The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem was established in1980 in recognition of the biblical significance of all of Jerusalem and its unique connection to the Jewish people. Today the ICEJ represents millions of Christians, churches, and denominations to the nation and people of Israel. We recognize in the restoration of Israel the faithfulness of God to keep His ancient covenant with the Jewish people. Our main objectives are:
• To stand with Israel in support and friendship
• To equip and teach the worldwide church regarding God’s purposes with Israel and the nations of the Middle East
• To be an active voice of reconciliation between Jews, Christians, and Arabs, and to support the churches and congregations in the Holy Land
From its head offices in Jerusalem, the ICEJ reaches out into more than 170 countries worldwide, with branch offices in over 90 nations.
Our vision is:
• To reach every segment of Israel’s society with a Christian testimony of comfort and love
• To reach and actively represent to Israel the support of denominations, churches, and believers from every nation on Earth
The Christian Embassy is a non-denominational faith-based ministry supported by the voluntary contributions of our partners and friends across the globe. We invite you to join with us as we minister to Israel and the Jewish people worldwide by donating to the ongoing work and witness of the ICEJ.
WORD FROM JERUSALEM
CREDITS
ICEJ President Dr. Juergen Buehler
USA President Susan Michael
VP International Affairs Dr. Mojmir Kallus
VP Finance David van der Walt
VP Operations Barry R. Denison
Senior VP & International Spokesman David Parsons
VP AID & Aliyah Nicole Yoder
Managing Editor/Publications Director Laurina Driesse
USA Managing Editor Karen Engle
Staff Writer Anastasiya Gooding
Graphic Design/Illustrators Ryan Tsuen, Nancy Schimp
The New King James Bible is used for all Bible references unless otherwise noted.
Word From Jerusalem is published by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Word From Jerusalem has no subscription price and is supported through contributions worldwide. The ICEJ USA Branch is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with offices in Tennessee, Florida, and Washington, DC. All gifts to this ministry are tax-deductible according to United States law.
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN EMBASSY JERUSALEM - USA
Support our ministry online at: www.icejusa.org
FROM THE DESK OF THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
Dear Friends,
After the great tragedy of war that has befallen us here in Israel over this past year, it is only natural that we are looking forward in hope to a much better year ahead. Israel is indeed emerging from this conflict with victory in sight, and we are confident that 2025 will see brighter days. My article “Israel Has Victory on Multiple Fronts” in this month’s magazine talks more about this—I encourage you to read it.
Even so, the pain of lost lives and missing loved ones from this prolonged battle is quite real and will undoubtedly linger long after the last shot is fired. All of Israel needs time to heal—and they need their Christian friends to remain at their side during this recovery process. It has been remarkable to see Christians’ faithfulness, generosity, and compassion for this nation since the October 7 massacres some 15 months ago. There is now much rebuilding to do, especially in the Israeli communities along the Gaza border, and we know you will continue to stand with us as we engage in rebuilding projects that will bring the greatest benefit to the most people in need.
Amazingly, many Jewish families worldwide want to make Aliyah to Israel over the coming year, and we know you will also be there for them. An article by our Aliyah director, Howard Flower, shares the anticipated increase in Aliyah in 2025 and how we are preparing for it.
We also encourage you to start visiting Israel again. Everyone here has missed the usual streams of Christian visitors, and we all need to see your friendly, smiling faces back in the Land. So please make plans to come soon, including to our Feast of Tabernacles celebration in October.
As we look ahead and await a return to normal life, one lesson of this war has been how precious peace can be. Peace is a fragile and prized commodity that does not just automatically come to us. Rather, according to the Bible, we must “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). The book of Hebrews urges us to “pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). These passages exhort us to be proactive in searching for peace and diligent in maintaining it. Often, peace relates to the righteousness of a people. The psalmist says, “righteousness and peace have kissed” each other (Psalm 85:10; see also Isaiah 32:17; James 3:18).
I am confident that Israel will indeed pursue peaceful relations with her Arab neighbors in the coming year, and there is a real chance that could include Saudi Arabia and perhaps even Lebanon and Syria, as those doors have begun to crack open. But the people of Israel also need to pursue righteousness. As you continue to pray for Israel, pray that righteousness and peace will rain down over the Land this year.
Abundant blessings in the new year!
David R. Parsons Senior Vice President
& Spokesman
International
Christian Embassy Jerusalem
COVER PHOTO: Jewish immigrants are welcomed home by Israeli authorities at Ben Gurion airport despite the current war.
(Credit: JAFI)
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THE PROPHETIC SUMMONS TO JERUSALEM TEN FROM EVERY NAT N
BY DAVID R. PARSONS, ICEJ SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & SPOKESMAN
“Thus
saith the Lord of hosts; in those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.”
(ZECHARIAH 8:23 / AKJV)
The theme for the ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles 2025 is “Ten From Every Nation,” which is drawn from Zechariah 8:23. This passage speaks to us on several levels and has many applications. For instance, it easily lends itself to the increasingly prevalent practice of gentile Christians exploring the Hebraic roots of our faith, which is a rich topic for exploration.
Many Evangelicals hunger to understand Jesus and His teachings in their authentic Hebraic
For many Evangelicals, there is a hunger to understand Jesus and His teachings in their authentic Hebraic context.
context. In a March 2008 cover feature titled “10 Ideas That Are Changing the World,” Time
magazine listed one such trend as “Re-Judaizing Jesus,” noting how scholars have started to reread the Gospels through the eyes of a Jewish Jesus. Even in leading universities here in Israel, there is much interest and curiosity in rediscovering the historic Jesus in His original Israelite setting and culture.
Many ordinary Christians, too, are finding there is much “fatness” in these roots, as the apostle Paul put it in Romans 11:17. Delving into the Jewishness of Jesus and the Hebraic culture behind the entire Bible—both Old and New Testaments—can enrich our devotional walk with the Lord and greatly enlighten our understanding of the Holy Scriptures.
Others see it more specifically as a prophetic vision of gentiles learning Torah from rabbis, which also is a growing trend today. In fact, many Orthodox Jewish rabbis are eager to give Torah lessons to gentile Christians. They even
view Zechariah 8:23 as foretelling of a time when masses of gentiles will convert to either Judaism or the Noahide laws in the last days. They reach this conclusion by linking it to Zechariah 14:16, where the prophet envisions all the nations coming up to Jerusalem one day to worship the Lord and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Thus, they believe these mass conversions of gentiles will take place during Sukkot.
For this and other reasons, there is a need for caution, as often these Torah lessons for Christians are more Talmudic lessons, and the Talmud is a complex and somewhat closed world to the average Christian. Now, it is clear from the Gospels that Jesus was familiar with the Talmud and followed its style of teaching through parables. But for us today, it takes a true scholar wholly devoted to Jesus to wade into
Christians from every nation have been coming up to Jerusalem for the Feast since 1980.
the Talmud and bring out the treasures we can certainly benefit from, while leaving behind that which might undermine our faith in Christ. For me, one such Christian scholar par excellence was the late Dr. Dwight Pryor, and there are many others today, such as Dr. Brad Young and Dr. Steven Notley. Plus, there are now many Messianic Jewish teachers who are quite adept at explaining the original meaning and context of important passages from the biblical Hebrew.
Suffice to say that as Christians are drawn closer to Israel and the Jewish people and inevitably encounter Rabbinic Judaism, there are many detours and slippery slopes to be aware of—and avoid. Therefore, when we as gentiles “take hold of the skirt” of a Jew, it pays to grab hold of the right Jew! Surely, no better story in the Bible depicts this truth more than the woman with the issue of blood, who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed (Matthew 9:20–22).
To the Ends of the Earth
In line with that thought, the 2025 Feast theme more precisely speaks of a time when the Lord will raise up a righteous remnant in every gentile nation and language group that has been drawn to the light of the saving knowledge of the one true God through the Jewish people—in particular, through one very special Jew: Jesus the Messiah. He was the One who would teach the nations the law and ways of God (Isaiah 2:3; Micah 4:2). It was not enough that the promised Messiah would redeem Jacob only, but He also would be a light to the gentiles, taking God’s
Only in modern times are the nations able to ascend to a Jerusalem back in Jewish hands.
salvation to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6).
Remarkably, this messianic mission has been and is still being fulfilled by none other than Jesus and His followers. He delivered the message of the gospel in word and deed and gave us the Great Commission to take these redemptive truths to the ends of the earth. This has been taking place for centuries to varying effects, but only in modern times—with the aid of global means of travel and communication— is it reaching every nation and language group on earth. And only in modern times are the nations able to ascend to a Jerusalem back in Jewish hands.
What Is the “Righteous Remnant”?
In the Bible, the figure of ten men—as referenced in Zechariah 8:23—clearly relates to the concept of a “righteous remnant.” This idea goes back to Genesis 18 and the story of the patriarch Abraham, when he was informed by the Lord about the coming destruction of Sodom, where his nephew Lot lived. So, Abraham pleaded for the Lord to spare the city if He could find 50 righteous there, then 45, then 40, then 30, then 20—and finally 10 righteous men.
From this story, the Jewish people developed the notion of needing a minyan of ten righteous men to offer collective prayers to the Lord in the synagogue. No doubt, those hearing Zechariah utter this prophetic word understood the ten men “of all languages of the nations.”
speaking to each other about making mass pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship and pray to the Lord:
Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Peoples shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities; the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord, and seek the Lord of hosts. I myself will go also.’ Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.”
This indeed mirrors the same prophet’s vision in Zechariah 14:16 that the nations will one day come to Jerusalem each year to worship the Lord of hosts and keep the Feast of Tabernacles. It is a vision that is finally starting to find fulfilment today, and what Zechariah 8 adds is that God is beckoning for a righteous remnant of at least 10 people from every nation and language group to ascend to Jerusalem to seek the Lord on behalf of their people.
The Righteous Remnant in Elijah’s Time God has always had a righteous remnant in the earth. Even in the days of great apostasy during the time of Elijah, the Lord assured him that he still had a righteous remnant of 7,000 who had not bowed their knee to Baal. Paul describes this in Romans 11:2–5 as if God is boasting about this small but faithful band of righteous servants left in Israel, just as He rejoices over the righteous remnant He has preserved for Himself in our day.
The entire eighth chapter of Zechariah is full of good and comforting words concerning the restoration of Israel, the righteous remnant, and Jerusalem in the last days. Of course, Zechariah was sent by the Lord to restore a prophetic flow to the nation at a similar time of Jewish return to the land of Israel and to Jerusalem— namely, from exile in Babylon. But verses 20–22 indicate an added phenomenon of gentiles from the nations
The biblical concept of a righteous remnant will prove to be an increasingly important one here in the end times. Zechariah foresees this righteous remnant among the gentiles recognizing and aligning themselves fully with God’s prophetic purposes for Israel in these days. We must be positioning our churches and ministries to understand and uphold the prophetic significance of the restoration of Israel, of respecting the biblical feasts, and of the universal calling of Jerusalem as a “house of prayer” for all nations and the soon-to-be throne of Jesus—the “Son of David.”
We will explore these biblical truths further as we prepare for this year’s Feast of Tabernacles. Start preparing even now to make sure there will be a righteous remnant of at least 10 Christians representing your nation and language group at this year’s Feast 2025.
Illustration of the woman with the issue of blood reaching to grab the garment of Jesus (Adobe Firefly)
THOLD FAST TO THE JEWISH JESUS
BY DR. JUERGEN BUEHLER, ICEJ PRESIDENT
he second epistle of John is not only one of the shortest books of the Bible but also one of the most ignored ones. Most of 2 John is of a salutatory nature, and only a few verses give short doctrinal admonitions and encouragements. Yet one of these statements has gripped my attention lately.
For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. (2 John 1:7)
Most commentaries agree that this verse referred to a new movement in the church called Gnosticism, the influence of which is still felt today. Gnosticism was a Greek-influenced school of mystical thought. One of its teachings held that Jesus was merely a spiritual being who could not die on the cross. This attacked a core tenant of faith for the early church. The cross is central to the gospel, just as Paul declared: “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). So, it is clear why the apostle John saw the need to confront this erroneous doctrine as an antichrist spirit.
Another stream of Gnosticism believed the God of the Old Testament was not the same as the loving God revealed by Jesus. The God of Israel was called the Demiurge and was portrayed as an evil, harsh God who then was overcome by the more powerful and loving spiritgod called Jesus. Consequently, the Old Testament was discarded, and this opened the door to a strong anti-Jewish undercurrent among many early believers.
Such Gnostic teachings became attractive to gentiles, since Jesus as a spirit-being was suddenly no longer born to a Jewish virgin from the house of David. His Jewish lineage, described in Luke and Matthew, became irrelevant. Many gentile believers preferred a non-Jewish Jesus. Paul even warned in Romans 11 that some followers of Christ had already become arrogant against their Jewish roots.
On this point, it is noteworthy that the epistles of John are among the last additions to the New Testament, written in the late first century. Before
then, most of the teachers and apostles in the church were Jewish. But as the gospel spread and many more gentiles were being added, the church changed dramatically into an international movement reaching every province of the Roman Empire, where Jews were often a hated minority.
T hus, the new heresy of Gnosticism found fertile ground. In John’s third epistle, we read that Jewish “brethren” were no longer welcome in that particular church (3 John 1:5–7, 10). Even the apostle John was not welcome anymore (3 John 1:9). One wonders why? Was he too Jewish? John was clear this new stream of thought could not be tolerated in the church. He called it the spirit of antichrist, which could cause Christians to “lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward” (2 John 1:8).
Discovering Jesus, the Jewish Messiah
We see these same tendencies in many church circles today. I remember speaking once at a church in Germany where a brother complained to me afterward that I called Jesus a Jewish messiah. According to him, Jesus gave up His Jewish ancestry after the resurrection and is now in heaven as the “universal brother of mankind.” But the book of Revelation is clear that even in heaven Christ remains the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” (5:5) and “the Root and the Offspring of David” (22:16).
T his is extremely relevant today! A prominent Bible teacher in America is calling on believers to “unhitch” from the Old Testament. He contends the God of the Old Testament cannot be reconciled with the God and Father of our Lord Jesus. Also consider that Pope Francis recently inaugurated a nativity scene with a baby Jesus lying on a black-and-white kaffiyeh—a symbol of Palestinian nationalism—thus giving credence to the fabricated myth of a “Palestinian Jesus.”
T he same deceptive spirit of antichrist is alive today, denying that Jesus came in Jewish flesh. The apostle John had a clear warning to the church: “Watch yourselves, lest you lose your reward!” (2 John 1:8). Let us take heed and embrace the full counsel of Scripture. Jesus, the eternal Word, became flesh—Jewish flesh—and dwelt among us (John 1:14). What glory awaits those who hold fast to this amazing “Lion of the tribe of Judah.”
In early December, a group of Christians from across the world assembled in Israel on an ICEJ solidarity tour to serve a country burdened by unimaginable pain and loss over the past year.
A Unique Solidarity Tour in Israel
ICEJ SOLIDARITY TOUR TO ISRAEL
“You Answered Our Hearts’ Cry”
BY NATIVIA SAMUELSEN ICEJ AID ADMINISTRATOR
Amid this lingering crisis, the group came on the tour to stand alongside the people of Israel in solidarity while bringing hands ready to serve and hearts full of compassion. “This is not the usual tourist tour; it is about connecting with the people of the Land,” one volunteer said.
The journey began in the South at Kibbutz Nir Oz, a farming village and the hardest hit of all the Gaza border communities, with over onequarter of its residents either killed or taken hostage. Here, participants picked avocados and bore witness to the aftermath of October 7.
Yiftach, a guide and former resident of Nir Oz, toured us through the destroyed village and shared the story of his uncle, Gadi Moses, who is still held hostage in Gaza. The time with Yiftach underscored how important our solidarity is for those still affected by the disaster. “You speak with real honesty from the heart,” responded Anthony, one of the Christian volunteers. “We hope to return under better circumstances.”
The next day, after assembling 300 medical kits for volunteers, the group headed north to the Galilee where they helped prune tomato plants in a vast greenhouse. One farmer’s daughter, Almog, expressed
her deep gratitude for the team’s help by preparing a hearty meal and gifting them fresh tomatoes. The farmer’s wife, Hannah, confided: “You answered our hearts’ cry and came to help. We feel your love and dedication.”
The team also spent time in Tel Aviv preparing sandwiches for IDF soldiers stationed in Gaza and visited Hostage Square to pray for the safe return of the captives. Following a restful Shabbat in Jerusalem, the group traveled south to an organic farm in Carmiya, where they packed vegetables for supermarkets. During the day, Michal, a local volunteer, was moved to tears after hearing why the group was there. She even called her husband to join them: “You made my day,” she exclaimed. “I am crying; can I get a hug? This is so incredible! I am going to work with your group all day today.”
During the tour, they also spent time with Ethiopian Jewish immigrants beginning to integrate into Israeli society, helped organize and clean areas at the Haifa Home for Holocaust Survivors, and packed holiday gifts with Arab Christians and celebrated communion with them at the church of our host, Pastor Saleem Shalash in Nazareth.
On the final evening, the tour’s leader, Jannie Tolhoek of ICEJ AID, challenged participants: “You are all eyewitnesses. What will you do with all you have seen and heard?” Marja, a Dutch Christian, responded: “This trip has been such a blessing. I had no idea the extent of the trauma. I will be bolder in sharing the truth in Holland.”
Participants on a 2024 ICEJ solidarity tour to Israel after packing lettuce and picking avocados to ship to Israeli supermarkets
ISRAEL HAS VICTORY IN SIGHT ON MULTIPLE FRONTS
BY DAVID R. PARSONS, ICEJ SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & SPOKESMAN
After 15 months of intense fighting, Israel is emerging victorious in several key arenas of the multifront war triggered by the Hamas terrorist invasion from Gaza on October 7, 2023. The battle has essentially been won on several fronts, while others await closure, and still others involve threats that remain largely untouched yet by the long arm of the IDF. What follows is a regional review starting along the Gaza border where it all began.
THE GAZA FRONT
Israeli forces were left reeling by the initial shock of the Hamas mass infiltration on that dark Shabbat of Simchat Torah, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken captive into Gaza. But the IDF quickly recovered and, three weeks later, began a multipronged ground operation into northern Gaza that slowly encircled and uprooted Hamas and Islamic Jihad battalions in the Gaza City area. Over the ensuing months, IDF infantry and armored thrusts also pushed into central and southern Gaza, including the key towns of Khan Yunis and Rafah, despite international objections. The leadership and military structure of Hamas has since been decimated, leaving it capable of only small-scale guerilla attacks. Little remains of its terror tunnels and rocket factories. Its biggest asset is that Hamas still holds almost 100 Israeli hostages, but half of them may already be dead.
As we enter 2025, events in Gaza and elsewhere forced Hamas to make compromises in the mediated talks over a hostage release deal. Isolated and in tatters, Hamas dropped its core demands for a complete end to the war and full IDF withdrawal before any hostages were released, which resulted in a three-phase ceasefire agreement that includes the exchange of 33 hostages for prisoners and restoring a sustainable calm over 42 days in the first phase. Three female hostages indeed returned home the day the ceasefire went into effect.
Hamas has been severely weakened to the point it fears losing control over Gaza, while a devastated Hezbollah had to drop out of the fighting in the north. In addition, US President Donald Trump took office in Washington and will likely pursue a much stricter policy against Hamas—especially since it still holds several Americans hostage.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to reject any post-war role for the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Gaza and insists Israel will have ultimate security control over the entire Gaza Strip for the foreseeable future. In Israel there is speculation that the Gaza ceasefire will not last through the various phases.
THE NORTHERN FRONT
The Hezbollah terror militia in Lebanon quickly joined the fray on October 8, 2023, hoping to draw Israeli troops and firepower away from Gaza as a means of supporting its fellow Iranian-backed militia, Hamas. For months thereafter, Hezbollah and the IDF engaged in a daily artillery duel largely confined to around six miles on either side of the Lebanese border. Israeli leaders had feared terrorist infiltrations by Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force, similar to what the Nukba commandoes of Hamas did on October 7, and thus evacuated 65,000 Israeli civilians from the immediate border area. But it turned out Hamas had caught Hezbollah by surprise as well, and they were content with a war of attrition against Israel right along the northern border.
Friends and family members mourn children killed in a rocket strike on a Druze playground in northern Israel last summer, which triggered Hezbollah's downfall. (Flash90)
That is, until Israel took the initiative to confront the Hezbollah threat more squarely following a rocket strike on a Golan Druze village that killed a dozen children in a playground. In response, Israel started taking out one senior Hezbollah leader after another, all the way up to the head sheikh himself, the brash Hassan Nasrallah. At the same time, Israeli intelligence activated a long-planned clandestine operation to blow up rigged
Armed drones like this one entering Israeli airspace from Lebanon will be a problem for years to come. (Flash90)
pagers and walkie-talkies in the hands of several thousand upper-level Hezbollah commanders, devastating their ranks.
It turns out that Israeli leaders had all along considered Hezbollah a much more serious threat than Hamas and had concentrated their intelligence resources and military training on defeating the Lebanese Shi’ite militia. This allowed the IDF to make quick work of Hezbollah, decapitating its leadership and destroying up to 80 percent of its missile arsenal in a matter of weeks. When Hezbollah got so weakened it stood to lose its grip on power over Lebanon, Iran backed its decision to call it quits.
Thus, a ceasefire has been reached in northern Israel, although the IDF is still operating just inside south Lebanon to find and destroy more Hezbollah weapons and outposts. The Shi’ite militia is battered enough to be possibly disarmed by the rival Christian and Sunni Arab forces in the Lebanese army, who are still upset with Hezbollah for joining the fight to keep Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in power, and then unilaterally dragging Lebanon into another war with Israel.
THE SYRIAN FRONT
Meanwhile, dramatic developments in neighboring Syria have greatly impacted the threats to Israel on several fronts. The brutal Assad dynasty that ruled from Damascus for over 50 years was suddenly toppled by Sunni rebel forces that had been trained and rearmed by Turkey following their defeat in the nation’s bitter yet still smoldering civil war. Surprisingly, these rebel units swept the Assad regime from power in only 12 days. This has brought several positive changes for Israel, such as cutting off Hezbollah from any resupply of arms by Iran via the usual land route through Syria. However, some of these victorious Sunni rebel forces are affiliated with ISIS and al-Qaeda, and they may seek ways of attacking Israel in the future. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also seems determined to become the new overlord of Syria and threaten Israel from there.
THE EASTERN FRONT
IDF forces have done a solid job in confronting Palestinian terror factions operating in Judea/Samaria (West Bank) over the past 15 months of fighting. Lately, Iran has tried to smuggle more weapons into this theatre through Jordan with meager results. But it has provoked even the PA to launch a surprising crackdown on Hamas and Islamic Jihad elements in Jenin and other hotbeds of terror, to protect what little turf the PA does control. This indicates PA leader Mahmoud Abbas thinks Hamas is now weakened enough for his listless forces to take them on, and that he wants to show the West he can be given control over Gaza.
THE SOUTHERN FRONT
The Houthi rebels in Yemen continue to strike at Israel with Iranian-supplied long-range missiles and drones. In the latest exchange,
Israeli air strikes heavily damaged three ports Iran uses to deliver these weapons to the Houthis. Defending against the threat of these longerrange armaments, especially the new, more advanced types of low-flying armed drones, will remain a problem for Israel going forward, even if ceasefires are reached on other fronts.
THE IRANIAN FRONT
Iran has now suffered several major setbacks to its regional plans of hegemony and eradicating the Jewish State. Both Hamas and Hezbollah have been crushed by the IDF over the past year, and Tehran was unable to stop it, which has sent a bad signal to its other regional proxy militias in Iraq and Syria. The loss of its foothold in Syria is another huge blow, leaving its most prized proxy, Hezbollah, isolated and stirring discontent at home over all the money and resources wasted in propping up Assad. In addition, the Iranian regime has been embarrassed the two times it has directly targeted Israel with long-range missile and drone attacks, causing little damage in Israel and drawing IDF responses that have left the Islamic Republic totally vulnerable to further Israeli attacks. Everyone is now waiting for Trump to take office on January 20 and to see whether Israel will press its advantage by attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
THE HOME FRONT
Israel is poised to secure a resounding victory over its enemies Hamas and Hezbollah and hopes to recover and rebuild its northern and southern border communities quickly, while also actively pursuing peace once more with its Arab neighbors. With the help of the incoming Trump administration, it may be possible to build on the Abraham Accords by bringing Saudi Arabia into the fold of Arab nations reconciling with the Jewish State. Perhaps the door will even begin to open to future normalization deals with Lebanon and Syria. One obstacle will remain, however—the fate of the Palestinians. These Arab countries will most likely continue to insist on the creation of a Palestinian state, a demand that most Israelis are reluctant to agree to so quickly in the wake of the October 7 massacres, considering it to be a reward for terrorism of the worst kind.
Banners in Jerusalem touting the IDF’s targeting of Ismail Haniyeh, Hassan Nasrallah, and Yahyeh Sinwar (Flash90)
ICEJ Honors Faithful
"WATCHMAN OF ZION” Partners
BY KAREN ENGLE, ICEJ MANAGING EDITOR
You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come. (Psalm 102:13)
In Psalm 102 the psalmist cried out for God in a time of personal distress—but in context, it was a period of suffering and difficulty for the entire nation of Israel. Israel’s enemies were set against her, and the psalmist even sensed divine rejection. Still, he recognized God’s favor to Jerusalem, saying a “set time” has come to again have mercy and restore Zion. He was confident God had not given up on His people.
Interestingly, verse 18 says the psalmist’s words were written for a “generation to come”—that a “people yet to be created may praise the Lord.” God was still Israel’s King, enthroned in heaven, and would one day move to restore Zion. We are that “generation to come,” and for this reason, the ICEJ USA is committed to loving and blessing Israel like never before, believing we are witnessing this “set time.”
Over the years, God has raised faithful partners who have joined hands with us to make a real difference in the lives of Israelis—fighting the lies spread about Israel in the media, providing aid and assistance to vulnerable Israelis, and helping Christians across the United States stand with the Jewish people at this critical moment in history.
Here are three of our partners who have generously given to the ministry of the ICEJ.
USA Outreach Director
and
Damon and Taisiya Jacobson have been faithful ICEJ partners because Damon says, “Scripture is clear about blessing Israel, and we can see biblical prophecy happen in real-time with the return of so many Jews to their God-given land. With the current level of antisemitism and negative actions coming from the United Nations against Israel, we feel Israel needs prayer and blessing now more than ever.” Taisiya, who realized she was part Jewish later in life, says, "I want to bless Israel all I can, especially in the current times Israel is enduring.”
ICEJ USA Director of Development Natalie Adams presents Guy Thompson with a Watchman of Zion award.
Guy Thompson discovered the ICEJ back in the 1980s and immediately got on the Word from Jerusalem mailing list. He soon partnered with the ICEJ because “the ICEJ’s work among God’s chosen people was something I wanted to be involved in.” He has attended the Feast of Tabernacles in Israel several times (including last year in the middle of the war) and joins the Global Prayer Gathering as many times as he can each week. “I love feeling like a partner with ICEJ! Your work makes me proud to be helping the Jewish people.”
ICEJ
Tyson Lambertson presents Damon
Taisiya Jacobson with their Watchman of Zion award.
ICEJ USA Outreach Director Tyson Lambertson presents NorthStar Christian Center Senior Pastor Brian Thomas with the Watchman of Zion award
In 1990, Glenn Anderson, NorthStar Christian Center’s founding pastor, instilled a deep love for the Jewish people and the land of Israel in the church. He nurtured relationships with local synagogues, led countless tours to the Holy Land, participated in the ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles yearly, and challenged people to pray for the peace of Jerusalem constantly. “He also instilled in us a great love for ICEJ. We began monthly support 35 years ago and have continued that to this day. We consider it a huge honor to partner with ICEJ and all they do for the Jewish people. Our intent is to continue and deepen this wonderful relationship,” said NorthStar Senior Pastor Brian Thomas.
Be part of this privileged generation and partner with the Lord in His work to restore Zion, for the set time has come.
Learn more at: www.icejusa.org/partner
GET TO KNOW YOUR ICEJ USA TEAM
ROY JONES Volunteer and Engagement Advisor
Roy Jones, our volunteer and engagement advisor, has the unique job of ministering in person with friends and partners of the ICEJ in the United States and advocating on behalf of supporters to assist the projects and ministries they are led to support.
Roy comes to the ICEJ USA with over 40 years of experience serving nonprofits and international ministries. He has worked with stewardship programs and ministered to donors and supporters of several international ministries, including Mercy Ships International, World Help, Mission Aviation Fellowship, Heart for the Persecuted Church, Association of Gospel Rescue Ministries, and numerous homeless ministries and rescue missions.
He spent the first 20 years of his career working in Washington, DC, which included working with the presidential campaigns of President George H. W. Bush and US Senator Rick Santorum.
Judeo-Christian values have always been at the core of his Christian walk, but since working at the ICEJ, he senses God uniquely using him and his giftings as he ministers to others called by God to love and bless Israel. “Every day, God reveals to me in a deeper way His plan of using Israel as the vehicle for salvation and redemption of the world.”
He sees this extraordinary call on the lives of the ICEJ staff, volunteers, and supporters, as well. “They are special people with a special calling on their lives. I truly believe that when we serve God’s chosen people, Israel, we become the hands and feet of Jesus.”
Personally, Roy says he wants to leave a legacy and looks for opportunities to help others do the same. “Every day, I try to live my life in such a way that I accomplish at least one thing that will outlive me and last for all eternity.”
When not ministering, he plays lead and bass guitar on the worship team in his church in Florida. Roy and his wife of 43 years, Melinda, have 7 grandchildren and 3 adult sons. His favorite Bible passage comes from 1 Peter 5: “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (vv. 6–7).
ICEJ-DONATED BOMB SHELTERS BRING HOPE, HEALING TO SHELL-SHOCKED ISRAELIS
BY NATIVIA SAMUELSEN, ICEJ AID ADMINISTRATOR
At the end of last year, an ICEJ delegation visited the Sha’ar HaNegev region in southern Israel, next to the Gaza border, where three large, new ICEJ-donated bomb shelters were finally being delivered to protect those receiving counseling for war trauma at a newly expanded and renovated therapy and resilience center. The three pre-cast shelters were lowered onto their foundations and new plaques were placed on each one identifying the ICEJ donor branches from four nations across three continents—Australia, Canada, Switzerland, and the United States. These shelters will provide a safety net for Israeli children and adults as they are treated for the emotional and psychological scars still left by the October 7 terror attacks.
ICEJ-Donated Bomb Shelters— More Than about Safety
stood ready to place the first massive shelter onto its foundation. As we watched the shelter being carefully lowered into place, Rotem shared her perspective as both a resident and parent.
“I studied in this school,” she stated. “Since I was 10, I’ve experienced rocket attacks—not just rockets but an ongoing reality of danger. When I was a child, I thought I could handle everything. But now, as a mother, it is hard to raise children in this reality. It’s been much more chaotic since the war. I don’t feel safe here or anywhere in the world, but this community is one big family. We are all here for one another and look after each other.”
Reflecting on the therapy program’s impact on her daughter, Rotem noted: “She loves her sessions, especially dog therapy. It feels like an after-school club to her, but I can see her confidence growing even in these early stages. She now has a space to just be herself, to play and process what we’ve endured.”
A psychologist at the resilience center echoed Rotem’s assessment of the positive impact of the center, which can now serve more patients with the bomb shelters finally in place.
“It is incredible to see this project come to life,” said Nicole Yoder, ICEJ Vice President for AID & Aliyah, ahead of the shelter deliveries. “These bomb shelters are not just about safety; they are about healing. The larger-than-usual shelters double as therapy rooms, offering children from different schools a safe space to walk to during the day for individual and group therapy, before heading back to class.”
The resilience center also hosts therapy sessions for adults in the evenings, providing critical long-term care for a community where the need for such counseling has soared tenfold since the war began over 15 months ago.
One Parent’s Perspective
When we arrived, we were welcomed by Rotem Assaf, a local resident with a child in the program. She guided us to the site where the foundations for the shelters had already been laid. One of the largest cranes in Israel
“I’ve worked in public services for over a decade, but nothing could have prepared me for this,” the counselor said. “Once the kids moved back to live here, the need for therapy grew. I have patients who had terrorists in their homes and others who didn’t experience direct violence but were evacuated from their schools or homes. Even those not directly affected have been traumatized. But before therapy can begin, they need to feel safe. These shelters create that foundation. From there, the children begin to open up.”
As the last shelter was put in place, we saw how installing these large, reinforced safety rooms was no small feat. With 50 percent of the region’s cranes currently reserved for military purposes, securing the necessary approvals and equipment took months. However, the results have been well worth the effort. The success of the project is due to the collaboration with local councils and the adjacent school, as well as the support of Christians from four nations. The common concern shown by Evangelical believers from four countries spanning three continents serves as a powerful reminder of the extraordinary love many Christians have for Israel.
“As an Israeli, I feel so grateful for the support we receive from the Christian Embassy,” assured Rotem. “It is a reminder that there are people with good hearts who want us to have a sense of normality. I am very thankful for this support.”
ICEJ’s Vice President for AID and Aliyah Nicole Yoder watches as crews install an ICEJ-donated bomb shelter
Despite more than a year of war in Israel, the nation took in 32,186 Jewish immigrants in 2024. The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) played a key role in this remarkable stream of Aliyah, assisting over 3,000 Olim (newcomers), or roughly 10 percent. The ICEJ is poised to carry over this strong momentum in Aliyah into 2025 by sponsoring flights for new immigrants, covering pre-flight needs, and providing integration assistance for newly arrived Jewish families.
We fully expect our vital contributions to Aliyah to continue and even expand in 2025, with new initiatives targeting key regions and addressing emerging needs within the global Jewish community, which is currently facing a menacing wave of antisemitism.
JAFI Global Center Expansion
Part of the ICEJ’s new and enhanced Aliyah support involves a crucial donation to the Jewish Agency for Israel’s (JAFI’s) Global Center, enabling it to extend operational hours and increase staffing capacity for dedicated English and French-speaking staff who are helping to process the surge in Aliyah applications from Western countries.
Arielle Di Porto, director of the JAFI Global Center, recently highlighted the critical nature of its new programs, while noting how they have been “going from crisis to crisis” in recent years. She explained that the Agency’s global call center has faced three major challenges: the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine-Russia war, and now the conflict sparked by the October 7 massacre. Thus, the Center’s call volume has increased dramatically, from 200 calls daily to
ISRAEL READIES TO WELCOME MORE JEWS HOME IN 2025
BY HOWARD FLOWER, ICEJ ALIYAH DIRECTOR
over 1,000 during peak periods of these crises.
The Global Center’s expansion is expected to handle thousands of additional calls this coming year, directly supporting thousands of potential immigrant families by helping them complete their Aliyah applications. With 52 toll-free numbers worldwide, the Center serves as the heart of the Jewish Agency’s vital Aliyah operations, providing support in multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, and Hebrew.
Rising Global Antisemitism Driving Aliyah 2025
A dramatic surge in global antisemitism followed the Hamas terror invasion from Gaza on October 7, 2023, prompting many Jewish families worldwide to seriously consider making Aliyah. The Anti-Defamation League reported over 3,283 antisemitic incidents in the United States alone between October 2023 and January 2024. In France, authorities documented a staggering 1,000 percent increase in antisemitic incidents during the same period, while South Africa has seen mounting tensions, particularly after its government filed a controversial genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.
French Aliyah Surges
France emerged as a particular focus of the ICEJ’s Aliyah efforts in 2024, with the ICEJ sponsoring flights for 500 French Jews moving to Israel. The number of Aliyah applications from France has increased by 500 percent since October 2023, with over 7,000 new applications filed in 2024 compared to just 1,200 the previous year. Surveys indicate that approximately 38
percent of French Jews—around 200,000 people—are now considering making Aliyah to Israel. With your help, the ICEJ stands ready to sponsor Aliyah flights for even more French Jews in 2025.
Ethiopian Aliyah Paused
In March 2024 the ICEJ sponsored flights for 61 Ethiopian Jews who had been rescued from tribal clashes in Gondar the previous summer. Since the Israeli government resumed Ethiopian Aliyah in 2015, the ICEJ has sponsored flights for 3,225 out of 7,514 Ethiopian Jewish immigrants. According to recent Knesset reports, an additional 1,226 Ethiopian Jews are eligible for Aliyah. The ICEJ will be ready to assist once the door opens for this next group to finally reach Israel, which we expect to happen this year.
Exodus of South African Jews
The deteriorating situation for Jews in South Africa has led to increased Aliyah from the “Rainbow Nation.” The ICEJ sponsored several Aliyah flights for South African Jews in 2024, including recent groups from Cape Town and Johannesburg. The community faces challenges from rising antisemitism, economic instability, and the government’s strong anti-Israel stance, particularly regarding its genocide case against Israel at the ICJ. Please help us prepare to bring more South African Jews home to Israel.
Youth Aliyah Programs Flourish
The ICEJ maintained its strong support for JAFI’s Youth Aliyah programs in 2024, including the Naale and SELA initiatives, which allow young Jewish students to complete their high school and university studies in Israel. The ICEJ sponsors flights for numerous Jewish teenagers participating in these programs throughout
Staff at the JAFI Global Call Center
the year. The Naale program, which began in 1992, has seen impressive success rates, with approximately 90 percent of participants choosing to become Israeli citizens and 60 percent of their parents following suit.
The Christian Embassy also has been a key sponsor of summer and winter Aliyah camps for Jewish youths from Russian-speaking countries. In January, the ICEJ sponsored winter Aliyah camps in Latvia for 73 Jewish youth ages 12 to 17, including Ukrainian refugees now living in various European countries. The camps provide cultural immersion, education about Israel, and practical preparation for Aliyah.
Russian-Speaking Immigration Continues
Despite the ongoing conflicts in Israel and Ukraine, Russian-speaking Jews continue to comprise about 70 percent of worldwide Aliyah. The ICEJ has been particularly active in supporting these immigrants, many of whom are coming from Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet republics. The ICEJ has supported visa applications, pre-Aliyah logistics, and integration. Nearly 20,000 Russian-speaking Jews made Aliyah this past year.
Surge in Western Aliyah
The statistics paint a striking picture of increasing Aliyah interest among Jews in Western nations. France has seen a 300 percent increase in Aliyah files opened since October 7 last year, with applications rising from 400 to 1,700 in comparable periods. North America has experienced a 90 percent increase, while the United Kingdom shows a 40 percent rise amid growing concerns over antisemitism.
Di Porto emphasized the severity of the situation in France, where antisemitic incidents have increased by 1,000 percent since October 7. “In
the three months following October 7, there were more attacks than in the three previous years,” she noted. Significantly, 60 percent of these incidents involved violent attacks, which occurred across the country and not just in major cities.
The German-Jewish Community
In Germany, JAFI has adapted its approach to meet growing challenges and opportunities. Aliyah inquiries and file openings have increased compared to previous years. The ICEJ has supported successful Aliyah initiatives in Germany, including five pre-immigration seminars in Hamburg, Munich, Duisburg, Leer, and Magdeburg, each attracting many participants.
A particularly moving event in Duisburg brought 400 participants from multiple communities to Israel, including Major Arye Sharuz Shalicar, an Iranian-born Jewish immigrant who now serves as commander of the IDF spokesperson’s Europe desk. These efforts have contributed to 170 people making Aliyah from Germany in 2023 and 146 in early 2024, with an additional 38 high school students participating in the Naale Academy program. We anticipate more German Jews will be needing our help with Aliyah in 2025.
Global Impact and Future Outlook
JAFI chairman Gen. Doron Almog has forecasted a potential wave of immigration of up to one million Jews in coming years, largely driven home by rising global antisemitism. JAFI’s Board of Governors has set a target of bringing 300,000 Olim in the next five years, building on the successful absorption of over 200,000 immigrants between 2019 and 2023.
In 2025, the ICEJ is looking to build on our comprehensive Aliyah efforts from this past year, which included:
• Sponsoring over 1,000 Aliyah flights
• Assisting more than 3,000 new immigrants during pre-flight preparation
• Supporting multiple y outh Aliyah programs, such as Naale and SELA
• Organizing summer and winter camps for Jewish youth (our latest Aliyah youth camp began on December 25 to mark Hanukkah)
• Facilitating Jewish festivals and cultural events
• Supporting newly arrived Jewish immigrants and their initial integration efforts
The ICEJ continues to work closely with JAFI and other partners to facilitate successful Aliyah journeys, even during times of conflict. Despite the challenges posed by regional tensions and global antisemitism, the ICEJ’s commitment to supporting Jewish immigration to Israel remains unwavering.
“The most to be inspired is the young generation—they arrive first,” observed Gen. Almog, highlighting their role as pioneers in contemporary Aliyah. Almog said this new wave of immigration serves as a “growth engine” for Israel, contributing to various sectors, including business, science, culture, healthcare, and politics.
As 2025 begins, the ICEJ remains fully dedicated to its mandate of supporting the Jewish people in their prophetic return to their biblical homeland. Through the generous support of Christians worldwide, the ICEJ continues to play a vital role in this historic ingathering of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel, fulfilling ancient biblical promises even amid current challenges and conflicts. This work is not just about physical relocation but fulfilling God’s prophetic purposes and ensuring the future of the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland.
French Jews make Aliyah (credit JAFI)
Ethiopians welcomed at Ben Gurion Airport (credit JAFI)
South African Jews arrive home to Israel (credit JAFI)
Baltic Jews make Aliyah (credit JAFI)
ICEJ HOMECARE VISITS INSPIRE JOY AND BRIGHTEN DAYS!
BY MAXINE CARLILL ICEJ JERUSALEM STAFF
Homecare is a central part of the Christian Embassy’s founding mandate in 1980 to “Comfort, comfort My people” (Isaiah 40:1). This mandate was actually given over 2,500 years ago by the prophet Isaiah, and it has been the heart of our work over these recent decades. The Hebrew verb “to comfort” (nechama) carries special meaning in these painful and challenging days for Israel.
In such times, our work's emphasis becomes more about being present for those who are lonely and in need, being faithful friends, and undergirding the relationships built up over many years. When Israelis are feeling more and more isolated, that is the time Homecare is needed most. This mission is difficult to explain but precious to experience. It finds a voice every time an elderly person under our care warmly greets us with the words: “I have been waiting for you.”
Comforting the Lonely in Israel
Since the beginning of the current war, Homecare has reached out especially to the lonely in Israel. One elderly lady became so depressed that we were greatly concerned. We asked how we could help her. She replied: “Could you visit me every week?”
Our promise to do so became her lifeline. Every week she plans for the upcoming visit, shopping and preparing a homemade soup for lunch. This weekly anticipation of getting together over a simple meal and sharing life’s daily concerns has lifted this dear lady out of her fears of these difficult times. She always expresses her heartfelt gratitude, saying: “Thank you for coming; you brought me some light.”
Ludmila came from a religious background with great respect for Judaism and what it means to be Jewish. Once in Israel, she had to get used to a new life within a different culture, while also struggling to learn a new language. Yet despite her sense of being uprooted, she also has felt at home in Israel and especially enjoys her close connection with her son and granddaughter.
Unfortunately, soon after her Aliyah, Ludmila faced serious health issues, limiting her ability to properly integrate and make new friends. Thus, our visits are precious for her. We listen to her stories of life in Ukraine, of victory and courage. One story stands out. Sitting in her small apartment with sunlight streaming through the window, she recounted her close relationship with a Christian friend during her nursing studies many years ago.
“She was my classmate, and we became good friends,” recalled Ludmila. “Once, something serious happened, which resulted in me defending my Christian friend in front of an entire Communist party group. … I stood up for what was right, not fearing the consequence.”
Her eyes sparkled while remembering this moment of defiance and victory! Among Ludmila’s many stories, there are tales of discrimination due to her Jewish identity. But Ludmila is a true fighter to whom God has given grace to overcome many difficult challenges in life.
ICEJ Homecare visits with those who are lonely and in need, like Ludmila (above).
In some families the Homecare team visits, the grandchildren are serving in combat units with the Israeli army. We sense these grandparents’ concerns. We asked one woman where her grandson is fighting. She answered: “He didn’t want to tell me so I wouldn’t be afraid, but I am concerned, and my thoughts are with him day and night.”
We often visit Ludmila, who lives in the busy center of Jerusalem. She opens the door with a sweet smile, always glad to see us. Small in size but strong in character, she made Aliyah from Ukraine over two years ago to escape the war with Russia. Her son and granddaughter left for Israel several years before she did, but she had decided to stay in Ukraine with her ill husband. She cared for him with love and devotion until he passed away during the COVID pandemic. Left alone with her grief, the war finally pushed her to leave everything dear to her in the land of her birth and move to the Land promised to her people.
Every visit by ICEJ Homecare brings encouragement, comfort, and enduring friendship. Your support of our work has a lasting impact on the lives of some very special elderly Jews who have come home to Israel.
Your Israel Answer Renewing America’s Commitment to Israel and Stability in the Middle East: A Roadmap for Trump’s First 100 Days
By Dr. Susan Michael, ICEJ USA President
In the wake of President Donald J. Trump’s recent election victory, his administration must take quick, decisive action within its first 100 days to signal allies and enemies that the United States will lead with boldness and moral clarity moving forward. These first months of his administration represent a pivotal opportunity to renew the United States’ commitment to Israel, confront terrorism in the Middle East, and make it crystal clear that the violent antisemitism that we have seen on American college campuses will not be tolerated. The American Christian Leaders for Israel (ACLI), a network of over 3,000 pastors and leaders, have outlined six guiding principles that should steer the administration’s actions in this direction in its initial 100 days:
1. Combat Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions and Terrorism Sponsorship: Iran’s persistent pursuit of nuclear weapons and its role as a leading state sponsor of terrorism pose significant threats to regional and global security. The administration should implement robust sanctions and diplomatic measures to impede Iran’s nuclear progress and curtail its support for terrorist organizations.
2. Ensure the Defeat of Hamas and Secure Gaza: Following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas, it is imperative to support Israel in its efforts to dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities completely, secure the release of hostages, and establish conditions that prevent Gaza from threatening Israel in the future.
3. Strengthen the Abraham Accords: Expanding and deepening the Abraham Accords can foster greater regional stability and economic
cooperation. The administration should encourage more nations to normalize relations with Israel, building on the successes of previous agreements.
4. Support Israel’s Sovereignty and Security Measures: Renewing the United States’ recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over strategic territories, such as the Golan Heights, and supporting its security measures are crucial for regional stability. The administration should reaffirm these positions to deter aggression from hostile entities.
5. Confront Antisemitism on College Campuses: The rise of antisemitic incidents on American college campuses is alarming. The administration should enforce policies that withhold federal funding from institutions that permit antisemitic propaganda, ensuring that Jewish students can pursue their education without fear of harassment or discrimination.
6. Enhance US-Israel Defense Cooperation: Providing Israel with advanced military capabilities, such as bunker-busting bombs and midair refueling tankers, will enable it to address threats from adversaries like Iran effectively. Strengthening defense cooperation underscores the U.S. commitment to Israel’s security.
The previous administration’s inconsistent policies often undermined Israel’s security and emboldened adversaries. For instance, reengaging with Iran through the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) provided Tehran with economic relief without effectively halting its nuclear ambitions.
Additionally, inadequate responses to campus antisemitism allowed hostile environments to persist for Jewish students.
President Trump’s decisive leadership in his first term yielded significant achievements, including recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and establishing the Abraham Accords. It is also worth acknowledging that since his reelection, President Trump has been unequivocal in his support for Israel during this crisis, particularly regarding the hostage situation. He has consistently emphasized that there is no daylight between his position and Israel’s on the need for the immediate return of all hostages. His clear stance on this issue underscores the importance of strong US leadership in times of international crisis.
The selection of Marco Rubio as Secretary of State and former Governor Mike Huckabee as the US Ambassador to Israel demonstrates a clear intent to build a united front of support for Israel and opposition to her enemies. These choices bring together experienced leaders known for their strong pro-Israel stances, signaling the administration’s dedication to reinforcing the US-Israel relationship at the highest levels of government.
By adhering to the six guiding principles outlined by ACLI, the administration can build upon these successes, ensuring that both the United States and Israel are better equipped to face the challenges ahead.
In conclusion, a steadfast commitment to these principles will not only strengthen the US-Israel alliance but also promote peace and stability in the Middle East, as well as turn the tide of growing antisemitism here at home.
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Join us this March to bring hope and healing from the 2023 October 7th attack and war in Gaza. Let us stand with Israel and be a light in this ever-increasing darkness. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL IN PRACTICAL WAYS Join our
