Kindgo
Advanced Member
Member # 2
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posted
September 4, 2002
Times are certainly intense as I write this from Jerusalem. Life has become more challenging than when I was here in late January. There is a lull now in Israel, but the new Iraq rhetoric, the resolve President Bush has to replace Saddam and his plan to speak to the UN next week is keeping many of us watching attentively.
The security is very tight everywhere one goes. When people go into café's or other retail establishments in Jerusalem (other areas of Israel too), the customers are searched for guns and bombs. Women's purses are checked out, and men are scanned with a metal detector for guns. Metal borders have been placed in front of the retail businesses, so cars can't careen into the businesses along the road.
The same happens as people go into the Central Bus Station in downtown Jerusalem; everyone is checked. Also, before one can go into the popular Ben Yehuda retail area people are checked and searched. Many are not venturing out and staying at home. However, people are continuing to adjust to this inconvenience the best they can under extreme circumstances.
I was told that one in four Israelis are experiencing post-traumatic stress syndrome. Also, the youth are using more alcohol and drugs to cope. There is a growing resolve that Israel has to fight back, and many are beginning to acknowledge that their Palestinian "peace partner" has other motives. A twenty-year-old Israeli survivor of a recent suicide bombing (who wants to leave Israel now) stated something to the effect: "The Palestinians want to kill us, and we have no other choice but to kill them."
I heard yesterday the remote-control bomb that been placed in a backpack at Hebrew University had been soaked in perfume, which fooled the bomb sniffing dogs. This has heightened the concerns over similar potential incidents in the future.
The Palestinian's failed leadership under Yassir Arafat has created an environment that now has 50% unemployment, with 63.3% in Gaza. They have lost $3 billion in income since the intifada began in September, 2000. They blame Israel rather than their inept leadership. The ominous thing about it is that many world political leaders, too, totally blame Israel for the Palestinians' plight.
Israel warned Syria again last week to reign in the Hezbullah or Israel will. Saddam Hussein is continuing to fuel the Palestinian war with Israel. The US' relationship with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Middle East countries is deteriorating. The common theme on the street of many Middle East countries is "Death to Israel and the United States."
Peace Efforts have left the Middle East in Shambles
Since President H.W. Bush initiated and began the "land for peace" Madrid Conference in October 1991, the whole region has deteriorated significantly. Many Israelis and Palestinians have lost their lives. Israel is living in terror and their economy has been impacted significantly. The Palestinians are also experiencing enormous economic problems. Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, and the Taliban have been developing weapons of mass destruction. The World Trade Center and the Pentagon have been attacked by 19 men in commercial jets costing the US billions and billions of dollars in insurance claims. The US stock markets have lost over eight trillion in market capitalization. There has been the loss of many jobs, plus increase security in many places in the country, and terrorism has become a weekly conversation in the United States and in nations around the world. Afghanistan has been pummeled to the tune of $10.7 billion dollars. Many in the Arab world are calling for the death of Israel and America with more fervor.
In other words: the "land for peace" effort has been a total failure. However, what we are seeing is the Bible's prophecies being fulfilled right before out eyes.
The US is alone for the moment
US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney have stated that the United States needs to do something with Iraq, that their buildup of weapons of mass destruction is a risk to the United States and others. President Bush's father's former staff -- Baker, Scowcroft and Scharzkoph -- say don't go at Iraq without an ally base. Additionally, retired Marine General Anthony Zinni and other retired generals are cautioning the United States from going against Iraq at this time without ally support. Plus, the rest of the world for the most part (Australia has come out on the side of the US) is not in favor of a US attack on Iraq.
President Bush will be presenting his case on Iraq to world leaders in the next few days and to the UN next week. The Iraq tie to the 9-11 event in the US will be presented too.
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Europe gaining strength
With the movement of an estimated $200 billion in funds out of the United States by the Saudis and the rumor there will be more Middle East money shifted to Europe, this could have an impact on the United States financial markets at some point. In the past years there has been a concern about the impact on US financial markets if Japan sold their $250 billion in treasury notes. We also have a volatile stock market with two unknowns:(1) Are other Enron's and WorldCom's out there with bad accounting? and, (2) What will be the impact of further major terrorism events?
Compound this with the fact there is a lot of jealousy in the world over the United States' superpower status, disagreement over the US war on terrorism, and anger over the US not joining the international criminal court.
The EU this past weekend approved their plan for Middle East peace. This plan is similar to other nations' plans and now puts their official plan into the mix. They have sent representatives to Israel and the Middle East.
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Koenig's International News - http://watch.org
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God bless,
Kindgo
Inside the will of God there is no failure. Outside the will of God there is no success.
Posts: 4320 | From: Sunny Florida | Registered: Jun 2002
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