Thursday, May 29, 2008

PA Demanding Int'l Force After Peace Agreement

Curt Here...

Here is the latest update on the push for peace in the Middle East. The discussion used to center around whether or not it was even possible for some sort of peace agreement to be reached in the Middle East. Now it seems that peace is a forgone conclusion and everyone appears to be focusing in on the details so that the future agreement can be successful.

In the article below you will read that the Palestinians are demanding a international force under the command of the US to monitor the implementation of this future peace agreement with Israel. There also seems to be a quickening of the negotiations as Ehud Olmert could be in trouble with all of his scandals and President Bush's Term is quickly coming to a close.

Like I said before peace appears to be a forgone conclusion now, and who says that the US does not play a part in Biblical Prophecy? I am starting to wonder.

Stay Tuned

Curt

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The Palestinians are proposing that a multinational force under U.S. command be deployed in the future Palestinian state, to monitor the implementation of any peace agreement reached with Israel.

Meanwhile, the political-security cabinet is slated to meet this morning to discuss which Israeli security interests must be guaranteed in the framework of a final-status agreement with the Palestinian Authority. The meeting will be the first of its kind since the Annapolis conference in November.

Over the last few months, the Israel Defense Forces planning department has been working on compiling Israel's security demands from the Palestinians. The recommendations have been submitted to Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni - who is coordinating the negotiations - and will be presented to the cabinet today.

Livni is due to inform the cabinet of the status of the negotiations, particularly Israel's positions on the borders and security arrangements. These are the primary issues being negotiated at the moment, and both sides have agreed that any Israeli concession on the borders will be met with a Palestinian concession on security arrangements.

Defense Ministry representatives participated in a meeting yesterday on security arrangements between the Livni-led Israeli negotiation team and the Palestinian negotiators, headed by former Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qureia. In an unusual move, the first few minutes of the meeting were open to press photographers.

The Palestinians are aware that no matter what agreement is reached, the future Palestinian state will not be allowed to possess heavy weapons. The PA is prepared to accept limitations on the degree to which its security services are armed, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Monday, in a closed meeting at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.

"We don't need tanks or planes, but we will not relinquish our self-respect," he said. "But it its clear to everyone that on the security issue, the agreement cannot be implemented without the prominent intervention of America as a third party."

Erekat said reaching an agreement this year was "critical," adding that the negotiations were at the point "where we were in Taba in 2001, and even beyond that." He did not describe the scope of the prospective agreement, but said, "there's no need for a 1,000-page agreement, but a document that includes parameters for the establishment of two states. Such an agreement will pass in a national referendum and will remove Hamas from power."


http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/987691.html

Sunday, May 18, 2008

A "deluding influence"

Mike here...

I have been reading Thesolonains. I came across this passage today and found it to be very interesting.

2 Thesolonians 2:7-12

7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

8Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;

9that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,

10and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

11For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,

12in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

So, what is this deluding influence? I'm not completely sure but what I am sure of is the only way to avoid it is to engage in God's truth and accepting Jesus as your savior.

Thoughts?