Joel C. Rosenberg & Israeli President Shimon Peres

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

I will always cherish the time I met & interviewed Israeli President Shimon Peres for my book, “Epicenter.” Tonight, this Founding Father passed away at 93. by joelcrosenberg (Denver, Colorado) -- Shimon Peres, "the last of Israel's founding fathers," died tonight. He was 93. Please be praying for his family and friends as they grieve his loss and try to adjust to a world without this beloved yet controversial giant. Peres began his political career in his mid-twenties as a trusted aide to David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of the reborn Jewish State in 1948. From there he served in every senior government role there was -- Prime Minister, Defense Minister, Foreign Minister, Finance Minister, and eventually the nation's President. Last summer I listened to the audio book of Peres' absolutely wonderful and moving biography, Ben Gurion: A Political Life, which I commend to you. Peres had a front row seat to history -- indeed, to ancient Biblical prophecies coming to pass -- but he was not simply an observer of that history, he was an active and at times transformative participant. He helped launch Israel's fledgling air force in the late 40s. He started Israel's nuclear program. He also won the Nobel Prize for his peace-making efforts, even though his moves towards the Palestinians were deeply divisive inside Israel. I will always cherish the time I met and briefly interviewed Peres in the fall of 2005 for the non-fiction book, Epicenter: Why The Current Rumblings In The Middle East Will Change Your Future, I was working on at the time. In light of his passing, I thought I'd post a few excerpts and hope it gives you a little insight into this intriguing figure of Jewish history. The Bear Hug Are Israel and her neighbors moving closer to war or to peace? Nowhere was this conundrum more vividly on display for me than at the “Peace: Dream or Vision?” conference I attended in Israel in the fall of 2005, commemorating the tenth anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, the beloved Israeli prime minister who signed the historic peace treaty with Jordan’s King Hussein in 1994. Outside the conference center at the Strategic Dialogue Center of Netanya Academic College were all the reminders of the “wars and rumors of wars” that Jesus said would plague the world until his return—a phalanx of heavily armed security guards, metal detectors, bomb-sniffing dogs, and so forth. To get in I had to not only show my passport to the security staff but give it to them to hold on to until I left, and my camera, camera bag, tape recorder, and briefcase were all searched carefully—as was I—before I was allowed to proceed. But inside were all the reminders of Israelis “living securely” in “the land that is restored from the sword,” which Ezekiel predicted. One moment I was watching former Mossad chief Danny Yatom chatting like old buds with Dr. Abdel Salam Majali, the former Jordanian prime minister, and Osama El-Baz, the chief political advisor to Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. The next moment I was watching Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian chief negotiator, give a bear hug to former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres. Once they were all enemies. Now they were all friends. Once they were plotting each other’s demise. Now they were talking about their shared vision for a “new Middle East.” Such warm relationships between Arab and Israeli leaders may seem insignificant, but they most certainly are not. They actually represent enormous progress toward resolving the conflict. Let me give you a little anecdote to provide some context. In April of 1988, ABC’s Ted Koppel took Nightline to Israel for a week of broadcasts on the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising known as the intifada and the increasingly desperate need for peace and reconciliation between the two sides. Having recently returned to the States after nearly six months in Israel, where I had studied at Tel Aviv University and witnessed the outbreak of the intifada, I watched Koppel’s show with great interest every night in my dorm room at Syracuse University. On April 25, Koppel held the first-ever town hall meeting between Israelis and Palestinians, broadcast live from the historic Jerusalem Theater. It was bound to be riveting television, for never before had Israeli and Palestinian leaders sat on the same stage together, much less engaged in anything close to a dialogue. But when the show began, I was surprised to see a three-foot-high stone wall running down the middle of the stage. The Israelis sat on one side, the Palestinians on the other. It was a sad symbol of the divide between the two peoples. Years later, I was interviewed by Koppel on Nightline. After the tap­ing was finished, I had the opportunity to ask Koppel about that wall. “It came up at almost the last minute,” he explained, remembering the moment vividly. “We were just a few hours from going on live from Jerusalem—at 6:30 in the morning, Israel time, mind you, so that the show would be on at 11:30 p.m. back in the U.S.—and suddenly the Palestinians said they refused to appear onstage with the Israelis without sitting in a booth, so they didn’t appear to actually be talking to the Israelis. We said absolutely not. So they asked that we put razor wire down the center of the stage, and again we said no. Finally, they asked that we build a wall—just a small wall, they said—to represent how divided Arabs and Jews are. They threatened not to appear at all if we didn’t do it, so we did it. It was an amazing night.”6 It certainly was. And one of the Palestinians who appeared onstage that night was Saeb Erekat. Then he had refused to shake hands with the Israelis. He had barely made eye contact with them. And he had demanded a wall. Now, at the peace conference in Netanya, he was giving bear hugs. How much the world had changed.7 “A New Age” in the Middle East? Shimon Peres is a living legend in Israel and is one of the country’s founding fathers. I have long disagreed with his Socialist economic views and a foreign policy too dovish, in my opinion. But I have always respected this man who served his country not once but three times as prime minister and in numerous other ministerial positions and who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. I had never met the former prime minister before that conference in Netanya, but having worked for Benjamin Netanyahu—who defeated Peres in 1996—I was very much looking forward to it. Now in his eighties, Peres is quieter and slower and more grand­fatherly than he once was, but he is still a dreamer. He told the assembled dignitaries that he believes the Middle East is entering “a new age” and that he has never been more optimistic that a final peace agreement with the Palestinians can be reached in the not-too-distant future. “The Lord is in charge of the beginning and the end, but we are ­responsible for the middle,” he said, insisting that there is no contradiction between fighting terror and negotiating for peace. “When a cat is chasing a mouse, there’s no sense for the mouse to ask for a cease-fire. He must deal with the cat and insure his own safety.” After Peres’s keynote address, I had a few minutes to interview the former prime minister. “Is it your sense that Israel is more secure today—before we get to the point of the Iran nuclear bomb—than it has been in its history so far?” I asked. Peres agreed with that assessment. “I would say that Israel’s security was globalized,” he explained in his distinctive, gravelly voice, suggesting that with the U.S. as a strong ally, the fall of Saddam, and peace treaties in place with Egypt and Jordan, the threat Israel faces today is “the problem of terror, rather than a classical attack” by a conventional Arab army or air force.8 Had the passing of Arafat—the Nobel Peace Prize winner who never actually made peace—helped or hurt the prospects for a final deal with the Palestinians? I wondered. “With him, [the peace process] wouldn’t have started,” Peres insisted. “With him, it wouldn’t be finished.”..... —————————– You can now pre-order my next novel — Without Warning — which will release on March 14, 2017. Click here for details. Order The First Hostage today — the new political thriller about genocidal ISIS leaders plotting a terrorist attacks against Israel, Jordan and the United States — available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. ———————-—- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks on the U.S. and our Mideast allies. Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and prayerfully consider making a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution. Thanks so much! Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg joelcrosenberg | September 28, 2016 at 4:32 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-5IA

Pope Visits Yad Vashem, Calls for Two-State Solution - CBN News

Pope Visits Yad Vashem, 

Calls for Two-State Solution

CBN News - Chris Mitchel Monday, May 26, 2014

BEN GURION AIRPORT, Israel -- Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greeted Pope Francis at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday.

The pontiff's trip is the third papal visit to Israel since the year 2000. He came with the goal of building bridges -- within the church, between faiths -- and bridging the political divide between Israelis and Palestinians.

Francis issued a surprise invitation to both Peres and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to pray together at the Vatican. Both accepted and plan to come to Rome in early June.

On the last day of his two-day visit, Francis prayed at the Western Wall in the Old City and visited Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust Memorial, where he met with Holocaust survivors and prayed, "Never again Lord, never again."

Historic Christian Declaration

One major reason for the Pope's visit is to sign a joint declaration with Barthlomew, the patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church. The declaration marks the 50th anniversary of the end of a rift between the Eastern and Western Christian Churches, which began nearly 1,000 years ago.

Both men expressed grave concern for Christian persecution in the Middle East, an issue Netanyahu also addressed.

"Your Holiness, in the heart of the Middle East, the turbulent and violent Middle East, where Christians are often persecuted, Israel is an island of tolerance," MK Rabbi Dov Lipman told CBN News. "We also hope he basks in the holiness of Jerusalem and also recognizes the importance of a unified Jerusalem where there's access for all faiths to their places of worship."

During his visit, Pope Francis called for a two-state solution. That means a divided Jerusalem since Palestinians also want the city as their capital.

Watch here: CBN News video

German Government Concludes 'Special' Visit to Israel

Wednesday, February 26, 2014 |  Israel Today Staff  

Share on bloggerShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on gmailMore Sharing Services

• Enlarge

Related Stories

• Celebrating Jerusalem and its 'Watchmen on the Walls'
• Netanyahu communicates with Arab web surfers
• Israeli Government Rejects Annexation of Judea-Samaria

Topics:

Israel

“I assure you, Angela, the people of Israel want peace, real peace.” This was the point underlined by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Jerusalem this week.

Israel wants a peace that will bring a true end to the conflict with the Palestinians. For this to happen, the Palestinians, and indeed the wider Arab world, need to recognize Israel’s right to exist and to exist as a Jewish state.

Additionally, given the violence visited against Israel in her short modern history, the Jewish state’s security concerns must be adequately addressed.

In a visit in which she brought nearly her entire cabinet to Jerusalem, Merkel largely supported Israel’s peace conditions. Both she and Netanyahu highlighted the close friendship between their two nations, with Merkel stating that Germany would continue to work “shoulder-to-shoulder” to ensure Israel’s security. According to Merkel, a key component of that future security is a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians.

The Israeli media largely hailed the visit as extremely positive and evidence that far from being isolated, Israel still has very close friends among the leading nations of the West.

The local media did focus a lot of attention on German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s remarks that Jewish settlements in the so-called “West Bank” were an obstacle to peace. But that view was and has been echoed throughout the German government and opposition.

Besides discussing the peace process, Netanyahu and Merkel were able to hammer an agreement that will allow young Germans and Israelis (aged 18–30) to visit and legally work in one another’s countries for up to one year.

At the conclusion of the German delegation’s visit, Israeli President Shimon Peres presented Merkel with the Medal of Honor, Israel’s highest civilian award. Merkel is the first European politician to ever receive that honor.

Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates from ISRAEL TODAY

"Canada will stand with Israel." - Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper - 'Through fire and water, Canada will stand with Israel'

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, 

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and wives

'Through fire and water, Canada will stand with Israel'

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivers stirring pro-Israel speech at the Knesset • Harper: I believe the story of Israel is a great example to the world • Two Arab MKs disrupt Harper's speech • Netanyahu: Harper stands up for the truth.

Gideon Alon, Shlomo Cesana, Daniel Siryoti, Israel Hayom Staff and News Agencies

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper addresses the Knesset on Monday |  Photo credit: Dudi Vaaknin

<< 1 2 3 4 >>

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper got a taste of the robustness of Israeli democracy on Monday, as he was heckled by Israeli Arab MKs during a speech at the Knesset.

As Harper condemned anti-Israel boycott efforts and denounced those who call Israel an apartheid state, two Israeli Arab MKs shouted at him and walked out.

Ra'am Ta'al MK Ahmad Tibi shouted that the boycott efforts were against Israeli settlements and that Harper should be sitting on the Likud benches in the Knesset. A second Ra'am Ta'al MK, Talab Abu Arar, called on Harper to speak about alleged racism against Bedouin citizens of Israel. After their outbursts, the two MKs walked out of the Knesset chamber. Harper then received a standing ovation from other MKs.

"I believe the story of Israel is a great example to the world," Harper said.

"It is a story, essentially, of a people whose response to suffering has been to move beyond resentment and build a most extraordinary society, a vibrant democracy, a freedom-loving country with an independent and rights-affirming judiciary, an innovative, world-leading 'start-up' nation.

"You have taken the collective memory of death and persecution to build an optimistic, forward-looking society, one that so values life you will sometimes release a thousand criminals and terrorists to save one of your own. In the democratic family of nations, Israel represents values which our government takes as articles of faith and principles to drive our own national life. And therefore, through fire and water, Canada will stand with you."

Harper spoke out strongly against anti-Semitism disguised as criticism of Israel.

"We live in a world where that kind of moral relativism today runs rampant," Harper said.

"And in the garden of such moral relativism, the seeds of a much more sinister notion can be easily planted. And so we have witnessed in recent years the mutation of the old disease of anti-Semitism and the emergence of a new strain.

"We all know about the old anti-Semitism. It was crude and ignorant, and it led to the horrors of the death camps. Of course, in many dark corners, it is still with us. But, in much of the western world, the old hatred has been translated into more sophisticated language for use in polite society. People who would never say they hate and blame the Jews for their own failings or the problems of the world, instead declare their hatred of Israel and blame the only Jewish state for the problems of the Middle East.

"As once Jewish businesses were boycotted, some civil society leaders today call for a boycott of Israel. On some campuses, intellectualized arguments against Israeli policies thinly mask underlying realities, such as the shunning of Israeli academics and the harassment of Jewish students.

"Most disgracefully of all, some openly call Israel an apartheid state. Now think about that statement. Think about the twisted logic and outright malice behind that. A state, based on freedom, democracy and the rule of law, founded so that Jews can flourish as Jews and seek shelter from the shadow of the worst racist experiment in history."

Harper said Israel "is condemned in the masked language of anti-racism."

Stephen Harper at the Israeli Knesset

"Friends, that is nothing short of sickening," Harper said. "But, this is the face of the new anti-Semitism. It targets the Jewish people by targeting Israel and attempts to make the old bigotry acceptable to a new generation."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the Knesset on Monday, welcoming Harper and thanking him for his support of Israel. Netanyahu spoke about Harper's visit to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem after his arrival in Israel on Sunday.

"This is the Jerusalem that has been the eternal capital of the Jewish people since the time of King David, 3,000 years ago," Netanyahu said.

"There are those in the international community who try to refute our connection to Jerusalem and our land, but not you. You are well familiar with the facts, past as well as present. I want to tell you, members of the Knesset, that there are others in the international community who also know the facts. But unlike the others, Stephen, you have the courage to stand up for the truth, and you have the courage to say the truth.

"In this visit, we are discussing ways to further enhance the ties between us, as cooperating with each other helps make both countries stronger, more prosperous, more progressive. I hope that the day comes that we will find partners here in the Middle East who share our vision, many partners. I hope that the parliaments will cooperate; I hope that there will be real parliaments.

"For example, let's look at Syria. Here in the [Knesset], as you have seen, Stephen, anyone can speak their mind. They can stand up, talk, yell, irritate. But these are not things that can be done in Damascus. Only here in Israel do we have freedom. I must say that I have not found that our friends, Israeli Arabs, want to take leave of Israel. They all want to be here, and justly so. I understand them."

Earlier on Monday, Harper met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. A Palestinian official told Israel Hayom that the meeting was somewhat tense, due to Harper's unflinching support for Israel. According to the official, Abbas and Harper discussed the possibility of Canada taking part in a solution for the Palestinian refugee issue. However, Harper said that, as of now, Canada has not been asked to take in Palestinian refugees.

"We obviously understand the various challenges that Palestinians face," Harper said. "That's why again today, and obviously over a long period of time, the government of Canada has supported Palestinians in critical areas: humanitarian aid, political development, security development, peace process, and we will continue to do so. 

Canada is a strong supporter of the peace process. Our position is not an Israeli position or a Palestinian position, it's a Canadian position of principle, supported by the overall majority of Canadians and at its heart is our belief that the critical issues must be resolved through negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians themselves."

Standing ovation for Harper's speech to the Knesset

Before meeting with Abbas, Harper toured the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

On Tuesday morning, Harper met with President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Ron Prosor told the U.N. Security Council on Monday that Palestinian incitement against Israel poses a major obstacle to peace.

"From cradles to kindergartens and from schools to soccer stadiums, Palestinian children are besieged by messages of hate," Prosor said.

"They are born in hospitals named after violent Palestinian groups, attend schools named after terrorists, and are taught from textbooks that describe Zionism as racism.

"The Palestinian leadership has yet to learn that real peace requires real commitment. You cannot condemn terrorism to international media and congratulate terrorists on Palestinian media. You cannot victimize others and then insist you are the victim."

Paula Abdul connects to her Jewish roots on tourist trip to Israel

'It's been magical and emotional': Paula Abdul connects to her Jewish roots on tourist trip to Israel

Paula Abdul with Israel President Shimon Peres

By DAVID MAC DOUGALL, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PUBLISHED: 4 November 2013 

She may have became famous from her hit songs, impressive choreography and judging on American Idol, but Paul Abdul explored her spiritual side during a recent trip to Israel.

The former American Idol and The X Factor judge discussed her Jewish heritage and even said she was planning on holding a belated Bat Mitzvah - the Jewish coming of age ceremony girls typically have at age 12 or 13.

'Beyond being Jewish, I've always found myself to be very much in tune with spirituality,' the 51-year-old told The Associated Press. 'I feel very grateful coming to Israel now, where as a woman I know who I am a lot more than even 10 years ago.'

Pleased to meet you Mr President: Paula Abdul shares a laugh 

with Shimon Peres in Israel 

An official guest of Israel's ministry of tourism, Abdul has been touring the country and visiting holy sites, museums and markets in Jerusalem. Israeli President Shimon Peres also hosted the former Lakers Girl.

Abdul said the trip has provided her a rare opportunity to experience the country like a 'regular tourist' without the nonstop schedule of a concert tour.

'I've traveled the world touring and things like that but I don't get the chance to see much of wherever I'm at,' she said. Abdul described the visit as 'the most magnificent trip I've ever taken... magical and emotional.'

After a music career that saw her have six number one singles in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Abdul reinvented herself as a quirky judge of talent on American Idol. 

She left the U.S. talent show in 2009 after eight seasons over a contract dispute. She later had one season as a judge on the U.S. version of The X Factor. She'll appear next year as a judge on Australia's version of So You Think You Can Dance.

These days though, Abdul describes herself as 'a fan of talent.' She also said she tries to dance as much as she can. 'I dance because I have to, because I'm so passionate about it,' Abdul said.

She's famous here too: Abdul is well known for her hit singles, her choreography 

and her American Idol judging 

Going for gold: Paula in full glamorous mode in a floor length dress 

at a Fox party in Los Angeles last month

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2486981/Paula-Abdul-connects-Jewish-roots-tourist-trip-Israel.html#ixzz2lBmtsnMc 

Check here: Daily Mail UK