Please be advised that this blog contains a few graphic photos,
videos and details of the current events in Israel in the past few weeks.
videos and details of the current events in Israel in the past few weeks.
TRUTH - OR - CONSEQUENCE
To be perfectly honest, we've struggled on whether to share this update, thinking, "They don't really want to know." So here we go. Some will say it's too long. Some will say, I don't want to see those pictures or video, it's not necessary, or I'm too sensitive. But to those who decide to continue with this update, please hear our hearts crying for these people, with whom we join in saying - "NEVER AGAIN!" Who will pay the consequence of the truth not being told? The Jewish people know all too well the answer to that question.
So - you may ask, why have we decided to send an update with "graphic photos, videos and details"... An interesting fact we've noticed since being in Israel is the difference of the media here. They are not afraid to show the truth and reality of the situation; they don't tend to hold back, or blur too many pictures. Why is that, do you think? We seem to believe it's because the Jewish people have experienced first hand the consequence of ignorance. And the longer this violence goes on, it becomes "normal" - even to us, sad to say. So we must not allow it to just be, "another attack happened in Israel today..." when the evil that is rearing its ugly head is very evident, it's not in hiding. We are actually not showing the worst of the photos or videos (except one, but it is noted).
By the way, what is the root word of ignorance? Ignore. It's a choice. We as individuals, or people groups, choose what we want to know and what we don't. There are many things that each of us choose not to learn, and we decide what is important to know more about. For the Jewish people, they are hoping the images of the reality of the situation will cause people to not be ignorant, and therefore, do nothing.
Much of the West is ill informed to be honest. Some of you do keep up with what is going on here, and much of this won't be news to you. So much of the evil reality going on in this part of the world, and now in Israel, makes us numb. It's hard to comprehend the mindset of people who could carry out such atrocities. And now, in this recent "uprising" of the Arab Palestinians, many of the terrorists are teenagers, and not just boys - but girls as well.
While it's been a week and a half since our last update - it's not that there hasn't been anything to update....we just needed a few days to try and relax. We had really hoped Shabbat a week ago would've been quiet, but there were many attacks. Yesterday's Shabbat was better, but not without incident. This past Friday evening, as a family was driving to Shabbat dinner, a fire bomb was thrown in their vehicle, injuring 5 people included a 4 year old who received the worst of the burn injuries of the family. You must realize, they know when Jews are on the way to celebrate, just before sundown on Shabbat. It is intentional. Just as it was a month ago when they stopped another family on a similar evening and shot the parents dead in front of their 4 children. Just as it was intentional a few years ago when a family was each stabbed to death (including a baby) in their home. THIS is the evil that lives amongst us.
| Child safety seat of the 4 year old that was burned. |
It's hard to keep up with the current events anymore, and much of it doesn't even make the "urgent" notifications we receive on our phones. Unless one is to read through the online papers each day, much is missed. Even today there have been at least 3-4 stabbings/attempted stabbings.
There continues to be daily terrorist attacks in Israel. We would not say it has quieted in Jerusalem, it's just that security has increased dramatically, walls and barriers are being erected around the Arab neighborhoods and many checkpoints are now in place. Many attempts have been thwarted. Those are what we are hearing about daily, along with the news of ones that hadn't. And then again, so many that have been thwarted we never hear about.
Thousands of IDF soldiers have been deployed to Jerusalem, and you see them two by two at all train stops and at many intersections, including by our house. They are protecting the Jewish people and their families as they try to go about their normal lives. Sad thing is that now they have become the most common target. Several soldiers and police have been attacked, and we pray for their vigilance.
If we had to guess, most of you don't have the need for armed military at your corner ice cream store or making sure it's safe for parents to get their children to school in the morning....this is the new reality in Jerusalem. This is where we catch the bus every morning. These men are making it safe for US to get to work safely. God bless them, and may He keep THEM safe as well.
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| Israelis are carrying whatever they can to defend themselves. This woman has a rolling pin. |
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| This site is always common on Israeli buses. Usually it's just because the soldier is riding for transportation, many times now it's for security. |
We've decided not to even try to list all the attacks that have occurred since the last update. We will tell you of some. The main problem that most Israelis (and us) have concluded is not frustration, settlements or the Temple Mount. The problem is the fact that these young people have been fed lies since they were born. They are taught by their parents, schools, mosques and government that it is honorable to kill Jews- period. All it takes is some "incitement" by these people they admire to put them to action, as we are experiencing now. Below, the Israeli government shows a picture put out recently to encourage the violence.
There have been many videos and "cartoons" of the same nature. Hamas has encouraged terrorists to put poison on the knives, so that if the Jew is not killed by the stabbing attack, he/she will die from the poison.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/202222
Local Palestinian artists and recognized stars call to 'continue the intifada' in graphic videos, songs being sold in PA music shops.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/202341
ISIS recently put out a video in Hebrew warning Israel of its plans for them. It has since been removed from YouTube, but this link tells of its contents.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/watch-islamic-state-threatens-israel-in-new-hebrew-video/
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| Still image from a new Islamic State video in Hebrew warning Israelis that 'not one Jew will be left alive' in Israel, October 2015. (screenshot: YouTube) |
A week ago Friday, just before Shabbat, a soldier was attacked in Hevron by a Palestinian dressed as journalist wearing a yellow "PRESS" vest and carrying a camera. The picture taken as the arab in the yellow "press" vest is stabbing the soldier - you can see the knife in his raised hand. They are trying everything they can to deceive. Just this morning a stabbing attack occurred where the arab terrorist was dressed as a religious Jew.
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http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/202000
The next day, on Shabbat (Saturday) there were 5 attacks:
1 - Hevron - An Israeli man shot a man who tried to stab him.
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| Israeli Border Police in Hevron |
2 - Jerusalem, Armon Hanatziv - A 16 year old was stopped for routine questioning by border police, whom he then tried to stab with the knife below. The attacker was shot.
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| Knife used in Jerusalem attack |
3 - Hevron - A 16 year old arab female stabbed a policewoman at the Tomb of the Patriarchs.
4 - Hevron - IDF soldier stabbed by terrorist.
5 - Northern Jerusalem, Kalandiya checkpoint - A terrorist attacked a border policeman with a large knife and was shot by another soldier. When the bomb squad arrived to make sure he wasn't strapped with a bomb (normal procedures), he attacked them with another knife. He was found to have a total of 4 knives.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/202024
Attack last Sunday:
Be'er Sheva stabbing/shooting - An arab terrorist (with ties to Hamas) went on a shooting/stabbing spree at the bus station and was shot. A 19 year old soldier was killed, and 6 others wounded. Another innocent man was killed due to being mistaken for a second terrorist. A security guard thought he had heard the man shouting "allahu akbar" - the common cry before an attack.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/terrorists-open-fire-at-beersheba-bus-station-injuring-six/
Below is the soldier who was stabbed, and then had his gun stolen by the terrorist. He died of his wounds.
The next morning, at the site of the attack, many came to sing the national anthem, Hatikvah - The Hope. Please watch the link below. This has occurred at several of the attack sites. Why? Because THIS is how the Jewish people refuse to let evil win. This - and going on with life no matter what.
https://www.facebook.com/StandWithUs/videos/10153267799867689/
This is an example of last weekend's events. Some of the most disturbing attacks have happened even since then. This past Thursday, two terrorists attempted to board a neighborhood school bus. When a young man hollered at them, they turned and attacked him instead, thus changing to fate of the children on the bus. This is the kind of evil that is hard to comprehend - as is all the attacks at schools in America. What kind of human being wants to kill children and think it's honorable? A rescue worker talks of the miracle that took place last week in the link below.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/202278
One of the most horrendous attacks that made us numb last week was a "car ramming". A car was attacked with rocks; when the driver got out, he was run over by a truck. The driver later turned himself in, saying it was an accident, he was trying to avoid the rock attack. Sounds innocent enough, yes? What came out soon after was the following evidence shown in the pictures below. Analysis of photos (Reuters) from the attack on Avraham Hasno indicates he was run over at least twice – meaning he was murdered in cold blood.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/202217
One photograph shows the moment at which the truck's front right tire is about to run over Hasno, who is prostrate after having been hit by the truck. The club he held in his hand a split second earlier is still flying through the air. His clothes – jeans and a purple colored shirt – are intact. Importantly, the truck's tires are pointing rightward (the cameraman's left), and the driver also appears to be steering to the right.
The second photo also shows Hasno lying prostrate, right in front of the front right tire, but there are two key differences, compared to the first photo: The first difference is that this time, the tire is pointing to the left. Secondly, Hasno's clothes have been shredded. This means he had already been run over by the truck at least once. And yet, he is lying in front of the tire, not behind it, as one would expect if the truck had run him over once, without reversing.
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| Photo 1 |
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| Photo 1 detail |
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| Photo 2 |
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| Photo 2 detail |
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| Close up of driver |
The next day another event, all too similar took place. A military jeep was attacked by rocks, and when they got out to deal with the perpetrators, there was a vehicle waiting to run over them. Yet again, it was a a planned ambush. Five soldiers were injured. Palestinian rioters at the scene of the attack then threw stones to try and prevent emergency services from reaching the victims.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/four-israelis-hurt-in-west-bank-vehicular-terror-attack/
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| At the scene of the car ramming. |
Car rammings (hitting people with a car on purpose to kill) are more common than one would think. There have been several in the past few weeks. There was another last week where the terrorist rammed his car into a soldier and civilian. He then got out with a knife to stab them. We had a big issue with this last year before and after the war as well.
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| A screenshot from a cartoon published on the Facebook page of the Fatah movement depicting three Jews fleeing as a car driven by a Palestinian tries to run them over, November 2014. |
The most vicious car ramming occurred less than two weeks ago, not so far from our office. The video is graphic, but shows the reality of the evil we are living amongst. The terrorist rams his company vehicle into a bus stop, then gets out to attack the people with a meat cleaver. It takes being shot 4 separate times for him to stop. The terrorist was an employee of Israel's phone company. He was not a suffering Palestinian, he had a good job, and was an Israeli citizen.
There are so many pictures and video we could post. It's unthinkable. Sad to say, it's not so uncommon to the Jewish people. Jews in Israel have been attacked for over a hundred years, and the same excuses have been used since even before becoming a nation. So how does the public deal with this horror? Here are a few ways.
* A large super market chain took all knives from their shelves. In order to buy a knife, you must see the service desk.
* Gun laws are being relaxed so people can defend themselves. Again, realize those getting permits are former IDF soldiers.
* Magen David Adom (ambulance & first responders) have requested an increase in blood donations. They have also issued the video below to inform citizens what to do in a stabbing attack to help the victim.
* Even Fox News ran this article showing what Israelis are doing to protect themselves.
* And this self defense video has been going around lately.
* Citizens are keeping their eyes and ears open, causing attacks to be thwarted.
* The Jerusalem Municipality released safety instructions for worshippers going to synagogues this past weekend. Here's a list of what they recommended, including armed worshippers.
* This article was listed to help Israelis cope with the ongoing situation with their families.
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There is also an excellent video of an Israeli - arab reporter telling the truth of the situation. She is a rare voice in the arab community. Please take the time to watch this video as well, if you haven't seen it, it's only 2 1/2 minutes.
Another very rare voice in the arab community - being an Israeli Zionist - is Sara Zoabi. She spoke at the Israeli Knesset (governing body) two weeks ago. Excellent - 3 minutes, please take time to watch.
This next video (2 1/2 minutes) is from last year, but this truth is important now. Mosab Hassan Yousef, son of the Hamas founder, tells the reality of who we're dealing with. Many you have heard of him. His father was arrested last week.
So how to end this post, which has actually taken many hours to put together....? Good friends (you know who you are) asked us how we keep ourselves encouraged. Our answer? Well, yes, we get together with others to keep the right mindset and focus on the Lord. But what encourages us the most is encouraging others. Honestly. You know that feeling you get when you help someone else? When someone else has a need, and you can help? It makes you feel better yourself. So talking with Israelis and sharing in this time with them...telling them of our solidarity as Christians...that we are not leaving in the hard times...helping in any way we can....letting them know we are praying, believing and hoping for the same positive end result to all this madness.....
THAT'S what gives us encouragement. While we have loved and served the Jewish people throughout our almost 5 years in Israel, we find that the times when it means the absolute most to them is when things are crazy difficult here. We KNOW what God says His plans are for this Land and People. We have courage and are confident in HIM. Our JOY comes through the LORD - whom we can always rely on. HE is our strength and our shield in the very present time of trouble. The heaviness we feel is the heart of the Lord. This is HIS promised Land to HIS chosen people. May we serve Him well as we encourage those around us.
