ISRAEL WATCH: 10.3.20 - What God Said Will Happen

What God Said Will Happen - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2020/09/27/what-god-said-will-happen-by-daymond-duck/ Several people have asked for my opinion on Israel's recent peace treaties with the UAE and Bahrain, so this is my effort to putit into writing. At the Sept. 15, 2020, signing ceremony, Israel's Prime Min. Netanyahu said, "This peace will eventually expand to include otherArab states, and ultimately, it can end the Arab-Israel conflict once and for all." These treaties have been called historic, a profound geopolitical shift, stunning, a fundamental reordering of the Middle East,etc. These treaties are not the 7-year covenant with many that will be confirmed by the Antichrist (Dan. 9:27) and triggers the TribulationPeriod, but they are a very significant step in that direction and will eventually lead to people declaring "peace and safety" in the world (I Thess. 5:3). A Foreign Policy statement released by the White House on Sept. 15, 2020, even says, "The Parties shall be guided in their relationsby the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law governing relations among States. In particular, they shall recognize and respect each other's sovereignty and right to live in peace and security (the same thingas "peace and safety"), develop friendly relations of cooperation between them and their peoples, and settle all disputes between them by peaceful means." https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/abraham-accords-peace-agreement-treaty-of-peace-diplomatic-relations-and-full-normalization-between-the-united-arab-emirates-and-the-state-of-israel/ A second Foreign Policy statement released by the White House on the same date reads, (The UAE and Israel are) "Determined toensure lasting peace, stability, security and prosperity (the same thing as "peace and safety") for both their States and to develop and enhance their dynamic and innovative economies." https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/abraham-accords-peace-agreement-treaty-of-peace-diplomatic-relations-and-full-normalization-between-the-united-arab-emirates-and-the-state-of-israel/ A third Foreign Policy statement released by the White House on the same date reads, "The parties discussed their shared commitmentto advancing peace and security (the same thing as "peace and safety") in the Middle East stressing the importance of embracing the vision of the Abraham Accords, widening the circle of peace; recognizing each State's right to sovereignty and to live in peaceand security, and continuing the efforts to achieve a just, comprehensive, and enduring resolution of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict." https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/abraham-accords-declaration-peace-cooperation-constructive-diplomatic-friendly-relations/ Two more nations have now acknowledged Israel's right to exist, and more nations will follow suit, but the fact that some nationsare willing to make peace with Israel doesn't mean that there are not other nations and groups that want to destroy Israel (peace and safety with many doesn't mean peace and safety with everybody). Many nations have noticed Israel's wealth (silver and gold; cattle and goods, etc.). The Arabs want to increase their wealth bynegotiating and trading with Israel. Russia, Iran, Turkey, and others want to increase their wealth by plundering Israel (Ezek. 38:11-12). Netanyahu said the peace deals will bring billions of dollars into Israel's economy, making the plunder more enticing. The peace treaties (called the "Abraham Accords because Arabs and Jews are both descendants of Abraham) suggest that Israel isnow safer (as in dwelling safely; Ezek. 38:11). They make an attack by Saudi Arabia less likely; and they make an attack by Russia, Turkey, and Iran more likely, etc. (Ezek. 38:13). The U.S. will sell the UAE and Bahrain more powerful weapons (F-35 jets, high-tech equipment, etc.) that will strengthen the Araballiance against Iran; be used against Iran's allies in Libya, Yemen and other places; and put a greater strain on Iran's economy (increasing Iran's need for plunder). The peace treaties have caused the PA to feel abandoned and increased the pressure on Israel's terrorist enemies (Hezbollah, Hamas,Islamic Jihad, etc.). The PA can now be expected to do one of two things: 1) Step up their war against Israel (which will fulfill Bible prophecy), or 2) Sit down at the negotiating table (which will result in the 7-year covenant). They will likely go to warfirst and sit down at the negotiating table later (after their defeat). On Sept. 16, 2020, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman said, "The peace treaties between Israel, Bahrain and the UAE mark the beginning of the end of the Israeli-Arab conflict." On Sept. 16, 2020, Jared Kushner, Trump's Advisor and Son-in-Law, said he is very confident that the peace treaties will makean ultimate resolution with the Palestinians more likely. According to the Bible, a worthless treaty with many will be signed by the Antichrist after the Rapture. According to Pres. Trump, the peace treaties allow Muslims to visit the holy sites in Israel (the Temple Mount and more), includingthe Al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Israel and the U.S. believe this opens the door for the Temple to be rebuilt. Many prophecy teachers believe the 7-year covenant with many will give Israel permission to rebuild the Temple, and they willquickly do it after the Tribulation Period begins. So, 72 years (about one generation; Matt. 24:32-35) after Israel has become a nation in one day (Isa. 66:7-9) before the TribulationPeriod, the nation is rich, possibly on the verge of many peace treaties that are expected to lead to peace and safety in the Middle East, the door to rebuilding the Temple could be starting to open, and Israel's enemies (Russia, Turkey, Iran, etc.) are amassingnorth of Israel just like the Bible says (Ezek. 38:15). We cannot know the day or the hour (Matt. 24:36), but we can see the day approaching (Heb. 10:25) and know when our redemptionis near (Luke 21:28). Here are some other things that recently caught my attention: One, a friend sent this link to meof prophecy teacher Don Stewart's fascinating interview of Dennis Swick, the owner and founder of His Channel TV: https://hischannel.com/WorldNewsBriefing/1050A5 On Sept. 17, 2020, Swick was interviewed on Stewart's "World News Briefing" TV program. About 30 min. into the program, Stewart and Swick started talking about the fact that Elon Musk has been authorized to put up12,000 satellites into orbit (he wants to increase it to 40,000) to make high-speed Internet and TV service available everywhere on earth. Many Bible prophecy teachers know that this will literally make it possible for the gospel to go all over the world, for the Antichristand False Prophet to track all buying and selling, for everyone on earth to see the Antichrist kill the Two Witnesses, to see the bodies of the Two Witnesses laying in the street in Jerusalem, and for everyone on earth to see the Two Witnesses raised fromthe dead and Raptured into heaven at the middle of the Tribulation Period (Rev. 11). Stewart wanted to know when this system (called Starlink) will be complete, "in five years"? Swick, who receives technical notes from Musk, replied "less than that. Some people will go online this year, and the system willbe operational in a few years" (it just needs to be operational 3 ½ years after the Tribulation Period begins). Two, a second thing that caught myattention in the Stewart-Swick interview concerns social distancing. Bill Gates wants to force everyone on earth to be numbered, tattooed with a quantum dot tattoo, and vaccinated for the Coronavirus. He wants to deny those that refuse the right to hold a job, buy and sell, etc. The enzyme that activates the quantum dots in Gates' vaccine is called Luciferase (Lucifer was Satan's name when he fell; Isa.14:12). Swick talked about why officials want 7 feet of social distancing (He probably misspoke because it is 6 feet), and he said scannersmay misread people's numbers if the people and their numbers are too close together, but if the people are at least 7 feet (he means 6 feet) apart, the scanners will accurately read the numbers. I don't know if this is right, but Swick has excellent knowledge of technology, and the media is now reporting that 6 feet ofsocial distancing may not be enough. Three, on Sept. 17, 2020, Rev. FranklinGraham was talking about what God said will happen, and I think it is important to hear Dr. Graham's opinion. He was talking about his upcoming Prayer March in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 26, 2020, and he told the Christian Post, "I justsense there is something moving in our country. I don't believe that our country is going to be spared from God's judgment. We are not a Christian nation. We are a secular nation, and the secularists are wanting to strip God out of everything. "Maybe this election could possibly slow that down, but we know there's going to be a one-world system one day. We know that peoplearen't going to be able to buy, sell, or trade unless they have the mark of the Antichrist. We know that there will be a great war. "We see God's judgment coming against this earth for the rejection of His Son, and we see the Lord Jesus Christ coming back triumphantto establish a new Heaven and a new Earth. We know how the last chapters of history are written. "I think we're kind of in that period of time on God's clock where some of these things might just be beginning to unfold. Tosay that we're not going to be able to reset God's clock, in the sense where He's going to change His mind, no, it's written. But He might delay just a little bit." https://www.christianpost.com/news/franklin-graham-ahead-of-national-prayer-march-us-is-crumbling-god-is-only-hope.html I agree with everything Dr. Graham said: God is still on the throne, and prayer changes things. By the time this article is posted, the Prayer March will be history, but Christians need to keep praying. We are in a spiritual battle for the heart and soul of America. Four, concerning Syria, Russia's economyis hurting, Putin is moving more equipment and weapons to Syria, and Russia is becoming more aggressive. This has prompted the U.S. to send 100 troops with vehicles, helicopters and jets back to Syria to protect the oil fields thatare under Kurdish control. A U.S. company has just inked a deal with the Kurds to develop the oilfields and sell the crude, and the Russians are very unhappy. Five, concerning natural disasters,several wildfires have now merged, creating the largest California wildfire on record since record-keeping started in 1932, and 83% of the state of Utah is now experiencing an "extreme" drought emergency. Six, concerning wickedness, in Chicago,IL, homicides are up 52% over 2019, and the vast majority of those killed are people of color. Black Lives Matter and defunding the police are about overthrowing the U.S. government, not about protecting or bettering thelives of people of color. In New York City, homicides are up 27% over 2019; murder, robbery, domestic violence, and other crimes are also up, and the storyis similar in other cities. Now, even before we know who the nominee will be, left-wing activists are threatening violent riots if Pres. Trump and Mitch McConnelltry to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Trump and McConnell have not caved, and they have said there will be a nomination and vote. These things are setting the stage for what God said will happen. God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin born, sinlessSon of God, who died for the sins of the world, was buried and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this. Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc. Daymond Duck Abraham "Peace" Accords: ....Ezekiel 38? - By Brian Lasewski - https://www.raptureready.com/2020/09/27/abraham-peace-accords-ezekiel-38-by-brian-lasewski/ If you tune out all the noise of the western media, you'll soon get a sense something big is happening in the Middle East. I believe it is possible that the war of Ezekiel38 will happen prior to the tribulation period spoken of by Daniel and Revelation. The geopolitics of old are falling by the wayside in favor of a new order of normal relations. With the recent Abraham Accord Peace Plan, Arab solidarity over the Palestinianissue is waning in favor of opposition to Iran. I will not be surprised if Saudi Arabia is next to join in. The tentacles of Iran dig deep into the Middle East. Their sphere of influence digs into Iraq, Syria, Lebanon (Hezbollah) and, apparently, is attempting to bolster Hamas.To be sure, Iran is hurting economically and internally collapsing. It is in this state that I believe Iran is most dangerous as a wounded bear. Turkey is another chief player in the Ezekiel 38 war. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been doing everything possible to project Turkey's dominance into the region, notunlike his Ottoman ancestors. If you dig a little deep, you'll uncover many reports about Turkey's involvement in Libya and The Sudan (Other players in Ezekiel 38). Albeit they have been set back recently in The Sudan, they nevertheless are still prevalentin Libya. Then we have Russia. Russia, needless to say, goes without saying. I believe them to be the King of the North. Now that Putin is El Presidente for life, he basically can operate as he wishes. He is, in fact, a dictator hidden in plain sight. Theyare also losing a lot of rubles over Israel's extra blessing of natural gas. We do know from Ezekiel that whoever this confederation of nations are, they will be compelled to attack an unprepared Israel. "Thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out,and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah fromthe remote parts of the north with all its troops-many peoples with you'" (Ezekiel 38:3-6). The nations are generally thought to be a confederation of Russia, Turkey, Iran, Libya, Sudan, and a few others. I would urge you to study this for yourself. Using the tablesof nations maps in most Bibles, you'll generally put this together. The Nations are more so agreed upon than the timing of this war (Gog and Magog). I believe it could happen at any time as there are no pre-conditions. Some have it in the tribulation, anda minority place it at the end of the Millennial Kingdom instead of there being a second war of Gog and Magog. I happen to believe it will happen prior to the tribulation, but that is my mere opinion. What is missing here (Ezekiel 38) is mention of the direct neighbors of Israel. Many of these nations seem to be covered in the Psalm 83 war. Many believe that the Psalm83 war was already fought between 1948 to 1981. This viewpoint does merit attention and could very well be correct. What I find interesting is that there now seems to be a wedge driven between Arab solidarity concerning a relationship with Israel. From the Jerusalem Post: Palestinian leadership is on a collision course with Arab countries. The Palestinian leadership has placed itself on a collision course with many Arab countries, and thesituation may not improve. Less than a month after the Second Intifada erupted in September 2000, the Arab heads of state held an extraordinary meeting in Nasr City, a district of Cairo. After the meeting, held at the urgent invitation of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, the Arab leaders issued a communique in which they "hailed the intifada of thePalestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories" and held Israel "responsible for returning the region to a climate of tension and to manifestations of violence as a result of its practices, its assaults and its blockade of the Palestinian people,in violation of its obligations as the occupying power under the terms of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949." In response to a proposal by Saudi Arabia, the Arab leaders decided to establish two funds to help the Palestinians. Al-Aqsa Fund, they said, will be allocated a sum of$800 million for "the funding of projects designed to preserve the Arab and Islamic identity of Jerusalem and prevent its loss, and to enable the Palestinian people to disengage from its subordination to the Israeli economy." The second one, Al-Quds IntifadaFund, was to have capital of $200m to be allocated for disbursement to the families of Palestinian "martyrs." A year later, the Arab leaders held another summit, this time in the Jordanian capital of Amman. As usual, the leaders issued another statement expressing full solidaritywith the Palestinians and hailed "with great pride the Palestinian people's steadfastness and brave intifada in the face of the savage onslaught waged by Israel." Although the Palestinians never saw much of the financial aid promised by the Arab heads of state, they were nevertheless encouraged by moral support they received fromthe Arab world during the intifada. Those were the days when the Palestinians felt that they had the full backing of the entire Arab world and that the Palestinian cause was the central issue of all Arabs and Muslims. The Palestinians were further encouraged by the widespread support they received from the Arab street. No one in the Arab world dared to criticize the Palestinians, especiallynot during a time when they were engaged in a violent confrontation with Israel. "We never had much faith in the Arab leaders, but at least they publicly stood with the Palestinians and strongly condemned Israel," a veteran PLO official in Ramallah toldThe Jerusalem Post. "Back then, the Palestinians felt that all the Arabs were with them, and that allowed them to continue with the intifada. We did not feel that we were alone." IN 2002, the Arab leaders held a summit in Beirut and announced the Arab Peace Initiative, a 10-sentence proposal for an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict. The initiativecalls for normalizing relations between the Arab world and Israel, in exchange for a full withdrawal by Israel to the pre-1967 lines, a "just settlement" of the Palestinian refugee problem based on United Nations resolution 194, and the establishment of aPalestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital. Former Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat immediately embraced the initiative. His successor, Mahmoud Abbas, also supported it. Some Palestinians saw the Arab peace plan as the turning point in the Arab world's attitude toward the Palestinian issue and Israel. It was the first time that Arab headsof state had talked about the possibility of normalization with Israel, though they conditioned it on a full Israel withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. "The Arab Peace Initiative represented a decline of the Arab position [toward the Arab-Israeli conflict]," noted Palestinian political analyst Hani al-Masri. "The Palestiniansidentified with the plan despite the concessions it contained." Masri believes that the Arab Peace Initiative (also known as the Saudi Initiative) came in the context of Saudi Arabia's "atonement" for the 9/11 attacks. Fifteen of the19 terrorists who carried out the attacks were Saudis. In 2007, the Arab leaders met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and "reiterated the adherence of all Arab countries to the Arab Peace Initiative" as it was approved by the Arab summitin Beirut five years earlier. The Riyadh summit came against the backdrop of reports suggesting that some Gulf states were secretly engaged in normalization activities with Israel. The Palestinians wereaware of the secret contacts between some Arab countries and Israel but refrained from publicly denouncing these states so as not to alienate them. "We saw the rapprochement between some Arab states and Israel, but we decided that it would be a bad idea to attack them," explained a senior PA official. "We did not wantto deepen divisions in the Arab world. In addition, we didn't want to be accused of meddling in the internal affairs of any Arab country. We did our best to maintain good relations with all the Arab countries, particularly those that were secretly normalizingtheir relations with Israel." In retrospect, the official said, "We may have made a mistake by remaining silent." Had the Palestinian leadership raised its voice and made it known that normalization with Israel was a blatant violation of the Arab Peace Initiative, it's possible thatthe United Arab Emirates and Bahrain would not have taken a decision to establish relations with Israel, the official added. "The Palestinian leadership failed to see the writing on the wall," remarked Palestinian lawyer Khalil Zahran. "By the time the Palestinian leadership woke up, it was toolate. The leadership's strong reaction to the Israel-Emirati deal, meanwhile, has proven to be counterproductive. It was a mistake to accuse an Arab country of betraying al-Aqsa Mosque and the Palestinian issue. Worse, it was a big mistake to send people tothe streets to burn pictures of UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed." By the time the PA leadership realized that its harsh rhetoric against the UAE was fruitless and harmful, it was too late. First, the Arab League turned down a Palestinian request to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the repercussions of the Israel-UAE accord. When the Arab League foreignministers held their ordinary meeting in early September, they refused to endorse a Palestinian draft resolution condemning the UAE for its "agreement of shame" with Israel. Shunned by their Arab brothers, the Palestinians were finally forced to come to terms with the fact that the notion of Arab solidarity has passed away. For the first timein decades, the Palestinians now realize that the Palestinian issue is no longer the central issue of the Arab world. And for the first time in decades, the Palestinians are now fully aware that the Arab world has changed. "As far as many Arab countries are concerned, Iran, Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood organization are the real enemy, and not Israel," said Amjad Shaheen, a prominent activistwith the Palestinian ruling Fatah faction. "What's worrying is that many Arabs are attacking the Palestinians and are saying they are fed up with us and our issue. The Palestinian people feel abandoned and isolated. I don't think our leadership has a clearstrategy on how to cope with the new developments in the Arab world." Respected East Jerusalem Prof. Sari Nusseibeh believes that the Palestinian leadership has no choice but to make the best of what it has. "It is incumbent on the Palestinian Authority leadership to transcend whatever feelings and to see if an opportunity has risen," Nusseibeh said. "I think this has to bestudied. Why not ask, for instance, the UAE to push for the kind of solution that the Palestinians have always asked for? Why not ask them to push for things that people have always wanted, such as the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons?I believe that one should make best use of what one has." The Arab summit resolutions with regard to the Israeli-Arab conflict have failed, Nusseibeh noted. "The support we've had from the Arab world over the past two, three, four,five, six, seven, eight decades has not actually borne fruit, as far as the Palestinians are concerned. It is in this light that one should assess the recent agreements between Israel and Arab countries, whether implicit or explicit. Things seem to be slidingback, so to speak. Of course, this causes a great deal of pain for the Palestinians, just as the failure of the Oslo agreement causes a great deal of pain." Nusseibeh, who once served as the PLO's representative in Jerusalem, advised the Palestinian leadership "to try and see if they could use the developing relations betweenArab states and Israel to see if they can push forward the peace process. "Perhaps it is more possible to do this now than it was in the past when there were no relations [between the Arab states and Israel]," he said. "I think the Palestinianleadership should look into this possibility, in spite of the pain at the sense of being betrayed. In politics, one has to always be on the lookout for what possible opportunity there is to advance the interests of one. In the past, we had an Arab consensus,which was no peace with Israel until there is peace with the Palestinians. If you look at the history of this policy, one can't but say it has failed. Why be blind to the fact?" Like many Palestinians, Nusseibeh is disappointed with the Palestinian leadership for lacking a strategy to deal with the new developments in the region. "One should be expecting changes sometime soon," he said. "I don't think [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is going to be there forever. On the Palestinian side, theremay well be change, and some of the changes may actually not come about in a positive way. What I'm concerned about is that the stalemated position our leadership finds itself in might well put some pressure to bring about change in that leadership. Our leadershipis under pressure not only because it has not been moving forward with the peace process, but because the Palestinians in the areas it controls are not happy with its governance. I don't even discount violent change. Everything is possible." Under the current circumstances, it seems unlikely that Abbas and his cohorts in Ramallah are going to listen to advice such as the one offered by Nusseibeh. The Palestinianleadership has placed itself on a course of collision with many Arab countries, and it's hard to see how Abbas will be able to climb down from the tall tree anytime in the near future. [Source] So, there you have it. For years I often wondered how a massive invasion of Israel could be pulled off without the neighboring Arab states piling on. I guess we can thankthe pariah Iran for reshaping the Middle East geopolitical sphere. The Arabs and Persians have been at it for thousands of years. And to many of them, their enmity of Persia outweighs their enmity of the Jewish state. It also appears Israel is going to lockdown again due to Covid-19. I really don't know how they are keeping their head above water with their economy in shambles and tourismkaput. Israel's Spending to GDP most recently reported around 39.50%. Considering How effective the IDF is and how state of the art equipped they are, a shortfall in spending will only harm the IDF and their readiness to effectively defend their state. I think there is a perfect recipe of events falling into place for Ezekiel 38 to unfold. Unprepared Israel. Financially collapsing Russia and Iran, and Turkey's ambitions,not to mention that all three are operating in proximity in Syria right next door to Israel. Could we be nearing the Ezekiel 38 war? If so, it doesn't end well for the invaders as God Himself will thwart and destroy those enemies. "Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4). Nevertheless, as always, Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. Her King is Coming soon! Shalom, Brian Lazewski Erdogan's Plan to Take Over the Palestinian Authority - by Khaled Abu Toameh - https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/16576/erdogan-abbas-palestinian-authority On September 21, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas phoned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and requested that Turkey send Turkishobservers to monitor Palestinian elections, if and when they are held. The phone call came as Turkey hosted a meeting between Abbas's ruling Fatah faction and the Iran-backed Hamas movement. At the meeting, the Fatah andHamas reportedly agreed to hold long overdue elections for the PA presidency and parliament, the Palestine Legislative Council (PLC). Abbas's request surprised many Palestinians and Arabs, especially in the wake of charges that Erdogan had forged the 2018 presidential and parliamentaryelections in Turkey. Shortly after the voting ended, thousands of Twitter users launched a hashtag called #Erdogan_forged_election, accusing him of rigging the elections. This was not the first time that Erdogan has been accused of election fraud. In 2014, Turkey's opposition accused Erdogan's party of rigging the country'slocal elections. What we are witnessing is an Arab autocrat (Abbas) seeking the help of a Muslim autocrat (Erdogan) in holding "free and fair" elections. Abbas, itseems, is confident that Erdogan's observers would rubber-stamp the results of any Palestinian election to ensure that the PA president emerges victorious. The 85-year-old Abbas, currently in the 15th year of his four-year-term in office, appears to be an admirer of Erdogan's authoritarian rule. WhileErdogan is seeking to resurrect the Ottoman Empire and assume the role of Sultan (ruler of a Muslim realm), Abbas is searching for ways to hold onto power until his last day. Erdogan apparently wants to expand his influence in the Middle East by meddling in the affairs of the Palestinians after already involving himselfin conflicts in Libya and Syria. Now he has a chance to use the Palestinian elections to try to bring his Hamas friends to power after getting rid of Abbas. Abbas, who has no intention of competing with Erdogan for the title of Sultan, wants to maintain his status as president-for-life of the Palestinians.Abbas is hoping that Erdogan will assist him in achieving his goal. In January 2005, Abbas was elected president of the Palestinian Authority. The next presidential election was supposed to take place in January 2009,but a dispute that erupted between Fatah and Hamas has so far prevented the Palestinians from holding presidential and parliamentary elections. The last Palestinian parliamentary election was held in January 2006, when Hamas won most of the Palestine LegislativeCouncil seats. A year later, Hamas staged a violent coup in the Gaza Strip, overthrowing Abbas's PA and seizing full control of the coastal enclave, home to nearlytwo million Palestinians. Since then, the Palestinians have been left without a parliament due to the split between the PA-controlled West Bank and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Several attempts by Egypt and other Arab countries to resolve the Fatah-Hamas rift over the past 12 years have failed, leaving the Palestinians withtwo separate mini-states: one in the West Bank, the other in the Gaza Strip. Abbas, in the past 11 years, has more than once expressed his desire to end the conflict with Hamas and pave the way for holding the long overdue elections.Such statements have often been ridiculed by his critics. "Palestinian elections are merely a lie we've been hearing for years and never see happening on the ground," noted several social media users on Twitter.One posted a video that included various statements by Abbas in which he talks about holding new elections. In 2009, Abbas announced: "I have issued a decree for holding presidential and parliamentary elections on January 24, 2010." In 2016, Abbas stated: "We are continuing our sincere efforts to achieve Palestinian reconciliation [with Hamas] by forming a national unity government on the basis of thePLO program and holding presidential and parliamentary elections." In 2017, Abbas, in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly, called on Hamas to allow the Palestinian Authority to assume its responsibilitiesin the Gaza Strip and hold general elections. Last year, in another speech at the UN General Assembly, Abbas again announced his intention to hold presidential and parliamentary elections. "Uponmy return to the homeland," he said, "I will call general elections in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem." In September 2020, during a videoconference meeting of leaders of Palestinian factions, Abbas said: "Despite all the obstacles you are aware of, we are preparing to hold the parliamentary election, and then the presidential election, with the participationof all the Palestinian factions." Abbas has long managed to avoid fulfilling his election promise, once by blaming Hamas and another time by blaming Israel. As far as Abbas is concerned,everyone is to blame for the absence of free and fair elections except himself. Now Palestinians and some Arabs are saying that they no longer believe Abbas. A hashtag trending on Twitter under the name "The Election Play" showsthat many Palestinians and Arabs are skeptical of Abbas's real intentions. "We have become used to the talk about elections," remarked Hesham Abo Al-Hosom, a Palestinian political activist from the Gaza Strip. "The electionsAbbas is talking about are a play steeped in lies and delusions." Palestinian social media user Rawan Armana commented: "We are fed up with speeches, lies and deceit. We have lost confidence [in our leaders]." Tareq Al-Farra, a member of Fatah, derided Abbas's repeated promise to hold elections: "When will this play end? We are tired of statements about holdinggeneral elections and achieving national unity. Stop your lies." Yara Lolo, who describes herself as a supporter of Abbas's arch-rival, Mohammed Dahlan, wrote: "The people who elect corrupt opportunists and swindlersare not considered victims, but rather partners in crime." Commenting on Abbas's request that Turkey monitor the Palestinian elections, Egyptian social media user Ahmed Maka wrote: "Did you know that the Palestinian Authority president called on Turkey to monitor the Palestinian elections, despite the fact that Turkey itself riggedthe local elections [in Turkey], according to the testimony of international observers?" Lebanese political analyst Nidal Al-Sabeh also expressed concern over Abbas's demand that Turkey monitor the Palestinian elections. The PA president'srequest to Erdogan, Al-Sabeh said, "exposes to Abbas's stance against Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Syria, and his involvement with the Qatari-Turkish project." Khairallah Khairallah, a Lebanese journalist and political commentator, wondered whether the proposed elections would lead to real change on the groundand put an end to Hamas's "Taliban-style Islamic emirate" in the Gaza Strip: "With the exception of Turkey, which hosted the Fatah-Hamas meeting to assert its regional role, it is not known how the elections will lead to a profoundchange that the Palestinians need more than ever... The elections can be the gateway to a major change. Most of all, the elections can be a bridge to a transformation that leads to the birth of a different Palestinian leadership. It is terrifying that Abbasspeaks as if he lives in another world. Is there a Palestinian interest in attacking the US administration, even if this administration takes unfair positions against the Palestinians? Is there a Palestinian interest in referring negatively to the peace accordsbetween Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain? There is a Palestinian need to return to reality. There is a Palestinian need to come to terms with the truth." Khairallah called on the Palestinian factions to explain what they mean when they talk about achieving national unity and holding new elections. "Thereis a need to stop selling illusions," he added. "There is a need to adapt to international and regional developments. There is a need to acknowledge that national unity cannot be restored by appeasingTurkey or Iran, or by acknowledging the legitimacy of what Hamas is doing in Gaza. Palestinian elections cannot be held without a clear vision that is based above all on preserving an independent Palestinian decision, away from the interference of Turkey andIran." Palestinian political analyst Hani al-Masri said it was "useless" to talk about holding elections while the Palestinians are divided. "Without a unity government that provides an atmosphere of confidence and respect for human rights and freedoms, combats corruption, and unifies institutions,especially the judiciary, there can be no elections... What is required is a new and strategic vision, a single leadership, and a true partnership." Erdogan's renewed interest in the Palestinian issue might be seen in the context of his embrace of the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates, includingHamas. If Erdogan is going to send Turkish observers to monitor the Palestinian elections, it is because he would like to help his friends in Hamas win the vote. A report by the Century Foundation on the Turkish government's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood estimated that 20,000 Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood memberslive on Turkish soil. Recently, another report revealed that Turkey has given passports to a dozen members of Hamas in Istanbul. Erdogan evidently cares about Hamas more than Abbas does. The Turkish leader would certainly like to see Palestinians hold new elections -- and heis prepared to provide all the help needed. By inviting Turkey to monitor the elections, Abbas is playing into the hands of Erdogan and Hamas. Abbas is advancing Turkey's mission of replacing his regime with a Muslim Brotherhood-led government. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM