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Israeli News
Here are some stories from or about Israel that I feel may have prophetic significance. It is for each of you to read and pray about these things. Learn more about Israel here.
2006|2007|2008|
This page may take some time to load. For size reasons I have archived topics by year: |2005|
- Journalist: Brace for guerilla warfare in Golan (December 31, 2006) - Israel's poor performance against Hizbullah last summer boosted support for President Bashar Assad 's popularity among the Syrian people who are ready for confrontation with Israel, a senior Syrian journalist told Ynet. "There is no doubt that the Lebanon war and the Israeli defeat are a source of encouragement, and also a source for recruiting the Syrian people who see itself as a pioneer and example to other Arab people. It is looking at how the Lebanese defeated and expelled the Israelis from their land while its land remains occupied. "The Syrian people understood the possibility that a war will break out, even at the price Damascus and Syrian cities being bombarded," a senior Syrian journalist told Ynet. His words reflect the Syrian regime's mood as Israel continues to shun Syrian peace overtures. Assad has been signaling willingness to talk peace with the Jewish state, but on the other hand, the journalist says, "The principle is that so long we haven't freed our land in a peaceful path, we are entitled to do so militarily. The Syrian people in the occupied Golan Heights have the right to return to their homeland." He said that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's ruling out of talks with Syria is a sign that, "Israelis are not serious about talks with Syria … one time they demand that Syria sever its ties with Israel, another time to sever ties with Hizbullah – and another time with Hamas. All this show that the Israelis look for excuses in order not to deal with the real issue – fully withdrawing from the Golan Heights." more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam |
- Iran: Mahdi will defeat archenemy in Jerusalem (December 31, 2006) - A triumphal religious prophecy has appeared on an Iranian official state media website, heralding the return of the Shiite messiah. According to the website, "Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance) will appear all of a sudden on the world scene with a voice from the skies announcing his reappearance at the holy Ka'ba in Mecca." The Islamic Republic of Iran broadcasting (IRIB) website said in a program called 'The World Towards Illumination,' that the Mahdi will reappear in Mecca and form an army to defeat Islam's enemies in a series of apocalyptic battles, in which the Mahdi will overcome his archvillain in Jerusalem. The series has been regularly updated throughout November and December. "The Mahdi's far sightedness and firmness in the face of mischievous elements will strike awe. After his uprising from Mecca all of Arabia will be submit to him and then other parts of the world as he marches upon Iraq and established his seat of global government in the city of Kufa. “Then the Imam will send 10 thousand of his forces to the east and west to uproot the oppressors. At this time God will facilitate things for him and lands will come under his control one after the other," the website declared. "After his appearance the Imam would remain in Mecca for some time, and then go to Medina... a descendant of the Prophet's archenemy Abu Sofyan will seize Syria and attack Iraq and the Hejaz with the ferocity of a beast… finally Imam Mahdi sends troops who kill the Sofyani in Beit ol-Moqaddas (Jerusalem), the Islamic holy city in Palestine that is currently under occupation of the Zionists," the IRIB added. more... | Iran | Israel | Islam |
- US Pollster Blames Jewish State for Bethlehem’s Ills (December 29, 2007) - A widely publicized report by a Washington-based pollster blames Israel’s separation barrier for Bethlehem’s ills, though the city’s problems began well before the wall was even conceived. Zogby International stated in its findings that Bethlehem “has been fast losing its indigenous Christian population since the construction of the Israeli wall plunged Bethlehem into economic crisis.” The poll was commissioned by Open Bethlehem, a private non-profit organization run by John Zogby, brother of the man who founded the powerful Arab–American Institute lobby. Both are the sons of Lebanese Catholics. The organization, which is campaigning to make Bethlehem an international city, is backed by Catholics, former US president Jimmy Carter, and Arabs. Zogby wrote that US Christians “are likely to be shocked by the discovery that seven out of ten Christians in Bethlehem believe Israel treats the town’s Christian heritage with brutality or indifference.” Most major news services have disseminated the poll without noting the historical discrepancies and omission of recent events, particularly Muslim violence against Christians and the fleeing of Christians since the Palestinian Authority [PA] took control of the area. In 1948, Christians comprised some 90% of the city’s population. Dropping steadily over the years, the Christian population still stood at 60% in 1990, at the beginning of the first intifada. The exodus of Christians increased sharply after the PA took control of the city in 1995, when former PA chairman Yasser Arafat changed the city’s borders to include an additional 30,000 Muslims. In today’s Bethlehem, Muslims outnumber Christians 6–1. The Zogby poll summary does not discuss this historical backdrop. It instead quotes several remaining Christians about alleged oppression, ignoring Muslim harassment and even suggesting that it does not exist. It is equally significant that the Zogby poll makes no mention of the most recent anti-Christian crusades carried out against the population by their Muslim neighbors. more... | Israel | Islam |
- Olmert Recognizes PA Flag (December 29, 2006) - For the first time in the history of the State of Israel, the red, black, green and white flag of the Palestinian Authority stood next to the official state flag of Israel bearing the blue Jewish Star flanked by two stripes on its field of white, last Saturday Night. It was the first of several surprises. The meeting between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas came days earlier than expected, with government spokesmen saying security concerns had advanced the meeting and delayed the announcement. Several agreements were ironed out within that first meeting. These included the release of $100 million in frozen tax money for the PA, loosening of travel restrictions on PA Arabs in Judea and Samaria and increasing the number of permits for them to work inside Israel's pre-1967 borders. In addition to the usual smiling photo ops, both men seemed intent on creating a message of unity, warmth and formal diplomacy. The Jewish Prime Minister addressed Abu Mazen – Abbas’s nom de guerre – as “Mr. President.” Until now, Abbas has been referred to as the PA Chairman. With that appellation and a kiss on each cheek, Olmert launched a new era of diplomatic relations for the PA leader, prompting the New York-based Jewish Daily Forward to comment that it appeared to be a meeting of two heads of state. more... | Israel | Islam | Way to make them feel confirmed Olmert. It wasn't even until Israel became a nation that anyone wanted the desolate area. Then as prophesied, the desert bloomed for Israel. Ezekiel 36 Then all of a sudden the Muslim nations rose up against Israel. Now they claim it was their land. Meanwhile, they destroy any artifacts under the Temple Mount that could validate the Jewish origins there so they can re-write history and get rid of the Jews. They hate them with a satanic hatred. It will only get stronger until Christ returns and wipes them out. Bottom line is that the land is in the hands of who God wants to have it and who both politically and militarily own it. For the first time in history I'm aware of, the world is trying to force a nation to give back land won in a war. The land was given to them originally by God thousands of years ago and more recently after the holocaust. More info here.
- 'Israeli weapons transfer to be used against Jews' (December 28, 2006) - Weapons transferred yesterday with the help of Israel to militants from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party will be used in attacks against the Jewish state, a senior Fatah militant told WND. Also, a leader of the Popular Resistance Committees, a major Palestinian terror group suspected of attacks against U.S. Middle East targets, told WND his organization has infiltrated Fatah and likely will obtain some of the new arms. According to reports here, Egypt yesterday transferred 2,000 AK-47 assault rifles, 20,000 magazines and two million rounds of ammunition to Fatah security organizations in the Gaza Strip to bolster the groups in clashes against rival Hamas factions. Hamas and Fatah have engaged in heavy firefights since Abbas earlier this month called for new Palestinian elections in a move widely seen as an attempt to dismantle the Hamas-led PA. The Egyptian weapons were delivered yesterday with the help of the Israeli Defense Forces and with authorization from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, according to Israel's Haaretz daily newspaper. Israeli and Palestinian security officials confirmed the Egyptian weapons shipments to WND. According to the officials, four trucks filled with Egyptian weapons were transferred into Israel through a major border crossing in coordination with the IDF. The Israeli army then escorted the arms to a Gaza Strip checkpoint, where they were received by PA security personnel affiliated with Mahmoud Dahlan, a Fatah strongman in Gaza. Israel's Defense Ministry said Olmert approved the Egyptian weapons shipment to bolster peace in the region. more... | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Well duh!!! I can't believe they're giving arms to Muslims intent on taking their land in order to "bolster peace in the region." Giving weapons to Muslims thirsty for Jewish blood is always a great way to bolster peace. Are they completely blind? Yes. God has blinded them. Romans 11:8 Apparently beyond just understanding God's plan for them. Their blindness has extended to eliminate any common sense too. They're giving the guns to the people who will kill 2/3 of them immediately following the abomination of desolation.
- Olmert: Assad up to His Neck in Terror Activity (December 27, 2007) - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told European Union and other ambassadors Wednesday [December 27] that “Israel is certainly interested in conducting negotiations for peace with Syria,” but added that Damascus’ actions indicate that its peace overtures are “not serious.” The prime minister added that Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime supports Hizbullah, destabilizes Lebanon, protects Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders, and maintains close ties with Iran, which calls for Israel’s destruction. Olmert said that there is no reason for Israel to give up on its principles when the Syrian president is “up to his neck in terror-supporting activity.” Turning his attention to the Palestinians, the prime minister told the ambassadors that the international community supports the implementation of the Road Map and the Quartet’s guidelines. “These guidelines obligate the Palestinians to execute their commitment, denounce terror, and fight it–as a basic condition for negotiations,” he said. “These guidelines must be upheld.” Olmert also updated the ambassadors on Israel’s gestures aimed at strengthening moderate Palestinian Authority elements. | Israel | Islam |
- IDF: Hizbullah almost at full strength (December 21, 2006) - Predicting that it is "just a matter of time" before Hizbullah attacks Israel, a high-ranking officer from the Northern Command revealed to The Jerusalem Post Wednesday that the Lebanese guerrilla group had nearly returned to full strength and was almost at the level it was before this summer's Lebanon war. Syria, the officer said, had used the past four months since the end of the war to transfer - sometimes on a daily basis - truckloads of advanced rockets and weaponry to Hizbullah in Lebanon. The weapon transfers, he said, were not even executed covertly, but were conducted "out in the open" for the entire world to see. "Hizbullah needs to legitimize its existence, and therefore will continue to fight," said the officer, adding that if and when Hizbullah attacked, it would be up to the country's diplomatic echelon to determine Israel's response. The IDF, the officer said, was busy training brigades and battalions in urban warfare centers in the North and the South in preparation for the possibility that a new round of violence would erupt. The officer said that while there was no clear intelligence indicating that war was on the horizon, the possibility of one was the "working assumption" for the Northern Command. "We have a wide arsenal of potential responses," said the officer. "From another Operation Change of Direction [name of the IDF operation during the Lebanon war] to limiting a response to shooting the guerrilla who attacks." The Navy has also been training for another war and on Tuesday night conducted a number of simulations during a visit by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz to one of its missile ships. The officer said that while it was possible that Hizbullah would attack Israel in the near future, it was also possible that Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora's government would succeed in enforcing both order in Lebanon and UN Security Council Resolution 1701. "If the Lebanese government does not implement the resolution then we are most probably on our way to another round with Hizbullah," he said. more... | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam |
- Iran's oil revenue running dry, Iran's economic woes could make the country unstable (December 25, 2006) - Iran is suffering a staggering decline in revenue from its oil exports, and if the trend continues income could virtually disappear by 2015, according to an analysis published this week in a journal of the National Academy of Sciences. Iran's economic woes could make the country unstable and vulnerable, with its oil industry crippled, Roger Stern, an economic geographer at Johns Hopkins University, said in the report and in an interview. Iran earns about $50-billion (U.S.) a year in oil exports. The decline is estimated at 10 to 12 per cent annually. In less than five years exports could be halved and then disappear by 2015, Mr. Stern predicted. For two decades, far longer than its designation by U.S. President George W. Bush in January 2002 as part of the “axis of evil,” the United States has deployed military forces in the region in a strategy to pre-empt emergence of a regional superpower. Iraq was stopped in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, but a hostile Iran remains a target of U.S. threats. The U.S. military exercises have not stopped Iran's drive. But the report said the country could be destabilized by declining oil exports, hostility to foreign investment to develop new oil resources and poor state planning, Mr. Stern said. Mr. Stern's analysis, which appears in this week's edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, supports U.S. and European suspicions that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons in violation of international understandings. But, Mr. Stern says, there could be merit to Iran's assertion that it needs nuclear power for civilian purposes “as badly as it claims.” He said oil production is declining and both gas and oil are being sold domestically at highly subsidized rates. At the same time, Iran is neglecting to reinvest in its oil production. “With an explosive demand at home and poor management, the appeal of nuclear power, financed by Russia, could fill a real need for production of more electricity.” more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Given Ahmadinejad's belief that the end of times and Muslim domination of the world is at hand, is he thinking about the future of their country as a distinct nation and trying to preserve it, or is he utilizing all his resources now to advance the cause of Islam across the world and wipe out Israel? You be the judge, but an unstable Islamic nation bent on world domination while pursuing nuclear technology and chanting "death to Israel" and "death to the USA" while promising to "wipe Israel off the map" catches my attention. Especially in light of Bible prophecy which states that Persia will be part of the coalition that attempts to destroy Israel. God will stop them for now though. It will be interesting to see it come together. Keep watching!
- Syrian guerrillas 'to launch resistance within months' (December 11, 2006) - Baath official tells WND new militant organization ready to attack if Israel doesn't vacate strategic land. If Israel does not vacate the Golan Heights within months, a guerrilla organization allegedly formed in Syria will soon launch "resistance operations" against Israeli positions and Jewish communities in the Golan, an official from Syrian President Bashar Assad's Baath party told WND in an exclusive interview. "If in the coming months an agreement is not forged between Israel and Syria [for an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan], the Committees will begin attacks," said the official, who spoke on condition his name be withheld during an in-person interview with WND and with the G. Gordon Liddy national radio show. The official was referring to the Committees for the Liberation of the Golan Heights, a Hezbollah-like guerrilla organization Baath party sources claim was formed in Syria to attack Israeli positions in the Golan. The Baath official told WND Syria learned from Hezbollah's military campaign against Israel that "fighting" is more effective than peace negotiations with regard to gaining territory. Hezbollah claims its goal is to liberate the Shebaa Farms, a small, 12-square-mile bloc situated between Syria, Lebanon and Israel. The cease-fire resolution accepted by Israel to end its military campaign in Lebanon this past summer calls for negotiations leading to Israel's relinquishing of the Shebaa Farms. The Baath official told WND Syria's new Committees for the Liberation of the Golan Heights was formed this past June and that the group consists of Syrian volunteers, many from the Syrian border with Turkey and from Palestinian refugee camps near Damascus. He said Syria held registration for volunteers to join the Committees in June. The official said attacks by the Committees may include the infiltration of Jewish communities in the Golan, rocket attacks against Israeli positions or raids of Golan-based Israeli military installations. He said all attacks would be launched from the Syrian side of the border. The Golan Heights is strategic mountainous territory captured by the Jewish state after Syria used the terrain to attack Israel in 1967 and again in 1973. The Heights looks down on major Syrian and Israeli population centers, but there are a few areas where the Israeli and Syrian sides are level. Military officials here long have maintained returning the Golan Heights to Syria would grant Damascus the ability to mount an effective ground invasion of the Jewish state. The Heights has a population of about 35,000 – approximately 18,000 Jewish residents and 17,000 Arabs, mostly Druze. The Arab residents retain their Syrian citizenship, but under Israeli law they can also sue for Israeli citizenship. About a dozen officials from Assad's Baath party live and operate in the Golan. WND first reported in June on the alleged formation of the Front for the Liberation of the Golan. One month later, a man identified as the leader of the Front gave an interview to state-run Iranian television. Israel is taking the information seriously. Amos Yadlin, head of the IDF's intelligence branch, told the Knesset in October that Syria is indeed in the early stages of forming a Hezbollah-like group. more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Would Israel attack Syria preemptively if they believe this will happen or because it begins to happen? If so, we may see Isaiah 17 soon. They've threatened to before.
- Modern day Gog and Magog (December 10, 2006) - Similarities between Ezekiel's prophecies, today's Mideast reality uncanny. Current world events are beginning to increasingly resemble the 2,500 year old bible prophecy made by Ezekiel in chapters 38-39. Ezekiel foresaw the rise of Russia (or Turkey, depending on the interpretation) in a coalition with Iran and other Middle Eastern countries (Sudan, Ethiopia and Libya). The coalition is foretold to attack Israel from the north in a bid to destroy it during the earth's "last days," commonly known as the "war of Gog and Magog." Throughout history it was thought that the prophecy had been put on hold, until perhaps today when it seems frighteningly more feasible. In Joel C. Rosenberg's book "The Ezekiel Option," the author points to Ezekiel's prophecies in chapters 36-37, which have largely come true. Rosenberg then asks the obvious question: If prophecies such as "the rebirth of the State of Israel, the return of the Jews to the Holy Land after centuries in exile, the re-blossoming of desolate desert land to produce abundant food, fruit and foliage, and the creation of an exceedingly great army" materialized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, then why shouldn't the next prophecies come true in our lifetime? more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Keep watching!
- U.S. And U.K. Leaders Agree On Two-State Solution (December 8, 2006) - United States President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair told reporters in a joint news conference Thursday that they are both committed to a Palestinian state next to Israel. Both leaders agreed that the two-state solution is in the best interests of both Israelis and PA Arabs, they said. One obstacle to that goal, said Bush, is achieving a PA unity government that would be willing to meet the Quartet (U.S., Russia, European Union and United Nations) demands. Those demands include official recognition of the State of Israel, renouncing violence and agreeing to uphold peace agreements with Israel signed by the prior PA administration. Hamas, which now leads the Palestinian Authority, rejects these points. The second obstacle, said Bush, is reaching a successful conclusion to the negotiations over a prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas in order to free IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit. The soldier was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists or their allies in a cross-border raid in June. | Israel | Islam | America | Don't expect America's hedge of protection to stand much longer at this rate. Read Koenig's book, Eye To Eye, where he goes over some history of political events coinciding with hurricanes Andrew and Katrina to the day. Zechariah 12:2,3 "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it."
- Haniyeh Vows To Never Recognize Israel (December 8, 2006) - Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh vowed on Friday that his Hamas-led government will never recognize Israel and will continue to fight for the liberation of Jerusalem. "The world arrogance (US) and Zionists... want us to recognize the usurpation of the Palestinian lands and stop jihad and resistance and accept the agreements reached with the Zionist enemies in the past," Haniyeh told thousands of Friday prayer worshippers in a speech at Tehran University. The United States is pressing the Hamas-led Palestinian government to recognize Israel, renounce violence and form a national unity government with the moderate Fatah party in a bid to revive the peace process with Israel. "I'm insisting from this podium that these issues won't materialize. We will never recognize the usurper Zionist government and will continue our jihad-like movement until the liberation of Jerusalem," he said. Haniyeh arrived in the Iranian capital on Thursday for a four-day visit for talks with Iranian leaders including hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who has called for Israel to be "wiped off the map." The Palestinian prime minister is on his first tour abroad since his Hamas-led government took office in March. more... | Israel | Islam | Maybe we should believe them?!!! Look at the story above. They are fighting for something the other side doesn't want. The other side wants no Israel, not half of Israel. Their whole claim to the land is a false claim proven by historical documents that show it wasn't until Israel became a nation that Islam got up in arms and tried to wipe them out and move in (sometimes by pushing their own people) to usurp their land. And on top of that, at no time in history has any nation been forced to give up land won in a war like Israel is. But the world blindly appeases those that yell the loudest and can harm them the most. Out of fear the whole world believes simply because it is yelled the loudest and longest. I guess Hitler was right. Evil is very intelligent, and the master of evil desires humanities souls. Pray for the Muslims because they are in the thick of his deceptions and very strongly blinded to reality through brainwashing at very young ages to fulfill the Koran's stated goal of Islamic world domination at any price.
- Nasrallah: Weapons Aimed At Israel Only (December 8, 2006) - Hizbullah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday said that his organization's weapons would be used against Israel, and Israel only. In a speech made to thousands of supporters in central Beirut - his strongest-ever attack on the government - Nasrallah vowed to bring down the Lebanese government led by Prime Minister Fuad Saniora. "We will not lift our weapons in the face of anyone. We don't need weapons to defeat you," Nasrallah said, adding that Hizbullah would use its arms only against Israelis. "We will defeat you with our voices," he said. He accused Saniora of conniving with Israel during the recent war, alleging he ordered Lebanese soldiers to seize weapons being delivered to Hizbullah guerrillas. "Didn't the prime minister of Lebanon work to cut off the supply lines?" Nasrallah said. He said members of the government, whom he would not name, had asked American envoys to get Israel to destroy Hizbullah. "Those are the ones responsible for the war, not the resistance," Nasrallah said. more... | Israel | Islam |
- Dore Gold: Israel must prepare for different reality (December 7, 2006) - Will Baker-Hamilton report change US view of Israel? Former UN ambassador says 'willingness of report's author to talk to Iran, Syria is a very alarming development'. Maj. Gen. (res.) Uzi Dayan: Israel shouldn't worry about report but rather lack of leadership and vision. The Baker-Hamilton report handed over to US President George W. Bush on Wednesday is being considered with the utmost severity in America. The majority of the report deals with Iraq, but a significant portion addresses the Israel-Arab conflict, which the report sees as the heart of the Mideast unrest. So how will the report affect Israel? Former UN Ambassador Dore Gold says, "Israel will have to prepare for completely different reality." Maj. Gen. (res.) Uzi Dayan states that "the report shouldn't worry Israel. What should worry Israel is a lack of leadership and vision." "The Baker-Hamilton report is indicative of a growing trend in both American parties," said Gold. "This approach sides with a US withdrawal from Iraq . Within two years American presence in Iraq will be minimal. "Another thing, and this is more important, the very willingness of the reports' author to start a dialogue both Iran and with Syria , is an alarming development. It's alarming because the United States isn't requiring any preliminary conditions for this dialogue, and there is no mention of the Iranian nuclear program which continues to advance. "The recommendation in this report, to talk to Syria and Iran despite the fact that they're responsible for the growing instability in Iraq, will only encourage them to continue employing their policies." Gold says that "the report proves that Israel has been unsuccessful in conveying a clear message to the US elite regarding the Iranian threat. How can the United Stated see Iran as a stabilizing force in Iraq when Iran is funding and supplying arms to terror factions, both in Iraq and in Lebanon." Gold said that things will change both in short and long terms. more... | Iran | Israel | Islam | America |
- Olmert: No negotiations with Syria any time soon (December 7, 2006) - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert referred Thursday to the Baker-Hamilton report, which called for an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, and said, "We have a different opinion, and to the best of my knowledge President Bush also has a different opinion on the matter." Olmert said he objected to its attempt to create a connection between the Iraqi issue and the issue of the Middle East. According to him, as far as he knew, Bush also did not agree with the committees report. Speaking at the Editors' Conference in Tel Aviv, Olmert added: "I don't know what the president decides to do with the report, I can only say that the views I've heard from the president and senior administration officials on the Syrian issue were that they did not see a possibility for an American-Syrian negotiation or an Israeli-Syrian negotiation. I count on his judgment and responsibility." The PM mentioned that at least two Israeli prime ministers had advocated partial or complete withdrawal from the Golan Heights in the past. However, he said that "in my view, Syria's subversive operations, its support for Hamas – which may be what's preventing real negotiations with the Palestinians – do not give nuch hope for negotiations with Syria any time soon." "The question what we'll give to the Syrians interests me less than the question what they'll give to us," he stated. In response to whether he agreed with estimates that there would be a war with Syria in the coming summer, Olmert said that he did not think Syria was interested in any military action, and added that Israel felt the same way. more... | Israel | Islam |
- Initiative – Middle East Peace Conference without Israel (December 7, 2006) - According to Thursday's issue of the conservative Washington Times' Insight magazine, the White House was looking into proposal by former Secretary of State James Baker to hold a Middle East peace conference without Israel. According to the report, the United States government was going to consider the possibility of having a second Madrid Conference in which Arab states would participate, including Syria and Iran , but with without Israel being invited to participate. As reported by the magazine, officials said the conference would be promoted as a forum to discuss Iraq's future, but actually focus on Arab demands for Israel to withdraw from territories captured in the 1967 war. A source in the US government was quoted in the report as saying, "As Baker sees this, the conference would provide a unique opportunity for the US to strike a deal without Jewish pressure. This has become the hottest proposal examined by the foreign policy people over the last month." Other sources in the government told the magazine that the proposal was supported by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Under Secretary of Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, and National Intelligence Director John Negroponte. Also, government sources were quoted as saying Baker's proposal to exclude Israel from a regional peace conference was receiving a lot of support due to Vice President Dick Cheney's visit to Saudi Arabia last November, during which sources in the country made it clear that Israel, and not Iran, was the cause of instability in the Middle East. A US government source claimed that Cheney's original goal of the trip – to enlist Saudi Arabia's support in Iraq - was never even discussed. In addition, the source said that instead, the Saudi's demanding an initiative to end Israel's attacks on Gaza and Cheney merely agreed. more... | Israel | Islam | America | Is America signing her own death warrant? There seems to be a distinct shift happening away from Israel. America is not in prophecy either because she is irrelevant or she has integrated into the world governance and is indistinguishable from it. Either way, for the believer, this is a sign of the times and just how close we are getting to our Lord's return. Keep watching!
- Baker Report Demands Israel Give Away Golan Heights (December 7, 2006) - The comprehensive report, which primarily addresses the situation in Iraq, was prepared by Baker and a former Democratic congressman, Lee Hamilton. It states that if the United States does not take a more leading role in the Mideast Israel-Arab conflict, there is no hope of America achieving its goals in the region. According to former Israeli UN Ambassador Dr. Dore Gold, the report indicates that American involvement in Iraq will diminish in the coming two years. He called the American demand that Israel retreat from the Golan Heights "worrisome." Speaking with reporters today, Olmert implied that he would be willing to withdraw from the Golan - but that Syria is not interested in peace. He said that previous Prime Ministers - he mentioned Barak, Netanyahu, and Sharon - were willing to consider such withdrawals, but that the question "is not whether Israel would be willing to withdraw, but what Syria would give in return when and if we enter into negotiations with them." Olmert said that negotiations with Syria are currently not on the agenda because of "Syria's undercutting behavior and its support for Hamas." Asked specifically about the Baker-Hamilton report, Olmert said that Israel objects to any linkage between the Iraqi problem and Israel. Appearing unruffled by the report, Olmert said that he believes that President Bush does not agree with its conclusions. The Baker-Hamilton report calls for a peace conference mimicking the Madrid model - a regional summit that would be aimed at solving the conflict between Israel, the PA (Palestinian Authority), Syria and Lebanon. In addition to an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan, the report calls upon Israel to recognize the establishment of a Palestinian state. The report demands that Syria halt its interference in Lebanon’s affairs, as well as cease its pro-terrorist policies on behalf of ongoing Hizbullah anti-Israel operations in southern Lebanon. It calls on Israel to withdraw from the Golan in exchange for a comprehensive peace treaty with Damascus that would enjoy American backing. The authors say that the U.S. would provide security guarantees and an offer of troops in the Golan to help compensate Israel for the loss of the strategically vital area. more... | Israel | Islam | America | If America participates in dividing Israel, watch out as any protection we currently have will be removed. Genesis 12:1-3
- Terrorists rejoicing over new Iraq 'plan' (December 6, 2006) - Reaction to Study Group: 'Allah and his angels' responsible, 'era of Islam and of jihad' declared A high level U.S. commission's recommendations for an eventual withdrawal from Iraq and for dialogue with Iran and Syria proves "Islamic resistance" works and America will ultimately be defeated, according to senior terrorist leaders interviewed by WND. The militants, from the largest Palestinian terror groups in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, welcomed the policies outlined by the Iraq Study Group, which they claim recognizes Islam is the "new giant of the world." The group is led by former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker. "The report proves that this is the era of Islam and of jihad," said Abu Ayman, a senior leader of Islamic Jihad in the northern West Bank town of Jenin. The Islamic Jihad terror group is responsible for every suicide bombing in Israel during the past two years. "[With the Iraq Study Group report], the Americans came to the conclusion that Islam is the new giant of the world and it would be clever to reduce hostilities with this giant. In the Quran the principle of the rotation is clear and according to this principle the end of the Americans and of all non-believers is getting closer," Abu Ayman said. According to Abu Abdullah, a senior leader of Hamas' so-called military wing, Baker's report is a victory for Islam brought about by "Allah and his angels." "It is not just a simple victory. It is a great one. The big superpower of the world is defeated by a small group of mujahedeen (fighters). Did you see the mujahedeens' clothes and weapons in comparison with the huge individual military arsenal and supply that was carrying every American soldier?" exclaimed Abu Abdullah, who is considered one of the most important operational members of Hamas' Izzedine al-Qassam Martyrs Brigades, Hamas' declared "resistance" department. "It is no doubt that Allah and his angels were fighting with them (insurgents) against the Americans. It is a sign to all those who keep saying that America, Israel and the West in general cannot be defeated on the ground so let us negotiate with them," Abu Abdullah said. Abu Abdullah said following a withdrawal from Iraq, the U.S. will be defeated on its own soil. "America must understand that with anti-American governments in Latin America and with Islam growing and reinforcing, including in the U.S. itself, the next step would be a total defeat on their (American) land, not a relative one like they are facing in Iraq," he said. Abu Nasser, the second-in-command of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group in the West Bank, called the Iraq Study Group report a "great victory" from which other jihadist organizations can learn. "The Iraqi victory is a great message and lesson to the revolutionary and freedom movements in the world. Just to think that this resistance is led by hundreds of Sunni fighters who defeated hundreds of thousands of Americans, British and thousands of soldiers who belong to the puppet regime in Baghdad. What would be the situation if the Shiites will decide to join the resistance?" commented Abu Nasser. The Al Aqsa leader said his group learned from the "Iraqi resistance" that jihad will ultimately destroy Israel. The Al Aqsa Brigades is the declared "military wing" of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party. "If Israel will not start negotiating its withdrawal we are ready to launch the new stage of the intifada," Abu Nasser said. Islamic Jihad's Abu Ayman said after the U.S. "defeat" in Iraq is finalized, insurgents there should move to the West Bank and Gaza to help destroy Israel. "We hope that after chasing the occupation from Iraq, these jihad efforts and experiences will be transferred to Palestine, and yes, I mean that we expect these fighters will come to Palestine as part of a big Islamic army." See Ezekiel 38,39. more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | America |
- Rabbis Urge Israelis To Revolt Against Government (December 6, 2006) - A group of prominent rabbinic leaders in Israel and abroad yesterday issued a call for Israeli citizens to launch a democratic uprising to bring down the government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. "Out of love for each and every Jew, we call on the people of Israel and its leaders to begin a democratic uprising to immediately replace this government, which constitutes an ominous threat to the nation of Israel," the Rabbinical Congress for Peace, a coalition of over 1,200 rabbinic leaders and pulpit rabbis, said in a statement. Among the Rabbinical Congress members who signed the statement were Mordechai Eliyahu and Abraham Shapira – both of whom served as chief rabbis for the state of Israel – and Rabbi Meir Mazuz, head of the Tunisian Jewish community in Israel and one of the country's most well-respected rabbis. The rabbis were responding to a national address last week commemorating the death of Israel's founder and first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, in which Olmert stated he is willing to give up most of the West Bank in exchange for "real peace." During the speech, Olmert called for immediate negotiations with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Olmert said he would release "many, many" Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal. The Rabbinical Congress for Peace labeled Olmert's national address a "crime." "In his deplorable speech, Olmert in essence announced a 'liquidation sale' and collective suicide of the people in Israel including the release of thousands of the most dangerous terrorists from Israeli jails. Israeli citizens must launch a democratic uprising and protest to bring down the government immediately," the rabbis said in a statement. more... | Israel | I think once the Gog/Magog invasion happens, the majority or at least a lot of Israelis will be this fervent in their religion. If God saved you with fire and brimstone from heaven as prophesied, would you wake up to the fact that the Bible is real and so is their national identity connected with God and their ancestors? I don't think the liberal Jews see the world that way now, but perhaps after they see God save their collective butts there will be stronger calls from Israel to rebuild the temple and that will be obliged. Then, a few years later, the man of sin will stand in the Holy of Holies and declare himself to be god.
- Strengthening the European
Neighbourhood Policy - Foreshadowing of the covenant with many?
Prophecy News Watch (December 6, 2006)
- The European Commission today tabled proposals on new ways to
strengthen the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The first 18
months of implementation of the ENP have shown good results. The
new position paper aims to increase the impact of the policy, by
proposing ways to help partners willing to reform to do so faster
and better, and provide incentives to convince those who are still
hesitant. The new proposals are accompanied by progress reports on
Israel, Jordan, Moldova, Morocco, Tunisia, Ukraine and West
Bank and Gaza Strip which started to implement their ENP
Action Plans in 2005. The Communication will feed
into work during the incoming German Presidency in the first half
of 2007. European Commissioner for External Relations and
Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner said: "I believe that
our Neighbourhood Policy is bringing real benefits to Israel and
today we are offering to the country even more attractive
incentives. They will bring the Policy into sharper focus,
concentrating on key areas of mutual interest like people to
people contacts, deepening economic and trade relations and
stronger co operation on energy and transport. The Neighbourhood
Policy has made a positive start, but the EU can do much more. We
must rise to the challenge of promoting peace, stability and
economic prosperity of our neighbours." Today's progress report on
Israel takes stock of achievements since the Action Plan was
formally adopted in April 2005. Implementing the Action Plan has
better defined the path and framework of EU-Israel relations while
deepening and strengthening co-operation in a wide spectrum of
areas. EU-Israel cooperation has developed in the areas of
political dialogue, anti-terrorism, promotion of trade and
investment, justice and security, science and technology including
space cooperation, as well as higher education. Furthermore
technical workshops have been organised on a large number of
specific subjects relating, for example, to preventing terrorist
financing, promoting judicial and police cooperation, protecting
the environment, and combating racism/xenophobia/anti-semitism.
From 2007-13 the budget foreseen for the countries of the ENP is
€12 billion, 32% more in real terms than in the last budget
period. To maximise the impact and leverage of this EU funding the
Commission will propose the creation of:• A Neighbourhood Investment Fund, to which Member States will also be invited to contribute, which would be used to leverage additional lending from the European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other development banks. The contribution from the Community Budget would be €700 million. It is estimated that this fund could encourage lending of several times the amount of grant funding. If Member States were to match the EC contribution, the Fund could generate a considerable amount of concessional lending.
• €300 million will also be set aside for a Governance Facility, to provide additional support on top of normal country allocations to acknowledge and support the work of partner countries who have made most progress in implementing their Action Plans.Today's Communication also proposes:• A clear perspective for all ENP partners, eastern as well as southern, of deep economic and trade integration with the EU, going beyond free trade in goods and services to address non-tariff barriers and achieving comprehensive regulatory convergence.
• Substantially improved visa procedures for certain types of visitors.
• Ad hoc or regular ministerial and expert level meetings with ENP partners on subjects like energy, transport, the environment and public health. This multilateral approach can usefully complement the bilateral work on which the ENP is based.
• Strengthened political co operation, more systematic association of ENP partners with EU initiatives (foreign policy declarations, positions in international fora as well as participation in key programmes and EU agencies).
• A more active role for the EU in conflict-settlement efforts in the region.
• A strengthened regional approach in the east based on existing Black Sea co operation. - Important Mideast declaration signed at Tampere EU conference (December 6, 2006) - The European Union and Mediterranean countries reached agreement in Tampere on Tuesday on a joint declaration on a number of issues, including the Middle East peace process. The statement confirms that the partners are committed to a just, comprehensive, and sustainable solution in the conflict between Israel and the Arabs. The text was accepted unanimously, although Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said that lengthy discussion was needed first. In addition to the EU countries, signatories included Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. Signing on behalf of the Palestinians was former cabinet minister Nabil Shaath, who is a close advisor of President Mahmoud Abbas. The declaration was approved at the end of the two-day Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs (EUROMED). The text on the Middle East was fairly general in its language. Foreign Minister Tuomioja said that it is not intended to substitute any other initiatives and actions that have been taken on behalf of peace. "It nevertheless offers us important political framework for 35 states", Tuomioja noted at the end of the meeting on Tuesday. He praised the discussions held on the Middle East, which began at Monday evening’s working dinner, as "very good and constructive", although they were also time-consuming. Israel and the Palestinians began a cease fire in Gaza on Sunday. In the statements issued in Tampere, the ministers called for revitalised efforts to promote the peace process in the whole Middle East. Both Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mussa and Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem of Israel’s arch-enemy Syria, expressed their support for recent developments. "We hope that the cease fire will be achieved also for the West Bank", Moualem said. | Israel | Islam | EU/UN | Signs of a move for peace. It will come. It will be shaky, but I think the missiles will stop for a time and the temple will be rebuilt. It will probably only happen after God wipes out the Gog/Magog invasion and the world will be too concerned about going against Israel to keep up what's been happening since Lebanon and before. Keep watching!
- Declassified IDF Photos and Footage Expose Hizbullah Tactics (December 6, 2006) - The IDF has decided to release photos, documents and videos proving Hizbullah's intentional use of civilians to shield its weapons, missile-launchers and surveillance equipment. Photos at link | Israel | Islam | Why do civilians get caught in the crossfire in Israel? Because they make themselves or the terrorists make them be in the crossfire. Either way, it's set up to prevent attacks or make Israel look bad to the world if the attacks kill civilians. Either way Israel looses ground and that's the whole idea. Wear them down and run them out.
- Follow God Or Vanish, Ahmadinejad Tells West (December 6, 2006) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has warned Western leaders to follow the path of God or "vanish from the face of the earth". "These oppressive countries are angry with us ... a nation that on the other side of the globe has risen up and proved the shallowness of their power," Ahmadinejad said in a speech in the northern town of Ramsar, the semi-official news agency Mehr reported Wednesday. "They are angry with our nation. But we tell them 'so be it and die from this anger'. Rest assured that if you do not respond to the divine call, you will die soon and vanish from the face of the earth," he said. The outspoken president also maintained Iran's defiance over its controversial nuclear programme, saying it was on course to fully master nuclear technology. "Thank to God's help, we have gone all the way and are only one step away from the zenith. "We hope to have the big nuclear celebration by the end of the year (March 2007)," Ahmadinejad said, echoing comments he has made on numerous occasions in recent months. A defiant Iran has refused to suspend its uranium enrichment work, a process that the West fears could be extended to make nuclear weapons. Iran however insists its nuclear programme is solely aimed at generating energy. France's Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said Wednesday after a Paris meeting on Tehran's nuclear programme that the UN Security Council is agreed "there will be sanctions" on Iran, though their extent is yet to be decided.| Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | How does their achieved victory with nuclear energy equate to crushing their enemies? I thought the developing of nuclear energy was to be for peaceful purposes. It seems to me that he's boasting of how it will help crush their enemies. It sure sounds like he knows something we don't, eh? I wonder what he sees Iran's "zenith" as being? Could it be an attack on Israel?
- Hamas Chief Promises War Even if PA State is Established (December 5, 2006) - Khaled Meshaal, the Damascus-based leader of the Hamas terrorist organization, makes no bones: Either Israel leaves all of Judea, Samaria and Gaza and agrees to the 'right of return' - or war. Meshaal is officially the head of the diplomatic desk of Hamas, but is recognized as the #1 man in the terrorist organization. The target of a failed Israeli assassination attempt a decade ago, Meshaal told a Lebanese newspaper this week that Hamas will not hesitate to resume its armed warfare against Israel. Specifically, he threatened, "If within six months, the international community does not come up with a plan for the establishment of a Palestinian state in the 1967 borders [i.e., on all the land liberated by Israel in the Six Day War - ed.] and for the return of the refugees, the Palestinians will turn to an armed struggle against Israel." "We can have an intifada even when running the Palestinian Authority," Meshaal said, explaining that the ceasefire was not designed to bring peace, but is rather another stage in the war with Israel. "The current calm [cease-fire in Gaza - ed.], just like the escalation [before that], is part of the way we manage the conflict with Israel." Many Israeli military men and analysts have said that Hamas is using the current truce in Gaza to rearm and regroup towards the next round of fighting. Hamas Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniye, visiting in Syria, echoed Meshaal's position in a speech at a refugee camp. He said the Palestinians will not give up on "even one grain of sand of Palestine," and that Syrian President Assad promised him that all the Palestinian [terrorist] prisoners incarcerated in Israel would be freed. more... | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Maybe if Israel gives away more land they'll ease up? That seems to be the solution provided by the world and even Israel's faithless leaders. If they would only turn to God. Well He promised He would protect them from Gog/Magog. Let's hope they come to Him before He allows 2/3 of them to be killed after the abomination of desolation. They are blinded until the fullness of the Gentiles. Romans 11:25-2
- Hizbullah and Hamas Beating the War Drums (December 4, 2006) - By most accounts, the difficulties encountered during the Second Lebanon War will dwarf the next battlefield scenario, with the IDF’s General Staff and Shin Bet warning that Gaza-based terrorists have prepared themselves by importing tons of military grade explosives into Gaza, along with millions of rounds of ammunition, automatic weapons, anti-tank rockets and much more. The right-wing “doomsday prophets” as they were dubbed by the “peace camp” politicians are now sadly sitting back trying to understand how the obvious was and is still ignored. Since the IDF’s unilateral retreat from southern Lebanon in May 2000, Hizbullah has turned itself into a formidable army, backed by Iran and Syria, supplied with many Russian-made advanced weapons. On the southern front, the government’s insistence on carrying out the Disengagement Plan of August 2005 has created a similar scenario. With IDF forces out of Gaza, the Rafiah border crossing to Egypt has served as a conduit for advanced weaponry, permitting Gaza to become a miniature Lebanon. Even after the increase in Kassam rocket fire into the Sderot and western Negev areas, the government refuses to order a major military operation into northern Gaza, giving terrorists even more time to prepare for the next war. Displacing some 10,000 Gazan Jews in the Disengagement, while morally apprehensible to some, was not the worst of the government’s fears with Shin Bet Director Yuval Diskin warning Gazan realities vis-א-vis weapons stockpiles is cause for true concern. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert by intelligence community accounts is permitting terrorists additional time to stockpile arms and prepare for a war by insisting the ceasefire be honored despite the firing of Kassam rockets from Gaza. Olmert is overruling the IDF’s General Staff and the most senior intelligence community officials by insisting the ceasefire be honored while terrorists continue setting up in Gaza. more... | Israel | Islam | This is a good overview of where Israel's at right now. I would recommend everyone read the whole thing through.
- Netanyahu: Gaza turning into second Lebanon (December 4, 2006) - Opposition Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday, following a short period of silence, that "the desire to restore calm in Sderot does not match the desire for a one-sided ceasefire." The faction members called on the government to prevent Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh from returning to the Palestinian Authority territories, if he leaves to Damascus or Tehran as planned. "It is completely obvious that Haniyeh's coordination talks in Damascus and Tehran will deal with the terror activity against Israel," the faction said in a statement. Since the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was declared, Netanyahu refrained from publicly criticizing the government, a role which was taken by other right-wing politicians and spokespeople. During a Likud faction meeting, the chairman criticized the ministers. "Hamas continues to fire rockets, and if it doesn’t stop there will be tragic outcomes which we have already witnessed," Netanyahu said. He added that "the restraint policy will lead to a dangerous situation in which Gaza will become a second Lebanon, as Hamas will be strengthened and because of the unilateral ceasefire. It is strengthening Hamas and weakening the moderates." The Likud leader warned: "Likud's policy will be different and will work to topple the Hamas government and to launch talks with a moderate government in the Palestinian Authority based on mutuality. There is a need to carry out a consistent operation to defeat terror in Gaza, to seal the Philadelphi route and prevent arms smuggling into Gaza." more... | Israel | Islam |
- Stroke rehab in a glove (December 3, 2006) - Every year, over 700,000 people in the US suffer strokes - that's one person every 45 seconds. It is the single most common cause of severe disability, with 25 percent of stroke victims recovering with minor impairments and 40 percent experiencing moderate to severe impairments requiring special care. An Israeli company has developed an innovative new exercise device that can help rehabilitate stroke patients suffering from impaired hand functions, and for children born with motor or developmental disorders that impact hand functionality. The HandTutor, created by MediTouch, actively involves the patient in the rehabilitation process. It is made up of two components - a specially designed glove that includes embedded sensors that monitor the location and movement of the fingers, and proprietary software. In the first step, the HandTutor gathers a precise picture of the patient's current hand performance, and in the second, uses this information to create a personal training program specially tailored to improve his sensory-motor performance. Unlike existing products on the market, MediTouch's glove, which is expected to go on sale in the US in the first quarter of next year, is designed for home use enabling patients to carry out vital rehabilitation work every day, rather than just on visits to their physiotherapist. more... | Israel | Technology |
November 2006
- 1,400 Terrorists for Gilad Shalit? (November 28, 2006) - Reports of an imminent prisoner-exchange deal are once again in the air. This time, they speak of up to 1,400 Arab terrorist prisoners going free in three stages, in return for Gilad Shalit. Egypt's Minister of Intelligence, Omar Suleimon, is scheduled to arrive in Israel within the next two days to finalize the details of the agreement. Egypt figures heavily in the deal: the abducted soldier Gilad Shalit is scheduled to be transferred to that country, and from there to Israel, as part of the deal. The agreement under consideration stipulates the following three steps: An unknown number of Palestinian terrorists currently incarcerated in Israel for various crimes will be set free, immediately after which Corp. Shalit is to be transferred to Egypt. A second group of terrorists will then be freed, followed by Shalit's return to Israel. In the third stage, Israel will free a final group of terrorists. Just yesterday, speaking at a memorial to David Ben-Gurion in Sde Boker, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert implied that terrorists would be freed only after the kidnapped soldier is returned home. "I hereby declare," he said, "that when Gilad Shalit is released and returned to his family, safe and sound, the Government of Israel will be willing to release many Palestinian prisoners – including ones who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms – in order to increase the trust between us and prove that our hand is truly extended in genuine peace." more... | Israel | Islam | I'd say I can't believe it, but it's typical. 1,400 terrorists to "increase the trust between us and prove that our hand is truly extended in genuine peace." I want Gilad returned as much as anyone, but what they're doing is releasing 1,400 people who will most likely participate in more attacks against Israel again. I know Israel listens to what their enemy says, they don't want peace, they want Israel gone and now it appears that Israel will help them attain that goal.
- Olmert’s Speech Angers Many, Even in Kadima (November 28, 2006) - “How can it be that the Prime Minister, the leader of our party, talks about a new, broad diplomatic plan without even consulting with his own party members?” So say at least two Kadima members. The News First Class Hebrew Web site reports on two Kadima Knesset [Parliament] Members who have scathing criticism for their party leader and prime minister. “Because there’s a cease-fire for a day and a half, we have to go and promise a Palestinian state and the release of terrorist prisoners?” rails one of them, preferring to remain anonymous. Another Kadima MK said he categorically opposes Olmert’s plan as it was articulated yesterday, noting that other MKs feel the same way. Olmert said the Arab side must give up its demands for the “right of return” of millions of Arabs to Israel–but this followed a list of far-reaching Israeli concessions that he offered. Arab spokesmen refused Olmert’s demand to give up the “right of return.” Hamas deputy leader Abu Marzouk, based in Damascus, said, “We reject any deal that does not recognize the right of return...The Palestinian people will never give up this sacred right. Our people have been fighting for 58 years to achieve the right of return for all those who were expelled from their homeland.” MK Tzvi Hendel, of the National Union Party, was disgusted by Olmert’s offer to destroy more Jewish communities. “I have no expectations,” he said, “from a man who is so devoid of morality that in the middle of a terrorism war, and amidst threats of murderous terrorism from every direction, he is not embarrassed to promise the enemy the expulsion of the residents and the establishment of a terror state.” Hendel said he expects Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) and Eli Yishai (Shas) “not to betray their voters, and to immediately quit the Olmert government.” Speaking at a memorial to David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, Olmert said he believes Ben-Gurion would have supported his plan. But MK Gilad Erdan of the Likud said it is more likely that Ben-Gurion is actually turning over in his grave “at the military and diplomatic blindness shown by the Prime Minister.” MK Erdan said that Olmert “continues to ignore the warnings of the security leaders, choosing instead to deal with withdrawals and retreats instead of strengthening Israel’s strength and deterrence power.” MK Yuval Shteinitz (Likud), a former Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, condemned Olmert for offering to make an agreement with a group that has broken all agreements in the past. “The speech symbolizes the end of Israel’s determination to fight terrorism,” said Shteinitz, a former left-wing professor. “Olmert promises land to Hamas, which has murderously violated all the previous agreements and truces without changing its principles and charter.” On the other hand, far-left Meretz MK Chaim Oron said, “Finally, the mantra that ‘we have no partner’ has been replaced. The Government of Israel must act to strengthen the PA’s national unity government that will arise and conduct a real dialogue toward a permane