Latest Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks Fail

Israeli and Palestinian representatives recently met in Amman, Jordan, to continue peace negotiations. This latest round of talks was encouraged by the Quartet of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia. Israel has said that it will negotiate with a Palestinian unity government if Hamas agrees to dismantle its terror infrastructure. However, no progress was made in the negotiations. (JPost)

Please pray for continued peace negotiations in the Middle East.

Hezbollah's Weapons Concern U.N. Secretary-General

On a recent visit to Beirut, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that he was deeply concerned about Hezbollah's military capacity and the lack of progress in disarmament. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah responded, "We want you, the United States and Israel to be concerned. Hezbollah will not relinquish its weapons." The weapons in question are tens of thousands of ballistic missiles, which were supplied by Iran and shipped to Lebanon via Syria. Many of these weapons, which are aimed at Israel's civilian population, are placed near Lebanese schools, hospitals and mosques. (Haaretz)

Please pray for this network of terrorist weapons in Lebanon to be dismantled so that citizens of both Israel and Lebanon can live in peace.

Messianic Israeli Leaders Receive Training

Chosen People Ministries is starting a new discipleship program for Israeli leaders. This program is a three-year enterprise that deals with practical issues of Messianic faith. Twenty leaders from various Israeli Messianic congregations will participate. The program will provide teaching on the issues of practical theology, as well as serve to unite the younger generation of Israeli leaders.

Pray for the body of Messiah in the Holy Land to be strengthened in its unity and witness.

Tightening Sanctions on Iran

The United States is increasing the pressure on Iran by imposing restrictions on the country's third largest bank, which has allegedly been helping in developing Iran's nuclear program. These sanctions will deepen Iran's isolation by not allowing the bank to access the United States' financial system to fund its nuclear program. The European Union recently banned imports of oil from Iran, thus affecting a major source of the country’s income. (Haaretz)

Please pray that the nuclear program in Iran does not result in functional nuclear weapons that could be used for long-range attacks.

New Treatments Help the Blind in Israel

Blindness in Israel has declined by 51% over the past decade as new treatments have become more advanced and more widely available. Diseases affecting the retina, blindness from glaucoma, and complications due to diabetes have decreased, and the country's social medicine and health maintenance organizations are providing excellent follow-up care. People with cataract problems, for example, can now have corrective surgery almost immediately as opposed to waiting for a year as in the old health care systems. (Haaretz)

Praise God for advances in medical technology that enable the blind to see! Pray for Israelis to have spiritual insight as well.

A Step Forward for Migrant Workers in Israel

Migrant workers in Israel have very few legal rights and are frequently sent back to their home countries. This has been a hotly debated issue, as many of these workers have young children who know only Israel as their home (and speak Hebrew in school). A new law protects foreign workers from being arrested and deported if they have applied for legal status and have children who were born in Israel. To qualify, the workers must have entered the country legally and their children must have been in the country for at least five years. (JPost)

Please pray for the thousands of families who face the difficult decision whether to stay in Israel or return to their home countries.

Shortage of Gas Masks May Leave Israelis Unprotected

There is a possibility that Israel's Home Front Command may run out of gas mask protective kits in three months, potentially leaving millions unprotected against biological and chemical warfare. Currently, 55% of Israeli citizens – about 4.2 million people – have gas masks. One senior official said, "We don't have the budget to produce the gas masks – and even if we did, it would take two years to manufacture them." November and December 2011 saw a sharp increase in gas mask requests after the United Nations nuclear watchdog released a report that Iran is in the process of developing nuclear weapons. (YNet)

Please pray that the citizens of Israel never have to use their gas masks!