Ultimately, Israel must understand that it can only ever fully depend on God. [Ludwig Schneider, Israel Today]
Top US officials stationed in Israel have taken it upon themselves to monitor Jewish construction in Jerusalem and other areas claimed by the Palestinian Arabs.
According to the Israeli newspaper Makor Rishon, the US ambassador to Israel, the US consul general in Jerusalem and other officials demand regular updates from Israeli ministers associated with building committees.
As a result of that pressure, building permits for thousands of new housing units in Jerusalem have been held up indefinitely. Government and municipal officials have confirmed that there is an unofficial Jewish building freeze in Jerusalem because of the American pressure.
In related news, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday told London-based pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that Washington had guaranteed him there would be no "provocations" by Israel during the start of US-hosted indirect peace talks scheduled to take place next week.
The Palestinians view Jewish construction in most of Jerusalem as a provocation, and in response have refused to negotiate with Israel.
US President Barack Obama is working closely with Russia and Egypt on an effort to rid Israel of its supposed nuclear weapons arsenal, according to several mainstream media reports this week.
Most prominently, the Wall Street Journal reported that Obama is keen to adopt an Egyptian proposal to declare the Middle East a nuclear-free zone. A follow-up regional conference would put heavy pressure on all nations to comply.
Being the only country in the Middle East believed to possess nuclear weapons, Israel would be the clear target of such a move. Washington is suggesting that by pressuring Israel to give up its nukes, it has a much better chance to convince Iran to halt its defiant nuclear program.
That angle has become a major topic of discussion at the current Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference taking place at UN headquarters in New York. Arab and Muslim nations have enthusiastically joined and pushed the discussion on Israel's nuclear program in an effort to divert attention from Iran.
Former US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton warned that Obama was playing right into the Muslims' hands, and threatening Israel's long-term security. "The president is not happy with Israel's nuclear capabilities. I think he would be delighted if Israel gave up its nuclear weapons," Bolton told Israel's Army Radio. "The only unknown answer at this point is exactly how much pressure he would exert on Israel to do just that.
Part of that pressure is being exerted right now by even considering the possibility of a conference on a nuclear-weapons-free Middle East."
Israel has never confirmed nor denied that it has nuclear weapons, though most believe the Jewish state to be in possession of at least a couple hundred warheads. Those weapons, if they exist, are the primary deterrent against yet another region-wide Arab attempt to overrun and destroy Israel. Prior to Israel's nuclear program, its Arab neighbors launched three full-scale wars aimed at annihilating the Jewish state.
Right now, the whole world is looking to the President of the United States, including Israel. But the question we are asking here is, will Barack Hussein Obama be good or bad for Israel, especially in light of his familial Moslem ties and friendship with some very anti-Israel figures?
It is said that the US has always helped Israel and without the US, Israel would never have been able to survive. However, despite the great friendship the US has exhibited over the years, the idea that Israel would not have survived without the US is a myth. Ultimately, the God of Israel is the reason His nation has survived against all the odds.
Although the US endorsed the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947, America did not provide Israel with any resources for self defense during the War of Independence in 1948.
Wouldn't it be "a good day to fly?"
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