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
Palestinian teen arrested in Hebron with a knife-Police search youth when he tries to dodge security outside Patriarch's Tomb, in second such incident since Sunday-By TOI staff-NOV 27,17
Border guards arrested a Palestinian teenager on Monday morning, as he tried to dodge security at a checkpoint leading to the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank city of Hebron, police said.Suspicious officers asked him to lift his shirt and saw that he was carrying a knife in his pants, police said in a statement that noted the suspect was about 16 years old.A very similar incident took place Sunday afternoon, when police arrested a 17-year-old boy at the same place, trying to do the same thing.In both cases, the youths were attempting to get through to the site, holy to both Jews and Muslims, with a concealed blade.A similar incident also occurred earlier this month.The flash point city of Hebron, where Palestinians live in close proximity to settlers who are guarded by Israeli troops, has been the scene of numerous stabbings and attempted stabbings since a wave of attacks carried out by Palestinians began in October 2015.
Security cabinet to convene on threats along northern border-Monday's meeting is first since announcement of ceasefire in south Syria, Hariri resignation crisis in Lebanon-By TOI staff-NOV 27,17
The security cabinet will convene Monday morning to discuss the situation and threats along Israel’s northern border, amidst ceasefire efforts in southern Syria and political upheavals in Lebanon.Monday’s meeting will be the first by the high-level forum since the United States, Russia and Jordan announced the agreement earlier this month, and since Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation from Riyadh, sparking heightened regional tensions amid rumors of Saudi intervention.On Sunday night Israeli TV reported Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Syrian President Bashar Assad that Israel will intervene militarily in the Syrian civil war if Assad allows Iran to establish a military presence in Syria.Netanyahu conveyed the message to Assad via a third party, Hadashot news (formerly Channel 2) veteran Middle East analyst Ehud Yaari reported.The warning specified that Israel will depart from the policy of non-intervention it has maintained throughout the six years of the civil war to date, Yaari said, if Assad “invites Iranian forces to establish themselves in Syria via an agreement of any kind.” Iran has provided significant logistical, technical, training and financial support for Assad’s regime and forces, as well as deploying military advisers and some combat troops in Syria. It also arms, trains and funds Hezbollah, the Lebanese terror group that has sent thousands of gunmen to fight alongside Assad’s troops.Thus far, Israel has provided medical and humanitarian aid to victims of the war across its border, has hit back when gunfire has crossed the border, and has used air strikes to target weapons stores and convoys intended for the Hezbollah terrorist organization. But, to date, “there was no direct targeting of the Syrian Army or of Assad,” Yaari noted.The report noted tellingly that this non-intervention contrasted with previous Israeli policy. In 2006, for instance, Israeli jets broke the sound barrier flying over Assad’s presidential palace in Latakia, in what was seen as a warning to him against supporting Palestinian terrorist groups.The reference to any formal Syrian “invitation” or “agreement” with Iran, the TV report elaborated, stems from the fact that Iran and Russia have been discussing future arrangements for Syria, under which all foreign forces would have to leave the country, except those which are present by agreement with, or invitation from, Assad. Russia’s forces are engaged in Syria on the basis of such an invitation, and Netanyahu’s aim in issuing the warning “is to deter Assad from issuing” a similar invitation to Iran.The Iranians, the TV report noted, want to build “a naval base, possibly for submarines, an air base and arms factories for precision weapons.”Earlier this month, the BBC, citing a Western security official, reported that Iran was setting up a permanent base on a site used by the Syrian army near el-Kiswah, 14 kilometers (8 miles) south of Damascus, and 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Israeli border.Sunday’s TV report came days after Netanyahu was quoted telling French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call that Israel sees Iranian activity in Syria as “a target” for its forces, and may carry out strikes against Iranian objectives if security needs require it.Netanyahu vowed in a speech last week that Iran would not be allowed to gain a regional foothold. “We have made it clear many times that we will not accept nuclear weapons in Iran’s hands, nor will we allow the establishment of Iranian forces near our border, in the Syrian region in general, or anywhere else,” he said.On November 21, Netanyahu also spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone about the ceasefire deal in the Syrian civil war and the Iranian presence near Israel’s borders, the Prime Minister’s Office said. “The conversation lasted about half an hour and dealt with Syria, and Iran’s attempt to entrench itself in Syria,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. “Netanyahu insisted on Israeli security and reiterated his opposition to Iran’s entrenchment in Syria.”
Israel says it will ‘lend a hand’ in Egypt’s fight against Islamic State-Jerusalem already allows extra Egyptian forces in Sinai and, according to foreign reports, carries out its own drone strikes on terrorists there-By Judah Ari Gross-TOI-26 November 2017
Israel, according to foreign reports, has assisted Egypt throughout its fight against the Islamic State insurgency in the northern Sinai Peninsula, including intelligence sharing and even allegedly carrying out drone strikes against the terrorists.But in the wake of the deadliest terror attack ever on Egyptian soil, Israeli officials were evasive on specific actions being taken by Israel following the devastating mosque massacre on Friday that killed over 300 people, including at least 27 children.“The Israeli defense establishment expressed its sympathies and, as always, is willing to lend a hand to any country in order to help fight terror,” an Israeli security official said Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity.“That’s how it was in this case, and how it will also be in the future,” he added.Asked specifically if Israel was cooperating with the Egyptians, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon told Channel 13 in an interview that “this is an issue to discuss in the cabinet.”Israel has assisted Egypt throughout its fight with the Islamic State terrorist group in the Sinai, and its precursors. According to foreign reports, this has included conducting drone strikes in the peninsula on Islamic State targets. It has also reportedly taken the form of significant intelligence sharing.More publicly, since 2013, Israel has also allowed additional Egyptian forces into the peninsula, beyond the level permitted under the 1979 peace accord between the two countries. Heavy weapons, like tanks, artillery and attack helicopters, have been brought into Sinai to fight the Islamists, a sign that Jerusalem is not concerned those big Egyptian guns could be turned against it.According to Egyptian media on Sunday, the country has yet to ask Israel to permit it to bring in even more troops to the restive region. An Egyptian military spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation.On Friday, a group of 25 to 30 armed terrorists, wearing camouflage and carrying Islamic State black flags, carried out the deadly massacre at a mosque that is associated with followers of the mystical Sufi branch of Sunni Islam outside the northern Sinai city of al-Arish, Egyptian officials said Saturday, as the death toll rose to 305, including 27 children.IS, which is conducting a deadly insurgency in the Sinai, has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but it is the main suspect as the terror group has branded Sufi Muslims “heretics.”A statement by Egypt’s chief prosecutor, Nabil Sadeq, said Friday’s attack left another 128 people wounded.It said the terrorists arrived at the mosque close to the small town of Bir al-Abd in five all-terrain vehicles and positioned themselves at the main door and the facility’s 12 windows. After setting off an explosion in the mosque, they opened fire on the fleeing worshipers.“This is a serious threat and challenge presented by people of darkness, who indiscriminately slaughter kids, families, adults and the elderly,” the Israeli defense official said Sunday.The Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday condemned the “terrible and despicable terror attack carried out on the Mosque near al-Arish and send condolences in the name of all the citizens of Israel to President (Abdel-Fattah) el-Sissi, the Egyptian nation, and the families of the victims.”In the statement, the prime minister added, “The terror will be defeated faster if all nations work together against it.”Also Saturday, President Reuven Rivlin condemned the attack as “pure evil.”In response to the gruesome attack, the Egyptian military launched a reprisal campaign, sending air force jets to destroy the vehicles used in the mosque attack and target locations where weaponry was stored, Egyptian army spokesperson Tamer el-Refai said on Friday.Israel has had relatively few direct run-ins with the Islamic State group affiliate in the Sinai Peninsula, though it had more clashes with the group’s predecessor, Ansar Bait al-Maqdis.The jihadists there have launched rockets at Israel on multiple occasions, most recently in October. The most daring took place in February when multiple missiles were fired at the southern city of Eilat, far from the terror group’s home base in the northern Sinai.Analysts say these rocket attacks against Israel are more likely a propaganda exercise than serious attempts to start a war with the Jewish state.In July, Bloomberg news reported that Israel has carried out multiple drone strikes against the Islamic State affiliate in the Sinai, citing an unnamed former senior official.The airstrikes were conducted with Egypt’s knowledge and blessing, according to the ex-official, who spoke to the US-based news site on condition of anonymity.According to foreign reports, Jerusalem and Cairo have long cooperated closely on security measures in the Sinai and Gaza. However, the report shed additional light on the countries’ covert security cooperation, which has come along with increasingly close ties on the political front.Islamists in the Sinai, who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2014, have waged an insurgency against Egyptian forces since the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.Fighting has intensified in recent years, following a 2013 coup by current President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to remove Muslim Brotherhood-linked leader Mohammed Morsi from power.The two countries have entered something of a golden age in their relationship since Sissi assumed the country’s leadership.“This is one of the best times we’ve ever had,” in terms of cooperation between governments, Israeli ambassador to Cairo Haim Koren said last year. “There’s good cooperation between the armies, we have understandings about the Sinai Peninsula, and basically, we see (eye-to-eye) on development of the region.”After decades of wars followed by years of an uneasy peace, Israel has emerged as an increasingly public ally to Sissi, along with powerhouse Saudi Arabia and smaller, wealthy Gulf Arab countries.Israel often praises Sissi for his tough stance on terrorism, and considers him a key ally in what it sees as a shared battled against Islamic extremists.Agencies contributed to this report.
Turkey expects Trump to ‘keep promise’ not to arm Syria Kurds-Ankara says US president pledged to halt weapons to group; White House insists it only promised 'adjustments' to military support-By AFP-TOI-NOV 27,17
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey expects US President Donald Trump to stick to his promise not to supply weapons to the Syrian Kurdish militia fighting Islamic State jihadists, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday.“It is our most natural right to expect Trump to keep his promise,” Cavusoglu said in televised comments in the southern Mediterranean resort of Antalya.“Naturally, as I said yesterday, we want to see this applied,” he added.Ankara’s top diplomat on Friday said Trump had told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he has given an order that weapons should no longer be supplied to the Kurdish YPG militia, during a phone call between the leaders.The YPG is the Kurdish Peoples’ Protection Units militia in Syria, which Washington views as the most effective fighting force on the ground against the IS extremist group.However, Ankara sees the YPG and its political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), as “terrorists” linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).Proscribed by Turkey and its Western allies including the US as a “terror” group, the PKK has waged an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984.But the White House was less explicit about the US military’s intentions towards the YPG, only saying that Trump informed Erdogan “of pending adjustments to the military support provided to our partners on the ground in Syria.”In recent months, the YPG has recaptured territory from IS, including the former de facto IS capital of Raqa in northern Syria.Ties between Washington and Ankara have been tense since the administration of former president Barack Obama over US support for the YPG and also the failure to extradite Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of masterminding last year’s failed coup to overthrow Erdogan.Gulen vehemently denies the charges.
Russian strikes kill 53 civilians in Syria, monitor says-21 children said to be among the dead in village held by Islamic State in country's east-By AFP-TOI-NOV 27,17
BEIRUT, Lebanon — At least 53 civilians, including 21 children, perished early Sunday morning when Russian air strikes hit “residential buildings” in a village held by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, a monitor said.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit the village of Al-Shafah in Deir Ezzor province, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River.The Observatory relies on a network of sources inside Syria, and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used.The monitor had initially given a death toll of 34 civilians but the number spiked after more bodies were recovered.“The toll increased after removing the debris in a long day of rescue operation,” Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP, adding the strikes hit “residential buildings”.At least 18 people were also wounded in the air raids, he added.Russia is a close ally of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, and in September 2015 began a military intervention in support of his government that has gradually helped Damascus regain territory.Syria’s Deir Ezzor is one of the last places IS jihadists hold territory in the country, after being driven from their major strongholds including their one-time de facto Syrian capital Raqqa city.The oil-rich eastern province that borders Iraq was once almost completely under IS control, but the jihadists now hold just nine percent of Deir Ezzor, according to the Observatory.They have faced two separate offensives there, one led by the regime with Russian backing and the other by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters.More than 340,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.The latest strikes come as the United Nations tries to revitalize its flagging efforts to end a six-year civil war that has left Syria devastated and huge swaths of its population refugees.On Tuesday, the eighth round of UN-brokered talks will kick off.They have achieved little so far, but may be bolstered by the opposition’s decision to bring a unified delegation to Geneva for the first time.For progress to happen rival sides will need to overcome the hurdle that has derailed past discussions: the fate of Syrian President Bashar Assad.He retains Moscow’s support but is loathed by much of Syria’s rebel opposition who want him gone.Backed by Russia’s decisive military support, Assad’s government has regained control of 55 percent of the country, including major cities Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Hama, and around two-thirds of the population lives in regime-held areas.The rest is carved up between rebel factions, jihadists and Kurdish forces.Some experts believe that Russia has clearly put itself in the driver’s seat in recent months, especially as US President Donald Trump’s administration has pulled back from Syrian diplomatic front.Russia, fellow regime ally Iran and rebel-backer Turkey have hosted negotiations in the Kazakh capital Astana that led to the creation of four “de-escalation zones” which produced a drop in violence, though deadly air strikes and battles continue in some areas.And this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a “congress” of Syrian regime and opposition figures, a move backed by Ankara and Tehran.
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
Palestinian teen arrested in Hebron with a knife-Police search youth when he tries to dodge security outside Patriarch's Tomb, in second such incident since Sunday-By TOI staff-NOV 27,17
Border guards arrested a Palestinian teenager on Monday morning, as he tried to dodge security at a checkpoint leading to the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank city of Hebron, police said.Suspicious officers asked him to lift his shirt and saw that he was carrying a knife in his pants, police said in a statement that noted the suspect was about 16 years old.A very similar incident took place Sunday afternoon, when police arrested a 17-year-old boy at the same place, trying to do the same thing.In both cases, the youths were attempting to get through to the site, holy to both Jews and Muslims, with a concealed blade.A similar incident also occurred earlier this month.The flash point city of Hebron, where Palestinians live in close proximity to settlers who are guarded by Israeli troops, has been the scene of numerous stabbings and attempted stabbings since a wave of attacks carried out by Palestinians began in October 2015.
Security cabinet to convene on threats along northern border-Monday's meeting is first since announcement of ceasefire in south Syria, Hariri resignation crisis in Lebanon-By TOI staff-NOV 27,17
The security cabinet will convene Monday morning to discuss the situation and threats along Israel’s northern border, amidst ceasefire efforts in southern Syria and political upheavals in Lebanon.Monday’s meeting will be the first by the high-level forum since the United States, Russia and Jordan announced the agreement earlier this month, and since Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation from Riyadh, sparking heightened regional tensions amid rumors of Saudi intervention.On Sunday night Israeli TV reported Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Syrian President Bashar Assad that Israel will intervene militarily in the Syrian civil war if Assad allows Iran to establish a military presence in Syria.Netanyahu conveyed the message to Assad via a third party, Hadashot news (formerly Channel 2) veteran Middle East analyst Ehud Yaari reported.The warning specified that Israel will depart from the policy of non-intervention it has maintained throughout the six years of the civil war to date, Yaari said, if Assad “invites Iranian forces to establish themselves in Syria via an agreement of any kind.” Iran has provided significant logistical, technical, training and financial support for Assad’s regime and forces, as well as deploying military advisers and some combat troops in Syria. It also arms, trains and funds Hezbollah, the Lebanese terror group that has sent thousands of gunmen to fight alongside Assad’s troops.Thus far, Israel has provided medical and humanitarian aid to victims of the war across its border, has hit back when gunfire has crossed the border, and has used air strikes to target weapons stores and convoys intended for the Hezbollah terrorist organization. But, to date, “there was no direct targeting of the Syrian Army or of Assad,” Yaari noted.The report noted tellingly that this non-intervention contrasted with previous Israeli policy. In 2006, for instance, Israeli jets broke the sound barrier flying over Assad’s presidential palace in Latakia, in what was seen as a warning to him against supporting Palestinian terrorist groups.The reference to any formal Syrian “invitation” or “agreement” with Iran, the TV report elaborated, stems from the fact that Iran and Russia have been discussing future arrangements for Syria, under which all foreign forces would have to leave the country, except those which are present by agreement with, or invitation from, Assad. Russia’s forces are engaged in Syria on the basis of such an invitation, and Netanyahu’s aim in issuing the warning “is to deter Assad from issuing” a similar invitation to Iran.The Iranians, the TV report noted, want to build “a naval base, possibly for submarines, an air base and arms factories for precision weapons.”Earlier this month, the BBC, citing a Western security official, reported that Iran was setting up a permanent base on a site used by the Syrian army near el-Kiswah, 14 kilometers (8 miles) south of Damascus, and 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Israeli border.Sunday’s TV report came days after Netanyahu was quoted telling French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call that Israel sees Iranian activity in Syria as “a target” for its forces, and may carry out strikes against Iranian objectives if security needs require it.Netanyahu vowed in a speech last week that Iran would not be allowed to gain a regional foothold. “We have made it clear many times that we will not accept nuclear weapons in Iran’s hands, nor will we allow the establishment of Iranian forces near our border, in the Syrian region in general, or anywhere else,” he said.On November 21, Netanyahu also spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone about the ceasefire deal in the Syrian civil war and the Iranian presence near Israel’s borders, the Prime Minister’s Office said. “The conversation lasted about half an hour and dealt with Syria, and Iran’s attempt to entrench itself in Syria,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. “Netanyahu insisted on Israeli security and reiterated his opposition to Iran’s entrenchment in Syria.”
Israel says it will ‘lend a hand’ in Egypt’s fight against Islamic State-Jerusalem already allows extra Egyptian forces in Sinai and, according to foreign reports, carries out its own drone strikes on terrorists there-By Judah Ari Gross-TOI-26 November 2017
Israel, according to foreign reports, has assisted Egypt throughout its fight against the Islamic State insurgency in the northern Sinai Peninsula, including intelligence sharing and even allegedly carrying out drone strikes against the terrorists.But in the wake of the deadliest terror attack ever on Egyptian soil, Israeli officials were evasive on specific actions being taken by Israel following the devastating mosque massacre on Friday that killed over 300 people, including at least 27 children.“The Israeli defense establishment expressed its sympathies and, as always, is willing to lend a hand to any country in order to help fight terror,” an Israeli security official said Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity.“That’s how it was in this case, and how it will also be in the future,” he added.Asked specifically if Israel was cooperating with the Egyptians, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon told Channel 13 in an interview that “this is an issue to discuss in the cabinet.”Israel has assisted Egypt throughout its fight with the Islamic State terrorist group in the Sinai, and its precursors. According to foreign reports, this has included conducting drone strikes in the peninsula on Islamic State targets. It has also reportedly taken the form of significant intelligence sharing.More publicly, since 2013, Israel has also allowed additional Egyptian forces into the peninsula, beyond the level permitted under the 1979 peace accord between the two countries. Heavy weapons, like tanks, artillery and attack helicopters, have been brought into Sinai to fight the Islamists, a sign that Jerusalem is not concerned those big Egyptian guns could be turned against it.According to Egyptian media on Sunday, the country has yet to ask Israel to permit it to bring in even more troops to the restive region. An Egyptian military spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation.On Friday, a group of 25 to 30 armed terrorists, wearing camouflage and carrying Islamic State black flags, carried out the deadly massacre at a mosque that is associated with followers of the mystical Sufi branch of Sunni Islam outside the northern Sinai city of al-Arish, Egyptian officials said Saturday, as the death toll rose to 305, including 27 children.IS, which is conducting a deadly insurgency in the Sinai, has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but it is the main suspect as the terror group has branded Sufi Muslims “heretics.”A statement by Egypt’s chief prosecutor, Nabil Sadeq, said Friday’s attack left another 128 people wounded.It said the terrorists arrived at the mosque close to the small town of Bir al-Abd in five all-terrain vehicles and positioned themselves at the main door and the facility’s 12 windows. After setting off an explosion in the mosque, they opened fire on the fleeing worshipers.“This is a serious threat and challenge presented by people of darkness, who indiscriminately slaughter kids, families, adults and the elderly,” the Israeli defense official said Sunday.The Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday condemned the “terrible and despicable terror attack carried out on the Mosque near al-Arish and send condolences in the name of all the citizens of Israel to President (Abdel-Fattah) el-Sissi, the Egyptian nation, and the families of the victims.”In the statement, the prime minister added, “The terror will be defeated faster if all nations work together against it.”Also Saturday, President Reuven Rivlin condemned the attack as “pure evil.”In response to the gruesome attack, the Egyptian military launched a reprisal campaign, sending air force jets to destroy the vehicles used in the mosque attack and target locations where weaponry was stored, Egyptian army spokesperson Tamer el-Refai said on Friday.Israel has had relatively few direct run-ins with the Islamic State group affiliate in the Sinai Peninsula, though it had more clashes with the group’s predecessor, Ansar Bait al-Maqdis.The jihadists there have launched rockets at Israel on multiple occasions, most recently in October. The most daring took place in February when multiple missiles were fired at the southern city of Eilat, far from the terror group’s home base in the northern Sinai.Analysts say these rocket attacks against Israel are more likely a propaganda exercise than serious attempts to start a war with the Jewish state.In July, Bloomberg news reported that Israel has carried out multiple drone strikes against the Islamic State affiliate in the Sinai, citing an unnamed former senior official.The airstrikes were conducted with Egypt’s knowledge and blessing, according to the ex-official, who spoke to the US-based news site on condition of anonymity.According to foreign reports, Jerusalem and Cairo have long cooperated closely on security measures in the Sinai and Gaza. However, the report shed additional light on the countries’ covert security cooperation, which has come along with increasingly close ties on the political front.Islamists in the Sinai, who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2014, have waged an insurgency against Egyptian forces since the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.Fighting has intensified in recent years, following a 2013 coup by current President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to remove Muslim Brotherhood-linked leader Mohammed Morsi from power.The two countries have entered something of a golden age in their relationship since Sissi assumed the country’s leadership.“This is one of the best times we’ve ever had,” in terms of cooperation between governments, Israeli ambassador to Cairo Haim Koren said last year. “There’s good cooperation between the armies, we have understandings about the Sinai Peninsula, and basically, we see (eye-to-eye) on development of the region.”After decades of wars followed by years of an uneasy peace, Israel has emerged as an increasingly public ally to Sissi, along with powerhouse Saudi Arabia and smaller, wealthy Gulf Arab countries.Israel often praises Sissi for his tough stance on terrorism, and considers him a key ally in what it sees as a shared battled against Islamic extremists.Agencies contributed to this report.
Turkey expects Trump to ‘keep promise’ not to arm Syria Kurds-Ankara says US president pledged to halt weapons to group; White House insists it only promised 'adjustments' to military support-By AFP-TOI-NOV 27,17
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey expects US President Donald Trump to stick to his promise not to supply weapons to the Syrian Kurdish militia fighting Islamic State jihadists, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday.“It is our most natural right to expect Trump to keep his promise,” Cavusoglu said in televised comments in the southern Mediterranean resort of Antalya.“Naturally, as I said yesterday, we want to see this applied,” he added.Ankara’s top diplomat on Friday said Trump had told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he has given an order that weapons should no longer be supplied to the Kurdish YPG militia, during a phone call between the leaders.The YPG is the Kurdish Peoples’ Protection Units militia in Syria, which Washington views as the most effective fighting force on the ground against the IS extremist group.However, Ankara sees the YPG and its political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), as “terrorists” linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).Proscribed by Turkey and its Western allies including the US as a “terror” group, the PKK has waged an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984.But the White House was less explicit about the US military’s intentions towards the YPG, only saying that Trump informed Erdogan “of pending adjustments to the military support provided to our partners on the ground in Syria.”In recent months, the YPG has recaptured territory from IS, including the former de facto IS capital of Raqa in northern Syria.Ties between Washington and Ankara have been tense since the administration of former president Barack Obama over US support for the YPG and also the failure to extradite Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of masterminding last year’s failed coup to overthrow Erdogan.Gulen vehemently denies the charges.
Russian strikes kill 53 civilians in Syria, monitor says-21 children said to be among the dead in village held by Islamic State in country's east-By AFP-TOI-NOV 27,17
BEIRUT, Lebanon — At least 53 civilians, including 21 children, perished early Sunday morning when Russian air strikes hit “residential buildings” in a village held by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, a monitor said.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit the village of Al-Shafah in Deir Ezzor province, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River.The Observatory relies on a network of sources inside Syria, and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used.The monitor had initially given a death toll of 34 civilians but the number spiked after more bodies were recovered.“The toll increased after removing the debris in a long day of rescue operation,” Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP, adding the strikes hit “residential buildings”.At least 18 people were also wounded in the air raids, he added.Russia is a close ally of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, and in September 2015 began a military intervention in support of his government that has gradually helped Damascus regain territory.Syria’s Deir Ezzor is one of the last places IS jihadists hold territory in the country, after being driven from their major strongholds including their one-time de facto Syrian capital Raqqa city.The oil-rich eastern province that borders Iraq was once almost completely under IS control, but the jihadists now hold just nine percent of Deir Ezzor, according to the Observatory.They have faced two separate offensives there, one led by the regime with Russian backing and the other by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters.More than 340,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.The latest strikes come as the United Nations tries to revitalize its flagging efforts to end a six-year civil war that has left Syria devastated and huge swaths of its population refugees.On Tuesday, the eighth round of UN-brokered talks will kick off.They have achieved little so far, but may be bolstered by the opposition’s decision to bring a unified delegation to Geneva for the first time.For progress to happen rival sides will need to overcome the hurdle that has derailed past discussions: the fate of Syrian President Bashar Assad.He retains Moscow’s support but is loathed by much of Syria’s rebel opposition who want him gone.Backed by Russia’s decisive military support, Assad’s government has regained control of 55 percent of the country, including major cities Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Hama, and around two-thirds of the population lives in regime-held areas.The rest is carved up between rebel factions, jihadists and Kurdish forces.Some experts believe that Russia has clearly put itself in the driver’s seat in recent months, especially as US President Donald Trump’s administration has pulled back from Syrian diplomatic front.Russia, fellow regime ally Iran and rebel-backer Turkey have hosted negotiations in the Kazakh capital Astana that led to the creation of four “de-escalation zones” which produced a drop in violence, though deadly air strikes and battles continue in some areas.And this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a “congress” of Syrian regime and opposition figures, a move backed by Ankara and Tehran.
