High level attempts to revive the collapsed Israeli-Palestinian peace process are continuing today, mingled with reports of renewed violence. A Palestinian man was shot dead this morning at the northern end of the Gaza Strip when he attempted to stab an Israeli soldier with a knife. Three Arabs were killed overnight by Israeli fire in disputed circumstances near the town of Nablus. The Israeli army said two of the dead were armed Tanzim militiamen who were killed while attempting to carry out a terror attack in the area. Palestinian radio denies this. A Palestinian paramilitary policeman was shot dead north of Ramallah. A Muslim Hamas activist was killed in the Gaza Strip yesterday when he pulled a gun on Israeli troops attempting to arrest him at a roadblock. Hamas leaders issued a statement afterwards saying that "the assassinations will not succeed in stopping our holy war or our blessed intifada." Israeli security officials announced that around 10 Hamas members suspected of murdering two Israeli civilians last Friday were arrested in Hebron over the past few days. In other violence, a 46 year-old Israeli was seriously wounded last night when bullets shattered his hip while he was driving north of Jerusalem. An army vehicle was attacked in the same area several hours later, but no one was injured.
Extra security forces are stationed in Jerusalem today as Palestinian Muslims mark the third Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan. For the first time since early October, Arabs from outside Jerusalem have been let into the city for special Muslim prayers. However, only 20 busloads of Muslims aged 45 and over have been allowed in as security forces attempt to prevent a recurrence of last week's violent outburst in and around the walled Old City. Age restrictions have also been re-imposed on male Jerusalem Muslims after last week's widespread violence, which mainly involved Palestinian youths. Only men 35 and older are being allowed up onto the disputed Temple Mount, site of the Islamic Al-Aksa mosque.
Israeli archeologists are protesting new Islamic building activity on the ancient holy site, saying they are being barred by Muslim officials from carrying out government-mandated checks on the construction work. The new building activity, including a major paving project, began 10 days ago. Archeologists charge that the work has gone far beyond what the Barak government said it would allow. Jerusalem mayor Ehud Olmert denounced the unsupervised work, saying it was part of Barak's "concession process that is surrendering Israeli sovereignty" over Judaism's holiest site on earth. In related news, Israel's chief Sephardic rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron said during a visit in Singapore that he would support major Israeli concessions in Jerusalem, but not over the Temple Mount which he called "the heart of the Jewish people."
Israel radio reports today that formal Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations may resume next week. The word comes after Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami met into the early hours of this morning with Yasser Arafat and other senior Palestinian officials in the Gaza Strip. Center Party leader and Tourism Minister Amnon Lipkin-Shahak is scheduled to meet with Arafat there today. The former armed forces chief turned politician is said to be on good terms with Arafat. Ben-Ami called last night's talks "encouraging" but Palestinian leaders said they had produced no breakthroughs. An unnamed Western diplomat quoted in today's Jerusalem Post called the renewed talks "a huge hot air balloon full of Israeli desire." Writing in today's newspapers, several prominent Israeli political analysts opine that the Barak government is desperate to produce some kind of negotiating breakthrough before US President Bill Clinton leaves office next month. But most add that there is absolutely no indication that Arafat has even slightly altered his maximalist positions which caused the Camp David summit to end in failure last July.
Former prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has declared that he will not run for office if he cannot do so as part of a general election to select a new Knesset as well. He said he does not support the so-called "Netanyahu bill" that would allow him to run if the vote were only for the top spot. Under existing law, the former leader cannot be a candidate for prime minister since he is not a member of the Knesset--unless a general election is held. Netanyahu said if a new Knesset is not chosen by the voters, he would be unable to effectively govern since the legislature is currently dominated by three left-wing parties and the Orthodox Shas party. Shas is the main force behind the "Netanyahu bill," fearing that early Knesset elections would result in the party losing many of its 17 representatives. Netanyahu said he did not want to "match Barak's trickery" by running for office as a result of a last-minute change in the law. He was referring to Barak's resignation last Saturday night--denounced by many politicians as a blatant attempt to avoid facing Netanyahu in a national vote. Meanwhile another former prime minister, Shimon Peres, met with Meretz leader Yossi Sarid today to discuss calls from many doves that one of them throw their hat into the ring as an alternative left-wing candidate. Most analysts say such a move would absolutely guarantee a Likud party victory.
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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!
How to Be Saved Through Jesus
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
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