goldberg noted, “Iran took more hostages in the months and years thereafter, believing it could get an even better price from a future U.S. president.” And it did.

Rafizadeh predicts Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department, will likely be the first beneficiaries of any extra revenues and the $6 billion from the hostage/prisoner exchange. 

The Iranian regime will likely use additional funds to deliver weapons to Russia and strengthen its military. Increased revenues will also allow the IRGC and Khamenei to crack down more easily on any domestic unrest against their government. The other priority of Iran’s regime is to “export the revolution” and military domination, with Israel in the cross-hairs. Recipients of Iranian funds include Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Latin America, and its militia and terror groups.

Rafizadeh concludes by saying the Biden administration criticizes Israel but then ignores Iran’s military buildup near Israel’s borders, all while Iran fires missiles into Israel from Syria, ships ballistic missiles to Israel’s self-declared enemy, Hezbollah, and continues to threaten the extermination of Israel.

By Geoff Hetrick and Dr. Matthew Dodd

Earlier this month, The Media Line reported that China welcomed delegations from Iran and Pakistan to Beijing for joint counterterrorism talks. The talks are expected to yield positive results in the fight against extremism, according to experts aligned with China, Pakistan, and Iran. They say the new initiative will likely lead to increased peace and stability in the wider Middle East region as well as within the borders of the involved countries.

Other security experts in the region believe the meeting represents China’s ambition to replace the US as the main player in the Middle East and beyond. In April, China brokered a peace deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran, two countries that had not had diplomatic relations since 2016. That same month, China also inserted itself into the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang offering to facilitate peace talks.

Azeem Khalid, an expert on China-Pakistan relations and professor of international relations at COMSATS University Islamabad, noted that China’s role in these talks, as well as in the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, consolidates China’s power in the region and positions the country as “a credible alternative to the United States in effectively managing regional affairs.” Khalid notes, “This paradigm shift has profound systemic implications, as China appears to be gradually assuming the role of the region’s primary power broker.”

Adrian Calamel, Middle East and global security expert agrees. He believes China is seeking to undermine the US by increasing its role in the Middle East. According to Calamel, “The notion of China acting as a mediator in the Israeli-Palestine conflict is ridiculous. . . . China has been effectively challenging American primacy without drawing into open hostilities. . . . When there is an economic, political, and diplomatic vacuum, China will try to fill it.”

Amer Al Sabaileh, a Jordanian strategic analyst and a nonresident fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington, also views China’s moves in the Middle East as part of an overall strategy to promote China’s interests. Al Sabaileh said, “China managed to build good and steady relations with various countries in the Middle East by offering cooperation and investment. . . . The role of China in the Middle East cannot be compared to the US, but definitely it represents for many a new chance and a new vital partner.”

The Blessors’ Bottom Line

The United States must reengage with the nations of the Middle East and recapture the ground it has recently forfeited.

China has one goal, global domination by 2049, the 100th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. In light of China’s professed agenda, its influence in the Middle East is of serious concern. China does not have allies, only pawns that it manipulates to achieve its objective. Therefore, a realignment of nations under China’s leadership will not serve to promote peace in the Middle East. Rather, it will promote China’s agenda at the expense of the nations of the Middle East, especially Israel. China is no friend of Israel.

Dr. Matthew Dodd and Geoff Hetrick
June 22, 2023

Recent headlines have been filled with more troubling news concerning Israel and the Middle East.

  • Iran to increase attacks on US by arming groups in Syria” (Jerusalem Post)
  • “U.S. offers Israel-Saudi normalization for silence on Iran deal” (i24 News)
  • “Iran claims to test hypersonic missile that can breach all defense shields” (The Times of Israel)
  • “Netanyahu: Israel will do everything necessary to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons” (i24 News)

It should come as no surprise that many of the alarming headlines involve Iran since Iran is committed to ridding the world of Israel and her people.

But equally concerning were some other headlines because they involved the United States and its relationship with Israel.

  • “First Lady Jill Biden to Skip Israel on Trip to Middle East” (Breitbart)
  • “US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancels planned Israel visit” (Jerusalem Post)
  • “US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman” (AP News)

Question: What’s behind these headlines involving the United States and Israel?

Answer: Judicial Reform.

Since taking office, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sought to reform Israel’s judicial system so that elected officials may select Israel’s justices in a manner that is similar to how federal judges are nominated and approved in the United States.

But the White House has repeatedly voiced its opposition to Netanyahu’s attempt to reform Israel’s judiciary. In fact, as a sign of his disapproval, on March 29, 2023, President Joe Biden said that he will not invite Prime Minister Netanyahu to the White House (The Times of Israel). Netanyahu has yet to receive an invitation from the White House.

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, recently said that the United States is making a “serious mistake” by withholding an invitation to Netanyahu to Washington. Erdan observed, “This is without a doubt problematic. . . This is not the way to behave between friends, even when they disagree on issues. We are one of the closest allies the Americans have. There are always disputes, even within a family, but in the end everyone gets together at the holiday table. The visibility of such a situation has great importance.”

Erdan is correct. The United States is sending the wrong message to Israel and to her enemies. In these volatile times, words and actions matter. The United States has no better ally in the Middle East than Israel. And Israel has no stronger ally than the United States. Unity will send the right message and help restore stability to an unstable region. Please pray for the United States and Israel.

Those who bless Israel will be blessed (Genesis 12:3).

Dr. Matthew Dodd
June 7, 2023