Dear Jane,
I agree about the "smallness" in terms of eternity. I was simply trying to respond to Emile and what seems like an ideology of a cross between Louis Farrakhan (bless his poor misguided heart) and Pee Wee Herman -- I jest. But each can believe as they will. I believe that God has a special plan for Israel -- the Israel that exists today. And I fear -- not fear, but it saddens me to know where America will stand (see article below) in terms of God's judgment on those that go against Israel in the end times.
May someone get a glimpse of truth here.
I remain,
SOROS
Clinton to threaten recognition of Palestinian state
Fox News and AP - 10/18/98
JERUSALEM (AP) — President Clinton aims to put pressure on Israel by threatening to recognize a Palestinian state this spring if
the two sides don't reach an agreement at the Mideast summit outside Washington, Israel's army radio reported Sunday.
The report, citing an unidentified American official, said Clinton would use the tactic to try to propel Israel to accept a long-sought
after deal with the Palestinians, under which Israel would withdraw from 13 percent of the West Bank in exchange for security
guarantees.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has said he would declare a Palestinian state unilaterally in May 1999, when the interim peace
talks between the sides are set to expire. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened unspecified unilateral steps in
response that could include annexing chunks of the West Bank.
Talks at the Maryland retreat of Wye Plantation, in their third day, were moving into high gear Sunday with the arrival of Israel's
Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai.
Upon their arrival, Netanyahu was to convene a special session of his inner security cabinet on the grounds of the retreat, Israel
radio reported.
Israel radio also reported that an announcement would be made Sunday night by the Americans on whether an agreement has been
reached or if the summit will be extended until one has been struck.
Although a press blackout remains in effect on the summit, details about the talks continued to leak out.
Several Israeli press reports painted a picture of a frustrated Clinton who told both sides categorically that he intended to push an
agreement through.
"I've been working on this deal for 17 months and I'm not prepared to defer it any longer,'' Clinton was quoted by the Israeli daily
Maariv as having told both Netanyahu and Arafat.
Wide gaps still remain on security issues, Israeli media have reported. The CIA has been helping broker talks between the sides on
security issues, Maariv said.
In the Gaza Strip, meanwhile, about 300 relatives of Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel held a protest Sunday, chanting
slogans and holding up pictures of imprisoned family members. They demanded that the release of Palestinian prisoners be put on
the summit agenda.
Also Sunday, Salah Taamari, a minister without portfolio in the Palestinian Authority, said that Israel has plans to build four new
Jewish settlements in the West Bank, army radio said. It said settlers neither confirmed nor denied the report. |
