Israel news from within Israel

[HisDaughter]

Israel gets two more German submarines
(AFP) – 2 days ago

JERUSALEM — Israel has taken delivery of two German submarines ordered four years ago, a military spokesman said on Tuesday.

"We have received two Dolphin-class submarines built in Germany," he said, on condition of anonymity.

The submarines, called U212s, can launch cruise missiles carrying nuclear warheads, although when it confirmed the sale in 2006 the German government said the two vessels were not equipped to carry nuclear weapons.

The subs were ordered in 2005 and delivery was initially expected in 2010.

Including the two new ones, Israel has five German submarines -- the most expensive weapon platforms in Israel's arsenal.

Germany, which believes it has a historic responsibility to help Israel because of the mass murder of Jews in World War II, donated the first two submarines after the 1991 Gulf War.

It split the cost of the third with the Jewish state.

According to Jane's Defence Weekly, the U212s are designed for a crew of 35, have a range of 4,500 kilometres (2,810 miles) and can launch cruise missiles carrying nuclear warheads.

Israeli media have written that the Dolphin submarine could be key in any attack on arch-foe Iran's controversial nuclear sites.

An Israeli submarine recently used the Suez Canal for the first time in June, escorted by Egyptian navy vessels, in what Israeli media said was intended as a message to Iran.

Widely considered the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear power, Israel suspects Iran of trying to develop atomic weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear programme, a charge Tehran denies.

[nChrist]

Germany, which believes it has a historic responsibility to help Israel because of the mass murder of Jews in World War II, donated the first two submarines after the 1991 Gulf War.

I had never heard this. This is a nice gesture, and I'm very happy to hear that Germany acted with their hearts.

[Barbara]

Got this e-mail today...

from cuttingedge:

"Obama just might make a unilateral announcement of a Palestinian state on his own!
Is this announcement the reason Obama is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu today at the White House?

NEWS BRIEF: 'Secret Obama Deal for Palestinian State?' by Aaron Kline, World Net Daily, Nov. 8, 2009"

I haven't read the World Net Daily article yet, but also got another heads up from Prophezine on the same subject!! Thought I should post so we could all gather info.

[nChrist]

Hello Sister Barbara,

Everything is falling into place perfectly for the Tribulation Period to be ushered in. All we have to do is read God's Word to see what's about to happen, and we already know how the story ends. Men and the devil are about to make the ultimate mess, and only Jesus Christ will be able to restore peace and order. I must add that it will be a Peace like the world has never known.

Israel will be the center stage for the Tribulation Period, and it already is. Regardless of what men do, Israel will be restored and peacefully occupy every square inch of the Promised Land. Men will have to learn the hard way that land belongs to Jesus Christ, the already anointed King of Israel. He will take what is His and rule over the earth from the Throne of David in Jerusalem, and no combination of powers will be able to stop Him. He will subject all things under His Feet and all will finally know that He IS GOD!

Love In Christ,
Tom

[Soldier4Christ]

Obama green-lights Arab land grab
But Israel threatens retaliation if U.N. approves Palestinian state

A top Palestinian Authority official told WND that the PA reached an understanding with the Obama administration regarding a Palestinian threat to unilaterally ask the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian state outside of negotiations with Israel.

Ahmed Qurei, former PA prime minister and member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization executive committee, said in an interview that the PA "reached an understanding with important elements within the administration" to possibly bring to the U.N. Security Council a resolution to unilaterally create a Palestinian state.

Asked to which "elements" he was referring, Qurei would only say they were from the Obama administration.

A top PA negotiator, speaking on condition of anonymity, named the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Susan Rice, and National Security Council member Samantha Power as among the Obama administration officials who were involved with the Palestinians' U.N. threat.

Despite widespread assumptions the U.S. would veto any such U.N. Security Council resolution, the PA negotiator said that in initial discussions, the Obama administration did not threaten to veto their conceptual unilateral resolution.

"The U.S. told us that they prefer a negotiated settlement with Israel, but if we (Palestinians) insist on a resolution, the Americans will not necessarily reject it," the PA negotiator said.

"The U.S. has a history of never before vetoing any U.N. move to create a new state," the negotiator pointed out.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said yesterday the Palestinians had decided to turn to the U.N. Security Council to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and eastern Jerusalem.

Separately, the negotiator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the Obama administration is "totally on board" with a plan by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to create a state on the pre-1967 borders within two years.

WND first reported in September that according to a top PA official, the Obama administration has largely adopted the positions of the Palestinian West Bank leadership to create a Palestinian state within two years based on the pre-1967 borders, meaning Israel would retreat from most of the West Bank and eastern sections of Jerusalem.

The PA negotiator WND spoke with yesterday said that his authority's primary goal now is to secure a letter of support from the Obama administration affirming the U.S. commitment to a pre-1967 Palestinian state within two years.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday hit back at the PA plan to unilaterally declare a state, warning such a move will be met by "one-sided Israeli measures." He did not elaborate.

"There is no substitute for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority and any unilateral attempts outside that framework will unravel the existing agreements between us and could entail unilateral steps by Israel," Netanyahu told a high-level gathering of Israeli and American policy makers at the Saban Forum in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu stressed that in order to achieve peace, "negotiations must resume immediately." He affirmed Israel was prepared to begin talks "with a generous spirit."

"I want to stress that we are willing to take steps that will help in advancing the peace process, but it must begin, there is no reason to waste time," said the Israeli leader.

While negotiations were not easy, Netanyahu said, "there is no other way to bring about change."

In September, a senior PA official told WND that aside from supporting a Palestinian state in the pre-1967 borders, the Obama administration also had accepted the PA position that Israeli-Palestinian negotiations begin where they left off under Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who went further than previous Israeli leaders in his concessions to the Palestinians.

Olmert reportedly offered the PA not only 95 percent of the West Bank and peripheral eastern Jerusalem neighborhoods but also other territories never before offered by any Israeli leader, including parts of the Israeli Negev desert bordering Gaza as well as sections of the Jordan Valley.

"We understand from the U.S. that the Netanyahu government is not in a position to go against creating a state within two years," the PA official said.

The official claimed the Obama administration was ready to ultimately consider "sanctions" against Israel if the Netanyahu government rejected negotiations leading to a Palestinian state. The official refused to clarify which sanctions he was referring to or whether he was specifically told by the U.S. government it would consider sanctions.

The PA official claimed Obama can make a "headache" for Netanyahu if the Israeli leader does not conduct negotiations leading within two years to a Palestinian state.

[Barbara]

  I cannot believe how quickly the Word of God is coming to pass!!!!! It's like they're following a script and don't know it!!!

But they'll be even more shocked at what will be coming upon them - THE LORD HIMSELF will fight for Israel!!!

Joel 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."
Zech. 12:2-3 "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trambling to all the people round about, when they shall be in the seige both against Judah and against Jerusalem. (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."
Zech. 14:1 "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
Zech 14:3 "Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle."                                                   Amazing Times 

[Soldier4Christ]

My thoughts went to those exact same verses.

[nChrist]

Another Amen! God's Will be Done and it Will Be!

I'm obviously not saying that I enjoy the thoughts about what is about to take pass, but God has told us what will come to pass - and it Will!

I'm also amazed at the total ignorance of God's Word regarding Israel, and that includes Israel. One would think that the world's most foremost Old Testament Bible Scholars would be in Israel, but they don't have a clue. We are watching an ever nearer insanity that's ready to usher in the chaos foretold in Bible Prophecy. We should know that nothing will be able to stop it because it is God's Will for disobedient, unbelieving, evil humanity. To say that we have a naive and evil administration fit for the times would be an understatement.

[Barbara]

Deputy Defense Minister Vilnai Warns: Next war will be in all of Israel
by Hagai Einav, YNET News. 11-24-09 Israel News

Three and a half years have passed since the second Lebanon War, and Tuesday morning saw the end of a project for the renovatrion and restoration of bomb shelters in Northern Israel in a festive celebration.

..."Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said that in the event of another military operation, the fighting will not only be felt near Israel's borders, but throughout the entire country. 'We are building the state of Israel's civilian front', he said, 'A war only on the military front, as in the Yom Kippur War - not involving the civilian population - will not occur.'"

..."There won't be another war that doesn't involve civilian population."

[Soldier4Christ]

I do believe that is true and that it will be soon in coming.

[nChrist]

I also believe this is completely true, and I think that the time is soon. The fuse on the Middle East powder kegs is getting short. When God's time comes, nothing will be able to stop it.

[Shammu]

Netanyahu: No more excuses - time is ripe for Mideast peace
By Barak Ravid
Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that the "conditions are ripe" for renewing peace negotiations with the Palestinians, adding that he planned to raise the issue with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during his visit to Cairo this week.

"I hope we have reached the time to renew the peace process," Netanyahu told diplomats gathered at the foreign ministry in Jerusalem. "The time for excuses is over. Now is the time for action."

Former justice minister Yossi Beilin told the Meretz party leadership on Sunday that Netanyahu was close to finalizing an agreement with the administration of United States President Barack Obama for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
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The process would last two years, according to Beilin, and would discuss the Palestinian demand for borders based on the 1967 lines and will include an exchange of territory and suitable security arrangements.

These are the terms of the agreement being hammered out between Netanyahu and the U.S. government on Israeli negotiations with the Palestinian Authority - that Netanyahu is willing to agree that the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations will last for two years, Beilin said.

The Prime Minister's Office said Beilin's comments were "unfounded," adding that discussions were ongoing but no agreement has been reached.

However, when asked about Beilin's statements, a senior U.S. administration official said: "Things are moving in this direction, but the deal isn't done yet. There are several issues still outstanding."

Netanyahu leaves tomorrow for talks in Cairo and appears set to present the agreements to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Beilin, who revealed Netanyahu's plan to declare a 10-month freeze on settlement construction a week before the prime minister made the announcement, based his statement on information he received from talks with Israeli and foreign officials. He said at a closed meeting of the Meretz leadership that Netanyahu and his special envoy for negotiations with the Palestinians, Yitzhak Molcho, had completed most of the work on the terms of reference for negotiations with the Palestinians during meetings with U.S. envoy George Mitchell.

At the meeting, Beilin described what he said were the agreements Netanyahu has reached with the Obama administration:

* Timetable: Netanyahu is willing to accept the U.S. proposal to allot 24 months to talks, but doesn't want to announce that the goal is to reach a deal by the end of that period.

* Borders: Netanyahu has agreed that the goal of the talks is to end the conflict and reconcile the Palestinian position of establishing an independent state on the basis of the 1967 borders, with the exchange of agreed-upon territory, and the Israeli position of a Jewish state with recognized and secure borders that will meet Israel's security needs.

* Jerusalem: Netanyahu has agreed that the status of Jerusalem will be discussed in the negotiations, but has not agreed to any preconditions on the issue.

* Refugees: Netanyahu said he was willing to discuss the refugee issue only in a multilateral framework.

* Previous agreements: Netanyahu is willing to commit to all previously signed agreements.

* Arab peace initiative: Netanyahu is not willing to support the plan, but is willing to say both sides are taking into consideration international initiatives that contribute to the advancement of the peace process, such as the Arab peace initiative.

Mitchell is expected to visit Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the second week of January to complete talks on the terms of reference for negotiations, Beilin said.

He warned Meretz leaders that Netanyahu may try to counteract the agreement by appeasing the right, which could undermine peace talks.

"If Netanyahu acts as he did with the freeze, when he approved hundreds of new housing units, it will wreck any chance of renewing negotiations," Beilin said.

Beilin said Netanyahu's position has encouraged the United States about the possibility of renewing negotiations soon.

"Their primary effort is to convince the Palestinians to accept it," said Beilin. "The American feeling is that Abu Mazen [PA President Mahmoud Abbas] will agree to this formulation."

Netanyahu: No more excuses - time is ripe for Mideast peace
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I get the impression that's it's probably more ripe for a Mideast explosion. It's like a powder keg over there, just waiting for somebody to get too close with a match.

[Shammu]

First-ever Heads of Missions Conference at the MFA
24 Dec 2009

Israel’s ambassadors and consuls general serving throughout the world will discuss broad diplomatic and strategic issues at a conference to be held next week in Jerusalem.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman, will host a conference next week (27-31 December) for Israeli Heads of Missions. At the conference, Israel’s ambassadors and consuls general serving throughout the world will discuss broad diplomatic and strategic issues.

This is the first time a conference for all of Israel’s Heads of Missions has been held. The idea is to facilitate direct dialogue with the country’s leaders, mutual updates on major diplomatic issues, and a discussion of action plans to deal with the challenges awaiting the State of Israel in the international arena in the coming year, including the Iranian threat.

A major part of the conference will be devoted to examining Israel’s integration and potential contribution to items on the world agenda such as the environment, renewable energy, water and sewage treatment, and new technologies. The participants will discuss how to develop and promote Israel’s foreign relations and its image as a country that contributes to creating a better future for everyone. They will also talk about the rise of new global powers and how to deal with them.

On Monday, 28 December, the Heads of Missions will be guests of President Shimon Peres at the President’s Residence.

Foreign Minister Liberman will open the conference. Other officials invited to attend include Prime Minister Benyamin Natanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy Dan Meridor, Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer, and senior officials of Israel’s diplomatic and security community.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to make the Heads of Missions Conference an annual event, as it is in other leading foreign ministries in the world.

Israel’s Ambassadors and Consuls Generals called Home
~~~~~~~~~~~

Also see;
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jerusalem-Israel/Israel-Ministry-of-Foreign-Affairs/101995411316
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About%20the%20Ministry/MFA%20Spokesman/2009/Press%20releases/Dep_FM_Ayalon_addresses_heads_missions_conference_27_Dec_2009.htm

[Barbara]

US Official:  Arming of Hezbollah could spark Israel - Syria War
by Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent
1-17-2010

An American Source says that Syria allowed Hezbollah operatives to train within its territory in the use of advanced SA2 anti-aircraft missile batteries, the Kuwaiti daily Al Rai reported Sunday.
     In an interview, the senior US official warned that if Syria supplies Hezbollah with this type of missile, Israel will bomb Damascus and a war will likely ensue.
     According to the official, Israel has warned Syria not to allow the transfer of the SA2 missiles into the hands of Hezbollah, and views the transfer of such missiles as the crossing of a red line.
     He added that he did not believe that a war would break out soon, unless one of the sides violated the undeclared agreement not to cross the red lines defined by both sides.
     The 2nd Lebanon War waged in 2006 between Israel and Hezbollah, turned southern Lebanon into a territory not unlike the Golan Heights, in that it does not enjoy the absence of conflict, but rather a fragile cease-fire, the official said.
     Since the war ended the Internat'l Intelligence community and the UN have been closely monitoring the smuggling of weapons from Syria to Hezbollah, but the ongoing smuggling has not yet crossed the so-called red lines.
     The official added that Israels top priority at this point, is to prevent Hezbollah from obtaining the SA2 missiles which are controlled from a remote control center. The official stressed that if Syria turns these weapons over to Hezbollah, Israel will not hesitate to strike Syria, including the capital Damascus.

[nChrist]

Hello Sister Barbara,

I know that you caught the significance of Damascus, and so did I. It's amazing to watch things line up around the world for the fulfillment of Bible Prophecy. God told us what will happen to Damascus, and it will most certainly come to pass at God's Appointed Time. That time appears to be drawing near. God's Will be done, and it will be.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Isaiah 17:1-3 KJV  The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.  2  The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.  3  The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.


Jeremiah 49:23-27 KJV  Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.  24  Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.  25  How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!  26  Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.  27  And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.