Zechariah 12 in Focus

Just take a look at the headlines and then we can focus on the pertinent scriptures.

The "nations" are certainly attempting to divide Jerusalem:

UN calls on Israel not to build new settlements in East Jerusalem

The United Nations called Thursday for Israel not to build new settlements, saying such plans would amount to a "provocative action" to the peace process with the Palestinians.

By the way, as a quick reminder, these are the same "Palestinians" who resolutely refuse to acknowledge Israel's right to exist. Let that sink in while continuing.

Robert Serry, UN coordinator for the Middle East peace process, said the plan was strongly opposed by the international community when it was announced last year.

The "international community" has spoken. Lets also keep that in mind.

"If confirmed, this provocative action undermines ongoing efforts by the international community to bring the parties back to negotiations," Serry said.

The UN, the European Union, the United States and Russia – known as the quartet in Middle East diplomacy - have opposed new Jewish settlements because they ran counter to efforts to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

US, EU slam new Jewish housing in Jerusalem

The Obama Administration and the European Union this week slammed Israel over approval for the construction of 930 new apartments in a Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem.

The project will be built in the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa, which is an established an built-up area that is already home to thousands of Israelis.

Actual construction is at least two years off, due to Israel's stifling bureaucratic process, but just the mere idea of new apartments built specifically for Jews in Jerusalem was enough to raise the ire of Israel's "friends" in the West.

"The United States is deeply concerned by continuing Israeli actions with respect to housing construction in Jerusalem," a US State Department official told reporters.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said that she was "profoundly disappointed" by the new building plans before repeating the fallacy that Jewish construction in eastern Jerusalem constitutes "illegal settlement activity."

EU's Ashton Slams Israeli Construction in Jerusalem

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Friday parroted Palestinian Authority officials saying renewed Jersualem construction by Israel was a threat to the "two-state solution."

Israel's response is consistent with God's desires:

Israel, whose government returned to its historic capital of thousands of years since the inception of the modern Jewish state, regards Jerusalem as anything but a "settlement" and has said it will remain Israel's eternal and undivided capital.

Ashton: E. Jerusalem construction threatens two-states

Abbas’s Fatah faction accused Israel of waging a “new aggression” on Palestinian territories by approving the projects in east Jerusalem. It described the decision as a blow to the will of the international community and the UN.

“The only way to preserve the option of the two-state solution – Palestine and Israel – is through the UN and that Palestine be accepted as a member on the 1967 borders,” Erekat said. “Then the policy of settlement construction and imposing dictates on us will become null and void.”

God addresses this issue: Zechariah 12:2-3

"I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves"

We are clearly at that point now, at this specific point in history.

The EU, US, Russia, and the UN - this collection could be considered as an appropriate description of "the nations" - and this collection of nations is attempting to divide (aka "move") Jerusalem.

God was very clear and very specific on this issue, but "the nations" don't seem concerned with God's word.

We'll see how the nations do while engaged in this endeavor.

On an unrelated note - the following article is very interesting, as it involves the Middle East - it is a story that must be told:

Palestinians slam hypocrisy of human rights groups

This article could have accurately stated "Palestinians slam hypocrisy of the MSM, the EU, the US, and the UN"

Palestinian Arabs demonstrating a recent wave of arrests on Thursday accused international human rights groups of only caring about their well-being when the culprit is Israel.

Let that sink in for a second. Even the Palestinians can recognize the political end game here, when it involves Israel. The primary concern is about the destruction of Israel, not aiding the Palestinians. When they come out and admit this, it is worth recognizing this truth.

Several people in the crowd accused human rights groups of ignoring human rights violations by the Palestinian Authority, even as they go out of their way to investigate and condemn every alleged violation by Israel.

This has been a persistent phenomenon with both human rights groups and the mainstream international press. Both spend an exaggerated amount of time and effort scrutinizing Israel, but more or less give the Palestinians a free pass, leading to the conclusion that their motivation is not truly freedom or truth, but rather a political agenda against the Jewish state.

Why are they saying this?

Hundreds of protestors gathered in Hebron following the recent round-up of hundreds of Palestinian activists - most of them Hamas members - by the regime of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Ironically, average Palestinians are the ones most adversely affected by the cynical behavior of the groups and organizations claiming to be fighting on behalf of the Palestinian Arabs.

Indeed. Prophecy watchers have recognized this paradox for years and years. Now the Palestinians are stating this same fact.

As the article states:

"human rights groups...ignoring human rights violations by the Palestinian Authority, even as they go out of their way to investigate and condemn every alleged violation of Israel...exaggerated amount of time and effort scrutinizing Israel, but give the Palestinians a free pass...leading to the conclusion that their motivation is not truly freedom or truth, but rather a political agenda against the Jewish state."

Indeed. Now lets see if the MSM picks up on this article and changes how the reporting is done from the epicenter.

I wouldn't bet on it.