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


Updated 26/09/07
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Anti-Semitism
BBC apologizes for Jerusalem "capital" outburst
15/6/07
Sorry I haven't updated much recently. I haven't been feeling very spiritual this past few weeks. Upsets with Sunday School kind of threw me off-track. Nobody in my class came to the prize giving two Sunday's ago, and that upset me somewhat. I felt really left out as I had wanted to see the kids getting their prizes. It's not only a reward for the kids, but a reward for me also - a culmination of a year's work in sowing into the lives of these kids. I know the work will be rewarded in heaven, but it's hard spending time and energy for the Lord and to see so little results at the end of it all. Not that we will be rewarded for "results", rather it is "faithfulness" that will be rewarded on that day. But sometimes I feel that I've been so faithful, and yet the Lord hasn't rewarded me in the way I would expect. And then I get upset and start to wonder what the point is in being faithful, when I haven't got much to show for it. And then I sin and that makes me feel even worse, for I think, at least when I was faithful I had the Lord with me. And then I repent of my sins and think, what a fool I have been. I have so much to learn.

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

Wars and rumours of wars
Gaza fallen - Solana considers EU force
14/6/07
Hamas terrorists captured the last remaining outpost of Fatah's security infrastructure this morning, the Preventive Security headquarters in Gaza city. Around 14 people were killed during the fighting this morning, bringing the total number killed during the last four days to around 80. The feud between Hamas and Fatah had been brewing for some time, but this latest violence commenced on the anniversary of the Six Day War and has continued until today, resulting in Hamas gaining complete control of the Gaza Strip. The terrorist organization had been smuggling weapons across the Egyptian border since its election into the Palestinian Authority two years ago, and had intercepted US weapons that were destined for Abbas' "security forces". President Abbas had struggled to retain power, but is now considering ejecting his party from the unity government.

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

Wars and rumours of wars
Italy calls for international force in Gaza
13/6/07
The power struggle between the terrorist organizations Hamas and Fatah entered a new phase today, prompting calls from both Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema for the deployment of an international force that will be capable of keeping the peace in Gaza. The prospect of a Palestinian unity government restoring calm in the region now seems like a distant memory, as Hamas ambushed security bases throughout the Gaza Strip today, and may be on the verge of taking complete control of the territory. Prime Minister Olmert had previously stated he wouldn't send Israeli troops to fight Fatah's battles, and instead urged the international community to intervene. That call was repeated by Italian Foreign Minister D'Alema during an Israeli-Palestinian peace conference in Turkey today...

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

Fulfilled Prophecy
Herb Peters - at home with his Lord
13/6/07
As many of my friends have emailed me and as his daughter Holly has announced, Herb Peters - who ran the Fulfilled Prophecy website - passed away this morning. He was diagnosed with cancer of the colon a few days ago, and was given a few months to live. Mercifully the Lord has taken him home much sooner than expected. I didn't really know much about Herb, and the times I contacted him there were problems with his email. But I remember Herb announcing on his site that he was planning to leave his job and work full time at his ministry. That was a big step for him and his family. During the last few months Herb also undertook many speaking engagements throughout the United States. As Herb stated himself, he believed he had finished the work the Lord had for him to do. And looking back at his decision to leave his job and go into the ministry full time, it's clear he made the right decision. As the Scriptures say, great is his reward.

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

Peace process
Olmert calls for international action in Gaza
13/6/07
As the feud between Hamas and Fatah continues to escalate in Gaza, leaving over 30 dead within the past few days, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has called on the international community to intervene before the situation deteriorates. Egypt, which has mediated several failed truces between the two sides, today called on Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal to end the fighting. Senior leaders in President Abbas' Fatah movement believe that Hamas is attempting a coup in the Gaza Strip, and is receiving financial backing from Iran and Syria who are seeking to extend their influence in the region. Olmert has said he would not come to the aid of Fatah, and called for an international peacekeeping force to be stationed in the Philadelphi corridor to stabilize the region...

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

Revived Roman Empire
EU asks states to toe line on Constitution
12/6/07
European leaders are planning to gather for a summit in Brussels next week, to decide in what form the failed EU Constitution should be resurrected. EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has warned Britain and Poland to compromise their positions on the treaty, so that a common way forward can be found. Poland believes the new system of voting, based on population size, will mean the state will become less influential within the EU. Britain feels that any constitutional changes to EU law will need to be passed by a referendum in the UK, and with a population that is largely Euro-sceptic in outlook, this is unlikely to happen. For this reason Prime Minister Tony Blair is seeking a remodelled "constitution" in the form of a new "treaty", replacing the old treaties the European Union was founded on, with constitutional issues in the new treaty forming part of a separate document. But many European states have already ratified the constitution in its original form, and are pressing for as much of it as possible to be preserved.

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

Wars and rumours of wars
Iran complains to UN about Israeli "threats"
12/6/07
Iran has sent a formal complaint to the United Nations Security Council against Israel, regarding comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, about the possibility of a military strike on its nuclear facilities. Iran demanded of the UN that it respond to the Israeli threats and that Israel be made to abide by international law...

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

Peace process
EU "lifts" Hamas boycott
11/6/07
There hasn't been much news of this in the Western media so far, but apparently the European Union has resumed direct aid to the Palestinian Authority. The Quartet, comprised of the EU, US, UN and Russia, imposed the economic boycott of the Palestinian Authority after Hamas was elected into the government nearly a year and a half ago. The Quartet insisted Hamas, who's charter still calls for the destruction of Israel, recognize the Jewish state's right to exist, end violence and honour previous agreements made by the PLO. Hamas has so far agreed to none of this. Earlier this year, a Palestinian unity government was formed between Hamas and Fatah, the West hoping that the influence of Fatah would cause Hamas to moderate its stance. Both terrorist organizations expected the economic boycott to be lifted immediately, but Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, stated that the judgement to lift the boycott would be based on deeds and not words. Clashes between Hamas and Fatah have continued since then, but despite this the EU has agreed that payments can be resumed as long as the money is seen to be being used responsibly. 

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

Wars and rumours of wars
Solana cautions West against strike on Iran
10/6/07
Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, has cautioned Western nations against undertaking any "negative" moves which may hinder progress in negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme. He made the comments during an interview with Spanish newspaper EFE. Solana warned the West not to expect any quick results in the talks, over which he was appointed representative of the six nations involved in the nuclear dispute.

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

Dividing the Land
MEP slams Israel's "illegal occupation of Palestine"
9/6/07
Caroline Lucas, a member of the Green Party in the United Kingdom, and a member of the European Parliament's official delegation to the Palestinian territories, has slammed Israel's "occupation" of East Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and the Golan Heights, and has called for the EU association agreement with Israel to be revoked until Israel disengages from these lands. She also called for the United Kingdom normalize relations with the "democratically-elected" terrorist organization Hamas, or conditions in the Gaza Strip would continue to deteriorate. Lucas is planning to address an anti-Israel rally called "Enough Occupation!" being held in London tomorrow, marking the 40th anniversary of the end of the Six Day War. 

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

Fulfilled Prophecy
Herb Peters seriously ill
8/6/07
I am shocked and saddened at the news of the illness of our friend Herb Peters, who runs the Fulfilled Prophecy website. I think his website may have been one of the first places I came across the man Javier Solana, who he has been following for many years. I often visited Herb's site and read his analysis of end time events. Herb took sick recently and was forced to discontinue his daily commentaries on his prophecy website. At first the doctors suspected a gallbladder problem which would have required surgery, but they have since discovered he has colon cancer, and may only have a few months to live.

Quote: "He wants me to tell you that, for some months before his diagnosis, he had been telling many people (including myself, my mother and brother, Constance and others) that he had a sense that the work God had called him to -- reporting on a series of events that appear to be the fulfilment of end-time Bible prophecies -- was done. He felt the entire end-time scenario is now in place. So, when he received the diagnosis, he felt like it was a confirmation of what God had already put in his heart. He feels a peace and excitement about the next stage -- though he isn't looking forward to the process between now and then. He knows many people have been praying for him, and he is grateful. His prayer request is that God will give him what he's calling "dying grace" -- the ability to face death with courage.

Our prayers and thoughts are with him and his family at this time. As the Scriptures state, may we all be able to say...

2nd Timothy 4:7-8 
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 

Herb's family are planning to keep the Fulfilled Prophecy website going in his absence. But it may not be too long before all those who trust in the Lord for salvation will be "with Him where He is", and what a day that will be.

Source Fulfilled Prophecy

Six Day War
The return of Yeshua HaMashiach to Jerusalem
8/6/07
This fantastic image was created by my friend Ben, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Six Day War, and the soon return of our Yeshua HaMashiach - the Lord Jesus Christ. Ben has kindly permitted me to use his picture as a background image on the site this week. You can see the proper colour version by clicking the link below. The following words are Ben's...

Quote: "In light of this weeks 40th anniversary and the world's response, I was inspired to complete an idea that's been gnawing at me for years. (I work as a graphic designer.) Some of the detail may get lost in this smaller version. The original is quite large (over a half a gigabyte). the concept is prophetic pointing toward Christ as the Redeemer of Israel. 

In Ezekiel there is a phrase that is continually repeated - "Then they will know that I am the LORD." Sometimes "they" refers to Israel (34:27) and sometimes to the nations (37:28). It goes along with what Paul wrote in Romans 11. One day Israel will recognize Jesus as the LORD. Here are the various texts used in the piece. Psalm 24:7–10 appears in Hebrew on the gates. At the bottom is Psalm 118, the first line of verse 26: Blessed is the one who comes in the Name of the LORD. Matthew 23:37–39 inspired its usage. The reddish text is from Luke 21:28. Embedded in the illustration like a watermark is Isaiah 40:1; Jeremiah 29:11–13 and Psalm 130:7–8. These last three passages are quite small at this size and difficult to read. hope you are able to open the attachment. 

God loves His people Israel with an everlasting love and He has poured His love out into our hearts.

Dividing the Land
Olmert willing to hand over Golan
8/6/07
Following on from yesterday's news that Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common Foreign and Security Policy, believes that an international peacekeeping force in Gaza is a possibility, I came across this article this morning. Called "An opening for peacekeepers in Israel", the column examines how the situation in the Middle East has changed dramatically within the past forty years, and particularly within the last few months. As the author Don Waxman states, Israel's seeming inability to prevent hundreds of Hizbullah rockets raining down on its cities during the Second Lebanon War, has resulted in its leaders looking to the international community for "peace and safety". Palestinian leaders are also seeking for a solution to their own political turmoil. As time passes, the international community seems more and more willing to offer that.

Quote: "Outside Israel, the idea of an international force in Gaza is also gaining traction. Michael Williams, the UN’s new special envoy to the Middle East, recently With the PA collapsing, and without an effective and viable military solution of its own, Israel appears ready to welcome international peacekeepers, if only into Gaza and not the West Bank. said that Israel, the Palestinians and the UN should consider an international peacekeeping force in Gaza. In addition, Javier Solana, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, has stated that the EU would discuss a peacekeeping force if Israel and the Palestinians proposed it.

Israel wants peace, perhaps more than ever now, and as Israeli Prime Minister Olmert has previously stated, Arab leaders will be surprised at what he is prepared to give up. The Prime Minister stated today that he was willing to disengage from the Golan Heights, in return for a comprehensive peace agreement with Syria and the severing of its ties with terrorist organizations and Iran. 

Quote: "Bush, the report said, gave the go-ahead and said the United States would not stand in Israel's way, prompting Olmert to convey to Assad several messages through German and Turkish mediators saying he "realizes that a peace agreement with Syria would entail the return of the Golan Height's to Syrian sovereignty". The prime minister expressed his willingness to live up to his end of the bargain if Syria would "gradually dissolve its alliances with Iran, Hizbullah and the Palestinian terror organizations and stop funding and promoting terror". Syria, for its part, has not responded to the offer, apart from a few vague declarations of its willingness to enter negotiations.

But as was reported recently, with Syrian troop levels on the Israeli border at an all time high, I wonder whether the Golan Heights would be worth more to President Assad in Israeli hands? As long as the region remains in Israeli hands, Syria will have a justification for launching a war with Israel. And coupled with Hizbullah, Islamic Jihad and Hamas, along with the President of Iran, I wonder if getting the Golan back will be more worthwhile to Syria than losing so many anti-Israeli friends? I think even if Israel hands back the Golan, Syria will never end its hostility towards Israel, as Isaiah 17 seems to indicate.

There do seem to be parallels between what is taking place now, and what took place in the weeks after children of Israel left Egypt. When the twelve spies returned from the promised land, ten of them brought back an evil report. They said the land God has brought us to is a land of giants, and that devours its inhabitants (Numbers 13:33-34). Joshua and Caleb brought back a good report, saying it was an exceedingly good land that flowed with milk and honey (Numbers 14:7-9). But the people listened to the evil report and said, "Would to God that we had died in this wilderness!". God granted them their desires, and all the congregation was made to wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all those who had murmured against God had perished.

Numbers 14:34 
After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, [even] forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, [even] forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

When they heard those words the people regretted what they had said, and told Moses they were now going to go and possess the land. But Moses told them not to go, for God was not with them. And they fled before the face of their enemies (Numbers 14:40-45), and were forced to turn back into the wilderness. 

In the same way, Israel could not defeat Hizbullah, for the Lord was not with them. Israel - a third world power and boasting the most advanced airforce in the world - was not able to defeat a few thousand terrorists and their primitive rockets. Why? Israel had disengaged from the Gaza Strip the previous year. The leadership had shown that they no longer believed God's promise, that He would give them this good land. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is once again preparing to hand over more land, the Golan Heights and the West Bank. As a result they have lost their greatest weapon - the Mighty God of Jacob. It was God who delivered them from their enemies in 1967, and caused them to recapture parts of His land. Now they have turned their backs on their God and His promises, and are turning to the Gentiles for deliverance, and I believe this may well signal the beginning of a time of great trouble for the Jewish nation.

Source Globalist, YNet News

Dividing the Land
EU: Gaza peacekeeping force is possibility
7/6/07
Link from my friends Darrell and John...

Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, has stated that an international peacekeeping force in the Gaza Strip is a possibility, but that Egypt might not like it. He makes the comments 40 years after Egyptian President Nasser formally asked a UN peacekeeping force to leave Sinai, in order to commence an attack upon Israeli forces during the Six Day War. The European Union has already made several calls for such a force to be stationed in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was originally opposed to such a plan, but later stated that if EU soldiers were willing to put their lives at risk engaging terrorists on a daily basis, Israel would be willing to accept.

Quote: "Solana said two groups in the Israeli parliament had said it may be the moment to call for such a force, at least to start with, in the south of the region where the Rafah border crossing to Egypt is located. "We are working on that," he said. "The Israelis are also considering that possibility, the Palestinians are considering that possibility, the Egyptians are considering that possibility." Solana said it would probably be difficult for Egypt as deployment of such a force might give the impression it was not able to control that part of the border. However, he added: "I think we can still get into discussions on these issues and maybe eventually get a solution."

I think Egypt will be willing to consider such a force, for they won't want the power struggle between Hamas and Fatah spilling over the Egyptian border. President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority needs a third party to prevent the region descending into civil war, and Israel needs a way of controlling the Kassams without having to launch constant incursions into Gaza. The Bible states that during the tribulation period, the Antichrist will mount an invasion of the Middle East in order to stabilize the region. As we can see, the European Union is the ideal third party to launch such a force, being trusted by all sides and having a regional interest in the Middle East.

Daniel 11:23 
And after the league [made] with him he (Antichrist) shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 

Source Reuters

Dividing the land
Biggest storm in 60 years hits Arabia
6/6/07
Mainstream media organizations such as Reuters are continuing to present the 40th anniversary of the Six Day War as a Palestinian "catastrophe" of which they seem to claim Israel is solely responsible, rather than a war in which Israel was fighting for its very survival. Reuters correspondent, Nidal al-Mughrabi, takes up the story of Umm Ali, a Palestinian refugee who fled to the Gaza Strip after the War of Independence, only to find herself "under siege" again when Israel took control of the region during the Six Day War. Ali does not try to conceal who she blames for her troubles...

Quote: "Ultimately, like many Palestinians, Umm Ali blames the "nakba" -- the disaster of Israel's birth -- in 1948 and the "naksa", or setback of the 1967 war, for her hardships: "Of course, it is all because of our displacement."

Reuters also decries Israel's desire to preserve a Jewish majority in its homeland rejecting any thought of Palestinian "right of return", while refusing to mention the expulsion of Jews from East Jerusalem during the War of Independence and the destruction of some 13 synagogues in the city by Jordanian forces. In the article, another Palestinian recalls how he had "high hopes" that Israel would be wiped off the map on June 5th 1967, and his despair when their efforts failed. 

Quote: "Another man, declining to give a name, recalled the high hopes on the eve of war as Egypt, Jordan and Syria, backed by Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Algeria, took on Israel. "They told us not to fight because they had seven armies," he said. "But they were defeated like butterflies."

The following link was sent to me by my friends Darrel and Denese. As the world mourns the Israeli victory of 1967, Arab nations are once again facing the biggest storm to hit the region in sixty years. This time it's not another "nakba". Tropical Cyclone Gonu hit the Gulf state of Oman today, bringing heavy rains and strong tides along with the threat of severe flooding. During the Six Day War, Egypt halted Israeli shipping passing through the Straits of Tiran, threatening the collapse of the Israeli economy. Now on the 40th anniversary of the Six Day War, the biggest Cyclone to hit the Arabian Peninsula in 60 years is bearing down on the Middle East, disrupting shipping for a second day and sending oil prices higher. Tens of thousands of people in Oman have been evacuated from their homes, and thousands more are being evacuated in southern Iran. Schools have been designated as emergency shelters, and the airport is closed. Residents in the capital Muscat have been advised to stay in their homes.

Quote: "Oil prices rose amid forecasts that the strongest storm to threaten the Arabian Peninsula in 60 years was barrelling toward Iran. As heavy rains lashed coastal areas, authorities closed all operations at the port of Sohar and evacuated the 11,000 workers, port spokesman Dirk Jan De Vink said. Sohar's oil refinery and petrochemical plant remained running at very low levels, with authorities considering a total shutdown, he said. De Vink said he and the other beachfront residents of the city of 60,000 were leaving their homes, all threatened by rising tides and large waves pushed by the approaching storm. "These people know the force of the sea and they're doing the right thing," he said. "Most of them are leaving or have already left."

This storm reminds me of Hurricane Katrina, the most destructive storm to ever hit the United States. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee New Orleans, and many thousands lost their lives as a result. It occurred shortly after Israel's disengagement from Gaza, and was perceived by many to be a divine judgement on the US for its part in the division of God's land. As we are now in the 40th anniversary of the Six Day War, and the 59th anniversary of the birth of Israel - with the biggest storm hitting the Arabian Peninsula in 60 years, perhaps God is reminding Arab nations of their harsh treatment of His people Israel, and what to expect if they continue down this path.

Isaiah 2:4 
And he (Christ) shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Source Reuters, Fox News

Dividing the land
Arab League condemns Israeli "occupation"
5/6/07
As the Israelis commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Six Day War, during which the Jewish state experienced a miraculous deliverance from the hands of a half a dozen Arab countries that were determined to drive it into the sea, it seems many other nations are mourning the day their plans came to nothing. Members of the Arab League gathered for a special session in Cairo today, marking the 40th anniversary of the first day of the war. The Arab League's Secretary General Amr Moussa used the occasion to condemn Israel's "occupation" of land captured during the Egyptian-initiated Six Day War, and stated that Arab nations would not tolerate it.

Quote: "The Arab League gathered Tuesday in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, for a special session marking the 40th anniversary of the Six-Day War with Israel, which led to the Jewish state seizing large territories from Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said Arab countries would never put up with Israel's occupation of their lands during that war, including East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and Syria's Golan Heights. 

On the 29th of May 1967, President Nasser of Egypt had boldly proclaimed that Egypt was ready for war with the Jewish state. The goal of the war with Israel was the restoration of Arab dignity, following the failures of the War of Independence in 1948 and the Suez War in 1956. The "excuse" for war was the Palestinian cause, and Egyptian President Nasser was aiming for nothing less than the complete destruction of the state of Israel...

Quote: "[Nasser]: "Now, eleven years after 1956, we are restoring things to what they were in 1956. This is from the material aspect. In my opinion this material aspect is only a small part, whereas the spiritual aspect is the great side of the issue. The spiritual aspect involves the renaissance of the Arab nation, the revival of the Palestine question, and the restoration of confidence to every Arab and to every Palestinian. This is on the basis that if we were able to restore conditions to what they were before 1956, God will surely help and urge us to restore the situation to what it was in 1948.

Egypt had blocked Israeli shipping in the Straits of Tiran, and was massing its armies in Sinai. Israel faced an existential threat, being completely surrounded by hostile nations, both outnumbered and outgunned. The US was putting pressure the UN to reopen the Straits of Tiran, but by the time that could be affected, Israel's economy may have already collapsed. There was only one option left open to Israel, and that was to strike first. The goal Israel had in mind was not the occupation of Arab land, but simply its own survival. Israel mobilized its entire fleet of just 200 aircraft (one fifth of which were training aircraft), and sent them on a daring mission to destroy the Egyptian airforce numbering some 450 planes. Within a few hours most of Egypt's airforce was destroyed, and President Nasser didn't even know about it. On this day in 1967 Nasser had convinced King Hussein of Jordan that Israel's destruction was assured. Jordanian radar had picked up waves of planes heading for Israel, and wrongly assumed that they must be Egyptian. Israel pleaded with Jordan not to enter the war, but King Hussein ignored those pleas. Rather than the destruction of Israel, which the Arab nations had hoped for, the result was a stunning series of victories which can only be attributed to Divine intervention of the Mighty God of Jacob. 

Isaiah 31:3-5
Now the Egyptians [are] men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together. For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, [he] will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver [it; and] passing over he will preserve it.

Today the world reflects on what has transpired since then. Arab states continue to remember the date as a second "nakba", or "great catastrophe". Jordanian newspapers, forgetful of their country's involvement in the war against the Jewish state in 1967, blame Israel for escalating Muslim fanaticism and state they will not be immune from attack in a future Arab war...

Quote: "Another Jordanian newspaper, the Arabic daily al-Dustour, held the Israeli occupation of Palestinian, Egyptian and Syrian lands in 1967 as responsible for the "growth of the Jihad ideology" and other extremist doctrines in the Arab and Islamic worlds. "Israel, which turns its back to Arab peace overtures, should know that the invincible military power on which it so far depended faltered in last summer's war (in Lebanon) and that its ally (the United States), which it dragged into a war against Iraq, is about to be brought to its knees," the paper said.

As Christians we are supportive of Israel, for they are God's chosen people, and through them all the families of earth have been blessed in the Messiah - Jesus Christ (Genesis 12:3). But even though the Arab nations have fought against Israel and attempted to destroy God's people on numerous occasions, God has a plan for them too and for the Palestinians. And one day I believe that all Arab nations will celebrate the day God brought His people home to Eretz Yisrael. 

Zephaniah 3:20 
At that time will I bring you (Israel) [again], even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.

Source RIA N, Mid East Web, Haaretz

Wars and rumours of wars
Egypt may restore relations with Iran
4/6/07
Israeli Prime Minister Olmert is to be told this week that he must open negotiations with Damascus soon, or the likelihood of war with Syria will be greatly increased. Israeli intelligence reports that Syria has been arming itself with Russian-built missiles over the past two years. Syria has also amassed a stockpile of anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, and acquired Chinese C-802 cruise missiles from Iran. Syrian troop deployments in the Golan Heights have reached levels not seen since the Yom Kippur war. As the Iranian President stated yesterday, the Second Lebanese War has made the Islamic world think that Israel can be defeated. And as the anniversary of the Six Day War looms, many are wondering whether or not Islamic nations are planning yet another attack, to try and wipe the state of Israel off the maps. It has been revealed that Egypt may be planning to restore full diplomatic relations with Iran, for the first time since the Iranian revolution in 1979. 

Quote: "Last week, Aboul Gheit sent Mottaki a message saying Egypt was willing to talk about restoring relations with Iran. The message was sent in response to a statement by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who said that "should Egypt signal that it wants to restore relations, we would be willing to open an embassy in Cairo the very next day."

Shortly before the outbreak of the Six Day War, Egypt signed an mutual defence pact with Jordan, enabling the two armies to co-ordinate their attack on Israel. As Iran openly talks of destroying Israel, it seems that Egypt is once again aligning itself with those nations seeking the destruction of the Jewish state. Egypt does of course have a peace agreement with Israel. During the Second Lebanese War and even during the excavations at the Mugrabi gate, pressure was put on the Egyptian government to cancel the peace agreement with Israel. The Bible states that during the tribulation period, Egypt will be one of the countries that will be overthrown by the Antichrist, which leads me to believe that this nation will initiate another war with Israel at a future date.

Daniel 11:42-43 
He (Antichrist) shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians (Sudanese) [shall be] at his steps.

And while Israeli politicians talk of separating Syrian and Iranian foreign policy through peace overtures, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is stating that he and President Bashar Assad have reached a new understanding, and are calling for increased co-ordination in their "confrontation" of the United States and Israel.

Quote: ""President Ahmadinejad told his Syrian counterpart that his victory belongs to the freedom seeking nations and added the enemies cannot do anything in confrontation with vigilant nations," the report said. "President Assad, for his part, appreciated Iran's support, especially the support of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei of (the) Syrian nation and added (that) coordination between Iran and Syria in (the) confrontation with the Zionist regime and the USA can bear better results in the future," it added.

The article appeared on President Ahmadinejad's weblog, on which he also calls for the arrival of the Islamic messiah, the Mahdi. I seriously doubt whether Israel will be successful in pacifying Syria, for as Isaiah 17 states, the city of Damascus shall be destroyed and become a ruinous heap.

Source YNet News, YNet News, Haaretz, YNet News

Dividing the land
Palestinian group seeks to disengage East Jerusalem
4/6/07
A group of Palestinians representing 130 civil institutions is planning to draft a letter to the UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon, demanding the UN realize its own decisions regarding the status of East Jerusalem. The Palestinian group, called the Jerusalem Association for Civil Institutions, is seeking to "disengage" from the rest of the city, by creating a new municipality in East Jerusalem that will be run by Palestinians. The group plans to travel to the UN office in East Jerusalem to deliver the letter in person.

Quote: ""All UN resolutions since 1948 are based on the fact that Jerusalem is occupied territory, and that the occupation has no right to change its legal status, its geographical character or demographic makeup, and it is the right of its residents to take the necessary steps to organize and maintain their civilian lives," writes initiative leader, Hazem al-Gharabli. "The Israeli government has ignored these resolutions over the years and worked to alter that which characterizes this city and expel its resident from Arab Jerusalem to gain control over their lands and property.

The group claims it is not linked to the PLO or the Palestinian Authority, and that these organizations would not even recognize such a move. As the fortieth anniversary of the Six Day War approaches, the Palestinians aren't the only ones upping the pressure on Israel to divide the land. The human rights organization, Amnesty International, has released a new report condemning the Israeli "occupation" of the West Bank. The report entitled "Enduring Occupation: Palestinians under siege in the West Bank", accuses Israel of "unwarranted land grabs", slams the construction of what Amnesty International call the "death wall" and condemns Israel for "using excessive and unwarranted force" against international peace activists in Palestinian villages.

Quote: "In the report, Amnesty lists seven "recommendations" for the Israeli government, which include calls to "end the regime of closures in its current form, as well as other forms of restrictions on freedom of movement of people and goods, that result in collective punishment... Stop the construction of the fence/wall inside the West Bank, including East Jerusalem..." and to "stop immediately the destruction of houses, land, and other properties without absolute military necessity as prescribed by international humanitarian law."

But there was little condemnation of Palestinian terrorist organizations, who continue to fire rockets into Israeli towns and have brought much chaos to their own people in the Gaza Strip. 

The number forty in Scripture is prophetically significant, and represents a period of testing and judgement. During the flood of Noah, it rained for forty days and nights. The city of Nineveh was given forty days to repent of its wickedness before being overthrown by God. The Israelites wandered through the wilderness for forty years after their disobedience in not going in to possess the land. Moses lived forty years in Pharaoh's palace, forty years in the wilderness keeping sheep, and forty years bringing the children of Israel to the promised land. Forty years after the rejection of the Messiah, the Temple was destroyed by Titus and the Jewish nation scattered. Forty years after the anniversary of the Six Day War and the recapturing of East Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, might the world be about to witness the unfolding of another prophetically significant event? Perhaps so. As we have seen, the world is preparing for the disengagement from Judea and Samaria and the division of the Holy City, and Muslim states speak daily of Israel's impending destruction. These are the conditions the Bible states will characterize the last days before Christ's return.

Source YNet News, YNet News

Wars and rumours of wars
Ahmadinejad: Countdown to Israel's destruction begun
3/6/07
President Ahmadinejad of Iran is once again threatening the state of Israel, exclaiming that the countdown to Israel's destruction has begun with the Second Lebanese War and the efforts of Hamas and Hizbullah. Yesterday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki urged Palestinian terrorist organizations to continue fighting against the Jewish state, as he met with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal and representatives of Islamic Jihad. It's by no means the first time Iran has threatened to wipe Israel off the map. Last year Mottaki denied Israel even existed during a press conference regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions. Ahmedinejad has stated that the sure way to end the Middle East conflict is to end Israel's existence. Iranian newspapers also predicted last year that a great war was coming which would result in the destruction of the state of Israel... 

Quote: ""The arrogant superpowers and the Zionist regime invested all their efforts during the 33-day war, but after 60 years, their pride has been trampled and the countdown to the destruction of this regime has been started by Hizbullah fighters," the president was quoted as saying by Iranian news agency Mehr. Ahmadinejad added that "with the help of all the Lebanese and Palestinian fighters, we will witness the destruction of this regime in the near future... Anyone who works for God and believes in the power of the people will prevail."

There aren't the words of some mad man. Those who have spoken to Ahmadinejad have said that he is charming, witty and a very clever man. No, these are the words of a man who is so controlled by Satan, that he hates anything to do with Jesus Christ and God's plan for mankind. I've said before, the world is not anti-God. Hell is filled with religious people, and if he can, Satan will use religion to keep people in their sins. The world is anti-Christ, because Satan hates Jesus Christ. From the very beginning, Satan tried to mess up God's plan for the world. He had Cain murder Abel in an attempt to cut off the lineage of the Messiah before He was born. He has tried on numerous occasions to wipe out the nation of Israel, thus destroying the people from which the Messiah would come (Micah 5:2). At Christ's birth he had all the babies in Bethlehem murdered, to try and prevent Jesus Christ going to the cross (Matthew 2:18). And Satan is still attempting to destroy God's people Israel, in order to prevent Christ from setting up His kingdom in Jerusalem. In a last desperate attempt, he will try and make war with Jesus Christ as the Lord returns with us out of heaven. But Satan will be defeated (Revelation 17:14).

That I believe, is what is at the back of all these anti-Israel boycotts, and possibly the global hatred of the United States (which supports Israel) and to a lesser extent Great Britain. Satan is a failure. Everything he has done has failed, and will continue to fail. Jesus Christ is the one who is worthy of all honour and praise, and it shall be His in that coming day when He reigns from the river Euphrates to the ends of the earth (Psalm 72:8).

Source YNet News

Persecution
Pakistani Christian sentenced to death
2/6/07
Younis Masih, a Pakistani Christian who spoke out against the rape of Christian girls in his country, has been charged with blasphemy of the prophet Mohammed by a court in Lahore. Under Pakistani law he has committed an offence punishable by death. No execution of those convicted under this law has ever been carried out by the state, but even just an accusation of blasphemy is enough for Muslim gangs to commit murder. As in this case, "confessions" are often extracted under torture, the jury can be intimidated by Muslim activists to give a guilty verdict, and those offering legal assistance may be warned not to interfere. Masih plans to appeal the ruling.   

Quote: "The human rights organization says Section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which relates to blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed, was introduced in 1986 by the then-ruler of Pakistan, General Zia ul-Haq. Section 295B, relating to desecration of the Koran, was introduced in 1982. The blasphemy laws require only an accusation by one man against another for a case to be filed. In almost all cases the charges are entirely fabricated. Masih was outspoken against incidents of rape committed against Christian girls, and is a Christian himself. It is believed these were the reasons he was accused of blasphemy.

Sadly persecution of Christians in states such as Pakistan, and other Islamic countries is nothing new. Last year we had the trial of Abdul the Afghani Christian convert, who was sentenced to death by an Afghan court for converting to Christianity. According to Sharia law, he is still treated as a Muslim who has defected from the "faith". This happened in a "free" Afghanistan, under the noses of the United States. Thankfully he was released after a worldwide protest.

It's not easy for Christians living in Islamic countries. Muslims believe there is only one God, and Mohammed is his prophet. Of course Christians also believe that there is only one God, but existing in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Muslims and Jews find this very hard to understand. They think that we worship three Gods, which to them is idolatry. Muslims believe that Jesus Christ was a prophet but that he was just human, and to make a human equal with Allah is an offence punishable by death. In the West we can understand how God could have a Son, but for Muslims this is a foreign notion, for they cannot understand how God could have a Son without having a sexual relationship with a woman. And suggesting that God had a sexual relationship with a woman is blasphemous, both to them and us. But the Bible clearly states, both in the Old Testament and the New, that God has a Son, and His name is Jesus Christ. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus Christ claimed equality with His Father, and even the Jews sought to stone Him for blasphemy. 

John 10:30-33 
I (Jesus Christ) and my Father (God) are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

Muslims do believe that Jesus Christ never sinned. But they must answer this question. Why did the Jews seek to stone Jesus? If the Jewish leaders misunderstood Jesus' words, why didn't Jesus correct them. And if He didn't correct them, then we must assume that their assertion - that He was making Himself to be God - was correct. Is this blasphemy? No, not if Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be, God manifest in flesh (1st Timothy 3:16). During the tribulation period, the Bible states that many tribulation saints will be beheaded for their witness for Jesus Christ. As we can see, the ones who will be doing the beheading, and who will also have the motive to do it, will most likely be Muslims.

Revelation 20:4 
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 

Source WorldNetDaily

False Prophet
EU, Rabbis call for "interfaith UN"
1/6/07
This link from my friends Jim and Darrell...

The European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pottering has stated he is in favour of the creation of a UN-like organization that would comprise of world religions rather than nation states. He made the statement during a meeting with prominent Israeli Rabbis on Wednesday. Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger was the first to propose the idea of a UN of religions, which would fester... sorry "foster" peace through dialogue. Pottering's support for such a body is the first time a political figure has shown real interest in taking concrete steps towards achieving the idea.

Quote: ""I envision the body being based in the holy city of Jerusalem, which is sacred to the three monotheistic religions. But disputes over its location should not delay the establishment of the interfaith UN," Metzger added.

The Bible states in the book of Revelation that a religious system will ride the beast during the first three and a half years of the tribulation period. Many people have different ideas as to what this system is. Some think it to be Roman Catholicism, with its Babylonian links. The Catholic Church has ruled Europe throughout the centuries, and some of the symbolism mentioned in Revelation 17 matches that of Rome. But halfway through the tribulation period, this Mother of Harlots will be thrown off the Beast's back. If Rome is the city which sits on seven mountains as described in Revelation, then the Vatican will be destroyed by fire (Revelation 17:16) and the Papal system will collapse. Even Catholics themselves believe we may be only one Pope away from the Antichrist himself, but that's another story. In the middle of the tribulation period, there will be a war in heaven, and Satan will be cast down to earth (Revelation 12:12). He will be very angry, and will enter the Antichrist and persecute God's people. The Antichrist will then sit in the Temple in Jerusalem and claim to be God (2nd Thessalonians 2:4). A False Prophet will be raised up, who will call on all people to worship the Antichrist or be killed. As we have seen today, the setting up of global religious body is hastening the day when people of all religions will unite under one man, based in Jerusalem.

Source Jerusalem Post

Covenant of Peace
EU ready to support Israel against Iran
1/6/07
European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pottering addressed the Knesset on Wednesday, telling MKs that they could count on the EU to support Israel in the event of any threat to the nation's security. Pottering also spoke of his shame of Germany's involvement in the holocaust, and expressed his thankfulness that Israel enjoys good relations with Europe. He made the comments during a five day tour of the region.

Quote: ""Rest assured that if ever Israel's security and existence are threatened by speeches like those made by the Iranian president, or even actions, the EU will support you unhesitatingly," said Pottering, who is in the region for a five-day visit.

The EU Parliament President also visited Gaza and lamented the poor economic, social and humanitarian conditions there, calling on Israel to release over $700 million Palestinian tax revenues to alleviate the suffering. Pottering also stated that the EU believed the "two-state solution was the only way to a satisfactory solution" to the conflict, and that "the principle of 'land for peace' represents the fairest, most just approach if we are to achieve a balanced and lasting result". 

I thought Pottering's comments were extremely interesting, for we know the EU will become involved in the Middle East  peace process in a dramatic way. It seems that Europe will not come to Israel's aid at first, for there is no mention of any other nation defending Israel during the Russian-Arab invasion in Ezekiel 38-39. During the tribulation period, Europe's role will be to try and keep the peace in the Middle East, coming against northern and eastern nations as they threaten war (Daniel 11:44), and through the overthrow of hard-line Islamic nations (Daniel 11:40-43). Towards the close of the tribulation period the European Union, along with all the nations of earth, will persecute Israel, resulting in the greatest period of trouble for the Jewish people they have ever witnessed. 

But as for Pottering's comments on the "two-state solution", I believe this plan will never be realized. Notice several statements from the following verse that completely contradict this idea of two nations living side by side, a plan I believe is satanic in origin. 

Ezekiel 37:21-22 
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:  And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

Firstly, the Lord said He would bring the children of Israel into "their own land". This completely refutes the idea that there ever was a nation of Palestine. The land belongs to the Lord and He gave it to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their descendants for an eternal possession (Genesis 17:8). Secondly, the Lord has said regarding the regathering of the Jewish people to the land of Israel, that He would make them "one nation upon the mountains of Israel". You just need to look at a map of the Middle East to see that the world is trying to divide God's land into two separate entities "on the mountains of Israel". The two areas are completely intertwined. But the Lord said they will not be "divided into two kingdoms any more at all". It's interesting that before Israel took Gaza and the West Bank in 1967, there was no Palestinian uprising against Jordan or Egypt calling for a Palestinian homeland in these areas. Why? Because Israel was not in control. As soon as Israel took the land, the Palestinian terrorist organizations started complaining that Israel was stealing their land. And now we have this revisionist history, turning Israel into the oppressor and the Arab nations into the oppressed. This shows us that this whole conflict is driven by a demonic spirit that is bent of the destruction of God's people, and the only way you can end a spiritual conflict is through a spiritual war.

Revelation 19:19-21
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Source Jerusalem Post


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