ADELSON REPORTEDLY FURIOUS WITH TILLERSON FOR TYING EMBASSY MOVE TO PEACE DEAL.

JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)

LUKE 21:28-29
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)

JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)

ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)

EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE

David Friedman officially takes up post as Trump’s Israel envoy-Amid embassy speculation, president tells new ambassador it’s time the world recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s official capital-By Raphael Ahren May 16, 2017, 12:38 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

David Friedman on Tuesday presented his letter of credence to President Reuven Rivlin, officially taking up his post as US ambassador to Israel.“As you know, the president has chosen Israel as the site for his first international visit. His love for and commitment to the State of Israel is rock-solid and it enjoys his highest priority,” he said during a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.Addressing Rivlin, Friedman recalled that the president is a seventh-generation Jerusalemite who fought in the Six Day War and that his late father translated the Quran into Hebrew. He said Rivlin has walked “in the footsteps of our original warrior-poet King David.”“Serving the US as its ambassador to the State of Israel is the greatest honor of my life, and I pledge to you to do all that I can to strengthen and enhance the relations between our two great nations that you accurately described as unbreakable and, I would add, without limits,” the new ambassador said.“I’m so grateful to President Trump for giving me the opportunity and for having confidence in my abilities, and, most importantly, for sending me off this past week with the unequivocal and unambiguous mandate to support the State of Israel in every way, and in all ways,” he said.Friedman, an observant Jew from Long Island, New York, landed with his wife and daughter at Ben Gurion Airport Monday afternoon and headed directly to the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City. His arrival came amid ongoing speculation over the US administration’s intention to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.Rivlin welcomed Friedman to the city, which he noted is “the capital of the State of Israel,” and called on the US to fully recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the city.“Next week, we will celebrate 50 years since Jerusalem was united, and the Jewish people were able to once again pray at the Western Wall,” he said. “But Jewish Jerusalem is not 50 years old. Since the days of King David, this city has been our capital. It is time for the whole world to recognize Jerusalem as the official capital of the State of Israel — de facto, not just de jure.”During his election campaign, Trump vowed emphatically to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, an act that would have been seen as tacit recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the city. But that plan has since been put on the back burner, and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Sunday that the president was still weighing whether such a move would help or hurt his efforts to relaunch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.Friedman, who owns an apartment in Jerusalem, will reportedly work out of the ambassador’s official residence in Herzliya. In addition, he will use an office at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem in West Jerusalem, as many of his predecessors have.Rivlin hailed Trump’s decision to come to Israel next week. “His visit is very important. It is a sign of the unbreakable bond between Israel and the USA,” he said.“We look forward to working with the new administration to find new ways and to think of new ideas for how to move forward and build trust between Israelis and Palestinians,” the president went on.He then praised the US administration for taking military action against the Syrian regime. “You showed that red lines cannot be crossed. The whole free world has a duty to the Syrian people, to end the humanitarian nightmare,” he said.Friedman’s arrival comes amid an unusual diplomatic spat between US and Israeli officials surrounding Trump’s planned visit to the Western Wall next week.According to Channel 2, a member of the US delegation making preparations for Trump’s visit angrily rejected a request that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accompany the president when he visits the Jewish holy site in Jerusalem, and then sniped at his Israeli counterparts that the Western Wall is “not your territory. It’s part of the West Bank.”In response, the Prime Minister’s Office said it believed the comments do not represent the president’s position, an assertion confirmed by a senior administration officials hours later.“The comments about the Western Wall were not authorized communication and they do not represent the position of the United States and certainly not of the president,” the official told The Times of Israel.Later on Tuesday, the new US ambassador is expected to hold his first meeting with Netanyahu in his Jerusalem office.

Barghouti urges Palestinian ‘civil disobedience’ on Monday’s Nakba Day-Lawyer for jailed Fatah terrorist says his hunger-striking client has lost 13 kilograms, denies authenticity of video of him sneaking food-By Avi Issacharoff, Jacob Magid and AP May 14, 2017, 10:51 pm

Jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti on Sunday urged Palestinians to carry out acts of “civil disobedience” to commemorate Nakba Day on Monday, which marks the “catastrophe” of the creation of Israel each year on May 15.For the first time since initiating a hunger strike in prison 28 days ago, Barghouti was allowed to meet with his lawyer Khader Shkirat on Sunday for three hours.The attorney said his client denied the authenticity of a video released by the Israel Prisons Service last week purportedly showing him secretly eating a candy bar in his cell.Shikrat said his client told him the cell featured in the video, with a bunk bed, is much nicer than the run-down single-bed cell where he is currently held. Israel moved Barghouti into isolation at the start of the strike.The attorney said that Barghouti had lost 13 kilograms (28 pounds) since beginning the hunger strike on April 17. Seemingly undeterred by his alleged deteriorating health, the Fatah leader told his attorney that he would escalate the protest by refusing to drink water.In a letter by Barghouti obtained by Lebanese outlet Al Mayadeen on Sunday, the convicted terrorist — who is serving five life terms for orchestrating the murders of Israelis during the Second Intifada — orders the public to ratchet up tensions with Israel on Monday in solidarity with the fasting security inmates.On behalf of the Palestinian prisoners, the Fatah leader pledged to “continue the battle of freedom and dignity for Palestine” until the goals of the prisoners were achieved.He stressed that all attempts by Israeli authorities to “blackmail” him or his fellow prisoners would “only increase their belief in victory.”Barghouti also appealed to the two main Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, calling on them to enter into a national reconciliation agreement. At the same time, he warned against a resumption of negotiations with Israel based on the same principles that have “proven unsuccessful in the past.”Among the prisoners’ demands are better medical services, family visits, and more dignified detention conditions. But Israel has vowed not to negotiate with the inmates, with Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan calling them “terrorists and incarcerated murderers.”Sources in the Israel Prisons Service told Channel 2 last week that it is not only Barghouti who has been secretly snacking in his cell, but a number of other security prisoners as well.Separate intelligence sources told the news channel that the leaked video of Barghouti has been viewed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas as a “gift from heaven” due to the damage it has done to the image of his Fatah rival.Palestinian Prisoners Club head Qadura Fares told The Times of Israel that in addition to being strip-searched four times a day, Barghouti has been given only a single blanket and has not been allowed to change his clothes once since he began the strike.Israeli authorities say 894 Palestinian prisoners have kept up the hunger strike, while Palestinian officials say it is more than 1,000.

REBUILT 3RD TEMPLE

REVELATION 11:1-2
1 And there was given me a(MEASURING) reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2 But the court which is without the temple leave out,(TO THE WORLD NATIONS) and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.(JERUSALEM DIVIDED BUT THE 3RD TEMPLE ALLOWED TO BE REBUILT)

DANIEL 9:27
27 And he( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

MICAH 4:1-5
1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.
2  And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
3  And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
4  But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
5  For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.

DANIEL 11:31
31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.(3RD TEMPLE REBUILT)

DANIEL 12:11
11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away,(AT THE MIDPOINT OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD)(3RD TEMPLE SACRIFICES STOPPED BY DICTATOR) and the abomination that maketh desolate set up,(TO WORSHIP THE DICTATOR OR DIE) there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.(1,290 DAYS)(AN EXTRA 30 DAYS AT THE END OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD FOR JESUS TO DESTROY THE ARMIES AGAINST JERUSALEM.AND TO JUDGE THE SHEEP AND GOAT NATIONS OF MATTHEW 25:31-46-HOW THEY TREATED ISRAEL DURING THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.AND THEN I BELIEVE JESUS WILL REBUILD THE 4TH TEMPLE 25 MILES FROM THE CURRENT TEMPLE MOUNT.AND THEN JESUS RULES FOR THE 1,000 YEARS-THEN FOREVER FROM THAT 4TH TEMPLE.)

MATTHEW 24:15-16
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)(THE DICTATOR SITS IN THE REBUILT 3RD TEMPLE CALLING HIMSELF GOD AT THE MIDPOINT OR 3 1/2 YEAR PERIOD OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.OR 7 YEAR PEACE TREATY BETWEEN ISRAEL-ARABS AND MANY OF DANIEL 9:27)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Adelson reportedly ‘furious’ with Tillerson for tying embassy move to peace deal-Republican-backing casino billionaire said dismayed at suggestion that relocating diplomatic mission is negotiable-By Stuart Winer and Times of Israel staff May 15, 2017, 9:35 pm

Jewish-American billionaire and casino mogul Sheldon Adelson is reportedly angry at US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for saying that a previously promised move of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem now depends on whether or not it would harm peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.A “furious” Adelson rejected Tillerson’s assertion that the embassy move should be connected to the peace process, sources told the Axios news site in a report published Monday.One of the biggest backers of Republican candidates, Adelson had previously told Trump that the Palestinians were not partners for peace and that their demands were impossible for Israel to agree to, the report said.The report gave no other details.In an interview with NBC that was broadcast on Sunday, Tillerson said US President Donald Trump was deliberating whether the embassy relocation would help or harm peace prospects, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to release a statement saying relocation will boost efforts in that it will “shatter Palestinian fantasies” of Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.Last month, the Politico website reported that Adelson has not funded any pro-Trump groups since the inauguration in January because Trump did not follow through on a campaign promise to move the embassy to Jerusalem.In his election campaign, Trump promised to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate the American mission there, drawing a fierce rebuke from Palestinian Authority officials and concern from the European Union and others that the move could spark violence.While other presidential candidates have also promised to move the embassy, in line with a 1995 bill ordering the move, once taking office all have signed waivers postponing the move for security reasons. The current waiver will expire on May 31, when Trump will have to decide whether to extend it or move the mission.Despite the enthusiasm expressed by Israeli officials over a possible embassy move, Trump has seemed to walk back his pledge to relocate the embassy since his inauguration-Tillerson’s comments came ahead of Trump’s scheduled trip to Israel next week, which will coincide with Israeli celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary of the capture of the eastern part of the city from Jordan in the 1967 Six Day War.

PM: Embassy move will help peace by ‘shattering Palestinian fantasy’-Netanyahu claims relocation to Jerusalem would ‘correct historical wrong’ after Tillerson says US weighing whether move would advance peace process-By Times of Israel staff and AP May 14, 2017, 8:46 pm

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem would boost peace efforts by impressing on the Palestinians the city is the capital of the Jewish state.After US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said earlier Sunday that the Trump administration was evaluating whether relocating the US mission to Jerusalem would help or harm the peace process, Netanyahu released a statement arguing the move would advance peace efforts.“Israel’s position has been stated many times to the US government and to the world,” Netanyahu said. “Moving the US embassy to Jerusalem will not only not harm the peace process, it will advance it by correcting a historical wrong and by shattering the Palestinian fantasy that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel.”On Thursday, Netanyahu said that all foreign embassies in Israel should be located in Jerusalem, chief among them the American embassy.Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has backed away from his campaign pledge to move the embassy in a gesture to Israel, saying he’s still studying the issue. But Tillerson linked Trump’s deliberations directly to his aspirations for brokering Mideast peace.“The president is being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact the peace process,” Tillerson said in an interview broadcast Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He said Trump’s decision would be informed by feedback from all sides, including “whether Israel views it as helpful to a peace initiative or perhaps a distraction.”Trump’s decision is being closely watched as the US president prepares to depart Friday on his first foreign trip. After stopping in Saudi Arabia, Trump will visit both Israel and the West Bank, in a nod to his nascent bid to strike the Israeli-Palestinian deal that has eluded his predecessors.Jerusalem’s status is one of the most emotionally charged issues in the conflict, with both sides laying claims. Israel captured East Jerusalem — claimed by Palestinians for the capital of a future independent state — from Jordan in the 1967 war and annexed it, a move not internationally recognized.US presidents of both parties have repeatedly waived a US law requiring the embassy be moved to Jerusalem. The most recent waiver — signed by former president Barack Obama — expires on June 1. Trump is seen as increasingly likely to sign a six-month renewal of the waiver before it expires, as he continues deliberating.In another sign the White House is proceeding cautiously, Trump’s ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, plans to work out of the current embassy in Tel Aviv rather than out of the US Consulate in Jerusalem, as some had urged him to do. Friedman, who owns an apartment in Jerusalem, is expected to live in the US ambassador’s official residence in the Tel Aviv suburb of Herziliya.Palestinians argue that moving the embassy would prejudge one of the most sensitive issues in the conflict, undermining America’s status as an effective mediator. There have been some signs that the Israeli government, while publicly supportive of moving the embassy, has quietly raised concerns that doing so could inflame the political and security situation.Earlier on Sunday, Education Minister Naftali Bennett urged Netanyahu to push Trump about transferring the embassy to Jerusalem. Bennett, who leads the nationalist Jewish Home party, also stated the move would help peace, saying it would help cement the unity of the city under Israeli control, whereas “any agreement based on dividing Jerusalem is doomed to fail.”

PM's office quotes him telling president that relocating embassy 'would not lead to bloodshed in the region'-Netanyahu denies privately urging Trump not to move embassy to Jerusalem-Fox News reporter tweets ‘everyone’ in DC says PM told president not to do it; PM’s office calls report a ‘lie,’ releases minutes from White House talks-By Alexander Fulbright May 15, 2017, 9:23 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vehemently denied a Fox News reporter’s claim that he told President Donald Trump not to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.In a post on his Twitter account on Monday, Fox News correspondent Conor Powell wrote that “everyone” he has spoken to familiar with the deliberations on moving the embassy has confirmed that Netanyahu told Trump not to go through with the move.“Everyone I’ve spoken to in DC that has been briefed on #Jerusalem embassy move says #Netanyahu told #Trump not to move embassy at this time,” he tweeted.Netanyahu’s office firmly denied the report, flatly calling it a “lie,” and, in a highly unusual move, released what it said were partial minutes of Netanyahu’s conversations with Trump at the White House in February to disprove the claim.“The embassy — the PM supports moving it,” wrote then-national security adviser Yaakov Nagel, following Netanyahu and Trump’s meeting in the Oval Office, according to the PMO.“The PM was asked about the embassy and explained [that moving it] would not lead to bloodshed in the region, as some were trying to intimidate [President Trump] into believing,” Nagel wrote after the two leaders met over lunch.Everyone I've spoken to in DC that has been briefed on #Jerusalem embassy move says #Netanyahu told #Trump not to move embassy at this time https://t.co/z7fAjuJiib— Conor Powell (@ConormPowell) May 15, 2017-The PMO also released a portion of a summary from a conversation in January between Israel’s Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer and then US national security adviser designate Michael Flynn prior to Trump’s inauguration.“[Dermer] explained why moving the embassy would help advance peace and not the opposite.“This would send the message that we are in Jerusalem to stay. Moving the embassy would force the other side to contend with the lie they’ve constructed — that Israel has no connection to Jerusalem — and will cause them to understand that Israel will be here forever with Jerusalem as its capital.”Powell’s tweet on Monday came after Netanyahu again publicly reiterated his support on Sunday for moving the US embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, rejecting sniping from the Israeli right that he does not privately enthuse about the idea, and saying it would help advance peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.“Israel’s position has been stated many times to the US government and to the world,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “Moving the US embassy to Jerusalem will not only not harm the peace process, it will advance it by correcting a historical wrong and by shattering the Palestinian fantasy that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel.”Netanyahu’s remarks came in response to comments by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that Trump is currently assessing whether moving the US embassy to Jerusalem would help or hurt prospects for clinching an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.“The president is being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact a peace process,” Tillerson said in an interview broadcast Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He said Trump’s decision would be informed by feedback from all sides, “most certainly” including “whether Israel views it as helpful to a peace initiative or perhaps a distraction.”Since taking office, Trump has backed away from his campaign pledge to move the embassy in a gesture to Israel, saying he’s still studying the issue. But Tillerson linked Trump’s deliberations directly to his aspirations for brokering Mideast peace.Jerusalem’s status is one of the most emotionally charged issues in the conflict, with both sides laying claims. Israel captured East Jerusalem — claimed by Palestinians for the capital of a future independent state — from Jordan in the 1967 war and annexed it, a move not internationally recognized.The Palestinians argue that moving the embassy would prejudge one of the most sensitive issues in the conflict, undermining America’s status as an effective mediator.US presidents of both parties have repeatedly waived a US law requiring the embassy be moved to Jerusalem. The most recent waiver — signed by former president Barack Obama — expires on June 1. Trump is seen as increasingly likely to sign a six-month renewal of the waiver before it expires, as he continues deliberating.On Monday, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said that while he believes the US embassy should be moved to Jerusalem, the issue should not be turned into a public spat with Washington, in apparent rebuke of political leaders from both sides of the aisle who have echoed Netanyahu in urging that the US embassy be brought to the capital as a way of cementing Israeli sovereignty over the city.Times of Israel staff and AP contributed to this report.

White House: Western Wall comments ‘unauthorized,’ do not represent Trump’s stance-Official who said Jews’ holiest prayer site is not part of Israel does ‘not represent the position of US and certainly not of president’-By Eric Cortellessa May 15, 2017, 11:25 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday said that comments from a US official who told his Israeli counterparts that the Western Wall is not part of Israel were “unauthorized” and do not represent the stance of the Trump administration.“The comments about the Western Wall were not authorized communication and they do not represent the position of the United States and certainly not of the president,” a senior administration official told The Times of Israel.In a bitter diplomatic incident, a senior member of the US delegation making preparations for Trump’s visit to Israel next week angrily rejected a request that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accompany the president when he visits the Western Wall, and then sniped at his Israeli counterparts that the Western Wall is “not your territory. It’s part of the West Bank,” Channel 2 reported Monday.The angry exchanges, according to the report, began when the Israeli team working with the American delegation asked whether Netanyahu could accompany Trump when he visits the Western Wall, a key stop expected on his May 22-23 visit to Israel and the West Bank.No serving US president has ever visited the Western Wall, because US policy has been that the final status of Jerusalem has yet to be resolved in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.The US team reportedly rejected the request for Netanyahu to join Trump, saying it would be “a private visit” by the president and that he would go on his own. The Israelis then asked whether a TV crew providing live coverage of the Trump visit could at least continue to film there.At this point, the TV report said, a senior American official rudely responded: “What are you talking about? It’s none of your business. It’s not even part of your responsibility. It’s not your territory. It’s part of the West Bank.”These comments led to vociferous protests by the Israelis, with the discussion descending into shouting, and the Israelis reminding the US officials that the Western Wall and adjacent area “is territory holy to Israel.”An official at the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the report, telling the Times of Israel that Israeli officials were “shocked” by the comments and have asked the Trump administration about the incident.The White House official did not say whether Netanyahu will be able to join Trump when he visits the Western Wall on his trip.Ironically, the angry exchanges were reported soon after Trump’s ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, arrived in the country and went immediately to the Western Wall, where he said he prayed for the president and for the success of next week’s visit.The Western Wall, part of the retaining walls of the ancient Temple compound, is the closest point of prayer for Jews to the site of the Temple itself and thus the Jewish people’s holiest place of prayer.It was captured along with the rest of the Old City and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Day War, and then annexed by Israel as part of its united capital — a move not recognized internationally.Trump’s visit to Israel will take place from May 22 to 23 — just before Jerusalem Day — after he stops in Saudi Arabia and before he goes on to the Vatican. He will also travel to Brussels and Sicily for NATO and G7 summits on the final leg of his trip.While in the region, he will meet with both Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, as part of his efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and strike “the ultimate deal,” as he has called it.Trump has already hosted both the Israeli and Palestinian leaders at the White House. He’s also sent his Special Envoy for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt to the Middle East to go on a “listening tour” and meet with various stakeholders in the conflict.Trump’s travel plans have spurred intense speculation over whether he would use the occasion to follow through on his campaign pledge move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognize the holy city as Israel’s capital.He seemingly backed off on this promise early in his presidency, but the White House told reporters last week that Trump “has not made a decision yet and is still reviewing that.Shortly after Trump’s visit to Israel, he will have to make a decision whether to not to waive a congressional mandate — passed in a 1995 law — to relocate the embassy, but allowing the president to exercise a six-month delay on national security grounds.The most recent waiver, signed by former president Barack Obama, expires on June 1.The leak of the incident over Trump’s Western Wall visit ignited sharp response from both Israelis and American Jewish leaders.The head of the Anti-Defamation League said the Trump administration needed to make clear its posture on the Western Wall’s status.“The Kotel is 100% part of Israel & holy to Jews around world,” Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted. “We strongly urge [the] White House to clarify statement.”

LAND FOR PEACE (THE FUTURE 7 YEARS OF HELL ON EARTH)

JOEL 3:2
2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people(ISRAEL) and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.(UPROOTED ISRAELIS AND DIVIDED JERUSALEM)(THIS BRINGS ON WW3 BECAUSE JERUSALEM IS DIVIDED,WARNING TO ARABS-MUSLIMS AND THE WORLD).

THE WEEK OF DANIEL 9:27 WE KNOW ITS 7 YRS

Heres the scripture 1 week = 7 yrs Genesis 29:27-29
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week:(7 YEARS) and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

DANIEL 11:21-23
21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.
24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.

DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he ( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant (PEACE TREATY) with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE ANIMAL SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

JEREMIAH 6:14
14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

JEREMIAH 8:11
11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:3
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

ISAIAH 33:8
8  The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant,(7 YR TREATY) he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.(THE WORLD LEADER-WAR MONGER CALLS HIMSELF GOD)

JERUSALEM DIVIDED

GENESIS 25:20-26
20  And Isaac was forty years old (A BIBLE GENERATION NUMBER=1967 + 40=2007+) when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
21  And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22  And the children (2 NATIONS IN HER-ISRAEL-ARABS) struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
23  And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels;(ISRAEL AND THE ARABS) and the one people shall be stronger than the other people;(ISRAEL STRONGER THAN ARABS) and the elder shall serve the younger.(LITERALLY ISRAEL THE YOUNGER RULES (ISSAC)(JACOB-LATER NAME CHANGED TO ISRAEL) OVER THE OLDER ARABS (ISHMAEL)(ESAU)
24  And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
25  And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.(THE OLDER AN ARAB)
26  And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob:(THE YOUNGER-ISRAELI) and Isaac was threescore (60) years old when she bare them.(1967 + 60=2027)(COULD BE THE LAST GENERATION WHEN JERUSALEM IS DIVIDED AMOUNG THE 2 TWINS)(THE 2 TWINS WANT JERUSALEM-THE DIVISION OF JERUSALEM TODAY)(AND WHOS IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM TODAY-THE YOUNGER ISSAC-JACOB-ISRAEL)(AND WHO WANTS JERUSALEM DIVIDED-THE OLDER,ESAU-ISHMAEL (THE ARABS)

ZECHARIAH 12:1-5 King James Bible
1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
4 In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.

ISAIAH 28:14-19 (THIS IS THE 7 YR TREATY COVENANT OF DANIEL 9:27)
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

Gulf states could upgrade Israel ties in exchange for peace overtures-Reported plan would allow direct communications and use of airspace if settlements are curtailed and Gaza restrictions are eased-By Stuart Winer May 16, 2017, 10:55 am-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

A plan under discussion among Gulf state leaders would reportedly offer better ties with Israel if the Jewish state were to take substantive action to try to reach peace with the Palestinians.Among the measures the states want to see are a settlement freeze in “certain areas” of the West Bank and an easing of the security blockade on the Gaza Strip, sources familiar with negotiations about the plan told The Wall Street Journal in a report Monday night. (Israel maintains the blockade to prevent Hamas, the Islamist terror group that rules the Strip and seeks to destroy Israel, from importing weaponry.)-In return, Gulf States would lift some trade restrictions, open direct telecommunications links, and allow Israeli aircraft to overfly their countries, the report said.Other incentives under consideration are the issuing of visas to Israeli sports teams and trade delegations for events in Arab states and opening the region for Israeli trade and business.According to the report, the idea is “outlined in an unreleased discussion paper shared among several Gulf countries.”While Arab officials doubt that an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal is in sight, they are prepared to reward Israel for at least taking steps toward that goal, the report noted.US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Israel and the West Bank in the next 10 days before heading on to Europe. On Monday, Trump met with Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan in Washington.Gulf States are aiming to cooperate with Trump, who has stated his keen interest in reaching a peace agreement, the sources told the Journal. Two countries — Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — have reportedly already told the US and Israel they are prepared to embrace the plan.The report said that the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office would not comment on the offer.The initiative comes against a backdrop of improving relations between Israel and Sunni Gulf states in the past few years, driven by shared concerns about Shiite-ruled Iran and the Islamic State terror group.The only Arab countries with which Israel Israel currently enjoys diplomatic relations are Egypt and Jordan.A senior Arab official taking part in the discussions was quoted as saying, “We no longer see Israel as an enemy, but a potential opportunity.”“Much more is going on now than any time in the past,” Israel’s Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz told the Journal. “It’s almost a revolution in the Middle East.”Steinitz, who last year made a secret visit to the UAE capital Abu Dhabi to discuss regional issues, said Israeli technology, including for surveillance, is being shared with Saudi Arabia and the UAE.“Israel has developed cutting-edge technology that allows us to detect terrorist plots in advance,” he said. “This enables us to help moderate Arab governments protect themselves.”Chagai Tzuriel, director-general of Israel’s Intelligence Ministry, said that a lot of progress is being made out of the public eye.“There’s a gap between what’s on the table and what’s under the table,” he said, according to the report. “Everyone understands that when you look at the long run, the deeper relationships are going to be in the civilian area: energy, water, agriculture, medicine, transportation.”Some Arab leaders are doubtful of Netanyahu’s commitment to the peace process, including in light of his demand, backed up by senior ministers, that the US move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Relocating the embassy, a campaign promise made by Trump, would be seen as a firm US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a position strongly opposed by the Arab world and in particular the Palestinians.“We don’t mind a good relationship between Israel and the Arab world,” noted Husam Zomlot, the Palestine Liberation Organization’s representative in Washington. “[But] is this the entry to peace? Or is it the blocker?”US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Sunday that the administration was weighing up the pros and cons of moving the embassy with regards to Israeli-Palestinian peace. Netanyahu responded by declaring that a relocation would have the benefit of “shattering” Palestinian fantasies that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel.

ISAIAH 17:1,11-14
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.(DAMASCUS FRYED TO A PULP)
11  In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.
12  Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations,(USELESS U.N) that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
13  The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
14  And behold at evening tide trouble; and before the morning he is not.(ASSAD KILLED IN OVERNIGHT RAID) This is the portion of them that spoil us,(ISRAEL) and the lot of them that rob us.

AMOS 1:5
5  I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden:(IRAQ) and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir,(JORDAN) saith the LORD.(I belive ISIS-DAMASCUS GET NUKED BY ISRAEL)

JEREMEIAH 49:23-27
23  Concerning Damascus.(SYRIA) Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea;(WAR SHIPS WITH NUKES COMING ON SYRIA) it cannot be quiet.
24  Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
25  How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26  Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.
27  And I will kindle a fire (NUKES OR BOMBS) in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.(ASSADS PALACES POSSIBLY IN DAMASCUS)

PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they (MUSLIMS) have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,(JORDAN) and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, PALESTINIANS,JORDAN) and the Hagarenes;(EGYPT)
7 Gebal,(HEZZBALLOH,LEBANON) and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA,ARABS,SINAI) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)

Israeli minister: ‘The time has come’ to kill Bashar Assad-Yoav Galant says revelation the Syrian president is executing prisoners and burning their bodies ‘crosses a red line’-By Judah Ari Gross May 16, 2017, 12:14 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

An Israeli minister called for the assassination of Syrian President Bashar Assad on Tuesday, saying he “does not have a place in this world.”Speaking at a conference outside Jerusalem, Housing and Construction Minister Yoav Galant, a retired IDF general, said that in light of recent allegations that Assad’s regime carried out mass executions and burned the bodies of the victims, he had to be killed.“The reality of the situation in Syria is that they are executing people, using directed chemical attacks against them, and the latest extreme — burning their corpses, something we haven’t seen in 70 years,” Galant said, in a reference to the Holocaust.The minister said Assad’s actions in Syria amount to nothing less than a “genocide,” with “hundreds of thousands killed.”On Monday, the United States State Department accused the Assad regime of carrying out mass killings of thousands of prisoners and burning the bodies in a large crematorium outside the capital.“In my view, we are crossing a red line. And in my view, the time has come to assassinate Assad. It’s as simple as that,” said Galant, who previously served as the head of the IDF’s Southern Command.Galant likened the assassination of Assad to cutting off the “tail of the snake.” After that, he said, “we can focus on the head, which is in Tehran.”In a conversation with The Times of Israel after his speech, Galant stood by his comments.He acknowledged that targeted political assassinations are considered illegal under international law, but clarified that he “wasn’t speaking about practicalities.”However, he added, “Anyone who murders people and burns their corpses does not have a place in this world.”The State Department said it believed about 50 detainees a day are being hanged at Saydnaya military prison, about 45 minutes north of Damascus. Many of the bodies, it said, are then burned in the crematorium.“We believe that the building of a crematorium is an effort to cover up the extent of mass murders taking place,” said Stuart Jones, the top US diplomat for the Middle East, in accusing the Syrian government of sinking “to a new level of depravity.”During his speech, Galant also said that in a wider view, Assad and his ally Hezbollah, the Lebanese terror group, are larger threats to the world order than the Islamic State and other Sunni terrorist groups.Galant was speaking at the Israel Defense publication’s “Ground Warfare and Logistics” conference at the tank museum in Latrun.“The world will wipe out Daesh, the Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaeda,” he said, using the Arabic nickname for the Islamic State.Galant said his assessment came from the fact that those terrorist groups do not enjoy the same level of support as Syria and Hezbollah, which are backed by Iran.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Netanyahu seeking to speak at Masada alongside Trump-Hebrew media reports say US preparatory team hesitant to agree to proposal for joint address at desert fortress-By Raphael Ahren and Alexander Fulbright May 15, 2017, 7:34 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is looking to deliver a speech at Masada together with US President Donald Trump during the latter’s upcoming visit to Israel, a senior official in Jerusalem said on Monday.However, the American delegation organizing Trump’s visit has expressed reservations about the idea, according to Hebrew media reports.It is unclear whether Netanyahu would speak before or after the president.The Walla news site reported that the Prime Minister’s Office requested that Netanyahu give a speech of five to seven minutes alongside the US president. The prime minister is currently set give a few short remarks introducing Trump at the Judean Desert fortress, according to Walla.Trump will be in Israel between May 22-23.While the speech at Masada will likely be the centerpiece of his stay, Trump will also reportedly visit the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, which would make him the first incumbent US president to do so.Trump will also reportedly visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum, as well as meet with Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin.Last week, Trump told the Israel Hayom daily that during his visit to Israel he will “discuss a range of regional issues of mutual concern” with Netanyahu.“We will discuss a range of regional issues of mutual concern, including the need to counter the threats posed by Iran and its proxies, and by ISIS and by other terrorist groups. We will also discuss ways to advance a genuine and lasting peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians,” he said.Trump’s visit comes amid efforts by the US president to renew long-dormant peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.The president, who has referred to an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement as “the ultimate deal,” said earlier thos month, when hosting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, that he would be willing to play whatever role was needed to strike an accord.It is not clear if Trump will use his trip to the region to unveil specific plans concerning peace talks, but the timing of the visit — coinciding with Jerusalem Day, when Israel will celebrate 50 years since capturing the east of the city during the 1967 Six Day War — has sparked speculation that he might use the trip make a major announcement regarding the city.Over the course of his campaign, Trump repeatedly promised he would move the embassy, but since assuming office, he has seemingly stepped away from that pledge.On Sunday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that Trump is assessing whether moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would help or hurt prospects for clinching an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal-“The president is being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact a peace process,” Tillerson said in an interview broadcast Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He said Trump’s decision would be informed by feedback from all sides, “most certainly” including “whether Israel views it as helpful to a peace initiative or perhaps a distraction.”Following Tillerson’s remarks, Netanyahu responded that the move would advance peace efforts.“Israel’s position has been stated many times to the US government and to the world,” Netanyahu said. “Moving the US embassy to Jerusalem will not only not harm the peace process, it will advance it by correcting a historical wrong and by shattering the Palestinian fantasy that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel.”Times of Israel staff and AP contributed to this report.

Saudi king touts Trump’s Islamic summit as ‘new partnership’-Following frosty relations under Obama, desert kingdom hopes to shore up US support against regional rival Iran-By Abdullah Al-Shihri and Aya Batrawy May 15, 2017, 10:06 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s King Salman on Monday touted an upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and heads of state from across Muslim-majority nations as the start of a new relationship that will strengthen global security.Trump is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia this weekend, for his first overseas trip as president, which will also include stops in Israel and the Vatican.The kingdom, in an effort to show its reach and convening powers, has invited dozens of heads of state from across the Middle East, Africa and Asia to a summit with Trump on Sunday. Some local media reports say more than 50 top dignitaries were invited by the Saudi monarch to attend.Trump and Salman will be meeting for the first time in Saudi Arabia on Saturday for bilateral talks aimed at repairing relations that were strained under the Obama administration. Saudi Arabia views Trump’s visit as a way to shore up support among its allies and with Washington against its rival Iran.The leaders of Syria and Iran were not invited to the summit. The Sunni-ruled kingdom of Saudi Arabia is backing efforts to topple the Syrian government, which is backed by Shiite-ruled Iran.Salman praised Trump in a telephone call in April, describing him as “courageous” for authorizing a US military strike on a Syrian air base, following a chemical attack there. He also dispatched his son and the second-in-line to the throne, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to Washington for a meeting with Trump in March and appointed another as ambassador to Washington to strengthen ties under Trump.Salman expressed hope the May 21 summit with Arab and Muslim leaders “will establish a new partnership in confronting extremism and terrorism,” according to a statement he made during a weekly Cabinet meeting and published by the official Saudi Press Agency.Trump is also expected to meet separately with the Arab rulers of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council during his visit to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led GCC includes the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, which is host to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet.The Saudi monarch said the bilateral US-Saudi talks will strengthen relations between the two countries and enhance global security.He said the subsequent US-GCC talks will contribute to consolidating Gulf solidarity and peace in the region. All of the GCC countries except Oman are part of a Saudi-led coalition that has been bombing an Iranian-allied faction in Yemen for more than two years. Washington has backed the coalition with logistical and intelligence support.

Travel ban judges scrutinize Trump’s statements on Muslims-Acting solicitor general argues US president’s travel ban is to be aimed only at Islamic terror groups and countries that sponsor them-By Gene Johnson May 16, 2017, 12:24 am-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

SEATTLE (AP) — Federal judges on Monday peppered a lawyer for US President Donald Trump with questions about whether the administration’s travel ban discriminates against Muslims and zeroed in on the president’s campaign statements, the second time in a week the rhetoric has faced judicial scrutiny.Acting Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall, who is defending the travel ban, told a three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals that “over time, the president clarified that what he was talking about was Islamic terrorist groups and the countries that sponsor or shelter them.” He argued that the executive order halting travel from six majority Muslim nations doesn’t say anything about religion, and neither the state of Hawaii nor an imam from that state who wants his mother-in-law to visit has standing to sue.“This order is aimed at aliens abroad, who themselves don’t have constitutional rights,” Wall said in a hearing broadcast live on C-Span and other news stations.Neal Katyal, who represented Hawaii, scoffed at that argument and said Trump had repeatedly spoken of a Muslim ban during the presidential campaign and after.“This is a repeated pattern of the president,” Katyal said.The 9th Circuit panel was hearing arguments over Hawaii’s lawsuit challenging the travel ban, which would suspend the nation’s refugee program and temporarily bar new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The judges will decide whether to uphold a Hawaii judge’s decision in March that blocked the ban.Dozens of advocates for refugees and immigrants rallied outside the federal courthouse in Seattle, some carrying “No Ban, No Wall” signs.Last week, judges on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments over whether to affirm a Maryland judge’s decision putting the ban on ice. They also questioned whether they could consider Trump’s campaign statements, with one judge asking if there was anything other than “willful blindness” that would prevent them from doing so.On Monday, Judge Richard Paez questioned Katyal about Trumps statements, calling them “profound.” But the judge wondered whether Trump is forever forbidden from adopting an executive order along the lines of his travel ban.Katyal said no, and suggested the president could work with Congress on legitimate measures.Monday’s arguments mark the second time Trump’s efforts to restrict immigration from certain Muslim-majority nations have reached the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit.After Trump issued his initial travel ban on a Friday in late January, bringing chaos and protests to airports around the country, a Seattle judge blocked its enforcement nationwide — a decision that was unanimously upheld by a three-judge 9th Circuit panel.The president then rewrote his executive order, rather than appeal to the US Supreme Court, and in March, US District Judge Derrick Watson in Honolulu blocked the new version from taking effect, citing what he called “significant and unrebutted evidence of religious animus” in Trump’s campaign statements.“Again, in this court, the president claims a nearly limitless power to make immigration policy that is all but immune from judicial review,” Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin wrote to the 9th Circuit. “Again, he must be checked.”The administration’s lawyers are seeking to persuade the judges that the lower court’s decision is “fundamentally wrong,” and that the president’s order falls squarely within his duty to secure the nation’s borders. The order as written is silent on religion, and neither Hawaii nor its co-plaintiff, the imam of the Muslim Association of Hawaii, has standing to sue, they say — arguments that were rejected in the lower court.The travel ban cases are expected to reach the Supreme Court, but that would likely be cemented if the 4th and 9th Circuits reach differing conclusions about its legality. Because of how the courts chose to proceed, a full slate of 13 judges heard the 4th Circuit arguments last week, while just three, all appointees of President Bill Clinton, will sit in Seattle.For that reason — with the possibility for myriad concurring or dissenting opinions — it could take the 4th Circuit longer to rule, noted Carl Tobias, a law professor at University of Richmond law school in Virginia.