Bible Prophecy Foundation
News from Israel 8th April
2015 – Compiled by David Hoyle
Since
I last wrote two major events have taken place: Israel's election and the Iran
nuclear talks.
Israel's Election has, as always resulted in a wide division of
votes. Of the 10 parties who
participated Mr Netanyahu's Likud party took 30 seats and the left of centre
Zionist Union received 24 seats. Thus
either Mr Netanyahu or Isaac Hertzog of the Zionist Union were expected to be
called by the President to form a coalition.
As
widely expected, and after consultation with the smaller parties as to who they
would prefer, Reuven Rivlin, the President, sent for Mr Netanyahu and invited
him to form a coalition. He has 4 weeks
to do this but can request a further 2 weeks if he needs it. After this the President can send for
someone else, whoever he considers has the best chance of forming a
government. The president's position in
Israel allows him to choose whoever he thinks has the best chance of forming a
government irrespective of who wins the most seats!
The
party who came third was the Joint Arab List, a group of smaller Arab parties
who united for the first time so as to win more seats.
It
seems likely that the new coalition will be a right wing government as most of
the smaller parties are either religious or supporters of the settlers. However, the president would like a wider
coalition and the press have warned “prepare for a surprise left turn”. Since Mr. Netanyahu is credited with gaining
extra seats as a result of his last minute statement that there would never be
a Palestinian state whilst he was Prime Minister, it seems unlikely he would
link with Mr. Herzog who takes the entirely opposite view. There are many difficulties to be overcome
yet before a government is formed. All
the smaller parties have their demands in return for their support. Some want more money for the religious,
others want guarantees the Ultra Orthodox will be excused army service and
there are many demands to have control of the key ministries, notably Foreign
Affairs, Finance and Defence.
Having
had a team in Israel seeking to undermine Mr. Netanyahu and try to ensure a
left wing government, the Americans were very disappointed with the election
results and Mr. Obama did not ring to congratulate Mr. Netanyahu. Europe too as a whole did not get the result
they would of wanted and both they and America are adopting a threatening
attitude if the new government does not work for a Palestinian State.
Furthermore,
American are said to be “re-evaluating it's UN stance on Israel and may now
allow pro Palestinian anti Israel resolutions to be passed by the Security
Council. Having got the wrong result in
Israel's election (by their estimation) they are now seeking to put pressure on
Israel to press forward with the formation of a Palestinian State.
In
short, God is working out His purposes and the above is part of the end time
jigsaw, Israel is heading for a position where they are “on their own” and
ultimately God will intervene and “ all Israel will be saved”. Meantime we pray for the salvation of the
Jewish people before the Lord returns for His church. The world will learn that “you cannot mess with Israel and get
away with it” as someone wrote. I
personally believe that judgement is casting it's shadow before – not least
over Godless Britain.
IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS A deal was struck last week which despite it
cannot be ratified until June 30th is already being held as a
diplomatic breakthrough. The Times
states “it is nothing of the kind”!
Tehran has not done enough to allay suspicions that it intends to
produce nuclear weapons. If the
framework agreement is ultimately confirmed it will be a recast of America's
position in the Middle East. Iran would
be upgraded to the status of a regional ally.
When sanctions are lifted Iran would prosper and could soon recommence
enrichment and produce nuclear weapons.
As a supporter of both Hamas and Hezbollah the whole deal to “sanitise”
Iran is flawed and to Israel's disadvantage.
To sum up with words of a Times editorial “Iran is outwitting the
West”. The deal is supported by
Russia! Ezekiel 38 & 39 should be
read again in the light of current affairs.
I.S. The continuing rise of the
Islamic State and their pursuit of a Caliphate dominates much of the news. Events in Yemen and the involvement of Saudi
Arabia add to the chaos enveloping almost the entire Middle East. Jordan has remained as one of the few stable
Arab countries but is increasingly threatened.
King Abdullah says, “World war three has started”, the West v I.S.
Egypt,
under it's new leader is very supportive of Israel but is fighting hard to keep
Sinai from falling to the Islamists.
Jordan
remains at peace with Israel but both are threatened although Egypt is standing
very firm.
At
a meeting of the Arab League in Cairo they passed a resolution to form a
combined Arab army.
We
seem to be heading fast for one of the wars depicted in Scripture, either Psalm
83 or Ezekiel 38 & 39.
This
combined Arab army is designated as a response to I.S. but could be used in
other ways!
As
far as Egypt is concerned we know from the prophet Isaiah that ultimately they
will be blessed by God and be linked to Israel's blessings to some extent.
ANTI SEMITISM continues to grow in the UK. Maureen Lipman the well known Jewish
comedienne says she is considering leaving because of a wave of anti
Semitism. It is reported that a quarter
of British Jews have considered leaving in the last two years. On Passover eve Edinburgh students held a
vote on boycotting Israel! Jewish
students said this vote was timed for when they would be attending Passover
services.
A
Lib-Dem peer says she hopes David Ward the notorious anti Semitic Bradford MP
loses his seat at the general election.
She said his tweets about Benjamin Netanyahu had tipped over from anti
Israel to anti Semitic.
WALES A Plaid Cymru peer compared the
Trident nuclear submarine base to the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz.
UKIP A Jewish UKIP candidate has
resigned after calling for Israel to do an “Eichmann” on President Obama. Once
Obama is out of office he said Israel should extradite him and lock him up.
T
HE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY has
become a member of the International Criminal Court and hope to arraign Israel
for war crimes during the Gaza war. One
would of thought that criminals were those who indiscriminately fired thousands
of rockets into Israel. Unlike Israel
they did not issue advance warnings of attacks!
BRITISH ELECTION Jim
Murphy the Labour Party leader in Southend says that his support for Israel is
constantly hurled at him as a form of abuse.
There
are concerns that if the SNP held any position in a coalition they would force
their anti Israel, anti Semitic views on Britain.
GOOD NEWS A meeting at Southampton
University hosting anti Zionist academics has been cancelled after many
protests. Pro Israel groups said they
did not believe the reasons given “Health and safety” was the real reason. Even government ministers had put pressure
on.
UK
trade with Israel continues to grow.
JERUSALEM Zechariah speaks of a time when Israel will be a “burdensome stone and a cup of trembling”. I close today with a quote from Ron Proser, Israel's UN Ambassador.....
“The
people of Israel are not occupiers, we are not settlers. Israel is our home and Jerusalem is the
eternal capital of our sovereign state.
It has always been the capital for one people. I hold a Bible which details 4,000 years of Jewish history in the
land of Israel. In it we read of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who travelled Jerusalem's rolling hills. We read of King David, not King David from
the occupied West Bank or the Palestinian Territories.
I
issue this promise from the people of the Promised Land – under our watch
Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish people will remain a free and open city
for all people for all time”.
Isaiah
62 v 6 “On your walls oh Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen, all day and
night, they will never be silent”. Amen.
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