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Israel and current events.


I have been watching news events for sometime now as it relates to end time events.   All recent world events, and especially things going on in the Middle East appear to be building to a climax.   Me and Tom (BEP) have been talking about this a little bit, and I wanted to start a series of posts concerning some of what the Bible has to say about what’s going on in our time, and why the world is obsessed with peace in the nation of Israel.    So primarily I will be dealing with Israel.   Later on we might move to Daniel and Revelation.


Before I get into this, I want to say that I realize this is a difficult subject for some on the board.   There are a few who have strong views concerning Israel, end times, and eschatology in general.   I encourage a healthy discussion, but would prefer if we can avoid debate.   My purpose for posting this is to discuss current events in relation to prophecy, and allow Gods word to demonstrate it's accuracy as the Lord Himself has declared.    The study is rather lengthy so I will have to break it up into parts….bear with me.


Bible Prophecy

Most people in our day and age view Bible prophecy as some sort or fortune telling machine of gloom and doom for mans future and how the world will end.      This is not what Bible prophecy is all about.    Prophecy is the unfolding of Gods plan for mankind laid out in His word.   Unlike man, God is looking at the whole picture, and sees from beginning to end what is going to take place.   This is an important aspect of Gods word, because it declares the truth and accuracy of scripture by foretelling mankind what He is going to do, and then bringing it to pass.    Only the One True God of heaven can do this.   Look at what God himself says about this.

 Isa 14:24  The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:


Isa 48:3  I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.


Here, God swears on His Holy Name that if He says it, He will do it, and it WILL happen!  He is going to do it!!!  What a proclamation from the Lord.    So prophecy is very important from Gods perspective.  He uses it over and over in scripture to show mankind that He alone is God, by declaring things that He will do ahead of time, then bringing them to pass just as He has said.    His Glory, Power, and Wonder are declared in these things.



ISRAEL

To start off, the main focus of my own study was to look into the restoration of Israel as a nation.   So I’m not going to spend much time on Gods judgment of Israel, but rather His promise to return them to the land.    

There are numerous prophecies in the Bible.   The most prophecied events in scripture concern the first and second coming of Messiah.   All the prophecies concerning Jesus coming into the world as our saviour were 100% fulfilled by Christ in the New Testiment.   We still await fulfillment of the second coming of Christ, which I believe is very close to happening now.

The second most prophesied event in scripture concerns the restoration of the nation of Israel.   Now for those of you already squirming in your chairs and frowning at the screen, before you ignore the rest and skip down to the “Reply Button” and set me straight, hear me out.    Gods word is pretty explicit about this as you will see.    To understand what is going on with Israel, we need to back up to where it all originates from.  


In Genesis, God told Abram that He would make a great nation out of him and his children.  


Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gen 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

God tells Abram that He is going to bless and make a great nation out of him, and bless all the families of the earth through this nation.   The greatest blessing mankind ever received came from the nation of Israel.   That came to pass by God sending His Son, Jesus Christ through the Nation of Israel and dying for all peoples of the earth.   God truly has blessed the world through Israel, the decendants of Abram.  Gods salvation came through them.

To prove this to Abram, God entered into a covenant to assure Abram that He would do what He had promised.   This covenant however is not like the covenant God made with Moses.  In the covenant with Moses, both parties entered into it, and conditions or terms of being faithful were required to maintain it.    The covenant with Abram was an unconditional covenant, and one that God alone was bound by as scripture will show.

Gen 15:7  And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
Gen 15:8  And he (Abram) said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
Gen 15:9  And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
Gen 15:10  And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

In the Old Testament, when two parties entered into a binding agreement, a blood ceremony like this was preformed.   Certain clean animals were parted or halfed, and both parties would hold hands and walk between the parted animals and the covenant was complete and binding for both parties.   You can imagine Abrams excitement as he carfully prepared the animals and waited for God to show up.   Well, guess what?   A deep sleep came over Abram before God arrived.

Gen 15:12  And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.


While Abram slept…note verse 17 very carefully!

Gen 15:17  And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
Gen 15:18  In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:


Did you see it?   God Himself, represented by the smoking furnace and burning lamp passed through the pieces while Abram slept.   God bound Himself to the promise He had made to Abram!   All Abram had to do was receive the benefit of it.    The parallel between this blood covenant and the blood covenant God made through Christ on the cross is not by chance.   Christ alone fulfilled Gods righteousness and justice when He alone died on the cross for man.   All man has to do is receive the benefit of that promise by faith.   Just like Abram!   Neat huh?

OK so getting back to the promise to Abram.   The focus of this promise is Abraham and his decendants Isaac, Jacob = Israel, and it is an everlasting covenant that God himself is bound to.

Psa 105:6  O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
Psa 105:7  He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.
Psa 105:8  He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
Psa 105:9  Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;
Psa 105:10  And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
Psa 105:11  Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:


A couple of points here.  
a.  Abraham, and decendants – children of Jacob – nation of Israel - called chosen.
b.  His covenant is everlasting with Israel, and remembered.
c.  Specifically names the land as inheritance.

continued...

Now as we know, Israel did not remain in the land after they came into it.   God later passed judgment on Israel because of sin and scattered them through out the world.    This was also prophecied in Eze chapter 6.

This largely happened in 70 AD when Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the temple.   Since then, the land has changed hands many many times through out history.    But God was not finished with the nation of Israel.   His blood covenant could not be broken Or His good name was at risk.   After 20 centuries of being dispersed through out the world, against all probability, Israel once again became a Nation as of 1948.   For anyone doubting this event was prophesied in scripture just look at the following prophetic passages concerning the restoration of Israel.  (Note for those in contention: we are still waiting for the spiritual restoration portions of these which will take place eventually, most likely during the tribulation period, as well as the entire portion of the land of Canaan to be held.)

 
Jer 30:2  Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.
Jer 30:3  For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.


Eze 20:41  I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.
Eze 20:42  And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers.


(Ezekiel 34:26-27,30 NIV)
 '"I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them....Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them and that they, the house of Israel, are my people," declares the Sovereign LORD.'


Eze 34:13  And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.



Eze 36:24  For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
Eze 36:25  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Eze 36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Eze 36:27  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Eze 36:28  And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

(from verse 36 we see where Israel as a nation will eventually be born again)


Eze 39:27  When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;
Eze 39:28  Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.


Some may be asking at this point…Why is all this so important?  Again, because Gods name is at stake.   Remember, He passed through the halfed pieces binding Himself to His own promise.   His everlasting blood promise to Abram must be kept.   God cannot lie or break a promise.   Listen to what God says about why He will restore them to the land…



Eze 36:22  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
Eze 36:23  And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.




God says it's for His names sake!!!     Most of Ezekiel 36 and 37 deals with this in great detail.   I would encourage and careful read of these chapters for anyone having doubts about this.   Also of interest in history, is how the Jewish people were looked down on.   Countries of the world know the Jews were called Gods chosen people, yet they were dispised among those foreign lands and profaned, just as God points out in verse 23.   Gods name was being tarnished.   The Lord also declares that the heathen as well as the Jews are going to know that He is the Lord of Host.   We are still waiting for this, but that time is rapidly approaching.


It's important to note at this point, that out of roughly 13,000,000 Jews in the world today, only 5,000,000 of them currently reside in Israel.   Many are still in other nations.    Also unknown by a lot of people; Jews currently in Israel for the most part are atheist.   There are a small number that hold to Jewish faith, such as the Orthodox group, but by and large most Jews are not too concerned with faith.   This brings me to my next point.   Out of all the prophetic verses we just read, God declares again and again that after they return to the land they will KNOW HE IS THEIR GOD.   If the first part of these passages have been fulfilled, then it seems to me we must be getting close the second part of these prophetic verses, when Israel as a nation is going to know their God and be spiritually restored.   Seeing Israel in the land again is the most amazing prophtic thing to happen since the crucifixion of Christ, and should raise eyebrows of those looking for the soon return of the Lord to this earth to reign over it, in that Land as KING!  

continued...

CURRENT  WORLD EVENTS


The importance of the nation of Israel appearing in 1948 cannot be overstated in regards to the end time.   Israel being restored to the promise land is a marker for just how close we are to the end of the age and the return of Christ.


Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.


I believe these verses are speaking specifically about Israel becoming a nation again.   That generation is alive today, and getting old I might add.

In current news, we see a lot of talk about the creation of a Palestinian state.   Land for Peace is usually the term used.   The world views a two state solution as key to world peace and the fight against terrorism.   The problem is, the land belongs to God who promised it to Abraham’s decendants.   Not the Palestinians.   Look at what God says about the land in Leviticus.

Lev 25:23  The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.

Once again, the nation of Israel fails to heed Gods word and acknowledge Him as their Lord, and is attempting with the worlds help to trade Gods land for peace!  (which we know will never happen with out Christ).   If Israel gave up everything, but one square foot of land in Israel, that would not be enough for the Palestinians.   They have one objective and that is to completely destroy Israel.  I believe this is an effort by Satan himself to prevent God from fulfilling His promise (as if that could be done).   Israel WILL eventually take possesion of ALL the land of Canaan.  But right now the world is not concerned with Gods promises or His good name.

The world in it's own attempt to bring about peace apart from God, is willing to trade God’s land to Israel’s sworn enemy.   How that for irony.   The world is on a collision course with God which will be the worst times ever known to man.   Also prophecied in scripture.

Mat 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.


Without getting directly into the popular end time prophecy of Daniel and Revelation, we can start to see just by looking at the nation of Israel just how close we are to the end.    Satan still thinks he can win, and theres no question that he wishes to prevent God from keeping His word to restore the land of Israel to it's rightful owners  -  The decendants of Abraham, Gods chosen people.   The entire tribulation period is all about Satan deceiving Israel into false peace, and then attempting to destroy them with the wars that ensue.   If you have any doubt that we are rapidly approaching that time, just sit down and watch CNN, FOX, or MSNBC for about 30 mins.   Israel and mid-east peace dominates the news these days.   The worlds lust for “peace and security” apart from God, will instead bring His wrath!

1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.


The time is growing short!   Prophecy which was written thousands of years ago are coming to light in our
time.    We can see this coming about just from looking at Israel in prophecy.   There is quite a bit more
going on in the world that relates to other things in scripture.    I will try to touch on these shortly in other
posts.


Promise of Salvation

If you have been reading this, and do not know the Lord as your personal saviour, God has a promise just for you.   His Son paid your sin debt in full.   He fulfilled Gods promise of salvation for all men…for YOU!   But you must accept the benefit of His Grace and receive this promise.  

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

None of us can measure up to Gods standard.    But He made a provision for us to be justified in
His sight.    

Rom 3:24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Rom 3:26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.


Christ shed his own blood just for you friend.  You can be made just in the eyes of the Lord by faith in what Christ did for you on the Cross.  His covenant is free for all who receive it.   Paul tells us…


Rom 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.


It's that simple.  Confess the Lord with your mouth and believe that Christ died and rose from the dead, and you will be saved!   This is Gods promise to you.   The time is growing shorter by the day.   Won’t you ask him into your heart today?

Grace and Peace!

2nd Timothy:
You have gone to great leangths to show that you do not understand that we are not living in the "end times" of Biblical prophesy.

We may very well be living in the "last days" of this dispensation of grace, "which was kept secret since the world began."

There are, no doubt, events happening today that are leading up to the fulfillment of the Biblical prophesies.

When one studies Acts 3:15-20, one can see that the "last days" (Tribulation) had already started at Pentecost. Those "last days" are the 70th week of Daniels prophesy in chapter 9. Joel speaks of them in 2:28-32. In fact, Peter, in Acts 2, quotes Joel almost word for word.

Peter knew exactly where he was in the timetable of prophesy because he was speaking "as the Spirit gave them utterance" (vs 4), and Jesus, before returning to heaven, had opened the understanding of the OT Scirptures to His disciples (Luke 24:45).

The Tribulation that started in Acts 2 was interrupted when God set the nation of Israel aside after the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7, and ushered in this unprophesied "dispensation of grace"; with the raising up of Saul/Paul (Acts 9). The Tribulation will again resume after ths "dispensation of grace" has been raptured. That will be when "the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" (Rms11:25).

In order to fully understand exactly were we are in God's timetable today, we must understand "the Mystery" that was revealed to the Apostle Paul, Not the prophetic Scriptures of the OT.

In his book "Things That Differ" Pastor Stam list 14 basic things between PROPHECY (P) AND THE MYSTERY (M).

1. (P) Concerns a kingdom; a political organization (Dan. 2:44, Matt. 6:10).

(M) Concerns a body; a living organism (I Cor. 12:12,27, Eph. 4:12-16).

2. (P) The kingdom to be established on earth (Jer. 23:5, Matt. 6:10).

(M) The body given a position in heaven (Eph. 1:3, 2:5-6, Col 3:1-3).

3. (P) Christ to be its King (Jer. 23:5, Isa.9:6,7).

(M) Christ its living Head (Eph. 1:19-23,Col. 1:18).

4. (P) The kingdom prophesied "since the world began" (Luke 1:68-70, Acts3:21).

(M) The body chosen in Christ before the world began, but "kept secret sincethe world began" (Rom. 16:25, Eph.1:4-11, 3:5-9).

5. (P) Israel to be given supremacy over the nations (Isa. 60:10-12, 61:6).

(M) Jew and Gentile placed on the same level before God (Rom. 10:12, 11:32,Eph. 2:16,17).

6. (P) The Gentiles to be blessed through Israel’s instrumentality (Gen.22:17,18, Zech. 8:13).

(M) The Gentiles blessed through Israel’s obstinacy (Acts 13:44-46,Rom. 11:28-32).

7. (P) The Gentiles to be blessed through Israel’s rise (Isa. 60:1-3, Zech. 8:22,23).

(M) The Gentiles blessed throughIsrael’s fall (Acts 28:27,28, Rom.11:11, 12, 15).

8. (P) Prophecy mainly concerns nations as such (Isa. 2:4, Ezek. 37:21, 22).

(M) The mystery concerns individuals (Rom. 10:12, 13, II Cor. 5:14-17).

9. (P) Prophecy concerns blessings, both material and spiritual, on earth (Isa.2:3, 4, 11:1-9, etc.).

(M)The mystery concerns "all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies" (Eph.1:3, Col. 3:1-3).

10. (P) Prophecy concerns Christ’s coming to the earth (Isa. 59:20, Zech. 14:4).

(M)The mystery explains Christ’s present absence from the earth (Eph. 1:20-23, Col. 3:1-3).

11. (P) In prophecy salvation by grace through faith alone is not contemplated.

(M) Salvation by faith alone lies at the very heart of the mystery (Rom. 3:21-26, 4:5, Eph.2:8,9).

12, (P)The proclamation of the prophetic program committed particularly to the twelve (Matt. 10:5-7, Acts 1:6-8, 3:19-26).

(M) The proclamation of the mystery committed particularly to Paul (Eph.3:1-3, 8-9, Col. 1:24-27).

13 (P) The prophetic program revealed through many of God’s servants (Luke 1:70, II Pet. 1:21).

(M) The mystery revealed through one man; Paul (Gal. 1:1, 11, 12, 2:2, 7, 9,Eph. 3:2,3).

14. (P) Old testament writers frequently did not understand the prophecies made known through them (Dan. 12:8-10, 1 Peter 1:10-12).

(M) Paul both understood and longed that others might understand the mystery revealed through him. (Eph.1:15-23, 3:14-21, Col. 1:9 -10, 2:1-3).

I highly recommend that you read this book. It can be read on line and is shown at the end of Brother Love's postings.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Much and Love The Lord!

I'm not sure you understood completely what I was saying, but thats OK.

If you do believe that the 70th week started in Acts 3 you will probably want to start another thread and discuss that there.  I have no intention of debating all the various end-time doctrines here, but rather allowing scripture to demonstrate we are fast approaching the coming of the Lord and His judgment on a Christ rejecting world.   Israel becoming a nation again, is but one indication it is near.

Thanks for your kind words however.

Maranatha!

2nd Timothy posted:

BigD responds:
It appeared to me that you were saying that we are nearing the "end time" of Bible Prophesy, and that by Israel becoming a nation in 1948 was an indication of that. Also you use of -

"Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

I believe these verses are speaking specifically about Israel becoming a nation again.  That generation is alive today, and getting old I might add." -

indicates to me that is exactly what you are saying.

If I have mis-read what you said, then please correct me.

2nd Timothy continues:

BigD responds:
My intention was not to start a debate, but to show you that we are not in the "end time" of Bible prophesy, and that Israel of today is not the God restored Israel of Bible prophesy.

The Israel of today was brought into existance by the workings of man through the UN.  When God restores Israel it will include all the land mentioned in Genesis 15:18.

Also, I tried to point out to you that the "last days" that Peter spoke of in Acts 2 was the beginning of the Tribulation. If you believe that I am in error on that account; then I would appreciate it if you would correct me.

If you would like to make this a debate and start a new thread, then I would be more then willing to discuss this matter there.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!

Moving right along  ;D


To continue this study, I wanted to look into the history of the Esau and Jacob, and how that translates to current world times.   I have been doing quite a bit of reading in Ezekiel, and chapter 35 says some things that raise my eyebrows a bit.

In the OT, Isaac and Rebekah had two sons - twins!   Esau and Jacob.

Gen 25:22  And the sons struggled together within her. And she said, If this is right, why am I this way? And she went to ask Jehovah.
Gen 25:23  And Jehovah said to her, Two nations are in your womb; even two peoples shall break from your body. And one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Gen 25:24  And her days were fulfilled to bear. And behold! Twins were in her womb.
Gen 25:25  And the first came out, all of him red like a hairy robe; and they called his name Esau.
Gen 25:26  And afterward his brother came out, and his hand was holding to the heel of Esau; and his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was a son of sixty years when she bore them.


Jacob went on to have twelve sons, which became the 12 tribes of Israel.  Esau's came to settle in Mount Seir

Gen 36:8  And Esau dwelt on Mount Seir. Esau is Edom.

and his people became known as the Edomites.

Looking at a few maps we can see where the 12 tribes wound up and where Edom is.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/antsy/maptribesofisrael.gif)

Edom is in the lower portion of this map.   Now today, Jordon is largely the remnant of the Edomites and mostly Islamic.  

Current map.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/antsy/Israel-map.gif)


So now what?

We know from scripture that a Jewish temple will be rebuilt at some point on the temple mount, and the Antichrist himself will sit in this temple and declare himself to be God.

2Th 2:4  the one opposing and exalting himself over everything being called God, or object of worship, so as for him "to sit in the temple of God" as God, setting forth himself, that he is God. (also see Dan. 11:36; Eze. 28:2 )

This is all future and has not happened yet.

We also know that the 3rd most holy Isamic place resides in that very spot.  The Dome Of the Rock.   Something has to happen here in order for the Jews to be able to re-build this temple.    Many have speculated that the peace deal the Antichrist will confirm with the Israel will somehow involve a re-building of the temple.   Others think an earthquake or some un-foreseen event will knock down the Dome of the Rock and Israel will seize the mountain.   I don't know how it will happen, but we know that it will happen.  

 I did come across some interesting scripture which I am certainly open for discussion on concerning a possible occurance.   It sounds possible that this may be speaking specifically about the current setting.

Eze 35:1  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 35:2  Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it,

Remember, this is where Esau came to settle earlier....
 
Eze 35:3  And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate.
Eze 35:4  I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

Once again, Edom is largely Jordon in our time.   Looking at it from a spiritual perspective, Jordon is an Islamic nation, including the palestinians.   These people sit in Jordon and the palestinians the west bank.   We also know that they are responsible for many terrorist acts against the Jews.   Read the next few verses...

Eze 35:5  Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:

(the part about calamity and time that their iniquity had an end....I am unable to explain....perhaps when the Jews were scattered and what happend to them by Hitler?)

Eze 35:6  Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee.

Sounding very much like terrorists and events today.

Eze 35:7  Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth.


Interesting language is it not?   So what am I getting at here.   Well, again from a spiritual perspective, the Dome of the Rock is in the hands of these Islamic people (Edomites).  God is going to cut off him that passeth out and him that returneth.   Hmmmm.

There is a verse in Obadiah which is extremely interesting in this regard...

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion (the temple mount) to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD'S.


I have heard it said, that some messianic Jews believe this phrase in Obadiah could be interpreted "to Judge the Dome of the Rock".    

All I can say to that is WOW!   Is it possible we are about to see the Jewish temple guards rush up onto the mountain and seize the Dome of the Rock in order to re-build their temple?   I'm not sure but these passages do make me wonder about this...a lot!

Anyone have any thoughts about this?

Grace and Peace!

I have already stated that I am not going to debate it.  By all means begin your own thread and have at it, if thats your desire.    :)    

Grace and Peace!

2T thank you for this post and taking the time to study all of this. I have read some and have saved it to read later.

Dome of the Rock, walls falling down. I remember reading about this earlier this year.

23 February 2004
The Dome of the Rock is an, Islamic museum in the Western Wall area which had collapsed and about the large bulge in the southern wall of the Temple Mount and the large bulge and crack on the eastern wall of the Temple Mount. We also wrote about the prophetic promises of God that, in the endtimes, He would remove the foreign pagan mosques and the foreigners from His holy mountain, the Temple Mount, through an earthquake. Zechariah prophesied the following endtime Word of God.

Zechariah 14:3-7 "Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand on that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in its midst toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall be moved toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And you shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal; yes, you shall flee, like you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and the Lord my God shall come, and all the holy ones with you. And it shall come to pass on that day, that there shall not be bright light nor thick darkness; But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night; but it shall come to pass, that at evening time there shall be light."

This endtime event has already started. It began with the earthquake of 11 February, the collapse of walls, the bulges, and the crack. It is now focused on the roof of the Dome of the Rock which stands on the holy site of God. We also wrote that seismologists had stated that a major earthquake will occur in the near future in Israel, the center of which will be on the Temple Mount and Jerusalem. The result will be the collapse of all the buildings there. All of this leads to the fulfillment of God's endtime promises and plans for His holy mountain. It is a clear message from the God of Israel that the Third Temple is soon to be rebuilt. All these events will be brought about by God. He is determined to bring His prophetic endtime Word to pass, as He is carrying out His redemptional prophetic endtime events with His people. We are a blessed generation to live and experience the fulfillment of these endtime events. The eyes of everyone should be lifted to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the main focus of all the endtime events. Time is short.

The endtime vessel of God, The Temple Mount and Land of Israel,  which is dedicated to the rebuilding of the Temple in our lifetime, will continue its holy campaign even more intensively to bring its holy cause to pass in the life of our generation as God decided.

Go in peace with God.
Bob
_________________________________
Ha! I found it.
http://www.templemountfaithful.org/News/20040204.htm
Temple Mount Wall Collapses
   After centuries with no structural problems, suddenly walls in the southern area of the Temple Mount are collapsing. Israeli archaeologist Eilat Mazal, who heads a committee for preventing the destruction of antiquities on the Temple Mount, said that the collapsed wall looks terrible and might cause a series of collapses. View of the collapsed wall on the Temple Mount

It is not the first time that something critical has happened recently on the walls of the Temple Mount. On Tisha B’Av 2001 a huge bulge formed on the southern wall of the Temple Mount. The bulge measured 25 meters [82 feet] high and tens of meters wide running westward from the south-eastern corner (the Pinnacle of the Temple) to an area below the El Aqsa mosque, which is built on the southern wall of the Temple Mount. The ancient Herodian wall bulged as much as 90 centimeters [3 feet]. The archaeologists and engineers who checked the bulge said that there is a great danger that the wall will completely collapse and, together with it, the El Aqsa mosque which stands on it. This could happen when the Moslems are praying in the mosque. They also stated that even if the bulge is repaired it will not hold for long and the wall will collapse in any case. However, Jordanian engineers were finally brought in to repair the southern wall.

It was so special that the bulge happened immediately after the Temple Mount Faithful carried the cornerstone for the Third Temple to the area in front of the southern wall of the Temple Mount. There is no doubt that this was the Hand of G-d. He will no longer permit the foreign pagan Arab Islamic existence on the Temple Mount, their terrible desecration of His holy hill, and their efforts to destroy the holy remains of the First and Second Temples. They are trying in this way convert the holy hill of the G-d and people of Israel to an Islamic site and deny the existence of the Temples on the Temple Mount. For this reason they also changed the so-called Solomon’s Stables and the Hulda hall and entrance from the Second Temple complex into Islamic mosques.

We should mention that not long before the appearance of the bulge on the southern wall, a crack appeared in the eastern wall not far from the original, real Eastern Gate which is also called the Shushan Gate or Golden Gate. In their 2002 diggings from the inner side of the eastern wall, G-d surprised them by revealing the Shushan Gate. The Arabs who were digging there understood the significance of the appearance of this G-dly gate through which they knew so well that Mashiach ben David would enter. As a result they immediately covered it up again.

In recent years water suddenly appeared in the historical area of the Temple. Water again appeared in 2002 on one of the stones of the Western Wall. The Moslems on the Temple Mount who could not stop the water redirected it under the ground. Through this water the prophecy of Ezekiel 47 concerning the water which would come out from the Temple Mount and flow to the Dead Sea area as a sign of redemption in the end-times, started to become a reality:

"And he brought me back to the door of the house; and, behold, waters flowed from under the threshold of the house eastward; for the front of the house faced to the east, and water run out from beneath the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. ... And by the stream, upon its bank, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for food, whose leaf shall not wither, nor shall its fruit fail; it shall bring forth fresh fruit every month, because the waters for them flow from the sanctuary; and their fruit shall be for food, and their leaves for healing." (Ezekiel 47:1,12)

Since the Arab Islamic foreign occupation of the land of Israel, Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount — after building the mosque and Dome of the Rock, it was a Jewish tradition that in the time of the redemption of Israel when the people of Israel again dwell in the land and the State of Israel is re-established, the G-d of Israel will cause a strong earthquake which will completely remove these foreign houses of pagan worship from the Temple Mount. The Temple Mount will be ready for the rebuilding for the building of the Third Temple. A few days ago, scientists stated that a very strong earthquake will occur in the coming future and the epicenter of the earthquake will be on the Temple Mount and the Old City. The prophet Zechariah prophesied about an earthquake which would take place in the end-times:

"And his feet shall stand on that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in its midst toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall be moved toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And you shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal; yes, you shall flee, like you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and the L-rd my G-d shall come, and all the holy ones with you. And it shall come to pass on that day, that there shall not be bright light nor thick darkness; But it shall be one day which shall be known to the L-rd, not day, nor night; but it shall come to pass, that at evening time there shall be light." (Zechariah 14:4-7)

Zechariah also prophesied about the water that would go out from Jerusalem as another sign of redemption and then G-d would be the One G-d of all the universe and all the nations who will accept Him and then strangers will no longer be on the Temple Mount:

"And it shall be on that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea; in summer and in winter shall it be. And the L-rd shall be king over all the earth; on that day the L-rd shall be one, and his name one. ... and on that day there shall not be Canaanite any more in the house of the L-rd of hosts." (Zechariah 14:8,9,21b)

The collapse of walls on the Temple Mount, and all the other signs that were mentioned above, are very clear signs that the foreign pagan presence on the Temple Mount is about to be removed. G-d has started to prepare His holy hill for Israel to purify it and to build the Temple. The Hand of G-d continues to appear again and again in Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, as well as over all the land of Israel, calling the Israeli Government to do what He expects of them to do: to purify the Temple Mount and immediately rebuild the house of G-d. This will open the Eastern Gate for the coming of Mashiach ben David.

Click the link above to finish reading.

Praise God for he is worthy.
Bob

Good post DW.   Many have thought it will be an earthquake that brings it down, and it very well could be.  I am currious to see how it all happens.   My one question about that is, if an earthquake does bring it down, something in addition has to take place, as the Muslims will still view that site (even if a pile of rubble  ;) ) as theirs.   I could see the Israeli's taking advantage of such a thing and re-claiming the land by force.  That would certainly cause world view to sharpen against Israel.   Will be interesting to watch how God brings this about.

Grace and Peace!

The_8th_Person,

Thanks for your words.   I enjoy looking into these things in scripture.   I certainly hope this will spur study in the word.  I too am still looking at much of this and praying about it.   Gods own word certainly has the final say so.   These posts are just to encourage study.

Grace and Peace!

Something in the back of my mind. Is saying that the anti-christ has a hand in the Jews rebuilding the temple. I don't know if I read it in the Bible, or a book. Hmmmmmmm, I think I need to research that.

In the arms of Jesus.
Bob

Red Heifer Born in Israel!

In these days of difficulty for the Land of Israel, there is encouraging news as well... It can now be revealed that less than one month ago, a red heifer was born in Israel. After the heifer's owner contacted the Temple Institute, on Friday, April 5th, 2002, Rabbi Menachem Makover and Rabbi Chaim Richman traveled to the farm where the heifer is located, to inspect and validate her status.


Red HeiferThe rabbis found her to be kosher and were satisfied that this heifer could indeed be a candidate to be used in the process of purification described in the book of Numbers, chapter 19. This is a prerequisite for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple.

Tradition records that a red heifer in our generation is a herald of the Messianic era. It is certainly an important development towards the rebuilding of the Holy Temple. Our sages taught that Israel’s redemption can be compared to the dawn. "In the beginning, it progresses very slowly...but as it continues, it grows brighter and brighter."

The birth of a red heifer in Israel is being hailed by religious Jews as a divine sign that work can soon begin on building the Third Temple in Jerusalem.

A team of rabbinical experts confirmed that the animal, born on April 15, 1997 on a religious kibbutz near the north Israeli port of Haifa, meets the correct Biblical criteria for a genuine holy cow. According to the Book of Numbers (XIX: 2-7), the animal is needed for an ancient Jewish purification ritual.
NOVEMBER, 1998 : The latest news to hand as at November, 1998 is that the Red Heifer calf born on April 15, 1997 has been declared unclean.

A spot of white was found on the animal and accordingly the Rabbis have declared it unfit for the sanctification of the Priesthood.

"Speak unto the children of Israel that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke," says the fourth book of the Old Testament, also part of Jewish holy scripture, the Torah.

A Red HeiferThe heifer will be slaughtered and burned, and its ashes made into a liquid paste and used in a ceremony which religious Jews believe they must undergo before they can enter the old Temple site in Jerusalem to start building a new structure.

Since Herod's Temple was destroyed by the Roman emperor Titus in AD 70, no flawless red heifer has been born within the biblical land of Israel, according to rabbinical teaching.

The birth of the animal, to a black-and-white mother and a dun-coloured bull, is being hailed as a "miracle" by activists who want to rebuild the Third Temple and prepare the way for the Jewish messiah's entry to Jerusalem.

The faithful will need to wait until the heifer is at least three before it can be used in a ritual sacrifice. That would enable religious Jews to start the new millennium (a Christian event, but still regarded as portentous) in a state of purity.

News of the red heifer's appearance, however, will not be well received by Muslims. The site of the old Jewish temples in the Holy City is now occupied by one of Islam's holiest shrines, the Dome of the Rock. Jewish extremists want to destroy the Dome and the adjoining Al-Aqsa mosque to make way for a new temple. In 1985 a group of Jewish terrorists were jailed in Israel for planning to destroy the Dome with high explosives.

Western Wall in Jerusalem But Jewish activists say they regard it as their divine mission to build a new Temple. "We have been waiting 2,000 years for a sign from God, and now he has provided us with a red heifer," said Yehudah Etzion, the ringleader of the Eighties' plot to blow up the Dome, who was present at last week's inspection of the red heifer at Kfar Hassidim. "There were a couple of little white hairs which worried us, but the rabbis are satisfied that it is the red heifer referred to in the Bible," said Etzion. (SUNDAY TELEGRAPH)"


http://members.ozemail.com.au/~adamgosp/heifer.htm

Not sure about the rebuilding of the temple....but one verse that seems to jump out at me regarding the current talks of land for peace and the division of Israels land is...

Dan 11:39  Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

If this verse means what I think it means, any succesful land for peace deal will most likely come from the AC himself, not the Quartets road map for peace...who knows?  Whether or not that deal includes a rebuilding of the temple is not clear in scripture to me, but its no an unreasonable suggestion.

Grace and Peace!

11/22/2004 9:08 PM

As attacks rise in France, Jews flock to Israel
By Andrea Stone, USA TODAY
JERUSALEM — Barbara and Moshe Journo left Lyons, France, with their 1-year-old daughter, Lital, four months ago to move into a cramped apartment at the Beit Canada Absorption Center here. They have no jobs, little money and despite intensive Hebrew immersion remain more inclined to answer yes with a oui than a ken.

But like thousands of other French Jews who have moved to Israel in the past four years, they are glad to be here. Back in France, they say, rising anti-Semitic attacks by Muslim immigrants and the anti-Israel bias of the French government and media had made life increasingly uncomfortable for them.

"We want our daughter to grow up in Israel and not France, (where) it's dangerous because of the Arabs," says Barbara, 28. Asked if suicide bombings here by Palestinian terrorists aren't even more dangerous, she shakes her head. "Israel is ours," she says. "We feel here that God helps us."

Last week, Jews from 23 countries were living at the new immigrant complex in southern Jerusalem. But only the French — usually a third of the families who spend six months here adjusting to their new country — cite anti-Semitism as a prime motivator for emigrating, known here as "making Aliyah," or "going up."

"It's there in the air" of France, says Ahuva Volk, the center's cultural coordinator. "They all felt it at one time or another."

Sunday, French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin marked the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Strasbourg from Adolf Hitler's troops with a speech that condemned the increase of anti-Semitic and other hate crimes in France. Last month, 88 tombs in a Jewish cemetery in Brumath, near Strasbourg, were painted with swastikas and "SS" initials.

"The wrong committed here is too deep for the state not to react with extreme severity and firmness toward all those who are nostalgic for racism and anti-Semitism," Rafarrin said.

Anti-Semitic incidents are not confined to France. Thursday, an Orthodox Jew was shot and killed in Antwerp, Belgium.

Increased attacks on Jews

A dwindling number of émigrés from the former Soviet Union and the 4-year-old Palestinian uprising have reduced immigration to Israel. But the number of French Jews making Aliyah is rising.

Since 2001, more than 2,000 French Jews have arrived each year, double the rate of the 1990s and more than from any other single country, says the Jewish Agency, the quasi-governmental agency that oversees immigration and absorption. That's a far larger proportion than from the USA, home to 10 times more Jews. There are about 600,000 Jews in France (about 1% of the population) vs. 6 million in the USA. France has the world's third-largest Jewish community after the USA and Israel.

Although most come here for religious or ideological reasons, the recent influx stems directly from increased attacks against Jewish schools, synagogues and cemeteries, and harassment of Orthodox Jews. Jewish leaders complain that few cases are prosecuted.

The number of violent anti-Semitic attacks in France increased to 193 in 2002 from 32 in 2001, and anti-Semitic attacks accounted for half of all racist attacks in France in 2002, according to a report by France's National Consulting Committee on Human Rights, an independent watchdog group. In 2003, the number of attacks fell to 125, according to the committee.

Some of the perpetrators are Muslims who sympathize with the Palestinian cause. They are among as many as 6 million Arab immigrants from North Africa who make up about 10% of France's population.

Much of the French Jewish community shares those roots. About 70% are one or two generations removed from Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. But the increasing Arab population has convinced many "that the game is over for the Jew" in France, says Avi Zana, director of the Jewish Agency's European desk. Volk says nearly every French émigré family arrives with stories of persecution.

"France is an Arab country. That's enough for us to leave," says Moshe Bendrihem, 50, a Morrocan-born Jew who moved from a Paris suburb four years ago to Eli, a West Bank settlement. Bendrihem wears a skullcap, or kippah. He didn't always. "It is impossible to wear a kippah in France," he said, for fear of being singled out for attack.

At a welcoming ceremony for 200 French Jews this summer, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon advised all French Jews to "move immediately" to Israel. The comment enraged French officials.

But there is no doubt that anti-Zionism has morphed into anti-Semitism in many parts of France. Jews complain that French media rarely display the same level of outrage over anti-Jewish violence by French Muslims as Israeli attacks against Palestinians here. The Jewish community was infuriated that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was treated at a French military hospital, where French President Jacques Chirac paid a visit.

"Paris became the capital of Palestine" for two weeks, Zana says. Such events "are one other fact that goes into the decision" to leave France for Israel, he says.

The mutual admiration is apparent in the Palestinian territories, where French flags and portraits of Chirac adorn storefronts. After Arafat died Nov. 11, the French president eulogized the man the United States and Israel blamed for terrorist attacks against Israelis as "a man of courage and conviction."

Gerard Araud, France's ambassador to Israel, says his country "is neither better nor worse than other European countries" when it comes to anti-Semitism. He blames anti-Jewish violence in part on "a transfer from the intifada (uprising) to the suburbs of European cities." Araud says France has increased penalties for hate crimes, added school programs that teach tolerance and worked with Israel to shut down anti-Semitic Web sites.

The law of return

France has had a mixed record in its treatment of Jews. In the early 19th century, Emperor Napoleon emancipated European Jewry, removing economic and social restraints that had confined them to ghettos. In 1936, Leon Blum became France's first Jewish prime minister.

But Blum was later arrested and turned over to the Germans by the French Vichy government, which collaborated with the Nazis during World War II, when tens of thousands of Jews were deported to death camps. "To remember this period is very, very difficult for the Jews," Zana says. They think, "If they (did) it before, it's possible they will do it again."

French anti-Semitism helped spur the creation of Israel. As a journalist in Paris in 1894, Theodor Herzl reported on the trial of Alfred Dreyfus, an army officer falsely accused of treason mainly because he was Jewish. Two years later, the father of Zionism published The Jewish State. It said Jews could only be safe in a country of their own.

French Jews are among many who have taken advantage of Israel's law of return, which guarantees every Jew the right to become an Israeli citizen. French TV stations now share the dial with Russian channels here. French language bookstores have opened in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Now, real estate offices post door signs saying, "On Parle Français."

"Because of the political situation in France, I feel a real increase of interest from the French Jews to come here," says Mikael Azran, owner of Hamishkenote real estate here. He says business has soared in the past two years, with 80% of his French clients buying property as a hedge against worsening conditions at home.

Many French Jews buy small pieds-a-terre they can trade in for bigger homes if they decide to immigrate here later. The buying spree has forced real estate prices to climb in areas favored by the French: Jerusalem, Netanya north of Tel Aviv, the port city of Ashdod and the Red Sea resort of Eilat.

"They buy for security," says Lev Stern, 59, as he browses magazines at Vice-Versa, the French bookstore here. "It's like insurance."

Interest in the Jewish state can be gauged by the number of visitors. Nearly 200,000 French tourists came to Israel in the first nine months of 2004, a 74% jump over the same period last year. "Many want to feel closer to Israel," says Leon Rozenbaum, president of Unifan, a French immigrants association here. "They want to look at what could be a future in Israel."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2004-11-22-jews-france_x.htm

Normally I don't look to USA Today, because of their liberlism.
Bob

DreamWeaver,

Brother, I'm reading more and more about persecution of Jews, but the same is true for Christians. There is a growing thought that Christians are ignorant, people to be ignored, even in America. France is not alone in the persecution of Jews. That appears to be almost a global problem, except in America. It should be painfully obvious that a lot of the hate against America is because of our support for Israel. As an individual, my support for Israel will not change. My primary reason is the Holy Bible and Bible prophecy that I know will be fulfilled. I've said this before, and I meant it: If I had to go to war involving Israel, I would be fighting on the side of Israel. It's true that they would need a wheelchair brigade for me to be much use.   :D

So far, it is impossible to ignore Christians in America, and it is also impossible to silence us. However, that doesn't mean the devil will quit trying.

Love In Christ,
Tom

For an interesting view of Israel's History and an interactive explainer of the current Road map for peace, I found these to be very interesting...


Interactive Road to Peace explainer (http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/mideast/interactive/mideast.explainer/frameset.exclude.html), Sound and images.

History of Israel (http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/mideast/interactive/timeline/frameset.exclude.html)  Ranging from From 1,000 BC to current.

History and Prophecy buffs alike should really enjoy these.

Grace and Peace!

The return of the one pure language, Hebrew.
Zephaniah 3:9  "For then I will return to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent."

Prior to the restoration of Israel in 1948, Hebrew was a dead language. Now Hebrew is spoken throughout Israel.

Apperance of the red heifer, after 2000 years.
Numbers 19:2-7 "This is the statute of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying, "Speak to the sons of Israel that they bring you an unblemished red heifer in which is no defect and on which a yoke has never been placed. "You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and it shall be brought outside the camp and be slaughtered in his presence. Next Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. "Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight; its hide and its flesh and its blood, with its refuse, shall be burned. "The priest shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward come into the camp, but the priest shall be unclean until evening."

Ethiopian Jews return to Israel.
Zephaniah 3:10-11 "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, My dispersed ones, will bring My offerings. In that day you will feel no shame because of all your deeds by which you have rebelled against Me; For then I will remove from your midst your proud, exulting ones, and you will never again be haughty on My holy mountain."

In 1984, Operation Moses saw the airlift of 15,000 Jews who had already fled to refugee camps in Sudan to escape starvation. In 1991, Operation Solomon flew 20,000 Jews to Israel from Ethiopia itself. A further airlift began in June of 1999, aimed at transporting the last 3,000 members of the Quara Jewish community from northeastern Ethiopia to Israel.

Russian Jews return to Israel.
Jeremiah 23:7-8 "Therefore behold, the days are coming declares the Lord, when they will no longer say, as the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, but as the Lord lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I have driven them. Then they will live on their own soil."

In the 1970's and 1980's there was a mass exodus of Russian Jews out of Communist Russia. In 1999 the Associated Press reported a dramatic increase in the number of Jewish immigrants from Russia, bringing the largest number of Russian Jews to Israel since the early 1990's.

Resting in the arms of Jesus.
Bob

I've been furthering my research on Israel and the promised land.  I wanted to deepen this study with a bit of history and more scripture I have located.

History of the land.

The first commonwealth of Israel,

Joshua to Saul, to David, to Solomon, and down to Zedekiah.   The state of Israel came into being from 1,097 BCE and lasted down to 606 BCE – 490 years.   This period of sojourn marked the first possession of the land.

Nebuchadnezzar – King of Babylon conqured Israel in 606BC and destroyed Jerusalem 19 years later in 587BC.   This era of captivity lasted 70 years, from 606BC – 535BC and marked the first uprooting or scattering of Israel.   1st scattering was not world-wide, but localized – in Babylon!

Persian King Darrius Decreed Jews could return to Jerusalem.   Ezra 7 and Nehemiah 2 record the decree of Artaxerxes referred to in Daniel, that established the timeline for the first coming of messiah – 445BC.   Decree also enabled a remnant of Israel to be reconstituted back to the promised land.  This marked the 2nd possession of the land.


Jesus appeared the first time while Israel was under Roman occupation Daniel 9:25

(Christ was caught up to heaven.)

Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.



The great dispora 2nd scattering took place in 70AD.

You will note that this uprooting scattered the Jews world wide, unlike the first which was localized.

Eze 22:15  And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee.

Amo 9:9  For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.


Eze 36:19  And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.

Deu 28:64  And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

Now comes a long period of land changing hands many times.  From the 7th century through roughly 1917 the land is owned mainly by Islamic people.

THEN.....

UN partitions the land.

In November 29, 1947 UN resolution 181 and later 191 was to partition the land and preserve Jerusalem as a global Holy City.

Joe 3:1  For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
Joe 3:2  I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

Future still...

Amo 9:15  And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.


Israel is recovered for a second time in May 14 1948!

Isa 11:10  And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign (flag/banner) of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Isa 11:11  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.   (the world!)

WOW!!!!   I had never even noticed this before.  Powerful and detailed right from the word of God!


As soon as Israel declares itself independent in 1948, 5 Arab nations rejected Israel’s right to existence.  Egypt, Jordon, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq all attacked Israel in an attempt to annihilate them at that time.

Psa 83:4  They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
Psa 83:5  For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:

All these peoples named in the verses that follow can be traced to the 5 Arab nations mentioned above!  

WOW AGAIN!!!  Israel repelled the attack and remained.    


Zec 12:2  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.
Zec 12:3  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.


Rome, UN, Vatican, EU, the entire Arab world, are all burdened with Israel’s existence.  The world is focused on little Israel in order to bring about peace!   The UN stated that Israel is the biggest problem to world peace.   When viewed through glasses of scripture and history, the odds are getting very very slim here that this is all happen stance.    God is not finished with Israel.   The whole world is against Israel, and America who supports her.   Is this any coincidence?   This is what world wide terrorism is all about.  Israel and we who support her right to be a nation.



History – Various happenings in the mid east, or attempts to force peace.

Suez 1956 Arab - Israeli war.
6 day war 1967
Yom Kippur war 1973
Camp David 1978
Lebanese war 1982
Gulf war I 1991
Oslo accord 1993
Arab uprising 2001
Gulf war II 2003
Roadmap to peace 2003 – 2004

Still trying to part the land in order to bring about peace.  Not going to happen till Jesus brings peace, and even that will cause a world war against Christ and His people…AKA Armageddon.




Peace and Security – signs

Luk 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

The Greek word for Perplexity in this passage is– apora, which = quandary.   How fitting is that.  The world is in a hopeless quandary searching for lasting peace and security, and it's all related to Israel being a little tiny Nation right in the middle of it all.

World concerns?

WMD’s
Atomic Weapons
Terrorism
Peace in Israel

You betcha!

The worlds lust for peace without God will send it headlong into the trap that awaits them.

Dan 8:25  And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.


1Th 5:2  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.


We have a revived Roman Empire in the EU.  They have even called themselves by this name!  
We have a leader who is overseeing the EU and it's foreign policy.
We have Israel restored as a nation.
We have world leaders who ALL see Israel as key issue to peace and security. Perplexed!

This is just a small list…


Folks, we are headed for home plate.   Scripture outlines these events down to the smallest details.   The fine details are even coming into view now.   Lift up your heads and rejoice, for your redemption draweth neigh!

Grace and Peace!

2nd Timothy & Dreamweaver,

Thanks brothers. All I can say is, "WOW! - awesome!"

I said that I would try to catch up with the prophecy threads, and I will try. My pile of notes and portions of Scripture that I want to study are getting pretty deep.   :D  However, Bible study is one of my favorite things, so pile it on.

The key issues in Bible prophecy always includes Israel either at the top or near the top of the list. We actually live in a time not prophesied by the Old Testament Prophets. It's fascinating to know that we live between Daniel's 69th and 70th week, a time in human history only described in detail by the Apostle Paul.

Some of the things that have confused people for centuries are being fulfilled and WILL BE MOST DEFINITELY fulfilled to the letter of the Holy Bible. Daniel's 70th Week is near. The world has never known such horror, wrath, devastation, and death, and tiny Israel will be the center focus for the entire world.

Brothers, there isn't much left to be fulfilled until the 70th Week begins.

Love In Christ,
Tom

BEP posted

BigD responds:
My Bible teaches me that the 70th week of Daniel (the Tribulation) had already started in Acts 2. In verses 15-20 Peter is telling his listeners that the Tribulation has already started. He is quoting Joel 2:28-32 almost word for word. Joel is speaking of the 70th week of Daniel 9.

Peter knew exactly where he was in the timetable of prophesy of Prophesy because he and the other disciples were speaking "as the Spirit gave the utterance" (Acts 2:4). Further, before Jesus returned to heaven, He had opened the understanding of the OT Scriptures to all His disciples (Luke 24:45).

The Tribulation, which is to last 7 years, started at Pentecost, but was interrupted after God set the nation of Israel aside after the stoning of Stephen. It will resume when this dispensation of grace is ended by the rapture of the Chruch, the Body of Christ.

While Jesus was ministering upon the earth, the dispensation of the Law was in effect, and was in effect until God set the nation of Israel aside. The setting aside of Israel interrupted the dispensation of the Law. God then raised up Saul/Paul to usher in this dispensation of grace, which cannot be found in prophesy. This dispensation of grace is a "(parenthetical)" period with in the dispensation of the Law.

When this dispensation comes to a close, the dispensation of the Law and the Tribulation will resume. The "so called" great commission will again be able to be carried out.

There are many authors and raido/TV Bible "end time" preachers  to like to make the events of today fit Bible prophesy. They make for very interesting reading and listening, but there is no "end time prophesy" being fulfilled today in this dispensation of grace. However, there are many events taking place today that are leading up to the fulfillment of end time prophesies.

The only event that must take place prior to the Tribulation being resumed is the rapture of the Church. When Paul speaks of the "last days," he is speaking of the last days of the dispensation of grace.

When Paul mentions "the trump of God" in 1Thess4:16, he cannot referring to the 7th trump in the book of the Revelation, because, the book of the Revelation hadn't been written yet.

From my studies of the Bible I too believe that this dispensation of grace is in it's last days, and the rapture is near. However, it could still go on for several more years, or it could end before you even read what I have just written, or evern sooner.

From reading the "end time series," I do find them very interesting to read, but trying to read the happenings of today into them, is pure speculation.

They remind me a great deal of Jack Van Impe. I do have a booklet that he wrote in the 1970's. In it he is explaining how the events of that day (oil crisis and all/monetary infalation and high interests rates) were the fulfillment of prophesy and were ushering in the "last days." Well, those events have concluded and we are still here. I still listen to him occasionally, and find that is is still trying to fit the happenings of today into endtime prophesy.

I find the passage in Luke 13:6-9 very interesting as to the setting aside of Israel and the events leading up to it.

Luke 13:6 He (Jesus) spake also this parable; A certain man (God) had a fig tree (Isreal) planted in his vineyard (earthly creation); and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
7 Then said he (God) unto the dresser of his vineyard (Jesus), Behold, these three years (the earthly ministry of Jesus) I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
8 And he (Jesus) answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: (The "fertilizer here, I do believe, is the power of the HOly Spirit that was given at Pentecost. The "year" is the time from Pentecost until the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7; at which time God set the nation of Israel aside.
9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. (Israel, as a nation, did not bear fruit and was set aside [Romans 11:7-12].)

With the setting aside of Israel, the "end time timetable" has been stopped, and won't resume until after the rapture of the Chruch, the Body of Christ.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!

BigD,

Brother, we agree on the biggest and most important things of His Word, and we can pleasantly agree to disagree on what remains. I'm not suggesting that Bible Prophecy isn't big and important, rather that disagreement on some prophecy details is not a Salvation issue. Another example of this is the timing of the RAPTURE. I have really enjoyed studying several stances on the RAPTURE, and the same is true for end time Bible Prophecy.

Brother, I will study the issue you just raised. I find it fascinating and love to study the Bible, so please post some more. An exchange of varying thoughts and opinions will enhance the Bible study. I certainly think that we can do that without turning it into a debate. I would simply say thanks for adding to the portions of Scripture that I want to study.

Love In Christ,
Tom

BEP:
THANK YOU for your interesting reply.

Isn't is GREAT that our salvation is based upon our relationship with God and not on every point of doctrine.

For us believers, if still alive, the blessed hope of the rapture will be our rescue from the Tribulation.

Many today teach and preach that when Jesus came on earth, that He was offering His Kingdom to Israel and that When Peter offered the Kingdom in Acts 3:19, 20, that it was the 2nd offer of the kingdom. For this view, I cannot find any Scriptural support. I have even heard some say that it was the third offer of the Kingdom.

I can find that the Kingdom was promised to Israel way back in the Old Testament, and even Paul says in Romans 15:8 that Jesus came to fulfill the promises made to the fathers. Also, we know that it was the time for the Kingdom to be established because the King had arrived and was born in Bethleham. However, I cannot find where Jesus ever made the offer.

We know from prophesy that two events must happen prior to the Kingdom being established. Israel must go through the Tribulation and the Mesiah must suffer.

Speaking of Himself, Jesus says in Luke 17:25 "But first must he (the Messiah) suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation."

Based on the above, there was no way that Jesus could make an offer of the Kingdom at that time.

At the time of Pentecost, we know that the Messiah completed His rejection and suffering. Peter, knowing the Scriptures, now is telling his listeners that the Tribulation has already started. Therfore, he could make an offer of the Kingdom, based upon their repentance. Had Israel repented, then the Tribulation would have continued for the 7 year duration and Jesus would have returned. However, as I have stated previously, it was interrupted with the setting aside of the nation Israel; after the stoning of Stepen

There is another thing I find in the book Luke that I find very interesting.

Luke 4:17 And there was delivered unto him (Jesus) the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken  hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 and he bagan to say unto them This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Jesus is reading from Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

After comparing the two above passages, notice where Jesus left off reading and closed the book. It is between the phrases "To preach the acceptable year of the Lord" and "and the day of vengeance of our God;"

Had Jesus read "and the day of vengeance of our God," He would not have been able to say in Luke 4:21 "This day is this scriopture fulfilled in your ears, because "the day of vengeance of our God" is The Tribulation. The acceptable year of the Lord is every year.

This dispensation of Grace cannot be found in prophesy, but I do believe that it fits right in between "the acceptable year of the Lord" and "the day of vengeance of our God.

Looking forward to you response.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Much and Love The Lord!

BigD,

I've just spent several hours with my grandson, so I'm too tired to do much tonight.   :D  It's a good tired though.

I believe that the Apostle Paul explains the dispensation of Grace quite well, and the answer for why this dispensation is not included in Old Testament Prophecy is also explained. Many of the things of Christ were a mystery not made known to men of other ages. The dispensation of Grace is now, and that's what the Apostle Paul calls it. In terms of Daniel's time-line, I believe that our current time falls between the 69th & 70th week. I have many reasons for this belief, but one of the most simple reasons is that the Dispensation of God's Grace is not a part of Daniel's time-line. Further, there is ample reason to believe that many things of Christ were a mystery to other New Testament writers until Paul preached them. Please don't get the wrong idea that I'm suggesting ONLY the study of Paul's writings, because I would believe otherwise. I believe that the entire Bible has great value for study.

We agree completely that Israel was put aside, and it will remain so until the "fullness of the Gentiles be come in." I think that time draws near. I believe that the Tribulation Period is a literal 7 year period of time, and I don't think that time has arrived. I'll have to study the possibility of an interrupted Tribulation Period before I would have much of a comment on that. Many years of previous Bible study would make me believe differently than you do, but I'm open to study and will do so at my first opportunity.

Love In Christ,
Tom

BEP:
THANKS for your reply.

Can understand what grand-children can do. For now, it is my great-grand-daughter that is quite capable of doing that. Her younger sister isn't quite old enough to do that YET.

My views concerning the Tribulation period matched yours some years age, but Bible study has changed my views. Being I am still in the learning mode, they could possibly be changed again, or at least modified. The more I study the Bible, the more I learn. It is a never ending process. Participating in these forums have broadened my knowledge of the Bible and what other doctrines are out there. I enjoy discussing the issues when we differ. Some call it "debate"/"argue", whereas I prefer to call it "discussion".

My personal belief is that when one says that they do not want to debate/agrue with me; it usually means that they can't defend their position. I try extremely hard to only present my views that I am prepared to defend.

God Bless, and continue to enjoy you grand-son. Had I have know that grand-children could be so much fun, I would have had them first.

Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!



Am looking forward to what you further study

Since Arafat, is out of the way I have been thinking alot how this could bring the Anti-Messiah onto the scene. The Israelis wanting peace with the Arabs this time line between now and possibly few more years can bring the false messiah. We're living in Prophecy as we speak with the Remenant of the Jewish people coming from the North and from all over the world. The Israelis will do almost anything for peace sadly to say most of your secular israelis want to give part of it to the arabs to give up the Jewish land that God which He has inscribed His name and invoked His name In Jerusalem, Israel. And we know by the Old Covenant, that they are not to sell there land to foreigners which the arabs are by scriptural standards since nobody wants the land but the arabs.
I, believe this is the time to watch out for the arab false messiah to appear anytime. Since we're living in prophecy that is happening all around Israel everyday we need to look up to the eastern sky and remeber that are redemption is near. We need to pray that the temple mount will collapse soon and with the arabs building more mosque underneath the temple mount, it will speedily cause it's collapse.
But i look to that earthquake that will cause it to fully collapse so that the Messiah can rebuild the 3rd Jewish Temple. Then afterwards the false messiah will declare the false peace treaty for one week {of years}. For half of the week he will put a stop to the sacrifice and the grain offering.

The last desolation of abominations occured either 1st or 2nd temple. A pig was placed onto the altar causing this desolation of abominations. As well as there enemies set up altars for there idols and burnt incense at the doors of their houses and in the streets.

Nice try!  :)   My personal belief is to search the word for truth, not arguing the finer points in an attempt to prove ones knowledge.     Knowledge comes from the Lord, not arguing.   I'm sorry your desire is to debate me.   My desire is to understand Gods word, not views.   If my views don't match up to yours, rather than attempting to prove me wrong, prove yourself right by your own study of the word.  If you find that I am indeed wrong, then you might pray for me that the Holy Spirit would teach me a better understanding than I currently have.   This would be far more beneficial and adult like than weilding our pride and so called knowledge in an attempt to press our views as correct.   I don't think I ever said once in any of my threads that my views are absolute.  I still seek understanding just like you.   So since neither of us have absolute truth apart from trust in the Lord, lets instead pray for one another and continue to seek truth....IN HIS WORD!

If you still desire debate I certainly cannot stop you, but my peace is not dependant on it.

May God richly bless you!

BigD,

I would agree completely with 2nd Timothy, and I appreciate your blunt statement above. It simply means that I have nothing to discuss with you, but not for the reasons you state.

I've been involved in many debates during the past, and there was a common denominator with many of them:  (1) someone got their feelings hurt;  (2) the argument or debate did not honor God, rather the ego of one or more participants;  (3) everyone was wrapped up in themselves with no interest in learning or study.

2 Timothy 2:14  Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

That pretty much sums it up for me, so we have nothing to discuss.

Love In Christ,
Tom

2T & BEP:
When I responded to your postings, I was not looking for a debate as to whether or not the Tribulation started in Acts 2:15-20. I was expressing my views. You will notice, that I gave Scriptural support as to how I arrived at my point of view.

As I am also a student of the Scriptures, I do a considerable amount of reading from different authors. My personal library of books by Bible commentators number well over 50. Some I would agree with the far majority of the time, Some I agree with in some areas, and some views I totally reject. My bench mark is the Bible in considering what the authors say. By reading all of the books plus the Bible, my knowledge of the Bible has been broadened.

My view of the Tribulation starting at Penatecost is based on Scripture. You both feel that we are in between the 69th and 70th week of Dainel's prophesy. Although I held that view for many many years, It was not based upon Scripture. It was what I was taught and wanted to believe. Neither of you have shown me from Scripture that my presenat view is wrong.

When, and if either of you two gentlemen can show me that my view is in error, I will be more then willing to change my views. Many of the views I hold today are far from what I was taught as a child and early adulthood.

My early religious background is that I came from a strong Calvinistic family and educated in the Calvinist "Christian School". In fact, two of my father's first cousins were professors at Calvin College. One was even honored by have a "house" named after him. I believed and wanted to believe everything I was taught, and very proud of my religious background.

From studying the Bible and reading and listening to different comentations, my views have changed constantly. The views I hold today are the result of much study. Previously I had found the Bible to be a contradictory and confusing book. As a result of my search for truth and studying, the Bible is now much more understandable and a joy to study. I can now understand God's Plan for the Ages.

I would really appreciate it if either, or both, of you would take the time and explain to why you feel that my view of the Tribulation starting a Pentecost is in error. Like I have said earlier, "I am still in the learning mode." I would not consider it a "debate" but and educational dialogue.

If I have given either, or both, of you gentlemen the impression that I wanted to debate/argue, it was not my intention. I am VERRY SORRY if I have given you that impression. However, I do enjoy discussing Scriptural topics.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!

BigD, this is nothing against you. It is not an attack, or a put down.

The reason I will not debate you, is you get people confused, least you confuse me. You have a habit of turning things around. Where you confuse me, every single time. To where the orginal post doesn't read anything like it was posted, and means something different to me.

I know you are a debater, and thats fine. I myself, will not debate you. I under stand the Bible, maybe not to the degree you understand, it. My understanding, is to seek the truth, not to confuse believers. More often simple is best, remember that we do have 8 year old children reading these posts. When you confuse a child, they wonder, whats going on.

Resting in the Lords arms.
Bob

When was the last time a debate has changed your views brother?  I have already stated my views in this very thread and you have already said you disagree, yet you insist you are right and I am wrong.   There is nothing more to say except we disagree.  God alone is right, and we struggle to understand the simple things.  We all acknowledge that Gods word is the benchmark of truth, yet we arrive at differing views.  Will that be settled by debate, or much prayer, seeking, and teaching, from the Holy Spirit and His word?   All truth seekers should know this answer.

Stick to the benchmark which you acknowledge.   This is the truth that changes mens hearts with power, and what truth seekers eagerly hunger for.   Debate only proves who uses the language better, not who really understands.  Look to the Truth Giver and the word to test your views, because His word alone is everlasting.

Blessings!

Nov. 28, 2004 21:55
Shalom calls EU pro-Palestinan
By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom Sunday accused the European Union of bias in favor of the Palestinians, hours before leaving to attend a meeting of European and Arab foreign ministers in the Netherlands.

EU officials have said they see Yasser Arafat's death on Nov. 11 as providing a window of opportunity for renewed Mideast peace efforts.

European diplomats have stepped up contacts over the past two weeks. "I believe it shows that the EU would like to get involved in a peace process in the region," Shalom told a conference of overseas supporters of Israel in Jerusalem Sunday.

He repeated, however, Israel's accusation that the Europeans are not impartial brokers in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

"It can't be that they adopt in advance 100 percent of the demands of the Palestinian side if they want to become a mediator or facilitator between us and them," he said.

EU officials' response to that frequent accusation is that Israel wants to expand its lucrative trade with the expanding EU bloc of around 450 million consumers without giving the Europeans more of a voice in Mideast peacemaking.

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana attended Arafat's funeral in the West Bank city of Ramallah and met with Palestinian leaders afterward.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw held talks with both sides last week, and Shalom is scheduled to meet Solana on the sidelines of the biannual meeting of EU foreign ministers and their counterparts from 10 eastern Mediterranean countries in The Hague, on Monday and Tuesday.

Talks on the EU's "Neighborhood Policy," seeking to draw nonmember neighbors closer to the union, have come up against Israeli objections to references in the draft agreement to the internationally backed "road map" peace plan, which calls for a Palestinian state alongside Israel, because it ignores Israeli objections, the officials said.

The Israelis are also balking at references to the role of the so-called Quartet of Mideast peacemakers, including Europe and Russia, and to clauses on human rights and weapons of mass destruction.

Israel refuses to confirm or deny reports of its nuclear weapons arsenal and has been regularly accused by human rights groups of abusing Palestinians.

The Hague meeting groups the 25 EU member states with nonmembers Israel, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Turkey, what is known as the "Euromed" partnership.

The Foreign Ministry said that in addition to the plenary session, Sharon will hold bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of several EU states and of Jordan, Turkey and Mauritania, which is attending as an observer.

Despite his criticisms, Shalom said Israel is eager to thaw its often chilly relationship with Europe.

"We are investing great efforts to promote out political and economic ties with the EU," he said Sunday. "Close relations with Europe are in our interest as well as theirs."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1101615865296

Resting in my Lords arms, Jesus Christ.
Bob

BigD posted:

DW responded:

BigD replies:
My intent is to not confuse anyone. I am SORRY if I have done that to you. However, I enjoy reading about what others believe, and when views are expressed that are different from what I believe the Bible Teaches, I do attempt to point them out. In many cases, I'm sure that it might seem that, like you say: ''the orginal post doesn't read anything like it was posted and means something different to me."

DW continues:[.b]

BigD responds:
My participating in forums is not for the purpose of debate, but for discussion. However, if one wishes to call that debating, then so be it.

I have requested to those who's views differ from mine, that they show me the error of my view. If my view is in error, I most diffenatly wish to be corrected. I don't consider that debating.

DW goes on:

BigD responds:
It speaks highly of you that you "seek the truth." That should be the goal of everyone, even the non-believers. That has always been my goal as long as I can remember.

It no doubt is my father's experience in my life that molded my present day belief system. Although many of my views differ from the ones he held; to include prophesy. I can remember back in WWII days when preachers were teaching that it was the fulfillment of prophesy. Even I believed it.

Earlier I wrote of my very early Calvinist background. My father was, at one time, a very strong Calvinist. However, He also studied the Bible and took it literally.

I now have to take you back to pre 1948. Being I am 72 years of age, I do remember those days. The Calvinist teachings prior to then is that Israel was no longer a nation and never would again be a nation. That the Church was now "spiritual" Israel and that we would inherit all the blessings that were promised to physical Israel. That, they considered, was "sound doctrine." (This was in a small Dutch community with 7 Reformed Churches. No other chruches existed in that town at that time.)

Well, from my dad's personal study of the Bible, he believed that Israel would again be a nation. When he spoke his views at the Wednesday night "Men's Society" (Bible study), he was told that he was crazy. And, I am sure, many thought that it was a confusing message. Because my dad would not change his views, he was considered a "heretic" and excommunicated from the church. He had no other church to attend, but my mother and the rest of the family attended the Reformed Chruch and I attended their "Christian school."

Being my dad not no church to attend, he primarily just studied the Bible. He then saw more and more that didn't agree with Calvinism.

Well, as you know, Israel became a nation on May 14, 1948. My dad died on May 31, 1948.

At school we had our daily Bible Study and once a week we had our weekly catechism class (Calvinist doctrine). While studying the night before, my dad would read my catechism lession and then have me ask a question of my teacher/pastor pertaining to what my catechism lesson taught and what the Bible said on the subject.

You know, I never got an answer to the question. However, I did learn a great deal about their feeling concerning my dad.

My dad really never told me just what he actually believed. When I look back, I think it was because it was contrary to what my mother believed and he just wanted to keep family harmony. However, he did instill in me not to believe everything I was told.

Being I was taught that I had to read my Bible everynight, which I did, and that I had to live everything the Bible taught, I began to see the Bible as a contradictory book. When I asked my teachers and pastor to explain the seemingly contradictions, all I got were chruch doctrine answers that never answered my questions. When I "pushed" for further clarification, the stock reply was: "Well some things we just have to take by faith." I continued to ready (study) my Bible and kept getting more and more confused.

While still in high school, we had moved out of state to a much larger city. (From 2,000 to 45,000). My dad died shortly thereafter.

When I graduated from high school, I continued my search for truth from the different denominational and non-denominational churches. I kept looking for answers to my questions but only got chruch doctrine answers. The pastors kept telling me that what they taught was scriptural and that the other denominations were wrong. How could that be?

I finally came to the the conclusion that the church that was the most scriptural had to be the one to attend. I concluded that it must be between the Baptist and the Pentecostal churches, and I was leaning to the Pentecostals.

Then, I saw a film  about the "snake handlers." To me they were the most scriptural. Well, you show me a snake, and I will demonstrate a coward. It was then that I gave up on all churches for far too many years. However, I always had a longing for truth. I even had to quit reading my Bible for fear of going crazy by not being able to figure it out.

As a very young man, I did give my life to Christ. I was taught, and believed, that to get to heaven I had to read my Bible everyday, confess my sins every night, live by the 10 commandments, and not "backslide." Well, no matter how hard I tried, I just knew that if I died, that I was not "good enough" to make it to heaven. Therefore, I just gave up trying and went the way of the world, but still had a longing in my heart for truth.

In 1952 I joined the Army and made it a career. I went unchurched until 1964. Being I was married at that time and had 3 children, I did send them to Sunday School, but my wife and I didn't attend any church.

In 1964, while stationed in South Chicage, circumstances led me to a small non-denominational church one Sunday morning. That Sunday morning turned my life around. In one sermon, just about all the questions I had in my youth were answered, and I didn't even ask a question. I sat dumbfounded.

The teacher that morning was beginning a series of studies on the book of the Acts. That Sunday morning he gave an overview of the book. That book was the stumbling block in my life. To me it was full of contratictions. But the teacher had shown me that the book of the Acts was a transitional book from the dispensation of the Law to the dispensation of Grace, from the setting aside of the nation of Israel to the start of the Body of Christ, the Church of today.

For all those years, I was trying to live Law and Grace at the same time. I didn't know how to do that, and failed miserably trying to. I believed the church was spiritual Israel, and learned that the Church, the Body of Christ is not spiritual Israel. Also, I learned that all the Bible is FOR ME but not all TO ME. No one had ever shown me differently. What I thought were contradictions in the Bible were not that at all; it was transtion from the dispensation of the Law to the dispensation of Grace.

Little did I know that the chruch I attened that Sunday morning did not have a pastor. The teacher that day was just "filling in" until they found a pastor. The teacher that day was not other then Pastor C.R.Stam, founder and president of the Berean Bible Society. I consider it a rare privilege to say that I had gotten to know him personally while living in South Chicage. I have, and have read all of his writings.

Once I was shown the above, the Bible became a joy to read. The confusion vanished, and that is not to say that I understand all of it yet. I am still in the learning mode.

Being in the military and being stationed in different parts of the country and world, I had a very hard time finding churches that were "dispensational Grace Chruches." Therefore, a great deal of my learning came from reading different commentaries. Because of my new hunger for truth, I guess that is why I have so many books by so many different authors.

I had no intention to tell you of my life experience. It is because of what you wrote concerning your 8 year old son, that compelled me to do it. Many times I look back and thinK "If only I had been shown these things in my youth, Would my life would have been different?" I think it would have.

(to be cont'd)

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!

DW goes on:


BigD responds:
Simple can be best is it correct/proper. I took the simple way out and discontinued searching for thruth because it appeared I would never find it. I felt like the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 when Philip asked him "Understandest thou what thou readest?" I had no one to show me. If only my dad could have "shown me" instead of trying to keep family unity.

IMHO, it is good for you son to read other views. I do hope he asks questions about them. It is your duty as a father to show him if those views are right or wrong. Be like a Berean and "...search the Scriptures daily, whether those thing were so" (Acts 17:11).

I do not look for debate/agruement, but I do enjoy discussion on Scriptural subjects. If you do not wish to dialogue with me, I can accept that.

DW posted:

BigD responds:
THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!

BogD posted:

2T responded:

BigD replies:
Well, just within the last couple of months.

I had been taugh and believed, for as long as I can remember, that when Christ was teaching here upon the earth; that He was offering the kingdom to Isreal.

In our Sunday School we are going through the book of the Acts verse by verse. When we got to the part in Acts 2, where Peter is offering the kingdom to Israel if they would repent, It was pointed out to me that Jesus had never offered the kingdom to Israel, and Peter was offering it for the first time. We had some very good discussion (some would call it debate) on the subject. Guess what? I CHANGED MY VIEW. I'm still in the learning mode and learned something NEW. This has been happening for years now.

2T continues:

BigD responds:
I will admit that did point out to you that which I felt was in error. Didn't realize that I was that insistant.

Had you pointed out to me what you disagreed with me on, and would have corrected me, then I would have been more then happy to discuss it with you.  

You should be able to justify what you write, as I feel I can defend (justify) what I express. I do no consider that debate/arguing.

My request above, was for others to show me that my views were in error. I have always tried to keep an open mind to others views, and look forward to their imput. Seems like they have no desire to help me.

2T goes on:

BigD responds:
Everything that God wants us to know is written in the Bible. It is TRUTH.

We are instructed in 2 Timothy 2:15 that we must "rightly divide the word of truth."

When Paul preached what was revealed to him (that "which was kept secret since the world began), the Bereans didn't say we don't want to debate or argue with you, or even discuss it, "...they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, where those things were so" (Acts 17:11). That is all that I am asking for others to do. If they believe my view are in error, then I wish they would point out my error, then I will search the Scriptures to see if thier views are so. I AM STILL IN THE LEARNING MODE.

I am not saying that I have all the truth that was revealed to Paul, but I am Pauline in my doctrine. I do not read his epistles into the Old Testament or the Gospels.

Yes, I do agree with you that we pray and ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit. Too many people do that, then they follow the "doctrines of men," which is denominationalism.

2T goes on:

BigD responds:
That I attempt to do and consider that EXCELLENT ADVICE. I agree.

2T goes on:

BigD responds:
Well, I don't really agree with that. In the past I have changed my views in many areas after listening to a debate and even participating in them.  

[2T continues:[/b]

BigD responds:
I can agree with that. Be a Berean.

In closing I will just say that if you do not wish to dialogue with me, I can accept that.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!

I think you misunderstood that I had say. Christians Unite, have some children, as low as 8 years old reading the posts. How do I know this? A few of the children from my Church read the posts. I have gotten asked, what does this mean, or that means, from the children.

I still love you brother. :)


BigD responds:
THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!
Amen BigD

Brothers and Sisters,

This thread does not involve Salvation issues, and there is no hint of anything here but a Bible Study. As a result, I really don't care about agreement or disagreement. Most, if not all, of the folks involved in this thread do their own independent Bible Studies, even when the material comes from their own pastor.

I would simply like to thank everyone for some fascinating additions to my own personal Bible Study. Just about everyone who studies Bible Prophecy has varying opinions, primarily because it is difficult material to study, even for mature Christians. This is one reason why many Christians don't study Bible Prophecy. It involves a lot of work on your own, prayer, and the knowledge that PROBABLY no two Christians agree completely, including Bible scholars. I'm not a Bible scholar, but I do enjoy the study of Bible Prophecy. It's in the Bible for a purpose, and that purpose causes the exploration of just about the entire Bible if one really wants to study.

2nd Timothy and Dreamweaver, I really do want to study and I appreciate all the work you have done in this thread and others on the topic of Bible prophecy. I'm really enjoying the study of several books of the Holy Bible and hope to contribute something to these threads soon. In the meantime, please accept my sincere thanks for all of the work you are doing.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 35:9  And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

Nov. 27, 2004 11:52
Every Iranian wants the bomb
By ABRAHAM RABINOVICH

The queries he receives from Iran about converting to Judaism say less about the lure of the Jewish faith than about the abysmal situation in the land of the ayatollahs, according to veteran Iran hand Menashe Amir.

"The main reason they ask about conversion is that people want to get out of Iran and it has become more difficult to obtain visas to Europe and elsewhere," says Amir, the longtime director of the Iranian desk at the Israel Broadcasting Authority. "They believe that if they convert to Judaism they can receive refuge in Israel."

However, for a small number, religious searching may play a role.

"The regime in Teheran is so oppressive, it has made Islam hateful to many Iranians. Some convert to Christianity, despite the fact that it could cost them their lives if it were discovered. A few think about converting to Judaism."

Several dozen queries about conversion have come to Amir in recent years, mostly through a weekly call-in program he conducts. The callers in Iran dial a number in Europe and are rerouted automatically to the IBA Jerusalem studio. Many openly criticize the regime in Teheran and some do not even mind giving their names. There have been no reports of the government hunting them down.

"The regime apparently sees this as a way to let off steam," says Amir.

The Jewish community in Iran, which numbers 23,000 compared to 80,000 before the revolution, retains its vitality. In Teheran, there are 11 active synagogues serving 15,000 Jews. There are four synagogues in Shiraz and several in other towns.

"The Jews are doing all right economically and their educational institutions function," says Amir.

The community avoids contact with Israel or international Jewish organizations but maintains contact, with the tacit approval of the Iranian regime, with the large Iranian Jewish communities in England and the US.

Amir and his team closely monitor the Iranian pulse via the Iranian media - radio, press, television, Internet - and "other sources." The IBA broadcasts a daily 35-minute news program in Farsi to an audience estimated at one-to-two million Iranians. Amir believes that the broadcasts have earned high credibility because of the detail they offer about events in Iran and the incisiveness of analysis provided by a veteran team.

"We stick to the facts," he says. "The situation in Iran is so terrible there is no need to distort." Revolutionary regimes, by their nature, begin enthusiastically but are slowed down by life's underbrush like bureaucracy, economic thickets and human ornariness.

"It's clear that the regime in Iran has reached a dead-end after 25 years," says Amir, himself a Teheran native. "The country has become much poorer. The population has grown from 37 million to 67 million. They need to provide 800,000 new jobs each year but can't. Poverty is spreading and many turn to prostitution. Even senior clerics in their Friday sermons speak out against the cost of living. When I ask callers why there has been no uprising, they say the regime is brutal and people are afraid. They point out that without American intervention, neither Afghanistan nor Iraq would have been freed of their oppressive regimes."

There is no leadership around which the various opposition groups have been able to rally, he says, and there is little cooperation among the dissidents. When university students took to the streets, no other segments of the population joined them.

Amir believes that the Iranian people would welcome an American incursion "with open arms," an appraisal that may raise eyebrows in view of similar appraisals by experts about Iraq before the US invasion of that country. However, Amir believes that the Iranian regime is ripe for falling, even without the intervention of foreign troops.

"If America invested in encouraging opposition groups inside and outside Iran, it would not need to send in a single soldier."

If such an effort were made, he believes, the results could be felt within the coming American presidential term.

"President Bush has made some encouraging declarations about support for Iranians' struggle for liberation but that's not enough. America has to help practically by uniting the opposition."

As for the Iranian bomb, dissidents want it as much as the regime, notes Amir, although they would not like to see the ayatollahs get their hands on it.

"Iran is a nation without a natural ally and it always feels threatened by outside forces. Every Iranian wants the bomb. They want deterrence."

Would relations with Israel be restored if the present regime falls?

"I have no doubt about it," says Amir. "Iran and Israel are both isolated in the region and need allies. You would have an Israel-Iran-Turkey axis."

After the regime falls, he says, Iran would need serious reconstruction in many sectors. "Israel is in a position to help."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1101356020078

[size=3]AMEN!!!!![/size]

Brothers and Sisters,

There is no need to let semantics start a debate in a Bible study we are trying to have. We are all talking about the end times of the Dispensation of Grace. This should be painfully obvious, but maybe not for some. All of the participants know about the Tribulation Period and the 1,000 year rule and reign of Christ, so implying otherwise appears to be trying to start an argument in a Bible study over semantics. It's really less than semantics, rather a challenge to a non-existent thought from any of the participants.

I don't think that any of the participants want anything except a study, certainly not a debate or argument. Those who want a debate, take it to the debate section with someone who wants to debate.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Nov. 30, 2004 8:39
A tentative effort to foster Jewish-Muslim dialogue begins in Paris
By JEWISH TELEGRAPH AGENCY
Paris

Although French Jews and Muslims have launched an organization to promote dialogue between them, the path to true friendship remains rocky.

An interfaith gathering last month at Paris's City of Sciences and Industry marked the launch of the Jewish-Muslim Friendship Association, a group its founders hope will usher in a new era in relations between France's Jewish and Muslim communities.

The group – whose patrons are to be Simone Weill, president of France's Holocaust Foundation and a former president of the European Parliament, and Lebanon's former ambassador to France, Stetie Salah – has set up a 12-person executive committee, six members from each faith.

The absence of official backing from the French Muslim Council, whose two leading factions – the Federation of French Muslims and the Union of French Islamic Organizations – have touchy relationships with mainstream Jewish groups, put a slight blight on what was widely regarded as a successful and well-attended gathering.

Based on a model that already exists between Jewish and Christian groups, the organization is the brainchild of Rabbi Michel Serfaty, the leader of an Orthodox congregation in Paris and a longtime advocate of interfaith dialogue.

Serfaty, the victim of a racially-motivated attack last year, was able to bring together an impressive list of Jewish and Muslim clerics for the event, including Paris Chief Rabbi David Messas and Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of the city's Grand Mosque.

However, Boubakeur, a moderate known for his close ties with Jewish groups, attended only in his capacity as head of the mosque rather than as an official representative of the council, of which he is president.

Discussions and debates on religious and cultural themes took place throughout the November 21 event, while various local Muslim and Jewish groups welcomed visitors to some 30 stalls dotting the hall, highlighting such varied themes as circumcision rites, wedding ceremonies and philanthropic initiatives.

Speaking to JTA shortly after the rabbis and imams were replaced on the stage by Jewish and Muslim musicians in a concert culminating the event, Serfaty described the gathering as "a great success." "This is the first path toward greater understanding between Muslims and Jews in France," he said.

Many of those attending also expressed hope that the event could be the catalyst for more positive dialogue.

Claudine Frand, an executive member of the Abraham Brotherhood, an interfaith group, said it is a pity that such an initiative had taken so long to come about.

"There's always been dialogue between Jews and Christians and between Christians and Muslims, and there's such a great atmosphere here," she said. "Of course, there's always going to be people who want to pour oil on the fire, but religion can be used as a tool for us all to build solidarity and fraternity."

That spirit of brotherhood was well illustrated at a stall where members of the Jewish and Muslim scout associations were engaged in friendly banter.

Muhammad Rouahbi, a senior chaplain with the French Muslim Scouts, described the event as "an historic day," adding that "we have to build on this to pass this message of tolerance on to the youth who have lost their way."

At the back of the hall, Ben Omar Taif, who heads the French Muslim Council's halal committee in Marseille, was busy chatting away with Daniel Messiha, a kosher food trader from Paris.

Messiha had suggested to Taif that he come up to the capital for the event after the two worked together at a recent ethnic food show. Here, they jokingly exchanged gifts: Taif's official halal listings and Messiha's kashrut guide from the Paris Consistoire, French Jewry's main religious group.

Taif said that food is a good place for dialogue to start because, "When you come together around a table, you don't just eat, you talk, you negotiate."

Many organizations at the event welcomed the opportunity to provide a showcase for positive elements of their respective faiths.

For Roger Cukierman, the president of the CRIF umbrella organization of French Jews, the event showed that "things are moving in the right direction," while the absence of some of the more radical Muslim groups was "just a little argument among factions in the council and shouldn't concern us."

"The fact that the principal organizers are the Paris Mosque and the Consistoire shows that there is a tradition of cooperation in this city," he said.

Serfaty, too, said that "we can only work with those who want to work with us."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1101709701598

 Fatah´s Farouk Kadumi: "Two States" Just a Temporary Solution
23:59 Dec 02, '04 / 19 Kislev 5765

A top PA official has reiterated the end-goal of the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel: a Palestinian state instead of Israel.

In a seeming re-affirmation of the PLO's 1974 "destroy Israel" program, commonly known as the Phased Plan, Fatah co-founder Farouk Kadumi termed the struggle for a two-state solution just a “stage” on the road to “only one [state].”

Kadumi spoke on Nov. 29th with Iran’s Al-Aram television station. When the interviewer asked Kadumi, “What is the future of Palestine?” the PLO leader answered: “At this stage there will be two states. Many years from now there will be only one.”

Asked why he has not softened his stance against Israel’s existence, Kadumi replied, "Our enemy always says, 'This is Judea and Samaria' ... They haven't changed their discourse. If they change theirs, we will change ours, and if not, we will keep saying that armed resistance is the way to Palestine."

He expressed confidence in the Arabs' ultimate victory, saying, “[There are] 300 million Arabs, while Israel has only the sea behind it.”

The basic principle of the 1974 Phased Plan is that the PLO would struggle to initially establish an "independent combatant national authority" over any territory "liberated" from Israeli rule. That “national authority” would then be used as a base for continued terror attacks. The final phase of the plan is all-out war against Israel by all her Arab neighbors with the hope of destroying the Jewish State entirely.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=72993

The entire clip, translated by MEMRI, can be viewed by clicking here. http://www.memritv.org/Transcript.asp?P1=390
Fatah Leader Faruq Qaddumi: Two-States A Temporary Solution

The following are excerpts from an interview with Fatah leader Faruq Qaddumi:

Interviewer: Do you still support martyrdom operations inside Israel?

Faruq Qaddumi: When you speak of martyrdom operations, I say that these operations were forced upon the Palestinian people, who face assassinations, killings, destruction of homes, and so on. [The Palestinian people] were forced to commit these operations. We were asked to stop these operations and we said that we were willing to. But stopping these operations is out of our hands. We are not a regular army. We are fighters. In other words, we don't have full control over the fighters...

Interviewer: Aren't you afraid you'll be labeled "a terrorist"?

Faruq Qaddumi: If the resistance in its entirety is labeled "terrorism" by America and Israel, why should we be afraid? A terrorist is someone who fights, not for a cause, but for the sake of fighting. If armed struggle has a political cause, especially if it is a noble one, then it is not terrorism.

Interviewer: Why didn't you change your political discourse although the situation around you has changed and there are circumstances you must deal with?

Faruq Qaddumi: Our enemy always says, "This is Judea and Samaria" and they are "Terrorists." They haven't changed their discourse. If they change theirs, we will change ours, and if not, we will keep saying that armed resistance is the way to Palestine. If there is no political initiative and they keep addressing us with sweet words, and try to seduce us like foxes do, we must continue in our path.

[There are] 300 Million Arabs, while Israel has only the sea behind it.

Interviewer: Minister, how do you see the future of Palestine?

Faruq Qaddumi: At this stage there will be two states. Many years from now there will be only one.

Wonder if he knows just how true that statement really is?   ;D

[scarsm]I don't think sooooooo.[/scarsm] ;D

Ezek. 38 & 39 make reference to the invasion of Israel by "Gog".  Much has been said here, and other places, about the correlation between Gog and Russia, based primarily on references to Gog coming out of the north, but occasionally because of the word "rosh" in the Hebrew. Considering also the recent events involving Iran, I think it good to look at a couple of things.

The people referred to as those of the land of Magog were the ancient Sycthians. In the time of Ezekiel they lived in an area which was north of Israel, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea with the Caucasus Mountain Range as their southern border. Gog of Magog is the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Both Meshech and Tubal, along with Magog are listed in Gen. 10:2 as sons of Japheth, a son of Noah. The ark landed on Mount Ararat in the Caucasus Mountains. These three grandsons of Noah settled north on the mountains in the southeastern region of the former Soviet Union. The basic area now known as eastern Turkey, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and only incidentally includes a very minor portion at the far southern reaches of Russia.

Gog's forces will be augmented by other armies, among them Persia, Cush, and Put . Coming against Israel from the east will be Persia. Persia changed it's name in 1935. It is now known as Iran. Cush and Put will attack Israel from the south. Cush is located to the south of Egypt and is today the eastern part of the Sudan and Ethiopia. Put is to the west of Egypt in the region of Libya (Ezek 38:5). Both are descendants of Noah through Ham (Gen. 10:6). Also allied with Gog in his invasion will be Gomer and Togarmah. These Japhethite grandsons of Noah settled in Asia Minor;Gomer in Germany and central Turkey, and Togarmah in eastern Turkey and Armenia.

It  is highly unlikely that Russia itself is Magog (Gog), but is instead a collection of countries that today are predominately Islamic, which would have a great deal to do with their spiritual attitude towards Israel. OTOH, Russia is predominately secular/Orthodox.

Evangelist,

Fascinating!! Thanks Brother!!

I really enjoy your writing and Bible studies, so I'm very happy that you are participating in this thread. Brother, you've given me many beautiful things to study, both here and your web site.

Love In Christ,
Tom

I Timothy 4:6  If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

Absolutely Evangelist.  Sorry none of us were clearer on that.  Ezekiel gives pretty good details of Gog and Magog along with her allies.   I think they would be as follows....

Persia = Iran
Cush = Ethiopia
Phut (or Put) = Libya
Gomer = the Cimmerians / Germany
Togarmah = Turkic Tribes / Armenia
Meshech & Tubal = ancient Anatolia / Turkey

Also mentioned in Eze 38 is SHEBA and DEDAN, which would now be considered Saudi Arabia.

Eze 38:3  And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
Eze 38:4  And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
Eze 38:5  Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
Eze 38:6  Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.
and

Eze 38:13  Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?


Gog and magog in itself is really a whole study in itself.   There is much confusion as to when it takes place.  Some believe it happens at the beginning of Tribulation, others believe it happens after the 1000 year peace because Gog is mentioned yet again. in Rev 20 I believe.   Some believe this war is actually armageddon, but I disagree with that.

Either way its a facinating study.   Sorry I was not clearer on my views of who Gog was....I think gerneral consinsus is that Russia is a major player, with many allies in the war.

Grace and Peace!

Oh, I forgot to add...that this war which has not taken place yet, is excellent evidence that Israel did indeed have to become a nation again.   These armies are coming to Israel, Gods land to fight.    

38:8[...]in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations,


Not possible until 1948  ;)    

Grace and Peace!

Austrialia Attacks Against Jews Increasing

Sun Dec 5, 1:18 AM ET
   
SYDNEY, Australia - Attacks against Jews have increased in Australia, a report by a major Jewish organization released Sunday showed.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the elected body representing Australian Jews, said in its annual report on anti-Semitism in Australia that physical assaults, property damage and face-to-face harassment for the year ending in September was 50 percent higher than the average for the previous 14 years.

"The worst of these incidents included the smashing of windows at synagogues, eggs thrown at Jewish people on their way to or from religious ceremonies and a firecracker thrown at the door of the home of an Orthodox Jew after a person called out 'Let's get the Rabbi,'" the report said.

In the last year, the council received 455 reports of violence and harassment against Jews — the third consecutive year in which the number of reports rose above 450.

The report said harassment not involving violence was up 81 percent above the average for all years since 1989, when the council began compiling figures.

The report also said anti-Semitic graffiti was up 30 percent.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041205/ap_on_re_au_an/australia_jews

Rather then start a new thread, I posted this here. As it some what fits in........ :P

Resting in the Lord's arms.
Bob

Hamas Rejects Cease-fire with Israel
Sun Dec 5, 2004 08:40 AM ET
   
By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) - Hamas ruled out any truce with Israel Sunday and repeated its desire to destroy the Jewish state, rejecting what had appeared to be more conciliatory comments by one of the Islamic militant group's leaders.

"There is no talk about a truce now at all," Mahmoud Al-Zahar, a top Hamas leader, told reporters.

"Our strategy is to liberate all Palestinian soil," Zahar said, referring to the West Bank, Gaza and Israel.

Hassan Youssef, the top Hamas official in the West Bank, said Friday the group could accept creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza and a long-term truce with Israel, signaling a possible new overture to end hostilities.

Palestine Liberation Organization leader Mahmoud Abbas has been trying to persuade militant groups to halt attacks against Israel to smooth the path of a presidential election on Jan. 9 to succeed Yasser Arafat, who died last month.

Hamas has killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide bombings and attacks. Palestinian officials are worried further assaults could provoke Israeli retaliation and disrupt the presidential election, the first since 1996.

Zahar said that although Hamas would boycott the presidential vote, it would consider taking part in the Palestinian legislative election, scheduled for the spring.

"Our will to participate in the election is a national demand after the longstanding system of corruption affected the national goal, the internal integrity of the Palestinian people," Zahar said.

In 1996, Hamas boycotted presidential and legislative elections, citing its opposition to interim Israeli-Palestinian peace accords.

Hamas expressed interest in joining the Fatah-controlled Palestinian government after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon unveiled his plan to withdraw from Gaza in 2005. Zahar said the group had already begun talks with Fatah over Gaza's future.

Israel, fearing a militant takeover of the territory after the pullout, had pushed for Egypt to train Palestinian security officers to maintain control of it.

Hamas and other militant groups have grown in popularity, especially in Gaza, since the start of the uprising against Israel in September 2000.

Zahar, who survived an Israeli assassination attempt last year, said Abbas would meet Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal in Syria. Abbas is due in Damascus later in the day to meet President Bashar al-Assad.

© Reuters 2004. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=6996536

Brothers and Sisters,

There appears to be some common denominators in many of the posts and articles: The world hates Israel, and the world hates America for supporting Israel.

George Bush didn't start the world hating America. That was started and grew in the 50s and 60s. However, the hatred did intensify recently with the global war against terrorism. The hatred also increased with the statements of faith by George Bush. We should all know that the world is not happy to hear anything about God or Jesus.

Tell me if you think that I'm mistaken, there also appears to be a growing isolation of Israel and the US. It appears to be many years of hard and careful work by many around the world, long before George Bush took office. He's just a convenient scapegoat, especially because of his faith in Jesus.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Proverbs 16:3  Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Tom....I agree.

Also, keep a sharp eye out for a sudden escalation in "end-time" events.
As of today, Hamas has said it will accept the right of Jews for their own state, and Egypt has suddenly thawed out its relations with Israel.

A lot of the players are moving into the sphere of politics that will cause many in Israel to say "peace-peace", when there is none. This is the kind of thing (imo) that will end up with Israel having their guard down just a little, and suddenly the nations will rise up against them....and when that happens........ ;D

Time to fly!!

(http://www.john812.com/img/igotit.gif)

Hamas Deputy Vows Continuing Resistance
Dec 5, 7:14 PM (ET)
By ALBERT AJI

(AP) Mousa Abu Marzouk, a leader of the Palestinian militant Islamic Hamas group, in an interview with...

CHTOURA, Lebanon (AP) - A senior Hamas official expressed hope Sunday that the United States and European Union would be "fairer" in mediating the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, but he said his group would continue its resistance even if a Palestinian state was established.

Moussa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, told The Associated Press a Palestinian state was a right "stipulated by all international accords" but was not a reason for Hamas to stop its resistance.

"There are other rights for the Palestinian people that cannot be forgotten or be conceded," Abu Marzouk said without elaborating.

Hamas refuses to accept Israel's right to exist, and it rejected late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's peace accords with the Jewish state.

Abu Marzouk said comments Friday by Sheik Hassan Yousef, Hamas' top leader in the West Bank, did not amount to a truce with Israel.

Yousef told the AP he sees a long-term truce in which Israel and a Palestinian state "live side-by-side in peace and security for a certain period."

In the past, Hamas has said it would accept a Palestinian state in the pre-1967 borders as a first step to taking over Israel.

The militant group, regarded by the United States as a terrorist movement and responsible for multiple suicide attacks killing scores of Israelis, is one of numerous militant factions Palestinian leaders want brought on board in the post-Arafat era to push efforts to achieve Palestinian statehood.

Abu Marzouk, speaking to the AP in Chtoura, near the Syrian border, on his way back home to the Syrian capital of Damascus, said he hoped the United States would adopt a more fair policy toward the Palestinians following Arafat's death last month.

"The U.S. is a superpower and a very influential factor in the region," he said. "We hope it will be fairer to the Palestinian people than ever before. We hope it will listen to the oppressed Palestinian people at this stage."

Abu Marzouk also said the EU should play a bigger role in mediating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "provided that the European visions would be independent from those of America."

Abu Marzouk confirmed that interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who is scheduled to visit Damascus on Monday, had asked to meet with Hamas leaders, but he said no date had been set.

Abu Marzouk said Hamas had differences with Abbas over the Palestinian presidential elections set for Jan. 9. The group declared it would boycott the vote, and Abu Marzouk said Hamas would not participate in any future Palestinian government.

"We demanded that a timetable and schedule be set for municipal and legislative elections as well in order for the elections to be more disciplined and for the Palestinian people's will not to be falsified," Abu Marzouk said.

He accused the PLO's mainstream Fatah movement of "trying to grab power" through the elections.

"We think this is not an appropriate behavior for the upcoming stage. That's why we will boycott the elections," he said.

He said there were disagreements with Abbas over his vision and policy, "and we think that he must listen to the Palestinians' pulse and to all Palestinian factions."

"We want the leadership to express the aspirations and ambitions of the Palestinian people and their uprising and resistance to Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands," Abu Marzouk said.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20041206/D86PQ90G0.html

    :)

I am seeing conflicting reports about this DW.  I'm not sure which story to believe.   It seems likely that Hamas is broken up into factions, and only the hard core factions are insisting on resistance?   Syria as well as Egypt appear to be making peace overtures to Israel....(although I don't trust them)  To me it seem obvious none of them want Israel to exist, but the different groups are of seperate minds as to how they will fulfill their ultimate goal of destroying Israel.   By false peace, or bitter resistance?   I think from scripture we know who which factions will wind up falling in line with the AC.   Those who pretend to want peace.  

Like Tom says, America and Israel are becoming obsticles for the rest of the worlds agenda.   I look for the EU to continue its crusade of uniting as many nations as it can via the European neighborhood policy in an attempt to isolate both Israel and America.   In the mean time, I don't expect any lasting peace deals to be brokered between these nations.   That IMO would undercut the problems the AC would need to implement his peace deal (which might even be the ENP...who knows?).   They will try and try, but eventually the AC will come on the scene to rescue all their failings.  While I have an idea, I'm still not sure who that man is, but I think he's alive and watching current events just like we are today, awaiting his time.   Like Evangelists says, all these manueverings are just fine tunings.   This last wave has been a doozy of a wave.   The next wave should be closer and more intense.

Grace and Peace!

I believe that Hamas is splintering into groups, 2T. I wouldn't trust Syria, to a lesser degree Egypt. I know that Egypt will attack Israel again though.

The EU, now that a team worth watching. I wouldn't trust them at all. I would imagine that they are behind, some of the hate we are seeing. This last wave has been a doozy okay. The next bunch should be closer, more intense and one we should keep an eye on!

Get ready to fly..................... when that happens, I would imagine.

Resting in the Lord's arms.
Bob

Egypt heralds Mideast peace 'breakthrough'

CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt raised the prospect of a framework for a Middle East peace deal and said it could soon return an ambassador to Israel, a move that would revive full diplomatic ties after a four-year break.


Quoting "high-level" Egyptian sources, state news agency MENA said key players in the search for peace have reached understanding on a plan that could lead to a comprehensive settlement.


"An important understanding that could constitute an agreement in principle has been reached by Egypt, Israel, the Palestinians and the significant international parties -- the United States and the European Union (news - web sites) -- on a comprehensive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," MENA said.

entire story here @ yahoo (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041207/wl_mideast_afp/mideast_egypt_israel_041207173324)

This seems more relevant to Egypt/Israel if I understand it right.   However, it still brings us one step closer to the covenant with many.

Grace and Peace!

I'm seeing a lot of this breaking on the news wires everywhere.   Very interesting!



Palestinians, Israel Back Peace Plan

25 minutes ago   World - Reuters
 

By Edmund Blair

CAIRO (Reuters) - Palestinians and Israelis have agreed in principle to proposals aiming to end their conflict, Egypt's official news agency MENA reported Tuesday.

   

Quoting unidentified high-level sources, it said the steps, including an Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire, had the support of both the United States and the European Union (news - web sites).


A senior Israeli official said it had no objection to a cease-fire if Palestinians stopped attacks.


Palestinian officials said there was still no agreement between the Palestinian Authority (news - web sites) and the Islamic militant group Hamas on a cease-fire, but officials said both sides have been holding talks in Gaza and were close to an understanding.


Egypt has long sought to mediate between the two sides during the four-year-old Palestinian uprising. Since the death of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat (news - web sites), analysts say Egypt has sought to revive peace talks to test Israeli and U.S. commitments to the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan.

entire article : yahoo news (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=721&e=1&u=/nm/20041207/wl_nm/mideast_egypt_dc)

Heres another from Israel...


 
Last Update: 07/12/2004 21:30
 
Israel, PA said to have agreed on basis of peace deal  

By Haaretz Service and agencies
 
Palestinians and Israelis have agreed in principle to proposals which could serve as the basis of a comprehensive settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conmflict, Egypt's official news agency MENA said on Tuesday.

Quoting unidentified high-level sources, it said the steps, including an Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire, had the support of both the United States and the European Union.

Israel termed the report "a little premature," but said it would respond positively if militants ceased attacks.

"There are a few correct elements but it's a little premature to say there's an agreement," a senior official in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office said. "We will respond positively if on the other side there will be arrangements for a ceasefire, a cessation of hostilities."


entire story : http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/511355.html

Hmmm ???  Still seems wrought with problems, but Interesting non the less.

And the players are all coming into place.....

who's pulling the strings?
(http://www.john812.com/img/puppetmaster.gif)

The more I think about these proclamations of peace between Israel and Egypt, the more I think its all smoke and mirrors.  Right now Egypt is the only claiming a break through, meanwhile Israel says its waiting for a crack down on the terror groups.   My feeling is (right now anyways) that this is not a real meaningful peace deal.   Seems more like Egypt just wants to brag a little.

I think the AC himself will claim a big victory (much the way Egypt is doing now) when the false peace really arrives, and it will be viewed world-wide as significant.   Still interesting to watch the world thirst for peace in this region, but I am skeptical this one thing will lead to anything significant.  I still believe the REAL deal will come from the EU lead by a powerful leader after all the efforts being tried now fail.

Grace and Peace!

Dec. 8, 2004 1:25
Israel downplays Egyptian talk of new peace deal
By TOVAH LAZAROFF

Israeli officials played down reports from Egypt Tuesday night of a dramatic Middle East peace breakthrough, but confirmed that progress was being made in behind-the-scenes negotiations.

Egypt's official Middle East News Agency claimed late Tuesday that Cairo has reached a framework understanding with Israel, the Palestinians, the United States and Europe on principles to settle the entire Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A source in the Prime Minister's Office said he could not confirm reports in the Egyptian media. There are, however, he said, "elements that are true."

As long as it is quiet, "Israel will not initiate any military action," he said. "We will respond positively if on the other side there are arrangements for a cease-fire, a cessation of hostilities."

But he was quick to add that no initiative is going to substitute for the road map to peace or for the Palestinian obligation to stop terrorism and to make reforms.

Palestinian officials responded, too, that talk of so widespread a deal was premature.

PA Negotiations Minister Saeb Erekat said that, "The Palestinians have always devoted every effort to ending the cycle of violence between the two peoples."

Quoting unnamed high-level sources, MENA said the understanding could stand as a "principle agreement" that includes a general framework of steps toward a settlement.

It said the points include an agreement on a cease-fire, in which the "new Palestinian Authority" would end the operations against Israel and prove its control over the situation in Gaza and the West Bank."

Egypt also said that it could soon return its ambassador to Israel, according to MENA.

With a presidential election to replace Yasser Arafat scheduled for January 9, new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has been trying to persuade terrorist groups to cease attacks against Israel. Egypt has also been involved in the truce efforts.

"It should be understood that whatever arrangement is reached, this is not a substitute for fulfilling the obligations the Palestinians have taken upon themselves under the road map," the Israeli official said.

Last week, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon assured Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and chief of intelligence Omar Suleiman that Israel would "adopt certain measures to maintain self-confidence building to open the road before a settlement."

MENA said Sharon also assured the Egyptian delegation that Israel "does not want to leave the deteriorated situation to lead to a Palestinian civil war" and that he promised to release some frozen Palestinian money and relieve measures concerning the movement of the Palestinians.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1102432932796

Looks like you may be right, 2T.

Resting in the Lord's arms.
Bob

I certainly don't wish to downplay whats happening.  Anytime I see a news story about peace in Israel, my ears perk up.   There is a verse in Daniel that makes me currious about whats happening though.


Dan 11:39  Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

My thought process about all this is, if others work out a two state deal between Israel and the Palestinians....what do we make of this verse?   Sounds to me like the AC will be the one who makes the deal and profit from it.    No question everyone is lusting for a peace agreement over there....but this one verse makes me think all of them will fail until the AC steps in and claims miraculous break through deal.  I mean, if others can work out peace, wouldn't that undercut a need for a super leader to help out?   Maybe, maybe not, but thats how it looks to me.   I guess we will just have to watch and see what happens.

Grace and Peace!

That's the way it appears to me also. The AC will be the one doing the final deal, which gives him so much power in Israel as well as the world.

Consider this also (esp. the bolded part).
Dan 11:24
He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do [that] which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: [yea], and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.

The "fattest places" are, historically, considered to be the prime areas that were exclusive to nothing but the leaders. This would indicate that the Jews have accepted the AC as one of their leaders.  

The second part "which his fathers..." indicates to me that this person MAY be of Hebrew ancestry, which would also work in with being able to go into the "fat" places.

I'm willing to bet (not much, though....) that the Jews, as a result of the peace deal and saving their necks, along with being able to then rebuild the temple, etc., will declare the AC as "King Messiah", since he will be able to "fulfill" all the benchmarks that their eschatological system requires.

Could we be looking for a long lost branch of David (via Jeconiah)?

Israel to discuss growing role in NATO, EU
Conference to explore Jewish state's partnership with world bodies
Posted: December 7, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Aaron Klein
© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

NATO's recent invitation to the Israel Defense Forces to take part for the first time in multinational military exercises and participate in anti-terror activities has prompted Israel's most prestigious foreign affairs conference to explore ways the Jewish state can become an enhanced NATO member and forge stronger ties to Europe.

The four day Herzliya Conference, which begins Dec. 13 and is known to set the tone for future regional policies, will present ways Israel will participate in a new NATO alliance, including formalizing its membership status, Uzi Arad, former director of Mossad's intelligence division and chairman of the conference, told WorldNetDaily.

"Israel will be offering its model for an enhanced strategic relationship with NATO. The conference will include a group to discuss enhancement, including elevating Israel's status from a dialogue member to a custom made format tailored to Israel's standards and positions," said Arad.

Arad said Israel's formidable military force and its "good standing in our Western alliance should allow Israel greater participation in NATO. There are major commonalties of interest – defeating radical Islam and terrorism, democratization for the Middle East, and blunting nuclear proliferation, to name a few."

Israel last month joined a NATO military summit in Brussels with the participation of the chiefs of staff of 26 NATO members and countries that have ties with the organization. Israel was also invited to take part in certain NATO military exercises and participate in anti-terror activities such as patrols in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

NATO plans to upgrade what it calls the "Mediterranean dialogue" it is conducting with Israel and six Muslim nations: Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Mauretania. This includes policy discussions conducted by leaders of a higher rank, and joint military operations through coordinated military exercises on the war on terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, and joint planning for civilian disaster readiness.

There have also been talks NATO may send forces to the Gaza Strip after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza withdrawal plan is implemented next year if Israel and the Palestinian Authority ask for NATO's help.

Some in Israel have said a NATO presence in Gaza could hurt Israel by internationalizing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and hampering Israel's ability to conduct anti-terror operations in Gaza if they become necessary.

Arad said "NATO in Gaza could be a fault, but in the long term, when there is a need for force, NATO is preferable over the U.N. because NATO has the U.S. in it."

The conference is also set to discuss Israel's growing relationship with the European Union. Arad said although certain members of the EU, including France and Germany, have taken a consistently pro-Palestinian line, Israel still stands to gain much with an increased EU alliance.

"Yes, it is true there are many manifestations of anti-Semitism in Europe, and we have disagreements, but so do European countries disagree amongst themselves," said Arad. "Ultimately, Israel and the EU share basic cultural and value systems. We have the same enemies, same concerns."

"Many people don't realize Israel has quite an advanced working relationship with the EU, particularly in trade. Volumes of Israeli trade with Europe are greater than the entire Arab trade with Europe. And Europe is the beneficiary -- it exports much more to Israel than it receives."

The conference, in its fifth year, has been the site of several major policy speeches by Israeli leaders. Sharon last year announced at the conference his disengagement plan, and in 2002 detailed the U.S.-backed roadmap to peace. Arad said to expect similarly important diplomatic announcements this year, as well.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=41807

Tim to this I will add,
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

By the signing of a covenant of peace between Israel and her enemies, orchestrated by antichrist.

Evangelist,

Brother Hank, that was an awesome graphic. The devil does appear to be pulling strings all over the world now.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Yes this does seem to fit right in there too.   Will be interesting to watch as the world wrestles with the burdensome stone.   Its certainly a complicated matter from a worldly viewpoint.


I agree DW!

Grace and Peace!

Talk about conflicting reports, here is another.

Ambassador Wary of Peace Conference Idea
Dec 8, 4:57 PM (ET)
By SAM DOLNICK

NEW YORK (AP) - Israel's ambassador to the United States said Wednesday that an international peace conference reportedly suggested by Egypt could be "counterproductive," and should not be discussed until after the Palestinian election.

"Before we go into such an endeavor with a lot of fanfare, we have to make sure what the objectives are and what are the developments on the ground," Daniel Ayalon said during a round-table discussion.

"It could be counterproductive to hold it prematurely before we know who we negotiate with, and what are the policies of the newly elected leadership of the Palestinians."

Egypt's state-run news agency, MENA, reported Tuesday that Cairo planned to call for a July peace conference in Washington to include Israel, the Palestinians, the United States and the European Union.

Ayalon said Israel has not been approached to participate.

With the first Palestinian elections since the death of Yasser Arafat planned for next month, Ayalon said Palestinians face a stark choice.

"There are basically two ways that are being presented to the Palestinian people," he said, declining to discuss individual candidates. "One is the way of Hamas or Islamic Jihad which calls for the continued armed struggle, the continuation of the terror, and delegitimizing Israel.

"The other way, which is being presented for the first time in history, is 'Let's take control of our own destiny ... Let's do away with terror.'"

Polls show interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in a tight race with Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life terms in an Israeli prison for involvement in fatal Palestinian attacks.

Ayalon said Israel would not interfere in the election, but hopes a candidate promoting peace wins.

"We would like to see, of course, a new attitude, new policies and new practices, but it's not up to me, it's up to them to decide and we will know fairly soon which way they're going," he said.

His remarks came at a discussion sponsored by The Israel Project, a nonprofit group that works to improve Israel's image around the world. Ayalon was named ambassador in 2002 and has served in the last three Israeli administrations.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20041208/D86RNHPG0.html

Israel to discuss growing role in NATO, EU
Conference to explore Jewish state's partnership with world bodies
December 7, 2004
By Aaron Klein
© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

NATO's recent invitation to the Israel Defense Forces to take part for the first time in multinational military exercises and participate in anti-terror activities has prompted Israel's most prestigious foreign affairs conference to explore ways the Jewish state can become an enhanced NATO member and forge stronger ties to Europe.

The four day Herzliya Conference, which begins Dec. 13 and is known to set the tone for future regional policies, will present ways Israel will participate in a new NATO alliance, including formalizing its membership status, Uzi Arad, former director of Mossad's intelligence division and chairman of the conference, told WorldNetDaily.

"Israel will be offering its model for an enhanced strategic relationship with NATO. The conference will include a group to discuss enhancement, including elevating Israel's status from a dialogue member to a custom made format tailored to Israel's standards and positions," said Arad.

Arad said Israel's formidable military force and its "good standing in our Western alliance should allow Israel greater participation in NATO. There are major commonalties of interest – defeating radical Islam and terrorism, democratization for the Middle East, and blunting nuclear proliferation, to name a few."

Israel last month joined a NATO military summit in Brussels with the participation of the chiefs of staff of 26 NATO members and countries that have ties with the organization. Israel was also invited to take part in certain NATO military exercises and participate in anti-terror activities such as patrols in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

NATO plans to upgrade what it calls the "Mediterranean dialogue" it is conducting with Israel and six Muslim nations: Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Mauretania. This includes policy discussions conducted by leaders of a higher rank, and joint military operations through coordinated military exercises on the war on terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, and joint planning for civilian disaster readiness.

There have also been talks NATO may send forces to the Gaza Strip after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza withdrawal plan is implemented next year if Israel and the Palestinian Authority ask for NATO's help.

Some in Israel have said a NATO presence in Gaza could hurt Israel by internationalizing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and hampering Israel's ability to conduct anti-terror operations in Gaza if they become necessary.

Arad said "NATO in Gaza could be a fault, but in the long term, when there is a need for force, NATO is preferable over the U.N. because NATO has the U.S. in it."

The conference is also set to discuss Israel's growing relationship with the European Union. Arad said although certain members of the EU, including France and Germany, have taken a consistently pro-Palestinian line, Israel still stands to gain much with an increased EU alliance.

"Yes, it is true there are many manifestations of anti-Semitism in Europe, and we have disagreements, but so do European countries disagree amongst themselves," said Arad. "Ultimately, Israel and the EU share basic cultural and value systems. We have the same enemies, same concerns."

"Many people don't realize Israel has quite an advanced working relationship with the EU, particularly in trade. Volumes of Israeli trade with Europe are greater than the entire Arab trade with Europe. And Europe is the beneficiary -- it exports much more to Israel than it receives."

The conference, in its fifth year, has been the site of several major policy speeches by Israeli leaders. Sharon last year announced at the conference his disengagement plan, and in 2002 detailed the U.S.-backed roadmap to peace. Arad said to expect similarly important diplomatic announcements this year, as well.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=41807

Members of Reestablished Sanhedrin Ascend Temple Mount
23:26 Dec 08, '04 / 25 Kislev 5765
 
In a dramatic but unpublicized move Monday, members of the newly established Sanhedrin ascended the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site.  

Close to fifty recently ordained “samuchim,” members of the Sanhedrin, lined up at the foot of the Temple Mount Monday morning. The men, many ascending the Temple Mount for the first time, had immersed in mikvaot (ritual baths) that morning and planned to ascend as a group. Despite prior approval from the Israeli police who oversee entry to the Mount, the officers barred the group from entering the Mount together, saying they could only ascend in groups of ten.
 
SNIP....

“We Jews went into exiles all over the world,” HaLevi told INR’s Weekend Edition. “Every community established its own court. We are talking about more than 50 different legal systems developing apart from one another. Part of our return to Israel is the reunification of our Jewish practices.”

There is a tradition (Tractate Megillah 17b, Rashi) that the Sanhedrin will be restored after a partial ingathering of the Jewish exiles, but before Jerusalem is completely rebuilt and restored. There is also a Talmudic tradition (Eruvin 43b; Maharatz Chajas ad loc; Rashash , Sanhedrin 13b) that Elijah the Prophet will present himself before a duly-ordained Sanhedrin when he announces the coming of the Messiah, meaning that – despite common misconceptions - a Sanhedrin is a pre-, not post-messianic institution.




WOW!!!!  This is getting very exciting!!!

entire story here: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=73311

Dec. 8, 2004 23:41
European leaders: 'There is certainly no reason to panic'
By DANIEL KENNEMER

A comment by former Ashkenazi chief rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau that he sees no future for European Jewry drew mixed reactions from the Jewish communities of Western Europe.

"There is no future for European Jewry," Lau told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday following a two-month tour of the continent, spent visiting Jewish communities in Austria, Britain, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands.

"I see the end of the exile for European Jewry... Israel has to prepare itself for European aliya," Lau said.

Jewish community leaders within Europe are not so sure.

A mob of teens yelling "Croak, dirty Jew!" on the main pedestrian mall of Lille, in northern France, upset Rabbi Eliahou Dahan, but did not scare him into leaving France, he said.

Dahan admitted that "on one hand, we are clearly very concerned by the rise of anti-Semitism in France and Europe as a whole."

On the other hand, he went on, "we are witnessing phenomenal growth in terms of Jewish schools, kosher restaurants, and other aspects of Jewish religious and secular life, and a true resurgence of Jewish identity, stronger than before."

Dahan, speaking by telephone from Lille, painted a picture of a flourishing community and warned against getting carried away by exaggerations.

"Certainly, our ancestors and grandparents had much more difficult lives than we do today. Today we are better organized and equipped, more conscious. We have a young generation that asks questions," Dahan said.

<snip>
page 1
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1102475930082
page 2
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1102475930082&apage=2

Yes Tim, this is getting very exciting!!! We are watching as prophecy unfolds.

Resting with the Lord.
Bob

Israel may be part of wider Europe
Herb Keinon and AP,
THE JERUSALEM POST    
Dec. 9, 2004

The European Union said Thursday Israel is among seven nations who will be part of its new European Neighborhood policy, even though the Foreign Ministry said Israel has not yet formally agreed to the EU's "action plan" for membership.

This program offers free access to goods, services, people and capital to countries neighboring the European Union in exchange for economic and political reform on a country-by-country basis.

Israel has been negotiating its terms of entrance for months, with the talks stuck for weeks on one section dealing with weapons of mass destruction.

EU External Affairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said at a press conference in Brussels launching the new program that through this agreement Israel acknowledges "the need to take into account the viability of a future Palestinian state in counter-terrorist activities."

A Foreign Minister spokesman said that Israel will finally have to decide on whether to accept the plan before Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom attends the Israel-EU Association Council meeting Monday where the plan will be brought for approval.

The EU-Israel neighborhood agreement also means that "Israel clearly acknowledges the role of the EU in the Quartet" that has written the "road map" to a peace plan that is to lead to a Palestinian state. Initially, the Israelis balked at references to the role of the so-called Quartet of Mideast peacemakers.

"Israel has never been willing to make such commitments in writing to any other partner. The same applies to the commitments Israel has entered into concerning" the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Ferrero-Waldner added.

The "European Neighborhood" accords with Moldova, Ukraine, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority are aimed at making Europe more secure by bringing stability and prosperity to volatile regions.

The Ukraine accord is to be implemented once it is clear a presidential election to be rerun December 26 are free and fair, putting an end to the country's political crisis, said Ferrero-Waldner.

She said she planned to visit Kiev after the vote to see "how we can work together" to put Ukraine's neighborhood accord into effect.
The EU plans to have "neighborhood" accords next year with Egypt, Lebanon, Armenia, Azerbaij and Georgia.

Ferrero-Waldner told reporters the agreements will create "a ring of friends around the borders of our enlarged EU" that took in Cyprus, Malta and eight ex-communist East European nations on May 1.

She said the neighbors will qualify for easy access to the EU's 450 million consumers, "the biggest single market in the world," if they bring their laws in line with EU rules and regulations.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/Printer&cid=1102601523688&p=1078113566627

JNW HEADLINE NEWS
Abbas again insists on right to destroy Israel
By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial Staff
December 10th, 2004

JERUSALEM - PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas has again insisted on the right to flood Israel with millions of Arabs labeled as “Palestinian” refugees, and by doing so demographically destroy the Jewish state.

“All Palestinian refugees must have the right to return to Palestine [sic] in line with UN Resolution 194,” Abbas told the Beirut Daily Star in an interview on Thursday. [Translation of the interview was provided by IMRA.]

This right "is not an issue for debate" and "is a common goal" of all Palestinian Arab factions, said Abbas, who is also known as Abu Mazen.

In its response to the interview, the Zionist Organization of America pointed out UN resolution 194 falls under Chapter VI of the world body’s charter, making it a recommendation rather than a legally binding decree.

Hailed by the West as a “moderate,” the PA presidential election frontrunner first indicated he was unwilling to compromise on the “right of return” during speech to the “Palestinian” parliament on November 23.

“We promise you [Yasser Arafat] that our heart will not rest until we achieve the right of return for our people and end the tragic refugee issue,” Abbas said during a memorial parliamentary session for the deceased arch-terrorist.

During a 1998 seminar at Al-Najah University in Shechem, senior Fatah Central Committee member Sakher Habash admitted the true meaning of the “right of return” for the “Palestinian” cause.

“To us, the refugees issue is the winning card which means the end of the Israeli state,” Habash said.

Habash recognized that for this reason alone Israel had refused to even consider a “Palestinian” right of return.

Abbas is Fatah’s candidate in the upcoming January 9 PA election.

http://www.jnewswire.com/library/article.php?articleid=378

Dec. 10, 2004 2:11
'Disengagement' out, 'leaving Gaza' in
By HERB KEINON

Say good-bye disengagement; hello to the plan to leave Gaza.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who since last December has referred to his initiative to move out of Gaza and four northern Samarian settlements as the "unilateral disengagement plan," suddenly opted for the more unwieldy "plan to leave Gaza" in Thursday morning radio interviews.

Sharon – who unlike his predecessors Ehud Barak and Binyamin Netanyahu rarely gives phone-in radio interviews – said "the plan to leave Gaza has many benefits." The prime minister, who used the interviews to drum up support for his proposal to widen the coalition, referred to the plan in this new manner a number of times.

Such changes in Sharon's lexicon are not deemed accidental.

One Foreign Ministry official, asked to interpret the slight but obvious shift, suggested it indicates Sharon no longer sees the plan as unilateral, and that with Yasser Arafat's death and a new wind blowing from Egypt, "disengagement" is becoming less one-sided and evolving into a "plan to leave Gaza" coordinated with the Egyptians and a soon-to-be-elected Palestinian leadership.

Sources in the Prime Minister's Office denied the semantic change had any diplomatic overtones, but did admit it had political ones.

One senior official explained that the new name has fewer negative connotations for the Likud rank-and-file than the word "disengagement." This in itself is not without irony, since "disengagement" was a term chosen in order to avoid using the word "withdrawal," which has even worse connotations.

Still, the official said, "disengagement" conjures up images of settlements being removed. The "plan to leave Gaza," by contrast, is designed to drive home an idea that many in the Likud have come to accept – the need to leave Gaza.

The new name also places limits on the scope of the proposal. "Unilateral disengagement" is an open-ended phrase, and doesn't precisely define what is being discussed. It leaves open the idea that Gaza is just the first step of a process that will lead to the ultimate removal of many, perhaps most, West Bank settlements.

The "plan to leave Gaza," on the other hand, is precise and clearly defined.

The official said Sharon will henceforth use the new name when addressing the Likud, but still use the old one in conversations with foreign officials and statesmen.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1102601525385

Barghouthi Quits Election Race, 4 Israelis Killed
10 minutes ago
Top Stories - Reuters
By Mohammed Assadi

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Jailed uprising leader Marwan Barghouthi on Sunday quit the race to replace late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat (news - web sites), ensuring a smooth election and making the victory of a veteran peacemaker almost certain.

But hopes of Middle East peace, raised since Arafat's death in Paris on Nov. 11, suffered a blow when militants burrowed under an Israeli post on the Gaza-Egypt border to kill four soldiers in the deadliest attack on the army for seven months.

The assault could also complicate Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites)'s plan to abandon occupied Gaza just as it gained momentum with talks on a new coalition to see it through.

Barghouthi's withdrawal from the race for the Jan. 9 election ended a bid that threatened to undermine Mahmoud Abbas, a U.S.-favored veteran leader who is expected to revive talks that foundered before the uprising started in 2000.

Barghouthi, a charismatic grassroots leader serving five life terms in an Israeli prison for orchestrating attacks, had more street appeal than Abbas, the official nominee of their Fatah (news - web sites) movement. The two were neck-and-neck in polls.

In the letter from his cell to announce that he was withdrawing, Barghouti called Abbas "a dear and good friend."

Even if Barghouthi had failed to win, a good enough showing could have discredited Abbas - especially when it came to trying to end violence and bring the militant factions under control.

The militants from Islamic faction Hamas and Abbas's own Fatah movement showed their muscle in the attack on the military post, burrowing underneath for 600 meters (yards) to set off a 1,500 kg bomb, then sending gunmen into the breach.

The blast tore through an army post at the Rafah crossing to Egypt, turning some buildings into a pile of rubble and setting others on fire.

After the blast, Palestinian gunmen charged toward the soldiers while militants pounded the position with mortar bombs.

"This was a very large and well coordinated attack," said army spokesman Captain Jacob Dallal.

Israeli officials said four soldiers died and nine others were wounded. One gunman was killed in the battle and another man was shot dead in the area soon after, Palestinians said.

The Fatah Hawks said it was avenging the "assassination" of Arafat, who is thought by many Palestinians to have been poisoned despite vehement denials from their own leaders and French doctors.

RESURGENT VIOLENCE

Sunday's attack looked certain to fuel a new round of bloodshed after a spell of relative call after Arafat's death.

"The only way to stop this cycle of violence is through a meaningful peace process," said Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat.

Israel has vowed to respond to violence, but said it could limit military operations if militants stop attacks and the new Palestinian leadership brings fighters under control.

   

"We are willing to display restraint, but I think it also puts a great pressure on the Palestinian leadership to take the necessary steps," said Sharon's spokesman Raanan Gissin.

Israel agreed on Sunday to free up to 200 Palestinian prisoners, partly to show goodwill ahead of the elections, and said more releases could follow if violence stopped.

Gissin said Israel could also coordinate its "disengagement plan" from Gaza if Palestinian leaders get tough on militants.

Palestinians remain deeply uneasy about Sharon's initiative, fearing it will cost them the West Bank. Palestinians want both territories captured in the 1967 Middle East war for a state.

Welcomed by Western countries as a step toward peace, the Gaza plan took a major step at the weekend as the center-left opposition Labour party started talks with Sharon's right-wing Likud on a government to champion withdrawal.

Sharon needs Labour to rebuild his shattered government, avert early elections and overcome rightist rebels opposed to withdrawing from any captured land as a "reward for terror."

Sharon wants to evacuate all the settlements in the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) and four of 120 in the West Bank next year in a bid to "disengage" from fighting with the Palestinians. Polls show most Israelis want to part with impoverished Gaza.

(Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza and Megan Goldin in Jerusalem)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20041212/ts_nm/mideast_dc&e=1

Israel Takes Solana's Deal

This could be it ... the covenant with the many. And, it's being reported Israel has accepted it  Friends, for us at FulfilledProphecy, this is big, big news.

It's called the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). As for now, it's only between the 25 European Union member states and seven non-member states. These seven states are Israel, Ukraine, Moldova, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.

The goal, however, is to extend this agreement to 10 more nations. These nations are Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Gorgia, Lebanon, Libya, Russia Federation and Syria. Like I've been reporting, this is literally a covenant with many. And, its author is the man I wrote my book about, Javier Solana.

Here's why this is important: You see, many times in my book I say, if these events I'm reporting are the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, then they will lead to a seven-year agreement with Israel. This agreement will be broken three and a half years later. I base this on Daniel 9:27 -- the passage Jesus was referring to in Matthew 24:15 and Paul was referring to in 1 Thessalonians 5:3.

Where do we find a seven-year period to Solana's ENP? Well, on January 1, 2007, the EU's new seven-year budget term will begin. At that time, all participating nations will come under a new funding instrument drawn up by Solana. It includes follow-up revaluation elements. This means, each nation will have an Action Plan they must implement if they want to continue in the agreement. Solana is also tasked with monitoring these nation's compliance. And, he's to report mid-term -- in two years and again in three.

Like I said, this could be it -- the covenant with many. Unfortunately, I suspect, because of the nature of this deal, it could enter into force on January 1, 2007, and no one will even notice.

But, why should that be a surprise? No one noticed when the Western European Union reached that magic number of 10 nations in 1995. No one noticed when the Office of High Representative was filled in 1999 by Solana, or when the 10 nation's implemented their Assembly Recommendation 666 in 2000. And, today, no one seems to be noticing that the EU's so-called "big three" -- Germany, France and Britain -- will have to be subdued for Solana to exercise the full powers of his Office.

So, why should anybody notice the beginning of the EU's next budget term in 2007?

I can't think of any reason.
http://www.fulfilledprophecy.com/israel_takes_deal.html
http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=17950

I agree DW.    Its interesting that Israel is the only virtual member too  ;)    

Don't have the link at hand, but also the news about the newly re-formed Sanhedrin acsending the temple mount last Monday for the first time in 1,600 years is striking.   As Jesus spoke to them days before His crucifixion, He said to them....

Mat 23:39  For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Would not be possible for them to say this if they weren't around today.   Another piece of the puzzle is now in place!

Grace and Peace!

Dreamweaver & 2 Timothy,

Great links and material!!

I'm ready!

Love In Christ,
Tom

1 Corinthians 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Things are happening at a stunning rate Tom!   Jesus is coming back very soon.  

If anyone reading here does not know the Lord, its time to get on your knee's and ask Him into your life.   Don't wait!   Today is the day of salvation.   Ask Him into your heart and know His Grace and Forgivness.  

Grace and Peace!

(http://forums.christiansunite.com/YaBBImages/thumbup.gif)


AMEN!!!!

Gaza Violence Dents Hopes of Middle East Peace

1 hour, 21 minutes ago
World - Reuters
By Matthew Tostevin

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) said on Monday that any peace talks with Palestinian leaders depended on whether they could rein in militants, who killed five Israeli soldiers in Gaza in an attack on Sunday.
 

The assault on an Israeli post between the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) and Egypt, the most lethal since Yasser Arafat (news - web sites)'s death a month ago, drew missile strikes in a swift reprisal and dimmed hopes for an end to decades of conflict in the post-Arafat era.

Despite its worst military loss in seven months, Israel said it still planned to pull back troops during Palestinian elections on Jan 9. to help ensure that they went smoothly.

But Sharon said any talks with Palestinian leaders would depend on a halt to attacks. Peace negotiations collapsed in 2000 shortly before Palestinians launched their uprising.

"Any development depends on the Palestinian leadership and its actions," he told visiting members of the U.S. Congress in Jerusalem. "We want to move forward toward peace, but at the moment we do not see any change among the Palestinians."

In Syria, officials blamed Israel for a Damascus car-bombing that almost killed an unnamed member of Hamas, one of the factions behind Sunday's raid. Israeli officials had no comment.

Sharon did not refer in his remarks directly to Mahmoud Abbas, the moderate and U.S.-favored Palestinian leader whose election as Arafat's successor was virtually assured after jailed uprising leader Marwan Barghouthi withdrew on Sunday.

Israel had ruled out talks with Arafat, accusing him of failing to stop attacks. He denied the accusation and complained that it was impossible to crack down on gunmen because Israel had destroyed Palestinian security forces.

Arafat's death in a Paris hospital on Nov 11. has raised hopes of talks, but optimists have been dealt a blow by the growing violence in Gaza -- an occupied territory that Israel plans to quit next year.

GROWING VIOLENCE

In Sunday's carefully planned attack, militants burrowed underneath an army post on the Egypt-Gaza border then set off a 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) bomb, turning buildings to rubble and killing five soldiers of a Bedouin Arab unit.

Israel struck back with helicopter missiles, cutting off power in Gaza City after they hit a generator. They also hit a metal foundry, which the army said was used to make weapons. In the West Bank, troops killed a Hamas gunman.

Israel Radio said top army officers had agreed to a major military response in Gaza in coming days.

But Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said that Israel would still try to ease conditions for Palestinians so that next month's presidential vote goes smoothly. He said troops would withdraw from Palestinian cities for 72 hours.

Abbas, 69, was ensured a clear run after firebrand Barghouthi pulled out on Sunday.

Barghouthi is serving five life terms in an Israeli jail for orchestrating attacks, but he has much more appeal on the street than Abbas and the two men had been even in opinion polls.

A good showing for Barghouthi -- even if he had lost -- could have undermined Abbas when it came to negotiating with Israel or cracking down on militant groups.

Abbas will have to deal quickly with Sharon's plan to quit Gaza. Western countries hail it as a step to peace, but Palestinians fear it will cost them the West Bank. Both territories were captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Sharon wants to evacuate all the settlements in the Gaza Strip and four of 120 in the West Bank next year. Most Israelis want to part with impoverished Gaza, but Sharon faces opposition from rightists who say it would "reward terror."

(Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza and Corinne Heller in Jerusalem)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20041213/wl_nm/mideast_dc

Israel to Renovate Crumbling Entrance to Disputed Holy Site in Jerusalem's Old City
Mon Dec 13,11:09 AM ET
Middle East - AP

JERUSALEM - Israel will renovate the crumbling entrance to a disputed holy site in Jerusalem's Old City that is revered by Jews and Muslims, officials said Monday.

The work will repair a stone ramp leading to a mosque compound. The ramp enables tourists and Jewish worshippers to enter the compound, which is known as Haram a Sharif to Muslims and the Temple Mount to Jews.

The mount is at the heart of the Israeli-Arab conflict. It is revered by Jews as the site of the biblical temples, while it is Islam's third-holiest site and home to the Al-Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques.

The ramp leads up from a plaza at the Western Wall, the holiest site to Jews, to the Mughrabi Gate of the compound. Last winter heavy rains caused the ramp to partially collapse onto the women's section at the Wall.

In light of the damage, the current ramp will be removed and a new entrance to the gate built, a spokesman for the Jerusalem Municipality said.

The Waqf, or Islamic Trust, which effectively controls the mosque compound at the site, did not immediately comment on the planned work. Palestinians have in the past reacted with angry riots to even minor changes at the mount.

Israel's Antiquities Authority will be involved in a dig at the site to uncover any artifacts before the new ramp is built, the Yediot Ahronot newspaper reported Monday. A spokeswoman for the authority did not immediately comment on the report.

Parts of the mount dating back to the seventh and eighth centuries are in major disrepair.

Israel warned in September that an eastern section of the mosque compound could collapse under the weight of thousands of Muslim worshippers expected during a holiday. The Waqf has since completed engineering work in the area to prevent its toppling.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=
10&u=/ap/20041213/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_holy_site

Now why does this sound so familiar?

Bob

I'm wondering how I missed this.........

A Church after God’s Heart Grows in the Heart of Jerusalem
By Chris Mitchell
Middle East Bureau Chief
December 3, 2004

CBN.com – JERUSALEM - What happens in Jerusalem, whether it is political or spiritual, often attracts worldwide attention. That is why people from around the world came to Jerusalem to attend the recent dedication of a new church facility.

While building a new church facility in the U.S. is not unusual, building a new facility in the city of Jerusalem is unique. It is called The Pavilion, a new state-of-the-art facility, located in the heart of Jerusalem.

It is the new home of the King of Kings Assembly. Pastor Wayne Hilsden is the pastor. He said, "It's not just a building, but it actually declares that we believe in: the restoration of Israel. And what we did is take a dilapidated, broken-down ruin and began to restore it."

The physical restoration took place in a city known to Christians around the world for its tremendous spiritual warfare and for its enormous biblical significance, since Jerusalem is the city where the Bible says Jesus will come and establish his kingdom.

The groundbreaking project took 22 months to transform an abandoned movie theater, the largest in Jerusalem, into one of the most technologically advanced facilities in Israel.

The architecture even includes a ceiling meant to look like a prayer shawl. Hilsden calls the project a physical reflection of a spiritual truth. He said, "The restoration will also be a spiritual restoration. It's not only a restoration of the land, but a restoration to the Lord."

Pastor Jack Hayford of Church on the Way came to help dedicate the facility. "This is a place where demon darkness will be shattered,” Hayford said. “This is a place where chains of addiction will be broken. This is a place where bodies will be healed, a place where saved souls will receive the full empowerment of the Spirit, that will become agents of the Living God in this city and elsewhere in the world. This is a revival center. Hallelujah!"

While King of Kings met in a rented facility for years, now The Pavilion will be the spiritual home for hundreds of people living in Jerusalem. It is meant to serve the body of Messiah within Israel and around the world.

The financial commitment posed a huge challenge, but support came from around the world, for what Pastor Hilsden calls a "miracle in the making." He said, "We've had an incredible response from people who have said, ‘How can I help’? They've helped us very significantly. [They’ve] pray[ed] for us, given to us, and we've seen miracle, after miracle -- to see this vision become a reality."

During this season of congregational prayer, the Scripture verse, Psalm 27:5 became a powerful theme: "For in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His Pavilion, in the secret place of His tabernacle shall He hide me. He shall set me high upon a rock."

Hilsden believes joy and worship make up the heart of The Pavilion. He hopes as a worship center, it will reflect Jerusalem's biblical past, present and future. He said, "The place where David worshipped. The place where Yeshua came and showed us the Father, whom we worship. And the place where He's coming back and we'll gather around the throne and worship."
http://www.cbn.com/CBNNews/News/041203a.asp?option=print

Mubarak: Palestinian state by 2008
Associated Press,
THE JERUSALEM POST    
Dec. 18, 2004

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, in an interview published Saturday, urged the US to push forward the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
We would like the Americans to concentrate on solving this problem," Mubarak told the German Der Spiegel, adding that he remains confident a Palestinian state will be created in the coming years.

"I see the year 2008, when the second term of US President George W. Bush ends, as the probable time frame," he said.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said his plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip next year, coupled with the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, could turn 2005 into a "year of great opportunity."

"As things stand, Sharon is the only one in Israel who can take the courageous step toward peace," Mubarak told Der Spiegel. "The contacts that we had with Sharon over recent weeks showed that he wants to move."

Mubarak also said that he hopes tensions over Iran's nuclear program will not lead to a US attack on the country - a move that would be "a mistake of catastrophic proportions."

Washington believes Iran has a secret nuclear weapons program and has been pressing the UN atomic agency to refer Iran to the UN Security Council.

"If the United States were really to attack Iran, that would be a mistake of catastrophic proportions," Mubarak was quoted as saying by the German weekly Der Spiegel, responding to a question about Middle Eastern fears of such an attack.

"Terror and violence in the Middle East and, shortly afterward, in the whole world, would then overshadow everything we have seen so far," he added. "I hope it doesn't come to that."

Iran insists that it is only pursuing a peaceful nuclear energy program.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/Printer&cid=1103356912087&p=1101615860782

Un-huh, I think that God has other plans.
Bob

Thanks a lot for this thread. I appreciate it. I too follow what is going on in the Middle East with great interest.
I thought to add that the Hebrew calender says something about March 2006 being the eighth week of years after Jubilee. Remember Jerusalem was to be restored in one week of years which is 49years, as per Daniel 9:

24  Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26  And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Jesus born 62 + 3 1/2 Jesus ministry cut off  + seven to restore Jerusalem + last half of Jesus' 3 1/2 years of minstry, but through the Church that has come through the fire refined and full of the Holy Ghost. Possibly the 144,000, as they represent 12,000 from each tribe including the 10 lost tribes that God has never lost track of as the house of Israel.

 Amos 9:9  "For surely I will command, And will sift the house of Israel among all nations, As grain is sifted in a sieve; Yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground.

Hosea 5:3  I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.

I notice that it does not say the temple will be rebuilt in verse 25 even though the verse in 2Thess. speaks of the antichrist in the temple. I have heard that nothing prevents the Jewish oblation even without the temple being built ?? Also the Cohanim. There are no records left for these priests to go before God in the Holy of Holies. There are problems to the Jews ever carrying out the sacrifices again..??

http://www.beingjewish.com/unchanged/rebuild.html

Another thing I have heard is that President Bush is symbolically now the king of Babylon by controling the Euphrates river. This war in Iraq is more than likely the beginning of Armageddon and we are just beginning to realize it as Christians. Babylon will be destroyed and all the merchants of the world will morn seeing their economy and best consumer gone up in smoke. Of course this is America after terrorists stategically attack communications and military. This would be the perfect time for Russia to make her move, as I hear more and more of how Putin is putting on the brakes with democracy. America's defences are scattered throughout the world, and chaos in the U/S. would give the perfect window of opportunity for the antichrist to come in with New World Order from the EU, by miraculously defeating Russia in a quick but devastating battle that Israel will join into also, being attacked by the Muslim nations and using their neutron bomb, leaving weapons to burn for seven years. Of course they could make a move on the Dome of the Rock after this victory, but the antichrist will come against them in this.
The comet that comes through the Pleiades this month and comes closest to eath January 5/6 and could be a harbinger of things to come.

Orthodox Jews have long taught that the world would last
for 6,000 years before the Messiah would come and usher in a 1,000-year period of restful human history. Since God created the world in six days, according to Genesis 1:31, and rested on the seventh day, according to Genesis 2:1, they reasoned the world's history would climax the same way. They cite Psalms 90:4, which says: "For a thousand years
in Thy sight are like yesterday when it passes by."  
Likewise, Christians have looked to II Peter 3:8: "But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."
The early church understood this "six-day theory" of world history. It was widely accepted teaching for the first three centuries of the church. From the time of Adam, we've got genealogical records to show that 4,000 years passed until the time of Christ. From Jesus' time until the present age represents another 2,000 years for a total of 6,000 years or six days.
There's also a three-day theory: Jesus rose on the third day. Would the beginning of the third millennium - or thousand-year period - not be the likely time for His return to Earth? There is even strong scriptural evidence for such a theory provided in Hosea 6:2: "After two days will he revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight." Note that this prophecy is not about the Resurrection of Jesus - it's either about the resurrection of Israel after 2,000 years of dispersal or the physical return of the Lord.
Just thought I'd share some of what I have picked up along the way on other forums and in my studies, reading books on prophecy.
God bless and Maranatha...  (http://www.montada.com/images/smilies/new_icons/saint.gif)
 

Raphu,

Brother, thanks for your input and addition to this study. This is a fascinating, but extremely difficult study. I give thanks that many brothers and sisters can discuss this topic with peace and interest, even though there are many varying opinions.

I realize there are many brothers and sisters who don't consider Bible prophecy to be literal, rather parables for some other purpose or spiritualized for purposes other than reality that will happen in the future. That's fine, as having Jesus as Lord and Saviour is thousands of times more important than trying to study and understand Bible prophecy.

I fit into the category of people who feel that Bible prophecy is literal reality that will be fulfilled to the letter in the future. My belief is based on many Old Testament prophecies that have already been fulfilled to the letter and in ALL REALITY. I like to study and discuss Bible prophecy, mainly because it is in the Bible for a purpose. I enjoy it when brothers and sisters in Christ can come together in peace and share varying opinions.

I believe the Bible clearly teaches that this current age and dispensation of the Grace of God will end. Further, I believe we may be living in a time where the end of this age is near. Many people disagree about timing, sequence of events, and major events which might or might not happen at the end of this age. Regardless, there are HUGE events that will most certainly take place. Most Christians agree that Jesus Christ will come again, but they may disagree about the purpose and specific event:

1.  Rapture of the Church which is the BODY OF CHRIST is one such major event. Some don't believe this event will take place, and others disagree about the timing of this MOST MAJOR EVENT. I believe the RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH will happen before the TRIBULATION PERIOD. The Holy Spirit (Restrainer) will be removed from this earth during the Rapture of the Church. The powers of darkness and the anti-Christ will be unleashed.

2.  Many people believe that the tribulation period talked about in the Holy Bible has either already happened, a parable, or simply another spiritualized message for another purpose. I believe it is a literal 7 year period of time yet to come. Further, I believe that time may be soon.

3.  Many people believe that the anti-Christ is a condition or groups of people, as opposed to a single personification of evil called the Beast and the anti-Christ. I understand the group or mass thoughts, but I believe the Holy Bible clearly teaches that "THE ANTI-CHRIST" will be revealed at or near the end of this age, and the earth will suffer destruction and misery beyond human imagination.

4.  As I said, most Christians believe in the Second Coming of Christ, but they may disagree with the timing or the list of events associated with this HUGE AND PRECIOUS EVENT. There will be a cleansing of evil, and hosts will see and feel HIS TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD.

5.  There is confusion about the rule and reign of Christ, rightfully so. Many don't believe the Bible refers to more than one throne. All Christians know and believe that Jesus Christ is LORD OF LORDS, KING OF KINGS, and sits on a Heavenly Throne. The Kingdom of God is already a reality, HE lives in our hearts, and we already belong to HIS Heavenly Kingdom. The confusion and disagreement regards the second throne mentioned in the Holy Bible, the Throne of David. Many people spiritualize the 1,000 year rule and reign of Christ, usually thinking that 1 day is as 1,000 years, so a parable such as this would indicate or imply infinity.

Here's what I believe, but I have no wish to argue or have any contention with other brothers and sisters in Christ:

1.  The Throne of GOD in Heaven is not the Throne of David;  

2.  The Throne of David will be an earthly throne in Jerusalem;  

3.  Jesus Christ will sit on the earthy Throne of David in Jerusalem and rule and reign over the earth for a literal 1,000 years;  

4.  The Kingdom of God and the Millennial Kingdom are two separate and distinct things;  

5.  The Kingdom of God is already reality, but the Millennial Kingdom will not begin until the end of the Tribulation Period.

Please, I don't say any of these things for argument, to hurt  feelings, or to have any contention of any kind with any brother or sister in Christ. I say them simply as a matter of discussion and study. I didn't mention some other MAJOR EVENTS that will most certainly happen at God's appointed time. This is more than enough to think about. I'll give you a couple of hints. (a)  Armageddon is not a parable or spiritualized event. The world's most horrible and destructive battles will happen and be reality. Great portions of the earth's entire population will be killed. (b)  The "mark of the beast" is not a parable or spiritualized message for some other purpose. The "mark of the beast" will become a terrible reality during the Tribulation Period.  (c)  Israel will become the greatest and most feared nations on earth. All of the promises God made to Israel thousands of years ago will be fulfilled to the letter. (d) Resurrection and Judgment involving the number and timing of events.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Trouble is a brewing again.

Jerusalem Tops Agenda in Palestinian Poll Campaign

Fri Jan 7, 5:03 PM ET
World - Reuters
By Mohammed Assadi

BIR NABALA, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian presidential frontrunner Mahmoud Abbas canceled an election rally in Jerusalem on Friday, objecting to Israeli security, and his main rival was detained at a holy site in the city.

"Today we did not go to Jerusalem, but tomorrow we will be in Jerusalem because Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Palestinian people," Abbas told thousands of Palestinians in the nearby West Bank village of Bir Nabala to roars of approval.

"We want our Jerusalem. Let us go to Jerusalem as free people in our millions," he said, while keeping alive the prospect of peace talks with Israel on the final day of campaigning for Sunday's election to succeed Yasser Arafat.

Israel calls Jerusalem its "eternal indivisible capital" and its future status lies at the heart of the Middle East conflict. Palestinians say the eastern half of the city, captured by Israel in 1967, is the capital of their future state.

Abbas, who has revived international hopes for Middle East peace by promising to try to end militant violence and pursue talks with Israel, decided he did not want to be pictured being shadowed by Israeli security units in Jerusalem, aides said.

This could have undercut his efforts to win over militants who in the past have branded him a lackey of Israel, they said, adding Israel had told Abbas it would impose heavy security because ultra-nationalist Jews might attack him.

His main challenger, Mustafa Barghouthi, went to Arab East Jerusalem but was detained briefly by Israeli police when he tried to enter a site holy to both Muslims and Jews.

HOLY SITE DISPUTE

"I am coming here to pray in the mosque and now you are arresting me. You are arresting a presidential candidate with a permit to be in Jerusalem," Barghouthi said as he was detained at an entrance to Jerusalem's walled Old City.

Israeli police spokesman Gil Kleiman said Barghouthi had a permit for an election debate in an East Jerusalem hotel but not to appear in the holy site known to Jews as Temple Mount and Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif.

"Barghouthi tried to enter Temple Mount for electioneering purposes," said Kleiman, adding this could have caused violence.

Israel said Palestinian residents of Jerusalem could vote in the election and candidates could campaign in private buildings.

Abbas, who took over the Palestine Liberation Organization when Arafat died in November, signaled a wish for stability to foster peacemaking, saying he would keep Ahmed Qurie as prime minister. They are moderates who were long-time Arafat deputies.

Arafat often called for "millions of martyrs to march to Jerusalem," a slogan Israel regarded as incitement to violence. Arafat denied fomenting bloodshed.

Israel annexed East Jerusalem after the 1967 Middle East war in a move not recognized internationally.

Opinion polls have forecast a landslide victory for Abbas. A poll released on Friday showed him with 52 percent of the vote to 25 percent for Barghouthi, a human rights activist.

A senior Israeli source said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would meet the election winner and was expected to offer a chance to coordinate a planned Israeli pullout from Gaza.

The Israeli leader was also expected to offer to pull troops out of some West Bank towns if the Palestinians "demonstrate capabilities to assume security responsibility" and "take the necessary steps to fight terrorism," said the source.

Abbas said Israeli soldiers should pull back to where they were before the start of a Palestinian uprising in 2000. He said he would demand Israel stop construction of settlements and a West Bank barrier that cuts into Palestinian territory.

"I do not have confidence that there will be a breakthrough or that we will reach a solution, but I have no other choice ... I will try to convince him of my ideas, but if I fail, then we'll see what happens," Abbas told reporters in Ramallah.

Sharon's plan to "disengage" from conflict with the Palestinians, involving evacuation of all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and four of 120 in the West Bank, was initially designed as a unilateral measure while Arafat was alive. (Additional reporting by Ori Lewis in Jerusalem)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=721&e=1&u=/nm/20050107/wl_nm/mideast_dc

Rise in Israeli-Palestinian violence strains truce

By Nidal al-Mughrabi 2 hours, 30 minutes ago

GAZA (Reuters) - Israel launched an air strike against
Gaza Strip militants shelling Jewish settlements on Wednesday, in a surge of violence straining an already tenuous truce.
ADVERTISEMENT

The death of a Hamas militant in disputed circumstances and other violence could complicate Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon's plan to quit Gaza. A new poll showed Israeli support for a pullout was down, though a majority still favors it.

"If the
Palestinian Authority does not take the necessary steps to stop these launches, we will, with everything that entails," an Israeli official said.

It was the worst Gaza violence since the Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire took hold in February, and began with the pre-dawn death of a Hamas gunman along Gaza's border with Egypt.

Another militant was seriously hurt in the Israeli missile strike. The Israeli army said he was part of a squad that had been firing rockets or mortars into a Jewish settlement. A settler youth was lightly hurt, witnesses said.

The Israeli air attack was the first against Gaza militants since Hamas and other armed factions agreed to a ceasefire after a Feb. 8 summit between Sharon and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declaring an end to four years of hostilities.

Hamas said the gunman died when a grenade or explosive device was launched by Israeli soldiers during a patrol.

The Israeli army said its forces could not have been behind his death because they did not fire explosive devices during a brief exchange with gunmen. An army spokesman suggested a bomb the gunman was trying to plant may have detonated prematurely.

Palestinian security forces dispatched to stop the shelling were shot at by militants and stoned by bystanders, witnesses said. The security forces withdrew with three men wounded. Hamas said it was not involved in the clash.

"This is a serious escalation that cannot be accepted," said a Palestinian Interior Ministry spokesman. "National security forces will take all measures appropriate in this regard."

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie blamed Israel for the violence. "Regrettably, there is a systematic escalation which is a clear violation of the signed understandings," he told reporters in the West Bank.

EROSION IN TRUST

Rising violence despite the three-month ceasefire shows a growing erosion in trust and confidence between the two sides, a senior U.N. official told the Security Council on Wednesday.

To help restore confidence, the Palestinian Authority must worker harder to end all violence and make tangible progress on the ground while Israel "should do more to support the Palestinian leadership in its difficult task," said Kieran Prendergast, the U.N. undersecretary for political affairs.

Israel plans to withdraw from Gaza settlements in mid-August under what Sharon has billed as a way of "disengaging" from a point of conflict. Palestinian militants see the pullback from land captured in the 1967 Middle East war as a victory.

Far-right Israeli opponents of Sharon's plan have stepped up protests, citing violence such as Wednesday's as proof that any withdrawal from occupied land would "reward terror." Many Jews consider Gaza and the West Bank theirs by biblical birthright.

Keen to see Gaza evacuated without a fight, Sharon and his top ministers said on Wednesday that settlers who agree within seven days to relocate to an Israeli community set aside for them up the coast from Gaza would get priority for interim housing, school arrangements, and other amenities.

A survey conducted by Tel Aviv University at the beginning of May pointed to a steady erosion of a previous two-thirds majority for what will be Israel's first removal of settlements from land Palestinians want for a state.

It found that 56 percent of Israeli Jews back the plan to evacuate 21 settlements in Gaza and four of 120 in the West Bank, down from 62 percent in February.

The researchers attributed the decline in support to growing concern that the withdrawal would hurt Israeli security -- contrary to Sharon's message that it would boost security.

Hamas issued a statement warning Sharon that "the security you are enjoying these days will not last long if aggression continues against our people."

Sworn to Israel's destruction, Hamas has spearheaded a campaign of suicide bombings against Israelis in the Palestinian revolt, but had pledged to refrain from attacks for now.

Palestinians welcome any withdrawal but many fear Sharon is trying to trade the coastal strip for a tighter grip on the West Bank, where the vast majority of Israel's 240,000 settlers live.

(Additional reporting by Mark Heinrich in Gush Katif and Allyn Fisher-Ilan, Jonathan Saul and Megan Goldin in Jerusalem)
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050518/wl_nm/mideast_dc

Selahjoy:

I hope the following will be helpful.
First, what we now know as Iraq was originally called, among other things, Shinar.  Generally, the residents of Shinar were also called Babylonians, due to the building of Babylon, and also Chaldeans.
The modern day Iraq does not bear that much resemblance to the land are originally encompassed by Shinar, which actually extended into part of Iran, and into Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

However, in Jeremiah we see some specific words against that area.

"The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet. Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces. For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast" (Jer. 50:1-3).

Notice that apparently UTTER destruction is destined, in so much as that no man or beast shall inhabit the land.  Although Babylon, and Iraq have undergone much destruction through the centuries, that utter destruction has not occured.....yet.

Jeremiah also said:

"Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her. Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north, saith the LORD" (Jer. 51:47-48).

This corresponds to a certain degree with the pronouncements of John (Jesus) in the book of Revelation concerning the destruction of Babylon, and how all the world will mourn her passing.

It does appear that Iraq/Shinar/Chaldea/Babylon is in for a big hit, probably occuring during the tribulation period and the battles that will occur between the beast (anti-christ/man of perdition) and the other countries that will come against him.  In particular, you should note that the "200 million" man army (China?) belonging to the King(s) of the East will travel via a dried-up Euphrates river to get to the area.

There will be a 7 year "time of trouble", but that time (the tribulation period) is decreed against (1) the Jews (it is also called the time of Jacob's trouble), and (2) against the entire world, as it encompasses the outpouring of God's wrath upon the earth.

I would suggest that the best prayers for those in Iraq would be that first, they come to know the Lord Jesus....and secondly, find someplace else to move to....

Amen.
:D  :D  :D

Evangelist,

Thank you very much for sending the recent information.  I hope you don't mind that I ask lots of questions though.  Any that you have knowledge about, I would appreciate learning.  Below is my long list of questions:

Why do you suppose our Father would want to eventually destroy the place where Iraq is?  I wonder if He finds the historical and contemporary wickedness of that area to be an abomination to Him, which is in precise contrast to His glorious peace when He once walked in the Garden of Eden.  (any Bible references?)

Why do you say that the whole earth will mourn the destruction of Iraq?

If the Bible says so, why would God want to predict our collective grief over the destruction of that part of the world?

It sounds like you are speaking of the "rapture."  If history plays out the rapture like some believe it will, do you think God would allow some saints to stay behind so they can evangelize the lost?  The reason I ask that is because when the "time of trouble" begins, there will be those who want to come to Christ, and they will be baby Christians who need tender loving care to "fill their oil lamps" and be ready for the "Bridegroom."  Who will lead them if all the Christians are raptured?

When do you think the "time of trouble" will begin?  Further, when it does, will it be too late to get our troops out of there? or to get visas for Iraqi's?  Since your quote above spells out destruction, what do you think the reason should be for our active-duty military personnel to maintain good, high morale while they are over there fighting and witnessing so many die?

If those who live there were to try to find someplace else to live, where would be the easiest, safest, and fastest place/way to go?  Is America an option?  How?

I agree wholeheartedly that the best way to pray for everyone in Iraq--military, civilian, and insurgeant--is for salvation and revival, in Jesus' name!

If you write back, thank you so much!  Some of these questions have been on my mind for quite some time.  I look forward to learning but at the same time, I don't want you to feel any pressure to write back.  God bless you today!

selahjoy*

Hello SelahJoy.

 I can answer one of your questions.


 There will most definitely not be any Christians left behind.
There will be many people left behind who are very knowledgeable in the Holy Bible, who did not take the Bible literally before the Rapture. There are thousands of pastors right now who fit this description; these men and women believe the Bible is a "spiritual" guidebook, instead of the literal word of God. These people will come to the horrifying realization that the Bible is God's literal word, and these people will no doubt become instant literalists and ministers to the lost. These people will be hunted down, persecuted and executed by satan and his armies. There will be much suffering for these people during the seven years tribulation. None who accept the mark of the beast will be able to buy or sell anything including food and clothing, so these people will be in full out survival mode.

There are also the 144,000 Jews, which God puts His personal seal upon which protects them from the Wrath. These will most certainly be powerful ministers to the lost also.

Politically speaking i fall into the pro Israel category.

I have been reading some of the first posts in this thread.....

I have read how many nations are against Israel.

 We know Sadam murdered his own and invaded Kuwait, not Israel.

There were battles on the Afghan border with Pakistan, again not Israel.

There has been much talk of the jealousy of the Saudis  from the other Arabs. The Saudis have killed thier own family to maintane or gain control.

We talk of the ‘hot bed’ in the middle east as being Israel but seems to resent history Afghan has been at war for ever. Iran and Iraq have been in their own civil wars for years. Uprisings in Egypt.

   Any one here have resent historical, factual knowledge of the region? ( in reading the above sentence it does not read as kind as I would have it read but I don’t know how else to ask. Like I am not saying what has been posted in not factual etc.)

Try this link it covers the middle east from 1948 to present.

http://www.historyguy.com/War_list.html#warlist13a

Hmmmm.......a whole passel of questions!!  I'll try to take them one (or two) at a time.


As noted in the previously quoted scripture from Jeremiah 50:1,
"...Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded,...", the reason for God's disgust with the area is their apparently continuing penchance for idol worship.....and not just any old idols. Bel and Merodach both were pagan 'gods', and were particularly bloody in the form of their worship, with sacrifice of children and virgins being foremost. One of Bel's names was Molech, and he is referenced many times in scripture.
Lev 18:21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through [the fire] to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I [am] the LORD.
Lev 20:3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

These are just two of nine references to the practices.

Merodach was the name given by Nimrod to Babel, and is a symbol of man's monument to himself.


Rev 18:9
And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10
Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Note that it is the 'kings' of the earth, the leaders of nations that will be the ones doing most of the crying.  Those who have profited, whether by war, or selling of munitions, or through commercial trade, will bemoan the loss.  Very possibly (this is supposition) the major loss will be in the loss of oil. Consider that that area contains well over 50% of the worlds total proven oil reserves.


I think the above scripture covers this one.  It's an economic thing.  Also, keep in mind, that it is not "our" (as in Christians) collective grief, it is the grief of those who are still in, and part of, this world and it's controlling influence (satan....he is the 'prince of the power of the air.')


No, I don't believe that any Christians will be left behind. Why? If one is a Christian, then they are saved...not a little bit, not a little more, and not just some.....saved is saved, and not saved is not saved.  Will there by "christians" in name only left behind? Yes, because they are not saved to begin with, no matter what they call themselves.  As Bronze pointed out, there will be 144,000 Jews that are saved and sealed for the purpose of evangelizing and testifying to Messiah Jesus during the period of "jacob's trouble."

We (Christians) won't be here, because:
1Th 5:9
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

and the time of tribulation is specifically spelled out in scripture as the pouring out of the wrath of God upon this earth, and those here who deny Him.  It is also pointed out (Daniel) as having a purpose of cleansing Israel once and for all, bringing an end to sin and completing His work of redemption.


It begins when a dark leader (often called the anti-christ) comes to power over a confederation of nations and signs a peace treaty with Israel, 'guaranteeing' her peace and safety. More details can be found in Dan. 7 and 9, and throughout Rev.  Paul refers to this also:
1Th 5:3
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Here Paul is referring to the Jews, and this cross references to what Jesus said in Matthew 24

In 2Th 2:3
Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Paul is pinpointing a sequence of events culminating in the revelation, or unveiling, of this 'man of sin', or the anti-christ.

 
I think most of our troops will be gone....either via the rapture, or by sudden withdrawal for some reason.  Visa's?  I think it will be too late.  The reason to maintain high morale would be directly tied to their standing with Christ....if they are saved, then they will know they are doing some good, especially in witnessing.


I have no good advice on this....sorry.


I hope it's a little help...there is so much covered in so few words that it's next to impossible to connect all the little dots, but the picture is there.

And God bless you!!

Thanks Roger,

that is the kinda stuff i was hoping for.   :)

hey tim i was wondering around march 14 the north star started to move like a UFo. like a day later terrorist invaded Jerusalem it was on TV for a second my friend said but that was is nothin else no web site on it so the government coverd it up.

Officials: Jihad in Syria ordered strikes

Rockets fired at southern Israeli community in recent days ordered by Islamic Jihad headquarters in Damascus; Israel relayed warning message to Syria prior to attacks. Qassam fire continues Tuesday night
Alex Fishman

The order to fire Qassam rockets at Israeli communities in recent days came from the Islamic Jihad’s headquarters in Syria, security officials say.

Following the killing of the group’s West Bank terror leader Louie Sa’adi earlier this week, Jihad leaders in Syria exerted heavy pressure on terrorists to respond by directing mortar and rocket fire at Israel, at any cost.

This time around, Syrian officials cannot pretend they had no idea what was happening right under their noses, because Israel relayed messages to Damascus, through various sources, informing the Syrians about the rocket attacks about to follow.

Some officials in Israel thought Syria, which is already facing intense international scrutiny, might push the Islamic Jihad to curb its attacks, but Syrian officials did not act.

Meanwhile, Israel also informed the Palestinian Authority hours before the Qassam strikes that terrorists are planning to launch rocket attacks. PA officials were asked to take steps in a bid to prevent the fire, but Palestinian security officials did not even pretend to be acting on the information.

Gaza’s Karni and Erez crossings were reopened Wednesday morning following a situation assessment by the IDF. The crossings were closed following the Qassam rocket attacks.

Another rocket Tuesday night

Despite the IDF’s work to prevent rocket attacks, a Qassam rocket was fired close to midnight (Israel time) at Sderot. No injuries have been reported.

On the eve of Simchat Torah (Monday night), at least five Qassam rockets were fired at the city.

Sderot’s level of alert has been raised due to fears that Palestinian organizations would try to take revenge for the killing of Islamic Jihad commander Louie Sa’adi.

Moshe Ben Sheetrit, a 29 year-old resident of the city, told Ynet: “The Red Dawn (alert system) siren was heard. Usually, there are 20 seconds to run to a protected structure, but before I got there, I heard a boom; it was less than 20 seconds. The children are asleep, thank God.”

In response to Monday night’s rocket salvo, the IAF hit targets in northern Gaza, and IDF forces fired artillery shells at Qassam rocket launching pads. An IAF combat helicopter also struck two buildings in Gaza.

Palestinian doctors said that a Palestinian woman and two of her daughters were injured by shrapnel from the air strike in southern Gaza.

On Tuesday Sderot Mayor Eli Moyal told Ynet that the IDF’s “soft” response to Monday’s barrage of Qassam rockets at Sderot encourages the Palestinians to continue attacking us, on Tuesday.

'People are angry'

“The IDF should not respond to their (rocket-launchers) attacks, but rather immobilized them completely,” Moyal said.

Sderot resident Gili Bohadana said, “It’s scary, there’s no other way to describe the lousy feeling you get when you know a Qassam rocket may be served as your main dish at the family dinner.

“People are angry, and I can understand them,” he said.

“My home is located about one kilometer (1.6 miles) from Beit Hanun and Beit Lahia (Gaza). On a clear day you can see Fatma hanging up the laundry while her son Mahmoud plays soccer in the street – they should be afraid; they should be in hiding; they should not be able to sleep at night. Better them than us. We are fed up. We simply want to live.”

A senior IDF officer told Ynet, “We expected the Palestinian Authority to prevent the Qassam fire, but as it has not done so, we responded harshly after the initial barrage. We will continue to be on alert and prepared to respond at any moment."

 Hanan Greenberg, Ali Waked and Tova Dadon contributed to the report
   
Officials: Jihad in Syria ordered strikes (http://www.worthynews.com/zone.cgi?http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3159338,00.html)

02:21 29/10/2005            
Iranian president repeats his call for the destruction of Israel
By Aluf Benn and Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondents, and Agencies

Iran is counting Venezuela as a friend and ally, an Iranian government official said on Friday, amid a diplomatic storm set off by comments from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad this week that Israel should be "wiped off the map."

"We are two friendly countries, Iran and Venezuela ... When one is in need the other supports," Saeed Jalili, Iran's Vice Minister of Foreign Relations for Europe and America, said during a visit to Caracas.

Despite condemnations from the West and ally Russia, Ahmadinejad on Friday signaled he stood by his call for Israel to be eliminated. Israel said it would request an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council over the comments.

Venezuela and Iran, both members of the oil exporters' cartel OPEC, have strengthened ties since President Hugo Chavez first won office in 1998 and tightened relations with other crude producing nations.

But Venezuela's Foreign Minister Ali Rodriguez appealed for caution on Friday and said that the South American nation would have to consider the comments of the Islamic Republic.

"For us to fix a position we need the official versions of the respective countries," Rodriguez told journalists.

Meanwhile in Teheran, Over a million Iranians staged anti-Israel protests across the country as Ahmadinejad repeated his earlier call demanding Israel's destruction.

China and Turkey on Friday joined the list of nations around the world condemning Ahmadinejad's calls to destroy Israel.

The Vatican also condemned the Iranian leader's statement, calling it "particularly serious and unacceptable."

U.K's tabloid newspaper, The Sun, called Ahmadinejad 'the most evil man in the world' in a huge two-page spread.

The Iranian demonstrations are being held as part of annual Al-Quds - Jerusalem - Day protests, which were first held in 1979 after Shi'ite Muslim clerics took power in Iran.

Ahmadinejad made an appearance at the Tehran rally and took a short walk with the crowd. He rejected the West's condemnation of his original comments that "Israel must be wiped off the map" as "invalid."

"My words were the Iranian nation's words. Westerners are free to comment, but their reactions are invalid," Ahmadinejad told the official IRNA news agency.

State-run television showed Ahmadinejad surrounded by protesters, many holding banners carrying anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian slogans including "Death to Israel, death to America."

Young girls wearing head-to-toe black chadors with green headbands covered in Islamic verses chanted anti-Israeli slogans below a banner showing caricatures of U.S. President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Just prior, however, Iran sought to smooth over the effects of Ahmadinejad's comments, saying through its Moscow embassy that he did not mean to "speak up in such sharp terms."

World leaders have condemned the remarks, which Ahmadinejad made Wednesday. He was repeating the words of the late Ayatollah Khomeini, founder of Iran's Islamic revolution.

"Mr. Ahmadinejad did not have any intention to speak up in such sharp terms and enter into a conflict," the Iranian Embassy in Moscow said in a statement.

"It's absolutely clear that, in his remarks, Mr. Ahmadinejad, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, underlined the key position of Iran, based on the necessity to hold free elections on the occupied territories," the statement said.

But Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was less diplomatic, telling state-run television late Thursday that Iran does not consider Israel legitimate.

"The comments expressed by the president is the declared and specific policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said. "We don't recognize the Zionist regime and don't consider it legitimate." Mottaki also said the massive demonstrations would illustrate the anger of the Islamic world over the Jewish state's existence.

China, Turkey condemn comments China said Friday it disapproved of the Iranian president's calls to destroy Israel, saying such comments ratcheted up Middle East tensions and made Beijing uneasy.

China's Foreign Ministry released a statement criticizing the comments by Ahmadinedjad.

"This kind of opinion violates the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and intensifies tensions in the Middle East and goes against the interests of the Middle East region and its people," said the statement, which was in response to a media request for comment.

"China feels unease regarding this opinion," it said, but did not elaborate.

Turkey, the only Muslim country to have close security ties with Israel, added its voice on Friday to the international condemnation of Ahmadinejad's remarks.

"Turkey believes that regional conflicts can only be solved through dialogue and peaceful methods," Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said in a statement.

"Turkey believes that international relations should be developed in a spirit of intercultural harmony and dialogue at a time when our world faces the danger of a clash between civilizations," Tan added. "Naturally it is not possible for us to approve of such a statement (by Ahmadinejad)," he said.

Israel calls for Iran's expulsion from UN The Foreign Ministry was moving forward Friday with its diplomatic offensive against Iran, launched in response to the Iranian president's statement.

On Thursday, Israel called for the expulsion of Iran from the UN. The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Gillerman, asked the rotating president of the UN Security Council to expel Iran from the world body. Gillerman wrote in a letter that Ahmadinejad's comments require a strong and decisive response from the international community, Israel Radio reported. He said no country that calls for violence and destruction should be allowed membership in the UN.

Sharon said at a meeting Thursday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that a country which calls for the destruction of another people cannot be a member of the UN. "Such a country that has nuclear weapons is a danger, not only to Israel and the Middle East, but also to Europe," Sharon said.

Senior Foreign Ministry officials convened Thursday to decide on the best policy for handling the issue. Some of the officials expressed reservations about the diplomatic offensive, saying it would be better for Israel to keep a low profile; however, this position was rejected.

The Iranian foreign ministry called on its ambassadors in Europe to adopt countermeasures in response to their summoning by European foreign ministries. It called on the Iranian diplomats to present their "serious protest" against the European ignorance of "crimes committed by the Zionists and suppression of the Palestinian nation."

Lavrov, meanwhile, said his government had condemned the statements and called in the Iranian ambassador to Moscow for clarification of the remarks. He said the Russian ambassador to Tehran had also been instructed to present an official condemnation.

Lavrov also met with Vice Premier Shimon Peres and said that Moscow is opposed to Iran's attempts to develop and produce nuclear weapons. He said that there was as yet no proof that Iran actually had nuclear weapons and that, according to Russia's information, it would take a long time before Tehran actually had nuclear capability.

Therefore, Lavrov added, the wide-scale diplomatic campaign against Iran should be continued unabated but care should be taken not to push Tehran to a point where it refuses to abide by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, as North Korea has done.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan reprimanded Iran's president Thursday for calling for the destruction of Israel. Annan expressed "dismay" over Ahmadinejad's comments in a statement released in a special bulletin by his spokesman.

"Israel is a long-standing member of the United Nations with the same rights and obligations as every other member," Annan said in a statement. The UN Charter is opposed to threats or use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of any state, he said. Annan said he plans to visit Iran in "the next few weeks" and would put the Middle East peace process and the right of all states to live in peace and safety within secure borders at the top of his agenda.

As the diplomatic offensive continued, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met with his French counterpart, Philippe Douste-Blazy in Paris, and said that "the international community must prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb. Tehran says its nuclear program is purely to make power but we know what the Iranians' real intentions are," he said.

"The Iranians are trying to develop a nuclear bomb in order to destroy the state of Israel," he told reporters after the meeting. "The time has come for the whole international community to be united in order to stop the Iranians."

Shalom said Iran is developing missiles with a 3,000-kilometer range that can reach Europe. Iran is a threat to the entire West; it already has missiles that can reach Israel. Shalom said it is conceivable that Tehran might have a nuclear bomb within six months.

Douste-Blazy called Ahmadinejad's comments "unacceptable and shocking." "Nobody has the right to call the state of Israel into question," he said. "We will not permit a nuclear Iran."

Iranian president repeats his call for the destruction of Israel (http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/638943.html)

Iran Leader Reiterates Anti-Israel Stance

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer Fri Oct 28, 5:39 PM ET

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's ultraconservative president — spurning international outrage over his remarks about Israel — joined more than a million demonstrators who flooded the streets of the capital and other major cities Friday to back his call for the destruction of the Jewish state.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stood fast behind his assertion that Israel should be wiped off the map and repeated the call during the nationwide protests Friday, the Muslim day of prayer.

But in an apparent attempt to blunt international outrage over Ahmadinejad's comments, the Iranian Embassy in Moscow issued a statement saying the Iranian leader did not want to "engage in a conflict."

Marching alongside the protesters, the 47-year-old former mayor of Tehran and one-time Republican Guard commander renewed his criticism of the West.

"They become upset when they hear any voice of truth-seeking. They think they are the absolute rulers of the world," he said during the al-Quds — or Jerusalem — Day protest, which was among the largest since they were first held in 1979 after Shiite Muslim clerics took power in Iran.

His fellow marchers carried placards reading "Death to Israel, death to America." It is not uncommon for an Iranian president to join marches in the capital. Ahmadinejad was accompanied by five bodyguards, but otherwise security was not out of the ordinary for such an event.

Despite Ahmadinejad's continued harsh attacks on the West, former President Hashemi Rafsanjani tried to dial back the rhetoric, suggesting that Israelis and Palestinians hold a referendum to decide the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations.

"If Muslims and Palestinians agree (to a referendum), it will be a retreat but let's still hold a referendum," Rafsanjani said in his Friday prayer sermon.

The Iranian Embassy statement in Moscow said Ahmadinejad "did not have any intention to speak in sharp terms and engage in a conflict."

But that was not the message carried by the at least 200,000 Iranians who massed in Tehran to unleashed virulent condemnation against Israel, the United States and the West in general, accusing them of oppressing Palestinians and Iran.

Some demonstrators chanted "Israel is approaching its death" and wore white shrouds in a symbolic gesture expressing readiness to die for their cause.

A resolution was read at the end of the rallies backing "the position declared by the president that the Zionist regime must be wiped out."

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki defended his president's comments, saying they represented Iran's long-held policy of not recognizing Israel.

"Unfortunately the Western countries have remained silent on the increasing inhuman activities of Israel," Mottaki said at the Tehran march.

Protests attracted at least 100,000 in each of Iran's eight largest cities, according to AP reporters. State television said millions of people assembled throughout the country. Major rallies also were held in other Middle Eastern countries.

In Beirut, the militant Hezbollah group marked the day by staging a parade that saw more than 6,000 guerrillas march in uniform through the streets of the Lebanese capital.

The Shiite group, which supports it Iranian mentors, has sought to strengthen its position in Lebanon after the withdrawal of Syrian troops.

At least 30,000 Bahrainis marched in their capital, Manama, burning Israeli and American flags and demanding their government rescind its recent decision to end its economic embargo of the Jewish state.

The United States said the Iranian leader's remarks have only underscored Washington's concern over Iran's nuclear program. Israel said Iran should be suspended from the United Nations. U.N. chief Kofi Annan expressed "dismay" at the comments in a rare rebuke of a U.N. member state.

The Vatican condemned as "unacceptable" statements denying the right of Israel to exist, although it did not mention Iran by name. The U.N. Security Council also condemned the remarks, while Russia summoned the Iranian ambassador seeking an explanation for the president's words.

Iran's seven state-run TV stations devoted coverage Friday to programs condemning the Jewish state and praising the Palestinian resistance since the 1948 creation of Israel.

Three stations also showed live coverage of crowds of people gathering Friday in streets throughout Tehran.

In Washington, the State Department said it was skeptical the demonstrators had gone into the streets voluntarily.

"I think you have over the past decade seen examples of the Iranian regime organizing protests in support of some of their more outrageous policies," spokesman Sean McCormack said.

After Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini toppled the pro-Western Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1979, he declared the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as an international day of struggle against Israel and for the liberation of Jerusalem. The founder of the Islamic regime had also called for Israel's destruction.

Iran Leader Reiterates Anti-Israel Stance (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051028/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_israel;_ylt=AmU40IdClanLWWtujkRN508LewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--)

Israeli Leader Threatens Islamic Jihad

Sun Oct 30, 5:13 AM ET

JERUSALEM - Israel's defense minister vowed Sunday to wage war on the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad until its capabilities are wiped out.

The threat by Shaul Mofaz follows a suicide bombing by the group last week that killed five Israelis in the coastal city of Hadera.

Israel responded Thursday with an airstrike on a car in the
Gaza Strip targeting Islamic Jihad militants, but it also killed people standing nearby in crowded streets.

"We are carrying out a broad operation against terrorism, a broad operation against the Islamic Jihad infrastructure in light of Islamic Jihad's intention to continue with suicide bombings," Mofaz said ahead of the weekly Cabinet meeting.

"We are making huge efforts to prevent these attacks ... and this activity will continue until we can say that the Islamic Jihad infrastructure can no longer carry out suicide bombings," he added.

Israeli Leader Threatens Islamic Jihad (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051030/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_islamic_jihad;_ylt=AnIqnc.8IUdb3BgVPutSg_MLewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--)

Iranians say Israel spat used to up atomic pressure
Sun Oct 30, 2005 8:57 AM ET10

 By Christian Oliver

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranians on Sunday accused western countries of exploiting their president's bellicose remarks about Israel to turn up the heat on Tehran over its disputed atomic program.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's remark on Wednesday that Israel should be "wiped off the map" sparked international condemnation, including a rebuke from the UN Security Council.

But the uproar has caused confusion in Iran, where such rhetoric has been commonplace since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Anti-Israeli diatribes are painted as murals along most highways and are heard regularly at Friday prayers.

"Our respected president has not said anything new or unprecedented about Israel to justify such a huge political tumult," wrote Hossein Shariatmadari, who was appointed to his post as editor of the Kayhan daily by Iran's Supreme Leader.

"Iran's nuclear case ... could be a reason for the recent clamor."

The United States responded to Ahmadinejad by saying his words added to fears about Tehran's pursuit of nuclear arms.

Iran faces referral to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions after failing to convince the world that its atomic program is for power generation rather than weapons.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told the official IRNA new agency the west was making a fuss about the remarks to ratchet up pressure before November's board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"Since Iran has been proven right in the atomic field, they are trying to pressure us in another sphere and make us abandon our legitimate rights," he said.

Before Ahmadinejad aired his views on Israel, European diplomats said they would probably not push for a referral to the Security Council in November.

Across Tehran, the president's remarks have drawn decidedly mixed reactions.

A group of some 200 men and women wearing black checkered Palestinian headscarves gathered to express their solidarity with the Palestinians, watching footage of Arab children killed in the conflict.

"I am ready to die for those poor children. I am ready to offer my blood," said 17-year-old Zahra, wearing the all-enveloping black chador.

But other Iranians reckon the president made an error of judgment. Although anti-Israeli rhetoric may be common in Iran's mosques, politicians have been careful not to make such inflammatory statements in recent years.

Iran's previous, reformist government, succeeded this year by Ahmadinejad's conservatives, was always careful to say it would back whatever course the Palestinians chose, leaving the way open for a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.

"In a strategic masterstroke our president has broken the unipolar new world order and created a bipolar world," said a satirical piece posted on an Iranian Web site.

"Now there's Iran on one side and Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Oceania against us on the other."

Iranians say Israel spat used to up atomic pressure (http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-10-30T135742Z_01_SCH752579_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAN-ISRAEL.xml&archived=False)

Dichter: US may have to attack Iran
Jerusalem Post Correspondent,
THE JERUSALEM POST    
Oct. 30, 2005

If Iran reaches the point of no return in its drive for a nuclear capability, America will have to resort to a military option to thwart it, the former head of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), Avi Dichter, said on Sunday.

Speaking at a conference of the AIPAC pro-Israel lobby in Los Angeles, Dichter said he saw no prospect whatsoever of Iran abandoning its nuclear program of its own volition. Only "western pressure," led by the United States, could halt Teheran's nuclear drive.

Dichter recalled that the entire international community condemned Israel for bombing Iraq's nuclear facility at Osiraq in 1981, only to subsequently recognize how crucial Israel's action had been in blocking Saddam Hussein's push for nuclear weapons.

Similarly, he said, if Iran were to reach "the irreversible point," America would have to do in Iran what Israel had done in Iraq.

Dichter: US may have to attack Iran (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1129540633411&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter)

Sharon: We are at war

I will not meet Abbas as long as terror continues, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon tells Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini in a meeting Tuesday. We are at war, and in such a situation no talks can take place, Sharon adds
Ronny Sofer

A meeting with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is not on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's agenda, at least as long as Palestinian terror continues, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini was told Tuesday.

"A Qassam rocket was launched again at Sderot last night. We are at war, and are fighting terror. A meeting with Abbas cannot be held in such a situation," a source in Sharon's office reportedly told the Italian official.

Sharon's associates told Ynet that the meeting between the prime minister and Abbas, which was meant to take place ten days ago,  has been postponed indefinitely because of a recent surge in Palestinian violence. A suicide bomber struck the coastal town of Hadera last weeking killing four Israelis and injuring another 20.

Israel responded with a military operation vowing to irradicate Islamic Jihad, the Palestinian terror group that masterminded the attack.

The level of diplomatic negotiations between Israel and the PA has been reduced to a minimum, a source said.

Palestinians slam Sharon

Palestinian Planning Minister Ghassan Khatib told Ynet, in response to Sharon's statement that "these words are a continuation of Sharon's policy, and of his refusal to meet with the Palestinians."

"The war on violence necessitates a strengthening of the ties between the two leaders. Halting the relations will lead to an escalation in violence," Khatib said.

He accused the current Israeli government of adopting a unilateral policy towards the Palestinians in order to avoid negotiations with the PA.

Speaking at a news conference in Ramallah Khatib said that “seven weeks have passed since the completion of the pullout and we remain pessimistic about things.” Khatib lamented the dire economic situation in Gaza warning that poverty will lead to more violence and extremism.

The Palestinian minister voiced claims by international observers that an alleviation on the freedom of movement of the Palestinians between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank will improve the economic situation of the populace and reduce violence.

“Yet what as been happening over the last two months confirmed suspicions by the World Bank feared --- restriction of movement only increase unemployment and poverty in Gaza,” he said.

He refuted Israel’s claim that the restrictions of movement imposed on Palestinians stem form security concerns, saying the Jewish State “is concerned with controlling the Palestinians and their economy.”

Sharon: We are at war (http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3162557,00.html)

Away from the manger - a Christian-Muslim divide
Khaled Abu Toameh, THE JERUSALEM POST    Oct. 21, 2005

Tourists and pilgrims who visited Bethlehem over the past decade or so must have run into Farid Azizeh, a Christian businessman who, together with his wife, ran a small coffee shop on Manger Square.

The couple was famous for the fresh orange juice and Turkish coffee they used to serve to their customers. On the eve of the millennium, many foreign journalists who converged on Bethlehem turned the place into a makeshift media center.

Azizeh's coffee shop was among the few businesses in Bethlehem that had remained open after the intifada began in September 2000. "The situation will one day return to normal," he once said when asked about the new cycle of violence. "One day there will be peace here because this is the city of peace and the birthplace of Jesus."

But life will never return to normal for Azizeh, who for many years served as a member of the Bethlehem municipal council.

About three years ago, unidentified gunmen opened fire at Azizeh's car on one of the main streets of the city, hitting him in the head. Shortly after the attack, and with the help of Israeli friends, he was transferred to Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem, where doctors managed to save his life. However, several surgeries failed to save his eyesight.

Since then, the coffee shop has closed and Azizeh, who was known as a socialite, rarely leaves his home.

Azizeh's attackers remain at large, although their identity is known to many. Only days before the shooting, Azizeh had refused to withdraw a complaint he had filed against a Muslim driver who killed two of his relatives in a car accident. The driver's family is said to have sought the help of local Fatah militiamen in "persuading" Azizeh to back off.

Regardless of the motive, the case of Azizeh, 72, is seen by many Christians in the context of a campaign allegedly waged by Muslims against the Christian minority in the city. Azizeh, they argue, would not have been targeted had he belonged to one of the large and influential Muslim clans in Bethlehem.

"The Christians here are perceived as easy prey," complains a prominent Christian businessman. "In recent years there has been an upsurge in the number of attacks on Christians in Bethlehem."

Muslim and Christian political leaders in the city strongly deny the existence of an organized anti-Christian campaign, insisting that the violence is mostly the result of "personally motivated" disputes that are unrelated to religion. The victims of crime include both Muslims and Christians, they add, accusing Israel and Jewish organizations of spreading lies about "Muslim persecution" of Christians.

"Reports of Muslim attacks on Christians are wildly exaggerated and you should be careful not to play into the hands of the Israeli propaganda machine," advises Omar al-Khatib, the imam of a mosque in Bethlehem. "Relations between Muslims and Christians have never been better."

Yet off the record, many Christians in Bethlehem who were interviewed during the past week expressed deep concern over increased attacks by Muslims on members of their community. Moreover, most of them said that they were seriously considering moving to the US, Canada and Latin America, where many of their relatives already live.

Jihad, a Christian merchant from the nearby town of Beit Jala, who has been dealing in antique furniture for over 30 years, says he is planning to leave for good to Chile, where at least 80,000 of his townsfolk now live. "There are less than 10,000 Christians living in Beit Jala today," he explains. "There's no future here because of the deteriorating economic conditions."

His friend, George, who used to own a souvenir shop, says he's planning to move next week to Peru, where his brothers and sisters have been living for the past 15 years. The two, who asked to be identified only by their first names, are extremely cautious when the issue of Muslim-Christian relations is raised. "It's true that there have been a number of cases of violence against Christians, but generally speaking the situation is not that bad," George stresses.

Other Christians in Beit Jala disagree. According to a local physician, the plight of the Christians has been aggravated over the past decade in general and since the outbreak of the intifada in particular. "After the Palestinian Authority arrived here in 1995, many Muslim families from Hebron and other parts of the West Bank have moved to Beit Jala," he says. "What's worrying is that some of them have illegally seized privately-owned lands. When one of the Christian owners refused to sell his land to a senior Palestinian security official, he was arrested for a number of days."

In another case, a 60-year-old Christian man was briefly detained by one of the Palestinian security forces because he had forbidden his daughter to date a Muslim security officer. Other Christians who tried to stop Fatah gunmen in Beit Jala from firing into the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo in the first years of the intifada later reported that they had been beaten or threatened by the gunmen.

The same gunmen are also responsible for the rape and murder of two Christian teenage sisters from the Amr family. The assailants then claimed that the sisters had been murdered because they were "prostitutes" and had been "collaborating" with Israeli security forces - a claim that has been strongly denied by the victims' relatives and many residents of the town. "The gangsters murdered the two sisters so that they would not tell anyone about the rape," says a family member. "Some of the murderers were later killed by the Israeli army, but others are now living in Europe after they had sought refuge in the Church of Nativity. It's absurd that Muslim men who rape and murder Christian girls are given political asylum in Christian countries like Ireland, Spain and Italy."

Last week Beit Jala was once again the scene of religious tensions after a Christian woman complained that she had been harassed by Muslim men from the village of Beit Awwa in the Hebron area. "Such incidents have become a daily phenomenon," says Mary, who runs a small grocery in the town. "Many Christian families have sent their daughters abroad for fear they would come under attack by Muslim men."

Earlier this year tensions between Muslims and Christians in Bethlehem reached a peak after a Christian family complained that their 16-year-old daughter had been kidnapped by a Muslim man. Following the intervention of senior Palestinian officials and Muslim leaders, the girl was reunited with her family after spending a few days in a village near Hebron. With the help of American diplomats, the girl was flown immediately to the US to begin a new life with relatives and friends.

Some Christians point a finger at the foreign media and diplomatic missions in Israel, accusing them of ignoring their predicament for "political" reasons. "Although most of the foreign journalists and diplomats are Christians, they don't seem to pay enough attention to what's happening to the Christians in Bethlehem," says Bishara, a Christian tourist guide. "They're obviously afraid of damaging their relations with the Palestinian Authority."

While it's almost impossible to find a Christian who's prepared to go public in airing such grievances, Samir Qumsiyeh, a journalist from Beit Sahur, is a notable exception. Last month he was quoted by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera as saying that Christians were being subjected to rape, kidnapping, extortion and expropriation of land and property.

Qumsiyeh, who was not available this week for an interview because he was out of the country, heads a local TV station called Al-Mahd [Nativity]. In a daring step, Qumsiyeh drew up a list of 93 cases of anti-Christian violence between 2000 and 2004.

"This file is incomplete and it's not up-to-date," he told the Italian newspaper. "Look at the case of Rawan William Mansour, a 17-year-old girl from Bet Sahur. She was raped two years ago by four members of Fatah. Even though the family protested, none of the four was ever arrested. Because of the shame her family was forced to move to Jordan.

"Almost all 140 cases of expropriation of land in the last three years were committed by militant Islamic groups and members of the Palestinian police." Qumsiyeh said he was now preparing a book on the conditions of the Christian minority. "I will call it 'Racism in Action,'" he says. "The racism against us is gaining pace in staggering ways. In 1950 the Christian population in Bethlehem was 75%. Today we have hardly more than 12% Christians. If the situation continues, we won't be here any more in 20 years."

Away from the manger - a Christian-Muslim divide (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1129540575411&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter)

Brother, the trend is really becoming clear around the world. The world hates Christians, maybe even worse than they hate Jews. Everyone should realize that the hate factor is the same in America and other countries, but there is just too many of us to deal with here. So, those who hate us try to gain control of the courts and run the things of GOD underground! I, for one, will do everything reasonable and legal that I can to STOP THAT! It's really time to do the opposite of what the world wants us to do. They want Christians to shut up and disappear. Instead, I think we should shout the GOSPEL from the roof- tops. We should be determined to do MORE!, not less! This really might be the last part of the world soon where Christians can still communicate the WORD OF GOD without fear of persecution, prison, or death.

May GOD give us the strength, courage, and determination to do HIS Will until JESUS comes to take us home!

Love In Christ,
Tom

John 17:21-23 NASB  that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

Palestinian cleric: God bless Osama

Asks Gaza congregation to pray for global terror leader, deputy
Posted: November 6, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Aaron Klein
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

JERUSALEM – The Palestinian cleric from one of the most popular mosques in the Gaza Strip this weekend asked his congregation to pray for al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and his deputy Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, explaining the global terror leaders share the Palestinian goals of destroying Israel and ending "American world domination," WND has learned.

The reports are the latest evidence of ideological links between Palestinian groups and al-Qaida, with Israeli security officials saying bin Laden's network infiltrated Gaza last month and is currently operating from the territory.

"May Allah guard and bless Sheikh Osama bin Laden and Sheikh Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who are both leading the jihad against the Zionist entity and against American domination of the world. Pray for Sheikh bin Laden and Sheikh Zarqawi," said Dr. Jamil Mutaweh, a leader of the large Abu Dur Mosque in Khan Yunis, Palestinian sources in Gaza told WND.

Khan Yunis, a southern Gaza city, is one of the most populated Palestinian towns.

Mutaweh made the comments during his Friday sermon at the mosque, which was particularly crowded this past Friday, Palestinian sources say, because it was the second day of Eid al-Fitr, a three day Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.

Sources close to the Palestinian Authority told WND the PA has been made aware of Mutaweh's comments and is deciding whether to investigate.

Mutaweh's sermon seems to stress an ideological link between al-Qaida and Palestinian groups.

Reuven Erlich, director of the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at Israel's Center for Special Studies, previously told WND the link can be emphasized through Palestinian cleric Dr. Abdullah Azzam, who was al-Qaida's ideologue and, until Azzam's death, Osama bin Laden's spiritual mentor.

"We found Azzam's picture on Hamas posters from Gaza and a lot of Hamas' material," said Erlich. "Azzam's portrait in materials reveal that he is perceived by Hamas as one of the four 'outstanding figures' of the Islamic 'struggle' in Palestine and around the world."

Mutaweh's speech also comes as Israeli security officials tell WND al-Qaida is present in the Gaza Strip and is seeking to attack the Jewish state.

"Al-Qaida operatives took advantage of the opened Rafah border [with Egypt immediately following Israel's withdrawal from the area last month] and entered Gaza," said Maj. Gen. Aharon Zeevi Farkash, chief of intelligence for the Israeli Defense Forces.

Following Israel's troop withdrawal Sept. 12, Gaza's border with Egypt was wide open, with thousands of Palestinians – including known terrorissts – passing freely from one side to the other for a period of at least six days.

Egyptian officials attempted to close the border several times, but Hamas and other terror groups managed to reopen the crossing, once using a controlled explosion along the border fence and another time ramming a dump truck through the border wall.

Palestinian officials admitted to reporters terror groups were able to smuggle tons of weapons into Gaza, including explosives, ammunition and rocket-propelled grenades that had long been stockpiled in Sinai, but denied al-Qaida was present.

"These reports are baseless," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told WND. "Egypt did a good job in cracking down on cells in their country, and they wouldn't have allowed any al-Qaida people to get into Gaza."

An aide to Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei told WND on condition of anonymity, "It would certainly be against our interests to say al-Qaida was in our territory."

Hamas chief Mahmoud al-Zohar went so far as to accuse Israel of sending fake al-Qaida agents into Gaza so it can claim the global jihad group was liaising with Palestinian organizations.

"All these talks about the presence of al-Qaida is Israeli talks and propaganda," said al-Zahar in an exclusive WND interview.

"We know that Israel tried through its agents to have contacts with marginal activists in the Palestinian resistance. The agents represented themselves as al-Qaida members and tried to tempt these people with money and weapons. This is part of the Israeli effort to represent things even though they are not that way in order to say that al-Qaida exists in the Gaza Strip," al-Zahar said.

But WND reported last week some members of al-Zarah's Hamas have become disillusioned with the terror group, renouncing their membership and instead trying to form their own al-Qaida network.

Palestinian cleric: God bless Osama (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47249)

Peretz vows to achieve peace, security for Israel
By Yair Ettinger, Mazal Mualem and Daniel Ben-Simon, Haaretz Correspondents

Several hours after he was announced as the new leader of the Labor Party, Histadrut Chairman Amir Peretz on Thursday returned to his political roots to outline his political vision as the Labor candidate for premiership.

The victory is an unexpected result and a blow to the Labor old guard by Histadrut labor federation chairman Amir Peretz who was named Thursday morning the new chairman of the Labor Party, defeating the incumbent and favorite, Vice Premier Shimon Peres.

Speaking near the grave of slain prime minister Yitzhak Rabin at the Mount Hertzl cemetery in Jerusalem, Peretz stressed that reaching a peace accord with the Palestinians is at the top of his political priority list.

"We will not rest until we reach a permanent agreement (with the Palestinians) that would secure a safe future for our children and that would provide us with renewed hope to live in a region where people lead a life of cooperation and not, God forbid, where blood is shed from time to time," Peretz said.

The new Labor chairman emphasized this move is a direct continuation of Rabin's political heritage: "I came today to make a vow to Rabin, once again, that I intend to do everything I can to continue his way, I intend to do everything I can so that [Rabin's] assassin would know he failed to murder peace."

Peretz recounted his long tenure as a loyal supporter of the late prime minister: "I was by Rabin's side in the days he struggled for his place in Israeli politics, I was with him in his days of isolation, and also in the days of overwhelming support from the people of Israel when they flooded him with warmth and admiration. I was also next to him on that dreadful night when we lost Yitzhak (Rabin) in the murder that shocked Israel and sought to severe and end his life and his way."

Soon after the official results were announced, the new Labor chief quickly reiterated his intention of pulling the party out of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government, propelling the country into political disarray and advancing the likelihood of early general elections.

"We will notify the prime minister that we want to leave. We want to leave... certainly out of a desire to turn the Labor Party into an alternative that intends to take power in the next elections," he said.

"Amir will discuss with the prime minister an agreed date for an election," said Yuli Tamir, a Labor legislator and Peretz supporter.

Winner of a tightly-run race
The voting result, which came at dawn, followed a tightly-run race between the two opponents, which initially showed a slight lead for Peres.

Peretz, a fiery union leader, wants to steer the party back to its socialist roots, pull out of the coalition and force early elections. His message has resonated with Israelis disenfranchised by government cuts in social spending and the country's growing gap between rich and poor.

Shortly after 6 A.M., amid cheering from Peretz's supporters, Labor Secretary-General Eitan Cabel announced that Peretz had won with 42.35 percent of the votes, while Peres was backed by 39.96 percent of voters. In third place was Benjamin Ben Eliezer, with 16.82 percent of the vote.

Cabel was quick to rebuff claims of fraud and irregularities in the elections, which caused Peres to issue a last minute call for a halt in the count.

The release of the vote's final results was stalled by several hours as the Labor election committee, led by Cabel, headed early Thursday morning to the vote counting center in Petah Tikva after several claims of fraud in polling stations.

Peres appeals against results
In a pre-dawn press conference, Peres called on Labor's legal institutions to look into claims of severe irregularities in polling stations in Sderot and Be'er Sheva, two Peretz strongholds.

Some of the vote results "raised exceptional doubts," Peres said. "It is unreasonable that in communities where I had a majority I have now dropped to seven votes."

"I expected a better evening," Peres said.

Sitting alongside Peres, former prime minister Ehud Barak said the outcome of the primaries did not reflect the will of the party's voters.

But several hours later, the election committee announced it had rejected Peres' claims of fraud and okayed the completing of the counting of the votes in the remaining 13 polling stations from a total of 318.

Peretz did not immediately respond to the accusations, but his supporters were already claiming victory.

The Peretz camp erupted into celebrations when the Histadrut chief took the lead in the vote count early Thursday, and Israel Radio said he was headed to party headquarters to make an announcement. The uncounted districts were believed to favor Peretz, and Israeli radio stations said his victory was imminent.

Implications for government
The outcome of the vote will have wide-ranging implications for the future of Sharon's shaky governing coalition, in which Labor is the junior member.

Peres had said that he would keep Labor in the government until the next elections scheduled in November 2006.

The 82-year-old politician led Labor into the government this year to shore up support for Sharon's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The pullout divided Sharon's Likud Party, and without Labor support, the plan could not have been carried out.

11/10/2005 - 10:16
CHRONOLOGY-Ethiopian immigration to Israel

Israel said earlier this year it would double the pace of Jewish immigration from the Horn of Africa nation in order to bring out the remaining Falasha Mura members by 2007.
1973: Status of Ethiopian Jews is formally decided by Israeli chief rabbis who determine they are descendants of the Jewish biblical tribe of Dan and entitled to immigrate.

1984: Under tight military censorship, Israel brings 12,000 Ethiopians to the Jewish state in a secret airlift through Sudan known as Operation Moses.

1985: Israeli magazine breaks censorship in interview with Israeli immigration official. The story appears worldwide. Sudan, a Muslim country, responds angrily to disclosure of its involvement, halting airlift.

1989: Israel and Ethiopia restore diplomatic relations, bringing hope to those awaiting stranded relatives.

1990: Under a family re-unification programme, then-President Mengistu Haile Mariam allows Jewish emigration but interrupts it several times. About 3,500 arrive in the year.

1991: Planeloads of Ethiopians arrive several times a week with about 350 passengers each in what Israel dubbed "Operation Solomon". About 2,000 Ethiopian Jews arrive in Israel by February. In March, immigration stops abruptly. In May, Mengistu flees to Zimbabwe. Israel airlifts out more
than 15,000 Ethiopian Jews.

2003: Ethiopia blocks a plan by Israel to move the Falasha Mura to Israel.

2004: Following a visit by Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, Israel says it plans to start moving the remaining 20,000 Ethiopians of Jewish origin to Israel.

2005: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon approves the decision to allow 700 Falasha Mura a month to fly to Israel.

In September, about 1,000 members of the Falasha Mura group begin a three-day hunger-strike in Addis Ababa to complain of delays in their promised transfer to Israel.

Ethiopia agrees to step up immigration to a monthly 600 people to Israel, double the previous number.

PA police: Our guns are aimed at Israel

By Ryan Jones
November 10th, 2005

In an ominous letter to PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas, a large number of Palestinian Authority security officers confirmed Israeli's worst fears regarding the “Oslo” peace process – the guns Israel allowed them to obtain are to be used against Jews and their allies only, not terrorists.

The Arabs “know very well that if they use these guns against us once, at that moment the Oslo Accords will be annulled and the IDF will return to all the places that have been given to them,” late-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin warned after signing that agreement with Yasser Arafat in 1993.

Rabin's words were neither heeded nor backed up.

Despite “Palestinian” police officers having turned their weapons on Israelis numerous times over the past decade, the “peace” process has rolled on.

In fact, many members of recognized terrorist organizations actually double as PA policemen. Abbas is trying to add more by bringing his Fatah faction's Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades into the fold.

But if the man Washington insists is a “moderate” thinks such a move will lessen, at least temporarily, the violence between those he governs and Israel, this week's letter sought to set him straight.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the officers who attached their names to the document stressed “that their weapons would be used only against Israel and suspected collaborators” - those Palestinian Arabs that, in the spirit of “Oslo,” cooperate with Israel in the war against Islamic terror.

Cracking down on terror groups such as Hamas in compliance with US and Israeli demands is out of the question, the officers wrote.

“We are the soldiers of the homeland, not [US security coordinator] General William Ward. Neither are we a branch of the Israeli Shin Bet nor members of a hired gang serving certain centers of power.”

They also cautioned Abbas over the rampant corruption and cronyism his regime has facilitated, and which threatens to tear the security forces apart.

“We urge you to get acquainted with what's really happening inside the security forces, which have begun disintegrating because of corruption, mismanagement and placing private interests above the national interests of the people,” the officers wrote.

The letter appeared to contradict Abbas' recent claims that he has taken concrete steps to reform security in line with his Road Map commitments, as well as recent upbeat US State Department assessments concerning the situation within the PA.

PA officials attempted to play down the letter, telling the Post “it was written by a group of disgruntled officers who had been retired or dismissed.”

In another challenge to Abbas' rule, several long-serving PLO ambassadors originally placed by Yasser Arafat have refused to relinquish their posts to new appointees.

These incidents again called into question the validity of Israel relying on the Abbas-run PA as a peace partner capable of enforcing the laws born out of any final peace agreement.

Pakistan to Recognize Israel on Condition
By Anadolu News Agency (aa)
Published: Saturday, November 12, 2005


Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said his country will recognize Israel when the Palestinian state is founded.

Musharraf received American Jewish Council head Jack Rosen, according to a statement issued by the President's Spokesman Shaukat Sultan and he said an independent state of Palestine is "sine quo non" for Pakistanis to officially recognize Israel. In response, Rosen conveyed Israel wished to establish diplomatic, commercial, and economic relations with Pakistanis.

Rosen also expressed Israel wants friendship with Pakistan, noting the Jewish congregation in the United States is collecting donations for the earthquake survivors in Pakistan.

 

Bush: Radicals want to destroy Israel

 

Terror groups seeking more economic, military and political power 'to advance their stated agenda: to develop weapons of mass destruction, destroy Israel, intimidate Europe, assault American people, and to blackmail our government into isolation,' Bush says
Ynet

 
President George W. Bush on Saturday defended his decision to go to war in Iraq in a speech focusing on terrorism, saying that terror groups are exploiting Islam to justify their attacks and "push for the establishment of a totalitarian empire that denies all political and religious freedom."

 

Speaking at the Tobyhanna Army Depot, Pennsylvania, Bush said that the ultimate aim of Islamic radicalism is to destroy Israel, arguing that terror groups seek “greater economic, military and political power” which will enable them “to advance their stated agenda: to develop weapons of mass destruction; to destroy Israel; to intimidate Europe; to assault the American people; and to blackmail our government into isolation.”

 

Bush offered no concessions to “these extremists” who “have used a litany of excuses for violence: the Israeli presence on the West Bank, the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia, the defeat of the Taliban, or the Crusades of a thousand years ago. In fact, we're not facing a set of grievances that can be soothed and addressed. We're facing a radical ideology with inalterable objectives: to enslave whole nations and intimidate the world.”

 

In a clear assault on his critics Bush refuted claims that the war in Iraq has fueled terrorism. He warned that the free world should not underestimate the threat posed by a radical ideology that serves a clear set of evil goals.

 

With his popularity at an all-time low Bush reminded the American people that it is forbidden for the United States to withdraw from Iraq under mounting insurgencies and attacks aginat Iraqi and U.S. troops. “Against such an enemy, there is only one effective response: We will never back down, we will never give in, we will never accept anything less than complete victory,” Bush said.

 

Bush did not fail to touch on Syria and Iran, calling Damascus and Tehran authoritarian regimes, and accusing the two states of harboring
terror groups. “The influence of Islamic radicalism is also magnified by helpers and enablers. They've been sheltered by authoritarian regimes, allies of convenience, like Iran and Syria, that share the goal of hurting America and modern Muslim governments and use terrorist propaganda to blame their own failures on the West, on America and on the Jews,” he said.

 

Bush mentioned a recent “strident speech” by Syrian President Bashar Assad whom he accused of trying to intimidate and destabilize the Lebanese government, and reminded Damascus that it “must do what the international community has demanded: cooperate fully with the Mehlis investigation, and stop trying to intimidate and destabilize the Lebanese government. The government of Syria must stop exporting violence and start importing democracy.”

 

There is still a big push going on to attempt to bring all Jews home and thereby bring the end times to a head.

_______________________________


 An Invitation to Return Home
by Eli Newman
November 10, 2005

If there's ever been a time to think seriously about making aliyah, that time is now.

Our people have been praying to the Almighty throughout the centuries for the Final Redemption. Our sages have instructed us that in the End of Days, preceding the Final Redemption, our people will have begun returning home in considerable numbers. This process is already well underway.

Right now, the majority of the global Jewish population still resides outside of Israel, but not by much. Every Jewish soul that relocates to Israel counts for two in this calculation; one towards increasing Israel's Jewish population, and one towards decreasing the number of Jews residing outside of Israel.

Religious or Political?

Whichever school of thought you're coming from, the Jewish Homeland is, was and will be in the Land of Israel. Not the United States, not the United Kingdom and certainly not Uganda. Still, after so many generations of wandering, "Next Year in Jerusalem" has lost meaning for some of us. Why stand and wave a flag at a pro-Israel rally in Washington, London or Toronto, when you can be contributing daily by living in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa or Netanya?

It baffles me to hear Jews in the Diaspora complaining about Israel trading land for promises of peace with the Palestinians. I'm not a fan of these policies either, only because I don't believe they will be successful. However, as long as I'm not living in Israel, paying taxes in Israel, serving in the IDF, celebrating holidays on holy land or voting in Israel, who am I to complain?

G-d has shifted history for us such that we now have the option of going home without considerable difficulty, compared with the previous generations, who faced much peril on their road to Jerusalem.

Imagine if Nefesh B'Nefesh had been available to the Jews of Eastern Europe in the early 20th century? Or to the Jews of Spain in the Middle Ages?

What is Nefesh B'Nefesh?

Are you serious? If you still haven't heard of Nefesh B'Nefesh (NBN), I'd be honored and delighted to tell you a little bit about them.

NBN is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing Jews home. They've been at it for a few years so far. They help in so many ways. NBN has entire departments devoted to helping new olim find jobs and communities to live in. They also provide financial assistance to eligible applicants to help them get started.

Big Picture

We've been all over the world throughout our history. Often from one exile into the next. The only place left to go is home. North America is currently home to the majority of our people. Next is Israel, followed by England and France. When the majority of our people have settled in Israel, interesting things are sure to happen. In a political sense, most likely, and in a religious sense, most certainly.

What are you waiting for? Moshiach? It's coming. The Rambam said so. I believe him.

Seasonal Sentimentality

Following the holiday of Sukkot, let's keep in mind the differences between all that is temporary and all that is permanent. In starting to read the Torah again, let's try to understand it better this year.

'Lost tribe' still dreaming of Israel

Community is mentally and physically prepared to get converted to Judaism and leave for promised land
Associated Press

GAUHATI, India - Thousands of people in a remote corner of India who claim to be members of a lost tribe of Israel are pressing ahead with their studies of Judaism in hopes of moving to the Jewish state, community leaders said.

 
Israel on Wednesday announced it would stop the conversions of the 6,000 Bnei Menashe in the wake of complaints from the Indian government. Instead, Israel said it would allow them to emigrate and then perform the conversions.

 
Members of the group from the northeastern Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur call themselves the "Bnei Menashe," or children of Menashe, and believe they are descendants of the Israelite tribe of Manasseh.

 
"We are aware of the Israeli government decision, but our people have not lost hope," Jeremiah Hnamte, adviser of the Bnei Menashe Council, told The Associated Press from Aizawl, capital of Mizoram.

 
The community "are mentally and physically prepared to get converted to Judaism and leave for their promised land," he said.

 

Recognized

 
Earlier this year, an Israeli chief rabbi recognized the Bnei Menashe as one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel, ruling that they followed several Jewish traditions. The rabbi, Shlomo Amar, ordered their formal conversions to Orthodox Judaism, which would be crucial to their recognition as Jews by Israeli religious authorities.

 
Bnei Menashe members believe they are descendants of Jews who were banished from biblical Israel by the Assyrians in the eighth century B.C.E. and gradually worked their way eastward to India. In the 19th century, British missionaries to India converted the Bnei Menashe members - who were then animists - to Christianity.

 
In September, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office sent six rabbis to India, who converted 600 members of the tribe to Judaism to ensure they could immigrate to Israel under state law.

 

Delhi's concerns

 
But New Delhi expressed concerns after the mass conversions.

 
Hnamte said the rabbis returned to Israel after being turned away from Manipur state.

 
Instead of converting the Bnei Menashe in their home region of northeastern India, the rabbis will now wait to convert them after Israel brings them to the Jewish state, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said.

 
The Bnei Menashe continue to prepare for their conversions with the help of community members who have already undergone the process.

 
"I am still carrying out my job as I have not received any fresh instructions from the Rabbinate," said Rabbi Yahuda Gin, who originally hails from Mizoram and returned to Aizawl about four months ago to teach the Bnei Menashe the finer points of the religion.

 
"These are matters of faith, not governmental affairs, and, therefore, our work should go on," Gin told The Associated Press.

 

800 in Israel

 

Gin said he was sent with the consent of Amar.

 
About 800 members of the Bnei Menashe have been brought to Israel - and formally converted - over the last decade by the private group Amishav, Hebrew for "my people returns."

 
According to Amishav, there is ample evidence to show the Bnei Menashe are of Jewish descent. Their customs, including mourning rites, hygiene and the use of a lunar calendar, closely mirror Jewish traditions.

 

Israel Approves EU Role at the Rafah Border Crossing

By BICOM

IHC Abstract
Israel is prepared to involve a third party in the supervision of the Rafah border crossing, namely the European Union. Whereas in the past Israel has been reluctant to involve international bodies in security arrangements between Israelis and Palestinians, now it is open to granting the EU an active role in administering the Rafah border crossing. The Palestinian Authority, on the other hand, is disinclined to give the EU an active role, preferring instead to limit EU involvement to an advisory position.

Starting 1 January 2006, the Rafah terminal will serve Palestinian citizens and holders of VIP accreditation who wish to enter and leave Gaza for Egypt. It will also be used for goods leaving Gaza and entering Egypt. Goods entering Gaza from Egypt will be processed at a new terminal to be built at the Israeli-Palestinian-Egyptian border tri-point at Kerem Shalom, to the south of Rafah.

BICOM perceives this imminent development as a welcome change in Israel’s uncompromising predispositions. It believes this about-face will open up the possibility for international expertise and goodwill to help Israel and the Palestinians to move towards peaceful relations.

Bush singles out Israel – again

By Ryan Jones

November 13th, 2005

For the third time in recent weeks, US President George W. Bush Friday pointed to defense of Israel as a major reason behind American's ongoing global war against Islamic terrorism.

“With the greater economic and military and political power they seek, the terrorists would be able to advance their stated agenda -- to develop weapons of mass destruction, to destroy Israel, to intimidate Europe, to assault the American people and to blackmail our government into isolation.”

So said Bush in a Veteran's Day address, repeating the exact words used in two previous speeches explaining is determination not to prematurely withdraw from Iraq and relinquish his quest to smash the forces of Islamic terror.

Bush noted that while these goals may seem far fetched, “fanatical and extreme...they should not be dismissed.”

“Our enemy is utterly committed,” the president warned.

While Bush correctly and unashamedly identified the enemy as adherents of Islam, he also attempted to paint that religion as a faith of peace and tolerance which a scattered few killers are twisting and exploiting.

“These extremists distort the idea of jihad into a call for terrorist murder against Christians and Hindus and Jews and against Muslims themselves who do not share their radical vision.”

In holding to this position, the president is ignoring that fact that polls and demonstrations throughout the Middle East regularly show widespread – frequently majority – public support for terrorism against the West, and in particular against Israel.

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York City and Washington DC, for example, Arab Muslims across this region burst forth in joyous celebration. From Cairo to Damascus to Ramallah, candies were passed out to mark Osama bin Laden's successful strike at the heart of America.

 Islamic Radicals Plan World Revolution from Temple Mount
Sunday, November 13, 2005 / 11 Cheshvan 5766

Islamic radicals have been using the Temple Mount as a focal point for planning and preaching the establishment of a world Islamic state with Jerusalem as its capital.

One of the radical groups operating on the Temple Mount is Hizab Altahrir (The Islamic Liberation Party), which espouses an ideology similar to Al Qaeda. Hizab Altahrir’s network spans most Western European countries. The party puts Islamic revolution and an uncompromising form of Jihad (holy war) at the top of its political agenda.

The group advocates subjecting the entire world to Islamic law (Shariya), and destroying non-believing nations and religions.


Hizab Altahrir’s activity, however, is not limited to the Temple Mount. The group is sending out charismatic Islamic preachers to spread its radical ideology to mosques in villages near Jerusalem, Hebron, Kalkilya, and Tulkarem.

Last October, during Ramadan, when large numbers of Moslems visit mosques, the party expanded its efforts to recruit new members and activists.

Thousands of young Arabs living in the Palestinian Authority have been participating in the party’s youth movement under the slogan, “Campaigning to Preach Revolution.”

On the Temple Mount, near the Dome of the Rock, Altahrir’s youth recently put up a giant banner declaring “Revolution is a Divine Command.” The party’s flag appears on the right and left hand side of the banner. (See photo above). The youth were greeted by party members who shouted, “Next year in Jerusalem, under the rule of the Islamic revolution.”

The party has targeted Europe, specifically Denmark, for spreading its revolutionary ideology, and providing a springboard for renewing Islamic conquests in Europe. A senior party activist in Jerusalem, Sheikh Issam Amira, expressed this philosophy in a recent speech which he made on the Temple Mount:

“Listeners! The Moslems in Denmark make up three percent [of the population], yet constitute a threat to the future of the Danish kingdom. It’s no surprise that in Bitrab (the ancient name of Medina, a city in Arabia to which Mohammed immigrated) they were fewer than three percent of the general population, but succeeded changing the regime in Bitrab.

“It’s no surprise that our brothers in Denmark have succeeded in bringing Islam to every home in that country. Allah will grant us victory in their land to establish the [Islamic] revolution in Denmark.”

After Denmark, the Sheikh said, the party will carry the revolution to Oslo and change its name to Medina. “They will fight against their Scandinavian neighbors in order to bring the country into the territory of the revolution,” he said. “In the next stage, they will fight a holy jihad to spread Islam to the rest of Europe, until it spreads to the original city of Medina where the two cities will unite under the Islamic flag.”

Sheikh Riyad Salah, head of the Islamic movement in Israel has also been active teaching the tenets of “Islamic revolution.”

“We are at the gates of the Islamic revolution,” he proclaimed in one of his sermons to Arab citizens of Israel. “The global forces of evil will be eliminated from the world and the Islamic nation will remain in place in order to bring about the world Islamic revolution, with its capital, Jerusalem.”

Salah, who until a few months ago was under arrest for allegedly assisting an organization connected to the Hamas terror group, has for a number of years been attempting to organize Israel’s Arab citizens into an “independent Palestinian society,” disconnected from the State of Israel and its institutions.

Salah’s organization has also contributed to efforts to repair Arab mosques on the Temple Mount, and attempts to erase the remains of Jewish antiquities on the Mount.

 PA Hopes For Arab Majority in Land of Israel by 2010
11:11 Nov 15, '05 / 13 Cheshvan 5766

(IsraelNN.com) According to the Palestinian Authority's Bureau of Statistics, there are 4.7 Arabs in the Land of Israel (between the Jordan River and the Medditeranean).

The PA envisions that by 2010 there will be an Arab majority in the region. "At that point we will tell the Israelis that we are offering them an Israeli State," read a statement from the Bureau.

The PA hopes to speed the demographic growth through importing Arabs from throughout the Middle East to Gaza in order to threaten Israel with the demand for a binational state between the river and the sea that would be an Arab one.

Recent demographic studies have undercut many of the methods used by the PA Statistics Bureau however.

Iran admits satellite can spy on Israel

November 17, 2005

BY ALI AKBAR DAREINI

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran said the satellite would be purely scientific. But a month after its launch -- and only weeks after the president said Israel should be wiped off the map -- the head of Tehran's space program now says the Sina-1 is capable of spying on the Jewish state.

The launch of the Russian-made satellite into orbit aboard a Russian rocket last month marked the beginning of Iran's space program. Officials say a second satellite -- this one Iranian-built -- will be launched in about two months, heightening Israeli concerns.

The Sina-1's stated purpose is to take pictures of Iran and to monitor natural disasters in the earthquake-prone nation. But as it orbits the Earth, with controllers able to point its cameras as they wish, Sina-1 gives Iran a limited space reconnaissance capability over the entire Middle East.

''Sina-1 is a research satellite. It's not possible to use it for military purposes,'' said Deputy Telecom Minister Ahmad Talebzadeh, who heads the space program.

But he agreed it could spy on Israel.

''Technically speaking, yes. It can monitor Israel,'' he said. ''But we don't need to do it. You can buy satellite photos of Israeli streets from the market.''

Iran also has said its nuclear program is peaceful, aimed at producing electricity -- though the United States believes the program secretly aims to produce nuclear weapons.



(My Notes: This is not entirely true. It is capable of low level Military useage such as reconnaissance and UHF and VHF communications. Something else to note here is that it has a shelf life of three years.)

 Rabbi: Disengage from State

In new book, Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpe says Israel should be replaced with ‘true Kingdom of David,’ calls on followers to refrain from praying for Jewish state’s wellbeing. ‘We are now in exile,’ he says
Efrat Weiss

A prominent Jewish messianist has called for religious Jews to disengage from the State of Israel due to the evacuation of Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip last summer.

 
In a new book entitled "Between Light and Darkness," Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpe, a leader of the Chabad Chassidic sect that believes its chief rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson is the messiah, says religious Jews should view the secular government as an "administrative body, like the British government who controlled Israel before the country’s establishment.

 
Wolpe also says, "The religious Zionist public should prove that the State is unholy, and cannot serve as a means for achieving salvation. It must not pray for the country's wellbeing. We are now in exile and are waiting for the kingdom of the house of David."

 
Wolpe's call represents a sharp change from traditional Chabad-Lubavich thinking and match similar calls by some segments of the national-religious community to disengage from the State in reaction to the Gaza disengagement. While Chabad, like most ultra-orthodox groups, has always been reticent about secular Zionism, group members serve in the army and have rejected insular approach of other orthodox groups in favor of engaging the secular world in order to encourage Jews to observe the mitzvoth, or commandments

 

Sharon a 'false Messiah'

 
The cover of "Between Light and Darkness" carries a picture of the lit Temple's Menorah, and underneath it a darkened picture of the Knesset's building.

 
In the book itself, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is referred to as a "false Messiah" and as Haman, the historic nemesis of the Jewish people.

 
The bulk of the book is dedicated to the disengagement plan and to the uncertainties it spurred within the religious Zionist public.

 
"So many prayers were said from the bottom of the heart in the last year, in a bid to prevent the eviction and destruction," Wolpe writes. "The heart must wonder, why did God do this to this land? How is it possible that such a wicked man like the prime minister was able to jump over so many political hurdles, until he achieved his goal, the crime of the withdrawal" he asks, and answers:

 
"It is we that gave him the power. We determined that him, his state and his government are the beginning of our salvation. We blessed him before an open bible every Saturday. With such powers, it is no wonder that the false messiah storms forward without stopping, while taking his devotees and the rest of the Israeli people down to the abyss with him."

 
‘Replace Israel with true Kingdom of David’

 
According to Wolpe, the pullout was a sign from God that there is no relation between the existence of the democratic state and salvation, and that the religious public should therefore cease to believe in the holiness of the State and its institutions.

 
Referring to the religious Zionist teens who forcefully attempted to prevent the disengagement, Wolpe writes that "the Orange youth prays only for one thing: That the current rule, which is called 'the State of Israel' is abolished and replaced with the true Kingdom of David."

 
In the post-pullout period, Wolpe's ideas are not a rare sight among the rightist public. In a conference held in Jerusalem a few days ago, the participants wholeheartedly supported the principles expressed in the book, and thousands danced to the words of the song, "we do not believe in the rule of the heretics, and disregard their laws."

 

Russia’s Foreign Minister Confirms Arms Deal with Iran

Russia has struck a deal to sell short-range, surface-to-air missiles to Iran, the defense minister said Monday, confirming reports that have raised concern in the United States and Israel, AP reported.

Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov didn’t give details. But Russian media have said that Moscow agreed in November to sell $1 billion worth of weapons to Iran, including up to 30 Tor-M1 missile systems over the next two years.

“A contract for the delivery of air defense Tor missiles to Iran has indeed been signed,” Ivanov was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

“This unequivocally does not change the balance of forces in the region,” Ivanov added. Tor M1 missiles are short-range, surface-to-air missiles already used by several other armed forces, including China.

The reports last week prompted expressions of concern from the U.S administration and Israel, which considers Iran to be its biggest threat.

Israeli concerns recently were heightened after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad urged that Israel be “wiped off the map.”
Interfax said the Tor-M1 system could identify up to 48 targets and fire at two targets simultaneously at a height of up to 20,000 feet.

On Saturday, an influential Iranian official played down the deal, telling the official Islamic Republic News Agency that Tehran has been trading arms with many countries and would continue to do so.

The Russian Foreign Ministry, without commenting on the reported missile sale, also said Saturday that all Russian weaponry supplied to Iran is purely for defensive purposes.

However, a senior Bush administration official, who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the subject, said last week that any arms sale to Iran is a source of concern. The official would not say whether Russia had advised the United States of any negotiations with Iran.

Iran threatens counter-strike

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman says recent Israeli statements on Iran's nuclear project show Israeli government is frustrated from failure to bring international community to pressure Iran: 'Zionist authorities are well aware that if they make a foolish mistake against Iran, Iran's harsh response will be destructive and determined'
Roee Nahmias

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, Hamid Riza Asaffi, speaking with journalists in Teheran, said that recent Israeli statements on Iran's nuclear project showed that the Israeli government is frustrated from a failure to bring pressure from the international community to on Iran.

 
He claimed that a "serious crisis" within the "Zionist authorities" was the main factor behind what he described as Israeli threats. His comments were reported by the Islamic Republic News Agency.

"The Zionist authorities are well aware that if they make a foolish mistake against Iran, Iran's harsh response will be destructive and determined," said the spokesman. "Their approach comes from their anger over the fact that they can't realize their plans," he added.

 

Earlier, Benjamin Netanyahu told the Voice of Israel national radio network that "Israel must take every necessary step to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran must be prevented from developing this threat to the State of Israel. If, by the elections, the current government works to achieve this, I will give it my full support – and if it does not, I intend on establishing the next government, and then we'll act."

 
Meretz-Yahad faction head Yossi Beilin said that narrow considerations based on elections will drag Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Netanyahu to harsh comments that will be perceived as support for military action against Iran. Beilin said Israel must work for diplomatic activity to be led by the United States without endangering Israel in a confrontation with Iran with potentially disastrous consequences.

 

Also on Sunday the head of Tehran's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi was quoted saying by Tehran's official news agency IRNA that Iran's Atomic Energy Organization has been given license to set up another 20 nuclear plants, two of them by March 2006.

 

Iran's first nuclear plant is being built by Russia for USD 1 billion and is scheduled to begin operating by March 2006.

 

'Diplomatic pressure won't work'

 

According to Boroujerdi, the new power plants will be able to generate 20,000 megawatts of electricity. However, international and Israeli intelligence sources claim the program may be a front to build an atomic bomb, an allegation Iran's vigorously denies.

 
Last week Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said “Israel and other countries cannot accept a situation where Iran has nuclear arms.

 
“The issue is clear to us and we are making all the necessary preparations to handle a situation of this kind,” Sharon told journalists in Tel Aviv.

 
Israel needs not lead the campaign, yet we are in close contact with countries that are dealing with the issue,” the prime minister said.

 

Sharon said he agrees with U.S. President George W. Bush that dealing with Iran’s push for nuclear armament is a top priority, adding that he hoped the “large danger will be dealt with” by referring Iran to the United Nations Security Council.

 

“Israel is not hopeless and is taking all the necessary measures,” Sharon said.

 

IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz told foreign reporters Sunday he is skeptical that diplomatic pressure will put a halt to Iran's nuclear ambitions.

 

"The fact that the Iranians are successful time after time in getting away from international pressure...encourages them to continue their nuclear project," he said.

 

"I believe that the political means used by the Europeans and the U.S. to convince the Iranians to stop the project will not succeed," Halutz added.

 

In wake of Netanya suicide bombing that kills five, wounds 95: IDF to intensify response to attacks
By Ze'ev Schiff

In the wake of the Netanya suicide bombing and the constant barrage of Qassam rockets on communities in the south of the country, Israel has decided to adopt a harsher response to the rocket fire. Israeli artillery fire against the Qassam launchers that had been aimed, for the most part, only at open areas will now be directed also at built-up areas from where the rockets are being fired.

Ahead of the artillery fire at the built-up areas, the Israel Defense Forces will employ loudspeakers to ask the Palestinian residents to clear the area.

Yesterday's bombing, which left five people dead and dozens wounded, marked the fourth time Islamic Jihad has carried out a terror attack inside Israel since the Palestinian organization declared a period of "calm." Most of the recent Qassam rocket fire from the Gaza Strip is also being carried out by Islamic Jihad.

Because the Palestinian Authority has thus far failed to take any action against Islamic Jihad, Israel has decided to adopt a harsher response in the Gaza Strip, which is under full PA control. Israel will also focus attention on the Islamic Jihad network in the West Bank.

The decisions follow consultations last night between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz.

Israel will also intensify its political pressure on the PA, in an effort to get Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to take action against Islamic Jihad.

In the West Bank, the IDF's operations against the Islamic Jihad infrastructure in Jenin will be expanded to include Tul Karm and Nablus. In the wake of the disengagement from the Gaza Strip, however, the situation is more complex. There, the PA has thousands of armed personnel, but is allowing a state of anarchy to prevail.

Israel charges that Islamic Jihad is a relatively small organization that is supported by Syria and Iran, and is undermining the period of "calm." Islamic Jihad has not signed the agreement among the Palestinian organizations, but Israeli officials say it is causing serious damage to any possible political process.

Unlike Hamas, Islamic Jihad has no intention of participating in the elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council in January.

Until now, the IDF has made some 1,200 arrests in its operations against Islamic Jihad in the West Bank. The detainees, for the most part, are Jihad activists and supporters.

Military officials had originally believed that the IDF's operations in the West Bank had dealt a harsh blow to the Jihad network in the area, with an intelligence official commenting recently that the army's operations had disrupted some two-thirds of this network.

How did he get in?

Nevertheless, it appears that in order to carry out a suicide attack inside Israel, Islamic Jihad is able to do so with what remains of its infrastructure in the West Bank.

The Shin Bet security service had general information on advanced preparations for a suicide attack, but apparently the intelligence was not sufficiently specific.

The Shin Bet must also try to locate the individual who drove the suicide bomber to his target; and it remains unclear whether the terrorist crossed into Israel in the area of the so-called Jerusalem envelope, and was then driven to Netanya, or managed to get through one of the checkpoints, possibly with the help of forged Israeli documents.

At last night's meeting, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz also decided to impose a full closure on the territories, commenting during the discussions that it would not be fitting for Palestinian workers to be allowed to enter Israel on the day of the funerals of the bombing victims.

The Karni crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip, however, will remain open for the passage of goods.

Mofaz has also asked Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to reinstate the practice of demolishing the homes of the families of suicide bombers. These house demolitions were suspended a few months ago in the wake of a recommendation by a military committee that found they were of no benefit.

Mofaz accepted the recommendation, but believes now that in light of the repeated attempts by Islamic Jihad to carry out suicide attacks in Israel, the house demolitions should be reinstated as a deterrent.

Mofaz told Sharon of his informing the attorney general and received the prime minister's full backing for the move.

Israel also put the diplomatic wheel in motion in an effort to apply pressure to the PA, with Sharon aide Dov Weissglas discussing the matter with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as well as European and Egyptian officials. There is no justification for the PA's failure to take action against Islamic Jihad, Weissglas and senior defense establishment officials said in their talks with their foreign counterparts.

U.S. Army report: Israel can't stop Iran nukes

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, December 5, 2005

WASHINGTON — Geopolitical limitations render Israel's air force militarily incapable of halting Iran's nuclear weapons program according to a new report published the by U.S. Army War College.

The report asserts Israel lacks the military capability to locate and destroy Iranian nuclear assets. The report said the Israel Air Force cannot operate at such long distances from its bases.

"The Israeli Air Force has formidable capabilities and enjoys unchallenged supremacy vis-à-vis the other Middle East air powers, but Israel has no aircraft carriers and it cannot use airbases in other Middle East states," the report entitled "Getting Ready for a Nuclear-Ready Iran," said. "Therefore its operational capabilities are reduced when the targets are located far from its territory."

[On Sunday, Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz warned that diplomatic pressure would not stop Iran's nuclear weapons program, Middle East Newsline reported. Halutz was one of three senior Israeli officials who warned that Iran would soon be able to turn into a nuclear power.]

In an article authored by Shlomo Brom, former head of air force strategic planning, the report said Israel's deep-strike air capability was based on the F-15I and F-16C/D aircraft. At a range of more than 600 kilometers, Brom said, Israel could not sustain an air campaign. Iran is about 1,000 kilometers from Israel.

"It is possible to determine that at long ranges — more then 600 kilometers — the IAF is capable of a few surgical strikes, but it is not capable of a sustained air campaign against a full array of targets," the report said.

An Israeli air attack on Iran must also include such support aircraft as air refueling, electronic countermeasures, support, communication, and rescue, the report said. The mission would also require precision intelligence.

Brom said Israel's intelligence and military community was divided over the Iranian threat. He said military intelligence regards Iran as determined to destroy Israel. The Mossad and National Security Council see Teheran as preoccupied with national defense and regime survival.

"While the first school assumes no political pressure can force Iran to stop its military nuclear program, the other school believes that political pressure can be effective in at least delaying the nuclear program significantly," the report said. "The second school believes that a nuclear Iran with a different regime will not pose a high risk to Israel and can be easily deterred."

The report said the Bushehr nuclear power plant was vulnerable to attacks but does not constitute a key element of the military nuclear program. As a result, the destruction of Bushehr would not have a significant effect on Iran's military program.

Brom said Iranian nuclear assets are located between 1,500 and 1,700 kilometers from Israel. The report expressed doubts whether such Israeli allies as India and Turkey would allow Israel to launch a military strike from their territory.

"This means that the Israeli attack aircraft would have to take off from air bases in Israel, fly 1,500-1,700 kilometers to the targets, destroy them, and then fly back 1,500-1,700 kilometers," the report said.

The Israel Air Force has 25 F-15I and 137 F-16C/D fighter-bombers. The air force has already received more than 20 F-16Is, with longer range on the F-15I, but the report said the F-15I aircraft contains greater capabilities at long ranges.

The report said the F-15I has an operational radius of 1,270 kilometers. The F-16I has an operational radius of 2,100 kilometers while that of the F-16C/D is 925 kilometers.

But the report said the real operational radius was shorter because the planes would have to fly at low altitude to avoid radar detection. Brom said the Israeli aircraft could avoid Iranian air defense but would be detected.

"In any case, any Israeli attack on an Iranian nuclear target would be a very complex operation in which a relatively large number of attack aircraft and support aircraft — interceptors, ECM [electronic counter-measures] aircraft, refuelers, and rescue aircraft — would participate," the report said. "The conclusion is that Israel could attack only a few Iranian targets and not as part of a sustainable operation over time, but as a one time surprise operation."

The United Nations held a "Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People" last week. A large map of “Palestine,” with Israel literally wiped off the map, featured prominently in the festivities.




The ceremony was held at the UN headquarters in New York and was attended by Secretary General Kofi Annan and the Presidents of the UN Security Council and the General Assembly.

(http://www.israelnn.com/data/images/2005/12/08/un-map-o-palestine-m.jpg)

During the festivities, a map labeled a "map of Palestine” was displayed prominently between UN and PLO flags. The map, with “Palestine” written in Arabic atop it, does not include Israel, a member of the UN for 56 years. The map does not even demarcate the partition lines of November 29, 1947, marking a Jewish state alongside an Arab state. The partition was dictated by the UN General Assembly itself.

(http://www.israelnn.com/data/images/2005/12/08/un-map-w-flags-m.jpg)

With the map hanging behind him, Secretary-General Annan addressed the public meeting at UN Headquarters.

(http://www.israelnn.com/data/images/2005/12/08/un-kofi-w-map-m.jpg)

Click  here (http://www.eyeontheun.org/view.asp?l=21&p=143) to view a video clip of the ceremony with the map in the background.

At the start of the ceremony, the dignitaries present asked attendees to observe a moment of silence. “I invite everyone present to rise and observe a minute of silence in memory of all those who have given their lives for the cause of the Palestinian people,” the master of ceremonies said, “and the return of peace between Israel and Palestine.“

(http://www.israelnn.com/data/images/2005/12/08/un-moment-of-silence-for-martyrs-m.jpg)

Anne Bayefsky, who reported on the event for the Eye on the UN organization, said that the ceremony's wording was aimed at giving honor to the worst of Palestinian terrorists. "It was a moment ... crafted to include the commemoration of suicide-bombers,” she wrote.


Click here (http://www.eyeontheun.org/view.asp?l=21&p=144) to view a video of the moment of silence.


In response to the event, Bayefsky and her organization have once again asked the U.S. to withhold funding from the UN.

(Photos and Videos: EyeOnTheUN.org)

Iran's president questions Holocaust
Thu Dec 8, 2005 12:12 PM ET

By Paul Hughes

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday expressed doubt that the Holocaust occurred and suggested Israel be moved to Europe.

His comments, reported by Iran's official IRNA news agency from a news conference he gave in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, follow his call in October for Israel to be "wiped off the map", which sparked widespread international condemnation.

"Some European countries insist on saying that Hitler killed millions of innocent Jews in furnaces and they insist on it to the extent that if anyone proves something contrary to that they condemn that person and throw them in jail," IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.

"Although we don't accept this claim, if we suppose it is true, our question for the Europeans is: is the killing of innocent Jewish people by Hitler the reason for their support to the occupiers of Jerusalem?" he said.

"If the Europeans are honest they should give some of their provinces in Europe -- like in Germany, Austria or other countries -- to the Zionists and the Zionists can establish their state in Europe. You offer part of Europe and we will support it."

Historians say six million Jews were killed in the Nazi Holocaust. Ahmadinejad's remarks drew swift rebukes from Israel and Washington.

Raanan Gissin, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said in Tel Aviv that Ahmadinejad was voicing "the consensus that exists in many circles in the Arab world that the Jewish people ... do not have the right to establish a Jewish, democratic state in their ancestral homeland".

"Just to remind Mr. Ahmadinejad, we've been here long before his ancestors were here," Gissin said. "Therefore, we have a birthright to be here in the land of our forefathers and to live here. Thank God we have the capability to deter and to prevent such a statement from becoming a reality."

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said: "It just further underscores our concerns about the regime in Iran and it's all the more reason why it's so important that the regime not have the ability to develop nuclear weapons."

ONCE ALLIES

Religious hardliners in Iran do not publicly deny the Holocaust occurred but say its scale has been exaggerated to justify the creation of Israel and continued Western support for it.

Close allies when Iran was ruled by the U.S.-backed Shah, Iran and Israel have become implacable foes since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.

Israel accuses Iran of giving arms and funding to militant Palestinian groups such as Islamic Jihad and of building nuclear weapons. Iran denies the charges.

Tehran calls Israel a "terrorist state" and has developed missiles which can reach it. It says it would use them if Israel, itself believed to be nuclear-armed, tried to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities.

Earlier in his remarks, the Iranian president, a former Revolutionary Guardsman who won a surprise election victory in June, said:

"The question is, where do those who rule in Palestine as occupiers come from? Where were they born? Where did their fathers live? They have no roots in Palestine but they have taken the fate of Palestine in their hands.

"Isn't the right to national self-determination one of the principles of the United Nations charter? Why do they deprive Palestinians of this right?"

Jews trace their roots in Israel back to Biblical times.

Ahmadinejad concluded his remarks by reiterating Iran's proposal that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict be resolved via a referendum of all the inhabitants of Israel, Gaza and the West Bank as well as Palestinian refugees in neighboring countries.

"Whatever they decide will be accepted by all humanity. This is a clear democratic solution which is based on international principles," he said.

Pastor Roger,

I heard a couple of news spots about the last two posts, and all I can say is WOW! I think it is far past time to bid farewell to the UN. Just my two cents worth.

Pastor Roger, I will simply say I have been busy in my WW2 forum. Proving that the Holocaust, did happen. The posts, there were by a muslim poster, in Saudi Arabia. I have 3 posters from there, and one of them now believes, in God.

The simply fact is, there is to much evidence to prove the Holocaust happened. When you have man mussing with the facts, distorting facts. You can still prove the Holocaust happened. I don't know what, Iran's president hope to accomplish, but it will be for nought. ;D

Brother,

He is doing just what the ACLU, atheists etc are trying to do here. They are trying to destroy us by destroying our history and trying to gain more followers by proving us all wrong.

You are right though, the evidence that they are wrong is overwhelming if people will just open their eyes and see the truth. Unfortunately there will be those that will be willing to believe them and refuse to see even facts.

Even one more believer of the truth is one less lost soul.

Praise God for that one.

Israel readies forces for strike on nuclear Iran
Uzi Mahnaimi, Tel Aviv, and Sarah Baxter, Washington
ISRAEL’S armed forces have been ordered by Ariel Sharon, the prime minister, to be ready by the end of March for possible strikes on secret uranium enrichment sites in Iran, military sources have revealed.

The order came after Israeli intelligence warned the government that Iran was operating enrichment facilities, believed to be small and concealed in civilian locations.

Iran’s stand-off with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over nuclear inspections and aggressive rhetoric from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, who said last week that Israel should be moved to Europe, are causing mounting concern.

The crisis is set to come to a head in early March, when Mohamed El-Baradei, the head of the IAEA, will present his next report on Iran. El-Baradei, who received the Nobel peace prize yesterday, warned that the world was “losing patience” with Iran.

A senior White House source said the threat of a nuclear Iran was moving to the top of the international agenda and the issue now was: “What next?” That question would have to be answered in the next few months, he said.

Defence sources in Israel believe the end of March to be the “point of no return” after which Iran will have the technical expertise to enrich uranium in sufficient quantities to build a nuclear warhead in two to four years.

“Israel — and not only Israel — cannot accept a nuclear Iran,” Sharon warned recently. “We have the ability to deal with this and we’re making all the necessary preparations to be ready for such a situation.”

The order to prepare for a possible attack went through the Israeli defence ministry to the chief of staff. Sources inside special forces command confirmed that “G” readiness — the highest stage — for an operation was announced last week.

Gholamreza Aghazadeah, head of the Atomic Organisation of Iran, warned yesterday that his country would produce nuclear fuel. “There is no doubt that we have to carry out uranium enrichment,” he said.

He promised it would not be done during forthcoming talks with European negotiators. But although Iran insists it wants only nuclear energy, Israeli intelligence has concluded it is deceiving the world and has no intention of giving up what it believes is its right to develop nuclear weapons.

A “massive” Israeli intelligence operation has been underway since Iran was designated the “top priority for 2005”, according to security sources.

Cross-border operations and signal intelligence from a base established by the Israelis in northern Iraq are said to have identified a number of Iranian uranium enrichment sites unknown to the the IAEA.

Since Israel destroyed the Osirak nuclear reactor in Iraq in 1981, “it has been understood that the lesson is, don’t have one site, have 50 sites”, a White House source said.

If a military operation is approved, Israel will use air and ground forces against several nuclear targets in the hope of stalling Tehran’s nuclear programme for years, according to Israeli military sources.

It is believed Israel would call on its top special forces brigade, Unit 262 — the equivalent of the SAS — and the F-15I strategic 69 Squadron, which can strike Iran and return to Israel without refuelling.

“If we opt for the military strike,” said a source, “it must be not less than 100% successful. It will resemble the destruction of the Egyptian air force in three hours in June 1967.”

Aharon Zeevi Farkash, the Israeli military intelligence chief, stepped up the pressure on Iran this month when he warned Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, that “if by the end of March the international community is unable to refer the Iranian issue to the United Nations security council, then we can say the international effort has run its course”.

The March deadline set for military readiness also stems from fears that Iran is improving its own intelligence-gathering capability. In October it launched its first satellite, the Sinah-1, which was carried by a Russian space launcher.

“The Iranians’ space programme is a matter of deep concern to us,” said an Israeli defence source. “If and when we launch an attack on several Iranian targets, the last thing we need is Iranian early warning received by satellite.”

Russia last week signed an estimated $1 billion contract — its largest since 2000 — to sell Iran advanced Tor-M1 systems capable of destroying guided missiles and laser-guided bombs from aircraft.

“Once the Iranians get the Tor-M1, it will make our life much more difficult,” said an Israeli air force source. “The installation of this system can be relatively quick and we can’t waste time on this one.”

The date set for possible Israeli strikes on Iran also coincides with Israel’s general election on March 28, prompting speculation that Sharon may be sabre-rattling for votes.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the frontrunner to lead Likud into the elections, said that if Sharon did not act against Iran, “then when I form the new Israeli government, we’ll do what we did in the past against Saddam’s reactor, which gave us 20 years of tranquillity”.

TEHRAN MINISTER MET MILITANTS BEFORE NEW OFFENSIVE

Iran’s foreign minister met leading figures from three Islamic militant groups to co-ordinate a united front against Israel days before a recent escalation of attacks against Israeli targets shattered fragile ceasefires with Lebanon and the Palestinians, writes Hugh Macleod in Damascus.

The minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, held talks with leaders of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah in Damascus on November 15.

Among those who attended the meeting were Khaled Meshaal, the Hamas leader, and a deputy leader of Islamic Jihad, which claimed responsibility for last Monday’s suicide bombing of a shopping mall in Netanya that killed five Israeli citizens.

Ahmed Jibril, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine- General Command, was also present. “We all confirmed that what is going on in occupied Palestine is organically connected to what is going on in Iraq, Syria, Iran and Lebanon,” said Jibril.

Seven days after the talks, Hezbollah fired a volley of rockets and mortars at Israeli targets, sparking the fiercest fighting between the two sides since Israel’s withdrawal from south Lebanon five years ago.

Israel readies strike (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-1920074,00.html)

Halutz: Nuclear Iran in 3 months

IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz says, 'Within three months Iran will reach a point of no return in terms of its capability to manufacture nuclear bomb; adds that threat to Israel not immediate
Ilan Marciano

Within three months Iran will reach a point of no return in terms of its technological capacity to manufacture a nuclear bomb, IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz told the Knesset's Security and Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

"This fact does not represent a threat to Israel just yet, because Iran will have to overcome a few obstacles before it can put the weapons to use," he added.

Western intelligence agencies have been trying to figure out how close Iran is to the bomb for a number of years. In Washington, a change of position has occurred of late, and a "critical decade" is the latest estimate – but views there are also divided.

Last week, Israel's stance was strengthened by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Elbaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who said that the minute Iran completes work on its Natanz core, three months would separate the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The timing mentioned by Halutz – March 2006 – is especially interesting. At the start of the week, the London Sunday Times published an article saying that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon instructed the IDF to prepare for a military strike at the end of March, in light of Israeli estimations that uranium is being enriched in Iranian civilian sites at this very moment.

According to the report, which was denied by Jerusalem, the level of preparedness of the Air Force has been moved up to the highest level for the same reason.

The committee also discussed the issue of Palestinian convoys and passages. Halutz told Knesset Members that for the time being, the army has frozen agreements over crossings from Gaza to the West Bank via Israel, due to the "lack of effort by the Palestinians to deal with weapons smuggling and Qassam rocket attacks."

'Security matters not open to negotiations'

The deal over the crossings, which was mediated by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and meetings around the issue, are continuing thanks to efforts by David Welch, assistant U.S. Secretary of State.

Deputy Minister Zeev Boim said: "As long as Qassam rockets and terror attacks by the Islamic Jihad continue, and the Palestinian Authority is not taking real steps (to counter these), movement of Palestinian convoys will not be possible.

“It must be understood that security matters are not open to negotiations, and if the Palestinians don't provide security on their side – they won't receive the carrying out of the agreement on our side."

Nuclear Iran in 3 Months (http://www.worthynews.com/zone.cgi?http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3183779,00.html)

Palestinians: Jews come from pigs, monkeys

Anti-Israel radio, audiocassettes abound in Gaza, Judea, Samaria
Posted: December 14, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Aaron Klein
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

JERUSALEM – Jews plan to take over the world by killing their opponents, Israelis are the descendents of pigs and monkeys, and Allah will soon dish out "the harshest punishments" to the followers of the "corrupt and racist Torah," according to radio broadcasts and audiocassettes recently distributed in the Palestinian territories.

"The dissemination of anti-Israeli, anti-Semitic hate propaganda continues throughout the Palestinian Authority-administered territories" in spite of multiple pledges to reform the Palestinian media, according to the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at Israel's Center for Special Studies, which released a study that includes translations of radio broadcasts from last month.

On Nov. 17, Al-Huriyyah, a Palestinian radio station in Hebron run by the Fatah-Tzanim militia, broadcast a program called "The Struggle" in which the announcer repeatedly claimed Jews intend to take over the world by gaining control of global economic resources and financial institutions of various countries by "killing their opponents."

That same day, the Information Center's study stated, Al-Huriyyah played songs calling for jihad against Israel with lyrics that included, "Do not fall asleep, jihad warrior, because justice never sleeps. Take your bullets with you and bring death."

The Center also released the translation of a lecture by a Hamas operative entitled, "The end of the Israelites," that was reportedly distributed by a Palestinian charity en-mass on audiocassette in Gaza, Judea and Samaria.

"Because of their corruption, the Jews will receive Allah's harshest punishment," says Hamas leader Dr. Bassam Nihad Ibrahim Jarrar in the taped lecture.

Jarrar claims a Jew is "not someone whose mother was Jewish, but someone who has accepted the racist and corrupt principles which appear in the Talmud and the version of the Torah distorted by the Jews."

The Center says the Jarrar cassette is still being distributed.

In another audiocassette reportedly imported from Saudi Arabia and distributed in the Palestinian territories, a popular Saudi lecturer presents Jews as "the sons of monkeys and pigs" who "make practices of deception."

"Allah will punish the infidels and the conspirators," concludes the Saudi sheik at the end of the taped lecture.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and other Israeli leaders recently have credited PA President Mahmoud Abbas with working to lower official incitement against Israel in the Palestinian media.

The Center for Special Studies said some of the recent incitement has come from media outlets independent of the PA.

"The Palestinian terrorist organizations have found alternative methods for distributing … propaganda and inculcating incitement to hatred and violence amongst Palestinians," stated the Center's study. "The PA has limited the diffusion of such messages by its official media, but does not take effective steps to stop it as part of its policy of not confronting the Palestinian terrorist organizations."

Because of the advertisiment, I can't post the link. :(

Last update - 18:21 15/12/2005            
Hamas threatens to step up attacks if Israel strikes Iran
By Haaretz Service and Agencies

TEHRAN - Hamas will step up its attacks on Israeli targets if Israel attacks Iran, the militant group's chief-in-exile Khaled Meshal said on Thursday.

"If Israel attacks Iran, then Hamas will widen and increase its confrontation of Israelis inside Palestine," Meshal told reporters in Tehran, where he has held three days of talks with top political and security officials.

On Wednesday, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said Iran will be capable of enriching uranium within the next three months, but will have to overcome many technological obstacles before reaching the nuclear "point of no return."

"Iran is determined to obtain the technological capability that will allow it to produce a nuclear bomb, but numerous obstacles remain in its path," Halutz told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. "Even if the Iranians pass the uranium-enrichment stage, they are still a number of years away from building the bomb."

"An Iran with nuclear capability is a global problem," said Halutz. "It will be difficult to impose sanctions on it, and the problem could arise of the transfering of `dirty bombs' to terror organizations."

The International Atomic Energy Agency board of governors is slated to convene on March 6 to discuss imposing sanctions on Iran, Halutz noted.

Former finance minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that Israel should take "bold and daring" action to thwart Iran's plans for nuclear armament, citing Israel's 1981 air strike on a Iraqi nuclear facility.

"The Iranian threat is an existential one, as it is a country that declared its plans to destroy Israel and is developing the tools to carry out this destruction. In this regard, I will continue the legacy of Menachem Begin, who thwarted Iran's neighbor, Iraq, from acquiring nuclear weapons by adopting bold and daring measures.

"I believe that is what Israel needs to do," Netanyahu told Israel Radio.

In 1981, Begin ordered an air strike on Iraq's nuclear facility in Osirak, near Baghdad. As a result of the attack, Iraq's nuclear armament plan was thwarted.

On Tuesday, Iran's spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, encouraged Palestinians to continue their struggle against Israel. Iranian television reported that Khamenei told Meshal that "the experience of the last 50 years teaches that negotiation with the Zionist occupation doesn't improve the situation. We will achieve victory through the struggle only."

Praise for Ahmadinejad's anti-Israel comments

Meshaal also praised Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for recent comments in which he called the Holocaust a myth and said Israel should be moved to Europe or North America.

"Those were brave and true remarks and it is what the Islamic nations say, especially the Palestinians," he said.

The European Union and Israel condemned Ahmadinejad 's remark, with the German foreign minister adding that the comment denying the Holocaust will affect Iran's nuclear talks with European negotiators later this month.

Hamas threatens to step up attacks (http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/658419.html)

Updated Dec. 17, 2005 8:51
EU warns Iran to stop provoking Israel
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
BRUSSELS, Belgium

Iran could face sanctions if it keeps provoking Israel and the West, European leaders warned Friday, even as the Teheran regime's interior minister said the Iranian president's remarks had been "misunderstood."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad aggravated tensions with the West this week by calling the Holocaust a "myth," a statement that came two months after he called for Israel to be "wiped off the map."

European leaders said Ahmadinejad's remarks were the latest "provocative political moves" from Teheran since May.

"These comments are wholly unacceptable and have no place in civilized political debate," said a draft statement at a European Union summit that EU leaders were expected to adopt later Friday.

EU leaders warned Tehran they would review diplomatic options for possible sanctions against Iran.

The condemnation came as Iran prepares to resume talks Wednesday with European envoys over its nuclear program, which the EU and United States fear is intended to build atomic weapons. Envoys from Britain, Germany and France are trying to get Tehran to halt uranium enrichment.

Leaders warned that the EU was losing patience in mediating the international standoff. "The window of opportunity will not remain open indefinitely."

EU leaders said they were "gravely concerned at Iran's failure to build confidence that its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful," adding that recent decisions to resume work on enriching uranium "only add to the EU's profound concerns about Iran's intentions."

Iran's interior minister insisted Friday that the West "misunderstood" Ahmadinejad's comments.

Ahmadinejad "wanted to say that if others harmed the Jewish community and created problems for the Jewish community, they have to pay the price themselves," Mostafa Pourmohammadi told The Associated Press in Athens, Greece. "People like the Palestinian people or other nations should not pay the price."

"A historical incident has occurred. Correct or not correct. We don't want to launch research or carry out historical investigation about it," Pourmohammadi said on the sidelines of a conference in the Greek capital.

In Berlin, German lawmakers unanimously condemned the Iranian president's remarks, calling them "completely unacceptable." Lawmakers urged the German government to "counter any policy that disputes Israel's right to exist and denies the Holocaust."

Denying the Holocaust is a crime in Germany, a country sensitive about its Nazi past and the genocide that killed more than 6 million Jews during World War II.

"What the Iranian president has said about the state of Israel is completely unacceptable," Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson said. "He knows that he is denying the Holocaust and he is wrong … and I condemn it."

In remarks carried live by state television and repeated several times, Ahmadinejad said during a tour of southeastern Iran on Wednesday that if Europeans insist the Holocaust occurred, then they are responsible and should pay the price.

"Today, they have created a myth in the name of Holocaust and consider it to be above God, religion and the prophets," Ahmadinejad told thousands of people in Zahedan. "If you committed this big crime, then why should the oppressed Palestinian nation pay the price?

"This is our proposal: If you committed the crime, then give a part of your own land in Europe, the United States, Canada or Alaska to them so that the Jews can establish their country."

The EU statement Friday reaffirmed Israel's right to exist, noting that "all members of the United Nations have undertaken to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state."
EU warns Iran (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1134309593422&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull)

Arab MK: Israel ‘robbery of century’

Knesset Member Azmi Bishara in Lebanon: We are original inhabitants of Palestine, not ‘those who came from Poland, Russia; says Israelis should leave, take their democracy with them

Ronny Shaked

Israel is the 20th century's greatest robbery, carried out in broad daylight, Arab Knesset member Azmi Bishara (National Democratic Assembly) told a Lebanese audience last week during a speech at an Arab book fair in Beirut.

"I will never recognize Zionism even if all Arabs do," he said. "I will never concede Palestine. The battle is still long."

Bishara, who recently launched his campaign for an additional term in the Knesset, left for Lebanon five days ago without consent from the Interior Ministry, Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Sunday.

His harsh anti-Israel message at the fair was quoted by Lebanese newspaper As -Safir.

"The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is not a demographic dispute, but a national one," he said. "It's not the problem of 1.2 million Palestinians living in Israel. They are like all Arabs, only with Israeli citizenship forced upon them."

"We are the original residents of Palestine, not those who came from Poland and Russia," the MK added.

‘Leave and take your democracy with you’

Directing his speech at Israelis, Bishara said, "Return Palestine to us and take your democracy with you. We Arabs are not interested in it."

The audience received the Knesset member with great applause

Bishara also used the opportunity to criticize Arab leaders who have ties with Israel.

"Why does one of the Arab countries provide a home for (Foreign Minister) Silvan Shalom, while the army destroys homes in Palestine on a daily basis?" he said, referring to the foreign minister's recent visit to his birth county of Tunisia. "If you want to surrender, do it, but don't force us to give in."

Bishara has meanwhile returned to Israel and told Yedioth Ahronoth Saturday night that his speech was "about Zionism and citizenship."

"I didn’t say anything new that I hadn't said in other places. I've spoken like this in the Knesset," he said.

Arab MK: Israel ‘robbery of century’ (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3186040,00.html)

Last update - 23:47 18/12/2005            
Background: Who would take over from Ariel Sharon?
By Gideon Alon, Haaretz Correspondent

In the event that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is unable, for health reasons, to continue running the affairs of the state over a period of days or weeks, Finance Minister Ehud Olmert, who also serves as deputy prime minister, would need to step in.

As interim prime minister, Olmert would be authorized by law to exercise all the powers granted to the prime minister for a period of 100 days, at the end of which the serving prime minister would technically be viewed as having resigned his post, triggering the resignation of the entire government.

At the end of the 100-day period, the Basic Law on The Government mandates that the president begin the process of forming a new government. In light of the fact that elections for the 17th Knesset are scheduled for March 28 (100 days from Sunday), there's no need for the president to begin such a process.

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Following the elections, the president would ask the MK leading the party with the best chance of forming a stable coalition to put together the next government.

Sharon's condition will have no effect on the date set for the general elections, unless it suddenly deteriorates or he dies. The Knesset is allowed to postpone the elections by an 80-MK majority vote "if special circumstances occur which prevent holding elections on their planned date."

Elections have been postponed only once in the country's history, following the outbreak of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. They were then delayed by two months and held on December 31, 1973.

Israel has already seen prime ministers fall ill and have to be absent from work, such as Menachem Begin. But there has never been a situation in which an interim prime minister had to remain in his position for the full 100 days.

Who would take over from Ariel Sharon? (http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/659329.html)

Dec. 19, 2005 17:26
Doctors: PM will suffer no residual effects from stroke
By JPOST.COM STAFF

In a press conference Monday afternoon, senior members of the Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center staff declared that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would be released from hospital Tuesday morning, and that while they recommended that he rest, he would be able to reassume his workload.

The cause of a minor stroke which Sharon suffered unexpectedly Sunday afternoon, was a small blood clot, doctors explained. After doctors treated Sharon with blood-thinners the clot quickly dissolved.

Neurologist Professor Tamir Ben-Hur stated unequivocally that despite media reports, at no time did the prime minister lose consciousness or become disoriented. However, Sharon's speech had been affected slightly, Ben-Hur noted.

Both Ben-Hur and Dr. Jacob Naparstek, Director of Internal Medicine at Hadassah, assured the press and the public that Sharon was unharmed, and that there was no reason to fear that any similar event would occur in the future.

While hospitalized Sunday evening, Sharon joked with his medical and office staff, telling them that they "are not rid of him yet." He added in a bit of self-humor that he thought he should take a few days off.

Using a double entendre on the name of his new political party Kadima ('Forward' in Hebrew), Sharon quipped that he felt fine, and that the time had arrived to move forward.

After being rushed to hospital Sunday evening, the prime minister underwent a series of medical examinations including an MRI and neurological tests, all of which, according to hospital staff, were satisfactory.

Dr. Yuval Weiss added that Sharon's condition improved during his hospitalization. The hospital official noted that the prime minister did not require any invasive procedures. Sharon reportedly asked to be released Sunday night, but the physicians denied his request.

The prime minister was taken directly to the VIP section of the hospital's trauma room. Meanwhile, Hadassah was closed off to civilian entry by special police forces. The senior medical staff of the hospital was called in to treat him.

Sharon, who will celebrate his 78th birthday in February, is already the oldest incumbent prime minister in Israeli history. Approximately three years ago, the prime minister underwent kidney stone surgery.

Cabinet secretary Yisrael Maimon was reportedly at the prime minister's bedside, fielding the many phone calls from politicians and dignitaries.

Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz was the first politician to respond publicly to the incident, saying he wished the prime minister well. President Moshe Katsav expressed similar wishes. MK Eli Yishai called on behalf of Shas's spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef to wish Sharon a speedy recovery.

On the Right side of the political spectrum, far-right Likud leadership candidate also wished the prime minister a long life - but out of politics.

National Union MK Arye Eldad said that the incident will make the public realize that "the state cannot be run by a 77-year-old man with risks like obesity, shortness of breath and now stroke. This incident obligates the prime minister to reveal his health condition to the public, so the fate of the nation will not hinge on a blood clot the size of a millimeter."

Israeli stocks were mostly lower but losses were modest early Monday as investors reacted cautiously to news that Sharon was hospitalized overnight.

Eighteen of the TA-25's components were moving lower led by declines in Bank Leumi, Bezeq and Africa-Israel. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Bank Hapoalim were the best performers.

Foreign media outlets, including those from the western and Arab world, were reporting extensively on the incident.

The United States Ambassador Elliot Abrams called the prime minister's office to express wishes for Sharon's recovery on behalf of US President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Likewise, the EU's concern for the prime minister were related by their foreign policy chief Javier Solana. Similar calls were received from PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

In Gaza City, dozens of armed men from the Popular Resistance Committees, a small Palestinian militant group, fired guns in the air and handed out sweets to motorists in celebration of the news that Sharon was ill.

Doctors: PM will suffer no residual effects from stroke  (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1134309603256&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull)

Hamas leader lauds Iranian president
12.19.2005.16:37

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's remarks regarding the Holocaust and the State of Israel are true statements that represent the believers, the Mujahidin and the freedom warriors, Hamas' political department head Khaled Mashal said Monday.

Mashal, who is currently residing in Tehran, referred to the Iranian president's statement in which he expressed doubt that the Holocaust occurred and demanded that Austria and Germany give some of their provinces to the Jews to establish a state in Europe "instead of the one established in Palestine."

"These are excellent statements," Mashal said.

"Today Iran has a brave leader, whose words may not be approved by the world's governments, but are supported by the people of the globe," he added.

Mashal also said the Palestinians are proud of the Iranian stance, and that "everybody should have the courage to voice this truth."

'Muslims will eventually win'

The Hamas leader added that many of the world's countries understand that Israel is an aggressive country, and that opinion polls conducted in the European Union prove that approximately 60 percent of Europeans believe Israel constitutes the biggest threat to world peace.

"People realize the truth but are afraid. The West is afraid of the world Zionists' reaction since the Israelis and the Zionists are exhausting western society with the issues of anti-Semitism and doubt in the Holocaust," Mashal said.

Mashal also expressed his hope that "time is in favor of us the Muslims, while Israel is in a course of retreat. It is losing the image it has been trying to create for many years."

"We, the resistance people, will eventually win God willing," he concluded.

Hamas leader lauds Iranian president (http://www.forzion.com/full-article.php?news=1636)

Iran denies media reports of attempt to assassinate president
By Reuters

TEHRAN - Iran on Monday denied media reports that a firefight last week in the country's lawless southeastern borderlands was an assassination attempt on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Government officials said Ahmadinejad was making a speech in Zahedan, capital of Sistan-Baluchistan province, on Wednesday when a car carrying security forces was attacked by smugglers on the road to the Gulf port of Chaharbahar.

"During the attack, the local driver and a Revolutionary Guardsman was killed. The police immediately intervened. One smuggler was killed and one arrested," government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham told a news conference.

Some domestic and foreign reports described the attack as an assassination attempt, but officials said the vehicle that came under fire was not part of Ahmadinjad's cavalcade and that there had been no question of the president traveling on that road.

The vehicle had been deployed as part of large scale security measures imposed for the presidential visit.

"The attack just shows this region is very insecure for everyone: Sunnis, Shi'ites, Baluch and non-Baluch," Elham said.

The Baluch tribes of southeastern Iran are predominantly Sunni Muslims. Shi'ism is the official religion in Iran.

Sistan-Baluchistan is a main conduit for drugs moving to Europe from Afghanistan and Pakistan. More than 3,300 Iranian troops have died fighting well-armed traffickers since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The area is dotted with police forts, which would explain how police were able to intervene quickly in the gun battle.

In his speech in Zahedan, Ahmadinejad called the Holocaust a myth, sparking international uproar.

The Iranian leader said that if Europeans insist the Holocaust did happen, then it was they who were responsible and they should pay the price.

"If you committed this big crime, then why should the oppressed Palestinian nation pay the price?" Ahmadinejad asked rhetorically.

"This is our proposal: If you committed the crime, then give a part of your own land in Europe, the United States, Canada or Alaska to them [Jews] so that the Jews can establish their country," he said, developing a theme he raised in Saudi Arabia the week before.

"If your civilization consists of unjust acts, oppression and poverty for the majority of the globe to provide your own people welfare, then we shout at the top of our voices that we hate your frail civilization," he said, to rapturous cries of "God is Greatest" from the crowd.

Iran denies media reports of attempt to assassinate president (http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/659752.html)

Iraq’s Zarqawi Sets up Gaza Branch at Palestinian Base

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report

December 19, 2005, 1:37 PM (GMT+02:00)
   
Since early December, a branch of Abu Musab al Zarqawi’s al Qaeda in Iraq has been running a forward base in Gaza City preparatory to in-depth attacks in Israel, according to DEBKAfile’s exclusive counter-terror sources. It joins the Al Qaeda-Palestine cell established some weeks ago in the Gaza Strip.

A high-ranking Israeli army officer confided to us: “For years, we fought al Qaeda in unpublicized encounters in remote places far from our borders. Now we have to admit they are here, on our very threshold.” The officer went on to warn: “The conjunction of al Qaeda and Palestinian terrorist structures confronts Israel with a grave strategic threat.”

According to our sources, Israeli intelligence briefed prime minister Ariel Sharon and defense minister Shaul Mofaz in the first week of December on the Zarqawi group’s infiltration of the Gaza Strip from Sinai and its arrival in Gaza City.

Part of the incoming terror group transited the Rafah terminal (where US officials say the security video cameras have broken down), past European monitors, by showing forged Palestinian documents; part were smuggled in through the Philadelphi border enclave which is guarded by Egyptian police. Intelligence chiefs informed the prime minister that the new cell linked up with the local branch of the Palestinian terror umbrella, the Popular Resistance Committees, which is headed by Shekh Khalil Kuka. The PRC welcomed the newcomer by making its publicity outlets available. Since Monday, Dec. 5, PRC Internet websites have been posting daily bulletins on Zarqawi’s attacks on US and Iraqi targets which often run to 20-30 communiques a day.

These bulletins are now released simultaneously in Baghdad, Gaza, Rafah and Khan Younes. In Gaza, they appear alongside a PRC statement declaring: “The Palestinian and Zarqawi’s struggles are one and the same.”

It is the first time that a Palestinian combat-terrorist organization has aligned itself directly and openly with al Qaeda’s commander in Iraq. Yet, although no attempt has been made to conceal this alliance, it has received no publicity in Israel.

DEBKAfile’s sources report that Israeli counter-terror agencies are quietly working on the premise that the Popular Resistance Committees of Gaza and the Fatah-al Aqsa Brigades of the West Bank plan to make their operational structures available to Zarqawi’s cell for in-depth attacks in Israel.

Meanwhile, the new cell is not letting the grass grow under its feet. Its leaders have managed to enlist the support of the Bedouin clans of southern Gaza, which number tens of thousands of tribesmen, thereby substantially expanding their logistical base. Al Qaeda’s Sinai cell, which Egypt has been unable to root out, already counts on northern Sinai’s Bedouin clans for logistical support.

The pledge of solidarity issued by Gaza’s Khan Younes and Deir Balah Bedouin chiefs declares: “We are now committed to following Zarqawi’s flag.”

It condemns the Bani Hassan Bedouin tribe of Jordan for reprimanding and expelling members who joined al Qaeda and accuses their chiefs of capitulating to the rulers of Jordan.

(Last Tuesday, a Jordanian military tribunal issued a third death sentence in absentia against the Jordanian-Palestinian al Qaeda chief in Iraq.)

The Palestinian Bedouin statement ends with a traditional piece of poetry to mark the new pact. This is a free translation:

How is it that our lords Osama bin Laden and Musab Zarqawi are persecuted, while the enemies of our faith walk straight-backed

How is it that Jihad warriors are treated as aliens, while corrupt infidels are beloved

How is it that true believers are condemned to death, while the flags of the licentious are held aloft

How is it that jihadists are killed, while others make peace with usurers

In July and August, 2005, ahead of Israel’s evacuation of the Gaza Strip, DEBKAfile warned that Zarqawi and al Qaeda’s terrorists were waiting for the pullback to establish forward bases in the Gaza Strip. Four months later, they are poised for action on Israel’s borders.

Iraq's Zarqawi Sets up Gaza Branch at Palestinian Base (http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=1122)

Israel�s Military Intelligence chief: Existential threat growing

Tuesday, December 20, 2005 20:10 IST
JNW HEADLINE NEWS

MI Chief: Existential threat growing
By Stan Goodenough

December 18th, 2005


Israel�s Military Intelligence chief warned the cabinet Sunday that 2006 could see a quantum leap in the ability of the Islamic forces around Israel, and now being established in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, to bring about the destruction of the Jewish state.

Major-General Aharon Ze�evi Farkash said it appeared that Gaza on the one hand and Judea-Samaria on the other were respectively about to turn into two separate �Palestinian� entities: �Hamastan� and �Fatahstan.�

As this was happening, Farkash said, �in Arab countries weapons are being produced at a quantity and quality that threaten the heart of the State of Israel. Iran, Syria, Hizb�allah, and Hamas are accumulating missiles from Kassams to Shihab 3 missiles.�

Iran was �determined to reach nuclear capabilities and obtain ground to ground missiles. It is turning into a regional power. I don't see a real possibility for diplomacy preventing Iran from becoming armed with nuclear weapons. In the coming months, we will witness the end of the abilities of our diplomatic maneuvers, and that of the world, against Iran.�

But Farkash�s dark omen, as with the numerous similar and intensifying alarm bells that have been sounded down the last decade-and-a-half, is expected to go unheeded.

Like its predecessors since 1991, this Israeli government appears unable or unwilling to withstand the enormous pressure that has consistently been brought to bear by the Gentile nations.

The world universally insists that Israel move ahead and create the conditions for the birthing of a Palestinian state.

This demand has remained unwavering and has intensified, despite the terrible number of Jewish lives that have been lost, and the thousands of Israelis who have been mutilated and bereaved since the signing of the Oslo Accords � hailed in 1993 as heralding the arrival of peace.

The Palestinian state-in-the-making would be set up in the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria � the former area the soft underbelly of Israel, the latter two comprising the cradle of Israel�s nationhood and the mountainous high ground that would tower over what would be left of Israel.

And while the forces from without squeeze down on the Israeli people, secular forces within the country, apparently blind to the suicide they expect their state to commit, are forging ahead towards next year�s elections.

Oozing with self-confidence in his ability and qualifications to secure Israel against the

Islamic threat, Sharon and his new Kadima Party is gaining massive momentum and drawing like-minded Israelis to him like moths to a candle flame.

Unless the flame is extinguished, things look increasingly bleak for the country that was supposed to be a haven for the Jewish people, but which has become de facto the most dangerous place for Jews to live on earth today.

 Israel�s Military Intelligence chief: Existential threat growing (http://www.jnewswire.com/library/article.php?articleid=913)

Last update - 17:00 21/12/2005            
Palestinian sources: Hamas man killed by IDF in Jenin raid
By Jonathan Lis, Nir Hasson and Ze'ev Schiff, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and News Agencies

Israel Defense Forces troops killed a militant from the Hamas terrorist organization during an arrest raid in the West Bank on Wednesday, a Palestinian security source said.

Palestinian gunmen and Israel Defense Forces soldiers exchanged fire on Wednesday after troops entered the West Bank town of Jenin to arrest suspected militants, witnesses said. One soldier was wounded in the shootout.

The IDF and Border Police forces surrounded a building where Ziad Moussa, wanted for the murder of IDF soldier Yonatan Avaron during a similar raid earlier this year, was hiding. The IDF closed off the area, members of the militant group said.

During the altercation, the soldiers sent an army sniffer dog into the building to find Moussa, but the dog could not locate him. The forces then entered the building to search for Moussa, who was found alive with a pistol and two magazines of ammunition.

The army confirmed that it carried out an arrest operation in Jenin but did not provide further details.

IDF girds for terror escalation, warns it may cut power to Gaza
As the army prepares for the possibility of an escalation in terrorism, Israel is threatening to cut off the Gaza Strip's electricity supply if a Qassam rocket hits a vital Israeli infrastructure facility.

There is a working assumption in senior Israeli military circles that the situation will worsen, Israel Radio reported early on Wednesday. "The [Palestinian] Authority is not doing a thing, and appears as if it is losing control," it quoted Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz as saying.

"After the elections in the Authority we may find ourselves facing a terror offensive, therefore the IDF must be deployed and ready so that Israel is not surprised, and will know how to defend its citizens," Mofaz was quoted as saying.

Mofaz is expected to meet Wednesday with Egypt's intelligence chief General Omar Sulieman and ask him to pressure Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to fight militant groups.

Agriculture Minister Israel Katz (Likud) told Israel Radio on Wednesday that Israel should bomb the Gaza Strip, forcing some of its residents to flee to the Sinai desert. He said that he would demand that the government undertake an efficient deterrence policy in order to prevent the firing of Qassam rockets into Israel.

Labor MK Matan Vilnai said Wednesday that one of the ways Israel can prevent the firing of Qassam rockets into Israel is by having IDF troops enter the northern Gaza Strip and staying there. He told Israel Radio that by disturbing the Palestinians' lives, the army will be able to make Palestinian civilians prevent the firing of Qassam rockets, but warned that killing Palestinian civilians would achieve the opposite.

On Sunday, after a Qassam rocket fired from Gaza landed not far from an Israel Electric Corporation power plant south of Ashkelon, Israel told the Palestinian Authority that it planned to shut off power for two hours in the early hours of Monday morning, as a warning of things to come if the Qassam fire did not stop.

However, implementation was indefinitely postponed to give the main Palestinian hospital in Gaza time to purchase emergency generators.

The Qassam rocket fired at the power plant which, according to the Israel Defense Forces, was launched from the ruins of the settlement of Dugit, in the northern Gaza Strip, was the second rocket fired at Ashkelon in the past week.

Five Qassams landed in Israel Tuesday: one on an army base, and the other four in open areas near Sderot and the western Negev. Israel realiated by shelling the open areas from which the rockets were launched.

The Qassams caused neither casualties nor property damage, but the Red Dawn warning system in Sderot went off twice Tuesday evening, sending the town's residents scurrying for shelter.

Cutting off Gaza's electricity would not only turn off all the lights in the Strip, but would also cause damage to many workshops and factories. Israel has never before taken such a step, just as it has never interfered with the PA's water supply, and at least some Palestinian leaders apparently believe that Israel would never dare to do so.

During a high-level discussion among Israeli officials, some argued that such a step would be ineffective because to the Palestinian terror organizations, the most important thing is hurting Israel - even if this also results in serious harm to the Palestinians.

However, the prevailing view was that Palestinian public opinion could pressure the terrorist organizations to restrain their attacks if many Palestinians came to feel that the price they were paying for such attacks was
too high.

IDF girds for terror escalation, warns it may cut power to Gaza (http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasen/spages/660361.html)

Something to think about would an attack from Iran possibly destroy the Temple Mount thence the rebuilding of the Temple? I have really enjoyed the end times study and feel that maybe not in my lifetime but shortly, the gears are turning. Thank God I'm saved! Bless you all. lsm250

In a certain way that is kind of humurous.

Last update - 07:39 23/12/2005            
Mofaz okays new measures to curb Qassam fire in northern Gaza
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and Agencies

Following a meeting with senior security officials, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Thursday evening approved a series of new measures aimed at curbing Qassam fire from the northern Gaza Strip.

According to the plans, Israel Defense Forces artillery would prevent Palestinians from entering the evacuated settlements of Dugit and Elei Sinai, where the debris is used for hideaways for rocket launching units.

However, the IDF did not receive the go-ahead for the shelling.

   Advertisement

Hours after a new volley of Qassams landed in Israel, with one rocket striking an army base and lightly wounding five soldiers, Israeli officials issued stauch threats to step up military measures to counter the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.

"Certainly if the rocket fire on Ashkelon does not stop, there will be a very fierce response, and no option can be ruled out, including a ground operation," said Vice Premier Ehud Olmert, adding, "but of course, we must reach the conclusion that this is the right method at the time we make the decision."

David Baker, an official in the Prime Minister's Office, told Haaretz that, "the rocket launching was from territory that Israel evacuated. Israel is compelled to respond, including steps that we haven't taken until now. We have no other choice."

Baker went on to say that "the Palestinian Authority continues to not take any discernable measures against terrorism."

He would not elaborate, however, on the steps that Israel plans to take, saying only that "necessary" measures would be employed.

On Thursday a Palestinian man was killed in an Israel Defense Forces artillery barrage on northern Gaza, officials at a Gaza hospital said. The barrage was part of an Israeli response to a series of rocket attacks on southern Israel earlier in the day that wounded five soldiers.

Israel said the shells were aimed at fields that militants used to launch the rockets at Israel. Most of the fields were empty, but shrapnel from one of the shells that landed near the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza killed Ibrahim Naana, 21, hospital officials said.

The five soldiers were lightly wounded when the second of two Qassam rocket fired by Islamic Jihad militant struck an army base not far from the southern city of Ashkelon.

The five received medical treatment at the scene and were later transferred to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon.

Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attacks. The first Qassam landed south of Ashkelon, Israel Radio reported, hitting an open area near the city's industrial zone.

Three militants killed in Nablus raid
Also Thursday morning, IDF troops killed three Palestinian militants in a raid in the West Bank city of Nablus, Israel Radio reported.

The radio also reported the arrest of an Islamic Jihad militant behind a deadly suicide bombing in Hadera, after a gag order had been lifted.

In the Nablus raid, witnesses identified one of the gunmen killed as Bashar Khalani, Nablus commander of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The other two were named as Anas Al-Sheikh, another PFLP member, and Ahmed Jiyousi of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a militant faction linked to the ruling Fatah party.

The three were killed while trying flee from a house surrounded by soldiers.

The PFLP threatened revenge for the attack.

"Israel will pay the price for this crime," said Kaed Al Ghoul, a senior PFLP leader.

Some 3,000 people gathered Thursday afternoon in Nablus' main square at a joint funeral for the militants. Dozens of gunmen fired in the air, and the crowd chanted, "Bashar, our friend, the response will be in Tel Aviv."

Khalani was reponsible for the suicide attack in the Carmel open air market in Tel Aviv last year that killed three people, and at the Geha junction two years ago, in which four people were killed.

According to the report, IDF special forces besieged a house in central Nablus where several wanted militants were believed to be holed up, when the three gunmen jumped out a window in an attempt to avoid arrest.

Police special forces that also participated in the raid fired at the three and killed them as they were running away. It was initially reported that the three were wounded by the gunfire but their deaths were later confirmed by the army.

The army continued to encircle the house, believing more wanted men to be hiding there. The security forces called on the wanted men to exit voluntarily to be taken in for questioning, army sources told Israel Radio.

Islamic Jihad militant Mohammed Kashua, from the West Bank, was arrested by IDF troops and Shin Bet security forces for his role in the bombing at Hadera open-air market.

Kashua transported the bomber in the suicide attack in the coastal city two months ago, in which six Israelis were killed and 27 were wounded.
Mofaz okays new measures to curb Qassam fire in northern Gaza (http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/661261.html)

Brothers and Sisters,

We don't know - GOD might be unfolding Bible Prophecy as we speak. We won't know HIS ways or the day, but HIS ancient Promises will be fulfilled to the letter. It would be fascinating to watch from the perspective of a student of Bible Prophecy, but I personally feel that HE will take us home to Glory before the worst of it. If not, we will know part of what's going on, and HE will be with us.


Love In Christ,
Tom

Proverbs 14:26 NASB  In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge.

U.S. Jews: Arabs want to destroy Israel

78 percent of American Jews think Arabs seek the destruction of Israel, not return of occupied territories, a new American Jewish Committee survey reveals
Yitzhak Benhorin

Most American Jews (78 percent) believe that the goal of the Arabs is not the return of occupied territories but rather the destruction of Israel, a new annual survey of The American Jewish Committee revealed.

According to the survey, 18 percent of United States Jews think that the Arabs' sole desire is to return to the 1967 borders. However, 65 percent of respondents stated they support the establishment of a Palestinian state, while 36 said they were against it.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon won the backing of 67 percent of the poll's participants, who said they strongly support the Israeli leader's handling of relations with the Palestinian Authority and Israel's building of the security fence.

Most American Jews, 60 percent, want Jerusalem to remain united under Israeli control, while 36 percent back a division of the capital.

At the same time, more Jews in the U.S. (46 percent) favor a removal of settlements, than those who are against it (36 percent).

Anti-Semitism in U.S. concerning

The survey further revealed that although 79 percent of American Jews said they believe that the state of Israel is important for their Jewish identity, 59 percent never visited the country.
Twenty percent of respondents visited Israel once, and another 20 percent came to the country twice or more.

American Jews are concerned about anti-Semitism in their country. Most Jews (65 percent) said that anti-Semitism in the U.S. constituted "some kind of a problem," and 27 percent defined it "a very serious problem."

The survey inspected the religious denomination of the Jewish public in the U.S., revealing that 10 percent of American Jews are orthodox, 32 are conservative and 29 reform. One of every four Jews (26 percent) defines himself as 'just Jewish,' and is not affiliated to any synagogue.

Opposed to Iraq war

On the question of the Jewish American attitude toward the Iraq war, the AJC poll discovered that 70 percent oppose the war, while only 28 percent support it. Sixty percent of American Jews disapprove of the way the U.S. government is handling the campaign against terrorism, and 36 percent approve of it.

Almost half of the survey's respondents, 49 percent, said they support the U.S. taking military action against Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. Forty six percent said they oppose such action.

U.S. Jews: Arabs want to destroy Israel  (http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3189119,00.html)

Dec. 24, 2005 12:37 | Updated Dec. 24, 2005 21:54
Heavy rains flood Israeli cities
By JPOST.COM STAFF
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Heavy rainfall caused floods in many parts of Israel on Saturday, especially in Haifa and the northern region.

Several vehicles were trapped beneath the train bridge in the city because of the high water level. Similar flooding occurred on the road between the Kiryat Ata and stadium junctions as well as at the check post and Fureidis junction near Zichron Ya'acov.

Also, in the northern coastal city of Nahariya several roads were closed when the Ga'aton River running through the city overflowed. A lane in the Lod Road, connecting the Krayot region and Acre was likewise shut down.

Damage was also caused in the central region, with the road between Ramat Hakovesh and Kfar Saba closed because of flooding. A tree in Kiryat Ono was blown down by the wind and crushed three cars.

The heavy rains also drowned streets in Ra'anana. Rescue services were called to evacuate 18 elderly people after the first floor of their retirement home was covered with water.

Army Radio said unusually high levels of rainwere recorded, with 30-50 mm falling northward of Haifa since Friday alone.

Meanwhile, some 60 centimeters of snow piled on the northern Mount Hermon site on Saturday. While the site had not yet opened to the public, "if 20 more centimeters fell overnight and Sunday it was expected to open by Tuesday," said site manager Menachem Baruch.

The rain and snow were predicted to move southward during the day and evening. Some Galilee peaks had already gathered 40 centimeters of snow as of Saturaday evening.

Jerusalem, and even Bethlehem may experience a white Christmas for the first time in many years.

Jerusalem was preparing for difficulties expected to be caused by the snow on Saturday evening. The municipality readied snowplows and salt trucks in case their services will be needed. Likewise, police and fire-fighting services planned on holding their emergency crews on call to keep main traffic routes open.

The city was also taking measures to assist the homeless and to provide city residents with supplies should the snow shut down transportation.

The good news anticipated from the rainy weather was a forecasted rise in the Kinneret water level. The lake's level went down by a few centimeters during the unusually long and warm dry spell that came over Israel in recent weeks. The Kinneret, which serves as Israel's primary source of potable water, is still three meters short of its maximal level.

Heavy Rains Flood Israeli Cities (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1134309639334&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull)

Iran denies receiving Russian enrichment proposal
Sun Dec 25, 2005 4:17 AM ET169

By Parinoosh Arami

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran on Sunday denied receiving a proposal from Moscow to build a joint venture plant to enrich uranium in Russia but said it was happy to continue negotiations over its nuclear programme with the European Union.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday it had submitted a formal offer to Iran that would allow it to establish a civilian nuclear programme but transfer enrichment to Russia.

The plan is aimed at easing international concerns that Tehran could make nuclear bombs from highly-enriched uranium. Iran says it only wants to enrich uranium to a low-grade, suitable for use in nuclear power reactors.

"We haven't received any written and definite proposal from Russia yet," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference.

"It is clear that we will review with a positive attitude any plan or proposal that recognizes Iran's right for enrichment on it own soil," he added, reiterating a stance which EU diplomats have said amounts to a rejection of the Russian plan.

Iranian nuclear negotiators met counterparts from the EU trio of Britain, Germany and France in Vienna last week for the first face-to-face talks for several months.

Both sides agreed to meet again in January. Asefi said January 18 was a possible date for the next round of talks.

"What was achieved is that the negotiations will continue, which is a step forward in itself," he said. "I believe that if the Europeans respect Iran's rights there is room for further work."

"We don't want negotiations just for the sake of negotiations we want negotiations to achieve our right to (produce) nuclear fuel. Of course, we are ready to give guarantees that we won't deviate from peaceful nuclear activities," he added.

EU diplomats and arms control experts have expressed doubts that the negotiations will resolve the nuclear standoff given the two sides' positions.

Asefi said Iran believed the best solution would be for an international consortium to carry out enrichment in Iran. But Western nations are loathe to allow the Islamic Republic to make nuclear fuel on its own soil.

Iran denies receiving Russian enrichment proposal (http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-12-25T091712Z_01_FLE531785_RTRUKOC_0_US-NUCLEAR-IRAN.xml&archived=False)

65% of Palestinians Support Al-Qaeda Attacks in the US and Europe:

Religious War against "Infidels"
inherent to PA religious ideology
By Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook

A poll published this week and reported in Palestinian newspapers found that 65% of Palestinians "support Al-Qaeda actions in the USA and Europe." Religiously-motivated Al-Qaeda attacks against those referred to as "Infidels" have killed thousands of Americans and Europeans. Why would the Palestinian population so overwhelmingly support the murder of Christians?

For years, the Palestinian Authority religious leadership has been presenting its war against Israel's existence as merely one part of its global Islamic war being fought against the Christian-Jewish West. Just last month, a PA TV religious leader, during a televised sermon, included this prayer for the killing of all Infidels:

"Destroy the Infidels and the Polytheists! Your [i.e. Allah's] enemies are the enemies of the religion…! Count them and kill them to the last one, and don't leave even one."
[Suleiman Satari, PA TV, November 18, 2005]

This prayer - clear incitement to the genocide of "Infidels," a term that includes the Christian West - is common from PA religious leaders. Prayers to annihilate all Infidels have been included in Friday prayers on PA TV at least six times in recent months.

Presenting the destruction of the Christian-Jewish West as part of Allah's plan comes even from the highest religious powers, and receives the passive sanction of the highest political powers. Two of these sermons were delivered by Yusuf Jum'a Salamah, PA Minister of the Waqf and Religion - the most important religious office in the PA. Even though PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas was present on at least one of these occasions, similar prayers for genocide continued on the PA-owned and controlled TV in subsequent weeks.

<SNIP>
This post would fill 4 pages, it is so big! You have to read it all!!!!!!

65%  of Palestinians Support Al-Qaeda Attacks in the US and Europe (http://www.worthynews.com/zone.cgi?http://www.pmw.org.il/Latest%20bulletins%20new.htm#b261205)

Edited to add; I put this up on my Christianty Rocks 2website. This is a big news item, and I imagine it will be coming down soon.
Here is the page link! (http://www.freewebs.com/christanityrocks2/palestinianssupport.htm)

IDF: Hizbullah uses Russian rockets

 

Intelligence chief slams Russia, says weapons sold to Syria end up in terrorists' hands
Smadar Peri

 
Oh, those Russians: Hizbullah has been using Russian-made RPG rockets purchased by Syria to target Israel, outgoing IDF Intelligence Chief Aharon Zeevi-Farkash charged in a special interview with Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

 
In his farewell interview, Farkash chose to blast the Russians for their contribution to the war waged by Hizbullah terrorists against Israel.

 
"The Russians' and Syrians' true face has been exposed, (they) buy and sell weapons with a commitment not to pass it on, yet those weapons are used against us in a blatant manner," he said.

 
Farkash noted that Hizbullah terrorists involved in the attempt to abduct soldiers on the Lebanese border about a month ago fired RPG-29 rockets. "Those are Russian-made rockets purchased by the Syrians in recent years and handed over to Hizbullah," he said.

 
"We are talking about a high-impact weapon because it has deep penetration capabilities," Farkash said. "The usage of rockets against us explains why Israel strongly opposed the sale of SA-18 missiles to Syria."

 

Turning his attention to the rockets fired on the northern town of Kiryat Shmona two days ago, Farkash said they too were Russian-made but came from older shipments.

 
"We know that in April 2005, ahead of the departure of Syrian forces from Lebanon, (President) Bashar Assad made sure to transfer military equipment and combat means to Palestinian groups and to Hizbullah," Farkash charged.

 
"And there it is…weapons Syria purchased from Russia are being handed over to elements that are acting against us," he said.

Iraq al Qaeda claims Israel attack: Web
ReutersReuters

Dec 29, 2005 — DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda in Iraq said it had launched missiles at Israel from Lebanon as part of a "new attack" on the Jewish state, a statement posted on the Web said on Thursday.

"The lion sons of al Qaeda launched … a new attack on the Jewish state by launching 10 missiles … from the Muslims' lands in Lebanon on selected targets in the north of the Jewish state," said the statement, attributed to al Qaeda and posted on an Islamist Web site.

It appeared to be the first claim of responsibility from al Qaeda for an attack on Israel from Lebanon. The statement could not be authenticated, but was posted on a main Web site frequently used by Iraqi insurgent groups.

 The statement did not give the date of the attack.

It was not immediately clear if the group was referring to a rocket strike which wounded three people in an Israeli border town late on Tuesday, or some other attack.

Israeli warplanes attacked a Palestinian guerrilla group's training camp in Lebanon in response to that rocket attack.

"This auspicious attack was a response by the mujahideen (holy fighters) to the oath by the mujahid sheikh Osama bin Laden, leader of al Qaeda … which the (Jews) and idolaters' servants in Muslim countries failed to grasp. The future shall be more bitter and more harsh," said the statement.

In August, Iraq's al Qaeda said it was behind a failed rocket attack on U.S. Navy ships in Jordan's Red Sea port of Aqaba.

Iran, Russia agree to talks on atomic plan: diplomat
Thu Dec 29, 2005 8:59 AM ET164

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Top Iranian and Russian officials agreed on Thursday to hold talks on a Russian proposal aimed a resolving Tehran's nuclear standoff with the West, an Iranian diplomat close to the talks said.

The diplomat, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the agreement came during a telephone conversation between Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov

Iran, Russia agree to talks on atomic plan (http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-12-29T135929Z_01_SIB950347_RTRUKOC_0_US-NUCLEAR-IRAN-RUSSIA.xml&archived=False)

Palestinian militants say truce ends at midnight
Sat Dec 31, 2005 10:33 AM ET11

 By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) - Militant Palestinian factions said on Saturday that as of New Year's Day they would no longer be bound by a truce that has brought the quietest spell since the start of the five-year-old uprising.

An increase in violence since Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in September has kept peacemaking on hold, but the lull has brought relief on both sides of the front line.

The armed groups said they would no longer be committed to following "a period of calm" despite the efforts of President Mahmoud Abbas to preserve a ceasefire he agreed with Israel last February.

A big resurgence of violence could be an added threat to a January 25 election, already endangered by growing disorder.

"We in the Islamic Jihad and resistance factions are free of commitment to this calm," Islamic Jihad leader Khader Habib told Reuters.

The armed groups say the truce cost them more than they gained because Israel continued raids and did not free all Palestinian prisoners, as they had demanded. Israel said its raids were to stop militants who were planning attacks.

Israel says it holds Abbas responsible for the continuation of the ceasefire since it was agreed with him and not the militant groups. Israel has long pressed Abbas to crack down on militants rather than talking to them.

"The Palestinian Authority must come to its senses," said one Israeli official.

HAMAS KEY
Despite the new threats, it is far from clear how much will change on the ground.

Islamic Jihad had already carried out suicide bombings during the truce, including one in the West Bank on Thursday, saying it was taking revenge for Israeli attacks.

The powerful militant group Hamas, which like Islamic Jihad is sworn to destroying Israel, has not said it will resume attacks after the truce expires -- even if it says it will no longer feel bound to follow it.

Any major upsurge of violence could delay the forthcoming election in which Hamas expects to do well.

"Hamas and Qassam (the armed wing) will deal with any Zionist attack against our people in a suitable manner and in that way preserve the election process and preserve Palestinian blood," said a Hamas spokesman.

Al-Aqsa, despite being part of Abbas's Fatah movement, has been among the most active groups firing rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip.

"The truce is dead. By continuing its assassinations and occupation, Israel killed it long before it actually expired," said Abu Qusai, a spokesman. "The formula is bombardment for bombardment and targeting civilians for targeting civilians."

To try to stem the rocket fire, Israel declared a "no-go zone" in the northern Gaza Strip this week. Palestinians condemned the move as tantamount to retaking land it had given up after 38 years of occupation.

Israel has ruled out talks on Palestinian statehood until Abbas disarms militants, a process the Palestinians are meant to begin under a U.S.-backed peace "road map". Israel has failed to meet its own promise under that plan to freeze settlement growth.

Palestinian militants say truce ends at midnight (http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-12-31T153256Z_01_SCH155905_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST-TRUCE.xml&archived=False)

My note; As I post this, midnight is about 50 minutes away in Israel.

Dreamweaver,

Brother, it would never do for me to be a politician in the Middle-East. I would have called that so-called road map for peace a train wreck after the first Palestinian missile and taken all the land back - plus some. The Palestinians have never wanted peace. They are determined to have war, and their wishes should be granted. No country in the world would tolerate a bunch of terrorists firing missiles at will and doing suicide bombing, so it's not realistic to ask Israel to do anything except provide security for their people and put the terrorists completely out of business. That is the only politics that terrorists understand, and negotiations with terrorists is a complete JOKE.

Chances are you would make a better politician in the Middle-East, then I would. War would have already broken out, if I was there. :-X

Did I say that?  ??? ;D

Iran develops uranium separation machinery
Sun Jan 1, 2006 9:47 AM ET16

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said on Sunday it had developed machinery to separate uranium from its ore, part of the Islamic state's ongoing drive to become self-sufficient in nuclear technology.

The mixer-settler machinery was developed by Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO), state television said.

"Unfortunately, because of the problems that exist, it was not possible for us to buy this machine from abroad and we had to build it domestically. Fortunately, we succeeded," an unidentified IAEO official said.

Iran's efforts to build a full nuclear fuel cycle has caused alarm in the West which fears Tehran could use the technology to build atomic weapons. Iran says it only wants to use its nuclear facilities to generate electricity.

In August Iran announced another breakthrough in nuclear technology by using biotechnology to produce larger and cheaper quantities of uranium oxide, or yellow cake, from uranium ore.

Yellowcake is processed and then enriched to produce nuclear reactor fuel or, if highly enriched, bomb-grade material.

Iran devolops uranium separation machinery (http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-01-01T144734Z_01_SCH152880_RTRUKOC_0_US-NUCLEAR-IRAN-MACHINERY.xml&archived=False)

My note; Sooner or later, the world will have to deal with Iran, and North Korea. But this won't happen, till God is ready.
Bob

Jan. 1, 2006 21:43
IDF fires at Kassam launch-sites in northern Gaza
By MARGOT DUDKEVITCH AND JPOST STAFF


The IDF fired at the "no-go" zone in northern Gaza on Sunday evening in response to the three Kassam rockets fired at Israel throughout the day.

A Kassam rocket fired from Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip exploded Sunday afternoon in an open area between Kibbutz Nir Am and Sderot, while another two rockets fell earlier Sunday in non-populated areas of the western Negev. There were no reports of casualties or damage in any of the incidents.

IDF forces were searching for one of the rockets, which was fired from the outskirts of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The rocket was believed to have fallen near Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak in the western Negev. The second rocket landed near Kibbutz Mivtahim.

A fourth Kassam reportedly landed inside Gaza.

Israeli security officials noted that all of the rockets were fired from an area outside the "no-go" zone implemented by the IDF during Operation Open Sky.

The Palestinian terror group Hamas vowed on Sunday to retaliate against Israel for killing two Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip. Three people were also wounded in the late Saturday IAF air strike, the first fatal attack in the border area since Israel declared it a "no-go" zone.

The IDF said the terrorists were spotted preparing to fire a rocket from the area of Elei Sinai, one of the 21 settlements evacuated during the pullout from Gaza.

The air force fired at the Palestinians and identified a hit, the military said.

Relatives identified the dead as Motaz Hamdouna, 26, and Hamza Hamdouna, 22.

"We reaffirm that this crime will not go without punishment," Hamas said in a statement faxed to news agencies on Sunday. The group suggested that the end of a truce on midnight Saturday - which Hamas had largely adhered to - would mean more violence.

"After the final moment of truce has past, we say the enemy will pay the price for the crimes it has committed against our sons during the whole truce period."

Hamas has accused Israel of repeated violations of the cease-fire that began Feb. 8 and has carried out what it called revenge attacks for specific Israeli operations. It should be noted that Israel was never a signatory to the truce established among the Palestinian factions.

Shortly after the incident, Hamas spokesman Mushir al-Masri threatened revenge against Israel while speaking to reporters at the Gaza hospital where the casualties were taken. However, he did not rule out extending the truce, which ended formally at midnight.

The Palestinian Interior Ministry issued a statement condemning the Israeli strike, saying a shell hit a Palestinian post, hindering police efforts to stop the firing of rockets at Israel.

IDF fires at Kassam launch-sites in northern Gaza (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1135696370391&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull)

IDF on high alert for Islamic Jihad suicide bombs
By Amos Harel

Security forces are on high alert as mounting intelligence reports have suggested that Islamic Jihad could be planning suicide bombings inside Israel.

Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility on Friday for the suicide bombing that killed Lieutenant Ori Binamo and two Palestinians a day earlier. The organization identified Suheib Ibrahim Yasin, 19, from the West Bank village of Ilar, as the bomber who blew himself up after being stopped at a checkpoint near Tul Karm.

Binamo, 21, a platoon commander in the Nachshon infantry battalion, was buried in Haifa's military cemetery on Friday. Three of his soldiers were wounded in the bombing, one seriously and two lightly.

Over the weekend, the IDF arrested 16 residents of Ilar and nearby villages on suspicion of belonging to Islamic Jihad. However, senior military sources admitted that the Jihad network is still active and capable of dispatching more suicide bombers.

The police deployed hundreds of officers in the large cities to secure New Year's Eve parties.

On Friday, the IDF raided a Palestinian military intelligence compound in the Jenin refugee camp, in a search for Jihad fugitives. The IDF Spokesman's Office said the intelligence commander at the compound admitted that Jihad members use it, but said they had fled before the troops arrived.

A wanted Hamas operative was arrested in the town of Yata, south of Hebron.

Meanwhile, the IDF is continuing Operation Blue Skies in the northern Gaza Strip. Palestinians have been barred from reaching the former settlements Elei Sinai, Dugit and Nisanit, and only policemen are allowed in the area, on roads prearranged with the IDF. The army has been shelling the area frequently, and conducting strict aerial surveillance of areas adjacent to the "buffer zone," which is reportedly used by the cells launching Qassam rockets.

There were no launches over the weekend.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said during a visit to Ashkelon on Friday that he is convinced the IDF operation will disrupt the rocket fire.

"In time, you will see that the [IDF's] activity is obtaining results. The purpose of the deployment over the past few days is to restrict the Qassam launchers' momentum, and it is already succeeding in this," Mofaz said.

Yesterday, IDF troops came under light fire as they were moving along the Gaza Strip border and in the Jenin area. There were no Israeli casualties.

Defense establishment sources yesterday dismissed the threats made by some Fatah factions yesterday to resume attacks against Israel after the end of the truce in the territories. The sources said Islamic Jihad is not keeping the internal Palestinian truce agreement anyway.

Hamas currently has no interest in resuming terror on a large scale, because it is interested in having the Palestinian parliamentary elections held on schedule and hopes to do well in them, the sources said.

As for Fatah, it will make no difference if a few rogue groups start trying to commit suicide bombings, they said.

Israel is more concerned over the growing anarchy in the Palestinian Authority.

Sheikh Hassan Yusuf, one of the most senior Hamas leaders in the West Bank, who has been imprisoned in Israel for the past two months, announced yesterday that he would not contend on the Hamas list in the elections. Hamas sources said Yusuf made this decision because of internal dissension between the movement's local and overseas leadership.

IDF on high alert for Islamic Jihad suicide bombs (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/664537.html)

Jan. 1, 2006 20:46
Ahmadinejad: Israel created to complete Holocaust
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
TEHRAN, Iran


Hard-line Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who said the Nazi attempt to eradicate Jews in the Holocaust was "myth," has now charged that European countries sought to complete the genocide by establishing Israel, a Jewish state in the midst of Muslim countries.

"Don't you think that continuation of genocide by expelling Jews from Europe was one of their (the Europeans') aims in creating a regime of occupiers of Al-Quds (Jerusalem)?" the official Islamic Republic News agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. "Isn't that an important question?"

Ahmadinejad said Europeans had decided to create a "Jewish camp" as the best means for ridding the continent of Jews and said the camp, Israel, now enjoyed support from the United States and Europe in what he termed the slaughter of Muslims.

Ahmadinejad: Israel created to complete Holocaust  (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1136102652521&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull)

My note; The man just can't seem to make up his mind. ;D

'Palestinians agree':
Wipe Israel off map
Arab leader claims there's consensus Iran's president correct with solution
January 1, 2006
4:53 p.m. Eastern

A senior Palestinian official says Palestinians share the sentiment of Iran's president that Israel should be "wiped off the map," or at the very least, moved to Europe.

The statement from Mahir al-Tahir, representative of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, was reported by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News Network.

In November, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threatened to "wipe Israel off the map."

Then in December, he suggested European nations should give up some of their territory if they believed the World War II-era Holocaust took place, noting, "certain European countries would have the world go with their stand that Hitler killed millions of innocent Jews in furnaces and have passed laws punishing anyone who says anything to the contrary."

"Granting without accepting that the Holocaust did occur, our question to the Europeans is: 'If innocent Jews were indeed butchered by Hitler, why should Palestinians be made to pay the cost in order to seek redress for the occupiers of Jerusalem?'"

Ahmadinejad continued: "If the killing of Jews in Europe is true and the Zionists are being supported because of this excuse, why should the Palestinian nation pay the price?"

"The Islamic world should give up its policy of passivity and deal with the Palestinian issue more actively," he said.

On Friday, al-Tahir of the PFLP stated Ahmadinejad's view is based on historical realities.

This is for a note, since both Pastor Roger, and myself are posting about the Holocaust.

This is from research I did a while back....

 Country...... Population ... Number of Jews killed., and percentage.

1. Poland............ 3,300,000 .... 2,800,000..... 85.0
2. USSR ..............2,100.000.....1,500,000......71.4
3. Romania............. 850,000 ..... 425,000...... 50.0
4. Hungary .............404,000...... 200,000 ......49.5
5. Czechoslovakia.....315,000 ......260,000....... 82.5
6. France............... 300,000 .......90,000 ......30.0
7. Germany............. 210,000 ......171,000 ..... 81.0
8. Lithuania............ 150,000 ......135,000.......90.0
9. Holland................150,000 ........90,000.......60.0
10. Latvia ................95,000 ........85,000.......89.5
11. Belgium............. 90,000..... ...40,000....... 44.4
12. Greece...............75,000 ........65,000 .......80.0
13. Yugoslavia..........75,000... .....55,000 .......73.3
14. Austria.............. 60,000 ........40,000....... 66.6
15. Italy.................. 57,000 ........15,000 ..... 26.3
16. Bulgaria............. 50,000 .........7,000 .......14.0
17. Others............... 20,000 .........6,000 .......30.0
......................... _________ ..... ________... ____
Totals ................. 8,301,000 ...5,978,000.......72.0%

Resesarching I have found that 72%, of the jews in europe, were killed. This figure counts, death camps, combat, and others.  :'(

Brother that is absolutely horific. With the research that you have done into that war I am sure that you must have a lot of such information.

With people such as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad it is obvious that they are liars. I find it hard to believe that with such blatant lies that they still gain the respect and assistance from various other countries.

I do and there is, though I am reluctent to post it. The material, would make you cry. :'(

Well what do you expect out of the land of a portion of  Gog.

'Palestinians agree':
Wipe Israel off map
Arab leader claims there's consensus Iran's president correct with solution
Posted: January 1, 2006
4:53 p.m. Eastern


© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com


Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (courtesy Radio Netherlands)

A senior Palestinian official says Palestinians share the sentiment of Iran's president that Israel should be "wiped off the map," or at the very least, moved to Europe.

The statement from Mahir al-Tahir, representative of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, was reported by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News Network.

In November, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threatened to "wipe Israel off the map."

Then in December, he suggested European nations should give up some of their territory if they believed the World War II-era Holocaust took place, noting, "certain European countries would have the world go with their stand that Hitler killed millions of innocent Jews in furnaces and have passed laws punishing anyone who says anything to the contrary."

"Granting without accepting that the Holocaust did occur, our question to the Europeans is: 'If innocent Jews were indeed butchered by Hitler, why should Palestinians be made to pay the cost in order to seek redress for the occupiers of Jerusalem?'"

Ahmadinejad continued: "If the killing of Jews in Europe is true and the Zionists are being supported because of this excuse, why should the Palestinian nation pay the price?"

"The Islamic world should give up its policy of passivity and deal with the Palestinian issue more actively," he said.

On Friday, al-Tahir of the PFLP stated Ahmadinejad's view is based on historical realities.

'Palestinians agree': Wipe Israel off map (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=48146)

No, I wouldn't want any of that. I have already seen and heard most of that and it did make me cry.

I was meaning though information of the less graphic nature.

Iran President: Israel Completed Holocaust
Jan 01 5:34 PM US/Eastern

By NASSER KARIMI
Associated Press Writer

TEHRAN, Iran

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's hard-line president who has said the Holocaust was a myth, now has charged that European countries sought to complete the genocide by establishing a Jewish state in the midst of Muslim countries.

"Don't you think that continuation of genocide by expelling Jews from Europe was one of their aims in creating a regime of occupiers of Al- Quds (Jerusalem)?" the official Islamic Republic News agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying Sunday. "Isn't that an important question?"

Ahmadinejad said Europeans had decided to create a "Jewish camp" as the best means for ridding the continent of Jews. He said the camp, Israel, now enjoyed support from the United States and Europe in the slaughter of Muslims.

In October, Ahmadinejad called for Israel to be "wiped off the map."

Last month, Ahmadinejad said the Holocaust, in which Nazi Germany killed six million Jews, was a myth. After global outrage over the comments, he said that Europeans, if they insist the Holocaust occurred, should cede some of their territory for a Jewish state.

He said anti-Semitism had a long history in Europe, while Jews had lived peacefully among Muslims for centuries.

His remarks have been condemned by the White House, Israel, Germany, France and the European Commission, among others. Germany has said the remarks would affect negotiations over Iran's nuclear program.

European negotiators are pushing Iran to move its uranium enrichment facilities to Russia in a compromise solution to a dispute with the United States, which wants to stop Iran from producing nuclear weapons. Talks are set to continue this month.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, said the Russian proposal that the two nations enrich uranium in Russian territory could not ignore Iran's right to carry out enrichment at home.

"It's not logical for a country to put the fate of its nation at the disposal of another country even if it's a friend. You can meet part of your fuel needs from abroad," Larijani said on state-run television late Sunday.

"History and experience show that if you don't have technology, you will damage your independence," he said.

Larijani also warned of a "crushing" response if its nuclear and military facilities were attacked by the U.S. or Israel.

"If there is any truth in such talks, Israel will suffer greatly. It's a very small country within our range," he said.

Iran said Sunday it has produced equipment for separating uranium from its ore, a fresh development in Tehran's drive to control the nuclear- fuel cycle, state television reported Sunday.

The broadcast claimed the "settler-mixer" was a highly effective way to produce uranium, quoting Amir Hossein Farhadi, a researcher for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization.

"Foreign countries were not ready to sell it to Iran since it could be applicable in the cycle," Farhadi said.

Iran claims the program is solely for generating electricity.

The U.S. has pushed for Iran to be taken before the United Nations Security Council, where it could face economic sanctions over the dispute.

Click me, to read the report. (http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/01/01/D8ES5HTO6.html)

My note; Mahmoud Ahmadinejad just can't seem to make up his mind. He says one thing, then another, destroying creditable he says. ;D

Resting in the hands, of the Lord.
Bob

Vatican also wants Jerusalem?

Vatican envoy: Israel, Palestinians cannot be trusted to safeguard holy sites
Ahiya Raved

Israel cannot be trusted? The Vatican's legal advisor in Israel, David Jaeger, harshly criticized Israel’s policy regarding safeguarding Christian holy sites.

 

Speaking during an international conference at a Haifa University conference Tuesday, Jaeger said Jerusalem is an important city the fate of which should not be left in the hands of Israel and the Palestinians.

 

Any solution to the status of Jerusalem needs the approval of the international community, said Jaeger, adding that the Palestinian Authority has also failed in keeping with international conventions on preserving holy sites.

 

Jaeger said there is a contradiction between agreements signed between Israel and the Vatican on preserving Christian Holy sites and Israeli laws dating from the British mandate in Palestine.

 

The Israeli government took away the courts' authority to deal with issues related to lands and funds belonging to the Roman Catholic Church, causing legal disputes that have been dragging in courts for years, the Vatican envoy said.

 
The conference is a unique opportunity to hold academic discussions of issues pertaining to Jerusalem and holy sites, bring together intellectuals and experts from Israel, the territories and the international community.

 
Dr. Yitzhak Reiter, one of the event's organizers, said: “Our aim is to hold a discussion on the burning issue of Jerusalem – at a time of relative calm – in an attempt to try finding solutions acceptable to all sides. We should remember that the breakthrough that led to the Oslo Accord started with a similar discourse between Israeli and Palestinian intellectuals under international sponsorship."

Vatican also wants Jerusalem? (http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3194646,00.html)

My note;  I guess the Vatican want more of the world.....

Iran insists it has right to enrich uranium
KSENIA SVETLOVA and news agencies, THE JERUSALEM POST    Jan. 2, 2006

The spokesman for the government of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad insisted on Monday that Iran has a "right" to carry out uranium enrichment, the process that could lead to the development of a nuclear bomb, on its own soil, despite efforts by Russia to have the work transferred to Russian soil to ease international concerns, Iranian media reported.

Gholam-Hossein Elham, however, told journalists at his weekly press conference that Teheran would study the Russian proposal on the basis that it could carry out enrichment domestically as well.

Ali Larijani, secretary-general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and top nuclear negotiator, officially rejected on Sunday any Russian proposal that would overlook Iran's right to enrichment within its own borders.

The offer would deny Teheran's right to "be in charge of its own fate" on energy matters, Larijani told state television.

Official Teheran has rejected the Russian offer, but Moscow is not going to call it quits. Sources close to Sergei Kirienko, the head of ROSATOM, the federal atomic energy agency, told The Jerusalem Post that the issue will be discussed further during Kirienko's official visit to Iran next month. Kirienko was appointed the head of the agency in November 2005 and it will be his first visit to Iran as a head of ROSATOM.

According to Sergei Novikov, Kirienko's press secretary, in the course of the visit Kirienko will inspect the nuclear reactor in Busher, which is supposed to go on line later this year and will hold negotiations with the heads of Iranian atomic energy program. Among other issues, the highly disputed Russian offer to enrich uranium will be discussed, disclosed the source.

Iranian government-controlled television reported that the subject was also discussed in a telephone conversation last week between Igor Ivanov, head of Russia's National Security Council, and Larijani, who criticized the offer but didn't reject it out-of-hand. Ivanov's office denies this report.

During the last 10 days, the Iranian position on the Russian offer has changed several times - from a complete denial that such an offer was ever made, to a statement by Jawad Vaidi, head of the Iranian negotiating team in Vienna, who said Iran is willing to further study the offer.

Moscow still hopes that the latest declaration is not the end of the story, as the heads of state see this deal as the only possible solution to the Iranian atomic dead-end.

Russia sees in Iran a vital strategic and economic partner and is eager to maintain its ties with Teheran, but not at the cost of compromising relations with the EU-3, Britain, Germany and France. While the activating of the reactor at Busher draws closer then ever, analysts believe Moscow will increasingly apply its political leverage in attempt to have the offer accepted or at least reconsidered.

Iran insists it has right to enrich uranium (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1136102658730&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull)

Sharon suffers second collapse

Israel's prime minister Ariel Sharon has been rushed to hospital to undergo surgery for a brain haemorrhage but may not recover, a senior political source has said.

Mr Sharon's authority has been transferred to his deputy, Ehud Olmert.

The prime minister was taken to the hospital from his ranch in the Negev desert. Local media reported that his lower body had been paralysed.

The incident is the second serious health scare to befall Mr Sharon in less than a month. On Dec 18 he suffered a mild stroke and was hospitalised for three days.

The episode came at a precarious moment in his career. Frustrated by attacks from the right wing of his own Likud party, Ariel Sharon had quit to form a new centrist movement, named Kadima.

After Mr Sharon's collapse it was feared that the new party, which was tipped for victory in Israel's forthcoming elections, would die with its founder.

His doctors didn't expect long-term health complications to result from the incident, but they discovered a birth defect in the prime minister's heart that apparently contributed to his collapse.

For the past month Mr Sharon has been receiving blood thinners to try to prevent a recurrence of the clotting that caused the first stroke.

He was scheduled to have a heart operation tomorrow in the Jerusalem hospital where he is now being treated.

'Rocket barrage
if Sharon dies'
1 terror leader threatening life of replacement prime minister
Posted: January 4, 2006
7:36 p.m. Eastern

JERUSALEM – Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip are watching the news regarding Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's deteriorating health carefully and will celebrate with Qassam rocket firings at Jewish towns if Sharon dies, terror leaders told WorldNetDaily.

One militant leader threatened the life of Sharon's temporary replacement, Deputy Minister Ehud Olmert, who was installed as prime minister just hours ago.

"I am ready with my candies and my rockets and praying to Allah that Sharon dies. We have prepared a celebratory barrage of rockets ready to fire into Israel on the occasion of the death of our enemy," said Abu Abir, spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees, an umbrella group of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists responsible for firing hundreds of Qassam rockets and mortars at Jewish towns.

Hamas leader Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahar told WND Sharon's condition "plunges the Israeli political scene into chaos, which could bring about an equal response from the Palestinians."

Sharon tonight was rushed to the hospital and suffered a "significant stroke" that caused "massive bleeding to the brain," according to officials at Jerusalem's Hadassah University Hospital, which is treating the Israeli leader. Sharon is undergoing emergency surgery after being anesthetized and placed on a breathing machine, one of Sharon's attending physicians told reporters.

Executive powers have been officially transferred to Olmert. According to Knesset law, Olmert can serve for a maximum 100 days, after which new elections would be held.

Sources close to Sharon told WND the prime minister's condition is life threatening, and that there was a significant chance he might not survive.

"We are not hopeful," said a senior Sharon aide.

One senior political leader said he has information Sharon is "clinically dead. He is on life support machines in the operating theater that can keep him alive for an extended period, but doctors are pessimistic he can return to normal functioning."

Celebrations reportedly are underway in the Gaza Strip, with families distributing sweets and gunmen shooting into the air.

"I personally am waiting to celebrate. I have my fingers crossed," Abu Abir said. "Sharon was one of our biggest enemies."

Abu Abir told WND now that Olmert is serving as prime minister "he is moved up on our list of targets. We will target Olmert with a lot of might."

Al-Zahar said he is hoping Sharon survives.

"Sharon's new party Kadima was good for us. They made clear in no uncertain terms that part of their platform was more withdrawals from the West Bank and from Jerusalem. His passing from the political scene now places all of that in jeopardy. We don't know what are the policies of Olmert. Whether he supports giving us the West Bank and Jerusalem."

Sharon this past summer withdrew Israel's Jewish communities from the Gaza Strip in spite of fierce opposition from members of his own Likud party. He recently announced he is leaving Likud to start his own "centrist" party, Kadima, prompting new elections that were scheduled for March. Since then, multiple Kadima members have told reporters the new party is looking to change Israel's borders and may withdraw from parts of the West Bank.

But Israeli commentators across the political spectrum criticized Kadima as a one man party and warned Sharon's health could negatively impact the party's chances of winning upcoming elections.

Sharon suffered a stroke last month. Doctors were planning to perform an invasive cardiac procedure tomorrow to close a microscopic hole in the Israeli leaders heart.

His exact condition tonight is unknown.

Brothers and Sisters,

I am just one old "fundy" who loves to read the Holy Bible and study Bible Prophecy. I am at a complete loss to understand why Israel would give a square inch to avowed terrorists who are determined to kill them. It appears to be insane to give the terrorists any advantage that would reduce the security of Israel.

There is an old and unquestioned lesson here that appears to have been ignored. You don't negotiate with terrorists, and you never give terrorists anything positive for the violence and killing they have done. Why would anyone make a treaty with someone who is killing innocent people before, during, and after the so-called treaty? Is there a logical answer for this question? NO! In the same circumstances, what would any other nation in the world do?

NOW, we get down to Jerusalem, the absolute center for end of this age events. CHRISTIANS - Read, Study, and Watch! If you have burdens on your heart about lost family members and friends, give your attention to that burden now.  This might or might not be the last days of this age, but the burdens on your heart shouldn't be ignored or put off. AND REGARDLESS, it is always time for Christians to pray, especially for the LORD'S Work. It really doesn't matter what you believe or don't believe about the end of this age, hosts of people are still dying in their sins. If you believe as I do, the vast majority of the entire world population will be killed during end of this age events and a 7 year period of time known as the Tribulation Period. Again, regardless of what you believe, hosts of people are already dying in their sins, so the LORD'S Work in reaching the lost is the highest priority.

Love In Christ,
Tom

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NASB  Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

Philippians 3:20-21 NASB  For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;  who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

John 1:10-13 NASB  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Revelation 1:7-8 NASB  BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

Romans 8:16-18 NASB  The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Philippians 1:27-28 NASB  Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents--which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.

Ariel Sharon
clinically dead?
Local media make dire claim, doctor tries 'to refute the rumors'
Posted: January 5, 2006
2:43 p.m. Eastern

Despite doctors' attempts to counter media reports, local print and television stations in Israel are reporting Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is clinically dead following a massive stroke yesterday.

Sources tell Israel Insider Sharon "died" at 11 a.m. today local time, but Shlomo Mor-Yosef, director of Hadassah Hospital where the prime minister lies, denied reports of Sharon's death and says he is "serious but stable."

Local TV station Channel 10 reports those closest to Sharon as saying he has suffered "brain damage," which, Israel Insider contends, could mean the leader has suffered brain death, or lack of cerebral activity, while his heart continues to beat.

In updating reporters, however, Mor-Yosef said Sharon's pupils were responding to stimulation, which independent doctors said was a positive sign of independent brain activity, the Associated Press reported.

Doctors today said Sharon likely will be sedated for 72 hours. He underwent seven hours of surgery to stop brain hemorrhaging last night. Sharon's first stroke, a mild one, occurred Dec. 18.

"The prime minister is suffering from low intracranial pressure, and is heavily sedated," Mor-Yosef said. "He will be respirated for at least the next 24 hours. All the parameters that we can check are as expected, following an operation of this type."

Continued the doctor: "I came out to update you and to refute the rumors flooding the country," referring to claims that Sharon had already died and that the government is purposely delaying the news.

"Sharon is still alive," an aide in the intensive care unit told Ynet News. But Channel 10 quotes "someone very close" to the prime minister as saying that he had suffered "brain damage."

The TV station also is reporting that Sharon will be detached from one or more of his life-support machines in the next day or two, with the likelihood that he will not be able to survive without them.

The station also indicated the official death announcement is planned for Sunday, when world stock markets are closed.

Israel Insider claims its source said the Israeli Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv was informed about noon today that Sharon "died during surgery."

No change in condition of Israel's Sharon-hospital
Fri Jan 6, 2006 5:23 AM GMT13


JERUSALEM (Reuters) - There was no change overnight in the condition of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who is clinging to life on a respirator after a severe stroke, the director of Jerusalem's Hadassah hospital said on Friday.

"The night passed without change," Shlomo Mor-Yosef told reporters. "All the parameters that we are measuring... are stable."

He said the parameters included blood pressure, pulse, kidney function and intercranial pressure.

The team of doctors who were treating Sharon would meet on Friday morning to decide whether to carry out another CT scan to assess the extent of damage to his brain, Mor-Yosef said.

Sharon suffered a severe cerebral haemorrhage on Wednesday and is now under heavy sedation at Jerusalem's Hadassah hospital.

Surgeons said they stemmed bleeding in the 77-year-old leader's brain in a seven-hour operation and described his condition as critical but stable.

No change in condition of Israel's Sharon-hospital (http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-01-06T052258Z_01_MCC436609_RTRUKOC_0_UK-MIDEAST.xml)

Last update - 18:29 04/01/2006            
Hamas official in Syria says group's truce with Israel is over
By The Associated Press

DAMASCUS - The Hamas truce with Israel has expired, a senior Hamas official said in Syria on Wednesday, leaving the Palestinian militant group free to resume attacks. But he acknowledged that Hamas leaders in Gaza wanted to maintain the cease-fire through this month's elections.

"The truce formally ended with the end of the year according to all the Palestinian factions that had signed it," Moussa Abu Marzouk, the deputy leader of the Hamas political bureau, told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

In the face of continuing Israeli attacks in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the Palestinians would not stand idle, Abu Marzouk said. "The truce has become meaningless now," he added.

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However, Hamas' top electoral candidate in the Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniyeh, reiterated Tuesday that although the truce had expired on Dec. 31, the group would continue to act in the "national interest" until after the Jan. 25 parliamentary elections.

Abu Marzouk said Haniyeh's remark was a political position taken in view of the elections and an example of "the confusion currently plaguing the Palestinian arena."

Abu Marzouk would not explain how Hamas could reconcile his position with that of Haniyeh's.

Early last year, Egyptian mediators persuaded the Palestinian militant groups to abide by an unwritten cease-fire with Israel with the aim of enabling the peace process to move forward. The informal cease-fire was due to last until the end of 2005.

Last month, both Khaled Mashaal, the Hamas' political leader, and Ramadan Shallah, the leader of Islamic Jihad, said they would not renew the truce after Dec. 31.

The two groups, which are notorious for carrying out suicide bombings in Israel, accused Israel of failing to honor its side of the truce agreement, such as halting its attacks and releasing Palestinian prisoners.

The Egyptian government has invited all the Palestinian groups to come to Cairo for talks on extending the cease-fire through 2006.

Abu Marzouk said the Palestinian factions were likely to go to Cairo for talks after the elections. But, he warned, "there is a consensus that as long as there is (Israeli) occupation, there will be resistance."

The United States and Israel, which consider Hamas and Islamic Jihad as terrorist organizations, have demanded that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas disarm the two groups. But Abbas has said that an attempt to disarm them would provoke civil war.

Hamas official in Syria says group's truce with Israel is over (http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/666312.html)

Ehud Olmert, Acting Israeli Prime Minister

JERUSALEM — Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who took over after Ariel Sharon suffered a massive stroke, is a seasoned operator and Sharon confidante who is comfortable in cutthroat local politics and in world capitals alike.

Like Sharon, his mentor in recent years, Olmert underwent a political transformation from hawk to moderate, from backing Israeli control of all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip with constant settlement expansion to helping Sharon lead Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and part of the West Bank in the summer.

Olmert, 60, a longtime ally of Sharon in the hardline Likud Party -- which both quit in November -- gained governing experience in his decade as mayor of Jerusalem, one of Israel's most sensitive jobs, balancing conflicting Jewish and Palestinian interests and wrestling with constant budget shortfalls by raising money abroad.

Olmert was born in 1945 in the town of Binyamina in northern Israel. His military service included a stint as an officer in an infantry unit and later as a reporter for the Israeli army journal.

He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology and philosophy and later a law degree from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and worked briefly as a lawyer before entering politics.

He was first elected to parliament in 1973, at the age of 28. In 1988, he became a minister without portfolio in Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir's government and in 1990 was promoted to health minister.

In 1993, he was elected mayor of Jerusalem, defeating the legendary Teddy Kollek, who had run the city for nearly four decades.

In 1999, he challenged Ariel Sharon for leadership of the Likud Party. He lost badly, but since his defeat became increasingly closer to Sharon and in recent years has generally been considered the prime minister's most loyal political ally.

In 2003, he left Jerusalem City Hall to serve in Sharon's second government. He was appointed vice premier and minister of industry, trade and labor. Following the resignation of Benjamin Netanyahuin August, he took over as finance minister.

Married and a father of four, Olmert lives in Jerusalem and is known to be a die-hard fan of the Beitar Jerusalem soccer club.

Erekat 'sorry about Sharon's demise'
JPost staff and ap, THE JERUSALEM POST    Jan. 5, 2006

"We are all human beings and we are all sorry about Sharon's demise...We will of course negotiate with whoever leads Israel," said Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on Thursday.

"We don't try to tell them who should lead their negotiations. Of course, we don't interfere in internal Israeli politics, but the fact is that if someone sneezes inside Israel, we Palestinians immediately catch a cold.

"The Palestinian elections will be held as scheduled at the end of this month, provided that Ehud Olmert was not so foolish as to prevent Palestinians from voting in East Jerusalem. Delaying the elections would only make Hamas stronger."

He estimated that Hamas would get at least 25-30 percent of support, but said that it was healthy for the Palestinian Authority to have genuine opposition and that Hamas in Parliament would have to mature and would not be allowed to maintain its own army.

Earlier in the day French President Jacques Chirac sent get-well wishes to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon following his brain hemorrhage and said Thursday that the ailing leader's "courageous" peace efforts must continue.

Chirac "hopes the Israeli prime minister will overcome the painful trial he is going through," the president's office said in a statement.

France also offered full support and friendship to Ehud Olmert, Sharon's deputy who is acting as premier in his place, the statement added.

The French president also said he hoped "the courageous initiatives that Mr. Sharon embarked on, which were praised by the entire international community, will continue."

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw praised Sharon Thursday as a "towering figure, not only in Israel, but in the entire Middle East," and wished him a speedy recovery.

US President George W. Bush praised Ariel Sharon on Wednesday night as "a man of courage and peace" and said he was praying for the prime minister to recover.

Bush said in a written statement that he and first lady Laura Bush "share the concerns of the Israeli people ... and we are praying for his recovery."

"On behalf of all Americans, we send our best wishes and hopes to the prime minister and his family," the president said.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said much the same in a statement, wishing Sharon a full recovery.

However, Palestinian sources said Thursday that the US envoys have cancelled their visit.

Erekat 'sorryb about Sharons demise' (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1136361014837&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter)

Mideast Situation Grows More Uncertain

By BRIAN MURPHY, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 59 minutes ago

The list of uncertainties bedeviling the Middle East has grown longer and deeper: Palestinian factions fighting each other in the streets, the relentless insurgency in Iraq, the rising political clout of Islamic militants in Egypt, political uncertainty in Syria and Lebanon.

Now there's another: the direction Israel will take with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon unlikely to return to power.

"This makes a complicated picture even harder to sort out," said Ehsan Ahrari, a political analyst based in Alexandria, Va. "The old structures of the Middle East are gone or they are imploding."

Sharon himself had sensed the shifts. The former general once gave Israeli forces full rein to battle the Palestinian uprising, or intefadeh — which restarted after his September 2000 visit near Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam's most important sites.

But then he surprised the world by implementing a peace process on his terms: sealing off Palestinian lands and forcing Israeli settlers from the Gaza Strip. It gave 1.3 million Palestinians a degree of self-rule, but also amplified the power struggles opened by the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 2004.

On Wednesday, rebellious Palestinian gangs rammed stolen bulldozers into the Gaza-Egyptian border wall and stormed buildings to protest the arrest of a leader of the Fatah Party, which is now led by Arafat's embattled successor, Mahmoud Abbas. Other troubles loom ahead for Fatah.

Palestinian parliamentary elections, planned for Jan. 25, are expected to hand a strong showing to the militant group Hamas, whose followers have carried out suicide bombings against Israeli targets in the past but have proclaimed a temporary truce. A Hamas spokesman, Mushir al-Masri, said Sharon's departure from politics "will change the world political map."

"And to the good," he added, "because a dictator and a murderer will be departing."

Hamas' turn to the ballot box mirrors moves by Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, the once ultra-radical movement that took about 20 percent of parliament seats in elections last year. The Brotherhood — although officially outlawed — fielded independent candidates that exposed cracks in the hold of President Hosni Mubarak, one of the last old-guard Mideast leaders.

In Iraq, meanwhile, Shiite Muslim parties heavily influenced by conservative clerics are expected to control the new parliament after the results from last month's voting are officially announced.

It will be more than a stunning reversal from the decades of repression under Saddam Hussein's regime led by Iraq's minority Sunnis. A Shiite-dominated parliament will be forced to seek ways to confront a Sunni-led insurgency that shows no signs of weakening.

Suicide bombers claimed at least 130 lives Thursday, including Iraqi police recruits and Shiite pilgrims in the holy city of Karbala. A roadside bomb also killed five U.S. soldiers in the largest single-day death toll since Sept. 29.

"Everywhere you look on the map of the Middle East, you see trouble and no real solutions," said Diaa Rashwan, political researcher for Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, Egypt. "Go in any direction. It's not an encouraging picture."

In Lebanon, U.N. investigators may seek to go as high as Syrian President Bashar Assad for clues about last year's blast that killed Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 20 others in Beirut. Hariri opposed Syrian influence in Lebanon. Mass protests and international pressure eventually forced Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon in April, ending a 29-year military presence.

Syria also is being pushed by Washington to tighten controls on its border with Iraq, which is considered to be a main pipeline for Iraqi insurgents. In Saudi Arabia, security forces have battled with homegrown militants opposing the U.S.-allied monarchy. And in Jordan, King Abdullah II has given the government a broad mandate to crack down on Islamic extremism following deadly suicide bombings in November.

But Iran's nuclear showdown with the West remains the highest priority.

In Washington, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Thursday that Iran is running out of time to avoid being brought before the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions. Her comments followed sharp criticism by the chief U.N. nuclear watchdog, Mohamed ElBaradei, about Iran's decision to resume test work on some equipment used in uranium enrichment — a possible pathway to nuclear arms.

Iran says the enrichment is needed to make fuel for energy-producing nuclear reactors. But the United States and other nations believe Iran seeks to make weapons-grade uranium for nuclear warheads.

In 1981, Israeli warplanes destroyed an Iraqi nuclear reactor and some Israeli politicians have openly discussed military options if Iran appears to be moving toward nuclear arms. The rhetoric has grown sharper since Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for Israel to be "wiped off the map."

Israel neither admits nor denies it possesses nuclear arms, but it's thought to have about 200 warheads, according to the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Sharon's authority as prime minister has been temporarily transferred to Vice Premier Ehud Olmert. A next milestone — if Sharon cannot return — will be March 28 legislative elections.

Sharon's newly formed party, Kadima, or Forward, is essentially built around his personal aura. The race is suddenly thrown open with two distinct poles: hardline Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu and Labor Party chairman Amir Peretz. But any outcome has to grapple with one inescapable issue: whether to move forward with Sharon's vision of the peace process.

"Sharon caused a fundamental earthquake in the concept of the peace process," said Ned Walker, president of the Washington-based Middle East Institute and a former U.S. ambassador to Israel and Egypt. "His way was separation and to let the Palestinians stew in their own juices, so to speak ... How this will continue without Sharon is what everyone is asking now."

Mideast Situation Grows More Uncertain (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060106/ap_on_re_mi_ea/sharon_mideast_in_turmoil;_ylt=AlWT9ZcK2QGhM_ZglQSrGZWs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b3JuZGZhBHNlYwM3MjE-)

Sharon's Brain Scan Shows Improvement

10 minutes ago

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon showed "significant improvement" after five hours of emergency brain surgery Friday, and his intracranial pressure returned to normal, hospital officials said.

Sharon remains in serious condition, said Hadassah Hospital director Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef. He said Sharon was returned to intensive care after the surgery and a brain scan.

Sharon's Brain Scan Shows Improvement (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060106/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_sharon_144;_ylt=AizEFcVrM7OlOmbgH9.9r2RH2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTA2ZGZwam4yBHNlYwNmYw--)

Arabs Don't See End to Mideast Conflict

By JASPER MORTIMER, Associated Press Writer Thu Jan 5, 9:48 AM ET

CAIRO, Egypt - Many in the Arab world despise the ailing
Ariel Sharon, blame him and Israel for the turmoil in the Middle East and — while giving credit for the withdrawal from Gaza — expressed little hope Thursday that his departure would end the decades-long conflict with the Palestinians.

Rejectionist Palestinians living outside the West Bank or Gaza were particularly gloomy.

"There isn't any political solution on the horizon, neither in Sharon's presence, nor in his absence so long as the Israeli policy is dependent on the United States," said Maher Taher, the representative of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in Damascus.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Al-Arabiya television that Sharon's health crisis had cast a deep shadow of doubt over the Jan. 25 Palestinian elections, a bellwether of regional political sentiment.

"Will Sharon's health be used to hinder the elections?" he asked. "There are many questions we cannot answer at this stage."

The Palestinian vote was teetering between postponement and going ahead on schedule before Sharon was rushed to the hospital for extensive surgery after a massive stroke Wednesday night. The militant Hamas organization — the author of suicide bombings that have killed hundreds of Israelis — is running candidates for the first time and was poised to hand the Palestinian authority a drubbing.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas had already suggested the vote might have to be delayed, citing what most saw as the convenient cover of Israel's refusal to allow East Jerusalem Palestinians to vote. The Israeli crisis could provide yet another excuse.

Mohammed Nazzal, member of the Hamas political in Beirut, warned against postponing the Palestinian elections and said he expected the Israelis to use Sharon's illness or death as "an excuse to justify putting off the elections. This is something we reject."

"Sharon's absence removes from the political scene a professional killer who mastered the murder of Palestinians and addressed the most violent, brutal and bloody strikes (against Arabs) in the history of the Arab-Israeli struggle," he said. "The Palestinian people can only hope that what is coming is better, not worse."

A Beirut a newspaper editor said he feared Sharon's absence from the scene could lead to more Israeli-Palestinian violence and postponement of the election.

"This is a big event," said Sateh Noureddine, managing editor of Lebanon's As-Safir newspaper. If Sharon dies, it "could lead to the postponement of the Palestinian elections and the Israeli elections and possibly could lead to a security deterioration," he told The Associated Press.

He predicted, however, the repercussions would largely be limited to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"It's a quake, whose aftershocks will be local — Israeli and Palestinian — because the (Mideast) conflict has become a Palestinian-Israeli one," Noureddine told AP.

While some Palestinian and Arab hard-liners rejoiced over Sharon's illness — one calling it a gift from God — Arab media were largely restrained, with Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera, the pan-Arab satellite channels, carrying extensive and mainly straightforward reporting.

The television accounts gave considerable time to Sharon adviser Raanan Gissin as he explained the situation inside Israel.

And in a positive segment, Palestinian commentator Ghazi al-Saadi told Al-Arabiya that Sharon was "the first Israeli leader who stopped claiming Israel had a right to all of the Palestinians' land," a reference to Israeli's recent withdrawal from the
Gaza Strip.

"A live Sharon is better for the Palestinians now, despite all the crimes he has committed against us," he said.

Moderate Palestinian legislator Hanan Ashrawi praised Sharon's strength and charisma but criticized his politics.

"Sharon was a strong and charismatic leader who steered the politics toward the right and extremism," Ashrawi told Al-Arabiya. "Now it is clear that Israel needs a leadership that proceeds strongly toward peace, or else the extremist right will hijack the situation."

Ahabs Don't See End to Mideast Conflict (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060105/ap_on_re_mi_ea/sharon_arab_view;_ylt=AsWUnxvhRFtV1oQcxXIJ0EkLewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--)

Iran leader's messianic end-times mission
Ahmadinejad raises concerns with mystical visions
Posted: January 6, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern

Iranian President Mahmoud's Ahmadinejad's mystical pre-occupation with the coming of a Shiite Islamic messiah figure – the Mahdi – is raising concerns that a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic could trigger the kind of global conflagration he envisions will set the stage for the end of the world.

While Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been making headlines lately by questioning whether the Holocaust actually happened, by suggesting Israel should be moved to Europe and by demanding the Jewish state be wiped off the face of the earth, his apocalyptic religious zealotry has received less attention.

In a videotaped meeting with Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli in Tehran, Ahmadinejad discussed candidly a strange, paranormal experience he had while addressing the United Nations in New York last September.

He recounts how he found himself bathed in light throughout the speech. But this wasn't the light directed at the podium by the U.N. and television cameras. It was, he said, a light from heaven.

According to a transcript of his comments, obtained and translated by Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, Ahmadinejad wasn't the only one who noticed the unearthly light. One of his aides brought it to his attention.

The Iranian president recalled being told about it by one of his delegation: "When you began with the words ‘in the name of Allah,' I saw a light coming, surrounding you and protecting you to the end."

Ahmadinejad agreed that he sensed the same thing.

"On the last day when I was speaking, one of our group told me that when I started to say 'Bismillah Muhammad,' he saw a green light come from around me, and I was placed inside this aura," he says. "I felt it myself. I felt that the atmosphere suddenly changed, and for those 27 or 28 minutes, all the leaders of the world did not blink. When I say they didn't move an eyelid, I'm not exaggerating. They were looking as if a hand was holding them there, and had just opened their eyes – Alhamdulillah!"

Ahmadinejad's "vision" at the U.N. is strangely reminiscent and alarmingly similar to statements he has made about his personal role in ushering in the return of the Shiite Muslim messiah.

He sees his main mission, as he recounted in a Nov. 16 speech in Tehran, as to "pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance."

According to Shiites, the 12th imam disappeared as a child in the year 941. When he returns, they believe, he will reign on earth for seven years, before bringing about a final judgment and the end of the world.

Ahmadinejad is urging Iranians to prepare for the coming of the Mahdi by turning the country into a mighty and advanced Islamic society and by avoiding the corruption and excesses of the West.

All Iran is buzzing about the Mahdi, the 12th imam and the role Iran and Ahmadinejad are playing in his anticipated return. There's a new messiah hotline. There are news agencies especially devoted to the latest developments.

"People are anxious to know when and how will He rise; what they must do to receive this worldwide salvation," says Ali Lari, a cleric at the Bright Future Institute in Iran's religious center of Qom. "The timing is not clear, but the conditions are more specific," he adds. "There is a saying: 'When the students are ready, the teacher will come.'"

For his part, Ahmadinejad is living up to at least part of his call to the faithful. According to reports, he lives so modestly that declared assets include only a 30-year-old car, an even older house and an empty bank account.

Ahmadinejad and others in Iran are deadly serious about the imminent return of the 12th imam, who will prompt a global battle between good and evil (with striking parallels to biblical accounts of "Armageddon").

An institute set up in 2004 for the study and dissemination of information about the Mahdi now has a staff of 160 and influence in the schools and children's magazines.

In Iran, theologians say endtimes beliefs appeal to one-fifth of the population. And the Jamkaran mosque east of Qom, 60 miles south of Tehran, is where the link between devotees and the Mahdi is closest.

Ahmadinejad's cabinet has given $17 million to Jamkaran.

Shiite writings describe events surrounding the return of the Mahdi in apocalyptic terms. In one scenario, the forces of evil would come from Syria and Iraq and clash with forces of good from Iran. The battle would commence at Kufa – the Iraqi town near the holy city of Najaf.

Even more controversial is Ahmadinejad's repeated invocation of Imam Mahdi, known as "the Savior of Times." According to Shiite tradition, Imam Mahdi will appear on Judgment Day to herald a truly just government.

Missed by some observers in Ahmadinejad's speech at the U.N. was his call to the "mighty Lord" to hasten the emergence of "the promised one," the one who "will fill this world with justice and peace."

Who stands in the Mahdi's way?

A top priority of Ahmadinejad is "to challenge America, which is trying to impose itself as the final salvation of the human being, and insert its unjust state [in the region]," says Hamidreza Taraghi, head of the conservative Islamic Coalition Society.

Taraghi says the U.S. is "trying to place itself as the new Mahdi." This may mean no peace with Iran, he adds, "unless America changes its hegemonic ... thinking, doesn't use nuclear weapons, [or] impose its will on other nations."

Jewish groups urge:
Secede from Israel
New effort seeks 'biblical heartland' to break away for own sovereignty
Posted: January 6, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Aaron Klein
2006 WorldNetDaily.com

JERUSALEM  A new movement is set to be presented next week by residents of Judea and Samaria calling for Jews there to secede from Israel and create their own autonomous Jewish entity in part to head off the possibility of further unilateral Israeli withdrawals from the area, WND has learned.

The Judea Initiative, led by northern Samaria resident Yekutel Ben Yaacov, is seeking to gather signatures from Judea and Samaria's nearly 200,000 Jews for a manifesto declaring the creation of a sovereign Jewish authority that would govern itself independently according to Jewish law and would provide its own security.

Judea and Samaria are referred to by some as the West Bank, the name coined for the area after Jordan annexed it in 1948.

The initiative aims to create the new Jewish authority in any part of Judea and Samaria, even a small settlement, in hopes of eventually ruling the entire territory, Ben Yaacov said, explaining his initiative was prompted by talks of possible Israeli withdrawals from the area.

"We can't sit around and wait until Israel sends the bulldozers to take down Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria before attempting to counter the next Israeli withdrawal. We are acting now so we can retain our rightful biblical heritage," Ben Yaacov told WND.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon withdrew Israel's Jewish communities from the Gaza Strip last summer in spite of fierce opposition from members of his own Likud party. He recently announced he was leaving Likud to start his own "centrist" party, Kadima, prompting new elections currently scheduled for March. Since then, multiple Kadima members have told reporters the new party is looking to change Israel's borders with possible withdrawals from Judea and Samaria. There have been talks of disengagements from parts of Jerusalem as well.

It's unclear as yet how Sharon's massive stroke this week and his inability to govern will affect the future politics of Israel.

Currently, Judea and Samaria, inhabited by about 2.4 million Palestinians, is considered landlocked territory not officially recognized as part of any country. Israel calls the land "disputed." The United Nations claims Judea and Samaria is "occupied" by Israel, which maintains overall control of most of the area while the Palestinian Authority has jurisdiction in about 40 percent.

Judea and Samaria remained under Jordanian rule from 1948 until Israel captured the territory in 1967 after Jordan's King Hussein ignored Israeli pleas for his country to stay out of the Six Day War. Most countries rejected Jordan's initial claim on the area, which it formally renounced in 1988.

Ben Yaacov says his Judea Initiative takes advantage of Judea and Samaria's murky legal status to argue for independent Jewish sovereignty.

"Legally it's a no-man's land. The Palestinians used that status to create their own authority, so there is absolutely no reason the Jews can't do the same thing."

Ben Yaacov's group, Mishalot Israel, is holding a conference next week in Jerusalem's Old City to present the Judea Initiative. It will then begin petitioning both private citizens and entire communities to join.

He says already he has garnered interest from local residents and some town leaders.

"The plan hasn't even been announced or presented and already I am getting a lot of phone calls from people and at least one town that wants to sign on. They are hearing about it by word of mouth," Ben Yaacov said. "The area is the site of a lot of the Bible and has had a Jewish population for centuries. We will not allow the Israeli government to kick us out."

Many villages in the Judea and Samaria area, which Israelis commonly reefer to as the "biblical heartland," are mentioned throughout the Old Testament.

The Book of Genesis says Abraham entered Israel at Shechem (Nablus) and received God's promise of land for his offspring.

The nearby town of Beit El, anciently called Bethel meaning "house of God," is where Scripture says patriarch Jacob slept on a stone pillow and dreamed of angels ascending and descending a stairway to heaven. In that dream, God spoke directly to Jacob and reaffirmed the promise of territory.

And in Exodus, the holy tabernacle rested in Shilo, which is believed to be the first area the ancient Israelites settled after fleeing Egypt.

Ben Yaacov said his new Jewish authority would be "governed by Jewish law. Non-Jews, including Palestinians, are more than welcome to live there as long as they accept Jewish sovereign and agree to abide by the Seven Noahide laws, the most basic of biblical dictates."

He said the annexed territory would provide for its own security.

"A large contingent of Judea and Samaria residents served in the Israeli army. They currently defend their own settlements to a large extent. We would base ours on the same concept as Israeli security. Immediately after Israel was founded, it was attacked on all sides and it won every war because of the help of God and because of the same people we have with us."

The initiative states there are three primary reasons to form a Jewish authority in Judea and Samaria:

# "The new Jewish authority will protect Israel from terror and enhance Israeli security. It is more advantageous to have Jewish autonomy in Judea and Samaria in place of complete Palestinian autonomy, which will give the Palestinian terrorist groups more land from which to fire Qassams and launch attacks. The Jews who remain in the area will be accepting a certain level of self-sacrifice by putting themselves in harms way."

# "The creation of a Jewish authority will relieve tension and prevent bloodshed between Jew and fellow Jew by halting an Israeli withdrawal from Judea and Samaria. There are hundreds of thousands of Jews in the area, some of whom may use violent resistance in the face of any withdrawal. It will also alleviate some of the tension and rifts that would be created in Israeli society by any withdrawal."

# "The new Jewish authority will offer appropriate self-determination to fulfil the national aspirations of many religious Jews in Israel. The area will be ruled by Torah law as opposed to the current anti-religious government."

Ben Yaacov's Judea Initiative is not the first major push for Jews to secede from Israel. In 1989, the late author and Knesset member Rabbi Meir Kahane, a mentor of Ben Yaacov, attempted to found the State of Judea, a Jewish state in Judea and Samaria. That effort eventually fell through.

"Ours is different in that we are starting small," explained Ben Yaacov. "We are not talking about our own state, just an entity or authority, however small or large it will be."

Reacting to the news of calls for Jews to create their own authority, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told WorldNetDaily, "This is the chaos and lawlessness [the Palestinian Authority] has warned about. If the Israeli government does not get its act together concerning the settlers, who by the way are armed to the teeth and acting like a parallel authority, the price will be paid in Palestinian blood."

Israeli government spokesmen Raanan Gissin and David Baker refused to comment on the issue.

Said Ben Yaacov, "There may be resistance at first, but eventually people will come to understand a lot of Jews in Judea and Samaria will not go along with any further withdrawals. Now those Jews will have a solution."

________________________

Things are definitely heating up in the Mideast.

Iran leader's messianic end-times mission
Ahmadinejad raises concerns with mystical visions
Posted: January 6, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Iranian President Mahmoud's Ahmadinejad's mystical pre-occupation with the coming of a Shiite Islamic messiah figure – the Mahdi – is raising concerns that a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic could trigger the kind of global conflagration he envisions will set the stage for the end of the world.

While Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been making headlines lately by questioning whether the Holocaust actually happened, by suggesting Israel should be moved to Europe and by demanding the Jewish state be wiped off the face of the earth, his apocalyptic religious zealotry has received less attention.

In a videotaped meeting with Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli in Tehran, Ahmadinejad discussed candidly a strange, paranormal experience he had while addressing the United Nations in New York last September.

He recounts how he found himself bathed in light throughout the speech. But this wasn't the light directed at the podium by the U.N. and television cameras. It was, he said, a light from heaven.


Ahmadinejad at the U.N.

According to a transcript of his comments, obtained and translated by Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, Ahmadinejad wasn't the only one who noticed the unearthly light. One of his aides brought it to his attention.

The Iranian president recalled being told about it by one of his delegation: "When you began with the words ‘in the name of Allah,' I saw a light coming, surrounding you and protecting you to the end."

Ahmadinejad agreed that he sensed the same thing.

"On the last day when I was speaking, one of our group told me that when I started to say 'Bismillah Muhammad,' he saw a green light come from around me, and I was placed inside this aura," he says. "I felt it myself. I felt that the atmosphere suddenly changed, and for those 27 or 28 minutes, all the leaders of the world did not blink. When I say they didn't move an eyelid, I'm not exaggerating. They were looking as if a hand was holding them there, and had just opened their eyes – Alhamdulillah!"

Ahmadinejad's "vision" at the U.N. is strangely reminiscent and alarmingly similar to statements he has made about his personal role in ushering in the return of the Shiite Muslim messiah.

He sees his main mission, as he recounted in a Nov. 16 speech in Tehran, as to "pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance."

According to Shiites, the 12th imam disappeared as a child in the year 941. When he returns, they believe, he will reign on earth for seven years, before bringing about a final judgment and the end of the world.

Ahmadinejad is urging Iranians to prepare for the coming of the Mahdi by turning the country into a mighty and advanced Islamic society and by avoiding the corruption and excesses of the West.

All Iran is buzzing about the Mahdi, the 12th imam and the role Iran and Ahmadinejad are playing in his anticipated return. There's a new messiah hotline. There are news agencies especially devoted to the latest developments.

"People are anxious to know when and how will He rise; what they must do to receive this worldwide salvation," says Ali Lari, a cleric at the Bright Future Institute in Iran's religious center of Qom. "The timing is not clear, but the conditions are more specific," he adds. "There is a saying: 'When the students are ready, the teacher will come.'"

For his part, Ahmadinejad is living up to at least part of his call to the faithful. According to reports, he lives so modestly that declared assets include only a 30-year-old car, an even older house and an empty bank account.

Ahmadinejad and others in Iran are deadly serious about the imminent return of the 12th imam, who will prompt a global battle between good and evil (with striking parallels to biblical accounts of "Armageddon").

An institute set up in 2004 for the study and dissemination of information about the Mahdi now has a staff of 160 and influence in the schools and children's magazines.

In Iran, theologians say endtimes beliefs appeal to one-fifth of the population. And the Jamkaran mosque east of Qom, 60 miles south of Tehran, is where the link between devotees and the Mahdi is closest.

Ahmadinejad's cabinet has given $17 million to Jamkaran.

Shiite writings describe events surrounding the return of the Mahdi in apocalyptic terms. In one scenario, the forces of evil would come from Syria and Iraq and clash with forces of good from Iran. The battle would commence at Kufa – the Iraqi town near the holy city of Najaf.

Even more controversial is Ahmadinejad's repeated invocation of Imam Mahdi, known as "the Savior of Times." According to Shiite tradition, Imam Mahdi will appear on Judgment Day to herald a truly just government.

Missed by some observers in Ahmadinejad's speech at the U.N. was his call to the "mighty Lord" to hasten the emergence of "the promised one," the one who "will fill this world with justice and peace."

Who stands in the Mahdi's way?

A top priority of Ahmadinejad is "to challenge America, which is trying to impose itself as the final salvation of the human being, and insert its unjust state [in the region]," says Hamidreza Taraghi, head of the conservative Islamic Coalition Society.

Taraghi says the U.S. is "trying to place itself as the new Mahdi." This may mean no peace with Iran, he adds, "unless America changes its hegemonic ... thinking, doesn't use nuclear weapons, [or] impose its will on other nations."

Iran Leader's messianic end-times mission (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=48225)

Satan's little helpers
Posted: January 6, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

The Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently referred to Israel as "the occupying regime of Al-Quds [Jerusalem]," describing it as a "disgraceful blot" that ought to be "wiped off the map." He was officiating at a "World Without Zionism" university conference, a forum duplicated like viral RNA on campuses the world over.

The United Nations, which has underwritten similar conferences, convened an emergency tea and crumpets session. Did members of the Security Council expel Iran for threatening genocide against a member state? Don't be silly – they simply condemned Ahmadinejad. As did the European Parliament. For their part, Ahmadinejad's Iranian supporters blamed the Jews for daring to deflect attention from the plight of the Palestinians to their own threatened demise. As for the Palestinians, they've already wiped Israel off their maps, cartographically at least.

The wickedly stupid online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, expressed confidence in the Islamic Republic's "constitutional" separation of powers: Ahmadinejad hasn't the authority to declare war on Israel – only Iran's Supreme Leader has. However, before warning all Arab countries against recognizing Israel's right to exist, this gabbing gorgon assured coreligionists that his prescription for Israel bore the imprimatur of Iran's first Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah Khomeini.

It's unlikely Khomeini's cankered successor (Ali) would diverge. In any event, to prosecute an illegal and unjust war, George Bush overcame the obstacles American democracy placed in his path. Ahmadinejad, no doubt, has the will to find a way around the Iranian theocracy's "checks and balances."

Muslims don't disguise their finer feelings about Jews – no more than the Institute for Historical Review and its various patrons, Ahmadinejad included, do. Speak to Muslims from Baghdad to Birmingham to Bellingham and you'll likely hear the kind of "crude anti-Semitic propaganda unheard since Streicher," to quote Serge Trifkovic. That notorious anti-Semitic Tsarist forgery, "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," is a best-seller across Arabia. Holocaust denial is as popular.

Neither is Ahmadinejad the first Iranian ruler to promise atomic retribution against Israel. According to William Sweet, writing in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineer's Spectrum Magazine, the former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said this:

If one day ... the world of Islam is mutually equipped with the kind of weapons Israel presently possesses, the world's arrogant strategy will then come to a dead end, because the use of an atomic bomb on Israel won't leave anything; however in the world of Islam [use of a bomb] will just cause harm, and this scenario is not far fetched.

To destroy the Jewish state, he's willing to dispatch Arabs with the same clinical detachment. Clearly, the problem with Mad Mahmoud and his predecessors isn't their fondness for pseudo-history, but their love of authentic (nuclear) science.

As Sweet has reported – and as Mohamed ElBaradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has confirmed in a number of subsequent reports – the country with "the world's largest reserves of fossil fuels" is assembling the nuclear wherewithal with a speed and determination not seen since the heyday of Iraq's infamous nuclear weapons program of the 1980s."

The IAEA, which "operates the world's most elaborate tripwire system," is scared stiff, warning of a pattern and scope of violations hitherto unseen in the agency's experience. ElBaradei, you will recall, was right all along about Iraq. On Feb. 14, 2003, he stated categorically that there was no evidence of ongoing prohibited nuclear or nuclear related activities in that country.

This cautious man is now sounding the alarm about an Iranian nuclear program which "consists of practically everything needed to fuel a reactor or in effect to produce materials for bombs, including uranium mining and milling, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, and heavy water production."

[Iran's assets, at Natanz, include a centrifuge pilot plant capable of churning out about 12 kilograms of bomb-grade material a year ... as well as a large, commercial-scale plant still under construction. The larger plant, to be situated in a hardened bunker 20 meters underground, could produce as much as half a ton to a ton of weapons-grade material a year. Iran is also known to have operated a more technologically sophisticated laser-enrichment pilot plant a few years ago, producing small amounts of lightly enriched uranium.

These activities are not all illegal under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty – secrecy about them is. Last month, DEBKAfile reported that "Iran's hard-line Guardian Council, the real power in the land ... ratified a parliamentary decision to block U.N. inspections should the Islamic republic's nuclear activities be referred to the U.N. Security Council for sanctions. In August, uranium conversion was resumed."

Robert Einhorn, top proliferation specialist in the Clinton administration, agrees: Iran has a nuclear weapons program. Her supporters disagree. They say Ahmadinejad is only "playing to the base." His bellicose threats they treat as mere exotic idiosyncrasies. And they draw moral equivalence between Israel and Iran: "Israel has nuclear weapons. Why not Iran?"

Other apologists have framed Iran's nuclear belligerence as the "ultimate safeguard against an attack." The reference is, presumably, to Iran's legitimate quest to defend against an American army that advanced on a neighbor – Iraq – and conquered it in the absence of provocation.

That Iran fears an out-of-control, aggressive United States is likely – and understandable. However, Iran's Majnun-in-Chief hasn't threatened the United States – he has threatened Israel. Yet Iranophiles seldom depict Israel's nuclear program as an equally legitimate, last-ditch defense. Instead, they contort like Cirque du Soleil contortionists to downplay the threat Iran poses to Israel.

To their credit, Muslims make no bones about the need to solve The Jewish Question for once and for all. (In case you're a public-school graduate, this is code for liquidation.) It's time Iran's dissembling defenders were as honest.

Satan's little helper (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=48229)

Hello Dreamweaver,

Brother, I wonder how much of the world knows that a show-down MUST happen with Iran now in less than 60 days. Many Christians who study Bible prophecy understand the possible implications. Regardless, the show-down MUST and will happen unless there are some dramatic changes. The worst-case scenario would be Israel having to handle the problem. The best case scenario would be some country other than America or Israel ending the problem without an attack. However, the mad-man of Iran does not appear to be interested in anything but war, so he will probably get his wish.

Everyone should already know there are probably dozens of plans to end the nuclear capability of Iran. It would be more intelligent to give Dennis the Menace nuclear weapons. So, hang on for a wild ride!

Love in Christ,
Tom

Galatians 2:19-21 NASB  "For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."

I think Dennis the Menace would be a much better choice.

Doctors Plan to Bring Sharon Out of Coma

By RAVI NESSMAN, Associated Press Writer 44 minutes ago

JERUSALEM - Doctors planned to start bringing Ariel Sharon out of his induced coma on Monday to determine how much brain damage the prime minister suffered from a massive stroke, hospital officials said Sunday.

Experts said the process could take six to eight hours and doctors should have a good idea of the extent of the damage by the end of the day.

One of Sharon's doctors said the prime minister — if he survives — would not be able to resume office, and acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Cabinet he would work to carry on Sharon's political legacy.

Sharon remained in critical condition Sunday at Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital after suffering a stroke late Wednesday and undergoing two lengthy surgeries to stop bleeding in his brain.

A new brain scan Sunday showed his vital signs, including intracranial pressure, were normal, Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef, the hospital's director, said.

"His condition is still critical but stable, and there is improvement in the CT picture of the brain," Mor-Yosef said.

The 77-year-old Sharon, Israel's most popular politician, was seen by many here as the best hope for resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict. His grave illness, just three months before elections, stunned Israelis and left Middle East politics in limbo.

Geula Cohen, an old friend of Sharon's, visited him in the hospital Sunday and talked with his son Omri.

"Omri came out to me and saw my face and got really angry at me. 'What happened to you?' (he said) and 'Everything will be fine,'" she told Army Radio.

Doctors have kept Sharon in a medically induced coma and on a respirator since Thursday to give him time to heal from the trauma of the stroke and the surgeries.

Sharon's medical team decided that on Monday morning they would begin reducing the level of sedatives he is receiving and to begin pulling him out of the coma.

Doctors will pass their assessment of brain damage to Attorney General Meni Mazuz. "They will inform us the moment they wake him up from the sedation and they will know what systems were damaged and what his situation is," said Justice Ministry spokesman Jacob Galanti

If doctors determine that Sharon is permanently incapacitated, the Cabinet would immediately meet to choose a new prime minister from the five sitting Cabinet ministers from Sharon's Kadima Party who are also lawmakers.

Olmert is seen as Sharon's potential heir.

Doctors had planned to start pulling Sharon from the coma Sunday, but decided to wait another day after performing the new scan.

The scan Sunday showed Sharon's brain swelling had gone down, his intracranial and blood pressure were within normal range, and his cerebral spinal fluid was draining well, Mor-Yosef said.

"In light of all these factors, the panel of experts decided to start the process of taking him out of the sedation tomorrow morning," he said. "This all depends of course on whether the prime minister makes it until tomorrow morning without any significant incidents."

One of Sharon's surgeons, Dr. Jose Cohen, said that while Sharon's chances of survival were high, his ability to think and reason would be impaired.

"He will not continue to be prime minister, but maybe he will be able to understand and to speak," the Argentina-born Cohen said in comments published Sunday by The Jerusalem Post.

Outside experts were even less optimistic.

"There is zero expectation on my part that he will have the capacity to perform in any kind of formal way," said Dr. Keith Siller, Medical Director at the NYU Comprehensive Stroke Care Center.

"We are basically hoping he survives and that he has some kind of ability to get some rehab so he can have some useful function again. But we are talking about the basics, we are talking very basic things. The complexity of this man, and what he did for a living, this is not to even be considered now. This is absolutely unrealistic at this time."

Israel's Cabinet met for its weekly gathering Sunday for the first time since Sharon's stroke.

Olmert sat next to Sharon's empty chair, the prime minister's untouched gavel rested in the middle of the table.

Olmert told the ministers that Sharon would want everyone to get back to work on the country's pressing security, social and economic issues.

"This we will continue to do," he said. "We will continue also to carry out the wishes of Sharon, to manage affairs as necessary."

The Cabinet meeting was Olmert's first formal opportunity to persuade Israelis and the world that the nation's affairs were in good hands and that he would work to carry out Sharon's political program.

Speaking to reporters later, Olmert expressed hope Sharon would get better. "I pray with all the people of Israel that my tenure as acting prime minister will be short, so soon enough we will be able to see again the leader of Israel," he said.

Before his collapse, Sharon appeared headed to a landslide victory in March 28 elections as head of his new centrist Kadima Party, formed in the wake of his withdrawal from Gaza this summer. Sharon was expected in a third term to try to draw Israel's permanent boundaries, evacuating small West Bank settlements while strengthening Israel's hold over larger ones.

But it is unclear whether Olmert or any other successor would have the popularity or charisma to carry out such a plan.

Sharon had been reluctant to resume long-stalled peace talks, saying the Palestinians were not a trustworthy partner.

In the West Bank, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia wished Sharon a quick recovery and expressed hope for new peace talks. "We are looking for a new era in which we can negotiate and be partners in a real peace that serves both peoples," he told his Cabinet.

Sharon, who experienced a mild stroke on Dec. 18, felt weak Wednesday and was rushed to Hadassah from his ranch in southern Israel when a blood vessel on the right side of his brain burst, causing massive cerebral hemorrhaging.

Doctors plan to bring Sharon out of Coma (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060108/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_sharon;_ylt=AjFe2QWxSmuMv.T66zCbQe8UewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b3JuZGZhBHNlYwM3MjE-)

Iran to remove U.N. seals at atomic research sites
Sun Jan 8, 2006 3:42 AM ET9

 By Parisa Hafezi

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said on Sunday it was preparing to remove U.N. seals at some nuclear research and development sites, despite strong Western opposition to its decision to resume atomic research halted over two years ago.

It would be the second time in five months that Iran, which insists its nuclear programme is peaceful, removed some seals put in place by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

European Union and U.S. officials have said the move, which follows Iran's resumption of uranium processing at its Isfahan plant in August, will jeopardize efforts to find a diplomatic solution to Iran's atomic ambitions and could accelerate calls for its case to be sent to the U.N. Security Council.

"We will remove the seals and we have announced that we are ready to start research from tomorrow," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference.

"It depends on the IAEA to announce its readiness as this will take place under the agency's supervision," he added.

A resumption of atomic research and development would mean that all of Iran's nuclear programme, much of which was put on hold as part of negotiations with the EU that started in late 2003, was active once again apart from the actual enrichment of uranium at its unfinished Natanz facility.

Uranium enrichment is the most sensitive part of the nuclear fuel cycle since it can be used to produce bomb-grade material as well as nuclear reactor fuel.

Iran has not publicly disclosed what activities it plans to resume on Monday. Diplomats and analysts say atomic research and development could involve some laboratory tests of uranium enrichment and the assembly of enrichment centrifuges.

"R&D activities will be under the IAEA's supervision and there is nothing to be worried about," Asefi said.

IAEA IN THE DARK

IAEA officials say an Iranian team failed to show up for talks in Vienna last week to explain what activities Iran planned to resume.

Asked why the Iranian team flew back from Vienna without meeting the IAEA, Javad Vaeedi, deputy head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told state television on Saturday:

"Holding any meeting has to be based on the attainment of an aim and a result. The cancellation of the meeting in fact took place in this light."

Iran said on Saturday that an IAEA team had arrived in Tehran to supervise the resumption of research work. But an IAEA spokeswoman said the IAEA team were on a "routine visit" and that the agency was still awaiting clarifications from Iran.

Washington and the EU want Iran to agree to a proposal, put forward by Moscow, that Iran transfer all its uranium enrichment activities to a joint venture in Russia.

Russian and Iranian officials met in Tehran over the weekend to discuss the plan but Iran has made it clear it will only consider ideas that allow it to enrich on its own soil.

"We have a positive view regarding these talks, as do the Russians," Asefi said. "These talks can discuss different plans but the main issue is respecting and accepting Iran's legitimate rights."

Vaeedi warned that it would not be in the West's interest to refer Iran's case to the U.N. Security Council, where sanctions could be imposed on Tehran.

He noted that Iran's parliament approved a bill late last year whereby, should Iran's case be sent to the Security Council, Tehran would resume enrichment and scale back cooperation with IAEA inspectors.
Iran to remove UN seals at atomic research sites (http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-01-08T084202Z_01_WRI768733_RTRUKOC_0_US-NUCLEAR-IRAN.xml)

Police raid headquarters
of Israel-secession group
Hundreds of cops sweep into settlement ahead of call to create own sovereignty
Posted: January 8, 2006
3:45 p.m. Eastern

By Aaron Klein
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

JERUSALEM – A Jewish group's headquarters were raided today by hundreds of security officials just days before the movement, led by residents of Judea and Samaria, was to present a plan calling for Jews of the area to secede from Israel and create their own autonomous Jewish entity.

The massive police raid came after a WorldNetDaily article this weekend broke the story regarding the Judea Initiative, which is seeking to gather signatures from Judea and Samaria's nearly 200,000 Jews for a manifesto declaring the creation of a sovereign Jewish authority that would govern itself independently according to Jewish law and would provide its own security.

Security officials involved in today's raid say the WND article was "read very closely."

At the order of the Israeli Defense Forces, a joint taskforce consisting of 200-300 officers from the Israeli Police Authority and Shin Bet security services swooped down on the Kfar Tapuach settlement in northern Samaria and raided the offices of the initiative's leader, northern Samaria resident Yekutel Ben Yaacov. Computers and documents were confiscated and a kennel started by Ben Yaacov several years ago to train dogs to protect area settlements was closed down.

Simultaneously, Jerusalem police and Shin Bet agents raided a Jerusalem Internet café and a nearby apartment owned by Ben Yaacov. Four computers and stacks of documents were confiscated and four café employees were taken in for questioning.

Ben Yaacov was not arrested in the raid.

On Wednesday, Ben Yaacov is set to deliver his Initiative at a conference in Jerusalem's Old City. The plan aims to create the new Jewish authority in any part of Judea and Samaria, even a small settlement, in hopes of eventually ruling the entire territory, Ben Yaacov said.

Judea and Samaria are referred to by some as the West Bank, the name coined for the area by Jordan after it annexed the territories in 1948.

Ben Yaacov's group, the Jewish Legion, was founded in 2001 to foster self-protection for Judea and Samaria communities plagued by terror attacks. His Judea Initiative is a new movement of the Legion not yet officially made public.

"We have been around for four years. Suddenly, they raid my offices three days before the conference to announce our initiative? The authorities are hysterical. They want to stop this initiative, but now they have succeeded in giving it a lot of publicity, so the conference, which doesn't violate any law, will go on and probably draw even bigger crowds," Ben Yaacov told WND.

Mikey Rosenfeld, a spokesman for the Israeli Police Authority, had no comment about whether the raid was in response to the initiative conference.

A high-level source close to the raid told WND, "The raid was in the works for several weeks. It is the result of the movement's activities and planned activities."

The source said WND's article breaking the story about Ben Yaacov's plans to call for Jews to secede from Israel "was read very carefully and with interest."

Ben Yaacov told WND in the article his initiative was prompted by talks of Israeli withdrawals from Judea and Samaria.

"We can't sit around and wait until Israel sends the bulldozers to take down Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria before attempting to counter the next Israeli withdrawal. We are acting now so we can retain our rightful biblical heritage," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon withdrew Israel's Jewish communities from the Gaza Strip last summer in spite of fierce opposition from members of his own Likud party. He recently announced he was leaving Likud to start his own "centrist" party, Kadima, prompting new elections currently scheduled for March. Since then, multiple Kadima members have told reporters the new party is looking to change Israel's borders with possible withdrawals from Judea and Samaria. There have been talks of disengagements from parts of Jerusalem as well.

It's unclear as yet how Sharon's massive stroke this week and his inability to govern will affect the future politics of Israel.

Currently, Judea and Samaria, inhabited by about 2.4 million Palestinians, is considered landlocked territory not officially recognized as part of any country. Israel calls the land "disputed." The United Nations claims Judea and Samaria is "occupied" by Israel, which maintains overall control of most of the area while the Palestinian Authority has jurisdiction in about 40 percent.

Judea and Samaria remained under Jordanian rule from 1948 until Israel captured the territory in 1967 after Jordan's King Hussein ignored Israeli pleas for his country to stay out of the Six Day War. Most countries rejected Jordan's initial claim on the area, which it formally renounced in 1988.

Ben Yaacov says his Judea Initiative takes advantage of Judea and Samaria's murky legal status to argue for independent Jewish sovereignty.

"Legally it's a no-man's land. The Palestinians used that status to create their own authority, so there is absolutely no reason the Jews can't do the same thing. The area is the site of a lot of the Bible and has had a Jewish population for centuries. We will not allow the Israeli government to kick us out."

Many villages in the Judea and Samaria area, which Israelis commonly reefer to as the "biblical heartland," are mentioned throughout the Old Testament.

The Book of Genesis says Abraham entered Israel at Shechem (Nablus) and received God's promise of land for his offspring.

The nearby town of Beit El, anciently called Bethel meaning "house of God," is where Scripture says patriarch Jacob slept on a stone pillow and dreamed of angels ascending and descending a stairway to heaven. In that dream, God spoke directly to Jacob and reaffirmed the promise of territory.

And in Exodus, the holy tabernacle rested in Shilo, which is believed to be the first area the ancient Israelites settled after fleeing Egypt.

Ben Yaacov said his new Jewish authority would be "governed by Jewish law. Non-Jews, including Palestinians, are more than welcome to live there as long as they accept Jewish sovereign and agree to abide by the Seven Noahide laws, the most basic of biblical dictates."

He said the annexed territory would provide for its own security.

"A large contingent of Judea and Samaria residents served in the Israeli army. They currently defend their own settlements to a large extent. We would base ours on the same concept as Israeli security. Immediately after Israel was founded, it was attacked on all sides and it won every war because of the help of God and because of the same people we have with us."

The initiative states there are three primary reasons to form a Jewish authority in Judea and Samaria:

# "The new Jewish authority will protect Israel from terror and enhance Israeli security. It is more advantageous to have Jewish autonomy in Judea and Samaria in place of complete Palestinian autonomy, which will give the Palestinian terrorist groups more land from which to fire Qassams and launch attacks. The Jews who remain in the area will be accepting a certain level of self-sacrifice by putting themselves in harms way."

# "The creation of a Jewish authority will relieve tension and prevent bloodshed between Jew and fellow Jew by halting an Israeli withdrawal from Judea and Samaria. There are hundreds of thousands of Jews in the area, some of whom may use violent resistance in the face of any withdrawal. It will also alleviate some of the tension and rifts that would be created in Israeli society by any withdrawal."

# "The new Jewish authority will offer appropriate self-determination to fulfil the national aspirations of many religious Jews in Israel. The area will be ruled by Torah law as opposed to the current anti-religious government."

Ben Yaacov's Judea Initiative is not the first major push for Jews to secede from Israel. In 1989, the late author and Knesset member Rabbi Meir Kahane, a mentor of Ben Yaacov, attempted to found the State of Judea, a Jewish state in Judea and Samaria. That effort eventually fell through.

"Ours is different in that we are starting small," explained Ben Yaacov. "We are not talking about our own state, just an entity or authority, however small or large it will be."

Reacting to the news of calls for Jews to create their own authority, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told WorldNetDaily, "This is the chaos and lawlessness [the Palestinian Authority] has warned about. If the Israeli government does not get its act together concerning the settlers, who by the way are armed to the teeth and acting like a parallel authority, the price will be paid in Palestinian blood."

Israeli government spokesmen Raanan Gissin and David Baker refused to comment on the issue.

Said Ben Yaacov, "There may be resistance at first, but eventually people will come to understand a lot of Jews in Judea and Samaria will not go along with any further withdrawals. Now those Jews will have a solution."

Rockets against Israel "ordered by Bin Laden": Iraqi Al-Qaeda chief
Jan 09 12:16 AM US/Eastern
Email this story    

Al-Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, said in an audio tape put onto the Internet that rockets had been fired at Israel from Lebanon last month "on the instructions" of the network's overall chief Osama bin Laden.

"The rocket firing at the ancestors of monkeys and pigs from the south of Lebanon was only the start of a blessed in-depth strike against the Zionist enemy (...). All that was on the instructions of the sheikh of the mujahedeen, Osama bin laden, may God preserve him," said the voice attributed to the Jordanian extremist.

The tape was placed on the site normally used by his group, the Organization of Al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia, which had claimed responsibility for the rockets in an on-line statement on December 29.

"This commendable feat came in application by the mujahedeen of the oath by fighter sheikh Osama bin Laden, emir of the Al-Qaeda network, may God preserve him," added the recording referring to repeated statements by Bin Laden that the Israelis should not enjoy security as long as Muslims were not safe.

Israel the previous day had carried out an air strike against a base of a Syrian-backed Palestinian group on the southern outskirts of Beirut in retaliation for cross-border Katyusha rocket attacks on northern Israel.

Zarqawi also said the guerrillas had carried out nearly 800 operations against "the crusader forces" since the occupation of Iraq, putting "crusader" casualties at around 40,000 soldiers.

"Since the start of mujahedeen operations after the fall of the Baathist regime and until today, nearly 800 martyr operations aimed at crusader targets and military convoys have been carried out (...). We estimate casualties among the adorers of the Cross in Iraq at no less than 40,000 soldiers," he declared.

"That's why they (the Americans) asked for help from the Arab League, represented by its secretary-general Amr Mussa, and called for the Cairo meeting," said Zarqawi, hitting out at member countries that took part in the November meeting dedicated to Iraq under Arab League auspices.

The Iraqi leaders who participated in the Cairo meeting agreed on a "road map" for national conciliation, calling for a calendar for withdrawal of foreign forces and the release of detainees who had not been charged.

Zarqawi hit out at the Sunni Muslim Iraqi Islamic Party for having taken part in the December 15 general elections, and called on it to renounce such actions.

"We call on the Islamic Party to abandon the road to perdition on which it has embarked and which threatened to cause the loss of the Sunni community," Zarqawi said, adding that the party "should have called the people to jihad (holy war)."

The Iraqi Al-Qaeda leader then laid down two conditions for giving up the jihad.

"First, chase out the invaders from our territory in Palestine, in Iraq and everywhere in Islamic land.

"Second, instal sharia (Islamic law) on the entire Earth and spread Islamic justice there (...). The attacks will not cease until after the victory of Islam and the setting up of sharia," he swore.

Zarqawi concluded: "O young Muslims everywhere in the world, and in particular in the neighbouring countries (of Iraq) and in Yemen, I recommend jihad to you (...). O nation of Islam, America is today drawing its last breath."

Rockets against Israel "ordered by Bin Laden": Iraqi Al-Qaeda chief (http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/01/09/060109051601.0pm2jjra.html)

Naturally they want Israel involved. It is something that they all have in common .... hatred toward Israelis. By doing so he will be gaining more support from all the other muslim fanctions.

Israeli Leader Sharon Moves Hand, Leg

By AMY TEIBEL, Associated Press Writer
1 minute ago

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon resumed breathing on his own Monday and moved his right hand and leg in response to stimulation as doctors started weaning him off the sedatives keeping him in a coma.


Sharon's chief neurosurgeon, Dr. Felix Umansky, said the leader's response to pain stimulation was a "very important" sign, but it was too early to assess Sharon's ability to think and reason after suffering a massive stroke Wednesday. It will take days to wean the 77-year-old premier off sedatives.

By Monday afternoon, Sharon had begun breathing on his own, though he was still on a respirator to assist him, said Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef, director of Hadassah Hospital, where Sharon is being treated.

Doctors said they applied pressure to a part of Sharon's body that usually causes pain. Sharon's blood pressure rose during the stimulation — a positive sign — and he lifted his right hand and right leg slightly.

"It was a slight, but significant, movement," Mor-Yosef said.

It would be more significant if Sharon moved his left hand, since that is controlled by the right side of the brain, where Sharon's stroke occurred.

Sharon remained in critical condition.

Doctors hope Sharon will have a greater response to pain stimulation, including opening his eyes, as the sedatives are decreased, Umansky said.

It is too early to say how the massive bleeding in the right side of Sharon's brain will affect his cognitive abilities or the left side of his body.

"The moment that the prime minister is able to talk to us and to sit up one can say there will no longer be danger to his life," he said. "Once he is conscious and with us and all his systems are functioning and there are no complications, such as an infection or something else, I will be ready to say he's out of danger."

The doctors could put Sharon back in a coma if his condition worsens, he said.

One of Sharon's neurosurgeons said it was unlikely he could function as prime minister again.

Experts said the prime minister suffered most of the damage to the right side of his brain, so he has a greater chance of regaining his speech and comprehension, which are controlled by the left side.

After the sedatives, doctors will pass their assessment of brain damage to Attorney General Meni Mazuz, who then will decide whether to declare the prime minister permanently incapacitated.

"The minute we know what damage has occurred, we will talk," Justice Ministry spokesman Yaakov Galanti said.

Since an acting prime minister is in place, there is no urgency to such a declaration, Galanti added. Ehud Olmert, Sharon's deputy, was named acting prime minister after Sharon's second stroke and can serve in that role for 100 days.

In the event the attorney general declares permanent incapacitation, the Cabinet would elect a new prime minister within 24 hours, choosing from the five Cabinet ministers from Sharon's Kadima Party who also are lawmakers, Galanti said.

That group includes Olmert.

Sharon, who suffered a mild stroke Dec. 18, felt weak Wednesday and was rushed to Hadassah from his ranch in southern Israel when a blood vessel on the right side of his brain burst, causing massive cerebral hemorrhaging. The stroke occurred the night before he was scheduled to undergo a procedure to close a hole in his heart that contributed to the earlier stroke.

He has undergone two surgeries to stop the bleeding in his brain and relieve the pressure inside his skull.

Sharon, Israel's most popular politician, was seen by many here as the best hope for resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict. His abrupt illness and expected departure from the Mideast political stage has raised concern that momentum on territorial concessions, created by his recent Gaza Strip withdrawal, would be stopped, and that Sharon's successor would not have the stature to forge ahead on drawing Israel's final borders.

Before his collapse, Sharon appeared headed to a landslide victory in March 28 elections at the head of the Kadima Party, which seeks further pullbacks while strengthening Israel's hold over major settlement blocs.

Olmert told the Cabinet on Sunday he would work to carry on Sharon's political legacy.

Sharon's condition and the uncertainty it has generated has unsettled Israelis. At the hospital entrance Monday, three Jerusalemites hung up a white sheet with blue lettering in English and Hebrew that read, "Ariel Sharon, there is more to do, please wake up."

In the Gaza Strip, where Sharon is reviled for his tough policies on Palestinians, 40 masked gunmen from the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades militant group held a demonstration against Sharon. One held a gun to a photo of Sharon that was labeled "the killer of children" and then burned the picture.

Doctors not involved in Sharon's care said that if he awakens, the extent of his responses could vary widely from slight movements to a much fuller awakening. They also have cautioned that there is no guarantee Sharon will awaken from the anesthesia.

That Sharon can breathe on his own "tells us that one part of his brain is functioning, the respiratory center," said Dr. John Martin, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at University College in London. "It doesn't tell us how he is thinking, it doesn't tell us how he can speak, it doesn't tell us how he can move his arms and legs.

"His chances of survival are better than if the respiratory center had been damaged, but that still doesn't mean he's going to survive. ... It is still highly probable that he will die," Martin added, noting that Sharon's weight and age work against him.

One of Sharon's surgeons, Dr. Jose Cohen, has said that while Sharon's chances of survival were high, his ability to think and reason would be impaired.

"He will not continue to be prime minister, but maybe he will be able to understand and to speak," the Argentina-born Cohen said in comments published Sunday by The Jerusalem Post.

Israeli Leader Sharon Moves Hand, Leg (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/israel_sharon;_ylt=AlhH1umJdRnaUTW9pck1FdGs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--)

New nanotech armor called 5 times stronger than steel

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, January 9, 2006

TEL AVIV — An Israeli firm has developed armor based on nanotechnology.

ApNano has tested armor said to be five times stronger than steel and twice as strong as any impact-resistant material used in protective gear.

Last year, a sample of the ApNano material was subjected to tests in which a steel projectile traveling at a speed of up to 1.5 kilometers per second slammed into the material.

Executives said the impact was the equivalent to dropping four diesel locomotives onto an area the size of a human fingernail.

They said the nano-based armor, which stemmed from a new carbon form called Inorganic Fullerenes, withstood the impact.

The company's chief executive officer, Menachem Genut, said the company would launch initial production within the next six months. Genut said this would mean the production of between 100 and 200 kilograms of the nano-material per day.

By 2007, Genut said, ApNano, based in Nes Ziona, Israel, would begin full-scale production of the armor. This would mean the production of several tons per day.

The company began development of the nano-material in 2004.

Genut said the nano-material would require additional field testing before it was ready for the market. He said the first product could be ready by 2009.

New nanotech armor called 5 times stronger then steel (http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/06/front2453745.144444444.html)

Abbas says U.S. assures him Jerusalem vote to proceed
Mon Jan 9, 2006 2:54 PM ET173

 By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday the United States had assured him that voting in the January 25 legislative poll would be allowed in East Jerusalem, despite Israel's objection to Hamas participating.

"Today I received American assurances that the campaigning and the elections will take place in Jerusalem," he told reporters in Gaza, without elaborating.

"Upon these assurances, I say that the election will continue and it will be held on time."

Earlier this month Abbas raised the possibility the election could be delayed if Israel barred voting in Arab East Jerusalem.

There was no immediate comment from the Bush administration, which could put considerable pressure on Israel to back down from a threat to ban voting in the city.

Abbas made the comments after Israel's internal security minister, Gideon Ezra, said Israel was allowing candidates in the Palestinian election to campaign in East Jerusalem as long as they did not belong to militant groups.

But Ezra said Israel had not yet decided on whether voting will be allowed in East Jerusalem, a core demand by Palestinians who want it as capital of a future state.

"I absolutely reject that Jerusalem is excluded from the election campaign and the elections," Abbas said.

He said he had also asked the United States to put pressure on Israel to remove checkpoints in Palestinian areas and release Palestinian prisoners. "The Americans have not come with answers for that," Abbas said.

Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in a move not recognized abroad.

Police barred Palestinian candidates from electioneering in the city when campaigning began last week, drawing a call by the United States, patron of a peace "road map", for Israel to allow Jerusalem Palestinians access to the parliamentary ballot.

PERMITS

Ezra told Israel Radio that, under new orders, police would approve electioneering by "all those who favor pursuing the peace process and the road map" -- if they apply in advance.

"Hamas candidates, for example, will not receive permits," Ezra said, referring to an Islamic militant group spearheading a 5-year-old Palestinian uprising.

The decision drew protests from Abbas' Fatah faction, which is fending off an electoral challenge from Hamas but fears charges of Israeli intercession.

"In order to have a free and fair election, either there is campaigning for all candidates, including Hamas, or there will be no campaigning," said Hatem Abdel-Qader of Fatah.

Hamas vowed to defy the Israeli ban. "We will carry out our electioneering campaign whether the occupation agrees or not. We have the ways and means to do so despite the Israeli decision," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.

Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said the United States was "playing a major role" to try to persuade Israel to enable Palestinians to cast ballots in East Jerusalem.

Hamas boycotted the last Palestinian legislative election, in 1996, when voting was allowed in East Jerusalem. But Israel says interim accords do not guarantee Palestinian political rights in Jerusalem. Palestinians dispute this.

Western countries are keen for the vote to take place as scheduled as a way of strengthening Palestinian democracy. But they are wary of a strong showing by Hamas, which has carried out nearly 60 suicide bombings during the uprising.

Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem have Israeli identity cards but many see themselves as citizens of a future Palestinian state.

Abbas says US assures him Jerusalem vote to proceed (http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-01-09T195408Z_01_ARM922079_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST-JERUSALEM.xml&archived=False)

Because of the situation, right now in Iran. I am bumping Evangelist post. Today it makes more sense, then it do when Evangelist posted .

Last update - 14:54 10/01/2006            
Diskin: More weapons smuggled into Gaza Strip since pullout
By Haaretz Service

The amount of weapons and explosives smuggled into the Gaza Strip has significantly increased since the disengagement from the Gaza Strip, Shin Bet Chief Yuval Diskin said during a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting Tuesday.

Diskin said that every month some 2,000 rifles are smuggled into the Gaza Strip, four times the amount smuggled prior to the Gaza pullout.

Committee chairman MK Yuval Steinitz (Likud) said Tuesday that the Egyptians were not making any effort to thwart the smuggling, and there was an impression that the Palestinian armament was intended for an attack on Israel.

More weapons (http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/668581.html)

I see that you guys are enjoying the 2006-ride so far ehy ?
Hold on to your hat; the main characters just got seated in the carts, it isn't even moving yet !

I believe another word will be learned before the end of this year; megadeath.
And no; it's not the rockband

I personally won't venture into making predictions about this year but I do believe the cart has just started rolling but hasn't reached the downhill incline yet. When it does things will start moving really, really fast.

My heart just started aching for those that are still lost, and those that have backslidden. I tink it's time for us to pray more, longer, and harder for all of them. I ache so much for them, sometimes I just want to cry.

Sounds like a band. ;) I think this rollercoaster, will be picking up steam, this year. But I will not make any  predictions. Though my Prophecymeter, is hitting the close to top, of the scale. :o

My heart also goes out for, these people as well.

I have a few predictions....oh wait a minute....I never talk about politics and religion...never mind  ;D




Amen to that brother!

There I fixed it for you 2T. ;D

LOL   ;)   Nice try!   :D

The roller coaster is in motion.

_______________________________


Iran leader: Islam
to 'rule the world'
Urges Muslims to get ready
for coming of 'messiah'
Posted: January 10, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern


© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Islam must prepare to rule the world, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a crowd of theological students in Iran's holy city of Qom, according to a report.

"We must believe in the fact that Islam is not confined to geographical borders, ethnic groups and nations. It's a universal ideology that leads the world to justice," Ahmadinejad said Jan. 5, according to Mehran Riazaty, a former Iran analyst for the Central Command of the Coalition Forces in Baghdad.

Ahmadinejad, who has drawn global attention recently for his contention the Holocaust was a "myth," said: "We don't shy away from declaring that Islam is ready to rule the world."

Riazaty, in a post on the website Regime Change Iran, said the Iranian president emphasized his current theme that the return of the Shiite messiah, the Mahdi, is not far away, and Muslims must prepare for it.

According to Shiites, the 12th imam disappeared as a child in the year 941. When he returns, they believe, he will reign on earth for seven years, before bringing about a final judgment and the end of the world.

Ahmadinejad is urging Iranians to prepare for the coming of the Mahdi by turning the country into a mighty and advanced Islamic society and by avoiding the corruption and excesses of the West.

"We must prepare ourselves to rule the world and the only way to do that is to put forth views on the basis of the Expectation of the Return," Ahmadinejad said. "If we work on the basis of the Expectation of the Return [of the Mahdi], all the affairs of our nation will be streamlined and the administration of the country will become easier."

Riazaty pointed out that Iran's speaker of parliament, Mehdi Kahrubi, said Saturday that some people working closely with Ahmadinejad believe the Mahdi probably will return in the next two years, which means Iran needs to start building more hotels.

I have strapped in for the ride Pastor. Just keep this ride pointing up. That way, I don't get a kink in my neck.

New 'Arafat' rocket to target major Israeli cities
Late PLO leader 'continuing to hit them even after his death'
Posted: January 10, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Aaron Klein
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

JERUSALEM – Palestinian terror groups have a new rocket named after late PLO leader Yasser Arafat that is capable of reaching Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, a senior terror leader involved in rocket-making told WorldNetDaily, warning his group's missiles will be launched regularly from Judea and Samaria into major Israeli cities.

"Our new rocket, called Arafat 1, will prove to the Israelis that Arafat's spirit is still alive and that he is continuing to fight them and hit them even after his disappearing," said Abu Oudai, a leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades responsible for coordinating the group's rocket network in Judea and Samaria.

Judea and Samaria are referred to by some as the West Bank, the name coined for the area by Jordan after it annexed the territories in 1948.

The Al Aqsa Brigades was founded in 2000 as the military wing of Arafat's Fatah party and has carried out scores of suicide bombings, shootings and rocket attacks from Gaza.

Palestinian terror groups have launched hundreds of Qassam rockets from Gaza into nearby Jewish communities the past few years but largely have refrained from firing rockets in Judea and Samaria, which are within range of Israel's major cities. Also roughly 200,000 Jews live within Judea and Samaria.

Qassams are improvised rockets that can travel approximately three miles. Some have traveled further. Israeli officials repeatedly have warned a rocket attack from Judea and Samaria would be met with a large-scale military response.

Israel last week announced a rocket was fired from northern Samaria, claiming it was the first-ever launching from the area. It said the weapon was a Jenin-1, a less advanced rocket that can travel about one mile. Israeli Defense Forces military censors had delayed publication of the incident for three weeks. The IDF did not carry out a large-scale retaliatory raid in response to the rocket firing.

Oudai told WND his group already has fired six rockets – not one – from northern Samaria.

"[The rocket in the news last week] was not the first time we shot rockets from Jenin to the settlements of the enemy inside the green line. It is the enemy who for the first time has admitted that these rockets exist in [Judea and Samaria] and that they were shot against Israeli targets. We have launched six times and with the help of Allah we will launch these rockets regularly and there will no calm, no cease fire until the occupation leaves our land."

Israeli security officials confirmed to WND at least three rockets so far have been launched from northern Samaria.

Oudai said his group's new Arafat-1 rocket is stockpiled in Judea and Samaria for future use and is the most advanced Palestinian rocket yet, warning it can hit Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

"The Arafat can reach every goal we want all over the enemy state. ... I don't need to tell you that the aerial distance from Jenin to Netania, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other cities is not big without telling what are all our plans concerning hitting Israeli settlements [in Judea and Samaria]. We can reach any point inside Israel, but I will not mention what are the regions we are ready to shoot from."

Israel has warned terrorists are attempting to transfer rockets from Gaza to Judea and Samaria. It has arrested several Palestinians attempting to infiltrate northern Samaria with rockets, sparking fears the rockets will become the new strategic weapon for Palestinian terror groups, frustrated over their admitted difficulty in carrying out suicide bombings due to Israel's uncompleted security fence.

The IDF has not been able to stop the rockets regularly fired from Gaza into nearby Israeli Negev towns. It previously responded with surgical missile strikes and artillery fire at areas it says are used to launch rockets. Last month, Israel set up a buffer zone in sections of Gaza occasionally used to fire rockets into Israel, but the Palestinian terrorists shifted their launching sites to other areas and have continued the attacks.

Asked if he fears Israel's threatened massive military response to his planned rocket firings, Oudai told WND, "Israel already has used all its tools. Tanks, aircrafts, assassinations and everything it could use. But we are still here and still fighting. We do not get excited from the Israeli threats. What can be this unprecedented reaction? They have already tried everything."

New Arafat missle (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=48267)

January 10, 2006
Iran, Defiant, Insists It Plans to Restart Nuclear Program
By ELAINE SCIOLINO

PARIS, Jan. 9 - Defying its European partners and the United States, Iran plans to reopen its vast uranium enrichment complex to resume nuclear activities that it suspended 14 months ago, officials involved in negotiations with Iran said Monday.

Iran told the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency last week that it was planning to restart nuclear research and development, without specifying what type of activities it would resume, or where.

But in messages and letters to the agency in recent days, Iran said it planned to reopen the enrichment complex, in Natanz in central Iran, and perhaps an unspecified number of other sites, said the officials, who declined to be identified by name because they lack authorization to discuss the matter for attribution.

The Iranian move came in defiance of unusual separate messages delivered to the Tehran government over the weekend by Russia and China, as well as the United States, Britain and France. The messages warned Iran not to embark on further uranium activities.

Britain, France and the United States tried to have the five countries submit one joint declaration to Iran, but China, not wanting such a move to look like an attempt to gang up on Tehran, insisted that five separate messages be delivered. All said much the same thing.

European and American diplomats said enlisting China and Russia amounted to a further ratcheting up of pressure on Iran, because the five countries possess nuclear weapons and are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. The United States wants the Council to impose sanctions on Iran if it does not abandon its suspected nuclear ambitions.

The stated plan by Iran to reopen its uranium enrichment plant reflects a high-stakes gamble by Iran to test its legal right to conduct certain nuclear activities under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty of 1968, the main treaty governing the spread of nuclear technology.

The United States, and to an increasing extent European governments, say they believe that Natanz is part of a long-suspected nuclear weapons program that they contend is more advanced than the Iraqi program was at its height under Saddam Hussein's rule.

The operations at the Natanz site were kept secret from the atomic energy agency and were not confirmed by its inspectors until February 2003. The inspectors found preparations for the construction of more than 50,000 centrifuges - tall, thin machines that spin at supersonic speed to enrich uranium so that it can be used in nuclear reactors.

When uranium is enriched to a very high degree, it can be used in a nuclear weapon. The fast-spinning centrifuges could make fuel for up to 20 nuclear weapons a year, according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

For Iran's clerical leadership and even much of its population, Natanz is synonymous with modernity and power.

Iran insists that its goal at Natanz is to conduct research and produce fuel for a civilian nuclear power program. Some of Iran's most experienced nuclear scientists used to work there, and Iran described the closing of the complex - under an agreement with France, Britain and Germany in November 2004 to freeze most of its nuclear activities - as voluntary and temporary.

In Tehran, Gholam Hossein Elham, a government spokesman, said Monday at a news conference that Iran would resume nuclear research and development, as announced last week to the International Atomic Energy Agency. "Iran will today resume nuclear fuel research as scheduled," he said, without giving any details.

Agency officials in Vienna and their inspectors in Iran struggled without success throughout the day to wring information from the government about its plans, as Tehran had asked that the activities be carried out under the watchful eyes of the inspectors.

By day's end the agency said the research at Natanz had not yet restarted. "Our inspectors who were at the scene today reported that there was no new activity or breaking of seals," said Melissa Fleming, an agency spokeswoman.

The sticking point appears to be Iran's indecision about whether to merely test its equipment or go further and conduct experiments with nuclear fuel, which Mohamed ElBaradei, the international agency's director, called "a red line for the international community" in an interview on Monday with the BBC.

He urged Iran to "exercise maximum restraint," and predicted that the impasse with Iran "could turn into a major crisis," because of Iran's lack of full cooperation with his agency and its plans to restart nuclear research.

The international nuclear agency has failed to persuade Iran to turn over some important information about its nuclear history and to give agency inspectors access to certain sites. But Iran's lack of openness is a separate issue from whether it has a legal right to conduct nuclear research.

Dr. ElBaradei acknowledged that a wide array of nuclear activities were permitted under the nonproliferation treaty. "As a matter of law, Iran has the right to do all the nuclear activities, including enriching uranium," he told James P. Rubin in an interview on Monday with the London-based Sky News.

Iran's announcement that it planned to resume its nuclear research brought a new flurry of international condemnation.

"Very, very disastrous signals" are coming from Iran, Germany's new foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, told reporters before a cabinet meeting outside Berlin.

The White House on Monday warned Iran that it might be referred to the United Nations Security Council for possible censure or sanctions. The international community has already warned Iran that "the next step would be a referral to the Security Council," said the White House spokesman, Scott McClellan.

Late last year, the 35-country board of the international nuclear agency voted to refer Iran's case for consideration by the Security Council if it did not meet its international obligations. But Russia, China and some other important countries are still resistant to Council action.

Marking the start of Austria's six-month presidency of the European Union on Monday, Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel said sanctions were always a "possibility," adding that the 25-country union had always considered them "a last resort."

Germany, France and Britain are concerned that Iran's newest move could shatter the agreement they reached in November 2004 under which Iran agreed to freeze most of its nuclear activities, including nuclear research, in exchange for a broad package of political and economic incentives.

Iran Defiant (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/10/international/middleeast/10iran.html?ei=5065&en=4b45d659d1b86ee5&ex=1137474000&adxnnl=1&partner=MYWAY&adxnnlx=1136871586-WfabZ4vMgAG/y0ZfY3oe+Q&pagewanted=print)

Iran has built 5,000 centrifuges, says opposition
Jan 10 2:28 PM US/Eastern


Iran has secretly built thousands of centrifuge machines for its nuclear plant at Natanz, an exiled opposition figure alleged.

The claims by opposition figure Alireza Jafarzadeh could not be independently verified, but if confirmed, they would likely enflame the worsening standoff over Iran's nuclear program.

The new allegations came hours after Iran resumed sensitive nuclear research after a two-year suspension, triggering fierce Western condemnation and risking censure by the UN Security Council.

Jafarzadeh, citing what he said was intelligence from the Iranian opposition and sources within the Iranian nuclear program, said Tehran had already committed serious violations before Tuesday.

"Iran has already manufactured as many as 5,000 centrifuge machines ready to be installed in Natanz, which is a clear breach of its agreements with the IAEA and the EU," Jafarzadeh, former spokesman for the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said at a press conference here.

He said Iran had been continually building underground centrifuge cascade installation platforms at Natanz which could be used in the process of enriching uranium on a large scale suitable for a nuclear bomb.

Jafarzadeh released information in 2002 which amounted to the first outside glimpse into the Iranian nuclear program and which triggered International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) scrutiny.

He said that work at Natanz was now so advanced that construction could be finished by the middle of this year, though it was unclear when installation of enrichment facilities would be complete.

"The 5,000 centrifuge machines are going to be installed in underground cascade halls. ... All of this has been going on while supposedly the program has been under freeze," he said.

Iran said Tuesday it was removing the seals on several nuclear operations, including a small 164-centrifuge cascade at Natanz -- which in itself would not be able to produce enough highly enriched uranium for a weapon.

But it said enrichment remained frozen. Tehran denies that it is seeking a nuclear weapon, and it has been trying to draw a distinction between research into the fuel cycle and actual production of enriched uranium.

Paul Leventhal, president of the independent Nuclear Control Institute research group, appeared alongside Jafarzadeh at the press conference and called on the IAEA to act to see if his claims were true.

"If the information obtained by the Iranian opposition can be verified, ... then we have a major crisis on our hands," he said.

"Can such a remarkable allegation be true? There is only one way to find out. IAEA inspectors now standing at the Natanz site should demand immediate access to the areas where these secret activities allegedly are taking place."

Robert Einhorn, an independent expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who was not linked to the press conference, said Jafarzadeh had a mixed accuracy record on Iran's nuclear program.

"His organisation was on target in the summer of 2002. Without information from his organisation, we would largely be in the dark today on Iran's nuclear program.

"Having said that, his organisation's batting average over the last three years or so has not been very good," said Einhorn, who served as assistant secretary of state for non-proliferation between 1999 and August 2001.

"There is no way to evaluate the credibility of this information unless it is backed up by specific information on the whereabouts of the manufacture of these 5,000 centrifuge machines, and so on."

Einhorn did say, however, that the existence of such equipment would "be a large-scale violation of Iran's commitment to the Europeans and the IAEA board to suspend all manufacture of these centrifuge machines."

Jafarzadeh said military companies linked with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard had built most of the alleged centrifuge parts but could not exactly pinpoint their location.

"The 5,000 centrifuges, I don't know exactly where they are. It is conceivable that some or all of them are already in Natanz," he said.

Iran has built 5,000 centrifuges, says opposition (http://www.breitbart.com/news/na/060110192759.h9j5801h.html)