Watchman Newsletter

Steel On Steel Persecution Update: India Briefs

Steel on Steel - Mahruaii Sailo (July 22, 2011)

Andhra Pradesh, India, July 8 (Compass Direct News) – Pastor Johnny Lazarus, 50, was beaten by Hindu extremists on June 28 at Bollepally village in Bhongir Mandal. The All India Christian Council (AICC) reported that one extremist, Malla Reddy, accused Pastor Lazarus of performing witchcraft on him. Reddy and his family members verbally abused the pastor and his faith, saying, “You brought a low-caste god among us,” slapped him and threatened to harm him further if he did not leave the area immediately. The pastor reported the attack to police and to the AICC. Police officers summoned both parties on July 1, and the attackers apologized to the pastor, putting into writing that they would not disturb him again. The pastor forgave his assailants.

Europe’s Giant Leap Toward a Superstate

The Trumpet (Link) - Brad Macdonald & Richard Palmer  (July 22, 2011)

Nearly 30 years ago Herbert Armstrong prophesied that a massive banking crisis “could suddenly result in triggering European nations to unite as a new world power larger than either the Soviet Union or the U.S.” (emphasis added throughout).

On Thursday, that prophecy became reality.

To many observers, Thursday’s eurozone meeting in Brussels seemed like just another meeting. Europe’s leaders, noted some economists, have once again kicked the can down the road. These people have gotten bogged down in the details. In reality, unlike previous summits, Europe’s leaders on Thursday made several important long-term decisions that catapult the Continent toward becoming a European superstate.

“[I]t is almost impossible to overestimate the importance of the decision which European leaders seemed last night to be reaching,” wrote the Telegraph’s chief political commentator, Peter Oborne, in an article titled “The euro crisis will give Germany the empire it’s always dreamed of.”

Even German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a lady not prone to exaggeration or speaking in dramatic terms, announced Thursday that “this is a historic day.”

“What we are doing now is an example for deeper integration—handing over and transferring more competences to EU institutions,” Merkel said.

Uproar as BBC Muzzles Climate Change Sceptics

Express UK (Link) - Nathan Rao (July 21, 2011)

The BBC was criticised by climate change sceptics yesterday after it emerged that their views will get less coverage because they differ from mainline scientific opinion.

In a report by its governing body, the BBC Trust, the corporation was urged to focus less on opponents of the “majority consensus” in its programmes.

It said coverage should not be tailored to represent a “false balance” of opinion if one side came from a minority group.

The report was partly based on an independent review of coverage by Steve Jones, Professor of Genetics at University College, London.

Although he found no evidence of bias in BBC output, he suggested where there is a “scientific consensus” it should not hunt out opponents purely to balance the story.

As U.S. Steps Back, Europe Takes Bigger Role in Mideast Peace Push

The New York Times (Link) - Mark Landler (July 20, 2011)

It is a truism of Middle East peacemaking that the United States is the pivotal player — the most credible broker between the Israelis and the Palestinians. But with talks at a standstill, the Obama administration now finds itself on the sidelines, and Europe is emerging as the key diplomatic actor.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, have crisscrossed the Continent in recent weeks, trying to woo leaders who are weighing whether to support a Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations in September. Neither man has visited Washington since the spring.

That may suit the administration just fine. The White House, several officials said, has deliberately kept a low profile since President Obama’s speech on the Middle East in May, in which he tried unsuccessfully to break the stalemate by proposing a starting point for negotiating the contours of a Palestinian state.

Europe’s rising role stems not only from American fatigue with a seemingly intractable problem, but also from the peculiar dynamics of the Palestinian campaign at the United Nations. With more than 100 countries, most in the developing world, expected to support Palestinian recognition — and the United States almost certain to oppose it — Britain, France and Germany are viewed as influential swing votes.

Found! King Solomon’s Wall

The Trumpet (Link) - Brad Macdonald (July 19, 2011)

Around the world, people love to have their minds stirred by humanity’s ancient edifices. Be it the Parthenon in Greece, built 2,400 years ago for the goddess Athena, China’s Great Wall, Rome’s famous Coliseum, the Vatican’s Basilica of St. Peter or the Taj Mahal, these iconic structures capture imaginations and have become gateways into history.

In June, another imagination-stirring edifice was added to that list.

This structure is not only older, but more remarkable and more inspiring than any of the others. Situated just outside the Old City in Jerusalem, the Ophel City Wall site sits between the City of David and the southern wall of the Temple Mount. Now open to the public, the Ophel Wall features ancient artifacts dated to the 10th century B.C., a period during which the ancient kingdom of Israel experienced extraordinary expansion under King David and his son and heir, Solomon. Among the Ophel discoveries is an impressive edifice—a 70-meter-long and 6-meter-high wall—constructed during King Solomon’s reign.

Unfortunately, Solomon’s towering wall hasn’t captured enough imaginations. Not yet anyway.

Our World: Israel’s only two options

The Jerusalem Post (Link) - Caroline Glick (July 18, 2011)

Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas is in Europe this week seeking to convince the Spanish and Norwegian governments to support the Palestinian bid to sidestep negotiations with Israel and have the UN General Assembly recognize Palestinian sovereignty over Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem in addition to Gaza.

The Palestinians know that without US support, their initiative will fail to gain Security Council support and therefore have no legal weight. But they believe that if they push hard enough, Israel’s control over these areas will eventually unravel and they will gain control over them without ever accepting Israel’s right to exist.

Fatah’s UN gambit, along with its unity deal with Hamas, makes clear that the time has come for Israel to finally face the facts: There are only two realistic options for dealing with Judea and Samaria.

Either the Palestinians will take control of Judea and Samaria, or Israel will annex them.

If the Palestinians take control, they will establish a terror state in the areas, which – like their terror state in Gaza – will use its territory as a starting point for continued war against Israel.