August 4th, 2023| Messianic World Update | US Marines vs Iran, Hezbollah warned, & more
Messianic World Update with Monte Judah
Shalom everyone! I'm Monte Judah with Lion and Lamb Ministries, and welcome to another edition of Messianic World Update. Today's date is August 4th, 2023.
One of the most significant stories of the day was the news that the US was sending a marine expeditionary unit into the Persian Gulf to beef up its forces in the region. This move was in response to Iran's aggressive tactics in the Straits of Hormuz, where they have been using fast boats to harass and detain commercial ships. The US plans to station detachments of Marines on all commercial ships traveling through the strait to protect against such actions.
Meanwhile, on Israel's northern border, Hezbollah has been making provocative moves, including attempting to cross the fence that separates Israel from southern Lebanon. Israel knows that Hezbollah's ultimate goal is to kidnap Israeli soldiers, and they are taking steps to reinforce the fence and prepare for potential military conflict in the region.
Back in Israel, the Knesset is in the process of passing judicial reform bills that would limit the power of the Supreme Court. The first of these bills, called the Reasonableness Bill, passed last week, but it is subject to review by the Supreme Court in September. The second bill would change who gets to be on the selection board for new judges, with members of the Knesset having a say in the matter. These reforms are causing controversy and protests among liberals in Israel, but Benjamin Netanyahu is standing firm in his belief that they are necessary to provide checks and balances on the judiciary.
On the international front, the US had been hinting that it would hold up the future agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel under the Abraham Accords to try to leverage the Netanyahu government to back off judicial reform and side with the liberal point of view. Netanyahu refused to cooperate with the US. Now, the US has rethought its position and approved the normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, paving the way for improved economics and defense for both nations.
As always, I encourage my listeners to stay informed about the latest developments in Israel and the Middle East. These are complex issues with no easy solutions, but by staying informed and engaged, we can better understand the challenges facing Israel and its people.
Shabbat Shalom.