CHAIRMAN SAYS U.N. UNBALANCED TOWARDS ISRAEL: The U.N. Human Rights Council has failed to handle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a balanced fashion, the council's chairman Doru Costea said on September 29th. He suggested the committee was concentrating too much on human rights abuses by Israel. Costea's rebuke came days after U.S. President Bush attacked the U.N. body for anti-Israeli bias. "I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land." Joel 3:2

AHMADINEJAD QUESTIONS 9/11, HOLOCAUST: While addressing faculty and students at Columbia University last week, Ahmadinejad questioned the official version of the September 11 attacks and defended the right to cast doubt on the Holocaust. Listeners confronted him over Iran's human-rights record and foreign policy, as well as Ahmadinejad's statements denying the Holocaust and his call for the destruction of Israel. His answers were reported to be foolish and evasive. Israel's President Shimon Peres was stingingly critical of New York's Columbia University for even allowing Ahmadinejad, whom he called "the world's greatest false leader," to be a guest speaker. (Yahoo/IHC )

GAZA: CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM TENSIONS HEAT UP: An assault on an elderly Christian woman is the most recent in a series of attacks against Christians in Gaza City during the past weeks. A masked man dressed in black forced his way into her home at night demanding all her money. Calling her an "infidel" he beat her hands with a club and hit her repeatedly on the head with a sharp tool. He later fled and the victim was able to obtain help from neighbors. Since the Hamas takeover, terrorists have also targeted a Christian school and church causing estimated damage and loss at more than $500,000. Christians continue to flee many areas in the Middle East due to threats and violent attacks carried out by Islamists groups and individuals. (J.Post) "We work hard with our own hands... when we are persecuted, we endure it." 1 Corinthians 4:12

HAIFA SYNAGOGUE VANDALIZED: Haifa vandals set fire to a succah belonging to Neveh David Synagogue on September 29th and spray-painted swastikas on the synagogue's Torah books. A number of neo-Nazi incidents have taken place recently in Israel including violent attacks against Jews as well as Jewish property. (Israel News) Pray those guilty of perpetrating antisemitic violence and participating in neo-Nazi cell groups will be brought to justice and removed from Israel.

ABBAS SAYS EVEN 92% OF WEST BANK, GAZA IS UNACCEPTABLE: An offer similar to the 92% of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip for a Palestinian state extended at Camp David in 2000 "would not be enough," said PA President Mahmoud Abbas in a press interview published September 30th. He insisted on the pre-1967 borders, speaking ahead of Tuesday's October 2nd meeting with PM Ehud Olmert to discuss principles for a new peace deal. "Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man." Prov. 27:20

BBC JOURNALIST KIDNAPPER KILLED IN GAZA RAID: One of the kidnappers of the BBC journalist Alan Johnston was killed last week when an Israeli missile hit the vehicle he was traveling in. Muqtassar Khatab, who appeared in a video making demands for the release of Johnston, was one of five members of the Army of Islam killed in the air strike in Gaza City. The Army of Islam held Johnston for three months. (Guardian UK/Daily Alert)

RAMALLAH-LYNCH TERRORIST NABBED: IDF soldiers have arrested the last of the PA terrorists responsible for the brutal lynching of two IDF reservists in Ramallah seven years ago. The two Israeli reserve soldiers had accidentally entered PA-controlled Ramallah, just six miles north of Jerusalem, and were arrested by PA police. Once they were in custody, the lynch occurred. TV images of the murders show a body of one of the two Israelis being tossed from the police station window to a mob of local Arabs who beat the soldiers' bodies with anything they could get their hands on. The mob is seen waving body parts in the air and proudly displaying their blood-soaked hands to their comrades. (INN)

NEW 'MORALITY POLICE' DETAIN RAMADAN FAST-BREAKERS IN W. BANK: A new morality police force has begun detaining Palestinians who eat or drink in public during the fasting month of Ramadan in the West Bank, where Muslim custom has never been imposed. The deployment of a Ramadan police in the West Bank city of Ramallah was unexpected as Ramallah is the most cosmopolitan of all Palestinian cities. Ramadan, this year, began on September 13th. (Associated Press)

UNIV. OF CAL. BACKS DOWN FROM STUDY PROGRAM PROHIBITING JEWS: A U.S. State Department-funded University of California program, which provides business training for residents of the Middle East, specifically excluded Israeli Jews, until Jewish journalists protested. The program was open to citizens of Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel (limited to Israeli Arab citizens), Jordan, West Bank/Gaza....Israeli Jews were excluded despite the program's stated advantage as "an important cultural exchange." The university has now altered the program's eligibility requirement that initially barred Israeli Jews after being confronted with the anti-Israel bias. (INN) "Those who hate me without reason are numerous." Ps. 38:19

TURNING OLIVE PITS INTO ENERGY: Israeli startup Genova has built its first pilot plant to produce energy from olive pits. The 30 kw/hour plant is based in the Druze village of Julis in the north of the country. Olive waste from Julis' olive oil press will be fed into Genova's reactor and produce enough electricity to power the press. (Israel 21c) "...A land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey." Deut. 8:8

Happy Succot! Thank you for your prayers.

Review current events taking place in the Middle East, updated weekly, and summarized for your reading convenience at: www.jnnnews.com . Be sure to click on the report of Uncle Sam,  Wake Up America,  on the lefthand side. Filled with facts, this is a visual expose on radical Islam. It's devastating. Turn the volume up as well.

Visit the new www.greetingsfromjerusalem.com site to purchase Messianic and Judaica gifts, a wide assortment of books, praise and worship music, videos, jewelry and other study materials. This is a tangible way to show support and solidarity with the people of Israel. People in North America can purchase on-line now.

Special Request: If you are visiting Israel soon we have an urgent need to receive supplies of vitamins and toiletries at The Joseph Storehouse. If you have spare luggage capacity we would be really grateful if you would bring some with you. Please visit www.visionforisrael.com for more information.

Blessings from Jerusalem,
Barry Segal with the Editorial Staff