Middle East Update

Joel Rosenberg can always be counted on to provide succinct and accurate updates from the Middle East. This brief article gives us a timely update:

Military Intelligence Chief: Israel In An "Unprecedented Period Of Security, But Iran Can Already Produce A Nuclear Bomb

Israel’s outgoing military intelligence chief, Major General Amos Yadlin, made three remarkable statements in testimony to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, reports Haaretz:

1. ISRAEL IS MORE SECURE THAN EVER BEFORE — “The recent security calm is unprecedented,” Yadlin told the parliamentary committee. Despite emerging and serious threats from Iran and her Radical Islamic allies, for the moment Israel is enjoying a period of remarkable calm in light of the peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, almost no terrorism emanating out of the West Bank, relative calm in Gaza in the aftermath of Operation Cast Lead, relatively calm borders for the last four years with Lebanon and Syria, and a regime change in Iraq that led to a nascent but improving democracy.

“Israel’s deterrence is very strong but the lull [in regional violence] shouldn’t mislead anyone, the opposite is true. Our enemies are strengthening and arming,” Yadlin added. Does this period qualify as Jews living “securely” in the land of Israel prior to the rise of a Russian-Iranian led coalition that will launch the “War of Gog and Magog” again Israel in the “last days,” as foretold in Ezekiel 38-39? For the moment, it is, in my view, too early to draw a conclusion one way or the other, but it is certainly worth careful consideration.

2. IRAN IS ALREADY ABLE TO PRODUCE ITS FIRST NUCLEAR BOMB — Not that Iran has, but it could, apparently. “Yadlin also told the MKs [Members of Knesset] that Iran has sufficient enriched uranium to manufacture a single nuclear device and may soon have enough for making another bomb,” reported Haaretz. Also, “Iran is busy setting up two new nuclear installations, according to…Yadlin….[who added] that MI has indications that work has began on the installations, but did not comment on the sources.”

Haaretz reported that “Yadlin, who will be replaced by Brigadier General Aviv Kochavi after concluding his five-year term, also spoke of Iran as the greatest threat facing Israel, not only in the nuclear respect. ‘Iran is sending its long arms to aid anyone who is working against Israel,’ Yadlin said.” Such assessements are undoubtedly weighing on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s mind as he considers the possible need for an Israeli preemptive strike on Iran.

3. RUSSIA IS ACTIVELY HELPING ISRAEL’S ENEMIES BUILD UP THEIR MILITARY CAPABILITIES — “The next military confrontation will not be between Israel and another country, but between Israel and two or three different fronts at the same time,” Yadlin said. “It will not be similar to anything we have grown accustomed to during the Second Lebanon War or Operation Cast Lead,” he warned.

“Yadlin also said that Syria has undertaken an intensive procurement program of advanced military hardware from Russia, and that nearly everything that comes off the manufacturing line is being delivered to the Syrians. ‘The systems in question are advanced, mostly mobile, and are capable of hitting air force aircraft. The effective, deadly missiles will make it more difficult for the air force to have freedom of operations,’ he said.

Syrian’s acquisition of anti-aircraft weapons will substantially hinder the ability of Israel Air Force to gain command of the air over Syria in time of war. ‘In the past we estimated that within 48-72 hours we would command the sky over Syria. Currently the assessment is that it will take more time and we will have more losses,’ Yadlin said.”

Consider, too, this headline from the Russian Information Agency: Russian weapons shifting balance of forces in Middle East – Israel’s MI chief. And this one: “Russia, Iran to step up civil nuclear cooperation.” Separately, a new report from the region indicate that “Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri confirmed Tuesday that Russia has agreed to supply the Lebanese army with advanced weapons. The new weaponry will include 31 tanks, 130 mm caliber cannon shells, six attack helicopters and various munitions.” Again, to be clear, none of this is conclusive proof that we will see the “War of Gog and Magog” play out in our lifetime.But the trend lines in the epicenter continue to be remarkably consistent with the prophecies of Ezekiel 38 and 39.

The reference above is interesting and worth linking:

Russian weapons shifting balance of forces in Middle East - Israel's MI chief

Exactly as biblical prophecy would predict. The Land of MaGog - the "land" who will lead the coalition against Israel as described in Ezekiel 38-39 is already in the planning stages of this invasion, and their influence in the Middle East screams at us to pay attention.

Military cooperation between Moscow and Damascus is shifting the balance of forces in the Middle East "back to the '70's," when Israel was close to being defeated by Syria, outgoing chief of Israel's military intelligence said.

Note the reference to "Damascus" - we already know its fate.

Israeli media quote Maj.-Gen.Amos Yadlin as saying at a closed session of the parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Russia was providing Syria with portable, state-of-the-art anti-aircraft systems.
"These are fairly inexpensive missiles compared to the S-300 but they are no less lethal or effective," the Ynet News portal quoted the official as saying.

Russian specialists are involved in upgrading old Syrian weapons systems, Yadlin added.

"Syria is engaged in a very intense campaign to procure highly advanced weapons; so advanced in fact that anything that comes off the Russian assembly lines ends up in Syria," he said on Tuesday at his last meeting with lawmakers before retirement.

The official also warned that Hezbollah could easily get all the most advanced weapons systems possessed by Syria simply by asking for them.

"If it wanted to, Hezbollah could take over Lebanon in a matter of hours. This is not very likely but there is no military force that can stand up to Hezbollah in Lebanon," he said.

According to the official, a new conflict, if emerges, is likely to be far deadlier than Israel's last two military conflicts – the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah war in Lebanon and the offensive on Gaza in late 2008 – early 2009.

"The next round won't be focused on one theater but rather, will incorporate two or three," he said. "One cannot predict the future according to what happened during Operation Cast Lead or the Second Lebanon War. It will be much bigger, much wider in scope, and with many more casualties."

But we CAN predict the future, particularly as pertaining to the Middle East - and we prophecy watchers know exactly where this is headed. We are witnessing the build-up to the wars that we know are coming and probably coming soon.

The Land of MaGog is on the move and already starting the process of the inevitable battle described in Ezekiel 38-39.

Things are falling into place - precisely as biblical prophecy would predict.