Friday "Watch-Fires" Prayer Alert

"Sixty-three years have passed since the end of the most

horrible war humankind has ever known. Sixty-three years

after the atrocity, the Star of David is no longer a mark

of disgrace, but a symbol and a sign of the

resurrection of the Jewish people."

- Israeli army chief Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi at the former

Nazi death camp at Auschwitz.

Auschwitz - Memory cards are placed on rails at the former Nazi death camp

during the annual March of the Living to commemorate Holocaust victims.

Oswiecim, southern Poland, May 1, 2008. (AP photo, Alik Keplicz)

Israel on Thursday marked Holocaust Remembrance Day with a two-minute morning siren bringing the entire nation to a standstill, followed by solemn ceremonies remembering the six million exterminated by Hitler's Nazis. More than 250,000 survivors of the Holocaust are still living in Israel today. Some 500,000 arrived after the end of World War II.

Young Jews march at Auschwitz in memory of Holocaust victims.

In Poland, Israeli army chief Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi led the annual March of the Living at the former Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. Some 12,000 young Jews from around the world, non-Jewish Poles and Holocaust survivors participated in the event. It was the first time the march had been led by a commander of the Israeli army. Ashkenazi reminded them, "A people which does not know or honor its past, shrouds its future in uncertainty." As for the Jews, he said, "We have learned our lesson. We take threats of leaders calling for the destruction of Israel very seriously."At least 1.1 million people, including Jews, Poles and Roma, perished in the camp's gas chambers or from starvation, disease and forced labor. The camp was liberated in January 1945 by Soviet troops.

Read more at the IHT website

A survey revealed that a majority of young Israeli Jews feel that by living in Israel they are under "certain threat of destruction."

Palestinian forces operating out of the Gaza Strip have fired 900 locally produced rockets and Iranian-supplied missiles at towns and villages in southern Israel during the first four months of 2008 alone. A total of 1,100 rockets were fired from Gaza during all of 2007, meaning that Israel was now experiencing a major escalation in terrorism emanating from the Hamas-ruled territory.

A Nazareth District Court on Thursday ruled that the venomous northern Israel branch of the Islamic Movement can hold a mass public event protesting the existence of the Jewish state on Israel's independence day next week. Many Israeli Arabs annually mark what they call "the catastrophe," or nakba in Arabic, while the rest of the nation is celebrating Israel's rebirth.

(Ynet; Israel Today; International Herald Tribune 5/1/08)

ON THE WEB - Yad Vashem, Jerusalem's Holocaust Museum

Launches Video Channels

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ISRAEL CELEBRATES . . .

60 YEARS OF MODERN STATEHOOD,

3,060 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS HISTORY

Independence Day on May 8

"The Greeks and Romans . . . are gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time but it burned out . . .the Jew saw them all, survived them all . . .all other forces pass, but he remains."

- Mark Twain, 1898

Israeli intelligence has caught wind of Palestinian terrorist plans to mount a massive terror attack against Israel during the 60th Anniversary of Israel's Independence Day. Christians and world leaders, among them President Bush, will be in the country for celebrations. Pray that the Lord would protect them, their staff, Israeli leaders, intelligence services, police, guards and all participating in public events. (israelprayer.com)

- - - Bush trip to highlight Israel anniversary

President Bush will visit Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt in May, a trip intended to hail Israel's 60th anniversary but also shove along Mideast peace talks that have stalled as Bush's term winds down. His trip runs from May 13 to 18. (Boston Globe, StandWithUs.com, Israel Today)

- - - Palestinians may join forces to mega-attack on Israel's anniversary

Israel's military intelligence chief said during a cabinet briefing on Tuesday that there is strong evidence that the various Palestinian terror groups are working together to plan and execute a massive terrorist attack as Israel marks the 60th anniversary of its rebirth as a nation-state.

General Amos Yadlin warned the government that the Palestinians are determined to carry out an attack unprecedented in size and the number of casualties it causes, and want to make it happen while foreign dignitaries are visiting to help celebrate modern Israel's independence.

Yadlin also said that intelligence suggests Hamas may soon attempt to breach the Gaza security fence and send masses of armed and unarmed Palestinians flooding into southern Israel. The general said security forces are particularly concerned over Palestinian efforts to abduct more Israelis.

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JERUSALEM:
THE COVENANT CITY

by Lance Lambert / Hugh Kitson - Why do world leaders wage war for the Temple Mount and rage over "the final status" of Jerusalem? Part 1 of Jerusalem, the Covenant City traces the prophetic history of the Holy City. Part 2 explores what the Bible has to say about Jerusalem's present and future destiny.

We discover that, as we move into the third millennium of the Christian Era, the destiny of the whole world hinges upon the destiny of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel.

This 108-minute documentary will bring you a message of challenge and hope that you will not easily forget. Order IFA Item #DV046, $15.95 + $3.50 shipping.

Credit card orders toll-free 1-800-872-7729

or via IFA's secure eBookstore www.ifabooks.com

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ISRAEL WILL ONE DAY BECOME CHIEF OF THE NATIONS

By Susan M. Michael

International Christian Embassy Jerusalem

Christian support of Israel is firmly rooted in Evangelical Christianity and in grassroots America. It is a relatively new movement, but a growing one receiving an increasing amount of attention. Since Evangelical Christianity is growing at a rate 3 times faster than the world's population, this Bible-based support of Israel will become even more impacting on our world.

From Jerusalem the Word of the Lord will go forth to the nations and the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Israel's Messiah will reign in righteousness, He will rule the nations with a rod of iron and nations will not learn war anymore (Jeremiah 31:36; Isaiah 2:2-4).

Therefore, Christian Zionists support the Jewish people's return to the land and the rebuilding of their nation. Now as throughout history anti-Semites seek to destroy the Jewish State and wipe it off the face of the earth but we will stand with Israel and will not be silent (Isaiah 62:6).

Excerpted from "Why we Support Israel" by Susan M. Michael, U.S. Director, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (www.icej.org) .

Read more at the ICEJ website

At the IFA Website . . .

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Global Food Crisis: The Economics of Hunger

http://www.ifapray.org/scienceartculture.htm

North American Union: conspiracy or coverup

http://www.ifapray.org/NorthAmericanUnion.htm

Prayer Guide: Islam Around the World

http://www.ifapray.org/PrayerGuides/Islam%20Around%20the%20World.htm

U.S. Among Most Bible-Literate Nations

http://www.ifapray.org/scienceartculture.htm

SLAVERY: HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

Today, although slavery was abolished in the USA nearly

150 years ago and in Britain 200 years ago, there are

27 million modern-day slaves worldwide. This is

more than at any time in history.

It's a $9.5 billion dollar industry annually, $3.5 billion in the U.S. Money is the motivating factor, and the fact that human beings are a renewable resource doesn't hurt either.

Globally, 500,000 to 2 million people are trafficked each year. In the U.S., that's 15,000-18,000 women, children, and men who are forced, coerced, or subjugated through fraud into unjust and illegal work in the commercial sex industry, domestic service, restaurants, cleaning services, farm labor, and construction. Trafficking is hidden but it's in plain sight, if we'll learn to have eyes that see. (Wendy Andrews, 24-7 Prayer.com)

WHY A CHILD DIES EVERY 8 SECONDS

Within 25 years, half of the world's population is projected

to have trouble finding enough fresh water for

drinking and irrigation

If we woke up and learned one morning from reading the newspaper that 12 jumbo jets filled with children had crashed, leaving no survivors, the world would be outraged and distraught. Yet, each day, a child somewhere in the world is dying every 8 seconds from drinking contaminated water - the equivalent of 12 jumbo jets of children dying per day.

According to the World Commission on Water for the 21st Century, more than 1 billion people worldwide have no access to clean drinking water, and 3 billion - half of humanity - live in squalor without proper sanitation. The problem is already very severe in Asia, the world's most polluted and environmentally degraded region, where some 830 million people do not have access to safe drinking water and more than two billion lack proper sanitation. It is bound to get worse. (International Herald Tribune 5/12/01)

About Living Water International (www.water.cc)

Nearly 85 percent of those who have had no access to the gospel of Jesus Christ are also without access to clean, safe drinking water, and these are among the poorest people on the planet. Gifted intercessors are keenly aware of the spiritual warfare involved in reaching into territories of spiritual and physical poverty.

Living Water International addresses the most basic of physical needs by helping deprived communities acquire safe, clean water; the goal is to substantially ease the global water crisis while addressing root causes such as injustice, oppression, and abject poverty. LWI has completed more than 4,800 water projects which provide clean, safe water to more than 7 million people every day. LWI is currently at work in 24 countries. The organization provides training and volunteer opportunities.

Pray for favor with world governments as they initiate and complete water projects. Pray that the Holy Spirit would take charge of

people's lives and that they would meet Jesus as they

come to get water from LWI wells.

WAR IN IRAQ | WAR IN AFGHANISTAN

Pray for all Arab speaking men and women serving the U.S. Military and Coalition forces as interrogators. (Some are believers) Intercede that the Lord would grant protection, wisdom, discernment of spirits and grace to cleanse and refresh their spirits and minds from the deceiving influences and accounts of atrocities that they must listen to each week.

Pray that the Lord would reveal Himself to those who are unbelievers or refresh his relationship with those who already follow Him.

THE SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE

APPEARS TO BE WORSENING

There are reports of violence and intimidation by the government to those who support the opposition. It has been four weeks since the elections and the results have yet to be released. Many are predicting a crisis in Zimbabwe if other countries do not become involved and put pressure on President Mugabe and his government. Pray for honesty and justice. Pray that selfish ambition will be put aside by both parties to keep the country intact.