Tuesday, December 5, 2006

The Middle East in Focus

This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:

"Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal My people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before." (Jeremiah 33:6-7)

1. Israel ready to free 1000 prisoners in Shalit deal - Ha'aretz
Israel will be prepared to release many Palestinian prisoners, including long-serving inmates, in return for a soldier militants seized last June, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Monday.

Israel is expecting that progress will be achieved on the negotiations for the release of abducted soldier Gilad Shalit as a result of the meeting between Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and exiled Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshal, in Damascus on Monday.

2. Jihad threatens imminent attacks - Jerusalem Post

Hamas and Islamic Jihad threatened Sunday to resume attacks on Israel in response to Israeli "violations" of the cease-fire that was announced in the Gaza Strip last week.

3. Ahmadinejad: Israel will disappear - Jerusalem Post

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh held talks in Doha, Qatar on Friday.

4. Syria smuggling missiles to Hizbullah - Jerusalem Post

Long-range missiles, as well as truckloads of advanced anti-tank missiles originating in Iran and Syria, have been smuggled to Hizbullah in Lebanon during the past four months since the war ended this summer, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

5. US arms to be given to Mideast terrorists? - Ynet News

In her meeting last week with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pledged her country would provide Abbas' Force 17 security forces with new weapons to bolster the group against Hamas, according to senior Palestinian officials.