IN THE MIDDLE EAST

 

THE ISRAEL GUYS SHOW NOTES MAY 1, 2026

IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Israel intercepted another flotilla supposedly bringing aid to Gaza. This was the largest one to date, with around 56 vessels. Wednesday night, the Israeli Navy began overtaking and boarding the ships off the coast of Crete, even though in the past these flotillas have been intercepted closer to Gaza. The navy invited the flotilla to come to Israel’s port at Ashdod and bring in their aid through the official channels. However, on board the vessels, no true aid was found, proving the flotilla to be nothing more than a publicity stunt with no real intent to help.

To go more in depth, watch our show from yesterday with Ari and Jeremy. WATCH SHOW

Oman rejected an Iranian proposal of pursuing joint control over the Strait of Hormuz, including tolling. Oman is concerned about their relationship with their other Gulf neighbors over any potential gain from an agreement with Iran, especially considering the current situation with Iran on the brink of collapse in many areas. The prospect of joining Iran in such a pursuit may have also been deterred by the attacks that Oman sustained from Iran in March. The Iranian President and Parliamentary Speaker are reportedly threatening to dismiss Iran’s Foreign Minister on claims he is simply acting as a voice for the IRGC. President Pezeshkian and Parliamentary Speaker Ghalibaf have shown dissatisfaction with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who they claim is not representing the Iranian government but is working directly as a mouthpiece for the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This highlights the level of disunity within the rulership of Iran, which was indicated as a reason for the failure of the recent negotiations. A new witness report indicates Karim Khan, the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, was given promises of protection from Qatar on condition of pursuing Israeli officials. The warrants that were issued by the ICC in 2024 on Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant were hastened through by Khan upon pressure from Qatar and promises of protection from the Gulf state if he complied. The legitimacy of the court is increasingly called into question as Khan is also facing disciplinary proceedings due to allegations of another serious crime.

PROPHECY THAT YOU CAN WEAR

We're excited to announce that our grapevine wood necklaces are finally back in stock! These jewelry pieces are crafted by hand from grapevines growing here on the mountains of Samaria in Har Bracha, Israel.

This necklaces features a silver crown bezel with embedded grapevine wood emblazoned with the word "Zion" in Hebrew.  Jeremiah, Isaiah, Amos, and others all indicated that one of the symbols of Israel's restoration would be grapevines growing and flourishing once again on the mountains of Israel. After 2,000 years of barren hillsides and desolate soil, the vineyards of Israel are growing again! By wearing this prophetic vine jewelry, you'll be taking part in proclaiming to the world that God is faithful and always keeps His promises. These necklaces take a long time to make and we have limited stock (about 40 necklaces available at the time of this email). We recommend ordering soon before they sell out.

ORDER NOW

ON THE HOME FRONT

Arabic news outlets claim Israel introduced rats into Gaza, which were trained to attack Palestinians. News sources were cited making outrageous claims such as, “These rodents - mice and rats - are of a special kind, they are large in size, and they particularly attack children and the sick... It is believed that these rodents were developed and experimented on specifically by the Israeli occupation." Rat infestation in Gaza is believable, considering the Palestinian Arab tendency toward littering and generally bad upkeep in the areas they are responsible for maintaining, but sometimes the claims of Israel’s enemies simply serve to expose how deranged their hate has made them. Israel quadrupled its public relations budget, in a move aimed at increasing international support. Despite claims from experts that it's an uphill battle that can’t fully be won, the state moved to increase the national budget for funding PR initiatives to around $730 million. This is due to many disturbing trends in Israel’s international reputation, including a significant drop in American support; one striking statistic from the U.S. showed that 57% of Republicans under age 50 hold negative views of Israel. Israeli media channels report that 6,500 tons of munitions and military equipment were unloaded and dispersed throughout the country. In the space of 24 hours, Wednesday through Thursday, two ships at the ports of Ashdod and Haifa were unloaded, and trucks delivered the equipment to IDF bases around the country. This could be a routine restocking of supplies that is publicized with intent to inspire fear among regime officials in Tehran, or we could be looking at an extension of the conflict in the coming days.

IN JUDEA & SAMARIA

CNN aired a story claiming that Israeli settlers put up a roadblock to stop Palestinian children from attending their school. The story centers around the Arab settlement of Umm al-Khair which, interestingly, is illegal per the Oslo Accords (it is located in Area C). The supposed “road” that was blocked was a steep, dirt access drive sometimes used by local Palestinians. It's important to note that the actual paved road to the school is still unhindered, and it only takes 70 seconds to drive from the point of the closure to the school. Because of security concerns surrounding recent terrorist activity on the road and the path’s proximity to the Jewish community of Carmel, the community officials facilitated its closure. Jewish farms continue to boom in Judea and Samaria, with their number close to doubling since October 7th. Recognized Jewish farms in Judea and Samaria number around 150, nearly a 50% increase from the reported 79 farms that were in the region before October 7, 2023. Though in the past the Israeli government had often uprooted small farming startups, there has been an awareness raised among government officials to the effectiveness of farms in bolstering the security of the surrounding area.

BIBLICAL CONNECTIONS

When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad. Bring back our captivity, O Lord, As the streams in the Negev Psalm 126

The Negev, or Israel’s south, is a desert area that can see dry riverbeds rapidly flooded to overflowing with torrential streams when the rains come. This context provides vivid imagery for the psalmists' account of the return of the exiles.

Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.

This passage seems relevant also to Israel’s current ingathering, also in a physical way, with farmers who’ve been uprooted coming back, sowing again in tears, knowing that the day will come when the bountiful harvest will be received.

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