The IAF struck a terrorist squad who were ready to fire rockets into Israel from Gaza. The operation was carried out jointly by the IDF and the ISA.
On Sunday (Jan. 10), in a Joint IDF and ISA operation, the IAF targeted and identified hitting a squad of terror operatives who were preparing to fire rockets from the central Gaza strip into Israel.
More than 300 rockets and mortars were fired at Israel since the end of Operation Cast lead. This is in comparison to over 3300 rockets and mortars that were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip in the whole of 2008, prior to the operation.
The IDF will not tolerate the firing of rockets by terrorist organizations at Israel and will continue to respond against any attempt to disrupt the calm in Israel's southern communities
source: http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/today/10/01/1101.htm
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Eighth church arson attack after Malaysia's Allah ruling
by Ethan Cole, Christian PostPosted: Tuesday, January 12, 2010, 9:39 (GMT)
Eighth church arson attack after Malaysia's Allah ruling
Police on Monday reported the eighth arson attack on a church in Malaysia since the High Court ruled that non-Muslims can use the word “Allah” to refer to God.
Sometime between 1:30 am and 8:30 am local time, unknown vandals attacked Sidang Injil Borneo Church on the western coast of Malaysia. Burn marks were found on the church’s main entrance door, according to local newspapers. But the arson did not affect the interior of the building.
Deputy police chief of Negeri Sembilan state Datuk Abd Manan Mhd Hassan told reporters that officers, a forensic unit and members of the fire department inspected the damaged door after a man reported the scorching Monday morning.
“We believe assailants used petro to set fire to the door but, fortunately, the fire did not spread,” Hassan said.
He added that all police patrol cars and officers on duty have been called to monitor places of worship, especially mosques and churches.
“I urge the people to stop such activities,” the deputy police chief appealed to Malaysians. “Do not do anything that can disrupt peace and harmony of the country. We will take stern action against those found responsible.”
In addition to security provided by police, Muslim non-government organisations have also begun to patrol church areas in the Klang Valley – an area on the west coast that includes the capital Kuala Lumpur – where four churches were targets of arson attacks.
Muslim volunteers began patrolling Monday night in two shifts, from 11 pm to 2 am and 4 am until dawn, according to Malaysia’s The Star newspaper.
The Muslim NGO’s have committed to be the “eyes and ears” of the government, which has condemned the attacks on churches, to ensure the security of Christian places of worship.
Attacks on churches and other Christian-owned buildings occurred after a High Court judge ruled on December 31, 2009, that the word “Allah” is not exclusive to Islam and that the government’s Home Ministry is “not empowered” to ban non-Muslims from using the word.
The case began two years ago when The Herald, the Roman Catholic Church’s weekly Malaysian publication, filed a suit against the government. The Herald has argued that the word “Allah” predates Islam and is used by Arabic-speaking non-Muslims to refer to God. It filed the suit in order to continue to use the word “Allah” in its Malay language newspaper.
The government had issued the ban on the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims in the 1980s, but the law was never enforced. Just in the last few years the government began enforcing the law and confiscating Bibles that contained the word “Allah.”
In response to the High Court’s decision, the government appealed the ruling last week. It maintains that “Allah” is an Islamic word and if used by non-Muslims could confuse Muslims into converting to those faiths.
According to the CIA World Factbook, 60.4 per cent of Malaysia's 25.7 million people ascribe to Islam. Around 19.2 per cent, meanwhile, is Buddhist, and 9.1 per cent is Christian.
Though the population is predominantly Muslim, Malaysians of different faiths have historically been able to live in peace with one another.
A Christian ministry worker living in Malaysia, whose name was withheld for security reasons, said, “This (church attacks) is totally shocking to us Malaysians, because as far as this generation can remember, this has never happened,” according to Mission Network News. “We’ve always had peaceful relations.”
Faced with unprecedented violence, Malaysian Christians are praying and calling for national unity.
“We call on our government to take the necessary steps to educate those who lack understanding and are ‘easily confused’ to be mature minded in a progressive democratic society," reads the statement by the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship.
“As Christians and responsible citizens of this country, it is our desire to see all quarters promote peace and harmony,” the evangelical group states. “NECF calls on all parties to learn to respect each other’s basic constitutional and human rights to practice one’s faith and religion, recognising the fundamental boundaries in not interfering with the Scriptures of other faiths.”
NECF urges Christians to pray for peace in Malaysia.
In the UK, a service of prayers was held in Lichfield Cathedral for the safety and security of Christians in Malaysia.
The Rev Terry Bloor, Vicar of Basford near Newcastle-under-Lyme, led prayers for the Bishop of West Malaysia, the Rt Rev Moon Hing and all Christians in Malaysia, and especially for the congregations whose church buildings have been damaged by fire-bomb attacks.
He said: “We pray that the Malaysian Home Minister’s appeal for calm might be heeded and protests moderated.”
He prayed: “Father, be with those in authority who seek a peaceful solution, and may all Christians in Malaysia, of whatever denomination, through prayer, fasting and without retaliation, seek your will and overcome all evil intent with the good that your name, in whatever language, speaks to the world.”
source: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/eighth.church.arson.attack.after.malaysias.allah.ruling/25056.htm
Eighth church arson attack after Malaysia's Allah ruling
Police on Monday reported the eighth arson attack on a church in Malaysia since the High Court ruled that non-Muslims can use the word “Allah” to refer to God.
Sometime between 1:30 am and 8:30 am local time, unknown vandals attacked Sidang Injil Borneo Church on the western coast of Malaysia. Burn marks were found on the church’s main entrance door, according to local newspapers. But the arson did not affect the interior of the building.
Deputy police chief of Negeri Sembilan state Datuk Abd Manan Mhd Hassan told reporters that officers, a forensic unit and members of the fire department inspected the damaged door after a man reported the scorching Monday morning.
“We believe assailants used petro to set fire to the door but, fortunately, the fire did not spread,” Hassan said.
He added that all police patrol cars and officers on duty have been called to monitor places of worship, especially mosques and churches.
“I urge the people to stop such activities,” the deputy police chief appealed to Malaysians. “Do not do anything that can disrupt peace and harmony of the country. We will take stern action against those found responsible.”
In addition to security provided by police, Muslim non-government organisations have also begun to patrol church areas in the Klang Valley – an area on the west coast that includes the capital Kuala Lumpur – where four churches were targets of arson attacks.
Muslim volunteers began patrolling Monday night in two shifts, from 11 pm to 2 am and 4 am until dawn, according to Malaysia’s The Star newspaper.
The Muslim NGO’s have committed to be the “eyes and ears” of the government, which has condemned the attacks on churches, to ensure the security of Christian places of worship.
Attacks on churches and other Christian-owned buildings occurred after a High Court judge ruled on December 31, 2009, that the word “Allah” is not exclusive to Islam and that the government’s Home Ministry is “not empowered” to ban non-Muslims from using the word.
The case began two years ago when The Herald, the Roman Catholic Church’s weekly Malaysian publication, filed a suit against the government. The Herald has argued that the word “Allah” predates Islam and is used by Arabic-speaking non-Muslims to refer to God. It filed the suit in order to continue to use the word “Allah” in its Malay language newspaper.
The government had issued the ban on the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims in the 1980s, but the law was never enforced. Just in the last few years the government began enforcing the law and confiscating Bibles that contained the word “Allah.”
In response to the High Court’s decision, the government appealed the ruling last week. It maintains that “Allah” is an Islamic word and if used by non-Muslims could confuse Muslims into converting to those faiths.
According to the CIA World Factbook, 60.4 per cent of Malaysia's 25.7 million people ascribe to Islam. Around 19.2 per cent, meanwhile, is Buddhist, and 9.1 per cent is Christian.
Though the population is predominantly Muslim, Malaysians of different faiths have historically been able to live in peace with one another.
A Christian ministry worker living in Malaysia, whose name was withheld for security reasons, said, “This (church attacks) is totally shocking to us Malaysians, because as far as this generation can remember, this has never happened,” according to Mission Network News. “We’ve always had peaceful relations.”
Faced with unprecedented violence, Malaysian Christians are praying and calling for national unity.
“We call on our government to take the necessary steps to educate those who lack understanding and are ‘easily confused’ to be mature minded in a progressive democratic society," reads the statement by the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship.
“As Christians and responsible citizens of this country, it is our desire to see all quarters promote peace and harmony,” the evangelical group states. “NECF calls on all parties to learn to respect each other’s basic constitutional and human rights to practice one’s faith and religion, recognising the fundamental boundaries in not interfering with the Scriptures of other faiths.”
NECF urges Christians to pray for peace in Malaysia.
In the UK, a service of prayers was held in Lichfield Cathedral for the safety and security of Christians in Malaysia.
The Rev Terry Bloor, Vicar of Basford near Newcastle-under-Lyme, led prayers for the Bishop of West Malaysia, the Rt Rev Moon Hing and all Christians in Malaysia, and especially for the congregations whose church buildings have been damaged by fire-bomb attacks.
He said: “We pray that the Malaysian Home Minister’s appeal for calm might be heeded and protests moderated.”
He prayed: “Father, be with those in authority who seek a peaceful solution, and may all Christians in Malaysia, of whatever denomination, through prayer, fasting and without retaliation, seek your will and overcome all evil intent with the good that your name, in whatever language, speaks to the world.”
source: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/eighth.church.arson.attack.after.malaysias.allah.ruling/25056.htm
Religious Persecution in Xinjiang Mounts in the New Year: 19 Christians Arrested, Farm Leaders Burn Christians' Bibles and Property
by Staff
January 12, 2010
XINJIANG, China, (christiansunite.com) -- With the turn of the new year, a wave of persecution has struck Han and Uyghur Christians alike in the ethnically and religiously charged Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
On December 25, 2009, farm leaders and police broke into the home of Wang Qiyue, a 71-year-old widow, disrupting the Christmas gathering and ransacking her home. These "People's Police" burned Ms. Wang's furniture, as she was thrown against a police car by the Korla Chief of Security, Yu Fagan. Six farm leaders next barged into the home of 69-year-old hemiplegic He Cuiying, and confiscated more than 30 Bibles and spiritual books. The leaders then burned the materials in a bonfire outside her home, as a means of public humiliation. Later, five elderly Christians were arrested with no cause and fined 5,000 Yuan each.
Read more about the persecution of the elderly Christians in Korla.
On January 7, 2010, Attorney Li Baiguang sent letters of appeal on behalf of Alimujiang Yimiti to the Xinjiang Provincial Government and Chinese Central Government. In the letters, he stated that, by law, the charge of "unlawfully providing state secrets to overseas organizations" and the sentence of 15-years imprisonment were illegal and should be withdrawn. He further requested an immediate review of the case.
Read more about Li Baiguang's Appeal on behalf of Alimujiang Yimiti.
At 5:00 PM the same day, Nong Wu Shi PSB officials in the Aksu region raided a house church, arresting 14 house church members. The military PSB detained the members for over 12 hours, on charges of participating in "illegal religious activities." The next morning, 11 were released, leaving house church leaders Yang Tianlu, He Sujin, and Sujin's son, He Guangyuan, in detention.
Read more about the raid and arrest of 14 Han Chinese house church Christians.
President of ChinaAid Bob Fu believes the Xinjiang government must acknowledge these horrible acts of persecution, and root out the seeds of corruption sown by local government officials violating Chinese law. ChinaAid urges the international community to continue praying for religious freedom in Xinjiang and throughout China.
source: http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion08919.shtml
January 12, 2010
XINJIANG, China, (christiansunite.com) -- With the turn of the new year, a wave of persecution has struck Han and Uyghur Christians alike in the ethnically and religiously charged Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
On December 25, 2009, farm leaders and police broke into the home of Wang Qiyue, a 71-year-old widow, disrupting the Christmas gathering and ransacking her home. These "People's Police" burned Ms. Wang's furniture, as she was thrown against a police car by the Korla Chief of Security, Yu Fagan. Six farm leaders next barged into the home of 69-year-old hemiplegic He Cuiying, and confiscated more than 30 Bibles and spiritual books. The leaders then burned the materials in a bonfire outside her home, as a means of public humiliation. Later, five elderly Christians were arrested with no cause and fined 5,000 Yuan each.
Read more about the persecution of the elderly Christians in Korla.
On January 7, 2010, Attorney Li Baiguang sent letters of appeal on behalf of Alimujiang Yimiti to the Xinjiang Provincial Government and Chinese Central Government. In the letters, he stated that, by law, the charge of "unlawfully providing state secrets to overseas organizations" and the sentence of 15-years imprisonment were illegal and should be withdrawn. He further requested an immediate review of the case.
Read more about Li Baiguang's Appeal on behalf of Alimujiang Yimiti.
At 5:00 PM the same day, Nong Wu Shi PSB officials in the Aksu region raided a house church, arresting 14 house church members. The military PSB detained the members for over 12 hours, on charges of participating in "illegal religious activities." The next morning, 11 were released, leaving house church leaders Yang Tianlu, He Sujin, and Sujin's son, He Guangyuan, in detention.
Read more about the raid and arrest of 14 Han Chinese house church Christians.
President of ChinaAid Bob Fu believes the Xinjiang government must acknowledge these horrible acts of persecution, and root out the seeds of corruption sown by local government officials violating Chinese law. ChinaAid urges the international community to continue praying for religious freedom in Xinjiang and throughout China.
source: http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion08919.shtml
Monday, January 11, 2010
Teacher suspended after offering to pray for student
by Ethan Cole, Christian PostPosted: Thursday, January 7, 2010, 8:21 (GMT)
A Christian home-visit teacher in the United Kingdom has been suspended by her company after she offered to pray for one of her sick students.
Olive Jones, 54, had given math lessons to a 14-year-old girl who suffers from leukemia at the student’s home. In November, Jones spoke about miraculous healings and offered to pray for the girl in the presence of her mother.
When the mother, Stephanie Lynch, said that the family were non-religious, Jones said she dropped the issue. Jones thought she left that day on good terms with the family, but hours later her company, Oak Hill Short Stay School and Tuition Service, called her and told her that the mother had filed a formal complaint against her.
Her employer told her that her offer of prayer could be seen as “bullying”.
Unlike Jones, Lynch said she had repeatedly asked the math teacher to stop “preaching” to her daughter. Lynch also said her daughter was “traumatised” and “deeply upset” by Jones’ visits, especially after the math teacher had told her that young people go to Heaven after they die to comfort the student whose close friend had died.
“The sessions with Mrs Jones became increasingly traumatic and we decided it was not appropriate for this woman to come to my home,” Lynch recently told The Telegraph.
Jones, however, said she was shocked to hear the parents had problems with her sharing her Christian faith with their daughter.
“I simply wanted to encourage them to be open to prayer but if they did not want to then I would never force it down their throat,” Jones said in defense, according to BBC.
The suspension comes after recent equality and diversity laws in the United Kingdom that call public servants to “promote” equality and “respect” diversity.
Jones said she is neither angry with her employer, who is just trying to interpret the new equality and diversity policies, nor bitter towards the mother, who is just doing what she felt was right. Rather, Jones is upset with the politically-correct system in the United Kingdom under which someone cannot even mention their faith.
“I am amazed that a country with such a strong Christian tradition has become a country where it is hard to speak about your faith,” Jones said.
Since Jones works only part-time for the Oak Hill Short Stay School and does not have a contract with the company, she was released by her employer immediately after the complaint was filed. The home-visit math teacher expressed fear that the incident has left a “black mark” on her name and character and will make it difficult for her to find other employment.
“If I had done something criminal, I believe the reaction would have been the same,” she said.
The Christian Legal Centre has taken up her case.
“Whatever you think of the facts, the reaction here is totally disproportionate,” said Andrea Williams, a barrister and the director of the Christian Legal Centre, according to The Telegraph. “Mrs Jones was a supply teacher for almost five years. We are looking at what legal remedy we have to seek a reinstatement or damages.”
Williams maintained, “This is clear discrimination on the grounds of faith.”
The Oak Hill School service said it is setting up an interview with Jones to further investigate the incident.
source: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/teacher.suspended.after.offering.to.pray.for.student/25021.htm
A Christian home-visit teacher in the United Kingdom has been suspended by her company after she offered to pray for one of her sick students.
Olive Jones, 54, had given math lessons to a 14-year-old girl who suffers from leukemia at the student’s home. In November, Jones spoke about miraculous healings and offered to pray for the girl in the presence of her mother.
When the mother, Stephanie Lynch, said that the family were non-religious, Jones said she dropped the issue. Jones thought she left that day on good terms with the family, but hours later her company, Oak Hill Short Stay School and Tuition Service, called her and told her that the mother had filed a formal complaint against her.
Her employer told her that her offer of prayer could be seen as “bullying”.
Unlike Jones, Lynch said she had repeatedly asked the math teacher to stop “preaching” to her daughter. Lynch also said her daughter was “traumatised” and “deeply upset” by Jones’ visits, especially after the math teacher had told her that young people go to Heaven after they die to comfort the student whose close friend had died.
“The sessions with Mrs Jones became increasingly traumatic and we decided it was not appropriate for this woman to come to my home,” Lynch recently told The Telegraph.
Jones, however, said she was shocked to hear the parents had problems with her sharing her Christian faith with their daughter.
“I simply wanted to encourage them to be open to prayer but if they did not want to then I would never force it down their throat,” Jones said in defense, according to BBC.
The suspension comes after recent equality and diversity laws in the United Kingdom that call public servants to “promote” equality and “respect” diversity.
Jones said she is neither angry with her employer, who is just trying to interpret the new equality and diversity policies, nor bitter towards the mother, who is just doing what she felt was right. Rather, Jones is upset with the politically-correct system in the United Kingdom under which someone cannot even mention their faith.
“I am amazed that a country with such a strong Christian tradition has become a country where it is hard to speak about your faith,” Jones said.
Since Jones works only part-time for the Oak Hill Short Stay School and does not have a contract with the company, she was released by her employer immediately after the complaint was filed. The home-visit math teacher expressed fear that the incident has left a “black mark” on her name and character and will make it difficult for her to find other employment.
“If I had done something criminal, I believe the reaction would have been the same,” she said.
The Christian Legal Centre has taken up her case.
“Whatever you think of the facts, the reaction here is totally disproportionate,” said Andrea Williams, a barrister and the director of the Christian Legal Centre, according to The Telegraph. “Mrs Jones was a supply teacher for almost five years. We are looking at what legal remedy we have to seek a reinstatement or damages.”
Williams maintained, “This is clear discrimination on the grounds of faith.”
The Oak Hill School service said it is setting up an interview with Jones to further investigate the incident.
source: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/teacher.suspended.after.offering.to.pray.for.student/25021.htm
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