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
2) The prospects for war with Syria and Iran
On April 17,Palestinian officials delivered a letter from Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmud Abbas to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blaming Israel for the failure of peace talks. The Palestinians will only agree to direct negotiations with Israel if Israel quits building Jewish homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and releases Palestinian prisoners arrested prior to the 1994 Oslo Accords. The Palestinians will give Israel one month to agree to their demands. If Israel doesn’t agree to the Palestinian demands, they have threatened to renew their efforts for recognition of a PLO state at the United Nations through the General Assembly in either May or June. Israel will reply to the letter asking for direct negotiations between Abbas and Netanyahu without preconditions while insisting that in any agreement that the Palestinians recognize a Jewish state and the security of Israel is maintained. The Palestinians are stating that they will reject Netanyahu’s offer for direct negotiations. The United States said that they will veto a PLO request at the UN Security Council for recognition of a PLO state.
An agreement to divide Jerusalem and establish a PLO state is a tribulation event.
The link to these articles are as follows:
1) Text of Abbas’s letter to Netanyahu
2) ‘US will veto any Palestinian statehood bid at UN’
Russia continues to support the Syrian government of Bashar Assad against the opposition who is trying to overthrow him. Russia said that Western and Arab support of the opposition is hurting the chances for ending the bloodshed in Syria. Russia has decided to permanently deploy warships off the Syrian coast to protect Assad from external military intervention. However, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are discussing plans to attack Syria to overthrow Assad if the peace plan of Kofi Annan fails.
A war with Syria where Damascus is destroyed (Isaiah 17) is a tribulation event.
The link to these articles is as follows:
1) Russia says outside forces hurting Syria peace bid
2) Russian Warships to Patrol Syrian Coast
3) Turkey & Saudis Chart Joint Syria Campaign
Nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers (Russia, China, Britain, France, US and Germany) took place on April 14 Istanbul, Turkey. Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief called the talks “useful”. However, during the meetings, the US requested to have a bilateral meeting with Iran. But, Iran refused. It was agreed to continue the nuclear talks in Baghdad on May 23.
The Washington Post reported that a “secret deal” was made between the US and Iran prior to the nuclear talks in Istanbul, Turkey. The agreement consisted of the following:
1) Iran would agree to stop enriching uranium to the 20 percent level
2) Iran would halt work at an underground facility near Qom built for higher enrichment
3) Iran would export its stockpile of highly enriched uranium for final processing to 20 percent for use in medical isotopes
If followed, Iran would not be subject to international inspection of its nuclear program.
The Iranian negotiator, Saeed Jalili,responded that because the West was willing to recognize Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy, “our talks for cooperation based on step-by-step principles and reciprocity on Iran’s nuclear issue could be commenced.” Iran is also demanding that in order to show good will in the talks that economic sanctions be removed from Iran while the talks are talking place.
However, this reported secret agreement between the US and Iran violates an agreement made between the US and Israel regarding how to negotiate with Iran at the Istanbul talks. The US and Israel understanding consisted of the following:
1) Iran would be allowed to keep 1,000 centrifuges for the low-level enrichment of uranium up to 3.5 percent purity
2) Iran would not be permitted to keep 20 percent enriched uranium
However, the US delegation did not present any of the agreed demands – or any other – to the Iranians attending the first round of talks in Turkey. As a result, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the P5 + 1 negotiators of giving Iran a “free pass” to continue its nuclear program for another 5 weeks until the next meeting on May 23. Furthermore, Israel is concerned that if Iran accepts the US offer that they will not implement it but cheat.
It is expected that the US and Iranian agreement will be presented at the May 23 meetings. It seems that the US is pursuing a policy to prevent war with Iran rather than a policy of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
In gaining knowledge of this proposed secret agreement, Israel Defense Minister flew to the US to speak with US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta as it was being learned that Iran is moving military nuclear facilities to secret locations not covered in the agreement with the US. As a result of these developments, Israel no longer trusts the US and is making plans to attack Iran should the talks on May 23 fail to meet the Israel demands for Iran shutting down its nuclear program. Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon announced that Iran by the end of 2012 will have a dirty bomb.
A US war with Iran is a tribulation event.
The link to these articles is as follows:
1) Ahmadinejad Says No Atomic Retreat Ahead Of Talks
2) Nuke talks with Iran ‘useful,’ new meet set for May
3) Iran snubs US delegate in cat-and-mouse game in Istanbul
4) The stage is set for a deal with Iran
5) Israel: Obama’s secret dealings with Iran conflict with US-Israeli understandings
6) Obama ready to yield on Iran’s nuclear transparency. Israel:Tehran will cheat
7) West must lift sanctions against Iran: Ayatollah Jannati
8.) Obama’s Proposals Are Primed to Pre-empt War – Not a Nuclear-Armed Iran
9) Netanyahu: Istanbul talks gave Iran a ‘freebie
10) Barak says Israel never ruled out attacking Iran
11) Barak to Panetta: What is your bottom line for Iran?
12) Israel Loses Patience with Obama, Starts Countdown to Unilateral Decision on Nuclear Iran
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