Learn what will happen during the tribulation period from beginning to end
Your comments and questions are always welcome. To send comments and questions please click here to go to our main page. Tuesday, 23 April, 2002, 14:03 GMT The European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana has announced he will travel later on Tuesday to meet the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in his besieged headquarters in Ramallah. The announcement of Mr. Solana's trip was made at the end of the Euro-Mediterranean conference in Spain, following an invitation to the EU by the Israeli Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres, to send a mission. Earlier this month an EU delegation was denied access to the Palestinian leader's headquarters, but Mr. Peres said this had been a "misunderstanding". The two-day conference - intended to foster greater co-operation between the EU and the Mediterranean - was overshadowed by the conflict in the Middle East. Representatives of Arab states walked out when the Israeli delegate was about to speak on Monday in protest at the Israeli military offensive in the West Bank, while Syria and Lebanon boycotted the meeting altogether. In his opening speech to the conference, Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique acknowledged the meeting was being held "in the most difficult circumstances we've seen in the Middle East in years". EU officials called for a ceasefire and an immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Palestinian areas occupied in a three week offensive. The EU has promised unspecified aid to reconstruct Palestinian towns devastated by the recent fighting in the West Bank, but only when the current violence has ended. The Euromed partnership, known as the Barcelona process, was created in 1995 to foster co-operation in economic, social and political fields. It remains the only multilateral forum outside the United Nations where all parties to the conflict can meet and where the Palestinian Authority is recognised as an equal partner. END I found this article buried about 10 pages deep within a newswire. Although, it is not seen as a momentous development in the secular world it should be viewed as prophetic to believers. This is significant because virtually all Bible believing scholars believe that the antichrist will rise up out of the EU or New Roman Empire. Now that they are starting to take a greater role in the peace process be on the lookout for personalities and leaders to arise that were previously unknown. It is my belief that the EU will begin to play a larger role in the Middle East peace talks. As pointed out in my April 11, 2002 article, the European Union is Israel's biggest trading partner, buying a quarter of all Israeli exports -- about 8.5 billion dollars' worth in 2000. It is also the largest source of funding to the Palestinian Authority. This statistic is important because it shows what kind of bargaining power the EU possesses within each nation. My point is they have the power to dramatically alter the state of each countries economy, thus they hold the key to a peaceful resolution. This is what I see for the near future. The EU will promise significant monies to the Palestinian Authority and rebuild the West Bank and Gaza Stripe (The US and other nations will also contribute). The EU will manipulate Israel through the power of economic sanctions into allowing a multinational peacekeeping team (army) to come into the area for seven years. In exchange Israel will again have normal relations with the EU and the Arab world. Each will have to make significant concessions. Israel will have to give back some land including East Jerusalem (capital of Palestine). The Palestian's will have to allow Israel to rebuild their temple and it will be rebuilt right next to the Dome of the Rock. They will then enjoy the security and protection of the world community (UN peacekeeping team) and life will again get back to normal. Both Israel and Palestine will sign this agreement and the world will applaud this previously impossible feat. The person who brokers this deal will gain instant worldwide fame. Peace will rule the land for several years, but the Arab world will rebel against the treaty they never intended to keep and attack Israel. They will be lead by Russia (Ezekiel 38-39). Of course, God will soundly defeat them and it will be seen as a miracle from God and not man. How quickly this will happen is unknown. I do believe it is near. It may get a lot worse before it gets better before the EU steps into the forefront. But eventually they will and we Christian's may very well be raptured before this takes shape. There may be a period of time that lapses before the actual peace agreement is signed. During this time lapse, the world could change dramaticallyin every aspect. Pastor Malone