JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T
MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE
MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET
SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO
OTHER
DISEASES
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
DRUG PUSHERS AND ADDICTS
1 PET 5:8
8 Be sober,(NOT DRUGED UP OR ALCOHOLICED) be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
REVELATION 18:23
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries (DRUGS) were all nations deceived.
REVELATION 9:21
21 Neither repented they of their murders,(KILLING) nor of their sorceries (DRUG ADDICTS AND DRUG PUSHERS), nor of their fornication,(SEX OUTSIDE MARRIAGE OR PROSTITUTION FOR MONEY) nor of their thefts.(STEALING)
Second US case of MERS indentified-Britain warns travelers to the Middle East against contact with camels, which might be the origin of the deadly virus-By AP and Times of Israel staff May 13, 2014, 7:48 am 0-The Times of Israel
Health officials have confirmed a second US case of a mysterious virus that has sickened hundreds in the Middle East.The latest case is not an American — he is a resident of Saudi Arabia, visiting Florida, who is now in an Orlando hospital.He was diagnosed on Sunday night with MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, a respiratory illness that begins with flu-like fever and cough but can lead to shortness of breath, pneumonia and death.The MERS virus has been found in camels, and on Monday, the Guardian reported that UK health authorities have issued a travel warning specifically noting that “there is growing evidence of the possible role of camels in transmitting Mers-CoV to humans.“We advise travelers, particularly those with underlying or chronic medical conditions, to avoid contact with camels in the Middle East,” the warning said.Public Health England said that any traveler displaying signs of “a fever, cough or shortness of breath within 14 days of being in the Middle East, should make sure they call their doctor and tell them where they have traveled.”The two US cases so far have not been severe. The first case, a man in Indiana, was released from a hospital late last week. And the second patient is doing well, officials said. The two cases are not linked, officials said.“The risk to the public remains very low,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Most cases have been in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere in the Middle East. But earlier this month the first US case was diagnosed in a man who traveled from Saudi Arabia to Indiana.That man, an American, was a health-care worker at a hospital in Saudi Arabia’s capital city who flew to the United States on April 24 on a plane that originated in Riyadh, stopped in London and then landed in Chicago. The man took a bus to Munster, Indiana where he became sick and went to a hospital on April 28.He improved and was released from a Munster hospital on Friday. Tests of people who were around the man have all proved negative, health officials have said.Health officials now must track down fellow travelers who were around the newest case, and this time it will be more challenging: There were more flights involved.This man also was a health-care worker at a hospital where MERS cases were being treated, the CDC said. He traveled on May 1 on flights from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, first to London, then to Boston, then to Atlanta, and finally to Orlando. He went to a hospital on May 8 and was placed in isolation.The first flight was Saudi Airlines flight 113 to London, according to a Public Health England press release. The U.S. government did not identify the flight information for the other legs.Health officials did not immediately release additional detail about his travels or his week in Florida, except to say he was not at any theme parks and remained in the Orlando area to see family.The man is at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital in Orlando. He arrived there with relatively mild symptoms, is stable and doing well, but there is no timetable for his release, said Dain Weister, a spokesman for Florida’s health department.As early as the first flight, the latest case was suffering fever, chills and a slight cough. That doesn’t necessarily mean he infected anyone. Experts think MERS cases are most infectious when they are severely ill, with symptoms like pneumonia and difficulty breathing, Schuchat said.However, health officials are trying to contact as many as 500 people who were on the three flights within the United States to let them know the situation and watch for symptoms. People on the flight from Jeddah to London also will be contacted, CDC officials said.MERS belongs to the coronavirus family that includes the common cold and SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, which caused some 800 deaths globally in 2003.Although the MERS virus has been found in camels, but officials don’t know how it is spreading to humans. It can spread from person to person, but officials believe that happens only after close contact. Not all those exposed to the virus become ill.But it appears to be unusually lethal — some estimates have suggested it has killed nearly a third of the people it sickened. The estimate has been dropping as health officials have begun diagnosing more and more cases with less severe illness. But the estimated fatality rate for MERS still is far higher than what’s seen with seasonal flu or other routine infections. Fortunately, it is not as contagious as flu, measles or other diseases. There is no vaccine or cure and there’s no specific treatment except to relieve symptoms.Overall, 538 people have been reported to have the respiratory illness, including 145 people who have died. So far, all had ties to the Middle East region or to people who traveled there. As many as one-fifth of cases have been in health-care workers, Schuchat said.
Congressmen See Ancient Jewish History in Judea-US Congressmen Harris and DeSantis learn of 'thousands of years of Jewish history' in Gush Etzion, say US media misses reality.By Yedidya Ben-Or, Ari Yashar-First Publish: 5/13/2014, 7:10 PM-IsraelNationalNews
Two Republican US congressmen, Andy Harris (MD-R) and Ron DeSantis (FL-R), visited the Gush Etzion region of Judea on Tuesday with their wives.The congressmen were accompanied by the Gush Etzion Regional Council Chair Davidi Perl, Ruti Liberman of the "Yes Israel" organization, along with Yesha Council members. "Yes Israel" and the Gush Etzion Regional Council organized the visit; in the last year 20 congressmen have visited Gush Etzion under their auspices."Until today I didn't know anywhere in Israel other than the Tel Aviv area, so it was very important for us to visit here," stated DeSantis. "There's a great difference between what we see about Israel in the media, and the focus it gives to certain topics, as opposed to what we see in the tour here."The two congressmen hold influential positions: Harris serves on the House Committee on Appropriations, which has been behind transferring budgets to Israel including recent financial support of the Iron Dome defense system. DeSantis sits on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, which is very involved in events in the Middle East and Israel in particular.
Walking in the footsteps of the Patriarchs
The two began their visit in Sde Boaz, a mixed religious and secular community that had a home violently demolished in 2006. There the congressmen spoke with children and parents at a local kindergarten, and were given drawings of US and Israeli flags from the kids.Afterwards, the congressmen were taken to walk on the "Path of the Patriarchs," an ancient road from Biblical times which stretches through Gush Etzion on its way between Hevron and Jerusalem.The two were told about an ancient mikveh (ritual bath) located on the path which dates from the Second Temple Period, roughly 2,000 years ago. The ancient path clearly demonstrated the historical and religious connection between the Jewish people and Judea and Samaria. Gush Etzion residents shared their lifestyle with the American officials, and emphasized that their presence in the region is in fact beneficial for local Arab residents, who in many cases enjoy employment opportunities and conditions that would otherwise not exist.At Kfar Etzion, Harris and DeSantis experienced a light and sound show recounting the modern Jewish settlement of the Gush Etzion area from the beginning of the 20th century up through current times.
Seeing the reality on the ground, not through the media's lens
DeSantis remarked "I don't think that what the average American reads in the newspaper is an accurate reflection of the Israeli reality. It's incredible to be here today and realize that the US has existed 224 years, while we're in a place with thousands of years of Jewish history."The appreciation for the tour was shared by Harris, who said "this is my second time in Israel, and I'm glad for the opportunity to visit here again, particularly these days when Judea and Samaria are on the American Congress's daily agenda.""It's important to see what's happening on the ground. We are waiting to see what the Palestinian unity deal (between Fatah and Hamas) will lead to, and what policy the Palestinian Authority (PA) will take as a result," noted Harris.Perl of the Gush Etzion Regional Council praised the visit as an important opportunity to let American decision makers appreciate the daily reality of the region directly, without media influence."The reality is that we live lives full of spiritual and cultural wealth, we are connected to this land, and we returned to it to stay here," remarked Perl. "Whoever comes here becomes an ambassador in their country, telling the true story of what they saw with their own eyes."Visits such as that of Harris and DeSantis "tighten the strategic connection between the US and Israel," said Liberman of "Yes Israel." She noted that part of the strengthening of ties promoted in the visit concern the US visa crisis, whereby a peak of Israelis have been rejected for visas, and other similar issues.
LAND FOR PEACE (THE FUTURE 7 YEARS OF HELL ON EARTH)
JOEL 3:2
2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people(ISRAEL) and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.(UPROOTED ISRAELIS AND DIVIDED JERUSALEM)(THIS BRINGS ON WW3 BECAUSE JERUSALEM IS DIVIDED,WARNING TO ARABS-MUSLIMS AND THE WORLD).
THE WEEK OF DANIEL 9:27 WE KNOW ITS 7 YRS
Heres the scripture 1 week = 7 yrs Genesis 29:27-29
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week:(7 YEARS) and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
DANIEL 11:21-23
21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.
24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.
DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he ( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant (PEACE TREATY) with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE ANIMAL SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
JEREMIAH 6:14
14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
JEREMIAH 8:11
11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:3
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
ISAIAH 33:8
8 The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant,(7 YR TREATY) he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.(THE WORLD LEADER-WAR MONGER CALLS HIMSELF GOD)
JERUSALEM DIVIDED
GENESIS 25:20-26
20 And Isaac was forty years old (A BIBLE GENERATION NUMBER=1967 + 40=2007+) when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22 And the children (2 NATIONS IN HER-ISRAEL-ARABS) struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels;(ISRAEL AND THE ARABS) and the one people shall be stronger than the other people;(ISRAEL STRONGER THAN ARABS) and the elder shall serve the younger.(LITERALLY ISRAEL THE YOUNGER RULES (ISSAC)(JACOB-LATER NAME CHANGED TO ISRAEL) OVER THE OLDER ARABS (ISHMAEL)(ESAU)
24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.(THE OLDER AN ARAB)
26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob:(THE YOUNGER-ISRAELI) and Isaac was threescore (60) years old when she bare them.(1967 + 60=2027)(COULD BE THE LAST GENERATION WHEN JERUSALEM IS DIVIDED AMOUNG THE 2 TWINS)(THE 2 TWINS WANT JERUSALEM-THE DIVISION OF JERUSALEM TODAY)(AND WHOS IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM TODAY-THE YOUNGER ISSAC-JACOB-ISRAEL)(AND WHO WANTS JERUSALEM DIVIDED-THE OLDER,ESAU-ISHMAEL (THE ARABS)
ISAIAH 28:14-19 (THIS IS THE 7 YR TREATY COVENANT OF DANIEL 9:27)
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
EU backs Palestinian unity for ‘democratic culture’-Union’s envoy says Hamas considered a terror group, yet ‘something must be done’ to enable overdue elections-By Raphael Ahren May 13, 2014, 5:01 pm 3-The Times of Israel
The European Union still views Hamas as a terrorist organization but supports the group’s inclusion in a Palestinian unity government to advance a “democratic culture” in Palestinian society, the EU’s envoy to Israel said Tuesday.“Our view of Hamas has not changed – it is a terrorist organization designated as such under EU law,” Ambassador Lars Faaborg-Andersen said. “But something must be done to pave the way for the holding of long overdue elections that are necessary for ensuring the development of a democratic culture in a future Palestinian state.”In January 2006, Hamas won a landslide victory in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, garnering 74 of the 132 seats. The Fatah faction led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas won 45 seats. At the time, Israel objected to allowing Hamas compete in the elections.During a lunch meeting of the EU’s ambassadors with Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman in Jerusalem, Faaborg-Andersen reiterated the union’s general support for the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation deal signed last month, which led Israel to suspend the US-brokered peace negotiations. However, he added: “Only a Palestinian government of independent figures committed to nonviolence, accepting previous agreements and Israel’s right to exist, will be acceptable to us.”On Monday, the foreign ministers of the EU’s 28 member states declared at their monthly meeting in Brussels that Europe was ready to financially support the future Palestinian government, but only if it commits to nonviolence and a two-state solution and accepts previous agreements and obligations, including recognizing Israel’s legitimate right to exist.“The EU’s engagement with a new Palestinian government will be based on its adherence to these policies and commitments,” the ministers stated. “Reconciliation on these terms is an important element for the unity of a future Palestinian state and for reaching a two-state solution and a lasting peace.”While the ministers urged the both sides to “exercise maximum restraint and to avoid any unilateral action which may further undermine peace efforts and the viability of a two-state-solution,” Faaborg-Andersen said it “is encouraging that both parties have, since 29 April, exercised restraint and avoided measures which could further undermine peace efforts.”Liberman did not respond to Faaborg-Andersen during the public part of the lunch. Earlier in the day, at meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, he said that Israel will not negotiate with any government that includes Hamas as long as the group doesn’t accept the conditions of the Middle East Quartet, which include a recognition of Israel.Liberman also attacked Abbas, saying he was not interested in bringing peace to his people. “What’s important to Abu Mazen [Abbas] is only the legacy he’s leaving behind. As of now, the stalemate in the negotiations with the Palestinians is expected to continue,” he said.
Netanyahu Holds PA Accountable for 'Every Gaza Rocket'-Netanyahu notes unity deal has changed dynamics to Japanese FM, says 'we both face rogue states'; tells Emperor of similarities.By Ari Yashar-First Publish: 5/13/2014, 5:55 PM-IsraelNationalNews
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday declared that the Palestinian Authority (PA) will be held responsible for violence from Gaza in light of the unity deal. His comments came while on an official visit to Japan, which will end on Thursday.Meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, Netanyahu mentioned the reconciliation deal made between the PA and Hamas in late April which torpedoed the peace talks."Hamas is committed to our destruction. We remain committed to advancing the peace, preferably a negotiated peace. But we can only negotiate with a government whose constituent parts are committed to peace," stated Netanyahu.The prime minister added that as long as PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas remains committed to the unity deal with Hamas, "a terrorist organization that regularly fires rockets into Israel, then we'll have to hold him accountable for every rocket that is fired from Gaza, to Israel."Netanyahu mentioned that he hopes "that this pact is dissolved and we can find a way to return to genuine negotiations with a genuine peace partner.""We both face rogue states"Echoing his comments to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in their meeting on Monday, Netanyahu remarked on the danger posed to both Israel and Japan by "a rogue state arming itself with nuclear weapons." In Japan's case the rogue state is North Korea."We obviously sympathize and understand the predicament facing you. We are faced with such a rogue state in the form of Iran and its quest to develop nuclear weapons," said Netanyahu.Noting a UN report which on Monday revealed Iran's methods of evading the sanctions that were imposed on it, Netanyahu called the report "another example of how Iran continues to deceive the world and advance its nuclear program." "Clearly the Ayatollahs cannot be trusted, and if the international community wants to avoid the specter of nuclear terrorism, they must assure that Iran, the foremost sponsor of terrorism on the planet, not have the capability to develop nuclear weapons," stated Netanyahu."This is our number one concern but I think it should be shared by everyone who is concerned by the proliferation of nuclear terrorism and nuclear weapons," concluded the prime minister.In Monday's meeting with Abe, the two prime ministers "affirmed the importance of bilateral defense cooperation", according to an official statement. "They agreed on the visit of officers of the Japan Self-Defense Forces to Israel.""We both have overcome hardships"Netanyahu and his wife Sarah also met with Japanese Emperor Akihito and his wife Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday.Kyoto Shimbun reports that Netanyahu said "Japan and Israel share the common feature of having overcome hardships," referring to the Holocaust and the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the close of World War II.Emperor Akihito agreed, adding "the Holocaust was a very heartbreaking event."The natural disaster that struck Tohoku in eastern Japan in 2011, when an earthquake and tsunami wrought massive damage including damage on nuclear reactors, was also discussed. Over 15,000 deaths were reported in the national tragedy; at the time Israel sent an IDF medical team to the affected area.Akihito remarked "we are very grateful for the various forms of support we received from Israel at the time of the disaster," reports Sankei News.Netanyahu responded by saying "not only the government, but also (Israeli) citizens who witnessed the great tragedy gave their heartfelt assistance," to which the Emperor emphasized "we are very thankful for those feelings."
Liberman: Israel won’t cede religious sites during papal visit-In first meeting of high-level defense committee, foreign minister further says Palestinians don’t want peace-By Marissa Newman May 13, 2014, 6:34 pm-The Times of Israel
Israel will not hand over sovereignty of select Christian religious sites during the pope’s upcoming visit, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said Tuesday, dispelling rumors of an imminent deal between Israel and the Vatican.Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews rallied against the ongoing negotiation between Israel and the Vatican outside a sensitive site on Mount Zion, sacred to Christians, Jews, and Muslims on Monday evening.While no official announcement has been made, negotiations between Israel and the Vatican are ongoing, and President Shimon Peres told an Italian newspaper during a visit to the Vatican last April that a compromise had been reached on the Cenacle site, and that “99 percent” of the issues concerning the site had been addressed.The building houses both the site revered by Jews as the tomb of the Biblical King David and, above it, the room believed by Christians to have been the site of the Last Supper.“The State of Israel has no intention of signing with the Vatican, during the pope’s coming visit, on an agreement to transfer the responsibility of sites like these or others, or other gestures,” Liberman said.Speaking at the first Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting after a six-month impasse, Liberman briefed its members on the pressing security issues facing Israel, including the suspended peace talks and Iran.Liberman charged Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas with being more concerned with his political standing than with securing a viable peace agreement, and said the Palestinians will not accept a deal regardless of whatever concessions Israel would be prepared to offer.He maintained that the current peace talks stalemate would likely continue due to the PA president’s preoccupation with his legacy, he said.“[Abbas] has no interest in reaching an agreement with Israel, regardless of what Israel offers him,” he said. “More than what Ehud Barak and Olmert gave, it’s impossible to give, and then too he refused. What is important to Abu Mazen [Abbas] today is just the legacy he leaves behind.”In a veiled criticism of the prime minister, Liberman said, “The State of Israel has not yet used the tools at its disposal to deal with the unilateral steps the Palestinians have taken until now,” in a reference to Abbas’s appeal to 15 United Nations agencies. The Palestinians are nevertheless wary of applying to international organizations due to fears that US funding would be pulled in response, he added.Yet despite Palestinian concerns and protestations with regard to their budget, Abbas continues to grant monthly stipends to security prisoners that amount to tens of millions, Liberman said.With regard to Iran, the foreign minister decried the international community’s general approach to threats, “which is to contain the threats and avoid as much possible from dealing with them.”As it stands, Iran will likely come out of the negotiations retaining much of its nuclear capabilities, which will establish the country “as a [nuclear] threshold state that can break out the bomb in a short time,” Liberman maintained.“This is a troubling state of affairs, but regardless it looks like the permanent agreement will be signed in September of this year,” he added.The foreign minister also alluded to new legislation that would make it impossible to free prisoners who have been sentenced to life in prison, targeting Israel’s practice of freeing prisoners in peace negotiations with the Palestinians. The bill – sponsored by Jewish Home MK Ayelet Shaked and Hatnua MK David Tzur, is set to go to the Knesset for a first reading.“It’s time the prime minister brings the conclusions of the Shamgar Commission to a cabinet decision, to adopt those recommendations,” he said.The Shamgar Commission has in the past made recommendations similar to the provisions of the bill that is currently set to be voted on.On his first day in the position, the new chairman of the committee, Ze’ev Elkin, pledged to balance his group’s commitment to foreign and defense issues.
“We have an excellent Foreign Ministry that isn’t always sufficiently prepared. From my experience with the ministry, I know that foreign affairs are an integral part of defense affairs. As chairman of the committee, I intend to invest in foreign [affairs], no less than in the defense issues.”AFP and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Hagel touches down in Saudi Arabia for talks on Iran, Syria-US defense secretary expected to reassure Gulf leaders on deal with Tehran before visits to Israel, Jordan-By AFP May 13, 2014, 5:00 pm-The Times of Israel
US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in the Saudi Arabia Tuesday for the first leg of a regional tour focusing on Iran’s nuclear program and Syria’s civil war.Hagel will hold talks with Saudi officials, and on Wednesday, he will meet Gulf Cooperation Council defense ministers in the first US-GCC meeting of its kind since 2008.An AFP photographer said Hagel’s plane touched down in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, ahead of a planned tour that US officials said will also take him to Jordan and Israel.“This trip will be the secretary’s third to the Middle East in just over a year, and it will advance America’s regional strategy in that region,” Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said last week.US officials have struggled to reassure Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, over an interim nuclear deal with Iran that the Saudis worry will embolden Tehran.The energy-rich GCC has also been dissatisfied with Washington’s cautious approach to arming rebel forces in Syria.Kirby last week said the US-GCC meeting will namely offer Hagel a chance “to underscore US security commitments in the Middle East and to reinforce the United States’ unstinting policy of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and further destabilizing the region.”The gathering will also focus on coordinating “air and missile defense, maritime security and cyber defense,” he said.After his stop in Saudi Arabia, Hagel will head to Jordan for talks on the raging civil war in its neighboring Syria.“This visit will highlight the US commitment to the defense of Jordan, where more than 1,000 US personnel are on the ground working closely with Jordanian defense authorities,” Kirby said.Hagel will wrap up his regional tour in Israel for talks with top officials and to discuss efforts to bolster Israel’s rocket and missile defenses, Kirby said.The tour is part of “our effort to work in a coordinated manner with allies and partners across the region to address common security challenges,” according to the press secretary.
Foreign Minister Urges Knesset to Make Decision on PA Policy-Liberman slams wishy-washiness in Israeli policy toward terrorist releases after last-minute rejection of landmark bill.By Tova Dvorin-First Publish: 5/13/2014, 1:03 PM-IsraelNationalNews
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) called on the Israeli government to examine the Shamgar Commission’s rulings Tuesday, in response to continued crisis in the coalition over the possible release of more Palestinian Arab terrorists."The Shamgar Commission’s conclusions are a systematic treatise to how to act in this situation,” Liberman noted, “and everyone agreed at the time that there should be certain policy guidelines.”“All of this releasing terrorists started when we made the administrative decision to exchange our captives for terrorists,” he continued. “Whenever we released terrorists to Hamas control in Gaza, we had to make a similar ‘gesture’ to [PA Chairman Mahmoud] Abbas so as not to weaken our relationship with him.” The Shamgar Commission, headed by former Supreme Court President Meir Shamgar, filed recommendations in 2012, regarding prisoner releases in the context of negotiations for captives like Gilad Shalit. As Former IDF Chief Rabbi Avihai Ronski noted in October, the Commission warned against terrorist releases as a matter of state policy. Liberman also slammed the hypocrisy of Abbas, who has made several statements to the media decrying the abysmal state of the PA’s budget on the one hand, and paid thousands of dollars to convicted terrorists on another. “We were wrong in the message that we give to the Palestinians,” Liberman stated. “One day we announce that that we’re stopping with ‘gestures’ and begin to collect their debts - but over the next week, we tell them that we’ll return the money we decided to collect ‘and it will be fine.'” Liberman's remarks have also been seen as an indirect response to a storm in the Knesset overnight, after Science and Technology Minister Ya'akov Perry (Yesh Atid) filed an appeal to a landmark bill enforcing life sentences for terrorists.The bill changes one of the Basic Laws of Israel, which form the basis for the formation and role of Israel's institutions, and the relations between the state's different ministries and authorities.The Basic Law of the President of the State, passed in 1964, allows the President to pardon all convicted criminals - at least until now.The new amendment would change this rule, preventing any convicted terrorist from being pardoned for his crimes under certain conditions. The amendment seeks to allow the judges of the court during trials for nationalist murders, terrorist activity or any other heinous crime, to negate at the time of sentencing the possibility of providing future amnesty.But Perry's appeal would severely limit the Knesset's ability to advance the bill into law, essentially burying it before it can be brought to the Cabinet for approval.
DISEASES
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
DRUG PUSHERS AND ADDICTS
1 PET 5:8
8 Be sober,(NOT DRUGED UP OR ALCOHOLICED) be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
REVELATION 18:23
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries (DRUGS) were all nations deceived.
REVELATION 9:21
21 Neither repented they of their murders,(KILLING) nor of their sorceries (DRUG ADDICTS AND DRUG PUSHERS), nor of their fornication,(SEX OUTSIDE MARRIAGE OR PROSTITUTION FOR MONEY) nor of their thefts.(STEALING)
Second US case of MERS indentified-Britain warns travelers to the Middle East against contact with camels, which might be the origin of the deadly virus-By AP and Times of Israel staff May 13, 2014, 7:48 am 0-The Times of Israel
Health officials have confirmed a second US case of a mysterious virus that has sickened hundreds in the Middle East.The latest case is not an American — he is a resident of Saudi Arabia, visiting Florida, who is now in an Orlando hospital.He was diagnosed on Sunday night with MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, a respiratory illness that begins with flu-like fever and cough but can lead to shortness of breath, pneumonia and death.The MERS virus has been found in camels, and on Monday, the Guardian reported that UK health authorities have issued a travel warning specifically noting that “there is growing evidence of the possible role of camels in transmitting Mers-CoV to humans.“We advise travelers, particularly those with underlying or chronic medical conditions, to avoid contact with camels in the Middle East,” the warning said.Public Health England said that any traveler displaying signs of “a fever, cough or shortness of breath within 14 days of being in the Middle East, should make sure they call their doctor and tell them where they have traveled.”The two US cases so far have not been severe. The first case, a man in Indiana, was released from a hospital late last week. And the second patient is doing well, officials said. The two cases are not linked, officials said.“The risk to the public remains very low,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Most cases have been in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere in the Middle East. But earlier this month the first US case was diagnosed in a man who traveled from Saudi Arabia to Indiana.That man, an American, was a health-care worker at a hospital in Saudi Arabia’s capital city who flew to the United States on April 24 on a plane that originated in Riyadh, stopped in London and then landed in Chicago. The man took a bus to Munster, Indiana where he became sick and went to a hospital on April 28.He improved and was released from a Munster hospital on Friday. Tests of people who were around the man have all proved negative, health officials have said.Health officials now must track down fellow travelers who were around the newest case, and this time it will be more challenging: There were more flights involved.This man also was a health-care worker at a hospital where MERS cases were being treated, the CDC said. He traveled on May 1 on flights from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, first to London, then to Boston, then to Atlanta, and finally to Orlando. He went to a hospital on May 8 and was placed in isolation.The first flight was Saudi Airlines flight 113 to London, according to a Public Health England press release. The U.S. government did not identify the flight information for the other legs.Health officials did not immediately release additional detail about his travels or his week in Florida, except to say he was not at any theme parks and remained in the Orlando area to see family.The man is at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital in Orlando. He arrived there with relatively mild symptoms, is stable and doing well, but there is no timetable for his release, said Dain Weister, a spokesman for Florida’s health department.As early as the first flight, the latest case was suffering fever, chills and a slight cough. That doesn’t necessarily mean he infected anyone. Experts think MERS cases are most infectious when they are severely ill, with symptoms like pneumonia and difficulty breathing, Schuchat said.However, health officials are trying to contact as many as 500 people who were on the three flights within the United States to let them know the situation and watch for symptoms. People on the flight from Jeddah to London also will be contacted, CDC officials said.MERS belongs to the coronavirus family that includes the common cold and SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, which caused some 800 deaths globally in 2003.Although the MERS virus has been found in camels, but officials don’t know how it is spreading to humans. It can spread from person to person, but officials believe that happens only after close contact. Not all those exposed to the virus become ill.But it appears to be unusually lethal — some estimates have suggested it has killed nearly a third of the people it sickened. The estimate has been dropping as health officials have begun diagnosing more and more cases with less severe illness. But the estimated fatality rate for MERS still is far higher than what’s seen with seasonal flu or other routine infections. Fortunately, it is not as contagious as flu, measles or other diseases. There is no vaccine or cure and there’s no specific treatment except to relieve symptoms.Overall, 538 people have been reported to have the respiratory illness, including 145 people who have died. So far, all had ties to the Middle East region or to people who traveled there. As many as one-fifth of cases have been in health-care workers, Schuchat said.
Congressmen See Ancient Jewish History in Judea-US Congressmen Harris and DeSantis learn of 'thousands of years of Jewish history' in Gush Etzion, say US media misses reality.By Yedidya Ben-Or, Ari Yashar-First Publish: 5/13/2014, 7:10 PM-IsraelNationalNews
Two Republican US congressmen, Andy Harris (MD-R) and Ron DeSantis (FL-R), visited the Gush Etzion region of Judea on Tuesday with their wives.The congressmen were accompanied by the Gush Etzion Regional Council Chair Davidi Perl, Ruti Liberman of the "Yes Israel" organization, along with Yesha Council members. "Yes Israel" and the Gush Etzion Regional Council organized the visit; in the last year 20 congressmen have visited Gush Etzion under their auspices."Until today I didn't know anywhere in Israel other than the Tel Aviv area, so it was very important for us to visit here," stated DeSantis. "There's a great difference between what we see about Israel in the media, and the focus it gives to certain topics, as opposed to what we see in the tour here."The two congressmen hold influential positions: Harris serves on the House Committee on Appropriations, which has been behind transferring budgets to Israel including recent financial support of the Iron Dome defense system. DeSantis sits on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, which is very involved in events in the Middle East and Israel in particular.
Walking in the footsteps of the Patriarchs
The two began their visit in Sde Boaz, a mixed religious and secular community that had a home violently demolished in 2006. There the congressmen spoke with children and parents at a local kindergarten, and were given drawings of US and Israeli flags from the kids.Afterwards, the congressmen were taken to walk on the "Path of the Patriarchs," an ancient road from Biblical times which stretches through Gush Etzion on its way between Hevron and Jerusalem.The two were told about an ancient mikveh (ritual bath) located on the path which dates from the Second Temple Period, roughly 2,000 years ago. The ancient path clearly demonstrated the historical and religious connection between the Jewish people and Judea and Samaria. Gush Etzion residents shared their lifestyle with the American officials, and emphasized that their presence in the region is in fact beneficial for local Arab residents, who in many cases enjoy employment opportunities and conditions that would otherwise not exist.At Kfar Etzion, Harris and DeSantis experienced a light and sound show recounting the modern Jewish settlement of the Gush Etzion area from the beginning of the 20th century up through current times.
Seeing the reality on the ground, not through the media's lens
DeSantis remarked "I don't think that what the average American reads in the newspaper is an accurate reflection of the Israeli reality. It's incredible to be here today and realize that the US has existed 224 years, while we're in a place with thousands of years of Jewish history."The appreciation for the tour was shared by Harris, who said "this is my second time in Israel, and I'm glad for the opportunity to visit here again, particularly these days when Judea and Samaria are on the American Congress's daily agenda.""It's important to see what's happening on the ground. We are waiting to see what the Palestinian unity deal (between Fatah and Hamas) will lead to, and what policy the Palestinian Authority (PA) will take as a result," noted Harris.Perl of the Gush Etzion Regional Council praised the visit as an important opportunity to let American decision makers appreciate the daily reality of the region directly, without media influence."The reality is that we live lives full of spiritual and cultural wealth, we are connected to this land, and we returned to it to stay here," remarked Perl. "Whoever comes here becomes an ambassador in their country, telling the true story of what they saw with their own eyes."Visits such as that of Harris and DeSantis "tighten the strategic connection between the US and Israel," said Liberman of "Yes Israel." She noted that part of the strengthening of ties promoted in the visit concern the US visa crisis, whereby a peak of Israelis have been rejected for visas, and other similar issues.
LAND FOR PEACE (THE FUTURE 7 YEARS OF HELL ON EARTH)
JOEL 3:2
2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people(ISRAEL) and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.(UPROOTED ISRAELIS AND DIVIDED JERUSALEM)(THIS BRINGS ON WW3 BECAUSE JERUSALEM IS DIVIDED,WARNING TO ARABS-MUSLIMS AND THE WORLD).
THE WEEK OF DANIEL 9:27 WE KNOW ITS 7 YRS
Heres the scripture 1 week = 7 yrs Genesis 29:27-29
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week:(7 YEARS) and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
DANIEL 11:21-23
21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.
24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.
DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he ( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant (PEACE TREATY) with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE ANIMAL SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
JEREMIAH 6:14
14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
JEREMIAH 8:11
11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:3
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
ISAIAH 33:8
8 The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant,(7 YR TREATY) he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.(THE WORLD LEADER-WAR MONGER CALLS HIMSELF GOD)
JERUSALEM DIVIDED
GENESIS 25:20-26
20 And Isaac was forty years old (A BIBLE GENERATION NUMBER=1967 + 40=2007+) when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22 And the children (2 NATIONS IN HER-ISRAEL-ARABS) struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels;(ISRAEL AND THE ARABS) and the one people shall be stronger than the other people;(ISRAEL STRONGER THAN ARABS) and the elder shall serve the younger.(LITERALLY ISRAEL THE YOUNGER RULES (ISSAC)(JACOB-LATER NAME CHANGED TO ISRAEL) OVER THE OLDER ARABS (ISHMAEL)(ESAU)
24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.(THE OLDER AN ARAB)
26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob:(THE YOUNGER-ISRAELI) and Isaac was threescore (60) years old when she bare them.(1967 + 60=2027)(COULD BE THE LAST GENERATION WHEN JERUSALEM IS DIVIDED AMOUNG THE 2 TWINS)(THE 2 TWINS WANT JERUSALEM-THE DIVISION OF JERUSALEM TODAY)(AND WHOS IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM TODAY-THE YOUNGER ISSAC-JACOB-ISRAEL)(AND WHO WANTS JERUSALEM DIVIDED-THE OLDER,ESAU-ISHMAEL (THE ARABS)
ISAIAH 28:14-19 (THIS IS THE 7 YR TREATY COVENANT OF DANIEL 9:27)
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
EU backs Palestinian unity for ‘democratic culture’-Union’s envoy says Hamas considered a terror group, yet ‘something must be done’ to enable overdue elections-By Raphael Ahren May 13, 2014, 5:01 pm 3-The Times of Israel
The European Union still views Hamas as a terrorist organization but supports the group’s inclusion in a Palestinian unity government to advance a “democratic culture” in Palestinian society, the EU’s envoy to Israel said Tuesday.“Our view of Hamas has not changed – it is a terrorist organization designated as such under EU law,” Ambassador Lars Faaborg-Andersen said. “But something must be done to pave the way for the holding of long overdue elections that are necessary for ensuring the development of a democratic culture in a future Palestinian state.”In January 2006, Hamas won a landslide victory in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, garnering 74 of the 132 seats. The Fatah faction led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas won 45 seats. At the time, Israel objected to allowing Hamas compete in the elections.During a lunch meeting of the EU’s ambassadors with Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman in Jerusalem, Faaborg-Andersen reiterated the union’s general support for the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation deal signed last month, which led Israel to suspend the US-brokered peace negotiations. However, he added: “Only a Palestinian government of independent figures committed to nonviolence, accepting previous agreements and Israel’s right to exist, will be acceptable to us.”On Monday, the foreign ministers of the EU’s 28 member states declared at their monthly meeting in Brussels that Europe was ready to financially support the future Palestinian government, but only if it commits to nonviolence and a two-state solution and accepts previous agreements and obligations, including recognizing Israel’s legitimate right to exist.“The EU’s engagement with a new Palestinian government will be based on its adherence to these policies and commitments,” the ministers stated. “Reconciliation on these terms is an important element for the unity of a future Palestinian state and for reaching a two-state solution and a lasting peace.”While the ministers urged the both sides to “exercise maximum restraint and to avoid any unilateral action which may further undermine peace efforts and the viability of a two-state-solution,” Faaborg-Andersen said it “is encouraging that both parties have, since 29 April, exercised restraint and avoided measures which could further undermine peace efforts.”Liberman did not respond to Faaborg-Andersen during the public part of the lunch. Earlier in the day, at meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, he said that Israel will not negotiate with any government that includes Hamas as long as the group doesn’t accept the conditions of the Middle East Quartet, which include a recognition of Israel.Liberman also attacked Abbas, saying he was not interested in bringing peace to his people. “What’s important to Abu Mazen [Abbas] is only the legacy he’s leaving behind. As of now, the stalemate in the negotiations with the Palestinians is expected to continue,” he said.
Netanyahu Holds PA Accountable for 'Every Gaza Rocket'-Netanyahu notes unity deal has changed dynamics to Japanese FM, says 'we both face rogue states'; tells Emperor of similarities.By Ari Yashar-First Publish: 5/13/2014, 5:55 PM-IsraelNationalNews
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday declared that the Palestinian Authority (PA) will be held responsible for violence from Gaza in light of the unity deal. His comments came while on an official visit to Japan, which will end on Thursday.Meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, Netanyahu mentioned the reconciliation deal made between the PA and Hamas in late April which torpedoed the peace talks."Hamas is committed to our destruction. We remain committed to advancing the peace, preferably a negotiated peace. But we can only negotiate with a government whose constituent parts are committed to peace," stated Netanyahu.The prime minister added that as long as PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas remains committed to the unity deal with Hamas, "a terrorist organization that regularly fires rockets into Israel, then we'll have to hold him accountable for every rocket that is fired from Gaza, to Israel."Netanyahu mentioned that he hopes "that this pact is dissolved and we can find a way to return to genuine negotiations with a genuine peace partner.""We both face rogue states"Echoing his comments to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in their meeting on Monday, Netanyahu remarked on the danger posed to both Israel and Japan by "a rogue state arming itself with nuclear weapons." In Japan's case the rogue state is North Korea."We obviously sympathize and understand the predicament facing you. We are faced with such a rogue state in the form of Iran and its quest to develop nuclear weapons," said Netanyahu.Noting a UN report which on Monday revealed Iran's methods of evading the sanctions that were imposed on it, Netanyahu called the report "another example of how Iran continues to deceive the world and advance its nuclear program." "Clearly the Ayatollahs cannot be trusted, and if the international community wants to avoid the specter of nuclear terrorism, they must assure that Iran, the foremost sponsor of terrorism on the planet, not have the capability to develop nuclear weapons," stated Netanyahu."This is our number one concern but I think it should be shared by everyone who is concerned by the proliferation of nuclear terrorism and nuclear weapons," concluded the prime minister.In Monday's meeting with Abe, the two prime ministers "affirmed the importance of bilateral defense cooperation", according to an official statement. "They agreed on the visit of officers of the Japan Self-Defense Forces to Israel.""We both have overcome hardships"Netanyahu and his wife Sarah also met with Japanese Emperor Akihito and his wife Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday.Kyoto Shimbun reports that Netanyahu said "Japan and Israel share the common feature of having overcome hardships," referring to the Holocaust and the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the close of World War II.Emperor Akihito agreed, adding "the Holocaust was a very heartbreaking event."The natural disaster that struck Tohoku in eastern Japan in 2011, when an earthquake and tsunami wrought massive damage including damage on nuclear reactors, was also discussed. Over 15,000 deaths were reported in the national tragedy; at the time Israel sent an IDF medical team to the affected area.Akihito remarked "we are very grateful for the various forms of support we received from Israel at the time of the disaster," reports Sankei News.Netanyahu responded by saying "not only the government, but also (Israeli) citizens who witnessed the great tragedy gave their heartfelt assistance," to which the Emperor emphasized "we are very thankful for those feelings."
Liberman: Israel won’t cede religious sites during papal visit-In first meeting of high-level defense committee, foreign minister further says Palestinians don’t want peace-By Marissa Newman May 13, 2014, 6:34 pm-The Times of Israel
Israel will not hand over sovereignty of select Christian religious sites during the pope’s upcoming visit, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said Tuesday, dispelling rumors of an imminent deal between Israel and the Vatican.Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews rallied against the ongoing negotiation between Israel and the Vatican outside a sensitive site on Mount Zion, sacred to Christians, Jews, and Muslims on Monday evening.While no official announcement has been made, negotiations between Israel and the Vatican are ongoing, and President Shimon Peres told an Italian newspaper during a visit to the Vatican last April that a compromise had been reached on the Cenacle site, and that “99 percent” of the issues concerning the site had been addressed.The building houses both the site revered by Jews as the tomb of the Biblical King David and, above it, the room believed by Christians to have been the site of the Last Supper.“The State of Israel has no intention of signing with the Vatican, during the pope’s coming visit, on an agreement to transfer the responsibility of sites like these or others, or other gestures,” Liberman said.Speaking at the first Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting after a six-month impasse, Liberman briefed its members on the pressing security issues facing Israel, including the suspended peace talks and Iran.Liberman charged Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas with being more concerned with his political standing than with securing a viable peace agreement, and said the Palestinians will not accept a deal regardless of whatever concessions Israel would be prepared to offer.He maintained that the current peace talks stalemate would likely continue due to the PA president’s preoccupation with his legacy, he said.“[Abbas] has no interest in reaching an agreement with Israel, regardless of what Israel offers him,” he said. “More than what Ehud Barak and Olmert gave, it’s impossible to give, and then too he refused. What is important to Abu Mazen [Abbas] today is just the legacy he leaves behind.”In a veiled criticism of the prime minister, Liberman said, “The State of Israel has not yet used the tools at its disposal to deal with the unilateral steps the Palestinians have taken until now,” in a reference to Abbas’s appeal to 15 United Nations agencies. The Palestinians are nevertheless wary of applying to international organizations due to fears that US funding would be pulled in response, he added.Yet despite Palestinian concerns and protestations with regard to their budget, Abbas continues to grant monthly stipends to security prisoners that amount to tens of millions, Liberman said.With regard to Iran, the foreign minister decried the international community’s general approach to threats, “which is to contain the threats and avoid as much possible from dealing with them.”As it stands, Iran will likely come out of the negotiations retaining much of its nuclear capabilities, which will establish the country “as a [nuclear] threshold state that can break out the bomb in a short time,” Liberman maintained.“This is a troubling state of affairs, but regardless it looks like the permanent agreement will be signed in September of this year,” he added.The foreign minister also alluded to new legislation that would make it impossible to free prisoners who have been sentenced to life in prison, targeting Israel’s practice of freeing prisoners in peace negotiations with the Palestinians. The bill – sponsored by Jewish Home MK Ayelet Shaked and Hatnua MK David Tzur, is set to go to the Knesset for a first reading.“It’s time the prime minister brings the conclusions of the Shamgar Commission to a cabinet decision, to adopt those recommendations,” he said.The Shamgar Commission has in the past made recommendations similar to the provisions of the bill that is currently set to be voted on.On his first day in the position, the new chairman of the committee, Ze’ev Elkin, pledged to balance his group’s commitment to foreign and defense issues.
“We have an excellent Foreign Ministry that isn’t always sufficiently prepared. From my experience with the ministry, I know that foreign affairs are an integral part of defense affairs. As chairman of the committee, I intend to invest in foreign [affairs], no less than in the defense issues.”AFP and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Hagel touches down in Saudi Arabia for talks on Iran, Syria-US defense secretary expected to reassure Gulf leaders on deal with Tehran before visits to Israel, Jordan-By AFP May 13, 2014, 5:00 pm-The Times of Israel
US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in the Saudi Arabia Tuesday for the first leg of a regional tour focusing on Iran’s nuclear program and Syria’s civil war.Hagel will hold talks with Saudi officials, and on Wednesday, he will meet Gulf Cooperation Council defense ministers in the first US-GCC meeting of its kind since 2008.An AFP photographer said Hagel’s plane touched down in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, ahead of a planned tour that US officials said will also take him to Jordan and Israel.“This trip will be the secretary’s third to the Middle East in just over a year, and it will advance America’s regional strategy in that region,” Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said last week.US officials have struggled to reassure Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, over an interim nuclear deal with Iran that the Saudis worry will embolden Tehran.The energy-rich GCC has also been dissatisfied with Washington’s cautious approach to arming rebel forces in Syria.Kirby last week said the US-GCC meeting will namely offer Hagel a chance “to underscore US security commitments in the Middle East and to reinforce the United States’ unstinting policy of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and further destabilizing the region.”The gathering will also focus on coordinating “air and missile defense, maritime security and cyber defense,” he said.After his stop in Saudi Arabia, Hagel will head to Jordan for talks on the raging civil war in its neighboring Syria.“This visit will highlight the US commitment to the defense of Jordan, where more than 1,000 US personnel are on the ground working closely with Jordanian defense authorities,” Kirby said.Hagel will wrap up his regional tour in Israel for talks with top officials and to discuss efforts to bolster Israel’s rocket and missile defenses, Kirby said.The tour is part of “our effort to work in a coordinated manner with allies and partners across the region to address common security challenges,” according to the press secretary.
Foreign Minister Urges Knesset to Make Decision on PA Policy-Liberman slams wishy-washiness in Israeli policy toward terrorist releases after last-minute rejection of landmark bill.By Tova Dvorin-First Publish: 5/13/2014, 1:03 PM-IsraelNationalNews
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) called on the Israeli government to examine the Shamgar Commission’s rulings Tuesday, in response to continued crisis in the coalition over the possible release of more Palestinian Arab terrorists."The Shamgar Commission’s conclusions are a systematic treatise to how to act in this situation,” Liberman noted, “and everyone agreed at the time that there should be certain policy guidelines.”“All of this releasing terrorists started when we made the administrative decision to exchange our captives for terrorists,” he continued. “Whenever we released terrorists to Hamas control in Gaza, we had to make a similar ‘gesture’ to [PA Chairman Mahmoud] Abbas so as not to weaken our relationship with him.” The Shamgar Commission, headed by former Supreme Court President Meir Shamgar, filed recommendations in 2012, regarding prisoner releases in the context of negotiations for captives like Gilad Shalit. As Former IDF Chief Rabbi Avihai Ronski noted in October, the Commission warned against terrorist releases as a matter of state policy. Liberman also slammed the hypocrisy of Abbas, who has made several statements to the media decrying the abysmal state of the PA’s budget on the one hand, and paid thousands of dollars to convicted terrorists on another. “We were wrong in the message that we give to the Palestinians,” Liberman stated. “One day we announce that that we’re stopping with ‘gestures’ and begin to collect their debts - but over the next week, we tell them that we’ll return the money we decided to collect ‘and it will be fine.'” Liberman's remarks have also been seen as an indirect response to a storm in the Knesset overnight, after Science and Technology Minister Ya'akov Perry (Yesh Atid) filed an appeal to a landmark bill enforcing life sentences for terrorists.The bill changes one of the Basic Laws of Israel, which form the basis for the formation and role of Israel's institutions, and the relations between the state's different ministries and authorities.The Basic Law of the President of the State, passed in 1964, allows the President to pardon all convicted criminals - at least until now.The new amendment would change this rule, preventing any convicted terrorist from being pardoned for his crimes under certain conditions. The amendment seeks to allow the judges of the court during trials for nationalist murders, terrorist activity or any other heinous crime, to negate at the time of sentencing the possibility of providing future amnesty.But Perry's appeal would severely limit the Knesset's ability to advance the bill into law, essentially burying it before it can be brought to the Cabinet for approval.
