The Palestinian Authority has once again hardened its stance ahead of a planned international peace conference next month, threatening to boycott the talks if no timetable is given for the establishment of a Palestinian state. President Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had previously demanded that Israel cede all territory in Gaza, Judea, Samaria and East Jerusalem for the creation of a state. He is also demanding Palestinian custody of the Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest site. According to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Olmert is indeed willing to hand over control of the Temple Mount, but to a panel of representatives from the UN, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Quote: "MK Uri Ariel (NU/NRP) said: "If the report is true, the Israeli government has stripped itself of any linkage to Zionism or its Jewish roots." "The Olmert government is trying to destroy the dreams of thousands of generations who have dreamed and worked to return the Jewish people to its land, continued Ariel, vowing: "we wont let him succeed." Ariel's party colleague MK Aryeh Eldad said that if Israel willingly gives up sovereignty of the Temple Mount to a foreign power "it will lose its moral, historical, legal and religious justification for existence." "This is post Zionist, nonsensical and suicide," he said. MK Tzi Hendel (NU/NRP) said: "I warned long ago that Olmert would divide Jerusalem, and now it is clear that even the Temple Mount, which is the heart and soul of the Jewish people, is going for cheap."

The chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei has also warned that unless Olmert agrees to a timetable for the establishment of a Palestinian state, that the PA may scupper the peace conference scheduled for November. It was previously reported that Olmert and Abbas had agreed that the peace conference would commence the beginning of open-ended negotiations for a final peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.

Quote: ""The Israeli prime minister [Ehud Olmert] has stated that he will not accept a timetable, and we say we will not accept negotiations without a timetable," Qurei said at a news conference with the EU's external affairs commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

And as the Palestinian Authority hardens its stance against Israel, Hamas is also hardening its position, threatening to launch a new intifada against the Jewish state. The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades - the military wing of Hamas, has announced it is preparing to launch terrorist attacks against Israel in the coming weeks. Hamas leaders are also threatening to stage a coup in Judea and Samaria, similar to that undertaken by the terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip earlier this year.

So it seems the pressure is mounting on Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to come up with the goods. If he is seen to be offering the Palestinians too little, he risks giving the terrorist organizations an excuse to launch attacks against Israel, just as occurred following the failure of the Oslo agreement. And if he does not move quickly enough, he may also risk losing Judea and Samaria to Hamas rather than a "moderate" Fatah. The Bible doesn't state explicitly what way things will work out, but it does state that Jews living in Judea (Mark 13:14) and the eastern half of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2) will face a tremendous period of persecution. The Antichrist, the European leader that will strengthen an agreement between Israel and the nations, will according to Daniel's prophecy, privately turn his back on that agreement (Daniel 11:32), plunging the nation into the time of Jacob's trouble (Daniel 12:1). As we can see, today's events are clearly pointing towards the fulfilment of this prophecy.

Matthew 24:44-46
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed [is] that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Source WorldNetDaily, Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Post, YNet News, YNet News

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has announced at an impromptu press conference that he has been diagnosed with prostrate cancer. Olmert stated at the press conference that Israel had a "right to know" of the health of their Prime Minister, although presently there is no law which stipulates that he must divulge his medical history to the public. The Knesset is currently discussing a bill which would make it a legal requirement for any future Prime Minister to disclose such information. Olmert will undergo minor surgery to remove the cancer, and the operation could further postpone the upcoming international peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland. 

Quote: "Olmert, who has clung to office in the face of massive criticism of his conduct of last year's war in Lebanon and repeated allegations of corruption, is now engaged in U.S.-backed talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said: "We wish him a speedy recovery and hope to continue working with him to achieve the two-state solution and end the Israeli occupation." Olmert and Abbas say they are urgently seeking a common position on establishing a Palestinian state before a peace conference to be held late this year in the United States. Asked whether treatment would affect Olmert's ability to attend the meeting pencilled in for Annapolis, Maryland, in late November or early December, Ramon said the prime minister would not be able to fly abroad for three weeks after the surgery.

Questions are now being raised on whether Ehud Olmert will be fit enough to proceed with the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon did not disclose his medical history to the Israeli public. Shortly after Israel's disengagement from Gaza, Arik collapsed and was rushed to hospital. He suffered a minor stroke, and initial medical reports suggested he would make a full recovery. He regained strength but was later resubmitted to hospital after he was reportedly given the wrong medicine and started to hemorrhage on the brain. Many Christians and Jews believe that Arik's hemorrhage was directly linked to his decision to divide God's land. As I commented at the time, Isaiah 29 seems to bear a remarkable resemblance to what has happened physically to Ariel Sharon...

Isaiah 29:1-4
Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city [where] David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel. And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. And thou shalt be brought down, [and] shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.

Isaiah 29:9-10
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.

Isaiah 29:15-16
Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

It was reported that following Ariel Sharon's stroke, his speech became slurred and he was unable to make decisions. He has been "brought down" from his premiership. Sharon was put into a medically induced coma to try and prevent more damage to his brain, and remains in the "spirit of deep sleep" until this day. 

In other news relating to Sharon's health... A few years ago, a Sephardic Rabbi told his followers that he knew the true name of the Messiah. The Rabbi had written the name in code on a piece of paper and sealed it in an envelope, with the express instruction that it not to be opened until one year following his death. Last May that letter was opened, and the code revealed the true name of the Messiah to his astounded followers. On the note was written the following, "Concerning the letter abbreviation of the Messiah's name, He will lift the people and prove that his word and law are valid. This I have signed in the month of mercy". The abbreviation of the phrase in Hebrew spells out the name Yeshua (Jesus). Many Jewish Rabbis claimed the writing was not that of Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri, and others wondered if he had become a Christian. Yitzchak Kaduri also claimed that Yeshua HaMashiach would only come (presumably the Second Coming) after former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon dies. Were it not for those Scriptures in Isaiah, and were it not for the Rabbi revealing the true name of the Messiah, I would have been inclined to disregard that statement. But Ariel Sharon is still alive and if his statements prove to be correct, this shows us how close we might be to the coming of our Lord. So it seems that once again, an Israeli Prime Minister is suffering health problems as he prepares to divide God's land. 

You may know the name of the Messiah, but do you know the Messiah personally? He gave His life on a cross 2000 years ago to provide salvation for you. Are your sins forgiven? When He comes, will you be lifted up to be with Him in the air, or will you be left behind to face the judgement of a Holy God? Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today.  

Source Reuters

The EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner is planning to travel to the Middle East later this month, ahead of the upcoming Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland. She will try to encourage a consensus between the Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams, which have so far failed to reach agreement on core issues. Benita Ferrero-Waldner's post is due to be merged with Javier Solana's post following the ratification of the new EU Constitution. Her visit follows that of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who had announced a $410 million package to save the Palestinian Authority.

Quote: "Ferrero's first stop will be Israel, where she will meet with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Israeli PM, Ehud Olmert, Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak and vice Israeli PM. In the Palestinian territories, the EU high-ranking official is set to meet with Palestinian Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad, acting foreign minister, Riyad Almaliki and top Palestinian negotiator, Ahmad Qurai. A part of her visit will be a field tour in the West Bank refugee camp of Qalandia and an EU-built local school. In Cairo, meetings will involve the Egyptian President Husni Mubarak and foreign minister Ahmad Abu Elgheit, with an emphasis on ways to develop EU-Egyptian relations.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas today in their efforts to formulate a joint statement that will pave the way for the creation of a Palestinian state. It seems all sides are hardening their positions ahead of the upcoming summit, Abbas demanding all of Judea, Samaria, Gaza and East Jerusalem for a state, and Olmert demanding any statement abides by the principles of the Roadmap to Peace. Originally the US and EU had stated that both sides should move to final status negotiations, seeing the first stages of the Roadmap could not be implemented. And as Israel and the Palestinians harden their stance ahead of the summit, so the EU and US increase their pressure on Olmert and Abbas to do a deal. Just as the peace deal in Northern Ireland required intense diplomatic pressure and bribery on the part of the UK government (£1 billion in aid), perhaps bribery may play a part in the formulation of a deal. If Israeli and Palestinian leaders find a sudden willingness to negotiate, you will know that the EU will have had something to do with that. 

Source IMEMC, Haaretz

I was trying to think of the last time US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in the Middle East while a major disaster was unfolding in the United States. I remembered that something quite significant had occurred earlier in the year, but I couldn't remember what it was until I saw this news article. The last major disaster to occur in the United States was the Minneapolis bridge collapse in August. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in the Palestinian territories, and had announced an $80 million aid package for Palestinian Authority President Abbas and his "security force". The bridge was built in the year 1967, the same year that Israel fought off an all-out Arab attack and gained much territory as a result. The bridge collapsed 40 years later, just as the US administration is demanding that Israel give that land back to their enemies. Despite the Minneapolis bridge being heavy laden with traffic at the time, only a few people were killed in the collapse. The Minneapolis fire department stated it was a miracle that more people weren't killed. The water level of the Mississippi had been low at the time due to a prolonged drought. Other Christians also told how they were miraculously preserved from the unseen danger, being just a few minutes from the bridge at the time of the incident. It was estimated that it would cost at least $100 million to repair the bridge.

This week's news regarding the fires in California bear a remarkable resemblance to the events of August 2nd. The fires began the same day US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Israel. Only one person has been killed, despite over 1800 homes being destroyed. But like the bridge collapse, the cost of repair will enter into millions of dollars. On Monday morning, Rice announced that she believed now was the time for the establishment of a Palestinian state. Some report that she also offered to publicly blame Israel in the event that the upcoming peace conference in the US is a failure. As California goes up in smoke, the US government is once again planning to strengthen Israel's enemies, this time announcing a $410 million package.

Quote: "Sources in the US government stress that the aid marks an unprecedented effort aimed at saving the PA led by Abbas. The US is thereby swerving from its traditional handovers and is handing over a sum approaching half a billion dollars. Half of the American aid will be directed at infrastructures, $35 million will be transferred to the Food and Employment Bureau of the United Nations Refugees Works Agency (UNRWA). The remainder of the money will be combined with the PA's continuous budget.

It's unbelievable. To have two major US disasters within days of Condoleezza announcing aid packages for Israel's avowed enemies. As I said this morning, Israel is the apple of God's eye (Zechariah 2:8). And when it comes to Israel, I believe that saying holds true, "an eye for an eye". If the US government wants to put out the fires in San Diego, they had better stop fuelling the fires in Judea and Samaria. As I have said many times, as the international community continues to press for the division of God's land, we can be sure that the US and the nations will face more and more unprecedented crises like these in the future.

Isaiah 52:8 
Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye (the prophecy) to eye (the fulfilment), when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

Source Haaretz, WorldNetDaily, YNet News