Hamas announced that they have reached an agreement with the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine (terrorist group) to release the assassins of former Minister of Tourism, Rechevam Ze’evi, from a prison in Jericho. They have been there since the assassination which took place at the Hyatt Hotel in Jerusalem on October 17, 2001.

We remember the event well. Our tour group was in the hotel at the time, and the assassination took place on the 8th flour that morning. Newspapers reported that our group was terrified and left the hotel and left Israel!!!! Such was not the case. We stayed at the same hotel and have been there each year since that fatal time. Our trust and confidence is in the LORD GOD of ISRAEL.

Defense Minister Sha’ul Mofaz has warned that the release of these murderers would bring about a “severe Israeli response” but did not say what that response might be. Mofaz said: “This is a blatant violation of the agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority and we will not let this pass.” Mofaz went on to say that “Mahmoud Abbas (Palestinian Authority Chairman) must intervene immediately to stop this.”

But, little can be expected to change Hamas’ decision. And, as for the Fatah, they are meeting now in talks with Hamas about joining a Hamas-led government.

Another prisoner to be released is Fuad Shubaki, formerly Yassir Arafat’s financial advisor. He was responsible for the funding of suicide bombers against Israeli citizens and he also is the one who arranged the purchase of the large cache of weapons that was seized by the IDF aboard the Karin A ship in January of 2002.

Ehud Olmert, the present acting Prime Minister who is running as head of the new Kadima Party, continues to be the subject of investigations dealing with corruption and scandals on his behalf. His recent statement about Hamas continues to cause suspicion and doubt among Israeli citizens. He said: “There is no reason to terrify the State of Israel by claiming that the sky has fallen.” He called Benjamin Netanyahu a “fear-monger” for insisting that the situation with Hamas in control is extremely dangerous to the State of Israel.

Once again, we urge the people of God to pray for Israel – it is a very dangerous situation!

The Palestinian elections took place the last week of January, and the Israeli elections take place the last week of March – we are now “in between” these two important events. HAMAS (terrorist organization) is now in control, but the FATAH party is trying to flex its muscles and appear to be similar in strategy. They are now threatening to bombard Israel with the most serious intifida that has happened so far – suicide bombers, missiles, and rockets, and what they now call “new weaponry” that they have received. HAMAS now publicly states that it does not want any monies from the US or Europe, both of whom have threatened to withdraw funds unless there is a stopping of terrorist attacks and a public recognition of the State of Israel. HAMAS insists that it will not change its stated goal of destroying the State of Israel and annihilating the Jews. The situation is worse today than it was a few weeks ago when the elections took place and HAMAS captured 76 seats in the Palestinian Parliament of 132 seats.

In Israel, the newly-formed Kadima Party is having some struggles. The temporary leader, Ehud Olmert, is not winning the day for Kadima. His compromises and willingness to give up more strategic Jewish land, and especially his manipulation in removing other Jewish communities, is causing the Israelis to start questioning whether this is the kind of leadership that they want. Israel is divided as a nation. The former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is publicly blasting the current government for giving in to terrorism and allowing an extremely dangerous situation to exist. People are starting to listen. There is still a month to go, and much can happen within that time.

It is also interesting to observe the movements of both Russia and China into Middle East politics especially with regard to Iran. Russia’s warning to the United States not to take military action against Iran was an extremely important issue this past week. Iran is continuing (through its radical President) verbally to attack the United States in particular as well as the European Union and urging the entire Islamic world to “boycott” them! The entire situation in this world of ours appears to be “rushing” toward Armageddon!

Bible believers have put their confidence in the LORD GOD of ISRAEL and know that the Bible teaches that He is working His Divine prophetic plan with precise detail. Isaiah 40 speaks of the nations as “nothing” to God! He can do whatever He wants with them to accomplish His ultimate purposes. Our trust is in the LORD GOD of ISRAEL, the very One Who has promised never to forsake His people or to cancel His everlasting and unconditional covenant with them!

In the meantime, it is our commitment to bring the true gospel of the Messiah, our Lord Yeshua, to both Jews and Gentiles all over the world!

Iran has officially requested that the Nation of Israel be removed from the Middle East completely – and by the United Nations doing it or they will! The President of Iran is “flexing his muscles” at the world and demanding that the long-standing commitment of Islam to the destruction of Israel must be done soon! Iran’s President speaks very clearly about the goals and objectives of Islam toward the Jewish State. He states boldly that the United States and the European Union have been deceived by the “Zionist Conspiracy” and that they are simply the “puppets” of Jewish purposes and goals.

Iran’s President has also publicly and continually stated that the Holocaust never happened and that there is absolutely no proof of it whatsoever, and that it is a “Jewish scheme” to gain the sympathy of the West against the growth and goals of Islam.

He has also stated that the Islamic “Messiah” is soon to appear, and that world domination is the destiny of Islam.

But, the United States and Israel are already laying out the possible plans for a military attack against Iran and its nuclear facilities. It seems that we are heading for “Armageddon” at a faster pace than ever!

Ezekiel 38 clearly points to ancient “Persian’ (present-day Iran) as the country that leads (at least it is mentioned first!) an attack against Israel. Some believe that this war of Ezekiel 38-39 is a separate battle from Armageddon. We do not hold that position. We believe that the Hebrew prophets are consistent with themselves and totally integrated as to future events. We believe that the scenario of these two chapters is the Battle of Armageddon.

While most citizens of North American (recent polls) believe that Iran is a serious threat to world peace, it is not our desire to build hatred and hostility to the people who live in that great country. For years Iran was very sympathetic and supportive of the United States. But, when the government fell into the hands of the “Islamic Revolution” – everything changed! Now, we are being faced with a serious threat from a nation that appears to be designing and building nuclear weapons for an attack upon the Nation of Israel.

We are confident of the Bible’s promises – the God of Israel will never forsake His people or His everlasting and unconditional covenant! Our trust is in Him alone! We also desire to reach the people of Iran with the true gospel of our Lord and Savior Yeshua HaMashiach! We pray that many Iranians will turn to the true and only God – the GOD of ISRAEL!

It’s hard to believe but the featured speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington DC Hilton Hotel was King Abdullah II of Jordan! He quoted from the Bible and the Koran and urged moderates in the three great religions to unite!

The king got a very enthusiastic welcome from the 2000 attendees of the breakfast (most of whom were evangelical Christians) and Senator Bill Nelson (Florida Democrat) called Abdullah “a great example of unity for us.” When Senator Nelson prayed he asked God for a “double portion” of the spirit of the late Jordanian King Hussein to rest upon Abdullah, his son.

King Abdullah gave the benediction – the first Muslim head of state to be given such a role! Christian leaders included Rev. Richard Cizik, Vice-President for governmental affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals, Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, Don Argue, President of Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and Rabbi Arthur Schneier of Park East Synagogue, an Orthodox congregation in Manhattan.

Whatever happened to our belief in the teaching of II Corinthians 6:14-18 – is there no longer any doctrine of separation? May God help us and give us His wisdom!

US President George Bush declared in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, January 31, 2006, that in order for the USA to continue its support, HAMAS must recognize the State of Israel, put down their weapons, stop terrorism and make peace with Israel. But, the facts are that HAMAS is only interested in US monies, and has no desire to make any peace with Israel.

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “the state of Hamastan, an offshoot of Iran, has been established before our eyes.” He added, “all this is happening just 1000 meters from us, a short distance from Ben0Gurion Airport, Jerusalem, and the coastal towns.” He went on to say, “the event (elections) has produced an extreme Islamist country, the hands of all its leaders are stained in blood.” He continued: “Today is the day for soul-searching, because the writing was on the wall. The free withdrawals from Gaza and the northern West Bank gave HAMAS a winning card.”

HAMAS is now trying to “soothe” the reactions from around the world by announcing a new “peace initiative” in which it will offer to trade strategic land with Israel, cease attempts to capture parts of Jerusalem, and sign a ten-year renewable cease-fire with the Jewish State. They spoke of the Islamic tradition of a “hudna” which Mohammed used to deceive those with whom he made a treaty and eventually wiped them out. HAMAS said that this “peace initiative” is a temporary machination to ease international and US hostility toward HAMAS in hope of receiving financial assistance.” However, the HAMAS leader went on to say that they will never give up their gosl of destroying Israel.

One of the HAMAS leaders was quoted as saying: “We will not take any initiative to change the way of life of the Palestinian people. We will not impose the Islamic laws and we will not escalate our fight against Israel. We will even be ready to accept an interim long-term agreement that will give the Palestinian people an independent state on most of the territories occupied in 1967 AD. I tell you we will surprise everyone with our new attitude.”

WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

1, HAMAS continues to say that the destruction of Israel is their major goal.

2. HAMAS brought 425 terrorist attacks against Israel and murdered 377 Israelis from September, 2000, until April, 2004. Before 2000 HAMAS killed 24 Israelis before the signing of the Oslo accords, and 156 more were killed between 1993 and 2000 – the total murders – at least 557.

3. HAMAS was founded by Islamic militant extremists in the Gaza Strip in 1988 – the meaning of the term is an acronym for the Arabic words for “Islamic Resistance Movement.”

4. The charter of HAMAS says “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.”

5. Their charter also says: “There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad, Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste to time and vain endeavors.”

6. HAMAS is supported with vast sums of money by Iran and Saudi Arabia. They also have the full support of Syria with offices in Damascus.

It will be interesting in the light of the US President’s State of the Union address as to what will actually take place in the months ahead. March 28 is the date set for elections in Israel.

More later.