JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
LUKE 21:28-29
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
Israeli envoy urges Trump to move US embassy to Jerusalem-Ron Dermer says controversial move, a campaign pledge of president-elect, would be ‘great step forward’ for peace-By AP and Times of Israel staff December 21, 2016, 3:38 am
The Israeli ambassador to the United States has urged the incoming Trump administration to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, telling guests at a Hanukkah reception at the Israeli embassy in Washington on Tuesday that the controversial move would be a “great step forward” for peace.Trump and his nominee for US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, have pledged to move the embassy. But previous Republican presidents have made that promise without following through.Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer added at the reception that such a move would send a “strong message against delegitimization of Israel.”The US and nearly every other country have their embassies in Tel Aviv. Israel considers Jerusalem its capital, but Palestinians claim part of eastern Jerusalem as the capital for a future Palestinian state.US presidents have repeatedly waived a law requiring the embassy to be moved, but Trump has signaled real intention to go ahead with his campaign promise.Trump’s transition team has begun exploring the logistics of moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv, and checking into sites for its intended new location, Israeli TV reported last week.Israel’s Foreign Ministry is involved in the matter, with officials in Jerusalem checking into when a possible site for the embassy, in an area that includes the Diplomat Hotel in Jerusalem’s Talpiot neighborhood, would be available, Channel 2 reported.Also last week, Trump’s senior aide Kellyanne Conway said moving the embassy was a “very big priority for this president-elect, Donald Trump.” Conway told conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt, in a lengthy interview discussing Trump’s transition to the White House: “He made it very clear during the campaign, and as president-elect, I’ve heard him repeat it several times privately, if not publicly.”During the election, Trump pledged to end the longstanding White House policy to perpetually defer a 1995 Congressional decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and move the embassy there.“It is something that our friend Israel, a great friend in the Middle East, would appreciate and something that a lot of Jewish-Americans have expressed their preference for,” Conway said. “It is a great move. It is an easy move to do based on how much he talked about that in the debates and in the soundbites.”Earlier this month, US President Barack Obama renewed a presidential waiver that again delayed plans to relocate the embassy for another six months.In keeping with every other presidential administration over the last 20 years, Obama cited “national security interests” in waiving Congress’s 1995 decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the embassy there.The most often cited argument against Washington recognizing Jerusalem as the capital and moving its embassy, is that such a move should only come after the successful conclusion of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. The status of Jerusalem is subject to bilateral negotiations, diplomats generally argue, and relocating the embassy as a gesture to Israel before a final-status agreement is signed would greatly anger Palestinians and the larger Arab world, sending an already moribund peace process to its certain death.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that it would be “great” if Trump made good on his campaign promise to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, even as some Israeli security and diplomatic officials, according to reports, are worried about the consequences of an immediate relocation, with fears of adverse reactions from the Arab world and on the streets of Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem.
Amona residents: Peaceful evacuation in doubt if court nixes delay-‘We are not obligated by the agreement,’ spokesman says, as state seeks to postpone clearing outpost until February-By Raoul Wootliff December 20, 2016, 10:21 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
Residents of the Amona outpost will consider cancelling an agreement to leave their homes peacefully if the High Court rejects a state request to delay the court-imposed evacuation slated for this week until February 2017, a spokesman said Tuesday.The government officially asked the High Court of Justice for a month-and-a-half delay in the evacuation on Tuesday, two days after it promised residents of the West Bank outpost to do so as part of a deal for them leave peacefully.Authorities are hoping the deal can prevent a repeat of the violence that followed the destruction of several permanent buildings in the outpost in 2006.“We are not obligated by the agreement,” Amona spokesman Ofer Inbar told The Times of Israel. “If they reject it, we will have to see what to do.”Amona is the largest of about 100 unauthorized outposts — erected without permission but generally tolerated by the government — that dot the West Bank. In December 2014, after multiple appeals and delays, the court accepted the claim that the settlement was built on privately owned Palestinian land and ordered the outpost be evacuated within two years, or no later than December 25 of this year.The state asked the court for a 45-day delay of the evacuation, which currently has to be carried out by Saturday, in order to prepare temporary housing solutions for the families slated to be evicted, according to a statement from the State Attorney’s office.Residents of Amona voted Sunday to accept a proposal that would see 24 of the 41 families moved to an adjacent plot of land while the government worked towards building permanent homes for all residents and creating a new settlement in the area.But the state would not request a further delay even if the preparations for temporary homes were not completed, the statement read.If the request is accepted by the court, the new final date for the evacuation would be February 8, 2017.While the court has already rejected a petition to postpone the dismantling of the settlement, the state hopes the court will accept the new petition based on the residents’ agreement to leave peacefully and the relatively shorter delay — the previous request was for eight months.“We are talking about a concrete request that would allow the willing and peaceful evacuation of Amona’s residents in a way that would drastically limit the possible damaging consequences of the event while providing an appropriate solution tot he families living there,” the 76-page request states.But presenting the petition just four days before until the current deadline for the court-imposed evacuation could be “problematic,” leaving judges with little time to fully consider the request, a spokesperson for the court told The Times of Israel earlier Tuesday.Including the extension in the agreement appeared to have been a bargaining chip used by the government, with the immediate threat of evacuation looming if the deal was not signed.While government officials floated the idea of requesting an extension two weeks ago, a spokesman for the Justice Ministry said “political reasons” held up the request.No court debate is required for judges to rule on the request but they are obligated to ask the anti-settlement group Yesh Din, who originally petitioned the court against Amona, for their response.A spokesman for the group told the Times of Israel that it will oppose the request.
State Department spokesman brands settlements ‘illegal’-John Kirby later clarifies harsh departure from usual language, also stresses US belief that ‘two-state solution is possible, but requires leadership’-By Eric Cortellessa December 20, 2016, 9:48 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
WASHINGTON — State Department spokesman John Kirby reaffirmed the US commitment to a two-state solution and longstanding opposition to Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank — referring in unusually harsh language to the enterprise’s “illegality” — five days after President-elect Donald Trump announced he would appoint an outspoken settlements supporter, David Friedman, to be the next US ambassador to Israel.Speaking with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell on Tuesday afternoon, Kirby responded to Friedman’s nomination by saying the Obama administration’s stance opposing settlement expansion covers “generations of US policy on both sides of the aisle.”“Our policy is entirely consistent with that longstanding view about settlements, and to the degree also, not just the illegality of them, but that they are not helping us get to a two-state solution, and everybody says that they want to get to a two-state solution,” Kirby said.Designating Israel’s settlement of the West Bank “illegal” is unusual for an American official, as US policy has long avoided invoking international law.According to veteran Middle East peace negotiator Dennis Ross, such a characterization would undercut the US negotiating position of seeking to keep in place the major blocs that Israel would likely retain under any permanent accord in exchange for mutually agreed upon land swaps within Israel proper for a future Palestinian state.“Since the Reagan administration, the US made a policy that settlements were a political issue and not a legal issue,” Ross told The Times of Israel in October 2015.President Barack Obama twice bucked that tradition — once in his 2009 Cairo speech and again to the UN General Assembly that same year. However, the term he used in both those speeches referred to the “legitimacy” of the settlements and not their “illegality.”In a later Tweet, Kirby sought to clarify his language, saying he “intended to repeat US position [regarding] illegitimacy of settlements.”Appearing on Mitchell’s program Tuesday, Kirby was asked to respond to Friedman’s appointment and what it may signal for the future of US policy in the region.Over the course of the campaign, the 57-year-old bankruptcy lawyer was vocal in his belief that settlement activity is not an obstacle to peace and that Israel does not face a “demographic threat” to its Jewish character if it fails to separate from the Palestinians.In a November interview with The Times of Israel, Friedman stated that based on his discussions with Trump, “a two-state solution is not a priority” for the president-elect. “I don’t think he is wed to any particularly outcome. A two-state solution is a way, but it’s not the only way,” he said.He also suggested that Trump would not apply pressure to Israel over approving construction projects in the West Bank, saying he would not “dictate to Israel where it can and cannot build” and that “he’s not going to put his finger on the scale or tell Israel what policies they should adopt.”Friedman himself is president of American Friends of Bet El Institutions, an organization that supports a large West Bank settlement just outside Ramallah.Over the last year, he at times excoriated groups who express criticism of Israel’s settlement policy. This summer, Friedman accused supporters of the liberal Zionist organization J Street of being “far worse than kapos” in a column for the far-right Israel National News website, referring to Jews who assisted Nazis during the Holocaust. Speaking before the Brookings Institution’s annual Saban Forum earlier this month, he doubled down on his comparison.Kirby did not directly address Friedman’s history but stated that the United States is “still committed” to “a viable two-state solution.”“Secretary Kerry’s still committed to that, and we’re going to continue to work on it, because we think it is obviously for the betterment not only the Israeli people and the Palestinians, but the whole region,” he said.The next administration, he added, will have to choose what policies it decides to pursue. “That’s really for them to speak to and for them to decide, and for their ambassador designate to work through the confirmation process.”Kirby also reaffirmed the State Department’s belief that the window for a two-state outcome has not closed, but that it rests with the parties’ willingness to make a deal.“We still believe that a viable two-state solution is possible, but it requires leadership, it requires compromise, it requires solid decisions by leaders in the region,” he said. “And thus far, it’s been a struggle to see those leaders make those kids of decisions.”This report was updated to include the clarification John Kirby tweeted following his Tuesday MSNBC interview.
Israeli man seriously hurt in Berlin attack, wife missing-Wounded man in hospital after Monday’s truck ramming in the German capital; officials trying to locate his wife-By Raphael Ahren December 20, 2016, 12:46 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
An Israeli man was wounded during Monday’s attack in Berlin and his wife is missing in the wake of the incident, the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said Tuesday.The man, reportedly in his sixties, is seriously wounded, but has underwent surgery and his life is not in danger, the ministry said. His wife has been declared missing and the Israeli embassy is in contact with German authorities.An Israeli diplomat in Berlin, Leora Givon, went to visit the victim in the hospital, the Foreign Ministry said.The Central Council of Jews in Germany reacted “with great sadness” to Monday’s attack, but cautioned against letting terrorism spoil the spirit of the upcoming holidays. “We are deeply shocked. Especially in the pre-Christmas period, when our society focuses on values like charity, goodness and peace, our country was once again hit by this disgusting attack,” the group’s president Josef Schuster, said in a statement.“Our thoughts are with the victims, their relatives and friends. We wish a speedy recovery.”At the same time, Schuster said, “Our thoughts and deeds must not be overcome by fear and terror.” In a few days, the Christmas and Hanukkah holidays start, Schuster noted. “May the message of these two holidays give us strength in these difficult hours.”The attack Monday saw a truck plow into a crowded Christmas market in the heart of the German capital, killing at least 12 people and injuring nearly 50 in what police described as an “intentional” act and a suspected “terror attack.”German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the market carnage was a “terrorist act” likely committed by an asylum seeker.The truck struck the popular market outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church late in the day, as tourists and locals were enjoying a traditional pre-Christmas evening out near the Berlin Zoo station.Reports said the attacker is a Pakistani man who entered the country about a year ago.The Islamic State group and al-Qaeda have both called on followers to use trucks in particular to attack crowds. On July 14, a truck plowed into Bastille Day revelers in the southern French city of Nice, killing 86 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack, which was carried out by a Tunisian living in France.Times of Israel staff and agencies contributed to this report.
Bomb explodes near Tel Aviv home of noted businessman-No injuries or damage reported in criminal incident believed to be targeting Meir Shamir-By Times of Israel staff December 21, 2016, 1:43 am
A bomb exploded late Tuesday night near the home of a well-known Israeli businessman, in what is believed to be a criminally motivated incident. There were no reported injuries or damage.The bomb was set off on the street in the northern Tel Aviv neighborhood of Tzahala where Meir Shamir, the CEO and chairman of the board of the investment company Mivtach Shamir Holdings, lives with his family. Police said they found a device hooked up to large batteries, which they believe to be the source of the explosion.This is the second time this month Shamir, a former Israeli Air Force pilot, is believed to have been targeted in what appears to be an intimidation campaign. Earlier in December, a bomb exploded near Shamir’s car, yielding no injuries.The 65-year-old business man has had a hand in Israel’s major companies including dairy giant Tnuva, Israel’s largest bank Bank Hapoalim and a number of techonology, real estate and insurance companies.He currently serves as the head of the presidency of Taglit (Birthright Israel), according to Bloomberg.
US-Israel cybersecurity collaboration act signed into law-Bipartisan legislation will expand existing joint research, create grant for new development in IT safety measures-By JTA December 20, 2016, 11:31 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
US President Barack Obama on Friday enacted legislation to strengthen collaborative cybersecurity research and development efforts between the United States and Israel, one of the congressman involved in drafting the bill said Monday.The US-Israel Advanced Research Partnership Act of 2016, which had bipartisan support, will expand existing joint research and create a grant for new development.Reps. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, and Jim Langevin, D-R.I., introduced the measure after returning from a congressional trip to Israel in July that focused on addressing cybersecurity issues facing both countries, Ratcliffe’s office said in the statement issued Monday. Ratcliffe is chairman of the House Homeland Security subcommittee on cybersecurity, infrastructure protection and security technologies.Langevin in a statement said cybersecurity is “the national and economic security challenge of our time, and we must use every resource at our disposal to support research, foster innovation, and fortify our cyber defenses. This must include a collaborative approach that allows us to work with our leading partners, like Israel, to develop new technologies for our cyber incident responders.”The lawmakers said their meetings with top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-defense minister Moshe Yaalon, laid a critical foundation for their US-Israel cybersecurity legislation.“(O)ur discussions with Israeli national security and cybersecurity leaders revealed the immense wealth of untapped potential we can leverage together to collectively vamp up our efforts to combat growing cyber threats,” Ratcliffe said in the statement. “We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to work more closely with a country that’s a proven pioneer in cyber science and a top leader in cyber expertise.”
Netanyahu: Israel ready to take in wounded Syrians from Aleppo-‘We can help mitigate some of the suffering, that’s the best that Israel can do,’ PM tells foreign press-By Raphael Ahren December 20, 2016, 10:16 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he instructed his government to find ways to extend medical assistance to Syrians injured in the latest round of fighting, especially those from the embattled city of Aleppo.“We see the tragedy of terrible suffering of civilians and I’ve asked the Foreign Ministry to seek ways to expand our medical assistance to the civilian casualities of the Syrian tragedy, specifically in Aleppo where we’re prepared to take in wounded women and children, and also men if they’re not combatants,” Netanyahu told foreign journalists during a meeting in Jerusalem.“We’d like to do that: Bring them to Israel, take care of them in our hospitals as we’ve done with thousands of Syrian civilians. We’re looking into ways of doing this; it’s being explored as we speak.”Addressing foreign reporters and diplomats at the Government Press Office’s annual New Year’s reception, Netanyahu said he sees no end of the fighting and that he could not imagine a peaceful resolution to the civil war that would restore the pre-war status quo.“Do I see a resolution of the Syrian situation? No,” he said emphatically. “It’s certainly not going to be one happy Syria, that’s for sure. Will it be a united Syria? I doubt it. You have enclaves there and I don’t think they’re about to disappear.”There is great suffering among the country’s civilian population, but there is very little Israel could do to help them, the prime minister added. “I don’t know if we can resolve [the Syrian civil war]. But we can help mitigate some of the suffering, that’s the best that Israel can do.”Israel and its northern neighbour have formally been at war for decades but following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war it has been treating casualties, including wounded fighters. More than 2,000 Syrians have been treated in Israeli hospitals since 2013, according to the Israeli army.The host of the event, GPO director Nitzan Chen, also addressed “untold suffering” in Syria, saying that “our hearts go out” to the country’s civilians and expressing the wish that “the new year will bring speedy end of their suffering.”In his remarks, Netanyahu also announced more travel plans. In 2017, he would like to visit China to celebrate 25 years of diplomatic relations. His last visit to the country was in 2013. He also said he received an invitation to go to attend a conference of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), where he plans to meet with 15 leaders from the continent.Additionally, he said he plans on accepting an invitation to Eastern Europe to meet with four heads of state and to travel to the “big three” countries of Latin America, though it was not clear which states he was referring to.In February, Netanyahu is set to embark on a 10-day trip to Singapore, Australia and Fiji.Asked by a reporter whether his personal attacks on certain Israeli journalists who have criticized him was the best strategy to engage them, the prime minister replied jokingly: “I don’t know, it’s the most entertaining. It’s fun. I enjoy it.”More seriously, he said that he believes in a free press and that it is every journalist’s right to criticize the government. But Netanyahu added that he in turn has the right to lambast the press when he believes he’s subjected to unfair scrutiny and to break up “monopolies” in the Israeli media market.AFP contributed to this report.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
Israeli envoy urges Trump to move US embassy to Jerusalem-Ron Dermer says controversial move, a campaign pledge of president-elect, would be ‘great step forward’ for peace-By AP and Times of Israel staff December 21, 2016, 3:38 am
The Israeli ambassador to the United States has urged the incoming Trump administration to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, telling guests at a Hanukkah reception at the Israeli embassy in Washington on Tuesday that the controversial move would be a “great step forward” for peace.Trump and his nominee for US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, have pledged to move the embassy. But previous Republican presidents have made that promise without following through.Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer added at the reception that such a move would send a “strong message against delegitimization of Israel.”The US and nearly every other country have their embassies in Tel Aviv. Israel considers Jerusalem its capital, but Palestinians claim part of eastern Jerusalem as the capital for a future Palestinian state.US presidents have repeatedly waived a law requiring the embassy to be moved, but Trump has signaled real intention to go ahead with his campaign promise.Trump’s transition team has begun exploring the logistics of moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv, and checking into sites for its intended new location, Israeli TV reported last week.Israel’s Foreign Ministry is involved in the matter, with officials in Jerusalem checking into when a possible site for the embassy, in an area that includes the Diplomat Hotel in Jerusalem’s Talpiot neighborhood, would be available, Channel 2 reported.Also last week, Trump’s senior aide Kellyanne Conway said moving the embassy was a “very big priority for this president-elect, Donald Trump.” Conway told conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt, in a lengthy interview discussing Trump’s transition to the White House: “He made it very clear during the campaign, and as president-elect, I’ve heard him repeat it several times privately, if not publicly.”During the election, Trump pledged to end the longstanding White House policy to perpetually defer a 1995 Congressional decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and move the embassy there.“It is something that our friend Israel, a great friend in the Middle East, would appreciate and something that a lot of Jewish-Americans have expressed their preference for,” Conway said. “It is a great move. It is an easy move to do based on how much he talked about that in the debates and in the soundbites.”Earlier this month, US President Barack Obama renewed a presidential waiver that again delayed plans to relocate the embassy for another six months.In keeping with every other presidential administration over the last 20 years, Obama cited “national security interests” in waiving Congress’s 1995 decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the embassy there.The most often cited argument against Washington recognizing Jerusalem as the capital and moving its embassy, is that such a move should only come after the successful conclusion of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. The status of Jerusalem is subject to bilateral negotiations, diplomats generally argue, and relocating the embassy as a gesture to Israel before a final-status agreement is signed would greatly anger Palestinians and the larger Arab world, sending an already moribund peace process to its certain death.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that it would be “great” if Trump made good on his campaign promise to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, even as some Israeli security and diplomatic officials, according to reports, are worried about the consequences of an immediate relocation, with fears of adverse reactions from the Arab world and on the streets of Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem.
Amona residents: Peaceful evacuation in doubt if court nixes delay-‘We are not obligated by the agreement,’ spokesman says, as state seeks to postpone clearing outpost until February-By Raoul Wootliff December 20, 2016, 10:21 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
Residents of the Amona outpost will consider cancelling an agreement to leave their homes peacefully if the High Court rejects a state request to delay the court-imposed evacuation slated for this week until February 2017, a spokesman said Tuesday.The government officially asked the High Court of Justice for a month-and-a-half delay in the evacuation on Tuesday, two days after it promised residents of the West Bank outpost to do so as part of a deal for them leave peacefully.Authorities are hoping the deal can prevent a repeat of the violence that followed the destruction of several permanent buildings in the outpost in 2006.“We are not obligated by the agreement,” Amona spokesman Ofer Inbar told The Times of Israel. “If they reject it, we will have to see what to do.”Amona is the largest of about 100 unauthorized outposts — erected without permission but generally tolerated by the government — that dot the West Bank. In December 2014, after multiple appeals and delays, the court accepted the claim that the settlement was built on privately owned Palestinian land and ordered the outpost be evacuated within two years, or no later than December 25 of this year.The state asked the court for a 45-day delay of the evacuation, which currently has to be carried out by Saturday, in order to prepare temporary housing solutions for the families slated to be evicted, according to a statement from the State Attorney’s office.Residents of Amona voted Sunday to accept a proposal that would see 24 of the 41 families moved to an adjacent plot of land while the government worked towards building permanent homes for all residents and creating a new settlement in the area.But the state would not request a further delay even if the preparations for temporary homes were not completed, the statement read.If the request is accepted by the court, the new final date for the evacuation would be February 8, 2017.While the court has already rejected a petition to postpone the dismantling of the settlement, the state hopes the court will accept the new petition based on the residents’ agreement to leave peacefully and the relatively shorter delay — the previous request was for eight months.“We are talking about a concrete request that would allow the willing and peaceful evacuation of Amona’s residents in a way that would drastically limit the possible damaging consequences of the event while providing an appropriate solution tot he families living there,” the 76-page request states.But presenting the petition just four days before until the current deadline for the court-imposed evacuation could be “problematic,” leaving judges with little time to fully consider the request, a spokesperson for the court told The Times of Israel earlier Tuesday.Including the extension in the agreement appeared to have been a bargaining chip used by the government, with the immediate threat of evacuation looming if the deal was not signed.While government officials floated the idea of requesting an extension two weeks ago, a spokesman for the Justice Ministry said “political reasons” held up the request.No court debate is required for judges to rule on the request but they are obligated to ask the anti-settlement group Yesh Din, who originally petitioned the court against Amona, for their response.A spokesman for the group told the Times of Israel that it will oppose the request.
State Department spokesman brands settlements ‘illegal’-John Kirby later clarifies harsh departure from usual language, also stresses US belief that ‘two-state solution is possible, but requires leadership’-By Eric Cortellessa December 20, 2016, 9:48 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
WASHINGTON — State Department spokesman John Kirby reaffirmed the US commitment to a two-state solution and longstanding opposition to Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank — referring in unusually harsh language to the enterprise’s “illegality” — five days after President-elect Donald Trump announced he would appoint an outspoken settlements supporter, David Friedman, to be the next US ambassador to Israel.Speaking with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell on Tuesday afternoon, Kirby responded to Friedman’s nomination by saying the Obama administration’s stance opposing settlement expansion covers “generations of US policy on both sides of the aisle.”“Our policy is entirely consistent with that longstanding view about settlements, and to the degree also, not just the illegality of them, but that they are not helping us get to a two-state solution, and everybody says that they want to get to a two-state solution,” Kirby said.Designating Israel’s settlement of the West Bank “illegal” is unusual for an American official, as US policy has long avoided invoking international law.According to veteran Middle East peace negotiator Dennis Ross, such a characterization would undercut the US negotiating position of seeking to keep in place the major blocs that Israel would likely retain under any permanent accord in exchange for mutually agreed upon land swaps within Israel proper for a future Palestinian state.“Since the Reagan administration, the US made a policy that settlements were a political issue and not a legal issue,” Ross told The Times of Israel in October 2015.President Barack Obama twice bucked that tradition — once in his 2009 Cairo speech and again to the UN General Assembly that same year. However, the term he used in both those speeches referred to the “legitimacy” of the settlements and not their “illegality.”In a later Tweet, Kirby sought to clarify his language, saying he “intended to repeat US position [regarding] illegitimacy of settlements.”Appearing on Mitchell’s program Tuesday, Kirby was asked to respond to Friedman’s appointment and what it may signal for the future of US policy in the region.Over the course of the campaign, the 57-year-old bankruptcy lawyer was vocal in his belief that settlement activity is not an obstacle to peace and that Israel does not face a “demographic threat” to its Jewish character if it fails to separate from the Palestinians.In a November interview with The Times of Israel, Friedman stated that based on his discussions with Trump, “a two-state solution is not a priority” for the president-elect. “I don’t think he is wed to any particularly outcome. A two-state solution is a way, but it’s not the only way,” he said.He also suggested that Trump would not apply pressure to Israel over approving construction projects in the West Bank, saying he would not “dictate to Israel where it can and cannot build” and that “he’s not going to put his finger on the scale or tell Israel what policies they should adopt.”Friedman himself is president of American Friends of Bet El Institutions, an organization that supports a large West Bank settlement just outside Ramallah.Over the last year, he at times excoriated groups who express criticism of Israel’s settlement policy. This summer, Friedman accused supporters of the liberal Zionist organization J Street of being “far worse than kapos” in a column for the far-right Israel National News website, referring to Jews who assisted Nazis during the Holocaust. Speaking before the Brookings Institution’s annual Saban Forum earlier this month, he doubled down on his comparison.Kirby did not directly address Friedman’s history but stated that the United States is “still committed” to “a viable two-state solution.”“Secretary Kerry’s still committed to that, and we’re going to continue to work on it, because we think it is obviously for the betterment not only the Israeli people and the Palestinians, but the whole region,” he said.The next administration, he added, will have to choose what policies it decides to pursue. “That’s really for them to speak to and for them to decide, and for their ambassador designate to work through the confirmation process.”Kirby also reaffirmed the State Department’s belief that the window for a two-state outcome has not closed, but that it rests with the parties’ willingness to make a deal.“We still believe that a viable two-state solution is possible, but it requires leadership, it requires compromise, it requires solid decisions by leaders in the region,” he said. “And thus far, it’s been a struggle to see those leaders make those kids of decisions.”This report was updated to include the clarification John Kirby tweeted following his Tuesday MSNBC interview.
Israeli man seriously hurt in Berlin attack, wife missing-Wounded man in hospital after Monday’s truck ramming in the German capital; officials trying to locate his wife-By Raphael Ahren December 20, 2016, 12:46 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
An Israeli man was wounded during Monday’s attack in Berlin and his wife is missing in the wake of the incident, the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said Tuesday.The man, reportedly in his sixties, is seriously wounded, but has underwent surgery and his life is not in danger, the ministry said. His wife has been declared missing and the Israeli embassy is in contact with German authorities.An Israeli diplomat in Berlin, Leora Givon, went to visit the victim in the hospital, the Foreign Ministry said.The Central Council of Jews in Germany reacted “with great sadness” to Monday’s attack, but cautioned against letting terrorism spoil the spirit of the upcoming holidays. “We are deeply shocked. Especially in the pre-Christmas period, when our society focuses on values like charity, goodness and peace, our country was once again hit by this disgusting attack,” the group’s president Josef Schuster, said in a statement.“Our thoughts are with the victims, their relatives and friends. We wish a speedy recovery.”At the same time, Schuster said, “Our thoughts and deeds must not be overcome by fear and terror.” In a few days, the Christmas and Hanukkah holidays start, Schuster noted. “May the message of these two holidays give us strength in these difficult hours.”The attack Monday saw a truck plow into a crowded Christmas market in the heart of the German capital, killing at least 12 people and injuring nearly 50 in what police described as an “intentional” act and a suspected “terror attack.”German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the market carnage was a “terrorist act” likely committed by an asylum seeker.The truck struck the popular market outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church late in the day, as tourists and locals were enjoying a traditional pre-Christmas evening out near the Berlin Zoo station.Reports said the attacker is a Pakistani man who entered the country about a year ago.The Islamic State group and al-Qaeda have both called on followers to use trucks in particular to attack crowds. On July 14, a truck plowed into Bastille Day revelers in the southern French city of Nice, killing 86 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack, which was carried out by a Tunisian living in France.Times of Israel staff and agencies contributed to this report.
Bomb explodes near Tel Aviv home of noted businessman-No injuries or damage reported in criminal incident believed to be targeting Meir Shamir-By Times of Israel staff December 21, 2016, 1:43 am
A bomb exploded late Tuesday night near the home of a well-known Israeli businessman, in what is believed to be a criminally motivated incident. There were no reported injuries or damage.The bomb was set off on the street in the northern Tel Aviv neighborhood of Tzahala where Meir Shamir, the CEO and chairman of the board of the investment company Mivtach Shamir Holdings, lives with his family. Police said they found a device hooked up to large batteries, which they believe to be the source of the explosion.This is the second time this month Shamir, a former Israeli Air Force pilot, is believed to have been targeted in what appears to be an intimidation campaign. Earlier in December, a bomb exploded near Shamir’s car, yielding no injuries.The 65-year-old business man has had a hand in Israel’s major companies including dairy giant Tnuva, Israel’s largest bank Bank Hapoalim and a number of techonology, real estate and insurance companies.He currently serves as the head of the presidency of Taglit (Birthright Israel), according to Bloomberg.
US-Israel cybersecurity collaboration act signed into law-Bipartisan legislation will expand existing joint research, create grant for new development in IT safety measures-By JTA December 20, 2016, 11:31 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
US President Barack Obama on Friday enacted legislation to strengthen collaborative cybersecurity research and development efforts between the United States and Israel, one of the congressman involved in drafting the bill said Monday.The US-Israel Advanced Research Partnership Act of 2016, which had bipartisan support, will expand existing joint research and create a grant for new development.Reps. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, and Jim Langevin, D-R.I., introduced the measure after returning from a congressional trip to Israel in July that focused on addressing cybersecurity issues facing both countries, Ratcliffe’s office said in the statement issued Monday. Ratcliffe is chairman of the House Homeland Security subcommittee on cybersecurity, infrastructure protection and security technologies.Langevin in a statement said cybersecurity is “the national and economic security challenge of our time, and we must use every resource at our disposal to support research, foster innovation, and fortify our cyber defenses. This must include a collaborative approach that allows us to work with our leading partners, like Israel, to develop new technologies for our cyber incident responders.”The lawmakers said their meetings with top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-defense minister Moshe Yaalon, laid a critical foundation for their US-Israel cybersecurity legislation.“(O)ur discussions with Israeli national security and cybersecurity leaders revealed the immense wealth of untapped potential we can leverage together to collectively vamp up our efforts to combat growing cyber threats,” Ratcliffe said in the statement. “We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to work more closely with a country that’s a proven pioneer in cyber science and a top leader in cyber expertise.”
Netanyahu: Israel ready to take in wounded Syrians from Aleppo-‘We can help mitigate some of the suffering, that’s the best that Israel can do,’ PM tells foreign press-By Raphael Ahren December 20, 2016, 10:16 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he instructed his government to find ways to extend medical assistance to Syrians injured in the latest round of fighting, especially those from the embattled city of Aleppo.“We see the tragedy of terrible suffering of civilians and I’ve asked the Foreign Ministry to seek ways to expand our medical assistance to the civilian casualities of the Syrian tragedy, specifically in Aleppo where we’re prepared to take in wounded women and children, and also men if they’re not combatants,” Netanyahu told foreign journalists during a meeting in Jerusalem.“We’d like to do that: Bring them to Israel, take care of them in our hospitals as we’ve done with thousands of Syrian civilians. We’re looking into ways of doing this; it’s being explored as we speak.”Addressing foreign reporters and diplomats at the Government Press Office’s annual New Year’s reception, Netanyahu said he sees no end of the fighting and that he could not imagine a peaceful resolution to the civil war that would restore the pre-war status quo.“Do I see a resolution of the Syrian situation? No,” he said emphatically. “It’s certainly not going to be one happy Syria, that’s for sure. Will it be a united Syria? I doubt it. You have enclaves there and I don’t think they’re about to disappear.”There is great suffering among the country’s civilian population, but there is very little Israel could do to help them, the prime minister added. “I don’t know if we can resolve [the Syrian civil war]. But we can help mitigate some of the suffering, that’s the best that Israel can do.”Israel and its northern neighbour have formally been at war for decades but following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war it has been treating casualties, including wounded fighters. More than 2,000 Syrians have been treated in Israeli hospitals since 2013, according to the Israeli army.The host of the event, GPO director Nitzan Chen, also addressed “untold suffering” in Syria, saying that “our hearts go out” to the country’s civilians and expressing the wish that “the new year will bring speedy end of their suffering.”In his remarks, Netanyahu also announced more travel plans. In 2017, he would like to visit China to celebrate 25 years of diplomatic relations. His last visit to the country was in 2013. He also said he received an invitation to go to attend a conference of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), where he plans to meet with 15 leaders from the continent.Additionally, he said he plans on accepting an invitation to Eastern Europe to meet with four heads of state and to travel to the “big three” countries of Latin America, though it was not clear which states he was referring to.In February, Netanyahu is set to embark on a 10-day trip to Singapore, Australia and Fiji.Asked by a reporter whether his personal attacks on certain Israeli journalists who have criticized him was the best strategy to engage them, the prime minister replied jokingly: “I don’t know, it’s the most entertaining. It’s fun. I enjoy it.”More seriously, he said that he believes in a free press and that it is every journalist’s right to criticize the government. But Netanyahu added that he in turn has the right to lambast the press when he believes he’s subjected to unfair scrutiny and to break up “monopolies” in the Israeli media market.AFP contributed to this report.
