Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
Shalom from beautiful Israel! It is so good to be back home! The only good part about being away from my family and my country is that reuniting is always so sweet. As difficult as it was to be away, the time was well spent. I completed the recording of the audiobook for Exploring Ezekiel, which renewed my passion for the content of the book. Yes, in the prophet’s writing you find the return of modern Israel to its ancient land and the miraculous divine intervention in the coming Ezekiel War. But the amazing writing of the visionary prophet is about so much more. It is through him that God chose to reveal His perfect plan to let the world know that He “is the Lord.” If you haven’t yet preordered your copy of Exploring Ezekiel, please do so today!
Rather than come home once the recording was completed, I remained in London a few extra days so that I could join Pastor Florin Antonie at Genesis Baptist Church in Barking. Both Saturday and Sunday, we spoke to his packed church. We also included ample time for answering questions. My heartfelt thanks go out to Pastor Florin and his wonderful team for making the two-evening event so special.
I’ve got great news for those of you who have felt a longing to see the land of the Scriptures. Registration for our Behold Israel 2026 tours opens tomorrow, August 29. Five options are available to help you fit this amazing, perspective-changing event into your schedule – February, May, October, November, and December. Not only will you see the traditional sites you’ve only read about in the Bible, you’ll hear deep insights regarding the locations you visit and experience life-changing teachings from the Word of God. Don’t wait long, because the spots always fill up fast. To see where you might fit in, check out our website for details. I look forward to seeing you here in Israel!
MidEast & Beyond
This weekly newsletter is one of three ways that Behold Israel strives to keep you connected with what is taking place in the world. A second opportunity for news is also weekly, as long as my traveling doesn’t preclude it. It is “MidEast & Beyond,” a video news update hosted by Pastor Barry Stagner and me. This last episode asked “Is this the end of the Palestinian state dream?,” but it covered much more. If you want your news to come throughout each day rather than once a week, then I would encourage you to subscribe to my Telegram channel. When you do, make sure you subscribe to the genuine, blue-checked channel with over 630,000 subscribers. More and more scammers are popping up, looking to fleece the faithful. However, if you stay with the main channel and remember that I will never, ever contact you directly to ask for money, then you will be perfectly safe and in the know.
All or Nothing in Gaza
Israel is done with the disingenuous bartering that Hamas has been carrying out using the lives of our precious hostages. Prime Minister Netanyahu and the government are demanding all the hostages be returned immediately, alive and dead, along with a promise by the Gazan people that Hamas will never again exist amongst their people. This is a commitment that U.S. President Donald Trump is fully on board with, says his Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. According to the president, Hamas must end.
On their side, Hamas is showing signs that it may be open to an arrangement. Maybe it is because it sees its false “genocide” narrative falling apart. Even as the media gloms onto any new picture of a desperately sick Yemeni or Egyptian child that Hamas puts forward as a Gazan victim of Israel’s extermination plan, the Gazans themselves keep posting videos of fully stocked markets and restaurants that are serving generous dinners and delicate desserts. It’s gotten to the point that the only ones who believe the media lies are brain-washed antisemites who desperately want to find reasons to hate Israel. Sadly, there are plenty of them, and they are getting more violent as the days pass. As just one tragic example, look at the twisted transgender antisemite who shot at Catholic school children yesterday, killing two and wounding 17 more. In these days of deception, the violence by the left is only going to get worse.
Deliberately Twisting Statistics
London’s daily newspaper, The Guardian, is back twisting facts again to fit their narrative. A headline of theirs read, “Revealed: Israeli military’s own data indicates civilian death rate of 83% in Gaza War.” This is directly contrary to Israel’s claim that they are fighting the most civilian-cautious war that’s ever been waged. But if The Guardian says that Israel itself has admitted it with their own data, then who could argue?
Not surprisingly, this is a false narrative. What the statistic actually claims is that out of every 100 Gazans killed, only 17 were known pre-war to be part of a terrorist organization. Most of the other dead were also terrorists; they just weren’t known to be part of a group prior to October 7, or they hadn’t joined until that time. This is where the divide exists between how the Israeli military and The Guardian process data. If a man crawls out of a tunnel with an AK-47 strapped to his back and an RPG in his hands, the IDF makes the assumption that he is an enemy terrorist. The Guardian, however, seems to believe that the Israeli military should first identify the person, check him against a terrorist list that was created pre-October 7, and, if his name isn’t on the list, they should recognize him as the innocent civilian that he obviously is. This logic is asinine. But because the lie is anti-Israel, it is contagious. Even former U.S. congressman from Texas and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, a man who has never met a conspiracy theory he didn’t like, jumped on the bandwagon, posting on his X account, “Horror: Israeli Intel Database Reveals 83% killed in Gaza are civilians!” Oy vavoy, Mr. Congressman. You leave me with no words.
Israel Defense Forces Fire on Harmless Gazan Hospital Hoping to Kill Journalists
That headline is the narrative the media was trying to push last week regarding the IDF’s assault on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis without coming right out and printing it. What they failed to mention was that the hospital is a Hamas stronghold chock full of terrorists, and that it is used to spy on Israeli troop movements. But anytime you can put “Israel” and “hospital” together in a headline, the media knows to run with it. And if you can somehow finagle the word “journalist” in there, too, you just may earn yourself a Pulitzer.
Israel Expands into Judea and Samaria
Last week, I told you about the Knesset approving new Jewish communities in the area formerly called the West Bank. Progress continued this past week with a special ceremony celebrating the approval of 17 new Jewish communities in Binyamin. At the event, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated, “I said that we will build and hold on to our homeland, and we are doing it.”
Israel Strikes Back Against Yemen
Recently, Yemen fired a cluster bomb warhead at Israel. That is technology that is far too advanced for the khat-chewing Houthi crazies. What it indicates is that Iran is directly involved in the firing of missiles from Yemen at Israel. Iran’s time will come, but first things first.
Israel Set Fire to Yemen on Sunday with a Massive Airstrike
Hit were the presidential palace (which was unfortunately empty), the Haziz power plant, the A-Sateen power station, the Al-Nahadeen military compound, a fuel storage site, and a missile depot. The main goal of the Yemenites missile and UAV campaign is to prevent the IDF from moving forward in Gaza. Hopefully, one day they will learn that their mission is futile, that Iran is just using them, and that the IDF has a nearly unlimited stock of weapons. Once they do, they can go back to trying to kill Saudi Arabians like they did in the good old days, and leave the Israelis alone.
Quick Reminder: Lebanon is Collapsing
As I do every week, I want to remind you once more that Lebanon is in a downward spiral economically, militarily, and socially. The only way the Lebanese can save their country is to boot Hezbollah out. But because the terrorist group is so deeply entrenched in the governmental and social fabric of the nation, it is easier said than done. President Aoun has said that Hezbollah must disarm. Hezbollah has responded with, “You can have my AK-47 when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.” Aoun has got to come to a place where he is ready to make the fingers of Hezbollah cold and dead, otherwise the spiral will continue until the nation collapses. Meanwhile, in the south, Israel will keep patrolling, taking out every Hezbollah stronghold that comes too close to the border and intercepting any weapons that are smuggled into the area.
Iran about to Face a European Snapback
Today, Britain, France, and Germany are initiating a process to “snapback” sanctions against Iran that had been imposed prior to the 2015 nuclear agreement. They’re encouraging the Islamic regime to jump through whatever hoops need to be jumped through so that the Europeans have an excuse to hold off taking the measure. Tehran issued their usual warning of a “harsh response” if the sanctions are reinstated.
The Ministry
There are still a few seats remaining for the Discovering Daniel conference on Friday, September 26, at Birchman Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. The Saturday conference is already sold out, so don’t wait too long. This will be the first time on US soil that Pastor Barry Stagner and I will teach through the entire amazing book of Daniel in a single day. Register today to join us!
The next weekend, Pastor Barry and I will join Dr. Mark Hitchcock at Abundant Life Church in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, for two days of Awaiting His Return conferences. These are also return visits, and I can’t wait to see everyone again. The dates are October 3 and 4, and there are still places available on both days, so sign up today!
If you missed my time with Dr. Rick Yohn this past week, you’ll want to check it out. “Explore the Bible: Interpreting the Bible Historically – Part I” is a fascinating and insightful journey into the importance of understanding the setting of the Scriptures if you want to truly understand the words of the Scriptures. Be sure to check it out!
Keep up to date with all the CONNECT viewing options by checking out our Live Online Events page on the website. This week, you have quite a few choices for joining us:
• Public Reading of Scripture – Thursday, August 28, 6:00 PM PDT
• Weekly Prayer Meeting, a very special time praying with others from around the world – Friday, August 29, 10:00 AM PDT
• Comfort My People, a moving teaching I presented on Isaiah 40:1-2 – Friday, August 29, 12:00 PM PDT
• CONNECT Q&A, with Pastor Barry Stagner and me – Monday, September 1, 8:00 AM PDT
• Authors’ Corner: Exploring Ezekiel, with Steve Yohn and me – Tuesday, September 2, 10:00 AM PDT
• MidEast & Beyond Update, with Pastor Barry Stagner and me – Wednesday, September 3, 10:00 AM PDT
As I mentioned above, this ministry is under attack by scammers and trolls. It breaks my heart, because rather than the arrows coming my direction they are pointed at you. Please pray for protection for those who follow this ministry. So many have such big hearts and want to help however they can. Sadly, that can potentially make them perfect prey for these criminals. Also, I ask that you be particularly diligent so that you don’t fall under any of the enemy’s attacks.
Thank you for your constant prayers and for your amazing giving to this ministry. God blesses us incredibly through your love and support.
Awaiting His Return,
Amir Tsarfati
Amir Tsarfati, a Jewish Christian, is the founder and president of Behold Israel, a news site to correct the scarcity in trustworthy reportage on issues and events impacting Israel, and to resolve the uncertainty about who or what to believe.
The views expressed in opinion articles are solely those of the author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Black Community News.
