HOT SUMMER

Both Israeli and Palestinian leaders have been warning that we are going to have a long, hot summer in these parts. They are not talking about the weather but rather about the rising tensions between Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, and Hezbollah and Iran in Syria and Lebanon, not to mention the escalating tension in the Persian Gulf.

This reminded me of the Bible passage about David and Bathsheba. It begins thus “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war …” (2 Samuel 11:1). What is it about the spring that caused kings to go off to war? Is it because that is when the weather is most propitious for battle or is it because the hormones are awakened in spring? I don’t know but in the animal kingdom spring is the season when males fight to prove themselves worthy to mate with the females. Perhaps there is something of that in the human species too? Then again, perhaps it is just the growing heat that makes us all a little crazy.

Gaza

The last major flareup of violence between Gaza and Israel, in early May, which resulted in the deaths of 4 Israelis and 29 Gazans, stopped on May 5th when a ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, was agreed. The ceasefire agreement included an obligation on Hamas to halt violence along the border fence, maintain a buffer zone 300 meters from the border and to stop the launching of incendiary balloons at Israeli communities, to end nighttime clashes between Gazans and Israeli security forces along the border, and to end the flotillas trying to break through the maritime border between Gaza and Israel. In return, Israel was to expand the fishing zone, enable the UN cash-for-work programs, allow medicine and other civil aid to enter the strip and open negotiations relating to electricity, crossings and healthcare (1).

After a few short weeks of relative calm, the past two weeks have seen tensions rising once more as both sides claim the other is not keeping their side of the agreement.

The Gazans have begun to target Israeli crops and nature reserves with incendiary devices once again. The conditions are right for fires now that the daytime temperature is rising over 30 degrees Celsius most days and the vegetation is tinder dry. The winter wheat crop is ripe and ready for harvest. Last Wednesday at least six fires in southern Israel were blamed on incendiary balloons launched from the Strip on Wednesday, and another balloon with a bomb attached to it exploded over an Israeli town (2). This explosive balloon was the first armed attack since the May 5 ceasefire came into effect. The terrorists in Gaza have also upgraded their incendiary balloon technology so that the balloons drip flaming liquid as they fly starting multiple fires from a single launch (3).

A firefighter fights a fire in a wheat field near Gaza
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/263242

As a result of this upsurge in balloon attacks, Israel announced on Wednesday a full naval closure on Gaza, preventing Gazan fishermen from fishing. Gazan terrorists retaliated by firing two rockets into Israeli territory on Thursday. One was shot down by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system before it landed in the targeted Israeli town. The second rocket hit a school in the Israeli town of Sderot. Fortunately, most of the students had already gone home for Shabbat and the few occupants of the school were saved by the fact that the rocket failed to explode. Nevertheless, this constituted a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement and on Friday morning the IDF attacked a number of Hamas military targets in Gaza.

On Friday some 7000 Gazans demonstrated at the border and launched dozens of fire balloons into Israel, igniting at least 7 blazes causing significant damage to farm crops. Some of the protestors breached the border fence and the IDF responded with tear gas and live fire, wounding 46 according to the Hamas -run Gazan Health Ministry (1)

Palestinians riot by the border fence with Israel east of Gaza City as smoke billows from arson balloons launched during the protest, on May 15, 2019. (Mahmud Hams/AFP)
https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-fresh-gaza-violence-army-said-pushing-for-serious-military-campaign/

As the spectre of another round of violence looms there is much pressure from the civilian population, especially those living in the communities close to the Gaza Strip, and from at least some of the IDF leaders for a much stronger military response. Roni Daniel, a veteran military analyst on Israel’s TV news channel, Channel 12, cited a senior military source saying that Israel was “on the verge of a serious military campaign,” and that the IDF was considering ending its policy of warning occupants of buildings ahead of airstrikes, even if it causes casualties (4). It seems unlikely however that the Israel Security Cabinet would give the go-ahead for a serious military campaign ahead of the elections on September 17, unless we are forced into it by a serious upsurge in violence from Gaza. That said, the situation is volatile and it would not take a lot to light the fuse.

Syria

Last Tuesday night (11/06) the Tel al-Hara observation post in Syria was attacked by Israel according to Syrian sources. Israel, according to its long-standing policy, has not verified whether it was responsible or not. Tel al-Hara is an extinct volcano that towers over the Israeli border. As the highest vantage point in the area it has been used by Syrian, Russian, Iranian, and Hezbollah forces to gather intelligence on Israel. Late last year the Syrian army took control of the area once more and an agreement between Israel and Syria, mediated by Russia, was made. According to this agreement, only the Syrian army is allowed to remain in this area and Hezbollah, and the Iranian-backed Shiite militias were to be pushed back at least 80km east of the Damascus – Daara Road, which runs close to the Tel.

Iran

Last week, on Thursday (13th May) two oil tankers were attacked in the Straits of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. The crews of both tankers managed to escape but the tankers burned. This follows a similar attack on 4 tankers in the Straits of Hormuz earlier in the month, on the 12th May (6). The USA and others have blamed Iran for these attacks. The Pentagon has released grainy video footage it says shows Iranian forces removing a limpet mine from the side of one of the ships: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=7Gz08OQUnms . A good summary of the situation there can be seen on the link: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/13/a-visual-guide-to-the-gulf-tanker-attacks .

The Straits of Hormuz contain a shipping lane only 2 miles wide each way and it is through this bottleneck that about 1/3 of all the world’s oil must pass each day (6). Most of the crude oil exported from Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq passes through it to key markets in Asia, the Pacific, Europe, North America and beyond (6,7). Iran has repeatedly threatened to disrupt this movement in order to force the USA to lift its embargo. Such a blockade would seriously threaten world oil supply and destabilize world economies.

Tanker on Fire in Persian Gulf, June 13, 2019 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/263242

A combined maritime force of Gulf States, the USA and European and Asian allies protect the Strait. The US 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain and maintains a constant presence in the Persian Gulf using patrol vessels, guided-missile destroyers, and mine counter-measures vessels. It also monitors the Strait using satellites and drones (8). Earlier this month an aircraft carrier, the “Abraham Lincoln”, usually stationed in the Mediterranean moved into the Persian Gulf (9) to join the two already stationed there (10). At least two B52H Stratofortress planes and fighters from the Lincoln Strike Group were also moved to the area (11) Last week the USA announced that it was moving an additional 1,000 troops into the area (13).

Iran announced this week that it has quadrupled its production of enriched uranium and by June 27 it will exceed the amount of enriched uranium permitted in its stockpile according to the 2015 nuclear deal made with world powers (12).

With this buildup of military might and the constant exchange of threats and insults between the USA and Iran the tensions are mounting daily. Western and Israeli intelligence officials are concerned that Iran could mount an attack on Israel, by means of activating its proxies in Syria and Lebanon (Hezbollah), in order to further “escalate its feud with the United States and force Washington to the negotiation table” (14).

End Time Battles

With the aligning of the nations and the gathering together of Israel’s enemies many Messianic and Christian believers are asking themselves if this is not leading up to the fulfillment of the prophecies regarding the battle(s?) described in Ezekiel 38, Joel 3, and Zechariah 12. There is much controversy about the timing of the battle or battles described in these passages as to whether they precede the coming of Yeshua and his millenial reign or whether they are the same as the battle described in Revelation 20 at the end of the Messianic Millenium. I do not wish to enter into this discussion at this point but it does seem clear to me that world events are reaching a crisis point and that a great battle centered on Israel and Jerusalem is imminent. If you do not yet know Yeshua as your savior and Lord I strongly suggest you seek to do so. Time is running out. If you do already know Him then you need to make sure you are ready in your heart to face whatever is coming. We also have a duty to be much in prayer and standing with Israel, and the God of Israel, YHWH, in these times. I am very concerned that many Christians do not study the Word of God and are unfamiliar with the role of Israel in God’s redemption plan and are therefore being led into deception just as Yeshua (Jesus) himself predicted would happen in the end times (Matthew 24). We need also to be praying for our own nations that they will be found on the right side of this great battle for God will judge the nations as he said,

In those days and at that time,
    when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
I will gather all nations
    and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
There I will put them on trial
    for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations
    and divided up my land

Joel 3: 1-2

References:

HOT SUMMER

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