Israeli citizens are casting their votes for a new set of leaders tomorrow. Back in December, the Knesset dissolved and declared the need to start over mid-term by taking things back to square one with a new election. Since then, there has been a fervent campaign going on to vote out current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Some say Netanyahu is too soft, and others say he is too hard when it comes to Israel’s security, relations within the Israeli-Palestinian affairs, and the Middle East conflict.
Investigation opened
Accusations continue that foreign governments, including the United States, have interfered by funding aggressive efforts to dissuade voters from voting for Netanyahu. Last week, the U.S. Senate opened an investigation into such funding, claiming that the Obama administration “had indirectly, but knowingly funded an Israeli campaign dedicated to unseating” the Prime Minister (Israel Today). Both Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations have approved a probe into the matter.
In question is the receipt of some $350,000 in State Department grants by an organization called OneVoice Movement. According to Fox News, the group conducts “work in encouraging both Palestinian grassroots civic activism and Palestinian-Israeli peace talks” (Fox News).The greater sticking point is that OneVoice recently linked up with the Israel-based agency Victory 15 (V15) which has been actively campaigning for a new batch of government leaders, including Netanyahu. Some would say that Netanyahu is not only included, but is the primary target. Among V15’s efforts has been a campaign to increase Arab voter turn-out.
Layers of concern
A direct link between the White House and OneVoice remains unconfirmed, and the State Dept. has said the funding stopped before Israel’s December announcement of a Knesset clean sweep with mid-term elections in March. However, in early January OneVoice went public with its new partnership with V15. The fact that, also in January, Obama’s former campaign director and other former campaign staff flew to Israel to work with V15 adds more layers of concern.
And so, elections in Israel take place tomorrow. Israel, small and surrounded by enemies in every direction, will decide who will lead her into the future. Tomorrow they determine who will defend her and how, and who will face off in her behalf against an increasing portion of the world that stands with feet planted and arms crossed in a stance of resistance toward Israel. With Iran racing to develop nuclear weapons to destroy her, and with long-standing allies showing questionable loyalty, the outcome of tomorrow’s election is critical to Israel’s safety in the region and to peace within her borders.
Please pray for Israel
Please pray for these elections Tuesday. Israel is half a world and nearly half a day away from us here at Jewish Voice Ministries headquarters. When it’s night here, it’s day there. But God is not constrained by the limits of time as we are. Whenever you read this, we encourage you to please pray over these elections. Pray:
- That wise leaders are elected to rule Israel.
- For the peace and safety of Israel.
- For world leaders to stand with Israel.
- That God’s enemy, Satan, will not gain any ground in his agenda to dismantle and destroy Israel.
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