New PM Expected To Withdraw From West Bank, Divide Jerusalem
TEL AVIV – With almost all votes counted from yesterday's national elections, Kadima leader Ehud Olmert is set to become Israel's next prime minister as results showed his party won the most Knesset seats by a slim majority.

During his victory speech last night, Olmert made clear his administration will immediately seek to "evacuate Jews" from most of the West Bank. Kadima officials also have stated the party would seek to give parts of Jerusalem to the Palestinians to form a state.

Kadima Wins Underwhelming Victory
Kadima received 28 seats, significantly fewer than predicted. Only once before in Israeli history has a smaller party formed a government - in 1999 - and it lasted only 18 months.

Olmert Wins Israeli Election, Building Coalition
Mar 29 8:27 AM US/Eastern
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert began building a coalition on Wednesday after winning Israel's election on plans to impose final borders with the Palestinians by...

U.N. Council Powers Agree On Iran Statement
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The five U.N. Security Council permanent members agreed on Wednesday on a statement that would call on Iran to suspend parts of its nuclear program that could be used to build weapons, Britain announced.

'Dirty Bombs' Called Threat To Shipping
The marine shipping industry will be devastated if foreign countries do not increase cargo screenings to protect against a "dirty bomb" terrorist attack, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is telling Asian officials this week.

During a trip to Japan on Monday and China yesterday, Mr. Chertoff urged cooperation to strengthen the shipping industry and to protect the United States against a nuclear attack.

EU Mulls Mideast Peace Hopes After Israel Polls
The European Union pressed Israeli's new government Wednesday to take steps to revive the Mideast peace process, facing a crucial juncture after Israeli and Palestinian polls.

UN Considers Iran Nuclear Draft
UN Security Council members are studying a third version of a draft statement on Iran's nuclear program.

Olmert: Settlements Beyond Wall To Go
Ehud Olmert, the Israeli acting prime minister, has promised to dismantle all Jewish settlements beyond the West Bank separation barrier. 

Putin: U.S. Setting Back Russia's WTO Entry
MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that the United States had made unwarranted demands that set back Moscow's 12-year bid to join the World Trade Organization.

Comments
The Kadima party has won 28 of the 120 possible seats in the Knesset.  This was not a staggering victory by any means and seen by most as somewhat disappointing.  They were projected to win as many as 35 seats.  Nevertheless,  Interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has begun building his coalition to evacuate Jews from the West Bank and set Israel's final borders.  Any settlements that are beyond the West Bank separation barrier would be dismantled. He also stated that he will give parts of Jerusalem to the Palestinians so they can form a Palestinian state.

I have been saying this was going to happen since the late 1990s and wrote an article on this topic back on July 27, 2000.  Here is an excerpt of the article:

The peace talks At Camp David are over. Little was accomplished due to one crucial sticking point…Jerusalem. I consider it very strange that Jerusalem would be such a deal breaker in the long fight to obtain peace. Jerusalem has always been the apple of God's Eye and the envy of satan. Of all the great cities in the world, Jerusalem has taken center stage in these last days just as the Bible has predicted. Is this just a coincidence? Will peace ever be established?

The answer to this question I believe can be found in Revelation 11:1 & 2:

"And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months."

This passage speaks volumes about our immediate future and what is going on at this very moment. John, who has been given a glimpse into the future has been handed a rod and told to measure the temple. Of course, this temple does not exist at this time. What is the significance of this measuring? The measuring of the temple is not the significant issue in this passage. What is significant is that John is told not to measure the outer court of the temple because that had been GIVEN TO THE GENTILES. What are Gentiles? A Gentile (in simplest terms) is anyone who is not a Jew.

What am I saying? One day very soon, the future antichrist will do what no other man has ever done, bring peace to the Middle East. How will he do this? He will resolve the issue that has brought the peace talks to a stand still. The antichrist will somehow forge a peace treaty with the Israelis that will split the city of Jerusalem down the middle. The Palestinians will get half and the Jews will get the other half.  http://www.calvaryprophecy.com/q48.html

At this point, the splitting of Jerusalem is just in the beginning stages.  I do believe it will eventually get done but when is anyone's guess.  Olmert can say anything he wants at this point but getting widespread support may prove to be more difficult than anticipated.  

In my humble opinion, I see this possibility for the future.  Whether you know it or not, the ENPI will be adopted on January 1, 2007.  That's about nine months away!

For those who are unaware of what this policy is it is a mutual agreement between the E.U. and a host of neighboring nations.  Both Israel and the Palestinian Authority are included in this agreement.  Some believe it may someday incorporate the future seven year peace plan of the antichrist.

The way it works is the E.U. has allowed each participating country to become a part of the E.U. culture and society.  They can become as intergraded into the E.U. structure as they desire, stopping just short of membership.  But membership is a future option if it works for both countries.   

Israel has agreed to go forward with the first steps of E.U. integration.  In undertaking this plan they have agreed to the statues of their Action Plan.  The Action Plan has a set of core objectives that they feel each country must come in line with before they can be considered.  Peace with bordering nations and the elimination of nuclear weapons within participating countries are two key points of the core agreement.   

Between now and 2007 Israel and the Palestinian Authority will work with the European Union to come in line with the core objectives.  This will be important for both countries if they are to be considered for substantial E.U. financial assistance starting in the new budget term from 2007 to 2013.  This new financial assistance plan is known as the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI).   

It will be very important for Israel and the Palestinian Authority to have their differences resolved if they are to be included in the upcoming 2007-2013 ENPI budget.  The focus of the ENPI is to work with neighboring nations to develop their infrastructure and to serve as a reward for coming in line with E.U. objectives.  It will also strengthen ties between the E.U. and its neighbors.  For more information on the plan click on  Article# 390: ENPI Seven Year Plan.

As stated, the new E.U. budget term starts on January 1, 2007 and will last seven years (2013).  I find it to be an incredible coincidence that the block of nations (E.U.) believed by many Bible scholars to be the New Roman Empire prophesied in the Bible would have a seven year budget term.  Many believed that the future antichrist will rise up out of this block and bring peace to the region through his seven year plan.

Right now, both the U.S. and the E.U. are putting an enormous amount of pressure on Hamas to accept Israel and work toward peace.  Of course, Hamas says they don't need the West or the Europeans to support them...they have the Arab world.  Unfortunately, the Arab nations are having a problem making good on the $177 million in aid they promised monthly missing several payments over the last few months.  Without the substantial aid from the West and E.U. they have been accustomed to Hamas may be on the brink of bankrupting Palestine.

I do see Hamas finally giving in to world pressure before the end of the year.  I just can't see them going on without consistent financial support.  They will come back to the negotiating table and they will accept Israel.  

Here's something to think about! It's possible the peace agreement could be a seven year ceasefire with Hamas (and the rest of the Arab League) that will include setting Israel's permanent borders, creating a Palestinian state and a commitment from all party's that there will be no attacks of any kind for this length of time.  The E.U. would take the responsibility of overseeing the peace agreement under the watchful eye of the U.S. and U.N. 

Whether the agreement will call for Israel to abandon their nuclear program is unknown, but I do believe at some point they will be pressured (or sanctioned) into giving them up.  I believe when Iran is forced to abandon their nuclear program the world will then look to Israel to do the same or face sanctions and isolation.  It might even be a condition by the Iranian government that if they give up their nuclear program Israel must do the same.

I would like to believe that significant progress toward peace will be accomplished within a year, but as you know, things can change in a moment.  

Hamas has certainly put a crimp in the road map and possibly the ENPI.  Many see them as a deal breaker for peace in the Middle East, but the Bible is clear that (temporary) peace will come despite the present circumstance.

Will it be accomplished through the upcoming seven year ENPI?  I don't know, but I would certainly mark this date on my prophetic calendar as a day of interest.

Are you ready to meeting the Lord?  If not your time is running out?

Pastor Malone