Israel 2007

IDF: Bomb making chemicals were disguised as EU aid The Jerusalem Post (December 29, 2007) - 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.

| Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom |

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...
| Israel | Islam |  1^st Seal |

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 | 1^st Seal |

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.

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.
| Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Dividing the Land |

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...
| Israel | Islam |

Jeremiah 30:15-24
Why criest thou [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.

Israeli relations with the European Union to be enhanced Reuters (November 14, 2007) - Israel and the European Union have established a "reflection group" to find ways to enhance Israeli relations with the EU beyond the existing and developed relations,  with the purpose of expanding pre-existing Israeli cooperation in European programs. In March 2007, the Israel-European Union Association Council, headed by Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni and her German counterpart, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, established a "reflection group" to find ways to enhance Israeli relations with the EU beyond the existing and developed relations within the framework of the Israel-EU Association Agreement and within the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy. A key part of the enhancement is based on Israel's incorporation in European agencies and programs in matters of mutual interest, including: financial issues, research and development, trade, energy, environmental protection, culture, the media, youth issues, etc. The purpose is to expand the already existing cooperation in European programs such as the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Development, the framework of the GALILEO European Satellite Navigation System project and the framework of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), which Israel recently joined. To promote Israel's incorporation into European agencies and programs, the MFA held an interministerial meeting on Tuesday 13 November with Dr. Andreas Herdina, head of the Sector Coordination Unit for European Neighbourhood Policy in the European Commission in Brussels and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Tourism and also the Bank of Israel,  the Council for Higher Education, the Central Bureau of Statistics, the Manufacturer's Association of Israel, the Standards Institution of Israel, and the Economic-Social Council. In his opening remarks, MFA Deputy Director General Rafael Barak emphasized that Israel has significantly advanced it relations with the European Union within the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy, and stressed Israel's ambition to further enhance the relationship. Dr. Herdina stated that the EU is willing to open additional agencies and programs to Israeli participation and described the practical means to do so. The EU has budgeted Euro 8 million to support the operative program with Israeli ministries for the period 2007-2010.
| Israel | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom |

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 | Islam | Dividing the Land | America |

"I would like to underline two other issues, security and energy. I think that if we were to talk in any format around this table, in any geometry, there will always be two points on the agenda, today: security and energy. On security, I think we are moving beyond the traditional concept of security and we are increasingly embracing aspects that are very important to us all. We have a series of shared problems, including terrorism, natural and man-made disasters, migration, and many others. On migration, we must continue cooperating together, more deeply.

Also, on European Security and Defence Policy, I am very happy that we are developing our cooperation in this field as part of the Barcelona Process. We have had had a number of meetings and seminars in 2007 and we look forward to enhancing our collaboration and looking at both civilian and military aspects, with particular emphasis on crisis management. We will be holding  more meetings next year, including one in Rabat, and it will be very important to continue our discussions, holding seminars and analysing our cooperation, which is, I believe, very important.

The second major subject is energy. Energy is fundamental to our economies and is also becoming fundamental politically. I would like to underline that, since the last time we met, there have been important developments. The nuclear energy plans of many Mediterranean countries are a very important issue and I think we should talk about that and also encourage south-south cooperation and see how we can cooperate on this important aspect which is gaining increasing momentum in a number of countries around the table today."

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.

"The meetings today and yesterday have been very good. This is a group of countries that many other countries want to join and today we have two new members, Albania and Mauritania, and that is very good. We have a dialogue on the Arab-Israeli peace process, we have dialogue on questions related to energy, to the economy and to civil society and, on these issues, we have moved on. I would like to say that, from every point of view, the Euro-Mediterranean process is vital and fundamental and it is a catalyst for the peace process in the Middle East. Remember that there is no other place where Israelis and Palestinians, Arabs and Europeans meet together. On the political dialogue, let me say that the dinner yesterday was, without doubt, the best there has been since the beginning, It was devoted to the peace process and we registered a new feeling of hope, of optimism, that was reflected in our debate, which was constructive. It left me with the impression that the process may lead to a solution to the conflict, starting with the Israeli-Palestinian track. We will see what takes place in the coming weeks and months. We need a solution that will bring an end to the occupation and we need a comprehensive solution. Perhaps, at Annapolis, the mood for this can begin to be created. We will continue our work together on this. The European Union has a very important role, particularly within the International Quartet. It is important also that we spoke yesterday not only of Annapolis but of the period before Annapolis and the period after Annapolis. After Annapolis, we will hold the donors' conference in Paris and this is very important.

The second thing I would like to underline is that in the matter of security, the relationship between the European countries and the Mediterranean countries has matured very much. We are looking at how we can cooperate on security issues, including issues such as energy security, which is very important, and migration, which is also very important for security. We are also looking at the traditional peace-keeping operations in which we are engaged and which we would like to open up to members of the Euromed process.

Asked about the Euro-Mediterranean partnership's position on nuclear energy, Mr Solana replied that it did not have any fixed positions on energy and that it was important to tackle the issue of energy policy and the option of nuclear energy together: "It is true that in the Mediterranean there has been a change in energy policy with several countries in the Maghreb having decided to take up the option of nuclear energy. It is true that we spoke of that to see how we can help, in an international framework. It is a difficult process, requiring a great deal of time and investment, and the nuclear energy option is one that raises security issues. We have to tackle this issue together and we will continue to work in that direction."

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.
| Israel | Islam |

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 | Islam | Dividing the Land |

Could this somehow play into Israel attacking Damascus in conjunction with trying to stop the terrorism from the West Bank after dividing the land? Could this lead to Iran, Turkey, Russia, and Libya attacking from the North in retaliation? Keep watching.

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.
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land |

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.
| Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 |

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.

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
| Israel | Islam | 1^st Seal |

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... | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | Just a guess, but perhaps they want Israel to make the first strike so in the eyes of the world they are not the aggressors. If they can keep spinning things to make Israel look bad, they'll have valid reason for the Magog invasion. I have no doubt that those trying to push the destruction of Israel could care less about losing people if it means they can get at Israel. If they get Israel so worried about war that they act first to prevent it, maybe they think they will look like the victims, something they're continually trying to portray in the world even if it is a lie.

Solana talks of revival The European Weekly (July 21, 2007) - The European Union has vowed full support for US President George W Bush’s renewed drive to revive stalled Middle East peace talks and seek a two-state solution to the conflict. EU foreign and security policy chief Javier Solana said the 27-nation bloc also backed Bush’s call for an international conference to explore moves to create an independent Palestinian state. “The European Union will continue to work side by side with the United States ... in a determined effort to bring about an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict,” said Solana. Solana said the proposed international meeting would also give substantial support to the parties in negotiations towards a permanent settlement. The diplomatic Quartet - whose members include the US and the EU as well as Russia and the United Nations - would have a “major part” to play in such a gathering, he added. Solana is also expected to underline EU support for the Bush initiative in talks with the new Quartet envoy and former British premier Tony Blair who was in Brussels for meetings with key EU officials. The Quartet was to meet in Lisbon for the first time since the appointment of Blair. It was also the first encounter of the group since Hamas captured the Gaza Strip in June and the subsequent nomination of a non-Hamas interim government led by Palestinian prime minister-designate Salam Fayyad.  Bush has said the US will provide full backing to Blair’s peace efforts but several EU officials and ministers, including Solana, were taken aback by the US push to give the former British premier the Quartet job. Like the US, the EU has pledged to improve the clout and standing of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his moderate Fatah movement. But unlike Washington, the EU has yet to release millions of dollars in direct aid to the Fatah-led Palestinian government. The funds were frozen after last year’s Hamas electoral victory. The militant group is black-listed as a terrorist organisation by the EU and the US. The EU has, however, been channelling aid for the Palestinian health and security sector through non-governmental aid groups. Officials said an estimated 700 million Euro in such emergency aid was sent to Gaza and the West Bank last year. The money was used to pay the salaries of teachers, doctors and health workers and for supplies of fuel, water and electricity to the territories. Bush has announced USD 190 million in direct aid to the Palestinian government, with an additional USD 80 million for security. The amount includes funding humanitarian causes in Gaza. “We are showing the Palestinian people that a commitment to peace leads to the generous support of the United States,” Bush said. | Israel | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1^st Seal | Dividing the Land | America |

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 | Islam | America |

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... | Israel | Islam |

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. | Iran | Israel | Islam |

'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. | Israel | Islam |

'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. | Iran | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 |

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. | Iran | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 |

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... | Israel | Islam |

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... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | We know that God brings the Magog invasion with hooks in their jaws, implying a snaring into attack. We also know that Damascus, the oldest continually inhabited city will be a ruinous heap at some time in the future and the Assyrians will leave their cities "because of the children of Israel." Ahmadinejad's warning to the "enemies of the region" speaks to this vengeance that it would seem brings on the Magog invasion if indeed it is the result of the destruction of Damascus. We see his attitude currently is one of counterattack and I doubt that will change. One of the prerequisites for the Magog invasion though, is that Israel is dwelling in safety. Now even though they are living without gates and walls, they are dealing with missile attacks from the surrounding Muslim nations and threats of greater attacks. This doesn't really describe the peace that is described just before the attack. So if the current time truly is not considered peaceful living for Israelis, we should expect that peace to develop first before Damascus is destroyed and before the Magog invasion of Israel. This is currently in the works with America, the EU, Israel and Turkey mediating for Syria and Israel. I have a feeling that to everyone's shock, a peace agreement will be developed that will divide the land of Israel, giving away the Golan Heights and create a Palestinian State. At some point, it may be that Israel catches wind of what Syria is planning attack-wise and preemptively strikes, bringing the wrath of Turkey, Russia, Libya and Iran on them. This in turn brings God's wrath on the attackers in the mountains of Israel and the nation of Israel recognizes the God of their fathers, focusing on rebuilding the temple and a return to worship Him as a nation the only way they believe, through the daily sacrifice at the temple. This is all my best estimation from what I've learned so far, seen in the news, and studied in Bible prophecy so I could be wrong, but that's how I see it for now. Keep watching!

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... | Israel | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1^st Seal | Dividing the Land

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... | Israel | Islam | America |

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... | Israel | Islam | 1^st Seal | See also, Dividing the Land

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 | 1^st 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 | 1^st 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

Iran locked on to 600 targets in Israel Israel Today (July 15, 2007) -  Iran has marked 600 targets for its long-range missiles inside Israel, the Qatari newspaper Al Watan reported on Sunday. According to the report, Iran is threatening to hit the Jewish state with a massive missile strike if either Israel or the US attack the Islamic Republic or its allies in Syria. Recent political talk in Jerusalem and Washington indicate the time is rapidly approaching that Israel and the US will have no choice but to intervene militarily to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Likewise, Israeli military experts are predicting a full-scale war with Syria sometime in the coming six months, possibly set off by a renewal of low-level cross-border Hizballah aggression. | Iran | Israel |

Peres sworn in as Israel's president Breitbart.com (July 15, 2007) - Israel's elder statesman and Nobel peace laureate Shimon Peres was sworn in president on Sunday, crowning an unrivaled career stretching back half a century. Peres assumes the largely ceremonial post less than three weeks shy of his 84th birthday, replacing the disgraced Moshe Katsav, and will serve a seven-year term as Israel's ninth president. | Israel | Related possibly to the news above regarding the dividing of Israel... Daniel 5:28, "PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians." The verb PERES means "to break in two, divide." Could the new Israeli President who's last name means to divide be the one that will help bring about the dividing of the land of Israel to create a Palestinian state? Will that be the fulfillment of the coming dividing of the land of Israel for peace? Keep watching!

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 |

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 |

Jerusalem hosts month of Temple activities Israel Today (July 10, 2007) - A full range of activities focusing on the history and future of Israel's Temple to the Almighty will be held in Jerusalem this month. Israel National News reported that the activities will include seminars with leading experts and rabbis, exhibits of rebuilt Temple artifacts, and walking tours on and around the Temple Mount. Many of the tours will also look at the events of the past 60 years that have moved Israel closer to the day of the construction of the Third Temple. The activities have been scheduled to coincide with the period of mourning leading up to Tisha B'Av (July 24), which is the Hebrew calendar date on which both the First and Second Temples were destroyed. | Israel | Temple Mount | Temple Awareness: A Summer of Seminars and Tours

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.

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 |

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 |

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 |

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 |

Blair prepares to say hasta la vista to No 10 The Herald (June 26, 2007) - Tony Blair will hold his last official foreign talks today plus his final press conference as Prime Minister when he welcomes ex-film star Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of California, to Downing Street. The breakfast meeting with the "Governator" at No 10, primarily on climate change, is expected to come just hours before Mr Blair's appointment as a special envoy to the Middle East is confirmed by a meeting of representatives from the Quartet - the UN, US, EU and Russia - in Jerusalem. Yesterday, when the Prime Minister's spokesman was asked about Mr Blair's appointment, he refused to deny it, saying only: "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." One source close to the Quartet said: "Blair's appointment has been 150% approved. The Jerusalem meeting is all about arranging the logistics, making final arrangements and getting the announcement out." The prime mover behind the PM's appointment has been American President George W Bush with support from Ehud Olmert, the Israeli premier. Given Mr Blair's central role in the Iraq war, the prospect of his appointment has raised eyebrows in certain quarters, though it is thought Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, has decided not to object. Javier Solana, the EU's high representative on foreign affairs, is believed to be unhappy at Mr Blair's appointment because it could distract from his own role in the region. However, diplomats have insisted the PM's new role will focus on Palestine and will not directly involve talks between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government. more... | Israel | 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 |

UN Human Rights Council to Absolve Cuba and Belarus; Israel Facing Permanent Indictment UN Watch (June 17, 2007) - Dictators Fidel Castro of Cuba and Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus will be celebrating the UN Human Rights Council's likely adoption tomorrow of a new reform package that will see both regimes dropped from a blacklist, while Israel is placed under permanent indictment. Contrary to all the promises of reform issued last year, the proposal released today by Council President Luis Alfonso de Alba targets Israel for permanent indictment under a special agenda item: "Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories," which includes "Human rights violations and implications of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and other occupied Arab territories"; and "Right to self-determination of the Palestinian people." No other situation in the world is singled out -- not genocide in Sudan, not child slavery in China, nor the persecution of democracy dissidents in Egypt and elsewhere. Moreover, the council's one-sided investigative mandate of "Israeli violations of international law" is the only one without a set term, to be renewed "until the end of the occupation." As the same time, the proposal eliminates the experts charged with reporting on violations by Cuba and Belarus, despite the latest reports of massive violations by both regimes. As for the experts on other countries -- on Burundi, Cambodia, North Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Liberia, Burma, Somalia and Sudan -- all of these may soon be eliminated, as threatened by the council's majority of dictatorships and other Third World countries, under a gradual "review" process. Pending their fate, all experts will be subjected to a new "Code of Conduct," submitted by Algeria in the name of the African group, designed to intimidate and restrict the independence of the human rights experts. The complete package is expected to be adopted by consensus tomorrow—unless the governments of Canada and other Western democracies uphold principle by opposing the entrenchment of bias as a permanent feature of the new council. more... | Israel | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom |

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 |

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!

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 |

Rockets fired at Israel from Lebanon Associated Press (June 17, 2007) - Militants in Lebanon fired at least two rockets into Israel on Sunday, causing no casualties and little damage, but raising the possibility of a new flare-up on the volatile border less than a year after Israel's bloody monthlong war against Hezbollah. The Lebanese prime minister said the attack was geared at undermining the stability of Lebanon, while the U.N. condemned Sunday's incident as a serious violation to a cease-fire that ended the conflict last year. Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group, denied involvement, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert it was mostly likely the work of "a small Palestinian movement." Israel's initial reaction was muted, but security officials were meeting to debate a response. "We are still clarifying the circumstances," Olmert said in New York, where he was meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. "Lebanon has been very quiet in the last nine months and hopefully will continue to be so." The rockets were the first fired from Lebanon since last summer's war, when almost 4,000 rockets exploded in Israel. The latest rockets landed in the northern town of Kiryat Shemona, which was hard hit during that conflict. An official with Olmert indicated Israel would not hit back. "Israel will not succumb to this provocation but will monitor the situation carefully," the official said, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. Al-Manar, the Hezbollah TV station in Lebanon, broadcast a denial that Hezbollah was involved. more... | Israel | Islam |

Hamas bans masks for Gaza gunmen Herald Sun (June 16, 2007) - IN their first order since seizing control of the Gaza Strip, Hamas Islamists banned gunmen from wearing masks - unless they are shooting at Israel. The masks have become commonplace in the Gaza Strip during weeks of factional fighting between the ruling Hamas movement and President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah faction. Both sides wore the masks to hide their identities. “A decision was taken last night to prevent (people from wearing) masks,” Khaled Abu Hilal, a spokesman for the Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry, said. Hamas made one exception, for militants carrying out cross-border attacks on Israel. “Wearing masks should only be near the borders and in fighting the Zionist enemy, not in the streets and near people's homes,” Abu Hilal said. | Israel | Islam |

Terrorist Calls During Interview with Aaron Klein IsraelNationalRadio (June 14, 2007) - In what may be a first in the history of news talk radio, conversation with Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades leader is broadcast live on air when he calls Aaron Klein to describe Gaza battle. (Aaron Klein is the Jerusalem Bureau Chief for WorldNetDaily.com) | Israel | Islam | Aaron discusses the current happenings in Gaza currently including the CIA documents taken by Hamas as well as the weapons America gave to Fatah now in Hamas hands. Now America is thinking about giving more weapons to Fatah AGAIN! It is this kind of news that makes me believe that the plans of the New World Order are in play. It is becoming clear that there are plans that defy logic, yet are working toward a goal of creating more chaos. This is the plan of the NWO to bring people to a place of exhaustion so they will more easily fall for one who can bring a reprieve from the chaos.

Arab Media Reports Syria Making Preparations for War with Israel Israel National News (June 15, 2007) - A Qatari newspaper, Al Watan, reported Friday that Syria is making concrete preparations for war with Israel, saying that the Syrian government has removed the Government and State Archives from the Damascus area. According to the paper, this move indicates preparations for war. Syrian parliament member Muhammad Habash confirmed on Al-Jazeera Arabic world news satellite TV last week that Syria is indeed engaged in active preparations for a war with Israel. The conflict, said the Syrian MP, is expected to break out during the summer months. Officials close to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reported Sunday that their efforts to begin negotiations with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad have gone unanswered. They also said that Mr. Assad’s failure to reply signaled that his claims of wanting peace were not honest and were meant to improve his own status in the international community. Last week, the head of Mossad, Israel’s international intelligence agency, Meir Dagan, warned that Syrian President Assad was putting up a smoke screen by claiming he wants to open peace talks with the Jewish State. IDF Chief of Staff Lt-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi has also raised the issue numerous times. “The IDF is preparing for an escalation on both the Palestinian and the northern fronts,” he said bluntly during a speech to the IDF Officers Training School earlier in the year. more... | Israel | Islam |

Shimon Peres elected ninth president The Jerusalem Post (June 13, 2007) - Vice Premier Shimon Peres put an end to his historic losing streak Wednesday by beating MKs Reuven Rivlin (Likud) and Colette Avital (Labor) to become Israel's ninth president. The Knesset elected Peres in a second round of voting in which Peres was the only candidate. 86 MKs voted in his favor, while 23 voted against him. In his presidential acceptance speech, Peres, wearing a white yarmulke, gave thanks to his fellow candidates Avital and Rivlin, and paid tribute to his family. "I have been in the Knesset for 48 years and not for one moment have I lost faith or hope in Israel,' said Peres. "What Israel has achieved in 60 years, no other country has been able to achieve. I hope I can be representative of our faith not because there are no problems but because we all want to overcome them." "I will dedicate myself wholly to the nation," continued Peres, vowing to continue efforts to bring back the kidnapped IDF soldiers. Earlier, during the election, Rivlin, a former Knesset Speaker, and Avital, a former diplomat, dropped out after the first round in which they earned 37 and 21 votes respectively. The 83-year-old Peres will assume the presidency on July 15 for his seven-year term. The largely ceremonial position will cap Peres six-decade long career, in which he served in nearly all of Israel's top civilian posts, and won the Nobel Prize in 1993 for reaching an interim peace deal alongside Yitzhak Rabin and the late Yasser Arafat. more... | Israel |

Mideast 'may see full-scale war' The Press Association (June 12, 2007) - UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen has warned that the Middle East could see full-scale war. He said a fresh effort was needed to contain the current violence, or energetic diplomacy to try to bring peace. "The picture which emerges is very dark, and apparently getting darker," he said. "So there are reasons for real concerns in the international community." Roed-Larsen, the current UN envoy for Lebanon-Syria issues who for many years was the top UN Mideast envoy, said "the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East has changed fundamentally over a few years". "A few years ago, as it had been over many, many decades, the centre of gravity for all the conflicts were the Israeli-Arab conflicts," he said. "Now, there seems to be four epicentres of conflict in the region with their own dynamics, the Iraqi issues, the Iranian issues, the Syrian-Lebanese issues, and of course the heart of hearts, the traditional conflict, the Palestinian-Israeli issue." | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | 1st Seal | It is clear that Jerusalem is a burdensome stone for all people. Zechariah 12:1-3, "The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it." It's recognized as the center of the conflict brought about by radical Islam because it centers on that age-old conflict between Isaac and Ishmael. The conflict centers on the ownership of the land. The "Palestinian" claim is built on lies and deception repeated over and over like a mantra so those who don't have the desire to search out the truth are pulled into accepting the lie. They don't understand Islam very well, in my opinion. They are told its ok to lie to non-Muslims, or kuffah.

Hamas TV: We have taken over the northern Gaza Strip The Jerusalem Post (June 12, 2007) - Hamas forces captured the headquarters of the Fatah-allied security forces in northern Gaza, seizing control of a key prize in the bloody power struggle between the sides, Hamas and Fatah officials said. Hamas attacked the compound with mortars and automatic gunfire, and after several hours of battle, seized control, said Hamas commander Wael al-Shakra. A Fatah security official confirmed the building had been lost. He said at least 10 people were killed and 30 wounded. The attack was part of a full-scale assault launched by Hamas earlier Tuesday afternoon against Fatah security bases and positions in Gaza. Hamas-affiliated television said that the organization overtook the entire northern section of the Gaza Strip. After airing the report, the station was attacked by PA security forces and forced to play pro-Fatah songs. Israel Radio also reported that a top Fatah military official sent a message to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas stating that security forces were holding their ground, but calling on the Fatah leader to order an end to the current policy of restraint, allowing troops to return fire. more... | Israel | Islam |

Officials: Iran, Syria orchestrated raid on Jewish state WorldNetDaily (June 11, 2007) - An attempted Palestinian raid of the Israeli border this weekend, purportedly to kidnap an Israeli soldier, was orchestrated by Syria and Iran, according to security officials associated with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party. The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday thwarted an attempt by the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad terror group to kidnap a soldier on the Israeli side of a major crossing into the Gaza Strip. Four terrorists approached the Israeli border in an SUV bearing "TV" signs in an attempt to disguise themselves as journalists. Reporters working in Gaza usually travel in cars with "TV" symbols to identify themselves. Upon reaching the crossing, the terrorists blew a hole in the border fence and attempted to storm an IDF position. IDF troops rushed to the scene, chasing three of the gunmen back to the Gaza Strip. One of militants, 19-year-old Mohammed Jaabari, became separated from the group and hid inside Israel. Jaabari was shot dead after he opened fire when soldiers approached him, the IDF said. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack. "The aim of the operation was to retreat with a prisoner," said Abu Ahmed, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad. "This was prevented by the use of Israeli helicopters." This attempted kidnapping took place just before the one year anniversary of the kidnapping by Hamas and two other groups of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held in Gaza and is being used as a bargaining chip by the Hamas-led Palestinian government to release Palestinian prisoners, including arrested terrorists, held in Israeli jails. more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | Is the constant warnings of a coming war with Syria, Iran, and Israel starting to cause you to lose interest like it's the same old story never coming to pass? That's part of what Bible prophecy says will happen in the end, wars and rumors of war. Matthew 24:3-6 Keep watching!

Israeli therapy kills brain cancer cells with electrical fields Israel21c (June 10, 2007) - An Israeli-developed treatment that specifically targets rapidly growing cancer cells with electrical fields shows great promise in treating patients with brain cancer. The Novo-TTF (Tumor-Treating Fields) device, invented by Technion Professor emeritus Yoram Palti, uses electrical fields to disrupt tumor growth by interfering with cell division of cancerous cells, causing them to stop proliferating and die off instead of dividing and growing. Healthy brain cells rarely divide and have different electrical properties than cancerous brain cells. This allows the device to target cancer cells without affecting the healthy cells. Early results of cell culture, animal and early phase human trials showed that compared to historical data, the device more than doubled the median overall survival rates in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and aggressive type of malignant brain tumor. The findings were reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal article. Palti, MD, Ph.D, founded a company NovoCure in 2000 to develop his research in treating cancer with electrical fields. According to Palti, this is the first time that electrical fields are being used to kill cancer cells, and it opens the door for other forms of cancer to be treated as well. "This is a new general modality for treating cancer. In a way it's similar to radiation, it's physical in the same sense, but the major difference is that there are no side effects," he told ISRAEL21c from his office at Novocure's headquarters in Haifa. more... | Israel | Technology |

Israeli official confirms Syria messages Associated Press (June 9, 2007) - Israel has put out secret feelers to Syria, but has not received a response, Israel's deputy prime minister confirmed Saturday. The comments came a day after an Israeli newspaper reported that Israel has told Syrian leaders it is willing to give up the captured Golan Heights as part of a peace deal that would require Syria to distance itself from Iran's virulently anti-Israel regime. Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz, speaking Saturday to Israel Radio, confirmed that a message was sent to Syria, but would not describe the content in detail. "In light of the tensions in the current period, and considering the fact that in the past ... the Syrians sent messages that they want peace, I thought and I still think today that a secret channel is one of the channels for checking intentions and expectations," Mofaz said. "And such an approach, in a secret channel, was done. And this was said clearly by the prime minister's office. At this stage, there is no Syrian response, or any comment on this issue." Mofaz said he considered a back channel to be important, noting that Israeli peace agreements with other Arab countries started in such a way. He said Syria seemed to be ambivalent about peace talks with Israel. "At the beginning, they (the Syrians) speak about their desire to renew talks and the process, and after messages are sent, there is no answer," he said. At this stage, he said, Israel is not sure what Syria's intentions are. Syrian officials were not immediately available for comment. more... | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | I think the silence is telling. This method of speaking out both sides of the mouth is popular with Islam and seen as normal operating procedures since according to their holy book, lying to non-Muslims is perfectly ok and encouraged to further the cause of Islam. When that ultimate end is world-domination and the destruction of Israel, is it any surprise that they would lie to bide their time? I don't think so, and I think Israel is going to catch wind of Syria's true intentions in their alliances with Iran, Russia, and Islam's ultimate goals. Gog/Magog by Yom Kippur this year, (September 22, 2007)? Keep watching.

Israel, offering Golan, awaits Syria proposals Reuters (June 8, 2007) - Israel has told Syria it is willing to trade land for peace and is waiting to hear whether President Bashar al-Assad would cut ties with Iran and hostile guerrilla groups in return, Israeli officials said on Friday. One said Syrian officials had so far indicated a willingness to conduct discreet contacts that might lead to a resumption of formal peace talks after a seven-year hiatus. In two weeks, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is due to meet President George W. Bush, who would play a crucial role in any such process. Two days after Olmert confirmed Israel had sent conciliatory messages to Damascus, Israeli media widely reported a leak to a newspaper that quoted a senior diplomat saying Syria had been reminded that Israel was ready to discuss returning the Golan Heights, captured 40 years ago this week, if peace talks resume. A former Israeli diplomat who has taken part in efforts to revive dialogue said Olmert -- deeply unpopular after last year's inconclusive war with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon -- was preparing his voters for possible concessions to Syria in a process that will probably need strong U.S. support to succeed. A senior serving Israeli official told Reuters that Syrian officials appeared open to discreet dialogue and Israel was now trying to determine what concessions Damascus might be willing to make, notably in severing alliances with Israel's enemies in Iran, Hezbollah and Palestinian militant movements like Hamas. "Nobody knows the answer," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity and has been involved in the discussions. "We don't know what is the Syrian definition of peace -- if Syria will really position itself with the U.S. and its Western allies or stay with Iran and Hezbollah and Hamas? "There are no preconditions for the beginning of the negotiations. But (Assad) will have to send an indication." more... | Israel | Islam | As FreeInHim said on FulfilledProphecy, "The situation reminds me of a man throwing a juicy steak at a mad dog charging him, as though that would serve as a viable distraction. For now, it might." I have a feeling this is just going to embolden Islam to create more terror and fear to get more land. The know Israel doesn't want war. I think if Israeli leadership changes to someone like Netanyahu though, that Damascus will be in trouble, which fits right in with Isaiah 17. Israel has every reason to destroy that terrorist den, and doing so would inevitably lead to an attack by Syria's allies, Iran, Russia, and Turkey. When God destroys them in the mountains of Israel, it will connect ancient Bible prophecy to every Jew in Israel personally and I think that will wake them up the the reality of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. See how quickly things will change in the Middle East then! Keep watching!

Fears of war as Israel and Syria show army might Scotsman (June 7, 2007) - CONCERN is growing that Israel and Syria may be heading towards war, with signs that both are preparing their armies. The preparations are being made across both sides of the ceasefire line in the Golan Heights area occupied by Israel since 1967. Syria has increased troop numbers and brought in rocket units similar to those used by Hezbollah against Israel in last summer's war in Lebanon, according to intelligence estimates. The Syrians have also brought in new anti-aircraft guns and tanks from Russia and recently conducted a frontline exercise of troops. Israel yesterday appointed a team of senior ministers to handle policy towards Syria, but denied it was a "war cabinet". The move came just a day after Israeli troops held a widely publicised training exercise in which they captured what army officials described as a model of a Syrian village. In an apparent attempt to reassure Damascus, the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Omert, was quoted as telling the security cabinet yesterday: "Israel does not want a war with Syria and one needs to be careful about a scenario of miscalculation that leads to a security deterioration." Amos Yadlin, the Israeli army intelligence chief, told Knesset MPs that "the Syrians have a lot to lose if a war breaks out". He said that the Syrian president, Bashar Assad, "has a regime, an airforce, civilian networks, an electricity network and civilian infrastructure: all of these are liable to be harmed in a war". Since the war between Israel and Hezbollah, Mr Assad has expressed interest in resuming the talks with Israel that stalled seven years ago over the extent of an Israeli pullback in the Golan Heights, but he has also hinted that Syria might resort to force if Israel shunned diplomacy. According to Israeli army intelligence, the Syrian army preparations are defensive and they also believe that Mr Assad does not want to initiate hostilities. Israel has been talking about war and peace simultaneously, albeit without embracing Mr Assad's offer of talks. more... | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 |

'Syria, Iran, Hizbullah planning war' The Jerusalem Post (June 6, 2007) - Syria, Iran and Hizbullah are preparing for the possibility of a war with Israel on the Syrian front, Channel Two reported on Wednesday night. Reportedly, Damascus has set August as the month for final war preparations. The report followed an earlier security cabinet meeting devoted almost exclusively to Syria, during which Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Israel is working through various diplomatic channels to assure Damascus that Jerusalem wants peace and is not interested in a war. His comments come amid a flurry of reports about a Syrian military buildup and concern in the defense establishment that if various Syrian overtures were not well received in Israel, the Syrians might initiate military action to try and retain the Golan, or a piece of it.

• Analysis: Anatomy of miscalculation
• IDF official: Stop prattling about Syria
• Analysis: Decision needed on Syria (June 5)

Brussels Plenary 6-7 June: Constitution, Middle East, Visas European Parliament (June 6, 2007) - Javier Solana briefed MEPs on his view of the situation as it stands in the region amid renewed violence betwen Israel and the Palestinians and in Lebanon. He told Members that "we've faced 40 years of suffering from both sides...we can look back at the past and see what mistakes we've made, or we can look at the future". Although painting a stark picture of the situation he did express some optimism that the time may be right for progress towards peace. Indeed he said that not since the 2000 Camp David talks has there been a better time for peace. He stressed three reasons why he thought this the case.

• The first was that an Arab peace was now in place. This refers to the Saudi Plan endorsed by the Arab league this year that would see Israel return to its 1967 borders in return for peace treaties and recognition from Arab states.
• The second factor Mr Solana noted was the psychological importance of the 40th anniversary of the six day war.
• Finally he said that for the first time the EU was strongly represented at the negotiating table.

Solana, EU Commissioner discuss Middle East Alarab Online (June 6, 2007) - Javier Solana, European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, and EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner discussed the situation in the Middle East with Members of the European Parliament on Wednesday during plenary session in Brussels. Before they made their statements, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides (GUE/NGL, Cyprus), Chairman of the European Parliament delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council, read out a statement on behalf of 45 MEPs expressing solidarity with 45 imprisoned Palestinian MPs. In response, European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering recalled that during his speech to the Knesset on 30 May he had called for the release of the MPs. Solana looked back at 40 years of Israeli occupation and settlements and suffering by Palestinian and Israeli citizens on the 40th anniversary of the Six Day War. He said there was a choice of looking back at the mistakes of the past or looking ahead and working towards a solution to the conflict. He chose the latter, a rapid settlement to make peace a reality, which would require "will and determination." He reported on his recent visit to the Middle East, describing “difficult moments” for the Palestinians, renewed conflict, and ceasefires not maintained by either side. He called for another ceasefire and for Israel to show moderation and release Palestinian tax and customs revenues. Solana considered the latest meeting of the Middle East Quartet "probably one of most important" so far. He said the Quartet would go to the region for the first time next week and meet with leaders there. He saw peace "on the horizon," supported by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Brian Crowley, (UEN, Ireland) said the focus should be on solving the Arab-Israeli conflict, on which everything in the Middle East depends. Francis Wurtz, President of the GUE/ NGL Group, believes "doing nothing makes us guilty too." Jana Hybášková (EPP-ED, Czech Republic) warned of the danger of an "Iraqisation" of the Gaza Strip and "Iranisation" of the Middle East, “a threat to us all,” and called for Palestinian recognition of Israel after quoting statements made to the contrary on Al Jazeera. more... | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal |

House of Representatives: Move US Embassy to Jerusalem YNet News (June 6, 2007) - The House of Representatives on Tuesday [June 5] unanimously passed a resolution calling on President George W. Bush to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, this on the 40th anniversary of the Six Day War. The senate is expected to approve a similar motion later in the day. In the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, Congress determined that Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel and that the US Embassy should be established there no later than May 31, 1999. However, the Clinton and Bush administrations have refrained from moving the embassy for fear of riots against American embassies in Arab countries and a possible decline in the status of the United States. “The House congratulates the citizens of Israel on the 40th anniversary of the Six Day War in which Israel defeated enemies aiming to destroy the Jewish state. Jerusalem has been the focal point of Jewish religious devotion and the site of a continuous Jewish presence for over three millennia, with a Jewish majority since at least 1896,” the resolution said. “The vibrant Jewish population of the historic Old City of Jerusalem was driven out by force during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. In six days of war, Israel defeated those forces seeking its destruction and reunited the city of Jerusalem which had been artificially divided for 19 years.” | Israel | America |

Solana: Gaza peace force possible Jerusalem Post (June 6, 2007) - It is possible that an international peacekeeping force would be stationed in the Gaza Strip, even though it would probably be difficult for Egypt to agree to its deployment, European Union Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana said on Wednesday. Solana told the European Parliament in Brussels that "for the first time in many, many years, the idea of an international force" was not out of the question. Solana said two groups in the Knesset had said it may be the moment to call for such a force south of Rafah Crossing. "We are working on that," he said. "The Israelis are also considering that possibility, the Palestinians are considering that possibility, the Egyptians are considering that possibility." Solana said it would probably be difficult for Egypt as deployment of such a force might give the impression it was not able to control that part of the border. However, he added: "I think we can still get into discussions on these issues and maybe eventually get a solution." The EU's External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told the parliament an international mechanism to provide direct aid to the Palestinians would be extended for a further three months. She said humanitarian conditions remained "dire" and urged EU members states to offer extra funds." | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal | I think we're going to see this idea of an international police force become more prevalent. Ultimately there has to be a system in place for the antichrist to exert his control through. I think that force will start with his kingdom and through peace and security efforts, spread world-wide rapidly. Because the U.S. is blind to the spiritual forces at work, the nation will probably join right up with it.

Israeli portal plans to connect the world, family by family Israel21c.com (June 6, 2007) - The goal of Famillion's web site, which allows users to create their own personal family trees, is to map the entire world through these trees. This sounds preposterous, until Danny Rolls explains that by the end of this year the site will have mapped the entire Jewish population of the world - some 12-13 million people, and within about two years will have mapped the Western world. "Our vision is to connect all the people in the world through family trees," Rolls tells ISRAEL21c. "We are all connected, wherever we come from, and once people realize that, it will change the way they think. People are always afraid of someone who is different from us, someone who is a stranger - it's a basic trait of human nature. When people understand that we are all connected to one another, this sense of difference will disappear." Famillion's strength compared to other genealogy or family network sites is that once a user has posted their family tree, the Famillion technology can recognize genealogical matches between individuals and families, enabling it to be merged with other related trees. As a result family trees begin to connect automatically, allowing users to discover new family members they might otherwise have been unaware of. According to company information, as the trees connect, "the global family grows and relationships can be found between any two people in the world." Some members may find new family members, while others might be pleased to discover they have familial connections to Bill Gates say, or maybe Albert Einstein, or any other famous personality. more... | Israel | Technology |

Foreign Ministry Promoting Relations With the EU Israel National News (June 5, 2007) - A series of special events taking place this week is devoted to enhancing Israel-EU relations. Some of the events are on the government level, others involve the private sector. On Sunday, senior European and Israeli officials met at a one-day forum addressing the future of EU-Israel relations. The meeting, called at the initiative of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, was arranged with the assistance and coordination of the German head of the rotating EU presidency and EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner. The objective of the day-long event was to examine possibilities of improving relations between Israel and the European states in various fields. The forum will submit a written report by the end of the year to the European and Israeli foreign ministers, including recommendations and practical suggestions. The Israeli delegates to the forum included many senior officials, among them the Governor of the Bank of Israel, the Director General of the Ministry of Infrastructures, the Assistant Attorney General, the Director General of the Council for Higher Education, and officials from the Ministries of Industry and Trade, Environmental Protection, Finance and Transportation, as well as representatives from the National Security Council.The following day, Monday, saw the annual meeting of senior officials responsible for ongoing Israel-EU bilateral relations. The subjects on the agenda included renewal of the mandate for European observers at the Gaza-Egypt Rafiach crossing, and the Israeli demand that the EU continue to refrain from transferring funds directly to the Palestinian Authority government headed by Hamas. Other subjects raised at the meeting included bilateral trade, cultural exchanges, mutual research and development projects, and international legal issues. Also discussed was the new Israeli-EU Chamber of Commerce, inaugurated on Tuesday. | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | 1st Seal |

Army chief: IDF preparing for escalation on both fronts Ynetnews (June 5, 2007) - Lt.-Gen. Ashkenazi tells officer training course cadets army preparing for possible escalation on both Palestinian front and northern front. Defense Minister Peretz states Israel has no intelligence indicating Syria wants war. "The IDF is preparing for an escalation on the Palestinian front and the northern front," IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi stated Tuesday during a drill at the Shizafon army base in the south. "The army's next objective is to improve its readiness and fitness, while continuing to fight terror," Lieutenant General Ashkenazi told officer training course cadets who came to watch the drill. "The drill here displays very impressive abilities. There's only one thing missing – an enemy," he added. Ashkenazi said that he did not know whether the security situation in the region would deteriorate to war, stressing, "The people of Israel trust us, and I trust you." Defense Minister Amir Peretz, who also attended the exercise, said, "We have no intelligence indicating that Syria is interested in starting a war." However, he added, "I hope that the escalation in words does not bring about an escalation in reality." Peretz emphasized that Israel was only performing training, and that he hoped the Syrians would not misinterpret the IDF's actions. | Israel | Islam |

Syrian MP confirms preparation for war Jerusalem Post (June 5, 2007) - A member of the Syrian parliament, Muhammad Habash, confirmed on Tuesday that his country was actively preparing for war with Israel, expected to break out in the summer, Israel Radio reported. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Habash said it was no secret that the Syrian military was arming itself for the upcoming confrontation with the IDF. He also claimed that the Israeli government was the one that wanted the war so that it could survive politically. Meanwhile, Pensioners Affairs Minister Rafi Eitan (GIL Pensioners) said on Tuesday that in negotiations with Syria, Israel must relate to the matter of the Golan Heights as a real estate issue. "Negotiations need to be about the property value," he said. National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor), said he believed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert should respond positively to any offer of peace talks from Syrian President Bashar Assad. However, Shas ministers Eli Yishai and Yitzhak Cohen insisted that the Syrians must take steps to show their intentions were serious before Israel negotiated with them. On Wednesday, the Security Cabinet was set to discuss the question of whether to examine the option of talks with Damascus. | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | Could this push Israel to pre-emptively attack Damascus? Keep watching.

Iranian Leader: Countdown to Israel's Destruction Has Begun IsraelNationalNews (June 4, 2007) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday the countdown to Israel’s destruction has begun. Ahmadinejad said that Hizbullah began the countdown in its war with the IDF last summer. "With Allah’s help, the countdown button to this regime’s [Israel's] destruction has been pushed by the hands of Lebanon and Palestine’s children,” he said in a speech to foreign guests in Tehran in honor of the 18th anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Iran’s first Supreme Leader. " By Allah's will, we will witness the destruction of this regime in the near future thanks to the endeavors of Palestinian and Lebanese fighters." Ahmadinejad’s previous statement, regarding Israel being “wiped off the map,” was a quote of Khomeini. Iran’s “Supreme Leader” Ayatollah Ali Khameini declared Monday that Iran refuses to “beg world powers for its right to develop nuclear technology” and has demonstrated that it will not retreat from the "field of danger" and will protect those rights. "The world has learned from experience that an Iranian will never step back from the field of danger when defending his rights," Khameini said during a televised address Monday. Ahmadinejad spoke with Syrian president Bashar Assad this past week, during which Assad is reported, by Iran’s state-run news agency, to have said that “added coordination between Iran and Syria in confrontation with the Zionist regime and the USA can bear better results in the future.” The Iranian president congratulated Assad on his reelection. Assad ran unopposed and won 97% of the vote. more... | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam |

Another Yom Kippur? Ynetnews (June 3, 2007) - Assad advocates diplomatic talks, yet evidence shows he is preparing for war. The UN Security Council's decision to establish an international court to try Basher Assad and his relatives for the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has made the Syrian government frantic. This development may come at Israel's expense, as within the battle for his survival Assad may embark on a war against Israel sooner than expected. It's difficult not to notice that the Syrians are heading for war since they are convinced that Israel has lost its former "killer instinct" and fears a conflict. The Syrians followed the suicidal attitude that prevailed here following the Second Lebanon War with gaping mouths. They view the public criticism prevalent in the Israeli press and culture, as well as the Winograd's Commission's testimonies, as their strategic assets. As a result of the last war they understood that there is no need for a large ground force, but rather, missiles aimed at dense Israeli population centers. For the past two years the Syrians have been engaged in massive acquisitions from Russia. In the past they owed some $11 billion to the Russians, yet in 2005 the Russians erased part of the debt and the rest was covered by the Iranians. Syria began equipping itself with advanced anti-aircraft missiles in order to crush our Air Force, anti-tank missiles - as the last war demonstrated that our armored corps weren't prepared - and cruise missiles against our Navy. The Saudi London-based daily al-Sharq al-Awsat reported that Syria has completed the deployment of Chinese C-802 cruise missiles, which it acquired from Iran, and that the deployment of its Air Force has also been completed. Russia has expressed its willingness to also sell the Syrians its most advanced 280 kilometers (174 miles) range Iskander missile, more than enough to strike at any destination in Israel. Each such missile features an optical GPS navigational system that allows operators to guide missiles to their targets. more... | Israel | Islam |

Israeli printing technology could deliver 1,000 pages a minute Israel21c.com (June 3, 2007) - Imagine a bookstore that prints your purchases while you settle the bill or a personalized newspaper that contains only the news you want to read. Such expedient printing may soon become a reality using a new Israeli technology that will enable printing 1,000 pages a minute at affordable prices. Two researchers from The College of Judea and Samaria - Moshe and Nissim Einat - have developed a revolutionary printing technique called Jetrix, which enables simultaneous high- speed printing of an entire page of text. The technology combines printing and Liquid Crystal Technology (LCD) methods to make a page-sized printing array that emits ink instead of light. "We are reducing the limitations of printing heads," explains Moshe Einat, senior lecturer at the college's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Einat's inspiration for rethinking print methods came from flat-screen display technologies. In the past display screens used a cathode ray tube to 'scan' the picture across the screen similar to the way a printer fills a page with text. With LCDs a screen-sized array of light emitting diodes creates the displayed picture and simultaneously changes to display each new image. Einat posed the question whether the same concept could not be applied to a printed page? "If you can do it with light, why not with ink?" he asked. Early printers used a continuous jet of ink to print on pages but were later replaced by modern Drop On Demand (DOD) printers in which a traveling head of tiny nozzles squirts ink at the page. The dots combine to produce the desired print. Current printers use a single print head that scans across the page but mechanical and physical limitations present a range of barriers that cap print speeds. more... | Israel | Technology |

Netanyahu Calls For Government To Be Replaced Jerusalem Post (June 3, 2007) - The current government has failed and needs to be replaced, opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu told Army Radio on Sunday morning. Netanyahu referred to the Winograd Committee's interim report on the Second Lebanon War, indicating that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's administration was unsuccessful in its judgment and irresponsible. Olmert is heavily lacking in knowledge of military management, he added. Therefore, he continued, "it is necessary to replace the [current] leadership. The report said that the entire government failed. We cannot continue to be complacent over our forgotten deterrence," said the Likud chairman. "We must change the leadership… Everyone has the opportunity to argue their points of view, but the public will decide. I am not afraid of elections," he added. | Israel |

Ahmadinejad: Israel's Destruction Getting Close Fox News (June 3, 2007) - Iran's hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday said the world would witness the destruction of Israel soon, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported. Ahmadinejad said last summer's war between Israel and Hezbollah showed for the first time that the "hegemony of the occupier regime [Israel] had collapsed, and the Lebanese nation pushed the button to begin counting the days until the destruction of the Zionist regime," IRNA quoted him as saying. "God willing, in the near future we will witness the destruction of the corrupt occupier regime," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying during a speech to foreign guests who attended ceremonies marking the 18th anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who is known as the father of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Embattled Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has lost public support after Israel failed to achieve its goals during last summer's 34-day war with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon — freeing two captured soldiers and crushing the militant group. The war was sparked after two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped by Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah militants in a cross-border raid. The fighting ended with a U.N.-brokered cease-fire that called for deployment of U.N. peacekeepers and Lebanese troops in southern Lebanon along the border with Israel. Ahmadinejad has made anti-Israel comments in the past. In October 2005, he caused outrage in the West when he said in a speech that Israel's "Zionist regime should be wiped off the map." His supporters have argued Ahmadinejad's words were mistranslated and should have been better translated as "vanish from the pages of time" — implying Israel would vanish on its own rather be destroyed. | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam |

Ahmadinejad: Israel's Destruction Getting Close Fox News (June 3, 2007) - Iran's hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday said the world would witness the destruction of Israel soon, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported. Ahmadinejad said last summer's war between Israel and Hezbollah showed for the first time that the "hegemony of the occupier regime [Israel] had collapsed, and the Lebanese nation pushed the button to begin counting the days until the destruction of the Zionist regime," IRNA quoted him as saying. "God willing, in the near future we will witness the destruction of the corrupt occupier regime," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying during a speech to foreign guests who attended ceremonies marking the 18th anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who is known as the father of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Embattled Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has lost public support after Israel failed to achieve its goals during last summer's 34-day war with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon — freeing two captured soldiers and crushing the militant group. The war was sparked after two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped by Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah militants in a cross-border raid. The fighting ended with a U.N.-brokered cease-fire that called for deployment of U.N. peacekeepers and Lebanese troops in southern Lebanon along the border with Israel. Ahmadinejad has made anti-Israel comments in the past. In October 2005, he caused outrage in the West when he said in a speech that Israel's "Zionist regime should be wiped off the map." His supporters have argued Ahmadinejad's words were mistranslated and should have been better translated as "vanish from the pages of time" — implying Israel would vanish on its own rather be destroyed. | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam |

The other war / Syria, not Gaza Haaretz (June 2, 2007) - The main reason the Israel Defense Forces is not currently recommending a major ground operation in the Gaza Strip is fear that war might break out with Syria this summer, IDF sources say. This argument is rarely mentioned publicly, in part because intelligence analysts are still uncertain about whether Syrian President Bashar Assad intends to start a war or is merely trying to pressure Israel to resume peace talks. But Syria has clearly been preparing for the possibility of war, both through troop training and major arms deals. As a result, the IDF believes it must also be ready for this possibility, and excessive activity on the southern front would undermine its capabilities in the north. From the army's perspective, Syria is the biggest threat; the Palestinian front is secondary. The army is also concerned that miscalculations of the enemy's intentions, on either side of the border, could lead to war between Syria and Israel even if neither side wants it. Precisely this scenario was the subject of a major military exercise last month. | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 |

Making Water From Thin Air Newswise (June 1, 2007) - An architect pursuing a PhD at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and his colleague have devised a low-tech way to collect dew from the air and turn it into fresh water. Their invention recently won an international competition seeking to make clean, safe water available to millions around the world. The brainchild of Technion Architecture and Building Planning grad student Joseph Cory and his colleague Eyal Malka, “WatAir,” is an inverted pyramid array of panels that collects dew from the air and turns it into fresh water in almost any climate. Inspired by the dew-collecting properties of leaves, one 315 sq ft unit can extract a minimum of 48 liters of fresh water from the air each day. Depending on the number of collectors used, an unlimited daily supply of water could be produced even in remote and polluted places. According to Cory, WatAir can be easily incorporated into both rural and urban landscapes because it has a relatively small base. Its vertical and diagonal design utilizes gravity to increase the collection areas. The panels are flexible and easy to collapse when not in use, and provide shelter from rain and heat and play areas for children. “WatAir is a wonderfully simple concept which draws its inspiration from nature,” said competition judge Jo da Silva. “This is a simple and effective idea using tried and tested technology.” The project was selected from 100 entries from North America, Europe, Africa and Asia as the winner of the “drawing water challenge” sponsored by Arup – a global firm of designers, engineers, planners and business consultants specializing in innovative and sustainable design. Geotectura and Malka Architects, the respective architectural studios of Cory and Malka, are located in Haifa, Israel. The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is Israel's leading science and technology university. Home to the country’s winners of the Nobel Prize in science, it commands a worldwide reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, computer science, biotechnology, water-resource management, materials engineering, aerospace and medicine. The majority of the founders and managers of Israel's high-tech companies are alumni. Based in New York City, the American Technion Society is the leading American organization supporting higher education in Israel, with 17 offices around the country. | Israel | Technology | You can see pictures of the concept in this second article.

Chief rabbis, EU president discuss 'interfaith UN' Jerusalem Post (May 30, 2007) - European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pottering said Wednesday in a meeting with Israel's chief rabbis that he would support the establishment of an "interfaith United Nations" that would bring together religious leaders from all over the world to promote peace. Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger first proposed the idea at an interfaith meeting several months ago. But Metzger said that Wednesday's meeting with Pottering marked the first time a political figure had shown interest in concrete steps towards achieving that idea. "After our meeting, the president sent an envoy to discuss in more detail the creation of an international body made up of religious leaders who could foster peace," said Metzger. "I envision the body being based in the holy city of Jerusalem, which is sacred to the three monotheistic religious. But disputes over its location should not delay the establishment of the interfaith UN," Metzger added. In a press release, the Chief Rabbinate said an interfaith UN could help combat anti-Semitism. Metzger said that the controversy sparked by the Mughrabi bridge excavations near the Temple Mount was a perfect example of how dialogue between religious leaders assuaged religious extremist rancor sparked by misinformation. "After explaining in the international media that construction of the bridge did not endanger Al-Aksa Mosque, people calmed down," said Metzger. more... | Israel | EU /UN / 4th Kingdom | Apostasy |

'Boycott call reminiscent of witch hunt' Ynet News (May 31, 2007) - Responding to UK lecturers' call to boycott Israel, Bar Ilan professor says Israel not apartheid state, shouldn't be held to higher standards than other countries, including US and Britain. "The British lecturers' union is trying to de-legitimize Israel by promoting radical prejudice," Dr Jonathan Rynhold of Bar Ilan University and member of the international Advisory Board for Academic Freedom said Wednesday following a decision by Britain's University and College Union (UCU) to consider boycotting Israeli academic institutions. According to Rynhold, the decision was reminiscent of "McCarthy's witch hunt." The UCU has called on the European Union to cut funding to the Israeli academia until Israel obeys UN Security Council resolutions and withdraws from the West Bank. This is the fourth time since 2003 that British lecturer groups are calling to boycott Israeli universities. Rynhold stated that the UCU's "hypocritical" decision was the result of pressure by the radical Left, which believed Israel had no right to exist. "This isn't anti-Semitism, but it's prejudice, according to which the Palestinians and other nations have the right for self-determination, while the Jews don't. "It's clear to everyone that Israel is not one of the most problematic countries in terms of human rights violations, such as China, Saudi Arabia and even the United States and Britain, which operate in Iraq and whose behavior is much more problematic. And still, it is Israel that is being threatened with this boycott." Rynhold warned of the dangerous link between the academic world and politics. "Only in very extreme cases should academia and politics be bound together, but what goes on in Israel is far from being an extreme case. There is no apartheid here, as some try to portray it. "In an apartheid state there wouldn't be Arab parties or an Arab judge. We have academic freedom and minority rights, and the Israeli academia encourages peace and enables both sides to get to know each other better." | Israel | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom |

Hamas: Islam Will Rule the World, Destroy Israel and the Jews Israel National News (May 30, 2007) - The Hamas terrorist organization is conducting a simultaneous battle against Israel and its coalition partner, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction, but not without a "higher" purpose. According to the Palestinian Media Watch, the Hamas charter specifically mandates the murder of Jews in compliance with what it believes is Divine will. Violence and terror, which Hamas refers to as "resistance", are considered legitimate tools to be used for this purpose. Hamas has worked hard to promote this ideology and to train the current and future generations toward this end, using a Mickey Mouse-like character to teach the precepts to PA Arab children and other TV and radio programs to reach the adults. The PA population has, for the most part, responded enthusiastically to this campaign. Others who are frightened by the fanaticism and culture of murder are doing their best to flee. Branch offices of foreign ministries from various Arab countries report they have been besieged with tens of thousands of applications by PA Arabs who are desperate to take their families out of the madness. Islamic clerics, meanwhile, exhort them to remain, resorting even to religious legal rulings that it is forbidden to leave the Palestinian Authority territories and abandon what they insist is their land. It is clear that Hamas has no intention of ever recognizing the State of Israel's right to exist. Nor does it intend to end its terrorism, regardless of international mandates to do so. "We will liberate Palestine, all of Palestine... Palestine will not be liberated by negotiations, committees and decisions. It will only be liberated by the rifle and the al-Kassam [rocket -ed.]. Therefore, prepare yourselves," declared Hamas spokesman Dr. Ismail Radwan in an April interview with the Hamas-controlled Al-Risalah newspaper. Ultimately, states former Foreign Minister and Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahhar in a March interview with the Arabic Al-Ayyam newspaper, "Our position is the liberation of Palestine, all of Palestine. This is the final and strategic solution for us..Anyone who denies it must check his faith and his Islam." To view the entire report on the Palestinian Media Watch website, click here. | Israel | Islam |

Jihadists moving into Lebanon from Syria The Washington Times (May 29, 2007) - Heavily armed foreign jihadists have been entering Lebanon from Syria from around the time Western authorities noticed a drop in the infiltration of foreign fighters from Syria to Iraq, Lebanese officials say. Syrian authorities, hoping to disrupt Lebanon so they can reassert control of the country, "have stopped sending [the jihadists] to Iraq and are now sending them here," charged Mohammed Salam, a specialist in Palestinian affairs in Lebanon. "They sent those people to die in Lebanon." Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, commander of Lebanon's Internal Security Forces, said about half of the militants who have been battling Lebanese forces in the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp outside Tripoli for nine days had fought previously in Iraq. "They are very dangerous," he said in an interview. "We have no choice, we have to combat them." Officials traveling with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said before Miss Rice's meeting with her Syrian counterpart in Egypt early this month that Syria appeared to be taking "positive" steps to guard its border with Iraq, resulting in a reduced number of jihadists crossing the border. But U.N. officials running the Nahr el-Bared camp told The Washington Times that a large band of foreigners carrying mortars, rockets, explosive belts and other heavy weapons entered the camp in a group several months ago. That is near the time that infiltration of militants from Syria into Iraq fell off, according to Lebanese authorities, who suspect the jihadists were simply redirected by Damascus. Several thousand residents have been trapped in the Palestinian refugee camp since fighting broke out May 20 between the army and several hundred militants of a group called Fatah Islam, which includes a large number of foreign fighters. Palestinian leaders tried yesterday to negotiate an end to the standoff, in which Lebanese army forces are ringed around the camp, but Prime Minister Fuad Siniora insisted that the militants surrender and face justice. Gen. Rifi said the foreigners began arriving in Lebanon during the war between Hezbollah and Israel last summer, when between 60 and 70 jihadists were integrated into Fatah al-Intifada, a group set up by Syrian intelligence in the 1980s. In November last year, a Palestinian with Jordanian citizenship named Shaker Youssef al-Absi broke with Fatah al-Intifada and set up a new group, Fatah Islam, based in the Nahr el-Bared camp. Gen. Rifi said Fatah Islam has about 250 fighters, of which about 50 have been killed so far. "They are parasites," the general said. "Even in Nahr el-Bared, there are not a lot of Palestinians with Fatah Islam." more... | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam |

Increasing number of rabbis are allowing Jews to enter Temple Mount Haaretz (May 26, 2007) - An increasing number of religious Zionist rabbis are allowing their followers to enter the Temple Mount, contrary to the religious consensus on the matter. This weekend, the rabbis Haim Druckman and Avraham Zukerman, of the Bnei Akiva youth movement, and Tzafania Drori, chief rabbi of Kiryat Shmona, are set to join this growing group with an ad in the Orthodox media. The rabbis, who are major figures in the religious Zionist movement, will call on Jews wishing to enter the Temple Mount "in purity, to ascend at this time to the to the places permitted for Jews to enter." The three rabbis are known for their principle support for letting Jews on to the Temple Mount. But they had not yet expressed their stand formally, because of the religious sensitivity of the issue. Now, in honor of the 40th anniversary of Jerusalem's unification, with many right-wing movements placing the Temple Mount on their agenda, the rabbis have decided to call publicly on Jews to go to the Mount. In publishing the ad, they will be joining dozens of other rabbis of the religious Zionist stream, among them rabbis in West Bank settlements, who in recent years have allowed Jews to go to the Temple Mount within the bounds of Jewish law. Currently, rabbinic consensus in the religious Zionist and the ultra-Orthodox world prohibits Jews from entering the Temple Mount. This is because the exact location of the Holy of Holies is not known, and therefore Jews who have not properly purified themselves may accidentally walk there or through other prohibited places. Rabbis who allow their supporters to ascend to the Temple Mount set stipulations for entry, including the mandating of ritual immersion beforehand, the wearing of cloth shoes, the keeping to areas permitted to Jews under Jewish custom, and the studying of relevant religious regulations. There are two Islamic shrines on the Mount, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Over the years, successive Israeli governments, backed by the High Court of Justice, have allowed Jews to visit the Temple Mount, but have prohibited them from praying there. | Israel | Temple Mount |

The March to War: Syria Preparing for US-Israeli Attacks Global Research (May 25, 2007) - "To the east there is the Resistance in Iraq, to the west there is the Resistance in Lebanon and to the south there is the Resistance of the Palestinian people. We, in Syria, are at the heart of all these events!" -Basher Al-Assad, 10th President of Syria (April 30, 2007) Syria was in the sights of the White House and Pentagon since the advent of the "Global War on Terror." Attacks on Lebanon and Syria have long been expected as a phase in the American-led war march unfolding in the Middle East and Central Asia in the wake of  the tragic events of September 11, 2001. The U.S. government itself has clarified that it was considering invading Syria after the fall of Baghdad in 2003. [1] The U.S. Congress in 2003 also started to re-evaluate strengthening the Syrian Accountability Act. The Guardian, a major British newspaper, reported during the initial days of the Anglo-American invasion of Iraq in April of 2003 that Syria was a potential military target: In the past few weeks, the U.S. defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, ordered contingency plans for a war on Syria to be reviewed following the fall of Baghdad. Meanwhile, his undersecretary for policy, Doug Feith, and William Luti, the head of the Pentagon's office of special plans, were asked to put together a briefing paper on the case for war against Syria, outlining its role in supplying weapons to Saddam Hussein, its links with Middle East terrorist groups and its allegedly advanced chemical weapons programme. Mr. Feith and Mr. Luti were both instrumental in persuading the White House to go to war in Iraq. Mr. Feith and other conservatives now playing important roles in the Bush administration, advised the Israeli government in 1996 that it could "shape its strategic environment... by weakening, containing and even rolling back Syria." [2] The 2006 Israeli war against Lebanon was also initiated for strategic reasons, which included the subjugation of Syria, as a continuation of the Pentagon's plans to strike Syria. This has been acknowledged by Israeli and U.S. government officials and there are numerous international press reports to validate this. In fact on October 8, 2003, months after the fall of Baghdad to U.S. tanks and soldiers, Israeli fighter jets made air raids inside Syrian territory. The Syrians restrained themselves, refusing to be baited into a war. The Syrian President gave a rare public response to the Israeli air strike in Syria accusing Ariel Sharon and the Israeli government of trying to drag Syria and the entire region into a "new war." [3] Syria is now the subject of intense covert and overt diplomatic U.S. and E.U. pressure as the Anglo-American war machine is running out of time. Attempts are also underway to create a wedge between Iran and Syria. Military provisions are additionally underway on the immediate borders of Syria for a possible war in the Levant and a broader Middle Eastern war that would stretch from the borders of Egypt and Turkey to the frontier of Western China. Israel is also making preparations for yet another war, while the U.S. and British militaries continue to marshal their armed forces into Afghanistan, Iraq, and the broader Middle East. Controlling Syria can heavily influence the geo-strategic realities and environment in the Middle East. The geo-strategic position of Syria places it at a critical juncture between Lebanon, Palestine, and Anglo-American occupied Iraq; three fronts that the U.S. and its allies are actively engaged in. Three intertwined wars of intelligence, proxy, public relations, civil, covert, and military dimensions are being waged in Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq. The conquest of Damascus is a prerequisite to winning these fronts and would greatly strengthen the American-led position in a possible showdown against Iran and its allies. Although, it should be mentioned that after the strategic 2006 defeat of Israel in Lebanon, it seems that preparations are now being made for a simultaneous war against both Syria and Iran. more... | Israel | Islam | America |

Hezbollah to Lebanese army: Stay out of refugee camp CNN (May 25, 2007) - The leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, has warned the Lebanese army not to enter the Palestinian refugee camp north of Tripoli where it has been confronting Islamic militants. Nasrallah -- in a televised address to mark the seventh anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon -- said that to enter the camp would be crossing a red line, and the Palestinians should not be touched. "Suppose that the government is having a war on terror, that doesn't mean they should kill half of the people on the street," he said in a reference to Palestinian civilians crammed into the Nahr el-Bared camp. (Read about Lebanon's warning to militants) He also criticized the militants of Fatah al-Islam, who are holed up inside the camp, accusing them of an aggression against the army that was an aggression against all of Lebanon. Hezbollah, a Shiite organization, views extremist Sunni groups such as al Qaeda and Fatah al-Islam as enemies. Nasrallah said that a negotiated political settlement according to the rule of law should be reached to preserve the integrity of the Lebanese army. The Lebanese military stays out of the Palestinian camps under a 1969 agreement that allows the Palestinians to run them. Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora told CNN's Brent Sadler he considers the battle part of the war on terrorism, not a conflict between Lebanon and the Palestinians. "To the contrary, I believe strongly that this war is targeting Lebanon on the one hand and the Palestinians on the other," he said. "Either they will surrender, or the Lebanese government and the Lebanese army is going to really pursue the matter to the end," Siniora said. "If left, I can assure you, this is going to be very contagious. It's like cancer. It has to be really removed completely, otherwise it's going to expand. ..."I believe that what we are doing, it is in the interest of the Palestinians, it is in the interest of the Lebanese," Siniora said. (Watch Lebanese PM Fouad Siniora say the army are not killers ) Nasrallah was also critical of the Lebanese government's request to the United States for military aid during the crisis. "We should be aware of the American interference," he said. "[As for] the American intervention in this incident there should be an investigation into who took the decision." The Hezbollah leader also said that Lebanon must not be allowed to become a battleground between the army and groups affiliated with al Qaeda. He said this would tempt the United States to bring the war on terror to Lebanese soil, as it had in Iraq. "Are you willing to fight the wars of others inside Lebanon?" he asked his audience. "I want to warn that we should not be dragged by the Americans to fight their battle in Lebanon." Nasrallah also called for the formation of an emergency government of national unity to tackle Lebanon's political crisis. Hezbollah has long been critical of the Siniora's government. | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Given what we know about the Gog/Magog invasion coming from the North, it seems convenient that Islamic militants are digging in to the North of Israel in Lebanon while Russian and Turkish "peacekeeping troops" are present as well. Since Russia, Turkey, and Iran are the three main players in this future prophesied attack on Israel, and given the HIStory, Our Future Bible studies, I'm looking for something to happen this summer, perhaps another Yom Kippur attack?

Officials: Hamas ready to halt rockets The Jerusalem Post (May 24, 2007) -  Israel's threat to target senior Hamas leaders in response to the Kassam rocket attacks from Gaza has prompted the group to agree to a unilateral cease-fire with Israel, Palestinian Authority officials said Wednesday. "Hamas wants to stop the Kassam rockets. They are especially worried about reports that Israel may assassinate [PA Prime Minister] Ismail Haniyeh and [Hamas chief] Khaled Mashaal," the officials told The Jerusalem Post. The officials were speaking shortly after PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Haniyeh met in Gaza City to discuss the possibility of declaring a unilateral truce with Israel. Journalists were not allowed to cover the meeting, which was held under tight security. "At first, Haniyeh did not want to attend the meeting because of Israeli threats to kill him," said one PA official. "The venue and time of the meeting were only agreed upon at the last minute for security reasons. Hamas is taking the Israeli threats very seriously." Muhammad Nazzal, a senior Hamas official in Syria, said his movement was taking the Israeli threats "in a very serious manner," adding, "These are real and dangerous threats. The Zionist entity has long been practicing state terror. This is a bloody and murderous entity that wants to assassinate an elected prime minister." Hamas legislator Salah Bardaweel also expressed concern over the Israeli threats against Haniyeh and Mashaal. He confirmed that Haniyeh had postponed his meeting with Abbas several times because of the threats. "We don't have Arab or Western assurances that Israel won't try to assassinate the prime minister," he said, warning that the Palestinians' response would be "very painful." According to another PA official, Haniyeh made it clear during Wednesday's meeting that Hamas was prepared to halt the firing of Kassam rockets "if Israel stops its aggression on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank." Abbas, for his part, urged Haniyeh to do his utmost to avoid providing Israel with an excuse to launch a massive military operation in the Gaza Strip. Abbas and Haniyeh agreed to form a joint Fatah-Hamas force in the Strip to implement a cease-fire with Israel and to enforce law and order. more... | Israel | Islam |

'Peacemaker' Solana heads to Mideast Jerusalem Newswire (May 21, 2007) - European Union foreign policy czar Javier Solana arrived in the Middle East Monday in his latest bid to reduce tension between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs after a week of spiraling violence. Eight Arabs were reportedly killed Sunday evening as Israel continued efforts to stop the firing of Kassam rockets from Gaza at civilians in southern Israel. Dozens of missiles have fallen on and around the Negev town of Sderot in the past week, injuring Israelis and damaging buildings - including a school classroom, kindergarten and petrol station. Solana, whose "solution" to the decades' old conflict sees Israel surrendering more Jewish lands to Arab control, plans to visit Jerusalem, areas Israel has given to the "Palestinians," Egypt - which is also able to exert pressure on Israel, and Lebanon. According to a statement from his office, Solana will let Israel know that the EU backs the Arab League's "peace" plan. He will tell the Arabs in Samaria, Judea and Gaza that it is important for them to stop fighting among themselves so that they can get a "State of Palestine" as soon as possible. And he will likely convey to the Israeli government Europe's displeasure at the IDF's defensive actions against the terrorists in the Gaza Strip. | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal |

State Of Emergency Declared In Israel (May 20, 2007) - Israel's defense minister declared a state of emergency Sunday in Sderot, which has been under near constant rocket attack from Gaza. Minister Amir Peretz's declaration came as a new barrage of five Qassam rockets stuck Sderot Sunday morning. No one was reported killed or seriously injured, though some residents were hospitalized in shock. Sderot residents called the emergency declaration too little, too late, the Jerusalem Post reported. "Only after dozens of Qassam rockets and thousands of residents have left Sderot, the government only now understands that there is a state of emergency in Sderot," said Alon Davidi, a Sderot resident. The declaration gives civilian authority to Israel's Home Front Command to close factories and schools and order medical clinics, the Post said. Peretz declared a similar state of emergency in northern Israel following Hezbollah rocket attacks last summer during Israel's war on Lebanon. About 4,000 of Sderot's 23,000 residents have left the city for temporary "relief" shelters in safer parts of Israel, the Post reported. | Israel | Islam |

Israel launches new airstrikes on Hamas (May 20, 2007) - Israel's air force fired a missile at a house in Gaza City late Sunday, killing at least eight people, residents and hospital officials said. The strike followed a decision to step up attacks against Islamic militants in response to rocket fire from Gaza. Israeli air attacks on militant targets earlier in the day killed another three Palestinians. The attack on the house was the deadliest airstrike since last Tuesday when Israel started reprisals for the rocket barrages. Residents said the house belonged to a Hamas lawmaker Khalil al-Haya, and six of the dead were members of his family. Al-Haya was not at home and was not harmed, they said. He was one of the Hamas representatives in cease-fire talks with Fatah and was attending an Egyptian-sponsored truce meeting just before the strike, residents said. The missile hit a room used as a meeting place for the extended family, relatives said. Hospital officials said eight people were killed and 13 injured. The Israeli military said the missile hit a group of armed militants outside a house. At Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, there was pandemonium as cars brought in the victims, some of them dismembered by the blast. Al-Haya went to the hospital to visit his wounded relatives. "We will go ahead despite the challenges, despite the martyrs, despite the pain that I am suffering and my people are suffering," he told reporters at the hospital, in remarks carried by local radio stations. Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said those killed were civilian members of the al-Haya family, and the attack was a sign that Israel is targeting "everyone — civilians and leaders." "This escalation is very serious," he said. "All options are open" for responding to this. In a statement, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for international pressure to stop the Israeli attacks. more... | Israel | Islam |

Revered Israeli apocalyptic kabbalah leader shocks Jews, Christians with name ‘Yeshua’ (May 18, 2007) - A controversy is raging in Israel, in evangelical circles in the U.S. and on kabbalah web forums worldwide following the posthumous release of what a revered Sephardic rabbi claimed to be the name of the Messiah. When Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri died in February 2006, somewhere between the age of 106 and 117, 300,000 attended his funeral in Jerusalem. The Baghdad-born kabbalist had gained notoriety around the world for issuing apocalyptic warnings and for saying he personally met the long-awaited Jewish Messiah in November 2003. Before Kaduri died, he reportedly wrote the name of the Messiah on a small note, requesting it remained sealed for one year after his death. The note revealed the name of the Messiah as "Yehoshua" or "Yeshua" – or the Hebrew name Jesus. However, complicating the story further, the note is being challenged as a forgery by his 80-year-old son Rabbi David Kaduri. "It's not his writing," he is quoted as telling Israel Today. The note, written in Hebrew and signed in the rabbi's name, said: "Concerning the letter abbreviation of the Messiah's name, He will lift the people and prove that his word and law are valid. This I have signed in the month of mercy." The Hebrew sentence consists of six words. The first letter of each of those words spells out the Hebrew name Yehoshua or Yeshua. The finding has raised a combination of excitement and controversy in both Jewish and Christian circles – but scarcely any media attention. Jewish blogs and web forums are filled with skeptical analysis and puzzlement. "So this means Rabbi Kaduri was a Christian?" asked one poster rhetorically. Another wrote: "The Christians are dancing and celebrating." Not exactly. In fact, many Christian discussion boards say Kaduri's description of the Messiah – no matter what his name – doesn't fit the biblical account of a returned Jesus of Nazareth, who, they believe, will rule and reign on Earth from Jerusalem for 1,000 years. About his encounter with the Messiah Kaduri claimed is alive in Israel today, he reportedly told close relatives: "He is not saying, 'I am the Messiah, give me the leadership.' Rather the nation is pushing him to lead them, after they find [in my words] signs showing that he has the status of Messiah." Kaduri was also quoted as saying the imminent arrival of the Messiah will "save Jerusalem from Islam and Christianity that wish to take Jerusalem from the Jewish Nation – but they will not succeed, and they will fight each other." Statements like that have some Christians wondering if Kaduri might be talking about another Yeshua – perhaps even a miracle-performing "false Christ" many evangelicals believe will precede the return of Jesus. Aviel Schneider, the author of the Israel Today story, said the worldwide reaction to news of Kaduri's note has been "crazy." He said he has never received so many emails and calls from around the globe. He said he was urged not to publish the story by the rabbi's yeshiva, where officials said it was "impossible" that the note was actually written by Kaduri. But Schneider was given access to many of the rabbi's manuscripts, written in his own hand for the exclusive use of his students. He was struck by symbols painted by Kaduri all over the pages. "They were crosses," said Schneider. "In the Jewish tradition, you don't use crosses. You don't even use plus signs because they might be mistaken for crosses. But there they were, painted in his own hand." Asked what those symbols meant, Kaduri's family said they were "signs of the angel." more... | Israel | I wonder if he was given understanding that Yeshua is the Messiah, but still holding to long-held beliefs, it got mixed in with what God showed him? It seems odd he would draw crosses and name Yeshua after the millennia of denial of such in their teachings. However, there are still elements that are distincly contrary to scripture such as the Messiah being here now and having met him. That is unless he had a vision that he misinterpreted. At any rate, I think it's very interesting that a Jew would name Yeshua as the Messiah. Matthew 24:23-27, "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch