As you can imagine President Trump's announcement to move the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was met enthusiastically or with approval from everyone or every nation or group on Earth. For instance the Palestinian Authority main faction Fatah or the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) by its old name condemned President Trump's decision by saying it was: "a provocation to Arabs." One of the main leaders of the Palestinian Fatah or PLO faction Saeb Erekat also denounced the decision with the statement: "The American administration's decisions to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and choose the Palestinian people's Nakba as the date for this step is a blatant violation of international law". Nakba is an Arab term especially used by some of the Palestinian Arab leadership and some other Arab Islamists to refer to the day in April 1948 of Israel's independence and it means "catastrophe". There is another similiar term they use for the Israeli victory over the Arabs in the June 1967 Six Day War especially the Israeli success in taking over what is called East Jerusalem including the Old City and Temple Mount there but Mr. Erekat didn't seem to use that term here. Mr. Erekat also threatened: "the destruction of the two-state option, as well as a blatant provocation to all Arabs and Muslims." Also in this article PA: U.S. embassy a "provocation to Arabs" in Israel National News an official named Nabil Abu Rudeineh speaking for the Palestinian Authority (PA) said: "This is an unacceptable step. Any unilateral move will not give legitimacy to anyone and will be an obstacle to any effort to create peace in the region." A spokeman for the Palestinian Arab terrorist group Hamas named Sami Abu Zuhri also condemned the American embassy in Israel move to Jerusalem by US President Donald Trump with the statement: "Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem is a declaration of war against the Arab and Muslim nation, and the U.S. administration must reconsider its move." Also concerning this American embassy in Israel move to Jerusalem the Foreign Ministry in Turkey stated publicly that this decision was: "very worrying". (Based on recent actions and statement of Turkey led by their Islamic fundamentalist leader Mr. Erdogan they disappove of this decision because it not only recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by the Americans in a more definite way but also hinders their plan to try to remake Jerusalem as an Islamic city as it was in the Ottoman Empire when it was ruled by what is now called Turkey from about 1517 to 1917 AD.) The foreign ministry of Turkey also said in response to this American decision by the Trump government that the decision showed the US insists on damaging peace and disregarding the United Nations.
As with some other recent developments in the Middle East, including some other American or European or other decisions, this American decision to state a specific date in the near future to move their embassy in Israel to Jerusalem I believe as a Bible believing Christian has important Bible prophecy implications. Again I would point to the prophecy of the Prophet Daniel of the 70 weeks of years in Daniel 9:24-27 as a main significant Bible prophecy passage. However this passage is not in isolation as it includes in verse 27 the midpoint of the 70th week when the Antichrist will take over the rebuilt Jewish temple in Jerusalem as the beginning of the Antichrist or Abomination of Desolation or Beast out of the Sea in his full power. This is also mentioned in terms of months (of thirty days each) or days in Revelation chapters 11-13. Daniel is told in this prophecy by an angel of God that this prophecy is about Daniel's people and city that is the Israelites or including the Jews and Jerusalem. This also applies for verse 27 of that chapter which covers the entire 7 year period of the tribulation and that fact as well as the emphasis of the restored temple and other parts of the law of Moses indicates that God is then fully focused on restoring His chosen earthly people Israel and that His chosen heavenly or spiritual people the Church or Christians of this present Church Age, Age of the Holy Spirit or Dispensation of Grace have been removed from earth to heaven by the rapture of the Church by then. The last verse in this prophecy in Daniel 9 of the seventy weeks of sevens (seven years) is about the last of the 70 weeks.
This 70th week of Daniel is the entire period of the tribulation and will start with a false peace that the Antichrist or Abomination of Desolation will confirm with Israel and many others (probably many other nations or world powers). To confirm means to approve of some things that are already there which likely means the Antichrist will use some elements of terms from both sides (Israel and the so-called Palestinians) to make a false Middle East and possibly wider world peace. I do not know what all the elements of this Middle East or world peace by the Antichrist will be but based on this passage in Daniel 9 it will certainly include authorizing the Jews or Israelites to rebuild a 3rd Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This will initially allow the Jews to re-establish their Old Testament Levitical worship of God including with animal sacrifices on the temple altar or putting some of the animal's blood on the mercy seat by the high priest in the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement. However in the midst of the week (after 3 1/2 years) the Antichrist will take this temple over and force all people in the world Jewish and Gentile to worship him as God or be killed (as in 2 Thessalonians 2, Revelation 13 and 17 and Matthew 24:15). The abomination of desolation is that the Antichrist will sit in the holy of holies in this temple (falsely) as God. Anyway, I believe this soon coming move of the Americans to move their embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the fact that the United States is still the most powerful or influential nation or vying with China for that will likely encourage other nations to follow the US lead and move their embassies in Israel to Jerusalem. I believe this further indicates that we are in the last steps towards the stage being set for the Antichrist to be revealed with his confirmation of his false Middle East peace right after the rapture of the Church.
This false peace of the Antichrist will likely include at least some of the elements of the pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian terms for Middle East peace and he will likely be very popular with people left behind of the world who will be glad to see a likely decrease in political or religious tension that might temporarily be cause by the false Middle East peace of the Satanically empowered Antichrist after so many failed efforts by mere men from the United States, the UN, EU, Russia, Israel and Arabs etc. In view of all these events and points I would most strongly encourage the reader to, if you haven't already, to put your trust in God's Son the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour who died on the cross around Jerusalem about 2000 years ago for all our sins and rose from the dead to offer us eternal life and restored relationship with God so you can also have eternal life, a restored relationship with God, an eternal home in heaven, forgiveness of all your sins and become part of God's people of this age the Church and be with God's true Church of those who have trusted in Jesus and God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ and His Holy angels and His redeemed people of other ages such as the redeemed Jews and those of the nations that trusted in their heart in the God of Israel in Old Testament times and in the coming tribulation and Millennial or Messianic Kingdom after Jesus' second coming. If you trust in Jesus now or as soon as possible you can also be assured you will be taken to heaven, perhaps without physical death, at the rapture or catching up to heaven of the true Church as in 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 15 and John 14 and Philippians 3:20-21. This would also mean you don't have to worry about being left behind on Earth to live under the worldwide tyranny of the Antichrist and the plagues caused by God as mentioned in the Book of Revelation but would be in heaven then as experiencing part of God's grace towards the true Church to be spared from God's judgment on the world in the tribulation and in Jesus' second coming to judge the world and set up His Kingdom at the end of the tribulation. I would therefore also urge you, if you haven't already done so to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ according to the scriptures as in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 for the basics and Romans 10:8-13 in view of these ongoing development on Earth in the Middle East and elsewhere and with related Bible prophecy as in Daniel 9 and elsewhere from a literal perspective so these continuing events can be a source of hope and joy and no longer dread or annoyance to you.
The United States indicated that they are still interested and making efforts towards a solution to the Middle East peace process by sending a team of officials to the February 2018 UN Security Council meeting on Middle East peace. These officials were especially US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley but also Jared Kushner president Donald Trump's top advisor and son-in-law who is leading the US Middle East peace efforts and Jason Greenblatt who is US President Donald Trump's leading representative and negotiator for Middle East peace. At this UN Security Council meeting these US representative told ambassadors of other nations represented at the UN Security Council that the UN Security Council that the document detailing the US Middle East peace policy is almost complete. This is according to the article U.S. "finalizing" peace plan despite Abbas vow for international efforts from Jerusalem Post web site in February 2018. This report also said this report for the US Middle East peace policy is already 100s of pages. These US officials did not share any of the details or say specifically when they would be revealed but requested support from ambassadors from other UN Security Council nations when it is revealed at this UN Security Council meetings. This was according to an article Trump's envoys seek UN support for peace plan in February 2018 in Israel National News web site. Also according to the above mentioned Jerusalem Post article, this US Middle East peace process negotiating document provides proposals towards resolving some of the most contented aspects towards a Middle East peace agreement.
However, especially due to last Decembers' promise to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas dismissed the upcoming US peace proposals from this document. This was even though he hadn't seen any of the details although it is likely true that the ongoing process of moving the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is part of the US Middle East peace plan under US President Donald Trump. U.S. ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said about Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas' rejection of the US current or future Middle East negotiating position under President Donald Trump because of its announced embassy move in Israel to Jerusalem: "I'm sorry that he declined to stay in the (UN Security Council) chamber to hear remarks of others," "We welcome you as the leader of the Palestinian people here today." This was because she and and Israel's ambassador to the UN Danny Danon sat through and listened to Mr. Abbas' previous speech at the Security Council and he left the council meeting before US ambassador Nikki Haley spoke there. According to the Jerusalem Post, and I would agree, Mr. Abbas leaving before she spoke and after he did was a "diplomatic slight" and showed his lack of interest in hearing current US Middle East peace policy. Nikki Haley went on to say of herself and the Trump Middle East negotiating team to Mr. Abbas and the Palestinians that the US: "stands ready" to negotiate with the Palestinians and also said: "Our negotiaters are sitting behind me, but we will not chase after you." She said of the US decision to move their embassy in Israel to Jerusalem to Mr. Abbas: "You don't have to like that decision, you don't have to praise it. You don't have to accept it. But know this: That decision will not change." She went on to say that Mr. Abbas and the Palestinian leadership had two choices: "one of anger toward the Americans and incitement of Palestinians to violence against Israelis, or one of direct negotiations with both." according to the Jerusalem Post article on the U.S. finalizing peace plan despite Abbas vow.
After the above mentioned meeting of Nikki Haley, Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt with ambassadors of other nations represented at the UN Security Council in this February 2018 meeting on the Middle East peace process, French Ambassador to the UN stated approval for the continued participation of the US in the Middle East peace negotiations. French Ambassador to the UN Francois Delattre "said the U.S. administration was signalling its willingness to engage on the Middle East peace process and its respect for the Security Council by dispatching the two envoys." "They talked about the progress in their efforts and contacts, and this was useful," Delattre said. Although France stated they would keep in mind Mahmoud Abbas' proposal for an international conference on the Middle East peace process to be held later this year, the French Ambassador to the UN Delattre emphasized that the United States "plays an 'indispensable' role in the search for an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement." according to the Israel National News article Trump's envoys seek UN support for peace plan.
In view of all these events and efforts towards a Middle East peace process by Middle East and world powers, I would again encourage the reader, if you haven't already done so to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour as soon as possible. This would be so that you would be not left behind on earth after the rapture or catching up to heaven of all true Christians or the true Church from all nations from the time of the very soon coming rapture to almost 2000 years ago with the beginning of the Church at Pentecost. In taking part of the rapture of the Church all true Christians including I hope you the reader can be assured you and we will not be left on Earth for the tribulation and the time of God's judgment. This is when the all this Earth will be under a tyrannical rule of the Devil's man the Antichrist or he who causes abomination or the man of sin starting with his false Middle East and perhaps world peace at the beginning of the 7 year tribulation or 70th week of Daniel. This tribulation period or 70th week of Daniel, mentioned especially in Daniel 9:27, and its beginning with the false Middle East peace will include the Antichrist allowing Israel to for a while rebuild their Jewish temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and resume Levitical animal sacrifices to God as in the Old Testament in the Law of Moses. Then half way through the tribulation the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel, remove them from managing and operating in this Third Temple and take it over and sit down there himself probably in the holy of holies. The Antichrist will then demand everyone then on earth worship him as God or be killed or remain on the run or in hiding. This will be until God through His Son Jesus Christ defeats the Antichrist and the world system at the end of the tribulation and sets up God's Kingdom visibly on Earth for the 1000 year Millennial or Messianic Kingdom as described in Revelation 19 and 20. That there is so much efforts now to get a Middle East peace and, some devout Jews seeking to set up the Levitical sacrifical system again and the Third Jewish Temple, indicates these last days Bible Prophecy events likely aren't too much longer to be fulfilled and the status quo in this world at the end of this current Church Age likely won't last much longer. I would therefore still urge the reader to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ God's Son that He died for our sins on the cross about 2000 years ago and rose again from the dead to offer us eternal life so you can have eternal life, forgiveness of all your sins, a home in heaven, a restored relationship with our Creator God and membership in God's heavenly people and family the Church as well as be assured you will be taken to heaven at the rapture of the Church and not be left on earth during the dark days of the tribulation.
According to the Jewish lunar calendar Jerusalem Day, that is a national holiday in Israel, is this year celebrated on May 13th of the western calendar. This is the 28th day of the Jewish month of Iyar and commemmorates the day of Israel seizing Jerusalem including the Temple Mount from the Arabs on June 7, 1967 in the Six Day War. This annual day is called Al Naqsah in Arabic which means The Setback by the Palestinian and other Arabs in view of their losing the 6 Day War and that war making it more difficult for them to establish a Palestinian or Arab state in the Holy Land or biblical Land of Israel. Although world international law doesn't accept Israel continuing to hold onto so-called Eastern Jerusalem and some control of the Temple Mount there that Israel won in the 6 day war Israel insists on maintaining it and their holding onto it is consistent with prophecy in God's Word the Holy Bible and it is their territory based on God's covenant for the land with them through their fathers Abraham and David and eventually when they are fully restored to God also more fully through the conditional covenant God made with them through Moses. This year is nothing special as far as a round number in the anniversary of their victory over the Arabs in the 6 Day war, since this year is the 51st anniversary of that event. However Jerusalem this year is still being given added importance by the Jews especially in Israel due to the American Embassy move to Jerusalem the next day this year and due to the fact that this year is the 70th anniversary of the founding of modern Israel in 1948. There was some confusion on the date of the American embassy move in association with the many statements by Israel and its supporters such as evangelical Christian organizations that support Israel in their mentioning the embassy move on the exact day of the Israeli Day of Independence which was May 14th on the western calendar in 1948. However, normally the Jewish holidays including the modern national ones are usually mostly celebrated on the approrpriate day of the Jewish lunar calendar which in this year would be April 19th. This Israel Independence Day is called Al Naqba in Arabic by the Palestinian and other Arabs and means The Catastrophe in view of the establishment in part of the Holy Land or biblical land of Israel of the Jewish modern State of Israel that makes is more difficult to establish their desire of an Arab mostly Muslim state in part or all of the Holy Land or biblical Land of Israel. This day this year is the 5th day of Jewish month of Iyar and Israeli Independence Day is normally just celebrated on Iyar the 5th whatever day that is on the western calendar which is usually in late April or very early May and is not usually celebrated on the May 14th of the Western calendar even though that was the date in 1948 when Britain granted Israel independence.
One thing that was celebrated on Jerusalem Day in a noteworthy fashion this year however was that there an effort to answer the call of the combined Jewish temple groups for more Jews to go up on the Temple Mount on that day in the Old City of Jerusalem. Basically that call was heard with a modern record of just over 2,000 Jews going up there including about 1000 at once during part of the time that Jews were going up to the Temple Mount. I heard there were a lot more Jews or Israelites who wanted to go up to the Temple Mount that day but they were there or their turn came up after the about 4 1/2 hours alloted to Jews or non-Muslims had expired and they were refused entry after that time by the Temple Police and Islamic Waqf guards. However the just over 2000 Jews or Israelites more particulary 2,084 who went up on the 13th of May Jerusalem Day was more than twice as many as last year (2017) and was a modern record for the number of Jews or Israelites on the Temple Mount in one day according to The Temple Institute. There was also some Jewish Israelis in parades or other celebrations in Jerusalem carrying or waving Israeli flags etc.
At the same time demonstrations that had been going on previously for several weeks in the Gaza Strip border with Israel neared a climax. These demonstrations were organized by the Islamic terrorist group Hamas who rule the Gaza Strip. Several leading Hamas officials including their co-founder Mahmoud Al-Zahar openly admitted that these demonstrations were not peaceful and not intended to be peaceful. They were called The March of Return as they were meant to be an attempt or at least threat to retake territory in Israel that the Palestinian Arabs sought to take for themselves or claimed for themselves. They did have some Arabs that were forced out by Israel in 1948 or 1967 who had been living there a long time but there were also comparable numbers of Jews who had also been living in the Holy Land a long time and some of the Arabs who left were thinking they could gloriously return with a conquoring Arab army which the Israeli Jews were able to prevent from happening. There were about 60 Palestinian Arabs killed in these protests along the Gaza fence with Israel by Israeli snipers etc. on the Israeli side. Even the Hamas leader Mr. Al-Zahar admitted that about 50 of those killed were establish Hamas terrorists and were not demonstrating peacably towards Israel. Some of the violent activity by the so-called Palestinian demonstrators was to try to burn the fence between Gaza and Israel down and make an invasion into Israeli territory with hostile intent which several of the armed terrorists of Hamas etc. did do before they were killed by Israeli soldiers on the Israeli side or to throw molotov cocktails, or fly kites over the fence that left fire bombs on the Israeli side. In one area of the fence one or more of these kite bombs started a serious fire on the Israeli side in a wheat field. According to the web site blog United With Israel there were also about 2,500 injured among the couple tens of thousands of Palestinian Arab protesters or rioters near the Gaza border fence. These rioters also threw rocks at Israeli forces on the other side and burned tires on the Gaza side so Israeli snipers couldn't see them and their riotous activity as well. Some of these Palestinian rioters also attempted to use Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to blow up part of the fence and succeeded in at least one place. Some of these rioters also did shoot at Israeli soldiers on the other side of the fence. The western or other mass media called these Palestinian Arab March of Return rioters peaceful protesters but as can seen by the above and other details of the nature of their protests they were violent terrorists not peaceful protesters. The mass media in this case as well as some western government and United Nations spokespeople were promoting fake news they so much like to accuse social conservatives of doing and denying they do. (However I do admit their are some on the extreme right wing and its press or Donald Trump that have given unbalanced coverage on some issues but not as much as the mass media says. I as an evangelical Christian also do not approve of any actual fake news some right wing sources or President Trump gives either.) These Palestinian Arab protests at the fence with the Gaza Strip and Israel were organized by Hamas to protest or counter Israel's Jerusalem Day and following day American embassy in Israel move to Jerusalem celebrations. The Palestinian and some other Arabs or left wing people and western media people claim that the United States moving their embassy in Israel supports Israel's claim to an undivided eternal Jerusalem under Israeli rule.
All these things happening recently and the strong possibility this could be much further setting the stage of a required superhuman solution to the Middle East peace process since it looks increasingly likely a human made peace solution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict will be found soon with increasing strife and lack of trust to the other party by both sides. Such a false peace is mentioned and is likely the next major event on earth after the rapture or catching up to heaven of all true Christians of all nations including those who are now physically alive and those who have passed away in the last 2000 years or so since Pentecost. This false peace is mentioned in Daniel 9:27 especially as a covenant by the Satanic Antichrist or he who causes abomination with Israel for a Middle East peace that will allow the Israeli Jews to rebuild their Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and restore their worship of God through the Levitical priesthood including animal sacrifices and grain or wine oblations there. The Antichrist will then stop these Jewish Levitical sacrifices half-way through the tribulation or 70th week of Daniel and take the tribulation temple and altar over to force all people left on earth to worship him as God or be killed as in 2 Thessalonians 2 or Revelation 13 etc. This worship of the Antichrist and his world rule then will be overturned when God stops it through the Second Coming of His Son Jesus Christ (Messiah) to judge the world under the antichrist or beast out of the sea or he who causes abomination and set up God's Kingdom over all the Earth through restored Israel, the restored of the nations and the true Church. The latter anyway will come with Jesus from heaven to earth at His Second Coming as in Revelation 19. Since these increased tensions between Israel and the Arabs including regarding the Temple Mount and attempted increased Israeli claims and Arab counter claims to Jerusalem are happening now I would encourage the reader, if you haven't already done so, to immediately trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father through Him that Jesus came to earth to pay for all our sins and restore us to God through His death on the cross and rose again from the dead to offer us God's eternal life. By trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ in this way as your personal Lord and Saviour you can also be guaranteed that you will be caught up from the earth in a new resurrection body to life to live with Him and His restored people in this age the true Church forever in heaven and the millennial or new earth and new heavens and not be left behind to face God's wrath and the worldwide tyranny of the devil's man the Antichrist on earth during the tribulation.
The 70th annivesary of the founding of the modern state of Israel that is called in Israel Independence Day was celebrated on the 70th anniversary according to the Jewish lunar calendar of the date when independence was granted to Israel by the United Kingdom in May 1948. The United Kingdom was the last Gentile or non-Jewish nation to have primary authority over the land of Israel. This year that date of celebration on the Jewish calendar was April 19, 2018. This annual day when Israeli Independence is celebrated is also mourned by Palestinians and some other Arabs and Muslims as Al Naqba or The Catastrophe because the achievement of a Jewish state on some of the Holy Land or biblical Land of Israel made it more difficult for the Arabs or other Muslims to achieve their goal of an Arab or mostly Muslim ruled state of Palestine on some or all of the Holy Land or biblical Land of Israel. In Hebrew Independence Day is called Yom Ha'atzmaut and is celebrated especially officially in Jerusalem on Mount Herzl the day after an official day of mourning for Israeli soldiers killed in efforts to establish or maintain the Jewish modern state of Israel. This day of mourning for the Israeli soldiers who died seeking to establish and maintain a Jewish state of Israel is called Memorial Day or in Hebrew Yom Hazikaron and is also officially observed primarily on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem including this year. On the official ceremony of Israel Independence Day the Israeli flag which is at half mast for the previous Memorial Day at Israeli's cemetery for falled soldiers on Mount Herzl is brought to full height on Israeli Independence Day. The Israeli Independence Day celebration in April has in part Israeli soldiers marching with Israeli flags in different groupings, a couple hundred dancers, and fireworks. This program is broadcast live on Israel television this year and probably each year since television broadcasting was available soon after 1948. At these ceremonies Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lit a torch part way through this ceremony to signify the start of Israel's 70th Independence Day and to relate to all the previous governments of Israel since the start of modern Israel in 1948. 12 well known Israeli or Jewish people associated with supporting the nation and society of Israel were highly recognized at this ceremony and associated with the biblical 12 tribes of Israel.
Other popular customs celebrated with particular enthusiasm in Israel this year in the 70th anniversary of Israeli Independence were the custom throughout the land of Israel for families or other individuals or groups of people to have barbeque dinners and hike in nature parks or reserves throughout the land of Israel. These parks provide places for people to barbeque their food which was done with special thanks for the 70th anniversary of Israel as a Jewish state this year. Another popular annual celebration at Israel Independence Day, not least this 70th anniversary year is the annual International Bible Contest based on the Tanach or Jewish Bible or Christian Old Testament that is worldwide for high school students and that is held at the Jerusalem Theatre. This competition is aired live on Israeli broadcast media and is funded and promoted by the government of Israel and the prime minister of Israel attends it including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this year. Also to help celebrate this anniversary there were many historical and cultural events at museums and cultural or beaches or other open air locations to celebrate the nation and society of Israel including various locations in Jerusalem on beaches and theatres in Tel Aviv, in Ashkelon, Haifa, Gedara, Rishon Lezion and Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. There was also Israeli air force and perhaps some civilian aircraft flying over different parts of Israel as part of the celebrations. There were also flag waving and lights in parades in other parts of Jerusalem and some other parts of Israel and general celebrations or parties with a patriotic theme to the 70th anniversary of Israel as a modern Jewish state.
Officially Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provided to the public a recording of his well wishing to fellow Israelis to celebrate the history, society and nation of Israel as a modern primarily Jewish nation on her 70th anniversary. This address was given at the official opening of Israel's 70th anniversary Independence Day on April 19th, 2018. This was probably the same observance as mentioned above at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. His speech in part said the following according to Israel National News: "This year Israel celebrates its 70th anniversary. That's 70 years of freedom. 70 years of democracy. 70 years of bettering the world. Israel's success didn't happen overnight. Men and women from every walk of life - young and old, Jew, Christian, Muslim, religious and secular, men and women that have worked hard to build our nation.
Deputy Prime Minister Tzipi Hotovely also reflected on the 70th anniversary Independence Day of Israel in an interview with Arutz Sheva (Channel 7) in Israel and including Israel National News. She said: "You see an impressive development in the economic sphere. In the early years of the state, we had to import almost everything. Today we are a richer country with an economy of technology and know-how alongside the gas discoveries that contribute to the State of Israel being much more independent."
She continued: "The State of Israel has become the largest Jewish concentration and almost everything important in terms of spirit is happening here. We have come a long way from the small country that was threatened at the beginning to what we are today. We should be happy with what we have."
She also said she thinks Isreal can now better determine their own foreign policy and defence in saying: "There is no comparison between the last 20 years in terms of the intensity of the international pressure on Israel and the few last years, in which the world is undergoing a very significant shake-up".
She continued: "Suddenly there is an understanding that the main problem in the Middle East is not the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but rather the problem of radical forces coming to Europe and the United States (and Canada etc.). The entire world has changed. I am not saying that the UN is an objective place when it comes to the State of Israel, but when I think of the interests of the current U.S. administration which completely understands the security needs of the State of Israel and, in a historic move, is transferring the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, and when next week I am going to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, to try to turn many positive statements on this subject and bring more embassies to Jerusalem, then we are witnessing a great change."
Israeli Deputy Minister Tzipi Hotovely continued talking about Israel and its history and foreign relations: "When the UN recognized the State of Israel on November 29, 1947, there were 33 countries that supported us, and today we have diplomatic relations with 160 countries. (There are currently about 193 countries fully recognized by the UN but there many fewer in 1947 because many of the current nations now were not nations in 1947 and didn't have their own seat in the UN then as they do now because many nations in Africa, Asia and parts of Latin America were still considered colonies especially of European countries in 1947.) That says something about how the State of Israel is perceived in the world. Today there is an understanding that Israel is fighting the radical Islam that the entire world suffers from".
There were some congratulations and well wishing by leaders of some nations of the world including some world powers to Israel on the occasion of their 70th anniversary as a restored nation in April 2018. This was according to an article in Israel National News with the title World leaders congratulate Israel on its 70th anniversary. Some of the world leaders who sent congratulations to Israel on this occasion on behalf of their nations were the leaders of the United States, Russia, Germany, Croatia, the United Kingdom as represented by Queen Elizabeth, and the UN Secretary General. The statement from US President Donald Trump to Israel on their 70th anniversary was: "President (Harry) Truman spoke a lot about the pride he felt when he supported the establishment of the State of Israel, as I have stated in the past, I announced the transfer of the EU Embassy to Jerusalem one of my proudest moments as President of the United States." Mr. Trump further stated: "Our committments to the state of Israel is strong and unwavering, and we will continue to stand by you as we have done in the past seven decades, ... I hope to deepen our historic friendship and witness Israel's prosperity." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated in writing to Israeli President Rivlin: "The United Nations is enriched by the diversity of its members and our mission is strengthened when we unite to strengthen the values that are the anchor of our foundation." The German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated in writing to Israeli President Rivlin: "Israel celebrates 70 years of indepedendence and we celebrate with it. The reconciliation and partnership with Israel that bridge the abyss that have opened up in our history have been and is a wonderful thing. For us Germans, it is a gift on one hand and a responsibility on the other. We will not forget this and will do our fair share to ensure a good future to Israel and trust between Germans and Israelis. To you, Mr. President, your wife and all the citizens and citizens of Israel. I send my heartfelt greetings, also on behalf of my countrymen." Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom stated in writing to Israeli President Rivlin on the occasion of Israel's 70th anniversary as a restored nation: "It is my pleasure to congratulate you warmly on the occasion of the Independence Day celebrations, and warm wishes for the happiness and well-being of all the citizens of Israel in the coming year." Russian President Vladimir Putin stated to Israel on its 70th modern anniversary: " I wish to note the excellent relations that exist between our two countries, and I am confident that together we will continue to develop bilateral dialogue and fruitful cooperation in economics, science, technology and humanitarian assistance for the sake of our people, and in order to strengthen peace, stability and security in the Middle East."
Another aspect of some world officials celebrating Israel's 70th anniversary as a modern state in April, 2018 on the Jewish calendar anniversary date was that about 40 ambassadors to the United Nations from different countries visited Israel for tours at this time. This group tour was arranged months ahead of time by Israel and was led by Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon. Some of the nations whose ambassadors took part in this visit to Israel on her 70th anniversary were from Serbia, Jamaica, Bosni-Herzegovina, Hungary, Liberia, Ukraine, Uganda, Slovenia, Malta, Mozambique and Ethiopia. The Israel National News article said there were no ambassadors from any Arab nations. The article also said not all the nations represented by the 40 ambassadors vote with Israel at the UN such as at UN General Assembly or Security Council meetings. This visiting party of ambassadors was shown Jewish achaological artefacts in Jerualem near the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem when they visited the City of David National Park near the Temple Mount. They were also to visit the city in Judah but what some might call East Jerusalem of Maaleh Adumim a couple miles from Jerusalem. The ambassadors also visited the Western Wall, the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum and Tel Aviv. These visits of ambassadors of some nations to the UN to Israel has become an annual event (I think at the time of Israel Independence Day in April) but had many more joining this time with 40 compared to 9 in 2016 and 14 in 2017. This article also said that the previous week 15 ambassadors to the UN joined Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon in Poland for the March of the Living that is held on the date of Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day. This year (2018) is apparently the first year that ambassadors of some nations to the UN joined this march.
However not all the response in the world to Israel's 70th anniversary as a restored Jewish state and the celebrations of that anniversary by her leaders and people in April was positive. For instance there continued to be violent protests against Israel by Palestinian and perhaps some other Arabs in the Gaza Strip next to its fence with Israel. These protests were violent in many cases and not peaceful and were organizated by the Palestinian Arab Muslim terrorist group Hamas. These protests started on March 30th, 2018 on what the Palestinian Arabs call Land Day and included thousands of rioting anti-Israel mostly Muslim protesters that are more intense this year due to the move of the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem on the western calendar anniversary of Israeli Independence Day in May. Medical officials in Gaza by the time of this article in Israel National News on April 21, 2018 stated that 39 rioters and terrorists had been killed and 4,200 wounded. These rioting not peaceful protesters were regularly using firebombs, flaming tires, and improvised explosive devices (IESs) on kites that were flown over the fence with Israel to strike at Israeli soldiers on the Israeli side of the fence. The terrorists among the protesters also used shooting and roadside bombs to attack Israeli soldiers on the Israeli side of the fence and they attempted to break through to the Israeli side of the fence to cause more violence against Israelis through damaged sections of the fence. Israeli forces responded to firing on Islamic Hamas backed terrorists who tried to destroy the fence with the Israel or to invade Israeli terrorory through damaged sections of the fence with hostile intent and killed or injured some of the Hamas backed Palestinian Arab terrorists.
In response to this Arab violence at the fence at the border with Israel of the Gaza Strip by Arab militants inspired by Hamas and Israeli counterattacks the United Nations Humans Rights leader Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein responded. He responded in a way that mostly condemned Israel even though Israeli forces only selectively shot at and especially killed those Arab rioters who were directly attacking Israel or the border fence of Gaza with Israel in self defence. Mr. Al Hussein demanded Israel use more restraint against these rioters against the border Israeli defence forces and the border fence by saying: "Every week, we witness instances of use of lethal force against unarmed demonstrators. Warnings by the United Nations and others have seemingly gone unheeded, as the approach of the security forces from week to week does not seem to have changed. The staggering number of injuries caused by live ammunition only confirms the sense that excessive force has been used against demonstrators - not once, not twice, but repeatedly." What Mr. Al Hussein didn't seem to mention was that most of those killed by Israel in these riots at the Gaza border with Israel were known militants with the Islamic terrorist group Hamas and that most of those killed and quite a few of those injured by Israel were throwing stones, firebombs, or kites with firebombs over the fence or shooting through the fence or burning tires to hide their activies at the fence with Israel or Israeli soldiers and were trying and sometimes succeeded to knock down some of the fence to make invasions into Israeli territory. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh approved of the actions of the Arab youth in the riots against Israeli soldiers or the fence of Gaza with Israel. He said on this occasion: "This march places our nation on the path to freedom ... from here, from Rafah, the fortress of the south, until the farthest border of Palestine, we will continue. We will not hesitate and we will not be deterred, and we will continue forward. This land is our land, Al-Quds (Arabic for Jerusalem) is our holy place, return is our right, and anyone who fights us for this right - we will hit him with an iron fist."
Israel also had foreseen that some Israeli or Arab bus lines might be tempted to contribute to this violence against Israel on the Gaza border with it and beforehand warned these bus lines not to transport protesters to the Gaza fence area. The relevant Israeli official The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Terriories (COGAT) Major General Yoav (Poli) Mordechai stated that the bus companies who disregarded these warnings and assisted Hamas in carrying out these protests including at the Jewish calendar anniversary of Israeli Independence Day in April will be punished. This punishment will be to both the leaders of these bus companies and the companies in general and will include sanctions on the bus company owners and actions to deny special priviledges to their family members for contact with Israel (probably including any contact with family members they may have in Israel.) COGAT leader Mordechai said in an interview with the Arab Al-Hura (media) netword that more than 20 bus company managers were involved. These bus company managers took money from Hamas to transport Palestinian Arabs to the border fence with Israel to participate in the demonstrations instead of the people that were transported by bus perhaps otherwise staying in their homes during the protests.
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