EMET NEWS SERVICE WEEKLY UPDATE
ISSN: 1933-9178
http://emetnews.org/Summary of the Week Ending: August 4, 2007 | 20 Av 5767
===============================================================
A weekly summary of news and events concerning Israel and the Jewish people."Thus says the L-rd of hosts, 'Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their G-d in truth and righteousness.'" Zechariah 8:7
Feel free to share this with others. Be sure to give proper credit.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
http://emetnews.org/cgi-bin/r/x2
---------------------------------------------------------------[+] THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS:
1. U.S. CALLS FOR MAJOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE SUMMIT
2. DANGEROUS MIDDLE EAST PACT SIGNED
3. OLMERT TO MEET WITH ABBAS TO KICK START SUMMIT
4. FROM THEIR OWN LIPS
5. LARGE JUDEAN ARAB CITY TO BE BUILT BY U.S.
6. ARMS SALES TO ISRAEL'S NEIGHBORS TO INCREASE
7. THE INGATHERING CONTINUES
8. HIZB'ALLAH REJECTS PRISONER SWAP PROPOSED BY ISRAEL
9. PA CONTINUES ITS DOUBLE-SPEAK PRACTICE
10. MANY EVANGELICAL LEADERS BOLDLY ABANDON ISRAEL---------------------------------------------------------------
:: NEW ON THE SITE: The Ultimatum!
http://emetnews.org/views/the-ultimatum.phpEmanuel A. Winston writes, "Israel and the Jews have been pursued and persecuted for decades and centuries. The Jewish people owe the world's nations absolutely nothing, except our ultimatum: we will give you peace for peace, nothing more."
1. U.S. CALLS FOR MAJOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE SUMMIT
On July 16, U.S. President George W. Bush called for a Middle East peace conference this fall to be led by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and include Arabs, Israelis, and regional neighbors who support creation of an Arab state on Jewish land <see http://emetnews.org/jump.php?m=WEJuly22>. Rice reiterated the meeting this past week while in the Middle East. She told Arab journalists in Ram'Allah, "This is to call people together so that we can really advance ... Palestinian [sic] statehood". Rice said that many of the leaders with whom she has met during her current four-day trip to the region, including Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, expressed a desire to see the fall meeting produce tangible progress towards the two-state solution. The secretary said Olmert "is ready to discuss fundamental issues that will lead to the establishment of a Palestinian [sic] state," and she urged the Israelis and Arabs to deepen their dial
ogue on these issues (see below). [USINFO]
...............................................................2. DANGEROUS MIDDLE EAST PACT SIGNED
U.S. Secretary of State Rice wrote her signature alongside those of Egypt, Jordan, and six Persian Gulf states endorsing the 2002 Saudi Arabian plan <see http://emetnews.org/jump.php?m=SaudiInitiative> as a foundation for Middle East peace. The Saudi Plan offers full normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab world in exchange for Israel's withdrawal from Judea, Samaria, and the Golan Heights. Gaza was included in the original draft, but in 2005 Israel abandoned that strip of land to Arab terrorists who turned it into a haven for terrorists and a launching pad for increased terrorism. Although Israeli leaders have made positive statements regarding the plan -- which until now had been totally rejected by Israeli governments -- the current form of the plan includes reference to an Arab "right of return" that Israel considers a deal-breaker. It is not clear how Rice's signature on the joint statement affects the U.S. position on that point. Rice's signature also ra
ises another potential point of conflict with Israel because the statement calls for making the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty universal for all nations: a pointed jab at Israel, which has refused to join. [Bush is so desperate to solve his problems in Iran and Iraq that he is willing to sell out Israel to her enemies in exchange for support from Arab terrorist.--ed] [JNW, The Media Line]
...............................................................3. OLMERT TO MEET WITH ABBAS TO KICK START SUMMIT
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is set to meet on Monday with Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Sources in Jerusalem said a venue had not been finalized, although Jericho was being considered. An official in the Prime Minister's Office said the summit's agenda would include for the first time issues connected to a declaration of principles on a final settlement agreement. The official stressed, however, that discussions on the principles of a final settlement were not the same as negotiations on the details of contentious final status issues such as Jerusalem, borders and [alleged] Arab 'refugees'. Also on the agenda will be security issues including Arab efforts to strengthen their security forces, economic measures to help the Arabs and steps to build Arab governmental institutions. Olmert is not expected to agree to transfer responsibility for security in several towns to the Arabs, and reportedly is seeking to wait until Abbas' security forces are stronger. So
urces close to Abbas said he was optimistic about the prospects of reaching a declaration of principles on a final settlement with Israel before the peace conference. [Jerusalem Post, Ha'aretz]
...............................................................4. FROM THEIR OWN LIPS
"The 'Palestinian' people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, 'Palestinians', Syrians, and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a 'Palestinian' people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct 'Palestinian people' to oppose Zionism. For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa. While as a 'Palestinian', I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva, and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of 'Palestine', we will not wait even a minute to unite 'Palestine' and Jordan." -- PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein, March 31, 1977, interview with the Dutch newspaper TROUW.) []
...............................................................5. LARGE JUDEAN ARAB CITY TO BE BUILT BY U.S.
According to the DEBKAfile, the Bush administration has made plans to build an Arab city situated 12.5 miles south of Shechem and 22 miles north of Ram'Allah on the road linking the two cities. The town is planned for 30-40,000 Arab inhabitants in the first stage, expanding in the second stage to 70,000 ten years later. It will be located in Area B under Israeli security control. PM Olmert has kept the project, which represents a major strategic restructure of Samaria geography, secret. He did not submit the U.S. plan to the cabinet, or even the security-political ministerial forum, before giving the go-ahead to U.S. Secretary of State Rice last week. The new Arab city, which DEBKAfile sources reveal Olmert first learned about in his talks with Bush on June 19, will be the first Arab town to go up in the region in 1,500 years. During his White House visit, Olmert learned that the Bush administration regards the Arab town as a primary project for consolidating Abbas' governmen
t. It is designed to provide tens of thousands of jobs for Arabs. U.S. city planners and architects hired by the U.S. government have prepared initial diagrams after secret visits to the site. During her current tour, Rice showed the plans to the Israeli prime minister, Abbas, and PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. Financing is still an outstanding problem. It was hoped that the Saudis would put up part of the initial investment for the foundations but that hope was dashed when Abdullah, king of Saudi Arabia, flatly refused to hear of aid to the Abbas regime in his talks with Rice in Jeddah Tuesday. [DEBKAfile]
...............................................................6. ARMS SALES TO ISRAEL'S NEIGHBORS TO INCREASE
A military sales package for Arab countries estimated at $20 billion represents a tactic by the Bush administration to critically increase the weapons of Israel's enemies. The stated purpose is to minimize the threat from Iran; however, in actuality, it puts Israel in a dangerous neighborhood. The Bush administration plans on selling arms to the Arab nations of Saudi Arabia (which will receive the bulk of the aid), Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, during their joint travel to the Gulf, discussed the specifics of U.S. weapons systems that are being offered. In addition, Under Secretary of State R. Nicholas Burns will travel to Israel and the region in mid-August for further talks on the specifics of the military assistance initiative. The Bush administration still must submit large proposed arms sales packages to Congress for approval. Congress's oversight authority to approve major arms sales derives from the
1976 Arms Export Control Act. In addition, Israel will be given a 25 percent increase in U.S. military aid, from a current annual $2.4 billion to $3 billion a year, guaranteed for 10 years. The way that it is being reported in the major media seems like Israel will be getting $30 billion a year, instead of as a total over ten years. Also, it's only a $6 million increase over ten years, which is not that when you much allow for inflation. Remember too that this is money that can only be spent with U.S. weapons contractors."And you will say, 'I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates, to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the center of the world.'" (Ezekiel 38:11-12) [US Department of Defense, USINFO, AP]
...............................................................7. THE INGATHERING CONTINUES
Another 200 new immigrants to Israel came home from North America, landing on their home turf in Ben Gurion International Airport Tuesday morning. They were greeted by cheering crowds and government officials. It was the second Nefesh B'Nefesh (NBN) flight this summer from North America; the first one, earlier this month, brought over 220 new olim (immigrants). NBN flights have also arrived from Great Britain, and another one was scheduled for Thursday evening. A planeload of 600 new olim from France arrived last week, organized by the AMI organization dedicated to increasing French aliyah (immigration to Israel). For pictures, go to: <http://emetnews.org/jump.php?m=olim08022007>."And it will come about that after I have uprooted them, I will again have compassion on them; and I will bring them back, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land." (Jeremiah 12:15) [Arutz Sheva]
...............................................................8. HIZB'ALLAH REJECTS PRISONER SWAP PROPOSED BY ISRAEL
Hizb'Allah has refused a two-step prisoner swap proposed by Israel in which Israel will release a specified amount of Hizb'Allah prisoners in exchange for signs of life from kidnapped soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Golwasser, said United Nation's Mideast envoy Michael Williams this week. In the second stage of the prisoner swap, said Williams, after it is confirmed that the soldiers are alive, Israel will release more Hizb'Allah prisoners in exchange for the release of Regev and Golwasser. Hizb'Allah operatives kidnapped Regev and Golwasser, and killed three other Israeli soldiers, during a cross-border raid that triggered the Second Lebanon War last summer. According to Williams, who has spoken on the issue at many events this week, Hizb'Allah is demanding, instead, a one-stage prisoner exchange. Israel has refused to agree to such a deal until it has proof that the soldiers are indeed alive. Hizb'Allah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said, however, that he would not release a
ny information about the two soldiers without something in exchange, reported YNETnews. [Israel Insider]
...............................................................9. PA CONTINUES ITS DOUBLE-SPEAK PRACTICE
Newly appointed PA Prime Minister Salam Fayad Sunday joined a long line of his illustrious Arab predecessors who have successfully pulled the wool over the eyes of many Israelis. On Friday, carefully "unnamed" PA officials "confirmed" that the platform of their "government" omits the phrases "armed struggle" and "resistance" against Israeli "occupation." But speaking to reporters in Cairo, where he is attending an Arab League meeting, Fayad dissembled, saying his people have a right to this "resistance", but then "hinting" (as an Israeli news outlet put it) that this resistance does not always "have to be" through terrorism. Fayad has left open the terrorism option, but to the world and to left-wing Israelis he has presented himself as a "moderate" and a "partner for peace." Before him, Yasir Arafat, Mahmoud Abbas, Ahmed Qurei, and Nabil Shaath all played the same game. Meanwhile the PLO Charter, which calls for Israel's destruction, has been neither revoked nor amended, desp
ite the first Oslo Agreement in which Arafat undertook to scrap it. Its platform underpinned the years of vicious terrorism that followed the signing of those accords, killing more than a thousand Israelis and wounding many thousands more. [JNW]
...............................................................10. MANY EVANGELICAL LEADERS BOLDLY ABANDON ISRAEL
I have mentioned before about the statements by John Hagee and others regarding the claims of 50-70 million Evangelical Christians in the United States that are supporters of Israel. Sure enough, if we wait long enough, we will eventually see the truth come out.This past Sunday (July 29, 2007), several Evangelical leaders published a letter to U.S. President George W. Bush in the NEW YORK TIMES, giving their support to Bush's attempts to divide the land of Israel. Bush has said for several years now that he has a [demonic] vision of dividing the land of Israel, and is quite proud that he is the first U.S. president to openly speak of it. These Evangelical leaders stated quite clearly:
"We also write to correct a serious misperception among some people including some U.S. policymakers that all American evangelicals are opposed to a two-state solution and creation of a new Palestinian [sic] state that includes the vast majority of the West Bank [sic]. Nothing could be further from the truth."
Keep in mind that these are men and women who claim to be leaders within the Christian religion, with the assumption that they have undertaken some type of study of the Bible, and yet they support the giving away of the biblical heartland of Israel, the very land that G-d Himself - the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - gave to His people Israel for eternity (see Genesis 12.7; 13.14-15; 15.18; 17.8; 26.3; 28.13; Exodus 23.31; Deuteronomy 1.7-8, among others). They even had the boldness to speak as if they understood the Hebrew prophets. These people are involved with some large congregations and organizations. One of them, Joel Hunter, is the pastor of Northland Church, which is headquartered near me in central Florida, and has five locations in the area. His congregation boasts 12,000 members locally and has 1,500 more locations that participate via interactive "Webstream worship". They just recently finished building a new $42 million facility in Longwood, Florida. Hunter w
as elected last year to head the Christian Coalition of America, but later resigned citing differences in how to broaden the group's agenda. These are not obscure people; these are mainstream leaders who speak for many of the Evangelical Christians in the United States.They then went on to proclaim:
"We affirm the new role of former Prime Minister Tony Blair [as liaison for the Quartet (United States, European Union, United Nations, and Russia) in its plans to divide the land of Israel] and pray that the conference you plan for this fall will be a success."
I'm not sure to what god they are praying but it is definitely not the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This upcoming conference is a meeting of U.S. and Arab leaders to devise, once and for all, the final solution for the Jews. Does that sound like something that the G-d of Israel would be involved in?
These are times of great deception. We need to gird ourselves against the deception that is all around. Look to the L-rd for guidance, not man. Be involved in those things that the L-rd is doing. He is redeeming the earth, not trying to appease terrorist-driven Muslims who want to wipe His people off the face of the earth.
"For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; and they have divided up My land." Joel 3:1-2 [shamar.org blog]
...............................................................[Additional sources: IMRA, DvHaimson, Daily Alert, Eretz Israel Shelanu]
--
.....................................................................Be sure to visit the blog at: <http://www.emetnews.org/weblog/>
"On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the L-rd, take no rest for yourselves." Isaiah 62:6
Emet News Service (ENS) is a weekly review and analysis of news and events relating to Israel and the Jewish people. "Emet" is the Hebrew word for "truth". As the nations gather against Israel and the Jewish people, ENS is dedicated to bringing forth the truth of what is happening in the world today. Your comments and suggestions are welcome. Address them to: Lee Underwood, Editor at: letters (at) shamar.org
Recent archives are available at: http://www.emetnews.org/archives/