“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: may they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122: 6
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Elliott Abrams—The President and New Housing in Jerusalem:
In December 2012, the Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee announced a major new housing project. In an area of east Jerusalem called Givat Hamatos, 2600 units would be built. Of some significance, half would be set aside for Jewish residents and half for Arab Jerusalemites. Last week, just before the New Year’s holiday, the deputy mayor of Jerusalem signed an order described as “symbolic,” continuing official approvals of the work.
(Background: Givat Hamatos means “Airplane Hill” in Hebrew, and was named that after an Israeli jet crash landed there in the 1967 war. It is mostly barren land, and has been used in the past to house poor Ethiopian and Russian immigrant families. More details here.)
This became an international incident thanks to the clever folks at the Israeli group called “Peace Now.” The fact of the deputy mayor’s action had been in the press but attracted little notice until Peace Now gave it great publicity–which played right into the Obama-Netanyahu meeting. This is what led the President to order his spokesman to say the following:
“This development will only draw condemnation from the international community. It also would call into question Israel’s ultimate commitment to a peaceful negotiated settlement with the Palestinians.”
Jerusalem’s mayor Nir Barkat responded:
“I will not freeze construction for anyone in Israel’s capital. Discrimination based on religion, race or gender is illegal in the United States and in any other civilized country. 2,600 apartments in Givat HaMatos that we approved two years ago will enable more young people from all sectors and religions to live in Jerusalem and build their future here, thereby strengthening the capital of Israel. We will not apologize for that.”
The administration reaction is curious given that this is not new news, given that Arabs and Jews will live in this housing, and given the remarkably negative speech that Palestinian president Abbas gave to the UN last week. The State Department rejected that speech as “offensive” and “deeply disappointing.” I suppose it’s possible that the President thought this had been too tough, and now wanted to “balance” things by tough words for Israel.
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SnyderTalk Comment: Either President Obama was ignorant about the facts or he chose to ignore them. Either could be true and both of them tell us a lot about our president.
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WND: Mideast expert: Obama switched sides in war on terror—A former CIA agent bluntly told WND, America has switched sides in the war on terror under President Obama. Clare Lopez was willing to say what a few members of Congress have confided to WND in private, but declined to say on-the-record. She said the global war on terror had been an effort to “stay free of Shariah,” or repressive Islamic law, until the Obama administration began siding with such jihadist groups as the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates. Why the switch? Lopez explained, when the so-called Arab Spring appeared in late 2010, “It was time to bring down the secular Muslim rulers who did not enforce Islamic law. And America helped.” And why would Obama want to do that? As she told WND earlier this month, Lopez believed the Muslim Brotherhood has thoroughly infiltrated the Obama administration and other branches of the federal government.
SnyderTalk Comment: This report makes sense to me. The facts on the ground line up perfectly with this assessment, and Obama’s tepid response to ISIS is another indicator. With Obama, you have to ignore what he says completely and pay attention to what he does. His actions tell the tale, not his words.
Ben Cohen: US Jewish Leaders Slam Obama Administration’s Attack on Israeli Residency in Eastern Jerusalem—Leading Jewish personalities in the United States have reacted angrily to the Obama Administration’s blistering attack upon Israel’s announcement – based on a plan already approved by the Jerusalem Municipality two years ago – that it will construct 2,500 residential units in the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Givat Hamatos. The administration also expressed displeasure at the news that a group of Jewish residents had moved into property purchased from Arabs in the Silwan neighborhood. “Anyone who thinks that Jews buying a few handfuls of homes in areas of Jerusalem in any way contributes to the problems in the Middle East just doesn’t understand the reality of how deep the antagonism is to the nation state of the Jewish people,” said the former Harvard University scholar and influential political commentator, Professor Alan Dershowitz.
Jerold Auerbach: Jewish ‘Settlers’ in Jerusalem— In 1628, twenty years after Jamestown became the first British colony in North America, a new settlement far to the north was named Salem. For its pious Puritan settlers Salem represented an Anglicized version of shalom. According to biblical sources, the pool of Siloam was the source of water for the priests who sprinkled it on the altar of the nearby Temple. It was identified in the Talmud as the center of the Land of Israel. In time, Christian monks lived in nearby caves and Muslims built a village in the fertile valley, whose spring was a sacred water source. Jews from Yemen arrived in Silwan in 1881, inhabiting its caves until land purchased by sympathetic philanthropists permitted the construction of stone houses. Several hundred Yemenite Jews moved into the neighborhood known as Kfar HaShiloach. During the Arab revolt that erupted in 1936 many Jewish residents fled; those who remained were evacuated by the British two years later. Arab families occupied their abandoned homes.
SnyderTalk Comment: If people took the time to get familiar with the facts, would it make a difference? For some it would, but for anti-Semites, the answer is “no”. Israel and Jew haters don’t care about facts. They care about their feelings, and they don’t like Israel or Jews. Nothing short of repentance can change their minds. Yahweh will have to bring them to that point, or they will never get there.
Interview with IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz by Ben Caspit and Noam Amir: Israel Must Be Well-Prepared for Dangers—Q: Is there any truth to the rumor that Hamas intended to carry out an attack in which all the tunnels would be used simultaneously? Gantz: “As we know well, Hamas did not utilize the tunnels for a mass terrorist attack….Hamas met with IDF forces every time it poked its head out of one of the tunnels and failed to reach any Israeli population centers. I am of the opinion that we have neutralized this problem.” Q: Is Hizbullah really capable of conquering parts of the Galilee? Gantz: “Hizbullah has offensive abilities and attacking experience that it has gained in the Syrian war and in north Lebanon….Hizbullah, through Iran, has a number of drones, including some with offensive capabilities….If a war breaks out, it will be long and difficult….The scenario includes hundreds and even thousands of rockets that are much more precise and powerful than those we saw in Operation Protective Edge [the Gaza War].” “We may be in the OECD, but we are in the heart of the Middle East, completely surrounded by enemies. The only thing standing between us and ISIS right now is that they are currently busy with more urgent matters.”
Melanie Phillips: Fighting the battle while losing the war—Unilaterally changing a global conversation isn’t easy. Trying to do so when everyone is shouting in panic and with their fingers stuffed in their ears is enough to daunt the most determined. Yet that’s what Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu attempted to do this week in the US, where he addressed the UN and spoke with President Barack Obama. America and Britain are panicking about the threat from Islamic State, so much so they have gone to war (albeit in a half-baked fashion, but that’s another story) in Iraq and Syria. Without denying the need to confront the Islamic State threat, Netanyahu wants America and its allies to be most concerned about the thousand-fold more dangerous menace of Iran. Netanyahu is worried that, since Iran is also fighting Islamic State, this will turn the Iranian regime from pariah into partner and thus provide it with vital leverage in its quest to achieve nuclear weapons capability.
SnyderTalk Comment: “with their fingers stuffed in their ears” is an apt description.
Ben Cohen: Anti-Semites Gather in Iran for Regime-Sponsored Hate-Fest—Anti-Semites and radical anti-Zionists from the U.S. and Europe have converged on Tehran for a three-day jamboree dedicated to conspiracy theories about the influence of the “Zionist Lobby.” Among those attending are French-Cameroonian provocateur and comedian Dieudonne M’bala M’bala, Medea Benjamin of CodePink, which supports the elimination of the State of Israel, and Thierry Meyssan, the French author of a book claiming that 9/11 was carried out not by al-Qaeda, but by the U.S. government. The conference is being hosted by the Iranian regime of Hassan Rouhani, who is often described as a “moderate.”
Avi Issacharoff: Abbas at the UN—At the UN, PA President Mahmoud Abbas sounded one of his most aggressive speeches against Israel, including accusations of genocide. Yet Abbas is the same man who gave us information on the three kidnapped teens. Israel didn’t commit any genocide in Gaza and the PA knows it. So why did Abbas go so far and say what he said? Palestinian public opinion. If elections were held today, Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh would defeat Abbas. He also knows that Hamas is more popular in the West Bank than in Gaza. According to Monday’s poll from Khalil Shikaki, more people in the West Bank than in Gaza support firing rockets at Israel from population centers. Abbas’ extreme words were meant to prevent a further drift of public opinion, which does not look kindly upon Abbas’ security cooperation with Israel.
Yonah Jeremy Bob: Will the ICC Investigate Israel?—A recent decision by the International Criminal Court in The Hague dealing with Egypt could impact the future of any Israeli-Palestinian legal conflict before the ICC, international law commentator Prof. Eugene Kontorovich has noted. Former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi had invoked the ICC to prosecute Egypt’s current rulers for toppling him and for alleged war crimes against him and his supporters. However, the ICC prosecutor rejected his complaint, stating that he did not have “effective control” of Egypt and therefore could not apply on behalf of Egypt. According to Kontorovich, this same rationale could block “Palestine” from successfully getting the ICC to pursue Israelis over the Gaza war, since PA President Mahmoud Abbas does not have “effective control” over Gaza. Moreover, Hamas may fear ICC jurisdiction could lead to prosecution against it for indiscriminate rocket fire as war crimes.
Hisham Melhem: Who Brought the Arabs to This Nadir?—In 1960 the GDP per capita for South Korea and Egypt were almost equal, $155 and $149 respectively, and their populations were 25 million and 27 million respectively. By 2012 the GDP per capita in South Korea reached $16,684 with a population of 50 million. In comparison, Egypt’s GDP per capita grew only to $1,976, and its population tripled to 82 million. What went wrong in Egypt and what went right in South Korea is a tale of political will and good and bad governance. South Korea invested heavily in education and in its corporations and revolutionized industrial productivity by empowering women and incorporating them in the labor force.
Sharif Nashashibi: Is Another Intifada in the Works?—In the West Bank, current conditions are not ripe for another uprising, particularly compared with those that existed 14 years ago at the time of the last uprising. An intifada would require a level of national unity that simply does not exist today. Whereas previous intifadas have been directed solely at Israel, another one may well also target the Palestinian Authority. There is widespread public frustration at its failure to improve the daily lives of its people, or to bring them any closer to statehood. Also, with the Palestinian geographic split, Gaza is now hermetically sealed off, its people are physically unable to challenge Israeli authority. This excludes half the population from any cohesive national struggle. Moreover, previous intifadas were supported by Palestinian leaders. But it seems the PA would actively oppose another one. Foreign Minister Riad Malki has said that as long as Abbas is in charge, “there will be no third intifada.” For all its bluster, Hamas is in no position currently to take part in an uprising. It suffered heavy losses in Gaza, and has been driven underground in the West Bank by Israel and the PA. The national unity deal stipulates a formal return of Hamas to the West Bank, so the faction may not want to jeopardize this, particularly with opinion polls showing that it would win presidential and parliamentary elections, which are the end goal of the deal.
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PM responds to Sweden’s intention to recognize ‘Palestine’
Settlers urge Netanyahu to rebuild communities of Sa-Nur, Homesh
Poll finds Netanyahu ratings up after US visit
PM: For Palestinian state to emerge everyone needs to adjust concepts of sovereignty
Report: Egyptian Army Foils Plot to Kidnap International Peacekeepers in Sinai
A common sight during the Gaza war, IDF’s reliance on aerostat balloons is up
Over 93% of Egyptian officers did not know about Yom Kippur War two days in advance
Biden apologizes for any implication UAE supported militants in Syria
Minister of Public Security slams Jerusalem Mayor for blaming violence on ministry
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Hamas: from West Bank, We Can Destroy Israel Fast
Jatt Imam: Islam Will Take Over World in a Decade
Biden: Possible ‘Win-Win’ Mediterranean Gas Pipeline to EU
Sudan’s Chess Chief Resigns Following Match Against Israeli
PLO Blasts Israel for Saying PA Statehood Should Follow Talks
5 Hezbollah Men Killed in Clashes Along Syrian Border
Officer Deposed for Hitting Leftist Served in Gaza
IDF Clashes with Lebanese Army on Border
Sweden Tried to ‘Be Helpful’ With ‘Palestine’ Recognition
SnyderTalk Comment: That’s absurd.
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Islamic State said to eye Iran’s nuclear secrets
Israeli accused of Islamic State links freed to house arrest
Hamas disarming? Forget about it, says top IDF intel officer
Moody’s: War or Not, Israel a Great Place to Invest
Hundreds of Gazans pray at Temple Mount
Hezbollah poses greater threat to Tel Aviv than Gaza does — IDF official
Pluralism group lobbies for democracy in choosing a rabbi
Shas tries to get back on its feet
Lebanese soldier said injured by Israeli fire
Obama Choosing Not to Turn Jerusalem Building Dispute into Major Crisis
SnyderTalk Comment: Because the midterm elections are just a few days away.
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New Hostage Crisis for Turkey: Islamic State Surrounds Troops at Shrine
Islamic State Presses Offensives in Iraq, Syria
Palestinians Caught with Explosives in West Bank
Netanyahu: Don’t Leave Iran at Nuclear “Threshold”
Leading American Journalist Slams AP Claim That ‘Vast Majority’ of Gazan Dead Were Civilians
The Scariest Thing About Ebola
David Bolam: Why was British hostage freed?
U.S. President Says Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Not the Root of the Region’s Problems
Abbas Is Not a Partner for Peace
SnyderTalk Comment: Is not, never was, and never will be.
Abbas: Palestinians Risking U.S. Aid over UN Bid
SnyderTalk Comment: I wish that were true and it should be true, but I fear that it’s not.
Giving our tax dollars to Palestinians (Hamas or Fatah) is like throwing it down the toilet.
Actually, throwing it down the toilet can be helpful if used properly, but giving it to Palestinians funds violence against Israel and lines the pockets of Palestinian “leaders”.
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Email Distribution List:
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Genesis 32: 9-12
9 Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Yahweh, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you,’ 10 I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies. 11 Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children. 12 For You said, ‘I will surely prosper you and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be numbered.’”
SnyderTalk Comment: In his prayer, Jacob acknowledged something that every child of Yahweh should keep in mind: we are unworthy of His steadfast lovingkindness and faithfulness, but He protects us anyway. The reason is simple: we are His children. Yahweh does what any good parent would do, only He does it better.
Read His Name is Yahweh.
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His Name is Yahweh explains why the Name of God, Yahweh, is so important. It’s available in eBook format and in paperback. It’s also available for free in PDF format.
- God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This [Yahweh] is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” (Exodus 3: 15)
- “Therefore behold, I am going to make them know—this time I will make them know My power and My might; and they shall know that My name is Yahweh.” (Jeremiah 16: 21)
- “Behold, the days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘Yahweh our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 23: 5-6)
- Yeshua said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” (John 8: 58)
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Jeremiah said the Messiah is Yahweh
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Blessings in the Book of Revelation is a book that you need to read, especially now. There are blessings throughout the Scriptures but Revelation is the only book in the Bible actually containing a specific blessing for reading it. It’s repeated twice, once at the beginning and again at the end. This is the reason that I believe Revelation should be the first step toward studying biblical prophecy. Though not easy to do, Revelation can be broken down and understood by anyone, not just the academic elite. So, Revelation’s blessings are for everyone. Click here to order the eBook. Click here to order the paperback.
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Other Books by Neil Snyder
- Stand! is a suspense novel that exposes the lies, corruption, and greed underlying the theory that man-made CO2 emissions are responsible for global warming. Professor Wes Carlyle and Karen Sterling, his research collaborator, carefully scan the audience for their would-be attacker—a member of the enviro-gestapo who has been following them for days. Wes spots his man in the back of the room leaning against the wall. Suddenly, another man in the audience steps forward and moves toward Karen at a menacing pace. With a vicious stroke, he swings a billy club at her head. Click here to order the eBook. Click here to order the paperback.
- What Will You Do with the Rest of Your Life? deals with a question that every Christian has to consider: what should I do with my life? Click here to order the eBook. Click here to order the paperback.
- Falsely Accused is a true story about a young woman who was accused of committing a double homicide. It’s about a travesty of justice, and it reveals Yahweh intervening in the life of a believer to rescue her from danger in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Everyone will enjoy the book, but young people in particular need to read it because the mistakes made that led to the problem could have been avoided. They were the kinds of mistakes that young people are prone to make. As they say, forewarned is forearmed. Click here to order the eBook. Click here to order the paperback.
