Israel Strikes at Gaza after Bus Bombing

Israeli Helicopter gun-ships struck at Fatah headquarters in Gaza City on November 20th in retaliation for a Fatah-Tanzim remote control style bombing of an Israeli school bus eleven hours earlier in the day. Two adults were killed, and nine school children severely injured in the bombing. The school bus was plated for bullet-proofing, but was not able to sustain the blast from a bomb.

Israeli citizens are angry that the government took so long to respond to this incident. Israel is under heavy political pressure from the USA to show restraint in dealing with the Palestinians, in the slim hope that the Peace Process can be rejoined. The US joined other countries in condemning Israel’s retaliatory measures. Egypt even went so far as to withdraw its foreign ambassador to Israel.

Note: It is worth noting that neither Arafat, nor his Fatah organization is ever condemned in any of these despicable attacks. Every condemnation around the world always is lodged against Israel for defending itself. When did it become okay to attack school-kids riding to school ( aged 7-11 aboard this bus )

The Gaza Strip, a stronghold of Terror

The ongoing clashes between Israel and Palestinian Terrorist hit squads emanate from the Mediterranean Seacoast headquarters of Yasser Arafat. The Gaza Strip contains a population of about 1,000,000 Palestinians and just a few thousand ( 6000 )Israeli’s. Gaza city is the logistical center for Arafat’s Fatah operations. The Gaza International Airport was built with US-European donations of cash for Arafat’s participation in the Middle East Peace Process. The airport is routinely closed by Israel because of illegal arms smuggling; and because these arms are used against Israel in terrorist activity throughout the West Bank. Much of the Gaza Strip suffers under a very low standard of living. However, the PA/Arafat-Fatah infrastructure along the beachfront contains top notch luxury villas-skyscrapers-complexes. These structures have also been built by funds provided through the Oslo-Israel-US accords for the economic growth of Palestine. Sadly, the PA has diverted all funding for Peace and Economic growth to its plans for waging guerrilla warfare against the Israeli populace.

The Israeli village of Gush-Katif was the scene of this weeks school-bus attack. The Netzarim Junction, southwest of Gaza is also a regular site of terrorist attacks upon the small contingent of Israeli settlers in the Strip. It was here that the young 12 year-old Palestinian boy was shot, in a cross-fire between IDF forces and Palestinian snipers.

Yasser Arafat returned to Gaza in 1994 from Tripoli. Initially he was accorded hero status, but because of monetary corruption in the PA; the terrorist cells of Hamas, and Hezbollah, and the Tanzim brigades have found a fertile spawning ground here!

The geographical proximity of Gaza to Egypt lends itself to a continual atmosphere of anxiety between Israel and Egypt. Egypt’s withdrawal of its ambassador to Israel, over the issue of helicopter attacks on Gaza reflects that significance.

Note: You will notice on the map the existence of six Palestinian refugee camps. These camps are within Palestinian Occupied areas. Why hasn’t Arafat used his vast amounts of foreign economic assistance to better the standard of living for his people? He argues for the “right-of-return” for his people; but doesn’t provide anything for them now! The argument of right-of–return for refugees is being used as a ruse to simply transfer blame on Israel; and continue holy war until Israel exists no longer.

President Clinton and Arafat seek another Summit

President Clinton said while visiting North Viet Nam that the biggest disappointment of his Presidency has been the failure to bring about a peaceful resolution to the Israel-Palestinian controversy. He said however that he refused to give up on accomplishing that hope. Yasser Arafat, speaking to US Mid-East peace envoy, Dennis Ross, suggested that there could yet be another Clinton-Barak-Arafat Summit meetiug. Yasser Arafat ended his remarks for such a meeting to Mr. Ross by stating; “Do not forget though that Arafat does not wish to leave your White House empty-handed”!

Note: President Clinton would like to try to give away some more of Israel to Arafat, if only Mr. Barak could find something to give away. ( Then perhaps Mr. Clinton could win the Nobel Peace Prize, and top off his Presidency in grand style ) Note: The European Union, on November 16th came out in support of a Palestinian Statehood announcement soon.

Syria’s Assad accuses Israel Syria’s Assad told the Organization of Islamic States meeting in Doha, Quatar that Israel is fomenting a new style of Nazism. He said that Israel’s use of force against the Palestinian Intifada was the worst human atrocity in world history!

Note: New Syrian President Bashar Assad, who succeeded his late father Hafez al-Assad is beginning to portray signs the he will effect a confrontational foreign policy initiative towards Israel, and one that parallels that of the Hezbollah Terrorist operation in South Lebanon.

Yasser Arafat urges Intifada uprising to Continue

Yasser Arafat spoke to the opening session of the Organization of Islamic States being held in Dohar, Quatar. He cheered on the rioting Palestinian rioters-stone-throwers, saying; “We must continue the Holy Temple Mount Intifada” until we possess Jerusalem as our capitol”. He encouraged the continued killing and attacking of Israeli’s. He stated; “All Israeli’s are fair targets” of our holy war! He further asked the Arab states gathered to support the Palestinian uprising.

Note: This doesn’t comply with his statements to President Clinton at Sharm el-Sheik, where he promised to check the violence and try to get back to the Peace Process.

Note: Arafat met in Washington with President Clinton on Nov. 9 and requested that the UN send a protective force into the Palestinian-Israeli checkpoints. ( Mr. Arafat is trying to delete the USA from the Mid-east Peace Equation )

Arafat pleads for International Force in Israel

Yasser Arafat is in Washington D.C. today ( Nov. 9 ) to plead with President Clinton to support his idea of sending an international peace-keeping force from the UN, or Europe-US, to maintain a vigilant watch over the situation in the West Bank and Gaza. Israel has outright rejected any such proposal to have any international forces arrayed within its present scope of territorial over-sight.

President Clinton is meeting today with Mr. Arafat, and will meet on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

Note: Yasser Arafat is merely attempting to use the instigated violence within his PA-controlled areas to increase international pressure on Israel. Furthermore, he wishes to supplant the United States role as the prime overseer of the Middle East Peace Process with a European presence. ( He no longer sees the US-Clinton as a prime-time partner to squeeze concessions from Israel ). Added to that mix now is the uncertainty of who will be the future US President.

Note: For those who have regularly followed “Focus on Jerusalem”, you will already be aware that this ministry has been suggesting for sometime that the United States role as the lead broker in the Middle East Peace Process would someday diminish and be replaced by a European entity! After-all, the future Antichrist, will be closely associated with Rome and the ever-growing power of the European Union! Daniel 9:26 ( the people of the Prince that shall come )

Note: This type of guerrilla-warfare sprouting within the PA controlled areas could develop into a wider-scale conflict spilling across the Lebanon-Israel border, enabling Syrian-backed Hezbullah warriors to assault the interrior of Israel. Israel has already warned Syria of dire consequences if this happens!.

Israel Gives Stern Warning to Syria

Israel has delivered its most severe warning yet to Syria’s new ruler Bashar el-Assad , saying that Israel holds Damascus responsible for Hezbullah terrorist attacks upon the Jewish state. Israeli Defense officials again warned Syria about attempting to open up a second front during the Palestinian Al-Aqsa Intifada uprising. Israel says that it has intelligence information that Hezbullah guerrillas are attempting to carry out attacks inside of Israel. These attacks are aimed at widening the present conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The Hezbullah organization operates from areas in South Lebanon. Syria maintains a force of 40,000 nationalist troops in Lebanon.

Note: Isaiah 17: 1 and Jeremiah 49: 24-25 each relate that Syria will suffer greatly from an Israeli response to a future Syrian-Israel confrontation. The timing of this prophetic event could have connections to the Rapture event, or perhaps the future Russian invasion of Israel described by Ezekiel in chapters 38 and 39, either one of which should indicate that the Rapture event could be near.