News for November 30, 2007

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Christian leaders criticized for seeking 'common ground' with Muslim imams One News Now (November 30, 2007) - Last month, 138 Muslim scholars signed a letter addressed to Pope Benedict XVI, and other religious leaders, urging them to find common ground between Islam and Christianity. The letter declared that Islam and Christianity both believe in only one God, and the commandment to love one's neighbor. Some 200 Christian leaders have responded to the Muslim scholars with their own letter, which calls for an interfaith dialogue that will "reshape" the two communities to "genuinely reflect our common love for God and for one another." Signers of the response letter include Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, Jim Wallis of the liberal advocacy group Sojourners, and evangelical pastors Bill Hybels and Rick Warren. Brigitte Gabriel is founder of the American Congress for Truth and author of the book Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America. She says the letter displays a disturbing lack of knowledge about the Koran. "Our terrorist enemies -- who have launched an attack against the West and against the infidels, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, atheists and everything else -- those terrorists repeated[ly] quote the Koran and many, many verses of the Koran and the Hadith," she points out. "…the accompanying books of the Koran [talk] about how Islam looks on unbelievers, or the Kafirs, as those who are condemned to go to hell." Gabriel says the Christian community would be wiser to call Muslim imams on the carpet by urging them to tell their fellow Muslims to "stop committing acts of barbarism in the name of their religion." She is also disturbed that Hybels and Warren are suggesting that God and Allah are one. "Islam is very different from Christianity, or Judaism, or Buddhism. The Allah of Islam is not the same God we worship," she argues. "Our God looks at all his people as equals; our God does not command us to kill anybody. I mean, our Ten Commandments, one of the top commandments, [says] 'thou shall not kill' -- regardless of if you believe with these people or not." In a recent column, WorldNetDaily editor Joseph Farah said the Christian theologians, ministry leaders, and pastors who signed the letter to Muslim scholars do not speak for him or for Christ.
| Islam | Apostasy |

Powerful quake shakes Caribbean, one dead Breitbart.com (November 30, 2007) - A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake shook several Caribbean holiday islands, destroying buildings and killing at least one person and causing widespread panic. Thousands of residents fled their homes on the French island of Martinique and in Barbados after the earthquake struck late Thursday. The quake, which was felt as far as Venezuela and the US territory of Puerto Rico, left at least two people injured in Martinique, while Barbados' emergency services chief was hurt while helping the population, police said. One third of Martinique and thousands in Guadeloupe lost electricity. One elderly woman died after suffering a heart attack in the panic of the moment in Martinique, security officials said. The US Geological Survey said the quake's epicenter was about 23 kilometers (14 miles) northwest of Martinique, causing buildings to collapse on the French island and Barbados. Police helicopters flew over Martinique to search for casualties. "For the moment, a building and a bank have collapsed," a Martinique police official told AFP. While no casualties were reported in the French territory of Guadeloupe, police said fires were reported in the main city of Pointe-a-Pitre. Hospitals were functioning normally except Hospital de Trinite, where an eight-storey tower developed large cracks after the quake. "We have rarely seen anything like this. This lasted for more than 30 seconds. The last time round was in 1970 and it was less powerful," a local resident said. In Paris, French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie summoned an emergency meeting to consider relief measures. The earthquake was 143 kilometers (89 miles) deep, causing no threat of a destructive tsunami, according to the US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. more...
| Earth Changes |

Pope invites senior Muslims to Vatican meeting Breitbart.com (November 29, 2007) - Pope Benedict XVI invited a delegation of senior Muslim personalities, who signed an appeal for greater dialogue between religions, to a meeting at the Vatican, according to a letter released Thursday. The pope praised the "positive spirit" behind the October 11 message signed by 138 top Muslims from around the world and sent to Christian leaders, said Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone in the letter sent in Pope Benedict's name. The pope wanted to meet a representative group of the signatories at the Vatican, he added in the letter sent to Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal, head of the Institute for Islamic Thought in Amman. "The Pope has asked me to convey his gratitude to Your Royal Highness and to all who signed the letter," Bertone wrote. "He also wishes to express his deep appreciation for this gesture, for the positive spirit which inspired the text and for the call for a common commitment to promoting peace in the world. "Without ignoring or downplaying our differences as Christians and Muslims, we can and therefore should look to what unites us, namely, belief in the one God, the provident Creator and universal Judge who at the end of time will deal with each person according to his or her actions. We are all called to commit ourselves totally to him and to obey his sacred will." The letter said the pope "was particularly impressed by the attention given in the letter to the twofold commandment to love God and one's neighbour." It recalled Pope Benedict's statement in August 2005 soon after he took office that "we must not yield to the negative pressures in our midst, but must affirm the values of mutual respect, solidarity and peace. "The life of every human being is sacred, both for Christians and for Muslims. There is plenty of scope for us to act together in the service of fundamental moral values." "Such common ground allows us to base dialogue on effective respect for the dignity of every human person, on objective knowledge of the religion of the other, on the sharing of religious experience and, finally, on common commitment to promoting mutual respect and acceptance among the younger generation," the letter went on. "The Pope is confident that, once this is achieved, it will be possible to cooperate in a productive way in the areas of culture and society, and for the promotion of justice and peace in society and throughout the world." more...
| Islam | RCC | Apostasy |

Hillary gets standing ovation at Rick Warren's summit WorldNet Daily (November 29, 2007) - Within days of introducing a $50 billion plan to combat AIDS, Sen. Hillary Clinton received a standing ovation at one of the nation's most influential evangelical churches after addressing its "Global Summit on AIDS and the Church" today. If the Democratic presidential frontrunner's aim was to make inroads into the heavily Republican evangelical electorate, her appearance at Saddleback Church with pastor and "The Purpose Driven Life" author Rick Warren apparently didn't hurt. Saddleback Church member Cindy Logan told WND after Clinton spoke to some 1,700 conference attendees that as a Republican, the senator's visit was "a little bit of a challenge for me," but she, nevertheless, was impressed. "I saw a softer side of her that I hadn't seen before," Logan said, adding she thinks it's quite possible some minds were changed about the New York Democrat. "She was very articulate. I liked her approach," Logan said. "I liked the fact that she's been to Africa, she's been with people who have been affected by AIDS, and she's here because of her heart for people. And I appreciated that." Logan emphasized, however – as did Warren before introducing Clinton – that all of the leading presidential candidates, both Democrat and Republican, were invited to come and speak. Democrats Barack Obama – whose appearance at last year's summit drew controversy – and John Edwards sent taped messages addressed to the summit, as did Republicans John McCain, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. "She's a presidential candidate," Logan said, responding to opposition by some Christian leaders to Clinton's visit. "And as a presidential candidate, she has her voice. And she may be the future leader of our country, and so as that person, I think she deserves to be on stage. I think all of them should have been here." more...
| America |

After Annapolis: PA Television Erases Israel From Map Israel National News (November 29, 2007) - Just one day after the Annapolis conference at which the PA recognized the State of Israel's right to exist in peace and security, the PA's official television station screened a map that shows a Palestinian state in place of Israel. U.S. President George Bush, at the conference on Tuesday, read aloud the summit's agreed-upon joint statement, which declares, "In furtherance of the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we agree to immediately launch good-faith bilateral negotiations in order to conclude a peace treaty." However, Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook of Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) report that just a day later, "Mahmoud Abbas’s Palestinian Authority continues to paint a picture for its people of a world without Israel." Specifically, PMW reports that an information clip produced a while ago by the PA's Central Bureau of Statistics was rebroadcast on Wednesday on Abbas-controlled PA television. The clip shows a map in which the Land of Israel is painted in the colors of the Palestinian flag, symbolizing the replacement of Israel by a Palestinian state. The Palestinian entity depicted as replacing Israel includes all of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, though not the Golan Heights. The depiction of all of Israel as "Palestine" is not coincidental, PMW reports, "and is part of a formal, systematic educational approach throughout the Palestinian Authority. This uniform message of a world without Israel is repeated in school books, children's programs, crossword puzzles, video clips, formal symbols, school and street names, etc. The picture painted for the Palestinian population, both verbally and visually, is of a world without Israel." PMW concludes: "The fact that this campaign continues before the ink on the Annapolis agreement is even dry appears to contradict the central promise of the Palestinians at the Annapolis conference: that Israel has a right to exist." The television clip appears to be loyal to widespread public opinion on the PA street. PA forces were forced to put down anti-Israel and anti-Annapolis rallies in several cities this week, and one protestor was even shot and killed. The protestors stated that Abbas has no right to make "concessions" regarding Jerusalem, refugees and the like in the name of the Palestinian people, and that any deal he makes with Israel will not be binding. In Hevron, PA security forces killed a demonstrator, injured dozens, and arrested 29 when using force to disperse a mass protest. PA forces also dispersed large protests in Ramallah, Shechem (Nablus), and Bethlehem, making several arrests. In Hamas-controlled Gaza, the protests were much more intense, and hundreds of thousands of people rallied in Gaza City, emphasizing the importance of the "right of return" for millions of Arabs and their descendants, the "liberation" of Jerusalem, the retention of "every inch of Palestinian land" and “the path of resistance and jihad,” i.e., terrorism.
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land |

Well it seems clear what the population is being told to expect of the future. We know from Bible prophecy that a period called the time of Jacob's trouble will occur after the abomination of desolation and will involve a supernatural army that goes through Judea murdering any Jews they find. Joel 2:1-10 We also see the rhetoric calling for the destruction of the State of Israel coming from the same nations that are supposedly backing the land-for-peace deal. So it seems in reality they view this as just a first step, taken with the backing of the international community, to reach their ultimate goal of a world without Israel. The extremists working to produce the chaos their prophecies tell precede the 12th Mahdi's return from the earth are going to keep railing publicly against Israel while the front-men to the international community will work with lies and deceit to bring about the same goal in steps. Understand Muslim goals and you will readily see where this is going, right where the Bible said it would thousands of years ago. Keep watching and praying! If anyone hasn't seen Farewell Israel: Bush, Iran And The Revolt Of Islam I would recommend checking it out. They point out some of the miscommunication based on the different societies and how even speaking the same words don't have the same meaning in the two worlds. This has disastrous ends of course when you know what the two sides actually mean, not just what they say.

PA official: Olmert lying about Temple Mount YNet News (November 29, 2007) - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's statements on Wednesday that Israel's sovereignty over the Temple Mount is not up for negotiation are "false," according to a chief Palestinian negotiator, who told WND the Israeli leader already agreed to forfeit Judaism's holiest site to a coalition of Arab countries. "What Olmert said (regarding the Mount) is absolutely false. I think he's not yet ready to tell the Israeli public and is waiting for the right time and he fears his coalition with religious extremists will fall apart if he announces it now," said a senior Palestinian negotiator Thursady on condition his name be withheld. The chief Palestinian negotiator said in months leading up to Annapolis the Palestinian team was "surprised" by Olmert's willingness to give up the Mount. "We had intense debates on many topics, which remain open and unsettled, but the Harem Al-Sharif (Temple Mount) is not a sticking point. The Israelis didn't argue with us. We were pleasantly surprised Olmert didn't debate about giving the lower section of the Mount either, which was a sticking point in the past." According to the chief Palestinian negotiator, Olmert agreed to evacuate the Mount but not to turn it over to the Palestinians alone. The negotiator said both sides agreed the Temple Mount would be given to joint Egypt, Jordan and Palestinian Authority control. He said the Israeli government felt an umbrella group of several Arab countries controlling the holy site instead of only the PA would help ease Israeli domestic opposition to giving up the Temple Mount, since Egypt and Jordan are considered by Israeli policy to be moderate countries. The Palestinian negotiator pointed out Israeli prime ministers previously denied withdrawal plans only to later carry them out. Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, elected on a platform against evacuating territory, denied for his first year in office he would retreat from the Gaza Strip but in 2005 he carried out a Gaza withdrawal. In a briefing to reporters yesterday, Olmert claimed Israel's sovereignty over the Temple Mount is not up for discussion. He said negotiations started at this week's Annapolis summit had no bearing on the situation on the Temple Mount. At the start of Tuesday's summit, President Bush read a joint declaration agreed to by Olmert and PA President Mahmoud Abbas committing the two to launch immediate negotiations aimed at "two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side." The parties said they would aim to conclude an agreement before Bush leaves office next year, with Israel widely expected to evacuate large swaths of the West Bank and speculation about eastern sections of Jerusalem, handing Abbas the strategic territories. Israel recaptured the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, in 1967. "The negotiations will address all of the issues which we have thus far avoided dealing with," said Olmert on Tuesday. "I am convinced that the reality that emerged in our region in 1967 will change significantly. I know this. Many of my people know this. We are prepared for it."
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | Temple Mount |

I'm thinking that we may indeed see the Temple Mount handed over in the name of peace. I also believe that the Magog invasion will come after that division of Israel while the temporary peace is built. Ezekiel says that Israel is dwelling in safety when attacked from the North and this will only happen prophetically between now and the abomination of desolation. After that 2/3 of Israel are killed and 1/3 is taken to the wilderness for the remainder of the 70th week until Christ returns in glory. So clearly they won't be living in peace and safety then. So I believe we could see the Temple Mount handed over in the name of peace with a sudden shift in Israeli consciousness once God demonstrates His power in the destruction of the attackers with fire and brimstone from heaven. I think at that point nobody will desire to stop Israel from rebuilding the temple and many won't want to after seeing God's hand in the destruction of those coming against Israel. Time will tell, but it seems to fit together pretty well that way.

Annapolis: A Day for the Prophetic History Books Fulfilled Prophecy (November 29, 2007) - Organizers and attendees appear to agree: the Annapolis Conference, Tuesday, was a success. But more than that, I think it was prophetically significant. For the first time, the entire international community -- including the United States, Israel and even the Arab nations -- gathered to declare their joint support for the creation of a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas committed to working for a peace treaty by the end of 2008. (Read their statement of Joint Understanding here.) They're now creating a steering committee that will start continuous negotiations on Dec. 12. Olmert and Abbas will meet every two weeks to advance the negotiations. Olmert and Abbas also agreed to begin immediate implementation of their nation's obligations under the Road Map for Peace, created in 2003 by the Quartet on the Middle East (the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations). They even agreed to let the United States monitor the implementation of the Road Map and judge whether both parties are fulfilling their obligations. And, today, the United States appointed a Special Envoy for Middle East Security -- General James Jones, an ex-NATO commander -- to help Abbas' government bring security to Palestine. Read about it here. Despite the naysayers, I think we may see a peace deal within the next year. Of course, that's what we'd expect if we've entered the 70th week of Daniel. That's not to say there won't be bumps in the road and times when negotiations look like they've stalled. But we may look back to this conference as the breakthrough. In my father, Herb Peters', book, Recommendation 666 (available to read free here), he cited the 1992 Israeli election as the first time Israelis began saying "Peace and safety!" -- when they voted for Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin who ran on the platform of trading land for peace. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:3, when they are saying "peace and safety!" (in other words, when Israel is willing to give up its God-given land and turn to its enemies for protection) then destruction will come on Israel suddenly. Note two very similar words in the statement of Joint Understanding read by Bush at the conference:

This is a formal declaration made by Israel -- and witnessed by the nations of the world -- that Israel has chosen to give up its land for peace. And it was a U.S. president -- sad for me to say -- that pushed for it. Yes, I think we'll look back on this day as prophetically significant.
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal | America |

Chavez seeks expanded power in charter Associated Press (November 29, 2007) - Hugo Chavez could have a shot at becoming president for life if voters approve a sweeping overhaul of the constitution Sunday that would give him unchecked power to reshape Venezuela's government, economy and society. Some polls show Chavez faces considerable resistance in the referendum. His primary impediment seems to be voters like Vanessa Meneses, a 27-year-old single mother who has backed Chavez in past elections but now fears he could become another Fidel Castro. "Supposedly he wants to make Venezuela like Cuba and stay in power forever. It's scary," Meneses said. "He wants to be the only one like in Cuba, and I don't like it." Venezuelans across the political spectrum see the vote as a turning point for their country — and perhaps a point of no return. The changes to 69 of the constitution's 350 articles would enshrine a socialist economic system, create new classes of property to be managed collectively and let Chavez stand for re-election in 2012 and beyond. Chavez has sold these changes by capitalizing on his personal popularity — he is seen by many Venezuelans as their savior, spreading more oil wealth among the poor than any leader in memory. A "yes" vote keeps him on as captain of a ship that otherwise "could sink," he warns. His image is everywhere — even the Caracas subway plays a rap-style campaign jingle for Chavez. The former lieutenant colonel, now 53, insists he will stay in power for as long as his people want him to — perhaps into the 2030s, or for life. "If you wish — and if you approve the referendum — I will stay as long as God wills! Until the last bone of my skeleton dries up! Until the last bit of my body dries up!" he shouted to the applause of thousands. Opponents — including Roman Catholic leaders, press freedom groups, human rights groups and prominent business leaders — fear the reforms will remove some of the last checks on Chavez's power. more...

Atrocities alleged in eastern Ethiopia Associated Press (November 29, 2007) - In the desert stretches of eastern Ethiopia, locals accuse soldiers fighting an insurgency of burning villages to the ground, committing gang rape and killing people "like goats." The allegations have drawn the attention of international human rights campaigners to this remote corner of a key U.S. ally. Ethiopia's prime minister says his troops are fighting against a separatist movement in the region known as the Ogaden, and he denies that soldiers have committed such atrocities. "This is a counterinsurgency. I am not going to tell you there hasn't been anyone beaten up. I am absolutely confident that there has not been any widespread violation of human rights," Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told journalists Wednesday. But a thin, pensive 30-year-old man, who spoke on condition of anonymity this week because of fear of reprisals, told The Associated Press that the army had burned two villages — Lebiga and Korelitsa — to the ground Nov. 23, killing one man. The army, the man said, was killing his neighbors "like goats." Officials in the area, which covers nearly 80,000 square miles, said they had heard similar reports. They also asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. The 30-year-old man described gang rapes and public hangings, and said villagers had been told not to speak to international observers. Officials in the area also said villagers had been told not to speak to outsiders, and that also was mentioned in a September report by a U.N. fact-finding mission. A 26-year-old man, who also asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals, accused the government of withholding food to punish fighters and supporters of the Ogaden National Liberation Front. For more than a decade, the ethnic Somali rebels have been fighting for greater autonomy in the region, which is being heavily explored for oil and gas. In April, they attacked a Chinese-run oil exploration field in the region, killing 74 people. The Ethiopian military began counterinsurgency operations in May. more...

More bad news for the dollar as the UAE gets ready to dump it Thaindian News (November 28, 2007) - A serious crisis looms ahead of the US dollar as the UAE along with other Gulf Cooperation states are reportedly considering a move to dump the US currency. For GCC states where the main export; oil; is dollar denominated it makes sense. This week the governor of UAE's central bank twice questioned the existing currency regime. Washington, however, will resist another blow to the dollar, and it is using all its muscle to discourage the Gulf regimes from dropping the dollar. If the oil exporting nations drop the dollar, experts say that it will lose at least twenty percent of its value. In September this year, as the dirham faced further value erosion following the dollar’s decline against major international currencies, UAE residents became poorer as the currency bought less and less of what it used to in the past. The UAE economy is facing a unique situation due to high growth, high inflation and low interest rates as the dirham faces further erosion as a result of the falling dollar. Due to the inherent weakness of the US economy and the tightening credit situation in the US, economists expect the dollar to decline further. The Middle East News quoted Serhan Cevik, an economist at Morgan Stanley, as saying recently that the weaker dollar would worsen the already high inflationary pressures in the Gulf Cooperation Council states. Last year, the UAE’s inflation hit a 19-year high of 9.3 per cent. According to Sudhir Shetty, the General Manager of the UAE Exchange Centre, was quoted as saying that the Indian rupee gained more than 14 per cent against the dirham in 2006. He warned then that the exchange rate losses combined with domestic inflation is wiping out more than one third of the earnings of Indian expatriates working in the UAE. Western expatriates to have suffered heavily from the dirham’s fall. The dirham fell 17 per cent against the euro from December 2005 to the end of August 2007 and dropped 16 per cent against sterling. The recent sharp fall of the dirham’s exchange rate against all leading international currencies was triggered by a 50-basis-point (0.5 per cent) interest cut by the US Federal Reserve. Due to the growing pressure of the global credit crunch arising out of the US mortgage market turmoil and sagging economic growth, the Fed was forced to cut interest rates, reports the business website zawya.com. The lowering of interest rates and the growing prospects of future interest rate cuts in the US has driven the currency markets to dump the dollar in favour of other currencies such as the Euro, Sterling, the Canadian dollar and a host of Asian currencies such as the Indian rupee and the Chinese yuan. While the dollar’s decline was proportionately reflected in the dirham’s exchange rate against other currencies due to the dirham’s peg to the dollar, a big surge in domestic prices (inflation) in recent years has seen the dirham’s purchasing power shrink rapidly. The sharp decline of the dollar against major currencies has revived the debate about the dirham’s revaluation as a viable solution. More than 70 per cent of the UAE’s imports are from Europe, the UK and Asia where currencies have appreciated against the dollar. The decline of the dollar has added to imported inflation. Earlier this month, following the recent OPEC meet in Riyadh, Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said all GCC states were concerned about the falling US currency and have asked their finance ministers to study the feasibility of selling oil in another currency. more...
| Islam | America |

Summary of remarks by Javier SOLANA on the occasion of the Annapolis Conference Europa (November 27, 2007) - NEW MOMENTUM IN THE PEACE PROCESS: Recent developments have created a sense of cautious optimism for progress towards resolution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert are engaged in a substantive and wide-ranging bilateral dialogue. The United States Government is actively supporting their efforts, including by calling for an international meeting before the end of the year, in order to launch a bilateral negotiation process that would lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state. The new momentum in the peace process benefits from the full backing and active involvement of the Quartet. Arab support has been expressed through the voice of the Arab League follow-up Committee. Comprehensive peace in the Middle East is a strategic objective for the European Union. Any lasting and just settlement to the conflict should be based on the principle of land for peace, relevant UNSC resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative, the Roadmap and previous agreements reached between the parties. The EU considers that the present opportunity should not be missed and is ready to take its responsibilities, in accordance with the vital European interests involved. The EU is therefore committed to supporting current efforts in a serious and substantive way, offering a comprehensive and coherent contribution to the process, including during the crucial implementation period. The European Union calls on all other interested parties to support the current process, bearing in mind the high cost of failure for everyone involved. The forthcoming international meeting in Annapolis should launch a bilateral negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians on final status issues, as a first step towards a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It should establish a robust follow-up process under the auspices of the Quartet and with the involvement of the international community. The EU calls on its Quartet, Arab League and other international partners to contribute to the success of the upcoming donors conference in Paris, which will constitute an indispensable complement to the political process launched at Annapolis. more...
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal | America |

Joint Understanding Read by President Bush at Annapolis Conference US Department of State (November 27, 2007) - PRESIDENT BUSH: The representatives of the government of the state of Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, represented respective by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and President Mahmoud Abbas in his capacity as Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee and President of the Palestinian Authority, have convened in Annapolis, Maryland, under the auspices of President George W. Bush of the United States of America, and with the support of the participants of this international conference, having concluded the following joint understanding. We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition; to propagate a culture of peace and nonviolence; to confront terrorism and incitement, whether committed by Palestinians or Israelis. In furtherance of the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we agree to immediately launch good-faith bilateral negotiations in order to conclude a peace treaty, resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues without exception, as specified in previous agreements. We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations, and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008. For this purpose, a steering committee, led jointly by the head of the delegation of each party, will meet continuously, as agreed. The steering committee will develop a joint work plan and establish and oversee the work of negotiations teams to address all issues, to be headed by one lead representative from each party. The first session of the steering committee will be held on 12 December 2007. President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert will continue to meet on a bi-weekly basis to follow up the negotiations in order to offer all necessary assistance for their advancement. The parties also commit to immediately implement their respective obligations under the performance-based road map to a permanent two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, issued by the Quartet on 30 April 2003 -- this is called the road map -- and agree to form an American, Palestinian and Israeli mechanism, led by the United States, to follow up on the implementation of the road map. The parties further commit to continue the implementation of the ongoing obligations of the road map until they reach a peace treaty. The United States will monitor and judge the fulfillment of the commitment of both sides of the road map. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, implementation of the future peace treaty will be subject to the implementation of the road map, as judged by the United States.
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | America |

Israel, Palestinians OK negotiating plan Associated Press (November 27, 2007) - Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed Tuesday to immediately resume long-stalled talks toward a deal by the end of next year that would create an independent Palestinian state, using a U.S.-hosted Mideast peace conference to launch their first negotiations in seven years. In a joint statement read by President Bush, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas pledged to start discussions on the core issues of the conflict next month and accepted the United States as arbiter of interim steps. "We agree to immediately launch good-faith bilateral negotiations in order to conclude a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues without exception, as specified in previous agreements," it said. "We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008," said the document, which was reached after weeks of intense diplomacy and was uncertain until just before Bush announced it. The conference at the U.S. Naval Academy has been greeted by heavy skepticism, with many questioning its timing and prospects for success, especially given the weaknesses of Olmert and Abbas, whose leadership is challenged by the militant Hamas movement. And the task is complicated by Arab pressure to resolve other long simmering disputes Israel has with Syria and Lebanon. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, in his remarks to the conference, called for the earliest possible resumption of talks with Lebanon and Syria, which wants the return of the Golan Heights, land seized by Israel during the 1967 war. "We have come to support the launching of serious and continuing talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis that will address all the core and final status issues," Saud said. "These talks must be followed by the launching of the Syrian and Lebanese tracks at the earliest." more...
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land |

Olmert Addresses the Annapolis Mideast Conference Washington Post (November 27, 2007) - PRIME MINISTER EHUD OLMERT (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): The honorable president of the United States, George Bush, my colleague, president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, heads of delegations, and distinguished guests, I came here today from Jerusalem, Mr. President, at your invitation, to extend, on behalf of the people of Israel and the state of Israel, to the Palestinian people and to our neighboring Arab states, to extend a hand in peace, a hand which marks the beginning of historic reconciliation between us and you, the Palestinians, and all of the Arab nations. I had many good reasons not to come here to this meeting. Memory of failures in the near and distant past weighed heavy upon us. The dreadful terrorism perpetrated by Palestinian terrorist organizations has affected thousands of Israeli citizens, has destroyed families and has tried to disrupt the lives of the citizens of Israel. I witnessed this when I served as mayor of Jerusalem in days of bombings at cafes, on buses, and in recreational centers in Jerusalem, as well as in other cities in the state of Israel. The ongoing shooting of Qassam rockets against tens of thousands of residents in the south of Israel, particularly in the city of Sderot, serves as a warning sign, one which we cannot overlook. The absence of governmental institutions and effective law enforcement mechanisms, the role of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the ongoing activity of murderous organizations throughout all the territories of the Palestinian Authority, the absence of a legal system that meets the basic criteria of democratic government, all of these are factors which deter us from moving forward too hastily. I am not overlooking any of these obstacles which are liable to emerge along the way. I see them. But I came here, despite the concerns and the doubts and the hesitations to say to you, President Mahmoud Abbas, and through you to your people, and to the entire Arab world, the time has come. We no longer and you no longer have the privilege of adhering to dreams which are (inaudible) from the sufferings of our peoples, the hardships that they experience daily, and the burden of living under ongoing uncertainty, which offers no hope of change or of a better future. We want peace. We demand an end to terror, an end to incitement and to hatred. We are prepared to make a painful compromise, rife with risks, in order to realize these aspirations. I came here today not in order to settle historical accounts between us and you about what caused the confrontations and the hatred, and what for many years has prevented a compromise, a settlement of peace. more...
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | America |

Thousands rally in Jerusalem against parley Jerusalem Post (November 27, 2007) - Any Israeli concessions that would be forged in Annapolis would make Jerusalem and the center of the country vulnerable to the kind of Palestinian-launched rocket attacks that the border city of Sderot has endured for years, Sderot resident Alon Davidi said on Monday night. "Your actions in Annapolis will cause rockets to rain on Jerusalem," Davidi warned Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as he looked out at thousands of right-wing protesters who packed Paris Square in Jerusalem. "You have sacrificed Sderot and now you want to sacrifice the rest of the country," Davidi said. "There is a moment in the life of a nation when you have to say, enough is enough." The prime minister, Davidi said, "is disconnected from the nation, but we are united." Shouting out "no" to a divided Jerusalem and "yes" to the construction of more settlements and Jewish homes in the West Bank, the protesters sent a message to Olmert in advance of Tuesday's peace conference in Annapolis. They followed a larger demonstration at the Western Wall in which some 15,000 prayed for the Annapolis talks on any territorial withdrawal to fail. Standing on a podium set up a block from Olmert's residence, politicians and religious leaders buoyed by cheers from the crowd of mostly teens and young adults vowed to prevent any further concessions to the Palestinians. Many in the crowd held large black, red and white signs that stretched over their heads proclaiming: "The agreement of Olmert and Abu-Bluff will explode in our faces." Between the speeches, protesters danced to live music performed by religious bands, the songs reminiscent of the many anti-disengagement rallies that preceded the 2005 withdrawal from Gaza. But one speaker warned that Olmert should not be fooled and that the new campaign against further territorial withdrawals would not be like the anti-disengagement campaign, in which the slogan was: "With love we will win." The stakes are high and the fears of those gathered are not a minority concern, given that the Annapolis talks endanger all of Israel, warned Dani Dayan, who heads the Council of Jewish Communities of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. "We have not come just to defend the homes of Judea and Samaria, but first and foremost the unity of Jerusalem and the security of Tel Aviv," Dayan said. "We say 'no' to the 1967 border," which the Palestinians are demanding, said Dayan. more...
| Israel | Dividing the Land |

Mahmoud Abbas Remarks at Annapolis Conference Washington Post (November 27, 2007) - SPEAKER: PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): In the name of God, the compassionate, (SPEAKING IN ARABIC) with great hope, but it is accompanied with great worry that this new opportunity might be lost. But the meanings of your message are well known and they carry your personal bridge and commitment by your great country and its determination to embrace the Palestinian and Israeli peace and the Arab-Israeli peace to be converted in the arena of negotiations to be the first and foremost arena for making peace. And that this initiative would culminate your term of office is an outstanding achievement which would add a new shining star in the skies of the world, the world of the future free of violence, oppression and bigotry. And also we would like to applaud you, Mr. President, for choosing this charming city, Annapolis, as a venue for convening this international conference. In addition to its beauty and distinctive location, it bears the symbol of freedom; the most sublime value in our life. "Freedom" is the single word that stands for the future of the Palestinians and captures the meanings of all their generations. It is their sunshine and it is the life that inspires their future. It is the last word voiced by the martyrs and victims, and it is the lyric (ph) of their prisoners. I must also pay tribute to the role played by Dr. Condoleezza Rice and her aides. For without here relentless resolve and determination and her vision vis-a-vis all aspects of conflict in our region, we would not have been convening here. Dr. Rice took important strides with us in order to affirm that the path of peace is the only choice and it is irreversible. And that the path to negotiations for peace and to achieve peace is the right path. It is important for me to indicate here that this distinguished participation and large participation from sister Arab and Islamic countries, the quartet, and the group of great industrial countries, and the permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations, and many prominent European and Asian countries, as well as non-aligned countries and African states and from South America, in a unique conference in the history of the conflicts would provide impetus and protection, in addition to the fact that it carries the meanings of encouragement to pursue the path of Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations and move that forward and the need to reach the solution of two states, based on ending occupation and the establishment of the state of Palestine side by side to the state of Israel, and the resolution of all issues relating to the Palestinian- Israeli conflict, Arab-Israeli conflict in all their aspects, as an indispensable qualitative step, so that comprehensive and normal peace relations would be established in our region. I am proud that this Arab and Islamic contribution and this broad international that this Arab and Islamic contribution and this broad international participation in the work of this conference is a testimony to the fact that sister and friendly states are standing by us, the people of Palestine, as a leadership, and for our efforts to achieve peace. It is a support of our approach that calls for a balanced historical settlement that would ensure peace and security for our independent state and for Israel, as well as for all countries in the region. more...
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | America |

Hamas rejects Abbas speech at Annapolis conference Jerusalem Post (November 27, 2007) - Watching on TV Tuesday as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appealed for peace with Israel at the beginning of a Middle East conference in the United States, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza rejected his call and said Abbas speaks only for himself. The spokesman, Fawzi Barhoum, watched the opening speeches at his office in Gaza City. He said Abbas "has no mandate to discuss, to agree, or to erase any word related to our rights." Barhoum said Abbas went to the conference "without any support from his people. He is isolated (and) represents himself only." Barhoum expressed disappointment in the participation of Arab nations in the summit. Their presence is seen as support for renewed peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Instead, Barhoum indicated that Hamas would continue its violence against Israel. "We will use all the tools of resistance to achieve our rights," he said.
| Islam | Dividing the Land |

Text of Bush’s Remarks at Annapolis Conference NY Times (November 27, 2007) - Here are the remarks President Bush delivered today at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., as transcribed by Federal News Service, Inc., a private firm not affiliated with the government. Mr. Bush’s remarks opened a meeting of Middle Eastern leaders seeking peace in that region, and were addressed to the leaders. Thank you for coming. Prime Minister Olmert, President Abbas, Secretary-General Ban, former Prime Minister Blair, distinguished guests, welcome to one of the finest institutions we have in America, the United States Naval Academy. We appreciate you joining us in what I believe is an historic opportunity to encourage the expansion of freedom and peace in the Holy Land. We meet to lay the foundation for the establishment of a new nation, a democratic Palestinian state that will live side by side with Israel in peace and security. We meet to help bring an end to violence that has been the true enemy to the aspirations of both the Israelis and Palestinians. We’re off to a strong start. I’m about to read a statement that was agreed upon by our distinguished guests. “The representatives of the government of the state of Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, represented respectively by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Mahmoud Abbas, in his capacity as chairman of the P.L.O. Executive Committee and president of the Palestinian Authority, have convened in Annapolis, Maryland, under the auspices of President George W. Bush of the United States of America, and with the support of the participants of this international conference, having concluded the following joint understanding. “We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition; to propagate a culture of peace and nonviolence; to confront terrorism and incitement, whether committed by Palestinians or Israelis. In furtherance of the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we agree to immediately launch good-faith, bilateral negotiations in order to conclude a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues, without exception, as specified in previous agreements. more...
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | America |

Abu Dhabi blazes trail with Citi deal Reuters (November 27, 2007) - A $7.5 billion Abu Dhabi deal to buy Citigroup Inc (C.N) shares may have created a model for acquisitions by Gulf and other emerging-market investors scouring the ruins of the U.S. mortgage crisis for bargains. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) sought no role in managing Citi, allowing the world's wealthiest sovereign fund to invest as a saviour of the largest U.S. bank without the risk of being perceived in the United States as an Arab predator. Investors from Dubai to China could be considering similar deals with cash-strapped U.S. banks, hoping to ride a recovery in their stocks and avoid the political barriers that could have been thrust in their path in better times, analysts said. "There will be more such investments," said Giyas Gokkent, head of research at the National Bank of Abu Dhabi. "The other buyers will likely play the same white-knight role," he said of other Gulf Arab investments in Wall Street firms. Citi, which could book $17.8 billion in second-half credit-market losses, said ADIA would buy 4.9 percent of stock, eventually becoming the largest shareholder of a bank that has lost 42.5 percent of its market value in the past five months. Other Gulf investors, backed by $1.2 trillion in state reserves, say they could follow, depending on when they expect the worst of the crisis triggered by defaults on high-risk home loans to have passed. Investment Corporation of Dubai said on November 20 it was looking to benefit from the U.S. crisis, but judged shares of Citigroup to be too expensive as were those of Merrill Lynch & Co (MER.N), which reported the biggest credit losses after Citi. DIFC Investments, the Dubai government agency that bought into Deutsche Bank this year, said last week it could invest in banks and property among other U.S. assets. more...
| America |

See also: Sheikdom shakedown: Dubai moves on Nasdaq WorldNet Daily (September 20, 2007) - In a complex set of transactions, Dubai is moving to acquire 19.9 percent of the Nasdaq in New York, placing the Arab government in an ownership position of the key U.S. stock exchange and raising concerns in Congress. As a result of the transaction, Dubai also will acquire 28 percent of the London Stock Exchange, one of the oldest and largest in the world. The transaction is being made through Borse Dubai, a holding company 100-percent owned by the government of the Emirate of Dubai and controlled by Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the head of the Dubai ruling family.

What is the significance of all this? Whether or not that is the case as far as America is concerned, this is another addition to the other reasons I believe America is about to collapse. It began in 1913 with the handing over of our nation to international bankers in the creation of the Federal Reserve. Watch America: Freedom to Fascism Since then, our money has been under the control of elements outside of our government. They didn't teach me that in school. Nor did I learn about the realities of our financial system. More here and here and here. This weak system of finance not backed by anything has had heaped onto it the credit issues we see unfolding now. Moreover, for the past few decades, production has been shipped overseas where work is cheaper. The drive to make a buck has undermined the ability of our nation to stand on its own. That out energy and oil is centered in the Middle East where we are the great Satan to the population doesn't help matters and now that they have that power, they are not backing their business with the Dollar anymore, but are switching to the Euro. This is exactly what I would expect given Bible prophecy and its focus on a revived Roman Empire of 10 horns or 10 toes. In order for global governance centered in Europe to rise, America and the rest of the world will have to give up their national sovereignty in the name of peace and security in combating terrorism. This is exactly the plans that Albert Pike wrote about in 1871 when he also described the two world wars that would precede this final war between Islam and Zionism. I recommend watching Secret Mysteries of America's Beginnings: Volume One - The New Atlantis as well as the sequel, Secret Mysteries of America’s Beginnings: Volume Two - Riddles In Stone: Secret Architecture of Washington, D.C., to see how the New World Order views America as the stepping stone to ultimate plans laid out in the Bible thousands of years ago, the rise of the man of sin. Make no mistake that the fallen angels are working with Lucifer to deceive the whole world. Do not be in darkness regarding what is happening. Be aware and warn those with ears to hear. Our only salvation is in Yeshua (Jesus) who is coming back to gather us to Himself. Recognize the world for what it is and come out of her into a life lived in God's selfless Love. For those that refuse to back down from their beliefs difficult times are coming, I won't lie. But eternity makes our lives seem as a blink in eternity.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Strong Earthquake Shakes Japan Mail & Guardian (November 26, 2007) - A 6,2-magnitude earthquake hit near the city of Iwaki in Japan on Monday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, revising it to a slightly stronger quake than it initially reported. Strong earthquakes have also hit Indonesia and India since Sunday, killing at least three people in central Indonesia. The quake in Japan was centred 68km north-east of Iwaki, Honshu, and struck at 1.51pm GMT at a depth of 27km, the USGS said. The agency earlier said the quake was a magnitude six, and was centred 72km north-east of Iwaki, striking at a depth of 39km.

Indonesia

In central Indonesia, at least three people were killed and 45 injured when powerful earthquakes struck off the coast of Sumbawa island on Sunday, a Health Ministry official said on Monday. Several buildings, including a health clinic, collapsed in the island's Bima district, said Rustam Pakaya, head of the ministry's crisis centre. "The casualties are likely to increase and we are still assessing the situation." The quakes affected the eastern side of Sumbawa island, a rugged volcanic island that gets fewer tourists than neighbouring Lombok and Bali. The first quake of magnitude 6,7 struck 48km north-west of Raba in Sumbawa just after midnight, an official at the country's meteorological agency said. A second quake of 6,8 struck about four hours later in the same area, triggering a brief tsunami warning, the official added. The USGS put the second quake at magnitude 6,3. An earthquake measuring six also struck off the coast of Sumatra island in the early hours of Monday, about 100km south-west of Mukomuko in Bengkulu, the local meteorology agency said. There was no tsunami warning. On Sunday, a quake with a 6,2 magnitude hit the same area.

India

An earthquake measuring 4,3 hit the Indian capital and its surrounding areas at dawn on Monday, shaking high-rise buildings, the weather office and witnesses said. The epicentre of the tremor, felt at 11.13pm GMT, was near the border of New Delhi and the neighbouring state of Haryana, which surrounds the capital on its north, west and south. The USGS put the time of the earthquake at 11.17pm GMT and said it measured 4,6, and was at a depth of 10km. One local TV channel said there were some cracks in buildings near the epicentre but the report could not be independently confirmed. There were no reports of any major damage elsewhere across the city of 14-million people. People in many areas were shaken out of their beds and gathered in open spaces as their doors and windows rattled violently, the Hindi-language Star News channel said. A tremor of a similar magnitude hit India's financial capital of Mumbai and the surrounding Konkan region on Saturday but caused no damage.
| Earth Changes |

More churches preaching 'environmental gospel' One News Now (November 26, 2007) - A movement called Interfaith Power and Light offers ministers sermon tips on how to convert churchgoers into environmental activists. One program encourages people to switch to energy efficient light bulbs on each night they light a holiday candle for Advent or Hanukkah. Virginia's chapter has focused on developing a three-hour training program for congregations that asks members to calculate their carbon footprints and pledge a 10 percent reduction. A movement called "Cool Congregations" is afoot in Tennessee, where members of different congregations meet to discuss the connection between faith and environment and then spread the green gospel to their houses of worship.
| Earth Changes |

Ephesians 5:1-8
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

The truth is that Earth is not the only planet in our solar system that is warming. It is therefore not an internal cause but a result of increased activity in the sun for the last 100 years gradually. So what the heck am I talking about regarding the spiritual pollution? Scripture says in the end-times the love of many will grow cold. Just read Matthew 24 to see the pre-signs to the end-times arrival. If the greatest love one can show is to give their life for a friend, John 15:13-19, then it follows that true love is selfless. So the love of many growing cold is a selfish attitude pervading society. Today's world teaches you to "look out for number one" and to "do what you want." This is also why Christians will be hated because we hold to the belief that the Bible is the Word of God and it condemns them. As peaceful as true Christians are told to be, we will become the enemy more and more as we hold to standards that others enjoy not keeping, the shadows of love.

What is potentially causing the global warming is the result of the electro-magnetic interactions of the celestial bodies connected to our sun and the cause of the sixth seal. If you watch the "new science" link at the beginning of these comments there are several videos, most notably the Thunderbolts of the Gods video that explains the electro-magnetic nature of the universe. The Bible says that God spoke the universe into existence and now it seems that what our voice frequencies lie on is also what produces light at higher frequencies and that our universe's physical structure is the result of frequency if string theory is correct. The sixth seal describes celestial events of the sun going dark and the moon turning to blood and the stars rolling up like a scroll and fall from the sky. This heralds the coming wrath of God.

When Yeshua comes we are told in Matthew 24:36-39 and Luke 17:26-31 that His coming is with the same sudden destruction of the day of the Lord, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, following these same signs. Joel 2:31 These are laid out as the sixth seal in Revelation 6:12-17. The day of the Lord is the beginning of God's wrath on the children of disobedience. This is the wrath we are promised to escape. That wrath is coming because of the spiritual condition of the earth living by the works of the flesh rather than the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5 So in a way humanity is the cause of the global warming, but it is coming because God's plan for humanity's redemption will play out exactly as He foretold it would in the Bible. But giving money to government to "fix" anything is not going to work because they cannot turn down the intensity of the sun and our exhaust doesn't get to Mars or Venus which are also heating up. See chart

Repentance, that is what I think the church's stance should be to avert global warming. Of course it is prophesied to happen so we will never stop it, but God has promised our escape from it if we accept the sacrifice of Yeshua's death on the cross for our sins and following resurrection. Let us stop trusting in men and trust more in YAHWEH.

Bush: I remain personally committed to two state solution Jerusalem Post (November 26, 2007) - "I remain personally committed to implementing my vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security," US President George W. Bush pledged in a statement released by the White House Sunday, ahead of the Annapolis conference. Bush said the conference would signal international support for the Israelis' and Palestinians' intention to commence negotiations on the establishment of a Palestinian state and the realization of peace between the two peoples. "The broad attendance at this conference by regional states and other key international participants demonstrates the international resolve to seize this important opportunity to advance freedom and peace in the Middle East," continued the statement.
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | America |

Jeremiah 30:15-24
Why criest thou [Israel] for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee. Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey. For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. [Pre 1948] Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof. And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. [Technology of Israel] Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them. And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD. And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he hath done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.

Remember Andrew and Katrina? Bill Koenig wrote a book, Eye to Eye: Facing the Consequences of Dividing Israel journaling the events that transpired and the touchdown of these two hurricanes on the very days that America was working to divide the land of Israel. Coincidence? You decide.

BTW, this plays right in with the comments of the story above regarding the earth changes and what is causing them. God's wrath is coming and acceptance of Yeshua is our ONLY escape. Those too proud to come humbly before Him will get to not be near Him. His wrath will make many humble and shake their foundations (wealth, strength, power, life). These all fade and every one of us comes before the God of the universe. I recommend you get His Son as your defender before the Father as your judge. American politics are not going to stop their dividing of Israel, there may be a reason they are acting the way they are. Watch this (1:30:27) and read through the America page.

Natural disasters have quadrupled in two decades: study Breitbart.com (November 25, 2007) - More than four times the number of natural disasters are occurring now than did two decades ago, British charity Oxfam said in a study Sunday that largely blamed global warming. "Oxfam... says that rising green house gas emissions are the major cause of weather-related disasters and must be tackled," the organization said, adding that the world's poorest people were being hit the hardest. The world suffered about 120 natural disasters per year in the early 1980s, which compared with the current figure of about 500 per year, according to the report. "This year we have seen floods in South Asia, across the breadth of Africa and Mexico that have affected more than 250 million people," noted Oxfam director Barbara Stocking. "This is no freak year. It follows a pattern of more frequent, more erratic, more unpredictable and more extreme weather events that are affecting more people." She added: "Action is needed now to prepare for more disasters otherwise humanitarian assistance will be overwhelmed and recent advances in human development will go into reverse." The number of people affected by extreme natural disasters, meanwhile, has surged by almost 70 percent, from 174 million a year between 1985 to 1994, to 254 million people a year between 1995 to 2004, Oxfam said. Floods and wind-storms have increased from 60 events in 1980 to 240 last year, with flooding itself up six-fold. But the number of geothermal events, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, has barely changed. Oxfam urged Western governments to push hard for a deal on climate change at a key international meeting that runs December 3-14 on the Indonesian island of Bali. Rich Western nations and the United Nations must act to "make humanitarian aid faster, fairer and more flexible and to improve ways to prepare for and reduce the risk of disasters," it said. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change conference in Bali aims to see countries agree to launch a roadmap for negotiating cuts in climate-changing carbon emissions from 2012. The Oxfam study was compiled using data from the Red Cross, the United Nations and specialist researchers at Louvain University in Belgium.
| Earth Changes |

America becoming conspiracy nation WorldNet Daily (November 24, 2007) - If you believe the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon came without any specific warning, a new poll says the person on your left and the person on your right think you're wrong. Almost two-thirds of Americans think it is possible some officials in the federal government had specific information about the pending attacks, but chose to ignore it and take no action to protect the country, according to a Scripps Howard News Service/Ohio University poll. The national survey of more than 800 U.S. adults conducted by Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University echoes a similar one by the same organization in 2006 that found more than a third of Americans believing the U.S. government somehow assisted in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, or else took no steps to stop them from occurring, so the Bush administration could launch a war in the Middle East. In the most recent poll, researchers found more than one-third of Americans subscribe to a range of conspiracy theories, including the 9/11 attacks, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, soaring oil prices and UFOs. The reason? The Bush administration, according to an academic interviewed by Scripps Howard News Service. "You wouldn't have gotten these numbers a year or two after the attacks themselves," said University of Florida law professor Mark Fenster. "You've got an increasingly disaffected public that is unhappy with the administration." "What it could mean is that people are thinking that the Bush administration is incompetent, that there were warnings out there and they chose to put their attention on other things," Fenster said. Fenster is author of the book "Conspiracy Theories: Secrecy and Power in American Culture." more...
| NewWorldOrder | America |

FDA staff urge psych warnings for two flu drugs Reuters (November 23, 2007) - U.S. Food and Drug Administration staffers are recommending new warnings about psychiatric events observed in some patients taking Roche Holding AG's Tamiflu and GlaxoSmithKline Plc's Relenza, according to documents released on Friday. An FDA advisory panel will review the recommendations for the anti-viral influenza drugs at a meeting next week. The FDA held a similar meeting two years ago in response to reports of a dozen deaths of children in Japan who had been taking Tamiflu. Experts then found no evidence of a direct connection between the drug and the deaths, although the FDA did ultimately update Tamiflu's label to add a caution urging close monitoring of patients for abnormal behavior such as delirium or self-injury. In documents prepared for the meeting next week and posted on the FDA's Web site, agency staff recommended that Tamiflu's label be strengthened to note: "In some cases, these behaviors resulted in serious injuries, including death, in adult and pediatric patients." The FDA staff also reviewed Relenza, a drug in the same class as Tamiflu, recommending its label be changed to note "reports of hallucinations, delirium and abnormal behavior" observed in some patients taking the drug. The current Relenza label has no label warning related to psychiatric events. The FDA staff said the evidence is "conflicting" as to whether the events are medication-related, a manifestation of disease or a combination of the two. Tamiflu has been more widely used in Japan than in the United States, and there is some evidence that the Japanese are more vigilant about reporting side effects, the FDA has said. more...

I don't really have a category for this yet, but read Witchcraft By Another Name. I'm very cautious about pharmaceuticals and the companies that develop them.

EU expected to follow Middle East peace conference with major aid push International Herald Tribune (November 21, 2007) - The European Union goes to next week's Middle East peace conference ready to back up an agreement with financial aid, recognizing that without giving Palestinians hope for improved living standards, a political settlement will remain out of reach. The EU, which will be represented by its key Mideast envoys and a number of foreign ministers, is expected, however, to take a back seat to the United States in the diplomatic drive to restart a peace process between Israeli and the Palestinians. The conference takes place Monday through Wednesday in Annapolis, Maryland, and Washington. "The European Union is a bit on the sidelines for this process. The idea is for the United States to get the two key players together," said Alfred Pijpers, a senior researcher at the Clingendael Netherlands Institute for International Relations. "The European Union will be of great help for financing, and technical assistance and investments and so on, but as far as the direct, so-called peace process is concerned, at this moment I don't see a very immediate and direct activity from the EU side," he said by telephone from Amsterdam on Wednesday. The EU is the Palestinians' largest aid donor. In 2007, the EU and its 27 member nations gave close to €1 billion (US$1.48 billion), most of it in humanitarian assistance for Palestinians who now live under rival governments in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. This week, the EU foreign ministers endorsed steps to support any peace moves emerging from the Annapolis conference, which will also be attended by delegations from Arab nations. The steps were outlined in a report written by Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU's external relations commissioner, and Javier Solana, the EU security affairs chief. The report makes clear EU aid will be made available for practical purposes: money and technical assistance to boost the Palestinian police force and to reform the Palestinians' health, education and judiciary departments. more...
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal |

Read also: EU planning to back Mideast conference with new measures: text and an EU document co-authored by Javier Solana regarding the conference.

The 1,800-year Israeli drought WorldNet Daily (November 21, 2007) - If reports of what is to transpire at the Annapolis Mideast summit are correct, not only is Israel prepared to give up the Temple Mount, divide Jerusalem and hand over Judea and Samaria to terrorists, the Jewish state is also ready to concede the so-called "right of return" to untold numbers of Arabs – many of whom have no actual connection with the land. I could tell you such a notion is a strategic error. I could tell you it is a result of twisted history. I could tell you it threatens the national security of the Jewish state. But I've said all that before. Instead, I prefer to tell you what happened the last time the Jews left large sections of their biblical homeland, turning it over to non-Jewish foreigners. It happened in the first century, beginning in A.D. 70, with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and continuing for decades afterward as the global empire wiped out most of the Jewish presence in Israel. It's not a threat. It's not a promise. It's not a prophecy. It's just a fact. It's something I learned from a rabbi in Brooklyn by the name of Menachem Kohen, author of a new book called "Prophecies for the Era of Muslim Terror." Have you ever wondered why the Holy Land was a wasteland during the 1,800-year dispersion of the Jews that lasted until they returned in significant numbers beginning in the early 20th century? Have you ever wondered why Mark Twain was so disappointed at what he found in his travels through the area in the 19th century? Have you ever wondered why, during that period of nearly two millennia, no other people successfully and permanently settled this land that is so much in dispute today? Rabbi Kohen points out the land suffered an unprecedented, severe and inexplicable (by anything other than supernatural explanations) drought that lasted from the first century until the 20th – a period of 1,800 years coinciding with the forced dispersion of the Jews. Kohen sees this as a miraculous fulfillment of prophecy found in the book of Deuteronomy – especially chapter 28:23-24. "And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. "The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed." The climate in Israel dramatically changed during this 1,800-period – way before Al Gore discovered "global warming." Before the Jews entered Canaan, it was described in the Bible as a land flowing with milk and honey. If you read what Israel's climate and natural landscape was like from the time Joshua crossed the Jordan right up until the time of Jesus, it sounds like a heavily forested land. There were amazing crops raised by the people who inhabited the land when the Jews arrived. Sometimes I've wondered what happened to Israel to turn it into the dusty, arid land it was when the Jews came back in the 20th century. Until I read that prophecy in Deuteronomy, brought to my attention by Rabbi Kohen, I had no clue. For 1,800 years, it hardly ever rained in Israel. This was the barren land discovered by Mark Twain. So-called "Palestine" was a wasteland – nobody lived there. There was no indigenous Arab population to speak of. It only came after the Jews came back. Beginning in A.D. 70 and lasting until the early 1900s – about 660,000 days – no rain. I decided to check this out as best I could and examined the rainfall data for 150 years in Israel beginning in the early 1800s and leading up to the 1960s. What I found was astonishing – increasing rainfall almost every single year – with the heaviest rainfall coming in and around 1948 and 1967. Is this just a coincidence? I'll be quite honest with you: I don't think so. Nor do I think Israel can continue today to make bad stewardship decisions regarding the land bequeathed the Jews by God without consequences – serious consequences.
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land |

I found some old pictures from the late 1800 to the early 1900 here.

Leftover Turkey? Turn It Into Oil! Associated Press (November 21, 2007) - In 1971 scientists learned how to turn sewage into oil in just twenty minutes using heat and pressure. Now, a lab in Texas shows that even the scraps from your Thanksgiving turkey is a great way to make oil in just half an hour. Evolutionists suggest that oil comes from organic material, such as dinosaurs, that were buried and compressed for millions of years under immense pressure. However, more laboratory research continues to prove that it can be formed in much shorter amounts of time. Creationists agree that oil came from organic material, but it was during Noah's Flood that billions of plants and animals were buried by mud and water squishing them into oil. This happened just 4,400 years ago, not millions of years ago. The presence of oil in the earth is just more proof that the Bible is scientifically accurate, and that the evolution theory is last century's "leftovers." For many more evidences check out our DVD on The Age of the Earth.
| Technology |

Alaskans recall alleged abuse by Jesuits Associated Press (November 21, 2007) - Holding photos of themselves as children, Elsie Boudreau and James Niksik described what they said were years of sexual abuse by Jesuit priests that led to the announcement of a $50 million settlement. They said Tuesday that their abusers were venerated in the isolated western Alaska villages where they grew up. "This is a crime that our parents and our grandparents couldn't even conceive of," said Boudreau, who said her photo was taken for her first communion in the village of St. Mary's. The press conference was held two days after the announcement of the $50 million settlement with the Pacific Northwest branch of the Society of Jesus, which includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. The Jesuit organization's settlement covers 110 Alaska Natives who say they were abused by more than a dozen priests. "This is how big I was," said Niksik, from the village of St. Michael, pointing to a photo of himself and another child at what he said was age 7 or 8. "We put our trust in the people who taught us religion." When he told his father about the abuse, Niksik said, his father didn't believe him. The settlement does not include the Fairbanks Roman Catholic Diocese, which owned and managed churches in rural Alaska. The settlement doesn't require the Jesuits to acknowledge wrongdoing, but lawyers for the plaintiffs said the size of the settlement spoke for itself. John Manly, who has handled several abuse cases, said the plaintiffs believe that church officials knowingly sent "the worst of the worst" to isolated villages and that the Jesuits continue to care for abusers. He said he believes abusers are still in the ministry. The Very Rev. John Whitney, provincial superior of the society, has denied that Alaska was a dumping grounds for pedophile priests. more...
| Apostasy | RCC |

I haven't posted some video documentaries here because I want to put more focused research into this before doing so. The implications have to do with ritualistic abuse of children, a method of traumatizing children young and destroying their lives. Yes there are wicked people out there, that's why God's wrath is coming to deal with them and those that align with them. I believe that the Vatican is the woman described in Revelation 17 riding the beast. Of course they don't advertise the real them because dark deeds are done in darkness. Don't be naive enough to believe that wicked men can't control the world. The Bible says that very thing will happen and bring about the greatest persecution in history. We are much closer than most believe and the Truth is getting harder to conceal in these days. It is entirely possible for wicked men to say one thing and do another, some are very good at it and have no problem doing it. This is the opposite of love.

San Francisco to give illegal aliens ID cards Reuters (November 21, 2007) - San Francisco will give resident identification cards to illegal immigrants under a plan approved on Tuesday amid a fierce nationwide debate on granting privileges to undocumented aliens. In a 10-1 vote, the city's board of supervisors -- the equivalent of a city council -- approved giving identification cards to all residents, including illegal immigrants. The move makes San Francisco the largest U.S. city to back such a plan. Residents will be able to obtain the resident cards by presenting photo identification and proof they live in the city, such as a utility bill. It was unclear if the new cards, which will be accepted at libraries and health clinics, will carry photos. Such a move had been expected from San Francisco, which is famously liberal. Earlier this year, Mayor Gavin Newsom said he would not allow city officials and employees to assist immigration raids by federal authorities seeking people who had committed crimes or disregarded deportation orders. San Francisco, which declared itself a "sanctuary city" in 1989, also this year launched a program to provide medical care to uninsured residents regardless of their immigration status. At the state level, California's Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed bills that would allow undocumented aliens to obtain state identification cards, including driver's licenses. By contrast, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, a Democrat, proposed giving illegal immigrants drivers licenses. But he was forced to drop the plan last week due to overwhelming opposition, even from presidential candidates from his own party like Hillary Clinton.
| NewWorldOrder | America |

Dollar plunges to new record Euro low AFP (November 21, 2007) - The dollar on Wednesday slumped to a fresh record low against the euro owing to weaker US growth projections and the prospect of another cut to American interest rates, traders said. The European single currency struck a record peak of 1.4855 dollars -- the highest level since the euro's creation in 1999. Later in European trade, the euro stood at 1.4835 dollars, compared with 1.4836 in New York late on Tuesday. "The dollar has come under renewed downward pressure after relatively upbeat real GDP forecasts by the Federal Reserve were coupled with warnings over the risks to growth from deteriorating financial market conditions," said Lee Hardman, currency economist at The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi in London. The US central bank on Wednesday trimmed back its growth projections citing weakness in housing and tighter credit conditions, but suggested policymakers are unsure about future rate decisions. The Federal Reserve projected growth next year in a range of 1.8 to 2.5 percent, down from a prior forecast of 2.5 to 2.75 percent. The Fed had slashed borrowing costs by a hefty half-point in September followed by another quarter-point cut last month in the wake of a collapse in the subprime housing market, which sees mortgages loaned to high-risk borrowers. "Given that financial market conditions today have deteriorated notably since the end of October, the prospect for monetary easing in December remains realistic," Hardman said. "Hence we continue to believe the dollar will remain under downward pressure as the dislocation in financial markets persists and market participants price additional monetary easing in 2008 into the curve," he added. A further reduction in US interest rates would likely make the dollar even less attractive to investors. Meanwhile the dollar's fall to the 108-yen level raised new questions about whether the Bank of Japan would intervene to rein in the strong yen, which hurts Japanese exporters, as it did a decade ago. Top government officials have recently played down talk of intervention, arguing that a strong yen also had benefits for the Japanese economy. more...
| NewWorldOrder | America |

The dollar has to fail in conjunction with uninhibited illegal immigration and job outsourcing to weaken US sovereignty and merge us into the global governance while preparing the population for that change. I expect this trend will continue to the collapse and perhaps this will be used by the European banks to bring America under them.

Exoskeleton Turns Humans Into Terminators LiveLeak (November 21, 2007) - An experimental robotic exoskeleton turns grunts into super-soldiers.

U. scientists say Yellowstone caldera may be filling with magma The Salt Lake Tribune (November 8, 2007) - The floor of the Yellowstone caldera has risen at a rate faster than has ever been observed before, according to a new study that gives further proof that "ground deformation" at the park resembles the gently heaving chest of a slumbering giant. The likely cause of the uplift is a volcanic intrusion of molten rock that has moved upward 50 to 60 miles and flattened into a pancake the size of Los Angeles a few miles below the surface, according to a study to be published Friday by University of Utah scientists. Meanwhile, further research is needed to investigate the role hot water and gases play in the mysterious rise and subsidence of Yellowstone, the marquee national park famous for its geothermal features. The new findings in no way should be construed as a harbinger of a natural disaster. "There is no evidence of an imminent volcanic eruption or hydrothermal explosion. That's the bottom line," said seismologist Robert B. Smith, the study's lead author and a U. professor of geophysics. "A lot of calderas worldwide go up and down over decades without erupting." Still, the floor of the Yellowstone caldera rose 7 inches during the 30-month study period that concluded at the end of 2006. The 2.8-inch-per-year rate of uplift was much more rapid than had ever been observed since scientists began recording Yellowstone's ground movement in 1923. Previously, the most rapid uplift occurred from 1976 to 1985, when the bulge grew less than an inch a year, according to the article titled, "Accelerated Uplift and Magmatic Intrusion of the Yellowstone Caldera, 2004 to 2006," in the Nov. 9 edition of Science. "Our best evidence is that the crustal magma chamber is filling with molten rock," Smith said. "But we have no idea how long this process goes on before there either is an eruption or the inflow of molten rock stops and the caldera deflates again." Yellowstone overlies a "hotspot" in the earth's crust that has produced massive eruptions, at least 140 over the past 16 million years. Hundreds of miles below, scientists believe, is a massive plume of magma that occasionally releases blobs of molten rock that rise and fill the chamber under the Yellowstone caldera. more...
| Earth Changes |

Thank you Debbie for the story! She also shared a personal story that I think is also showing increased activity:

I thought that you might be interested in these two articles that was in the Salt Lake Tribune the past few days. While my parents were recently in Yellowstone, a geyser they were standing by shot up about 120 feet into the air. Park rangers came running from every direction and said to my mom and dad, "you just witnessed history in the making, this thing hasn't gone off in over 80 years". When we took our granddaughters a few months later, we were told that their has been "very unusual activity this season" and that they aren't quite sure what to make of it.

FYI: S. 1959: Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 GovTrack.us (August 2, 2007)
Excerpt: `SEC. 899A. DEFINITIONS. In this subtitle:

(1) COMMISSION- The term 'Commission' means the National Commission on the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism established under section 899C.

(2) VIOLENT RADICALIZATION- The term 'violent radicalization' means the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change.

(3) HOMEGROWN TERRORISM- The term 'homegrown terrorism' means the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.

(4) IDEOLOGICALLY BASED VIOLENCE- The term `ideologically based violence' means the use, planned use, or threatened use of force or violence by a group or individual to promote the group or individual's political, religious, or social beliefs. more...
| America |

“Countless people will hate the New World Order and will die protesting against it.” | H.G. Wells The New World Order (1939)

What's the harm in stopping ideologies based on violence to advance political, religious, or social change? I like Bob's response, "While this would become a 'tool' to be used for apparent 'good' against this type of violence, the sad truth, as we've seen so many times, once it is 'placed in the toolbox' is then often used for other purposes." Some Christians are considered extremists, even though those who are obedient to the Bible are not allowed violence, but rather to love their enemies. The question becomes not how the individual is, but how the world defines the term you use to define your belief. The Bible says that we will be hated by the world and the Bible claims sole ownership to the Truth, where acceptance of Yeshua is the only way to heaven. This is what the Alliance of Civilizations is trying to stop and we can't change the Bible. So Christians are going to be caught in the middle just like the rest of history. The true believers who live a life of selfless love toward God and each other will be labeled and they will have no say because the world assumes to know the person by their definition of the belief. So the question is how the world will mold the definition of Christianity in the years to come. How will the majority of those claiming to be Christians react? If it is with violence then it will be met with violence. If not then we will go as lambs to the slaughter unless the Lord comes first.