AMBASSADOR OREN THANKS CHRISTIANS FOR SUPPORTING ISRAEL: Michael Oren, Israeli Ambassador to the US, thanked 300 pastors and Christian leaders for supporting Israel. His audience gave him a warm welcome, in contrast to the raucous anti-Zionist reception at the University of California's Irvine campus. University police last week arrested a dozen protesters who at one point prevented Oren from speaking for 20 minutes. Oren said he came to address a meeting of southern California Christian evangelists "because the Evangelical community in the US is a very prominent and crucial component of the United States-Israel relationship. It is a component that has proven vital to Israel’s security and well-being in the course of Israel’s existence over the last six decades.” (INN) “You shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.” Is 58:12

ECONOMY GROWS 4.4% IN FOURTH QUARTER: Israel’s economy expanded 4.4 percent in annual terms in the fourth quarter last year, driven by strong growth in exports and private consumption, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported this week. “Exports have been booming - up 28% in January. Unemployment has dropped to 7.2% and would likely decline to pre-crisis levels of about 6.2% within a year or so," Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said Tuesday. “I can say with satisfaction Israel withstood the test of the global crisis successfully.” (J.Post)  “For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.” Ps 122:9

ISRAELI SHAHAR PEER ADVANCES TO DUBAI CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS: Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer on Thursday advanced to the semifinals of the Dubai Championship, after beating Na Li in the quarterfinal match. Last year, Dubai organizers were fined $300,000 by the Women's Tennis Association for not allowing Peer to play in the event. She was denied a visa by the United Arab Emirates government, citing security reasons. (Ha’aretz)

ANCIENT JERUSALEM WATERWAY REVEALED AT JAFFA GATE: Excavations inside the Old City of Jerusalem at Jaffa Gate have turned up yet another fascinating revelation: A water canal, 40 meters long (44 yards) and 1.5 meters (5 feet) high. The Jerusalem waterway dates from the 2nd and 3rd centuries C.E.  Dr. Ofer Sion, director of the archaeological works at the site, explained, “During the course of the work, the wall of the waterway was revealed, and when we removed some large stones and looked inside, we saw before us a perfectly-designed waterway, with a flat stone roof on top. People can walk inside it, bent-over, for a length of 40 meters.” The newly-uncovered section is part of a waterway that was once some eight miles long, leading from Solomon’s Pools. “It is exciting to think no human has set foot here for so many centuries,” he added. (INN)

ISRAELI PROFESSOR DEVELOPS ECOLOGICALLY SAFE PESTICIDE: Prof. Michael Gurevitz of Tel Aviv University has isolated the genetic sequences of some important neurotoxins in scorpion venom.  He is developing a way to use them as an ecologically safe pesticide. Scorpions are notoriously poisonous, particularly the Israeli yellow scorpion. In his research Gurevitz found certain neurotoxins in scorpions are highly active against some insects like leaf-eating moths, locusts, flies and beetles, but have no effect on beneficial insects like honeybees or on mammals like humans. (Israel 21c)

AYALON: TIME FOR PA TO LIVE UP TO ITS COMMITMENTS:  Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon addressed the Seventh Jerusalem Conference on Wednesday. He explained the Jewish settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria is not, as is commonly stated, an "obstacle to peace."  He said for years before there was even one Jew living in these areas, there were terrorist massacres against Jews - and certainly no Arab thought of co-existence.  Ayalon stressed it was time for the Palestinian Authority to live up to its commitments. "The Palestinians have signed agreements that have called on them to dismantle terrorist groups and collect illegal weapons. Instead they focus on the issue of the settlements….We also call on PM Salam Fayyad and President Mahmoud Abbas to cease the incitement against Israel. They should stop the incitement in schools, mosques and websites and also refrain from traveling to various capitals around the world vilifying Israel.” (J.Post) “In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?”  Ps 56: 4-6

NETANYAHU TO HAMAS: ISRAEL’S OFFER FOR SHALIT IS FINAL: PM Benjamin Netanyahu Monday asked Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to tell the Hamas terrorist group that Israel will not sweeten its offer for kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Netanyahu asked Medvedev to tell Hamas that Israel wants to make a deal for Shalit but will not agree to release more Palestinian prisoners than it has already. A senior source in Netanyahu's entourage said the Israeli leader urged Medvedev not to legitimize Hamas by deepening relations with the terrorist group. (Ha’aretz) Continue to pray for the comforting and soon release of Gilad Shalit and for hope to remain strong in the hearts of his family and friends.

BURNS HOLDS TALKS WITH ASSAD: The highest-ranking American official to visit Syria in five years held talks Wednesday with the Syrian president as Washington tried to mend ties with a country seen as key to peace in the region. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns said his meeting with President Bashar Assad was open and productive. The visit comes a day after President Barack Obama said he would nominate career diplomat Robert Ford to become the United States' first ambassador to Damascus since 2005. Washington withdrew its last ambassador following the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, which many blamed on Syria. (J.Post)

MEETING ISRAEL’S NEEDS DURING INCREASINGLY TROUBLED TIMES: The National Insurance Institute's annual Poverty Report released Nov. 2009, paints an extremely grim picture: There are 1,651,300 needy people living in Israel, including 783,600 children. Hardship is mounting. Please continue to enable us to assist terrorist victims, entire households suffering from poverty, the elderly and others in need in Israel. Your donations are needed and welcomed at www.visionforisrael.com Make your online donation today. For residents in the UK and outside North America you can visit www.josephstorehouse.co.uk  If you prefer to send your donation by check, you can mail it in to the Israel address or the addresses in the USA and the UK or one of our other branches in The Netherlands and Germany:     

Vision for Israel   P.O. Box 7265   Jerusalem, 91073 Israel

The Joseph Storehouse Trust  P.O.Swindon, SN3 4FB Box 5    England

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Blessings from Jerusalem,
Barry Segal with the Editorial Staff