Weekly World Watch - September 1-14, 2019: Netanyahu's Annexation Plans and Middle East Tensions

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s Sept 1 - 14, 2019 “If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.” (Ezekiel 33:6, New International Version) PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE To skip the introductory slides and go straight to this weeks developments click here.

2. What is a Weekly World Watch? The idea is simple. It is to look at current events and compare them to events spoken of in the Bible. . I hope to build up a picture of God’s hand working in the affairs of this world. God is bringing about a day when all nations will be gathered to Jerusalem to battle. At that time God will send His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, back to this earth. Jesus will then establish God’s kingdom on earth. This kingdom will last for ever. This is our hope and the reason we watch. The following six themes will appear repeatedly in WWW: • Israel: The continuing conflict in the Middle East and focus on Jerusalem. • Europe: Its developing union, both political and religious. • Russia: Its return to anti-Western ways as Bible prophecy’s “king of the north.” • The UK and the US: Bible prophecy’s “king of the south.” • Moral standards in decline and violence on the increase. • Increasing natural disasters: including earthquake, famine etc WWW presentations in PowerPoint can be ordered as audio/visual CDs by clicking here. Move your mouse to place the cursor on the blue link and click.

3. BIBLE QUOTE What is in a Weekly World Watch? Each WWW looks at a few key developments that have happened during the past week. It is in no way meant to be exhaustive – just a look at those events I saw as significant from a Biblical point of view. Every WWW event slide has the following format. To reveal each block of text just left click your mouse or press the space bar. You control when it appears. News Photo This is straight from a news report that caught my eye because it looked significant from a Biblical perspective, usually that of prophecy. HEADLINE The source of the headline and the date are included. This is the reporter’s description of the event. It is always a direct quotation from the news report and reflects the understanding of the reporter and editors. EVENT This is my comment on why the event is interesting to a Bible student. The intention of the WWW is to offer brief Biblical perspectives without going into detail. If more detail is desired, please e-mail me: (andy@weeklyworldwatch.co.uk). Please note that these are personal thoughts and the aim is purely to stimulate Bible study. COMMENT This is normally one verse which backs up why the event that has occurred is interesting from a Biblical perspective. Please read in its context. Unless stated otherwise, all quotes are from the King James Version.(Book, chapter, and verse)

4. This Week’s Developments Sept 1 - 14, 2019 • Netanyahu vows to annex West Bank settlements • PA claims sovereignty over ENTIRE West Bank • Israeli PM: Attacks make new war in Gaza inevitable • Russia warns against annexing Jordan Valley • Saudi Arabia oil facilities ablaze after drone strikes • Moscow prepares annual strategic military exercise To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham: And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; ….:  And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about.  Netanyahu vows to begin annexing West Bank settlements ABC News, September 10, 2019 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Tuesday to annex the heart of the West Bank if he wins re-election next week, a move that could inflame the Middle East and extinguish any remaining Palestinian hope of establishing a separate state. Arab leaders angrily condemned Netanyahu's remarks, and a U.N. spokesman warned the step would be "devastating" to the prospects for a two-state solution. Netanyahu said he would extend Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley — an area seen as the breadbasket of any Palestinian state — shortly after forming a new government and would move later to annex other Jewish settlements. Such action would swallow up most of the West Bank territory sought by the Palestinians, leaving them with little more than isolated enclaves. Netanyahu said it was important to act as President Donald Trump prepares to unveil his Mideast peace plan after the Sept. 17 election. EVENT COMMENT Netanyahu is neck and neck in the latest election that takes place in Israel this week. Consequently he has decided to up the anti by promising the electorate that he will annex a large part of the West Bank into Israel. He said “Today I announce my intention to apply with the formation of the next government Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and northern Dead Sea.” This move would take Israel’s eastern border right up to the Jordan river. This is interesting because when God described the actual land he was giving the Israelites when they entered the land originally he said their eastern boundary was to be the Jordan river. So if Netanyahu expands Israel’s territory to the Jordan river they will have the extent of the land given to them by God. We know that this move could well provoke a reaction from the surrounding peoples…. BIBLE QUOTE (Numbers 34:10-12)

6. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.  Palestinian Authority claims sovereignty over ENTIRE West Bank RT, September 2, 2018 The Palestinian Authority has announced that it will cease to recognize the division of the West Bank into three areas of differing Israeli and Palestinian control, and will lay claim to the entire territory. The pronouncement, if acted upon, will end the current division of the West Bank into areas A, B, and C, as set forth in the Oslo Accords, signed by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel in 1993 and 1995. The news comes a month after PA President Mahmoud Abbas decided to halt all agreements with Israel, and several weeks after newly-appointed Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh tweeted that “we will deal with all the lands belonging to the State of Palestine as Area ‘A’, including occupied East Jerusalem.” EVENT COMMENT Just a week before Netanyahu’s announcement about the annexation of the West Bank the Palestinian Authority laid claim to the whole of the West Bank – including East Jerusalem. This has come on top of the President Abbas suspending all agreements (including the Oslo agreement) with Israel a few weeks ago. The Oslo Accords divided the West Bank into three parts: Area A, which makes up 18 percent of it and includes all large Palestinian cities, is under full control of the Palestinian Authority; Area B, which makes up 22 percent, is under civilian control of the PA and Israeli security control; and Area C, which makes up 60 percent, is controlled by Israel and is home to Israeli settlements.  It seems that both sides are now determined to take the West Bank for their own. The Palestinians will also push for the division of Jerusalem. This could well lead to the “inner ring” war that comes before Russia descends… BIBLE QUOTE (Zechariah 12:2-3)

7. Israeli PM: Attacks make new war in Gaza inevitable Associated Press, September 12, 2019 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that continued rocket fire from Gaza is making another war against Palestinian militants in the coastal strip inevitable, his latest headline-grabbing announcement just days before he seeks re-election. Netanyahu said advanced plans were in place to strike Gaza and that he would decide the optimal timing of the offensive, given the unwillingness of Gaza's Hamas rulers to stop the daily barrages. The recent attacks have caused no casualties. The Israeli military has responded with limited strikes against Hamas installations that have caused no casualties and little damage, and has refrained from risking a larger conflagration as Israelis prepare to head to the polls. The Israeli leader has been criticized for failing to respond harshly to the rockets, which have sent residents of southern Israel racing for cover. EVENT Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Thursday that Israel may have no choice but to embark on a military operation in Gaza to overthrow Hamas. “I won’t start it one minute before we are ready, and we are preparing for a `different war’,” he added, shortly before flying to Russia for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin. It appears the Israeli government is preparing to initiate a major ground operation inside Gaza. Of course this could spark a much wider regional war. Israel and Hezbollah have been on the brink of war for months, and so if a major conflict erupts it is easy to envision Hezbollah jumping in to aid their allies in the south. As one article said “Things are eerily quiet for the moment, but the fighting will soon commence, and when it does this will become the biggest news story on the entire planet.” COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.  (Psalm 83:2-4)

8. Russia warns against annexing Jordan Valley AFP, September 11, 2019 EVENT Russia warned on Wednesday that Benjamin Netanyahu's pledge to annex the West Bank's Jordan Valley could escalate tensions as the Israeli prime minister geared up to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was concerned over Netanyahu's plan, saying its implementation could lead to a "sharp escalation of tensions in the region (and) undermine hopes for the establishment of long-awaited peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours.” Moscow pointed out that Netanyahu's pre-election pledge drew a "sharp negative reaction" in the Arab world and reiterated its call for direct talks between Israel and Palestinians. Battling to win re-election in Sept. 17 polls, Netanyahu issued the deeply controversial pledge on Tuesday night, drawing firm condemnation from the Palestinians, Arab states, the United Nations and the European Union. COMMENT The meeting in Sochi, on Russia’s Black Sea coast, is the third between Netanyahu and Putin this year. Apparently they discussed removing Iranian bases in Syria to at least 80km away from Israel’s border. Putin adopted the Netanyahu line which urges the removal of Iranian military forces from Syria, because he believes it will provide him with a bridge on which to strengthen his political and military cooperation with President Donald Trump. However we know what the final outcome is from this relationship. Putin may well want to keep Israel onside but at the same time he arms Israel’s sworn enemies. The Bible says that Gog (Russian leader) will come down to the mountains of Israel. The mountains run through the West Bank. It appears then that Israel will have total control of this area. The article above says what Russia thinks to that! BIBLE QUOTE A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be enjoying peace after recovering from war and after its people have returned from many lands to the mountains of Israel. You and all your allies a vast and awesome army—will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud. (Ezekiel 38:8-9 NLT)

9. Saudi Arabia oil facilities ablaze after drone strikes BBC, September 14, 2019 EVENT Drone attacks have set alight two major oil facilities run by the state-owned company Aramco in Saudi Arabia, state media say. Footage showed a huge blaze at Abqaiq, site of Aramco's largest oil processing plant, while a second drone attack started fires in the Khurais oilfield. The fires are now under control at both facilities, state media said. A spokesman for the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen said it had deployed 10 drones in the attacks. The military spokesman, Yahya Sarea, told al-Masirah TV, which is owned by the Houthi movement and is based in Beirut, that further attacks could be expected in the future. He said Saturday's attack was one of the biggest operations the Houthi forces had undertaken inside Saudi Arabia and was carried out in "co-operation with the honourable people inside the kingdom". Drones attacked the world's largest oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia and a major oilfield operated by Saudi Aramco early on Saturday, sparking a huge fire at a processor vital to global energy supplies. Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack. The Houthis are backed by Iran. In effect this is yet another proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. In the same way that there is a proxy war between Iran and Israel through Iran’s allies Hezbollah. There could be quite a reaction to this attack. This is the world's largest oil processing facility which is of critical importance to global energy supplies. Almost half of the kingdom's estimated oil output is thought to have been impacted by the attacks. We could be entering a very crucial time when tensions everywhere overload! COMMENT and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.  BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 12:1)

10. Moscow Prepares Annual Strategic-Level Military Exercise Jamestown Foundation, September 11, 2019 EVENT The highlight of every combat training year in the Russian Armed Forces is the annual strategic-operational exercise, sometimes designated as a strategic command-staff exercise. Tsentr 2019 will include, in addition, to Russia, forces from China, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It seems, officially at least, that this year’s Tsentr exercise will exceed the scale of its previous iteration. Tsentr 2015, involved 95,000 personnel, more than 7,000 pieces of hardware and weapons, 170 aircraft and 20 warships. Tsentr 2019 will officially include 128,000 personnel, 20,000 pieces of equipment and weapons, 600 aircraft and helicopters, and 15 warships. Some Russian analysts note that the Tsentr 2019 scenario looks less like preparing for counter-terrorist actions, than for inter-state war; this has been a feature of all Russian strategic exercises in recent years. COMMENT These upcoming manoeuvres will take place a year after Russia and China staged 300,000-strong anti-missile exercises near the Chinese border. Those exercises, which were Russia's largest war games since the Cold War, took place amid heightened tension between the West and Moscow over NATO’s expansion in eastern Europe. The Tsentr-2019 exercise will bring together Russia’s Northern Fleet, Pacific Fleet and Central Military District in what it calls a “serious test of the battle capacities of the Arctic troops”. We see constant preparation by Russia to get ready for conflict. It is a key sign that God has given us to watch for as we see ”the day approaching”. It surely cannot be long before Russia puts all the practice into theory! All this heralds Christ’s return… ‘Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:7)

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