The Gaza Strip – The Armpit of Israel that will not go Away!
March 14, 2007
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
The human ability to find ways to escape the inevitable is astounding! If someone asks a group of people, “Please raise your hand if you think you will die one day?” – All hands should rise. If a second question was then asked, “How many of you that lifted your hands, believe you will die today?” – The response would be nil! In essence, we all believe we will eventually leave this flesh or be buried in it, but the event is always going to be tomorrow, not today.
The cauldron just keeps on boiling as the witches of Hizbollah stir it on Israel’s northern border, while several terrorist groups on its southern border mix their poisonous Gaza ingredients into the mixture.
It is difficult for me to understand how anyone, believer or unbeliever, can believe this hodge-podge of mass confusion and Middle East hatred, will end up any other way than in a great Middle East War. There is a question only to when it will begin in earnest!
My guesstimate is that it is most likely to suddenly begin at some point in time between 2008 and 2012.
Since I am a believer, and thoroughly convinced the conflict is an event of the near future, there is little I can do, except to warn believers to watch and keep their garments while they wait, and to warn unbelievers to turn to the mercy of God in Christ Jesus before it is too late.
Revelation 16:15,16 – Behold, I come as a thief.
Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. [16] And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Joel 3:9-16 – Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: [10] Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. [11] Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. [12] Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. [13] Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
[14] Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of
the Lord is near in the valley of decision. [15] The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
[16] The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
It is my fervent hope that unbelievers will be troubled, and will become believers in Christ Jesus for their salvation by believing our testimony from God’s word, while they still have the opportunity.
II Thessalonians 1:7-10 – And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, [8] In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: [9] Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; [10] When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
Acts 20:20,21 – And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, [21] Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Begin YNet News Article
Is Gaza War Inevitable?
Alex Fishman
All the scenarios point to a war in Gaza. A decision must be made to do something. According to Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin’s forecast, some 200,000 Israelis will find themselves under the threat of missile fire from Gaza as early as this year.
A senior defense establishment official says that each time the army asks the prime minister to change something in the rules of engagement pertaining to the Kassam launchers or to carry out a limited operation in Gaza along the fence, the answer is: “No, we shall maintain the ceasefire to the end. So that when we have to strike we’ll have clean hands in the eyes of the international community and we’ll gain support.”
The defense establishment feels that even the political echelons have already come to terms with the inevitability of a military operation.
In parallel to upgrading its rockets against the Israeli home front,
Hamas has established a well-equipped and trained, four-division army, based on the Hizbullah model. Just like in Lebanon, bunkers and underground tunnels under built-up areas are being constructed in Gaza. Hamas’ effective military might is improving daily.
(Ynet News)
Begin DEBKAfile Article
DEBKAfile Exclusive: Al Qaeda-Gaza declares war on both Palestinian rivals: Hamas and Fatah
March 12, 2007, 10:16 PM (GMT+02:00)
As Palestinian and Israeli leaders, Mahmoud Abbas and Ehud Olmert finished discussing the Gaza Strip’s fate Sunday, March 11, three events showed how little they and Hamas are in control.
Al Qaeda’s No. 2, Ayman Zawahri issued a declaration of war on the Palestinian Authority and Hamas in a videotape aired by the Arabic TV Al Jazeera.
An hour later, the Islamic Brotherhood of Justice (another name for al Qaeda’s operational branch in the Gaza Strip) announced the launching of its Operation White Land, targeting the political and military leaders of Fatah and Hamas.
DEBKAfile’s military sources also reveal that a rebellion has sprung up against the top Hamas leadership.
Olmert and Abbas nonetheless continue to act out a Pan-Arab diplomatic process at Washington’s behest (see separate item on this page), which has as much chance of getting off the ground in Gaza as Fatah’s Abbas’ assurance that the kidnapped Israeli soldier, Gilead Shalit, would be freed very soon.
The Zuwahri statement assailed the legitimacy Saudi Arabia extended to moves for a Palestinian unity government at the Mecca peace conference as recently as Feb. 8. Negotiations between the two factions are bogged down anyway.
“The leadership of Hamas government has committed an aggression against the rights of the Islamic nation by respecting international agreements,” thundered Ayman Zawahri Sunday. “I am sorry to have to offer the Islamic nation my condolences for the Hamas leadership as it has fallen into the quagmire of surrender.”
The Gaza al Qaeda cell then defined the four missions of Operation White Land:
1. Targeting the most senior figures of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas leaders.
2. Focusing on group abductions rather than individuals, especially symbols of political corruption.
3. Beheading is ordained for members of these groups. Their executions and confessions will be videotaped and aired as they are in Iraq.
4. Blowing up Internet cafes and businesses selling alcohol; putting prostitutes to death to cleanse the streets of Gaza of prostitution.
Announcing these missions have won the sanction of Palestinian religious scholars, the communiqué ends with the words: “Operation White Land has begun.”
As for the revolt in Hamas, its Executive Force chief Jemal Jarah and his deputy, Yusouf a-Zahar (brother of Hamas foreign minister Mahmoud a-Zahar), accuse prime minister Ismail Haniyeh of being too soft with Abbas and Fatah and failing to follow through to victory on the battles they fought for weeks against Fatah. Determined to finish the job, Hamas rebels were back on the streets of Gaza this week, shooting and abducting their rivals, the Mecca Reconciliation Accords already a dead letter.
DEBKAfile adds: Shalit, who was abducted in June 2006 has become a counter in internecine Palestinian rivalries. He is guarded by two of the groups which kidnapped him, including members of al Qaeda. With the control of affairs in the Gaza Strip slipping out of the hands of prime minister Haniyeh, it is hard to see how any progress can be achieved towards gaining his freedom.
Begin Article from Jerusalem Center for Public Information
Hamas Terror Brigade on the March in Gaza
(Maan News-PA)
Dozens of Al-Qassam Brigades’ fighters, the armed wing of Hamas, appeared in a military march through central Gaza City on Wednesday, the first such public appearance in several months.
Hundreds of Al-Qassam members marched through the streets carrying machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades and shouting pro-Hamas slogans.
Begin Article from Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
In Chaotic Gaza, the Internet Is a Target
(Bloomberg/Chicago Daily Herald)
Soon after a firebomb exploded at 3 a.m. and destroyed four computers in the Al-Shawa Online Internet Cafe in Gaza, owner Alaa al-Shawa clicked onto his e-mail at an undamaged machine.
The first message was from the bombers, explaining that establishments such as his were keeping Muslims away from prayer and providing pornography. That’s why it was hit.
“This just shows how confused these fanatics are,” said Al-Shawa, 27.
“Even they use the Internet to circulate their statements.”
About 45 Internet outlets have been bombed since Dec.
1, according to Gaza police.
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