The following articles are compiled by:

Rick Allinson

Rick@WatchmenWatching.com

  

 

Rabbis Invited For Pre-Annapolis Temple Mount Talks
Source: Arutz  

04 November 2007 – Israel’s Chief Rabbis and the Chief Rabbi of Haifa have been invited to the White House for pre-Annapolis talks to explain the Jewish connection to the Temple Mount.

Chief Rabbis Yonah Metzger and Shlomo Amar, as well as the Chief Rabbi of Haifa and Chairman of the Chief Rabbinate Communications Committee Rabbi She'ar-Yashuv Cohen departed Saturday evening for a series of meetings to clarify to US leaders that the Temple Mount is Judaism's holiest site.

Ahead of the Annapolis Conference, the Bush administration is trying to gauge Israel’s “red lines” and examine the possibility of relinquishing the Temple Mount to Islam.

Despite the fact that many rabbis both visit and encourage other Jews to visit the Temple Mount in the manner permitted by Jewish law, the chief rabbinate says that Jews should not visit the Temple Mount. A large sign is affixed to the path leading to the Mount saying it is “forbidden for Jews to visit the Mount according to Jewish law.”

All three rabbis agree that the Temple Mount must remain under Jewish sovereignty.  However, the chief rabbis believe the mount should be closed to all since a special level of ritual purity must be obtained before ascending to the site of the Jewish Holy Temple. Rabbi Cohen believes the Temple Mount should be open to Jewish worship and a synagogue should be constructed there.

Second Such Meeting

Arutz-7's Yedidya HaCohen reports that a secret meeting on the matter took place two weeks ago during one of the recent visits by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Jerusalem. The meeting dealt with Jerusalem’s holy sites and was attended by Rabbi Cohen, as well as Muslim and Christian religious leaders. The meeting lasted over two hours.

Muslim leaders aired their claim that “the Jews want to destroy the Al-Aksa Mosques” and their oft-heard denial that there was ever a Jewish temple at the site. The chief Mufti has already declared that Jews should not be allowed to pray at the site. Recent archaological finds from the First Temple have not tempered Muslim denial of pre-Islamic history on the mount, as well as the Western Wall.

Rabbi Cohen responded to those present: “It is forbidden to deny that the Jews had our Holy Temple at that site. It is forbidden to forget that King David purchased the Temple Mount, King Solomon built the Holy Temple and Ezra the Scribe rebuilt it as well [after it was destroyed –ed.]. All who come afterward must recognize the rights of those who came first. Although I do not propose the demolition of the mosques, the Muslims must remember that they are there due to us.”

Rabbi Cohen also recalled the historical fact that the Muslim Caliph Omar Suleiman built a synagogue on the Temple Mount where Jews prayed, and that it was later destroyed by another Caliph.

In summation, Rabbi Cohen told Rice and the other religious leaders that he is completely opposed to any withdrawal from the Temple Mount and site of the Holy Temple.

Rice reportedly responded: “Honorable rabbi, I understand you well. I am the daughter of a priest and the granddaughter of a priest, I learned the Bible and know what is written there.”
 

Comments:  Update; when Israel’s chief rabbis are invited to the White House for talks on the Temple Mount, you know the focus of the Middle East peace process has reached the final hurdle. The bible tells us that a Third Temple will be rebuilt on the Mount in the last days, so any total relinquishing of the Temple Mount to Islam is impossible. The bible also tells us that the Temple Mount will be divided in half and a portion will be given over to the Gentiles and the other to the Jews. So, whatever the outcome is in Annapolis, eventually the Temple Mount will be divided and a Third Temple will be rebuilt prior to the last 42 months of the Tribulation period. Christians have been watching for this event for years and a critical incident (war with Iran?) of some kind, will kick start the rebuilding process.

 

I have to pint out that if Condoleezza Rice “learned the Bible and know what is written there” she wouldn’t be messing with the Temple Mount and trying to give it over to Islam. A classic example of what replacement theology can do to one’s understanding.

 

 

Re 11:1 ¶ And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

 

Am 9:11 ¶ In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

 

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Euro-Mediterranean Partnership meeting
Source: Abhaber
 

04 November 2007 – Euro-Mediterranean Partnership: advancing regional co-operation to support peace, progress and inter-cultural dialogue

Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner will attend a ministerial meeting of Euro-Mediterranean Partners in Lisbon on 4/5 November. The meeting will review progress on the implementation of the 5-Year work programme agreed at the Barcelona Summit in 2005 and outline the priorities for 2008. The Foreign Ministers will discuss how to pursue this reform agenda, to bring concrete results, suggest further activities for the Code of Conduct on countering terrorism and discuss the Middle East Peace Process and situation in the region. During the meeting in Lisbon the Commissioner will participate in separate Troikas meetings with the Israeli delegation and the Arab group and take part in bilateral meetings with Euro-Mediterranean partners.

The European Commission has proposed in a Communication[1] issued on October 17 priorities for implementation of the work programme, in fields such as political and security dialogue, implementation of the code of conduct on countering terrorism, civil protection, free trade, energy, transport, environment, education, strengthening the role of women in society, inter-cultural dialogue and migration and looks forward to seeing these adopted by the Ministerial meeting.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner said: "The Five-Year Action Plan agreed at the Barcelona Summit draws the operational map for our common endeavours. After 12 years of progressive co-operation, we need to mobilise political will, courage and determination, to make a reality of the goals we set ourselves in 2005 and to achieve our joint objectives of peace, prosperity and security for the region. Partnerships are principally about people. That is why we will be discussing work in areas in which we need to make progress for the benefit of the people in the region."  

 

Comments: Update; Just a reminder that the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership meeting is taking place in Lisbon today and tomorrow. Keep in mind that this gathering is the only forum which Israel and the Arabs meet on regular basis since the establishment of the Barcelona process in 1995. Don’t forget that the Euromed/Barcelona process and European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) work hand in hand.  Because this meeting is taking place just prior to the Annapolis summit, it is worth watching to see if the Euromed partnership and (or) the ENP will have any impact on the peace process, or Visa Versa. We know that the ENP has a seven year agreement with the partner countries (including Israel) under the (read) European Neighborhood Policy instrument ENPI and that fact cannot be ignored. We need to keep an eye on all possibilities. The bible does tell us that the confirmed covenant will be a covenant with many and the ENP covers in total, over 800 million people.

 

Note: Javier Solana will be attending this meeting in Lisbon and the summit in Annapolis.

 

Note: The “midst of the week “(below) is also the beginning of the 42 month period in Rev 11:1 (above, top article).

 

Da 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.

 

 

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Keep watching (Matt 24:42)!

 

Until next time,

Shalom!

 

 

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