Gaza Pullout
On June 7, 2004, Israel’s cabinet approved in principle Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. It was immediately announced by Sharon that “disengagement has begun” and would be completed by the end of 2005.
Some 7,500 Jewish settlers live in heavily guarded communities amid Gaza’s 1.3 million Arabs. The cabinet vote means that no Israelis will remain in Gaza in any peace settlement with the Palestinians, but Sharon thinks the withdrawal will boost security by relieving the army of having to defend settlers there. The plan that Sharon initially proposed was for a total one step withdrawal. After his coalition government was reduced to a 51% majority, Sharon rethought the matter and proposed a staged withdrawal.
It should be noted that a cabinet vote is required in order to proceed to the next step of withdrawal. Once completed, Gaza will be 100% controlled by the Palestinian people.
Sharon has proposed Israel work in harmony with Egypt in the pullout. He is proposing Egypt play a strategic role by working very closely with Palestinian authorities to impose law and order in Gaza.
The Israeli government is also contemplating the pullout of Jews from the west bank area of Israel which encompasses a large part of Israel with settlements in and around Jerusalem.
As we know, these moves are going against God’s promises and Bible prophecy. They will be reversed, the only question is: When?
Iraq
The New York Times reported on June 9, 2004: “The Security Council voted unanimously on Tuesday in favor of an American and British resolution to end the formal occupation of Iraq on June 30 and transfer ‘full sovereignty’ to an interim Iraqi government.”
“Today we are united on Iraq,” said Lauro L. Baja Jr. of the Philippines, the Security Council president. The New York Times reported further, “It also enabled the United States to cite support for its program to stabilize Iraq from Council countries like France, Germany and Russia that were vigorously opposed to American military action there. Along with giving international legitimacy to the caretaker government and outlining the United Nations’ role in a post-June 30 Iraq, the measure authorized an American-led multinational force, now at 160,000 troops, to use ‘all necessary measures’ in ‘partnership’ with Iraqi forces to bring peace.”
John D. Negroponte, the American ambassador to the United Nations, who is to become the United States envoy in Baghdad, said the vote “is a vivid demonstration of broad, international support for, and I quote from the text, ‘a federal, democratic, pluralist and unified Iraq in which there is full respect for political and human rights.”
According to Bible prophecy, Iraq (ancient Assyria) is not part of the host of nations invading Israel in Ezekiel 38. Further the existence of American and British forces in the country has placed the “king of the South” in the Middle East. These two prophecies strongly suggest the coalition forces will remain in Iraq.With this in mind, we watch with great interest the unfolding of events. Being right in the middle of them, we cannot always see how developments of the day fit with the broader picture, but fit they will.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One