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)
ZELENSKY CALLS FOR A EUROPEAN UNION ARMY.
EZEK 39:11-16
11
And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a
place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the
east of the sea: (IN THE JORDAN VALLEY) and it shall stop the noses of
the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and
they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.
13
Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to
them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord God.
14
And they shall sever out men of continual employment, (NUCLEAR
SPECIALISTS) passing through the land to bury with the passengers those
that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of
seven months shall they search.
15 And the passengers that pass
through the land, when any seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a
sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog.
16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.
MEANING OF HAMONAH
Hamonah,
ham-o'-nah (Heb.)-- host; multitude; noise; tumult; commotion of mind.
The prophetic name of a city that is mentioned in conjunction with
Hamon-gog: "And Hamonah shall also be the name of a city.
Metaphysical meaning of Hamonah (mbd) - Truth Unity
Strong's Lexicon-Hamonah: Hamonah-Original Word: הֲמוֹנָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location-Transliteration: Hamownah
Pronunciation: hah-mo-NAH-Phonetic Spelling: (ham-o-naw')
Definition: Hamonah-Meaning: Hamonah
Word
Origin: Derived from the Hebrew root הָמוֹן (H1995), meaning
"multitude" or "abundance."Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There
is no direct Greek equivalent for "Hamonah" in the Strong's Greek
Dictionary, as it is a specific Hebrew proper noun. However, the concept
of a multitude or abundance can be related to Greek words like πλῆθος
(G4128), meaning "multitude."Usage: The term "Hamonah" is used as a
proper noun referring to a specific location mentioned in the prophetic
literature of the Old Testament. It is associated with the aftermath of a
significant battle, symbolizing the multitude of the slain.Cultural and
Historical Background: In the context of the Hebrew Bible, names often
carry significant meaning and are used to convey theological and
prophetic messages. "Hamonah" is mentioned in the book of Ezekiel, a
prophetic text that addresses the restoration of Israel and the judgment
of the nations. The name reflects the abundance of God's judgment upon
the enemies of Israel, serving as a reminder of divine justice and
sovereignty.
GODS PROMISED LAND FOR ISRAEL.
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.
FINALLY THE EUROPEAN UNION IS TALKING ABOUT HAVING THEIR OWN ARMY.AND IT MUST HAPPEN.
REVELATION 19:16-21
16
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of
Kings, And Lord Of Lords.(JESUS RETURNG TO EARTH LITERALLY ON A WHITE
HORSE WITH THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS 7 YEARS EARLIER)
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;
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.(2ND TIME GOD-JESUS
TELLS THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS TO GET READY TO EAT HUMAN
FLESH.THE FIRST TIME WAS WHEN GOD TOLD THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING
BIRDS-TO EAT RUSSIA,GERMAN,ARAB, MUSLIM BODIES FOR 7 MONTHS IN EZEK 38 @
39.
19 And I saw the beast,(E.U WORLD LEADER) and the kings of the
earth, and their armies,(HERE IT SAYS THE E.U WILL HAVE ITS OWN ARMY)
gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, (JESUS)
and against his army.(RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
20 And the beast (E.U
WORLD LEADER) was taken, and with him the false prophet (POPE FRANCIS)
that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had
received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.
These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the
horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were
filled with their flesh.
Army of Europe' needed to challenge Russia, says Zelensky-10 hours ago-Dearbail Jordan-Reporter, BBC News
Ukraine's
President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for the creation of an "army of
Europe" amid rising concern the US may no longer come to the
continent's aid.Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, he said US
Vice-President JD Vance had made it clear the old relationship between
Europe and America was "ending" and the continent "needs to adjust to
that".He also said Ukraine would "never accept deals made behind our
backs without our involvement" after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin
agreed to start peace talks.On Saturday, the US Secretary of State Marco
Rubio held a phone call with Russia's foreign minister "building on"
Wednesday's call between Trump and Putin.Russia's foreign ministry said
Saturday's call had been made "at the request of the US side". The
statement did not give any further details on Ukraine but said both
sides had "reaffirmed commitment to restoring a ... dialogue" between
the two countries.Trump's call with the Russian president earlier this
week broke nearly three years of silence between Washington and
Moscow.Earlier on Saturday, Trump's special envoy to Ukraine also said
Europe would be consulted but not take part in talks between the US and
Russia, if and when they happen.In remarks likely to raise concern in
Ukraine and among European allies, Keith Kellogg said previous
negotiations had failed because too many parties had been involved."It
may be like chalk on the blackboard, it may grate a little bit, but I am
telling you something that is really quite honest," he said on
Saturday.Zelensky also said that he had blocked a Trump-led deal that
would have given the US access to vast amounts of Ukrainian natural
resources because it lacked "security guarantees" for Kyiv and "does not
protect us".Trump has pushed for access to rare minerals in Ukraine in
return for aid, or even as compensation for the support the US has
already provided.Earlier this week, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth
said Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine was a "factory reset" for
Nato which signalled the alliance needed to be "robust", "strong" and
"real".On Saturday, Zelensky said: "Let's be honest. Now we can't rule
out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on an issue that
threatens it."Many, many leaders have talked about Europe that needs
its own military - an army of Europe."The concept of a European army has
been proposed by other leaders, including France's Emmanuel Macron who
has long backed the bloc's own military to reduce its reliance on the
US.The idea was quickly rebuffed by the EU foreign policy chief Kaja
Kallas.Zelensky said: "A few days ago, President Trump told me about his
conversation with Putin. Not once did he mention that America needs
Europe at the table - that says a lot."The old days are over when
America supported Europe just because it always had."As Russia's
full-scale invasion of Ukraine nears its three-year anniversary, Trump
and Hegseth have both said it is unlikely that Ukraine will join
Nato.The US defence secretary also said a return to Ukraine's pre-2014
borders was unrealistic.Zelensky said he would "not take Nato membership
for Ukraine off the table".Zelensky has previously warned Russia was
preparing for a war with Europe-Trump had a phone call with Putin last
week where they discussed peace talks regarding Ukraine, apparently
sidelining key allies.Zelensky said that, as well as Ukraine, Europe
"should have a seat at the table when decisions about Europe are being
made".The US president later said that he and Putin planned to meet in
Saudi Arabia, and wrote on social media that the two had invited each
other to their respective capitals.No date has been set for Trump's
visit to Moscow.On Ukraine's involvement in talks, Kremlin spokesman
Dmitry Peskov said last week that Kyiv "will of course one way or
another be taking part in the negotiations". Germany's chancellor, Olaf
Scholz, said his country would never support a dictated peace.Poland's
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Europe needs its own plan on Ukraine, or
"other global players will decide about our future".
Europe can't assume US troop presence 'will last forever': Hegseth-by AFP Staff Writers
Warsaw
(AFP) Feb 14, 2025-US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday warned
NATO allies in Europe against assuming that the American troop presence
on the continent would "last forever", as he urged them to spend more on
defence."Now is the time to invest because you can't make an assumption
that America's presence will last forever," Hegseth told reporters
alongside his Polish counterpart in Warsaw.He was visiting Poland on his
maiden trip to Europe as a top official in President Donald Trump's
administration. Trump has repeatedly called on NATO members to increase
their military expenditure.Hegseth praised "model ally" Poland -- a
country on NATO's eastern flank that neighbours both Russia and Ukraine
-- for its defence spending.Warsaw aims to spend 4.7 percent of its
annual economic output on defence in 2025, well above the alliance's
current minimum level of two percent.Trump has previously said that
should be more than doubled to five percent of gross domestic product
(GDP).Poland's Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said Europe's
current arms production capacity was "not enough"."Europe needs to wake
up," he added. "Europe needs to invest in the arms industry."Hegseth
defended Trump's efforts to launch negotiations on the Ukraine war with
Russia's leader.And when asked if he trusted Russian President Vladimir
Putin to live up to any potential agreement, Hegseth told reporters,
"You don't have to trust somebody in order to negotiate with them".Trump
on Wednesday blindsided Ukraine and Washington's European allies by
agreeing to launch talks on resolving the Ukraine conflict in his first
publicly announced phone call with Putin since returning to power.The
same day, Hegseth said it was not realistic for Ukraine to regain all
its land, or become a member of NATO.On Friday, Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready for direct talks with Russia once
Kyiv had reached a common position with the United States and Europe on
how to end the nearly three-year war.US troops deployed in
Europe-Brussels, Belgium (AFP) Feb 14, 2025 - The question of the United
States' military presence in Europe will hang over the Munich Security
Conference this week, which US Vice President JD Vance is attending.US
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth set the tone on Friday when he warned
NATO allies in Europe against assuming that the American military
presence on the continent will "last forever" during his visit to
Warsaw.But he said in Brussels on Thursday that no decision had been
made on troop levels.Around 100,000 American troops are stationed in
Europe. More than 65,000 are based permanently on the continent, while
the rest are rotating staff and mostly reinforcements.Their numbers rose
by nearly 20,000 soldiers after Russia's February 2022 invasion of
Ukraine, according to the US Department of Defense.Some 10,000 American
soldiers are currently on rotation in Poland, the department says.Any US
withdrawal would likely involve these additional troops sent after
2022, a NATO diplomat said.- Troop numbers -There are around 65,600
American forces deployed in Europe, not including the national guard and
civilian staff working for the US Department of Defense, according to
official figures from April 2024.They are deployed in several European
nations. These are the main ones:Germany: 34,894-Italy: 12,319-United
Kingdom: 10,180-Spain: 3,253-Turkey: 1,683-Kosovo: 600 as part of NATO's
Kfor force.- Base figures -According to the US Department of Defense,
there are 37 American bases in Europe, including the NATO allied powers
in Europe headquarters known as SHAPE, based in Mons, Belgium. These are
the countries with the most US bases:Germany: 13-Italy: 7-Belgium:
3-Turkey: 2-The Netherlands: 2-Spain: 2
Tusk pushes Europe to prepare 'plan of action' on security-by AFP Staff Writers.
Warsaw
(AFP) Feb 15, 2025-Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Saturday
pressed Europe to urgently establish its own stances on Ukraine and
security as the United States sows doubts about its commitment to
Europe.On Friday, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned during a
visit to Poland that Europe needed to boost its defence spending because
it cannot assume that the presence of American troops on the continent
will "last forever".Tusk posted on X that "Europe urgently needs its own
plan of action concerning Ukraine and our security, or else other
global players will decide about our future. Not necessarily in line
with our own interest. This plan must be prepared now. There's no time
to lose."His statements echoed those of Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelensky, who on Saturday called on Europe "to act for its own good" and
to have "its own armed forces" to defend itself against
Russia.bo/lrb/gv/bc.
UK's Starmer says Europe 'must take on a greater role in NATO'by AFP Staff Writers.
London
(AFP) Feb 15, 2025-UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday that
Europe "must take on a greater role in NATO" and work with the United
States to "secure Ukraine's future".His comments came ahead of an
expected gathering of European leaders in Paris on Monday, although
France has yet to confirm the meeting.Starmer will attend the
get-together if it goes ahead, a UK official familiar with the matter
told AFP on condition of anonymity.In a statement, Britain's leader
said: "This is a once in a generation moment for our national security
where we engage with the reality of the world today and the threat we
face from Russia."It's clear Europe must take on a greater role in NATO
as we work with the United States to secure Ukraine's future and face
down the threat we face from Russia."Starmer, who is also expected to
visit US President Donald Trump in Washington soon, added that the UK
"will work to ensure we keep the US and Europe together"."We cannot
allow any divisions in the alliance to distract from the external
enemies we face," he said.Starmer's comments came after US Secretary of
Defense Pete Hegseth warned on Friday that Europe needed to boost its
defence spending because it cannot assume that the presence of American
troops on the continent will "last forever".They also come as European
leaders scramble to force their way to the table at any talks to end
Russia's war in Ukraine.Trump upended the status quo this week when he
announced he was likely to meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin soon to
start talks to end the conflict, leaving US allies in Europe reeling
from concerns that their interests would be sidelined in any deal on
Ukraine.The issue has dominated the ongoing Munich Security Conference,
where senior European officials, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky,
NATO chief Mark Rutte and US Vice-President JD Vance are among the
attendees.Rutte said the planned meeting in Paris "would focus on
defence spending and planning so that "when a deal is reached in
Ukraine, that we have absolute clarity what Europe can contribute".A
spokesman for French President Emmanuel Macron's office told AFP
"discussions" were ongoing over a "possible informal meeting".
NATO faces 'moment of truth' on alliance's future: France-by AFP Staff Writers.
Brussels,
Belgium (AFP) Feb 13, 2025-NATO faces a moment of reckoning on its
future, as the United States and Russia set in motion negotiations on
ending the war in Ukraine, France's defence minister warned on
Thursday.Sebastien Lecornu said NATO allies needed to think long-term
and beef up their defence industries as Washington demands that Europe
take security into its own hands."It's a crucial moment of truth,"
Lecornu told reporters ahead of a NATO meeting in Brussels."People call
it the most important, the strongest military alliance in history.
That's historically true -- but the question is, will it still be true
10 or 15 years from now."US President Donald Trump on Wednesday
blindsided Ukraine and Washington's European allies by agreeing to
launch peace talks in his first publicly announced phone call with Putin
since returning to power.On Thursday, ahead of the Brussels NATO talks,
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth described the Ukraine conflict as
"a factory reset for NATO, a realization that this alliance needs to be
robust and strong and real".He echoed Trump's demands for allies to more
than double their defence spending target to five percent of GDP,
although he seemed to allow for some leeway suggesting growth could be
incremental."Two percent of GDP is not enough. Three and four and
ultimately, as President Trump has said, five percent of defense
spending is critical," Hegseth said."There is a Russian war machine that
has sought to take more and more land in Ukraine, and standing up
against that is an important European responsibility."The United States
has underpinned European security through NATO over the past seven
decades.US allies have already stepped up their spending in the face of
Russia's invasion of Ukraine and are pledging to do more to back
Kyiv.Lecornu said France and others were committed to do more -- but
warned money had to be spent wisely, arguing that simply filling
"hangars" with US gear, "without seeking real military efficiency" would
be a historic "failure" for Europe.Lecornu is a staunch loyalist of
French President Emmanuel Macron, a fierce proponent of a more
militarily independent Europe who once described NATO as brain dead
during Trump's first term and is pushing for EU countries to buy
European when it comes to defence.Conveying European fears that Trump
could force Ukraine into a bad peace deal, he warned that this could
embolden Putin and other western rivals, including Iran, North Korea and
China."Either we are within the parameters of a discussion that will
genuinely bring peace through strength, or, on the contrary, it will be
peace through weakness", he said adding the latter could lead to
"dramatic security situations" and a "widening of the conflict".
'Make NATO great again', US tells allies.
Brussels,
Belgium (AFP) Feb 13, 2025 - US defence chief Pete Hegseth issued a
call Thursday to "make NATO great again" -- urging European countries to
spend more on defence with a twist on Donald Trump's trademark
slogan.Meeting NATO partners the day after Trump revealed plans to start
peace talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin, the Pentagon head said
Washington remained committed to the alliance but members needed to do
more for it to "endure"."Our partners must do far more for Europe's
defence. We must make NATO great again," Hegseth told reporters after
the talks in Brussels, warning that "President Trump will not allow
anyone to turn Uncle Sam into Uncle Sucker."The former Fox TV
contributor and military veteran described the Ukraine conflict as "a
factory reset for NATO", echoing Trump's demands for allies to more than
double their defence spending targets to five percent of GDP."There is
no replacement for hard power," he said, after warning that confronting
Russia was an "important European responsibility".The United States has
underpinned European security through NATO over the past seven
decades.Yet, when asked whether the United States, which currently
spends around 3.4 percent of GDP on defence, planned to reach the five
percent target itself Hegseth was noncommittal."Ultimately, we have our
own budgetary considerations to be had," he said.Addressing concerns
over red lines on Ukraine that he outlined on Wednesday -- including
that Kyiv's aim of returning to its pre-2014 borders was "illusionary"
-- Hegseth denied they amounted to "concessions" to Putin."It's a
recognition of the hard power realities on the ground," he said.
PM
refused to approve entry of mobile homes, earthmoving equipment to Gaza
– report-Political official says issue to be discussed, after Hamas
briefly balked at releasing hostages and claimed Israel violated truce
by barring bulldozers, trailers from Strip-By ToI Staff Today, 11:09
am-FEB 16,25
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly did not
give approval for the entry of mobile homes and heavy equipment into
the the Gaza Strip during Saturday night’s security consultations, in a
potential breach of the ceasefire deal with Hamas.“Following a security
consultation chaired by the prime minister, it was decided that the
issue of trailers will be discussed in the coming days,” the Kan public
broadcaster quoted a political official as saying. “Israel is fully
coordinating with the United States.”According to reports, the ceasefire
and hostage release agreement explicitly states that supplies and
equipment can be brought in to Gaza to establish at least 60,000
temporary living facilities. The details of the deal have not been
published in full.Images last week showed mobile homes and earthmoving
equipment waiting at the Rafah Border Crossing from Egypt.Last week, the
Hamas terror group protested that Israel was blocking their entry and
said that talks to get the ceasefire-hostage deal back on track had
included discussions on a number of specific items, including such homes
and equipment.Following a week of uncertainty in the wake of the
announcement, which prompted US President Donald Trump to suggest Israel
issue an ultimatum and demand the release of all hostages, Hamas and
its ally Palestinian Islamic Jihad released three hostages Saturday, in
accordance with the original agreement, and Israel released some 369
security inmates in return.The apparent refusal by the premier to
approve the entry of the equipment to the Strip comes as Netanyahu
reportedly wants to extend the ongoing first phase of the deal beyond
the designated 42 days, which are set to end on March 1, and secure the
freedom of more hostages as part of phase one, including more hostages
Israel now knows are in poor health.The premier reportedly wants
Israel’s negotiators to argue to the Qatari and Egyptian mediators, with
US support, that it’s also in the interests of Hamas to extend phase
one, and thus the current ceasefire, since phase two has not been
finalized and the war would resume if no agreement is reached on phase
two.Netanyahu has thus far refused to allow Israel’s negotiators to
engage in talks on the agreement’s second phase, which would see the
release of the remaining hostages in exchange for a permanent end to the
war.The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when thousands of
Hamas-led terrorists invaded southern Israel from the Strip, killing
some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages, amid acts
of brutality and sexual assault.Seventy of the 251 hostages abducted by
Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 35
confirmed dead by the IDF. Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians
who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the body of an IDF
soldier who was killed in 2014.
Trump’s win sparks hope for
Jewish sovereignty on Temple Mount - opinion-Trump was overwhelmingly
elected to save the United States from decline and to protect Israel
from surging anti-Zionism and delegitimization in international courts
and global public opinion.By TULY WEISZ-JANUARY 27, 2025 02:24
Israelis
from the Left and Right, religious and secular, collectively sighed
with relief and overwhelmingly rejoiced in Donald Trump’s victory over
Kamala Harris to assume the presidency after a devastating year of war.
In honor of his inauguration, nothing could be more Jewish than giving
thanks to God in Judaism’s most sacred site, the Temple Mount.I quickly
called a few friends and organized an impromptu prayer service – a
unique gathering of Jews and Christians that is uncommon here in Israel.
Moreover, under the so-called “status quo” agreement that grants
exclusive prayer rights to Muslims, it was actually illegal for Jews and
Christians to pray on the Temple Mount. Defying these restrictions felt
particularly meaningful as we ushered in a new era and celebrated
Trump’s win. But that wasn’t even the most significant aspect of the
unprecedented event.The most important aspect of our prayer service was
that it came on the heels of the ceasefire in Gaza, perhaps the end of
Israel’s longest war. While the IDF named this war the “Swords of Iron
Operation,” Hamas, who planned their attack years ago, gave it a
different and much more appropriate name: “The Al-Aqsa Flood,”
referencing the mosque that now stands on the Temple Mount.For Hamas and
their supporters, the war’s objective was unambiguous: pushing the Jews
out not just from the river to the sea, but specifically from the very
site that gives us our legitimacy here. Their explicit goal was to
“liberate Al-Aqsa” from the “infidel” Jews.Early in the war, Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a goal of “total victory” against
Hamas. Recent images from Gaza since the ceasefire show Hamas remains
strong despite infrastructure damage, challenging claims of Israeli
victory. But our enemy’s name for this operation points to where true
victory must be achieved: not in Gaza, but on the Temple Mount.In recent
months, a telling anecdote spread about an IDF soldier returning from
Gaza. When his relieved mother asked what he wanted to do first, he said
he needed to buy a picture of the Beit Hamikdash (Temple) for his
bedroom. Surprised, she asked if he wouldn’t prefer a shower or his
favorite food.The soldier responded, “You don’t understand. In Gaza,
every home, government office, and school displays a picture of the
Al-Aqsa Mosque.”Judaism’s two temples stood in Jerusalem for nearly
1,000 years. Since the Second Temple’s destruction nearly 2,000 years
ago, Jews have prayed in the direction of the Temple Mount, reciting,
“open our eyes to the return to Zion in mercy.” If Israel is the body of
the Jewish people, Jerusalem is its heart, and the Temple Mount is the
heart of that heart.Without control of the Temple Mount, the Jews’
modern claim to the State of Israel is tenuous at best, or, as Israeli
poet Uri Zvi Greenberg (1896-1981) quipped, “Whoever controls the Mount,
controls the Land.”Seeds of conflict-The seeds of our conflict with the
Palestinians go back to the 1967 Six-Day War. Despite the incredible
total victory of the IDF and capturing Jerusalem – with jubilant cries
of “Har Habayit Beyadenu!” (The Temple Mount is in our hands!) – Israel
capitulated and ceded sovereignty of its holiest site back to the
aggressor.The Jordanian Waqf quickly imposed discriminatory Sharia
policies prohibiting Jewish and Christian prayer at the site.As the
Muslim world radicalized in recent decades, Hamas steadily infiltrated
the Waqf and grew bolder, culminating in the “Al-Aqsa Flood” attack on
October 7, 2023 – an eruption of unprecedented violence against Jews,
the worst devastation since the Holocaust.Israel faced a six-front war
yet was spared full engagement from Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies
due to a blessed, fortuitous lack of coordination.Though American
pressure and weapon delays created challenges and emboldened Hamas
supporters worldwide, God did not forsake His people. Just as the world
seemed like it was about to be engulfed in flames, an unlikely turn
resulted in a great course correction.On the other side of the ocean,
the Trump campaign faced unprecedented challenges: a hostile justice
system, assassination attempts, media censorship, and severe funding
limitations. Yet despite these obstacles, Trump emerged victorious.As he
said in his inauguration speech: “An assassin’s bullet ripped through
my ear. But I felt then, and believe even more so now, that my life was
saved for a reason. I was saved by God to make America great again.”
Indeed, Trump was overwhelmingly elected to save the United States from
decline and to protect Israel from surging anti-Zionism and
delegitimization in international courts and global public opinion.At
the prayer service, our diverse group – Americans, Israelis, Europeans,
hassidic, secular, and religious Jews – joined together to recite the
traditional presidential prayer I used to lead each Shabbat as a rabbi
in America: “He who grants salvation to kings and dominion to rulers,
whose kingdom is a kingdom spanning all eternity, who releases David,
his servant, from the evil sword, who places a road in the sea and a
path in the mighty waters, may He bless President Donald J. Trump, Vice
President J.D. Vance, and all the officials of the United States
government. “The King who reigns over kings, in His mercy may He protect
them from every trouble, woe, and injury. May He rescue them and put
into their hearts and into the hearts of all their councilors compassion
to do good with us and with all Israel, our brethren. In their days and
in ours, may Judah be saved, and may Israel dwell securely, and may the
redeemer come to Zion. So may it be his will, and let us say: Amen.”Our
Temple Mount prayer service that brought together Jews and gentiles who
worship the God of Israel was no mere photo opportunity but a sincere
expression of gratitude – for Trump’s victory and a prayer for Israel’s
ultimate total victory in the Al-Aqsa Flood war: the return of Jewish
sovereignty to the Temple Mount.The writer is the founder of Israel365
and the director of Israel365 Action, a party running for election in
the World Zionist Congress advocating for sovereignty over the entire
Land of Israel, Judea and Samaria, and the Temple Mount.
Religious Zionist Rabbis bless Trump as “God’s Messenger”Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz-US-Israel Relations-February 14, 2025
A
group of senior Religious Zionist rabbis affiliated with the Torat
Ha’aretz HaTova [The Torah of the good land] organization sent a letter
to President Donald Trump on Wednesday, emphasizing his central role as
“God’s messenger in the global struggle for moral values and justice.”
The rabbis wrote that Trump was chosen by God for his significant role
and expressed appreciation for his work for the United States, Israel,
and the entire world. Rabbis Dov Lior, Yaakov Ariel, Eliezer Igra,
Shmuel Eliyahu, Yaakov Shapira, and more are among the
signatories.Following Trump’s statement that if the hostages are not
released by Saturday afternoon, there will be “hell to pay,” the rabbis
addressed the historical importance of the struggle against extremist
terrorism. “The war of Judaism against extremist Islam, which we are in
the midst of, is essentially the free world’s war against brutal
violence, which is driven by hatred for the world and the good values
that all peoples have received from the Bible,” they wrote. The rabbis
emphasized that this is a struggle for the existence of moral values
and justice in our world.The rabbis emphasized the connection between
the vision of the prophets of Israel and Trump’s actions. “Moses and the
prophets of Israel prophesied about the establishment of the State of
Israel, the return of the people of Israel from all corners of the
earth, the building of Jerusalem, and the settlement of the ancestral
lands in Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip,” they wrote. They noted
that the settlement of the Land of Israel brings blessing and peace to
the entire world and symbolizes the return to the values given at
Mount Sinai.In their letter, the rabbis praised Trump for his actions,
which reflect a divine path: “We see these prophecies coming true more
and more and see in your actions and words the right path that brings
good to the world,” they wrote.In conclusion, the rabbis expressed hope
that Trump will continue to succeed in his mission. They added a
blessing:“Here in Jerusalem and throughout Israel, we pray that God will
protect you and all those around you, that may God bestow His blessings
upon your actions. May God always imbue you with the wisdom to make
good decisions and implement them. May the entire world see the good
that you are bringing to humanity, and may people everywhere bless you
and learn from you how to walk in the path of God in their own countries
too.”
Cyrus as ‘Messiah’: Understanding Trump’s Divine Role-By: Rabbi Elie Mischel-January 21, 2025
On
inauguration day, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Chief Rabbi of Tzfat and son of
former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, offered a powerful
blessing to Donald Trump. Rabbi Eliyahu declared: “We want to bless the
incoming President of the United States, Donald Trump, that he should
know that the Holy One, blessed be He, watches over him, and He chose
him and put it in people’s hearts to choose him, and he has a divine
mission. The Holy One, blessed be He, has a path and He wants to redeem
the entire world, and He sent the people of Israel so that Israel would
be the channel through which blessing would come, and all the families
of the earth would be blessed.”These words bring to mind one of the most
remarkable moments in Jewish history – when God chose an unexpected
vessel for His divine purpose. In Isaiah 45:1, we read:Thus said Hashem
to Cyrus, His anointed one— Whose right hand He has grasped, Treading
down nations before him, Ungirding the loins of kings, Opening doors
before him And letting no gate stay shut:Isaiah 45:1-The Hebrew word
used here for “his anointed” is “meshicho” (משיחו) – the same word used
for kings of Israel and the future Messiah. This divine designation
speaks directly to our times. In 2018, after President Trump recognized
Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Prime Minister Netanyahu drew this exact
parallel: “The Jewish people have a long memory, so we remember the
proclamation of the great king, Cyrus the Great, the Persian king 2,500
years ago. He proclaimed that the Jewish exiles in Babylon could come
back and rebuild our Temple in Jerusalem… And we remember how a few
weeks ago, President Donald J. Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s
capital. Mr. President, this will be remembered by our people through
the ages.”The connection between Trump, Cyrus, and the Messiah runs even
deeper. Through Hebrew numerology (known as “Gematria”), Donald Trump’s
name in Hebrew (דונלד טראמפ) equals 424 – remarkably, the same
numerical value as “Messiah of the House of David” (משיח בן דוד). Bible
code expert Rabbi Matityahu Glazerson discovered further connections,
finding the words “D. Trump” and “president of the USA” hidden adjacent
to “Koresh” (Cyrus) and “Moshiach” in the book of Leviticus.That God
would bestow the title of “Messiah” upon Cyrus – a pagan gentile king –
teaches us something revolutionary about divine providence. It shows us
that the machinery of redemption operates through unexpected channels. A
Persian king who worshiped foreign gods became God’s anointed vessel
for rebuilding Jerusalem. This shatters our limited understanding of how
God works in history. It teaches us that when redemption unfolds, it
often comes through leaders and nations we might never expect.Rabbi
Eliyahu’s blessing continues with a crucial insight: “The United States
has merited many times to join in these holy processes, and there were
also presidents who did the opposite. You need to know your role is to
help the people of Israel because through this you will bring blessing
to the whole world.”This pattern of gentile rulers serving as
instruments of divine purpose appears repeatedly throughout Jewish
history. When God wishes to bring about significant changes in the
world, He often works through powerful leaders who can influence global
events. Just as Cyrus controlled the largest empire of his time, the
United States today stands as a global superpower with the unique
ability to impact Israel’s security and prosperity.Rabbi Eliyahu
concluded his blessing with a stark reminder: “Know that you are a king,
blessed be God, you are a king who rules over many kings. Always
remember there is a King of Kings above you, above us all. Go with Him
and you will succeed.”The message is clear: power is given by God for a
purpose. Those who use their influence to protect Israel and advance
God’s purposes will prosper. Those who oppose Israel or forget the
source of their authority will fall. History has proven this pattern
time and again.With Israel in the midst of a prolonged national crisis,
we need leaders who understand their divine mandate. At his
inauguration, Trump declared: “Just a few months ago, in a beautiful
Pennsylvania field, an assassin’s bullet ripped through my ear. But I
felt then and believe even more so now that my life was saved for a
reason. I was saved by God to make America great again.” Now beginning
his second term, Trump is more connected to God than he was in his first
term. But he must understand – God saved him not only to make America
great again, but to stand with Israel! President Trump must not repeat
the mistakes of previous administrations who pressured Israel into
dangerous territorial concessions in pursuit of a false peace. The
lessons of Gaza and Oslo stand as stark warnings. True peace comes
through strength, not through forcing Israel to compromise its
security.May President Trump recognize, like Cyrus before him, that his
position carries cosmic significance. The fate of nations hangs in the
balance. Those who bless Israel will be blessed; those who curse Israel
will be cursed. This is not merely politics – it is the unchanging word
of God. We pray for his success in fulfilling this divine mandate!
Crush Their Bones: What King David Would Tell Modern Israel-By: Rabbi Elie Mischel-January 30, 2025
The
story of modern Israel reads like a tale of bitter irony. Despite
remarkable military achievements – from precision strikes decimating
Hezbollah leadership to significant victories in Gaza – Israel finds
itself capitulating to a devastating hostage deal, releasing hordes of
terrorists with blood on their hands in exchange for a handful of
hostages. Even with unprecedented support from the most pro-Israel U.S.
administration in history, we watch as self-hating Jews like Senator
Chuck Schumer betray Israel yet again, recently leading Senate Democrats
to block sanctions on the antisemitic International Criminal Court that
targets Israel. Why does Israel repeatedly seem to snatch defeat from
the jaws of victory?The Bible presents us with a striking parallel in
the contrasting leadership styles of two great kings: Saul and David.
Both were warriors. Both fought for their people. Both achieved military
victories. Yet their legacies could not be more different.King Saul,
despite his initial successes, met a tragic end on Mount Gilboa, falling
with his three sons before the Philistines. King David, in contrast,
not only established a lasting kingdom but utterly destroyed the
Philistine threat, as recorded in II Samuel 21, leaving a legacy of
strength that would define Jewish sovereignty for generations. What made
the difference? Why did one king’s victories evaporate while the
other’s endured? When the evil Bilaam tried to curse Israel, instead he
uttered these words of prophecy:Hashem who freed them from Egypt Is for
them like the horns of the wild ox. They shall devour enemy nations,
Crush their bones, And smash their arrows.Numbers 24:8-Rabbi Naftali Zvi
Yehuda Berlin (1816-1893), in his commentary HaEmek Davar, illuminates
the crucial difference between these two kings: “Regarding King Saul it
is written ‘and wherever he turned he caused trouble/acted wickedly,’
while regarding King David it is written ‘and David was successful in
all his ways.’ In both cases, the meaning is that they were successful
in their wars. However, the practical difference between them is that
there is one who prevails in war but does not subjugate his opponent
under him, and only causes them to fall and weakens them… And there is
one who prevails and subjugates under him.”This distinction speaks
directly to Israel’s current predicament. Saul’s approach – merely
weakening enemies without decisively ending threats – mirrors Israel’s
current defensive posture. David’s approach – achieving complete victory
and establishing lasting peace through strength – offers a different
model entirely.Consider how Saul dealt with the Amalekites. God
commanded him through Samuel to completely destroy Amalek, leaving
nothing alive (I Samuel 15:3). Instead, Saul compromised. He spared
their king Agag and the best of their livestock, claiming he would use
them for sacrifices to God. Samuel’s response was unequivocal: But
Shmuel said: “Does Hashem delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As
much as in obedience to Hashem‘s command? Surely, obedience is better
than sacrifice, Compliance than the fat of rams.Samuel 15:22-Saul’s
half-measures and compromises cost him his kingdom.David, in contrast,
understood that evil must be completely uprooted. When facing the
Philistines, he didn’t seek ceasefires or temporary accommodations. He
pursued them relentlessly “from Geba as far as Gezer” (II Samuel 5:25).
When confronting the Moabites, he didn’t engage in diplomatic
negotiations but instead “made them lie down on the ground and measured
them off with a length of cord” (II Samuel 8:2). He established
garrisons throughout Edom, ensuring complete military control (II Samuel
8:14). This was not cruelty but clarity – the understanding that true
peace comes only through decisive victory.The biblical account of
David’s success is crystal clear: “The Lord gave David victory
everywhere he went” (II Samuel 8:6). Why? Because he didn’t fight
defensive wars or seek to merely deter his enemies. He fought to win, to
establish lasting peace through absolute victory. He understood what
our current leaders seem to have forgotten: that deterrence is not
victory, that ceasefires are not peace, and that compromising with evil
only ensures its eventual return.We see the catastrophic results of
Saul’s mindset in Israel’s modern military doctrine. For years, Israel
has pursued a strategy of “mowing the grass” in Gaza – periodically
weakening Hamas without destroying it completely. Like Saul sparing
Agag, this approach of containment rather than victory has allowed our
enemies to rebuild, rearm, and return stronger than before. Each
operation ends with a ceasefire that gives Hamas time to prepare for the
next round of violence. Just as Saul’s mercy toward Agag brought
disaster upon his people, Israel’s refusal to pursue complete victory in
Gaza led directly to the horrors of October 7th.This paralysis of will
isn’t new to Jewish history. Just as we face self-hating Jews like
Schumer today, Moses confronted the ten spies who discouraged the
conquest of Canaan. These leaders, princes of their tribes, spread fear
and defeatism among the people, claiming “we cannot attack that people,
for it is stronger than we” (Numbers 13:31). Today’s Jewish leaders who
oppose decisive action against our enemies parrot these same faithless
words. When David prepared to fight Goliath, his own brother Eliab tried
to discourage him, accusing him of arrogance and recklessness (I Samuel
17:28). Yet history proved David right, just as it will vindicate those
who today call for decisive action.The prophets of Israel consistently
foretold this ultimate victory over our enemies. Isaiah proclaimed:No
weapon formed against you Shall succeed, And every tongue that contends
with you at law You shall defeat. Such is the lot of the servants of
Hashem, Such their triumph through Me —declares Hashem.Isaiah
54:17-Ezekiel foresaw the time when Israel would no longer face constant
threats:They shall know that I Hashem am their God when, having exiled
them among the nations, I gather them back into their land and leave
none of them behind.Ezekiel 39:28-The prophet Obadiah declared that the
house of Jacob would become a fire, and the house of Esau stubble, to be
consumed completely (Obadiah 1:18). These aren’t mere promises of
survival or temporary victories – they are prophecies of complete
triumph over those who seek our destruction.True peace does not mean
endless cycles of defense against terrorist attacks. It means shifting
from defense to offense, from merely responding to threats to
eliminating them entirely. This requires both military strength and
moral clarity.Speaking about self-hating American Jews who undermine
Israel – people like Senator Chuck Schumer – Melanie Phillips powerfully
articulated: “They have to be called out. Jews have to say to these
Jews, ‘enough of this.’ You are doing enormous damage. You may not care
about the future of the Jewish people but we do, and we are calling you
out for what you are doing.” She continues, “you’ve got to start
sticking it to them. You’ve got to start going onto the offense. You got
to start telling people ‘you are doing this damage, you are doing this
harm, this is your fault, we are calling you out.'”For 3,000 years, we
have prayed like David, whispering the beautiful words of Psalms through
our darkest days. But now we must also learn to fight like him. David
did not sit back and wait for God to act, for an earthquake to swallow
up his enemies. He understood that the people of Israel must partner
with God in carrying out His will.I pursued my enemies and overtook
them; I did not turn back till I destroyed them.Psalms 18:38-I struck
them down, and they could rise no more; they lay fallen at my
feet.Psalms 18:39-The path forward demands bold action. It’s time to
take a page from President Trump’s playbook – and go on offense. It’s
time to go after Schumer and end his political career. It’s time for the
Israel Defense Forces to become the Israel Victory Forces, to destroy
Iran’s nuclear reactors, and to pursue and kill Islamic terrorists
wherever they hide – whether in Gaza, Lebanon, Qatar, Turkey, or Iran.
As the verse commands us, we must “devour enemy nations and crush their
bones.” The time for half-measures is over. The time for victory has
come.Join Israel365 Action in building a stronger Israel. Stand with us
as we champion a bold new vision for Israel, support communities in
Judea and Samaria, and partner with Israel’s true allies worldwide. Join
the movement today!
Ministers vote to back bill levying 80%
tax on foreign state funding of Israeli NGOs-Association for Civil
Rights in Israel calls proposed legislation, which will also block
groups from filing lawsuits in Israel, ‘a direct assault on Israel’s
democracy’By Sam Sokol-Today, 5:09 pm
The Ministerial Committee
on Legislation on Sunday voted in support of a bill that would levy
massive taxes on NGOs — nongovernment organizations — funded by foreign
governments, and erode their right to file lawsuits in Israeli
courts.The bill, sponsored by Likud MK Ariel Kallner, would allow the
government to tax foreign government donations to domestic nonprofits at
a rate of 80 percent while also stipulating that courts need not
consider petitions by groups “primarily financed by a foreign political
entity.”If passed into law, the legislation would apply to NGOs that do
not also receive Israeli state funding. The finance minister, with the
approval of the Knesset Finance Committee, would be allowed to exempt
organizations from the new rules “in special circumstances.”The bill
would likely block human rights organizations from being able to operate
in Israel and the West Bank, as many of them rely on funding from
foreign governments.Human rights groups — such as B’Tselem, Breaking the
Silence, and the New Israel Fund — have long been targeted by the
Israeli right and even the political center over their focus on alleged
Israeli human rights abuses against the Palestinians.“The purpose of
this bill is to reduce the indirect influence of foreign governments and
political entities on the State of Israel. This influence is
manifested, among other things, in direct financial support for
nonprofit organizations in Israel, which act as agents of change on
behalf of these entities,” the bill’s explanatory notes state.The bill
argues that such external funding “goes beyond the limits of the
democratic framework and harms the sovereignty and independence” of
Israel.If two countries have a dispute, “they must try to convince each
other through diplomatic means, dialogue and negotiation between
counterparts, but not through financing change agents and organizations
whose purpose is to lead change from within in favor of the
aforementioned foreign interests,” it adds.Following the Ministerial
Committee’s vote on Sunday, the Association of Civil Rights in Israel
accused the government of attacking liberal civil society groups while
leaving right-wing organizations untouched.“This proposed legislation is
a direct assault on Israel’s democracy and part of the ongoing judicial
coup. It represents a systematic attack on all institutions that check
government power, and specifically targets human rights organizations
working to protect minorities in Israel and Palestinians in the occupied
territories,” Noa Sattath, ACRI’s executive director, told The Times of
Israel.“The selective taxation targets only foreign state funding from
Israel’s closest allies — including the United States and European Union
member states — who support democracy, human rights, and minority
protection. Meanwhile, right-wing organizations relying on private
donations remain unaffected, and the finance minister has discretionary
power to exempt certain organizations while those receiving state
funding are automatically excluded.”A previous version of the bill was
shelved amid an international uproar nearly two years ago.That proposal,
also sponsored by Kallner, did not touch on NGOs’ legal standing but
mandated that any nonprofit group that engaged in public advocacy two
years before or after receiving a donation from a foreign government
would lose its status as a public institution and would no longer be
eligible for tax exemptions, and in addition would be hit with a 65
percent income tax.The Biden administration aggressively lobbied both
publicly and behind the scenes against the bill alongside nearly a dozen
countries in Europe that give millions of dollars a year to various
civil society organizations operating in Israel and the West Bank,
particularly ones that seek to promote the conditions necessary for a
future peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.This led to
the bill being pulled from the Ministerial Committee on Legislation in
May 2023. Likud sources said at the time that Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu was responsible for the decision to withdraw the bill. The
premier was said to be reluctant to advance the ally-angering
legislation while still waiting for a coveted invite to the White House,
among other diplomatic considerations.Meanwhile, in a letter to Elon
Musk, who leads the Trump administration’s new Department of Government
Efficiency, Otzma Yehudit lawmaker Yitzhak Kroizer stated on Sunday that
the US government had previously used “American funds to exert improper
influence in Israeli affairs” — specifically citing the now-defunct V15
organization.“It is evident that American funds have been improperly
allocated in Israel, throughout the Middle East, and indeed across the
globe. Given your recent efforts to ensure greater transparency and
accountability, I respectfully request access to available information
regarding subsidies and grants provided to non-governmental
organizations, media outlets, and individual journalists operating in
Israel,” Kroizer wrote.“Publicly available sources already indicate that
USAID and other U.S. government agencies have allocated millions of
dollars to these entities within a relatively short period of time. The
misuse of foreign funds in Israel, particularly in ways that undermine
national interests and the democratic process, is a matter of the utmost
concern,” he continued. He also asked for a meeting to discuss the
matter.In the 2015 elections, the US-funded V15 organization was accused
by Likud of inappropriate political meddling for its ostensible efforts
to unseat Netanyahu by encouraging center-left voters to go vote on
election day. The state comptroller cleared the organization of any
campaign law violations.In 2017, the Knesset passed the so-called V15
law, which aims to prevent wealthy donors from using political
organizations to bypass election funding laws.Jeremy Sharon, Jacob Magid
and Carrie Keller-Lynn contributed to this report.
Trump eyes summit with Xi-Putin, shaking up world order-By Danny KEMP.
Washington
(AFP) Feb 13, 2025-Donald Trump unveiled an extraordinary vision of a
shake-up to the world order Thursday, eyeing a three-way summit with the
Russian and Chinese leaders just a day after saying he had agreed with
Vladimir Putin to start Ukraine peace talks.With Kyiv and European
capitals still stunned by Trump's surprise call with Putin, the US
president also said he would "love" to have Russia back in the G7, from
which it was suspended in 2014 after Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimea
peninsula."I think it was a mistake to throw him out," Trump told
reporters in the Oval Office, referring to Putin.Trump -- who has cast
himself in his second term as a global peacemaker -- also said he would
consider a summit with Putin and China's Xi Jinping "when things calm
down.""When we straighten it all out, then I want one of the first
meetings I have is with President Xi of China, President Putin of
Russia. And I want to say, let's cut our military budget in half."The US
president, who was hosting India's Prime Minister Nahendra Modi at the
White House later Thursday, also called for the three powers to start
cutting their nuclear arsenals."There's no reason for us to be building
brand-new nuclear weapons," he added.Trump meanwhile insisted the
Russian leader wanted a ceasefire with Kyiv, despite President Volodymyr
Zelensky on Thursday warning against trusting the Kremlin leader."I
think he wants peace. I think he would tell me if he didn't," Trump
said.Trump made his comments after inking plans for sweeping "reciprocal
tariffs" that could hit both allies and competitors.- Seismic shift
-His remarks on Russia and China mark a seismic shift after more than a
decade of US policy which had increasingly cast Moscow into the cold and
largely viewed both it and Beijing as adversaries.They will also be
viewed with consternation by Ukraine and European allies, who will fear
that if they are not at the table of international diplomacy, they could
end up on the menu.Trump's overtures to Putin in particular have caused
alarm in Europe, which has viewed its huge neighbor Russia as a major
threat since the invasion of Ukraine.Trump revealed Wednesday he
expected to meet Putin separately in Saudi Arabia for Ukraine peace
talks, in a sudden thaw in relations.In their first confirmed contact
since Trump's return to the White House, the US president said he had
held a "highly productive" conversation with his Russian counterpart who
ordered the bloody 2022 invasion of Ukraine.Several European nations
have questioned Trump's strategy and warned Washington not to hatch a
deal without them.The Trump administration's talking points on Ukraine
have also at times echoed Moscow's, particularly when it comes to Kyiv's
dream of NATO membership to protect it from Russia."I believe that's
the reason the war started, because (predecessor president Joe) Biden
went out and said that they could join NATO," said Trump of Russia's
February 2022 invasion.In 2014, Russia was suspended from what was then
the G8 after it annexed Crimea and sanctions were imposed on Moscow.In
his first term, Trump also called for Russia to be readmitted, but he
found little support among other Western countries.
European
leaders set to hold emergency summit on Ukraine-13 hours ago-David
Mercer-BBC News-Joe Pike-Political and investigations correspondent.
European
leaders are set to gather next week for an emergency summit on the war
in Ukraine, in response to concerns the US is moving ahead with Russia
on peace talks that will lock out the continent.Sir Keir Starmer, who is
expected to attend the summit in Paris, said it was a
"once-in-a-generation moment for our national security" and it was clear
Europe must take a greater role in Nato.It comes after Donald Trump's
special envoy to Ukraine said European leaders would be consulted but
not take part in any talks between US and Russia over ending the
war.Senior White House figures, including US Secretary of State Marco
Rubio, are due to meet Russian negotiators in Saudi Arabia in the coming
days. US officials said that Ukraine was also invited - although
President Volodymyr Zelensky says his country has received no such
invitation.In remarks likely to raise concern in Ukraine and among
European allies, special envoy Keith Kellogg said previous negotiations
had failed because too many parties had been involved."It may be like
chalk on the blackboard, it may grate a little bit, but I am telling you
something that is really quite honest," he said on Saturday.Europe
remains haunted by the Minsk agreements, a failed ceasefire deal between
Ukraine and Russia reached in 2015. The talks, which were brokered by
France and Germany, sought to end fighting in the Donbas region of
eastern Ukraine.Sir Keir is understood to see his role as bringing US
and Europe together to ensure a united approach to peace in Ukraine.The
UK prime minister will discuss the views of European leaders when he
visits US President Trump at the White House at the end of this month.A
further meeting of European leaders together with Zelensky is expected
after Sir Keir returns from Washington.Sir Keir said the UK would "work
to ensure we keep the US and Europe together", adding the two could not
"allow any divisions in the alliance to distract" from "external
enemies"."This is a once in a generation moment for our national
security where we engage with the reality of the world today and the
threat we face from Russia," he said."It's clear Europe must take on a
greater role in Nato as we work with the United States to secure
Ukraine's future and face down the threat we face from Russia."Polish
foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski said Emmanuel Macron had called the
summit of European leaders, which has not yet been announced by the
French president.Sikorski said: "President Trump has a method of
operating, which the Russians call reconnaissance through battle. You
push and you see what happens, and then you change your position,
legitimate tactics. And we need to respond."Earlier on Saturday,
Zelensky called for the creation of an "army of Europe" amid rising
concern the US may no longer come to the continent's aid.Speaking at the
Munich Security Conference, he said US Vice-President JD Vance's speech
at the event had made it clear that the old relationship between Europe
and America was "ending" and the continent "needs to adjust to
that".But Zelensky also said Ukraine would "never accept deals made
behind our backs without our involvement" after Trump and Russian
President Vladimir Putin agreed to start peace talks.Earlier this week
the US president announced he had a lengthy phone conversation with the
Russian leader and that negotiations to stop the "ridiculous war" in
Ukraine would begin "immediately".Trump then "informed" Zelensky of his
plan.Trump appeared confident that his leadership style could pave the
way for a peace deal in Ukraine.His rapprochement with Putin brought to
an end more than three years of silence between Moscow and
Washington.Trump's shock announcement rekindled memories of his meeting
with Putin in Helsinki back in 2018.The two men held nearly two hours of
closed-door talks in the Finnish capital and went on to deliver a joint
news conference, where Trump defended Russia over claims of
interference in the 2016 US presidential election.His comments came
despite US intelligence agencies concluding, in 2016, that Russia was
behind an effort to tip the scale of the US election against Hillary
Clinton, with a state-authorised campaign of cyber attacks and fake news
stories planted on social media.On Saturday, US Secretary of State
Marco Rubio also held a phone call with Russia's foreign minister
"building on" the 12 February call between Trump and Putin.Senior
officials from the Trump administration will start peace talks with
Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Saudi Arabia in the coming days, US
Representative Michael McCaul told Reuters news agency.McCaul, chairman
of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he understood Zelensky had
been invited to take part in the Saudi talks, which were aimed at
arranging a meeting with Trump, Putin and the Ukrainian president "to
finally bring peace and end this conflict".A day earlier, Vance had
launched a scalding attack on European democracies, saying the greatest
threat facing the continent was not from Russia and China, but "from
within".In a speech at the Munich Security Conference, he repeated the
Trump administration's line that Europe must "step up in a big way to
provide for its own defence".David Lammy has said the UK and EU
countries must spend more on defence, with Europe facing an "existential
question" even in the event of a negotiated peace in Ukraine.The UK
foreign secretary told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday "Putin
will not go away", and that, while it was positive 23 Nato countries
were now spending at least 2% of their GDP on defence, "we all know we
have to go upward".Additional reporting by Malu Cursino.
No durable peace' in Ukraine if Europe not in talks - minister-1 hour ago-Chas Geiger-Politics reporter-FEB 16,25
There
can be "no durable peace" in Ukraine without European nations,
particularly Ukraine, taking part in talks to end the war with Russia,
the UK business secretary has told the BBC.Jonathan Reynolds downplayed
divisions between the US and its allies over resolving the conflict,
following concerns over the Trump administration moving ahead with peace
talks that would lock out European countries, including Ukraine.In
response, European leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer, will meet in
Paris on Monday, while US officials prepare to meet Russian negotiators
separately.Reynolds told the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that
the UK could act as a "bridge" between the US and Europe.Reynolds also
told the programme, hosted by Victoria Derbyshire, that the UK and
Europe had to respond to US demands for them to pay more towards their
"collective defence" in the face of "greater threats".He said the UK
government would set out a roadmap to increase defence spending from
2.3% to 2.5% of national output, but declined to offer a definitive
timetable.The Trump administration has called on Nato allies to raise
defence spending to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP), and has said in
the past week that it will no longer primarily be focused on European
security.Pressed on whether the 2.5% figure would be sufficient,
Reynolds said any decision on further increases would take threats to
national security into account.Asked if the threat had "just got bigger
without the US", he said there was "no doubt" it had.Former head of the
Army Lord Dannatt has joined calls for Labour to go beyond its target of
2.5%, warning on Saturday the UK military was "too run down" to lead
any future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.However, Ministry of Defence
sources told the BBC the priority was setting a date for when 2.5% would
be reached, adding that would be the first time the UK had spent that
much on defence since the last Labour government.Reynolds said he
thought the UK could "play a constructive role" as a bridge between the
US and Europe "as we adjust to this new era - and it certainly is a new
era".But he added that there had not been a "fundamental breach" in
relations and there was "still a great deal of common ground".The
business secretary did concede it would not "be easy [as] there's a very
assertive agenda from the US".Asked what he made of the UK and European
nations not being invited to the US-Russian talks, Reynolds said US
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had made clear that "everything is still
on the table"."We shouldn't rule out potential outcomes," he added.He
argued Europe and Ukraine would have to be involved for any peace
settlement to be lasting."Ultimately [President Trump] is somebody who
likes to win, and winning would not be rewarding a war of
aggression."Sir Keir said on Saturday that the emergency summit in Paris
was a "once-in-a-generation moment for our national security" and that
it was clear Europe must take a greater role in Nato.He added that the
UK would work "to keep the US and Europe together" and could not allow
divisions between the two to distract from "external enemies".Plans for
the summit came after Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg,
said European leaders would be consulted but would not take part in any
talks between US and Russia over ending the war.French President
Emmanuel Macron said the meeting should not be "over-dramatised".Senior
White House figures are due to meet Russian negotiators in Saudi Arabia
in the coming days. US officials said that Ukraine had also been invited
- though President Volodymyr Zelensky says his country has received no
such invitation.Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel
told Victoria Derbyshire it was "too premature to make assumptions"
about the way the peace talks were heading."We all have to have very,
very cold and calm heads right now, primarily because this conflict is
still raging."She said Ukrainians should be the ones to determine their
future because the war was about their "independence and
sovereignty".Asked if she supported President Trump's proposal that
Ukraine give up territory to end the conflict, she said: "We have to
understand in more detail what they are saying, it's too easy to
generalise."It's very early days in those talks, and I think right now,
the United Kingdom, along with Nato allies, we must continue to be firm
and solid and strong in that support we're giving."Dame Priti added that
as a priority, the UK needed to step up its spending on
defence.Appearing on the same programme, Reform UK's deputy leader
Richard Tice said it was "no surprise" Trump and his team were taking "a
completely different" approach by putting "everything up for grabs" in
terms of Ukraine.He described it as a "massive wake-up call" for
European leaders to take responsibility for their own defence.Green
Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said Ukraine had to be "at the front and
centre" of any peace talks.He warned that the Trump administration's
moves could leave Ukraine and the rest of Europe "at risk of future
Russian aggression".Karin von Hippel, former director at the Royal
United Services Institute (Rusi), said she did not think Trump would
"sell Ukraine down the river" and European nations should "stay
calm".Meanwhile, Conservative former Prime Minister Sir John Major has
warned that democracy was under threat as the US steps back from its
role as a world leader.He told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend that
Trump's policy of "isolation" was creating a power vacuum which would
embolden countries like Russia and China to fill it.Sir John said: "Many
of the gains we made over recent years, when the Soviet Union
collapsed, are now being reversed and you see a very aggressive Russia
again in Ukraine."And if they were to succeed with their venture in
Ukraine, no doubt they'd be elsewhere before too long."
INVENTION OF THE ATOMIC BOMB.
2 PETER 3:10-11
10
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which
the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements
(NUKES) shall melt with fervent heat,(BLAST) the earth also and the
works that are therein shall be burned up.(BUT ITS NO END OF THE WORLD
HOGWASH)
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,(BY
NUKES INCLUDING 3 BILLION PEOPLE) what manner of persons ought ye to be
in all holy conversation and godliness,
NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.
JESUS
SHED HIS BLOOD FOR US THAT WE CAN BE SAVED FOREVER.AND DURING WW3
PEOPLES BLOOD WILL BE SHED AS A JUDGEMENT FOR HATING HIM AND ISRAEL.GOD
IS NOT MOCKED.
ZEPHANIAH 1:2-3
2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.
3
I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven,
and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I
will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.
PSALMS 97:3
3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
EZEKIEL 5:15-17
15
So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an
astonishment unto the (ARAB/MUSLIM) nations that are round about
thee,(ISRAEL) when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in
fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.
16 When I
shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their
destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase
the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:
17 So will I
send upon you famine and evil beasts,(WHEN RUSSIA/MUSLIMS GET DEFEATED
THIER BODIES GET EATEN BY BIRDS,ANIMALS IN ISRAEL MIGRATION SEASON) and
they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through
thee;(NUKES) and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have
spoken it.
REVELATION 14:18-20
18 And another angel came out
from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to
him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and
gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully
ripe.
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and
gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of
the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the
city,(JERUSALEM) and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the
horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.(200
MILES) (THE SIZE OF ISRAEL)
ISAIAH 66:15-18
15 For, behold,
the LORD will come with fire,(NUKES) and with his chariots like a
whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of
fire.
16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
17
They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens
behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination,
and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
18 For I
know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather
all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
ISAIAH 26:21
21
For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants
of the earth for their iniquity:(GOD/ISRAEL HATE AND BRAKING OF HIS
COMMANDMENTS) the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more
cover her slain.(WW3,1/2 earths population die - 3 BILLION).
ISAIAH 13:6-13 KJV
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:(FROM FRIGHT)
8
And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them;
they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed
one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of
the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land
desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For
the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their
light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall
not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for
their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the
arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the
terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13
Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of
her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his
fierce anger.
ISAIAH 24:17-23 KJV
17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18
And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the
fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of
the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are
open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20
The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed
like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it;
and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass
in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that
are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they
shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and
shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be
visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed,
when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and
before his ancients gloriously.
2 TIMOTHY 3:1
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.
JOEL 2:3,30
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.
REVELATION 8:7
7
The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with
blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees
was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
REVELATION 9:18
18
By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the
fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their
mouths.(ATOMIC BOMBS)(RUSSIA CHINA DESTROYED BY ISRAELS ATOMIC BOMBS)
REVELATION 16:12-16
12
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river
Euphrates;(WERE WW3 STARTS IN IRAQ OR SYRIA OR TURKEY) and the water
thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be
prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of
the mouth of the dragon,(SATAN) and out of the mouth of the beast,(WORLD
DICTATOR) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(FALSE POPE)
14
For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth
unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to
the battle of that great day of God Almighty.(WERE 2 BILLION DIE FROM
NUKE WAR)
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
17
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a
great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is
done.
PROOF HALF ON EARTH DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD (8 BILLION ON EARTH)
REVELATION 6:7-8 (8 BILLION- 2 BILLION = 6 BILLION)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8
And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that
sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given
unto them over the fourth part of the earth,(2 BILLION) to kill with
sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE
DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
REVELATION 9:15,18 (6 BILLION - 2 BILLION = 4 BILLION)
15 And the four(DEMONIC WAR) angels were loosed,
18
By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the
fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their
mouths.(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMBS)
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE
17:34-37 (8 TOTAL BILLION - 4 BILLION DEAD IN TRIB = 4 BILLION TO JESUS
KINGDOM) (HALF DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD JUST LIKE THE
BIBLE SAYS)(GOD DOES NOT LIE)(AND NOTICE MOST DIE IN WAR AND
DISEASES-NOT COMETS-ASTEROIDS-QUAKES OR TSUNAMIS)
34 I tell you, in
that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken,(IN
WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other shall be left.(half earths population 4
billion die in the 7 yr trib)
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
37
And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto
them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered
together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against
Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten
by the birds).THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-NOT RAPTURE
SCRIPTURES.BECAUSE NOT HALF OF PEOPLE ON EARTH ARE CHRISTIANS.AND THE
CONTEXT IN LUKE 17 IS THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION OR 7 YR TREATY PERIOD.WHICH
IS JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH.NOT 50% RAPTURED TO HEAVEN.
MATTHEW 24:37-42 (THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-SURE NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
42 Watch therefore:(FOR THE LAST DAYS SIGNS HAPPENING) for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
NAHUM 3:13
13
Behold, your troops are women in your midst. The gates of your land are
wide open to your enemies; fire has devoured your bars.
US
shipment of heavy bombs held up by Biden administration arrives in
Israel-1,800 munitions weighing 2,000 lbs apiece unloaded at Ashdod
Port, taken by trucks to Israeli airbases, weeks after Trump lifts hold
on delivery By Emanuel Fabian-Today, 9:51 am-FEB 16,25
A shipment
of some 1,800 heavy bombs from the United States that had been held up
by the previous American administration arrived in Israel overnight, the
Defense Ministry announced on Sunday.A ship carrying the MK-84 2,000-lb
munitions docked at Ashdod Port and was unloaded onto dozens of trucks
and taken to Israeli airbases, the ministry said.Defense Minister Israel
Katz hailed the arrival of the bombs, saying in a statement: “The
munitions shipment that arrived in Israel tonight, released by the Trump
administration, represents a significant asset for the Air Force and
the IDF and serves as further evidence of the strong alliance between
Israel and the United States.”“I thank President Donald Trump and the US
administration for their unwavering support of the State of Israel. We
will continue working together to strengthen our
security,” Katz added.According to the ministry, since
the beginning of the war in October 2023, over 76,000 tons of military
equipment have arrived in Israel on 678 transport planes and 129 ships,
the vast majority from the US.The US rushed billions of dollars in
military aid to Israel throughout the past 16 months of war in Gaza,
sparked by the Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023, assault in southern
Israel.But the Biden administration acknowledged that it stopped
fast-tracking weapons to Israel later in the war, and instead required
each transfer to go through the usual approval process, as is the case
for other countries.In May, the White House announced a decision to
withhold a shipment of 1,800 2,000-lb bombs and 1,700 500-lb bombs, with
then-US president Joe Biden threatening to freeze additional offensive
weaponry if Israel launched a major military offensive in Gaza’s
southernmost city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians were
sheltering at the time.In July, the 500-lb bombs were eventually
released by the Biden administration after the IDF entered Rafah. The
Palestinian civilian population in the Strip’s southernmost city had
largely evacuated by then.The Biden administration had asserted that
only the 2,000-pound bombs were withheld, over concerns that Israel
would use them in densely populated parts of Gaza, and that all other
shipments had been processed.In October, the US warned Israel in a
letter that it had a month to significantly alleviate the humanitarian
crisis in Gaza caused by the war or risk the US withholding weapons
shipments. But the threat never materialized, and the Biden
administration acknowledged in November that Israel had taken some —
though not all — of the steps demanded of it.Last month, shortly after
becoming president, Trump announced that he had lifted the hold put in
place by Biden on the shipment of 2,000-pound bombs for Israel.Jacob
Magid and Amy Spiro contributed to this report.
The Uncomfortable Truth About Islam-By: Rabbi Elie Mischel-February 9, 2025
On
October 7, Hamas terrorists – devout Muslims – stormed into Israeli
homes, slaughtering entire families, raping women beside the bodies of
their murdered loved ones, and burning infants alive. In Rotherham,
England, thousands of young girls were systematically groomed and abused
by Muslim gangs while authorities ignored their cries for help,
paralyzed by fear of being called racist. These are not isolated
incidents, nor the actions of a mere handful of extremists. How is it
possible that millions of Muslims across the world subscribe to a system
that allows—if not outright encourages—such atrocities? The answer lies
not in the misinterpretations of a few radicals but in the cultural and
moral framework of Islam itself, a system fundamentally at odds with
the biblical vision of justice and human dignity.Judaism and
Christianity are steeped in the teachings of the Bible – a Bible that
commands us:You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You
shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your
neighbor.Exodus 20:13-It demands compassion for thee. You shall not
oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having
yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.Exodus 23:9-These
directives and others like them form the backbone of Western morality,
teaching individuals to value life and practice kindness toward others.
Jews and Christians are far from perfect – but because we believe in the
Bible, we cannot justify heinous acts like rape and murder of
innocents.In contrast, Islam’s holy text—the Koran—contains verses that
advocate violence and discrimination against non-Muslims. For instance,
sura 4:24 permits Muslim men to have sexual relations with women taken
as captives: “Also (prohibited are) women already married, except those
whom your right hands possess [i.e., female captives]”—a shocking
allowance of rape within the context of war. And consider Sura 9:29:
“Fight those who do not believe in Allah… who do not adopt the religion
of truth from those who were given the Scripture – [fight] until they
give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled.” There is a direct
line to be drawn from these verses of the Koran to the rape of Jewish
women taken hostage by Hamas and the grooming gangs in England. The
atrocities committed by Hamas against innocent Israeli civilians were
not spontaneous acts of violence but actions rooted in a worldview that
dehumanizes Jews and glorifies martyrdom. Without the moral compass
provided by the Bible, actions that would otherwise be unthinkable
become justified in the name of God.The Bible teaches that morality
begins with God’s word. The great Jewish Sage, Rabbi Akiva, famously
said, “’Love your neighbor as yourself’ (Leviticus 19:18) is the
greatest principle of the Torah.” This teaching is revolutionary because
it prioritizes the sanctity of human life and the dignity of each
individual. But without the Bible’s commandments, humanity risks
descending into chaos, where might makes right, and the strong exploit
the weak.The Hebrew term for “commandment,” mitzvah, shares a root with
the word tzavta, meaning connection. Each commandment is not merely a
rule but a way of connecting humanity to God and His divine morality. In
the absence of such a connection, people are left to their own devices,
often leading to the kind of moral darkness we see in cultures
influenced solely by the Koran.The Western world’s failure to address
the dangers of Islam stems from its reluctance to acknowledge the moral
shortcomings embedded in Islamic doctrine. Instead, we are told that
these murders and rapes are the result of a small number of Islamic
extremists who twist the words of the Koran. This narrative is not only
false but dangerous. By ignoring the cultural and religious roots of
these atrocities – the Koran itself – we allow these atrocities to
continue.As Itai Elitsur astutely observed, the West’s inability to
recognize the enemy as a collective is its greatest weakness. Instead of
addressing the systemic issues within Islamic culture, Western leaders
focus on individual perpetrators, all while ignoring the elephant in the
room: a culture that, in its totality, fosters hostility, violence, and
moral degradation. Andrew C. McCarthy further illustrates this point
with the example of Rotherham. For years, authorities turned a blind eye
to the systematic abuse of young girls because acknowledging the
religious and cultural motivations behind these crimes would be deemed
“Islamophobic.” The Bible remains humanity’s moral anchor, providing
enduring wisdom that guides individuals and nations toward justice and
compassion. Without it, societies will inevitably fall prey to
ideologies that devalue life and justify cruelty. The time has come to
confront the uncomfortable truth: the problem is not merely a few bad
actors but the cultural and religious framework that enables them –
Islam itself. Only by reaffirming our commitment to the Bible and living
by its word can we hope to combat the darkness and restore a world
built on dignity, love, and respect for one another.After Hamas
terrorists slaughtered over 1,200 Israelis on October 7, an unholy
alliance of Islamic jihadists and progressive activists joined together
to fight an unholy war against the Bible. In The War Against the Bible,
Rabbi Mischel offers a prophetic perspective on these dramatic events
through the words of the Hebrew Bible itself. If you yearn for spiritual
clarity amid today’s turbulence, let the power of the Hebrew Bible’s
prophecies and call to action strengthen your faith. Click here to get
your copy of The War Against the Bible: Ishmael, Esau and Israel at the
End Times now! Rabbi Elie Mischel is the Director of Education at
Israel365. Before making Aliyah in 2021, he served as the Rabbi of
Congregation Suburban Torah in Livingston, NJ. He also worked for
several years as a corporate attorney at Day Pitney, LLP. Rabbi Mischel
received rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac
Elchanan Theological Seminary. Rabbi Mischel also holds a J.D. from the
Cardozo School of Law and an M.A. in Modern Jewish History from the
Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. He is also the editor
of HaMizrachi Magazine.
Israeli tourists attacked in Athens for
speaking Hebrew, wearing Star of David-Man in 40s reportedly stabbed in
the forehead; Foreign Ministry says one assailant fled while the other,
‘Gazan known to have participated in pro-Palestinian protests,’ detained
By ToI Staff Today, 3:25 pm-FEB 16,25-
Two men attacked a group
of Israeli tourists in Athens early Saturday after overhearing them
speak Hebrew and noticing their Star of David necklaces, the Foreign
Ministry said, with one man in his forties reportedly being stabbed in
the forehead before police intervened.None of the victims required
hospitalization, according to the Foreign Ministry, which said one
assailant fled and was still at large, while the other, a “Gazan known
to have participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations,” was
apprehended.Local outlet News 24/7 identified both attackers as
Palestinians. The outlet said the detained assailant is 32 years old and
being charged with race-based violence, causing bodily harm and
violating Greek law on bearing arms.The attackers reportedly targeted an
Israeli couple who had just left a taberna on central Athens’ popular
Ermou road. Other Israelis were said to have dined in the restaurant as
well.Uzi Bukai, an Israeli eyewitness quoted by Israel Hayom, reported
hearing an Arabic cry right before the attack.“It was at about 2 or 3
a.m., a man and a woman were attacked,” said Bukai.“We were with a
couple of friends and there were other Israelis who exited the taberna,”
he said. “Suddenly we heard, ‘Allah Akbar,’ and [an assailant] started
stabbing the Israelis.”“I ran to the Israelis, they said they’d been
stabbed. I ran to the cops, they came and intervened,” he added. “If
police hadn’t intervened… it would’ve been much worse.”Athens, a popular
destination among Israelis due to its proximity and low prices, has
seen several attacks on Israeli tourists since October 7, 2023, when
thousands of Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel to kill some
1,200 people and take 251 hostages.The Israeli National Security
Council’s current guidelines for travel to Greece put the country’s
threat level at two, of a possible four, meaning Israelis and Jews are
advised to take “increased precautionary measures” there.Last year,
Greek police arrested seven people accused of planning to attack a
synagogue and Israeli-owned hotel in central Athens. The year before,
Greece detained two people thought to have been sent by Iran to attack a
kosher restaurant in the city.
First openly gay imam’ shot dead
in South Africa, cops say motive unknown-Muhsin Hendricks, subject of
2022 documentary ‘The Radical,’ ran a mosque intended as a safe haven
for gay and other marginalized Muslims near his birth place of Cape Town
By AFP Today, 3:13 pm-FEB 16,25
Muhsin Hendricks, considered the
world’s first openly gay imam, was shot dead Saturday near the southern
city of Gqeberha, South African police said.The imam, who ran a mosque
intended as a safe haven for gay and other marginalized Muslims, was in a
car with another person when a vehicle stopped in front of them and
blocked their exit, police said.“Two unknown suspects with covered faces
got out of the vehicle and started firing multiple shots at the
vehicle,” the Eastern Cape force said in a statement.“Thereafter they
fled the scene, and the driver noticed that Hendricks, who was seated at
the back of the vehicle was shot and killed.”A police spokeswoman
confirmed to AFP the authenticity of a video on social media that
purported to show a targeted killing in Bethelsdorp near Gqeberha,
formerly known as Port Elizabeth.“The motive for the murder is unknown
and forms part of the ongoing investigation,” police said, urging
anybody with information to come forward.The International Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association denounced the killing.“The
ILGA World family is in deep shock at the news of the murder of Muhsin
Hendricks, and calls on authorities to thoroughly investigate what we
fear may be a hate crime,” executive director Julia Ehrt said in a
statement.Hendricks, involved in various LGBTQ advocacy groups, came out
as gay in 1996. He ran the Al-Ghurbaah mosque at Wynberg near his
birthplace Cape Town.The mosque provides “a safe space in which queer
Muslims and marginalised women can practise Islam,” its website
states.Hendricks, the subject of a 2022 documentary called “The
Radical,” had previously alluded to threats against him.But he insisted
that “the need to be authentic” was “greater than the fear to die.”South
Africa has one of the world’s highest murder rates, with some 28,000
murders in the year to February 2024, according to police data.
Austrian
authorities say Villach stabber was Islamist, pledged allegiance to
ISIS-Austrian minister says 23-year-old Syrian asylum seeker was
radicalized online before killing 14-year-old boy, wounding five
others-By Agencies Today, 2:18 pm-FEB 16,25
The suspected
perpetrator of a deadly knife attack in the southern Austrian town of
Villach on Saturday had sworn allegiance to Islamic State and had its
flag in his apartment, Austrian officials said on Sunday.At a press
conference in Villach, the police chief for the state of Carinthia,
Michaela Kohlweiss, said she could confirm an oath of allegiance. She
and Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said the ISIS flag had been found
in his apartment.The 23-year-old suspect, who was detained shortly after
the stabbing, is a Syrian asylum seeker with a residence permit in
Austria. The assailant, named in reports as Ahmad G., stabbed six
passersby, killing a 14-year-old and injuring five others, in what
police said was a random attack.A 42-year-old man, also a Syrian working
for a food delivery company, witnessed the attack from his car. He
drove toward the suspect and helped to prevent the situation from
escalating, police spokesperson Rainer Dionisio told Austria’s public
broadcaster ORF.Syrian national Ahmad G, who allegedly stabbed six
passersby in southern Austria on Saturday, killing a 14-year-old and
injuring five others. (X, used in accordance with clause 27a of the
copyright law)-The Free Syrian Community of Austria issued a statement
on Facebook distancing itself from the attack and expressing its deepest
condolences to the victims’ families. “We all had to flee Syria, our
home country, because we were no longer safe there — no one left their
country voluntarily. We are grateful to have found asylum and protection
in Austria,” the association said.“Finally, we would like to emphasize:
Anyone who causes strife and disturbs the peace of society does not
represent the Syrians who have sought and received protection here,” the
statement concluded.Villach, a popular tourist destination near the
borders of Italy and Slovenia, is known for its laid-back atmosphere,
which blends Mediterranean and Alpine traditions. The city hosts annual
carnival processions in March and an event on Saturday was canceled in
the wake of the attack.The Austrian Ministry of Interior activated a
platform for witnesses to upload videos or photos related to the attack.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner is expected in Villach on Sunday for a
press conference. Local authorities said a crisis response team will be
available to support pupils when schools open on Monday.The victims
were all men, with two seriously wounded and two sustaining minor
injuries, police said. Later Saturday, police said a fifth person was
also injured.Peter Kaiser, the governor of the province of Carinthia,
expressed his condolences to the family of the 14-year-old.“This
outrageous atrocity must be met with harsh consequences. I have always
said with clarity and unambiguously: Those who live in Carinthia, in
Austria, have to respect the law and adjust to our rules and values,” he
said.
IDF drone strike hits gunmen in southern Gaza; three Hamas
cops reportedly killed-Military says it fired on men approaching troops
east of Rafah, again warns Gazans to stay away from soldiers still
deployed as per truce deal; 2nd strike was warning to car near soldiers
By Emanuel Fabian-and ToI Staff Today, 1:14 pm-FEB 16,25
The
Israel Defense Forces said it carried out a pair of drone strikes in the
Gaza Strip on Sunday — one targeting a group of gunmen who were
approaching Israeli forces in one area and the other as a warning when a
car drove near soldiers in another.Palestinian media reported that the
first drone strike killed three Hamas police officers east of the city
of Rafah in the southern Strip, which the terror group called “a serious
violation” of the ceasefire in effect since January 19.“The IDF
continues to call on Gazans to obey the IDF instructions and not
approach the forces deployed to the area,” the Israeli military said.The
Hamas-controlled interior ministry in Gaza said it “condemns this crime
and calls upon the mediators and the international community to compel
the occupation to stop targeting the police force, which is a civil
apparatus.”It claimed the policemen were deployed in the area to secure
the entry of aid trucks into Gaza.Hamas, in its own response, said “The
treacherous firing carried out by a Zionist drone this morning east of
Rafah city, targeting police elements tasked with securing the entry of
aid… is considered a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement.”Later
in the day, the IDF confirmed carrying out another drone strike that
had been reported in Palestinian media, saying it was a warning after
suspects in a vehicle tried to drive to the Strip’s north via an
unapproved route, in violation of the ceasefire.There were no immediate
reports of injuries.Separately, the IDF said it fired warning shots in
several areas of Gaza when Palestinian suspects approached areas where
troops were deployed.Amid the ongoing ceasefire, the military has
carried out several drone strikes as warnings after Palestinians have
attempted to drive to the Strip’s north via unapproved routes.
Northbound vehicular traffic is only permitted on the Salah a-Din road,
where a private security company is inspecting cars heading to northern
Gaza to ensure Hamas, the terror group that rules the Strip, is not
using the vehicles to move weapons and fighters.Meanwhile, the IDF said
it foiled an attempt to smuggle an assault rifle into Israel from Egypt
using a drone.The drone had been identified as crossing the border from
Egypt into Israel, and troops dispatched to the scene shot it down. The
soldiers found that the drone was ferrying a rifle and ammunition,
according to the IDF.In recent months there have been frequent attempts
to bring weapons over the Egypt border using drones.The incidents came
amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas reached in January
after some 15 months of fighting sparked by the terror group’s October
7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel, when terrorists killed some 1,200
people and took 251 hostages.Israeli troops have so far withdrawn from
much of the Strip, including the Netzarim Corridor, which separates the
north and south of the enclave. The IDF is still stationed along the
so-called Philadelphi Corridor, along the Gaza-Egypt border.The deal
does not require Israel to begin withdrawing from that area until the
end of the ceasefire’s ongoing first phase.Hamas and its ally
Palestinian Islamic Jihad on Saturday released three hostages, and
Israel released hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners, in
accordance with the deal.Hamas had said last Monday it would delay the
release, prompting US President Donald Trump to suggest Israel issue an
ultimatum and demand the release of all hostages.The terror group
accused Israel of violating the truce, including by not allowing mobile
homes and earthmoving equipment into the rubble-strewn Strip.Despite
images of those materials lined up outside the Rafah Border Crossing
into southern Gaza late last week, Hebrew media reported Sunday morning
that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not approved the entry of the
materials into the Palestinian enclave.Netanyahu has thus far refused
to allow Israel’s negotiators to engage in talks on the agreement’s
second phase, which would see the release of the remaining hostages in
exchange for a permanent end to the warAgencies contributed to this
report.
Hezbollah condemns attack on UNIFIL at Beirut riot,
demands Iranian planes be let in-Peacekeeping force’s deputy chief said
wounded in pro-Hezbollah riot after Lebanon’s refusal to let planes
land, which official says followed US warning that Israel would down
them-By Agencies and ToI Staff Today, 2:06 pm-FEB 16,25
Hezbollah
on Sunday condemned a Friday attack on a UNIFIL convoy in Beirut that
the international peacekeeping force said had wounded its outgoing
deputy commander en route to the Beirut airport.Assailing Israel’s
alleged interference, the Tehran-backed terror group also demanded
Lebanon reverse its decision to stop Iranian flights from landing at the
Rafik Hariri International Airport. A Lebanese security source said the
ban had followed a private warning from the White House that Israel
would target the airport should the plane land.Lebanon’s decision, which
Iran responded to in kind, followed Israel’s public warning on Thursday
that Tehran was using civilian planes to smuggle cash for Hezbollah to
rebuild itself, in violation of the November 27 ceasefire agreement
between Israel and the terror group. Throughout nearly 14 months of war
until the ceasefire, Israel had repeatedly accused Hezbollah of using
Lebanon’s only airport to smuggle in supplies from Iran.The refusal to
let Iranian planes land in Beirut sparked pro-Hezbollah riots, during
which the UNIFIL general’s car was torched. Lebanese authorities have
detained more than 25 people as part of an investigation into the
attack, which the US State Department said was carried out “reportedly
by a group of Hezbollah supporters.”In a statement Sunday, Hezbollah
condemned the incident and said it “affirms its firm rejection of any
targeting of [UNIFIL] as well as any harm to public and private
property.”The condemnation came at the end of a message assailing the
Lebanese military for attacking what Hezbollah described as “a peaceful
movement and a civilized expression of popular opposition to unjustified
submission to foreign dictates.”“The protesters were surprised when
some Lebanese army personnel launched tear gas canisters toward them,”
said the terror group, adding that it “calls on the army leadership to
open an urgent investigation into this condemned attack.”Hezbollah urged
Lebanon’s government to “assume its responsibility in protecting the
peaceful protesters.”The terror group also demanded the government
“reverse its decision to prevent Iranian planes from landing at Beirut
Airport, and take serious measures to prevent the Israeli enemy from
imposing its dictates and violating national sovereignty.”On Sunday, a
Lebanese security source told AFP Washington had warned Beirut that
Israel could shoot down two Iranian flights to Lebanon, one on Thursday
and another on Friday.Under the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah,
Israel is entitled to carry out attacks against imminent threats by the
terror group.The source who spoke to AFP said that Israel conveyed to
Lebanon on Thursday, via the US, that “it would target the airport if
the Iranian plane landed in Lebanon.”“The American side told the
Lebanese side that Israel was serious about its threat,” said the
source, adding that Lebanon’s public works and transport ministry then
refused clearance for the flight after consulting the prime minister and
president.The message was passed on to Iran before the flight took off,
said the source.Another flight was also barred from taking off from
Iran on Friday, which prompted the Hezbollah supporters to block the
road to Lebanon’s only airport.Lebanon’s new Prime Minister Nawaf Salam,
whose government includes Hezbollah as a minor member, said Saturday
that “the security of Beirut airport takes precedence over any other
consideration.”“And the safety of travelers as well as the safety of
Lebanese citizens are elements on which we will not compromise,” he
said.Salam, a former top judge at the International Court of Justice,
was tapped for premier by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun last month. His
election, with the backing of Paris, Riyadh and Washington, ended a
two-year impasse.Previously the commander of Lebanon’s military, Aoun
has vowed to maintain a state monopoly on arms — a thinly veiled threat
against Hezbollah’s extensive arsenal. The terror group was the only
Lebanese militia not to surrender its arms to the state when the
country’s 15-year civil war ended in 1990.Hezbollah is required under
the ceasefire agreement with Israel to vacate southern Lebanon. Israel
was given 60 days, until January 26, to withdraw from the area. The
withdrawal deadline was extended, with Beirut’s approval, to February
18. Israel is reportedly seeking to stay longer in some areas of south
Lebanon.Israel invaded Lebanon in September, in a bid to end the terror
group’s persistent rocket fire, which had displaced some 60,000
northerners. The terror group’s near-daily attacks began, unprovoked, on
October 8, 2023 — a day after fellow Iran-backed group Hamas stormed
southern Israel to kill some 1,200 people and take 251 hostages,
sparking the war in Gaza.
Colombia’s president poses with map of
Israel replaced by Palestinian state-Gustavo Petro, who cut ties with
Israel after accusing it of genocide, calls for release of
Israeli-Colombian hostage as tribute to country’s ‘solidarity with
Palestinians’By ToI Staff Today, 10:51 am-FEB 16,25
Colombian
President Gustavo Petro on Friday posted footage of himself in Qatar
holding a picture of Israel replaced with a Palestinian state, and
called for the release of Colombian-Israeli Elkana Bohbot, who is held
hostage by Hamas in Gaza, as a “tribute to Colombia and its solidarity
with the Palestinian people.”The video was taken during Petro’s visit to
Doha’s Thumama Medical Center, where he met with hospitalized Gazan
children, whom he referred to as survivors of genocide, in a post
welcoming the recent sign of life from Bohbot.In the video, a child
gives Petro a picture that shows the outlines of Mandatory Palestine
from before 1948 — Israel’s borders, with the West Bank and Gaza but
without the Golan Heights — framed in a checkered pattern reminiscent of
a Palestinian keffiyeh. Inside the borders is a large key — a
well-known symbol among Palestinian refugees, many of whom kept the key
from their ancestral homes.Petro, whose government cut ties with Israel
in May amid the war in Gaza, can be seen smiling as he clutches the
picture, flanked with children, in front of a Qatari flag.The Colombian
president recounted his visit to the hospital in a post on the sign of
life that came from Bohbot.The 35-year-old was snatched from the
Re’im-area Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, when thousands of
Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel to kill some 1,200 people
and take 251 hostages, sparking the war in Gaza.“We hope for his prompt
release,” wrote Petro. “His freedom is a tribute to Colombia and to its
solidarity with the Palestinian people. I hope that his united family
can travel to Colombia.”Bohbot was one of a reported 12 hostages for
whom Israel received a sign of life last week following the release of
captivity survivors Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi and Or Levy as part of the
month-old Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, which Qatar helped
mediate.Their release was the fifth in the deal’s ongoing first phase,
which comprises women, children, civilian men over 50 and those deemed
“humanitarian cases.” Bohbot is slated for release only in the deal’s
second phase, which would see Hamas release all remaining living
hostages. Israel has not committed to the second phase.Writing about the
sign of life from Bohbot, Petro said he had met in his office with the
hostage’s young son Uriel, whom he wished “very happy days.”“May the
children’s pain recede,” added Petro.He proceeded to describe his tour
of the Doha hospital, where he had met with Gazan children and “embraced
their broken and mending bodies.”“I looked into their eyes and saw hope
in them,” said Petro. “The hope of the world after a genocide.”Petro
said he and the Colombian ambassador to Qatar, who is “descended from a
Palestinian father,” were working to bring Gazan children to Colombia
for medical treatment.“The reconstruction of Gaza will not be a matter
of bricks, roads or real estate,” said Petro. “Fundamentally, it is the
reconstruction of the social fabric of a people, of an ancestral
culture.”Though Petro did not mention Donald Trump, the comment was
apparently a rebuke of the US president’s plan to oust Gaza’s residents
and rebuild the Strip as a “riviera of the Middle East.”“Humanity cannot
ostracize a people after a genocide,” said Petro. “Gaza is Palestine,
period.”Colombia followed neighboring Bolivia last May in ending
longstanding ties with Israel. Petro had for months assailed Israel’s
war against the Hamas terror group, which rules Gaza, likening it to the
Holocaust and drawing accusations of antisemitism from Jerusalem.
Bogotá also supports South Africa’s case in the International Court
Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza — a charge Israel has
angrily rejected.
Thousands in London protest Trump’s Gaza
proposal, demand arms embargo on Israel-March to US Embassy, organized
by Palestine Solidarity Campaign, sees antisemitic chants and slogans;
draws small band of pro-Israel counterprotesters By Agencies and ToI
Staff Today, 8:37 am-FEB 16,25
Thousands of pro-Palestinian and
anti-Israel demonstrators marched through central London to the United
States embassy on Saturday to protest against US President Donald
Trump’s proposal that the US “take over” Gaza and turn it into the
“Riviera of the Middle East.”Waving Palestinian flags and placards
saying “Hands off Gaza,” several thousand people walked from Whitehall
in Westminster over the River Thames to the embassy in Nine Elms,
chanting, among other slogans, “From the river to the sea, Palestine
will be free,” according to the Daily Mail.Among those in attendance was
former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was seen at the front of a
bloc marching under a banner demanding to “stop arming Israel.”Several
attendees could be seen holding signs with inflammatory language or
symbols emblazoned on them, including a man identified as 69-year-old
John Hamilton, who the Daily Mail reported was carrying a placard
featuring two swastikas that he claimed were a way to “draw comparisons
between the Zionists and the Nazis.”The sign was inside an evidence bag,
to draw attention to an identical sign that had been taken from him
when he was arrested during a November 2023 protest.Earlier this month,
Trump stunned the world when he suggested the US could redevelop the
war-torn Gaza Strip into a prime real estate location.His proposal
envisages resettling Palestinians elsewhere, chiefly in Jordan and
Egypt, apparently with no plan for them ever to return, despite other
members of his administration and Israel insisting it would be a
temporary measure.Other Western leaders and the Arab world have widely
condemned the idea.Protesters held banners that read, “Stand up to
Trump” and “Mr Trump, Canada is not your 51st state. Gaza is not your
52nd.”“I think it’s completely immoral and illegal and also impractical
and absurd,” 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos told AFP.“You
simply cannot deport two million people, especially that the surrounding
countries already said that they wouldn’t take them, not out of the
goodness of their heart but because it would destabilize those
countries,” he said.“So it’s not going to happen but it does a lot of
damage simply stating that as an endgame,” he added.The march, organized
by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), was the 24th major
pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protest in Britain’s capital since
Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault on Israel.The assault — in which
thousands of terrorists invaded southern Israel from the Gaza Strip,
killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages,
amid acts of brutality and sexual assault — sparked immediate
demonstrations worldwide, even prior to Israel’s response.The PSC has
faced heavy backlash in recent weeks, after newly obtained information
from the Metropolitan Police Service showed that the group first filed a
request to hold an anti-Israel protest shortly after noon on October 7,
some eight hours after Hamas breached the Israel-Gaza border in
multiple places, invaded Israel and began its slaughter.At the time that
the request was filed, the massacre was ongoing and the IDF was
scrambling to regain control of the southern communities invaded by
Hamas. Israel was still far from fully understanding the scale of the
unfolding disaster.A heavy police presence was deployed Saturday as
officers kept protesters away from a counter-march led by the “Stop the
Hate” group, founded post-October 7 to respond to the frequent
anti-Israel marches.The Telegraph reported that protestors from the main
demonstration shouted, among other things, “Zionist pig,” and “Khaybar,
Khaybar, oh Jews, the army of Mohammad will return” — an Arabic chant
referring to an ancient battle between Muslims and Jews — at the
pro-Israel counterprotesters.Stop the Hate also shared a series of signs
on social media that it found particularly egregious, including a map
labeled “Palestine” with the borders of the entire State of Israel,
several comparisons of Israel to Nazi Germany and the war in Gaza to the
Holocaust, and a sign alleging that both major parties in the UK and
the US are “owned by Israel.”“Antisemitic tropes were popular at today’s
PSC protest. Placards about Jewish power are never called out by the
organisers,” the group said on X.
Hours after release, freed
hostages talk of Hamas torture, psychological torment-Iair Horn was held
with brother Eitan at start of captivity, but hasn’t seen him since;
Sagui Dekel-Chen scarred by torture; Troufanov was held alone, learned
to speak and read Arabic-By ToI Staff Today, 3:29 am-FEB 16,25
The
three hostages who were released from Gaza on Saturday after 498 days
of captivity endured physical abuse and were left in the dark as to the
fate of their loved ones, according to snippets of information shared
with Hebrew media outlets by family members. One of the three, Sagui
Dekel-Chen, was tortured during interrogations by his captors.The
information reported by Channels 12 and 13 and the Kan public
broadcaster was conveyed by the freed hostages to their families and
then cleared for publication by the military censor.Dekel-Chen, Sasha
Troufanov and Iair Horn were all abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the
October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on southern Israel, in which some
1,200 people were killed and 251 were seized as hostages.Dekel-Chen and
Horn were held captive by Hamas, and Troufanov was held by allied terror
group Palestinian Islamic Jihad.They were released following days of
uncertainty and doubt after Hamas accused Israel earlier in the week of
failing to meet aid obligations and said it was pausing the scheduled
hostage releases. Israel rejected the charge and threatened to resume
the war.The terror group eventually backed down on Thursday, and
notified Israel via Qatari and Egyptian mediators of the identities of
the three hostages slated for release Saturday.While the three men
looked thin and pale, and Horn seemed to be limping, they appeared to be
in better physical condition than the three severely emaciated hostages
who were released last week in images that shocked Israel and sparked
an outpouring of anger.All three of them were held in Khan Younis
throughout their captivity, mere hundreds of meters from their homes in
Kibbutz Nir Oz. While they were mostly held in tunnels, they were taken
to apartments in the lead-up to their release, Kan reported.All of them
learned to speak Arabic during their 498 days in Gaza, and Troufanov
also learned to read it, Channel 12 said.Both Dekel-Chen and Horn were
held with other hostages at various points in captivity, and at one
stage early on, Horn was held with his brother Eitan, who is not slated
for release in the first stage of the ceasefire and hostage release
deal. They were not held together recently.After he was separated from
his brother, Iair was forced by his captors to film a video in which he
talked about Eitan, Kan reported.He lost 10 kilograms (22 lbs) in weight
and, like the other hostages, received almost no medical
treatment.Nevertheless, Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center said his
general condition was stable, and that he would be able to focus on
reuniting with family and friends before undergoing more extensive
testing and treatment.Upon his release, Horn’s captors gave him an
hourglass with a picture of Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is held
hostage and who has emerged as a leading figure in the movement for the
hostages’ return. According to Kan, the IDF plans to give her the
hourglass.Dekel-Chen ‘tortured during interrogations’Dekel-Chen, who was
abducted while battling invading terrorists with the kibbutz security
team on October 7, 2023, was held in a Gaza hospital for the first weeks
of his captivity, Channel 12 reported. He was held along with other
hostages, including Itzik Elgarat.He was “tortured during
interrogations” by his captors, Channel 12 said and has scars on his
body to show for it. He was also shot in the shoulder and wounded on
October 7.The Israeli-American citizen was cut off from the outside
world, with no access to any media or information, and didn’t know what
had become of his family.He “mourned and cried” for them, fearing the
worst, but also “held out hope for them and was optimistic.”His wife
Avital was seven months pregnant on October 7 when he was captured and
she gave birth in December 2023. His captors told him recently that he
had a daughter born while in captivity, Kan reported, and gave him
earrings for his wife. He didn’t believe what they told him, and asked
the IDF representatives he met upon his release to confirm it.Video
footage of Dekel-Chen’s reunion with Avital captured the emotional
moment when he found out the name of his third daughter.“Do you remember
what you called her?” Avital asked Sagui, referring to the girl’s baby
bump nickname.“Mazal!” he exclaimed in surprise.“So that’s what she’s
called, Shachar Mazal,” Avital responded.“It’s perfect,” he said.
Shachar is Hebrew for “dawn”; mazal means “luck.”He only found out about
the hostage release and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas two
days before his release, at the same time that he learned he was going
to be freed, Channel 12 said.In sharp contrast to the joyful news that
awaited Dekel-Chen upon his release, Troufanov returned to the outside
world to discover that his father Vitaly had been killed on October 7.
He burst into tears at the news, delivered by IDF
representatives.Troufanov was held alone, as was the case with
previously freed hostages Gadi Mozes and Arbel Yehoud, both of whom were
also held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad.He was barely exposed to
television or radio in captivity, and had no idea that his family was
fighting for his release. However, he heard the radio at the time of the
first weeklong truce in November 2023, and discovered that his mother
Yelena and girlfriend Sapir Cohen had been released from captivity. His
grandmother Irena Tati had also been taken hostage and also was released
after some 50 days in captivity.Seventy of the 251 hostages abducted on
October 7, 2023, remain captive in Gaza. Nineteen Israeli hostages have
been freed so far under the ceasefire deal that when into effect last
month: four female civilians, five female IDF soldiers and 10 male
civilians. In addition, five Thai hostages were released outside the
framework of the deal with Israel.Another 14 Israeli hostages are slated
to be released in the initial stage of the ongoing truce deal with
Hamas, of whom the terror group has said eight are dead.The terror group
freed 105 civilians during the weeklong truce in late November 2023,
and four hostages were released before that.Eight hostages have been
rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 40 hostages have also been
recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the Israeli military as
they tried to escape their captors.Hamas is also holding two Israeli
civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the body of
an IDF soldier who was killed in 2014. The body of another IDF soldier,
also killed in 2014, was recovered from Gaza in January.
China slams US 'Cold War mentality' in SAmerica: China appoints 'wolf warrior' to European affairs post-by AFP Staff Writers.
Beijing
(AFP) Feb 7, 2025-China on Friday condemned a "Cold War mentality" by
the United States in Latin America, saying it had complained over
comments by Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a visit to the
region.Since winning the US election in November, President Donald Trump
has refused to rule out the use of force to seize the Panama Canal,
built by Washington over a century ago and later handed over to
Panama.Around 40 percent of US container traffic passes through the
narrow body of water linking the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific
Ocean.Beyond the tolls paid, Washington has appeared chiefly concerned
about Chinese investment in the 80-kilometre (50-mile) long canal, which
handles five percent of global maritime trade.The latest controversy
over the Panama Canal comes at the end of Rubio's week-long visit to
Central America, his first as the US top diplomat.He had threatened
action against Panama unless it made immediate changes to reduce Chinese
influence on the canal.Beijing on Friday said Rubio's remarks "unjustly
accuse China" and "deliberately sow discord between China and relevant
Latin American countries".China has "lodged a solemn representation with
the US side", an unnamed spokesperson added.The country's President
Jose Raul Mulino on Thursday confirmed that Panama had pulled out of the
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure programme.Rubio hailed
that pledge as a "great step forward" for bilateral relations.In
response, Beijing said it "firmly opposes the US using pressure and
coercion to smear and undermine Belt and Road cooperation"."Its
achievements have benefited people in countries such as Panama," foreign
ministry spokesman Lin told a briefing.The BRI is a massive
infrastructure project that is a central pillar of Chinese President Xi
Jinping's bid to expand his country's clout overseas.Western critics
accuse China of using the BRI to enmesh developing nations in
unsustainable debt to exert diplomatic leverage over them or even seize
their assets.Beijing on Friday insisted that it "supports Panama's
sovereignty over the canal"."The US side's attacks and interference in
relevant cooperation once again expose its hegemonic nature," the
foreign ministry said.Trump in 'no rush' to speak with China's Xi
despite tariff battle-By Danny Kemp with Isabel Kua in
Beijing.Washington (AFP) Feb 5, 2025-US President Donald Trump said
Tuesday he was not in a hurry to speak with his Chinese counterpart Xi
Jinping, despite expectations that they would hold talks after
announcing tit-for-tat tariffs in a growing trade conflict.Beijing said
it was imposing levies on imports of US energy, vehicles and equipment
in a return salvo minutes after Trump's threatened tariffs on Chinese
goods came into effect Tuesday.A day prior, Trump suspended duties on
Mexico and Canada for a month after both countries vowed to step up
measures to counter flows of the drug fentanyl and the crossing of
undocumented migrants into the United States.Trump had signaled earlier
that the talks with Xi could take place early this week, but addressing
reporters at the White House Tuesday afternoon, he said he was in "no
rush" to talk to Xi.US stock markets shrugged off weakness on Tuesday,
but Chinese stocks saw volatility after markets opened Wednesday as the
US Postal Service said it was suspending inbound package shipments from
China and Hong Kong "until further notice."Letters and flats, it said,
would not be impacted.Trump had imposed fresh 10 percent tariffs on
Chinese goods, on top of levies that were already in place against
Washington's biggest economic competitor. Mexico and Canada had faced 25
percent tariffs.Trump's tariff order also eliminated a duty-free
exemption for low value packages, a move that could delay packages of
Chinese-founded online retailers Shein and Temu from entering the
country.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that
Trump was due to talk to Xi, but on Tuesday said she had no "updates on
when that call will take place.""He is not going to allow China to
continue to source and distribute deadly fentanyl into our country, that
was the reason for this tariff," Leavitt told reporters outside the
West Wing of the White House.- 'Malicious' -China unveiled 15 percent
levies on imports of coal and liquefied natural gas from the United
States, while crude oil, agricultural machinery, big-engined vehicles,
and pickup trucks face 10 percent duties.Beijing says it will also probe
US tech giant Google and the US fashion group that owns Tommy Hilfiger
and Calvin Klein.China's government said the measures were in response
to the "unilateral tariff hike" by Washington. It said it would also
file a complaint to the World Trade Organization over the "malicious"
levies.Additionally, it unveiled fresh export controls on rare metals
and chemicals including tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, and molybdenum,
used in a range of industrial appliances.China is a major market for US
energy exports and according to Beijing customs data, imports of oil,
coal and LNG totaled more than $7 billion last year.But that is dwarfed
by China's imports from more friendly powers such as Russia, from which
it purchased $94 billion-worth last year.- Last-minute deals -Trump has
made tariffs a key foreign policy tool of his second term, joking that
the word tariff is the "most beautiful" in the dictionary.The Republican
billionaire said his duties aimed to punish countries for failing to
halt flows of illegal migrants and drugs including the powerful opioid
fentanyl into the United States.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau both struck last-minute deals
with Trump on Monday to tighten border measures, leading to a 30-day
pause on threatened levies.Talks will continue for the next month on
broader pacts.Mexico said Tuesday it had begun the 10,000-strong border
troop deployment it had promised Trump as part of the agreement to halt
tariffs."The deployment has already started," Sheinbaum told
reporters.More than 450,000 people have been murdered countrywide since
Mexico launched a major offensive against drug cartels in 2006.Trudeau
said Canada would appoint a "Fentanyl Czar" and list drug cartels as
terrorist organizations.burs-dk-bys/jgc.
TEPCO takes on challenge
of making space for Fukushima nuclear debris-Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Plant, Japan, Feb 15 (AFP) Feb 15, 2025.
Workers at Japan's
crippled Fukushima nuclear plant have started dismantling water storage
tanks to free up space for tonnes of nuclear debris, 14 years after the
facility was hit by a devastating tsunami.Operator Tokyo Electric Power
Company (TEPCO) has been charged with finding a suitable place to store
around 880 tonnes of radioactive material that remains inside the
Fukushima Daiichi plant's damaged reactors."Currently, there is no more
land available in Fukushima Daiichi", Naoki Maeshiro, project manager
for TEPCO, who is overseeing the operation which began on Friday, told
AFP.Three of plant's six reactors were operating when a tsunami caused
by a massive earthquake hit on March 11, 2011, disabling their cooling
systems and sending them into meltdown.Ever since, TEPCO has been
holding 1.3 million tonnes of water -- a combination of groundwater,
seawater and rainwater -- at the site, along with water used for cooling
the reactors.The water, which is treated to remove various radioactive
materials, has been held inside more than 1,000 tanks that occupy much
of the plant.In one of the zones called "J9", the giant steel tanks
tower over employees at work, obstructing the view of the rest of the
plant."To proceed with the next steps, such as retrieving the fuel
debris, a certain amount of land is necessary," added Maeshiro.Scrapping
the water tanks became possible after TEPCO began discharging treated
water from the plant into the Pacific Ocean in August 2023.Japan and the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have assured that the
operation does not harm the environment.Getting rid of the welded
containers is considered a crucial step in the decades-long
decommissioning process.Once removed, the utility company plans to build
facilities to store highly dangerous molten fuel debris after
extracting it from inside the reactors."As long as the fuel debris
remains in its current state, the risks remain very high," Nobuhide
Sato, a risk specialist at TEPCO, told AFP.- Arcade-style claw machine
-The company has developed a telescopic device that can collect debris
remotely for safety reasons and to avoid radioactive material leaks.A
demonstration attended by AFP was carried out in reactor number five,
which was not in operation when the tsunami hit.Before entering the
zone, which is under high surveillance, employees put on masks, safety
helmets, a full body protective white suit, and three pairs of socks and
gloves as a precaution against radiation.Armed with a flashlight, Sato
stopped in front of a hole, around 60 centimetres (two feet) in
diameter, that has been drilled into the structure protecting the
reactor's core.The plan is to extend the specially developed telescopic
device several metres through the hole to reach the radioactive debris
in the reactor.The device resembles an arcade claw machine, so the "arm
grabs the debris, lifts it, and retrieves it," said Sato.In early
November, TEPCO announced a debris sample weighing 0.7 grams (0.025
ounces) had been successfully extracted and sent to a laboratory near
Tokyo.The analysis will help determine radioactivity levels and the
chemical composition of the molten fuel debris, a key step in the
colossal dismantling project."Depending on the results, we will see
whether it is better to use water to collect (the fuel debris) in the
reactor or to do it in a dry environment," Sato said.The TEPCO employee
then enters the base of the reactor, where workers can only spend a
maximum of two hours a day due to radiation levels."If we can properly
recover the fuel debris and store it safely, it be a great help in
reassuring nearby residents," Sato added.A second sampling of nuclear
material is scheduled between "March and April," according to TEPCO,
which should provide enough information about its composition to move to
the next stage -- a larger-scale extraction of radioactive debris by
2030.The overall project is expected to take between 30 and 40 years,
the company said.cg/ep/lrb/tc/mtp.
Taiwan detects 24 Chinese aircraft as Canadian ship transits waters.
Taipei,
Feb 16 (AFP) Feb 16, 2025-Taiwan said it detected 24 Chinese military
aircraft near the island on Sunday as a Canadian warship passed through
the sensitive Taiwan Strait.It was the first Canadian naval vessel to
transit the waterway this year, Taiwan's foreign ministry said, and came
days after two US ships made the passage.The United States and its
allies regularly pass through the 180-kilometre (112-mile) Taiwan Strait
to reinforce its status as an international waterway, angering
China.Beijing has never ruled Taiwan, but it claims the democratic
island as part of its territory and has threatened to bring it under its
control by force."The Royal Canadian Navy's Halifax-class frigate HMCS
Ottawa sailed through the Taiwan Strait on February 16," Taiwan's
foreign ministry said in a statement."Canada has once again taken
concrete action to uphold the Taiwan Strait's freedom, peace and
openness, demonstrating its firm stance that the strait is international
waters," it added.Taiwan's defence ministry said on Sunday that 24
Chinese aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, were detected
carrying "joint combat readiness patrols" with military vessels around
the island.During the Canadian warship's passage, China's military
radioed the ship and warned it to change course, Taiwanese media
reported.A US destroyer and an ocean survey ship travelled through the
strait starting on February 10, drawing criticism from China's military,
which said it sent the "wrong signal and increased security risks".Data
published by the Taiwan defence ministry showed 62 Chinese military
aircraft were detected near the island in the 48 hours to 6:00 am local
time on Wednesday, coinciding with the US ships' transit.Washington's
latest passage through the Taiwan Strait was the first time since US
President Donald Trump took office in January.It came after Trump and
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said they "opposed any attempts
to unilaterally change the status quo (in the Taiwan Strait) by force or
coercion".
ESA advances HydRON project for next-generation space communications by Erica Marchand.
Paris,
France (SPX) Feb 16, 2025-The European Space Agency (ESA) has taken a
significant step in advancing space-based optical communications by
signing a contract with Thales Alenia Space to develop Element #2 of the
High-throughput Digital and Optical Network (HydRON). This initiative
aims to deploy an advanced laser satellite system that will
revolutionize data transmission across space. The newly planned
satellite collector in low Earth orbit (LEO) will facilitate seamless
connectivity between different orbital layers through cutting-edge
optical communication technologies.Laser communication is poised to
reshape space-based data exchange just as fibre optics transformed
terrestrial internet speeds. Conventional radio-frequency transmission
is increasingly unable to keep pace with the data demands of modern
satellites. HydRON's adoption of laser-based communications will
significantly enhance both speed and security while reducing operational
costs.This latest development, led by Thales Alenia Space in Italy,
builds on Element #1 of HydRON, a network of ten LEO satellites
developed with Kepler Communications and announced last October.
Together, these elements will establish a robust space communications
infrastructure, linking satellites across multiple orbital levels - from
LEO to geostationary orbit - and integrating with ground stations via
laser technology.Developing Element #2-As part of the newly signed
contract, Thales Alenia Space will create a satellite collector in LEO
equipped with state-of-the-art laser communication terminals. Acting as a
critical relay hub, this satellite will receive data from various
spacecraft and efficiently transmit it either to Earth or to satellites
in higher orbits. This component will bolster global coverage, increase
data throughput, and lower transmission costs, making space-based
communication more efficient.The HydRON initiative draws on expertise
from multiple European partners. Thales Alenia Space leads development
and provides the onboard packet router, the system's 'brain' responsible
for directing data traffic. Mynaric contributes high-performance
optical communication terminals, while the German Aerospace Center (DLR)
and Officina Stellare are developing fixed and mobile optical ground
stations. The HydRON Control Centre is being established by Telespazio
with support from Thales (Romania), and Mbryonics is supplying optical
testbed facilities to ensure operational reliability."Signing this
contract with Thales Alenia Space marks a crucial milestone in
establishing Europe's first optical communication network in space,"
said Laurent Jaffart, ESA's Director of Connectivity and Secure
Communications. "HydRON will reinforce Europe and Canada's leadership in
optical communications and strengthen our collaboration with
international partners through an interoperable system.""We are proud to
contribute to Europe's independence in space-based connectivity
services," said Giampiero Di Paolo, Deputy CEO and Senior Vice President
for Observation, Exploration, and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space.
"The HydRON Demonstration System will play a vital role in proving the
reliability and effectiveness of high-throughput optical networks in
space, paving the way for future commercial optical communications both
in Europe and beyond."
Zelensky warns Russia will 'wage war' on NATO.
Washington,
Feb 16 (AFP) Feb 16, 2025-Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
believes Russia is preparing to "wage war" against a weakened NATO
should President Donald Trump dilute US support for the alliance.In an
interview with broadcaster NBC on the sidelines of the Munich Security
Conference, Zelensky also said Trump had the leverage to push Vladimir
Putin into ceasefire negotiations over Ukraine, but warned the Russian
leader should never be trusted."We believe that Putin will wage war
against NATO," Zelensky told the network in an interview aired Sunday.He
suggested Putin may be waiting "for a weakening of NATO," which could
be triggered by the possibility "that the United States of America will
think to take its military from Europe."An emboldened Russia would move
swiftly into territorial expansionist mode, the Ukranian leader said."I
don't know (if) they will want 30 percent of Europe, 50 percent, I don't
know. Nobody knows. But they will have this possibility," he
said.Zelensky's comments to NBC echoed his remarks to the Munich
conference on Saturday, where he urged the creation of a European army,
arguing the continent could no longer count on Washington."We can't rule
out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on issues that
threaten it," Zelensky told the conference."I really believe that time
has come. The Armed Forces of Europe must be created."The push for a
joint continental force has been mooted for years without gaining
traction and Zelensky's intervention seems unlikely to shift the
balance.- 'A little bit scared' -Zelensky's latest warnings came as
Washington announced a team of senior US officials would meet in Saudi
Arabia with counterparts from Moscow and Kyiv.Trump upended the status
quo this week when he announced he was likely to soon meet Putin to
start talks to end the conflict.Zelensky said that in conversations with
Trump, the president indicated he believed Putin was for ready for
negotiations."I said to (Trump), 'No, (Putin)'s a liar. He doesn't want
any peace.'"But Zelensky added that he thinks Putin is "a little bit
scared" of the US president."I think that really he can push Putin to
peace negotiations," Zelensky said, adding: "don't trust him. Don't
trust Putin."US officials have sought to assure Ukraine that it will not
be left in the cold after three years of battling Russia's
invasion.After sitting down with Zelensky in Munich, US Vice President
JD Vance said the United States was looking for a "durable, lasting
peace" that would not lead to further bloodshed in coming years.But
Washington has sent mixed messages to Kyiv, with Pentagon chief Pete
Hegseth appearing to rule out Ukraine joining NATO or retaking all of
its territory.burs-bs/jgc/dw.
Russian drone attack on Chernobyl sparks outrage, no radiation detected.
Chernobyl
Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine, Feb 14 (AFP) Feb 14, 2025-A Russian drone
pierced a cover built to contain radiation at the Chernobyl nuclear
power plant in Ukraine early Friday, causing damage but not releasing
any radiation, officials said.Ukraine has repeatedly warned since Russia
invaded that attacks and fighting near its nuclear power plants risk
triggering a potential catastrophe.The Kremlin rejected that its
military targets Ukrainian nuclear sites, while the European Union said
the attack was "reckless" and showed Russia was "not looking for
peace"."Last night, a Russian attack drone with a high-explosive warhead
struck the cover protecting the world from radiation at the destroyed
4th reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant," Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky said in a social media post.He said it was evidence
that "Putin is definitely not preparing for negotiations -- he is
preparing to continue deceiving the world".CCTV footage posted by the
Ukrainian leader showed a blast on the side of the Chernobyl structure,
timestamped 2:02 am (0002 GMT).AFP was shown the shattered fragments of
the drone, laid out in the snow. Among them were jagged pieces of metal
and what appeared to be an electronic component.The drone pierced the
outer shell and "there was an explosion inside", the plant's chief
engineer Oleksandr Titarchuk told reporters, without detailing the
extent of the damage.He said the consequences "could have been much
worse and more disastrous".The Kremlin called the incident a
"provocation" staged by Kyiv.- Kremlin denial -"There is no question of
any strikes on such nuclear infrastructure sites," Russian President
Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters."Any claims that
this was the case do not correspond to reality. The Russian military
does not do this," he said, after stating that he did not have "exact
information" about the reported hit on Chernobyl.EU foreign policy chief
Kaja Kallas meanwhile said the strike "clearly shows" the Russians
"don't want peace".Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the
attack "strengthens the argument for improving Ukraine's air defences in
our own self-interest"."In 1986 the radioactive cloud endangered all
Europe and beyond," he added.In 1986, a reactor at Chernobyl exploded
during a botched safety test, resulting in the world's worst nuclear
accident, which sent clouds of radiation across much of Europe and
forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate.Zelensky said the drone
had flown at an altitude of 85 metres (280 feet), too low to be detected
by radar.The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also reported an
"explosion" at the site, and said "radiation levels inside and outside
remain normal and stable".The agency, which has had a team deployed at
Chernobyl since the early stages of Russia's invasion of Ukraine,
published images showing a drone on fire after crashing into the
covering.The IAEA has warned of the dangers of fighting around nuclear
plants following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February
2022.In the first days of the conflict, Russian forces briefly seized
the Chernobyl plant and also captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in
southern Ukraine, which they still control.- 'Outrageous' attack -Soviet
authorities initially tried to cover up and then play down the 1986
Chernobyl disaster.In November 2016, a massive metal dome was erected
over the remains of the reactor -- paid for with 2.1 billion euros ($2.5
billion) in international funding -- to stop future leaks.Shaun Burnie,
a nuclear specialist at Greenpeace Ukraine, said the shelter is "not
just a roof but a massive, sophisticated machine designed specifically
to prevent the release of radioactivity into the environment".The
environmental group called it an "outrageous" attack that showed Russia
was "escalating its war against Ukraine to a new level"."The only
country in the world that attacks such sites, occupies nuclear power
plants, and wages war without any regard for the consequences is today's
Russia," Zelensky added in his statement.The Ukrainian energy ministry
meanwhile "called on the IAEA to intensify efforts to prevent hostile
attacks on nuclear facilities".The apparent attack came ahead of highly
anticipated meetings at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, in
which Zelensky sat down with US Vice President JD Vance.On Wednesday,
Trump stunned Kyiv and European allies by holding a lengthy telephone
call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and announcing the two
leaders had agreed to soon start Ukraine peace talks.An adviser to
Zelensky's chief of staff said the Ukrainian delegation would be putting
the Chernobyl attack on the agenda with the United States and Ukraine's
allies.
Cook Islands signs deal for closer ties with China.
Wellington,
Feb 16 (AFP) Feb 16, 2025-The Cook Islands says it has signed a deal to
expand relations with China, stressing that the accord does not impinge
on ties with former colonial power New Zealand.Prime Minister Mark
Brown said he signed an "action plan for the comprehensive strategic
partnership" with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in the northern city of
Harbin during a five-day state visit to China.He promised to publish the
accord, after New Zealand expressed concern about a lack of
transparency over the trip and complained it had not been properly
consulted.The self-governing Cook Islands, a country of 17,000 people,
has a "free association" relationship with New Zealand, which provides
budgetary assistance as well as helping on foreign affairs and
defence.In a statement released Saturday, the last of day of his China
visit, Brown said the accord set a framework for engagement in areas
including trade, investment, ocean science, infrastructure and
transport."This provides opportunities for our government, our private
sector and our people to benefit from enhanced partnership opportunities
with China in areas aligned with our national interests and long-term
development goals," he said.Cook Islands officials say they also
discussed seabed minerals research with Chinese institutes during the
visit, as the Pacific island mulls deep-sea mining of nodules rich in
metals such as nickel and cobalt.New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston
Peters' spokesperson has complained of a lack of transparency and
consultation over the trip, describing it as "a matter of significant
concern".The foreign minister is reserving comment until details of the
agreement are released, the spokesperson said.China is vying for
diplomatic, economic and military influence in the strategically
important Pacific, challenging the historic regional sway of the United
States, New Zealand and Australia.But Brown said his country's relations
with New Zealand and other partners were not affected by the new
accord."The Cook Islands will continue to make strategic decisions in
the best long-term interests of our people," the prime minister
said."Our relationship and engagement with China complements, not
replaces, our longstanding relationships with New Zealand and our
various other bilateral, regional and multilateral partners."The
agreement would be released online "in the coming days", Brown
said.China's state news agency Xinhua earlier quoted Li as saying the
agreement would "deepen political mutual trust and expand practical
cooperation with the Cook Islands".
Chemical weapons watchdog says found banned CS agent in Ukraine-supplied samples by AFP Staff Writers.
The
Hague (AFP) Feb 14, 2025-The international chemical weapons watchdog
said Friday it had found the banned riot control agent CS in nine
samples handed to it by Ukraine from the front line in its war against
Russia.The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
said it had identified the toxic agent in samples from four grenade
shells, three soil samples, and two vegetation samples next to a
dugout.The OPCW did not point fingers at either Ukraine or Russia for
the use of the CS, which is banned as a weapon of war.CS gas is not
lethal but causes sensory irritation including to the lungs, skin and
eyes.Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of using chemical
weapons in the three-year-long conflict. Kyiv's Western allies have also
claimed Moscow has employed banned weapons.Ukraine asked the OPCW to
investigate three incidents of alleged chemical weapons use: October 2,
2024 near the village of Mariivka, and October 12 and 14 near
Illinka."All the grenades collected from dugouts... contained the riot
control agent CS, CS-related compounds and/or their degradation
products," the OPCW found.The chemical was also found in the soil and
vegetation samples provided by Ukraine."This report marks the second
confirmed instance of riot-control agent grenades being found on the
confrontation lines in the Dnipropetrovsk region," said OPCW Director
General Fernando Arias.The findings underscored "the urgency of
maintaining and enforcing the principles of the Chemical Weapons
Convention", he said.In November, the OPCW said that CS had been found
in three shell and soil samples provided by Ukraine.That was the first
time the use of a riot control gas had been confirmed in areas where
active fighting is taking place in Ukraine, the OPCW said.OPCW's
Chemical Weapons Convention strictly bans the use of riot control agents
including CS, a type of tear gas, outside riot control situations when
it is used as "a method of warfare".Britain and the United States have
accused Russia of using the toxic agent chloropicrin as well as riot
control agents since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine in violation of the
treaty.Russia has said it no longer possesses a military chemical
arsenal but the country faces pressure for more transparency over the
alleged use of toxic weapons.
Russia rejects swapping occupied territory with Ukraine-By Andrii KALCHENKO with Khrystyna ZANYK in Warsaw.
Kyiv,
Ukraine (AFP) Feb 12, 2025-Russia on Wednesday rejected swapping
occupied territory with Kyiv as part of any future peace deal hours
after launching a barrage of drones and missiles on Kyiv that killed one
person.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had floated the idea
of exchanging occupied land, said the latest strikes showed the Kremlin
was not interested in pursuing peace in Ukraine.Zelensky had suggested
exchanging Ukrainian-held chunks of Russia's region of Kursk for
Russian-controlled territory in eastern and southern Ukraine in an
interview published late Tuesday. The Kremlin dismissed the proposal
outright in response."This is impossible," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry
Peskov told reporters. "Russia has never and will never discuss the
topic of exchanging its territory."Peskov vowed that Ukrainian forces
holding territory inside Russia would either be "destroyed" or pushed
out.Ukrainian forces rushed over the Russian border in August last year
to wrest control over swathes of territory it hopes will be key to any
future deal to end the grinding conflict.- Combined missile strike -The
Kremlin's refusal to discuss land swaps came shortly after Zelensky
announced that one person had been killed and at least four others were
wounded -- including a child -- in the attack on Kyiv. It damaged
apartment blocks, office buildings, and civilian infrastructure.AFP
journalists heard a volley of explosions ring out over the city and saw
the body of one person killed covered in a black plastic sheet on a
street littered with debris.Russian President Vladimir Putin is "not
preparing for peace -- he continues to kill Ukrainians and destroy
cities," Zelensky wrote on social media after the attack."Only strong
steps and pressure on Russia can stop this terror. Right now we need the
unity and the support of all our partners in the fight for a just end
to this war," he added.Russia's defence ministry said it had carried out
a "group missile strike" on Ukrainian military-industrial sites that
produce drones, and claimed all targets had been hit.Zelensky's comments
on Russia's readiness for talks come on the back of weeks of mounting
rhetoric from Moscow, Washington, and Kyiv over the possibility of
negotiations that could end the nearly three-year Russian
invasion.Zelensky is due to meet US Vice President JD Vance on Friday on
the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. That gathering will be
dominated by the war, which has cost tens of thousands of lives.-
Flurry of meetings -US President Donald Trump's special envoy Keith
Kellogg, who is tasked with drawing up a proposal to halt the fighting,
is also due to visit Ukraine next week, after the Zelensky-Vance meeting
in Munich.That trip would come just days before the three-year
anniversary of Russia's invasion on February 24.Trump took office vowing
to end the war in Ukraine, possibly by leveraging billions of dollars
in US assistance sent under former president Joe Biden, to force Kyiv
into territorial concessions.On Tuesday, Trump welcomed to the White
House Marc Fogel, an American jailed in Russia on drug charges since
2021. He was released by Moscow and returned to the United States after
US envoy Steve Witkoff secured his release.The US president said Russia
had acted "very nicely" with Fogel's release and he hoped it would be
the "beginning of a relationship where we can end that war".Peskov said
the two sides had agreed to release Fogel for a Russian citizen in US
detention. The identity of the freed Russian would be revealed once they
were back in Russia, he added.But he poured cold water over the idea
that the exchange represented any "turning point" in ties, suggesting
instead that the swap could help gradually thaw relations currently at
their "lowest point".- Russia advances on battlefield -On the ground in
Kyiv on Wednesday, emergency services said that some 120 rescue workers
had been deployed to three districts of the capital in the aftermath of
the attack and that fires sparked by the barrage had been
extinguished.North of Kyiv in the Chernigiv region, governor Vyacheslav
Chaus said Russian forces had targeted "critical infrastructure" in the
barrage and that two people had been wounded.Ukraine's air force said it
had shot down six missiles and 71 out of 123 drones, including
Iranian-designed Shahed attack vehicles.The mounting discussions on a
possible end to the conflict come at a difficult time for Ukraine on the
battlefield. Kyiv's army has been losing ground to better-resourced
Russian forces at strategic points along the sprawling front
line.Trump's defence chief lays down demands on Ukraine, NATO-Brussels,
Belgium (AFP) Feb 12, 2025 - Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth laid out
President Donald Trump's red lines and demands on Ukraine and NATO to
Washington's allies on Wednesday, telling Europe it must step up on
supporting Kyiv and its own defence.In a forceful introduction at NATO
headquarters, the former television anchor set out the contours for a
future deal that Trump has vowed to reach on ending Russia's war on
Ukraine."Our message is clear, the bloodshed must stop and this war must
end," he told a group of Kyiv's backers that included his Ukrainian
counterpart.Hegseth said trying to return Ukraine to its pre-2014
borders was an "illusionary goal" that would extend the fighting.The US
defence chief said security guarantees would be needed for Ukraine but
that NATO membership was "not realistic," and made clear the United
States would not deploy troops on the ground."Instead, any security
guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops,"
he said.Hegseth said that Trump was "unleashing US energy production"
and urging other producers to do so in a bid to drive down prices -- and
push Moscow to negotiate.But he insisted that Europe must now start
providing the "overwhelming share" of aid to Ukraine.The tough US stance
had largely been expected but it will still provide a cold shower for
Kyiv as its forces struggle to hold back Russia.Hegseth's visit to NATO
headquarters is part of the first flurry of high-ranking American visits
to Europe since Trump took power.Those are set to culminate with Vice
President JD Vance meeting Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky in Munich
on Friday.- 'Imbalanced relationship' -On European security, Hegseth
echoed Trump's demands for NATO to more than double its defence spending
target to five percent of GDP.While he said Washington remained
committed to NATO, the United States will "no longer tolerate an
imbalanced relationship" that sees Europe underpaying.He warned that US
prime interests were focused on the threat from China and that there may
be "trade offs" on American involvement in Europe."As the United States
prioritises its attention to these threats, European allies must lead
from the front," he said.US allies have already stepped up their
spending in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and are pledging to
do more to back Kyiv."Secretary Hegseth, we hear you," said Britain's
defence minister John Healey in a brief response."We hear your concerns
on stepping up for Ukraine, we are and we will. On stepping up for
European security. We are and we will."Britain announced a fresh package
of aid for Ukraine worth $185 million.- 'Do a lot more' -NATO's
European members are terrified about Ukraine being forced into a bad
deal that lets Moscow claim victory and leave them facing the threat of
an emboldened Russia.The United States has underpinned European security
through NATO over the past seven decades.Hegseth's broadside is set to
fire a starting pistol on negotiations for setting a new spending target
for alliance members at a June summit in the Netherlands.NATO chief
Mark Rutte said he expects the goal to be raised to "north of three
percent"."We need to do a lot more so we have what we need to deter and
defend. And so that there is more equitable burden sharing," he said.
Israel says targeted senior militant from Hezbollah aerial unit in Lebanon strike-by AFP Staff Writers.
Jerusalem
(AFP) Feb 15, 2025-The Israeli military said it carried out an air
strike in south Lebanon Saturday that targeted a senior militant from
Hezbollah's aerial unit, accusing him of repeatedly violating a
ceasefire."A short while ago, the IAF (air force) conducted a precise
and intelligence-based strike on a central terrorist in Hezbollah's
aerial unit in the area of southern Lebanon," the military said in a
statement."The terrorist was targeted after repeatedly violating the
understandings between Israel and Lebanon over the past few weeks,
including his role in leading the launch of UAVs (drones) towards
Israeli territory."
India, Pakistan exchange fire across Kashmir border: reports-by AFP Staff Writers.
Srinagar,
India (AFP) Feb 13, 2025-Indian and Pakistani troops have exchanged
fire across the heavily militarised Kashmir frontier that divides the
two archrivals, with at least four casualties reported by the Pakistani
side Thursday.Kashmir has been divided between the neighbours since they
were carved out of the Asian subcontinent at the end of British
colonial rule in 1947.Both nations claim it in full and have fought two
wars and numerous smaller battles over control of the Himalayan
territory.Pakistan state broadcaster PTV, citing unnamed security
sources, said Wednesday's incident injured two soldiers and two
civilians, all from that country.Unnamed Indian security officials told
broadcaster NDTV that Pakistani troops had fired unprovoked, prompting
India's forces to return fire.Pakistan's military declined to comment
when asked by AFP. India army officials did not respond to a request for
comment.The incident comes two days after two Indian army soldiers were
killed by an improvised explosive device in the region.A border
ceasefire agreement signed by the neighbours in 2003 has largely held in
the decades since, but both frequently accuse the other of breaching
it.Last month, India's army said its soldiers killed two rebel fighters
along the Kashmir border as they attempted to cross into the
Indian-administered territory.Several rebel groups have fought Indian
forces deployed in the territory, demanding independence for the
Muslim-majority region or its merger with Pakistan.Tens of thousands of
people have died in the conflict, most of them civilians.Fighting has
decreased since 2019, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's
government imposed direct control of the territory from New Delhi after
cancelling its partial autonomy.But last year, thousands of additional
troops were deployed across the southern mountainous areas following a
series of deadly rebel attacks that left more than 50 soldiers dead in
three years.India regularly blames Pakistan for pushing rebels across
their shared frontier to launch attacks on Indian forces.Pakistan denies
the allegation, saying it only supports Kashmir's struggle for
self-determination.
Russia, Ukraine trade blame for IAEA disruptions at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
Kyiv,
Ukraine, Feb 12 (AFP) Feb 12, 2025-Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday
accused each other of blocking the rotation of staff from the
International Atomic Energy Agency at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power
plant in southern Ukraine.Moscow's troops seized the facility --
Europe's largest nuclear power station -- in the first days of its
invasion of Ukraine, and both sides have repeatedly accused the other of
risking a potentially devastating nuclear disaster by attacking the
site.Staff from the UN nuclear watchdog have been based there since
September 2022 to monitor nuclear safety.Fighting meant the IAEA staff
could not be swapped out as part of a planned rotation on Wednesday --
the second such delay in a week -- both Kyiv and Moscow said, trading
blame for the incident.Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Georgiy
Tykhy said in a statement: "Russia has once again deliberately disrupted
the rotation of IAEA experts at the Zaporizhzhia plant."Inspectors
spend around five weeks at the plant in stints before being swapped out
in a complex procedure that involves travelling across the front line
under supervision from the Russian and Ukrainian militaries.Tykhy
accused Russia's army of opening fire near where the planned rotation
was taking place, saying Moscow's goal was to force the IAEA team to
travel through Russian-controlled territory and "violate Ukraine's
sovereignty and territorial integrity."Russia's foreign ministry
spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Ukrainian army blocked the IAEA
team from travelling to an agreed meeting point and were attacking the
area with drones -- at which point the Russian military withdrew its
support team and returned to the station."On their return, the convoy
carrying Russian military personnel and IAEA experts... came under
attack by drone and mortar strikes," Zakharova said in a statement.The
IAEA staff members were supposed to leave the station on February 5 in a
rotation that was also delayed.IAEA head Rafael Grossi was in both
Ukraine and Russia last week, where he discussed the issue of rotations
with officials from both countries-In a statement, Grossi expressed his
"deep regret" over the cancellation of the "carefully prepared and
agreed rotation" due to excessive danger, calling the situation
"completely unacceptable"."As a result of these extremely concerning
events, I am in active consultation with both sides to guarantee the
safety of our teams," he said.
DANIEL 2:37-45
37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38
And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and
the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made
thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
39 And after
thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third
kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And
the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh
in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these,
shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the
feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom
shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron,
forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43
And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle
themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to
another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of
these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never
be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it
shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand
for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of
the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the
brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known
to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is
certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
DANIEL 7:17-26
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from
all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his
nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue
with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of
the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn
that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was
more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of
the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,
which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole
earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the
ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and
another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first,
and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words
against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High,
and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his
hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
THE WORLD IN 10 WORLD TRADE BLOCS LEAD BY THE EUROPEAN UNION THE WORLD LEADER, NOT AMERICA.I PREDICT.
THE EUROPEAN UNION AND REVIVED ROMAN WORLD GOVERNMENT
DANIEL 2:31-33,36-43, DAN 7:3-8,17
First From Daniel Chapter 2
1 EGYPT
2 ASSYRIA
3 BABYLON (HEAD OF GOLD) DAN 2:31-32,36-38, DAN 1:1
4 MEDO-PERSIANS (CHEST & ARMS OF SILVER) DAN 2:32,39, DAN 9:1
5 GREECE (WAIST & HIPS OF BRONZE) DAN 2:32,39, DAN 11:2
6 ROME (2 LEGS OF IRON) DAN 2:33,40, ROM 1:6
7 REVIVED ROME (EU) (FEET IRON & CLAY) DAN 2:33,41-43,10 TOES
Now From Daniel Chapter 7
1 EGYPT
2 ASSYRIA
3 BABYLON (LION WITH EAGLES WINGS) DAN 7:4, DAN 1:1
4 MEDO-PERSIANS (BEAR ON HIND LEGS) DAN 7:5, DAN 9:1
5 GREECE (LEOPARD 4 WINGS, 4 HEADS) DAN 7:6, DAN 11:2
6 ROME (HUGE IRON TEETH) DAN 7:7 (10 HORNS), ROM 1:6
7 REVIVED ROME (EU) DAN 7:8,19-20,23-25 10 HORNS, 10 KINGS
REV
17:9,12, 10 HORNS, 10 KINGS, 7 HILLS ROME. REV 13:1 BEAST WITH 7 HEADS.
THE E.U LEADER OF WORLD GOVERNMENT DAN 2:40-45, 7:7-8,23-25,27, 8:23,
REV 13:3,7,8,12,14,16
REVELATION 17:10-12
10 And there are
seven kings (7TH WORLD EMPIRE IN HISTORY) five are fallen, (EGYPT,
ASSYRIA, BABYLON,:MEDO-PERSIAN,GREECE and one is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS
DAY-ROME) and the other is not yet come; and when he
cometh,(FUTURE-REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE-EUROPEAN UNION TODAY) he must
continue a short space.(7 YEARS OF WORLD DOMINATION-BUT 3 1/2 YEARS OF
NEW WORLD ORDER OR ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT)
12 And the ten horns (10
WORLD TRADE BLOCS OR REGIONS) which thou sawest are ten kings, which
have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour
with the beast.
REVELATION 17:12-13
12 And the ten horns (10
WORLD TRADE BLOCS-NATIONS) which thou sawest are ten kings, which have
received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the
beast.
13 These have one mind,(WORLD SOCIALISM) and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
We
shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only
question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or
consent.James Paul Warburg appearing before the Senate on 7th February
1950
Like a famous WWII Belgian General,Paul Henry Spock said in
1957:We need no commission, we have already too many. What we need is a
man who is great enough to be able to keep all the people in subjection
to himself and to lift us out of the economic bog into which we threaten
to sink. Send us such a man. Be he a god or a devil, we will accept
him.And today, sadly, the world is indeed ready for such a man.
DICK
MORRIS-This truly creates a global economic system. From now on, don’t
look to Washington for the rule making, look to Brussels.
THE CLUB OF ROME FOUNDER AURELIO PECCEI WANTS THE WORLD IN 10 REGIONAL TRADING BLOCKS
HERES WHAT THE WORLD WOULD LOOK LIKE (SINCE THERE WILL BE WORLD GOVERNMENT IN THE FUTURE)-UPDATED VERSION
01 CANADA, U.S.A, MEXICO
02 EUROPEAN UNION,WESTERN EUROPE
03 JAPAN
04 AUSTRALIA,NEW ZEALAND, S AFRICA, ISRAEL AND PACIFIC ISLANDS
05 EASTERN EUROPE
06 SOUTHERN, CENTRAL AND LATIN AMERICAS
07 NORTH AFRICA, AND MIDEAST (MOSLEMS)
08 CENTRAL AFRICA
09 SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
10 CENTRAL ASIA
THE
CLUB OF ROME WANTS A WORLD CHARISMATIC DICTATOR (EITHER RELIGIOUS,
POLITICAL OR SCIENTIFICAL) TO HEAD THIS WORLD GOVERNMENT. REV 13:3,7-8,
DAN 7:23-24
WORLD POWERS IN THE END TIME
NORTH - RUSSIA EZEK 38:1-2, 39:1-2
SOUTH - EGYPT DAN 11:42
EAST - CHINA DAN 11:44,REV 16:12
WEST - EUROPEAN UNION DAN 7:23-24 (NOT THE U.S.A)
http://israel7777777.blogspot.ca/2012/03/10-world-trade-blocs-one-world.html
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2006/09/how-eu-takes-world-control.html
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2012/05/one-world-religion-crislam.html
