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 the Israel / PLO peace process
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met on August 20 completely out of the media’s spotlight as one meeting was held in Jerusalem during the day with a second meeting held in the evening. It was attended by PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat and Muhammad Shtayyeh and the Israel representatives consisted of Israel chief negotiator Tzipi Livni and Netanyahu lawyer Yitzhak Molcho. Given the agreement that Israel and the Palestinians made with US Secretary of State John Kerry’s to keep the content of the discussions secret from the public, there was no pre-announcement of the meetings, or any statement following them. Israel chief negotiator Tzipi Livni said that “there will be dramatic decisions” by Israel at the end of the negotiations but the sides had agreed not to disclose details about their deliberations in order to build trust between them. “We are arguing but we are arguing inside the room,” she said.
Accodring to a senior Palestinian spokesperson, “There has been no breakthrough and no agreement in the talks. So far, discussions have not been on specific details.” Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated his commitment to a two-state solution that would see the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 lines with Jerusalem as its capital. In an interview with an Arab radio station, PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat revealed that the Palestinians would not have returned to the negotiating table with Israel had it not received a letter of assurance from the United States, guaranteeing its main negotiating preconditions. Erekat said in the interview that the U.S. had assured the PA in writing that talks would recognize the pre-1967 borders as the basis of a Palestinian state, would deal with all core issues (Jerusalem, refugees, borders, security and water), would take place within six to nine months and would not allow for any interim solutions before a final status agreement is signed. Erekat also said that the European Union’s new guidelines which boycott Israeli entities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem was done by the EU as part of a deal reached with Europe so that the PA would resume negotiations. He said that the PA was currently talking with Latin American countries, China, Russia, Japan and the African Union to adopt similar sanctions toward Jewish communities in the West Bank. “This is an accomplishment,” Erekat said. “We would not have returned to the negotiating table without a written document confirming these points.” Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority wants to sue Israel through international bodies if it continues building Jewish homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem warning that this would put an end to talks unless the building of Jewish homes stopped.
Yesh Atid (meaning “There is a Future”) faction leader Ofer Shelah said that East Jerusalem is likely to be the capital of a Palestinian state. Speaking at a Peace Now conference, Shelah said: “I don’t see a possible agreement with the Palestinians in which they will not be able to call east Jerusalem their capital, just like I don’t see a possible agreement that isn’t based on ‘67 borders. Yesh Atid party leader, Yair Lapid, who is the current Finance Minister called for a united Jerusalem under Israel control during the recent election campaign saying: “The Palestinians will have to understand that we have iron principles that we will not break,” Lapid said. “The heart of Jerusalem is also the heart of the State of Israel.” Furthermore, the election platform of Yesh Atid said: “Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel and its unity is a national symbol of the utmost importance.”
Israel chief negotiator Tzipi Livni called for the religious Zionist party, Jewish Home, to be replaced by the left wing political party, Labor, in order to help her efforts to achieve a peace agreement with the Palestinians. “Jewish Home opposes the two-state solution, and this is very problematic within the context of negotiations,” Livni said. Meanwhile, Labor leader Shelly Yacimovich said that in order for Labor to join the government told there must be an American “blueprint” for a final-status agreement, a decision on beginning the evacuation of isolated settlements and the departure of Jewish Home from the coalition. Labor faction chairman Isaac Herzog said he especially did not like Yacimovich’s invitation to the Americans to impose a plan on the Israelis and Palestinians. “Let’s first give a chance for the two sides to agree before we invite an international plan,” Herzog said. “It is premature to deal with entering the government and setting preconditions is incorrect. We hope there’ll be a breakthrough in the peace talks. If there is then we will decide how we will proceed as a party. However, in case there is a movement in peace talks, it would be wrong to topple the Netanyahu government at this time.”
An agreement to divide Jerusalem and establish a PLO state is a tribulation event.
The link to these articles are as follows:
1) Israeli and Palestinian negotiators hold unannounced Jerusalem meetings
2) Erekat: The U.S. Guaranteed All Our Preconditions Will be Met
3) PA Threatens to Sue Israel Over Building Tenders
4) Shelah defies Yesh Atid platform: Jerusalem will be Palestinian capital
5) Livni: Bayit Yehudi’s presence in coalition hinders peace
6) Yacimovich’s preconditions for joining coalition irk her Labor rivals
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