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The Palestinian Gambit to Regain Latrun is Aimed at Stopping Peace Negotiations before they Start
If you read SnyderTalk regularly, you probably noticed an article in yesterday’s post titled “Palestinians campaign to regain ‘occupied’ Latrun”. The article may have seemed innocuous, but from Israel’s perspective it deals with a strategically and symbolically important issue.
Latrun is a small town in Israel that sits near Highway 1 connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. In 1948, during Israel’s War of Independence, Arabs cut off Jerusalem from decision makers and supplies in Tel Aviv by positioning snipers to attack traffic on Highway 1, thus forcing Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to order the building of the Burma Road. It’s an extremely rugged road that was cut from the hills between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and it eventually enabled Israeli forces to provide essential supplies to Jewish residents of the Old City of Jerusalem.
From a strategic perspective, giving up control of Latrun would reintroduce a significant potential threat to the major east-west artery connecting Jerusalem with the rest of Israel. For that reason alone, I don’t think that Israel would ever consider that option as the article in yesterday’s SnyderTalk suggests:
In recent days the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Negotiations Affairs Department, the one headed by Saeb Erekat, launched a campaign under the headline “The Latrun Valley – an Integral Part of the State of Palestine.”
A document circulated by the negotiations department described the Latrun Valley as covering a 50-km. area close to the Green Line.
“As a result of the 1948 Nakba (catastrophe),” the document read, “when two-thirds of the Palestinian population were forcibly exiled from their homes by Zionist militias prior to the creation of the State of Israel, almost half of the valley is now considered No Man’s Land (NML) an integral part of the Occupied State of Palestine.”
[…]
One Israeli official was stunned by the Palestinian campaign over Latrun, saying it was as if the Palestinians were moving the goal line backwards.
Referring to US Secretary of State John Kerry’s push to restart Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, the official said, “It’s almost as if every time we move forward, or every time there is a prospect of moving forward, the Palestinians bring up an issue which they know is a game breaker.”
[…]
“No Israeli government, no Israeli prime minister, can seriously entertain that this area would be going to the Palestinians.
Instead of dealing with the very issues that Kerry is asking the sides to deal with, it appears the Palestinians are playing games and regressing to hard-line positions that should have been left behind years ago,” he said.
Latrun is important symbolically as well because it represents a major decision at a critical moment in 1948 to protect, defend, and supply Jerusalem. Many of Ben-Gurion’s closest advisors were telling him that he should abandon Jerusalem to save the rest of the fledgling nation, but he rejected their advice because he understood Jerusalem’s importance to the nation, to the Jewish people, and to Yahweh.
Jerusalem was, is, and always will be the heart and soul of Israel. Even today, at the conclusion of the Yom Kippur service and the Passover Seder, Jewish people recite these words: “Next year in Jerusalem.” Many times they will also recite these verses from the Psalms:
“If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.” (Psalm 137: 5-6)
That harkens back to a time almost 3,000 years ago when Yahweh made it clear that His Name will reside in Jerusalem forever:
“I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.” (2 Chronicles 7: 16)
The Temple of Yahweh stood atop Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. In 586 B.C., the Babylonians destroyed the temple that Solomon built, and in 70 A.D., the Romans destroyed the Second Temple. Today, the Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock sit atop Mount Moriah. Most experts believe that the Temple of Yahweh occupied the space that is now occupied by the Dome of the Rock. Even so, Yahweh’s promise is certain. His eyes and His heart will be there perpetually. That’s the primary reason that Jewish people long for the day when Jerusalem is recognized throughout the world as Israel’s capital and as Yahweh’s earthly residence.
Asking Israel to surrender any part of Jerusalem or to put any part of it at risk by giving up sovereignty over Latrun is like asking a mother to give up her child or asking a loving husband to abandon his wife. It’s not likely to happen, and the Palestinians know it. That’s why they suggested it. They suspect that Israel won’t give an inch on this issue, so it’s a deal stopper. In reality, the Latrun campaign is yet another attempt to sabotage peace negotiations before they even begin.
President Obama and Secretary Kerry should know these things and they probably do, but candidly, I wonder if they care. Their goal is to achieve the unachievable and in the process to establish themselves in world history as being among the greatest peacemakers of all time. I fear that their lust for glory and recognition more than anything else is driving them toward a goal that will eventually draw in the nations of the world into a battle over Israel and Jerusalem. According to Yahweh, He will intervene personally to settle the matter (see Zechariah 12), and if you know anything about Yahweh, you know these things: He never reneges on a promise and He doesn’t lose.
As the prophet Jeremiah said, “‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 6: 14) And there won’t be peace until Yahweh returns and establishes it. That’s a fact.
On the Burma Road next to Latrun with My Wife Katie, Ishai Avraham, and His Daughter Noam Markman Examining a Map of the Route
A Vantage Point near Latrun from which Arab Snipers Attacked Travelers on Highway 1 thus Necessitating Construction of the Burma Road
The Temple Mount in Jerusalem with the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque
I want to express my appreciation to Ishai Avraham for taking Katie and me to the Burma Road and to Noam for accompanying us. It was an arduous trip since the Burma Road is as rugged as any road that I have ever seen. Thankfully, Ishai had made the trek before; he knew the risks involved; and we arrived in Jerusalem safe and sound.
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Daniel 11: 14-19
“In those times many will rise against the king of the South. Those who are violent among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success. Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand. The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it. He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans will not succeed or help him. Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on him. After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to be seen no more.”
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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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What about people who came to faith in Yahweh through the Name Jesus?
Click here to download the entire audio presentation for free and with no strings attached. Share it as often as you want.
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Hosea 4: 6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
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Putin orders crackdown on Islamists, police detain 300
Will Kerry’s frantic shuttle diplomacy bring peace?
Kerry: We are running out of time for peace
Knesset two-state lobby asks for meeting with Kerry
Palestinians slam Israel despite move to restore UNHRC ties
Sources: US Internet spying foiled plot to attack NY subway
UN says Russia can’t provide Golan peacekeepers
In defiance of Erdogan, Turks prepare for protests
UK MP describes Israeli soldier as ‘bloody Jew’
‘US successfully tests bunker buster bombs’
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UN Official: Assad Directly Responsible for Atrocities
Report: Weapons with Hebrew Inscription Found in Syria
Syrian Civil War Becomes a Religious Sectarian War
Syrian Army Uses Innocent Civilians as Bait
Candidate: Iran’s Tactics Are Flawed
Meretz’s Darling: Netanyahu is a Dog
Feiglin Camp: Bennett’s Idea was Feiglin’s
Galon Upset Over Ban of Inciting PA Official
Mark Langfan Named AFSI’s New National Chairman
Audio: Swedish Activists Rally for Israel
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The Arab world fears the ‘Safavid’
UN peacekeeping force on Golan verges on collapse
US quietly allows military aid to Egypt despite rights concerns
Tensions high as Women of the Wall set to pray Sunday
Iran’s presidential favorite stumps experts with unclear declaration
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Deputy defense minister: This government will block any two-state deal
Holder admits to spying on Congress
Kerry Fondly Reminisces About Time He Aided Communist Guerrillas
IRS Takes Vengeance on Virginia for Enforcing the Law
Al-Qaeda leader calls on Sunnis to fight in Syria
Benghazi Mom Kept Out of Ceremony Honoring Her Son, Told She’s “Not Immediate Family”
Head of IRS Tax Exempt Divison Visited White House 165 Times, Met with Obama 6 Times
Saudi-funded pseudo-academic John Esposito obscures the truth about jihad terror in Washington Post
Jordanian jihadist leader calls for jihad showdown against Hizballah
Grenade found in pocket of Syrian hospitalized in Israel
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Ken Colvin: D-Day: The Day America Forgot—D-Day has come and gone. The hours that made up June 6, 2013 have passed, just as most of the men who risked their lives on the beaches of France sixty-nine years ago have. No big parades, no fanfare, no widely publicized messages of thanks to a generation who loses 600 a day.
Matthew Vadum: Spy Games & Double Standards—As details of President Obama’s massive domestic spying operation continue to dribble out into the public domain, the Left for the most part is quiet and content. Left-wingers are unable even to entertain the idea that Obama, who billed himself on the campaign trail as a champion of civil liberties, is a power-mad authoritarian who views the Constitution as worthless parchment.
Arnold Ahlert: Big Brother Barack—A stunning report by the Guardian newspaper published late Wednesday evening reveals that the National Security Agency (NSA) has been collecting the phone records of millions of Americans who are customers of Verizon, one of the nation’s largest telecom companies. The top-secret order, obtained by the paper, requires Verizon to submit to the NSA, “on an ongoing daily basis…all call details or ‘telephony metadata’ created by Verizon for communications (i) between the United States and abroad; or (ii) wholly within the United States, including local telephone calls.” Moreover, the paper reports that Americans’ communication records “are being collected indiscriminately and in bulk–regardless of whether they are suspected of any wrongdoing.”
Jonah Goldberg: Time to Dial Up Some Healthy Skepticism—The U.S. government is trying “to create a database of every [phone] call ever made.” That’s how one informed person described the National Security Agency’s effort to USA Today. That newspaper also confirmed that not only is the government collecting every phone record from Verizon — as first reported by the British newspaper The Guardian — it’s also collecting similar data from other phone companies.
Faith J. H. McDonnell: Bounty and Blindness—On June 3, 2013, the U.S. Department of State made the surprising and welcome announcement that its “Rewards for Justice” program is offering a bounty on information leading to the capture of key leaders of terrorist organizations in West Africa. The top reward, up to $7 million, is for Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram. Boko Haram is the brutal Jihadist group working to eradicate the Christian presence in northern Nigeria and impose Sharia law on the whole nation.
Raymond Ibrahim: Jihad on Egypt’s Christian Children—Attacks on Christian children, both boys and girls, are on the rise in Egypt. Last week, a six-year-old Coptic Christian boy named Cyril Yusuf Sa‘ad was abducted and held for ransom. After his family paid off the Muslim kidnapper, Ahmed Abdel Moneim Abdel-Salam, he still killed the child and threw his body in the sewer of his house. In the words of the Arabic report, the boy’s “family is in tatters after paying 30,000 pounds to the abductor, who still killed the innocent child and threw his body into the toilet of his home, where the body, swollen and moldy, was exhumed.”
Dror Eydar: Europe under attack, Israel beware— 1. Europe is on fire. It has been for some time. Roughly half a century after World War II, it is being conquered, by degrees, with no battle. That last terrible war destroyed the national idea and made Western-style democracy vulnerable to the dangers that threaten its existence with no real ability to cope with them.
Haviv Rettig Gur: White House shake-up may put Syria action on the front burner—New National Security Adviser Susan Rice and UN envoy Samantha Power could push for more robust action against Damascus, though Power’s nomination may suffer for anti-Israel statements.
Gavriel Fiske: Israel-Vatican deal on land use said imminent—Deputy Foreign Minister Ze’ev Elkin was in Rome for high-level negotiations with Vatican officials over several outstanding land and building issues revolving around properties owned by the Holy See in Israel. Elkin visited the Holy See to continue decades-long talks on a comprehensive land deal between Israel and the Vatican, Maariv reported Thursday.
Ruthie Blum: Rice and Power can’t make things worse— Two appointments made this week by U.S. President Barack Obama have been causing a stir reminiscent of the brouhaha surrounding his nomination a few months ago of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary.
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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.
