JERUSALEM-ON-THE-LINE
January 15, 2012

“Surely the idolatrous commotion on the mountains is a deception; surely in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.” Jeremiah 3:23

REPORT: US PREPARING FOR AN ISRAELI STRIKE ON IRAN: US defense officials are becoming increasingly concerned that Israel is preparing to carry out a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The US military in preparation for that scenario is planning for a range of responses to an Israeli strike on the Islamic Republic, including attacks by pro-Iranian Shiite terrorists against the US Embassy in Iraq. The report said that, largely as a deterrent to Iran, the US has 15,000 soldiers in Kuwait and has moved a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf region. Additionally, the US has been pre-positioning aircraft and other military hardware and has accelerated arms transfers to its allies in the Persian Gulf region. Top US officials have sent a series of private messages to Israeli leaders warning about the effects of a strike on Iran. The White House wants to give sanctions more time, as part of efforts to compel Iran to abandon its efforts to build nuclear weapons. President Barack Obama and Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by telephone on Thursday. General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will visit Israel this week. (Wall Street Journal/Ha’aretz) This is truly the time and the year for all intercessors who love Israel to meet together frequently to uphold the leaders and people of the Jewish state. Pray for wisdom and strategy to be given to those at the helm in government, security and the military. Pray for the safety of all within Israel's borders and for the scattering of her foes.

OLIVER NORTH SAYS OBAMA HAS MADE AMERICA A HOLLOW THREAT: Decorated military veteran and best-selling author, Oliver North, says with the recently announced cuts to the US military, the Obama regime is looking like the “Jimmy Carter administration on steroids.”  North also asserts that President Obama’s efforts to deal with the growing Iranian threat have been an “abysmal failure” and warns that Israel will not “sit idly by and wait to be incinerated” by Iranian nuclear weapons. “Clearly the sanctions have not yet worked,” he declares. North was asked whether Obama would be willing to use military force against Iran if sanctions and diplomacy fail to curtail their nuclear weapons program. His response was that after looking at the Obama administration’s track record with the Arab Spring and what’s not been done to enhance freedom in either Syria or Iran, it’s inconsistent to expect it would be willing to do the kinds of things necessary with military force to prevent Iran from putting a nuclear warhead on the end of a ballistic missiles and attacking Tel Aviv. “So it looks like the US is a hollow threat.” Conflict with Iran appears increasingly inevitable, according to North. (Newsmax) “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men who cannot save.” Psalm 146: 3

GENERAL HAYDEN: IRAN WILL BE MORE ACTIVE IN IRAQ IN 2012: Former CIA Director Michael Hayden said Iran will be more active in Iraq in 2012 following the withdrawal of US troops and the political turmoil that erupted immediately after. The US, he said, was a “moderating influence” in Iraq. With the Americans out, Iraqis are reemerging, ready to fight, from their “sectarian corners,” and are more likely to fall under the influence of Iran, its neighbor, and also terrorist group, al-Qaeda. Hayden warned there exists a “very high” risk that Iran and the US will end up in a military conflict as the political situation in Tehran grows more unstable. He said Iran is intent on building nuclear weapons and such a scenario should be unacceptable to the US. Referring to Iran’s warlike threats about military attacks on US carriers and the Strait of Hormuz, Hadley said the risk is increasingly great that America will have that kind of confrontation. In blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Iran could stop delivery of some 40% of the world’s oil. The recent naval exercise on the part of the regime was a trial run to determine if it could do just that. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been visiting Latin American dictators. The possibility of coordinating with Venezuela to enact an oil embargo in a time of war with the West wouldn’t be so implausible to consider. (LIGNET/News Max)

IRAN PREPARING FOR WAR: Last May, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the Revolutionary Guards to rapidly increase the development and deployment of its nuclear weapons program. Recently the Washington Times has reported the Supreme Leader ordered the Guards to be prepared for war against Israel and the US. The Iranian National Security Council has determined there is a strong possibility Israel and the US will attack the Islamic Republic in 2012. Yet the Council isn’t worried, believing the Republic will be victorious and viewed as the champion of Islam. Washington Times’ reporter Reza Kahlili says Tehran would have no compunction about using the bomb to “bring the West to its knees.”  He also points out that Iran has concluded that because of the troubles in the world’s economy and financial troubles in America, even a limited confrontation with America would benefit the Islamic regime. In simple translation, they see America as weak. (Western Journalism)

IRAN: WE’LL BRING THE WAR TO ISRAEL AND BEYOND: An Israeli official while not confirming that Israel was behind the recent string of assassinations of Iranian scientists – including Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, killed Wednesday in Tehran – said that the assassinations were likely part of a “cold war” against Iran. In a retaliatory statement following Roshan’s death, Iran says it is preparing its own answers to the targeted eliminations of Iranian scientists. The Rajah News website said Thursday that Israel wasn't the only country that could undertake long-distance proxy wars. “We too can send our agents to kill people in their sleep. None of those responsible will escape," an unnamed official told the website. “We will take the war beyond the borders of Iran, and beyond the borders of the region.” Israeli commentators said the statement was an implied threat that Iran could target American Jews in response to what it perceives is a covert war by Israel to halt Iran's nuclear program. (INN) “The Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution to uphold Zion’s cause.”  Isaiah 34: 8

EXPLOSION IN GAZA HOME OF PALESTINIAN FACTION LEADER KILLS ONE: One Palestinian man was killed and four others wounded in an explosion at the home of a terrorist leader in the Gaza Strip on Saturday. Hamas security officials say the house belongs to the chief commander of the Popular Resistance Committees and that the man killed was preparing an attack on Israelis when the blast occurred. The Israeli military says it was not involved in the incident. The Gaza-based Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) terrorist organization is an ally of the Hamas terrorist rulers of Gaza and one of the three groups that participated in the kidnapping of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in June 2006. Shalit was returned to his parents this past October in exchange for the release of more than 1,000 Palestinian Authority terrorist prisoners from Israeli jails. (Ha’aretz/INN)

THAILAND ARRESTS HIZBULLAH TERRORIST, ISRAEL WARNS TRAVELERS: Authorities in Thailand said Friday they had detained a Lebanese man with suspected links to the Hizbullah terrorist group. The arrest was made after the US warned of a terrorist threat against tourists in Thailand. A Thai senior intelligence officer said Israel had informed his country of a possible threat. He added that the suspect was detained Thursday while another suspect had already fled the country. “Israel was suspicious that these two men might be terrorists, so they gave information, including their names, to our police before the New Year,” the intelligence officer said. Israel, meanwhile, would not confirm or deny a role in the arrest, as it generally does not comment on security issues. Shortly after the suspected terrorist was arrested, however, the Counter-Terrorism Bureau issued a travel warning to Thailand, saying there is a possibility of an attack against Israeli tourists in the capital Bangkok. The warning calls on Israeli tourists to avoid visiting the country and asks Israelis living in Thailand not to visit places associated with Israel. Hizbullah, a Shi'ite Islamist group in Lebanon backed by Syria and Iran, is on the official US blacklist of foreign terrorist organizations. (Ha’aretz/INN/AFP)

EU BACKS PALESTINIAN LAND GRAB IN ISRAELI-CONTROLLED AREAS OF WEST BANK: The EU has decided to pursue a series of projects which could undermine Israel's control of Area C in the West Bank, according to an official EU document obtained by the Israeli media on Thursday. The document states that Europe will under-gird infrastructure and other projects in order to "support the Palestinian people and help maintain their presence in the area." Area C makes up 62% of the West Bank, but the Palestinians make up only 5.8% of its population. The EU document criticizes Israel's policies in West Bank and suggests that Palestinians must pursue ventures in the Israeli-controlled area even without Israel's cooperation. The Oslo Accords divided the West Bank into three areas of control: Area A which is under the Palestinian Authority's full control; Area B, which is under Palestinian civil controls and shared Israeli-Palestinian security control; and Area C, which is controlled by Israel. (Ynet News) It is no coincidence the very week, last week, that the European Union openly encouraged the Palestinian Authority to snatch lands from Israel in Judea, Samaria and East Jerusalem - pledging European help to do so - that several European countries were downgraded by the S&P.  It lines up perfectly with G-d’s promise and warning: “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.” Genesis 12: 3

Blessings from Israel 

Barry Segal with the Editorial Staff 

As international speakers and messengers of the Good News through music, Barry and Batya Segal are at the forefront of what God is doing in the present day nation of Israel. With strong ties in both the nations and Jerusalem, the Segals are weaving the deepest roots of our biblical heritage together with the fresh Spirit-filled worship of today to create their rich harmony of Scripture and song.

The Segals have a vast vision for God's purposes in the nations and to the people of Israel. In fact, their longing to help rebuild Israel both spiritually and physically inspired them to pioneer the non-profit charity organization, Vision for Israel and The Joseph Storehouse. This arm of their ministry focuses on assisting the poor and needy, widows and orphans, and reaching out to the new Jewish immigrants coming into the land of Israel. Vision 's most challenging project to date is "The Joseph Storehouse®", humanitarian aid center, located in the hills of Jerusalem. The Joseph Storehouse functions as a channel of blessing to all of Israel, Jewish and Arab, through the gathering and distribution of emergency medical supplies, food, clothing, and other basic life necessities. USA office contact info: Vision for Israel, PO Box 7743, Charlotte NC 28241, 866-351-0075. The Segal's web site is http://www.visionforisrael.com/

Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.