European Union deputies urge EU membership for Israel

-- A group of deputies in the European Parliament launched a campaign on Tuesday to bring Israel into the European Union, saying the Jewish state could not assure its people freedom and security without outside help. In a statement, the seven MEPs known as the radical group and led by Italian Emma Bonino urged the EU institutions, the Israelis, Arab states, the United Nations and other interested parties, to start discussing prospects for Israeli membership. "The radical deputies in the European Parliament have launched a signature campaign to commit the EU to carry out immediately a study and operational project aimed at assuring the full participation of the State of Israel in the European Union," the statement said.

"(It) reaffirms that the State of Israel, isolated and independent, can no longer assure... for its own citizens, for the Middle East, for the Mediterranean world of which it is part... rights and freedom in security." The statement said the EU was bound by its ideals and objectives to get more directly involved, politically and economically, in the conflict-torn Middle East region, where it is already the biggest aid donor.

Israel is a participant in the so-called "Barcelona process" which aims to forge closer political, diplomatic and commercial ties between the 15-nation EU and the countries of the Mediterranean region, including a number of Arab states. The Jewish state has never formally applied for EU membership, though some in Israel have argued that it should be considered an eligible candidate because so many of its citizens originally came from the European continent.

Note: The “Special Authority” that Ehud Barak proposed last week that could oversee the sovereignty of the Temple Mount; and at the same time guarantee Israel’s “Security” seems to be emerging in Europe. Daniel referred to this “Prince” as being a skilled peace- craftsman that would resolve the issue of Jerusalem, and guarantee Israel its security!

Iraqi general: We can hit Israel if based near border!

Tue Jan 30,2001 -- A senior Iraqi army general, ratcheting up his country's propaganda assault on Israel, has said Iraqi artillery units could hit targets deep inside Israel if they were moved to a site near the Jewish state's border. Lieutenant-General Yassin Taha Mohammed, head of artillery units, said that Iraq was able to upgrade its mortars and missile launchers to give them a range of about 40 km (24 miles), which would not violate U.N. arms control restrictions. President Saddam Hussein has called on Arab countries bordering Israel to give his troops a piece of land close enough to attack Israel with his artillery. He has also said Iraq is ready to put an end to Israel.

Israel seeks new theater missile defense programs with U.S.

Jan 30, 2001 -- Israel hopes that the Bush administration will agree to new joint theater missile defense programs meant to destroy enemy missile batteries. Israeli officials said they plan to renew requests to the White House and Defense Department for funding and technology transfer to develop programs that can destroy missiles in enemy territory. They said they hope that the Bush support for a national missile defense system will result in approval for what they term as more effective means of stopping an enemy missile attack.

So far, Israel and the United States are completing the Arrow-2 anti-missile system. The missile is meant to destroy incoming enemy missiles when they reenter the atmosphere. But Israeli officials said such a system is insufficient to provide the country with an anti-missile umbrella. Instead, the Defense Ministry wants to urge Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to approve joint development of systems that can destroy missiles within enemy territory. This could include eventual Israeli participation in the current airborne laser system

Israel could use nuclear attack option in war against Iraq and Syria says Arab League

Sun Jan 28, 2001 -- Arab diplomats plan to argue that the threat of a regional war in the Middle East emphasizes the need for restraint on Israel's purported nuclear weapons program. They said Israel could be threatening to use a nuclear attack as an option in any war with such countries as Iraq and Syria. The Arab League, led by Egypt, plans another diplomatic offensive designed to press Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The offensive will be launched in several international organizations linked to the United Nations and comes as an Egyptian diplomat has been appointed to head a key committee on disarmament.

A senior Arab League official said the stalemate in the peace process combined with Israeli elections could create an explosion. Mohamed Zakarya Ismail, the league's assistant secretary-general for political affairs said this means Israel must submit its installations to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Ismail presides over a committee to draft a treaty on a nuclear-free Middle East. He did not mention reports that Iraq has resumed its nuclear weapons program. On Sunday, the London-based Telegraph newspaper quoted an unnamed defector that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has two operational nuclear bombs and is constructing others in northeastern Iraq.

Arafat Blasts Israel At Davos

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has launched a blistering verbal attack on Israel but said he was still ready to work for peace in the Middle East.

Arafat made an outspoken attack on what he termed a "savage and barbaric war" that Israel had waged on the Palestinians, and accused Israel of using prohibited weapons and ammunition.

He was speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Sunday where he shared a platform with Israel's Regional Cooperation Minister and former Prime Minister Shimon Peres.

Arafat's comments came as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said he had decided to halt peacemaking contacts until after the February 6 elections.

Senior Palestinian officials had earlier suggested there could be a summit this week between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat in Stockholm, Sweden.

Pope Annouces Syrian Visit

Pope John Paul II today personally announced his plans to visit Syria. The Pope's surprise announcement came at the ecumenical celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, held at the basilica of St. Paul outside the Wall in Rome. "I am eagerly awaiting the trips that will take me to Syria and to Ukraine," the Pope said. "My hope is that they will contribute to reconciliation and peace among Christians." Although the dates of the Pope's trip to Ukraine have already been announced-- June 23- 27-- there has been no official announcement of the trip to Syria, and the Vatican has not released dates for that visit. Father Roberto Tucci, the Jesuit priest who usually handles advance work for papal trips (and who will become a cardinal in February) is currently in Damascus discussing details of the plans for that voyage.

Norma McCorvery Defends John Ashcroft

Norma McCorvey, who was the infamous Jane Roe, of the infamous 1973 Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court abortion decision, has publicly defended the selection of former Missouri Senator John Ashcroft as the new US Attorney General. Now a confirmed anti-abortion advocate, Mrs. McCorvey stated; “I know John Ashcroft and can tell you that the attacks against him are nothing less than the expression of anti-Christian hatred of the extreme left in this country. Norma McCorvey now operates a Christian based ministry to victims of the abortion issue. Her “Roe No More” network strives to utilize pro-life speakers to provide information to pregnant women about the sanctity of human life, and that God is a God of forgiveness.

Barak Says Israel Must Concede Temple Mount

Israeli Prime Minister, and Labor party candidate for re-election stated in a campaign speech on January 24th that Israel will have to make painful concessions to reach peace with the Palestinians. He said, one of those concessions would have to include handing over control of the Temple Mount of the Old City to a “special authority”.

Barak further stated, “In the Old City there will be a “Special Authority” that will promise freedom of access to everybody, to and to all the Holy sites of every religion”. “Barak concluded by adding that he would never sign any agreement to concede the Temple Mount without guaranteeing Israel’s security”! “Israel’s can only seal a deal that ties its security directly to a any Final Status deal concluding the 52 year long conflict.

Note: This is precisely the job-description for the Antichrist! I Thessalonians 5:3 For when they say peace and safety ( security ) then sudden destruction cometh.

Germany emerges champion of three countries; prepares to give ultimatum on alliance to France

GERMANY EMERGING AS CHAMPION OF EU

Wed Jan 24,2001 -- Germany was preparing to issue France an ultimatum over greater European integration as a condition for the relaunching of Franco-German ties, London's Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder was furious with the French for forcefully asserting their national interests at last month's European Union summit in Nice, France, and wanted to re-define ties to clarify France's role in an expanding EU, the newspaper said. Schroeder was expected make his demands to the French in Strasbourg next Wednesday at a meeting called specifically to heal the damage caused in Nice.

The French newspaper Liberation declared the Franco-German alliance, which dates back a half century, was in ruins. The Le Figaro said: "The German plan is clear -- it intends to make Berlin the linchpin of a Europe reoriented to the east." John Palmer, director of the European Policy Center in Brussels, Belgium, said Germany had emerged as the champion of a group of countries -- Finland, Belgium and Portugal -- that wanted a final settlement for Europe along federalist lines. He said, "It's clearer now to the Germans that they can no longer avoid the responsibility of taking a lead in Europe."

Note: Daniel 7:24 - And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

Israel Relays Warning to Syria

Israel has once again relayed a warning to Syria through both the United States and the European Union that a Hezbullah attack on the northern border would result in a massive retaliation by Israel that would result in changing the balance of power in the Middle East. The message forewarned Syria that Israel will hold Syria Solely responsible for any attack upon the Jewish state. The wording of this latest warning, ( unlike previous warnings ) was meant to convey to President Bashar Assad that the Syrian regime would be totally destroyed in the event of an offensive perpetrated by the Syrian backed Hezbullah terrorist organization. Israel has moved armored tank divisions into the region, while the US has re-deployed American patriot missiles to the same region.

Note: Syrian President Assad has notified US President Bush that he expects the American President to continue to enforce UN Security Council resolutions upon Israel in accordance with the Oslo Middle East Peace Process, and to compel Israel to concede to UN resolutions concerning the Golan Heights. He stated that there can be no peace without a successful completion of the Syrian track.

Palestinians shout slogans against Israel during a rally at the Palesrtinian refugee camp of Baqaa near Amman Jaunuary 19, 2001. Hundreds of Palestinian refugees at Baqaa camp, the largest Palestinian refugees camp in Jordan, staged a rally on Friday to draw the world's attention to their rights to return to Palestine. REUTERS/Majed Jaber

Palestinians Rally for the Right-of-Return

Palestinians demonstrated in various cities throughout the Middle East to draw world public attention to the right-of-return issue that, along with the issue of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount are the remaining stumbling blocks to a completed Peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. Two to three million Palestinians live in refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and other Arab nations of the Middle East. Only about 750,000 Palestinians were dislocate in the 1948 war against Israel; but their numbers have steadily grown over the decades since the Arab invasion of Israel.

Note: Why hasn’t the Arab nations resettled these peoples into their own countries like Israel resettled Jewish refugees from the surrounding Arab nations? The answer is that these Arab nations utilize the plight of Palestinian refugees to incite hatred against Israel, by leaving them in squalid, impoverished areas; without offering them any subsistence whatsoever. ( see question no. 24 on question & answers page )

Israeli Youth Lured into Killing Zone

Sixteen year old Ofir Rahum, of Askekelon, Israel was lured by his internet girlfriend into a Palestinian ambush zone near the Palestinian town of Ramallah. The young boy had become romantically involved with a young Palestinian girl, and drove to meet her. As he approached the rendevouz point, several Palestinian gunmen shot him down, then drug his body through town. The young girl was later identified driving the young man’s truck in Ramallah

OPEC Cuts World Oil Production

The worlds oil producing countries have agreed amongst themselves to reduce the production of oil by 5%. OPEC, the Arab dominated cartel of nations that exports oil to the worlds consumers of oil has ignored pleas from the United States and Europe not to reduce the supply of oil. The cutback by OPEC is obviously an attempt by the Arab oil lobby of the Middle East to influence the foreign policy of the next US President. It should be noted that OPEC has historically used the oil production card as a means to manipulate World opinion and diplomacy against Israel, and the allies of Israel. Since the Middle East Peace Process has reached a point of ambiguity, OPEC is apparently now going to revert to using its leverage in the oil commodities market to manipulate Middle East Regional Politics.

Iraq Threatens Israel on 10th anniversary of Gulf War

Saddamm Hussein has used the occasion marking the 10th anniversary of the Persian Gulf War to once again call for the extermination of the Israeli state. He called upon Israel’s bordering neighbors to permit the Iraqi army passage routes to assist in defending Palestine. He further spelled out plans to bombard Israel with rocket attacks for 6 months to soften up Israel’s defense capabilities, and then to send in his infamous Republican Guard units to join with Syrian-Hezbollah and Palestinian forces to shove Israel into the Mediterranean Sea. Iran has also released such provocative statements in recent weeks.

Note: Saddam’s bravado is often viewed as the comments of a mad-man, but his loud boasting does reveal the intent of most of the radical leadership in the Middle East regarding Israel’s mere existence. ( Syria, Iran and Iraq are the most intolerant nations of Israel’s right to exist on any portion of land in the Middle East ) ( These very nations are the lynchpin of power that will place the “hooks in the jaws” of Russia, catapulting the region into the great war of Ezekiel 38 )

Palestinian Negotiator Calls for Europe to Get Involved

Palestinian peace talks negotiator Nabil Shaath has advanced a request to the European Union to become more involved in the presently defunct Middle East Peace Process. With US President Clinton leaving office, and incoming US President Bush de-emphasizing a hands-on style of diplomacy in the negotiating process, the Palestinians and Israel’s are both looking for other parties to take up the negotiating mantle. Mr. Shaath stated; “in a time like this, it would be appropriate for Europe to take an active role in jump starting the diplomatic engine; by supporting, chaperoning, troubleshooting, and facilitating PEACE in the Middle East”. EU Representative Romano Prodi responded by saying; “the time is ripe for a political move by Europe in the Middle East region”.

Note: The Bible clearly points to the emergence of a European entity becoming the prime negotiator-state-crafter of a Middle East “peace with security”! Israel will one day enter into a covenant arrangement with the Prince of Rome. The disengagement of the United States from the position of chief negotiator in the Middle East Peace scenario is perhaps opening the vacuum for the ultimate engagement of the Antichrist into the perplexing burdensome dilemma represented by the city of Jerusalem, and its Temple Mount!

The great outpouring of 500,000 Jewish supporters in Israel on January 8th this week attending the “Jerusalem Rally for the Temple Mount” should signal to every Christian that the clock has begun to tick toward the rebuilding of the ancient Jewish Temple. The event called, “Jerusalem, I pledge”; and organized by the “Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful” in conjunction with Yisrael Ba’aliya leader Natan Sharansky; served a notice to the whole world that Israel will not be denied a special presence on the Temple Mount.

The recent Palestinian uprising known as the “Temple Mount Intifada” has now been upstaged by the Jewish resolve to effectuate a Jewish right to the city. Jews world-wide have now expressed their deep loyalty to the city of Jerusalem!

Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert expressed the thoughts of Jews when he stated: “It is only God who has caused this great demonstration to be held at this point in time. Jerusalem was founded by the God and people of Israel. The Temple Mount is the heart and soul, and eternal focus of the Israeli nation and God. We Jews from all parts of the world pray and hope for the rebuilding of our Temple on the Holy hill of God. The Temple Mount expresses the hope for redemption of our nation and people! We know that this revolution to rebuild our Temple should succeed. Its time has come!”

Speaker after speaker encouraged the throng to strive forward to defend the rights of Israel to the Temple Mount. Many left the assemblage proclaiming that the struggle for the Temple Mount must be pursued now. “Very soon we shall see the rebuilding of the House of God” The organizers exhorted the crowd to become a part of a godly, historical, and prophetic end-time campaign to overcome all the enemies of God, and fulfill the prophesied rebuilding of the Temple.

Note: The stage is even now being set for the covenant agreement between Israel and the Antichrist. Any solution to the Middle East quagmire from this point onward must necessitate the contracting parties of Peace to ensure Israel a Temple! Can the Antichrist be far behind? ( II Thessalonians 2:4 indicates that the future “Man of Sin will exalt himself as “GOD” in Israel’s rebuilt Temple of the Last Days! )

Ariel Sharon Leads In Israeli Political Polls

Ariel Sharon, the former Israeli Defense Minister, whose visit to the Temple Mount back on September 28 seemed to incite the ongoing Palestinian Intifada, ( uprising ) leads Prime Minister Ehud Barak in opinion polls by about 52% to 28%. Mr. Sharon kicked off his official campaign in conjunction with the Jerusalem Rally this week. Ariel Sharon stated that the Oslo Peace Process is officially dead, and that Jerusalem’s Temple Mount must never be conceded, and that the world must come to recognize Israel’s legitimate rights to a presence on the Temple Mount.

Note: Mr. Sharon is campaigning for peace, but strongly suggests that compromise is the only solution to achieving peace. ( The hard-line stance of conservatives in Israel is producing the motivation for the rebuilding of Israel’s ancient Temple, but they also readily admit that compromise is essential to any peace ) (The future Antichrist shall resolve both of these dilemmas )

Thousands Gather in Jerusalem to Claim the Temple Mount

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis gathered around the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem on January 8th to pledge their undying faithfulness to maintaining Israeli sovereignty over the whole city of Jerusalem. The crowd took heart in chanting the verse from Psalm 137:5-6 “If I ( God ) forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember you, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy”.

Ironically the crowd pledged their loyalty to Jerusalem at the very same moment that US President Clinton was speaking to the Israel Policy Forum in Washington D.C. saying that Israel must divide the land and the city of Jerusalem if it was to ever enjoy peace.

The “Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful”; which coordinated the immense gathering estimated at nearly 500,000 concluded the celebrations by calling upon the Faithful to strive towards the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple.

Note: See Question No. 19 for a Christian perspective on the rebuilding of the temple.

Clinton and Arafat, “Together for the Last Time”

President Clinton and PA leader Yasser Arafat have concluded their last minute discussions on the fate of Jerusalem and its Temple Mount. While Yasser Arafat returned to Cairo, Egypt to collect the thoughts of the Arab League, most Middle East watchers remain confused as to Arafat’s answers to President Clinton’s final diplomatic assault upon God’s nation of Israel. Arafat has placed his own set of conditions on the American bridging proposals, thereby enabling him to avoid a final “end of conflict” agreement with Israel.

President Clinton leaves office on January 20th, and with the likelihood of Ariel Sharon coming to power in Israel on February 6th, ( a man hated by Arafat and the Arab world ) the prophetic stage of conflict between Israel and her immediate neighbors looms ominously on the horizon.

The Temple Mount has been the undoing of President Clinton’s Middle East Peace policies. His Presidential legacy in light of Bible Prophecy will forever be stained with the shame and disgrace of parting God’s LAND.

Yasser Arafat has played Mr. Clinton for Santa Claus. But Mr. Arafat’s days are numbered too. Someday, he will have destroyed his own people by his own hateful hand.

Terrorist bombs explode in Israeli Seacoast City

Palestinian terrorists have struck hard at an Israeli seacoast town on the Mediterranean Sea. About 50 Israeli citizens were injured a car bomb attack in Netanya. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has advised his top IDF commanders to prepare for a large scale regional war if the terrorists acts continue. The Clinton administration is continuing to propagate peace overtures to Yasser Arafat, but the efforts have been fruitless thus far.



Yasser Arafat met with US President Clinton on January 2 in Washington D.C. to Consider the most recent Clinton proposals, but the tragic events in Israel seem to convey the reality of Arafat’s negotiation goals. Violence is the diplomatic weapon of choice utilized by Mr. Arafat.

Note: Mr. Arafat’s Perpetual Hatred for Israel is the real reason that Mr. Arafat has not, and will never accept Israel’s generous gifts for peace, until he has extorted Barak-Clinton-Israel for all that he can acquire through diplomatic channels. Then he will coordinate all his efforts with Syria-Iraq to launch another war upon Israel.