Islamic State (IS) Threat to Israel

Since my last report on 29 June 2014 the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) declares a Caliphate on parts of Iraq and Syria and changed its name to Islamic State (IS). The rapid advancement and brutality of the IS forces stunned the world and after the beheading of a US journalist, the United States called for a coalition of forces to confront IS.

The British Prime Minister David Cameron warned this weekend that Britain faces the “greatest and deepest” terror threat in the country’s history. Yesterday, Australia joined the UK in heightening warnings against terrorism. Both governments are concerned that citizens who joined Islamic State militants could return with plans to attack on home soil. More than 500 Britons are believed to have gone to Iraq and Syria and at least half have returned. Some are feared to be planning attacks in the UK and one major plot has been foiled.

Islamic State fighters executed 250 Syrian soldiers it captured during its storming of the key northern Tabqa air base, 30 km from Islamic State’s stronghold in the city of Raqqa in northeast Syria this week. Earlier this week, the UN accused Islamic State of carrying out many mass executions in the past few months, including the killing of 670 inmates of a prison in the Iraq city of Mosul in June and the murder of captured Iraqi soldiers.

The scale of the crisis facing the international community deepened as UN peacekeepers in the Golan Heights clashed with Syrian rebels. On Sunday 31 August 2014, the Israel Defence Force shot down a drone from Syria with a Patriot missile. The IDF monitoring the situation very closely, knowing the threat IS poses to Israel. A commander of IS stated a few weeks ago that their “direction is Jerusalem and no gate will stop them.”

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu stated at a news conference that there is no difference between Hamas and IS. As the stated goal of Islamic State is to reach Jerusalem, Hamas could be seen as natural allies of IS. The leader of Hamas, Khaled Mashaal also said a day after the end of Operation Protective Edge that it is not about a cease fire, but about the liberation of Jerusalem.

Israel is facing grave danger and by trusting leaders of this world only made it worse. The only One Israel can trust is the God of Israel who never slumber nor sleeps.