JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
LUKE 21:28-29
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
The terrible timing of the newest American peace delegation-Kushner, Greenblatt and Powell are coming to ‘restart the peace process’ — even as the leaders of all sides face unprecedented crises of political legitimacy-By Avi Issacharoff August 13, 2017, 10:58 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
There’s no reason to envy Jared Kushner, Jason Greenblatt and Dina Powell, US President Donald Trump’s point-people on Middle East peace who will soon be arriving in Israel and the Palestinian Authority to “restart the peace process.”The trio will land at a time when the positions of all three relevant leaders — President Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas — are at unprecedented lows. Indeed, it’s hard to think of a worse time for a US delegation to attempt anything so delicate as “restarting the peace process.”Trump’s aides are drowning in FBI investigations into the campaign’s alleged ties with Russia, and the White House is struggling to offer a consistent policy on nuclear war with North Korea, let alone a coherent voice on racial violence within America’s borders.Netanyahu faces a legal sword hanging precariously over his political future. With almost daily updates on the prime minister’s legal troubles, and those of some of his closest associates, it is difficult to see him as a negotiating partner who could deliver an agreement.If Netanyahu tries to move even a millimeter from the commitments of most of his coalition — no settlement freeze, or any other concessions, for that matter — he will pay for it dearly. All those now urging him to remain in office even if he is indicted will quickly begin demanding his dismissal if he demonstrates the slightest flexibility toward the Palestinians.As for Abbas, in the wake of the storm surrounding the Temple Mount and the short-lived metal detectors posted there by Israel, the Palestinian leader and his aides have been shouting to anyone who will listen that they have frozen security coordination with Israel, and that Netanyahu is not a peace partner because of his legal troubles, is not interested in a peace agreement, is “doing everything the Israeli right tells him.”One Palestinian source recently told The Times of Israel that from the point of view of the PA, “we might as well have [Jewish Home leader Naftali] Bennett. Netanyahu is scared of Bennett and doesn’t dare to do anything. So maybe Bennett is preferable, since he’ll be less scared,” the source said.But Netanyahu’s political position notwithstanding, Abbas’s own standing among Palestinians continues to erode. One key example of this was his decision to further restrict freedom of expression on social media networks. An order issued last week states that anything written against Abbas or his Fatah movement can be interpreted as “an attack on national unity,” and can consequently lead to the arrest of the poster.PA security forces have recently detained five journalists identified as Hamas supporters.But despite Abbas’s restrictions, the criticism against him has only grown, in part over the PA’s war against Hamas and its regime in the Gaza Strip. The PA’s restrictions on funding for Gaza’s electricity, water, medical treatments, medicines, and more are growing more strict — and driving Hamas, Egypt, and exiled Abbas rival Mohammad Dahlan into a rapprochement.Representatives of the Palestinian organizations in Gaza, including Fatah members who support Dahlan as well as senior Hamas figures, recently met in Egypt in an attempt to reach agreements on a “rescue Gaza” operation that included new Egyptian supplies of fuel and other necessities for the Strip. These moves, of course, further weaken Abbas.When Abbas first became PA prime minister in 2003, then-Israeli premier Ariel Sharon described him as a “chick without feathers.” That description could now be extended beyond Ramallah. Three ragged birds, dogged by political and legal troubles that severely limit their maneuvering room, are unlikely to find the will or political capability to advance any sort of peace agreement.And yet, despite all that, it must be said: The very fact that each leader finds himself in such a difficult situation could give a rejuvenated peace process some appeal — a kind of long-shot escape hatch from their current troubles that has the benefit of reshuffling each leader’s political deck. For Trump, political negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians could divert attention from international crises and stalled domestic policies. For Netanyahu and Abbas, a political breakthrough could become the “payoff” that validates their past policies and, in the long term, stabilizes their rule.
Yad Vashem warns of Nazi ideology on display in Virginia-Natan Sharansky also slams Charlottesville neo-Nazi rally, says ‘there is no place for hate speech or violence in any democratic society’-By Times of Israel staff August 14, 2017, 5:22 pm
The Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum on Monday condemned this weekend’s neo-Nazi rally in Virginia, saying that the ideology on display there was identical to that which led to the murder of six million Jews.In a statement, the remembrance center said that it “is very concerned by the images, hateful rhetoric, and subsequent violence emanating from the rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.”“In our post-Holocaust global society, there is no room for racism or antisemitism,” the organization said. “The anti-Jewish ideology of the Nazis was a precursor to the eventual murderous policy and extermination of six million Jews. These images are yet another reminder that we must remain vigilant about educating the public regarding hatred and xenophobia.”Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky also slammed the hatred expressed by neo-Nazi participants in the march.In a statement Sharansky said he was horrified at the racism and hatred demonstrated at the weekend rally by Ku Klux Klan members and other white nationalists in Charlottesville,“I am deeply concerned by the expressions of antisemitism and other forms of racism and hatred exhibited at the neo-Nazi rally this past weekend in Charlottesville,” he said, “and I am horrified by the death of a protester at the hands of one of the marchers. There is no place for such hate speech or violence in any democratic society, and I am confident that American authorities will do everything in their power to bring the perpetrators to justice.”Sharansky also spoke more generally about threats against Jewish students on campus, and offered specific help to local students.“No student, Jewish or otherwise, should feel threatened at his or her university,” he said, “and Jewish students at the University of Virginia should know that the local Hillel staff is available to them at all times, as is the Jewish Agency Israel Fellow at UVA.”White nationalists assembled in Charlottesville on Friday to vent their frustration against the city’s plans to take down a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.Counter-protesters massed in opposition the next day. A few hours after violent encounters between the two groups, a car was driven into a crowd of people protesting the racist rally, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring 26 others. The driver was later taken into custody.Two Virginia state troopers were also killed when their police helicopter crashed and caught on fire while responding to clashes between white supremacist protesters and counterprotesters.US President Donald Trump has come under mounting fire, even from members of his own party, for blaming the violence on hatred and bigotry “on many sides,” and not explicitly condemning the white extremist groups at the rally.On Sunday, the White House released a statement clarifying that his condemnation of hate and bigotry at the “Unite the Right” Virginia rally had been in reference to the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis.
Egypt opens Gaza crossing for hajj pilgrims-Official for Hamas terror group says border will remain open for 4 days for Palestinian Muslims traveling to Mecca-By AFP August 14, 2017, 5:19 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Egypt reopened its border with the Gaza Strip Monday for the first time in months to allow Muslims from the Palestinian enclave to travel to Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage, authorities said.“The crossing was reopened this morning for four days in one direction for 2,500 pilgrims,” Hisham Adwan, director of information at the crossings authority of the Hamas-run interior ministry, said.“About 800 pilgrims will leave the Strip today,” he added, saying they had all already received Saudi visas.The Rafah crossing with Egypt has been largely closed in recent years apart from occasional openings.Israel has also maintained a blockade on Gaza for a decade that it says is necessary to stop the Hamas terror group, which rules the strip, from obtaining weapons that could be used to launch attacks on Israel.Egypt is the only other country with which the sStrip has a land border. Egyptian authorities accuse Hamas of supporting the Islamic State terror group in the country.But Hamas has moved closer to the Egyptian government in recent months and officials privately hope the Rafah crossing will be at least partially reopened from next month.One pilgrim who was waiting to cross the border told AFP he had been trying to travel to Mecca since 2014.
Palestinian attacker tries to stab ultra-Orthodox man but misses, police clip shows-In security footage, female assailant seen attempting to target Haredi passerby before stabbing another man, said to be Arab East Jerusalemite-By Times of Israel staff August 12, 2017, 9:52 pm
A female Palestinian assailant who carried out a stabbing attack in Jerusalem on Saturday had attempted to stab an ultra-Orthodox man before stabbing another person, said to be an Arab East Jerusalem resident, injuring him lightly, according to security footage released by police.In the clip, the attacker, a 29-year-old mother of five from East Jerusalem, can be seen crossing a street before pulling out a knife and taking a few swipes at the ultra-Orthodox man, who dodges the weapon and manages to get away. The footage does not show the stabbing of the victim, who according to some reports in the Hebrew-language media was a resident of East Jerusalem wearing a shirt with Hebrew writing, whom she mistook for a Jew.The man, who was lightly wounded in the arm as a result of the attack, was taken to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus for treatment before being released.Police said the attacker was overpowered and arrested by police officers at the scene after stabbing the man. She was then taken for questioning.The attack occurred on Sultan Suleiman Street near Damascus Gate, the same street where Border Police officer Hadas Malka was stabbed to death in June.Hebrew-language media reported that the woman’s husband was arrested following the attack and that police raided the couple’s home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sur Baher.Heightened police security continues, old city #jerusalem after stabbing attack by Arab female terrorist. Knife seized, Man injured lightly. pic.twitter.com/6EXRShz0s2— Micky Rosenfeld (@MickyRosenfeld) August 12, 2017-Over the past two years, the Old City, and the Damascus Gate in particular, have seen several attacks by Palestinians, and in two cases by Jordanian nationals.Since September 2015, mainly Palestinian assailants have killed 48 Israelis, two visiting Americans, a Palestinian man and a British student, mainly in stabbing, shooting and vehicular attacks. In that time, some 259 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire, a majority of them attackers, according to authorities.Israeli security officials believe that aside from the ostensible ideological motive, many of these attacks — particularly those carried out by women or young girls — are a form of “suicide by cop,” or “suicide by soldier.”However, tensions in Jerusalem have risen dramatically in recent weeks following the July 14 killing of two Israeli police officers by three Arab Israelis who smuggled guns into the flashpoint Temple Mount compound.Israel shut the compound for two days for security reasons while police investigated the incident. Israel then reopened the site with newly installed metal detectors and cameras — security measures that led to two weeks of protests by Palestinians. The measures were eventually removed. Five Palestinians were killed in near-daily demonstrations.Also during that time, a Palestinian terrorist claiming to be motivated by the Temple Mount protests stabbed to death three Israelis in their home in the West Bank settlement of Halamish.The fate of the Temple Mount is an emotional issue at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Even the smallest perceived change to delicate arrangements pertaining to the site sparks tensions.Jews revere the hilltop compound as the Temple Mount, site of the two Jewish biblical temples. It is the holiest site in Judaism, and the nearby Western Wall, a remnant of one of the temples, is the holiest place where Jews can pray.The walled compound is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. It is Islam’s third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. Muslims believe the site marks the spot where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.Agencies contributed to this report.
Temple Mount saw record number of Israeli visitors last month-Despite tensions, 3,200 visited the site in July, more than in any single month since 1967-By JTA August 11, 2017, 9:53 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
July saw the largest number of Jewish Israelis visit the Temple Mount in any single month since it came under Israeli control in 1967.Some 3,200 people visited the site, which is holy to both Jews and to Muslims, who refer to the compound as Haram al Sharif, Army Radio reported Friday.This was slightly higher than the total number of visits recorded during the High Holy Days last year – the busiest period of the year in terms of traffic by Israelis. In previous years, approximately 11,000 Israelis visited the site annually.The surge coincided with tensions and a deterioration in the security situation around the Temple Mount – which was the site of both of Judaism’s ancient temples and houses the al-Aqsa mosque — following the slaying of two police officers by three Arab-Israeli terrorists outside the compound.Israel placed metal detectors at all the entrances to the Temple Mount in reaction to the attack, triggering rioting amid further acts of terrorism by Palestinians.To protest the measure, which Israel reversed earlier this month in an apparent bid to defuse the situation, the Muslim custodians of the Temple Mount refused to enter it until the metal detectors were removed.The custodians, belonging to the Waqf Muslim religious authority under Jordanian control, have jurisdiction to administer worship at the site. They allow Jews and others to visit, but prevent Jewish worship or religious activity at the site.Because the precise site of the Temples’ “Holy of Holies” has not been identified, religious Jews were often hesitant to visit the mount and inadvertently step on hallowed ground. In recent years, some prominent Orthodox rabbis have relaxed their objections to Jews visiting the site, and a growing movement of Jewish Temple Mount activists have encouraged visits on religious and nationalist grounds.During the protest strike of the Waqf custodians, many Israeli Jews came to the Temple Mount to pray there.
Greek Orthodox church aims to block Jerusalem property sales in court-Theophilos III calls on world leaders to intervene after sale of church properties in Old City to Jewish group upheld-By Karin Laub August 13, 2017, 8:31 am
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — The Greek Orthodox patriarch in the Holy Land announced Saturday that his church will appeal an Israeli court decision that approved the sale of prime church property to companies representing Jews seeking to expand their presence in Jerusalem’s Old City.The church had challenged the property deal in court for the past decade, arguing it was conducted illegally by the since-deposed previous patriarch and was therefore invalid.The Jerusalem District Court upheld the deal two weeks ago, paving the way for three large properties near the Old City’s Jaffa Gate to be leased for 99 years to Ateret Cohanim, a group that has been buying properties for Jews in traditionally Arab areas of Jerusalem.Patriarch Theophilos III alleged Saturday that the lower court ruling was “politically motivated” and said the church would appeal to Israel’s Supreme Court.The church will do “everything within its power so that this unjust ruling will be overturned,” he said at a news conference in the Jordanian capital of Amman.Theophilos leads a predominantly Arab flock of 220,000 Christians in Jordan, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip.The Greek Orthodox church is one of the largest property owners in the Holy Land, including in Jerusalem’s Old City, one of the most sensitive areas of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.The Old City was captured by Israel in the 1967 Six Day war, along with the rest of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Palestinians want to establish a state in those areas, with East Jerusalem as a capital.Israel’s current government rejects any partition of Jerusalem as part of a possible peace deal. Since 1967, some 200,000 Jews have moved to East Jerusalem neighborhoods built for them by successive Israeli governments, making partition increasingly difficult. In addition, right-wing Jewish groups have bought homes in Arab neighborhoods.The patriarch also expressed concern about what he said was an effort by some members of Israel’s parliament to restrict the rights of his church and other Christian denominations in the Holy Land to deal independently with their real estate holdings.He urged the heads of churches to find a joint response to “this alarming and serious development” that he said will affect Christians in the region and around the world.“We cannot stress too highly the extreme seriousness of the situation,” Theophilos said. He called on world leaders to intervene.In recent months there have been several reports of the Church selling multi-million dollar parcels of land in west Jerusalem, Jaffa and the historic Roman-era port of Cesaria.In recent years, there have been growing tensions between the predominantly Greek church leadership and the Arab flock, including over the administration of the vast property holdings and land leases to Israel. The Church is the second largest landholder in Israel.Critics have repeatedly demanded that the church provide details about its holdings.On Saturday, church officials declined to answer when asked about the holdings.Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Charlottesville Jewish community hired security ahead of rally-Congregation rabbi says synagogue won’t be intimidated but move was deemed necessary to ensure safety of worshipers-By JTA August 14, 2017, 6:57 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
The Jewish community of Charlottesville, Virginia, hired security guards for the first time in its history ahead of a far-right event that ended with a deadly attack on protesters against racism.Rabbi Tom Gutherz of Congregation Beth Israel told Haaretz Sunday that the move was deemed necessary ahead of Saturday, when 20-year-old white supremacist James Fields killed Heather Heyer, 32, and wounded 20 others by driving a car into a crowd of activists protesting an alt-right rally planned for the city that day.“We had to hire the service of security guards because of the events,” Gutherz said. “We’re sad but we had no choice.”The synagogue held scheduled activities Saturday, Gutherz said. “It was clear we wouldn’t let this intimidate us; these people can’t keep us away from our synagogue,” he said of the far-right activists.On Sunday, Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer, who is Jewish, blamed US President Donald Trump for some of the hatred on display in his city, where thousands of marchers chanted racist slogans, including about Jews and Blacks.“Look at the campaign he ran,” Signer told CNN about Trump. “Look at the intentional courting, on one hand, of all these white supremacists, white nationalists… and look on the other hand at the repeated failure to step up, condemn, denounce, silence, put to bed all of these different efforts, just like we saw yesterday. This isn’t hard.”On Saturday the president condemned hatred and violence “on many sides” in his remarks, but did not directly single out the white supremacists, whose attempt to hold a major rally in Charlottesville, Virginia resulted in the governor, Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, calling a state of emergency.Disorder including clashes with counterprotesters left more than 30 injured.Trump has come under bipartisan criticism for failing to explicitly condemn white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and other hate groups in brief remarks he gave Saturday from his golf club in New Jersey.Vice President Mike Pence did issue such a condemnation while speaking to reporters in Cartagena, Colombia. “We have no tolerance for hate and violence, white supremacists or neo-Nazis or the KKK,” said Pence.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
The terrible timing of the newest American peace delegation-Kushner, Greenblatt and Powell are coming to ‘restart the peace process’ — even as the leaders of all sides face unprecedented crises of political legitimacy-By Avi Issacharoff August 13, 2017, 10:58 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
There’s no reason to envy Jared Kushner, Jason Greenblatt and Dina Powell, US President Donald Trump’s point-people on Middle East peace who will soon be arriving in Israel and the Palestinian Authority to “restart the peace process.”The trio will land at a time when the positions of all three relevant leaders — President Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas — are at unprecedented lows. Indeed, it’s hard to think of a worse time for a US delegation to attempt anything so delicate as “restarting the peace process.”Trump’s aides are drowning in FBI investigations into the campaign’s alleged ties with Russia, and the White House is struggling to offer a consistent policy on nuclear war with North Korea, let alone a coherent voice on racial violence within America’s borders.Netanyahu faces a legal sword hanging precariously over his political future. With almost daily updates on the prime minister’s legal troubles, and those of some of his closest associates, it is difficult to see him as a negotiating partner who could deliver an agreement.If Netanyahu tries to move even a millimeter from the commitments of most of his coalition — no settlement freeze, or any other concessions, for that matter — he will pay for it dearly. All those now urging him to remain in office even if he is indicted will quickly begin demanding his dismissal if he demonstrates the slightest flexibility toward the Palestinians.As for Abbas, in the wake of the storm surrounding the Temple Mount and the short-lived metal detectors posted there by Israel, the Palestinian leader and his aides have been shouting to anyone who will listen that they have frozen security coordination with Israel, and that Netanyahu is not a peace partner because of his legal troubles, is not interested in a peace agreement, is “doing everything the Israeli right tells him.”One Palestinian source recently told The Times of Israel that from the point of view of the PA, “we might as well have [Jewish Home leader Naftali] Bennett. Netanyahu is scared of Bennett and doesn’t dare to do anything. So maybe Bennett is preferable, since he’ll be less scared,” the source said.But Netanyahu’s political position notwithstanding, Abbas’s own standing among Palestinians continues to erode. One key example of this was his decision to further restrict freedom of expression on social media networks. An order issued last week states that anything written against Abbas or his Fatah movement can be interpreted as “an attack on national unity,” and can consequently lead to the arrest of the poster.PA security forces have recently detained five journalists identified as Hamas supporters.But despite Abbas’s restrictions, the criticism against him has only grown, in part over the PA’s war against Hamas and its regime in the Gaza Strip. The PA’s restrictions on funding for Gaza’s electricity, water, medical treatments, medicines, and more are growing more strict — and driving Hamas, Egypt, and exiled Abbas rival Mohammad Dahlan into a rapprochement.Representatives of the Palestinian organizations in Gaza, including Fatah members who support Dahlan as well as senior Hamas figures, recently met in Egypt in an attempt to reach agreements on a “rescue Gaza” operation that included new Egyptian supplies of fuel and other necessities for the Strip. These moves, of course, further weaken Abbas.When Abbas first became PA prime minister in 2003, then-Israeli premier Ariel Sharon described him as a “chick without feathers.” That description could now be extended beyond Ramallah. Three ragged birds, dogged by political and legal troubles that severely limit their maneuvering room, are unlikely to find the will or political capability to advance any sort of peace agreement.And yet, despite all that, it must be said: The very fact that each leader finds himself in such a difficult situation could give a rejuvenated peace process some appeal — a kind of long-shot escape hatch from their current troubles that has the benefit of reshuffling each leader’s political deck. For Trump, political negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians could divert attention from international crises and stalled domestic policies. For Netanyahu and Abbas, a political breakthrough could become the “payoff” that validates their past policies and, in the long term, stabilizes their rule.
Yad Vashem warns of Nazi ideology on display in Virginia-Natan Sharansky also slams Charlottesville neo-Nazi rally, says ‘there is no place for hate speech or violence in any democratic society’-By Times of Israel staff August 14, 2017, 5:22 pm
The Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum on Monday condemned this weekend’s neo-Nazi rally in Virginia, saying that the ideology on display there was identical to that which led to the murder of six million Jews.In a statement, the remembrance center said that it “is very concerned by the images, hateful rhetoric, and subsequent violence emanating from the rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.”“In our post-Holocaust global society, there is no room for racism or antisemitism,” the organization said. “The anti-Jewish ideology of the Nazis was a precursor to the eventual murderous policy and extermination of six million Jews. These images are yet another reminder that we must remain vigilant about educating the public regarding hatred and xenophobia.”Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky also slammed the hatred expressed by neo-Nazi participants in the march.In a statement Sharansky said he was horrified at the racism and hatred demonstrated at the weekend rally by Ku Klux Klan members and other white nationalists in Charlottesville,“I am deeply concerned by the expressions of antisemitism and other forms of racism and hatred exhibited at the neo-Nazi rally this past weekend in Charlottesville,” he said, “and I am horrified by the death of a protester at the hands of one of the marchers. There is no place for such hate speech or violence in any democratic society, and I am confident that American authorities will do everything in their power to bring the perpetrators to justice.”Sharansky also spoke more generally about threats against Jewish students on campus, and offered specific help to local students.“No student, Jewish or otherwise, should feel threatened at his or her university,” he said, “and Jewish students at the University of Virginia should know that the local Hillel staff is available to them at all times, as is the Jewish Agency Israel Fellow at UVA.”White nationalists assembled in Charlottesville on Friday to vent their frustration against the city’s plans to take down a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.Counter-protesters massed in opposition the next day. A few hours after violent encounters between the two groups, a car was driven into a crowd of people protesting the racist rally, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring 26 others. The driver was later taken into custody.Two Virginia state troopers were also killed when their police helicopter crashed and caught on fire while responding to clashes between white supremacist protesters and counterprotesters.US President Donald Trump has come under mounting fire, even from members of his own party, for blaming the violence on hatred and bigotry “on many sides,” and not explicitly condemning the white extremist groups at the rally.On Sunday, the White House released a statement clarifying that his condemnation of hate and bigotry at the “Unite the Right” Virginia rally had been in reference to the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis.
Egypt opens Gaza crossing for hajj pilgrims-Official for Hamas terror group says border will remain open for 4 days for Palestinian Muslims traveling to Mecca-By AFP August 14, 2017, 5:19 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Egypt reopened its border with the Gaza Strip Monday for the first time in months to allow Muslims from the Palestinian enclave to travel to Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage, authorities said.“The crossing was reopened this morning for four days in one direction for 2,500 pilgrims,” Hisham Adwan, director of information at the crossings authority of the Hamas-run interior ministry, said.“About 800 pilgrims will leave the Strip today,” he added, saying they had all already received Saudi visas.The Rafah crossing with Egypt has been largely closed in recent years apart from occasional openings.Israel has also maintained a blockade on Gaza for a decade that it says is necessary to stop the Hamas terror group, which rules the strip, from obtaining weapons that could be used to launch attacks on Israel.Egypt is the only other country with which the sStrip has a land border. Egyptian authorities accuse Hamas of supporting the Islamic State terror group in the country.But Hamas has moved closer to the Egyptian government in recent months and officials privately hope the Rafah crossing will be at least partially reopened from next month.One pilgrim who was waiting to cross the border told AFP he had been trying to travel to Mecca since 2014.
Palestinian attacker tries to stab ultra-Orthodox man but misses, police clip shows-In security footage, female assailant seen attempting to target Haredi passerby before stabbing another man, said to be Arab East Jerusalemite-By Times of Israel staff August 12, 2017, 9:52 pm
A female Palestinian assailant who carried out a stabbing attack in Jerusalem on Saturday had attempted to stab an ultra-Orthodox man before stabbing another person, said to be an Arab East Jerusalem resident, injuring him lightly, according to security footage released by police.In the clip, the attacker, a 29-year-old mother of five from East Jerusalem, can be seen crossing a street before pulling out a knife and taking a few swipes at the ultra-Orthodox man, who dodges the weapon and manages to get away. The footage does not show the stabbing of the victim, who according to some reports in the Hebrew-language media was a resident of East Jerusalem wearing a shirt with Hebrew writing, whom she mistook for a Jew.The man, who was lightly wounded in the arm as a result of the attack, was taken to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus for treatment before being released.Police said the attacker was overpowered and arrested by police officers at the scene after stabbing the man. She was then taken for questioning.The attack occurred on Sultan Suleiman Street near Damascus Gate, the same street where Border Police officer Hadas Malka was stabbed to death in June.Hebrew-language media reported that the woman’s husband was arrested following the attack and that police raided the couple’s home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sur Baher.Heightened police security continues, old city #jerusalem after stabbing attack by Arab female terrorist. Knife seized, Man injured lightly. pic.twitter.com/6EXRShz0s2— Micky Rosenfeld (@MickyRosenfeld) August 12, 2017-Over the past two years, the Old City, and the Damascus Gate in particular, have seen several attacks by Palestinians, and in two cases by Jordanian nationals.Since September 2015, mainly Palestinian assailants have killed 48 Israelis, two visiting Americans, a Palestinian man and a British student, mainly in stabbing, shooting and vehicular attacks. In that time, some 259 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire, a majority of them attackers, according to authorities.Israeli security officials believe that aside from the ostensible ideological motive, many of these attacks — particularly those carried out by women or young girls — are a form of “suicide by cop,” or “suicide by soldier.”However, tensions in Jerusalem have risen dramatically in recent weeks following the July 14 killing of two Israeli police officers by three Arab Israelis who smuggled guns into the flashpoint Temple Mount compound.Israel shut the compound for two days for security reasons while police investigated the incident. Israel then reopened the site with newly installed metal detectors and cameras — security measures that led to two weeks of protests by Palestinians. The measures were eventually removed. Five Palestinians were killed in near-daily demonstrations.Also during that time, a Palestinian terrorist claiming to be motivated by the Temple Mount protests stabbed to death three Israelis in their home in the West Bank settlement of Halamish.The fate of the Temple Mount is an emotional issue at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Even the smallest perceived change to delicate arrangements pertaining to the site sparks tensions.Jews revere the hilltop compound as the Temple Mount, site of the two Jewish biblical temples. It is the holiest site in Judaism, and the nearby Western Wall, a remnant of one of the temples, is the holiest place where Jews can pray.The walled compound is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. It is Islam’s third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. Muslims believe the site marks the spot where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.Agencies contributed to this report.
Temple Mount saw record number of Israeli visitors last month-Despite tensions, 3,200 visited the site in July, more than in any single month since 1967-By JTA August 11, 2017, 9:53 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
July saw the largest number of Jewish Israelis visit the Temple Mount in any single month since it came under Israeli control in 1967.Some 3,200 people visited the site, which is holy to both Jews and to Muslims, who refer to the compound as Haram al Sharif, Army Radio reported Friday.This was slightly higher than the total number of visits recorded during the High Holy Days last year – the busiest period of the year in terms of traffic by Israelis. In previous years, approximately 11,000 Israelis visited the site annually.The surge coincided with tensions and a deterioration in the security situation around the Temple Mount – which was the site of both of Judaism’s ancient temples and houses the al-Aqsa mosque — following the slaying of two police officers by three Arab-Israeli terrorists outside the compound.Israel placed metal detectors at all the entrances to the Temple Mount in reaction to the attack, triggering rioting amid further acts of terrorism by Palestinians.To protest the measure, which Israel reversed earlier this month in an apparent bid to defuse the situation, the Muslim custodians of the Temple Mount refused to enter it until the metal detectors were removed.The custodians, belonging to the Waqf Muslim religious authority under Jordanian control, have jurisdiction to administer worship at the site. They allow Jews and others to visit, but prevent Jewish worship or religious activity at the site.Because the precise site of the Temples’ “Holy of Holies” has not been identified, religious Jews were often hesitant to visit the mount and inadvertently step on hallowed ground. In recent years, some prominent Orthodox rabbis have relaxed their objections to Jews visiting the site, and a growing movement of Jewish Temple Mount activists have encouraged visits on religious and nationalist grounds.During the protest strike of the Waqf custodians, many Israeli Jews came to the Temple Mount to pray there.
Greek Orthodox church aims to block Jerusalem property sales in court-Theophilos III calls on world leaders to intervene after sale of church properties in Old City to Jewish group upheld-By Karin Laub August 13, 2017, 8:31 am
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — The Greek Orthodox patriarch in the Holy Land announced Saturday that his church will appeal an Israeli court decision that approved the sale of prime church property to companies representing Jews seeking to expand their presence in Jerusalem’s Old City.The church had challenged the property deal in court for the past decade, arguing it was conducted illegally by the since-deposed previous patriarch and was therefore invalid.The Jerusalem District Court upheld the deal two weeks ago, paving the way for three large properties near the Old City’s Jaffa Gate to be leased for 99 years to Ateret Cohanim, a group that has been buying properties for Jews in traditionally Arab areas of Jerusalem.Patriarch Theophilos III alleged Saturday that the lower court ruling was “politically motivated” and said the church would appeal to Israel’s Supreme Court.The church will do “everything within its power so that this unjust ruling will be overturned,” he said at a news conference in the Jordanian capital of Amman.Theophilos leads a predominantly Arab flock of 220,000 Christians in Jordan, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip.The Greek Orthodox church is one of the largest property owners in the Holy Land, including in Jerusalem’s Old City, one of the most sensitive areas of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.The Old City was captured by Israel in the 1967 Six Day war, along with the rest of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Palestinians want to establish a state in those areas, with East Jerusalem as a capital.Israel’s current government rejects any partition of Jerusalem as part of a possible peace deal. Since 1967, some 200,000 Jews have moved to East Jerusalem neighborhoods built for them by successive Israeli governments, making partition increasingly difficult. In addition, right-wing Jewish groups have bought homes in Arab neighborhoods.The patriarch also expressed concern about what he said was an effort by some members of Israel’s parliament to restrict the rights of his church and other Christian denominations in the Holy Land to deal independently with their real estate holdings.He urged the heads of churches to find a joint response to “this alarming and serious development” that he said will affect Christians in the region and around the world.“We cannot stress too highly the extreme seriousness of the situation,” Theophilos said. He called on world leaders to intervene.In recent months there have been several reports of the Church selling multi-million dollar parcels of land in west Jerusalem, Jaffa and the historic Roman-era port of Cesaria.In recent years, there have been growing tensions between the predominantly Greek church leadership and the Arab flock, including over the administration of the vast property holdings and land leases to Israel. The Church is the second largest landholder in Israel.Critics have repeatedly demanded that the church provide details about its holdings.On Saturday, church officials declined to answer when asked about the holdings.Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Charlottesville Jewish community hired security ahead of rally-Congregation rabbi says synagogue won’t be intimidated but move was deemed necessary to ensure safety of worshipers-By JTA August 14, 2017, 6:57 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
The Jewish community of Charlottesville, Virginia, hired security guards for the first time in its history ahead of a far-right event that ended with a deadly attack on protesters against racism.Rabbi Tom Gutherz of Congregation Beth Israel told Haaretz Sunday that the move was deemed necessary ahead of Saturday, when 20-year-old white supremacist James Fields killed Heather Heyer, 32, and wounded 20 others by driving a car into a crowd of activists protesting an alt-right rally planned for the city that day.“We had to hire the service of security guards because of the events,” Gutherz said. “We’re sad but we had no choice.”The synagogue held scheduled activities Saturday, Gutherz said. “It was clear we wouldn’t let this intimidate us; these people can’t keep us away from our synagogue,” he said of the far-right activists.On Sunday, Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer, who is Jewish, blamed US President Donald Trump for some of the hatred on display in his city, where thousands of marchers chanted racist slogans, including about Jews and Blacks.“Look at the campaign he ran,” Signer told CNN about Trump. “Look at the intentional courting, on one hand, of all these white supremacists, white nationalists… and look on the other hand at the repeated failure to step up, condemn, denounce, silence, put to bed all of these different efforts, just like we saw yesterday. This isn’t hard.”On Saturday the president condemned hatred and violence “on many sides” in his remarks, but did not directly single out the white supremacists, whose attempt to hold a major rally in Charlottesville, Virginia resulted in the governor, Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, calling a state of emergency.Disorder including clashes with counterprotesters left more than 30 injured.Trump has come under bipartisan criticism for failing to explicitly condemn white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and other hate groups in brief remarks he gave Saturday from his golf club in New Jersey.Vice President Mike Pence did issue such a condemnation while speaking to reporters in Cartagena, Colombia. “We have no tolerance for hate and violence, white supremacists or neo-Nazis or the KKK,” said Pence.
