Biblical countries, in the news.

[Shammu]

U.S.-French Alliance on U.N. Cease-Fire Resolution Crumbling

Tuesday , August 08, 2006

UNITED NATIONS — The French-American alliance at the United Nations over a Mideast cease-fire agreement is crumbling, sources tell FOX News.

The French U.N. delegation has joined with Arab nations and is now calling for a complete and immediate Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as a condition of any cease-fire, the sources said.

In addition, the French have reportedly agreed with Arab demands that the Lebanese force be accompanied only by UNIFIL, with no international force to be deployed.

Syria, Iran and Hezbollah are pushing to take Lebanon's offer to deploy 15,000 forces into the embattled southern region along with UNIFIL forces to gain stability without an international force there after more than three weeks of intense fighting.

The diplomatic efforts came as thirteen Lebanese fell victim to Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon as Israel announced it was planning to push further into Lebanon Military to target rocket sites.

The United States State Department said Lebanon's proposal was "an important proposal," but one Bush administration official told FOX News that the United States is drawing a "line in the sand," saying that an international force has to deployed alongside the Lebanese forces.

The United States and France wrangled Tuesday over ways to allay Lebanon's fears that Israel would win too much from a draft U.N. Security Council cease-fire resolution, as three Arab foreign ministers argued for changes to the text.

In a private meeting, the Americans and French considered two tentative proposals they hoped would both accommodate Lebanon's demands and revive diplomatic efforts to end the Israel-Hezbollah fighting.

Both nations agree on one proposal: that the resolution should support Lebanon's offer Monday to deploy 15,000 troops to monitor a buffer zone in the south, once under de facto Hezbollah control and now partly occupied by Israeli troops, diplomats said.

The other proposal, still in the early stages, was to deploy some sort of international force to Chebaa Farms, an area along the Lebanese and Syrian borders occupied by Israeli troops, diplomats said. Lebanon had made that demand previously and was upset when the original draft resolution did not reflect it.

The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the talks.

The discussions were held ahead of a Security Council meeting set for later Tuesday in which a delegation of three top Arab officials were to spell out their objections to the U.S.-French draft resolution.

After that, the delegation planned to meet privately with U.S. and French diplomats to discuss concrete changes to the draft.

On Monday, Arab ministers agreed to send a delegation consisting of the foreign ministers of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa to plead Lebanon's case.

Washington and Paris had been expected to circulate a new draft of the resolution Monday but decided to wait to hear from the Arab delegation. The council planned to hold closed consultations after hearing from the delegation, and could introduce a new draft late in the day or on Wednesday.

Because of Security Council rules, 24 hours must pass before a resolution can be voted on. That means any vote probably won't occur until Thursday at the earliest.

Tarek Mitri, sent to the U.N. as a special envoy by Lebanon's Council of Ministers, criticized the resolution's failure to demand an Israeli pullout and its call for Israel to halt only offensive military operations, which he called "a recipe for the continuation of violence."

Hezbollah has said it will reject any halt in fighting that leaves Israeli troops in Lebanon, and Israel has insisted it won't withdraw until it is guaranteed Hezbollah rocket fire will stop.

U.S.-French Alliance on U.N. Cease-Fire Resolution Crumbling

[Shammu]

Arab League Wants UN to Press for Withdrawal of Israeli Troops from Lebanon
By Barbara Schoetzau
New York
09 August 2006

A delegation from the League of Arab Nations has met with the U.N. Security Council to push for revisions to the U.S.-French draft resolution aimed at a truce in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. From New York, VOA correspondent Barbara Schoetzau reports talks will continue Wednesday.

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabr-Al-Thani, speaking for the delegation, warned the Council against adopting a non-enforceable resolution that would have grave repercussions throughout the Middle East, sowing seeds of hate that terrorists can use as a pretext for violence.

The Arab League is pushing for a series of amendments to the draft resolution presented by Lebanon to Arab foreign ministers Monday, including a call for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon.

After the Security Council meeting, Lebanon's special envoy Tareq Mitri expressed disappointment at the pace of talks.

"We have been talking to various members of the U.N. Security Counci," he said. "Those remarks, proposals, suggestions of ours have been heard by many, but yet, we have not reached a point where we can with confidence say that they have been taken on board by the two members of the Council who are drafting the resolution."

Mitri said Lebanon is ready to deploy 15,000 troops to work with an expanded U.N. force to take over southern Lebanon from Hezbollah forces.

Israeli U.N. ambassador Dan Gillerman said the meeting served little purpose. He said Israeli troops will pull out of southern Lebanon the minute there is a political solution and a viable multinational force is in place.

"We have had a U.N. blue-helmeted force in the region for 28 years," he said. "Just to remind you, it is called United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. This Interim Force has taken 28 years in which that force has been totally impotent and incapable in preventing any of the terror activities which have happened in our region. I think it should be a robust, professional, effective force. A blue-helmeted force has been tried for 28 years and obviously failed."

France and the United States reached agreement on the draft resolution Saturday and the Council had hoped to vote on it early in the week. But the Council delayed formal consideration to listen to the concerns of the Arab League. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa says the delegation will continue consultations with Security Council members Wednesday to try to come up with a resolution that is acceptable to Arab members.

Arab League Wants UN to Press for Withdrawal of Israeli Troops from Lebanon

[Shammu]

UN deal may come too late to end fighting as obstacles to truce continue to mount

Ewen MacAskill and Rory McCarthy
Tuesday August 8, 2006
The Guardian

The UN security council will almost certainly adopt a ceasefire resolution this week, in spite of objections from Lebanon and others in the Arab world. But diplomats and analysts were united in despair yesterday, expressing doubts that the resolution could stop the fighting.

"It does not look good," one European diplomat said. "There is nobody interested in stopping now. Hizbullah has no reason to stop. The discrepancy between what is being discussed at the diplomatic table and what is happening on the ground is terrible."

They fear the draft resolution may have come too late. There is concern it is too weighted towards Israel and risks destabilising Lebanon's moderate government.

Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, said on Sunday that once there was a resolution in place, it would be clear who was interested in peace and who was not. The assumption behind her words was that Israel would obey the ceasefire call and Hizbullah might not.

But the reality may be that neither side will obey a ceasefire call. The draft resolution would allow Israel to continue "defensive" operations against Hizbullah and for its forces to remain in southern Lebanon. It is doubtful if Israel could, at this stage, accept a ceasefire when Ehud Olmert, the prime minister, has so little to show for almost four weeks of fighting.

Hizbullah could welcome a ceasefire and declare itself victorious, having stood up to the Israelis longer than any Arab army. But the group has said it would not accept any deal that leaves Israel occupying southern Lebanon.

There are face-saving measures available for both sides. If Israel were to secure the release of the two soldiers held by Hizbullah, that would help Mr Olmert persuade the Israeli public the war was justified. If Israel was to hand over Sheba'a Farms, a pocket of land it held after its withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, Hizbullah could claim a symbolic victory. But a deal on either is not in the draft resolution.

Nadim Shehadi, a specialist on Lebanon at the thinktank, Chatham House, was pessimistic. His estimate was that the draft resolution had a "less than 50% chance of success".

He said the resolution offered a chance to contain the conflict locally but that might be too late. The danger was of a wider regional engagement of Syria and Iran. In that case the Bush administration had two choices: make a deal with Syria, which would be a high price to pay, or go to war.

"If the US says 'we do not have the stomach [to make a deal] and do not accept defeat', then probably you have a regional military escalation," he said.

"If there was an attack on Syria, it will involve Iran because they have a pact. It means Iraq goes up in smoke. Everything in Iraq could look like a warm-up if Iran manages to set off a Shia rising. You would have the British army in a Zulu situation."

He said Iran had been playing chess while the US has been playing poker. "The Americans have been bluffing, saying 'we are going to attack you'. Either you are bluffing or not. It is time to show the cards," Mr Shehadi said.

Shlomo Avineri, a professor of political science at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, held out hope that the intervention of the Arab League, which represents all Arab governments, in support of Lebanon at the UN might yet avoid such an apocalyptic outcome. "What's happening here is an example of the strong hold that Hizbullah has over the Lebanese government," he said. "I think the Lebanese government would have accepted the draft resolution, but Hizbullah insist on their terms, which is that a ceasefire comes after an Israeli withdrawal.

Professor Avineri said there might be a way forward if the Arab League were to "provide a shield" against Hizbullah. "If they have that shield, then Lebanon might be able to accept that first step of the US-French draft and perhaps one can see progress," he said.

He said the Israeli public was still behind the government, but it expected a positive result from the conflict. "The Israeli government has to insist on the deployment of an international force and cannot accept the Hizbullah ultimatum," he said. "You don't go back to square one at the end of this war.

"The Israeli government has to respond to what is now a very angry Israeli population that wants to see some sort of result."

UN deal may come too late to end fighting as obstacles to truce continue to mount
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is from "The Guardian" they mix the facts, with fiction.

[Shammu]

King Abdullah II: The Lebanon that we knew is dead
JPost.com Staff, THE JERUSALEM POST    Aug. 8, 2006

Jordan's King Abdullah II asserted that the situation in the situation in the Middle East would continually deteriorate unless Israel and the Arab states could reach a peace agreement.

"The Lebanon that we knew is dead now," the king told the BBC, "The challenge for us is do we have a chance to build a new page for Lebanon, a good one, or is it going to go into a destructive mode and suck the rest of us in."

King Abdullah II: The Lebanon that we knew is dead

[Shammu]

Halevy: Iran can't destroy Israel
Greer Fay Cashman, THE JERUSALEM POST    Aug. 8, 2006

"It's not possible for Iran to destroy Israel," former Mossad chief Ephraim Halevy said Tuesday.

"I don't believe the existence of Israel is in question. I don't believe we could be erased from the face of the world," Halevy told the Hadassah Women's Zionist Organization and the World Zionist Organization's solidarity mission, gathered at the Neurim youth village near Netanya, where hundreds of Ethiopian children from the North have been taken in for the duration of the war.

While acknowledging that Iran is a threat, Halevy assured his audience that Israel has the capability to prevent itself from being eliminated.

Referring to the link between Iran and what is happening in Lebanon, Halevy said that if Hizbullah were crippled, it would dent the threat posed by Iran.

Convinced that hostilities between Hizbullah and Israel would intensify in the days to come, Halevy was nonetheless confident that Israel would be victorious.

"In the end, we will emerge successful," he said. "But we have to make sure that our enemies will not be able to project the image that they are similarly successful. This is very important for Israel's deterrence image," Halevy insisted, adding, "We must engrave in the mind of the enemy that it has suffered a serious setback."

Halevy: Iran can't destroy Israel
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He doesn't know how right he is, Israel is the "apple of Gods eye."

[Shammu]

IDF broadcasts Hizbullah's dead on al-Manar (Hizbollah TV HACKED) !!!
YNET/GAMLA News Item

August 9, 2006

Israeli army takes over terror group's TV station airwaves twice daily to show propaganda films presenting Nasrallah as liar, showing Hizbullah operatives fleeing from battle Ynet

While Israel Defense Forces soldiers are fighting brutal battles in the villages of southern Lebanon , the army is also fighting a fierce PR war against Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah .

The IDF took over the airwaves of Hizbullah's al-Manar television network as it showed Nasrallah's last speech and replaced the broadcast with propaganda footage. The video showed the bodies of Hizbullah operatives and asserted that fighters were fleeing from the battlegrounds.

Since the beginning of fighting in Lebanon the IDF has briefly taken control of the airwaves of al-Manar, Radio Nour, and Radio Sawt Al-Shab (the radio station of the communist party, which identifies with Hizbullah) to relay Israeli messages aimed at boosting deterrence, demoralizing Hizbullah and presenting Nasrallah as a liar and incapable leader.

Clips broadcast on al-Manar made use of motifs taken from the world of Lebanon and Hizbullah, including quotes from Nasrallah.

The IDF has only assumed control of ground transmissions via regular antennae; satellite broadcasts were uninterrupted.

Like everything in the IDF, there was a three-part explanation supporting the take-over of Hizbullah media:

      1. Use of the organization's own platforms to broadcast Israel 's messages

      2. Creating the sense that the organization is "penetrable" and that Israel has powerful capabilities

      3. Damaging the organization's abilities for set periods of time, and using the media as part of the war on to access the consciousness of the Lebanese community.

The propaganda videos expose Nasrallah's lies regarding the number of casualties the organization has suffered in fighting against Israel.

Likewise, a clip was produced showing "the escape legend" of Hizbullah fighters in battles in the south and in Baalbeck, weighed against a letter Hizbullah operatives sent to Nasrallah which he presented as a "Letter of the brave."

In addition, the clip shows Israeli commando activities in Baalbek, as well as the report on the IDF take-over of al-Manar in a Lebanese newspaper.

The IDF broadcasts the programs twice daily at 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

IDF broadcasts Hizbullah's dead on al-Manar (Hizbollah TV HACKED) !!!

[Shammu]

Iran and Syria exploiting weak Israeli leadership to expand war
By Jonathan Ariel  August 9, 2006
 
Iran and Syria have increased their involvement in the current war, after having reached a joint decision that the risk of Israeli retaliation against them is minimal.

According to a western intelligence source, which enjoys good access in Teheran and Damascus, this decision was facilitated by Israel's reluctance to take any action against Syria, despite the fact that Israeli intelligence is aware of the growing involvement of Damascus and Teheran.

Nasrallah transferred his command post to the Iranian embassy in Beirut almost two weeks ago. The Iranian authorities got confirmation that Israel was aware of this when Channel 2 news released the information earlier this week. The fact that the Iranian embassy has not received a visit from the IAF even after this became public knowledge convinced the Iranian leadership that Israel's political leadership lacks the stomach for a showdown, and that they therefore can continue to wage a war of attrition by proxy with impunity, causing Israel growing casualties as well as economic and diplomatic damage without risking any consequences.

In their eyes, the government has exhibited weakness and hesitatation since day one. The initial signal was the Israeli government's reluctance to declare a national emergency, which they took as a sign that the leadership was unwilling to even admit the possibility of involvement in a total war. The next development was the government's initial delay in calling up reserves, which they saw as a further sign of meekness emanating from an untested leadership.

The Qana affair was another Iranian move to test the waters. It has already been proven beyond a shadow of doubt that the entire affair was stage-managed by Hezbollah. The reason for this move was to check what Israel's reaction would be to adverse criticism coming in the wake of an accusation of large-scale civilian deaths.

The Israeli reaction was obliging, a panic followed by a statement to suspend air activities for 48 hours. Assad and Ahmadinejad saw in this response confirmation of their suspicions that Olmert and Peretz, both security neophytes, lacked the confidence needed to take them on, despite the IDF's superiority over their militaries, and that Israel's political leadership would vacillate rather than take decisive action.

The fact that Qana was chosen was not coincidental. The Iranians were aware of the fact that the name was seared in the memory of Israel and the media, because of the accidental Israeli shelling of the village during the 1996 Grapes of Wrath campaign. That incident caused major civilian casualties, generating diplomatic and media fallout that ended in then-Premier Peres ending the campaign prematurely, setting the stage for his electoral defeat a few months later, and providing the grounds for Hezbollah to massively upgrade its military and political infrastructure in Lebanon.

As soon as this decision was reached, both countries have increased their overt involvement, to prevent a Hezbollah collapse. Syria, at Iran's request, has allowed Hezbollah to set up a command post at Anjar, a Syrian military base adjacent to the Lebanese border in the Beqaa area. In addition to senior Hezbollah commanders, the base is also host to officers from the Syrian army and Iranian Pasderan (Revolutionary Islamic Guards), who liaison with the Hezbollah commanders, providing them with the best electronic surveillance of Israel at the disposal of the Syrian and Iranian military intelligence agencies.

The efforts to replenish Hezbollah's supplies of rockets is also being coordinated and managed from this base. Iranian- and Syrian-made rockets and missiles, loaded on pack animals, are entering Lebanon via narrow donkey tracks which have been used for decades by local smugglers. Due to the hilly and wooded terrain, the IAF cannot spot every shipment, and some are getting through. IDF intelligence is aware of the situation. Brig. General Yossi Beiditz, a senior military intelligence officer, has been quoted as saying: "Iran is actively involved in running and managing the war, and together with Syria is replenishing Hezbollah's supplies of rockets". Another senior IDF officer has voiced similar sentiments, saying that as long as Israel takes no decisive action against these convoys resupplying Hezbollah, there is no way the IDF can end the ongoing shelling of Israel's northern towns and cities. Neither the Prime Minister's office nor the IDF spokesperson denied Beiditz's statement, but refused to comment on it at all.

Iran has been trying to refresh Hezbollah's supply of medium and long range missiles, most of which have been destroyed by the IAF. This is proving more difficult, since these missiles, with their large launchers cannot be smuggled on mules traversing narrow mountainous donkey tracks. According to unconfirmed reports, Iran has succeeded in getting to Hezbollah one battery of upgraded Zelzal missiles, which have a range of over 200-300 kilometers (120-200 miles).

However, launching such a long-range missile is problematic for Hezbollah. Unlike Katyusha rockets (range up to 70 kilometers), which can be launched from small and highly mobile launchers, missiles such as the Zelzal require large launchers on heavy trucks, and longer launch preparation times, increasing the time-frame they are exposed and vulnerable to IAF bombing.

IDF sources have confirmed that several long range-missiles launches (unclear whether Zelzal or Khaibar missiles) have been foiled by bombing attacks in the middle of launch preparations. One launch, early in the war was prevented at the last minute when it was bombed as it was lifting off. Some Khaibars, which require shorter launch procedures than the Zelzal, have landed in Afula and Hadera. One Zelzal missile has actually been launched, but due to the hurried launch preparations to avoid an air raid, the guidance system was improperly set and the missile landed harmlessly several kilometers offshore, in the sea opposite a town in central Israel.

If the reports regarding the upgraded Zelzal are true, it is unclear whether this battery is in Lebanon or, as seems more likely, in Hezbollah's hands on Syrian soil. A more important question is whether Syria will take the next step, and allow Hezbollah to launch the missiles from its territory, where they are expected to be safe from the IAF.

Iran and Syria exploiting weak Israeli leadership to expand war

[Shammu]

 Samand production line in Belarus sign of presence of Iranian industry in Eastern Europe
Tehran, Aug 9, IRNA

Iran-Belarus-Samand
Launching production line of Samand sedan cars in Belarus is the first step for presence of Iranian industries in East European markets, Iranian ambassador to Belarus Abdolmajid Fekri said.

Fekri said, "In other words Samand is the symbol of Iranian industries in Belarus."
He said that Samand Project opened a new chapter in Iran-Belarus economic cooperation and named Samand cars as the main output of Iran Khodro on design and technical study of which major investment has been made by the company.

Fekri estimated the volume of business exchange between the two countries at around 40 million dollars a year.

He also added that Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit Belarus in near future.

He said that both Iran and Belarus have objections to monopoly of industrial states and have common views about industrial development of independent countries.

He noted that with regard to Belarussian strategic situation, it can be the main Iranian export route to other Baltic and European countries.

Samand production line in Belarus sign of presence of Iranian industry in Eastern Europe

[Shammu]

Hizbollah brings honor to world of Islam
Dubai, Aug 9, IRNA

Iran-Lebanon-Ambassador
Iranian Consul General in Dubai Mohammad-Jaafar Khatibzadeh here Wednesday said that the Lebanese Hizbollah brings honor to the world of Islam and hoped for its victory in the Zionist regime's war against Lebanon.

He told IRNA that all world Muslims consider Lebanon as part of the world of Islam, adding that what is taking place in this country has annoyed the people of the world.

Turning to the glorious rallies in support of Lebanese people's resistance throughout the world, he said they are obvious examples of popular support for the country's resistance.

"During the Zionist regime's one-month war against Lebanon, independent governments have also been supporting Lebanon's resistance and innocent people.

"Fortunately, in the ongoing unequal war, the meeting point of right and wrong is so distinct that it prompts every free man to sympathize with the patient Lebanese people," he added.

The Iranian diplomat said that despite being displaced in the war, Lebanon's innocent people do not complain once they are questioned by reporters and consider themselves as soldiers of the brave and faithful Arab leader, Seyed Hassan Nasrollah and fully support him.

He pointed to the Zionist regime's brutal attacks on Lebanese people in a completely unequal war, he said that the flame of war ignited by the Zionist regime in Lebanon has so far resulted in major human and economic loss.

"In spite of all difficulties imposed on Lebanese people in the war, the US and France are seeking to have a biased resolution approved by the United Nations Security Council," he said.

Concerning the approach of UAE government to Lebanese resistance, he called it as favorable, advanced, Islamic and humanitarian.

He assessed the UAE press coverage of Zionist regime's war against Lebanon and Lebanese people's resistance as positive.

About the relief aid provided for Lebanese people by Iranian Consulate in Dubai, he said, "Hundreds of dirhams have so far been transferred to two bank accounts, which have been opened by the consulate and allocated to the cause.

"Besides, to encourage tradesmen to help Lebanese people, several meetings have already been held."

Hizbollah brings honor to world of Islam

[Shammu]

Egyptian FM lauds Iran as an "Islamic, influential state"
Algiers, Aug 9, IRNA

Iran-Egypt-FM
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in Cairo on Wednesday that his country interacts with Iran knowing it is an "Islamic and influential state" in the Middle East.

Speaking to reporters, he said that Cairo sees no problems in its ties with Tehran.

Referring to developments in the Middle East, particularly the continuing war in Lebanon, he stressed the importance of making changes to a draft resolution presented by the United States and France to the UN Security Council in efforts to obtain a ceasefire.

He said the draft resolution should call for a withdrawal of Israeli forces that have invaded south Lebanon and settlement of the Shebaa Farms issue.

The Lebanese government has objected to the draft resolution which obviously defends the interests of the Zionist regime.

Aboul Gheit said Israel's occupation of Lebanon was the main problem, and added that the conflict cannot be resolved unless the Zionist regime first withdraws its troops from Lebanese territory.

Referring to Cairo's stance on the deployment of a multi-national force on the Lebanese-Israeli border, he said the Egyptian government would welcome any decision acceptable to Lebanon.

However, he said Cairo was of the view that any international peacekeeping force deployed in the Lebanese border should have no links with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The minister said Egypt sees no problem in the deployment of forces pursuant to the UN Charter and under UN supervision provided an agreement is reached by both sides.

Egyptian FM lauds Iran as an "Islamic, influential state"

[Shammu]

 Nasrallah Nixes Ceasefire Proposal, Okays Lebanese Army
21:38 Aug 09, '06 / 15 Av 5766
by Hana Levi Julian

      Hizbullah chief terrorist Hassan Nasrallah agreed in a elevised speech Wednesday night to deployment of the Lebanese army and a beefed-up UNIFIL presence in southern Lebanon.


Nasrallah’s acceptance of any military presence other than Hizbullah terrorists was a change from his past insistence on the group’s sole control of the southern part of the country.

“In the past we used to oppose, or not agree, on deployment of the army at the borders,” he said. In a significant departure from his actions, Nasrallah said, “We agree on deployment of the army, but do not hide our fear for it.”

Nasrallah rejected, however, the deployment of a new international peacekeeping force as well as the ceasefire proposal presented to the United Nations Security Council by the United States and France.

In a televised speech on the Lebanese Hizbullah-controlled al-Manar TV channel, Nasrallah said the plan was “unfair and unjust.” The Security Council continued discussions on the proposal on Wednesday. A vote was not expected until the end of the week, if not later.

Instead, Nasrallah urged Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora to stick to his own peace plan, rather than bow to pressure from the United States.

The Lebanese plan requires Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese soil before it implements a ceasefire.

Nasrallah also called upon Israeli Arabs who live in Haifa to leave their homes and evacuate the area. He continued threatened Israeli Jews with death and destruction, saying he would turn southern Lebanon into a graveyard for Israeli soldiers.

Nasrallah Nixes Ceasefire Proposal, Okays Lebanese Army

[Shammu]

For some evangelicals, Mideast war stirs hope
Believing the Mideast conflict is a sign that Christ will return soon, some evangelical groups have cheered Israel's military actions.
BY ALEXANDRA ALTER

The Rapture Index -- a popular evangelical Christian Web posting that calculates a global rise in natural disasters, war and inflation -- bills itself as ``a Dow Jones industrial average of end-time activity.''

An index below 85 signifies a week of ''slow prophetic activity.'' Anything above 145 signals the apocalypse is near.

The Rapture Index this week: 158. The spike reflects many U.S. evangelicals' view that growing conflict in the Middle East signals the start of a global struggle leading to Christ's return.

''We believe 100 percent what the Scripture has to say about this,'' said Jack Heintz, a South Florida businessman and president of the Christian group Peace for Israel, who recruited 23 evangelical Christians to join a July telephone fundraising event for Israel. ``There's going to be a total battle, the battle of Armageddon, and I believe that's very close to happening.''

Some have ratcheted up support for Israel in its current battle in Lebanon with Hezbollah out of belief that a raging war -- perhaps even a nuclear confrontation -- marks a prelude to the apocalypse. Christian groups are sending millions of dollars to Israeli communities and shelters, hosting pro-Israel rallies and urging U.S. politicians to back Israeli military action.

Evangelicals have issued dire warnings about a conflagration in the Middle East for decades, said Clyde Wilcox, a professor of government at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., who studies evangelicals and politics. Many evangelicals regard such calls with skepticism, he said.

''Every time there's been a war in the Middle East, this comes up,'' Wilcox said. ``Most evangelicals would not interpret this as saying that Christ is coming back in the next couple of years.''

RAISED INTEREST

Since the current crisis erupted July 12, interest in the Rapture Index has mushroomed, said Todd Strandberg, a Christian from Nebraska who updates the index on his website, raptureready.com. The site had a quarter-million unique visitors in July, up from 180,000 the previous month, Strandberg said.

''The Scripture bears witness to these events being part of the end-times prophecy,'' said Gary Cristofaro, pastor of First Assembly of God in Melbourne. ``Israel is so important in God's eyes.''

Cristofaro's church is one of a handful of Florida congregations that tithes a monthly donation to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a practice that stems from a belief that Israel must control the Palestinian territories in order to fulfill biblical prophecy. The congregation has donated more than $100,000 to support Israeli settlements in the past decade, Cristofaro said. On Saturday, church members plan to hold a ''Bless Israel'' fundraising event for 2,000 people.

Evangelicals' financial support for Israel has increasingly been supplemented by political action, Christian and Jewish leaders say.

At a July 18-19 pro-Israel rally in Washington, Christians from Florida and other states lobbied politicians to back Israel's military campaign in Lebanon. The Rev. John Hagee, pastor of a mega-church in San Antonio and founder of Christians United for Israel, organized the convention in hopes of launching a pro-Israel political network in 50 states.

Hagee has issued dire predictions about instability in the region leading to apocalypse. In his 2006 book Jerusalem Countdown: A Warning to the World, Hagee warns: ``The coming nuclear showdown with Iran is a certainty. The war of Ezekiel 38-39 could begin before this book gets published.''

Other high-profile Christian leaders have espoused similar views. In a July 22 commentary, the Rev. Jerry Falwell predicted present-day conflict in the Middle East will ''serve as a prelude or forerunner to the future Battle of Armageddon and the glorious return of Jesus Christ.'' Pat Robertson has shied away from declaring Armageddon but has warned ''God himself'' will fight for Israel.

WARY OF SOME EFFORTS

While a number of Jewish leaders have courted evangelicals' support for the Jewish homeland, others are troubled by its theological underpinnings, said Rabbi James Rudin, senior interreligious advisor at the America Jewish Committee in New York. Jewish leaders have long been wary of evangelicals' effort to convert Jews to Christianity through messianic groups such as Jews for Jesus and the Chosen People Ministries.

''Is the motivation to stand up for Israel, or convert the Jewish people and bring on the end of days?'' said Rabbi Solomon Schiff, executive vice president of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami.

Other Jewish leaders say evangelicals have toned down the religious aspects of their pro-Israel mission in recent years, particularly their insistence that Jews convert.

Avi Mizrachi, executive director of the Holocaust Memorial in Miami Beach, said he was overwhelmed by fervor for Israel at the Washington rally for Christians United for Israel.

''I saw more Israeli flags there than on Israeli independence day,'' he said. `In the past, there was concern about them trying to convert us. It doesn't even come up anymore.''

Christian Zionism -- the belief that Israel will set the stage for prophetic events such as the rise of the Antichrist, the Battle of Armageddon and Christ's 1,000-year reign -- has steadily gained popularity since the rise of the Christian right in the 1970s and '80s, said Timothy Weber, author of On the Road to Armageddon: How Evangelicals Became Israel's Best Friend.

In the most gruesome scenario, evangelicals envision a global battle breaking out when a 200-million-man army invades from the east and Jesus returns to take on the Antichrist. Jews and other non-Christians will face conversion or death.

In the past, some Christians predicted the armies would come from Russia or China, and today, many foresee an Islamic army led by Iran, Weber said.

Hagee and others caution that while Christians may have stepped up preparations for the end times, most believe the fate of the world remains in God's hands.

''No Christian or groups of Christians can do anything to hasten the return of Jesus Christ,'' Hagee said.

For some evangelicals, Mideast war stirs hope
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hagee and others caution that while Christians may have stepped up preparations for the end times, most believe the fate of the world remains in God's hands.

''No Christian or groups of Christians can do anything to hasten the return of Jesus Christ,'' Hagee said.

AMEN!!

[Shammu]

 Tanks Advancing into Lebanon
22:39 Aug 09, '06 / 15 Av 5766

(IsraelNN.com) IDF tanks are moving into southern Lebanon at this time, signaling the start of the advanced incursion intended to push Hizbullah further from Israel’s northern border, Israel’s Channel 2 TV reports.

Tanks Advancing into Lebanon

[Shammu]

 80 Rockets Strike Kiryat Shmona on Wednesday
23:48 Aug 09, '06 / 15 Av 5766

(IsraelNN.com) Officials reported at 11:00pm on Wednesday night that 80 rockets struck Kiryat Shmona today. The number does not include mortar shells.

80 Rockets Strike Kiryat Shmona on Wednesday

[Shammu]

 Terrorist Apprehended – Attack Prevented
02:22 Aug 10, '06 / 16 Av 5766

(IsraelNN.com) Members of the IDF’s Haruv unit on Wednesday apprehended a female terrorist south of Shechem, thereby preventing a terrorist attack inside pre-1967 Green Line Israel.

Security authority officials report that in the last month, eight suicide bombing attacks were prevented.

Terrorist Apprehended – Attack Prevented