Prophecy in the news
"Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book:
for the time is at hand." - Rev 22:10 

Prophecy in the news has moved to
www.prophecynews.co.uk

Both the old site and the new site can now be accessed at this address.
Use http://www.prophecynews.co.uk/index.html to access the old site
Use http://www.prophecynews.co.uk to access the new site.

Some good news. I have ordered a new domain for Prophecy in the News. God willing, possibly by next week, the new address for the website will be www.prophecynews.co.uk. I always said if I got a good number of hits on the site, that I would move it to a proper domain. My aim in this is to glorify God, and hopefully www.prophecynews.co.uk will be a lot easier to find than the current address. This website also supports scripting, so there might be the possibility of having users posting links, articles, etc. If anyone has any suggestions regarding good PHP or PERL scripts, please let me know. I might like to eventually transfer the entire website, article by article, to a database that can be read by PHP, but I would need some help in accomplishing that. I am proficient in MS Access only.

This link from my friend Cheryl...

The BBC has formally apologized for a reference on one of its programmes to Israel being the capital of Jerusalem. During Football Focus aired on the 24th of March, the presenter made a passing comment that Jerusalem was the "capital of Israel", as well as its "historic soul". A harmless enough statement, you may think, for although the world doesn't recognize it as such, Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and Jerusalem has been its historic soul, even before Israel became a nation (Genesis 14:18). Well those comments had British Islamic groups up in arms (not literally of course). The Arab Media Watch, the Muslim Public Affairs Committee, Friends of Al-Aksa and the Institute of Islamic Political Thought all complained to the BBC about the programme in question. As a result, Football Focus acknowledges its error, and the BBC sent their sincere apologies to the four Islamic organizations, and their promise that this faux-pas would not be repeated. 

Quote: "Azzam Tamimi leads the Institute of Islamic Political Thought, one of Muslim-British organizations that complained. In 2004, in an interview with the BBC, Tamimi, a Hamas supporter and a member of the Muslim Association of Britain, expressed his desire to become a suicide bomber. In the same interview, Tamimi rejected Israel's right to exist. Addressing their success in pressuring the BBC to issue an apology for the Jerusalem reference, the website of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee exclaimed, "Victory to the Intifada!"

In August 2006, both Costa Rica and El-Salvador moved their embassies from Jerusalem, back to Tel Aviv - the capital of Israel before the outbreak of the Six Day War. No nation on earth now has its embassy in Jerusalem, not even the US even though it regards Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. This of course is in direct fulfilment of Biblical prophecy, for the Bible teaches us that the status of the city of Jerusalem would one day become a such a thorny issue, that it describes it as a "burdensome stone" and a "cup of trembling" for all people. During the tribulation period, the world's focus will be on Jerusalem, and at the time of the end, all nations on earth will come against Jerusalem to try and settle the problem once and for all.

Zechariah 12:2-3
Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

Source Arutz 7

Quote: "According to Israel Radio, Egypt was busy preparing plans to absorb thousands of Palestinians attempting to flee the clashes in Gaza. In Israel, defense officials said talking with Hamas might become unavoidable, as closing all crossings from the Gaza Strip into Israel to avoid intra-Palestinian violence leaking into Israel would soon cause an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Israeli sources were quoted as saying that following the developments in the strip, Israel was now viewing the Gaza Strip as a "separate enemy state."

What a change from 40 years ago. What a change from even 2 years ago. As Israel was disengaging from the Gaza Strip in August 2005, Hamas was already declaring it a victory for Islam. Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that without Israeli security forces on the Philadelphi corridor the region would become a haven for terrorism, and that is exactly what has taken place. On the backdrop of all this chaos, Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, has stated that Europe is willing to police Gaza but that the EU hadn't yet been asked to help, and it is doubtful the EU would intervene in the near future. Both Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Abbas have raised the idea of an international peacekeeping force in Gaza with UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon. But both the Organization of Islamic Conference and Hamas rejected the notion of foreign peacekeepers on "Islamic soil".

Quote: "Hamas said Thursday that it would refuse to accept a multinational force along the Gaza-Egypt border and would treat it as an occupying power. "Hamas rejects any dispatch of foreign forces to the Gaza Strip," Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said. "The movement would regard those forces as occupation forces no different to the Israeli occupation, regardless of their nationality."

Clearly Prime Minister Olmert cannot afford to let Hamas consolidate power in the Gaza Strip. If it were up to me I would be launching an operation to retake the Strip as soon as possible. But according to Scripture, we know that this present situation will grow worse to the point that Europe will have to intervene. The EU has launched a new military operations centre in Brussels, and is currently conducting its first exercise - albeit through computer simulation at present. Javier Solana has an extensive military background, being a former head of NATO. He is presently Secretary General of the EU's military arm, the Western European Union, and he is also chief of the European Defence Agency, an organization that aims to promote co-operation between member states on civilian and crisis-management operations. As our friend Herb Peters had been reporting, the EU is increasing its military strength, recently being granted the use of NATO resources for European missions.

Quote: ""It's a question of a good and serious division of labour, which is necessary with the number of crises we are trying to handle," Mr Solana told journalists on Wednesday (14 June), AP reported. He rejected the suggestion that the centre - set up earlier this year in Brussels to enable the bloc to plan and run an autonomous operation at the military strategic level - could be seen as competition undermining links with the North Atlantic pact.

Now as Europe casts its eyes eastward, and continues to increase its political and military influence in the region, as the Scriptures state the question may soon be asked, "Who can make war with the beast?"

Daniel 7:7-8
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it [was] diverse from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Source Jerusalem Post, Reuters, Haaretz, EU Observer

Quote: "Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said Rome backed a proposal by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to station international forces along the Gaza Strip's volatile border with Egypt to prevent arms from reaching Palestinian gunmen, including Hamas. "I find Olmert's proposals to be positive. However, it is an issue that needs to be discussed in detail," he said during a visit to Turkey.

The EU has stated they would consider of such a move, if all sides involved in the conflict supported the idea. The EU has repeatedly called for an international peace keeping force to be deployed in Gaza, but some states are reluctant to send peacekeepers to patrol what is fast becoming a war zone. Fatah officials had earlier stated that they believe Hamas was attempting a coup of the Gaza Strip, and it seems that is what is taking place. Over sixty people have been killed in the past four days in the former Jewish territory.

Quote: "A PA official expressed deep concern over Hamas's success in taking control of several Palestinian security installations. He revealed that Hamas had succeeded in laying its hands on large amounts of weapons belonging to the Fatah-controlled security forces in many parts of the Gaza Strip. "They have seized thousands of rifles, large amounts of ammunition and dozens of vehicles, including armored jeeps," he said. "This is really bad news for all."

Bad news for Javier Solana and his Middle East peace plan. Bad news for Ehud Olmert and Ariel Sharon and their "disengagement" experiment. Had anyone told these men this is what would be happening in under two years time from the disengagement from Gaza, I wonder would they have believed them. But they were warned. 

Joel 3:4-5
For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 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. And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink. Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head; Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: 

Source Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Post

Isaiah 57:1 
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

Source Fulfilled Prophecy

Quote: "Olmert also called on the West to take immediate action to "change the situation in Gaza" and said that serious consideration should be given to the introduction of a UNIFIL-type international force along the Philadelphi corridor between Gaza and Egypt to prevent the continued smuggling of arms to Hamas. This marked the first time that Olmert has publicly backed this idea, first broached a few weeks ago by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. European officials have said the European Union would only discuss the idea if it received formal requests from all the parties involved.

In other news, Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres has been elected President of Israel today, replacing the disgraced Moshe Katsav. His opponents, Rivlin and Avital, withdrew from the race after the first round after it became clear that Peres was the favourite. As has been stated before, Shimon Peres has made it his personal goal to make peace in the Middle East in the remaining years of his life. He has close links with the Vatican, and reportedly promised the Pope that he would give the Catholic Church official status in Jerusalem if it were ever to become an international city. Shimon Peres has drafted a plan he calls the "Peace Valley", a special agreement between Israel, Jordan and "Palestine", which would promote peace and co-operation between the three neighbours in the region, and would receive assistance from Europe. I came across this article yesterday, in which Peres expresses his opinion on the current impasse in the Middle East... 

Quote: "Despite the current unfavourable situation, the path to stabilizing the Middle East still leads through joint economic projects. Even now, Israel is planning to build a new "corridor of peace," which will comprise the Jordanians, the Palestinians and us. Within the framework of this project, we are seeking to halt the dehydration of the Dead Sea, build a joint airport and a joint water network with Jordan, and develop tourism infrastructure, at a cost of up to $ 5 billion. We have the donors, so there is no shortage of money to finance our efforts, which, I am sure, will be realized. Israel wants - indeed, desperately needs - peace and stability in the Middle East, and we will continue to do everything in our power to achieve it. But we cannot reach that goal alone, much less negotiate with those whose idea of a stable and peaceful Middle East is one that has no place for Israel.

But Peres' plan will never come to fruition. Jordan has so far refused to become part of any federation with the Palestinians until they have a state of their own. And looking at the Scriptures, I doubt the Palestinians will ever have a state of their own. Man's attempts at peace will ultimately fail. Only when Israel recognizes its Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiach, will their be real peace.

Ezekiel 21:26-27 
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this [shall] not [be] the same: exalt [him that is] low, and abase [him that is] high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no [more], until he come whose right it is (Jesus Christ); and I will give it [him].

Source Jerusalem Post, YNet News, Japan Times, People's Daily

Quote: "European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said there would be "very negative implications" for the EU's single trade market, solidarity among member states and economic cohesion if a summit next week failed to agree on a replacement for the constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. "In the end we need political leadership, and I think the message that comes out of this is a strong plea to member states to work in a sprit of compromise," he told a conference of European and national parliaments.

And as European influence in the Middle East conflict continues to grow - as prophesied in Scripture and predicted by believers for hundreds of years - I came across this commentary, written by an interfaith "Peace Chaplain" in Massachusetts. Analysing conflict resolution in Europe following the two world wars, and the 30 year conflict in my own country of Northern Ireland, Wayne-Daniel Berard suggests that Europe may hold the key to resolution of the Middle East conflict. Berard believes that a European-style union of Israel and "Palestine", ruled by governing bodies made up of politicians from both sides, could bring peace to the region. As with Europe, state borders would become increasingly irrelevant, as all citizens would be members of the union, and could live and work in any part of Israel or the territories without compromising their political ideologies.

Quote: "An IPU, an Israeli/Palestinian Union -- an impossible dream? Too much hatred ingrained, too much blood spilled between Palestinians and Israelis for it to be anything else? Consider this story, which I heard from an Irish native: A man stands on a Belfast street corner late at night, seeking a taxi. Suddenly, he feels a pistol in his back and hears a voice ask, "Are you Catholic or are you Protestant?" Thinking fast, the man replies, "I'm a Jew." As the hammer clicks back and the trigger's pulled, the voice behind him says, "And I'm the luckiest Arab in all Belfast." A hopeless bit of theater on the reality of violence as way of life? But today, Ian Paisley is First Minister and Martin McGuinness Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, where those of different faiths had been killing each other, not for fifty-nine, but for over three hundred years. Or put another way: Imagine my father at nineteen, crawling his way over the bodies of his mates, his brothers. He stares up at the cliffs of Omaha Beach, higher and more deadly than any wall, and comes away convinced that Europe was and could never be anything but a 400,000 square-mile excuse for mass murder. Yet, in this same man's lifetime, on that same continent, victories in which no one is defeated are being achieved. They are the only kind that can endure. For Ireland, for Europe. For Israel, for Palestine.

And we know according to Scripture that the European Union - the Revived Roman Empire - will play a significant role in establishing a peace agreement in the Middle East. While in Europe and in Northern Ireland, we are thankful for a measure of peace, our friend's analysis of the Middle East conflict leaves out one thing - surprising for an "interfaith Peace Chaplain" to miss - a spiritual dimension. There are many differences between the situation in Northern Ireland and that of Israel. The conflict in Northern Ireland was mostly political and criminal in nature, while in the Middle East, it is largely religious. Sure, Protestants killed Catholics and Catholics killed Protestants, but none were compelled to do so by their own religion. This hatred of others who are different than us is instilled in our youth through intolerance and bigotry. But Jews ruling over Muslims in the heart of an Islamic region is in violation of the prophecies of the Qur'an, which state that Muslims will conquer the world in the name of Allah. The Qur'an also enjoins Muslims to kill infidels - particularly Jews, in the name of Allah. It is this hatred of God's people and ultimately of Jesus Christ, inspired by Satan himself, not only through Islam but through many religions and political systems, that is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict today.

Source Reuters, Mid East Web, New York Times

Quote: "The letter was presented Monday evening to acting president of the Security Council, the Belgian Ambassador to the UN. The protest came in response to statements made by Mofaz during a visit to Washington last week, heading an Israeli delegation that held strategic discussions with the US dealing mostly with the Iranian nuclear threat. At a press conference, Mofaz responded to a reporter's question by saying that "the military option is included in all the options that are on the table..."

When Iranian President Ahmadinejad stated that Israel should be wiped off the map, his remarks received international condemnation. Former Prime Minister Shimon Peres slammed the United Nations for its failure to act against the Iranian President, stating that "a member of the UN is calling for another member of the UN to be destroyed", and action should be taken to stop this. British Prime Minister Tony Blair remarked that "if someone else were to call for Iran or Syria to be wiped off the map, people would be tearing the house down!". And that is true, had Israel called for Iran to be destroyed completely, you can just imagine the reaction of the mainstream media. Israel has never called for any state to be wiped off the map, even though Egypt, Iran, Syria, Jordan and many other Arab states have repeatedly attempted to do so. But the Bible states that Israel shall never be removed again from its place, though all the nations of earth be gathered against it.

1st Chronicles 17:9 
Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,

God willing I will be heading to Israel in October of this year, for my first trip to the Holy Land.

Source YNet News

Quote: "Under the project launched Monday, the €4 million will be paid in instalments until June 2009 and training will be provided in both the Ramallah and Gaza City offices of the finance ministry by accountancy firm Ernst & Young. "This support for the ministry ... will help me ensure that we work in accordance with the best international standards, and that the government can give every Palestinian taxpayer the assurance that their money is being legally and honestly spent," Fayad said in a statement. With this program, "the EU is resuming its support of the Palestinian Authority [PA] in a direct manner by the finance ministry," Fayad said in a press conference after the signing. Despite the freeze on direct aid, EU aid in 2006 - extended indirectly through a mechanism that avoided the Hamas-led government - increased on the previous year to reach around €700 million.

In other news, European states such as Holland are seeking a more pro-active role in the Middle East conflict. Several prominent Dutch politicians have signed a petition calling on the Netherlands parliament to demand their government recognize Hamas, and apply more pressure to Israel to abide by international law. 

Quote: "The petition appeared in several daily papers, and featured signatures of many other opinion shapers from across the political board. "The government must help break the impasse. With the Arab League," the petition read. In addition, the document included an implicit demand that Holland recognize Hamas: "The Netherlands must engage in dialogue with all the relevant parties."

The Hague, the seat of government in Holland, also houses the International Court of Justice, which has been given legal authority by the UN to preside over matters of international law. The Hague, most notably condemned Israel for its construction of the peace wall, and demanded that it be dismantled. The Hague does not have the authority to enforce its decisions.

Quote: "On December 8, 2003, the General Assembly (GA), in a special emergency session adopted a Palestinian-initiated resolution sending the issue of Israel's security barrier to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague for an advisory opinion on the question: "What are the legal consequences arising from the construction of the wall being built by Israel, the occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory." The Palestinian Authority and supporters had attempted to have the Security Council pass such a resolution, however these efforts were unsuccessful, and they turned instead to the General Assembly, where anti-Israel resolutions are routinely supported by the majority of member nations. The resolution passed 90-8, with 74 countries abstaining.

Source Middle East Times, Haaretz, ADL

Quote: "Any "negative" move against Iran by the Security Council would be a "mistake", Solana told the EFE. "I want the Western countries to adopt a proper approach in dealing with Iran's nuclear issue," Solana suggested. He said if the West doesn't seek a proper solution for Iran's nuclear issue many problems will arise which might be "impossible to resolve."

His comments came on the same day that Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz stated that military action against Iran to remove the nuclear threat against Israel remains a possibility. US pilots also held a joint drill with the Israeli Air Force today, increasing speculation in the Arab media that preparations are being made for a strike against Iran.

Quote: "Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz says all options are on the table when it comes to dealing with Iran's nuclear program. Mofaz says Israel has sent a clear signal that the military option is one possibility for stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. But in an Israel Radio interview, he said war would be a last resort. "At this time, international sanctions are the right course of action and they should be intensified," he said. 

The view that military action could be taken against Iran to prevent the threat of nuclear war in the Middle East - held by both the US and Israel, is in stark contrast to general European opinion that Iran can be somehow talked out of threatening Israel with nuclear destruction. This despite Iranian nuclear negotiators admitting they had duped the West by using the talks as a cover to buy time to develop their nuclear programme. Solana also recently admitted that the EU expects Iran to acquire the capacity to produce a nuclear bomb at some stage in the future, and that this ambition is unpreventable through dialogue alone. As with the Six Day War 40 years ago, Israel's existence is once again threatened by Islamic states that would seek to wipe it off the face of the map, and it may take another pre-emptive strike to ensure Israel's survival.

Ezekiel 39:3 
And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. 

Source Mehr News, Huliq, YNet News

Quote: ""This unlawful occupation has been going on for far too long, causing terrible suffering and injustice. For the sake of humanitarianism, justice, peace and democracy, it is time to end it once and for all: and we in the UK should use the 'stick' of international and EU law to put pressure on Israel to do. "Until Israel conforms to all previous security council resolutions and ends the occupation, stops building its 'separation barrier' - also unlawful, according to the International Court of Justice - and demonstrates it fully respects the rights of Palestinians, we must suspend the EU-Israel Association agreement, which governs political, economic and cultural links between EU countries and Israel," she said.

As has been said before, it seems the United Kingdom is fast becoming a hot-bed for anti-Semitism. Countless British trade unions, academic groups, charities and religious organizations have united their voices in condemnation of Israel, while turning a blind eye to the mass murder of Palestinian terrorist organizations and some Islamic states in the Middle East. The 40th anniversary of the Six Day War has become a focal point for anti-Semitic groups to express their anger at what they perceive to be the unjust treatment of Palestinians at the hands of their Israeli oppressors. They ignore the fact that this situation is not Israel's doing, but was brought about through the action of Arab nations, who couldn't even tolerate the fact of Israel's existence, never mind the "occupation" of lands that Israel has possessed for thousands of years - having Scriptural and archeological evidence to back that up. They ignore the forced expulsion of Jews from East Jerusalem and the West Bank during the 19 years of Jordanian rule following the War of Independence, and decry Israel for changing the "status" of East Jerusalem. Arabs enjoy citizenship in Israel, the right to vote, and many serve in the armed forces, while the only Jews in Gaza are ones that are being held captive by Palestinian terrorists. Not mentioning the endless rain of Kassam rockets which have left Sderot a ghost town, continued attempts by suicide-bombers to infiltrate Israel, and the refusal of Arab states to recognize Israel's right to exist at all. This nation of the United Kingdom ought to be ashamed of itself.

Although the British government has expressed its support of Israel and discourages such boycotts, I will be writing to my MP to express my thoughts.

Zechariah 14:2-3 
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

Source Muslim Weekly