Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One… (From Psalm 2)

"Listen... all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. (2 Chronicles 20:15)

Pointers for prayer: Armoured & Ready for 2010? One of the roles of Christian Friends of Israel is to be pro-active rather than re-active. As we stand with Israel throughout 2010, may all our actions be lead by the LORD God. Please pray that we would have ears to hear, and hearts open to the areas the Lord wants us to be effective in. And pray that, as we all take action this year, we would remember that ultimately, the Battle belongs to the LORD.

Pray that each of us would be faithful in our calling. The enemy would love for us to be faint hearted, lethargic and cease to pray. Let us encourage one another and keep each other in prayer.

Pray for truth: There is so much deception and propaganda surrounding the whole issue of Israel. God is concerned for truth and so should we be. Pray that the truth will be revealed and that lies and deception will be cast down, wherever they are found.

Pray for God's revealed purposes: As we often mention in these Reports, the Lord has clearly outlined His purpose for Israel in His Word ~ the Bible. Israel and the Jewish people are to be a testimony to God's existence, His character and His faithfulness. They prove that His Word is true. Pray that He will bless and use Israel for His glory and His Holy Name’s sake (Ezekiel 36:22)

Pray for protection: Throughout 2010, please pray for protection for Israel from all the attempts by the enemy to destroy the plan of God by destroying His people.

Armoured & Ready for 2010? Shalom to you all, and a very happy New Year. With three weeks of heavy snow here, it seems life is grinding to a halt. However, like the frozen land of Narnia, every now and then the sun will crack the dark heavy clouds, and hope springs forth of a much-needed thaw. When the snow is heavy, and everywhere is covered in white, it looks like a beautiful Christmas card scene ~ and indeed it was nice to have a white Christmas this time... however, it's not long before the mud, dirt, and dark slush destroy the artists dream. In many ways, this reminds me of the spiritual battle that both Israel and those who stand with her are in.

The dark clouds threaten, underfoot the road is filled with hidden dangers, and like the character out of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, it takes a mighty effort to battle on. And, it has to be said, when we decide to stand in the gap for Israel, the battle can be hard... or as one dear friend writing to me this week stated, "I regret to say that those of us who put our heads above the parapet for the Word of God are likely to attract all kinds of opposition, and even more as the coming of Jesus draws nearer." How true this is! Ray and Sharon Sanders, our International Directors in Jerusalem stated something similar recently. They write, "...You, like ourselves, have great challenges that lie ahead of us. Our assignments from God may be difficult and not easy but He would never have called any of us, if He didn’t think we could do the job. Kol Ha Kavod to each of you out in the nations who represent this ministry to so many. You are all doing a wonderful job and we honour your work and applaud each effort."

So the question is, are we ready for another year of battle? As 2009 came to an end, the usual headlines were coming out of Israel. The "moderate" Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas once again honoured the memory of the terrorist Dalal Mughrabi - this time by sponsoring a ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of her birth. Mughrabi led the worst terror attack in Israel's history in 1978, when she and other terrorists hijacked a bus and killed 37 civilians. Abbas was happily present at the ceremony with other Palestinian dignitaries as a children's band marched past. This is not an isolated example of public glorification of terrorists in the PA. The PA has a strong tradition of using terrorists as role models ~ especially for children ~ by naming public places, facilities and events after them. On New Years Eve, the secular Fatah movement led by Mahmud Abbas vowed to step up its struggle against what it calls "the Israeli occupation". Remember... this is the "moderate" group, not Hamas or some other extremist Islamic group. Tensions have been on high throughout Israel in the last few weeks. On Christmas Eve an orthodox Rabbi, age 40 with 7 children, was killed by Palestinian terrorists in a drive by shooting in Samaria.

Iran is creating a base in Lebanon for weapons that are used in areas adjacent to Israel with the intention of attacking Israel, stated Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 31st December 2009. "The problem in Lebanon is not the border. The problem of security is Syria. The same thing is happening in Gaza. The problem is not the border with Gaza…but with the 12 kilometres (eight miles) into Sinai" adjacent to the Philadelphi smuggling route." Netanyahu said for the first time publicly that the IDF (Israeli Defence Force) must maintain a presence along the future eastern border of a PA state, preventing arms smuggling into Judea and Samaria. He noted that Israel gave up its military presence along the Gaza-Egyptian border smuggling route four years ago, a situation that he said should not be repeated. He declared that “agreements, signatures and texts have left us with the same problem. We will not have a situation where Judea and Samaria become a third platform for rockets from Iran." Netanyahu explained that the smuggling of weapons into Judea and Samaria would create a problem far worse than Israel faces on the northern and southern borders. And then of course there is Iran itself... with a real threat of nuclear war. And so, we can expect a turbulent year ahead.

However, before we start ducking and diving, and maybe even wanting to bury our heads in the sand (or snow as it is here!), we need to remember one glorious thing: The battle is not ours ~ the battle belongs to the LORD! As I started to put this report together, the words of an old hymn leaped forth from my head... "In heavenly armour we'll enter the land, the battle belongs to the Lord, no weapon that's fashioned against us shall stand, the battle belongs to the Lord... When your enemy presses in hard do not fear, the battle belongs to the Lord, take courage my friend, your redemption is near, the battle belongs to the Lord. And we sing, glory and honour, power and strength to the Lord!" Amen.

Taking action Part one Days before the world celebrated Christmas, and in the closing of the year 2009, you may have read about the theft of the 'Arbeit macht frei' sign at the entrance to the concentration camp, at Auschwitz in Poland. This theft provoked international outrage, particularly in Israel. The thieves came in the early morning hours, and in freezing temperatures, they managed to take down the top part of the entrance gate to the former Nazi concentration camp, which bore the infamous phrase "Work Will Set You Free". They then got the iron sign through a hole in the fence and drove it away. But why, we might well ask? Poland’s president, Lech Kaczynski, said he was “shaken and outraged,” and Avner Shalev, the chairman of Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem, issued a statement saying, “The theft of such a symbolic object is an attack on the memory of the Holocaust.”

Many other people throughout the world were really angry over this theft, including Mr. Wrona (prosecutor), who was scathing in his criticism of security at what has become one of the most visited former Nazi concentration camps, attracting over a million visitors a year, calling it “glaring negligence.” Theories of why someone would steal the infamous sign have raced through the press. Was this just blatant vandalism, or was there something more sinister about this act? Well, after much investigation, Police finally found the sign stashed away in a wooded area beneath a layer of snow in northern Poland, several hundred miles from the camp. But details have been sketchy as to where exactly it was found, or how. They arrested five men, though they have not said how they were led to them. In the meantime, a duplicate sign, prepared five years ago when the original was being refurbished, had been put up. Despite the speculation that the sign could have been taken by neo-Nazis or others seeking to glorify the past, Mr. Wrona said the crime did not appear to be linked to any ideology. He said the lack of security allowed the perpetrators to approach the gate “unnoticed” and “undisturbed.”

Mr. Mensfelt, 47, who has been working at the Auschwitz Museum for the past 13 years, agreed that the security was not what it should be. It was not clear why the surveillance camera at the gate did not capture the theft, or why no security guards were on patrol. Neo-Nazis or Holocaust deniers were initially thought to have been responsible for the theft, but police said that the suspects were 'common criminals' seeking financial gain. Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of Jewish rights group the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, said: "It takes warped minds to steal the defining symbol of the Holocaust from the world's most renowned killing field."

The question still remains... "Why steal such an item?" Made in 1940 by Polish prisoners, the sign remains one of the first things visitors see on approaching Auschwitz. Although much has been destroyed, visitors today nevertheless get a real sense of the horror of the extermination camp. Besides the ruined gas chambers and crematoriums, there are several hundred camp buildings, nine miles of camp fence, camp roads, and the railroad spur at Birkenau. In addition to document archives, there is an enormous collection of possessions, including over 2,000 kilograms of human hair, many personal possessions, 3,800 suitcases, 2,100 of which bear the names of their owners, diaries, spectacles, shoes, and Jewish clothing. But is this really important? Well let's ponder on this awhile...
Just suppose the sign had not been found, or a replacement hadn't been put up... would it really have mattered a great deal? Well, I have to say, "Indeed, it would matter greatly!" In a world where people will speak evil of good; in a society where even though the plain truth is there to be seen, yet dismissed as lies from people writing evil responses on the internet; in a world where leading Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad describes the Nazi Holocaust as a "myth"... this sign and all it stands for is important.

Try imagining standing in a place that once only knew torture and death. Sit and watch the movie Schindler’s List and notice the camps that the victims enter. Stare at nothing but barbed wire and railroad tracks. Think... remember... see their suffering. One of the most important facets of the human being is that we feel emotions. The Nazis attempted to dehumanise the Jewish people. They took away everything; they tried to make Jews less than human by removing their dignity. But on the contrary, the Jewish people had become more human than ever. The Jewish people felt pain, cruelty, and hatred. But what did the Nazi’s feel? They became inhumane, apathetic, and emotionless. Remove the sign and you remove the reason!

We need to remember the atrocities the Nazi’s committed. We need to remember the hatred, and we need to remember the ignorance. And we must also remember that hate is not extinct; it exists today, in all shapes and forms. Yet we must not hate the ignorant and be hateful ourselves... instead, we must teach them. Teach them the difference between right and wrong, and make sure it never happens again. In Auschwitz, inscribed on the walls are the words of George Santayana: “The one who does not remember history is bound to live through it again.” Victor Frankl also stated, "We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances."

Let's make a stand! How will you remember and honour Holocaust Memorial Day this year? As we approach Holocaust Memorial Day 2010, event organisers from across the UK are adding details of their websites. Many events are open to the general public and free to attend. To find out more on how you can make a stand click here: http://www.hmd.org.uk/

Taking action Part Two It's still not too late to make another stand regarding Israel. The people of Israel need all of our help to maximise the impact of our lobby of Parliament on January 20th by getting much support on the day. Both the Zionist Federation and Christian Friends of Israel have come together to speak up for the people and nation of Israel. The main focus of this lobby will be on two matters: (1) the imminent nuclear threat from Iran, and (2) the threat of arrest against up to 1000 Israeli politicians and generals (e.g. the recent warrant against Tzipi Livni). If you can come to the lobby, please contact Christian Friends of Israel on 01323 410810 or email CFI at info@cfi.org.uk

Christian Friends of Israel is also sponsoring a petition in response to the ongoing threat posed by the Iranian Government, who have repeatedly called for the destruction of Israel. We believe that a nuclear–armed Iran is a real threat to Israel, to the Middle East and the entire Western world. If you are concerned regarding this, then you can either Click here to sign the online petition, or Click here to download, print and sign the petition. You may want to ask others to sign too (before the deadline below). Please return completed forms before 18th January 2010 to: CFI Communications, PO Box 2687, Eastbourne, BN22 7LZ

Taking action Part Three There has also been a petition set up on the No10 Government website calling for a reversal in the Governments decision to 'boycott' Israeli goods made in Judea & Samaria. Apparently if the petition can get over 2000 signatures it is brought to the attention of the Prime Minister. If you feel you can promote this - maybe we could make a difference - something small but it’s better than nothing at all! Sign the petition here: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Israelimarkings/

This proposed 'classification' of Israeli produced goods in this region will not only punish Israeli companies operating there but many Israeli Arabs who are employed by these companies. This decision of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is insensitive, ignorant and anti-Israel in its implications. May we stand together to call upon the UK Government to reverse this decision.

And finally...is Islam4UK OK? You may have heard of the recent attempts by Islam4UK to march through the streets of Wootton Bassett to back an anti-war parade along the same route used to bring home the bodies of troops from Afghanistan. This caused uproar from the British public with even Gordon Brown condemning it as "abhorrent and offensive". But who are Islam for UK (Islam4UK)? Is their argument a fair one when they declare that "this is Britain... and we have a right to free speech"?

Well let's have a quick review at who these people are: Among its founders are the militant preacher Omar Bakri Mohammed, currently living in exile in Lebanon, and former solicitor Anjem Choudary, who both played a part in Al Muhajiroun (Islamic movement). Omar Bakri Mohammed, who inspired the fertiliser bomb terrorist Omar Khyam, helped organise a seminar after the September 11 attacks in favour of the "Magnificent 19" and went on to call the July 7 bombers the "Fantastic Four". Bakri was banned from the UK shortly after the London bombings in 2005 while his group Al-Muhajiroun was banned under the British Terrorism Act 2006. However, Islam4UK soon sprang up in its place and offers Bakri a platform to deliver his lectures over the Internet. Islam4UK make it clear that their plan is to make Britain an Islamic state and introduce sharia law. One article on the site even calls for Buckingham Place to be turned into a mosque once this goal is achieved, showing a mock-up picture of what it might look like.

It's an interesting argument that Islam4UK put out stating that "this is Britain, and we have a right to free speech". Yet imagine they got their wish, and Britain became an Islamic state... free speech would be banned immediately. I don't hear of free speech in Islamic countries... do you?

Thankfully, Sky News is reporting that the extremist Muslim group may agree to call off its outrageous plan to march through Wootton Bassett if government ministers will agree to debate with them on the war in Afghanistan. Given that the Wiltshire Islamic Cultural Centre has joined with the local population of Wootton Bassett in asking the local police not to permit the march, this absurd “demand” is presumably the beginning of a staged climbdown. As one report stated this week, "Islam4UK’s grotesquely offensive demonstration plan has managed to mobilise moderate Muslims quite effectively." The Wiltshire Islamic Cultural Centre in announcing that it “unreservedly condemns” the march, has said that it will hold its organisers personally responsible for any backlash against Muslims which results from their “irresponsible and irrational” actions

David Soakell

Sources: Unless otherwise stated: Personal sources throughout Israel along with The Jerusalem Post, BBC News, Arutz-7 News, Israeli Embassy London, Independent Media Review and Analysis & Israel National Radio