Jews rally with Christians despite orthodox ban

News in Brief

By ICEJ News

08 Oct 2007

Orthodox Jews rally with Christians to pray for Jerusalem despite Rabbinate Ban
Despite a recent Chief Rabbinate ruling prohibiting Orthodox Jews from participating in Christian events during the ICEJ's annual Feast of Tabernacles Celebration, the 5th annual Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem continued to draw open support by many respected Jewish leaders including MK Rabbi Benny Elon and Rabbi Shlomo Riskin. "Our best friends... are Christians, offering love, friendship, and partnership. We would be foolish not to take advantage of it, especially during these troubled times," Rabbi Riskin told the televised gathering on Jerusalem's Haas Promenade. The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem - organized by prominent US Christian leaders Jack Hayford and Robert Stearns is held on the first Sunday of every October, and encourages hundreds of thousands of churches worldwide gather to pray.

IAF strikes Gaza mortar launchers
Following the attack of a long-range, Grad-type Katyusha rocket on the town of Netivot in the Negev, Sunday morning, Israeli forces struck a Palestinian terror cell which had been firing mortar shells from the Gaza. According to Israeli sources, there were no injuries although Palestinian sources claim seven civilians were hurt. "Israel is concerned and worried over the fact that the range of the missiles being fired on the western Negev settlements has increased and views these developments severely," said IDF Intelligence Commander Amos Yadlin at Sunday's weekly cabinet meeting. Elsewhere, ten Palestinian terror suspects were arrested in the West Bank, and one IDF officer involved in the arrests was wounded.

Millions celebrate Al-Quds Day
"Al-Quds Day", the Arabic name for Jerusalem, was celebrated by thousands across the Arabic world, on the last Friday of Ramadan. On this day Muslims protest Israeli control of Jerusalem. In Iran, the Al-Quds Day rally was marked by more inflammatory rhetoric by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He was quoted to say that Israel’s continued existence is an "insult to human dignity." Meanwhile, Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah used the occasion to accuse Israel of killing anti-Syria leaders in Lebanon stating that "Israel has a sure interest in the assassinations [since it] is the prime beneficiary of any internal strife in Lebanon."

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