Latest Bible Prophecy Commentary
Is Hamas Toning Down It's Rhetoric For The Sake Of Creating A Palestinian State And Eventually Destroying Israel?
French President Nicolas Sarkozy says he will support a unilateral declaration of Palestinian independence if peace talks with Israel don't restart by September, dealing a tough setback to Israel's campaign to isolate the incoming Palestinian unity government.
The comments published Thursday — similar to a message from Britain a day earlier — suggest Europe may be inching toward a watershed moment, joining those in favor of recognizing Palestine even if there is no peace deal with Israel.
Sarkozy's comments were published shortly before his meeting with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is touring Europe to rally opposition against the Palestinians. Netanyahu says it is impossible to talk peace with a government that is set to include the Islamic militant group Hamas.
But so far, Netanyahu appears to be making limited progress. Western governments have all called on Hamas to moderate its views, but are also urging Israel to make a new push for peace.
Palestine is already recognized by dozens of countries but not by the U.S. or most European nations. France's endorsement would be a major setback to Israel and could spark a trend.
Sarkozy has long promoted a greater role for France and Europe in the peace process. He was expected to discuss a relaunching of the peace process in his talks with Netanyahu later Thursday. France "expects him to take the risk of peace," Sarkozy said in the interview (Yahoo.com).
Washington is taking a wait and see attitude toward the reconciliation of a Fatah and Hamas government.
"We'll wait and see what this looks like in real and practical terms... We still don't know what, if any changes, there will be at the governmental level," he said.
The State Department also said the United States continued to believe that Hamas must recognize Israel's right to exist, reject violence and abide by interim peace agreements if it wants to play a meaningful role in the political process.
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, meanwhile, challenged Israel to peace, offering to work with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egypt on a new strategy to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Meshaal said that Egypt, the Arab League and the Muslim world's largest body, the Islamic Organization Conference, must work together to search for a new strategy.
"We don't want to declare war on any one," Meshaal said.
"We want to wrench our rights and draft a new strategy for ourselves, to master all forms of power that will force Netanyahu to withdraw from our lands and to recognize our rights," he added.
"We are telling the world: stand with us (Haaretz.com)."
From this report, there are three factors that I believe will play out to be very important in the coming months. One, the major players in the Europe are signaling, if Israel does not sit down and make peace with the Palestinians by September, the European Union will recognize the state of Palestine within pre-1967 borders. Two, the US is taking a "wait and see" approach to the new formation of a Hamas-Fatah reconciliation government, but if Hamas moderates and tones down its rhetoric they too will likely compromise their stand toward the terrorist group. Three, Hamas has finally taken note of what the end game really is...gaining strategic land from Israel through the establishment of a Palestinian state, temporarily moderating their views toward Israel for the purpose of eventually destroying them, and openly speaking words of peace toward Israel to the international community placing the burden of peace squarely on Israel's shoulders.
Over the next few months, I fully expect Hamas to tone down its rhetoric toward Israel and replace it with words of peace. Although the US and European Union both say that Hamas must recognize Israel's right to exist I have to believe this requirement will be modified to some degree. However, I would be shocked if Hamas amended its charter which calls for the destruction of Israel.
I find it interesting that Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said that Egypt, the Arab League and the Muslim world's largest body, the Islamic Organization Conference, must work together to search for a new strategy. He is essentially playing an international foreign policy game by aligning himself with recognizable Islamic moderate organizations. I look for Hamas to reinvent itself into a Fatah style terrorist group in an attempt to fit into a mold acceptable to the UN, the EU, and the US.
With Hamas moderating and world pressure calling for Israel to work with the terrorist organization, I certainly would not rule out Israel electing to sit down with a unified Palestinian Authority as opposed to facing the prospects of a September world recognition of a Palestinian state within pre-1967 of borders.
You should also keep in mind that the Freedom Flotilla II and the Third Intifada March is around the corner and will likely incite world hatred toward Israel and highlight the urgency for the international community to create a Palestinian state as soon as possible in order to restore Middle East peace.
Are you ready to meet the Lord? If not, your time is running out!
Terry Malone
Calvary Prophecy Report
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