2001.09.1.07 Public Stands Against Israel Created by James3 on 7/16/2019 2:13:16 PM Public Stands Against Israel
from News Watch: Israel's Covenant Land
by Bill Koenig
September 9, 2001
BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
ABSTRACT: The article was published two days BEFORE the attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon. It reports fourteen instances of international agencies, church groups and others opposing Israel in favour of the Palestinians and quotes a number of Scriptures to demonstrate that this is opposition to Yahweh.
The preamble to this article explores the information in the article in more depth and highlights the immense challenges associated with formulating a Scriptural approach pleasing to Yahweh to resolving the problems.
It is noted that since Christians regard themselves as "Abraham's seed" and appropriate the proof Scriptures of the article and since Western Europeans are descended from the tribe of Israel and since Arabs are also Abraham's seed and since Muslim teaching holds that Ishmael and NOT Isaac was the progenitor of the blessings to Abraham, there is ENORMOUS complexity which cannot be resolved politically or by human endeavour.
It is established that the ONLY solution lies in the Land of Israel, the seed of Israel, the Christians and the Muslims coming to a revelation of Yahweh's truths and repenting of their errors and turning with all their heart to Yahweh.
AUTHOR: James Robertson
PUBLISHED BY: ETI : End Time Issue Ministries LIST: 1A1: Teaching
PUBLISHER: James Robertson
DOCUMENT TYPE: World Affairs Linked To Spiritual Affairs
ISSUE DATE: 20 September 2001
PRIMARY SUBJECT: Opposition to Israel is opposition to Yahweh Secondary Subject: Judgment
KEY WORDS / KEY PHRASES: judgment, Israel, church, fulfillment of Scripture, politics, Palestinians, war
KEY VERSE OF SCRIPTURE: Psalm 105:7-11 "He is YAHWEH our ALMIGHTY: his judgments are in all the earth. He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: Saying, 'Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:'", KJV
SUPPORTING ARTICLES: None
PREVIOUS ARTICLES IN SERIES: 1A1.01.09.03; 1A1.01.09.04; 1A1.01.09.05; 1A1.01.09.06
NEXT ARTICLE IN SERIES: Various additional articles relating to the events in the USA are envisaged.
DECLARATION: I James Alexander Robertson hereby testify before Almighty Yahweh that i have prayed over this document and that i am satisfied that the message is Scripturally correct and in accordance with the Word AND Will of Yahweh at this time. While i have no personal knowledge of the events or the sources of the information and have not verified the details, it is my understanding, by the Spirit, that this document is about 70% as Yahweh would have it.
I hereby testify before the Throne of Almighty Yahweh that the prophetic Words contained in this document are an accurate record of what was given to me and is PRECISELY what Yahweh said.
I acknowledge and accept that i will be judged for any false statements made by me knowingly or unknowingly and ask Father Yahweh now in the Name of Yahshua Messiah Adonai that should there be any such errors He judge me in this life that i may come to repentance and not be judged in the life to come.
PRAYER: Father, in the Name of Yahshua Messiah, if there is anything in this document that is not according to Your Word or Your perfect will please prevent it taking root in the heart of the reader and let all that IS according to Your Word and Your Will take deep root in the hearts of all who read it.
SUMMARY
Refer abstract and preamble.
PREAMBLE
This document was forwarded to us by Rob Miller, RMi1794853@aol.com on 12 September 2001 09:10, the day AFTER the tragic attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.
The publication date of the article was 9 September 2001, TWO DAYS BEFORE the attacks on the United States. This timing is important in the broader context of the previous mails which have been progressively seeking to develop a systematic understanding of the events of 11 September.
The article lists fourteen events in which various international bodies, governments and Christian organizations expressed opinions relating to the situation in Palestine and Israel. There are a number of items relating to opinions expressed by the Vatican, United States National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches. These opinions and decisions were generally hostile to the nation of Israel.
These are presented against two key texts of Scripture, Exodus 6:3-4 and Psalm 105:7-11 both of which report Yahweh as stating that He is giving the Land of Canaan to the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) for all time.
The key point of the article is that Yahweh gave the Land to Israel for all time and that, accordingly, the positions against Israel are "totally misguided, misinformed and apostate" and that Yahweh's "harsh judgment" against them is imminent.
The writer has been advised by the Spirit of Yahweh that this is "absolutely correct" and that these developments were a "MAJOR FACTOR in giving Satan the legal right to bring to pass the events of 11 September"! Yahweh also advised the writer that "Israel is ALSO sinning because they have not turned to Yahweh their Elohim with ALL their hearts, minds, souls and strength and have not repented of the sin's of their nation and their forefathers but this does NOT give the U.S.A.,the churches, the Palestians or Islam the right to seek to take the land away from Israel".
In further considering and praying into this article since receiving it a week ago, the writer has become aware of the intense paradoxes and dilemma's associated with the current state of the world.
The article "Vital Spiritual Principles Required To Understand What Was NOT Seen In The Attacks On The USA On Tuesday 11 September 2001" (reference 1A1.01.09.04, dated 19 September 2001) explored conceptually the massive extent to which mankind has fallen away from Yahweh's way of doing things and the deep apostasy of the Christian church in particular and the World as a whole. The spiritual technical basis of this and the hierarchy of command and some elements of the method of operation of Satan's kingdom in bringing this situation into being was discussed.
The article "A Message Linking Disasters In The USA To US Policy Toward Israel" (reference 1A1.01.09.05, dated 19 September 2001) presented eight major natural disasters of record breaking proportions preceding the catastrophic attack on the World Trade Centre on 11 September. The article "Satan's Presence At The World Trade Centre - Confirmed in Photographs" (reference 1A1.01.09.06, dated 20 September 2001) provided dramatic photographic and prophetic confirmation that Satan was, indeed, behind the disasters and also presented some alarming demonic perspectives regarding transfer of the demons off the hijackers onto people in authority in the surrounding areas and demons off the victims transferred onto rescue workers and others in the immediate vicinity immediately following the deaths of victims.
This article builds on the article on US Policy (1A1.01.09.05) by providing more detail regarding specific actions against Israel in the 120 days BEFORE the attacks.
Over the past few months, we have been increasingly understanding the focus and calling of this ministry as being to:
1) UNDERSTAND why things are happening
and
2) FORMULATE a plan of action
This plan is to enable the Body of Believers to resolve the core issues giving rise to the current state of the World in order to:
a) turn around the apostate state of the Body
and
b) the world,
c) return to Yahweh OUR ELOHIM with all our hearts, minds, soul and strength
d) bring to bear the necessary SPIRITUAL actions and physical resources necessary to cast Satan into the Pit for a thousand years in accordance with Revelation 20.
This was set out in some detail in the article "The Evangelism Iceberg in 2001: Strategic Objectives Of The Kingdom Of Yahweh" (reference 1A1.01.08.11, dated 21 August, 2001) and further strategic planning documents will, Yahweh willing, be released shortly.
Within this context, there are a number of issues raised by this article.
The most important is the almost universal lack of appreciation of the Christian church and consequently the leaders of the United States, other major "Western" nations and consequently ALL world leaders, of the realities of Yahweh Adonai and His Torah.
There appears to be nothing in the utterances of any major politically accepted Christian institution which takes account of the verses of Scripture cited in this article. This in turn reflects the widely held view amongst "Christians" that somehow Yahshua Messiah abolished or substantially rewrote' the Torah and all books of Scripture written prior to His coming such that all promises made by Yahweh to Israel either ceased to be valid or were transferred from the physical nation of Israel to a spiritual nation comprising the "Christians" of which the physical nation, as "unbelievers in Jesus Christ" are NOT part.
There is no Scripture to support this, Yahweh vowed to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that their "seed" would inherit the land and Scripture is FULL of promises to Israel, no matter how apostate they may be. It is also full of incidents in which Yahweh helped Israel against the Philistines who are the forefathers of the Palestinians. Consider on incident in Judges 15:14‑20
"14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him.
Then the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands. 15 He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it.
16 Then Samson said: "With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men!" 17 And so it was, when he had finished speaking, that he threw the jawbone from his hand, and called that place Ramath Lehi.
18 Then he became very thirsty; so he cried out to Yahweh and said, "You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant; and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?" 19 So Elohim split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out, and he drank; and his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore he called its name En Hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.
20 And he judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines." (NKJ adjusted)
This is but one of NUMEROUS passages in Scripture where Yahweh gave Israel victory over the Philistines.
These Scriptures represent an ENORMOUS challenge with regard to the Palestinians today.
This is compounded by the fact that many of the Palestinians are Christians who, based on Galatians 3:29 and other Messianic Scriptures are ALSO Abraham's seed "And if you are Messiah's (the anointing's), then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (NKJ adjusted) The fact that the Christians, Muslims AND the Jews are each in their OWN WAY apostate does not facilitate an effective resolution of this situation.
This is further compounded by the reality that Psalm 105:7-11 refers to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) "7 He is Yahweh our Elohim; his judgments are in all the earth. 8 He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, 9 The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, 10 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, 11 Saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your inheritance,"" (NKJ adjusted)
Yahweh FIRST made a covenant regarding the land of Canaan with Abraham, then with Isaac and then with Jacob (Israel). But the Arab nations and therefore much of the Muslim world are descended from Ishmael, Abraham's first born son! Added to this, it is the Muslim view that Ishmael and NOT Isaac was the child whom Yahweh blessed as Abraham's inheritance and that it was Ishmael and NOT Isaac that Abraham took to sacrifice at Yahweh's command. Consequently, the Arabic and specifically Muslim Arabic people hold that the land of Israel is rightfully theirs and the people Israel are the transgressor! The reality, by the Spirit of Yahweh IS that ISRAEL are the rightful heirs of the land of Canaan.
This is further complicated by the fact that the nations of Western Europe and therefore the people of the United States of America and many others of "Western" descent around the world are in fact descendants of Israel as well! BUT most of them don't know it! The implication of this is that when the United States, Britain or other "European" countries oppose Israel they are in fact, in the sight of Yahweh, opposing their OWN FLESH AND BLOOD! In the sight of Yahweh this is outright TREACHERY!
In terms of responding constructively to the events of 11 September 2000 these issues present an ENORMOUS CHALLENGE. The ways of the world clearly CANNOT work and, currently, there is no clearly apparent basis whereby the situation in Israel with the current polarization can be resolved politically in a manner that is acceptable to Yahweh!
In order to resolve the situation, as with the situation in the United States, the ONLY SOLUTION is that ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH TURN TO YAHWEH AND HIS STATUTES. Failing that, the people of the Land of Israel and ALL the descendants of Israel and ALL who call themselves by the name of "Christ" turn to Yahweh their Elohim and forsake their wicked ways. Failing that, it appears that judgment on the earth in increasingly dramatic form, such as the events of 11 September and the natural disasters reported yesterday will become increasingly common place!
Deuteronomy 30:1‑20 provides an important reference in this regard "1 "Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where Yahweh your Elohim drives you, 2 "and you return to Yahweh your Elohim and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, 3 "that Yahweh your Elohim will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where Yahweh your Elohim has scattered you.
4 "If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there Yahweh your Elohim will gather you, and from there He will bring you. 5 Then Yahweh your Elohim will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.
6 "And Yahweh your Elohim will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to chesed (love) Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. 7 "Also Yahweh your Elohim will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 8 "And you will again obey the voice of Yahweh and do all His commandments which I command you today.
9 "Yahweh your Elohim will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good. For Yahweh will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, 10 "if you obey the voice of Yahweh your Elohim, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Torah, and if you turn to Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul. 11 "For this commandment which I command you today, it is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 "It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' 13 "Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' 14 "But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.
15 "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 "in that I command you today to chesed Yahweh your Elohim, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and Yahweh your Elohim will bless you in the land which you go to possess.
17 "But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 "I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess.
19 "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 "that you may chesed Yahweh your Elohim, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." (NKJ)
This is a classic Scripture which contains blessings and curses to Believers, whether they be blood born Israel OR Abraham's seed by faith. Many aspects of this passage are referenced in so-called "New Testament" Scriptures and appropriate by Christians for their use only as some part of the "New" that Yahshua introduced, totally ignoring the fact that these principles ARE FROM TORAH! But the ESSENCE of this passage is:
REPENT AND RETURN TO YAHWEH YOUR ELOHIM!!
and, since ultimately ALL men came from Yahweh, this applies to ALL men!!
In closing, all i can say at this point is that this represents AN ENORMOUS CHALLENGE, BUT IT IS A CHALLENGE THAT MUST BE CONFRONTED AND OVERCOME - MANKIND MUST RETURN TO YAHWEH OUR ELOHIM!
WE HAVE NO TIME TO LOSE!
END TIME / GLOBAL CONTEXT
This article is provided in the context of the events in the USA on 11 September 2001 with a view to building a clear understanding of the spiritual situation.
It provides further evidence of the deep Spiritual turmoil that is facing the world today.
----==ooOoo==----
from News Watch: Israel's Covenant Land
by Bill Koenig
September 9, 2001
"YAHWEH said to Moses, 'I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of YAHWEH Almighty, but by my name YAHWEH was I not known to them. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.'" (Exodus 6:3-4, KJV)
"He is YAHWEH our ALMIGHTY: his judgments are in all the earth. He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: Saying, 'Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:'" (Psalm 105:7-11), KJV
In a remarkable turn of recent events, the nations of the world, many international organizations, and even Christian church groups have publicly stated their positions, contrary to the Word of YAHWEH, pertaining to Israel's covenant land. These public statements have all occurred in the last 120-day period.
Moreover, there is no mention by any of these entities, which acknowledge Israel's right to her covenant land. There is no acknowledgment to the plight of the Jews since statehood in 1948 and over the years at the hands of neighboring Muslim nations. There is no mention whatsoever about the danger which Christian organizations are now facing throughout the world by Muslims. Making matters worse, we now have "Christian" church organizations publicly taking totally misguided, misinformed, and apostate positions against Israel, the "apple of YAHWEH'S eye" (Psalm 17:8, "A Prayer of David" KJV).
There has also been a major increase in the anti-Semitic propaganda being spread by the world's media pertaining to Israel. We sense that the Lord is allowing these nations, organizations, church groups, the media, and various people groups to take their stand publicly as the last statement before the Lord's harsh judgment comes against them.
The following events are great examples of the sign of the times:
1) Vatican Backs Palestinians
On Saturday, May 6, 2001, Pope John Paul II called for lasting peace in the Middle East on his trip to Syria. In the Jerusalem Post, the Pope said he was in Syria to encourage all sides in the Arab-Israeli conflict to change their attitudes and seek lasting peace.
"My pilgrimage is also an ardent prayer of hope," said the Pope. . . "It is time to return to the principles of international legality: the banning of acquisition of territory by force, the right of peoples to self-determination, respect for the resolutions of the United Nations, and the Geneva convention."
Putting the Pope's words into perspective, he not only called for lasting peace, but he also called for the Middle East parties to respect the resolutions. In other words, the Pope is asking Israel to give up their land.
2) Bush, Powell Back Land Giveaway
On May 22, 2001, United States President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell publicly endorsed the Mitchell Plan, which calls for settlement (covenant) land to be relinquished in exchange for peace.
3) CFR Backs Palestinians
According to Henry Siegman of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), in the International Herald Tribune on Tuesday, July 17, 2001, the Oslo accords failed to produce a permanent status agreement for any reasons, but "primarily and most importantly because Israel never committed itself to the only goal that could have made possible such an agreement-a viable, sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. Without such a clearly defined goal, so-called confidence-building measures have no chance whatever of achieving their purpose."
4) G-8 Backs Peacekeepers
On July 19-21, 2001, at their Genoa Conference, the Foreign Ministers of the G-8 industrialized countries (United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, France, Canada, Japan, and Russia), in a strongly-worded communiqué on the situation in Israel, backed the call for independent observers to be deployed in Israel.
The G-8 leaders' statement said: "The urgent implementation of the Mitchell Report is the only way forward. The cooling off period must begin as soon as possible. Violence and terrorism must stop. Third party monitoring, accepted by both parties, would serve their interests in implementing the Mitchell Report."
5) 18 Churches Back Freezing Settlements and Call Israeli Action a Violation of International Law and UN Resolutions Documentation:
Text Of 18 U.S. Church Leaders' June 7, 2001, Letter To U.S. Secretary Of State Colin Powell:
"Few things have done more to destroy the hope and pursuit of peace through negotiations than Israel's unrelenting settlement activity. Over these recent years, we have heard from our Palestinian Christian partners, and seen for ourselves, the destructive impact of Israel's settlement policy -- separating village from village, confiscating more and more Palestinian land, creating friction with its military checkpoints.
"For over twenty years our churches have appealed to the U.S. government to require Israel to cease this transfer of its civilian population into occupied territory, a clear violation of international law and United Nations resolutions. Each administration has spoken in opposition to the settlement activity, only to watch the settlements increase and expand as Israel ignores the advice.
"It is time for the United States to do what it must to bring Israel's settlement activity to an end. We urge you to make clear to Israel and the Palestinians that the United States is committed to a negotiated end of Israel's military occupation of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem as called for in U.N.S.C. Res. 242, and that an immediate freezing by Israel of its settlement activity including 'natural growth' is imperative. It will likely require considerable diplomatic pressure, and possibly economic pressure as well, to convince the government of Israel to recognize that this is a major policy concern of the United States.
The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold Presiding Bishop and Primate The Episcopal Church
Bishop Vicken Aykazian Diocesan Legate and Ecumenical Officer The Armenian Orthodox Church
The Very Rev. Brother Stephen Michael Glodek, S.M. President Catholic Conference of Major Superiors of Mens' Institutes
Rev. John L. McCullough Executive Director Church World Service
Bishop Donald J. McCoid Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod Chair, Conference of Bishops Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rev. Fr. Alexander Karloutsos for Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos Ecumenical Officer Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Bishop William B. Oden Immediate Past President The Council of Bishops The United Methodist Church
The following heads of churches and faith-based organizations joined the delegation in endorsing this expression of concern and appeal to Secretary of State Colin Powell:
Bishop McKinley Young Presiding Bishop, 10th Episcopal District African Methodist Episcopal Church
The Rev. Dr. Robert H. Roberts Interim General Secretary American Baptist Churches USA
Mary Ellen McNish General Secretary American Friends Service Committee Metropolitan PHILIP, Primate Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
The Rev. Dr. Richard L. Hamm General Minister and President Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada
Rev. Judy Mills Reimer Executive Director Church of the Brethren General Board
The Rev. H. George Anderson Presiding Bishop The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Michael E. Livingston Executive Director International Council of Community Churches
Rev. Dr. Seung Koo Choi General Secretary Korean Presbyterian Church in America
Dr. Ron J. R. Mathies Executive Director Mennonite Central Committee
Rev. R. Burke Johnson President Moravian Church - Northern Province
Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar General Secretary National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
The Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick Stated Clerk Presbyterian Church (USA)
Wesley Granberg-Michaelson General Secretary Reformed Church in America
Archbishop Cyril Aphrem Karim Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch for the Eastern USA
John Buehrens President Unitarian Universalist Association
The Rev. John H. Thomas General Minister and President United Church of Christ
Bishop Melvin G. Talbert Ecumenical Officer Council of Bishops The United Methodist Church
6) World Council of Churches (WCC) Action
On August 3, 2001, a WCC consultation on the Israeli-Palestinian problem decided, in coordinated ecumenical action, to form a small consultative group for the purpose of developing "realistic" proposals for action with local and international partners in seven areas:
. coordinating advocacy with governments. . boycotting goods produced in Israeli settlements in the "occupied" territories. . strengthening the "chain of solidarity" through prayer vigils. . resisting the destruction of property and uprooting of people from their homes and land. . encouraging and enabling the presence of ecumenical monitoring teams. . improving communication, interpretation, and media reporting on the conflict and its causes. . increasing church, ecumenical, and inter religious delegations to and from Israel and the OPT.
It was also agreed that, together with the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and local churches, the WCC will develop a coordination point for ecumenical action in Jerusalem, and explore the possibility of linking it with an international coordination center.
Picking up on a recommendation of the visiting delegation, it was agreed to propose to the WCC Executive Committee, meeting September 11-14, that it consider a special focus on "ending the violence of occupation in Palestine" in the framework of the Decade to Overcome Violence, and possibly call for an international conference on the subject.
As Jean Zaru of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre in Jerusalem noted, "Occupation is violence, and in the Decade to Overcome Violence, we have to expose the structural violence of occupation."
7) China Backs Palestinians
On Friday, August 24, 2001, Chinese President Jiang Zemin vowed, after his meeting with Yasser Arafat, that he will continue backing Palestinian Authority Chairman Arafat's position in Middle East peace negotiations, and he condemned Israel's use of "excessive force" against the Palestinians.
8) European Union (EU) Plan to Destroy Israel
On August 22, 2001, Yuval Steinetz, a member of the Knesset (Likud Party), stated in a careful analysis of the two common European positions in a Jerusalem Post article, entitled "Europe versus the Jewish state," that the EU supported the Palestinians' "right of return" and objected to almost any Israeli defense operation, suggesting that Israel's adversaries in the Middle East might find some hidden partners in their mission to destroy the Jewish state.
9) Arab Leaders Accuse Bush
On August 27, 2001, Arab leaders stated that President Bush was siding with Israel and that the United States was responsible for Palestinian deaths because he did not place more pressure on Israel. However, the Arabs seem to forget that the Palestinians were offered enormous concessions, one year ago at Camp David, which Arafat turned down. They also forget that the U.S. brokered the Tenet cease-fire plan, which never began due to the on-going violence, and that Colin Powell went to the region the next week to help calm things.
10) France Compares U.S. to Pontius Pilate
On Thursday, August 30, 2001, French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine accused the Bush administration of neglecting the Middle East, likening the U.S. "inaction" to the biblical portrayal of Pontius Pilate washing his hands of Jesus' fate. "Their wait-and-see policy risks of seeming like Pontius Pilate," Vedrine told Le Figaro newspaper in an interview published Thursday. "We're waiting for them to become more engaged, in accordance with their international responsibilities and the exceptional influence they have on the protagonists in the conflict."
11) NCC Secretary General Condemns Israel
Text of Dr. Edgar's Letter to Five Church Leaders in Jerusalem
August 30, 2001
His Beatitude Ireneos I Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem
His Beatitude Michel Sabbah Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem
The Rt. Rev. Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
The Rt. Rev. Bishop Munib A. Younan Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan
We greet you in the name of Christ.
At this tragic moment in history marked by an increase of violence in the Holy Land that directly affects the life of your communionities we at the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA reconfirm our solidarity with you, your churches and your people in the struggle toward justice and peace in Israel/Palestine.
In previous statements and related actions, we have affirmed our support for the rights of Palestinians, for a shared Jerusalem and for reconciliation and peace with justice in the Holy Land. This week, we found it necessary to urge our government to press Israel to comply with its agreement to withdraw its army from Beit Jala. We are relieved that an apparent withdrawal is underway. We have also expressed our dismay at the actions of the Israeli army that threatened human life, posed the possibility of an expanded occupation and also desecrated holy places. Moreover, we are asking the Bush Administration to support the deployment of multinational observers with the aim of promoting peace, justice and security in the Occupied Territories.
Our churches seek to be agents of reconciliation and of peace among people of all faiths, ethnicities and cultures. Therefore, with you, we will continue to urge both the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to end the cycle of violence, which increasingly is destroying human lives and property and defiling holy places. We call upon both parties to resume dialogue toward the day when all in the Holy Land can live in justice and peace.
As we pray for you, we also solicit your prayers and blessings for our ministries. We remain,
Yours in Christ, The Rev. Dr. Robert W. Edgar, General Secretary National Council of Churches
cc: Middle East Council of Churches
12) NCC Secretary General Condemns Israel
August 30, 2001.
Dear President Bush:
We write today to express grave concern about recent events in the Middle East, in particular, the recent occupation of the town of Beit Jala by the Israeli military. We appreciate that your Administration called for the Israeli military to withdraw, and urge you to continue to press the government of Israel to comply.
We would especially like to voice our distress regarding the Israeli military's occupation of the Lutheran church in Beit Jala and other of its properties including an orphanage and school. We view this occupation of a Christian site for military purposes as extremely serious, and urge you to communicate with all parties the concern that the violence not spill over into places of worship of any faith. We believe all places of worship are sacred.
Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar General Secretary National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
13) Church Delegation Calls For Israeli Withdrawal
On Wednesday, September 5, 2001, A United States church delegation at the U.N. conference against racism said that financial reparations are due for slavery and colonialism and that Israel should withdraw from occupied Palestinian territory. These comments originated from the National Council of Churches (NCC), and the delegates came from the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Church of Christ. and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
14) UN Backs Palestinians
The final declaration of the UN World Conference Against Racism, adopted September 8, 2001, in Durban, South Africa, is accompanied by a program of action, including the following points on the Israeli - Palestinian Situation:
. We [UN World Conference] are concerned about the plight of the Palestinian people under foreign occupation. . We recognize the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to the establishment of an independent state. . We recognize the right to security for all states in the region, including Israel. . We call upon all states to support the peace process and bring it to an early conclusion. . We recognize the right of (Palestinian) refugees to return voluntarily to their homes and properties in dignity and safety, and urge all states to facilitate such return.
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Links to Letters from the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches
Consultation on Israeli-Palestinian conflict decides on coordinated ecumenical action 8 August 2001
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/news/press/01/25pu.html
Documentation: Text Of 18 U.S. Church Leaders' June 7, 2001, Letter To U.S. Secretary Of State Colin Powell
http://www.ncccusa.org/news/01news69d.html
Church delegation calls for slavery reparations
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20010906-75563017.htm
Edgar Writes Bush, Jerusalem Church Leaders With Concern About Israeli Military Occupation Of Beit Jala
http://www.ncccusa.org/news/01news69.html
Koenig's International News - http://watch.org
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FishNet: Internet service for business and ministry http://www.fni.com/
CLOSURE
It is hoped that this article has provided further insight into the enormous complexities of the current world spiritual situation.
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