You may view the 5 minute update this week via audio:
In this week’s 5 minute update, we focused on:
1) The current status of the Israel / PLO peace process
Palestinian prisoners, who were convicted of killing Israelis and then released by Israel recently as a goodwill gesture to restart direct peace talks were given at least $50,000 apiece as well as a comfortable monthly salary from the Palestinian Authority. Depending on the length of their jail term, the prisoners received more cash. Those who were held for over 25 years were entitled to $50,000, in addition to a position as a deputy minister or a promotion to the rank of major-general in the security forces, both of which earn them monthly wages of NIS 14,000 (nearly $4,000). Those who spent less than 25 years in Israeli prisons received a similar bonus as well as promotion to a deputy directorship in a government ministry or to the rank of brigadier-general, with a monthly wage of NIS 10,000 ($2,800) on the PA’s payroll. Meanwhile, Palestinian spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, following a meeting of the Fatah Central Committee said that Israel building Jewish homes in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem is a “crime against humanity”.
As a result, Israel Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said that the Palestinian Authority, often touted as Israel’s “peace partner”, is no different from Hamas in its quest to undermine Israel explaining that Hamas simply uses different methods to achieve this goal. “To date, I’ve never heard any Palestinian leader, including Abbas, who was willing to say that a territorial compromise, even along the borders he dreams about, is the end of the conflict and an end to the demands, a recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and a waiver of the right of return,” Yaalon added. “Their unwillingness to recognize our right to exist as the national homeland of the Jewish people in any border is the main obstacle to peace and is the root of the conflict.” In any event, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to visit the Israeli Knesset and recognize Israel as a Jewish state for the sake of peace. If Abbas would do so, Netanyahu said that he would speak in Ramallah embracing the two-state solution. “Most of the Knesset members are unified: In order for the peace to be real, it must go in both directions. One cannot demand that we recognize a Palestinian national state without demanding of them to recognize a Jewish state,” Netanyahu said.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that the fate of Palestinian refugees must be resolved if a peace treaty is to be achieved with Israel. The official policy of the Palestinian Authority is to demand repatriation for the descendants of Arabs who fled Israel in 1948 to their original homes in Israel, thus flooding the Jewish state with Arab refugees and effectively erasing Israel from the map, replacing it with a “secular, democratic Palestine.” Abbas said that this must come in addition to the establishment of a PA state in the West Bank with East Jersusalem as its capital. In a law approved by the PA parliament in 2008, and signed into law by Abbas, the “right of return of Palestinian refugees to their homes and property, along with compensation for their suffering, is a holy cornerstone of their rights that cannot be negotiated away. There will be no consideration of negotiation on this issue, nor will there be a referendum on it,” the law says.
Meanwhile, in a recent visit to Israel, French President Francois Hollande demanded an end to Jewish settlement activity and told the Israeli parliament Jerusalem must one day be the capital of two states. “Settlement activity must stop because it compromises the two-state solution,” he said. “France’s position is known: a negotiated settlement, with the state of Israel and (the future state) of Palestine both having Jerusalem as capital, coexisting in peace and security.” He added that “real peace” had to go “both ways” by saying, “We cannot ask the Jewish people to recognize a Palestinian nation-state without demanding that the Palestinians recognize the nation-state of the Jewish people.”
Also, France expects Israel to make “gestures” over its construction of settlements on land the Palestinians want for a future state, the French President said. “There are still gestures that need to be made (by both sides),” Hollande said, acknowledging that Israel had already taking conciliatory steps by releasing 52 veteran Palestinian prisoners in line with its commitments to the peace process. “Some gestures have already been started by Israel — the freeing of prisoners,” he said. “Other gestures are expected, especially in the area of settlements,” he said. Hollande said he would raise the issue of “gestures” expected from the Palestinian side also when he met with Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas. In addition, French President François Hollande’s speech to the Knesset which began with fanfare and ended with a standing ovation, stuck to mostly noncontroversial messages but sparked the ire of some MKs on the right when he discussed talks with the Palestinians and said Jerusalem must be the joint capital of Israel and a future Palestinian state.
Recently Chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat submitted his resignation to Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas regarding being a member of the peace talks with Israel over a lack of progress. However, Abbas has rejected his resignation. If Erekat insists on his resignation, Abbas said that he will search for someone else to head the negotiating team. Furthermore, Mohamed Shtayyeh, another member of the negotiating team, also submitted his resignation but is not expected to withdraw it. As a result, Shtayyeh is not expected to participate in the next round of peace talks with Israel. Despite the resignation, Abbas said that the Palestinians will continue peace talks with Israel until the end of the nine-month period set by US Secretary of State John Kerry. Abbas said: “We have committed to continue the negotiations for nine months, regardless of what happens on the ground. We are committed and we will go to the full nine months, and then we will make an appropriate decision about what to do at that time.” Palestinian sources indicate that the PLO still intends to renew efforts to join the United Nations and other international agencies and organizations. However, PLO officials said that it would be best to do this when the nine-month agreed upon period for the peace talks is over in April, 2014 in order to not be blamed for the failure of the peace talks. In any event, PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi said that the Palestinian leadership should “prepare to turn to the UN without waiting for the failure of negotiations with Israel.”
Because of disagreements with the US over the issue of building Jewish homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as well as a proposed deal by the P5 + 1 powers with Iran over its nuclear program, Israel Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said that Israel should not rely on the US as much as it traditionally has. He added that “Israel’s foreign policy for many years went in one-direction toward the United States but my policy has more directions.” Liberman explained that he is trying to build connections with countries that are interested in Israel’s hi-tech innovation and don’t depend on the Arab world. Regarding the peace process, Liberman said that those who want Israel to make “painful concessions” in any peace agreement with the Palestinians including territory are “made up and come from people who don’t know the history or the facts.” He added: “Settlements weren’t an obstacle to peace with Egypt or Jordan. On the other hand, we evacuated settlements in Gaza and got [rocket] fire. Historically, there is no connection between settlements and peace agreements,” he stated.
In response to Liberman’s comments, Israel Justice Minister Tzipi Livni criticized Netanyahu for so warmly welcoming the French President while being in conflict with the Obama administration. Livni said that Israel appreciates the French effort for being opposed to the current terms of a proposed nuclear deal with Iran but hinted this cannot be allowed to be interpreted as coming at the expense of the United States. “France’s stance came from their knowledge that a nuclear Iran is dangerous not only to Israel but to France and the world,” she said. “But we cannot forget that our strategic alliance is with the US, and even when there are disagreements, Israel must maintain that alliance.” Livni noted that having the US as its primary ally has enabled Israel to maintain its military superiority in the region. She said advancing diplomatic talks with the Palestinians would also contribute to Israel’s security.
An agreement to divide Jerusalem and establish a PLO state is a tribulation event.
The link to these articles are as follows:
1) Palestinian Authority gives freed prisoners $50,000 each
2) Fatah: ‘Settlements’ a ‘Crime Against Humanity’
3) Yaalon: The PA is No Different from Hamas
4) Netanyahu invites Abbas to Knesset ‘for sake of peace’
5) PA: No Peace Without Full ‘Right of Return’
6) Halt settlements, French leader tells Israel
7) Israel must make ‘gesture’ on settlements
8.) At Knesset, Hollande calls for two-state solution with Jerusalem as joint capital
9) Abbas rejects resignation of Palestinian peace negotiator Erekat
10) Palestinian negotiator Ishtayeh insists on resignation
11) Amid rising tensions, Kerry postpones visit to Israel
12) Liberman: It’s time for Israel to look for allies other than the United States
13) Livni: Netanyahu should remember US, not France, is main ally
From a Biblical prophetic perspective, the reason why the God of Israel would allow these events to happen is because it will result in the end of the exile of the house of Jacob and the reunification of the 12 tribes of Israel (Ephraim and Judah).
We will to be “watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem” and we will not rest until the God of Israel makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62).
Shalom in Yeshua the Messiah,
Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int’l