Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY GHOST:

Revelation 19:11

And I saw heaven opened, and BEHOLD A WHITE HORSE; AND HE THAT SAT UPON HIM WAS CALLED FAITHFUL AND TRUE, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and UNDERSTAND THAT I AM HE: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

Isaiah 52:6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore THEY SHALL KNOW IN THAT DAY THAT I AM HE THAT DOTH SPEAK: BEHOLD, IT IS I.

Luke 21:28 And WHEN THESE THINGS BEGIN TO COME TO PASS, THEN LOOK UP, AND LIFT UP YOUR HEADS; FOR YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH.

In His Service,

Night Watchman

Paul Rolland

Night Watchman Ministries

www.nightwatchman.blog

https://nightwatchmanministries.substack.com

Make Your (7) Decision for Christ NOW!!!!!!! Time is Up!!!!!!!

Jesus Christ’s Offer of Salvation:

The ABCs (7) of Salvation through Jesus Christ (the Lamb)

1. (7) Admit/Acknowledge/Accept that you are sinner. Ask (7) God’s forgiveness and repent of your sins.

. . . “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).

. . . “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10).

. . . “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8).

B. Believe Jesus is Lord. Believe that (7) Jesus Christ is who He claimed to (7) be; that He was both fully God (7) and fully man and that we are (7) saved through His death, burial, and resurrection. (7) Put your trust in Him as your (7) only hope of salvation. Become a son (7) or daughter of God by receiving Christ. (7777777) 7×7

. . . “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:15-17). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

C. Call upon His name, Confess (7) with your heart and with your lips (7) that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.

. . . “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION – SETTING THE TABLE
2. SAUDI CABINET ANTICIPATES TWO-STATE SOLUTION TALKS
3. SAUDI ARABIA TO HOST MEETING OF ‘GLOBAL ALLIANCE’ TO PUSH FOR PALESTINIAN STATE
4. ISRAEL WANTS MORE PEACE DEALS WITH ARAB COUNTRIES AND SAUDI ARABIA AFTER WAR, NETANYAHU SAYS
5. MBS SEEKS US AND ISRAELI ASSURANCES IN SAUDI DEAL AMID FEARS OF BACKLASH
6. WILL SAUDIS GET THE TEMPLE MOUNT IN LATEST PEACE TALKS?
7. SAUDI ARABIA WANTS THE TEMPLE MOUNT!!!
8. PROPHECY UPDATE: THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE THIRD TEMPLE
9. THIRD TEMPLE FERVOR – ARK REPLICA COMES TO JERUSALEM AS LEVITE PRIESTS PRACTICE
10. PEACE WITH THE SAUDIS IS EASY – THEY JUST WANT THE TEMPLE MOUNT
11. MBS’S LIFE IN DANGER OVER ISRAEL-SAUDI DEAL, POLITICO REPORTER SPECULATES – REPORT
12. CAN THE TEMPLE MOUNT BE A TRADING CARD TO ENTICE THE SAUDIS?
13. NETANYAHU WANTS TO ADVANCE A SAUDI DEAL, DIPLOMATIC SOURCES SAY
14. THE INTERNAL ISLAMIC STRUGGLE OVER THE TEMPLE MOUNT IS ONCE AGAIN ON THE AGENDA
15. RIYADH SEEKS TO REBOOT TEMPLE MOUNT STATUS QUO WITH PEACE DEAL. SAUDI ARABIA INTENDS TO REPLACE JORDAN AS CUSTODIAN OF THE HOLY SITE
16. WILL SAUDI ARABIA TAKE CONTROL OF TEMPLE MOUNT IN COMING ISRAEL PEACE DEAL?
17. SAUDI ARABIA CALLS ON INT’L COMMUNITY TO HOLD ISRAEL ACCOUNTABLE FOR JEWS GOING UP TEMPLE MOUNT
18. TEMPLE MOUNT/AL-AQSA IS WAITING FOR SAUDI ARABIA’S MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN
19. MAKE WAY FOR ISRAEL-SAUDI NORMALIZATION, SAYS NEW YORK TIMES’ THOMAS FRIEDMAN
20. SAUDI ARABIA FORMS GLOBAL ALLIANCE TO PUSH FOR ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN TWO-STATE SOLUTION
21. ‘PEACE IS INEVITABLE’: ISRAELI, SAUDI EXPERTS SHARE THOUGHTS ON NORMALIZATION, ISLAMISM
22. ‘JEWISH MYTH:’ IN ARAB WORLD, MANY STILL REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE TWO TEMPLES’ EXISTENCE – ANALYSIS
23. NORMALIZATION WITH SAUDI ARABIA IS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR ISRAEL
24. NOW IN POWER, ISRAEL’S MESSIANIC FAR-RIGHT IS DEAD SERIOUS ABOUT REBUILDING THE TEMPLE
25. ISRAELI POLITICIAN CARVES STONES TO BUILD THIRD TEMPLE
26. COUNTDOWN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE “THIRD TEMPLE” IS ACCELERATING
27. RIYADH HOSTS FIRST HIGH-LEVEL GLOBAL ALLIANCE MEETING ON TWO-STATE SOLUTION

INTRODUCTION – SETTING THE TABLE

SAUDI CABINET ANTICIPATES TWO-STATE SOLUTION TALKS

Updated 4 min 31 sec ago Arab News October 29, 202417:51

THE CABINET SAID SAUDI ARABIA WAS OPTIMISTIC THAT THIS GATHERING WILL YIELD CONCRETE MEASURES TO BOLSTER INTERNATIONAL PEACE EFFORTS, ESTABLISH A SEVEN (7) YEAR TIMELINE FOR A SOVEREIGN PALESTINIAN STATE

The Saudi cabinet expressed optimism that Wednesday’s HIGH-LEVEL MEETING OF THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION IN RIYADH WILL ESTABLISH A TIMELINE FOR A SOVEREIGN PALESTINIAN STATE AND ADVANCE EFFORTS TO END THE OCCUPATION.

Reiterating its position from the recent BRICS Plus 2024 Summit, the cabinet firmly opposed any escalation of conflict in the region.

It highlighted the serious threat that ongoing Israeli actions in Gaza pose to both REGIONAL AND GLOBAL SECURITY, calling for an immediate ceasefire, unobstructed humanitarian assistance, and a RENEWED COMMITMENT TO ACHIEVING LASTING PEACE.

SAUDI ARABIA TO HOST MEETING OF ‘GLOBAL ALLIANCE’ TO PUSH FOR PALESTINIAN STATE

Al Arabiya English Published: 30 October ,2024: 03:23 PM GST Updated: 30 October ,2024: 03:27 PM GST

SAUDI ARABIA WILL ON WEDNESDAY HOST THE FIRST MEETING OF A NEW “GLOBAL ALLIANCE” TO PRESS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PALESTINIAN STATE.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan ANNOUNCED THE INITIATIVE IN SEPTEMBER TO PUSH FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A TWO-STATE SOLUTION and work toward a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip where the war between Israel and Hamas has been raging since October 7, 2023. DIPLOMATS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS WILL ATTEND THE TWO-DAY MEETING IN RIYADH TO PRESENT A TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION AND PROPOSE MEASURES TO SUPPORT PEACE EFFORTS.

ISRAEL WANTS MORE PEACE DEALS WITH ARAB COUNTRIES AND SAUDI ARABIA AFTER WAR, NETANYAHU SAYS

Reuters Mon, October 28, 2024 at 11:12 AM CDT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday HE HOPES TO REACH PEACE DEALS WITH MORE ARAB COUNTRIES ONCE THE WAR AGAINST IRANIAN PROXIES HAMAS AND HEZBOLLAH IS COMPLETE.

“The day after Hamas no longer controls Gaza and Hezbollah no longer sits on our northern border, we are working these days on plans to stabilize those two fronts. But the day after includes something else of utmost importance,” Netanyahu said in a speech to parliament.

“I aspire to continue the process I led a few years ago of THE SIGNING OF THE HISTORIC ABRAHAM ACCORDS, AND ACHIEVE PEACE WITH MORE ARAB COUNTRIES,” he said.

Israel, under the U.S.-brokered 2020 accords, normalized relations with four Arab countries – the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.

Since then, Israel, with U.S. SUPPORT, HAS SOUGHT TO ALSO INCLUDE OTHER NATIONS, PARTICULARLY SAUDI ARABIA. RIYADH SAYS IT WILL NOT RECOGNISE ISRAEL WITHOUT THE CREATION OF A PALESTINIAN STATE.

“These countries, and other countries, see clearly the blows we are landing on those who attack us, the Iranian axis of evil,” he said. “They aspire, like us, for a STABLE, SECURE AND PROSPEROUS MIDDLE EAST.”

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Jon Boyle and Timothy Heritage)

MBS SEEKS US AND ISRAELI ASSURANCES IN SAUDI DEAL AMID FEARS OF BACKLASH

Saudi Crown Prince MBS demands US and Israeli commitments on a Palestinian state, citing security fears as he negotiates a historic deal.

By NEVILLE TELLER AUGUST 26, 2024 00:07Updated: AUGUST 26, 2024 04:56

SAUDI CROWN PRINCE Mohammed bin Salman attends a cabinet meeting in May. Only Saudi Arabia and the Arab world can convert, circumvent, or disempower rejectionist organizations like Hamas, the writer maintains.

On August 14, the US digital news medium, Politico, published an exclusive report. It was based on accounts from three separate sources, who had been privy to TALKS BETWEEN OF SAUDI CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN (MBS), AND MEMBERS OF THE US CONGRESS.

These talks were the latest in a series of detailed discussions that HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE FOR YEARS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND SAUDI ARABIA. THEY BEGAN DURING THE PRESIDENCY OF DONALD TRUMP, AND PRECEDED THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS. 

Over time, the shape of a complex agreement of major significance has emerged, CLEARLY AIMED AT BOOSTING MBS’S AMBITIOUS PROGRAM FOR SECURING SAUDI’S FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. HIS SAUDI VISION 2030, launched in 2016, aimed at breaking the nation’s total dependence on oil and promoting additional means of developing the nation’s potential.

In exchange for commitments by the US to Saudi Arabia covering, among other issues, security, technical assistance with developing a civilian nuclear program, and investment in areas such as hi-tech, Saudi Arabia would limit its dealings with China and normalize its relations with Israel. 

MBS had one provison before agreeing to breathe life into the draft deal. In line with long-standing Saudi policy, he required firm approval from Israel for the establishment of a Palestinian state. This stark condition has been somewhat modified during the negotiating process. MBS now requires the inclusion in the agreement of “a credible path toward a Palestinian state.”

Despite widespread global support, including that of the US, for the two-state solution, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far refused to countenance fostering the development of a sovereign Palestine. It could, he has pointed out, bring Iran-sponsored terrorism into the heart of Israel, and place Tel Aviv and Ben-Gurion airport under permanent threat of attack.  

HISTORY OF A ‘PALESTINIAN STATE’

The territories earmarked to form the putative Palestinian state – the West Bank, east Jerusalem, and Gaza – were overrun by Jordan and Egypt during the 1948 Israel-Arab conflict, and administered by them for 20 years. When originally seized, Mandate Palestine had been dissolved and the land belonged to no sovereign state.

During the subsequent two decades, neither Jordan nor Egypt, which occupied those territories, made the slightest effort to form a Palestinian state. 

SAUDI ARABIA’S Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jeddah, last year.

The areas were won back by Israel in the Six Day War in 1967. However, in the following years, through astute Palestinian propaganda, they morphed in the public consciousness into “occupied Palestinian land.” A political reality had been created. 

Since then, ISRAEL HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY PRESSURED TO SUPPORT ESTABLISHING A PALESTINIAN STATE in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria], EAST JERUSALEM [INCLUDING THE OLD CITY], and Gaza. 

Politico’s revelations about the latest round of talks include two apparently contradictory elements. On the one hand, the reports indicate that MBS SEEMS INTENT ON STRIKING THIS MEGA-DEAL WITH THE US AND ISRAEL; AND ON THE OTHER, THAT HE APPEARS WORRIED BY THE POSSIBILITY OF ASSASSINATION FOR DOING SO. 

He is reported to have cited the fate of the Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat following his 1979 peace treaty with Israel. Sources say that he questioned whether the US had offered Sadat effective protection and appeared to be requesting personal security if, or when, the deal is ratified.

MBS could have indicated that the same considerations might apply to Netanyahu, who might have in mind the tragic end of his predecessor, Yitzhak Rabin. Having signed the first Oslo Accord in 1993 and finalized a peace treaty with Jordan in 1994, Rabin died at the hands of an Israeli extremist in November 1995. In truth, though, Netanyahu is more likely to be considering the implications for his precarious government coalition if he gave way on the two-state solution – which would, incidentally, be as unacceptable to Hamas and its followers as to his right-wing ministers.  

THE REASON FOR SAUDI ARABIA’S INSISTENCE ON “A CREDIBLE PATH TOWARD A PALESTINIAN STATE” IS ENTIRELY UNDERSTANDABLE. THE 2002 ARAB PEACE INITIATIVE WAS CONCEIVED AND PROPOSED BY KING SALMAN’S PREDECESSOR ON THE THRONE, HIS HALF-BROTHER, THEN-CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH. THE PLAN, ENDORSED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS BY THE ARAB LEAGUE, ADVOCATES A TWO-STATE SOLUTION TO THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE DISPUTE. GIVEN THAT AND A JUST RESOLUTION OF THE PALESTINIAN REFUGEE ISSUE, THE PLAN PROMISES FULL NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE MUSLIM WORLD AND ISRAEL.

 In September 2021, when King Salman addressed the UN General Assembly, he reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to the 2002 plan, ignoring the fact that it was drafted well before Hamas gained control of Gaza in 2007. Members of the Arab League must now take into consideration that Hamas, with the support of much of the Arab world, is dedicated to eliminating Israel from the Middle East, and would certainly never endorse the idea of Israel continuing to exist alongside a Palestinian state that occupied only a portion of what was once British Mandatory Palestine.

In short, IN SIGNING UP FOR THE US-SAUDI-ISRAEL DEAL, MBS WOULD BE FACING NOT ONLY THE FEAR OF ASSASSINATION, BUT ALSO, WHETHER OR NOT A PALESTINIAN STATE WAS PART OF THE DEAL, ENDLESS CONFLICT WITH HAMAS OR WHATEVER JIHADIST ORGANIZATIONS SUCCEED IT – FOR IT IS MORALLY CERTAIN THERE IS NO FORESEEABLE END TO THE REJECTIONIST STRUGGLE TO OVERTHROW ISRAEL AND ACQUIRE THE LAND “FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA.”

World opinion, such as Saudi Arabia’s, in favor of the two-state solution needs to face up to this awkward truth: It will never work until the majority of the Palestinian leadership acknowledges that the State of Israel is here to stay and endorses its legitimacy. SINCE SAUDI ARABIA AND THE ARAB WORLD ARE PROMOTING THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION, THE BALL IS IN THEIR COURT. ONLY THEY CAN CONVERT, CIRCUMVENT, OR DISEMPOWER REJECTIONIST ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HAMAS. 

IF THAT is too great an ask, then SAUDI ARABIA – despite its UNIQUE POSITION AS LEADER OF THE SUNNI MUSLIM WORLD – will need to consider aligning its position with that of other Abraham Accord signatories. All maintain their support for Palestinian aspirations, but not at the expense of their own interests. They have decided to put establishing a Palestinian state on the back-burner, and PRIORITIZE THE SUBSTANTIAL BENEFITS TO THEIR COUNTRIES AND THE REGION OF NORMALIZING RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL.

In practical terms, therefore: Is the price that Saudi Arabia is asking for a normalization deal with Israel unrealistic? Or will MBS’s compromise formula be enough to kick the issue into the long grass and finalize the normalization deal? Or will current US policy and the weight of public opinion in favor of the two-state solution finally prevail? Time will tell.

WILL SAUDIS GET THE TEMPLE MOUNT IN LATEST PEACE TALKS?

written by Micha Gefen ISRAEL UNWIRED

RUMORS ARE CIRCULATING THAT MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN HAS STIPULATED HIS NEED TO CONTROL THE TEMPLE MOUNT IN THE LATEST TALKS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA THAT BEING MEDIATED BY THE USA.

If this is true, this may be the major concession Jerusalem is willing to pay instead of creating a “palestinian” terror state in Judea and Samaria – Israel’s biblical heartland. While this may seem like a huge concession, in fact it may work out as a win-win for both sides. CURRENTLY THE JORDANIAN WAQF IS IN CONTROL OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT WHILE ISRAEL IS IN CHARGE OF SECURITY. THE WAQF HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT IT DOES NOT WANT JEWS PRAYING ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT. HOWEVER, IF SAUDI ARABIA WERE TO CONTROL THE MOSQUE, THEY WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY BE WILLING TO LET UNHINDERED ACCESS AND JEWISH PRAYER ON THE SITE. THIS WOULD BE A POWER MOVE BY BOTH SIDES – forever icing out a future “Palestinian” terror state and sidelining the Jordanians as well. BOTH OF THESE OUTCOMES WOULD BE WELCOMED BY BOTH ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA.

CHRISTIAN APOSTASY AND REVEALING THE MAN BY SATAN (MBS)

1. Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
2. Mark 13:14 But when ye shall see THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
3. Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the OVERSPREADING OF ABOMINATIONS HE SHALL MAKE IT DESOLATE, even until the consummation, and that determined SHALL BE POURED UPON THE DESOLATE.
4. Daniel 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and THEY SHALL PLACE THE ABOMINATION THAT MAKETH DESOLATE.
5. Daniel 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the ABOMINATION THAT MAKETH DESOLATE SET UP, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days [until the end of the 7 year tribulation or second physical coming of Christ to Earth]

SAUDI ARABIA WANTS THE TEMPLE MOUNT!!!
Believe it or not, SAUDI ARABIA IS ABOUT TO MAKE A PLAY FOR THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SECURITY AND CONTROL OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT and that may not be a bad thing!!! IT LOOKS LIKE WE MAY BE ONE STEP CLOSER TO BUILDING THE JEWISH TEMPLE ON THE ORIGINAL SITE AND THAT BRINGS US ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE END. IT’S TIME TO PAY ATTENTION AND BE READY. CHRIST CAN COME BACK AT ANY MOMENT!

THIRD TEMPLE FERVOR – ARK REPLICA COMES TO JERUSALEM AS LEVITE PRIESTS PRACTICE

By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz/Israel 365 News October 24, 2024

In a remarkable fusion of ancient tradition and modern craftsmanship, A METICULOUSLY CONSTRUCTED REPLICA OF THE BIBLICAL ARK OF THE COVENANT WAS SHOWCASED IN JERUSALEM DURING THE SUKKOT HOLIDAY. THE DISPLAY, WHICH TOOK PLACE AT THE PRESTIGIOUS KING DAVID HOTEL, FEATURED THE GOLDEN VESSEL HOUSING A HOLOCAUST-SURVIVING TORAH SCROLL FROM THESSALONIKI, GREECE.

A LABOR OF FAITH AND PRECISION

The ambitious project, spanning three and a half years, involved 17 volunteers across multiple countries who adhered strictly to Torah specifications. THE REPLICA’S CONSTRUCTION REQUIRED APPROXIMATELY THREE TONS OF EGYPTIAN ACACIA WOOD AND WAS ADORNED WITH HIGH-PURITY GOLD MEASURING 23.75 CARATS – THE SAME GRADE USED IN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ROYAL ARTIFACTS.

The project’s chief architect, identified as Jake, emphasized that creating the replica involved more than simply following biblical instructions. “It was really a deep process of discovery and a mystery,” he explained, noting that the team had to conduct extensive research to fill in gaps not addressed in the original Torah specifications.

ENGINEERING CHALLENGES AND ANCIENT TECHNIQUES

The team faced numerous technical challenges in creating a functional replica. Weighing 85 pounds, the ark needed to withstand significant physical stress, particularly the torsional forces created when carried by four people. Following historical authenticity, the construction used no modern fasteners like screws or nails, instead relying on ancient Egyptian woodworking techniques such as mortise and tenon joints.

THE ARK’S EXTERIOR FEATURES ARTISTIC DEPICTIONS OF FOUR KEY MOMENTS FROM THE EXODUS: MOSES AT THE BURNING BUSH, THE PARTING OF THE RED SEA, THE DIVINE GUIDANCE IN THE DESERT, AND THE GIVING OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. PERHAPS ITS MOST INTRICATE FEATURE IS THE PAIR OF CHERUBIM – WINGED, CHILD-LIKE FIGURES – CRAFTED IN GOLD ATOP THE ARK.

SYMBOLIC TIMING

The replica’s unveiling comes during a particularly significant moment in Israeli history, as the nation faces multiple security challenges. Several Knesset members attended the presentation, drawing parallels between the ark’s historical significance and current events.

MK Simcha Rothman, chair of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, reflected on the biblical relationship between the Ark and victory in warfare, emphasizing that THE ARK’S POWER LAY NOT IN THE OBJECT ITSELF BUT IN WHAT IT REPRESENTED – THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND GOD.

FUTURE PLANS AND SIGNIFICANCE

The replica has already traveled to several significant locations, including Shiloh, the ancient site of the Tabernacle, and has even made an appearance at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Its creators hope to continue its journey, possibly including visits to military camps, though specific long-term plans remain under discussion.

Lewis Topper, the project’s principal financier, views the replica as more than just a historical reproduction. “It was a project designed to bring peace to the world and to bring victory to the Land of Israel, and to bring peace and kindness to America again,” he stated.

CULTURAL IMPACT

Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a research fellow at Bar-Ilan University’s Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, highlighted the ark’s significance across different faith traditions. He emphasized the profound impact of being able to see and interact with a representation of this sacred object after two millennia.

The project’s completion represents more than just a technical achievement; it serves as a tangible connection to ancient Jewish history and tradition. As Jake, the chief architect, concluded, “WHAT THE ARK REPRESENTS IS THE FACT THAT THE COVENANT IS STILL VALID… GOD’S COMMITMENT TO HIS PEOPLE IS AS STRONG AS IT WAS 3,500 YEARS AGO WHEN THE ARK WAS BUILT.”

BIBLICAL ARK

GOD FIRST COMMANDED MOSES TO BUILD THE ARK OF THE COVENANT IN THE BOOK OF EXODUS:

“Have them make an Ark of acacia wood – two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it…Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which I will give you.” (Exodus 25:10-16)

Plated with pure gold and mounted with two golden Cherubim, the Ark was carried by the Levites as the Jewish nation wandered in the desert for 40 years. Playing a significant role in various Biblical accounts, the Ark is described as having supernatural powers.

EVENTUALLY, THE ARK CAME TO REST IN THE FIRST TEMPLE, WHICH WAS BUILT BY KING SOLOMON. THE ARK WAS PLACED IN A SPECIAL INNER ROOM KNOWN AS THE HOLY OF HOLIES, WHERE THE HIGH PRIEST WOULD ENTER ONCE A YEAR ON YOM KIPPUR.

The Ark was last seen in 586 BCE when the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the First Temple. What happened to the Ark remains unknown until today. The disappearance of the legendary Ark over 2700 years ago is an enigma that has given rise to much speculation by biblical archaeologists and explorers. There are many contradictory theories as to what really happened to this sacred artifact and where it might be today. 

Approximately 35 years before the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BC, King Josiah ordered that the Ark be brought into a special chamber that King Solomon had built as part of the original plan for the Temple as found in a special Temple scroll that was given to him by his father King David. The prophets Samuel and Nathan (II Chronicles 35:3). King Josiah foresaw that the Temple would be destroyed. They ordered the Ark’s placement into this secret chamber well before Jerusalem was even being threatened. 

The Rambam (Maimonides) quotes the Talmud in a number of places that state that the Ark was buried “in its place” and for “generations after generations,” and “to this very day” (I Kings 8:8) in the warren of tunnels beneath the Temple Mount. In fact, directly beneath the Holy of Holies.

MEANWHILE ON SUNDAY, A FULL-DRESS REENACTMENT OF THE WATER LIBATION, AS IT WAS PERFORMED IN THE TEMPLE, WAS HELD IN JERUSALEM WITH SEVERAL HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS LED BY KOHANIM IN PRIESTLY GARB, ACCOMPANIED BY LEVITES PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

The event began at Shaar Hashpot (the dung gate) in Jerusalem’s Old City where participants joined Kohanim (priests) in Biblically mandated vestments and Levites with musical instruments, also wearing special vestments. The musically gifted Levites led the ceremony with joyous music on drums, violin, guitar, and clarinet, winding down ancient walkways into the valley below the Temple Mount. 

The crowd sang and danced as they passed from the archaeological remains of the ancient City of David, through an Arab village, to the Shiloach (Siloam) Spring, which was used in Temple times. The procession was punctuated by stops during which four-foot-long pure silver trumpets were sounded.

THE TEMPLE INSTITUTE PREPARED A SPECIAL GOLD-PLATED SOLID SILVER VESSEL FOR USE IN THE THIRD TEMPLE. THIS VESSEL WAS CARRIED AT THE HEAD OF THE PROCESSION TO THE SHILOACH POOL WHERE IT WAS FILLED FROM THE SPRING. The procession climbed back up to the top of the mountain. A model altar and its utensils had been set up in an open area adjacent to the Western Wall. The altar was decorated with large leafy willow branches as was done in the Temple.

Though not explicitly mandated in the Torah, the water libation is part of the oral tradition passed down from Moses. Sukkot is a joyous holiday and the water libation was the focal point of this joy. In the Temple, the ceremony would take fifteen hours with accompanying celebrations lasting all night until the Temple service began again the next morning. Nations came from around the world came to take part in the Sukkoth celebrations, making it an international worship ceremony of God.

In Temple times, a libation of water was made together with the pouring out of wine at the morning service on the last six days of the week-long Sukkot holiday. Kohanim descended from the Temple to the Shiloach Spring at the base of Mount Moriah, where they filled the flask with three log of spring water (approximately two pints) and then returned to the Temple.

Two Kohanim then ascended the stone altar in the Temple’s inner courtyard, placing two silver cups on the southwestern corner. One Kohen poured the water from the silver flask while the second Kohen simultaneously poured wine from the second cup, both liquids flowing into holes in the altar specially prepared for this ceremony.

THE SHILOACH POOL (SILOAM IN ENGLISH) HAS HUGE BIBLICAL IMPORTANCE IN THAT IT WILL RE-EMERGE WHEN THE THIRD TEMPLE IS BUILT. THE POOL OF SILOAM WAS THE STARTING POINT FOR PILGRIMS WHO MADE THE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO JERUSALEM FOR THE BIBLICAL FEASTS. THEY WOULD USE THE POOL TO WASH AND RITUALLY PURIFY THEMSELVES BEFORE ASCENDING BY FOOT TO THE INNER COURT OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT TO BRING THEIR SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS. Located outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem to the southeast, the pool is fed by the waters of the Gihon Spring, which are carried there by the Siloam Tunnel, also known as Hezekiah’s Tunnel. 

Sometimes referred to in the Bible as the Lower Pool, the pool was built during the reign of Hezekiah (715-687 BCE) to replace an older Canaanite tunnel, known Biblically as the Upper Pool, that was vulnerable to attackers. The new pool and tunnel left besieging armies without access to the spring’s waters. Archeologists believe that during the Second Temple Era, the waters continued to flow south and were collected in an additional, larger pool. This pool was discovered during the summer of 2004 and is continuing to be uncovered today.

PEACE WITH THE SAUDIS IS EASY – THEY JUST WANT THE TEMPLE MOUNT

How does trading one Muslim landlord for another advance Israel’s restoration?

By Ryan Jones  ISRAEL TODAY

AS HOLY AS IT IS TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE, ISRAEL HAS NO PROBLEM BARGAINING WITH THE TEMPLE MOUNT FOR PERCEIVED POLITICAL GAIN. AFTER LIBERATING THE SACRED PLATEAU FROM HOSTILE MUSLIM RULE IN 1967, ISRAEL PROMPTLY HANDED IT BACK TO A HOSTILE MUSLIM BODY, THE JORDANIAN WAQF.

NOW THE SAUDIS ARE SAYING THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO THEM IN A PEACE DEAL WITH ISRAEL IS GREATER INFLUENCE OVER THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND GUARANTEES REGARDING THE “RIGHTS” OF MUSLIMS AT THE SITE.

Israeli media this week covered a recent survey conducted by the Washington Institute to discover what AVERAGE SAUDIS MOST HOPE TO GET IN RETURN FROM NORMALIZATION WITH ISRAEL.

Many might assume, and the Palestinians certainly hoped, that a Palestinian state would be at the top of the Saudis’ list. But it wasn’t.

According to the survey, THE THING SAUDIS MOST WANT (46% OF RESPONDENTS) FROM A PEACE DEAL WITH ISRAEL IS “GUARANTEEING THE RIGHTS OF MUSLIMS AT THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE” (IE. TEMPLE MOUNT).

Advancement toward a Palestinian state was the top priority for only 36% of Saudis polled by the Washington Institute.

Muslims already enjoy full religious freedom at the Temple Mount, so Israel has already met the Saudis’ chief peace demand. Photo by Jamal Awad/Flash90

Rounding out the list of priorities were American military aid (18%) and cooperation from the US on developing Saudi nuclear power (16%).

On the one hand, SAUDI SENTIMENTS MAKE REACHING A NORMALIZATION AGREEMENT EASY, NOTED ISRAELI EXPERT ASHER FREDMAN, A SENIOR RESEARCHER AT THE MISGAV INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND ZIONIST STRATEGY.

Freeman told Israel Hayom that the findings reveal that all Israel need do to satisfy Saudi public opinion is to continue doing what it already does – maintain freedom of worship for Muslims at the Temple Mount.

RIYADH HAS ALSO BEEN ANGLING FOR SOME TIME FOR GREATER INFLUENCE AT THE TEMPLE MOUNT, EVEN THOUGH MANY SAUDIS SAY THE SITE ISN’T REALLY ALL THAT IMPORTANT TO ISLAM.

SAUDI ARABIA ALREADY CONTROLS ISLAM’S FIRST AND SECOND MOST HOLY SITES, SO WHY NOT ITS THIRD? THAT, TOO, IS SOMETHING ISRAEL WOULD PROBABLY PREFER. FAR BETTER TO WORK WITH A FRIENDLY SAUDI REGIME THAN THE VENOMOUS, PALESTINIAN-INFLUENCED JORDANIAN WAQF.

But it again raises the question: Is Israel truly sovereign in its own land, and in particular in the Holy City of Jerusalem, if it doesn’t control the Temple Mount, if Jews still can’t pray at Judaism’s holiest site?

Under the current status quo, Jews must mark holy days outside the gates of their holiest site. Photo by Jamal Awad/Flash90

What is Jerusalem without the Temple Mount, the place where God chose to inscribe His name?

And what is Israel without Jerusalem?

See related: Do the Jews Have Sovereignty in Jerusalem?

Last year, when Ramadan coincided with Passover and the Temple Mount was the site of heightened tensions, an Israel Democracy Institute survey found that most Israeli Jews were tired of bargaining with their holiest site, and demanded true sovereignty, now. Half of all respondents said that at the very least, Jews should be allowed to pray at the Temple Mount. Trading one Muslim landlord for another – even if the latter is better in every way – does this advance Israel’s restoration?

A BIBLICAL BOTTOMLESS PIT OF EVIL: SEVEN SAUDI KINGS AND THE BEAST

MBS’S LIFE IN DANGER OVER ISRAEL-SAUDI DEAL, POLITICO REPORTER SPECULATES – REPORT

MBS referenced this threat to explain why the Israel-Saudi deal must include an immediate pathway to Palestinian statehood.

By TOVAH LAZAROFFAUGUST 14, 2024 19:59Updated: AUGUST 15, 2024 14:52 JERUSALEM POST

THE US-BASED NEWS WEBSITE POLITICO RAISED SPECULATION THAT THE SAUDI ARABIAN CROWN PRINCE, MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN (MBS), WAS AT RISK OF ASSASSINATION OVER HIS PUSH FOR NORMALIZATION TIES WITH ISRAEL

The column, written by Politico’s senior foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi, relied on anonymous sources who told her about conversations that MBS had with members of the US Congress regarding the threats he faced.

MBS, she wrote, referenced this threat to explain why it was important that the deal also include an immediate pathway to Palestinian statehood.

Israel has been opposed to this component of the triad deal, even as it has embraced the idea of Saudi normalization.

“The Saudi royal has mentioned to members of Congress that he’s putting his life in danger by pursuing a grand bargain with the US and Israel that includes normalizing Saudi-Israeli ties,” she wrote.

Salman has “discussed the threats he faces in explaining why any such deal must include a true path to a Palestinian state, especially now that the war in Gaza has heightened Arab fury toward Israel,” she explained.

Is MBS trying to push US officials to raise pressure on Israel?

“I’VE COME TO VIEW MBS’ FRAMING OF THE SITUATION AS A CLEVER DIPLOMATIC MARKETING STRATEGY: HE’S SAYING HIS LIFE IS IN DANGER TO PUSH US OFFICIALS TO RAISE PRESSURE ON ISRAEL TO BEND TO A DEAL HE LIKES,” Toosi wrote.

“Arguing that you’re putting your neck on the line for a potentially epochal deal is certainly a compelling way to get your interlocutors’ attention,” she argued.

“In fairness,” Toosi stated, “It’s probably also true.”

The triad deal had been high on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s agenda prior to the Hamas-led October 7 attack, after which it was put on the back burner, and then resurrected.

US President Joe Biden had hoped that a Gaza ceasefire deal would create a window by which to push the normalization agreement forward before the November 4 election for the White House.

It’s believed that the sitting Senate provides the best opportunity to pass such a deal, but Israel’s protracted war with the Iranian proxy groups Hamas and Hezbollah has made such a move impossible.

Netanyahu did not mention the Saudi deal during his joint address to the US Congress on July 24, but he did speak with Biden about it when the two met at the White House the next day.

MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN IS THE “MAHDI” OR FALSE ISLAMIC SAVIOR, ALSO KNOWN AS THE CHRISTIAN “ANTICHRIST”

CAN THE TEMPLE MOUNT BE A TRADING CARD TO ENTICE THE SAUDIS?

Saudi Arabia already enjoys custodianship of the Sacred Mosque, the Al-Masjid al-Ḥaram in Mecca, which is the holiest shrine in Islam.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF THE JERUSALEM POST

US President Donald Trump didn’t even pause when asked by a reporter in Washington if Saudi Arabia would follow the United Arab Emirates, which last week signed a peace deal with Israel to normalize ties. “I do,” he said on Wednesday. Trump was so eager to answer that question from the White House podium he didn’t even wait for the reporter to finish before interrupting her in the affirmative.

IT WAS AS IF THE SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER FAISAL BIN FARHAN HAD NOT JUST HOURS EARLIER ANNOUNCED THAT HIS COUNTRY HAD NO INTENTION OF SIGNING A PEACE DEAL WITH ISRAEL PRIOR TO ITS WITHDRAWAL TO THE PRE-1967 LINES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A FINAL STATUS AGREEMENT FOR A TWO-STATE SOLUTION WITH THE PALESTINIANS.

Trump’s son-in-law and Special Adviser Jared Kushner has been more cautious about Saudi Arabia, when predicting which countries might agree to recognize Israel prior to any deal with the Palestinians, noting that it would happen, but perhaps not right away. Former US ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk speculated on Twitter this week and then in an interview with The Jerusalem Post, that ONE WAY TO GET SAUDI ARABIA TO THE TABLE, WAS TO OFFER THEM SOME FORM OF CUSTODIANSHIP OVER JERUSALEM’S TEMPLE MOUNT, KNOWN TO MUSLIMS AS AL-HARAM AL-SHARIF. It was, he clarified, a speculative idea and not one which he would recommend.

SAUDI ARABIA ALREADY ENJOYS CUSTODIANSHIP OF THE SACRED MOSQUE, AL-MASJID AL-ḤARAM (GRAND MOSQUE) IN MECCA, WHICH IS THE HOLIEST SHRINE IN ISLAM. IT IS ALSO CUSTODIAN OF THE SECOND HOLIEST SHRINE, THE MOSQUE OF THE PROPHET, KNOWN AS AL-MASJID AL-NABAWI. SAUDI CUSTODIANSHIP OF AL-HARAM AL-SHARIF, THE THIRD HOLIEST SITE, WOULD EXPAND ITS ROLE AS THE KEEPER OF THE MUSLIM FAITH.

IT’S A ROLE THAT THE HOUSE OF SAUD HAS ALWAYS SOUGHT, ACHIEVING SUCCESS ALREADY A CENTURY AGO, WHEN IT SECURED CUSTODIANSHIP OF THE MECCA AND MEDINA MOSQUES FROM THE HASHEMITES, WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY HELD THAT ROLE. THIS SPECIAL RELIGIOUS ROLE IS SO IMPORTANT THAT SAUDI ARABIAN KING SALMAN BIN ABDULAZIZ AL-SAUD, ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES. Until after World War I, all three mosques had been controlled by the Hashemite dynasty, which now rules Jordan. THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM HAS MAINTAINED CUSTODIANSHIP OF AL-AQSA MOSQUE IN JERUSALEM, A ROLE THAT IS ENSHRINED IN ITS 1994 PEACE TREATY WITH ISRAEL.

The Trump peace plan, which was unveiled in January, references maintaining this role. But that has not prevented speculation – particularly in the media – that the Trump deal could include SOME ROLE FOR SAUDI ARABIA IN JERUSALEM. There are obviously other issues that could entice Saudi Arabia, such as advanced military weapons or assurances with regard to Iran. But THE ISSUE OF JERUSALEM CONTINUES TO RESURFACE. Jewish Agency Chairman Issac Herzog spoke of the possibly of a Saudi role in Jerusalem in 2018, when he was an MK, the Labor Party leader and opposition chairman.

AMONG THE STUMBLING BLOCKS TO A SAUDI-ISRAEL DEAL, IS THE PHILOSOPHICAL DIVIDE ON ISRAEL THAT EXISTS BETWEEN KING SALMAN AND HIS SON CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN (MBS).MBS HAS SPOKEN ON THE RECORD ABOUT WANTING TIES WITH ISRAEL. “IN SOME WAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DONE WHAT [THE UAE] DID,” INDYK SAID. “WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR MBS TO GO TO HIS FATHER AND SAY, ‘WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE ISRAEL AND HAVE AN OPEN RELATIONSHIP LIKE WITH THE UAE,” INDYK SPECULATED.

“I imagine he would go to his father and say, ‘I got you Jerusalem, Dad. Your forefathers kicked the Hashemites” out of the mosques of Mecca and Medina, Indyk said drawing out an imaginary conversation between the two men. MBS would tell his father he would work with “Jared Kushner to get you control of the third holiest mosque, and we’ll kick the Hashemites out of there, as well,” Indyk said. RELATIONS BETWEEN SAUDI ARABIA AND JORDAN ARE ALREADY TENSE, Indyk said.

Among the FEARS OF A SAUDI CUSTODIANSHIP IN JERUSALEM, is that it would be seen as such a stunning defeat on the Jordanian street that it would unseat the moderate Hashemite kingdom. It could also threaten to dissolve the 1994 peace deal with Israel. Still it would not be unusual for Trump to push forward with a Temple Mount offer to Saudi Arabia, Indyk said. “These guys [the Trump administration] are operating here from their experience with New York real estate deals, where might makes right,” Indyk said.

 Trump “tends to take rash steps on the basis of instincts rather than careful deliberation,” he added. JORDAN IS WEAK, DEPENDENT ON ISRAEL AND THE US FOR ITS SECURITY, Indyk said. But he cautioned that such a move would be very dangerous. It “would be a security risk for Israel. It would be madness from Israel’s perspective,” Indyk said. Such a move “could easily blow up. My experience is stay away from Jerusalem. Do not touch it,” Indyk warned.

 Retired IDF Brig.-Gen. Mike Herzog, who is an International fellow at the Washington Institute, said THE IDEA OF A SAUDI ROLE HAS COME UP NUMEROUS TIMES DURING PAST PEACE PROCESSES, including under former US President Bill Clinton and within the context of the 2002 Arab Peace plan. Even as far back 1967, in the aftermath of the Six Day War, former defense minister Moshe Dayan spoke of the POSSIBILITY OF A SAUDI FLAG IN THE AREA OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT. THE SAUDIS WANT TO PLAY A ROLE IN JERUSALEM, but it is not clear that they want to replace the Jordanians as custodians of the Temple Mount, Herzog said.

“I am not sure the US or the Trump administration will offer them custodianship, which would mean changing the Trump [peace] plan. But they could offer them some kind of a role in other ways,” he said. SAUDI ARABIA COULD BE INVOLVED IN THE ENDEAVOR TO BRING MUSLIM WORSHIPPERS TO JERUSALEM FROM ARAB COUNTRIES, Herzog speculated. OR SAUDI ARABIA COULD BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN EASTERN JERUSALEM, particularly in lieu of Turkey which has been very active with regard to east Jerusalem real estate, Herzog said. ANOTHER IDEA WOULD BE A MUSLIM COUNCIL THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE TEMPLE MOUNT, separate from the Jordanian custodianship from the Islamic Wakf, which is in charge of the site, Herzog said. “SAUDI ARABIA COULD HAVE A LEADING ROLE IN SUCH A COUNCIL,” HERZOG SAID. IT COULD BE TASKED WITH RENOVATION AT THE SITE. “I ASSUME BOTH ISRAELI AND THE US WOULD LIKE TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN SAUDI ARABIA AND JORDAN,” he added.

WORLD GOVERNMENT: WEF, UN, WHO

SATAN, THE MAN-BY-SATAN (MBS) AND THE ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT

NETANYAHU WANTS TO ADVANCE A SAUDI DEAL, DIPLOMATIC SOURCES SAY

“Netanyahu is interested in advancing the agreement with Saudi Arabia – as soon as this becomes possible,” the source said.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF JERUSALEM POST

PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU REMAINS COMMITTED TO A NORMALIZATION DEAL WITH SAUDI ARABIA, A DIPLOMATIC SOURCE TOLD THE JERUSALEM POST.

“NETANYAHU IS INTERESTED IN ADVANCING THE AGREEMENT WITH SAUDI ARABIA – AS SOON AS THIS BECOMES POSSIBLE,” the source said.

The source spoke after N12 reported that Netanyahu had DECIDED TO POSTPONE A SAUDI NORMALIZATION DEAL UNTIL AFTER THE US ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER. The Prime Minister’s Office had no immediate response to the report.

Robert Satloff, the Segal Executive Director of The Washington Institute, posted on X that he didn’t believe the report.

“The two old warriors – @POTUS and @netanyahu – seem to be playing a game of chicken. BIDEN LETS IT LEAK THAT HE HAS TAKEN THE SAUDI DEAL OFF THE TABLE BECAUSE HE KNOWS NETANYAHU WANTS IT AND HE WANTS TO PRESSURE BIBI,” Satloff wrote.

“For his part, Bibi then takes the deal off the table himself as a message back to Biden that he can’t be pushed around.”

SAUDI CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, NATIONAL UNITY PARTY HEAD BENNY GANTZ, AND US PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ALL STAND TO GAIN OR LOSE AROUND THE ISSUE OF ISRAEL-SAUDI NORMALIZATION.

SAUDI-ISRAELI NORMALIZATION HAS LONG BEEN A PRIMARY GOAL FOR NETANYAHU AND WAS ONE OF HIS TOP POLICY GOALS WHEN HE RETURNED TO OFFICE IN DECEMBER 2022.

US PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND NETANYAHU HAD BEEN MOVING FORWARD ON A COMPLEX THREE-PART AGREEMENT, which was initially derailed by the Hamas-led October 7 invasion of Israel.

It INCLUDED A SECURITY PACT BETWEEN RIYADH AND WASHINGTON, ISRAELI-SAUDI NORMALIZATION, AND A PATHWAY TO PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD.

The Biden administration had hoped that a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal would allow for the revival of the deal. THE TIMING OF WHEN THE DEAL MOVES FORWARD IS CRITICAL BECAUSE THE SECURITY PACT NEEDS THE APPROVAL OF TWO-THIRDS (66.6%) OF THE SENATE, WHICH MEANS THAT REPUBLICANS MUST ALSO SUPPORT THE AGREEMENT. (666)

Senate support

THERE IS SUPPORT FOR THE DEAL IN THIS CURRENT SENATE, but it is unclear if that would be the case when the membership changes in January.

It’s believed that Democrats would not support a US-Saudi security pact with Saudi Arabia if US President Donald Trump was in the White House, but ENOUGH REPUBLICANS WOULD BACK IT SHOULD THAT PACT INCLUDE SAUDI-ISRAELI NORMALIZATION.

THE DEAL IS ALSO SEEN AS THE BASIS OF A REGIONAL SECURITY ARCHITECTURE AGAINST IRAN, THAT WOULD INCLUDE BOTH ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA. A DECISION TO DELAY MOVEMENT ON A SAUDI DEAL UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION, WOULD LEAVE ONLY A NARROW WINDOW OF TIME UNDER A BIDEN PRESIDENCY TO MAKE A DEAL.

It’s a gamble for Netanyahu, who might get better terms for a deal under a Trump Presidency with regard to the issue of Palestinian statehood, but worse terms if Vice President Kamala Harris wins the White House.

Even if the terms were better under a Trump presidency, the Senate might not approve the agreement.

Netanyahu spoke about the Saudi deal with Biden when he met with him in Washington two weeks ago. 

Surprisingly, he did not mention the Saudi deal during his joint address to the US Congress on July 24 even though it was likely his only chance to address the senators who would be voting on the deal.

Instead, Netanyahu used that unique forum to promote a new security architecture for the Middle East to combat Iran, which he called the Abraham Alliance based on the former Trump administration’s Abraham Accords.

It’s an alliance, he said, that is akin to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization formed in the aftermath of World War II.

“ALL COUNTRIES THAT ARE IN PEACE WITH ISRAEL AND ALL THOSE COUNTRIES WHO WILL MAKE PEACE WITH ISRAEL SHOULD BE INVITED TO JOIN THIS ALLIANCE,” Netanyahu told Congress.

THE INTERNAL ISLAMIC STRUGGLE OVER THE TEMPLE MOUNT IS ONCE AGAIN ON THE AGENDA

Is the Deal of the Century about to make a second appearance? THE TALK OF NORMALIZATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA HAS REFLOATED THE IDEA OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE BODY THAT WOULD RUN THE TEMPLE MOUNT. But this could result in a clash between Riyadh and Amman.

 By  Nadav Shragai ISRAEL HAYOM

Here are two less well-known, historical stories, that have stood the test of time and regained a considerable degree of relevance this week, somewhat surprisingly, especially in view of the ONGOING SECRET NEGOTIATIONS TOWARDS NORMALIZATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA BEING BROKERED BY THE US.

The first story has a distinctly international flavor and it is connected with three businessmen: Al Schwimmer (the founder of Israel Aircraft Industries), Hank Greenspun (the real estate mogul from Las Vegas), and Ya’akov Nimrodi (Israeli businessman and former intelligence officer) who passed away last month.

This group of businessmen met with then Prime Minister Menachem Begin in the early eighties, following talks with the fourth king of Saudi Arabia, Khaled, and with Adnan Khashoggi, a Saudi billionaire and one of the largest arms dealers in the world. The Saudis, so the three men reported, were willing to INVEST 100 BILLION DOLLARS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MIDDLE EAST OF PEACE AND TRANQUILITY, ON THE CONDITION THAT THE SAUDI FLAG WOULD FLY OVER THE TEMPLE MOUNT. BY HAVING ITS FLAG FLY THERE, SAUDI ARABIA, SO THE BUSINESSMEN TOLD BEGIN, SEEKS TO GIVE EXPRESSION TO THE FACT THAT THE THIRD HOLIEST SITE IN ISLAM – AFTER MECCA AND MEDINA, WHICH ARE ALREADY LOCATED IN ITS TERRITORY AND UNDER ITS CONTROL – BELONGS TO IT, AND TO EXERT ITS INFLUENCE OVER JERUSALEM TOO. Begin, as Nimrodi would later tell, thought that the very act of raising this idea was disgraceful and duly “showed them the door.”

The second story has a more local aroma to it even though its impact is much more far-reaching. Several years before Begin rejected the Saudi proposal, a 200-page document was submitted to Yitzhak Rabin, then during his first term of office as prime minister. THE REPORT CONTAINED DETAILS OF NO LESS THAN 35 DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR REACHING AN ARRANGEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF JERUSALEM AND THE STATUS OF THE HOLY SITES, ABOVE ALL THE TEMPLE MOUNT. The inter-ministerial committee that prepared the report was headed by the then Director General of the Ministry of Justice, Zvi Tarlo. In the proposals submitted, his working group combined ideas that in practice would have granted Jordan, as the representative of the Muslim world, the custodianship of the Temple Mount, along with the possibility of flying the Jordanian flag there. But Rabin too, just like Begin after him, rejected the idea of a foreign flag flying over the Mount.

When Nimrodi, Al Schwimmer, and Greenspun, ACTING ON BEHALF OF SAUDI ARABIA, OFFERED ISRAEL A 100 BILLION DOLLAR DEAL FOR A MIDDLE EAST OF PEACE, IN RETURN FOR THE SAUDI FLAG OVER THE TEMPLE MOUNT – Begin sent them packing.

As fate would have it, later on, that same report was used by the negotiation teams working on the peace agreement with Jordan during Rabin’s second term as prime minister. They took from it, among others, the idea that Rabin proposed to Jordan’s King Hussein, to establish an international religious directorate, on which Muslim representatives from various countries would sit, and together they would be responsible for the religious autonomy enjoyed by the Muslims and the Waqf setup (responsible for administration of the Muslim holy sites on the Temple Mount), though it would be under the patronage of the Israeli authorities.

This time, it was Hussein’s turn to reject the idea. The King of Jordan was not overly taken up by the possibility of Jordan and Israel sharing a partnership in the rule over the Mount, and that is putting it lightly. His stance was accepted: The peace agreement he signed with Israel granted a clear preference for the historic Jordanian role at the holy places to Islam in Jerusalem, and in practice – even though the term “custodianship” was not mentioned in it – it did grant Jordan some form of custodianship as the senior representative of the Muslim world. THAT AGREEMENT COST ISRAEL THE WRATH OF SAUDI ARABIA, Morocco, and the Palestinian Authority, WHO ALL REGARDED THEMSELVES AS HAVING A STATUS ON THE MOUNT, AND AS SUCH BELIEVED THAT THEY HAD BEEN HARD DONE BY AS A RESULT OF THE PEACE AGREEMENT.

Now, as part of the ongoing negotiations towards normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, the USA is once again trying to square that particular circle and is REHASHING THE IDEA OF BRINGING IN ADDITIONAL MUSLIM COUNTRIES WITH A HISTORICAL CONNECTION TO THE MOUNT TO HAVE A FUTURE INFLUENCE ON WHAT OCCURS THERE, ALONGSIDE THE CONTINUED ISRAELI SOVEREIGNTY AT THE SITE.

THIS INVOLVES, FIRST AND FOREMOST, SAUDI ARABIA, and then Jordan, which will continue to maintain its senior status at the site, though not exclusively as is the case today, as well as Morocco, the Palestinians, the Palestinian Authority), and perhaps even Turkey.

In practice, the USA under President Biden has decided to revisit the idea that Rabin proposed to King Hussein almost 30 years ago, and THE ALMOST IDENTICAL IDEA THAT WAS INTEGRATED INTO THE “DEAL OF THE CENTURY” AS PROPOSED BY FORMER US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTER-FAITH MUSLIM COUNCIL/DIRECTORATE, IN WHICH SAUDI ARABIA WOULD ENJOY A SENIOR STATUS ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT ALONGSIDE JORDAN, AND WOULD EVEN BE INVOLVED IN MANAGEMENT OF THE SITE, SIMILARLY TO JORDAN AND ALONGSIDE ISRAEL. The Jordanians, who have outrightly rejected such ideas in the past (both with Rabin and Trump), do not like this idea in the least. “Back to the Future”, is precisely how one senior Jordanian official bitterly referred to this, complaining that the Americans have not learned from the past failure of this formula.

But the Jordanians are not simply making do with rejection of the idea. King Abdullah is trying to gain the support of both Egypt and the Palestinians to establish a front that would be able to BLOCK THE SAUDI ATTEMPT TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT, TO REDUCE JORDAN’S INFLUENCE THERE AND THUS TO BECOME THE ISLAMIC POWER THAT RULES AND INFLUENCES THE THREE HOLIEST SITES IN ISLAM: MECCA, MEDINA, AND AL-AQSA.

BURIED ON THE MOUNT AND MURDERED ON THE MOUNT

The fierce rivalry on the issue of Al-Aqsa between the two dynasties, the Jordanian and Saudi royal families, have deep historical roots that go back a long time: in precisely one year’s time, 2024 will mark the 100th anniversary of the appointment of Sharif Hussein Bin Ali, the head of the Hashemite dynasty, as the defender of the Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem (an appointment of the Supreme Muslim Council). Bin Ali, who was the Shari and Emir of Mecca between 1908 and 1917, was granted the “Jerusalem” appointment after his forces lost in the war over THE HOUSE OF SAUD DYNASTY AND ITS RULER, KING ABDULAZIZ. Consequently, the senior title of Guardian of the Islamic Holy Sites in Mecca and Medina was removed from Bin Ali’s grasp. The Hashemites have never forgiven the Saudis for that incident.

Bin Ali died in 1931 and was buried on the Temple Mount. He was a descendant of the Hashemite dynasty that currently rules Jordan, whose forefathers regarded themselves as the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. Only 15 years later, in 1946, was Jordan officially established as a state. Its first king was Hussein Bin Ali’s second son, King Abdullah the First.

Abdullah’s fate too was tied in with the Al-Aqsa compound (the Temple Mount). He was assassinated on the Mount on July 20, 1951, and his killing has been attributed to the secret dialogue that he was conducting with the Government of Israel to reach a peace agreement. His grandson, Hussein, who was a witness to his grandfather’s murder, while attending Friday prayers together at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, succeeded him only a short time after the assassination, and then later on, as king, he rejected Rabin’s proposal to establish a multi-faith Muslim directorate to act on the Temple Mount issue.

Until the Six-Day War, as is known, Jordan ruled Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount. It continued to maintain the Muslim custodianship of the Mount even after 1967 (alongside the Israeli sovereignty), and even after its 1988 announcement of disengagement from the West Bank. In its peace treaty with Israel in 1994, Jordan was granted an official status on the Mount, and it was stipulated that “Israel respects the present special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Muslim Holy shrines in Jerusalem,” and that “When negotiations on the permanent status will take place, Israel will give high priority to the Jordanian historic role in these shrines.”

The special relations with Jordan, including security, intelligence, and joint economic interests, have over the years turned Amman into Israel’s silent partner in its management of the Temple Mount. Thus, for example, it was entrusted with the work of restoring the southern and eastern Temple walls (Kotel), after these had begun to subside. Again, accordingly, Israel ceded to the Jordanian demand not to replace the shaky, unstable Mughrabi Bridge leading to the Mughrabi Gate, the only entrance gate to the Temple Mount for non-Muslims. In a similar vein, Israel also tends to display much consideration for Jordan’s stance on numerous additional issues related to the arrangements and even the internal security on the Temple Mount and the area surrounding it.

The idea of the directorate, which the Americans are currently considering to revive, is provoking the Jordanians not only due to their historical and emotional connection to Al-Aqsa but also for practical reasons too. For many years now, the Jordanian status on the Mount and Al-Aqsa has been regarded by the royal family as a key religious and historical mainstay of the stability of its rule in Jordan and its legitimacy. Both Israel and the US have been cognizant of this over the years. Now, so the Jordanians fear, that stability might just be about to be undermined.

THE MAP OF INTERESTS

SAUDI ARABIA, AS IN THE PAST, IS PREPARED TO INVEST A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN ORDER TO ACQUIRE A SIMILAR STATUS ON THE MOUNT FOR ITSELF. IT KNOWS THAT JORDAN IS A POOR COUNTRY, ONE THAT LACKS FINANCIAL MEANS AND HAS HEAVY DEBTS TO REPAY AND IS THUS PREPARED – IN RETURN FOR SOME DEGREE OF FOOTHOLD IN AL-AQSA – TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC AID TO THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM.

 GAINING A FOOTHOLD IN JERUSALEM IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE SAUDIS AS A SUNNI POWER, IN VIEW OF THE HISTORICAL, THEOLOGICAL INTERNAL-ISLAMIC FEUD WITH ITS NEIGHBORING SHI’ITE POWER OF IRAN THAT LIES JUST ACROSS THE GULF (AND DESPITE THE RECENT RAPPROCHEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO). THIS IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO THE SAUDI WAHHABITES IN RELATION TO THEIR RELIGIOUS AND IDEOLOGICAL RIVALS, THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, HAMAS, AND THEIR ILK, WHO HAVE TURNED THE TEMPLE MOUNT INTO A TOOL IN THE STRUGGLE AGAINST ISRAEL.

 It is important to them despite the numerous publications on social media, in which SAUDI BLOGGERS HAVE RECENTLY TAKEN PART, REGARDING THE ALLEGEDLY “GENUINE” LOCATION OF THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE IN THE VILLAGE OF AL JU’RANAH IN THE PROVINCE OF MECCA (we wrote about this in this newspaper only three years ago).

 The economic temptation for Jordan is thus quite considerable. Jordan’s national debt amounts to 45 billion dollars, most of which is external debt. The unemployment rate in the Hashemite kingdom is approaching 27%, and about one-quarter of the population is poor, but the royal family, so say both Israeli and Jordanian officials, are less concerned about the poor economic situation and are more afraid of the potential revolt of extremist elements such as the Muslim Brotherhood in the event of any attempt to cede exclusive Jordanian influence (alongside Israel) in Al-Aqsa.

And, just as in the past – this time too, Jordan is not alone in the, currently virtual, plan to establish a Muslim directorate in which additional countries and entities will be given representation. Apart from Jordan and Saudi Arabia, the names of three states/entities were raised:

The Palestinian Authority is currently represented by Jordan on the Temple Mount. According to the agreement signed between the two in 2013, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan undertook to work in unison to protect the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Palestinian Authority empowered the King of Jordan to safeguard the Temple Mount and to represent it about issues regarding the Mount. THE KING OSTENSIBLY GRANTED RECOGNITION OF THE PALESTINIANS’ SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE LAND ON WHICH THE HOLY SITES ARE LOCATED. THE PALESTINIANS INTERPRET THIS AGREEMENT AS AN AGREEMENT THAT WILL TRANSFER TO THEM THE MUSLIM SENIORITY AT THE SITE, WHEN THE FINAL AGREEMENT IS REACHED, AFFORDING PERMANENT STATUS TO THE SITE.

The recent, rather surprising Saudi announcement of the appointment of a first (non-resident) ambassador to the Palestinian Authority, was received rather coldly not only in Jordan but also in the Palestinian Authority itself. Both are concerned that the appointment of Nayef al-Sudairi, SAUDI ARABIA’S CURRENT AMBASSADOR TO JORDAN, WHO WILL CONTINUE TO WORK FROM HIS CURRENT LOCATION THERE WITH REGARD TO THE KINGDOM’S RELATIONS WITH THE PA, IS MERELY A PREVIEW OF THE SAUDI ATTEMPT TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD FOR ITSELF ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT.

Morocco, which heads the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) (formerly known as the Organization of the Islamic Conference). The kings of Morocco too, over the generations, have regarded themselves as the defenders of the Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem. As far as Morocco is concerned, the normalization and establishment of diplomatic ties with Israel do not only present the kingdom with a renewed chance to embrace the numerous Moroccan expatriates living in Israel, or the opportunity to develop economic and security relations between Rabat and Jerusalem, but also a springboard towards improving Morocco’s status in Al-Aqsa.

Morocco has expressed interest in the Mount for many years, donating dozens of carpets to the mosques and transferring funds through the Al-Quds Committee for the renovation of houses and complexes in the Western Wall area. Many years ago, the OIC’s Jerusalem Conference determined that the status enjoyed by Jordan on the Mount is a temporary one, even though later on Morocco did work alongside Jordan to scuttle Saudi attempts to gain a greater foothold on the Mount.

Turkey, the heir to the great Ottoman Empire that ruled Jerusalem for 400 years, until the beginning of the 20th century. In October 2020, President Erdogan said of Jerusalem: “This is the city that we were forced to leave behind us in tears during the First World War, the city is ours, our city.” Over the last decade, Ankara has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into East Jerusalem, mainly in the vicinity of the Old City and the area surrounding the Temple Mount. It replaced the golden crescent on the Dome of the Rock, and Erdogan explained that he regards cities such as Mecca, Al-Medina, Cairo, and Jerusalem, ruled in the past by the Ottoman Empire as “twin cities”. Erdogan has even tied in his long-term vision of a caliphate with these cities, and in addition, he is the only Muslim leader to have actually taken practical steps to encourage Muslim tourism to the Temple Mount.

Israel too, the Jewish State, naturally has a clear interest in the Temple Mount – the holiest site for the Jewish people. The situation that has changed there over the course of the last decade – regular Jewish prayers that do not cause a provocation, held with a halakhic quorum or minyan (during the morning shacharit and afternoon mincha prayers), on the eastern part of the Mount, and under the auspices of the police – does not make it any easier for Israel to make any gestures to the US, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, on the Mount itself, of all places. ISRAEL, THEREFORE, MIGHT JUST HAVE TO MAKE A GESTURE TO THE PALESTINIANS AS PART OF ITS PROCESS OF NORMALIZATION WITH SAUDI ARABIA THAT WILL BE IN JUDEA & SAMARIA, OR IN ANOTHER PART OF JERUSALEM.

The composition of the current government too – an ostensibly “full-blooded right-wing government” – does not make it any easier for Saudi Arabia to conclude a deal with Israel and the US. Having said that, there is actually a COMMON INTEREST IN CONCLUDING SUCH A DEAL: BIDEN IS EAGER FOR THIS TO HAPPEN PRIOR TO THE US ELECTIONS, BOTH IN THE HOPE THAT THIS WILL ENHANCE HIS IMAGE AND ALSO IN AN ATTEMPT TO CURB CHINA, WHICH HAS BECOME A KEY PLAYER IN THE REGION AND WHICH BROKERED THE RECENT RAPPROCHEMENT BETWEEN TEHRAN AND RIYADH.

AS FAR AS RIYADH IS CONCERNED, IT SEEKS TO REESTABLISH THE ECONOMIC AND SECURITY ALLIANCE AGAINST IRAN, ALONGSIDE ISRAEL, THE US, AND THE GULF STATES. ISRAEL TOO HAS MUCH TO GAIN FROM A NORMALIZATION DEAL, WHICH WOULD OPEN UP NUMEROUS DOORS TO THE ARAB WORLD AND MIGHT HELP PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU’S GOVERNMENT TO EXTRICATE ITSELF FROM THE INTERNAL STRIFE INTO WHICH IT HAS BECOME SUCKED AS A RESULT OF THE JUDICIAL REFORM.

RIYADH SEEKS TO REBOOT TEMPLE MOUNT STATUS QUO WITH PEACE DEAL. SAUDI ARABIA INTENDS TO REPLACE JORDAN AS CUSTODIAN OF THE HOLY SITE

Baruch Yedid JEWISH NEWS SYNDICATE

THE TIMING WAS NOT ACCIDENTAL WHEN SAUDI ARABIA ANNOUNCED OVER THE WEEKEND THAT ITS AMBASSADOR TO JORDAN WILL ALSO TAKE ON THE ROLES OF AMBASSADOR TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY AND CONSUL GENERAL IN EASTERN JERUSALEM.

The announcement came days after The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. AND SAUDI OFFICIALS HAVE AGREED ON THE GENERAL OUTLINES OF AN AGREEMENT FOR RIYADH TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL. The White House then downplayed the idea that Riyadh had agreed to the “broad contours” of a normalization deal.

Although Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Sunday quickly shot down the idea of a SAUDI CONSULATE FOR THE PALESTINIANS IN EASTERN JERUSALEM, Saudi and Palestinian officials said, “THE SAUDI MOVE IS AN INDICATION OF THE POSSIBILITY OF AN AGREEMENT TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA SOON AND IS A SIGNAL TO THE ENTIRE REGION.”

But Saudi and Palestinian officials also said, “SAUDI ARABIA WISHES TO SIGNAL TO JORDAN THAT IT CONSIDERS ITSELF ENTITLED TO SET FOOT IN THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE IN EAST JERUSALEM, WHICH WOULD MAKE THE CROWN PRINCE AND THE AL SAUD DYNASTY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE THREE HOLY PLACES OF ISLAM: MECCA, MEDINA AND AL-AQSA.”

SAUDI SOURCES STRESSED THAT THE RELIGIOUS ISSUE IS CRITICAL IN THE EYES OF THE ROYAL PALACE, WHICH MUST DEAL WITH A LARGE GROUP OF SAUDI PRINCES AND DIGNITARIES WHO DO NOT LOOK FAVORABLY ON CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN’S PIVOT TOWARDS THE WEST.

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, SAUDI ARABIA HAS BEEN SIGNALING TO JORDAN THAT IT INTENDS TO REPLACE AMMAN AS CUSTODIAN OF JERUSALEM’S TEMPLE MOUNT.

Since the Six-Day War of 1967, the day-to-day administration of the Temple Mount has been overseen by the Islamic Waqf, a religious trust, while Israel is responsible for security. However, the Israel-Jordan peace treaty of 1994 placed the Waqf under the purview of the Jordanian monarchy. As custodian of the Temple Mount, the Jordanian monarchy funds the Waqf and appoints its leadership.

ENCROACHMENT IN JERUSALEM

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas visited Jordan’s King Abdullah in Amman on Tuesday and, according to Arab reports, the two men discussed their CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT THEY CONSIDER SAUDI ENCROACHMENT IN JERUSALEM.

A Waqf official warned, “The Jordanian weakness since King Abdullah ascended to the throne [in 1999] is being exploited by the Muslim Brotherhood and by their main patrons, Qatar and Turkey, and it is not liked by the SAUDIS, WHO TEND TO INTERFERE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE HOLY PLACE FOR MUSLIMS.”

The source added that both the Waqf and the P.A. are “concerned” and “disturbed” with the way Abdullah treats his position as custodian of the Temple Mount and his “lack of vigorous action” over the holy sites.

“Unlike his father, King Hussein, [Abdullah] transferred the al-Aqsa case to other officials at home. The monarchy is unable to be a significant authority vis-à-vis the Muslim Brotherhood and the Turks, which led to the weakening of the Waqf.”

During Ramadan, which overlapped with the week-long Passover holiday, Palestinians incited by Sheikh Raed Salah of the Muslim Brotherhood-aligned Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel barricaded themselves inside the Al-Aqsa mosque. Israeli officials had appealed to Amman not to allow Palestinians to spend the night in the mosque, given the security tensions at the time.

The source also said that “in response to this, OFFICIALS FROM EASTERN JERUSALEM PREVIOUSLY TURNED TO THE SAUDIS SO THAT THEY WOULD ACT AS A COUNTERWEIGHT to Turkey, which is operating in the Old City and in the holy places.”

The Israel-Turkey diplomatic thaw is paving the way for the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) to resume its efforts to undermine Israeli sovereignty in eastern Jerusalem and boost Turkish influence in the city. THE SAUDIS ARE SEEKING AMERICAN SECURITY GUARANTEES REGARDING IRAN AND ADVANCED WEAPONS AND US ASSISTANCE TO DEVELOP A CIVILIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM.

SOURCES CLOSE TO THE SAUDI AND ISRAELI LEADERSHIP HAVE MADE CONFLICTING COMMENTS ON PALESTINIAN LINKAGE. ACCORDING TO THE GULF SOURCES, THE SAUDIS ARE CONDITIONING NORMALIZATION WITH PROGRESS ON THE PALESTINIAN FRONT, BUT THE ISRAELI SOURCES SAY RIYADH HAS MADE NO SUCH STIPULATIONS.

WILL SAUDI ARABIA TAKE CONTROL OF TEMPLE MOUNT IN COMING ISRAEL PEACE DEAL?

SAUDI ARABIA CALLS ON INT’L COMMUNITY TO HOLD ISRAEL ACCOUNTABLE FOR JEWS GOING UP TEMPLE MOUNT

Saudi Arabia’s statement came after a Sunday report that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived at the Temple Mount entrance with an entourage.

By BAR SHEFER, JERUSALEM POST STAFF

OCTOBER 21, 2024 17:32Updated: OCTOBER 22, 2024 19:57

Saudi Arabia‘s Foreign Ministry called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to hold Israel accountable for what it deemed transgressions of sites holy to Islam located on Temple Mount, in a Monday post on X/Twitter. 

“The Kingdom calls on the international community, particularly the permanent members of the Security Council, to hold the occupation accountable for its serious and ongoing violations against Islamic holy sites and innocent civilians in the State of Palestine and calls for an immediate ceasefire,” the statement read. 

“The Kingdom also condemns the settlers’ storming of the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, reiterating its denunciation of the ongoing blatant violations of international law and international humanitarian law by the occupation forces and authorities,” the Saudi foreign ministry added. 

The Saudi foreign ministry also condemned IDF airstrikes in the Beit Lahia neighborhood in northern Gaza and called on the UN Security Council to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza. 

“The Ministry’ of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strongest condemnation of the Israeli occupation forces’ shelling of homes in the town of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip,” the statement noted. 

On Sunday, it was reported that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had arrived to the entrance of Temple Mount, however his surroundings clarified that the minister had not ascended the Mount. 

THE WORSHIP OF MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN AS THE ISLAMIC MAHDI OR CHRISTIAN ANTICHRIST

TEMPLE MOUNT/AL-AQSA IS WAITING FOR SAUDI ARABIA’S MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN

CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN HASN’T HIDDEN HIS DESIRE TO BE THE GUARDIAN OF ALL OF ISLAM’S HOLY PLACES — INCLUDING THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE — WHICH IS CAUSING TENSION WITH JORDANIAN KING ABDULLAH

An illustrative image of Al-Aqsa and Mecca. ISRAELI NORMALIZATION WITH SAUDI ARABIA COULD EXCLUDE THE JORDANIAN MONARCH’S SPECIAL ROLE ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND GIVE SAUDI CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED SENIOR STATUS THERE.

Among a series of hints and signals, slips of the tongue and commentaries in recent weeks over the possible normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, there’s one explicit decision that remains lacking. SAUDI ARABIA HASN’T YET CLEARLY STATED ITS POSITION ON WHETHER CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN INTENDS TO TAKE THE STEP, AND IF SO, SUBJECT TO WHAT CONDITIONS AND WHAT TIME FRAME WOULD IT BE CARRIED OUT?

In addition to Israeli assessments, there have also been U.S. assessments, not all of them optimistic. But some are talking about possible normalization within nine to 11 months. In June, following his visit to Riyadh, the Saudi capital, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was complex but possible, and at the same time he linked the process to the issue of violence in the occupied territories, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to lower the flames there.

That raises the question of whether that’s Blinken’s position or whether it’s messaging to Israel from the Saudi crown prince. On that score, too, SAUDI ARABIA ISN’T BEING EXPLICIT ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD BE SATISFIED WITH. It can be assumed that a replay of Netanyahu’s “historic” declaration in advance of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates – that Israel is committed not to annex the territories – would be considered used merchandise in the Saudi view, something that had already been sold to the UAE, the previous Arab customer. THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT ANYONE SEEKING TO CLINCH THE MOST IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENT – PEACE WITH RIYADH – WOULD HAVE TO PAY IN HARDER CURRENCY.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Jordan’s King Abdullah ll in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2022.

It should also be mentioned when asked about it, President Donald Trump, the broker of the Abraham Accords, which included normalization with UAE and other Arab countries, said Israeli annexation in the West Bank was “more than just off the table.” “Well, not off the table,” Trump said. “No. It’s something they’ve discussed, but Israel has agreed not to do that. I mean, more than just off the table, they have agreed not to do it. And I think that was very important, and I think it was a great concession by Israel, and I think it was a very smart concession by Israel.”

As confused and encouraging and promising as the president’s remarks were, the American ambassador to Israel at the time, David Friedman, made it clear that he wasn’t entirely certain about the finality of the commitment. Asked repeatedly in Trump’s presence about the duration of the Israeli commitment, Friedman replied: “We’ve prioritized peace over the sovereignty movement, but it’s not off the table. It’s just something that will be deferred until the – we give peace every single chance.” Friedman later added: “The word ‘suspend’ was chosen carefully by all the parties. ‘Suspend,’ by definition – look it up – that means ‘temporary halt.’ It’s off the table now, but it’s not off the table permanently.”

Muslim pilgrims make prayers during last tawaf of the annual haj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia in June

THE BLACK KABBA AND STONE OF THE MAHDI AND ANTICHRIST

So is it a suspension or is it off the table? Who are we to believe? And now Israel wants to market these nuances to ONE OF THE MIDDLE EAST’S BIGGEST MANIPULATORS. SAUDI CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED knows Netanyahu well. He has received up-to-date and detailed reports from both senior American officials and from the ruler of the UAE, Mohammed bin Zayed – prior to the deep rift that developed between the two. The structure of the so-called Israeli cabinet is also not foreign to the SAUDI CROWN PRINCE, AND HE UNDERSTANDS THAT ANY ISRAELI PROPOSAL ON THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION CARRIES NO MORE WEIGHT THAN THE PAPER IT’S WRITTEN ON.

Nor can the crown prince rely on President Joe Biden, who so far hasn’t shown that he’s able to halt the establishment of a single unauthorized Israeli outpost in the West Bank, or halt thuggish crimes by Israelis there or dictate regional rules of the game to Israel, particularly regarding the Palestinians. But there still may be a tangible concession that the Saudi crown prince could obtain.

“Let’s assume that bin Salman really wants to obtain a tangible achievement for the Palestinians in return for normalization with Israel, and let’s assume that Israel, in its yearning for normalization with Saudi Arabia, would agree to the drafting of a document with understandings that would offer future specifications for the Palestinians’ economic and political status. Who could bin Salman obtain guarantees from that Israel would meet its obligations? How could he ensure that the day after the signing of a normalization agreement, he wouldn’t be left with Israeli promises lacking any validity after he’s already delivered the goods?”

666. THE NUMBER OF THE PRINCE, BEAST, ANTICHRIST, MAHDI, 12TH IMAM

These remarks were from a Jordanian journalist, who, in speaking with Haaretz, sought to note several promises that Israel had made to Jordan regarding Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque and how on a daily basis, in the Jordanian royal court of King Abdullah, they’re afraid that Israel’s radical-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, “has carried out another maneuver that would make the king look invisible.”

But the Jordanians’ deep concern isn’t only about rising violence in the West Bank. ISRAELI NORMALIZATION WITH SAUDI ARABIA COULD EXCLUDE THE JORDANIAN MONARCH’S SPECIAL ROLE ON THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE COMPOUND AND GIVE SAUDI CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED SENIOR STATUS THERE, DESPITE THE PROVISIONS OF THE JORDANIAN-ISRAELI PEACE TREATY. THE SAUDI CROWN PRINCE HASN’T HIDDEN HIS DESIRE TO BE GUARDIAN OF ALL OF ISLAM’S HOLY PLACES, WHICH HAS CAUSED TENSION WITH JORDAN’S KING.

Saudi Arabia’s announcement this month of the appointment of its ambassador to Amman to also be its consul to Jerusalem rattled officials in Amman no less than it raised questions in Israel. IS THIS THE PRICE THAT PRINCE MOHAMMED IS DEMANDING? DOES ISRAEL INTEND TO PAY FOR NORMALIZATION WITH SAUDI ARABIA IN JORDANIAN DINARS?

MAKE WAY FOR ISRAEL-SAUDI NORMALIZATION, SAYS NEW YORK TIMES’ THOMAS FRIEDMAN

SAUDI ARABIA IS DEMANDING ISRAEL ACCEPT A TWO-STATE SOLUTION IN EXCHANGE FOR A PEACEKEEPING FORCE AND ARAB STATE FUNDING TO REBUILD GAZA. IF NETANYAHU ALLOWS A REFORMED PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY TO PARTICIPATE, IT MAY CONVINCE THE SAUDIS, says the New York Times’ Thomas Friedman

Haaretz Oct 18, 2024 5:27 

The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar not only creates the possibility of reaching a cease-fire in Gaza and returning the hostages, but also CREATES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPLEMENT A TWO-STATE SOLUTION AND, WITH IT, NORMALIZATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA, ACCORDING TO THOMAS FRIEDMAN OF THE NEW YORK TIMES.

For this to happen, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must agree to allow a reformed Palestinian Authority to participate in an international peacekeeping force in Gaza, writes Friedman.

Citing diplomatic sources, he says U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN HAS BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS IN THE PAST MONTH WITH SAUDI PRIME MINISTER MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed about IDEAS FOR “THE DAY AFTER” IN POST-HAMAS GAZA.

It has been proposed in these discussions, according to Friedman’s sources, that economist and former PA prime minister Salam Fayyad be appointed as the new Palestinian prime minister to lead the reform of the Palestinian Authority. The reformed PA would participate in an international peacekeeping force of troops from the UAE, Egypt and possibly other ARAB STATES AND EUROPEAN NATIONS AND BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REBUILDING GAZA WITH THE HELP OF INTERNATIONAL FUNDING, says Friedman.

The concept is being worked on with Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Netanyahu’s adviser, and, for now, ONLY REQUIRES THAT ISRAEL QUIETLY PERMIT THE PA’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE INTERNATIONAL FORCE, ACCORDING TO FRIEDMAN.

However, he says, THE ARAB STATES WILL ONLY AGREE TO PARTICIPATE IF THERE IS PROMISE OF PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD – SOMETHING NETANYAHU IS AWARE OF and knows to expect opposition to from coalition members, such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Furthermore, Friedman adds that THERE IS A QUICKLY-APPROACHING DEADLINE FOR THE INITIATIVE BECAUSE FOR THE SAUDI LEADER TO REACH A SECURITY TREATY WITH THE U.S., THE PROCESS MUST BEGIN WHILE BIDEN IS STILL PRESIDENT. THIS WILL FORCE HIM TO HAVE TO AGREE TO NORMALIZING TIES WITH ISRAEL BEFORE THE CREATION OF A PALESTINIAN STATE.

SAUDI ARABIA FORMS GLOBAL ALLIANCE TO PUSH FOR ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN TWO-STATE SOLUTION

Saudi Arabia forms a global alliance to advocate for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict amidst ongoing tensions and violence in the region.

By REUTERSSEPTEMBER 27, 2024 13:15

Saudi Arabia has formed a global alliance to push for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the country’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said on Thursday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.

THE ALLIANCE INCLUDES A NUMBER OF ARAB AND MUSLIM COUNTRIES AND EUROPEAN PARTNERS, THE SAUDI STATE NEWS AGENCY REPORTED, WITHOUT SPECIFYING WHICH COUNTRIES HAD COMMITTED TO JOIN. EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF JOSEP BORRELL SAID ON X THE FIRST MEETINGS WOULD BE IN RIYADH AND BRUSSELS.

SAUDI FOREIGN Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud addresses the UN General Assembly in New York last month.

After the eruption of the Gaza war last October between Israel and the militant Palestinian group Hamas that rules Gaza, Saudi Arabia put on ice U.S.-backed plans for the kingdom to normalize ties with Israel, two sources familiar with Riyadh’s thinking said earlier this year.

“IMPLEMENTING THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION IS THE BEST SOLUTION TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF CONFLICT AND SUFFERING, AND ENFORCE A NEW REALITY IN WHICH THE ENTIRE REGION, INCLUDING ISRAEL, ENJOYS SECURITY AND COEXISTENCE,” bin Farhan was quoted as saying.

MBS MADE A STATEMENT ON THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION

SAUDI CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN SAID LAST WEEK THE KINGDOM WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE ISRAEL WITHOUT A PALESTINIAN STATE and strongly condemned the “crimes of the Israeli occupation” against the Palestinian people.

Israel and Hamas have been waging war since gunmen from the Palestinian militant group in the Gaza Strip stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing some 250 hostages, by Israeli tallies.

SAUDI CROWN PRINCE Mohammed bin Salman attends a cabinet meeting in May. Only Saudi Arabia and the Arab world can convert, circumvent, or disempower rejectionist organizations like Hamas, the writer maintains. 

Israel responded with a military offensive in Gaza in which more than 41,500 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health authorities. Israel says it will press on with its intensified campaign against Lebanon’s Hezbollah, after nearly a year of cross-border fire in parallel with the Gaza war.

THE CHRISTIAN ‘ANTICHRIST’ COMES FROM THE FALSE, DEMONIC RELIGION OF ISLAM

Steve Cioccolanti | Unveiling the Antichrist

WHAT THE LORD SHOWED ME IN THE TRIBULATION ABOUT MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN!!!

‘PEACE IS INEVITABLE’: ISRAELI, SAUDI EXPERTS SHARE THOUGHTS ON NORMALIZATION

By OHAD MERLINSEPTEMBER 6, 2024 23:50

SAUDI CROWN PRINCE Mohammed bin Salman (MBS)’s portrait watches over traffic in Riyadh.

On September 15, 2020, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain signed the historic Abraham Accords in the White House under the auspices of the US, consummating a long, covert process of the slow warming up of relations. 

Two countries soon joined the peace circle in different capacities, namely Sudan and Morocco, and it seemed to be only a matter of time until other countries would join, THE CROWN JEWEL BEING THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA.

However, a series of unfortunate events on the political and military fields pushed the prospects of peace between Israel and one of the most important Middle Eastern powerhouses farther away. Is peace even achievable anymore? 

The Magazine reached out to veteran Saudi journalist Abdulaziz Alkhamis, Saudi academic-analyst Najat AlSaied, and Israeli expert Eli Bar On, all members of MENA2050, to hear their analysis on the CHANCES OF SAUDI-ISRAELI PEACE, the dangers of Islamism, and hope for a better future in the Middle East.

MENA2050 IS AN ORGANIZATION FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMPOSED OF MEMBERS FROM ALL RELIGIONS AND COUNTRIES ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, WHICH STRIVES TO BUILD A VISION AND PROVIDE CONCRETE MEASURES FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

ABDULAZIZ ALKHAMIS, veteran Saudi journalist.

A veteran Saudi journalist and writer, Abdulaziz Alkhamis serves on the executive committee of MENA2050. He’s also known for his work on Islamist movements and for founding Saudi Arabia’s first human rights organization. Active on social media, particularly on X, Alkhamis seeks to bridge the gap between Western and Arab audiences through analysis and news.

At MENA2050, Alkhamis aims to FOSTER DIALOGUE ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST. “WE ARE A DISTINCTLY APOLITICAL FRAMEWORK. THIS IS AN INITIATIVE FOR HOPE FOR PEOPLE IN THE REGION, to allow people to cooperate away from racism, to promote understanding,” he explained. The organization focuses on shared regional challenges such as resources, CLIMATE CHANGE, EDUCATION, AND STABILITY, EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF DIRECT DISCOURSE BETWEEN ARABS AND ISRAELIS. 

“Our meetings are usually 90% Arab and 10% Israelis, and the idea is that we don’t address the conflict directly,” he said. Alkhamis believes that many of the region’s issues stem from a lack of communication. “Everyone thinks they are right; they just don’t listen to the others, thinking that they’re the enemy,” he noted, explaining that the organization prioritizes dialogue on common concerns. 

When asked about the way some people in the Middle East reject even the notion of being with an Israeli in the same room, Alkhamis answered with a smile: “We don’t care about them. In fact, even inside the Arab world there are many intrigues of people not liking each other. What we care about is direct discourse.” 

He further explained that ACCEPTANCE TOWARD ISRAELIS GREW STRONGER FOLLOWING THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS, SINCE THEY MADE INTERACTIONS WITH ISRAELIS MORE COMMON. “YOU BEGAN SEEING ISRAELIS IN RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS. THIS IS A PRELUDE FOR PEACE,” the Saudi journalist stressed.

ADVERSARIES OF PEACE

Both Iran and Hamas hinted to the fact that the Oct. 7 massacre was meant to halt the ongoing process of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. When asked whether the two were successful in his view, Alkhamis stressed: “WE ALL KNOW THAT PEACE IS THE ONLY SOLUTION. WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THEY TRIED TO STOP THIS PROCESS BECAUSE PEACE BETWEEN SAUDI ARABIA AND ISRAEL WOULD CHANGE THE FACE OF THE REGION AND BRING HOPE TO ALL OF US. 

CHILDREN BRANDISH toy guns in a Muslim Brotherhood-led pro-Palestinian demonstration in Amman, Jordan

“THE IRANIANS, AND ESPECIALLY [SUPREME LEADER ALI] KHAMENEI, KNOW THAT IF ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA WOULD WORK TOGETHER, IT WILL GO AGAINST THEIR INTERESTS,” HE SAID, ADDING THAT IRAN’S LEADERS FEAR THE ISOLATION THAT WOULD COME WITH REGIONAL COOPERATION.

On Saudi reactions to the Oct. 7 events, Alkhamis noted that initial responses varied. “Some did not understand what exactly happened and thought it was a victory. My colleagues and I tried to educate and explain the massacre’s implications. We predicted that Gaza would pay a heavy price and face attacks, particularly from the Muslim Brotherhood. I was accused of being a Zionist, yet now some who opposed me are saying the same thing,” he remarked.

Alkhamis is CONFIDENT THAT SAUDI-ISRAELI PEACE WILL EVENTUALLY HAPPEN, DRIVEN BY MUTUAL BENEFITS AND CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMAD BIN SALMAN’S [MBS’S] VISION 2030. HE CONTENDED THAT A NEW, MORE RELIABLE AND LESS CORRUPT PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO ADVANCE PEACE. “WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, WHICH DOESN’T BOAST A STRONG ENOUGH LEADERSHIP TO TALK TO THE ISRAELIS. THEY COOPERATE UNDER THE TABLE AND YELL AT THEM ABOVE THE TABLE,” HE COMMENTED. 

According to Alkhamis, SAUDI ARABIA IS WAITING FOR PROGRESS IN THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE PROCESS, BUT THE CURRENT LACK OF CONSENSUS ON A TWO-STATE SOLUTION COMPLICATES THE SITUATION, AS HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT PALESTINIANS ARE PRONE TO AGREE TO A SITUATION OF REMAINING STATELESS.

He emphasized the importance of preserving hope for Palestinians while ensuring Israel’s security. “We must allow hope for the Palestinians, while making sure that the Palestinian entity does not affect Israel’s security. Israel must say not only what it is against but what kind of Palestinian state it can accept. This will DEFINITELY HELP SAUDIS MOVE FORWARD WITH PEACE,” Alkhamis advised. 

He suggested that Arab-Israeli-American cooperation is crucial to creating a Palestinian state that does not compromise Israel’s security. “So far, having your security needs in the hands of the IDF alone has not proven itself to be very efficient,” he pointed out.

ELI BAR-ON, CEO, MENA2050.

Co-founder and CEO of MENA2050 and former senior legal official in the Israeli public sector, Eli Bar-On provided a CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE CURRENT STATE AND PROSPECTS OF NORMALIZATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA. 

“Normalization may not have gone into the freezer, but it is definitely in the fridge,” he said, explaining that while there were accelerated efforts toward normalization under American auspices before Oct. 7, the move has encountered significant difficulties due to the war in Gaza. 

“The harsh scenes from the war in Gaza took over all the screens around the world in general and the Arab world in particular, and made progress toward normalization even more sensitive,” he said, emphasizing the renewed centrality of the Palestinian issue for the Arab world and globally.

Bar-On reflected on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s role in broader regional dynamics. He noted that even those who once believed the conflict could be isolated from other rapprochement processes now realize that reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis is inextricably linked to broader regional peace efforts. 

“Now even those people understand that the reconciliation process between the Palestinians and Israelis cannot be effectively separated from other rapprochement processes in the region,” he pointed out.

REGARDING THE LONG-TERM PROSPECTS OF NORMALIZATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA, BAR-ON EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT IT IS A MATTER OF “WHEN,” NOT “IF.” HE POINTED TO SAUDI ARABIA’S AMBITIOUS VISION 2030 PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES FUTURISTIC MEGA-PROJECTS LIKE NEOM CITY, AS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR.

ISRAEL, as a regional power, could play an important role in these initiatives, he argued. “SAUDI ARABIA HAS FAR-REACHING AMBITIONS IN THE REGIONAL AND GLOBAL ARENA. ISRAEL AS A REGIONAL POWER CAN HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ALL THESE MOVES, AND CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN HAS ALREADY CALLED ISRAEL A ‘POTENTIAL ALLY’ IN THE PAST. HIS ATTITUDE HAS NOT CHANGED,” Bar-On asserted.

However, MENA2050’s co-founder also acknowledged the delicate balancing act that SAUDI ARABIA MUST PERFORM, AS THE KINGDOM IS NOT ONLY A LEADER IN THE ARAB WORLD BUT ALSO IN THE MUSLIM WORLD, requiring careful navigation of its internal and external challenges. Bar-On highlighted a recent statement by MBS, WHO WARNED THAT PURSUING PEACE COULD ENDANGER HIS LIFE, MUCH LIKE THE LATE EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT ANWAR SADAT, WHO WAS ASSASSINATED FOR MAKING PEACE WITH ISRAEL. “IT’S A STATEMENT THAT SHOWS HOW SENSITIVE THE SYSTEM IN WHICH HE OPERATES IS,” HE NOTED. 

Bar-On emphasized that MBS WILL NEED TO DEMONSTRATE HOW NORMALIZATION BENEFITS BOTH THE SAUDI PEOPLE AND THE BROADER ARAB AND MUSLIM WORLDS, PARTICULARLY BY PRESENTING TANGIBLE ACHIEVEMENTS FOR PALESTINIAN ASPIRATIONS.

MENA2050’s CEO advised Israel to approach normalization with caution and with a clear strategy. He stressed the importance of addressing concerns about racism and extremism within Israel, showing respect for the needs of neighboring countries, and developing a road map that outlines Israel’s expectations from the Palestinians and what Israel is willing to offer in return. 

“IT WILL HAPPEN AT THE RIGHT TIME – BUT IT WON’T HAPPEN BY ITSELF,” he warned. Bar-On also called for introspection on the Palestinian side, urging their leadership to take responsibility for past failures in the peace process.

LOOKING AHEAD, BAR-ON SEES SAUDI ARABIA AS A POTENTIAL GLOBAL POWER, WITH MBS SETTING THE TRAJECTORY FOR THE REGION’S FUTURE.

He believes Israel could be a natural partner in this vision, alongside other countries like the UAE, led by Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ). However, for these partnerships to succeed, Bar-On stressed that Israel must demonstrate a genuine commitment to peace and avoid actions that could embarrass the Arab countries extending a hand of peace. 

“We have real friends here in the region, I can assure you of that,” he stated.

Reflecting on the broader implications of the events of Oct. 7, Bar-On described it as a “watershed moment” that has pushed the Palestinian issue back to the forefront of global attention, overshadowing other significant geopolitical events like the war in Ukraine. While the conflict has temporarily stalled regional integration efforts, he is relieved that previous successes have not been undone.

Bar-On also discussed the role of the US in the normalization process, particularly under the current administration. He noted that while the Biden administration has shown unprecedented support for Israel during the war, the upcoming American elections add complexity to the situation. 

“We are in an election year in America, and for a significant number of democratic voters, support for Israel is seen as harming the helpless Palestinians in Gaza,” Bar-On explained. THIS POLITICAL CLIMATE INCREASES THE ADMINISTRATION’S URGENCY TO REACH A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA AND TO ENSURE THAT ANY NORMALIZATION DEAL WITH SAUDI ARABIA INCLUDES A MORE CONCRETE PALESTINIAN COMPONENT.”

Despite the challenges, Bar-On remains optimistic, drawing hope from his work at MENA2050, where he collaborates with peace-loving individuals from across the region. “The past year has been the hardest of our lives for anyone living in the Holy Land, but we will get out of it eventually and work on creating a better future,” he said. 

However, Bar-On emphasized that optimism alone is not enough; concerted action is also required. MENA2050 is working on a regional vision that aims to bring prosperity to all members of the region, without exception. “This work is not the domain of activists like me alone. Everyone who lives in this area should WORK TO PROMOTE PEACE AND STABILITY,” he urged.

The MENA2050 co-founder also called on Israelis to actively build connections with people across the region, leveraging social networks and travel opportunities to Arab countries with peace agreements. He encouraged Israelis to showcase the positive aspects of their country, denounce hatred and extremism, and engage in respectful dialogue with their neighbors. 

“Through such discourse, which is based on mutual appreciation and respect,” Bar-On concluded, “we can march our region into a much better future than we have known from our past – and our dismal present.”

‘JEWISH MYTH:’ IN ARAB WORLD, MANY STILL REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE TWO TEMPLES’ EXISTENCE – ANALYSIS

‘Temple denial’ is a known practice amongst those who seek to deny any historical presence for Jews in Israel, leading to a denial of Israel’s right to exist

By OHAD MERLINAUGUST 13, 2024 20:31Updated: AUGUST 16, 2024 15:03

The Dome of the Rock and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City as viewed from the Mount of Olives. This place should be for all who are interested in free and safe access and peaceful worship together, the writer maintains.

As with every year, Tisha B’Av, the Jewish day of mourning the destruction of the two Temples and the exile of Jews from Judea by the Romans in the year 70 CE, sparked controversy on Temple Mount as Jewish worshipers defied the status quo and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s directives and praying and prostrating in the holy place.

On the backdrop of the political, religious, and diplomatic prospects, Tisha B’Av also catalyzes a well-established practice across the pro-Palestinian world, nicknamed “Temple denial.” This practice provides anti-Zionist voices with a platform to deny the indigeneity of the Jewish people to Israel, negating empirical historical facts, all in an attempt to strip Israel of its right to exist.

Expressions of this practice vary, including denial of the very existence of the Temples, allegations of Jewish twisting of history, and gloating over an imagined “lack of archaeological evidence” for the old Jewish worship place in Jerusalem.

One example is Israeli MK Ahmed Tibi, who denied the existence of the Temple in a 2014 interview, where he was asked: “Was there a temple on Temple Mount?” to which he answered “These are imagined things… do you have proof? There were archaeological diggings for years – and what did they find?”

Likewise, Ekrima Sabri, the main preacher at al-Aqsa Mosque who was ordered removed from the mosque for his eulogy of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, also wrote on his formal website an entry deeming the two temples “a myth,” quoting a Quranic verse regarding al-Aqsa, and alleging: “Historically, if the Jews were able to prove something related to the Temple, they would have announced it. We are satisfied that their history books are based on conjecture, and conjecture does not outweigh certainty.

What is certain is that Al-Aqsa Mosque has been standing for fifteen centuries and is visible and fixed. A certainty does not disappear simply because of illusion and conjecture. A certainty remains in place until another certainty comes that is stronger than it or at least equal to it. We do not accept that Solomon’s Temple – that is, Solomon’s place of worship – was in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

Israeli security forces guard while Jews and tourist visit the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem’s Old City, August 28, 2023. 

In an article on Al Jazeera titled “The Jewish myth of Solomon’s Temple…does it stand up to historical facts?” the temple was repeatedly referred to as “the alleged temple,” arguing that “Since the Jews occupied the eastern part of Jerusalem in 1967 until today, they have been trying to find any trace that indicates the remains of the alleged temple, and proves its location under the Noble Sanctuary.”

The article was written by Ali Mohammad Al-Salabi, chair of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, which is seen as a supreme clerical authority for the Muslim Brotherhood. The organization was previously led by Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, who endorsed and promoted suicide bombings against Israelis. Al-Salabi’s article also makes the claim that the area was Islamic “prior to even the strongest evidence provided by the Jews”

In the article, Al-Salabi reached the rather unsurprising conclusion that the Temples never existed, further pondering: “How strange that you Jews… claim that the temple is a symbol of your existence and your ancient state… in Palestine!”

On a popular website named Islam Q&A, one user asked regarding the historical truth of Solomon’s Temple. The response writer suggested that the story of Solomon’s Temple is a “fabrication by the Jews,” adding that no credible source confirms its existence or construction by Solomon. He also alleged that “despite extensive archaeological excavations since 1968, no evidence of Solomon’s Temple has been found, reinforcing the notion that the temple is a myth crafted by the authors of the Bible to strengthen Jewish claims to Jerusalem and encourage their return.”

Another entry on the Al Jazeera Encyclopedia from 2023 surprisingly referred to the two Temples dryly as apparent historical fact (albeit located in “Palestine”). Despite this, in the later part of the entry, the Qatari mouthpiece opted to mix between fact and prejudice, adding: “The Jews did not raise the issue of searching for Solomon’s Temple and rebuilding it until the nineteenth century, in the context of the search for historical claims of the Jews in Palestine, in preparation for issuing the famous Balfour Declaration and beginning the establishment of a national state for them on Palestinian lands.

“Jewish writings appeared in major Western newspapers calling for the rebuilding of the Temple in Palestine. Then the first practical steps in this direction were on 20/3/1918, when a Jewish mission led by Chaim Weizmann arrived in Jerusalem and submitted a request to the British military governor at the time, General Storrs, asking him to establish a Hebrew university in Jerusalem and take over the al-Buraq (Western) Wall in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, in addition to a project to own lands in the Holy City.”

The article also nefariously referred to the arson attempt at al-Aqsa in 1969, carried out by Australian Christian tourist Denis Michael Rohan, as “part of the Jewish attempts to demolish [the mosque] and build Solomon’s Temple in its place.”

Despite Temple denial being a common practice nowadays, this was not always the case. A well-known pamphlet distributed by the Waqf in Jerusalem back in 1929 shows the local supreme Muslim authority highlighting that Temple Mount’s “identity with the site of Solomon’s Temple is beyond dispute,” adding that “This, too, is the spot, according to the universal belief, on which David built there an altar unto the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.”

Likewise, many traditional Muslim commentators referred to the Temples in their exegesis, including 14th century Damascus scholar Ibn Katheer and 10th century scholar from Baghdad, Al-Tabari.

Luay Al-Shareef, a known peace activist residing in the UAE, has referred to the issue several times, commenting for instance that “All Islamic references confirm that Al-Aqsa Mosque is Solomon’s Temple or his mosque [Beit HaMikdash], but then came an [Arab] embarrassment after the establishment of the State of Israel and it was said that it was the alleged temple.”

In another place Al-Shareef wrote: “You can say that the Bayt Al-Maqdis, or the Temple, is a fact that we do not deny and it may have become Islamic, but to call it ‘alleged’? …Even the guide to the Noble Sanctuary… proves that the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock are, beyond any doubt, on the same site as “Solomon’s Temple” and in the Istanbul Museum there are remains of it that attest to its authenticity. Peace.”

NORMALIZATION WITH SAUDI ARABIA IS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR ISRAEL

Even if the Arab states’ motivation for peace with Israel remains unchanged, the cost-benefit considerations of these regimes are shifting.

US SECRETARY of State Antony Blinken meets with foreign ministers from the Organization for Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League to discuss the future of Gaza, in Washington last December. The US wants to forge a new regional order, say the writers.

By YOEL GUZANSKY, UDI DEKEL JULY 11, 2024 00:14Updated: JULY 11, 2024 06:23 JERUSALEM POST

Notwithstanding the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, and perhaps even because of it, DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS AIMED AT ADVANCING A NORMALIZATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA HAVE CONTINUED. THE FUNDAMENTAL MOTIVATION OF THE UNITED STATES AND SAUDI ARABIA IN THIS CONTEXT HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE BEFORE OCTOBER 7.

Normalization will lead to the establishment of a regional security alliance and the reversal of the negative strategic trends for Israel since October 7. The moderate alliance will stand up against Iran and the resistance camp and open the door to Palestinian Authority participation, while establishing a governing alternative to Hamas in the Gaza Strip and renewing a political process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict arena. 

The United States wants to forge a new regional order, which will make it easier for itself and for Middle Eastern nations to deal with Iran – and also to indicate that it is not abandoning the region. RIYADH WANTS TO CEMENT ITS REGIONAL STANDING AND BOLSTER ITS STATUS AND SECURITY, PARTICULARLY VIS-À-VIS IRAN, BY STRENGTHENING ITS TIES AND A DEFENSE ALLIANCE WITH WASHINGTON.

Moreover, the war that has been raging since October 7 on several fronts has MADE IT CLEAR TO THE SAUDI ROYAL FAMILY THAT THE PALESTINIAN PROBLEM IS NOT SECONDARY, CANNOT BE CONTAINED, AND CANNOT BE IGNORED. Therefore, Saudi Arabia wants to distance itself from being identified with Israel as long as the war in Gaza continues and it is showing solidarity with the Palestinians. Accordingly, THE KINGDOM HAS INCREASED THE PRICE THAT IT IS DEMANDING FROM ISRAEL IN TERMS OF COMMITMENT, ACCOMPANIED BY PRACTICAL MEASURES, TO RESOLVING THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE TWO-STATE REALITY.

One consequence of the conflict is that the “price of normalization” for Israel vis-à-vis the Palestinian issue has increased, and the Israeli government is refusing to pay it. SAUDI ARABIA IS NOW EXPECTED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PALESTINIAN ARENA AND ALSO TO SUPPORT THE STABILIZATION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE GAZA STRIP, AS WELL AS DEAL WITH THE INCREASINGLY HOSTILE PUBLIC OPINION TOWARD ISRAEL IN THE ARAB STREET SINCE THE outbreak of the war. More than 90% OF ITS CITIZENS OBJECT TO NORMALIZATION WITH ISRAEL. The result is that the gaps between the policies of the regimes and the views of their people are widening. 

Even if the Arab states’ motivation for peace with Israel remains unchanged, the cost-benefit considerations of these regimes are shifting. From their perspective, Israel has not been able to crush Hamas, whom they despise, and the scenes of death and destruction from the Gaza Strip are a threat to public order in their own countries. They also fear that the conflict could escalate into a larger regional war involving Iran and its proxies. 

However, Saudi Arabia – like other pragmatic countries – is hesitant to get directly involved in promoting an arrangement that would end the war in Gaza and potentially require active participation, such as being part of a pan-Arab task force there.

RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND SAUDI ARABIA ARE GROWING CLOSER TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO STRENGTHEN THEIR PARTNERSHIP WHILE REDUCING THE FOCUS ON SAUDI-ISRAELI NORMALIZATION. DROPPING THE “BURDEN” OF NORMALIZATION FROM THE KINGDOM WOULD BE THE IDEAL SCENARIO FOR RIYADH, ALLOWING THE SAUDIS TO BENEFIT FROM AMERICA WITHOUT FACING THE PUBLIC OPINION BACKLASH THAT COMES WITH NORMALIZATION WITH ISRAEL.

HOWEVER, IT DOES SEEM THAT SAUDI ARABIA IS COORDINATING WITH THE UNITED STATES AND WILL KEEP THE DOOR OPEN TO NORMALIZATION, AS SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE SAUDI ROYAL FAMILY HAVE PUBLICLY STATED.

If Washington and Riyadh strengthen their relations without including an element of normalization, this would be the worst of all worlds for Israel’s interests. Jerusalem would miss a possible opportunity for normalization with the Arab-Muslim world, establishing a regional security alliance, and the potential strategic advantage that comes with them while paying a heavy price due to Saudi Arabia’s strategic benefits from the United States.

Israeli leaders should recognize the strategic cost of not engaging with US and Saudi proposals, including the Palestinian package and opening a window to the Israeli-Palestinian political process.

On the other hand, participating in normalization and being part of a regional security alliance would be a powerful response to Hamas and Iran, both of which have attempted to undermine the process of reconciliation between Israel and the Arab world. Furthermore, normalization would facilitate an agreement to end the conflict with active Arab involvement in stabilizing and rebuilding the Gaza Strip, even if the renewed Palestinian Authority was involved.

A NORMALIZATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA WOULD BRING ECONOMIC BENEFITS, ENHANCE ISRAEL’S LEGITIMACY IN THE ARAB AND MUSLIM WORLDS, STRENGTHEN AMERICA’S POSITION IN THE REGION, AND BOLSTER SAUDI ARABIA’S POLITICAL AND MILITARY STRENGTH AS A COUNTERWEIGHT TO IRAN. 

The bottom line is that Israel needs to answer Saudi concerns and seize this golden – and possibly unique – opportunity by pursuing an end-state to the war. This includes striking a deal to release the hostages, taking the veto power from Hamas so that it cannot torpedo a positive process in the Palestinian arena, establishing a “renewed” and moderate Palestinian regime to control a demilitarized Gaza Strip while maintaining military freedom for the IDF, and DEFINING A DIPLOMATIC [SEVEN YEARS] HORIZON FOR RESOLVING THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT.

The writers are senior fellows at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) at Tel Aviv University.

THE FALSE POPE, PROPHET OR PONTIFF CAUSES THE WORLD’S WORSHIP OF THE BEAST, ANTICHRIST OR MAHDI

NOW IN POWER, ISRAEL’S MESSIANIC FAR-RIGHT IS DEAD SERIOUS ABOUT REBUILDING THE TEMPLE

RECRUITMENT OF KOHANIM, BREEDING RED HEIFERS, ARCHITECTURAL PLANS – ANYONE WHO THINKS THAT BEN-GVIR AND HIS COHORTS WANT ONLY TO PRAY ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT SHOULD LOOK AGAIN. THE BIG PROJECT IS ALREADY UNDERWAY

Yoram Peri and Gabi Weimann Aug 29, 2024

Itamar Ben-Gvir’s visit to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount this month, his demand to allow Jews to pray there and his call to build a synagogue on the site, constitute an act of deception. It conceals AN ORDERLY, THREE-STAGE PLAN TO SEIZE CONTROL OF THE SITE AND BUILD A NEW TEMPLE. THE DEMAND FOR JEWS TO BE PERMITTED TO PRAY ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT – WHAT MUSLIMS CALL HARAM AL-SHARIF – COVERS UP A LONGER-TERM GOAL: TO DEMOLISH AL-AQSA MOSQUE AND ESTABLISH IN ITS PLACE A THIRD TEMPLE.

The aspiration to build the Third Temple has been engraved in the hearts of Jews for 2,000 years, but until now there was no practical plan, due both to religious interdictions (“The Jews should not ascend [to Eretz Israel] like a wall,” Talmud Ketubot 111:a) and to the political situation, which did not permit it.

At its inception, the Zionist movement had a small messianic stream that sought “to renew the Kingdom of Israel,” to establish the “Kingdom of Shaddai” [God], in which the Temple would have a central place. It started with Brit Habiryonim (the Association of Brigands), continued with some of the members of the 1940s Lehi underground and rolled on to the Jewish Underground, which tried to blow up the gilded Dome of the Rock 40 years ago.

Its members, who were amnestied shortly after being convicted, today hold key positions in the Israeli government. And UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF BEN-GVIR, THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY IN THAT GOVERNMENT, TOGETHER WITH A GROUP OF EXTREMIST MKS AND RABBIS, THE DREAM OF A THIRD TEMPLE IS GRADUALLY MATERIALIZING.

Until recently, the urge to visit the Temple Mount occupied a tiny group in the radical, lunatic right. That began to change following Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005. Guided by the teachings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook (1865-1935), the Gush Emunim settlement movement and the religious Zionist movement generally had viewed Israel’s establishment and the Six-Day War as STAGES IN THE PROCESS OF THE REALIZATION OF THE PROPHETIC VISION.

That process was perceived as one-directional – hence the disbelief of the Gaza Strip settlers until the last minute that their evacuation would actually be implemented. That event itself caused a deep rupture of consciousness, which is characteristic of messianic movements that get a punch in the face from reality.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1823265536895324615

The response to the crisis was complex. Some of the believers revised their attitude toward the state and toward the notion of mamlakhtiyut (overarching, all-inclusive statehood). The state’s creation was no longer perceived as sacred, and the attitude toward it, and in particular toward the army, which expresses the centrality of the state, turned critical.

A second group, which includes Yehuda Etzion, one of the ideologues of the Jewish Underground, relates to the Temple Mount as a manifestation of the new national identity, in which the religious element is deeply intertwined. Its members believe that the activity of the underground was overly hasty, that first it was necessary to prepare secular public opinion for the messianic process. “To settle in the hearts” was this group’s slogan. They formed religious “core groups” in mixed (Jewish-Arab) cities and in secular neighborhoods in the heart of the country.

A third group maintained that because the process of establishing settlements in Judea and Samaria had not stopped, and that in fact left-leaning governments, the army and various public bodies (such as the Israel Electric Corporation, the national water company Mekorot, the Jewish National Fund) were continuing to assist the settlement project, the focus of activity should be shifted to a different arena: the Temple Mount.

The Jewish Underground had failed to blow up the mosque, it was explained, because they had acted prematurely, before public opinion had been properly prepared. Still, the efforts did not cease: On the eve of the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip there was an additional failed attempt to organize the act by a radical group, including the use of Law anti-tank missiles.

Another important turning point in the movement to build a Third Temple involved the right-wing activist Yehuda Glick. The fact that he was shot by a Palestinian would-be assassin, in 2014, elevated his status and brought him into the 20th Knesset as a Likud MK. The affable, American-born Glick, a former director of the Temple Institute, grasped that the way to implant the Temple issue in the hearts of secular Jews was not by means of religious – or even national – arguments. Instead, their own mode of thought should be used, namely the discourse of rights.

He arrived at a dual conclusion. First, not to talk about the Temple at all, but to make do with the demand that Jews be permitted Jews to pray on the Temple Mount. Second, to draw on the argument of universal rights. Will Jews be permitted to pray everywhere in the world, except for at the site most sacred to them? And in any case, we don’t want to downgrade the rights of the Muslims, heaven forbid, only to let the Jews do what’s permitted to the Muslims.

Making preparations. Yehuda Etzion and Yehuda Glick hold a goat for sacrifice, during Passover of 2015

Red Heifers

OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, A GROWING NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN SET UP TO ADVANCE THIS SACRED GOAL, AND SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO UNIFY THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, THE JOINT FORUM OF TEMPLE MOUNT ORGANIZATIONS WAS CREATED IN 2012.

One of the revolutionary transformations was the reversal in the official position of the religious Zionist movement. Whereas in the past religious Zionism had supported the rabbinic prohibition, still in place, against visiting the Temple Mount for reasons of impurity, it now forsook this approach. In the present decade, even Haredi (Jewish ultra-Orthodox) groups that had espoused an even sharper stance against visiting the Temple Mount, started to support this.

THE RESULT: FROM JUST A FEW VISITS IN THE PAST, 2023 SAW VISITS AND PRAYERS BY MORE THAN 50,000 JEWS (ACCORDING TO THE ORGANIZATION BEYADENU [IN OUR HANDS]: RETURNING TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT), ALL UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE GOVERNMENT, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF NATIONAL SECURITY MINISTER ITAMAR BEN-GVIR.

Visiting the Temple Mount is one thing, but practical preparations to build and operate a new Temple it are something else altogether. Over the years THE KOHANIM (JEWS WHO TRACE THEIR LINEAGE BACK TO THE BIBLICAL PRIESTLY CLASS), WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO ASSUME THOSE ROLES, HAVE BEEN PREPARING AND TRAINING FOR THE DAY AT THE TEMPLE INSTITUTE.

THEIR GARMENTS HAVE BEEN SEWN, THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND THEIR WORK UTENSILS HAVE BEEN CRAFTED, ALL ACCORDING TO THE PRECISE INSTRUCTIONS LAID OUT IN THE TORAH. THE ALTAR HAS ALREADY BEEN BUILT – IT IS STORED IN A SECRET LOCATION – AND A BEIT MIDRASH (STUDY HALL), IN WHICH THE RULES OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND THE TEMPLE WILL BE TAUGHT, ALREADY EXISTS.

In an interview, architect Yoram Ginsberg described his master plan for the new Temple and the Temple Institute (the latter situated nearby in the Jewish Quarter), noted that THE STRUCTURE WILL HAVE A HEATING SYSTEM AND UNDERGROUND PARKING. Visitors to the institute see a physical model of the Temple as it is depicted in the prophecies of Ezekiel; a Lego model of the Temple can be purchased in the institute’s store. THE INSTITUTE IS CURRENTLY RECRUITING KOHANIM, AGED 14 AND UP, WHO WILL BE AUTHORIZED TO SLAUGHTER ANIMALS FOR SACRIFICE.

What had been the main problem to date – FINDING A RED HEIFER FOR IMMOLATION, WHOSE ASHES CAN BE USED TO PURIFY THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND ENABLE THEM TO ASCEND TO THE MOUNT – IS ALSO ABOUT TO BE RESOLVED. AFTER A LARGE NUMBER OF FAILED ATTEMPTS TO BREED A PROPER HEIFER, BOTH IN ISRAEL AND IN THE UNITED STATES, A HERD CONTAINING A NUMBER OF SUCH ANIMALS IS CURRENTLY BEING RAISED AT A SECRET LOCATION IN THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.

 IT’S A COMPLICATED PROCEDURE. IF TWO YEARS PASS AND NO MORE THAN TWO HAIRS THAT ARE NOT RED ARE FOUND ON THE BODY OF THE INTENDED HEIFER, IT WILL BE DECLARED BY THE INSTITUTE AS THE FIRST RED HEIFER TO HAVE EXISTED SINCE THE SECOND TEMPLE ERA.

In the next stage the animal will be slaughtered and burned and its ashes will be mixed with water – at which point, finally, after 2,000 years, believing Jews will be able to cleanse themselves of the impurity of the dead via the water and ascend freely to all parts of the Temple Mount.

A model of the third temple, for sale on the website of the Temple Institute

Support for the Temple Mount movement has gained increasing public legitimacy over the past two decades. Michael Ben-Ari, a disciple of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, who is active in Temple Mount organizations, was elected to the Knesset in 2009 on the National Union slate. He was followed into the Knesset by Moshe Feiglin (Likud). Subsequently, Miri Regev (Likud) established a Temple Mount Directorate which, she said, “WILL BRING ABOUT A CHANGE IN THE PUBLIC DISCOURSE REGARDING OUR ATTACHMENT TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT.”

The legitimization surged in the current Knesset, with a massive presence of Temple Mount activists or their descendants among the MKs of Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party. At their head is the person who is the great hope of the Temple Mount organizations: Ben-Gvir himself, also a Kahane disciple, and the man who just this week declared his aspiration to establish a synagogue at the site.

The cavernous main auditorium of Jerusalem’s International Convention Center has seen a number of gatherings with the PARTICIPATION OF THOUSANDS OF TEMPLE MOUNT DEVOTEES AND SUPPORTERS OF THE MOVEMENT, INCLUDING LEADING POLITICIANS, AMONG THEM CABINET MINISTERS AND MKS. MILLIONS OF SHEKELS AND DOLLARS FLOW INTO THE MOVEMENT FROM ISRAEL AND ABROAD, NOT LEAST FROM CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALIST GROUPS.

There is widespread support, declarative and financial, from governmental and public organizations, in some cases overtly, but also covertly, in indirect ways (for example, some young women do National Service, in lieu of serving in the military, in the Temple Institute).

Passover sacrifice ceremony at the foot of the Temple Mount, last year

The many organizations that advocate for the Temple Mount display a diversity of views. The group headed by Prof. Hillel Weiss is calling for the Al-Aqsa Mosque to be demolished already now and for Temple construction to commence apace. In 2004, Weiss established the “New Sanhedrin,” which is meant to supplant the Knesset and “whose purpose is to become the source of authority of the Jewish people, contrary to the conventional position of the left, that the State of Israel is the source of that authority,” he said.

Religious literature is replete with essays, newspapers and pamphlets explaining how Israeli democracy needs to be overhauled and transformed from a “kingdom of heresy” into a “holy kingdom” or a “kingdom of kohanim.”

However, what most of the Temple Mount faithful groups have in common, and which is concealed from the general public, is the theory of stages. AT PRESENT THE TASK IS TO GET AS MANY JEWS AS POSSIBLE TO VISIT THE MOUNT. THEN, TO CONDUCT ORGANIZED PRAYER THERE BY AUTHORITY AND WITH PERMISSION.

When a similar demand was put forward regarding the Tomb of the Patriarchs, in Hebron, after the Six-Day War, it was vehemently opposed by Defense Minister Moshe Dayan. He realized that the encounter of Jewish and Muslim worshippers there would generate clashes. Jewish prayer was allowed after Dayan retired from the public arena, and one of the results was the February 1994 massacre perpetrated against Muslim worshippers by Baruch Goldstein, the hero of Ben-Gvir’s dreams.

AFTER JEWS ARE PERMITTED TO PRAY OPENLY ON THE MOUNT, AN EXPLICIT DEMAND WILL BE PUT FORWARD TO ERECT A SYNAGOGUE NEXT TO THE MOSQUE. IN THE FINAL STAGE THE MOSQUE WILL BE DEMOLISHED AND THE TEMPLE BUILT IN ITS STEAD. SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUNDS WITH SIMULATIONS AND DETAILED PROPOSALS PREPARED BY ARCHITECTS FOR THE NEW TEMPLE.

The “moderates” claim that it will be a house of worship for all nations. That too is a deception, and the moderates are simply less ready to admit it. THE THIRD TEMPLE WILL BE EARMARKED SOLELY FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE CHOSEN PEOPLE. ITS PRIESTS AND LEVITES WILL SLAUGHTER ANIMALS THERE DAY IN AND DAY OUT, AS DESCRIBED BY YISHAI SARID IN HIS DYSTOPIAN NOVEL “THE THIRD TEMPLE” (ENGLISH TRANSLATION DUE THIS NOVEMBER). The scorched meat is intended for the God of the chosen people and for the supremacist Jews.

It wasn’t until 1988 that Gush Emunim revealed, for the first time since its founding 14 years earlier, its conviction that the final goal of the State of Israel is not to serve as a safe haven for the Jewish people, but to have a spiritual-moral goal: establishment of the Priestly Kingdom. THUS TODAY, CONCEALED WITHIN THE INNOCENT DEMAND TO ALLOW JEWS TO PRAY ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT, IS THE GREAT PLAN: TO BUILD THE TEMPLE, WHICH IS INTENDED TO BE THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF JEWISH SOVEREIGNTY.

Dr. Tomer Persico, one of the most assiduous researchers of the messianic movement, terms this approach the “nationalization of sanctity,” in his important Hebrew-language article “Beyadenu Hakhol,” published in 2017 in Makor Rishon. Anyone who doesn’t grasp this, who isn’t keeping track of the project’s steady and rapid realization – anyone who says, “What does Ben-Gvir want, after all? Just for Jews to be allowed to visit the Temple Mount and pray there. Doesn’t that sound logical?” – has been ensnared in the trap.

Itamar Ben-Gvir is closely connected to the Temple Mount Faithful group. As he himself states: “Although I didn’t grow up in a religious home, but rather a traditionalist one, nevertheless THE TEMPLE MOUNT ALWAYS SEEMED TO ME TO BE A BASIC ELEMENT IN JUDAISM, IN NATIONALISM, IN OUR RIGHT TO THIS LAND. I JOINED THE LATE GERSHON SALOMON’S TEMPLE MOUNT FAITHFUL, AND I PROMISED MYSELF THAT WE WILL NEVER LEAVE THAT GOOD MOUNT, BUT WILL PROMOTE IT, EXPLAIN ITS IMPORTANCE, GO UP TO IT OVER AND OVER… EVERY TIME I GO UP TO THE MOUNT I SEE THE PROGRESS, THE GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT THERE IN TERMS OF ISRAEL’S REDEMPTION – little by little” (from a Hebrew-language opinion piece, “The Temple Mount: Symbol of Our Existence Here,” which Ben-Gvir published last year in Makor Rishon).

In the eyes of the Temple Mount organizations, Ben-Gvir appears to be the embodiment of a wonderful dream, the powerful implementer of the vision propounded by Salomon, its chief progenitor. As the Temple Mount researcher Nadav Shragai notes, “Gershon Salomon, who until a quarter of a century ago was identified more than anyone else with the Jewish struggle for the Temple Mount, passed away in the midst of the Jewish revolution there: quiet prayers, with a minyan [prayer quorum] that is held every day on the eastern side of the Mount, with police authorization and supervision.”

Last year, as noted, more than 50,000 Jews visited the site. Ben-Gvir himself has visited the Temple Mount several times this year, and it’s not surprising that the police, under his ministerial supervision, allowed it, though they have the authority to cut off access to the Mount if they anticipate violence.

“A period of a miracle,” National Missions Minister Orit Strock termed the grim days after October 7 and the ongoing war. Indeed, for many from the extremist movements, the time of Ben-Gvir is a time of miracle and opportunity. THE THEORY OF STAGES INTENDED TO ESTABLISH THE TEMPLE AT ANY PRICE, IS ALREADY OPERATIONAL, AND AS BEN-GVIR SAID, “I SEE THE PROGRESS.”

Many of Ben-Gvir’s supporters, both in the IDF and in the country’s outlying areas, see him as a distinguished leader, a strong person who will restore security and national pride to a people in the grip of a crisis, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed in this. But they don’t understand his final goals. Those who do not struggle vigorously today will in the future face the coming stages, until the final stage. And that will happen very soon. Long before the advent of the Messiah.

Yoram Peri is professor emeritus of Israel studies at the University of Maryland; Gabi Weimann is a professor of political communication in the School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy of Reichman University.

ISRAELI POLITICIAN CARVES STONES TO BUILD THIRD TEMPLE

Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz Biblical News July 1, 2024

A video was posted on social media showing former Knesset member Moshe Feiglin near the town of Eli carving stones for the Third Temple. 

“This was a very moving experience for me,” Feiglin told Israel365 News. Feiglin recited a special prayer before taking up a hammer and chisel to carve a large stone. The prayer asked that just as we carve the stones to serve God, He should form us to serve Him. And that just as the stones will be steadfast in the service of God, so should we be steadfast in our unity and love of our fellow man.

“We are in a very special generation,” he added at the end.

THIS IS PART OF AN ONGOING PROJECT IN WHICH THE STONES ARE STORED FOR FUTURE USE. 

He referred to a popular song by Israeli composer Naomi Shemer: 

“If on the mountain you hewed stone to erect a new structure
Not in vain, my brother, did you hew for a new structure

From these stones will be built the Mikdash.

“The Mikdash will be built, will be built, will be built.”

“If on the mountain you planted cedars, cedars in the place of thistles
Not in vain, my brother did you plant in the place of thistles
From these cedars will be built the Mount.”  “The deepest prayers of the nation of Israel are appearing in reality today,” Feiglin said.  

Unlike some politicians, Feiglin is a man of unwavering ideals. In 2009, he told the J-Post that if he was elected prime minister, he would rebuild the destroyed Temple in Jerusalem. 

“I don’t know if I will have the merit of doing something that is the aspiration of every Jew,” Feiglin said. “But if I become prime minister I will take away control over the Temple Mount from the Wakf [the Islamic trust] and reinstate Jewish sovereignty over the entire mount and, hopefully, rebuild the Temple.” Feiglin said that REBUILDING THE TEMPLE AND ALL THAT IT SYMBOLIZED WAS THE ESSENCE OF A JEWISH STATE.

Feiglin is the head of the Zehut party and headed the Manhigut Yehudit  within the Likud party, representing Likud in the Knesset between 2013 and 2015. He returned to Likud in 2021 but left the party again in 2023 in response to Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s announcement that the IDF would return the Palestinians to Gaza after the war.

COUNTDOWN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE “THIRD TEMPLE” IS ACCELERATING

Jordan News last updated: Dec 05,2023

AMMAN – The French university professor, Jean-Pierre Filio, wrote that the bidding of the racist ministers in the Israeli government encourages small Christian groups that want to build the Third Temple in the current mosque square in Jerusalem. While reality has not yet surpassed imagination, THE COUNTDOWN FOR THE PROSPECTIVE THIRD TEMPLE HAS NOW ENTERED A STATE OF ACCELERATION.

As reported by Khaberni, Filio, in his column in Le Monde, based his analysis on the book “THE THIRD TEMPLE” BY AUTHOR YISHAI SARID, TO PAINT A PICTURE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHAT IS PLANNED REGARDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ALLEGED TEMPLE IN PLACE OF THE EXISTING MOSQUES IN THE AL-AQSA SQUARE. This gained momentum, especially after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promoted two racists to top ministerial positions: Bezalel Smotrich as Minister of Finance and Itamar Ben Gvir as National Security Minister with authority over the future “National Guard.”

Filio reviewed the book, which is based on hundreds of hours of interviews with activists from the Christian movement in West Bank settlements. The author took the apocalyptic speeches of “End of Time” activists literally after 20 years since the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by a fanatic from these movements.

THE THIRD TEMPLE AFTER RECOUNTING THE HISTORY OF THE HOLY TEMPLE AND ITS DESTRUCTION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 586 BC BY THE BABYLONIANS, THEN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SECOND TEMPLE IN 70 AD DURING ROME’S SUPPRESSION OF THE JEWISH UPRISING, THE WRITER POINTED OUT THAT THE MEMORY OF THESE TWO EVENTS HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE WESTERN WALL, OR WHAT IS NOW CALLED THE “WAILING WALL.”

If Israel retained in 1967 the mosque square, or the “Noble Sanctuary” in Arabic, or the “Temple Mount” in English, from destruction, it – according to the writer – forcibly destroyed the Moroccan neighborhood adjacent to the Western Wall and forcibly designated it for Jewish worship. Later, it allowed them to enter the areas of the sanctuary and perform their prayers there under police protection.

The author mentioned the establishment of movements associated with the temple, such as the “Salvation Movement” and the “Believers of the Temple” group, and the Temple Institute, which is closely linked to American Evangelicals. It was founded in 1992 in the Old City of Jerusalem and occasionally raises some problems with its attacks on the Noble Sanctuary. It continues its conspiracies to demolish it and replace it with the alleged temple. THE TEMPLE INSTITUTE EVEN BROUGHT FIVE COMPLETELY RED HEIFERS FROM TEXAS WHOSE ASHES WERE RITUALLY PURIFIED FOR THE TEMPLE. THIS WAS DONE IN THE NOBLE SANCTUARY AREA, PAVING THE WAY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE THIRD TEMPLE.

However, tension in Jerusalem increased – as the writer says – with the entry of the racist ministers into Netanyahu’s government, after they made statements and provocative initiatives. Itamar Ben Gvir visited the mosque square three times in 2023, and during two of these provocative visits, accompanied by the extremist Orthodox Rabbi Shmuel Elboim, who claims, on behalf of the “Temple Mount Management,” that he replaced the Islamic authorities.

RIYADH HOSTS FIRST HIGH-LEVEL GLOBAL ALLIANCE MEETING ON TWO-STATE SOLUTION

Updated 6 min 46 sec ago Tamara Aboalsaud October 30, 202416:04 ARAB NEWS

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Wednesday hosted the first meeting of a new global alliance aimed at establishing a Palestinian state.

In his opening remarks in Riyadh, Foreign Affairs Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan reaffirmed the Kingdom’s position in support of Palestinian independence and “the right of the Palestinian people to determine their own fate and end the occupation.”

“The region is witnessing an escalation and continuation of Israeli aggression on Palestine and Lebanon,” he said. “The escalation of this conflict regionally and maybe internationally urges us all to take a firm and immediate stance to put an end to the crimes and violations committed by Israel. Convictions and partial solutions are no longer enough.”

He urged the international community to come together to increase joint efforts in finding a two-state solution for the return of security and stability and anchoring peace in the region and “translate this determination into a tangible reality through working steps and a definitive timeline.”

Prince Faisal also reaffirmed the Kingdom’s request for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and detainees, activating accountability mechanisms and ending policies of impunity and double standards for Israel, and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid without any obstacles.

Also at the meeting, which focused on access to humanitarian aid considering Israel’s recent ban on UNRWA operations, was Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

“The vote by the Knesset against UNRWA this week is outrageous and sets a dangerous precedent,” Lazzarini said.

The Israeli government’s call for the dismantling of UNRWA had been made “an objective of the war in Gaza, in defiance of the General Assembly and Secretary Council resolution and of the International Court of Justice, including with a plan to replace UNRWA in East Jerusalem with settlements,” he said.

Describing Israel’s actions as a calculated attempt to unilaterally shift longstanding parameters for peaceful resolution in the Israel-Palestine conflict, Lazzarini warned of the implications of the bill on regional stability and international peace and security.

“For decades, Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory have endured the systematic denial of basic rights, segregation, a crippling blockade on Gaza, aggressive settlement expansion in the West Bank and repeated cycles of conflict,” he said.

Over the past year, “Gaza has been decimated.”

A total of 43,000 people are reported to have been killed in that time, most of them women and children. The majority of the population has been repeatedly displaced.

“Two million people have been trapped in a living hell for more than 12 months,” Lazzarini said.

Most of the population are now squeezed into 10 percent of the Gaza Strip where they must endure abysmal living conditions. In Northern Gaza, 100,000 people were under siege, “waiting for death by either an airstrike or starvation,” he said.

“Meanwhile, the occupied West Bank is on the brink of escalating conflict. Settler violence and military incursion by the Israeli security forces are a daily reality. Public infrastructure is destroyed systematically during military operations, inflicting collective punishment on Palestinians. The economy is on the verge of collapse and despair is growing,” Lazzarini said.

Emphasizing the importance of UNRWA operations, he said that for 75 years the agency had been a beacon of hope for Palestinian refugees, giving them access to fundamental rights such as education and healthcare.

“We have educated generations of students, many of whom have achieved remarkable success in the region and around the world.”

Lazzarini said that more than 600,000 children in Gaza were out of school and that failing to return to safe learning environments meant sacrificing an entire generation and paving the way for more hatred and extermination in the future.

“In times of war, UNRWA has been able to rapidly transform into a humanitarian machine. In the blink of an eye, teachers turned into shelter managers and clinics shifted into emergency rooms during a near total collapse of the healthcare system, he said.

“Despite this, and perhaps because of it, we have faced a heavy price,” Lazzarini said, adding that “at least 247 of their colleagues have been killed, many along with their families, and almost 200 UNRWA buildings have been subject to damage or destruction, killing hundreds seeking UN protection. And clearly, labeled aid convoys have been targeted and looted by armed actors.”

He continued: “Restrictions on the entry of lifesaving supplies into Gaza mean that aid trucks languish at the border while people starve a few kilometers away. Let us be clear, the attacks on UNRWA are attacks against the broader rule-based system inherited from World War II and will weaken a global, multilateral system.”

Lazzarini closed his remarks with a three-part plea to the members of the Global Alliance.

The first is to use all available political, diplomatic and legal tools to reject Israel’s attempt to dismantle UNRWA and undermine multilateralism and the work of the UN.

The second is to provide political and financial support to safeguard UNRWA’s goal during the ongoing plight to a ceasefire and the days after.

And the third is to find a viable path toward a two-state solution through the Global Alliance to resolve the Palestinian refugee crisis.

“If a United Nations agency with a general assembly mandate can collapse because one united nation member state is defying the international rule-based order, then what? What remains standing?”

FIRST MEETING OF INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR TWO-STATE SOLUTION CONTINUES IN RIYADH

Updated 31 October 2024 Arab News October 31, 202416:45

RIYADH: INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT A TWO-STATE SOLUTION TO THE PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI CONFLICT GAINED MOMENTUM ON THURSDAY, AS SENIOR DIPLOMATS GATHERED FOR A SECOND DAY IN RIYADH FOR THE FIRST MEETING OF A NEWLY FORMED INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE.

In his address, Saudi Deputy Minister for Multilateral International Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi stressed the urgency of the initiative amid ongoing violence in Gaza, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He criticized Israel’s violations of international and humanitarian law and expressed frustration at the international community’s response to the crisis. He noted the UN Security Council’s failure to fulfill its responsibilities and its stance against the Palestinian people’s moral and legal right to self-determination, as well as its failure to initiate a serious process for peace and prevent the expansion of regional conflict.

AL-RASSI STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF NATIONS ENGAGING IN MULTILATERAL DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE PEACE BASED ON THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION AND END ISRAELI OCCUPATION. HE REFERENCED INTERNATIONAL LAW, UN RESOLUTIONS AND THE 2002 ARAB PEACE INITIATIVE AS FUNDAMENTAL FRAMEWORKS, EMPHASIZING THE SO-CALLED LAND FOR PEACE PRINCIPLE THAT WOULD ENABLE PALESTINIANS TO LIVE FREELY IN AN INDEPENDENT STATE WITH EAST JERUSALEM AS ITS CAPITAL, BASED ON 1967 BORDERS.

The deputy minister RENEWED SAUDI ARABIA’S INVITATION TO PEACE-LOVING NATIONS TO JOIN THE ALLIANCE AND PRAISED THE RECENT DECISIONS OF SEVERAL COUNTRIES TO RECOGNIZE PALESTINE. HE URGED OTHER COUNTRIES TO SIMILARLY CITE THEIR SUPPORT FOR PALESTINIAN RIGHTS AND THE ALLIANCE ITSELF IN WORKING TO ACCELERATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION AND ACHIEVE PEACE.

Israel’s continued aggression against Palestinians would only expand regional conflict and THREATEN GLOBAL STABILITY, Al-Rassi said, and called on permanent Security Council members to use their authority to force Israel to cease its aggression and allow unrestricted humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.

The deputy minister strongly condemned the Israeli Knesset’s decision to ban UNRWA operations, describing it as a violation of international law and a dangerous precedent that violated UN member states’ Charter obligations and thus undermined the multilateral international system.

“This is the occupying power’s latest action aimed at undermining Palestinian resilience in their homeland and attempting to forcibly displace Palestinians,” he said.

Al-Rassi reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s support for the UN relief agency and firmly rejected Israel’s systematic targeting of it and other and humanitarian organizations, along with the ongoing endangerment of its workers.

HE CONCLUDED BY EXPRESSING HIS OPTIMISM FOR THE INITIATIVE AND SAID THAT THE SUPPORT SHOWN FOR IT AT THE RIYADH MEETING DEMONSTRATED A GENUINE DESIRE FOR PEACE AND AN END TO THE “BRUTAL WAR ON GAZA AND OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES.”

THE FIVE (5) SATANIC LIES OF FALSE SALVATION

P . . . “I will ascend into heaven.” (position)

R . . . “I will rule at my throne above the stars of God.” (rule)

I . . . “I will be idolized or worshipped.” (idolized)

D . . . “I will be dazzling.” (dazzling)

E . . . “I will be equal to God.” (equal)

SATAN’S DOWNWARD STAIRWAY TO HELL

Commentary: Satan’s five (5) “I WILLS,” have his evil fingerprints over everything evil in the book of Revelation. His desire to counterfeit everything that God accomplished through his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, is manifested in the Babylonian system (compared to heaven), Babylonian City (compared to New, Heavenly Jerusalem), Babylonian False Mystery Religion (compared to the true worship of God/ Jesus Christ), beast/antichrist (compared to Jesus Christ), false prophet (compared to John the Baptist), lake of fire death (compared to eternal life through Jesus Christ). Satan is the consummate ‘puppet master’, pulling the strings of the beast/antichrist and the false prophet to deceive mankind with his false, evil promises compared to the truth of salvation provided and offered by Jesus Christ.

‘ALLAH’ IS THE DEVIL, SATAN, DRAGON, ROARING LION, PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, SERPENT.

“THE 5 ‘I WILLS’ OF SATAN”

Let us consider the five “I WILLS” of Lucifer as found in Isaiah 14:1314:

. . . “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most high. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” (Isaiah 14:12-15).

 1) “I WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN.” Lucifer wanted to mount up or scale to the heavens. He desired to occupy the highest heavens:  to probe, and to penetrate the kingdom of the infinite God. He wanted to have a very HIGH position!

 2) “I WILL EXALT MY THRONE ABOVE THE STARS OF GOD.” Lucifer’s position and service before God’s throne was not enough. He wanted a throne from which he could exercise final authority and make decisions pertaining to the angelic host (“the stars of God”). He wanted to rule over all the angels. God had made him an exalted angel, but Lucifer wanted to be exalted even more. (He was not content to shine as the “morning star”;  he wanted to shine as the star of stars–with a brilliance that would far outshine all the other stars (even as the sun’s brightness makes all the other stars fade away so that you cannot even see them during daylight hours).

 3) “I WILL SIT ALSO UPON THE MOUNT OF THE CONGREGATION.” He desired to sit or be enthroned in the highest place having all the angelic assemblies in submission to him. He wanted to be the center of attention. He wanted to be IDOLIZED by all.

4) “I WILL ASCEND ABOVE THE HEIGHTS OF THE CLOUDS.” “Clouds” are often used in the Bible to speak of the glory of God (see Matthew 24:30; Acts 1:9; Rev. 1:7). Lucifer coveted God’s glory for his own.  He failed to acknowledge that his glory and beauty all came from and was dependent upon God. In his sinful pride, Lucifer wanted a glory that would impress and dazzle all creatures.

5) “I WILL BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH.” He wanted to be EQUAL with God and to take God’s place as Possessor and Ruler of all. He wanted to become a completely independent creature, responsible to no one.

SIX (6) RESULTS OF ‘PRIDE’: SIX (6) IS THE NUMBER OF IMPERFECTION OR EVIL MAN’KIND.

• Pride causes us to put self on the throne instead of Christ our Savior.

• Pride causes us to not own our sin, nor be broken over it and the damage it causes others in and out of the church.

• Pride keeps us from apologizing to those we have offended.

• Pride keeps us from authentic biblical repentance and restoration.

• Pride is deadly to our personal and spiritual life, and to the life of the church.

• Pride is as ancient as the fall of Satan, and is still one of his favorite tools. “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” –Proverbs 16:18

 “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” –1 Peter 5:5-8

‘ALLAH’ IS NOT THE FATHER, SON OR HOLY SPIRIT. MUSLIMS DENY THE HOLY TRINITY AND DENY JESUS CHRIST’S DIVINITY. THEY DENY JESUS CHRIST’S FREE OFFER OF FORGIVENESS OF THEIR SINS, THROUGH THE SHEDDING OF HIS BLOOD AND HIS RESURRECTION. THEY EVEN DENY HIS RESURRECTION. ISLAM DENY’S THE MAIN TENETS AND DOCTRINES OF THE HOLY WORD OF GOD, THE PURPOSE OF JESUS CHRIST’S MINISTRY AND THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Those who ‘worship the dragon and beast’ are completely deceived by the world and Satan’s machinations and lies. DO NOT BE DECIEVED!!! ‘ALLAH’ IS NOT GOD. THE DRAGON IS THE FATHER OF (5) LIES, DECEIT, TRICKERY, DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

THE FALSE POPE, PROPHET OR PONTIFF CAUSES THE WORLD’S WORSHIP OF THE BEAST, ANTICHRIST OR MAHDI

MARK OF THE BEAST: INFRARED QR CODE, MICRONEEDLE VACCINATION SMART PATCH MARK

FIVE-FOLD SINS RESULTING IN MEN’S ETERNAL DAMNATION:

1. Worship the beast. (6X). (Rev. 13:4, 13:8, 13:12, 14:9, 14:11)
2. Worship the beast’s image. (6X). (Rev. 13:14, 13:15, 14:9, 14:11, 16:2, 19:20)
3. Take the beast’s mark. (6X). (Rev. 13:16, 13:17, 14:9, 14:11, 16:2, 19:20)
4. Take the beast’s number. (2X). (Rev. 13:17, 13:18)
5. Take the beast’s name. (2X). (Rev. 13:17, 14:11)

Commentary: There are a total of eighteen (18) verses that indicate the eternal sins of damnation that result from worshipping the beast, worshipping his image and taking his mark of identification. Three (3) denotes God’s emphasis and intensity. Six (6) denotes the evil number of man = 18, or 6+6+6 = 18, or 666 . . . “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is he number of a man; and his number is Six Hundred and threescore and six (666).” (Rev. 13:18). Worshipping the beast, his image and taking his mark are the eternal sins that men commit during the Tribulation.

There are a total of ten (10) combined references of evil men taking the beast’s mark, number or name. These three descriptions are synonymous with being identified with (or belonging) to the beast and his system. Ten (10) denotes God’s allness or physical completeness regarding things on earth. These ten references indicate man’s complete earthly evilness and damnation resulting from taking either the mark, number of name of the beast and his kingdom.

These men are so deceived and evil, that they not only allow themselves to worship the beast and his fake image, but they allow themselves to be physically ‘branded’ or marked in order to be identified with the beast. Evil men obtain this mark, number or name so they can also participate in the global economy in terms of buying and selling. They have to be identified as having this mark, number or name, physically evident on either their right hand or forehead, in order to be allowed to execute a purchasing or selling transaction. Once evil men worship the beast, his image and take his mark (or number, name), they are damned.

There are three verses regarding a very specific, powerful and clear angelic warning given to men on earth, to NOT worship the beast, or his image, or take his mark (name, number). Three (3) denotes God’s emphasis and intensity.

. . . “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Rev. 14:9, 14:10, 14:11)

Twice (2) the message is directed at men. The angel repeats himself indicating that the message is for men and what behavior is judged eternally sinful (for ever and ever). Men who worship the beast, his image and take his mark will;

1. Experience God’s wrath.
2. God’s wrath will not be diluted, or held back, but given in full strength.
3. They will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone for torment.
4. There torment will be forever and ever (eternity).
5. Their torment will be witnessed by holy angels.
6. Their torment will take place in the presence of the Lamb.
7. They will have no rest day or night, forever and ever (eternity).

There are seven (7) specific results that stem from men worshipping the beast, his image and taking his mark (name or number). Seven (7) denotes God’s divinely determined completeness as to his purpose or plan. Eternal punishment in the lake of fire and brimstone, day and night is the strongest wrath that God gives evil men (and Satan, beast/antichrist and false prophet). There is a specific mention that this torment takes place in the presence of the Lamb. These men, while in their torment, will see or consciously be aware of the existence of Jesus Christ. This will provide added pain, anguish and misery since they will be painfully made aware of the choice of their decisions (to worship the beast, his image and take his mark). They were warned not to do what they did.

The Bible gives plenty of examples of the glory that is given to those who did NOT worship the beast, his image or take his mark. Yet, despite the angelic warning . . . despite the 3 ½ year testimony of two witness and prophets . . . despite the witnessing of Tribulation Saints . . . despite the flying angel who proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ . . . evil men still chose to worship the beast, his image and to take his mark, name or number.

They chose to ignore the messages, the warnings, and the testimonies. And now, they are in the lake of fire and brimstone, and will have to pay the price for their evil decision(s), for eternity. They see Jesus Christ, and have become painfully aware of what they could have had through Jesus Christ and instead, they chose the false, empty promises of Satan by worshipping the beast, his image and taking his mark, name or number.

Their extreme bitterness and woeful regret will emotionally torment them for eternity, in addition to the physical pain, suffering and torment that they will experience in the lake of fire for eternity. Through their decision to follow Satan, God gave them exactly what they wanted. They did not want anything to do with Jesus Christ, who paid for their sins with his own blood. As such, God gave them over to Satan, since it was their free decision or choice, and what they desired while they were physically alive on earth.

These evil men did everything humanly possible to ignore warnings, to blaspheme God, to ignore the gospel of Jesus Christ, and instead they accepted and believed in lies, worshipped Satan, the beast and his image. Evil men even went so far as to physically defile their bodies (flesh) by taking the branding (mark, number or name) of the beast. All of these actions and behaviors enabled evil men to give themselves totally and wholeheartedly over to Satan through his system of the beast/antichrist and the false prophet.

There are two visions describing what John the Apostle saw, regarding men who were overcomers (them that had gotten victory) by NOT worshipping the beast, his image or taking his mark, number or name.

. . . “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgements are made manifest.” (Rev. 15:2, 15:3, 15:4).

. . . “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgement was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:4).

Men who do NOT worship the beast, his image and take his mark are described as;

1. They are in heaven (stand on a sea of glass).
2. They have harps of God.
3. They sing praises and worship Jesus Christ for their salvation.
4. They acknowledge that God’s judgements came to pass.
5. They are given thrones upon which they sit upon.
6. They are given judgement.
7. They live and reign with Christ for a thousand years.

There are seven (7) specific results that stem from men NOT worshipping the beast, his image and taking his mark (name or number). Seven (7) denotes God’s divinely determined completeness as to his purpose or plan. These blessings or glories are the complete opposite of what awaits those men who DID worship the beast, his image and took his mark, name, number.

1. The righteous are in heaven for eternity versus evil men who are in the lake of fire and brimstone for eternity.
2. The righteous are joyful and play harps versus evil men who are bitter, resentful, angry, tormented, cry and wail in anguish.
3. The righteous sing the praise of and worship Jesus Christ versus evil men who once praised and worshipped Satan (through the beast, his image and in taking his mark).
4. Righteous men acknowledge that what God said would come to pass, in fact did come to pass (made manifest) versus evil men who ignored and rejected warnings, the gospel and testimonies of the truth.
5. The righteous are given thrones in heaven versus evil men who are drowning in torment in the lake of fire.
6. The righteous are given judgement versus evil men who are judged.
7. The righteous live and reign with Christ verses evil men who die and fall with Satan.

The avoidance of doing these five (5) eternal sins is one of the most important themes, in the entire book of Revelation. Men must avoid doing these things, literally at all costs. Even to the point of being beheaded or martyred. Men’s eternal destinies depend on it. Worshipping the beast, his image and taking his mark, name or number result in eternal damnation. There is no way of sugar coating or downplaying this reality.

12 REFERENCES TO JUDGE / JUDGING / JUDGEMENT:

1. . . . “And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not JUDGE AND AVENGE OUR BLOOD on them that dwell on the earth.” (Rev. 6:10).
2. . . . “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that THEY SHOULD BE JUDGED, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest DESTROY THEM WHICH DESTROY THE EARTH.” (Rev. 11:18).
3. . . . “Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for THE HOUR OF HIS JUDGEMENT IS COME: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” (Rev. 14:7).
4. . . . “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for THY ARE MADE MANIFEST.” (Rev. 15:4).
5. . . . “And I heard the angel of the water say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, BECAUSE THOU HAST JUDGED THUS.” (Rev. 16:5).
6. . . . “And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS ARE THY JUDGMENTS.” (Rev. 16:7).
7. . . . “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee THE JUDGEMENT OF THE GREAT WHORE that sitteth upon many waters:” (Rev. 17:1).
8. . . . “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for STRONG IS THE LORD GOD WHO JUDGETH HER.” (Rev. 18:8).
9. . . . “Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For IN ONE HOUR IS THY JUDGEMENT COME.” (Rev. 18:10).
10. . . . “For TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS ARE HIS JUDGEMENTS: for HE HATH JUDGED THE GREAT WHORE, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS SERVANTS at her hand.” (Rev. 19:2).
11. . . .And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and THE DEAD WERE JUDGED OUT OF THOSE THINGS WHICH WERE WRITTEN IN THE BOOKS, ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS.” (Rev. 20:12).
12. . . . “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and THEY WERE JUDGED EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS.” (Rev. 20:13).

JUDGING OR JUDGEMENT IS DESCRIBED AS;

God is the judge and provides judgements or decisions based on the actions, behaviors and deeds of men and angels.

Judgement is a decision requested to be made on behalf of someone (Tribulation Saints) who were wrongfully hurt (beheaded).

Someone (nations) are caught bloody red handed and are angry knowing that they will be judged for their actions, behavior and evil deeds. They are angry because they didn’t get away with it and were caught. They know they are going to have pay a price which they can’t afford.

Judgement is a request that someone be righted a wrong done to them.

Judgement is a request for a reward promised based on a stated outcome.

Judgement is based on timing. An evil act is done, its results are noted and accounted for. Time comes for the evil act to be judged and the resulting judgement exercised or made manifest.

Judgement, or the decision of what should be done has to be acted upon or made to occur (sent to prison). This is known as making a judgement manifest or physically exercised. This is the doing of what should be done.

Witnesses in the public gallery indicate that God’s judgements are “true and righteous.” This means that the public gallery can attest to the fact that God did take everything into account, all the details, actions, deeds, events, behaviors, statements, intents and came to the correct and truthful conclusion regarding the matter. Nothing was left out. Everything was taken into consideration as evidence, properly evaluated and applied against the benchmark, standard and/or law that was being applied. God’s administration of justice and his resulting judgements are found to be accurate, spot on, truthful, correct, no question about it. In Biblical words, “true and righteous.”

God is described as judging the “great whore” a.k.a. Babylon City (the great worldly capital of the beast’s/antichrist’s kingdom).

God is strong, meaning he can’t be swayed or weak in the sense that he lets some evil slide a bit in terms of not being judged or of receiving judgement. He is firm in his judgements and not weak-kneed. He does not fold under public pressure. He can’t be influenced, bribed, manipulated or pushed by a particular special interest group, lobby or entrenched political ideology or group. He is strong, firm, steadfast, unwavering in the application of his administration of justice.

The wrath of his resulting judgements is not watered down or filtered out or held back. He gives the criminal, evil-person no slack and gives them the fullest extent of prison term possible (eternity). They are not sent to a plush prison serving three square meals a day with a basketball court, but to a lake of fire and brimstone. God does not ‘molly-coddle’ the evil, he gives them exactly what they deserve. He does not withhold his judgements, he pours out his wrath in full strength (at just the right time).

God’s judgement comes very swiftly, within “one hour.” There is no long drawn out period of rebuttals, challenges, reviews, counter-suits, passing on to a higher court, etc. A decision is made and done. The action of the decision is made manifest, very quickly. There is no delay in the manifestation of the decision. Babylon City is destroyed within one hour, split into three parts by a very great earthquake, consumed by fire and hammered by 100lb. hailstones (weight of a talent). Period.

There is no punishment meted out in stages, over a long period of time. There is no slap on the wrist that comes with an admonition to don’t do it again. The celestial sledgehammer is dropped quickly and decisively, no force is held back.

God’s judgement includes not only the living but also the dead. Jesus Christ opens his book of life, to see if a dead man’s name is in it. The book of life is not unlike an accounting ledger that records all the debits and credits amassed over a period of time. These debits and credits are referred to as “according to their works.” If a man’s name is found in his book of life, Jesus acknowledges as much to the Father and “confesses the man’s name even to the angels.” Through Jesus Christ and his book of life, God is able to righteously judge dead men. Jesus’ book of life accounts for everyone, past, present and future.

Numbers within numbers, meanings within meanings. Twelve (12) descriptions of judging or judgement and twelve (12) references or verses from throughout the book of Revelation. Judging / Judgement. (Def.); to form a conclusion about a subject or outcome, to decide as in a case of court, to give a verdict about someone or something in court as truthful, applying the administration of justice and truthfulness. Only God and Jesus Christ are the judges. Period.

Only God and Jesus Christ do the judging. Period. Only God and Jesus Christ reward, withhold or punish. Period. Only God and Jesus Christ are judge, jury, and jailer. God has his wrath. Jesus Christ has the keys to heaven and hell. Having judgement and exercising judgement is derived from authority and rule. One can only be a judge if they have the authority to judge and the right to judge. One has to be competent to judge, to be able to discern right from wrong, truth from lies, good from evil, just from unjust, righteousness from unrighteousness, clarity from deception, godly from ungodliness, saved from unsaved.

To be able to judge, one has to know all the facts, all the outcomes, all the intents, all the behaviors and apply these against a benchmark, a standard, a law that determines whether the data observed meet the benchmark, standard or law. Since God is omnipotent and knows everything occurring past, present and future, he is supremely just in knowing everything to take into account in performing judgement. He is the only one capable of exercising correct, truthful and righteous judgement because he can and does take everything into consideration when exercising his administration of justice.

Jesus Christ is the benchmark, the standard and/or the law. Jesus Christ paid our court fees, he paid the bail, and also paid a very expensive price so we wouldn’t have to go to jail, to the dungeon, to the hangman or to the lake of fire. God’s law of righteousness and truthfulness is;

Admit/Acknowledge/Accept that you are sinner. Ask God’s forgiveness and repent of your sins.

. . .For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

. . .As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. (Romans 3:10)

. . .If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)

Believe Jesus is Lord. Believe that Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be; that He was both fully God and fully man and that we are saved through His death, burial, and resurrection. Put your trust in Him as your only hope of salvation. Become a son or daughter of God by receiving Christ.

. . .That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:15-17). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)

Call upon His name, Confess with your heart and with your lips that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.

. . .That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)

This is the benchmark, standard and/or law by which God judges men. If Jesus Christ finds a man who meets this benchmark, standard and/or law, he acknowledges and confesses the man’s name before God as belonging to him and having meet the requirements. Jesus Christ acts as our lawyer, on our behalf, in the administration of God’s justice. Jesus saves us in God’s court of law and in the administration of God’s justice.

But the fearful, and UNBELIEVING, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in THE LAKE WHICH BURNETH WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE: WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH.

SEVEN-FOLD REFERENCE TO LAKE OF FIRE JUDGEMENT:

1. “He that hath an ear, let hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of THE SECOND DEATH (LAKE OF FIRE).” (Rev. 2:11).
2. “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he SHALL BE TORMENTED WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosover receiveth the mark of his name.” (Rev. 14:10-11).
3. “And THE BEAST was taken, and with him THE FALSE PROPHET that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These BOTH WERE CAST ALIVE INTO A LAKE OF FIRE BURNING WITH BRIMSTONE.” (Rev. 19:20).
4. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE, WHERE THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET ARE, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Rev. 20:10).
5. “And death and hell were cast into THE LAKE OF FIRE. THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH.” (Rev. 20:14).
6. “And whosover was not found written in the book of life WAS CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.” (Rev. 20:15).
7. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part IN THE LAKE WHICH BURNETH WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE: WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH.” (Rev. 21:8).

The lake of fire is also known as the ‘second death’. This is the final place of burning, everlasting torment for Satan, the antichrist, the false prophet and those un-saved, un-believing souls from throughout the ages found NOT to be in the book of life, at the white throne judgement, at the end of the Millennium. The lake of fire and second death are also reserved for those deceived during the Tribulation who took the mark of the beast and worshipped him and his image.

 The evil dead are resurrected to be judged by Christ for their evil works and for their rejection of Him who offered himself for their salvation and forgiveness of their sins. As a result of their sins and judgment, they are cast into the lake of fire that represents a second death (the first death being physical body death and souls/spirits being in Hell). The evil dead are resurrected into bodies and cast into the lake of fire to be severely tormented, having no rest day or night, and are absent from a loving God and their Savior who offered himself for them.

THE GREAT IRONY IS THAT THESE PEOPLE RECEIVED EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED. THEY REFUSED CHRIST AND WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM, THEY WANTED TO EXIST IN ETERNITY WITHOUT COMMUNION WITH GOD AND CHRIST, ON THEIR OWN TERMS. THEY LITERALLY RECEIVED WHAT THEY ASKED FOR. THE STENCH OF THEIR PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL TORMENT RISES UP IN SMOKE, FOR ETERNITY.

God made both man and angels as eternal beings, hence they will exist forever in one state or another. Which state will any of us choose to exist in? The choice is up to us, and God grants us the freedom to make that choice for ourselves. For better or worse, we have no one to blame (certainly not God) except ourselves for whatever choices we make on earth.

TAGS: 666, Prince, Beast, Antichrist, One World Government Leader, 8^th King of Saudi Arabia, the Assyrian, the Man of Lawlessness, the Son of Perdition, the Desolator, Mahdi, 12^th Imam, Muslim ‘Savior’, Christian ‘Antichrist’, White Horseman, False Peace, False Security, Lies, King of Dark Political Sentences and Promises, Deception, Delusion, Denial, Defiance, Derangement, Destruction, Tribulation, Day of the Lord, Great Tribulation, Muslim, Islam, House of Saud, Confirmer of the False Seven Peace Covenant, the Little Horn, the Big Beast, Man by Satan (MbS), Mohammed bin Salman, the Wicked One, False 7 Year Peace Covenant, Vision 2030

TAGS: Worship of the Antichrist, Worship of Mahdi, Worship of the Islamic ‘Savior’, Worship of Satan, Man by Satan, MbS, Mohammed bin Salman, Worldwide Deception, Satan indwells the Man by Satan, Eternal Damnation, Worship of Beast, Worship of the Beast’s Image, Mark, Name, Number, Beheading, Forced Compliance, Last 3.5 Years of the Seven Year Tribulation, Vision 2030

TAGS: House of Saud, Seven Kings, The Beast is the 8^th King, Bottomless Pit, Bottomless Pit of Evil, Evil Dynasty, Lineage of the Antichrist, Saudi Arabia, Custodian of Satan’s Den’s of Iniquity, Islam, Muslim, Mecca, Mosque, False Religion, Deception, Worship of the Beast, Worship of the Antichrist, Worship of the Dragon, Worship of Satan, Worship of Allah, Worship of the Prince of the Power of the Air, Worship of the Serpent, Worship of the Devil, False Idols, Evil, Power, Money, Influence, Corruption, Family at War, Vision 2030

TAGS: False Seven Year Peace Covenant, Tribulation Beginning, Antichrist, False Peace and Security, Sudden Destruction, Israel, Jacob’s Week of Trouble, End Time Prophecy, Saudi Arabia, The Prince, Man by Satan, Mohammed bin Salman, Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, Red Heifer, Red Cows, Third Temple, Sacrifice, Oblation, Abomination of Desolation