Aviel Schneider - Israel Today publisher in Jerusalem (Aug/Sept. 2013 Issue)

Editor's Note: I met Aviel Schneider in his Jerusalem office in October, 2010. Having long been a subscriber to Israel Today it was a joy to sit in his office and just get to know him a little better. I truly appreciate his work, especially as he shares about the Messianic Jews in His Land. Thank you Aviel! Steve Martin

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New Arab Christian party announced in Israel

Wednesday, July 10, 2013 |  Ryan Jones  Israel Today

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Arab Christians from northern Israel who are tired of being lumped in with other Arabs who are antagonistic toward the Jewish state have launched a new political party that aims to make a positive contribution to the Jewish state.

Under the banner "Sons of the New Covenant - the Israeli Christian Party," the faction hopes to take part in future Knesset elections. [Ed. Note - In Hebrew the name of the party is Brit Hahadashah, the Hebrew translation of New Testament]

In an interview with Israeli daily newspaper Israel Hayom, party founder Bishara Shlayan said that after encountering difficulties in helping his son and nephew join the Israeli army, he and other like-minded Christians established a forum to encourage Christian enlistment in the IDF.

That forum has significantly boosted the number of young local Christians joining the IDF over the past year, and resulted in the Israeli army appointing a dedicated coordinator for the Arab Christian sector.

But Shlayan knew they had to go a step further.

"We saw that we have to establish a political party, so we advertised in local Arab newspapers and the initiative took off [attracting] Christians who recognize that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jews," Shlayan explained to the newspaper.

He lamented that for 65 years the Christian community has allowed anti-Israel Arab parties to represent it in the Knesset, noting that these parties are working for a Muslim agenda that holds no benefit for the Christians.

Shlayan insisted that even if one does not agree with every political decision, "a man belongs to his state. This is integrity. You must be a true citizen...and the first requirement [of a citizen] of Israel, and I support this, is the need to understand that this is the land of the Jewish people."

 

Arab Christian Bishara Shlayn - Israeli Knesset

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International Christian Zionist Center - DON'T BOW BEFORE THE GOYIM!

International Christian Zionist Center

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4 July 2013 

DON'T BOW BEFORE THE GOYIM!

Why Israel's government and people should be totally against the formation of a Palestinian state in the land G-d promised to them for eternity - the Land of Israel:

I. It will not lead to peace, but to the destruction of what would be left of Israel.

II. It will not solve Israel's democratic problem, and so will not preserve the Jewish character of what will be left of Israel.

Israel should in no way fear that a demographic dilemma will arise out of keeping all Samaria and Judea, but should vigorously confront any such danger by adopting the following measures: 

 a) Make bringing Jews home from all over the world a governmental top priority; an upgraded Ministry of Immigration fielding the best candidates to clarify abroad the need to make aliyah. 

 b) Stimulate natural population growth by providing financial assistance to large families. Make an overall effort to counsel against the evil of abortion, that the tens of thousands of Jewish children being aborted every year will live - to be adopted if need be by Israeli families who would love to have children of their own.

End all distinction or differentiation between those desirous of being loyal citizens of the Jewish State of Israel: Impose on all the same obligations, and give all the same rights. 

This includes the obligation to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. Such a move may cause a voluntary exodus of many of the Muslim Arabs now living in Israel with Israeli passports, for a great number would in all likelihood refuse to serve in "the Jewish Army" to defend a state which, in their heart of hearts, they wish to see become a Muslim-controlled Palestinian state. Their departure will free Israel of those who would use their citizenship to undermine the very state they are part of.

As Ambassador Yoram Ettinger and others - like Paul Morland of Birkbeek College, University of London - have amply documented, there is in the foreseeable future no, I repeat no demographic danger posed to Israel holding on to all of Judea and Samaria. 

See Yoram Ettinger "Freeze of Jewish Construction in Judea and Samaria: Peace or Appeasement Enhancer" http://www.ourjerusalem.com/opinion/story/freeze-of-jewish-construction-in-judea-and-samaria-peace-or-appeasement-enhancer.html Paul Morland "Defusing the demographic scare" http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/defusing-the-demographic-scare-by-paul-morland-1.275657

III. With the upcoming free elections in the so-called West Bank, the majority of the Palestinians may in all likelihood - as they did in Gaza - all choose for a leader closer to Hamas than Fatah, thus destroying any hope of peace or, if already concluded with the old leadership under Abu Mazen, totally jeopardize that achievement.

IV. Israel does not need to continually blame itself for not doing enough to find peace with the Palestinian Authority and people. Both prime ministers Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert offered Yasser Arafat and Abu Mazen respectively incredible far reaching concessions for peace, concessions every Western politician should realize will never be made by the present Netanyahu government. 

So what are we, and what is the world, talking about? Whatever the Netanyahu-led government would be willing to offer, it will never be what Barak and Olmert offered - both of which were rejected by the self-defeating Palestinian leadership.

V. In his recently-published, co-authored book Deception, Itamar Marcus shows that the present Abu Mazen leadership has no real wish to renounce terror or to reach a state of living side-by-side in real peace with a Jewish state called Israel. So what are people talking about? 

No one can believe that under these present circumstances, with the attitudes of even those touted by the world as moderates, that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state will lead to peace. It will not.

It is because I am for real peace that I am against a "two-state solution," for such a result will not lead to peace, but to the destruction of Israel.

And because I am against discrimination, I am against the double, hypocritical standard most nations have allowed themselves to descend into in treating the Palestinian Arabs as if they are a sub-human species, from whom behavior on par with western standards of morality and conduct cannot be expected.

I, like many others, vigorously oppose what Tzipi Livni seems to advocate: that Israel should bow its head before the constant criticism and pressure from the often spineless European goyim, who with the invariable double standard they practice towards the Palestinians and towards Israel, have forfeited any moral authority they may have thought they had to dictate what Israel should do!

I pray that Israel may be Jewish enough not to kneel again before the Gentiles in the hope of gaining their support!

Jan Willem van der Hoeven, Director
International Christian Zionist Center

For those who want to receive the Hebrew translation of this article, please write to iczc@iczc.org.il.

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Arab Christians: Israel only state worth fighting for

Wednesday, July 03, 2013 |  Ryan Jones  

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Arab Christian residents of Nazareth who proudly serve in the Israeli army and encourage their children to do the same are coming under increasing attack, and Israel is starting to take notice and come to their aid.

For a number of years now, a group of Nazareth Christians who are officers in the Israeli army have been actively recruiting young local Arabs to follow in their footsteps and serve the Jewish state.

Israel Today has reported extensively on this phenomenon in our print edition. Don't miss any more coverage - SUBSCRIBE NOW

Though not an officer himself, one of the main figures in this movement is Greek Orthodox cleric Father Gabriel Nadaf. Late last month, the Greek Orthodox patriarch in Jerusalem, acting on demands from Muslim Arab members of Israel's Knesset, threated to fire Nadaf.

Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Interior Minister Gideon Saar immediately called the priest to convey their support and offer their assistance.

On Wednesday, Israel's Attorney General's Office announced that it had opened an investigation into the activities of the Muslim Knesset members who pushed for Nadaf's dismissal.

"It’s unacceptable that Arab MKs should think that they can be Trojan horses in the Knesset and send letters of incitement against a Christian priest who encourages young Christians to enlist in the IDF," said Likud MK Miri Regev during a Knesset Interior Committee hearing on the matter.

Many Arab politicians vehemently oppose Arab participation in Israeli national service for fear it will legitimize the existence of the Jewish state (which pays their paychecks).

Meanwhile, the pro-Israel Arab Christians of Nazareth are becoming increasingly bold in their stance, and even dared to hold a public gathering late last month to toast the achievements of their new forum whose goal is convincing more young Arabs to join the army, as reported by Israel's Ma'ariv newspaper.

"We chose to hold the conference to demonstrate that nothing will deter us," forum spokesman Moran Khaloul told the newspaper. "We don’t live in Syria, where Christians are not allowed to speak...or in Iraq, where churches are bombed. We live in a Jewish state, which is democratic and free. As Israeli Christians we see ourselves as part of this state and not as part of those who oppose it."

Khaloul said that until now, many in the community had been too afraid to speak out, but that was going to change. Many are now even referring to themselves openly as "Israeli Christians."

Ali, an organizer for the forum, noted that local Arabs see what is happening across the Middle East and realize that Israel is the only place in the region where Christians can feel safe and belong. "That’s why more and more of us are realizing that there is no other country here that is worth fighting for," he added.

Some went even deeper in their reasoning for joining the army of the Jewish state.

Henry Zahav, a 12th grader who intends to join the IDF gave this moving answer when asked by Ma'ariv why he made that decision: "Ultimately, from a religious point of view, we are one. Jesus was a Jew, his mother was a Jew, and his 12 disciples were Jews."

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US Senate demands support for Israeli strike on Iran

Monday, May 27, 2013 |  Israel Today Staff  

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Israelis were relieved to hear of last week's near-unanimous passing of a US Senate resolution demanding full American support should Israel deem it necessary to attack Iran's nuclear program.

The resolution, which was voted for by 99 out of 100 senators, read:

"If the Government of Israel is compelled to take military action in legitimate self-defense against Iran’s nuclear weapons program, the United States Government should stand with Israel and provide, in accordance with United States law and the constitutional responsibility of Congress to authorize the use of military force, diplomatic, military, and economic support to the Government of Israel in its defense of its territory, people, and existence."

The resolution went on to urge the Obama Administration to take its own steps to prevent Iran from attaining a nuclear weapon so that Israel does not reach the point where it feels compelled to take action.

Last Wednesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published yet another report casting suspicion on Iran's nuclear activities, and validating concerns that the Islamic Republic seeks atomic weapons.

The report noted that Iran has of late significantly upgraded its ability to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels, and that work advances on a plutonium-producing reactor.

Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported at the weekend that the Islamic Republic has fielded a "massive" number of mobile long-range missile launchers. The move is a clear warning against any action targeting Iran's nuclear facilities. Should Israel or the US threaten Iran's nuclear program, the missiles would presumably be launched at the Jewish state and American military bases in the Middle East in an overwhelming simultaneous attack.

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A Jewish Family's Exodus from Egypt

A Jewish Family's Emotional and Harrowing Exodus from Egypt

Friday, May 24, 2013 |  Yossi Aloni  

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Dina Ovadia, today a soldier in the IDF Spokesperson Unit, was born in Egypt not knowing she was Jewish until the age of 15. In an emotional interview published on the IDF website, Ovadia spoke about her childhood in Alexandria, the earthshaking event that changed her life, the discovery of her Jewish identity, and her immigration to Israel and integration into local society.

Going by the name Roulin Abdullah throughout her childhood, Dina always felt that she belonged somewhere and to something else, but wasn't quite sure what that was. "I attended a Muslim school, and we were made to study the Koran, but I was constantly asking myself, 'Why am I learning this?'"

Nevertheless, Dina dedicated herself to her studies and began to excel. "They they told me to start wearing a veil during Koran lessons," she recalled. "I wasn't crazy about the idea. As a child, I felt it would make me look ugly." When Dina refused to wear the veil, her parents moved her to a Christian school where she felt much more comfortable, but still not quite at home.

Dina went on to talk about her constant struggles to fit in, and secret visits to local mosques and churches, which her parents had forbidden her to enter, though without explaining the reason.

"I never imagined that I was Jewish."

The discovery of her true identity will forever be with Dina as the most traumatic event of her childhood. On what was turning out to be a normal day at home studying while her brother and cousin played on the computer, suddenly the silence was shattered by the sound of gunfire and breaking glass. "I became frantic, fearing that someone was coming for us because we were somehow different from everyone else," said Dina. "I went outside and saw five masked men, Islamic activists." Armed with clubs and rifles, the men demanded to see the master of the house, whom they labeled "a Jew," an assertion that, at the time, was incomprehensible to Dina.

"I thought to myself, 'What the hell!,'" Dina remembered. "I did not understand why they were calling us Jews."

As the men entered the house, they threw Dina's mother into the hallway, causing her to faint. "They began to shout, and I was sure they had killed [my mother]," said Dina. "Then they went upstairs and I heard shots. I was sure my brother and cousin had been murdered."

Following their rampage, the Islamists informed the family that it had several days to leave Egypt, and in the meantime could not be seen outside the house. If the children were seen going to school, they would be abducted. "Islamic activists surrounded the house and began shooting into the air, cursing us as Jews."

A few days later, Dina's grandfather assembled the whole family and revealed the shocking truth. "He explained why he had kept us from getting too close to other religions, told us that we really were Jews, and informed us that we had a very short time to get out of Egypt," she said. "He told us that we were going to Israel."

Dina had a difficult time accepting this news, especially the part about moving to Israel, a country she had been taught was the enemy.

"At school we were always taught to hate Jews and Israelis," she said. "For example, one of my Koran tests included a poem calling for the murder of Jews. My grandfather did his best to offset this by telling us Israelis were not so bad. But at school we were taught the opposite. I even once participated in a demonstration where I waved a Palestinian flag, completely unaware that I was Jewish."

Exodus

The day of Dina's immigration to Israel symbolized the start of a new life. Finding herself on the airport in Tel Aviv, Dina and her family were greeted by an aunt who had fled to France with her family many years earlier. "It was weird. I did not understand the language, but I felt at peace," recalled Dina.

The family settled in Jerusalem and adopted Hebrew names. "I wanted so badly to fit in, but the first time I read the Jewish prayer book I held it upside down," she laughed. Dina's new beginning was far from easy. "One day at school I passed a girl who shouted, 'Hey, Arab girl!' And she and her friend started fighting with me and my cousin. The reception was not always pleasant."

After high school, Dina began her military service, passing between several positions before finding herself in the Spokespersons Unit, where today she manages the IDF's Arabic language accounts on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

"It's great to be able to show a positive side of the IDF to the Arab world," she said. "The best example was during the [last Gaza war] when our activities had a very big impact. Many in the Arab world were able to connect with us and come to realize that the IDF does not want to harm Arab civilians."

One day Dina hopes to return to Egypt, this time in her IDF uniform and tell the truth about Israel, especially to old friends who turned their backs on her after discovering she was Jewish. "I am Jewish, and I am proud of it."

Jewish Family's Exodus - article

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