Palestinian Cabinet Dissolved as Middle East Unrest Spreads
- Posted on February 14, 2011 at 7:21am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Palestinian prime minister dissolved his Cabinet in an emergency meeting on Monday in what appeared to be a gesture inspired by unrest rocking the Arab world.
The official Wafa news agency said the move was intended to prepare for general elections planned later this year. Prime Minister Salam Fayyad now has six weeks to name a new Cabinet.
President Mahmoud Abbas accepted Fayyad’s decision after the Cabinet meeting.
Abbas’ Palestinian Authority has announced a series of dramatic moves following mass protests that ousted rulers in Egypt and Tunisia over the past month. The protests have spurred calls for democracy throughout the Middle East, a region dominated by monarchs and autocratic leaders.
The Palestinians are also dealing with the fallout from embarrassing media leaks about past peace talks with Israel. Together with deadlock in peace efforts with Israel, these developments have put pressure on Abbas to press forward with reforms.
The Palestinian government said over the weekend that it would hold long-overdue general elections later this year, weeks after saying it would hold local elections in July.
The chief peace negotiator, Saeb Erekat, also resigned in response to the leaks broadcast by the Al-Jazeera satellite channel, which detailed far-reaching concessions that his government was prepared to make to Israel to form a future Palestinian state.
Palestinian spokesman Ghassan Khatib said Fayyad’s Cabinet reshuffle had been planned for weeks.
“It’s not tied to the new changes in the region,” Khatib said.
The Wafa statement said the new Cabinet will help implement Fayyad’s plan to build Palestinian institutions in preparation for eventual independence, and to prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections.
A Fayyad aide said his boss was expected to include members of Abbas’ Fatah party in the Cabinet, members of smaller Palestinian factions, as well as independent technocrats. Fayyad is a U.S.-educated economist.
The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations had not begun.
The new Cabinet will oversee the affairs of Palestinians in the West Bank, where the Western-backed government has partial self-rule.
The other territory that Palestinians want for their future state – the Gaza Strip, which lies on the other side of Israel – has been ruled by the militant Islamic group Hamas since it overran Abbas loyalists in 2007.
Hamas has rejected Abbas’ reforms and says it will not allow elections to take place in Gaza. Its leaders argue that the two rivals must reconcile before returning to the ballot box.
“This is silly theater,” said Hamas official Fawzi Barhoum. He accused Abbas of trying to fool people into thinking that genuine reform was underway.
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RestoreCapitalism
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 9:43pmJer 8:11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
Report Post »Mary M. Tebbe
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 5:03pmThe name Palestine comes from the Hebrew word Pelesheth, which means land of the Philistines. The Philistines were an ancient people. One of the Egyptian Pharaohs conquered the land of Canaan and settled some Egyptians there. They became known as Philistines and the Israelites from early on had to deal with these ruthless people. Later some of the seafaring people of the island of Crete settled among these Philistines, intermarried with them, and melted into their race; both being Hamitic peoples. Though both of these people settled in this ancient land, the land did not originally belong to the Philistines (Egyptians/Creteans). It belonged to the Amorites and the Hittites that first settled in the land after the flood, and their land became known as the land of Canaan, because the Amorites and Hittites were sons of Canaan, the son of Ham whose father was Noah. It was this land of Canaan that God Almighty gave to Abraham and his descendants FOREVER (see 2 Samuel 7: 23 -24) in a blood covenant that cannot be broken. It became the inheritance of the Israelites. The land never was given to the Palestinians, and will never be a possession of the Palestinians. The Bible says nothing to us of a two-stated Israel where one state would be Palestinian and the other state would be Israel. Israel belongs to God Almighty and to God’s Chosen People Israel; period.
Report Post »Ezekiel 25: 15 – 17 records a prophecy against Philistia, another name for Palestine. We read: This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the Philistines ACTED IN VENGEANCE AND TOOK REVENGE WITH MALICE IN THEIR HEARTS, and WITH ANCIENT HOSTILITY SOUGHT TO DESTROY JUDAH (meaning, The Southern Kingdom of Judah; Modern Day Israel today) therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines (Palestinians), and I will cut off the Kerethites (another name for them) and destroy those remaining along the coast. I will carry out great vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I take vengeance on them.
Zephaniah 2 also tells us about the Palestinians. Verses 4 – 7 read as follows: Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon left in ruins. At midday Ashdod will be emptied and Ekron uprooted. Woe to you who live by the sea, O Kerethite people; the word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines. I will destroy you, and none will be left. The land by the sea, where the Kerethites dwell, will be a place for shepherds and sheep pens. IT WILL BELONG TO THE REMNANT OF THE HOUSE OF JUDAH (Modern Day Israel; the tribe of Judah of the Southern Kingdom of Judah); there they will find pasture. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. The Lord their God (The God of Israel) will care for them; HE WILL RESTORE THEIR FORTUNES.
Isaiah 11: 10 – 16 gives us more information about Philistia, as it is also called. We read: In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations (plural) will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. IN THAT DAY the Lord WILL REACH OUT HIS HAND A SECOND TIME TO RECLAIM THE REMNANT that is left of his people from Assyria (the Northern Kingdom of Israel that went into captivity to Assyria, and never returned to the Promised Land, but became LOST and remain LOST to this day), from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt (where many of the Israelites settled after the Babylonian captivity of the Southern Kingdom of Judah), from Cush, from Elam, from Babylon (where the Southern Kingdom of Judah was taken captive to Babylon, but was later allowed to return to the Promised Land, although many did not return), from Hamath and from the islands of the sea. He will RAISE A BANNER (I write about this banner in my book, for we have completely forgotten what the banner over the House of Jacob our forefather was) for the nations and GATHER THE EXILES OF ISRAEL (those that were taken to Assyria as captives and never returned to the Promised Land); he will ASSEMBLE THE SCATTERED PEOPLE OF JUDAH (some of Judah’s descendants are scattered around the world; some remember who they are, and many do not) from the FOUR QUARTERS OF THE EARTH. Ephraim’s jealousy (the tribe of Ephraim was the head tribe of the Northern Kingdom of Israel; Ephraim is also Great Britain and the countries associated with it such as Canada, Australia, etc.) will vanish, and Judah’s (the Southern Kingdom of Judah; Modern Day Israel) ENEMIES WILL BE CUT OFF (at this time when Israel’s tribes are restored); Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim. THEY (the tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah) will SWOOP DOWN on the slopes of PHILISTIA (the land where the Palestinians live) to the west; TOGETHER (the Israelites of all the tribes) they will plunder the people to the east. They will lay hands on Edom (Esau) and Moab (the son of Lot, Abraham’s nephew), and the Ammonites (the son of Lot; all known as transJordan) will be subject to them. The Lord will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand over the Euphrates River (in and around Iraq). He will break it up into seven streams so that men can cross over in sandals. THERE WILL BE A HIGHWAY FOR THE REMNANT OF HIS PEOPLE THAT IS LEFT FROM ASSYRIA (of the Northern Kingdom of Israel), as there was for Israel when they came up from Egypt (in Moses’ day).
All this will take place when the Lost Tribes of Israel are reunited with Modern Day Israel of the tribe of Judah. It is coming soon. God has declared it, decreed it, and ordained it, and there is nothing that anyone can do. We are witnessing changes in the Middle East, for God Almighty is preparing to RESTORE HIS WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.
After Jesus died and rose again, he was seen by many for 40 days before he ascended into heaven. Acts 1: 6 – 8 tells us what Jesus told the people at that time. We read: So when they met together, they asked him, Lord, ARE YOU AT THIS TIME GOING TO RESTORE THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL? Jesus said to them: It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
That passages is very important, because even the disciples and the people that followed Jesus at that time understood (from the writings of the ancient prophets of Israel) that one day God would restore the Whole House of Israel. We are fortunate, because we are watching God’s plan set in motion to bring that restoration about at this time in our history. That is why I am writing to you about it on this website, because it is going to happen soon, and when it does, it will happen quickly.
These are the countries where the Lost Tribes of Israel live today:
Gad is Switzerland
Asher is Belgium
Reuben is France
Simeon is Luxembourg (and Simeon is also scattered among all the tribes of Israel)
Levi is scattered among all of the tribes of Israel
Judah is Modern Day Israel and the Jews scattered around the world
Issachar is Finland
Zebulun is the Netherlands
Joseph is Ephraim (Great Britain and the countries associated with him like Canada, Australia, etc.) and Manasseh (The United States of America)
Benjamin is Norway
Dan is Denmark
Naphtali is Sweden
There are numerous passages of Scripture that point to the fact that God is going to restore the nation of Israel. Though the nation of Israel was founded in 1948, only one tribe of Israel was regathered to the nation of Israel; the tribe of Judah of the Southern Kingdom of Israel. One day all of the tribes of Israel will gather together and be recognized as Israelites. That day is just on the horizon.
Waltermelon
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:45amWe love democracy so much, yet we do not recognize the democratically elected Hamas. The Palestinian people CHOSE Hamas. Instead, we ignore that, and choose the “good” terrorists FOR them. It makes us look like a bunch of jaded hypocrites.
Good terrorist, bad terrorist, we shouldn’t be dealing with either.
Report Post »Conservative Hippy
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 5:16pm@Walter
Some peoples are not ready for democracy. If you feel your people have been treated unfairly for generations, and now you finally have the right to vote… of course your going to vote for the SOB that is toughest on your precieved oppressors. You are still to angry about the past to move towards a bettter peaceful future for your people… Your going to use your vote to hurt the people you feel have hurt you…
This is where the UN “could” be useful in the world. Move into situations like this and set up provisional 5 year governments. Get the people to a certain standard of living and then let them set up a government and vote for their leaders. Unfortunatly I have no faith that the UN could do it.
Report Post »ClockKing
Posted on February 15, 2011 at 10:13amGood one, Con-Hippy! I like your idea. I wonder if freedom-loving people could find a way to co-opt the NWO to nudge/push/shove the UN into a actual useful organization like you describe.
Report Post »Christian Kalgaard
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 9:56amMark 13:1 And as he was going out of the temple, one of his disciples says to him, Teacher, see what stones and what buildings! 2 And Yeshua answering said to him, Seest thou these great buildings? not a stone shall be left upon a stone, which shall not be thrown down.
Report Post »3 And as he sat on the mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 Tell us, when shall these things be, and what is the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled? 5 And Yeshua answering them began to say, Take heed lest any one mislead you. 6 For many shall come in my name, saying, It is I, and shall mislead many. 7 But when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be not disturbed, for this must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be earthquakes in different places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these things are the beginnings of throes.
MaggieRose
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 9:40amAmazing, amazing times we live in…
Report Post »geigergag
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 8:43amAbbas and the PA/PLO are terrorists no different than Hamas or al Qaida or Muslim Brotherhood or Hezbollah. “Prime Minister”…what is that some kind of joke??? Abbas and his cronies are nothing for than organized crime taking money from the US and UN and EU and Japan et al for their personal bank accounts….and why is The Blaze just running AP propaganda??
Report Post »suthenboy
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 8:19amAs for Palestine…yikes. Anyone remember arafat? The single simple reason that ‘peace talks’ never succeed between the Israeles and palestinians is the attitude of the palestinians ( and muslims in general) : Heads we win, tails you lose. All for us, none for you.
Report Post »Negotiation and compromise are non-existent with someone like that. They are duplicitous and disingenuous in everything they say and do so any agreements reaches are null and void before the ink is dry. There will never be a Palestinian state. Even is Israel were to disappear, some local tyranny, probably syria, would take over.
Everything in the middle east is worked out by the gun. Negotiations are just for show.
suthenboy
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 7:59amI wish I could be optimistic about the changes taking place in the middle east, but I cant. Toqueville’s (?) old addage “The people get the government they deserve” is apt here.
Pew’s Global Attitudes Project shows that a large majority of people in the middle eastern countries measured support the death penalty, in barbaric forms like stoning, for offenses such as adultery and apostasy. Apostasy, to me, amounts to freedom of concience. Freedom of Speech and of Concience are the blood and breath of liberty and democratic/republican government.
Fully 20% of egyptians support suicide bombing, i.e. the mass murder of unsuspecting innocent civilians. Wow. They support the murder of babies. I dont think it would be too much of a stretch to say 20% of egyptians are genocidalists.
Any culture that institutionalizes oppression ( of women or minorities or religious groups or whoever ) to the point of murdering them is probably going to have a hard time instituting democracy and freedom. Many people, when they say they want freedom, mean that they want the freedom to oppress someone they despise or disagree with.
I fully expect the governments that arise out of the middle eastern chaos to be as bad or worse than the ones there now. I hope I am wrong.
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 12:22pmThe reason I hate to think about Toqueville’s (?) old addage “The people get the government they deserve” ………….is that I am afraid that applies to us too!!! That is why demanding our politicians govern by the founders’ principles and values is so important.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 7:34am,
Report Post »If the World were a Punch Bowl. The Middle East would be the Turd floating in it…..
Cemoto78
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 8:17amand would be home to the yellow sea
Report Post »NickDeringer
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 7:32amNot good. Abbas is the so called “moderate” in Palestine. Do you hear that sound? It’s the cracking of the peace process and it is about to crumble into dust.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 7:39amEven if the peace has crumbled to dust, there is always the hope and possibility for a better deal to be forged between the Palestinians and Israel. It is not likely I will admit, yet there is the true material there for it to occur, if some from both sides are willing to seize the inititive and make things happen.
It is a time for new heros to arise, to make the changes needed, and to seize the future possible for all in the area. Time will tell what will happen, so hopefully some will make the peace happen.
Report Post »HillBillySam1
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 8:21amHamas is not cracking but the so-called “moderate” part of the Palestinian Authority has already splintered……I wonder which direction they will take as a whole?? Spoiler Alert: The “New” Palestinian Authority ain‘t gonna be makin’ ANY “concessions” to Israel……
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 7:25amNot tied to the changes in the area? Abbas is either making real reforms, to his benefit most likely, or he fears the true coming of a rebellion against him. We shall see what comes frim this, as the reforms may just be the real article in the works.
Report Post »Waltermelon
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:48amWe cannot deal with Abbas, because he is not democratically elected, Hamas is.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 7:24am.
What they only fired the guy that goes
falalalalalalalalalalalalala “Death to America” lalalalalalalalalala
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