AFTER POWERFUL BUT CONTROVERSIAL SPEECH TO CONGRESS, NETANYAHU COULD LOSE ISRAELI ELECTIONS NEXT TUESDAY.
* Come tour Israel & Jordan with me & The Joshua Fund this October.
* Register for April 19th special simulcast.
By Joel C. Rosenberg (@joelcrosenberg on Twitter)
(Tucson, Arizona, March 9, 2015) — A week from Tuesday, on March 17th, millions of Israelis will go to the polls for one of the most consequential national elections of our times. We will be casting ballots for the political party of our choice, and in so doing choosing the makeup of the next Knesset (parliament) and our next Prime Minister.
As I’ve been traveling across the U.S. in recent weeks on THE THIRD TARGET book tour, people have been asking me whether Benjamin Netanyahu will return as Prime Minister, particularly in the wake of his impressive but controversial speech to Congress.
The honest answer is: I have no idea.
There is a groundswell of “Anybody But Bibi” voters. Some 30,000 Israelis turned out the other night for a rally in Tel Aviv calling for Netanyahu to be defeated and removed from office. Most of the Israeli media hates Netanyahu and are doing everything they can to disparage and discredit him. The left-wing parties in Israel can’t stand Bibi and are throwing all they can at him. Some on the center-right have policy disagreements and/or personal frustrations with him in his ninth year as Israel’s premier. And President Obama’s top operatives are in Israel working to unseat the PM.
That said, polls show Israelis trust Netanyahu to be Prime Minister and to keep the country safe from Iran, ISIS and other threats significantly more than Yitzhak (“Bouji”) Herzog, head of the Labor Party, and Tzipi Livni, head of the Hatnua Party. (The two have formed the “Zionist Union” faction as the main opposition party to Bibi; if they come out on top, they have pledged that Herzog would serve as PM for two years, and then Livni for two years.)
What’s more, most Israelis feel that Netanyahu was right to go to the U.S. to speak about the Iran nuclear threat, and most do not trust President Obama to cut a good deal with Iran that would keep Israel safe.
“Asked whom they trust more to deal with the Iranian nuclear threat, 41% chose Netanyahu, while only 15% chose Obama, and a mere 6% chose Herzog,” noted Israel’s largest daily newspaper based on a new poll. “Some 46% of those polled said Netanyahu’s trip to Washington to address Congress was the right move, while 39% thought it was a mistake.”
At the moment, most polls show a dead heat between Netanyahu’s Likud Party and the Zionist Union, though one outlier poll yesterday showed Netanyahu’s team ahead by five seats.
Overall, it appears to be a jump ball between Netanyahu and Herzog. It could go either way. Thus, it is possible that Netanyahu could lose his position as PM this month, even as the showdown with Iran builds to a crescendo. I’m not predicting one way or the other, just trying to keep you up to speed.
Here’s the latest average of 12 Israeli polls conducted by 8 leading polling companies, according to a widely respected Israeli political analyst…..
[To read the rest of this column, plus my analysis of Netanyahu’s speech to Congress, and what it was like to be sitting in the House Chamber to watch the speech in person, please go to the blog.]
——————–
COME TOUR ISRAEL & JORDAN WITH US THIS OCTOBER
Dear Friends:
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.
If you have been to Israel before, this trip will be a great opportunity to deepen your understanding of how powerfully the Lord is moving there. And this tour is like no other!
• You will visit The Joshua Fund’s warehouse and participate in a practical ministry project to bless the poor and needy.
• You will have the opportunity to meet with and pray for local pastors and ministry leaders on the frontlines of the faith.
• You will have the opportunity to hear solid Bible teaching, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for all the people of the epicenter, and have the joy of worshipping the Lord in the land of Jesus, the prophets and the apostles.
• I will also teach at key locations and answer your questions about the future of the Epicenter.
• And, as I mentioned, for those who want to learn more, we are offering our first-ever extension to visit Biblical and historic sites in Jordan such as Mount Nebo, Petra and the capital of Amman.
Now more than ever, it is vitally important for Christians to “learn, pray, give and go” — to really learn how much God loves the people of Israel, Jordan and the region; to pray with and for Jews and Arabs; to give to ministries that are truly blessing people on both sides in the name of Jesus; and actually go to the Holy Land to stand with these dear people in these challenging times.
To learn more about this Prayer & Vision Tour of the Holy Land — to get your questions answered, and to register — please click here.
Please prayerfully consider coming to visit the Land we love and now call our home to meet the people we love and now call our neighbors. We would love to see you there!
Yours to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus,
Joel C. Rosenberg
Founder and Chairman of The Joshua Fund
[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:
* 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”)
* Why did Netanyahu want to address Congress? He once explained in an interview with me that he sees a threat most do not. Apocalyptic Islam. Excerpts from that conversation.
* The biggest threat now is not Radical Islam. It is “Apocalyptic Islam.” Let me explain. (Excerpts from my address to the National Religious Broadcasters Convention)
* BREAKING: President caving to Iranian nuclear demands, despite poll showing 80% of Americans fear “Second Holocaust” if Iran gets The Bomb. What should be our policy towards Iran’s nuclear program?
[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
