At the beginning of the month, Israelis went to the polls for the 5th time in the last 4 years. Right-wing parties scored a clear victory with Benjamin Netanyahu heading the coalition as Prime Minister. Although the initial victory was clearcut, much of the work comes after votes are cast, as the members of the Israeli parliament (called Knesset) sit down to debate who will take control of the different governmental ministries. No functioning government can be formed until the parties have come to an agreement on the division of power. As of Wednesday evening, it is possible that the negotiations have come to a stalemate, as ultra-Orthodox party Shas and The Religious Zionist party grapple over control of the Finance Ministry. In addition, there has been some public bickering between the Religious Zionists and Netanyahu’s party Likud over the talks. Please pray for a speedy resolution of the talks. Please also pray for unity between parties, and a desire to prioritize the common good. Lastly, please pray for God’s grace in forming a lasting and stable government.