Amir Tsarfati in Israel.

Shalom from the Jezreel Valley! I have had a wonderful week filled with interviews. First, I had the opportunity to join Tony Perkins on his show “Washington Watch”. We had a great discussion about what is taking place today in Israel and how it fits into God’s plan for His chosen people. If you have not seen it, you can watch it here. Immediately following, I took time with Chris Mitchell, who is an excellent reporter with CBN.

On Monday, I sat down with Dr. Einat Wilf, who is a very strong advocate of Israel in the political and academic realm. As the Jerusalem rain came down in the background, we discussed our love for our nation, but we did so from disparate points of view both politically and spiritually. While a great thinker, Dr. Wilf has no place for God in her philosophy. She views Zionism as a secular movement, which I strongly disagree with. Removing God from of the story of the Jews’ return to their ancestral homeland is like a child going to the cupboard, removing a package of crackers, then feeling proud that they were able to feed themselves. It is a woefully limited perspective with no vision of the bigger picture. Still, just as a father will continue to provide for that child whether or not the little one acknowledges his part, God will progress in His plans to bring His people home without our help and without us acknowledging His part. That is why the Bible says that first He will bring them back, and then He will pour His spirit on them. I look forward to the coming release of this video, because often Christians can find themselves in an echo chamber, forgetting that most of the world has a very different foundation from which they build their worldview. This interview will be most enlightening.

Finally, last night I had the opposite experience from Monday’s interview as I met via video with a man who has a solid grasp on Scripture. My dear friend, Pastor Barry Stagner, invited me to join him on his weekly show “The Lineup”. When Barry and I are together, it is always a good time of looking into current events and funneling them through the lens of Scripture. Last night was no exception. If you have time to check out the video when it releases tonight, I would encourage you to do so.

Sadly for Hamas, they didn’t enjoy as good as week as I did. In fact, theirs started out very poorly. Eighty thousand Muslims journeyed to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. They were there for the first Friday prayers of Ramadan. The worshippers came, they prayed, then they went home. Hamas was crushed. They were desperately hoping for riots or protests or some sort of violence to break out – anything that they could point to that would show how the evil Israelis were determined to keep Muslims from worshipping at their holy mosque. Instead, it all went off without a hitch. Sorry Hamas. Better luck next Ramadan.

The Middle East

As I summarize some key happenings from the last week, please make sure to check out and subscribe to My Telegram Channel if you haven’t already, as this is the platform I use to provide real-time updates concerning Israel, the region, and events happening around the world on a daily basis.

Hezbollah, Hamas, and Other Militias
A major criticism of the IDF has been the number of civilian casualties in Gaza and in the north in Lebanon and Syria. What these critics are failing to realize – or, more likely, failing to admit to – is the immoral human shield philosophy of Hamas and Hezbollah. The whole reason the IDF is in civilian neighborhoods and hospitals and humanitarian areas is because that is where the terrorists have placed their soldiers, their weapons and armament storehouses, their rocket and bomb making factories, and their military headquarters. When the IDF goes in, it does all it can to protect innocent lives. That is the opposite of the terrorists who hope for high civilian casualty numbers. For them, the public relations boost from a picture of a dead baby more than makes up for the loss of the child’s life.

At the end of January, Newsweek published an opinion piece called “Israel Implemented More Measures to Prevent Civilian Casualties Than Any Other Nation in History”. The title says it all. And this isn’t just some biased rant by an Israeli sympathizer. Its author is John Spencer, chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute (MWI) at West Point and codirector of MWI’s Urban Warfare Project. In his article, Spencer wrote, “To be clear, I am outraged by the civilian casualties in Gaza. But it’s crucial to direct that outrage at the right target. And that target is Hamas.” Both Hamas and Hezbollah know they have no conventional weapons that can defeat the Israeli military. So, they will resort to their one ordnance powerful enough to bring them victory – public opinion.

Five senior leaders of pro-Iranian militias were eliminated in a targeted airstrike by the IDF in eastern Syria. One was a senior commander of Hezbollah. Last week also saw two attacks on Hezbollah weapons depots in the same area north of Damascus just two days apart. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, IDF airstrikes continue on Hezbollah sites.

Hamas
Once the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had cleared Gaza City of Hamas, they directed their efforts south. As the battle raged in Khan Yunis, the terrorists sensed an opportunity. Quietly, they began sneaking back into Gaza City, reestablishing a secret base at Shifa Hospital. What they didn’t realize was that they were being watched. Once Hamas was settled in, the IDF sprung their trap. Military and Shin Bet forces surrounded the hospital and moved in. What they found inside was a lot of terrorists and a massive amount of weapons and armaments. Thus far, at least 90 Hamas members have been killed and 350 suspects have been arrested. Fa’ak Mabhouh, the head of the internal security operations department for the terrorist organization, was among the dead. This surprise attack was a major disappointment for Hamas.

In the West Bank, the battle continues to rage against Hamas. Yesterday, in Jenin, a car carrying three terrorists was destroyed in a surgical airstrike. In Tulkarm, more than 50 military jeeps, three bulldozers, and three Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozers entered the city for an operation. There were also reports of an aerial attack on the city’s militants. It is essential for the IDF to quell the terrorist tide building in the West Bank.

A growing number of Gazans are turning their backs on Hamas due to the terrorists’ penchant for stealing aid. A week ago, armed Palestinians began shooting at civilians who were waiting for a delivery of humanitarian relief. The armed gunmen continued to shoot at innocent men, women, and children after the aid trucks had arrived at the Kuwaiti roundabout in Gaza City. Dozens were killed and at least 150 were injured. Some of the dead had been run over by the aid trucks. More recently, a huge amount of humanitarian aid flour was discovered in a warehouse that had been recently bombed by the IDF. It is no wonder that cries of “May God protect you, Netanyahu” and “May God protect the Jewish people” were heard among those who had discovered the flour.

Israel
While Hamas has experienced major disappointments at home, they’re encouraged by what they are seeing overseas. The Canadian government announced Tuesday that it will halt future arms exports to Israel. While disappointing, it is not surprising. With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in charge, it was not a matter of “if” but “when”. The sentiments of much of Western Europe are trending strongly in the same direction as Canada.

Of greatest concern is the intentional drift of the United States from Israel, led by the woke liberal left. Last week, in a speech highly critical of Israel’s handling of the war, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he better straighten up his act. Otherwise, “the United States will have no choice but to play a more active role in shaping Israeli policy by using our leverage to change the present course.” He also included in his speech a call for early elections in Israel. This prompted Netanyahu to remind the senator that Israeli elections fall under the purview of the Israeli people, adding, “We’re not a banana republic.”

But it is not just Schumer who is trying to insert the United States into critical Israeli decision-making. Both President Joe Biden and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan made it clear that the IDF going into Rafah would be a big mistake. Biden even went so far as to call it a “red line” before backtracking and saying, “So there is no red line…”, and then adding, “But there’s red lines….” Um, thanks for the clarification. Netanyahu responded by assuring the US administration and the Israeli people that Israel will be going into Rafah. He added, “You know, I have a red line. You know what the red line is? That October 7 doesn’t happen again. Never happens again.”

Yemen
Early Monday morning, an explosion was heard in an open area near Eilat in the south of Israel. The cause of that explosion was a cruise missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The Israeli Air Force tracked the missile the whole way and, once it was determined that it was bound for open space, chose not to waste a rocket to shoot it down. Still, this marked the first time that a projectile fired by the Houthis has reached Israeli territory.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a press release Monday telling of a successful engagement against the Houthis in which seven anti-ship missiles, three UAVs, and three weapons storage containers were destroyed. These weapons posed an immediate threat to both merchant and navy ships.

Russia
Vladimir Putin won reelection to the Russian presidency on Monday with 87% of the vote. This was a surprise to absolutely no one. His closest opponent, Nikolay Kharitonov, who received 4%, was last seen walking through the Duma headquarters, mumbling, “Why did I insist on the tenth-floor balcony apartment?”

Not all is rosy for President Putin. Saturday saw drone hits on two oil refineries, one in Krasnodar region and one in Samara oblast. These refinery strikes are happening more and more often, and the Russian military has yet to figure out an answer to stopping them. The next day, explosive drones hit Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow forcing it to suspend operations for a time.

The Ministry

We want you to know that we’re continuing to monitor the events in the region, as our hearts long to resume our Bible Experience Tours as soon as possible. Please continue to pray that God would give us clear wisdom as to the right timing for this. We’re so passionate about exposing people to the land of the Bible so they can testify of the faithfulness of our God.

After the amazing success of our Alaska Cruise conference in 2023, we are preparing to take our teaching back on the water! For these opportunities, we will be presenting our Discovering Daniel & Revealing Revelation Conference in two very different venues. The first will be a cruise through the Mediterranean, which will take place from October 19-29, 2024. Our second opportunity to present these teachings will be on the waters of the Caribbean on January 18-25, 2025. Registration for both cruises is currently open! Make sure to register soon, as we anticipate these events to fill up quickly.

For those of you in Arizona and surrounding areas, we’d like to invite you to join Pastor Mike Golay, Pastor Barry Stagner, Pastor David Guzik, and Gary Kah for the Prophecy 24 Conference! In this one-day gathering on Saturday, April 13, Pastor Mike and the others will open up the Scriptures to address the days we’re living in and the hope that lies ahead. For more information and to register, follow this link!

In just two-to-three minutes each, “Make Gaza Great Again?”, “Should Palestine Be Free From the River to the Sea?”, and “Who are the Palestinians?” confront the party line narrative with historical and political truth. Please make sure to utilize these resources while they remain on the internet by sharing them with those around you.

From the onset of creation, God has desired to dwell among His people. Even after sin entered the world, God graciously provided the means for this to take place. In my message, “The Next Temple”, premiering Friday, March 22, at 12:00 PM PDT, I explain how the nature of God’s presence with His people has changed throughout the ages and will continue to change into the future.

Saturday night begins Purim, a special holiday that commemorates God’s faithfulness in protecting His people. Back in the days of Queen Esther, a minister of the king named Haman determined that he was going to bring about the destruction of the Jewish people. But through the faithfulness of the young queen, God turned the tables, bringing about the salvation of the Jews and the destruction of Haman. At the end of the biblical book named after the brave Esther, an annual celebration was decreed to bring honor to the God who watches over His people. If you want to read more about Purim, read my article, “Purim – Commemorating the Story of Esther”.

We are so blessed by your prayers and support for this ministry. God is good, and despite the growing pressure against Israel we know that He always remains true to His people and His promises. Therefore, there is no reason to doubt or to fear. The same God that protected the Jewish people in the days of Esther is watching over them still today!

Awaiting His Return,

As believers, the suspense of [Jesus’] first coming is over. We do not need anymore to find out who He is. Now we need to eagerly wait for His appearance. We’re no longer in suspense of someone or something. We are anticipating the appearance of someone we already know personally. The point is this, if you don’t know Jesus personally, you will always remain in suspense. Jesus came to give us peace that surpasses all understanding. How come half of us are frantic? We are so obsessed with when and what. Guys, first of all, He’s coming in an hour you don’t know. Let’s start with that. Second, He’s coming to people who are waiting for Him and who are ready. When you’re ready, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing and where you’re at. You’re ready. Can you imagine if Jesus would’ve told us, “I’m coming on May 21st, 2023”? Half of you will be in Vegas until then. Now that we know the day, don’t worry. A week before, we’ll be on our knees.

Are you eagerly awaiting His return? “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” Romans 8, “Not only that, but we also have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption…” Of what? “…Our body.” We’ve been redeemed already, but our body – look at our body. Look at this. Look at yourself. You have to think 50,000 times before you eat the donut. We have a saying in Hebrew, “Is it butt-worthy?” I’m sorry, that’s Hebrew. Romans 8:25, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” First Corinthians 1:7, “So that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Galatians 5:5, “For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” Philippians 3:20, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Eagerly wait. It’s not suspense anymore. We know who He is. We have the peace in our heart. We are workers of righteousness. We’re not sitting in front of YouTube, asking “When is it? Who said the date? Oh yeah, this is the date. It matches the stars. It matches the sun. We see this….” No, all of them are like that all the time. “Oh yeah, it’s coming. Oh, I’m selling all my stocks. I’m going up the mountain. I’m changing my clothes.” I mean, it’s like, what happened to you? And then when you sell the world all of these theories about blood moons and data and nothing happens, everybody looks at you as false. You did the wrong service. The church is not waiting for the physical return of Jesus to Earth, but rather the physical departure of the church from Earth into Heaven.

Prophecy Watchers
A message from Amir Tsarfati in Israel.

"Shalom from a grieving Israel. I finally was able to make it home yesterday after days of trying to catch earlier flights. What I found here was a nation that is brokenhearted, yet full of resolve. We have put up with the terrorists surrounding us and picking off our people one-by-one. When we would respond, it would be with a method of retaliation commensurate to the murderous action taken against us. But then a terrorist army invaded from Gaza and horrifically slaughtered more than 1200 of our innocent babies, children, elderly, women, and men. They shot them, burned them, stabbed them, and decapitated them. At that point, it was no longer about retaliation against terrorists. We were at war.

As I write this to you today, please understand that my emotions, along with those of all my fellow Israelis, are still raw. For those of you in America, think of how you felt five days after 9/11. So, while I will seek to communicate matter-of-factly, you will hopefully understand when there is steel in my words. I recognize that there are those in Gaza who do not agree with what was done by their leaders and fellow countrymen. I am sorry for what you must endure because of their evil actions. But, once again, this is war. You are not victims of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). You are victims of your own leadership.

I’ll begin this newsletter with a brief look at the current situation. I will not focus on what initially took place in the attacks, because I have already covered that in the Special Edition: The War in Israel newsletter that I published on Sunday. If you haven’t read it already, I would encourage you to do so. This newsletter will center on developments since that last newsletter. Then, I will look at the major players involved – who are showing themselves as Israel’s friends and who are making it clear that they are our enemies. Finally, I will lay out the three levels of Israel’s response to this attack as we look to the future.

The Current Situation

Israel is fighting a three-front war. In the northeast, mortar shells have been fired across the border from Syria. The IDF is closely watching activity from that region, because it is a hotbed of activity by Iranian-supported proxy militias. Russia also continues to have a strong presence there, although it is decreasing as they siphon off troops from Syria to fight in Ukraine.

The second front is Lebanon in the north. Hezbollah is sending commando raids into Israel, while firing rockets over the border. Leaders from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as well as from Iranian proxy militias like Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, are in Lebanon orchestrating the terrorist actions. Hezbollah leadership is being very vocal against both Israel and the United States. I expect this front to explode soon due to the pressure being put on it by the IRGC.

The primary front is in Gaza to the south. This is where the attack against Israel originated, and this is where Hamas has its stronghold. Gaza looks like a warzone because that is exactly what it is. The IDF is on a mission to destroy Israel’s southern enemies – the terrorist organizations Hamas and Islamic Jihad. To find them, they must root them out. That is why you are seeing building after building coming down in Gaza. This is not a police operation. We will not risk our people going door to door to find criminals. This is war, which means destroying the weapons, resources, safehouses, and personnel of your enemy. Those who understand war recognize the need for leveling buildings and cutting services like electricity and water. Those who don’t, cry out, “Unfair! Overkill!” If any of those naysayers actually looked at the pictures of decapitated babies and of families who were burned alive, I wonder whether they would have the same reaction. Expect the strength of Israel’s prosecution of the war in Gaza to be what begins to turn the sentiment of the world, particularly in Europe, back against us.

In Israel, more than 400,000 reservists have been called to service. We are strong, and we are united as a nation. Once again, I hearken back to 9/11. As a population, we are where America was on that tragic day. All of our social and political differences have been set aside for another time. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has created a special emergency wartime government consisting of himself, former Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, current Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizencot, and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer. This unity government’s sole purpose is the successful prosecution of the war until peace and safety are once again achieved.

Israel’s Global Friends

The United States

It is in the difficult times that one learns who are true friends and who are enemies. The one nation that has shown itself above all others to be a friend of Israel is the United States. For all the areas in which I strongly disagree with this administration, it has stepped up strongly to support our efforts to protect ourselves. I must give credit where credit is due. What is taking place now is not politics; it is war. And the US is our closest wartime friend.

On Tuesday, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea as a deterrent against any other nations, i.e., Lebanon, from getting involved in the war. Hezbollah immediately spoke out against America, saying they will not be intimidated by a carrier. They should be. The US is also replenishing Israel’s weapons and ammunition stores. Included in that is a request by four senators, two from each party, to transfer to Israeli control two Iron Dome batteries that are currently under US oversight. In Israel, we are truly blessed to have the United States of America by our side.

Europe

For all the United Nations votes that go against Israel because of perceived slights against the Palestinians, the support from Europe has been surprisingly strong. Maybe for the first time, many are seeing in the radical element in Gaza what we have been dealing with for decades. The number of landmarks and governmental buildings that were either lit up with Israel’s blue and white or flew an Israeli flag was quite moving. Words of support and encouragement poured in from governmental leaders throughout the continent. Just yesterday, the Bundestag in Germany – of all places – stood for a minute of silence for Israel’s victims. Amazing!

The support of Europe is not just of the visual encouragement kind. The governments of Great Britain, France, Italy, and Germany have joined the United States in a coalition committed to coming against any third country that looks to enter the war with Hamas. Many in Lebanon know that this partnership is directed primarily towards them. The leader of Lebanon’s Khataib Christian Party warned Hezbollah against dragging their country into a conflict in which they all will pay a heavy price.

The Middle East

Jordan has allowed the United States to deploy the 101st Airborne Division on its bases in support of Israel. The United Arab Emirates strongly condemned the attack against Israel, and warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against joining in the war. After an initial issue with Egypt over an attempt to export supplies into Gaza, there has been calm between Israel and its southern neighbor. Cairo has even opened up its borders to Gazan refugees and is willing to receive Israeli hostages if and when they are freed by the terrorists.

Israel’s Global Enemies

Iran

The nation responsible for the attack from the north is Iran. They recruited the proxy militias. They funded them, trained them, positioned them, and now they have deployed them. Make no mistake, the religious tyrants in Tehran have escalated this conflict to the level for which they will pay a very heavy price.

Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin blames Israel for the conflict. Relations between Moscow and Jerusalem have soured over gas and the ongoing conflict with Syria. Some of the techniques used in the Gazan terrorist invasion smacked of Russian involvement, and it would not be surprising to hear that they were involved in training the attackers.

Radical Left

It amazes me that even after the reports of the murder of children, the decapitation of babies, the burning alive of families, and the raping and torture of hostages, thousands of people in cities around the world took to the streets in support of Hamas. Seriously. There are times I am just flabbergasted not just by evil, but the joyful support by the radical left of evil’s heinous actions. Sadly, as the prosecution of the war continues, more and more will listen to the mindless and heartless chanting of these people, and will be swayed to their side. Eventually, Israel will once again be viewed as villains for defending ourselves. How do I know this? Because I’ve seen this same movie far too many times before.

What’s Next?

Phase 1 – Cleanse Israel of Terrorists
This is easier said than done. Even up to today, terrorists are being found hiding out in the south. The bigger concern, though, is up north. If this region hasn’t blown up by the time this newsletter is released, I along with most Israelis believe it will sometime soon. Yesterday, my family and I escaped to the bomb shelter because we received notice of a drone and aircraft invasion from the north. It turned out that all the security alerts the country experienced were part of a cyber-attack. Still, we all expect that in the near future, the alerts we receive will be real.

Phase 2 – Destroy Hamas and Islamic Jihad
You can add Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, the Taliban in Afghanistan, ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and any other terrorist group that joins in this attack on Israel. We’ve played around with terrorism too long. The Gazan, West Bank, and northern border terrorists are emboldened, embedded, and well supplied. They play on our compassion and our scruples about commensurate retaliation. Those gloves are off. It is now a bare-knuckle brawl, and Israel will not stop punching until these terrorists are permanently off the threat list.

Phase 3 – Go After Nations who Helped
Ayatollah Khamenei, you cannot hide behind your proxy militias anymore. Everyone knows that it is you supplying them with weapons, training, and funds. We know that it is the voice of your leadership that is sending your ignorant fighting sheep out to be slaughtered. We’ve let it go for this long, but we will not anymore. That also goes for you, Vladimir, and you, Recep, and any other puppet masters who are pulling the strings of terrorism in the Middle East. Any of you who have read my novels know the old Talmudic saying, “If anyone is coming to kill you, rise up and kill them first.” We Israelis are tired of people coming to kill us. It’s time for us to rise up.

We are in the beginning stages of a long battle. I can’t say that it will get worse before it gets better, because I can’t imagine anything worse than what has already taken place in southern Israel. I’ve compared this event to a second 9/11, but as I’ve seen the pictures and heard the stories it is nothing less than a second Holocaust. Maybe not in numbers, but certainly in brutality and depth of evil. Still, the numbers are horrific. Proportionally to the population, it is like 26,000 Americans being viciously slaughtered in one day. And rather than it being one grand event that took everyone out, it was innocents being killed one by one. Children in front of their parents, and parents in front of their children. Gunned down at a party, shot in their beds, executed in the streets. Absolutely barbaric.

Yet, even in the worst of times, God shows His grace. I was reminded of that yesterday. Many people had been asking us how they could contribute to the victims of Saturday’s attack. I contacted a friend of mine, Yonatan Dubi, and he provided a list of groups that he personally vetted. We sent the list out, and the response was overwhelming. So many people gave to these groups that they were having a hard time keeping up with the donations. God is good, and He showed Himself through so many of you who made the sacrifice to bless the people of my nation.

Pray for Israel. Pray for our leaders, particularly those of the emergency government. Pray for our military. Hundreds of thousands have left their jobs and their homes to temporarily step back into uniform. Pray for the families of the dead. Pray for the recovery of the wounded. Pray for those who are hostages or who were hostages. So many have been brutalized in the most violent of ways. Most of all, pray that God will somehow be glorified in all of this. He is good. He is God. We trust His ways. See less