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First Middle East peace talks in six years open in Jerusalem - www.timesonline.co.uk
The new round of talks, designed to capitalize on the regional summit in the US city of Annapolis two weeks ago, came a day after Israel sent dozens of tanks into Gaza to hunt down wanted militants, triggering intense battles that left at least seven Palestinian militants dead.
Talks lasted for 90 minutes before a Palestinian negotiator emerged to claim that the settlement issue would have to be resolved before further negotiations could continue.
“We demanded a complete halt to the settlement building ...We have agreed to meet again, nothing else,” Palestinian negotiator Yasser Abed Rabbo told Reuters after the meeting in Jerusalem ended.
Violence continued this morning with Palestinian militants firing 16 homemade rockets into Israel injuring one woman. The rocket attacks were launched within hours of Israeli forces ending their incursion into Gaza.
After a day of conflict it was announced last night that today’s talks had been moved away from Jerusalem’s ornate King David Hotel to an undisclosed location
Some Palestinian officials had called for a boycott of the talks in protest at Israel’s decision to build more than 300 new homes in Ha Homa, an area of East Jerusalem captured by the Jewish state in the 1967 war.
Israel pledged to freeze settlement building at Annapolis, and the new development project has caused uproar, including a rare reprimand for Israel from the United States.
At a meeting in Ankara of Israel’s two closest allies in the Muslim world, Turkey and Jordan, Abdullah Gul, the Turkish president, said the settlement expansion plans had “shocked the whole world... The Israeli leadership must correct this.” And Prince Saud al-Faisal, the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, which lent its diplomatic weight to the regional summit, warned that the move “contradicts the bases and principles of the Annapolis peace conference.”
The Palestinians fear the new housing construction will cut East Jerusalem off from the West Bank and complicate the fresh talks that are due to focus on core issues, such as borders, the status of Jerusalem and the return of Palestinian refugees.
The first task of the steering committee meeting today was intended to ne mainly logistical, deciding how many committees will be set up to carry out the peace talks as well as how often and where the teams will meet.
The peace talks have been ambitiously scheduled for conclusion by December 2008, near the end of President Bush’s tenure in the White House.
Arye Mekel, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, said both sides wanted to keep the early meetings low key. He said the talks would mostly be procedural, but that there also were hopes to “jump start” the overall peace process.
The talks were staged between Israel and the Palestinian administration of Mahmoud Abbas which rules the West Bank.
Both leaders face domestic troubles, making it tough for them to offer concessions. Israeli hawks are determined to bring down a peacemaking government, and Mr Abbas now controls only the West Bank, having lost control of the Gaza Strip to the radical Islamist group Hamas.
In Gaza, the atmosphere yesterday was far closer to war than peace, as the Israeli army staged one of its largest incursions in months.
About 30 tanks and armored vehicles pushed deep into the narrow coastal territory, residents said, triggering intense fighting in which
Israel called in at least two air strikes on Palestinian fighters trying to approach army positions.
Four members of Islamic Jihad, one of the most fanatical of Palestinian factions which regularly fires rockets at Israeli towns, were killed when a missile hit the house where they were sheltering. At least 20 people were wounded in the fighting, including four Israeli soldiers who sustained slight injuries when their armoured vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.
An Israeli air strike also killed a Palestinian man who was trying to launch a rocket into Israel.
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PA expresses outrage over Jerusalem construction during talks – www.haaretz.com
The Palestinians have said that newly announced Israeli plans to build more than 300 apartments in the Har Homa neighborhood threatened to undermine the talks. The Palestinians hope to establish the capital of an independent state in East Jerusalem.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said his delegation introduced the issue of Har Homa and expressed our outrage.
"If you want to restore the credibility of the peace process, the Israeli government must revoke this order," he added.
Wednesday's talks, which lasted for about 90 minutes, went ahead despite calls by some Palestinians for a boycott over the plans for Har Homa. Palestinian leaders decided to attend the talks but to focus on pressing Israel to freeze settlement building.
"We demanded a complete halt to the settlement building ... We have agreed to meet again, nothing else," Palestinian negotiator Yasser Abed Rabbo told Reuters after the meeting.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said there was no "quick fix" to the decades-old conflict and the process will require "ongoing efforts."
"They raised their concerns and we raised our concerns at the meeting," Mark Regev said.
Erekat said the Israelis raised concerns about security issues, including ongoing rocket attacks out of the Gaza Strip.
Erekat said there were no immediate plans to meet again. He said Israeli and Palestinian officials would both attend a conference in Paris next week where donors are expected to pledge aid to the Palestinians.
"After Paris, we will contact each other to see where we take it from there," he said.
The teams, headed by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, had been scheduled to hold a high-profile launch of the talks at the ornate King David hotel, but decided to keep things low key and move things to an undisclosed location.
The meeting was expected to focus on technical issues, such as the priority list for the subjects to be covered in negotiations, and the task forces that will be established.
Tony Blair to MKs: Israel must proceed in talks despite doubts
The Quartet's Mideast envoy Tony Blair told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Wednesday that he understands Israel's doubts regarding negotiations with the Palestinians, but urged the MKs present to proceed in talks.
Regarding the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip, Blair said he understood that instead of peace, Israel got a "nightmare," which explains the reluctance to push through another unilateral withdrawal in the West Bank.
However, he maintained that the Palestinians are even more doubtful regarding chances for peace, and called on Israel to make sincere efforts, despite its doubts.
Blair rejected calls for funding first and foremost the Palestinian Authority's infrastructure and economy, saying that there must be simultaneous progress between the diplomatic and economic processes, which he said must be advanced in small steps.
Members of the committee were furious when Blair did not answer MK Limor Livnat's question regarding PA President Mahmoud Abbas' refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
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Security cabinet says no to Gaza operation - www.ynetnews.com
The security cabinet announced Wednesday it would recommend the government refrain from launching a wide-scale operation in Gaza, opting instead to continue with targeted IDF operations.
Data given to the cabinet revealed that the IDF has held 115 operations aimed at destroying terror infrastructure and Qassam cells in the Strip since the beginning of the year, and killed 260 Palestinian terrorists.
Still, some 970 Qassam rockets and 1,200 mortar shells were fired from Gaza towards Israel since the beginning of 2007. Israel suffered five related casualties – three IDF soldiers and two civilians.
IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi and senior Shin Bet officials further told the cabinet that the extra leeway authorized by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, has led to IDF operations along the security fence being more proactive than reactive.
The security cabinet was also briefed on the economic sanction imposed on the Gaza Strip: According to the Civil Administration, the sanctions have begun taking their toll, as Hamas' support is declining.
The sanctions, however, did little to weaken Hamas' military strength, as it keeps armoring, especially due to the ongoing weapons' smuggling from Egypt.
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni briefed the cabinet on the political efforts made in regards to the situation in Gaza. The world, said Livni, understands Israel's need to defend itself against terror.
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Army chief: Gaza operation unavoidable - www.ynetnews.com
Wednesday.
"You cannot defeat a terror organization without eventually taking control of the territory," he said, "the only reason we have been successful in Judea and Samaria is because we control the area."
Speaking at a conference hosted by the Institute for National Security Studies at the Tel Aviv University, Ashkenazi said that while the current limited army operations in Gaza impair the capabilities of terror organizations, they would never completely curb all attacks against Israel.
"We may very well come to a point where we will be forced to carry out a large-scale operation," he said.
The chief of staff's speech came several short hours after a heavy barrage of Qassam rockets hit Sderot. Earlier in the day the security cabinet recommend against launching a large-scale military operation in the Strip but called on the IDF to continue its limited counter-terrorism efforts.
Ashkenazi said that Israel must prepare for the possibility of facing numerous enemies on several fronts - including foreign armies and terror groups – simultaneously. "The threat to the Israeli home front is growing and this requires us to prepare ourselves both on the defensive and offensive levels," he stated.
"This threat began to evolve as our enemies began to understand that they were incapable of defeating us militarily and also when they realized our sensitivity to the loss of human life. That is how these weapons came into use – from the Qassam to the Shiab.
The chief of staff also addressed the long-term ramifications of the Second Lebanon War. "The IDF's deterrence has only grown stronger after the war," said Ashkenazi.
As for Israel's concerns regarding its enemies from the east, Iran and Syria, Ashkenazi said the IDF "must be prepared to achieve a decisive victory in any confrontation."
In a possible war with Syria, he said, the army would not combat rocket attacks on Israel's home front as it had during the war in Lebanon. "So long as there are rockets falling on homes in Israel - we cannot win the war. We will not fight as the army has in the past. We will not only operate against the rocket launchers themselves but also create a situation where the other side's desire to launch these attacks sufferers, the price for these attacks will be steep – and the enemy will have to decide whether it can keep fighting.
"In a playground like Syria, we have the capability to strike them," said Ashkenazi.
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Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned on Tuesday that Iran is likely to develop an atomic bomb by 2010 if it is allowed to continue its controversial nuclear program.
He said a report by the National Intelligence Estimate -- the consensus view of all 16 US intelligence agencies -- saying Iran had ended its nuclear weapons program in 2003 should not stop international pressure on Tehran to stop uranium enrichment.
"Iran continues its activities to enrich uranium, and even according to the NIE report, it is likely to accumulate sufficient amounts to create a nuclear weapon by 2010," Olmert told the Institute for National Security Studies.
"Iran continues its activities to attain two vital components to create nuclear weapons -- the development of a sophisticated electrical system and ballistic missiles, while at the same time producing enriched uranium.
"International pressure on Iran has been very effective, even according to the NIE report, and it should be continued and even increased," he said in the speech delivered at the start of a security conference at the Tel Aviv centre.
The NIE report last week said US allegations about Iran's atomic goals had been overblown for at least two years, but that Tehran could have the capability to make a nuclear weapon by 2015.
The revised assessment prompted China and Russia -- both veto-wielding permanent members of the UN Security Council -- to question the case for further sanctions, backed strongly by Israel as well as the United States.
Israel, regarded as the region's sole if undeclared nuclear power, considers Iran its arch foe after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejd's repeated calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.
Olmert said Israel does "not need an intelligence report to know of the intentions of the regime in Tehran.
"A country rich in oil and gas does not need to enrich uranium for civilian needs in order to produce alternative energy... unless it wants to develop nuclear weapons," the premier said.
He was indirectly quoted in the media on Sunday, as warning that Iran could acquire nuclear weapons by 2010, but Tuesday's speech was the first time he made the declarations in public.
Iran says it needs to develop nuclear power to provide energy for a growing population when fossil fuels run out.
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Saudi king invites Ahmadinejad for haj-media - www.reuters.com
It would be the first time an Iranian president was officially invited to take part in the annual pilgrimage, starting later this month, the official IRNA news agency said.
Like other Gulf Arab states, Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia has long been wary of its large Shi'ite Muslim neighbor and shares Western concerns about Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
"Saudi King Abdullah has formally invited President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to take part in this year's haj ceremony," Iran's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mohammad Hosseini, was quoted as saying by state television.
The five-day rites are expected to begin on December 18.
On Tuesday Ahmadinejad said he would take part in the haj if formally invited. Last week he became the first Iranian president to attend a summit of Saudi Arabia and five other Gulf Arab states.
It was not clear whether the 51-year-old had attended the haj before. A duty for every Muslim at least once in a lifetime, the grueling ritual is one of the world's biggest displays of mass religious devotion and is held under tight security.
At least 1.5 million people are expected to arrive from abroad in Mecca where pilgrims follow a route around the mountains in line with a tradition established by the Prophet Muhammad.
In 1987, more than 400 people, mostly Iranians, died in clashes with Saudi security forces at an anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rally in Mecca.
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India building 6,000km nuclear-capable missile – www.news.yahoo.com
Such a distance would nearly double the military's current strike range, putting targets even in Europe within reach, and came one day after neighboring Pakistan tested a nuclear capable cruise missile.
M. Natarajan, who heads the Indian government's Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), said flight tests of Agni-IV ballistic missiles would begin within months.
"We want to repeat the tests and we have plans for a minimum two such repeats," Natarajan told India's Times Now private television network.
"One, sometime within the first quarter of next year, and another within nine to 12 months," said the chief of the DRDO, which has been developing India's missile arsenal since 1983.
"Although I won't say the exact figure I would reckon the figure of 5,000 to 6,000 kilometres should be quite adequate for the country's needs."
V. K. Sarswat, head of the DRDO's strategic systems branch, confirmed the Agni-IV was under development while other scientists told AFP it was likely to be fully operational within three years.
India in April tested its longest-range Agni-III missile, capable of reaching targets 3,500 kilometers inside neighboring China, with Saraswat saying the weapon was being further upgraded.
New Delhi has already deployed two variants of the Agni -- a 700-kilometre (434-mile) Agni-I and the 2,500-kilometre (1,550-mile) range Agni-II after flight-testing both missiles numerous times since 1993.
The comments by the DRDO officials followed rival Pakistan's announcement that it had tested a nuclear-capable cruise missile, vowing a strong response to any international attempt to seize its atomic arsenal.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars, two of them over the disputed northern territory of Kashmir. The two countries are currently engaged in peace talks over a range of bilateral issues, including Kashmir, but both have continued a military build-up.
Saraswat also announced two tests earlier this month of Indian manufactured interceptor missiles, saying they performed better than Patriot air-defense batteries manufactured by US defense group Raytheon.
Work on the two separate nuclear-capable missile interception systems began in 1998 and despite technology refusals by Western powers they will be ready by 2010, he said.
"The effectiveness of the system would depend on how much can we spend on it but it is required by a country like ours as we have a no-first-use (nuclear strike) principle," the scientist said.
Saraswat said the missile defense shield, backed by a string of coastline radars and high-end monitoring systems would also make it almost impossible for hostile aircraft to penetrate Indian airspace.
"It is a defensive posture and so it doesn't alter the balance (of power) in the region," he said, after two 1.2-tonne interceptors shot down two incoming ballistic missiles in the Bay of Bengal in two tests earlier this month.
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The Rise of India – www.khouse.org
"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared (Revelation 16:12)."
In response, we all have become aware of the spectacular rise of China on the world scene. Just as Henry Luce dubbed the 20th century as "the American Century," many are recognizing that the 21st century will be "the Asian Century." And China's achievements are spectacular, indeed. In just one generation, they have tripled their per capita income, and lifted over 300 million people out of poverty! And they now have become the major competitor for energy and other commodities.
But with all of the spotlights singling out China, there is another - overlooked - giant rising in the east: India.
Few people realize the remarkable emergence of India in the global technological culture, which is destined to dominate the next few decades. Their research and development centers are sprouting everywhere and are the seedbeds of the most advanced software platforms, multimedia devices, and other next-generation innovations.
Major companies, such as Motorola, Hewlett-Packard, and Cisco Systems, are looking to laboratories in India for their most advanced product developments. Their advanced 3-D computer simulations are tweaking designs for car engines and aircraft wings for clients like General Motors and Boeing. India's Bangalore Research Hub is spawning companies that produce their own chip designs, software, and pharmaceuticals.
Just as China has emerged as a mass manufacturer, India is emerging as a giant in services. Technical and managerial strengths in both China and India are becoming more important than just cheap assembly labor. And, their relative strengths are complementary, not competitive.
For example, China has excelled in mass manufacturing, with multi-billion electronics and heavy industrial plants; India has specialized in software, design, services, and precision industry. Their efficiency in back-office processing alone is legendary and outsourcing such work is expected to quadruple by 2010 to over $56 billion per year!
These two emerging giants will transform the entire global economy. China and India account for one-third of the world’s population. For the past two decades, China has been growing at 9.5% per year, and India at 6% per year. Both are projected to continue at an annual rate of 7-8% for at least the next ten years.
This is, in some ways, analogous to 19th century America, when a young, driven workforce grabbed the lead in agriculture, apparel, and the high-tech innovations of that era: steam engines, the telegraph, and electric lights. Similarly, these two emerging giants are positioning themselves at the vanguard of the critical technologies of the coming decades.
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**THE END OF TIMES - DVD** - This DVD could not have been more timely!
We are having a wonderful response to our DVD “The End of Times”, the reviews are pouring in from around the world. I could not be more pleased or more thankful and I must give all the credit and the Glory to the Lord!
It is our wish, our desire, to reach as many people as possible, now more than ever this timely information presented on this DVD needs to be seen in every home, church, youth group, home Bible study group and other such gatherings. Consider it an electronic tract; give them out to as many people as possible, leave one along with your tip when you eat out! Many people won’t or can’t go to Church, but they will sit down in the privacy of their own home and watch a DVD.
For several years now the Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a Middle East peace conference to be held on Russian soil. I first reported on this development back in April 2005. These calls were repeated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on several occasions. But up until now, calls for a Russian Middle East peace conference went unheeded. Since 2005 Russia has been seeking ways in which to increase its dominance in the Middle East and to re-establish its super-power status on the world stage. This first began with increased co-operation with China in August 2005, as the former communist Russia joined their communist neighbor for their first ever joint military exercises. Later that year Russia increased its stranglehold on the oil and gas markets, announcing price-hikes and cutting supplies to former Soviet states which refused to fit the bill. This past year Russia resumed its Cold War patrols, is seeking to establish its own seaport in Syria and has spoken of the Mediterranean Sea as being of strategic importance to Russian defense. Most recently Russia sent a naval fleet to patrol the Mediterranean Sea in an effort to re-establish its presence in the region.
Quote: "The Russian Black Sea Fleet contingent, which has already set out for its new mission from Sevastopol, will rely on the naval facilities at Syria’s Tartous port. Its presence for several months will be a complication for the Israel navy’s operations opposite the Lebanese and Syrian coasts, especially if the Russians could be joined at Tartous by Iranian extended Kilo class submarines armed with the Russian-made "Sizzler" Klub-S (3M54) missile, as some unofficial Israeli sources reported. The Russian Kuznetsov carrier group will conduct three tactical exercises, including real and simulated launch of missiles, said Serdyukov, adding 11 port visits are expected to be made. Sending such powerful Russian warships onto the Mediterranean, for any amount of time, is no small matter. With the Mediterranean having been a "NATO lake" for the past 15 years, since the demise of the Soviet Union, the simple presence of a naval Russian force will require reviewed strategy and tactics of many of western and Israeli navies.
On the back of its increasing military presence in the region, Russia is also seeking to spread its political influence in the Arab world. After an Israeli strike on a Syrian nuclear installation, Russian engineers were called in to see how Syria's Russian-built radar system was infiltrated. Iran was also concerned, for they had bought the same systems to defend their Russian-built nuclear installation in Bushehr. And now the international community is letting Russia play peace-maker between Israel and its enemies...
Quote: "The Russian diplomats assured their Israeli counterparts that the proposed Moscow event, like Annapolis, would be billed as a "meeting" rather than a "conference." They also said that its purpose would not be to finalize agreements, but merely to move the Middle East peace process forward. According to the information reaching Jerusalem, the Russians would like to divide the event into two sessions. The first would be devoted to assessing the progress of bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, while the second would deal with the issue of a comprehensive regional peace, with particular emphasis on resumption of negotiations between Israel and Syria, and the launching of Israeli-Lebanese talks.
The Scriptures state that during the last days, a war is prophesied to break out between Israel and the surrounding Arab nations. This war will be initiated by Arab states, and will come during a time of relative peace for Israel. During this war, the Bible says that an evil thought shall come into the mind of the Russian leader. He will then mount an invasion of the land of Israel with the pretence of defending the Arab nations, but his real aim will be to take away much spoil for himself. As we can see, this attitude fits right in with Russia's present desire for greater wealth and power. The Russian attack will be opposed by Saudi Arabia, but no nation will come to Israel's aid. I don't know whether this war will happen during the tribulation period or just before. What is clear is that events are leading up to the war of Ezekiel 38-39. If Christ came today, would you be ready? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31).
Ezekiel 38:18-23
And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, [that] my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy [and] in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that [are] upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that [are] with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.
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Replacement Theology Leaders Reiterate Call for Two-State Solution for Israel and Palestine - www.christianitytoday.com
This week the Bush State Department is devoting its full diplomatic efforts toward bringing a two-state resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Over the past few months, they have put on a full-court press to gather a broad representation of Arab world leaders to join Israeli and Palestinian negotiators for a historic meeting in Annapolis, Maryland. Now, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas have agreed to a program of sustained and focused negotiations throughout 2008.
With these cautious but hopeful beginnings, over 80 evangelical leaders have signed a statement indicating their belief "that the way forward is for the Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a fair, two-state solution."
These leaders—including Christian college and seminary presidents, denominational heads, and other ministry leaders—pledge their "ongoing support for the security of Israel," and state that "unless the situation between Israel and Palestine improves quickly, the consequences will be devastating" for Israel. Palestinians with little economic opportunity "are increasingly sympathetic to radical solutions."
An Evangelical Statement on Israel/Palestine
As evangelical Christians committed to the full authority of the Scriptures, we feel compelled to make a statement together at this historic moment in the life of the Holy Land.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is near a momentous turning point. The strife has continued—sometimes simmering, sometimes exploding in terrible conflict—for decades.
In the context of our ongoing support for the security of Israel, we believe that unless the situation between Israel and Palestine improves quickly, the consequences will be devastating. Palestinians—especially the youth who have no economic opportunity—are increasingly sympathetic to radical solutions and terrorism. As a result, the threat to Israel's security is now greater.
Likewise, the threat to America's national security is greater. Because so many of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims see America through the prism of Israel-Palestine, the longer the current situation continues, the more likely it is that anti-American attitudes, policies, and terrorist activities will increase dramatically among Muslims worldwide.
As evangelical Christians, we believe our faith compels us to speak a word together at this crucial moment.
The Bible clearly teaches that God longs for justice and peace for all people. We believe that the principles about justice taught so powerfully by the Hebrew prophets apply to all nations, including the United States, Israel, and the Palestinians. Therefore we are compelled to work for a fair, negotiated solution for both Israelis and Palestinians. We resolve to work diligently for a secure, enduring peace and a flourishing economy for the democratic State of Israel. We also resolve to work for a viable permanent, democratic Palestinian State with a flourishing economy that offers economic opportunity to all its people. We believe that the way forward is for the Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a fair, two-state solution.
We are encouraged that the Israeli and Palestinian governments have officially endorsed a two-state solution and that polls demonstrate that solid majorities in both Israel and Palestine embrace this path.
We call on all evangelicals, all Christians, and everyone of good will to join us to work and pray faithfully in the coming months for a just, lasting two-state solution in the Holy Land. We call on all involved governments to work diligently toward this goal. And we covenant to pray for the leaders of all the nations engaged in this effort, hoping for them the blessing of our Lord, who said, "Blessed are the peacemakers."
As we work and pray, we are strengthened by the truth that Christ will return some day to complete his victory over sin and injustice, and we are empowered by the knowledge that until He comes again, He summons us to support the things that promote peace and justice for everyone in the Holy Land.
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One of the four major trends that you can find in the Word of God for the last days, leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ – now, I’m not talking about that "Rapture," when the Church is taken out of here – but I’m talking about during that seven-year period of time following the Rapture, leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. One of those major trends would be an alignment of the nations, a coalition of nations.
In Daniel 11:40-45 we start to see how the prophetic scenario is laid out. Daniel is dealing with the king of the north and the king of the south coming at "him." Another significant word is him – "he" and "him" are used, I think, 13 different times in this portion of Daniel 11. But when it talks about the king of the north and the king of the south, early on in chapter 11, it defines the king of the north as Syria, and the king of the south as Egypt. Remember, all direction in the Bible comes out of Jerusalem – Ezekiel 5:5: Jerusalem, the center of the earth. And so the king of the north "will come at him" – that refers to the Antichrist; and the king of the south "will come at him" as well.
Now, what is that talking about? Well, right after the Rapture of the Church – I say right after; it could be a week, a month, a year, whatever – after the revived Roman Empire comes into existence, the Antichrist comes on the scene, and he will confirm a peace agreement with Israel. This will be a pseudo peace agreement, but the Jews will accept this world leader as their Messiah and go along with the confirmation of that peace agreement. And so, he will go out of the region, actually go into Rome to set up a false church. And in the region, the king of the north, Syria, "will come at him."
Wait a minute, what does that mean? Well, if you have guaranteed peace to the nation of Israel and someone attacks Israel, it’s like coming at you. And so it says that the king of the north, Syria, comes at Israel. The king of the south, Egypt, comes at Israel, and verse 41 says, "He shall enter the glorious holy land." Antichrist comes in, goes up to the north, destroys Syria, comes through Ammon, Moab and Edom. That is the biblical terms for modern-day Jordan. He doesn’t touch Jordan; then he goes to the south, destroys Egypt, turns around, starts back towards Jerusalem. And at his heels, according to Daniel 11, are "the Ethiopians and the Libyans."
Now, when you talk about the Ethiopians, you’re talking about basically Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan. And the Libyans, of course, would be Colonel Qadaffi’s Libya. They will be coming at him.
Interesting, the parallel passage over in Ezekiel 38 talks about those nations mentioned in Daniel 11. In fact, it also says in Daniel 11 that there will be some murmurings out of the "north" – that’s not Syria, because Syria will have been destroyed – and out of the "east." They are defined, when you come to Ezekiel 38. Out of the north, verse 2 says, "Gog in the land of Magog." Gog, the leader; Magog, the country. And most likely all Bible scholars would agree that would be Russia and probably the Ukraine as well.
But then it mentions Meshach and Tubal; and verse 6 says "Gomer and Togarmah." I was recently in Turkey doing a series on the seven churches of Asia Minor. I picked up an ancient Turkish map and when I looked at the map, I was amazed to see that Turkey, ancient Turkey, was divided into four parts: Meshach, Tubal, Gomer, Togarmah. So what the Bible is talking about here is modern-day Turkey.
Finally, verse 5 mentions "Persia," which is modern-day Iran. Then in some Bibles it may say "Cush." That would be Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia. Or it may say "Put," and that would be modern-day Libya.
So, these are the nations that form these coalitions in the beginning of that seven-year Tribulation Period. They come against Israel to try to wipe them off of the map.
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IF JESUS COME BACK, WILL YOU BE READY?
GREETINGS IN CHRIST
C.E.O
[Submitted by CEO]
