Israel Steps Up Attacks On Gaza & Lebanon; Abbas Warns Of Regional War

Bush Backs Israel's Right to Self Defense ...
STRALSUND, Germany (AP) - President Bush said Thursday that Israel has the right to defend itself, as it launched fresh attacks on Lebanon after the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers.

Russia condemns attacks...
PARIS (Reuters) - Russia and France condemned Israel's strikes in Lebanon on Thursday as a dangerous escalation of the Middle East conflict but the United States said Israel had the right to defend itself.

President Bush defended Israel's attack on Beirut airport, but warned the Israelis they should be careful not to weaken the fragile Lebanese government.

Bush Middle East Role Limited as Israel, Arabs Fight (Update1)
Bloomberg.com Thu, 13 Jul 2006 5:12 AM PDT
July 13 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush and U.S. diplomats, distracted by threats from North Korea to Iraq, are playing a minor role as an escalating confrontation between Israelis and Arabs risks wider Middle East violence.

ISRAEL RENEWS GROUND ASSAULT IN GAZA
Middle East Newsline Thu, 13 Jul 2006 4:37 AM PDT
TEL AVIV [MENL] -- Israel's military, amid the Hizbullah capture of soldiers in the north, has launched another ground assault on the Gaza Strip. A brigade-size force entered the Gaza Strip on early Wednesday and deployed in the area between Khan Yunis and Dir El Balah.

Abbas warns against 'regional war'
TurkishPress.com Thu, 13 Jul 2006 5:01 AM PDT
RAMALLAH - Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Thursday warned against the eruption of "regional war" in the Middle East, amid twin Israeli offensives on southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

Israel intensifies attacks on Lebanon
Radio Singapore International Thu, 13 Jul 2006 2:46 AM PDT
Israel has launched major attacks in Lebanon, two weeks after it began its offensive in the Gaza Strip. Today, Israeli warplanes bombed the Beirut international airport, killing at least 27 Lebanese civilians.

Northern escalation / Syria: a possible third front
Haaretz Daily Thu, 13 Jul 2006 2:25 AM PDT
Two weeks after the start of the IDF's extensive operation in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah opened a second front on the northern border. The second front, which could expand into Israel, started just as the first did - with the abduction of soldiers from inside Israel and the deaths of others.

North Korea walks out of talks
PUSAN, South Korea (Reuters) - Efforts to bring North Korea back to disarmament talks were in tatters on Thursday as Pyongyang stormed out of a meeting with the South and a senior U.S. diplomat left the region after a week of shuttle diplomacy.

PARIS (AP) - Frustrated world powers agreed Wednesday to send Iran before the United Nations Security Council for possible punishment, saying the Iranians had given no sign they would bargain in earnest over their disputed nuclear program.

Comments
Fox News reported this morning that Hizbullah terrorists were trying to transfer the captured Israelis to Iran.  Iran could use this in their favor as a goodwill gesture to divert attention away from their nuclear ambitions.  If you haven't heard, the top world leaders have agreed to send Iran before the U.N.  This is the first step before sanctions can be applied.  But holding and releasing the Israeli prisoners could calm the Middle East storm, and Iran could come out looking like the hero...if Hizbullah is successful in transferring them.  Of course, I may have Iran's intentions completely wrong.  They may have a more sinister plan in store for the prisoners.

President's Bush & Putin
Israel has now turned up the heat on two different fronts (Gaza & Lebanon) and that number could go to three (Syria) by the end of the week. 

U.S. President Bush has backed Israel's right to defend it self against terrorist while Russian President Putin has condemned the attacks calling them a dangerous escalation of the Middle East conflict.  

As far as the Bible is concerned President Putin's comments are right in line with Bible prophecy.  Certainly, Russia has never been a friend of Israel's but they could have called for calm without condemning anyone or taken the same stand as the U.S.  But they didn't, and as far as Bible prophecy is concerned they won't!

Regional War
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has warned that if tensions continue to escalate in the direction they are going this conflict could erupt into a regional war.

"The rise of military operations in Lebanon make us fear a regional war which would banish chances of peace, stability and security in the Middle East," Abbas told a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

The moderate Palestinian president called on "regional forces" to bring an end to what he called the "dangerous tensions".  http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=133378

The Bible is clear that one day this ongoing conflict will turn into a regional war and God will settle it once and for all (Ezekiel 38 & 39).  Even though Russia is no friend of Israel's they have never shown a propensity or desire to attack Israel.  But let's not be fooled.  Russia is the same communist country (although not in name) that attacked and conquered country after country during the Cold War years.  Here's what a recent Washington Times editorial had to say about present day Russia:

"Any hopes that Russia would pursue a domestic course toward liberal democracy under President Vladimir Putin have been thoroughly dispelled. Citing his consolidation of power and the "virtual elimination" of meaningful political opposition, Freedom House changed its designation of Russia from "partly free" to "not free." The Heritage Foundation's 2006 Index of Economic Freedom ranks Russia lower than China and as the only member of the G-8 which falls into the "mostly unfree" category." http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20060712-083756-3939r.htm

Let's face it, the democratic slight of hand they seemingly switched to in the 1990s has caused us to forget what Russia is really capable of doing.  They've essentially tricked the world into believing they are no longer communist nor a superpower.  In the end, that mistake will seemingly come back to haunt the world.

President Bush Playing A Limited Role In Middle East
I find it fascinating, that in these last days, the most powerful man in the world is now playing a limited role in the Middle East.  This is what was reported on Bloomberg.com today:

President George W. Bush and U.S. diplomats, distracted by threats from North Korea to Iraq, are playing a minor role as an escalating confrontation between Israelis and Arabs risks wider Middle East violence.

David Welch, U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, and Elliott Abrams, deputy assistant to the president, only arrived in the region yesterday, 17 days after the abduction of an Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip set off the crisis. Bush hasn't spoken to any Middle Eastern leaders in the past couple of weeks, according to National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones.

``Up until now the administration's been on the sidelines,'' said Dennis Ross, the senior U.S. Middle East broker for President Bill Clinton. ``They've made a conscious decision to let this play out and let others take the lead. The administration is preoccupied.''

A year ago, Bush made expanding peace and democracy in the Middle East a priority, as a way to counter Islamic terrorism and improve economic prospects for Arabs. The strategy began to unravel when a stroke incapacitated Ariel Sharon, the longtime Israeli leader, and the anti-Israel Islamic movement Hamas triumphed in Palestinian elections.

Iran's nuclear ambitions, violence in Iraq and North Korea's missile tests pushed the Palestinian issue further into the background.  http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=a7x7vjK2HMK8&refer=

This is fascinating because the Bible says it will be a man from the New Roman Empire (E.U.) that will finally bring peace to the region (Daniel 9:27).  With the U.S. preoccupied with other pressing world problems this opens the door for that man to take the lead.

This article also brought out another point that caught my attention.  It sounds like the U.S. has all but abandoned its Middle East strategy.  Take a look at this excerpt:

"A year ago, Bush made expanding peace and democracy in the Middle East a priority, as a way to counter Islamic terrorism and improve economic prospects for Arabs. The strategy began to unravel when a stroke incapacitated Ariel Sharon, the longtime Israeli leader, and the anti-Israel Islamic movement Hamas triumphed in Palestinian elections.

Iran's nuclear ambitions, violence in Iraq and North Korea's missile tests pushed the Palestinian issue further into the background."

Is it possible that the U.S. is on the verge of washing their hands of the Middle East peace process?  Not completely.  They'll still play a part in the roadmap plan but I have a feeling they're giving up the lead position. 

Could God be positioning the world to receive the man of sin?  Are we on the verge of the rapture?

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

Pastor Malone