MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

By AHMED AL-HAJ and HAMZA HENDAWI – “SANAA, Yemen (AP) — The grim prospect of civil war in Yemen has drawn closer as mutinous soldiers have become more deeply involved in a rapidly spreading battle against regime forces for control of the capital.

A negotiated cease-fire Tuesday halted three days of fighting that killed dozens of people, but it will not hold without a quick resolution of the key dispute: Who will lead the nation.

A peaceful way out of Yemen’s seven-month crisis may not come easily, if at all, making it more likely to be settled in large-scale and ruinous street battles pitting renegade army soldiers and their allied tribal fighters against U.S.-trained forces loyal to embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh and led by his son and one-time heir apparent, Ahmed.

Already, pro-regime forces reinforced their positions in their strongholds in the south of the capital, apparently in anticipation of renewed fighting. The potential for bloody strife has been shown in Yemen since the uprising against Saleh’s regime began in February, with hundreds of protesters killed and thousands wounded at the hands of security forces.

In the past three days, pro-regime forces killed more than 70 people, mostly protesters, using anti-aircraft guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars. At least 23 people were killed in Sanaa on Tuesday as the fighting intensified and spread to sensitive areas of the capital before the cease-fire took hold after nightfall.” Read more.

“Some Israeli officials expect the Palestinian statehood bid at the UN scheduled for this week to cause an eruption of violence in Judea and Samaria. The first tremors of that feared earthquake were seen on Monday.

A source in the Samarian Jewish community of Neve Tzuf told Israel Today that on Monday evening, a number of activists affiliated with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction used their vehicles to block the entrance to the village.

Many of the Jewish residents trying to get home simply turned around and decided to try again later. But at least one was reportedly forced to defend himself when several Palestinian thugs approached his vehicle in a menacing way.

‘Tension is in the air and I can tell that neither side wants it,’ said the source. ‘I’m afraid that the few true Abbas supporters are lighting the fire as I talk to you.’

The Jewish man continued by relating his fear that by the end of the week, when Abbas will officially request membership for ‘Palestine’ in the UN, the number of violent incidents between Palestinians and Jewish ‘settlers’ will ‘be too much for the army to control.'” Read more.

Palestinians plan mass rally in support of UN statehood bid – “Palestinian activists and officials hope to mobilize tens of thousands for a rally in Ramallah Wednesday in support of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ bid for statehood at the United Nations. The rally in the central West Bank city will also include a march from the tomb of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, at the Palestinian Authority (PA) headquarters, to Manara Square. Abbas’ Fatah party will attempt to boost attendance by closing schools for the day and allowing civil servants to attend during office hours.” Read more.

“WASHINGTON – The gap between the United States and its ally Israel and other countries, especially Muslim nations, is widening as the Palestinian Authority prepares to raise the issue of Palestinian statehood before the United Nations this week, according to a report from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.

A possible outcome is the further isolation of Israel in the Middle East and a heated-up atmosphere if the U.S. Congress follows through on a plan to cut funds to the Palestinian Authority.

Bilateral negotiations between the PA and Israel began in September 2010 but stalled after a few months. The Palestinians cut off discussions and blamed it on Israeli resumption of settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, two areas the Palestinians want to be part of their state.

Now, PA President Mahmoud Abbas has declared that there is no further basis for discussion, and he has decided to take to the U.N. the issue of statehood, knowing that the U.S. will veto the proposal if taken to the U.N. Security Council.

A U.S. veto promises to throw U.S. relations in the Middle East into greater turmoil and further undermine American influence to reach any kind of peace accord between the Israelis and Palestinians and, indeed, relations with other countries in the region.

Faced with a certain veto in the Security Council, Abbas believes his chances of statehood recognition are better in the U.N. General Assembly.

Daniel Rubinstein, the U.S. consul general in Jerusalem, recently told Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator, that the U.S. ‘will take punitive measures’ against the PA if it seeks to upgrade its position at the General Assembly.” Read more.

Dr. Mike Evans: ‘This was created by Obama’ … The Palestianians are following Obama’s lead – “This is the perfect storm.  The dilemma is the following:  The moment this is approved by the United Nations for statehood there cannot be a peace process any more. There can’t be negotiations.  It’s going to be war.  It’s going to be war. Hamas, Hezbollah — all the rest of them — are going to unite against the state of Israel.  It’s going to be war.  What’s going on fundamentally with Gulf oil states is the following: They’re scared to death of the ‘Arab Spring’.  Now, in order to avoid an ‘Arab Spring’ they’ve got to create another crisis greater than the ‘Arab Spring’. They’re doing that right now.  They’re buying into this in spades and they’re gonna fuel it and feed it to deter the focus on them and move it on the State of Israel.” Listen to entire interview.

Palestinian Leader: PA to Proceed with Full UN Membership Bid Because President Obama Endorsed Palestinian State – “‘I’m going to the UN in order to demand our legitimate rights and secure full membership for the state of Palestine,’ the Palestinian president said in Ramallah. ‘We hope to secure full membership.’ … Abbas said the Palestinians will be aiming to ‘secure independence in the 1967 borders and its holy capital, Jerusalem.’ … Abbas added that the Palestinians are proceeding with their United Nations statehood bid in September because US President Barack Obama said previously he wanted to see a Palestinian state.” Read more.

I’m shocked!  C’est pas vrai! …

NY Post – “PARIS — Hundreds of Muslims defied a French ban on outdoor prayer — which came into force Friday –and took to the streets and sidewalks of Paris to pray.

The French government announced Thursday it was banning praying outside, with officials pledging to enforce the ban from Friday.

But 200 Muslims ignored the ban and prayed on the streets in the neighborhood of La Goutte d’Or, Le Parisien newspaper reported.

French interior minister Claude Gueant said he had nothing against Islam but wanted it out of the public eye because France was a secular state.

He added, ‘Street prayers must stop because they hurt the feelings of many of our compatriots who are shocked by the occupation of the public space for a religious practice.’

Although officials would persuade people to pray in mosques, Muslims who continued to pray in the street would be arrested, Gueant warned.

The ban angered French Muslim leaders who said Muslims only prayed outdoors because of a lack of space in mosques in France.” Read more.

Au Revoir: Islam Set to Become Dominant Religion in France – “New research suggests there are now more practising Muslims in France than practising Catholics. While 64 percent of French people describe themselves as Roman Catholic, only 2.9 percent of the population actually practice the Catholic faith. That compares to 3.8 percent of the population who practice the Muslim faith. The research was carried out by the French Institute of Public Opinion on behalf of the Catholic newspaper La Croix. More worrying for Islamic authorities in France is the finding that only 41 percent of the country’s 6 million Muslims actually describe themselves as ‘practising,’ although 75 percent are happy to label themselves ‘believers.’” Read more.

“MALE, September 17 (HNS) – Maldives Criminalizes Preaching Any Religion But Islam

President’s Office has gazetted the controversial Religious Unity Regulation, declaring it an offence to preach a religion except Islam in the Maldives.

The 12-clause regulation makes it mandatory for preachers of Islam, both locals and foreigners, to have a first degree in a field of Islamic education from a ministry-approved college, university or centre.

A list of 36 worldwide institutes recognized by the ministry has been published in the gazette. The Maldives National University and local colleges and institutes are not included in the list.

The Islamic ministry is authorized under the regulation to license experienced persons who do not possess the educational qualification required.

The regulation, which instructs scholars to consider the social harmony, states practices that should be avoided in preaching Islam in the Maldives, including the practice of making comments in contradiction with prophetic traditions and majority view of the scholars.

The regulation does not allow preventing healthcare and education in the name of religion. It further instructs preachers to avoid giving sermons that support gender discrimination, racism or any other form of discrimination.

‘In explaining an issue that has been disputed by scholars, the different views expressed by scholars should be explained. If the scholar favors a certain point of view, evidence to support his view should be made clear,’ the regulation reads.

The regulation also prohibits comments of hatred towards people of other religions, spreading a religion other than Islam and using an object that resembles a sign of a religion other than Islam.

A person who violates the regulation will be sentenced to 2-5 years in prison, banishment or house arrest.” Read more.

By Vikram Dodd and Richard Norton-Taylor – “Counter-terrorism officers have arrested six men, with the authorities fearing a mass-casualty attack on the British mainland was at an ‘advanced stage’ of planning, the Guardian has learned.

The arrests were made in Birmingham, with six young men arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, with a 22-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of failing to disclose information.

Police say the alleged plot, which they believe to be al-Qaida inspired, was thwarted after counter-terrorism officials received or developed intelligence about the men.

The arrests took place from 11.30am on Sunday, with the last suspect detained at around 1am on Monday morning. The raids took place in several deprived areas of the city that have sizeable Muslim populations.

The Liberal Democrat conference, which is taking place in Birmingham, was not a target.

West Midlands police said they had led a ‘major counter-terrorism operation’ which was intelligence-led. The operation involved the domestic security service, MI5, with officers from Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command supporting the Birmingham-based force.

The terrorist threat level for the UK remained at ‘substantial’ after the arrests. It was lowered from the higher level of ‘severe’ in July.

The series of arrests, described as ‘significant’, suggest the intelligence surrounding them is sufficient to meet the standards required for court evidence.

Whitehall sources described it as a ‘major intelligence-led operation’ and added that the latest arrests showed that the threat from extremist Islamist ideology had not evaporated despite the deaths of Bin Laden and other prominent al-Qaida individuals in recent US drone strikes on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.” Read more.