Islam 2007
Kingdom in 2007: Encouraging Historic Interfaith Dialogue
Arab News (December
30, 2007) - Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s
historic meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Nov. 6 was one
of the highlights of his two-week-long European tour in 2007. It opened
a new era in Muslim-Christian relations as the two leaders called for
dialogue between the followers of major religions in order to promote
world peace. The Vatican meeting captured world attention. German
Chancellor Angelo Merkel commended the king for his meeting with the
pontiff. “We have been following up your meeting with the pope with
great interest. It was a fruitful meeting and we know that you support
interfaith dialogue to resolve all issues and problems,” she said. King
Abdullah arrived in Rome on the second leg of his four-nation European
tour, which also took him to the United Kingdom, Germany and Turkey. The
visits were instrumental in strengthening relations with the four
countries and mobilizing their support for Arab and Islamic causes. King
Abdullah was the first Saudi monarch to have an audience with the pope.
Benedict warmly greeted the king, grasping both his hands before leading
him to a library for their brief private meeting, which lasted 60
minutes, with both leaders speaking through interpreters. The Vatican
said the talks allowed a wide discussion on the need for religious and
cultural dialogue among Christians, Muslims and Jews “for the promotion
of peace, justice and spiritual and moral values, especially in support
of the family.” Both sides emphasized the need for a “just solution” to
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. About a million Catholics, many of
them migrant workers from the Philippines, live in Saudi Arabia, home of
Islam’s two holiest mosques. The BBC’s Frances Harrison in Rome said the
symbolism of the meeting was huge for those who believe there should be
more dialogue between Islam and Christianity, especially after the
pontiff’s controversial September 2006 speech at Regensburg University,
denigrating the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Benedict’s speech
sparked anger across the Muslim world. Later he said he was
misunderstood and regretted offending Muslims. Since then, he has met a
number of Islamic leaders and a year ago visited predominantly Muslim
Turkey. The Vatican has said it wants to pursue a dialogue with moderate
Muslims. Marco Politi, the Vatican correspondent for the Italian daily
La Repubblica and a biographer of Pope John Paul II, said: “I think it
is extraordinarily important that an official communiqué from the
Vatican and an important Islamic state like Saudi Arabia mentions
‘cooperation’ between Christians Muslims and Jews — not dialogue but
cooperation.” The meeting, presaged by an upbeat front-page article in
L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican’s newspaper, was also a clear attempt
by the Vatican to repair damage done by the pope’s statement on the
Prophet, which the Islamic world had seen as insensitive if not
incendiary. more...
IDF: Bomb making chemicals were disguised as EU aid
The Jerusalem Post (December
29, 2007) -
Official says PA dismantling Al-Aqsa and other militant groups
Haaretz.com (December
29, 2007) - The top Palestinian security official said on
Saturday his government was dismantling militant groups, including those
connected to President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction. Officials said
Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades largely agreed to go along with the
government's security plan in the West Bank without putting up a fight.
"There is no Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades any more," Interior Minister
Abdel-Razak al-Yahya told Voice of Palestine radio, referring to Fatah's
largest armed group. The pledge by Yahya came one day after Palestinian
militants killed two Israelis who were hiking near the West Bank city of
Hebron. Two of the militants were also killed in an ensuing gunbattle.
Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed at a U.S.-sponsored peace
conference last month in Annapolis, Maryland to launch negotiations with
the goal of reaching a statehood agreement by the end of 2008. But
Israel has said it will not implement any agreement until the
Palestinians meet their obligations under the long-stalled "road map"
peace plan to rein in militants in the West Bank and the
Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Hamas Islamists seized control of Gaza in
June after routing Abbas' secular Fatah forces there, but Fatah still
holds sway in the West Bank. The Palestinians assert that they are
meeting their security obligations in the West Bank by launching a
security clampdown in some of the largest cities. After commenting on
the dismantling of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Yahya said: "We wish
they [other groups] will respond positively and follow al-Aqsa's
example." He said Abbas's Western-backed government has started "working
to dismantle" other militant groups, though he did not spell out how
that would be accomplished. more...
Bin Laden issues warning on Iraq
Breitbart.com (December
29, 2007) - The head of the Al-Qaeda network Osama Bin Laden
issued a message Saturday warning Muslims against supporting Iraq's
US-backed government, and suggested the liberation of Palestine would
follow the Iraqi struggle. In the 56-minute audio tape released online,
the hunted militant accused the United States of seeking to control the
region through the Iraqi government, according to SITE, a US-based
institute that monitors extremist web forums. He singled out the Islamic
Party of Iraq, a leading political group allied with the government,
saying that Muslims supporting the party are traitors to Islam, the
monitor said in a report. "The group is assisting the Americans in
Iraq," Bin Laden said, according to an excerpt translated from the
Arabic by SITE. He added they were "fighting against the mujahedin,
while they should have created unity, with the heroes that established
the Islamic State." Bin Laden labeled any Muslims cooperating with the
US-led Iraqi government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as apostates.
He also said that with Islamist mujahedin fighters currently engaged in
Iraq, the "liberation of Palestine" will follow, adding the mujahedin
would never recognize Israel nor any Palestinian government that accepts
a Jewish government, including one led by the Hamas Islamist movement.
The White House said the message showed the situation in Iraq was
improving with Iraqis turning against Al-Qaeda, and the importance of
the US-led military mission there. "This is a reminder that the aim of
Al-Qaeda in Iraq is to block democracy and freedom for all Iraqis. It
also reminds us that the mission to defeat Al-Qaeda in Iraq is
critically important and must succeed," said White House spokesman Tony
Fratto. "The Iraqi people -- every day, and in increasing numbers -- are
choosing freedom and standing against the murderous, hateful ideology of
Al-Qaeda in Iraq -- and we stand with them." Bin-Laden also apologized
for the death of Muslims during attacks and asked the Islamist fighters
to carry out their attacks away from Muslim places, SITE said in its
report "I want to assure the Muslims that we are trying to protect the
Ummah (the Muslim world) from the enemies, and trying to fight them
everywhere," he said, in the SITE translation. "However, when our Muslim
brothers die as part of our attacks against the infidels, crusaders, or
their agents the apostates, we are extremely sad about it. We don't want
that, and we are asking God to enter them to heaven," he added. SITE
judged that the audio tape was made after the Mideast peace conference
in the US city of Annapolis in late November but before the
assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto on
Thursday, which Pakistan's government has blamed on Al-Qaeda. more... Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the CFSP, welcomes the completion of the procedures for the accreditation of EUPOL COPPS Europa Document (December 28, 2008) - Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), today welcomed the completion of the procedures for the accreditation of EUPOL COPPS and made the following statement: "I welcome the completion of the procedure that paves the way for the accreditation of the European Union police mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS) by the Government of Israel. I wish to thank Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mrs Tzipi Livni for her support. This agreement will facilitate the implementation of the mandate of the mission." The aim of the EUPOL COPPS mission is to work with the Palestinian civilian police to support the Palestinian Authority in taking responsibility for law and order, and improving its civilian police and law enforcement capacity. EUPOL COPPS helps to establish sustainable and effective policing arrangements under Palestinian ownership in accordance with the best international standards. This mission is a central pillar of the EU Action Strategy in support of renewed peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians launched in Annapolis last November.| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal |
Abbas visits Olmert's home talking peace
Breitbart.com
(December 27, 2007) - Israel's annexation
of East Jerusalem was the key topic for peace talks Thursday between
Palestinian and Israeli leaders in Jerusalem, officials said.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was to meet with Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert at his official Jerusalem residence for the first
time since the U.S.-brokered summit in Annapolis, Md., late last month,
Haaretz reported. Prior to the meeting Palestinian media said two issues
are considered deal-breakers by Abbas: Israel's decades-old annexation
of East Jerusalem, which Palestinians want as a capital of their
eventual state, and Israel's construction of new settlements inside the
so-called Green Line near East Jerusalem. Negotiating teams from both
sides have met twice since the Annapolis meeting and each time ran into
roadblocks on the issues, the newspaper said. Other issues the two
leaders could discuss included the removal of checkpoints in the West
Bank, the Hamas control of the Gaza Strip and Palestinian prisoners in
Israeli jails, officials told Haaretz. U.S. President George Bush is
scheduled to visit the region in January with a goal of encouraging both
sides to move forward.
Terrorist Bodyguards for President Bush
Bridges For Peace (December 27, 2007)
- You can apparently choose your friends but not your bodyguards. In a
year when stories from the Middle East have often defied logic, now
President Bush will have members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, armed
to the teeth, as his bodyguards. This intriguing event will take
place January 9, when the President makes his swift dash into Ramallah
to meet with Palestinian Authority [PA] chairman Mahmoud Abbas [Abu
Mazen]. The twist in the tale of this absurdity is Al Aqsa Martyrs
Brigade is the military wing of the Abbas’ led Fatah and is listed by
the US State Department as a “terrorist organization.” They have
taken credit for suicide bombings in Israel in 2005 and 2006 and have a
long list of shootings and rocket launching activities. WorldNetDaily
broke the story this week. They spoke with a chief of the Al Aqsa
Martyrs Brigade in Ramallah who also serves as a senior officer in Force
17, the PA presidential guard unit. He confirmed to WND he had been
“slated to patrol the road outside Abbas’ compound during his meeting
with President Bush.” The Israeli security for the Presidential visit is
likely to cause chaos in the region. 8,000 police officers will be on
duty. Thousands from the local fire departments will be on duty. The
main highway between Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will be completely closed to
civilian traffic as the US convoy moves out to attend meetings with
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. There are reports that armored
vehicles from the USA are being shipped to Israel for the event. Radical
groups are marshalling to protest and proclaim their points of view at
various locations. This will add to the sensitivity of the situation and
the extreme state of high alert surrounding the visit.
People's voice thunders a clear 'yes'
The Jerusalem Post (December 25, 2007) -
The issue of Palestinian recognition of Israel's identity as a Jewish
state is emerging once again as a controversial issue in
Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. Israeli and Palestinian political and
opinion leaders have been debating this issue publicly, and leaders of
the Israeli Arab or Israeli Palestinian community have added their say.
In the process, this issue has become a tool in the hands of those who
contemplated to spoil the recent American initiative which began at
Annapolis and derail any ensuing peace process. We wish to add to the
public debate our insights based on our joint Israeli-Palestinian Public
Opinion Poll (JIPP). This project is an initiative of the Truman
Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University and the
Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) in Ramallah, and
is supported by the Ford Foundation and the Adenauer Foundation. It
tracks Palestinian and Israeli public opinion on the conflict and the
attempts to resolve it since mid 2000. We repeatedly examined this hotly
debated issue since mid 2003, and not often does one obtain such
clear-cut and consistent results as we do here. Our findings have
significant implications for the negotiations following the Annapolis
conference. They clearly indicate that the best negotiating strategy is
one that frames this issue in the context of two parameters: (1) it must
be mutual; i.e., Palestinians too must receive an Israeli recognition of
the national identity of their state as they grant Israelis recognition
of the Jewish nature of their state, and (2) it must come as a crowning
step; one that seeks to assure the two sides of future intentions rather
than one that seeks to impose an Israeli precondition for future
concessions. IF FRAMED within these parameters, the people's voice
thunders a clear "yes" to mutual recognition of identity. We wish here
to expose this silent majority, and turn private opinions of the
citizens on both sides into public opinion, and a factor in public
discourse. The question we ask our Israeli and Palestinian respondents
draws on the two states for two peoples formula from the
Ayalon-Nusseibeh Peace Plan from July 2002. The question we pose to both
Israelis and Palestinians is the following: There is a proposal that
after the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and the
settlement of all issues in dispute, including the refugees and
Jerusalem issues, there will be a mutual recognition of Israel as the
state of the Jewish people and Palestine as the state of the Palestinian
people. Do you agree or disagree to this proposal? In nine polls we
conducted between 2003 and 2006, our findings show substantial and
consistent majority support in both publics for a mutual recognition of
Israel as the state of the Jewish people and Palestine as the state of
the Palestinian people when such recognition comes at the crowing stage
of negotiations. WHAT IS perhaps even more striking is the high level of
support for this formula among Palestinian citizens of Israel. As a
matter of fact, the Arab minority in Israel supports this formula at a
higher degree than Israeli Jews as well as Palestinians, and the pattern
of the findings is highly consistent. Over two thirds of Israeli Jews
and Arabs and an average of 60% of the Palestinians over the nine polls
support such a declaration. more...
Israel fears clash with U.S. over peace talks' impasse
Haaretz (December 25, 2007) -
The United States will conduct confidential assessments of whether
Israel and the Palestinians are meeting their peacemaking commitments
and share the results privately with the parties, U.S. and Western
officials said. Israel has sought to keep the U.S. process of judging
compliance with the long-stalled "road map" peace plan largely secret.
Palestinians say they favour disclosure of judgments on whether Israel
is halting all settlement activity and whether the Palestinians are
curbing militants as the plan demands. Though the Bush administration
has decided to keep the assessment process confidential, it reserves the
right to go public with its views if necessary, the officials said.
U.S. judgments will be crucial because Israel has said it
will not implement any peace deal until the Palestinians meet their
commitments to combat militants in both the West Bank and the
Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, where militants continue to fire rockets
across the border into Israel. The monitoring process may be a test of
Washington's readiness to hold a key ally to its commitments. Despite
U.S. and Palestinian pressure on Israel to freeze settlements, the
Housing Ministry said on Sunday 740 new homes would be built in East
Jerusalem next year. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas agreed at U.S.-sponsored conference in
Annapolis, Maryland last month to relaunch final-status peace talks with
the goal of reaching a statehood agreement by the end of 2008.
more...
Shiite/Sunni rapprochement? - Abdullah, Ahmadinejad Hold Wide-Ranging Talks
Arab News (December
21, 2007)
- Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah held talks here
yesterday with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on major regional and
international issues as well as ways of strengthening bilateral ties,
the Saudi Press Agency said. Ahmadinejad, the first Iranian president to
perform Haj as guest of a Saudi king, arrived in the Kingdom on Monday
accompanied by top aides. Nearly three million pilgrims from different parts
of the Islamic world including several thousands from Iran performed Haj
this year. “In my discussion with King Abdullah we discussed different ways
to consolidate the brotherly relations among Muslim nations,” Ahmadinejad
was quoted as saying by the Iranian media covering his trip. He described
Tehran’s relations with Riyadh as “friendly,” adding: “The message of my
presence here is boosting ties among Islamic nations.” Iranian pilgrims in
the Kingdom expressed their hope that Ahmadinejad’s participation in the
pilgrimage would help repair ties between the Islamic republic and its Arab
neighbors. “Ahmadinejad’s Haj, since it comes at the invitation of the
Saudi king, shows that Muslim nations are supporting one another in times of
need,” an Iranian teacher said. “Having ties with big Arab nations is
a sign of unity among Muslims, and the West will understand that it cannot
divide Shiites and Sunnis,” said Hossein, a trader from Mashhad in
northeastern Iran. Earlier this month, Ahmadinejad attended a summit of the
Gulf Cooperation Council in Qatar, becoming the first Iranian president to
attend a GCC summit. Addressing the summit, the president tried to allay
fears of his Gulf neighbors and presented a 12-point program to promote
relations between Tehran and the six-member GCC. In his speech at the
summit, Ahmadinejad offered to sign a security pact with the GCC that groups
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. “I
personally hope that President Ahmadinejad will be able to successfully
implement his plans and improve Iran’s international situation (as a result
of the pilgrimage),” said university student Ali Rahmati. Ahmadinejad was
elected president in 2005.
Assad: Syria-Iran alliance unshakeable
The
Jerusalem Post (December 13, 2007) -
Syrian President Bashar Assad rejected claims that Syria's alliance with
Iran had been weakened by Damascus' participation in last month's
US-sponsored Mideast peace conference, saying Thursday that the two
countries' ties will never be shaken. Assad made the comments as he
inaugurated two joint Syrian-Iranian industrial projects - factories for
cars and cement. He was joined at the ceremonies by the Iranian industry
and housing ministers. The November conference in Annapolis, Maryland,
which relaunched Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, was widely seen
as also aimed at isolating Iran by bringing together Arab nations. US
officials have expressed hopes that Syria's attendance would mark a
start to easing it out of its alliance with Teheran. Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other top officials denounced the conference,
and some officials expressed surprise over Syria's participation -
though none directly criticized it. Speaking at the auto factory, Assad
said, "inaugurating this plant in partnership with our Iranian brothers
and officials is a response to those who tried to circulate (reports)
... that relations between the two countries have been shaken." "I
confirm, on this occasion, that relations will not be shaken for any
reason or under any circumstance," Assad said at the factory in Hasya,
some 160 kilometers north of the Syrian capital, Damascus. according to
the official SANA news agency. Syria and Iran have growing economic
ties, with the annual two-way trade estimated at about US$200 million.
The size of Iranian investments in Syria has reached around US$2
billions in sectors such as power generation, automobiles, cement and
agriculture. Syria is Iran's closest Arab ally. The two countries have
had close relations since 1980 when Syria sided with Persian Iran
against Iraq in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. The $50 million International
Syrian-Iranian Factory for Cars is the second car venture between the
two countries in less than a year. It will have an initial production
capacity of up to 15,000 cars a year and would likely increase to reach
35,000 cars annually at its final stage, SANA said. In March, Syria and
Iran inaugurated the first joint car project in the industrial city of
Adra near Damascus. Assad and the Iranian ministers also inaugurated a
new cement plant in the northern city of Hama, some 210 kilometers
northwest of the Syrian capital. The factory that had cost US$250
million has a production capacity of 1.1 million tons annually, SANA
said. The project, which would create some 400 jobs, was initially
agreed upon during a visit by then Iranian President Mohammed Khatami to
Syria in mid 1999. The project is financed by the Kuwait Fund for
Economic Development and the Iranian company has provided all the
necessary equipment.
Israeli ministry drops plans for Jerusalem homes Reuters
(December 20, 2007) - Israel's Housing Ministry backed away on
Thursday from a preliminary proposal to build homes on occupied land
near Jerusalem that had been criticized by Palestinian and Israeli
officials. "The construction is no longer being discussed," a ministry
official said. The issue of Israeli settlement building in the Jerusalem
area has clouded renewed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians
launched at a U.S.-sponsored conference last month. Disputes over
settlements and Jerusalem are central to the negotiations President
George W. Bush hopes can be concluded before he steps down in January
2009. The ministry said on Wednesday it had been discussing the
possibility of building homes near what Israel refers to as Atarot and
the Palestinians call Qalandia in the occupied West Bank. Israel annexed
Arab East Jerusalem after the 1967 Middle East war in a move that has
not won international recognition. It regards all of Jerusalem as its
capital. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of the
state they hope to create in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
NATO Backs Turkey's Alliance of Civilizations Initiative Todays
Zaman (December 20, 2007) -
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has announced that it
supports the Alliance of Civilizations initiative, co-chaired by Turkey
and Spain. The NATO summit started on Tuesday with the
participation of 26 heads of state and government in Riga, Latvia. In a
joint declaration, NATO leaders expressed their support for the Alliance
of Civilizations initiative. "We support
the collective value and dialogue between cultures and people. Therefore
the Alliance of Civilizations initiative under the aegis of United
Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is of great importance to us,"
was the announcement made at the end of the summit. Meanwhile, NATO
leaders also invited Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina on
Wednesday to begin negotiations for eventual membership in the
military alliance, but urged Serbia and Bosnia to fully
cooperate with the UN war crimes tribunal. NATO leaders resumed their
summit Wednesday with a pledge to stay the course in Afghanistan despite
mounting casualties and the continual refusal of some governments to
send their troops into combat in the most dangerous regions of the
country. "We will stand with the
Afghan people for the long term," NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer told reporters at the press conference held after the
gathering. Well it appears that NATO likes the goal of the Alliance of Civilizations. This means that all member nations of NATO will go along with European military forces to enforce wherever this ends up going. I don't think it looks good for those who refuse to go along with the global governance plans.
What is Happening to Europe? Frontline
Fellowship (December 17, 2007) -
Europe is in danger of falling to Islam. The catastrophic
decline of Christianity in Europe and the sharp decline in the birth
rate, along with massive Islamic immigration, has made Europe vulnerable
to an Islamic takeover. Secular Humanism and Hedonism have
gutted Europe, morally, spiritually and ethically. Most Europeans have
replaced the pleasure of worship with the worship of pleasure.
Materialism and Occultism have, in too many areas, filled the spiritual
vacuum. Abortion, pornography and perversion have devastated the morals
of Europe. History is repeating itself . Europe today
is facing a similar Renaissance of paganism and aggressive Islamic
expansionism, which threatened faith and freedom back in the 15 th and
16 th Centuries. There is an urgent need for a new Reformation. Secular
Humanism and Hedonism are no match for Islamic Jihad. Only a vibrant
Biblical Christianity can enable Europe to resist, and defeat, radical
Islam. From the time of the Reformation in the 1500’s, through to the
beginning of the Second World War, Europe was the world’s dominant
trading and industrial region. However, Marxist economies and
dictatorships in Eastern Europe crippled development, eroded national
infrastructures, undermined the ecology and devastated the work ethic,
retarding economic development. In Western Europe, the ruinous World
Wars and costly welfare state with its restrictive practices in trade
and industry slowed down innovative development. By the second half of
the 20th Century, the North American and East Asian economies surged
ahead of those of Europe. After the Muslim invasions of the 7th and 8th
Centuries, Christianity was almost wiped out in its heartlands of North
Africa and the Middle East. For nearly 1,000 years the countries of
Western Europe became the last major refuge for Christianity. The
aggressively expanding and encircling Muslim forces occupied Spain,
overwhelmed the Byzantine Empire, and threatened the very heartland of
Europe, even seizing Budapest in 1527 and besieging Vienna as late as
the 17th Century. Hemmed in by Islam, Europe was effectively prevented
from having any meaningful missionary outreach to Africa or Asia. It was
not until the Reformation in the 16th Century that the church was
revitalized to eventually become a force for world evangelization. The
last 400 years have seen tremendous worldwide advance for the Gospel,
but recently it has witnessed a distressing decline in Europe itself.
The energies that were released by the Protestant Reformation and its
rediscovery of the Bible in the common tongue, led to the most
extraordinary spiritual Revival in history. The Reformation freed the
Christians of Northern Europe from the decadence of Renaissance paganism
and lead to the greatest birth of freedom and scientific discoveries in
history. The Reformation in Europe championed the principles of
religious freedom, liberty of conscience, the rule of law, separation of
powers and constitutionally limited republics. The Reformation forwarded
the explosion of scientific enquiry, the industrial revolution, and the
campaign to eradicate the slave trade worldwide. However, from the time
of the French Revolution in 1789, hostile, anti-Christian ideologies
began to compete with Christianity for worldwide dominance. Secular
Humanism, Evolutionism, Socialism and Marxism have led to terrible wars,
oppression and destruction. With the rise of Secular Humanism a
practical atheism or fuzzy new age spirituality have become the
predominant beliefs of most Europeans. Many Europeans have moved away
from the rock certainties of their Biblical Christian heritage to the
sands of situation ethics, relativism, reincarnation, the new age and
the occult. The popularity of the occultic Harry Potter books
and films are a symptom of this new fascination with witchcraft. Secular
societies in Europe now regard Christian absolutes with intolerance and
Bible believing Christians are frequently ridiculed, marginalised and
even legislated against, with secular governments no longer satisfied
with the deviant being declared normal, but demanding that the normal be
declared deviant. The popularity of fraudulent and fictional
anti-Christian books, such as The Da Vinci Code and The
Gospel of Judas, are symptomatic of the rise of anti-Christian
heathenism in Europe. Much of the blame for the defeat and retreat of
Christianity in Europe must be laid at the door of liberal theology
which rose to dominate theological institutions all over Western Europe
by the beginning of the 20th Century. Most mainline denominations were
spiritually crippled by the deliberate erosion of confidence in the
Scriptures and in the power of the Gospel. The primary results of these
liberal termites has been a massive exodus away from attending liberal
denominations. Large areas of Europe today are post-Christian with a
small, irrelevant, committed Christian remnant with little impact on the
broader society. Most of Europe needs to be evangelized again. Many
areas of Europe have not had meaningful exposure to Biblical
Christianity for several generations. William Booth, the founder of the
Salvation Army, over a century ago, warned that a time may come when
Europe would have: “A religion without the Holy Spirit, Christianity
without Christ, Forgiveness without Repentance, Salvation without
Regeneration, politics without God, a Heaven without a hell and a
Saviour without a cross.” That describes many churches today and
underlines the urgent need for a new Reformation. As Alexander
Solzenitzen declared of Russia in 1917: “We forgot God!”
Those who forget the lessons of the past are doomed to
repeat its failures. We need to rediscover our history if we are to
survive the present threats. more...
Children promise to 'wipe out' Zionists WorldNet
Daily (December 13, 2007) - Two
children have made an appearance on Hamas Television's children's
show called "Liberate" to exhort a liberation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque
on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, and to promise to "wipe out"
Zionists. The
new video captured from Hamas Television is being made available
by
the Middle East Media Research Institute, which monitors and
publicizes media reports throughout the Middle East. MEMRI also
has a web page that is devoted to Al-Aqsa television clips. The
boy, in the Dec. 3, 2007, appearance, launches the message: "My
beloved brothers, as you know, today the Al-Aqsa Mosque is crying
out: 'Where are the people of the frontline, the Palestinian
people?' Yes, my dear brothers, that is the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The
subject of our lesson today is Jerusalem, to where your Prophet made
his nocturnal journey - the Al-Aqsa Mosque," he says. "Yes, my
beloved brothers, as you know today, and as you knew yesterday and
the day before, the Al-Aqsa Mosque has fallen into oppressing and
malicious hands, the hands of those who know nothing but injustice.
But let me tell you how the Al-Aqsa Mosque will be returned, how we
shall rescue it from the shackles of the occupation, from the
shackles of the Zionist entity. "Will it be through conferences? No,
not through conferences, but by means of force, because the Zionist
entity, your enemy, the enemy of Allah, the enemy of Islam, knows
nothing but injustice and the killing of Palestinians, the
persevering people on the frontline. Indeed, the [mosque] will be
returned only by means of force," he says. He continues to warn
about "what the Zionist enemy has done," lumping Israel and America
together. "But is it too late? No, it is not too late. If we all
unite, the Al-Aqsa Mosque will not remain in the hands of the
Zionist enemy, it will not remain in the hands of your enemy,
despite all their conspiracies against the Palestinian people…" the
boy says. The girl then takes over, saying, "To Al-Aqsa, to Al-Aqsa
- we shall unite our ranks. We will wipe out the people of Zion, and
will not leave a single one of them." The mosque has been the
subject of discussion in recent weeks, as President Bush's Annapolis
summit was held with the intention of getting a focus on the issues
that remain to be negotiated for a two-state Middle East, a goal he
has set to reach before his second term expires in a little more
than a year. Jerusalem and the Temple Mount have been included in
those talks, and Palestinian leaders have told WND Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert has expressed a willingness to give up control
of the Temple Mount. That is the location of the Al-Aqsa Mosque,
which was built on the location where the first and second Jewish
temples, once housing the Holy of Holies and the Ark of the
Covenant, stood. The Temple Mount currently is under Israeli
control, but both Jews and Christians are barred from praying there.
It was opened to the general public until 2000, when Palestinians
launched an intifada by throwing stones at Jewish worshipers. The
Israeli government closed the Mount to non-Muslims, but reopened it
in 2003. The mosque, however, falls under control of the Waqf, which
monitors and enforces its rules against visitors. The mosque was
built around A.D. 709. Revealed: Israel agreed to forfeit Temple Mount WorldNet Daily (December 13, 2007) - In spite of longstanding denials by top officials here, the Israeli government in 2000 agreed to relinquish the Temple Mount – Judaism's holiest site – to the Palestinians during U.S.-backed negotiations, according to declassified documents made public today. The information comes as Prime Minister Ehud Olmert earlier this month denied talks started at November's Annapolis summit would lead to Israel giving up its sovereignty over the Temple Mount, while chief Palestinian negotiators tell WND the Jewish state already agreed to forfeit Judaism's holiest site to a coalition of Arab countries. According to declassified Israeli government documents published today by Israel's Haaretz newspaper, during U.S.-led negotiations in 2000 at Camp David, Ehud Barak, then prime minister, agreed sovereignty over the Temple Mount would be either "ambiguous" or control would be determined based on the bond of each party to the site. The Palestinians would therefore control the upper sections of the Mount, which houses the Al Aqsa Mosque and also is the site of the First and Second Jewish Temples. The 2000 negotiations fell through after Palestinian President Yasser Arafat rejected an offer of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and eastern sections of Jerusalem. Barak at times denied he offered the Temple Mount to the Palestinians, but he also indicated during interviews he was willing to compromise over the site. Haaretz published excerpts from a 26-page document it obtained, signed by Barak's negotiator Gilad Sher and said to be summaries of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. The document was titled "The Status of the Diplomatic Process with the Palestinians Points to Update the Incoming Prime Minister." Sher also wrote in his book published after the 2000 negotiations, titled "Beyond Reach," that President Bill Clinton floated a plan that called for the Temple Mount to become Palestinian sovereign territory, while the Western Wall below and its complex would fall under Israeli sovereignty. Barak was said to have initially rejected that plan, but according to participants at the negotiations summit, he was ultimately willing to forfeit the Temple Mount. The 26-page document published by Haaretz also said Barak was willing to give up most of the West Bank and split Jerusalem into two capitals, one called Jerusalem and another Al-Quds. Negotiations would have seen Arab sections of Jerusalem being turned over to the Palestinians. The release of the document follow's last month's Annapolis summit at which Olmert committed to aim at creating a Palestinian state before the end of next year, handing strategic territory to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. In a briefing to reporters upon returning to Israel from Annapolis, Olmert claimed Israel's sovereignty over the Temple Mount is not up for discussion. He said negotiations started at this week's Annapolis summit had no bearing on the situation on the Temple Mount. But a chief Palestinian negotiator, speaking to WND on condition of anonymity, said Olmert's denials were "false." "What Olmert said (regarding the Mount) is absolutely false. I think he's not yet ready to tell the Israeli public and is waiting for the right time, and he fears his coalition with religious extremists will fall apart if he announces it now," said the negotiator. Olmert's maintains a government coalition with the religious Shas party and Russian Yisroel Beiteinu party, but if those two bolt, the prime minister could create a new coalition with leftist parties. The chief Palestinian negotiator said that in the months leading up to Annapolis, the Palestinian team was "surprised" by Olmert's willingness to give up the Mount. "We had intense debates on many topics, which remain open and unsettled, but the Harem Al-Sharif (Temple Mount) is not a sticking point. The Israelis didn't argue with us. We were pleasantly surprised Olmert didn't debate about giving the lower section of the [Mount] either, which was a sticking point in the past." more... I believe the Temple Mount will be handed over in the dividing of Israel, but I also believe that the temple will be rebuilt, just the inner court, once God reveals Himself to Israel in the destruction of the Magog invaders from Russia, Turkey, Iran, Libya and others. The attitude of Israel and the world will shift dramatically, I believe, once God shows Himself in defense of Israel.
Russia, France, Germany, Algeria and US Training Fatah Commandos Israel
National News (December 13, 2007)
- PA Arabs belonging to the Fatah terrorist group loyal to PA
President Mahmoud Abbas are being trained in Russia, France, Germany
and Algeria for “counter-terror” operations against Hamas. According
to the New York Daily News, the PA forces are receiving covert
training at a secret Russian base in Moscow in an effort to stave
off a Hamas takeover of Judea and Samaria. The Fatah men are being
trained by Russian commandos who fought Islamist terrorists in
Chechnya. The PA force is named “al-Himaya Wal-Isnad" (defense and
reinforcement) according to the report and includes 25 PA
intelligence officers. The course will last for a month and will
involve extensive weapons and combat training. According to the Daily News report, similar training courses are
being provided in France, Germany and Algeria – with plans to send
PA units to other countries for training as well. "They are getting
good training over there," PA official Dr. Ibrahim Khraishi told the
Daily News. Meanwhile, in Judea and Samaria, PA forces
continue to receive equipment and training from the US, with
General Keith Dayton continuing to oversee the program even after
the American-supplied arms and equipment supplied to Fatah in Gaza
was inherited by Hamas with little resistance shown by Fatah forces.
Dayton even testified to Congress just a few weeks before the fall
of Fatah in Gaza, saying that the PA forces his men trained had
progressed significantly. Abu Yousuf, a Fatah terrorist from
Abba's own Force 17 security forces, told WorldNetDaily earlier this
year that while some of the weapons may be used in confrontations
against Hamas, the bulk of the American arms and training
would be utilized to "hit the Zionists." He also said if
there is a major conflict with Israel, U.S. weapons provided
to Fatah may be shared with other "Palestinian
resistance organizations." What side are we on? The bottom line is that Islam has a common enemy, everyone that isn't Muslim - and especially hatred for Israel. So could this conflict between Hamas and Fatah a deceptive way to get arms for their future plans to destroy the nation of Israel as foretold in the Bible? How far does this conspiracy go? Are our leaders really that ignorant? What is the goal of Islam?
Blair
ducks MK question about Jewish state
Jerusalem Newswire (December
12, 2007) -
Israeli parliamentarians were reportedly furious December
12 when former British Prime Minister Tony Blair refused to answer a
question directed at him about Palestinian Liberation Organization [PLO]
Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' [Abu Mazen’s] recently reiterated refusal to
recognize Israel as a JEWISH state. While the PLO has consistently held
to its refusal to acknowledge and agree to Israel being a Jewish state,
it began to more blatantly and vociferously express this position in the
week before last month's Annapolis conference. And it has repeated its
position since. Blair, who is in Israel in his new role as special envoy
on behalf of the so-called Quartet of world powers, was addressing the
Knesset [Parliament] Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee when one of
its members, Likud MK Limor Livnat, questioned him on the issue.
"Members of the committee were furious when Blair did not answer,"
reported the leftist daily, Haaretz. The international community is
widely understood to agree with the Arab point of view that there should
be no Jewish state per se, but that the Jews who live in the Middle East
should agree to being citizens of a one-man-one-vote state. By contrast,
the Jews who founded Israel believed, as does virtually the entire
nation as it exists today, that a Jewish state is essential if they are
to survive as a people in this almost universally anti-Jewish world.
US Officials To Meet With Arch Foes - Iran and Syria
Infolive.tv (December 11, 2007) - US
and Iranian officials are scheduled to hold talks in Baghdad on December
18, in a joint effort to quell the violence in Iraq. Iraqi Foreign
Minister Hoshiyar Zebari confirmed the meeting. According to reports the
ambassadors of both countries, while bitter enemies have met three times
in the past. Washington accuses Teheran of providing funds and arms for
Shi'te militias that operate in Iraq. Howvever Zehari told reporters the
meeting will be "technical and a follow up to the last meeting of
security experts, not at the level of ambassadors deputy chiefs of
missions and security experts." There are also unconfirmed reports that
US Administration officials intended to meet with Syrian officials in
the near future. Possibly in an attempt to coax Syrian President Bashar
Assad away from the Islamic Republic in order to isolate Syria from Iran
and possibly encourage the Syrian regime to engage in peace talks with
Israel. Joshua Landis, a leading Syria expert, who publishes "Syria
Comment" was quoted in a recent article saying, " Syria is key to the
peace process. If you keep the door closed on Syria, many people believe
the peace process can go nowhere.” Syrians he said are willing to do a
deal, despite Iran’s objections.
Israel and Palestinians launch peace talks in discord Reuters
(December 12, 2007) - The first peace talks
in seven years between Israel and the Palestinians opened in discord on
Wednesday with the Palestinians demanding a halt to settlement building
and Israel calling for a crackdown on militants. The tensions, coming
just two weeks after a U.S.-sponsored peace conference in Annapolis,
Maryland, highlighted the difficulties ahead for negotiators trying to
reach agreement on a Palestinian state before U.S. President George W.
Bush leaves office in January 2009. Wednesday's negotiating session was
supposed to lay the ground for detailed talks on final-status issues,
including borders and the future of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.
Instead, the first round was dominated by Palestinian demands Israel
halt plans to build new houses on occupied land near Jerusalem and
concerns about Israeli military activity in the Hamas-controlled Gaza
Strip, officials on both sides said. The Palestinians said future
negotiating sessions depended on Israel's response on the settlement
issue, but they stopped short of threatening to pull out of the talks.
"We want to hear a reply to our demands," said chief negotiator Ahmed
Qurie. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, said
both sides raised concerns during the 90-minute session. "This process
does not have a quick fix," he said. "It's clear the issues on the table
will demand ongoing diplomatic efforts." The United States, which pushed
for the talks, said it was important not to make snap judgments after
one meeting. "There will be ups, there will be downs," State Department
spokesman Sean McCormack said. "What is important is that they continue
to move forward and that the overall trend line is positive." The talks
came one day after Israel carried out one of its biggest raids into Gaza
since the Islamist group seized control of the coastal territory in
June. Five militants were killed. Israel's army chief, Lt. Gen. Gabi
Ashkenazi, told a security conference in Tel Aviv that a big offensive
in Gaza may be inevitable, although he said smaller Israeli strikes were
having an impact on militants firing rockets into Israel. The mayor of
Israel's border town of Sderot resigned in protest over the government's
failure to halt the rockets. more...
Saudi king invites Ahmadinejad for haj-media
Reuters
(December 12, 2007)
- The king of U.S.-allied Saudi Arabia has invited Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to attend this year's haj in the Muslim holy city of
Mecca, Iranian media reported on Wednesday. It would be the first time
an Iranian president was officially invited to take part in the annual
pilgrimage, starting later this month, the official IRNA news agency
said. Like other Gulf Arab states, Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia has long
been wary of its large Shi'ite Muslim neighbor and shares Western
concerns about Tehran's nuclear ambitions. "Saudi King Abdullah has
formally invited President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to take part in this
year's haj ceremony," Iran's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mohammad
Hosseini, was quoted as saying by state television. The five-day rites
are expected to begin on December 18. On Tuesday Ahmadinejad said he
would take part in the haj if formally invited. Last week he became the
first Iranian president to attend a summit of Saudi Arabia and five
other Gulf Arab states. It was not clear whether the 51-year-old had
attended the haj before. A duty for every Muslim at least once in a
lifetime, the grueling ritual is one of the world's biggest displays of
mass religious devotion and is held under tight security. At least 1.5
million people are expected to arrive from abroad in Mecca where
pilgrims follow a route around the mountains in line with a tradition
established by the Prophet Muhammad. In 1987, more than 400 people,
mostly Iranians, died in clashes with Saudi security forces at an anti-U.S.
and anti-Israel rally in Mecca.
France
scores symbolic victory against Turkish EU membership EU
Observer (December 12, 2007) -
France has scored a symbolic victory in its battle against Turkey
joining the European Union by succeeding in removing the word
'accession' from an EU document on the state of negotiations. A
statement on the EU's enlargement strategy, agreed by foreign
ministers in Brussels on Monday (11 December), refers only to an
intergovernmental conference with Turkey and Croatia later this
month, rather than to accession or membership negotiations. The
normal phrasing for these meeting to discuss progress on membership
negotiations is "accession conferences." But France, strongly
opposed to Turkey joining the EU, got its way yesterday after
putting diplomatic pressure on for around two weeks before the
meeting. Britain and Sweden were amongst the countries that were
against the French move. "We do not see any rationale for
backtracking either on the Treaty of Rome or on these commitments,"
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said before the meeting,
according to Reuters. French president Nicolas Sarkozy has made no
secret of his staunch opposition to Ankara's membership bid. It
featured during his presidential campaign in the first half of 2007
while after his election Mr Sarkozy suggested Turkey become a member
of a Mediterranean Union he wants to set up and that the EU's final
borders are discussed in a wise committee - both suggestions are
seen as part of an overall aim to derail Turkey's bid. Germany is
also against Turkish EU membership, but has been less vocal at the
European level on the issue than France. It prefers instead a
privileged partnership - essentially granting Ankara closer ties
with the EU but no decision-making powers. Turkey opened membership
talks with the EU in 2005. But it has only made small progress so
far. Talks have been blocked in a number of areas because of
Ankara's position on Cyprus - it refuses to trade with it - while
France has blocked the opening of talks in areas that smack too much
of leading to EU membership. Turkey itself has also been slow to
undertake internal democratic reforms, which has led to criticism
from the EU side. more... With rejection by Europe, who will Turkey turn to? Most likely, and according to Bible prophecy, Turkey will align with the Islamic side and participate in the attack on Israel. Keep watching!
‘America has abandoned us’ Jerusalem
Watchman (December 9, 2007) - The newspapers
here in Israel made for sobering reading this weekend. In the words of a
visiting compatriot in the cause of Christian Zionism, it is as if, after years
of moving towards a cliff in Israel-US relations, we have suddenly arrived, and
tipped over the edge. The United States has betrayed the trust of its once
“faithful friend” in the Middle East, and things are spiraling at an alarming
speed - seemingly out of control. Israelis today believe that Washington
successfully worked to lure them to Annapolis by promising to stand
shoulder-to-shoulder with the Jewish state against Iran’s fevered efforts to
obtain, deploy and possibly use nuclear weapons. Largely as a result of this
“guaranteed” alliance, the Olmert government went to Annapolis despite the
refusal of the Palestinian Arabs to, among other things, recognize Israel as a
Jewish state. Once there, believing that America truly has Israel’s best
interests at heart, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed to work towards the
creation of a Palestinian state by the end of the Bush presidency, and gave the
US the right to judge whether or not Jerusalem is complying with its commitments
under the Road Map. And then, with this Israeli commitment in its pocket, and
before the news crews had barely departed the US Naval Academy, Washington
suddenly lifted its threat to use force against Iran, issuing a report whose
heading announced that the genocidal mullahs had in fact halted their nuclear
weapons program in 2003 and therefore no longer posed a serious threat to Israel
or anyone else within reach of their long range, surface-to-surface missiles.
The fact that the body of the National Intelligence Estimate report soundly
contradicts its headline has done little if anything to alleviate the fallout
from its release. For Israelis, the announcement means that America has left it
dangling before the diabolical designs of the Islamic world - and particularly
of holocaust-threatening Tehran. This was the consensus of understanding, at
least on the staff of The Jerusalem Post, Israel’s biggest-circulation
English-language daily, who expressed their sense of shock and disbelief: We
have been
“bushwacked” exclaimed disbelieving editor-in-chief David Horowitz. America
has
“dropped a bomb on Israel” said reporter Ya’akov Katz. An American guest
columnist, Jonathan Tobin, said the “intelligence bombshell [had left] Bush’s
approach to Middle East peacemaking in ruins and Jerusalem isolated.” And
Post deputy managing editor and columnist Caroline Glick wrote a requiem
for Israel-US relations in her “Column One” piece hauntingly headlined:
“The abandonment of the Jews.” Elsewhere, in a
Ynetnews report Sunday Shas Party Minister Yitzhak Cohen slammed “the manner
in which the Americans relate to the intelligence report on Iran [as] similar to
the way in which they viewed those reports they received during the Holocaust on
railways transporting hundreds of thousands of Jews to their death at Auschwitz.
more... Pray for Israel. World politics are lined up against Israel as prophesied. The powers behind America have a secret agenda that falls in line with Bible prophecy as the whole world is coming against Israel. Zechariah 12:1-3 I'm learning that the world we are told of is not the world that is. Our perceptions are shaped by the powerful people who have consolidated their influence over media and politics to blind the population so they can carry out their dark plans.
Jerusalem To Be Divided, Declares Israeli Official WorldNet
Daily (December 9, 2007) - A top
member of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government today announced
Israel "must" give up sections of Jerusalem for a future Palestinian
state, even conceding the Palestinians can rename Jerusalem "to
whatever they want." "We must come today and say, friends, the
Jewish neighborhoods,
including Har Homa, will remain under Israeli sovereignty, and the
Arab neighborhoods will be the Palestinian capital, which they will
call Jerusalem or whatever they want," said Israeli Vice Premier
Haim Ramon. Positions held by Ramon, a ranking member of Olmert's
Kadima party, are largely considered to be reflective of Israeli
government policy. Ramon's statements follow last month's
U.S.-sponsored Annapolis summit at which Olmert committed to aim at
completing negotiations by next year to create a Palestinian state,
with Israel expected to evacuate swaths of Jerusalem and the
strategic West Bank. Ramon said due to the city's demographics, Arab
neighborhoods of Jerusalem "should not be under Israeli sovereignty,
because they pose a threat to Jerusalem being the capital of a
Jewish Israel." About 231,000 Arabs live in Jerusalem, mostly in
eastern neighborhoods. The city has an estimated total population of
724,000. Ramon listed population statistics as the reason Olmert's
government finds it necessary to split Jerusalem. But
WND broke the story last week that according to Jerusalem
municipal employees, during 10 years as mayor of Jerusalem, Olmert
instructed city workers not to take action against hundreds of
illicit Arab building projects throughout eastern sections of
Jerusalem housing over 100,000 Arabs squatting in the city
illegally. The workers and some former employees claim Olmert even
instructed city officials to delete files documenting illegal Arab
construction of housing units in eastern Jerusalem. Olmert was
Jerusalem mayor from 1993 to 2003. As mayor he made repeated public
statements calling Jerusalem the "eternal and undivided capital" of
Israel. Jerusalem municipal employees and former workers, though,
paint a starkly contrasting picture of the prime minister. "He did
nothing about rampant illegal Arab construction in Jerusalem while
the government cracked down on illegal Jewish construction in the
West Bank," said one municipal employee who worked under Olmert. She
spoke on condition of anonymity because she still works at the
municipality. One former municipal worker during Olmert's mayoral
tenure told WND he was moved in 1999 to a new government posting
after he tried to highlight the illegal Arab construction in
Jerusalem. He also spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing for his
current job. more...
Hitler a Hero on Palestinian Authority Radio
World Net Daily
(December 5, 2007) - A Palestinian
Authority radio contest featured a laudatory biography of Adolf Hitler
replete with his military victories, heroism and no mention of the
Holocaust. "His golden year was 1940, when his armies invaded Denmark,
Norway, Luxembourg, Holland, and Belgium and defeated France…By mid
1942, his country controlled the largest land area in Europe…He refused
to surrender and continued to fight for two more years, but, his bitter
end came in the spring of 1945 when he took his own life…Who is he?" was
the question broadcast as a Voice of Palestine radio contest on November
27. The question was part of the official
Palestinian Authority-run radio’s Ramadan quiz - rebroadcast this past
week, and documented by
Palestinian Media Watch (PMW). The broadcast presents Hitler
heroically, detailing his two Medals of Honor in World War I, his rise
to power, his launching of World War II and specifies country after
country that he conquered. “Not surprisingly, though citing his
victories and 'bitter' fall in great detail, the Holocaust is not
mentioned,” the latest PMW report states. “This is consistent with
Palestinian education in general which erases the Holocaust from
history." A
recent PMW report on the new 12th grade PA history schoolbook showed
that many pages were dedicated to the history of World War II and even
to Nazi racism, but neither Jews nor the Holocaust were mentioned.
According to the PMW report, “[I]t is important to understand that the
revulsion of Hitler expected in the West is not true in Palestinian
society. Palestinians can be found who are named "Hitler" as a first
name: Hitler Salah [Al Hayat Al Jadida (Fatah), Sept. 28, 2005], Hitler
Abu-Alrab [Al Hayat Al Jadida (Fatah), Jan. 27, 2005], Hitler Mahmud
Abu-Libda [Al Hayat Al Jadida (Fatah), Dec.18, 2000.] Articles have
appeared in both Fatah and Hamas newspapers which demonstrate Hitler's
admired status.” The Voice of Palestine contest offered a prize of 600
shekels to the person who guessed Hitler's name. more...
CAIR called 'turnstile' for terrorist suspects
World Net Daily
(December 4, 2007) - 'Proven record
of senior officials being indicted, imprisoned, deported from U.S.'
As the Council on American-Islamic Relations lobbies
Congress to help strike its
name from a list of co-conspirators in a federal terror case, WND
has learned the Muslim group's ties to terrorism and extremism are far
more extensive than first believed. Although CAIR is a nonprofit
organization, it does not disclose complete directories of its staff or
advisory boards, and even refuses to make its federal tax filings
readily available to the public. But a review of federal criminal court
documents, past IRS 990 tax records and Federal Election Commission
records detailing donor occupations, reveals that Washington-based CAIR
has been associated with a disturbing number of convicted terrorists or
felons in terrorism probes, as well as suspected terrorists and active
targets of terrorism investigations. "Their offices have been a
turnstile for terrorists and their supporters," said one FBI veteran
familiar with recent and ongoing cases involving CAIR officials. As
previously reported,
three CAIR officials have been linked to terrorism. But WND has
learned that at least 11 other CAIR officials have been caught up in
terror investigations, bringing the total to 14. Congressional leaders
say they are warning lawmakers and other Washington officials to
disassociate from the group due to its growing terror ties. "Groups like
CAIR have a proven record of senior officials being indicted and either
imprisoned or deported from the United States," said U.S. Rep. Sue
Myrick, R-N.C., co-founder of the House Anti-Terrorism/Jihad Caucus.
CAIR itself recently was named as an unindicted
co-conspirator in an alleged scheme to funnel $12 million to the
terrorist group Hamas. In the Holy Land Foundation case, federal
prosecutors also listed CAIR as a member of the U.S. branch of the
Muslim Brotherhood, a worldwide jihadist movement that gave rise to
Hamas, al-Qaida and other terrorist groups. The government will retry
the Holy Land case, which ended in a hung jury. "There was a lot of
evidence presented at the recent Holy Land Foundation trial which
exposed CAIR and others as front groups for the Muslim Brotherhood in
the United States," Myrick said. Still, CAIR is lobbying House Judiciary
Committee Chairman John Conyers and other sympathetic members of
Congress to pressure the Justice Department to expunge its name from the
case, arguing the negative publicity has hurt membership and
fundraising. The federal judge during the trial refused a written
request by the group to strike its name from the list of
co-conspirators. The petition is still pending before the court. CAIR denies supporting terrorism and continues to claim
to be a "moderate" voice for Muslims in America. The group says its
critics are the extremists, including radio personality Michael Savage,
whom the group is now attacking with a boycott campaign. So far it has
convinced Wal-Mart, OfficeMax, AT&T, JCPenney and other companies to
stop advertising on Savage's popular show. In response, Savage last week
filed a lawsuit against CAIR, accusing the organization of being a
"political vehicle of international terrorism" that seeks to do
"material harm to those voices who speak against the violent agenda of
CAIR's clients." Ibrahim Hooper, communications
director for CAIR,
told WND the group would not comment on Savage's action until the
document had been reviewed. CAIR, which runs 33
offices and chapters nationwide, also recently helped defeat an
anti-terror plan by Los Angeles police to map the local Muslim community
for extremist neighborhoods. Now it's pressuring GOP presidential
hopeful Mitt Romney to back down from his position against appointing a
Muslim to his Cabinet. Critics counter that CAIR has no legitimate voice
to make such complaints, because the group is itself an extremist
organization that has employed or appointed to its boards of directors
and advisers an inordinate number of radical co-conspirators, suspected
and convicted terrorists, and other criminals. Indeed, the list is long
and growing, and includes: more...
CAIR – anything but 'American'
World Net Daily
(December 4, 2007) -
I'm proud of my friend and colleague Michael Savage today
for standing up against the un-American bullies at the so-called
"Council on American-Islamic Relations." I'm here to endorse
his lawsuit and offer any help he needs in combating these thugs who
seek to narrow the public debate in America, apparently to conform to
the wishes and standards of their foreign supporters in some of the most
vicious police states in the world. This is an important case. It's
about the defense of freedom of speech. It's about the defense of truth.
It's about the defense of justice. And it's about fighting for the
American way.
Please read the suit for yourself – and join me in making a sacrificial
monetary contribution to the fight. But I also want to share some
information to consider that is not addressed in this lawsuit. CAIR, a powerful and well-funded lobby group, has been
targeting Savage's radio advertisers with a campaign of lies and
intimidation. Every single advertiser has been pressured, and a few have
caved in to the heavy-handed threats. Each of us who cares about
preserving Savage's unique voice on the airwaves needs to pull out all
the stops in support of the advertisers who remain. I have done this
already. I urge you to do the same. Likewise, you need to know who and
what this group is really all about.
In April 2005, the founder of the Texas chapter of CAIR, Ghassan Elashi
was found guilty of supporting terrorism – the third CAIR figure to
be convicted on federal terrorism charges since 9/11. Elashi, along with
two brothers, was convicted in Dallas of channeling funds to a
high-ranking official of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Mousa
Abu Marzook. CAIR is a spin-off of the Richardson,
Texas-based Islamic Association For Palestine, or IAP, which was founded
by Marzook. Former FBI counterterrorism chief Oliver Revell has called
the IAF "a front organization for Hamas that engages in propaganda for
Islamic militants." Marzook, deputy chief of
Hamas' political bureau in Syria, founded the IAP in 1991. At its
conferences in the United States, the IAP hosted leaders of Hamas and
the Muslim Brotherhood. Marzook was deported in 1997. It was not the
first conviction for Elashi. As chairman of the Holy Land Foundation
charity in Dallas, Elashi was convicted last year of making illegal
technology shipments to two countries on the U.S. list of
terrorist-sponsoring states, Libya and Syria. Four brothers, including
Bayan and Basman, also were convicted. Other CAIR figures convicted
since 9/11 are Randall Todd "Ismail" Royer, a former communications
specialist and civil-rights coordinator, and Bassem Khafagi, former
director of community relations.
Royer was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges he trained in
Virginia for holy war against the United States and sent several
members to Pakistan to join Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Kashmiri terrorist group
with reported ties to al-Qaida. In a plea bargain, Royer claimed he
never intended to hurt anyone, but admitted he organized the holy
warriors after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. After
his arrest, Royer sought legal counsel from Hamas lawyer Stanley Cohen,
who said after 9/11 he would consider serving as a defense lawyer for
Osama bin Laden if the al-Qaida leader were captured. Khafagi, was arrested in January 2003, while serving with
CAIR, and convicted on fraud and terrorism charges. Current CAIR leaders
also have made statements in support of Hamas and the domination of the
United States by Islam. more...
Savage Sues Muslim Group Newsmax
(December 3, 2007) - Nationally syndicated
radio host Michael Savage has filed a lawsuit against CAIR, the Counsel
on American-Islamic Relations, charging that the Muslim group has
misused copyright material from his show. The group, which identifies
itself as the nation's leading watchdog group protecting the rights of
Muslims, has used clips of Savage's radio show to raise funds and to get
supporters to demand Savage's sponsors cease advertising on his “Savage
Nation” broadcasts. Savage’s show which originates in San Francisco,
California reaches over eight million listeners per week, according to
the lawsuit. The suit adds that his Web site MichaelSavage.com receives
2.3 million page views per month. In the suit he alleges that instead of
being what it claims to be — a civil rights organization — it is
actually a political organization “designed to advance a political
agenda that is directly opposed to the existence of a free society that
includes respect and dignity for all people and all religions. “The
copyright infringement herein is part of this plan. CAIR’s fundamental
purpose is to be a lobbyist for foreign interests,” an allegation that
the lawsuit backs up with numerous examples of CAIR’s activities. In a
Nov. 1, 2007 statement CAIR, which described itself as “A prominent
national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group” urged “radio listeners
of all faiths to contact companies that advertise on Michael Savage's
nationally-syndicated radio program to express their concerns about the
host's recent anti-Muslim tirade. CAIR charged that Savage “screamed
attacks on Muslims, Islam, and the Quran, Islam's revealed text, during
his Oct. 29, 2007, program,” and claimed that an unspecified number of
concerned listeners contacted the group CAIR about Savage's alleged
attacks on Islam.” CAIR cited what it called “Savage's shouted
anti-Muslim attacks,” using copyrighted material from that show: "I'm
not gonna put my wife in a hijab. And I'm not gonna put my daughter in a
burqa. And I'm not getting on my all-fours and braying to Mecca. And you
could drop dead if you don't like it. You can shove it up your pipe. I
don't wanna hear anymore about Islam. I don't wanna hear one more word
about Islam. Take your religion and shove it up your behind. I'm sick of
you." more...
Evangelical Leaders Reiterate Call for Two-State Solution for Israel and
Palestine Christianity
Today (December 3, 2007) -
Over
80 educators and ministry heads affirm efforts to negotiate lasting
peace, and warn of consequences of failure.
This week the Bush State Department is devoting its full diplomatic
efforts toward bringing a two-state resolution to the Israel-Palestine
conflict. Over the past few months, they have put on a full-court press
to gather a broad representation of Arab world leaders to join Israeli
and Palestinian negotiators for a historic meeting in Annapolis,
Maryland. Now, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian
National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas have agreed to a program of
sustained and focused negotiations throughout 2008. With these cautious
but hopeful beginnings, over 80 evangelical leaders have signed a
statement indicating their belief "that the way forward is for the
Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a fair, two-state solution."
These leaders—including Christian college and seminary presidents,
denominational heads, and other ministry leaders—pledge their "ongoing
support for the security of Israel," and state that "unless the
situation between Israel and Palestine improves quickly, the
consequences will be devastating" for Israel. Palestinians with little
economic opportunity "are increasingly sympathetic to radical
solutions." The full text of their statement and the list of signatories
follow. more... I think this is one of the consequences of not understanding Bible prophecy and what it says about the future. These leaders aren't looking at what the Bible says will happen to those that come against Israel. God said He would put Israel in the land and Jeremiah 30:20 says, "Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them." Read Ezekiel 36,37 as well. Remember it is when everyone says peace and safety that sudden destruction comes. Recognizing the Bible's prophesies is much different from actively participating in what it says will happen. These things will happen without our help and given the judgment for those that come against Israel and God's putting Israel in the land, I think it is an error for Christians to get involved. We should pray for the peace of Jerusalem and Israel knowing that will only happen when Christ returns and sets up His eternal kingdom. Who doesn't want peace and security? But be careful of who you are trusting to give it to you. The Bible says the end-times is anything but a time of peace and security and the men fomenting the chaos are doing so to implement their control of the world, not to bring peace. The spirit of antichrist destroys many with peace, Daniel 8:25, much like the loss of freedom because of terrorism and in the name of peace and security. It's all about control and power for these elite who are working with the spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:11-20 Israel's security is guaranteed by God and will be shown when Iran, Turkey, Russia, Libya and others are destroyed in the mountains of Israel. However, I do believe Israel will be divided, I just don't want to be involved with it happening.
Iran Says Ties With Syria Rock Solid
Associated Press
(December 3, 2007) - Iran's
adversaries cannot harm the strong ties between Tehran and Damascus,
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday, a week after Iran appeared to
chide Syria for its decision to take part in a Mideast summit in the
United States. State-run television quoted Ahmadinejad as telling
Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad that "enemies cannot
damage real and firm Tehran-Damascus relations." Though Iran never
directly criticized Syria for attending the summit in Annapolis, Md.
last week, Ahmadinejad and other top officials said the summit was
doomed to fail and scolded Arab nations for going. Tehran was not
invited to the meeting. But Syria's attendance and Iran's harsh
criticism of the meeting appeared to indicate at least some tension
between the two allies — a rare event in the past decades. During his
meeting Sunday with Ahmadinejad, Mekdad gave the Iranian president a
written message from Syrian President Bashar Assad and underlined the
strategic relationship between the two countries, Iran's official news
agency, IRNA, reported. No details of the message from Assad were given.
Both Ahmadinejad and Mekdad said Iran-Syrian ties remained strong.
Mekdad also said Syrian would "never let anyone harm the friendly ties"
between Iran and Syria, IRNA reported. Syria said it decided to send
Mekdad to the summit only after the issue of the Israeli-occupied Golan
Heights was added to the agenda. During the trip, the Syrian delegation
shook hands with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice — indicating a
slight thaw in the diplomatic chill between Washington and Damascus.
U.S. officials had hoped the Annapolis meeting could mark a start to
moving Syria out of its alliance with Iran and Hamas and Hezbollah, both
of which are Iranian-backed militant groups. more...
According to the Scriptures The
Berean Call (December 1, 2007) - The
Bible makes uncompromisingly clear to all mankind its claim to be the
infallible, inerrant Word of the only true and living God. It denounces
all other gods and scriptures as false, as well as the religions they
represent. Of Jesus, God's Word declares, "He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John
3:36). Peter told Jewish religious leaders (and was
beaten, imprisoned, and killed for testifying to Christ's resurrection):
"There is none other name...given among men
whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Such
unequivocal statements cannot be misunderstood. Jews would not have been
persecuted and killed had they presented Yahweh as just one more god to
be added to the Roman Pantheon. Christians were considered an even
greater threat because in obedience to Christ they preached the gospel
everywhere and thereby "turned the world upside
down" (Acts 17:6).
Even they would not have been persecuted and killed had they presented
Jesus Christ as merely one of many possible saviors. It was their firm
proclamation of Christ's claim, "I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John
14:6), that threatened Caesar and aroused such vicious
hatred. Today, however, to avoid the objectionable exclusivity of their
faith, "Christians" often compromise and many ecumenically deny the
biblical gospel. Christianity is a biblical faith, and the Bible is not
an "ecumenical" book. It makes no compromise with any of the world's
religions. Those who support ecumenism to any extent, no matter how
loudly they defend their orthodoxy, are not Bible-believing Christians.
At worst they are deliberate frauds; at best they are confused into
simultaneously professing two contradictory beliefs (syncretism). Which
do they really believe? Speaking out of both sides of their mouths is a
popular ploy today of both political and "Christian" leaders. Anyone is
free to invent any new religion-but not free to call it Christianity.
That faith is founded upon facts: Scripture, history, and prophecy, all
of which are a matter of clear record and none of which can be changed.
These facts cannot honestly be denied. What must we say of "Christian"
leaders and even entire denominations that do not follow Christ and His
Word? We have exposed many by name and have documented in these pages
their inexcusable hypocrisy and deceit, which must be summarily
rejected. Away with all duplicity! Whoever (Bush, Rice, et al.) insists
that Islam is a "religion of peace" and that Allah is the God of the
Bible is either deceived or lying. Islam has its founding prophet,
Muhammad, who began his career with numerous murders, attacked peaceful
villages and caravans, and beheaded hundreds who surrendered in exchange
for his sworn promise of peace and safety. Islam has its scriptures (the
Qur'an and Hadith) and 1,350 years of the bloodiest and most violent
history of any religion ever known, including the merciless slaughter of
millions (more millions in the take-over of India than Hitler killed in
all of Eastern and Western Europe). We fully document the truth about
Islam in Judgment Day , which every Berean ought to donate to his or her
local public library. One can only say that all those (from Bush and
Rice on down) who turn a blind eye to the indisputable truth about Islam
and call this violent religion "peaceful" are engaged in a cover-up. It
is indisputable that today's Islamic terrorism may not honestly be
blamed upon "extremists." This is true Islam as it always has been from
the beginning! Terrorists are sincere Muslims following both the
teaching and example of Muhammad, the obedient example set by his loyal
followers, and Islam's scriptures, which command the take-over of the
entire world and death to all who will not convert. True, not every
Muslim is a terrorist, but nearly every terrorist is a Muslim!
more... The Hammer and Tongs behind the Hugs of Annapolis DEBKAfile (December 1, 2007) - No one at UN headquarters in New York remembers a case of a draft resolution being abruptly withdrawn hours before a UN Security Council session was scheduled to approve it. This is what happened to a US draft that would have endorsed President Bush’s announcement three days earlier at the Annapolis Middle East conference of Israeli and Palestinian consent to work toward a settlement of their conflict before the end of 2008. The Council had been called into closed session Thursday night, Nov. 30 to endorse the Annapolis declaration. The text was buried hastily in an undignified scramble by the Bush administration after two days of sharp words between the White House and prime minister Ehud Olmert and his threat not to turn up for talks with the Palestinians. This incident led also to the first real falling-out between President George W. Bush and his secretary of state Condoleezza Rice. He blamed her for seeking to bolster the Annapolis declaration by Security Council endorsement, thereby exposing the hyped-up event to the world as a charade and his own declaration as too flimsy to stand up. The head of the Israeli mission, Danny Gillerman, denied being fully briefed on the American text - a diplomatic figure of speech which applies equally to the situation of the Israeli delegation at the Middle East conference in Annapolis and since. But as soon as the Israeli ambassador heard that Khalilzad had obtained the consent of the five permanent members of the Security Council to a closed session for approving the US draft, he urgently alerted Olmert and Livni in Jerusalem. Gillerman warned them that a closed session means that neither Israel nor the Palestinians would be present or given a hearing. And that was not the only undesirable aspect:
Ambassador Gillerman alerted the
Israeli prime minister and foreign minister to the short distance from
UN sponsorship of the process to the dispatch of international troops to
the region as a buffer between Israel’s counter-terror forces and the
Palestinian terrorists ruling the Gaza Strip and West Bank. In the
Israeli ambassador’s opinion, the US initiative to bring the world body
in as a party to the Annapolis declaration originated with Secretary
Rice. She sought to punish Israel for not following her lead at the
conference. He pointed out that the application to the UN directly
contravened Rice’s own accords with the Israeli foreign minister.
Gillerman’s heads-up to Jerusalem sparked an urgent series of phone
calls between the prime minister’s office and the White House. Olmert
made no bones about threatening to pull out of the entire diplomatic
track charted at Annapolis if the Security Council were to be brought in
over its head. After 36 hours of hammer and tongs, US ambassador to the
UN, Zalmay Khalilzad, was instructed to call off the Council session and
withdraw the text. But recriminations on the American side for an
unprecedented loss of face were just as bitter. The White House accused
state department officials of egging Rice on to circumvent the
agreements Bush and Olmert had concluded and running off half-cocked to
the world body in a manner which left the administration red-faced.
Khalilzad was urgently recalled to Washington. When State Department
officials pushed the blame for the shambles on him, accusing him of
drafting the Security Council resolution without consulting the
secretary of state, the US ambassador’s aides shot back with a strong
denial. This incident also brought to the surface the frustrations
experienced by Israel’s delegation to the Annapolis conference, DEBKAfile’s
political sources report. US officials consistently neglected to inform
Olmert or foreign and defense ministers Tzipi Livni and Ehud Barak of
steps pre-coordinated with the Palestinians and Arab ministers,
presenting them as accomplished facts. When Israeli leaders flew out of
Washington Wednesday night, Nov. 28, none had yet been informed that the
White House had named Ret. Gen. James Jones to chair the
“US-Israel-Palestinian mechanism” accompanying the Palestinian-Israel
talks. When they read about it in the media, Olmert protested the
general's role, and it was downgraded to liaison officer. Neither did
the Americans bother to inform Israel about consultations with the
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov for a follow-up conference in
Moscow at the beginning of 2008. There, Israel will be required to agree
to the return of the Golan to Syria.
Christian leaders criticized for seeking 'common ground' with Muslim
imams One
News Now (November 30, 2007) - Last
month, 138 Muslim scholars signed a letter addressed to Pope Benedict
XVI, and other religious leaders, urging them to find common ground
between Islam and Christianity. The letter declared that Islam and
Christianity both believe in only one God, and the commandment to love
one's neighbor. Some 200 Christian leaders have responded to the Muslim
scholars with their own letter, which calls for an interfaith dialogue
that will "reshape" the two communities to "genuinely reflect our common
love for God and for one another." Signers of the response letter
include Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of
Evangelicals, Jim Wallis of the liberal advocacy group Sojourners, and
evangelical pastors Bill Hybels and Rick Warren. Brigitte Gabriel is
founder of the
American Congress for Truth and author of the book Because They
Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America. She says the
letter displays a disturbing lack of knowledge about the Koran. "Our
terrorist enemies -- who have launched an attack against the West and
against the infidels, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, atheists and
everything else -- those terrorists repeated[ly] quote the Koran and
many, many verses of the Koran and the Hadith," she points out. "…the
accompanying books of the Koran [talk] about how Islam looks on
unbelievers, or the Kafirs, as those who are condemned to go to hell."
Gabriel says the Christian community would be wiser to call Muslim imams
on the carpet by urging them to tell their fellow Muslims to "stop
committing acts of barbarism in the name of their religion." She is also
disturbed that Hybels and Warren are suggesting that God and Allah are
one. "Islam is very different from Christianity, or Judaism, or
Buddhism. The Allah of Islam is not the same God we worship," she
argues. "Our God looks at all his people as equals; our God does not
command us to kill anybody. I mean, our Ten Commandments, one of the top
commandments, [says] 'thou shall not kill' -- regardless of if you
believe with these people or not." In a recent column, WorldNetDaily
editor Joseph Farah said the Christian theologians, ministry leaders,
and pastors who signed the letter to Muslim scholars do not speak for
him or for Christ.
Pope invites senior Muslims to Vatican meeting Breitbart.com
(November 29, 2007) - Pope Benedict XVI
invited a delegation of senior
Muslim personalities, who signed an appeal for greater dialogue between
religions, to a meeting at the Vatican, according to a letter released
Thursday. The pope praised the "positive spirit" behind the October 11
message signed by 138 top Muslims from around the world and sent to
Christian leaders, said Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio
Bertone in the letter sent in Pope Benedict's name. The pope wanted to
meet a representative group of the signatories at the Vatican, he added
in the letter sent to Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal, head of the
Institute for Islamic Thought in Amman. "The Pope has asked me to convey
his gratitude to Your Royal Highness and to all who signed the letter,"
Bertone wrote. "He also wishes to express his deep appreciation for this
gesture, for the positive spirit which inspired the text and for the
call for a common commitment to promoting peace in the world. "Without
ignoring or downplaying our differences as Christians and Muslims, we
can and therefore should look to what unites us, namely, belief in the
one God, the provident Creator and universal Judge who at the end of
time will deal with each person according to his or her actions. We are
all called to commit ourselves totally to him and to obey his sacred
will." The letter said the pope "was particularly impressed by the
attention given in the letter to the twofold commandment to love God and
one's neighbour." It recalled Pope Benedict's statement in August 2005
soon after he took office that "we must not yield to the negative
pressures in our midst, but must affirm the values of mutual respect,
solidarity and peace. "The life of every human being is sacred, both for
Christians and for Muslims. There is plenty of scope for us to act
together in the service of fundamental moral values." "Such common
ground allows us to base dialogue on effective respect for the dignity
of every human person, on objective knowledge of the religion of the
other, on the sharing of religious experience and, finally, on common
commitment to promoting mutual respect and acceptance among the younger
generation," the letter went on. "The Pope is confident that, once this
is achieved, it will be possible to cooperate in a productive way in the
areas of culture and society, and for the promotion of justice and peace
in society and throughout the world." more...
Ankara welcomes Pope's EU comments The
Irish Times (November 29, 2006) -
Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan reacted positively today to
comments made by Pope Benedict XVI on his visit to Turkey but there were
more difficulties over the country's bid to join the European Union. The
Pontiff began a 4-day visit yesterday with the aim of defusing Muslim
anger over his recent comments implying Islam was violent religion that
should not be allowed spread throughout the EU. Yesterday, the Pope made
comments which gave apparent support to Turkey's controversial bid to
join the EU and today he made conciliatory comments about Islam. Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdogan after a private meeting with the Pontiff that
the Pope was in favour Turkey's membership bid. "He said 'we are not
political but we wish for Turkey to join the EU'," Mr Erdogan told
journalists. At the Nato summit in Riga, today Italian Prime Minister
Romano Prodi said Mr Erdogan had declared himself "very satisfied" with
the start of the Pope's trip. Celebrating mass at a shrine in
southwestern Turkey today, where believers say the Virgin Mary lived her
last days, Pope Benedict stressed that Christians and Muslims share a
common devotion to the mother of Jesus. Benedict said in his sermon:
"From here in Ephesus, a city blessed by the presence of Mary Most Holy
- who we know is loved and venerated also by Muslims - let us lift up to
the Lord a special prayer for peace between peoples." The Koran
describes Mary as the virgin mother of Jesus, whom Muslims consider the
greatest prophet after Mohammed, and some Muslims - especially women -
visit shrines to her. Benedict's comments on his first official visit to
a Muslim country appeared to go a long way towards making up for a
speech in Germany, which led to several attacks on churches in the
Muslim world and the murder of an Italian nun in Somalia. A columnist in
the Milliyet daily newspaper today said the Pope's comments
were "a big warning for conservative politicians who think the EU is a
Christian club." The EU has criticised Turkey for its treatment of
non-Muslim religious minorities and today the European Commission put a
further barrier to accession when it recommend the suspension of some
strands of negotiations over Ankara's failure to open its ports to EU
member Cyprus. more... I'm learning a little more about the Vatican's place as the woman riding the beast of Revelation 17. I just read a good historic look at the Vatican and her history of "reigning over the kings of the earth." Revelation 17:18 It is by S.H. Venour and is called New World Order: The Counterfeit Kingdom. It was written in 1998 and so the more current news of Europe's rise to power and the 10 kingdoms is missing in the assessment, but the history of the Roman Catholic Church remains the same and as the Bible states is at the core of planning for a New World Order. But her judgment will come in one day and the 10 kings will maul her and burn her with fire according to God's judgment He has put in their heart to fulfill. Revelation 18"It is very important that the visit of Pope Benedict XVI coincides with a period in which the final declaration of Alliance of Civilizations Initiative Istanbul Summit was released," said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who held a news conference regarding his meeting with Pope at Ankara's Esenboga Airport on Tuesday. LinkThis brings me to this article brought to attention by Bjorn on his blog regarding the Alliance of Civilizations. If you have been reading my comments in past issues, you know that the Alliance of Civilizations is heading for a war on those with fundamentalist religious beliefs that claim sole ownership to the Truth. At the core of the Catholic Church is still the Bible and although this Bible is changed from its original, it still states that Yeshua is the only way to salvation. I think therefore that this is why the woman who has controlled and guided world politics over the millennia (riding the beast), will be hated by the 10 horns. In order for the plans for a One World Religion to come to fruition, the foundation of belief must be destroyed. In the case of Christianity, that is the Bible. The Vatican is working toward that end of a One World Religion through the method of accepting all belief and mixing them to dilute the Truth, a trademark of Babylon. In this way, if nobody reads the Bible for themselves and rather trust in the interpretations of men like the Pope for direction, when the great deception is unleashed with power, signs and lying wonders, the world without a firm foundation will have signs and wonders to deceive them from the Truth that has been written in the Bible from the beginning. I believe we may see the Pope at the time act as the 12th Mahdi for Islam and redirect worship of traditional means to the antichrist. It this is the case, then those who listen to the Pope over the Bible will be deceived and lost.
After Annapolis: PA Television Erases Israel From Map Israel
National News (November 29, 2007)
- Just one day after the Annapolis conference at which the PA recognized
the State of Israel's right to exist in peace and security, the PA's
official television station screened a map that shows a Palestinian
state in place of Israel. U.S. President George Bush, at the conference
on Tuesday, read aloud the summit's agreed-upon joint statement, which
declares, "In furtherance of the goal of two states, Israel and
Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we agree to
immediately launch good-faith bilateral negotiations in order to
conclude a peace treaty." However, Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook of
Palestinian Media
Watch (PMW)
report that just a day later, "Mahmoud Abbas’s Palestinian Authority
continues to paint a picture for its people of a world without
Israel." Specifically, PMW reports that an information clip produced a
while ago by the PA's Central Bureau of Statistics was rebroadcast on
Wednesday on Abbas-controlled PA television. The
clip shows a map in which the
Land of Israel is painted in the colors of the Palestinian flag,
symbolizing the replacement of Israel by a Palestinian state. The
Palestinian entity depicted as replacing Israel includes all of Judea,
Samaria and Gaza, though not the Golan Heights. The depiction of all of
Israel as "Palestine" is not coincidental, PMW reports, "and is part of
a formal, systematic educational approach throughout the Palestinian
Authority. This uniform message of a world without Israel is repeated in
school books, children's programs, crossword puzzles, video clips,
formal symbols, school and street names, etc. The picture painted for
the Palestinian population, both verbally and visually, is of a world
without Israel." PMW concludes: "The fact that this campaign continues
before the ink on the Annapolis agreement is even dry appears to
contradict the central promise of the Palestinians at the Annapolis
conference: that Israel has a right to exist." The television clip
appears to be loyal to widespread public opinion on the PA street. PA
forces were forced to put down anti-Israel and anti-Annapolis rallies in
several cities this week, and one protestor was even shot and killed.
The protestors stated that Abbas has no right to make "concessions"
regarding Jerusalem, refugees and the like in the name of the
Palestinian people, and that any deal he makes with Israel will not be
binding. In Hevron, PA security forces killed a demonstrator, injured
dozens, and arrested 29 when using force to disperse a mass protest. PA
forces also dispersed large protests in Ramallah, Shechem (Nablus), and
Bethlehem, making several arrests. In Hamas-controlled Gaza, the
protests were much more intense, and hundreds of thousands of people
rallied in Gaza City, emphasizing the importance of the "right of
return" for millions of Arabs and their descendants, the "liberation" of
Jerusalem, the retention of "every inch of Palestinian land" and “the
path of resistance and jihad,” i.e., terrorism. Well it seems clear what the population is being told to expect of the future. We know from Bible prophecy that a period called the time of Jacob's trouble will occur after the abomination of desolation and will involve a supernatural army that goes through Judea murdering any Jews they find. Joel 2:1-10 We also see the rhetoric calling for the destruction of the State of Israel coming from the same nations that are supposedly backing the land-for-peace deal. So it seems in reality they view this as just a first step, taken with the backing of the international community, to reach their ultimate goal of a world without Israel. The extremists working to produce the chaos their prophecies tell precede the 12th Mahdi's return from the earth are going to keep railing publicly against Israel while the front-men to the international community will work with lies and deceit to bring about the same goal in steps. Understand Muslim goals and you will readily see where this is going, right where the Bible said it would thousands of years ago. Keep watching and praying! If anyone hasn't seen Farewell Israel: Bush, Iran And The Revolt Of Islam I would recommend checking it out. They point out some of the miscommunication based on the different societies and how even speaking the same words don't have the same meaning in the two worlds. This has disastrous ends of course when you know what the two sides actually mean, not just what they say. PA official: Olmert lying about Temple Mount YNet News (November 29, 2007) - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's statements on Wednesday that Israel's sovereignty over the Temple Mount is not up for negotiation are "false," according to a chief Palestinian negotiator, who told WND the Israeli leader already agreed to forfeit Judaism's holiest site to a coalition of Arab countries. "What Olmert said (regarding the Mount) is absolutely false. I think he's not yet ready to tell the Israeli public and is waiting for the right time and he fears his coalition with religious extremists will fall apart if he announces it now," said a senior Palestinian negotiator Thursady on condition his name be withheld. The chief Palestinian negotiator said in months leading up to Annapolis the Palestinian team was "surprised" by Olmert's willingness to give up the Mount. "We had intense debates on many topics, which remain open and unsettled, but the Harem Al-Sharif (Temple Mount) is not a sticking point. The Israelis didn't argue with us. We were pleasantly surprised Olmert didn't debate about giving the lower section of the Mount either, which was a sticking point in the past." According to the chief Palestinian negotiator, Olmert agreed to evacuate the Mount but not to turn it over to the Palestinians alone. The negotiator said both sides agreed the Temple Mount would be given to joint Egypt, Jordan and Palestinian Authority control. He said the Israeli government felt an umbrella group of several Arab countries controlling the holy site instead of only the PA would help ease Israeli domestic opposition to giving up the Temple Mount, since Egypt and Jordan are considered by Israeli policy to be moderate countries. The Palestinian negotiator pointed out Israeli prime ministers previously denied withdrawal plans only to later carry them out. Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, elected on a platform against evacuating territory, denied for his first year in office he would retreat from the Gaza Strip but in 2005 he carried out a Gaza withdrawal. In a briefing to reporters yesterday, Olmert claimed Israel's sovereignty over the Temple Mount is not up for discussion. He said negotiations started at this week's Annapolis summit had no bearing on the situation on the Temple Mount. At the start of Tuesday's summit, President Bush read a joint declaration agreed to by Olmert and PA President Mahmoud Abbas committing the two to launch immediate negotiations aimed at "two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side." The parties said they would aim to conclude an agreement before Bush leaves office next year, with Israel widely expected to evacuate large swaths of the West Bank and speculation about eastern sections of Jerusalem, handing Abbas the strategic territories. Israel recaptured the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, in 1967. "The negotiations will address all of the issues which we have thus far avoided dealing with," said Olmert on Tuesday. "I am convinced that the reality that emerged in our region in 1967 will change significantly. I know this. Many of my people know this. We are prepared for it." I'm thinking that we may indeed see the Temple Mount handed over in the name of peace. I also believe that the Magog invasion will come after that division of Israel while the temporary peace is built. Ezekiel says that Israel is dwelling in safety when attacked from the North and this will only happen prophetically between now and the abomination of desolation. After that 2/3 of Israel are killed and 1/3 is taken to the wilderness for the remainder of the 70th week until Christ returns in glory. So clearly they won't be living in peace and safety then. So I believe we could see the Temple Mount handed over in the name of peace with a sudden shift in Israeli consciousness once God demonstrates His power in the destruction of the attackers with fire and brimstone from heaven. I think at that point nobody will desire to stop Israel from rebuilding the temple and many won't want to after seeing God's hand in the destruction of those coming against Israel. Time will tell, but it seems to fit together pretty well that way. Annapolis: A Day for the Prophetic History Books Fulfilled Prophecy (November 29, 2007) - Organizers and attendees appear to agree: the Annapolis Conference, Tuesday, was a success. But more than that, I think it was prophetically significant. For the first time, the entire international community -- including the United States, Israel and even the Arab nations -- gathered to declare their joint support for the creation of a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas committed to working for a peace treaty by the end of 2008. (Read their statement of Joint Understanding here.) They're now creating a steering committee that will start continuous negotiations on Dec. 12. Olmert and Abbas will meet every two weeks to advance the negotiations. Olmert and Abbas also agreed to begin immediate implementation of their nation's obligations under the Road Map for Peace, created in 2003 by the Quartet on the Middle East (the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations). They even agreed to let the United States monitor the implementation of the Road Map and judge whether both parties are fulfilling their obligations. And, today, the United States appointed a Special Envoy for Middle East Security -- General James Jones, an ex-NATO commander -- to help Abbas' government bring security to Palestine. Read about it here. Despite the naysayers, I think we may see a peace deal within the next year. Of course, that's what we'd expect if we've entered the 70th week of Daniel. That's not to say there won't be bumps in the road and times when negotiations look like they've stalled. But we may look back to this conference as the breakthrough. In my father, Herb Peters', book, Recommendation 666 (available to read free here), he cited the 1992 Israeli election as the first time Israelis began saying "Peace and safety!" -- when they voted for Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin who ran on the platform of trading land for peace. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:3, when they are saying "peace and safety!" (in other words, when Israel is willing to give up its God-given land and turn to its enemies for protection) then destruction will come on Israel suddenly. Note two very similar words in the statement of Joint Understanding read by Bush at the conference:
This is a formal
declaration made by Israel -- and witnessed by the nations of the world
-- that Israel has chosen to give up its land for peace. And it was a
U.S. president -- sad for me to say -- that pushed for it.
Yes, I think we'll look back on
this day as prophetically significant.
More bad news for the dollar as the UAE gets ready to dump it Thaindian
News (November 28, 2007) - A serious
crisis looms ahead of the US dollar as the UAE along with other Gulf
Cooperation states are reportedly considering a move to dump the US
currency. For GCC states where the main export; oil; is dollar
denominated it makes sense. This week the governor of UAE’s
central bank twice questioned
the existing currency regime. Washington, however, will resist another
blow to the dollar, and it is using all its muscle to discourage the
Gulf regimes from dropping the dollar. If the oil exporting nations drop
the dollar, experts say that it will lose at least twenty percent of its
value. In September this year, as the dirham faced further value erosion
following the dollar’s decline against major international currencies,
UAE residents became poorer as the currency bought less and less of what
it used to in the past. The UAE economy is facing a unique situation due
to high growth, high inflation and low interest rates as the dirham
faces further erosion as a result of the falling dollar. Due to the
inherent weakness of the US economy and the tightening credit situation
in the US, economists expect the dollar to decline further. The Middle
East News quoted Serhan Cevik, an economist at Morgan Stanley, as saying
recently that the weaker dollar would worsen the already high
inflationary pressures in
the Gulf Cooperation Council
states. Last year, the UAE’s inflation hit a 19-year high of 9.3 per
cent. According to Sudhir Shetty, the General Manager of the UAE
Exchange Centre, was quoted as saying that the Indian rupee gained more
than 14 per cent against the dirham in 2006. He warned then that the
exchange rate losses combined with domestic inflation is wiping out more
than one third of the earnings of Indian expatriates working in the UAE.
Western expatriates to have suffered heavily from the dirham’s fall. The
dirham fell 17 per cent against the euro from December 2005 to the end
of August 2007 and dropped 16 per cent against sterling. The recent
sharp fall of the dirham’s exchange rate against all leading
international currencies was triggered by a 50-basis-point (0.5 per
cent) interest cut by the US Federal Reserve. Due to the growing
pressure of the global credit crunch arising out of the US mortgage
market turmoil and sagging economic growth, the Fed was forced to cut
interest rates, reports the business website zawya.com. The lowering of
interest rates and the growing prospects of future interest rate cuts in
the US has driven the
currency markets to dump the
dollar in favour of other currencies such as the Euro, Sterling, the
Canadian dollar and a host of Asian currencies such as the Indian rupee
and the Chinese yuan. While the dollar’s decline was proportionately
reflected in the dirham’s exchange rate against other currencies due to
the dirham’s peg to the dollar, a big surge in domestic prices
(inflation) in recent years has seen the dirham’s purchasing power
shrink rapidly. The sharp decline of the dollar against major currencies
has revived the debate about the dirham’s revaluation as a viable
solution. More than 70 per cent of the UAE’s imports are from Europe,
the UK and Asia where currencies have appreciated against the dollar.
The decline of the dollar has added to imported inflation. Earlier this
month, following the recent OPEC meet in Riyadh, Iran’s President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said all
GCC states were concerned
about the falling US currency and have asked their finance ministers to
study the feasibility of selling oil in another currency.
more...
Summary of remarks by Javier SOLANA on the occasion of the Annapolis
Conference Europa
(November 27, 2007) - NEW MOMENTUM IN THE
PEACE PROCESS: Recent developments have created a sense of cautious
optimism for progress towards resolution of the Israeli/Palestinian
conflict. President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert are engaged in a
substantive and wide-ranging bilateral dialogue. The United States
Government is actively supporting their efforts, including by calling
for an international meeting before the end of the year, in order to
launch a bilateral negotiation process that would lead to the
establishment of a Palestinian state. The new momentum in the peace
process benefits from the full backing and active involvement of the
Quartet. Arab support has been expressed through the voice of the Arab
League follow-up Committee. Comprehensive peace in the Middle East is a
strategic objective for the European Union. Any lasting and just
settlement to the conflict should be based on the principle of land for
peace, relevant UNSC resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative, the Roadmap
and previous agreements reached between the parties. The EU considers
that the present opportunity should not be missed and is ready to take
its responsibilities, in accordance with the vital European interests
involved. The EU is therefore committed to supporting current efforts in
a serious and substantive way, offering a comprehensive and coherent
contribution to the process, including during the crucial implementation
period. The European Union calls on all other interested parties to
support the current process, bearing in mind the high cost of failure
for everyone involved. The forthcoming international meeting in
Annapolis should launch a bilateral negotiation between Israel and the
Palestinians on final status issues, as a first step towards a
comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It should
establish a robust follow-up process under the auspices of the Quartet
and with the involvement of the international community. The EU calls on
its Quartet, Arab League and other international partners to contribute
to the success of the upcoming donors conference in Paris, which will
constitute an indispensable complement to the political process launched
at Annapolis. more...
Joint
Understanding Read by President Bush at Annapolis Conference US
Department of State (November 27, 2007)
- PRESIDENT BUSH: The representatives of the government of the state of
Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, represented
respective by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and President Mahmoud Abbas in
his capacity as Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee and President of
the Palestinian Authority, have convened in Annapolis, Maryland, under
the auspices of President George W. Bush of the United States of
America, and with the support of the participants of this international
conference, having concluded the following joint understanding. We
express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and
decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in a new era of peace,
based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual
recognition; to propagate a culture of peace and nonviolence; to
confront terrorism and incitement, whether committed by Palestinians or
Israelis. In furtherance of the goal of two states, Israel and
Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we agree to
immediately launch good-faith bilateral negotiations in order to
conclude a peace treaty, resolving all outstanding issues, including all
core issues without exception, as specified in previous agreements. We
agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations, and
shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008.
For this purpose, a steering committee, led jointly by the head of the
delegation of each party, will meet continuously, as agreed. The
steering committee will develop a joint work plan and establish and
oversee the work of negotiations teams to address all issues, to be
headed by one lead representative from each party. The first session of
the steering committee will be held on 12 December 2007. President Abbas
and Prime Minister Olmert will continue to meet on a bi-weekly basis to
follow up the negotiations in order to offer all necessary assistance
for their advancement. The parties also commit to immediately implement
their respective obligations under the performance-based road map to a
permanent two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, issued
by the Quartet on 30 April 2003 -- this is called the road map -- and
agree to form an American, Palestinian and Israeli mechanism, led by the
United States, to follow up on the implementation of the road map. The
parties further commit to continue the implementation of the ongoing
obligations of the road map until they reach a peace treaty. The United
States will monitor and judge the fulfillment of the commitment of both
sides of the road map. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties,
implementation of the future peace treaty will be subject to the
implementation of the road map, as judged by the United States.
Israel, Palestinians OK negotiating plan Associated
Press (November 27, 2007) -
Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed Tuesday to immediately
resume long-stalled talks toward a deal by the end of next year
that would create an independent Palestinian state, using a
U.S.-hosted Mideast peace conference to launch their first
negotiations in seven years. In a joint statement read by
President Bush, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas pledged to start discussions
on the core issues of the conflict next month and accepted the
United States as arbiter of interim steps. "We agree to
immediately launch good-faith bilateral negotiations in order to
conclude a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues,
including all core issues without exception, as specified in
previous agreements," it said. "We agree to engage in
vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations and shall make
every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008,"
said the document, which was reached after weeks of intense
diplomacy and was uncertain until just before Bush announced it.
The conference at the U.S. Naval Academy has been greeted by
heavy skepticism, with many questioning its timing and prospects
for success, especially given the weaknesses of Olmert and
Abbas, whose leadership is challenged by the militant Hamas
movement. And the task is complicated by Arab pressure to
resolve other long simmering disputes Israel has with Syria and
Lebanon. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, in his
remarks to the conference, called for the earliest possible
resumption of talks with Lebanon and Syria, which wants the
return of the Golan Heights, land seized by Israel during the
1967 war. "We have come to support the launching of serious and
continuing talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis that
will address all the core and final status issues," Saud said.
"These talks must be followed by the launching of the Syrian and
Lebanese tracks at the earliest." more... Olmert Addresses the Annapolis Mideast Conference Washington Post (November 27, 2007) - PRIME MINISTER EHUD OLMERT (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): The honorable president of the United States, George Bush, my colleague, president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, heads of delegations, and distinguished guests, I came here today from Jerusalem, Mr. President, at your invitation, to extend, on behalf of the people of Israel and the state of Israel, to the Palestinian people and to our neighboring Arab states, to extend a hand in peace, a hand which marks the beginning of historic reconciliation between us and you, the Palestinians, and all of the Arab nations. I had many good reasons not to come here to this meeting. Memory of failures in the near and distant past weighed heavy upon us. The dreadful terrorism perpetrated by Palestinian terrorist organizations has affected thousands of Israeli citizens, has destroyed families and has tried to disrupt the lives of the citizens of Israel. I witnessed this when I served as mayor of Jerusalem in days of bombings at cafes, on buses, and in recreational centers in Jerusalem, as well as in other cities in the state of Israel. The ongoing shooting of Qassam rockets against tens of thousands of residents in the south of Israel, particularly in the city of Sderot, serves as a warning sign, one which we cannot overlook. The absence of governmental institutions and effective law enforcement mechanisms, the role of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the ongoing activity of murderous organizations throughout all the territories of the Palestinian Authority, the absence of a legal system that meets the basic criteria of democratic government, all of these are factors which deter us from moving forward too hastily. I am not overlooking any of these obstacles which are liable to emerge along the way. I see them. But I came here, despite the concerns and the doubts and the hesitations to say to you, President Mahmoud Abbas, and through you to your people, and to the entire Arab world, the time has come. We no longer and you no longer have the privilege of adhering to dreams which are (inaudible) from the sufferings of our peoples, the hardships that they experience daily, and the burden of living under ongoing uncertainty, which offers no hope of change or of a better future. We want peace. We demand an end to terror, an end to incitement and to hatred. We are prepared to make a painful compromise, rife with risks, in order to realize these aspirations. I came here today not in order to settle historical accounts between us and you about what caused the confrontations and the hatred, and what for many years has prevented a compromise, a settlement of peace. more... | Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | America | Hamas rejects Abbas speech at Annapolis conference Jerusalem Post (November 27, 2007) - Watching on TV Tuesday as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appealed for peace with Israel at the beginning of a Middle East conference in the United States, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza rejected his call and said Abbas speaks only for himself. The spokesman, Fawzi Barhoum, watched the opening speeches at his office in Gaza City. He said Abbas "has no mandate to discuss, to agree, or to erase any word related to our rights." Barhoum said Abbas went to the conference "without any support from his people. He is isolated (and) represents himself only." Barhoum expressed disappointment in the participation of Arab nations in the summit. Their presence is seen as support for renewed peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Instead, Barhoum indicated that Hamas would continue its violence against Israel. "We will use all the tools of resistance to achieve our rights," he said.| Islam | Dividing the Land |
Text of Bush’s Remarks at Annapolis Conference NY
Times (November 27, 2007) - Here are
the remarks President Bush delivered today at the United States Naval
Academy in Annapolis, Md., as transcribed by Federal News Service, Inc.,
a private firm not affiliated with the government. Mr. Bush’s remarks
opened a meeting of Middle Eastern leaders seeking peace in that region,
and were addressed to the leaders. Thank you for coming. Prime Minister
Olmert, President Abbas, Secretary-General Ban, former Prime Minister
Blair, distinguished guests, welcome to one of the finest institutions
we have in America, the United States Naval Academy. We appreciate you
joining us in what I believe is an historic opportunity to encourage the
expansion of freedom and peace in the Holy Land. We meet to lay the
foundation for the establishment of a new nation, a democratic
Palestinian state that will live side by side with Israel in peace and
security. We meet to help bring an end to violence that has been the
true enemy to the aspirations of both the Israelis and Palestinians.
We’re off to a strong start. I’m about to read a statement that was
agreed upon by our distinguished guests. “The representatives of the
government of the state of Israel and the Palestinian Liberation
Organization, represented respectively by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and
President Mahmoud Abbas, in his capacity as chairman of the P.L.O.
Executive Committee and president of the Palestinian Authority, have
convened in Annapolis, Maryland, under the auspices of President George
W. Bush of the United States of America, and with the support of the
participants of this international conference, having concluded the
following joint understanding. “We express our determination to bring an
end to bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples;
to usher in a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice,
dignity, respect and mutual recognition; to propagate a culture of peace
and nonviolence; to confront terrorism and incitement, whether committed
by Palestinians or Israelis. In furtherance of the goal of two states,
Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we
agree to immediately launch good-faith, bilateral negotiations in order
to conclude a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues, including
all core issues, without exception, as specified in previous agreements.
more...
Bush: I remain personally committed to two state solution Jerusalem
Post (November
26, 2007) - "I remain personally committed to implementing my
vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by
side in peace and security," US President George W. Bush pledged in a
statement released by the White House Sunday, ahead of the Annapolis
conference. Bush said the conference would signal international support
for the Israelis' and Palestinians' intention to commence negotiations
on the establishment of a Palestinian state and the realization of peace
between the two peoples. "The broad attendance at this conference by
regional states and other key international participants demonstrates
the international resolve to seize this important opportunity to advance
freedom and peace in the Middle East," continued the statement. [Israel] for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee. Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey. For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. [Pre 1948] Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof. And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. [Technology of Israel] Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them. And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD. And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he hath done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it. Remember Andrew and Katrina? Bill Koenig wrote a book, Eye to Eye: Facing the Consequences of Dividing Israel journaling the events that transpired and the touchdown of these two hurricanes on the very days that America was working to divide the land of Israel. Coincidence? You decide. BTW, this plays right in with the comments of the story above regarding the earth changes and what is causing them. God's wrath is coming and acceptance of Yeshua is our ONLY escape. Those too proud to come humbly before Him will get to not be near Him. His wrath will make many humble and shake their foundations (wealth, strength, power, life). These all fade and every one of us comes before the God of the universe. I recommend you get His Son as your defender before the Father as your judge. American politics are not going to stop their dividing of Israel, there may be a reason they are acting the way they are. Watch this ( 1:30:27) and read through the America page.
EU expected to follow Middle East peace conference with major aid push International
Herald Tribune (November 21, 2007) -
The European Union goes to next week's Middle East peace conference
ready to back up an agreement with financial aid, recognizing that
without giving Palestinians hope for improved living standards, a
political settlement will remain out of reach. The EU, which will be
represented by its key Mideast envoys and a number of foreign ministers,
is expected, however, to take a back seat to the United States in the
diplomatic drive to restart a peace process between Israeli and the
Palestinians. The conference takes place Monday through Wednesday in
Annapolis, Maryland, and Washington. "The European Union is a bit on the
sidelines for this process. The idea is for the United States to get the
two key players together," said Alfred Pijpers, a senior researcher at
the Clingendael Netherlands Institute for International Relations. "The
European Union will be of great help for financing, and technical
assistance and investments and so on, but as far as the direct,
so-called peace process is concerned, at this moment I don't see a very
immediate and direct activity from the EU side," he said by telephone
from Amsterdam on Wednesday. The EU is the Palestinians' largest aid
donor. In 2007, the EU and its 27 member nations gave close to €1
billion (US$1.48 billion), most of it in humanitarian assistance for
Palestinians who now live under rival governments in the West Bank and
the Gaza Strip. This week, the EU foreign ministers endorsed steps to
support any peace moves emerging from the Annapolis conference, which
will also be attended by delegations from Arab nations. The steps were
outlined in a report written by Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU's
external relations commissioner, and Javier Solana, the EU security
affairs chief. The report makes clear EU aid will be made available for
practical purposes: money and technical assistance to boost the
Palestinian police force and to reform the Palestinians' health,
education and judiciary departments. more...
The 1,800-year Israeli drought WorldNet
Daily (November 21, 2007) - If
reports of what is to transpire at the Annapolis Mideast summit are
correct, not only is Israel prepared to give up the Temple Mount, divide
Jerusalem and hand over Judea and Samaria to terrorists, the Jewish
state is also ready to concede the so-called "right of return" to untold
numbers of Arabs – many of whom have no actual connection with the land.
I could tell you such a notion is a strategic error. I could tell you it
is a result of twisted history. I could tell you it threatens the
national security of the Jewish state. But I've said all that before.
Instead, I prefer to tell you what happened the last time the Jews left
large sections of their biblical homeland, turning it over to non-Jewish
foreigners. It happened in the first century, beginning in A.D. 70, with
the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and continuing for decades
afterward as the global empire wiped out most of the Jewish presence in
Israel. It's not a threat. It's not a promise. It's not a prophecy. It's
just a fact. It's something I learned from a rabbi in Brooklyn by the
name of Menachem Kohen, author of a new book called
"Prophecies for the Era of Muslim Terror."
Have you ever wondered why the Holy Land was a wasteland during the
1,800-year dispersion of the Jews that lasted until they returned in
significant numbers beginning in the early 20th century? Have you ever
wondered why Mark Twain was so disappointed at what he found in his
travels through the area in the 19th century? Have you ever wondered
why, during that period of nearly two millennia, no other people
successfully and permanently settled this land that is so much in
dispute today? Rabbi Kohen points out the land suffered an
unprecedented, severe and inexplicable (by anything other than
supernatural explanations) drought that lasted from the first century
until the 20th – a period of 1,800 years coinciding with the forced
dispersion of the Jews. Kohen sees this as a miraculous fulfillment of
prophecy found in the book of Deuteronomy – especially chapter 28:23-24.
"And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that
is under thee shall be iron. "The LORD shall make the rain of thy land
powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be
destroyed." The climate in Israel dramatically changed during this
1,800-period – way before Al Gore discovered "global warming." Before
the Jews entered Canaan, it was described in the Bible as a land flowing
with milk and honey. If you read what Israel's climate and natural
landscape was like from the time Joshua crossed the Jordan right up
until the time of Jesus,
it sounds like a heavily forested land. There were amazing crops raised
by the people who inhabited the land when the Jews arrived. Sometimes
I've wondered what happened to Israel to turn it into the dusty, arid
land it was when the Jews came back in the 20th century. Until I read
that prophecy in Deuteronomy, brought to my attention by Rabbi Kohen, I
had no clue. For 1,800 years, it hardly ever rained in Israel. This was
the barren land discovered by Mark Twain. So-called "Palestine" was a
wasteland – nobody lived there. There was no indigenous Arab population
to speak of. It only came after the Jews came back. Beginning in
A.D. 70 and lasting until the early 1900s – about 660,000 days – no
rain. I decided to check this out as best I could and examined the
rainfall data for 150 years in Israel beginning in the early 1800s and
leading up to the 1960s. What I found was astonishing –
increasing rainfall almost every single year – with the heaviest
rainfall coming in and around 1948 and 1967. Is this just a
coincidence? I'll be quite honest with you: I don't think so.
Nor do I think Israel can continue today to make bad stewardship
decisions regarding the land bequeathed the Jews by God without
consequences – serious consequences.
Moscow Comes between Israel and Syria Kommersant (November
16, 2007)
- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister
Alexander Saltanov and special representative of the foreign minister
for the Middle East Sergey Yakovlev arrived in Israel yesterday. The
main topic of their talks there will be a Syrian-Israeli settlement.
Russia hopes that its influence on Syria will permit it to overtake the
United States as peacemaker in the Middle East. The Russians' visit is
being given low-key treatment. They met with Israeli Foreign Minister
Tzipi Livni yesterday. The Israeli Foreign Ministry declined to comment
on their talks. The Russians also met with head of the Israeli National
Security Council Ilan Mizrahi. Officially, the topic of their talks was
the upcoming Israeli-Palestinian meetings in Annapolis, Maryland. Other
sources say they talked about a conference in Moscow, which the
Kremlin has been hoping for
since 2005. Since Israel prefers to deal with the Palestinians directly
and recognizes only the U.S. as an intermediary, Moscow has revamped its
proposal as a conference on Israeli-Syrian settlement. The possibility
of returning the Golan Heights, captured from Syria in 1967, in return
for a peace settlement, is more and more frequently mentioned in Israel
now. The U.S., although jealous of its role as peacemaker in the Middle
East, has indicated that it would agree to such a conference in Moscow.
Damascus had made it know that, during the summit in Annapolis, it would
host a summit of anti-Israeli forces. Former Russian prime minister and
head of the Russian
Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Evgeny Primakov was able to dissuade Syria from that plan during a visit
there at the beginning of the month. Instead, Syrian President Bashar
Asad will send his own envoy to Annapolis. In return, Syria is demanding
that the conference in Moscow take place, as the first step in its
recovery of the Golan Heights. Any apparent desire of Russia to bring peace to the Middle East is overshadowed by what the Bible says about those allied with Iran currently and a future attack on Israel. In this light, it is clear that Russia is on the side of Iran who has stated in no uncertain terms that the current administration desires the State of Israel to cease to exist. The m/o of the enemy is to come in with flattery and deceive, pretending to work for a common goal in order to get close enough to their enemy to undermine them and have an advantage. Russia's government has made itself an ally with all those who vehemently oppose Israel and given the Bible's description of what is to come, peace is not their ultimate goal.
Saudi gang-rape victim is jailed BBC
(November 15, 2007)
- An appeal court in Saudi Arabia has doubled the number of lashes and
added a jail sentence as punishment for a woman who was gang-raped. The
victim was initially punished for violating laws on segregation of the
sexes - she was in an unrelated man's car at the time of the attack.
When she appealed, the judges said she had been attempting to use the
media to influence them. The attackers' sentences - originally of up to
five years - were doubled. According to the Arab News newspaper, the
19-year-old woman, who is from Saudi Arabia's Shia minority, was
gang-raped 14 times in an attack in the eastern province a
year-and-a-half ago. Seven men from the majority Sunni community were
found guilty of the rape and sentenced to prison terms ranging from just
under a year to five years. But the victim was also punished for
violating Saudi Arabia's laws on segregation that forbid unrelated men
and women from associating with each other. She was initially sentenced
to 90 lashes for being in the car of a strange man. On appeal, the Arab
News reported that the punishment was not reduced but increased to 200
lashes and a six-month prison sentence. The rapists also had their
prison terms doubled. But the sentences are still low considering they
could have faced the death penalty. The Arab News quoted an official as
saying the judges had decided to punish the girl for trying to aggravate
and influence the judiciary through the media. The victim's lawyer was
suspended from the case, has had his licence to work confiscated, and
faces a disciplinary session.
Rice:
Israelis are prepared to give up West Bank for peace Haaretz
(November 13, 2007) - U.S. Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday she believes that the majority of
Israelis are prepared to give up the West Bank in exchange for peace.
Rice made the comments at the final panel of the yearly General Assembly
of the United Jewish Communities (GA), in Nashville Tennessee, which
ended Tuesday. Rice added that Israelis must be prepared for difficult
and painful sacrifices to some of their longest-held aspirations during
upcoming talks with Palestinian leaders. Rice did not specify what
sacrifices might be needed but added that the Palestinians must also be
prepared for sacrifices. "The threat from violent extremists means that
failure of the talks is not an option," she said. "What is at stake is
nothing less than the future of the Middle East," she added. Rice
expressed optimism ahead of the upcoming U.S.-hosted Annapolis summit
planned for the end of November, and said that the situation in the past
years had improved greatly. She maintained that Israelis believe today
that the establishment of a Palestinian state could benefit Israel, and
that most Arab states are not questioning whether Israel will exist, but
rather what the conditions for peace are. "In our view, the security of
the democratic Jewish state required the creation of a responsible
Palestinian state," she said. She suggested that the Palestinian state
also could serve as a bulwark against the threat from violent
extremists. She praised President George W. Bush for realizing a
Palestinian democracy was a necessary precondition for meaningful
negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis. "Some think that
this focus on democracy backfired with the election of Hamas," she said.
"I disagree with that conclusion. Hamas always had power. What it never
had was responsibility for power." "Hamas has chosen violence rather
than responsible government," she said, "and for that reason it is
isolated by the international community." Rice said a two-state solution
for the Israelis and Palestinians was more urgent than ever because of
the threat from violent extremists in the Middle East, referring
specifically to Hamas, Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas and Iran. "Iran is
choosing to destabilize the Middle East, pursue nuclear capabilities and
threaten our allies, especially Israel," she said. She also warned that
the mere thought of a nuclear Iran is unacceptable for the U.S., and
should be unacceptable for the international community as well. She
praised the Iranian people, maintaining that their leadership does not
properly represent them - investing million in financing terror and
developing nuclear weapons while the citizens of Iran are struggling to
find jobs.
Israel determined not to let peace meet fail: Peres AFP
(November 12, 2007) - Israeli President
Shimon Peres pledged Monday that his country would work for a tangible
result at an upcoming US-sponsored Middle East peace conference, saying
that the Jewish state is ready to make peace with the Palestinians.
"Israel has decided to make Annapolis a success, to bring an end to the
conflict, to finally make peace between the Palestinians and ourselves,"
Peres told a news conference here after talks with his Turkish
counterpart Abdullah Gul. "It takes time to make peace... but I believe
we can make peace now with the Palestinians," he said. The United States
is expected to host an international conference in Annapolis, Maryland,
later this year aimed at reviving the Middle East peace process that
broke down seven years ago. "All parties concerned are decided... not to
let this chance pass away," Peres said, but warned against expecting a
quick result from the meeting he described as a "station on the road to
peace". Gul said Turkey expects the Annapolis meeting to yield
"concrete" results to pave the way for comprehensive peace talks, but
stressed that all parties to the Middle East conflict, including Syria,
should attend the talks. Peres said those attending the talks should be
"all moderate countries which are for peace." "The more countries
participate, the stronger the voice of peace becomes," he said. No
invitations have yet been issued for the Annapolis conference, but US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday it was likely Syria
would be invited. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said that
Damascus will stay away from Annapolis unless the Israeli-Arab conflict
at large is discussed, including the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Peres said Ankara would participate in the conference and described it
as a move that will bring "spirit, example and contribution to make
peace". Muslim-majority, secular Turkey believes it is in a position to
facilitate peace efforts in the Middle East, counting on its close ties
with Israel and the Palestinians both, as well as a recent rapprochement
with former foe Syria. Gul said Turkey was also ready to launch
negotiations for the release of two Israeli soldiers captured last year
by the Shiite Muslim Hezbollah. Peres is scheduled to meet Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ali Babacan later
Monday. The highlight of his trip will be on Tuesday when he addresses
the Turkish parliament in Hebrew, becoming the first Israeli head of
state to speak before the legislature of a Muslim-populated country.
more...
Israel on alert for Syria air strike
Times Online
(November 11, 2007) - THE defensive missile
shield around Israel’s Dimona nuclear reactor was placed on red alert 30
times last week amid fears of an air strike by Syria. A battery of
American-made Patriot antiaircraft missiles has been moved to Dimona in
the Negev desert following intelligence that a strike may be launched in
retaliation for Israel’s bombing of a suspected nuclear site in Syria
two months ago. In a highly unusual move, the officers in charge of the
missiles were permitted to talk to Israeli state television about their
preparations. “We’re ready to launch the missiles in seconds, once we’re
on full alert,” said First Lieutenant Adi, a young female officer who is
the deputy commander of the battery. Tension with Damascus has
heightened since September 6 when Israeli fighters destroyed the
suspected nuclear installation in northern Syria. “The fact that the
Syrians didn’t launch an immediate strike against Israel doesn’t mean
that they won’t retaliate in due course,” said an Israeli defense
source. “Dimona is on the top of their list.” Tension is mounting in
Israel. “Every civilian aircraft en route from Cairo to Amman, or from
Jeddah to Cairo and vice versa, which deviates even slightly from its
route, sets off an alarm and risks a missile being fired,” said the
female commander of the Patriot battery. The unit is authorized to shoot
down any aircraft which approaches, civilian or combat. An Israeli
Mirage jet that approached Dimona by mistake was shot down during the
Six-Day War in 1967, while a Libyan Boeing 727 which lost its way in a
storm in 1973 and approached Dimona was also downed. All 113 on board
were killed.
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... Solana Links Mideast Peace to Euro-Med Partnership Fulfilled Prophecy (November 5,6, 2007) - Mr Solana underlined to ministers the importance of the meeting on the Middle East peace process to be held in Annapolis and the need for all the parties to play a constructive part. The same was true of the presidential election in Lebanon: all parties must be constructive. As regards the Barcelona Process, Mr Solana stressed the importance of discussing security and energy issues in the Euro-Mediterranean forum and pointed to the progress made in the past year.
At the joint press conference with the Portuguese Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council, Luis Amado, Mr Solana pointed to the strength and dynamism of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. The work over the past year, the communiqué - a joint text agreed by everyone - and the fact that other countries wanted to join the club, reflected this. | Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal |
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...
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...
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.
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...
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
'We must be ready to preempt threats' The
Jerusalem Post (October 23, 2007)
- Israeli Ambassador to the US Sallai Meridor declared Monday
that Israel should always
be prepared "to preempt, to deter and to defeat if we can" when
speaking about the threats facing the country. Chief among those
threats was Iran, said Meridor, who called for a unified
international as well as domestic American front to counter the
Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions. "This will take a united
United States on this matter, that they would not have the
illusion today that come January '09, they [Teheran] have it
their own way," he said, referring to the inauguration of
President George W. Bush's successor, who could potentially
change US policy on Iran. Meridor said "very little time"
remained to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to
avoid the worst-case scenarios, outlined by French President
Nicolas Sarkozy, of an Iranian bomb or a war with
Iran. "There may be a
third way still, but only if the diplomatic and economic steps
could be dramatically - not incrementally - intensified," he
said, adding that 33 percent of Iran's trade is with Europe.
Meridor's comments appeared to put Israel at odds with America's
approach to UN Security Council sanctions, in which the US is
pushing for a gradual increase of pressure on Iran through a
series of sanctions resolutions so long as Teheran refuses to
halt uranium enrichment. A third such resolution is currently
being considered. Israeli sources said that to their knowledge
the administration is also calling for tougher sanctions. The
ambassador said Iran
would only stop its quest for nuclear capabilities when "the
cost [is at] a level that in their minds will put at risk the
accomplishments of the [1979 Islamic] revolution." Meridor began
his remarks at an American Jewish Committee luncheon by saying,
"As strong as we are, we should always be prepared to preempt,
to deter, to defeat if we can, to protect, and not assume that
threats have evaporated. They have not." more...
Zechariah's warning to Bush and Condi WorldNet
Daily (October 18, 2007) - The
Palestinians and Israelis are scheduled to meet at the Naval Academy in
Annapolis, Md., this November. This major "peace summit" is the
brainchild of the Bush administration and is under the supervision of
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Though most of the world –
especially the Arab world – seems dubious about the summit's prospects
for success, the United States appears bent on forcing some sort of
"peace" upon that troubled region. To do so, Secretary Rice is
pressuring Israel to drop all of its redline demands. Redlines are the
points that cannot be conceded. Both sides have redlines. Both sides
have points they will not give up, boundaries they will not cross. But
the State Department is pressuring Israel to drop all of its redline
conditions. For the first time, the division of Jerusalem is on the
table. Since 1967, Israel had steadfastly claimed a united Jerusalem as
"its eternal capital, never to be divided again." I will never
forget when Gen. Moshe Dayan first stood before the Western Wall after
the amazing six-day victory in June of 1967. He dramatically declared,
"We have returned to all that is holy in our land. We have returned
never to be parted from it again." Evidently, to Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert, "eternal" and "never" means about 40 years. According to the
Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the Palestinians are pressuring Secretary
Rice to guarantee that Israel will relinquish sovereignty over the
Temple Mount. What's more, they're making this guarantee a pre-condition
before they'll even show up at the conference! According to a senior
Palestinian official quoted by Haaretz, "No Arab country would agree for
a final-status arrangement in which the Temple Mount was not in Muslim
hands, particularly not Saudi Arabia." So, while Israel is not permitted
any redline issues, the Palestinian redlines are not only permitted, but
Secretary Rice is seeking guarantees of Israeli acceptance of them. And
their No. 1 redline demand is that Israel must surrender the very heart
and soul of Judaism as the price of admission to even start discussing
peace. Just suppose for a moment that Israel and the Muslims were in
reverse circumstances. Can you imagine the reaction to Israel demanding
that the Muslims guarantee the surrender of Mecca as a precondition to
"discussing" peace? The world would consider such a demand unthinkable.
Yet, according to
a report in WorldNetDaily, Secretary Rice singled out areas of
Jerusalem that will become part of a future Palestinian state. She
reportedly told Palestinian negotiators that she would publicly blame
Israel for the failure of next month's summit if the Jewish state didn't
agree to evacuate east Jerusalem neighborhoods. Rice traveled to the
Middle East this week to help the Israelis and Palestinians formulate a
joint statement ahead of November's conference. The Palestinians want
the statement to outline specifically a Palestinian state including the
Gaza Strip, West Bank and essentially all of east Jerusalem, which
includes not only the Muslim holy places, but those of the Jews and
Christians as well. They are ostensibly to be put under Jordanian
supervision. But I remember what that was like before June 1967. There
were walls and barbed wire separating East Jerusalem from Israel.
Christian pilgrims had to carry their own luggage across an intimidating
no man's land of about 40 meters while unfriendly Jordanian soldiers
looked on. I am stunned the Bush administration is pressuring Israel to
agree to all of the Palestinian demands in advance, with the threat that
they'll be blamed for the summit's failure if they don't. In view of
this, my question is, "What's the point of the conference?" "What's left
to negotiate?" President Bush and Secretary Rice have already done the
Palestinians' negotiating for them. And all of this despite the fact
that the Palestinians have not lived up to one prerequisite condition
outlined in Bush's own "Road Map for Peace." You know, I fear for both
President Bush and Secretary Rice. I also fear for my beloved country.
They must be ignorant of a prophecy God made 2,500 years ago through the
Hebrew prophet Zechariah. It applies to this precise time and situation
in history. God said, "Behold, I will make
Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples. …"
The people surrounding Jerusalem are all the current Muslim nations. As
predicted, they have become intoxicated over possessing Jerusalem. Like
drunken people, their emotions, inflamed with religious zeal, are
causing them to do unwise, reckless and violent things. The truth is
hardly any Muslims traveled to visit Jerusalem before the Jews returned
to it. Now you would think there is no other holy place on earth as
important to them. These are the exact conditions Zechariah predicted
would be part of the last stages of this age. He continues, "And
it shall happen in that day that I WILL make Jerusalem a very heavy
stone for ALL PEOPLES. …" – meaning the entire world. Now here's
the punch line: "ALL who would seek to heave it
away will surely be cut in pieces." The original Hebrew makes the
meaning of this even clearer. It reveals that everyone who tries to
remove the heavy burden of the Jerusalem crisis will be utterly
destroyed for getting involved with it. Isaac and Ishmael's fight over
possession of Jerusalem has drawn the whole world into it – just as the
prophets predicted. It is the culmination of Ishmael's 4,000-year-old
hatred of his half-brother Isaac, the forefather of the Israelites. I
pray that somehow this message will get through to President Bush and
Secretary Rice. This prophecy applies to this very moment in which we
live. And in light of what they are forcing on Israel, it applies to
them personally. While Bush and Rice strive to create legacies for
themselves – just as most presidents have tried to do with the Middle
East conflict for the last 40 years – they not only endanger themselves,
but also endanger this nation with the divine curse promised above. Mr.
President, there is nothing on this earth worth what you are doing. In
the power of God's Spirit, I warn them both, "Stop, before it's too
late!"
Syrian Confirms Israel Destroyed Nuclear Facility
Israel National News
(October 18, 2007) - A Syrian official has
admitted that the
Israeli operation on September 6 destroyed a nuclear facility - but
the admission was followed shortly afterwards by a Syrian government
denial. A Syrian representative said Tuesday at the United Nations that
reports that the target was a nuclear device were accurate. Syrian
officials, including President Bashar Assad had previously claimed that
Israel attacked an abandoned army base or an agricultural facility.
During a meeting of the UN Disarmament Commission, the Syrian
representative acknowledged that the target had been the nuclear
facility. Israeli Foreign Ministry officials were also attending. He
accused Israel of aggression for targeting the facility. In Israel,
details of the strike, beyond the fact that an operation took place on
September 6 in Syria, are still under gag order. Local media continue to
skirt the order by leaking information to foreign papers and then citing
their reports. Some analysts have said the reason for the continued
silence of the Israeli government on the September 6 attack is to avoid
humiliating Assad and leading to a possible military escalation. Dr.
Elon Liel, a former Director General of the Foreign Ministry, has gone
one step further in his hope for a conciliatory approach to Israel’s
northern neighbor, sending a letter to Education Minister Yuli Tamir
asking her to prevent high school students from participating in the “In
the Footsteps of the Warriors” tours in the Golan Heights. Liel said he
feared the tours would strengthen the students’ connection to the Golan.
He called the tours “a provocation,” saying Israel would discourage
Syria from negotiating an Israeli retreat from the Golan.
Brigadier-General Avigdor Kahalani, who participated in the liberation
of the Golan and the creation of the “In the Footsteps of the Warriors”
tours, rejected Liel’s demand as “nothing more than a leftist
initiative.” The tours are important to the students’ morale and
strengthen their sense of identification with IDF soldiers who fought in
previous wars, he said. “A bus full of students is not a provocation.”
more...
Likud official infers Temple Mount not Jewish holy place
Jerusalem
Newswire
(October 17, 2007) - The head of the
Likud Party's foreign relations department gave a massive boost to the
claims of Islam - Israel's most implacable enemy - Tuesday when he
inferred that Jerusalem's Temple Mount was not sacred to the Jewish
people. The Temple Mount is the Jewish people's holiest site. Arab and
other Muslim leaders and clerics, who assert that the hill is Islam's
third holiest site, have long and fiercely maintained that the Jews have
no historical connection or claim to the outcrop the Bible calls God's
"holy hill." While secular Jews often appear content to limit their
"right" to the Western Wall, Israelis who have the fear of the Lord and
who know that their nation's First and Second Temples were built on top
of the mount will not agree to relinquishing it to the followers of
another god. Zalman Shoval, a former ambassador to the United States,
and traditionally a right thinker on Israeli security issues, told a
meeting of the Foreign Press Association that the Likud - which is led
by former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu - could allow an Arab or
Muslim country to administer the site for the sake of securing peace for
Israel. "It is not in Israel's interest to be in any way in charge of
the holy places other than those of the Jewish faith," the secular
Shoval said, adding he believed there were "ways to adopt formulae to
this end." Using politico-speech (universally known as the language of
compromise) Shoval first insisted that "the question of Israel's
sovereignty in Jerusalem, and first and foremost the Temple Mount, is
not negotiable." But he then reminded his audience that "actually there
have been plans for a long time" to find a way around this "immovable"
political reality. "Arab and Muslim countries, Jordan for instance,
could play a leading role," and it was even possible that the
Palestinian Authority could "run" the Temple Mount if there were real
peace. more...
Rabbis urge: 'Save Jerusalem!'
WorldNet Daily
(October 16, 2007) - A group of hundreds of prominent Israeli
rabbis yesterday called on Jews worldwide to speak out against what
rabbinic leaders called the "crime of dividing Jerusalem as proposed by
the current Israeli government." The move follows a flurry of media
reports that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is contemplating handing over
sections of Jerusalem to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas'
Fatah organization. Yesterday Olmert hinted he would be willing to
divide Jerusalem, asking during a speech whether it was "really
necessary" to retain certain Arab neighborhoods in Judaism's capital. At
a Tel Aviv press conference yesterday, leaders of the Rabbinical
Congress for Peace, a coalition of more than 350 Israeli rabbinic
leaders and pulpit rabbis, including some of Israel's most prominent
Jewish leaders, urged Jews worldwide to speak out. "We must scream and
protest not only to go through the motions, but maybe our protest will
bring another one in its chain and awaken the public," said RCP leader
Rabbi David Drukman, the rabbinic leader of the Kiryat Motzkin Israeli
community. "It pains us to see that there is no public outcry against
this; everyone is complacent," Drukman said at the press conference.
Rabbi Meir Horowitz, leader of the Hassidic Bostoner community and a
U.S. citizen, addressed U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
directly: "Madam Secretary, we request that you convey to President Bush
and to the leaders of the civilized world that although Jerusalem is
also holy to the three great faiths of the world, for the Jewish people
it is our only holy city; therefore, no one can expect the Jewish people
to forgo the central theme and focus of their religion." Rabbi Avrohom
Yaakov Shreiber, who was the rabbinic leader of Kfar Darom, one of the
largest Gaza Strip Jewish communities evacuated by Israel in 2005,
pointed out that while most Jewish expulsions throughout history were
perpetuated by non-Jews, he was "stunned" the Jewish state would "expel
their brothers from their homes." Meir Porush, a nationalist Knesset
Member, called Jerusalem "the soul of the nation and just like a man
cannot live without a soul, so we cannot live without Jerusalem." Rabbi
Gerlitzky, chairman of the Rabbinical Congress, commented, "It has been
several months now that the government has been discussing dividing
Jerusalem, but it was done quietly behind our back. Now when it came out
in the open, there is no outcry. I feel as though the public has been
sprayed with some kind of sleeping gas." A Rabbinic Congress resolution,
passed at yesterday's meeting, urged the Olmert government to "come back
to your senses." "The Congress calls on the government to abandon the
'land for peace' formula. It never worked in the past, it doesn’t work
now and will never work in the future. This formula is obsolete,
outdated, leads to bloodshed." The rabbis' statements followed a speech
yesterday in which Olmert asked whether it was "really necessary" for
Israel to control Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem. more...
Putin Visits Iran, Sends Warnings to US
Associated Press
(October 16, 2007) - Russian leader
Vladimir Putin met his Iranian counterpart Tuesday and implicitly warned
the U.S. not to use a former Soviet republic to stage an attack on Iran.
He also said nations shouldn't pursue oil pipeline projects in the area
if they weren't backed by regional powers. At a summit of the five
nations that border the inland Caspian Sea, Putin said none of the
nations' territory should be used by any outside countries for use of
military force against any nation in the region. It was a clear
reference to long-standing rumors that the U.S. was planning to use
Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic, as a staging ground for any
possible military action against Iran. "We are saying that no Caspian
nation should offer its territory to third powers for use of force or
military aggression against any Caspian state," Putin said. Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also underlined the need to keep outsiders
away from the Caspian. "All Caspian nations agree on the main issue -
that all aspects related to this sea must be settled exclusively by
littoral nations," he said. "The Caspian Sea is an inland sea and it
only belongs to the Caspian states, therefore only they are entitled to
have their ships and military forces here." Putin, whose trip to Tehran
is the first by a Kremlin leader since World War II, warned that energy
pipeline projects crossing the Caspian could only be implemented if all
five nations that border the Caspian support them. Putin did not name
any specific country, but his statement underlined Moscow's strong
opposition to U.S.-backed efforts to build pipelines to deliver
hydrocarbons to the West bypassing Russia. "Projects that may inflict
serious environmental damage to the region cannot be implemented without
prior discussion by all five Caspian nations," he said. Other nations
bordering the Caspian Sea and in attendance at the summit are:
Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. The legal status of the Caspian
- believed to contain the world's third-largest energy reserves - has
been in limbo since the 1991 Soviet collapse, leading to tension and
conflicting claims to seabed oil deposits. Iran, which shared the
Caspian's resources equally with the Soviet Union, insists that each
coastal nation receive an equal portion of the seabed. Russia,
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan want the division based on the length of each
nation's shoreline, which would give Iran a smaller share. Putin's visit
took place despite warnings of a possible assassination plot and amid
hopes that a round of personal diplomacy could help offer a solution to
an international standoff on Iran's nuclear program. Putin's trip was
thrown into doubt when the Kremlin said Sunday that he had been informed
by Russian intelligence services that suicide attackers might try to
kill him in Tehran, but he shrugged off the warning. Iranian Foreign
Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini dismissed reports about the
purported assassination plot as disinformation spread by adversaries
hoping to spoil good relations between Russia and Iran. Putin has warned
the U.S. and other nations against trying to coerce Iran into reining in
its nuclear program and insists peaceful dialogue is the only way to
deal with Tehran's defiance of a U.N. Security Council demand that it
suspend uranium enrichment. "Threatening someone, in this case the
Iranian leadership and Iranian people, will lead nowhere," Putin said
Monday during his trip to Germany. "They are not afraid, believe
me." more...
Turkey Forms Alliance With Iran Against Kurds
News Max
(October 15, 2007) - U.S. ally Turkey and
U.S. arch-enemy Iran have formed a military alliance to drive opposition
Kurds from bases in northern Iraq they have used since 2004 to launch
guerrilla operations inside Iran, rebel leaders told Newsmax at a secret
base in the Qandil mountains. Both Iran and Turkey have vowed to send
troops into northern Iraq, but until now evidence of active military
cooperation between them has remained a closely-held secret. Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stepped up political and
diplomatic threats in recent days, telling the United States he would
cut off U.S. access to the strategic Incirlik airbase in eastern Turkey
if the U.S. tried to prevent Turkey from sending troops against the
Kurdish bases in northern Iraq. Leaders of the Party of Free Life of
Iranian Kurdistan, known as PJAK, provided Newsmax with extensive
evidence of the Iran-Turkey alliance in two days of exclusive interviews
at a secret guerilla base deep in the Qandil mountains. An Iranian
Revolutionary Guards outpost was visible on a nearby mountain peak.
“Iran and Turkey attacked jointly on August 16 against our forces inside
Iran and against Turkish self-defense forces in northern Iraq,” a PJAK
commander using the nom de guerre Xerat told Newsmax at the Iranian
rebel base. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards “attacked us across a broad
front in the areas of Sardasht, Piranshahr, Shaho, Urmieh, and along the
border line,” Xerat said, citing the names of major cities in Iranian
Kurdistan where PJAK rebels have been operating. While those ground
operations were underway, Iranian and Turkish artillery simultaneously
began shelling civilian villages inside Iraqi Kurdistan from Metina,
Zaab, Haftani, and Hakurke in the north, to Haji Oumran, Qalatdizza, Zeh,
Marado, and Xinera in the south, he added. Turkish artillery hit the
northern villages, while Iranian gunners hit the southern ones. Iranian
troops attempted to cross into Iraq through the mountain passes, but
PJAK fighters held the line. “The goal of the Iranians is to drive us
from the border area,” rebel leader Biryar Gabar told Newsmax. “They
want to turn this area into a no-man’s land, so they can use it to
smuggle weapons and Islamist guerillas into Iraq to fight the
Americans.” He called the Iran-Turkey entente “an anti-American
alliance,” not just an anti-Kurdish agreement, and said that it resulted
from deliberate decisions from the ruling Islamist AKP party of Prime
Minister Erdogan to transform Turkey into an increasingly Islamist
state. A senior European official, who was involved in talks to bring
Turkey into the European Union, told Newsmax recently he had been
“stunned” by the hard-line toward the Kurds taken by AKP party leader
Abdullah Gul, now Turkey’s president. “He was totally uncompromising,”
the official said. “He took a harder line than the Turkish military.”
Iran has been offering Turkey an economic agreement with Iran in July to
build a strategic pipeline that will bring Iranian natural gas to
Europe, in defiance of a U.S. led effort to increase the economic
squeeze on Iran. During a press conference in August while he was still
foreign minister, Gul defended Turkey and Iran’s joint action against
Kurdish guerillas in Iraq. “They pose a threat to Turkey as well as to
other neighbors. Therefore, every country has the right to defend its
borders and take legitimate measures for its own security,” Gül said.
more...
Israel Minister: War is Inevitable
News Max (October 15,
2007) - An Israeli mission to destroy the terrorist
infrastructure in the Gaza Strip is inevitable, an Israeli official said
Monday. According to the Jerusalem Post, Strategic Affairs Minister
Avigdor Lieberman told Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that Israel
should conduct a mission similar to the country's Operation Defensive
Shield in the West Bank, which occurred in the spring of 2002. Lieberman
also advised Rice not to pressure Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to take
steps that would cause the downfall of the Israeli government. "In the
current political conditions, the government cannot allow itself to make
controversial decisions on sensitive issues," Lieberman told Rice. "The
conference planned for Annapolis is a mistake. It will be just another
conference and just another document. Without a noticeable improvement
in Israeli security or Palestinian economic conditions, the conference
will not be different than any of the unsuccessful conferences of the
past."
Shakings, Weighings and Divisions: Syria, Annapolis and the Return of YHVH - Part One - Syria David's Tent (October 13, 2007) - Israel has been in the headlines again – a mysterious Israel Air Force attack delves deep into Syria; an upcoming US-prompted peace conference in Annapolis MD discusses a major dividing up of the land of Israel; a brazen new book accuses the American Jewish community and Israel of acting against the interests of the USA, raising the ante of anti-Semitism in the USA. The sharks smell blood and are circling, while the Jewish David, one arm tied behind his back by world pressure and opinion, finds himself confronting many modern-day Goliaths. We are indeed living in significant days! Serious stirrings in Syria Some secret events in Syria have hit the headlines in recent days. Israel's strict censorship rules on military matters forbid direct reporting of certain military matters, but anonymous leaks to major journalists have somewhat dispersed the mists of war. London's Sunday Times (www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article2461421.ece) reported on September 16 2007 that just after midnight on September 6, the 69th Squadron composed of eight Israeli F-15Is, F-16s and a UAV crossed the Mediterranean coastline of Syria and headed to a military target 50 miles from the Iraqi border – Deir ez-Zour. Syrian radar was somehow blocked, and a pre-positioned Israeli special forces Shaldag team (air force commandos) painted the target with laser beams. The pinpoint accurate bombing destroyed what Israeli intelligence anonymously describe as either nuclear material or a nuclear device from North Korea which could be fitted on North Korean Scud-C missiles (already in Syria's arsenal). An Israeli source said, "We’ve known for a long time that Syria has deadly chemical warheads on its Scuds, but Israel can’t live with a nuclear warhead." Over the years the world's intelligence community has given us some context for this attack. A CIA report from June 2003 stated, "Broader access to foreign expertise provides (Syria) opportunities to expand its indigenous capabilities and we are looking at Syrian nuclear intentions with growing concern." (https://www.cia.gov/library/reports/archived-reports-1/jan_jun2003.htm#7) On November 12 2003 John R. Bolton, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security at the State Department, spoke at a public gathering in Washington DC (www.state.gov/t/us/rm/26129.htm):
On April 29, 2004 Bolton told the United Nations that the Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan had "several other" customers for his nuclear bomb factories besides Iran, Libya and North Korea. Western diplomats said then that Bolton was clearly referring to Syria (see the Reform Party of Syria's article in www.aina.org/news/20050104115532.htm). The Road To Annapolis (2007) The past few weeks have seen a flurry of activity concerning a possible peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, a city that since American Colonial days has been known as the "Athens of America". Tony Blair recently stepped down from his position as Prime Minister and immediately was appointed Middle East Envoy of the Quartet (US, UK, European Union and Russia) on June 27 2007. He promptly stated that until Israel surrenders more land, there will be no peace in the Middle East. "The absolute priority is to try to give effect to what is now the consensus across the international community - that the only way of bringing stability and peace to the Middle East is a two-state solution" (PM Blair's final press briefing at Downing Street). According to Blair, it seems, Israel holds the key to Middle East and world peace. While there is a sense where Blair's words may be biblically true (Israel does hold the key to life from the dead, according to Romans 11:15), Blair's statement as it stands is grossly inaccurate, ignoring the bloody ongoing inter-Arab conflicts that churn across the Middle East on a daily basis – conflicts that have nothing to do with Israel in even the remotest way! See Dr. Daniel Pipes' article "Arab-Israeli Fatalities Rank 49th" at www.danielpipes.org/article/4990. The UK and the US seem to have come to a remarkable agreement regarding what to do with Israel. Speaking in Ramallah on October 15 2007 Secretary of State Rice said:
| Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | Dividing the Land | America |
'Make peace with us – or we'll kill you!'
World Net Daily
(October 12, 2007) - An open letter
issued by a group of 138 Muslim scholars, clerics and academics issued
an "invitation" to the Vatican, the archbishop of Canterbury and other
Christian leaders to "make peace" with Islam. At least, that is the way
most mainstream news reports styled it – "an invitation to make peace."
It was actually more of an ultimatum than it was an invitation. Boiled
down to its essence, the letter warned Christians to "make peace with us
or we'll kill you." The letter just phrases it more nicely. "As Muslims,
we say to Christians that we are not against them and that Islam is not
against them – so long as they do not wage war against Muslims on
account of their religion, oppress them and drive them out of their
homes." It was hard to know what to make of that statement. If it refers
to the war on terror, it was Osama bin Laden who declared this a war of
religions, in which he identified his enemies as Christian Crusaders and
Jews. The so-called "invitation" to make peace with Islam suggests that
the price of peace is Islamic freedom to make war on others without fear
of retaliation. At no point in the conflict has anyone other than Islam
defined it as a conflict between Christians and Jews against Islam.
The statement was timed to coincide with the end of the
Islamic month of Ramadan and one year after the pope inflamed the
sentiments of the Religion of Perpetual Outrage by quoting the words of
an obscure 14th century Byzantine emperor. The letter was hailed by
Newsweek as "something of a miracle" – treating it as if were an olive
branch being offered by the victim to the aggressor, if only the
aggressor were humane enough to accept it. Gushed Newsweek in it's
column headlined,
"Give Peace a Chance" – as if it were the West who opposed peace and
had suddenly run amok attacking innocent Muslims everywhere – "It is
addressed to Christianity's most powerful leaders, including the pope,
the archbishop of Canterbury and the heads of the Lutheran, Methodist
and Baptist churches, and, in 15 pages laced with quranic and biblical
scriptures, argues that the most fundamental tenets of Islam and
Christianity are identical: love of one (and the same) God, and love of
one's neighbor." I hardly know where to begin
to address that statement. In the first place, if it were true, then no
Muslim could make a credible argument to his co-religionists based on
the most fundamental tenets of Islam that there is any eternal reward to
be had for killing one's enemy in jihad. If it were true, then the word
"jihad" wouldn't be an Islamic concept. There is no identical
fundamental belief within Judaism or Christianity that ascribes special
spiritual benefits to dying in religious combat. In fact, there is no
such concept of "religious combat" of any kind in Christianity or
Judaism. The Bible relates combat involving Jews against their enemies,
but those were territorial political battles, not battles to impose
Judaism on the vanquished. Jews don't particularly encourage converts,
and Christians believe that conversion can only be accomplished by the
Holy Spirit. The job of the Christian is limited to sharing the Gospel,
not imposing it by force or threats. Christians are taught by no less an
authority than the Lord Himself, "And whosoever will not receive you,
when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for
a testimony against them." The Quran tells the faithful that, should an
infidel reject Islam, "you will fight against them until they submit."
And of course, those who continue to reject are to be slaughtered. The
document is peppered with references to the Islamic contention that
Muslims, Christians and Jews all worship the same God, which got rave
reviews from the press. Time magazine enthused, "The letter notes
that 'whilst Islam and Christianity are obviously different religions –
and whilst there is no minimizing some of their formal differences,'
both require believers to believe in only one god, and it's the same
god." Time, in its excitement, is emulating Newsweek's style of making
sweeping theological pronouncements disguised as
news. From their perspective, who can blame them? If you don't believe
in any god at all, what difference does it make? One god is as good as
the next – or as some Americans would say, as offensive as the other.
Islam not only demands that its followers believe that Allah is the same
god as the God of Christians and Jews; it demands that Christians and
Jews agree. Neither Christianity nor Judaism imposes that requirement on
their adherents, although Christians and Jews generally agree that the
God of Israel is also the God of Christianity. Not because one side or
the other demands it, but because both understand from the Bible that
the nature of the God of Israel and the God of Christianity are the
same. The mainstream media embraced the letter as vindication of their
long-held but difficult to believe faith in the existence of a vast,
moderate Islamic majority that follow the kinder, gentler Islam that we
keep hearing about, but for which we see little evidence. That is one
way of interpreting it, if you really squint hard. Unfortunately, there
are verses in the Quran that nobody wants to talk about – probably
because nobody wants to consider the awful implications of their
meaning. The ignorance of our political leaders and the media concerning
Islam's true beliefs is beyond deplorable; it is more in the range of
criminal negligence in time of war. Under Islamic law, before Islam can
make war against the infidel with Allah's blessings, the infidels must
first be offered an opportunity to submit to Islam. Osama bin Laden has
just recently asked the leaders and people of the United States to
embrace Islam. So has Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. All these letters offer the
West the "opportunity" to submit to Allah as being equal to God. They
also warn that, should their offer be rebuffed, "The very survival of
the world is at stake." Islam just finished the feast of Ramadan. Here
is what the Quran says should be the attitude of all Muslims at the end
of this sacred feast season: "So when the sacred months have passed
away, then slay the idolaters [particularly Jews and Christians]
wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie
in wait for them in every ambush. …" (Quran, Surah 9.5) The irony of our
leaders' and media's response is mind-boggling. This is not an offer of
peace – it is a prelude to war. In the cold light of day it means, "Make
peace with Islam and Allah, or we'll kill you."
Muslim scholars reach out to Pope
BBC News
(October 12, 2007) -
More than 130 Muslim scholars have written to Pope Benedict XVI and
other Christian leaders urging greater understanding between the two
faiths. The letter says that world peace could depend on improved
relations between Muslims and Christians. It identifies the principles
of accepting only one god and living in peace with one's neighbours as
common ground between the two religions. It also insists that Christians
and Muslims worship the same god. The letter comes on the anniversary of
an open letter issued to the Pope last year from 38 top Muslim clerics,
after he made a controversial speech on Islam. Pope Benedict sparked an
uproar in September last year by quoting a medieval text which linked
Islam to violence. The letter coincides with the Eid al-Fitr
celebrations to mark the end of Ramadan. It was also sent to the
Archbishop of Canterbury, the heads of the Lutheran, Methodist and
Baptist churches, the Orthodox Church's Patriarch of Constantinople
Bartholomew I and other Orthodox Patriarchs. The letter, entitled A
Common Word Between Us and You, compares passages in the Koran and the
Bible, concluding that both emphasise "the primacy of total love and
devotion to God", and the love of the neighbour. With Muslims and
Christians making up more than half the world's population, the letter
goes on, the relationship between the two religious communities is "the
most important factor in contributing to meaningful peace around the
world". As Muslims, we say to Christians that we are not against them
and that Islam is not against them - so long as they do not wage war
against Muslims on account of their religion, oppress them and drive
them out of their homes," the letter says. It adds: "To those who
nevertheless relish conflict and destruction for their own sake or
reckon that ultimately they stand to gain through them, we say our very
eternal souls are all also at stake if we fail to sincerely make every
effort to make peace and come together in harmony." One of the
signatories, Dr Aref Ali Nayed, a senior adviser at the Cambridge
Inter-faith Programme at Cambridge University, told the BBC that the
document should be seen as a landmark.
Jerusalem Emerges as Stumbling Block in Mideast Peace Talks
Voice of America News
(October 11, 2007) -
Jerusalem is emerging as a major stumbling block in new peace
negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. As Robert Berger
reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, both Jews and Muslims are claiming
the city's holy sites as their own. A senior Palestinian official has
thrown a wrench into peace talks by saying that the Western Wall in
Jerusalem's Old City, the holiest place in Judaism, belongs to Islam and
the Palestinians. The Palestinian Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Adnan
Husseini says the Western Wall is a "Wakf" or Islamic Trust that must be
returned to Palestinian control. He told Israel Radio that it is a
supporting wall for the al-Aksa Mosque, the third holiest place in
Islam. For Israel, the wall is the last remnant of the biblical Temple,
and turning it over to the Palestinians is unthinkable. As Israel and
the Palestinians try to hammer out a declaration of principles to be
presented at an international peace conference this year, Jerusalem is
back on the negotiating table. In a compromise proposal earlier this
week, Israel offered to hand over some Arab neighborhoods of East
Jerusalem to Palestinian control, though that would not include the Old
City, where contested holy sites are located. Israeli parliamentarian
Reuven Rivlin, of the hawkish opposition Likud party, says the
government made a mistake by negotiating on Jerusalem in the first
place. Rivlin told Israel Radio that if you begin by offering Arab
neighborhoods to the Palestinians then you end at the Western Wall. He
said no Israeli leader has the right to negotiate over Jerusalem, which
he says is the eternal capital of the Jewish people. Reinforcing
Palestinian demands, President Mahmoud Abbas said Israel must withdraw
from all territory captured in the 1967 war, including Jerusalem's Old
City. Israel's government says that is a non-starter.
Putin To EJC: Israel, Russia Are 'Partners' In Facing Iran
The Jerusalem Post
(October 11, 2007) -
In a meeting with European Jewish Congress leaders on Wednesday, Russian
President Vladimir Putin said that the two countries most threatened by
Iran are Israel and Russia, and the two are "complete partners in this
matter," according to EJC sources familiar with the meeting. "The
president [Putin] also said he will do everything in his power to
continue to raise the issue in the upcoming Second Summit of Caspian
States [beginning October 16 in Teheran]," the source said. Earlier
Wednesday, following a meeting between Putin and French President
Nicholas Sarkozy, Putin declared that there was a lack of "objective
data" regarding an Iranian nuclear weapons plan, so "we proceed from a
position that Iran has no such plans." Even so, he said, "we are sharing
our partners' concern about making all Iranian programs transparent."
Russia has opposed the US-led push for tougher sanctions against Iran
and called for more checks and inspections of Iranian facilities by
International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog, instead of
an immediate third round of sanctions. Asked about the discrepancy of
apparent concern over an Iranian nuclear threat in the meeting with the
EJC and the calmer tones prevailing in Putin's message to the
international community, an EJC spokesman said the organization did not
have an immediate comment on Putin's earlier declaration. At the
meeting, EJC President Moshe Kantor asked Putin "to bring his influence
to bear on the Iranian President" since "Iran is the major state
supporter of International terrorism. If Iran gains the ability to
export nuclear weaponry to terror organizations, the danger and horror
that awaits the world is immense." The Kremlin meeting also discussed
anti-Semitism, where the EJC praised the Russian government's work to
combat the phenomenon in Russia. According to the EJC, Putin "committed
himself to using the full force of the law to bring to account people
who perpetrate such acts." In particular, the Jewish umbrella
organization heard "positive" responses from several Russian leaders,
including Putin, regarding the formal commemoration of International
Holocaust Memorial Day in Russia. The day, which falls on January 27,
the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945, is marked
officially in Germany, Poland, the UK, Denmark and elsewhere, and was
adopted this year by the UN.
EU will back Abbas if Hamas included
The Jerusalem Post
(October 11, 2007) -
The European Union would support Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud
Abbas if he reconciled with Hamas, according to Christina Gallach,
spokeswoman for EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana. Speaking to
visiting Israeli reporters in Brussels on Thursday, she said the EU,
nonetheless, still held firm to its policy not to recognize Hamas until
it recognizes Israel. Gallach said it was up to Abbas to find a way to
handle Hamas. "What we tell him [Abbas] is that he is the one we
recognize, the one we support," she said. "We work very well with him
and [PA] Prime Minister Salaam Fayad." In the past, Gallach said, the EU
found a way to move forward with Fatah when it sat in a government with
Hamas, dealing solely with Abbas and some of his Fatah ministers. Her
statements came in response to media reports of possible talks between
Hamas and Fatah just one month before the US-sponsored Middle East
meeting expected to be held in Annapolis on the Israeli-Palestinian
peace process. "We tell [Abbas] he has to do what he thinks is right,"
Gallach said. "On this issue, we will not take the lead." Hamas Prime
Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Wednesday night that Hamas would be willing
to hold talks with Fatah and hinted it would consider ceding control of
the Gaza Strip, Al Jazeera reported. "There is a serious improvement in
Palestinian dialogue, and we have agreed to hold talks with Fatah in one
of the Arab capitals," Haniyeh reportedly said. He reportedly said the
Hamas administration in Gaza was "temporary," adding that dialogue with
Fatah would be established following Ramadan. Nabil Amr, a senior Fatah
official and key adviser to Abbas, on Thursday strongly denied reports
about secret talks between his faction and Hamas. He said Fatah would
not talk to Hamas unless the Islamist movement relinquished control over
the Gaza Strip. "Hamas is a terror organization, and any connection of
any type whatsoever to Hamas will not bring peace - not to Israel and
not to the Palestinians," a Foreign Ministry official told The Jerusalem
Post Thursday. Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of former senior US
officials and congressmen pushed for dialogue with Hamas ahead of the
Annapolis peace conference. "We believe that a genuine dialogue with the
organization is far preferable to its isolation; it could be conducted,
for example, by the UN and Quartet Middle East envoys," they wrote in a
letter to the Bush administration published Wednesday. "If Syria or
Hamas are ostracized, prospects that they will play a spoiler role
increase dramatically." The signatories included former George H.W. Bush
administration national security adviser Brent Scowcroft, former Carter
administration national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski and former
Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker. The letter praised the invitation
extended to Syria and called for the conference to launch Israeli-Syrian
talks. more...
Israel signals shift on Jerusalem split
Associated Press
(October 8, 2007) -
Two senior Israeli politicians, including the prime minister's closest
ally, talked openly Monday about dividing
Jerusalem, signaling a possible shift in Israeli opinion about
one of the Mideast's most contentious issues. The dispute over Jerusalem
has derailed negotiations in the past, and the latest comments come at a
time when Israeli and Palestinian teams are trying to agree on
principles guiding future peace talks. The ideas raised by Vice Premier
Haim Ramon still fall far short of Palestinian demands to establish
their capital in all of the city's eastern sector, annexed by Israel
after the 1967 Mideast War. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert,
meanwhile, told parliament he will not be deterred from seeking a peace
deal with the Palestinians. He said Israel has missed opportunities in
the past, and warned that continued failure would mean a "demographic
struggle steeped in blood and tears." Olmert was unusually impassioned
but short on specifics. He made no mention of Jerusalem. Later Monday,
Israeli and Palestinian teams met for the first time to start drafting a
joint declaration of principles that would guide negotiators if peace
talks were to resume after a seven-year freeze. Abbas aide Yasser Abed
Rabbo said afterward that no results could have been expected from the
first meeting, but he hoped a meaningful document would emerge. The
document, which is to address the key disputes — borders, Jerusalem,
Israeli settlements, Palestinian refugees — will be the centerpiece of a
U.S.-hosted Mideast conference in November. Olmert's speech appeared to
be a careful balancing act — sending an encouraging message to the
Palestinians, while not giving his hardline critics at home too much
ammunition by going into detail. His central theme was a pledge not to
miss an opportunity to reach a long-elusive peace deal, even if it
requires costly concessions. Olmert said Israelis will have to led
go of some of the beliefs that "fed the national ethos for many years,"
a reference to giving up West Bank land. more...
Israel says peace conference not enough
Associated Press
(October 7, 2007) -
Israel's prime minister said Sunday the U.S.-sponsored Mideast
conference next month is not a substitute for direct Israeli-Palestinian
peace talks, an apparent attempt to lower expectations from the
gathering called by President Bush. However, violence threatened to
overshadow preparations. On Sunday, Gaza militants fired a Katyusha
rocket at southern Israel. No one was hurt, but it raised the dire
possibility of an escalation in the daily battles with Israeli forces if
the militants use more of the rockets, which are far more dangerous than
the homemade versions they have been using. Lebanese Hezbollah
guerrillas bombarded northern Israel with nearly 4,000 of the rockets in
their monthlong war with Israel in 2006, killing dozens of Israelis.
Palestinians were scaling back their demands before the conference,
improving chances for an agreement with Israel on an advance document.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his Cabinet on Sunday that his meetings
with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have yielded no breakthroughs.
"There have been no agreements or deals," Olmert said. The two have been
sitting down every two weeks or so, and last week they appointed
committees to draft an accord to take to the Mideast conference,
expected to convene in late November in the U.S. The teams are set to
meet for the first time on Monday, and Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice is to return to the region later this week to assess progress.
While the international conference is designed to promote peacemaking,
"it will in no way replace direct negotiations with the Palestinians,"
Olmert said. He also said there could be no actual movement toward peace
until the Palestinians implement their commitments under the 2003 "road
map" plan. That includes dismantling violent groups like Hamas, which
has in the meantime taken over Gaza and is threatening Abbas' rival
Fatah faction in the West Bank. Palestinians charge Israel has not done
its part under the road map — halting settlement expansion and removing
illegal outposts. Palestinian government spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh said
Sunday Israeli intentions are the key. "If they are serious, we will
definitely reach a political document that handles the final status
issues with a timetable for the implementation and the establishment of
the independent Palestinian state," he said. But other Palestinian
officials said a detailed agreement is no longer a condition for
attending the conference — a document that lists the issues but does not
spell out Palestinian concessions would be acceptable. The officials
spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations are still in
progress. Israel prefers a vague declaration of principles instead of a
detailed document including its concessions. The outline of a final
Israel-Palestinian peace deal has been clear for years — an Israeli
withdrawal from most of the West Bank, removal of most Jewish
settlements there, and deals over Palestinian refugees and division of
Jerusalem. The main problem is the perception on each side that the
other is too weak to make the necessary concessions to finalize such an
agreement. more...
It's official: Terrorists endorse Hillary in '08
WorldNet Daily
(October 7, 2007) -
With presidential primaries
approaching and the race for the White House heating up, Muslim
terrorist leaders in the Middle East have offered their endorsement for
America's highest office, stating in a new book they hope Sen. Hillary
Clinton is victorious in 2008. "I hope Hillary is elected in order to
have the occasion to carry out all the promises she is giving regarding
Iraq," stated Ala Senakreh, West Bank chief of the Al Aqsa Martyrs
Brigades terrorist group. Senakreh is one of dozens of terror leaders
sounding off about American politics in the new book, "Schmoozing
with Terrorists: From Hollywood to the Holy Land, Jihadists Reveal their
Global Plans – to a Jew!" by WND Jerusalem bureau chief Aaron Klein.
Abu Hamed, leader of the Al Aqsa Brigades in the northern Gaza Strip,
explained in "Schmoozing"
Clinton's repeated calls for a withdrawal from Iraq "proves that
important leaders are understanding the situation differently and are
understanding the price and the consequences of the American policy in
Iraq and in the world." "The Iraqi resistance is succeeding," stated
Hamed. "Hillary and the Democrats call for withdrawal. Her popularity
shows that the resistance is winning and that the occupation is losing.
We just hope that she will go until the end and change the American
policy, which is based on oppressing poor and innocent people." The
Brigades, together with the Islamic Jihad terrorist group, took
responsibility for every suicide bombing in Israel the past three years.
The Brigades also has carried out hundreds of recent shootings and
rocket attacks. Abu Ayman, an Islamic Jihad leader in Jenin, said he is
"emboldened" by Clinton's calls for an eventual withdrawal from Iraq.
"It is clear that it is the resistance operations of the mujahideen that
has brought about these calls for withdrawal," boasted Abu Ayman. Nasser
Abu Aziz, the West Bank deputy commander of the Al Aqsa Brigades,
declared it is "very good" there are "voices like Hillary and others who
are now attacking the Iraq invasion." In "Schmoozing," every terrorist
leader out of dozens interviewed stated they hope a Democrat becomes
president in 2008. Some terror leaders explained their endorsement of
Clinton is not necessarily at the expense of other Democratic
presidential candidates, whose policies are not as well known to them.
"All Americans must vote Democrat," stated Jihad Jaara, an exiled member
of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group and the infamous leader of
the 2002 siege of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity. Some Palestinian
terrorist leaders stated their support of Clinton, in part, stems from
hopes she will apply some of her husband's foreign policies,
particularly toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "I hope also she
will maintain her husband's policies regarding Palestine and even
develop that policy," stated Brigades chiefton Senakreh. "President
Clinton wanted to give the Palestinians 98 percent of the West Bank
territories. I hope Hillary will move a step forward and will give the
Palestinians all their rights. She has the chance to save the American
nation and the Americans life.” more...
'Syria won't hesitate to a start war with Israel to regain Golan'
The Jerusalem Post (October
7, 2007) - Syria will not hesitate to start a war with Israel in
order to restore its control over the Golan Heights, A-Baath, the
official newspaper of President Bashar Assad's government, warned
Saturday. In an article to mark 34 years since the outbreak of the Yom
Kippur War, A-Baath said: "Our people and our leadership are determined
to liberate our conquered lands using all means, methods and ways."
Meanwhile, ABC News quoted American officials as saying that the IAF
raid in Syria during September was planned for several months and was
postponed a number of times due to heavy US pressure. According to the
report, Israel presented US officials with satellite imagery which
clearly showed North Korean nuclear technology in a Syrian facility.
According to a US source, Washington officials were astonished by the
imagery and by the fact US intelligence had not picked up on the
facility previously. "Israel tends to be very thorough about its
intelligence coverage, particularly when it takes a major military step,
so they would not have acted without data from several sources," said
ABC News military consultant Tony Cordesman. A different source told ABC
News that Israel had planned the strike as early as July 14, and in
confidential meetings with high ranking US officials, debated over the
appropriate response. Several officials supported Israel's decision to
strike, although others, led by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,
firmly opposed it and offered to publicly condemn Syria for operating a
nuclear facility instead. US officials who initially opposed the raid,
according to ABC , apparently feared the negative influence it might
have over the whole region. Consequently, officials in Washington
persuaded Israel to push back the raid, but in September, Israel feared
that information about the facility might be leaked to the press, and
went ahead with the strike, despite objections by Washington.
Abbas: Jerusalem key to peace
YNet News
(October 6, 2007) -
The Israeli and Palestinian teams asked to draft a joint statement ahead
of a Mideast peace conference will hold their first meeting Monday,
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said. The teams are to write down
the principles that would guide future peace talks. The US-hosted
conference is to take place in November or early December. Abbas said he
expected at least 36 states to attend, including 12 Arab states, three
Muslim nations, the permanent members of the UN Security Council and the
G-8. "We hope that the number will increase to 40 states," Abbas was
quoted as telling Palestinian dignitaries from Jerusalem on Friday
evening, during a meal breaking the dawn-to-dusk fast of the Muslim holy
month of Ramadan. The remarks were carried by the Palestinian news
agency WAFA and confirmed by a participant. Abbas did not provide a list
of countries expected to attend. The US has not released such a list, or
set a date yet. In Friday's meeting, Abbas told his guests that a
solution for Jerusalem would be key to any peace deal. Israelis and
Palestinians both claim the city as a capital. "Jerusalem has always
been in our hearts, and the hope that we have been looking at," Abbas
was quoted as saying. "There is no independent Palestinian state without
Jerusalem as its capital. It is a concern in the coming, difficult
days." Abbas has met six times since the spring with Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert, to explore the chances of resuming negotiations,
which broke down in January 2001. more...
Nasrallah: I wish Arabs would invade Palestine
YNet News
(October 5, 2007) -
Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Friday that "the occupation of
Palestine is one of the greatest tragedies that befell the Arab nation."
Speaking in Beirut during a ceremony to mark Al-Quds Day, Nasrallah
accused Israel of planning for war by launching airstrikes against
targets in Syria. "Israel wants to impose its authority on the region.
The flyover in Syria is aimed at harming Syria's position" ahead of the
US-sponsored peace conference in November, Nasrallah said. "No one
doubts that there Israel coordinated the strike with the Americans to
draw Syria into war. This is Bush's plan for the region, not a peace
plan but a plan for war as he did in Iraq and Lebanon." Addressing the
Arab world he said: "I wish the Arab armies would head toward Palestine,
that's a dream. 'We are a people ready to sacrifice but you have to
stand by us and support us,' that's what the Palestinian people said
during the intifada." Nasrallah also called on Arab states to boycott
the conference, which he said would only benefit Israel. "Had the
Palestinian people been supported by the Arab world, it would have
succeeded in liberating all the Palestinian lands occupied in 1967,"
Nasrallah added. "The Zionists established gangs through Britain's aide
and occupied Palestinian land, killing, massacring, looting, destroying
and establishing their state through occupation and theft," he said. He
also accused Israel of orchestrating a string of assassination of
anti-Syrian politicians, saying Jerusalem and Washington had an interest
in preventing Lebanon's rival political parties from uniting.
US 'Must Break Iran and Syria Regimes'
Telegraph (October
5, 2007) - America should seize every opportunity to force regime
change in Syria and Iran, a former senior adviser to the White House has
urged. "We need to do everything possible to destabilise the Syrian
regime and exploit every single moment they strategically overstep,"
said David Wurmser, who recently resigned after four years as Vice
President Dick Cheney's Middle East adviser. "That would include the
willingness to escalate as far as we need to go to topple the regime if
necessary." He said that an end to Baathist rule in Damascus could
trigger a domino effect that would then bring down the Teheran regime.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, the first since he left
government, he argued that the United States had to be prepared to
attack both Syria and Iran to prevent the spread of Islamic
fundamentalism and nuclear proliferation in the Middle East that could
result in a much wider war. Mr Wurmser, 46, a leading neo-conservative
who has played a pivotal role in the Bush administration since the
September 11th attacks, said that diplomacy would fail to stop Iran
becoming a nuclear power. Overthrowing Teheran's theocratic regime
should therefore be a top US priority. more...
Bush says "very optimistic" on Mideast peace
Reuters (October
5, 2007) - President George W. Bush said in comments aired on
Friday he was "very optimistic" a Palestinian state could be set up
alongside Israel and that next month's Middle East conference could lead
towards peace in the region. The U.S.-sponsored conference is due to
take place in the Washington area in November, although there are doubts
over how far it will go towards ending decades of conflict and
uncertainty over which Arab states will attend. "I am very optimistic
that we can achieve a two-state solution," Bush told Al Arabiya
television. "We're hosting an international conference that will be
attended by interested parties and ... a committee from the Arab League.
It is an opportunity for serious, substantive discussions about the way
forward and a two-state solution," Bush said. "I fully understand that
the two-state solution is a part of a comprehensive peace in the Middle
East. Our strategy is to get all concerned countries to the table to get
this comprehensive peace, and move forward in a way that is tangible."
Reuters obtained a tape of Bush's remarks in English in the interview,
which was dubbed into Arabic by the network. Israeli and Palestinian
leaders agreed on Wednesday that formal negotiations on Palestinian
statehood would begin after the peace conference. But Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert has balked at Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's
call for setting a specific timeframe for the resolution of key issues
including borders and the fate of Jerusalem and the Palestinian
refugees. Abbas said on Thursday that formal negotiations for statehood
could be completed six months after the conference. more...
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...
Ex-US officials: Divide Jerusalem YNet
News (October 4, 2007) - Five
former State Department and Pentagon officials are proposing Israeli
and Palestinian capitals in Jerusalem and excluding Arab refugees
from returning to Israel
as part of an Middle East accord. In a six-page policy statement
submitted to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, they also
suggested a series of peace conferences following the one she hopes
to convene next month, probably in Annapolis, Maryland, near
Washington. Hamas, which controls Gaza and about one-third of
Palestinian-held land, has not met US terms for attending. Those
conditions are recognizing Israel's right to exist and abandoning
violence against the Jewish state. But the ex-officials suggested
Hamas might be drawn to attend a second conference, which implicitly
would accept the first one and Israel's existence. They called the
role of Hamas the most difficult issue in peacemaking. Jerusalem's
future and that of Palestinian refugees have snarled past US peace
efforts. Former President Bill Clinton's mediation efforts between
the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and then-Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Barak envisioned sharing Jerusalem. Clinton ruled out
requiring Israel to take in most Palestinians or their families who
claimed to have been forced out of Israel during creation of the
Jewish state in 1947-8. It will be very difficult, "but not
impossible," said Robert Pelletreau, a former US ambassador to Egypt
and ex-assistant secretary of state for the region. "There is a
little bit of momentum starting to build" with talks between Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and with former British
Prime Minister Tony Blair as a mediator, he said in a telephone
interview. Along with announcement of the conference, he said, "You
have several things that can reinforce each other if they are framed
properly." "The refugee issue is the most difficult," he said. "And
Jerusalem is right up with it." more...
Syrian guerrilla group 'ready for attacks' 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. Israel is taking seriously the claims of formation of the
Committees. Amos Yadlin, head of the IDF's intelligence branch,
stated Syria is indeed in the early stages of forming a
Hezbollah-like group. Israeli security officials speaking to WND
said Syrian President Bashar Assad is under heavy pressure from Iran
and from senior elements within his military to retaliate for the
Israeli aerial strike, especially since the Israel Defense Forces
yesterday officially confirmed a raid in Syria took place. The
security officials said if pressure continues to escalate or if the
IDF conducts other operation inside Syria, Assad, realizing his army
it not prepared for a direct confrontation with Israel, may respond
by launching guerrilla attacks against the Golan Heights. Yesterday,
Mohammad Habbash, a member of the Syrian parliament, told reporters
Syria may resort to a guerrilla war: "If the Israeli side launches
attacks, believe me we will be very harsh in our response," stated
Habbash. "It will be a guerrilla war. There will be guerrilla
warfare coming from Lebanon and Syria, and it will be very harsh."
In an interview with the BBC Monday, Assad said Syria is still
considering an "appropriate" response to the Israeli aerial attack.
He said it wouldn't have to be "missile-for-missile" but could be a
political reaction. Assad claimed Israeli jets hit an unmanned
military facility in the Sept. 6 raid. The IDF has not announced the
exact target of its missile strike except that it was a military
installation, but multiple newspapers reports have alleged Israel
destroyed a facility at which North Korea was transferring nuclear
technology to the Syrians.
Are Iran, Russia, China behind dollar's free-fall?
WorldNet Daily (October
2, 2007) - The hottest selling book in China right now is
called "Currency Wars," which makes the case that the U.S. Federal
Reserve is a puppet of the Rothschilds banking dynasty and it has
persuaded some top officials Beijing should resist America's demands
to appreciate its own undervalued currency, the yuan. This might not
be news of concern to most Americans if the U.S. dollar were not in
precipitous free-fall, having reached record lows against the euro
yesterday. What would it mean if China ever threw its economic
weight around by dumping dollars in a major way? Suffice it to say
it is referred to in some quarters as China's financial "nuclear
option," because it would be the economic equivalent of detonating a
thermonuclear weapon in the world's financial markets. But the
American dollar's fate is hardly in the hands of the Chinese alone.
Other foreign parties suspected of participating in a new "Currency
Cold War" are Iran, Russia and Venezuela. Diane Francis, a financial
reporter for the National Post in Canada, says it plainly and
boldly: "There is a Currency Cold War being waged by Russia, Iran
and various allies such as Venezuela." The grand strategy being
engineered by Vladimir Putin, she writes, is to force the use of
euros as the international monetary standard as a transition to the
Russian ruble. "This is simply a monetary version of the old Cold
War, minus the missiles," she writes. Experts don't see any
short-term reprieve for the falling value of the dollar. Kathy Lien,
chief currency strategist with DailyFX.com in the US, told Bloomberg
she expects the American dollar to slide even further, forcing more
lending rates cuts in the U.S. to stave off recession. "It seems
like every single passing day we have a new record low in the
dollar, and a new record high in the euro, and it's driven by the
fact that U.S. data is continuing to deteriorate," she said. If
other nations do not follow the U.S. in cutting rates, the slide in
the value of the dollar would most likely continue. If the dollar
trend continues spiraling downward, the risk is that nations like
China – or Japan or Saudi Arabia – which have been buying U.S.
Treasury bonds and thereby funding America's deficit, would stop
that practice. That would be the nuclear option. China, with $1.3
trillion in foreign exchange reserves as a result of the massive and
growing $260 billion U.S. trade deficit, has taken huge losses with
the falling dollar, given that some 80 percent of China's $1.3
trillion in foreign reserves is held in U.S. dollar assets, largely
in U.S. treasury securities. Meanwhile, Song Hongbing, the author of
China's runaway bestseller, "The Currency Wars," says he's
pleasantly surprised at the 200,000 copies his book has sold. He is
probably not eager to see the dollar punished as he lives in
Washington, D.C. more...
Will the 12th Imam cause war with Iran?
YNet News (September
28, 2007) - Not since
the prime minister of the tiny Caribbean island of Grenada presented an
address claiming that UFOs posed a mortal threat to the future of
mankind has the United Nations been treated to such a bizarre spectacle.
Many people believe the greatest threat to world peace concerns Iran's
nuclear programme, so there was understandably great interest at this
week's general assembly in New York when the country's president,
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, took the platform. But instead of seeking to
reassure delegates that Iran's nuclear intentions were purely benign, Mr
Ahmadinejad took advantage of his official visit to a country deemed –
in the lexicon of the Iranian Revolution – "the Great Satan" to embark
on a discourse about the wonders of the 12th Imam. For those
unacquainted with the more obscure tenets of Islamic theology, the 12th
Imam is held by devout Shi'ite Muslims to be a direct descendant of the
Prophet Mohammed who went into "occlusion" in the ninth century at the
age of five and hasn't been seen since. The Hidden Imam, as he is also
known by his followers, will only return after a period of cosmic chaos,
war and bloodshed – what Christians call the Apocalypse – and then lead
the world into an era of universal peace. Rumours abound of Mr.
Ahmadinejad's devotion to the 12th Imam, and last year it was reported
that he had persuaded his cabinet to sign a "contract" pledging
themselves to work for his return. For many of the hundreds of delegates
who attended Mr. Ahmadinejad's speech to the UN this week, his discourse
on the merits of the 12th Imam finally brought home the reality of the
danger his regime poses to world peace. more...
Abbas: Peace Deal Possible By May
YNet News (September
28, 2007) - Israel and the Palestinians could sign a peace deal
within six months of an international peace conference scheduled for
November, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas told AFP on Friday. "The
meeting in November should define the principles settling the questions
over the final status (of the Palestinian territories)," Abbas said in
an interview in New York, where he is attending the UN General Assembly.
"Then we will begin negotiations on the details under a timeframe, which
ought not to exceed six months, to reach a peace treaty," he added. The
leader of the Palestinian Authority, who has met with several foreign
leaders during his stay in New York, said that the US-sponsored talks
would open in Washington on November 15. The leader of the Palestinian
Authority, who has met with several key foreign leaders during his stay
in New York, said that the US-sponsored talks would open in Washington
on November 15. "We have noted that the whole world is interested in
this meeting and attaches great hopes to its success," he added. Abbas
said that Palestinian and Israeli negotiators would start to tackle
preparations for the gathering in the coming days. "We want to prepare a
framework agreement defining clear principles and without equivocation
that will serve as a basis for the settlement. Immediately after the
meeting we will hold negotiations on the basis of this document." Key
stumbling blocks in previous talks between Israel and the Palestinians
have included the borders of a future Palestinian state, the fate of the
Jewish settlements, the status of Jerusalem and the question of
Palestinian refugees. "We, the Israelis and the Arabs, must make this
meeting succeed," he said. more...
Rare opportunity for peace YNet
News (September
27, 2007) - Last month, Jordan's Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah
Khatib and his Egyptian counterpart, Ahmed Abul Gheit, presented to our
prime minister and political leaders the details of the Arab initiative
ratified in Saudi Arabia. The initiative, which was rejected by former
premier Ariel Sharon, who was busy with the disengagement at the time,
is back on the international stage, and constitutes a rare window of
opportunity. For the first time in 60 years, all Arab countries are
willing to recognize the existence of the Jewish state and even maintain
normal relations with it. The conditions for it, according to a source
involved in drafting the initiative, are very general: Israel is
obligated to withdraw from the occupied territories and grant the
Palestinians an independent state whose capital is east Jerusalem. In
addition, the initiative calls for a fair solution to the Palestinian
refugee problem. However, the initiative does not require the parties to
base an agreement on the precise 1967 borders or allow refugees to enter
Israel. In addition, the initiative does not stipulate that the Old City
in Jerusalem become the Palestinian capital. What makes this initiative
unique is the agreement of all Arab states to accept any solution worked
out by the parties, as long as it constitutes an end to the conflict.
According to sources involved in the matter, the initiative is not an
outline of red lines for ending the conflict, but rather, constitutes a
sort of general umbrella for any agreement between any Arab state and
the State of Israel, or between the Palestinians and Israel. Another
issue that stems from the decisions taken in the Riyadh summit and was
not publicized, perhaps because of the sensitivity of the issue within
Arab states and among the Palestinians, is the solution to the refugee
problem within the borders of a future Palestinian state: Saudi Arabia
and other Gulf states expressed their willingness to take part in a
special compensation fund that will be established under American and
Israeli direction. The Saudis, who have played a significant role in
marketing the initiative, convinced other Arab countries to accept any
agreement signed by Mahmoud Abbas and Ehud Olmert. Saudi Arabia
continues to relay calming and positive messages to Israel via the US
while also receiving regular updates from the parties involved regarding
the progress in negotiations. Hence, the initiative's significance stems
from the fact all Arab states, including Syria, agreed to it, and its
implementation is not far removed from reality. We are facing a one-time
opportunity and a basis for a long-term agreement that will guarantee
quiet for many years to come. These developments, and the fall summit in
the US, encourage our prime minister to vigorously advance on the
Palestinian track. In addition, in light of the rare window of
opportunity, we must not view Olmert's desire to advance on the
Palestinian track as a mere matter of political survival and an attempt
to distract attention from the Winograd Commission or other affairs
threatening him. This may also be the reason for Ehud Barak's and
Tzipi's Livni's deep involvement in the process.
more... Hizbullah: If Israel attacks Syria, we'll respond Fulfilled Prophecy (September 27, 2007) - "If Israel dares to make an adventurous move against Syria, it will pay a heavy price," a member of Hizbulla's political council warned Thursday. In an interview with the Nazareth-based Kul al-Arab newspaper scheduled to be published on Friday, Dr Ahmad Malli warned Israel against considering an attack on Syria, saying that the Lebanese organization would respond to such an offensive with full force. "I believe that things have changed," Malli explained. "The times when everyone was afraid of the Israeli threats are over. The Zionist entity knows more than anyone that the price of such adventurousness would be heavy, and the Israelis know the price more than anyone. "Since 2006 we have begun a new stage in the Arab-Israeli conflict and have demonstrated this during the Israeli aggression in July (the Second Lebanon War). If anyone wants to make an adventurous move, it will baer responsibility for this aggression." Asked whether he was referring to aggression both against Lebanon and against Syria, Malli replied, "We are all in one Middle East." Ahmad Jibril, secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, also warned Thursday that if Israel attacked Syria or Hizbullah his organization would also respond. In an interview with the al-Hadat newspaper, which is published in Arabic in the Galilee city of Tamra, Jibril warned that Israel planned to invade Syria in coordination with Arab countries. The interview is scheduled to be published Friday. According to Jibril, if such an attack takes place, Iran and Hizbullah will stand by Damascus and respond in full force. "I believe that the Israelis and the Americans will carry out attacks against Syria as soon as possible, in other words in the near future. I do not reject the possibility that the Israeli aircraft will attack us – the Palestinians in Syria. more...| Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 |
Bush
to U.N.: Lay Off Israel
Israel National News (September
25, 2007) - United States President George W. Bush urged the
United Nations to reform its Human Rights Council Tuesday, criticizing
the body for ignoring abuses in places like Iran "while focusing its
criticism excessively on Israel.” "The American people are disappointed
by the failures of the Human Rights Council," Bush said. "The United
Nations must reform its own Human Rights Council." In the course of his
speech, Bush pointed out several regimes which he termed "brutal" and
"cruel." He announced new sanctions against the military dictatorship in
Myanmar (Burma), accusing it of imposing "a 19-year reign of fear" that
denies the basic freedoms of speech, assembly and worship. "Americans
are outraged by the situation in Burma," the president said in an
address to the U.N. General Assembly. He purposely used the country's
old name, Burma: the military junta renamed the Asian country Myanmar
but the U.S. refuses to recognize the change. "Basic freedoms of speech,
assembly and worship are severely restricted," he said. "Ethnic
minorities are persecuted. Forced child labor, human trafficking and
rape are common. The regime is holding more than a thousand political
prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party was elected
overwhelmingly by the Burmese people in 1990. "The ruling junta remains
unyielding, yet the people's desire for freedom is unmistakable," Bush
said. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sat in the chamber and
checked his watch during Bush's remarks. First Lady Laura Bush, also
present for the president's speech, walked by the seated Iranian
president without making contact, and Israeli Ambassador Danny Gillerman,
too, made a point of avoiding Ahmadinejad. Bush urged the world's
nations to support countries that are struggling for democracy.
more... Solana calls for more substance in Israeli-Palestinian talks EU Business (September 24, 2007) - "The issues that are fundamental have been stated already many, many times," Solana said as the members of the quartet -- the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia -- began two hours of talks. "We have to go beyond the mere stating of the issues and try to put some more meat on every issue," he said. "Water, borders, security, Jerusalem, refugees -- those are the fundamental issues that have to be resolved at the end of the day," he said, adding: "We can not afford a failure." "Without any doubt, it would be going back several years. We cannot afford that to happen," he added. more...| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal |
Netanyahu says was in on Syrian mission plans
YNet News (September
20, 2007) - Opposition leader Benjamin
Netanyahu said Wednesday [September 19] that he had been informed about
the reported Israel Defense Forces [IDF] operation in Syria “from the
start” and praised Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for carrying out the
mission. He was the first Israeli official to break the silence and
admit that the overflight in Syria did take place. Netahyahu’s office
said in response that he was not referring to a specific operation and
that he did not reveal any details. In an interview with Channel 1 news
Wednesday, Netanyahu personally congratulated Olmert on the operation:
“When a prime minister does things that I believe are important and
necessary, I give my full support,” he said. “I was in on it from the
first moment, and I gave my support—but it’s too soon to discuss the
matter.” Later, however, in a conversation with Ynet, Netanyahu chose to
criticize the Olmert administration and its stance on Jerusalem and
willingness to make concessions. “Jerusalem isn’t just any city. The
Western Wall isn’t real estate, and the Temple Mount isn’t any piece of
land. “These concepts are at the root of our identity and national
existence. The unbearable lightness with which a government—that has no
mandate or support from the Jewish people—surrenders Zion shows the
deterioration of the values of Israeli society,” he said. Wednesday
night Netanyahu met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for over
an hour regarding the upcoming Middle East peace summit in Washington.
Netanyahu also ruled out joining a government led by Olmert, which he
called “dangerous to Israel.” “I think Olmert’s policies regarding
Jerusalem are very dangerous. Unfortunately, they haven’t learned their
lesson. Today, we understand that we have no partner. What they’re doing
doesn’t advance peace—it advances terrorism, it brings the missiles
closer to the heart of the country. It threatens the things most holy to
the Jewish people. “Who are they depending on—the UN?—to protect our
holy places and freedom of religion for three faiths? The Temple Mount
is in our hands only as long as the IDF is there,” he said. As for
Israel’s designation of Gaza and Hamas as “hostile entities,” Netanyahu
said the decision to do so came too late and endangers Israel. He said
he doesn’t trust Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas [Abu
Mazen] either, but trusts only the IDF. “We'll end up with Hamas in the
heart of Jerusalem,” he said. “The fact that the IDF is there is the
only reason the West Bank [Judea and Samaria] hasn’t become Hamastan.”
Islam Using First Amendment Guarantees To Enact Plan to “Eliminate and Destroy”
America Daily
Jot News Service (September 19, 2007) - Islam
is using First Amendment guarantees of freedom of religion to implement a
strategic plan to eliminate and destroy the United States of America, according
to an analysis of documents submitted by the government as evidence in the
Dallas, Texas Holy Land Foundation terror trial. A strategic planning document
for North America written by the Muslim Brotherhood in May 1991 indicates that
Islam’s plan is well under way to “settle” the United States by possessing “a
mastery of the art of “coalitions,” the art of “absorption” and the principles
of “cooperation.”” The plan, already 16 years in implementation, identifies
eight historical stages of development that the Muslim Brotherhood in America
already had accomplished by the plan’s introduction in 1991. They included the
stages of 1) searching for self identity; 2) building the inner organization; 3)
first phases of building mosques and Islamic centers; 4) first phases of
building Islamic organizations; 5) first phases of building Islamic schools; 6)
first phases of the overt Islamic movement; 7) first phases of openness to other
Islamic movements; and 8) the second phase of reviving and establishing the
Islamic organizations. The plan calls for the establishment of Islamic Centers
in every town in America which would serve as the “axis” of the Islamic movement
and a “base” to “educate us, prepare us and supply our battalions in addition to
being the “niche” to our prayers.” The plan says, “This is in order for the
Islamic Center to turn—in action not in words—into a seed for ‘a small Islamic
society’ which is a reflection and a mirror to our central organizations…Thus
the Islamic Center would turn into a place for study, family, battalion, course,
seminar, visit, sport, school, social club, women gathering, kindergarten for
male and female youngsters, the office of domestic political resolution, and the
center for distributing our newspapers, magazines, books and our audio and
visual tapes.” The “heart and the core” of the plan is then to unite all Muslim
organizations in America to complete the “settlement process.” Rather than being
a peaceful religion protected by the Constitution, Islam is a Trojan Horse
religion set on performing in its own words a “Civilization Jihad” to eliminate
and destroy America. Resisting Islam in America should therefore not be
constrained by religious freedom, but rather be unleashed as a duty of every
American citizen in the name of national security. Jesus said in Matthew 24:4,
“Take heed that no man deceive you.” Do not be deceived by the wicked who would
twist the intent of law and Constitution to conquer a law abiding people and
destroy a nation.
Join the conversation!
Terror group broadcasting from Temple Mount Associated
Press (September 18, 2007) - The
official radio network of a major terror organization has been
exclusively broadcasting daily from the Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest
site, WND has learned. The radio network regularly features Iranian and
anti-Semitic propaganda and death threats against Jews. The Al-Quds
network, the official radio station of the Islamic Jihad terror group,
has been exclusively broadcasting special nightly Ramadan prayers from
the Mount's Al Aqsa Mosque since last week. The station also is
broadcasting the Tarawih prayers, special Sunni Muslim prayers recited
at night during Ramadan. Saleh Al-Massri, Al-Quds radio station manager,
told WND the Temple Mount broadcasts provide Islamic Jihad with "an
opportunity to spread Islam and its values and to bring some happiness
to the suffering Palestinians who can't reach the Al Aqsa Mosque for
Tarawih prayers." Islamic Jihad, together with Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs
Brigades terror group, took responsibility for every suicide bombing in
Israel the last three years. Islamic Jihad also carried out scores of
deadly rocket and shooting attacks and is one of the most active
Palestinian terrorist organizations. According to Palestinian leaders in
the Gaza Strip, the nightly prayer broadcast on Islamic Jihad's station
is currently the most popular radio program in the Palestinian
territories. The last few days the special broadcasts, sampled by WND,
have been preceded and followed by Islamic Jihad speeches featuring
anti-Israel propaganda, such as calling for the destruction of the
Jewish state and advocating Palestinian solidarity with Iran. It was
unclear whether Islamic Jihad had official permission from Israel or
from the Waqf Islamic custodians of the Temple Mount to broadcast from
the holy site, located in Jerusalem and jointly administered by the Waqf
and Israeli police. A spokesman for Israel's Police Authority did not
return phone calls before press time. According to Palestinian security
sources speaking to WND, Islamic Jihad's Al-Quds radio has been using
technicians from the Voice of Palestine, the official radio network of
the Palestinian Authority, to facilitate the Temple Mount broadcasts,
even though the program is not aired on PA radio. The sources said the
Waqf as well as the PA is "well aware" Islamic Jihad is broadcasting
from the Mount. more...
Muslim Brotherhood's papers detail plan to seize U.S.
Dallas
Morning News (September 17,
2007) - Amid
the mountain of evidence released in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism
financing trial, the most provocative has turned out to be a handful of
previously classified evidence detailing Islamist extremists' ambitious
plans for a U.S. takeover. A knot of terrorism researchers say the memos
and audiotapes, many translated from Arabic and containing detailed
strategies by the international Islamist group the Muslim Brotherhood,
are proof that extremists have long sought to replace the Constitution
with Shariah, or Islamic law. The Muslim
Brotherhood was formed in Egypt in the 1920s by Islamists seeking to
install a fundamentalist government there. Islamist radicals today still
idolize the martyr Sayyid Qutb, the Brotherhood's most influential
thinker. While attending college in the U.S. in the late 1940s, Mr. Qutb
was appalled by what he perceived as the nation's lack of piousness and
morality. In the early 1950s, he was jailed in Egypt, where he had
worked to overthrow the secular government of Gamal Abdel Nasser. Before
he was executed in 1966, he penned a scathing indictment of American
culture that called for worldwide rejection of Western values. His
writings are still credited with radicalizing countless young Muslims,
including Ayman al-Zawahiri. He became al-Qaeda's No. 2 leader and the
spiritual guide to Osama bin Laden. ..."Al-Qaeda and the Muslim
Brotherhood are working toward the same goal, but the Brotherhood is
willing to work through it politically and take their time," said Mr.
Farah, the counterterrorism consultant. "They want an Islamic state.
Does that mean they're going to pick up a gun and start shooting at the
[U.S.] president? No. They're going to work the system." The U.S. is
among the countries where the Brotherhood has sought to spread its
message, according to Department of Justice prosecutors in the Holy Land
case. Prosecutors say that the Brotherhood was behind the Palestinian
Committee, formed in the U.S. in the 1980s. The goal of the Palestinian
Committee, which trial documents indicate existed in the late 1980s and
early 1990s, was to raise money in the U.S. to fund Hamas. This was to
be accomplished by forming a complex network of seemingly benign Muslim
organizations whose real job, according to the government, was to spread
militant propaganda and raise money. The Muslim Brotherhood
created some American Muslim groups and sought influence in others, many
of which are listed as unindicted co-conspirators in the Holy Land case.
On the list are several prominent groups, including the Islamic Society
of North America, the North American Islamic Trust and the Council on
American-Islamic Relations. All have protested their inclusion on the
list. On one hand, several articles and statements indicate that the
group wants to reform the West, not necessarily destroy it. It
repeatedly accuses the U.S. of being "anti-Muslim" mostly for its
historic backing of Israeli interests. more...
Report: Syria had planned 'devastating surprise' for Israel Haaretz
(September 16, 2007) - Former United Nations ambassador John Bolton said
Sunday that Israel's reported military operation inside Syria
earlier this month should be regarded as a 'clear message to Iran'
that its nuclear efforts will not be ignored by the international
community. "I think it would be unusual for Israel to conduct a
military operation inside Syria other than for a very high value
target, and certainly a Syrian effort in the nuclear weapons area
would qualify," Bolton told Channel 10 in an interview broadcast
Sunday. "I think this is a clear message not only to Syria, I think
it's a clear message to Iran as well, that its continued efforts to
acquire nuclear weapons are not going to go unanswered," Bolton
said. Bolton, who has long called for a hard line against the Syrian
and Iranian regimes, did not indicate that he had first-hand
information about the incident. The U.K. newspaper The Sunday Times
quoted an Israeli source on Sunday as saying that Syria had been
planning a "devastating surprise" for Israel, in the wake of reports
that the Israel Air Force carried out an air strike against a North
Korean nuclear shipment to Syria. The paper quoted Israeli sources
as saying that planning for the strike began shortly after Meir
Dagan, chief of the Mossad intelligence agency, presented Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert in late spring with evidence that Syria was
seeking to buy a nuclear device from North Korea. Dagan apparently
feared such a device could eventually be installed on
North-Korean-made Scud-C missiles, the paper reported. "This was
supposed to be a devastating Syrian surprise for Israel," the Sunday
Times quoted an Israeli source as saying. "We've known for a long
time that Syria has deadly chemical warheads on its Scuds, but
Israel can't live with a nuclear warhead." South Korea's Yonhap news
agency reported Sunday that a senior North Korean official denied a
Washington Post report that Pyongyang was giving nuclear expertise
to Syria. The report suggested intelligence including satellite
images revealed a facility in Syria which may be used to build
nuclear warheads. "They often say things that are groundless,"
Yonhap quoted deputy chief of the North Korean mission to the United
Nations Kim Myong-gil as saying in response to the Post report. When
asked to elaborate Kim hung up the phone, Yonhap reported. more...
'As many as eight IAF jets involved in strike on Syria' The
Jerusalem Post (September 16, 2007)
- Unconfirmed details of Israel's alleged foray into Syrian airspace
10 days ago continued to circulate Sunday in foreign media with a
latest report by The Sunday Times. According to the report,
at a rendezvous point on the ground, a Shaldag air force commando
team waited to direct their laser beams at the target for the
approaching IAF planes. The team had arrived a day earlier, taking
up position near a large underground depot. Soon the bunkers were in
flames. According to Israeli sources, the Times continued,
preparations for the attack had been going on since late spring,
when Meir Dagan, the head of Mossad, presented the PM with evidence
that Syria was seeking to buy a nuclear device from North Korea.
Dagan feared such a device could later be mounted on
North-Korean-made Scud-C missiles, the report said. "This was
supposed to be a devastating Syrian surprise for Israel," said an
Israeli source to the Times. "We've known for a long time
that Syria has deadly chemical warheads on its Scuds, but Israel
can't live with a nuclear warhead." According to an IAF source, the
Israeli satellite Ofek 7, launched in June, was diverted from Iran
to Syria. It sent out high-quality images of a northeastern area
every hour and a half, making it easy for air force officials to
spot the facility, the Times reported. According to the
report, early in the summer, Defense Minister Ehud Barak had given the order to double IDF
presence in the Golan Heights border with Syria in anticipation of
possible retaliation by Damascus in the event of air strikes. Sergei
Kirpichenko, the Russian ambassador to Syria, warned President
Bashar al-Assad last month that Israel was
planning an attack, but suggested the target was the Golan Heights.
Israeli intelligence sources claim Syrian special forces moved
towards the Israeli outpost of Mount Hermon on the Golan Heights.
Tension rose, but nobody knew why. more...
Syrian
denies saying Damascus wouldn't respond to IAF attack Haaretz (September
15, 2007) - The Syrian
deputy foreign minister on Saturday denied reports that he had said
Damascus was not planning a military response, 10 days after Syria
accused that Israel Air Force warplanes
bombed targets in its
territory. (Click
here for map). Damascus said on September 6 that IAF jets had
violated its airspace in the early hours of the morning, and had been
fired upon by Syrian air defenses. Shortly after the first announcement,
Damascus said that the IAF had bombed targets, but the Syrian envoy to
the U.S. over the weekend denied that an IAF attack had occurred. Israel
has declined to comment about the incident at all. Syrian Deputy Foreign
Minister Faysal Mekdad told a Lebanese newspaper that his words were
taken out of context and that Syria has never remained silent in the
face of a military penetration of its territory. Mekdad warned after a
meeting with his Russian counterpart Friday that growing tension could
spark a violent outbreak in the region, and that Syria has the "means to
respond in ways that will preserve its position of power." In an
interview with Newsweek published Friday, Syria's ambassador to
Washington, Imad Moustapha, said that Israel would "pay a price" for
violating Syria's airspace. He told the American publication that it
went against Syria's national interests not to respond to Israel's
provocation. He also denied
reports in the U.S. media
that the IAF had been targeting a nuclear project that Syria was
developing in cooperation with North Korea. European diplomats who met
with Syrian Vice President Walid Moallem earlier this week had told
Haaretz that they had received the impression that Syria would not
retaliate militarily. Syria protested Tuesday to the United Nations
about the strike, but said that no targets had been struck and that
there was no damage. According to Syria's envoy to the United Nations,
Bashar al-Jaafari, the protest complained of Israel's "aggression and
violation of [Syrian] sovereignty." more...
U.S.: Syria on nuclear watch list Associated
Press (September 14, 2007) - A
senior U.S. nuclear official said Friday that North Koreans were in
Syria and that Damascus may have had contacts with "secret suppliers" to
obtain nuclear equipment. Andrew Semmel, acting deputy assistant
secretary of state for nuclear nonproliferation policy, did not identify
the suppliers, but said North Koreans were in the country and that he
could not exclude that the network run by the disgraced Pakistan nuclear
scientist A.Q. Khan may have been involved. He said it was not known if
the contacts had produced any results. "Whether anything transpired
remains to be seen," he said. Syria has never commented publicly on its
nuclear program. It has a small research nuclear reactor, as do several
other countries in the region, including Egypt. While Israel and the
U.S. have expressed concerns in the past, Damascus has not been known to
make a serious push to develop a nuclear energy or weapons program. In
Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack declined to
comment on Semmel's remarks but noted that the United States had
longstanding concerns about North Korea and nuclear proliferation.
"We've also expressed, over time, our concerns about North Korea's
activities in terms of dealing with A.Q. Khan and others around the
globe," he told reporters. McCormack said he was not aware of any
specific link between North Korea and Syria. Proliferation experts have
said that Syria's weak economy would make it hard-pressed to afford
nuclear technology, and that Damascus — which is believed to have some
chemical weapons stocks — may have taken the position that it does not
also need nuclear weapons. Semmel was responding to questions about an
Israeli airstrike in northern Syria last week. Neither side has
explained what exactly happened, but a U.S. government official
confirmed that Israeli warplanes were targeting weapons from Iran and
destined for Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. The Washington Post
reported Thursday that Israel had gathered satellite imagery showing
possible North Korean cooperation with Syria on a nuclear facility.
North Korea, which has a longstanding alliance with Syria, condemned the
Israeli air incursion. Israeli experts say North Korea and Iran both
have been major suppliers of Syria's missile stock. Syrian Information
Minister Mohsen Bilal told the Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat on
Thursday that the accusations of North Korean nuclear help were a "new
American spin to cover up" for Israel. more... 'Advisors to Assad pressuring him to respond with force' The Jerusalem Post (September 12, 2007) - Advisors to Syrian President Bashar Assad are pressuring him to respond to the alleged IAF attack by "landing a blow to an Israeli target," the Kuwait-based Al-Jareeda reported Wednesday. According to the report, Israel targeted long-range missile batteries that were brought to Syria from Iran. The report said five IAF fighter jets carried out the attack. Israel Radio quoted the Kuwaiti paper to the effect that the group advocating a military response is being spearheaded by Assad's brother in law, who has met in recent days with senior Hizbullah and Hamas officials in an effort to draw up an operation plan. The Kuwaiti paper also reported that the Syrian army has begun drafting reservists from the armed corps, missile corps and anti-aircraft units, and quoted "sources in the know" who said the draft was a response to Israel raising its level of readiness in the north. Meanwhile, Syria's UN Ambassador, Bashar Ja'afari, denied the reports on Wednesday, claiming the Israeli jets escaped without hitting their target, Israel Radio reported. Ja'afari also said Israel's silence over the alleged strike resulted from the fact it constituted a violation of international law. According to a report by The Nazareth-based al-Sinara newspaper Wednesday, the IAF targeted a joint Syrian-Iranian missile base in northern Syria. Reportedly, the Iranian-funded installation was razed to the ground. The report claimed its information was gleaned from an "Israeli source." more... | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | It appears the tensions may not be founded on Israel bombing anything, but some are trying to paint it that way as a reason for and aggressive response. Whether or not the Israeli Air Force bombed any installations in Syria doesn't matter when it comes to the rising tensions between the two nations.
More than half of Jews under 35 would not view the destruction of Israel
as a personal tragedy Jewish
World Review (September 12, 2007)
- Sociologists Stephen Cohen and Ari Kelman have now confirmed what
everyone already knew: Young American Jews do not care very much about
Israel. They are not just apathetic about Israel, that indifference is
"giving way to downright alienation," write Cohen and Kelman. More than
half of Jews under 35 said that they would not view the destruction of
Israel as a personal tragedy. The death and expulsion of millions is
something they could live with. By those standards, they probably would
not see the Holocaust as a "personal" tragedy either. "These results are
very upsetting," said Jewish Agency chairman Zev Bielski. He then
proceeded to give an inane explanation for those numbers: the
comfortable life of most American Jews. Cohen and Kelman know better.
And their answer is summed up in the demographic they did not interview
for their study: Orthodox Jews. A survey of young Orthodox Jews would
have yielded a diametrically opposed and highly embarrassing result.
Among younger Jews, those for whom their Judaism is important —
primarily the Orthodox — will remain connected to the fate of their
fellow Jews in Israel. Most Orthodox American youth will study in Israel
after high school, some for many years. And almost all will visit Israel
many times. Eretz Yisrael is not a mere abstraction for them, but the
center of the spiritual life of the Jewish people. Even an anti-Zionist
Satmar chassid living in the secluded village of Monroe will intensify
his prayers when Israel is at war and follow the action closely. Why?
Because for him the name Jew means something. The majority of young
American Jews and the majority of young Israelis share in common a lack
of interest in their Judaism. But that shared negativity provides little
basis for a relationship. Shared gene pools won't do it either — that
smacks of racism. And ethnic identity, it turns out, cannot be passed
down, or survive the breakup of ethnically homogeneous neighborhoods.
What young Jews under 35 feel towards Israel goes beyond apathy to
outright resentment. Israel complicates their social lives and muddies
their political identity. Only 54% profess to be comfortable with the
idea of a Jewish state at all. In Europe and on elite American campuses,
internationalism and a world-without-borders are the rage. The Jews of
Israel, with their stubborn insistence on protecting their nation-state,
are, as always, out-of-sync. more... This would explain why the dividing of Israel may work out at first. It also shows how quickly a generation forgets things like the holocaust and fail to recognize the spiritual hatred for their people as significant. I also think this attitude will change significantly once God destroys the attacking armies of Iran, Russia, Turkey and Libya. This could also represent many of those who could be blinded enough not to run at the abomination of desolation to be killed by the antichrist. Zechariah 13:8,9
Report: Israel spots nuclear installations in Syria YNet
News (September 12, 2007) -
Washington official says Israeli surveillance shows possible Syrian
nuclear installation stocked by North Korea, Israeli Arab newspaper
claims target of alleged raid last week was Syrian missile base financed
by Iran. Israel believes that North Korea has been supplying Syria and
Iran with nuclear materials, a Washington defense official told the New
York Times. “The Israelis think North Korea is selling to Iran and Syria
what little they have left,” he said. The official added that recent
Israeli reconnaissance flights over Syria revealed possible nuclear
installations that Israeli officials estimate might have been supplied
with material from North Korea. Meanwhile on Wednesday the
Nazareth-based Israeli Arab newspaper The Assennara cited anonymous
Israeli sources as saying that Israeli jets "bombed a Syrian-Iranian
missile base in northern Syria that was financed by Iran... It appears
that the base was completely destroyed." According to the Times,
American officials confirmed Tuesday that Israeli jets launched an
airstrike inside Syria. Sources said that Israel struck at least one
target in northeastern Syria, but could not provide more details. The
most likely target was, according to some administration officials,
weapon caches sent by Iran to Hizbullah through Syria. North Korea
commented on the incident Tuesday, calling it a "dangerous provocation",
Chinese News Agency Xinhua reported on Tuesday. "This is a very
dangerous provocation little short of wantonly violating the sovereignty
of Syria and seriously harassing the regional peace and security," a
North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said. "The Democratic People's
Republic of Korea strongly denounces the above-said intrusion and
extends full support and solidarity to the Syrian people in their just
cause to defend the national security and the regional peace."
Turkey Lines Up Alongside Syria To Condemn Israeli Incursions Eurasia
Daily Monitor (September 11, 2007)
- Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan’s blunt condemnation of an
alleged violation of the Turkey’s airspace by Israeli warplanes has
dealt another blow to already deteriorating relations between the
two countries. In 1996 a military training agreement between Israel
and Turkey was hailed by many as heralding a new strategic alignment
in the eastern Mediterranean. Over the years that followed Israeli
jets regularly used the Turkish air force base in Konya for training
missions while Turkish pilots underwent specialized training in
facilities belonging to the Israeli Air Force (IAF) in the Negev
Desert. There was also extensive cooperation in the defense
industry, with Israeli firms receiving a string of lucrative defense
contracts. American Jewish lobby groups became Turkey’s strongest
supporters in Washington. However, plans to underpin the
relationship by transporting Turkish water to Israel came to
nothing. While a number of disagreements over defense contracts, and
allegation of corruption involving Israeli defense suppliers, soured
relations between the two countries’ militaries. Relations began to
cool rapidly following the victory of the moderate Islamist Justice
and Development Party (AKP) in the Turkish general election of
November 2002. Although the AKP’s leaders publicly reaffirmed
Turkey’s commitment to friendship with Israel, much of the party’s
grassroots support remained simply and viscerally anti-Semitic.
After taking power, the AKP downplayed ties with Israel, while
trying to form a closer relationship with other Muslim states in the
Middle East, particularly its neighbors Syria and Iran. The last
five years have seen an unprecedented increase in bilateral contacts
and AKP leaders have become frequent visitors to both Damascus and
Tehran. On September 6, after the Syrian government claimed that
Israeli warplanes had overflown its territory and dropped munitions
onto deserted areas, fuel tanks belonging to IAF warplanes were
found on the Turkish side of the country’s border with Syria. The
assumption is that they were jettisoned in order to increase the IAF
planes’ maneuverability as they sought to avoid Syrian ground fire.
On September 6, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement
supporting the Syrian protests and informing the Israeli government
that Ankara took “a harsh view of the invasion of Syrian airspace by
the IAF” (Hurriyet, Milliyet, September 7). On September 9, Syrian
Foreign Minister Wallid Moallem flew to Ankara to seek Turkish
support and met with Babacan, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
and President Abdullah Gul (Sabah, September 11). On September 10,
Moallem and Babacan held a joint conference to condemn the IAF’s
incursions on September 6. more...
Syrian vice president a-Shara: 'We will respond soon enough' The
Jerusalem Post (September 8, 2007)
- "Top [Syrian] political and military men are examining a series of
potential responses. The results will come soon enough," Syrian Vice
President Farouk a-Shara said Saturday evening, referring to the
alleged IAF foray into Syrian airspace undertaken, so Syria claims,
Wednesday overnight. A-Shara, speaking to the Italian La
Republica, revealed no other details, saying the matter was of
"top national security." Earlier Saturday, a Syrian government
newspaper accused the US of encouraging Israel's reported violation
of Syrian airspace by remaining silent on the issue. "This new
Israeli hostile operation was carried out in coordination between
Washington and Tel Aviv," the Tishrin newspaper said in a
front-page editorial. US silence can only be interpreted as an
"overt and scandalous encouragement of Israel," it said. Damascus
has said that Israeli jets broke the sound barrier flying over
northern Syria before dawn Thursday, then "dropped munitions" onto
deserted areas after being shot at by Syria's air defenses. It is
still unclear exactly what happened, and Syria has stopped short of
accusing Israel of purposely bombing its territory. An Israeli
spokesman has said he could not comment on military operations. "How
could a superpower call for the establishment of peace and send
invitations to some countries to convene a peace conference at a
time when it maintains silence over a clear violation of the
simplest laws and international norms?" Tishrin said in its
editorial on Saturday. The newspaper also criticized Arab countries
for planning to attend the proposed conference. "How would they go
to Bush's conference and how would they justify to their people
shaking hands with those who kill Palestinians and Iraqis and
threaten the Arabs' future with grave consequences?" it said. The Mahdi is Coming Babylon the Great is Falling (September 6, 2007) - Greetings my friends, Below you can see the official announcement from Iran's state-run news network pleading with the Islamic Mahdi or Messiah to come and establish peace and justice for all nations. After reading that you can read the first few paragraphs of the article "The Fundamentalist" which was posted on our web site February 1, 2007. Most Americans and Europeans are dangerously unaware that Iran's government and people are so deeply entrenched in these Islamic prophecies, which seem to parallel those of the prophet Daniel and the visions of John in the Revelation. In their version, as you can plainly read, they win as the Mahdi establishes..."a global government of justice"...remarkably with the help of his side-kick lieutenant, Jesus Christ. In my article posted below I asked some questions. I hope you take the time to read them anew and send me your comments, even criticisms. Please forward this email to your family and friends who might be interested. By the way, I have posted some very interesting replies I have received in the "Your Comments" (September) section of our web site, many of them dealing with an appeal I made to Hal Lindsey, which is also posted on the web site under "Articles". Finally, I want to thank those of you who responded to my latest article "Pacifist, Patriot, or Pilgrim" which also contains much about Islam's place in end-time events. Your eternal friend, Jack World awaits you o Mahdi! IRIB News Main Page 2007/08/28 | Islam | NewWorldOrder |
Iran offers to aid Syria following tensions with Israel YNet
News (September 6, 2007)
- Iran's ambassador to Damascus, Mu , assured security
officials in Syria that Teheran would be ready to offer Damascus any
assistance it may need, Iranian media reported on Thursday afternoon
following a resurgence of tensions between Israel and Syria. Syria
claims that IDF aircraft entered Syrian airspace overnight. Olmert Offers Judea, Samaria, Divides Jerusalem in Draft Accord Israel National News (September 6, 2007) - Israel's government has agreed, in writing, to hand over 6,250 square kilometers of land – the equivalent of its entire biblical and strategic heartland - to an Arab terror state. So reports Dr. Guy Bechor, a leading expert on Arab affairs, who also supplies some of the details of the negotiations. Bechor reports, based on "leaks from the Palestinian side," that Israel has, in the past few days, presented Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas at least one draft of an "agreement of principles."
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | 1st Seal |
Solana: ‘Israel has our solidarity in fighting terrorism’ European
Jewish Press (September 4, 2007)
- Javier Solana, the European Union’s foreign policy chief,
condemned Monday the Qassam rocket attack from Gaza on a
kindergarten school in the Israeli southern city of Sderot.
Speaking at a
press conference after meeting Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni
in Jerusalem, Solana, who is on a new Middle East trip, declared: "I
would like to offer my solidarity to the people of Sderot and I
condemn the rocket attack on a school today". “I was there with the
minister not long ago and we were welcomed together there, and I
know what it means. And to see Sderot again today - once again,
seeing the same spirit of the people of Sderot, particularly the
kids in the schools. I think that this is something that I have to
condemn,” he added. Asked about EU support for Israeli operations in
Gaza to stop the rockets, Solana, whose official title is EU High
Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP),
said: "Israel has our solidarity in fighting terrorism. We have
continued to search for efficient measures against terrorism.
Sometimes we do not agree 100% on exactly how to combat it but we
offer our full solidarity with Israel in it’s efforts to fight
terroris. Israel knows that you have it.” Solana’s trip is aimed at
preparing the EU for an intensive period of activity in the coming
months and at restarting the peace process. He pointed to the
meeting of the ad hoc liaison committee and the Quartet meeting
during the UN General Assembly week later this month in New York and
the international conference to take place in the late autumn
probably in Washington. This conference was called for by US
President George Bush as part of efforts to jumpstart the dormant
peace process in the wake of the takeover of Gaza by Hamas in
mid-June. Solana said: "We don’t know exactly when the conference
will take place but it must be a success. We can not allow it to
fail and we must therefore define success". The EU would help and
cooperate as much as possible in the preparations of the event, he
added. more...
Solana beating US conference drum Associated
Press (September 4, 2007) -
European Union Foreign Policy chief
Javier Solana has arrived in Egypt for talks with the Egyptian
officials on Middle East peace process. Solana will hold talks with
the Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit and the Arab League
Chief Amr Moussa, according to DPA. Solana's multi-leg tour of the
Middle East takes place ahead of a major US-sponsored international
conference on Middle Peace which is scheduled to be held in
Washington this autumn. The main discussions between the EU's top
diplomat and the Egyptian officials are expected to be held on
Wednesday. During the two-day visit Solana will make efforts to
bring the Palestinians and Israelis back to the negotiating table.
Solana held similar talks in Amman on Monday. So far, Solana's
statements had signaled hope. During his Sunday's visit to the West
Bank city of Ramallah, Solana predicted that the coming months
would witness a series of important forums in which the peace
process will be discussed. He had also said that that the Middle
East Quartet, which comprises the United States, Russia, the EU and
the United Nations, will meet with members of the Arab League in
December. One obvious flaw in the much-ballyhooed US sponsored
conference is that it has consciously failed to allow Hamas to
attend. The militant group has consistently refused to recognize
Israel and in the January 2006 elections soundly trounced
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party
throughout the occupied territories.
Israeli-Palestinian talks raise hope of peace Telegraph
UK (September 4, 2007) - For most Israelis
and Palestinians, peace seems such a remote prospect that it is scarcely worth
thinking about. Even officials involved in the peace process are working hard to
damp down optimism, fearful that hopes will once again be cruelly dashed. Yet
there is a slowly dawning sense in parts of the Middle East that, after seven
years of violence in the latest intifada, Israeli-Palestinian efforts are
quietly gaining momentum. Ahead of a
US-backed conference planned for
November, the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and Israeli prime minister,
Ehud Olmert, have begun tackling the core issues of the conflict - final
borders, the division of Jerusalem, and the resettlement of Palestinian
refugees. They have been meeting one-on-one, and seem to be getting along well,
according to insiders. In their meetings, Mr Abbas smokes the occasional
cigarette, and Mr Olmert the occasional cigar. There have been almost no
unwanted leaks to the media, unlike the briefings and counter-briefings that
have marred previous peace efforts. Just a few months ago, Israel was insisting
that there was no Palestinian partner for peace and was ignoring the Palestinian
government. Such talks were unthinkable. But in the weeks since Hamas's dramatic
takeover in Gaza, the US and Israel have recalculated. They have concluded that
a true peace push that offers Palestinians hope will be the best, and perhaps
only, chance for Mr Abbas to fend off the rising power of Palestinian Islamists.
Now supporters of Mr Abbas, as well as Israeli leaders, believe that a tangible
peace document, endorsed by Arab leaders further afield and with an explicit
endgame in sight, may split Hamas's ranks and tip the scales back towards the
president's Fatah party. The US is lobbying moderate Arab powers, especially
Saudi Arabia, to secure their involvement in the peace conference. Saudi Arabia
has said it will sign on if it is convinced the talks will produce more than
empty promises. Even the Arab League sent a delegation to Israel earlier this
year for the first time. "Things are churning. There is a lot of scuttling and
running around," said Danny Seidemann, a human rights lawyer and long-standing
Israeli peace activist. Iran warns US over risks of military action YNet News (September 4, 2007) - New special military advisor to supreme leader Ali Khamenei says Washington could never foresee size of Tehran's response against US troops in region; adds reaction could affect Israel. Iran on Tuesday issued a stark warning to the United States over the danger of launching a military attack, saying Washington could never foresee the size of its response against US troops in the region. "The US will face three problems if it attacks Iran. Firstly, it does not know the volume of our response," said General Rahim Yahya Safavi, the new special military advisor to supreme leader Ali Khamenei. "Also, it can not evaluate the vulnerability of its 200,000 troops in the region, since we have accurately identified all of their camps," added Safavi, who stepped down last week as head of the elite Revolutionary Guards. Safavi also warned over how Iran's reaction to a US attack could affect Israel - Tehran's regional archfoe - and also crude oil supply from the world's fourth-largest producer. "Secondly, it does not know what will happen to Israel and, thirdly, the United States does not know what will happen to the oil flow," he was quoted by the ISNA news agency as saying. Washington has never ruled out taking military action against Tehran, and its tone has sharpened again over the past week, with President George W. Bush warning that Iran's atomic program could lead to a "nuclear holocaust." Iran has always insisted it would never launch any attack against a foreign country, but has also warned of a crushing response to any aggression against its soil. Tehran has an array of medium range missiles, and claims that its longer-range Shahab-3 missile has a reach of 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles), which would put Israel and US bases on the Arabian Peninsula within reach. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has dismissed the chance of any US attack against Iran, but influential former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has warned of the dangers still posed by the United States. more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | America |
Life under the “Color Red” Alert
YNet News (September
4, 2007)
- A baby's heart-wrenching cry is heard against a backdrop of
falling Qassam rockets. Mothers fearfully dart to kindergartens to check
whether their children have been hurt. Helpless people run about the
streets seeking shelter. These are the pictures that came out of Sderot
Monday; a city located less than an hour's drive away from the heart of
Tel Aviv. And it's not as if we didn't know what was going on there. For
the past seven years we have been clicking our tongues each time we hear
of another Qassam rocket landing there, another house that has
collapsed, more shock victims. Once in a while we read articles about
these people who live in the shadows of the "Color Red" alert system,
after which we let out a few words of solidarity, less than a proper
sentence so that we can appear righteous. So that we can prove to
someone - or even to ourselves - that we care. Something the likes of:
How terrible, or how can one live like this. Then we proceed with our
daily lives. But to what extent do we really understand the lives of
these people, who beyond the daily anxieties accompanying every Israeli
citizen raising children here, must face a constant tangible,
existential and statistical threat. A threat so chilling it is almost
surreal: Will my house be hit by a Qassam rocket today? Or where will my
child be in the next Qassam attack? And the dilemma of each sane parent
in Sderot: Am I being irresponsible by continuing to live in a place
where my children are in danger's way? Hence, the images from Sderot
Monday were so effective. They didn't depict ruined houses or the cries
of residents following a Qassam attack. They depicted people in their
daily routine: People like you and I, who take their children to
kindergarten or to school in the morning. Mothers who heavy-heartedly
part from their babies, who would from that moment on become dependent
on the resourcefulness, the courage and resilience of the kindergarten
teacher. more... Muslims Ransacking Israel’s Temple Mount
Jerusalem Newswire (September 3, 2007)
- Two thousand years ago, Roman Legions pillaged and burned Israel’s
Second Temple, turning the hilltop on which it once stood into a
desolate heap. As they wandered the planet, looking for a place to find
rest for their feet, hounded and harried everywhere by anti-Semitic
Christians and others, the descendants of the exiled Jews prayed for and
looked toward their return to the Temple Mount and the rebuilding of the
house of worship to their God. It is their holiest site—the place where
God’s glory once shone visibly for the entire nation to see, and the
place from which their Messiah is prophesied to reign. And yet, despite
this purported highest importance to their nation, Israel’s government
is apparently unmoved by reports of ongoing and unrestrained destruction
of the site and its priceless remains at the hands of the Palestinian
Islamic Waqf. In an exclusive report Monday [September 3], WorldNetDaily
[WND] revealed that the Waqf—or Islamic Trust—has been caught
“red-handed” destroying Temple-era antiquities, including parts of what
may well be a wall from the Second Temple. The destruction is being
wrought as the Arabs blast trenches in which to lay new electrical
wiring for their mosques and other Muslim-controlled structures. Whereas
Muslims throughout the Middle East and around the world have rioted and
protested violently any plans by Israel to carry out excavations or
repair work anywhere near the Temple Mount, Israel’s Jews are
conspicuous by their silence and almost total lack of interest in what
the Muslims are doing to their holy of holies. One of the few Israelis
to register their shock and anger is Eilat Mazar, considered one of the
most prominent Temple Mount archaeologists. WND reports Mazar analyzed a
photo showing damaged stone elements and said they “might be part of a
Jewish Temple wall Israeli archaeologists charge the Waqf found and has
been attempting to destroy.” “It certainly looks like Second Temple
antiquity and could very well be part of a Second Temple courtyard
wall,” Mazar said. If authenticated, said WND, the wall would be one of
the most important Temple Mount archaeological discoveries in recent
history. Mazar said she would need to examine the stone in the photo to
certify it. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reportedly gave the Waqf
permission to use earth-moving gear to dig a long, deep trench across
the top of the mount. Israeli police are protecting the diggers and, in
fact, helping oversee the destruction of the most important piece of
their national heritage. Archaeologists like Mazar are prevented from
inspecting how the work is being done. more... Solana hopes for developments in Mideast peace process YNet News (September 2, 2007) - Following meeting with Palestinian president in Ramallah, EU foreign policy chief says, 'We have to take advantage of the opportunity created.' Abbas stresses that 'there will be no dialogue with Hamas until it goes back on the coup it carried out in June'. It is time for the Palestinian people to reap the fruits of security and peace, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Sunday following his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. In a press conference held after the meeting, Solana said he hoped for positive developments in the coming months. According to the foreign policy chief, he came to the Middle East to advance the peace process. He stressed that the Europe Union would continue to help Abbas and his government with financial and security aid. "We need to see achievements by the end of the year. We have to take advantage of the opportunity created," he added. Solana noted that the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians would be backed by the EU and expressed his hope that the talks would succeed and that each side would be open to the other side's suggestions. Addressing the US-sponsored peace conference scheduled to take place in November, the foreign policy chief said that "a solution will not be achieved tomorrow, but we have to make progress." The Palestinian president said that his meetings with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert dealt with all the relevant issues, both daily issued and disputed diplomatic issues. "Every such meeting requires a lot of preparation, so that it is not defined as a failure," he said. more... | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal |
Solana to meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders European
Jewish Press (August 31, 2007) - EU’s
foreign policy chief Javier Solana will travel to Israel and the Palestinian
Territories over the weekend as part of the European Union’s desire to play an
important role in the Quartet of international Middle East mediators,
his spokeswoman, Mary Brazier, told
EJP. Solana will have talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders ahead of
several important gatherings later this year, including the informal meeting of
EU Foreign Ministers on 9 September in Portugal, the Quartet meeting in New York
next month and the international Mideast peace conference to be convened in
November at the initiative of US president George Bush. Solana is to meet on
Sunday in Ramallah with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister
Salam Fayyad before meetings in Jerusalem Sunday and Monday with Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Defence Minister Ehud Barak
and Knesset (Israel’s parliament) Speaker Dalia Itsik. Solana is said to be
“cautiously optimistic” about Israeli-Palestinian peace prospects and
appreciates the current momentum created by the talks between Olmert and Abbas.
He also feels that there is for the first time in seven years a “unique
opportunity” to seize with Bush’s peace conference proposal. His spokesperson
said that there is “no change” in the EU’s policy towards Hamas. “There is no
political contact with Hamas,” Mary Brazier, said. During his visit, Solana will
also meet the heads of the EU border assistance mission at the Rafah crossing
point (EU BAM Rafah) and of the EU Police Mission in the Palestinian territories
(EUPOL COPPS) which is helping the Palestinian Authority to establish a modern
and effective civil police service and develop security capacity.
more...
Ban Ki-Moon calls for peace World
News Network (August 31, 2007)
- The time has come, says the UN Secretary-General.
Ban Ki-Moon Pledges UN Support to End Israeli Occupation Of
Palestinian Land. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has
called for a just and lasting solution to the conflict in Palestine.
Addressing the UN International conference Of Civil Society In
support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace in Brussels, Belgium he said,
the gathering reflects the deep and enduring desire of people across
the world for a comprehensive, just and lasting resolution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Such a settlement is also one of the
foremost priorities of the United Nations. The continued occupation
of the Palestinian territory prolongs hardship and injustice for
millions of Palestinians, yet it has also failed to ensure the
security of Israeli civilians. The Secretary general said he was
encouraged by recent international and regional efforts to get the
Palestinians and the Israelis back on the negotiating track. The
Arab Peace Initiative, Tony Blair’s appointment as the Quartet
Representative, and President Bush’s decision to convene a Middle
East Peace meeting all have the potential to result in a significant
breakthrough. He said, “Amidst this activity, I particularly welcome
the decision by Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas to meet
regularly to discuss a range of issues. I hope that the internal
challenges each faces will not deter them from moving forward with
discussions on the political horizon.” The Secretary General added,
“Of course, movement on the political front cannot obscure the dire
humanitarian situation on the ground. The unsustainable division of
the West Bank and Gaza Strip has grave humanitarian and political
implications. Conditions in the Gaza Strip have become particularly
acute; they demand the urgent reopening of border crossings for
commercial and humanitarian deliveries. To alleviate this crisis,
UNRWA and other UN Agencies are doing everything they can to support
the affected populations. Their efforts, however, cannot compensate
for the effect of the closed crossings. Today, I again encourage
both parties to demonstrate a true commitment to peace through a
negotiated two-State solution. Israel should cease settlement
activity and the construction of the barrier, ease Palestinian
movement and implement the Agreement on Movement and Access.
Palestinians, for their part, need to make every effort to end
violence by militant groups and make progress on building robust
institutions. The United Nations will continue to support
international efforts aimed at bringing an end to the occupation,
and achieving a two-State solution. This work is not easy, but it
would prove close to impossible without the active participation and
support of innumerable civil society groups and individuals in
Israel, in the occupied Palestinian territory, and around the world.
Civil society actors are helping build bridges between the Israeli
and Palestinian peoples. They are strengthening institutions and
providing critical humanitarian and other assistance. In every
aspect of their work, they are contributing towards a just solution
to this decades-old conflict. Working together, we can achieve our
goal: a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement, based on
Security Council resolutions 242, 338, 1397, 1515 and the principle
of land for peace. It is clear who is on Israel's side and who is not. In the face of historical fact, for the first time in history a nation is being forced to give up land won in a war a generation ago. Indeed all the nations of the earth are gathered against Israel to divide the land God portioned for her, and woe to the nations who interfere with God's design! We have been warned in the Bible regarding this and it has even been pointed out in Eye To Eye: Facing the Consequences of Dividing Israel by Bill Koenig.
Sheikh Salah: Israel wants to encroach on parts of Temple Mount
YNet News (August 30, 2007)
- Israel is conspiring to encroach on the Temple Mount to build a Jewish
temple near the Al-Aqsa mosque, Sheikh Raed Salah, the head of the
Islamic Movement northern branch, said Thursday. Salah called on Arab
and Muslim nations to "prevent the division of the Al-Aqsa by Israel."
In a letter to Arab kings and leaders of Muslim countries, Salah urged
all Muslims to torpedo "Israel's plan that aims at dividing the Al-Aqsa
Mosque between Muslims and Jews whereas in the Jewish part it plans to
build its imaginary temple." Salah also lamented Israel's practice of
allowing groups of religious Jews to visit the Temple Mount, and
according to Salah, to pray and perform religious rituals. The Temple
Mount, which houses the Al-Aqsa and Dome of the Rock Mosques, is the
holiest site for Jews. The Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest Muslim
shrine, nests just above the last remaining wall of the Temple, the
Western Wall. Salah said the whole complex was Muslim but Israel was
trying to expropriate parts of it.
Exclusive: European Union officials hold secret talks with Hamas The
Jerusalem Post (August 29, 2007)
- EU security officials have been conducting secret talks with Hamas
leaders in the Gaza Strip over the past few weeks, Palestinian
Authority officials told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. The
PA officials did not reveal the identity of the visitors, except to
say that they belonged to three EU intelligence services. The
Europeans are said to have met with top Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar,
as well as Ahmed Yusef, political adviser to Prime Minister Ismail
Haniyeh. Sources close to Hamas confirmed that EU officials had
visited the Gaza Strip recently for talks focusing on security-related issues.
According to the sources, the Hamas leaders urged the EU
representatives to work to end the boycott of the Hamas government
in the Gaza Strip,
and to pressure Israel to reopen the Rafah border crossing between
Gaza and Egypt. "We hope these talks will be the first step toward
ending the boycott of Hamas, which came to power in a free and
democratic election," the sources told the Post. "There is
growing awareness among the Europeans of the fact that Hamas can't
be ignored as a major player in the Palestinian arena." In response,
Christina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU Foreign Policy chief Javier
Solana, told The Jerusalem Post that she was unaware of any
such meetings. On a separate note, she said that Solana was due to
visit the region this weekend and would be in Jerusalem, Ramallah
and Jordan. Israeli government officials contacted about this matter
Tuesday night said they knew of no EU contacts with Hamas. One
government official reiterated that Israel‚s position was that
"Hamas should not be dealt with and should be kept as far away form
the game as possible." The official added that Hamas was a terrorist
organization "that continues to do whatever it can to impede any
chance for progress." This is the first time Hamas has confirmed
that its representatives have held secret talks with EU security
officials. The Hamas representatives reportedly stressed during the
talks that they were not interested in a major confrontation with
Israel. Both Zahar and Yusef denied assertions that Hamas was
planning a wave of terrorist attacks in the West Bank to undermine
PA Chairman Mamoud Abbas's status ahead of November's Middle East
peace conference. Meanwhile, Abbas has asked Sudan to use its good
offices with Hamas to resolve the crisis in the PA. A senior Fatah
delegation headed by Azzam al-Ahmed, who is close to Abbas, held
talks in Khartoum on Tuesday with Sudanese government officials on
ways of ending the Fatah-Hamas dispute. The Fatah delegation
emphasized that Abbas and Fatah were keen on resuming "national
dialogue" with the Islamist group.
The Blood-Red Moon, the Temple Mount and the Bible Bill
Koenig (August 28, 2007) - August
28, 2007, had very revealing headlines: A Blood-Red Moon
Rises over North America | Olmert Offers Temple Mount Sovereignty
to the Palestinians | Olmert and Abbas Meet on Israel's Land and
Jerusalem | Bush Says Iran's Actions Could Lead to a Shadow of a
Nuclear Holocaust | Bush Arrives in New Orleans for his 15th
Post-Katrina Visit |
These
were the news headlines on the day of a total lunar eclipse that
produced a "blood-red" moon, the second one in seven years with a
connection to the Temple Mount. A total lunar eclipse/"blood-red" moon
occurred on July 16, 2000, while U.S. President Bill Clinton, Israeli
Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat were
at the Middle East Summit at Camp David. The sticking point that
caused the summit to fail had to do with who would have sovereignty over
the Temple Mount — the Israelis or the Palestinian Arabs. During
this year's total lunar eclipse/"blood-red" moon of Aug. 28, 2007, that
rose over North America, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered
the Palestinians sovereignty over the Temple Mount. What was so
incredible about the timing of this offer is that it didn't take place
days, weeks or months after the "blood-red" moon but on the very same
day. In other words, the Temple Mount’s sovereignty was a central
focus during both total lunar eclipse/ "blood-red" moons in 2000 and
this week. Blood-Red Moon The Old and New Testaments speak of
blood-red moons prior to the Tribulation.
Joel 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the
moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.
Acts 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord
come. The Jewish Talmud (book of tradition/ interpretation) says,
"When the moon is in eclipse, it is a bad omen for
Israel. If its face is as red as blood, [it is a sign that] the sword is
coming to the world." Total-eclipse “blood-red” moons are rare.
The next total-eclipse/ "blood-red" moon will occur on Feb. 21, 2008.
Having another total eclipse this close to a previous one is extremely
rare; to say the least, we will be watching that day with much interest.
News From
the Last Two Blood-Red Moons more...
Israel offers Palestinians control of Temple Mount WorldNetDaily (August
28, 2007) - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office
today presented the Palestinian Authority with a formal plan in which
the Jewish state would forfeit the Temple Mount – Judaism's holiest site
– to Muslim control, according to top Palestinian sources. The sources
said Olmert's plan calls for the entire Temple Mount plaza to fall under
Arab sovereignty; Jerusalem's Old City holy sites near the Mount to be
governed by a Jewish, Christian and Muslim task force; and the Western
Wall plaza below the Mount to be controlled by Israel. The report
follows a
WND exclusive article last week stating Palestinian negotiators
drafting an agreement behind the scenes with Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert's office made clear they will not accept any final peace deal
with Israel unless the Jewish state forfeits the Temple Mount. According
to Palestinian negotiators who took part in today's Olmert-Abbas
meeting, the Israeli leader today also presented Abbas with a plan for
Israel to evacuate most of the West Bank and cede eastern sections of
Jerusalem. The plan called for Israel to retain three main settlement
blocks and in exchange Israel would offer the Palestinians Israeli Arab
towns in the north of the country, the Palestinian negotiators told WND.
David Baker, a spokesman for Olmert, would neither confirm nor deny the
prime minister offered the Temple Mount. He said ahead of today's talks
the summit would center on "the development of Palestinian-governing
institutions, bolstering Abbas' government and issues concerning
Israelis and Palestinians living side-by-side." Over the weekend, an
Egyptian newspaper reported Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told the
Egyptian government the Jewish state is willing to forfeit control of
the Temple Mount to the management of Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian
Authority. The Al Massrioun daily reported Barak informed Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and the Jordanian
government Israel is willing to hand them joint control over the Temple
Mount. According to the Egyptian report, Barak stated an umbrella group
of several Arab countries controlling the holy site instead of only the
PA would help ease Israeli domestic opposition to giving up the Temple
Mount, since Egypt and Jordan are considered by Israeli policy to be
moderate countries. Ronen Moshe, a spokesman for Barak, told WND the
Egyptian media report is "untrue." "We do not comment on the specifics
of private conversations with world leaders, but this report is not what
was said during the talks," Moshe said. A senior Palestinian official,
speaking on condition his name be withheld, told WND yesterday Israel
"understands there won't be any deal with the Palestinians unless it
forfeits the Temple Mount." more...
Olmert, Abbas aim to pave way for two-state deal The
Jerusalem Post (August 28, 2007)
- Amid a swirl of reports that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas are drafting an
agreement on principles dealing with Jerusalem,
borders and refugees, officials from both sides adamantly denied
Tuesday night that such a document was exchanged when the two
leaders met earlier in Jerusalem. Al Jazeera satellite television
broadcast on Tuesday what it claimed was the two-page document drawn
up by the two sides, but Israel dismissed the report as false.
"There is no such document," a spokesman in the Prime Minister's
Office said. "It doesn't exist." The official, continuing with the
office's policy of releasing only minimal information about what is
being discussed with Abbas and the PA, said the two leaders - in a
90-minute private meeting at Olmert's official residence - "spoke
about the fundamental issues essential to arriving at two states for
two peoples." The two are widely believed to be putting together an
agreement that will be brought to the US-sponsored international
conference in the fall. A willingness to discuss these issues at the
international meeting is widely considered in Jerusalem as a
prerequisite to Saudi participation, which both Israel and the US
are very keen on securing. Olmert and Abbas, who last met on August
6, are expected to meet again before the scheduled visit in
mid-September of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Israeli government officials say that discussions on Jerusalem,
refugees and borders are being conducted at a very general level,
with details to be filled in at negotiating sessions that will be
held after the international summit. Meanwhile, PA officials played
down the significance of Tuesday's meeting, saying the two leaders
did not exchange any written documents and that in any case Abbas
was planning to call a national referendum on any agreement he
reached with Israel. They expressed doubt that a majority of
Palestinians would endorse an agreement that did not call for a full
Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 borders, including leaving east
Jerusalem. "Today's meeting was good and thorough, but until now we
haven't discussed any details related to the fundamental issues,"
said chief PA negotiator Saeb Erekat. "Nor have we reached the stage
of exchanging documents. We did not hand over to the Israelis any
written document. Likewise, we did not receive from them anything in
writing." Erekat said Abbas's goal was to achieve a just and
comprehensive peace with Israel based on the two-state solution. He
warned against attempts to "prejudice" the Israeli-Palestinian
talks, saying some parties were operating outside the frame of the
official negotiations. more...
Holy forfeit! Israel willing to give up Temple Mount World
Net Daily (August 28, 2007) -
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told the Egyptian government the
Jewish state is willing to forfeit control over the Temple Mount –
Judaism's holiest site – to the management of Egypt, Jordan and the
Palestinian Authority, according to an Arab media report. The
Egyptian Al Massrioun daily reported last weekend Barak informed
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and the
Jordanian government Israel is willing to hand them joint control
over the Temple Mount. The report follows a
WND exclusive article last
week stating Palestinian negotiators drafting an agreement behind
the scenes with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office made clear they
will not accept any final peace deal with Israel unless the Jewish
state forfeits the Temple Mount. According to the Egyptian media
report over the weekend, Barak stated an umbrella group of several
Arab countries controlling the holy site instead of only the PA
would help ease Israeli domestic opposition to giving up the Temple
Mount, since Egypt and Jordan are considered by Israeli policy to be
moderate countries. Ronen Moshe, a spokesman for Barak, told WND the
Egyptian media report is "untrue." "We do not comment on the
specifics of private conversations with world leaders, but this
report is not what was said during the talks," Moshe said. A senior
Palestinian official, speaking on condition his name be withheld,
told WND yesterday Israel "understands there won't be any deal with
the Palestinians unless it forfeits the Temple Mount." The official
said the Mount was previously a sticking point in
Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, but he said Prime Minister
Olmert's government has expressed a number of times a willingness to
compromise on the Temple Mount. "We've recently received many
Israeli plans that showed Israel is willing to allow another body,
whether Palestinian or international, to control the [Temple Mount].
The issue is no longer a sticking point," the Palestinian official
said. During U.S.-led negotiations in 2000, Barak, then prime
minister, reportedly was willing to forfeit the Temple Mount to
international control. Those negotiations fell through after
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat rejected an offer of a
Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and eastern sections
of Jerusalem. Adviser Gilad Sher – who represented Barak at initial
Israeli-Palestinian planning meetings in 2000 during which President
Clinton discussed the Temple Mount – wrote in his book "Beyond
Reach" that Clinton's plan called for the Temple Mount to become
complete Palestinian sovereign territory, while the Western Wall
below and its complex would fall under Israeli sovereignty. Barak
was said to have initially rejected that plan, but according to
participants at the negotiations summit, he was ultimately willing
to place the Mount under international sovereignty. Some reports
claimed Barak offered the Temple Mount to the Palestinians, but the
Israeli politician has denied those claims. more...
Ex-Islamist Gul elected Turkey's president Reuters
(August 28, 2007) - Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was elected
president by Turkey's parliament on Tuesday, the first former
Islamist to take the post in the secular but predominantly Muslim
country's modern history. Armed forces chief General Yasar Buyukanit
said on Monday he saw "centers of evil" seeking to undermine the
secular republic, a statement suggesting the army would not stand on
the sidelines if it saw the separation between religion and state
threatened. "Abdullah Gul in the third round obtained an absolute
majority and was elected the 11th president of Turkey with 339
votes," parliament speaker Koksal Toptan said after the vote. The
Islamist-rooted AK Party has 341 seats in the 550-seat chamber. Two
other candidates also stood for president. Gul has established
himself as a respected diplomat since the AK Party was first elected
in 2002, securing the launch of Turkey's European Union entry talks.
He pledges to be a leader for all Turks, but he is not to the taste
of a military that suspects the AK Party of harboring a secret
Islamist agenda. Many observers expect Gul, who broke with an
Islamist party in 1999, will try to avoid confrontation. "You
shouldn't expect radical moves with Gul as president. Both his
opponents, who are scared he might do so, will be surprised and his
supporters hoping for radical moves will be disappointed," said
academic expert Cengiz Candar. more...
'Hamas in Damascus instructed W. Bank cells to launch mega attack'
Jerusalem
Post (August 26, 2007) - Yahiya Moussa, a member of the Hamas parliament in
Gaza, said the organization did not change its policy regarding
suicide attacks, Israel Radio reported Sunday evening. He said
reports aired in Israeli media earlier Sunday were meant to "set the
ground for renewed Israeli violence against the Palestinians."
Moussa added, however, that Hamas was not in complete control over
its activists and that "pressure against activists in the [West]
Bank could lead bring about an explosion." A Palestinian source in
Ramallah contradicted Moussa, and confirmed that the leadership in
Damascus had indeed instructed West Bank Hamas members to carry out
a large-scale attack. Earlier Sunday, the Shin Bet (Israel Security
Agency) deputy director said at the cabinet meeting that Hamas
leaders in Damascus have told the group's loyalists in the West Bank
to carry out a large-scale terrorist attack inside Israel. Due to
Hamas's current frustrations, he said, there was an increased chance
it would become more actively involved in carrying out attacks here
and abroad. Hamas, the official told the ministers, was irritated it
had not been able to break out of its international isolation and
had been unable to create a mechanism that would bring about
dialogue with Fatah. The organization, he said, was also finding it
increasingly difficult to effectively govern the Gaza Strip. In
addition, he said, there were increasing signs of economic
separation between Gaza and the West Bank, with the economic
situation in Gaza getting worse, while recently there had been some
improvement in the West Bank's private economic sector. "There is no
real threat to Hamas in Gaza," the Shin Bet official added. "Its
situation is stable." He said Hamas was continuing to smuggle large
quantities of arms and explosives from Egypt. In the two months
since it took control of Gaza, he said, some 40 tons of explosives
had been smuggled in, representing half of the amount of explosives
smuggled since Israel left Gaza in 2005. The Shin Bet official said
there had been a recent decrease in Egyptian efforts to stop the
smuggling. more...
Are Turkey’s Relations With Israel Crumbling?
Today's Zaman (August
25, 2007) - Just as
Turkey is tackling domestic issues surrounding the election of its
next president, the decision of an influential Jewish group -- the
New York-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL) -- to recognize the
World War I killing of Anatolian Armenians as genocide, kicked the
genocide debates back onto Turkey’s agenda again. Israel and Jewish
lobbyists have so far pursued a policy of siding with Turkey on this
controversial issue, refusing to recognize those incidents as
genocide, but this long-time policy has been reversed with the ADL’s
move, arousing suspicion that something might be askew in
Turkey-Israel relations, which cannot be considered independent from
Jewish groups operating in the US. There is a widely held view that
Turkey’s improving relations with neighboring countries,
particularly Iran, has disturbed both Israel and the US, resulting
in such consequence. Milliyet columnist Taha Akyol speculates about
the possible reasons for such an attitude change among Jewish groups
in the US and connects this to recent political developments. Akyol
thinks it was the politics of yesterday that prompted Jews to take
sides with Turkey on this controversial issue and it is politics
again that has made their stance change. Akyol, for instance, shows
that Turkey’s rejection of a motion in 2003 that would have allowed
US troops to be deployed in Turkey during the Iraq War and Hamas
leader Khaled Mashaal visiting Turkey after winning elections in
Palestine as some of the reasons for deteriorating relations with
the Bush administration neocons, who are in political and economic
alliance with Zionism. He also talks about Turkey’s improving
relations with Iran and Syria as possible reasons for the change in
stance among Jewish groups. “The Jewish groups do no act
independently from Israel. So, their taking a stance against Turkey
will undoubtedly deal a severe blow to Turkish-Israeli relations.
Turkey, Israel and the US will all suffer from the deteriorating
relations,” argues Akyol. more...
The Militarization of the Alliance of Civilizations
Richard Peterson
(August 24, 2007)
- Over the months
that followed the cartoon crisis, I paid very close attention to the
Alliance of Civilizations’ web site. Daily search engine inquiries and
AoC web visits had become routine. July and August yielded more than
enough reading material. One such report, the
OSCE
contribution to the Alliance of Civilizations initiative,
was released in June. The OSCE originated
from the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 (also known as the Helsinki Process)
and changed its official name to the Organization for Security and
Co-operation of Europe in 1994. To this day, the
Helsinki Process
remains active working to implement a one
world government. What I found was that the OSCE had been particularly
impressed with how the EU’s High Representative Javier Solana and the
Alliance of Civilizations had turned the
cartoon crisis into opportunity. Now
they were on board and had written of their unique position to
contribute to the implementation of the AoC initiative. Although I found
aspects of the report somewhat troublesome, it wasn’t until I read the
Alliance’s July 17
Report of
the Hearing with the International Community and Civil Society
that I decided to give the OSCE a second
in-depth look. The International Hearings report contains the following:
“The Military Staff Committee, instead of being abolished, should be
revived so that meetings of military leaders at different levels could
be introduced for the international practice.” (page 26) It appeared
that the defunct Committee was about to be revived! I also read: “On the
national level, constitutional democracy does not entail the existence
of a police state or military watchdog, but implies observation of the
laws that have been worked out by the elected representatives, as well
as the adherence to the value system.” (page 26) This reminded me of a
statement in the OSCE report that I found puzzling. They said that the
OSCE is the world’s largest regional security organization, comprising
of 56 participating states and that “decisions are based on consensus
and are politically but not legally binding”. What did that mean? I
found my answer in the
Helsinki Process Papers--Building Democracy From Manila to Doha: The
Evolution of the Movement of New or Restored Democracies as follows: “Under its human
dimension objectives, the OSCE has adopted instruments, created norms
and initiated activities for the promotion of democracy and governance.
The OSCE instruments are "politically binding commitments" for the
participating states, and become effective upon adoption and
implementable without having to wait for subsequent domestic approval or
ratification. This process allows also the OSCE to react quickly to new
needs.” (page 67) The Barcelona Process, established in 1995, set
among its goals the responsibility of straightening out the clash of
civilizations as well as combating religious fundamentalism worldwide.
The Alliance of Civilizations intends to start operations within the
framework of the Barcelona Process and then amplify the AoC initiative
globally. Next is
NATO and the AoC. NATO is also on board
with the Alliance of Civilizations and, unknown to most Americans, has
split under the
Berlin-Plus Agreement. In the
event of a crisis situation, NATO assets are transferred to the European
Union’s Political and Security Committee presently presided over by EU
High Representative Javier Solana.
Crisis
management drills have already been conducted to test the Berlin-Plus
arrangement. Moving in we have the European Union which has at its
disposal the crisis management
Battle Groups which can simultaneously
sustain multiple offensive operations. These battle groups are intended
for rapid deployment while awaiting reinforcements from member states’
militaries and NATO assets. The
European Security Strategy has
committed to strengthening the United Nations so that it may fulfill its
role in global governance. Anything that undermines global governance is
considered by Solana to be a threat. Statewatch’s report,
Arming
Big Brother,
provides an excellent analysis of the EU’s militarization. The EU is
fully committed to the Alliance of Civilizations as it has appointed the
Anna Lindh Foundation to oversee its implementation. more...
PA - Temple Mount the price for peace
Jerusalem Newswire
(August 21, 2007) - The
Palestine Liberation Organization/Palestinian Authority will enter
into no peace pact with Israel that does not award the Muslim Arabs
who call themselves "Palestinians" full and irreversible control
over the site most sacred to the Jewish people. This is according to
a
WorldNetDaily report published Friday detailing some of the
issues being discussed in secret meetings between officials
representing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Arabs
negotiating on behalf of PLO/PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas. The meetings
are meant to be setting the stage for the International Middle East
Peace Conference called for by US President George W. Bush and
scheduled to be held in November this year under the chairmanship of
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Headlined with the question,
"Israel to give up the Temple Mount?" the report suggested that the
Olmert government would be willing to consider such a demand, a
suspicion fueled by the fact that three days have passed since its
publication without an outright denial from the Prime Minister's
Office. This "Palestinian" position, long held by the PLO leadership
at the aggressive insistence of the entire Islamic world, remains as
solid and unyielding today as it did when it helped scupper the
talks at Camp David in July 2000. There, under the benevolent eye of
US President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered
PLO chief Yasser Arafat all of Gaza, 97 percent of Judea and Samaria
- with the other two percent exchanged for pieces of land from
"Israel proper" - the Arab-populated eastern parts of Israel's
capital, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount. What put
an abrupt end to the summit, and caused Arafat to hurl insults in
Barak's direction and storm out of the room, was the Israeli
leader's groveling plea for his nation to be awarded sovereignty
over the rubble from the First and Second Temple periods that lies
buried beneath the Temple Mount platform. Arafat could have
everything possible for the creation of his state, including the
coveted site of the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Barak
said. All Israel wished for was control over the "sub-terrace
spaces" containing dried-out pottery shards and other dusty remains
from an era those who discount the Bible don't even believe existed
at all. The arch-terrorist responded by returning to the Middle East
and igniting the Oslo War - or Al-Aqsa Intifada - that saw gallons
of Jewish blood spilled in Israel. But while the explosion of
terrorism awakened many deluded Israelis to the true goal and nature
of the "Palestinian" leadership and people - who consistently
supported and celebrated "suicide" and other massacres - it drove
dyed-in-the-wool Jewish leftists to advocate even further extremes
and carte blanch appeasement. more...
Saudi
Arabia accuses Syria of spreading chaos in the Mideast
Haaretz (August 18, 2007) - Saudi Arabia
accused Syria on Thursday of attempting to destabilize the region
and spread chaos, in response to Syrian accusations that its role in
the Middle East was waning. A government spokesman in the Saudi
capital Riyadh rejected the Syrian claims as "lies and fallacies" in
a widely broadcast statement Thursday evening, signaling a new low
in diplomatic ties already strained over Lebanon and Iraq. In an
unusually scathing statement, the conservative Muslim kingdom, which
has been trying to bolster its regional role, was lashing out
against criticism made by Syrian Vice President Farouq al-Shara
earlier this week. "They believe they can deceive the Arab and
Muslim nation, but their actions are proof of their malicious
intentions," the statement said. Saudi Arabia is a close ally of the
United States in the Middle East, and has just signed an arms deal
with it for an estimated $20 billion of sophisticated weaponry.
Syria, however, is accused by the U.S. of supporting terrorism and
aiding the insurgency in Iraq. The Saudi royal house accused Syrian
Vice-President Farouq al-Sharaa of spreading "lies" about Saudi
Arabia. Al-Sharaa had said on Tuesday at a press conference in
Damascus that Saudi Arabia was not playing an active role in
regional politics. He also said that in its foreign policy, the
Islamic kingdom was paralyzed - pointing to the failure of a
Palestinian unity deal forged in the Saudi holy city of Mecca in
February. more...
European Parliament to Host Anti-Israel Hate-Fest
UN Watch
(August 16, 2007)
- Under the auspices of the UN's Committee
on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People,
a "Conference of Civil Society in Support of Israeli-Palestinian
Peace" will take place on August 30-31 in Belgium. These meetings
are part of a round-robin of anti-Israel gatherings organized
year-round by the UN's 16-member Division
for Palestinian Rights. It all dates back to 1975,
when these mechanisms were installed within the UN on the same day
that the General Assembly adopted its infamous "Zionism is Racism"
resolution. What is new, however, is the venue: the European
Parliament in Brussels. What the conference will pronounce is
pre-determined. Carefully pre-determined: the UN's Palestinian
Division runs a tightly-controlled operation that accredits only
anti-Israel NGOs and speakers. And recently they've become quite
clever. Without altering the virulently anti-Israel nature of their
meetings, the organizers instead seek to mask their
activities — under such innocent-sounding titles as "support for
Israeli-Palestinian peace." Moreover, to add credence to their
cover, they invite specially approved "Israelis" — a select group of
radicals who openly espouse hatred of Israel, claiming the license
to do so because of their citizenship. Both tactics give conference
organizers the cover they need for their allies and enablers to then
use the material. Among the speakers at the conference are Michel
Warschawski, who proudly describes himself as a "well-known
anti-Zionist activist." Others speakers include Nurit
Peled Elhannan, Amira Hass, Raji Sourani, Jamal Jumaa
(Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign), Mohammed Khatib (Popular Committee
of Bilin Coordinator), and David Shearer (OCHA). See the recent
meeting in South Africa, featuring Gideon Levy and
others, to get a sense of what to expect in Brussels. None of the
radical Israeli Jews at the Brussels conference represents even a
tiny segment of the Israeli Jewish population. So it's like holding
a conference on U.S.-Islamic rapprochement and inviting John Walker
Lindh—the American who joined the Taliban—to represent America's
position. Technically, Walker is as American as Warschawski and Hass
are Israeli. But only a scoundrel or a fool would treat either
exercise as anything but a sham. Who was behind the European
Parliament's decision to play host to this poorly disguised
hate-fest? With the conference façade removed, who in Europe will
now have the courage to speak out?
Giuliani: No Palestinian State; It Would Support Terror
Jerusalem Newswire
(August 15, 2007)
- A candidate for the US Republican Party's presidential nominee has
taken a stand against supporting the creation of a Palestinian state
on Israel's biblical heartland at this time. Laying out his foreign
policy positions in a magazine article, Rudy Giuliani said it "is
not in the interest of the United States, at a time when it is being
threatened by Islamist terrorists, to assist the creation of another
state that will support terrorism." The former New York mayor
stressed that "America's commitment to Israel's security is a
permanent feature of our foreign policy." If the Palestinians wanted
a state they would have to earn it "through sustained good
governance, a clear commitment to fighting terrorism, and a
willingness to live in peace with Israel." Giuliani took a swipe at
President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who
have become almost obsessive about getting a Palestinian state
established before the end of the presidential term. "Too much
emphasis" has been put on trying to secure an agreement between
Israel and the Palestinian Arabs, he said. Turning to Iran, Giuliani
said that, if he is made president, he would threaten to use a "big
stick" to put a stop to Tehran's nuclear program. Iranian president
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is universally believed to be committed to
developing an atomic bomb and has vowed to wipe Israel off the map.
'Secret' plan would give Palestinians West Bank
World Net Daily
(August 13, 2007)
- Newly installed Israeli President Shimon Peres has quietly drafted
a plan for the Jewish state to evacuate and transfer to the
Palestinians nearly the entire West Bank and several Arab Israeli
cities located within territory that is undisputedly Israel's
according to the international community, WND has learned. The West
Bank is strategic territory that runs alongside Jerusalem and is
within rocket range of Tel Aviv and Israel's international airport.
It is home to many biblical Jewish communities and some of Judaism's
holiest sites. Peres has presented his initiative to Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert and to top aides for Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas the past few weeks, after he took office as Israeli
president last month, diplomatic sources in Jerusalem told WND. The
official role of president here is limited largely to ceremonial
matters; the president does not create foreign policy. Olmert is
mulling over the plan and agrees with much of its contents, the
diplomatic sources said. Peres' plan calls for Israel to hand
97-percent of the West Bank over to Abbas, with Israel retaining a
small number of the territory's Jewish communities. In exchange for
Israel keeping some land, the Jewish state will give the PA control
of Arab Israeli cities north of Tel Aviv which, together with the
evacuated West Bank territory, would amount to the equivalent of 100
percent of the West Bank. Diplomatic sources said aside from Abbas
and Olmert, Peres has presented his plan to European Union
officials. Top EU diplomats in recent days told the media they want
a U.S.-sponsored international conference scheduled for November to
lead to negotiations on a final agreement with the Palestinians.
That international conference and talk from the Bush administration
the past few weeks has led many here to speculate the U.S. will push
in the near future for intense Israeli-Palestinian negotiations
leading to a Palestinian state. With a year and a half left in
office, Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have been
urging meetings between Abbas and Olmert to establish a framework
for momentum leading to a breakthrough at November's conference.
Olmert and Abbas have been meeting bi-monthly in summits brokered by
the U.S. Already Olmert during the meetings has granted a number of
security concessions to Abbas regarding increased Palestinian
control of the West Bank. The Israeli prime minister
last month amnesty to 178 gunmen from Abbas' Fatah organization
who comprise most of the senior leadership of the Al Aqsa Martyrs
Brigades, the declared military wing of Fatah that is responsible
for every suicide bombing in Israel the past three years. more...
Biggest Ever' Rally Calls for Revival of Islamic Caliphate
CNS News (August 13, 2007)
- An estimated 80,000 Islamists packed a sports stadium in the
Indonesian capital Sunday to call for the re-establishment of a
single Islamic state or caliphate, uniting Muslims around the world
under Islamic law. Video footage posted on the group's websites
showed tens of thousands of people, men and women seated apart in
the stadium in Jakarta, waving black and white flags and shouting
"Allah is greater." The event was organized by Hizb ut-Tahrir (the
Party of Liberation), which called it the biggest event calling for
the revival of a caliphate since the last time one existed in the
1920s. Hizb ut-Tahrir is a transnational Sunni group that says it
shuns violence, but it has been outlawed or restricted in Germany ,
Russia and parts of the Middle East and Central Asia. The British
government said it planned to ban the group after the July 2005
London bombings, although it has not yet happened. Muhammad Ismail
Yusanto, the group's Indonesian spokesman, said on the sidelines of
the meeting that the group rejects democracy, because sovereignty is
in the hands of Allah, not the people. In a statement, he called
secularism "the mother of all destruction," and he called on all
Muslims to join the struggle to implement Islam and Islamic law.
Most of those attending were said to be Indonesians, although
supporters of the group also came from the Middle East, Africa and
Europe. The Indonesian authorities blocked two foreign leaders, from
Britain and Australia, from attending. The Australian, Sheikh Ismail
al-Wahwah from Sydney, said he was turned around at the airport and
sent home, and the group's British office said the same thing
happened to Imran Waheed, a member of its executive committee who
was to have addressed the gathering. "Whether this is the desperate
action of the Indonesian regime or the regime following the orders
of an overseas government is unclear," Abdul Wahid, chairman of the
UK executive committee, said in a statement. "What is clear is that
there is an attempt to prevent Dr. Waheed from speaking. One has to
ask, do they fear our arguments so much?" Wahid said the meeting in
Indonesia had been a great success, and that the concept of a
caliphate "is increasingly seen as the alternative to corruption and
tyranny in the Muslim world, where the population see Islamic
governance as an inherent part of their way of life."
more...
The Hal Lindsey Report Hal
Lindsey Oracle (August 10, 2007) -
Hal Lindsey discusses the Israel/Palestinian talks and the dividing
of Israel in this 28:30 min. video. "If the West Bank is a soveriegn
Palestinian state, then Israel's entering into it to pursue the
terrorists would be an act of war. Even if the terrorists used it
for a base for the attacks. And the liberal international community,
they would always blame Israel for the aggression and forget the
terrorist provocation. Hey, that's what they're doing now! Conceivibly
it's a perfect trap. Palestine becomes a state. It's used as a base
for terrorist attacks into Israel. To defend itself, Israel enters
into Palestine. Palestine then calls upon the Arab nations to defend
it, and the Arab world has a perfect excuse to attack Israel from
all sides once again. Before last year's Lebanon debackle, this
would have been unthinkable. But now, if Hamas thinks it can defeat
Israel, just imagine what the other Arab nations must now believe."
Israel's Barak dismisses peace push "fantasies" Reuters
(August 10, 2007) -
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak was quoted as saying on Friday
that talk of any peace deal with the Palestinians anytime soon was a
"fantasy," in a challenge to U.S.-led efforts to revive
negotiations. In private conversations reported by Israel's Yedioth
Ahronoth newspaper, Barak said he would not carry out plans by
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to remove roadblocks in the West
Bank as a gesture to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. But senior
Abbas aide Saeb Erakat said on Friday the Palestinians were told
that Barak will present a "map" to remove the checkpoints next week.
Barak's office stopped short of denying the Yedioth report in its
entirety, but said: "There is no change in Barak's stance regarding
the importance of the political process alongside our obligation to
protect Israel's security." A spokesman for Olmert declined to
comment on the report in the mass circulation daily. Barak, who as
prime minister spearheaded talks with the Palestinians that ended in
failure in 2001, was quoted in Yedioth as saying a peace deal would
not be possible for at least three to five years. Barak said that is
how much time would be needed for Israel to develop defenses against
rockets, which Palestinian militants regularly fire into southern
Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. "You can't feed
Israelis fantasies about an arrangement with the Palestinians
anytime soon," Barak was quoted as saying.
DEBKAfile
Exclusive: New Al Qaeda threat of radioactive truck attacks naming
New York, Los Angeles, Miami DEBKAfile
(August 10, 2007) - The threat
was picked up by DEBKAfile’s monitors from a rush of
electronic chatter on al Qaeda sites Thursday, Aug. 8. The al Qaeda
communications accuse the Americans of the grave error of failing to
take seriously the videotape released by the American al Qaeda
spokesman Adam Gaddahn last week. “They will soon realize their
mistake when American cities are hit by quality operations,” said
one message. Another said the attacks would be carried out “by means
of trucks loaded with radio-active material against America’s
biggest city and financial nerve center.” A third message mentioned
New York, Los Angeles and Miami as targets. It drew the answer: “The
attack, with Allah’s help, will cause an economic meltdown, many
dead, and a financial crisis on a scale that compels the United
States to pull its military forces out of many parts of the world,
including Iraq, for lack of any other way of cutting down costs.”
There is also a message which speaks obliquely of the approaching
attacks easing the heavy pressure America exerts on countries like
Japan, Cuba and Venezuela. DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources
and monitors say there is no way of gauging for sure how serious
these threats are, how real, or whether they are part of a war of
nerves to give the Gaddahn tape extra mileage. But it is important
to note that the exchange of messages took place over al Qaeda’s
internal Internet sites and that they contained the threat of
radioactive terror and specific American cities for the first time
after a long silence on these subjects. In addition, a growing
number of clips has been disseminated of late over al Qaeda sites
instructing the faithful how to design remote-controlled gliders,
pack them with explosives and launch them against predetermined
targets.
Israel's Barak dismisses peace push "fantasies" Reuters
(August 10, 2007) -
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak was quoted as saying on Friday
that talk of any peace deal with the Palestinians anytime soon was a
"fantasy," in a challenge to U.S.-led efforts to revive
negotiations. In private conversations reported by Israel's Yedioth
Ahronoth newspaper, Barak said he would not carry out plans by
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to remove roadblocks in the West
Bank as a gesture to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. But senior
Abbas aide Saeb Erakat said on Friday the Palestinians were told
that Barak will present a "map" to remove the checkpoints next week.
Barak's office stopped short of denying the Yedioth report in its
entirety, but said: "There is no change in Barak's stance regarding
the importance of the political process alongside our obligation to
protect Israel's security." A spokesman for Olmert declined to
comment on the report in the mass circulation daily. Barak, who as
prime minister spearheaded talks with the Palestinians that ended in
failure in 2001, was quoted in Yedioth as saying a peace deal would
not be possible for at least three to five years. Barak said that is
how much time would be needed for Israel to develop defenses against
rockets, which Palestinian militants regularly fire into southern
Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. "You can't feed
Israelis fantasies about an arrangement with the Palestinians
anytime soon," Barak was quoted as saying.
DEBKAfile
Exclusive: New Al Qaeda threat of radioactive truck attacks naming
New York, Los Angeles, Miami DEBKAfile
(August 10, 2007) - The threat
was picked up by DEBKAfile’s monitors from a rush of
electronic chatter on al Qaeda sites Thursday, Aug. 8. The al Qaeda
communications accuse the Americans of the grave error of failing to
take seriously the videotape released by the American al Qaeda
spokesman Adam Gaddahn last week. “They will soon realize their
mistake when American cities are hit by quality operations,” said
one message. Another said the attacks would be carried out “by means
of trucks loaded with radio-active material against America’s
biggest city and financial nerve center.” A third message mentioned
New York, Los Angeles and Miami as targets. It drew the answer: “The
attack, with Allah’s help, will cause an economic meltdown, many
dead, and a financial crisis on a scale that compels the United
States to pull its military forces out of many parts of the world,
including Iraq, for lack of any other way of cutting down costs.”
There is also a message which speaks obliquely of the approaching
attacks easing the heavy pressure America exerts on countries like
Japan, Cuba and Venezuela. DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources
and monitors say there is no way of gauging for sure how serious
these threats are, how real, or whether they are part of a war of
nerves to give the Gaddahn tape extra mileage. But it is important
to note that the exchange of messages took place over al Qaeda’s
internal Internet sites and that they contained the threat of
radioactive terror and specific American cities for the first time
after a long silence on these subjects. In addition, a growing
number of clips has been disseminated of late over al Qaeda sites
instructing the faithful how to design remote-controlled gliders,
pack them with explosives and launch them against predetermined
targets.
Peres: Talk to P.A. without preconditions JTA
(August 9, 2007) - Shimon Peres
said Israel should not place preconditions on peace talks with the
new Palestinian Authority government. Israel Radio
quoted Peres as saying Thursday that Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who set up a new,
Western-backed administration in the West Bank after breaking with
Hamas over its Gaza takeover in June, deserve to be treated as full
negotiating partners. "I get the impression that Abu Mazen wants to
hold serious negotiations, and we have to talk to him without
preconditions," Peres was quoted as telling visiting U.S.
congressmen. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has recently
signaled willingness to talk to Abbas about the formation of a
Palestinian state, though the latter has yet to prove the extent of
his mandate after the schism with Hamas.
Cabinet meets on prospect of conflict with Syria Haaretz
(August 9, 2007)
- Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday evening addressed the
possibility of a military conflict with Syria during a Kadima
conference held at the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem,
saying that Israel and Syria have no interest in a war. "I believe
that we can expect a calm summer, a calm autumn and a calm winter,"
Olmert said, "naturally, we are dealing with strengthening the
Israel Defense Forces' capabilities...but we have no plans, no will,
and no interest in a confrontation in the north of the country or in
the south." "I believe that the Syrians also have no interest in
fighting us," he added, "there is always an exaggeration in creating
an atmosphere of tension, but a responsible leadership knows how to
control itself, exercise self-restraint and maintain its
equanimity," he added. The members of the security cabinet met
Wednesday morning to discuss the situation on Israel's northern
front and the possibility that a conflict will break out between
Israel and Syria. The meeting was labeled "very sensitive," and the
ministers were asked to leave their cellular phones outside the room
where the meeting took place. The cabinet has recently and with
increasing frequency been holding meetings about the northern border
and the preparation of the home front in case of a violent
confrontation with Syria. Wednesday's meeting is the sixth meeting
in the last six weeks on the issue. Echoing similar statements made
earlier, Olmert conveyed that the meeting's purpose was to prepare
for the possibility of a Syrian miscalculation regarding Israel's
intentions, and that Israel doesn't intend to attack. Most of the
ministers in the security cabinet attended the meeting, including
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and ministers Tzipi Livni, Ehud Barak,
Haim Ramon, Avigdor Lieberman, Eli Yishai, Rafi Eitan, Avi Dichter,
Shaul Mofaz, Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and Daniel Friedmann. Sources from
the prime minister's bureau have said in the last several days that
the meetings have been held because of the "possibility of a
miscalculation in terms of Syria, but not because of new information
of a shift in Syrian activity."
more...
Russia eyes return to the Middle East
Detroit News (August 9, 2007)
- Days after Russia sent the diplomatic world reeling with its
audacious flag-planting beneath the ice of the North Pole, the
Kremlin is moving to reassert itself in warmer climes as well,
plotting the return of the Russian fleet to a Syrian port on the
Mediterranean Sea. The head of the Russian navy announced that he
wanted next to plant the white-blue-and-red Russian banner in the
Middle East. The new Russian strategy envisions returning warships
to a Soviet-era naval base at the port of Tartus. "The Mediterranean
Sea is very important strategically for the Black Sea fleet,"
Admiral Vladimir Masorin said as he toured a Russian base in the
Ukrainian port city of Sevastopol. "I propose that, with the
involvement of the Northern and Baltic fleets, the Russian navy
should restore its permanent presence there." It would mark the
first time Russia has established a military presence outside the
borders of the former Soviet Union since the USSR fell apart in
1991. "It's a symbol, the planting of a flag. Just like the one
Russia put under the North Pole," said Alexei Malashenko, an expert
on the Muslim world at the Carnegie Moscow Center. The intent, he
said, is to declare that Russia has returned to the Middle East,
where Moscow held wide influence during the Cold War, backing the
socialist regimes of Syria, Iraq and Egypt against U.S.-supported
Israel. It's a move many in Israel and the United States will have
trouble separating from a broader pattern of renewed Russian support
for countries and groups Washington and Tel Aviv see as enemies.
"The Russians are coming" read a front-page headline in Monday's
edition of Israel's mass-circulation Yediot Aharonot newspaper. "A
Russian flag on Syrian soil has significant strategic implications.
Firstly, it challenges the United States and the dominance of the
Sixth Fleet stationed in the Mediterranean. Secondly, with its
actual presence in Syria, Russia is announcing that it is actively
participating in any process and conflict in the Middle East, that
it has a stance of its own and that it must be reckoned with," the
article read. Russian President Vladimir Putin and President George
W. Bush have both gone to great lengths to insist the two countries
are not on the verge of another Cold War. But the Kremlin and the
White House, already butting heads in Eastern Europe and Central
Asia, are increasingly at odds across this volatile region.
Israel sends conciliatory messages to Damascus to avoid war Haaretz
(August 8, 2007) - Israel has
sent several messages to Damascus in recent weeks reiterating that
it has no desire to attack Syria, in an effort to keep Syria from
misreading Israel's intentions and therefore deciding to launch a
war. The messages have been sent via various foreign channels, a
senior government source said. In addition, Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert has made public statements to this effect. But while doing
its best to reassure Syria, the government also has been preparing
intensively for the possibility that war might nevertheless break
out: Yesterday, the ministerial committee on the northern front held
its sixth meeting in the past two months. As yet, there are no signs
of progress that would enable a resumption of Israeli-Syrian
negotiations. Nevertheless, a senior European diplomat said,
"European officials who have given Olmert messages from Damascus
regarding its desire to resume negotiations have received the
impression that he is keeping an open mind." "The situation on the
northern border is fragile and sensitive, but the European Union
believes there is no danger of war, since neither side wants to
start a conflict," the diplomat added. Nevertheless, he said, "in
the present atmosphere, it is important that there not be confusing
messages." The ministerial committee, which includes Olmert, Defense
Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and ministers Eli
Yishai, Avi Dichter, Shaul Mofaz, Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, Rafi Eitan
and Avigdor Lieberman, is preparing for a possible conflict with
either Syria or Hezbollah. It has been discussing issues including
intelligence reports on the deployment of the Syrian army and on
Hezbollah's efforts to rebuild following last summer's war in
Lebanon; intelligence reports on Syria's network of rockets and
surface-to-surface missiles, which threaten Israel's home front; and
the home front's preparations for a missile attack, including
installing additional warning systems, renovating bomb shelters and
assessing the ability of the nation's infrastructure to withstand a
rocket attack. The Prime Minister's Office stressed yesterday that
these meetings are being held solely to prepare for any eventuality;
they do not indicate any Israeli intention of attacking Syria or any
Syrian intention of attacking Israel. A senior government source
explained that the Second Lebanon War revealed major gaps in
Israel's home front defenses, "and that's the major issue we're
trying to solve now." more...
Israel holds 'very sensitive' meeting on war with Syria
World Net Daily (August
8, 2007)
- Israel's security cabinet, composed of the country's top
ministers, today held what was deemed a "very sensitive" closed-door
meeting to plan for the possibility of war with Syria. Ministers
were asked to leave their cell phones outside to prevent the
possibility of leaks. In attendance were Prime Minister Ehud Olmert,
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Strategic
Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman and nine top lawmakers. It was
the sixth such security cabinet meeting in recent weeks. According
to security officials, the ministers were briefed on recent Syrian
military movements and Damascus' acquisition of missiles and rockets
capable of hitting civilian population centers, including Jerusalem
and Tel Aviv. The ministers were told Syria recently stepped up the
pace of its own rocket production and moved some rockets close to
the Israeli border. The ministers were briefed on possible war
scenarios, Israeli military options for countering any Syrian attack
and the readiness of Israel's home front, including bomb shelters
and anti-missile systems, security sources said.
WND reported last week that with the exception of the north, the
Jewish state's home front, Israelis – especially in Jerusalem and
Tel Aviv – are unprepared for the event of war, with only enough
existing bomb shelters for 70 to 80 percent of the area's residents. Security officials told the ministers
during today's meeting Syria is preparing for war with the Jewish
state but that its preparations were seen as defensive in nature.
They said they were concerned Syria might miscalculate Israel's
intentions and launch a war based on faulty intelligence. During a
portion of the meeting that was made public, Olmert told ministers
Israel has no intention to attack Syria. "But there is concern that
someone might mistakenly think that there will be an offensive and a
war which no one is interested in," Olmert said. "Therefore, we must
prepare for any scenario, so that Israel can be ready." Israeli
security officials say Syria boosted its military near the Syrian
side of the Golan Heights with strengthened forces after carrying
out increased training the past few months. The Syrian army has
improved its fortifications, according to the Israeli security
officials, and has received modern, Russian-made anti-tank missiles
similar to the missiles that devastated Israeli tanks during the
last Lebanon war, causing the highest number of Israeli troop
casualties during the 34-days of military confrontations. Syria also
received from Russia advanced anti-aircraft missiles. The security
officials said any conflict with Syria could degenerate into a
larger war involving Hezbollah along Israel's northern border and
Palestinian terror groups launching attacks from Gaza in the south
and the West Bank toward the center of Israel. The officials noted
Syria stepped up the pace of weapons, including rockets, being
shipped from the Syrian border to the Lebanese Hezbollah militia.
The security officials said the greatest threats Syria poses to the
Jewish state are the country's missiles and rockets. They noted
Syria recently test-fired two Scud-D surface-to-surface missiles,
which have a range of about 250 miles, covering most Israeli
territory. The officials said the Syrian missile test was
coordinated with Iran and is believed to have been successful. It is
not known what type of warhead the missiles had. more...
IDF Intel: Syria May Launch Missile Attack Soon Israel
National News (August 8, 2007)
- Contrary to the official Military Intelligence line, according to
which Syria does not intend to attack Israel in the near future,
many researchers in the intelligence community suspect that Syria is
waiting for the right moment to strike, and that the moment may come
soon. This is the reason that Israel's Home Front Readiness Cabinet
met Wednesday to discuss the possibility of a massive Syrian missile
attack, according to Ynet's veteran military analyst, Ron
Ben-Yishai. Ben-Yishai says Syria is completing the construction of
a large rocket array aimed at Israel from the Syrian Golan Heights.
These are not Katyusha rockets but larger ones with a much greater
range: 222 mm., 302 mm. and 600 mm. rockets with a payload of up to
half a ton, which can reach Tel Aviv. Dozens of launchers have
already been set up and these are capable of firing hundreds of
missiles simultaneously. Syria also has SCUD missiles which can
reach southern Israel, but these can supposedly be intercepted by
the Israeli Arrow anti-missile system. The heavy missiles in the
Golan cannot be intercepted by the Arrow, however. According to Ben-Yishai,
all this means that the Syrians can launch a massive attack on
Israel's home front without Israel having any advance warning of the
attack.
Iran-Turkey-Message Islamic
Republic News Agency (August 8, 2007)
- A message from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was submitted to
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Tuesday afternoon by a
senior Iranian official. Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific
and Commonwealth of Independent States Mehdi Safari handed over the
message in a closed door meeting with the Turkish premier. Safari
arrived in Ankara on Tuesday to confer with Erdogan on issues of
mutual interest. An informed source at Iran's embassy in Turkey told
IRNA that the message focused on strengthening Tehran-Ankara
relations. The source added that Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was also present at the meeting. The
Iranian and Turkish sides declined to make any comments at the end
of their 40-minute meeting. Safari immediately headed for Tehran
after the meeting.
Christian Zionist Leader Denounces Evangelicals' Pro-Palestinian
Letter The
Christian Post (August 7, 2007) - A Christian Zionist leader has denounced the recent
letter by some of America’s leading evangelicals voicing support for
a Palestinian state, criticizing the signers for their “appalling
ignorance.” Dr. Jim Hutchens, president of the Jerusalem Connection
and the Washington-area director for Christian United for Israel,
acknowledged the “deep chasm” growing among evangelicals regarding
Israel. He contends, however, that the modern state of Israel is
part of the fulfillment of God’s covenant of a homeland for the
Jewish people. Evangelicals supporting a Palestinian state have an
“appalling ignorance of both secular and biblical history,” said
Hutchens, according to OneNewsNow. The Zionist leader noted that
there has never been a sovereign state of “Palestine.” In July, 34
prominent evangelical leaders signed a letter voicing support for
President Bush’s Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, emphasizing
their support for a two-state solution. The leaders also said they
wanted to repair the “serious misconception” that all American
evangelicals are against the two-state solution and the creation of
a new Palestinian state. “Historical honesty compels us to recognize
that both Israelis and Palestinians have legitimate rights
stretching back for millennia to the lands of Israel/Palestine,”
states the letter dated July 27 and published in the New York Times.
Signers included Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological
Seminary; David Neff, editor of Christianity Today; Richard Stearns,
president of World Vision; Tony Campolo, president/founder of
Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education; Stephen
Hayner, former president InterVarsity Christian Fellowship; and Joel
Hunter, senior pastor of Northland Church in Longwood, Fla., and
member of the executive committee of the National Association of
Evangelicals. Hutchens, however, disagrees and points to the
Replacement Theory as the theological explanation for evangelical
support of a Palestinian state. “I would suggest that the basic
theological underpinning of this is super-cessionism,” he said,
according to OneNewsNow, “and that is to say that the church is the
new Israel, that Christians have replaced Jews as the covenant
people of God … [and that] the covenants that God made with Israel
and the Jews are now null and void because they have not accepted
Jesus as the Messiah.” Yet Hutchens believes that the covenant
between God and Israel still holds. He proposes as solution to the
Israel-Palestinian problem that Israel annex the West Bank and Gaza
and for the Israeli military to uproot terrorists in the region. The
debate on Israel and Christian support for the biblical land has
stirred tension among evangelicals – arguably the world’s most vocal
supporters of the state; evangelicals make up 1/3 of American
tourists that visit Israel, second only to American Jews. Among the
critics are those against the “blind support” that some Christians
give to Israel despite the fact that the Knesset – Israel’s
legislative body – bans evangelism in the country and has proposed
punishment including imprisonment and heavy fines for guilty
parties. Megachurch pastor Joel Hunter, one of the signers
supporting a Palestinian state, noted: “There is a part of the
evangelical family which is what I call Christian Zionists, who are
just so staunchly pro-Israel that Israel and their side can do no
wrong, and it’s almost anti-biblical to criticize Israel for
anything,” he said, according to the New York Times. “But there are
many more evangelicals who are really open and seek justice for both
parties.” more... It seems to me the blindness is on the side of those who have no clue what is happening in the world according to Bible prophecy. Peace sounds great, who doesn't want it? The peace that is coming will only arrive once Yeshua does.
The difference between the milk and meat is discernment of both good and evil.
Understanding the will of the Lord is paramount in determining our direction because His goals are our goals. The end He wrote about is the end we will experience. We can develop all kinds of our own plans, but His will always win out and are motivated by love. Sometimes the motives of men is selfish and absolute power corrupts absolutely. So let us guard our minds with the Word of God in all things, clinging to Truth and rejecting the lies and deceptions. God gave us His Book to guide us and light our path for us. Understanding the end helps determine direction for the present.
Olmert to comply with 100% of Palestinian land demands Israel
Today (August 7, 2007)
- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is considering a final status
peace deal with the Palestinians that would require Israel to allow
the creation of a Palestinian state on the 100 percent of the
territory liberated by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War. According to
the proposal, which was first reported on by Ha'aretz,
Israel would retain control over several large settlement blocs in
the West Bank, and in exchange transfer a number of Arab towns
insider sovereign Israel to Palestinian control. Olmert's office
issued a denial of the original Ha'aretz report, but the
newspaper got confirmation from aides to Israeli President Shimon
Peres that the prime minister had in fact adopted the plan, which
was formulated by their boss when he was serving as Olmert's deputy.
Meanwhile, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said that
Monday's meeting between Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman
Mahmoud Abbas had accelerated the establishment of a Palestinian
state on Israel's biblical heartland. “Abbas and Olmert discussed
the fundamentals that will allow a Palestinian state to be
established in an expeditious manner,” Erekat told Israel's Army
Radio.
PM: Israel, PA to expand talks on establishing Palestinian state as
soon as possible Haaretz (August
7, 2007) - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Palestinian
Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas at a meeting in the West Bank on
Monday he would push for the establishment of a Palestinian state as
"fast as possible." In a Jericho meeting with the PA chairman,
Olmert refrained from setting a schedule, but said statehood would
be achieved by adherence to the internationally brokered road map to
Middle East peace, and through mutual understanding. "We have
decided to expand the scope of the negotiations between us in order
to advance mutual understanding and formulate the framework that
will allow us to move forward toward establishing a Palestinian
state," Olmert said. Monday's meeting marked the first time an
Israeli prime minister has visited the Palestinian Authority since
the outbreak of the second intifada in September 2000. The meeting
took place under heavy security. Palestinian Presidential Guard
officials and Shin Bet security service VIP officers held a number
of meetings in recent days to lay the groundwork for the security at
this historical meeting. While Olmert did not present a timetable,
he declared that he has no intention to stall for time on the issue
of Palestinian statehood. "Our mutual goal is to realize the shared
vision between us and [U.S. President George] Bush regarding the
establishment of two states for two peoples who live side by side in
security and peace. We want to achieve this as soon as possible,"
Olmert added. Olmert also mentioned that the basis for negotiations
"will continue to be the road map, which is acceptable to both
sides." The prime minister was referring to a peace plan proposed by
the Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators - the United States,
the European Union, the United Nations and Russia - that calls for
an independent Palestinian state. During the meeting between the two
leaders, Abbas told Olmert that Israel's release of the 255
Palestinian prisoners last month had a positive effect on the
Palestinian people, and requested the release of additional
prisoners in the coming weeks. Olmert said he would consider Abbas'
request. more...
PM, Peres deny 'Palestinian state plan' Jerusalem
Post (August 7, 2007)
- The offices of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Shimon
Peres vigorously denied a report in Tuesday's Ha'aretz newspaper alleging that they crafted a plan to establish a
Palestinian state on the equivalent of 100 percent of the land in
the West Bank. "We are not aware of any such plan described in the
article," Olmert's office said in the most strongly worded denial
the office has ever issued. "It is not being considered or
discussed. We are amazed by the false report, which was published
without asking for a response or checking whether it was true."
Abbas to PM: I won't talk to Hamas According to the plan,
Israel would maintain settlement blocs totaling five percent of the
West Bank and compensate the Palestinians with land inside pre-1967
Israel from blocs of Arab communities, with the residents'
acquiescence. The paper said Peres presented the plan to Olmert
after he became president. Olmert said at a Kadima event two weeks
ago that he would welcome Peres's involvement in diplomatic issues,
but Peres's associates said the plan published fits more with the
ideology of Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman. A similar
plan is the diplomatic platform of Lieberman's Israel Beiteinu
party. But even he distanced himself from the report in a statement
released Tuesday. "I welcome the acceptance of my idea of population
exchanges, because there is no other solution," Lieberman said. "The
solution must include all of the settlement blocs and leave
Jerusalem united under Israeli sovereignty. But there is no sense in
talking about a Palestinian state until the PA proves itself. .
Peres' aides confirm plan for PA state on land equal to 100% of West
Bank Haaretz (August
7, 2007) - Aides to President Shimon Peres confirmed
Tuesday a Haaretz report that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is
examining a new framework for peace, in which Israel will propose
transferring to the Palestinian state areas equivalent to 100
percent of the territories conquered in 1967. According to the
aides, the proposal was formulated while Peres was vice premier, and
presented to Olmert a few days after he entered the President's
Residence. The PMO, however, denied the existance of the proposal
Tuesday. "We do not know of any plan as described in the [Haaretz]
article," the prime minister's office said in a statement. "We would
like to clarify that such a plan has not been considered, nor is it
being raised for discussion in any forum." The proposal includes a
timetable for negotiations for the final status agreement and
implementing it, similar to the framework of the Peres-Abu Ala
agreement reached at the end of 2001. Israel will suggest to the
Palestinians to conduct negotiations for adequate territorial
compensation from Israel's sovereign territory, in exchange for
settlement blocs amounting to about 5 percent of the West Bank's
area. Israel is also examining various options of exchanging
settlement blocs with Arab community blocs within Israel, in
agreement with the residents. An agreement on this issue would
enable Yisrael Beiteinu, headed by Avigdor Lieberman, to remain in
the coalition. Olmert has not yet decided on his position regarding
all the plan's clauses, but apparently has not dismissed its main
ideas. Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas agreed Monday that cooperation
between Israel and the Palestinian Authority would be expanded, in
an effort to expedite progress in their talks for the establishment
of the Palestinian state. "Exchanges between the two sides will
become increasingly more substantive, and will deal less with
routine matters," a senior political source in Jerusalem said
Monday.
Olmert and Peres: Palestinian state on 100% of West Bank area, with
swaps
Haaretz (August
7, 2007)
- Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is examining a new framework for peace
in which Israel will propose transferring to the Palestinian state
areas equivalent to 100 percent of the territories conquered in
1967. Israel will suggest to the Palestinians to conduct
negotiations for adequate territorial compensation from Israel's
sovereign territory, in exchange for settlement blocs amounting to
about 5 percent of the West Bank's area. Israel is also examining
various options of exchanging settlement blocs with Arab community
blocs within Israel, in agreement with the residents. An agreement
on this issue would enable Yisrael Beiteinu, headed by Avigdor
Lieberman, to remain in the coalition. The new framework was
presented to Olmert by President Shimon Peres, a few days after he
entered the President's Residence. It includes a timetable for
negotiations for the final status agreement and implementing it,
similar to the framework of the Peres-Abu Ala agreement reached at
the end of 2001. Olmert has not yet decided on his position
regarding all the plan's clauses, but apparently has not dismissed
its main ideas. Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas agreed yesterday that
cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority would be
expanded, in an effort to expedite progress in their talks for the
establishment of the Palestinian state. "Exchanges between the two
sides will become increasingly more substantive, and will deal less
with routine matters," a senior political source in Jerusalem said
yesterday. The three-hour meeting between Olmert and Abbas took
place in two parts: a private meeting just between the leaders, and
a lunch with their teams of advisers. Sources in the Prime
Minister's Bureau said that the atmosphere at the meeting was
constructive. Saeb Erekat, head of the PLO negotiating team,
described yesterday's meeting between Olmert and Abbas as serious
and detailed. "Abbas did not come to the meeting with a magic wand,
and neither did Mr. Olmert," Erekat said at a news conference.
"There is an agreement on a series of meetings to discuss the
issues, including the establishment of a Palestinian state." Abbas
thanked Olmert for the release of 255 Palestinians held in Israeli
prisons, and expressed hope that the next step would result in the
freeing of more prisoners. The two decided to institute a special
ministerial committee, and that the Palestinian Authority will be
represented by Interior Minister Abd al-Razek al-Yihiye. Israel also
promised the Palestinians to reconsider the request of the militants
who were expelled after the siege on the Church of the Nativity in
2002. more...
Pro-Syria politician wins Lebanese seat Associated
Press (August 6, 2007) -
The pro-U.S. government suffered a blow Monday when its candidate in
a closely watched parliamentary race conceded defeat to a
little-known figure from the Syrian-backed opposition. The vote in
the Christian stronghold of Metn north of Beirut was widely seen as
a proxy struggle for the loyalties of Lebanon's Christians, who have
been nearly evenly split between the government and opposition.
Lebanon has been locked for months in a political standoff between
the anti-Syrian ruling coalition, which is mainly Sunni, and the
opposition led by the Shiite Muslim, pro-Syrian Hezbollah. Official
results of Sunday's parliamentary race showed opposition candidate
Kamil Khoury narrowly beating Amin Gemayel, Lebanon's president from
1982-88 and the head of one of the country's most powerful Maronite
Christian families. Gemayel ran in his home district for the seat
his son, Pierre, an outspoken anti-Syria figure, held when he was
shot to death by gunmen as he left a church in a Beirut suburb in
November. Many supporters blamed Syria for the killing. Khoury,
backed by Michel Aoun, the most prominent Christian in the
opposition, won by a margin of 418 votes, with 39,534 votes against
Gemayel's 39,116, Interior Minister Hassan Sabei announced. Turnout
was 46 percent Gemayel said that he would abide by the Interior
Ministry's results. A second seat contested Sunday, in Beirut, was
won by a pro-government candidate who ran virtually unopposed.
Sunday's votes were not expected to have any immediate or direct
effect on Lebanese political deadlock. The government of Prime
Minister Fuad Saniora retains a 5-seat edge over the opposition
majority in parliament, which has not met for months because of the
standoff. more...
Mark Steyn: The vanishing jihad exposés
OC Register (August
5, 2007) - How will we lose the war against "radical Islam"?
Well, it won't be in a tank battle. Or in the Sunni Triangle or the
caves of Bora Bora. It won't be because terrorists fly three jets into
the Oval Office, Buckingham Palace and the Basilica of St Peter's on the
same Tuesday morning. The war will be lost incrementally because we are
unable to reverse the ongoing radicalization of Muslim populations in
South Asia, Indonesia, the Balkans, Western Europe and, yes, North
America. And who's behind that radicalization? Who funds the mosques and
Islamic centers that in the past 30 years have set up shop on just about
every Main Street around the planet? For the answer, let us turn to a
fascinating book called "Alms for Jihad: Charity And Terrorism in the
Islamic World," by J. Millard Burr, a former USAID relief coordinator,
and the scholar Robert O Collins. Can't find it in your local Barnes &
Noble? Never mind, let's go to Amazon. Everything's available there. And
sure enough, you'll come through to the "Alms for Jihad" page and find a
smattering of approving reviews from respectably torpid publications:
"The most comprehensive look at the web of Islamic charities that have
financed conflicts all around the world," according to Canada's Globe
And Mail, which is like the New York Times but without the jokes.
Unfortunately, if you then try to buy "Alms for Jihad," you discover
that the book is "Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this
item will be back in stock." Hang on, it was only published last year.
At Amazon, items are either shipped within 24 hours or, if a little more
specialized, within four to six weeks, but not many books from 2006 are
entirely unavailable with no restock in sight. Well, let us cross the
ocean, thousands of miles from the Amazon warehouse, to the High Court
in London. Last week, the Cambridge University Press agreed to recall
all unsold copies of "Alms for Jihad" and pulp them. In addition, it has
asked hundreds of libraries around the world to remove the volume from
their shelves. This highly unusual action was accompanied by a letter to
Sheikh Khalid bin Mahfouz, in care of his English lawyers, explaining
their reasons: "Throughout the book there are serious and defamatory
allegations about yourself and your family, alleging support for
terrorism through your businesses, family and charities, and directly.
"As a result of what we now know, we accept and acknowledge that all of
those allegations about you and your family, businesses and charities
are entirely and manifestly false." Who is Sheikh Khalid bin Mahfouz?
Well, he's a very wealthy and influential Saudi. Big deal, you say. Is
there any other kind? Yes, but even by the standards of very wealthy and
influential Saudis, this guy is plugged in: He was the personal banker
to the Saudi royal family and head of the National Commercial Bank of
Saudi Arabia, until he sold it to the Saudi government. He has a swanky
pad in London and an Irish passport and multiple U.S. business
connections, including to Thomas Kean, the chairman of the 9/11
Commission. I'm not saying the 9/11 Commission is a Saudi shell
operation, merely making the observation that, whenever you come across
a big-shot Saudi, it's considerably less than six degrees of separation
between him and the most respectable pillars of the American
establishment. As to whether allegations about support for terrorism by
the sheikh and his "family, businesses and charities" are "entirely and
manifestly false," the Cambridge University Press is going way further
than the United States or most foreign governments would. Of his bank's
funding of terrorism, Sheikh Mahfouz's lawyer has said: "Like upper
management at any other major banking institution, Khalid Bin Mahfouz
was not, of course, aware of every wire transfer moving through the
bank. Had he known of any transfers that were going to fund al-Qaida or
terrorism, he would not have permitted them." Sounds reasonable enough.
Except that in this instance the Mahfouz bank was wiring money to the
principal Mahfouz charity, the Muwafaq (or "Blessed Relief") Foundation,
which in turn transferred them to Osama bin Laden. In October 2001, the
Treasury Department named Muwafaq as "an al-Qaida front that receives
funding from wealthy Saudi businessmen" and its chairman as a "specially
designated global terrorist." As the Treasury concluded, "Saudi
businessmen have been transferring millions of dollars to bin Laden
through Blessed Relief." Indeed, this "charity" seems to have no other
purpose than to fund jihad. It seeds Islamism wherever it operates. In
Chechnya, it helped transform a reasonably conventional nationalist
struggle into an outpost of the jihad. In the Balkans, it played a key
role in replacing a traditionally moderate Islam with a form of
Mitteleuropean Wahhabism. Pick a Muwafaq branch office almost anywhere
on the planet and you get an interesting glimpse of the typical Saudi
charity worker. The former head of its mission in Zagreb, Croatia, for
example, is a guy called Ayadi Chafiq bin Muhammad. Well, he's called
that most of the time. But he has at least four aliases and residences
in at least three nations (Germany, Austria and Belgium). He was named
as a bin Laden financier by the U.S. government and disappeared from the
United Kingdom shortly after 9/11. more...
Israel, Palestinians may both be onside for peace talks this fall CanWest
News Service (August 3, 2007)
- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday his government
was prepared to negotiate "a declaration of principles" proposed by
Israel to help guide the first serious Middle East peace talks in
more than seven years and give both sides a much better idea "what
the end game will be," with specific details to be agreed to later.
For its part, Israel would discuss "fundamental" issues at the
U.S.-sponsored talks, which may take place in New York this autumn,
according to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Rice returned
home Thursday after a round of talks in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel
and the West Bank, where she met with Abbas. "Fundamental issues"
were, in this case, diplomatic code for talks about three of the
most divisive and potentially explosive subjects in the Middle East
-- the borders of a future Palestine, the fate of Palestinian
refugees living in neighbouring countries, and what to do about
Jerusalem, which both sides proclaim as their capital. Rice, at a
news conference she attended with Abbas in Ramallah, described her
diplomacy as an attempt to foster "a deepening of the dialogue
between the Palestinians and the Israelis on all of the issues."
Answering suspicions from both the Palestinian and Israeli sides,
she vowed that by calling the peace summit, President George W. Bush
was not just trying to arrange "a photo-op." While open to these
talks, Israel's position has been that because of the current
security situation and the danger of creating false expectations, it
was best to proceed cautiously and negotiate a final settlement
later on the most sensitive issues. A day after a senior Saudi
Arabian official said his country might join the Americans,
Palestinians and Israelis at such a peace summit, Tzipi Livni, the
Israeli foreign minister, urged other Arab countries without
relations with the Jewish state to support the peace process by
taking part, too. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on
Wednesday that he had encouraged the U.S. to invite moderate Gulf
states as well as Morocco and Tunisia to be part of the talks.
Before returning to Washington on Thursday, Rice met with Abbas and
his emergency cabinet, as well as with his new prime minister,
Salaam Fayyad. It was the secretary's first visit to the West Bank
since Abbas' secular Fatah faction lost political and military
control of the Gaza Strip to the Islamist Hamas movement six weeks
ago. To underscore the White House's support for the Abbas
government and as part of its continuing effort to keep Hamas
isolated because it refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist or
renounce terrorism, Rice told her hosts in Ramallah the U.S. would
provide $80 million to begin reforming the Palestinian Authority's
much-maligned security forces.
Primor: EU Troops Could Bring Peace to Middle East Deutsche
Welle (August 1, 2007)
- DW-WORLD.DE:
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said last week that he thought a
peace agreement could be reached by the end of 2008. One of the
reasons he gave was because US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
assured him of it. Is it wishful thinking? As the head of the WEU, the 10 member-state military wing of the European Union, Javier Solana has emergency powers over the E.U.'s military. If a peace is going to happen and a great diplomat get the credit for it, things seem to be falling in order. This peace will also play into the dividing of the land of Israel, required in order for Islam to even consider peace. This will probably also result in the dividing of the Temple Mount such that the outer court area of the rebuilt temple will be "left out," Revelation 11:1,2, to allow the co-habitation of the Dome of the Rock and the Jewish temple.
Hamas official: Russia invited us to Moscow in coming days Haaretz (August
1, 2007) - Russia has invited a Hamas delegation to
visit Moscow in the next few days, a Hamas official said Wednesday,
just a day after Russia publicly embraced Hamas' nemesis, moderate
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and vowed to downgrade
its ties with Hamas. The announcement from Hamas lawmaker Halil al-Haya
came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin told Abbas in
Moscow that he is the legitimate leader of the Palestinian people.
Al-Haya told a Hamas-affiliated Palestinian magazine that the
Russian government had officially invited a Hamas delegation, headed
by Damascus-based Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal, to Moscow.
Al-Haya would not specify the date, but said the visit would be in
the coming days. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it had
no information on a visit by a Hamas delegation. Abbas has been
governing the West Bank with a moderate government led by his Fatah
movement since mid-June, when Hamas seized full control of the Gaza
Strip in five days of fighting. The international community has
thrown its support behind Abbas, while Hamas remains largely
isolated in Gaza. In an interview with the Russian daily
Nezavisimaya Gazeta published Tuesday, Abbas said Russia had to make
its own decision about whether to maintain contacts with Hamas.
"This is an affair for Russia as a sovereign state and does not
create any problems for our bilateral relations," he was quoted as
saying.
Israel and PA negotiating final status agreement
Unsealed Prophecy (August
1, 2007) - “Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas
are engaged in secret talks on final status issues,
Israel Radio quoted the London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayyat
as reporting Tuesday. According to the report,
the two leaders agreed to open a secret channel to discuss the
issues, which include such sticking points as refugees, Jerusalem,
and final borders, during their meeting roughly two weeks ago.”
“Olmert
confirmed
last week that he intends to engage in negotiations with Abbas on
the formation of a Palestinian state.” The Scriptures seem to
indicate that the European Union will be involved in any final
settlement, which will see the city of Jerusalem divided and Judea
and Samaria ceded to the Gentiles. Daniel’s prophecy says of the
Antichrist that he will strengthen an already existing agreement,
and will “divide the land for gain“,
Daniel 11:39
The fact that these
discussions are happening now , something
that would have been unthinkable only a
few years ago, shows us how close we are to the return of Christ for
His Church, and the beginning of the great tribulation. And that,
knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep:
for now our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Romans 13:11
‘Possible Attack on the
The Sampson Option
Hal Lindsey (July
28, 2007) - Last week, WorldNetDaily
reported a stunning admission from a Syrian official. He said that
Syria had "learned from the Hezbollah experience last summer and we
can have hundreds of missiles hitting Tel Aviv that will overwhelm
Israel's anti-missile batteries." He claimed Syria has "proof"
Israel is also readying for a war. "We hear about special Israeli
trainings to take Damascus. We see that Israel is re-establishing
bases of the Israeli army in the Golan that are unusual and not
needed except for war. We believe the Israeli government has an
interest in confronting Syria to rehabilitate its image of losing to
Hezbollah." The WorldNetDaily report also says that Damascus
believes newly-installed Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, a
former prime minister, "wants to prove he is a military expert."
This information is perfectly in line with the official statements
made by both Bashar Assad and Mushen Bilal to several major Arab
newspapers. Furthermore, London's Daily Telegraph reported June 25
that Tehran was establishing a missile defense shield for Syria.
Iran is also preparing to ship sophisticated military hardware,
including "dozens of medium-range Shahab-3 and Russian-made Scud-C
missiles, together with Scud-B missiles." Syria recently test-fired
two Scud-D surface-to-surface missiles that have a range of about
250 miles. This puts virtually all of Israel's population centers
within range. Analysts say the planned Iranian arms shipment to
Syria may be coordinated with the delivery of advanced Russian
fighter jets. Syria is also known to be producing non-conventional
warheads, including those containing VX gas for delivery via the new
longer range and more accurate Scuds. All Israel's cities are within
range of these missiles. Most of them can be reached in less than
three minutes. Syria is gambling that Israel's performance in the
Hezbollah war of June 2006 means that it has seen all Israel has to
offer. Apparently, Bashar Assad now believes Israel can be beaten.
Assad is miscalculating. In the event Syria launches a gas attack on
Israel, it's a virtual certainty that Damascus would be instantly
obliterated by Israeli nuclear weapons. The thought of being gassed
evokes a visceral response among Israel's Holocaust survivors and
their descendants that Damascus wildly underestimates. Israel has
more than 400 nuclear weapons in hidden silos in various places
within its borders, as well as at least two submarines in the
Mediterranean that are launch capable. And you can be certain that
in the event of a massive WMD attack by the Syrians, Israel will
respond in kind. more... 0:15:58 if you would like to begin at the scalar weapons talk.
High time for Middle East peace: UAE to Blair The
New Zealand Herald (July
26, 2007) - The United Arab Emirates said it
was high time for serious efforts towards Middle East peace as Tony
Blair arrived in the Gulf state on his first visit to the region as
an international envoy. "It is high time to find real mechanism to
achieve peace ... all efforts should be exerted towards just and
comprehensive peace in the Middle East so that the Palestinian
people achieve their legitimate rights," UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh
Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan told Blair. The official WAM news
agency said Sheikh Abdullah also voiced support for Blair's mandate
to revive the stalled peace process between Palestinians and Israel.
The former British prime minister earlier spoke of a "moment of
opportunity" after he met Palestinian and Israeli leaders on Tuesday
but warned that steps towards peace would take time. On the Gulf leg
of his regional tour, Blair is expected to also visit Bahrain. The
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan form a group set up at an Arab
League summit this year to promote an Arab offer to Israel of normal
relations in return for full withdrawal from lands occupied by the
Jewish state in the 1967 Middle East war. Blair's meetings in the
Gulf coincide with a visit by the foreign ministers of Egypt and
Jordan to Israel to promote the Arab peace proposal, which also
calls for a just settlement for Palestinians displaced by the
creation of Israel in 1948. Blair said earlier on his trip that he
had come to the Middle East to "listen and reflect" and that he
would return for a longer visit in early September. Blair was
appointed this month as envoy for the Quartet of Middle East peace
brokers - the United States, United Nations, European Union and
Russia.
Secy. Rice: Israel Must End Occupation of 'West Bank' Israel
National News (July
26, 2007) - Speaking with Arabic-language
Radio Sawa, based in Washington and Dubai, U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleeza Rice went further in her demands on Israel than President
Bush did in his recent speech on Israel. Rice, about to depart for
the Middle East to prepare an upcoming international meeting of
regional leaders, said that President Bush recently stated "very
clearly that Israel's future will rest in Israel, in places like
Galilee and in the Negev - and that the occupation of the West
Bank will have to end, and a Palestinian state will need to be
established." In fact, however, in his recent speech, President Bush
did not phrase this as a demand upon Israel, but rather cited Prime
Minister Olmert as having "made clear that Israel's future lies in
developing areas like the Negev and Galilee - not in continuing
occupation of the West Bank. This is a reality that Prime Minister
Sharon recognized, as well. So unauthorized outposts should be
removed and settlement expansion ended." Rice Sets New
Standard Pres. Bush also stopped short of saying Israel
must withdraw from all of Judea and Samaria. Bush said rather that
future Israel-PA negotiations must "lead to a territorial
settlement, with mutually agreed borders reflecting previous lines
and current realities, and mutually agreed adjustments." By stating
so clearly that the "the occupation of the West Bank will have to
end," Rice has set a new standard for United States officials of her
stature in opposition to Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria.
Secretary Rice did not deal with the question of what to do with
the 240,000 Jews living in the non-annexed areas of Judea and
Samaria (nor the roughly equal amount living in the outlying
neighborhoods of Jerusalem beyond Israel's pre-1967 borders).
Israel has not yet been able to solve the problems of the fewer than
10,000 Jews it evicted from Gaza two years ago; those Jews are still
living in transient camps of temporary pre-fab houses, with no
long-term housing or employment solutions in sight.
more...
Arab League delegation visits Israel Associated
Press (July
25, 2007) - The foreign ministers of Egypt and
Jordan began a historic visit to Israel on Wednesday to formally
present an Arab peace plan, saying they were extending "a hand of
peace" on behalf of the region. The ministers arrived as
representatives of the Arab League, the first time the 22-member
group has sent a delegation to the Jewish state. The Arab League
peace plan envisions full recognition of Israel in return for
evacuation of lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war. "We are
extending a hand of peace on behalf of the whole region to you, and
we hope that we will be able to create the momentum needed to resume
fruitful and productive negotiations" between Israel and the
Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world, Jordan's foreign
minister, Abdul-Ilah Khatib, said at a news conference with Israeli
President Shimon Peres. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit
said the two delegates had been asked by the league "to come and
offer Israel the Arab peace initiative." He urged Israel to consider
the plan seriously. "We hope that upon our return, we would also
convey to the Arab League ... the responses of Israel and I hope
that such responses will be positive," he said. Aboul Gheit and
Khatib were slated to meet later Wednesday with Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert and to appear at the Israeli parliament. The visit, which
came a day after former British Prime Minister Tony Blair made his
first trip as new Mideast peace envoy, is part of a flurry of
diplomatic efforts meant to restart peace talks after a seven-year
lull. Egypt and Jordan both have peace treaties with Israel and have
sent their leaders to the country before, but never on behalf of the
Arab League, which has traditionally been hostile toward the Jewish
state. Foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev said the visit was
historic. "This is the first time that a delegation is coming here
under the auspices of the Arab League," he said. "In the past, the
Arab League has opposed dialogue, normalization and any contact with
Israel and this is the first time the Arab League has authorized a
delegation to visit Israel." The Arab League asked Jordan and Egypt
to take the lead in pushing forward their newly revived peace plan,
which offers a comprehensive peace agreement in exchange for
Israel's withdrawal from all territories captured in 1967.
more...
Netanyahu says rejects Arab peace initiative YNet
News
(July 25, 2007) - Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu met in
Jerusalem with the foreign ministers of Jordan and Egypt and told
them that he rejected the Arab peace initiative. "The withdrawal
from Gaza two years ago proved that any Israeli withdrawal,
particularly a unilateral one, does not advance peace but
establishes a terror base for radical Islam. I am in favor of
economic cooperation and the promotion of regional initiatives –
economy will be a leverage for peace," Netanyahu said.
Syrian Official: War with Israel will be Ballistic Israel
National News (July 23, 2007) - Syria
sees the next war with Israel as involving missile attacks on
civilian infrastructure and front-line guerilla warfare, an
anonymous senior official in the Syrian Ministry of Defense told Defense News Weekly, in an interview appearing Monday. Syria
prefers to avoid a direct, "classic" confrontation with Israel, he
said. Instead, the next war will involve Katyusha rocket and
ballistic missiles that will target strategic points in Israel,
especially civilian infrastructure. The official said that the war
will not be limited to a single strike, but will be protracted in
nature. "This will be a war of attrition, which the Israelis are not
good at," he explained. The conflict, he said, "will be more like a
war between cities than a war on the battlefield." According to Arab
affairs expert
Dr. Guy Bechor, the Syrian
assessment is a result of the Second Lebanon War. After that war,
the Syrians understood that they do not need a large ground force to
defeat Israel, but rather missiles aimed at dense Israeli population
centers. For the past two years the Syrians have been engaged in
massive acquisitions from Russia, after an $11 billion debt was
partially forgiven by Russia in 2005, and partially covered by Iran.
Following the unimpressive performance by the IDF in last year’s
war, Bechor explains, Syria began equipping itself with advanced
anti-aircraft missiles, anti-tank missiles and cruise missiles. The
Syrian army numbers 650,000 soldiers, including 354,000 reservists,
according to Defense News. Its tanks are outdated Soviet
models, however, and its air force is inferior to Israel's.
more...
DEBKAfile
reports: Problem of Jews and Christians expelled from Arab lands
must be dealt with in any Middle East peace process – US
Congressional caucus states DEBKAfile (July
21, 2007) - Of the million-strong,
2,500-year old Jewish communities of the Middle East, only 8,000
remain in 10 Arab countries, said former Justice Minister and
Attorney General of Canada Dr. Irwin Cotler in his briefing to the
bipartisan Congressional Human Rights Caucus in Washington co-headed
by Frank R. Wolf (R.-VA) and Tom Lantos (D-CA), Thursday, July 19.
Yet against the 101 UN resolutions passed on the Palestinian
refugees since 1947, not one addressed the forcible expulsion of
Jews from Arab countries by state-orchestrated oppression,
persecutions and pogroms. This raises serious questions about the
appropriateness of the United Nations having a role in the Middle
East Quartet meeting in Lisbon Thursday, said Cotler, counsel to
former prisoners of conscience Andrei Sakharov and Nelson Mandela.
he whole question of refugees and refugee claims is at the forefront
of the Peace Process, and integral to the Roadmap. Rights for Jewish
refugees from Arab countries, 600,000 of whom were absorbed in
Israel, have to be part of any peace process with a claim to
integrity. The Caucus, after hearing four speakers on behalf of the
Justice for Jews from Arab Countries organization, decided to
promote two Middle East refugee resolutions already before Congress.
They would instruct the President to ensure that in all
international forums dealing withMiddle East refugees, US
representatives must ensure that reference to Palestinian refugees
is matched with explicit reference to Jewish, Christian and other
refugees expelled from Arab lands. Stanley Urman, Executive Director
of JJAC said, "When the issue of 'refugees' is raised within the
context of the Middle East, people invariably refer to 'Palestinian
refugees', virtually never to the plight and flight of Jews,
Christians and other minority populations from Arab countries. As a
matter of law and equity, history records two refugee populations –
not one - created as a result of the longstanding dispute in the
Middle East. Regina Bublil-Waldman, whose family escaped Libya in
1967, said that forgetting the nearly one-million Jews who were
indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa means that we have a
distorted view of the Middle East Refugee Problem today. Prof. Henry
Green noted that the Jewish legacy in Arab lands is eight times
older than American Jewry, going back 2,800 years and including
periods of Jewish sovereign statehood in the Babylonian and Roman
eras. The campaign to secure rights and redress for Jews forced to
flee Arab countries is not a campaign against Palestinian refugees
but a quest for truth and justice. It is also a call for other
minorities to be recognized and addressed. Today, Christians are
exiting the Middle East in greater numbers than ever before.
Israel hopes inmate release boosts Abbas Associated
Press (July 20, 2007)
- Family and friends joyously hugged 255 Palestinians freed by
Israel on Friday, hoisting them on shoulders for a boisterous
heroes' welcome meant to give President Mahmoud Abbas a political
boost in his power struggle with Hamas. But thousands more
Palestinians remained in Israeli jails, and aides to Abbas said
Israel must do more to help the moderate leader after years of
failed peace efforts. The Islamic militant Hamas, which seized
control of the Gaza Strip by force last month, belittled the
prisoner release. Most of those let go were members of Abbas'
largely secular Fatah movement and none belonged to Hamas. Elation
reigned at Abbas' West Bank headquarters. Thousands of whistling,
cheering and clapping Palestinians greeted the freed men as their
buses rolled into the walled compound in Ramallah. Shaded from the
fierce sun by a big Palestinian flag, Mohammed Abdullah scoured the
buses for a glimpse of his 27-year-old son, Majdi, who served half
of a 10-year sentence for anti-Israeli activities as a member of the
Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a violent Fatah offshoot. After spotting
Majdi, Abdullah and his wife, Fatima, embraced their son, showered
him with candy and said they had slaughter a calf in his honor.
"This is the beginning of a new stage, when we can live in two
countries next to each other in peace," Abdullah said later, after
taking Majdi home. Abdullah, a father of 11, said he was jailed by
Israel as a young man and four of his sons had been locked up. Some
of the prisoners suggested the era of armed attacks on Israel is
over. "We want to send a message to the rest of the world that we
want peace for our people," Majdi Abdullah said. Others said they
were eager to take revenge against Hamas for the Gaza takeover.
more...
Ahmadinejad Meets Assad, Nasrallah, Hopes there will be Victories
this Summer Naharnet
News (July 20, 2007)
- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lashed out Thursday at the
region's enemies and called for Lebanese unity during meetings in
Damascus with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad and Hizbullah
chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. "The enemies of the region should
abandon plans to attack the interests of this region, or they will
be burned by the wrath of the region's peoples," the hardline
Iranian leader said at a joint press conference with Assad. Both
Iran and Syria face U.S. accusations of fueling violence in Iraq and
supporting Hizbullah. They are also accused of supporting
anti-Israeli militant Palestinian groups, like the Islamic Hamas. In
a joint statement, the two leaders said that it "is necessary to
consolidate national unity and harmony among all Lebanese to assure
the stability and security of Lebanon." They expressed their
"support for all decisions taken by all Lebanese," and called on the
international community to help "stop repeated Zionist aggression
against Lebanese sovereignty." The statement also referred to the
"right of the Lebanese people to resist repeated Israeli aggressions
... and to recover land occupied" by Israel, calling on the
international community to force a halt to those alleged
aggressions. Later Thursday, Ahmadinejad met Nasrallah in what was
believed to be the first encounter of the two since last summer's
war between Israel and Hizbullah. Nasrallah vowed to "suppress any
Zionist conspiracy." Nasrallah also declared that he would thwart
any plot aimed at stirring inter-Lebanese strife. "We will not let
this happen," he said. His remarks were carried by Lebanese
newspapers on Friday. At the news conference, Ahmadinejad voiced
support for Hizbullah, alluding to the 2006 war. "We hope that the
hot weather of this summer would coincide with similar victories for
the region's peoples, and with consequent defeat for the region's
enemies," Ahmadinejad said. He described Syrian-Iranian relations as
"amicable, excellent and extremely deep," adding that the two
countries have common stands on regional issues and face common
enemies. Assad mentioned those relations and said the "farsighted
policies" of both governments have proven to be correct. The Syrian
leader said they also discussed "ways of restoring dialogue among
all Palestinian factions." Syria also backed Iran's right to pursue
a nuclear program and the two called for the "departure of all
occupation forces" from Iraq — a reference to U.S. troops. The
Iranian president also held a meeting Thursday with a delegation
from Hamas led by Khaled Meshaal, a senior Palestinian official told
Agence France Presse.
'Syrian Officials Interested in Renewing Talks with Israel' YNet
News (July 20, 2007) - London-based al-Hayat reports Syrian officials told
Denmark's foreign minister Damascus ready to revive negotiations
with Israel. Senior Syrian officials told the Danish foreign
minister, Per Stig Møller, that their country was "ready to renew
negotiations with Israel under the auspices of the international
Quartet," London-based Arabic newspaper al-Hayat reported Friday.
The paper reported that Møller has expressed his willingness to act
"in order to expand the Road Map to include the Syrian channel as
well." According to al-Hayat, a Danish mediation was needed due to
Israel's hesitancy to revive the talks, and because of the US' lack
of willingness to get involved in such a process. Syrian President
Bashar Assad said this week that Turkey and other European countries
have been involved in third-party negotiations between Israel and
Damascus. Diplomats in Damascus commented on Assad's statements by
saying that "the Syrian president's speech about negotiations for
peace with Israel was clear and threw the ball in Israel's court and
in the face of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert." The diplomats said it
was possible for Israel and Syria to hold talks in Turkey if Israel
agreed to Syrian demands that a withdrawal from the Golan Heights
would be the basis for any peace agreement.
'Iran-Syria Ties Prevent Damascus Peace Talks' The
Jerusalem Post (July 20, 2007)
- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Damascus proves that Israel must not
open negotiations with Syria, GIL Chairman Rafi Eitan said Friday.
"[Syrian President Bashar] Assad is not showing any indication that
he will cut his strong ties with Iran, Hamas and Hizbullah even
after he starts peace talks with Israel," Eitan told Israel Radio.
Israel Slams Iran-Syria Alliance Africasia.com (July
20, 2007) - Israel on Friday denounced
an alliance between Iran and Syria that it said cast doubts on
Syrian peace intentions, following a visit by Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Damascus. "The fact that the Damascus regime
chose Ahmadinejad as a partner in a strategic alliance raises
serious doubt on recent statements from Syria on its intentions for
peace," foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev told AFP. "You cannot
be friends with someone who embodies the most extreme refusal of
peace (with Israel) and expect the international community to
consider Syria a country working for peace," he added. Interior
Minister Meir Sheetrit said the visit by Ahmadinejad -- who has
caused fear and alarm in Israel over calls for the Jewish state to
be wiped off the map -- had "weakened Syria's position as a partner
for peace." Pensioner Affairs Minister Rafi Eitan, also member of
the powerful security cabinet, ruled out an Israeli withdrawal from
the occupied Golan Heights and said the visit was "further proof
that Syria does not really want peace." Any withdrawal from the
Golan, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war
and annexed in 1981, would see the Jewish state "find itself without
peace and without the Golan," Eitan said. During meetings in
Damascus on Thursday with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad,
Ahmadinejad openly mocked Israel, saying the Jewish state was
"becoming weaker every day." The Iranian president also held talks
with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and a delegation from Hamas
led by Khaled Meshaal, its exiled head in Damascus and another sworn
enemy of Israel. Assad on Tuesday told Syria's parliament after
being sworn in for a second seven-year term that he wanted direct
and open talks with the Jewish state. Direct peace talks with Israel
have been frozen since January 2000. Damascus demands the return of
the Golan Heights.
Israel Releases 250 Palestinian Prisoners as Goodwill Gesture Fox
News (July 20, 2007)
- Israel released more than 250 Palestinian prisoners Friday in a
gesture to embattled President Mahmoud Abbas, who pledged not to
rest until Israel's jails were emptied of its thousands of
Palestinians. The release was meant to bolster Abbas in his power
struggle with the Islamic militant Hamas, which took control of Gaza
by force last month. Several thousand chanting, clapping
Palestinians greeted the prisoners as their buses rolled into Abbas'
headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Prisoners were
hoisted onto the shoulders of dancing supporters, before they
performed noon prayers in a large, open-sided tent. "This is the
beginning," said Abbas, wearing a black-and-white checkered baseball
cap, a symbol of Palestinian nationalism. "Efforts must continue.
Our work must continue until every prisoner returns to the his
home," he said. Israeli and officials of Abbas' government said they
hoped the release marked a new chapter in relations, following seven
years of bloody fighting. "All the suffering, all the pain is gone,"
said released prisoner Iyad Milhem, 30, as he rode on one of the
buses. "But we still hope for the release of all the other
prisoners." Most of those freed were from Abbas' Fatah movement.
Prominent among them was 61-year-old Abdel Rahim Malouh,
second-in-command in a small PLO faction, the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine, which assassinated an Israeli Cabinet
minister in 2001. Friday's release began shortly after daybreak when
the shackled prisoners left the Ketziot prison camp in southern
Israel and boarded buses with darkened windows that took them to the
West Bank. At an Israeli military checkpoint in the West Bank, the
prisoners got off the buses, some kissing the ground, and boarded
Palestinian buses that took them to Ramallah. Israel had agreed to
release 256 prisoners, but one was held back for further security
checks, said Eli Gadizon, of the Israel Prisons' Service. All the
inmates were required to sign an undertaking not to engage in
anti-Israel violence. Amjad Namura, 24, Hebron, who was freed after
serving half of a four-year sentence, said he was happy to comply
with any agreement signed off by Abbas. "We are with the decisions
of the president no matter what. Whatever Fatah tells me to do I
will do it," he said. more...
Rabbis: 'Peres must repent' WorldNet Daily (July 19, 2007) - A group of hundreds of prominent Israeli rabbis today urged veteran politician Shimon Peres to immediately "repent" for calling on the Jewish state to evacuate strategic territory the they fear will be used by terrorists to attack Israel. Peres officially was installed as Israeli president earlier this week. Upon his inauguration, he immediately stated Israel must withdraw from the West Bank, which borders Jerusalem and is within rocket range of Tel Aviv and Israel's international airport. "We call on Shimon Peres to publicly retract his 'shameful' remarks on the day of his inauguration calling for Israel to 'rid itself of the territories,' referring to the biblical Judea and Samaria (West Bank)," read a statement by the Rabbinical Congress for Peace, a coalition of more than 350 Israeli rabbinic leaders and pulpit rabbis. "Our sages tell us in the Talmud that when a person assumes an exalted position, all of his sins previously committed are forgiven. But you, Mr. Peres, missed the opportunity to rectify your historical blunders when you declared so blindly that Israel must rid itself of the territories. You caused tremendous damage not only to Jews in Israel but to the status of the Jewish people the world over." The rabbis called on Peres to "repent, stand up and proclaim with authentic Jewish pride that you no longer support the hazardous and futile formula of 'territory for peace.'" The rabbinic leaders blasted Peres for leading the 1993 Oslo Accords, in which Israel evacuated strategic territory in exchange for pledges from the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to refrain from terror and make peace with the Jewish state. "Today it is crystal clear to everyone the Oslo Accords and Israeli evacuations lead to spilling of Jewish blood in all parts of Israel. This is exactly why the Jewish Code of Law forbids Jews to give up a border town – it opens the way for enemies to conquer the land," the rabbis stated. more... | Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land
Ahmadinejad: It will be a 'hot' summer Jerusalem
Post (July 19, 2007) -
It's going to be a "hot" summer in the Middle East, said
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
following a surprise meeting with Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan
Nasrallah in Damascus on Thursday evening, Channel 10 reported.
Nasrallah allegedly entered Syria via an underground tunnel, the television channel said. "We hope
that the hot weather of this summer will coincide with similar
victories for the region's peoples, and with consequent defeat for
the region's enemies," Ahmadinejad added, in an apparent reference
to Israel. During his one-day trip to Damascus, Ahmadinejad held
talks with counterpart Bashar Assad
which focused on the Iraq situation, Palestinian territories and
Lebanon, where both Teheran and Damascus wield influence. "The
enemies of the region should abandon plans to attack the interests
of this region, or they would be burned by the wrath of the region's
peoples," the hardline Iranian leader said at a joint press
conference with Assad. Ahmadinejad, accompanied by a high-level
delegation, was greeted at Damascus airport by Syrian Foreign
Minister Walid al-Moallem ahead of the official reception by Assad
at the People's Palace. Assad was sworn in Tuesday for a second
seven-year term. He described Syrian-Iranian relations as "amicable,
excellent and extremely deep," adding that the two countries have
common stands on regional issues and face common enemies. Assad said
Ahmadinejad's visit came in the context of the continuous developing
relations between the two nations whose "farsighted policies" have
proven to be correct. more...
Beit Hanassi: The Peace President
The Jerusalem Post (July
19, 2007) - President Shimon
Peres,
Israel's eldest statesman known for his vision of "a new Middle
East," proclaimed in his inaugural speech in the Knesset on Sunday
that he was leaving divisive politics after six decades to devote
himself "to unifying the nation." But, the 83-year-old declared
defiantly, he would not shy away from using the presidency to
promote peace in the region. "When the opportunity for peace is
created, it must not be missed," Peres told a packed house after
taking the oath of office. "[The president] must encourage peace
processes. At home. With our neighbors. In the entire region." Five
Arab MKs chose to attend a poetry reading in Haifa by Palestinian
national poet Mahmoud Darwish instead of the inauguration, but the
gallery was full of VIPs and invited guests. The ceremony ushering
in Peres as the country's ninth president capped a momentous career
that included international acclaim and a Nobel Peace Prize but also
a string of embarrassing electoral defeats - including his last
presidential race against Moshe Katsav seven years ago. In a
half-hour interview with the Associated Press on the day of his
inauguration, Peres pledged to fight poverty and global warming and
even expressed the hope of making peace with Iran. "After such a
long career, let me just say something: My appetite to manage is
over. My inclination to dream and to envisage is greater," he said,
looking vigorous and discounting age as a factor that could slow him
down. He wasted no time in getting down to business, moving into
Beit Hanassi a day later. He told staff at the presidential
residence: "Remember, we are the servants of the people, and not
their masters." He then began a flurry of diplomatic meetings,
most notably welcoming EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana
on Wednesday. Peres told him that those residents of Gaza who
voted Hamas into power must not be allowed to determine the future
of the whole Palestinian people. He commended Solana for the work he
has done over the years to try to bring peace to the region and
argued that despite the current difficulties, there are "new
opportunities." "Europe can play a major role," he
said. Solana concurred, saying he hoped that the peace that they had
discussed "so many times together" would one day become a reality.
Then, addressing Peres directly, he said: "Mr. President and my dear
friend, it is a moving moment to see you here." Solana
was plainly confident that as president Peres would be able to do
much more to advance the peace process than anyone else.
more...
Turkey shells Northern Iraq after attack Reuters
UK (July 19, 2007) -
Turkey's army heavily shelled Kurdish rebel targets just inside the
border of northern Iraq on Wednesday, a Kurdish official said on
Thursday, adding there were no casualties. Jabar Yawer, deputy
minister for Peshmerga security forces in northern Iraq's autonomous
Kurdistan region, said the barrage followed the killing of three
Turkish soldiers when their vehicle hit a rebel landmine near the
border with Iraq. Yawer said about 100 shells were fired at an area
near the town of Zakho inside northern Iraq and residents were
forced to flee. Kurdish officials denied reports Turkish war planes
carried out bombing raids. Turkey accuses militants from the
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) of using bases in the mountains of
northern Iraq to hit its forces. The Turkish army has raised troop
levels in the country's restive southeast to 200,000, security
sources say, and refuses to rule out the possibility of a
cross-border operation. Turkey's military is known to sometimes
shell PKK targets inside Iraq, as well as stage small raids across
the border. The PKK took up arms against Turkey in 1984 with the aim
of creating an ethnic Kurdish homeland. More than 30,000 people have
been killed in the conflict.
Bush's, Peres's rosy scenario
The Jerusalem Post
(July 18, 2007) - There is something touching about the naivete of presidents
George W. Bush and Shimon Peres, who this week outlined the steps
needed to achieve the long-sought-after peace settlement in the
Middle East. Perhaps they genuinely believe, or at least hope, that
we can reach a settlement. Perhaps they are just going through the
motions because, after all, politicians have to strive for peace and
promise a better future even if they know in their hearts that it is
not really feasible. There is no chance for peace because there will
always be those among the Palestinians and Arab countries and in the
Muslim world who will obstruct any attempt to reach a settlement
that recognizes the existence of Israel as a Jewish state, to say
nothing of one that does not guarantee the "right of return" of the
Palestinian refugees. Anyone who claims that the peace agreements
with Egypt and Jordan prove that peace is possible is forgetting
that peace does not end with the signing of an agreement. The peace
in Jordan is being maintained, with great difficulty, by the royal
family and the elite surrounding it. They do this contrary to the
view held by the majority of the Jordanian public and despite
vehement opposition from the Jordanian intelligentsia: academics and
students, writers and journalists, doctors and lawyers. The
situation in Egypt is similar: President Hosni Mubarak maintains
relations with Israel the way porcupines make love: very carefully.
And that too evokes intense opposition from both the general public
and the intellectuals. The Jordanian crown is somewhat shaky, and
the Egyptian regime could be overthrown by an uprising of the Muslim
Brotherhood - and Israel could find itself surrounded by enemies in
the south and east. The difficult reality is that there will never
be true peace here, and it is important to internalize that fact so
as not to set out on paths from which there is no return. more...
Oslo Accords Redux
Israel National News
(July 18, 2007) - Israel is poised to re-establish a joint committee with the
Palestinian Authority to discuss the legal status of land in Judea
and Samaria, according to a report published Tuesday in the
London-based Arabic-language newspaper, Al-Hayat. The interview
quoted Chief PA Negotiator Saeb Erekat, a veteran of numerous talks
held with Israel over the years, as saying the committee will renew
discussions on the issues that preceded the Oslo War, also known as
the second intifada, which broke out in September 2000. Among the
items to be discussed, according to a report on the interview posted
by the Bethelehem-based Ma’an news agency, is the determination of
the legal status of land in Judea and Samaria. “The committee has
[already] started dealing with the issue of the intifada activists,
the ‘wanted’ fighters and also the issue of the nativity church
deportees,” said Erekat. A Quick Primer on the Oslo Accords: Israel
and the PA came to the agreement known as the Oslo Accords in the
Norwegian capital on August 20, 1993. The deal was signed by
arch-terrorist and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman
Yasser Arafat and then-Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin. This was the
document that handed jurisdiction over large parts of Judea, Samaria
and Gaza to the PA, defining those areas as a single territorial
unit. According to the Oslo Accords, a five-year transitional period
ending in a permanent status agreement was to begin with Israel’s
withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho. The establishment and structure
for a PA government, including a PA Legislative Council, and a PA
police force began with this document as well. Ultimately, upon the
establishment of the council, Israel’s civil administration over
Judea, Samaria and Gaza (“Yesha”) was to be dissolved and the IDF
was to be withdrawn. A joint Israeli-PA Liaison Committee was
established to deal with coordination on security and other issues,
and various agreements on Israeli-PA economic cooperation were
signed as well. The final agreement was to include establishment of
a PA state, covering the status of Jerusalem, a Law of Return for
millions of the descendants of Arabs who fled the state during the
1948 wars and those who became residents of post-1967
Israeli-controlled areas, Jewish communities in the disputed Yesha
areas, security arrangements and borders. more... Ankara says all Turkish-US relations would be shattered if America were proved to have given arms to PKK Kurdish terrorists DEBKAfile (July 17, 2007) - Asked whether Ankara had evidence to support the claim, deputy prime minister and foreign minister Abdullah Gul said in a television interview there was no confirmation but there is an allegation and convincing confessions, which must be investigated. Ankara has asked Washington for clarifications. On July 6, DEBKA-Net-Weekly 308, shed light on the occurrence which has caused such consternation in Ankara. That American weapons are flowing to more than one unforeseen destination was revealed this week by chance, DEBKA-Net-Weekly revealed 11 days ago. Four defectors of the Turkish separatist Kurdish party, the PKK, stood up in Ankara and announced that two armored vehicles had been sighted carrying American weapons to PKK hideouts in the Qandil Mountain of northern Iraq. Attempting to calm the Turkish government, the US ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson strenuously denied the claim. He said “the US was the first country after Turkey to designate the PKK a terrorist organization. We continue to classify it as such, and on the basis of that, we do not and will not negotiate with the PKK or its leaders, supply weapons to the organization or its personnel or assist them in any way,” the ambassador stressed. He was telling no more than the truth. However, rather than assuming that the right hand does not know what the left is doing, DEBKA-Net-Weekly’s military sources report that the arms and war materials supplied through the American army posted in Kurdistan to the biIranian Kurdish separatist movementib, the PEJAK (Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan) appear to have been diverted at some point and by an unknown hand to the anti-Turkish Kurdish PKK. | Islam | America | Concessions package for Olmert-Abbas meeting Monday promises big prize: IDF withdrawal from West Bank DEBKAfile (July 16, 2007) - A parade of 178 wanted Palestinian terrorists handed in their weapons to the Palestinian Authority Sunday, July 15, and signed a non-violence pledge, earning generous personal remuneration. Less than 100 had turned up by end of day Monday. still, three days earlier, Israeli defense forces and Shin Bet suspended their pursuit of all Palestinian gunmen on the West Bank. This happens to be the key proviso of Mahmoud Abbas’ archenemy, Hamas-Gaza, for halting its missile campaign on Israeli towns and villages. DEBKAfile’s exclusive military sources disclose: These steps launch a new Saudi-backed Bush administration master plan for a phased Israel’s military pullback from the West Bank as the basis for reconciliation between Abbas’ defeated Fatah and Hamas in Gaza. Israeli prime minister Olmert and Abbas are playing their assigned roles in the US project, which many security experts regard as a reckless gamble with Israel’s national security. More about the new US-Palestinian master-plan in DEBKAfile’s Exclusive Report. more... | Israel | Islam | 1st Seal | Bush to call for regional summit on Mideast peace process Haaretz (July 16, 2007) - U.S. President George W. will call for a regional conference on restarting the Middle East peace process during a special address Monday, a U.S. official said ahead of the speach. The U.S. president will also announce $190 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority, the official said. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would lead the peace conference, which would include representatives of Israel and neighbors in the region, said a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The speech to be given by the U.S. president will express a plan for "activism" on the part of the Bush administration, according to a senior Israeli political source who was briefed in advance about it. Bush's tone is meant to express his approval of the formation of a new Palestinian Authority government under Salam Fayad, as well as the appointment of former British prime minister Tony Blair as the special envoy for the Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators. White House officials said Bush was planning to rally diplomatic and financial support for Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' government. Abbas controls only the West Bank after the Islamic militant group Hamas gained authority in Gaza in June. more... | Israel | Islam | America | Does this dividing of the land of Israel fulfill Bible prophecy? Ezekiel 38,39 talks of a relative peace prior to an attack by Russia, Turkey, Iran and Libya among others. If the land is divided and a Palestinian state created, a temporary peace would go into effect. Israelis would be moved from their residence now to that land marked for Israel from this dividing and visa-versa. This sounds a lot like Zechariah 14:1-3, "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle." I believe the Lord going forth to fight these nations could be referring to the day of the Lord, which comes as sudden destruction from the Almighty. Isaiah 13:6-13 The ultimate end of this battle will be at Armageddon when Christ returns in glory and destroys the armies gathered there from the sixth bowl to do battle. America's participation in this dividing of the land of Israel will come back to haunt us I believe. Jeremiah 30:20, "Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them." For more history on natural disasters that coordinated with our government signing policy against Israel like Hurricane Andrea and Katrina, read Bill Koenig's Eye To Eye. President Peres: Time to sever Israel's biblical heartland Israel Today (July 16, 2007) - Just hours before being sworn in as Israel's ninth president on Sunday, Shimon Peres said the time had come for his nation to surrender its biblical heartland in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) to the Palestinian Arabs. “We have to get rid of the territories,” Peres said in an interview with The Associated Press. The elder statesman insisted, contrary to recent opinion polls, that an overwhelming majority of Israelis agree with him on this issue. In his inauguration speech later in the evening, Peres expounding upon his vision of peace for the Middle East, but Israel National News pointed out that he did not once mention ongoing Arab terrorism against the Jewish state that has made the conclusion of any peace deal impossible. Despite filling a largely ceremonial role, an Israeli diplomatic source told The Jerusalem Post that Peres can be expected to continue behaving like a “one-man foreign ministry” as he works to forward his own agenda. | Israel | Islam | 1st Seal | Dividing the Land I actually came across this story on the 19th, I'm a little behind. Peres is dividing the land of Israel for peace, that is his goal. How fitting then seeing it in Daniel 5:28, "PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians." The verb Peres in Hebrew means "to break in two, divide.” Could we soon see the dividing of Israel for peace? If that were to happen, Israelis would have to move to Israeli areas or risk falling prey to their new Islamic neighbors. We know what has happened in Gaza with the pullout. How long would a Jew last remaining there? Their houses will be rifled and I'm sure women will get ravished if they were to remain. But half is described as remaining. This means that it can't be the time of Jacob's trouble because Christ makes it clear that running to the mountains is the only safe place to be. From there, they are taken to the wilderness and protected from the antichrist and his master Lucifer the dragon. Revelation 12 Israel preparing for war with Syria, confirms general Associated Press (July 14, 2007) - A senior Israeli general on Monday confirmed that the army is preparing for a full-scale war with Syria in the very near future. Speaking at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, Maj.-Gen. Eyal Ben-Reuven, who served as deputy commander of Israel's northern forces during last summer's war in Lebanon, said that the army is “preparing itself for an all-out war, and this is a major change in the military's working premise” following the 34-day conflict with Hizballah that many Israelis feel their nation failed to win. The general said that when war breaks out, Syria will be prepared to suffer mass military and civilian casualties, while at the same time playing on Israel's sensitivity to civilian losses by striking Israel's home front with as many missiles as possible. Syria “will try to hit Israel's home front in order to win diplomatic gains in peace talks that will follow, and also cause another split in Israeli society,” Israel National News quoted Ben-Reuven as saying. In order to deny Syria this victory, Ben-Reuven said the Israeli army is training for a swift and overwhelming invasion of Syria “to knock out the areas from where missiles are launched against Israel as quickly as possible.” He lamented that if Israel had responded to Hizballah's rocket attacks in such a manner, the Second Lebanon War would have ended much differently. | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 |
Recruiting in the West: The Lure of Radical Islamic Terror Family
Security Matters (July 12, 2007)
- Many question why individuals located in or
raised in the freedoms of the West would ever want to engage in
terrorism. What would make someone who had seen all of the good
things freedom has to offer, turn against that freedom? When
consulting with and training law enforcement I point out that often,
members of terror groups are professional and very well educated.
Terror organizations purposely encourage recruits to become learned,
particularly in hard sciences, so that they can understand Western
technology and use it against the enemy. Every facet of the enemy
should be contemplated, absorbed, and repackaged for use by the
terror group. Thus, it was not surprising that the latest terror
plot in Europe involved doctors. Anyone can be recruited into a
terror organization as long as the individual has the right mindset.
Whether one is African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, professional
or blue collar, male or female, young or old, the terror draw is
always dependent upon the individual’s personality. Simply, the
basic concepts for terror motivation include identity and injury.
Those who are radical in any religion identify themselves first and
foremost as members of the religious group. The religion dictates
everything, from law to private life. Of note, this is true of all
religions. One’s faith and religious obligation are put above
everything and everyone, and there is no room for question. This
creates a dissonance for some Muslims who are raised in and those
who move to the West. There is a discrepancy between what they read
in the Koran, what they observe in Jihad (there are over 150 versus
about Jihad in the Koran), and how they view those Muslims who lead
peaceful, tolerant lives. They often feel inferior because they do
not necessarily fit in, and they can perceive discrimination whether
it occurs or not. In essence, in the West there are many young
Muslims who believe that they do not have community. Suspicious
glances by non-Muslims and contempt from Muslims in the Middle East
make them feel like second-class individuals. That is, they know
that because of the actions of many violent Muslims, they themselves
are looked at with question. At the same time, those they encounter
from the Middle East view them as innovators who do not practice
true Islam. Because they live in the West and may partake in Western
behaviors (including speech and style of dress) they are mocked by
more fundamentalist Muslims as being taghut
(impure). So they are not quite fully Western and not ‘fully’
Muslim. This can make them uncomfortable and question identity.
Usually it is at this time that the individual on the radical path
suffers a life set back. Whether it is due to the West or not, the
young Muslim loses someone or something dear. This may be very
personal such as the death of a loved one, or it may be viewing
Muslims injured around the world. It may be a personal illness,
which precludes him from following a dream. Whatever it is, there is
something that forces the Muslim to reevaluate his life. Many times,
he feels as if he has lost that which matters most to him. With loss
and the identity question, dissonance grows. In an effort to escape
the pain of loss, young Muslims on the path to radicalism search for
more substance in their lives. A psychological struggle ensues. On
one hand, they are part of the West, and they can see some good
aspects to it, such as specific kind individuals. On the other hand,
they are Muslim, and they see the struggles of Muslims worldwide.
They see oppressive regimes propped up by the West. And because they
perceive themselves as outcasts, they gravitate toward their
religion because it cuts across cultures, socioeconomic status, race
etc. In this, they find community. Then they focus their attention
to the plight of Muslims worldwide in a search for self-fulfillment
and acceptance. They hear the ever-present call to defend and spread
Islam and become psychologically isolated from the West. When they
internalize perceived/actual discrimination and zero in on global
Islamic causes, they come to an understanding that Muslims suffer
because of Western influence and policies. Slowly, the West is
viewed as a villain, and anxiety and questions plague the young
Muslims. Olmert: Israel, Syria don't want war The Jerusalem Post (July 12, 2007) - Israel does not want war with Syria, and does not believe Syria wants war either, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Thursday. At the same time, he said that the fact that neither side was interested in war did not automatically open the door to immediate negotiations. Speaking to EU ambassadors, Olmert said he was not concerned about an imminent war with Syria, but that he was unhappy with the very public discussion about the matter, which itself created a dangerous and unnecessary "momentum." Olmert said that Syrian President Bashar Assad wanted to use negotiations with Israel as a way to conduct a dialogue with the US, which is why Assad was insisting the US mediate any talks with Israel. Olmert said that when Assad speaks about making peace with Israel, he means making peace with US President George W. Bush, and that Israel was just a tool to make this happen. Olmert, according to participants at the meeting, said Israel would be "very interested" if Assad said he was willing to hold "direct, unconditional bilateral talks." The prime minister said that he would be willing to hold negotiations without any preconditions from either side. more... | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | 200 explosive belts seized in Iraq Associated Press (July 11, 2007) - Iraqi security forces seized 200 explosive belts along the Syrian border Wednesday, a police spokesman said, reinforcing Baghdad's claims that its western neighbor isn't doing enough to stop the flow of fighters and weapons to al-Qaida in Iraq. The belts were found during a search of a truck that had crossed into Iraq from Syria at the Waleed border station, Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf said. "When the truck was searched, 200 explosives belts were found in it," the general said. He said the driver was detained but he would not give his name or nationality. Iraqi and U.S. authorities have long complained that Syria is not doing enough to stem the flow of weapons, ammunition and foreign fighters into Iraq. Syria insists it is trying to stop the flow but that it is impossible to seal off the long desert border. But U.S. military spokesman Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner told reporters that 60 to 80 foreign fighters enter Iraq "in any given month" — 70 percent of them through Syria. He said up to 90 percent of the suicide attacks in Iraq were carried out by "foreign-born al-Qaida terrorists." Bergner did not offer detailed evidence to support the claim. However, he cited the July 1 suicide attack that collapsed part of a major bridge across the Euphrates River north of Ramadi. A second bomber was supposed to have attacked the bridge but backed out and was captured, Bergner said. The surviving attacker told interrogators he had been recruited by al-Qaida in his home country, flown to Syria and smuggled across the border to Ramadi, where he stayed for about 10 days before the attack. more... | Islam | China Supports Syria's right to restore the occupied Golan Syrian Arab News Agency (July 10, 2007) - Premier of the Chinese State Council Wen Jiabao on Tuesday underlined his country's support to Syria's right to restore the occupied Syrian Golan. Jiabao, meeting Syrian Deputy Premier for Economic affairs Abdullah Dardari, expressed China's commitment to boost ties with Syria and develop them in all domains. "The trade exchange volume between Syria and China reached to more than $ 1.400 billion," the Chinese official said, showing his government's commitment to deal with the issue of commerce surplus and double efforts to see more Syrian goods in the Chinese markets. "China will study the establishment of financial fund to back the investment projects in Syria," he added, referring to the stability Syria enjoys and the economic growth in the country. Dardari, for his part, called China to establish different projects in Syria, thanking it for backing the Arab issues and for Syria's right to restore its occupied lands. | Israel | Islam | Syria rejects offer to hold peace talks The Jerusalem Post (July 10, 2007) - Damascus has rejected Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's offer to hold peace talks with President Bashar Assad, Army Radio reported on Tuesday morning. Syrian parliament member Muhammad Habash said late Monday night that Damascus did not believe Olmert's overtures were serious. In an historic interview with Saudi satellite station Al Arabiya, aired by Channel 10 Monday evening, Olmert invited Assad to Jerusalem to talk. In his first appearance on a major Arabic news station in over six years, Olmert, speaking in an office adorned with the blue and white Israeli flag, told his Hebrew-speaking interviewer: "Bashar Assad, you know … I am ready to hold direct negotiations with you, and you also know that it's you who insists on speaking to the Americans. The American president says: 'I don't want to stand between Bashar Assad and Ehud Olmert. If you want to talk, sit down and talk." Assad has "heard many things from me already," Olmert added. When asked where he would hold such talks with Assad, Olmert said "any place he [Assad] would agree to meet," hinting that Assad would even be welcome in Jerusalem. Public Security Minister Avi Dichter told Army Radio that Olmert indeed wants a resumption of negotiations with Syria and his offer was "genuine and real." But Dichter was not optimistic that Assad would agree to renew the talks. "Bashar Assad apparently has other plans than making peace with Israel," Dichter said. "And now we will listen and wait." | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | Keep watching, summer is nigh. 'Prodi Meets With Palestinian Leaders LifeinItaly.com (July 10, 2007) - Italian Premier Romano Prodi on Tuesday meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, wrapping up a three-day visit to the Middle East. Prodi met Tuesday morning in Jerusalem with the Palestinian Authority's chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, and with top Catholic Church officials in the Holy Land. Before returning to Rome Tuesday evening, the Italian premier will travel to Bethlehem to visit the Dheisheh refugee camp and the Church of the Nativity. | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | 1st Seal | It's Time for an International Anti-Terror Army Watching America (July 10, 2007) - THE world should not be an open field for terrorists who kill innocent civilians and use violent operations as a political tool. We cannot remain silent about the nations that offer financial assistance to and harbor terrorist cells. The world cannot afford to cower as these shadowy groups remain hidden. The world's nations are more than capable of ending terrorism and stopping those that use it to blackmail the international community. This past month, many countries suffered terrifying attacks by extremists. While Iraq continues to be plagued by terrorists, religious fundamentalist occupied the Red Mosque in Islamabad WATCH. Terrorist attacks have been staged in London, Glasgow and an ancient temple in Yemen, which was built in the days of the Prophet Suleiman. Recently Morocco has turned into a military camp which is on a high security alert. If we had a global military force dedicated to fighting terrorism in the name of the entire world, this phenomenon would not have reached such dangerous proportions. It is obvious that individual nations - including Britain, Spain and the world's sole superpower the United States - have failed to overcome today's terrorist threat. That is why it is time for the U.N. Security Council to convene an emergency session to arrive at some major decisions, such as the formation of an international army to fight terror around the world. Such a force must be equipped with the most modern weapons and be supported by the latest fighter aircraft and naval vessels, and a high level of logistics capability to achieve its goals. Globalization and open markets have linked the interests of all nations. As a result of this, ensuring security too has become the responsibility of all nations. This is reason enough to create an international army under the command of the U.N. Security Council. The United Nations should immediately hold an emergency conference to create this international anti-terror army. Any country that refuses to support this effort or which harbors terrorists should be targeted for military action until its leaders are thrown out. We must never again allow the world to fall prey to terrorism. The United Nations must step up and provide security and stability to counties that are now being stalked by terror. The entire world is tired of terrorist blackmail and looks forward to being rescued by the international anti-terror army. more... | Islam | NewWorldOrder | Muslims declare sovereignty over U.S., UK WorldNet Daily (July 9, 2007) - Across town from the site of the recent attempted car-bomb attacks, several thousand Muslims gathered in front of the London Central Mosque to applaud fiery preachers prophesying the overthrow of the British government – a future vision that encompasses an Islamic takeover of the White House and the rule of the Quran over America. "One day my dear Muslims," shouted Anjem Choudary, "Islam will govern Britain!" Choudary was a co-founder of Al Muhajiroun, the now-banned group tied to suspects in the July 7, 2005, London transport bombings and a cheerleader of the 9/11 attacks. "Democracy, hypocrisy," Choudary chanted as the crowd echoed him. "Tony Blair, terrorist! Tony Blair, murderer! Queen Elizabeth, go to hell!" The Muslim leader's charge, along with interviews with protesters and a "literal foaming-at-the-mouth" diatribe by another speaker, were captured on tape June 22 by nationally syndicated talk radio host Rusty Humphries. Humphries, who was in London with WND Jerusalem bureau chief Aaron Klein, recorded angry Muslim leader Abu Saif, who kept his voice at a fever pitch through declarations such as: "Brothers and sisters, make no mistake. Make no mistake. The British government, the queen, the MPs in this country, they are enemies to you, enemies to Allah and enemies to the Muslims." A protester told Humphries Abu Saif is a member of the group Hizb ut-Tahrir, the Party of Liberation, which states its aim is to unify Muslims and establish the rule of Islamic law over the world. Group spokesman Taji Mustafa insisted to WND, however, Abu Saif is not a member. Hizb ut-Tahrir, which casts itself as "non-violent," also has denied testimony and British media reports charging its Cambridge cell tried recruit the Iraqi doctor now suspected of mounting the attack on Glasgow's airport June 30. The failed car-bomb assault followed two similar attempts in London the previous day. more... | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | America | Syria Advises its Citizens to Leave Lebanon by July 15 Monsters & Critics (July 9, 2007) - Syria has urged its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country before July 15 because of fears that the volatile political climate in the country will deteriorate, Syrian sources said Monday. 'In the past few days, all Syrian nationals were asked through the Syrian government to leave, as Lebanon's current political crisis may become violent,' said a Syrian construction worker who requested anonymity. 'We are asked to leave Lebanon before July 15.' Hundreds of thousands of Syrian workers, mainly farmers and construction workers, used to work in Lebanon. But their numbers have noticeably dwindled since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, which many Lebanese blame on Syria. July 15 comes one day before a special UN Security Council meeting which is expected to discuss the possibility of stationing international experts on the Syria-Lebanon border in order to monitor illegal arms trafficking to the Shiite Hezbollah movement, thought to be originating from Iran and Syria. The Security Council is also expected to meet next week to discuss a key report on the assassination of Hariri, a development which may bode ill for Syria. On July 5 the Iranian news agency IRNA reported that Syrian authorities had instructed all Syrian citizens residing in Lebanon to leave Lebanon in July. Observers believe that the Syrian authorities may resort to closing the border with Lebanon. The latest rumours have sparked caused anxiety and fear among the Lebanese. 'I am trying to take my kids out of Lebanon on July 10 to a nearby Arab country to observe the situation until the end of August,' housewife Amal Salameh said. 'If things stays the same I will return, if not I will take them back to the US.' 'There is probably nothing in it, but we're told to expect some major event on that day,' said Rana Naamani, another Lebanese housewife who decided to go to the mountains northeast of Beirut to stay away from the capital. Almost a year after the blistering July 12 war between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon is mired in political and economic crisis and faces a deadly new challenge from an al-Qaeda-inspired Islamist militia. more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | Ten EU FMs tell Blair road map is dead, call for int'l conference Jerusalem Post (July 9, 2007) - A group of 10 EU foreign ministers has called for an international conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling the road map peace plan dead. In a letter to the Quartet's new Middle East envoy, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the foreign ministers said the status quo that had prevailed since 2000 was leading nowhere. Signing the letter, which was published in the French daily Le Monde on Monday, were the foreign ministers of France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, Slovenia and Malta. They called on Israel to make more concessions to boost the standing of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, such as the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners including Fatah leaders, and the immediate release of all the frozen Palestinian customs duties. A senior official in Jerusalem noted that the letter did not constitute a change in policy of either the EU or the Quartet, and both bodies remain officially committed to the road map. The official also noted that individual European foreign ministers would sometimes state opinions on Middle East issues that actually contradicted the policy of the governments in which they serve. Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Israel remained committed to the road map. He said the reason why there had been no progress on the plan until now was because the Palestinian leadership rejected peace and implementation of the measures called for in it. "Hopefully, with the formation of a new Palestinian government, we can take steps towards implementation of the road map," Regev said. more... | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | 1st Seal | Iraqi FM: Turkey massing 140,000 troops Associated Press (July 9, 2007) - Turkey has massed 140,000 soldiers on its border with northern Iraq, Iraq's foreign minister said Monday, calling the neighboring country's fears of Kurdish rebels based there "legitimate" but better resolved through negotiation. The Turkish military had no comment to the remarks by Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, a Kurd from northern Iraq, and it was unclear where he got the figures. If they are accurate, Turkey would have nearly as many soldiers along its border with Iraq as the 155,000 troops which the U.S. has in the country. Zebari's comments came amid calls by Turkey's military for the government to give it the green light to carry out military operations in northern Iraqi against the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK. "Turkey is building up forces on the border. There are 140,000 soldiers fully armed on the border. We are against any military interference or violation of Iraqi sovereignty," Zebari said in Baghdad. Turkey has been pressuring the United States and Iraq to eliminate PKK bases in Kurdish-controlled parts of northern Iraq and has said it will carry out a cross-border offensive if necessary. "Turkey's fears are legitimate but such things can be discussed," Zebari said. ""The perfect solution is the withdrawal of the Turkish forces from the borders." He added: "No one wants a new military conflict in the region." He said there had been no "Turkey military violation until now," citing artillery shelling and Turkish surveillance overflights. Pentagon officials said they could not immediately confirm the report from Zebari, and repeated the hope that Turkey would not launch an incursion into Iraq. more... | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | I place this under the Gog/Magog category because this conflict between the Iraq Kurds is amassing troops which are Bible prophecy says will be used against Israel. With the concern of war between Syria and Israel this summer, I have no doubt that Syria and Turkey are in diplomatic communication and given what Bible prophecy says about Turkey joining Russia, Iran, and Libya among others, It seems convenient to have that many troops massing for the Kurdish issue. Time will tell, keep watching. EU Med states call for Mideast peace conference Reuters (July 9, 2007) - The foreign ministers of France, Italy, Spain and seven other European states called on Monday for an international conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and said Israel should make more concessions for peace. Israeli officials said on Sunday that an Arab League delegation from Egypt and Jordan had proposed visiting Israel this week for long-delayed talks on an Arab peace initiative. In an open letter to new big-power Middle East envoy Tony Blair, the foreign ministers of the EU's Mediterranean states -- Bulgaria, Cyprus, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Malta, Romania and Slovenia -- welcomed Arab states' efforts for peace following the stalled U.S.-backed "road map." "The road map has failed. The status quo that has prevailed since 2000 is leading to nothing," the ministers said in their letter, published in French daily Le Monde. The ministers said there was a need to "redefine our objectives," adding that Europe and the Quartet of Middle East mediators should firmly tell Israel to make more concessions in support of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Israel's cabinet agreed on Sunday to release 250 Palestinian prisoners in the latest attempt to strengthen the Western-backed president after Hamas's seizure of the Gaza Strip. Abbas, a member of Fatah, disbanded a Hamas-led government and appointed an emergency government after Hamas's violent takeover of the Gaza Strip on June 14. The ministers said one of their new objectives was "to obtain from Israel concrete and immediate measures in favor of Mahmoud Abbas. "Among these, the transfer of all taxes due, the release of the thousands of prisoners who do not have blood on their hands, the release as well of the main Palestinian leaders to ensure succession within Fatah, a freeze in new settlements and the evacuation of unauthorized settlements," they said. Israel has handed over only part of Palestinian tax revenues it has withheld since Hamas won election in 2006. The ministers said another aim was to take into account Israel's need for security and consider creating an international force to impose a ceasefire among Palestinians, as Abbas has called for. The idea of a robust international force, of the NATO or U.N. Chapter VII kind, deserves to be examined," they said. Chapter VII allows the use of force. The 10 ministers who signed the letter are not as such part of the Quartet -- which is composed of the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union -- but they influence the EU element. "We know how inventive and resolute you are," the ministers told Blair in their letter. "We are therefore certain you will deal with these problems in a global manner. Hence the importance of holding without delay an international conference including all the parties to the conflict," said the ministers, who met on Friday. | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | 1st Seal | It continues to be apparent that Europe is very much biased against Israel. Regardless of the clear history of where the conflict began, Europe and friends are working for the appeasement of the radical Islamic element and pushing Israel to concede more and more. Even releasing those who were jailed and are going to turn around and try to kill Israelis upon their release. We can also see the push to move away from the U.S. road map towards another solution which is being headed through Europe. This falls right in line with Bible prophecy that puts a seven-year confirmation of a covenant in the 70th week of Daniel. In the middle of that seven years the abomination of desolation will take place and the stage is being set for that now. Europe has a leader who has produced a seven-year European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) that has a mid-term review. The fourth kingdom is becoming the center of the push for peace in the Middle East and they are clearly biased against Israel. For more of the factual historical analysis of Israel's right to the land, read Joan Peters book, From Time Immemorial: The Origins of the Arab-Jewish Conflict over Palestine. War And Peace In The Middle East Unsealed Prophecy (July 8, 2007) - Perspective by Jack Kelley: In a study of contrasts, two major coming events were announced this week that demonstrate the volatility of the Middle East these days. The first was a report I received stating that a meeting between Quartet (US, UN, EU, and Russia), Palestinian Authority, and Israeli leaders will take place in Egypt in mid-July. The meeting was announced by the EU’s Javier Solana, and will feature Tony Blair in his first big assignment as the Quartet’s Middle East envoy. According to a report in the The Daily Star Egypt these countries are very close to finalizing a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians. It would feature a two-state solution similar to the one Yassir Arafat was said to have been offered at the 2000 Camp David meeting by then Israeli PM Ehud Barak and then US Pres. Bill Clinton. (Although it was practically everything he had demanded, Arafat turned it down and went home to begin the 2000 Intifada.) Apparently ‘moderate’ Palestinians are now ready to sign such a peace treaty with Israel. “It is looking positive in the West Bank,” the report says, where Israel has returned tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority and the EU has resumed relations with the PA. Palestinian President Abbas also enjoys the support of the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. Abbas is actually stronger than before as he and his Fatah party no longer need approval from Hamas, as was the case under their unity government. If this plan succeeds, Hamas will be relegated to the status of a terrorist organization in control of an isolated Gaza Strip, while the Palestinian State would occupy a substantially enlarged area of the West Bank. Hamas’ recent success in gaining the release of BBC reporter Alan Johnston was an attempt to counter this marginalization and get back into the mainstream. Some are saying that this meeting in Egypt could actually result in peace between Israel and the Palestinians before the end of July. If it really does, and if the treaty’s provisions are adhered to, it could begin the period of peace that leads us to the Battle of Ezekiel 38. Think of the possibilities. The security fence could come down, to be replaced by an international peace keeping force that gives Israel a false sense of security in a land of unwalled villages. The peace keeping force could even include Russians, giving them an excuse to have a contingent of troops in the Middle East. This one bears watching. The opposition believes that the Lebanese army will remain neutral in this coup attempt, and the UN troops, stationed there to prevent another war with Israel, will realize their safety cannot be assured and depart. Syria has also opened a border crossing with Israel that’s been closed for 40 years. It’s in the Golan and its purpose is to allow Syrian terrorists into Israel. These terrorists call themselves resistance fighters whose goal is to liberate the Golan. They’ll be following a strategy similar to that which the Palestinians have used against Israel in the south, with suicide bombings and other attacks against civilian and military targets. They’ve been training in Syria over the past year and are now ready to go on the offense. Observers believe that this is another attempt to lure Israel into a confrontation with Syria and its client Hizballah. It seems like new experts come forward with predictions for a summer war between Israel and Syria almost every day. The latest is Dennis Ross, the former senior American Middle East peace negotiator. If Syria’s coup attempt in Lebanon is allowed to mature, the odds are that the war everyone’s predicting will in fact take place. And as incredible as this sounds, Syria is arming missiles with chemical warheads for use against Israel, believing that if they launch them, Israel will flatten Damascus in retaliation. Accordingly they’re moving the country’s archives out of Damascus to preserve their records against such an eventuality. It’s like they’ve read Isaiah 17 and accepted the outcome as a reasonable price to pay. We’ll know in a week or two whether either or both of these events will take place as announced. If it’s not God’s timing something will happen at the last minute to stop them. But if they are at the top of His agenda, then by the end of July, it’s quite possible that the “birth pangs” we’re experiencing will have taken a big leap in both frequency and intensity, meaning that our “delivery” may be coming sooner than we think. If you still have one foot in the Kingdom and the other in the World, it’s time to take the final step and get serious about preparing for your next life. This one may be about over. You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 07-07-07 more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | The implications of this possible coming "peace" in the Middle East could very well lead us to the Magog invasion of Russia, Turkey, Iran, Libya, and others as the Magog invasion gives a prerequisite of Israel living in safety. While they have been relatively safe in the past, lately the daily bombardment of rockets diminishes this safety. If peace were to come before the end of July, the Magog attack could come at any time after that. 'Jerusalem not holy to Muslims' YNet News (July 1, 2007) - Jerusalem is "not holy to Muslims at all," the president of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), Morton Klein, told a Quebec synagogue congregation, the Canadian Jewish News (CJN) reported on Friday. Klein said Jerusalem had never been important to Muslims, and that the Islamic claim on Jerusalem was designed "to take away our heart and our soul," the CJN said. He added that Palestinians "have never been a real people because there was never an actual country called 'Palestine,'" the report added. "He even accused Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of being willing to sell out Israel for the chance at 'peace,' when 'peace' has never been on Palestinian leaders' minds," CJN quoted Klein as saying. Meanwhile, in Ramallah, Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, has rejected calls by the Syrian ambassador for Australia to take a less pro-Israel stance, the Australian Jewish News (AJN) reported. "What some ambassador - the Syrian Ambassador I think it is - says in Canberra, well my only response to that is I would like Syria to play a truly constructive role in constraining extremism," Downer was quoted as saying. "For Syria to constrain the activities of Hizbullah in southern Lebanon and in Lebanon more generally, and for Syria to exercise constraint over the activities of Hamas - that will help," Donwer added. Downer met with Palestinian Prime Minister in the West Bank Salam Fayyad, and described the Hamas military coup in Gaza as "a disaster." He added that "Hamas would continue to be isolated from efforts to strike a lasting deal between Palestinians and Israelis." more... | Israel | Islam | Israelis, Palestinians discuss final peace accord – report YNet News (April 24, 2007) - Israeli and Palestinian officials discussed a number of sticky issues at an undisclosed European location in preparation for final-status peace talks, the al-Quds newspaper reported Tuesday. The final borders of the future Palestinian state, the plight of Palestinian refugees, the status of Jerusalem and the future of Jewish settlements built in the West Bank were on the agenda, the Palestinian daily added. The report quoted a senior Palestinian official as saying that the meeting reflected the willingness of Israeli and Palestinian leaders to fulfill US President George W. Bush will to establish an independent Palestinian state by the end of his presidency next year. The report also said that Israel initially resisted the meeting but acquiesced to pressure from Washington and the European Union. Under the Oslo Accord negotiations over final status talks should have ended in May 1999. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel was ready to make "painful concessions" to achieve peace with the Palestinians, but warned that no Palestinian refugees will be allowed into Israel's sovereign territory. The Palestinians insist that all refugees who fled Palestine during the 1948 Israeli-Arab war should be allowed back into their homes according with United Nations Resolution 194. | Israel | Islam | America | Turkey’s leaders plan Muslim Europe The First Post (July 9, 2007) - If you thought Turkey was no threat to the West, think again. A new generation of politicians is aiming to Islamise the state by stealth. The AKP - Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi, or Justice and Development Party - has a stranglehold on Turkey for the foreseeable future. Since coming to power, the AKP has done nothing revolutionary, but it does have a revolutionary agenda. The AKP was founded to replace a previous Islamic party banned for extremism. It benefited hugely from the corruption scandals that dragged down the previous government, taking two-thirds of parliament in the 2002 general election (on a third of the vote). On Friday, its ex-foreign secretary Abdullah Gul narrowly failed to win a victory in the first round of presidential elections. The result was close enough to prompt public demonstrations by secularists ahead of the second round voting on May 2, and a statement from the military - long the guardians of Turkey's secular traditions - warning against a pro-Islam political agenda. For all their suavity, its leaders seek to transform the country into a Sunni Muslim republic. This collides with institutions and laws strictly limiting Islam's role in public life, and with a long-standing security alliance with Israel. more... | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | The Second Beast Rises FulfilledProphecy (July 5, 2007) - A recent press release from the United Nations' secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, makes a startling statement. It says that the teachings of a 13th century, Persian poet--Maulana Rumi--capture the goals of the UN's "Alliance of Civilizations." As followers of FP know, the AoC is an initiative launched under the UN's previous secretary-general, Kofi Annan, to combat religious extremism and end the tensions that divide the Western and Muslim worlds. The UN realized it can never achieve its goal of creating a peaceful world unless it first achieves religious tolerance. It plans to focus its efforts on education, media, migration and youth. The AoC is being implemented under the framework of the "Euro-Mediterranean Partnership" and the "European Neighbourhood Policy" (both which seek to bring peace and stability to the Middle East) with a goal of extending the AoC globally. An AoC "High Representative," Jorge Sampaio (former president of Portugal), has been appointed to lead these efforts, and Javier Solana, the EU's High Representative, has endorsed the AoC. The UN's goal is for the AoC to become operational by the end of 2009--just in time for the middle of Daniel's 70th week in 2010 (if it, indeed, started Jan, 1, 2007). The emergence of the AoC is significant because it marked the beginning of a formal, spiritual agenda by the UN. And what are the UN's spiritual beliefs? According to the secretary-general, Ki-moon, they can be found in the writings of Maulana Rumi, which you can read here. Ki-moon goes so far as to call himself a "student" of Rumi. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister of Turkey--co-sponsor of the AoC with Spain--told the UN General Assembly that spreading Rumi's message throughout the world "will greatly strengthen our efforts within the framework of the Alliance of Civilizations." Read his speech here. Turkey is currently sponoring an exhibit featuring Rumi's work at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Rumi taught that, originally, we were all part of God and, through spiritual enlightenment, we'll eventually make our way back to God. Like other Eastern and New Age teachings, Rumi taught that only when individuals attain inner peace--and don't discriminate against other beliefs--can they create a peaceful world. The core of all faiths, he taught, is love. His writings are attractive to the United Nations because they teach a "humanist philosophy and ... highlight the principles of tolerance, understanding and compassion," according to Ki-moon. Rumi's poems have gained a pop-culture following through recorded readings by celebrities, like Madonna's video "Bittersweet." Lyrics here. Rumi's teachings give us insights into the beliefs guiding the UN and its Alliance of Civilizations. Such beliefs mesh perfectly with the EU's secular humanistic philosophy. The bottom line in both Eastern and humanistic thinking is that human beings are God--though these teachings may have different ways of getting there. And, of course, the teaching that human beings can be like God is the same old lie Satan told Eve in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:5). This satanic teaching is, sadly, even being promoted within our own Christian quarters through the popular "Word-Faith Movement." My skin has crawled when I've heard Creflo Dollar blasphemously state on Christian television: "You are gods," while also denying the divinity of Christ. Watch him here. We know from Bible prophecy that the Antichrist also will hold to a type of this thinking. In the middle of Daniel's 70th week, he will go into the rebuilt Jewish temple and proclaim himself to be God (Daniel 11:36-37, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). So, we can see how different non-Christian beliefs seem to be merging into the end-time false religious system that the Bible describes as "the beast from the earth" (Revelation 13:11-18). This false religious system will support the "beast from the sea" (the revival of the Roman Empire under the Antichrist, which appears to have risen in the European Union). It also will be responsible for the most violent persecution of God's people ever. Christians--with their beliefs about sin, judgment and Jesus as the only Savior--are going to be seen as hate mongers standing in the way of global unity. And those who are more fully "enlightened" or "evolved"--a word choice depending on whether their thinking is Eastern or secular humanistic--will be seen as humanity's true saviors. Students of Bible prophecy would do well to keep their eyes on the Alliance of Civilizations. more... | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Al Qaeda's No. 2 says end of West imminent, video shows CNN (July 5, 2007) - In a newly released videotaped message similar to a "fireside chat," al Qaeda's second-in-command issues advice and directives for the Muslim world, terrorism expert Laura Mansfield said Wednesday. In the one-hour, 34-minute video, titled "The Advice of One Concerned," Ayman al-Zawahiri includes clips from other videos and news broadcasts, including one from al-Furqan, the video production arm of the Islamic State of Iraq, according to Mansfield, who obtained the video. Al-Zawahiri says in the message that the defeat of the West is imminent, and that "the enemy" is trying to forestall the inevitable, Mansfield said. "The good omens of the new dawn of victory have begun to loom on the horizon, with Allah's permission and will," he says. "And the stage preceding victory is normally, in the history of nations, the stage in which there is most seen an increase in conspiracies, plots and inciting of discord in an attempt by the enemy, who has begun to see his defeat approach, to push back and delay the defeat as much as he can." Al-Zawahiri does not reference the recent terrorism incidents in the United Kingdom in the video. Mansfield said it appears to be more of a "state of the ummah [community]" style of address "intended to try and provide advice to the Muslim world in a manner similar to the 'fireside chat.'" Al-Zawahiri advises people in Iraq and the Palestinian territory, Mansfield said, and renews his call for young men to join the jihad in Iraq and Afghanistan. Included is a video clip of the late Sheikh Abdullah Azzam -- an extremist in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation -- reminding Muslims that jihad is their responsibility. Al-Zawahiri also rebukes Fatah for battling Hamas in the Palestinian territory, telling party members to "return to your religion, your Islam, your honor and your Arabness." Last month, al-Zawahiri, in an audiotaped message posted on several Islamist Web sites, voiced his support for Hamas leaders who maintain control of Gaza after a split with Fatah, a more moderate Palestinian faction. "We say to you, now that you are in control of Gaza, you should remember two things: One is that being in power is not a goal in itself, but the goal is, rather, to implement the rule of Allah," al-Zawahiri said in that audiotape, according to a CNN translation. "Two, this control is incomplete and unstable, for the [Israeli] plans are being made to invade Gaza. Unite with your mujahedeen brothers in Palestine and do not stir up problems with them. "Unite your ranks with all of the mujahedeen in the world for the upcoming battle [of Gaza] that I expect the Egyptians and Saudis to participate in." The audiotaped message was a reversal of al-Zawahiri's previous criticism of Hamas, issued after its leaders agreed to form a unity government with Fatah leaders. Hamas fighters wrested control of Gaza from Fatah security forces two weeks ago, prompting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, based in the West Bank, to replace the Hamas leadership with an emergency government. Since then, the United States, the European Union and Israel have agreed to release funds to the new Palestinian government. The money had been frozen after Hamas won legislative elections last year. | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | NewWorldOrder | America | I place the NWO link here because of the perported writings of Albert Pike in 1871 of the three world wars. The last of which is the current war between the West and radical Islam. He writes, "The Third World War must be fomented by taking advantage of the differences caused by the "agentur" of the "Illuminati" between the political Zionists and the leaders of Islamic World. The war must be conducted in such a way that Islam (the Moslem Arabic World) and political Zionism (the State of Israel) mutually destroy each other. Meanwhile the other nations, once more divided on this issue will be constrained to fight to the point of complete physical, moral, spiritual and economical exhaustion…We shall unleash the Nihilists and the atheists, and we shall provoke a formidable social cataclysm which in all its horror will show clearly to the nations the effect of absolute atheism, origin of savagery and of the most bloody turmoil. Then everywhere, the citizens, obliged to defend themselves against the world minority of revolutionaries, will exterminate those destroyers of civilization, and the multitude, disillusioned with Christianity, whose deistic spirits will from that moment be without compass or direction, anxious for an ideal, but without knowing where to render its adoration, will receive the true light through the universal manifestation of the pure doctrine of Lucifer, brought finally out in the public view. This manifestation will result from the general reactionary movement which will follow the destruction of Christianity and atheism, both conquered and exterminated at the same time." That adoration will be directed at the man of sin, the antichrist as described in Revelation 13:1-8, "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." This will begin at the abomination of desolation, when the man of sin declares himself to be god as described in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. So the ultimate goal of everything we see happening in the world is all part of the plan to reveal Lucifer's antichrist and cause worship of him as god rather than the One True God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It seem Albert Pike and his Masonic and Illuminati network had been planning for this and now we are seeing those plans come to fruition. Children used as shields in Pakistan mosque: govt Reuters (July 5, 2007) - Women and children were being used as human shields by militants besieged in a mosque in Islamabad, the Pakistan government said on Thursday as security forces ratcheted up pressure on hundreds inside to surrender. Pakistan's Deputy Information Minister Tariq Azim Khan said the few students who had quit the mosque spoke of a nightmare scenario for security forces trying to keep casualties down. "A large number of women and children are being held hostage by armed men in room," Khan told a news conference, adding that the brother of the captured cleric was hiding in the basement of an attached madrasa with 25 "women hostages." "Yes, they're using them as human shields, because the people who have come out, they told us that they're telling women and children not to worry because as long as you're here forces will not attack us," he said. In an interview broadcast earlier on state television, the leader of the Red Mosque's Taliban-style student movement, caught the previous evening trying to escape wearing a woman's burqa, said 850 students remained inside, including 600 women and girls. Abdul Aziz, clad in a woman's all-enveloping garment like the one he was caught in, began the interview by dramatically lifting the black veil to reveal a face dominated by a bushy grey beard. He said 14 men were armed with Kalashnikovs in the mosque. "Now there are 50 to 60 hardcore militants inside the mosque who are armed with automatic weapons, grenades and petrol bombs," Interior Minister Ahmed Aftab Khan Sherpao said. Smiling through much of a bizarre interview Aziz said he had had urged others to leave the mosque, but some women teachers had persuaded girls to stay behind. "They are not being used as human shields, we only gave them passion for jihad," said Aziz, who was later remanded in court. more... | Islam | Israel is our main enemy, Haniyeh tells Iranian foreign minister YNet News (July 5, 2007) - "Our main conflict is with the Zionist enemy," Dismissed Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh told Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in a telephone conversation. According to a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, "The Iranian foreign minister called on all the Palestinian factions to solve their differenced through a dialogue, as only unity between the Palestinians will bring about a solution to the situation." | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Mideast peace treaty possible this month, says expert Daily Star Egypt (July 4, 2007) - A meeting between the Quartet, the Palestinian Authority, and Israeli leaders will take place in Egypt mid-July, announced EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. "Toward the middle of the month, we will recuperate this initiative," he said. Political analyst from the Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies Emad Gad told The Daily Star Egypt that he believed the countries were very close to negotiating a peace treaty delineating a two-state solution “very close” to what former PM Arafat was said to have been offered at the 2000 Camp David meeting. He believes that “ ‘moderate’ Palestinians are ready to sign a peace treaty with Israel.” While the Quartet meeting was postponed from late June due to high tensions within the Palestinian territories, Gad explains that the situation is very different now. “It is looking positive in the West Bank,” he says, where Israel has returned tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority and the EU has resumed relations with the territory. Abbas is also supported by the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. Abbas is actually stronger than before, explains Gad, as he and his Fatah party no longer need to take approval or agreement from Hamas, as was the case under their unity government. “Hamas is now controlling Gaza only.” The meeting will also represent former British PM Tony Blair’s first test as Middle East envoy for the Quartet — composed of the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States. Despite being generally considered pro-Israel, Abbas had welcomed Blair as the new representative, saying the Arabs were ready to deal with Blair as mideast negotiator. “Blair can play a positive role in convincing the Palestinians and Israelis to negotiate,” says Gad. He explains that Blair’s close ties to US President Bush put him in an advantageous position, as the US is in a position to pressure the Israelis to resume negotiations. | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal | There are two sides to the Middle East position on Israel, the "radical" Islamic side and the "moderate" Islamic side. As far as Bible prophecy goes, I believe we are about to see the moderate and radical paths played out in our near future. On the radical Islamic path, the Magog invasion that is stopped with fire and brimstone from heaven will soon play out when Israel is attacked by Russia, Turkey, Iran, Libya, and others. This is building now and the alliances are already in place. The moderate side for peace between Islam and Israel will come to fruition after that invasion fails, I believe. Israel won't cave in politically as much as they do now and Islam will have a better idea of who they're up against and will fake the peace game brought about through the work of the European Union's push for peace in the Middle East. So we have this mix of war and peace on the horizon that is eventually going to end up with the rebuilding of the temple on the Temple Mount and then later the abomination of desolation that begins the great tribulation. Report: Israel, Syria fortifying northern border The Jerusalem Post (July 2, 2007) - Both Israel and Syria are conducting reinforcement work on each side of the border in the Golan Heights, Channel 10 reported Monday evening. An Israel laborer told Channel 10 that he was hired to build ramps for the transport of tanks. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said during Monday's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting that although Israel was maintaining a higher level of military preparedness, Syria did not pose an immediate threat. | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | Hamas TV to replace "martyred" Mickey Mouse look-alike Reuters UK (July 2, 2007) - A Hamas television station that last week killed off a Mickey Mouse look-alike who urged children to fight against Israel will use other famous characters to further their Islamist agenda, station officials said on Monday. The host of the children's show "Tomorrow's Pioneers", Farfur, dressed in a full body-suit to resemble the Walt Disney cartoon character. The character was beaten to death in the show's final episode last week by a character posing as an Israeli. Farfur and a female co-host instructed their young viewers on Hamas's militant brand of Muslim piety and urged children to support armed resistance against Israel. Mohammad Saeed, the director of production at Al-Aqsa Television, told Reuters the station would use other famous cartoon characters in future shows. "Farfur was a story alive and he has turned into another story as a (martyr)," Saeed said. The show had drawn complaints from Israeli watchdog groups. | Israel | Islam | The War is Here -- Are You Ready? Family Security Matters (July 2, 2007) - In a style reminiscent of the vehicle born incendiary explosive devices (VBIED) used in Iraq and by terrorists worldwide, two Mercedes were found in London this weekend packed with gasoline, gas canisters and nails. The bombs were to be exploded using cell phones as remote detonators, another favorite tactic of those terrorists who do not wish to die themselves. Had the plan been successful, potentially hundreds of innocent civilians would have been brutally murdered either by the explosions or by the deadly projectiles that the nails would have become. London was saved by alert citizens who noticed something was amiss and took swift action. The United States, because of lax border security and an inability to enforce its own immigration laws, will be next. Over the past few months, our news has been consumed with debate on an amnesty bill that would give legal status to millions of illegal aliens who have crossed the US/Mexico border. A red-faced, shrill Ted Kennedy would have us believe that these illegals are all here to pick lettuce. President Bush, who was adamant after September 11, 2001, that he would do all he could do to keep Americans safe, attempted to feed the American public the same false bill of goods. With the focus on the senorita cleaning motel rooms or the senor waiting outside Home Depot for a day labor job, Washington has forgotten that we are at war. We are at war with a sly, evasive enemy who preys on our unwillingness to secure our homeland. It should come as no surprise that the enemy is among us, waiting to strike. You have been warned. On October 19, 2001, J. Zane Walley reported for World Net Daily “Arabs have been reported crossing the Arizona border for an unknown period. Border rancher George Morgan encounters thousands of illegals crossing his ranch on a well-used trail. He relates a holiday event: ‘It was Thanksgiving 1998, and I stepped outside my house and there were over a hundred 'crossers' in my yard. Damnedest bunch of illegals I ever saw. All of them were wearing black pants, white shirts and string ties. Maybe they were hoping to blend in,’ he chuckled. ‘They took off, I called the Border Patrol, and a while later, an agent, Dan Green, let me know that they had caught them. He said that they were all Iranians.’ “According to Border Patrol spokesperson Rob Daniels, ‘Ten Egyptians were arrested recently near Douglas, Arizona. Each had paid $7,000 to be brought from Guatemala into Mexico and then across the border.’ "According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, hours after the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, an anonymous caller led Mexican immigration agents to 41 undocumented Iraqis waiting to cross into the United States." more... | Islam | America | Israel Begins Major Military Exercise In Golan, Reassures Syria Combined Jewish Philantanthropies (July 2, 2007) - Text of report by Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv [Report by Amir Rapaport: "IDF Begins Large-Scale Exercise in Golan"] : Against the backdrop of the tension between Israel and Syria, the IDF will soon begin a broad series of training exercises on the Golan Heights. Jerusalem sent Damascus a message, according to which there is no plan to attack the Syrians, and that this is only defensive training. The current activity is part of the system of exercises decided on in the framework of the process of drawing lessons from the Second Lebanon War, in an effort to prevent a repeat situation in which forces are insufficiently trained. The Israeli-Syrian tension began to mount a short time after the war in Lebanon, in the wake of statements by Syrian President Bashar al-Asad. At the time, Al-Asad said that if Israel did not heed his calls to conduct negotiations for returning the Golan through peaceful means, Syria would also prepare for the possibility of war. Officials in Israel internalized the statements and, on the order of IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, the IDF is currently completing its preparations in the event of war against Syria as early as this summer. Financial Assistance From the Iranians: The Syrian military is also in the midst of efforts to prepare for a possible war, including training and infrastructure work on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights. Recently, Syria has even accelerated procurement of advanced weapons from Russia, among other ways through financial assistance that it is receiving from its ally, Iran. A few days ago, Syrian Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shar'a [as reported] said that "Syria is taking seriously the preparations in Israel ahead of a war between the countries." According to him, "Syria prefers peace, but it is not interested in secret talks with Israel." He added that officials in Damascus have the impression that Israel, like the United States, does not want to move forward in the peace process. "Ehud Olmert is not serious about peace. Israel will make peace with us if we compromise on the return of all of our occupied land, but we won't do that." more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Solana suggests Iran behind Gaza, Lebanon attacks ABC News (July 2, 2007) - The European Union foreign policy chief suggested on Monday that Iran could be linked to the Hamas military takeover of Gaza, recent attacks on the Lebanese army, and on European peacekeepers in Lebanon. Javier Solana, who has led efforts to bring Iran back to the negotiating table over its nuclear programme, stopped short of blaming Tehran outright, but said the incidents could not be treated separately. "What happened in Gaza cannot be seen separately from what happened in Lebanon," he told a conference on the Middle East hosted by the Socialist group of the European Parliament. "There are new groups in the Palestinian camps," Solana said. "And the fact that UNIFIL has been attacked for the first time cannot be taken separately." Solana said that while the car bomb attack that killed six Spanish members of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on June 24 was carried out by "forces we don't know", he added: "It would be naive not to see this as part of a global approach." "Somebody I know well -- Ali Larijani -- has said 'we are supporting Hamas'," he said, referring to the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator, who made the statement in an interview with Newsweek published last month. "All this is connected," Solana said. "It didn't happen by accident or miracle, it was probably planned." "It would be difficult to understand without seeing other important regional players behind it," he added, referring to "other forces" in Iran and Syria. Solana also said a postponed meeting of Western and Arab Middle East mediators with Israeli and Palestinian leaders would probably now happen in Cairo in mid-July. He said it was important to provide a new political impetus to the peace process, not just financial and humanitarian aid to the Palestinian government. Solana also said that in the long run it would be necessary to have an international peacekeeping presence in the West Bank and Gaza, but this was not an immediate priority. | Iran | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | In a follow-up to this story, Solana's spokesperson denies western news agency report on Iran, "The spokesperson of European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana dismissed Monday a western news agency report on statements attributed to Solana as "wrong interpretation". "It is wrong interpretation of what he said," Cristina Gallach told IRNA in Brussels Monday evening. She was referring to a dispatch by the British news agency Reuters from "Solana suggests Iran behind Gaza and Lebanon attacks". "We don't deal with suggestions. We are not in a business of suggestions. People take out sentences out of context to spin," noted Gallach." You read what he said above, what do you think he meant? Eventually when you try to play both sides, you run into problems like this. Secret Document: U.S. Fears Terror 'Spectacular' Planned ABC News (July 1, 2007) - A secret U.S. law enforcement report, prepared for the Department of Homeland Security, warns that al Qaeda is planning a terror "spectacular" this summer, according to a senior official with access to the document. "This is reminiscent of the warnings and intelligence we were getting in the summer of 2001," the official told ABCNews.com. U.S. officials have kept the information secret, and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said today on ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" that the United States did not have "have any specific credible evidence that there's an attack focused on the United States at this point." As ABCNews.com reported, U.S. law enforcement officials received intelligence reports two weeks ago warning of terror attacks in Glasgow and Prague, the Czech Republic, against "airport infrastructure and aircraft." The warnings apparently never reached officials in Scotland, who said this weekend they had received "no advance intelligence" that Glasgow might be a target. Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff declined to comment specifically on on the report today, but said "everything that we get is shared virtually instantaneously with our counterparts in Britain and vice versa." Unlike the United States, officials in Germany have publicly warned that the country could face a major attack this summer, also comparing the situation to the pre-9/11 summer of 2001. more... | Islam | America | The Pervasive Internet Patrick Cox, Zola Levitt Newsletter (July 2007) - Obviously, there is a delay between an essay’s creation and when you read it, especially if you read it on paper—as opposed to, say, in an email. The words have to be edited, approved, graphically formatted, printed, addressed, transported to a post office, and eventually delivered to you. By the time you read this essay, its news won’t be new. I say this to point out that the world has been mightily changed by the Internet. Yet, I think that a lot of people don’t really understand how changed it is. Two recent events help demonstrate the scope of the Internet’s influence. One of them is the widely circulated video of a Palestinian kiddy show featuring “Mickey Mouse” preaching Islamic supremacism and urging children to martyrdom as a means to destroy the nation of Israel and eventually rule the world. Similar videos have circulated before, including one that I’ve written about here: 12-yearold Mohammed al Dura beckoning from paradise and encouraging other Palestinian children to join him by dying in jihad. Al Dura’s death was blamed on Israeli soldiers, a fabrication by Palestinian propagandists spread by French television and the Internet. The Internet’s surge since al Dura is huge. Millions of people have watched aghast as the imitation Disney character urges murder and genocide. I doubt the Hamas government expected anyone to tape and subtitle snippets of the kiddy show and release it to the Internet or that it would have such an impact in the West. They still think in terms of the old media days when they could pull off propaganda like the al Dura fraud. In that, they are not alone. Still, several aspects about the hail of criticism the show provoked are worth noting. One is the relative impotence of Disney’s lawyers, renowned for their zeal and effectiveness in preventing copyright infringements. In the world that respects the rule of law, nothing like the mouse video could take place. Proving that the Palestinian Authority is not part of that world, a Hamas spokesman claimed that suggestions the show be removed from the air constituted a “criticism of Islam.” I invite you to ponder the depths of that sophistry for a moment. The other event regards the six New Jersey Muslims who were arrested before they could carry out their planned murders of Fort Dix soldiers. Somehow, these men of mostly Albanian descent became convinced that Fort Dix was attacking Islam. In reality, the base played an instrumental role in the destruction of the Christian Serb government, thereby protecting Albanian Muslims during the Clinton years. How did the arrested men get it so wrong? News reports say that they were saturated in Islamist Internet propaganda. The same loathsome death cult that corrupted an American cartoon icon among Palestinians managed to turn men with every advantage against the country that cradled and tolerated them. You may have heard this from others by now; still, I ask you to consider how much more effective this immersive cultural darkness must be when children literally grow up in it. In Islamist-influenced countries around the world, hundreds of millions of people believe that they can enter paradise by dying in the effort to kill or conquer anyone who disagrees with their religious and political philosophy. Their numbers increase daily. The fact that American troops risked—and gave— their lives in order to protect the religious rights of ethnic Albanian and other Muslims during the conflict in Yugoslavia, yet these would-be terrorists still view American soldiers as their enemies, indicates to me that there is no change we can make, short of converting to Islam, that will lessen their hatred of us. | Islam | Target Iran - Countdown Timeline Globalsecurity.org (June 2007) - The Bush Administration has almost certainly not approved the timing of military operations against Iran, and consequently any projection of the probable timing of such operations is neccessarily speculative. The election of Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad as Iran's new president would appear to preclude a negotiated resolution of Iran's nuclear program. The success of strikes against Iran's WMD facilities requires both tactical and strategic surprise, so there will not be the sort of public rhetorical buildup in the weeks preceeding hostilities, of the sort that preceeded the invasion of Iraq. To the contrary, the Bush Administration will do everything within its power to deceive Iran's leaders into believing that military action is not imminent. The Coalition for Democracy in Iran was formed in 2001 to mobilize the efforts of a variety of groups and individuals across the United States supporting the aspirations of the Iranian people for freedom, democracy and respect for human rights in Iran. The CDI strongly supports President Bush's designation of Iran as part of the deadly "axis of evil." Michael Ledeen [of the American Enterprise Institute], Morris Amitay [a former director of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC], and James Woolsley [former CIA director] formed the Coalition for Democracy in Iran, which has strong ties to the exiled Reza Pahlavi, the deceased shah's son. more... | Iran | America | Iranian leaders defend fuel rationing Associated Press (June 30, 2007) - Iran's top leaders defended a new fuel rationing plan Saturday that sparked violence earlier this week, saying it will free up funding for development projects and make the country "invincible," state-run television reported. The government began fuel rationing Wednesday, driving angry Iranians to smash shop windows and set fire to more than a dozen gas stations in the capital Tehran and several other cities. With armed guards protecting gas stations, the country calmed down the next day, but Iranians have continued to criticize the new measure, prompting Saturday's defense. "Gasoline (rationing) is among issues that the government decided and implemented bravely," Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying Saturday by state-run television. Iran is one of the world's biggest oil producers, but it doesn't have enough refineries, so it must import more than 50 percent of the gasoline its people use. The rationing is part of a government attempt to reduce the billions of dollars it spends each year to import fuel that is then sold to Iranian drivers at far less than cost, to keep prices low. "If this huge amount (spent on imported gasoline) is gradually reduced, definitely it will be spent on people's lives, employment, investment, construction of schools and roads," said Khamenei. Hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Saturday that reduced reliance on imported gasoline would make the country less vulnerable to international pressure, at a time when Iran is at odds with the West over its nuclear program. more... | Iran | 'Dhimmification' on the march The Washington Times (June 29, 2007) - If anyone wants to know why Muslims the world over tell pollsters the United States is at war with Islam, just read President Bush's speech at the Islamic Center of Washington, especially the part about American-style religious freedom — in the president's words, "what we wish for the world." He began this way: "For those who seek a true understanding of our country, they need look no farther than here." No, not the mosque itself, but down the street it occupies. "This Muslim center sits quietly down the road from a synagogue, a Lutheran Church, a Catholic parish, a Greek Orthodox chapel, a Buddhist temple — each with faithful followers who practice their deeply held beliefs and live side by side in peace," the president explained, standing in his Islamically observant stocking feet before a cool Muslim audience. "This is what freedom offers: societies where people can live and worship as they choose without intimidation, without suspicion, without a knock on the door from the secret police." As one who has attended a Bar Mitzvah at that synagogue down the road, I have news for the president: Freedom, American-style, has changed. To enter, I passed an armed guard holding an automatic weapon manning the door. Armed guards like him man many such doors in many such cities. In fact, so common is it for religious worship (mainly, but not exclusively, Jewish worship) to require armed protection today that we miss the implications: the degree to which freedom to worship without fear in America has been curtailed by the open-ended threat of Buddhist violence. Whoops, sorry. I mean, curtailed by the open-ended threat of Greek Orthodox violence. Or was that Catholic Lutheran violence? No, the peril to the synagogue was, and remains, Islamic violence. The resulting diminution of freedom is a symptom of advancing dhimmitude — the diminished cultural condition of non-Muslims living in relation to Islam. So, freedom of worship ain't what it used to be. But even in its terror-constrained state, the spread of American religious freedom actually threatens religiously unfree Islamic cultures, which, for example, consider "apostasy" — deciding not to be Muslim — a capital crime. But that threat is only on paper. Where Americans actually become involved in the Islamic world, Shariah (Islamic law) is protected, enshrined even, as shockingly attested by Shariah's primacy in the American-fostered constitutions of Iraq, Afghanistan and the Palestinian Authority. The president doesn't seem to understand that. I don't think he even understands Shariah, under which the primacy of Islam is absolute, and other religions are "tolerated," at best, at the high cost of dhimmitude. Nearly six years after September 11 — nearly six years after first visiting the Islamic Center and proclaiming "Islam is peace" — Mr. Bush has learned nothing. | Islam | America | See MappingSharia.us - The Society of Americans for National Existence (SANE) announced today the launch of the Mapping Shari’a in America Project, the world’s first effort to systematically evaluate the threat that a nation faces from efforts to impose Shari’a within its borders. The project will collect information about America’s 2,300-plus mosques and associated day schools, provide information to both law enforcement officials and the public, and test the proposition that Shari’a amounts to a criminal conspiracy to overthrow the U.S. government. Blair not to mediate in Middle East, Solana says M&C News (June 29, 2007) - Middle East quartet envoy Tony Blair will not be charged with mediating in the Middle East conflict, but with channelling aid towards the construction of a Palestinian state, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana was Friday quoted as saying. Former British Premier Blair, whose appointment has been met with skepticism in parts of the region, will not conduct a peace process, the Spanish daily El Pais quoted Solana as saying in Lisbon. Blair's task will be to mobilize political and economic aid, 'will and solidarity' to create a government structure for a Palestinian state, Solana explained. The current situation in the Palestinian territories, with the confrontation between Fatah and Hamas, did not make Blair's task easy, Solana added. | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal | Hamas releases audio of captured Israeli Associated Press (June 25, 2007) - Hamas militants posted an audio message on Monday from an Israeli soldier captured a year ago at an army base near the Gaza Strip, the first sign of life from the young serviceman since he was seized. In the message, which came as Israeli and Arab leaders met to bolster moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Cpl. Gilad Shalit sent greetings to his family and said his health was failing. He also expressed disappointment in the "lack of interest" of the Israeli government in his fate. The recording may have been an attempt by Hamas to influence the summit, which was meant to give a push to the peace process and contain Hamas after its victory in Gaza. "I have spent a full year in prison, and my health is still deteriorating, and I need a prolonged hospitalization. I regret the lack of interest on the part of the Israeli government and the Israel Defense Forces in my case and their refusal to meet the demands of the al-Qassam brigades," he said, speaking in Hebrew. Shalit was captured on June 25, 2006, in a cross-border raid by militants from Hamas and two allied groups who tunneled into Israel from the Gaza Strip. Negotiations for his release, mediated by Egypt, have repeatedly broken down and been complicated since Hamas took control of Gaza two weeks ago. In the tape, Shalit called on the Israeli government to meet Palestinian demands for a large-scale prisoner swap. Israeli commentators said Shalit appeared to be reading a text that was written for him, noting the statement was not in typical spoken Hebrew and appeared to be clumsily translated from Arabic. Olmert's spokeswoman, Miri Eisin, called the tape a "cruel gimmick." "How cruel can Hamas be?" she asked. "We will not cooperate with Hamas. We will not compromise with Hamas." Still, Olmert could face growing pressure to talk directly to Hamas, which Israel considers a terrorist group. Cabinet Minister Eli Yishai and called on the government to begin negotiations with Hamas. more... | Israel | Islam | Israel announces mass prisoner release WorldNetDaily (June 25, 2007) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday he will release 250 Fatah members from Israeli prisons in a goodwill gesture aimed at strengthening Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after Hamas' victory in Gaza. Olmert announced the prisoner release at a summit with Abbas and the leaders of Egypt and Jordan that the Arabs and Palestinians are hoping can push forward the peace process and strengthen Abbas' hand. "As a gesture of good will towards the Palestinians, I will bring before the Israeli Cabinet a proposal to free 250 Fatah prisoners who do not have blood on their hands, after they sign a commitment not to return to violence," Olmert told the gathering. Ahead of the gathering in this Red Sea resort, a series of messages released by militants underlined Gaza's turmoil. Hamas-linked militants holding an Israeli soldier for the past year released an audiotape of him urging Israel to strike a deal for his release. A British journalist kidnapped in Gaza appeared in a video wearing an explosives belt that his captors threatened to detonate if security forces try to free him. And al-Qaida's deputy leader tried to woo Hamas into an alliance and called on Muslims to attack American and Israeli interests in support of the group. In his speech, Olmert also promised to "improve freedom of movement of the Palestinian population in the West Bank substatinally" and reopen trade ties with the territory, saying he wanted to show the Palestinians that "choosing the path of no terror or violence the way of peace and dialogue will bring a better, more comfortable, more peaceful life." more... | Israel | Islam | So much for not dealing with the terrorists. Israel braces for July war with up to five enemies World Tribune (June 25, 2007) - Israel is preparing for an imminent war with Iran, Syria and/or their non-state clients. Israeli military intelligence has projected that a major attack could come from any of five adversaries in the Middle East. Officials said such a strike could spark a war as early as July 2007. On Sunday, Israeli military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin told the Cabinet that the Jewish state faces five adversaries in what could result in an imminent confrontation. Yadlin cited Iran, Syria, Hizbullah, Hamas and Al Qaida. "Each of these adversaries is capable of sparking a war in the summer," Yadlin was quoted as saying. [On Monday, Al Qaida's No. 2 Ayman Zawahiri endorsed the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip, Middle East Newsline reported. The Al Qaida statement came after Zawahiri repeatedly criticized Hamas for tolerating Palestinian Authority cooperation with the United States.] Yadlin said Hamas could be planning a major attack to divert attention away from efforts by the Palestinian Authority to isolate the Gaza Strip. He said Syria might be promoting such an attack. Officials said Iran has direct influence over Syria, Hizbullah and Hamas. He said Al Qaida has increasingly come under Iranian influence and was being used by Iran and Syria in such countries as Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. Already, military intelligence has assessed that Hamas acquired more than 50 missiles with a range of 22 kilometers. Officials said this would allow Palestinian missile strikes on any part of Ashkelon, the largest city in southeastern Israel and which contains strategic sites. Hamas has also deployed at least 20 SA-7 anti-aircraft systems, officials said. They said the missiles threaten Israeli combat helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft that conduct missions over the Gaza Strip. On Monday, Palestinian gunners continued missile fire into Israel. Hours earlier, the Israel Air Force struck an Islamic Jihad squad said to have been driving toward the northern Gaza Strip to launch missiles toward Israel. One Jihad operative was killed and two others were injured. Israeli military intelligence has assessed that Hamas was being quietly supported by neighboring Egypt. Officials said that despite Egypt's announced ban, Cairo has continued to allow Hamas leaders to enter the Sinai Peninsula from the Gaza Strip. more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Envoys from Mideast Quartet to meet in Jerusalem on Tuesday Haaretz (June 22, 2007) - Envoys from the Quartet of Middle East peace brokers are to meet in Jerusalem on Tuesday, a day after Olmert and Abbas are due to attend a summit in Egypt. Miri Eisin, a spokeswoman for Olmert, said "low-level officials" from the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia would meet. Sources in Jerusalem said the attendees would be special envoys rather than ministers. Olmert is set to announce the release of frozen Palestinian tax funds as part of a "package of gestures" in the regional summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, diplomats and Israeli officials said Friday. Sergei Yakovlev, a Russian Foreign Ministry envoy for Middle East peacemaking, said the envoys "will discuss the situation in the region, the talks for the Quartet and plans of action for the future," Russia's Interfax news agency reported. A higher-level meeting of officials from the Quartet - the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations - was to have taken place Monday in Egypt. But that session was delayed to allow Quartet officials time to assess changes in the region after Hamas' violent takeover of the Gaza Strip last week. There has been no official announcement from the Quartet of the planned meeting, but in Moscow, a Russian envoy said the meeting would take place. Yakovlev said the envoys will discuss the situation in the region, the talks for the Quartet and plans of action for the future, Interax reported. Peace efforts have been complicated by the emergence of a two Palestinian entities, one ruled by Hamas in Gaza and the other by Fatah in the West Bank. But moderate regional leaders have been quick to use this development to promote peacemaking between Israel and moderate Palestinians in the West Bank. | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal | Farouk al-Shara strongly supports Syria's ties with Iran Islamic Republic News Agency (June 22, 2007) - Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Shara here on Thursday strongly supports his country's ties with Tehran and underlined that it would be to the benefit of Arab countries. The Syrian official made the remarks in a press conference with domestic and foreign reporters in Damascus. "If Iran had remained under reign of its formal monarchical regime, the Zionist regime would have occupied the whole region," he said. "We always find friends for ourselves prior to any confrontation with the Zionist regime," he said. Relations between Iran and Syria in the past or at present have always safeguarded the interests of Arab states and Iran, he pointed out. Syria seeks to meet the interests of Persian Gulf littoral states by consolidating its ties with Tehran, he said, adding that "We have always tried to boost relations between Iran and these Arab countries." The Zionist regime has called on Syria to sever ties with Tehran as a precondition for resumption of talks, he said, adding that "If Syria calls on the Zionist regime to sever ties with the US, will they accept?" he asked. Those who set such preconditions are actually unwilling to make peace, he said. | Iran | Israel | Islam | Ahmadinejad: A Strong Iran Will Help Russia YNetNews (June 20, 2007) - "Iran's relations with Russia are strategically significant," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the state-run IRNA news agency reported Wednesday. "We believe a strong Iran will be beneficial to Russia," IRNA quoted the president as saying. | Iran | Gog/Magog | Islam | Iran, Libya Adopt Close Stand On Regional, International Issues Islamic Republic News Agency (June 20, 2007) - First Vice President Parviz Davoudi said on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic of Iran and Libya have common and close view points on regional and international issues. Speaking to reporters, prior to seeing off ceremony for Libyan Prime Minister al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi, he said the two sides exchanged views on current developments in the Middle East region and the entire world. He said that Tehran and Tripoli could adopt closer stand in dealing with regional developments. Davoudi said the two sides also reviewed latest developments in Iraq and called for forging unity between Muslims and avoiding factional disputes between the Shia and Sunni Muslims. He said withdrawal of occupiers is the only solution to Iraq's problem, adding that Tehran and Tripoli support the Iraqi territorial integrity. Deeply rooted ties between Iran and Libya along with all-out cooperation would leave significant impacts on regional and international cooperation, he said. Describing the current visit of the Libyan delegation to Iran as fruitful, he said the two sides are determined to broaden all-out ties. Iran and Libya could have constructive cooperation in Latin America and African continent relying on their capabilities and potentialities, Davoudi said. The Libyan premier arrived in Tehran Tuesday night for a two-day visit to Iran. Iran and Libya are scheduled to sign agreements on expansion of bilateral cooperation. | Iran | Gog/Magog | Islam | This is significant due to the mention of Libya as one of the nations that joins Russia, Turkey, and Iran in attacking Israel. Ezekiel 38:5,6, "Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee." Israel on the Brink, Again The Conservative Voice (June 19, 2007) - Last summer we saw a bungled war between Israel and Hezbollah that ended in a stalemate, which is not what Israel intended when it began. Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert sounded like he meant business when he declared that Hezbollah would be driven out of Lebanon. But Israel made the same mistake as we continue to make in Iraq. We are allowing too much concern for civilian casualties to interfere with winning the war. This is a mistake that neither Israel nor the US has learned to avoid, I'm sorry to say. To make things worse, Olmert gave the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians as a “peace offering.” He should have known better and we can only hope that he learned a lesson from it. Today, Gaza is now a threat to Israel’s very survival and any responsible leader should have seen this coming. Anything you give to Palestinians, they will take but instead of saying “thank you” they only demand more. Sound familiar? Things were kind of ok there for a while as long as President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party was holding the guns and could control the militias. But the rivalry between Abbas and the democratically elected representatives of Hamas continued to heat up ever since the election in January, 2006. Hamas is not a political party. It is a terrorist organization which pretended to be a political party for the election. But let’s make one thing clear. Fatah party members are just as responsible for terrorism on Israel as is Hamas, if not more. It’s hard to know which is worse, but Fatah is considered a little more moderate and willing to work for peace. Hamas, on the other hand, has but one goal - the obliteration of Israel. Neither one is a friend to the US or Israel. In Gaza, over the past couple of weeks, fighting between Fatah and Hamas militias has reached the boiling point. Fatah soldiers have been killed or driven out of Gaza, leaving the entire region in the hands of Hamas. During the takeover, stockpiles of American weapons supplied to Fatah were seized by Hamas as were critical CIA records covering CIA activities in the Middle East and tactics to defeat the radicals. This Friday, Abbas dissolved the Palestinian government, kicked Hamas out of Parliament, and appointed a new Prime Minister who is currently without a cabinet. Fatah is the old Yasir Arafat P.L.O. party. Now the western media is naively asking “How is Hamas going to govern in Gaza when they don’t have access to government money and resources?” Do they really think Hamas took Gaza so they could “govern” it? Hamas’s only concern for governing consists of giving free stuff to the poor, just like the American Democrat Party does, for the purpose of holding their support. They have renamed Gaza to “Hamasistan”. Hamas doesn’t care about Gaza but it does put them in a valuable strategic position to attack Israel from the south. I’m sure they won’t have any trouble getting money from Iran and Syria which is where they get their weapons, except of course, the ones they just got from America. The media is calling this a “civil war” but I think it’s much more than that, just as Iraq is much more than a civil war. Now that they have Gaza, Hamas intends to take the West Bank as well which, will put them within shooting range of Tel Aviv. The Bush Administration is sending reinforcements to Fatah troops in the West Bank which so far have been holding off Hamas fighters. The question to be asked is should the US be taking sides and sending more arms to either Palestinian side? Considering what happened with them in Gaza, I don’t think so. A second shipment is under consideration. A little further north, Syrian troops have been gathering on the border in the Golan Heights and conducting war games to pass the time while they wait - for what? Just to their west in Lebanon, Hezbollah has recovered from last year’s war. They have rebuilt their tunnels along the northern Israeli border and stocked them with from 20,000 to 25,000 Russian made Kasam, Katusha and “tank buster” rockets. And all of this was done right under the watchful eyes of the UN peacekeepers planted there last year for the expressed purpose of preventing it. Is there really any question about whose side the UN is on? more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | America | This article is a good overview of the latest events that I believe will lead up to the Gog/Magog invasion. Read the whole article. In the bigger picture, the war between Islam and the West, I actually believe that the ultimate goal is for both sides to continue the war as long as possible so that the world is fed up with it and are more willing to accept a savior. That's the idea behind what Albert Pike wrote in 1871. The ultimate goal of that plan? "...Then everywhere, the citizens, obliged to defend themselves against the world minority of revolutionaries, will exterminate those destroyers of civilization, and the multitude, disillusioned with Christianity, whose deistic spirits will from that moment be without compass or direction, anxious for an ideal, but without knowing where to render its adoration, will receive the true light through the universal manifestation of the pure doctrine of Lucifer, brought finally out in the public view. This manifestation will result from the general reactionary movement which will follow the destruction of Christianity and atheism, both conquered and exterminated at the same time." Just a bunch of conspiracy mumbo-jumbo? We're dealing with an angel of light, existent for millennia, working for the destruction of the human race while influencing people through pride and selfishness to bring the world under his dominion. He is the master conspirator and he's way smarter than any of us. Keep watching! Christians warned: Accept Islamic law WorldNetDaily (June 19, 2007) - Christians can continue living safely in the Gaza Strip only if they accept Islamic law, including a ban on alcohol and on women roaming publicly without proper head coverings, an Islamist militant leader in Gaza told WND in an exclusive interview. The militant leader said Christians in Gaza who engage in "missionary activity" will be "dealt with harshly." The threats come two days after a church and Christian school in Gaza was attacked following the seizure of power in the territory by the Hamas terror group. "I expect our Christian neighbors to understand the new Hamas rule means real changes. They must be ready for Islamic rule if they want to live in peace in Gaza," said Sheik Abu Saqer, leader of Jihadia Salafiya, an Islamic outreach movement that recently announced the opening of a "military wing" to enforce Muslim law in Gaza. Jihadia Salafiya is suspected of attacking a United Nations school in Gaza last month, after the school allowed boys and girls to participate in the same sporting event. One person was killed in that attack. "The situation has now changed 180 degrees in Gaza," said Abu Saqer, speaking from Gaza yesterday. "Jihadia Salafiya and other Islamic movements will ensure Christian schools and institutions show publicly what they are teaching to be sure they are not carrying out missionary activity. No more alcohol on the streets. All women, including non-Muslims, need to understand they must be covered at all times while in public," Abu Asqer told WND. "Also the activities of Internet cafes, pool halls and bars must be stopped," he said. "If it goes on, we'll attack these things very harshly." Abu Saqer accused the leadership of the Gaza Christian community of "proselytizing and trying to convert Muslims with funding from American evangelicals." "This missionary activity is endangering the entire Christian community in Gaza," he said. Abu Saqer claimed there was "no need" for the thousands of Christians in Gaza to maintain a large number of institutions in the territory. About 2,000 Christians live in the Gaza Strip, which has a population of over 1 million. Abu Saqer said Hamas "must work to impose an Islamic rule or it will lose the authority it has and the will of the people." His comments come after gunmen Sunday attacked Gaza's Latin Church and adjacent Rosary Sisters School, reportedly destroying crosses, bibles, pictures of Jesus and furniture and equipment. The attackers also stole a number of computers. The attack was the first targeting of Christian institutions since Hamas last week staged a coup against the rival Fatah party of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, seizing all Fatah positions and security compounds, essentially taking complete control of the Gaza Strip. more... | Islam | Keep these believers in your prayers! Report: Syria's Assad Linked to Katyusha Rocket Attack Jerusalem Post (June 18, 2007) - Syrian President Bashar Assad was linked to Sunday's Katyusha rocket attack on Kiryat Shmona, the Kuwaiti Al Siyasah newspaper reported on Monday. In an exclusive article, the paper claimed that Assad's motive was his anger at the Arab League foreign ministers' positions during last week's Cairo summit, particularly the stances of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, who called for an end to Syrian involvement in Lebanon. UNIFIL: Rocket fire breach of cease-fire According to the newspaper, Assad reacted harshly to the criticism, saying: "They will see how I will plough up Lebanon." A previously unknown Islamic terrorist group claimed responsibility on Monday for the Katyusha attack. The self-proclaimed group, "the Jihadi Badr Brigades - Lebanon branch," vowed in a statement to continue attacks on Israel. "We had promised our people Jihad (holy war). Here, we again strike the Zionists when a group from the Jihadi Badr Brigades struck the Zionists in the occupied Palestinian territory," the statement said. Al Siyasah did not say whether the Katyusha attack was perpetrated with Assad's silent agreement or after a specific instruction from the Syrian leader. | Israel | Islam |Turkey: Ruling Islamic-Rooted Party Will Win Elections, Survey Shows ADN Kronos International (June 18, 2007) - Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) will score a clear victory in elections scheduled for 22 July, results of a poll published Monday suggest. However the survey conducted by the KONDA research agency for Raymond James Brokerage, also indicated the AKP total number of seats in parliament would fall to 307 from 352, still handing it a strong majority to form a government in the 550 seat house. The poll also indicated that the centre-left Republican People's Party (CHP) and the ultra nationalist Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) will win enough votes to to pass the 10 percent national treshold required to enter parliament. It also showed that some 40 candidates running as independents - and thus exempt from the 10 percent national threshold rule - stand a good chance of being elected. Many of these are ethnic Kurdish candidates, including several former members of the Democratic Soiceity Party (DTP) which has been banned by authorities who accused it of ties with Kurdish separatists. In a separate poll conducted by the Turkish magazine Ekonomist magazine amongst 375 top members of the business world, the AKP scored a preference of 32,6 percent, which again if translated in amount of votes in the election, would allow Erdogan's party to form a government alone. Among those polled by Ekonomist, around one quarter (25,4) percent wanted to see an all-AKP government, which they favoured for its perceived market friendly policies. Only 11.3 percent wanted to see a government led by the centre-left CHP, which has an anti-privatisation stance and is sceptical of the benefits the country may reap from joining the European Union. | Gog/Magog | |
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The
IDF and Shin Bet uncovered 6.5 tons of potassium nitrate hidden in sacks
that were disguised as aid from the European Union, the army announced
on Saturday. Security forces discovered the stash in the cargo of a
Palestinian truck at a West Bank checkpoint earlier in December.
According to the IDF, the material, hidden in sugar sacks, was planned
to be used by terrorists in the Gaza Strip. "Potassium Nitrate is a
banned substance in the Gaza Strip and the Judea and Samaria region due
to its use by terrorists for the manufacturing of explosives and Kassam
rockets," the IDF spokesperson wrote in a statement. "This is another
example of how the terror organizations exploit the humanitarian aid
that is delivered to the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip with
Israel's approval," the statement read.