• Israel and Hamas agree a ceasefire. Israeli ministers (unanimously) and Hamas have agreed to a mutual and unconditional ceasefire, which was brokered by Egypt last night. Israel said its airstrikes had destroyed more than 60 miles of Hamas tunnels, while its Iron Dome defences had cancelled thousands of Hamas rockets and drones. Hamas also claimed victory, warning, “our finger is on the trigger”. In total, 232 Palestinians were killed in the conflict, including many known Hamas terrorists, but also 65 children and 35 women. 12 people including two children died in Israel. The UN reported that 23 schools and 500 homes had been destroyed in Gaza. While Israel normally gave advance warnings of its attacks, many Gazans claimed this was often not the case, with devastating consequences. As the dust settles both sides are left counting the cost. (Read also this background article)

Society & Politics

• Scientists admit use of fear to control behaviour in Covid crisis was ‘totalitarian’. Members of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Behaviour expressed regret that they urged the government to increase “the perceived level of personal threat” from Covid-19 because “a substantial number of people still do not feel sufficiently personally threatened”. The scientists admit their work was “unethical” and “totalitarian”. Government ministers have faced repeated accusations that they ramped up the threat from the pandemic to justify lockdowns and coerce the public into abiding by them. Read more here.
• Darwin a 'racist, sexist and misogynist'. The reputation of one of the world’s most acclaimed scientists has come under attack for views expressed in his publication ‘The Descent of Man’, released 150 years ago. Dr Augustin Fuentes claims Charles Darwin’s scientific process became "warped" by racism, sexism and misogyny, and further accused him of using his theories to condone colonialism, imperialism, and genocide. The Natural History Museum, however, which displays a prominent statue to Darwin on its South Kensington Campus says it has no intention of removing the statue or his name from their buildings.

World Events

• Facebook shuts down pro-Israel page with 77 million followers. The 'Jerusalem Prayer Team' page, established in 2002 by Dr Mike Evans, is the largest Christian Facebook page in the world. Its aim was to gather millions of people together in a virtual concert of prayer. Evans claimed there was “an organized attempt by radical Islamic organizations to shut down the page” recently, by posting over a million comments on the site, including anti-Semitic posts, such as photos and quotes by Hitler, which may have (deliberately) triggered Facebook's filters. Anti-Israel fans tweeted comments celebrating the shut-down. Facebook are refusing to reconsider the ban, and insist their decision is final. Read more here and here.
• China’s ongoing crackdown on Christians. China has placed further restrictions on its largest social media platform, WeChat. Key words such as “Christ”, “Bible” and “Gospel” appear to have been blocked and a number of Christian WeChat accounts were removed. Users have also complained that they have been blocked from uploading Christian videos to the platform.
• Demonic outburst leads to revival in Tacoma church. A cessationist, conservative church in Tacoma, Washington State, hardly knew how to cope when a case of demonic possession occurred in their midst. But as a result of this incident, the church was blessed by such sense of the presence of God that caused demons to manifest week after week in a concentrated form for the next two years. This pressurised season not only brought revival to this church, it also launched the pastor into a deliverance ministry that has apparently set hundreds free.

The conflict in Israel has led to continued anti-Israel protests throughout the world – not least in New York last night even after a ceasefire was announced. It also led to numerous anti-Semitic incidents. Here are a few notable examples. (Read also this pertinent article).

• Pro-Palestinians drive through London calling for rape of Jewish women. A convoy of cars bearing Palestinian flags drove through Jewish communities in Finchley and Golders Green last weekend, shouting vile anti-Semitic slogans on loudspeakers. Locals were left horrified and intimidated. Boris Johnson condemned the acts of 'shameful racism'. Four men were subsequently arrested in connection with the incident. Jews in London were promised increased police presence around synagogues and Jewish schools. Read more here and here.
• Police investigate officer chanting ‘Free Palestine’ at rally. Police were also investigating one of their own officers who was filmed at a protest enthusiastically engaging with the protestors and chanting “free free Palestine.” Police officers are not permitted to adopt political positions.
• Norwich synagogue vandalised. Offensive words, along with a swastika, were daubed on the front door of the Adat Yeshua Synagogue in Norwich. Rabbi Binyamin Sheldrake said the synagogue's response would be "not one of hatred but one of love".
• London rabbi attacked. Meanwhile, in Chigwell, north London, two men were arrested over the religiously-aggravated assault of a local rabbi outside his synagogue. The rabbi was allegedly struck over the head with a brick, requiring hospital treatment.
• CNN reporter fired for saying world needs another Hitler. In America, a CNN reporter has been fired after tweeting "The world today needs a Hitler" in response to the growing violence between Israel and Palestine. It is the most recent in a series of anti-Semitic tweets Raja has made over the past few years.
• Supermodel calls for Jews to be thrown into sea. American supermodel, Bella Hadid, whose father, Mohamed Hadid, is Palestinian, advocated “throwing Jews into the sea” to her 42 million Instagram followers before taking part in a pro-Palestine march in Brooklyn. Israel has strongly condemned the remarks.

Israel & the Middle East

• Inspiring news amidst the Israel-Palestine conflict. PT has received numerous reports of peaceful efforts by Jews, Muslims and Christian Arabs looking out for and helping each other amidst the violence. Only a few such stories have hit the headlines. An Israeli Jew, 56, died in hospital after he was hit in the head with rocks thrown at his car by rioters as he drove to his home in Lod last week. In a beautiful gesture, his family have donated his kidney to an Arab woman who has waited 7 years for a suitable organ.

  Meanwhile, a Jewish Israeli man was attacked in Akko by an Arab mob that pulled him from his car and began to beat him with murderous blows. An Arab Israeli, who works as a male nurse, came to his rescue, protecting him until rescue forces arrived and took him to the hospital for emergency care. The two men later met in hospital (see photo above), embraced each other, and expressed hope for the future of renewed Jewish-Arab coexistence in Akko in spite of everything that has happened over the past 10 days.

Opportunities to serve with Issachar Ministries
Issachar Ministries is seeking volunteers with professional backgrounds and skills: in particular HR and IT/technical, but also legal, accounting, business, finance, charity governance, to serve the Lord with us at an exciting time of transition and new opportunity.
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please respond by 31 May.