1-Minor quake rattles homes in S. Carolina. 2-Moderate quake jolts Indonesia's Yogyakarta province. 3-Helene weakens to a tropical storm. 4-Three dead, thousands evacuated as Kolkata flooded. 5-Storms in Midwest, South leave 5 dead. 6-2 twisters hit Mo., damage homes. 7-Storms wreak havoc in N.Ireland. 8-Spain sends engineers to help build installations for peacekeepers. 9-EU wants quick military victories in southern Afghanistan. 10-Hamas will not recognize Israel. 11-Half a million rally in support of Hezbollah. 12-Bin Laden's Health Status Unknown. 13-Netanyahu Tops List of Preferred PMs in Israel.
EARTHQUAKES
MATTHEW 24:7-8
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Minor quake rattles homes in S. Carolina Fri Sep 22, 1:57 PM ET
BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. - A minor earthquake shook homes and broke windows around this community Friday morning, but no injuries or serious damage was reported. The shaking was felt in Marlboro and Chesterfield counties, adjacent counties on North Carolina state line. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the 3.5-magnitude quake struck at 7:22 a.m. about 6 miles north-northwest of Bennettsville.We had some folks saying the whole house shook,including some who fled outdoors, said Roy Allison, emergency manager for Marlboro County.Generally magnitude 3.5 quakes cannot be felt.
This one is a little small for having those sorts of things houses shaking or cracking windows. What it tells you is the house may be on ground that is a little more susceptible to shaking, said Norm Levine, an assistant professor of geology at the College of Charleston.He said the quake occurred in an area with two existing faults.Earthquakes are not unknown in South Carolina. One with magnitude between 3 and 4 occurs about every 18 months, and 10 to 15 lesser quakes happen each year on average.The most devastating S.C. earthquake on record was a magnitude 7.3 near Charleston in 1886 in which more than 100 people died.
Asia-Pacific News
Moderate quake jolts Indonesia's Yogyakarta province
Sep 22, 2006, 9:34 GMT
Jakarta - A moderate earthquake struck the ancient Indonesian city of Yogyakarta Friday, four months after nearly 6,000 people died there in another tremblor. There were no reports of damage or casualties in the latest quake, which measured 5.7 on the Richter scale and struck off Yogyakarta province in Central Java at 1:54 a.m. (1854 GMT Thursday), according to a statement from the Jakarta-based Meteorology and Geophysics Agency.
The quake's epicentre was in the Indian Ocean about 33 kilometres beneath the seabed and 150 kilometres south-west of Yogyakarta province.
The tremblor was the latest in a series of earthquakes to rattle the main Indonesian island of Java in recent months. On May 27, a magnitude-6.3 quake struck Yogyakarta and Central Java provinces, killing thousands and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. On July 17, a magnitude-7.7 earthquake triggered a tsunami that battered the southern coast of Java, killing more than 600 people and leaving thousands homeless. Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago nation, is located in a Pacific volcanic belt known as the Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanoes are common. © 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Helene weakens to a tropical storm 1 hour, 44 minutes ago
MIAMI - Hurricane Helene weakened Friday into a tropical storm, but would still likely create hazardous surf conditions for Bermuda, forecasters said. Helene's top sustained winds dropped to about 70 mph, below the 74 mph threshold to be classified as a hurricane, and it was expected to gradually lose tropical characteristics, according to the National Hurricane Center.Tropical storm force winds extended up to 345 miles from Helene's center.Although the hurricane would not make landfall, Bermuda was expected to feel the effects through hazardous surf conditions until Saturday night, said Stacy Stewart, a senior hurricane specialist.
At 11 p.m. EDT, Helene was centered about 850 miles east-northeast of Bermuda and 1,305 miles west of the Azores. It was moving east-northeast near 23 mph.The Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30. September is traditionally one of the busiest months of the season.
Three dead, thousands evacuated as Kolkata flooded Sat Sep 23, 8:27 AM ET
KOLKATA (AFP) - Three people were electrocuted and more than 2,000 evacuated after the heaviest rains in 23 years left large parts of the eastern Indian city of Kolkata under water. Residents blamed the city's poor drainage system for failing to carry away the rainwater that had turned the city into a swamp.But Mayor Bikash Bhattacharya said there was little the capital city of West Bengal state could do.It's hard to fight nature's fury,he said Saturday. If it rains beyond our capacity, we can merely watch the city going under water and wait for it to limp back to normal.Some of the city's roads were waist-deep in water and the rainwater had invaded homes and swanky shopping malls alike.
Life has virtually grounded to a halt as vast tracts of the city are under water for a second day with transport off the roads, said deputy police commissioner P. K. Chattopadhyay.Three people were electrocuted in the southern fringe of the city after their house was flooded,he said. Rubber boats have been deployed in the worst-affected areas of the city and more than 2,000 people evacuated from different parts.The regional weather office said 221.9 millimeters (8.9 inches) of rain had fallen on the city in a 24-hour period, the heaviest deluge since 1978.Weather officials said more rain was on the way.
We've issued a warning of heavy to very heavy rain in the Gangetic Bengal, including Kolkata, during the next 48 hours,meteorologist J.V.M. Naidu said.
Artisans preparing for a popular Hindu festival for the goddess Durga at the end of the month lost many of the idols they had sculpted for the celebrations.Many idols have been damaged. They can't be repaired before the Durga Puja. It's a big loss to us, said Ramesh Pal, a spokesman for the Kumartuli artisans who live in the city's north.At least 29 people were killed earlier this week in West Bengal when a massive storm slammed into the coast from the Bay of Bengal, flattening mud houses and downing trees and utility poles.Storms and cyclones which form over the Bay of Bengal in September and October every year kill hundreds and destroy cattle and crops in India's eastern states.
Storms in Midwest, South leave 5 dead 24 minutes ago
LOUISVILLE, Ky. High winds, heavy rain and tornadoes pounded parts of the Midwest and the South, killing five people and stranding others in trees and shelters while forecasters warned Saturday that the stormy weather was expected to continue.
Officials were trying to find and rescue anyone else we might have missed throughout the night,said Tamara Roberts of the Sharp County, Ark., Sheriff's Office.
Areas in northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri received more than 10 inches of rain within 24 hours, said David Blanchard, a National Weather Service forecaster in Paducah, Ky.Stormy weather and possibly tornadoes were forecast for the region Saturday.
There's so much moisture in the atmosphere, you could get a lot of rain in no time flat,said Brian Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.Two tornadoes swept through south-central Missouri on Friday afternoon, damaging more than 100 homes and tearing off part of a roof at a middle school moments after a tornado drill.A firefighter videotaped two twisters moving through St.
James, said Phelps County emergency management director Bruce Southard. He estimated the tornadoes were on the ground for 10 minutes.It's devastating,he said. We've got nice houses that are just tore to pieces.Devin Wilburn, 12, said students at St.
James Middle School had just completed a tornado drill. Then, they interrupted their science test to rush back into the hallway for the real thing. The children knelt down and put their hands over their heads, he said.
I just heard a bunch of thunder and ripping, because the top of the roof came off, Devin said.No teachers, children or staff members were injured.Two women were killed in Lexington, Ky., after trying to cross a flooded roadway early Saturday. Witnesses told rescue officials the women were swept away in a flooded creek, Fire Battalion Chief Mat Ragland said.A female motorist in Jessamine County died after running her pickup truck into high water, while another motorist died after skidding off Interstate 65 near Elizabethtown, authorities said.In northwest Arkansas, Deborah Massey, 51, died when her boat was struck by lightning as she and Preston Starritt, 36, both of Prairie Grove, tried to make it to shore, Washington County Sheriff Tim Helder said. Starritt was injured and treated at a hospital.
People were stranded in trees after a campground in northeast Arkansas flooded, the National Weather Service said. Residents who live near the Spring River were told to evacuate because of a flash flood warning, Roberts told Little Rock television station KATV.
In Kentucky, flooding forced more than 100 people out of a Louisville apartment complex, according to Mayor Jerry Abramson.Portions of Interstate 64 just east of Louisville were closed in both directions due to standing water. Dozens of cars were stranded, Abramson said. I-65 also was closed for a couple of hours in Elizabethtown.At one point, just about every road in the county was flooded,said Michael Key, a Hardin County 911 dispatcher, after 5 inches of rain fell. Maggie DiPietro, 58, was among about two dozen people who sought shelter at an Elizabethtown community center. She said she woke up shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday and found about 2 inches of water in her home. By the time the police came and rescued me, it was almost up to my calves,she said.
Thousands across the region were without power Saturday, including more than 5,000 Louisville Gas & Electric customers who were in the dark.
2 twisters hit Mo., damage homes, school By DAVID LIEB, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 51 minutes ago
ST. JAMES, Mo. - Two tornadoes swept through south-central Missouri Friday afternoon, damaging more than 100 homes and tearing off part of a roof at a middle school moments after a tornado drill. No deaths had been reported. A firefighter videotaped two twisters moving through the town, said Phelps County emergency management director Bruce Southard. He estimated the tornadoes were on the ground for about 10 minutes.It's devastating,he said. We've got nice houses that are just tore to pieces.
Twelve-year-old Devin Wilburn said students at St. James Middle School had just completed a tornado drill. Thirty seconds later, they interrupted their science test to rush back into the hallway for the real thing. The children knelt down and put their hands over their heads, he said.I just heard a bunch of thunder and ripping, because the top of the roof came off, Devin said.No teachers, children or staff members were injured.
Preliminary information indicates a tornado warning was issued about 30 minutes before the storm hit, said Gino Izzi, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Springfield.A tornado also destroyed about half of the Manchester Packaging Co. plant, which makes polyethylene film and bags, according to its Web site. Southard said the twister ripped 70-foot-by-70-foot holes in the main building of a Wal-Mart distribution center and another Wal-Mart building used to service trucks.
Devin's father, Chuck Wilburn, was sleeping when he was awakened by a roaring wind noise. Wilburn, 42, said he ran to let the dogs in from outside.I opened the door and saw the barbecue grill flying across the yard, Wilburn said, whose house lost a window and some siding.Southard estimated between 100 and 125 homes were damaged. He said most the damage was to roofs but some porches also collapsed.The storm also ripped down trees, blocking traffic and leaving about half the city of about 6,000 people without power. St. James is 86 miles southwest of St. Louis.Authorities also reported that two other small tornadoes downed trees and took off shingles in rural parts of southeast Missouri. Tornadoes and hail were also reported in northern Arkansas.
FRIDAY 22/09/2006 18:09:09
Storms wreak havoc in N.Ireland
Tens of thousands of homes in Northern Ireland were left without electricity and roads were blocked by fallen trees after a night of storms. By:Press Association
Winds which reached hurricane force battered the country for several hours, uprooting trees and bringing down power lines.The wind was recorded at up to 74mph in places and Northern Ireland Electricity said supplies to more than 100,000 customers were hit.
More than 500 NIE staff, including engineering teams, worked through the night and managed to restore power to 50,000 homes.
NIE say that less than 10,000 homes are now without electricity and they hope to have their power restored by this evening, however some customers in Mid-Ulster, Ballymena and Newry may still be off overnight.
Robin Greer said: Damage has been widespread. We know of some 800 instances of damage to the network right across Northern Ireland. At its worst over 100,000 people were cut off, though around 50,000 have been re-connected.
We have a massive restoration programme just coming into play at the moment.The worst affected areas were Mid Ulster, Craigavon and Newry with parts of south Belfast also hit.Police urged motorists to take care and be on the alert for fallen trees.Earlier, a spokesman said roads were blocked from Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, in the west to Newry, County Down, in the south-east.
At Warrenpoint in Co Down the coast road was flooded.
SPAIN #11 IN THE EU
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TR BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
Spain sends engineers to help build installations for peacekeepers
Unifil commander expects israelis to complete withdrawal by end of month
Compiled by Daily Star staff ,Saturday, September 23, 2006
About 170 Spanish military engineers were due to leave for Lebanon by ship on Friday to help build installations for Spanish peacekeeping troops, the Defense Ministry announced.The engineers will return to Spain once their work is done, the ministry said on Thursday, adding that another ship transporting equipment and vehicles and a plane carrying 100 soldiers would both leave next week.Some 560 Spanish troops landed in Lebanon last week to join the expanded United Nation Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which is enforcing a cease-fire between Israel and Hizbullah militants in Southern Lebanon.Spain has committed 1,100 soldiers to the force, the third biggest ground force contingent from a European Union country after Italy and France.
The Dutch government will also send a frigate to join the ring of ships off Lebanon's coast to block illegal arms from reaching Hizbullah, a defense official said Friday.The Dutch government drafted a letter to Parliament outlining its plan to dispatch the ship and to assign a logistical support ship to rotate with it in several months, Defense Ministry spokesman Joop Veen said.The Dutch will contribute about 150 sailors to the 2,450-person UN maritime task force.
The Dutch contribution will continue until August 2007, Veen said, and an extension could be considered if asked.The timing of the ship's departure would be determined in talks with the UN and Lebanon.The German-led naval force also includes vessels from Turkey, Greece, Norway, Denmark and Sweden.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces, originally due to be out of South Lebanon by Friday, withdrew from two more border points and should have pulled out completely by the end of the month, the head of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon said on Friday.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb The Israeli Army started to withdraw from two areas along the Blue Line, the UN-drawn border between the two neighboring countries, Major-General Alain Pellegrini, the head of UNIFIL, said.Israel announced Wednesday it was delaying completion of its promised withdrawal until after the Jewish New Year holiday which ends Sunday evening.Israeli Army chief of staff Dan Halutz said problems, which he did not specify, were holding up the pullout but he hoped these would be resolved in the two or three days after the holiday.
Pellegrini said the Israeli Army on Friday pulled out of an area south of Naqoura, and the general area of Mays al-Jabal,a Lebanese village in the central border zone.The UNIFIL Indian and Ghanaian battalions are to set up checkpoints and conduct patrols today in order to confirm the Israeli pullout and coordinate the deployment of Lebanese troops in the area on Saturday, he said.I welcomed the continued withdrawal of the [Israeli Army] from South Lebanon, they have vacated most of the territory in the South, he said, adding:
I expect the rest of the Israeli troops to finalize their withdrawal by the end of the month.Defense Minister Elias Murr warned that Lebanon will resort to the Security Council if Israel does not complete its troop pullout by next Friday. Agencies
EUROPEAN UNION ARMY
DANIEL 7:23-25
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TR BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.( BE HEAD OF 3 NATIONS)
25 And he (EU PRESIDENT) shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.(3 1/2 YRS)
DANIEL 8:23-25
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king (EU DICTATOR) of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences,(FROM THE OCCULT) shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power:(SATANS POWER) and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes;(JESUS) but he shall be broken without hand.
DANIEL 11:36-39
36 And the king (EU DICTATOR) shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,(THIS EU DICTATOR IS JEWISH) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.(CLAIM TO BE GOD)
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(WAR) and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god,(DESTROY TERROR GROUPS) whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many,(HIS ARMY LEADERS) and shall divide the land for gain.
REVELATION 19:19
19 And I saw the beast,(EU LEADER) and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse,(JESUS) and against his army.(THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
EU wants quick military victories in southern Afghanistan
The European Union (EU) has asked for quick military victories in southern Afghanistan coupled with improvement of governance at the local level and reconstruction assistance. It is not politically a good idea to have a long fighting season, not only now, but in the next year or two,EU's special representative in Afghanistan, Francesc Vendrell told reporters in Brussels. Civilian casualties, which are largely unavoidable in military operations, bear a political price, he explained. Even the killing of Taliban fighters in these operations may draw sympathies from the Pashtun population in the south, he said. He said Operation Medusa, which was aimed to establish government control over an area of Kandahar Province centered on the town of Panjwayi, had ended satisfactorily with full control of the region.
The victory in the battle does not mean victory in the war, he said. But through the operation, the Taliban have seen the capacity of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. Military victories should be followed up immediately by reconstruction assistance, he said.There has to be tangible and visible reconstruction efforts to provide more employment to the people. The Taliban are able to recruit people not mainly due to ideological grounds, but to their promises of higher pay than the police and the army, he said. Vendrell said he is concerned about the increase in suicide attacks, which were rare until a year ago. Afghans were thought to be too proud to carry out suicide attacks. But now it can no longer be assumed to be the case, he said. There has been an increase in suicide attacks because there is an element of copycat from Iraq.
The suicide attacks caused numerous problems on the ground, particularly for the NGOs, he said. In the past weeks, there have been killings and kidnappings of NGO staff, both foreign and national. He also expressed concern over narcotics in Afghanistan, which he described as not a particularly optimistic chapter. He said the idea of eliminating poppy crops is not a good one as narcotics provides employment for 2.9 million people in the country. It is imperative to find alternative livelihood and to discipline officials who are involved, he said. Vendrell asked Pakistan to assume more responsibility on the Afghan-Pakistani border.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf admitted in his recent visit to Afghanistan that the Taliban are crossing the border into Afghanistan from Pakistan. Vendrell acknowledged that even with the best effort of the Pakistani army, Taliban infiltration would be unavoidable. However, he appealed for every effort from the Pakistani army to ensure a minimal amount of infiltration. We also feel that the Pakistani government ought to ensure that the Taliban leadership is not able to use Pakistani territory to engage in political activities. Vendrell said there is no way of sealing off the Afghan- Pakistani border unless Musharraf's idea of mining the border or building a fence along it. Source: Xinhua
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
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 have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
2 PETER 2:5
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
2 PETER 3:7
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men
LEVITICUS 26:16
16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you( sudden) terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
ISAIAH 33:1,18-19 Woe to thee that spoilest,(destroys) and thou wast not spoiled;(destroyed) and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil,(destroy) thou shalt be spoiled;(destroyed) and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.
18 Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?
19 Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
Posted on Sat, Sep. 23, 2006
Hamas will not recognize Israel By Diaa Hadid,Associated Press
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' bumpy efforts to set up a government acceptable to the West suffered a new setback yesterday when the prime minister from Hamas said he would not lead a coalition that recognized
Israel.
Hamas has ruled alone since March but this month agreed to share power with Abbas' moderate Fatah party in hopes of ending a crippling international aid boycott of the Palestinian Authority.The Hamas-Fatah coalition deal sidestepped recognition of Israel. Instead, it said the government would seek to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel, which implies recognition. But the United States and Israel demanded a clear commitment from Hamas, and Abbas was forced to revisit the issue.
At the United Nations on Thursday, Abbas said a national-unity government would recognize the Jewish state. It was unclear whether Abbas promised more than he could deliver in hopes of soliciting international support, or whether he was trying to pressure Hamas.Abbas and his aides were en route from New York to Cairo, Egypt, yesterday and could not be reached for comment.
Hamas leaders reacted swiftly. Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said in Gaza that recognition of Israel was out of the question. I personally will not head any government that recognizes Israel,said Haniyeh, considered a leader of Hamas' more pragmatic wing.
He reiterated that Hamas was ready to establish a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, areas Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast War, and to honor a long-term truce with Israel.We support establishing a Palestinian state in the land of 1967 at this stage, but in return for a cease-fire, not recognition, Haniyeh said.Hamas officials left open the possibility of more negotiations, saying they wanted to hear from Abbas when he returns. We don't want to build on statements or positions we heard in the media,Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.Palestinians appeared conflicted about what they wanted their leaders to do.
Recent polls suggest an overwhelming majority wants Hamas to stick to its refusal to recognize Israel, even at the price of economic hardship caused by the aid boycott. Hamas would lose much of its popularity if it were to issue a statement of recognition, the polls suggest. But two-thirds of Palestinians also want Abbas to negotiate a peace deal with Israel.Caught between contradictory expectations, Abbas has been banking on a vague agreement.An Abbas aide, Nabil Amr, said yesterday that Hamas would not be expected to issue a statement of recognition but would be asked to recognize agreements signed by the PLO, including the 1993 mutual recognition agreement with Israel. Abbas heads the PLO.The United States and Israel might not settle for such fuzzy language.An Israeli government spokeswoman, Miri Eisin, reiterated that any Palestinian government must yield to the demands of the international community: recognition of Israel, renunciation of violence, and acceptance of previous peace agreements.
Half a million rally in support of Hezbollah
September 24, 2006 - 12:00AM(associated Press)
AdvertisementHEZBOLLAH leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah rejected international calls to disarm his Lebanese guerillas and told 500,000 supporters at a victory rally they still had more than 20,000 rockets after a month of war with Israel.Speaking to a sea of followers at a divine victory rally in south Beirut on Friday, Nasrallah said Hezbollah had emerged stronger from a conflict in which Israel declared it had destroyed most of the Shiite Muslim group's arsenal.In his first public appearance since the war broke out in July, Nasrallah told hundreds of thousands of cheering supporters that Hezbollah had more than 20,000 rockets and that it had recovered all its organisational and military capabilities . . . it is stronger than it was before July 12.
Nasrallah's estimate of Hezbollah's retained arsenal is five times greater than the total number it fired into Israel during the war, and higher than any previous figure he has given.
He also warned the United Nations peacekeepers not to seek confrontation with Hezbollah.Your mission is not to spy on Hezbollah or to disarm the resistance,he told a crowd packed into the Shiite Muslim suburbs which were heavily bombed in the 34-day war.
He said measures to stop Hezbollah rearming, including international forces patrolling the Lebanese coast and tighter security on the border with Lebanon, would have little impact.The huge turnout in a country of 4 million was a gesture of defiance to Israel but also marked a challenge to the US-backed Lebanese Government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.Nasrallah called for a change of government in Lebanon and slammed Arab leaders for failing to defend the Lebanese people.The building of an able, just and strong state starts first with the establishment of a national unity government. This is our new project that we will work for with all our force in the coming stage.
The rally had been expected to coincide with the final withdrawal of Israeli troops from the south, but Israel's army chief said on Wednesday the pullout might take a few more days.Israeli forces have been gradually leaving territory they captured in fighting that began after Hezbollah guerillas seized two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid.
Israel and Hezbollah have both declared themselves victors in the war which killed nearly 1200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 157 Israelis, mainly soldiers.Thousands had walked to the rally from Shiite villages in south Lebanon battered by Israel's bombardment and invasion.The Beirut crowds carried pictures of Nasrallah and yellow Hezbollah flags bearing the message Here we are Nasrallah.Many wore yellow T-shirts and chanted pro-Hezbollah slogans. Some said they were there not only to celebrate but also simply to see the charismatic Nasrallah.
Bin Laden's Health Status Unknown
(CBS News) KARACHI, Pakistan Osama bin Laden's health has deteriorated in the past year, forcing him to curtail his movements, according to Arab diplomats in Pakistan who routinely track reports of his movements. While Pakistani officials and diplomats stationed in the country on Saturday did not confirm a report in a French regional newspaper that claimed the world's most wanted terrorist had died of typhoid earlier this month, some spoke of reports in the past year suggesting that bin Laden's health had rapidly deteriorated, prompting speculation over his remaining life expectancy. One Arab diplomat who spoke to CBS News on the condition that his identity would not be revealed said there were fewer reports in 2006 of bin Laden's possible sightings around the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In the past, sometimes with a delay of two to three days, you would see reports which suggested he may be on the move somewhere, there have been fewer such reports this year, he said. Does this mean, he is acutely ill, dying or has in fact died?
There is no credible answer to that question. Unless there is a body, how can anyone say for sure that bin Laden is dead, added the diplomat. The same diplomat said, bin Laden has had a history of illnesses that were first reported while the Taliban regime still ruled Afghanistan in 2000. One such report seen by the diplomat a year before the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, reported that bin Laden had to be hospitalized briefly in Kabul before he was brought to Pakistan for medical treatment, then believed to be a kidney-related ailment.
If it is true that bin Laden had to have dialysis for his kidneys then which is six years ago his health must be far worse now. Especially the conditions that he lived in, being on the run from U.S. forces must also take its toll on him. I wouldn't be surprised if he is dead. Nobody is immortal, concluded the diplomat.
A senior source with an intelligence service friendly to the United States told CBS News that Saudi Intelligence has collected what it considers to be very credible information that bin Laden has been very seriously ill, and that the Saudi services are now suggesting, though not confirming, that they have a pretty high certainty that he is dead. The source added that if he has died as a result of typhoid fever, which comes from exposure to contaminated water and food, it would confirm reports that he has been hiding in a remote area, under very harsh conditions with limited access to medical care.
Over the past 12 months, according to security and diplomatic sources in Pakistan and elsewhere, the Saudi services have greatly improved their intelligence gathering capacity, especially in southern Afghanistan, and the Pakistan border region. The intelligence service source told CBS News that over the past weeks, a number of al Qaeda-linked figures left the Pakistan-Afghanistan region and returned to countries in the Arabian Gulf. Some of the returnees have been interrogated and provided important intelligence.
Another Arab diplomat said reports of bin Laden's death would have to be either confirmed if his body was found or through an official statement for there to be confirmation. But if you look at just the history of the man, the probability of his survival for long is not that great,the second Arab diplomat said on similar condition of anonymity.
CBS News has been told the Saudis themselves have been very careful to say that while they believe the intelligence they have is credible, it will be impossible to confirm bin Laden's death without either recovery of a body, or the arrests of al Qaeda figures and others who are known to have been with him.
Pakistani officials expressed complete ignorance of the classified memo published by the French newspaper, l'Est Republicain, circulated to the French President and other senior figures. Written on Sept. 21 by the DGSE, the French exterior intelligence service, the memo reports intelligence gathered by the Saudi services, under the headline Saudis Moving Towards Conclusion Bin Laden is Dead.
The French government has declined to comment on the contents of the document, but the Minister of Defense has ordered an investigation into the leaking of classified documents. One former Pakistani official with prior responsibility for security affairs said there was speculation among Pakistani intelligence officials that al Qaeda had already undergone a leadership transition which has seen Ayman Al-Zawahiri, the group's second highest ranking leader, emerge as the key decision maker. If you just track the number of al Qaeda videos which have come out in the public, you see Ayman Al-Zawahiri in there mostly. Does this mean, Osama bin Laden has been in semi-retirement for a while because of his deteriorating health? That's a question which is worth asking he said. (© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc.
GO BIBI NETANYAHU WIN ISRAELS NEW ELECTIONS. WHEN THEY HAVE ONE
Angus Reid Global Scan : Polls & Research
Netanyahu Tops List of Preferred PMs in Israel
September 22, 2006 - Israelis place a former prime minister as the most suitable person for the country’s top political job, according to a poll by the Dahaf Institute published in Yediot Ahronot. 27 per cent of respondents would like Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu to head the government.Israel Our Home leader Avigdor Lieberman is second with 15 per cent, followed by current foreign minister Tzipi Livni with 14 per cent, and former prime minister Shimon Peres with 12 per cent.Support is lower for current head of government Ehud Olmert of the Kadima party, current transport minister Shaul Mofaz, former prime minister and Labour leader Ehud Barak, and current Labour leader and defence minister Amir Peretz.
In March, Israeli voters renewed the Knesset. Kadima, founded by former prime minister Ariel Sharon and led by Olmert, secured 29 seats.
Labour, the Retired People’s Party (Gil) and the International Organization of
Torah-observant Sephardic Jews (Shas) joined Kadima in a coalition.On Jul. 12, Hezbollah militants based in Lebanon killed eight Israeli soldiers and captured two more in a cross-border attack.
The Israeli armed forces launched air strikes inside Lebanese territory to fight Hezbollah, targeting the country’s infrastructure and its airport. Hezbollah retaliated by firing rockets into several Israeli towns.A ceasefire brokered by the
United Nations (UN) came into effect on Aug. 14. Security Council Resolution 1701 calls for a full cessation of hostilities from both sides and allows Lebanese government troops and a 15,000-member peacekeeping force to enter into southern Lebanon during the withdrawal of Israeli forces, but sets no timetable for the disarmament of Hezbollah or the return of the two abducted Israeli soldiers.
On Sept. 17, Netanyahu expressed confidence in an eventual return to power, saying, The Likud is on the right path. It is just a matter of short time until the country is on the right path.Netanyahu served as prime minister from June 1996 to July 1999, and resigned from the previous cabinet after opposing Sharon’s Disengagement Plan.
Polling Data:Who is the most suitable person to be head the government?
Benjamin Netanyahu
27%
Avigdor Lieberman
15%
Tzipi Livni
14%
Shimon Peres
12%
Ehud Olmert
7%
Shaul Mofaz
5%
Ehud Barak
3%
Amir Peretz
1%
Source: Dahaf Institute / Yediot Ahronot
Methodology: Interviews with 499 Israeli adults, conducted on Sept. 19, 2006. Margin of error is 3.7 per cent.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
WILL THE US ATTACK IRAN
1-ROSH HASHANAH | THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS (DAY 2 IN ISRAEL). 2-Rosh Hashanah: Prayers, Shofars, Apples, Honey and Pomegranates. 3-Canadian fires raise Houston's ozone level. 4-Abbas tells UN new Palestinian government will recognize Israel. 5-Intel Introduces Laser Microchip. 6-Iran warns of lightning response to any attack. 7-Ahmadinejad Playing for Time as EU Willing to Negotiate Nukes 8-Betrayal! Washington will work with Hamas. 9-Havana NAM Summit and Rise of Third World. 10-Will the US attack Iran? 11-Euro-Med Trade Zone Possible by 2010.
GENESIS 1:14
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:(ISRAELS HOLY DAYS AND SABBATH STARTS AT 6PM) And for SIGNS (PROPHECY SIGNS TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, OUR DAY)
ROSH HASHANAH | THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS (DAY 2 IN ISRAEL)
The New Year
On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the Lord by fire -Leviticus 23:23-25.Thus we read the Lord commanded the Israelites to observe the holiday that has come to be known as the Jewish New Year. It is on this date that the calendar changes from one year to the next, as it does on January 1st. Apples dipped in honey are eaten to signify the hope that the coming year will be a sweet one.
The ram’s horn, or shofar, is blown on Rosh HaShanah to call Israel to a time of reflection or soul-searching, a turning back to their Maker Who is Holy. The plaintive blasts of the shofar command the attention of its hearers. It initiates a ten day period, the Days of Awe, culminating on Yom Kippur. During this season, God opens three books: the Book of the Righteous, the Book of the Wicked, and a third non-determined book, the names therein being yet to be destined.
It is the hope of every Jewish person to have their name written in the Book of Life at the end of Yom Kippur. Repentance and the Sovereignty of God are major themes of the Feats of Trumpets. Everyone will give an account of their lives before God Who will judge all mankind.
Rosh HaShanah is a one day observance that must be understood in the context of its relation to Yom Kippur. The two are known as the High Holy days by the Jewish community. Those who rarely enter a Jewish house of worship may observe these two holiest of days. The requirement that the blast of the shofar be heard at this time underscores its importance in fulfilling one’s religious duties. Today, that sound can be listened to via the Internet for those who simply cannot attend services!
The concepts of sin and restitution that this holiday evokes were not new to the Jewish community. Any reading of the Torah brings one to passages about sin, sin offerings, and blood atonement. The animals sacrificed to atone for Israel’s sin helped the Israelites to understand that sin was costly and significant. It was serious enough to God to move Him to give His people a system whereby their sins could be covered. Repentance was part of God’s expectations: If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me:
(Jeremiah 15:19). But repentance of itself was not enough; blood was required. For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life (Leviticus 17:11). Without blood there can be no atonement.
The blasts of the shofar speak of eternity. All will stand before their Maker to give account (Romans 14:12). Yeshua (Jesus) has become the Sacrifice for our sins. Those who put their faith in Him find their names are written into the Book of Life. His death satisfied God’s righteous requirements for the punishment of sin. He is our sin-bearer. God made Him Who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (II Corinthians 5:21).
posted by bethelmessianic @ 7:08 AM
Rosh Hashanah: Prayers, Shofars, Apples, Honey and Pomegranates
By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu and Alex Traiman(INN)
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year is a joyous holiday of prayer, repentance, sounding of the shofar, and festive meals. Arutz-7 will be closed throughout the 2-day New Year Festival. Rosh Hashanah, which falls on the first day of the month of Tishrei is considered the first day of the Jewish calendar year. Despite the fact that Tishrei is referred to in the Torah as the seventh month (the first being the month of Nissan) Rosh Hashanah represents the start of the new year for many Jewish cycles including the 7-year shmitah (agricultural sabbatical), and 50 year Jubilee.
Rosh Hashanah is the only festive holiday celebrated for two consecutive days in the Land of Israel. During the two days, Jews in Israel and abroad will spend the majority of their time in community synagogues, engulfed in prayer and repentance.In Jewish tradition, the Rosh Hashanah festival traditionally celebrates the yearly re-coronation of G-d of as the King of the world, with the Jewish people re-establishing their role as the King's loyal servants.The first day of the month of Tishrei is associated with the anniversary of the sixth day of the world's creation, the day on which Adam, the first man was created. Rosh Hashanah also begins the Ten Days of Repentance which culminate with Yom Kippur.
One of the most important aspects of the traditional service include the blowing of the Shofar, or ram's horn. The sounds of the shofar represent crying, and are intended to bring each individual toward deep introspection and repentance.Yet, the Jewish New Year unlike Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, includes festive meals as a central component of the Holy Day. Honey and apples, which now are in season in Israel, symbolize the hope and traditional Rosh Hashanah greeting for a Shana Tova U'Metukah, or a sweet new year.Rosh Hashanah traditions include eating certain foods that are considered as good signs, or omens. The Talmud teaches (in the name of Rabbi Abaye), Now that you have said that an omen is significant, at the beginning of each year, each person should accustom himself to eat gourds, fenugreek [an herb], leeks, beets and dates.
The foods are considered reminders to a person that receiving good things is dependent on his doing good deeds, on which he is judged on the new year, which also is called the Day of Judgment.Before eating each food, the tradition is to say, May it be Your will, our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers,and then complete the phrase according to each food. For apples, which one dips in honey, the phrase is, May You renew us for a good and sweet year.Israeli grown pomegranates are very popular on the holiday, as some say their sweet and plentiful seeds number 613, the same number of mitzvoth listed in the Torah according to the sage Maimonides.
For pomegranates, the phrase is, May it be Your will...that our merits increase as the seeds of the pomegranate.Many of the foods traditionally eaten on Rosh Hashanah have been selected based on puns of their Hebrew names. Beets, named selek in Hebrew, share the root of the word to get rid of something. On beets, one says, May it be Your...will that our adversaries be removed.On fish, the phrase is May it be Your will...that we be fruitful and multiply like fish.The head of a fish, or of a sheep, often is served with the expression, May it be Your will that we be as the head and not as the tail.
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Canadian fires raise Houston's ozone level
HOUSTON, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've determined Canadian and Alaskan forest fires in 2004 raised levels of ozone pollution in Houston, some 3,000 miles distant. A group of 15 scientists, led by Gary Morris of Valparaiso (Ind.) University, said the Houston area's average eight-hour ozone concentrations from July 19-20, 2004, were the highest of any July day during a five-year period. The researchers tracked the source of the ozone to smoke from major fires along the Alaska-Yukon border, which reached their greatest intensity a week earlier, July 12-14, 2004.
The team analyzed data from a variety of sources, including weather balloons launched from the campus of Rice University in Houston, NASA satellite instruments, aircraft and computer models. Their findings will be published next Tuesday in the Journal of Geophysical Research (Atmospheres).
AFX News Limited
Abbas tells UN new Palestinian government will recognize Israel
09.21.2006, 10:01 PM
UNITED NATIONS (XFN-ASIA) - Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas told the UN General Assemblythat any new Palestinian government would recognise Israel.
I would like to reaffirm that any future Palestinian government will commit to all the agreements that the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority have committed to,he said in a speech to the assembly.
Abbas referred in particular to letters exchanged by Palestinian and Israeli leaders, Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin, in 1993 which contained mutual recognition of the two sides. Abbas, who has been negotiating with the Hamas group over a national unity government, said: These two letters contain a reciprocal recognition between the PLO and Israel, reject violence and call for negotiations to reach a permanent settlement with the creation of an independent Palestinian state next to Israel. Any future government will commit to imposing security and order, to ending the phenomena of multiple militias, indiscipline and chaos, and to the rule of law,he added. afp
Intel Introduces Laser Microchip
Santa Clara, Calif. (KCBS) -- There has been a major high-tech breakthrough with computer scientists at Intel saying they have developed a microchip that uses laser light.KCBS reporter Matt Bigler in the Silicon Valley Bureau said for years some of the top computer experts in the world had said it couldn't be done and that putting lasers on computer chips was the stuff of science fiction.
Intel has announced that it has developed a chip at its photonics lab in Santa Clara that combines silicon with lasers. The bottom line is that data is being transferred using a laser light, which makes it 1,000 times faster than anything seen before.It was simply unimaginable a few years ago,said KCBS technology Analyst Larry Magid. Every time people say things are going to slow down because we are reaching the physics limit of how fast these things will process, someone comes up with breakthrough technology and this is an example of this type of breakthrough technology.Intel officials said the technology is still years away from use by
consumers.2006, KCBS.
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
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 have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
Iran warns of 'lightning' response to any attack by Farhad Pouladi and Pierre Celerier Fri Sep 22, 7:01 AM ET
TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) -Iran has warned Western powers the armed forces would hit back like lightning against any attack as it crowed over its military prowess and showed off firepower at a major army parade.
Thousands of members of the armed forces and the whole panoply of Iran's ballistic missile arsenal were on display at the parade, including the Shahab-3, a weapon whose range includes arch-enemy Israel.We want peace but we warn the expansionists not to think of an aggression against Iran as we can defend the fatherland and Islam,Vice President Parviz Davoodi warned.Our lions are so powerful that they can strike the enemy like lightning and destroy him,he added.
The comments of Davoodi standing in for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who has yet to return from a visit to the United Nations in New York come at a time of mounting tension over Tehran's contested nuclear programme.The United States has never ruled out using force to make Iran comply over its atomic drive that Washington charges is aimed at making nuclear weapons. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for civilian energy purposes only.Iran has also never been shy of warning it would retaliate if the Islamic republic was attacked and the parade included its longest-range missile, the Shahab-3, which has the range to hit Israel and US installations in the Middle East.
Are you not proud to see the Shahab-3, a missile with a range of 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles)?boomed the commentator over the loudpeakers as two green Shahab-3s were driven past the parade ground on the back of a truck.The missile was up until last year believed to have a range of 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) but Iran has worked on extending its range. The newest version of the missile with a bottle-shaped warhead was not displayed.The missiles appeared to lack the anti-Israeli and anti-US slogans that were daubed on the weapon at last year's event and caused European diplomats present to stage a walk-out in protest.A succession of other missiles were also on display, including the short-range Fajr-5 and the medium-range Nazeat-6 and -10, Shahab-1 and -2, and Zelzal-2.
Thousands of soldiers clutching their rifles marched past Davoodi and other dignitaries to the sound of martial music in an event that has become Iran's most significant annual display of its military might.The parade, which marks the anniversary of the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war in 1980, took place just opposite the mausoleum built for Iran's revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on
the outskirts of Tehran.Our armed forces have no need for their power to be based on atomic weapons, this power is based on our convictions,said Davoodi, restating Tehran's denial of US allegations it is seeking nuclear weapons.Davoodi also played up the importance of major war games that Iran has staged in the past month which have seen it claim the development of new missiles and warplanes.
In the recent manoeuvres the armed forces showed their power, notably in the areas that were once the monopoly of the great powers,said Davoodi.However foreign experts have expressed scepticism over the significance of such announcements owing to the
embargo on the purchase of new weaponry imposed by several nations on Iran in the wake of the Islamic revolution in 1979.The parade included more ageing hardware, including Russian T-72 and British Chieftain tanks whose original metalwork was visible through the repainting as well as 30-year old American Dodge military trucks. And while the United States remains the Islamic republic's sworn enemy, the police motorcycle brigade was still led by a red Harley Davidson Electra Glide.
We will resist until the end,proclaimed a slogan on the main grandstand erected for the parade, which coincided with a march to Beirut by supporters of Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah to mark its resistance against Israel.
Among the thousands of armed forces personnel marching past the main grandstand were ethnic minority members of Iran's Basij militia in their national dress, including Kurds, Baluch, and for the first time Arabs.
Ahmadinejad Playing for Time as EU Willing to Negotiate Nukes
By Hana Levi Julian(INN)
Iran’s president told reporters Thursday that negotiations with the European Union about the status of its uranium enrichment program were on the right path but said little else. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at a news conference in New York that the talks were moving in the right direction. It is a constructive path to take,he said, and expressed the hope that others will not disrupt the work.However, Ahmadinjead was not specific about when the Islamic Republic would actually suspend the program, despite his statement that he was prepared to negotiate under fair and just conditions.U.S. President George W. Bush remained skeptical about Iran’s true intentions, adding that he takes seriously Ahmadinejad’s repeated statements that Israel should be wiped off the map.
Bush said in an interview with the CNN news network, You can't just hope for the best. You've got to assume that the leader, when he says that he would like to destroy Israel, means what he says. If you say, 'Well, gosh, maybe he doesn't mean it,' and you turn out to be wrong, you have not done your duty as a world leader.Bush has refused to hold direct talks with the Islamic Republic until
it actually suspends its uranium enrichment program, saying the U.S. is ready for negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program only if they verifiably suspended their enrichment program. If Iran continues with its current nuclear activities, Bush said he is prepared to level sanctions against it. Other nations have expressed their preference to continue diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to end the program.
Meanwhile, former U.S. President Bill Clinton disagreed with his successor, contending in an interview on NBC’s Today show that the Bush administration should hold direct talks with Iran about its nuclear development efforts.
If you think you might have trouble with somebody and G-d forbid if you think it could lead to a military confrontation, then there needs to be the maximum amount of contact beforehand,he added.
Betrayal! Washington will work with Hamas
By Stan Goodenough,September 21, 2006
The United States has once more done an about-face and is now willing to work with a Palestinian Authority containing a strong Hamas component members of the terror group responsible for the murders of hundreds of Israelis, and deeply devoted to the total destruction of the Jewish state.Israeli officials went into shock Wednesday, after the Bush administration announced that it will, after all, go along with the other three members of the self-styled Quartet and support the establishment of a national unity government in the PA.Former foreign minister Silvan Shalom said the American decision, which spelled the end of Hamas’ isolation by the international community, had been made behind Israel’s back and amounted to a political collapse. Other government leaders were said to be surprised and worried by the news.
Nearly half of the lawmakers in the new national unity PA would be Hamas members. Most of the others would be representatives of the Fatah wing of the PLO another major terrorist organization whose crimes against the Jewish people have been swept under the carpet by a world increasingly determined to ensure that its vision for peace takes root in the Middle East whatever the cost.
The effort to conceive a PA unity government has been recognized almost universally as a ploy providing pro-Palestinian nations with the pretext they are looking for to resume funding the Palestinian Arabs.International financial support was restricted last January after those Palestinians voted overwhelmingly for a Hamas-led government.
When a beleaguered PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas recently revealed his plan to dissolve and restructure the PA with fewer Hamas individuals, the rest of the Quartet the United Nations, the European Union and Russia eagerly embraced the idea.But Washington, the primary sponsor of the peace process, initially refused to go along with the charade, bringing some relief to an increasingly dismayed Israel.Now, however, the US appears to have stabbed its Middle East ally in the back, and in the process dealt a blow to its own war on terror by extending political recognition to the very type of organization responsible for the 9-11 attack on America.And still US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice the consummate diplomat denied what was blatantly obvious to observers everywhere, saying there had been no shift in her government’s policy.
She proceeded to explain, however, that if there was going to be any move forward with the stalled land-for-peace process, then the Palestinian government had to have international support.That government’s hands may be saturated with Israeli blood, but the same American administration that just granted a visa to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad another mortal enemy of Israel’s is now ready to do business with them.As always, payment will be made in Jewish coin.
Havana NAM Summit and Rise of Third World
By Sawraj Singh, MD FICS
The just concluded summit of the NAM (non-aligned movement) in Havana, Cuba showed that the third world countries are asking for a bigger say in world affairs. The NAM has 118 member countries, the majority of the third world countries. The Cuban President Fidel Castro was elected as the President of the movement. He was unable to officially attend the meeting because he had stomach surgery, but he met with many leaders. He spent 45 minutes with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and even asked to have pictures with him. Raul Castro, the younger brother of Fidel Castro, acted as the host.
The major issues that were included in the declaration at the end of the summit were:
Condemnation of Israel for its attack on Lebanon
Call upon the United Nations to be more representative of its smaller member nations
Support for Iran’s nuclear energy plan
Criticism of many aspects of American foreign policy
There was much discussion on terrorism and in the final declaration, all types of terrorism were condemned. However, the thrust of the condemnation was of state terrorism such as Israel’s attack on Lebanon or any aggression by the powerful countries on the weaker countries.
In 1979, there was also a summit of the NAM in Havana. The tone of the summit was very different at that time. Fidel Castro discussed the concept of an anti-imperialist alliance with the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was called a natural ally of the NAM.
However, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan bitterly divided the movement. Finally, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold war made the NAM almost irrelevant and unimportant. President Bush’s extreme rightist policies and his open support for Israel have created conditions for the revival of the non-aligned movement.
One fact very strongly came out of the meeting: the majority of Christian countries do not see a clash between Islam and Christianity. President Bush seems to be advocating a confrontation between Christianity and Islam. The Christian countries of South America and Africa see no conflict with Islam. Therefore, the major conflict in today’s world is not between Christianity and Islam, but is between the developing countries and the developed countries.
Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and Thabo Mbeki of South Africa emerged as the leading personalities from the non-Islamic countries. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran was the most vocal Islamic spokesman. Ahmadinejad and Hugo
Chavez showed the growing closeness between Iran and Venezuela.
Hugo Chavez warned America against attacking Iran. He said that Venezuela will completely stop selling any oil to America and the world oil production will be drastically cut back, which can lead to a big jump in the oil prices, as much as 100 dollars a barrel.
At one time, India played the leading role in the movement, but its role has been gradually marginalized. The term non-aligned movement was coined by Prime Minister Nehru in a speech in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1954. In the speech, Nehru explained the five principles of peaceful coexistence, Panchsheel. These principles were first put forward by the Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai in the context of Sino-Indian relationship. These five principles laid the basis of the non-aligned movement. The movement was started in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955. The founders of the movement were Nehru of India, Sukarno of Indonesia, Nasser of Egypt, and Nkrumah of Ghana.
The 1962 war between India and China, and India openly taking the side of Russia in the conflict between Russia and China raised questions about India’s neutrality. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, India’s closeness with the United States further marginalized India’s leading role in the non-aligned movement.China has lauded the unique and indispensable role of the non-aligned movement and pledged to support a pro-active role for the movement. There is no question about the fact that a vast majority of the Asian, African, and South American countries see China as their leading supporter in the world.We sincerely hope that India will reconsider its policies and try to revive is non-aligned approach. After all, India was the country that gave the non-aligned movement to the world. The fundamental interests of the Indian people are identical with the people of the third world even today. The third world has once again become the major force for changing the present world order.
Dr. Sawraj Singh is Chairman of Washington State Network For Human Rights, and Chairman of Central Washington Coalition For Social Justice.
NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.
2 TIMOTHY 3:1
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.
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, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
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.
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; 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.
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
REVELATION 9:18
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE 17:34-37
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).
MATTHEW 24:37-51
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Will the US attack Iran?
Growing tensions between the US and Iran are making many people around the world fearful of a US military strike against the Middle East country.Niall Mulholland
After the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concluded that Iran failed to abide by a 31 August UN deadline to halt its uranium enrichment programme, the Bush administration demanded UN sanctions against the regime of President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad.
American officials also refer to the military option. However, UN Security Council members, Russia and China, which have important economic links to Iran, resist sanctions. If there was no UN agreement, the US may call for its allies to introduce economic blockades. In response, the Iranian regime argues it is not developing nuclear power to make weapons and it will not give in to the West.The Ahmadinejad regime is regionally strong and confident. This is due to Iran's oil wealth (it is the world's fourth largest oil producer), the recent military debacle suffered by US-supported Israel against the Iran-supported Hezbollah, and the powerful role of Iran's Shia allies in Iraq.
During Kofi Annan's recent visit to Tehran, the Iranian President lectured the UN Secretary General about Iran's growing power in the region and the world, compared to the fading powers of the US and Britain, who were paying a price for meddling in the Middle East.
President Ahmadinejad said he is willing to enter into negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme but would not agree to suspend uranium enrichment beforehand, as the UN Security Council had demanded. Is Iran trying to develop nuclear arms, as the Western powers claimed? Although Iran's supreme spiritual leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons, it is possible that sections of the Iranian ruling class want to build the bombs. However, the IAEA failed to prove that there is a weapons programme.
Nukes
THE WEST is supremely hypocritical: the major powers, like the US and Britain, stockpile huge arsenals of nuclear weaponry. Iran is surrounded by pro-US countries holding nuclear weapons, like Israel, Pakistan and India. Like Iran, Brazil is a signed-up member to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and announced it is now enriching uranium. But there are no threats against Brazil's government, which is regarded as friendly to the US.Socialists oppose all nations, including Iran, possessing nuclear arms.
The purpose of these terrifying weapons is to wipe out millions of innocent people and society's infrastructure. Workers and youth can have no illusions that the Iranian regime, in any way, acts in their interests.
Despite his anti-imperialist and populist rhetoric, President Ahmadinejad represents a reactionary, theocratic, capitalist regime. US sabre-rattling allows the Tehran regime to rally the population around national unity.The Bush administration regards Iran, part of the axis of evil, as a regime that stands in the way of US interests. US imperialism wants to subdue Iran and the Middle East, to give the US domination of the region's oil and gas resources. The administration resists attempts by other powers to foster real negotiations with Iran.
Bush certainly wants regime change in Iran, but would he go as far as to attack or even invade Iran? The Bush administration is a reckless 'executive' of the US ruling class, but even it can see that US imperialism's options are limited. Already bogged down in the Iraq and Afghanistan disasters, the superpower's military is hugely over-stretched. Bush is no position to try another military invasion in Iran, which is three times the size of Iraq and has a population of 70 million. A land invasion would meet severe, mass resistance. Sections of the US ruling class also counsel against military strikes. However, as the crisis between the US and Iran escalates, and as Bush desperately tries to regain domestic support by acting as a war leader, it cannot be ruled out that the US would carry out air attacks on Iran, possibly through Israel, acting as its proxy. This could lead to an Iranian military response and armed actions by pro-Iranian forces, like Hezbollah, in Lebanon, Hamas, in Palestinian areas, and the Shia militias in Iraq.
Iran could restrict or turn off its oil supplies, causing shocks to the world economy and even triggering a downturn. US air strikes would provoke outrage across the Muslim world, threatening pro-US regimes in the Middle East, like Egypt. Imperialist attacks would lead to more terrorism.The anti-war movement must strenuously oppose US imperialism's threats towards Iran and support the struggle by working people and youth in Iran fighting for democratic rights and their class interests. It is the task of the Iranian working class to overthrow the ruling theocracy, just as it is the task of the British or American working class to get rid of Blair and Bush, and to struggle for socialism.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TR BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
Euro-Med Trade Zone Possible by 2010
(AP) ATHENS, Greece
Industry ministers from European and Mediterranean countries said Friday they would work toward creating a vast free-trade zone by 2010.European Commission vice president Guenter Verheugen spoke at a two-day Euro-Mediterranean conference on the island of Rhodes.The trade zone would eliminate tariffs on industrial trade.The meeting was held under an initiative called the Barcelona Process, which started in 1995.It brings together officials the 25 EU members, along with bloc hopefuls Bulgaria and Romania and non-EU states Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey, along with the Palestinian Authority.
GENESIS 1:14
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:(ISRAELS HOLY DAYS AND SABBATH STARTS AT 6PM) And for SIGNS (PROPHECY SIGNS TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, OUR DAY)
ROSH HASHANAH | THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS (DAY 2 IN ISRAEL)
The New Year
On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the Lord by fire -Leviticus 23:23-25.Thus we read the Lord commanded the Israelites to observe the holiday that has come to be known as the Jewish New Year. It is on this date that the calendar changes from one year to the next, as it does on January 1st. Apples dipped in honey are eaten to signify the hope that the coming year will be a sweet one.
The ram’s horn, or shofar, is blown on Rosh HaShanah to call Israel to a time of reflection or soul-searching, a turning back to their Maker Who is Holy. The plaintive blasts of the shofar command the attention of its hearers. It initiates a ten day period, the Days of Awe, culminating on Yom Kippur. During this season, God opens three books: the Book of the Righteous, the Book of the Wicked, and a third non-determined book, the names therein being yet to be destined.
It is the hope of every Jewish person to have their name written in the Book of Life at the end of Yom Kippur. Repentance and the Sovereignty of God are major themes of the Feats of Trumpets. Everyone will give an account of their lives before God Who will judge all mankind.
Rosh HaShanah is a one day observance that must be understood in the context of its relation to Yom Kippur. The two are known as the High Holy days by the Jewish community. Those who rarely enter a Jewish house of worship may observe these two holiest of days. The requirement that the blast of the shofar be heard at this time underscores its importance in fulfilling one’s religious duties. Today, that sound can be listened to via the Internet for those who simply cannot attend services!
The concepts of sin and restitution that this holiday evokes were not new to the Jewish community. Any reading of the Torah brings one to passages about sin, sin offerings, and blood atonement. The animals sacrificed to atone for Israel’s sin helped the Israelites to understand that sin was costly and significant. It was serious enough to God to move Him to give His people a system whereby their sins could be covered. Repentance was part of God’s expectations: If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me:
(Jeremiah 15:19). But repentance of itself was not enough; blood was required. For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life (Leviticus 17:11). Without blood there can be no atonement.
The blasts of the shofar speak of eternity. All will stand before their Maker to give account (Romans 14:12). Yeshua (Jesus) has become the Sacrifice for our sins. Those who put their faith in Him find their names are written into the Book of Life. His death satisfied God’s righteous requirements for the punishment of sin. He is our sin-bearer. God made Him Who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (II Corinthians 5:21).
posted by bethelmessianic @ 7:08 AM
Rosh Hashanah: Prayers, Shofars, Apples, Honey and Pomegranates
By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu and Alex Traiman(INN)
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year is a joyous holiday of prayer, repentance, sounding of the shofar, and festive meals. Arutz-7 will be closed throughout the 2-day New Year Festival. Rosh Hashanah, which falls on the first day of the month of Tishrei is considered the first day of the Jewish calendar year. Despite the fact that Tishrei is referred to in the Torah as the seventh month (the first being the month of Nissan) Rosh Hashanah represents the start of the new year for many Jewish cycles including the 7-year shmitah (agricultural sabbatical), and 50 year Jubilee.
Rosh Hashanah is the only festive holiday celebrated for two consecutive days in the Land of Israel. During the two days, Jews in Israel and abroad will spend the majority of their time in community synagogues, engulfed in prayer and repentance.In Jewish tradition, the Rosh Hashanah festival traditionally celebrates the yearly re-coronation of G-d of as the King of the world, with the Jewish people re-establishing their role as the King's loyal servants.The first day of the month of Tishrei is associated with the anniversary of the sixth day of the world's creation, the day on which Adam, the first man was created. Rosh Hashanah also begins the Ten Days of Repentance which culminate with Yom Kippur.
One of the most important aspects of the traditional service include the blowing of the Shofar, or ram's horn. The sounds of the shofar represent crying, and are intended to bring each individual toward deep introspection and repentance.Yet, the Jewish New Year unlike Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, includes festive meals as a central component of the Holy Day. Honey and apples, which now are in season in Israel, symbolize the hope and traditional Rosh Hashanah greeting for a Shana Tova U'Metukah, or a sweet new year.Rosh Hashanah traditions include eating certain foods that are considered as good signs, or omens. The Talmud teaches (in the name of Rabbi Abaye), Now that you have said that an omen is significant, at the beginning of each year, each person should accustom himself to eat gourds, fenugreek [an herb], leeks, beets and dates.
The foods are considered reminders to a person that receiving good things is dependent on his doing good deeds, on which he is judged on the new year, which also is called the Day of Judgment.Before eating each food, the tradition is to say, May it be Your will, our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers,and then complete the phrase according to each food. For apples, which one dips in honey, the phrase is, May You renew us for a good and sweet year.Israeli grown pomegranates are very popular on the holiday, as some say their sweet and plentiful seeds number 613, the same number of mitzvoth listed in the Torah according to the sage Maimonides.
For pomegranates, the phrase is, May it be Your will...that our merits increase as the seeds of the pomegranate.Many of the foods traditionally eaten on Rosh Hashanah have been selected based on puns of their Hebrew names. Beets, named selek in Hebrew, share the root of the word to get rid of something. On beets, one says, May it be Your...will that our adversaries be removed.On fish, the phrase is May it be Your will...that we be fruitful and multiply like fish.The head of a fish, or of a sheep, often is served with the expression, May it be Your will that we be as the head and not as the tail.
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Canadian fires raise Houston's ozone level
HOUSTON, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've determined Canadian and Alaskan forest fires in 2004 raised levels of ozone pollution in Houston, some 3,000 miles distant. A group of 15 scientists, led by Gary Morris of Valparaiso (Ind.) University, said the Houston area's average eight-hour ozone concentrations from July 19-20, 2004, were the highest of any July day during a five-year period. The researchers tracked the source of the ozone to smoke from major fires along the Alaska-Yukon border, which reached their greatest intensity a week earlier, July 12-14, 2004.
The team analyzed data from a variety of sources, including weather balloons launched from the campus of Rice University in Houston, NASA satellite instruments, aircraft and computer models. Their findings will be published next Tuesday in the Journal of Geophysical Research (Atmospheres).
AFX News Limited
Abbas tells UN new Palestinian government will recognize Israel
09.21.2006, 10:01 PM
UNITED NATIONS (XFN-ASIA) - Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas told the UN General Assemblythat any new Palestinian government would recognise Israel.
I would like to reaffirm that any future Palestinian government will commit to all the agreements that the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority have committed to,he said in a speech to the assembly.
Abbas referred in particular to letters exchanged by Palestinian and Israeli leaders, Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin, in 1993 which contained mutual recognition of the two sides. Abbas, who has been negotiating with the Hamas group over a national unity government, said: These two letters contain a reciprocal recognition between the PLO and Israel, reject violence and call for negotiations to reach a permanent settlement with the creation of an independent Palestinian state next to Israel. Any future government will commit to imposing security and order, to ending the phenomena of multiple militias, indiscipline and chaos, and to the rule of law,he added. afp
Intel Introduces Laser Microchip
Santa Clara, Calif. (KCBS) -- There has been a major high-tech breakthrough with computer scientists at Intel saying they have developed a microchip that uses laser light.KCBS reporter Matt Bigler in the Silicon Valley Bureau said for years some of the top computer experts in the world had said it couldn't be done and that putting lasers on computer chips was the stuff of science fiction.
Intel has announced that it has developed a chip at its photonics lab in Santa Clara that combines silicon with lasers. The bottom line is that data is being transferred using a laser light, which makes it 1,000 times faster than anything seen before.It was simply unimaginable a few years ago,said KCBS technology Analyst Larry Magid. Every time people say things are going to slow down because we are reaching the physics limit of how fast these things will process, someone comes up with breakthrough technology and this is an example of this type of breakthrough technology.Intel officials said the technology is still years away from use by
consumers.2006, KCBS.
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
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 have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
Iran warns of 'lightning' response to any attack by Farhad Pouladi and Pierre Celerier Fri Sep 22, 7:01 AM ET
TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) -Iran has warned Western powers the armed forces would hit back like lightning against any attack as it crowed over its military prowess and showed off firepower at a major army parade.
Thousands of members of the armed forces and the whole panoply of Iran's ballistic missile arsenal were on display at the parade, including the Shahab-3, a weapon whose range includes arch-enemy Israel.We want peace but we warn the expansionists not to think of an aggression against Iran as we can defend the fatherland and Islam,Vice President Parviz Davoodi warned.Our lions are so powerful that they can strike the enemy like lightning and destroy him,he added.
The comments of Davoodi standing in for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who has yet to return from a visit to the United Nations in New York come at a time of mounting tension over Tehran's contested nuclear programme.The United States has never ruled out using force to make Iran comply over its atomic drive that Washington charges is aimed at making nuclear weapons. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for civilian energy purposes only.Iran has also never been shy of warning it would retaliate if the Islamic republic was attacked and the parade included its longest-range missile, the Shahab-3, which has the range to hit Israel and US installations in the Middle East.
Are you not proud to see the Shahab-3, a missile with a range of 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles)?boomed the commentator over the loudpeakers as two green Shahab-3s were driven past the parade ground on the back of a truck.The missile was up until last year believed to have a range of 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) but Iran has worked on extending its range. The newest version of the missile with a bottle-shaped warhead was not displayed.The missiles appeared to lack the anti-Israeli and anti-US slogans that were daubed on the weapon at last year's event and caused European diplomats present to stage a walk-out in protest.A succession of other missiles were also on display, including the short-range Fajr-5 and the medium-range Nazeat-6 and -10, Shahab-1 and -2, and Zelzal-2.
Thousands of soldiers clutching their rifles marched past Davoodi and other dignitaries to the sound of martial music in an event that has become Iran's most significant annual display of its military might.The parade, which marks the anniversary of the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war in 1980, took place just opposite the mausoleum built for Iran's revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on
the outskirts of Tehran.Our armed forces have no need for their power to be based on atomic weapons, this power is based on our convictions,said Davoodi, restating Tehran's denial of US allegations it is seeking nuclear weapons.Davoodi also played up the importance of major war games that Iran has staged in the past month which have seen it claim the development of new missiles and warplanes.
In the recent manoeuvres the armed forces showed their power, notably in the areas that were once the monopoly of the great powers,said Davoodi.However foreign experts have expressed scepticism over the significance of such announcements owing to the
embargo on the purchase of new weaponry imposed by several nations on Iran in the wake of the Islamic revolution in 1979.The parade included more ageing hardware, including Russian T-72 and British Chieftain tanks whose original metalwork was visible through the repainting as well as 30-year old American Dodge military trucks. And while the United States remains the Islamic republic's sworn enemy, the police motorcycle brigade was still led by a red Harley Davidson Electra Glide.
We will resist until the end,proclaimed a slogan on the main grandstand erected for the parade, which coincided with a march to Beirut by supporters of Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah to mark its resistance against Israel.
Among the thousands of armed forces personnel marching past the main grandstand were ethnic minority members of Iran's Basij militia in their national dress, including Kurds, Baluch, and for the first time Arabs.
Ahmadinejad Playing for Time as EU Willing to Negotiate Nukes
By Hana Levi Julian(INN)
Iran’s president told reporters Thursday that negotiations with the European Union about the status of its uranium enrichment program were on the right path but said little else. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at a news conference in New York that the talks were moving in the right direction. It is a constructive path to take,he said, and expressed the hope that others will not disrupt the work.However, Ahmadinjead was not specific about when the Islamic Republic would actually suspend the program, despite his statement that he was prepared to negotiate under fair and just conditions.U.S. President George W. Bush remained skeptical about Iran’s true intentions, adding that he takes seriously Ahmadinejad’s repeated statements that Israel should be wiped off the map.
Bush said in an interview with the CNN news network, You can't just hope for the best. You've got to assume that the leader, when he says that he would like to destroy Israel, means what he says. If you say, 'Well, gosh, maybe he doesn't mean it,' and you turn out to be wrong, you have not done your duty as a world leader.Bush has refused to hold direct talks with the Islamic Republic until
it actually suspends its uranium enrichment program, saying the U.S. is ready for negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program only if they verifiably suspended their enrichment program. If Iran continues with its current nuclear activities, Bush said he is prepared to level sanctions against it. Other nations have expressed their preference to continue diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to end the program.
Meanwhile, former U.S. President Bill Clinton disagreed with his successor, contending in an interview on NBC’s Today show that the Bush administration should hold direct talks with Iran about its nuclear development efforts.
If you think you might have trouble with somebody and G-d forbid if you think it could lead to a military confrontation, then there needs to be the maximum amount of contact beforehand,he added.
Betrayal! Washington will work with Hamas
By Stan Goodenough,September 21, 2006
The United States has once more done an about-face and is now willing to work with a Palestinian Authority containing a strong Hamas component members of the terror group responsible for the murders of hundreds of Israelis, and deeply devoted to the total destruction of the Jewish state.Israeli officials went into shock Wednesday, after the Bush administration announced that it will, after all, go along with the other three members of the self-styled Quartet and support the establishment of a national unity government in the PA.Former foreign minister Silvan Shalom said the American decision, which spelled the end of Hamas’ isolation by the international community, had been made behind Israel’s back and amounted to a political collapse. Other government leaders were said to be surprised and worried by the news.
Nearly half of the lawmakers in the new national unity PA would be Hamas members. Most of the others would be representatives of the Fatah wing of the PLO another major terrorist organization whose crimes against the Jewish people have been swept under the carpet by a world increasingly determined to ensure that its vision for peace takes root in the Middle East whatever the cost.
The effort to conceive a PA unity government has been recognized almost universally as a ploy providing pro-Palestinian nations with the pretext they are looking for to resume funding the Palestinian Arabs.International financial support was restricted last January after those Palestinians voted overwhelmingly for a Hamas-led government.
When a beleaguered PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas recently revealed his plan to dissolve and restructure the PA with fewer Hamas individuals, the rest of the Quartet the United Nations, the European Union and Russia eagerly embraced the idea.But Washington, the primary sponsor of the peace process, initially refused to go along with the charade, bringing some relief to an increasingly dismayed Israel.Now, however, the US appears to have stabbed its Middle East ally in the back, and in the process dealt a blow to its own war on terror by extending political recognition to the very type of organization responsible for the 9-11 attack on America.And still US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice the consummate diplomat denied what was blatantly obvious to observers everywhere, saying there had been no shift in her government’s policy.
She proceeded to explain, however, that if there was going to be any move forward with the stalled land-for-peace process, then the Palestinian government had to have international support.That government’s hands may be saturated with Israeli blood, but the same American administration that just granted a visa to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad another mortal enemy of Israel’s is now ready to do business with them.As always, payment will be made in Jewish coin.
Havana NAM Summit and Rise of Third World
By Sawraj Singh, MD FICS
The just concluded summit of the NAM (non-aligned movement) in Havana, Cuba showed that the third world countries are asking for a bigger say in world affairs. The NAM has 118 member countries, the majority of the third world countries. The Cuban President Fidel Castro was elected as the President of the movement. He was unable to officially attend the meeting because he had stomach surgery, but he met with many leaders. He spent 45 minutes with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and even asked to have pictures with him. Raul Castro, the younger brother of Fidel Castro, acted as the host.
The major issues that were included in the declaration at the end of the summit were:
Condemnation of Israel for its attack on Lebanon
Call upon the United Nations to be more representative of its smaller member nations
Support for Iran’s nuclear energy plan
Criticism of many aspects of American foreign policy
There was much discussion on terrorism and in the final declaration, all types of terrorism were condemned. However, the thrust of the condemnation was of state terrorism such as Israel’s attack on Lebanon or any aggression by the powerful countries on the weaker countries.
In 1979, there was also a summit of the NAM in Havana. The tone of the summit was very different at that time. Fidel Castro discussed the concept of an anti-imperialist alliance with the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was called a natural ally of the NAM.
However, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan bitterly divided the movement. Finally, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold war made the NAM almost irrelevant and unimportant. President Bush’s extreme rightist policies and his open support for Israel have created conditions for the revival of the non-aligned movement.
One fact very strongly came out of the meeting: the majority of Christian countries do not see a clash between Islam and Christianity. President Bush seems to be advocating a confrontation between Christianity and Islam. The Christian countries of South America and Africa see no conflict with Islam. Therefore, the major conflict in today’s world is not between Christianity and Islam, but is between the developing countries and the developed countries.
Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and Thabo Mbeki of South Africa emerged as the leading personalities from the non-Islamic countries. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran was the most vocal Islamic spokesman. Ahmadinejad and Hugo
Chavez showed the growing closeness between Iran and Venezuela.
Hugo Chavez warned America against attacking Iran. He said that Venezuela will completely stop selling any oil to America and the world oil production will be drastically cut back, which can lead to a big jump in the oil prices, as much as 100 dollars a barrel.
At one time, India played the leading role in the movement, but its role has been gradually marginalized. The term non-aligned movement was coined by Prime Minister Nehru in a speech in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1954. In the speech, Nehru explained the five principles of peaceful coexistence, Panchsheel. These principles were first put forward by the Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai in the context of Sino-Indian relationship. These five principles laid the basis of the non-aligned movement. The movement was started in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955. The founders of the movement were Nehru of India, Sukarno of Indonesia, Nasser of Egypt, and Nkrumah of Ghana.
The 1962 war between India and China, and India openly taking the side of Russia in the conflict between Russia and China raised questions about India’s neutrality. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, India’s closeness with the United States further marginalized India’s leading role in the non-aligned movement.China has lauded the unique and indispensable role of the non-aligned movement and pledged to support a pro-active role for the movement. There is no question about the fact that a vast majority of the Asian, African, and South American countries see China as their leading supporter in the world.We sincerely hope that India will reconsider its policies and try to revive is non-aligned approach. After all, India was the country that gave the non-aligned movement to the world. The fundamental interests of the Indian people are identical with the people of the third world even today. The third world has once again become the major force for changing the present world order.
Dr. Sawraj Singh is Chairman of Washington State Network For Human Rights, and Chairman of Central Washington Coalition For Social Justice.
NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.
2 TIMOTHY 3:1
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.
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, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
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.
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; 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.
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
REVELATION 9:18
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE 17:34-37
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).
MATTHEW 24:37-51
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Will the US attack Iran?
Growing tensions between the US and Iran are making many people around the world fearful of a US military strike against the Middle East country.Niall Mulholland
After the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concluded that Iran failed to abide by a 31 August UN deadline to halt its uranium enrichment programme, the Bush administration demanded UN sanctions against the regime of President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad.
American officials also refer to the military option. However, UN Security Council members, Russia and China, which have important economic links to Iran, resist sanctions. If there was no UN agreement, the US may call for its allies to introduce economic blockades. In response, the Iranian regime argues it is not developing nuclear power to make weapons and it will not give in to the West.The Ahmadinejad regime is regionally strong and confident. This is due to Iran's oil wealth (it is the world's fourth largest oil producer), the recent military debacle suffered by US-supported Israel against the Iran-supported Hezbollah, and the powerful role of Iran's Shia allies in Iraq.
During Kofi Annan's recent visit to Tehran, the Iranian President lectured the UN Secretary General about Iran's growing power in the region and the world, compared to the fading powers of the US and Britain, who were paying a price for meddling in the Middle East.
President Ahmadinejad said he is willing to enter into negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme but would not agree to suspend uranium enrichment beforehand, as the UN Security Council had demanded. Is Iran trying to develop nuclear arms, as the Western powers claimed? Although Iran's supreme spiritual leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons, it is possible that sections of the Iranian ruling class want to build the bombs. However, the IAEA failed to prove that there is a weapons programme.
Nukes
THE WEST is supremely hypocritical: the major powers, like the US and Britain, stockpile huge arsenals of nuclear weaponry. Iran is surrounded by pro-US countries holding nuclear weapons, like Israel, Pakistan and India. Like Iran, Brazil is a signed-up member to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and announced it is now enriching uranium. But there are no threats against Brazil's government, which is regarded as friendly to the US.Socialists oppose all nations, including Iran, possessing nuclear arms.
The purpose of these terrifying weapons is to wipe out millions of innocent people and society's infrastructure. Workers and youth can have no illusions that the Iranian regime, in any way, acts in their interests.
Despite his anti-imperialist and populist rhetoric, President Ahmadinejad represents a reactionary, theocratic, capitalist regime. US sabre-rattling allows the Tehran regime to rally the population around national unity.The Bush administration regards Iran, part of the axis of evil, as a regime that stands in the way of US interests. US imperialism wants to subdue Iran and the Middle East, to give the US domination of the region's oil and gas resources. The administration resists attempts by other powers to foster real negotiations with Iran.
Bush certainly wants regime change in Iran, but would he go as far as to attack or even invade Iran? The Bush administration is a reckless 'executive' of the US ruling class, but even it can see that US imperialism's options are limited. Already bogged down in the Iraq and Afghanistan disasters, the superpower's military is hugely over-stretched. Bush is no position to try another military invasion in Iran, which is three times the size of Iraq and has a population of 70 million. A land invasion would meet severe, mass resistance. Sections of the US ruling class also counsel against military strikes. However, as the crisis between the US and Iran escalates, and as Bush desperately tries to regain domestic support by acting as a war leader, it cannot be ruled out that the US would carry out air attacks on Iran, possibly through Israel, acting as its proxy. This could lead to an Iranian military response and armed actions by pro-Iranian forces, like Hezbollah, in Lebanon, Hamas, in Palestinian areas, and the Shia militias in Iraq.
Iran could restrict or turn off its oil supplies, causing shocks to the world economy and even triggering a downturn. US air strikes would provoke outrage across the Muslim world, threatening pro-US regimes in the Middle East, like Egypt. Imperialist attacks would lead to more terrorism.The anti-war movement must strenuously oppose US imperialism's threats towards Iran and support the struggle by working people and youth in Iran fighting for democratic rights and their class interests. It is the task of the Iranian working class to overthrow the ruling theocracy, just as it is the task of the British or American working class to get rid of Blair and Bush, and to struggle for socialism.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TR BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
Euro-Med Trade Zone Possible by 2010
(AP) ATHENS, Greece
Industry ministers from European and Mediterranean countries said Friday they would work toward creating a vast free-trade zone by 2010.European Commission vice president Guenter Verheugen spoke at a two-day Euro-Mediterranean conference on the island of Rhodes.The trade zone would eliminate tariffs on industrial trade.The meeting was held under an initiative called the Barcelona Process, which started in 1995.It brings together officials the 25 EU members, along with bloc hopefuls Bulgaria and Romania and non-EU states Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey, along with the Palestinian Authority.
Friday, September 22, 2006
HAPPY ROSH HASHANAH ISRAEL
1-Rosh Hashanah in a Nutshell. 2-Police raise level of alert ahead of holidays. 3-Hurricane Helene weakens, spins away from U.S. 4-Islam, Religion of Peace. 5-Canada’s National Broadcaster Promotes Anti-Religion Extremist. 6-Israel's FM Livny in UN Speaks Out Against Iran. 7-American Jewry Protests Global Jihad Outside UN. 8-Iran given till early October to accept nuclear deal. 9-EU-US free trade agreement mooted in Berlin. 10-EU Rapid Reaction Battle Group, Including Bulgaria, to be Certified in June 2007.11-UN moves to revive stalled peace process.
HAPPY ROSH HASHANAH ISRAEL, MAY GOD BLESS AND PROTECT USE AND LEAD USE IN ALL THAT IS HOLY. WE PRAY FOR USE TO RAISE UP LEADERS TO DEMAND THE 3RD TEMPLE BE REBUILT BY THE DOME OF THE SPIRITS.
IN THE FUTURE, THIS IS THE DAY ROSH HASHANAH, I BELIEVE THE 7 YEAR PEACE TREATY OF DANIEL 9:27 WILL BE SIGNED ON.
Rosh Hashanah in a Nutshell
The festival of Rosh Hashanah --the name means Head of the Year --is observed for two days beginning on Tishrei 1, the first day of the Jewish year. It is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and their first actions toward the realization of mankind's role in G-d's world.
Rosh Hashanah thus emphasizes the special relationship between G-d and humanity: our dependence upon G-d as our creator and sustainer, and G-d's dependence upon us as the ones who make His presence known and felt in His world. Each year on Rosh Hashahnah, all inhabitants of the world pass before G-d like a flock of sheep, and it is decreed in the heavenly court, who shall live, and who shall die... who shall be impoverished, and who shall be enriched; who shall fall and who shall rise.But this is also the day we proclaim G-d King of the Universe. The Kabbalists teach that the continued existence of the universe is dependant upon the renewal of the divine desire for a world when we accept G-d's kingship each year on Rosh Hashanah.
The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar, the ram's horn, which represents the trumpet blast of a people's coronation of their king. The cry of the shofar is also a call to repentance; for Rosh Hashanah is also the anniversary of man's first sin and his repentance thereof, and serves as the first of the Ten Days of Repentance which culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Another significance of the shofar is to recall the Binding of Isaac which also occurred on Rosh Hashanah, in which a ram took Isaac's place as an offering to G-d; we evoke Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son and plead that the merit of his deed should stand by us as we pray for a year of life, health and prosperity. Altogether, the shofar is sounded 100 times in the course of the Rosh Hashanah service.
Additional Rosh Hashanah observances include: a) Eating a piece of apple dipped in honey to symbolize our desire for a sweet year, and other special foods symbolic of the new year's blessings. b) Blessing one another with the words Leshanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim, May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year. c) Tashlich, a special prayer said near a body of water (an ocean, river, pond, etc.) in evocation of the verse, And You shall cast their sins into the depths of the sea.And as with every major Jewish holiday after candlelighting and prayers we recite Kiddush and make a blessing on the Challah.
Police raise level of alert ahead of holidays(YNETNEWS)
Efrat Weiss
Thousands of policemen, soldiers to be stationed at city entrances, recreation centers on Rosh Hashanah. Police also preparing for month of Ramadan In preparation for the holidays, the police are raising the level of alert throughout Israel in fear of terrorist attacks. Police Chief Moshe Karadi said Monday that the police have received warnings of the intention of terrorist organizations to carry out attacks during the holidays, and the police are preparedly accordingly. On the night of Rosh Hashanah, the police will be on the highest possible alert level throughout the country. Policemen will be in full operational deployment. The police will operate in a number of concentric zones, from the seam line to areas within the country. Thousands of policemen, border police, and civil guard volunteers, along with the aid of Israel Defense Forces soldiers, will take part in the deployment that will focus on the morning of the holiday in markets and cemeteries, and throughout the holiday at synagogues, vacation spots, parks, and civilian entertainment spots. The security activities will be reinforced and stationed at mobile checkpoints and entrances to cities.
Civil guard volunteers will be incorporated into security missions in synagogues throughout the country while intensively acting to prevent the entrance of illegal Palestinian aliens into Israel. There will also be increased traffic patrols. Policemen will patrol main traffic routes in order to make it easier for drivers and to reduce expected traffic jams. During the holiday, the police will report traffic jams and suggestions for alternate routes in the media. The police are also preparing for the month of Ramadan, which the Muslims mark from this upcoming weekend. Jerusalem Police will be stationed around the Temple Mount.
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Hurricane Helene weakens, spins away from U.S. 1 hour, 54 minutes ago
MIAMI (Reuters) - Weakening Hurricane Helene turned away from the United States on Thursday on a northeastern path that forecasters said would probably keep it over the central Atlantic Ocean. Helene's increasingly ragged center was about 505 miles
east-southeast of Bermuda, the U.S.National Hurricane Center in Miami said. It was moving into an area where cooler water and shearing winds were sapping its strength and was expected to complete a northeasterly turn that would prevent it from reaching land.Helene was once a powerful Category 3 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale but weakened on Thursday to a minimal Category 1 with top sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph).
Helene is the eighth named storm of the surprisingly mild 2006 Atlantic storm season and the fourth to reach hurricane strength.
Last year's Atlantic hurricane season saw a record onslaught of 28 named storms, with 15 strengthening into hurricanes. Forecasters initially expected the six-month season that began on June 1 would also be unusually busy.But several factors have combined to make the storms fewer and weaker this year, including the presence of Saharan dust over the Atlantic and the development of El Nino conditions.El Nino is a warming of equatorial Pacific waters and is accompanied by changing wind patterns that make it harder for storms to form or strengthen in the Atlantic.Forecasters also kept an eye on a tropical disturbance far out in the Atlantic about 700 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands but said it had not grown more organized overnight.
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
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 have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
Islam, Religion of Peace
By Captain Toke
After 9/11, the fear of backlash against Muslims caused world leaders, church leaders from all religions and even President Bush to come out in defense of Islam. Islam is a religion of peace, was uttered over and over. In November of 2004, a Muslim extremist murdered Theo van Gogh, grandson of Vincent van Gogh. Theo van Gogh made a film about violence against women in Islamic societies. He also wrote columns that criticized Islamic violence. Van Gogh had received death threats for his past works, but he never took them seriously. Salmon Rushdie on the other hand, another author who criticized Islam, did take the threat seriously when Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini condemned him to death for insulting Islam, the prophet Mohammed and the holy Koran.
In May of 2005, Newsweek ran a story, later proven to be false, that Korans were being desecrated by US soldiers at the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba. Muslim outrage and threats worldwide, fueled by Muslim clerics and Arab news reports, put Americans and US soldiers at risk. Thousands of Muslims rioted, hundreds of people injured, and fifteen to twenty five people killed. When foreign newspapers ran cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Mohammed in a less than flattering context (although simply depicting Mohammed is a capital offense), there were more riots, violence and death. In a clever response, Iran's president sponsored a 'Holocaust Cartoon Contest'. How did the Jews respond to that? Not with violence.
Ramadan, one of Islam's holiest of holidays, traditionally results in spikes Muslim violence. Islam's holiest of holidays causes spikes in Muslim violence. Does any other religion's most revered holidays cause a spike in violence? Christmas suicide bombings? Yom Kippur riots? Easter beheadings? In a speech, the pope recently quoted a 14th century Byzantine Emperor. The quote criticized Mohammed's spread of Islam by the sword as evil and inhuman. The pope has since apologized if he offended Muslims. After being criticized for being violent, Muslims around the world responded with violence. Muslims around the world have rioted. Muslim leaders have called for the death of the pope. The pope has been burned in effigy. Christian churches in the West Bank have been bombed and burned. A Catholic nun in Somalia has been killed.
What happened after 9/11? In the Arab world, Muslims were dancing in the streets, celebrating the deaths of three thousand Americans. In America we were being reminded that Islam is a religion of peace.
Well the Bible does say, Christians and Jews will be hated in these last days. As the old saying goes "THE TRUTH HURTS". Even when I tell people what will be happening at Tim Hortons, I get odd looks, your nuts, or they just up and leave. ALL I HAVE TO SAY TO THESE MOCKERS AND SKEPTICS IS "GODS IN CONTROL" AND WE WILL SEE WHO WILL PREVAIL, AND WHOS FLESH SHALL BE CONSUMED BY THE BIRDS IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR COMING AGAINST ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM.
REVELATION 19:11-21
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.(KING JESUS)
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.(JESUS IN THE FLESH)
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;(ARMIES AGAINST JERUSALEM)
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Canada’s National Broadcaster Promotes Anti-Religion Extremist
Condemns all adherents of God-centered religion as would-be murderers
By Gudrun Schultz
TORONTO, Ontario, September 18, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A documentary condemning all adherents of God-centered religion as would-be murderers, including Jews, Christians and Muslims, is being promoted by Canada’s national broadcaster, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.Showcased by CBC Newsworld’s The Big Picture with host Avi Lewis, The God Delusion is a radical condemnation of God-centered religion. Scientist and atheist Richard Dawkins, a man the CBC refers to as the UK’s best-known atheist, who holds a chair in the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University, accuses Judaism, Christianity and Islam of plotting to destroy civilized science-based society.
There are would-be murderers all round the world who want to kill you and me, and themselves, because they’re motivated by what they think is the highest ideal, Dawkins says at the beginning of his documentary.The suicide bomber is convinced that in killing for his God, he will be fast-tracked to a special martyr’s heaven. This isn’t just a problem of Islam. In this program, I want to examine that dangerous thing that is common to Judaism and Christianity as well, that process of non-thinking called faith.To a background of film clips interspersing violence, car burnings and religious ceremonies, Dawkins warns of the danger posed by religious faith to science and rational thought, saying, the 21century should be an age of reason, but irrational militant faith is back on the march.
The time has come for people of reason to say enough is enough.Religious faith discourages independent thought, it’s divisive and it’s dangerous.Host Avi Lewis questions the intensity of Dawkins’ anti-religious fervor, acknowledging a fundamentalist totality in Dawkins’ rejection of religion.[A]s Dawkins categorically dismisses all people of faith (including moderates) as dangerous dupes, you’re tempted to ask whether he himself is demonstrating a certainty that borders on fundamentalism - whether his unshakeable faith in science is just as fixed as the beliefs of those he condemns.
Israel's FM Livny in UN Speaks Out Against Iran
By Hillel Fendel(INN)
At a UN General Assembly session attended by family members of the kidnapped Israeli soldiers, Israel's Foreign Minister called on the world to act according to its values and stand up to Iran. If we want to protect our values,Minister Tzippy Livny said, it is not enough to believe in them we must act according to them. There is no greater challenge to our values than that posed by the leaders of Iran. They deny and mock the Holocaust. They speak proudly and openly of their desire to wipe Israel off the map. And now, by their actions, they pursue the weapons to achieve this objective, to imperil the region and to threaten the world.Saying that the moment of truth had arrived, Livny continued, The international community is faced with no greater responsibility than to stand against this dark and growing danger not for Israel’s sake, but for its own; for the sake of the values it claims to embrace; for the sake of the world we all wish our children to inherit.
What more needs to happen for the world to take this threat seriously? she asked. What more needs to happen to end the hesitation and the excuses? We know the lessons of the past. We know the consequences of appeasement and indifference. There is no place for such leaders in this forum. There is no place for such a regime in the family of nations.For any who still had doubts, the Foreign Minister said, the Iranian threat was exposed to all in the recent conflict in Lebanon. Armed, financed and directed by Iran, Hezbollah kidnapped Israeli soldiers and targeted Israeli cities, but it was the hopes of an entire region that they aimed to take hostage. Out of the conflict and because of Israel’s response to it opportunity has emerged. But much is needed to turn opportunity into reality. Hizbullah can never again be allowed to threaten the future of the region. The world faces a critical test to ensure the full implementation of resolution 1701, and the immediate and safe release of the Israeli hostages.
U.S. President George Bush, speaking with CNN on Wednesday, said that if he were Israel’s foreign minister, he too would be deeply concerned about Iran's threats to destroy his country. Asked how the US would react if Iran attacked Israel, Bush said, You can't just hope for the best. You've got to assume that the leader, when he says that he would like to destroy Israel, means what he says. If you say, Well, gosh, maybe he doesn't mean it,and you turn out to be wrong, you have not done your duty as a world leader. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton said that the U.S. should continue to talk with Iran. Clinton told NBC, If you think you might have trouble with somebody, and [certainly] if you think it could lead to a military confrontation, then there needs to be the maximum amount of contact beforehand.
Livny's speech addressed both of the above points, noting that Iran threatens the entire world, not just Israel, and speaking of the dangers of hesitation and excuses.Iran's Ayatollah Haminai took the opportunity to warn that Iran's armed forces are sufficiently ready to give a response to any threat such that the enemy would be surprised and defeated.At least one U.S. Senator takes the Iranian threat very seriously. I think he's a Hitler type of person,said Sen. George Voinovich (R.-Ohio) about Iranian President Ahmedinejad, adding, I call him Ahmed-in-a-head. The Senator said, during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing this week, that the Iranian leader has made it clear that he wants to destroy Israel. He has made it clear he doesn't believe in the Holocaust. He's a, he's a we all know what he is.
American Jewry Protests Global Jihad Outside UN
By Ezra HaLevi(INN)
A large number of protestors gathered opposite the United Nations building in New York Wednesday afternoon to protest against Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and demand the release of Israel's captives. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzippy Livni, US Ambassador John Bolton, New York State Governor George Pataki, Holocaust survivor and author Eli Wiesel and human rights lawyer Alan Dershowitz, among others, addressed the crowd, which stretched down the streets and avenues surrounding the plaza opposite the United Nations. Also attending the rally and issue emotional pleas for the release of their captive family members were Carmit Goldwasser, wife of Ehud Goldwasser, and Benny Regev, brother of Eldad Regev both being held by Hizbullah after being abducted at the beginning of the recent war.
People are coming from as far away as California,Conference of Presidents Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein told Arutz-7 an hour before the rally began. The plaza is already filled with Jews, Christians, Blacks, Whites, Hispanics an unbelievable rainbow of the American people.Hoenlein doubted that any of the rally's speakers would issue calls for an attack on Iran to prevent the Islamic republic from attaining nuclear capability, as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad promised the UN it would continue to pursue.
The purpose of the rally is to show solidarity with Israel and to demand the release of the MIAs, Hoenlein said. Leaders of the world meeting across the street will have a hard time not hearing our message and Ahmadinejad will know that his threats to wipe out Israel are unacceptable. The US is obligated to let him into the country, but we are obligated to let him know what we think.
More than 140 buses were on their way to the rally, organizers said, adding that many more people were flying in from across the country for the event.The rally enjoys one of the widest array of organization support in decades. Jewish organizations from Meretz to AFSI (Americans For a Safe Israel) have lent their support, and the Council of Torah Sages of the hareidi-religious Agudah movement have made the decision to support the protest as well, calling upon members of the movement to attend.In honor of the upcoming Rosh HaShanah holiday marking the Jewish new year, hundreds of shofarot, ram's horns, were blown in unison during the protest.The shofar has traditionally been blown both at times of trouble, to encourage the Jewish people to mend their ways, and during wartime, to rally the troops, demoralize the enemies of Israel and to signal Divine assistance for the Jewish nation.
Iran given till early October to accept nuclear deal
September 21, 2006
The United Nations or U-N Security Council, together with Germany and Italy agreed at a meeting on Tuesday to give negotiators more time to convince Iran to reach a nuclear resolution deal. Iran is believed to be enriching uranium aimed at producing nuclear weapons. Iran’s strongest critic, the United States has agreed to the latest extension. But pressed its partners to come up with a deadline to impose sanctions on Iran.
Will Iran respond positively to the October deadline?
Loretta Foo put this question to Dr Christoph Marcinkowski, Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at Nayang Technological University, Singapore. CM: Well, it’s quite difficult to predict but from the experience with deadlines in the past, it is very difficult to pressure a country like Iran into following deadlines because from the self-perception of Iran, they perceive themselves already as a regional power and also matters of national pride are involved and I think that there will not be a positive response to a deadline. The President Ahmadinejad is actually not that popular in Iran. However the nuclear energy issue is actually what is at stake here from the Iranian perspective is very crucial for Iran. Large segments of the population regardless of their political setting, I think they will support him on that. To set a deadline is not that easy.
Why have the major powers given Iran multiple chances in complying with the nuclear deal?
CM: First of all, they know that all these sanctions will not be effective. Actually Iran feels itself in a very strong position and actually they are quite happy with the US involvement in Iraq. Actually they did the job that Iran was trying to do in the 1980s. US went into the trap, Iraq and they know basically of their weakness right now. They are offering several different options for Iran and from the Iranian perspective is a kind of weakness. The West is not united on that and they know that very well. Actually in the end if you ask me whether they want a bomb, I think, no but in the interest of Iran right now strategically speaking, maybe they are pursuing it. Whether they are close to it, I don’t think so there are some scholars from the Carnegie Foundation in the US who actually doubt it. The main interest of Iran is nuclear energy and the export of it to neighboring countries. The money coming in from that is in connection with the diversification of its economy. The oil will be finished in one day and the kind of income they would be interested in would be from the energy sector.
Why did the USA change its hard-line position regarding immediate sanctions on Iran?
CM: First of all the United Nations Security Council members, they are still not united over that because countries like Russia and so on have different interests. Beyond that of course, the United States has not military option to enforce anything on its own because of Iraq. Last but not least, the Lebanon war was a kind of test case. In the case of Iran, militarily speaking would be different from Iraq. The population of the United States itself, the approval rates of the President are on the lowest now. I would see that there are more diplomatic initiatives in the future. The disagreement of Iran and the UN Security Council over what it would mean for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment has been the main obstacle to the nuclear issue’s resolution. What other factors are involved in the issue?
CM: What Iran is interested in actually are security guarantees. I mean Iran sees itself also from historical experiences in the past. And Iran sees itself as a major regional power. I think it’s most important to stress that it’s not so much a matter of Islam or Shi’ism ad all that. It is more or less propaganda over some means to achieve some goals. Iranian nationalism is very important and it is an issue that can be somehow addressed if there would be some direct talks between the United States and Iran. That would be the major breakthrough. How to achieve that right now is difficult because there are still some propaganda issues on both sides. Iran feels that they are basically surrounded by unfriendly situations here. I mean if you look around, Iraq is already under occupation. I think it’s not easy fro them, regardless of what kind of regime is in power in Tehran. If that could be addressed somehow, I think things would be much easier.
How effective will the economic sanctions be in halting Iran’s insistence on uranium enrichment?
CM: Economic sanctions are somehow already in effect unilaterally from certain Western countries. The past experience is that these kind of sanctions have actually helped Iran to be more self-sufficient. A good example is the military sector and the economic sector. It is difficult to tell whether these sanctions will be successful somehow. That was Dr Christoph Marcinkowski, Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at Nayang Technological University, Singapore speaking to Loretta Foo.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TR BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
EU-US free trade agreement mooted in Berlin
20.09.2006 - 17:35 CET | By Honor Mahony(EU OBSERVER)
Centre-right members of the German government are in favour of closer economic ties between the EU and the US, possibly resulting in a free trade agreement.According to a report in Germany's Bild newspaper, top CDU politicians - whose party is part of the ruling government coalition are increasingly calling for a transatlantic free trade zone.The paper says that chancellor Angela Merkel is also in favour of stronger cooperation between the two sides in trade issues.According to Matthias Wissman, head of the Europe committee in the German parliament, a free trade zone would be a great project for Europe and the German presidency.
Germany takes over the EU presidency at the beginning of next year for six months - being at the helm of the EU gives countries some leeway to push particular pet projects.This is not the first time the idea of an EU-US free trade zone has been mentioned Spain's last prime minister the centre-right Jose Maria Aznar also called for one in 2004 but his ideas were not taken up on an EU-wide level.Similarly, several MEPs and their counterparts from the US Congress, are members of the Transatlantic Policy Network, one of whose aims is to promote strong cooperation between the two sides on economic issues.A transatlantic trade zone would provide a counterbalance to the emerging economic power of China - with which the EU has been having a war of words, accusing Beijing of dumping cheap goods into European markets.
But any developments in this direction would likely be seen as a nail in the coffin of the stalled world trade talks, which collapsed before the summer.At the time of the collapse, trade officials warned that it could result in a series of bilateral agreements between countries last week the Conservative opposition leader in the UK suggested there should be an EU-India free trade zone.Trade representatives from 19 countries, including the US, are currently meeting in Australia to see if there is a possibility of reviving the talks, which failed mainly due to disagreements over farm subsidies in the EU and the US.The meeting will discuss compromise plans by the Australian trade minister Mark Vaile for the EU to cut agricultural subsidies by a further five percent and for the US to chop €3.9 billion from farm aid in a bid to revive the talks although the EU has already dismissed the proposal as not asking enough of the Americans.
We have to focus on the domestic politics of the European Union and the United States, WTO chief Pascal Lamy said, according to Bloomberg news agency. The question is whether countries have the courage, stamina and momentum to go this extra mile,he added.He said there was a brief window of opportunity to make the talks work referring to the fact that the current US administration's negotiating mandate runs out in July next year leaving only a short time for deal to get through the US Congress.
EU Rapid Reaction Battle Group, Including Bulgaria, to be Certified in June 2007 21 September 2006
Sofia. A EU tactical rapid reaction battle group, including Bulgaria, wil be certified in June 2007, the Chief of General Staff of the Bulgarian Army Gem Zlatan Stoykov said during a lecture on the topic of “Participation of the Bulgarian Army in the Establishment of European Defense Capacity. He delivered the lecture before members of the Atlantic Club in Bulgaria, a journalist of FOCUS News Agency reported.
Bulgaria is in the same battle group as Greece, Romania and Cyprus. Among them, Greece is a leading country. By the end of the year, the necessary agreements have to be worked out and signed. Bulgaria will participate with one foot-company in the group.
The EU has to form nine battle groups by the end of 2007, which will ensure a rapid response by the EU.Nikola LALOV
UN moves to revive stalled peace process
September 22 2006 at 12:04AM
New York - The United Nations Security Council on Thursday opened a rare ministerial meeting on how to revive the stalled Middle East peace process, but the United States blocked moves to release a council statement at the end, a diplomat said.The meeting, called for by the Arab League, was attended by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and foreign ministers from the major powers.But the diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the US delegation had objected to the meeting releasing a presidential statement which it feared would be used to attack Israel.
The United States had been reluctant to agree to the meeting, the diplomat said.In opening the meeting, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Annan said: The time has come rebuild the shattered bridge to peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
Our continued failure to resolve this conflict calls into question the legitimacy and the effectiveness of this council itself,he added.
The bridge to peace must be wide enough to accommodate all who have a legitimate stake in the process, long enough to span the enormous gulf of mistrust that separates the parties and strong enough to withstand efforts that will inevitably be made to sabotage it, the UN chief said. - Sapa-AFP
HAPPY ROSH HASHANAH ISRAEL, MAY GOD BLESS AND PROTECT USE AND LEAD USE IN ALL THAT IS HOLY. WE PRAY FOR USE TO RAISE UP LEADERS TO DEMAND THE 3RD TEMPLE BE REBUILT BY THE DOME OF THE SPIRITS.
IN THE FUTURE, THIS IS THE DAY ROSH HASHANAH, I BELIEVE THE 7 YEAR PEACE TREATY OF DANIEL 9:27 WILL BE SIGNED ON.
Rosh Hashanah in a Nutshell
The festival of Rosh Hashanah --the name means Head of the Year --is observed for two days beginning on Tishrei 1, the first day of the Jewish year. It is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and their first actions toward the realization of mankind's role in G-d's world.
Rosh Hashanah thus emphasizes the special relationship between G-d and humanity: our dependence upon G-d as our creator and sustainer, and G-d's dependence upon us as the ones who make His presence known and felt in His world. Each year on Rosh Hashahnah, all inhabitants of the world pass before G-d like a flock of sheep, and it is decreed in the heavenly court, who shall live, and who shall die... who shall be impoverished, and who shall be enriched; who shall fall and who shall rise.But this is also the day we proclaim G-d King of the Universe. The Kabbalists teach that the continued existence of the universe is dependant upon the renewal of the divine desire for a world when we accept G-d's kingship each year on Rosh Hashanah.
The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar, the ram's horn, which represents the trumpet blast of a people's coronation of their king. The cry of the shofar is also a call to repentance; for Rosh Hashanah is also the anniversary of man's first sin and his repentance thereof, and serves as the first of the Ten Days of Repentance which culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Another significance of the shofar is to recall the Binding of Isaac which also occurred on Rosh Hashanah, in which a ram took Isaac's place as an offering to G-d; we evoke Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son and plead that the merit of his deed should stand by us as we pray for a year of life, health and prosperity. Altogether, the shofar is sounded 100 times in the course of the Rosh Hashanah service.
Additional Rosh Hashanah observances include: a) Eating a piece of apple dipped in honey to symbolize our desire for a sweet year, and other special foods symbolic of the new year's blessings. b) Blessing one another with the words Leshanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim, May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year. c) Tashlich, a special prayer said near a body of water (an ocean, river, pond, etc.) in evocation of the verse, And You shall cast their sins into the depths of the sea.And as with every major Jewish holiday after candlelighting and prayers we recite Kiddush and make a blessing on the Challah.
Police raise level of alert ahead of holidays(YNETNEWS)
Efrat Weiss
Thousands of policemen, soldiers to be stationed at city entrances, recreation centers on Rosh Hashanah. Police also preparing for month of Ramadan In preparation for the holidays, the police are raising the level of alert throughout Israel in fear of terrorist attacks. Police Chief Moshe Karadi said Monday that the police have received warnings of the intention of terrorist organizations to carry out attacks during the holidays, and the police are preparedly accordingly. On the night of Rosh Hashanah, the police will be on the highest possible alert level throughout the country. Policemen will be in full operational deployment. The police will operate in a number of concentric zones, from the seam line to areas within the country. Thousands of policemen, border police, and civil guard volunteers, along with the aid of Israel Defense Forces soldiers, will take part in the deployment that will focus on the morning of the holiday in markets and cemeteries, and throughout the holiday at synagogues, vacation spots, parks, and civilian entertainment spots. The security activities will be reinforced and stationed at mobile checkpoints and entrances to cities.
Civil guard volunteers will be incorporated into security missions in synagogues throughout the country while intensively acting to prevent the entrance of illegal Palestinian aliens into Israel. There will also be increased traffic patrols. Policemen will patrol main traffic routes in order to make it easier for drivers and to reduce expected traffic jams. During the holiday, the police will report traffic jams and suggestions for alternate routes in the media. The police are also preparing for the month of Ramadan, which the Muslims mark from this upcoming weekend. Jerusalem Police will be stationed around the Temple Mount.
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Hurricane Helene weakens, spins away from U.S. 1 hour, 54 minutes ago
MIAMI (Reuters) - Weakening Hurricane Helene turned away from the United States on Thursday on a northeastern path that forecasters said would probably keep it over the central Atlantic Ocean. Helene's increasingly ragged center was about 505 miles
east-southeast of Bermuda, the U.S.National Hurricane Center in Miami said. It was moving into an area where cooler water and shearing winds were sapping its strength and was expected to complete a northeasterly turn that would prevent it from reaching land.Helene was once a powerful Category 3 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale but weakened on Thursday to a minimal Category 1 with top sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph).
Helene is the eighth named storm of the surprisingly mild 2006 Atlantic storm season and the fourth to reach hurricane strength.
Last year's Atlantic hurricane season saw a record onslaught of 28 named storms, with 15 strengthening into hurricanes. Forecasters initially expected the six-month season that began on June 1 would also be unusually busy.But several factors have combined to make the storms fewer and weaker this year, including the presence of Saharan dust over the Atlantic and the development of El Nino conditions.El Nino is a warming of equatorial Pacific waters and is accompanied by changing wind patterns that make it harder for storms to form or strengthen in the Atlantic.Forecasters also kept an eye on a tropical disturbance far out in the Atlantic about 700 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands but said it had not grown more organized overnight.
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
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 have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
Islam, Religion of Peace
By Captain Toke
After 9/11, the fear of backlash against Muslims caused world leaders, church leaders from all religions and even President Bush to come out in defense of Islam. Islam is a religion of peace, was uttered over and over. In November of 2004, a Muslim extremist murdered Theo van Gogh, grandson of Vincent van Gogh. Theo van Gogh made a film about violence against women in Islamic societies. He also wrote columns that criticized Islamic violence. Van Gogh had received death threats for his past works, but he never took them seriously. Salmon Rushdie on the other hand, another author who criticized Islam, did take the threat seriously when Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini condemned him to death for insulting Islam, the prophet Mohammed and the holy Koran.
In May of 2005, Newsweek ran a story, later proven to be false, that Korans were being desecrated by US soldiers at the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba. Muslim outrage and threats worldwide, fueled by Muslim clerics and Arab news reports, put Americans and US soldiers at risk. Thousands of Muslims rioted, hundreds of people injured, and fifteen to twenty five people killed. When foreign newspapers ran cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Mohammed in a less than flattering context (although simply depicting Mohammed is a capital offense), there were more riots, violence and death. In a clever response, Iran's president sponsored a 'Holocaust Cartoon Contest'. How did the Jews respond to that? Not with violence.
Ramadan, one of Islam's holiest of holidays, traditionally results in spikes Muslim violence. Islam's holiest of holidays causes spikes in Muslim violence. Does any other religion's most revered holidays cause a spike in violence? Christmas suicide bombings? Yom Kippur riots? Easter beheadings? In a speech, the pope recently quoted a 14th century Byzantine Emperor. The quote criticized Mohammed's spread of Islam by the sword as evil and inhuman. The pope has since apologized if he offended Muslims. After being criticized for being violent, Muslims around the world responded with violence. Muslims around the world have rioted. Muslim leaders have called for the death of the pope. The pope has been burned in effigy. Christian churches in the West Bank have been bombed and burned. A Catholic nun in Somalia has been killed.
What happened after 9/11? In the Arab world, Muslims were dancing in the streets, celebrating the deaths of three thousand Americans. In America we were being reminded that Islam is a religion of peace.
Well the Bible does say, Christians and Jews will be hated in these last days. As the old saying goes "THE TRUTH HURTS". Even when I tell people what will be happening at Tim Hortons, I get odd looks, your nuts, or they just up and leave. ALL I HAVE TO SAY TO THESE MOCKERS AND SKEPTICS IS "GODS IN CONTROL" AND WE WILL SEE WHO WILL PREVAIL, AND WHOS FLESH SHALL BE CONSUMED BY THE BIRDS IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR COMING AGAINST ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM.
REVELATION 19:11-21
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.(KING JESUS)
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.(JESUS IN THE FLESH)
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;(ARMIES AGAINST JERUSALEM)
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Canada’s National Broadcaster Promotes Anti-Religion Extremist
Condemns all adherents of God-centered religion as would-be murderers
By Gudrun Schultz
TORONTO, Ontario, September 18, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A documentary condemning all adherents of God-centered religion as would-be murderers, including Jews, Christians and Muslims, is being promoted by Canada’s national broadcaster, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.Showcased by CBC Newsworld’s The Big Picture with host Avi Lewis, The God Delusion is a radical condemnation of God-centered religion. Scientist and atheist Richard Dawkins, a man the CBC refers to as the UK’s best-known atheist, who holds a chair in the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University, accuses Judaism, Christianity and Islam of plotting to destroy civilized science-based society.
There are would-be murderers all round the world who want to kill you and me, and themselves, because they’re motivated by what they think is the highest ideal, Dawkins says at the beginning of his documentary.The suicide bomber is convinced that in killing for his God, he will be fast-tracked to a special martyr’s heaven. This isn’t just a problem of Islam. In this program, I want to examine that dangerous thing that is common to Judaism and Christianity as well, that process of non-thinking called faith.To a background of film clips interspersing violence, car burnings and religious ceremonies, Dawkins warns of the danger posed by religious faith to science and rational thought, saying, the 21century should be an age of reason, but irrational militant faith is back on the march.
The time has come for people of reason to say enough is enough.Religious faith discourages independent thought, it’s divisive and it’s dangerous.Host Avi Lewis questions the intensity of Dawkins’ anti-religious fervor, acknowledging a fundamentalist totality in Dawkins’ rejection of religion.[A]s Dawkins categorically dismisses all people of faith (including moderates) as dangerous dupes, you’re tempted to ask whether he himself is demonstrating a certainty that borders on fundamentalism - whether his unshakeable faith in science is just as fixed as the beliefs of those he condemns.
Israel's FM Livny in UN Speaks Out Against Iran
By Hillel Fendel(INN)
At a UN General Assembly session attended by family members of the kidnapped Israeli soldiers, Israel's Foreign Minister called on the world to act according to its values and stand up to Iran. If we want to protect our values,Minister Tzippy Livny said, it is not enough to believe in them we must act according to them. There is no greater challenge to our values than that posed by the leaders of Iran. They deny and mock the Holocaust. They speak proudly and openly of their desire to wipe Israel off the map. And now, by their actions, they pursue the weapons to achieve this objective, to imperil the region and to threaten the world.Saying that the moment of truth had arrived, Livny continued, The international community is faced with no greater responsibility than to stand against this dark and growing danger not for Israel’s sake, but for its own; for the sake of the values it claims to embrace; for the sake of the world we all wish our children to inherit.
What more needs to happen for the world to take this threat seriously? she asked. What more needs to happen to end the hesitation and the excuses? We know the lessons of the past. We know the consequences of appeasement and indifference. There is no place for such leaders in this forum. There is no place for such a regime in the family of nations.For any who still had doubts, the Foreign Minister said, the Iranian threat was exposed to all in the recent conflict in Lebanon. Armed, financed and directed by Iran, Hezbollah kidnapped Israeli soldiers and targeted Israeli cities, but it was the hopes of an entire region that they aimed to take hostage. Out of the conflict and because of Israel’s response to it opportunity has emerged. But much is needed to turn opportunity into reality. Hizbullah can never again be allowed to threaten the future of the region. The world faces a critical test to ensure the full implementation of resolution 1701, and the immediate and safe release of the Israeli hostages.
U.S. President George Bush, speaking with CNN on Wednesday, said that if he were Israel’s foreign minister, he too would be deeply concerned about Iran's threats to destroy his country. Asked how the US would react if Iran attacked Israel, Bush said, You can't just hope for the best. You've got to assume that the leader, when he says that he would like to destroy Israel, means what he says. If you say, Well, gosh, maybe he doesn't mean it,and you turn out to be wrong, you have not done your duty as a world leader. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton said that the U.S. should continue to talk with Iran. Clinton told NBC, If you think you might have trouble with somebody, and [certainly] if you think it could lead to a military confrontation, then there needs to be the maximum amount of contact beforehand.
Livny's speech addressed both of the above points, noting that Iran threatens the entire world, not just Israel, and speaking of the dangers of hesitation and excuses.Iran's Ayatollah Haminai took the opportunity to warn that Iran's armed forces are sufficiently ready to give a response to any threat such that the enemy would be surprised and defeated.At least one U.S. Senator takes the Iranian threat very seriously. I think he's a Hitler type of person,said Sen. George Voinovich (R.-Ohio) about Iranian President Ahmedinejad, adding, I call him Ahmed-in-a-head. The Senator said, during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing this week, that the Iranian leader has made it clear that he wants to destroy Israel. He has made it clear he doesn't believe in the Holocaust. He's a, he's a we all know what he is.
American Jewry Protests Global Jihad Outside UN
By Ezra HaLevi(INN)
A large number of protestors gathered opposite the United Nations building in New York Wednesday afternoon to protest against Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and demand the release of Israel's captives. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzippy Livni, US Ambassador John Bolton, New York State Governor George Pataki, Holocaust survivor and author Eli Wiesel and human rights lawyer Alan Dershowitz, among others, addressed the crowd, which stretched down the streets and avenues surrounding the plaza opposite the United Nations. Also attending the rally and issue emotional pleas for the release of their captive family members were Carmit Goldwasser, wife of Ehud Goldwasser, and Benny Regev, brother of Eldad Regev both being held by Hizbullah after being abducted at the beginning of the recent war.
People are coming from as far away as California,Conference of Presidents Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein told Arutz-7 an hour before the rally began. The plaza is already filled with Jews, Christians, Blacks, Whites, Hispanics an unbelievable rainbow of the American people.Hoenlein doubted that any of the rally's speakers would issue calls for an attack on Iran to prevent the Islamic republic from attaining nuclear capability, as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad promised the UN it would continue to pursue.
The purpose of the rally is to show solidarity with Israel and to demand the release of the MIAs, Hoenlein said. Leaders of the world meeting across the street will have a hard time not hearing our message and Ahmadinejad will know that his threats to wipe out Israel are unacceptable. The US is obligated to let him into the country, but we are obligated to let him know what we think.
More than 140 buses were on their way to the rally, organizers said, adding that many more people were flying in from across the country for the event.The rally enjoys one of the widest array of organization support in decades. Jewish organizations from Meretz to AFSI (Americans For a Safe Israel) have lent their support, and the Council of Torah Sages of the hareidi-religious Agudah movement have made the decision to support the protest as well, calling upon members of the movement to attend.In honor of the upcoming Rosh HaShanah holiday marking the Jewish new year, hundreds of shofarot, ram's horns, were blown in unison during the protest.The shofar has traditionally been blown both at times of trouble, to encourage the Jewish people to mend their ways, and during wartime, to rally the troops, demoralize the enemies of Israel and to signal Divine assistance for the Jewish nation.
Iran given till early October to accept nuclear deal
September 21, 2006
The United Nations or U-N Security Council, together with Germany and Italy agreed at a meeting on Tuesday to give negotiators more time to convince Iran to reach a nuclear resolution deal. Iran is believed to be enriching uranium aimed at producing nuclear weapons. Iran’s strongest critic, the United States has agreed to the latest extension. But pressed its partners to come up with a deadline to impose sanctions on Iran.
Will Iran respond positively to the October deadline?
Loretta Foo put this question to Dr Christoph Marcinkowski, Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at Nayang Technological University, Singapore. CM: Well, it’s quite difficult to predict but from the experience with deadlines in the past, it is very difficult to pressure a country like Iran into following deadlines because from the self-perception of Iran, they perceive themselves already as a regional power and also matters of national pride are involved and I think that there will not be a positive response to a deadline. The President Ahmadinejad is actually not that popular in Iran. However the nuclear energy issue is actually what is at stake here from the Iranian perspective is very crucial for Iran. Large segments of the population regardless of their political setting, I think they will support him on that. To set a deadline is not that easy.
Why have the major powers given Iran multiple chances in complying with the nuclear deal?
CM: First of all, they know that all these sanctions will not be effective. Actually Iran feels itself in a very strong position and actually they are quite happy with the US involvement in Iraq. Actually they did the job that Iran was trying to do in the 1980s. US went into the trap, Iraq and they know basically of their weakness right now. They are offering several different options for Iran and from the Iranian perspective is a kind of weakness. The West is not united on that and they know that very well. Actually in the end if you ask me whether they want a bomb, I think, no but in the interest of Iran right now strategically speaking, maybe they are pursuing it. Whether they are close to it, I don’t think so there are some scholars from the Carnegie Foundation in the US who actually doubt it. The main interest of Iran is nuclear energy and the export of it to neighboring countries. The money coming in from that is in connection with the diversification of its economy. The oil will be finished in one day and the kind of income they would be interested in would be from the energy sector.
Why did the USA change its hard-line position regarding immediate sanctions on Iran?
CM: First of all the United Nations Security Council members, they are still not united over that because countries like Russia and so on have different interests. Beyond that of course, the United States has not military option to enforce anything on its own because of Iraq. Last but not least, the Lebanon war was a kind of test case. In the case of Iran, militarily speaking would be different from Iraq. The population of the United States itself, the approval rates of the President are on the lowest now. I would see that there are more diplomatic initiatives in the future. The disagreement of Iran and the UN Security Council over what it would mean for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment has been the main obstacle to the nuclear issue’s resolution. What other factors are involved in the issue?
CM: What Iran is interested in actually are security guarantees. I mean Iran sees itself also from historical experiences in the past. And Iran sees itself as a major regional power. I think it’s most important to stress that it’s not so much a matter of Islam or Shi’ism ad all that. It is more or less propaganda over some means to achieve some goals. Iranian nationalism is very important and it is an issue that can be somehow addressed if there would be some direct talks between the United States and Iran. That would be the major breakthrough. How to achieve that right now is difficult because there are still some propaganda issues on both sides. Iran feels that they are basically surrounded by unfriendly situations here. I mean if you look around, Iraq is already under occupation. I think it’s not easy fro them, regardless of what kind of regime is in power in Tehran. If that could be addressed somehow, I think things would be much easier.
How effective will the economic sanctions be in halting Iran’s insistence on uranium enrichment?
CM: Economic sanctions are somehow already in effect unilaterally from certain Western countries. The past experience is that these kind of sanctions have actually helped Iran to be more self-sufficient. A good example is the military sector and the economic sector. It is difficult to tell whether these sanctions will be successful somehow. That was Dr Christoph Marcinkowski, Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at Nayang Technological University, Singapore speaking to Loretta Foo.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TR BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
EU-US free trade agreement mooted in Berlin
20.09.2006 - 17:35 CET | By Honor Mahony(EU OBSERVER)
Centre-right members of the German government are in favour of closer economic ties between the EU and the US, possibly resulting in a free trade agreement.According to a report in Germany's Bild newspaper, top CDU politicians - whose party is part of the ruling government coalition are increasingly calling for a transatlantic free trade zone.The paper says that chancellor Angela Merkel is also in favour of stronger cooperation between the two sides in trade issues.According to Matthias Wissman, head of the Europe committee in the German parliament, a free trade zone would be a great project for Europe and the German presidency.
Germany takes over the EU presidency at the beginning of next year for six months - being at the helm of the EU gives countries some leeway to push particular pet projects.This is not the first time the idea of an EU-US free trade zone has been mentioned Spain's last prime minister the centre-right Jose Maria Aznar also called for one in 2004 but his ideas were not taken up on an EU-wide level.Similarly, several MEPs and their counterparts from the US Congress, are members of the Transatlantic Policy Network, one of whose aims is to promote strong cooperation between the two sides on economic issues.A transatlantic trade zone would provide a counterbalance to the emerging economic power of China - with which the EU has been having a war of words, accusing Beijing of dumping cheap goods into European markets.
But any developments in this direction would likely be seen as a nail in the coffin of the stalled world trade talks, which collapsed before the summer.At the time of the collapse, trade officials warned that it could result in a series of bilateral agreements between countries last week the Conservative opposition leader in the UK suggested there should be an EU-India free trade zone.Trade representatives from 19 countries, including the US, are currently meeting in Australia to see if there is a possibility of reviving the talks, which failed mainly due to disagreements over farm subsidies in the EU and the US.The meeting will discuss compromise plans by the Australian trade minister Mark Vaile for the EU to cut agricultural subsidies by a further five percent and for the US to chop €3.9 billion from farm aid in a bid to revive the talks although the EU has already dismissed the proposal as not asking enough of the Americans.
We have to focus on the domestic politics of the European Union and the United States, WTO chief Pascal Lamy said, according to Bloomberg news agency. The question is whether countries have the courage, stamina and momentum to go this extra mile,he added.He said there was a brief window of opportunity to make the talks work referring to the fact that the current US administration's negotiating mandate runs out in July next year leaving only a short time for deal to get through the US Congress.
EU Rapid Reaction Battle Group, Including Bulgaria, to be Certified in June 2007 21 September 2006
Sofia. A EU tactical rapid reaction battle group, including Bulgaria, wil be certified in June 2007, the Chief of General Staff of the Bulgarian Army Gem Zlatan Stoykov said during a lecture on the topic of “Participation of the Bulgarian Army in the Establishment of European Defense Capacity. He delivered the lecture before members of the Atlantic Club in Bulgaria, a journalist of FOCUS News Agency reported.
Bulgaria is in the same battle group as Greece, Romania and Cyprus. Among them, Greece is a leading country. By the end of the year, the necessary agreements have to be worked out and signed. Bulgaria will participate with one foot-company in the group.
The EU has to form nine battle groups by the end of 2007, which will ensure a rapid response by the EU.Nikola LALOV
UN moves to revive stalled peace process
September 22 2006 at 12:04AM
New York - The United Nations Security Council on Thursday opened a rare ministerial meeting on how to revive the stalled Middle East peace process, but the United States blocked moves to release a council statement at the end, a diplomat said.The meeting, called for by the Arab League, was attended by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and foreign ministers from the major powers.But the diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the US delegation had objected to the meeting releasing a presidential statement which it feared would be used to attack Israel.
The United States had been reluctant to agree to the meeting, the diplomat said.In opening the meeting, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Annan said: The time has come rebuild the shattered bridge to peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
Our continued failure to resolve this conflict calls into question the legitimacy and the effectiveness of this council itself,he added.
The bridge to peace must be wide enough to accommodate all who have a legitimate stake in the process, long enough to span the enormous gulf of mistrust that separates the parties and strong enough to withstand efforts that will inevitably be made to sabotage it, the UN chief said. - Sapa-AFP
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