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.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST
FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the
firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of
the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
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.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
France looks to Egypt to push peace bid-Cairo welcomes Paris initiative but says details must be clarified first-By Times of Israel staff and Agencies March 3, 2016, 10:13 pm
A spokesperson for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Thursday that France is seeking help from Egypt to advance an initiative to renew Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.“There is no doubt that Egypt welcomes the French thought,” Abu Zeid said of his country’s position toward the French initiative. “However, there is still a need to review the details, to see how we can contribute to the conference for a new push of the peace process, and to address the key challenges facing the Palestinian issue.”In January, then French foreign minister Laurent Fabius announced plans by Paris for an international conference to “bring about the two-state solution” to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.France said that it would recognize a Palestinian state if fresh negotiation efforts failed to yield results.Hamas on Wednesday rejected the proposal.“The initiative is a bid to stop the ongoing Jerusalem intifada and cancel the Palestinian rights in Jerusalem and the right of return,” said a statement from the lslamist group, which rules the Gaza Strip.Hamas’s statement followed remarks by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday. He had voiced hope that the French initiative could lead to a solution reminiscent of the breakthrough talks on Iran’s nuclear deal.When the French initiative was first floated, only the PA expressed hope in the project.The announcement by Fabius in January was immediately followed by rejections from Israeli officials.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the initiative as “mystifying” and counterproductive, arguing that it gives Palestinians no incentive to compromise.
US, Israeli military chiefs stress cooperation to tackle challenges-Dunford’s second visit to the Jewish state in six months demonstrates the importance the relationship, he says-By Judah Ari Gross March 3, 2016, 6:09 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
Strong ties between Israel and US will be needed to confront the “instability in the region,” according to Defense Minster Moshe Ya’alon and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., who met in Tel Aviv on Thursday.“The thing that gives me confidence that we’ll actually be able to deal with these challenges is that we have partners and allies to help us,” Dunford told Ya’alon.It is the US general’s second official visit to Israel since taking his post in October. During that visit, Gen. Dunford, US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro and US military officials also met with IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and additional representatives of Israel’s defense community.This visit comes on the heels of Ya’alon’s announcement that a new 10-year military aid package from Washington is set to be finalized “in the coming weeks.”Dunford arrived in Israel early Thursday morning after a two-day visit to Afghanistan, where he attended the change of command ceremony for US and NATO forces in the country.This visit also coincides with the ongoing Juniper Cobra exercise, a large-scale joint Israeli-US missile defense drill that takes place every two years. The exercise is meant to prepare the two militaries for the threat of a missile attack, as well as allowing the armies to learn how to better work together-“This is your second trip in a very short time. Your visit now, including your visit to the Juniper Cobra exercise, which we are managing together, is another demonstration of the depth of the relationship between our armed forces and intelligence agencies,” Ya’alon said during their meeting in his office in the Defense Ministry’s headquarters.Dunford’s trip to Tel Aviv in mid-October 2015 was also his first official visit to a foreign country in his position, which he took over from Martin Dempsey on October 1.“My first visit overseas was [to Israel], and I appreciate the warm welcome I had. This is my second [visit] in a short period of time, and I think that reflects what you said — how important this relationship is,” Dunford told Ya’alon during their meeting.“The relationship between our two countries is about much more than just the military to military relationship, but I believe that’s one of the foundational elements,” he added.On Wednesday, officials confirmed US Vice President Joe Biden will visit Israel next week for high-level talks. The discussions are expected to include negotiations over the defense aid package, which officials have suggested may be finalized during a possible trip to the US by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later this month.Israel and the United States have been seeking to move past deep disagreement over the Iran nuclear accord, which Netanyahu strongly opposed, and work out a new long-term defense aid package for Israel that aims to preserve its qualitative military edge in the region.The US has either jointly developed or financed all three tiers in Israel’s missile defense program — Iron Dome (short-range missile interceptor), David’s Sling (medium range) and Arrow (long range).US military aid to Israel currently stands at $3 billion annually, a sum that, according to reports, Israel wants to up to $5 billion annually.Though some Israeli officials have reportedly threatened to hold out until US President Barack Obama leaves office in the hopes of securing a better deal, the package is expected to be finalized when Netanyahu visits the US later this month.As part of the new agreement, Israel in November was said to have completed its “shopping list” of desired American military materiel, which reportedly includes a request for V-22 Ospreys, planes believed capable of reaching Iran.Israel reportedly sought the V22s from the US in 2012 when contemplating a strike on Iran’s Fordo enrichment facility, but later decided not to purchase due to budgetary restraints.Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Trump hits back at ‘disaster candidate’ Mitt Romney-Former presidential nominee claims billionaire frontrunner unfit for the job; Trump: ‘He was begging me’ to endorse him in 2012-By Raoul Wootliff March 3, 2016, 10:38 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
Donald Trump hit back Thursday at criticism leveled against him by former Republican nominee Mitt Romney hours earlier, saying Romney had “begged” Trump to endorse him when he was running for president in 2012.Trump claimed he could have said, “‘Mitt, drop to your knees.’ He would have dropped to his knees.”Speaking at a campaign rally in Portland, Maine ahead of Saturday’s Republican caucus there, Trump repeatedly said of Romney, “He was begging me.”The barbs came in response to a speech delivered by Romney earlier Thursday, in which the former Massachusetts governor warned Republicans that Trump was a “phony,” a misogynist and dangerous..@realDonaldTrump says @MittRomney was begging him for an endorsement in 2012 pic.twitter.com/vfpPoJ2KLG-— POLITICO (@politico) March 3, 2016-In a nationally broadcast speech at the University of Utah, Romney said that the prospects for a safe future will be “greatly diminished” if Trump is to become the Republican nominee for president. He warned the packed auditorium that any of the other GOP candidates would be a better alternative to the billionaire businessman.“The only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront today, come from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich,” Romney said of Trump’s GOP rivals. “One of these men should be our nominee.”In his response, Trump said that Romney proved he was a “choke artist” and a “disaster candidate” when he lost the 2012 presidential race to Barack Obama, and that Romney had declined to run a third time this year because he was afraid of Trump.In a low blow, Trump added that he’s made considerably more money than Romney in his string of “Trump”-branded businesses.“I have a store worth more money than Mitt,” he said, likely referring to the the Gucci store on 5th Ave, the retail space of which is estimated as exceeding $300 million-In 2012, Romney’s net worth was estimated at $190–250 million.On the offensive following his speech and utilizing his fist major media coverage since losing the presidential race to Obama, Romney tweeted that if Trump had used the language and tone he does today in 2012, he would not have sought his endorsement.If Trump had said 4 years ago the things he says today about the KKK, Muslims, Mexicans, disabled, I would NOT have accepted his endorsement-— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) March 3, 2016-The back-and-forth comes as Republican candidates prepared for the first post-Super Tuesday debate, scheduled for Thursday in Detroit, with Trump coming under increasing pressure from his party as he fights for the majority of delegates needed to win the nomination.Four years ago, the two men stood side by side in Las Vegas, with Trump saying it was a “real honor and privilege” to endorse Romney’s White House bid. Accepting, Romney said it was a “delight” to have Trump on his side and praised him for ability to “understand how our economy works and to create jobs for the American people.”AP contributed to this report.
Mitt Romney says ‘phony’ Trump unfit for presidency-Former republican nominee lambasts billionaire businessman as party leaders scramble to put an end to his winning streak-By Steve Peoples and BRADY McCOMBS March 3, 2016, 7:50 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) — Speaking at the University of Utah, Romney said Thursday that the prospects for a safe future are “greatly diminished” if Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee for president. He warned the packed auditorium that any of the other GOP candidates would be a better alternative to the billionaire businessman.“The only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront today, come from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich,” Romney said of Trump’s GOP rivals. “One of these men should be our nominee.”Romney is charging into the increasingly divisive White House race with a verbal lashing of Donald Trump and a plea for fellow Republicans to shun the front-runner for the good of country and party.“His is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader. His imagination must not be married to real power,” Romney said.Romney branded Trump as “a phony, a fraud” whose “promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University” in his speech.Earlier Thursday, Trump dismissed Romney as “a stiff” who “didn’t know what he was doing” as the party’s candidate in 2012 and blew a chance to beat President Barack Obama. “People are energized by what I’m saying” in the campaign and turning out in remarkable numbers to vote, Trump told NBC’s “Today.”The back-and-forth comes as Republican candidates prepared for the first post-Super Tuesday debate, scheduled for Thursday in Detroit, with Trump coming under increasing pressure from his party as he fights for the majority of delegates needed to win the nomination.Thursday’s condemnation and counter was coming four years after the two men stood side by side in Las Vegas, with Trump saying it was a “real honor and privilege” to endorse Romney’s White House bid. Accepting, Romney said it was a “delight” to have Trump on his side and praised him for ability to “understand how our economy works and to create jobs for the American people.”Panicked GOP leaders say they still have options for preventing Trump from winning the GOP nomination — just not many good ones.Romney also said that a Trump nomination at the party’s convention in Cleveland in July would enable Democrat Hillary Clinton to win the presidency. He contended that Trump “has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president.”Romney’s involvement comes as party elites pore over complicated delegate math, outlining hazy scenarios for a contested convention and even flirting with the long-shot prospect of a third party option.Giving Romney the back of his hand, Trump turned his sights on the general election. His campaign reached out to House Speaker Paul Ryan’s office to arrange a conversation between the two men, and urged Republican leaders to view his candidacy as a chance to expand the party.Trump padded his lead with victories in seven Super Tuesday contests, with Texas Senator Ted Cruz claiming three states and Florida Senator Marco Rubio picking up his first victory of the 2016 race.Despite Trump’s strong night, he was not yet on track to claim the nomination before the party’s national gathering in July, according to an Associated Press delegate count. He has won 46 percent of the delegates awarded so far, and he would have to increase that to 51 percent in the remaining primaries.GOP strategists cast March 15 as the last opportunity to stop Trump through the normal path of winning states and collecting delegates. A win for Rubio in his home state of Florida would raise questions about Trump’s strength, as could a win for Kasich, Ohio’s governor, on his home turf.The candidates have a high-profile opportunity to make their case to voters in Thursday’s Fox News debate. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson all but ended his bid Wednesday, saying he would skip the debate and declaring he did “not see a political path forward.”The GOP mayhem contrasted sharply with a clearer picture on the Democratic side, where Hillary Clinton was drawing broad support from voters and her party’s leaders. Rival Senator Bernie Sanders vowed to keep up the fight, though his path to the nomination has become exceedingly narrow.Romney argues that Trump’s “domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe,” Romney says. “And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill.”The Associated Press has asked Republican governors and senators if they would support Trump if he becomes the party’s nominee. Of the 59 respondents, slightly fewer than half could not commit to backing him in November.One long-shot idea rumbling through power corridors in Washington was the prospect of a late third-party candidate to represent more mainstream conservatives. Former Texas Governor Rick Perry has been approached by “a mixture of people” about being part of a third-party bid, according to Jeff Miller, who managed Perry’s failed GOP presidential campaign. But Miller said Perry found the idea “ludicrous.”
Regulator seeks to curtail bankers’ ‘extravagant’ salaries-Bank Leumi boss made over $2 million in 2015, compared to average Israeli wage of $30,000-By Times of Israel staff March 3, 2016, 11:55 pm
In a new measure aimed at increasing transparency and competition in the financial sector, Bank of Israel Supervisor Hedva Ber on Thursday said she would push legislation aimed at curtailing the “extravagant” paychecks of banking tycoons.“The current salary standards have a negative impact on the public’s trust in the banks,” Ber said at finance conference in Tel Aviv, according to a report in the Globes business daily.According to the Globes report, Bank Leumi CEO Rakefet Russak-Aminoach took home NIS 8.12 million ($2.1 m) in 2015, while chairman David Brodet took home NIS 5.82 ($1.5 m).A 2013 Bank of Israel study found that 16 percent of bank employees (or over 7,000 people) earned between NIS 45,000 ($11,500) and NIS 80,000 ($21,000) a month.In contrast, the average monthly wage in Israel stood at NIS 9,688 ($2,500) as of November of last year, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics.According to Ber, the lack of competition in the industry and high salary costs — which amount to some NIS 18 billion annually — stand in the way of reducing the fees and interest rates that banks charge customers for services.At the conference, Ber said she intends to push for Knesset legislation that would ensure “appropriate” compensation for senior bankers, in accordance with a directive issued by the regulatory body last year.Since her appointment to the post last June, Ber has spearheaded a number of measures aimed at reforming consumer banking.In January, the Bank of Israel announced banks would be required to issue standardized ID cards to customers so they can easily read their bank balance, expenses and loan information. Since the ID cards are to have a standardized format, the cards will also make it easier for customers to compare competing offers by other banks side-by-side.The central bank also recently issued directives to banks requesting they review accounts held by their elderly or handicapped customers to make sure they were not paying excessive bank fees.Last year, Bank of Israel Governor Karnit Flug and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon agreed to form a committee headed by former antitrust commissioner Dror Strum, to explore ways to inject competition into Israel’s consumer banking.
US, Israeli military chiefs stress cooperation to tackle challenges-Dunford’s second visit to the Jewish state in six months demonstrates the importance the relationship, he says-By Judah Ari Gross March 3, 2016, 6:09 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
Strong ties between Israel and US will be needed to confront the “instability in the region,” according to Defense Minster Moshe Ya’alon and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., who met in Tel Aviv on Thursday.“The thing that gives me confidence that we’ll actually be able to deal with these challenges is that we have partners and allies to help us,” Dunford told Ya’alon.It is the US general’s second official visit to Israel since taking his post in October. During that visit, Gen. Dunford, US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro and US military officials also met with IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and additional representatives of Israel’s defense community.This visit comes on the heels of Ya’alon’s announcement that a new 10-year military aid package from Washington is set to be finalized “in the coming weeks.”Dunford arrived in Israel early Thursday morning after a two-day visit to Afghanistan, where he attended the change of command ceremony for US and NATO forces in the country.This visit also coincides with the ongoing Juniper Cobra exercise, a large-scale joint Israeli-US missile defense drill that takes place every two years. The exercise is meant to prepare the two militaries for the threat of a missile attack, as well as allowing the armies to learn how to better work together.“This is your second trip in a very short time. Your visit now, including your visit to the Juniper Cobra exercise, which we are managing together, is another demonstration of the depth of the relationship between our armed forces and intelligence agencies,” Ya’alon said during their meeting in his office in the Defense Ministry’s headquarters.Dunford’s trip to Tel Aviv in mid-October 2015 was also his first official visit to a foreign country in his position, which he took over from Martin Dempsey on October 1.“My first visit overseas was [to Israel], and I appreciate the warm welcome I had. This is my second [visit] in a short period of time, and I think that reflects what you said — how important this relationship is,” Dunford told Ya’alon during their meeting.“The relationship between our two countries is about much more than just the military to military relationship, but I believe that’s one of the foundational elements,” he added.On Wednesday, officials confirmed US Vice President Joe Biden will visit Israel next week for high-level talks. The discussions are expected to include negotiations over the defense aid package, which officials have suggested may be finalized during a possible trip to the US by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later this month.Israel and the United States have been seeking to move past deep disagreement over the Iran nuclear accord, which Netanyahu strongly opposed, and work out a new long-term defense aid package for Israel that aims to preserve its qualitative military edge in the region.The US has either jointly developed or financed all three tiers in Israel’s missile defense program — Iron Dome (short-range missile interceptor), David’s Sling (medium range) and Arrow (long range).US military aid to Israel currently stands at $3 billion annually, a sum that, according to reports, Israel wants to up to $5 billion annually.Though some Israeli officials have reportedly threatened to hold out until US President Barack Obama leaves office in the hopes of securing a better deal, the package is expected to be finalized when Netanyahu visits the US later this month.As part of the new agreement, Israel in November was said to have completed its “shopping list” of desired American military materiel, which reportedly includes a request for V-22 Ospreys, planes believed capable of reaching Iran.Israel reportedly sought the V22s from the US in 2012 when contemplating a strike on Iran’s Fordo enrichment facility, but later decided not to purchase due to budgetary restraints.Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Where Solomon mined, 3,000-year-old ‘fashion collection’ unearthed-Fabrics with ‘complex designs and beautiful dyes,’ preserved by uniquely arid conditions, found in Timna in southern Israel-By Raoul Wootliff February 24, 2016, 6:57 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
Archaeologists have unearthed an extensive fabric collection in the south of Israel dating back some 3,000 years to the biblical era of King David and Solomon, Tel Aviv University said Wednesday.The materials were uncovered in the Timna copper mines in the Arava Valley by an Tel Aviv University excavation team led by Dr. Erez Ben-Yosef. The finds are the first discovery of textiles dating from the era and include cloth of diverse color, design and origin, the archaeologists said.“No textiles (from this period) have ever been found at excavation sites like Jerusalem, Megiddo and Hazor, so this provides a unique window into an entire aspect of life from which we’ve never had physical evidence before,” Ben-Yosef said. “We found fragments of textiles that originated from bags, clothing, tents, ropes and cords.”The pieces of fabric, some only 5 x 5 centimeters in size, vary in color, weaving technique and ornamentation, the university said in a press release.“Some of these fabrics resemble textiles only known from the Roman era,” said Dr. Orit Shamir, a senior researcher at the Israel Antiquities Authority, who led the study of the fabrics themselves.The Timna Valley — now a national park — was a copper production district with thousands of mines and dozens of smelting sites, said by some to have been active during the reign of King Solomon. Fragments of furnaces, clothing, fabrics and rope and a number of food fragments were unearthed in a 2013 dig at the site whose findings were publicized Wednesday. The artifacts were dated to the 10th century BCE — the time during which, according to the bible, King Solomon ruled ancient Israel.Also found from the same period — as confirmed by radiocarbon dating — were unprecedented quantities of seeds from the Biblical “Seven Species” (the two grains and five fruits considered unique products of the Land of Israel).The mines are believed to have been operated by the semi-nomadic early Edomites, and the discoveries also offer insight into their complex society, said Ben-Yosef.“The wide variety of fabrics also provides new and important information about the Edomites, who, according to the Bible, warred with the Kingdom of Israel,” Ben-Yosef went on. “We found simply woven, elaborately decorated fabrics worn by the upper echelon of their stratified society. Luxury grade fabric adorned the highly skilled, highly respected craftsmen managing the copper furnaces. They were responsible for smelting the copper, which was a very complicated process.”The materials found at the site underlined that the copper mines were the “silicon valley” of their day, the university said in a press release. “Copper was used to produce tools and weapons and was the most valuable resource in ancient societies,” it said. Producing it was a highly complex process. “Miners in ancient Timna may have been slaves or prisoners… but the act of smelting, of turning stone into metal, required an enormous amount of skill and organization.”Added Ben-Yosef: “The possession of copper was a source of great power, much as oil is today. If a person had the exceptional knowledge to ‘create copper,’ he was considered well-versed in an extremely sophisticated technology. He would have been considered magical or supernatural, and his social status would have reflected this.”Thus, food, water and textiles had to be transported long distances through the desert and into the valley to the mines to support the copper industry.“The latest discovery of fabrics, many of which were made far from Timna in specialized textile workshops, provides a glimpse into the trade practices and regional economy of the day,” the university said.“We found linen, which was not produced locally. It was most likely from the Jordan Valley or Northern Israel. The majority of the fabrics were made of sheep’s wool, a cloth that is seldom found in this ancient period,” said TAU masters student Vanessa Workman. “This tells us how developed and sophisticated both their textile craft and trade networks must have been.”
IS ‘on the rise’ among Arab Israelis, with 34 indicted to date-40 Israelis have left to fight with Islamic State, report says; terror group working relentlessly to encourage a major attack here-By Times of Israel staff March 3, 2016, 8:57 pm
A total of 34 Israeli Arabs have been indicted for offenses related to activities on behalf of Islamic State, a TV report said Thursday, adding that the terror group was steadily growing in popularity in Israel.The Channel 10 report said Islamic State has been working relentlessly to encourage a major terrorist attack in Israel. It said IS has some 100 activists in Israel at present. The report referenced the January 1, 2016 killings of three Israelis in Tel Aviv by Israeli Arab Nashat Milhem, and a stabbing attack the same month by a Sudanese migrant in Israel, as having been inspired by Islamic State.It also said 40 Israeli Arabs have left Israel to join up with Islamic State forces, largely traveling via Turkey. Ten Palestinians are currently “missing” from Palestinian Authority areas and believed to have joined up with IS, it added.The TV report came on the same day that the Shin Bet security agency released details of an alleged plot by two Arab Israelis inspired by the Islamic State to attack IDF soldiers.Bahaa Eldin Ziad Hasan Masarwa, 19, and Ahmad Nabil Ahmad Ahmad, 21, were arrested in a joint operation by the Shin Bet and Israel Police earlier this year.During their interrogations, the two confessed to having been inspired by IS, the security service said.“Over the past few months the two began praying at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on a weekly basis, and during one of their trips the two decided to carry out a shooting attack against security forces,” the Shin Bet said in a statement.The pair were from northern Israeli cities, Masarwa from Yafia and Ahmad from Nazareth.The two planned to shoot IDF soldiers in the nearby Israeli city of Afula and had begun collecting money in order to purchase a pistol for the attack, the Shin Bet said.In 2014, three residents of Yafia entered Syria through Turkey and joined the Islamic State.Masarwa and Ahmad were indicted in a Nazareth District Court for conspiracy to commit a crime and aiding the enemy during wartime. In addition, Masarwa has been charged with contacting a foreign agent and making contact with a terrorist organization.
Gazan accused of planning attacks in Ukraine, Israel-Palestinian indicted in plot to kidnap soldiers, attack Israeli tourists and provide weapons to ‘IS-affiliated’ Israeli Arabs-By Raoul Wootliff March 3, 2016, 7:35 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
A Palestinian man from the the Gaza Strip stands accused of planning a series of terror attacks against Israelis, both in the country and abroad.The man was named as 31-year-old Sami Hamied, a Gaza native who has been living in Ukraine since 2010 and was arrested in January while trying to enter Israel from Jordan in an attempt to make his way to Gaza.A gag order on the details of the case was lifted with the filing of the indictment Thursday at the Beersheba District Court.According to the indictment, Hamied planned to attack Israeli tourists visiting Ukraine and assisted Hamas in preparations for attacks in Israel.One plot, which was not acted on, involved luring Israeli IDF officers into the Sinai using a prostitute as “bait.” According to the plan, Hamas-affiliated militants in the peninsula would kidnap the officers and transfer them to Gaza.Hamied is said to have collected information on Israeli tourist groups traveling to the Ukrainian city of Odessa and allegedly planned to carry out a shooting or bombing attack on a tour bus.The indictment also mentioned him assisting Hamas during the 2008-9 Gaza war, also known as Operation Cast Lead, and attempting to provide weapons to ‘Islamic State-affiliated’ Israeli Arabs.He has been indicted on several counts of terror activities, spying and falsifying documents.Arab media reported that Sami Hamied is the brother of Salam Hamied, a high-ranking commander in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.
Hamas man killed as Gaza tunnel collapses-Group blames Israel for cave-in, the seventh in recent months, amid redoubled efforts to dig across the border-By Times of Israel staff March 3, 2016, 8:28 pm
A tunnel being dug in Gaza under the aegis of the ruling Hamas group collapsed on Thursday, killing a member of the organization’s military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas said.The dead man was named as Muhammad Musa al Astal from Khan Younis.The tunnel caved in near the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades confirmed. It was the latest in a spate of such collapses. Only five days ago, another tunnel caved in near the Zeitoun neighborhood in the eastern part of the Strip, injuring five members of Hamas’s military wing.Members of Hamas accused Israel of collapsing the tunnel, saying they had seen soldiers on the Gaza border using liquid explosives and “causing small earthquakes” to bring down tunnels dug by the group.The past two months have seen seven tunnels collapse, most of them in the Khan Younis area, and two in Zeitoun.Around a month ago, the 23-year-old nephew of Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar was killed in a tunnel accident.Just before that, a tunnel collapsed in the area of Jabalia, in the north of the Palestinian enclave, after heavy rain and floods, killing seven excavators and injuring others.A system of tunnels has been dug by Hamas into Israel in order to facilitate cross-border attacks. During the 2014 Israel-Hamas war, Palestinian gunmen emerged from tunnels on several occasions to ambush IDF soldiers, killing several. Israel said it destroyed more than 30 tunnels during the 50-day conflict, about one-third of which extended beneath the Gaza border into Israel. Officials say Hamas has redoubled its efforts to dig across the border into Israel in recent months.Israel has spent over NIS one billion (some $250 million) since 2004 in attempts to thwart tunneling under the border, an Israeli TV report said last month. The money has gone toward developing technology to discover the locations of such tunnels and unspecified “operational efforts,” Channel 2 news said.Many other tunnels are used to smuggle goods and weapons in and out of the Strip through Rafah on the Egyptian border, in the face of Israel and Egypt’s naval blockade of the enclave and their strict supervision of land borders with the Strip.Egypt has created a buffer zone in the northern Sinai Peninsula, which it controls, destroying hundreds of tunnels leading in and out of the southern part of the Strip, sometimes by pumping sea water in. That border has remained largely closed since the overthrow of Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi of the Hamas-allied Muslim Brotherhood.
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.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
France looks to Egypt to push peace bid-Cairo welcomes Paris initiative but says details must be clarified first-By Times of Israel staff and Agencies March 3, 2016, 10:13 pm
A spokesperson for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Thursday that France is seeking help from Egypt to advance an initiative to renew Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.“There is no doubt that Egypt welcomes the French thought,” Abu Zeid said of his country’s position toward the French initiative. “However, there is still a need to review the details, to see how we can contribute to the conference for a new push of the peace process, and to address the key challenges facing the Palestinian issue.”In January, then French foreign minister Laurent Fabius announced plans by Paris for an international conference to “bring about the two-state solution” to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.France said that it would recognize a Palestinian state if fresh negotiation efforts failed to yield results.Hamas on Wednesday rejected the proposal.“The initiative is a bid to stop the ongoing Jerusalem intifada and cancel the Palestinian rights in Jerusalem and the right of return,” said a statement from the lslamist group, which rules the Gaza Strip.Hamas’s statement followed remarks by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday. He had voiced hope that the French initiative could lead to a solution reminiscent of the breakthrough talks on Iran’s nuclear deal.When the French initiative was first floated, only the PA expressed hope in the project.The announcement by Fabius in January was immediately followed by rejections from Israeli officials.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the initiative as “mystifying” and counterproductive, arguing that it gives Palestinians no incentive to compromise.
US, Israeli military chiefs stress cooperation to tackle challenges-Dunford’s second visit to the Jewish state in six months demonstrates the importance the relationship, he says-By Judah Ari Gross March 3, 2016, 6:09 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
Strong ties between Israel and US will be needed to confront the “instability in the region,” according to Defense Minster Moshe Ya’alon and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., who met in Tel Aviv on Thursday.“The thing that gives me confidence that we’ll actually be able to deal with these challenges is that we have partners and allies to help us,” Dunford told Ya’alon.It is the US general’s second official visit to Israel since taking his post in October. During that visit, Gen. Dunford, US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro and US military officials also met with IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and additional representatives of Israel’s defense community.This visit comes on the heels of Ya’alon’s announcement that a new 10-year military aid package from Washington is set to be finalized “in the coming weeks.”Dunford arrived in Israel early Thursday morning after a two-day visit to Afghanistan, where he attended the change of command ceremony for US and NATO forces in the country.This visit also coincides with the ongoing Juniper Cobra exercise, a large-scale joint Israeli-US missile defense drill that takes place every two years. The exercise is meant to prepare the two militaries for the threat of a missile attack, as well as allowing the armies to learn how to better work together-“This is your second trip in a very short time. Your visit now, including your visit to the Juniper Cobra exercise, which we are managing together, is another demonstration of the depth of the relationship between our armed forces and intelligence agencies,” Ya’alon said during their meeting in his office in the Defense Ministry’s headquarters.Dunford’s trip to Tel Aviv in mid-October 2015 was also his first official visit to a foreign country in his position, which he took over from Martin Dempsey on October 1.“My first visit overseas was [to Israel], and I appreciate the warm welcome I had. This is my second [visit] in a short period of time, and I think that reflects what you said — how important this relationship is,” Dunford told Ya’alon during their meeting.“The relationship between our two countries is about much more than just the military to military relationship, but I believe that’s one of the foundational elements,” he added.On Wednesday, officials confirmed US Vice President Joe Biden will visit Israel next week for high-level talks. The discussions are expected to include negotiations over the defense aid package, which officials have suggested may be finalized during a possible trip to the US by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later this month.Israel and the United States have been seeking to move past deep disagreement over the Iran nuclear accord, which Netanyahu strongly opposed, and work out a new long-term defense aid package for Israel that aims to preserve its qualitative military edge in the region.The US has either jointly developed or financed all three tiers in Israel’s missile defense program — Iron Dome (short-range missile interceptor), David’s Sling (medium range) and Arrow (long range).US military aid to Israel currently stands at $3 billion annually, a sum that, according to reports, Israel wants to up to $5 billion annually.Though some Israeli officials have reportedly threatened to hold out until US President Barack Obama leaves office in the hopes of securing a better deal, the package is expected to be finalized when Netanyahu visits the US later this month.As part of the new agreement, Israel in November was said to have completed its “shopping list” of desired American military materiel, which reportedly includes a request for V-22 Ospreys, planes believed capable of reaching Iran.Israel reportedly sought the V22s from the US in 2012 when contemplating a strike on Iran’s Fordo enrichment facility, but later decided not to purchase due to budgetary restraints.Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Trump hits back at ‘disaster candidate’ Mitt Romney-Former presidential nominee claims billionaire frontrunner unfit for the job; Trump: ‘He was begging me’ to endorse him in 2012-By Raoul Wootliff March 3, 2016, 10:38 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
Donald Trump hit back Thursday at criticism leveled against him by former Republican nominee Mitt Romney hours earlier, saying Romney had “begged” Trump to endorse him when he was running for president in 2012.Trump claimed he could have said, “‘Mitt, drop to your knees.’ He would have dropped to his knees.”Speaking at a campaign rally in Portland, Maine ahead of Saturday’s Republican caucus there, Trump repeatedly said of Romney, “He was begging me.”The barbs came in response to a speech delivered by Romney earlier Thursday, in which the former Massachusetts governor warned Republicans that Trump was a “phony,” a misogynist and dangerous..@realDonaldTrump says @MittRomney was begging him for an endorsement in 2012 pic.twitter.com/vfpPoJ2KLG-— POLITICO (@politico) March 3, 2016-In a nationally broadcast speech at the University of Utah, Romney said that the prospects for a safe future will be “greatly diminished” if Trump is to become the Republican nominee for president. He warned the packed auditorium that any of the other GOP candidates would be a better alternative to the billionaire businessman.“The only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront today, come from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich,” Romney said of Trump’s GOP rivals. “One of these men should be our nominee.”In his response, Trump said that Romney proved he was a “choke artist” and a “disaster candidate” when he lost the 2012 presidential race to Barack Obama, and that Romney had declined to run a third time this year because he was afraid of Trump.In a low blow, Trump added that he’s made considerably more money than Romney in his string of “Trump”-branded businesses.“I have a store worth more money than Mitt,” he said, likely referring to the the Gucci store on 5th Ave, the retail space of which is estimated as exceeding $300 million-In 2012, Romney’s net worth was estimated at $190–250 million.On the offensive following his speech and utilizing his fist major media coverage since losing the presidential race to Obama, Romney tweeted that if Trump had used the language and tone he does today in 2012, he would not have sought his endorsement.If Trump had said 4 years ago the things he says today about the KKK, Muslims, Mexicans, disabled, I would NOT have accepted his endorsement-— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) March 3, 2016-The back-and-forth comes as Republican candidates prepared for the first post-Super Tuesday debate, scheduled for Thursday in Detroit, with Trump coming under increasing pressure from his party as he fights for the majority of delegates needed to win the nomination.Four years ago, the two men stood side by side in Las Vegas, with Trump saying it was a “real honor and privilege” to endorse Romney’s White House bid. Accepting, Romney said it was a “delight” to have Trump on his side and praised him for ability to “understand how our economy works and to create jobs for the American people.”AP contributed to this report.
Mitt Romney says ‘phony’ Trump unfit for presidency-Former republican nominee lambasts billionaire businessman as party leaders scramble to put an end to his winning streak-By Steve Peoples and BRADY McCOMBS March 3, 2016, 7:50 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) — Speaking at the University of Utah, Romney said Thursday that the prospects for a safe future are “greatly diminished” if Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee for president. He warned the packed auditorium that any of the other GOP candidates would be a better alternative to the billionaire businessman.“The only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront today, come from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich,” Romney said of Trump’s GOP rivals. “One of these men should be our nominee.”Romney is charging into the increasingly divisive White House race with a verbal lashing of Donald Trump and a plea for fellow Republicans to shun the front-runner for the good of country and party.“His is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader. His imagination must not be married to real power,” Romney said.Romney branded Trump as “a phony, a fraud” whose “promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University” in his speech.Earlier Thursday, Trump dismissed Romney as “a stiff” who “didn’t know what he was doing” as the party’s candidate in 2012 and blew a chance to beat President Barack Obama. “People are energized by what I’m saying” in the campaign and turning out in remarkable numbers to vote, Trump told NBC’s “Today.”The back-and-forth comes as Republican candidates prepared for the first post-Super Tuesday debate, scheduled for Thursday in Detroit, with Trump coming under increasing pressure from his party as he fights for the majority of delegates needed to win the nomination.Thursday’s condemnation and counter was coming four years after the two men stood side by side in Las Vegas, with Trump saying it was a “real honor and privilege” to endorse Romney’s White House bid. Accepting, Romney said it was a “delight” to have Trump on his side and praised him for ability to “understand how our economy works and to create jobs for the American people.”Panicked GOP leaders say they still have options for preventing Trump from winning the GOP nomination — just not many good ones.Romney also said that a Trump nomination at the party’s convention in Cleveland in July would enable Democrat Hillary Clinton to win the presidency. He contended that Trump “has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president.”Romney’s involvement comes as party elites pore over complicated delegate math, outlining hazy scenarios for a contested convention and even flirting with the long-shot prospect of a third party option.Giving Romney the back of his hand, Trump turned his sights on the general election. His campaign reached out to House Speaker Paul Ryan’s office to arrange a conversation between the two men, and urged Republican leaders to view his candidacy as a chance to expand the party.Trump padded his lead with victories in seven Super Tuesday contests, with Texas Senator Ted Cruz claiming three states and Florida Senator Marco Rubio picking up his first victory of the 2016 race.Despite Trump’s strong night, he was not yet on track to claim the nomination before the party’s national gathering in July, according to an Associated Press delegate count. He has won 46 percent of the delegates awarded so far, and he would have to increase that to 51 percent in the remaining primaries.GOP strategists cast March 15 as the last opportunity to stop Trump through the normal path of winning states and collecting delegates. A win for Rubio in his home state of Florida would raise questions about Trump’s strength, as could a win for Kasich, Ohio’s governor, on his home turf.The candidates have a high-profile opportunity to make their case to voters in Thursday’s Fox News debate. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson all but ended his bid Wednesday, saying he would skip the debate and declaring he did “not see a political path forward.”The GOP mayhem contrasted sharply with a clearer picture on the Democratic side, where Hillary Clinton was drawing broad support from voters and her party’s leaders. Rival Senator Bernie Sanders vowed to keep up the fight, though his path to the nomination has become exceedingly narrow.Romney argues that Trump’s “domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe,” Romney says. “And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill.”The Associated Press has asked Republican governors and senators if they would support Trump if he becomes the party’s nominee. Of the 59 respondents, slightly fewer than half could not commit to backing him in November.One long-shot idea rumbling through power corridors in Washington was the prospect of a late third-party candidate to represent more mainstream conservatives. Former Texas Governor Rick Perry has been approached by “a mixture of people” about being part of a third-party bid, according to Jeff Miller, who managed Perry’s failed GOP presidential campaign. But Miller said Perry found the idea “ludicrous.”
Regulator seeks to curtail bankers’ ‘extravagant’ salaries-Bank Leumi boss made over $2 million in 2015, compared to average Israeli wage of $30,000-By Times of Israel staff March 3, 2016, 11:55 pm
In a new measure aimed at increasing transparency and competition in the financial sector, Bank of Israel Supervisor Hedva Ber on Thursday said she would push legislation aimed at curtailing the “extravagant” paychecks of banking tycoons.“The current salary standards have a negative impact on the public’s trust in the banks,” Ber said at finance conference in Tel Aviv, according to a report in the Globes business daily.According to the Globes report, Bank Leumi CEO Rakefet Russak-Aminoach took home NIS 8.12 million ($2.1 m) in 2015, while chairman David Brodet took home NIS 5.82 ($1.5 m).A 2013 Bank of Israel study found that 16 percent of bank employees (or over 7,000 people) earned between NIS 45,000 ($11,500) and NIS 80,000 ($21,000) a month.In contrast, the average monthly wage in Israel stood at NIS 9,688 ($2,500) as of November of last year, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics.According to Ber, the lack of competition in the industry and high salary costs — which amount to some NIS 18 billion annually — stand in the way of reducing the fees and interest rates that banks charge customers for services.At the conference, Ber said she intends to push for Knesset legislation that would ensure “appropriate” compensation for senior bankers, in accordance with a directive issued by the regulatory body last year.Since her appointment to the post last June, Ber has spearheaded a number of measures aimed at reforming consumer banking.In January, the Bank of Israel announced banks would be required to issue standardized ID cards to customers so they can easily read their bank balance, expenses and loan information. Since the ID cards are to have a standardized format, the cards will also make it easier for customers to compare competing offers by other banks side-by-side.The central bank also recently issued directives to banks requesting they review accounts held by their elderly or handicapped customers to make sure they were not paying excessive bank fees.Last year, Bank of Israel Governor Karnit Flug and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon agreed to form a committee headed by former antitrust commissioner Dror Strum, to explore ways to inject competition into Israel’s consumer banking.
US, Israeli military chiefs stress cooperation to tackle challenges-Dunford’s second visit to the Jewish state in six months demonstrates the importance the relationship, he says-By Judah Ari Gross March 3, 2016, 6:09 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
Strong ties between Israel and US will be needed to confront the “instability in the region,” according to Defense Minster Moshe Ya’alon and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., who met in Tel Aviv on Thursday.“The thing that gives me confidence that we’ll actually be able to deal with these challenges is that we have partners and allies to help us,” Dunford told Ya’alon.It is the US general’s second official visit to Israel since taking his post in October. During that visit, Gen. Dunford, US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro and US military officials also met with IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and additional representatives of Israel’s defense community.This visit comes on the heels of Ya’alon’s announcement that a new 10-year military aid package from Washington is set to be finalized “in the coming weeks.”Dunford arrived in Israel early Thursday morning after a two-day visit to Afghanistan, where he attended the change of command ceremony for US and NATO forces in the country.This visit also coincides with the ongoing Juniper Cobra exercise, a large-scale joint Israeli-US missile defense drill that takes place every two years. The exercise is meant to prepare the two militaries for the threat of a missile attack, as well as allowing the armies to learn how to better work together.“This is your second trip in a very short time. Your visit now, including your visit to the Juniper Cobra exercise, which we are managing together, is another demonstration of the depth of the relationship between our armed forces and intelligence agencies,” Ya’alon said during their meeting in his office in the Defense Ministry’s headquarters.Dunford’s trip to Tel Aviv in mid-October 2015 was also his first official visit to a foreign country in his position, which he took over from Martin Dempsey on October 1.“My first visit overseas was [to Israel], and I appreciate the warm welcome I had. This is my second [visit] in a short period of time, and I think that reflects what you said — how important this relationship is,” Dunford told Ya’alon during their meeting.“The relationship between our two countries is about much more than just the military to military relationship, but I believe that’s one of the foundational elements,” he added.On Wednesday, officials confirmed US Vice President Joe Biden will visit Israel next week for high-level talks. The discussions are expected to include negotiations over the defense aid package, which officials have suggested may be finalized during a possible trip to the US by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later this month.Israel and the United States have been seeking to move past deep disagreement over the Iran nuclear accord, which Netanyahu strongly opposed, and work out a new long-term defense aid package for Israel that aims to preserve its qualitative military edge in the region.The US has either jointly developed or financed all three tiers in Israel’s missile defense program — Iron Dome (short-range missile interceptor), David’s Sling (medium range) and Arrow (long range).US military aid to Israel currently stands at $3 billion annually, a sum that, according to reports, Israel wants to up to $5 billion annually.Though some Israeli officials have reportedly threatened to hold out until US President Barack Obama leaves office in the hopes of securing a better deal, the package is expected to be finalized when Netanyahu visits the US later this month.As part of the new agreement, Israel in November was said to have completed its “shopping list” of desired American military materiel, which reportedly includes a request for V-22 Ospreys, planes believed capable of reaching Iran.Israel reportedly sought the V22s from the US in 2012 when contemplating a strike on Iran’s Fordo enrichment facility, but later decided not to purchase due to budgetary restraints.Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Where Solomon mined, 3,000-year-old ‘fashion collection’ unearthed-Fabrics with ‘complex designs and beautiful dyes,’ preserved by uniquely arid conditions, found in Timna in southern Israel-By Raoul Wootliff February 24, 2016, 6:57 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
Archaeologists have unearthed an extensive fabric collection in the south of Israel dating back some 3,000 years to the biblical era of King David and Solomon, Tel Aviv University said Wednesday.The materials were uncovered in the Timna copper mines in the Arava Valley by an Tel Aviv University excavation team led by Dr. Erez Ben-Yosef. The finds are the first discovery of textiles dating from the era and include cloth of diverse color, design and origin, the archaeologists said.“No textiles (from this period) have ever been found at excavation sites like Jerusalem, Megiddo and Hazor, so this provides a unique window into an entire aspect of life from which we’ve never had physical evidence before,” Ben-Yosef said. “We found fragments of textiles that originated from bags, clothing, tents, ropes and cords.”The pieces of fabric, some only 5 x 5 centimeters in size, vary in color, weaving technique and ornamentation, the university said in a press release.“Some of these fabrics resemble textiles only known from the Roman era,” said Dr. Orit Shamir, a senior researcher at the Israel Antiquities Authority, who led the study of the fabrics themselves.The Timna Valley — now a national park — was a copper production district with thousands of mines and dozens of smelting sites, said by some to have been active during the reign of King Solomon. Fragments of furnaces, clothing, fabrics and rope and a number of food fragments were unearthed in a 2013 dig at the site whose findings were publicized Wednesday. The artifacts were dated to the 10th century BCE — the time during which, according to the bible, King Solomon ruled ancient Israel.Also found from the same period — as confirmed by radiocarbon dating — were unprecedented quantities of seeds from the Biblical “Seven Species” (the two grains and five fruits considered unique products of the Land of Israel).The mines are believed to have been operated by the semi-nomadic early Edomites, and the discoveries also offer insight into their complex society, said Ben-Yosef.“The wide variety of fabrics also provides new and important information about the Edomites, who, according to the Bible, warred with the Kingdom of Israel,” Ben-Yosef went on. “We found simply woven, elaborately decorated fabrics worn by the upper echelon of their stratified society. Luxury grade fabric adorned the highly skilled, highly respected craftsmen managing the copper furnaces. They were responsible for smelting the copper, which was a very complicated process.”The materials found at the site underlined that the copper mines were the “silicon valley” of their day, the university said in a press release. “Copper was used to produce tools and weapons and was the most valuable resource in ancient societies,” it said. Producing it was a highly complex process. “Miners in ancient Timna may have been slaves or prisoners… but the act of smelting, of turning stone into metal, required an enormous amount of skill and organization.”Added Ben-Yosef: “The possession of copper was a source of great power, much as oil is today. If a person had the exceptional knowledge to ‘create copper,’ he was considered well-versed in an extremely sophisticated technology. He would have been considered magical or supernatural, and his social status would have reflected this.”Thus, food, water and textiles had to be transported long distances through the desert and into the valley to the mines to support the copper industry.“The latest discovery of fabrics, many of which were made far from Timna in specialized textile workshops, provides a glimpse into the trade practices and regional economy of the day,” the university said.“We found linen, which was not produced locally. It was most likely from the Jordan Valley or Northern Israel. The majority of the fabrics were made of sheep’s wool, a cloth that is seldom found in this ancient period,” said TAU masters student Vanessa Workman. “This tells us how developed and sophisticated both their textile craft and trade networks must have been.”
IS ‘on the rise’ among Arab Israelis, with 34 indicted to date-40 Israelis have left to fight with Islamic State, report says; terror group working relentlessly to encourage a major attack here-By Times of Israel staff March 3, 2016, 8:57 pm
A total of 34 Israeli Arabs have been indicted for offenses related to activities on behalf of Islamic State, a TV report said Thursday, adding that the terror group was steadily growing in popularity in Israel.The Channel 10 report said Islamic State has been working relentlessly to encourage a major terrorist attack in Israel. It said IS has some 100 activists in Israel at present. The report referenced the January 1, 2016 killings of three Israelis in Tel Aviv by Israeli Arab Nashat Milhem, and a stabbing attack the same month by a Sudanese migrant in Israel, as having been inspired by Islamic State.It also said 40 Israeli Arabs have left Israel to join up with Islamic State forces, largely traveling via Turkey. Ten Palestinians are currently “missing” from Palestinian Authority areas and believed to have joined up with IS, it added.The TV report came on the same day that the Shin Bet security agency released details of an alleged plot by two Arab Israelis inspired by the Islamic State to attack IDF soldiers.Bahaa Eldin Ziad Hasan Masarwa, 19, and Ahmad Nabil Ahmad Ahmad, 21, were arrested in a joint operation by the Shin Bet and Israel Police earlier this year.During their interrogations, the two confessed to having been inspired by IS, the security service said.“Over the past few months the two began praying at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on a weekly basis, and during one of their trips the two decided to carry out a shooting attack against security forces,” the Shin Bet said in a statement.The pair were from northern Israeli cities, Masarwa from Yafia and Ahmad from Nazareth.The two planned to shoot IDF soldiers in the nearby Israeli city of Afula and had begun collecting money in order to purchase a pistol for the attack, the Shin Bet said.In 2014, three residents of Yafia entered Syria through Turkey and joined the Islamic State.Masarwa and Ahmad were indicted in a Nazareth District Court for conspiracy to commit a crime and aiding the enemy during wartime. In addition, Masarwa has been charged with contacting a foreign agent and making contact with a terrorist organization.
Gazan accused of planning attacks in Ukraine, Israel-Palestinian indicted in plot to kidnap soldiers, attack Israeli tourists and provide weapons to ‘IS-affiliated’ Israeli Arabs-By Raoul Wootliff March 3, 2016, 7:35 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
A Palestinian man from the the Gaza Strip stands accused of planning a series of terror attacks against Israelis, both in the country and abroad.The man was named as 31-year-old Sami Hamied, a Gaza native who has been living in Ukraine since 2010 and was arrested in January while trying to enter Israel from Jordan in an attempt to make his way to Gaza.A gag order on the details of the case was lifted with the filing of the indictment Thursday at the Beersheba District Court.According to the indictment, Hamied planned to attack Israeli tourists visiting Ukraine and assisted Hamas in preparations for attacks in Israel.One plot, which was not acted on, involved luring Israeli IDF officers into the Sinai using a prostitute as “bait.” According to the plan, Hamas-affiliated militants in the peninsula would kidnap the officers and transfer them to Gaza.Hamied is said to have collected information on Israeli tourist groups traveling to the Ukrainian city of Odessa and allegedly planned to carry out a shooting or bombing attack on a tour bus.The indictment also mentioned him assisting Hamas during the 2008-9 Gaza war, also known as Operation Cast Lead, and attempting to provide weapons to ‘Islamic State-affiliated’ Israeli Arabs.He has been indicted on several counts of terror activities, spying and falsifying documents.Arab media reported that Sami Hamied is the brother of Salam Hamied, a high-ranking commander in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.
Hamas man killed as Gaza tunnel collapses-Group blames Israel for cave-in, the seventh in recent months, amid redoubled efforts to dig across the border-By Times of Israel staff March 3, 2016, 8:28 pm
A tunnel being dug in Gaza under the aegis of the ruling Hamas group collapsed on Thursday, killing a member of the organization’s military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas said.The dead man was named as Muhammad Musa al Astal from Khan Younis.The tunnel caved in near the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades confirmed. It was the latest in a spate of such collapses. Only five days ago, another tunnel caved in near the Zeitoun neighborhood in the eastern part of the Strip, injuring five members of Hamas’s military wing.Members of Hamas accused Israel of collapsing the tunnel, saying they had seen soldiers on the Gaza border using liquid explosives and “causing small earthquakes” to bring down tunnels dug by the group.The past two months have seen seven tunnels collapse, most of them in the Khan Younis area, and two in Zeitoun.Around a month ago, the 23-year-old nephew of Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar was killed in a tunnel accident.Just before that, a tunnel collapsed in the area of Jabalia, in the north of the Palestinian enclave, after heavy rain and floods, killing seven excavators and injuring others.A system of tunnels has been dug by Hamas into Israel in order to facilitate cross-border attacks. During the 2014 Israel-Hamas war, Palestinian gunmen emerged from tunnels on several occasions to ambush IDF soldiers, killing several. Israel said it destroyed more than 30 tunnels during the 50-day conflict, about one-third of which extended beneath the Gaza border into Israel. Officials say Hamas has redoubled its efforts to dig across the border into Israel in recent months.Israel has spent over NIS one billion (some $250 million) since 2004 in attempts to thwart tunneling under the border, an Israeli TV report said last month. The money has gone toward developing technology to discover the locations of such tunnels and unspecified “operational efforts,” Channel 2 news said.Many other tunnels are used to smuggle goods and weapons in and out of the Strip through Rafah on the Egyptian border, in the face of Israel and Egypt’s naval blockade of the enclave and their strict supervision of land borders with the Strip.Egypt has created a buffer zone in the northern Sinai Peninsula, which it controls, destroying hundreds of tunnels leading in and out of the southern part of the Strip, sometimes by pumping sea water in. That border has remained largely closed since the overthrow of Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi of the Hamas-allied Muslim Brotherhood.
