Learn what will happen during the tribulation period from beginning to end
Your comments and questions are always welcome. To send comments and questions please click here to go to our main page. Tue Apr 2,12:48 PM ET By LAURA KING, AP Special Correspondent RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - Israeli tanks and helicopters shelled a heavily fortified Palestinian security headquarters in an all-night assault Tuesday. Fighting raged outside Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, and Israel's prime minister proposed exile for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Nine Palestinians and an Israeli soldier were killed in Tuesday's violence. By nightfall Tuesday, most of the about 400 Palestinians trapped in the compound of West Bank security chief Jibril Rajoub surrendered to Israeli troops, in a deal brokered by U.S. and European officials. About eight men remained inside. Israel had assaulted the compound saying top militants were inside, a claim denied by Rajoub. In Bethlehem, Israeli helicopter gunships hovering over Manger Square exchanged fire with Palestinian gunmen near the Church of the Nativity, built over the grotto where tradition says Jesus was born. Several armed men sought refuge in the shrine. Tuesday's fighting came as Israel widened its 5-day-old military offensive, "Operation Protective Wall," launched to uproot militants blamed for a string of terror attacks on Israelis. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Tuesday he has proposed that European Union envoy Miguel Moratinos or other diplomats fly Arafat into exile, raising the idea in public for the first time. Well we've learned over the last few days that Iraq and other terrorist nations are paying Palestinian suicide bombers to commit suicide. Of course, it's more of a death benefit for your surviving family. The Palestinian leaders are now coming out of the woodwork condemning the suicide bombers. But Israeli leaders are not buying it and continue to war against militants in the West Bank. So far they have rounded up over 700. This is no more then a deny and continue tactic. Deny that you have the power to stop it, but continue to encourage those who will participate. This certainly won't work and Israel will continue its assault on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Suddenly, commentators and so-called experts are waking up to the truth of the Middle East conflict. Israeli occupation of Palestinian land is not nor has it ever been the central theme of this clash. It's the right of Israel as a nation to exist that fuels this fire. Until the Arab world recognizes Israel wholeheartedly there will always be conflict. Israel is fighting for their very existence and must take a proactive stand against terrorism. The U.S. has come out in support for the recent Israeli military action, but they won't embrace it fully until someone comes over to America with a bomb strapped around their wasted and blows up another major building. It wouldn't surprise me if suicide bombers started popping up in the U.S., especially if we take action against Iraq. Afterall, Iraq can pay poor willing Arabs to blow us up as easy as they can Israelis. Don't rule this option out just yet. In the next week or two, I see the suicide bombings coming to an end. I think the Palestinian leadership will realize that it's not working and that it's making them look pretty barbaric in the eyes of the international community. Israel will continue to apply pressure on Arafat and the Arab world until a near major conflict. I don't believe they will be leaving the West Bank or Gaza Strip anytime soon. Pastor Malone