MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

By Adrian Blomfield – “Since the tiny state was founded in 1948, Israel has always regarded itself as a vulnerable bastion of civilization in a hostile region bent on its destruction – ‘a villa in the jungle’, as Ehud Barak, the Israeli defence minister, has put it. But in recent years, Barak’s crude metaphor had seemed less apposite, even as Israel’s interminable conflict with the Palestinians ground on unresolved. Indeed, the jungle seemed to be pushed back in places and tamed in others.

Israel has been at peace with Egypt, its oldest Arab ally, since Jimmy Carter’s triumphant summit at Camp David paved the way for a treaty that has been in many ways the bedrock of the country’s security, guaranteeing peace on its remote southern border. Jordan eventually followed suit, signing a peace treaty of its own, while Turkey strengthened another vital alliance, giving Israel the support of a heavy-hitting Muslim power in the region.

The rest of the Arab world still seemed implacable, but one by one its dictators, despite the anger of their populations, found it pragmatic to reach an accommodation of sorts with Israel, tolerating the interloper in their midst even if not accepting it. Even Syria, which technically remains at war with Israel, found it preferable to keep the peace despite the continued Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights, captured during the Six Day War of 1967.

But, with alarming speed, all these gains now seem in jeopardy, leaving Israel terrified that the jungle is creeping back once more. This month has already proved one of the most nettlesome in Israel’s recent history – with worse to come before it is over, as the Palestinian leadership heads to the United Nations with a potentially explosive application for statehood.” Read more.

“Excellent speech by Swiss member of Parliament Oskar Freysinger said with passion and truth that no politician in Washington is yet ready to speak from the floor of Congress. In order for us to beat back the Islamists we need some key leaders in Washington to make a similar speech and lead the nation against the Islamist threat head on.” Source.

Joel 3:11-12, “Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations, And gather yourselves there. Bring down, O LORD, Your mighty ones. Let the nations be aroused And come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, For there I will sit to judge All the surrounding nations.”

By Sheera Frenkel – “JERUSALEM — The attack on the Israeli embassy in Cairo has brought into sharp relief Israel’s increasing isolation in a still region grappling with the changes of the Arab Spring.

Israel was forced to evacuate its ambassador and most of its diplomatic staff from Cairo this weekend after hundreds of Egyptian protesters tore down a security wall protecting the Nile-side embassy, ransacked its files and burned an Israeli flag. It came less than a week after Turkey, Israel’s other major ally in the Muslim world, announced it was expelling the Israeli ambassador and downgrading its relationship to the lowest possible level after a deadly skirmish involving a Turkish aid vessel that was attempting to deliver supplies in defiance of Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.

With another potential predicament brewing later this month when the Palestinians are expected to request membership and statehood at the United Nations, Israeli-Arab relations appear to be plunging to their lowest point in years.

‘Within a week Israel has found itself two friends down and about to face a so-called diplomatic tsunami with the Palestinians,’ said one European envoy in Jerusalem, who spoke on condition of anonymity under diplomatic protocol.

‘I would be nervous if I was an Israeli diplomat today.'” Read more.

Iran parliament voices support for attack on Israeli embassy in Cairo – “The Iranian parliament on Monday applauded the recent attack against the Israeli embassy in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, state media reported. Ismaeil Kowsari, foreign policy committee spokesman, said the members of parliament had voiced full support for ‘the ransacking’ of the embassy by Egyptian Muslims, news network Press TV reported. Thousands of Egyptians stormed the embassy Friday, climbing over a security wall, breaking windows, bursting inside, lighting fires, painting anti-Israel slogans and looting the mission’s offices on the building’s upper floors.” Read more.

Crisis threatens Israel’s Mideast ties – “Israeli leaders are struggling to contain an escalating diplomatic crisis on multiple fronts amid mounting concern that both Egypt and Turkey, the country’s two most important allies in the Muslim world, are slipping from its grasp. Following scenes of violence and mayhem on the streets of Cairo, Israel was forced to evacuate its ambassador and almost the entire diplomatic staff from the embassy in the Egyptian capital in the early hours of Saturday. The dramatic move followed the storming of the embassy premises by a group of violent protesters on Friday night.” Read more.

By Roee Nahmias – “‘Jordan and the future Palestine are stronger than Israel is today. It is the Israeli who is scared today,’ King Abdullah of Jordan said late Sunday in Amman.

The king described a recent conversation he held in the US with ‘one of the Israeli intellectuals’ who commented on events in the Arab world, arguing that they were good for Israel. ‘I replied and said that it was the opposite and that Israel’s situation today is more difficult than ever before.’

Abdullah reiterated that his country would not serve as an ‘alternative homeland to the Palestinians.’

According to the Jordanian leader, ‘Jordan is Jordan and Palestine is Palestine. We support all Palestinian rights and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state – our policy hasn’t changed. The subject of an alternative homeland must not be part of the discussion. It is unacceptable.'” Read more.

Poll: Leading EU countries support Palestinian statehood bid in UN – “A new opinion poll published Monday shows that a majority of people in Germany, France and Britain – three countries that are critical votes in the battle over the Palestinian bid for statehood – all want their leaders to vote in favor of a UN resolution to support recognition of a Palestinian state when it’s discussed in New York. The survey, which was carried out online by YouGov in Britain and Germany, and Ifop in France, on behalf of the global political web movement Avaaz – which is conducting an online petition in support of a Palestinian state – shows that in Germany 84% supported Palestinian statehood and 76% believed Germany should act now to recognize; in the U.K. the figures were 71% and 59%; and in France the figures were 82% and 69% respectively.” Read more.

Russia supports Palestinian bid to win UN statehood: envoy – “Russia supports the Palestinian bid to win UN statehood despite resistance from Israel and the United States, Moscow’s ambassador to the United Nations said on Monday. ‘We will, of course, be voting for any of the Palestinians’ proposals,’ Russia’s UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. ‘We are saying that whatever you decide to do, we will support you.'” Source.