Israel takes name of Iran operation from Bible verse
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was photographed on Thursday putting a handwritten note into a crack of Jerusalem's Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, which in retrospect pointed to the looming strikes on Iran.
His office on Friday released a photo of the note, which said 'the people shall rise up as a lion.'
The expression comes from verse 23:24 of the Book of Numbers in the Bible: 'Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.'
This verse is part of the first oracle of Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet and diviner, where he foretells the strength and power of Israel, comparing it to a lion that will not rest until it has satisfied its hunger.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called Israel's strikes 'satanic.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
12 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
EU backs Ukraine's ‘right to choose' as Trump-Putin talks near
In this episode of W News, presented by Leigh-Ann Gerrans, we report on EU leaders affirming 'the inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny,' just three days before US President Donald Trump is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. We also bring you the latest on Gaza, where climate activist Greta Thunberg says she will join another flotilla to the territory after being detained and deported from Israel earlier this year. Meanwhile, pop icon Madonna has urged Pope Leo to visit Gaza and bring his 'light to the children before it is too late.' In other news, China and the United States have agreed to delay higher tariffs on each other's imports for 90 days, just hours before a trade truce between the world's two largest economies was set to expire on Tuesday.
Asharq Al-Awsat
43 minutes ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Gaza Suffering Has Reached ‘Unimaginable' Levels, Say 24 Foreign Ministers
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached "unimaginable levels", Britain, Canada, Australia and several of their European allies said on Tuesday, calling on Israel to allow unrestricted aid into the war-torn Palestinian enclave. "Famine is unfolding before our eyes. Urgent action is needed now to halt and reverse starvation," the foreign ministers of 24 countries said in a joint statement. "We call on the government of Israel to provide authorization for all international NGO (non-governmental organizations) aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating," the statement said. "All crossings and routes must be used to allow a flood of aid into Gaza, including food, nutrition supplies, shelter, fuel, clean water, medicine and medical equipment." Israel has denied responsibility for hunger spreading in Gaza, accusing Hamas fighters of stealing aid shipments, which Hamas denies. However, in response to a rising international uproar, Israel late last month announced steps to let more aid into the enclave, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas and announcing protected routes for aid convoys. Western capitals, however, say much more aid is needed. The statement was signed by the foreign ministers of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Britain. The EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and two other members of the European Commission also signed the statement. Some EU member countries, including Germany and Hungary, did not sign it.
Arab News
43 minutes ago
- Arab News
Syrian, Iraqi energy ministers discuss Kirkuk–Baniyas oil pipeline
LONDON: The Syrian Arab Republic's Energy Minister Mohammed Al-Bashir on Tuesday discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector with Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister and Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani. Al-Bashir stressed Syria's need for oil imports, and proposed linking pipelines between the two countries, noting that the Kirkuk-Baniyas line was no longer functional. Iraq's deputy prime minister spoke of his country's interest in reactivating the 850 km pipeline and suggested evaluating whether to repair it or build a new one due to regional events affecting oil exports, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported. Pumping stations along the Kirkuk–Baniyas route are largely destroyed and need full restoration, the SANA added. Discussions in Baghdad also included plans for laying optical cables alongside the oil pipelines and connecting them to Lebanon. Both parties agreed to establish joint technical teams and a primary coordination committee. Syrian Deputy Energy Minister Ghiyath Diab also attended the meeting.
