Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, has given an interview with the Jerusalem Post newspaper, defining the European Union's role in the Middle East peace process. The article outlines Solana's long history of involvement in the European Union, being Secretary General of the 10 nation Western European Union, and Secretary General of the Council of the European Union. The publisher also mentions his future post of EU Foreign Minister following the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. Readers of this website and others will be well aware of Solana's position and its possible relationship with the fulfilment of end time prophecy. In the interview, Javier Solana states that Middle East peace is a strategic priority for the European Union, and he believes they can achieve the goals agreed upon at the Annapolis peace conference in November 2007. Solana goes on to state that the European Neighbourhood Policy, a framework of agreements between the European Union and its sixteen closest neighbours, was designed to further progress in the Barcelona Process which seeks to bring about peace and security in the Middle East. Israel was the first nation to sign up to the ENP, and just last week it became the first member to qualify for participation in special EU programmes...

Quote: "Israel was the first non-EU country that took part in the European Framework Program for Research and Technological Development, and in the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Program, as well as one of the first participants in the Galileo project, the Global Navigation Satellite System of the EU, and in the European Space Agency. The European Commission recently described Israel as the "front-runner" among non-EU members participating in EU programs. A "reflection group" is considering areas where EU-Israel relations can be substantially upgraded to a "special status."

In summary of the European Union's involvement in the Middle East peace process, Solana states...

Quote: "It is absolutely clear that Europe should play a significant role in this process and match its major economic potential with an adequate political role. We can witness that the European Union is taking this responsibility seriously, for instance through our many European Security and Defense Policy missions, of which the first two operate in the Middle East.

According to the Scriptures, we believe that a ruler from the Revived Roman Empire will be the one who will strengthen a covenant between Israel and its enemies (Daniel 9:27). As we can see today, the European Union is already heavily involved in the Middle East peace process, and stands ready and willing to support any agreement that is reached. We are not told in the Bible how this covenant will come about, but the fact that it will happen is plainly stated in Scripture. The question is, what covenant have you made with God? The Bible states that only those who have made a covenant with God through sacrifice will be redeemed.

Psalm 50:3-6
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

What sort of sacrifice does God require? The only sacrifice that God has accepted is that of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:11). You see, no sacrifice that you could ever make would match up to His. For He was sinless, and you are a sinner. We deserve to die because of our sins (Ezekiel 18:4), but Jesus Christ had no sin (1st John 3:5). Then why did He die? Because He loves you so much that He chose to die in your place. That is true love. Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today. As Len Magee sings...

Outside the prison walls, there's lots of people
Slaves to sin and slaves to Satan's rule
They tell themselves they're free, but oh, they just can't see
Life is just a prison for a fool

But now I'm so glad I've got Jesus
And every day He whispers to me
I didn't have to die, but I loved you, didn't I?
Hallelujah! Jesus set me free

Source EJPress, Jerusalem Post

"As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness." - Psalm 17 V15

"...I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." - John 11 V25

The real hope in Christianity is far far more, than can be imagined. Every believer who died, shall rise one day to be with the Lord forever. We shall see our Lord face to face and we shall see Him in His glory. Thank You Lord Jesus for giving us this hope!

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal has stated that his terrorist organization would be willing to accept the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1948 armistice lines if an agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority was reached. But they are still unwilling to recognize Israel's right to exist. He made the comments following his meetings with former US President Jimmy Carter in Damascus last weekend. Meshaal's comments are being portrayed by the media as a "softening" of the group's position, but in reality Hamas' stance has not changed at all. Hamas was always willing to recognize the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. That is not a problem, so long as they aren't required to recognize Israel's right to exist. To Hamas, the borders of any future Palestinian state are only considered 'transitional', and can be expanded at a later date to cover all of 'Palestine' once the state of Israel is destroyed. As was the case with the ill-fated Palestinian Prisoners document, you need to interpret Hamas statements in light of their racist ideology, and not with our amiable Western mindset. Hamas believes that the whole land of 'Palestine' belongs to Allah and that the Israeli 'occupation' will be ultimately destroyed. So no wonder Carter now thinks Hamas had agreed to something completely different than what they are now proclaiming.

Quote: "Abu Zuhri also noted Hamas would see any future Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as "transitional". Speaking later to reporters, Carter said Hamas leaders whom he met "didn't say anything about transitional". Unlike Abbas, who sought a Palestinian state side-by-side with the Jewish state, Abu Zuhri said Hamas's outstanding position not to recognize Israel's right to exist remained unchanged despite its acceptance of a state in 1967 borders.

As we can see, for the Jewish state, any agreement with Hamas is an agreement with hell itself. Once Israel withdraws to pre-1967 borders, the whole country will be in range of Hamas and Hizbullah rockets. And if Israel is not destroyed militarily, she will be destroyed demographically, as the Palestinians insist on a "right of return" for millions of Palestinian Arabs to Israel proper. The Bible states that during the tribulation period, the Gentiles will be in siege against Judea and Jerusalem, and these territories will be given into their hand for three and a half years (Zechariah 12:2, Revelation 11:2). And towards the end of this period, the nations of the world will come against Jerusalem to do battle (Zechariah 12:9, 14:2). As we can see, Hamas agrees to the establishment of a Palestinian state within these territories mentioned in Bible prophecy. And so the fulfilment of these prophecies may be close at hand. The Bible says of the tribulation period in Joel 3:4, "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision". The day of the Lord is near. What decision will you make? Will you call upon Christ for salvation, or will you be calling on the mountains and rocks to fall on you and hide you from the face of the Lamb (Revelation 16:6)? Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Psalm 86:5
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

Source Reuters