BREAKING NEWS: HERZOG-LIVNI TICKET IMPLODES ON NIGHT BEFORE ISRAELI ELECTIONS. HIGH DRAMA. PLEASE PRAY.* Come tour Israel & Jordan with me & The Joshua Fund this October.
* Register for April 19th special simulcast on “The Third Target.”By Joel C. Rosenberg (@joelcrosenberg on Twitter)(Jerusalem, Israel, March 16, 2015) — Who is Isaac “Buji” Herzog? Is he ready to be Israel’s next Prime Minister?Can this quiet, self-effacing head of Israel’s opposition party be trusted to protect the country from numerous and rising threats, from Iran and ISIS to Hezbollah, Hamas and the PLO?And will Israeli voters remove Benjamin Netanyahu — who is serving his ninth year as premier — from power and put the untested Herzog in the top spot?These are several of the big questions on people minds here as the last day of campaigning wraps up. We are now just a few hours away from the polls opening here on Tuesday morning for what very well could prove the most consequential Israeli national elections in a generation.
I just landed at Ben Gurion International Airport. In a short while I will be on the “Sean Hannity Radio Show” to preview the Israeli elections. Over the next 48 hours, I will be blogging and Tweeting extensively on the race. But here are a few initial thoughts:
1. The breaking news here tonight is that Herzog is dropping his political partner, Tzipi Livni, from the ticket. The two have been running for the last several months as a team in a “rotation agreement.” That is, “buy one, get one free.” If you vote for their combined faction (two political parties running together) and they win the most seats in the Knesset (parliament) then Herzog had promised to serve as Prime Minister for two years, and Livni for the second two years. But Livni is very unpopular. Within their parties, the rotation agreement was very unpopular. There was growing pressure to remove her from the ticket, but some strategists on the left feared doing so this late in the game would reflect badly on Herzog and raise questions about his judgment and ability to lead.
Nevertheless, at the 11th hour, Livni announced that she will no longer be part of the rotation agreement. She says she’s dropping off voluntarily, yet some say Herzog pushed her off. This is a late-breaking story. The details are not yet clear. Neither are the implications. A highly dramatic election has just gotten far more dramatic.
2. Herzog says, “I trust the Obama Administration to get a good deal.” In a must-read interview in The Atlantic, the left-wing Israeli opposition leader indicates that he trusts the direction that President Obama is going in with Iran. This is a huge dividing line for Israelis who increasingly distrust the American administration.
3. Herzog proudly says he will divide Jerusalem and roll Israel back to the pre-1967 lines (or close) to create a sovereign Palestinian state. In another must-read interview, Herzog is not shy about saying he believes Israel should give up part of its own capital to the PLO. This is another huge dividing line for Israelis.
Please pray for the people of Israel as we head to the polls tomorrow. Please pray that above all the Lord’s will is done. As we read in Daniel chapter two, the Lord removes kings and establishes kings according to His sovereign will. Amen.
——————–
COME TOUR ISRAEL & JORDAN WITH ME & THE JOSHUA FUND IN OCTOBER
It is with great excitement about God’s love for the people of Israel and her neighbors that I cordially invite you to join us for The Joshua Fund’s next “Prayer & Vision Tour Of The Holy Land.”
The Israel portion of the tour will be October 14-25, 2015. And for the first time ever, we will lead an optional additional tour to the Biblical sites of the Kingdom of Jordan for those who want to extend their time and learn more. This will be from October 25-29, 2015.
If you have never been to the Holy Land, it is hard to describe what a profound spiritual effect such a journey can have on you and your family. You may have heard others say God’s Word seemed to “come alive” in a new way when they walked where Jesus walked, from the shores of Galilee to the Mount of Olives and into the streets of Jerusalem. Well, it’s true, and I believe our 2015 Israel trip will allow you to experience this for yourself and intensify your desire to walk more closely with Jesus Christ.
[To learn more about the trip — and to register — please go to the blog, or to www.joshuafund.com.]
——————-
REGISTER NOW FOR OUR SPECIAL SIMULCAST ON “THE THIRD TARGET”
Amidst the horrific attacks by ISIS terrorists in Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, France, and elsewhere, Christians throughout North America and around the world are asking many questions. Who is ISIS? What do they believe? What do they want? How serious is the threat to us? Is it true that genocidal conditions are emerging for Christians in the Middle East? And is there any good news? How can the Church advance the Gospel amongst Muslims?
I am pleased to announce that Tyndale House Publishers, In:ciite Events and I are partnering to present a special simulcast event on Sunday evening, April 19th, to answer these questions. You, your small group, and/or your church — small, medium, or large — can register now to view the simulcast and to share the message with family, friends and neighbors.
Full details are available at the link at the bottom of this email, and on the blog.
—————————–
KEY ARTICLES ON THE BLOG RIGHT NOW:
* Netanyahu could be defeated as Prime Minister in Israeli elections next week. Here’s the latest.
* Iran’s leaders reject Obama deal, calling it “unacceptable.” It’s been a bizarre few days. Here’s the latest.
* On eve of Purim, Netanyahu warns of rising Persian threat to Israel & the world and danger of making a bad deal with Tehran. Here’s my analysis. (Also: audio my interview with NBC’s Kathie Lee Gifford on the PM’s speech, “Apocalyptic Islam” & “The Third Target”)
[To read these and other stories, or to order THE THIRD TARGET — or to find links to the latest news and analysis of events and trends in the U.S., Israel, North Africa, Russia, and the Middle East — please go to: https://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/.]
————————————
PRAYER NEEDS — please pray for….* A Third Great Awakening — a sweeping spiritual revival — in the U.S. and Canada.
* The peace of Jerusalem — geopolitical but also spiritual peace through the Prince of Peace
* The Lord to superintend the Israeli elections on March 17th and the process that follows from there.
* The Palestinian people in Gaza to be liberated from the reign of terror imposed by Hamas and other terrorist groups
* Israeli, Egyptian and Jordanian leaders to have wisdom to know how best to protect their citizens going forward and live in quiet and calm with their neighbors
* The President of the United States and his top advisors to have a change of heart and to truly stand unequivocally with Israel, America’s best friend and most faithful ally in the Mideast
* The President and other nations to know how best to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons, defeat ISIS and stop the genocide, and prevent terror attacks on the U.S. and our allies
* Persecuted in Christians throughout the epicenter to be brave and bold for Christ and faithful lights amidst such darkness
* The protection of moderate Arabs and other Muslims in the region from Radical Islam, particularly in Jordan
* The Lord to strengthen His Church and reveal His Word and the transforming power of the Gospel to all the people of the epicenter, and that the Father would draw them to His Son
* The Joshua Fund to have the wisdom to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, as the Lord guides and provides
————————————
* TWITTER — Please track the latest developments @joelcrosenberg.
BLESS ISRAEL & HER NEIGHBORS — AND COME ON A TOUR OF ISRAEL & JORDAN: Would you prayerfully consider giving a generous, tax-deductible gift to THE JOSHUA FUND? Come help us educate and mobilize Christians around the world about God’s love and plan Israel and her neighbors; provide food, medical supplies and other humanitarian relief to the poor and needy, to Holocaust survivors, and to widows and orphans; teach the Scriptures throughout Israel and the epicenter; strengthen the Church in the epicenter; and assist ministries helping Syrian & Iraqi refugees. Thanks so much, and may the Lord bless you and your family as you invest in the work of The Joshua Fund at this critical time. (www.joshuafund.com)
To order THE THIRD TARGET in hardcover, e-book, and audio formats, please click here (or visit your favorite bookstore).
To read Joel’s blog, please click here — https://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/
www.joelrosenberg.com
To learn more about the SPECIAL SIMULCAST on ISIS & Radical Islam — or to register — please click here.
PRAYER & VISION TRIP TO ISRAEL, AND JORDAN EXTENSION TOUR: To learn more, and to register, please click here
