Friday, October 15, 2010

The Drumbeat Continues: More Calls for Palestinian State

We're seeing more calls for the creation of a Palestinian State without any agreement from Israel - this time it is coming from the powerful Arab League.

I suspect that we'll hear about this scenario more and more in the coming weeks, on the heels of the failed peace talks.

Arabs may ask UN to recognize Palestinian state

Arab nations may seek UN recognition of a Palestinian state if Israel continues to build settlements in the West Bank, Egypt's foreign minister said Friday.

Ahmed Aboul Gheit said an Arab League request to the UN may come next month.

"If Israel does not respect the settlements freeze," Gheit said, "the Arab League will study some other option aside from the peace process such as going to the United Nations and ask for the recognition of the Palestinian state."

US-sponsored, Israeli-Palestinian peace talks resumed last month after a hiatus of nearly two years. But they already have run aground over Israel's refusal to renew a moratorium on West Bank settlement construction.

On Thursday night, Israel's government said it has approved the building of 238 homes in Jewish neighborhoods in east Jerusalem, ending a nearly yearlong, unofficial freeze on new building there.


One has to wonder if the array of new building projects (now beginning) by Israel - all taking place in areas that are "under discussion" - could lead to war. In both East Jerusalem and in the West Bank, there have been multiple sites in which building projects are starting up again now that the self-imposed moratorium is over. The Palestinians must be getting nervous as these coveted areas are becoming rapidly "lost" to them as construction gets underway. Could war be the only way to prevent such projects? Its food for thought.

In other news:

Iran 'Predicts' Clash between Lebanon, Israel

This story is interesting, particularly given the predictions that something may happen as a result of Ahmadinejad's visit to Lebanon:

There will soon be a “large-scale security incident” involving Lebanon and Israel, according to the Iranian weekly paper Sobh-e Sadeq, which is affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guards. The “prediction” was translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

Iran funds, arms and trains the Hizbullah terrorist group based in southern Lebanon. Hizbullah would be unlikely to provoke a “security incident” without Iran's approval.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is currently visiting Lebanon. Hizbullah has led the Iranian president on a tour of southern Lebanon. There he met with residents of the area and praised them for attacking Israel, saying, “You fought at the front line against the aggressors and Zionist occupiers... the Zionists will go back to the place they came from.”


And this:

Netanyahu on Ahmadinejad's Speeches: 'Curses and Epithets'

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu visited the Independence Pavilion in Tel Aviv Thursday and made an oblique reference to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to southern Lebanon. “Today we heard the curses and epithets from the Lebanese border,” he said. “The best answer to those who curse was given here 62 years ago: the state and all that we have built and created since then. Look at this nation, look at this state, look at the army that the nation of Israel has. We will continue to build continue to create our state and we will know very well how to defend ourselves.”


This story continues to develop. It seems that there are so many potential scenarios that could trigger war in the region. It also seems that God's supernatural hand is the only thing keeping a lid on this bubbling, simmering, situation - seemingly a breath away from all out war at any moment. We'll have to wait and see what God has in store, because He is most definitely in control - as always.

2 comments:

hartdawg said...

as you said it`s God`s staying hand that`s prevented all_out war. question: do you think God will judge america cuz of our leaders treatment of isreal even tho the majority supports isreal? or do you think God will withold it til after the rapture?

Scott said...

Hart
Thats the million dollar question in my opinion. I certainly don't see any reason that we should be immune to Genesis 12 - There were no qualifiers around His statement there. It was absolute. Having said that, maybe we'll escape any such scenario by the rapture, and those left behind will have to deal with it.

Another thought - is - the fact that we do have a LARGE contingency of Christians who do support Israel, vigorously - such as John Hagee and his organization. Plus, surprisingly (to me anyway) there are a lot of Congressmen who openly support Israel, and we do continue support in many ways - even in this current administration. maybe there is some hope in that.