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
Israel announced that they would build new homes in the West Bank community of Ariel as well as East Jerusalem. The members of the Quartet (UN, EU, USA and Russia) strongly condemned the new building with the EU stating that it is illegal under international law. Mahmood Abbas indicated that he wants a PLO state free of Israeli settlements. After a meeting of the Arab League, the PLO have set a date of September 20 to present to the UN Security Council a request for recognition of a PLO state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Lebanon will lead the UN Security Council during September and they said that they will seek to push the PLO agenda.
The PLO are intensely lobbying countries to support a PLO state through the UN General Assembly. Israel is intensely lobbying countries to vote against a PLO state. The US, EU and Israel are all working hard to try to reach an agreement to resume direct peace talks and prevent the PLO from submitting their request to the UN. Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton of the EU plans to travel to the Middle East on August 27 to try to persuade Israel and the PLO to restart peace talks. The PLO has said that they will go to the UN despite objections from the US and Israel. In any PLO state, Mahmood Abbas said that their will be a NATO presence headed by the USA to ensure the peace. Israeli Likud Knesset Member, Danny Danon, is seeking to gather support for annexing the West Bank to be a part of Israel if the PLO achieves recognition of a PLO state at the UN. Finally, Israel is experiencing social-economic protests due to the high cost of living in Israel for the middle class.
An agreement to divide Jerusalem and establish a PLO state is a tribulation event.
The link to these articles are as follows:
1) 930 Har Homa housing units okayed
2) New housing projects planned for east Jerusalem
3) Israel approves 227 new homes in West Bank settlement of Ariel
4) US chides Israel over new east Jerusalem project
5) EU slams new Israeli settlement plan
6) Moscow condemns new Israeli settlement plans
7) UN chief disappointed by settlement expansion in East Jerusalem
8.) Quartet ‘concerned’ by building in Ariel, east J’lem
9) Abbas: We want settlements-free state
10) Palestinians finalize preparations for UN bid amid stalled peace talks
11) Palestine sets date for UN statehood bid
12) Lebanon to push Palestinian statehood at UNSC
13) PA eyes ‘protest blitz’ ahead of September
14) Netanyahu Sends Ambassadors to 40 Countries to Oppose Palestinian State Recognition
15) ‘Confrontation at UN would be detrimental to both sides’
16) EU’s Ashton to visit Middle East in August
17) EU trying to get PA to soften UN resolution
18) PA to soften UN statehood bid?
19) New Talks Proposed by Israel and US to Stop UN Bid
20) Defense officials mull gestures to woo PA from UN bid
21) Abbas: “Future State Will Be Under NATO Security Forces Headed By The USA”
22) Abbas: We’ll seek recognition despite US, Israel opposition
23) Danon’s ‘annexation campaign’ set to begin
24) Quarter-million Israelis march for economic reform
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