The decision to attack the strategic Syrian target came after Israeli leaders warned the
Assad regime in Damascus that it would be held fully responsible for Hizbullah's violent
actions in Lebanon. With over 30,000 occupation troops in the tiny country, they say Syria
could reign in the extremist militia if it wanted to, although this would certainly upset its
powerful Iranian ally. Having unilaterally fulfilled the United Nation's repeated demands
that it pull the IDF back to the international border that has existed with Lebanon since
1948, fed up Israeli leaders feel fully justified in responding with great force to any
Hizbullah attacks. They say the main excuse that the Iranian-run and heavily-armed militia
is using to continue its deadly and dangerous jihad war--that Israel is still occupying a
small strip of land in the Mount Hermon foothills--would carry absolutely no water at all if
the Syrian regime did not at least tacitly support it. Indeed, the land in question was
controlled by Syria, not Lebanon, prior to the 1967 Six Day war. So in the estimation of
many Israeli political and military leaders, Syria is blatantly using Hizbullah to "remind"
Israel that conflict will continue until the nearby Golan Heights is once more ruled from
Damascus. The overnight attack on the Syrian radar site may be a stern warning from the
Sharon government that it will not tolerate any further Hizbullah attacks, whatever the
regional consequences.
The violent crisis that has rocked the Lord's land since the Jewish year 5,761 began last September 28 deepened significantly last evening. For the first time, Palestinian forces shelled an Israeli town well outside of the Gaza Strip, prompting the Sharon government to order the largest military operation in the nearly seven-month-old violent uprising. The operation was mainly aimed at Palestinian Authority security positions. It involved tanks, helicopter gunships and naval vessels, and included a ground assault on territory under full Palestinian control northeast of Gaza City. Further demonstrating that the crisis has entered a new phase, Israel announced this morning that its troops will remain in some PA land--which was turned over to Yasser Arafat in 1994--until all mortar attacks cease. Calling the move "a declaration of war," PA officials charged that Israel was beginning a campaign to re-occupy all Palestinian-controlled zones. Israeli officials denied the charge, although army plans for a full re-conquest are known to exist. Analysts say a complete re-occupation would only take place if it was found to be necessary in the midst of a full-scale regional war. The unprecedented Palestinian mortar attack which prompted the Israeli action was quickly followed by unprovoked armed assaults by PA forces on Israeli troops guarding the southwest Jerusalem Gilo neighborhood, on soldiers stationed nearby at Rachel's Tomb and at army positions north of Jerusalem. The simultaneous timing of the Palestinian armed attacks led Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to conclude that senior PA officials had ordered the mortar shelling and sniper attacks, probably in an attempt to provoke a major Israeli response and to demonstrate support for allied Hizbullah militiamen and Syrian forces occupying Lebanon. After quickly consulting with the "mini-cabinet" authorized to rapidly respond to such attacks--comprised of himself, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer--Sharon sent his military forces into action.
The latest episode in the spiraling Arab-Israeli crisis began when five mortar shells were
fired at the town of Sderot, located just a few miles from the northeast tip of the Gaza
Strip. Sderot is well-known in Israel as a 'typical Sephardic development town' populated
mainly with Jews of Moroccan background who were quickly settled in Israel in the early
years of the state. It has suffered serious economic problems over the decades, but has
also earned a reputation for its tenacity in seeking an end to poverty and a better life. The
growing town is a political stronghold of the Orthodox Shas party, the third largest in the
Knesset. PM Sharon's private farm, where his late wife Lily is buried, is located southeast
of Sderot. The Palestinian mortar shells landed just before sunset at around 6:30 PM as
residents of the town were shopping, having meals and driving home from work. "It was a
miracle that no one was seriously injured" said Sderot mayor Eli Moyal, who watched in
horror as one of the shells exploded near his home. He noted that windows were broken
in one residence as a result of the attack. He called on the government to immediately
respond with great force to the surprise mortar attack. Israeli politicians from across the
political spectrum joined in condemning the provocative assault, with even left-wing
opposition leader Yossi Sarid terming the mortar firings "a very grave development."
Palestinian leaders have once again denied that the PA is involved in the daily mortar
attacks, which have escalated sharply this month. In what some Israeli leaders charged
was a blatant attempt to deflect responsibility from the PA, the Islamic Hamas terrorist
movement took "credit" for the attack this morning. PA police commander Abdel Razek
went even further, maintaining that Israel's "aggressive attacks" were launched after the
Sharon government staged a fake mortar blitz upon one if its own cities! Despite the
Hamas claim of responsibility, Israeli army specialists say they traced the latest mortar
firings to a PA security position in the Gaza town of Beit Hanun, just south of the Erez
crossing point. Israeli troops entered and are now occupying the town even though it lies
entirely in "Area A" under full Palestinian control. They also struck at PA security
positions in other parts of the Gaza Strip, home to over one million Palestinians. In fact,
tank-led ground forces cut the narrow strip into three during the operation as air and sea
forces pounded Palestinian positions. Reports say one Palestinian policeman was killed
during the military takeover of Beit Hanun, and over 20 other Palestinians were wounded.
Israeli officials say the relatively low casualty toll was due to their precision attacks upon
strictly military targets, and the fact that Arafat had ordered his positions evacuated soon
after the mortars were fired.
Israeli analysts say the provocative Palestinian mortar attack and Israel's major response
probably marks the final end of any talk of "cooperation" between the two sides, and the
beginning of a stepped up armed conflict that could eventually involve outside Muslim
forces. They note that Israeli General Security Service chief Avi Dichter said yesterday
that the PA has totally abandoned any pretense of security cooperation, and has instead
fully joined terror groups in attacking Israeli positions. The statement came just hours
before Palestinian officials cancelled their participation in scheduled American-sponsored
security talks that were due to take place last night with Egyptian participation. Analysts
say the PA is especially angry at reports published last weekend revealing that the CIA
recently gave Israeli leaders a tape recording containing the voice of PA Gaza security
chief Muhammad Dahlan ordering the terrorist bombing of an Israeli school bus last
November. The attack left two adult teachers dead and several Jewish children severely
wounded, with one losing part of a leg. The CIA was said to have also taped Dahlan
issuing orders for several other recent terror attacks. Some analysts believe that Dahlan
was only passing on Arafat's orders.
Israeli commentators have also been speculating on the possible connection between the
Palestinian decision to strike at a Jewish town well inside sovereign Israeli territory and
the Hizbullah attack upon an Israeli tank on Saturday that left one IDF soldier dead (he was
buried last evening near his kibbutz home in the southern Galilee region). They note that
just as Hizbullah leaders were fully aware that Israel had repeatedly warned in recent
months that another unprovoked attack upon its forces would lead to a swift Israeli
response against Syrian positions, so the PA knew that last night's mortar assault would
result in severe Israeli retaliation. Some analysts say evidence is growing that Hizbullah,
armed and funded by Iran and heavily supported by Syria, is now coordinating its actions
with Arafat's forces in an attempt to widen the uprising into a regional conflict. As if on
cue, warnings of such a looming conflict were issued yesterday by various regional Arab
leaders. Arafat called Israel's early Monday air strike upon a Syrian radar position in
Lebanon "a dangerous escalation that drags the whole region into a very critical, bad and
grave situation." Such an escalation--into a regional war--is exactly what Arafat wants say
some analysts, believing that his publicly-stated goal of "raising the Palestinian flag over
every mosque and church" in Jerusalem can only be achieved in the midst of another full-
scale Mideast conflict. Iraq, Jordan, Iran and Egypt also condemned the Israeli air force
strike in similar terms. Syria itself called the retaliation an act of war, with Foreign Minister
Farouk al-Shara warning reporters that "Israel will suffer a great blow for its aggression at
the appropriate time of our choosing."
In the midst of the deepening crisis, Israeli television and radio stations carried reports
last evening of the birth of a Jewish baby Sunday night in the coastal town of Netanya. The
reason for the special attention was due to the fact that the baby boy was born to Russian
immigrant Irena Novesche, whose husband was brutally lynched to death by a Palestinian
mob in Ramallah last October. Cradling her newborn son in her arms, Irena announced
from her hospital bed that the boy will be named after his late father "to keep Vadim's
memory alive."
Article Credits listed below ===========================================================================================================================================
This escalation could easily lead to war in the Middle-East and the prophesied Ezekiel 38 invasion of Israel.
This report from the Middle East Newsline underscores the increased cooperation between Russia and Iran
-- two of the main players in the Ezekiel 38 invasion. It also shows Iran's military buildup and its ability to
participate in a military confrontation against Israel.
The Middle East Newsline reported that "The United States is quietly expressing
concern over the Iranian military buildup in the Gulf. The concern is being expressed by U.S. military
officials responsible for security of Washington's allies in the Gulf. They said Iran's plans to purchase
advanced weapons from Russia could change the balance of power in the region.
Gen. Tommy Franks, the commander-in-chief of Centcom, listed Iranian military capabilities in the Gulf
during recent testimony in the House Armed Services Committee. Franks said Teheran has deployed fast
attack naval craft, anti-ship missiles as well as unmanned aerial vehicles. In addition, Franks said, Teheran
has completed hardened facilities to protect their surface-to-surface missiles and launchers and improved
their command and control systems. `Teheran's ability to interdict the Strait of Hormuz with air, surface
and sub-surface naval units, as well as mines and missiles remains a concern,' Franks said. `Additionally,
Iran's asymmetrical capabilities are becoming more robust.'."
The China distraction may also provide a window of opportunity for Israel's enemies to move against her.
The Washington Post reported today that a U.S. aircraft carrier may be moved to a position in the South
China Sea where it could launch fighter jets to protect U.S. reconnaissance flights off China's coast when
those flights resume, Navy officials said yesterday. The flights may resume as early as Thursday in
international airspace about 50 miles off the Chinese coast, officials indicated. Depending on the Chinese
reaction, the addition of U.S. warplanes to the mix could lead to new confrontations or signal the
resumption of routine military operations.
We need to be mindful of the China-Russian agreements to stand against America. It is possible that
the China spy plane incident could lead to an armed confrontation in the China sea -- effectively distracting
America while Russia, Iran and the other Ezekiel 38 combatants invade Israel.
When one considers that America is ripe for judgement and if the Ezekiel 38 invasion does occur, that America may well be the other nation that lives in
the safety of the far distant coast lands that is judged by God (See the Prophetic Links below for more information on America's spiritual condition).
Is your spiritual house in order?
Things are heating up for Israel. She is surrounded by radical Muslim nations dedicated to her destruction. Russia is arming and preparing these troops exactly as the Bible predicted. And the peace process -- though fraught with problems, is continuing forward. When it eventually reaches conclusion, it may produce a false sense of security for Israel and may perhaps be the time that "Russia thinks an evil thought", and leads the radical Muslim nations in their ill-fated invasion of Israel. Or, perhaps, it is in the aftermath of the invasion that peace is achieved only to later usher in destruction as Israel cries out, Peace, Peace! What Israel's enemies will not anticipate is God's intervention in the course of human history. The result is catastrophic for the invaders, but will change life for all mankind, as well. These events include nuclear weapons and an earthquake so large that it shakes the entire earth. But most important is that, during this time in history, God once again pours out His Spirit on the House of Israel, showing His greatness and holiness, and making Himself known in the sight of many nations. "Then they will know that I am the LORD". (Eze 38:23) God will "once again, in a little while, shake the heavens and the earth, and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts."(Haggai 2:6-7) "And the desired of the nations shall come.'' ``It is now the hour to awake from sleep, for our salvation is closer than when we first accepted the faith.'' (Rom 13:11) God's righteous judgements are always redemptive. He does not desire that anyone perish, but that all come to repentance and everlasting life. This invasion could now take place at almost any time. To prepare for it, stay close to the Lord by purifying your heart and thoughts through the daily washing of the Word. Be careful not to forsake the Holy One of Israel. Soon the culmination of all things shall begin. Purify yourselves daily by the reading of the Word. Jesus is returning for a Holy and Spotless Church. ``Today is the day of salvation for many who are perishing; their tomorrow shall not see my return in glory to judge the living and the dead. Today is the day of their salvation." Don't delay. Time is short. You have no guarantee that you will even see tomorrow. If you die without receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your eternal destiny is fixed. As we see the signs of His return drawing close, what manner of holy life should we be living? Remember that Jesus is returning for a Holy and Spotless Bride. Whether His return is today or 10 years from now is irrelevant since eternity is only a heart beat away for any of us. So choose this day whom you will serve, ask the Holy Spirit to search you to see if there be any iniquity in you, and then call upon Jesus your Deliverer. He is faithful for forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unfaithfulness. "Watch and pray, therefore, that you would be counted worthy to escape the judgment that is coming upon the earth and be able to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36). Maranatha! Blessings on you all as we all wait for the return of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Maranatha!
Prophetic Links:
DAVID DOLAN is a Jerusalem-based author and journalist. He has written the monthly Israel News Digest for CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL since 1986. His just-released new book, ISRAEL IN CRISIS: WHAT LIES AHEAD? may be ordered in North America by phoning 888-890-6938 or by e mail at: resources@yourisraelconnection.org TO RECEIVE THESE FREE UPDATES DIRECTLY, SEND AN E-MAIL MESSAGE TO THE ADDRESS BELOW WITH ONLY It should look exactly like this: subscribe ind Joe Smith To unsubscribe, just write: unsubscribe ind Joe Smith You can also find directions at the Editorial Comment by To His Glory Ministries:
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