Latest Prophecy Commentary
Rice Visit: PA State Closer than Ever; Rice urges Israel to split Jerusalem
JERUSALEM – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, completing a visit to the region today, has been pressing Israel to sign a document by the end of the year that would divide Jerusalem by offering the Palestinians a state in Israel's capital city as well as in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, according to top diplomatic sources involved in the talks.
The Israeli team, led by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, has been negotiating the division of Jerusalem – despite claims to the contrary – but would rather conclude an agreement on paper by the end of the year that would give the Palestinians a state in the West Bank, Gaza and some Israeli territory, leaving conclusions on Jerusalem for a later date, the informed diplomatic sources told WND.
The sources said the Palestinian team has been pushing to conclude a deal by January on all core issues, including Jerusalem, and has been petitioning the U.S. to pressure Israel into signing an agreement on paper that offers the Palestinians eastern Jerusalem.
Rice, the sources said, has asked Israeli leaders to bend to what the U.S. refers to as a "compromise position," concluding an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of the year that guarantees sections of Jerusalem to the Palestinians. But Israel would not be required to withdraw from Jerusalem for a period of one to five years. WND
Visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday asserted that when Israelis elected former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2001 it was on a platform that shunned regional peace, and so the very fact that Israel and the Palestinians are in dialogue today should be seen as a major achievement.
Speaking at a press conference in Ramallah with her host Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, Rice said:
"I would just like to remind everyone that this time last year, we, of course, didn't have a peace process. And perhaps it's well to go back to when President [George W.] Bush came to office in 2001, in the midst of the breakdown completely of the peace process with the second intifada underway, with the election of Prime Minister Sharon who explicitly did not come to power intending to be a part of the peace process." Israel Today
Israeli energy companies Ginko and Delek Energy Systems on Tuesday won a decision by Israel's Nature and Parks Authority to drill for oil in a remote corner of a nature reserve in the Judean wilderness.
Representatives for the companies said they believe the proposed drill site contains some 6.5 million barrels of oil. While that is less than the amount of oil Israel uses in a month, its market value is still a staggering $700 million.
Israeli and foreign oil exploration companies have been searching for oil in Israel for decades. It is widely believed that a significant amount of oil lies somewhere under the Dead Sea, but experts say it is difficult and costly to find it due to the regular tectonic shifts in the area. Israel Today
Analysis
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been in Israel the last couple days
trying to jumpstart the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Apparently, the
peace talks have been ongoing, and according to Miss Rice, are closer than they
have ever been. In fact, peace talks have kicked in to a new gear meeting
almost on a daily basis.
Secretary of State Rice indicated that she would like to see some type of document on paper signed and sealed that addresses all the core issues, including Jerusalem, before US President Bush leaves office in January 2009 and Israeli Prime Minister Olmert steps down in September of this year. The division of Jerusalem would be left to the next administration to be ironed out over the next one to five years.
In my opinion, this agreement could easily be interpreted as what has been scripted in Daniel 9:27 as the beginning stages just before a world leader comes on the scene and "confirm[s] the covenant with many for one week".
It certainly wouldn't shock me if US President Bush was able to secure such an agreement before he departs from office leaving the implementation (and status of Jerusalem) of the peace plan with the next administration. Although, I find it unlikely that the next US president will ultimately bring peace to the Middle East. I lean toward a leader from the European Union to rise up and confirm the covenant.
Some prophecy experts have theorized that the status of Jerusalem will ultimately be the reason behind why the Antichrist will break the covenant with Israel at the midway point. Meaning, Israel will eventually sign documents on all the core issues beginning the process that will create a Palestinian state. Some of the West Bank will be turned over to the Palestinians, but after several years of negotiating, it will become apparent to the world that Israel has had a change of heart regarding the division of Jerusalem. It will be at this time that some believe the Antichrist, with the full backing of the world, will march against Israel and take Jerusalem by force. Whether this theory will prove to be correct is still yet to be seen.
At some point in time, I believe the Antichrist will be assassinated (Revelation 13:3), descend into the very pits of hell, and after three days, come to life again fully possessed by Satan. It will be at this time that he will march into the holy Temple (not yet built) and declare himself to be God. He will be joined by the false prophet. The Bible says, from that time forward, "all the world wondered after the beast" (Revelation 13:3b). This will likely set the stage for much of the horrors to come from the tribulation period.
Are we living on the very edge of the coming of the Lord? I believe we are and the rapture could take place at any moment!
Are you ready to meet the Lord? If not, your time is running out!
Terry Malone
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