In Touch - 2nd Quarter 2022

2 nd Quarter 2022 • No 211
Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
He is good, his love to Israel
endures forever
Ezra 3:11
INSIDE: EDITORIAL New treasures as well as old • New Immigrants from Ukraine • HEBREW WORD FOCUS - Remember
Exhibition Report • Prayer Conference Report • Lobby for Israel 2022 • Wave of Terror • Watergen • RESOURCES

Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
Editorial
Jacob Vince
New treasures
as well as old
About us
CFI UK seeks to bless Israel by
means of practical and moral
support, and to serve the Church in
teaching about God’s purposes for
Israel and the Hebraic heritage of
our faith.
CFI UK also produces a monthly
prayer letter, a weekly audio Middle
East Report and distributes the
Haverim teaching CDs.
Please contact us for full details
of projects in Israel and also the
teaching resources available.
As an educational charity, we carry
a variety of resources relevant to
our purpose. We do not necessarily
endorse every view expressed by
our guest writers or authors.
IN TOUCH Magazine
Published by:
CFI Charitable Trust
PO Box 2687
Eastbourne
BN22 7LZ
Tel: 01323 410 810
Email: info@cfi.org.uk
www.cfi.org.uk
Registered Charity
No. 1101899
Registered Office c/o
Caladine, Chantry House
22 Upperton Road
Eastbourne, BN21 1BF
Company No: 04984515
VAT Registration No: GB678780275
facebook.com/cfiuk
twitter.com/cfi_uk
youtube.com/cfiuk
Front cover photo:
Hurva Synagogue, Old City, Jerusalem.
Destroyed in 1948 and rebuilt in 2010.
After his sermon on the
mount, Jesus moves
location to the seashore
and speaks from a boat – a
sermon on the shore!
“Have you understood all these
things? Jesus asked. “Yes” they
replied. He said to them, “Therefore,
every teacher of the law who has been
instructed about the kingdom of heaven
is like the owner of a house who brings
out of his storeroom new treasures as
well as old.” (Matthew 13:51-52).
Following criticism from Pharisees,
Jesus starts to use parables.
Responding to the disciples’
question, Jesus provides the reason
that he speaks in parables - to
fulfil a specific prophecy of Isaiah,
“Though seeing they do not see;
though hearing they do not hear or
understand” (Matthew
13:13; see Isaiah 6:9-10).
However, Jesus enables
the disciples who come
to him to see, hear and
understand.
So, when Jesus asks the question,
“Have you understood all these
things?” it is in the context of
these parables, the first of which
he earlier explained as relating
to understanding. There is one
who “Hears the word and doesn’t
understand it” (Matthew 13:19),
the hard path, the next has no
depth - the rocky shallow soil, the
third was choked by thorns in the
soil, and finally there is one who
“Hears the word and understands
it” (Matthew 13:23), the good soil
which is abundantly fruitful.
There then follow several further
parables of a similar kind,
continuing with the one who sows
good seed and the enemy who
sows weeds, again later explained
to the disciples, then the mustard
seed, the hidden treasure, finding a
pearl of great value and finally the
net let down into the lake catching
Have you
understood all
these things?
all kinds of fish.
It is at this point that Jesus asks
his disciples whether they have
“understood all these things?”, before
going on to make a concluding
statement about teachers of
the law. What might Jesus be
conveying to his close disciples
who later received his command
to teach others to obey everything
he commanded them (Matthew
28:20)?
Jesus had been instructing his
disciples about the kingdom of
heaven, but he also upheld the law.
Jesus was indeed the word made
flesh, a new revelation of God and
his word.
Perhaps what Jesus says concerning
treasure, a storeroom, and his
earlier emphasis on ‘understanding
the word’, alludes to biblical
history in the most
recent memory of the
people in his day; that
being the return from
exile as described in
the books of Ezra,
Nehemiah and Chronicles. In
Jesus’ sequence of Law Prophets
Psalms (Luke 24:44), Chronicles
comes at the close of the written
scriptures before Jesus’ coming as
the word made flesh.
In this record of biblical history,
after the walls of Jerusalem had
been rebuilt, “They told Ezra the
scribe to bring out the Book of the
Law of Moses, which the Lord had
commanded for Israel.” (Nehemiah
8:1). Is this not treasure brought
out from where it is stored,
generally understood as the house
of the Lord, the temple? It was
then read to those who could
understand, like Jesus speaking of
the one who “Hears the word and
understands it” (Matthew 13:23).
So, on the first day of the seventh
month Ezra the priest brought the
Law before the assembly, which was
made up of men and women and all
2 IN TOUCH • 2 nd Quarter 2022

Feature
New immigrants from Ukraine
supported by CFI Jerusalem
Robbie Colman
Several families were blessed
through CFI’s Open Gates
project during March. There
was a group of 14 Russian-speaking
immigrants and another group of 14
Ethiopians. These came from one of
the absorption centres and all are so
appreciative of the household items
that help them get a better start as
new ‘olim’ in the Land of Israel.
Tiina hosted several families that
have made Aliyah in the last two
years, providing them with items they
needed to begin their life in their own
apartment.
During the month we also served
77 Ukrainians that have been forced
to flee their homes because of the
war with Russia. These people came
with nothing. Most of the stories we
heard were from people that were not
poor but have now lost everything.
A man who only had one leg had to
struggle to get out of the country
with his family. Another family
worth mentioning is a lady and her
two children who had to cross two
rivers to get into Poland, leaving her
husband behind to fight in the war.
The trip took them 38 hours. Another
family said, “We don’t know what to
do … we left two houses, a car and
animals behind.”
We have faced special challenges with
the Emergency Parcels because of the
way the Israeli government is having
to process so many refugees at one
time, but God has been faithful to
connect need with the items that our
donors so generously help us provide.
continued from 2
who were able to understand. He read
it aloud from daybreak till noon as he
faced the square before the Water Gate
in the presence of the men, women and
others who could understand. And all
the people listened attentively to the
Book of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:2-3).
Hence, in his day Jesus instructed
his disciples to emphasise the
importance of both the new
treasures they will bring out
concerning the kingdom of God
and the old treasures. The new
do not replace the old, they are
all treasures. As Paul writes to
Timothy, passing on this same
message to the next generation,
‘All scripture is inspired and profitable
for teaching, correcting, reproof and
training in righteousness’ (2 Timothy
3:16), a fitting response to Jesus’
own words, “Therefore, every teacher
of the law who has been instructed
about the kingdom of heaven is like the
owner of a house who brings out of his
storeroom new treasures as well as
old.” (Matthew 13:51-52).
2 nd Quarter 2022 • IN TOUCH 3

Hebrew Word Focus
Melissa Briggs MA
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Melissa is an experienced Hebrew
teacher with a desire to make the
rich language of the Scriptures
accessible to Christians.
Visit: www.explorehebrew.co.uk
Active
remembrance
ָ כַ‏ ר
Remember
Zakar
Imagine if I took no action to acknowledge
my child’s birthday. What if the special day
arrives and I neglect to buy a gift, write a
card, cook a special dinner, bake a cake, light
candles, speak out words of celebration, sing a
song, or host a party in their honour?
So many intentional behaviours, involving not only
my mind but also my body, should spring from
the fact I remember it is their birthday! If I had the
thought in my head all day, but made no effort to
demonstrate it through action, what good would such
a “remembrance” be?
How do you remember the Lord? And how does the
Lord remember you?
In Hebrew, Zakar is an action verb meaning to
remember, to be mindful, to call to mind, to record, to recall,
to celebrate, to confess, and/or to report. Zakar is not
merely to have a thought, but rather to do something
intentional in accordance with what is on your mind.
Other words in the same topical family of words with
zakar (all sharing the same three root letters) include:
Zeker (noun) – remembrance or memorial זֵ‏ כֶ‏ ר
record, Zikaron (noun) – memorial, זִכְ‏ רֹון
remembrance, reminder
remembers” (a name) – “The Lord זְ‏ Zekariyah כַ‏ רְ‏ יָ‏ ה
Wherever we find it in the Scriptures, zakar is
intertwined with a purposeful action based on the
information that is brought to mind. For example,
God rescued the Jewish people from slavery when
he heard their groaning and zakar-ed his covenant
with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see Exodus 2:24). The
word says: “When you go into battle … Then you will
be zakar-ed by the Lord your God and rescued from your
enemies.” (Numbers 10:9). When the Lord remembers
us, he intervenes on our behalf! “Then God zakared
Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive”
(Genesis 30:22). How precious and beneficial that the
Lord remembers us and acts in his perfect timing! (See
Psalm 103:2-5).
Too often we are impatient or doubtful concerning
the timing of God’s intervention. Why is it so
easy for us to forget all of the Lord’s blessings
and deliverances? Or to keep them only as head
knowledge? Remembering all the Lord has done
for us should cause us to behave differently going
forward. Recalling the flawless track record of the
Lord’s faithfulness should constantly build our trust
in him, leading us to step out more boldly in active
faith as we progress in our walk with him.
James warns that we should not be “like a man
who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at
himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks
like.” (James 1:22-25). This is a picture of a man
who ‘remembers’ in a way that does not translate
into action. When we are forgetful of the Lord, his
promises and all his victories, then we end up circling
around through the same doubts and lessons. The
Israelites experienced miraculous deliverances from
Egypt, yet in the subsequent days and years in the
wilderness, they failed time and again to remember
God’s power and goodness. They needlessly doubted
his care, character and ability, slowing their journey
and inviting avoidable trials into their story.
“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you
do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade
from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your
children and to their children after them” (Deuteronomy
4:9). We are commanded both to remember
for ourselves and to teach the next generations.
“Do this in remembrance of me”
Remembrance is an essential part of worship, such as
remembering the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf when
participating in the Lord’s Supper. Jesus said “… do
this in remembrance of me.”(1 Corinthians 11:24). It is so
beneficial to incorporate acts of remembrance into our
daily, weekly and annual rhythms of life.
We are not left alone or helpless in the task of
remembering – it should be a function of the Holy
Spirit in our lives. Do we quench the Holy Spirit
when he desires to help us remember and act upon the
word of the Lord? “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all
things and will remind you of everything I have said to
you” (John 14:26).
Do you actively remember the Lord? He is so worth
our attention and worship. He has truly done
marvellous deeds. “Zakar the things I have done in the
past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like
me” (Isaiah 46:9 NLT)
If you are interested in learning the Hebrew language through online tuition please contact
4 IN TOUCH • 2 nd Quarter 2022

Event Report
Christian Resources Exhibition
South West
CRE South West at Exeter
Showground attracted
just over 1,500 people,
visitors and exhibitors.
Attending to the CFI UK resources
stall were Jacob Vince, CFI’s chief
executive, and Stephen Turnham,
graphic designer, who travelled
across together from Eastbourne
the day before to set up. Amongst
the hundred or so stands, the
CFI UK resources stall was well
positioned next to that of Ebenezer
Operation Exodus. The two
ministries shared visitors as well
as great stories of how God is
working out his purposes for Israel
and the Church in the world today.
There were fewer visitors than for
a national event, but new friends,
old friends and other exhibitors
kept the conversations and
resources flowing steadily. There
was a lot of interest in Jacob’s
booklet titled ‘Covenant Steps’ –
which soon sold out – as well as
the foldout pamphlets, particularly
the ‘Then and Now Bible Maps’
compilation. Also popular were
the 3D relief maps. We sold DVDs
titled ‘Nicky’s Family’ and ‘The
Forgotten Refugees’ and popular
books included Mo Tizzard’s ‘The
Jewish Wedding and the Bride of
Christ’, Chris Mottershead’s ‘Short
History of the Holy Land’, and
Bruce Okkema / Lois Tverberg’s
‘Listening to the Language of the
Bible’.
On the second day of the
exhibition we awoke to discover
that Russia had invaded Ukraine!
It was not that big a surprise as
it had looked likely, and many
visitors were talking about how
this might affect Israel’s situation.
We met a few Jewish believers,
who were a great encouragement,
and new contacts who signed up
to receive our ‘In Touch’ magazine.
Many more took away free
literature, including our ‘Questions
Questions’, ‘Encouraging
Scriptures’ and ‘Promises
Promises’ booklets. The two
days seemed to go quite quickly.
The exhibition’s organisers were
pleased, with CRE owner Steve
Goddard saying, “Running an
event in the face of a pandemic
is a nerve-wracking experience,
so we are grateful to all our loyal
exhibitors and visitors. In fact, the
atmosphere was as upbeat as we
have ever known, with a sense
of release and purpose after two
years behind closed doors.”
UK Events 2022
CFI UK plan to exhibit at the following live events
BIG CHURCH DAY OUT
2022
3-4 June 2022 – Wiston Estate
West Sussex BN44 3DZ
23-28 July & 29-3 Aug – East of England Showground
Peterborough PE2 6SH
19 - 21 August – Newark Showground
Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 2NY
2 nd Quarter 2022 • IN TOUCH 5

Prayer Report
CFI UK PRAYER
CONFERENCE REPORT
Tuesday 5 th – Thursday 7 th April 2022
Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose
our arguments, despise our persons but they are
helpless against our prayers. J Sidlow Baxter
Praying in small groups
Joe Gisbey shows how to pass it on to the next generation
David Soakell accompanying sung worship
Julia Soakell introducing the theme
Jacob Vince bringing tools for the Church
Beverley Dwyer with a prayer meditation
Praying for the work of CFI i
By Julia Soakell
Fellowship meals between sessions
When I asked the Lord what our theme and focus
should be for this prayer conference, the very
clear sense was that he is always our Rock and
our Redeemer, mighty in all he does, and that we should
acknowledge him in everything, even in the chaos and
shaking experienced in the nations through the pandemic.
He is always strong, steadfast, sturdy and sure no matter what
surrounds us. David and I were asked to organise and host the
three days and Dave found an appropriate picture. I realised our
perspective of God as our Rock needed to be enlarged and that
would increase our faith in the faithful and mighty God.
Our time together at Kings Park Conference Centre was the first
event of its kind since before the Covid 19 pandemic, which meant
attending a large meeting might be a concern for many as well
as an investment. It is good to hear that many of our regular and
older supporters viewed the conference as a refreshing break. How
encouraging that in a time of instability and economic concern
people are purposeful in this way.
We were blessed in the first session through accepting our divinely
appointed time with God, reading Scriptures about God the Rock
and acknowledging that without his grace we were merely a
common thorn bush (a reference from Lance Lambert’s book on
Moses). Our praise, worship and thanksgiving produced a perfect
foundation for all the prayer and intercession we covered over the
next two days.
Jacob Vince, Chief Executive CFI UK, covered aspects of our desire
to help the wider Church understand Israel and tools that we could
use to communicate this well. David Soakell led a session titled
‘Standing on the Rock’ in which we prayed over the borders of
Israel and the risks that emanate from them. Our guest speaker,
Joe Gisbey, brought us inspired insights regarding the generational
teachings and the importance of the Torah in the first century. He
challenged us about the need to help younger members of our
families and churches love our Hebraic heritage, saying that ‘we
must love our children more than our traditions’. That evening we
also held a kind of ‘chat show’ hosted by Anne and David Linnell
in which questions were put to Jacob about his role in connecting
and influencing the UK church. This went very well and was
enjoyed by all.
We had a detailed look at CFI Jerusalem projects, so that we
could pray about them. David Soakell covered the ‘Under His
Wings’ and ‘Communities under Attack’ projects, before explaining
the importance of the ‘Forsake Them Not’ work with Holocaust
6 IN TOUCH • 2 nd Quarter 2022

“God... is my mighty rock, my refuge”
Psalm 62:7
Conference Feedback
Philip Aitchison with a prayer meditation
n Israel
Olga with a surprise visit on day two
Olga shares about caring for Holocaust survivors
“A very powerful God-anointed conference, very well balanced with
teaching, commentary, film, prayer, praise and worship and even dancing
which was spontaneous and very special, a perfect ‘ending’! With new
friendships formed, a much longed for in-person event which certainly
did not disappoint and in a lovely relaxed and well run conference centre
which was so needed after much intensity. Good food, space to relax and
good accommodation, it was truly a lovely few days. Huge thanks for all
the organisation and in particular to Julia and David for the hard work
together with hearing from the Lord and fulfilling his agenda. Well done!”
“For me the highlight of whole conference, although all the sessions were
great, was the surprise visit by Olga – it was so good, so interesting, such
a blessing to be able to pray for her. This will change the way I pray for the
survivors and the staff now completely.”
“I absolutely loved the CFI UK Prayer Conference. The teaching was so
good, opening my mind so much more of how God loves Israel. Also
taking me deeper into God. The Conference centre was lovely, food was
great, people so friendly and even the coffee was amazing !”
David Greer summing up the time together
“Many challenges which I know the Lord will walk with us. Open your
wings and trust in God’s thermal of grace. Bless you all at CFI!”
“God is using CFI like an arrowhead – bringing his light and truth to the
church and to the UK”
“He is pleased with all that has gone on in this event – you have set aside
this time and some at a level of sacrifice and he is aware of that cost”
survivors which is overseen by our friend Olga Kopilova. And we
were able to produce a special surprise for the attendees. Having
prayed for weeks before and knowing that Olga planned to visit
friends in Northampton, there was a possibility of her attending.
Those plans seemed to be cancelled when she caught Covid in
March. But unbeknown to us she rescheduled her visit and rang us
just a week or so before the conference to say she was in the UK,
had rested and was changing her flights to be available if we would
like her to speak at the conference! We kept this secret and Dave
left the ‘Forsake Them Not’ project to last, got halfway through
talking about the project, displayed a photo of myself and Olga
in Jerusalem and then asked the group if they would like to meet
Olga personally. A lot of the audience said ‘yes’, but with confused
expressions on their faces, at which point Olga stood up and came
forward from her hiding place. We couldn’t believe we had pulled
it off!
Everyone listened attentively as she shared about recent months
with visits to Holocaust survivors, Covid problems and how there
were marked changes recently in the time she and Tanya were
spending with survivors – all now in their 90s. It was a very special
time, and we were blessed to pray for Olga and the work in Israel.
Meeting her in person was the pinnacle of the conference for us
and this insight brought more understanding of Olga herself, the
project work and the impact the Lord is having on these precious
people.
We never know beforehand the level of understanding about Israel
and the maturity of those attending. This year we had a relatively
young Christian present who said it was such an encouragement to
hear new concepts, deep truths, and others praying. He was also
able to speak at length with David, Jacob and other men which
helped him a lot. The Lord brings all things together to produce
beautiful results.
In my role of Prayer Encouragement for the UK, I asked for very
specific prayer cover. We want to commit to prayer many aspects
of events, down to anointing of speakers and atmosphere, lack of
distractions and technical problems and the intimate touch of the
Holy Spirit for each person. If I had written a list of prayer needs
for this event, I can hand on heart say that almost every single
one was met in the Lord perfectly. The comments and feedback
confirm that this was surely a divinely appointed time, set aside for
the Lord. We give him all the praise. It’s a huge privilege to be able
to listen and facilitate a space the Lord can use to produce so much
fruit and blessing in one event. What a mighty God we serve, the
Rock on which we stand!
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2 nd Quarter 2022 • IN TOUCH 7

Special Report
Parliamentary Lobby Day 2022
By Stephen Turnham
Jacob Vince CFI UK, Wasiq Wasiq HJS and Richard P. Woolf acting chair ZF
MORNING BRIEFING
Supporters of Christian Friends of Israel UK and the Zionist
Federation gathered in the morning of Wednesday 9 th March at
the Emmanuel Centre, Marsham Street, for a briefing session in
preparation to Lobby MPs in Parliament that afternoon, to proscribe
(ban) the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
Although fewer in number than in the years before Covid 19,
everyone was ready and enthusiastic to bring this serious matter
to their MPs. The guest speaker was Wasiq Wasiq from the Henry
Jackson Society, an Associate Research Fellow specialising in the
monitoring of extremism, radicalisation and terrorism.
Chairing the briefing were Jacob Vince, Chief Executive of CFI UK,
and Richard P. Woolf, acting chair of the Zionist Federation of Great
Britain and Ireland. After a brief introduction, Wasiq began by
defining terrorism according to current UK law. It is defined as, “the
use of threat or faction both in and outside the United Kingdom,
designed to influence any international government, organisation
or to intimidate the public, and for the advancement of political,
religious or racial ideological causes.”
With this definition in mind, Wasiq proceeded to apply this to the
PFLP by answering key questions. Who are they? What do they
believe? and, Why does proscribing them matter today?
He briefly outlined the PFLP as the most radical branch of the
Palestinian movement, responsible for numerous atrocities since
the late 1960s and early 1970s up to the present day. They have
Questions about the PFLP and the current law were asked by supporters
been responsible mainly for hijacking. Founded in the aftermath of
the Six Day War in 1967 by Dr George Habash, the PFLP is secular
and far-left Marxist-Leninist in its ideology. Distinct from both the
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) and Popular
Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command (PFLP-
GC), PFLP takes an uncompromisingly hard line on Israel, refusing
recognition, and is sympathetic to Hamas.
Following the Six Day War in 1967, the Arab nationalist movement
fell into a state of crisis because the outcome confirmed that Israel
would not, and could not, be destroyed by conventional means. It
was at this point those Arab states and their international allies
understood the value of irregular forces and began to support them.
The PFLP’s state sponsors have included the USSR, China, and Syria
but more recently much of their foreign support has come from Iran.
Wasiq noted that when the UK was in the European Union the PFLP
was proscribed under European Law. Inexplicably, this seems to have
been dropped despite nations like Canada, Australia, Japan, America
and EU banning their activities for some time.
WHY PROSCRIBE THE PFLP?
Wasiq put the point that proscribing of the PFLP is not, and
should not be seen as, an encroachment of civil liberties, but
rather a simple and direct action of strength to protect Jews.
Those that support such an organisation of hate should not
be given the oxygen to claim that preventing such support by
proscription goes against their rights or free speech. Just as
with the proscribing of Hamas and Hezbollah, this is essential
to protect Israel, Jews and all citizens against a real threat
of violence. Outlawing PFLP in the UK is strategically
advantageous for the government in their fight against
global terrorism. Proscribing as a terrorist organisation
does not necessarily mean that those supporting it will be
any less sympathetic to their cause, rather
it prevents that support from promoting
them in direct opposition to the social
contract under which we live here
in the UK.
Questions and comments
from the audience
highlighted the
need to keep
lobbying about this
until it is accomplished,
as it affects education and
is essential for the protection
of all UK and European
children and students from
radicalisation.
8 IN TOUCH • 2 nd Quarter 2022

Proscribing the Popular Front
for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)
Lobbying MPs at Portcullis House
Matthew Offord MP, the meeting sponsor,
was introduced by Jacob Vince thanking him
for the use of the Attlee Suite in Portcullis
House. Matthew briefly commented that
the UK will have a much closer partnership
with Israel in the years to come and that
proscribing the PFLP was a long time in
coming. He will be writing to the Home
Secretary to get this through the House as a
matter of urgency.
Ian Paisley MP was next to address the
lobbyists, who said that we must voice our
support consistently like a drip on a stone
until it dissolves. Evil can so easily come
back, as the Ukraine war has shown, and
we must learn from the lessons of the
past. The PFLP is a hate organisation,
opposed to the diversity we promote
in the UK. We have a duty to stop
this evil terror. He will ask the Home
Secretary directly because of the
antisemitism presently increasing
in UK, saying, “We must snuff
these things out early so they
don’t grow”. He concluded
by encouraging us to pray for
strength every day.
John Howell MP, announced
that he is now one of the
leaders of the Delegation of
the Council of Europe
and aims to use this new
platform for cooperative
projects.
Matthew Offord MP
Conservative (Hendon)
Ian Paisley MP
DUP (North Antrim)
John Howell MP
Conservative (Henley)
Caroline Ansell MP,
noted that Israel
continues to be a
Caroline Ansell MP
subject coming Conservative (Eastbourne)
before MPs in
Parliament and it’s essential to be clear on
who’s really responsible for the sufferings of
Palestinians. In recent years there has been
an increase of lobbying by PLO activists, even
in schools, which needs to be challenged!
There have been demonstrations as well as
PLO lobbying in Parliament, which is why this
lobbying to proscribe the PFLP is so important.
As a former teacher she said that education is
still a frontline challenge even in the UK and
teachers are still being influenced by EU policy
that pivots back to anti-Zionism.
Lord Ian Austin suggested the claim that
Israel is an apartheid state is not just
a smear but a disgrace, as Israel is the
only democratic state in the region. It
is also an insult to black South Africans
who experienced real segregation. This
accusation is both unacceptable and
untrue – none of that experience applies
to Israel which provides equal rights
for everyone. Trying to smear Israel
in this way is a barrier to the peace
process, undermining both Israelis and
Palestinians. It is important to keep
banging the drum for Israel.
Steve McCabe MP, Labour Friends
of Israel (LFI) chair, spoke of his
commitment to “continue to expose
and confront anti-Zionist antisemitism
in all its ugly forms”, adding that “the
hard left’s obsession with Israel is a
clear and consistent breach of the IHRA
definition of antisemitism and we must
say so emphatically”. He also made
clear his belief that “we must stand
with those striving for reconciliation
and collaboration between Israelis and
Palestinians”, including the International
Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace.
John Spellar MP, LFI vice-chair, also
addressed the group. He spoke about
the “need to reiterate and reaffirm our
intention to enable the people of the
Middle East to live prosperous lives for
themselves and enjoy security” which
was threatened by “Iran’s funding and
inspiring of terrorist activities” of which
“Israel is one of their prime targets.”
Christian Wakeford MP, LFI parliamentary
supporter, made clear his
support for Israel and the Jewish
community, as well as calling for the
proscription of both the PFLP and the
Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Theresa Villiers MP, said that Israel
should be a story that inspires us.
She wholeheartedly supports the
proscribing of the PFLP and will work
towards that goal.
Lord Ian Austin
Unaffiliated Peer (Dudley)
Steve McCabe MP
Labour (Birmingham Selly Oak)
John Spellar MP
Labour (Warley)
Christian Wakeford MP
Labour (Bury South)
Theresa Villiers MP
Conservative (Chipping Barnet)
The Lobbyists left encouraged and enthused to continue Lobbying on
this vital topic.
Thanks to the dedicated group of Lobbyists who came on the day.
For more information email: advocacy@cfi.org.uk
2 nd Quarter 2022 • IN TOUCH 9

Special Report
Israel faces wave of terror
The days leading to the
Muslim month of Ramadan
have seen an outbreak of
terrorist attacks in Israel. On
Tuesday 22 nd March a Bedouin
Arab went on a stabbing spree
near a large shopping centre in
Beersheva, killing four people
and wounding two others. He
was a known supporter of ISIS
and had served a jail term in an
Israeli prison.
That attack was followed by
another on Sunday 27 th March in
which two Arab gunmen killed
two Border Police officers and
wounded several others during
a shooting attack in the town
of Hadera, central Israel. The
gunmen were supporters of ISIS
and were shot and killed by police
officers who had been dining at a
nearby restaurant. Both victims
were 19 years old, with one of
them being a member Israel’s
Druze community.
Just two days later, another
terrorist killed five Israelis in
Bnei Brak, an ultra-orthodox
community near Tel Aviv. Two
of the victims were Ukranians
who had only recently arrived
in Israel and were shot as they
sat outside a grocery store. Two
other victims were members of
the local community and the fifth
was Christian police officer Amir
Khouri from the Galilee region,
who was later hailed as a hero for
his part in confronting and killing
the terrorist.
Following that third attack, Israel’s
Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett,
acknowledged that Israel was
facing a wave of terrorism and
declared that,
“We will fight terrorism with
persistence [and] diligence…
They will not move us from
here. We will prevail.”
Unusually, the Palestinian
Authority chairman, Mahmoud
Abbas, condemned the attack. But
the local leader of his Fatah party
in Jenin said the killer was one of
their members and “had died a
heroic martyr’s death while killing
five cursed Zionists.”
Particularly disappointing for
Israel’s government was that
they had planned to take a set of
measures to ease restrictions on the
Palestinians and allow for freedom
of prayer in Jerusalem, including
people from the West Bank. Those
measures included increasing the
number of permits for Gazans to
Christian police officer Amir Khouri
work in Israel by 8,000 bringing
the total to 20,000.
In response to those three attacks,
Israeli security forces increased
their efforts significantly. On
Saturday 2 nd April they confronted
three members of Palestinian
Islamic Jihad and killed them in
a gun battle near Jenin that took
place before dawn. The three
were reported to be on their way
by car to carry out an attack and
fired on the counter-terrorism unit
that tried to arrest them. Four
Israeli troops were wounded in
the ensuing gunfight, one of them
seriously.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad issued
a statement saying: “We mourn
our heroic martyrs and we assert
that our fighters will continue to
combat the enemy.”
Three days after that, Naftali
Bennett said that security forces
were “operating in a very
aggressive manner” and claimed
that they had foiled more than 15
serious attacks that were planned
by terrorists in the West Bank and
the rest of Israel.
He said more than 200 suspects
had been arrested and more
than 400 individuals had been
identified as having connections
to ISIS or other “extreme jihadist
organisations”.
But in the evening just two days
later, Thursday 7 th April, a terrorist
opened fire at pedestrians and
patrons of the Ilka Bar in central
Tel Aviv and then managed to flee
the scene. He killed two people
in their twenties and wounded
another 15, four of them seriously
– one of whom later died from
his wounds. The terrorist was
found and killed in a gunfight
in Jaffa early on the Friday
morning following a massive
overnight manhunt. The Al-Aqsa
Martyrs Brigades (part of Fatah)
accepted responsibility for the
attack, despite Mahmoud Abbas
condemning it.
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Yair
Lapid, said that “murderous
terror struck in the heart of Tel
Aviv. Young Israelis who never
wronged anyone were murdered
simply because they’re Israelis.
This terror is the poisonous
outcome of ongoing incitement by
terrorist organisations driven by an
ideology of hate.”
Naftali Bennett held a situation
assessment with heads of the
security forces and ordered the
closure of the Gilboa crossing until
further notice in order to restrict
movement into and out of Jenin –
the terrorist’s hometown.
The Gilboa crossing
10 IN TOUCH • 2 nd Quarter 2022

Feature
Life Giving Water
Watergen is the pioneering Israeli company that has
become the global leader in the atmospheric drinking
water devices (AWG) market, machines that create
drinking water from the air.
As populations around the world increasingly struggle to access
clean, natural water, Watergen have come up with a gamechanging
solution that uses humidity in the air to create clean
and fresh drinking water. Since 2009, Watergen has built a leading
team of multidisciplinary experts with decades of experience, to
combat the world’s water crisis.
Our innovative technology taps into the atmosphere – an
unlimited, freely-available resource – to provide drinking water
to people everywhere, from the most remote rural village
communities to commercial office buildings and private homes.
Our vision is to provide access for every man,
woman and child around the world to fresh,
clean and safe drinking water.
Cutting-edge technology
Watergen’s globally patented “GENius” water extractor is the first
heat exchanger ever to be composed by food-grade polymers in
order to produce the best drinking water from air.
Environmentally sustainable
Watergen create a new and unlimited water source from the air
around us. Our devices reduce single use of plastic bottles, as well
as eliminating the need for infrastructure and transportation usage
thus reducing carbon footprint.
Efficiency and production
Watergen’s products produce up to 5 litres of water using 1kWh.
The company’s technology also facilitates significant water
production in climates with humidity as low as 20 percent. These
two facts enable Watergen to deploy and scale our solutions
sustainably and efficiently around the world.
Drinking water quality
Our water quality division has developed a state-of-the-art water
treatment system, including UV and mineralisation filters. All
Watergen’s products comply with EPA, NSF61 and the Federal
Drinking Water Standards, and the American standards ASSE LEC.
Global Presence and Support
Watergen is present in five continents. Our 24/7 technical support
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Scalable solution
Watergen’s technology provides a scalable drinking water solution
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We provide the most effective solutions for water scarcity. Our
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resources, and the emissions associated with moving water from
place to place.
Our solutions are the most effective and economical way to solve
the pressing issue of water scarcity in any location and at any
time. Our technology can dramatically reduce the depletion of
our natural resources, the use of plastic containers, and the carbon
intensive methods of moving water from place to place.
We bring fresh drinking water to scarce communities worldwide.
Schematic of GENius heat-exchange technology
Gaza – Installed in hospitals and clinics, in order to save lives. Photo: Kan News
Colombia – Installed two devices in school located in drought-stricken area
South Africa – Our technology was installed on a trailer, providing fresh water
to under-resourced communities in Nelson Mandela Bay in the East Cape, a
fruitful co-oporation between Watergen, Ford and World Vision.
2 nd Quarter 2022 • IN TOUCH 11

Resources www.cfi.org.uk/shop.php
For resources call: 01323 410 810
Postal savings on multiple items
ABRAHAM AND HIS SEED – by William Henry, Michael Penny and Sylvia Penny
This book traces the Lord’s dealings with Abraham and his seed throughout the Bible and considers whether God
is still dealing with the seed of Abraham today.
How were the promises to be implemented as the seed of Abraham grew into a nation - a nation that largely
failed to follow the Lord faithfully as their father Abraham had done? What does the rest of the Old Testament
have to say about the seed of Abraham? Was there any change in the New Testament? Where do those who are
not the physical seed of Abraham (i.e. Gentiles) fit into all this?
B529 // 148 pages // £9.00 (incl. UK p&p)
A PRINCIPLE AND A PROMISE – by Sharon Sanders (COMING SOON pre-order only)
God’s promises to Abram echo down through the corridors of time as we study Genesis 12:2-3. Anyone, believer
or non-believer, rich or poor, who blesses the Jewish people through kindness and mercy, will please God. The
scriptural principle will never change. As the Church worldwide, we need to see the importance of how we touch
the apple of God’s eye. Let us forfeit no more blessings by ignoring God’s promise to bless. If the offshoot of
biblical Judaism (Christianity), which was grafted into the cultivated olive tree (Israel), would begin to allow itself
to strengthen its connection to its roots, spiritual blessings will come to churches across the world. We do not
have to become Jewish to love the Jewish people but only love what God loves. They simply need to be a blessing.
B528 // 254 pages // £12.00 (incl. UK p&p)
SAVE
THE
DATE
Christian Friends of Israel UK invite you to save the date...
Annual Conference 2022
Venue: Suncoast Church, Eastbourne BN22 8TR
Friday 2 nd – Saturday 3 rd September
Relationship of Israel with the Church
Jared Compton
Jared serves as assistant professor of Greek and New Testament
Theology at Bethlehem College & Seminary, Minneapolis,
Minnesota, USA. He loves thinking and talking about how the
Bible fits together and how we fit into the Bible’s big story.
Chris Sinkinson
Chris tutors and lectures at Moorlands College, Bournemouth
and regularly leads student tours to Israel. He writes a monthly
column for Evangelicals Now and has authored a number of
books and a DVD on biblical archaeology.
Resource stall
Includes CFI UK’s resources stall, exhibition display plus free literature
Main themes
Friday pm
Israel’s Past Compton
Paul’s interpretation (Romans 9:1-23)
Saturday
Israel’s Present Compton
Jesus and Israel (Romans 9:24-11:10)
Israel’s Archeology Sinkinson
Bible’s historical accuracy
Israel’s Future Compton
Israel’s final destiny (Romans 11:11-36)
www.cfi.org.uk
Contact: CFI Communications, PO Box 2687, Eastbourne, BN22 7LZ
Tel: 01323 410810 Email: info@cfi.org.uk YouTube: www.youtube.com/CFIUK Web: www.cfi.org.uk
twitter.com/cfi_uk
facebook.com/cfiuk
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