Watchman Newsletter for November 7, 2007This newsletter is printer-friendly! It will change format automatically when you print it.
Christians to Pray for 'Secret Believers' in Islamic Countries November 11, 2007 Christian Post (October 16, 2007) - Christians worldwide are being invited to join a global prayer event next month focused on the “secret believers” that live in Islamic countries. The International Day of Prayer (IDOP) on Nov. 11 is a day designated specifically for all concerned Christians worldwide to unite in prayer for persecuted Christians. Hundreds of thousands of people and congregations participate in the event annually. “This year, which marks the 10th anniversary of IDOP, our focus is on ‘secret believers,’” wrote Dr. Carl A. Moeller, president of Open Doors USA, in a letter. Secret believers are Christians who have left Islam to follow Jesus in countries where Islam is the dominant religion. “They are paying the highest price for their faith,” Moeller stated. Earlier this year, Brother Andrew, the founder of Open Doors, released his new book entitled, “Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ.” The book tells of the real-life experiences and sufferings of converts to Christianity living in countries where the majority of people are Muslims. The characters, whose names are changed for their protection, are all friends of Brother Andrew. “In their (the Secret Believers‘) countries, the biggest evil is if you turn away from Islam and become a Christian,” explained Brother Andrew to The Christian Post during an earlier interview on his book. “It’s not bad to be an atheist but to follow Jesus Christ is a deadly sin there.” Brother Andrew said his “cry” in the book was for Christians to become more involved and accept more responsibilities for the welfare of their Muslim-background brothers and sisters in Christ. Christians should realize that “[i]f we lead people there to Jesus, they will be shunned by their societies and their family is honor-bound to kill them – that is the real situation,” said the Open Doors founder. Six of the top ten spots on Open Doors’ 2007 Persecution Hot Spots list were countries where Islam is the major religion: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Somalia Maldives, Yemen, and Afghanistan. There are an estimated 200 million Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith including interrogation, arrest and even death, according to Open Doors. Another 200-400 million face discrimination alienation. more... Ex-Korn member on being saved – from himself Canadian Christianity (November 7, 2007) - In early 2005, Korn guitarist Brian ‘Head’ Welch’s conversion to Christianity was treated as a significant, newsworthy event. More than 13,000 people showed up when he shared his testimony at a church in Bakersfield, California. The next day, an MTV camera crew followed him to Israel, where he was baptized in the Jordan River. Subsequently, he traveled to India, where he opened Head Home, an orphanage for street children; he also began writing and recording his first solo album. After the initial burst of interest, things settled down. He recently released his autobiography; Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, And Lived to Tell My Story. I spoke to Welch about his life before and after, what got in the book, and a few things that didn’t. Korn is credited with popularizing nu-metal, an ingenious blend of death metal, electronica, hip hop - and in their case – bagpipes. By industry standards, they’re seasoned vets, releasing their first album back in 1994, when Seattle’s grunge bands were all the rage. Based out of L.A., their sound was even more aggressive, and netted them – at last count - nine top ten albums. Hits like ‘A.D.I.D.A.S.’ (an acronym for “All Day I Dream About Sex”) and ‘Freak on A Leash,’ have made them millionaires many times over. When the band started to make money, Welch invested in real estate, and discovered he had a knack for turning a profit. Supplementing his already considerable music-related earnings, he was soon set for life. Professionally, things couldn’t have been better, but on a personal level, his life was falling apart. His marriage had ended, leaving him a single parent, and after a decade of abuse, he was addicted to methamphetamines – speed - as well as Xanax, Vicodin, Valium and Celexa. All are potent, and highly addictive. Meth, in particular, is considered one of the hardest of all drugs to kick, with a very low recovery rate. He had also developed a serious drinking problem; both his father and grandfather were alcoholics, making Brian at least the third generation to struggle with the disease. After a decade in L.A., he returned to his hometown of Bakersfield in 2004, where, shortly before his conversion, he began a partnership with two local real estate developers. Both were Christians, yet rarely shared – or even spoke - about their faith with him. Nonetheless, their impact was significant. “You know what? I saw something different. They were glowing; they had a glow about them, and they were always in good moods. They were just these guys in the real estate business, but I looked up to them for some reason. I thought it was the business and the money, because they were always wheeling and dealing, and that was my thing. Money was my god. It made me feel powerful and safe, so I wanted more and more. And that’s how awesome God is; he didn’t care that I was blind, chasing money. He still used that to get me in. It was cool.” When he finally decided to reach out, they were there for him. more...
Mideast terror leaders describe what life would be like in the U.S.
under Islamic rule
WorldNet Daily (November
7, 2007) - Madonna and
Britney Spears stoned to death? Bars and clubs closed down? Church bells
banned? That's just a taste of what Americans have to look forward to if
terrorists ever took over the U.S. and imposed Islamic law, according to
a new book. In one chapter of the recently released "Schmoozing with
Terrorists: From Hollywood to the Holy Land, JIhadists Reveal their
Global Plans – to a Jew!" author and WND Jerusalem bureau chief Aaron
Klein petitioned
Mideast terror
leaders to describe day-to-day life in the U.S. if al-Qaida won the war
on terror. "Once Islam dominates, anyone living inside the Islamic
state must abide by our rules. There is no choice. You will abide or
face the punishment," said Muhammad Abdel-El, the spokesman and a senior
leader of the Popular Resistance Committees terror organization. Sheik
Abu Saqer, a prominent Gaza-based preacher, a founder of the Sword of
Islam terror group and a subscriber to the ideology of al-Qaida,
explained if Islam controls the U.S., all American women, whether Muslim
or not, must cover their hair. "This is the demand of our religion.
Being and walking naked doesn't mean that you are enjoying more freedom;
it means that you are going against Allah's laws and you are serving the
enemies of Islam who want to empty our Islamic society from its values.
Uncovered heads is a form of nudity." Yasser Hamad, a cleric and a Hamas
leader in the northern West Bank, explained in "Schmoozing"
Islamic law
enforcers would at first try to persuade American woman to cover their
heads, but eventually females would be forced. Those women who
refuse may be stoned. Asked by Klein whether stoning was too harsh a
punishment, Hamad replied: "If you don't respect the local law in
America, if you don't pay taxes, if you drive on a red light, aren't
there sanctions used against you by your government? Of course there are
and it's okay with you. Why is there a problem when it comes to the
Islamic state that wants to impose its rules?" more...
Rabbis warn Bush: Annapolis will bring destruction to US
YNet News (November
6, 2007) -
Group of right-wing
rabbis writes open letter to US president demanding he cancel
Annapolis summit or risk provoking 'wrath of the almighty.' Rabbis
assert Katrina disaster a result of America's support of 2005
disengagement, say California fires a warning.
A fringe group of prominent
ultranationalist rabbis issued a harshly-worded letter to United
States President George W. Bush earlier this week, warning him that
the upcoming Annapolis peace conference would bring destruction upon
America. The rabbis evoke their previous prediction in 2005, when
they published an open letter to Bush in the New York Times,
demanding the US rescind its support of the disengagement plan. "We
wrote to President Bush, a man who believes in the Bible, to warn
him against the terrible danger to which he is exposing his country
by hosting such a conference," said Rabbi Meir Druckman, one of
signatories to the letter. "The land of Israel belongs to the people
of Israel. God punishes anyone who coerces Israel to give up its
land," he said. "There is no doubt the New Orleans flood from the
Katrina hurricane was God's punishment for evicting the
settlements," said Druckman, "with hundreds of thousands left
homeless, hundreds killed or wounded and billions of dollars sent
down the drain – can we really ignore God's hand collecting an eye
for an eye?" The disengagement from Gaza and the northern West Bank
was completed August 23rd, 2005 – which was also the date Hurricane
Katrina formed over the Bahamas. "Despite those consequences, yet
again we find ourselves facing an initiative to expel Jews from
Judea and Samaria and cede their cities to terror organizations. And
once again the patrons of the event are President Bush and Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice. "This time the Almighty is warning the US
in advance: if the plague of water was not enough now he shall send
flames. While hundreds of thousands of families have already fled
the terrible fires in California, and we ask you, will you really
forge ahead with this malevolent plan?" added Druckman. The letter
was authored by SOS Israel, a right-wing movement which earlier this
year distributed citations to IDF soldiers who disobeyed orders and
refused to take part in the disengagement. The rabbis urged Bush's
administration to back down from the current direction of the peace
process, saying that not an inch of Israeli land should be ceded.
"Be merciful to yourselves and the beloved America and its citizens.
Lay down the hand you have raised against the Creator in war. Help
the people of Israel fight without compromise against the terrorists
who rise against it, and then, with a pure heart, you will truly be
able to pray: May God bless America," the rabbis said. Among the
rabbis who signed the letter are several leading religious figures,
including Rabbis Dov Wolfa, Yekutiel Rap, Gedalia Axelrod as well as
the chief rabbi of Kiryat Arba and Hebron, Dov Lior and the son of
former Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Yaakov Yosef.
Dividing Jerusalem, it's a done deal. Below are pictures to prove it The
Golden Report (November 5, 2007) - The
politicians would like for you to believe that nothing has been decided
on Israel’s surrender to the Islamic Arabs on the division of
Jerusalem. But thanks to George Bush, Rice and God only knows who else,
the lines have been drawn and Border Crossings and walls are going up as
you read this article. If
we listen to the Media and believe what they say, and I am not stupid
enough to think anyone reading is does. They would have us believe that
the fences, borders and walls are going up in areas only to protect us
from the Islamic suicide bombers, that is true but not the whole truth
and what is really happening is they are using that to cover up the
division of Jerusalem. more... View pictures at link above.
EU Holds Talks with Israelis, Palestinians; Praises Olmert Deutsche
Welle (November 5, 2007) - The foreign
ministers will talk separately with senior European Union in Lisbon at the 9th
Euro-Mediterranean Conference which runs until Tuesday, Nov. 6. Discussions are
expected to focus on the Middle East peace process. Tensions are now high in the
Middle East after Israeli air and ground strikes on Sunday killed four
Palestinians, including three civilians. Palestinian militants fired six
missiles at western Israel, causing a power outage in one town. There are not
expected to be any direct talks between Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and
her Palestinian counterpart, Riyad Malki, but the two of them are expected to
face each other during a dinner Monday with fellow foreign ministers from the EU
and the Mediterranean area. The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership was set up in
1995 and aims on establishing a common area of peace and security and works
toward enhancing cooperation between the EU and 10 of its southern neighbors. The European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Monday praised the
"constructive" approach of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to the upcoming
US-sponsored conference on the Middle East, saying it could help
bring peace to the region. Preparations are being made for the international
conference to be held later this year in Annapolis, Maryland, although no
specific date has been set. "Olmert yesterday gave a very constructive speech,
one of his best in recent times," Solana said. "If that is the spirit
with which he is approaching the [Middle East peace] process, I think we have
many chances of having a positive outcome." Solana was addressing
reporters in Lisbon ahead of talks between senior EU officials and the foreign
ministers of Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Speaking in Israel on
Sunday, Olmert said he was willing to deal with the core issues of the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the conference. "[The conference] will be the
start of a future process ... we will enter into intense and continuous
negotiations," Olmert said. more...
The worst crisis I've seen in 30 years Guardian
Unlimited (November 4, 2007) - I
have been following
the financial markets for more than 30 years. Crises have come and gone,
but the one unfolding since August and which intensified last week is
the most serious. It is not just that its impact is cascading around the
world because of the new interconnectedness of global finance, it is
that the authorities, particularly in Britain and America, have lost
control and do not have the means to regain it as quickly as we might
hope. With an oil price approaching $100 a barrel, we are in an
uncharted and dangerous place. After more than 15 years of
extraordinarily benevolent economic conditions worldwide - cheap oil,
cheap money, growing trade, the Asia boom, rising house prices - things
are unravelling at bewildering speed. The system might be able to handle
one shock; it is undoubtedly too fragile to handle so many
simultaneously. The epicentre is the hegemonic London and New York
financial system. No longer are these discrete financial markets;
financial deregulation and the global ambitions of American and European
banks have made them intertwined. They are one system that operates
around the same principles, copying each other's methods, making the
same mistakes and exposing themselves to each other's risks. Thus the
collapse of the American housing market, the explosive growth of
American home repossessions and the discovery that 'structured
investment vehicles' (SIVs), the toxic newfangled financial instruments
that own as much as $350bn of valueless mortgages, are not American
problems. They are ours too. The recent departure of the CEOs of two of
the biggest investment banks - UBS and Merrill Lynch - after unexpected
losses and loan write-offs running into many billions of dollars is not
just an American problem, it's ours. It is also our problem that Credit
Suisse last week announced more billions of write-offs, and Citigroup
was rumoured to be following suit with even bigger losses. When banks
take hits as big as this, it hurts their capacity to lend, because
prudence demands they have up to eight dollars or pounds of their own
capital to support every hundred dollars or pounds that they lend. If
they don't, they have to lend less - and that is called a credit crunch.
This crunch is already upon us - hence the massive selling of bank
shares at the end of last week and the extraordinary news that the
taxpayer, one way or another, now has supplied £40bn to the stricken
mortgage lender Northern Rock, a sum that could climb to £50bn by
Christmas. Stunningly, that represents 5 per cent of GDP. The bank got
into trouble because it thought, under the chairmanship of free-market
fundamentalist Viscount Ridley, that it could escape trivial matters
like having savers' deposits to finance its adventurous lending.
Instead, it could copy the Americans and sell SIVs to banks in London -
most of them the same banks that bought from New York - and it could
steal a march on its competitors. But in the London/New York financial
system, when things went wrong in the US they immediately went wrong for
Northern Rock in Britain. The banks announcing those epic write-offs no
longer wanted to buy Northern Rock's loans - and neither did anybody
else. The Bank and Treasury hoped to get by with masterly inactivity,
but instead, as we know, there was a run on the bank. The government had
to step in by guaranteeing £20bn of small savers' deposits - but also,
we now learn, by supplying £30bn of finance that the financial system
will no longer supply itself.
This is testimony to the degree of fear that
characterises today's credit crunch - and it bodes ill. What is worse,
the Ridleyite maxims that got Northern Rock into trouble have also
disabled the rescue, protracting rather than limiting the crisis.
more...
Israel, with US support, says peace possible by end of 2008 Breitbart.com
(November 4, 2007) -
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said
he may be able to make peace with the Palestinians by the end of 2008 as
the United States vowed to defend Israel's security during the difficult
process. "If we act decisively together, we and the Palestinians, there
is a chance for us to reach real achievements, maybe even before the end
of President (George W.) Bush's term," he said at the Saban Forum
think-tank in Jerusalem. "There is no intention to drag out the
negotiations without end. There is no reason to again hit the
foot-dragging that characterised our talks in the past," the premier
said. Israel and the Palestinians have been engaged in intensive talks
in an effort to draft a joint statement outlining a solution to the
decades-old conflict ahead of a meeting in Annapolis, Maryland expected
later this year. The two sides plan to launch intensive bilateral talks
on a permanent agreement following the international meeting, aimed at
reviving a
peace process that has been
dormant for seven years. The Palestinians have repeatedly demanded that
the joint statement include a clear timetable for the negotiations, but
Israel has insisted on a looser document based on a 2003 peace blueprint
known as the roadmap. At the same event US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice vowed to
defend Israel as it pushes ahead with the peace process, saying that it
was time for all sides to make the difficult decisions necessary for a
lasting peace. "All Israelis should be confident that America is fully
behind you, that we are fully committed to your security and that you
can thus be bold in your pursuit of peace," she said. Rice, on her
eighth visit to the region since the begining of the year, warned that
if peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians flounder,
extremists would take over the Palestinian leadership. "If we do not act
now to show the Palestinians a way forward, others will show them a way
forward," Rice said. "Failure is simply not an option." Around 2,000
Jewish settlers protested against the talks in central Jerusalem, saying
they would lead to painful concessions on the fate of the city, which
they call the indivisible, eternal capital of Israel. "We know perfectly
well that with the concessions envisaged by Olmert, Hamas will end up in
the
West Bank and the heart of
Israel will be within the range of their rockets," Shaul Goldstein, a
protest leader, said. The Islamist movement Hamas, which has ruled the
Gaza Strip since a bloody
takeover in which security forces loyal to Abbas were defeated nearly
five months ago, has also rejected the conference. "It's well-known
goals are normalisation with the Arabs, the hardening of internal
divisions and the preparation for the coming attack on Iran and Gaza and
Syria and Lebanon," Hamas leader Ismail Haniya said in Gaza City on
Sunday. Special Middle East envoy Tony Blair nevertheless insisted that
despite the differences between Israel and the Palestinians, everyone
involved in the negotiations knows what a final agreement will look
like. "The irony is the final settlement is not hard to see. It is
visible in the distance, the house on the hill. But the path to it is
utterly fraught," he said. Israeli negotiators and their Palestinian
counterparts have been divided for weeks over a joint document which
will form the basis of future negotiations, and until now have not
written a word. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has pushed for a
document with a timetable that addresses the most hotly contested issues
of the conflict -- the borders of a
Palestinian state and the fate
of Jerusalem and the refugees. On
Sunday, Olmert said he was not opposed to discussing the so-called final
status issues, but that he preferred to wait until after the conference
that Washington hopes to convene before the end of the year.
more...
EU seeks mediating role in Mideast conflict - looking to develop
Mediterranean Union
Monsters & Critics News (November
3, 2007) - EU officials hope to play a 'constructive' role in
the Middle East peace process when they meet delegations from Israel and
the Palestinian territories in Lisbon on Monday. The talks are due to
take place just hours before a meeting of foreign ministers from Europe
and the Mediterranean area and several weeks before a US-sponsored
conference on Palestinian statehood is due to take place in Maryland.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who planned to send his foreign
minister Bernard Kouchner to the Portuguese capital on Monday, has
recently called on Israel and the Palestinians to 'take a risk' and
'make peace'. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited
both Tel Aviv and Ramallah this week and later said talks between
Israelis and Palestinians had entered 'a decisive phase'. During his
visit to the Middle East, Steinmeier unveiled a German-initiated plan
aimed at supporting Palestinian businesses, education and security
services. He said the initiative was designed to allocate European aid
in a timely and organized manner. The EU's executive, the Commission,
has announced its intention of resuming direct financial aid to the
Palestinian government of President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah. But the
plan, announced by EU External Relations Commissioner Benita
Ferrero-Waldner in Portugal two months ago, has yet to be put into
practice as the EU has yet to finish providing the necessary training to
Palestinian finance ministry officials. Soldiers from Italy and France
are leading peace-keeping operations in southern Lebanon and Israel
tends to view the EU as traditionally pro-Arab. Such feelings were
likely to have been reinforced when Brussels issued a number of
statements criticizing Israel over its decision to reduce the supply of
fuel to Gaza. 'While condemning the unacceptable and continued attacks
on Israel's territory and recognizing Israel's legitimate right to self
defence, the EU underlines the need for carefully weighing the negative
impact of such measures on a civilian population already living under
very difficult conditions,' a statement from the Portuguese presidency
of the EU said. Ferrero-Waldener had earlier described the move as a
form of 'collective punishment' against the people of Gaza. Palestinian
Foreign and Information Minister Riyad Malki was expected to represent
the Palestinians at the talks in Lisbon, while it was not yet confirmed
whether Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni would be attending. Malki
said he planned to inform EU officials about 'the importance of lifting
the siege and sanctions on the Gaza Strip.' more...
Villagers flee slopes as sensors show one of Indonesia's deadliest
volcanos has begun erupting Santa
Barbara News-Press (November 3, 2007)
- Villagers fled the slopes of one of Indonesia's deadliest volcanos
Saturday after seismic readings indicated that an eruption had started
after weeks of heightened activity. The volcano in the heart of densely
populated Java island was shrouded in fog and no visual confirmation of
the apparent eruption was possible before night fell, government
seismologist Umar Rosadi said. By early Saturday evening, detecting
instruments close to the crater were still operating, indicating any
eruption had not been large enough to damage them, he said. There were
no reports of injuries or damage. Scientists said it was impossible to
predict whether larger eruptions were on the way. Scores of people,
including women hauling babies in slings, descended from the mountain in
police trucks and on bicycles and motorcycles. Some were in tears, and
many wore masks to protect against volcanic ash.
''I am afraid because the authorities say this
eruption will be worse than the ones that have come before,'' said
Marsini, resident of a village three miles from the crater. ''They say
there may be poisonous gas. I am leaving now.'' Rosadi and another
government scientist said official monitors had left their posts after
detecting continuous tremors, indicating an eruption had begun.
For weeks, authorities have warned of an impending eruption and pleaded
with villagers to move to tent camps or government buildings. Thousands
have evacuated villages closest to the crater but many people have
insisted on staying behind to tend to crops or look after their houses.
Some apparently believe a local myth stating if they stayed at home
without switching indoor lights on or speaking in a loud voice then the
mountain would not erupt. In 1990, Mount Kelud killed more than 30
people and injured hundreds. In 1919, a powerful explosion that could be
heard hundreds of miles away destroyed dozens of villages and killed at
least 5,160. Scientists fear a buildup of magma under Kelud's crater
lake could trigger a violent blast, sending a torrent of mud, ash and
rock careering down the side of the 5,679-foot mountain. The mountain
has been on its highest alert status for more than two weeks, but in the
last 48 hours the intensity of the quakes and the temperature of its
lake have exceeding those in the days preceding the 1990 blast,
scientists say. Indonesia has about 100 active volcanos, more than any
nation. The country is spread across 17,500 islands and is prone to
volcanic eruptions and earthquakes because of its location on the
so-called ''Ring of Fire'' - a series of fault lines stretching from the
Western Hemisphere through Japan and Southeast Asia. At least three are
currently erupting elsewhere in the country, including Mount Anak
Krakatau, which lies of the northern tip of Java island. The mountain
was formed after the famous Krakatau volcano erupted in 1883 killing
thousands, but it is not seen as at risk of a major blast.
more...
Global Food Crisis Looms As Climate Change And Fuel Shortages Bite Guardian
Unlimited (November 3, 2007) - Empty
shelves in Caracas. Food riots in West Bengal and Mexico. Warnings of
hunger in Jamaica, Nepal, the Philippines and sub-Saharan Africa.
Soaring prices for basic foods are beginning to lead to political
instability, with governments being forced to step in to artificially
control the cost of bread, maize, rice and dairy products. Record world
prices for most staple foods have led to 18% food price inflation in
China, 13% in Indonesia and Pakistan, and 10% or more in Latin America,
Russia and India, according to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation
(FAO). Wheat has doubled in price, maize is nearly 50% higher than a
year ago and rice is 20% more expensive, says the UN. Next week the FAO
is expected to say that global food reserves are at their lowest in 25
years and that prices will remain high for years. Last week the Kremlin
forced Russian companies to freeze the price of milk, bread and other
foods until January 31, for fear of a public backlash with a
parliamentary election looming. "The price of goods has risen sharply
and that has hit the poor particularly hard," said Oleg Savelyev, of the
Levada Centre polling institute. India, Yemen, Mexico, Burkina Faso and
several other countries have had, or been close to, food riots in the
last year, something not seen in decades of low global food commodity
prices. Meanwhile, there are shortages of beef, chicken and milk in
Venezuela and other countries as governments try to keep a lid on food
price inflation. Boycotts have become commonplace. Argentinians shunned
tomatoes during the recent presidential election campaign when they
became more expensive than meat. Italians organised a one-day boycott of
pasta in protest at rising prices. German leftwing politicians have
called for an increase in welfare benefits so that people can cope with
price rises. "If you combine the increase of the oil prices and the
increase of food prices then you have the elements of a very serious
[social] crisis in the future," said Jacques Diouf, head of the FAO, in
London last week. The price rises are a result of record oil prices, US
farmers switching out of cereals to grow biofuel crops, extreme weather
and growing demand from countries India and China, the UN said
yesterday. "There is no one cause but a lot of things are coming
together to lead to this. It's hard to separate out the factors," said
Ali Gurkan, head of the FAO's Food Outlook programme, yesterday. He said
cereal stocks had been declining for more than a decade but now stood at
around 57 days, which made global food supplies vulnerable to an
international crisis or big natural disaster such as a drought or flood.
"Any unforeseen flood or crisis can make prices rise very quickly. I do
not think we should panic but we should be very careful about what may
happen," he warned. Lester Brown, president of the Washington-based
Worldwatch Institute thinktank, said: "The competition for grain between
the world's 800 million motorists, who want to maintain their mobility,
and its 2 billion poorest people, who are simply trying to survive, is
emerging as an epic issue."
more... Could we be building up to the ultimate fulfillment of the third seal? Revelation 6:5,6, "And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine." With the bee issue, weather changes and the conclusions of the HIStory, Our Future Bible studies, we could very well be this close to the third seal. The second seal is peace taken from the earth and we're seeing that developed now as accounts of horrible crimes and mass murders seem to be on the rise worldwide as well as terrorism. The world is crying out for peace and security because they don't feel they have it now. I believe we have already seen the first seal broken and it is only a matter of time as Yeshua breaks the other 6 seals. Keep watching!
United Nations to expand police force Associated
Press (November 1, 2007) - With the
world facing new security threats, the U.N. is planning for an
unprecedented expansion of its police missions. U.N. officials say a
shift in the nature of conflicts requires revamped peacekeeping
operations. Traditionally, the U.N. has facilitated peace between
warring states by sending its blue-helmeted soldiers to man buffer zones
between their armies. But today, interventions are increasingly focused
on settling civil wars. "In recent years the character of conflicts has
changed dramatically from mainly state-to-state wars (to) intrastate
conflicts which pit various factions within the boundaries of a single
state," U.N. Police Chief Andrew Hughes said. As a result, there is a
greater need than ever for conventional police duties in post-conflict
situations. Nowhere is this highlighted more clearly than in Darfur. The
U.N. is recruiting nearly 7,000 police officers to assist some 20,000
U.N. peacekeeper-soldiers in trying to end the four-year conflict in
western Sudan. Police involvement in peacekeeping dates from the
inaugural 1948 mission, when first Secretary-General Trygve Lie urgently
dispatched several dozen U.N. security guards from New York to Jerusalem
when Jewish extremists assassinated the U.N. peace envoy Folke
Bernadotte. In later interventions, however, the U.N. has come to rely
mostly on soldiers to monitor cease-fires or interpose themselves
between warring sides, as happened in the Sinai after the 1956
Egypt-Israel war, or later in disputed Kashmir, Cyprus and Lebanon. The
Balkan wars of the 1990s put renewed focus on peacekeeping by police
units. "In such conflicts, once peace is restored the U.N. then has a
key role in re-establishing rule of law, which includes police, courts,
prisons and the whole justice sector, and to ensure that they rebuild or
build up from scratch their police services," Hughes said. "Our duties
included everything a policeman can possibly do, from breaking up
domestic disturbances to chasing and arresting armed criminals," said
Irhad Campara, a Bosnian policeman who served in the U.N. mission in
East Timor. "In addition, we recruited, vetted and trained from scratch
East Timor's new national police force." Whereas military units are
dispatched by governments, police officers are recruited on individual
contracts from contributing nations. They continue to collect their home
pay but receive an extra daily allowance of $150 and accommodation from
the U.N. more... Now imagine a world in chaos where global governance uses the police forces in conjunction with military forces to enforce peace. Or further along, enforce worship of the antichrist. It's all leading to prophetic fulfillment.
Indonesia Sentences 41 Christians To Five Years Imprisonment, report Persecution.org
(November 1, 2007) - An Indonesian court
has sentenced 41 Christian leaders to five years imprisonment on charges
of blasphemy because they openly prayed that Muslims "come to know
Christ," local Christians and a well-informed human rights group told
BosNewsLife Thursday, November 1. more...
EU Report On Turkey Deals New Blow To Ankara's Membership Bid International
Herald Tribune (November 1, 2007) -
In a fresh blow to Turkey's hopes of joining the European Union, a key
report has concluded that reforms there slowed in 2007 because of a
constitutional crisis over the election of a president with an Islamic
background. With attention distracted by tensions between the ruling AK
Party and the military over the election of Abdullah Gul, Turkey did too
little to root out corruption, modernize its judiciary, reduce the power
of the military and increase freedom of expression. The annual progress
report compiled by the European Commission, to be released next week,
comes amid preparations for a new committee on the future of the EU
which may try to determine where Europe's frontiers should lie and how
much further the bloc should expand. Public opinion across the EU is
hardening against Turkey's EU membership bid and President Nicolas
Sarkozy of France leads a group of countries opposed to full EU
membership for Turkey, preferring a looser association with Ankara
instead. Sarkozy has proposed the new committee, scheduled to be
approved by EU heads of government next month, which Turkey fears will
to kill off their membership bid. Anxious
to limit the damage to Turkish accession hopes, a draft of the
commission's report stresses Turkey's strategic importance as a "unique
interface between the west and the Muslim world," a diplomatic and
military partner and an energy hub. But it also makes clear that the
implementation of reforms was "uneven" and "has slowed down since 2005."
The number of those prosecuted for freedom of expression doubled between
2005-6, corruption remains rife and Turkey was found to be in breach of
the European Convention on Human Rights in 330 cases. Earlier this year
the Turkish military spoke out against Gul's candidacy for the post of
president which is one of the central pillars of the secular Turkish
state. The crisis prompted fresh parliamentary elections which returned
the AK Party to power, allowing Gul - whose wife wears a headscarf - to
win the presidency through a parliamentary vote. Though the military
"made statements beyond its remit," parliamentary elections were
conducted properly, the draft report says. "Turkey now needs to renew
the momentum of political reforms," the draft document said. It called
for significant further efforts on freedom of expression, civilian
control of the military, increased rights for non-Muslims, the fight
against corruption and judicial reforms.
more... In Ezekiel 38,39 we see that Iran, Russia and Turkey are the three main national players in an attack on Israel that is stopped by God with fire and brimstone from heaven. We're seeing the pulling away of Turkey from the West back to their Islamic roots aligned with Iran and their weapons supplier, Russia. I expect this relationship with the West to get worse to the point of Turkey's attack on Israel, but only time will tell.
Saudi king to visit the Vatican Gulf
Times (November 1,
2007) - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia will make an unprecedented
visit to the Vatican next week, the Pope’s press office announced
yesterday. Abdullah, currently on a state visit to Britain, will have
an audience with Pope Benedict XVI on November 6. It will be the first
time a Saudi king has visited the Vatican and the two states do not have
diplomatic relations. Abdullah will meet Italian Prime Minister Romano
Prodi later that day, the chair of the cabinet announced. Last month the
Pope met the Saudi foreign minister at his summer residence outside Rome
to discuss the Middle East and the “defence of religious and moral
values” — as well as the political and religious situation in Saudi
Arabia.
Gulf states 'offer Iran uranium' BBC
News (November 1, 2007) - Gulf
states are willing to set up a body to provide enriched uranium to Iran,
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister is reported to have said.
Prince Saud al-Faisal told the Middle East Economic Digest (MEED) the
plan could defuse Tehran's stand-off with the West over its nuclear
programme. The prince was quoted as saying that Iran was considering the
Gulf states' offer, but the US was not involved. The BBC's Paul Reynolds
says it is doubtful the plan will go anywhere. It is similar to one
proposed by Russia in December 2005, which led to initially positive
talks between Moscow and Tehran, but in the end led nowhere, says our
world affairs correspondent. Prince Saud said the offer came from the
six states that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Bahrain,
Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
"We have proposed a solution, which is to
create a consortium for all users of enriched uranium in the Middle
East," he was quoted as saying. "[We will] do it in a collective manner
through a consortium that will distribute according to needs, give each
plant its own necessary amount, and ensure no use of this enriched
uranium for atomic weapons." He outlined the plan in an interview for
the MEED during Saudi King Abdullah's state visit to London. Prince Saud
said the GCC had developed the proposal to stave off a nuclear arms race
in the Gulf. Iran says its nuclear programme is for civilian energy
purposes, but the US claims Tehran is developing nuclear weapons. Prince
Saud is reported to have said: "They [the Iranians] have responded that
it is an interesting idea and they will come back to us. "The US is not
involved, but I don't think it would be hostile to this, and it would
resolve a main area of tension between the West and Iran." The UK
foreign office said the five permanent UN Security Council members - the
US, China, Russia, France and Britain - along with Germany would meet on
Friday in London to discuss the next step on Iran's nuclear programme. CFR, Bilderbergers, Trilateral Commission insiders usually run for, win White House, shows new book WorldNet Daily (November 1, 2007) - Nearly every person elected as president of the United States since then – and nearly every opponent – has belonged to a secretive, globalism-oriented organization known as the Council on Foreign Relations. Some presidents and their challengers have belonged to additional clubs of internationalists – the Bilderberg Group and the Trilateral Commission. Running mates, too, more often than not have had ties to the groups. That the groups exert enormous influence on public policy is indisputable. What is disputed is whether such groups are, as adherents and members argue, just discussion forums for movers and shakers, or, as critics have long alleged, secret societies shaping a new world order from behind the scenes. On that last point at least, no one could challenge the critics: All these groups operate in considerable secrecy, away from the scrutiny of the American public. Regardless of how one characterizes them, the fact that virtually all presidents belong to the same secret clubs prompts the author of a new book to wonder if the 2008 election will also be a contest between globalist insiders. Judging from the list of frontrunners of each party, Daniel Estulin, author of "The True Story of the Bilderberg Group," may be on to something. According to a variety of sources, the following presidential candidates are either members of one of the groups or have strong ties: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, John McCain, John Edwards, Fred Thompson, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd and Bill Richardson. Mike Huckabee, though not a member, spoke to the CFR in September. Since then, his political star has risen to the point that he has become a top-tier candidate. So often throughout recent history it has been the case. Ever since Democrat Adlai Stevenson challenged Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956, the odds have significantly favored those with membership in the elite groups.
"David Rockefeller, whose family financed the CFR, is
a common denominator among these parallel groups," writes Estulin. "Not
only is he the CFR chairman emeritus, but he also continues to provide
financial and personal support to the TC, CFR and Bilderberg Group."
What is the agenda behind these groups, which Estulin says are comprised
of "self-interested elitists protecting their wealth and the investments
of multinational banks and corporations in the growing world economy at
the expense of developing nations and Third World countries"? "The
policies they develop," he writes, "benefit them as well as move us
towards a one-world government." Those questioning Estulin's conclusion
as mere speculation need only recall organizational financer David
Rockefeller's own words as recorded in his "Memoirs." "Some even believe
we are part of a secret cabal working against the best interests of the
United States, characterizing my family and me as 'internationalists'
and conspiring with others around the world to build a more integrated
global political and economic structure – one world, if you will," he
wrote. "If that's the charge, I stand guilty, and I am proud of it."
With regard to insider roles in recent U.S. presidential races, two of
the most interesting were 1976 and 1992. more...
Hamas setting stage for West Bank seizure
WorldNet Daily (November
1, 2007) - Hamas is setting the stage for a takeover of the
West Bank similar to the coup in which the terror group seized
control of the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli and Palestinian
security officials. Hamas leaders confirmed to WND they are planning
a West Bank takeover. "Fatah will fall in a matter of weeks at most,
and the Islamic resistance (Hamas) will reign in the West Bank just
as we do in Gaza," said Abu Abdullah, considered one of the most
important operational members of Hamas' so-called resistance
department. The West Bank borders Jerusalem and is within rocket
range of Tel Aviv and Israel's international airport. U.S. Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice, slated to arrive here next week for her
second visit this month, has been serving as mediator for an
upcoming U.S.-sponsored Israeli-Palestinian summit later this month.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is widely expected to
outline a Palestinian state in most of the West Bank, ultimately
handing the strategic territory to security forces associated with
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah militias. But
Israeli security officials are warning Abbas' forces are not strong
enough to contend with controlling the West Bank without the aid of
the Israel Defense Forces. Yuval Diskin, head of Israel's Shin Bet
Security Services, estimated during a Knesset meeting earlier his
week that if control of the West Bank were handed over to Abbas,
Israel would suffer a "significant threat to its security."
Palestinian security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity,
admitted to WND they cannot control the West Bank without Israeli
intervention. According to the officials, Fatah's intelligence
apparatus routinely hands the IDF lists of Hamas militants that
threaten Fatah rule, requesting that Israel make arrests. Israeli
and Palestinian security officials told WND they have specific
information Hamas is quietly setting the stages for an imminent West
Bank takeover attempt. The officials said that among other things,
Hamas has been acquiring weaponry in the West Bank and has set up a
sophisticated system of communication between cells for a seizure
attempt. In what is considered the most threatening Hamas move,
according to the officials, the terror group is thought to have
heavily infiltrated all major Fatah forces in the West Bank and has
been attempting to buy off Fatah militia members, many times
successfully. According to Palestinian sources, Hamas has, among
other things, recruited important members of Fatah's declared
military wing, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. The terror group
particularly has targeted those who were against a deal this past
summer in which Olmert extended amnesty to Brigades members as a
gesture to Abbas. The Brigades, along with the Islamic Jihad terror
group, has taken responsibility for every suicide bombing in Israel
the past three years along with thousands of shootings and rocket
firings against Jewish civilian population centers. According to the
Palestinian sources, a West Bank shooting against a Jewish vehicle
last week carried out by the Brigades was planned by Hamas. The
shooting, in which a man was seriously wounded at a major junction
near the Jewish community of Ariel, was perpetrated by a Brigades
cell calling itself the Army of al-Boraq, named after the Muslim
prophet Muhammad's horse. The cell used weapons given by Hamas, the
sources said. The issue of Hamas infiltration of Fatah was thought
to have been the Achilles heel that led to the terror group's
takeover last summer of the entire Gaza Strip, including dozens of
major, U.S.-backed Fatah security compounds there. Hamas' seizure is
thought to be a partial consequence of Israel evacuating Gaza in
2005. more...
5.6-strong quake shakes San Francisco Bay area; none hurt The
Jerusalem Post (October 31, 2007) -
A magnitude-5.6 earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay area Tuesday
night, rattling homes and nerves, but there were no immediate reports of
serious damage or injuries. The moderate temblor struck shortly after 8
p.m., about 9 miles northeast of San Jose, according to the US
Geological Survey. Residents reported feeling the quake as far east as
Sacramento and as far north as Sonoma. The California Highway Patrol has
received no reports of damage or injuries, spokesman Tom Marshall said.
It was the strongest tremor in the Bay Area since 1989, when a
magnitude-7.1 quake killed 62 people. The epicenter of the quake was
near Alum Rock, in the Diablo Range foothills east of San Jose - not far
from the home of San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed. Pictures fell off the walls
of Reed's house, but the mayor said there was no major damage there. "It
was a pretty strong ride here, a lot of shaking but nothing broken,"
Reed told The Associated Press in a phone interview from his home. "I've
talked to a few people and we have no reports of injuries or damage.
There was a lot of shaking, but it wasn't the big one." Amrit Shergill,
a night cashier at Alum Rock Shell gasoline station in San Jose, said
there was no damage other than some small items that toppled off a shelf
- but the intensity of the shaking sent her outside and crouching on the
sidewalk. "My God, I felt like running because the roof might come down
on my head," said Shergill, who was born in India. "I've never felt
anything like this in 16 years in the United States." Rod Foo, a
resident of south San Jose, about 10 miles from the epicenter, said
everything in his house shook for several seconds, but the electricity
never went out and his telephone was still working. "I could hear it
coming up the street before it hit the house," said Foo, a former
reporter with the San Jose Mercury News. "I thought it was the kids
messing around at first, then I felt the house shaking and I knew it was
an earthquake. ... It was rattling for a long time and really loud." The
USGS reported 10 aftershocks, the biggest with a preliminary magnitude
of 2.1.
more...
Palestinians demand deadline for statehood One
News Now (October 30, 2007) -
The chief Palestinian
peace negotiator threatened on Tuesday that there would be no talks with
Israel unless a deadline is set for establishing a Palestinian state -
the first indication the Palestinians could scuttle a U.S.-sponsored
peace summit over the issue.
Palestinian officials have repeatedly said they want a detailed timeline
for talks that are expected to begin in earnest after a U.S.-sponsored
Mideast conference in November or December. But although Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert has consistently resisted the notion of a deadline,
they had never before made the matter a condition for talks. On Tuesday,
lead negotiator Ahmed Qureia tightened the screws. "The Israeli prime
minister has stated that he will not accept a timetable, and we say we
will not accept negotiations without a timetable," Qureia said at a news
conference with the European Union's external affairs commissioner,
Benita Ferrero-Waldner. He delivered the ultimatum as the two sides
struggle to bridge yawning gaps ahead of the fall peace summit. It
wasn't clear whether the Palestinians would really carry out the threat,
or were trying to wrest concessions from Israel. In the past, however,
deadlines have been set and ignored. No date has been set for the
U.S.-sponsored summit, set to take place in Annapolis, Md., because the
two sides remain so far apart on the starting point for talks. Israel
wants a vague, joint statement of objectives. The Palestinians want a
detailed outline that would address core issues that need to be resolved
before peace can be achieved and a Palestinian state can be established.
These are final borders, sovereignty over disputed Jerusalem, and a
solution for Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes in
the war that followed Israel's creation in 1948.
Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas have met several times in recent months to try to come up with a
joint platform ahead of the meeting, and negotiating teams from both
sides have recently entered the process. more...
Guess who Europe's subsidizing? The
Jerusalem Post (October 30, 2007) -
The European Union and its member countries have been subsidizing
various opponents of Israel for many years. A study, just published by
the Dutch Center for Documentation and Information on Israel contains
perhaps the most detailed investigation of one such case. A group called
United Civilians for Peace is a joint venture of five Dutch NGOs. Fifty
to 90% of their budgets
are funded by the Dutch
government and the European Union. A sixth partner left UCP in view of
its extreme anti-Israeli activities. UCP - among other things -
publishes research about "Dutch economic links in support of the Israeli
occupation of Palestinian and/or Syrian territories." Journalist Joost
de Haas, writing in the Dutch Telegraaf summed up the 50-plus
page report by the Dutch Center for Documentation saying: "A peace
organization financed with taxpayers money is guided by the Palestinian
terror organization Hamas and supports the Iranian atom bomb." The EU
and the Dutch government thus indirectly finance Dutch opponents of
Israel. This story is the tip of a European iceberg of financial support
for anti-Israeli bodies. NGO Monitor has exposed various state
agencies which finance extreme anti-Israeli organizations. In an article
in the Swiss daily Le Temps, Gerald Steinberg, who heads NGO
Monitor cited examples of such support by the Swiss Agency for
Development & Cooperation. A few months ago the Jewish Chronicle
wrote that Israeli diplomats intended to raise claims with the Irish
government that its Irish Aid Department was financing
anti-Israeli NGOs some of
which promote the demonization of Israel and boycott actions. The
Swedish International Development Agency is also involved in financing
extreme anti-Israeli groups. IN AN interview with Rijk van Dam, a former
Dutch member of the European Parliament he told me that the government
of Finland had contributed millions of Euros to pay for Palestinian
textbooks which promote the hate of Israel. In 2004 Wall Street Journal
op-ed writer Daniel Schwammenthal detailed how difficult it was to
obtain information on the funding of the PLO by European governments.
This, while the latter claimed their activities were transparent.
Earlier this year the Israeli government criticized the British embassy
in Tel Aviv for contributing funds to a study on the security barrier
and its impact on the Palestinians. A Foreign Ministry source said: "It
is interference by Britain in an internal Israeli matter. How would they
react in London if our embassy was to fund a British research
organization that is trying to promote an agenda critical [of their
government]. This is not acceptable in international relations." AND
THEN there is the abuse by the Palestinian Authority of part of the many
billions of Euros it gets in funding from the EU. Van Dam says: "There
is no doubt that a substantial portion of European funding has served
purposes such as corruption and terrorism." He added that at a meeting
in the European Parliament the then Palestinian finance
minister [and now Prime
Minister Salam Fayad] was asked how European money was spent. He replied
that he did not know, not a penny was left, and it had all gone to the
pockets of fat cats.
more... It's not too big of a surprise that Europe, and America for that matter, are ultimately funding those behind the chaos in the Middle East. Why? According to the plans for a New World Order, global governance will be brought about through a series of wars and chaotic struggles that will wear out the people and through their desire for peace and safety, hand over their freedoms and sovereignty to one man who will eventually demand worship as God. Sound preposterous? Don't be surprised when it happens as the Bible says it will. Read this
The European Union is the most popular great power - more people across
all continents want to see its power increase
Open Democracy (October
30, 2007) - An ambitious survey of public opinion around the
world contains valuable findings of great interest to the world's
citizens and policymakers alike. The project, conducted by Voice of the
People for the European Council on Foreign Relations and released on 25
October 2007, has discovered: There is widespread support for a more
multipolar world and a greater role for "herbivorous powers" - countries
not widely perceived as military superpowers. There is mistrust of the
cold-war powers as well as Islamist-inspired Iranian autocracy. More
people want to see a decline rather than an increase in the power of
Russia (29 percent decline, 23 percent increase), of China (32 percent
decline, 24 percent increase), of the United States (37 percent decline,
26 percent increase), and of Iran (39 percent decline, 14 percent
increase). On the other hand, there is strong support for an increase in
the power of fast-developing powers such as South Africa, India and
Brazil (the "IBSA" countries). The European Union is the most popular
great power. Uniquely among great powers, more people across all
continents want to see its power increase than decrease. This demand for
more European power extends to many former European colonies. Whilst
American soft power has declined, the rise of China has led to a
resurgence in support for American power in Asia. Increasing Russian
influence in Eastern Europe is paralleled by a demand for a greater
American role. Outside Europe, "the west" is still seen to some extent
as a single actor: countries suspicious of American power tend also to
be against EU power. In the run-up to the Iraq war, Mary Robinson called
global public opinion the "second superpower." She may have exaggerated
its ability to sway the decision to invade Iraq, but she was right to
point to its importance as a source of legitimacy in world politics.
Even in the many places where citizens cannot vote in free and fair
elections, governments constantly poll the public to understand their
aspirations and pre-empt them. Their findings can have an impact on
decisions about war and peace and can even affect the positions they
defend in institutions such as the United Nations and World Trade
Organization. more... IWT tour: “Spiritual bomb” hits Fiji Assist News Service (October 29, 2007) - Over 165,000 people heard a clear presentation of the Gospel with 17,474 recorded decisions for Christ, when Impact World Tour(IWT), a ministry of YWAM Campaigns, swept through 16 main cities and communities across Fiji Islands recently. For six weeks, from September 3 to October 13, the team ministered in 24 schools, into three prisons and at gatherings across the nation. The response was so overwhelming in some communities, that the total number of decisions made, other than decisions for Christ, was not recorded, because of the size of some of the crowds, said IWT regional director David Cole. Despite the wet weather, experienced on 19 of the 39 campaign nights, the IWT teams were astounded at the way Fijians came out to the stadiums and parks and not only stood in the rain, but came forward to give their lives to Christ. Amongst those responding were many Indo-Fijians from other religious backgrounds, the largest unreached people group in the South Pacific. “An Indian pastor shared with me after one campaign night that he knew of four Indian families in his neighbourhood who had given their lives to Christ and he had been approached by another man who had a family of six come to his home to share about Christ and pray for them” said Mr Cole. “We were excited to see whole families respond to give their lives to Christ, often lead by the fathers bringing their families forward to respond.” At Subrail stadium in Labasa, the main city on the Island of Vanua Levu, 25,000 people attended in total over the three campaign nights with a powerful presentation of the Gospel given through the IWT teams. “It was like a spiritual bomb going off in some of the high Indian population communities,” local pastors told IWT leaders. “There has never been anything like this in our history.” Despite the interim Fiji government issuing an emergency edict on the first night of the campaign banning all public gatherings, IWT was able to continue its tour on the strength of an earlier agreement with the interim government. Opportunities to preach the Gospel arose spontaneously. On the way to a stadium to prepare for one evening campaign, some of the Team Xtreme evangelists stopped for refreshment next to a local police station. When the policemen came out to see who they were and to talk to them, they were given the Gospel and two of the policemen gave their lives to Christ. Taubale and Ofa Toki, who were involved in the IWT campaigns in Auckland in 2004, had moved to Suva in 2005 and had been preparing for the 2007 campaign together with their Fijian trained staff, for the past two years. The M/V Pacific Link, part of the international YWAM ministry Marine Reach based in Tauranga, was in the Fiji region for four months prior to the IWT campaign, reaching those on 11 more remote outer islands with health care(medical and dental), construction and evangelism teams from YWAM and local churches. A YWAM team on the ‘Shekinah’ a Nelson based mission yacht also made trips to some of the outer islands for many months also leading up to the campaigns, sharing the gospel, teaching and helping with providing clean water resources.
Hezbollah-like Syrian cells plan provocations to force war between
Damascus, Israel
WorldNet Daily (October
4, 2007) - A recently formed
Syrian guerrilla group modeling itself after the Lebanese Hezbollah
militia is preparing for "resistance attacks" against the Jewish state,
leaders of the purported group stated during in-person interviews
released in a new book. The information comes as Israel yesterday broke
its nearly four-week silence and admitted officially the Jewish state's
warplanes struck a "military installation" in Syria last month,
prompting some officials in Damascus to call for retaliation, including
guerrilla raids against Israel. In his new book, "Schmoozing
with Terrorists: From Hollywood to the Holy Land, Jihadists Reveal their
Global Plans – to a Jew!" WND Jerusalem bureau chief obtained access
to the leadership of the new purported Syrian group, calling itself the
Committees for the Liberation of the Golan. "If an agreement is not
quickly forged between Israel and Syria [for an Israeli withdrawal from
the Golan], we will begin attacks," a senior leader of the Committees
told Klein, speaking on condition his name be withheld. The Golan
Heights is strategic mountainous territory looking down on Israeli and
Syrian population centers captured by Israel after Damascus twice used
the territory to attack the Jewish state. The Committees leader stated
Syria watched as Israel "lost" a war against the Lebanese Hezbollah
militia in the summer of 2006 and noted the Syrian leadership learned
that "fighting" is more effective than peace negotiations with regard to
gaining territory. The leader explained in "Schmoozing"
his group will initiate rocket attacks and Hezbollah-like raids against
Israeli troop positions and Golan-based Jewish communities in hopes of
eventually provoking a conflict or generating domestic Israeli pressure
for Israel to vacate the Golan. Much of the Israeli sections of the
Golan look down on Syria, and there are U.N. posts at international
buffer areas between the Israeli and Syrian sides of the territory, but
the Committees leader explained there are multiple points of
vulnerability along the Syria-Israel border that can be exploited,
including many Israeli sections of the Golan that are at level with the
Syrian sides. The Committees for the Liberation of the Golan Heights
consists of Syrian volunteers, many from the Syrian border with Turkey
and from Palestinian refugee camps near Damascus, the Committees leader
stated. He said Syria held registration for volunteers to join the
Committees last June. more... e-mail:
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