Israeli Defense Minister Meets with Cheney, Rice Today, Iran on the Agenda
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has arrived in Washington and is scheduled to meet with Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Pentagon officials and a few members of Congress today. Iran is on the agenda. Barak is accompanied by Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni and Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz. Their visit follows that of Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi to Washington last week.
(I recently wrote about the planned visits, and signs of a growing divergence between US and Israeli timelines and sense of urgency on the Iran issue. Israel was reportedly not informed in advance that the Bush administration planned to send a US representative to international nuclear talks with Iran. Barak's visit, which had been planned for earlier this month, was postponed several times, including because of a recent Israel-Hezbollah prisoner swap.)
Rice has given Iran until Saturday to respond to an international offer on a package of incentives in exchange for negotiations on halting its nuclear program. Accompanying the latest international incentives package to Iran, was a "freeze for freeze" proposal, under which Iran would agree to freeze further installations to its uranium enrichment program, while the international community would agree to freeze placing further economic sanctions on Iran, for a six week pre-negotiations period. In order to move to full-fledged negotiations, Iran has been asked to agree to suspend uranium enrichment for the duration of negotiations, in exchange for the UN agreeing to suspend sanctions already passed against it.
Iran reportedly did not provide a specific response to the freeze for freeze offer when it met with international representatives, including US undersecretary of state for political affairs William Burns, at international nuclear talks held in Geneva earlier this month. "What we're looking for is, at the end of the two weeks, a definitive statement through the normal channels, [Iran nuclear negotiator Saeed] Jalili to [international representative Javier] Solana, on where the Iranians stand," a State Department spokesman told reporters today.
Comments
While I agree that US Taxpayers should not be hit up to support the gov't of Israel, I likewise feel that we should not be getting hit up for money to support Germany, South Korea, or any other foreign country.
Particularly, we should not be providing our children, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters as troops to man the over 700 military installations we maintain in 130 foreign countries.
This, however, is simply false:
Even today, if one wants to preach the Gospel of our Blessed Lord, the Israeli authorities will not allow it.
A little research would go a long way.
Baptist churches in Israel:
www.baptist.org.il/en_index.php
Catholic churches in Israel:
www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/il.html
Here, Catholic & Orthodox Christians protest the construction of a Mosque in their neighborhood in Nazareth (guess they don't think religious freedom should be for everyone..):
query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E4D61E3BF936A35752C1A96F958260
Story from 2006:
Jerusalem (AsiaNews) ? A Christian Protestant organisation has won a long legal battle and, probably for the first time ever, it will build its church in a Jewish area near Tel Aviv.
www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=6119
From an article on the various Christian churches and communities in Israel:
The basic attitude of the state towards religious pluralism found expression in the 1948 Declaration of Independence:
"The State of Israel .... will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the Prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture."
www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts+About+Israel/People/Focus+on+Israel+-+The+Chris...
Let's try to stick to the truth, shall we?
While I agree that US Taxpayers should not be hit up to support the gov't of Israel, I likewise feel that we should not be getting hit up for money to support Germany, South Korea, or any other foreign country.
Particularly, we should not be providing our children, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters as troops to man the over 700 military installations we maintain in 130 foreign countries.
This, however, is simply false:
Even today, if one wants to preach the Gospel of our Blessed Lord, the Israeli authorities will not allow it.
A little research would go a long way.
Baptist churches in Israel:
www.baptist.org.il/en_index.php
Catholic churches in Israel:
www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/il.html
Here, Catholic & Orthodox Christians protest the construction of a Mosque in their neighborhood in Nazareth (guess they don't think religious freedom should be for everyone..):
query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E4D61E3BF936A35752C1A96F958260
Story from 2006:
Jerusalem (AsiaNews) ? A Christian Protestant organisation has won a long legal battle and, probably for the first time ever, it will build its church in a Jewish area near Tel Aviv.
www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=6119
From an article on the various Christian churches and communities in Israel:
The basic attitude of the state towards religious pluralism found expression in the 1948 Declaration of Independence:
"The State of Israel .... will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the Prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture."
www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts+About+Israel/People/Focus+on+Israel+-+The+Chris...
Let's try to stick to the truth, shall we?
Israel was unhappy about America's peace move by sending a rep to the meeting with Iran. Israel has no oil, Iran does. Israel is not worth shedding any more America blood for. Wasn't Iraq enough? Any war Israel starts with Iran will result in the collapse of the world economy with the expected backlash. Why is Israel building more settlements on the occupied west bank, with American taxpayer money? Our taxpayer money is going to support Apartheid. Join the Methodist Church in boycotting Israel for their Apartheid.
America should attack Iran so Israel shall remain secure to continue its usurpation of more Palestinian lands. Today, while the Israeli defense minister is twisting America's arm to attack Iran on behalf of Israel, the Israeli Army is confiscating the homes of 45 more Palestinian families in Arab East Jerusalem. The Palestinians who lived in these houses for generations were thrown out of their homes with only shirts on their backs, as the Israeli bulldozers began the demolition process. After the demolition is complete, the Israeli Army will hand the confiscated land to some extremist Jewish Rabbis who in turn will hand it to some Zealot Jewish settlers who, perhaps, came from as far as New York or Kiev to become the new landlords.
Since 1967, Israel has demolished tens of thousand of Palestinian homes, confiscated the best fertile land of the Wes Bank and diverted 80% of the water aquifers from Palestinians farmers to hundreds of Israeli settlements. When Palestinians protested, the Israeli used collective punishment technique that has been invented by the Nazi to quell their protest. Demolishing the homes of Palestinian protesters, arresting and jailing their families and punishing the entire village, are common practices by the Israeli Army in the occupied Palestinian lands.
The Israelis used their powerful lobby and the massive network of sympathizers in the media to push America to invade Iraq. The Israelis feel more secure after they committed unspeakable crimes against humanity and now they want us to go after Iran.
Million Iraqi's dead, 4,200 American dead and over thirty thousands maimed. This is a partial list of what America has paid so far so Israel can fulfill a Biblical fairytale; to establish a racist religious state based on the superiority of the so-called chosen people. .
Every proud American should feel offended watching the Israeli's chokehold on our domestic and foreign political decision-making. It is particularly insulting to see that no candidate for the president of the United States can win an election, unless he is certified by the Israeli lobby. I am tired of watching that every American politician has to be held to the litmus test of unconditional support for Israel. The attack on Obama was venomous by the American Israel Public Affair Committee (AIPAC) until he was forced to go to Israel, put the Jewish head cap (Yarmulke) on his head and lie to appease Israel. Imagine the outrage had Obama gone to Rome instead and placed a Christian head cover on his head and placed a message in the Vatican Wall. Even, the so-called straight talker, McCain, had to twist facts and lie for Israel to be certified as a candidate by the lobby. I am offended to see McCain being shadowed, supervised and corrected by the Israeli Senator Joseph Lieberman at all time.
Israel never refrained from interfering with our domestic political agenda; and when we do the same they cry foul and speak of violating their sovereignty. Since the creation of Israel by the British, the Israelis have been spying on us and selling our stolen military secrets to the Soviets and Chinese. They have attacked and killed our navy sailors on the ship Liberty and killed our soldiers in Lebanon. In return, we have been rewarding them with Billions of our tax-payer money every year.
Enough is enough; we have paid very high price in blood and treasure for our unholy alliance with a state which practices Apartheid. In the process, we have blemished our democracy by allowing the Israeli's lobbyists to buy and control our Congress. No more blank check for Israel unless Israel agrees to cease its racist policies and stop behaving as rogue nation and to abide by the rule of law applied to every other nation in the world.
There is no economic reason why American Taxpayers should support Israel. Israel has no oil, the Arabs do. End of story. From a moral standpoint, the Israel's Jews persecute Christians. A large part of the original inhabitants of Palestine were Christian, not surprising, since that is where Christ preached the Gospel. Even today, if one wants to preach the Gospel of our Blessed Lord, the Israeli authorities will not allow it. Unfortunately, Israel is controlled by the ultra Orthodox branch of their religion. According to the Rabbinical Talmud that is taught in Israel, Gentiles are looked upon in the same way as they were looked upon in the time of the Apostle Paul. In America, we have a separation of religion and state. We should not give taxpayer money ($5-10billion a year) to such a state that persecutes Christians the same way that they persecuted the early Church.
While I agree that US Taxpayers should not be hit up to support the gov't of Israel, I likewise feel that we should not be getting hit up for money to support Germany, South Korea, or any other foreign country.
Particularly, we should not be providing our children, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters as troops to man the over 700 military installations we maintain in 130 foreign countries.
This, however, is simply false:
Even today, if one wants to preach the Gospel of our Blessed Lord, the Israeli authorities will not allow it.
A little research would go a long way.
Baptist churches in Israel:
www.baptist.org.il/en_index.php
Catholic churches in Israel:
www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/il.html
Here, Catholic & Orthodox Christians protest the construction of a Mosque in their neighborhood in Nazareth (guess they don't think religious freedom should be for everyone..):
query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E4D61E3BF936A35752C1A96F958260
Story from 2006:
Jerusalem (AsiaNews) A Christian Protestant organisation has won a long legal battle and, probably for the first time ever, it will build its church in a Jewish area near Tel Aviv.
www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=6119
From an article on the various Christian churches and communities in Israel:
The basic attitude of the state towards religious pluralism found expression in the 1948 Declaration of Independence:
"The State of Israel .... will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the Prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture."
www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts+About+Israel/People/Focus+on+Israel+-+The+Chris...
Let's try to stick to the truth, shall we?
GVC, as a Palestinian Christian, I disagree with you. The Israeli's killed my father and uncle. Nice words do not mean that they are practiced. Look at the Blacks in the south in 1870.
But I do agree with you about the cost of the American empire at a time when American people's taxes are also going to bail out the Wall Street gamblers and bankers and we have to borrow a half trillion dollars from the Chinese for the federal budget.
CVG
Peter is correct about the persecution of Palestinian Christians by the Israeli authorities. Perhaps the best sources on this matter are the Palestinian Christians themselves:
http://www.jerusalemites.org/crimes/crimes_against_christianity/index.htm
The root of the problem is that Israel has given free hand to its most extremist rabbis to legislate the social conduct of the Israelis. These circles of Rabbis are adherent to the draconian Talmudic Teaching. For example the Talmud holds Christ and the non-Jew gentiles in very low esteem. It mucks Jesus and his followers and calls them names. In 1948 when the Israelis started the terror campaign to drive Palestinians out of their homes; hundreds of Palestinian villages were razed to the ground. Over 100,000 inhabitants of these villages were Palestinian Christians.
The Israeli declaration of 1948 can say whatever it wants; facts on the ground are totally different. This case is analogous to as if we give Pat Robertson the authority to interpret and implement the constitution of the United States; you can imagine the rest.
Unfortunately, most of the above history has been totally ignored by the western press and many facts were prefabricated to show Israel in positive image.
Israeli government and Religious authorities carry on a constant campaign of persecution against parents who send their children to Christian schools. This is an example of this campaign: The Grand Rabbinate supported this campaign by an appeal in which it denounced the misdeeds of Christian Mission. According to Hatsofe newspaper the
Grand rabbinate appeal states: "The Christian Missions open under the feet of Jewish
children the precipice of assimilation and of change of religion. Those who by attending
these schools let themselves be drawn change their religion become the enemies of our
national existence. We want this appeal to reach all in Israel. We proclaim a special week
for action and for information. We launch an appeal in to collect the necessary funds for the realization of this action." The newspaper Hatsofe supported the appeal by the Grand Rabbinate with an inflammatory racist statement:.
"This action must be carried out with all possible vigor until the impurity is destroyed by fire from the face of the earth." Large placards were displayed in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other cities stating: "Do you know that 2,000 children receive Christian education in Israel? Do you know that 400 preachers and Christian sent by 48 Christian missionary institutions were recruited for the new immigrants? Mr. Amos Eylon published an article in Ha'aretz on March 14, 1954 in which he stated:
"Government employees as well as those working in municipalities who send their children to Christian schools were obliged under threat of being fired to transfer their children to Jewish schools."
A section was established in the Ministry of Religious Affairs for the object of fighting
Christian missions. This section is sending spies into churches, monasteries, and
Christian schools to detect who visit these Christian establishments and to take the names
of all those who associate with , or send their children to Christian schools.
BEER SHEVA, Israel (BP)--The arrest of a Messianic Jewish evangelist in Israel reflects the strife that often confronts Messianic Jews . Messianic evangelist Eddie Beckford was arrested outside his business, the Chess and Bible Shop in Arad, after a mob of ultra-Orthodox Haradim Jews surrounded his van in the parking lot and beat him Feb. 25. "In general over the years here in the south in the Negev, in Arad and in Beer Sheva, there has been some form of harassment or persecution," Howard Bass, leader of the Nahalat Yeshua congregation in Beer Sheva, said. Groups of ultra-Orthodox Jews seem to have a difficult time accepting the fact that some Jews would believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that they would want to evangelize other Jews, Bass said. So those anti-Messianic groups work to stop the people they consider "missionaries" through various degrees of persecution. "In Arad, for instance, for almost three years they have been hounding the believers there at their services, in front of their homes," Bass, an American Jew with Israeli citizenship, said.
Obama supports war. Now that the Bush administration is engaged in diplomatic efforts with Iran, many Israeli officials are worried the US is getting soft on Iran, prompting Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to travel to the US this week to meet with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. Barak's office released a statement saying "a policy that consists of keeping all options on the table must be maintained."
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