In early 2010 it was announced by Hillary Clinton the American Secretary of State that the initial strategy of the United States under Barack Obama was not working in the Middle East Peace Process. This initial strategy was to try to pressure the Palestinians to refrain from acts of terror or incitement against the Israelis and for Israel to completely stop building of new settlements on land in the West Bank and East Jerusalem that the Palestinians and Arabs and much of the world community have designated as land for a future Palestinian state although the Israelis still want to hold on to some of this land especially East Jerusalem which includes the Old City of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount since these were lands God gave by covenant to the Jews through their fathers Abraham, Moses and David as mentioned in the Old Testament. Although Benjamin Netanyahu did give at least a 10 month halt to building of new settlements in the West Bank which has angered some of his primary supporters for his coalition government the Palestinians and Arabs and some western governments have said that was not enough. In the new strategy recently outlined by Hillary Clinton, the new American approach to the Middle East peace process is to insist that neither the Palestinian Arabs or the Israelis should have any pre-conditions in resumed peace negotiations and that negotiations should go directly to determined borders between Israel and a Palestianian state as regards the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The thinking is that if and when borders can be agreed to between the Israelis and Palestinians for the West Bank and East Jerusalem then the Jewish settlements there can be dealt with appropriately as to whether they end up in Israeli or Palestinian territory and efforts couldn't be made to argue whether Israel should dismantle certain settlements depending on whether they are going to end up in Israeli or Palestinian designated land. It remains to be seen whether this will have any more success than earlier peace negotiations by the Americans in the Obama or previous administrations but the Middle East peace process by the Americans, Europeans, United Nations etc. will fairly soon lead to the false peace of the Antichrist with Israel and the Arabs that will enable Israel to build their third temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem with some concession to the Palestinians and other Arabs and the immediate preceding rapture or catching up of all true or born again believers in God through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. I urge you to trust in the Lord Jesus that he died for your sins on the cross and rose again about 2000 years ago so you can be a born again child of God and ready for the rapture as well as a blessed destiny in the eternal life to come with God, His Son Jesus Christ and all His people of all nations. God through the Lord Jesus Christ will come at the end of the tribulation to judge the Antichrist and the ungodly world and establish His government on earth centred on Jerusalem and the remnant of the Jewish people that realize that Jesus is the their true Messiah, Lord and Redeemer.
In late February 2010 Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu made a public committment of just over the equivalent of $100,000,000 for the upkeep of two important Jewish historical sites in the West Bank or Judaea and Samaria. These are the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem. This was probably done partly to satisfy right wing or more biblical Jewish politicians and their constituency in or that support his government. The Tomb or the Patriarchs is the location where the Bible says that Abraham, his wife Sarah, his son Isaac and his son Jacob were all buried according to Genesis 23, Genesis 25, Genesis 35, Genesis 49:29-33. Although Muslims claim Abraham's other son Ishmael who is the ancestor of all the Arabs is also buried in the Tomb of the Patriarchs, it is not clear from the Bible where Ishmael was buried. There is a devout Jewish community in the centre of Hebron near the Tomb of the Patriarchs that is seeking to uphold the Jewish claim to Hebron as part of the land of Israel that are protected by Israeli soldiers but are surrounded by about 150,000 Palestinian Arabs. The other site is the Tomb of Rachel Jacob's other wife that is in Bethlehem. Both these sites are also claimed as holy sites to the Muslims. This announcement of Benjamin Netanyahu was probably also done to continue to protect Jewish interest at those and other sites holy to Jews in lands in the West Bank designated under the international community to be given to the Palestinian Arabs as Netanyahu and other Jews are aware that under Arab control of East Jerusalem by the Jordanians between 1948 and 1967 permission was refused to the Temple Mount and even the western wall to the Jews and probably to other holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem and the West Bank like the Tomb of the Patriarchs in that period and there is a Jewish desire this does not reoccur if the Palestinians are given more control of Hebron or other holy cities. It was also an indication of what could happen when all the synagogues in Gaza were destroyed when the Palestinians were given the Gaza Strip in 2005. However, partly at the encouragement of much anti-Israel press in the world community there has been widespread rioting and unrest by Palestinian Arabs in the West Bank (Judaea and Samaria) in the week following this announcement by Benjamin Netanyahu to try to protect the Jewish interest and access to these sites even though Muslim access to these sites is not being threatened. On the Sunday of this week (February 28) a couple days later the rioting spread to the Temple Mount and other locations in the Old City of Jerusalem. The rioting involved the usual stone throwing by Muslim youths at people down below although it was to especially Israeli police. There was also misinformation that most of the people then visiting the Temple Mount were extremist Jews when actually most of them were regular Jews just wanting to visit the Temple Mount or Christian or other tourists. As a result restrictions were put on visits to the Temple Mount to Arab men below 50 years old although all Arab women and children as well as western tourists will still be able to visit the Temple Mount. This situation will probably continue until things calm down. This is perhaps an indication of the desire of significant numbers of Arab Muslims and their leaders to curtail Jewish access and character of these sites if full control was given to the Palestinian Arabs over these sites. According to the Bible the Jews are back in the land of Israel to stay looking forward to the Millennial Kingdom or Messianic Kingdom although I and other Christians believe with the tribulation in the intervening time but God will help the Jews in their efforts to protect the Jewish character of the holy land to the Messianic Kingdom and the reign of God through Messiah Jesus but I hope God will also protect these holy sites until then as well but they will serve to encourage the Jewish people to protect the Jewish nature of the land of Israel. The Temple Institute noted that no money was granted or promised to protect the Jewish character of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem where King Solomon's and Herod's Temple stood and is the most holy site in the world to the Jewish people.
The first annual Temple Mount Awareness Day which was organized by the Temple Institute and other groups seeking to push forward the Jewish claim to the Temple Mount and set the stage for building the Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem achieved mixed results. A main purpose of this day was to try to compel the Israeli Prime Minister and other Jewish authorities to give more recognition of the right of Jews to go up more freely to the Temple Mount and pray there to the God of Israel or otherwise serve God there. However because this day was openly advertised considerably in advance Arab Muslims and others opposed to building a third Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount used this as a reason to riot especially around the old city of Jerusalem including on the Temple Mount on approaching days and weeks. There were also other factors that contributed to tension between the Jews and Palestinian Arabs at this time such as the recent announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would provide money for the restoration of the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem and his pledge to start 1600 more housing units for Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem that is claimed by both the Jews and the Palestinian Arabs. As a result of this rioting or demonstration by the Arabs the Temple Mount was closed to all Jews in the days leading up to and including the 1st Annual Temple Awareness Day on March 16 and a main purpose of compelling the Israeli authorities to place the expectation of God in His Word to His Chosen earthly people the Jews to rebuild His temple or house in the last days in the place appointed the Temple Mount or at least let Jewish people have freer access there to go up there or pray above the threats of Arab Muslims for disruption if Jews were allowed access to the Temple Mount was ignored. This is even though the Israeli supreme court to their credit recently reaffirmed the right of Jews not only to go up to the Temple Mount but also to pray there. It is ironic that Israel as a mostly Jewish country still gives more rights for Muslims to go up to the temple mount and to pray or otherwise worship there than Jewish or even Christians have. There was however a consolation rally of some dedicated Jews just near the western wall with the menorah that has been build for the third temple and that included leaders of the Temple Institute. There was some more success in some of the other objectives of the 1st annual Temple Mount awareness day namely to put more pressure on the prime minister of Israel who has ultimate authority to allow more Jewish access to the Temple Mount with the sending on March 16 of a couple thousand e-mails or faxes to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urging him to give more support and freedom for Jews to go up to the Temple Mount and pray there. There were also demonstrations by Jews and some Christians at Israeli embassies and consulates probably especially in United States to urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow this freer access of Jews and also Christians to the Temple Mount. The Temple Institute has stated they will do all they can to continue to raise awareness on this issue and increase pressure especially on the Israeli Prime Minister to grant more freedom of expression and access to the Temple Mount in the coming months and years. Some secular reporting of these events did mention the Temple Institute and other supporters for Jewish access to the Temple Mount or building the Third Temple but disparagingly called them things like extreme right wing Jews or fringe elements of the Jews. This is not completely true as these Jews that are seeking more access especially for Jews to the Temple Mount or to rebuild the Jewish Temple are the ones doing God's will according to the Bible at least in one sense as the Temple will be rebuilt in the Millennial Kingdom or Messianic Kingdom with Messiah Jesus ruling the world from there in Jerusalem and a recent survey said about 64 % of Israeli Jews support rebuilding the Temple in the near future which is not a fringe element. However another part of God's will for Jewish as well as Gentile people is to trust in the Lord Jesus the Messiah that he died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead as our personal Lord and Saviour or Redeemer especially before the soon coming rapture of the Church and following 7 year tribulation or last week of Daniel so we can also join with the Lord Jesus the Messiah (Christ) when he comes from heaven to judge the world and set up God's Kingdom over all the earth with a glorious part for Jerusalem and the Jews as God's restored earthly people then.
In March 2010 there was an announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu of 1600 new units of housing for Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem in what Israel regards as part of their capital by which Arabs and many world authorities view as part of a future Palestinian state. This was announced while American vice president Joe Biden was visiting Israel on a Middle East diplomatic tour. This wasn't the best timing by the Israeli Prime Minister although the Bible says the Jews are entitled to that land and most of the settlers and conservative Jews who give most of the support for Benjamin Netanyahu view things this way as do conservative Jews and many evangelical Christians in North America and other parts of the world. The recent visit of American vice president Joe Biden, American secretary of state Hillary Clinton and European Union foreign representative Cathy Ashton and UN leader Ban Ki Moon to Israel and/or the Palestinian territories this month have all had at least two things in common namely pressure on Israel to stop all settlement building in the West Bank and/or East Jerusalem and a return of dialogue between the Israelis and Palestinian Arabs. There has also been some mention of a restraint of terror or incitement tactics by the Palestinian Arabs against the Israelis by some of these world leaders. EU foreign representative Cathy Ashton was forced to mention something like this in her visit to Gaza when a rocket was launched, although not by Hamas but by some other Muslim militant group, from the Gaza Strip at Israel that succeeded in killing a Thai guest worker in a kibbutz in Israel while she was in the Gaza Strip. This led to a counter attack by Israel later on against Gaza. There was also a key meeting of world leaders of the so-called quartet of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia in Moscow just after that with the same type of statement namely that they wanted an immediate end to Jewish settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and an immdediate resumption of talks between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs. This was followed by a trip of Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington, DC for talks with US president Barack Obama. In all this diplomatic activity Israeli leader Benyamin Netanyahu has dug in his heels and said he intends to keep Israeli building for Jewish residents in any part of Jerusalem including East Jerusalem which he says he considers no different than building in Tel Aviv. This has much annoyed the Palestinian and other Arabs and western world leaders but so far nothing different has happened although with much of the world media including that in the west more favourable to the Arabs including the Palestinians this isn't turning out well for Israel in the battle for world public opinion. I haven't yet heard the results of the talks between Israeli leader Benyamin Netanyahu and US leader Barack Obama but I would be quite surprised if anything more significant comes from the meeting. However I personally think as a Bible believing Christian that all this action and strain in relation with Israel and other countries could be leading to a false peace by the Antichrist that will involve the building of Israel's third temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. I think this is what might make the Antichrist or Beast out of the sea or man of sin quite popular initially after it is becoming increasingly unlikely that mere mortal world leaders can achieve any meaningful solution to the crisis in relations between the Israeli and the Palestinians and other Arabs in the Middle East. I urge the reader if you haven't already done so to trust with all your heart that the Lord Jesus Christ in his first coming as God come in the flesh died for your sins on the cross as your sinless substitute to bring you back in a favourable relationship with the Creator God and then rose from the dead to offer you new life so you will hear Jesus' voice when he calls all true Christians to heaven at the rapture or catching up of the true Church and gives us our eternal spiritual bodies just before the tribulation starts with the covenant between the Antichrist and Israel to build their temple as in Daniel 9:27 and also mentioned in Revelation 11:1-2. Then if you trust in Jesus you can also come with him from heaven when he comes to judge the world and rule the earth with the believers that are left over and reign with him then and for eternity.
In May and starting in late April there were talks on nuclear non-ploliferation. Although this issue isn't specifically about Israel or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it has taken a turn that could affect these matters. These world nuclear non-ploliferation talks are apparently held every 5 years about this time of year and the last talks in 2005 there was no announced decision. However a major declaration from these talks is for a nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction free Middle East. There are pledeged to be further talks on this in 2012. There was no major commendation at least by name of Iran which is seeking to develop nuclear weapons and has been quite threatening to other nations especially Israel and so this conference was seen as somewhat of a diplomatic victory for them. However there was criticism of Israel for which even United States under Barack Obama didn't veto but just said they were uncomfortable with this and would watch how it would develop. There was pressure from Iran, Arabic and other third world or so-called non-aligned countries that Israel should join the United Nations nuclear non-proliferation treaty even by 2012. However Israel has already responded and says they have no intention of doing this or even of joining the talks because they are too biased against them for which they have a point. This is especially true since they are organized by the United Nations which has been in the past been quite biased against Israel including not doing their part of the 2006 ceasefire with Israel and Hezbollah to prevent Hezbollah from re-arming. Hezbollah now has at least 40,000 rockets or longer range than leading up to the 2006 Israel Lebanon war with little or no effort of the United Nations to prevent this. Israel's policy is not to declare whether they have nuclear weapons or not although it is widely thought they do have some and have had for quite a while. Israel's main purpose for these likely nuclear weapons is for defensive purposes and as a deterrent to the armies or the surrounding Arab and mostly Muslim countries or other Muslim countries that are also against Israel like Iran from offensive action against Israel with their much greater number of troops and weapons. If Israel had to give up their nuclear weapons or if nations like Iran got them too there would be much less deterrence to the surrounding Muslim nations from attacking Israel and taking away the most secure place for Jews to live in the world as they learned without having their own nation in World War 2. This United Nations action is a sign of the ongoing increase in anti-semitism around the world that will increase leading up to and through the tribulation under the antichrist and will only be stopped and stopped completely and permanently when the Messiah and Redeemer or Israel Jesus of Nazareth comes from heaven to set up God's Kingdom on earth with Israel and Jerusalem under Him and his chosen earthly people the Jews as well as his heavenly people the Church that will then be more favourable to the Jews and the nation of Israel as its focus. With these things going on in our world, I would encourage the reader to as soon as possible trust in the Lord Jesus Christ (Messiah) as your personal Lord and Saviour that he died for your sins on the cross and rose from the dead to give you new life and so you can also be caught up to heaven with Jesus or Y'Shua when he comes from heaven for his church of believing Jews and Gentiles before the tribulation so you won't be left behind on earth for earth's darkest hour and perhaps a dark eternity in hell.
On May 30 Israeli ships intercepted and Israeli commandos boarded six ships sent from Turkey to bring material aid to inhabitants of the Gaza Strip. One of the other purposes of this expedition was to challenge the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. Although unfortunately about 10 people from the flotilla died in the fighting when the Israeli commandos entered these ships and a couple Israeli soldiers were injured, the real nature of this expedition was made clearer by the discovery of metal pipes, and clubs on the lead vessel of these six vessels and I think the one where there was the most serious fighting. Although these ships were boarded in international waters, Israel could have been aware that these vessels were partly sponsored by a Turkish Islamic humatarian group named IHH (with Turkish name Insani Yardum Vakfi) with previous ties to Hamas in the West Bank. These vessels also originated from Turkey which not long ago had good relations even militarily with Israel but has seen a severe deterioration of these relations recently especially since the 2009 Israel Hamas war around the Gaza STrip. The IHH has also been identified by the US and the EU as a terrorist organization although much of its work is more humanatarian but it still has links to groups like Hamas according to the article Profile: Free Gaza Movement on the BBC. The reason for the Israeli naval blockade along the Mediterranean coast of the Gaza STrip is to prevent smuggling or import of weapons by the Islamic group Hamas which controls Gaza and has failed to recognize Israel as a sovereign state or renounce the use of violence against them despite heavy international pressure to do so for some time. If the activists on the flotilla were serious about Middle East peace or the welfare of the regular Gazan civilians they would help put more pressure on Hamas to recognize Israel and renounce violence against her so Israel would feel they could still have security and peace if they opened the land and sea borders of the Gaza STrip to outside contacts. Israel did offer the people in charge of the flotilla to land in the Israeli Mediterranean city of Ashdod near the Gaza STrip with the promise of Israel delivering the peaceful aid to people in Gaza but this was refused. Most of the people on the flotilla were from Turkey with substantial numbers of left-wing pro-Palestinian people from the west all of which likely want as little power and territory for Israel as a Jewish state left as possible and are more interested in this than the welfare of the inhabitants of Gaza. The main vessel of this flotilla and the only one where there was serous fighting and loss of life of some of the passengers was the Mavi Marmara and this was one of the three ships sent from Turkey by the IHH. I have heard reports that some of these passengers from Turkey on this ship were saying Allah is great and that they wanted to die as Shahids or martyrs which is hardly consistant with a solely humanatarian mission. As a resident of Canada and a supporter of Israel including our current Prime Minister's commendable support of Israel I was annoyed and disappointed that this crises forced the early departure of Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu to try to take charge in Israel of the critical situation this challenge to Israel's security and public relations has had. There are now international calls for a full inquiry into this incident and calls for Israel to lift its blockade of the Gaza STrip. I hope any such inquiry will also consider why there were the most casualties on the ship where the passengers had weapons and seemed quite ready to use them and the danger to Israel of lifting the Gaza Strip naval blockade and the open admission that probably a greater purpose for this expedition was to test Israel's blockade of the Gaza STrip. As a Bible believing Christian I think anti-semitism and anti-Israelism will continue to grow through what is left of this church age and through the tribulation until the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (Messiah) at the end of the tribulation. Then Jesus will come as God's Son and Annointed ONe to judge the world and deliver the Jews and Gentiles that trust in Jesus and have been supportive of God's chosen earthly people the Jews in the tribulation to establish God's reign of justice and peace over the world centred in Jerusalem and Israel for which the true Church will have a share in the reign of Jesus. I encouage the reader to therefore as soon as possible trust with all your heart in the Lord Jesus Christ the God sent Him to die for our sins and rise from the dead to give us new life and then as well as a relationship with God and eternal life you can be assured of being spared experiencinig the tribulation on earth through the catching up to heaven of true Christians before the tribulation and that could happen very soon.
In late June 2010, Israel announced they would ease the blockade over the Gaza Strip ruled by Hamas. Up to this point, at least from 2007 when Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip, Israel had a somewhat arbitrary system in food and housewares and other items of what was allowed into the Gaza STrip and what was not and received a lot of criticism. This also gave an excuse for groups like the HIM from Turkey to try to break the naval blockade of Gaza. Some of these groups trying to break the blockade of Gaza wouldn't mind if they brought items into the Gaza Strip that could be used for military purposes since some of these groups are more sympathetic to the Palestinian Arabs even militant groups like Hamas than Israel. Construction materials will also be allowed into the Gaza STrip but only with monitoring by agencies that Israel has good terms with. This agreement that was negotiated with Israel and Tony Blair the current Middle East envoy for the Quartet composed of the US, the UN, the EU and Russia not only gives world legitimacy to Israel's more open terms of products allowed into Gaza but also more world legitimacy to the products such as military items that Israel refuses to let into the Gaza STrip. This will also give less world acceptance to other ships that try to break the naval blockade by Israel when they refuse to land first in the Israeli port of Ashdod or if they refuse to declare their contents or let Israeli officials board and inspect their cargos for military or dual use items that would have military and civilian uses. Under this agreement with Israel and Tony Blair representing the Quartet there would also be efforts for Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza. The previous stricter terms of items allowed into Gaza was meant to encourage the people of Gaza to put pressure on the Hamas leadership of Gaza but Israel determined this policy didn't really succeed but the incident with the Free Gaza Flotilla probably also put pressure from Israel to free up the terms of material entering Gaza. From a biblical Christian viewpoint this could also be a step towards more inclusion of the Gaza Strip and Hamas in a possible Middle East Peace that the Antichrist will make with Israel and probably other Middle East nations to start the tribulation as in Daniel 9:27 and Isaiah 28 although Hamas is still quite resistant to further steps to peace with Israel. I would therefore encourage the reader that hasn't already done so to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ that he died for your sins and rose again from the dead to give you new life so you can also be taken to heaven with Jesus at the catching up of true Christians and not be left behind for the tribulation under the Antichrist or the Beast out of the Sea.
In an article in the EUObserver website the new foreign minister of the European Union Cathy Ashton who is known to have a very far left perspective called on a near total ending of Israeli's blockade of the Gaza Strip. Although she acknowledged Israel's easing of the blockade of the Gaza Strip that Israel provided recently in letting in most food and non-military and non dual use items and called that a good first step she wants more. Cathy Ashton in calling for a total freedom of movement of people and goods in the Gaza STrip doesnt' seem to understand that Israel also has the right to peace and security and to protect weapons from coming into the Gaza Strip for use by Hamas that still controls the Gaza Strip and has failed to recognize Israel as a Jewish or democratic state or renounced violence against her despite heavy international pressure. Although Ms. Ashton offerend EU monitors and cooperation of the Palestinian Authority to monitor border points to the Gaza STrip if Israel totally removed its blockade there, Hamas still controls the Gaza Strip and it seems still very unlikely they would be willing to give up any control of its borders even to its rival Fatah which currently dominates the Palestinian Authority or to European Union monitors. Also even if Hamas was willing to do this it is difficult to see what benefit there would be to Israel and its security in such an arrangement as even the Palestinian Authority and the European Union haven't shown that much cooperation or sympathy to Israel and its security including to keep screening on weapons coming into Hamas that dominates the Gaza STrip. I am not personally sure how much Cathy Ashton was speaking her own perspective or with authority in her position as European Union foreign minister. But especially if this is with much authority of the European Union I think the true Creator God the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and that revealed his salvation personally to all people in His Son the Lord JEsus Christ would be displeased with this new stance of the European Union that totally lacks Israel's security needs and the reasonable steps she has taken already to provide for the good of the Palestinian Arab civilians. This could be a further sign from a Bible prophecy viewpoint of preparing for the Antichrist who will come out of Europe to achieve a Middle East false peace by the beginning of the tribulation after the rapture of the church. I would encourage the reader if he or she hasn't done so already to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ that he came as God in the flesh to die on the cross for our sins and rise from the dead to provide God's new life. If you are a Christian already I enourage you to continue to live for Jesus including reading His Word - the Holy Bible and to warn those around you to trust in Jesus to be prepared for eternity and also for the rapture of the church that will come as a thief in the night especially to the unsaved or unwatchful Christians.
This Ramadan a provocative banner has appeared hanging from the Al Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The banner is in Arabic but it has pictures of about four men. These include Raad Salah who is the head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel which has ties to Hamas and the Islamic Brotherhood of Egypt and Abu Tir who is a leader of Hamas in Jerusalem. Both these men have been in trouble before with Israeli authorities for stirring up incitement against Jews and Israel including some obviously contrived statements and been banned from appearing on the Temple Mount. Raad Salah is trying to raise funds in the Muslim world against the Jews and the nation of Israel especially any Jewish claim to the Temple Mount while I think Abu Tir has before threatened to poison the drinking water of Jerusalem or Israel. A substantial number of the Jews ascending the TEmple Mount at this time have felt quite annoyed or intimidated by this banner and so far the Israeli leadership has shown weakness to the Muslim Waqf that operates the Temple Mount for the Muslims in their attept to gain more control of the Temple MOunt in not demanding this banner be taken down more promptly. If you are a Bible believing Christian or Jew I encourage you to pray for this situation and the peace of Jerusalem that the LORD would encourage the Israeli leadership to have more faith in Him and show more courage in standing for Jewish claims to the Temple Mount and the rebuilding of the Third Temple. From a biblical Christian viewpoint this makes it look clearer than ever that it will take a superhuman solution to get a peace between the Jews and Muslims or Israelis and Palestinian Arabs that will allow for the building of the next Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount although things might calm down for a while after Ramadan. I received this information from the Temple Institute web site at www.templeinstitute.org. I would encourage anyone reading this article who hasn't already done so to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ that he is the Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Saviour of the world that he become your Lord and Messiah or Saviour too by faith in His death on the cross for our sins and resurrection from the dead to give us new life. According to Daniel 9:27, Jeremiah 30 and other scriptures I and other Bible believing Christians believe there will be a covenant between Israel and the Antichrist and probably other parties after the rapture or catching up to heaven of all true Christians and that this covenant will start the 7 year tribulation or 70th week of Daniel which will be mankind's worse time on earth in history.
In early September 2010, direct talks resumed after a lapse of about two years between the Israelis and the Palestinian Arabs. There will also be representation from the Arab nations of Jordan and Egypt which border Israel and the Palestinian Arabs. These talks will be chaired by the United States through US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and perhaps some direct contribution by US President Barack Obama. Also present and participating will be the Middle East envoy for the Quartet former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The quartet is an international block made of the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations. From the start there was a dispute between the Israelis led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Palestinians led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about the terms of starting these talks. Netanyahu wanted no pre-conditions for the talks but Abbas was insisting that the Israelis first stop all Jewish settlement building in East Jerusalem and the West Bank or Judaea and Samaria before the talks could start. So far it looks as though the talks have started and I think there is still some Jewish settlement building at least in East Jerusalem which the Jews also claim as part of their eternal undivided capital of Israel. However what will be the real test of these talks will come up at the end of this month, September 2010. That is when the 10 month self-imposed term that Netanyahu put on ceasing to build new Jewish settlements in the West Bank expires. Although the international community and the Arabs including the Palestinians insist that Israel extend this halt to new settlements the right wing elements in Israel both secular and religious insist that this moratorium must cease in the end of September when the 10 month term ends. Mahmoud Abbas has clearly threatened to pull out of these talks if the moratorium on new settlements isn't extended while the right wing parties that prop up Netanyahu's coalition have threatened to pull out of his coalition if he doesn't allow new Jewish settlements to be built again in the West Bank. This dilemna will have to be solved with great wisdom if the direct talks in this round are going to have any chance of progress or duration. Many political columnists as well as the people in that area or other places in the world have little faith in a breakthrough in reaching agreement over the major areas of difference between the Israelis and Palestinians from these talks. Major areas of disagreement remain security for Israelis from Islamic terrorism, what to do with the Jewish settlements in the WEst Bank and East Jerusalem, the right of return of Arabs or their descendents that fled what is now Israel in Israel's war of independence in 1947-48, and the final status of East Jerusalem including the Temple Mount and the Old City. Also complicating the situation is that Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip and can still carry out operations in the West Bank or even on the Temple Mount is not included in these talks because it is still considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the US and EU (and UN) since it refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish state or renounce violence against her. More than ever it looks as if it is futile for mere men to make much progress to break the deadlock in the Middle East peace process although Barack Obama and his administration and other western leaders badly want to achieve this as soon as possible partly because they believe this would substantially improve the west's relationship with other Muslim countries. Anyway this could be an indication that the Antichrist or beast out of the sea will soon come along and start the tribulation with a peace agreement between the Israelis and at least the Palestinians and perhaps other Muslim countries that will involve permission for the Jews to build their third temple on the Temple Mount as in Daniel 9:27. Before this will be the catching up to heaven of all true Christians who have with our heart admitted we are sinners and trusted in God's Son or Annointed Son Jesus Christ to have died once for all our sins on the cross and risen from the dead to give us God's new life. If you, the reader, haven't personally done this yet I encourage you to do this as soon as possible so you can be part of God's family and look forward to a blessed eternity with God, Jesus and all his people and not be left behind on earth for the tribulation and then brought down to hell for a tormented eternity. However for those who are left behind on earth in the tribulation who didn't hear a clear presentation of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in their own language in this present church age their will be another chance to come into eternal life and a relationship with God in the tribulation when a form of salvation through the Lord Jesus will also be preached by the 144,000 Jewish witnesses for Jesus especially.
On September 26, 2010, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu let the self-imposed 10 month moratorium on new Jewish settlements in the West Bank (Judaea and Samaria) lapse. This was despite great pressure from U.S. President Barack Obama and other western leaders and the threat by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian Arab leaders to halt peace talks with Israel if this moratorium wasn't extended. According to the international community including western leaders and Arab or Muslims leaders or people the West Bank is regarded as part of a future Palestinian Arab state. However orthodox Jews and some other Jews and evangelical Christians who read and take the Bible literally believe all the holy land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea was given by an everlasting covenant to the Jewish people through their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Genesis 12, 26, and 28 for instance and that this trumps what the international community says since we also believe as Christians anyway that the world authorities are ordained of God and that they don't have authority over anything such as the covenants with Israel that are clearly laid out in God's Word - the Holy Bible. It is true there weren't too many Jews in the holy land for a long time and that they just starting coming back in large numbers in the 1880s but there also weren't many Arabs or other Middle Eastern people in the holy land in those times either and the idea of a Palestinian State only began to be talked about in 1965 by the Palestinian Authority or P.L.O. but has since been popularized by them and the western press and the Muslim world especially so that many people have been led to accept it without checking the validity of this idea. The Palestinian Arabs also deserve a place to live but the Arabs already have 800 times as much land as Israel or the Jews and I think the Jews would accept Arabs living in Israel itself or the West Bank if they accept Israeli law or there have been some parts of the West Bank already given to Palestinian rule such as Jenin, Ramallah, Jericho and Bethlehem where there are large concentrations of Arab people. Although there was some renewed settlement building by the Jewish settlers when the moratorium expired there wasn't a great deal because it is still the Jewish holiday of Succoth or Feast of Tabernacles for another couple of days and Mahomoud Abbas and the Palestinian leadership has decided to take the matter of whether to continue talks with Israel to an Arab League Summit in several days and let them help decide for them. Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu is in a difficult position politically as many members of his party as well as most of the other parties in his coalition are more right wing in their positions than he is including in their support for the Jewish settlements in the West Bank and his coalition could collapse without their support. This is probably a main reason he decided not to extend the moratorium. Mahmoud Abbas is also in a difficult position politically as he has not seen much progress in the peace talks and hasn't seen his tougher negotiating position with Israel insisting on Israel first stop settlement building in the WEst Bank and East Jerusalem bring good results from their perspective. This was not used as a pre-condition for negotiations in previous Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. It will be interesting to see what happens next but there will probably be an attempt by the Americans especially to keep the talks going even if they don't accomplish too much and even though there will be other hurdles such as Hamas that controls the Gaza Strip not recognizing Israel and the Palestinians wanting the WEst Bank and East Jerusalem as their territory. As a Bible believing Christian I think this if further evidence that mere human beings won't be able to get a peace agreement in the Middle East and that we are soon coming to the point where the world will acclaim the Antichrist or the Beast out of the sea empowered by Satan as global leader when he achieves a Middle East peace that will include permission of the Jews to build their third temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and probably some concessions by Israel to the Palestinian Arabs. I would therefore urge the reader if he or she hasn't done so already to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ that he died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead to give you new life so you can have an everlasting relationship with God and eternal life and also be spared through the catching up to heaven of all true Christians from the 7 year tribulation that will start with Antichrist signing a peace deal with Israel and probably the Arabs and others.
At the beginning of October 2010 Palestinian Arab leader Mahmoud Abbas promised to bring up the question of the continuation of the Middle East peace talks with Israel at the Arab League meeting scheduled in Libya in the second week of October. Although he said it was to get their opinion many Middle East watchers including myself believe that this was attempt to save face with the public of the Palestinian Arabs so Mr. Abbas wouldn't be blamed it the Middle East peace talks were discontinued with Israel. As it was the results of the Arab League meeting were to give one more month to continue talks with Israel and the Palestinian Arabs represented by Mr. Abbas and then if at the end of that time in the opinion of the Arab League substantial concessions hadn't been made by Israel on the issue of settlements and other issues the Arab League might vote to pursue other options. It has been now become apparent that one of those other options is for the United Nations to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state on the land given for the Arabs in the holy land including the Gaza Strip that was held by Egypt before 1967 and the West Bank and EAst Jerusalem that was held by Jordan before 1967. There would be many of the Jews in Israel and elsewhere as well as evangelical Christians that wouldn't like this possibility but it is not clear how much the Jews etc. would do anything about it economically, politically or militarily if the United Nations and world community and the Arabs follow this option. As I mentioned previously this is leader sooner rather than later to the false peace for 3 1/2 years of the Antichrist or world dictator or beast out of the sea with Israel and probably the Arabs that will allow the Jews to build their their temple on the Temple Mount and immediately before this false peace is declared the catching up to heaven of all true Christians who have with our heart trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour who died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead to give us new life. I hope you the reader will be among us under these conditions God gives in his word as soon as possible and at least by the time the rapture occurs so you won't be left for the period of God's judgment on the world in the tribulation.
In mid October 2010 Israel leader Benjamin Netanyahu offered the Palestinian Arabs and the Americans and world community a further moratorium on Jewish settlements if the Palestinian leaders would recognize Israel as a Jewish state. This was quickly rejected as two things that aren't related or in the words of one Palestinian leader "playing games". However the truth of the matter is that these things are very closely related because if Israel extents the moratorium on Jewish settlements as a step towards giving authority over the West Bank back to the Arabs the Jews would want to ensure that the nation and land of Israel proper stays Jewish in population and character so the Jews would stay have a place in the world in their biblical homeland where they could live by their heritage and values. This is threatened by the high Arab birth rate relative to that of the Jews in Israel itself and would be possibly overthrown if the Palestinian Arabs got their way and brought about the return to Israel itself of people who fled Israel in some of the past wars and all their descendants even though much of this fighting was initiatied or about to be initiated by the Arabs in or adjacent to the land of Israel. Bible believing Christians and Jews also believe a Jewish nation of Israel will be a continuing reality that started in 1948 and will continue until the Messiah comes again in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ or in the view of the Jews that he comes the first time although don't know what person he will be other than the prophecies in the Old Testament of the Messiah.
In November 2010 Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State made a joint announcement that Israel would agree to a moratorium for a further 90 days on settlements in the West Bank for some American military aid and international support. This international support would be primarily in American action in the United Nations. This would include supporting Israel in refusing to agree to any unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders in the United Nations, American vote to support Israel in the ongoing United Nations investigation into Israel's conduct in the last war with the Hamas led Gaza Strip and American support for Israel in the ongoing United Nations investigation of the main so-called Free Gaza Flotilla from Turkey in which there was a violent incident on the Marmara ship in which there were probably Islamic militants some of which fought against boarding Israelis and some of which were killed. So far the Palestinian Arabs under Mahmoud Abbas have rejected this proposal because it doesn't include a moratorium on settlement building in East Jerusalem and it has not been voted on for approval in the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) where there is opposition among right wing Jews including in Netanyahu's own party and coalition for any further settlement freeze in the West Bank and of course in East Jerusalem for any reason. These are probably further indications that mere men are at a deadlock as far as a Middle East peace agreement is concerned and it will take the supernatural ability and charisma of someone like the Antichrist or beast out of the sea to achieve a solution acceptable to both sides. I would encourage the reader to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ that he died for our sins and rose from the dead to give us new life as soon as possible so you can be taken to heaven before the Antichrist comes on the scene with this covenant or treaty and starts the seven year tribulation on earth.
Mostly in order to please the conservative Jewish elements in his government and his supporters and hopefully also to honour the God of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu decided to turn down the urging of the American government that Israel cease all new settlement building in the West Bank or Judaea and Samaria for a further 90 days or about 3 months. In return for this the Americans pledged to give Israel some leading edge fighter planes and promise to support them in United Nations inquiries on the Gaza War a couple years ago and the recent Gaza Flotilla from Turkey in which Israel killed some of the activists on board one of the ships probably because they were provoked by Islamic or other anti-Israel militants and also to vote with Israel on any Palestinian attempt to gain recognition for statehood in the United Nations with the pre-1967 borders. It is not clear now how much the United States will now carry through with such actions since Israel has turned down the US deal for ceasing new Israeli settlements in the West Bank. What is clear is that the United States has now admitted it was a failed policy to try to force Israel to stop building of new settlements before talks could start between Israel and the Palestinian ARabs as the Palestinians under Mahmoud Abbas and Fatah demanded (and still demand). The United States new policy is to try to get the Israelis and Palestinian Arabs directly into so-called final statue issues such as the borders for a Palestinian state, the security of Israel, the issue of Palestinian refugees, recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and the future of Jerusalem. These issues will be even more difficult to arrive at a solution acceptable to both the Israelis and the Palestinians but the Americans still want to try. The Palestinian Arabs on the other hand have responded in part to this by unilaterally declaring a Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and they have already achieved recognition for this from major Latin American countries such as Brazil, Argentina and probably Uruguay and perhaps other countries which is a concern to Israel but United States and the European Union are discouraging this approach insisting on a negotiated settlement for peace in the Middle East between the Israelis and Palestinian Arabs and eventually other Arab or Muslim nations. It is hard to see how there will be much progress especially on these deeper and more controversial issues as the players and situation hasn't changed much recently and this could all mean from a biblical Christian viewpoint that it is being made to look more and more impossible for mere humans to get a solution to the Middle East conflict. This as I have said before could soon set the stage for the Antichrist to be revealed after the rapture or catching up of the church and receive worldwide acclaim by managing to persuade the Israelis and Palestinians with a Middle East peace offer that will satisfy both sides and also appear as brilliant to the world. This solution according to the Bible especially Daniel 9:27 will include permission for the Jews to build their third temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem with or without the continuation of the Muslim Dome on the Rock there. This could depend on the ultimate location on the Temple Mount of the Third Temple. Since the stage is set for such as solution to the Middle East conflict and many other things like the progress towards world government are also far along and continuing to progress, I would urge the reader to immediately trust in the Lord Jesus Christ that he died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead to give you new life and pray to God in Jesus' name to receive Jesus into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour. In this way you will not only have eternal life but also have the assurance that you will be spared the tribulation on earth according to such scriptures as REvelation 3:10 and the fact the church is not mentioned on earth in Revelation between the end of Revelation 6 and 18 which deals with the tribulation although it is mentioned in heaven.
In what I think was 2005 the leader of Lebanon at that time RafikHariri was assasinated in a car bomb in Beirut the captial of Lebanon. This was a very powerful bomb that also killed more than 20 other people. Rafique Hariri was also a billionaire and a Sunni Moslem that was against excessive Syrian or Iranian control in Lebanon. Up to that time Syria had very tight control over Lebanon like it was their own territory. The assasination of Rafik Hariri catalyzed opposition to Syrian control of Lebanon especially since Syria was thought responsible for the bombing at that time and led to Syria pulling their troops out of Lebanon and otherwise loosening control of Lebanon. However at this time in 2011 with the verdict likely in the UN inquiry into his death it looks like the blame for this incident won't be put on Syria after all but on some members of the terrorist group Hezbollah in Lebanon with orders to carry out the act from supreme Iranian leader Ayotollah Khaemenei. The Hezbollah organization has responded by threatened to further destablilize the country unless blame for members of Hezbollah in the assasination of Rafik Hariri is withdrawn and the inquiry is mostly stopped. The current leader of Lebanon is Saad Hariri the son of Rafik Hariri and he is also not sympathetic to Hezbollah, Syria or Iran but is also a Sunni Moslem and would be more sympathetic to Saudi Arabia and other Sunni Moslem countries and somewhat to western countries such as United States, the European Union, Britain or France. So far with American pressure he has not backed down from the conclusion of the inquiry which is now supposed to be passed down to Lebanon for consideration and charging and arrest of those identified as likely offenders. The long-time leader of the Islamic terrorist group Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah has unrealistically claimed Israel was responsible for the death of Rafik Hariri probably to shift blaim from him and the Hezbollah organization. Mr. Nasrallah has also threatened to implement military action and try to seize more of Lebanon for Hezbollah if Saad Hariri proceeds with charges against Hezbollah members in this tribunal. Currently Lebanon is without a government with Mr. Saad Hariri backed by western countries saying he still wants to lead Lebanon and Hezbollah and their allies saying they won't accept this. Unfortunately Walid Jumblatt the Druze leader of Lebanon has what I think is unadvised come out in favour Of Hebollah. Before Mr. Jumblatt's announcement of support for Hezbollah, Hezbollah and its allies had almost 60 seats in the Lebanese parliament. Mr. Jumblatt's party has 11 seats which would give Hezbollah the clear majority of the 120 or so seats in the Lebanese parliament but so far not all his party members have given their support to an alliance with Hezbollah. Previously he and his party have switched between supporting and opposing Hezbollah with the support sometimes being because of military and economic pressure from Hezbollah as is the case now. Although in Israel the Druze have been more sympathetic to Israel than mainstream Muslim Arabs the Druze in Lebanon might feel under pressure from Hezbollah because a lot of their followers are in southern Lebanon where Hezbollah has most of the power and has used it recently in military intimidation. As far as Bible prophecy goes this could lead to conditions where peace of a neighbouring Arab country Lebanon looks less likely by human means if Hezbollah takes more control of Lebanon and that a superhuman negotiator like the Antichrist or beast out of the sea will be needed and highly acclaimed if he achieves more peace with Israel and her neighbours perhaps including Lebanon at the beginning of the tribulation as in Daniel 9:27. If this proves to be so I would urge the reader to as soon as possible trust in the Lord JEsus Christ that we are all sinners and that he died for your sins on the cross 2000 years ago and rose again so you can have eternal life and a relationship with God and also be assured of going to heaven at the rapture of the church before the tribulation on earth starting with the false peace of the Antichrist.
What started in late January as protests about unemployment and high food or other prices in Egypt as well as an uprising against the heavy handed rule of the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak have succeeded in their prime objective. This is the overthrow of the long-standing ruler of Egypt Hosni Mubarak who has ruled Egypt for about 30 years. Most or all of this period has been under an autocratic form of government with some aspects of martial law such as the banning of some political parties in elections and limits on popular protests or larger gatherings. Some of these things were the source of objection that led to the long standing government in Tunisia and has carried over to Egypt and other Arab countries such as Yemen and now possibly Algeria and to a lesser extent in Jordan. There was also objection to the government of Tunisia and also of Egypt because of significant corruption with Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarah rumoured to have stored away about 70 to 80 billion dollars in Swiss or other bank accounts etc. Protests in Egypt were centred on Tahrir Square which is the main square in the centre of the capital city Cairo. There were also some demonstrations in other Egyptian cities such as Alexandria and I think Suez on the Sinai peninsula. The demonstrations in Alexandria were mostly peaceful but there was some violence in the latter time of them when pro-Mubarak demonstrators entered the crowd in Tahrir square. These demonstrations went on 2 to 3 weeks and brought Egypt's economy to a standstill including the stock market and tourism. Much of the west was uncertain how to handle the situation including United States because Egypt under Mubarak had been a friend of the west in suppressing Islamic militants and in maintaining peace with Israel in a very restless part of the world even though it put the west in a difficult position with supporting a leader who strongly suppressed human rights of his people. The west including United States over the last 30 years also supplied much foreign aid to Egypt both civilian and military with only some nations like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Israel receiving more military aid from United States and probably other western countries. Despite this the protests have now succeeded in achieving their main objective of forcing the Egyptian leader to step down. Currently Egypt is led by the man chosen by Hosni Mubarak as his replacement Omar Suleiman who was formerly head of Egypt's security department. He is also somewhat unpopular because he has been responsible for implementing suppression of human rights and violence to demonstrators at least in recent times. The miliary in Egypt is also now in control. The miliary in Egypt still generally has a good reputation with the general population even more now with its trying to keep an even hand with the recent protests and not quickly cracking down on them violently. One factor that could still be a problem for United States, Israel and the west is the Muslim Brotherhood which is a long-standing fundamentalist Muslim organization in Egypt which is one of the most organized groups of any type there but that was suppressed under former leader Hosni Mubarak. Although the Muslim Brotherhood is trying to give a more benign impression to the west now their charter still calls for them having a primary rule in a worldwide Islamic Jihad and seeking a worldwide Islamic state that of course would result in conflict with the west and Israel and perhaps other parts of the non-Muslim world. Some example of Muslim militants that have come from the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood are former Palestinian Arab leader Yasser Arafat, current and long-standing number two person in Al-Qaeda Ayman Al-Zwari and the Palestinian Arab terrorist group Hamas that now controls the Gaza Strip beside Israel. Although the Muslim Brotherhood participated in the mass uprising against Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak they don't seem to have taken a leading role and instead the protests seem to be led by people wanting primarily some western concepts such as democracy and human rights as well as an end to the emergency powers of the government. The military now in power in Egypt has ended the emergency power situation and has pledged to change the constitution and government that were full of Mubarak supporters that suppressed human rights in the process. The new military government has also pledged to have free and fair elections in about six months. This amount of time is needed because other political parties were suppressed under Mubarak and they will need some time to get established to run for political office in the upcoming election. This will also allow for more significant competition to the Muslim Brotherhood that will probably run candidates including for President in the election and is still very well established. From a Bible prophecy viewpoint an important development that has come out of all this is in a way not a development. That is the new military government has pledged to maintain all existing international agreements Egypt has including with the United States and Israel including the peace agreement with Israel that was established under former Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat with his corresponding Israeli leader Monachin Begin. This agreement was been maintained since that time including under recent leader of Egypt Hosni Mubarak and has given Israel considerable security in their southern border and territory. Some Islamic militants and militant groups in Egypt would like to see this peace agreement with Israel revoked including the Muslim Brotherhood that could still win the upcoming elections and be in a position to do this. Especially if this does turn out to be the case and even if it doesn't with the current greater insecurity for Israel in its relation with Egypt and the Arab world than before the protests started in Egypt the result is likely to be Israel looking more strongly for other sources for peace and safety. This could leader to them being more ready for the false peace of the Anti-christ who will offer a peace agreement with Israel and others probably including the Arab and other Muslim countries and world powers like the United States, the European Union the United Nations and probably Russia as mentioned in such scriptures in Daniel 9:27 and maybe also Isaiah 28 and Jeremiah 30. This agreement will allow for Israel to rebuild their temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and will start the seven year tribulation. This 7 year period will be immediately preceded by the rapture or catching up to heaven of all true Christians who have admitted we are sinners and trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ that he died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead to give us new and eternal life. The 7 year tribulation will be followed by the second coming to earth of the Lord Jesus Christ to judge the world including the world government of the world dictator the antichrist or beast out of the sea and then to establish God's government on earth through the saviour of the world and Messiah of Israel Jesus of Nazareth. At that time God through him will exalt the Jews that trust in Him as their Messiah as the first country on earth according to many prophecies in the scripture of the glorious Messianic Kingdom age after their many years of suffering at the hands of the other nations including their worst suffering to come in the tribulation under the antichrist. The true Church or true Christians will also reign with Jesus and the nation of Israel in the 1000 year Messianic or Millennial Kingdom on earth. I would encourage the reader to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour who died for our sins and rose again so you can receive God's blessings of a heavenly inheritance and escape the tribulation when the Lord Jesus comes soon for his church and not be left behind when God begins to judge the world and Satan the devil comes to his greatest power on earth in the tribulation under the antichrist.
Around the beginning of March 2011 public unrest and democracy protests spread to Syria after occuring in much of the Arab world for some time. A main focus of the protests in Syria have been in a place called Daraa in southern Syria near the border with Jordan and the Israeli Golan Heights. Since then these Syrian protests have spread to other cities in Syria including the capital Damascus. One of the matters that protesters have sought specifically is the end to a type of martial law that has been in place since 1963. So far the government of Bashir Assad has not been very forthcoming to the protesters demands and the government forces have shot into some of the crowds of protesters so far killing at least 50 of them and no doubt injuring others. The Syrian leader has also made a speech in the Syrian parliament providing his response so far to this crises. In this speech he gave no indication he plans to meet any of the protesters demands giving further indications he wants to meet the protests with a strong hand and without much concessions. Although the Syrian government might say the democracy protests are incited by the west and Israel, especially Israel shows no desire to replace Bashir Assad and his government in the belief that they at least know what they are dealing with in him and his government and that if he is replaced they might get something else just as bad or worse that would be more unpredictable. The United States and Europe have also shown no desire so far to try to back the protesters against Assad and his government as they have done in Libya. This is despite the fact that Syria has been a main ally of Iran and harbors the leaders of Hamas and perhaps Islamic Jihad and also gives open support to the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.
In their view, the Palestinian Arabs think that Israel isn't serious with the negotiations in the Peace Process and Israel isn't serious to do things like stop the settlements in the West Bank or Judaea and Samaria so Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority has come up with an alternate approach. He has now threatened and seems to be quite serious about it in announcing and preparing other countries for a vote in the United Nations General Assembly this September. At this annual meeting any member country or other political entities with observer status such as the Palestinian authority have a chance to intoduce a measure for voting by all the countries of other entities with voting rights. Mahmoud Abbas has threatened to introduce a measure asking that the countries etc. of the United Nations have a vote on whether to approve as a sovereign country recognized by the United Nations a Palestinian Arab country on the West Bank and Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem that Israel took over in self-defence in the Six Day War in 1967 when she was threatened with annihilation by the surrounding Arab countries of Egypt, Jordan and Syria etc. One thing the Palestinians and other Arabs and Muslims and most of the world media distort or misrepresent is that these areas (the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and the West Bank (and the Golan Heights)) were part of a Palestinian Arab state before 1967. This is not historically true as it can be readily found out that there was no Palestinian State before 1967 and that the Gaza Strip was controlled by Egypt and the West Bank and East Jerusalem were controlled by Jordan and the Golan Heights were controlled by Syria. The idea of a Palestinian state is a modern myth propagated by the Palestinian Authority and other Muslims and some western liberals including the media to try to delegitimize the Jewish state of Israel including the fact the Bible as an accurate record that the Jews were in possession of the land for about 1500 years from the time of Moses' successor Joshua in about 1450 BC until the Romans under general Titus conquored the holy land and Jerusalem in 70 AD. The land of Israel including the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza STrip and the Golan Heights were all part of the land God agreed to give the Jews in His covenants with them through Abraham, Moses and David although this is not generally recognized by Muslims, secular people or other people than Jews and Christians who take the Bible literally. Anyway according to the perspective of myself or other Christians who take the Bible literally if the Palestinians can succeed in getting their motion for a Palestinian state with the pre-1967 borders approved in the United Nations this year this would put significantly more pressure on Israel in their operations in the West Bank and East Jerusalem etc. as they would be seen to be in violation of another United Nations independent nation. This would put pressure on Israel to fully and quickly come to an agreement with the Palestinian Arabs that would involve substantial concessions of land etc. to the Palestinian Arabs and try to get what Israel can for security. At this time there are said to be over 100 countries of the approximately 200 nations in the United Nations that have voiced support for this Palestinian Authority measure and that would likely vote in support for it. There is now a heavy diplomatic battle between Israel on one side and the Palestinian Authority and other Arab and Muslim nations on the other to lobby other countries for their side in this upcoming vote in the United Nations in September. From a Biblical viewpoint this could quickly lead to the false peace of the Antichrist mentioned in Daniel 9:27 (and probably Isaiah 28 and Jeremiah 28 and 1 Thessalonians 5 etc.) that will involve restoring the temple worship on the Temple Mount to the Jews and probably giving some significant concession to the Arabs such as possibly the West Bank although I don't know what this latter part will be but the Bible does say the nations will divide up the land of Israel in the tribulation. Since these things are happening or threatening to be happening now as well as events in many other areas that are lining up with Bible prophecy I would urge the reader to, if you haven't done so already, to trust in God's Son the Lord Jesus Christ that he is God come in the flesh who died for our sins and rose from the dead and receive Him as your personal Lord and Saviour and then seek to live for him and witness of him to others so that through Jesus and His finished work you can be taken to heaven or raptured (the word is from the Latin word raptare which means caught up as in 1 Thessalonians 4 so is Biblical) so you can be with Jesus and God and His people in Heaven and be spared the tribulation and rule of the Antichrist on earth in the 7 year tribulation. You will then be able to come with Jesus from heaven at the end of the tribulation and rule with him on a renewed earth in the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom and then for eternity and have His lasting blessing.
In April 2011 there was significant progress achieving in reconciling the Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah. The strain in their relations happened especially after the 2006 Palestinian election which Hamas won. Hamas then in 2007 successfully overcame Fatah power in the Gaza strip which Israel had given the Palestinians in 2005 under Israeli leader Ariel Sharon. After Fatah under Mahmoud Abbas was kicked out of Gaza they consolidated power over the Palestinians Arab areas in the west bank. This situation has continued until the present. Many of the Palestinian people are weary of the current situation and want a chance to have their say for their leadership in new elections over the Gaza Strip, West Bank and perhaps East Jerusalem. However it should be remembered that all this land was given to the Jews by covenants with God as recorded in the Bible. At the recent meeting organized and encouraged by the new leadership in Egypt the leader of Hamas Khalad Mashall and leaders of Fatah perhaps Mahmoud Abbas or other senior representatives met and were able to come to some significant agreements. Among other things these were to again emphasize the Gaza Strip and West Bank and maybe East Jerusalem and the ARab people there as one political and geographic entity instead of effectively two as has been the case since 2007. There was also a pledge to have new elections over all the Palestinian Arab areas with both factions pledging to respect the results of the people. Also both sides agreed to follow more cooperation in seeking international support for a Palestinians state with pre-1967 borders. It should be emphasized however that although it is true that this land of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem were not part of Israel before 1967 it is not true that they were part of a Palestinian state either. This is part of the Palestinian myth promoted by the Palestinian Liberation Organization later the Palestinian Authority not just to get a Palestinian state but also to deny land to the Jews in their ancestral home. Actually before 1967 the Gaza Strip was ruled by Egypt since 1948 and the West Bank and East Jerusalem were ruled by Jordan. The recent meeting of the Palestinian Arab factions also resulted in more willingness to lower the accusations from one side against another and try to cooperate for the sake of the Palestinian Arab people. Both sides will make more effort to work together in relating to Israel but it is still doubtful that Israel will accept Hamas' participation in relating to Israel since Hamas still doesn't recognize Israel's right to exist or revised its constitution that calls for the destruction of Israel. If Hamas and Fatah do succeed in this reconciliation including new elections which both sides respect the result of this could make a possible peace agreement with Israel more stable and comprehensive as it would include both main Palestinian factions and all the internationally regarded Palestinian territories. This would mean it would less likely to be interrupted or broken by rockets coming from the Gaza STrip launched or allowed by Hamas. Such a peace agreement could also be or lead to being the work of the Antichrist as mentioned in Daniel 9:27, Isaiah 28 and Jeremiah 30 or 1 Thessalonians 5 that will approve the Jewish building of their third temple on the temple mount in Jerusalem that will later be used by the Antichrist in the second half of the tribulation. The tribulation will be preceded any time now by the catching up of all true Christians to heaven with Jesus in our eternal bodies to be spared the tribulation since it will be Israel not the Church God will work through on earth then. The Church will come with Jesus from heaven at the end of the tribulation as in Revelation 19 etc. I encourage the reader to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and God through Him that God sent Jesus to die for our sins and rise from the dead to give us new life so you can not only have eternal life but taken in the rapture before the tribulation. The word rapture is biblical because the Latin word for catch up is raptare as in the name of birds such as eagles and hawks called raptors. This is necessary because God is not just a God of love but also a God of righteousness even in this period of time after the life, death and resurrection of the Lord JEsus Christ.
The Palestinians and other Arabs promised earlier this year that they would stir up unrest on this years' anniversary of the founding of modern Israel. This is what the Arabs call Al Naqba or the catastrophe in reference to their losing some land and sovereignty to the Jews with the establishment of the Jewish state of Israel. However it should be noted that their was a Jewish state in Israel from just after Moses' time in around 1400 BC in some form until 70 AD under a covenant God gave with the Jewish people through Abraham and Moses. According to accurate history there was never a Palestinian state before 1967 as the West Bank,East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip between 1948 and 1967 were controlled by Egypt and Jordan and from 1917 to 1948 all the holy land was controlled by the United Kingdom and from about 1517 to 1917 but the Ottoman Empire centred in what is now Turkey etc. The recent unrest in the holy land consisted in some attempts and some success in Arabs including Palestinian Arabs coming from Syria, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip to break through the border with Israel and try to protest in Israel for Arab control of the land of Israel. At the border with Lebanon Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) met the protesters at the border fence and fended them off with warning shots. It is not clear whether the injuries and deaths of the protesters were from the Israeli IDF or Lebanese forces. In the border between Syria and the Israeli controlled Golan Heights Syrian Arab protesters in number of 100 to 200 succeeded in knocking down the fence and intruding into Israeli territory and protesting there and were shot at by the IDF with some injuries of the protesters who could be certaintly said to be violating Israeli sovereignty. There were also some attempts to cross the border into Israel by Arabs from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank near Ramallah with the IDF firing tear gas and rubber bullets etc. to warn the protesters. Also there was an incident in Tel Aviv in which an Arab man hijacked a truck and drove it about 2 kilometers down a main street there crashing into vehicles and perhaps some people injuring about 17 mostly Israeli people and killing one. This was likely deliberate as this Arab man was heard yelling "Death to Jews" and perhaps throwing stones. Not only Hamas leader Ismail Haniya but also Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas commened there protesters insisting they had a right to intrude into Israeli territory which shows they could well both have intent to eventually take over all Jewish territory in the Middle East if they get there way. This doesn't increase confidence that the Palestinians ARabs would keep their part of any Middle East peace process in respecting Israel's sovereignty and security as a democratic but primarily Jewish state. There was talk before by the Palestinian and other Arabs that this could be the start of a third intifada or uprising. Today a day after these events things seem to have quieted down but it is hard to say what the long range effect of these actions will be this early. Although there have been Arab including Palestinian protests on the Israeli independence day or what the Arabs call Al Naqba day in previous years, reports I heard on the BBC and elsewhere suggested that the protests against those in power in other Arab countries recently and the recent breakthrough with reconciliation between the Palestian Arab parties Hamas and Fatah could have brought more coordination and zeal to Arab protesters against Israel this year. With these things going on already and the possible unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders from the UN General Assembly meeting this coming September I suggest that the Jews in Israel will be feeling their backs more and more against the wall with the so-called peace process and might be more likely spring for a deal by the antichrist that could offer Israel more security or continued control of most of the old city of Jerusalem in East Jerusalem including the right to build their third temple on the Temple Mount there as in Daneil 9:27. I would therefore encourage the reader to, if you haven't already done so, to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as God's annointed one or only begotten Son who God sent into the world to die for our sins and rise from the dead to give us new life and a relationship with God. Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ in this way as your personal Lord and Saviour will also insure you will be caught up (raptured) to heaven before the revelation of the Antichrist that will start the tribulation on earth and that you will come with Jesus from heaven at the end of the tribulation to help set up his kingdom on earth and reign with him then and eternally.
In mid May 2011 US President Barack Obama unveiled his new Middle East policy. This included his latest proposal to move forward the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. In this proposal he stated that the American proposal is now to view a Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders as the starting basis for negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinian Arabs. Land swaps would then be allowed in which areas in the West Bank or perhaps East Jerusalem that the Jews have build up would be given formally to the Israelis in exchange for Israel giving some territory in what is now Israel itself to the Palestinians for their future state. President Obama also says he supports Israel's need for security from Palestinian or other Arab or Muslim militants. President Obama also said that issues like Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees would be dealt with later under this plan. I haven't yet heard too much response from Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority or other Arab leaders or the general population. However I have heard response from Israel's leader Benyamin Netanyahu.
The day after the announcement by US President Barack Obama he met with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House in Washington, DC. At this meeting the Israeli leader cateregorically said this peace plan was unacceptable to the Israelis including himself because the pre-1967 borders of Israel were used as the starting bases for this peace plan. He said that these borders were indefensible meaning they did not provide some control over the West Bank as a buffer zone from Arab attacks and then it wouldn't take long for the Arabs to effectively cut Israel in two since at its narrowest point some parts of Israel are only about 9 miles wide. The Israeli position before and would probably still be that it might hand some of the West Bank back to the Palestinian Arabs but not as a starting point and in order to get some concessions from them in security, land etc. and with Obama's plan their main bargaining chip is taken away. Netanyahu also was upset with Obama's insistance that world pressure would continue be for Israel to go back to the pre-1967 borders without much sympathy for what Netanyahu as well as most Bible believing Jews and Christians believe is the land that God covenanted with the Jews of the land of Israel including the West Bank and East Jerusalem. With the threat of the Palestinian motion in the United Nations in September to forward a vote for a Palestinian Arab state with pre-1967 borders in the UN General Assembly where the US and no other country has a veto it will be interesting to see what type of response this latest peace proposal of US president Barack Obama will get. I haven't heard much for instance of the response from the ARabs or the European Union or the UN. It this latest proposal does give more support to a Palestinian Arab state with pre-1967 borders perhaps by this September as I said this could force Israel to look for a champion somewhere else than American or other usual world leaders. This could lead them to be ready to adopt whatever peace proposal the Antichrist might offer that will include approval for them to build their third temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem as in Daniel 9:27 (and Isaiah 28 and Jeremiah 30). This could also prepare God to come to Israel's defence and protection in the tribulation and second coming of Jesus the Messiah when it will be even more apparent that all world leaders are against the Jews and the nation of Israel especially when they insist their area would include the West Bank and East Jerusalem as promised by God in the Bible. I would therefore urge the reader to, if you haven't done so already, to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and receive him as your Lord and Saviour who died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead to give you new life so you will also be ready to be caught up or raptured to heaven before the tribulation and instead come with the Lord Jesus Christ when he comes to judge the world including the Antichrist and set up Jesus among the ONe in Being and Three Persons true God.
On the anniversary of the 1967 Six Day War in which Israel captured or re-captured the west bank, East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and the Gaza Strip and that Israel calls Jerusalem Day and the Palestinians or other Arabs call Naksa or "setback" there was some unrest on the borders with Israel. This occured mostly on Sunday, June 5. The main incidents happened on the border with Syria and Israel's Golan Heights because to their credit according to the Toronto Star Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the Lebanese government in southern Lebanon prevented Palestinian or other Arab protesters from coming to the Israeli border in those places on Sunday. The Israeli government also seems to have defended protesters trying to come from the West Bank into Jerusalem or other Israeli territory partly with the help of checkpoints on the recently built wall which in most places is more a fence to protect terrorists from coming from the West Bank into Israel. Where most of the action occurred on the border between Syria and the Israeli controlled Golan Heights Israel was able this time to prevent any protesters from coming across the border into Israeli territory. Israeli soldiers fired into the air in the direction of the protesters and when this didn't succeed they fired at the legs of the protesters. Israel later threw tear gas over the border to the protesters. Israel said 14 protesters were injured but Syria said 22 protesters were killed and others injured. Although it is difficult to check the actual situation, Syria would have a vested interest in making things worse than was the actual case and getting people in Syria both Palestinians and Syrian Arabs upset at Israel so these people would not be so focused in their anger at the Syrian government for their brutal tactics in suppressing protests in Syria for more human rights and against excessive government control and violence. The two natural dates for Palestinian and other Arabs to protest against Israel Israeli Independence Day from 1948 and Jerusalem Day from 1967 have now come and gone for another year. Although Palestinians and other ARabs had more vigorous protests on these days than former years the status quo still stand and probably the next major event will be the planned introduction of a measure for voting in the United Nations General Assembly in September on possible approval of a Palestinian State with pre-1967 borders. Barack Obama or people in his government have said they would not accept such a unilateral measure as have some other western leaders but it is hard to say what affect such a measure would have if it achieves a majority. From a Biblical Christian viewpoint these protests and the looming vote in the UN Security Council on a Palestinian state are further indications that a Middle East peace agreement looks further and further from being achieved by mere human efforts. This to me and other Christians makes it look more likely that very soon the antichrist by supernatural power of the devil but with God's permission will come on the scene and achieve a middle east peace that all sides will agree to and will allow the Jews to build their third temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem as in Daniel 9:27. If these events do indeed indicate this false peace is very near I would encourage the reader to if you haven't already done to to admit you are a sinner and call on God in Jesus' name to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour who came from heaven into this world and died for our sins and then rose from the dead to give us new life. If you do this you will not only receive eternal life and a relationship with God but also be assured you will take part in the rapture or catching up to heaven of all true Christians before the 7 year tribulation and God's judgement of the world on earth.
There were some articles I saw in the EUObserver and other sources recently that showed a greater assertiveness of himself and the European Union in a greater role in international events especially the Middle East. In the article it was said that Europe took a more agressive stance with relation to the United States in the recent conflict in Libya. The article said this was an indication of things to come with Europe's international policy especially in the Middle East. This would include the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Mr. Sarkozy seemed to be the spokesman for Europe in this announcement. Mr. Sarkozy also announced another initiative with regard to the Middle East recently. This is an effort to have the European Union speak with a united voice in the upcoming vote in the United Nations General Assembly later this month (September) in New York City. This session will probably feature a vote on an initiative by the Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas to recognize a Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders including East Jerusalem, the WEst Bank and the Gaza Strip. Part of the controversy is that EAst Jerusalem includes all of the old city of Jerusalem including all of the Temple Mount and the Western Wall with no sharing with Israel or the Jews. The United States and the European Union have been continuing to try to prevent the Palestinian Authority from introducing this motion in the General ASsembly so far without success but as a back up plan the United States has threatened to veto this motion in the UN security council where it has to pass before going to the UN General ASsembly. However this would probably cause a lot of backlash against the US from the Muslim and Arab world as the US then would be seen as threatening the Palestinian Arab efforts for their own state with over 120 countries supporting their efforts. It should however be kept in mind that God gave all the promised land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean to the Jews or nation of Israel as an eternal possession through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Genesis 12, 15,26, 28 and also based on their obedience through Moses. I can't say for sure but with his previous efforts to make a Mediterranean Union and participation in assistance in the EU's financial problems and possible running for the next term of the president of the EU under the Lisbon Treaty it is likely as with anyone alive that Nicolas Sarkozy could be the Antichrist but I can't say for sure. It is also interesting that in the Left Behind series or some Christian apocalyptic series that I saw the Antichrist was named Nicolai and Sarkozy's first name is Nicolas but again I can't say for sure. One thing I can say is that the time for rapture and the following tribulation for those left behind is very soon and it is most important that you trust in your heart in the Lord Jesus Christ that he died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead to give you new life and that by ourselves we are sinners in God's sight according to His word the Holy Bible. We need to do this before the rapture or cathcing up of the church to heaven and the covenant or false peace with the Antichrist and Israel to allow building their temple.
On September 9, 2011 rioters in Cairo Egypt attacked the Israeli Embassy in Cairo Egypt. They were protesting the killing by Israeli soldiers several weeks ago in the Sinai peninsula or 5 Egyptian soldier guards. However these protesters failed to keep in mind at least two things. One is that there had just earlier been an unprovoked attack on some Israeli tour buses on a main highway killing 8 Israelis and injuring considerably more and that it was in the Israeli military's efforts to kill or capture some of these attackers who were probably hiding among the Egyptian soldiers that the Egyptian guards were killed. There is also since the deposing of Hosni Mubarak the former president of Egypt a renewed hostility in Egypt towards Israel and Jews and probably less sympathy for the west in general. This is probably partly due to the infiltration into the government and society in Egypt of the Muslim brotherhood and other Islamic militants. The Egyptian crowds in Cairo that attacked the Israeli Embassy tore down the Israeli flag from the Israeli embassy and put up Egyptian and Palestinian ones in its place showing their unwillingness to maintain peace with Israel. These Egyptian protesters also broke through a protective wall and seized Hebrew documents and scattered them into the air. They probably did other damage to the concourse and set some police cars on fire outside the embassy. Israel evacuated its ambassador and most of its diplomatic staff and officially complained to Egypt of lack of security for its embassy building and contents and the danger to its staff. Egyptian security for a long time did nothing to stop or hinder the rioters in their attack on the Israeli embassy. From a biblical Christian viewpoint this is probably at indication that the tribulation is just around the corner when there will be widespread and intense persecution of Israel and the Jewish people especially in the second half of the tribulation. However first and immediately after the rapture of the church the antichrist will make a middle east peace pact. Although this will probably be primarily with Israel and the Palestinians and the world powers it could include other Middle Eastern countries especially Israel's neighbours such as Egypt. This would give the Antichrist much support, acclaim and sympathy in the eyes of the people of the world left behind for whom Middle East peace not necessarily with God or based on the Bible is a foremost goal for a long time. Also God might sit back somewhat now but He will fight for Israel in the tribulation especially in the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to judge the world and set up God's Kingdom on earth ruling through Israel (and the true Church). God says he will also bless Egypt then which must mean that they will be more supportive of Israel in the tribulation as one of God's longstanding principles since the time of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is that he blesses nations that bless Israel and curses nations that don't. For the time being as Christians we should pray that more Egyptians trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and are saved and God's Holy Spirit gives them more love for the Jews and nation of Israel including that the Jews have a legitimate right to the promised land through the Creaator God's and God of Israel's covenant with Abraham and his descendants the Jews. We should also pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
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Part 3 Israeli Palestinian Conflict
Israeli Palestinian Conflict
Part 5 Israeli Palestinian Conflict