25 Oct 2026

The Good, The Bad, and The Good

I remember this week what a wise reader of this column said to me a few years ago: Sometimes, it’s good to write about good things, not just the challenges as it relates to Israel.

Thank you for that wisdom! So today, I want to write something good about Israel, not just the negative, day-to-day terrorism the country faces.

The topic that comes to mind is if you’re considering taking a trip to Israel. I want to recommend some things to you, including that YOU SHOULD GO.

I’ve been 10 times and have never once felt unsafe. In fact, the opposite. First, God keeps me safe and peaceful. Next, the IDF is the best at security. I have often said that I am safer flying to Israel and staying for 10 days than I am crossing the road to get my mail. It’s true.

Take it from someone who knows: do not let people put fear in you about going to Israel. I know what I’m talking about. And I went during the Second Intifada and again in 2023, just ahead of Oct. 7, when Hamas sent thousands of rockets into Israel. In fact, I watched them day and night from my hotel balcony. I would read the fearful reports from home—including many from Christians—and know I was experiencing peace and calm…from the “war zone.”

Look, if you are worried about dying in Israel, you are far, far more likely to die from a bus falling out of the sky. It’s just really a non-issue. I would not hesitate to go unless the State Department forbids it.

Let me make another recommendation: my good friend Chris Quintana is taking a tour group over there again next spring. If I can get away, I will go, no question. After reading this, if you want to get in touch with him, you can. Chris is one of the very best Bible teachers in the U.S., having been trained in the Calvary Chapel tradition. His Old Path Ministries group is deluxe. Reach him there if you’d like to go.

From north to south and east to west, Israel is extraordinary. The Galilee and the Golan Heights are breathtaking. There, Israel raises cattle and produces world-class wine. The Sea of Galilee! There you can take a boat ride in the very same place Jesus extended his hand to Peter in the waves. The “Jesus Boat” in the museum on the shore is incredible to see. It is a first-century boat found in the mud and is the type that the apostles fished from.

Last time I was there, I rented a car in Tel Aviv and drove north to Mount Carmel, where Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal. It was sublime, to be in the place where God sent fire raining down on a water-soaked altar.

Next, in Tel Aviv, or really, just south of there, you can see Jaffa, with its ancient seaport, from which Jonah sailed. It is the oldest continually used seaport in the world. I have watched fishermen stand there, and boats sail away north and south. Peter’s home is there and you can get a superb fish dinner downtown.

And, in Tel Aviv itself, make sure you see something most tour groups don’t go to: Independence Hall. At 16 Rothschild Blvd. (please, spare me the Rothschild conspiracy trash), the nondescript building is where the modern state of Israel was announced on the afternoon of May 14, 1948. It is as it was then. This is a must-see!

The south of the country of course is also a must see. You can float in the Dead Sea and also see whole groves of palm trees on the shore: the country is being reclaimed from the desert, just as Scripture foretold. Masada is across the highway, go!

And then there is Jerusalem itself. The sprawling new city to the west is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. You can see cranes building new buildings, see Zechariah 2. From the Old City, particularly Jaffa Gate, you can see the Montefiore neighborhood, with its windmill. This is the major prophecy fulfilled in the 1860s, again from Zechariah 2. My new book (available at the end of this article) is all about this amazing place. It is a prophecy I haven’t heard anyone else address, addicted as we are to “Mark of the Beast” and “Antichrist” talk. You can also stroll over to the famous King David Hotel. I’ve stayed there and while expensive, it is a bucket list item.

Plan to spend as much time as possible in Jerusalem.

You can visit the City of David archaeological dig, just outside the Old City walls. Here you can look down the mountain at the same area where David watched Bathsheeba. Across the street is the equally amazing Acra—a fortress built by Antiochus Epiphanes. It was considered legendary until recent years, when it was located under a parking lot.

And for me, the biggest site is the Temple Mount. It is much easier to get up there these days. And you can stay as long as you like. I spend hours up there, in the same spot our Lord will return to, soon and very soon.

Chris will give you a tour you will never forget, even for a day. He is safe, smart, and wise. The information you will hear at each location is frankly as good as it gets.

I hope you will consider going.

See you there!

Jimfletcher761@gmail.com

(My two new books are unlike any Bible prophecy books you have read. They are perfect for even seasoned believers but written especially for your unsaved friends and family. Short but information-packed, they are also illustrated with photos I took myself. With Christmas coming, make sure you get your copies from Amazon!)

Zechariah 2

The God That Answers by Fire

23 Oct 2026

Denmark stocks up on long-range missiles from US, Norway 
Denmark’s defence minister announced on Thursday that Copenhagen is buying two new long-range missile systems – one Norwegian, the other American. The northern country will purchase the Joint Strike Missile from Norway’s Kongsberg for its growing F-35 fighter jet fleet as well as low-cost Anthem cruise missile from US defence start-up Covenant.

France’s Renewed Unrest Could Boost Marine Le Pen’s Bid for the Presidency
As looting and arson at town halls add to the turmoil, an already divided France risks becoming even more polarized. The violence could bring the far right to power. “Violence strengthens the ‘party of order’,” political scientist Jérôme Fourquet told the newspaper Le Soir. The options are few as French President Emmanuel Macron tries to deal with protests that have flared up again over rising prices and the high cost of living.

Ukraine joins NATO procurement partnership 
Ukraine has joined a NATO procurement partnership that will allow its defence companies to compete for alliance contracts and strengthen cooperation with member states, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) announced on Thursday. The partnership allows participating allies to reduce procurement costs by pooling demand for goods and services

Strong earthquake strikes China’s remote Tibet region
At least 16 people have died and dozens more have been injured after a major earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale shook China’s remote Tibet region on Thursday, state media said. Hundreds of houses collapsed in the tremor.

IDF detains NY Democrat Brad Lander and dozens of activists during West Bank harvest trip
Democrat Brad Lander, a U.S. House nominee from New York City, was detained, along with dozens of rabbis and activists, by the Israel Defense Forces during an olive harvesting trip in the West Bank on Wednesday. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed that Israeli military and police forces arrived at the scene and detained the participants, saying that “harvesting in that area requires prior coordination with the relevant authorities” in order to maintain security in the area.

Man Arrested After Telling Claude About Plans to Shoot Up Daycare
As the Sydney Morning Herald reported, 29-year-old David Lan Thackray was taken into custody on Sunday after his disturbing interactions with Anthropic’s Claude were flagged by Interpol. He was charged with using a carriage service to harass, menace, or offend, an Australian criminal law.

Ilhan Omar is not the Minnesota congresswoman’s ‘real name’: sources
Her real name is Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, according to two people familiar with the ongoing investigation into the Somali-born congresswoman, including a law enforcement source. And if proven in court that Omar has lived her “entire life under an alias,” a former Minnesota federal immigration judge tells Fox News Digital that every single form she ever filled out could be “called into question.” Fox News Digital has now learned from multiple sources familiar with the investigation that Omar is not the congresswoman’s birth name. Omar has publicly confirmed that she does not have a birth certificate.
… if someone has lived their entire lives under an alias, there are many criminal charges that could be levied.

Still ‘A Very High Mountain Ahead’ To Achieve Ukraine Peace: Vance
It has been a long, long time since this much optimism has persisted when it comes to the chances of achieving a Russia-Ukraine peace deal. There are reports that trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the US will finally soon happen in the wake of Steve Witkoff’s meeting with President Putin this week. A high level meeting is reportedly being scheduled for as early as next month; however, some top White House officials are also injecting some key caveats and realism.

Major US Banks Are Detecting Unauthorized AI Agents Accessing Customer Accounts
Major financial institutions including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo and Citigroup are confronting the growing presence of third-party AI assistants inside their banking platforms. Some institutions have detected unauthorized agent activity, while others are concerned about cases in which AI systems appear to initiate actions without explicit instructions from account holders. Bank executives are increasingly concerned about the possibility of these systems making consequential decisions without adequate human oversight.

Hamas openly threatens Israel with ‘more Oct 7 attacks’ as intelligence shows terror group is rearming 
The terror group Hamas is rebuilding its military strength and has sent a direct, explicit threat to Israel that it will attempt more Oct. 7-style assaults in the future, according to reports this week. Senior IDF military officials have presented their U.S. counterparts intelligence indicating that Hamas is building up its forces for another large-scale confrontation, rather than disarming as the U.S.-backed peace plan demands, according to a Thursday report by the newspaper Haaretz.

Founding trustee of Oxford’s Islamic studies department believed Muslims should ‘continue the work of Hitler’ 
A top Muslim Brotherhood scholar from Egypt was hailed as a great spiritual leader and cleric when he died four years ago in Qatar, but concerning aspects of his life and career have surfaced and continue to impact students in the West today. Given that Yusuf al-Qaradawi was so publicly associated with the radical Muslim Brotherhood group to the point that he received life imprisonment in absentia in his home country of Egypt, it might come as a surprise that he was in fact a trustee of the Centre for Islamic Studies at Oxford University. However, Dr. Charles Asher Small, an antisemitism expert and Cambridge Fellow, is not surprised. Small and his colleagues have uncovered $US 18 billion in undocumented money flowing from the Muslim Brotherhood into top academic institutions both in the U.S. and the U.K., along with the organization’s incendiary ideas.

Fatah official calls two-state solution “a trap” as Zohar prophecy points to end of Ishmael’s rule
A senior Fatah official has openly declared that the Palestinian demand for a two-state solution is a strategy to destroy Israel. “We know the trap we have set for Israel by demanding a two-state solution,” Basel Abu Shahab, Fatah secretary in Lebanon’s Burj al-Shemali refugee camp, said in an interview with the Palestinian Authority’s official Palestine TV earlier this month. “The establishment of a Palestinian state would mean the disappearance of the Israeli entity and the end of global Zionism.”

IDF reveals Hamas plan to blow up Gaza’s displaced civilians as cover for terrorists’ escape
Hamas planned to detonate explosives among Gaza’s own displaced civilians as Israeli troops approached, using the resulting panic and carnage as a smokescreen for its terrorists to flee, according to an internal Hamas document released by the Israel Defense Forces on Monday. The document, written in April 2024 by the terror organization’s engineering department, was made public for the first time. According to the IDF, the document proposed “planting explosive devices around displaced persons camps and detonating them as IDF troops approached,”

US, Israel Reportedly Plan To Resume Iran Strikes
The U.S. and Israeli are reportedly planning a new Iran aistrikes after the midterms. ABC News cited Israeli sources in reporting the goal of the strikes will be to further destabilizing Iran’s economy. The report comes as Trump accuses Iran of making up fake strikes in order to drive up the price of oil before the midterms.

How is the Iranian regime still standing?
The death of Ali Khamenei, a new supreme leader to replace him, mass anti-government protests, and mounting economic pressure have shaken Iran’s ruling system over the past year of upheaval. Yet the Islamic Republic remains in power, supported by its security apparatus and an establishment that has so far avoided a decisive split. These developments have raised questions about why a regime facing such extensive domestic and external pressure has not collapsed.

The Complete Downfall Of Iran’s ‘Death Cult’ Is The Only Way For Trump To Eradicate Tehran’s Existential Threat
In the wake of increasingly brash statements by Iran refusing to negotiate on nuclear enrichment and demanding full U.S. capitulation for further negotiations to end the war, experts say the Islamist regime will have to be entirely replaced to eradicate its existential threat toward Israel, the region, and the world.

Powerful earthquake in China’s Tibet region collapses hundreds of homes and kills at least 16 people
A magnitude 7 earthquake hit China’s Tibet region on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people, injuring 54, and collapsing hundreds of homes in the northern regional city of Nagqu, official media said.

Why Are Scientists Suddenly So Concerned About an Asteroid Hitting Earth? Do They Know Something We Don’t?
Authorities say no giant space rocks are heading our way. Then why is a scenario for the 2027 Planetary Defense Conference “based around a hypothetical impact threat” from a very large asteroid? Why are scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Lab studying how to destroy a giant asteroid heading toward Earth with nuclear weapons?

Storm Austen sweeping towards UK; Met Office issues danger to life warning
The UK is preparing to be battered by strong winds and heavy rain from Storm Austen. The Met Office shared a satellite video of the storm on Thursday (22 October) as it heads for Britain. An amber “danger to life” wind warning has been issued for parts of southwest England, where heavy rain and severe gusts of up to 80mph are forecast.

‘Actress and podcaster goes ‘full psycho,’ demands ‘PISTOLS FIRING’ at all times toward JD Vance
Despite the assassination of civil-rights leader Charlie Kirk and near assassination of President Trump, a Bravo actress and podcaster is pleading for “pistols firing at all times” toward Vice President Vance, whom she calls an “antichrist-style sociopath.” Trump supporter Gina Milan noted, “This is the Democratic Party in 2026. Violence and hate remain their default.”

Israel said to give US intel that Hamas has no plans to disarm, is prepping for new war
Senior military officials presented intelligence to their US counterparts that Hamas has no intention of disarming and is building up its forces in the Gaza Strip in case of a renewed all-out war with Israel, the Haaretz daily reports, citing sources familiar with the information.

Trump: Iran trying to drive up oil prices ahead of US midterm elections
US President Donald Trump accused Iran of attempting to drive up global oil prices ahead of the upcoming US midterm elections, claiming that the Islamic Republic is spreading false reports of attacks and naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

“I Come From Your Future”: A Frenchman’s Warning for American Midterms
Don’t rob Peter to pay Paul. Don’t vote Democrat. We did everything progressive politicians promise – the state takes care of everything, etc. On paper, it’s the dream (free this, free that). Here’s what it looks like from the inside… People with degrees can’t afford an apartment…Our best engineers leave, etc. And the rich you wanted to tax? They left too & took jobs with them.

Australia Wants the World to Follow Its Online Censorship Blueprint
The bill says it is not about speech, but its critics are already reading the subtext. Australia’s Communications Minister Anika Wells is working to build a global coalition of governments that would press tech companies such as Meta to “reduce online harm.”

BBC employs pro-Hamas illegal immigrant who is a convicted criminal to oversee its use of AI
He’d been in prison for immigration deception & defended Hamas rocket attacks as legitimate resistance.  This comes amid growing scrutiny of backgrounds & political sympathies of those employed by Britain’s publicly funded institutions, as pro-Palestinian activism has become increasingly influential.

Both Sides Preparing to Greatly Escalate Great Middle East War, And So the Global Energy Crisis and Global Food Crisis Will Both Intensify
Iranians won’t stop until Israel is completely defeated, and vice versa. Both sides are feverishly preparing to greatly escalate the Great Middle East War, and that is going to have enormous implications for every man, woman, and child on the entire planet.

Leo XIV to join over 300 leaders of false religions at scandalous Assisi gathering
It will feature 384 religious reps from 53 countries & promote what organizers describe as ‘spiritual unification’ of the world. Pope Leo will travel there to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the controversial interreligious prayer gathering launched by Pope John Paul in 1986, together with representatives of the world’s religions.

‘They Want to Burn It Down and Rule Over the Ashes’: Are Christians Safe in Canada
In Canada, where biblical speech can now mean jail, expulsion, or burned churches, Christians are learning that safety requires silence—and that true freedom is only tested by the courage to speak anyway.