Special Prayer Alert - Hanukkah 2014

Today (Wednesday 17th December 2014) is the first day of Hanukkah, the festival of light, which is celebrated to remember the rededication of the second temple (164 B.C) after the Greeks had defiled it, among other ways, by raising a statue of Zeus in the temple.

The battle between the Sons of Zion and the Sons of Greece continues to this day. ( Zech 9:13 ).

Today there are four major developments which are threatening the survival of Israel as a homeland of the Jewish people:

the European Parliament is set to vote TODAY for a recognition of Palestinian state, indicating that the Palestinians can get what they want without entering any negotiations or having to compromise. http://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-to-press-un-statehood-bid-wednesday/
In New York TODAY the PLO intends (via Jordan) to introduce a UN Security Council resolution demanding recognition of the state of Palestine, and that Israel withdraws to the pre-1967 lines. The resolution requires the vote of at least nine of the 15 Security Council members, and all Permanent Members must also support the resolution. It is likely - but not yet certain - that the US will veto this proposed resolution. It is also unclear whether the resolution will have majority support. http://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-to-press-un-statehood-bid-wednesday/
TODAY Switzerland will host a conference in Geneva, in which the state signatories of the Fourth Geneva Convention will again express their condemnation of Israel's conduct in Gaza, and of Jews living in the Old City of Jerusalem as well as Judea and Samaria - the Biblical heartland of the nation of Israel. Israel, USA, Canada, and Australia have decided to boycott this meeting. http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Israel-blasts-Switzerland-for-acceding-to-Palestinians-convening-Fourth-Geneva-Convention-384429
Finally, the General Court of the European Union decided TODAY that Hamas should be removed from the EU list of terror groups.
http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/EU-court-annuls-keeping-of-Hamas-on-terrorist-list-384917
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/hamas-removed-from-list-of-terrorist-organisations-by-eu-court-9930124.html

At the end of the day, the battle is about Jerusalem and who shall be worshiped on the Temple Mount. The international community (EU, UN etc) wants to push out Israel from the Old City of Jerusalem but the Lord has other plans. This is His Holy Hill, His eternal dwelling place! Please declare this as you pray this week.

Please pray for the vote in the European Parliament, that the friends of Israel will persevere and that the enemies of Israel will not be able to manipulate the undecided MEP's
Pray also that there will be no resolution presented to the UN Security Council this week, and that if it is presented the US will veto this proposal.
Pray that the states convening in Geneva will not further condemn and ostracise Israel.
Pray for the work that the European Coalition for Israel is doing at the UN in order to mobilize nations who want to stand with Israel.

This is a time to pray that the Maccabees will rise up and take their place in the battle for Jerusalem. Hanukkah has a great significance in this battle. After Israel was defeated in the UN General Assembly in November 2012 one of the few nations that sided with Israel, Togo, hosted a Hanukkah reception a few weeks later. This year, the small European nation of Albania has decided to officially recognise and celebrate Hanukkah.

Thank you for prayers today.

We wish you a blessed Hanukkah !

Tomas Sandell (European Coalition for Israel)
Andrew Tucker (Christians for Israel International / European Coalition for Israel)

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