JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
ISRAEL SATAN COMES AGAINST
1 CHRONICLES 21:1
1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
GENESIS 12:1-3
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I (GOD) will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee,(ISRAELIS) and curse (DESTROY) him that curseth thee:(DESTROY THEM) and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
ISAIAH 41:11
11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee (ISRAEL) shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing;(DESTROYED) and they that strive with thee shall perish.(ISRAEL HATERS WILL BE TOTALLY DESTROYED)
ISRAELS TROUBLE
JEREMIAH 30:7
7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble;(ISRAEL) but he shall be saved out of it.
DANIEL 12:1,4
1 And at that time shall Michael(ISRAELS WAR ANGEL) stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people:(ISRAEL) and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation(May 14,48) even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro,(WORLD TRAVEL,IMMIGRATION) and knowledge shall be increased.(COMPUTERS,CHIP IMPLANTS ETC)
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.
12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
REBUILT 3RD TEMPLE
REVELATION 11:1-2
1 And there was given me a(MEASURING) reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2 But the court which is without the temple leave out,(TO THE WORLD NATIONS) and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.(JERUSALEM DIVIDED BUT THE 3RD TEMPLE ALLOWED TO BE REBUILT)
DANIEL 9:27
27 And he( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
MICAH 4:1-5
1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.
2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.
DANIEL 11:31
31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.(3RD TEMPLE REBUILT)
DANIEL 12:11
11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away,(AT THE MIDPOINT OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD)(3RD TEMPLE SACRIFICES STOPPED BY DICTATOR) and the abomination that maketh desolate set up,(TO WORSHIP THE DICTATOR OR DIE) there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.(1,290 DAYS)(AN EXTRA 30 DAYS AT THE END OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD FOR JESUS TO DESTROY THE ARMIES AGAINST JERUSALEM.AND TO JUDGE THE SHEEP AND GOAT NATIONS OF MATTHEW 25:31-46-HOW THEY TREATED ISRAEL DURING THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.AND THEN I BELIEVE JESUS WILL REBUILD THE 4TH TEMPLE 25 MILES FROM THE CURRENT TEMPLE MOUNT.AND THEN JESUS RULES FOR THE 1,000 YEARS-THEN FOREVER FROM THAT 4TH TEMPLE.)
MATTHEW 24:15-16
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)(THE DICTATOR SITS IN THE REBUILT 3RD TEMPLE CALLING HIMSELF GOD AT THE MIDPOINT OR 3 1/2 YEAR PERIOD OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.OR 7 YEAR PEACE TREATY BETWEEN ISRAEL-ARABS AND MANY OF DANIEL 9:27)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Israel calls up reservists after Palestinian attacks-Associated Press-SEPT 18,15-YAHOONEWS
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has called up a few hundred reservists to beef up security following outbreaks of violence and Palestinian riots at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site.Friday's decision to draft border police officers came after a week in which Palestinians repeatedly clashed with police at the site in Jerusalem. One Israeli died and several were wounded elsewhere during the week.Police put thousands of officers on patrol and also banned Muslim men under the age of 40 from praying at the site.The site, holy to Jews and Muslims, is a frequent flashpoint. Its fate is a core issue at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinians view Israeli visits to the area as a provocation.Smaller clashes continued in Jerusalem and in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday.
Israel ramps up security in Jerusalem's Old City-Reuters By Luke Baker-SEPT 18,15-YAHOONEWS
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel deployed hundreds of extra police around the Old City of Jerusalem on Friday after Palestinian leaders called for a 'day of rage' to protest at new Israeli security measures.Around 800 extra police were posted in the heart of the city and adjacent Arab neighborhoods, where tensions have been high for the past week, following violent clashes at al-Aqsa Mosque and stone-throwing attacks by Palestinians against Israeli cars.The focus of tension is the compound housing al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock, one of the holiest places in Islam. Jews refer to the area as Temple Mount, where an ancient Jewish temple once stood. It is the most sacred place in Judaism."The Israeli police have heightened security in and around Jerusalem and the Old City in order to prevent and respond to any incidents that could take place," said spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, adding that undercover units had been deployed.In an effort to limit the threat of violence, Israel also banned access to al-Aqsa for all men under 40 on Friday, the Muslim holy day. But rather than putting a cap on unrest, the restrictions risked further fuelling anger and frustration.Palestinian protests were planned in several cities in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including Ramallah, Hebron and Nablus, where a young man was shot by Israeli security forces after throwing a fire bomb, the Israeli army and medics said.There was a heavy police presence at Qalandia, the main checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah, which has become a focal point of demonstrations, with frequent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israel security forces.In East Jerusalem, the predominantly Palestinian side of the city, a municipal bus was attacked with stones, forcing the driver to flee, the police spokesman said. When police arrived at the scene, the bus had been set ablaze.As well as tensions over al-Aqsa, Palestinians are angry at plans by Israel to allow police and soldiers to open fire on anyone seen throwing stones at Israeli vehicles.There have been a series of such attacks in recent weeks, including one that lead to the death of an Israeli driver in Jerusalem. Cars traveling on a highway that cuts through the West Bank have also been targeted.Israel this year increased prison terms for those caught throwing stones to up to 20 years, but it has had little impact, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to propose allowing direct fire at perpetrators.There are also discussions about imposing heavy fines on the parents of youths caught stone-throwing, an act which has long been symbolic of Palestinian opposition to Israeli occupation, particularly during the Intifada, or uprising, in the 1980s.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has spoken to leaders in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt in recent days to raise his concerns about Israel's actions at al-Aqsa, which he sees as an attempt to change the long-standing status quo at the site, where Jewish access is permitted but Jewish prayer banned.Israeli officials in turn accuse Palestinian leaders of inciting violence against Jewish visitors and say the Palestinians themselves are not respecting the status quo by attempting to prevent access by non-Muslims.(Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah and Ari Rabinovitch in Jerusalem; Writing by Luke Baker; Editing by Dominic Evans)
Israel police deploy as Hamas calls 'day of rage'-AFP By Sarah Benhaida-SEPT 18,15-YAHOONEWS
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli police beefed up their numbers in Jerusalem Friday, barring young men from prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque site on what Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas dubbed a "day of rage".They set up heavily-manned checkpoints on streets leading up to the site in Jerusalem's walled Old City, turning back youngsters, while a police surveillance blimp flew overhead."It's a frontline," Mazen Shawish, 52, told AFP. "You have to go though 20 military checkpoints to get to the mosque."Inside the compound, worshippers prayed without incident, in numbers visibly less than on an average Friday when around 25,000 to 35,000 people take part.Mosque officials estimated attendance at around 8,000. Police said there were 10,000.Hundreds of young men denied entry unfolded their prayer mats and performed their devotions just outside the Old City walls.Palestinian protesters have clashed with police at the sacred site for three days over this week's Jewish new year despite international calls for calm.Police said that ahead of the Friday prayers they had an intelligence warning that Arab youths were planning fresh confrontations and decided to keep them away.- Israel 'maintaining status quo' -"It was decided to limit the age of Muslim worshippers," said a police statement."Men aged 40 and above and women of all ages will be permitted to enter for prayers," it said.Israeli authorities fear further trouble ahead when the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha coincides on Wednesday with the solemn Jewish fast of Yom Kippur.And Jews begin their seven-day Sukkot festival the following week, one of the holidays when more Israelis than usual are likely to visit the compound.It is the most sacred site in Judaism, said to be the site of the first and second temples, destroyed by the Babylonians and the Romans.Known to Muslims as Al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary), the compound houses the famous golden Dome of the Rock shrine and Al-Aqsa mosque.Believed to be where the Prophet Mohammed made his night journey to heaven, it is the third-holiest site in Islam after the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, both in Saudi Arabia.Jews are allowed to visit but cannot pray there to avoid further raising tensions.A small but vocal Israeli minority, among them cabinet ministers, are demanding that Jewish prayer be allowed.Israel seized east Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognised internationally.- Rule changes considered -It claims sovereignty over the entire city, including holy sites.To the Palestinians, who want the mainly-Arab eastern side as their capital, the compound with its landmarks is a potent symbol of so-far unrealised statehood.They fear Israel will seek to change rules governing the site, with far-right Jewish groups pushing for more access and even efforts by fringe organisations to erect a new Jewish temple there.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin spoke by phone to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday night seeking to calm such concerns and pledging that the Jewish state "is strictly maintaining the status quo," Netanyahu's office said.Israeli officials accuse the Palestinian leadership of fanning unrest with incendiary remarks against Israelis."Al-Aqsa is ours, the Holy Sepulchre is ours," said Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas this week."They do not have the right to pollute them with their dirty feet, we do not allow them and we will do everything possible to protect Jerusalem."Netanyahu has publicly "declared war" on those who throw rocks and petrol bombs, and became even more adamant after an Israeli motorist died at the wheel on Sunday night, apparently as a consequence of Palestinian stone-throwing, police said.Israeli-driven vehicles are frequently pelted with stones where Jewish and Arab neighbourhoods rub up against each other.One proposal is to let snipers with low-velocity rifles operate against stone-throwers in Jerusalem, as they already do in the occupied West Bank.Justice ministry spokesman Moshe Cohen said that was one of a raft of suggestions currently under scrutiny by legal experts ahead of a government decision.In the West Bank overnight, Israeli troops shot and seriously wounded Ahmed Khatatbeh, 26, near the northern city of Nablus, Palestinian medical sources said.The Israeli army said he was spotted by soldiers when he threw a petrol bomb at a vehicle heading for a nearby Israeli settlement.An Israeli bus was stoned and torched Thursday night in east Jerusalem, its Arab driver escaping uninjured, police said.Netanyahu is proposing measures including changing the circumstances under which police may use live fire, minimum sentences for stone-throwers and penalties against the parents of young suspects.
Holy See won't raise flag at UN before pope visits-Associated Press By EDITH M. LEDERER-September 9, 2015 11:11 PM-YAHOONEWS
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Holy See said Wednesday it will not raise its flag at the United Nations before Pope Francis addresses the world body later this month if the U.N. approves a resolution allowing non-member observer states to fly their flags alongside the 193 member states.The Holy See and Palestine are the only states that are not U.N. members. The Palestinians have sponsored the resolution and hope President Mahmoud Abbas can raise their flag when he addresses the annual meeting of world leaders at the General Assembly on Sept. 30.Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour said he expects the General Assembly to overwhelmingly support the resolution when it votes on Thursday afternoon. Since its founding 70 years ago, only the flags of U.N. member states have flown outside U.N. premises.Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Vatican's apostolic nuncio and U.N. ambassador, told a news conference that the Holy See did not want its name mentioned in the resolution and did not co-sponsor it "because we have generally different priorities."Auza said the Holy See "didn't have any intention to change the practice of the United Nations since its foundation, but we are not against the Palestinians asking for it."As for the Holy See raising its flag before the pope visits the United Nations on Sept. 25, Auza said, "absolutely not — we have no intention to do that."But he would not say whether the flag might fly at the U.N. in the future."That question is open," Auza said. "I couldn't say anything what the Holy See will do later on."Israel has urged U.N. leaders to reject the Palestinians attempt to raise their flag and the country's U.N. Ambassador Ron Prosor has accused the Palestinians of "attempting to swiftly change longstanding U.N. tradition in order to score political points."The Vatican has diplomatic relations with both Israel and the Palestinians.In 1965, the Vatican rejected some 2,000 years of Catholic teachings that Jews were collectively responsible for the death of Christ. And after decades of reluctance to recognize the Jewish state, Polish-born Pope John Paul II forged formal relations with Israel in 1993.The Vatican officially recognized the state of Palestine only a few months ago, in May. With Pope Francis' decision, the Holy See joined some 135 other countries — the vast majority of states in Asia, Africa and Latin America — that recognize Palestine.
UN strongly approves Palestinian proposal to raise flag-Associated Press By CARA ANNA and EDITH M. LEDERER-September 10, 2015 11:48 PM-YAHOONEWS
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution Thursday allowing the Palestinians and the Holy See to raise their flags at U.N. headquarters — a symbolic step pursued by the Palestinians in their quest for an independent state.Israel strongly objected to the proposal and joined seven other countries, including the United States, in voting "no"; 119 nations voted "yes" and 45 abstained.The resolution allows non-member observer states to raise their flags alongside those of the 193 U.N. member states. The Palestinians and the Vatican are the only two observers, but the Holy See has backed away from the effort, saying it will not raise its flag before Pope Francis visits the U.N. later this month.With Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations stalled and little prospect of a two-state solution emerging, the Palestinians have successfully pursued symbolic recognition as a state at the United Nations — winning General Assembly approval in late 2012 to raise their status from an observer to a non-member observer state, by a vote of 138 in favor and nine against. That has allowed the Palestinians to join U.N. bodies, including its cultural organization UNESCO, and many international treaties, including the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court.Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, hailed the "historic vote," calling it "another step towards fulfillment of the promise of independence made to the Palestinian people nearly seven decades ago."He said last week that the Palestinians would like President Mahmoud Abbas to raise their flag after he addresses the General Assembly's annual gathering of world leaders Sept. 30."Of course we know that raising our flag will neither end the (Israeli) occupation nor solve the conflict immediately," Mansour said. "But raising the flag will signal to our people everywhere ... that their freedom is inevitable, and the international community supports them in their journey for justice."Israel's U.N. Ambassador Ron Prosor called the goal of the resolution "a photo op," saying it will not advance prospects for peace, but in his final speech at the United Nations he looked forward to that day."History proves to us that negotiations can be fruitful, that peace is possible, and that we can create a new reality for the people of the region," he said. "I look forward to seeing the image of an Israeli prime minister and a Palestinian leader standing side by side, raising the flags of our two peoples, living together in peace. That will be a photo truly worth taking."Mansour called the resolution "a contribution to the international effort to salvage the two-state solution" and expressed hope that "we may see the day when the state of Palestine and the state of Israel live side by side in peace, coexistence and security, and sharing the bonds of a new era in our region and in our global community."While General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, the United Nations has said it will be guided by the vote. The resolution allows 20 days for implementation and holes for additional flagpoles already exist.The Palestinians' supporters had hoped that no nation would block the proposal and risk offending the Vatican on the eve of Pope Francis' first U.S. and U.N. visit. But the Holy See asked that it not be named in the resolution.Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Vatican's U.N. ambassador, told the assembly after the vote that "the Holy See has always respected the 70-year practice and tradition of the United Nations that there are only flags of member states that are flown at the United Nations." But he said it didn't object to the Palestinian proposal and respects the assembly's decision.He told reporters Wednesday that "we have generally different priorities," and while he ruled out raising the Vatican flag before the pope's Sept. 25 visit, he left open the possibility that it might fly at U.N. headquarters sometime in the future.Some 135 countries — the vast majority in Asia, Africa and Latin America — have recognized a state of Palestine. In May, the Holy See added its recognition, and Auza reiterated the Vatican's support for a two-state solution.The United States and Israel oppose recognizing a Palestinian state, arguing that it undermines efforts to negotiate a peace agreement."Our vote reflects the reality that the parties themselves must ultimately take the constructive, responsible steps required to achieve a two-state solution and end the cycle of violence and suffering that has persisted for far too long in the Middle East," U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told the General Assembly just before the vote.Canada, Australia and several small island states also voted "no." Europe was divided with France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Poland among those voting "yes" while Britain, Germany, the Baltic states and others abstained.
UN Security Council urges calm, restraint at Al-Aqsa-AFP-SEPT 18,15-YAHOONEWS
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council appealed for calm and restraint Thursday after three days of clashes this week at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound between Israeli police and Muslim protesters.In a unanimous declaration, the 15-member panel also expressed its "grave concern" and called for maintaining the rules governing the sensitive site seen as holy by both Muslims and Jews."The members of the Security Council called for the exercise of restraint, refraining from provocative actions and rhetoric, and upholding unchanged the historic status quo" at the compound "in word and in practice," a statement said.The third-holiest site in Islam, the compound is also the holiest site in Judaism, which venerates it as the Temple Mount.It is located in East Jerusalem, annexed by Israel in 1967 and at the core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Both sides see the site as a symbol of religion and nationalism.Under longstanding regulations, Jews are allowed to visit but cannot pray there to avoid provoking tensions. Palestinians are deeply suspicious that Israel will seek to change rules governing the site, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said he has no intention of doing so.Netanyahu assured UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon late Thursday that his country was determined to strictly apply the status quo.The council said both worshippers and visitors should be without fear of violence or intimidation while at the compound.Council members called for an end to the clashes, so that "the situation returns to normality in a way which promotes the prospects for Middle East peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians."
UN chief to host meeting on Israeli-Palestinian conflict-Associated Press By EDITH M. LEDERER-September 4, 2015 3:47 PM-YAHOONEWS
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will host a ministerial meeting of key global players trying to end the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Sept. 30 during the annual high-level session of the General Assembly, the United Nations announced Friday.Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that in addition to foreign ministers from the Quartet of Mideast mediators — the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia — the secretary-general is inviting the Arab League secretary-general and the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to join the meeting.Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians have been stalled since the United States failed to broker a peace agreement in early 2014. The Quartet was sidelined by the U.S.-led efforts, but their failure opened the possibility of a broader international effort to tackle the conflict.Israel's hard-line leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, however, have been unable to agree on ground rules for negotiations.Abbas, backed by most of the international community, says the pre-1967 frontier, before Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, should serve as the starting point for talks on the borders of a future Palestinian state. Netanyahu rejects that.Abbas is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Sept. 30, the same day Ban will host the ministerial meeting.Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour said Thursday he hopes Abbas will be able to raise the Palestinian flag outside U.N. headquarters for the first time that day. He said this could "keep hope alive" among Palestinians at a time when "the political process is dead."The 193-member General Assembly is scheduled to vote Sept. 10 on a resolution, opposed by Israel, that would allow non-member observer states — Palestine and the Holy See — to raise their flags. Mansour said he expects "an overwhelming majority" of states to support it.___Associated Press Writer Karin Laub contributed to this report from Amman, Jordan
Muslims flock to hajj despite deadly crane collapse-AFP By Lynne al-Nahhas-SEPT 18,15-YAHOONEWS
Mecca (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) - Pilgrims from around the world have begun massing in Saudi Arabia for the hajj, one of the biggest gatherings on the planet, undeterred by a crane collapse that killed 108 people at Islam's holiest site.More than 1.2 million faithful have already arrived for the annual hajj, which begins on Tuesday against a backdrop of increased jihadi violence, a surge of the deadly MERS virus and with the kingdom at war in Yemen.From all races and ages, they flocked into the Grand Mosque, where they prayed -- some silently in tears and others loudly in groups carrying their countries' flags.The hajj is among the five pillars of Islam and every capable Muslim must perform the pilgrimage at least once.Previously marred by stampedes and fires that killed hundreds, it had been largely incident-free for the past decade after safety improvements.But on September 11, during severe winds, a construction crane toppled into a courtyard of the Grand Mosque.Saudis, Iranians, Nigerians, Malaysians, Indonesians and Indians were among the dead.About 400 more people were injured, but it has not stopped pilgrims carrying out their rituals."Do you see the number of people here? Do you think they are fearful? It is quite the opposite. People here have faith in God and perceive those that died as martyrs," said Amin al-Rahman of Bangladesh.The crane was one of several on a multi-billion-dollar expansion to accommodate increasing numbers of faithful.With another million pilgrims expected for the hajj, King Salman acted swiftly to sanction the developer, Saudi Binladin Group.Samira Abdulwahab, a pilgrim from Sudan who had just finished circling the cube-shaped Kaaba, which all Muslims face to pray, called the Grand Mosque "the safest place in the world".The Kaaba is now barely visible amid the surrounding construction works.Tawaf, or circumambulating the Kaaba, is a ritual of the pilgrimage performed by the white-clad pilgrims who come from all over the world.They are following the 1,400-year-old tradition of Islam's Prophet Mohammed.- Fears of IS recruitment -While the pilgrims will not notice it, they are arriving in a country at war.Since March, the kingdom has led an Arab coalition conducting air strikes and supporting local forces in Yemen against Shiite Huthi rebels.Hundreds of kilometres (miles) south of the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina, at least 61 Saudi soldiers and civilians have been killed since March in shelling and skirmishes on the Saudi frontier with Yemen.Thousands more people have died inside Yemen.With Sunni Saudi Arabia's Shiite rival Iran backing the Huthis, the Yemen war has raised regional tensions.Tehran and Riyadh also support opposing sides in Syria's civil war, but political differences have not stopped Iran's pilgrims from arriving for hajj.This year's pilgrimage coincides with a refugee crisis in Europe after millions of asylum seekers, most of them Muslim, fled wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.The Islamic State group, which has carried out widespread atrocities and considers Shiites to be heretics, has seized swathes of Syria and Iraq.IS has also killed dozens of people this year in bombings at Shiite mosques in Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Kuwait.Ahmed Nour, a Syrian living in the port city of Jeddah, said there were worries about the threat from the Huthis as well as IS."But I think that authorities here are well-prepared", said Nour, who will undertake the pilgrimage this year.Such attacks "can't be written off completely", said Andrew Hammond, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations' Middle East and North Africa programme."I think it's far more likely that IS would use hajj to recruit and spread their message," Hammond said.A challenge again facing the hajj is potential transmission of the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).The capital Riyadh saw a jump in infections last month.But Health Minister Khaled al-Falih said all pilgrims are so far in "very good, if not excellent health." Saudi Arabia is the country worst affected by MERS, with 528 deaths since the virus appeared in 2012.The health ministry has mobilised 25,000 additional medical staff to support the hajj, but says there has never been a case of MERS among pilgrims.And despite the troubled backdrop, worshippers spoke of their elation at attending an event that marks the peak of their spiritual lives."We feel tremendous. We're very, very excited," said Fawzy Abdulrahman, 59, from the Philippines."We're praying for our kids," he said, holding his wife's hand and melting into the crowds.
ISRAEL SATAN COMES AGAINST
1 CHRONICLES 21:1
1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
GENESIS 12:1-3
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I (GOD) will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee,(ISRAELIS) and curse (DESTROY) him that curseth thee:(DESTROY THEM) and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
ISAIAH 41:11
11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee (ISRAEL) shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing;(DESTROYED) and they that strive with thee shall perish.(ISRAEL HATERS WILL BE TOTALLY DESTROYED)
ISRAELS TROUBLE
JEREMIAH 30:7
7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble;(ISRAEL) but he shall be saved out of it.
DANIEL 12:1,4
1 And at that time shall Michael(ISRAELS WAR ANGEL) stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people:(ISRAEL) and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation(May 14,48) even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro,(WORLD TRAVEL,IMMIGRATION) and knowledge shall be increased.(COMPUTERS,CHIP IMPLANTS ETC)
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.
12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
REBUILT 3RD TEMPLE
REVELATION 11:1-2
1 And there was given me a(MEASURING) reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2 But the court which is without the temple leave out,(TO THE WORLD NATIONS) and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.(JERUSALEM DIVIDED BUT THE 3RD TEMPLE ALLOWED TO BE REBUILT)
DANIEL 9:27
27 And he( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
MICAH 4:1-5
1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.
2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.
DANIEL 11:31
31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.(3RD TEMPLE REBUILT)
DANIEL 12:11
11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away,(AT THE MIDPOINT OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD)(3RD TEMPLE SACRIFICES STOPPED BY DICTATOR) and the abomination that maketh desolate set up,(TO WORSHIP THE DICTATOR OR DIE) there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.(1,290 DAYS)(AN EXTRA 30 DAYS AT THE END OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD FOR JESUS TO DESTROY THE ARMIES AGAINST JERUSALEM.AND TO JUDGE THE SHEEP AND GOAT NATIONS OF MATTHEW 25:31-46-HOW THEY TREATED ISRAEL DURING THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.AND THEN I BELIEVE JESUS WILL REBUILD THE 4TH TEMPLE 25 MILES FROM THE CURRENT TEMPLE MOUNT.AND THEN JESUS RULES FOR THE 1,000 YEARS-THEN FOREVER FROM THAT 4TH TEMPLE.)
MATTHEW 24:15-16
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)(THE DICTATOR SITS IN THE REBUILT 3RD TEMPLE CALLING HIMSELF GOD AT THE MIDPOINT OR 3 1/2 YEAR PERIOD OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.OR 7 YEAR PEACE TREATY BETWEEN ISRAEL-ARABS AND MANY OF DANIEL 9:27)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Israel calls up reservists after Palestinian attacks-Associated Press-SEPT 18,15-YAHOONEWS
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has called up a few hundred reservists to beef up security following outbreaks of violence and Palestinian riots at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site.Friday's decision to draft border police officers came after a week in which Palestinians repeatedly clashed with police at the site in Jerusalem. One Israeli died and several were wounded elsewhere during the week.Police put thousands of officers on patrol and also banned Muslim men under the age of 40 from praying at the site.The site, holy to Jews and Muslims, is a frequent flashpoint. Its fate is a core issue at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinians view Israeli visits to the area as a provocation.Smaller clashes continued in Jerusalem and in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday.
Israel ramps up security in Jerusalem's Old City-Reuters By Luke Baker-SEPT 18,15-YAHOONEWS
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel deployed hundreds of extra police around the Old City of Jerusalem on Friday after Palestinian leaders called for a 'day of rage' to protest at new Israeli security measures.Around 800 extra police were posted in the heart of the city and adjacent Arab neighborhoods, where tensions have been high for the past week, following violent clashes at al-Aqsa Mosque and stone-throwing attacks by Palestinians against Israeli cars.The focus of tension is the compound housing al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock, one of the holiest places in Islam. Jews refer to the area as Temple Mount, where an ancient Jewish temple once stood. It is the most sacred place in Judaism."The Israeli police have heightened security in and around Jerusalem and the Old City in order to prevent and respond to any incidents that could take place," said spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, adding that undercover units had been deployed.In an effort to limit the threat of violence, Israel also banned access to al-Aqsa for all men under 40 on Friday, the Muslim holy day. But rather than putting a cap on unrest, the restrictions risked further fuelling anger and frustration.Palestinian protests were planned in several cities in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including Ramallah, Hebron and Nablus, where a young man was shot by Israeli security forces after throwing a fire bomb, the Israeli army and medics said.There was a heavy police presence at Qalandia, the main checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah, which has become a focal point of demonstrations, with frequent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israel security forces.In East Jerusalem, the predominantly Palestinian side of the city, a municipal bus was attacked with stones, forcing the driver to flee, the police spokesman said. When police arrived at the scene, the bus had been set ablaze.As well as tensions over al-Aqsa, Palestinians are angry at plans by Israel to allow police and soldiers to open fire on anyone seen throwing stones at Israeli vehicles.There have been a series of such attacks in recent weeks, including one that lead to the death of an Israeli driver in Jerusalem. Cars traveling on a highway that cuts through the West Bank have also been targeted.Israel this year increased prison terms for those caught throwing stones to up to 20 years, but it has had little impact, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to propose allowing direct fire at perpetrators.There are also discussions about imposing heavy fines on the parents of youths caught stone-throwing, an act which has long been symbolic of Palestinian opposition to Israeli occupation, particularly during the Intifada, or uprising, in the 1980s.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has spoken to leaders in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt in recent days to raise his concerns about Israel's actions at al-Aqsa, which he sees as an attempt to change the long-standing status quo at the site, where Jewish access is permitted but Jewish prayer banned.Israeli officials in turn accuse Palestinian leaders of inciting violence against Jewish visitors and say the Palestinians themselves are not respecting the status quo by attempting to prevent access by non-Muslims.(Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah and Ari Rabinovitch in Jerusalem; Writing by Luke Baker; Editing by Dominic Evans)
Israel police deploy as Hamas calls 'day of rage'-AFP By Sarah Benhaida-SEPT 18,15-YAHOONEWS
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli police beefed up their numbers in Jerusalem Friday, barring young men from prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque site on what Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas dubbed a "day of rage".They set up heavily-manned checkpoints on streets leading up to the site in Jerusalem's walled Old City, turning back youngsters, while a police surveillance blimp flew overhead."It's a frontline," Mazen Shawish, 52, told AFP. "You have to go though 20 military checkpoints to get to the mosque."Inside the compound, worshippers prayed without incident, in numbers visibly less than on an average Friday when around 25,000 to 35,000 people take part.Mosque officials estimated attendance at around 8,000. Police said there were 10,000.Hundreds of young men denied entry unfolded their prayer mats and performed their devotions just outside the Old City walls.Palestinian protesters have clashed with police at the sacred site for three days over this week's Jewish new year despite international calls for calm.Police said that ahead of the Friday prayers they had an intelligence warning that Arab youths were planning fresh confrontations and decided to keep them away.- Israel 'maintaining status quo' -"It was decided to limit the age of Muslim worshippers," said a police statement."Men aged 40 and above and women of all ages will be permitted to enter for prayers," it said.Israeli authorities fear further trouble ahead when the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha coincides on Wednesday with the solemn Jewish fast of Yom Kippur.And Jews begin their seven-day Sukkot festival the following week, one of the holidays when more Israelis than usual are likely to visit the compound.It is the most sacred site in Judaism, said to be the site of the first and second temples, destroyed by the Babylonians and the Romans.Known to Muslims as Al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary), the compound houses the famous golden Dome of the Rock shrine and Al-Aqsa mosque.Believed to be where the Prophet Mohammed made his night journey to heaven, it is the third-holiest site in Islam after the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, both in Saudi Arabia.Jews are allowed to visit but cannot pray there to avoid further raising tensions.A small but vocal Israeli minority, among them cabinet ministers, are demanding that Jewish prayer be allowed.Israel seized east Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognised internationally.- Rule changes considered -It claims sovereignty over the entire city, including holy sites.To the Palestinians, who want the mainly-Arab eastern side as their capital, the compound with its landmarks is a potent symbol of so-far unrealised statehood.They fear Israel will seek to change rules governing the site, with far-right Jewish groups pushing for more access and even efforts by fringe organisations to erect a new Jewish temple there.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin spoke by phone to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday night seeking to calm such concerns and pledging that the Jewish state "is strictly maintaining the status quo," Netanyahu's office said.Israeli officials accuse the Palestinian leadership of fanning unrest with incendiary remarks against Israelis."Al-Aqsa is ours, the Holy Sepulchre is ours," said Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas this week."They do not have the right to pollute them with their dirty feet, we do not allow them and we will do everything possible to protect Jerusalem."Netanyahu has publicly "declared war" on those who throw rocks and petrol bombs, and became even more adamant after an Israeli motorist died at the wheel on Sunday night, apparently as a consequence of Palestinian stone-throwing, police said.Israeli-driven vehicles are frequently pelted with stones where Jewish and Arab neighbourhoods rub up against each other.One proposal is to let snipers with low-velocity rifles operate against stone-throwers in Jerusalem, as they already do in the occupied West Bank.Justice ministry spokesman Moshe Cohen said that was one of a raft of suggestions currently under scrutiny by legal experts ahead of a government decision.In the West Bank overnight, Israeli troops shot and seriously wounded Ahmed Khatatbeh, 26, near the northern city of Nablus, Palestinian medical sources said.The Israeli army said he was spotted by soldiers when he threw a petrol bomb at a vehicle heading for a nearby Israeli settlement.An Israeli bus was stoned and torched Thursday night in east Jerusalem, its Arab driver escaping uninjured, police said.Netanyahu is proposing measures including changing the circumstances under which police may use live fire, minimum sentences for stone-throwers and penalties against the parents of young suspects.
Holy See won't raise flag at UN before pope visits-Associated Press By EDITH M. LEDERER-September 9, 2015 11:11 PM-YAHOONEWS
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Holy See said Wednesday it will not raise its flag at the United Nations before Pope Francis addresses the world body later this month if the U.N. approves a resolution allowing non-member observer states to fly their flags alongside the 193 member states.The Holy See and Palestine are the only states that are not U.N. members. The Palestinians have sponsored the resolution and hope President Mahmoud Abbas can raise their flag when he addresses the annual meeting of world leaders at the General Assembly on Sept. 30.Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour said he expects the General Assembly to overwhelmingly support the resolution when it votes on Thursday afternoon. Since its founding 70 years ago, only the flags of U.N. member states have flown outside U.N. premises.Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Vatican's apostolic nuncio and U.N. ambassador, told a news conference that the Holy See did not want its name mentioned in the resolution and did not co-sponsor it "because we have generally different priorities."Auza said the Holy See "didn't have any intention to change the practice of the United Nations since its foundation, but we are not against the Palestinians asking for it."As for the Holy See raising its flag before the pope visits the United Nations on Sept. 25, Auza said, "absolutely not — we have no intention to do that."But he would not say whether the flag might fly at the U.N. in the future."That question is open," Auza said. "I couldn't say anything what the Holy See will do later on."Israel has urged U.N. leaders to reject the Palestinians attempt to raise their flag and the country's U.N. Ambassador Ron Prosor has accused the Palestinians of "attempting to swiftly change longstanding U.N. tradition in order to score political points."The Vatican has diplomatic relations with both Israel and the Palestinians.In 1965, the Vatican rejected some 2,000 years of Catholic teachings that Jews were collectively responsible for the death of Christ. And after decades of reluctance to recognize the Jewish state, Polish-born Pope John Paul II forged formal relations with Israel in 1993.The Vatican officially recognized the state of Palestine only a few months ago, in May. With Pope Francis' decision, the Holy See joined some 135 other countries — the vast majority of states in Asia, Africa and Latin America — that recognize Palestine.
UN strongly approves Palestinian proposal to raise flag-Associated Press By CARA ANNA and EDITH M. LEDERER-September 10, 2015 11:48 PM-YAHOONEWS
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution Thursday allowing the Palestinians and the Holy See to raise their flags at U.N. headquarters — a symbolic step pursued by the Palestinians in their quest for an independent state.Israel strongly objected to the proposal and joined seven other countries, including the United States, in voting "no"; 119 nations voted "yes" and 45 abstained.The resolution allows non-member observer states to raise their flags alongside those of the 193 U.N. member states. The Palestinians and the Vatican are the only two observers, but the Holy See has backed away from the effort, saying it will not raise its flag before Pope Francis visits the U.N. later this month.With Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations stalled and little prospect of a two-state solution emerging, the Palestinians have successfully pursued symbolic recognition as a state at the United Nations — winning General Assembly approval in late 2012 to raise their status from an observer to a non-member observer state, by a vote of 138 in favor and nine against. That has allowed the Palestinians to join U.N. bodies, including its cultural organization UNESCO, and many international treaties, including the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court.Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, hailed the "historic vote," calling it "another step towards fulfillment of the promise of independence made to the Palestinian people nearly seven decades ago."He said last week that the Palestinians would like President Mahmoud Abbas to raise their flag after he addresses the General Assembly's annual gathering of world leaders Sept. 30."Of course we know that raising our flag will neither end the (Israeli) occupation nor solve the conflict immediately," Mansour said. "But raising the flag will signal to our people everywhere ... that their freedom is inevitable, and the international community supports them in their journey for justice."Israel's U.N. Ambassador Ron Prosor called the goal of the resolution "a photo op," saying it will not advance prospects for peace, but in his final speech at the United Nations he looked forward to that day."History proves to us that negotiations can be fruitful, that peace is possible, and that we can create a new reality for the people of the region," he said. "I look forward to seeing the image of an Israeli prime minister and a Palestinian leader standing side by side, raising the flags of our two peoples, living together in peace. That will be a photo truly worth taking."Mansour called the resolution "a contribution to the international effort to salvage the two-state solution" and expressed hope that "we may see the day when the state of Palestine and the state of Israel live side by side in peace, coexistence and security, and sharing the bonds of a new era in our region and in our global community."While General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, the United Nations has said it will be guided by the vote. The resolution allows 20 days for implementation and holes for additional flagpoles already exist.The Palestinians' supporters had hoped that no nation would block the proposal and risk offending the Vatican on the eve of Pope Francis' first U.S. and U.N. visit. But the Holy See asked that it not be named in the resolution.Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Vatican's U.N. ambassador, told the assembly after the vote that "the Holy See has always respected the 70-year practice and tradition of the United Nations that there are only flags of member states that are flown at the United Nations." But he said it didn't object to the Palestinian proposal and respects the assembly's decision.He told reporters Wednesday that "we have generally different priorities," and while he ruled out raising the Vatican flag before the pope's Sept. 25 visit, he left open the possibility that it might fly at U.N. headquarters sometime in the future.Some 135 countries — the vast majority in Asia, Africa and Latin America — have recognized a state of Palestine. In May, the Holy See added its recognition, and Auza reiterated the Vatican's support for a two-state solution.The United States and Israel oppose recognizing a Palestinian state, arguing that it undermines efforts to negotiate a peace agreement."Our vote reflects the reality that the parties themselves must ultimately take the constructive, responsible steps required to achieve a two-state solution and end the cycle of violence and suffering that has persisted for far too long in the Middle East," U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told the General Assembly just before the vote.Canada, Australia and several small island states also voted "no." Europe was divided with France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Poland among those voting "yes" while Britain, Germany, the Baltic states and others abstained.
UN Security Council urges calm, restraint at Al-Aqsa-AFP-SEPT 18,15-YAHOONEWS
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council appealed for calm and restraint Thursday after three days of clashes this week at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound between Israeli police and Muslim protesters.In a unanimous declaration, the 15-member panel also expressed its "grave concern" and called for maintaining the rules governing the sensitive site seen as holy by both Muslims and Jews."The members of the Security Council called for the exercise of restraint, refraining from provocative actions and rhetoric, and upholding unchanged the historic status quo" at the compound "in word and in practice," a statement said.The third-holiest site in Islam, the compound is also the holiest site in Judaism, which venerates it as the Temple Mount.It is located in East Jerusalem, annexed by Israel in 1967 and at the core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Both sides see the site as a symbol of religion and nationalism.Under longstanding regulations, Jews are allowed to visit but cannot pray there to avoid provoking tensions. Palestinians are deeply suspicious that Israel will seek to change rules governing the site, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said he has no intention of doing so.Netanyahu assured UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon late Thursday that his country was determined to strictly apply the status quo.The council said both worshippers and visitors should be without fear of violence or intimidation while at the compound.Council members called for an end to the clashes, so that "the situation returns to normality in a way which promotes the prospects for Middle East peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians."
UN chief to host meeting on Israeli-Palestinian conflict-Associated Press By EDITH M. LEDERER-September 4, 2015 3:47 PM-YAHOONEWS
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will host a ministerial meeting of key global players trying to end the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Sept. 30 during the annual high-level session of the General Assembly, the United Nations announced Friday.Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that in addition to foreign ministers from the Quartet of Mideast mediators — the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia — the secretary-general is inviting the Arab League secretary-general and the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to join the meeting.Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians have been stalled since the United States failed to broker a peace agreement in early 2014. The Quartet was sidelined by the U.S.-led efforts, but their failure opened the possibility of a broader international effort to tackle the conflict.Israel's hard-line leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, however, have been unable to agree on ground rules for negotiations.Abbas, backed by most of the international community, says the pre-1967 frontier, before Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, should serve as the starting point for talks on the borders of a future Palestinian state. Netanyahu rejects that.Abbas is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Sept. 30, the same day Ban will host the ministerial meeting.Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour said Thursday he hopes Abbas will be able to raise the Palestinian flag outside U.N. headquarters for the first time that day. He said this could "keep hope alive" among Palestinians at a time when "the political process is dead."The 193-member General Assembly is scheduled to vote Sept. 10 on a resolution, opposed by Israel, that would allow non-member observer states — Palestine and the Holy See — to raise their flags. Mansour said he expects "an overwhelming majority" of states to support it.___Associated Press Writer Karin Laub contributed to this report from Amman, Jordan
Muslims flock to hajj despite deadly crane collapse-AFP By Lynne al-Nahhas-SEPT 18,15-YAHOONEWS
Mecca (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) - Pilgrims from around the world have begun massing in Saudi Arabia for the hajj, one of the biggest gatherings on the planet, undeterred by a crane collapse that killed 108 people at Islam's holiest site.More than 1.2 million faithful have already arrived for the annual hajj, which begins on Tuesday against a backdrop of increased jihadi violence, a surge of the deadly MERS virus and with the kingdom at war in Yemen.From all races and ages, they flocked into the Grand Mosque, where they prayed -- some silently in tears and others loudly in groups carrying their countries' flags.The hajj is among the five pillars of Islam and every capable Muslim must perform the pilgrimage at least once.Previously marred by stampedes and fires that killed hundreds, it had been largely incident-free for the past decade after safety improvements.But on September 11, during severe winds, a construction crane toppled into a courtyard of the Grand Mosque.Saudis, Iranians, Nigerians, Malaysians, Indonesians and Indians were among the dead.About 400 more people were injured, but it has not stopped pilgrims carrying out their rituals."Do you see the number of people here? Do you think they are fearful? It is quite the opposite. People here have faith in God and perceive those that died as martyrs," said Amin al-Rahman of Bangladesh.The crane was one of several on a multi-billion-dollar expansion to accommodate increasing numbers of faithful.With another million pilgrims expected for the hajj, King Salman acted swiftly to sanction the developer, Saudi Binladin Group.Samira Abdulwahab, a pilgrim from Sudan who had just finished circling the cube-shaped Kaaba, which all Muslims face to pray, called the Grand Mosque "the safest place in the world".The Kaaba is now barely visible amid the surrounding construction works.Tawaf, or circumambulating the Kaaba, is a ritual of the pilgrimage performed by the white-clad pilgrims who come from all over the world.They are following the 1,400-year-old tradition of Islam's Prophet Mohammed.- Fears of IS recruitment -While the pilgrims will not notice it, they are arriving in a country at war.Since March, the kingdom has led an Arab coalition conducting air strikes and supporting local forces in Yemen against Shiite Huthi rebels.Hundreds of kilometres (miles) south of the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina, at least 61 Saudi soldiers and civilians have been killed since March in shelling and skirmishes on the Saudi frontier with Yemen.Thousands more people have died inside Yemen.With Sunni Saudi Arabia's Shiite rival Iran backing the Huthis, the Yemen war has raised regional tensions.Tehran and Riyadh also support opposing sides in Syria's civil war, but political differences have not stopped Iran's pilgrims from arriving for hajj.This year's pilgrimage coincides with a refugee crisis in Europe after millions of asylum seekers, most of them Muslim, fled wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.The Islamic State group, which has carried out widespread atrocities and considers Shiites to be heretics, has seized swathes of Syria and Iraq.IS has also killed dozens of people this year in bombings at Shiite mosques in Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Kuwait.Ahmed Nour, a Syrian living in the port city of Jeddah, said there were worries about the threat from the Huthis as well as IS."But I think that authorities here are well-prepared", said Nour, who will undertake the pilgrimage this year.Such attacks "can't be written off completely", said Andrew Hammond, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations' Middle East and North Africa programme."I think it's far more likely that IS would use hajj to recruit and spread their message," Hammond said.A challenge again facing the hajj is potential transmission of the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).The capital Riyadh saw a jump in infections last month.But Health Minister Khaled al-Falih said all pilgrims are so far in "very good, if not excellent health." Saudi Arabia is the country worst affected by MERS, with 528 deaths since the virus appeared in 2012.The health ministry has mobilised 25,000 additional medical staff to support the hajj, but says there has never been a case of MERS among pilgrims.And despite the troubled backdrop, worshippers spoke of their elation at attending an event that marks the peak of their spiritual lives."We feel tremendous. We're very, very excited," said Fawzy Abdulrahman, 59, from the Philippines."We're praying for our kids," he said, holding his wife's hand and melting into the crowds.
