With the clock ticking on negotiations to form a new government, the Right-wing parties incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will need to build his coalition were already beginning to list their demands on Monday. Union of Right-Wing Party MK Bezalel Smotrich has let it be known that he wants to be Minister of Justice, making a speech on Monday in which he said that he would like to infuse large numbers of Jewish residents into West Bank communities such as Hebron.

US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook gave an interview with Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya English network on Monday, saying among other things that the US is seeking to come to a new agreement with Iran regarding its renegade nuclear program, ballistic missiles, support for regional terrorism and its detention of foreign nationals. He also explained the meaning of a decision to end the program of waivers for some governments which allowed them to avoid sanctions on oil imports from the Islamic Republic, saying that from now on countries “can either work with the United States, or you can work with Iran, but you can’t do both.”

Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority reported on Monday evening that over 160,000 people had taken advantage of Earth Day and the Passover holidays that many employers are giving to visit the countries nature reserves, despite lingering cool weather and rain in some areas. Officials noted that the weather didn’t seem to deter people from enjoying the many wide open spaces in the Jewish State while some visitors added that the winter’s heavy rains have brought many dry areas back to life.

Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Iranian-backed Lebenese Shi’ite terror militia Hezbollah, issued a statement on Monday denying earlier reports in the Arab media that he had predicted a war between his organization and Israel this summer, saying Israel wouldn’t dare fight. “Although the Resistance always prepares for the worst possibilities, I personally tend to rule out the possibility of witnessing an Israeli war on Lebanon because the enemy’s ‘home’ front is not ready for that,” he said.

The PLO Central Council (PCC) announced this week that it is preparing to discuss a suspension of all relations, including security coordination with Israel, at its upcoming meetings on 15 May, which will follow a series of consultative meetings between PA President Mahmoud Abbas and leaders from European and Moslem countries in the coming weeks. The announcement was one of many made in recent days ahead of the expected rollout of US President Donald Trump’s so-called “deal of the century” later this summer.

Hamas has instigated three wars with Israel since 2007, each time leaving its infrastructure in greater disarray. In these wars, Hamas and other terrorist groups launched thousands of rockets on Israeli communities. The world is waiting to help again in Gaza but has been prevented from doing so by the choices made by Hamas.

At the 6 a.m. resurrection service, Reuven Berger of Kehilat ha’Seh al Har Zion (The Congregation of the Lamb on Mt. Zion) walked us from Genesis 3 to Romans, I Corinthians and Hebrews to show how Jesus’ resurrection affects us who are in Messiah.

The Feast of Tabernacles is always a wonderful foretaste of that future time when all peoples will come up to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot. It is a prophetic statement that our Lord is indeed coming soon. And it declares to Israel and the nations that a new day is dawning. The King is coming, and we are here to rejoice in His transforming power and soon arrival.