Vanessa Govender

I was in a synagogue last night in the center of Israel. As the prayer service continued, a tall handsome young man stood in front of the Torah Ark, his faced pressed against the velvet curtain, for what seemed like half an hour. When he finished, I asked why the long and fervent prayer. He said he was leaving that night to fight in Lebanon in order to defend his nation against Hezbollah, and he was praying for the success of his mission. As he left, the entire congregation stood and clapped and wished him well. To those outside of Israel praying for the Jewish State, try to imagine what life is like here. The daily dash to a shelter with small children or an elderly relative, the knowledge that a beloved son, daughter, spouse or patent is defending the nation and in harm’s way, and the well publicized threats from enemies to destroy us all. If you’re not here, you won’t directly experience these traumas. But try to imagine them nonetheless as you pray and let your feelings drive you to seek God’s mercy with even greater intensity. It is an important contribution that can be made from anywhere on earth.

⚡️JUST IN: In tears of joy, Israeli Knesset Member Limor Son Har Melech announces the passing of the death penalty for Palestinian detainees. Ben Gvir can be seen popping champagne inside the Knesset in celebration. She also thanked Netanyahu for “finding time in his schedule during wartime to show up to vote in favor.” Source: Israeli CH14.

VIDEO | Israeli National Security Minister Ben Gvir, outside the Knesset chamber, celebrates the passing of the death penalty law for Palestinian detainees, describing it as historic and saying, “Soon we will count them one by one.”

Israel has now become the first state to codify a death sentence that applies in practice to one ethnic group, while another is effectively shielded from it.

The stolen childhood in Gaza

The Hagia Sophia was built by Christians to be a church, but was taken over by the Ottomans and made a mosque. Why is there zero outrage that Christians were not able to celebrate Palm Sunday there today?

Did you know two Palestinian Muslim families have been custodians of Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre for centuries? Since the 7th century, one family opens and closes the church while the Joudeh family safeguards its keys—a 1,300-year tradition symbolising trust, coexistence, and interfaith unity, dating back to Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab.

Israeli police attack Christians in Jerusalem in front of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Right at the start of the Palm Sunday

Now we’re making progress. Al-Manar is not a “pro-Hezbollah” outlet. It is “owned or controlled” by Hezbollah, which is why it’s a US-designated terrorist organization in its own right. People who work for Hezbollah are not journalists.