Ezekiel - Chapters 8 & 9

April 2, 2025

Scripture: Ezeiel 8-9

Ezekiel begins predicting that God's judgment was going to last and would become worse, and the reason that it would last and become worse was that the people's sin was lasting and becoming worse. They refused to repent as they saw God's judgments coming.

Ézéchiel Chapitres 8 Et 9

En Hébreu, Ézéchiel veut dire « par la force de Dieu ». Son ministère était tel qu’il ne pouvait s’accomplir que par la force de Dieu. Les noms des prophètes dépeignaient presque toujours la nature du ministère auquel Dieu les appelaient.

La captivité babylonienne prophétisée par Ésaïe et Jérémie a débuté aux jours d’Ézéchiel. Bien qu’il soit clair qu’il s’agissait du jugement de Dieu, le peuple reniait cette réalité. Tout s’écroulait mais le peuple continuait de croire qu’il était triomphant. C’est ce que nous retrouvons aujourd’hui, par exemple, dans des livres tel que « L’Église Invincible » (« The Unstoppable Church » ? il serait plus approprié de dire « La Mosquée Invincible »…) Nous retrouvons un autre aspect de cette mentalité lorque des gens physiquement malades déclarent que leur corps leur ment. Plusieurs refusent de regarder les faits en face.

Ézéchiel prédit que le jugement de Dieu va demeurer, qu’il ira de pire en pire dans la même mesure que le peuple continue de pécher et qu’il s’y enlise. Le peuple refusait de se repentir. Nous retrouvons ce scénario dans l’Apocalypse : bien que les jugements de Dieu augmentent en fréquence et en intensité, il est écrit que les hommes endurcissent leur cœur, blasphèment Dieu et continuer de pécher. Il en était ainsi aux jours d’Ézéchiel; il en sera ainsi dans les derniers jours. Le livre d’Ézéchiel et celui de l’Apocalyse sont en bonne partie similaires.

Ézéchiel 9 :4 dit ceci : « L'Éternel lui dit: Passe au milieu de la ville, au milieu de Jérusalem, et fais une marque sur le front des hommes qui soupirent et qui gémissent à cause de toutes les abominations qui s'y commettent. » Certaines personnes étaient témoins des abominations qui se commettaient dans la cité de Dieu et la maison de Dieu. Avant que le jugement commence, Dieu a dit de faire une marque sur ceux qui Lui appartiennent vraiment; sur ceux qui voient le mal, le reconnaissent et qui en sont chagrinés.

Apocalypse 7:2?3 “Et je vis un autre ange, qui montait du côté du soleil levant, et qui tenait le sceau du Dieu vivant; il cria d’une voix forte aux quatre anges à qui il avait été donné de faire du mal à la terre et à la mer, et il dit : Ne faites point de mal à la terre, ni à la mer, ni aux arbres, jusqu’à ce que nous ayons marqué du sceau le front des serviteurs de notre Dieu. » En lisant jusqu’au 13e chapitre de l’Apocalypse,

? qui parle de la marque de la bête ? nous voyons que le sceau du Seigneur et la marque de la bête sont mutuellement exclusifs. Nous savons d’après l’histoire et l’archéologie, que la marque du sceau dans Ézéchiel était la lettre hébraïque tov. Aujourd’hui, cette même lettre est écrite un peu comme un « H », avec un pied. Toutefois, aux jours précédant la captivité d’Israël, elle s’écrivait comme une croix un peu penchée. Probablement qu’à l’origine, elle s’écrivait sous la forme d’une croix droite. Ainsi, la marque du sceau de Dieu aux jours d’Ézéchiel était la marque de la croix.

Apocalypse 9 :4 « Il leur fut dit de ne point faire de mal à l’herbe de la terre, ni à aucune verdure, ni à aucun arbre, mais seulement aux hommes qui n’avaient pas le sceau de Dieu sur le front. » Encore une fois, ceux qui appartiennent à Dieu sont scellés avant que Son jugement tombe. L’Église entre dans la Tribulation mais est délivrée du pire. Le temps qu’elle y est, elle est scellée par le Seigneur et protégée. Les 144,000 qui font le ministère ont évidemment aussi le sceau du Seigneur. Les enfants d’Israël ont passé à travers la majeure partie des jugements en Égypte; les mêmes jugements de l’Égypte, mentionnés dans Exode, reviennent de façon eschatologique et c’est ce que nous voyons se produire dans l’Apocalypse: les ténèbres, les eaux changées, etc. Les Hébreux en ont traversé une partie mais ils ont été délivrés du pire. Il en sera ainsi dans les derniers jours. Le peuple de Dieu sera scellé.

Ce principe du sceau de Dieu ne commence pas dans l’Apocalypse, ni dans Ézéchiel mais dans la Torah, au livre d’Exode. Exode 13 :9 « Ce sera pour toi comme un signe sur ta main et comme un souvenir entre tes yeux, afin que la loi de l’Éternel soit dans ta bouche; car c’est par Sa main puissante que l’Éternel t’a fait sortir d’Égypte. »

Retournons à Ézéchiel. Avant que tombe le jugement de Dieu, ceux dont le cœur Lui appartiennent vraiment ? qui voient les abominations, les méchancetés et qui gémissent ? sont scellés par la marque d’une croix.

Au temps d’Ézéchiel, bien que la captivité soit en route, le peuple disait : « c’est temporaire. » Cependant, Nébucadnetsar a envahi Juda à quatre reprises et les résultats empiraient à chaque fois. Comme les vagues du mal déferlent une après l’autre, chacune pire que la précédente, il en sera ainsi des jugements de Dieu.

Une grande partie de la vision d’Ézéchiel concerne le Temple. Ézéchiel 47 est une vision du millénium dans laquelle il voit l’arrière?plan de ce que nous appelons en Hébreu Simchat beit Ha Shoyivah; le rituel du déversement de l’eau sur le Mont du Temple comme étant la célébration de la Fête des Tabernacles

? Hag Succoth ?.

J’ai un jour parlé avec un « Chrétien » Nouvel Âgiste, Patrick Dixon. Il argumentait concernant des états de conscience altérée. Voici l’argument qu’il a utilisé pour dire que le phénomène de Toronto venait de Dieu. Il a cité la réaction de Pierre à la Transfiguration, en disant que son idée de vouloir monter des tentes à cet endroit était ridicule et irraisonnée. Je lui ai répondu qu’il n’y avait rien d’absurde à ce sujet puisque Pierre croyait que la Transfiguration était l’accomplissement messianique de la Fête des Tabernacles.. Moïse et Élie ont été transfigurés avec le Messie, alors Pierre a pensé que le Royaume du Millénium était arrivé. M. Dixon n’avait jamais pensé à cela. Dans son contexte, le comportement de Pierre était très rationnel. M. Dixon m’a ensuite mis au défi en disant : Comment savez?vous? Étiez?vous là? Avez?vous parlé avec Pierre? Je lui ai simplement répondu : « Je sais ce qu’était le symbolisme messianique de la Fête des Tabernacles dans la période du second Temple. » M. Dixon n’avait plus rien à dire. Toutefois, nous voyons que n’importe quel poison peut entrer aujourd’hui…

Les Temples d’Ézéchiel : Sur la cassette « La Typologie du Temple », nous enseignons qu’il existe au moins sept endroits où différents mots sont employés en grec et en hébreu pour désigner le « Temple »

? naos, oikos, hieron, beth mishkan, beth migdash, Ha Hekal sont tous utilisés dans des contextes variés en tant que types de l’Église. 1 Pierre 2 :5 « Et vous?mêmes, comme des pierres vivantes,.. » en est un exemple. Dans Corinthiens, l’Église est appelée le Temple et dans Éphésiens chapitres 2 et 4, le Temple est un portrait de l’Église. Rebâtir le tabernacle de David est mentionné dans le livre des Actes, avec une citation du prophète Amos : « Je (Dieu) rebâtirai le tabernacle de David ». Le Nouveau Testament révèle que l’accomplissement partiel de ceci est l’Église des Gentils. Sur les cassettes concernant l’Antichrist, nous parlons également de l’abomination de la désolation qui est élevée dans le Saint des Saints et mentionnée par Daniel. Ceci s’est accompli, en partie, dans différentes périodes de l’histoire et spécifiquement par Antioche Épiphane. Vous trouverez ceci sur la cassette de Hanukah.

Quoi qu’il en soit, bien que le Temple puisse être rebâti à Jérusalem et que l’abomination de la désolation y soit élevée, cet événement physique ne sera qu’un reflet de ce qui sera en place spirituellement. Lorsque Jésus est mort à la croix, le voile du Temple a été déchiré du haut en bas. Ce miracle physique n’était pas ce qui était primordial. Le plus important est la signification de cet événement. Dans ce cas, cela représentait que l’homme pécheur n’était plus séparé d’un Dieu Saint à cause de Yeshua ? Jésus ? notre grand prêtre. Je n’argumente pas le fait qu’un Temple physique soit reconstruit ayant une abomination de la désolation à l’intérieur. Je dis simplement que ce qui est physique est symbolique du spirituel : l’Antichrist qui veut être adoré dans la maison de Dieu. Nous traitons de ce sujet sur la cassette intitulée l’Antichrist, où nous expliquons la signification araméenne de l’expression « abomination de la désolation ».

Ézéchiel voit des abominations dans la maison du Seigneur. Lisons Ézéchiel 8 à partir du verset 1 : « La sixième année, le cinquième jour du sixième mois, comme j’étais assis dans ma maison, et que les anciens de Juda étaient assis devant moi, la main du Seigneur, de l’Éternel, tomba sur moi. Je regardai, et voici, c’était une figure ayant l’aspect d’un homme; depuis ses reins en bas, c’était du feu, et depuis ses reins en haut, c’était quelque chose d’éclatant, comme de l’airain poli. Il étendit une forme de main, et me saisit par les cheveux de la tête. L’esprit m’enleva entre la terre et le ciel, et me transporta, dans des visions divines, à Jérusalem, à l’entrée de la porte intérieure, du côté du septentrion, où était l’idole de la jalousie, qui excite la jalousie de l’Éternel. Et voici, la gloire du Dieu d’Israël était là, telle que je l’avais vue en vision dans la vallée. Il me dit : Fils de l’homme, lève les yeux du côté du septentrion! Je levai les yeux du côté du septentrion; et voici, cette idole de la jalousie était au septentrion de la porte de l’autel, à l’entrée. » (le trouble vient toujours du nord). « Fils de l’homme » est un titre eschatologique. Ici, Ézéchiel, comme tous les autres prophètes, préfigure Jésus d’une certaine façon.

Jésus n’est jamais appelé le Fils de Dieu dans le contexte eschatologique; lorsque la Bible parle de Son retour, Il est appelé le Fils de l’homme qui vient.

Ézéchiel 8 :6 « Alors il me dit : Fils de l’homme, vois?tu ce que font ces gens, les grandes abominations que commet ici la maison d’Israël, pour m’éloigner de mon sanctuaire? Mais tu verras encore de plus grandes abominations. » Encore une fois, ceci pointe vers une ultime abomination de désolation.

Ézéchiel 8 :7?16 « Alors il me conduisit à l'entrée du parvis. Je regardai, et voici, il y avait un trou dans le mur. Et il me dit: Fils de l'homme, perce la muraille! Je perçai la muraille, et voici, il y avait une porte. Et

il me dit: Entre, et vois les méchantes abominations qu'ils commettent ici! J'entrai, et je regardai; et voici, il y avait toutes sortes de figures de reptiles et de bêtes abominables, et toutes les idoles de la maison d'Israël, peintes sur la muraille tout autour. Soixante?dix hommes des anciens de la maison d'Israël, au milieu desquels était Jaazania, fils de Schaphan, se tenaient devant ces idoles, chacun l'encensoir à la main, et il s'élevait une épaisse nuée d'encens. Et il me dit: Fils de l'homme, vois?tu ce que font dans les ténèbres les anciens de la maison d'Israël, chacun dans sa chambre pleine de figures? Car ils disent: L'Éternel ne nous voit pas, l'Éternel a abandonné le pays. Et il me dit: Tu verras encore d'autres grandes abominations qu'ils commettent. Et il me conduisit à l'entrée de la porte de la maison de l'Éternel, du côté du septentrion. Et voici, il y avait là des femmes assises, qui pleuraient Thammuz. Et il me dit: Vois?tu, fils de l'homme? Tu verras encore d'autres abominations plus grandes que celles?là. Et il me fit entrer dans le parvis intérieur de la maison de l’Éternel; » ? dans l’Ancien Testament, plus on avance à l’intérieur du temple de Dieu, plus l’endroit est saint.

Ézéchiel 8 :16?18 « Et il me conduisit dans le parvis intérieur de la maison de l'Éternel. Et voici, à l'entrée du temple de l'Éternel, entre le portique et l'autel, il y avait environ vingt?cinq hommes, tournant le dos au temple de l'Éternel et le visage vers l'orient; et ils se prosternaient à l'orient devant le soleil. Et il me dit: Vois?tu, fils de l'homme? Est?ce trop peu pour la maison de Juda de commettre les abominations qu'ils commettent ici? Faut?il encore qu'ils remplissent le pays de violence, et qu'ils ne cessent de m'irriter? Voici, ils approchent le rameau de leur nez. Moi aussi, j'agirai avec fureur; mon oeil sera sans pitié, et je n'aurai point de miséricorde; quand ils crieront à haute voix à mes oreilles, je ne les écouterai pas. »

É zéchiel 9 :1?2 « …près de l’autel d’airain. » ? l’autel d’airain est un type de la croix ?. La gloire du Dieu d'Israël s'éleva du chérubin sur lequel elle était, et se dirigea vers le seuil de la maison; et il appela l'homme vêtu de lin, et portant une écritoire à la ceinture. L'Éternel lui dit: Passe au milieu de la ville, au milieu de Jérusalem, et fais une marque sur le front des hommes qui soupirent et qui gémissent à cause de toutes les abominations qui s'y commettent. Et, à mes oreilles, il dit aux autres: Passez après lui dans la ville, et frappez; que votre oeil soit sans pitié, et n'ayez point de miséricorde! » Cependant, Dieu ne leur permet pas de faire du mal à Son peuple; Il commande que premièrement les Siens soient scellés, ensuite le reste sera frappé. Dans Apocalypse, Il ordonne qu’il ne soit pas fait de mal aux arbres ? « les arbres des champs taperont des mains » ? ceci représente Son peuple. C’est ce qui arrive dans Ézéchiel.

Dieu prend Ézéchiel et lui montre une abomination après l’autre. C’est de mal en pire. Regardons la première qu’il voit : l’idole de la jalousie. L’idolâtrie dans la maison du Seigneur. Le terme Hébreu pour « adorer » est hishtakvya, l’infinitif, La Histachavot, « se prosterner. » Lorsque vous voyez quelqu’un se prosterner devant une statue ou une image, c’est un acte d’idolâtrie. Nous retrouvons ces actions dans le Catholicisme romain.

Dieu prend donc Ézéchiel, l’amène entre le ciel et la terre et lui dit : Regarde; maintenant tu vois ce que Je vois, du ciel. Vois?tu ce qu’ils font dans Ma demeure, dans Mon sanctuaire, là où Je suis supposé les rencontrer? Ézéchiel regarde et il est en état de choc. Et Dieu lui dit : cependant, tu verras de plus grandes abominations que celles?ci, fils de l’homme. Et là, Dieu conduit Ézéchiel toujours plus loin dans

l’enceinte du temple; toute sorte de figures de reptiles et toutes les idoles de la maison d’Israël sont peintes tout alentour sur la muraille. Le terme Hébreu est shektzim, d’où découle le mot shikseh, pour une femme faisant partie des Gentils. Dans le livre d’Apocalypse, Satan a deux modes d’opération : le serpent et le dragon. Le dragon est Satan le persécuteur et le serpent est Satan le séducteur. Ces figures de reptiles s’appellent shektzim, qui veut dire « reptiles visqueux. » Elles sont des portraits de démons venant de sectes de l’Orient et de l’Inde, là où les serpents et autres sont adorés. L’abomination de la désolation tire son origine de cela. Des démons sont dans la maison de Dieu. Nous voyons la progression

: de l’idolâtrie à l’adoration de démons.

A partir d’ici, Dieu dit à Ézéchiel : « Tu verras encore de plus grandes abominations dans Ma maison » et Il lui montre les anciens ? leurs pasteurs, les Lévites ou « cohenim » ? et ils sont nommés, ici et ailleurs. Il décrit parmi eux Joazania, fils de Shaphan. Des personnes qui ne devraient pas être là; des gens dont vous n’auriez jamais soupçonné être là ? sont là, leur encensoir à la main. L’encens représente les prières des saints, mais ces prières ne sont pas offertes au vrai Dieu. Ces gens n’adorent pas le vrai Dieu. Jérémie, Paul et Jean ont publiquement dénoncé ces dirigeants qui persistaient à conduire le peuple loin de Dieu. Les apôtres et les prophètes les nommaient sans hésiter.

Nous voyons donc dans le texte d’Ézéchiel l’idolâtrie, l’adoration de démons et maintenant les dirigeants conduire le peuple dans ces activités.

« Tu verras encore de plus grandes abominations. » Et Dieu montre à Ézéchiel l’adoration de Thammuz. Thammuz est un enfant?dieu, tenu dans les bras de sa mère, la Madonne. L’image, chez les Catholiques, de la Madonne avec son enfant est une forme d’adoration de Thammuz. Rien de moins. Dans Jérémie 44, nous voyons des femmes faire des gâteaux pour la Reine du Ciel. Ceci est un parallèle de l’adoration de Marie. Chez les Catholiques, Jésus est dépeint comme un enfant sans défense, alors que sa mère est l’adulte qui est fort. Ils déclarent que Marie est co?rédemptrice, co?médiatrice et co?sauveur. Marie est la plus grande femme de l’histoire, mais elle a déclaré elle?même son besoin du Sauveur.

« Tu verras encore de plus grandes abominations » dit l’Éternel.

« Fils de l’homme, vois?tu ce qu’ils font? » Premièrement l’idolâtrie, ensuite les démons, ensuite les dirigeants qui adorent les démons, qui conduisent le peuple de Dieu à faire ces choses et les éloignent de Dieu, puis l’adoration de Thammuz. Quoi d’autre encore?

Dieu conduit Ézéchiel dans le parvis intérieur, entre le portique et l’autel. Et là, les gens adorent le soleil; ils prient ouvertement d’autres dieux. Les religions babyloniennes impliquaient d’autres éléments que l’adoration, tel que l’immoralité. L’immoralité et l’idolâtrie vont ensemble. Dans la Grèce antique, il s’agissait de prostituées, de la corruption du sexe dans l’adoration. Toute initiation satanique comprend un rituel à connotation sexuelle.

C’est de pire en pire. Les jugements prédits par Dieu via Ésaïe et Jérémie s’accomplissaient et les gens les ignoraient. Ils continuaient dans leurs péchés. Entretemps, les dirigeants disaient : L’Éternel n’est pas concerné par ces choses; c’est un jeu. Ce n’est que notre travail. Nous avons tellement de gens à temps

plein dans le ministère ? certains Évangéliques parmi eux ? pour qui cela n’est qu’une carrière. Pour eux, le ministère n’est qu’un travail et non un appel, une passion, que Dieu leur a donné comme vocation.

Finalement, Dieu dit « Scelle ceux qui M’appartiennent vraiment. » Il n’y a plus d’espoir. Dieu n’aura aucune compassion, excepté pour ceux qui voient et qui gémissent. Dieu conduit Ézéchiel et lui dit : Regarde Mon sanctuaire et Ézéchiel est horrifié. Dieu dit : d’autres voient ce que tu vois et sont horrifiés. Ils gémissent en voyant les abominations commises dans Ma maison : l’idolâtrie, l’immoralité et le fait que les dirigeants conduisent Mon peuple à participer à ces péchés. Ceux qui gémissent seront scellés et Mon jugement viendra.

Une sorcière de magie blanche a été le premier aumonier choisi dans une université britannique. « Susan Ladourne a pris ce poste à l’Université Leeds pour conseiller les étudiants qui croient à l’occultisme. Cette sorcière de 29 ans guidera les étudiants dans la magie, les rituels païens et l’adoration. » « Mais tu verras encore de plus grandes abominations. » Que peuvent?elles être?

Les prêtres ? ceux qui devaient mieux savoir ? ont participé à l’immoralité et à l’occulte. Écoutez ceci : « L’aumonier senior Anglican de l’université, le Révérend Simon Robinson, accepte que la sorcière ait un rôle à jouer. Il déclare : « Nous avons déjà des aumoniers de différentes religions. » Les prêtres se tiennent debout avec leur encensoir, pendant que se déroulent l’abomination et l’idolâtrie; leurs propres dirigeants les approuvent. C’est ce que nous retrouvons dans Ézéchiel. « Dieu ne voit pas », disent les cohenim; « Dieu ne voit pas », disent les Lévites. Et c’est exactement ce que dit le clergé de l’Église de l’Angleterre aujourd’hui.

« Tu verras encore de plus grandes abominations dans Ma maison, dit l’Éternel ». « Vivre ensemble n’est plus un péché », selon le journal Yorkshire Evening Post. L’Église d’Angleterre change son attitude sur les valeurs familiales. « Vivre dans le péché n’est plus un péché », a?t?elle annoncé.

Je vivais dans le péché lorsque Jésus est entré dans ma vie. Je vivais avec une italo?américaine, en face des Nations Unies à New York. J’ai pris le reste de mes drogues et les ai jetées par la fenêtre. Le leader de « Juifs pour Jésus » en ce temps?là, me dit : « Tu te maries ou tu te sépares. Même si vous ne couchez pas ensemble, ta situation a l’apparence du péché et compromet ton témoignage. » J’ai conduit cette femme à Christ et, désirant suivre le Seigneur, je lui ai dit de se trouver un autre logement.

Je me suis fait dire au début de ma vie chrétienne que je ne pouvais vivre ainsi. « Que le lit conjugal soit gardé de toute souillure. » Je me suis fait dire que bien que je ne couchais plus avec elle, cela avait quand même l’apparence de péché. Mes voisins, devant qui je me devais d’avoir un bon témoignage, ne m’auraient pas cru! Mais maintenant, selon l’Église d’Angleterre, ce n’est plus un péché. J’ai téléphoné au Lambert Palace, la résidence officielle de l’archevêque George Carey qui, dit?on, est un Évangélique charismatique. J’ai demandé qu’on me rappelle. J’ai reçu un coup de téléphone me demandant la raison de mon appel et je leur ai répondu : « Je lis dans le Nouveau Testament que le lit conjugal doit être gardé de toute souillure; l’archevêque peut?il m’expliquer comment je peux le garder de toute souillure s’il n’y a pas de mariage? » Je n’ai jamais reçu d’autre appel.

« Tu verras encore de plus grandes abominations dans Ma maison, dit l’Éternel. » Le terme Grec demonoi et le terme Hébreu shedim sont utilisés dans le Deutéronome et 1 Corinthiens pour déclarer que d’autres dieux sont des démons. Ézéchiel a vu des shedim ? des figures rampantes, des démons ? être vénérées dans la maison de Dieu, dans Son sanctuaire. Allez à la Cathédrale de Canterbury et regardez?y l’adoration multi?confessionnelle. Visitez la chapelle Anselm. Vous y verrez des bouddhistes, des musulmans, des hindouistes, des sikh adorer leurs dieux et les « chrétiens » y participent.

How AI is transforming defensive capabilities against drones

October 12, 2026
Written by - Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM Examples abound in history of how the responses to innovations in technology that disrupted and transformed the nature of warfare have taken a delayed time to be adapted. Chain mail and armour had to be altered and bolstered to repel arrows from the English Longbow in Medieval Europe, but this didn't occur in time to the dismay of the French at Agincourt. It took the Spanish decades to redesign their cumbersome Galleons that lay prey to the swifter English ships. Napoleonic era field tactics were still being employed during the American Civil War, with mass charges mowed down by the Gatling barrel machine gun. Trench warfare was only later embraced during WWI. With the cheap manufacture of drones and the advances in AI a new chapter has opened in how war is waged in our own time. The conflicts in Ukraine and Iran have demonstrated how asymmetric warfare has become as much an economic calculation as a game of cat and mouse. Drones (and relatively cheaply manufactured ballistic missiles by Iran) are being shot down at great expense. AI which has been extensively deployed for target identification in Gaza is also proving to be a vital tool in hunting incoming drones. But as in the delayed development of military countermeasures historically, drones are ahead of AI in the battlefield. This is reflected in the enormity of Russian military casualties that have fallen victim to Ukrainian drones. AI is able to cut through the 'background noise' of distracting projectiles, birds and other debris to home in efforts to eliminate the actual drone target. The magic formula is speed and precision. Humans can detect and assess a threat, but AI can process radar, cameras and other sensors almost instantly, and with increasing accuracy predict where a drone intends to strike. When swamped with a wave drone attack, AI acts to identify and track the multiple threats. AI can also help decide how to respond. Depending on the system, the response could involve electronic warfare, an interceptor drone, a missile or a gun-based system. Ukraine has installed automated machine gun turrets instructed by AI to protect Kiev. In some cases, humans still make the final decision to engage, while AI handles the calculations and tracking required to make that decision quickly. More broadly, drone warfare is becoming a contest between autonomous systems. The challenge is no longer simply building a better missile or a better drone. It is building a system that can see the threat first, understand it quickly and respond before the drone reaches its target. In that sense, AI is becoming a critical part of air defence. The advantage may increasingly belong to whoever can make the fastest and most accurate decisions—not necessarily whoever manufactures the most expensive weapons. AI's pace of progress is exponential. It is beyond comprehension what capacity could be realized in even the next 2-3 years. The combination of drones, robotics and AI may render the traditional military hardware of tanks, frigates and fighter jets almost functionally obsolete. The development of AI's course of military application will be largely directed by the conflicts where it is deployed. In the pre-AI world of 1987, the black Friday market crash during the Reagan Administration saw a dangerous drop in the Dow, where computer analysis issued sell orders against a background of Reagan's massive budget deficits. Amidst Reagan's budget deficits this created an environment where social security was looted to fund defence spending. A supposed conservative President ran a fiscal policy with simultaneous increases in the Pentagon budget, coupled with tax cuts. The computer generated sell off was beyond the functional control of brokers and market makers, while the Soviets attempted to engineer market irregularities affecting the American economy which had further global ramifications due to massive American trade deficits with Japan under Reagan. The current Securities exchange environment is at best no less complex now. Given the spectre of what transpired in 1987 with computerised over control of stock exchange trading, and a shadow hanging over the bond market we are left to ponder could another such scenario be triggered in the age of AI? And even more illuminous prospect over shadows us now with the question can AI gain a decision-making operational capacity over command-and-control decisions. Certainly, for tactical weapons systems or even a doomsday scenario with Russia, China, India or Pakistan placing nuclear launch control in the hands of AI that could result in an exchange that either the US, Britain, France or Israel would be forced to react to. Without scaremongering it is necessary for strategic planners to prevent the nuclear powers that be from arriving at the precipice of such an abyss.

Interconnected Conflicts: The Risk of a New Thirty Years' War. By Rubin Rothler - LLB, MLB

September 21, 2026
The interlinked nature of third-party involvement in the ongoing conflicts in Iran and Ukraine has increasingly come to the fore in recent weeks. It emerged that China has not only been providing Iran with radar systems, navigation tools, and electronic warfare technology, but also high-resolution satellite imagery and geospatial data to direct its rockets. The same great-power relationships that are shaping the Middle East are affecting the conduct and constraints of the war in Ukraine. It is apparent that a reciprocation in kind is dictating Russia's conduct towards the US in Iran. Intelligence and targeting support mirror similar U.S. assistance to Ukraine. But this picture becomes murkier when considering the backroom accommodations Trump is willing to give Putin. Recently, Trump pressured Zelensky to stop targeting Russian diesel infrastructure, saying the attacks were causing a shortage of the fuel that is "hurting the world." The U.S. national average price for diesel, which is used by trucks, trains, ships, and farm equipment, rose above six dollars a gallon for the first time last Thursday. Such interventions demonstrate how developments on the battlefield in Ukraine can no longer be considered independently of wider economic and geopolitical calculations. China has been using tankers that are already at sea, when that runs out the American blockade will create shortage problems for the Chinese economy, as China no longer gets Venezuelan oil and is reliant on Iran and international spot market prices. The war with Iran is now spreading to Yemen, with the Houthis attempting to replicate the Iranian chokehold model perfected in the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic importance of controlling or threatening critical maritime chokepoints is central to the wider contest. What happens in the Gulf can therefore have consequences for shipping, energy markets, and military calculations far beyond the immediate theatre. So far, the US has declined Saudi requests to slow the Houthi advance. Neither Turkey nor Egypt seems inclined to come to Saudi Arabia's aid. This is despite the signing of a very recent mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan. More developments can happen in these conflicts on an average day than can be afforded mention, but they should be increasingly understood as interconnected parts of a wider geopolitical confrontation. Assistance in one theatre triggers reciprocal action in another. Consequently, these cease to be discrete, containable conflicts and are extending into prolonged multinational conflicts. There is a distinct possibility that these may become frozen conflicts over time. A more terrifying eventuality is something more akin to the Thirty Years' War, which was fought in the first half of the 17th century in Europe. It is important to remember that this calamity, which ravaged Europe, began as a localized rebellion that gradually drew in more and more powers. The initial religious nature of the fighting gave way to political struggles. The mechanism by which a localized conflict becomes a multinational struggle offers a historical warning worth considering. The danger today is that a collection of individually distinct conflicts could become sufficiently interconnected that containing any one of them becomes increasingly difficult. Iran, Ukraine, Russia, China, the United States, and the conflict involving the Houthis are already linked by military assistance, intelligence, energy, trade, and strategic competition. The question, therefore, is no longer simply how any one of these conflicts ends. It is whether they can remain separate conflicts at all.  (Author is an Israeli American lawyer academically qualified in British and in U.S.A. law, and a graduate of the School of Oriental & African Studies, London. He is a Jewish believer in Jesus and is currently based in Israel).

Prayer Request

By David Passmore • September 12, 2026
Moriel & Jacob Prasch request prayer for our sister in Jesus - Wendy Blomkamp, widow of Brother Fred Blomkamp (now with The Lord), the founder of Moriel South Africa Branch (not to be confused with Moriel's Ebyown Aids Children's Mission in South Africa founded by David Royle). Wendy, (an equestrian rider of all things) is originally from West Yorkshire, England but has lived most of her life in South Africa and is currently in retirement in the USA. Unfortunately, Wendy is diagnosed with inoperable pre terminal cancer with cardio pullmonary complications. The Lord will either intervene supernaturally or call her home. We request prayer for Wendy and her beloved family and wisdom for her physicians. In Christ, All at Moriel

What would happen to Israel if the House is controlled by Democrats, and if the Republicans lose control of the Senate?

By David Passmore • September 7, 2026
The US midterm elections are around the corner and the results could have profound effects on US foreign policy concerning Israel. Much has been said about this vote being a referendum on Trump's unpopular war with Iran. But it can equally be said to be about Trump's other foreign policy engagements that are viewed rather more favourably like the overthrow of Maduro in Venezuela and his replacement with a pro-American regime. With Israel the picture is less clear. It used to be a given that Israel enjoyed bipartisan support on the Hill. You could count on the fingers of one hand the number of politicians opposed to supporting Israel - the occasional fringe Democrat representing a singular Michigan constituency with a high Arab origin demographic, or a rare odd ball Republican preaching strict isolationism. This dynamic has shifted quickly in the last decade. The Democrats have all but abandoned any inclination of a pro-Israel position. Even establishment figures like Chuck Schumer have been pressured to side with the Party's radical left wing. With 60-80% of Democrats now anti-Israel, Israel can no longer rely on Jewish Democrats to oppose anti-Zionism or antisemitism. The most outspoken Democratic member of the Senate advocating a pro-Israel position, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania is being pressured to resign and leave the party even by Pennsylvania's Jewish Governor Shapiro and Soros sponsored Philadelphia Prosecutor Krasner. This is happening concurrently with mass endorsement from 170 leading Hollywood Jewish actors writing a letter of support for Mark Ruffallo - despite his antisemitic comments naming Jewish investors supporting a Hollywood studio mega merger as being associated with apartheid genocide. However most shocking, were the comments by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel who stood before an audience of Jewish Democrats last weekend telling them they may need to sacrifice the safety, and even the future, of their own people in exchange for saving the rest of humanity. Such rhetoric is contrary to basic human instincts of survival and self-preservation. If any other nation were suggested this course of action, I wonder what their response would be? On the Republican side the foreboding sense of an altering course towards Israel no longer seems so distant. The anti-Israel faction in the Republican party led by Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and Nick Fuentes are now being supported by Vice President Vance. Jewish kingpins in the Trump Administration such as Witkoff and Kushner have been tied to business dealings in N.Y. with the Muslim Brotherhood controlled Qatari government through its business holdings. Should Republicans lose control of the Senate while Democrats take the House, Israel could find itself having to drastically re-access its relationship with Washington. We wouldn't see an immediate break in ties. American military, intelligence, technological and strategic cooperation with Israel is too integrated into the core of US institutions and corporations that would take a protracted period to dismantle. However, the power of Congress is in no way feeble. Congress controls funding, foreign-assistance legislation, sanctions, arms-related legislation and, perhaps most importantly, the political milieu in which an administration operates. A Democratic House combined with a Senate no longer controlled by Republicans could place enormous pressure on Trump to alter his attitude towards Israel. Practically this could entail demanding further accountability from Israel over military operations in Gaza, and the West Bank Settlers causing civilian casualties and property damage. Military aid could face more conditions or restrictions, but an immediate cutoff is unlikely. Israel has historically depended upon the presumption that regardless of who was President, there would be a robust enough bipartisan coalition in Congress to prevent a major deterioration in the relationship. Now the opposite appears true. Israel is taking the gamble of solely relying on a friendly President like Trump getting elected to maintain cordial relations. With the erosion of even much of Jewish American support for Israel and the hijacking of the Democratic party by a pro Islamist socialist left seen in Mamdani and others, Israel is forced to confront the inescapable reality that the last strong bastion of support for it is the Republican Party's evangelical base. But even younger voters in this key demographic are beginning to question support for Israel. The hostility displayed by the Haredim in Jerusalem and elsewhere against Christians including evangelicals, is to say the least counter-productive to the national interest. To attack the one friend Israel has left with a proven track record of loyalty and is vital to pro-Zionism internationally, is particularly detrimental to the national interest. It is Iran with its Mahdiist interpretations of jihad and sharia as a religious ideology that drives its hatred of Israel and the USA, and The West, to the detriment of the interests of the majority of the Iranian populace who want non hostile co-existence.  Such religious fanaticism and ideologically fuelled hatred ought not be given place in Israeli Judaism. It too, will generate adverse consequences for the majority of Israelis, including religious moderates, who desire an ongoing friendship with Evangelical Christians whose theology is not one of anti Semitism, but of proven Philo-Semitism and pro Zionism.

Don't bit ethe hand that feeds you - Irish hypocrisy towards Israel

By David Passmore • August 21, 2026
Don't bite the hand that feeds you - Irish hypocrisy towards Israel Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM Amongst European nations, Ireland in recent years has gained the reputation as being the leading anti-Zionist country. The Irish Republic has never been favourably inclined to Israel. It only established an Embassy in Tel Aviv in 1996. In poll after poll the vast majority of the Irish public have indicated hostility towards Zionism and strong support for Palestinian Statehood. The curious aberration to this is that in British Ruled Northern Ireland support is demarcated along sectarian lines. Catholic Republican areas predictably tend to ardently support the Palestinian cause, while Protestant Unionist communities are overwhelmingly pro-Israel. Perhaps some credence can be given to sentiments of traditional Catholic antisemitism hardwired into the Irish psyche as contributing towards this disposition. It was certainly odd that the Irish government promptly sent a delegation to the Nazi German Ambassador in Dublin to convey condolences after news of Hitler's suicide broke at the end of WW2. But more concretely if you were to ask the average Irish protester on a pro-Palestine march the basis of their empathy for the Palestinian cause, they would point to the ostensible parallels between the Irish experience of fighting for independence from British colonial oppression to the plight of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. Further remonstrations on a diplomatic level concern the actions of the IDF interreacting with Irish Peace Keepers in Southern Lebanon that have caused the deaths of several Irish Peace Keepers over the decades in friendly fire incidents. Ireland has contributed the most peace keepers to this mission per capita and the government has condemned Israel for these deaths that they view as avoidable. This animosity towards Israel is unbalanced. There are reasons to consider that Ireland and Israel have a shared experience of national liberation. Both countries fought the British in the pursuit of independence. Both countries made great efforts to resurrect their ancient languages for modern wide scale use. Both the Irish and Jews form major diaspora communities in New York. Despite all this Ireland ranks as Israel's second largest export market after the US. The preponderance of Israeli exports to Ireland comprises electronic integrated circuits, micro-assemblies, and tech manufacturing components. American multinational colossal tech corporations like Intel are substantially engrossed in this trade through the chain of supply. Ireland and Israel are hubs for design and manufacture of high-tech hardware components for US corporations. So, due to the nature of the most prosperous and competitive sectors of their respective economies, Israel and Ireland are inextricably bound in bilateral trade ties. Resolutions from the Irish government to impose sanctions on West Bank originating produce is merely perfunctory rhetoric. Such actions amount to a drop in the bucket in terms of impact to overall trade. The stark reliance of Ireland on advanced Israeli aviation equipment recently caused a spectacle when Ireland's new government jet struggled to land in heavy fog due to it being ordered without an advanced Israeli made navigation system. This was directly due to a short-sighted government decision not to buy Israeli military technology. There is a marked disparity between the official position of the Irish government designed for domestic public consumption and the economic policies that it actually pursues towards Israel. The government is acutely aware that the US is massively invested in the Irish economy and they don't want to do anything to jeopardise this. Washington demands that their enterprises in Dublin are intertwined with operations in Israel. The Irish government dare not even prevent US military supply flights refuelling at Shannon Airport on their way to Tel Aviv. The Irish government knows that times change and now the gripping social issue is the anti-immigrant/anti-Islam popular street protests. Soon the anti-Israel protests could become a mere side show only really promoted by Sinn Fein given the pressing ramifications of mass migration. So, in the meantime certain politicians will rile against the occupation, purported genocide and pass paltry sanctions against insignificant produce from the West Bank. All the while making hand over fist in money with the Israelis where it really matters in tech.  (Author is an Israeli American lawyer academically qualified in British and in U.S.A. law, and a graduate of the School of Oriental & African Studies, London. He is a Jewish believer in Jesus and is currently based in Israel).

The tide has Changed

By David Passmore • July 31, 2026
The Tide Has Changed Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM The America that Netanyahu touched down on is a changed America. The death of Lindsey Graham represents a changing of the guard. Graham was a staunch Israeli ally who will most probably become an increasingly rare breed in Washington. Sixty percent of Americans now hold a unfavourable view of Israel which politicians are finding difficult to ignore. It was once unthinkable to believe that New York City with such a strong Jewish electoral base and influence on all sectors of economic and cultural life would have a mayor that is so hostile to Israel to such an extent that he is calling for the arrest of its Prime Minister. From all accounts Netanyahu was cordially welcomed at the White House. The official press release stated that the talks were constructive. What is more telling is what was left unsaid particularly concerning the proposed sale of F35's to Israel's new regional adversary -Turkey. Trump is keen to find a swift resolution to the Iran War, while Netanyahu is opposed to a premature departure. When the US and Israel initiated their attacks on Iran over five months ago, Trump and Netanyahu appeared united in the War's goals and purpose. But as the protracted conflict has staggered to topple the Iranian regime fractures have emerged. Much has been said about the imminent political realities both leaders face. The Republicans could take a big hit in the November midterm elections should the war continue and global energy markets be negatively impacted. Netanyahu is anxious to demonstrate a big win to the Israeli public with the upcoming October election. In Israel, the Iran War is not viewed in isolation, but rather as an extension of the response to the colossal disaster of the October 7th massacre. Netanyahu must rehabilitate his reputation as a competent steward of national security having had the greatest loss of civilian life in an attack happening under his watch. Aside from the Iran issue, Trump is being pressured by Erdogan to insist upon Israeli withdrawal from Syrian territory pre-emptively seized by Israel following the toppling of Assad. Trump has also indicated disapproval of the extent of continuing Israeli measures against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, questioning the proportionality employed. Netanyahu is not in an envious position. Throughout his tenure and political career, he lauded his ability to engage successfully with the American public by zealously advocating Israel's position. Yet under his government Israel's reputation has plummeted in the US. Trump may be the last US President to extend such overwhelming bilateral support to Israel. The days of politicians like Lindsey Graham are fast ending. While John Fetteman and Marco Rubio appear to be remaining more solid, even some of the most warmly inclined leading Republican and Democrat voices like Donald Trump and Rahm Emanuel have nuanced their support for Israel. The tide has shifted and will at best level off if not continuing to shift further.  (Author is an Israeli American lawyer academically qualified in British and in U.S.A. law, and a graduate of the School of Oriental & African Studies, London. He is a Jewish believer in Jesus and is currently based in Israel).

The Saudi Nuclear Deal: An attempt to alter the Regional Balance of Power

By David Passmore • July 24, 2026
The Saudi Nuclear Deal: An attempt to alter the Regional Balance of Power Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM The initiative to develop a civilian nuclear program in Saudi Arabia with US assistance isn't new. There were concrete plans discussed towards these ends during the first Trump Administration. The recent announcement to actualize this deal follows the geo-political regional tumult in the wake of the Iran War. Several dimensions of motivation underlie the US decision. An overarching US strategic agenda is to keep the Saudis firmly in the American sphere of influence. Washington knows all too well that the Chinese and Russians are eager to offer their nuclear technical assistance to the Saudis in order to draw them closer to their camp. On a personal note, the nuclear agreement is a significant achievement for Bin Salaman. The Saudis have long had designs to diversify their energy supplies. Having a civilian nuclear program also adds prestige to Saudi Arabia as an emerging market economy. For the US, a monopoly on contracting companies for the requisite construction offers lucrative economic opportunities. Although the Civilian Nuclear deal does not allow the enrichment of Uranium, the Saudis will be in a position to do so if Washington gives the green light. This will act as a counterbalanced threat hanging over the Iranians. After the recent flare up of renewed fighting with Iran due to their lack of adherence to the moratorium of understanding, something had to budge in Trump's estimation. A reconfiguration of the power balance in the Gulf by introducing the potential of Saudi Arabia to be able to acquire nuclear weapons shifts the dynamic and places further pressure on Iran to strictly abstain from nuclear proliferation. Despite Israeli concerns about the agreement, Trump sought to assuage their alarm by making it contingent upon Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with them. Given the inherently unstable nature of an autocratic Saudi regime Israel views a diplomatic relationship with the Saudis as being on precarious footing in the long term. Israel is already forced to contend with the implications of one nuclear armed Muslim state - Pakistan and it will further weaken its own deterrent capability if another similarly capable hostile neighbour were to emerge in the future. The roles of Turkey and Qatar in all this foray are a wild card. Officially Turkey is served under the NATO nuclear umbrella for defence that is subject to US control. However, its civilian nuclear program remains in its infancy. Now with the Saudi deal, Erdogan may be inclined to exert pressure on the US to help accelerate his own nuclear program. Just as Erdogan's efforts to acquire F35 fighter jets from the US greatly disturbed Israeli military planners, a heightened Turkish nuclear ability will intensify this fear. Qatar views itself as pursuing its own independent foreign policy that has managed to remain rather neutral during the current war, thereby escaping the ire of Iran's strikes on US regional assets. Overall, the Qatari government has grown closer to the Turkish vision for the region and so likely isn't particularly amiable to the Saudi agreement. Ultimately the Saudi deal is a gamble. Many will see it as throwing more fuel on the fire which will further imperil the tinder box region and heighten tensions. But Trump finds himself at a continuing impasse with a stubborn regime in Tehran that is leveraging their geographic hold on the straits of Hormuz to inflict damage on the global energy markets. Iranian strikes upon US Arab regional allies have underscored the de facto alliance between Israel and the Arabs against Iran and its Shia proxies. The US hopes to use the Saudi nuclear deal as a means of making this alliance official by having Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords as a pre-condition.  (Author is an Israeli American lawyer academically qualified in British and in U.S.A. law, and a graduate of the School of Oriental & African Studies, London. He is a Jewish believer in Jesus and is currently based in Israel).

Circling the Wagons

By David Passmore • July 14, 2026
Circling the wagons Ruben Rothler LLB, LLM Israel is a society riddled with tension and division. It is sociologically, if not politically miraculous that a country drawing Jews from all over the world is able to exist at all. The army affords a degree of integration as a melting pot. But this is only a marginal source of national unity in the overall scheme of things. More so are the myriads of external threats that face this small country. In the former generation the Ashkenazi (Jews of European descent) - Sephardic (Jews of Oriental descent) divide was far more pronounced. The dominant Ashkenazi establishment held the reins of political and economic power which was resented by the Sephardim. However, due to a combination of inter-marriage and political accommodation much of the chasm that separated these distinct groups was forged. Menachem Begin (an Ashkenazi politician) in 1970 successfully ran on the Likud Party ticket with a campaign that brought Sephardic Jews under his conservative political umbrella. Later the immigration of Russian Jews following the end of Communism would add a whole new dimension to the Israeli demographic milieu. The younger generation of these immigrants tended to adapt well to Israeli society and contributed much to the economy. The wider division in Israeli society that crosses ethnic lines concerns that between religious and secular Jews. This can be further bifurcated to the clash between the secular and specifically ultra-orthodox Jews (Haredim) as distinguished from the national religious Jews (Dati Leumi). The Secular and the Religious generally part on what they envisage a Jewish State to entail. Religious Jews desire the State to strictly adhere to the stipulations of Jewish Law (Halacha), while at present Halakhic influence is largely limited to certain areas of Family Law concerning Jewish citizens. Wider considerations of promoting a socially conservative political agenda would also be forefront amongst the religious mindset broadly. Secular Jews view the imposition of such proposed measures as a serious infringement of their civil rights. With regard to the Haredim, the bone of contention looms larger, in that this group is fundamentally opposed to participating in society at large. This is acutely manifested in diminished contribution to the work force and a refusal to be conscripted into the army. The 2023 judicial reform protests posed a significant threat to social civil order. The nation appeared to be bitterly divided into two opposing camps. This split reflected broader divisions concerning visions of how the country should be governed. The judicial reforms would have weakened the Supreme Court's ability to render the Executive branch accountable. However, the Supreme Court was also accused of using its considerable powers to promote a socially liberal agenda. Left wing secular Israelis tended to oppose the proposed reforms while those on the right (which included the majority of Religious Jews) supported the reforms. Every weekend droves of protesters were brought onto the streets causing major disturbances to traffic. The polarising nature of this impasse threatened the future of Israeli democracy. It was the October 7th attack that brought a swift end to this public debate and civil strife. The nation instinctually united in response to this common existential threat. The judicial reforms were shelved for a future point when the urgent security threats subsided. However, as the war dragged on the enduring issue of Haredi refusal to conscript into the army became more pronounced. Mounting casualties combined with ever increasing manpower demands to field troops on the multiple theatres of action on which the IDF is engaged has depleted the ranks, and the army is now in much need of fresh conscripts. Haredi belligerent refusal to participate in the pressing national defence has escalated from being a political debate to a matter of very practical vital importance. Overall we can observe that the challenges to national unity in successive generations since the establishment of Israel has recurrently been ameliorated by the common necessity of defence towards outside threats. Most recently we can see this happening with regard to the global anti Semitism and anti-Zionism that has been raging since the October 7th atrocities. These hostile attitudes have paradoxically acted as a force which promotes nationalism and a sense of national cohesion in Israel that otherwise might not functionally exist.  (Author is an Israeli American lawyer academically qualified in British and in U.S.A. law, and a graduate of the School of Oriental & African Studies, London. He is a Jewish believer in Jesus and is currently based in Israel).

A Divided Nation

By David Passmore • July 8, 2026
A Divided Nation Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM The Haredi community has had a complicated, paradoxical relationship with the State since its founding. Rooted in a Talmudic precept that the Jews are forbidden to resettle the land of Israel en masse by force before the coming of the Messiah, the secular democratic State of Israel presents itself as blasphemous by its mere existence. Yet due to practical considerations such as the need to obtain funding for its religious academies the Haredi leadership reached a settlement with the State's founders that exempted Haredi men from being conscripted for military service. This was at a time when the Haredi population in Israel was relatively small. Over the past decades this demographic ballooned until the point that soon the majority of Jewish children in Israel will be born into Haredi families. Such a situation is clearly unsustainable. Recently the Knesset's (Parliament's) Haredi parties have pressured their coalition partners in government to codify Torah Study as part of the Country's Basic Laws. This was purposefully done to elevate the status of their institutions to be on parity with service in the IDF. Israel is yet to promulgate a written Constitution, so legislation classed as a Basic Law holds Constitutional status for all intents and purposes. These moves by the religious parties represent a back door power grab to enshrine in law very significant hurdles to prevent the enlistment of Haredi men. The burden of Israel's defence is comparatively massive for a country its size and it is vastly disproportionately shouldered by the secular population. Until now there have been political initiatives to conscript the Haredim. But given the huge manpower shortages emerging in the wake of near continual conflict on multiple fronts since the events of October 7th this matter has become urgent and not merely a theoretical discussion of what is fair and equitable. It is important to draw a distinction between the Haredim and national religious Jews (Dati Leumi). The Haredim adhere to a lifestyle entirely committed to observance of Jewish Law and Talmudic study. This is embraced to the exclusion of gainful employment and participation in wider society. They are either outrightly opposed to Zionism or consider themselves non-Zionist. Conversely, followers of the national religious movement in Israel although being observant of Jewish law and learning would alongside this pursue secular professions. Furthermore, they are ardently Zionist and disproportionately serve in IDF combat units. This is often done within the framework of a program called Hesder Yeshiva that combines religious learning with military service. Efforts to cater a similar model for accommodating Haredi participation in the IDF have so far failed to make substantial gains. Such measures designed to override Haredi objections to service based upon modesty concerns by strict segregation of the sexes in these specially formed units have failed to appease the Haredi leadership. For them, any form of military service is considered a dereliction of their duty to fully devote themselves to a Torah lifestyle. They argue that their Talmudic learning and prayers are in itself a form of national service and act to protect the Jewish people spiritually from enemy attack. It is as if two parallel societies exist within Israel. And the trajectory of separation between the two is only growing. The Haredim are cloistered away in their Yeshivas, immersed in lives devoted to adhering to the stipulations of Jewish law. While the particulars of actually running the State is left to the Secular. The Haredim desire all the benefits of subsidizing their lifestyle without contributing to society. What we really have going on here at source is two profoundly different and opposing ideological visions of what is important in life and what is the purpose of a Jewish State. At the State's founding these divergent perspectives were more manageable. Ben Gurion only had to contend with one religious party –the National Religious Party. Later in 1970 Begin aligned with the NRP to form a coalition government that also brought Sephardic Jews under the Likud umbrella which had the effect of bringing unity to the country by bridging the Ashkenazi-Sephardi divide. However, over time Israeli politics has seen a proliferation of religious parties, gaining further leverage as king brokers in forming governments due to the proportionate representation voting system which secular Israelis not uncommonly view as political blackmail. (Author is an Israeli American lawyer academically qualified in British and in U.S.A. law, and a graduate of the School of Oriental & African Studies, London. He is a Jewish believer in Jesus and is currently based in Israel).

Why Is It Always Israel? | Zechariah 12 Is Happening Before Our Eyes

By David Passmore • June 29, 2026