“The Biden administration intensified pressure on Israel this week to improve dire conditions for civilians in the Gaza Strip, as top officials warned they would resort to punitive measures, potentially including a suspension of military aid, if humanitarian aid flows are not increased within a month.

“In an Oct. 13 letter to senior Israeli officials, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanded urgent steps to ensure noncombatants have access to food and other necessities, blaming actions by the Israeli government and lawlessness in Gaza for a recent deterioration of conditions there.”

On November 10, Ynet news, reported that, “D9 bulldozer shipment stalled by US embargo, leaving Israeli soldiers exposed.” The report goes on to state,

“The partial U.S. arms embargo on Israel is affecting the battlefield in Gaza and Lebanon and could pose a risk to IDF soldiers. The U.S. is silently halting various arms shipments to the country but continues to support Israel in other ways, including a large-scale deal to acquire around 1,000 new APCs.

“New details reveal that an extensive shipment of 134 D9 bulldozers, which Israel ordered and paid for but are awaiting export approval from the U.S. State Department in Washington, according to two security sources who spoke with Ynet on condition of anonymity.”

The report goes on to describe how these bulldozers save soldiers lives.

“The bulldozers in these operations often lead the brigade’s combat teams, clearing ‘contaminated’ areas from explosive charges intended to detonate against infantry and armor troops. However, it’s clear that these machines aren’t only operationally effective against terror tunnels and in urban areas but also help save soldiers’ lives.”

Earlier in October on the first of the month, America sanctioned the “Hilltop Youth”. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s press release said, “Treasury Designates Extremist Settler Group in West Bank” The press release states that “Hilltop Youth” is, “a violent extremist group that has repeatedly attacked Palestinians and destroyed Palestinian homes and property in the West Bank.” Who are the “hilltop youth?” First there is no formal group called “the hilltop youth.” The term in Israel refers to loosely organized ideological pioneers who endeavour to settle the land of Israel — principally the regions of Judah and Samaria. In fact it is difficult to find much information on them, they are out on the hilltops of Judah and Samaria, building homes, living as shepherds and farmers. They are welcoming and non-violent. Many are motivated by the Hebrew prophets to settle the land they believe God has given them. Others maybe troubled youths from the larger cities, that join the young people on the hilltops and adapt their lifestyle. They have protested government actions to destroy hilltop communities that they have erected. Incidents of damage to Palestinian property have been attributed to some youths and an arson attack that resulted in deaths has been attributed to them, although the conviction was made under questionable circumstances. An op-ed from Israel National News in 2016 summarized the hilltop youth this way:

“Collectively, these boys are referred to as Hilltop youth simply because they have chosen to live a simple life on the beautiful mountains of our land. They farm, raise animals, learn and are deeply religious young people. I have been to some of these hilltops – some are without electricity, all are filled with love. These are not violent people, these are young men and women, sometimes individuals, sometimes families, who love their land and are deeply religious. They are not violent. For God’s sake, they are farmers and pioneers living in an age when the world doesn’t understand such simplicity.”

Quite simply, the “hilltop youth” are not a terrorist group of any description. However, what the American sanctioning of this “group” achieved, is the dangerous assumption that any Jew who settles the hilltops of Judah and Samaria is effectively treated as a terrorist. It is no surprise that the world and the media would be against those who settle the mountains of Israel. It is quite amazing that a group of young idealists can gather so much negative world attention, but not surprising when we read Ezekiel 38:8.

“After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.”

All of this could now likely change, as Trump won the US elections on November 5, in a landslide, taking control of the Presidency, Congress and the Senate and winning the popular vote. Subsequently on November 13, 30 days after the aforementioned American threat to withhold arms, it was reported in the Times of Israel – headline and article summary reading,

“US says it won’t withhold weapons to Israel, as deadline to address aid crisis passes

“Lacking leverage after election, Biden aides say Israel took sufficient steps to comply with US law, even if Jerusalem didn’t meet all the demands it was given 30 days to act on.”

Fox News reported on this Friday, November 15, that, “Trump said to lift all military restrictions on Israel on 1st day in office according to reports”

Recently Trump has been announcing appointments to key positions in the new government, to be inaugurated on January 20. While these appointments have not yet gone through due process, it gives us an idea of where things could be headed.

Pete Hegseth is Trump’s choice for US Secretary of Defence. In 2018 he made these comments at the 2018 Arutz Sheva conference.

“I, and others, had a chance to go see the Western Wall, the Temple Mount, the Western Wall Tunnels, and so much of the Old City,” he said. “When you stand there, you cannot help but behold the miracle before you.”

“It got me thinking about another miracle I hope all of you don’t see as too far away. 1917 was a miracle, 1948 was a miracle, 1967 was a miracle, 2017, the declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was a miracle, and there’s no reason why the miracle of the reestablishment of the Temple on the Temple Mount is not possible. I don’t know how it would happen, you don’t know how it would happen, but I know that it could happen, that’s all I know,” he said.

“A step in that process is the recognition that facts and activities on the ground truly matter. That’s why going to visit Judea and Samaria, understanding that the very sovereignty over Israeli soil, cities, locations, is a critical next step to showing the world that this is the land for Jews, and the land of Israel”

Trump’s appointment for the American Ambassador to Israel is Mike Huckabee a Baptist Pastor, here is Jeremy Gimpel’s reaction to that news,

“I’m sitting here in the mountains of Judea, just having my breakfast and I hear the news that Mike Huckabee is now going to be the ambassador to Israel. My first response, praise the Lord!” Mike Huckabee supports the settlements in Judah and Samaria, and has visited Arugot Farm where Jeremy Gimpel lives. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency stated:

“The nomination may be seen in Israel as a boost for long-delayed plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex parts of the West Bank. In 2008, Huckabee said, “There’s really no such thing as a Palestinian.” In his run for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, Huckabee had said he saw the West Bank as an “integral part” of Israel and vowed to back settlement expansion there. Huckabee dropped out early and endorsed Trump in that election, stumping for him with enthusiasm, even when visiting Israel.”

Meanwhile the Vatican is getting desperate to stop Israel, Israel National News reported: “Excerpts from book to be released Tuesday reveal that Pope Francis is calling for an investigation into whether Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the criteria for genocide.”

The upcoming American administration will be looking to create progress on Middle East peace and prosperity. Israel National News reported: “Both Kushner and Trump aim to build on the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates during Trump’s first term.”

That’s if Biden’s administration doesn’t succeed in starting a world war first, as it has just been announced that America has approved the use of its supplied long range missiles by Ukraine for striking deep inside Russia. Putin has said in the past, that if this were to happen, Russia may use Nuclear weapons.

Over the last year, Israel’s enemies, the terrorist entities of Hamas and Hezbollah, backed by Iran, have all begun to fall before them. Long ago in Persia, even Haman’s wise men could see the writing on the wall, they said, “If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.”

The time to favour Zion, yea, the set time has come.

This has been David Billington with you for Bible in the News. Thanks for listening — come back next week to www.bibleinthenews.com