A Syrian air defense base near the coastal city of Latakia was reportedly destroyed Wednesday night, with multiple Syrian and Lebanese sources speculating that an Israeli strike from the Mediterranean was to blame.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a loud explosion in a Syrian army base, and Twitter users quoted eyewitnesses who said the blast occurred near Snobar Jableh, just south of the city.
Unconfirmed reports suggested the explosion was the result of a missile strike from the sea. And social media exploded with posts alleging that Israel was responsible
The coastal strip of Syria, encompassing the cities of Tartous, Latakia and Baniyas, is part of a predominantly Alawite portion of the country which remains loyal to the Assad regime.
Earlier on Wednesday the Lebanese government news agency reportedsix Israeli aircraft flying through Lebanese airspace along the coast north of Beirut.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday that there would be no agreement with Israel as long as even one Palestinian remained in Israeli prison.
Abbas was speaking during a reception at the Mukata presidential compound in Ramallah for Palestinians released from Israeli prison.
After hugging and kissing each one of the freed prisoners, Abbas vowed to pursue his efforts to secure the release of all inmates.
“We welcome and salute our veteran heroes who were behind bars and have now entered the world of freedom,” Abbas told the released prisoners and their families.
Abbas strongly denied that he had agreed to continued construction in the settlements in return for the release of prisoners.
He said that “unpatriotic” people were behind the rumors about a “prisoner-for-settlement” deal.
“Settlement is null and void,” Abbas said.
The PA condemned the Israeli government’s decision to build new housing units in West Bank settlements and east Jerusalem neighborhoods.
Israel, meanwhile, was angered and concerned by the celebrations that greeted the freed terrorists in Ramallah.
“Every time we see the celebrations in Ramallah for people who are guilty of the most heinous crimes against innocent people – civilians, the elderly and children – this is problematic and always raises questions about whether the Palestinians have really turned the corner,” Mark Regev, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s spokesman, said, pointing out that the Palestinians had committed themselves under the Oslo accords to no more terrorism.
“But instead of condemning terrorism, they are celebrating terrorists,” Regev stated. “I would ask the Palestinians what message they are sending to us when they celebrate their murderers, when they put them on a pedestal. And what is the message they are sending to Palestinian youth if they turn these people into heroes?”
9 comments:
And the ME beat just goes on.....
You just have to know that one of these days there will be a move and Israel will do what it has to.....and then the other side will respond and the fur ball will be on.
Up to now, when Israel catches wind of something and responds the other side tries to cover it up and minimize it or pretend it didn't happen.
Guess the only thing we can do is keep our lamp full of oil, because any little or big thing can be the one responded to.
Lord Jesus....You are our Savior, You are our Hero, and today would be such a good day to hear That Shout. Perhaps soon, real soon.....
Good words Caver - lets indeed keep our lamps full at this time. Indeed.
Scott,
Not that this changes anything as I know the rapture is imminent, but my understanding from my pastor and other commentaries is that Matthew 24&25 is describing the tribulation period and written for the Jewish people. It is not describing the rapture, although many misinterpret this passage.
That is often mis-interpreted in that way. I completely disagree with that Point of view and multiple reasons.
I'm too lazy to get up and get my bible right now (its been a loooong day), but in (very) brief:
- Jesus said that a generation would see all of these things. In ANY interpretation of "generation" that you can come up with, in the verbiage of the day, you never see it as a 7-year period. Never ever. To change that is to twist the scripture into a pretzel (I've read um all trust me)
- Read "Footsteps of the Messiah" by Fruchtembaum (I assume he has more academic dissertations on this topic than anyone else...Also read Showers)
- The first birth pains were clearly seen in the WWI and then WWII eras - as all birth pain signs surged dramatically at those times. Additionally, the idiom "Nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom" , based on its previous use (only twice in the bible before this) - it means war throughout the entire region in question. In Matthew 24, the context is clearly "The entire world" (four such references), therefore, in context, this idiom means 'world-wide war" aka "World war". In addition to all of the other birth pain signs at that time, we have the two world wars. Co clearly, from the 'data' the generation started around the WWI era. (look up the pestilence signs, the famine signs, the earthquake signs etc - they all spiked at unprecedented levels at the time of WWI and II.
More to come
Jesus shifts into the tribulation around Matthew 24:14, when He mentions that the gospel will be preached around the world which is a tribulation event.
Then in Matthew 36, 42, and the parable of verses 45-50 have to do with "Watching" because we do not know the time of Christ's coming. That can ONLY reference the rapture, because it is the only imminent event. The rapture happens before the Tribulation, so that is another reason this whole passage cannot be JUST about the Tribulation era. I could say the same about the parable of the Virgins in Chapter 25.
- Additionally, I am 100% and quite passionate that 24:36-41 is a reference to the Rapture, and have yet to have someone effectively argue the points that not only I make, but Hal Lindsey and Perry Stone to name a few others. There are about a half-dozen reasons that this passage has to be a rapture reference, so thats yet another reason that Matthew 24 isn't only speaking of the Tribulation.
There are more reasons, I'm just forgetting them all at the moment - I haven't thought about this in a while
Scott,
Thanks, I'll ask my Pastor, but the recent teaching we have had indicates that the generation refers to those who are alive during that period, not the generation of 40 or 70-80 years. In any case, it is ok to disagree on these things. I'm the same age as you and I've been through the charasmatic move,penny of the 70's and been exposed to a lot of teachings, until I recently came upon a true bible based church and I myself have prayed for discernment. I've questioned everything from those who speak in "tongues" to those who have "experiences". Only God knows the heart.
And again, I thank you for these news updates as they are not found eLsewhere.
Typo-- should be movement
There is no where in the bible where a generation is considered as a 7-year segment, period. Again - to say this is to twist things dramatically. I have found (unfortunately) that most pastors haven't taken a systematic approach to a literal interpretation of prophecy. The first question should be "how do you interpret prophecy" - that will let you know where he/she stands. The second question may be, "how much time have you invested in the study of prophecy" as most pastors haven't spent much time on the topic (understandable, given their work load etc).
Generation has never been used to arbitrarily define a period of time and say "people alive during that time" - that is ridiculous and to me, reveals that it is being used to conveniently fit into a 'narrative' - unfortunately, it simply isn;'t accurate nor is it biblical.
Jesus said the generation would be like the days of Noah - right? Maybe it would be useful to go back and look at the days of Noah, in this case, Genesis 6.
Also - you may want to note - there were an array of other reasons that I listed above that indicate that Matt 24 isn't just about the Tribulation. don't ignore this, or don't allow him to ignore this. A CLASSIC problem I have always encountered with post and mid-tribbers. They will find ONE tangential scripture and make their entire case on that, while ignoring the preponderance of other scriptures which counter their point,. Classic
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