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)
MIGRATING BIRDS IN ISRAEL EATS HUMANS FLESH FOR COMING AGAINST ISRAEL-JERUSALEM
EZEKIEL 39:11-12,18
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog (RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS) a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers (EAST OF THE DEAD SEA IN JORDAN VALLEY) on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog (RUSSIAN) and all his multitude:(ARAB/MUSLIM HORDE) and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.(BURIEL SITE OF THE 300 MILLION,RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS)
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.(OF ISRAEL)
16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.(OF THE ISRAEL-GOD HATERS)
EZEKIEL 39:17-21
17 And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.(OF RUSSIAN/ISLAMIC HORDES AGAINST ISRAEL)
18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
19 And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.
20 Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
21 And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.
22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
REVELATION 19:17-18
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;(AGAINST ALL NATIONS ARMIES THAT COME AGAINST JERUSALEM AND ISRAEL)
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
EZEKIEL 38:1-7
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and Tubal:TOBOLSK)
4 And I (GOD) will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE RUSSIA-MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY) of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.(AFRICAN MUSLIMS,SUDAN,TUNESIA ETC)
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
EZEKIEL 39:1-8
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee back,(RUSSIA-ARAB MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS) and leave but the sixth part of thee,(5/6TH OR 300 MILLION DEAD RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS I BELIEVE) and will cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,( ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog,(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMB) and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.
Russia, Iran, Turkey agree to advance Syrian peace-Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia hosts Syrian opposition groups in effort to unite them ahead of Geneva peace talks-By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV and Sarah El Deeb-TOI-23 November 2017
MOSCOW (AP) — The leaders of Russia, Turkey and Iran on Wednesday discussed ways to promote a peaceful settlement in Syria, including the return of refugees, humanitarian aid and prisoners’ exchange, while fractured Syrian opposition groups were meeting in Saudi Arabia in a bid to overcome their divisions and form a united front for Syrian peace talks in Geneva.“Militants in Syria have received a decisive blow, and there is a real chance to put an end to the civil war that has raged for many years,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the start of talks with Turkish and Iranian counterparts in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.Putin noted that political settlement will require concessions from all sides, including Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government.Assad made a surprise trip to Russia late Monday for talks with Putin, which the Kremlin said were intended to lay the groundwork for Wednesday’s trilateral meeting.Speaking after the three-way talks, Putin said the Syrian leader pledged to conduct constitutional reforms and hold new elections under UN supervision.“The process of reforms isn’t going to be easy and will require concessions and compromises from all those involved, including the Syrian government,” he said.In their joint statement after the talks, Putin, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized the need for all parties in the Syrian conflict to release all prisoners and hostages, hand over bodies and search for those missing to help create conditions for a lasting cease-fire and the launch of political talks.They also called on other countries to provide humanitarian aid, clear Syrian territory of mines and restore vital infrastructure destroyed by the war.“We have reached a consensus on helping the transition to an inclusive, free, fair and transparent political process that will be carried out under the leadership and ownership of the Syrian people,” Erdogan said.Even though Russia and Iran have backed Assad’s government since the start of the Syrian conflict in March 2011, while Turkey has supported his foes, the three countries have teamed up to help mediate a peace settlement.They have sponsored several rounds of talks between the Syrian government and the opposition in Astana, Kazakhstan, and also have brokered a truce between Syria’s government and the rebels in four areas, helping reduce hostilities.UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, asked about the trilateral meeting of the leaders, said: “Our focus remains on the meetings that will begin in Geneva on November 28. We hope that all the other processes that are underway will contribute to a successful round of talks in Geneva.”Meanwhile, the UN envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura spoke at the opening of a three-day gathering of the Syrian opposition in Riyadh, where around 30 opposition groups are expected to come up with a unified delegation and a vision for the Geneva talks.De Mistura said he planned to have two rounds of talks in Geneva in December. He is set to travel to Moscow later this week.“It is our common interest that today, you elect the best and most inclusive team among yourselves,” de Mistura said. “A strong, unified team is a creative partner in Geneva and we need that.”The Riyadh meeting, however, has already been marred with disagreements. The notoriously fragmented opposition is divided by visions of a future role for Assad, the length of a transitional period as well as the constitution that will see the country move toward elections.Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said in opening remarks that the opposition meeting comes amid international consensus to reach a resolution.“There is no resolution to the crisis without Syrian consensus that achieves the demands of the Syrian people and ends their suffering,” al-Jubeir said.Russia, which has welcomed the Saudi efforts to unify the opposition, will also be hosting a meeting in Sochi that’s expected to bring the opposition and Syrian government together in early December. Turkey and Iran pledged Wednesday to help the success of that meeting.Earlier this month, the first attempt to convene it failed amid differences, reportedly including the participation of Kurds.Turkey sees US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters as a terror group and an extension of Kurdish militants that have waged a three-decade-long insurgency inside its borders.Erdogan on Wednesday strongly reaffirmed Turkey’s objection to Kurdish Syrian militia playing a part in negotiations on Syria’s future.“The exclusion from the process of terrorist elements that target Syria’s political unity and territorial integrity as well as our national security will continue to remain our priority,” he said. “No one should expect us to come under the same roof, to appear on the same platform as a terror organization.”Russia has been involved in a delicate diplomatic dance, trying to engage the Kurds without offending Turkey. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, dodged a question about Kurdish participation in the planned Sochi meeting, saying only that it should be “inclusive.”Putin, whose military intervention in the war saved Assad’s government from imminent defeat, called US President Donald Trump, Saudi King Salman, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi on Tuesday to brief them on his talks with Assad and coordinate the planned peace efforts.Putin’s broad outreach highlighted a key role Russia has come to play in the Syrian conflict and reflected Moscow’s desire to engage all key players.Some of the opposition delegations in Riyadh are backed by Gulf countries, which had sided with the anti-Assad rebellion, while others have been supported by Russia. Another opposition group is backed by Egypt, which has also kept contacts with the Syrian government.The Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV said some members of the Russia-backed delegation withdrew from the meeting. A member of the delegation, Qadri Jamil, said they backed out to object other delegations putting conditions on the talks, including limiting a future role for Assad. The Russia-backed opposition is promoting political reform under Assad’s rule.
Israel may ‘target’ Iran activity in Syria, Netanyahu said to tell Macron-According to reported transcript of phone call, PM says the goal must be to minimize Tehran's influence in Syria and Lebanon-By TOI staff-23 November 2017
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, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call this week.Channel 10 reported Wednesday that it had obtained a transcript of Sunday’s call. In it, Netanyahu is said to have told the French leader that “from now on, Israel sees Iran’s activities in Syria as a target. We will not hesitate to act, if our security needs require us to do so.”Macron reportedly attempted to reassure the Israeli leader and dissuade him from “hasty” action.The conversation took place a day after Macron met in Paris with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Macron, seeking to calm regional concerns over Lebanon’s leadership crisis, is said to have informed Netanyahu that Hariri planned to officially resign upon returning to Lebanon.The Israeli leader, according to the transcript, said in response that he was not interested in Lebanon’s internal issues.“I don’t care who the Lebanese prime minister is or what goes on in the internal politics there. What worries me is the strengthening of Hezbollah with Iran’s support,” Netanyahu reportedly said. “What’s important is that all the factions in Lebanon work to prevent the arming of Hezbollah with additional advanced weaponry. The goal must be to minimize Iran’s influence, not only in Lebanon but also in Syria.“Israel has tried up until now not to intervene in what is going on in Syria. But after the victory over Islamic State, the situation has changed because the pro-Iranian forces have taken control,” the prime minister went on.Netanyahu then reportedly warned: “From now on, Israel sees Iran’s activities in Syria as a target. We will not hesitate to act, if our security needs require us to do so.”Macron reportedly tried to reassure and calm Netanyahu: “I agree that the influence of Iran and Hezbollah in Syria and Lebanon must be minimized. But Lebanon’s stability must be maintained. Cautious action, not hasty action, is required.”Macron also reportedly spoke with Netanyahu about the state of the nuclear accord with Iran, saying “It’s important to keep the nuclear deal. We must support the moderates in Iran and not make it harder for them.”On Tuesday Netanyahu spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone about a ceasefire deal in the Syrian civil war and Iranian presence near Israel’s borders with the war-torn country, the Prime Minister’s Office said.The conversation was the latest in a series of high-level contacts between Israel and Russia, amid a dispute between the countries over allowing Iran and Shiite militias backed by Tehran to maintain a foothold in Syria near the Israeli border.“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.”The conversation came a day after Moscow’s envoy to Israel said Iran’s military presence in Syria was solely dedicated to the “war on terrorism.”“Russia respects the Israeli concerns in the field of national security,” Alexander Shein wrote in a message posted on his official Facebook page.On October 17, Netanyahu met with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Jerusalem, where the two men discussed the Islamic Republic’s attempt to establish itself militarily in Syria.“Iran needs to understand that Israel will not allow this,” Netanyahu told Shoigu, according to his office.According to an unnamed Israeli official, under the Syrian ceasefire deal, militias associated with Iran would be allowed to maintain positions as close as five to seven kilometers (3.1-4.3 miles) to the border in some areas, Reuters reported last week.Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said Israel will not tolerate Iran’s presence in Syria as part of the US-Russian ceasefire deal, especially near the Israeli border.“We simply will not allow Shiite and Iranian entrenchment in Syria. And we will not allow all of Syria to become a forward-operating base against the State of Israel. Whoever doesn’t understand that — should understand that,” Liberman said.The Israeli Air Force has carried out numerous airstrikes in Syria on weapons convoys bound for the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group, though it rarely acknowledges individual raids. Hezbollah has sent thousands of its fighters to help Assad’s forces put down the insurgency, which has dragged on for six years.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.The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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
Pence plans to address Knesset during Israel trip-Israeli officials say the US vice president offered to speak before the legislature when he visits in December, and they immediately accepted-By TOI staff-23 November 2017
US Vice President Mike Pence will speak before the Knesset when he visits Israel in mid-December, Channel 10 news reported Wednesday.Top Israeli officials told the TV station that Pence had been the one to suggest an address to the Israeli parliament, an offer that was immediately accepted.Pence will be the first top US official to address the Knesset since George W. Bush’s visit in May of 2008.The vice president will arrive in Israel on December 18, where he will be received at a formal ceremony. His speech before the Knesset is expected on the same day.Pence’s address is likely to concentrate on the alliance between the two nations, and to devote a significant amount of time to the regional threat posed by Iran.During his visit, Pence is to discuss the prospects for a Middle East peace agreement in separate meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, according to the White House.The vice president will also travel to Egypt and meet with President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, to highlight US-Egypt cooperation on security issues.Pence also plans to have meetings with government and religious leaders to discuss combating the persecution of religious minorities — including Christians — in the broader Middle East.AP contributed to this report.
Iraqi bill scrapping minimum age for marriage stirs outrage-Proposed legislation 'is worthy of the Islamic State' and 'provides legal cover to the rape of children,' says one critic-By Salam Faraj-TOI-NOV 23,17
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) — A proposal in Iraq’s parliament to scrap the minimum age for Muslim girls to marry has stirred outrage among critics who view it as a license “to rape children.”Conservative Shiite deputies on October 31 proposed an amendment to a 1959 law that set the minimum age for marriage at 18.The initial legislation, passed shortly after the fall of the Iraqi monarchy, transferred the right to decide on family affairs from religious authorities to the state and its judiciary.But now the new bill looks to go back on that — and would authorize the marriage of any girl if it had the consent of the religious leaders from the Shiite or Sunni Muslim community to which her parents belong.In effect, it makes “the opinion of the Shiite and Sunni ulema (scholars) obligatory for judges,” said a liberal independent MP, Faiq al-Sheikh, a member of Iraq’s legal commission.Historically, he recalled, Islam has allowed the marriage of pubescent girls from the age of nine, the same as Aisha when she is believed to have been married to the Prophet Mohammed.Social media has been flooded with criticism of the parliamentary bill, ranging from outright indignation to black humor, with anger also rife on the streets.“It’s a law worthy of the Islamic State (jihadist group) that provides legal cover to the rape of children,” Hadi Abbas, an army retiree in the southern city of Kut, told AFP.Ali Lefta, a 40-year-old teacher in the port city of Basra, said it amounted to “the murder of the innocence of children” and that the bill was “the latest in a string of stupid laws based on tribal and confessional modes of thinking.”In defense of the bill sponsored by his party, Ammar Toama, who heads the Shiite parliamentary group Fadila, said it “makes no mention of age and stipulates only that she (bride) must be pubescent, capable of deciding, and have the accord of her tutor and a judge.”Under the Iraqi constitution, citizens have to declare their religious affiliation on certain issues. Marriage and inheritance terms for Shiites differ from those for Sunnis.Toama said the bill’s aim was to bring the law “in line with the beliefs” of practising Muslims.But foreign missions in Baghdad and the United Nations have been up in arms, warning against institutionalized discrimination against women and girls.Many Iraqis like Safia Mohssen, a mother of three girls, also remain opposed and have taken to mocking the priorities of parliamentarians.“We have war, crises, unemployment, and yet our parliament is busy with laws that violate children’s rights!” she fumed. “The Islamists want to take us back to the Middle Ages.”Majeda al-Tamimi, a woman legislator, said she was confident that many of her colleagues in parliament would oppose the bill.But whether it passes or not, women like Umm Mohammed in the conservative rural province of Zi Qar, who wed at the age of 14, said marriage was a family affair.“Only families know when their daughter has reached puberty and at what age she can marry,” said the 65-year-old Iraqi.
Liberman’s party presses coalition to advance death penalty for terrorists-Yisrael Beytenu's MK Robert Ilatov says legislation has been languishing in ministerial panel for nearly a month-By Marissa Newman and Alexander Fulbright-NOV 23,17-TOI
A Yisrael Beytenu lawmaker on Thursday urged coalition chairman David Bitan to advance legislation to apply the death penalty to convicted terrorists.In a letter, MK Robert Ilatov said the legislation — the advancement of which is detailed as a condition in the party’s coalition agreements — has languished in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation since late October, when he revived the bill.“As you know, this is an important and essential item for Yisrael Beytenu and was one of the cornerstones for its entry into the government and coalition,” Ilatov wrote. “Despite this, we see there are those in the coalition who are trying to dissolve this important issue.”The party, headed by Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, has long advocated introducing the death penalty for terrorists. The issue was one of its key campaign promises in the 2015 elections.While the proposed legislation has previously failed to garner sufficient support, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced approval for the measure.Following a terror attack in July in the West Bank settlement of Halamish, in which a Palestinian stabbed to death three family members of the Salomon family as they celebrated the birth of a grandson in their home, Netanyahu said he supported the death penalty for the terrorist, saying it was a fitting punishment for a “base murderer.”Despite the comment by Netanyahu and a number of other top right-wing political figures at the time, an IDF prosecutor said the punishment is not Israeli policy, despite it being permissible under law.In Israel, the death penalty is applicable only in limited circumstances, and has only been carried out once in a civilian court — against Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, one of the architects of the Final Solution, in 1962.According to a poll in August, over 70 percent of Jewish Israelis said they support the death penalty for terrorists.The Knesset has several times rejected legislation that would apply the death penalty to Palestinian terrorists, including in Netanyahu governments.
Arab American groups offer to host PLO mission if shuttered by US-Arab and Jewish organizations urge Rex Tillerson to reconsider decision to close down Palestinian office in Washington-By JTA-TOI-NOV 23,17
WASHINGTON — Arab American groups offered to host the Palestine Liberation Organization in their offices if the Trump administration shuts down the PLO representation in Washington.“If your staff are shut out and forced to move, you’re welcome to use tables and have desks and internet in our office,” James Zogby, the president of the Arab American Institute, said Wednesday in a conference call with reporters.Samer Khalaf, the president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, also extended the offer.The Trump administration says it is in the process of shuttering the PLO office, at least temporarily, because the organization has violated a US law that triggers a shutdown if the PLO pursues actions against Israelis in the International Criminal Court.The conference call came as nine Arab American groups urged Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to stop the shuttering of the office.“Shutting down the PLO mission would undermine US credibility as an honest peace broker just as President Donald Trump plans to advance ‘the ultimate deal’ to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; a deal that’s difficult to achieve even under the best of circumstances,” the letter said.Two liberal pro-Israel groups, J Street and Americans for Peace Now, also have called on the Trump administration not to shut the office. “This foolish move undermines Palestinian Chief Representative Husam Zomlot, who has been a tireless advocate for a two-state solution and vocal public backer of the administration’s efforts to date toward viable negotiations,” J Street said.APN noted that the Trump administration’s hands were tied by the law, passed by Congress in 2015.“We are aware of the legal quandary facing the administration due to an unreasonable set of conditions that Congress posed for allowing the Palestinian mission to operate,” CEO Debra DeLee said. “We believe the administration and Congress can find a way around these conditions to advance the cause of Israeli-Palestinian peace.”Pro-Israel groups have otherwise not weighed in on the decision. Israel’s government has said it “appreciates” what is an American decision to make.
Palestinian factions call for presidential, legislative elections by end of 2018-These would be first votes since 2006; After two days of negotiations in Cairo, sides still deadlocked over the fate of Hamas's military wing-By Dov Lieber-TOI-23 November 2017
Palestinian factions on Wednesday called for legislative and presidential elections by the end of 2018, in a declaration released after two days of talks in Cairo.The factions include the main Palestinian political groups, including Fatah, which controls the Palestinian Authority, as well as Hamas, the terror group that has controlled the Gaza Strip for the last decade, along with 11 other groups.The factions called on the Central Election Commission and the relevant parties to “complete all its preparatory work for the holding of presidential and legislative elections… by the end of 2018 and to authorize [Palestinian Authority] President Mahmoud Abbas to set the date of the elections,” according to the text of the declaration.The last Palestinian parliamentary elections were in 2006 and there have been no presidential elections since 2005.The text also called for elections for the Palestinian National Council, which is the parliament of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).The factions referred to the PLO as the “sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.”Abbas is currently the head of the PLO as well as the Palestinian Authority. Hamas is not in the PLO, but said it would like to join the umbrella group.The declaration also called for the reinstatement of two inter-factional committees: the Social Reconciliation Committee, which was tasked with mending broken ties between Palestinians due to the 2007 fighting between Fatah and Hamas; and the Freedoms Committee, which is supposed to ensure political and civil rights, such as the freedom of assembly.Wednesday’s declaration was part of ongoing reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas that began last month.At the last round of talks in Cairo, Hamas agreed to allow the PA to retake governmental control of the Gaza Strip. Since then, Palestinian Authority ministers have begun to take over their offices in the Strip, and on November 1 it resumed control of the border crossings into the enclave.The PA is supposed to retake full civil control of the Gaza Strip by December 1, ending 10 years of Hamas rule over the enclave.The declaration did not explicitly deal with what many consider to be the most difficult obstacle facing the reconciliation process, the fate of Hamas’s 25,000-strong military wing.Abbas wants the PA to be in full control of all weapons and security in the enclave, but Hamas is refusing to give up control of its arsenal. Hamas, which seeks the destruction of Israel, has fought three wars with Israel since seizing power from Fatah in the Strip in 2007.PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has said a number of times that his ministries could not govern the Strip without full control over security. The PA has also refused to remove crippling sanctions on Gaza that include reduced electricity.AFP contributed to this report.
Terror-wary New York pumps up security for Thanksgiving Day Parade-Weeks after deadly truck-ramming attack, Macy's celebration to be guarded with truck barriers, snipers on rooftops and cops carrying assault rifles and radiation detectors-By Colleen Long-TOI-NOV 23,17
NEW YORK (AP) — Sand-filled sanitation trucks and police sharpshooters will mix with glittering floats and giant balloons at a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Thursday that comes in a year of terrible mass shootings and not even a month after a deadly truck attack in lower Manhattan.New York City’s mayor and police brass have repeatedly stressed that layers of security, along with hundreds of officers, will be in place for one of the nation’s biggest outdoor holiday gatherings, and that visitors should not be deterred.“We had a couple of tough months as a nation,” Police Commissioner James O’Neill said. “We won’t ever accept such acts of hate and cowardice as inevitable in our society.”A posting last year in an English-language magazine of the Islamic State group, which took credit for the October 31 truck attack that killed eight people, mentioned the Thanksgiving parade as “an excellent target.” Authorities say there is no confirmation of a credible threat.“I want to assure the people that we swore to protect that anytime something happens anywhere in the world, the NYPD works with our law enforcement partners and studies it and we learn from it and it informs our decision making going forward,” O’Neill said.This year’s security plan includes dozens of city sanitation trucks, which weigh about 16 tons empty and up to twice that with sand, that will be lined up as imposing barriers to traffic at every cross street along the 2 ½-mile parade route stretching from Central Park to Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street.In addition, officers with assault weapons and portable radiation detectors will walk among the crowds, and sharpshooters on rooftops will scan building windows and balconies for anything unusual.Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday that security at the parade increases every year “because we understand we are dealing with a very challenging world.” He told crowds gathered to watch the parade’s giant balloons being inflated that “the amount of resources and personnel we put in has increased each year to make us safer.”New York officials also are asking the tens of thousands of spectators to be alert for anything suspicious.“There will be a cop on every block,” said NYPD Chief of Patrol Terence Monahan. “Go to that cop and say something.”The 91st annual parade begins at 9 a.m. local time. Smokey Robinson, Jimmy Fallon, The Roots, Flo Rida and Wyclef Jean will be among the stars celebrating, along with performances from the casts of Broadway’s “Anastasia,” ”Dear Evan Hansen” and “SpongeBob SquarePants.”New balloons added this year include Dr. Seuss’ Grinch, Olaf from the smash movie “Frozen,” and a puppy called Chase from Nickelodeon’s “Paw Patrol.”Beyond the pageantry, police say they have been working on security for the parade since the moment last year’s parade ended. It’s a plan that got renewed attention after a terror attack in lower Manhattan October 31, when a man in a rented truck barreled onto a crowded bike path near the World Trade Center, killing eight people.Authorities said the 29-year-old suspect operated from a playbook put out by the Islamic State group. Sayfullo Saipov, an Uzbek immigrant, was charged with federal terrorism offenses that could qualify him for the death penalty. According to a criminal complaint, he made statements about his allegiance to the Islamic State group.Police also are mindful of the October 1 mass shooting in Las Vegas in which a high-stakes gambler and real estate investor unleashed gunfire on country music concert-goers, killing 58 and leaving hundreds injured.The first major New York event since the bike path attack — the New York marathon, which drew tens of thousands of spectators and 50,000 runners from around the world — went off with no problems.“We said right away New York’s response is to remain strong and resilient,” de Blasio said. “We do not back down in the face of terror threats. The city is filled with resolve.”
Abbas said to refuse White House call as ties freeze over PLO mission closure-Palestinian leader demands US clarify DC office's future before speaking to officials, according to Haaretz; Trump administration denies report-By TOI staff-NOV 23,17
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly refused to speak to White House officials over the phone this week, as Ramallah moved to freeze ties over a US threat to shutter a Palestinian mission in Washington.The call was meant to coordinate an upcoming meeting, according to the Israeli Haaretz newspaper, citing a senior Palestinian official. The daily did not say when the aborted call took place.On Tuesday, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki said he had been instructed by Abbas to put ties with Washington on ice after the US State Department informed him that the Palestine Liberation Organization office in DC would be closed because the Palestinians had violated a 2015 US Congressional mandate.“In practice by closing the office they are freezing all meetings and we are making that official,” Malki told AFP.The move is likely to significantly handicap efforts by the administration of UD=S President Donald Trump to restart moribund peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.According to the report, Abbas demanded that he get clarifications regarding the PLO embassy closure and legislation with clauses defining the PLO as a terror group, before he would speak to the Americans.The White House denied the report.“This is not accurate,” an administration official said without elaborating.The report would seem to contradict White House spokesperson Heather Nauert, who said Tuesday that contacts between Washington and Ramallah were continuing.“Conversations will be taking place,” she said. “We are in contact with Palestinian officials about the status of that PLO office in Washington, as well as having conversations with them about our larger efforts on the part of a lasting and comprehensive peace process.”Over the weekend, the State Department informed Malki that the PLO’s DC office would be closed because the Palestinians had violated a US law that forbids their seeking to prosecute Israelis in the International Criminal Court.The infringement ostensibly came when Abbas addressed the UN General Assembly this September and urged the ICC to “open an investigation and to prosecute Israeli officials for their involvement in settlement activities and aggressions against our people.”“The secretary took a very technical and very specific look at this and determined that it was not in compliance,” Nauert said Tuesday. She added that the State Department and White House were in “close consultation about this.”Trump now has 90 days to consider whether the Palestinians are in “direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel.”If Trump determines they are, the PLO can keep the office.Earlier on Tuesday, Malki told the PA’s official radio station, the Voice of Palestine, that the US administration was reconsidering its decision to close down the PLO office due to the threat by the Palestinian leadership to freeze contacts.Malki added that if the US wanted to review the decision to shut the office in DC, it would also have to review all the laws passed by Congress that treat the PLO as a terrorist organization and “disrespect relations between the two countries.”In 1987, Congress outlawed any PLO presence on US soil due to the group’s terror activities at the time. In 1993, due to the Oslo peace process, Congress allowed for the PLO to open a mission in DC, as long as it stayed faithful to its commitments in the peace talks.It was not immediately clear what meeting the White House was calling to coordinate, but US Vice President Mike Pence is slated to visit the region next month, including a stop in Bethlehem, where Abbas maintains a presidential palace.According to the Haaretz report, Abbas is considering sending top negotiator Saeb Erekat, currently in Washington recovering from a medical operation, or security chief Majed Faraj to meetings with US officials instead.The report noted that Abbas was open to lower-level contacts between the countries continuing.Eric Cortellessa and AFP contributed to this report .
