President
Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu Meeting at the White House Jan 28, 2020
I'm going to break from the
naysayers decrying this Trump initiated "Vision for Peace" deal by
highlighting some of the more positive views that are being expressed by Jewish
commentators — both Messianic and traditional
conservative Jews. My starting point is that we know there is no true peace for Israel until
Yeshua returns, but that does not mean that Israel should not take advantage of how this deal moves
the ball forward on Israel's behalf.
One idea
I reject outright is that this is an "Antichrist" peace deal.
Vision for Peace
A roundup of assessments 1/29/20 by Donna Diorio
The "Peace to Prosperity: A Vision to Improve the Lives of
the Palestinian and Israeli People" is 181 pages long, but you
can read it for yourself. It is posted on the White House website and is
downloadable in pdf format.
As soon as the plan was shared
yesterday, the first opinion I saw whose views I often find compatible with my
own, was from traditional Jewish, but American conservative editor of JNS.org,
Jonathan S. Tobin. Haaretz ran Tobin's take in Trump's peace plan means
settlements are permanent. Democrats, get used to it.
Tobin
wrote, "any assumption that Trump's plan has no
long-term significance is almost certainly wrong."He continued, "Even when Democrats hold the White House again, they won't be
able to reverse the core terms of Trump's Middle East peace plan, and U.S.
leverage over Israel will have diminished."
From the statement by Jared Kushner, the
president's Jewish son-in-law who is one of those involved in crafting this
plan, that is very much the point. Kushner has said, "I'm not looking
at the world as it existed in 1967. I'm looking at the world as it exists in
2020."
That simply means this plan takes off the table any
fantasy negotiation that envisions Israel returning to 1967 border lines. It is
a point that is always pressed that has now been permanently taken off the
table. That is reason enough for the favorable reception the plan apparently
received from both Netanyahu and his political rival Benny Gantz.
The headline
at Israeli Messianic Israel Today
magazine read, Trump Deal Flips Peace Process on Its Head.
After more than 20 years of
failure despite intensive diplomatic efforts," they write, US President
Donald Trump’s “Deal of the Century” finally proposes a different approach."
"For the past two decades," Israel
Today notes, "the formula underlying the Middle East peace process was
to accept the Palestinian positions, turn a blind eye to their transgressions
(because they were the “oppressed”), and require painful concessions of Israel."
Arsen Ostrovsky, an international human rights attorney and journalist called Trump's Vision for Peace plan "the most pro-peace, pro-Israel proposal to date!"
Arsen Ostrovsky, an international human rights attorney and journalist called Trump's Vision for Peace plan "the most pro-peace, pro-Israel proposal to date!"
Ostrovsky also tweeted, "That the #Palestinians were going to reject
the #DealOfTheCentury was a given. Most interesting for me, is seeing the
reactions coming from the Arab / Gulf world. This is BIG. Palestinians
increasingly on their own."
He cites the Jerusalem Post report that "Saudi Arabia, Egypt,
Qatar, and the UAE on Tuesday issued statements welcoming the Trump
administration's peace plan, and called on both sides to begin negotiations."
Jonathan Schanzer, a counterterrorism
expert and a VP at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, says that the Trump plan changes the
dynamic that past administrations were locked into by recognizing both sides as
equals. This produced Palestinian recalcitrance leading to deadlock in peace
talks for decades.
“The Palestinians are often granted more power than they actually have;
the Israelis are asked to relinquish power and it’s ended in disaster,”
Schanzer says. “This is an attempt to shift the dynamic to give the Israelis
more power and the Palestinians less in a way that affects the actual dynamic.”
Ron Cantor of Messiah's Mandate notes, "Understand, I am not 100%
opposed to a Palestinian state. I recognize that there are 3,000,000 Arabs
within Israel in the disputed territories—people who deserve more. But until
they change their leadership, there will be no peace and no state. The PLO was
born in the blood of terror—not war. They are the fathers of martyrs and
suicide bombers. ...[To this day] The PLO pays out some $360 million a year to
the families of suicide bombers and martyrs."
American Messianic Jew Dr Michael L. Brown makes a difference between
many of the Palestinian people and their terrorist leaders, "if the
Palestinian populace as a whole could see a way forward to peace and
prosperity, wouldn’t they want to achieve it? And what if the surrounding
Muslim nations said, 'Yes, do this and we will help you prosper as well!' What
then?....Frankly, without massive pressure from the populace as a whole, joined
by other Muslim nations, I do not see this happening. And that is the crux of
the problem."
Most of the Jews making comment recognize that there is no way the Palestinians will live up to their side of the deal to bring it to pass. In essence the US plan insists that for the Palestinians to reap the benefits of the plan they have to first accept the plan, then the Palestinian Authority must stop paying terrorists and inciting terrorism. Hamas and Islamic Jihad must put down their weapons. Both the PA and Hamas governed territories must give up corruption, respect human rights, freedom of religion and a free press. This is according to the Jerusalem Post summary of conditions. Few see that happening.
Most of the Jews making comment recognize that there is no way the Palestinians will live up to their side of the deal to bring it to pass. In essence the US plan insists that for the Palestinians to reap the benefits of the plan they have to first accept the plan, then the Palestinian Authority must stop paying terrorists and inciting terrorism. Hamas and Islamic Jihad must put down their weapons. Both the PA and Hamas governed territories must give up corruption, respect human rights, freedom of religion and a free press. This is according to the Jerusalem Post summary of conditions. Few see that happening.
Which may be
why US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman urged Israelis to "apply
Israeli law to the settlements and to the territory" in an "on-the-record press call on the prospects for peace between
Israel and the Palestinians.”
Ambassador
Friedman said, "Israel does
not have to wait — does not have to wait at all. The
waiting period would be the time it takes for them to obtain internal approvals
and to obviously create the documentation, the calibration, the mapping that
would enable us to evaluate and make sure it’s consistent with conceptual map."
The
Ambassador says that the plan provides "certain benefits to Israel
up front in exchange for Israel keeping the option open to the Palestinians for
a very lengthy period of time.”
Today it was reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu will
ask the cabinet in its next meeting to vote on applying Israeli sovereignty
over the West Bank.
In news breaking in the past hour (at this writing 1/29), Blue and White
Leader Benny Gantz has announced that he will bring the US peace plan to the
Knesset for an up or down vote next week. "This is a historic opportunity
to draw Israel's future borders," Gantz told participants today at a national
security conference.
As PA President Abbas appears to threaten Netanyahu with breaking Oslo
agreements related to security coordination, Israel news is also reporting that
the IDF is bolstering its West Bank troops as Palestinians riot and is
conducting ongoing assessments of the situation.
Jared Kushner said the plan is "rooted in the principle that a
lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians must be based on an agreement
that satisfies the basic aspirations of the two peoples – in a manner that
guarantees security, dignity and opportunity for all."
"The question comes down to, what will the Palestinian leadership
do?" Kushner asked.
He told Al-Arabia, "wholehearted rejections will show the world that
they are not interested in peace, they have never been interested in peace.
And, quite frankly, in the Palestinian areas, you have a lot of people that are
very vested in the status quo."
If nothing is done with the deal on the Palestinian side, the situation,
Kusher says, will only get worse for Palestinians who are living in great
poverty as it stands not. There is a $50 billion economic plan and refugee
compensation fund that will help with the Palestinians reabsorbing Palestinian
refugees. Kushner does not see potential
for a better deal if Palestinians let this opportunity die.
"This is a great deal for them, he says. "If they come to the
table and negotiate, I think they can get something excellent."
"It’s difficult to come up with a construct where you have a
continuous Palestinian state, where you can drive from one end to the bottom
through bridges, tunnels, roads, Kushner continued. "We figured it out, it
was not easy. And then we were able to sit with Israel and get them to agree to
freeze settlement for four years. That has never been done before. And get them
to agree to a Palestinian state, and get them to agree to a map."
Many will try to dismiss President Trump's plan as merely an ego-driven
deal. That would be a great disservice to the heart that has been put into this
plan to benefit both sides, but at last from a position that places Israel's
needs in greater priority. Yet again, President Trump has shown himself to be
the hands down best friend in an American president that Israel has ever had.
Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries by subscription only donna@israelprayer.com
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries by subscription only donna@israelprayer.com
Orna Grinman's blog article about the main event of the Holocaust
Memorial Day is so exceptional, I hope you will read it: That
Little Man In The Eye. She notes that Israelis were surprised and
pleased by the unexpected turnout of international dignitaries and diplomats. As always, Orna also gave a deeper
understanding from Hebrew of what scripture is saying when it calls Israel the
apple of God's eye.
Israel Pochtar of the Ashdod congregation Beit Hallel and Voice of
Judah ministries has moved to a new email format which sends you to their online
site to read articles in full. Click to Read
More about how when a couple first joined them at Beit Hallel, the leadership
recognized that it would be a challenge for them, as one of them had been born
deaf. But not only are the couple adapting and growing, but they are also
beginning to reach their full potential as they are now a wonderful asset to
help other hearing impaired people in the congregation and also in outreach
even to Arabs in Bethlehem. This encouraging report, plus how the unusually
cold winter is both a blessing and challenge. Also they are nearing the end of
their annual 21 Days of Prayer.
Ron Cantor, adjusting to all his new realm of responsibility as CEO of
Tikkun Int'l, is having to release some things too —which means going forward
Tiferet Yeshua congregation will be taking over their communications which Ron
has handled in the past. It will be good. He's been on the road in Latvia but
we also noticed we're a bit of a slowdown in Ron's usual writing output, but
just in time, here is his article Ron and
the NAR and 7 Ways Messianic Jews
Fulfill the Irrevocable Call. Ron Cantor is always a ball of
energy, but you might pray for him anyway as he gets into the rhythm of his new
jobs blended in with his old jobs.
From IFI in their annual Int'l Prayer Conference Chuck Cohen shares AUDIO
Evening Messages by Chuck Cohen, Claude Ezagouri, Tom Brooker, Steve Lightle, Jeremy
Smith, plus VIDEO
Update #3, VIDEO Update #4, VIDEO Update #5
news.kehila.org has new content now on the Arab reaction to
Trump's peace deal, plus New Book
calls Israeli youth to Believe… that there is another way." | a
"must watch" VIDEO Israeli,
Christian, Young Woman, and an IDF officer | and a new Book
Release - I Am
Miriam by Deanna Malespin
Chaim Malespin, director of Aliyah Return Center delivers on his
promise to share a new aspect of their vision each week: 2020 Kingdom Vision 4th
Focus: VIDEO Understanding
God's Heart For Israel
From Revive Israel in Jerusalem, the challenge by Joash Choi THE LORD
SPOKE!!! Don't give
up: 'faith it' | also VIDEO Roaring
from Zion | Cody Asher sits with Paul Wilbur | And Asher Intrater answers on VIDEO
Why We Do
It – International Outreach
Ran Silberman, a certified tour guide out of the HaMaayan congregation,
has a new blog article on the events at the Jerusalem Holocaust museum for the Fifth
World Holocaust Forum. And they
shall call you The City of the Lord
Daniel Juster of Restoration from Zion writes Can A
Democratic Republic Government Survive in the Internet Age? (Who will take on this fight
and tame the tech giants?)
Arad congregation Hasdey Yeshua sends an uplifting account of ministering
to a new believer who is in some really bad living situations with her 7
children. She is a likely ethnically Jewish Bedouin whose husband divorced her
for a new wife and left her destitute in a shack on his parent's property. But
they are helping her practically and spiritually. Pray for her, and for her to
be delivered from a hopeless welfare mentality.
Among other things the congregation writes about —the
discipling class & nurturing their children — they also say there has
been a recent uptick of harassment by the ultra-Orthodox against them. The Gur
sect is stalking thir homes and meetings, and also a threatening event took
place when their humanitarian warehouse was entered by one of the Gur along
with a known violent Yad L'Achim activist. They took pictures of the inside
before being escorted out by a worker on the premises. Please pray over this.
While Cody and Liat Archer are on an extended sabbatical, they have
sent out this 13 minute
video is a transparent update "about what led to
this sabbatical, how we have been using our time and what challenges we have
been facing."
Avner Boskey shares his views on The Deal of the Century
which was sent out prior to the unveiling of the plan.
Maoz Ministries also writes about the Trump Peace Deal with prayer
points, and also for the " not-so-secret war being waged today between Israel
and Iran."
Jackie Santoro sent a tribute by Jonathan Moore to Eddie's memory.
Eddies birthday was Jan 27th and Jonathan wrote a really nice tribute to his
memory, "my spiritual father and the founding pastor of our
congregation." He writes of a prompt he sensed from the Lord in the
beginning of Eddie's 4-yr battle against cancer, "to follow Eddie like
Elisha followed Elijah all the way until he was taken to Heaven."
"I am indeed incredibly blessed," Jonathan writes, "to have been with the founding pastor of my congregation all the way through the last days of his life. I feel the anointing to love people the same way Eddie loved people. I feel that pastoral care for people like never before. But the greatest blessing was that not only did my pastor invest into me, but I also gained a true spiritual father. The words of Elisha resonate with me, 'And Elisha… cried out, "My father, my father" … [and] saw him no more'."
"I am indeed incredibly blessed," Jonathan writes, "to have been with the founding pastor of my congregation all the way through the last days of his life. I feel the anointing to love people the same way Eddie loved people. I feel that pastoral care for people like never before. But the greatest blessing was that not only did my pastor invest into me, but I also gained a true spiritual father. The words of Elisha resonate with me, 'And Elisha… cried out, "My father, my father" … [and] saw him no more'."
Both Jonathan and Jackie ask for prayers for their congregation, Ahavat
Yeshua. Jackie promises to write more soon on the Peace Plan in an upcoming
issue. Surely she has received Eddie's gift as breaking down current news
events from Heaven's perspective. We
look forward to that upcoming input.
Urgent HEALING Needs: Life and Death is
in the power of the tongue
Please keep in prayer these Israeli ministry leaders
and believers with urgent health needs
Please continue to pray for Jacob Damkani, who remains after surgery locked in the place of non-communication. Pray the LORD's mercies over Jacob and his dear wife, Elisheva | Continue please to pray for Ruth Nessim Critical prayer need she is losing sight! Prayers for a miracle for Ruth.| Olga Bikas has longstanding severe back pain. please keep praying for Olga. Sadly, she is not getting better and recently she has even felt worse for a period of time.
Please continue to pray for Jacob Damkani, who remains after surgery locked in the place of non-communication. Pray the LORD's mercies over Jacob and his dear wife, Elisheva | Continue please to pray for Ruth Nessim Critical prayer need she is losing sight! Prayers for a miracle for Ruth.| Olga Bikas has longstanding severe back pain. please keep praying for Olga. Sadly, she is not getting better and recently she has even felt worse for a period of time.
Please
continue to pray for all the Israeli ministry leaders who contracted influenza - it is a strain that really
hangs on | Pray for Rania Sayegh who asks for prayer of restoration of strength, energy,
and complete healing. | Ronit Bender
says my heart valve is still leaking but my lungs are fine. I totally
have peace about my health, although it is far from great. I still appreciate
prayer, as I need it.
THANK YOU to those who have considered this ministry worthy of financial
support.
Donna Diorio donna@israelprayer.com or donna@d10r10.com
Donations appreciated | paypal.me/DonnaDiorio
Or search paypal for donna@israelprayer.com
Or by postal mail make
donations payable to the order of Donna Diorio
P O Box 111302 Carrollton, Texas 75006 | I do not have tax exempt status.
P O Box 111302 Carrollton, Texas 75006 | I do not have tax exempt status.
