You may view the 5 minute update this week via audio:
In this week’s 5 minute update, we focused on:
1) The current status of Netanyahu’s efforts to form a new government coalition
2) The current status of the Israel / PLO peace process
3) The current status of the situation with Syria
4) The current status of the situation with Iran
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to form as broad a government coalition as possible. Ultimately, he would prefer to see the following parties in his government:
1) The Tzipi Livni Part (Hatnua) (“The Movement”). Her primary objective is to see a peace agreement between the Palestinians and Israel. As a result, she would like to be in Netanyahu’s government and oversee peace negotiations.
2) Yesh Atid (There is a Future). The party leader is former Israeli journalist, Yair Lapid. This is a secular centrist party. They would like to see ultra-Orthodox Jews drafted into the Israeli military, restart of peace talks with the Palestinians, a reduction in the size of the Israeli government and economic policies that help the middle class.
3) Jewish Home. This is a religious Zionist party. Many are modern Orthodox Jews who serve in the Israeli army and have daily jobs. They are against a PLO state.
4) Shas. This is a Sephardic ultra-Orthodox party. They don’t want to see their Yeshiva students be drafted into the Israeli army. Their Yeshiva students study Talmud all day and most don’t have a daily job.
5) United Torah Judaism. This is an Askenazi ultra-Orthodox party. They don’t want to see their Yeshiva students be drafted into the Israeli army. There Yeshiva students study Talmud all day and most don’t have a daily job.
6) Kadima. The party leader is Shaul Mofaz. He would like to be Defense Minister and he supports a PLO state.
Two other political parties, Labor and Meretz, said that they would not join Netanyahu’s coalition.
Benjamin Netanyahu met for the first time this week with Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett regarding the possibility of Jewish Home being members of Netanyahu’s government coalition. The main issue of topic was the demand that ultra-Orthodox men serve in the Israeli military. A draft outline to resolve the matter was presented by Likud Knesset member Moshe Ya’alon. However, it was rejected by Jewish Home as they are trying to formulate their own alternative proposal. Following the talks, Netanyahu made an offer to Jewish Home to receive senior ministerial posts if they would agree to join the government within 48 hours. Jewish Home rejected the offer and said that they wouldn’t make any commitments until the details of an agreed-upon new government platform was established including drafting ultra-Orthodox Jewish men into the Israeli military. Jewish Home leader, Naftali Bennett, said that both he and the leader of Yesh Atid, Yair Lapid, have an informal agreement between them that they wouldn’t join a Netanyahu coaltion unless there was an agreed upon solution on the following issues: drafting ultra-Orthodox men into the Israeli military, breaking up the “central banking monopoly”, lowering bank fees by creating competition, lowering port taxes to reduce consumer prices, opening up a new international airport in the south, reducing airline taxes and caring for the weaker segments of society.
It is reported that Netanyahu prefers to bring the ultra-Orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, into the coalition rather than Yesh Atid because Yesh Atid leader, Yair Lapid has expressed an interest in being Prime Minister in the next election. If Jewish Home would agree to first join Netanyahu’s coalition without Yesh Atid, it would be easier to get the ultra-Orthodox political parties. Shas and United Torah Judaism to join the new government coalition. With Yesh Atid in the government coalition, it would be harder for the ultra-Orthodox parties to join.
In his first speech as a Knesset member, Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett defended the need for the ultra-Orthodox community to study Talmud but also stressed that “serving in the army is also a mitzvah.” In his speech, Bennett focused on religious affairs and Jewish education. He said: “Let’s admit to the truth: The religious services sector has become a machine that creates alienation. It’s no wonder that one-third of all Israeli couples wed outside the rabbinate. Let’s turn the religious services into a focal point that will illuminate the real Judaism to all of the people of Israel. We must bring the beauty of Judaism to all the people of Israel. If children do not know who the forefathers of the nation were – Avraham, Moshe, David – and who Israel’s heroes were – we will turn out next generation into a generation that has no compass and no path. Let’s bring back the Jewish-Zionist education to all of Israel’s children.” Addressing the issue of ultra-Orthodox men serving in the Israeli army, he said “The ultra-Orthodox are our brothers. They dedicate their lives to studying Torah.” However, Bennett went on to say, “the current situation cannot continue to exist. It cannot be that ultra-Orthodox men do not serve in the army. It cannot be that they do not shoulder some of the financial burden of Israeli society. To my ultra-Orthodox brothers, I say, army service is also a mitzvah. I served with dear brothers who knew how to study the Torah and carry a stretcher; how to learn the Talmud and storm the enemy during battle. I will not allow attacks on my ultra-Orthodox brothers, nor will I let any harm come to the Torah world, which was rehabilitated after the devastation of the Holocaust, but I will also not agree to a situation where ultra-Orthodox men do not serve in the Israeli military.”
According to the 2013 Peace Index Poll, 73% of Israeli’s support ultra-Orthodox men serving in the Israeli military.
Concerned about Bennett’s position on drafting ultra-Orthodox men into the Israeli military, United Torah Judaism met with Bennett for 2 hours. They pleaded with him asking that Jewish Home not support anything that would hurt the yeshivas noting that nearly 1 million people voted for religious parties in the last election. However, Bennett was unable to come to an agreement with them over the issue.
In a speech to US Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, Yesh Atid leader, Yair Lapid vowed that he would make sure all Jewish denominations in Israel will be placed on an equal legal footing and would seek to institute civil marriage. He said: “I will do everything in my power to ensure the equality of all streams of Judaism in Israel, Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform, in terms of conversion, marriage, funding and in the eyes of the law. The complete dominance of Orthodox rabbis over marriage is an insult. No one can claim ownership over the Jewish God.” The ultra-Orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, are completely opposed to these policies.
Conservative and Reform Judaism differ from Orthodox Judaism on principles of belief such as the divine origin of the Torah and of the Oral Law. They also differ significantly regarding conversion to Judaism, and Reform and Conservative conversions are generally not recognized as valid by Orthodox rabbis.
Regarding the Israeli / Palestinian peace process Lapid said: “Do we need to go back to the to the negotiation table in order to achieve peace? Of course we do. Why? Because the other option is the loss of Jewish identity in Israel and we can’t let this happen. Jewish identity is in danger.” However, Lapid rejected one of the Palestinian Authority’s key demands, saying that Israel should not give up sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem.
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the Shas party said that Lapid, “hates yeshivas.” Shas party leader, Eli Yishai said that drafting ultra-Orthodox men into the Israeli army would mean “rebellion and chaos” on the streets of Israel.
Yesh Atid leader, Yair Lapid said “we cannot avoid equality in the burden just because 10% of the population threatens the other 90% with a civil war. This is is why the public voted for Yesh Atid so we can get over the fears and tension in the problems splitting Israeli society…We are ripped apart in enlistment, in the workforce. It’s time to make a decision.”
Meanwhile, the staff of Benjamin Netanyahu’s outlined a draft wherein the ultra-Orthodox will be gradually enlisted to the Israeli army as early as next year and those who fail to do so will be penalized. The new outline has been presented to the staff of Yesh Atid.
Yesh Atid’s plan will see all Israelis, including ultra-Orthodox and Arabs, reporting to the military induction center at the age of 18. The army will then decide whether to recruit them. Only 400 outstanding ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students will receive exemptions every year. Yesh Atid leader, Yair Lapid said that if he were in a government with the ultra-Orthodox Sephardic party, Shas, that his political career would be over.
So far potential coalition partners for Netanyahu, primarily Jewish Home and Yesh Atid, have not compromised on key issues. Netanyahu tried to break the partnership between Jewish Home and Yesh Atid by offering Jewish Home the possibility of being the first party to join the government. The leadership of Jewish Home insists that they will continue to coordinate joining Netanyahu’s government with Yesh Atid as the report is that they have an informal understanding that neither party will join the government without the other. However, in order for Netanyahu to form a government, he needs either Yesh Atid, Jewish Home or both to join it.
So, what government coalition will Netanyahu form? Only time will tell.
Finally, religious Zionist organization in Israel are discussing again the idea of annexing the entire West Bank and give Arab residents citizenship. The annexation initiative is being promoted by the Women in Green activist group. Leaders Yehudit Katzover and Nadia Matar held a special session this week to discuss progress on the campaign. Activists discussed the impact of the first three conferences aimed at promoting the annexation plan. An estimated 2,500 people attended the events. Katzover and Matar reported that in the upcoming months there will be more such meetings, both major conferences and smaller discussions around the country. Activists also plan to bring the idea to Knesset directly with a lobby to explain the plan to politicians.
The link to these articles are as follows:
1) Netanyahu, Bennett meet for coalition talks
2) Jewish Home turns down Likud’s coalition proposal
3) Bennett: ‘Historic opportunity’ for next government
4) Bennett: We Have a Rare Opportunity to Bring Change
5) ‘73% of Israeli Jews support universal draft’
6) Bennett: Army service a mitzvah
7) UTJ to Bennett: A Million People Can’t be Wrong
8.) Hareidi Leaders Latest to Pursue Bennett
9) Lapid vows equality for all Jewish streams in Israel
10) Lapid: I’ll Push Civil Marriage, Reform Judaism
11) Lapid: Haredi rabbis’ dominance over marriage ‘insulting’
12) Rabbi Yosef Slams ‘Yeshiva Hater’ Lapid
13) ‘Forced Hareidi Enlistment Means Rebellion, Chaos’
14) Lapid: 10% of population threatening civil war
15) Likud amends draft plan to meet Lapid demands
16) Yishai: Netanyahu Prefers Lapid over Us
17) Lapid: Entering Gov’t with Shas will End My Career
18) Netanyahu’s coalition options seen to be closing
19) Geula Cohen: Time to Wake Up from ‘Peace Delusion’
Israel announced that is has given final approval for the construction of 90 new housing units in the West Bank settlement of Beit El. In addition, plans have been approved for 200 new housing units in Tekoa and 146 housing units in Nokdim. These are two small isolated settlements in the southern West Bank located in the Gush Etzion bloc south of Jerusalem that Israel wants to keep hold of in any future peace agreement with the Palestinians.
US President Barack Obama will be visiting Israel on March 20. Plans for Obama’s visit include a trip to Israel Holocaust Museum, Yad Vashem, as well as visiting the grave of former Israel Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin who was assassinated in 1995. Obama does not plan to speak at the Israeli parliament, the Knesset. Dinners are planned with Netanyahu and Israel President Shimon Peres.
Netanyahu said that he and Obama have agreed on three main topics to be discussed during the visit: Iran’s nuclear program, the current situation in Syria and attempts to further the peace process with the Palestinians. Meanwhile, the New York Times reported that Israel is considering giving the Palestinians partial control over some areas of the West Bank, as well as releasing prisoners and freezing settlement construction ahead of Obama’s visit. It also said that the US is expected to release $200 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority that it has withheld for months. The New York Times article went on to say that “Some Israelis and Americans are pushing the idea of at least a partial freeze of Jewish settlement construction in the West Bank in exchange for a promise by the Palestinians to postpone plans to use their new upgraded status at the United Nations to pursue claims against Israel in the International Criminal Court.”
News sources are reporting that Obama is coming to Israel primarily in order to tell Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in person to hold off on any military intervention in Iran. In Netanyahu’s speech last fall to the UN General Assembly, he cited spring 2013 as a critical time frame to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb. Obama will reiterate US determination to ensure that Iran does not attain nuclear weapons. Obama plans to tell Netanyahu the following: ‘Don’t strike at Iran. Let me oversee the contacts with Iran as I see fit. If necessary I’ll take action against them. We have capacities that you do not have’.”
Outgoing Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said that Israel should recognize Palestine as a FULL member of the United Nations. This can only be done through a vote at the UN Security Council Ayalon went on to say that Israel should “give the Palestinians sovereignty and independence and in return, they will recognize Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people and will guarantee security arrangements.” Ayalon urged Netanyahu to say to the Palestinians: “I am prepared to recognize you, but you have to recognize me.” Ayalon also said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas must state in Arabic – rather than in Hebrew or English – that he recognizes Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people. Finally, Ayalon said he expected that there would be a three-way summit meeting between Netanyahu, Abbas and Obama, or perhaps even a four-way meeting in Amman with Jordanian King Abdullah II. However, Chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat said that he is unaware of plans to hold a summit between PA President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu next month. He said that the PA leadership’s demands regarding the peace process remained unchanged – Israeli recognition of the pre-1967 lines as the borders of a Palestinian state and a full cessation of construction in settlements.
According to informed Palestinian and Israeli officials, Aaron Kline of World Net Daily reports that the reason why Obama plans to visit Israel next month is that the United States has already secured Israeli and Palestinian pledges to restart land-for-peace talks. The officials disclosed the Obama administration told both sides the talks would be aimed at creating a Palestinian state based upon the 1967 borders including eastern sections of Jerusalem. According to these informed officials, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed that once the talks begin there will be a silent, undeclared freeze on all Jewish construction in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem with the exception of what are known as main blocs – Maale Adumin, Ariel and Gush Etzion. The officials said the United States was adamant that Israeli talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas begin regardless of the position of Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. Still, the U.S. is supporting Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and Turkey in back door efforts to broker a national unity deal between Abbas and Hamas during the same time period that the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are set to take place, the officials said. There is already close coordination between the White House and likely incoming members of Netanyahu’s government coalition who are known to be sympathetic to creating a Palestinian state, primarily former opposition leader Tzipi Livni. Regarding Jerusalem, the informed Israeli and Palestinian officials said the White House has been nonspecific other than to champion talks based on what is known as the Clinton parameters. The formula, pushed by Bill Clinton during the Camp David talks in 2000, called for Jewish areas of Jerusalem to remain Israeli while the Palestinians get sovereignty over neighborhoods that are largely Arab. As a way to entice the PA back to the bargaining table, the White House agreed to release some $200 million in aid that it has withheld for months, said the officials. According to the officials, the deal with brokered with the Palestinians by incoming Secretary of State John Kerry.
In the past week, reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas which took place in Cairo, Egypt failed. Ibrahim Darawi, head of the the Palestinian Studies Center in Cairo, told a Hamas newspaper that US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro held secret meetings with Abbas and other Palestine Liberation Organization officials, requesting that the Palestinians freeze reconciliation talks until after Obama’s visit.
An agreement to divide Jerusalem and establish a PLO state is a tribulation event.
The link to these articles are as follows:
1) Beit El to get 90 new homes
2) Israel signs off on 346 new West Bank settler homes
3) PM names main topics for Obama visit
4) ‘Obama is coming to tell Netanyahu not to strike Iran’
5) Obama to Speak in Israel, but Not in Knesset
6) Ayalon: J’lem should recognize Palestine at UN
7) PA ‘unaware’ of Abbas-Netanyahu meeting during Obama visit
8.) Revealed: This is why Obama is visiting Israel
9) US accused of foiling Palestinian reconciliation
In case that Syrian President Bashar Assad is removed from power, Iran and Hezbollah are establishing militia networks within Syria in order to defend their interests and still have influence in the affairs of the country. Currently, these militias are fighting side-by-side with Assad’s army.
A war with Syria where Damascus is destroyed (Isaiah 17) is a tribulation event.
The link to these articles is as follows:
1) Report: Iran, Hezbollah setting up militias in Syria
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) failed to reach an agreement with Iran to allow the inspection of its nuclear program. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that would not negotiate about its disputed nuclear program under pressure, but would talk to its adversaries if they stopped “pointing the gun”. He went on to say that “Talks should not be used as a lever to impose one’s opinions. The Iranian nation will not give up one iota of its nuclar rights.”
Meanwhile, Tehran has shown high-level UN officials high-tech equipment positioned at its main uranium enrichment site meant to vastly accelerate output of material that can be used for both reactor fuel and atomic arms. The new-generation centrifuges can enrich uranium four to five times faster than Iran’s present working model. Analysts believe that Iran already has enough enriched uranium for several weapons if it is further enriched. A senior former US State Department official US said “Installation of the more efficient centrifuges will probably contribute to Iran’s unwillingness to compromise.” over its nuclear program in meeting scheduled with the P5 +1 powers (US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany) later this month.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran’s nuclear weapons program “continues unabated. It’s focused on enrichment because if they could continue and complete enrichment of highly enriched uranium then they’ll have enough to produce enough material to produce a nuclear bomb. I drew a line at the UN when I spoke there last fall. Iran hasn’t crossed that line but what they’re doing is to shorten the time that it would take them to cross that line. And the way they’re shortening that time is by putting in new, faster centrifuges that cut the time by one third. So that Iran is putting itself in a position to cross the red line and have enough material to produce one nuclear bomb’s worth of highly enriched uranium. This has to be stopped. For the interest of peace and security, for the interests of the entire world,” he said. “How do you stop it? Well, they have to know that if the sanctions and the diplomacy fails, they face a credible military threat. That’s essential. Nothing else will do the job. And it’s getting closer.”
The link to these articles is as follows:
1) ‘No Deal’ Between IAEA and Iran
2) Iran’s Ahmadinajad rejects Western pressure
3) Watchdog says Iran upgraded centrifuges for nuke program
4) ‘Iran pushing major nuclear expansion’
5) Netanyahu: Iran shortening the time it will take to cross ‘red line’
From a Biblical prophetic perspective, the reason why the God of Israel would allow these events to happen is because it will result in the end of the exile of the house of Jacob and the reunification of the 12 tribes of Israel (Ephraim and Judah).
We will to be “watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem” and we will not rest until the God of Israel makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62).
Shalom in Yeshua the Messiah,
Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int’l