Latest Bible Prophecy Commentary
In sharp reversal, U.S. agrees to rebuke Israel in Security Council
The U.S. informed Arab governments Tuesday that it will support a U.N. Security Council statement reaffirming that the 15-nation body "does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity," a move aimed at avoiding the prospect of having to veto a stronger Palestinian resolution calling the settlements illegal.
But the Palestinians rejected the American offer following a meeting late Wednesday of Arab representatives and said it is planning to press for a vote on its resolution on Friday, according to officials familar with the issue. The decision to reject the American offer raised the prospect that the Obama adminstration will cast its first ever veto in the U.N. Security Council (Foreign Policy).
This announcement is shocking but not totally unexpected. I expect this move to lead Israel back to the table as a peace partner where they will eventually workout a deal over time. It will start with the creation of a Palestinian state, with permanent borders, and end with the division of Jerusalem. I do not expect Palestine to declare a state unilaterally.
During the Egyptian revolt, the Muslim Brotherhood received a tremendous amount of publicity that essentially painted them as the number one threat to the resumption of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty. However, although they are a formidable political threat I don't see them rising to power as part of a new more radical Egypt. Don't get me wrong, this peace treaty between Israel and Egypt is in jeopardy, and will one day soon fall, but it won't be due to yesterday's Muslim Brotherhood. Here's what Foreign Policy magazine had to say regarding the future of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egyptian politics:
Despite all the attention the Muslim Brotherhood has recently received, I think it's more than likely that Mubarak's departure will ultimately undercut its position in Egypt. It got 20 percent of the vote in the 2005 elections, but that total was inflated by the fact that it was the only real alternative to Mubarak's party. Once you let other political parties form and compete for popularity, electoral support for the MB is likely to decline, unless it can repackage itself in a way that appeals to younger Egyptians. Ironically, both Mubarak and the MB may be more a part of Egypt's past than an influential part of its future (Foreign Policy).
Frankly, Egypt doesn't need the Muslim Brotherhood to stoke hatred against the Jews. There is plenty of animosity to go around against Israel within the present Egyptian military, but any attack against them would only prove to yield long-term diminishing returns. Egypt is controlled and run by the military, and has been for the past several decades. The removal of Mubarak won't change that. The military is much more interested in maintaining a favorable relationship with the US than participating in any ill-fated military operation. You must also remember, there is one major difference between the last confrontation between these two nations and today... Israel has nuclear weapons. Even if the Muslim Brotherhood were to somehow seize power, which could virtually never happen, they would still have to work with the Egyptian military who has no more love than Mubarak did for them.
In all reality, it's more likely if the Egyptian military leaders suspected the Muslim Brotherhood had any chance of winning (if indeed, they do keep their promise) in free elections, they would immediately shut them down. My point, don't look for the fate of Israel to rest in the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood. But at the same time, it's highly unlikely the Egyptian military leaders will be able to resist in participating in one of many future wars that Israel must face.
However, it should be pointed out that Egypt is called out by name as one of the nations that will enter into the one thousand year reign of Christ (Zechariah 14:18-19). If this is true, they will at some point experience a sizable revival that will see many come to the Lord.
Are you ready to meet the Lord? If not, your time is running out!
Terry Malone
Calvary Prophecy Report
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