The Truth About the Jerusalem Embassy Riots

It’s been an amazing few weeks here in Israel: the 70th anniversary of the birth of the nation, the official opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, our Tikkun Roundtable conference (more on that next week) and the annual Shavuot (Pentecost) prayer meeting. Sadly, at the same time, there was much bloodshed on our border with Gaza, as Hamas led a suicidal effort to try and breach the border with Israel. As always, the world media brushes aside history, forgets the reasons why we are in this mess, and makes Israel to be the bad guy.

Thankfully, the truth has come out about the Gaza riots and bloodshed. Hamas official, Salah Bardawil finally admitted that 50 of the 60 killed on Monday were Hamas activists. In addition, three Islamic Jihad activists were killed. Israel had said that at least 24 of the fatalities belonged to militant groups, but international media did not believe them. Does anyone still think these 53 militants were peaceful protesters just out for a stroll along the border fence?

Here are a few facts pointing out that Hamas is responsible for all the deaths, sending scores of young men on what is essentially a suicide mission for media purposes.

• Hamas is lying to its “human shields.” The Washington Post (May 14) reported that “At a gathering point east of Gaza City, organizers urged demonstrators to burst through the fence, telling them Israeli soldiers were fleeing their positions.”
• These protests weren’t peaceful. The New York Times (April 27) cited “the Molotov cocktails thrown at Israeli soldiers and firebombs attached to kites that are routinely sailed over the fence, setting fires to Israeli farmland.”
• The Israeli Defense Forces had said that some “peaceful demonstrators” fired on its soldiers or attempted to place explosive devices along the border.
• For the third time in two weeks, the Kerem Shalom border crossing, through which Israel sends medicine, fuel and other humanitarian essentials, was set on fire by Hamas activists—just another way of causing suffering to the populace it is supposed to be serving.
• Prime Minister Netanyahu’s stated that Hamas is “pushing civilians, women, children into the line of fire with the view of getting casualties…, in order to pressure Israel.”
• In an interview with Al Jazeera on Sunday, Hamas co-founder Mahmoud al-Zahar said that “recent Palestinian riots on the border were backed by the Islamist group’s fighters and weapons” and “When we talk about ‘peaceful resistance,’ it is to deceive the public.” Could it be any clearer?

So how should believers respond? We must constantly expose the lies of militant Islam, in its satanic hatred of Israel, the West and Christians. We don’t want to demonize anyone—but want to pray for all those under the deception of Islam to be set free and come into the revelation of the Son of God, Yeshua. At our Shavuot prayer event, we experienced a powerful time of this kind of intercession, led by local Arab Christians and Messianic believers. We believe unity in Christ along the “Isaiah 19” highway (Egypt/Israel/Assyria) releases an anointing for the kind of prayer that can break the hold of this wicked principality (Islam) over the minds of millions. Please keep praying with us! {eoa}

Asher Intrater is the founder and apostolic leader of Revive Israel Ministries and oversees Ahavat Yeshua congregation in Jerusalem and Tiferet Yeshua congregation in Tel Aviv. Asher was one of the founders of Tikkun International with Dan Juster and Eitan Shishkoff and serves on the board of the Messianic Alliance of Israel and Aglow International. He and his wife and full-time partner in ministry, Betty, have a passion for personal prayer and devotion, local evangelism and discipleship in Hebrew and unity of the body of believers worldwide.

This article originally appeared at reviveisrael.org.