No doubt you have already seen the photos that were released regarding   
   Friday's meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S.   
   President Barack Obama. Between Netanyahu's cold, angry stare, and Obama's   
   tense, reciprocal glare, I don't know which was worse. Considering the   
   obvious animosity which exists between the two leaders, not to mention their   
   diametrically opposed viewpoints regarding how to move forward in the   
   so-called Middle East peace process, I honestly don't know how they even   
   managed to remain in the same room with each other, much less sit down to a   
   meal together, and hold two hours plus of discussions. The atmosphere must   
   have been absolutely electric. I would imagine that most of that expensive   
   food was left uneaten. Who could possibly peacefully eat under such   
   conditions, while your worst critic is sitting across the table from you?   
   Then again, most politicians are pros when it comes to civility, political   
   correctness and diplomacy. They will smile for the cameras, even while they   
   are holding their breath and gritting their teeth.   
      
   Since President Obama gave his much-anticipated speech last Thursday,   
   criticism has indeed been strong. Powerful Republican politicians, as well   
   as many other American pro-Israel supporters, have been quick to pounce on   
   President Obama, due to his firm stance regarding what he believes must be   
   done in order to achieve peace in the Middle East. The position he has   
   adopted is obviously not popular with these people, and never has been, but   
   what other fair, equitable solutions are there? Continued occupation is not   
   an option. Neither is a Palestinian State that is so divided in a physical   
   and geographical sense that it isn't really even a state, and thus cannot   
   function properly.   
      
   Many people no doubt realize that returning to some semblance of the   
   pre-1967 borders may be the only solution to the Israeli-Palestinian   
   conflict, but it is a very bitter pill to swallow for Jews and pro-Israel   
   supporters alike. That is why no one is currently offering to lead the way,   
   other than Obama himself, and his supporters within his administration.   
   Obviously, that does not include Dennis B. Ross, who is Israel's favorite   
   American son and loyal mouthpiece.   
      
   While the liberal, pro-Jewish press has been quick to heap scathing   
   criticism upon Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not   
   received equal treatment. So I must ask, why not? It should be clear to   
   everyone by now that Netanyahu has driven the last nail into the coffin of   
   the Middle East peace process. He drew a very firm line in the sand when he   
   declared the following points:   
      
   1. he will never accept pre-1967 borders.   
      
   2. he will never recognize the Palestinian right of return.   
      
   3. he will never deal with the Palestinian government as long as Hamas is a   
   part of it.   
      
   Based on those remarks, going forward, it is an illusion and a deception to   
   even refer to it as the Middle East peace process. Don't kid yourself. There   
   is no peace process. It is dead in the water, and has been for some time   
   now. The Palestinians obviously realize this, which is why they now intend   
   to approach the United Nations General Assembly in September. The Israeli   
   leadership habitually says that they have no peace partner. It seems to me   
   that based on Netanyahu's remarks, the Palestinians have the right to say   
   the very same thing. As long as both sides are so adamant in their   
   positions, any form of further discussion is absolutely futile at this   
   point. It would just be more years of fruitless, empty talks which contain   
   no real substance, and which would lead to nothing concrete.   
      
   So what comes next?   
      
   If it weren't for the one remaining hope -- perhaps a false hope -- that the   
   Palestinians have in the United Nations General Assembly, I wouldn't   
   hesitate to say that the potential exists for a sudden, steep climb in the   
   level of violence against Israel. In retrospect, intifada number one and   
   intifada number two might be insignificant compared to what a third intifada   
   might be like; because it would be fueled by a total loss of hope on the   
   part of the Palestinians.   
      
   If thousands of Palestinians were willing to mass on Israel's borders a week   
   ago -- even at the risk of facing death -- imagine if many thousands more   
   did the same thing, or worse. If the Tunisians, the Egyptians, the Syrians,   
   the Yemenis and the Bahrainis have been willing to rise up against   
   oppression, why not the Palestinians? Who knows. If they don't get what they   
   want from the United Nations come September, anything could happen, and   
   probably will.   
      
   I am reminded of some verses that were written by the Old Testament Prophet   
   Zechariah where he writes the following:   
      
   "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round   
   about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against   
   Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all   
   people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though   
   all the people of the earth be gathered together against it . . . In that   
   day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is   
   feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David   
   shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. And it shall come to   
   pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come   
   against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the   
   inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they   
   shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as   
   one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one   
   that is in bitterness for his firstborn . . . In that day there shall be a   
   fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem   
   for sin and for uncleanness."   
   Zechariah 12:2-3, 8-10, 13:1, KJV   
      
   While certain modern Bible teachers claim that the previous verses are   
   describing our current time, and the situation in the Middle East, I am not   
   so certain of this. I am more inclined to believe that they are referring to   
   the time of the Roman occupation during the First Century, and more   
   specifically, to the siege against Judah and Jerusalem in 70 AD by Roman   
   General Titus -- the son of Emperor Vespasian -- which I discuss in a number   
   of my articles.   
      
   There are two key hints in the previous verses which make me believe that   
   this is so. These hints appear to be prophecies concerning the Crucifixion   
   of Jesus Christ, and the spiritual Salvation which would result from His   
   Death.   
      
   Please notice that Zechariah states "and they shall look upon me whom they   
   have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only   
   son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for   
   his firstborn." In my view, that clearly seems to be a prophecy concerning   
   the sufferings of Christ.   
      
   Zechariah also writes that "there shall be a fountain opened to the house of   
   David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness". As   
   all Christians realize, there is only one fountain, or one source, for   
   cleansing us from our sins and uncleanness, and that is Jesus Christ. As   
   Jesus Himself stated in the Gospel of John:   
      
   "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who   
   it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him,   
   and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir,   
   thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast   
   thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave   
   us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?   
   Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall   
   thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him   
   shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a   
   well of water springing up into everlasting life."   
   John 4:10-14, KJV   
      
   But my point in sharing the verses from the Book of Zechariah with you is to   
   say this: Just as Jerusalem became a burdensome stone and a major problem   
   for the Romans due to the belligerence of the Jews -- so much so that the   
   Romans ultimately smashed Jerusalem to bits  in 70 AD -- modern Israel and   
   Jerusalem once again weigh heavily on the minds of many politicians, both in   
   America and abroad. Despite effort after effort, the years and decades pass,   
   the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved, and the level of   
   hostility towards Israel continues to grow. Benjamin Netanyahu is certainly   
   not doing his nation a favor by publicly displaying such belligerence and   
   obstinacy. He is an incorrigible hawk who is set in his ways, and he needs   
   to move out of the way before it is too late.   
      
      
      
   Jeff Snyder, SysOp - Armageddon BBS  Visit us at endtimeprophecy.org port 23   
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