Avraham Burg, former Member of the Israeli Knesset and activist in the left-wing "Peace Now" organization, has stated in an interview with Haaretz that he believes Israel should cease to be a Jewish state. He says the state's official Jewish status is the reason why Israel finds itself in the position it is now in, surrounded by enemies who are bent on its destruction. Burg advocates revoking the Law of Return - which promises citizenship to every Jew desiring to return to the land of their forefathers, and urges Israelis to apply for foreign passports to replace their Jewish ones.

Quote: "Avraham Burg, former Knesset speaker and former head of the Jewish Agency says "to define the State of Israel as a Jewish state is the key to its end. A Jewish state is explosive. It's dynamite." In an interview in Haaretz Weekend Magazine, he said that he is in favor of abrogating the Law of Return and calls on everyone who can to obtain a foreign passport. Burg, who was interviewed on the occasion of the publication of his book "Defeating Hitler" said "the strategic mistake of Zionism was to annul the alternatives. Israeliness has only body; it doesn't have soul."

He's not the only Jew advocating the destruction of the state of Israel, or at least its official Jewish status. Orthodox Jews from the Neturei Karta sect, who attended the Iranian President's conference on the holocaust, also did the same. Zionism is the belief that God gave the land of Israel to the Jewish people for an eternal possession, and that this promise has not been revoked. But this teaching, which finds Scriptural authority in the Old and New Testaments, is despised by the enemies of God. Forgeries such as the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" have served to demonise the Jews, and despite being the only true democracy in the Middle East, the world's press continues to compare Zionism to Nazism and Israel to the apartheid regime in South Africa. Even the Vatican stated recently, "We reject the teachings of Christian Zionism that facilitate and support these policies as they advance racial exclusivity and perpetual war". 

Burg was right about one thing. "Israeliness" has no soul. This is the exact situation that the prophets of the Old Testament predicted would happen in the last days. Ezekiel chapter 37 describes in vivid detail the birth of the modern state of Israel. In Ezekiel's vision, he sees a valley of dry bones. He is commanded by the Lord to prophesy to the dead bones, and tell them that they would live again. After his first prophecy, Ezekiel notices that the bones had flesh again but they were still not living. God commanded Ezekiel to prophesy again, and command God's Spirit to breathe upon the bodies that they would live again. The two-fold prophecy is significant, for it speaks of a time when Israel would be a "body", but have no "soul". This interpretation is also confirmed by Hosea 6:2, which states that Israel will be "revived" during the second Millennium, and will "live" in Christ's site on the third Millennium. Again, a third Scripture in Joel 2:28-29 states that God will pour out His Spirit on the nation of Israel during the last days. 

Ezekiel 37:11-12
Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

As we can see, the birth of the modern state of Israel was accurately foretold in ancient Scripture. It's name (Ezekiel 37:12), it's geographic and topographic location (Ezekiel 36, 37:22), the spiritual condition of its people (Ezekiel 37:8) and the political situation in the land (Joel 3:2, Zechariah 14) were all accurately described by the Old Testament prophets. Israel can never lose its Jewish status, for if it does so, then I believe God will have broken His promise to His people. Neither will a two-state solution ever be realized (Ezekiel 37:22). Perhaps the situation with Hamas taking over the Gaza Strip has put the last nail into the coffin of that idea. One day the nation will recognize the true Messiah, Jesus Christ, and when that happens the nation of Israel will find its "soul".

Zechariah 12:10
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn.

Source Haaretz

Quote: "Twenty MPs from all parties, including Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, signed the Commons motion a day after the BBC correspondent's release. It says Hamas's "pivotal role" in ending his kidnap shows it should join Palestinian reconciliation efforts.

According to former Palestinian Authority Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, the British government's contacts with the terrorist organization in regards to the BBC reporter's incarceration, was what really tipped the balance in favour of Johnston's release. This whole story reminds me of the abduction of the British naval patrol by the Iranian coastguard, and subsequent release by President Ahmadinejad - which was presented as a "gift" to the British people. That was a propaganda exercise aimed at weakening Britain's resolve to stop the Iranian nuclear programme. Far from moderating his ideologies, the President has continued his threats against the Jewish state. And despite talk of peace agreements, like their Iranian masters, I believe Hamas will ultimately re-embark on its stated goal, the destruction of the "Zionist regime".

Source BBC, Haaretz

Quote: "Referring to Arab entities in support of the move, and especially Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a Hamas spokesperson said: "Only those helpless ones, who take orders from external elements, support the deployment of a multinational force (in Gaza)." "They are running and crying for the help of international forces to carry out their disgraceful plan. And this is after the Palestinian people rejected the plan and threw its representatives into the dumpster of history," Hamas representatives said.

In other news, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has taken up his new role as Special Envoy to the Middle East this week. Initially he had announced he would be working towards the establishment of a "two-state solution" between Israel and the Palestinians, but as was reported recently there were a few who objected to his new role. 

Quote: "On the day of his appointment, he told Parliament his "absolute priority" would be to "give effect" to a "two-state solution, which means a state of Israel that is secure and confident of its security and a Palestinian state that is viable, not merely in terms of its territory, but in terms of its institutions". Then he told the Northern Echo newspaper that his "huge challenge" was to "prepare the ground for a negotiated settlement". The Bush administration quickly contradicted Mr Blair's sweeping definition of his role. Tom Casey, the State Department's deputy spokesman, made it clear that negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians will be handled by Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State.

Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, feared that Tony Blair might detract from his own efforts in the Middle East peace process. And it seems that Solana has got his way. Tony Blair, who as Prime Minister, had pressed for a lesser role for the European Foreign Minister in the new EU Constitution, has now had his own role in the Middle East reduced by the future EU Foreign Minister himself. This link from my friend Darrell...

Quote: "Madrid - Middle East quartet envoy Tony Blair will not be charged with mediating in the Middle East conflict, but with channelling aid towards the construction of a Palestinian state, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana was Friday quoted as saying. Former British Premier Blair, whose appointment has been met with scepticism in parts of the region, will not conduct a peace process, the Spanish daily El Pais quoted Solana as saying in Lisbon.

The Bible makes it clear that it is not possible to know who the Antichrist will be until his revelation, which occurs after the Church is taken home according to 2nd Thessalonians 2:6-8. But what we can see is that the situation in the Middle East is ripening for the time when the Antichrist will come and strengthen the peace agreement between the two peoples. The question remains, are you ready for when Christ comes to take home His bride? Or like the five foolish virgins, will you find yourself locked out of heaven?

Luke 13:25
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

Source YNet News, Telegraph, Earth Times

Quote: "Mr Blair told MPs: "The absolute priority is to try to give effect to what is now the consensus across the international community - that the only way of bringing stability and peace to the Middle East is a two-state solution."

As a Christian, the above statement makes me particularly sad. Tony Blair has said that he will be working towards a two-state solution, which we know according to Scripture, will bring about the division of God's land during the tribulation period and result in a time of great tribulation for the nation of Israel. This of course, is all according to God's ultimate plan. But what makes me particularly sad is a former Prime Minister, who claims to be a Christian, making such a statement. And this is also a personal issue for me, for I have in the past emailed and posted letters to Tony Blair on this very issue, pleading with him to work towards peace in the Middle East, and not to divide God's land. 

Letter 1 - emailed 11/04/05 

Letter 2 - posted 25/11/05

At the time of writing, I had no idea the Prime Minister would finish his career and head to the Middle East as a Special Envoy for peace. Although I didn't receive any reply or notification from Downing Street that they received my letters, I hope and pray that Tony Blair had opportunity to read them, and to hear his need of salvation if he is not saved.