Why is Obama Punishing Israel?

Sunday, March 22, 2015 |  Aviel Schneider   Israel Today

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Election 2015

Though it won’t admit as much, the Obama Administration appears poised to punish Israel for daring to re-elect Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and by such a large margin.

The White House’s dissatisfaction with last Tuesday’s election results became apparent when it took no fewer than three days for President Barack Obama to call and congratulate Netanyahu on his victory.

American media was less subtle, openly suggesting that Obama was looking to punish Netanyahu, and by extension the majority of Israelis who voted for Likud and other right-wing parties.

The New York Times revealed that the Obama Administration was presently reconsidering its policies vis-a-vis the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and might no longer use its veto to prevent unilateral moves by the Palestinian Authority at the UN Security Council.

More than anything, Obama seems upset that Israel so firmly placed Netanyahu back in office even after the latter declared just days before the elections that the creation of a Palestinian state is, at present, a non-starter.

Unless the Palestinians themselves come up with a creative and acceptable new solution, the bilateral peace process is for now dead, and that doesn’t bode well for Obama’s legacy.

Washington has also signaled disapproval of Netanyahu’s fear-mongering during the elections, when he declared that “the Arabs are storming the polls and will overthrow the government.” It is widely believed that tactic spurred a massive turnout of Likud voters, and sealed Netanyahu’s victory.

Following the elections, Netanyahu clarified that he and all of Israel continue to seek a political horizon with the Arabs in general, and the Palestinians in particular, but that the current situation under the current Palestinian leadership simply doesn’t lend itself to a positive outcome. For this, Israelis cannot be blamed.

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Why Jonathan Cahn's Prophetic 'Mystery of Shemitah' Is Flying off the Shelves

9/12/2014 ALTHEA THOMPSON  CHARISMA NEWS

Jonathan Cahn's "The Mystery of the Shemitah" has charted simultaneously on the New York Times Best-Sellers List at No. 6 and No. 31 on USA Today's Best-Selling Books Top 150 list.

The Mystery of the Shemitah by Jonathan Cahn, a book revealing a 3,000-year-old biblical prophecy for America's future, has charted simultaneously on the New York Times Best-Sellers List at No. 6 and No. 31 on USA Today's Best-Selling Books Top 150 list.

This sophomore release for the New Jersey-based author builds on the mysterious biblical prophecy revealed in his million-selling novel, The Harbinger, which became a publishing phenomenon and remained on the NYT best-sellers list for over 110 weeks.

The Shemitah (SHMEE-tah), or Sabbath year, is the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah for the land of Israel. Cahn says understanding this seven-year pattern is essential for understanding the prophecies and mysteries of the Bible that are still applicable today.

"As we commemorate a day in our nation's history that deeply tested the strength of our foundation, Cahn's message is needed more than ever," Tessie DeVore, Charisma House Book Group executive vice president, said in a reference to 9/11. "We are pleased to see The Mystery of the Shemitah garnering national attention at a time when the nation is still seeking hope for its future."

The Mystery of the Shemitah also debuted at No. 1 in the Christian Prophecy category on Amazon.com, and several other general-market and Christian-trade lists, including Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and CBD.com, triggering a major reprint to meet market demand at retail on its first day of release.

The Mystery of the Shemitah is the 12th New York Times best-seller for Charisma House Book Group, following The Harbinger by Cahn. Fasting by Jentezen Franklin, 23 Minutes in Hell by Bill Wiese, and The Seven Pillars of Health by Don Colbert, MD, also have previously charted on the list.

Drop the 'Jewish State' Demand - USA Secretary of State John Kerry

Kerry: Drop the 'Jewish State' Demand

Friday, March 14, 2014 |  Israel Today Staff  

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US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday said it was wrong for Israel to insist upon being recognized by the Palestinians as a “Jewish state” as a condition for peace.

“I think it’s a mistake for some people to be, you know, raising it again and again as the critical decider of their attitude towards the possibility of a state and peace, and we’ve obviously made that clear,” Kerry told the congressional House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Kerry’s remarks would seem to be an about face from Washington’s position on the matter just over a month ago.

In late January, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, who is close to the White House, wrote that Kerry’s Middle East peace proposal would call on the Palestinians to “recognize Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people” as one of the core concessions necessary for a final status peace agreement.

The discrepancy suggests that the Obama Administration could be succumbing to Palestinian pressure and altering its proposal to lean more toward the Arab agenda.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has repeatedly stated that he will never recognize Israel as the Jewish state, and threatened to quit the peace talks over that and other US-backed Israeli conditions. On Sunday, Arab League head Nabil Elaraby told Al-Arabiya that he fully backs Abbas’ position, and is calling for all Arab countries to take a “firm stand” against Israel’s demand to be recognized as the Jewish state.

For Israel, the condition is a critical one because official recognition of a Jewish state by the Palestinian Authority would mean that the Arabs finally accept Israel’s right to exist in the region as the national homeland of the Jewish people, thereby precluding (presumably) any future attempts to destroy it.

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Kerry's Peace Plan: Divide Jerusalem, Recognize Jewish State

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 |  Ryan Jones , Israel Today 

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US Secretary of State John Kerry is about to bring over six months of frantic shuttle diplomacy to a climax by presenting a firm American proposal for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

That according to New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, who is close to the Obama Administration.

"After letting the two sides fruitlessly butt heads for six months, [Kerry's] now planning to present a U.S. framework that will lay out what Washington considers the core concessions Israelis and Palestinians need to make for a fair, lasting deal," Friedman wrote on Tuesday.

As the columnist explains it, the US plan sees Israel withdrawing from Judea and Samaria in stages, but not from 100 percent of the territory. Large Jewish settlement blocs would be left intact and under Israeli sovereignty, and Israel would compensate by surrendering some of its territory to the Palestinian Authority.

Jerusalem would be divided, and the eastern half recognized as the capital of "Palestine." Speaking of recognition, Israel would be explicitly acknowledged as the nation state of the Jewish people.

The proposal does not allow for the mass entry of so-called "Palestinian refugees" into Israel.

For those familiar with the conflict, as Friedman purports to be, the proposal and his eager approach to it are baffling.

How many times does Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas have to reject the notions of recognizing a Jewish state or relinquishing a Palestinian "right of return" before America will take him at his word?

Abbas has staked his political legacy on achieving a "right of return" for Palestinians to Israel-proper, and has been so adamant about never calling Israel a "Jewish state" that it is somewhat unreasonable for anyone to expect him to change his mind now.

And those aren't the only insurmountable obstacles.

Kerry and Friedman seem to be forgetting about Hamas, which on Tuesday issued a statement reiterating that it would never accept a two-state solution or give up even "one inch of the land of Palestine," which the group considers to include the entirety of the Land of Israel.

Nor can Hamas' extreme positions be ignored, as the group has demonstrated its ability to win Palestinian elections and ascend to the highest positions of power, be it through democratic processes or force of arms.

There is also the matter of Israeli Arabs who would become Palestinian citizens as part of the proposed land swaps. Almost to a man, Israeli Arabs and their representatives in the Knesset have rejected such an outcome.

Last but not least, Israeli Jews have made it abundantly clear in surveys carried out over the past two decades that they will not accept the re-division of their ancient and sacred capital. Any prime minister who agrees to such a concession is very likely to be voted out of power before he or she has a chance to actually implement the agreement.

Why Kerry or Friedman believe that this latest proposal will lead to a different result than those that came before it is beyond me.

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Love For His People Editor's Note: Coincidence how the USA Obama Administration is trying to divide Jerusalem, in their "peace plan" efforts, as the record winter takes it's economic toll on our country? No one who attempts to divide the Lord's land will go untouched themselves. Biblical promise. Steve Martin

Netanyahu Arrives in China

CBNNews.com

Monday, May 6, 2013

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began an official visit to China Monday despite tensions back home following the alleged Israeli airstrikes on Syrian weapons storage facilities.

Israeli commentators said it was important for Netanyahu to maintain his plans to signal that Israel is continuing its business as usual.

Netanyahu did delay his departure slightly Sunday afternoon to attend a security cabinet meeting on the latest developments.

Syrian government officials told the New York Times dozens of elite troops were killed in the airstrikes. Opposition forces confirmed "the strikes hit bases of the Republican Guard and storehouses of long-range missiles in addition to a military research center that American officials have called the country's main chemical weapons factory."

Despite the tenuous situation on the northern border, Netanyahu did not cancel the trip to China, where he hopes to advance economic cooperation between the two countries and present Israel's perspective on Iran.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon will serve as acting prime minister during his absence.

After landing in Shanghai Monday morning, Netanyahu, his wife, Sarah, and sons Yair and Avner headed for a hi-tech park on the first leg of the five-day visit.

At the park, Netanyahu and his family saw some of the latest innovations in alternative energy, urban development, the environment, aviation and space exploration, computer networking, and medicine by international companies doing business in China.

"We see here the logos of many of the world's leading companies," Netanyahu said as he viewed the list of companies in the park. "I hope that we will soon see on this wall the logos of many Israeli companies. This is the goal -- to expand bilateral economic cooperation and significantly increase Israeli exports to China."

"China and Israel have much to gain from enhanced cooperation and that's our goal," Mark Regev, the prime minister's spokesman, told AFPearlier.

In Shanghai, Netanyahu will meet with business leaders and sign several international trade agreements before departing for Beijing later in the week, where he'll meet with President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Li Keqiang and other senior government officials.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will be in China during part of Netanyahu's visit, where he reportedly plans to present his perspective on the stalemated peace talks.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2013/May/Netanyahu-Arrives-in-China/