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From our Archives February 2001 Chat: New Signs & Omens Dear Friends, Students and Strangers, Greetings in the Name of Him Who sealed our forgiveness in the New Covenant! ...I would like to point out some interesting information related to the on-going crisis developing in Israel and the Middle East. On February 19th, Israel sent a strong warning to Lebanon and Syria, after Hezbollah guerillas fired rockets at an Israeli patrol on the northern border, killing one Israeli soldier. Israel warned both countries that they would suffer severe consequences if the Hezbollah is not constrained. Israeli generals believe that if the situation in Judea, Samaria and Gaza deteriorates, Hezbollah is likely to open up a second front in the north which would bring Syria into the conflict, transforming the Palestinian uprising from a localized conflict into a regional war. Israel is also closely watching the developments in Iraq since the U.S. air strike there on the 16th. Israeli officials are taking Saddam's threats of retaliation seriously. One official said, "First of all, one must relate seriously to Saddam Hussein, because until now whatever he threatened he has also tried to carry out." [This official is Ephraim Sneh.] Sneh said, "The danger is not an immediate danger. The danger is in what he is building and preparing. Based on our assessment, he is building long-range missiles and is equipping himself with biological weapons, and is making every effort to build nuclear weapons to which he was very close only 10 years ago." Demonstrators in Palestinian-ruled cities burned Israeli and American flags and pictures of the new American President. However, Saddam Hussein is especially popular among Palestinians, since he has paid $10,000 to the families of each "martyr" killed in the recent Intifadeh. On February 20th, it was reported that Israeli and U.S. forces began a joint military exercise to test Patriot missiles, used to intercept Iraqi Scud missiles during the Gulf War in 1991. The war games in the Israeli desert began 3 days after the U.S. air strike on military installations near the Iraqi capitol of Baghdad. Of course, Israeli sources said that the timing of the missile defense exercise was only "coincidental." The Israeli public doesn't seem to be buying that. Rather, it is reported that since the U.S. attack, more than 10,000 people have inquired about refurbishing their gas masks. And as stated earlier, in a stunning turn-around, on February 21st, outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Barak decided to quit politics rather than to serve as Defense Minister in a national unity government under Ariel Sharon. Now efforts are under way to bring Shimon Peres into the government, but he too is experiencing significant resistance. On the same day, it was reported that Palestinians held another anti-American rally in Gaza to protest the recent air strike on Iraq, chanting, "Bush is a coward! The Iraqi people will not be humiliated!" Hundreds marched on the U.N. office in Gaza City as they waved Iraqi flags and posters of Saddam Hussein. Well, as you can see, the Mid-East deserves continued "watching." So again I leave you with the thoughts oft repeated - KEEP WATCHING! | ||