Resumed Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations
Today Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a lengthy statement to the Israeli public. In it, he said we will again resume negotiations with Palestinians for the creation of their sovereign state. This action is in response to US induced diplomacy. As a first step, Israel will release from jail over 100 convicted terrorists. In return, the Palestinians will talk to us. Negotiations are set to start tomorrow, Monday.
Said Netanyahu, “We will examine if the Palestinian element that faces us wants to truly end the conflict between us, as we do.” The prime minister said that if a peace agreement is reached, it will be voted on by Israeli citizens in a public referendum.
In addition, several days ago on Tisha b’Av, the European Union issued a formidable ruling. All of its 28 member nations must disengage from most formal relations with Israeli entities in disputed areas known as the West Bank. The EU did not prohibit relations with Palestinian entities in the same disputed areas. Israelis were shocked at the decision.
Whatever happens to the Jewish nation is ultimately about the King of Glory. Please join me today, on behalf of our people, in praying these verses from Psalm 57:
“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You…In the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High…He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up…They have prepared a net for my steps. [But] my heart is steadfast, O God…I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples…Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth.” (Psalm 57, excerpts)