LUKE 21:28-29
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
IDF’s largest-ever aerial exercise takes off, with India on board-In first, New Delhi sends aircraft to 11-day Blue Flag drill, aimed at improving technical skills, diplomatic cooperation-By Judah Ari Gross-NOV 5,17
Air forces from nine countries on Sunday kicked off the Blue Flag exercise in southern Israel — the largest aerial exercise ever held by the Israel Defense Forces.Teams from India, the United States, Greece, Poland, France, Italy and Germany are taking part in the exercise, along with Israel and an eighth country unidentified by the IDF.It is the first time that India is taking part in the biennial exercise, a sign of the improving military ties between Jerusalem and New Delhi.The Indian Air Force sent a C-130J transport plane. Other countries sent fighter jets, transport planes and refueling aircraft.According to the IDF, more than a thousand people — including pilots, commanders and technical personnel — are taking part in the 11-day exercise.The exercise is being held out of the Israeli Air Force’s Ovda base, north of Eilat.“The participating nations arrived in Israel in their own aircraft and will practice different situations and scenarios,” the IDF said.The countries will square off against the IDF’s so-called Red Squadron, which acts as an enemy force in exercises.According to the army, the goal of the exercise is to both improve technical ability and to strengthen the “diplomatic cooperation between the countries.”It is Israel’s third time hosting the international biennial Blue Flag exercise, beginning in 2013, with it growing larger each time.The planning for the 2017 exercise began approximately a year ago, the IDF said.This year, the military scaled back the amount of time the planes will be flying and the areas in which they will operate “in order to not interfere with civilian flights to Eilat,” the army said.The IDF stressed that Blue Flag is not tied to any particular ongoing security situation.The military also said that people should not be alarmed by increased aerial activity.
Nikki Haley: Unless UN rights council reforms, US is out-In speech to Israeli Americans rapping the UN, American envoy says she won't allow repeat of Obama's 'betrayal' of Israel-By Ron Kampeas-NOV 5,17
WASHINGTON (JTA) — The United States is ready to pull out of the UN Human Rights Council unless it institutes reforms, including removing Israel as a permanent item on its agenda, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told an Israeli American audience.“The Human Rights Council will either adopt these reforms, or the United States will leave,” Haley said to applause at the annual Washington conference of the Israeli American Council.Haley said US proposed reforms include removing “Item 7,” which requires a report on Israeli actions in the West Bank each time the panel convenes. She said the United States also wanted structural changes that would keep major human rights abusers from joining the council; she noted the Democratic Republic of Congo’s recent ascension to the council.Haley said the US delegation was endeavoring to keep unpublished a list the United Nations Human Rights Council is compiling of companies doing business with West Bank settlements. Israel and the United States see the list as a blacklist for boycotters.She described one of the Obama administration’s last acts — allowing through a UN Security Council resolution condemning settlements — as a “betrayal” of Israel.At the time the resolution was allowed through — last December — Haley, who was then governor of South Carolina,said she swore then that if she were confirmed as ambassador, she would always stand by Israel.“As long as I was US ambassador, such an at of betrayal would never happen again,” she said, again earning loud applause.She noted that the Trump administration also has differences with Israel over its settlement policy, but said it was counterproductive to have those arguments in public.“Friends can have disagreements and still be friends,” she said.
With Hariri’s resignation, Lebanon now a full on Iranian proxy for all to see-Lebanese PM's decision to step down comes as little surprise, given his father's fate when he fell afoul of Hezbollah and its patrons in Tehran and Damascus-By Avi Issacharoff-4 November 2017
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s resignation announcement in Saudi Arabia on Saturday came as a huge surprise, but perhaps it shouldn’t have. Nor his condemnations of Iran’s involvement in Lebanon through its proxy Hezbollah.Lebanon became an Iranian protectorate a number of years ago, a client state for all intents and purposes controlled by Iran through Hezbollah, the most powerful terror group in the entire Middle East.Iran, together with Bashar Assad’s Syria and Hezbollah, were responsible for the assassination of Saad Hariri’s father Rafik Hariri, who was killed in February 2005 only a few months after stepping down as prime minister. His son would like to avoid the same fate.The only truly surprising aspect of Saad Hariri’s resignation was that he agreed to be appointed prime minister last December. It is difficult to know what was going through Hariri’s head when he consented to the request of Michel Aoun, Lebanon’s pro-Hezbollah president, to take on the task of forming a government.Hariri knew full well who was responsible for the murder of his father and that own his life was in danger if he did not do as Hezbollah said. He also understood that the Shiite terror group controls nearly every aspect of the Lebanese state and that his own political camp, the March 14 Alliance, was becoming a persecuted minority within a system entirely dependent on Iran’s grace.It is not entirely clear what prompted Hariri to step down now. Following his resignation announcement, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Arabiya news station reported that just days ago a plot was thwarted to assassinate Hariri.According to these reports, the fear he was being targeted for assassination prompted Hariri to leave Beirut on Friday and move to his home away from home in Saudi Arabia, where he was born.The claims about the plot to assassinate Hariri and Iran’s involvement in it were, as expected, denied by Iran.At a press conference he held Saturday in Riyadh, Hariri launched a fierce attack against Iran and Hezbollah, accusing them of blatant interference in Lebanon’s affairs and forcibly taking over the country.In the current Lebanese political reality, the last thing that should come as a surprise is the notion that Hezbollah was planning another political assassination.Over the last 11 months, Hariri became a fig-leaf for Hezbollah. As one of the main leaders of the opposition, his appointment as prime minister ostensibly proved Lebanon was maintaining its independence vis-a-vis Iran.Now, however, the charade is over, and Lebanon remains as it was without the disguise — pro-Iranian, pro-Syrian, and with Hezbollah firmly in control. The Lebanese president is considered to be an Iranian and Hezbollah appointment, the Lebanese army is cooperating and coordinating with Hezbollah, and the Shiite terror group does whatever it likes in Lebanon.It is likely that the Saudis had an influential role in Hariri’s decision to resign. To put it mildly, the Saudis were not enamored with Hariri’s choice to accept the post of prime minister less than a year ago.It is also very likely that the report on the plot to assassinate Hariri, whether real or not, came from the direction of Riyadh, although perhaps — and only perhaps — it came from a few Western intelligence services.Hezbollah is not remotely likely to change its ways following Hariri’s resignation. Indeed, it may do the opposite. The Shiite organization has long abandoned the pretense that it is not heavily influenced by Iran, and does not try to hide the fact that it receives its financial support and its marching orders from Tehran.The only inconvenience Hezbollah is likely to face is in the case of a renewed escalation between Israel and Lebanon/Hezbollah.With Lebanon/Hezbollah stripped of its Hariri fig leaf, Israel is likely to enjoy a greater degree of international legitimacy to wage an uncompromising campaign in a future conflict against what is, again, now rightly recognized as the Middle East’s strongest terror group. Today’s thoroughly unmasked Hezbollah, after all, is a state-backed (Iran), state-dominating (Lebanon), terrorist army that makes the Islamic State look like a bunch of Boy Scouts.
Palestinian arrested with knife near settlement-Soldiers interrogate suspect, who was spotted approaching Mevo Dotan in the northern West Bank-By TOI staff-NOV 5,17
Israeli soldiers on Sunday arrested a Palestinian man who was carrying a knife in the northern West Bank.The men was approaching the Jewish settlement of Mevo Dotan with the knife in his hand when he was spotted by the soldiers, the Israel Defense Forces said.He was arrested after the soldiers ordered him to surrender.The IDF said the suspect was interrogated at the scene.The army did not provide any details on the Palestinian’s identity nor his suspected intentions.
Ministers back bill allowing companies to sue BDS without proof of damages-After High Court strikes down portion of law, lawmakers seek to bypass ruling by tweaking legisation-By Marissa Newman-NOV 5,17
Ministers approve a bill allowing Israeli companies to sue boycott activists for a maximum sum of NIS 100,000 without proof of damage.The proposal by Likud MK Yoav Kisch — and backed by Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan — seeks to bypass a High Court of Justice ruling that disqualified portions of Israel’s anti-boycott law that sought punitive damages.In the current revision, the companies are allowed to seek damages without citing evidence they were hurt financially by the boycott campaigns, in a move the authors of the bill likened to similar Israeli laws on copyrights. That distinction from punitive damages would satisfy the court’s demands for the law, as laid out in its ruling, the authors opined.In a tweet, Erdan says he was “proud” the Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved the bill, giving it coalition support.“After it is approved, the law will be an effective tool to fight boycott activists against Israel,” he says.
Trump: ‘No dictator’ should underestimate US resolve-US president kicks off 5-day tour of Asia with thinly veiled reference to North Korea, says meeting with Putin 'expected'-By Jim Watson and Jerome Cartillier-NOV 5,17
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFP) — US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that “no dictator” should underestimate the United States, in a thinly veiled reference to North Korea, which is likely to dominate his Asian tour.Speaking to cheering servicemen at Yokota Air Base just west of Tokyo, Trump donned a military jacket offered to him and issued a threat that “no one, no dictator, no regime and no nation should underestimate… American resolve.”“Every once in a while in the past, they underestimated us. It was not pleasant for them, was it?” roared Trump.“We will never yield, never waver and never falter in defense of our people, our freedom and our great American flag.”Trump’s marathon trip comes with the North Korea crisis at fever pitch, with US bombers running sorties over the Korean peninsula and fears mounting of another Pyongyang missile test.The president’s first stops are Japan and South Korea — frontline US allies in the effort to force Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear program, and the two countries with most to fear should a full-scale conflict break out.-Golfing buddies-Trump touched down under clear blue Tokyo skies and stepped out with his wife Melania in bright sunshine to greet the crowds.Speaking to reporters on the plane, he announced he would likely be meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin during the tour, as the international community battles for a solution to the North Korean missile crisis.“I think it’s expected we’ll meet with Putin, yeah. We want Putin’s help on North Korea, and we’ll be meeting with a lot of different leaders,” said Trump.He added that North Korea was a “big problem for our country and for the world, and we want to get it solved” but had kind words for the people in the hermit state.“I think they’re great people. They’re industrious. They’re warm, much warmer than the world really knows or understands. They’re great people. And I hope it all works out for everybody,” he said.The next stop for Trump is a golfing date with his “friend” Shinzo Abe, prime minister of Japan, which has seen missiles fired over its northern island amid threats by Pyongyang to “sink” it into the sea.Trump and Abe enjoy a close personal relationship and the three-day Japan leg of the trip is noticeably relaxed, with the two leaders being serenaded by wacky internet sensation Pikotaro after their nine holes.The Japanese leader has emerged strengthened from a crushing victory in a snap election and has firmly supported Trump in his policy of exerting maximum pressure on Kim, backed up with the threat of military force.“I want to further cement the bond of the Japan-US alliance, based on our relations of trust and friendship with President Trump,” said Abe as Trump arrived.Trump for his part described Japan as a “treasured partner and crucial ally of the US.”“Trump only has to play golf in Japan, as he knows Japan will follow (the US) whatever happens. Everything has been sorted out beforehand,” Tetsuro Kato, political scientist at Tokyo’s Hitotsubashi University, told AFP.-‘Appeasement’While Trump has been in regular contact with the hawkish Abe during the North Korean missile crisis, he pointedly failed to speak to South Korean President Moon Jae-in for several days after Pyongyang’s second intercontinental ballistic missile test in July.Analysts point to Abe and Moon’s contrasting approaches to the crisis as an underlying factor, although both leaders will be hoping to press Trump into reaffirming Washington’s steadfast commitment to their defence.Trump labelled Moon’s approach as “appeasement” on Twitter, a comment that did not go down well in the Blue House.“The two sides have subtle differences in their positions,” said Kim Hyun-Wook, a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy. Trump will not follow the well-trodden path to the De-Militarized Zone dividing the Korean peninsula — a visit derided in Washington as a bit of a “cliche.”From Seoul, Trump travels to China to meet his counterpart Xi Jinping who, like Abe, has solidified his grip on power, after being handed a second term.Trump said before his trip that China could have a “big problem” with “warrior nation” Japan if the North Korea issue is not solved.He then travels to an APEC summit in Vietnam before heading to a ASEAN gathering of Southeast Asian leaders.Some observers were fretting that a gaffe by the famously ad-lib president could send tensions rising on the peninsula.“It will be a disaster if he speaks off the cuff and without thinking,” said professor Koo Kab-Woo from the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.“If Trump says anything that can provoke North Korea, it could send military tensions soaring again.”
Billionaire prince among dozens arrested in Saudi sweep-Authorities don't say why Alwaleed bin Talal, whose company holds stakes in large Western firms, was scooped up in anti-corruption probe-By Abdullah Al-Shihri and Aya Batrawy-NOV 5,17
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia has arrested dozens of princes and former officials, including a well-known billionaire with extensive holdings in Western companies, as part of a sweeping anti-corruption probe that further cements control in the hands of its young crown prince.A high-level employee at Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding Co. told The Associated Press that the royal was among those detained overnight Saturday. The employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of repercussions, said he received calls from several security bodies notifying him of the arrest.The surprise arrests, which also reportedly include two of the late King Abdullah’s sons, were being hailed by pro-government media outlets as the greatest sign yet that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is serious about reforming the country, which has long been plagued by allegations of corruption at the highest levels of government. The moves come barely two weeks after Saudi Arabia hosted a major investment conference.Analysts suggested the corruption probe, which targeted key members of the royal family, was a show of force by the crown prince, aimed at undermining any potential rivals.A Saudi government official with close ties to security says 11 princes and 38 former government ministers, deputies and businessmen are being held in five-star hotels across the capital, Riyadh. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.The scale of the arrests is unprecedented in Saudi Arabia, where senior royals and their business associates have long been viewed as untouchable and seemingly operate above the law. Saudi nationals have long complained of rampant corruption in government and of public funds being squandered or misused by people in power.It is not clear what Prince Alwaleed or others are being investigated for.The prince is one of the Middle East’s richest people. His many investments include Twitter, Apple, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., Citigroup, and the Four Seasons, Fairmont and Movenpick hotel chains. He is also an investor in ride-sharing services Lyft and Careem, both competitors to Uber in the US and the Middle East, respectively.The prince, often pictured on his 85.65-meter (281 foot) superyacht in the Mediterranean, is among the most outspoken Saudi royals and a longtime advocate for women’s rights. He is also majority owner of the popular Rotana Group of Arabic channels.The Associated Press reached out overnight to Kingdom Holding for comment. There was no response as of Sunday morning.The Finance Ministry said in a statement the anti-corruption probe “opens a new era of transparency and accountability,” enhances confidence in the rule of law and improves the kingdom’s investment climate.The kingdom’s top council of clerics issued a statement saying it is an Islamic duty to fight corruption— essentially giving religious backing to the high-level arrests being reported. And a top royal court official, Badr al-Asaker, on Sunday appeared to confirm the arrests on Twitter, describing a “historic and black night against the corrupt.”News of the arrests broke within hours of King Salman announcing the formation of a new anti-corruption committee headed by his son, the 32-year-old crown prince.The king also ousted Prince Miteb bin Abdullah from his post as head of the National Guard overnight. The prince is reportedly among those detained in the sweep, as is his brother, Prince Turki bin Abdullah, who was once governor of Riyadh. Both are sons of the late King Abdullah, who ruled before his half brother King Salman.Saudi Twitter accounts released several other names of those arrested, such as: Alwalid al-Ibrahim, a powerful Saudi businessman with ties to the royal family who runs the Arabic satellite group MBC; Amr al-Dabbagh, the former head of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority; Ibrahim Assaf, the former finance minister; and Bakr Binladin, head of the Saudi Binladin Group, a major business conglomerate.Reports suggested those detained were being held in the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh, which only days earlier hosted the major investment conference. The phone number for the hotel had been disconnected by Sunday morning and a Dubai-based spokeswoman for the hotel chain did not respond to a request for comment.The government said the anti-corruption committee has the right to issue arrest warrants, impose travel restrictions and freeze bank accounts. It can also trace funds, prevent the transfer of funds or the liquidation of assets, and take other precautionary measures until cases are referred to the judiciary.Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a research fellow at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, said the arrests are designed to further smooth the crown prince’s eventual succession to the throne.“As a leader who is set to remain in power for decades, Mohammed bin Salman is remaking the kingdom in his own image and signaling a potentially significant move away from the consensual balancing of competing interests that characterized Saudi rule in the past,” Ulrichsen said.Prince Miteb was replaced by a lesser known royal, Prince Khalid bin Ayyaf al-Muqrin, to head the National Guard— a prestigious force tasked with protecting the royal family, as well as important holy sites in Mecca and Medina, and oil and gas sites.Prince Miteb was once considered a contender for the throne. Just three months ago, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef was plucked from the line of succession and from his post as interior minister, overseeing internal security.The arrests came as Lebanon’s prime minister, a close Saudi ally, announced his own resignation from the Saudi capital.Saudi Arabia then said its forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Iran-backed rebels in Yemen toward one of the kingdom’s major international airports on the outskirts of Riyadh. A Saudi-led coalition launched a war against the Houthi rebels and their allies in March 2015 that grinds on today. A wave of airstrikes hit the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, overnight, apparently launched in response to the missile.The missile fire drew an immediate rebuke from US President Donald Trump.“A shot was just taken by Iran, in my opinion, at Saudi Arabia. And our system knocked it down,” Trump said, referring to the Patriot missile batteries Saudi Arabia has purchased from the US.Trump’s son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner and others made an unannounced trip recently to Riyadh. Trump earlier Saturday said he spoke to King Salman about listing the kingdom’s massive state-run oil company, Saudi Aramco, in the United States.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
IDF’s largest-ever aerial exercise takes off, with India on board-In first, New Delhi sends aircraft to 11-day Blue Flag drill, aimed at improving technical skills, diplomatic cooperation-By Judah Ari Gross-NOV 5,17
Air forces from nine countries on Sunday kicked off the Blue Flag exercise in southern Israel — the largest aerial exercise ever held by the Israel Defense Forces.Teams from India, the United States, Greece, Poland, France, Italy and Germany are taking part in the exercise, along with Israel and an eighth country unidentified by the IDF.It is the first time that India is taking part in the biennial exercise, a sign of the improving military ties between Jerusalem and New Delhi.The Indian Air Force sent a C-130J transport plane. Other countries sent fighter jets, transport planes and refueling aircraft.According to the IDF, more than a thousand people — including pilots, commanders and technical personnel — are taking part in the 11-day exercise.The exercise is being held out of the Israeli Air Force’s Ovda base, north of Eilat.“The participating nations arrived in Israel in their own aircraft and will practice different situations and scenarios,” the IDF said.The countries will square off against the IDF’s so-called Red Squadron, which acts as an enemy force in exercises.According to the army, the goal of the exercise is to both improve technical ability and to strengthen the “diplomatic cooperation between the countries.”It is Israel’s third time hosting the international biennial Blue Flag exercise, beginning in 2013, with it growing larger each time.The planning for the 2017 exercise began approximately a year ago, the IDF said.This year, the military scaled back the amount of time the planes will be flying and the areas in which they will operate “in order to not interfere with civilian flights to Eilat,” the army said.The IDF stressed that Blue Flag is not tied to any particular ongoing security situation.The military also said that people should not be alarmed by increased aerial activity.
Nikki Haley: Unless UN rights council reforms, US is out-In speech to Israeli Americans rapping the UN, American envoy says she won't allow repeat of Obama's 'betrayal' of Israel-By Ron Kampeas-NOV 5,17
WASHINGTON (JTA) — The United States is ready to pull out of the UN Human Rights Council unless it institutes reforms, including removing Israel as a permanent item on its agenda, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told an Israeli American audience.“The Human Rights Council will either adopt these reforms, or the United States will leave,” Haley said to applause at the annual Washington conference of the Israeli American Council.Haley said US proposed reforms include removing “Item 7,” which requires a report on Israeli actions in the West Bank each time the panel convenes. She said the United States also wanted structural changes that would keep major human rights abusers from joining the council; she noted the Democratic Republic of Congo’s recent ascension to the council.Haley said the US delegation was endeavoring to keep unpublished a list the United Nations Human Rights Council is compiling of companies doing business with West Bank settlements. Israel and the United States see the list as a blacklist for boycotters.She described one of the Obama administration’s last acts — allowing through a UN Security Council resolution condemning settlements — as a “betrayal” of Israel.At the time the resolution was allowed through — last December — Haley, who was then governor of South Carolina,said she swore then that if she were confirmed as ambassador, she would always stand by Israel.“As long as I was US ambassador, such an at of betrayal would never happen again,” she said, again earning loud applause.She noted that the Trump administration also has differences with Israel over its settlement policy, but said it was counterproductive to have those arguments in public.“Friends can have disagreements and still be friends,” she said.
With Hariri’s resignation, Lebanon now a full on Iranian proxy for all to see-Lebanese PM's decision to step down comes as little surprise, given his father's fate when he fell afoul of Hezbollah and its patrons in Tehran and Damascus-By Avi Issacharoff-4 November 2017
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s resignation announcement in Saudi Arabia on Saturday came as a huge surprise, but perhaps it shouldn’t have. Nor his condemnations of Iran’s involvement in Lebanon through its proxy Hezbollah.Lebanon became an Iranian protectorate a number of years ago, a client state for all intents and purposes controlled by Iran through Hezbollah, the most powerful terror group in the entire Middle East.Iran, together with Bashar Assad’s Syria and Hezbollah, were responsible for the assassination of Saad Hariri’s father Rafik Hariri, who was killed in February 2005 only a few months after stepping down as prime minister. His son would like to avoid the same fate.The only truly surprising aspect of Saad Hariri’s resignation was that he agreed to be appointed prime minister last December. It is difficult to know what was going through Hariri’s head when he consented to the request of Michel Aoun, Lebanon’s pro-Hezbollah president, to take on the task of forming a government.Hariri knew full well who was responsible for the murder of his father and that own his life was in danger if he did not do as Hezbollah said. He also understood that the Shiite terror group controls nearly every aspect of the Lebanese state and that his own political camp, the March 14 Alliance, was becoming a persecuted minority within a system entirely dependent on Iran’s grace.It is not entirely clear what prompted Hariri to step down now. Following his resignation announcement, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Arabiya news station reported that just days ago a plot was thwarted to assassinate Hariri.According to these reports, the fear he was being targeted for assassination prompted Hariri to leave Beirut on Friday and move to his home away from home in Saudi Arabia, where he was born.The claims about the plot to assassinate Hariri and Iran’s involvement in it were, as expected, denied by Iran.At a press conference he held Saturday in Riyadh, Hariri launched a fierce attack against Iran and Hezbollah, accusing them of blatant interference in Lebanon’s affairs and forcibly taking over the country.In the current Lebanese political reality, the last thing that should come as a surprise is the notion that Hezbollah was planning another political assassination.Over the last 11 months, Hariri became a fig-leaf for Hezbollah. As one of the main leaders of the opposition, his appointment as prime minister ostensibly proved Lebanon was maintaining its independence vis-a-vis Iran.Now, however, the charade is over, and Lebanon remains as it was without the disguise — pro-Iranian, pro-Syrian, and with Hezbollah firmly in control. The Lebanese president is considered to be an Iranian and Hezbollah appointment, the Lebanese army is cooperating and coordinating with Hezbollah, and the Shiite terror group does whatever it likes in Lebanon.It is likely that the Saudis had an influential role in Hariri’s decision to resign. To put it mildly, the Saudis were not enamored with Hariri’s choice to accept the post of prime minister less than a year ago.It is also very likely that the report on the plot to assassinate Hariri, whether real or not, came from the direction of Riyadh, although perhaps — and only perhaps — it came from a few Western intelligence services.Hezbollah is not remotely likely to change its ways following Hariri’s resignation. Indeed, it may do the opposite. The Shiite organization has long abandoned the pretense that it is not heavily influenced by Iran, and does not try to hide the fact that it receives its financial support and its marching orders from Tehran.The only inconvenience Hezbollah is likely to face is in the case of a renewed escalation between Israel and Lebanon/Hezbollah.With Lebanon/Hezbollah stripped of its Hariri fig leaf, Israel is likely to enjoy a greater degree of international legitimacy to wage an uncompromising campaign in a future conflict against what is, again, now rightly recognized as the Middle East’s strongest terror group. Today’s thoroughly unmasked Hezbollah, after all, is a state-backed (Iran), state-dominating (Lebanon), terrorist army that makes the Islamic State look like a bunch of Boy Scouts.
Palestinian arrested with knife near settlement-Soldiers interrogate suspect, who was spotted approaching Mevo Dotan in the northern West Bank-By TOI staff-NOV 5,17
Israeli soldiers on Sunday arrested a Palestinian man who was carrying a knife in the northern West Bank.The men was approaching the Jewish settlement of Mevo Dotan with the knife in his hand when he was spotted by the soldiers, the Israel Defense Forces said.He was arrested after the soldiers ordered him to surrender.The IDF said the suspect was interrogated at the scene.The army did not provide any details on the Palestinian’s identity nor his suspected intentions.
Ministers back bill allowing companies to sue BDS without proof of damages-After High Court strikes down portion of law, lawmakers seek to bypass ruling by tweaking legisation-By Marissa Newman-NOV 5,17
Ministers approve a bill allowing Israeli companies to sue boycott activists for a maximum sum of NIS 100,000 without proof of damage.The proposal by Likud MK Yoav Kisch — and backed by Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan — seeks to bypass a High Court of Justice ruling that disqualified portions of Israel’s anti-boycott law that sought punitive damages.In the current revision, the companies are allowed to seek damages without citing evidence they were hurt financially by the boycott campaigns, in a move the authors of the bill likened to similar Israeli laws on copyrights. That distinction from punitive damages would satisfy the court’s demands for the law, as laid out in its ruling, the authors opined.In a tweet, Erdan says he was “proud” the Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved the bill, giving it coalition support.“After it is approved, the law will be an effective tool to fight boycott activists against Israel,” he says.
Trump: ‘No dictator’ should underestimate US resolve-US president kicks off 5-day tour of Asia with thinly veiled reference to North Korea, says meeting with Putin 'expected'-By Jim Watson and Jerome Cartillier-NOV 5,17
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFP) — US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that “no dictator” should underestimate the United States, in a thinly veiled reference to North Korea, which is likely to dominate his Asian tour.Speaking to cheering servicemen at Yokota Air Base just west of Tokyo, Trump donned a military jacket offered to him and issued a threat that “no one, no dictator, no regime and no nation should underestimate… American resolve.”“Every once in a while in the past, they underestimated us. It was not pleasant for them, was it?” roared Trump.“We will never yield, never waver and never falter in defense of our people, our freedom and our great American flag.”Trump’s marathon trip comes with the North Korea crisis at fever pitch, with US bombers running sorties over the Korean peninsula and fears mounting of another Pyongyang missile test.The president’s first stops are Japan and South Korea — frontline US allies in the effort to force Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear program, and the two countries with most to fear should a full-scale conflict break out.-Golfing buddies-Trump touched down under clear blue Tokyo skies and stepped out with his wife Melania in bright sunshine to greet the crowds.Speaking to reporters on the plane, he announced he would likely be meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin during the tour, as the international community battles for a solution to the North Korean missile crisis.“I think it’s expected we’ll meet with Putin, yeah. We want Putin’s help on North Korea, and we’ll be meeting with a lot of different leaders,” said Trump.He added that North Korea was a “big problem for our country and for the world, and we want to get it solved” but had kind words for the people in the hermit state.“I think they’re great people. They’re industrious. They’re warm, much warmer than the world really knows or understands. They’re great people. And I hope it all works out for everybody,” he said.The next stop for Trump is a golfing date with his “friend” Shinzo Abe, prime minister of Japan, which has seen missiles fired over its northern island amid threats by Pyongyang to “sink” it into the sea.Trump and Abe enjoy a close personal relationship and the three-day Japan leg of the trip is noticeably relaxed, with the two leaders being serenaded by wacky internet sensation Pikotaro after their nine holes.The Japanese leader has emerged strengthened from a crushing victory in a snap election and has firmly supported Trump in his policy of exerting maximum pressure on Kim, backed up with the threat of military force.“I want to further cement the bond of the Japan-US alliance, based on our relations of trust and friendship with President Trump,” said Abe as Trump arrived.Trump for his part described Japan as a “treasured partner and crucial ally of the US.”“Trump only has to play golf in Japan, as he knows Japan will follow (the US) whatever happens. Everything has been sorted out beforehand,” Tetsuro Kato, political scientist at Tokyo’s Hitotsubashi University, told AFP.-‘Appeasement’While Trump has been in regular contact with the hawkish Abe during the North Korean missile crisis, he pointedly failed to speak to South Korean President Moon Jae-in for several days after Pyongyang’s second intercontinental ballistic missile test in July.Analysts point to Abe and Moon’s contrasting approaches to the crisis as an underlying factor, although both leaders will be hoping to press Trump into reaffirming Washington’s steadfast commitment to their defence.Trump labelled Moon’s approach as “appeasement” on Twitter, a comment that did not go down well in the Blue House.“The two sides have subtle differences in their positions,” said Kim Hyun-Wook, a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy. Trump will not follow the well-trodden path to the De-Militarized Zone dividing the Korean peninsula — a visit derided in Washington as a bit of a “cliche.”From Seoul, Trump travels to China to meet his counterpart Xi Jinping who, like Abe, has solidified his grip on power, after being handed a second term.Trump said before his trip that China could have a “big problem” with “warrior nation” Japan if the North Korea issue is not solved.He then travels to an APEC summit in Vietnam before heading to a ASEAN gathering of Southeast Asian leaders.Some observers were fretting that a gaffe by the famously ad-lib president could send tensions rising on the peninsula.“It will be a disaster if he speaks off the cuff and without thinking,” said professor Koo Kab-Woo from the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.“If Trump says anything that can provoke North Korea, it could send military tensions soaring again.”
Billionaire prince among dozens arrested in Saudi sweep-Authorities don't say why Alwaleed bin Talal, whose company holds stakes in large Western firms, was scooped up in anti-corruption probe-By Abdullah Al-Shihri and Aya Batrawy-NOV 5,17
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia has arrested dozens of princes and former officials, including a well-known billionaire with extensive holdings in Western companies, as part of a sweeping anti-corruption probe that further cements control in the hands of its young crown prince.A high-level employee at Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding Co. told The Associated Press that the royal was among those detained overnight Saturday. The employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of repercussions, said he received calls from several security bodies notifying him of the arrest.The surprise arrests, which also reportedly include two of the late King Abdullah’s sons, were being hailed by pro-government media outlets as the greatest sign yet that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is serious about reforming the country, which has long been plagued by allegations of corruption at the highest levels of government. The moves come barely two weeks after Saudi Arabia hosted a major investment conference.Analysts suggested the corruption probe, which targeted key members of the royal family, was a show of force by the crown prince, aimed at undermining any potential rivals.A Saudi government official with close ties to security says 11 princes and 38 former government ministers, deputies and businessmen are being held in five-star hotels across the capital, Riyadh. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.The scale of the arrests is unprecedented in Saudi Arabia, where senior royals and their business associates have long been viewed as untouchable and seemingly operate above the law. Saudi nationals have long complained of rampant corruption in government and of public funds being squandered or misused by people in power.It is not clear what Prince Alwaleed or others are being investigated for.The prince is one of the Middle East’s richest people. His many investments include Twitter, Apple, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., Citigroup, and the Four Seasons, Fairmont and Movenpick hotel chains. He is also an investor in ride-sharing services Lyft and Careem, both competitors to Uber in the US and the Middle East, respectively.The prince, often pictured on his 85.65-meter (281 foot) superyacht in the Mediterranean, is among the most outspoken Saudi royals and a longtime advocate for women’s rights. He is also majority owner of the popular Rotana Group of Arabic channels.The Associated Press reached out overnight to Kingdom Holding for comment. There was no response as of Sunday morning.The Finance Ministry said in a statement the anti-corruption probe “opens a new era of transparency and accountability,” enhances confidence in the rule of law and improves the kingdom’s investment climate.The kingdom’s top council of clerics issued a statement saying it is an Islamic duty to fight corruption— essentially giving religious backing to the high-level arrests being reported. And a top royal court official, Badr al-Asaker, on Sunday appeared to confirm the arrests on Twitter, describing a “historic and black night against the corrupt.”News of the arrests broke within hours of King Salman announcing the formation of a new anti-corruption committee headed by his son, the 32-year-old crown prince.The king also ousted Prince Miteb bin Abdullah from his post as head of the National Guard overnight. The prince is reportedly among those detained in the sweep, as is his brother, Prince Turki bin Abdullah, who was once governor of Riyadh. Both are sons of the late King Abdullah, who ruled before his half brother King Salman.Saudi Twitter accounts released several other names of those arrested, such as: Alwalid al-Ibrahim, a powerful Saudi businessman with ties to the royal family who runs the Arabic satellite group MBC; Amr al-Dabbagh, the former head of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority; Ibrahim Assaf, the former finance minister; and Bakr Binladin, head of the Saudi Binladin Group, a major business conglomerate.Reports suggested those detained were being held in the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh, which only days earlier hosted the major investment conference. The phone number for the hotel had been disconnected by Sunday morning and a Dubai-based spokeswoman for the hotel chain did not respond to a request for comment.The government said the anti-corruption committee has the right to issue arrest warrants, impose travel restrictions and freeze bank accounts. It can also trace funds, prevent the transfer of funds or the liquidation of assets, and take other precautionary measures until cases are referred to the judiciary.Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a research fellow at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, said the arrests are designed to further smooth the crown prince’s eventual succession to the throne.“As a leader who is set to remain in power for decades, Mohammed bin Salman is remaking the kingdom in his own image and signaling a potentially significant move away from the consensual balancing of competing interests that characterized Saudi rule in the past,” Ulrichsen said.Prince Miteb was replaced by a lesser known royal, Prince Khalid bin Ayyaf al-Muqrin, to head the National Guard— a prestigious force tasked with protecting the royal family, as well as important holy sites in Mecca and Medina, and oil and gas sites.Prince Miteb was once considered a contender for the throne. Just three months ago, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef was plucked from the line of succession and from his post as interior minister, overseeing internal security.The arrests came as Lebanon’s prime minister, a close Saudi ally, announced his own resignation from the Saudi capital.Saudi Arabia then said its forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Iran-backed rebels in Yemen toward one of the kingdom’s major international airports on the outskirts of Riyadh. A Saudi-led coalition launched a war against the Houthi rebels and their allies in March 2015 that grinds on today. A wave of airstrikes hit the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, overnight, apparently launched in response to the missile.The missile fire drew an immediate rebuke from US President Donald Trump.“A shot was just taken by Iran, in my opinion, at Saudi Arabia. And our system knocked it down,” Trump said, referring to the Patriot missile batteries Saudi Arabia has purchased from the US.Trump’s son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner and others made an unannounced trip recently to Riyadh. Trump earlier Saturday said he spoke to King Salman about listing the kingdom’s massive state-run oil company, Saudi Aramco, in the United States.
