A senior spokeswoman for the European Union has stated that the EU will be represented at the international peace conference in November. Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, will be in attendance at the meeting, along with his counterpart Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European Commissioner for External Relations. Christiane Hohmann made the comments during a press conference in Brussels today. The spokeswoman also iterated the EU's support for the Arab initiative including all its clauses. The European Union fully endorsed the Saudi Initiative when it was proposed by the Arab League earlier this year. The initiative offers Israel normalised relations and recognition of its right to exist from most Arab states, but only in exchange for a full withdrawal from all land captured in the Six Day War and a right of return for Palestinian refugees. Arab nations demanded that Israel accept the initiative last year, without any preconditions. Some threatened war if Israel refused to accept the plan. Olmert had said the plan was interesting, but he could not commit to the right of return, as this would be the equivalent of state-suicide for the Jewish nation. Hohmann also stated that the issue of the "right of return" for Palestinian refugees must be discussed at the conference.

Quote: "According to Hohmann, the Annapolis conference will include a number of EU representatives, including High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner. On expectations for the Annapolis conference, Hohmann said the EU expects to see a document by both parties that defines how they plan to move forward on a realistic schedule. Hohmann stressed that the EU plans to continue applying pressure on both parties in order to reach an agreement.

I said yesterday that all these events that we now see taking place needed just one thing, a man to bring it all together. The Scriptures seem to indicate in Daniel 9:26 that this man will come from the European Union, and will strengthen an agreement between Israel and the surrounding nations. And as we can see from today's news, it seems that the European Union, which had up until recently taken a back seat in these negotiations, is once again coming to the fore. With the EU firmly backing the Saudi Initiative, one would wonder what Israel will get out of this peace conference. In any case Israel is heading for a troublous time as predicted in Jeremiah 30:7, and the leaders of the European Union are sitting not too far away.

Jeremiah 30:10-11
Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.

Source YNet News

Quartet Special Envoy to the Middle East Tony Blair arrived in the region on Monday, as peace negotiations continue between Israel and the Palestinians. Blair met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah yesterday, and was scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Defence Minister Ehud Barak today. An aid to Tony Blair stated that he would be talking on some aspects of the upcoming international conference, to be held in Annapolis, Maryland at the end of next month. US Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch is also scheduled to arrive in the region today, followed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday. And as diplomatic activity increases in anticipation of the conference, so do Abbas' demands. Today the Palestinian Authority President demanded nothing less than 6205km of land for the establishment of a Palestinian state, the combined land mass of Judea, Samaria, the Gaza Strip, east Jerusalem and smaller strips of no-man's land which run along the 1949 armistice lines. Abbas is reported to have agreed to a land transfer of roughly 2%, allowing Israel to keep some settlements in Judea in exchange for Israeli territory of equal size and quality. This territory exchange will allow the creation of a Palestinian land corridor linking Judea and the Gaza Strip, as far as I am aware, effectively dividing Israel into two parts.  

Quote: "In exchange for the West Bank land, Israel is reportedly considering transferring to the Palestinians a strip of area between the Gaza Strip and West Bank to allow for a connection between them.

Public pressure is also mounting on Israel to negotiate a peace agreement with the Palestinians. Over half a million Israelis and Palestinians have signed an online petition, calling for an Israeli withdrawal to the 1948 armistice lines and the establishment of a Palestinian state within a year. The OneVoice movement that organized the petition is planning to hold simultaneous rallies in Tel-Aviv and Jericho next week, which will be broadcast around the world. The founder of the movement, Daniel Lubetzky, warns that unless peace is established between Israel and the Palestinians soon, Islamic ideologies in Gaza will spill over into Judea and Samaria, and ultimately the entire world. 

Quote: ""Every minute delayed in ending the conflict is a minute gained by forces of militant absolutism committed to erase the possibility of a two-state solution," said Daniel Lubetzky, 38, the Mexican-born founder of the OneVoice Movement. "If the Israeli and Palestinian heads of state demonstrate progress over the coming months, they will be able to eventually reverse the debacle in Gaza, by pointing to a positive alternative that will undermine extremism," Lubetzky, a son of Holocaust survivor and a Texas resident, added. "But if they don't, the opposite will happen and fundamentalist extremist ideologies will spread to the West Bank...and the world."

As we can see from today's news, the pressure is on. The Bible states that the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem will be divided (Zechariah 14:2, Revelation 11:2). A plan will be drawn up which shall be agreed by many nations (Daniel 9:27), and strengthened by a European leader (Daniel 9:26) in the region. But the division of the land (Daniel 11:39) will not bring peace (1st Thessalonians 5:3). The extremist ideologies will persist, and will spill over into Judea (Zechariah 14:2, Mark 13:14) and the rest of the world (Revelation 6:4). We are witnessing Biblical prophecy beginning to come to pass before our very eyes. The time is short. Have you trusted Christ for salvation? Never mind preparing for the future, what about eternity?

Isaiah 21:11
The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

Source Jerusalem Post, Haaretz, Jerusalem Post

Sorry if this article is lacking in sensibility, I have the flu and I need to get to bed. EU Special Envoy to the Middle East Mark Goat, sorry I meant to say Mark Otte, has cautioned Israeli Prime Minister ahead of the upcoming international peace conference, that the region will pay a heavy price if the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian break down. His comments came as further revelations surfaced on the nature of the peace deal now being worked out between Olmert and Abbas. Otte warned Olmert that if the talks fail, Israel could end up having to deal with Hamas in the West Bank rather than Fatah. For his part Olmert stated that he was not prepared to allow peace to fail. 

Quote: "The representative told reporters that the Mideast conflict is of great importance to Europe, and added that the American strategy has not worked in Iraq, or the rest of the Middle East and defined the situation in the region as a wake-up call, saying failure was not an option this time. Otte said he expected the upcoming conference to be a starting point if Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agree on how to deal with the core issues before the summit. Otte told the reporters that if Israel were to wait any longer it would be dealing with Hamas as its partner for peace rather than Abbas, and added that Israel's lack of support of the Palestinian president in the past has contributed to the current situation in Gaza.

The European Union has largely remained quiet during recent negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, preferring instead to allow the Americans to take the lead. That is until this goat spoke, warning Olmert of the consequences of failure. Why do I call Otte a goat? Because he was only too happy to have Hamas as a partner for peace, as little as six months ago. I knew what was going to happen, you knew what was going to happen, but the EU seems to have its head buried in the sand.

Quote: "BRUSSELS (AFX) - The European Union has made its first official contact with a member of the new Palestinian unity government, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana's spokeswoman confirmed. She said that the EU's Middle East envoy, Marc Otte, held talks in Gaza City with Palestinian Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr, who is an independent member of the cabinet, grouping Western-backed moderates and Islamic radicals. The spokeswoman gave no details about their meeting.

Someone in the Israeli Knesset still has their head screwed on though. Former Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu warned of the consequences of dividing Jerusalem, something which the Israeli government has now revealed will be discussed at the international peace conference in Maryland. In the first Knesset session of the year, Netanyahu warned Olmert that a disengagement from east Jerusalem will leave suburbs in the city empty, and that Israel will face the threat of Palestinian rockets landing on Tel-Aviv and other major population centres.

Quote: ""Handing over half of Jerusalem to the Palestinians would render the other half uninhabitable… the town's square will once again stand empty. This is not the way to make peace. How many times can the same diplomatic loss of sight be repeated?" Netanyahu added, "according to the government's plan, Israel will withdraw to the '67 borders… this is an exact replica of the government's plan in Camp David in 2000. "Conceding Judea and Samaria would transfer control over the areas overlooking the coastal planes to Hamas and the radical Islam. They would be able to fire rockets directly from there at Gush Dan, the Ben Gurion Airport and Tel Aviv."

The Bible states that the division of the land of Israel and the division of the Holy City will not bring peace. It will commence a time of unparalleled suffering for the Jewish people. End time prophecy is playing out, just like God said it would. Where do you fit into the big picture? Have you trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation? Is your name written in the Lamb's book of life? If it is, then your future is secure. If not, the Bible states the wrath of God already abides on you, my friend. Turn to Jesus Christ, and be counted worthy to escape all these things, and to stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:36).

Zechariah 14:1-3
Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

Source YNet News, YNet News , YNet News

Israeli Vice Premier Haim Ramon has stated that the issue of Jerusalem will be discussed at the international peace conference to be held in late November. The date of the conference has been put back to give more time for Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to draft a joint statement. The statement, which will summarize all agreements made between Israel and the Palestinians to date, will be read out at the gathering, which is believed to be slated for around November 26th (easy way of remembering: day after my birthday). Ramon, who had previously published his own plans for the division of Jerusalem, has stated that anyone who thinks the creation of Palestinian institutions will be the only thing discussed is deceiving themselves...

Quote: ""Whoever thinks that in the Annapolis conference the parties will be discussing the structure of institutions in the Palestinian Authority is fooling himself," he said. "It is in Israel's interest that all the Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem receive international recognition, and that Arab neighborhoods like Wallaja and Shoafat are transferred to the Palestinians," Ramon said.

Under Ramon's plan, Israel will immediately hand over three suburbs of Jerusalem to the control of the Palestinian Authority following the declaration of an agreement. Neighbourhoods with a Jewish majority will fall under Israeli jurisdiction, while those with an Arab majority will fall under Palestinian jurisdiction. Palestine will become a demilitarised state, which will be patrolled by an international peace-keeping force. A land corridor would be created, which would link Gaza and Judea together. Holy sites in Jerusalem such as the Temple Mount will be administered by a special body. Efforts are being made by both Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to have the joint statement ready for next month. Olmert has stated that he believes he does not need the permission of the Knesset to draft the so-called Declaration of Intentions, despite the Palestinian view that this document will form the basis for a future agreement between the two peoples...

Quote: ""The joint document will anchor international agreements, the Arab peace initiative and the vision of President Bush," Qureia said. "The Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams will have to establish a position in the document on issues like borders." Qureia went further and offered an example of the kind of detail he expected in the document: "The border [between Israel and the PA] will be on the basis of the 1967 lines, with the possibility of making limited changes that will not undermine the natural resources and territorial contiguity."

The vision of President Bush... Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing? (Psalm 2:1) The Bible states that the Holy City will be divided, in a vain attempt at settling this 4000 year old conflict. But the vision of two states living side by side in peace and security is nothing more than desert mirage. Zechariah 14:2 and Revelation 11:2 state that the Holy City will be divided, and for a period of 42 months the Gentiles will once again take control of Jerusalem. This prophecy could not have been fulfilled until after the Six Day War, in which Israel took total control of its capital. The Scriptures warn us that when they shall say "peace and safety!", or in today's language "peace and security!", then sudden destruction shall come upon them as travail upon a women with child, and they shall not escape (1st Thessalonians 5:3). But there is hope for the believer in Jesus Christ. Paul goes on to say that this time period, which shall see the commencement of the Day of the Lord, shall not catch true believers off guard. We shall be looking for our deliverer, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be coming to take home His Bride. Amen. Just thinking about that, what a day that will be. Here on earth it's nice to be home, knowing you are safe and warm. But to be at home with the Lord, where we will be safe forever, where nobody can ever come at us or harm us without getting past Him. That'll be something.

1st Thessalonians 5:9-10
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Source YNet News, YNet News, Haaretz