Etgar Lefkovits
The heads of three major evangelical Christian organizations based in Jerusalem on Tuesday criticized the proposed division of Jerusalem as part of a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians, saying such a move would severely restrict freedom of worship in the holy city.
"We view any attempt to divide the city as a tragic wedge that is unacceptable," said Rev. Malcolm Hedding, the executive director of the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem.
The most prominent of several Jerusalem-based evangelical organizations, the group was founded in the city over a quarter-century ago in solidarity with Israel on the principle of an undivided Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Jewish people. "The sanctity of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish State is something very sacred which has both historical and religious associations for the Jewish people going back thousands of years," Hedding said. "We cannot deal so trivially with an issue so deep to the Jewish people."
Prime Minster Ehud Olmert and Vice Premier Haim Ramon have suggested the transfer of Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem to the Palestinian Authority. Evangelicals oppose such ideas as contradictory to the biblical promise of the Holy Land to the Jewish people. ...   more »

U.S.-backed declaration at Annapolis calls for Palestinian state by next year
By Aaron Klein
The Palestinians expect a state in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and eastern sections of Jerusalem, said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at today's Annapolis summit.
During the U.S.-backed international conference, President Bush read a joint Israeli-Palestinian declaration in which both countries agreed to create a Palestinian state on the ground before Bush leaves office in January 2009.
The declaration did not recognize Israel as a Jewish state in spite of intense negotiations the past few weeks for the Palestinians to agree to such a clause.
The joint Israeli-Palestinian statement committed Israel and the PA to hold final status talks on "all issues" – meaning the status of Jerusalem and the future of millions of Arabs registered as refugees living in U.N.-maintained camps.
Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert are to meet biweekly, with implementation of commitments monitored by the U.S., according to the declaration.
After Bush's address, Abbas called for a Palestinian state to be established with its capital in Jerusalem.
He alluded to Palestinian control over the Temple Mount – Judaism's holiest site.
"We need east Jerusalem to be our capital and to ...   more »

Natan Sharansky launches campaign to protect the Holy City, briefs Joshua Fund supporters on importance of evangelical Christians joining with Jewish groups on this sensitive issue.
By Joel C. Rosenberg
 (Washington, D.C., November 26, 2007) -- The Bush administration's much-anticipated and highly-controversial Arab-Israeli peace conference opens tomorrow in Annapolis, Maryland. A great deal is at stake. The most contentious issue on the table: the future of Jerusalem. The government of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is talking openly about the possibility of dividing the holy city and giving part of it to the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority.
This would be a mistake of colossal proportions. It would not send a message of goodwill and peace to Israel's enemies, as Olmert and his advisors hope. Rather, it would invite more attacks by radical Islamic jihadists who want all of Jerusalem, not just part of it. What's more, talk of dividing Jerusalem fuels the apocalyptic, genocidal ambitions of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his colleagues who believe Israel's day of judgment is coming and that Shia Muslims are destined to annihilate Judeo-Christian civilization and gain control of Jerusalem for themselves, and soon.
Mr. President, don't divide Jerusalem. Don't consider it. Don't talk about ...   more »

by Hillel Fendel
(IsraelNN.com) An estimated 25,000 people took part in a mass prayer service at the Western Wall against the Israeli government's positions at the Annapolis summit.
The prayer service was followed by a massive protest, co-sponsored by the Council of Jewish Communities of Judea and Samaria (Yesha), near the Prime Minister's residence.  The protest is entitled, "It Will Blow Up in Our Face." At the time of the Western Wall prayer vigil, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was meeting in Washington with U.S. President George Bush in preparation for the Annapolis summit on Tuesday.
We sometimes think that if we act, protest, settle the Land, teach, and do all sorts of things, that everything will be OK. But today, we are coming to the Western Wall with humility, awe, and serene faith.
The front line of religious-Zionist rabbis, led by Former Chief Rabbi of Israel Mordechai Eliyahu, called for the public to attend the Western Wall prayers.  MK Uri Ariel (National Union party), among those who initiated the prayer service, said, "It is critical for us to offer prayer to our Father in Heaven when the Prime Minister wants to sell our national homeland.  We are here [at the ...   more »

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday confirmed his readiness to open substantive peace talks with Syria, and pointedly recalled that three previous prime ministers had shown a readiness to leave the entire Golan or the overwhelming proportion of it.
In a briefing ahead of Tuesday's summit in Annapolis, Olmert noted approvingly that the Syrians would be participating, albeit at the level of deputy foreign minister.
"We always said Syria's presence was acceptable," he said. "It's right that they're here."
Amid reports that Syria would use the Annapolis platform to demand the Golan Heights and the Shaba Farms from Israel, he said that, like the other speakers at the conference, "they'll say what they want to say."
Olmert added that his government had always made plain it would talk seriously with the Syrians if and when the circumstances were ripe, and that the Syrians knew this.
Asked flatly whether he would trade the Golan for peace, Olmert said that was "an interesting question" and one that he would deal with "when the time comes."
He added that three past prime ministers had shown a readiness for dramatic concession on the Golan, and named them as Yitzhak Rabin, Ehud Barak and Binyamin ...   more »

By Bill Wilson,
WASH—Nov 26—KIN-- The Middle East Peace Summit in Annapolis, Maryland has two sides to it—a physical side where leaders from around the world gather to make the public believe they are interested in peace; and a spiritual side that most involved have no idea the pending destruction that has been created by meetings such as these. Some 49 countries have been invited to attend the summit, most of them hostile to Israel. President George W. Bush, like most every American president since Jimmy Carter (except for Ronald Reagan), is attempting to broker peace in the Middle East by having a well-publicized summit.
Ahead of the summit, oil prices have been climbing toward that magic number of $100 per barrel. The dollar has been declining to record lows against many major currencies. Political disruption has increased in Pakistan, seemingly in the process of shifting the war on terror’s front from Iraq. Iran continues its quest to become a member of the nuclear club. Russia has made public that its nuclear arsenal is armed and ready. China is aggressively pursuing cyber warfare and space warfare development, while it is selling off its reserve of American dollars. There have been ...   more »

By Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.      
 It is fitting that Condoleezza Rice chose the U.S. Naval Academy for the venue of today's so-called Mideast peace conference. The reputation of that extraordinary institution in Annapolis has been sullied in recent years by a succession of rapes of young women. Despite official efforts to low-ball its significance, Ms. Rice's conclave is shaping up to be a gang-rape of a nation on a scale not seen since Munich in 1938, when the British and French allowed Hitler and Mussolini to have their violent way with Czechoslovakia.
This time, the intended victim is Israel. As with the effort to appease the Nazis and Fascists nearly sixty years ago, however, the damage will not be confined to the rapee. The interests of the Free World in general and the United States in particular will suffer from what the Saudis and most of the other attendees have in mind for the Jewish State — namely, its dismemberment and ultimate destruction.
As it happens, millions Americans have lately been introduced to the Saudis' attitude towards gang-rape, pursuant to the theocratic code known as Shari'a that they seek to impose on us all. We learned that a 19-year-old ...   more »

ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia's growing rapid reaction force to protect energy resources has installed radars, sensors and night-vision systems to prevent attacks by Al Qaida and Iranian-aligned Shi'ite insurgents. 
Saudis are not saying whether the Nov. 18 at Aramco's Hawiyah gas liquids recovery plant (above) which killed at least 28 people was the result of an Al Qaida attack.  
Officials said the Interior Ministry has been organizing a 35,000-member force with a separate budget to protect energy facilities.
"Have you heard of any attacks lately?" Saudi Deputy Oil Minister Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Salman asked in mid-November.
"We believe we have taken every measure necessary to protect facilities and pre-empt any attempt. We take a great deal of pride in being a secure and reliable producer."
Arab nations finally agree to attend Mideast talks
Darfur rebels unite for talks with UN, AU   
In February 2006, Saudi forces repulsed an Al Qaida strike on the world's largest oil processing plant at Abqaiq. Officials said the new rapid reaction force has recruited nearly 10,000 troops. They said the force would reach its full strength by 2011.
The security force was meant to protect the state-owned Saudi Aramco, which produces ...   more »

Secret Warrants Granted Without Probable Cause
By Ellen Nakashima
Federal officials are routinely asking courts to order cellphone companies to furnish real-time tracking data so they can pinpoint the whereabouts of drug traffickers, fugitives and other criminal suspects, according to judges and industry lawyers.
In some cases, judges have granted the requests without requiring the government to demonstrate that there is probable cause to believe that a crime is taking place or that the inquiry will yield evidence of a crime. Privacy advocates fear such a practice may expose average Americans to a new level of government scrutiny of their daily lives.
Such requests run counter to the Justice Department's internal recommendation that federal prosecutors seek warrants based on probable cause to obtain precise location data in private areas. The requests and orders are sealed at the government's request, so it is difficult to know how often the orders are issued or denied.
The issue is taking on greater relevance as wireless carriers are racing to offer sleek services that allow cellphone users to know with the touch of a button where their friends or families are. The companies are hoping to recoup investments they have made to meet a ...   more »

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran said Tuesday it has manufactured a new missile with a range of 1,200 miles capable of reaching Israel and U.S. bases in the Mideast, the official news agency IRNA reported.
Iran's Defense Minister Gen. Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said the Ashoura missile was produced by factories affiliated with the ministry, according to IRNA. He did not say whether Iran has test fired the missile or has plans to do so.
Many of Iran's weapons development claims have not been independently verified.
Iran launched an arms development program during its war with Iraq to compensate for a U.S. weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has reportedly produced its own jets, torpedoes, radar-avoiding missiles, tanks and armored personnel carriers.
Recent weapons development has been motivated by Iran's standoff with the U.S. over its controversial nuclear program, which Washington claims is a cover for weapons development - a charge Tehran denies.
Iran is known to possess a medium-range ballistic missile known as the Shahab-3, with a range of at least 800 miles. In 2005, Iranian officials said they had improved the range of the Shahab-3 to 1,200 miles, equal to the new missile announced Tuesday.
Najjar did not elaborate about ...   more »

NEW YORK,
(CBS/AP) A United Nations committee said Friday that use of Taser weapons can be a form of torture, in violation of the U.N. Convention Against Torture.
Use of the electronic stun devices by police has been marked with a sudden rise in deaths - including four men in the United States and two in Canada within the last week.
Canadian authorities are taking a second look at them, and in the United States, there is a wave of demands to BAN them.
The U.N. Committee Against Torture referred Friday to the use of TaserX26 weapons which Portuguese police has acquired. An expert had testified to the committee that use of the weapons had "proven risks of harm or death."
"The use of TaserX26 weapons, provoking extreme pain, constituted a form of torture, and that in certain cases it could also cause death, as shown by several reliable studies and by certain cases that had happened after practical use," the committee said in a statement.
"Well, it means that it's a very serious thing," Amnesty International USA Executive Director Larry Cox told CBS Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen. "These are people that have seen torture around the world, all ...   more »

Early talks focus on private support to link programs, regions
By KAREN AYRES SMITH
Leaders of the University of North Texas are considering launching a center for Islamic studies on campus in hopes of fostering a greater connection to the Muslim world for students and scholars.
UNT president Gretchen Bataille said officials are exploring the level of interest among supporters because the university would need to raise private funds to pay for the center. She stressed that talks are very preliminary.
Such a center, Dr. Bataille said, would help connect the university's existing programs in the Arabic language, Islamic studies and other areas. It could also allow students and staff to work with scholars from the Middle East.
In today's political climate, the university needs to be aware of ideological issues, she said.
"The important thing is that these are not religious or political entities. They are academic entities," Dr. Bataille said. "It's very important that these not be organizations that are promoting an ideology that is a litmus test for anyone who participates. We can't be beholden to a funding source who expects us to promote one or another ideology."
She said she was approached about the idea of ...   more »

Wants euro-style currency to avoid exchange problems
By Jerome R. Corsi
Stephen Jarislowsky, a billionaire money manager and investor the Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail bills as the Canadian Warren Buffet, has told a parliamentary committee Canada and the United States both should abandon their national dollar currencies and move to a regional North American currency as soon as possible.
"I think we have to really seriously start thinking of the model of a continental currency just like Europe," Jarislowsky told the Canadian House of Commons' finance committee, according to the Globe and Mail in Toronto.
Jarislowsky's call for immediate action belied an article published in the Boston Globe on Sunday that said the call for the amero to become the new North American regional currency was "purely theoretical."
In an exclusive telephone interview with WND, Jarislowsky repeated his call for a European Union-style currency to be created between Canada and the United States.
"The idea would be a European Union-type set-up," Jarislowsky said, "with a North American Central Bank that would issue the new currency and sit over the Bank of Canada and the Federal Reserve Bank in the United States."
"An alternative would be to create a peg ...   more »

We know what George Bush thinks.
We know what the Minutemen say.
We even sort of know what Hillary Clinton believes about illegal immigration.
But what does God have to say about it?
That should be of paramount concern to any believer before taking a position. Yet, I seldom hear it discussed. Some might even suggest the Bible is silent on the issue.
So let's take a look at this issue from a biblical perspective.
Nations were first established by God as a judgment in Genesis 11. Remember the Tower of Babel story? It seems there was a man named Nimrod who attempted to set up the first world government and the first false religion.
After the Flood, God decreed that man should scatter across the whole earth and be fruitful and multiply. But, about 100 years later, a large contingent of men, under the leadership of Nimrod, whose very name means "let us revolt or rebel," decided they would settle in Shinar and build a tower to make a name for themselves.
God foiled this plan by scattering them around the world and creating new languages among the new nations that were thus established.
Make no mistake about it: ...   more »