Both Sides Move To Restore Mideast Truce
WINK TV Southwest Florida Tue, 14 Jun 2005 1:59 AM PDT
JERUSALEM A day of violence in which six people were killed threatened a four-month truce, but Israeli and Palestinian officials were making efforts to hold the line.

Icy Atmosphere For Chirac-Blair Showdown On EU Budget
An icy diplomatic chill set the tone for talks Tuesday between French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, with arguments over budgets masking a deeper battle for longterm influence inside the European Union.

Two-Speed Europe Looms As EU Ponders Its Future
2005-06-13 19:48:03 A showdown is brewing between EU states wanting to bolster Europe's welfare systems and others seeking free-market reforms as the bloc mulls its future after Dutch and French voters rejected its constitution.

Crisis-Hit EU Struggles To Reassure Would-Be Members
The EU will seek to reassure would-be members this week that its expansion plans remain on track, but officials concede the bloc's constitution crisis is complicating its historic enlargement drive.

The 25-nation European Union is publicly insisting that the French and Dutch "no" votes on its constitution will not block plans to take in a swathe of countries, from Romania and Bulgaria to Turkey and a handful of Balkan states.

OPEC Looking To Ease High Oil Prices
VIENNA, Austria -OPEC must work to ease stubbornly high oil prices and get them down to "more reasonable" levels, the group's president said Tuesday ahead of a key meeting that will test its clout and credibility.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries — beset by prices hovering around $55 a barrel — is expected to raise its daily output ceiling by 500,000 barrels to an official quota of 28 million barrels per day when it meets Wednesday.

PLO: Israel Cagey Over Gaza Pullout
Gulf Times Tue, 14 Jun 2005 2:03 AM PDT
RAMALLAH: The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) leadership accused Israel yesterday of refusing to deal seriously with the Palestinian Authority over co-ordinating the upcoming Gaza Strip pullout.

Army Chief: Attacks Could Halt Gaza Plan
AP via Yahoo! News Tue, 14 Jun 2005 4:27 AM PDT
The planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip this summer will be difficult to accomplish if Palestinian militants wage attacks on the soldiers and police trying to evacuate the settlements, Israel's army chief said Tuesday.

PLO: Israel Is Maneuvering to Avoid Coordinating Its Withdrawal
Palestine Media Center Tue, 14 Jun 2005 2:11 AM PDT
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said Monday that Israel is maneuvering to avoid seriously coordinating its unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), and pledged to jointly work with the US Administration to turn President George W. Bush's statements in May into concrete deeds.

To Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Bomb Program, 350 Targets Must Be Hit
No one familiar with Iran’s record of broken promises on its hidden nuclear weapons program will be surprised by the allegations leveled against Tehran this week.

On Wednesday, November 17, outgoing US secretary of state Colin Powell said to reporters during a South American tour: US has intelligence that Iran is working to adapt missiles for the delivery of nuclear weapons. “I have seen information that they not only have the missiles but are working hard to put the two together.”

Comments
Both sides of the Disengagement Plan are getting a little nervous as they draw closer to the day.  The Palestinians are claiming Israel is not cooperating in the coordination of the pullout and Israel says that militants are still attacking Israel, therefore, putting a strain on the proposed plan.  A top Israeli general says it could inevitably delay or kill the plan.  I don't see that happening.  Look for the pullout to go on as scheduled followed by Palestinian statehood.  But it's not the Disengagement Plan or statehood that alarms me it's what I believe will follow.  

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is in France today as part of a four-nation tour.  He is there to discuss E.U. budget concerns with French President Jacques Chirac.  The reception was said to less than friendly.  For years both leaders have been in a tug-of-war vying for influence inside the European Union.  It started after their disagreement over the handling of the Iraqi War in 2002.  This could lead to bigger problems for the E.U. as they desperately try to get things back on track.  It's never a good sign when two of it's leading member nations are at odds with each other.  To make things worse, following the "no" vote by France and the Netherlands, many in the U.K. were calling for Great Britain to leave the E.U. altogether.

The vice president of the European Commission, Guenter Verheugen said that the constitution would not be ratified by 2007 raising questions of the need for a two-stage entry.  It's looking more and more each day that a two stage entry maybe the next logical step for the E.U.  But we need to remember that God is in control and things can turn around in a very short time.  Personally, I believe a two-stage system will ultimately be their choice.

OPEC has agreed to raise output by 500,000 barrels a day.  Although they control over 40 percent of the world's oil supply they're getting a little worried that they may lose a few customers to lesser known suppliers.  I do see that in the near future but one day it will come from an unanticipated source...Israel.  

And speaking of Israeli oil, I just received an email alert from one of my readers who said Fox News was interviewing a man who was drilling for oil in Israel.  This is what the email said:

"Fox news was in Israel at the drilling sites of the man who says that the Bible has told him where the oil is. They said he is down about 1300 feet and a few more days will reach 15 or 1600 feet and he expects the oil to flow then might want to keep an eye on that story. He said he used 2 million of his own money and lent 5 million to get the equipment and staff needed. He seemed like a kind level headed old man who might be on to something. Just a few more days he said."

I don't know if this man will be the one to discover oil in Israel but I do foresee the day when someone will.  When this happens, I fully believe it will be a discovery to end all discoveries; one that will set the oil cartels of the world on their ears.  Right now OPEC says that it pumps out about 28-30 million barrels a day.  Wouldn't it be a miracle if an oil discovery of that magnitude were found? 

Of course, that's a lofty expectation but no more miraculous than God's deliverance of Israel described in Ezekiel 38 & 39 where He will literally reign down fireballs from heaven onto the invading armies.  That will be a sight to see and will shock the world!

Lastly, Iran is at this time engaged in a strong-arm tactic aimed at systematically destroying Israel's military ties with their neighbors.  Case in point, recently Iran told Turkey that if they did not cut ties with Israel they would no longer enjoy certain benefits such as cheap oil.  Following their ultimatum Turkey told Israel they would no longer be able to fly through their airspace.  Eventually, I believe Turkey will abandon Israel altogether and take part in the Russian lead attack on Israel.

Pastor Malone