Though seemingly benign compared to ISIS activity, terror continues to crouch on Israel’s borders.  Activity occurred in Egypt, Syria and the West Bank over the weekend.

On Saturday, Egyptian security forces discovered and destroyed a 1200-meter terror tunnel from the Gaza Strip into the Sinai Peninsula.  The tunnels were replete with mortar shells and explosives, and were outfitted with telephone lines and electricity.  The shaft of the tunnel was discovered inside the apartment of an Egyptian smuggler, and the tunnels were blown up by the Egyptian army engineer corps.  Egypt is increasing the buffer zone on its border with Gaza.

In another weekend incident, eggs and shoes were thrown at Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird’s envoy during a diplomatic visit to Ramallah (in the West Bank).  The Canadian government staunchly backs Israel and has clearly voiced opposition to the Palestinian attempt to pursue war crimes against Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC), and their unilateral attempt at statehood via the UN Security Council.

Though Baird described Sunday’s meetings as “cordial and constructive,” top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat accused Baird of legitimizing the “brutality of a 50-year-old Israeli occupation.”  He also stated that Baird “should apologize for his active encouragement of Israel’s brute and ugly occupation and its apartheid policies and failing to promote those things Canadians hold dear such as freedom, dignity and human rights and for replacing those ideals with an outspoken support of Israel’s clear and undisputed violations of international law” and that the Palestinians “regret the Canadian government’s decision to stand on the wrong side of history by blindly supporting the Israeli occupation and its apartheid policies.”  Doesn’t sound so cordial and constructive from the Palestinian side!

Finally, international media reports indicate that Israel thwarted an attack by terrorists planning to strike Israel.  Reports out of Lebanon and elsewhere indicate that two Israeli helicopters fired rockets into Syria, targeting armed vehicles suspected of transferring arms to Hezbollah.  According to reports, five members of Hezbollah were killed in the airstrike.

As Israel continues to do what is necessary to safeguard its citizens, these incidents remind us to heed God’s command to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122).  After all, He is the Keeper of Israel!

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.
~Psalm 121